The Hollywood Liberal

Sunday Talking Heads: February 13, 2011
Egypt, what’s next? Mona Eltahawy will be part of This Week’s roundtable. Fox News is diving into the 2012 Presidential sweeps, seems so depressing really, but I guess it’s never too early. And don’t miss Jamie Dimon on GPS, is the meltdown our fault? Scarecrow hosts today’s Book Salon with Wendall Potter, can’t miss that one. And Virtually Speaking runs a science segment (space) tonight before Sam Seder and Joan McCarter appear, tune in.

Egypt, what’s next? Mona Eltahawy will be part of This Week’s roundtable.  Fox News is diving into the 2012 Presidential sweeps, seems so depressing really, but I guess it’s never too early.  And don’t miss Jamie Dimon on GPS, is the meltdown our fault?

Scarecrow hosts today’s Book Salon with Wendall Potter, can’t miss that one.  And Virtually Speaking runs a science segment (space) tonight before Sam Seder and Joan McCarter appear, tune in.

Happy Valentine’s Day, mis amores.

Washington Journal.

ABC’s This Week: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty. Roundtable: Robert Kagan of the Brookings Institution, Arianna Huffington, Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy, George Will.

CBS’ Face The Nation: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei. Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewail. Egyptian Ambassador the US Sameh Shoukry.

Chris Matthews: How Did President Obama Handle The Crisis In Egypt? Can Jeb Bush Be Convinced He’s The GOP’s Best Bet in 2012?

CNN’s State of the Union: Egypt. Edward S. Walker, the former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, and John Negroponte, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (again).  Then Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Finally, Jacob Lew, the director of the Office of Management and Budget and author of President Obama’s 2012 federal budget proposal, “will the Obama administration make enough hard cuts to satisfy a more fiscally conservative populace?”

Fareed Zakaria – GPS: Egypt. Where do Egypt and the opposition movement go from here? Richard Haass and Steven Cook on the Egyptian military. Then, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. “Hear what he has to say about what caused the crisis and who made it worse. Could it have been YOU?”

Fox News Sunday: House Budget Committee Chair Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS). Roundtable: Bill Kristol, Nina Easton, Liz Cheney, Juan Williams. Power Player: Kathy Russell, CEO of The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health.

NBC’s Meet The Press: Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH). Then, Martin Indyk and Robin Wright on Egypt. Roundtable: The mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reed (D); freshman member of congress supported by the Tea Party, Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-IL); Dee Dee Myers; David Brooks; Mark Halperin.

Newsmakers: The new chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), shares his strategic approach to regain the House majority in the 2012 Congressional race. While he admitted that the Democratic Party “faces an uphill battle” he has already set a “very aggressive tone” to the Party’s recruiting efforts, and plans to go on the offense for the upcoming campaign season…

Q & A: President of Southern Methodist University, R. Gerald Turner. He has been President at SMU since 1995. Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas and will be the site of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, expected to open in 2013…

Religion & Ethics.

60 Minutes: The 33 – Four months after 33 Chilean miners were rescued from a half-mile underground, where they lived in daily fear of death for over two months, psychologists say all but one of them are experiencing serious mental stress. Lady Gaga – With her outrageous costumes and mega-hit dance songs, Lady Gaga has become the world’s most talked about entertainer. Plus one more segment to be determined.

To The Contrary: Topics: The First family’s faith. Reasons why women don’t stay in science and mathematics careers. The marketing of all things pink and princess-like to young girls. Panelists: National Council of Negro Women Executive Director Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever;  Public Notice’s Gretchen Hamel; the Feminist Majority’s Kim Gandy; Conservative Commentator Star Parker.

Univision’s Al Punto: Enrique Peña Nieto, Governor of the State of Mexico; Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States; Juan Carlos Echeverri, Father of Juarez shooting Victim; Gery Chico, Chicago Mayoral Candidate; and Carlos Baute, Singer.

Virtually Speaking: 8pm ET: Cosmic Log’s Alan Boyle and Space Studies Institute’s Robin Snelson, aka Rocket Sellers, explore the often-volatile landscape of science, politics and policy. With Tim Pickens, team leader of the Rocket City Space Pioneers, inventor, innovator and educator – with a successful track record as a space entrepreneur – they discuss the state of government and commercial space programs, as well as Picken’s team’s bid to win the $30 million Google Lunar X Prize.  9pm ET: Daily Kos Senior Policy Editor Joan McCarter and Majority Report’s Sam Seder. Joan and Sam discuss developments in Egypt, and the fractures in the Republican party evident in the last week.

