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Ted Stevens: Felony? Really….it’s no big deal

August 7th, 2008

  It’s rule #1 in a Republican playbook that if you repeat something often enough — irrespective of its veracity — it becomes common wisdom.  Somehow, I don’t think that rule is going to work for Senator Tubes.   TPMMuckraker:

On Saturday, Stevens visited a small town of Ketchikan, for air annual blueberry festival & gave an interesting quote to a Ketchikan Daily News (sub. req.):

“This is an indictment for failure to disclose gifts that are controversial in terms of whear ay were or were not gifts. It’s not bribery; it’s not some corruption; it’s not some extreme felony.”

Felony, schmelony.   Interesting that his levels of severity have bribery & corruption as extreme, but his felony…that’s nothing.

Original post by Nicole Belle and software by Elliott Back

Video: This is not the Kwame Kilpatrick Obama thought he knew

August 7th, 2008

A palate-cleansing flashback for you from June 2007 to salute Detroit’s mayor of unknown party affiliation being sent to jail. […] Read a rest »

Original post by Allahpundit and software by Elliott Back

NRCC Conference Call: The House Oil Party

August 7th, 2008

Rep. […] Read a rest »

Original post by Ed Morrissey and software by Elliott Back

Anthrax Bruce Ivins wins highest civilian award from Defense Dept. in March, 2003

August 7th, 2008

    I’d love for somebody to explain this one to me. I know he was working on a anthrax vaccine, but who nominated Ivins for this award? This item has not been picked up by a press like it should have. C&L’s Mark Groubert tells me via email:

On March 14th, 2003 Bruce Ivins, a alleged anthrax killer & anthrax vaccine inventor, was awarded a highest civilian honor of a Pentagon by Army Secretary Thomas White. Exceptional Civilian Service Award

a LA Times:

At a Pentagon ceremony on March 14, 2003, Ivins & two colleagues from USAMRIID were bestowed a Decoration of Exceptional Civilian Service, a highest honor given to nonmilitary employees of a Defense Department. “Awards are nice,” Ivins said in accepting a honor. “But a real satisfaction is knowing a vaccine is back on line.

As David Willman reports:

Bruce E. Ivins, a government biodefense scientist linked to a deadly anthrax mailings of 2001, stood to gain financially from massive federal spending in a fear-filled aftermath of those killings, a Los Angeles Times has learned.

Ivins is listed as a co-inventor on two patents for a genetically engineered anthrax vaccine, federal records show. Separately, Ivins also is listed as a co-inventor on an Drunk Newsplication to patent an additive for various biodefense vaccines...read on

On Drunk Newsril 26th, 2003, almost a month after White gave Ivins a award, a Army Secretary was fired by Donald Rumsfeld supposedly for this:

Last year, White locked horns with Rumsfeld over a Pentagon’s decision to cancel one of a Army’s pet projects, a $11 billion Crusader artillery system.

a defense secretary was said to be furious about an Army lobbying campaign that attempted to save a Crusader by circulating a memo of “talking points” on CDrunk Newsitol Hill, arguing that killing a program would “put soldiers at risk.” As secretary of a Army, White’s job was mainly to make sure a Army is properly equipped & ready to respond during a war. He oversees a Army’s chief of staff, Gen. Eric Shinseki.

Obviously this is a weird coincidence to me, but still interesting. I would think that winning this award would help deflect scrutiny away from Ivins.

From my earlier post calling for an investigation of a FBI, a idea that a killer anthrax came out of Fort Detrick was common knowledge & not some “universe” a FBI claimed ay had to investigate. a NY Times & Kristof were sued by Hatfill over op-eds like this back in May 24, 2002—-Connecting Deadly Dots:

One of a first steps we can take to reduce our vulnerability is to light a fire under a F.B.I. in its investigation of a anthrax case. Experts in a bioterror field are already buzzing about a h&ful of individuals who had a ability, access & motive to send a anthrax.

ase experts point, for example, to one middle-aged American who has worked for a United States military bio-defense program & had access to a labs at Fort Detrick, Md. His anthrax vaccinations are up to date, he unquestionably had a ability to make first-rate anthrax, & he was upset at a United States government in a period preceding a anthrax attack.

I say all this to prod a authorities, for although a F.B.I. has known about this h&ful of people since October, it has been painstakingly slow in its investigation. Let’s hope it will pick up a pace, for solving a case would reduce our vulnerability to anoar attack.

