Friday, January 31, 2014

David Wildstein Implicates Christie in #Bridgegate

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Huge Developments in the #Bridgegate Scandal today: David Wildstein filed a complaint through his attorney that the Port Authority of New Jersey wasn't going to help with his legal fees. Hidden in that complaint was a statement that he has information leading to the conclusion that Chris Christie lied during his press conference about the Fort Lee Bridge closure scandal. Christie's carefully worded response raises even more questions, as he now says he knew nothing about the lane closures "before" they happened, but nothing about "during." Is that evidence of guilt?

On Sunday, New Jersey hosts the Super Bowl, which would be a happy thing except that about 20 subpoenas from Christie minions are due to the Legislative Committee investigating Bridgegate the following day, on Monday. So this won't be the Super Bowl Party of his dreams. More like crying into his nachos.

Previous Related Posts
Christie Strikes Back at MSNBC on Hoboken Story
Christie Tries to Deflect and Dissemble on #BridgeGate
Christie's Well-Named Minion, Bridget Kelly
Christie Bridge-Splains But Holes Remain
Chris Christie and the #BridgeGate #BridgeGhazi #BridgeNado

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From New York Times
In a letter released by his lawyer, the official, David Wildstein, a high school friend of Mr. Christie’s who was appointed with the governor’s blessing at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge, described the order to close the lanes as “the Christie administration’s order” and said “evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference” three weeks ago.

“Mr. Wildstein contests the accuracy of various statements that the governor made about him and he can prove the inaccuracy of some,” the letter added.

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From CNN Political Ticker: "Who is David Wildstein?" January 9, 2014
"He's made a point to stay in the shadows and be the person directing the show from behind the curtain," said Shawn Boburg, a reporter for the Bergen County Record who wrote a profile of Wildstein in 2012.

Until he resigned last month, Wildstein was the director of interstate capital projects for the New York and New Jersey Port Authority. But his unofficial title was maybe even more important: Chris Christie confidante.

"Wildstein was known as the Governor's eyes and ears inside this massive agency," Boburg said.
While the Port Authority had historically operated independently of the governors of the two states it served, Christie named Wildstein to the authority in 2010 to increase oversight.
"A lot of people felt afraid of him because of his direct line to the governor's office," Boburg said.

Governor Christie Responds, via NJ.com
Mr. Wildstein's lawyer confirms what the governor has said all along — he had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein's motivations were for closing them to begin with," the statement said.
"As the governor said in a Dec. 13 press conference, he only first learned lanes were closed when it was reported by the press and as he said in his Jan. 9 press conference, had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of Jan. 8. The governor denies Mr. Wildstein's lawyer's other assertions."

This is a shocking development. Christie is now damaged goods. If Wildstein's disclosures are as powerful as he claims, the governor must go.
~ New Jersey Star-Ledger Editorial Board

Also this about Bill Stepien, Chris Christie's former Campaign Manager via Politico
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s former campaign manager is fighting a subpoena from state lawmakers investigating the George Washington Bridge traffic scandal, according to a letter POLITICO obtained Friday.
Bill Stepien’s legal team is asking the lawmakers to withdraw his subpoena on the grounds that it violates his Fifth Amendment rights — becoming the second person to turn to that constitutional protection since probes of the controversy have begun.

~~~~~~~~

This weekend is the Super Bowl and it is in New Jersey. And on that occasion I'm sure Governor Christie is delighted to be doing, like, sports interviews where nobody asks him whether he really is dealing with a Federal Grand Jury subpoena of his governor's office in this corruption scandal. But the Super Bowl is Sunday, and it will end on Sunday, and then will come and all of next week. And right now it looks like all of next week is going to be a real doozy.
~ Rachel Maddow





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Conservo-Pundit Mark Halperin of MSNBC Has a Sad:










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Cheerios Tweet Riles Reince into MSNBC Boycott

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Previous Related Posts:
Tea Party Traumatized by Obama's SOTU - Maddow vs. Huelskamp
Reince Priebus Warns Networks Not to Show Hillary Clinton Movies
Epic Smackdown by Chris Matthews vs. Reince Priebus
Reince Priebus: When Caterpillars Eat Your Brain

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Lately there's a media pattern in which someone on MSNBC criticizes a conservative and immediately there is a huge brouhaha backlash calling for that person to be fired. It happened to Martin Bashir for criticizing Sarah Palin. Melissa Harris-Perry had to apologize to Mitt Romney. And now someone has lost their job over a tweet about a sequel to the biracial Cheerios ad that was met with racist backlash last year.

