Jack & Jill Politics

Well now color me confused. I thought FOX News was Fair and Balanced? But today we learn from Media Matters that in fact FOX has been peddling a "quote" from White House communications director Anita Dunn, supposing claiming that she turns to Mao and Mother Teresa "the most" in her life, and in fact, that's not what she said at all.

Dunn said that she turns to them most "to basically deliver a simple point, which is, you're going to make choices." The difference isn't insignificant. The FOX quote says that Dunn turns to Mao the most in her life, on any and every issue - that there is no one in the world (other than Mother Teresa) who Dunn looks to for guidance on everything in her life than Mao. What Dunn actually said is that, on the singular lesson of "having to make choices" in life, her favorite quotes are from Mao and Mother Teresa. A rather huge difference, especially since FOX News is now claiming that Dunn is a Maoist who endorsed the murders of countless Chinese during the Cultural Revolution.

It's really rather sick what FOX is doing. And, ironically, FOX has now proven Dunn's point she made last week, that FOX is nothing more than a political operation of the Republican party.

FOX also needs to answer the question of whether their own "news" host Chris Wallace was the secret "concerned parent" they had on Glenn Beck's show yesterday to, again, slur Anita Dunn. Newsweek's Richard Wolffe was on Olbermann last night asking what ties Chris Wallace may have had to this entire smear. If Wallace was truly involved, then any lingering questions about his status as a GOP activist, rather than a real journalist, will be resolved.

FOX News caught cropping Dunn quote to falsely claim she said Mao was "the man she turns to most"

Oh s@#$. Remember the post yesterday aboout the man in Wisconsin whom joined the army so his wife could have healthcare. Ed just called it the public option for too many people.

Here is the calendar for the ongoing process of merging the three House health reform bills and the two Senate health care bills:

House

* October 16-21. House leadership receives and reviews Congressional Budget Office "scores" for various health reform bills. Some of these CBO scores had been received by Friday the 16th, as demonstrated by the leak of two partial scores to some media outlets.

* October 21: The entire House Democratic caucus will meet, at which time the leadership will share all of the CBO scores with them.

* October 21-26: Following the release of the various CBO scores to the entire Democratic House caucus, the House leadership will whip the entire caucus to determining which health care bill has the most support.

* October 26: Based largely on the whip and the CBO scores, the leadership will choose a health care bill to send to the floor.

* October 26-29: The House health care bill will be released to the public for a 72-hour review period. The leadership will also begin the process of sending the bill through the Rules committee.

* October 29: Earliest day the House leadership could pass the health care bill through the Rule Committee, thus bringing it to the floor for debate and amendments.

This means tomorrow is a big day for health care in the House. Expect to see all of the CBO scores on the various health care bills, as well as initial estimates on which bill is most popular with the membership.

Health Care Merger Process Calendar

GOPers: DeMint Like A Jew "Watching Our Nation's Pennies"
The Huffington Post | Rachel Weiner
First Posted: 10-19-09 03:36 PM | Updated: 10-20-09 01:02 PM


The two South Carolina Republican chairmen who compared Sen. Jim DeMint to a penny-watching Jew have apologized for the remark. DeMint himself called it thoughtless and hurtful.

Ulmer, the Orangeburg County chairman, said the remark was "truly in admiration for a method of bettering one's lot in life" and he meant nothing derogatory.

Added Merwin, the Bamberg County chair: "I have always abhorred in the past, and shall continue to do so in the future, anti-Semitism in any form whatsoever. I ... beg that any and all who were offended will accept my deep felt apology."


* * * * *

Two South Carolina County Republican Party chairmen stepped up to rebut criticism of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in a newspaper editorial Sunday. But their defense of the senator might be overshadowed by their use of an anti-Semitic stereotype to praise him.

After a Democratic state senator wrote in The State that DeMint didn't bring enough money back home, Bamberg County GOP Chairman Edwin Merwin and Orangeburg County GOP Chairman James Ulmer responded that he was just looking after the nation's pennies -- like a Jew would.

"There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves," Ulmer and Merwin wrote in a joint letter published by The Times and Democrat. "By not using earmarks to fund projects for South Carolina and instead using actual bills, DeMint is watching our nation's pennies and trying to preserve our country's wealth and our economy's viability to give all an opportunity to succeed."

"It's people like Ulmer and Merwin that make many folks fear for the future of the once Grand Ole Party," wrote the conservative Palmetto Scoop.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/19/gopers...

