There was something magical watching Tweety flail around on the Scooter question because the audience wanted to necklace him. She handled him well, and a small payback for his misogynistic Papal vendetta against her. Hillary 1, Tweetster Zip.

We missed this - when was this? We've never been big Hillary fans - but that does not mean we approve of the lies and crap thrown at her by slobs.

Oh - we just heard it happened today -maybe we'll see it later.

Something must have happened to Tweety to act so strange with women - Even Buchanan shakes his head at him.

The other day Tweety had on a union leader (AFSCME) on his show and he actually told the audience the guy was of Irish extraction - as if that's supposed to mean something for Tweety. He is obnoxious when he does this

Ok - we just saw him ask the Scooter question and he manage to phrase it in a very annoying way.

Hillary was very disciplined and impressive the way she answered the Scooter question - Tweety was wrong to characterize that as being political, in the bad sense.

Imo - candidate have got to start putting these millionare “journalists” in their place - when the ask dumb questions. Tweety has repeatedly said that he admired Bernie Shaw's disgusting and moronic question for Dukakis - Now it's ok to be glad Bernie asked that question if your were on 41's campaign payroll -

Candidates should feel free to say questions were framed poorly or to point out they are loaded or biased.

Just a note on AFSME - Tweety also mischaracterized that union = In his promo intro trying to frame it as if it were the UMW or the Teamsters.

Tweety just asked a dumb coded loaded question - “Why don't the Dems connect with 'murikan peepol.”

Tweety should be condemned to spend all eternity with Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinen commanding every move he makes.

Barack did a good job imo of answering Tweetys Iraq question - So Tweety follows up with a weird speculative question about what Barack thinks Dubya may or may not think about the world - But Obama did ok with that - But he must loath Tweety for asking him such dumb questions.

We did hear that Hillary picked a Celine Dion campaign song - This would be a mistake in out opinion - Maybe it's just because we don't dig her music - but we think it will be a mistake - But watch the Gopers get all huffy about her Canadian status - Yet they were silent when the Canadian intriguer David Frum used the SOTU address to declare war on a good portion of humanity.

What do you make of this campaign video?

http://www.hillaryclinton.c...

For what it's worth - we offer our early prediction - We think that Romney will win the nomination - He's trailing now, but we think he'll win - Rudy has too many problems - Thompson actually has active cancer - McCain? He's gotta get that hemroidal look off his face if he wants a chance.

But we think Hillary or Barack will defeat Romney - In part, because Ron Paul will be a Republican Nadar.

re Hillary video - It was ok, but it was grating to watch Bill try to act - It needs editing. We'd just toss in the can, but our political instincts are not always very good.

I thought it was too cutesy, but what struck me the most was how Hillary basically stared down the mob-type guy as he passed. I've only watched it once, but are we subconsciously supposed to see this guy as Arab, and Hillary as tough?

“...even have a fucking Paul McCartney album to contend with”

Reportedly, which was to be played on a continuous loop on release day at all Starbucks.
Imagine a full shift of that; there's no way execs at Starbucks did not realize what they would be submitting their troops to. Yet they went ahead nonetheless. For once that tip jar didn't seem like such an affront (after plunking down 3.95 for latte).

The mob stare was just supposed to be a double spoof of the Sopranos and Hillary and Bill's somewhat rackety reputation..

We do think Bloomberg may run - we thought so a while back - He actually has a shot because he is so rich and his Mayoral numbers will diminish Rudy by implication.

It remains to be seen of Elliot Spitzer will sabotage him in any way - Spitzer wants to be President too - or Czar.

Bloomberg just tossed off his GOP membership like a used napkin - He's such a brilliant businessman.

Did you catch Tweety arguing with his producer back from commercial “We are just reacting throwing up shit . . .” and then freeze when he sees he is live on camera.

Bloomberg is great when he mocks terrorism obsession and points to the statistical - He just ridcules it and people like Brit Hume say “Well - I never!”

No - I just saw Tweety apologize but I did not know what he was talking about - Maybe some cable systems are different. He's a bit of a slob.

Media types like Tweety love to mock Perot - Fair enough - Perot should not be President. But it is worth noting that a lot of billionaires and others who shake things up - are often eccentric. Tweety types feel threatned by non conformity in thought in various forms - He and his likeminded coterie gain too much unearned pleasure by being dismissive in an unwitty way of Perot. We are not defending Perot - just suggesting the Tweety-types who pile on in mockery are mostly exercisinng their own limited imaginations and voicing their own insecurities.

Re your prediction, I just can't see a Mormon (not that there's anything wrong with that) getting the Republican nomination. And Thompson's weight-loss doesn't bode well. I can't believe Rudy is still around...that's just scary. I'd like to think he'd be a cinch to dismantle in the general, but I wonder about the average voter. I visited a non-politcal board today that overwhelmingly thinks Israel is just great. They're operating on 60s propaganda, and are totally oblivious to AIPAC, etc. What the hell, this is the same public that re-elected Dubya. McCain? I don't think it's completely out of the question. Oh, yeah, my prediction: Thompson, if his health holds, McCain, otherwise.

