WE Blog

Top of the morning to you ksagnostic! :D

“John McCain is mostly getting a free pass on his positions and misstatements”

Yup.

I call the Eagle complicit in this.

STILL no thread on McCain seeking the endorsement of the bigot Hagee, getting it, then lying and saying it was not his idea.

“while McCain does a neat job of consolidating his base and building good will with the rest of the electorate.”

Well,

his base is a bunch of jerks. As to the the rest of the electorate? I wrote him twice about those $50 an hour lettuce picking jobs. No word back yet.

I think I detect a hint of fear in ksagnostic’s post. ksag was hoping that McCain would pander to the right and loose the middle.

Well, the right is pandering to McCain simply to avoid both of the deplorable democratic candidates.

“I think I detect a hint of fear in ksagnostic’s post. ksag was hoping that McCain would pander to the right and loose the middle.”

This is projection. I was hoping for no such thing (I know better). McCain has done some pandering to the right wing base in the primary, but that is mostly moot because the primary ended so soon, so McCain has time to repair any damage he might have done. For that matter, most voters (including swing/foul weather voters) know that candidates pander to their base and don’t take it seriously anyway). Like JR, I would like to see a little more attention to the Hagee situation, not so much because I think it will damage McCain (it won’t) but because it helps to put things into perspective. The politics is about alliances, which is why you first and foremost focus on the candidate. Notice, for example, the cut and paste troll from yesterday’s open thread quoting Wright. The reason for that? It would not be helpful to quote Barack Obama, whose comments stand out as being notably different. The same goes for McCain, however. Yes, McCain made nice noises to the Christian Right goofs he dissed in 2000, but foul weather voters know that McCain’s 2000 comments probably better reflect his attitude towards the Christian Right, and mark my words, that will help him in the general election.

I found that “slavering” has nothing to do with slaves.

Thanx for the giggle. That really, truly made me guffaw. Now I have to wipe the monitor.

defense lawyer Charles O’Hara argued that the Patriot Act was meant for “serious matters involving national security,

There ya go, right there, TDT. The Crips are a threat to national security. Not totally unlike those stinkin’ low-lifes on welfare, the gay community, and anyone wanting a living wage. I wonder who’s next on the list?

On March 12, 1993, a federal judge in Austin, Texas decided
that the US Secret Service broke the law when it searched Steve
Jackson Games Inc., and seized its bulletin board system and other
computer equipment. The decision in this case has been long-
awaited in the computer world, and most observers have hailed it as
a significant victory for computer user’s freedom and privacy

Really, the search/seizure thing is nothing new.

Fish – But now they are using the Patriot Act for the search/seizure. That’s not what the Patriot Act is supposed to be used for.

I wonder how many dem. politicians have been victimized by the patriot act snooping.

Outlander – I think that is the ultimate test. The client doesn’t need to be sympathetic. In fact, when we can be just to the lowest of the low, that is when our system is working the best, don’t ya think?

That is a really sorry defense argument

And the defense of using the Patiot Act in this way?

Ok, I gotta agree, I won’t condone the Crips or trafficing of Coke (really ambivalent about individual usage, and I realize it’s kinda a conflict, but, hey!), but you can’t use the concept of “this is bad so we’re entitled to be wrong, too”. Like I tell my kids, “Doing something because others do it too doesn’t make you as bad as the person–it makes you worse. You know better and I expect more from you”

“John McCain is mostly getting a free pass on his positions and misstatements (Iran is training al-Qaida?)”

That was a mistake.
Talk about a free pass.
Howza ’bout Hillarys “mistake” about being under fire in Kosavo? Mistake my ass.

And under george bush

Really, that’s not a bush problem–it’s a degeneration of our school system. No one in the military can read.
*ducks*

Just another tool to make this a police state. Charlie O’Hara has a fight on his hands, taking on the feds, but it needs to be done. RICO is bad enough, but you knew when it and the so-called Patriotic Act passed that some cop/prosecutor somewhere would misuse them both.

Dangerous stuff. We need to stay alert.