I guess Reince has shaken his etch-a-sketch so he can pretend the GOP has nothing to do with racism, nor did anyone associated with Republicans write nasty comments on the Cheerios YouTube account last year. He can live in a state of denial but wasn't MSNBC the network that was supposed to be leaning "Forward" and away from the Republican Party? Well, not lately! Phil Griffin will bend over backwards to apologize to any Tea Partier who has a gripe about MSNBC. Twitter is getting revenge, though, with a parody account: @MSNBCApology


From Huffington Post
The controversy began Wednesday, when MSNBC tweeted about a new Cheerios ad similar to one that was met with racist backlash last year.

"Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family," the tweet read.

MSNBC later deleted the message and apologized.


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RNC Chairman Reince Priebus was Perturbed:

Until you personally and publicly apologize for this behavior, I have banned all RNC staff from appearing on, associating with, or booking any RNC surrogates on MSNBC. I have asked Republican surrogates and officials to follow our lead.
~ Message from Reince Priebus to President Phil Griffin of MSNBC

The tweet last night was outrageous and unacceptable. We immediately acknowledged that it was offensive and wrong, apologized, and deleted it. We have dismissed the person responsible for the tweet. I personally apologize to Mr. Priebus and to everyone offended. At msnbc we believe in passionate, strong debate about the issues and we invite voices from all sides to participate. That will never change.
~ Statement from Phil Griffin to Reince Priebus





































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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Rep. Michael Grimm R-NY Threatens Reporter With Bodily Harm

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This happened after the State of the Union Speech on Tuesday night: a reporter for the New York One station named Michael Scotto was interviewing Representative Michael Grimm R-NY, asking about a political donor scandal that has been in the news for months. Grimm flipped out and went completely thug, threatening to hang the reporter by his bootstraps or worse:




From NY1 News
Grimm: "Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I'll throw you off this f-----g balcony."

Scotto: "Why? I just wanted to ask you..."

[[cross talk]]

Grimm: "If you ever do that to me again..."

Scotto: "Why? Why? It’s a valid question."

[[cross talk]]

Grimm: "No, no, you're not man enough, you're not man enough. I'll break you in half. Like a boy."

In a statement, Grimm said,

“I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests. The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic. I verbally took the reporter to task and told him off, because I expect a certain level of professionalism and respect, especially when I go out of my way to do that reporter a favor. I doubt that I am the first Member of Congress to tell off a reporter, and I am sure I won’t be the last.”

What was Grimm so ticked-off about? Well . . . he's in hot water:







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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Cathy McMorris Rodgers Gives Stepford SOTU Response

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Cathy McMorris Rodgers R-Washington seems like a nice lady, but her response to the President's State of the Union Speech was a big snore. The main problem was she gave more of a stump speech for herself and ABOUT herself and family than a response to the Presdident. Whoops! She needed more response in her response, and that's probably the nicest thing anyone can say about it. However, if she ever wants to be President of the Spokane Elementary PTA, this speech would probably get her the job.














Obama gives an hour plus long, solid, concise, and detailed speech rooted in the reality of governing and this is the Repubs 12 minute response? OK. 
~ Rupert D. on YouTube

Like most Americans I woke up this morning asking myself "Does Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers really have the most wonderful husband and family in the whole wide world?" I've written to Politifact and Fact Checker to look into this burning issue for America.
~ Nicholas L. on YouTube

Cathy John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt McMorris Rodgers. . . . Wasn’t she a treat? Did you like it as she simpered and unfortunate-necklined her way into your heart, where the real State of the Union lives? Us too! We are sold on her vision for America, even though the speech didn’t really explain what that was. “Anything but the black guy” may be a rallying cry, but does not actually count as a plan to run a country, much to the GOP’s chagrin.
