People In Glass Houses Catch-Up Post

• From Brownsville [TX] Herald

A young girl featured in a controversial television ad during the 2000 presidential campaign testified this week that the man who developed the commercial molested her for years and forced her to watch pornography and use sex toys.

The girl, now 15, told jurors Carey Lee Cramer — a 44-year-old political consultant who gained national notoriety when he released an anti-Al Gore ad showing a young girl picking daisy petals and ending in a nuclear blast — began molesting her in the third grade, when she lived in Mercedes with him, his then-wife and her younger brother.

...She told jurors Cramer began by taking her into his home office and showing her pornography when she was 8. He would touch her sexually, remove her clothing and perform deviant sexual acts on her. The incidents occurred weekly, when the girl was home alone with Cramer.

By the time she was in the fifth grade, Cramer began to force her to perform acts he would share with her from pornographic Web sites, including oral sex, she said. He also tried to make the girl use a vibrator and other sex toys, she continued. And Cramer forced her to have sex with him three times, she testified.

And a Good Round-Up from Shakespeare's Sister:

In any case…you name it, and the GOP’s got it. Pedophiles, more pedophiles, lots and lots of pedophiles, wife-rapers, mule-fuckers, falafel-creeps, closet cases, gay hookers, Hookergate, dirty novelists—they’ve got it all.

But Some Mavericks Are Real Heroes

Totally unelectable for President but a great great man. A saint with a track record to match.

As GQ (!!??) sums up Russ Feingold:

A brief recap: He was the only U.S. senator to vote against the Patriot Act. The only one with the guts to raise the notion of impeachment. One of the very few to have a consistent record against the war in Iraq. The only senator, it seems, who has truly earned his maverick status.

And, because it is Pride Week and because I spend much of my life trying to find every tax-break possible for my wealthy married clients and because GQ is tooooo straight to even acknoweldge such issues, this too from the Senator hisself:

April 4, 2006 Washington, D.C. -

Responding to a question posed at his Kenosha County listening session over the weekend, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold said he strongly opposed the proposed civil unions and marriage ban facing Wisconsin voters this November. He also expressed his support for the right of gays and lesbians to marry. Feingold holds listening sessions in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties every year. Later this year, Feingold will hold his 1000th listening session as a U.S. Senator.

Proof That Reputed Straight Shooters Are Just Tools

You all know that I love Andrew Sullivan... but his pure heart has led him to believe more altruistic lies than almost any smart person I've ever followed.

That being said, this quote from Andrew today should be all you need to know about what pathetic, empty and wrong-headed leaders these two would make:

McCain-Lieberman: Independents for '08. Just thinking out loud.

I Guess He Jumped The Camel

Al Qaeda is losing popularity in the Muslim world, according to the new Pew poll. A shift against suicide bombing as a tactic has occurred dramatically among Muslims in Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Europe's Muslims seem to be moderating in their views as well. Osama's approval ratings in Jordan have gone from 60 percent to 24 percent in one year.

Why Has It Taken Two Years To Say This?

The single most obvious response to any charge of cutting and running or any other Rovian slander. In Fact, until all of the Dems in Congress realize that this is the only position that is honest, intelligent and equal in force to Rovian Slander they will continue to seem, well, silly.

"If I had known the president was going to be this incompetent in his administration, I would not have given him the authority" to go to war, said Biden, the top Democrat on theSenate Foreign Relations Committee.

...So Don't Even Try, OK?

Poll: Clinton gets high 'no' vote for 2008
Of five potential rivals, Jeb Bush fares worse among respondents

CNN) -- With the presidential election more than two years away, a CNN poll released Monday suggests that nearly half of Americans would "definitely vote against" Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Respondents were asked whether they would "definitely vote for," "consider voting for," or "definitely vote against" three Democrats and three Republicans who might run for president in 2008.

Regarding potential Democratic candidates, 47 percent of respondents said they would "definitely vote against" both Clinton, the junior senator from New York who is running for re-election this year, and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the party's candidate in 2004. (Poll)

Forty-eight percent said the same of former Vice President Al Gore, who has repeatedly denied he intends to run again for president.

Among the Republicans, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani fared better than the Democrats, and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush fared worse.

Only 30 percent said they would "definitely vote against" Giuliani; 34 percent said that of McCain.

As for Bush, brother of the current president, 63 percent said there was no way he would get their vote. The younger Bush has denied interest in running for president in 2008.

Did Anyone Really Think That This Would Happen?

The question is no longer will but do we need or feed Paul McCartney as Macca turns 64 today. Where's Vera, Chuck and Dave?

Not 'If', But 'When'...

At first, because I am genetically cautious, I thought such talk was premature. Recently though, I have reviewed some history and reflected on my belief that no Senator can get elected president. Only two have gained the White House directly from the Capital Building.

