. . .well, you know.   I've been cracking up listening to the sad, serious Dems worrying about MI and FL voters being "disenfranchised" and the millions whose "votes won't count".   And I got one question for all the prominent Dems who've been wringing their hands about it. . .

- the Clinton impeachment.   I was pissed as hell to be lied to, and had zero problem when Lieberman took him to task on it.  Don't wag your finger and tell me that "you didn't have sexual relations with "that woman" when you were getting bjs in the Oval Office.   Was majorly disappointed in Clinton, not cuz of what he did, but because of his obfuscation and non-denial denial.   Also didn't stop me from thinking he was a tremendous Prez, but yeah, it was scuzzy and unworthy of the office he held.   Compared to what we have now it's small potatoes, but at the time Lieberman said what a lot of Dems wanted to say, but didn't/couldn't..

My children aren't in danger, they aren't in harm's way, they can't be hurt.   I can't even imagine the pain of Cindy Sheehan - who not only knew the administration lied about the reason for the War, but also used her son's death to glorify it.

Casey was her "baby".   For all the screaming and ranting about the unborn babies we must protect, those of us who've been through labor and delivery know EXACTLY what it is to deliver a live baby.  There's a connection that will never be broken and it's an experience we remember for decades after.   We remember the first smile, the first step, the first reaching out of a tiny fist gripping our finger.   All of this is indelibly imprinted on Cindy, as it is on any woman worthy of the name "Mom'.    

more!

The officer's name was disclosed on July 14 in a syndicated column by Robert D. Novak, who said his sources were two senior administration officials.

Yesterday, a senior administration official said that before Novak's column ran, two top White House officials called at least six Washington journalists and disclosed the identity and occupation of Wilson's wife. Wilson had just revealed that the CIA had sent him to Niger last year to look into the uranium claim and that he had found no evidence to back up the charge. Wilson's account touched off a political fracas over Bush's use of intelligence as he made the case for attacking Iraq.

"Clearly, it was meant purely and simply for revenge," the senior official said of the alleged leak.

More after the jump, and it gets better. . .

"I revealed in yesterday's taping of the McLaughlin Group that Time magazine's emails will reveal that Karl Rove was Matt Cooper's source. I have known this for months but didn't want to say it at a time that would risk me getting dragged into the grand jury.

McLaughlin is seen in some markets on Friday night, so some websites have picked it up, including Drudge, but I don't expect it to have much impact because McLaughlin is not considered a news show and it will be pre-empted in the big markets on Sunday because of tennis.

Since I revealed the big scoop, I have had it reconfirmed by yet another highly authoritative source. Too many people know this. It should break wide open this week. I know Newsweek is working on an 'It's Rove!' story and will probably break it tomorrow."

Holy crap!

eileen from OH

Don't you realize that there were a LOT of us who recognized you were right and defended you?  You hung us out to dry.

Haven't you noticed what happens when Dems apologize for saying what's right?  Namely, it DOESN'T MATTER AT ALL to the rightwing media machine.  It simply gives them yet another news cycle of stories.  Only this one is not only how awful you are, it's now got the added bonus of how you cried and were forced to apologize and, as an added bonus, the "is he sincere" crap.  Did you seriously think they're going to say, "Gee, what a great fellow, he apologized. Let's move on.")

Both of these numbers are reduced to either (in the case of US soldiers) reading the names on Nightline or (in the case of Iraqis) total ignorance.   The former is a "tribute" to American lives snuffed out for no good reason, as if a moment of mention of nationwide t.v. could even begin to describe and/or make up for their lives and what they have given up.  The latter is even worse - because these bodies aren't even worthy of an official "count" or recognition. These Iraqis have mothers, fathers and children, too.

I am soooo bored by the non-stop coverage.   First it was 24/7 on the death of John Paul II (aka The Porpse-a-palooza) and yesterday it was the breath-holding suspense of who would be the next Pope to be thoroughly-ignored-except-when-it-suits-their-purpose.  

Y'know what - I don't care.   Yep, I'm Catholic and I DON'T CARE WHO IS POPE.   It simply doesn't concern me, and hasn't for a long time.    I'm a Catholic, and remain a Catholic because of people like Sr. Helen Prejean and Oscar Romero.   They're Catholic, too, y'know?   A lot of American Catholics have  ignored Rome and the Pope ever since he jumped the shark on birth control and will blithely continue to do so until the old farts in Rome get hit by thunderbolts and enter the real world.   When/if the American Church finally breaks off from Rome, I will be singing hallelujahs in that choir.  

• a Rick Santorum Catholic
  
• a Cardinal Law Catholic
  
• an Anthony Scalia or Clarence Thomas Catholic
  
• a Pope Paul Catholic
  
• a Fr. Pavone Catholic

• a Sr. Helen Prejean Catholic
  
• a Pope John XXII Catholic
  
• a Philip Berrigan Catholic
  
• a Jackie Hudson, Carol Gilbert, and Ardeth Platt Catholic
  
• an Oscar Romero Catholic

The polls are overwhelmingly in favor of letting Terry die, without interference from politicians.   The interpretation of those polls has almost entirely been from the point of view of Terri.  That is, supposedly they see the video and think, "Gee I wouldn't want to be in that state."

I think these interpretations are missing the boat.  (more)

Anyone who's had a loved one in a hospice knows what truly wonderful places these are.  The people who work there are real live angels and it's a place where there are no real "rules" as in a hospital.

more. . .

Am I less of a Dem or a progressive because I DO think that "legal, safe, and rare" is a very, very, VERY good answer?

Do I have to celebrate abortion in order to be "pro choice?"

Why can't I abhor abortion and at the same time be 100% behind keeping it legal?   Why DO these have to be mutually exclusive?

Any qualms about abortion, any questioning, is automatically, it seems, met with incredible hostility on the left.

Paraphrasing Howard Dean (in talking about the Patients' Bill of Rights) "Has one child gotten a better education because of NCLB?  

More below

In 2004, I was still, goddammit, a Democrat.  And though "my" candidate didn't win, I went all out for Kerry.

So what's new - I'll tell ya - nuthin'.  We've got the same stoopid talking heads on TV, who STILL haven't done their goddam HOMEWORK.  It's Begala and Carville and the smarmy know-it-alls who can't be bothered to do two clicks to find out the truth/difference between Jerome/Kos/Dean and Armstrong Williams.  And then DEFEND 'em, goddammit.  

That's what Dems need to do now - not this "go left" or "go center" or "find Jesus" stuff.   That's the obvious.    They need to surprise, not just Republicans, but Americans in general.  The subtitle would be: "What People Think But Don't Say." (Henceforth to be known as the "WPTBDS Rule".)

My first suggestion (regarding the abortion debate) can be found at
http://www.dailykos.com/user/eileen%20from%20OH

I think that's what Dems need to do - they need to surprise, they need to go another direction in achieving their goals, they need to spring the unexpected.

Case Number One (I'll have more!)- abortion.  The Republicans have placed their entire focus on the legality of abortion and the Dems have, obligingly, focused their attention on that aspect as well.  So it turns into "who wants to kill babies and who does not?"   Not true of course, but that's the way it's played.