So, what is America’s new Super Sweetheart SuperMom like? Besides being remarkably fecund while in office, having 3 babbies in 6 years, all during her Congressional terms, she is otherwise pretty much your garden variety little snipe of a Republican, but with lady parts, which makes her extra well-suited for reaching out to ladies, because their uteri can all quiver in harmony or bow down before a really busy uterus like Cathy’s or something like that.
~ Wonkette








I am just going to out and out say it. Cathy McMorris Rodgers was TERRIBLE. It was just about impossible to take her seriously during the entire address. It was almost entirely due to her delivery. We all knew what she would be discussing. It was going to be a by-the-numbers Republican refutation of everything that the President stands for, and that is exactly what we got
~ Justin Baragona on Politicus USA

She spoke about her kids and growing up in Kettle Falls, and reiterated the standard Republican criticisms of the Afforable Care Act. She mentioned Sgt. Jacob Hess of Spokane, a marine who died last month in Afghanistan. While speaking about health care, she also said she’d received a letter from “Bette in Spokane” about her insurance premium going up $700.
In total, she mentioned Spokane twice — and the Internet blew up with people confused about why she was talking about Spokane so much.
~ Inlander Blog











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Tea Party Traumatized by President's Logical State of the Union Speech - Updated

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President Obama gave a brilliant and historic State of the Union Speech to both Houses of Congress and the American People last night. Afterward, right wing heads exploded, some of them right there on TV.

Related Posts:
Cathy McMorris Rodgers Gives Stepford Wife Response to SOTU

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"It is time to do away with policies that belong in a Mad Men episode."



Update: Rachel Maddow did a whole segment mocking this tweet
by Randy Weber R-Texas
"Kommandant-In-Chef"





















Louie Gohmert R-Texas posts pic that resembles
Nosferatu the Vampire in the Haunted Castle




Tim Huelskamp R-Kansas was in a class by himself:









Heartfelt Standing Ovation for Hero Cory Remsburg
Equals "Politicizing" for Huelskamp
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Rachel Maddow of MSNBC Called Huelskamp Out on his Tweets
Making His Head Asplode

(My Transcript)

Maddow: Sgt. Remsford was grievously wounded - President Obama said "Like the military he loved, like the country he served, Sgt. Cory Remsford never gives up and he does not quit."
That was punctuated with a standing ovation that went on for more than a minute and 40 seconds. It was absolutely the emotional high point of the address tonight. There was not a single person in the room that was not standing up. At which point Congressman Heulskamp tweeted: "Obama politicizes the Military to end his speech. Totally expected, Mr. President."

Joining us now is Tim Huelskamp of Kansas... Mr. Huelskamp, I have to ask you if that was tongue-in-cheek. Do you really believe that was politicizing the Military?

Huelskamp: We actually invited our own veteran. One that's served bravely as well, some tremendous heroes out there. And we received word from the Administration when we put a press release out that perhaps we were politicizing that fact. Very brave man. Lots of brave heroes. Very interesting - the President very clearly ran against the military and continues to highlight them when it helps him politically. But at the end of the day, more of the same in the speech, Rachel--

Maddow: How did the President run against the military?

Huelskamp: Well, it's pretty clear! He wanted to bring the troops home, he wants to close Gitmo, he wants to do all kinds of things. But at the end of the day, the focus of the speech should have been 'how are things working out?'

Maddow: Is bringing the troops home your definition of being against the military?”

Huelskamp: No - what the President talked about when he first ran obviously is very different. There's this NSA issue. Whether and how much the President should have in terms of authority. He ran against Bush on all these things, Rachel, it's very clear. And all of a sudden he's all for Presidential power now. He's all for the NSA now. He's all for the military now, during his speech. But at the end of the day, his policies are failing and that's why we have 24 million Americans still looking for a full time job.

Maddow: Congressman Huelskamp, I still don't understand how he ran against the military. I still don't understand if you mean he was politicizing the military by praising that Sergeant.
. . . 3 minutes later you tweeted "Was there a diplomat in Benghazi that gave his life for his country, Mr. President?"

