The Hollywood Liberal

Why Did Elizabeth Let John Run?
Anne Taylor Fleming wonders why Elizabeth Edwards let her husband run for president after knowing what skeleton hid in his closet.

“She had to know the tabloids were after the story and after her husband — stalking him as he stalked the White House. It’s just a little bit bizarre, that disconnect, even from someone so special and admirable…”

“That’s what is both troubling and sad. You can make the argument that this is private stuff, private pain. Many people clearly believe that would be a more desirable state of affairs — where personal lives and personal indiscretions are not constantly fair game. But that is not the world we live in right now, nor the country…”

“And, by running with her husband, Elizabeth Edwards, in effect, invited us all in — yes, even those nasty tabloids who had been chasing him from day one.”

GRITtv Live at Noon: Whither the Working Class Vote?
U.S. workers, the economy and their vote: Why isn’t this the most obvious presidential pick since 1932 when we dumped the GOP for FDR? Join us on Wednesday August 13 for a live panel discussion. We want to hear from you. Call in at 866-466-2961 or write to laura@grittv.org.

THIS MONTH, GRITtv with Laura Flanders goes interactive!!! If you’ve ever fancied posing a question directly to Laura’s guests — you’ll be able to do it! Tomorrow Wednesday August 13 at noon EDT [9 am FDL time] our panel will discuss the working class vote with Eric Foner, professor of History at Columbia University, Bill Hennings, Vice President of the Communications Workers of America, and Esther Kaplan of the Nation Institute.

We want to hear from you. Will U.S. workers vote Democrat and do the Dems deserve their vote? Email your questions to laura@grittv.org now or call 866-466-2961 tomorrow at noon. We’ll also be checking the comments section. 

Limbo
I’ll let him speak for himself.

Georgia Tries out the Bush War Doctrine, Loses Badly
The president of tiny Georgia must have caught a case of his pal Bush’s war lust to attack a Russian ally and think he’d win.

Michele Bachmann is Insane
From TPM:We like to keep track of the, er, intriguing sayings of Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the Christian Right champion from Minnesota. But this latest is really out there — Bachmann says we don’t need pesky environmentalists like Nancy Pelosi around, because Jesus already saved the planet!“[Pelosi] is committed to her global warming fanaticism to the […]
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LeftWord: The Best Liberal Blog Posts

Joe Lieberman: Obama has not always “put the country first.” Late Update: McCain campaign officially endorses Lieberman’s assertion. –gs…

Web firms admit tracking users
Firms say they track behavior without explicit customer consent.

NO PROSECUTIONS IN JUSTICE HIRING SCANDAL: AG
NO PROSECUTIONS IN JUSTICE HIRING SCANDAL: AG

Cheney to attend fundraiser for congressman caught with prostitute.
Channel 10 News in San Diego reports that Vice President Dick Cheney attend a fundraiser for Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) tomorrow and “will also deliver an address at a reception for Rep. Calvert at a private residence in San Clemente.” CREW named Calvert one of the “22 most corrupt members of Congress,” as he has […]

Channel 10 News in San Diego reports that Vice President Dick Cheney attend a fundraiser for Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) tomorrow and “will also deliver an address at a reception for Rep. Calvert at a private residence in San Clemente.” CREW named Calvert one of the “22 most corrupt members of Congress,” as he has a number of ethical improprieties:

– Made huge profits for himself and his personal firm off his own earmark.

– Rewarded K Street firm under federal investigation with pork projects.

– In July 2007, a grand jury said the sale of four acres of public land to Calvert and his investment partners in 2005 violated California state law.

– Traveled to Saudi Arabia with convicted Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham in 2004.

In 1993, Calvert was caught by police with a prostitute in a parked car in California and tried to drive away from the scene. “We’re just talking, that’s all,” he told police as he “continued to cover his unzipped pants with his hand,” according to a police report.

Justice Dept. Issues a Callback
Job applicants who were rejected by the Justice Department because of improper political considerations will be urged to apply for open positions, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey told an audience yesterday.

On Georgia Crisis, McCain’s Tone Grows Sharper
Aides to Republican Sen. John McCain were scrambling last Thursday morning even as his plane was descending into Des Moines. Russia had escalated its aggression in the bordering Republic of Georgia, they told reporters, and McCain wanted to seize the moment.

Whose ‘Special Interests’?
We take it for granted that a vote means a secret ballot but it was not always that way. Moreover, it will not remain that way for workers who vote on whether or not they want a labor union, if legislation sponsored by Congressional Democrats and endorsed by Senator Barack Obama becomes law. Before there were secret ballots, voters dared not express their true preferences if those who watched them vote could retaliate– whether by firing them, beating them up or in other ways.

The War in Iraq Is Over. What Next?
Bing West, Wall Street Journal