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It sure did show an amazing amount of foresight on the part of Rahm Emmanuel and the DCCC to make sure all all the Republican crooks of the House who were under investigation for their roles in myriad K Street scandals had good stong opponents for November. You never knew when another one was going to fall, right?
The latest casualty seems to be John Doolittle, who made the front page of the Washington Post this morning for a $29,400 vacation he took with his daughter paid for by non-profit groups fronting for the lobbying firm Alexander Strategy:
Doolittle, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, told The Washington Post this year that from 2002 to 2005 he sponsored $37 million in spending-bill earmarks that went to a firm controlled by a key Alexander Strategy client. The client, Brent R. Wilkes, is a target of the federal investigation stemming from the bribery case and guilty plea of former representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.). Doolittle's wife, Julie Doolittle, was hired by Alexander Strategy to help keep the books for the Korean nonprofit.
Sure is good to know that Rahm had the superb judgment to recruit one of those fabulous sexist, homophobic business-friendly "centrists" who won't mention the war that the country is so hungry for to run against Doolittle, right? Oh sorry, that's progressive Charlie Brown fighting to defeat Doolittle, one of our Blue America candidates.
Well what can you say. At least Rahm recruited someone to run against he equally crooked Jerry Lewis -- oh wait, my bad. Lewis is running virtually unopposed. Well, Rahm probably wasn't aware that Lewis was so crooked he had to screw his pants on in the morning and under investigation by the Justice Department. I mean, just because it was all over the headlines, who knew?
At the very least we've got to give him credit for finding someone to run against Richard Pombo, though. That was a good move. [EDITOR'S NOTE: THAT GUY GOT HIS ASS KICKED BY BLUE AMERICA CANDIDATE JERRY MCNERNEY. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE ERROR.]
Looking forward to all those "centrists" Rahm recruited like Heath Shuler and...um, he's the only one who ever gets mentioned in all those insightful pro-Rahm press releaases investigative journalism pieces but I'm sure there must be more, and...um...Heath Shuler...going to the House so they can save us all from the progressives that nobody (well, except for the people voting for them) seem to want.
Moderator note: Nate has an interesting comment ~#86: Three months ago the DCCC had the CA-04th in the “when hell freezes over” category in terms of funding and support. They weren’t even interested in putting up a fight. The gutless wonders…
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Jane!
GOTV!
Charlie!!!
Anyone know if this story is being hammered home in the Doo-little district today and if Charlie has enough dough to get his message of change out?
whew! I can’t keep up today. Wonder what the Talking heads will spin this weekend?
4 days to go. I want my country back.
Hee!
Hee-Hee!
Mwahahahahaha!
Jane!
I can’t recall, but who was the Rahm chosen “D” to run against Doolittle? If there was one…
50 states
365 days in a year
435 House districts
100 Senate seats
How hard can it be?
Howie’s Blue America vs. Rahm’s Purple America.
Are there enough Blue America candidates for the Democrats to take the House? ‘Cuz I kinda want all the DLC/DCCC candidates to lose and all the Blue America candidates to win, just to send a message.
I thought the ‘dead enders’ were all washed up?
Missing US soldier in hands of Baathists.
I hope that there is a contingency plan for him when the verdict against Saddam is delivered.
-GSD
FLD ROCKS! Thanks so much for helping to get this out Jane!
On another note, I’m interviewing Charlie’s Communications Director tomorrow and he’s trying to get me some time with Paul Hackett who will be out here campaigning for Charlie tomorrow. I’ll try and have the video up by Sunday. If all goes well with it, I’ll be doing a BlueAmerica Update piece and interviewing Charlie on Sunday. I’ll get that video out as soon as it’s done too!
But why is Rahm still there? Who hires and fires at this level? Guess it’s time to hit Google. Maybe a new direction for us mean nasty (but surprisingly effective) bloggers after the election…
marksb @ 11
Well, until they can move him into the Speaker or Majority Leader spot…
Here’s something from Drudge that shows that paranoia about e-voting is not exclusively a leftist avocation:
MEMPHIS — Tennessee’s Republican Party chairman complained to Shelby County election officials that electronic voting machine cards were missing in Memphis, the hometown of Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Harold Ford Jr.
