Home > Jay Bookman > Archives > 2008 > December > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHow to win friends and influence….
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.
Four blue pills. Viagra.
“Take one of these. You’ll love it,” the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.
The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception. The grinning chief offered up a bonanza of information about Taliban movements and supply routes — followed by a request for more pills.
For U.S. intelligence officials, this is how some crucial battles in Afghanistan are fought and won. While the CIA has a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency has prompted the use of novel incentives and creative bargaining to gain support in some of the country’s roughest neighborhoods, according to officials directly involved in such operations.”
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Comments
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this
Those Afghan chieftains are a bunch of dirty old men.
By Taxpayer
December 26, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
Just imagine what they would give up for those forty virgins plus the pills.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 26, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this
Heh, and to think, the Americans know how to get to paradise with out blowing your self up.
Should have listen to the wingnuts to begin with, Ackmed.
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 5:40 PM | Link to this
That’s the ticket. Democratizing and “PDE-5 Inhibitor”ing the Taliban (instead of hi-fiving them).
Great screening for coronary ischemia or the componente of metabolic syndrome on the part of Dr. CIA too.
Afghanistan is a clusterfck and Iraq is the mother of all clusterfcks.
Meanwhile back at the Blago, breaking from precedent, Obama, Rahm, and Valerie met with the FBI and Reps from Club Fitz @ Dearborn, and answered all questions, invoked no privileges unlike you know ‘em ya love ‘em
Harrat the Rat Miers Josh Bolten Carl the Rovin Rovester—will run his mouth in any venue (Newsweek, Fauz News, Murdock St. Journal, except a hearing.
There was zero hesitation in making Obama available. Unlike Bush and Clinton there was no leaning on the FBI with Executive privilege, trying to limit the confines of the territory of the interview’s coverage.
A two hour interview was conducted with Obama, Emanuel, and Jarrett.
They didn’t ask for them to be under oath, however as any idiot knows the hundreds of prosecutions a week in the 94 district courts of this country don’t require the target to be under oath to charge them with an 18USC 1001 violation, one of the most common if not the most common statutes prosecuted week in and week out.
When Bush was interviewed by Fitz in the successful Libby conviction, Bush and Cheney foreclose on the questions that could be asked, and declined to answer many of them (since they both instigated the leak and had criminal liabiility).
Clinton talked to the FBI and his testimony was the basis for impeachment brought by the House and shot down by the Senate.
Unlike the Bush administration and the above named idiots in it, Obama wasted no time in delaying his testimony via litigation.
All of the above have done both.
As to openess and tansparency Obama yep Buah, Cheney and Addington nope.
Obama could try to claim immunity as a presient elect and delay the investigation for months while it percolated up the courts, but as President elect he has no real precedent, and he’s smart enough not to waste time in litigation.
Obama also wasted little time in preparing with his lawyers for testimony, and likewise Emanuel and Jarrett.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 26, 2008 5:56 PM | Link to this
I tell you what, I ain’t been up Chicago way in a few years, at least not on the Mag Mile, but I’ll tell you what, the girls up here are far more trashy than they are down in Dixie.
Dude!
And high maintenance too.
Glop on some make up, dye the hair blonde, pull on the two sizes too small blue jeans cutting off all of the air supply to your brain and head out to Saks Fifth Avenue to oogle boogle all the Italian made garbage, ring up two or three grand on Daddy’s credit card for a hairy dog looking purse.
Talk smack to the metrosexuals, hahaha.
And who is it that says redneck women have no sense?
I’ll take Sally Mae any damn day of the week, well, except for this week.
Now it’s time to light up some local.
By Mrs.Godzilla
December 26, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this
To paraphrase the Beatles;
All we are saying, is give “piece” a chance.
By Mike
December 26, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
Chad Harris -
Your vulgar ranting is truly impressive, even compared to the mindless partisan regulars. Thanks for showing us how low political discussion can go.
Just remember: any politicians who share your narrow views are goos and any politicians who don’t share your narrow views are bad. How convenient for you!
By Mrs.Godzilla
December 26, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this
Andy,
In defense of Chicago girls (Logan Square myself) they wouldn’t much care for your type either.
Our daddies warned us and our mothers laughed….
