The Hollywood Liberal

Writer Christopher Hitchens Dies
Christopher Hitchens, a slashing polemicist in the tradition of Thomas Paine and George Orwell who trained his sights on targets as various as Henry Kissinger, the British monarchy and Mother Teresa, wrote a best-seller attacking religious belief, and dismayed his former comrades on the left by enthusiastically supporting the American-led war in Iraq, died Thursday at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He was 62.

Freedland: Fox News is Helping Obama
Jonathan Freedland: Whoever wrote the political rulebook needs to start rewriting it. It used to be an iron maxim that voters’ most vital organ was neither their head nor their heart, but their wallet. If they were suffering economically, they’d throw the incumbents out. Yet in Britain a coalition presiding over barely-there growth, rising unemployment and forecasts of gloom stretching to the horizon is holding steady in the opinion polls, while in the US Barack Obama is mired in horrible numbers — except for the ones showing him beating all-comers in the election now less than 11 months away.

The Brotherhood of Extraordinary Dickweeds
As he is wont to do, future Iowa Caucus second-place at best finisher, Newt Gingrich has a tendency to say rather stupid things in an extra dickish manner — how dare a day go without him dropping a verbal deuce.

pic via maassive at flickr.com

As he is wont to do, future Iowa Caucus second-place at best finisher, Newt Gingrich has a tendency to say rather stupid things in an extra dickish manner — how dare a day go without him dropping a verbal deuce:

We’ve had an invented Palestinian people who are in fact Arabs and are historically part of the Arab community and they had a chance to go many places. And for a variety of political reasons we have sustained this war against Israel since the 1940s.

Of course, the United States has long stood in theory for a people’s right to self-determination (as long as they aren’t commies) including the Palestinians, both Republican and Democratic Presidents.

But who cares, there are votes to get.

And there are many in the GOP more than willing to go along with the moronic talking point de jour.

I jumped up out of my chair and cheered for Newt when he said what he said about Palestine. — Rudy Giuliani

I hope Bernie Kerik didn’t hurt himself when he was knocked off Rudy’s lap during visitation.

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Late Late Night FDL: Santa Claus and His Old Lady
Cheech and Chong — Santa Claus and His Old Lady.

Cheech and Chong – Santa Claus and His Old Lady.

What’s on your mind?

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Bernie Sanders Explains Why Congress Fears Citizens United
The Senate’s only Independent has a much more sophisticated take on political corruption than the conventional view of campaign reformers.

By Bill Boyarsky

The Senate’s only Independent has a much more sophisticated take on political corruption than the conventional view of campaign reformers.

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• December 16, 2011 Been There, Thought That
• December 15, 2011 The New Newt

Baron Cohen Rides Again in ‘The Dictator’
Is it too soon? It never seems to be for British prankophile Sacha Baron Cohen, whose summer 2012 cinematic effort, “The Dictator,” goofs on certain global leaders who may or may not still be with us. Judging from the film’s newly released trailer, it remains to be seen whether Baron Cohen has another “Borat”-sized hit on his hands, but he hasn’t lost his edge.

Is it too soon? It never seems to be for British prankophile Sacha Baron Cohen, whose summer 2012 cinematic effort, “The Dictator,” goofs on certain global leaders who may or may not still be with us. Judging from the film’s newly released trailer, it remains to be seen whether Baron Cohen has another “Borat”-sized hit on his hands, but he hasn’t lost his edge.

Related Entries

• December 16, 2011 Been There, Thought That
• December 15, 2011 The New Newt

Rick Perry Compares Himself To Tim Tebow
Rick Perry isn’t leading in the polls, but that didn’t stop him from comparing himself to one of the NFLs most exciting young players at…

Evan Wolfson: The Top 10 Moments For Same-Sex Marriage In 2011
As we gear up for 2012 and our strategies for gaining more ground in the campaign to win marriage nationwide, here’s a look back at Freedom to Marry’s Top Ten Moments for Marriage in 2011.

Paul, Bachmann Spar Over Nuclear Iran
Amid a lengthy back and forth over the proper way to handle a potential nuclear threat from Iran, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) drew the ire…

Debate Moderators Put GOP Candidates On Defense
The seven remaining candidates didn’t get off easy in the last Republican presidential primary debate before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses. The Fox News moderators…

First Arrest Made In Wisconsin “John Doe” Investigation
The first arrest has been made in the investigation of former aides to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) from his time as Milwaukee County Executive — reportedly for non-cooperation with the investigation by a Walker supporter.

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Report: Death Sentences At Lowest Level In Decades
The world watched, transfixed, as Georgia man Troy Davis headed for execution by lethal injection in September, with many calling the execution unjust. A Republican debate audience that same month cheered loudly as Texas Gov. Rick Perry defended his state’s…

Look Who’s Endorsing Mitt!

Majority Say Obama Doesn’t Deserve Re-Election
A new Associated Press-GfK poll finds that for the first time, a majority of adults, 52%, think President Obama should be voted out of office while 43% said he deserves another term.

Obama’s overall job approval also stands at a new low, with 44% approving and 54% disapproving. The president’s standing among independents is worse: 38% approve while 59% disapprove.

Nikki Haley to Endorse Romney
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) will endorse Mitt Romney for president this morning, Fox News reports.

Politico: “Haley, a tea party favorite who upended South Carolina’s GOP establishment by winning last year, has been courted by all of the GOP presidential contenders. As a state representative, she backed Romney in 2008.”

The Great Rope a Dope trick
Barack Obama learned a political trick from Muhammad Ali called Rope a Dope. For you youngsters, this refers to the epic Rumble in the Jungle Heavyweight fight against George Foreman in 1974. Here is the Wikipedia explanation. The rope-a-dope is…

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Sorting the Varieties of Republican Foreign Policy Nonsense
Democracy Arsenal and National Security Network head into tonight’s CNN/Heritage/AEI candidate forum with an awesome array of analysis. A long way of saying where you can find great stuff as a viewer’s guide for tonight. For my part, I’d only…

Message To Congress: With All Due Respect, If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It
With an approval rating that is heading for sub-zero, Congress would do well to take this advice on many subjects. But the one topic I’m focusing on — as the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission — is just…

Watch: 2 Dads Learn They?re About To Be 2 Granddads
In 2011, it may still be novel for same-sex couples to be not just parents, but grandparents, and surely it will soon be more commonplace. In the meantime, watch as these two dads celebrate the news that they are about to be grandfathers: (HT: Towleroad.)

In 2011, it may still be novel for same-sex couples to be not just parents, but grandparents, and surely it will soon be more commonplace. In the meantime, watch as these two dads celebrate the news that they are about to be grandfathers:

(HT: Towleroad.)

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Lawmakers trade barbs in hearing on Stop Online Piracy Act

In a raucous House debate on Thursday over a bill to stop piracy on the Internet, lawmakers representing the interests of old media and new media drew their swords in passionate attacks and counterattacks over the controversial proposal.

The circus atmosphere of the hearing on the Stop Online Piracy Act, introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), reflected the high-stakes, emotional nature of the debate over how to protect copyrighted movies, songs or books online without trampling on the free speech of individuals and companies.

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Jon Huntsman is study in understatement

In this most flamboyant of presidential primary seasons, one candidate has been a study in understatement.

“If people, enough of them, hear our message, they will coalesce around it, and we will do fine,” former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr. said. “It may take a little longer than those who are willing to light their hair on fire onstage,or engage in crazy political theatrics, but that’s okay. We’ll get there eventually.”

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