C-SPAN’s Book TV.

FDL Book Salon: Scarecrow hosts Wendall Potter for a chat on Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans.  “In Deadly Spin, Potter takes readers behind the scenes to show how a huge chunk of our absurd healthcare spending actually bankrolls a propaganda campaign and lobbying effort focused on protecting one thing: profits.”  5pm ET.

FDL Movie Night Monday: Bell Book and Candle. “Delightful spoof on witchcraft, based on John Van Druten’s 1950 Broadway play.”  Starring Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon, and Ernie Kovaks.  Watch the movie online and then join Lisa Derrick for the discussion, 8pm ET.

?

Late Late Night FDL: Woo For Two
Woo For Two starring Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks. This Hanna-Barbera cartoon was first aired on October 9, 1960.

Woo For Two starring Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks.  This Hanna-Barbera cartoon was first aired on October 9, 1960.

Produced and Directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.  Animated by Kenneth Muse, Carlo Vinci, Lew Marshall, Michael Lah, Don Patterson, Ed Love, George Nicholas, Dick Lundy, Gerard Baldwin, Hicks Lokey, Allen Wilzbach, Don Williams, Hugh Fraiser, Ed Aardal, LaVerne Harding, Ken O’Brien, Ed De Mattia, Art Davis, and Bob Carr.  Layouts by Dick Bickenbach, Ed Benedict, Michael Lah, Walter Clinton, Tony Rivera, Paul Sommer, Dan Noonan, Lance Nolley, and Jerry Eisenberg.  Backgrounds by F. (Fernando) Montealegre, Sam Clayberger, Frank Tipper, Dick Thomas, Vera Hanson, Art Lozzi, and Neenah Maxwell.  Titles by Lawrence Goble.  Production Supervision by Howard Hanson.  Vocal Talent by Daws Butler (Dixie, Mr. Jinks), and Don Messick (Pixie).  Music by John Seely.

Grab your popcorn, put your feet up on the coffee table, and try to keep the spitballs off the screen please.  This is Late Late Night FireDogLake, where off topic is the topic … so dive in. What’s on your mind?

?

Obama: ‘The People of Egypt Have Spoken’
“There are very few moments in our lives when we have the privilege to witness history taking place,” President Barack Obama said in beginning his speech Friday about the Egyptian revolution. “This is one of those times.” Indeed.

“There are very few moments in our lives when we have the privilege to witness history taking place,” President Barack Obama said in beginning his speech Friday about the Egyptian revolution. “This is one of those times.” Indeed.

Related Entries

• February 5, 2011 Kucinich Demands a Visit With Pfc. Manning
• February 4, 2011 Another Diplomatic Oops for the U.S., Courtesy of WikiLeaks

Olympia Snowe Could Melt In 2012
PORTLAND, Maine — The Maine coordinator of the Tea Party Patriots says he will run against U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe in the 2012 Republican primary….

Allen West CPAC Speech Closes Conservative Conference
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) delivered the keynote address on Saturday night at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference. Topics discussed in West’s speech encompassed a…

Alex Becker: GOProud’s Chris Barron Draws Hard Lines on the Left and Right
In an interview with the Huffington Post Saturday morning, Christopher Barron, co-founder and board chairman of the gay conservative advocacy group GOProud, clearly laid out…

Paul Helmke: LaPierre vs. Reagan: Different Lessons on Guns
After a month of silence following the horrifying Tucson shootings, the NRA’s “top gun,” Wayne LaPierre, returned to his old talking points before CPAC this week. “These clowns want to ban magazines?” La Pierre raged, “Are you kidding me?”