Huelskamp: Yeah.

Maddow: Are you denying that an American diplomat died in Benghazi?

Huelskamp: (laughs) Yes, Do you know what happened in Benghazi? The President refuses to come clean. Your Hillary Clinton refuses to come clean. They won't tell us what happened. And a diplomat died, we believe, the initial evidence still is, that the President or someone in the White House failed to provide support to defend that diplomat and our Marines on the ground. That's ir - irreprehensible (sic) and I have no answer for that and that's what we're talking about. We need answers.

Maddow: Are you questioning whether Ambassador Stevens gave his life for his country? What are you--?

Huelskamp: You know this President and Hillary Clinton are hiding the truth on Benghazi. We’re looking for them to come forward, let those folks testify who were on the ground. That's a Congressional responsibility.
It’s also the responsibility of Hillary Clinton. Just a few months ago she said what difference does it make? Two days ago she says it was the biggest regret in her life, the failure in Benghazi. We're lookin' for some answers there. 'Cause that should not happen again.

The Republicans have passed bills - we put stuff in the budget that would help protect our embassies and diplomats.

Maddow: Did you just vote for the spending bill that would cut security funding for American diplomatic facilities abroad? There was a significant cut . . .

Huelskamp: No, I did not vote for that bill.

Maddow: Did you vote for the cut to diplomatic security facilities before Benghazi?

Huelskamp: No, we had passed significant security measures as requested by the Administration. But don't forget - Hillary Clinton did not request security enhancements. And we do believe this Administration let our troops down there.

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Huelskamp: This administration promised to be the most transparent in history, Rachel. And if you would stop being a cheerleader and be a journalist, you’d recognize that we’re not getting those answers.

Maddow: Did you just call me a cheerleader?

Huelskamp: (laughs) I don’t know, maybe you have that history.

Maddow: No, wait wait, - Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on.

Huelskamp: You're being a cheerleader for the Administration.

Maddow: So I'm a cheerleader?

Huelskamp: You can't be a journalist when you're not willing to look at the facts. If it was [George W.] Bush, you would be jumping and screaming.

Maddow: You’re amazing!

Huelskamp: If it's Hillary Clinton, you don't want the answers. Rachel, face the facts. We don't know the answers there.

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Maddow: When you tweeted that Obama was "Hail to the King" and "Obama to Unleash the Imperial Presidency" are you making the case that this President is acting in an unlawful manner by proposing the things he proposed in his State of the Union Address?

Huelskamp: The President acted in numerous unlawful manners. Particularly in his willingness to suspend parts of Obamacare. He went out and said big businesses don't have to use Obamacare --

Maddow: Sir, I’m just trying to focus on the case that you’re making which is that his speech--

Huelskamp: A speech makes no law! The President makes good speeches…

Maddow (quoting Huelskamp’s tweet): … “reads like dictates from a King hashtag LawLess”; What did he say in the speech that was lawless tonight?

Huelskamp: …Fourteen different points where the President said, ‘I don’t like the American people, who they elected…’ That’s what the President was saying! He said, ‘I don’t like Congress! I don’t like the American people that sent these people up here, and so he listed fourteen different dictates, executive orders…

Maddow: Dictates? Are executive orders lawless?

Huelskamp: An executive action without authority is lawlessness.

Maddow: Executive orders by presidents are lawless?

Huelskamp: If there is no authority! …

Maddow: ( laughter) We’ve squared the circle. If there’s no authority, it has no authority … Congressman Huelskamp, your tweet stream tonight and and your arguments here…

Huelskamp: Enjoy ‘em!

Maddow: …are from two totally different universes.

Huelskamp: The universe of reality, Rachel. The universe of outside this beltway. The President's speech fell flat out in the real world. Washington - they're still a-twitter. But recognize Americans want some answers, they want some solutions.





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Rightwing Conspiracy Theory - CBS Censored Ted Cruz

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The Right Wing smells a new conspiracy - CBS edited Ted Cruz on Face The Nation with Bob Schieffer last Sunday. Apparently they didn't notice how Cruz was rambling on about Obamacare and denying that he was to blame for the government shutdown. Schieffer asked him at least three times to clarify his statements before he cut to another guest. But no one on the far right will ever let go of a good conspiracy theory! Maybe Cruz can come back to Face the Nation and ramble crazy again, perhaps during the GOP Primary - please proceed, Senator.