By Midori
December 26, 2008 7:29 PM | Link to this
What’s wrong Andy?
Did the Chicago girls haul a*ss running from you, screaming and shrieking?
Par for the course, I’d say.
By Cheryl
December 26, 2008 7:33 PM | Link to this
Ha Ha Midori, I was thinking the same thing!
ROFL!
By Midori
December 26, 2008 7:39 PM | Link to this
Cheryl,
what do you suppose was the trigger?
Him yelling nonsensical tirades about “pinkos”?
Or blaming the Democrats for bad weather?
Or trying to tie Obama to the guy who shot the Pope?
By The Corporal
December 26, 2008 7:40 PM | Link to this
Ooo Rah!
FIX BAYONETS !
By Cheryl
December 26, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this
Maybe they were wearing shoes!
Maybe those Chicago girls didn’t cotton to that big wad of chew, and all the spitting that goes on down round these parts……
Maybe the Chicago Girls just gave him NO play!
That’s just my guess….. I could be wrong!
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Executive Priviledge?
Don’t you have to be an executive before you claim it?
A comparison between the chief executive and the PEOTUS is numbskull.
Let Obama become an executive and DO SOMETHING before he invokes executive priviledge.
I predict that Obama will invoke executive priviledge a record number of times.
But give him a chance.
By Sam
December 26, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
By The Corporal
December 26, 2008 7:40 PM | Link to this
Ooo Rah!
FIX BAYONETS !
Having delusions of grandeur again Snuffy?
By Midori
December 26, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
even more than the number of times Bush claimed EP, sunshine?
WOW
That’s an awful, awful lot of privilege.
By flea infested liberals
December 26, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
How to win friends and influence…
kiss azz and throw around alot of money.
By getalife
December 26, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
Spreading freedom with Viagra.
Hilarious.
By Sarah
December 26, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this
Does it seem to anyone else that a very high percentage of mental midgets claim to be former Marine corporals? Is there some correlation there?
By finchy d
December 26, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this
Disclaimer folks:
these libs are miscreant heathen vultures.
no class, no manners.
hillarious indeed.
By Cheryl
December 26, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
Sarah
hehehe!
The Colonel, oops I mean the Corporal has lost it, he’s off his rocker….. What is that Bayonet thing about and “ooo rah”?
What is that?
By The Corporal
December 26, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this
To Mrs. G.
Your 6:37* was very good! I bet you got my joke the first time !
To Sam and Cheryl
O.K. Let me try this again. Maybe you guys are a little slow tonight.
Ooo Rah !
FIX BLUE BAYONETS !
By The Corporal
December 26, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
Off Topic
I see that Mike Luckovich’s anatomical caricatures of Obama are much less derisive and exaggerated than those he draws of President Bush - bias shows even in art.
By happy pappy
December 26, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this
[Obama}(http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/j/z/1/obamasupermanawesome.jpg)
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this
@Mike—
Did the neurosurgeon and neurologist ID the source of your closed head trauma?
LOL
I’ve weighed in against Caroline Kennedy, and against Hillary Clinton. I don’t agree with many of Obama’s appointments.
So your delusion about my being black and white on views is incorrect. But however you want to masturbate on comments is your business—go for it.
I’d rather see you express some substantive opinion on an issue. Any numbnuts brain can that has a $10 mouse, a keyboard and an internet connection can diss someone the way the kids did you during grades 1-12. I’m sorry mommy couldn’t assist you in adjusting.
@Mike other than you’re bothered by me, do you have the ability to emerge from your rednecked ignorance and abhorrence toward reading and actually voice a substgantive opinion as to anything?
I didn’t think so. Your part of what makes Georgia proud. They’re last in education year after year—on all levels.
I remember being at a Braves sellout game when it was announced that Georgia was ranked last in the SATs and the crowd stood up and cheered. They were cheering for you.
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
@ “Sunshine”—
Why are you worked up over EP? Bush claimed it dozens of times on dozens of issues.
I don’t know what type or grade coma you were in, but as I posted Emanuel, Jarrett, and Obama were interviewed by the ones who count, the FBI and Fitz’s bos and girls for hours. They ducked not a single question, and they claimed no privileges.
