TGIF/Weekend edition - February 1-3, 2007

"President Bush has announced his new economic plan this week. It's called 'The Check Is In The Mail.'" --Jay Leno

The-World-Is-A-Safer-Place-Without-Saddam News

• US military deaths in Iraq at 3,942 AP

• At least 68 dead in Baghdad market bombs AP

• Rockets Slam into British Base in Iraq, Wounding Two Voice of America

• Al-Qaeda kingpin 'killed' by US strike in Pakistan AFP

• Crocker: Iraq Needs US Troops Until 2009 The Associated Press 

• UK troops accused of "off-the-scale" abuse in Iraq Reuters

Bombs, Away!

President Pervez Musharraf accused Pakistan's enemies of spreading fears about the country's atomic weapons, as the military test-fired a nuclear-capable missile, the army said.
 

Disturbing News

• Japan resumes Antarctic whale hunt CNN

• Drug-Resistant Flu Virus on the Rise TIME 

• China snow leaves millions in cold and dark Reuters

• Population pressures Western water AP

"The Democrats will not count the Florida vote. They're punishing Florida for moving their primary up. Do you know about this? So the delegates don't count. How ironic is that? The one election in Florida that is done early and it doesn't count." --Jay Leno

It's OK When Republicans Do It

On his campaign bus recently, Sen. John McCain told reporters, "I hated the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live." Although McCain said he was referring only to his prison guards, there are many reasons why his use of the word "gook" is offensive and alarming.

BuzzFlash GOP Hypocrite of the Week

Republican Shenanigans News

• Bush's budget lean on domestic programs AP

• US diplomats sometimes go off-message AP

• McCain had to get life insurance before bank agreed to credit line San Francisco Chronicle

• McCain Ends Year With Debt The Associated Press

• It's McCain vs. Romney - and Romney's wallet Kansas City Star, MO

• Romney launches Super Tuesday ad barrage Los Angeles Times, CA 

• Ann Coulter Endorses Hillary Clinton Over John McCain News Hounds, CA

• McCain Receives Schwarzenegger's Endorsement CBS News

• Huckabee brings his campaign to San Francisco San Jose Mercury News

"The Florida retirees didn't go for that Mitt Romney, either. He reminded them of a guy who tries to get a hold of their nest egg. ... He reminded them of a guy who sells subdivisions in the Everglades. ... He reminded them of the guy who pitches overpriced cemetery plots. ... He reminded them of the pharmacist who doesn't accept their prescription plan." --David Letterman

The State of Alabama Dirty Politics
 

The story out of the Frank M. Johnson Federal Courthouse in Montgomery never seems to change. It is a chronicle of abusive conduct by a federal judge who treats his judicial duties with the same level of contempt he retains for the concept of justice itself. His name is Mark Everett Fuller, and according to the sworn account of a Republican operative, testifying before Congress, he was handpicked to manage a courtroom drama to destroy Governor, Don Siegelman, and to send him off to prison, post-haste. And that's exactly what he did.

Email

Subject: I'm deleting you from my bookmarks

Lisa,

I've been a loyal reader for several years.

You've had a lot of interesting editorial cartoons and you bring attention to some news stories that I might miss otherwise, but you've also included a lot of "George Bush Looks like Monkey" kind of stuff that I always thought was kind of dumb, and not particularly helpful. There are so many GOOD reasons to despise George Bush, we don't need to resort to claiming that he's goofy-looking.

But now, you've apparently decided to use the same kind of stupid tricks against a fellow democrat with your prominent display of some absolutely trivial picture of Senator Clinton smiling at Ted Kennedy while Obama turns to answer another Senator's question. The whole non-handshake-controversy is just a media-manufactured story designed to boost ratings by giving the anchors something "spicy" to talk about. The fact that it makes Obama look petty and Hillary look magnanimous is not even a factor to them, because this made-up crap about a snub that never happened will get ratings.

If you don't get that, if you can't muster enough skepticism to wait and find out what really happened before you become an echo chamber for whatever trivial crap some media people think can make them some money, then your perspective has no value to me.

I am deleting www.allhatnocattle.net  from my bookmarks.

So long Lisa, it's been fun.

Matt

I'm an echo chamber for the media, you say. How absurd.  But, I do agree with you that I run too many dumb monkey pictures of Bush.