Five years ago this month, Roderick Palmore wrote "A Call to Action" -- a pledge signed by the general counsel of some of the country's largest corporations vowing to make diversity a major consideration in their selection of outside counsel.

Palmore, now the general counsel of General Mills Inc., wanted companies to put more business pressure on law firms to improve the diversity of their attorney ranks, where racial minorities long have been woefully underrepresented.

Diversity efforts across the profession mushroomed after the Call to Action was issued. Nearly every major law firm has created a diversity committee tasked with boosting minority and female representation. More scholarships for minority law students were established, affinity groups were formed and more so-called pipeline programs popped up to encourage minority students to pursue the law. Nary a week passed, it seemed, when a firm wasn't unveiling a fresh diversity initiative or trumpeting an award received for its efforts.

Still, real progress in diversifying the profession has been painfully slow. Since 2004, the percentage of minority attorneys at U.S. law firms has crept up from 10 percent to just 12.6 percent in 2009, according to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).

Progress Proves Elusive for Diversity in the Legal Profession

Hill Aides: More Senators Would Back Public Plan If Obama Pushed Harder
First Posted: 10-20-09 11:50 AM | Updated: 10-20-09 03:03 PM



There is a growing sense on Capitol Hill that the White House's refusal to weigh in more forcefully in the health care debate could come at the cost of a public option for insurance coverage.

Democratic aides said that a "handful" of senators who are skeptical of a public plan likely could be persuaded if not to support it then at least to oppose a Republican filibuster, if the administration were to apply a bit more pressure -- or even guidance.

"There is a clear sense that it would be helpful," said one senior Democratic aide. "Throughout this entire debate the White House line has been 'We will weigh in when it is necessary'.... Well now we need 60 votes. So if it's not necessary now, then when will it be?"

"I think folks in general in Congress were looking to the president to clearly define his feeling on the issue," another aide said. "And I don't think he has done that on the public option from the get-go... With a lot of senators nervous because of elections or other political dynamics, it would be helpful for the president to send a strong signal that this is what he wants in the final bill."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on Tuesday insisted that the administration had already made its priorities abundantly clear. "I think the folks on Capitol Hill, based on the speech the president gave on Capitol Hill, know where he stands," Gibbs said, in response to a question from the Huffington Post at his morning gaggle with reporters.

The president's hand could in fact be limited in terms of getting skeptics to support a public plan. One senior Democratic aide noted that many of the teetering Senators come from states where Obama's standing is quite poor. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), for instance, hails from a state where the president earned less than 42 percent of the vote in 2008. In Louisiana, home to Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), it was less than 40 percent.

That said, local polling shows that the public plan itself is popular in those traditionally conservative states even if the president is not. As The Plum Line's Greg Sargent pointed out, based on internal data from a new Washington Post poll: "A majority wants a Dem-only bill rather than a bipartisan one if the Dem-only one includes a public insurance option and the bipartisan one doesn't. A majority of Independents wants the same."

All of which has spurred progressive activists to ask: Why isn't the White House making a stronger case that the provision is smart politics in addition to smart policy? "People believe the president knows what he is doing and there is a method to this madness," said one strategist who works with both the legislative and executive branch on health care. "It seems like [getting more forceful now on the public plan] would be a good thing to do and it is tough to tell why it hasn't happened. It's the $64,000 question."


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/20/hill-a...

I'm sorry, I think this is bullshit. If those senators were really for the public option they'd be for it, Obama or not.

Really! This is utter bull by the progressives..ay,almost as bad as the righties.

Remember early in the process when Obama was all about talking up the public option, where were all these Senators lending him support on the issue? You could only find the same few talking about it. Then a public option in the Senate was deemed a non-starter. It was about coops.

Since congress has come back for the fall, Obama has taken a different approach, he's for it but not pushing aggressively for it which makes progressives see him as a sell-out and have turned their focus to the Senate. The results is that there are now more Senators vocal in their support for a public option and are working to find a compromise that can get 60 votes or at least block a fillibuster. When is the last time you heard about coops? It's now about what type of PO to include. It's not where the house is but considering where we were a few months ago, the prospects for a bill with a final bill with a PO seem to get better each day.

You are completely right..and I have no fault with Obama. He's had to play it this way BECAUSE of the congress and their political aspirations and job keeping mentality.