Is McCain getting a free pass? Hell yes; the corporate DC media has a man-sized man-crush on Bush III, and they just can’t get enough.

When are we going to see some reportage on Cindy McCain’s stealing of drugs from the American Voluntary Medical Team to satisfy her addiction, McCain’s attempt to use his influence to kill the story, and his retaliation against the person who blew the whistle?

**************************************************

Here’s what Amy Silverman wrote in Salon back in 1999:

“But the story I was pursuing was not so much about Cindy McCain’s unfortunate addiction. It was much more about her efforts to keep that story from coming to light, and the possible manipulation of the criminal justice system by her husband and his cohorts. The irony is that Cindy’s secret would have stayed secret if John McCain’s heavy-hitting lawyer, John Dowd (of D.C.’s Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld; his most recent claim to fame was serving as co-counsel for fellow partner Vernon Jordan during impeachment) hadn’t heavy-handedly pulled out all the stops to protect the McCain family.

Dowd tried to get back at the man on Cindy McCain’s staff, Tom Gosinski, who had blown the whistle on her drug pilfering to the DEA. But in the course of trying to get local law enforcement officials to investigate Gosinski — Dowd and the McCains considered him an extortionist; others might call him a whistleblower — Dowd set in motion a process that would eventually bring the whole sordid story to light. When that maneuver backfired, the McCain media machine went into overdrive to spin the story.”

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/18/drugs/

McCain absolutely knows how to play the media. He’s shown it time and again. And the media, time and again, shows how it loves to get played by McCain. The media and McCain are made for each other: superficial, vapid, and dishonest.

Keating Five anyone? Anyone?

For the record, I don’t have to look up words like “slavering,” outlander.

Nor do I have to look up words such as these:

niggardly
pusillanimous
martinet
popinjay
puerile
excerable.

As for McCain “loving” anything . . . how’s it feel to have all the attention on the other side?

#
CapnAmerica
Posted March 25, 2008 at 10:50 am | Permalink

For the record, I don’t have to look up words like “slavering,” outlander.

Nor do I have to look up words such as these:

niggardly
pusillanimous
martinet
popinjay
puerile
excerable
————————-

CraponAmerica does have to look up the words:

Loyalty
Patriotic
American

…notes the last word is misspelled, so evidently the Crapn is only hooked on phonics – not the proper spelling. (?k’s?-kr?-b?l) :D

“I do earnestly desire that we become better strangers.” Shakespeare

Maybe you should look it up!

TNT, When I first heard of the Patriot act and the powers it gave the Government I saw the possible “Pandora’s box” element to it. The laws covering search and seizure along with the fourth and fifth Amendments to the Constitution of the U.S. have sound and thought out reasoning to them. The Patriot act subverted many of these laws, but did not limit these subversions to solely the investigations of only terrorism related activates. This is a dangerous road to even start down. If the authorities are given permission to do secret searches and make no mistake. The Patriot act does give the authorities to not only do unannounced searches but WARRANT-LESS, SECRET, SEARCHES get the point?
Big difference, there was already no requirement once a warrant had been obtained to notify or have a owner actually present when the warrant is served. As long as the authorities does not have to commit a crime to serve it.

That is the sum I get from the article that it was more the fact the search was done without notifying the owner not that no warrant was used? That is the question I am not sure of, did they have a warrant when they searched the home? If not then in deed they took liberties under the Patriot act as it is the only exclusion I am aware of that allows such searches. A judge must balance the effectiveness of a situation against the impact upon society as a whole. Otherwise saying that by allowing some exclusion to the laws and ruling of other court. will it open other situation to the same exclusions.
The authorities does not have the right to just walk in to any house at will and search even if the evidence that maybe found is not used in a court action. NOR should they be able to, but that is and was the problem with the Patriot act. There was within it only a implied usage and no written restrictions to it. They said it would only be use to fight terrorism, but there was nothing to prevent its usage in other non-terrorism incidents. The camel’s nose under the tent adage is true. I know I use to be a cop and you give a cop an inch and he will take the full measure of that inch!
Now here is nothing more then a straw man:
“As part of the investigation, agents wanted to check the house to see whether electronic recording devices could be installed, the affidavit said.”
That is like saying I shot the man to see if the gun could hurt him! OH Please! Of course you could install them, the only thing you would need to check would be whether there is anything that would interfere with the signal. And that can be done outside and would not require you to enter the house! But that is privilege information and now I am afraid you will have to kill yourself! Go ahead I’ll wait here….

