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Late Late Night FDL: Don’t Wait Too Long
Madeleine Peyroux — Don’t Wait Too Long, Los Angeles, 2009.
Madeleine Peyroux — Don’t Wait Too Long, Los Angeles, 2009.
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The Texas Textbook Massacre
Our friends at Brave New Films sent us this update on the Texas Board of Education’s partisan rewriting of American history. If you haven’t been angry enough today, hop past the jump and give it a gander.
Our friends at Brave New Films sent us this update on the Texas Board of Education’s partisan rewriting of American history. If you haven’t been angry enough today, hop past the jump and give it a gander.
Trish Nelson: The Depravity of Chuck Grassley – A Poem by Iowan John Shumaker
by Iowan John Shumaker Here’s something by my current favorite poet I’d like to share: ~Its absolutely impossible to describe the depths of DEPRAVITY of…
Obamas In Chicago: First Family Arrives For Memorial Day Weekend
CHICAGO — President Barack Obama is spending the long Memorial Day holiday weekend at home in Chicago, where he will sleep in his own bed…
Mike Nellis: NC-Sen: Elaine Marshall says Burr on Wrong Side of History
Breaking a few moments ago is news that the Senate Armed Services committee has passed an amendment that would significantly move the military closer toward…
Hannity again falsely suggested Obama ignored oil spill, TN flooding
Sean Hannity again falsely suggested that President Obama ignored the floods in Tennessee and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In fact, Obama responded quickly to both disasters.
From the May 27 edition of Fox News’ Hannity:
HANNITY: But this president never mentioned the largest flood in Nashville in 500 years. To this day he’s not mentioned this. He didn’t speak publicly about [the oil spill] for eight long days. Now, there is a political aspect to this, especially in light of the massive criticism that George W. Bush received in light of a two-day-slow response to Katrina.
Declaration provides federal aid. In a May 4 release, the White House stated that Obama “declared a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area” affected by “severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes beginning on April 30, 2010, and continuing.” The statement said that aid includes “grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.” [Whitehouse.gov, 5/4/10]
Fox News.com: Tennessee governor said he has “never seen this kind of response.” Hannity’s own network reported that Gov. Phil Bredesen stated: “I’ve never seen this kind of response … and we’ve had our share of tornadoes and so forth.” Bredesen reportedly further stated, “FEMA and the White House could not have been more helpful in this thing.” Fox also reported that Obama spoke with Bredesen on Monday, May 3, and that FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate had been to the state twice since the storms. [FoxNews.com, 5/6/10]
Bredesen: “The President was on the phone to me before the sun came up practically on Monday morning.” In another White House statement, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs posted Bredesen’s description of the federal response:
I have to say that FEMA and the White House have been absolutely supportive. Very quickly FEMA was on the ground here before the raindrops started falling. … The President was on the phone to me before the sun came up practically on Monday morning. Slightly after it came up, other people from the White House had called and checked in with us and helped. … I’ve never seen this kind of a response to things that have happened. We’ve had our share of tornadoes and those kinds of things. … I’m very, very pleased with the response we’ve gotten from the administration. [5/6/10]
White House immediately dispatched officials, Coast Guard to work on response. As Media Matters detailed, the same day the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded on April 21, the White House held a briefing with top administration officials, and Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes was dispatched to the region. The same day, the Coast Guard announced that four units were responding to the fire, with additional units en route.
Coast Guard began containment efforts on April 23. On April 23, the Coast Guard stated:
The Department of the Interior, MMS [the U.S. Minerals Management Service], and the Coast Guard continue to support the efforts of the responsible parties to secure all potential sources of pollution. Both federal agencies have technical teams in place overseeing the proposals by BP and Transocean to completely secure the well. Until that has occurred and all parties are confident the risk of additional spill is removed, a high readiness posture to respond will remain in place.
Although the oil appears to have stopped flowing from the well head, Coast Guard, BP, Transocean, and MMS remain focused on mitigating the impact of the product currently in the water and preparing for a worst-case scenario in the event the seal does not hold. Visual feed from deployed remotely operated vehicles with sonar capability is continually monitored in an effort to look for any crude oil which still has the potential to emanate from the subsurface well.
“From what we have observed yesterday and through the night, we are not seeing any signs of release of crude in the subsurface area. However we remain in a ‘ready to respond’ mode and are working in a collaborative effort with BP, the responsible party, to prepare for a worst-case scenario,” Landry stated early Friday morning.
April 26: Oil recovery and cleanup were to resume after adverse weather passed. On April 25, the unified command team responding to the spill stated:
The unified command is implementing intervention efforts in an attempt to contain the source of oil emanating from the wellhead at the Deepwater Horizon incident site Sunday.
The unified command has approved a plan that utilizes submersible remote operated vehicles in an effort to activate the blowout preventer on the sea floor and to stop the flow of oil that has been estimated at leaking up to 1,000 barrels/42,000 gallons a day.