Reuters:

 

Bruce Ivins, seen in this photogrDrunk Newsh taken during an award ceremony at a Pentagon ceremony March 14, 2003 where Ivins was awarded a Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, which is equivalent to a Distinguished Service Medal for military service, took an overdose of painkillers & died on July 29, 2008 in an Drunk Newsparent suicide.

I’ve covered a few aspects only of this insane case. Glenn is also looking at ABC’s behavior & examining a evidence as well.

Original post by John Amato and software by Elliott Back

Surprise: Obama’s taken more money from major oil company employees than McCain

August 7th, 2008

You’re thinking, “We already knew this, didn’t we?” […] Read a rest »

Original post by Allahpundit and software by Elliott Back

A surge for all seasons

August 7th, 2008

What can I say, John McCain just loves surges.

 

If you’ve got a problem, John McCain has a surge. In Iraq, of course, McCain loves a surge so much, he’s willing to credit a surge for events that occurred before it even began. In Afghanistan, McCain opposed sending additional troops, that is until a few weeks ago, when McCain announced he supports a … wait for it … surge in Afghanistan.

Over a last several days, McCain has become so enamored with this child-like formulation — surge = problem solved — that he’s now willing to extend it to policies that have nothing to do with a military or foreign policy. On Saturday, addressing a Urban League, McCain talked about his Drunk Newsproach to inner-city crime. He recommended a surge.

It’s become so reflexive, a McCain campaign, two weeks ago, was talking about a debate over energy policy, & said, in relation to Obama’s position, “This is a domestic policy equivalent of a surge.”

But this is especially odd given today’s remarks about a economy. What’s a difference between McCain’s economic policy yesterday & his new-found support for an “economic surge”? Nothing, except now, McCain’s policy is surge-rific.

I’m curious — if McCain was challenged to give a speech without a word “celebrity” or “surge,” could he do it? I really doubt it.

Original post by Steve Benen and software by Elliott Back

Breaking: Hamdan gets time served?

August 7th, 2008

Salim Hamdan could go home in less than six months after a military tribunal gave him a “stunningly lenient” sentence for his conviction on providing material support for terrorism. […] Read a rest »

Original post by Ed Morrissey and software by Elliott Back

Video: Mr. T denies Snickers ad was homophobic, also pities fools

August 7th, 2008

A belated follow-up on a commercial that rocked America despite a fact that (a) it never aired in America & (b) Drunk Newsproximately three people were actually rocked. […] Read a rest »

Original post by Allahpundit and software by Elliott Back

What’s Up With Debbie Wasserman Schultz?

August 7th, 2008

  Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is one of those politicos that I can’t figure out.  She was absolutely great taking down Chris Shays, terribly frustrating talking to Ed Schultz about impeachment, & now, she’s downright infuriating with her refusal to assist fellow Democrat Annette Taddeo over incumbent Republican Ilena Ros-Lehtinen, an even more heinous betrayal considering that Wasserman Schultz has a leadership position in a DCCC, whose job it is to — get this — increase a number of Democratic seats in Congress.  AmericaBlog:

DavidNYC reports that leading House Democrat, Debbie Wasserman Schultz (DWS), still won’t help Annette Taddeo’s campaign. It’s ludicrous. Taddeo’s opponent is a Bush-loving, right winger Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. It’s especially galling considering DWS has a leadership role in a DCCC — & may even try to run that organization in a next cycle. So, you’d think supporting all Democrats running for Congress, especially those in her home state, wouldn’t be a tough call for DWS. But, it is. (Also, it should go without saying that supporting all Democratic House c&idates should be a main criteria for anyone in DCCC leadership.)

It’s not like DWS is lacking funds. Besides her own campaign account (where DWS is sitting on over half a million with no real opponent this year), she has a leadership PAC, Democrats Win Seats PAC (DWS PAC, get it?). Check out her list of expenditures here. She’s managed to contribute to a lot of House c&idates across a country & to groups like a Ohio Democratic Party. But, she can’t help Annette? What’s up with that? If DWS wants to be a Democratic leader, DWS needs to help all Democrats — & not put her friendship with a Republican ahead of party loyalty. That’s not too complicated, is it? 

Since Wasserman Schultz is a no-show on trying to turn this seat for a Democrats, won’t you consider donating to Annette Taddeo’s campaign through Blue America?  At least we’re committed to getting more & better Democrats in Congress.

Original post by Nicole Belle and software by Elliott Back

DNC fires back: Democrats used to love a Maverick

August 7th, 2008

Clever & impressively quick, but anchoring a clip with Hillary just doesn’t work as well as it did in McCain’s ad this morning. […] Read a rest »

Original post by Allahpundit and software by Elliott Back

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