Greg Sargent takes a look at previews of Marco Rubio's response to the State of the Union and warns that, despite all the hoopla about San Salvador Rubio, we can expect the same warmed over GOP crap Republicans have been serving over and over for years. The will be no "Republican alternative" to anything. Just a bunch of complaining.
Jonathan Chait calls out MSNBC's Joe Scarborough for blatant hackiness and inexcusable ignorance.
Far-right Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio chose a convicted child-molester to join an armed "posse" to protect kids in schools. I'm not kidding. Sheriff Joe really is one of the very worst people in America. At least, off the top of my head.
The Violence Against Women Act passes the Senate by an extremely wide, bipartisan margin -- 78-22. Now it's up to the neanderthals in the House to get with the 21st century. The Senate Roster of Shame is entirely Republican, with only Sens. John Barrasso (WY), Roy Blunt (MO), John Boozman (AR), Tom Coburn (OK), John Cornyn (TX), Ted Cruz (TX), Mike Enzi (WY), Lindsey Graham (SC), Chuck Grassley (IA), Orrin Hatch (UT), James Inhofe (OK), Mike Johanns (NE), Ron Johnson (WI), Mike Lee (UT), Mitch McConnell (KY), Rand Paul (KY), Jim Risch (ID), Pat Roberts (KS), Marco Rubio (FL), Tim Scott (SC), Jeff Sessions (AL) and John Thune (SD) voting against it. Yeah, that'd be the same Rubio who's suddenly supposed to be the "new face" of the GOP delivering the SOTU response tonight, casting the same old shitty War on Women votes. Ron Johnson's getting an email from me tonight. It won't be congratulatory.
Rubio tries to justify his vote. If there's any justice in the world, this should overshadow his response.
Harry Reid says he will not honor any "hold" on Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel. Ed Kilgore says the confirmation is pretty much a done deal. I tend to agree.
As of this writing, rogue LA cop Christopher Dorner is using his Second Amendment freedoms to protect himself from the government. Anyone want to take bets on how well that's going to work for him?
Sen. Ted Cruz is a prick.
Finally, Anonymous says they'll disrupt the White House feed for the SOTU.
[cartoon via Truthdig]
