The Mohammedan Candidate

I'm surprised the dhimmwit wingnuts haven't yet figured out that Sarah Palin is an anagram for:

Sharia Plan

And that thing on McCain's face looks like a crescent.

This Election Is About Judgment

[August 28] BAGHDAD — U.S. forces have arrested a deputy of Ahmad Chalabi, who was once the Bush administration's favorite Iraqi politician, and implicated him in bombings that killed Americans and Iraqis, Chalabi and Iraqi government officials said Thursday.

The U.S. military alleged that the arrested official was working with the "highest echelons" of the Iranian "special groups" criminals, referring to what the U.S. military says are Iranian-backed militias operating in Iraq.

Ali Faisal al Lami, a Shiite Muslim official and a member of the Sadrist Party who's serving as an executive of the Justice and Accountability Committee, which Chalabi heads, was arrested Wednesday at Baghdad International Airport as he returned from a family vacation in Lebanon, Iraqi officials said. The Justice and Accountability Committee screens former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party who are applying for jobs in the government.

The American military doesn't release the names of those it detains. Maj. John C. Hall, a U.S. spokesman in Baghdad said the arrested man was implicated in "multiple criminal acts including bombings and attacks against Iraqi targets" including the bombing June 24 of the Sadr City District Advisory Council meeting, which killed six Iraqis, two American soldiers and two U.S. civilians.

...

Chalabi condemned the arrest Thursday night. "This incident shows the need for an end to the random arrest of Iraqis by the American forces, which are against the human rights outlined in the constitution. It proves for a fact that each Iraqi might be arrested or put in prison without knowing the reasons," he said in a news release. He couldn't be reached for further comment.

From Think Progress:

A new book by Aram Roston reveals that Chalabi supported John McCain (R-AZ) for president in 2000, believing that the senator would be the most receptive to his agenda. Muckraked reports:

One of his key backers has been John McCain, who was one of the first patrons of Chalabi's grand-sounding International Committee for a Free Iraq when it was founded in 1991. McCain was Chalabi's favored candidate in the 2000 election since Chalabi knew that he would be able to free up the $97 million in military aid plus millions pushed through in Congress and earmarked for Chalabi’s exile group, the Iraqi National Congress, but held up by the Clinton State Department.

Indeed, McCain was a Chalabi backer long before President Bush took power. In 1997, he tried to pressure the Clinton administration into setting up an Iraqi government in exile. Despite opposition from the Pentagon and the State Department, the next fall, McCain co-sponsored the Iraq Liberation Act, committing the United States to overthrowing Saddam and funding opposition groups. According to a 2006 article by John Judis:

McCain welcomed Ahmed Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), to Washington and pressured the administration to give him money. When General Anthony Zinni cast doubt upon the effectiveness of the Iraqi opposition, McCain rebuked him at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

...

Also that year [2003], McCain said of Chalabi, "He's a patriot who has the best interests of his country at heart."

And McCain's an expert on patriotism.

Why They Pay Me The Big Money

As long as we're playing political consultants, let me propose that Eric Kleefeld has it all wrong.

Hillary Clinton shouldn't waste two seconds on Palin. Obama shouldn't waste one second on Palin. Joe Biden should talk exclusively about the top of the tickets, his and McCain's. The idea that Palin will draw Hillary supporters to McCain -- beyond a handful of loons -- is absurd. If Palin doesn't self-destruct and take McCain with her, she's irrelevant, a non-issue.

If you're going to do a commercial with Senator Clinton, do one where she talks about Obama and their shared priorities. Having Clinton address Palin is unworthy of her, and a waste of her talents.

Let The Games Begin!

McCain has just shot down his own campaign. The subtext of the entire Republican Convention will be Johnny's incredibly poor judgment. Republican pols who have political careers to protect will avoid mentions of Harriet Miers Jnr. like the plague, fearing their praise of the number two will be replayed by their opponents in the next election -- or this one. The RNC can only pray that Hurricane Gustav increases dramatically in size and speed and heads up the Misissippi to lay waste to the Twin Cities.