“It has come to our attention that several smart cards used in early voting are missing from at least one early voting site in Memphis, Tenn.,” Bob Davis said in a later dated Thursday. “The lack of oversight and control over these smartcards has created a situation which could allow for voter fraud.”
The letter called on the commission to “locate these missing smart cards as soon as possible.”
Tennessee Election Coordinator Brook Thompson said Friday that even if the cards aren’t recovered by officials there is no danger of fraud because they can’t be used again.
Funny as hell
Goopers seem to be about to get their asses kicked. It would be great if someone spread the word that it was because of the “machines”.
It’s stuff like this that makes life worth living.
In Meriden, CT, tonight across the street from Lamont HG. To meet with others from MA tomorrow morning, to go out for more canvassing. About a dozen folks over at HQ this evening, several doing phone banking, with Megan working away to get ready for the volunteers tomorrow. If you can come to CT tomorrow, please do it. The weather looks good.
Any further word from TRex re the Liebermob earlier today?
Seems I read somewhere that Rahm and Howard Dean don’t like each other. Speaking for myself, I think Emmanuel is politically horrible.
As to Doolittle, his wife and daughter? They remind of the DeLay outfit. Crooks, all. There are, however a lot of No. California sophisticated red-necks who like Doolittle. But I think this criminal, Doolittle, will lose next Tuesday.
Nate @ 10
Thanks, Nate. We’re all pulling for Charlie. If it wasn’t for the commitment shown by him and others in the face of “DC wisdom” that said places like CA-ll couldn’t be taken, we’d be in a lot worse shape right now.
scarecrow @ 14
Thanks so much, scarecrow. TRex is taking a nap and will have more tonight on Late Nite.
I think Trex better watch out, he could lose his title of Chief of Snark to Jane! That was biting commentary! ;>)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 15
I would be shocked if they liked each other. Dean gets it, and Rahm is addicted to the DLC Kool-Aid.
And just parenthetically, I agree with Matt Stoller that the Democratic establishment has been infiltrated and infested by “consultants” who are literally working for the other side.
That was awfully sweet of the Washington Post to run the article on Doolittle’s Pacific Destination Vacation today. I hope he got a great tan cuz he won’t see the sun very often in Folsom Prison. But he will have lotsa of boyfriends.
Jon Weisman on Rahm today:
more here
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....00855.html
AZ Matt @ 21
Maybe Boehner can lend him some of his.
I wouldn’t be surprised if on Wednesday following the election, Rahm is on all of the morning shows and the cable shows grabbing the credit for the big Democratic win in the House for the “centrists” in the Democratic party.
He might succeed. The way these things usually work is the echo chamber media decides on a story early on and it is almost impossible to get them to revisit it even if the story is wrong. And we also know that there are a lot of Washington, DC pundits & journalists who are more than willing to accept a “centrist” version of why the Democrats won the election.
Count Dickula heading straight for an iceberg.
“Full speed ahead” he yells.
The Shadow of Darkness.
Says Deadeye:
“It may not be popular with the public — it doesn’t matter in the sense that we have to continue the mission and do what we think is right.”
-GSD
Jane is the undisputed queen of snark! God I hope someone actually puts this one under Rahm’s nose…
scarecrow @ 14
Wish I could get there before Sun. but can’t. Almost made it tomorrow, but though the boiler in the church went out, we found an alternate place to hold services in Sunday so I will be there talking about how good it feels to be a liberal! Our values can’t be beat. Then on to Meriden. See you Sun. afternoon.
$29,000 for a $37 million earmark?
Man, these folks aren’t just crooks, they’re cheap crooks.
Good thing they’re not in charge of the national budg…
Never mind.
Patrick Kennedy @ 24
Would it be too much to hope for that the Blue America winners tell the world that Rahm didn’t do shit for ‘em?
My timing sucks again. Gotta repost this, though.