Previous Related Post:
Romnesiac Ted Cruz Blames Shutdown on President and Harry Reid

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Apart from being the victim of Schieffer’s accusations that the Tea Party senator was to blame for the shutdown, it also appears that Mr. Cruz was the victim of editing by CBS.
~ Newsbusters

UGH: CBS Face the Nation cuts out RED MEAT portion of Ted Cruz interview, exposing OBAMA’S ABUSE OF POWER
This morning on CBS’s Face the Nation, hosted by Bob Schieffer, almost a full minute from Ted Cruz’s interview, where he went after the president for his abuses of power, were completely cut from the interview. It looked rather abrupt when it happened and was fairly clear they edited the interview, but host Bob Schieffer never mentioned it nor apologized for it to the viewers which is pretty irresponsible to those watching it live or DVR’ing it.
~ The Right Scoop

CBS News Denies they Edited Cruz Unfairly: 

This was not uncommon at all, this was a quick turnaround pre-tape. That just happened to be at the end so it was easy to trim for turnaround. And we had breaking news of the [Maryland mall] shooter's name ... We had already gone overtime, that is pretty much the gist of it.
~ CBS Spokesperson via Media Matters

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They cut it out bc they couldn't stand to hear anything negative about their Messiah
~ Phillycon on Right Scoop

Shades of fat Katie Couric leaving the best parts of the Palin interview on the cutting room floor!
~ Guest on Right Scoop

Wow, what a class a A-hole. What a bunch of A-holes. CBS (Certified Bull Shite company) The whole bunch of them CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC and all of the rag newspapers ought to be forced to look every American in the eyes and confess their shameless lying to America. After wards they should be publically caned.
~ armyvet10 on Right Scoop


Apparently its tough for an old turd like Schieffer to contain their contempt.
Good - let the nation see the bias in all of its partisan ugliness.
~ Skeeter on Free Republic












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Monday, January 27, 2014

Romnesiac Ted Cruz Blames Shutdown on President and Harry Reid

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Senator Ted Cruz R-Texas is using the old Romney Etch-A-Sketch Trick and a severe case of Romnesia to say that he had nothing to do with the Government Shutdown last year.

Bob Schieffer of CBS called him out several times on Face the Nation this past Sunday, laughing at him in disbelief, but Cruz is sticking to his wacko bird story. The Senator has apparently forgotten all his own threats to shut down the government if Obama didn't "repeal Obamacare" as well as his "Green Eggs and Ham" filibuster to stop the vote on the budget agreement. It's the epitomy of childish behavior to not own what really happened, but believe that in this age of YouTube and Google anyone can rewrite history so soon after it happened. Just look at how many posts we wrote last fall here on Snark Amendment about Cruz's Filibuster of the Budget and the subsequent Shutdown, and this is an incomplete list but ridiculously long. On just one blog, so multiply this list by hundreds of thousands out on the interwebs.

Previous Related Posts:
Beleaguered John Boehner Agrees to Senate Deal
Tea Party Pushes US Towards Default Brink
Confederate Tea Party Storms Washington Barricades
GOP Sinks to Historic Lows in Poll Numbers
Threat Level Midnight - Tea Party Terrorists Shut Down Government
Tea Party Terrorists Take America Hostage ~ Monday 9/30/13
Tea Party Terrorists Take America Hostage ~ Sunday 9/29/13
Tea Party Terrorists Take America Hostage - Saturday 9/28/13
Talkative Ted Cruz Fumbles to Filibuster Finish Line
Green Eggs and Sham ~ The Ted Cruz Fauxlibuster Continues
Ted Cruz Attempts to Filibuster Obamacare
Dysfunctional Tea Party Cuts Food Stamps, Tries to Repeal Obamacare (Again)
Ted Cruz and Teapublicans Trapped in a "Box Canyon" on Obamacare



From Transcript of Face the Nation

SCHIEFFER: . . . Let me ask you this, you became a celebrity when you led the drive to shut down the government over Obamacare. But afterward your fellow Republicans said you led them over a cliff. Can you conceive of any situation in which you would do that again, try to shut down the government in exchange or in demand for some action by the president?