Vetts For McCain

Who thought it was a good idea to have Bernie Kerik head up the vetting process for John McCain?

The Washington Post reports:

Gov. Palin's husband, Todd Palin, met with [Director of Public Safety] Monegan in January 2007, a month after his wife took office, to say that the trooper was unfit for the force. Monegan also said the governor sent him e-mails, but Monegan declined to disclose them, saying he planned to give them to the independent prosecutor.

Palin initially denied that she or anyone in her administration had ever pressured Monegan to fire Wooten. She said she had raised the matter with Monegan just once, relaying the allegation that Wooten made a death threat against her father.

But this summer, Palin acknowledged that a half-dozen members of her administration had made more than two dozen calls on the matter to various state officials.

...

In a TV interview in July, Todd Palin confirmed that he had talked with Monegan but said he was just "informing," not pressuring.

At a news conference Aug. 13, the governor said, "I do now have to tell Alaskans that such pressure could have been perceived to exist, although I have only now become aware of it."

The New York Times reports that others view the family Palin as slightly deranged:

A judge in the couple's custody case questioned the family's motives for filing the complaints. "It appears for the world that Ms. McCann and her family have decided to take off for the guy's livelihood," the judge said, according to a recording of a hearing.

...

Excerpts of the audio recording released by the governor showed Frank Bailey, the state's director of boards and commissions, pushing Lt. Rodney Dial in February about Mr. Wooten.

"Todd and Sarah are scratching their heads, 'Why on earth hasn't this, why is this guy still representing the department?'" Mr. Bailey said to the lieutenant.

"Todd and Sarah" is a nice touch, in a Biblically correct sort of way. And Toddy's not just a fisherman -- he's a reformer with results.

Answering A Question With A Question

Killing time between conjugal visits with Lord Black of Coleman Gaol, David Frum inquires:

If it were your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you put an untested small-town mayor a heartbeat away from the presidency?

If it was your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you write dishonest, warmongering speeches for an alcoholic dullard a heartbeat away from Dick Cheney?

But then, America isn't Frumpy's country.

Bonus Black Comedy: Squeal Amiel.

Billy Dale, Meet Walter Monegan

Something is rotten in the State of Alaska.

[Walter] Monegan, 57, a respected former chief of the Anchorage Police Department, said in an interview with The Washington Post's James V. Grimaldi on Friday that the governor repeatedly brought up the topic of her ex-brother-in-law, Michael Wooten, after Monegan became the state's commissioner of public safety in December 2006. Palin's husband, Todd, met with Monegan and presented a dossier of information about Wooten, who was going through a bitter custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly. Monegan also said Sarah Palin sent him e-mails on the subject, but Monegan declined to disclose them, saying he planned to give them to a legislative investigator looking into the matter.

Palin initially denied that she or anyone in her administration had ever pressured Monegan to fire the trooper, but this summer acknowledged more than a half a dozen contacts over the matter, including one phone call from a Palin administration official to a state police lieutenant.

Monegan didn't fire Wooten; Palin gave Monegan the chop.

The Anchorage Daily News also says:

Todd Palin called a meeting with Monegan to specifically talk about Wooten shortly after his wife took office in December 2006, Todd Palin said on Friday.

Monegan says Todd Palin talked to him several times after that about Wooten. Todd Palin said, though, he couldn't recall if he had any conversations with the commissioner about his ex-brother-in-law outside of that initial meeting.

"But I know I've never told him to fire trooper Wooten," Todd Palin said.

The meeting occurred in the governor's office, but the governor was not there, Monegan said

And why in the hell is Todd Flanders even talking to the Commissioner of Public Safety? Does just any schmuck in Alaska stroll into the governor's office and "call a meeting" with the Commissioner of Public Safety? 'Cause he's got a hard-on for his brother-in-law? Is the Commissioner the personal flunky of the Governor's spouse?