It means vile and detestable, Hank.

As in George W. Bush is the most execrable President the United States has ever endured.

Crapn belong to the pusillanimous Radical Left Wing of the Democratic Party.

You have crack cocaine in your other home TDT?

No, I don’t live in fear that some agency is going to come into my home and search it

Been there, done that. Chased two teenage kids out of my house when I came home unexpectedly early. They flashed out the back door, hopped the fence, and jumped right into a police cruiser that took them away. City’s finest doing a heck of a job!!! Funny, there were no arrest reports in Police Notes, and I sure didn’t have a chance to even call the police.
Granted, this was 1980, so like LJ says, SSDD.

RE: the 8:11 post on the drug case and followups.

TDT, and others commenting here:

Because Charlie O’Hara says it does not mean it’s true. And I know Charlie well; he’s a good attorney, and he’s simply putting the best face on things for this client. That is what he is supposed to do.

Having read the article you linked to, and knowing nothing about the particulars of this case, I have no way of knowing whether the dreaded Patriot Act has anything at all to do with this search. I can tell you, however, that a “sneak and peak” warrant, where officers go in, look around, and do NOT leave notice that they were there is not new. And it is important that we notice that same was done, with judicial blessing, under a judicially-issued warrant permitting just that. That is exactly what the 4th amendment envisions – officers acting under the authority of a judicial warrant.

In other words, to paraphrase a famous line, reports of the death of the 4th amendment are greatly exaggerated. It’s alive and well.

So count me skeptical about Charlie’s claim. I strongly suspect it’s nothing more than defense posturing.

The left has used RICO laws against Operation Rescue.
I never heard the left complain about that.
The United States Supreme Court tossed out all of those lawsuits.
The left has used the KKK Act against Operation Rescue.
I never heard the left complain about that.
The United States Supreme Court tossed out all of those lawsuits, as well!

Operation Chaos is WORKING!

Thanks GMC and Vaugh I did get that O Hara’s main complain was about the no notice and not exactly the source of the warrant though I missed if in deed a warrant was used. LOL I to have had the privilege of having met Mr. O’Hara. Being on the other side of the court room. Before the trial began the administer of the work release program saw him walk in to the anti-room and said “CRAP!”. I asked what was wrong and Larry said “We better have every “T” crossed and every “I” dotted. There is not such person in real life as “Perry Mason” but O’Hara is as close as they come!”. One “trick” that O’Hara is noted for in L.E. is to ask for your report to review. Some cops only have their copy with them and he may fail to return it to you in time for court. As it happened Larry and I both had several copies of our reports and when he asked we said “sure I have several copies!” He read them with a frown and that pled out his client! Oh how I do so relish the small victories!

And, GMC is most correct that Mr. O’Hara is doing his job here.

I know Capn, I didn’t have to look it up either.

deBush, not reBush!
Learn from your mistakes!

Vaughn & GMC – After reading the link from Vaughn, it appears to me that although it is legal to go into a house with a “sneak and peak” warrant and get INTANGIBLE evidence, it is not legal to actually take any tangible evidence at this time. They must wait until they get an actual warrant to do that. Am I understanding this correctly? And if this is the case, was the evidence taken during the “sneak and peak” warrant, or were just pictures taken of evidence?

“which generally” =”which generally prohibits”.

Back to the Hillary/Obama war:

Obama has to do something about General McPeak now.

McPeak says that the reason we can not have peace in the Mid East is that we have “too many Jews” in Miami and New York who will not allow our politicians to support Peace with the Arabs.

Does Obama know ANYONE who is not so anti-Israel?

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12937

Just not a lot of folks enthusiastic ’bout old John.