First female Presiding Bishop will be “invested” this weekend
I think it’s cool that my daughter could grow up to be bishop if she wanted to. Having grown up Catholic, that’s kind of a big deal. Plus, Katharine Jefferts Schori is very cool. She’s a pilot and an oceanographer, and in many ways the total *opposite* of the disgraced leaders we are hearing so much about these days.
Jane you rip them a new one without even putting up your dukes.
ab initio @
3
I got a letter from his campaign asking if I had a few dollars lying around.
carolyn urban @ 31
Yes, the Dukes have been put away, and the Doolittles are next.
That’s the writing skills and attitude that drew me, and keeps me coming back, to FDL!
Jane, after we kick Repug ass, we’re going to have to make the DLC an offer they can’t refuse - represent your constituents, or we’ll find somebody who will.
Outstanding post.
percy @ 28
Jus’ good bidness. Great ROI. The cheaper you can buy your very own congresscritter, the better.
Who lost Iraq?: neocons now blaming Bush’s incompetence, not their own policies. The King Rats who had the helm now leaving Titanic.
Neocons point finger at Bush for Iraq fiasco: Vanity Fair
WRKO in Boston cans douchebaggy host for calling Green-Rainbow candidate Grace Ross a “fat lesbian”.
The downward spiral.
-GSD
Damn, Jane, I was just ranting a blue streak here about that f*cker Rahm only a few minutes ago. Tried explaining the nature of the Dem Party and Howard Dean and entrenched corporatist-centrist power gods like Rahm…futile.
Rahm just needs to go. We need to field a better candidate that meets the needs of the constituents in his district. Maybe Christine Cegelis could be persuaded to move west from the IL-05 district to IL-06…
scarecrow @ 36
Maybe they shouldn’t have chosen an incompetent to execute their brilliant plan.
Or else come up with a plan so brilliant that even an incompetent like Bush couldn’t fuck it up. I don’t think even God is that smart, though.
The thing is, if there is a big wave that sweeps Democrats into Congress, it is going to be predominantly “moderate” Republicans who are swept out and a lot of progressive Democrats who are swept in. The Heath Schulers are going to be fairly lonely in a blue sea of progressives and Rahm will stand no chance of replacing Pelosi and becoming Speaker, even though he will see that such a trial balloon is floated.
Better yet, the Dean/Netroots 50-State, Challenge-Them-All Strategy will be recognized by anyone thinking of 2008 as the sine qua non of success in Democratic politics. Let Rahm claim all the credit he wants. It won’t stick.
On PBS Jim Lehrer, Shields (and Brook) — Mark gives credit to Dean’s 50 state strategy for having the structure there to have candidates in places outside districts where “other party leaders who cricized him” thought money should be focused. Did not mention DCCC or Rahm, but insiders will know.
ArthurKC @ 40
One of the big reasons I want Blue America candidates to do well, and DLC candidates to do… just well enough to secure a House majority, is that the sole justification for the Democratic establishment’s morbid embrace of the DLC is that they supposedly win elections.
Kick that out from under them, and they have nothing left (so to speak). It’s not like they have any connection to Democratic values.
Who lost the Middle East? It wasn’t Carter or Clinton.
I interrupt this thread to bring you an important announcement on voter suppression.
The scene begins with OFG entering the home office.
OFG: I don’t care if it hairlips the pope, I have got to be in town Nov. 7th to vote. Just be sure this guy and that guy (points) are out of the country that day so they can’t vote. They’re rightards you see.
(Huge eyerolls all around)
Dispatcher: Well, you will be if I put you with the right load.
OFG: (with an immaculate safety record and eight years of pecuniary gain with the company) Put me with the right load.
Dispatcher: But me and him and him share close views politically.
OFG: I apologize you are so confused.
Dispatcher: (with fire in eyes) No, you are confused.
OFG: I will let you bask in my brilliance as you are filled with “shock and awe” when I remind you of a conversation we had nearly five years ago when I told you America would not win in Afghanistan. Have you read a paper lately? You looked at me like I was stupid.
Dispatcher: (shuffling through papers on desk) I have a load for you, it loads Friday here in OKC and delivers Monday south of Canadian TX.
OFG: That’ll work. I can vote on Tuesday.