It is the stupid "progressives" who cannot see this. Not all progressives, but the ones who haven't been onboard to even give him a chance. That doesn't mean anyone who doesn't like how things are now but those who never will like anything Obama does and never would have.

Of course, it could also mean those senators lack a backbone and guts, and if that is the case, I'm shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you!

Huffington is so over the place it's hard to take them as credible. Nonetheless as anecdotal information it is telling.

The Justice Department has overruled a small North Carolina city's attempt to end the use of party affiliation in local elections, according to a report in The Washington Times.

According to the article, the Justice Department ruled that party affiliations are needed in part to protect equal rights for black voters. The department determined that white voters in Kinston, N.C., would only cast their ballots for black candidates if they run as Democrats.

The decision was made by the same department official who dismissed a case against New Black Panther Party members in Philadelphia.

But local residents and politicians are complaining that the Justice Department has gone too far in its latest decision, and are threatening to challenge the decision in court.

One former Republican state lawmaker told the Times the move was "racial as well as partisan."

Justice Says N.C. City Must Have Party Affiliations to Protect Black Voters

I'm with Rikyrah, if a JJPer with a command of election law would comment on this that would be great. In reading the entire article -- not just the link above -- it's clear that the local NAACP and the US Civil Rights Commission, don't seem to be buying the DOJ's argument. I must say that I'm a little skeptical when the DOJ starts talking about "partisan cues" so that AAs can be elected. Really?! AAs need the "D" next to the candidates name in order to make a choice? The residents of that area claim not to even be able to remember when a Republican was last elected.

Its a story to be watched over the next few days, mainly because its sourced by the Washington Times and its viral within freeperville.

call me skeptical, but I agree with the Justice Department. I wish some of our legal whizzes here would explain it to us, but I smell hanky voter suppression in this, which is why the Justice Dept. stepped in

I agree because it doesn't make sense to me why party affiliations protect black votes. Is it that Republicans will vote against black Democrats for whatever reason if allowed to vote in open primaries?

New Poll: 48% Of Republicans Say Obama Does Not Love America -- 27% Say He Does

More than half of Republicans either say President Obama doesn't love America or say they aren't sure of his feelings toward the country he leads.

That's according to a new national poll due out tomorrow from Public Policy Polling. The firm gave TPMDC an early look this afternoon.

PPP polled 766 registered voters nationwide. Of the GOP respondents, 27% agreed that Obama "loves America," 48% disagreed and 25% said they weren't sure.

"It was the first time we asked that question," PPP's Tom Jensen told TPMDC. "But it's very similar to the birther numbers we've seen before."

"It's just more confirmation that Obama's opponents will say anything," he added.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/new-...

And in the rest of the nation 92% think the republicans don't love this country...

Anyone else here an Amazon Kindle geek like me?

Well I just figured out that I can put my Biochem teacher's class notes on my Kindle! She post all her class notes as a PDF file. So all I had to do was convert the PDF files to mobipocket (which is easy to do) and download the new .prc files to my Kindle, it includes all the graphs and figures that she put in the notes too.

I don't know why this excited me, it just did. I guess it's just the inner tech geek in me...LOL

not a kindle geek, but if you love it..go for it

OBAMA TO ANNOUNCE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33400690/ns/busines...

No offense to ya'll Keith O and Rachel fans, but why aren't we boycotting MSNBC yet?

Serious Question
by BooMan

Tue Oct 20th, 2009 at 01:01:44 PM EST

Traditional Americans are white. That's Pat Buchanan's term. Sarah Palin preferred to use 'Real Americans.' That's probably because until 1920 it was traditional in this country to deny women the right to vote. Whatever, we get it. There are a lot of white people in this country who don't like to see people of color immigrating here, legally or otherwise. A half-black president freaks them out. Even if they've always been dirt poor at least they had a leg-up in their citizenry rights and knew they had the darkies outnumbered. They feel like they're losing their country. They can't send their kids to public schools or colleges without them being taught about tectonic plates, evolution, and comparative religion. It's a bummer.
The question is, why would a major American political party tie themselves to this bitter and shrinking demographic?

Patrick J BuchKKanan is one of the main reasons why I no longer watch MSNBC, sorry Rachel & Keith. I know it's their own network and MSNBC signs their paychecks, but everytime I see Pat' racist behind on MSNBC's screen, and no one taking a stand against him (Tweety invites him on specifically so he can spout his racist drivel) I'm very happy ignoring MSNBC all together. How can you rant and rave about Bill O or Hannity, or Beck or FoxNews in general (Keith & Rachel) and never seem to mention this snake in their own mix? It's ridiculous and hyocritical. So MSNBC, ain't on in my house.