There may be a way. One simply has to make sure that they aren't in the Senate for too long. That they don't have a chance to learn the ways of the Senate (ways that are key to our government, but fatal to national aspirations). They don't have a chance to vote for something before they vote against it.

All by way of sharing this item from the Wash Post about our (still saint-like) junior Senator.

Obama's Profile Has Democrats Taking Notice

....Interviewed recently as he jetted between campaign appearances for Democrats in Massachusetts and New Jersey, Obama said he is flattered but so far unmoved by appeals that he seek the presidency in 2008: "It's gratifying to know that my message resonates enough that people are thinking in those terms. But at this stage, I haven't changed my mind from previous demurrals."

Obama, however, is not exactly standing still. He recently hired two nationally experienced political consultants, Anita Dunn in Washington and David Axelrod in Chicago. The senator suggested that a presidential bid is a matter of when, not if.

Of course, here in Chicago, an important Politician hiring David Axelrod is as momentous as deciding to get a beer whilst visiting Wrigley Field.

Read the uplifting and enlightening inspirational tract here.

More Hot Girl-On-Girl Action?

I've always suspected that the biggest stumbling block in Gay Activism is the 'male face' of the movement. There's just not enough for the average hetero running-the-world kind of guy.

Wonkette show us (once again) that even the worst Christianists might support it if we played up the Lesbian Angle.

Republican Strategists, Sex, MySpace, and Pride: A Heartwarming DC Tale

It’s getting so that a couple nice young girls can’t drive up to DC for the Pride parade without getting openly propositioned by Republican Strategists who give them their real names and business cards these days. Take, for example, the MySpace blog of one such lady, whose sordid tale is reprinted (as a warning to the well-endowed) below:

afterward, we got a snazzy hotel room at the mayflower downtown. onthe way over there, this really hot business man in a pinstriped suit walked past me, said hello, and doubled back. he asked me my name and introduced himself (jack burkman, government relations strategies), asked where i went to school, etc, gave me his card, and asked me to call him. i later texted him and never could get rid of him again. he thought he talked to me on the phone several times, but he never did. i always made kat or kristin be me. he told kristin about how he really enjoyed my outfit (TITS GALORE) and that i was beautiful, etc. by the end of the night (5 am or so), he was offering to pay for our room and give us a thousand dollars if two of us would fuck him. oh, jack burkman. his card is my DC souvenir.

Oh, Jack Burkman. As you can see [above], curiosity got ahold of the young lady, and she commenced googling. And posting the results for us all to enjoy.

Jack, if you’re going to pick up girls from out of town, you could pick a better venue than the Pride parade. That’s all we’re saying.

Just a Thought For Friday

Convening Against The Queers

Please help me find something nice to say about the Religious Right. this type of stuff is really threatening my karma.

From ThinkProgress:


Religious Right Seeks Unprecedented Constitutional Convention To Ban Gay Marriage Without Congress

Earlier this month, efforts to ban gay marriage by amending the Constitution failed badly in Senate. Now the religious right is considering appealing to state legislatures to call a Constitutional Convention under an obscure provision of Article 5 that would allow amendments to the Constitution without congressional approval. The Evans-Novak report has the details:

Meeting after the big failure at the offices of the social-conservative Family Research Council, the top leaders of the marriage movement — Catholic, Protestant and Mormon leaders among others — discussed the possibility of an unprecedented Constitutional Convention. Two-thirds (34) of the state legislatures would have to call for such a convention — which could be done only with great difficulty. Even then, no one knows what such a convention would look like or what sort of amendments could result from it.

Right-wing pundit Bob Novak, who writes the report, appears to be pushing the idea even as he calls it “rather fanciful.” Novak argues banning gay marriage through a constitutional convention would be difficult but not impossible:

[I]f such a convention were to pass a marriage amendment, we estimate that 28 states would easily ratify it. Another eight states may do so only after a protracted and bloody political fight (which could span an election cycle). That leaves supporters with two more states to go to reach the threshold of 38 (three-fourths), and only the most difficult ground to fight on — states such as Maine, Rhode Island, Oregon and Nevada are probably not ideal places to win such a fight, although not all would be unwinnable.

Novak notes that such a convention would give liberals the opportunity to write their own amendments. He’s convinced, however, “that there are more than 13 states with legislatures willing to block anything too far out on the left.” That’s a relief.

It's The Stupidity Stupid

Godammmmmmit! At least know What You Believe In!!!!

Steven Colbert interviews A Co-Sponsor of a Ten Commandment Bill (of course the guy wants to get rid of the the Dept. of Education):

Colbert: You have not introduced a single piece of legislation since you entered Congress.