Yes, TDT, it is. As you will note from the link I posted, the author speculated that there would be increasing usage of “sneak and peek” warrants, as the statute certainly reads as encouraging them.

How to know when somebody is a reflexively blind partisan shill.

When they post crap like this:

“Back to the Hillary/Obama war:

“Obama has to do something about General McPeak “now.

McPeak says that the reason we can not have peace in the Mid East is that we have ‘too many Jews’ in Miami and New York who will not allow our politicians to support Peace with the Arabs.

“Does Obama know ANYONE who is not so anti-Israel?

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12937

Read the very link that Paul supplied. I didn’t even have to advance past it to know that the italicized comment was a lie. McPeak did not say that. The Spectator author observes the crappy standards of that publication by quoting McPeak and then provides a translation that added meaning to the quoted comments. Paul just unquestioningly regurgitated the added comments.

“SolDevVB” suggests –

“This crap is going to tear apart the DNC and give freakin McCain the win.”

That (and I hate it every time I hear a reporter say it) remains to be seen.

I’m reminded at how fat and cocky the Republic Party partisans were feeling about “President” Tom Dewey in 1948.

The liberal Democrats were all for Henry Wallace. The old racist wing of the Democrats were all for Strom Thurmond.

The Democrats were as divided as never before or since, and guess what happened?

The polls picked “President” Alf Landon in 1936, based on land-line telephone polls. Poor people couldn’t afford land-line telephones in 1936. Guess who they voted for.

Today, land-line telephones are optional for scores of millions who only use cellular technology. Guess who they’re voting for.

It looks more and more like the Republic Party is George Forman and the Democrats are Muhammad Ali and this is turning into the rope-a-dope election.

We Democrats will have a candidate. And either one will unite the people against the Republic Party’s promise of more Shrub, all the time. John WMD McBush will have more of what Brit Hume’s called “McCain’s Senior Moments,” and all the focus will be on whomever he chooses as a running mate. Because, if McSame were elected, it’d be a solid bet Vice-President X will be in charge before the 2012 election.

John Sidney McCain the Third is likely to become the first candidate in American history to show up for a debate with a drool cup on the podium.

Though Monkeyhawk could be right, I just can’t help see the ingredients of an out of left field defeat in Nov. The super delegates if they were to select Clinton over the popular vote would be as controversial as the 2000 election. James Caravel and his saying that Richards is Judas which Caravel is a loose cannon who served Bill Clinton well by keeping his enemy off balance. But he name calling of a popular Richards could come back to bite Hillary if she would become the nominee. What is wild to me and show just how divisive both parties have become. I common saying I keep hearing was said earlier. If so and so is the candidate I will vote for so and so. But if so and so is the candidate then I will vote for so and so!
What is funny is the one’s vote would cancel out the other’s vote. After all that JR has said, will he break down and vote for Obama? Will you PMoM? Or has it become so divisive that you will stand on principle and not vote at all? How about the Republicans, even if you fall in the ranks that think Mc Cain is nothing more than Bush III can you bring yourself to vote for Hillary?

Do I think that the democrats will finally pull together behind whom ever gets the Democratic nomination. Maybe but this election has been one where people are finally taking a stand and maybe finally fed up enough to stick with it. I can see many choosing to stand on principle and not vote, but the question will remain will they put principles aside and fall in line?

American Way I thought you were trying to cheer them up? With all the extended powers that Bush has given the executive branch. How would the Democrats getting a vast majority in the house and Senate do any good? What you said it like telling them their house burnt and killed their dog… But you no longer have a termite problem!

As the Democratic fight unfolds, I keep remembering what David Gergen wrote in his book about Bill Clinton’s presidency (sorry, can’t recall the title).

Anyway, Gergen made the point that after Clinton won in November of ‘92, he was apparently so damn exhausted from the campaign that he failed to use the rest of November and December to organize his administration. Gergen argued that this proved to be a telling moment in the early part of Clinton’s presidency, and it caused him a lot of problems.

