Pimpin' Ain't Easy

Hey, look. Another congressman caught in an extramarital affair:

Mark Souder (R-Ind.)

The punchline --- and I use that term loosely since it seems to happen so frequently now that the joke's not funny anymore --- is that Souder is known as a "conservative enforcer" in Congress.

Throughout his time in Congress, Souder made his evangelical Christianity a centerpiece of his public persona. He was known for his outspoken views on religion and his uncompromising conservative positions on social issues such as abortion.

He said after a 2008 hearing on abstinence-only education that the only fully reliable way young people can protect themselves from pregnancy and STDs is by "abstaining from sex until in a committed, faithful relationship."

He and his alleged mistress, Tracy Jackson, made a video (easy tiger, not that kind) together on abstinence education. Oh, the irony.



I just want to state for the record that I don't care what you do in your personal life, except when your entire career is based on espousing a certain way of life that is in direct contrast with the way you live your own. And I find it especially offensive when you have a hand in the legislative process through which you see fit to dictate how the rest of us should live our lives.

Vile. Just vile.

(link)

Rich Lowry to Sarah Palin: SCHWING!

Just when you think things couldn't get any more ridiculous, we got his from the National Review (emphasis mine):

A very wise TV executive once told me that the key to TV is projecting through the screen. It's one of the keys to the success of, say, a Bill O'Reilly, who comes through the screen and grabs you by the throat. Palin too projects through the screen like crazy. I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, "Hey, I think she just winked at me." And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America. This is a quality that can't be learned; it's either something you have or you don't, and man, she's got it.

Gross.


Photo lifted from here.

Rachel Ray, Terrorist Supporter

Look. I make no secret about my disdain for Rachel "EVOO" Ray. But COME THE FUCK ON, people:

Does Dunkin' Donuts really think its customers could mistake Rachael Ray for a terrorist sympathizer? The Canton-based company has abruptly canceled an ad in which the domestic diva wears a scarf that looks like a keffiyeh, a traditional headdress worn by Arab men. Some observers, including ultra-conservative Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin, were so incensed by the ad that there was even talk of a Dunkin' Donuts boycott.

"The keffiyeh, for the clueless, is the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad," Malkin yowls in her syndicated column. "Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant and not-so-ignorant fashion designers, celebrities, and left-wing icons."

The company at first pooh-poohed the complaints, claiming the black-and-white wrap was not a keffiyeh. But the right-wing drumbeat on the blogosphere continued and by yesterday, Dunkin' Donuts decided it'd be easier just to yank the ad. Said the suits in a statement:

"In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design. It was selected by her stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended. However, given the possibility of misperception, we are no longer using the commercial."

So what was the fashion faux pas that sent Michelle Malkin and those of her ilk in a tizzy? Behold:



I grow weary of all this hysterical, over-the-top jingoism. Next thing you know, these people will be clamoring for flag-pin-wearing checkpoints set up all over the nation.

(Photo credit: Boston.com)

Al-Qaida: The brand

While perusing the NPR site, I came across this interesting piece. Among the fledgling extreme jihadist set, the "success" of Al-Qaida, understandably, is perceived as the winning team:

For a local terrorist group, joining al-Qaida makes it harder for members to move around — and harder to raise funds openly. But, on the plus side, publicity will increase, which is good for recruitment. A link to al-Qaida may bring other monetary investment. And, seen through the eyes of would-be jihadi, Al-Qaida means prestige.

"Al-Qaida, because of its perceived success — especially in Iraq — is the team you want to be on," said Daniel Benjamin, of the Brookings Institution, who was formerly a director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council.

The appearance of new offshoot groups across the Middle East and North Africa is good news for al-Qaida's core leadership, believed to be holed up in Pakistan, Benjamin said.

"Remember, what al-Qaida wants most is to mobilize the Muslim world. And so every time a new group signs on, particularly takes the name, then it's — it's a coup for them," Benjamin said.

In other words, the more successful Al-Qaida is perceived among fledgling terrorist groups, the more they'll want to have the same success. So, in order to gain an instant reputation of importance --- a sort of terrorist "street cred," if you will --- they attach the Al-Qaida name to their group.

And there you have it: The Al-Qaida brand is born.

Unfortunately, the longer this war in Iraq continues, hatred toward the U.S. will grow, and the stronger the Al-Qaida "brand" becomes; such that the Al-Qaida problem will not be confined to the Middle East. In fact, it's already happening:

"For many years, we had worried about the east-west axis — the threat coming from the east, be it Afghanistan, Pakistan or, even now, Iraq and the Gulf — moving to the west," [Former White House Counterterrorism Official Roger] Cressey said. "Now, what we've seen is a north-south axis — and that from North Africa, we've seen groups and individuals moving into Europe. So, in some respects, it's the worst of both worlds."

Great. Now all Al-Qaida needs is a logo.

Cheney Fatigue

Oh, NOW you're tired of him? Funny, many of us came to this conclusion years ago:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dick Cheney, who thrives on secrecy while pulling the levers of power, is getting caught in the glare of an unwelcome spotlight. Once viewed as a sage and mentor to President Bush, Cheney has approval ratings now that are as low as - or lower - than the president's. Recent national polls have put them both in the high 20s.

