Month: July 2008

Progressive Blogger shot and wounded in Washington D.C.

Putting partisan Politics aside for just a moment. It seems that a fellow Blogger and human being in the Political scene was shot and wounded in Washington DC.

Talking Points Memo has more:

Brian Beutler, a well-known progressive blogger, was shot and seriously injured during a mugging last night in Washington, D.C.

One bullet damaged Beutler’s spleen, and he had it removed during surgery this morning at the Washington Hospital Center. He’s expected to make a “pre-trauma” recovery, which is to say, a completely full recovery.

The shooting was confirmed to us by Tracy Van Slyke, the project director of the Media Consortium, a network of leading progressive news organizations (TPM is a member) for which Beutler is the Washington correspondent.

Some of the details of the incident are still sketchy. According to Van Slyke, Beutler was walking with a friend after leaving a bar in Washington’s Adams Morgan section when the two were confronted by a man demanding their cell phones near 17th Street and Euclid Street.

It’s unclear as yet what happened, but the man fired several shots at Beutler. One bullet hit him in the spleen and he was hit twice in the shoulder. A D.C. police official said he wasn’t aware of any arrests made in connection with the shooting.

Beutler’s companion called 9-11. After getting rushed to the hospital by ambulance, Beutler underwent surgery.

Beutler’s family is with him now at the hospital, and his friends are anxiously keeping track of his recovery.

“He is currently in stable condition, awake and in pain,” Van Slyke wrote in an email to colleagues. “But, true to form, he is already cracking jokes.”

According to Van Slyke, Beutler was supposed to file a piece with the Consortium today. In his first words today to his editor, Adele Stan, he said dryly: “Sorry. I left you high and dry.”

My Thoughts and Prayers are with Brian Beulter and his family today and my hope for a full and speedy recovery. I also hope for a tone of civility among the Conservative Bloggers on this sort of thing.

Others:
American Spectator, Talking Points Memo and AMERICAblog News

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Another Reason Why I do not watch Fox News

This is about as low as you can get. Even for Fox News. Seems someone over at Faux Noise thought it would be cute to alter photos of some NYT staffers.

Here’s the video that ran:

Here are the altered Photos:

fox-20080702-steinberg

fox-20080702-redicliffe

I don’t know Fox News realizes it or not. But they have ventured into major Lawsuit territory. That would be considered defamation of Character. I mean News is a very public forum. I would be lining me up some legal representation and I would be taking me some Rupert Mudoch to court.

Others: The Raw Story, Gothamist and The BRAD BLOG

On Rush

06cov-500

I just got done reading the article on Rush Limbaugh. I will be the first to admit, I have written quite a bit about this guy in the past. I’ve even, admittedly, listened to his show as well. I haven’t always agreed with Rush. But I do respect the guy. His background is similar to mine. I also hated school, my grades weren’t greatest either.

But I have a confession to make, I do really admire the guy, he’s an all American success story. Nobody did it for him, nobody handed it to him on a silver platter. He worked his rear end off for it, and for that, he does have my admiration and respect.

My best wishes to Rush for many more years of cheese head Conservative Entertainment.

Others: : The Moderate Voice, Hot Air, PR Newswire, Althouse, TIME.com, Macsmind NewsBusters.org, JammieWearingFool, Althouse, Gawker,  Wake up America and more via Memeorandum 

Another Stupid Obama smear….

Yeah, the Neo-Con goons will talk about some stupid loan Non-Story, But they’ll completely ignore the fact the United States tortured detainees with techniques they learned from China.

Yeah, I read it, enough to know that it is big on accusations and little on substance. With a mention of Rezko tossed in for good measure. Kind of like the majority of the stories coming out about Obama.

When Obama spanks the collective asses of the G.O.P. in November, it will be because of the blatant stupidity of the Neo-Conservative right that has milinged the Conservative cause in this country.

Quite frankly, I wish November were tommorow.

