News Roundup for 5/2/12

Newt Gingrich, economic genius

-Headline of the Day-
"Newt Gingrich $4 Million in Debt; Staffers and Creditors Fume."

It's official: Noodles is out. But while his presidential campaign will finally fold up shop, his campaign debt is going to stick around for a while.

According to the report, Gingrich "finished March with $4.3 million in debts, an alarming increase from $1.5 million at the end of February, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission."

"The campaign owes Moby Dick Airways $1.1 million for travel and charter flights.; the Patriot Group, a Virginia security company, $449,502 for helping to protect the candidate; and McKenna, Long and Aldridge, a law firm with offices in Atlanta, $183,658 for legal services, the reports show," the report goes on. Smaller businesses are getting screwed too.

"We floated quite a bit of money -- a lot of out-of-pocket costs that we covered," said Ryan Driscoll of Pro-Production Services, a stage, light, and sound company. "I am a little worried. Nobody wants to lose 32 grand."

For their part, Romney and the Republican Party have "offered to be helpful in retiring Gingrich's debt."

Would that be a bailout? I do believe it would be. Huzzah for fiscal sanity! (ABC News)


-The VP search is on-



An intriguing sign... (GoComics)


-Bonus HotD-
"Wife Of Key Legislator Behind North Carolina’s Anti-Gay Amendment Claims It Would Protect The ‘Caucasian’ Race."

I'm not extremely clear on how this works. Are we sure Jodie Brunstetter knows we're talking about gay marriage here? I think she might be getting her bigotries mixed up. (ThinkProgress)

News Roundup for 2/21/12

Such a kind, gentle, thoughtful soul

-Headline of the Day-
"Top Five Roger Ailes Quotes From The Fox Effect."

OK, so The Fox Effect is a new book out by Media Matter's David Brock. And in it, David shows that Fox News president Roger Ailes is awful. I mean just terrible. Without further ado, here are the quotes:

Ailes used homophobic slurs to describe George H.W. Bush’s clothing: “‘You can’t wear a short-sleeve shirt—you’ll look like a fucking faggot.” [The Fox Effect, p. 32]

Ailes explaining race before the Federal Election Commission: “When Republicans see Willie Horton they see a criminal, and when Democrats see Willie Horton they see a black.” [The Fox Effect, p. 34]

As Richard Nixon campaign consultant, Ailes advised that a racist should be given a question at a town hall: “As long as we’ve got this extra spot open. A good, mean, Wallaceite cab driver. Wouldn’t that be great? Some guy to sit there and say, ‘Alwright mac, what about these niggers?’” [The Fox Effect, p.24]

Roger Ailes explaining his concerns about social justice to rabbis: “Of course social justice means different things to different audiences, however it has been used in situations leading to fascism, socialism, and communism as well.” [The Fox Effect, p. 147]

Ailes to The Washington Post in 1972: “If you come out and say that a guy’s a commie, fag bastard, the public turns you off, not him.” [The Fox Effect, p. 144]

Ain't he a gem? (ThinkProgress)


-Rick on the 'theology' of environmentalism-



I mean, after all, it's not like we have to live on it, right? (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"'Community' Returns March 15."

I'd rather that say "right freakin' now," but March is better than never. (ThinkProgress)

News Roundup for 1/31/12

Unstoppable

-Headline of the Day-
"Stephen Colbert’s FEC report: Big money!"

Stephen Colbert's Super PAC is super-loaded. According to the report, "Between July 1 and Dec. 31, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow collected more than $825,400, ending the year with nearly $674,000 cash on hand, according to disclosures filed over night with the Federal Election Commission." To date, treasurer Shauna Polk says the super PAC has raised $1,023,121 total.

"Stephen Colbert, President of ABTT, has asked that I quote him as saying, 'Yeah! How you like me now, F.E.C? I’m rolling seven digits deep! I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain’t one!'" Polk wrote in a statement, adding, "I would like it noted for the record that I advised Mr. Colbert against including that quote."

So how's that measure up against other celebrity Super PACs? Let's look, shall we?

Sarah Palin’s political action committee raised $756,000 in the second half of last year – a steep drop off from the first half, when she as flirting with a presidential bid.

Palin’s relatively meager second half haul came despite heavy spending on fundraising and a bus tour that fanned speculation she might seek the GOP presidential nomination.

Colbert's PAC is (mostly) a joke and he's clobbering Sarah Palin in fundraising.

So, yeah... (Politico)


-Noodles v. Mittens-



It may be unending, but it's still fun to watch. (Washington Post)


-Bonus HotD-
"Robocall of the Year."

Mitt Romney forced holocaust survivors to eat pork chops!

This message brought to you by Newt's robot. (Political Animal)

News Roundup for 6/30/11

"It's almost impossible to break campaign finance laws you say?
Challenge accepted"

-Headline of the Day-
"Johnson $10M Payday Could Raise Red Flags For IRS."

When Ron Johnson spent $9 million to win Russ Feingold's senate seat, people saw it as evidence that wealthy frootloops could just buy senate seats with self-funded campaigns. Thank God that's not true. It turns out that Johnson's plastics company, Pacur, bought the seat for him. And Ron came out $1 million ahead after all the smoke had cleared.

According to the report, Ron "received a $10 million payment in deferred compensation from his former plastics company, Pacur, weeks after his $9 million self-financed 2010 campaign for Senate came to an end." Not surprisingly, this is bad. Even with the Citizens United ruling, corporations still can't give corporate money directly to political candidates.

So Johnson found a way to break an election law in an era when there are virtually no election laws.

What an innovator. (Talking Points Memo)


-Cartoon Time with Mark Fiore-
Hey kids, you know how your parents don't like those violent video games? Now you can tell them to shut up and that the Supreme Court agrees with you! Yay!


Click for animation

Remember kids, boobs = bad and 7.62mm minigun = good! (MarkFiore.com)


-Bonus HotD-
"Outside FEC, Stephen Colbert Says His 'Super PAC' Is No Joke."

Still, check out the video of his announcement for the yuks anyway. (Talking Points Memo, with video)