[...]

It seems Cheney fatigue is settling in some Republican circles.

Republican strategist Rich Galen, who worked for both Bush and Bush's father, said he is finding less interest or enthusiasm for Cheney. "Republicans have, in essence, moved on and focused on who to get behind in 2008," Galen said.

[...]

Is anyone listening to Cheney any more?

The vice president shuffled alone and in silence out of a luncheon of Republican senators last week amid defections on Iraq by GOP senators and as the administration's immigration overhaul went down to defeat.

You know what they say: Light is the best disinfectant. And while it's great that some members of the GOP are now recognizing the abject failures coming from this administration and its policies, it's just a shame this didn't happen sooner. And while it's true that Cheney and Bush did more damage to our government's checks and balances system, Congress is equally to blame for governing via blind partisanship for the sake of national security and for forgetting their ever-important role in the legislative branch. If they had only adhered to truly serving as a check on the executive branch for the past six years, perhaps our country wouldn't be still involved in this insipid war, our nation would still be respected on the international stage, and perhaps, Al-Qaida wouldn't have morphed into the disjointed, decentralized force that it is today.

And we all know how much of a role the MSW played in this ongoing fiasco, don't we.

Having said that, I meant to give the Washington Post major props for publishing "Angler," their four-part series on Dick "Fourth Branch of Government" Cheney. But still: What took y'all so long?

UPDATE: Is this proof that the Cheney curse is alive and well?


Props to AMERICAblog for the inspiration.

Bush Commutes Libby's Prison Sentence

What the fuck ever:

"The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged," Bush said. "His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant and private citizen will be long-lasting."

A spokeswoman for Cheney said simply, "The vice president supports the president's decision."

I'm sure he does.

Oh yeah, and P.S.? As Otto Man points out, Paris Fucking Hilton spent more time behind bars than Scooter Libby ever will.

Also, Bush, yet again, shows the world how little he respects the rule of law --- except when it works to the benefit of him and his people.

Utterly ridiculous.

UPDATE 10:43 p.m.: My astute and highly esteemed BARBARian colleague, Paperwight, brings home the fact that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Dr. Evil

If Dick "The-Office-Of-The-Vice-President-Isn't-Part-Of-The-Executive-Branch" Cheney were a small rodent, this would be him:



I'm just saying.

BIO post: Seriously, Who's Running the Show Here?

I wrote a post on Bring It On! this morning that discusses yet another incident in the dysfunctional House of Bush regarding Iran and diplomacy. Check it out.

eHarmony sued

Bigotry seriously has no place in this milennium, and I'm glad to hear that someone's finally calling eHarmony on their shit:

A lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Linda Carlson, who was denied access to eHarmony because she is gay.

Lawyers bringing the action said they believed it was the first lawsuit of its kind against eHarmony, which has long rankled the gay community with its failure to offer a "men seeking men" or "women seeking women" option.

You know I have no love for eHarmony. I noticed this bullshit years ago, and I'd even take it a step further and say that interracial relationships aren't part of Dr. Neil Warren's idea of what constitutes a harmonious relationship, either.

So what, you say; interracial marriages and gay marriages are two different things.

Are they? Really? It wasn't until the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1967 in the Loving v. Virginia case that denying two people of different races the right to marry was unconstitutional.

But God says that homosexuality just ain't natural, you say? Well, they tried that whole 'God argument' in the Loving v. Virginia case too. Said the trial judge in the original case against the Lovings:

Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.

Seriously, he said that.

I understand that the issue of gay marriage isn't something that will go away in the blink of an eye, but I'm glad to see that the fight hasn't ended. This is why I'm in support of gay marriage; just 40 years ago, it would have been illegal for me to marry a white man in the state of Virginia. For what? The color of my skin? For being who I am? For something over which I have no control?

Ain't nobody gonna have any power over me, telling me who I can and can't fall in love with and marry, and vice versa.

Jerry Falwell Dead at 73

Falwell has found himself at the center of several controversies, such as the one sparked by his comments two days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in which he seemed to blame "abortionists," gays, lesbians, the ACLU and People for American Way for causing the attacks, saying they "helped this happen."

On September 14, 2001, he told CNN that he would "never blame any human being except the terrorists, and if I left that impression with gays or lesbians or anyone else, I apologize."

Let the eulogizing begin.

The Carpetbagger compiled a list of Falwell's career accomplishments, so you don't have to.

(source)

U.S. Troops = Al Qaida Bait?

Um, and this is a GOOD thing?

That's what Dick Morris seems to think. From Think Progress:

Last night on Hannity and Colmes, right-wing pundit Dick Morris also claimed that we need to keep U.S. troops in Iraq so that terrorists don’t come to the United States. But he argued that we need to put “Americans right within their [terrorists’] arms’ reach” so that they have the opportunity to “kill Americans” there. He added that therefore, “they don’t have to come to Wall Street to kill Americans. They don’t have to knock down the Trade Center. They can do it around the corner, and convenience is a big factor when you’re a terrorist.”