EP is constitutionally not an option for Obama’s team technically until January 20, but given transition team business they could have tried to claim it and then litigate for a long time come Jan. 20. They did not. They gave Fitz’s boys and girls and the FBI full throttle and answered any and all questions.
So your jerking yourself off over EP is irreelevant at this point. Obama didn’t claim it.
As to the Impeachment Committe vote in the Illionis Senate Monday, who cares?
Let’s explain the little golden book of federal law to you.
Fitzgerald has full subpoena power. His questions have teeth because whether under oath or not, Obama, Jarrett, and Emanuel were subject to 18USC 1001 pitfalls if they were found making false or inconsistent statements. This is not as black and white as it sounds either because experience counsel who have White House personnel as clients year in and year out will point out it’s easy to forget a detail and get yourself crossways with the “false statement to an agency employee” statute which is 18USC 1001.
All three of them, superb lawyers, didn’t sweat that and they went on and testified without even asking for time for extensive preparation with counsel—something Bush and Cheney did in their very limited interviews with Fitz prior to his putting away Libby. Bush and Cheney also limited Fitz’s time in questioning them and the scope of his queries; **Obama did not; Jarrett did not; and Emannuel did not.’
Now apparently you have suggestions for how Fitz should conduct his prosecution of Blago and I have afforded you the way to insert yourself into Fitz’s office and tell him how he should be doing it. No one here doubts that Fitz stays awake night after night waiting for that magic sunshine call.
So instead of blubbering around as if you’re unaware Obama and Jarett and Emanuel answered every question Fitz had a few days ago, why don’t you get off your gutlwee a*s and call Fitz and give him an ear full. Do ya need phone money goshdarnit? Here’s the number you betcha!
**Patrick J. Fitzgerald United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division 219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 353-5300**
Go for it. You’ll make Fitz’s day!
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 10:35 PM | Link to this
Only a board certified idiot would predict Obama would claim EP a record number of times and that’d be you Sunshine. He could have litigated his pending Presidency the other day with Fitz and all 3 of his team chose not to. They answered all questions. And if you’re an idiot Bush supplicant, and you are, maybe you need a mommy to ready you all the times and circumstances hundreds actually where the Bush admin. claimed EP.
Most notably Rove (ectomic and metastasized on every piece of print media and TV station who is scared to death to appear before Conyers’ committee on Siegelman, the US Attorneys, the Libby leadk, you name it—Bolten, and Miers.
All of them refused to testify claiming EP. And you’re theoretical musings aren’t worth jacksh*t. What does matter is that Obama, Jarrett, and Emanuel had every opportunity to claim EP and they didn’t. And as to whether a President-Elect can or cannot, that’s in the real of not litigated as yet. Had Obama and Greg Craig his counsel chosen to, they could have litigated it for a very long time. Craig didn’t even go to Chicago to acocompany Obama, Jarrett, or Emanuel when they were interviewed by Fitz’s team and the FBI and he could have. That’s how sure they were of no criminal liability in Affair de Blago.
Every time Sunshine I think you can’t top yourself in the degree of stupidity and legal moronicity you exhibit here, you top yourself.
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this
@ Sunshine:
*By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Executive Priviledge?
Don’t you have to be an executive before you claim it?*
Why don’t you answer that question with a cite which contains either a code section or case law?
They don’t exist, and Obama isn’t trying to litigate it.
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this
CHad HARRIS
It’s too late to take you apart piece by piece so I will defer to Saturday. Please see my parody of your intelligesia-not under “Merry Christmas Everybody”.
Let me apologize ahead of time and please don’t go left nut on us.
You’re just too easy brother Chad.
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
BTW Mr Bolshevik Harris
It was you going apoplectic over executive priviledge, not I. I was just trying to match the amusement that so many posters and lurkers must have felt.
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 10:59 PM | Link to this
EP in the Bush 8 years clusterf*ckia:
Most notably Rove (ectopc and metastasized on every piece of print media and TV station)who is scared to death to appear before Conyers’ committee on Siegelman, the US Attorneys, the Libby leadk, you name it—Bolten, and Miers.
