The Hollywood Liberal

Is Indiana Really In Play?
Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign is calling Indiana a battleground state, “and it’s putting money into the state and assigning a key staff member here,” according to the Indianapolis Star.

Obama is now running an advertisement in Indiana and 17 other states.

However, Larry Sabato doesn’t think the state is realy competitive. Said Sabato: “They’re playing with Senator McCain’s campaign. They’re messing with their minds.”

Obama Replied
Obama to us: Nice little bloggers! Aren’t you cute! After you demanded accountability we gave you piggy lipstick and fig leaves and told you it was time to move on while we important Senators told you–in polite terms–to fuck off.

To my letter to him. He told me to fuck off.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on FISA Compromise

Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders.

That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.

After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America Act.

Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President’s illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance – making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future. It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.

It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives – and the liberty – of the American people.

In case you couldn’t parse the three bolded sentences yourself, here’s my take on them.

1. I will make a showy effort in the Senate on Monday to get them to take out immunity. I will lose that effort 32-65. But hey! I can say I tried!
2. But don’t worry, little boys and girls, Inspectors General are an adequate replacement for our third co-equal branch of government!
3. Nice little bloggers! Aren’t you cute! After you demanded accountability we gave you piggy lipstick and fig leaves and told you it was time to move on while we important Senators told you–in polite terms–to fuck off.

GOP Laughing At Surrender Steny And No Spine Nancy

Via Greenwald:

Not even the media establishment and the GOP can refrain from mocking this pretense they’re trying to peddle. What’s amazing is that they’re actually as devoid of dignity as they are integrity.

. . . [T]he GOP couldn’t even wait for the ink to dry on this “compromise” before publicly — and accurately — boasting that they not only got everything they want, but got even more than they dreamed they would get. To The New York Times’ Eric Lichtblau, GOP House Whip Roy Blunt derided the telecom amnesty provision as nothing more than a “formality” which would inevitably lead to the immediate and automatic dismissal of all lawsuits against the telecoms, while Sen. Kit Bond taunted the Democrats for giving away even more than they had to in order to get a deal: “I think the White House got a better deal than they even had hoped to get.”

(Emphasis supplied.) Everyone, Dem or Republican, is contemptuous of you Surrender Steny and Clueless Pelosi. You look like the weak dupes you have become.

Speakng for me only.

Wanker of the Day
Barack Obama.

Later Night
Time to rock out a bit.

Big Oil Returns to Iraq
The return of the four major Western oil companies will be greeted with dismay by many Iraqis who fear losing control of their vast oil reserves.

Can the Media Deal With Michelle Obama?
The media is pushing hard on the boundaries of being a life partner turns into being a political partner.

Obama Sends Key Staffer To Indiana — Is State Really In Play?
Does the Obama campaign really believe Indiana is in play? Team Obama has assigned one of its most valued campaign staffers to the state, reports the Indianapolis Star. The staffer, Emily Parcell, was political director for Obama in Iowa, where…

Moving On Over
TPM Election Central reports that MoveOn is shuttering its 527 outfit for 2008, in response to pressure from the Obama campaign….

Leveling The Playing Field

This is not an argument that would get you very far with a conservative partisan or independent skeptic.

But as far as I’m concerned, the financial advantage Sen. Barack Obama will likely have over Sen. John McCain because of Obama’s decision to opt-out of the public financing system is utterly justifiable.

Separate from the specific elements of Obama’s so-called pledge (Rick Hasen offers a good rundown here), the reality is that:

1) Obama’s small-donor strategy means he still isn’t reliant on special interest dollars, and therefore, his government won’t be unduly influenced. But,

2) If he has vastly more money than his opponent, which is expected (not counting money from other Republican and conservative operations) he has a greater ability to get his message out to the public.

However, #2 doesn’t bother my sense of fair play.

Because it is also the reality that Obama will have to fight back a far greater amount of lies, smears, and distortions. Every Democratic candidate for president in recent history has suffered from this dynamic, and with Obama, even more so.

You can’t put a dollar amount on the impact of the smear machine.

Therefore, having to means to shout over the smears is essential, if we are to have a debate that is remotely focused on the important issues we face as a country.

Military ‘friendly fire’ claim was a lie
Parents misled, mother noticed ‘suspicious’ head wound at funeral.

U.S. Must Increase Energy Research Funding
Mort Kondracke, Roll Call

What Gender Theorists Can’t Explain
Kathleen Parker, RealClearPolitics