Great. So Morris is somehow suggesting that playing "Monkey in the Middle" with our troops is better than coming up with a strategic plan to end the war and bring our soldiers home. Fabulous.

Morris says that if you're a terrorist, it's the convenience of "killing Americans" that they love so much. So if we were to follow that warped logic, why the fuck would you want to keep American troops there?

Watch the insanity here.

(Thanks to The Carpetbagger Report for the link.)

Prince Harry Goes to Iraq

Prince Harry, third in line for the throne of England, will go to Iraq, despite warnings from the Mahdi army (Moqtada al-Sadr supporters) that they'll kidnap him if found.

In an interview to mark his 21st birthday, the prince said: "There's no way I'm going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit on my arse back home while my boys are out fighting for their country."

While I think it's great and honorable that Harry wants to defend his country, because of the circumstances by which we went into this fucking war, I'm pretty pissed off that another honorable soldier is being put at risk because of a LIE. The fact that he's a royal is irrelevant to me, because in the bigger scheme of things, he's just another soldier, not a celebrity.

The world has already lost too many lives because of this war. It just needs to end.

What I find especially infuriating is that while England is willing to send one of its royals (albeit reluctantly, due to his high profile) to fight in the war, what about the Bush Party Twins? I don't see them getting getting dressed in camo any time soon.

I agree with Windspike: If this mission is so critical, why aren't the First Offspring doing the same?

UPDATE 5/16: Guess not:

Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt, the army chief of staff who recently traveled to Iraq, said the changing situation on the ground exposed the prince to too much danger. Media scrutiny of Harry’s potential deployment exacerbated the situation, he said.

“There have been a number of specific threats, some reported and some not reported, that relate directly to Prince Harry as an individual,” Dannatt said. “These threats exposed him and those around him to a degree of risk I considered unacceptable.”

(Photo credit: Ian Holding/PA)

Doughboy: Defensive much?

Ooh, do I hate smug.

Especially when this smugness comes from Karl "Doughboy" Rove. According to this article, Rove accompanied Dubya and Tony Snow to the GM plant in Fairfax, Kansas, when a reporter approached Rove to ask him a question. Check this shit out:

A reporter approached Rove to ask him what he thought of rumors that former Missouri Sen. Jack Danforth could replace embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. “How about you go over there and do your job,” Rove replied, pointed back to the media pool.

No he didn't.

First of muthafuckin' all, this reporter was doing his job, asking provocative questions and acting as a check on government. In your face.

Next thing you know, Rove will start to tell people to go fuck themselves.

I hope Rove gets what's coming to him. And fast.

(Props to Think Progress for the link.)

Hmmmm.

Last week, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to being the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks.

Today, on the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq, Bush spoke about how much "progress" has been made, and yet, there will be "good days and bad days."

Also today, Waleed bin Attash, a Gitmo prisoner, confessed to plotting the bombing of the USS Cole, and two American embassies in Africa.

My, my. What curious timing.

Oh yeah, and 16 more people were killed in attacks on mosques and by car bombs in Baghdad and Kirkuk.

That burning stench you smell on the streets of Iraq? Apparently that's what "progress" smells like.

An experiment

I was going to have a few comments on Dick Cheney's deep vein thrombosis, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the phrase ‘evil-minded shitass warmonger,’ so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Cheney.





See how that works, people?



(Cross-posted at Bring It On!)

The real meaning behind Michelle Malkin

I don’t really write much about Michelle Malkin because I never get to see her on TV, but I’ve read a bit on some of the outrageous comments she’s made in the past. I could never get how this woman has gotten so famous. She’s like the Filipino Ann Coulter.



But now, it all makes sense to me.

malkin (MO-kin, MAL-kin) noun
1. An untidy woman; a slattern.
2. A scarecrow or a grotesque effigy.
3. A mop made of a bundle or rags fastened to a stick.
4. A cat.
5. A hare.
[From Middle English Malkyn (little Molly), diminutive of the name Maud or Molly/Mary.]
A related word is grimalkin, referring to an old female cat or an ill-tempered old woman.
-Anu Garg (garg wordsmith.org)

Let the Photoshop fun begin.



(Courtesy of Wordsmith’s A Word a Day.)

You've GOT to be kidding me.

Rush Limbaugh has GOT to be back on the drugs, because he had this to say about Cindy Sheehan and her protest:

From the August 15 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show (courtesy of Media Matters):

LIMBAUGH: I mean, Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There's nothing about it that's real, including the mainstream media's glomming onto it. It's not real. It's nothing more than an attempt. It's the latest effort made by the coordinated left.

I don't even know what to say. Likening Cindy Sheehan's plight to the guy that produced the "unauthenticated documents" surrounding Georgie's National Guard service is as malicious as it is cognitively dissonant. Rush has got a serious case of elephantiasis of the nutsack, because it takes some major balls to draw such an outlandish parallel. The audacity and ruthlessness with which the Right is attacking Sheehan is just reprehensible. For fuck's sake, Rush. Cindy's son died in the war. What is not "real" about that? Do you need to stick your hand into a dead, rotting soldier's flesh to see that the bodycount from this war is real and meaningful? Some people, I swear.

AP photo courtesy of the HuffPo.