From TPM Muck:
Sarah Palin Blast from the Past
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/12/sarahpalinblastfromthe_pas.php
Recent Infractions of Law by Le Palin:
1) Illegally failed to file disclosure reports of trips she took and expensed as governor—claimed mere oversight of course.
2) Refuses to release a transcript of her testimony before her appointed Personnel Committee although she promised to do so. That promise is not operative now—i.e. she lied when she was a candidate for VP. A failed candidate.
3)Palin lied and said she cut her pay while mayor of Wassila. In fact she followed the cut by a raise that exceeded it.
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
Sunshine instead of acknowledging EP isn’t an issue since Obama in fact interviewed with Fitz and didn’t invoke it as did Emanuel and Jarrett you choose to slobber on about me.
Do you have any ability to counter once someone points out you don’t know what you’re talking about other than to reference someone who is commenting.
What kind of moron would bring up Executive Privelege when Obama and his staff interviewed without choosing to invoke it?
What does Executive Privilege have to do with anything concerning Obama when he didn’t invoke it over Blago and Bush, Cheney and their staff invoked it dozens of times?
I wouldn’t bother to see anything you refer to you wrote about me. I don’t waste my time that way.
It is very easy though to chop up whatever you say when you venture into an actual issue because it’s like listening to a 5th grader.
You’re rambling on and on about Obama invoking an executive privilege he already chose not to invoke. He spoke to Fitz’s staff and the FBI the second they proposed an interview. So did Emanuel and Jarrett. Where’s the Executive Privilege you’re stepping on your d*ck over?
By Check one
December 26, 2008 11:13 PM | Link to this
Chad
Married __
Single __
Divorced __
Gay __
Bi __
Lonely __
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 11:15 PM | Link to this
You were the one imbecile who brought up EP. And everytime you make a fool of yourself, I’m hear to chop you up.
As anyone would expect, you’ve stopped focusing on any issues and are now focusing on me. That’s fine. But no one is fooled that you can’t discuss an issue and when you venture toward one and make a fool out of yourself you can’t defend yourself.
Was there a point in this yammering somewhere by YOU?
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Executive Priviledge?
Don’t you have to be an executive before you claim it?
A comparison between the chief executive and the PEOTUS is numbskull.
Let Obama become an executive and DO SOMETHING before he invokes executive priviledge.
I predict that Obama will invoke executive priviledge a record number of times.
1) There ain’t no d in privilege. 2) Your ranting “A comparison between the chief executive and the PEOTUS is numbskull.” What the hell does that mean?
3) Why are you such a chickens*it? Since you imply you know something that no one else sees, why don’t you ring up Fitz and give us a transcript of your conversation?
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 11:17 PM | Link to this
It was you going apoplectic over executive priviledge, not I. I was just trying to match the amusement that so many posters and lurkers must have felt.
You’re making no points but you are outdoing yourself on the moron scale with every post.
You brought up Executive Privilege on this thread and it’s irrelevant since the last time EP was claimed it was by the Bush adminsitration dozens of times, and never by the Obama adminsitration who answered every Fitz question as to Blago.
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 11:22 PM | Link to this
Chad Harris
You: slanted Bolshevik italics. Me: straight up times new roman:
EP in the Bush 8 years clusterfckia:*
Clusterf*ck must be a new talking points word for MoveOn. I don’t know what it means.
Most notably Rove (ectopc and metastasized on every piece of print media and TV station)who is scared to death to appear before Conyers’ committee on Siegelman, the US Attorneys, the Libby leadk, you name it—Bolten, and Miers.
Any Republican of the Executive branch who would appear before any committee chaired by the weirdo John Conyers would be dumber than a democrat. No way Jose’.
*From TPM Muck:
Sarah Palin Blast from the Past
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/12/sarahpalinblastfromthe_pas.php
Recent Infractions of Law by Le Palin:*
How did Sarah Palin get dragged into this? Still staring at her legs?
1) Illegally failed to file disclosure reports of trips she took and expensed as governor—claimed mere oversight of course.
Can we bring up the Clintons? Cattle futures, “I can’t recall”, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky”
2) Refuses to release a transcript of her testimony before her appointed Personnel Committee although she promised to do so. That promise is not operative now—i.e. she lied when she was a candidate for VP. A failed candidate.
