Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Zogby Poll on Impeachment of Bush

Zogby is reporting that in their polls more people support impeaching President Bush than supported the impeachment of Clinton.
The Poll
It found that Bush’s job approval ratings had slipped a point from the previous week, to 43 percent. While half (50%) of respondents do not hold this view, supporters of impeachment outweigh opponents in some parts of the country.

"Among those living in the Western states, a 52% majority favors Congress using the impeachment mechanism while just 41% are opposed; in Eastern states, 49% are in favor and 45% opposed. In the South, meanwhile, impeachment is opposed by three-in-five voters (60%) and supported by just one-in-three (34%); in the Central/Great Lakes region, 52% are opposed and 38% in favor....
The real question is why the media is not reporting on this story? It just further shows that it is a myth that the media is liberal. Sure some reports are liberal but they work for large conservative cooperations. Read the debate in the Blogosphere at Memeirandum

Monday, July 18, 2005

LIES EXPOSED

On Sunday's Meet the Press during the round table discussion with former Chief of Staff John Podesta, he brought up an interesting point of fact that at the very least Rove had violated his Nondisclosure Agreement that he signed when he first got access to any classified data. In this agreement it states:
Section #3..."I hereby agree that I will never divulge classified information to anyone unless: (a) I have officially verified that the recipient has been properly authorized by the United States Government to receive it; or (b) I have been given prior written notice of authorization from the United States Government Department or Agency (hereinafter Department or Agency) responsible for the classification of the information or last granting me a security clearance that such disclosure is permitted. I understand that if I am uncertain about the classification status of information, I am required to confirm from an authorized official that the information is unclassified before I may disclose it, except to a person as provided in (a) or (b), above. I further understand that I am obligated to comply with laws and regulations that prohibit the unauthorized disclosure of classified information."
For More on this see:
Karl Rove's Nondisclosure Agreement on Warblogging.com
Meet the Press Podcast of 7-18-2005 Full Show 48 min.

Friday, July 15, 2005

The War over Rove Rages

The NYTimes has a story on Novak's early conversation with Rove. While some are saying that this proves Rove did nothing wrong (case in point Captain Ed) they are ignoring that Rove then, as AmericaBlog asserts, is still guilty of not only confirming a CIA Operatives identity to Novak, he then compounds his mistake by then telling other reporters of this fact. He is not off the hook, they've only set the hook deeper into his flesh!

Related:
Rove Reportedly Held Phone Talk on C.I.A. Officer
Captain Ed
John @AmericaBlog
Memeorandum

Thursday, July 14, 2005

The White House Press Secretary

For the last few days Scott McClellan has been getting grilled in the his daily briefings. He's been the pinata for the press corps, trying to redeem themselves for the poor job they have done in the last few years. And to some extent you might feel sorry for McClellen, but that soon fades as you see him do contortions so as to not answer any questions dealing with his credibility or that of the Administration. No matter what the RNC talking points are they do not change the fact that they have tried to obfuscate the Administrations involvement in Plame's outing. And the Administrations polling numbers show this that for once the public is seeing the truth, and not buying the these talking points.

Updated 6:40pm PST: related:
McClellan, in Third Day of Stonewalling
What Did the President Know and When Did He Know It?
GOP talking points on Rove seek to discredit Wilson
Poll: Americans Doubt Bush's Honesty
Explosive Rove Reaction

Monday, July 11, 2005

Press Corps comes to Life!

Blogcritics has published the transcript of part of Scott McClellan press confrence earlier today. A must read... Nine Days Later, White House Press Corps Discovers the Rove-Plame Story

White House Leaker: Karl Rove

Well, White House press secretary Scott McClellan refused to discuss Rove and statements made over the last two years that Rove had no involvement in this case. This is getting more and more interesting. Will they or won't they fire Rove? Or of more importance, I don't believe that Rove has a National Security Clearance in his current position. Lost in the din about Rove is the fact that the Judges who reviewed and ordered the Reporters to talk or face contempt charges, felt that even with a Reporter's right to special privilege this case is a National Security Case and is not covered by special privilege. So bigger fish are possibly in Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald's sights. Those at the White House who hold a National Security Clearance and told Rove about Plame in the first place. That is, if he can get Rove to talk and doesn't pull a stunt like Admiral Poindexter did in Iran-Contra, and suddenly have memory loss.