(Flash to 7pm Friday Night)
Phone: Ring Ring
OFG: Hello?
Dispatcher: You need to take your booster with you because from Canadian TX I need to send you to Farmington, NM (700 miles away from my precinct) to load Tuesday morning.
OFG: Not gonna happen. I will be voting on Tuesday.
Dispatcher: But this is your job.
OFG: This is my country. I can find another job in 5 seconds. Another country, not so easy.
Ya see the shit I have to put up with?
I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 43
*looks under the desk to thunderous applause and laughter*
Well, Rahm probably wasn’t aware that Lewis was so crooked he had to screw his pants on in the morning and under investigation by the Justice Department.
Mwahahahahaha!
My grandfather had a similar phrase: “That man is so crooked, if he swallowed a nail, he’d spit out a corkscrew.”
Nate @ 10
Nate, you rock! I’m glad there’s still some people at the Washington Post who are doing their jobs, instead of just pondering the Paris Hilton tax.
OFG, you rock!
Darth is ’stumped’ by neocon defections:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2....._1103.html
Vanity Fair: http://www.vanityfair.com/poli.....cons200612
And, like the Titanic, there will be a shortage of lifeboats. Screw the women and children, the GOP will take the first boats.
Patrick 4/4 @
7
Obvioiusly more hardness than Rahm can manage.
His eyes give me the creeps. They always look like they’re about to wash away in a trail of slime.
Eli @ 39
Yeah, I can’t wait for Glenn Greenwald to do his thing: show all the times these same people praised the vision and competence and courage of George W. Bush when they thought they were winning. He’s been systematically destorying their brand just by quoting them back to themselves. I love spotlighting those posts.
I sent over 100 spotlight e-mails out today of Christy’s post on the posting of iraq nuclear secrets, but saw it mentioned only briefly on CNN and, surprisingly, FOX. Nothing on NBC or CBS, though I was switching back and forth. Fox hid the facts that (1) Bush personally approved this (2) over objections of Negroponte and (3) they didn’t shut down the site until it went public in NYT, even after UN experts warned them this was dangerous intelligence to put out there. Then they ended with a quote from Condi Rice saying the story showed that Saddam had a lot of information on how to build a bomb. The woman is not honest.
What is Rahm’s district?
ccmask @
50
Frum, Perle, and Adelman are putting on woman’s clothes as we write.
-GSD
GSD @ 25
GSD @ 54
Owmybrain.
Rahm Emmanuel is giving ballet dancers a bad name.
Jane Hamsher @ 16
I’ve had enough “DC Wisdom” to last me a lifetime. This election and my work here has really been an eye opener. I will live and die by the Grassroots and Netroots from now until a true government Of the People, By the People and For THE PEOPLE is restored to DC!
scarecrow @ 52
NPR mentioned Bush’s approval of the posting of documents. Good listening on the drive home.
Twisted Martini @ 53
IL-05.
Badly in need of a real American.
Hang on to your hats, firepups. It’s about to get a whole lot more interesting come Monday.
November Surprise!
Here’s a piece of happy late night news for y’all. The paper in Glens Falls, NY has just withdrawn its endorsement of GOP Congressman John Sweeney. Check it out-
http://www.poststar.com/articl.....26428988.t
Greetings and well wishes Nate!!! Did Rahm have a chosen candidate for the Doolittle challenge?
prostratedragon @ 57
Still pales beside what Condi has done to figure skaters and pianists…
Deadeye Dick shoots another friend (TeeVee) in the face:
Living in their own world, they are. Crazy as bedbugs.
Patrick Kennedy @ 24
We can undermine this by SPOTLIGHTING this and other posts by Jane to “panelist” “political” reporter, and others who regulary show up on these shows.
marksb @ 64
Why doesn’t the media ever report on all the people who *are* employed???
Twisted Martini @ 53
Doesn’t his district include chicago?
I heard on NPR today that the cops rounded up 11,000 felons in Charlotte County. My first thought was that it was a voting purge (were the felons Dem voters?) or they needed 22,000 fresh hands in the prison factory.