Can we bring up Obama who has refused to release his transcripts from college. Can we bring up his promise to accept public money and then reneged?
3)Palin lied and said she cut her pay while mayor of Wassila. In fact she followed the cut by a raise that exceeded it.
We know all about her stint as mayor. Funny thing though, she was the VP candidate and Obama was the successful POTUS candidate and we still know very little about his background. Thank goodness we know so much about Sarah Palin, though.
Whew, you guys are great watchdogs. I feel so much better knowing that you are so meticulous in your scrutiny of candidates. It is a great load off of my mind that the failed VP candidate has been fully vetted by your ankle biting terriers.
I’m sure that the full report on Obama’s credentials for POTUS are sitting inside a hot dog kiosk on LaSalle Street in Chicago and are being secretly edited for accuracy before being released to the world by Chad Harris et al.
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this
CHAD HARRIS
A little peek into the (Obama) future. Could he be the next FDR? (Meaning: are we headed for another government orchestrated depression?)
Obama is a smart man but he isn’t as smart as Thomas Sowell about economics.
By Chad Harris
December 26, 2008 11:30 PM | Link to this
@Check One—
It should be obvious to you and the rest of the wingnuts who were stupid enough tovote for a moron like Palin (and lost by about 160 electoral votes) that I don’t respond to infantile personal attacks. And it works perfectly.
Both you and Sunshine are intimidated from commenting on a single political issue.
If and when you have a fraction of testicular tissue to venture a comment about a political issue, I’ll show up to chop you up/take you apart.
So allt he Chad this and Chad that and infantile questionaires will get zilch as to a response.
Why don’t you try getting your kid to make a political comment or comment on an issue since you can’t and I’ll respond to that. So far you and the wingnut sunshine haven’t had the b*lls to venture a political comment because you’re too ignorant to defend any of them.
Blago and Obama have as much as a connection as Jan Reno and Angelina Jolie.
By sunshine and thunder
December 26, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this
CHAD HARRIS
You wrote to me (if you’re sober enough to remember):
You brought up Executive Privilege on this thread and it’s irrelevant since the last time EP was claimed it was by the Bush adminsitration dozens of times, and never by the Obama adminsitration who answered every Fitz question as to Blago.
Chad, if you’ll look back on the thread you’ll see that your 5:40 was the first rant and rave about executive privilege. And yes, I do need a spell checker. So what?
My point was that your little tirade about EP was moot since Obama isn’t yet an executive and Bush, et al are. Do you understand the difference?
And yes, I predict that the Big O will use EP more than any other POTUS. Hell, he is using the last term of Clinton for his staff and cabinet. Those guys know how to shield the POTUS better than any crew ever convened.
Look who they had to protect. Clinton was almost Al Capone for pete’s sake. As for The Big O, well, we just don’t know, do we? He is from Al Capone’s home town.
By Chad Harris
December 27, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this
I’m not responding to personal attacks. Get your mother to read that to you.
1) I’m no fan of the Clintons and have criticized them on a number of counts. I don’t want her in the administration, and Clinton has taken a lot of highly questionable contributions to the Foundationa and the Library. They are obvious conflicts with her as Sec State and she’s totally unqualified. She shouldn’t have been allowed anywhere near this adminstration and I’d love to see her not confirmed—but she will be and it brings me no joy.
There are tons of ;points on which to rip the Clintons and I totally agree with a number of them. B***** aren’t one of them. A lot of money and time was wasted on the failed impeachment over false statements as to the b*****, and $93 million was wasted on Watergate and came up empty—only producing 4 federal judicial appointments by Bush for people who worked for Ken Starr. At least Starr and Bob Bork are now off the D.C. Appellate bench and that’s a plus.
2)As a President Clinton was clearly better than Bush. He didn’t trample the Constitution; he didn’t cause a financial nightmare, and he didn’t get 5000 soldiers killed and another 50,000 severely neurologically, orthopedically, or opthalmalogically crippled in ways the VAH has no capacity to treat and you wouldn’t begin to understand clinically.
3) It was illegal for anyone to refuse the subpoena from any Congressional committee regardless of what party had the majority. Right now it’s the Dems in both the House and the Senate and that’s not likely to change in your lifetime.