Also, BP is mobilizing the DD3, a drilling rig that is expected to arrive Monday to prepare for relief well-drilling operations.
Additionally, the oil recovery and clean-up operations are expected to resume once adverse weather has passed. These efforts are part of the federally approved oil spill contingency plan that is in place to respond to environmental incidents.
April 28: Federal officials realize spill was far more severe than BP led them to believe. An April 28 New York Times article reported, “Government officials said late Wednesday night that oil might be leaking from a well in the Gulf of Mexico at a rate five times that suggested by initial estimates.” The Times further reported:
In a hastily called news conference, Rear Adm. Mary E. Landry of the Coast Guard said a scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had concluded that oil is leaking at the rate of 5,000 barrels a day, not 1,000 as had been estimated. While emphasizing that the estimates are rough given that the leak is at 5,000 feet below the surface, Admiral Landry said the new estimate came from observations made in flights over the slick, studying the trajectory of the spill and other variables.
An April 30 Associated Press article reported, “For days, as an oil spill spread in the Gulf of Mexico, BP assured the government the plume was manageable, not catastrophic. Federal authorities were content to let the company handle the mess while keeping an eye on the operation.”
Hannity previously suggested Obama did nothing on flooding, oil spill. On May 6, Hannity claimed that “[w]e have a massive flood in Nashville, the president, as of now, has yet to comment on it.” Hannity asserted on April 30 that the Obama administration “sat back for 9 days and they did absolutely nothing” about the oil spill”; on May 25, he said of the administration’s oil spill response, “they did nothing from day one … they haven’t done a thing.”
Mulling Re-Election Bid Despite Scandal, Ensign Gears Up Fundraising
Despite his sex-and-lobbying scandal, Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) has been planning fundraisers and making calls to donors, with a view to a possible re-election bid in 2012.
John Ensign – Nevada Republican – Nevada – United States – Senate
Ethics Office Refers Earmarks-For-Contributions Evidence To DOJ
The PMA investigation may have some life left in it yet, as the Office of Congressional Ethics today referred evidence on the now-defunct lobby shop to the Justice Department.
PMA Group – Ethics – John Murtha – Office of Congressional Ethics – United States
BP top kill halted due to “snag,” another giant underwater plume of oil discovered
Author’s note: This is three-part piece, but what is most noteworthy is that all of the information was obtained through corporate media. Are they finally waking up, or this is so bad there is no hiding it anymore? Excerpt: The New York Times reported today that BP’s “top kill” effort has been halted due to a snag. A […]
Voters Still Angry Despite Brighter Outlook
“Americans are increasingly optimistic about the economy, but that brightening outlook hasn’t softened their outrage over the country’s direction and its political leadership,” a USA Today/Gallup Poll finds.
Two-thirds of those surveyed say they are “angry” about the way things are going, the highest percentage in the decade the question has been asked. By nearly 2-1, they would rather vote for a candidate who has never served in Congress than one with experience.
The poll also finds a huge intensity gap between the parties: 50% of Republicans are “extremely motivated” to vote this year; 30% of Democrats are.
House Votes to Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
The House of Representatives voted to let the Pentagon “repeal the ban on gay and bisexual people from serving openly in the military, a major step toward dismantling the 1993 law widely known as ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,'” the New York Times reports.
“The House vote was 234 to 194, with 229 Democrats and 5 Republicans in favor, after an emotionally charged debate. Opposed were 168 Republicans and 26 Democrats.”
The Washington Post notes Democrats pushed ahead on the issue over the objections of some key military leaders, who said Congress should have waited to vote until a study is complete.
Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg Times reports Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I) — in an apparent nod to Democratic voters — switched his position on the issue and said he would support the repeal if he were in the Senate.
Political Advice From BP?s Handmaiden, Sen. Mary Landrieu
Cross-posted from Hullabaloo. Has there ever been a more loathsome hypocrite than Mary Landrieu? I don’t think so: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) says President Barack Obama will pay a political price his lack of visibility in the Gulf region during the catastrophic BP oil spill. “The president has not been as visible as […]
Why Do Christians Try to Impose Their Beliefs on Our Politics?
Author Ian Buruma Discusses "the political excesses of religion" he’s observed over three continents.
Author Ian Buruma Discusses "the political excesses of religion" he's observed over three continents.
BP’s Latest Effort Temporarily Blocks the Oil Gush – But Is It Stable?
"This will be felt for generations to come," warns oceans expert.
"This will be felt for generations to come," warns oceans expert.
Obama’s Crazy Plan To Cut Social Security
Is Obama’s new "debt commission" about to savage Social Security for no reason? Sure looks like it.
Is Obama's new "debt commission" about to savage Social Security for no reason? Sure looks like it.