I felt the Obama "snub" of Hillary was FOX spin and stated so before the phototoon of which you speak. That picture was worth a thousand words. Obama missed the moment to display Democratic unity with Hillary. He knew there would be a million photos of their non-handshake and as you stated -- he turned to answer ANOTHER Senator's question. Bad choice, Barack. Bad choice, but a great picture of Hillary reaching out to shake the hand of Ted Kennedy who just endorsed Barack. Classy move, Hillary. That's a uniter.

Sadly, the Democratic party is just as divided as my viewers. I risk doing toons about any Dem candidate at the anger of the other Dems' supporters. But what I have witnessed is an all out attack on Hillary from the media. Barack has one little negative swipe at his so-called snub and you drop my site from your bookmarks. Yep, you are reflective of today's Democratic Party. God, help us all.

Good luck, Matt

Rock-The-Voter News

• Obama Raises $32 Million in January Guardian Unlimited

• Michelle Obama campaigns in Conn. WTNH

• This Elvis won’t be cruel to Hillary Clinton Reuters

• Clinton, Obama Set New Tone in Democratic Debate NPR

"Not only Bush will be out of a gig in about a year, but Cheney will also be out of the office. Don't worry about him. After leaving office, he's got it all lined up. He is going to be doing a one-man show right here on Broadway. A one-man show. It's called 'The Angina Monologues'" --David Letterman

Biz/Tech News

• Oil prices subdued after OPEC holds output AFP

• OPEC Keeps Oil Output Unchanged, Rebuffs US Call (Update2) Bloomberg

• Exxon Mobil posts record profits AP

• Mideast internet outages spread to India USA Today

• Microsoft Bids $44.6 Billion for Yahoo New York Times 

Lisa,

I gather you are a Clinton supporter by your recent cartoons.
Please note: Not all Democrats are in support of the Clinton regime. I do not think that she can IN ANY WAY unite the country—way too polarizing. Just look at her husband. I have not approved of the way THEY have handled their campaign. One has to wonder, if something should happen to Bill, would SHE be able to govern effectively. I think not.
Plus, remember NAFTA. We have a saying in the heartland (where we have lost thousands of jobs to the overseas market): NAFTA, CAFTA, SHAFTA.
In addition, she has voted CONSISTENTLY for this fiasco of a war that has put us a TRILLION dollars in debt with no end in sight.
A proud Obama supporter!

Cindy

I support both Hillary and Barack.

I especially like Hillary. I always admire a woman whose husband was impeached for cheating on her -- and she didn't kill him.

I think Hillary could govern this country effectively, she's governed her life quite well amidst the barrage of media attacks on her family for decades. I won't discount her experience.

As far as NAFTA.  NAFTA sure didn't help Mexico slow illegal immigration to the US, either. One of the few things I disagree with the Clintons about.

George Bush lied to Hillary and the world about the war. She wants to end this war, as does Obama. I want to know from Hillary and Barack -- are they going to hold the Bush administration accountable for their lies that got us into this war, including the treasonous act of revealing the identity of a covert CIA agent? It's time to hold our presidents accountable for their illegal actions, just think, Nixon would have gotten a year's probation for his third rate felony, the Watergate break in. He was a first time offender, after all.

Does treason call for execution by a firing squad? That might end the Republican abuse of the presidency.

I did a bumper sticker about a year ago "Clinton/Obama 2008" . I still believe that ticket would win hands down. I also believe "Obama/Clinton 2008" would win hands down, too.

Good luck to both Hillary and Barack! It's the Republicans who are the enemy!

Thanks for writing Cindy.

Bend Over And Kiss Your Ass Goodbye

The U.S. military isn't ready for a catastrophic attack on the country, and National Guard forces don't have the equipment or training they need for the job, according to a report.
 

Bush-Prison-Torture News

• Court Won't Reconsider Guantanamo Ruling The Associated Press

• US charges Guantanamo man in attack on soldiers Reuters 

"Vice President Dick Cheney, 67 years old today. What a party. Friends got together and threw a big party for him, and then Cheney tortured the cake. That was good. Then they all enjoyed playing shoot the tail off the donkey." --David Letterman

Go-F**k-Yourself News

• Bush's agenda gets Cheney's reinforcement Charlotte Observer, NC 

Will All Hat No Cattle Stay Online?

Considering all the criticism of late because I don't hate the Clintons, it will be revealing to see what my first fundraiser of 2008 will produce.

Let's laugh through political turmoil!