—-
More than 10,700 snared in fugitive roundup
The sweep, led by the U.S. Marshals Service, ”has made our nation’s neighborhoods and children safer by taking off the streets some of the worst sex offenders, violent felons and gang members,” Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said in a prepared statement.
Gonzales discussed the roundup, code-named Operation Falcon III, at a news conference Thursday.
The operation was done in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, including Sheriff’s Offices in Charlotte, Sarasota and DeSoto counties. The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office made no arrests.
“They were working with us in task-force style,” said Robert Pastula, a supervisory U.S. Marshal in the agency’s Fort Myers office.
Pastula said the operation required a significant amount of manpower to track down the fugitives.
“It gets all these wanted people off the street and in jail, where they belong,” Pastula said. “We could have done better, but we could have done worse, too. Anytime you’re looking for someone who doesn’t want to be caught, you have a tougher time.”
http://www.sun-herald.com/News.....ry=ew6.htm
global yokel @ 61
~~~The congressman’s staff first responded to the police report on Wednesday by claiming the document was “fabricated” and “concocted” by an unnamed operative in the campaign of his opponent, Kirsten Gillibrand.~~~
ab initio @
3
You and EVERYONE here can help by spotlighting this story to local news and papers for the CA-04th district. The Sacramento Bee, The Auburn Journal, The Modoc Record, The Oroville Mercury-Register, The Tahoe Daily Tribune and the Sacramento News & Review to name just a few. Also local TV News at KCRA, News10.net and CBS13-Sacramento.
EVERYONE can help Charlie get this word out to the CA-04th this way!
global yokel @ 61
Fabulous!! That’s big. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
global yokel@61: The best lines from that story are these:
On Friday, as the citizens waited a third day for Sweeney to finally disclose the truth, again there was nothing from the congressman to support his claims as to what really happened. Instead, the congressman had himself seen with Governor Pataki and 9/11 hero Rudy Giuliani, telling reporters who questioned him about the waiver as he walked away, “Talk to my lawyer.”
Perhaps by appearing with these two political giants, Sweeney was hoping their aura would overshadow a newspaper report published Friday in which he was quoted in the Times-Union as saying he thought the whole domestic violence matter was a “non-issue.”
“It is a non-issue, and only you people made it an issue because it’s salacious,” the congressman told Times-Union editors.
We don’t think it’s a non-issue. And we’re sure many of our readers don’t either.
AZ Matt — thanks for the note on NPR. I listened to NPR on the way down to CT, but missed that. I thought there other stories were incredibly “tepid” to put it gently.
The worst interview I heard tonight was Margaret Warner on PBS letting Ken I-can’t-stop-lying-every-sentence Mehlman. She didn’t contradict a single misstatement. The man is evil.
Well, as a CA-04 voter I just hope this revelation didn’t come out too late. I do think Brown has a very good chance to pull this off, but … it’s a very, very, very red district. It’s gonna be down to the wire. I really hope the word gets out, I really hope the CA-04 voters learn definitively that Doolittle actually is under investigation - something he’s always denied (deny, deny, deny … facts be damned - that’s the Doolittle way).
Valley Girl @ 69
The congressman is beginning an investimagation.
All these hypocrites are imploding so fast, I wonder if they will all get the coverage they so richly deserve.
Doolittle was already below 50%, so he was in trouble. This polling, prior to this announcement, shows what a good campaign Charlie has been running.
pollster.com for CA04
LMAO
Scarecrow: That’s great that you are there already. Good luck tomorrow.
John Casper @ 77
He’s Mehlmendacious.
ccmask @ 50
Those boats are probably already stocked to last all the way to the Caymans.
Nate — thanks for the list of local media. off to spotlight.
Or Paraguay…
This news may help Busby in CA50 and it won’t help Kyl fighting for his life in AZ.
Of course, Keith had the whole story on the Iraqi documents; it was quite complete
“Beyond the tipping point
Question now is how big will House Democratic majority be”
By Amy Walter, Cook Political Report
Updated: 4:13 p.m. CT Nov 3, 2006
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15549907/
Valley Girl @ 62
Hiya VG… Not that I know of. Three months ago the DCCC had the CA-04th in the “when hell freezes over” category in terms of funding and support. They weren’t even interested in putting up a fight. The gutless wonders…
LindyH at 67:
Yes, it is the Gold Coast on the northside of Chicago and he is very well liked there, after the displaced a machine Democrat some years ago and became a darling of the Administration during the Clinton years.