We Are Living in a Screenworld — Reality Isn’t in the Real World Anymore
Has our new definition of "life experience" rendered tangible interactions irrelevant?
Has our new definition of "life experience" rendered tangible interactions irrelevant?
Obama’s West Point Speech Shows Signs of Smart “National Security Strategy”
President Barack Obama’s speech at West Point on Saturday may be among the most important he has yet made during his sixteen month old presidency. The speech intimates a number of the key themes likely to appear in the National…
United States – National security – Afghanistan – Barack Obama – Warfare and Conflict
Tea Party Suicide Pact
Senator Jim DeMint’s dream is that the Tea Party surge will make him the Republican kingmaker and natural Presidential candidate for 2012. George Mason University’s Jeremy Mayer thinks DeMint already is dreaming of the White House. “As they say, ‘Most…
Jim DeMint – Republican – George Mason University – White House – United States
Fox News Anchors: ?We Can?t Trust BP?
Five weeks into the worst environmental catastrophe in the history of the United States, even the right-wing Fox networks are turning on BP, the foreign oil behemoth responsible for the hundred-million-gallon oil gusher now fouling the shores of Louisiana. On Monday, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith challenged top White House adviser David Axelrod why the […]
Five weeks into the worst environmental catastrophe in the history of the United States, even the right-wing Fox networks are turning on BP, the foreign oil behemoth responsible for the hundred-million-gallon oil gusher now fouling the shores of Louisiana. On Monday, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith challenged top White House adviser David Axelrod why the administration continues to trust BP, whose CEO Tony Hayward bet the disaster will have a “very very modest” impact on the Gulf of Mexico, claimed BP had “contained” the spill, and complained that Americans are too litigious:
And this is the chief executive of the company that’s in charge of cleaning up this disaster now? Who calls us litigious? Who makes comments about the comparative volume of oil and then says the environmental impact is very minimal? And this is the guy we as Americans are supposed to entrust with the largest ecological disaster in American history? Tony Hayward?
On Wednesday, Fox Business Network anchor Liz Claman interviewed John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimper Alliance, whose industry is threatened with extinction by the millions of gallons of dispersed oil contaminating the Gulf Coast. Claman noted that “we can’t trust BP”:
I think one thing we do know is that we can’t trust BP with information at this point. They were the ones, absolutely, you’re correct, who said, “Oh, don’t worry, the oil will not reach the beaches.” Oh, come on!
Watch a compilation:
This righteous anger at big oil is a remarkable turnaround for the networks that lied about the oil spills caused by Hurricane Katrina, deny the threat of oil pollution to the planet, and shilled for offshore drilling during the “Drill, Baby, Drill” summer of 2008.
Charlie Crist flip-flops to support ?Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell? repeal.
When Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I) announced that he would leave the Republican party to run for the Senate as an independent, he indicated that he would be more free to support “ideas that I believe are good ideas for the people,” instead of just following “one club’s decision.” Indeed, after long supporting “Don’t Ask, […]
When Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I) announced that he would leave the Republican party to run for the Senate as an independent, he indicated that he would be more free to support “ideas that I believe are good ideas for the people,” instead of just following “one club’s decision.” Indeed, after long supporting “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Crist has announced that he is now in favor of the new comprise legislation, which would repeal the policy but allow the Pentagon to complete its study before the repeal is implemented. In a statement, Crist said the compromise will ensure that the new policy is “what is best for our military“:
“Ultimately, as in all military matters I defer to the Pentagon and to the Generals and what the Senate is doing today is giving them the ultimate authority to do what is best for our military. So, I would be inclined to support the Senate’s action on this.“
Crist has maintained a traditionally conservative record on LGBT issues, though there is some evidence to suggest he may adopt a more progressive stance now that he has been liberated from the Republican Party. He has said he is “fine” with civil unions, and in 2007, he asked the GOP to stop spending money promoting “a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in Florida” in 2007.
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You are currently browsing the The Hollywood Liberal weblog archives for the day Friday, May 28th, 2010.
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Cost Of The Iraq War. $4-6 Billion For a Lie. |
Where's Osama?On Sept. 11th, 2001 George Bush said he would catch bin Laden dead or alive. He never did, we used to run a counter showing how many days it had been, but Obama finally took care of it for him. Just another Bush lie. |
The Hollywood Liberal started in 2004 at the height of the Bush Administration madness in America. We were inspired by the late great Bartcop.com. The very first thing I did when the site started was to get arrested at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. My arrest at the start of a march from The World Trade Center was later ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. On New Years Eve 2014 the case was finally settled, with a judge awarding a class action suit that I was part of over $26 Million. I posted daily on the blog up until the end of The Bush error, and the site is now run as a history of the whole fiasco. Feel free to browse the old postings, pictures, & comics (an HL favorite) It reveals the twisted history of the times. Thanks H.L.