Updated: Related:
White House Won't Comment on Rove, Leak
Rove Told Reporter of Plame's Role But Didn't Name Her, Attorney Says
White House Dodges Rove Questions
Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982

Friday, July 08, 2005

Plame Case

The Washington Post has an excellent article explaining the case and it's involvement with the White House and the questions that remain.

Related:
Memeorandum: Questions Remain on the Leaker and the Law

Thursday, July 07, 2005

London: Now and Then

Daily Life
London during the Blitz
I have been listening to the reports on the Terror attack on London to day and am struck by the way it's people are handling this. You can truly see that they are the Children of those who did not buckle during the Blitz. Accounts, like the one on Daily Kos; Getting to work in London today, reaffirm just how strong people are in Great Britain. They are effected by events, very admirable to see such people respond in times of crisis. Here in the States, I do not think people would have been as calm given the nature of the attack.

Udated: Related:
List of Major Terrorist Attacks in England
Memeorandum: 7-7-2005
WikiNews: Coordinated terrorist attack in London
Flickr: The London Bomb Blasts pool Slide Show

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

The Press and Karl Rove

Karl Rove
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Why is it that the press are not questioning Scott McClellan on Karl Rove's involvement in the Valerie Plame leak? That is their job, is it not, as members of the White House Press Corp to ask hard questions on matters concerning Americans and their readers? Since the revelation of Time Magazine last Friday, have they pressed any of the hard questions about Rove and his connection with this leak? Have they done anything other than take Rove's lawyer's word that,"Yes, he spoke with Novak. But he didn't leak Plame's name." Isn't their job to investigate and not simply be parrots? While some are trying to ask the hard questions they are not the ones in the White House Press Corp. Nor have they gotten replies to their questions. Are they afraid of Rove and his mastery of Spin and/or his Big Brain?

Related articles:
White House Press Corps Fails To Ask About Rove
Huff Po's O'Donnell: Three Questions For Rove's Lawyer...
The Rove Factor?
Valerie Plame

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Ever wanted to be Gulliver?

Flying Carpet

Ever wanted to know how Gulliver felt like in Gulliver's Travels? Well go to the Sacramento Airport. Engadget has a blurb on this carpet done by an Iranian artist named Seyed Alavi. He had this carpet printed with aerial imagery of the region. I'm surprised that someone hasn't tried this before now, It's an damn cool idea for an airport concourse.

Related articles:
Engadget: Artist prints “flying carpet” for airport
Gizmag: Flying Carpet

$100 a Barrel

Oil Drum Stack
Photo Credit: samplediz
$100 a barrel of oil. That is the unbelievable level some think oil could get to by the winter. Right now it's around the $60 a barrel level, but a jump to $100? Sure the that is a worst case scenario, but even given the high demand from China and the fact that our refineries are running full out, I just don't see it getting that high. Or at least I hope it won't. If it did I'd be riding my bike far more for transportation, because I couldn't afford the gas that result from prices that high.


Related Article:
New fear for oil: $100 by winter

Saturday, July 02, 2005

4th of July

USA
Photo Credit: zandura577

Have a Great Fourth of July Weekend.

Friday, July 01, 2005

Short list for the Court

As you probably have heard Justice Sandra Day O'Conner has sent her letter of resignation to the President. And now the real battle begins in Washington over who will replace such a pivotal person on the Court. Slate has compiled its own list of who the President is looking at. Personally none of the people mentioned are good choices, and further more, it looks as if Bush will wait till after he returns from Europe, around the July 8th, before he names a Nominee. In the mean time speculation will run wild in the press.

Updated: Related Articles:
Wikipedia: Sandra Day O'Connor
Justice O'Connor's Retirement Letter
Slate: The Supreme Court Shortlist
Slate's take on her career and decisions
Washington Post: Supreme Court Justice O'Connor Resigns

The Actual Size of the Military

Slate has a very interesting article examining the Military and just what makes up that 1 million man force.
And fewer than 40 percent are combat soldiers—149,406—are members of the active armed forces. (The rest are in the National Guard and Army Reserve.)...others are support and logistics troops—50,252 in transportation, 37,763 in medical, 34,270 in the training and doctrine command, and so forth...Read More.
Related article:
Slate: Who's in the Army Now?