Others:
michellemalkin.com, The Swamp, Fox News, Right Wing News, TBogg, Political Machine, Confederate Yankee, The Campaign Spot, Redstate, NO QUARTER, Salon, The Caucus, MSNBC, Hot Air, Ben Smith’s Blogs, Brilliant at Breakfast, Comments from Left Field, Bark Bark Woof Woof, The Political Carnival, JammieWearingFool, TIME.com, Whiskey Fire, Bang the Drum, pandagon.net, Oliver Willis, Spin Cycle, PoliGazette, EconoPundit and American Thinker and more via Memeorandum

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

More of the Shame of America…

There is a bunch that one could say about this. From what I have read this was covered in a book. But it does strike me as shocking that a Presidential Administration would allow something like this to happen.

What the trainers did not say, and may not have known, was that their chart had been copied verbatim from a 1957 Air Force study of Chinese Communist techniques used during the Korean War to obtain confessions, many of them false, from American prisoners.

The recycled chart is the latest and most vivid evidence of the way Communist interrogation methods that the United States long described as torture became the basis for interrogations both by the military at the base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and by the Central Intelligence Agency.- An Expert Reveals Chinese Origins of Interrogation Techniques at Guantánamo – NYTimes.com

I just have to wonder aloud, I wonder if Neo-Con Michelle Malkin and her stooge Capt. Ed. will try and spin this one and act like there’s nothing wrong with it? When do you finally say, “This is wrong” and disassociate yourself with a Political Party? What does it take? It is to truly wonder.

Others: The Moderate Voice, Firedoglake, KIKO’S HOUSE, The Agitator, The Carpetbagger Report, The Seminal, the talking dog, Matthew Yglesias, cab drollery, On Deadline, Amygdala, The Daily Dish, Balkinization, Washington Monthly, Prairie Weather, LewRockwell.com Blog, Unfogged, The Mahablog, Balloon Juice, Shakesville, ATTACKERMAN and The Political Carnival

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

A Video that asks a few legit questions of Obama

Via Tigerhawk:

Obama’s buddy’s from Weather Underground going under the bus in 5…4…3…2..1

Others: Gateway Pundit, alicublog, EconoPundit, Stop The ACLU and Pajamas Media

Technorati Tags: , , , , , ,

Editorial: Memo to right and the left – Patriotism (or lack of) should not be part of this presidential race!

I feel as if I have to break up a fight on the grade school playground. I have been watching the silly back and forth between the Right and Left about as to whom, between Barack Obama and John McCain is more patriotic. There is a word, that springs to my mind, while watching this rather idiotic display of lunacy, and that word is pathetic.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I do not know if it has occurred to any of you grown adults, assuming that is what I am dealing with here, that is this election is NOT about whom is the more patriotic. It is about whom is more qualified to be the commander in chief of the United States of America or as it is commonly known, The President.

Let me just say, more than just a political blogger, more than just a Conservative, but as a American, an American who had suffered through 7 long years of a Neo-Conservative, Imperialistic Presidency. As someone who has watched as a Neo Conservative President has trampled upon a Constitution. As someone who has watched the ability to get a good paying job, in my State dry up to the point of being almost non-existent. Let me assure you all, Right, Left and everything and everyone in between, that the America people, the average American, does not give a damn whom, between these two men, whom is more patriotic of the two.

However, what people do what know are:

  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama going to do about getting more Jobs, Especially here in Michigan, where we have a one state recession?
  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama going to do about stopping the exporting of Jobs overseas?
  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama going to do about solvency of Social Security? So at the time that I am 65 years old, (I am 35 now…) I can collect my benefits.
  • What are John McCain and Barack Obama offer for solutions, for the ultra high gas prices, like closing the Enron Loophole? Instead, of the stupid flashy gimmicks that is being offered now.

These are the questions on the mind of the American people, especially here in Michigan, not this stupid, beauty contest nonsense that is emanating out of both campaigns and by the surrogates and by the Blogging world of both sides.

Other: Weekly Standard Blog, The Jed Report, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Whiskey Fire, Ben Smith’s Blogs, Washington Monthly, PrestoPundit, Guardian, Lawyers, Guns and Money and The Trail and more via Memeorandum