There's a Frontline on tonight about Iraq - mostly pathetic buck passing or qualified acceptance of responsibility - But one thing is clear - no one blames Bush or Cheney - It just never occurs to them to point to the obvious people.

“For once that tip jar didn't seem like such an affront (after plunking down 3.95 for latte).”

I feel their pain. I went to find out where that song came from, so I ended up at the Barnes and Noble site. I played a couple of samples from 'Venus and Mars'. Man, I don't remember it being that bad.

The Frontline piece is overtly critical of the war - but it's actually a cryptic objectively pro war - complete with Michael Gordon faux-critiques etc.

Frontline is PBS? Today I heard that PBS wouldn't run a documentary on the Six-Day War unless it was 'softened.' So much for liberal, left-wing PBS.

http://www.thestar.com/arti...

re The Mormon factor is a factor but I think it's overweighted - Yes, people will not vote for him because of that - but whether or not that would be a greater prejudice than other prejuduces is an open question.

Rudy has a shot in the general - if he gets the nomination - But a Rudy nomination will bring at least one - maybe two - third part siphon campaigns - or a Bloomberg deluge - The fools on TV think Bloomberg would bow out if Rudy wins - baloney -

Romney is running as an empty suit - That's actually his public image - It's a strange tactic, but it may work.

The GOP is really trying to become the stupid party and Romney, a smart man, is tailoring his campaign to fit that.

“Romney, a smart man”?
Have you heard this guy's line on the “caliphate”? He sounds like he recently sustained a severe head wound. Romney is an empty suit. The only reason he wants to be president is because he wants to be president.

Have standards really fallen that much?
If sanity still held in the political and popular psyche the race would be between Ron Paul vs. Dennis Kucinich, two guys with a realistic take on foreign policy and opposed, but principled, stands on domestic policy.

That's interesting about PBS and the 6 day war doc - It's sort of sad and self-defeating. Even among many very strong supporters of Israel there is this feeling of annoyance about the infantilization of debate - Why not let it all hang out? Why try to enforce a cartoon image of a nation? Sometimes its just absurd.

My point was that Romney is smart - but he has crafted a dim public persona - If you look at business deals he has done, there is no way he could be dumb.

It matters little what he says about a Caliphate - no one cares. Reagan proved that -

But you are right about Ron Paul - God forbid we have a decent man like that as President. re Kucinic - His Dept of Peace idea would be hijacked by the neocons and coverted into a Sovietish Agitprop thing.

Re: “Dept of Peace”
Yeah, one wonders what becomes of the State Dept, and how long before it becomes the Dept of Peace(keeping operations).

Commodification eat thyself:

http://www.cyberjournalist....

No victims of Lord Black, lawyer asserts:
http://lawfuel.com/show-rel...

Will the government lawyers have the cajones and chutzpha to show pictures of young multi-cultural families who own Hollinger Internationa - either directly thru stock or indirectly thru funds? Then say, “Ladies and Gentleman of the jury - these are Conrad's victims! - The delayed fuse of a declining stock price merely reflects their prior victimhood! Penitent Radler admits - Conrad does not - It's up to you, the jury!”

re Rick Stengle - What a phony - he hires Bill Kristol to write for Time at a time when common sense would suggest Kristol be thought of as discredited - Not the mention the fact that Kristol already has his own magazine - tv presence, etc. Leave aside the fact that Kristol's views were already well represented in Time.

It's just as bad at Newsweek, Fareed gets a cover story Outlining the Path Ahead (from the very bloodbath he helped ala AEI and the farcical Blethcley II Capn Crunch Decoder Ring crap instigate for Dubya, Cheney and Rumsfeld). He's neveer come clean. Ever.

There are no consequences for ANY OF THEM. Imagine their surprise at our stupidity, cupidity and docile, herd-like natutre. Hence, their outrage re Scooter — the one and only exception to pay a price. Somehow.

The rot and decay in the trunk of Republic shows deeper and deeper. Joe Klein is more a rotted branch that refuses the call of gravity. When he calls his blogger colleagues such as Ana Marie Cox professionals who do not deserve to be called wankers, I mean what is one to do? Apparently, all is forgiven and forgotten and assfucking and gay jokes as a career stepping stone cease to be. The hymen literally doth renew itself upon crossing the threshold at Time.

The DC version of the casting couch one supposes. Although if Mark Halprin is actually ass fucking her, she at least has my sympathies. Some workplace indignitities go to far.