4) I don’t give a flying f*ck what Palin looks like. The US was insulted when McStupid picked her, and in a popularity poll, McCain is now at 3% below Bush who is at 5%. Anyone like Wooten and yourself who thinks she’s the great white hope of 2012 makes my day. Put her up again and we’ll bury her again.
I don’t need you or anyone else to cue or structure what I choose to discuss, including Palin. She’s an enduring symbol of stupidity and when news breaks on her, I might choose to comment on it. I haven’t gotten the memo that says I have to check my topics of discussion with you.
4) We’re not headed for a depression. We’re in one courtesy of 12 years of Phil Graham as Chairman of Senate Finance, Grenspan, and your idiot Paulson as well as Bush’s total lack of insight in every sense of the word. Quit tripping all over yourself and read Krugman’s newest book—he won the Nobel prize not you.
5) Obama’s college transcripts aren’t reaquired by any law for any forum. They’d make yours look like pure sh*t.
He graduated cume laude from Columbia University after being raised in poor surroundings chiefly by his grandmother and a single mother. He was President of Harvard Law Review. What kind of moron is worried about his academic transcripts but a wingnut who has lost nearly every election and is grasping for straws out of desperation? Why don’t you post your transcripts here? WTF do Obama’s college transcripts have to do with your life, American welfare, or this blog? Again only a moron would worry about them. Have you had the balls to call his transition office and ask for them?
Have you had the balls to write a letter to Jay Bookman’s newspaper and see if they’ll print it arguing why this country’s welfare depends on Obama’s college or law school transcripts? What’s your wingnut tinfoil theory? That he went to a grad school madrassa(h) and Harvard and Columbia are fakes?
6) Obama promised to discuss public money with McCain. When it became obvious he was going to need to counter the heavily funded and better funded sleeze slinging 527s, he decided to go with largely grassrots web contributions. McCain was hampered by poor fundraising at the end of the day. Tough titty if your party members refused to support him financially. Get over it. Obama did nothing to violate campaign finace law, and there is a strong argument that McSame did in fact.
7) If you not we know very little about Obama’s background after two years of intense dissection of it, then you grew up too stupid to read the appropriaate sources. I know all I ever need to know about Palin’s capabilities and lack of them. She will go to her grave never having been elected to office outside Alaska. You betcha.
8) Your last two paragraphs make no sense at all, and I can’t comment on something as absurd as they are.
By Chad Harris
December 27, 2008 12:12 AM | Link to this
I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that although Clinton left this country in far better shape than Bush I’m highly critical of the Clintons and I know far more about their law breaking than you do. Watergate Investigation was a total waste of money however.
Clinton has not revealed a full list of his donors to date; he’s given sketchy ranges likke the Congressional tax summaries.
Caroline Kennedy has refused any financial disclosure (most Senators do that anyway—the Senate summary is a joke) but more importantly she won’t do interviews at all—that’s reprehensible. I want her out of the news. I’ve said I don’t think she’ll be appointed nor will she be elected in 2010.
You can predict all you want, but in his first test Obama did not try to use EP.
And let me teach you, since you obviously have no legal training, the difference between something that hasn’t been litigated (an EP claim for a President elect has not been litigated yet and may never be) and something that has.
A lot of people make your point that were Obama to claim EP prior to 1/20/09 there is no precedent for it, but there is also no precedent against it. It hasn’t been done or litigated yet.
And we know since Obama hasn’t claimed it with Fitz, he’s not going to be claiming EP prior to taking the oath of office.
BTW unless you’re brain dead, you have to realize no one in Obama’s administration is a criminal target of Fitz in his Blago investigation and I’ll say this one more time, Fitz is facing a tough situation. He either has to indict in less than a week or he faces spilling his trial strategy in a rare procedure all federal prosecutors usually avoid their entire careers and don’t see when they leave and become white collar defense bar—a federal probable cause hearing. Those are bad for the DOJ and because they are they are rearer than hen’s teeth.
Fitz is for sure going to indict Blago and Harris before his deadline—but he’s made it crystal clear no one in the Obama camp is a target.