Kelven @ 26
You can — spotlight to local media in Rahm’s district.
OFG,
Great story, you are to be admired for your willingness to face these Republican enablers down. Stay safe on the road.
new video up from CTBob- same event that TRex was escorted out of… GO CTBob!!!!!
http://ctbob.blogspot.com/2006.....again.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....#038;eurl=
Anyone who is interested, Christy had a great post about this, this am. nuke-u-lar-moh-rons
Nate @ 86
Nate- thanks for info- if I had the courage I would edit Jane’s post to ad that comment… hmmm… “when hell freezes over”… haha
Jane, are you reading?
TrueBlue @ 89
Oh, God, don’t do that to me. I thought you might mean “interesting” in the Chinese sense. This is the other kind of interesting.
Army Times via Countdown will call for Rumsfailed’s head in the Monday editions :
http://thank-you-keith-olbermann.blogspot.com/
ccmask @
82
Landlocked. One of only two such S.A. countries (Bolivia). I think both lost their outlets in wars. Suspect there are some really bitchin’ jokes told down there to this day about that.
Patrick 4/4 @ 5:49 pm (#7)
Sounds bloody exhausting.
This is definitely a supporting argument for the 50-state strategy, though. We might very well pick up two of the seats Jane refered to. Maybe McNerney will win, too. I sure hope so, we don’t have anywhere near enough engineers and scientists in Congress. The best we seem to be able to do is PR types who worked for tech companies.
It also supports the idea that investing in the “small” campaigns, the ones that have good candidates but don’t need much money, is a great way to get good people elected.
Nate- I added a moderator note to Jane’s post with your comment.
Gwen Ifill just flubbed up with the word - kerfluffle. *snicker* (h/t and a bow for *ilson)
AP - Aggressive to the end, Democrats opened two new fronts Friday in the battle for control of Congress, unleashing a costly televised attack against a Colorado Republican and airing radio ads on Christian stations favored by Republican listeners.
The rumors are that Rahm Emmanuel will be rewarded with the speakers job if it Dems win majority and Howard Deam will be blaimed if we don’t because he was hogging the money.
Emmanuel wants it, either the majority leader or speaker spots. He thinks he is owed and because Pelosi polls at 36% over on the kos polls he thinks the netroots will like him. Talk about inflated egos…
Kyl… the man has been in office and has NEVER had to campaign, he was appointed and never had a serious opponent until this year. He cannot debate with a damn and really looks stupid repeating the repug talking points. Kyl is the one who has wanted to repeal habeus corpus for years.
Too bad about that stupid Howard Dean 50-state theory…
scarecrow @ 6:29 pm (#73)
I’ve mostly stopped watching The NewsHour. It’s clearly not meant for people who want serious questions asked of these people.
Isn’t Paraguay where dear leader just purchased some land?
From myleftnutmeg, a commenter says:
“Why not join the “Lieberyouth” and campaign for Ned? It’s the perfect job. You get to soak up money from Lieberman AND still support the candidate who really fights for the young. After all, how is Joe going to know what you really do with that clipboard? Do you think he can run some sort of check on you to confirm your loyalty? Is he going to record your every move and word so he’s sure that you’ve said the right thing to each person you visit? Is he going to pair you up with another “Lieberyouth party member” to make sure you’re doing the right thing?
The perfect thing to thwart this tactic is to embrace it. All you thousands of high school and college Nedheads - join this Lieberyouth and destroy it from within.
Even better, you could take that Liebermoney and give it to Ned.
But seriously, money can buy a lot of things, but I doubt there’s enough money in the world to generate enthusiasm and excitement for Joe Lieberman in teenagers. Even if this mass hiring succeeds, what you’ll get is the broken-voiced fry guy at your door. That isn’t going to inspire a lot of voters.
http://www.myleftnutmeg.com/sh.....aryId=2411