Rahm Emanuel Not Slowing Down On Campaign Trail, Despite Big Lead
CHICAGO — Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said Saturday that tackling Chicago’s reputation for sweetheart deals and patronage head-on is first on…

Utah Legislature Approves Official State Gun Despite Controversy
Utah is poised to be the first state to designate an official state gun. The state senate on Thursday voted 20-7 to recommend the Browning M1911 pistol as its official state gun. State Rep. Carl Wimmer (R) — the bill’s…

FBI Director Asked Ted Stevens To Tell Them When He Met With Chinese Officials
The FBI told the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) back in the early 80s that they would appreciate a heads-up next time he met with the Chinese. As Reuters reports, the FBI file posted by the bureau this morning included…

The Tattlesnake – “Finally We Are Free!” Edition
Title quote via MSNBC from a pro-democracy demonstrator celebrating in Cairo’s Tahrir (Liberation) Square following the resignation of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, Feb. 11, 2011. The US media reported yesterday that Hosni Mubarak had finally resigned, the message conveyed to the world by his Vice President and Torturer-in-Chief, Omar Suleiman. Of course, the pro-democracy demonstrators wildly […]

Beyond the Huffington Post Windfall: A New Way to Finance Creative Work
AOL’s buyout of the Huffington Post has prompted fierce debate among progressives. I don’t have much to add to this debate. It’s great that the outstanding reporters who are on the paid staff may reach an even larger audience as…

Why the Republican Attack on “Job-Killing Regulations” is Dumb
Republicans aim to end all “job-killing regulations” — especially those that, according to House Speaker John Boehner, are “strangling” business with detailed requirements over health, safety, the environment, corporate governance and finance. Here’s another instance of where the White House’s…

The Individual Mandate in the Health Care Bill: Why We Should Trade Broccoli and Asparagus for Hot Dogs and Apple Pie
The Republican vote to repeal the new health care law is purely symbolic. But there’s one provision of the law that Republicans are likely to try to defund, and they may have the public with them on this. It’s the…

Fox News Hit Man Jesse Watters Won?t Deny Fox ?Makes Stuff Up,? Tells TP: ?Watch My Blazer, Bro?
This week, Media Matters reported that an unnamed former “Fox News insider” confirmed once again the network’s aversion to the truth in the name of promoting the Republican Party. “I don’t think people would believe it’s as concocted as it is; that stuff is just made up,” the former insider said. Fox News’ “M.O. [is] […]

This week, Media Matters reported that an unnamed former “Fox News insider” confirmed once again the network’s aversion to the truth in the name of promoting the Republican Party. “I don’t think people would believe it’s as concocted as it is; that stuff is just made up,” the former insider said. Fox News’ “M.O. [is] to undermine the administration and to undermine Democrats,” said the source. “They’re a propaganda outfit but they call themselves news.” ThinkProgress ran into Fox News ambusher-in-chief Jesse Watters at CPAC this week and wanted to know what he thought about Media Matters’ report. However, Watters wouldn’t comment. Instead, he tried to divert the issue by attempting to belittle ThinkProgress’ “ambush” skills (yes, admittedly, we didn’t stalk Watters to a vacation spot with his significant other) and trying to give us some advice. “You’re just kind of, a little JV,” Watters said on the defensive. While ThinkProgress repeatedly tried to get comment from Watters, he still refused to answer. However, at one point, he seemed to take offense at a slight brush on his sport jacket, saying, “Watch my blazer, bro.” Watch the interview:

Transcript:

TP: Hey Jesse Watters?

WATTERS: What’s up?

TP: Jesse Watters?

WATTERS: Who are you?

TP: I’m Ben Armbruster from ThinkProgress.org.

WATTERS: Oh, what’s up buddy? How you doing?

TP: I just wanted to ask you a quick question.

WATTERS: Is this an ambush? Listen, this is not how you do an ambush man.

TP: Why not?

WATTERS: You got to have a real camera first of all.

TP: This is real. It works.

WATTERS: If you’re going to do like, a real ambush, you got to get a crew. You got to get a sound guy. You’re not –

TP: Why what’s the –

WATTERS: You’re just kind of, a little JV.

TP: Oh yeah?

WATTERS: Yeah. I got to teach you some things all right?

TP: Yeah, I mean I never made the varsity team in high school so I don’t really know what it’s like.

WATTERS: It looks like it. It looks like you’re a little JV.

TP: So I wanted to ask you, there was a report out a couple days ago about a Fox News insider saying that Fox News just makes stuff up and is a propaganda outfit for the GOP. I was wondering what you think about that.

WATTERS: Well first of all, when you do these things, you kind of got to like, start, you know, “Hey how you doing?” You know, “What’s you name?”