They''re all doomed in a way, sensing their privileged perches are dsintegrating beneath them. POLITICO put the fear of God in even the aetheists. I love it in a way, this New Class sensing the End of their kind. Time magazine week was so slim this week it seemed like an AARP Flier. Might as well have been. It's over for them all and they are gonna rage at the night and fight “5 past 12”.

Ana Marie Cox will somehow emerge in whatever new form and zeitgeist triumphs. She has a likeable TV persona, blessed with great cheekbones, but is hoeplessly over her head as a pundit for at least two election cycles. Think Norah O'Donnell in 2000, but more fun because of the drinking and ass fucking jokes. She should eschew further novels, though. And needs to get serious fast because her Time is cruel to careers based on being precocious. Any Major Dude Would Tell You.

Fareed gave himself away talking about Martinis - The whole essay in Slate was a very cryptic call to arms against the Muslim world. His spotters probably thought he went overboard then.

re Scooter - You'd think Hitchens would glad to see Scooter get Justice - Because the presence of Justice in this world helps to undermine - if only by subtle implication - the passion for seeking Justice in the next world.

If Conrad Black is convicted - maybe they both can get Richard Armiage to give them bench press lessons in preparation for the clink.

Shouldn't Steyn be indicted just for the hell of it?

If Black is convicted Barbara should serve concurrently with him as he dictates his memoirs and organizes the scallywags in The Yard into a firm, discplined Party.

I haven't bothered to see wht Steyn thinks of a Canadian serving as HRC call to war.

It should be interesting if Conrad heads to the clink - how he would manage the prison class system - will he be able to navigate it? How will establish his peerage vis-a-vis LCN prisoners or associates? What to do about the guards and their own class rank? He may wish to dust off that law degree and start doing some legal work - on behalf of both muscle and high status prisoners.
In truth - it's just very hard to imagine him heading of to the big house. It's far more tragic than Scooter.

“The VA [Veterans Admin.] is small change ... the VA is a small drink of water.”
~Larry Kudlow, CNBC
(Explaining why a government
program is able to deliver
satisfactory health care)

Dennis - there is an irony to the possibility of a Ron Paul presidency - Dr. Paul is pretty civilized and its not clear the nation is ready - Voters need to be more 'evolved' to vote for someone who does not call for crackdowns and pre-emptive war. For a Ron Paul presidency to be possible, it would require some national 'consciousness raising' and the whole idea of 'consciousness raising' has its roots in Marxism.

On the other hand - he may just follow enlightment principles and convince a majority of people to ignore the conformist-dissmisive media and to vote for him.

Considering their creative work w/ the Ron Brown tragedy, JW would have been able to make more of this had Clinton been in office:
http://www.news.com.au/hera...

Rudy's next:
http://www.nydailynews.com/...

Isn't Prince Bandar one of Colin Powell's best friends?

How come no one asks Powell what he thinks about Blair scotching the investigation into BAE payments to Bandar?

Does Powell want to get to the bottom or that?

What about those payments Bandar's wife oddly dished out to people connected with 9-11?

If Stephen Hayes is willing to squint to try to establish a specious link between Saddam and 9-11, then he would have a hell of an easier time linking Bandar (amd therefore Bandars pals) family. Why the reluctance? Maybe if Scooter goes to jail he'll look into it.

re Tweety is allergic to Bloomber. - He wonders, why not Daley? Why not Rendell?

It shows Tweety cares only about some image of being a Mayor - not the actual work. Also - Bloomberg is socially liberal and economically conservative - oppsite of Tweets platonic ideal.

Old goal - building a good overpriced fighter. New goal: - keeping nine nations of board and spending lots of cash:
http://www.iht.com/articles...

Tweety actually makes people want to pardon Scooter - He's like a pro Scooter mole acting as a Scooter scurge. He doesn't even bother to refute easily refutable talking points some former Cheney aide regurgitates on his show. Then he does this obnoxious mind meld with some fictition working class bar frequenter.

What were the left blogs saying about Cohen? Also - Addington's novel EOVP-exemption arguments are getting some play on Oberman.

Many of God's creatures act in an agitated manner when they sense a storm is on its way - even if the storm is not yet detected with scientific instruments.

We will soon know if Conrad is about to be convicted if we hear that Barbara has begun agitating the Bureau of Prisons to redecorate the conjugal rooms throughout the Federal system.

Fw to Barbara:
http://business.guardian.co...

Pardon strategy for Conrad:
1: Low key - get Blair & Thatcher to request a pardon - Follow the example of Marc Rich getting Ehud Barak and Shimon Peres to ask Clinton for a pardon. Scooter should follow his old work here.

2. Do not try a Lords version of the Pollard method. That never works. Though if Tenet threatens to write another book if Conrad Black is pardoned - Consider a quick pardon.

3. When Barbara's decorators meet with the warden to discuss redecorating ideas for the conjugal rooms (maybe a playful gitmo/bagram motif combined w/ an English country house setting?) have the warden distracted enough ...