I’ve got myself about half-convinced (always only half!) that as a result of the extended primary fight, fatigue may set in for the Democratic nominee even sooner, perhaps as early as mid-summer and into the crucial part of the fall campaign. As the writer pointed out in the TNR piece, there’s something to be said for getting the thing won and then going off by yourself for a while, and just sitting down and thinking things through. You need that period to rest and rejuvenate. Don’t take any calls for a few days, don’t work on speeches, don’t listen to any strategy, don’t do anything but let the thoughts filter in, and then back out.

So then when you do come back, it’s like you crank out work and you’re on because you shut off the noise and you’re rested. I might be wrong on this, however. As more of a creative type, I need the time alone or I get stale and tired of everybody, whereas politicians are maybe a different breed of cat and get their energy some other way.

But I think Obama in particular would benefit from a period of rest. Give the guy a couple weeks off–even a week–and he’ll come back with something pretty strong.

********************************

Up for discussion is the extent to which McCain deserves the “McBush” label. Truth is, it’s hard to tell in these campaigns. If you look at McCain’s record, however, it’s fair to say that he’s been willing to work with Democrats, but it’s also fair to say that he knows where his bread gets buttered. (Most of us do: it’s called survival.)

As things stand, at least in part because the Dems are in a dispute, but also because McCain does seem to enjoy an extra special relationship with those who adore him in the media, the Republican nominee is living what must be a presidential candidate’s dream of going to and fro upon the earth, hand in hand with the highly selective soundbite.

In this dreamworld of political non-discourse, McCain can make a statement like, “We’re winning in Iraq,” and promptly recede into the sunlight and daffodils.

Now I don’t want to go all Old Testament on everybody, but if the guy’s allowed to wander to and fro upon the earth, then he must be made to walk up and down on it as well.

Perhaps this is where Davis Merritt’s deadeye column (today’s paper) comes into view. If McCain wants to say, “We’re winning,” then he needs to clarify a few points, starting with defining exactly what amounts to victory these days and being careful not to omit a handful of just damned relevant details.

“The surge is working,” we’re told, and that’s it. Really? Well, good to hear, I suppose. Uh, does that mean a political solution is near also and we can start pulling out some of the troops–

“Nope.”

“Well, when?”

Psssst. Where’d he go?

Here’s the point: If you fall upon the earth and skid your knee, a bandage is required. After a time, however, it’s understood that the bleeding will stop and the bandage may be removed. If you peel back the sticker and the sore still oozes, then you wonder if it’s time to visit a nurse.

If the surge, or the bandage, must be maintained, then all it’s really doing is preventing the worst of the violence from leaking out. Five years later, and this is where we are.

Maybe McCain knows something that we don’t. Maybe an ark of some sort is being prepared. Maybe he plans to include a proposal for paying for all this that doesn’t amount to borrowing and piling up interest.

Right now, though, judging from what we know about him in the reality-defying science fiction world of TV soundbites, he behaves quite a bit like Bush on the major issue of the day.

It’s that George Bernard Shaw spelling criticism, isn’t it?

D’oh! I kept seeing “ghoti” and thinking I knew I’d seen that before, but it just did’t click!

All right, all right…turns out Obama’s on vacation right now…

American Way–

Just got back from my yearly sojourn of paying The Man. It was kind of like a bad round of golf. At first, you can’t believe how lousy it’s really going, with everything going in the trees and the sand. Then, after a while, you sort of give up and just play.

I’m no top ten percenter, but I sure as hell felt it at H&R Block today.

And to demonstrate I am an equal opportunity tax hater:

If you happen to be one of the filthy rich, instead of direct depositing your taxes to a low life HAVE NOT who is “entitled” to the EIC, your large sum will be redirected to the corporate welfare list.

Your money will instead of deposited with a large wealthy farmer, a corporation, or a CEO who has tax credits.

America is all about equal rights and opportunity.

Ain’t it grand!

Speaking of Mc Cain and this really is not meant as sarcasm or a put-down. But he does seem to be suffering some mental confusion. He could be showing the sign of just being worn out from all the traveling and campaigning. That would effect even the younger candidates, I do not know but is does seem the last few times I have seen him on the news and the latest him outlining his plan for the economy. He seem to be having trouble keeping focused and on track.