And while the pretty lady from CNN who only goes so deep into politics and was better on Tech TV may muse whether Obama has wants Blago tapes released—(they would only help him) the Rules in the ND Illinois and just about every one of the 94 federal district courts are in fact that Fitz doesn’t have to release any transcripts to the defense until 10 days prior to trial if there is one. They will eventually come out but not on CNN’s timetable. The release of those tapes is entirely bound by the rules of discovery in FRCrP and the local rules in the Northern District of Illionis.
I’ve responded to the disjointed points you’ve tried to make.
By Chad Harris
December 27, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this
Erica Hill’s musings as to whether Obama wants tapes released are legally stupid as well as politically.
No one on Obama’s team is a target. The tapes are going to do nothing but vindicate their honesty.
And what determines when transcripts are relesed *to the defense—i.e. Blago’s defense team) is a rule that requires they be released as discovery at least 10 days prior to trial.
I doubt that Blago’s attorneys want to release transcripts of tapes that make him look guilty (but anything can happen given evidence we don’t yet see) before trial which would seem to surely inflame a jury pool in Chicago.
Erica Hill fails to appreciate that but hey, welcome to CNN. She was good on Tech TV and CNN like Fox rehashes superficially old speculation while failing to break new news. There are a number of legal blogs that are breaking news in a far more sophistcated way than any of the cable channels in the Blago case, and in all other federal trials.
By Bud Wiser
December 27, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
By Mrs.Godzilla
December 26, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this
To paraphrase the Beatles;
All we are saying, is give “piece” a chance.
By god Mrs G, isn’t that what they were saying anyway??? Good One!!”
As for the-tool-known-as-Chad-Harris, a person that cannot use the King’s English correctly (…I’m hear to chop you up. …) and rants on sanctimoniously about subjects of which he has repeatedly demonstrated he cannot handle without cursing or swearing at whoever has rebutted him, is a fool to be ignored.
I, for one, think he is the TrashMan operating under another label, trying for once in his pitiful life to be intelligent, but failing miserably, as one cannot make a silk purse from a sow’s ear …..again.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 27, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
Washington —- Another big win for President-elect Barack Obama: He dethroned President George W. Bush as the nation’s most-admired man this year. Bush had topped the most admired man list in 2007 with a 10 percent showing, his seventh straight year. This month, however, he sank to 5 percent to finish a distant second.-Urinal/DNC
Gosh, I wonder if we can figure out why we hadn’t heard of this poll for the previous seven years, hmmmm.
Isn’t it amazing that the most hated man in America could also be the most admired?
Topping the woman’s chart, Hillary Clinton, who’s No. 1 for the seventh straight year. She had some new competition, however. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was a strong second.
Great, so let’s run Palin versus Bruno in 2012, I’m cool with letting the chips fall where they may.
By Bud Wiser
December 27, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this
More reasons why Caroline Kennedy should (?) be named senator from NY:
1) She has many relatives that met untimely deaths, some in the political arena, one, because he thought he was a god, and could therefore fly
2) A wife, a mother of three, a lawyer, a best-selling author and an education activist, Kennedy said she can envision herself as a senator a decade from now… Ok, that puts her in an ever shrinking pool of about 20-30 million other women……
3) CK quote … “Many people remember that spirit that President Kennedy summoned forth,” she said. “Many people look to me as somebody who embodies that sense of possibility.” I was alive back then, and saw President Kennedy for a much longer time than she , and I assure you, she is no President Kennedy.
4) She also credited her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, with giving her the courage to run. (let’s see how many gravestones she hops upon to try to secure this seat…)
“I think my mother … made it clear that you have to live life by your own terms … Apparently her terms also include shirking one’s most priceless civic duty, and that is going to the polls and voting.
*Kennedy offered no excuses for why she failed to vote in a number of elections since registering in New York City in 1988, (that’s 20 years for you publicly educated libs) including in 1994 when Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was up for re-election for the seat she hopes to take over. * She said, “I was really surprised and dismayed by my voting record, I’m glad it’s been brought to my attention.” ???????
5) “I am an unconventional choice. I understand that. I haven’t pursued the traditional path. But I think that in our public life today, we’re starting to see there are many ways into public life and public service,” she said. Couldn’t have said that better myself. Do you suppose she was staring down a photo of BHO when she mused that thought?