And tweety refers to his brethren as "regular guys"...and I don't hate him...what is wrong with me?

Thank u I have been calling for a boycott of that networks for months. I like Rachel. I like her intelligence and I know how it is to work with a bunch of white men.
Both KO and RM will run over Black people to get their little pet issues passed.
Pat B. should have been fired a long time ago. I find it hypocritical that people attack Fox but say nothing about MSNBC and it all white night time lineup.
They need to give Marc Lamont Hill the 10 spot.

Whenever Pat is on MSNBC his opinion is pointed out as close-minded and wrong. Even Joe laughs at him. So I'm fine with him saying things millions of people are thinking just to see his ideas shut down.

The same does not happen to Beck or Hannity.

Exactly.

Just curious...why are you suggesting that there be a boycott of MSNBC? Should the networks not have anyone on with a differing viewpoint? Aren't Keith Olberman and Maddow capable of countering this "drivel." I think it's better to have Buchanan on so that his views can be challenged. Forcing him off the airwaves doesn't foster discussion. I certainly don't want to watch a network that preaches to the choir. I want news and differing opinion.

Pat B. is just a Klansman. Those people are not rational. Why even try to discuss anything with a crazy person? We know where he is coming from and it is racist talk. Nothing new coming out the grand wizrads mouth.

I'm trying to understand how Keith and Rachel can foam @ the mouth and spin in their chairs over Beck, O'Reilly and Hannity but say nothing as to why Pat "A Brief for Whitey" Buchanan is still employed.

A check is a check, I guess, I guess.

The grand wizard has friends at the top.

As with all MSM, it's a grain of salt...

Other than Rachel's last interview with pat over Sotomayor, no Keith and Rachel don't counter any of this "drivel".

Ask yourself this, how many times has Keith O had Bill O or Hannity or anyone RW idiot as his "Worse Person In The World"? And then ask yourself how many times has he included Pat Buchannan or Joe Scarborough? The answer is never.

So who challenges Buchanan? Other than Rachel's last interview, please tell me who challenges it. Pat just gets to spout off his bigoted remarks and NO ONE on MSNBC challenges him. When Eugene Robinson is on with Pat how many of them "challenge" some of the most obviously bigotted staetment by Buchanan.

Seriously, maybe I missed it, but when has MSNBC ever "challenged" Pat's assertions? Answer... they don't. What they do is take him off the air for a while, to let things "cool down" but then BAM!!! He's back. Where was the challenge?

Oh, and BTW, I could care less what "choir" they are preaching too. Letting Buchanan just spout his nonsense with a "oh...Pat" smile, and a "you rascally dog you..." shrugs doesn't cut it.

I don't watch the talking heads enough to know how many times someone has been named the "Worse Person in the World" but something springs to mind, maybe they don't agree with your assessment that these folks should be named the worse person in the world. The world has some very evil people inhabiting it. I can think of a handful of folks who are actually doing something (other than spouting nonsensical drivel) that makes them the worse person in the world at any given time.

If -- and I only have your word for it-- none of the talking heads he appears with challenges him, then maybe on some level they either agree with what he is saying or don't believe that the statements are bigotted. On the whole, that says more about them, than Pat Buchannan.

** I didn't understand the purpose of your last para. ("Oh, and BTW") I didn't suggest or inquire about what you'd preferred. I made a general statement about my preferences, only.

Mothsmoke, I watch MSNBC a lot and I have never had the impression that they agree with him. He is almost treated like a carnival attraction, they just wait to see how stupid his next assertion is.

Hmmm... a "carnival attraction." Then I'm even more puzzled by the call for a boycott.

I was just thinking the other day, that Beau Biden is kinda a hottie (he was on some show last week). So of course I had to post this when I saw it on Huff Po:

"Who's The Cutest Biden Boy?"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/20/whos-t...

Hunter

Beau is a hottie but Little Hunter is so adorable. He wins my vote for cutest.

Hey, y'all...the street fight continues. Two more weeks to go, and we're still ahead.

This week, Michael Steele pays us a visit, and we pay homage to the SCLC and NAACP (they're having candidate forums on Friday). Party with Bruce Smith Saturday, church visits on Sunday...and then another week.