CRUZ: Well, Bob, with all due respect I don't agree with the premise of your question. Throughout the government shut down I opposed a government shutdown. I said we shouldn't shut the government down, I think it was a mistake that President Obama and the Democrats shut the government down this fall. The reason they did so, is that President Obama dug in and said he wouldn't compromise, he wouldn't negotiate.
In fact, I went to one of the most surreal meetings I've ever been at where President Obama invited all the senate Republicans to go up to the White House. He sat us in a room -- this is in the middle of the shut down -- and he said I invited you here to tell you I will not negotiate, I will not compromise on anything. That's why we had a shut down.
That was a mistake.

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SCHIEFFER: All right, let me go back to one thing. And the question I asked you was, would you ever conceive of threatening to shut down the government again?

CRUZ: Well, as I said I didn't threaten to shut down the government the last time. I don't think we should ever shut down the government. I repeatedly voted to fund the federal government.

 SCHIEFFER: Senator, if you didn't threaten the shut down the government who was it that did? But we'll go on to something...

 CRUZ: It was Harry Reid and President Obama.

Bob, look, I understand that the White House said over and over again the shut down is the Republicans fault. And I understand, that's what you're repeating. But the reality is, I voted over and over again to fund the federal government and the reason we had a shut down -- look, the Democrats were very candid. I know they told you, they said, we think the shut down benefits us politically. Right now the Democrats are telling you that they want another shut down, because they think it benefits them politically.

Why is it hard to understand that they forced the shut down when they think it benefits them politically.

SCHIEFFER: Senator, I know what Republicans were telling me like John Boehner who said this was the disaster and never again.


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Ted Cruz Is Officially a Laughing Stock
~ Headline on Mediaite

Well, a lot of it sort of Alice in Wonderland.
~ Senator Chuck Schumer on Face the Nation

Cruz is recasting his ineptitude as innocence. He’s asking you to believe that because the shutdown hurt Republicans politically, he never wanted it. He wants you to follow his logic instead of researching what he actually did. Logic is useful, but it’s not enough. Always check the record.
~ William Saletan on Salon

. . . the meeting Cruz refers to happened after the government shutdown had taken effect. Obama didn’t call up the Senate in advance to tell them he wouldn’t deal. He told them he wouldn’t deal on Obamacare. Funding of the federal government legislation could be passed without involving healthcare.
This meeting happened after Cruz and his cronies had already made their move to halt the government. Not before. Had Cruz and his Tea Party comrades negotiated the budget deal in good faith there would never been a necessity for Obama to call a meeting and clarify his position on his signature legislation. But after they committed to their strategy Obama let them know discreetly that their posturing would not bring him to the negotiating table
~ Greg Miller on Addicting Info

None of this makes a lick of sense, but by all appearances, being sensible isn’t the goal. For Cruz, coherence is irrelevant; what matters is to capture the Republican id – these are talking points intended to convey primal impulses, free of niceties such as reason.
At a certain level, Cruz is arguably insulting conservatives by preying on their worst instincts, presenting them with nonsense he probably knows to be false, but so long as he’s rewarded for it, Cruz will almost certainly keep these tactics going indefinitely.
~ Steve Benen on Maddow Blog








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Friday, January 24, 2014

Mike Huckabee - #UncleSugar and the Feminine Libido

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Ex-Gov of Arkansas, sometimes Preacher, and Tea Party Conservative Mike Huckabee really stepped in some deep Man-ure on Thursday when he decided to talk about Ladyparts and Birth Control. You just have to read it to believe it. If this attack on women is rebranding, then the GOP deserves all the Fail it can get. And for delighted Democrats on Twitter, it was a day to give Huckabee a new nickname - "Uncle Sugar."


From Washington Post
I think it’s time Republicans no longer accept listening to the Democrats talk about a 'war on women,'" Huckabee said during a speech at the Republican National Committee's winter meeting in Washington. "The fact is the Republicans don’t have a war on women, they have a war for women, to empower them to be something other than victims of their gender.”

Huckabee said Democrats rely on women believing they are weaker than men and in need of government handouts, including the contraception mandate in Obamacare.