Anyone, anywhere, that thinks that this elitist privileged fool that was born into a family name, and that alone is enough, qualifies as a United States Senator, you need a brain transplant.
This only demonstrates even more the Dimmocrat thought that leadership is like a country club membership; it is only allowable for the chosen few.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 27, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this
Oh yeah, great advertisement for government provided health care-
Washington —- States from Rhode Island to California are being forced to curtail Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor, as they struggle to cope with the deteriorating economy. Already, 19 states and the District of Columbia have lowered payments to hospitals and nursing homes, eliminated coverage for some treatments and forced some recipients out of the insurance program completely.-Urinal/Pravda
And that’s a lowering from an already pitiful level of service to begin with.
What’s the definition of insanity, liberals?
By AJC/DNC Management
December 27, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
At a time of great suffering for many Americans isn’t it nice to have your new rulers parade around in your face?
As many as 1,500 Georgians are expected to gather in Washington Jan. 19 for a “black, white and peach” themed gala marking the eve of Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration. Participants in black tie and evening gowns will be mingling among exhibits of massive stuffed mammals and precious gems at the party, hosted by the bipartisan Georgia State Society at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.-Urinal
I’m guessing that PETA ain’t invited?
By catlady
December 27, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
In Georgia, to save money on Medicaid and Peachcare, we should set the benefit levels to those offered to state employees. That would save hundreds of millions. (remove provisions for hearing aids, dental care, therapy, except as allowed to paying state employees) Require recepients to pay for unnecessary trips to the hospital (take it out of welfare checks, S.S. checks, and tax refunds, if necessary). Tens of millions saved there. Require parents to pay for Peachcare coverage from the child’s birth, instead of at age 6. Millions saved there. Require pregnant women to prove legal residency (no more presumptive Medicaid to illegal immigrant women) Hundreds of millions saved there. Deport said women before they give birth (long-term, hundreds of millions saved there). No one should be able to profit from an illegal act. (If it were otherwise, we’d let bank robbers keep the proceeds of their robbery) Require a minimal payment of all recipients to visit the doctor, even if it is one dollar.
We need to be looking at the long term effects of not training people in the same way the middle class is trained: that actions have consequences. Short term, we save money. Long term, we save LOTS of money.
By Road Scholar
December 27, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
Corporal: Isn’t it Ooo ooo ooo ooo Rah!
I wonder how they got permission to distribute the pills? Did they run it up the flagpole?
Sorry. Couldn’t resist. The tragedy is that the pills were probably furnished by a US contractor at $10,000 each!
By sunshine and thunder
December 27, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
CHAD HARRIS
No connection between Blag and his dirty politics and Obama’s team? Why? Because Obama’s team investigated themselves and SAID SO!
Besides, Chad Harris said so too. If you can’t believe those two sources you must be a vicious, blind, partisan numbskull.
By Dusty
December 27, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
This just in ..(not from the Washington Post)
Four exhausted wives of an Afghan chieftan shot and killed a visiting CIA agent today. They said, “What Allah has taken away from man, no “blue” devil should restore. Even desert flowers wilt in too much heat.”
The chief laughed, popped his last blue pill and married his fifth wife, a sixteen year old. He later opened the first Afghan Drug Store named Blessed Blue Brand. Business is so good he has stopped raising poppies.
The CIA calls their blue “weapon” the Clinton Compliment. The reason for that is confidential and will not be disclosed.
(This info is an adjunct addition to the AJC hooey hoopla by Bookman.)
By david wayne osedach, san diego/ U.S.A.
December 27, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they got a better reception by giving out the latest ipods.
By sunshine and thunder
December 27, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE
There is no question that Obama will invoke EP in the White House.
He is a master of legal technicalities. Which is exactly how he won his first election to the Illinois Senate.
By The Corporal
December 27, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this
To Road Scholar
Good one about the flagpole !
At least you got my fix bayonets joke.
No …… it’s just Ooo Rah - at least in the Corps.
Not sure about the Army (Ain’t Ready to be a Marine Yet)……….. :o)
By GodHatesTrash
December 28, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this
The real estate bubble explained by and a victim…