Even on Countdown they were calling this a non-starter -- with only a tenuous grasp of the facts -- because the trooper was allegedly an abusive asshole. No dice. If someone is accused of a crime, the Governor doesn't order someone to fucking fire that person. The alleged victim makes a report to law enforcement and law enforcement does its job. Due process. Rule of law. Trial. Right of confrontation. Presumption of innocence. I could go on.

Of course, if the allegations against Trooper Wooten are true, the John McCain Administration would likely hire him and put him in charge at Gitmo.

More: Here's my uniformed speculation of how this unfolds -- Palin steps down as Governor, ostensibly to devote herself to the McCain campaign full-time, but actually to avoid the embarassment of the investigation, testifying under oath, etc. Once out of office, she and her allies claim there's no need for an investigation, and pretend that she was the victim of a partisan witch-hunt.

Palin Was For The Bridge To Nowhere Before She Was Against It, But Only In The Sense That She Was Never Against It

Bradford Plumer has the details.

Ramesh Pornmumu's not happy:

Palin has been governor for about two minutes. Thanks to McCain's decision, Palin could be commander-in-chief next year. That may strike people as a reckless choice; it strikes me that way. And McCain's age raised the stakes on this issue.

McCain doesn't care; he won't have to live with the conseqeunces.

Can anyone say with a straight face that Palin would have gotten picked if she were a man?

Yeah, but the same thing could be said about Clarence Thomas.

The other Special Needs bloggers seem satified with her campaign pledge that, if elected, she will not have an abortion.

Troopergate II: Electric Boogaloo

Well, at least McCain's got Ted Stevens' vote, assuming he still has one in November.

Palin/Tired O8'

Shorter Rictus Johnny: Yes, I do think the American people are stupid. Incredibly stupid.

You Bitter You Bet

Pearls of wisdom from the Special Needs Blog:

Normal Americans ... Are telling me it was a "mean" speech.

LAME. This is a very weak candidate.

A Lot of People ... Are emailing me to say that they have made their first McCain donation tonight.

Instead of "I Have a Dream" ... I have a grievance.

When I lay my head to the pillow tonight, I will dream that John Kasich takes the stage with McCain tomorrow in Dayton. If that happens, you can close the books on the presidential race and start looking at whether the coattails will bring us one of the two houses.

(All quotes guaranteed accurate!)

We Have A Winner

And it's not John McCain.

I'm talking about the winner of the widely popular Roger Ailes Veepapalooza Veepstakes contest. Rumors have Johnny Rictus selecting Tim Polenta as his bland, mushy heartbeat away, although the candidate's official announcement will be made on 5-and-1/4 inch floppies sent out to supporters bulk mail rate.

Unless Johnny R. picks Joe Lieberman as his number two, the contest winner will be Mike Nilsen, who was the first to call Senator Joe Biden as Senator Obama's running mate. Once McCain's pick is confirmed, Mike can e-mail me to collect his prize (unless Lieberman's the one, in which case "John" is the winner).

Congratulations, Mike!

The Fates Conspire Against Me

I haven't caught much of the convention. On Tuesday, I had to work late. Tonight, the power goes out. While I'm in the shower. In a windowless bathroom. Took a towel rack down with me as I groped my way out. At least I didn't impale myself or crack my skull open. Or break a hip, like Bob Novak.

Tomorrow can only bring electrocution.

The only thing that might redeem this week is John McCain's vice president pick. If it's Muff or Holy Joe Lieberman, this could be the best week ever.

The McCain campaign keeps emphasizing that McCain was a prisoner in Vietnam, as proof of his qualification for the Presidency.

Well, so was Gary Glitter, and I'm not voting for him either.

Obama/Biden

A better ticket than McCain/Anyone.

VeePeePalooza

Bumped from 8/19/08. Time's running out. And there's an actual prize -- really! Not to mention the pride of out-prognosticating all of Matt Yglesias' commenters.

As the internet has backed up and is overflowing with half-assed theories about the Vice Presidential selections of the two presumptive nominees, we might as well have a go here.