"If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it," Huckabee said. "Let's take that discussion all across America."







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Memo to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and the bosses at for-profit corporations who think they belong in every doctor’s office and that they should be able to decide whether their employees have access to birth control: Women who use birth control do not have an “overactive libido.” We are not looking for a handout from “Uncle Sugar” to score a contraceptive fix. We are not sluts. This is not the reality for women — it never has been and never will be.
~ Birth Control Activist Sandra Fluke, who was called a "slut" by Rush Limbaugh in 2012

To be honest, I have no idea what he's talking about.
. . . You open your medicine cabinet, or your woman does, and there's this little guy from Arkansas. And he's talking to you about your prescription. And you go how did you get in my medicine cabinet? Or, what are you doing in my bedroom? (laughs)
(later in the show show). . . I recall a basic, too-often ignored fact of politics: there are more women voters then there are male voters. And given that, what is it in the Republican DNA that makes them talk as if they've never talked with women? They talk as if they are the party of cave dwellers who come out of their habitats every four years to grunt something so retro, so awkward, so Cro-Magnon as this.
. . . Didn't Mike get the Memo? Didn't he learn anything from Akin and Murdoch, the rape-rappers, to avoid getting too up-close and personal with the boy/girl front? That when some out-of-it Republican starts talking about the birds and the bees they start sounding like what John McCain refers to Cruz as - a "Wacko Bird."
~ Chris Matthews on Hardball

He was trying to make the point that the Party needs to fight this idea that the Party is in a war on women. And it's the Democrats who have sort of manufactured this war.
. . . Going into this election cycle we need to talk about something other than what the Democrats want us to talk about.
~ Michael Steele, ex-head of RNC and spokesperson for House Speaker John Boehner, on Hardball

Why does he want to talk about our libidos in the first place, really?
. . . It's the very definition of looking at us as sex objects.
~ Salon pundit Joan Walsh on Hardball

I think Governor Huckabee would probably phrase it differently. Mike speaks off the cuff, as some of us are known to do, and probably would [have] chose different words to communicate that.
. . . In fact, Republicans have been tremendous in supporting equality of women, in the workplace and other places. We happen to disagree on reproductive rights and abortion. But on the issue of contraception, I don’t think there’s a whole lot of disagreement in America.
~ Rick Santorum defending Mike Huckabee

. . . whoever said it, it sounds offensive to me, and to women.
~ White House Press Secretary Jay Carney

The fact that Huckabee doesn’t understand what birth control actually does is the perfect illustration of why decisions about women’s health should be left between a woman and her doctor — not politicians.
~ Planned Parenthood

Here we go again. What galaxy do these right-wing men live in? So now contraception is like welfare? I’m reading him right, right? This is what he said—in essence, that birth control, provided by people who think women can’t control their libidos, makes women “helpless.” It’s the culture of dependency again, but this time transferred from the ghetto to the uterus. The Democrats, I guess, want women to go out and have unrestrained sex, so Democrats can then go out and destroy America by distributing these sinful contraceptive devices. So women, you see, are not human beings with agency and volition about their sexuality in Huckabee Land. They’re nothing more than the cat’s paws of the godless, baby-killing Democrats, who want to keep them on the Democratic plantation. The Pill, the welfare check, the Earned Income Tax Credit—all the work of Satan, propagated by the party of Satan.
~ Michael Tomasky on Daily Beast

Don't be a victim of your gender, ladies! By which I think Huck means: Don't be slaves to your uteri! Stop all this fornicating and reproducicating. Actually, wait, don't stop reproducicating. Keep punching out the babies on every rare occasion that you have contraception-free manseed-receiving missionary sex with that special God-chosen mate, who can worship you for all that you are, as you nurse and baby-bounce and clean up the messes. You feel that? That's you living up to your potential. Screw Uncle Sugar and his nectary socialism! All you need for self-actualization are Cousin Gospel, Nephew Bassinet, and Grandpa Bathtub Gin. Vote Republican!
~ Adam Weinstein on Gawker







































































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