Westmoreland: That's correct.

Colbert: This has been called a do nothing Congress. Is it safe to say you're the do nothingest?

Westmoreland: I, I, ..Well there's one other do nothiner. I don't know who that is, but they're a Democrat.

Colbert: What can we get rid of to balance the budget?

Westmoreland: The Dept. of Education.

Colbert: What are the Ten Commandments?

Westmoreland: You mean all of them?--Um... Don't murder. Don't lie. Don't steal Um... I can't name them all.

Not Enough Pictures Today...so, another homage to the importance of Flag Day.

If Kerry Had Karl

From one of Sullivan's readers:

The morning of 9/11, Bush being told America is under attack. He doesn't get up. Start the clock on the bottom. Go split-screen. On the right, we see what the firemen and police were doing in NYC at exactly the same time - rushing to the scene, making plans, acting. In the left half you'd see a man frozen. In the right half you'd see nothing but action and the beginnings of heroism.

Cut to three or four minutes later. On the left side of the screen Bush is still sitting there, paralyzed. On the right side of the screen, firefighters and police officers are rushing into the building. News crews are moving in. Everyone is moving. Just not the President.

Cut to six minutes in. Same thing.

Come back to Bush, full screen, in the moment where he actually begins rocking back and forth a bit.

Tag line beneath Bush: "On 9/11, George W. Bush froze.""Is this the man you want in charge when the next attack comes?"

You could have run that ad over and over again, using footage from different points in the attack on the right, with the same frozen president on the left side. Over and over.The theory is pure Rove - what's Bush's strong point? People liked him on 9/11. So what do you go straight after? How Bush reacted on 9/11. Luckily, you didn't even have to make it up - and you had video tape to prove it.

Peter Daou Warns...

As Bush's numbers have spiraled downward, the outrageous sycophancy chronicled daily by Media Matters and in book form by Eric Boehlert has subsided somewhat.

But the pro-Bush and anti-Dem narratives I've written about haven't changed. And the danger here is clear: any uptick in Bush's polls will be seized upon by the hungry press and spun within an inch of reality to revive the heady years where a 'resolute' Bush could do no wrong and Democrats were mixed up, mangled and muddled.

Democrats would do well to heed that danger going into the midterms. The anti-left and pro-right narratives are unbroken, they've simply been muffled by Bush's plummet in the polls. This recent spate of articles is evidence that the storylines can be revved up at a moment's notice.

Soft, divided, whining, troop-hating, over-eager Democrats battling tough, determined Republicans basking in the glow of Bush's rebound -- that's the storyline we could be dealing with heading into November. Are we ready?

Experience the Whole, Brisk Face-Slapping thing HERE.

Targeting Reagan Democrats

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - James Webb, a former Reagan administration Navy secretary who left the Republican Party over the Iraq war, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday to take on GOP Sen. George Allen in the fall.

Webb defeated lobbyist and longtime Democratic Party activist Harris Miller after a bruising primary in which voters decided between a traditional and unabashed liberal (Miller) and a former Republican (Webb) whose populist campaign was aimed at so-called Reagan Democrats - namely, rural, white moderates.

As For Our Side....

Andrew Sullivan (not that he's 'our side') contrasts Bill Maher's approach with Bob Shrum's.

Please remember that Shrum was the mastermind of those great, inspiring Democratic Presidential campaigns of Al Gore and (to a slightly lesser extent) John Kerry.

Maher:

Go for the jugular as the Republicans always do with Democrats. Just keep saying, "The Republicans lost the war in Iraq." Scare the hell out of people about all the ways we are unsafe: from global warming to terrorists so easily being able to penetrate ports or nuclear and chemical plants.

Shrum:

The war in Iraq is over except for the dying. Campaign for a date to bring our forces home. Speak for Americans on big issues like gas prices, health care, the environment and alternative energy. Don't be afraid to say we're for the people, not the powerful. Be Democrats -- for a change.

GT12: We must kill Bob Shrum.

It Won't Work Again?

Bruce Reed, in Slate, thinks that Karl Rove's reprieve is a blessing in disguise for the Dems:

Swan Song: More likely, the White House will gamble that Rovism can win one last campaign, even though the country has soured on its results. With its nostalgic Kerry-bashing, Rove's stump speech sounds more and more like yesterday's strategy. The swing looks familiar, but it just doesn't travel as well without the steroids.

Rove will probably stay at the White House through November, in the hope that avoiding a midterm debacle, like dodging an indictment, will be a form of vindication. But even if Democrats don't win in 2006, the Rove era is already over. The Republican Party of Mark Hanna and William McKinley is dead. Either they turn to Teddy Roosevelt, or they will be stuck in their own tub, like William Howard Taft.

The whole hopeful bit is here.