The Decider’s numbers continue to fall
Eugene Robinson from the WaPo has an excellent OpEd on W and his numbers.
Entries Tagged as ''
In other news…
The craziness in Pakistan marches on. Bhutto’s supporters are being arrested. Bush is supposed to be pressuring Musharraf but I’m not buying it. We supported this guy. Bin Laden is on the loose and we supported a guy that really didn’t believe in Democracy, freedom or liberty?
Nancy Nord is the acting head of the consumer protection safety commission. She is the one that told democrats that she didn’t need or want additional moneys to inspect imported toys. Ms. Nord was on Capital Hill testifying in front of the House. She got an ear full from Democrats like Edward Markey. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said it was clear the CPSC has not been fully doing its job during Nord’s two-year tenure. “The CPSC once stood for the Consumer Protection Safety Commission. Today it stands for ‘Can’t Protect the Safety of Children,”‘ Markey said. “The reality is CPSC has lost 15 percent of its workforce since 2004. … As the holidays approach, parents should not have to play toybox roulette.”
The Senate, for reasons that aren’t really clear to me, have confirmed Michael Mukasey for Attorney General just a few minutes ago. Why? Saying that you can’t or shouldn’t decide based on one issue is crazy. Torture is more than one issue. It is about executive power. It is about the rule of law. We know what the law says. The administration isn’t following the law and Mukasey has basically said that he doesn’t care if the administration follows the law. I have a problem with that. Unfortunately, 53 senators do not have a problem with that.
BTW, did you see that op-ed over the weekend that was written by a JAG about torture. Outstanding. He discusses the ridiculousness of the waterboarding debate. He gives a little history lesson. Well worth a read.
If you put enough earmarks in a bill, sooner or later you will have something for everyone. That’s exactly what the Congress did yesterday. They were able to override another Bush veto. I’m not sure that this is a formula for success. Maybe it is. The Dems are going to have to do something different to show the American people that they are the answer. They are smart enough to pull legislation past a stick-in-the-mud president. Look for an Iraq funding bill to have similar earmarks.
Rudy’s buddy
Many New Yorkers don’t like Rudy Giuliani. When I say don’t like I’m being kind. Rudy invokes an emotional response that is quite remarkable to watch. I pointed out some of Rudy’s lack of judgment in an earlier post. Bernard Kerik is another terrible lapse in judgment. There is no excuse. He tries to apologize in the video below but it is important to point out that many people warned Rudy about Kerik. They talked about mob ties and shady deals but Rudy didn’t want to hear it. Rudy had his mind made up and went head long into the fray. It is his inability to adjust his thinking that is worrisome for me.
———
From NYT:
The scene outside the old Victorian-style courthouse in Dubuque on Thursday morning showed that the indictment of Bernard B. Kerik is at the very least a big distraction for Rudolph W. Giuliani’s presidential campaign.
The site had been chosen with care: Mr. Giuliani spoke across from the courthouse, which has a statue of Justice atop its golden cupola. With him were two former United States attorneys who were there to talk about Mr. Giuliani’s record as a corruption-busting federal prosecutor before he became mayor of New York. (more…)
Last Of Jena 6 pleads not guilty
Bryant Purvis pleaded not guilty in Jena, Louisiana. His charge was second degree aggravated battery and conspiracy. I find it interesting that Purvis and his family have moved to Texas.
——-
From NYT:
The last of the so-called Jena Six to be arraigned in the beating of a white high school student pleaded not guilty Wednesday to reduced charges of battery and conspiracy.
The trial for Bryant Purvis, 18, was set for March. Purvis had initially been charged with attempted second-degree murder, but in a brief court hearing that charge was reduced to charges of second degree-aggravated battery and conspiracy.
If convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to 22 years. (more…)
Medal of Honor winner
Vernon Baker was forgotten for 5 decades. He is the only living Black man to receive the Medal of Honor. I can’t stand straight enough or salute correctly enough to honor this man and his accomplishments. All that I can do is stand and applaud this great American.
—————–
Official Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty in action on 5 and 6 April 1945, Lieutenant Baker advanced at the head of his weapons platoon, along with Company C’s three rifle platoons, toward their objective; Castle Aghinolfi—a German mountain strong point on the high ground just east of the coastal highway and about two miles from the 370th Infantry Regiment’s line of departure.
Moving more rapidly than the rest of the company, Lieutenant Baker and about 25 men reached the south side of a draw some 250 yards from the castle within two hours. In reconnoitering for a suitable position to set up a machine gun, Lieutenant Baker observed two cylindrical objects pointing out of a slit in a mount at the edge of a hill. Crawling up and under the opening, he stuck his M-1 into the slit and emptied the clip, killing the observation post’s two occupants. Moving to another position in the same area, Lieutenant Baker stumbled upon a well-camouflaged machine gun nest, the crew of which was eating breakfast. He shot and killed both enemy soldiers.
After Captain John F. Runyon, Company C’s Commander, joined the group, a German soldier appeared from the draw and hurled a grenade which failed to explode. Lieutenant Baker shot the enemy soldier twice as he tried to flee. Lieutenant Baker then went down into the draw alone. There he blasted open the concealed entrance to another dugout with a hand grenade, shot one German soldier who emerged after the explosion, tossed another grenade into the dugout and entered firing his submachine gun, killing two more Germans. As Lieutenant Baker climbed back out of the draw, enemy machine gun and mortar fire began to inflict heavy casualties among the group of 25 soldiers, killing or wounding about two-thirds of them.
When expected reinforcements did not arrive, Capt. Runyon ordered a withdrawal in two groups. Lieutenant Baker volunteered to cover the withdrawal of the first group, which consisted of mostly walking wounded, and to remain to assist in the evacuation of the more seriously wounded. During the second group’s withdrawal, Lieutenant Baker, supported by covering fire from one of his platoon members, destroyed two machine gun position (previously bypassed during the assault) with hand grenades. In all, Lieutenant Baker accounted for nine dead enemy soldiers, elimination of three machine gun positions, an observation post, and a dugout. On the following night, Lieutenant Baker voluntarily led a battalion advance through enemy mine fields and heavy fire toward the division objective. Lieutenant Baker’s fighting spirit and daring leadership were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the highest traditions of the military service.
-
Errington C. Thompson, MD, is a surgeon, scholar, fulltime sports fan and part-time political activist. He is active in a number of community projects and initiatives. Through medicine, he strives to improve the physical health of all he treats...