Rumor mill says a a certain government official may make an appearance for our opponent in my backyard. Not good, if it turns out to be true.

Will be glad when it's all over.

"This week, Michael Steele pays us a visit,"

-Just in time to break dance with all his homies.
Word to your mother.

Not enough room in the office for that. LOL.

Hey rikyrah,

just wanted to check in a bit and tell ya'll that I bought some Obama porn today. I couldn't resist...LOL! Essence has a special editon glossy called "the obama's first year in the white house" (or something like that). I went into Walgreens to pick up some detergents and some soda. My neighborhood Walgreens just recently moved it's mag rack closer to the register. I've never been tempted (even with Obama's handsome mug on "Men's Health" cover), but they finally got me...the bastards. Anyway, I love the pics, they are definitely all keepers.

Gotta get back to studying for my next biochem test (I know right...seems like I just had a test in that damn class last week...ugh!) and pseudo-packing/boxing up stuff for my move next thursday (damn...I'm just realizing how close that is)

i bought it last week, lamh when I went to the grocery store. there's only one pic i wouldn't have chosen[ I bet you know which one], but the rest were good.

good luck studying!

Oprah to interview Palin:

Former Alaska Governor and best-selling author Sarah Palin will break her long media silence by sitting down with Oprah Winfrey for a live interview on Monday, November 16 -- the day before Palin's memoir is released.

As we've pointed out, Palin's "Going Rogue" has already catapulted to the top of multiple bestseller lists. And her interview with Oprah -- which Oprah.com bills as "a world exclusive" -- seems sure to generate even more buzz for Palin's book.

According to the press release from The Oprah Winfrey Show, "Winfrey and Palin will meet for the very first time on the episode, which will mark Palin's first interview to discuss her upcoming book, 'Going Rogue: An American Life,' and her first-ever appearance on the Oprah show."

Of course, Winfrey is a big supporter of President Barack Obama, so it'll be interesting to see if and how she and Palin talk about last year's presidential campaign -- not to mention some of Palin's more inflammatory contentions, including that Obama was "palling around with terrorists."

And while it's hardly a sure thing, it seems unlikely that Palin's memoir will join "East of Eden" and "The Sound and the Fury" as recommendations for Oprah's Book Club.

yeah, that's one episode of Oprah I will seek to avoid.

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/1...

Think of all of the adverbs Palin will butcher.

I think I will do shots everytime she doesn't speak in a complete sentence...I'll be well drunk..

I think you're risking alcohol poisoning.

Be careful.

Ill be watching just to see if Oprah asks her about her behavior on the campaign and her claims against Obama that helped to rile up fringe groups into hate against him and a fear of him.

I cant imagine Oprah is doing this as a fluff piece.

I can. RATINGS BABY

I may watch it for the unintentional comedy.

I posted this in the morning thread but it can't hurt to repost for maximum reach:

There has been a lot of conversations about the lack of funds in schools over the past few days. I found this site through a Huffington Post article about schools in need of basic supplies.

Livia Stone's Giving Page allows people to donate small amounts of money to specific schools in need across the country. Each requesting school has a write up of the need , a list of materials requested along with the price, the vendor they will be using and any associated cost for shipping or delivery. In some cases your donation is matched by other charitable organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

I picked out a few projects and randomly decided to check to see if my company offered to match my donation and they were on the list! So if you do contribute make sure you check the employee match section of the site.

Wasn't that charity featured here at JJP some time back?

I'm not sure. I do recall something similar late last year or maybe early this year.

In any case, it's worthy. Thanks:).

This is not hype. Schools are in desperate need of funds, gifts, whateva. Even the so-called "good schools" in the 'burbs are nickling and diming parents to the point where some middle-class parents can't even afford to keep up.

Nowadays, good education means extra-curriculars. And those extra-curriculars aren't affordable anymore.

If you are interested in astronomy and are in the Philadelphia area between now and Nov 24th check out No Night Without a Telescope: www.haverford.edu/iya2009.
The eight local observatories are offering free looks through their telescopes.

geek alert, and I wish I was in Philly

Oooh, that sounds fun. I used to want to be an astronomer, but then I discovered that it would require a lot of math, and I HATE math. But I had my own little telescope and everything.

@Muzikal203

Same here, only it was the job prospects and that '86 Challenger disaster that did me in.

don't let that stop you.come on down and take a look.