The commenter here who correctly guesses the Obama and McCain V.P. selections will win a valuable prize. The prize hasn't been determined yet, but it definitely will be worth the effort of typing two names into the comments box. The contest will close when the first candidate officially announces his veep. In the case of a tie, the first commenter correctly identifying both buckets of warm spit will win. If no one names both veeps, the first to name the Democratic veep selection wins. If McCain wins, we all lose. Anyone who names Ralph Nader and/or Bob Barr's veeps will be disqualified and ridiculed. Only one entry per fake screenname. Open only to residents of countries where it won't cost me a lot to mail the prize. The candidates and their staffs are welcome to enter. No purchase necessary. For a free game piece, contact the Contest Administrator at eatme@ idontgiveashit.com.

USA! USA! USA!

Here's a Olympic story that will cause midget Mickey Kaus to soil his synthetic sweatsuit:

BEIJING --The American flag landed on the scorer’s table, launched by a family member with exceptional aim. Henry Cejudo grabbed it from his coach and draped it around his body. He stood there for the longest time, fighting back tears, the son of illegal immigrants wrapped in the Stars and Stripes.

After Cejudo had defeated Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan to win the 121-pound freestyle wrestling final on Tuesday, and after his family members had celebrated so loudly for so long that security threatened to kick them out, officials hung a gold medal around his neck. He said he might never remove it.

"I might just sleep with this," Cejudo said. "It changed my life already."

Fitting, because his is a story about change -- for himself, for his family and maybe now for the USA Wrestling program, which trained the 21-year-old Cejudo to become the youngest gold medalist in United States wrestling history.

The gold medal, and his path to it, changed so many lives along the way.

Like his mother's life. Nelly Rico, who came to the United States from Mexico as an illegal immigrant, raised seven children by herself and left Los Angeles with them in the middle of the night to escape the career criminal who was the father Cejudo never really knew.
...

His right eye bruised and darkened, Cejudo talked of all the hours his mother had worked over the years, as a janitor and a construction worker, anything to put food on the table or to heat the house. He talked about all the times they moved, from Los Angeles to New Mexico to Phoenix to Colorado Springs, each time in search of a better life.

"I wish I could just give her the medal right now," Cejudo said.

Motherhood, hard honest work and the American flag -- everything that Kaus and VDare crowd hate. If only there was some way we could deport shiftless and non-contributing citizens -- like Kaus -- to Mexico in exchange for productive members of society. But I doubt Mexico would go for it.

Congratulations Henry!

In Memoriam: Stephanie Tubbs Jones

A courageous American has died:

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) -- Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first black woman to represent Ohio in Congress and a strong critic of the Iraq war, died Wednesday after a brain hemorrhage, a hospital spokeswoman said.

...

Tubbs Jones represented the heavily Democratic 11th District and chaired the ethics committee in the House. She was the first black woman to serve on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, where she opposed President Bush's tax cuts and his efforts to create personal accounts within Social Security.

Tubbs Jones was a firm supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primaries until throwing her support behind Sen. Barack Obama in June. She was to have been a superdelegate at next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The Clinton family released a statement saying they shared a friendship with Tubbs Jones that "deepened through every trial and challenge."

"Over the course of many years, with many ups and many downs, Stephanie was right by our side -- unwavering, indefatigable," the statement said. "It was that fighting spirit ... that allowed Stephanie to rise from modest beginnings, to succeed in public service, to become a one-woman force for progress in our country."

Obama called Tubbs Jones "an extraordinary American and an outstanding public servant."

"It wasn't enough for her just to break barriers in her own life. She was also determined to bring opportunity to all those who had been overlooked and left behind -- and in Stephanie, they had a fearless friend and unyielding advocate," Obama said in a statement.

...

Tubbs Jones was a passionate opponent of the Iraq war, voting in 2002 against authorizing the use of military force.

Just as the war was starting in March 2003, she was one of only 11 House members to oppose a resolution supporting U.S. troops in Iraq. She said she did so because the resolution connected Iraq to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and said Iraq poses a continued threat to the United States.

Breaking News

Beginning September 1, 2008, Roger Ailes, the blog, is moving to MySpace. I think you'll like what you see.

Details here and here.