TP: Well, so what do you think about it?
WATTERS: …introduce yourself. You know, usually when I do these things, I say, “Hi, Jesse Watters…” –

TP: I did introduce myself.

WATTERS: “…I’m with Fox News. Nice to meet you.” Like, a smile usually helps at first to kind of like break the ice.

TP: Uh huh.

WATTERS: A little tip.

TP: So what do you think about that, that story?

WATTERS: Um, the other thing is when you approach someone with a camera phone? It’s just kind of weak.

TP: Yeah?

WATTERS: You know what I mean? It’s just kind of weak.

TP: So you don’t have any comment on that story? Do you not have a comment on it? Do you think that Fox News just makes stuff up?

WATTERS: Bro. You’re doing it with a camera phone, bro.

TP: Well answer the question. Yes or no? Do you think Fox News makes stuff up? Yes or no?

WATTERS: Do I think Fox makes stuff up?

TP: Yeah.

WATTERS: That’s your question?

TP: Yeah.

WATTERS: You know, another little piece of advice when you’re doing these ambushes or whatever. The question is very important. And I just don’t think you’re really bringing it with that question. I think you need to go back –

TP: So yes or no?

WATTERS: — and try again. Come back with like a more hard-hitting question. Maybe not like a yes or no question. Usually when I do ambushes I try not to ask yes or no questions –
TP: It was a Fox insider that said that Fox is a propaganda outfit –

WATTERS: — just the person to kind of just say, yes or no, you want to like draw them out a little bit.

TP: I just want to get your response to that. Do you have no response? I guess that’s a “yes,” you have no response. Right?

WATTERS: Watch my blazer, bro.

TP: Do you have no response? Where’s your camera guy? Where’s your camera guy?

WATTERS: Where’s your camera guy?

TP: Let’s go get him. So no?

WATTERS: Do you want to repeat the question?

TP: Do you have an answer or no?

WATTERS: Do you want to repeat the question?

TP: A Fox insider said that Fox –

WATTERS: Bro I’m kidding around. I heard the question. I’m just messing with you man. [Looking into the camera] How you doing? What’s up ThinkProgress?

TP: So no.

WATTERS: You hand’s shaking. You look a little nervous with that thing.

TP: I’m not nervous.

WATTERS: Why are you like fumbling with your words? The other thing is when you do these ambush interviews you really got to like, practice before hand.

TP: Mhmm. All right well I guess that’s a no then huh.

WATTERS: See you later.

Featured Advertiser

Sunday talk show guests for Feb. 13, 2011
Guests to be interviewed Sunday on major television talk shows:

At CPAC, Indiana Gov. Daniels looks at 2012 and decries a ‘new red menace’
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is on a crusade to force the country to confront the issues of debt and deficits. Is that a winning strategy in 2012?

Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll again
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) won the always-anticipated, rarely predictive presidential straw poll Saturday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, but he did so with less than a third of the vote – a result that suggested the energy of conservative activists at the gather…

What Will Come Next in Egypt?

New EPA Rules Will Create Jobs
Derrick Jackson, Boston Globe
THE REPUBLICAN attack on the Environmental Protection Agency began in earnest Wednesday with Representative Joe Barton of Texas saying that regulations to curb pollutants and limit greenhouse gases will “put the American economy in a straitjacket, costing us millions of jobs.’’Lisa Jackson, the EPA administrator, was ready to combat the job-killing rhetoric. In her opening statement to a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, she quoted a UMass Amherst study that found that the construction and retrofitting investments in the eastern US under two new…

U.S. Decision to Back Revolt Has Implications
Simon Tisdall, Guardian
Hosni Mubarak has still not grasped how fundamentally the old political order is changing in Egypt and the Arab world – but it seems Barack Obama has.In a forceful statement after the Egyptian president's latest exercise in reality denial, Obama came off the fence following a fortnight of humming and hawing. If the choice is revolution or repression, democratic ideals and values or hard-nosed self-interest, then the US is officially on the side of the angels.

Debunking ObamaCare Litigation Myths
Cory Andrews, DC Examiner
In recent days, much ink has been spilled and a great deal of hot air expended by ObamaCare apologists seeking to defend the constitutionality of the radical overhaul of Americans’ healthcare delivery system.In the process, a lot of misinformation has been disseminated. Here are some of the most common myths being peddled in defense of ObamaCare: