Stories to Watch: 3/20/12

Burgers. Grill. Satisfaction. Now here's the news...


Ed Kilgore shows why the GOP tried to take a second bite of the Ryan Plan apple: Tea Party types, who don't think it goes nearly far enough. Republicans have really put themselves between a rock and a hard place; if if a plan is sane, the Tea Party base hates it. If it's not, everyone else does. Good luck threading that needle, guys.


Also in Ryan Plan news: it would increase the deficit.


Illinois primary tonight. Spoiler alert: Mittens walks away with it.


Is Mitt Romney's dog Seamus really going to be an issue in the campaign? If the way the story polls tells us anything, the answer is yes.


A wingnut group claims that Wisconsin judges should not have been allowed to sign recall petitions and demands "disciplinary action" against 29 justices. Of course, the only difference between signing a petition and voting is that the former isn't anonymous. So no democracy for you -- if you're a judge. File under "stupid arguments made by sore losers."


Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns gets all birther again.


Adventures in ridiculous straw man arguments: gays want to take away straight people's right to vote.


Finally, one's a robot who desperately wants to be human, the other's a 12th century monk trying to make it in a 21st century world. Together, they are Javelin and Petrus.

News Roundup for 3/16/12

2012 is starting to seem very familiar

-Headline of the Day-
"Romney, Santorum Stir Less Enthusiasm Than McCain Did."

Remember back in 2008, when all the Republicans were all like, "Oh crap, I guess I have to vote for John McCain?" Well, it turns out that GOP voters in 2012 are feeling even more oh-crapper than they did then.

According to the report, "A little more than one-third of Republicans say they would vote 'enthusiastically' for either Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum if either candidate were to win their party's nomination for president. Slightly fewer say they would vote enthusiastically for Newt Gingrich. This level of enthusiasm is similar to Republicans' feelings about voting for Romney in early 2008, but lower than the enthusiasm level for that year's eventual GOP nominee, John McCain." In fact, enthusiasm for Mitt Romney was about where it was in 2006, when he -- you know -- lost.

If you ask me, you can blame Super PACs here. They've bought contests all over the country and the people the billionaires want don't really match up with what the people want. To be fair, what those people wanted seemed to be Herman Cain, but then he went and turned out to be a serial buttpincher and that ruined that dream.

Still, it doesn't seem very likely that the GOP electorate would go from Herman Cain to Mitt Romney all on their lonesome. Mittens has been winning races not because everyone thinks he's so awesome, but because he and his Super PAC buddies have been running "don't vote for Mitt's opponent -- he's even worse than Romney!" ads. People are settling for what they see as the lesser of two evils -- which is kind of tough, since those evils are like Satan and Beelzebub.

Of course, there's still a way to juice things up again come the general. It's the John McCain way: grab some random featherheaded lunatic who knows all the empty talking points and buzzwords by heart as a running mate, then hope they aren't exposed as a lightweight before election day.

Romney-Hannity 2012! (Gallup)


-On a related note-



"Now go ahead and pledge allegiance to the Koch brother, kids -- or do you hate America?" (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"GOP Strapped to the Roof of Romney's Car."

File under "Perfection in Metaphors." (Political Wire)

Stories to Watch: 2/26/12

I'm going to finish up my english muffins here pretty soon. They take an insanely long time to make. You have to rise them all night, then punch it down, knead it, roll it out, cut them, rise them again, then griddle them. Worth it though. They're awesome. Now here's the news...


Rick Santorum says he "almost threw up" after reading JFK's speech on the separation of church and state. I don't even know where to start. Do I point out that Kennedy was saying that he'd be the president -- not his priest or the pope -- and that this was exactly what the founders had intended? Or do I point out that the memory of John F. Kennedy is beloved to Americans and that Rick's being a politically suicidal lunatic?


Also from the "Stupid S***t Rick Says" pile: President Obama should not have apologized for the burning of Qurans in Afghanistan.


A GOP strategist tells Maureen Dowd that Republicans are in danger of being seen as an anti-sex party of prudes. "Republicans being against sex is not good," says Alex Castellanos. "Sex is popular."


John Heileman refers to the GOP as "The Lost Party." Santorum can't possibly win the general and Romney's spinning his wheels. An unnamed Romney insider tells him that a loss in Michigan would be "absolutely, completely fucking horrible." Heileman sees Rick the nominee as a real possibility, even if the absolutely, completely fucking horrible doesn't happen.


I don't have a link for this one, since I saw it on the teevee, but elections analyst Larry Sabato told MSNBC that when you speak to long-time GOP insiders about the elections, the mood is one of "doom and gloom."


All of a sudden, President Obama has like a bazillion Chinese Google+ buddies.


Fun with unintentional humor in headlines: "Poll: Santorum comes from behind in Alabama three-way."


Finally, Mittens tries to bolster his rightwing bona fides by appearing on as many wingnut radio shows as possible.

Related articles

• Rick: JFK speech makes me sick (politico.com)
• If you're not embarrassed by Rick Santorum you're an embarrassment (atlmalcontent.wordpress.com)
• GOP Establishment Worries About Santorum (politicalwire.com)
• Rick Santorum continues his racist themes (capitolhillblue.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/18/12

I think I'll make chili tonight. And corn bread. That sounds awesome right now. I'll make the chili, put it in a baking dish, spoon the corn bread batter over the top with some cheese, onions, and pepper rings, and bake it. Dang, I've made myself hungry and lunch is the pressing problem. Now here's the news...


Hey, remember the guy the John McCain's "build the danged fence" ad? He seems to be guilty of all different kinds of hypocrisy. Not to mention at least one actual crime. According to the report, "Rising Republican star and well-known border hawk Sheriff Paul Babeu, who’s now running for Congress in Arizona, was hit Friday night with bombshell accusations from a Mexican immigrant who said he dated the sheriff for years and was threatened with deportation if he ever told anyone about their romance."


Santorum's newly released tax records show that, despite being a multi-millionaire, he gives almost nothing to charity.


GOP panic over their presidential field deepens.


This goes a long way toward explaining the GOP's problem here; "There is no other way to put this without resorting to demographic bluntness: the small fraction of Americans who are trying to pick the Republican nominee are old, white, uniformly Christian and unrepresentative of the nation at large."


How far outside the mainstream is the GOP voter? Their frontrunner is getting wild applause for praising income inequality.


***
Wingnut bloggers are super-excited about a recent poll giving Scott Brown a big lead over Elizabeth Warren in the Massachusetts Senate race. Here's the thing though; not even Republicans believe it.


And why should they? Think about it. All the polling before this either had them pretty much tied or Warren leading. Now, all of a sudden, Brown opens up a big lead. And this is because...?

Yeah, it's because nothing. Nothing has changed. No one has switched strategies, no one's launched a big ad campaign or switched to a new message. No one got involved in a big scandal or saved a bunch of orphans from a burning building. The numbers lack any underlying explanation -- which is why even GOP insiders think they're inaccurate.


***
Finally, saying that Super PACs represent the 1% is severely understating the problem. Super PACs represent the .0000063%.

Related articles

• Poll: Scott Brown opens up 9-point lead over Elizabeth Warren (thehill.com)
• An Attack on All of Us By Elizabeth Warren, Reader Supported News (jhaines6.wordpress.com)
• Fight For GOP Soul, SuperPACs Spur Negative Political Ad Explosion (npr.org)
• Feingold: Obama super-PAC decision is 'dancing with the devil' (thehill.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/8/12

Tacos! Now here's the news...


Under the Tea Party banner, Americans for Prosperity dumps $700,000 for Wisconsin ads touting recall target Scott Walker as the bestest governor in the history of best governors. Of course, AFP is just another name for the Koch brothers. You remember them, right? Yeah, it's a great idea to jump in and remember everyone of the most embarrassing moment of Scooter's career. Way to confirm what everyone already knows, guys.


The gathering of crazies known as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) finally slithers about as far to the right as is possible. In inviting Peter Brimelow, the founder of VDARE, they've now embraced honest-to-god white nationalists with open arms. The next time some dumbass challenges you to give them an example of racism on the right, go ahead and point them toward this Nazi.


Even Chuck Grassley knows the insider trading bill passed by House Republicans is a joke.


I'm starting to think that Rush Limbaugh realizes he stands to make more money when Republicans are out of power. Listen to Rush, conservative voters. Do exactly as he says.


Congress' approval rating: 10%.


Remember how this morning I said that low turnout was a big problem for the GOP? Yeah, it turns out that low turnout is a big problem for the GOP.


Finally, Obama takes the lead in Virginia.

Related articles

• CPAC Panel Will Feature White Nationalist Leader Brimelow (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• Limbaugh Ridicules The GOP Establishment For Being 'Shocked' At Rick Santorum's Victories (mediaite.com)
• Colorado GOP Shrugs Off Lower Caucus Turnout (denver.cbslocal.com)
• VDARE Wants Paul to Embrace his Newsletters (outsidethebeltway.com)

News Roundup for 2/7/12

Because it worked so well the last time

-Headline of the Day-
"Are Republicans About To Commit Medicare Suicide?"

Spoiler Alert: Yes.

After getting beat up in public opinion over their Medicare-bashing plan last year, House Republicans are back and they want to end Medicare. According to the report, "The backlash [against the Ryan Plan] was ugly. But Republicans seem to have forgotten how poisonous that vote really was, and remains... because they’re poised to do it again. This time they’re signaling they’ll move ahead, with a modified plan -- one that, though less radical, would still fundamentally remake and roll back one of the country’s most popular and enduring safety net programs."

See, the problem is that Republican primary voters are prize chumps. I mean they must hold some sort of chumpishness record. Not only did the GOP manage to convince them that getting rid of Medicare was a good idea, they managed to get them excited about it. It really just replaces Medicare it with a voucher scheme that introduces a pointless middle-man and is guaranteed to drive up costs, but that doesn't matter. Rush Limbaugh said it was great and that's all it takes for these rubes to bend over and drop their pants.

So now the primary voters want to get screwed. They expect it. And, if someone doesn't offer to stick them in the shorts with this scheme, they're just not going to vote for them. "That creates a dilemma," the report tells us, "Vote against the platform and face a primary. Vote for it, and face constituent backlash."

Democrats have a response to all this:



Nice corner you've painted yourselves into, guys. (Talking Points Memo)


-Led by example-


Click to embiggen

(McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"Failed Republican Windbag Karen Handel Self-Aborts From Komen."

It's hard to understand how someone can be such a consistent failure and still be alive. (Wonkette)

Stories to Watch: 1/19/12

I'm going to try using the word "socialist" the way conservatives do -- simply as a synonym for "bad": we're expecting a socialist snowstorm tomorrow and if it gets too socialist, I may not get a lot of blogging done. Not only will it keep me digging, but socialist weather tends to interrupt my internet connection. I'll probably make some hot cocoa -- from scratch, the real stuff -- so I probably won't have it too socialist, when all is said and done. Now here's the news...


If Newt Gingrich becomes president, he'll exercise dictatorial power -- he promises.


Hey look, yet another of the endless stream of GOP debates I won't waste my time watching.


Rick Perry drops out of the GOP primaries, leaving a hole in much the same way a stone dropped into water might. The campaign world is not rocked.


Santorum wins Iowa -- far too late for it to make any difference. The media narrative is already written out and they'll be damned if they're going to change the "momentum" plot line.


We're reminded that payday lenders make a killing ripping off the poor. And I'll remind you that these things sprouted up like mushrooms after Clinton signed welfare "reform." How many straight years of failure does that make? Doesn't matter. No one's counting.


After the FBI raids the online filehosting site Megaupload for alleged copyright violations, Anonymous stages a raid of their own and crashes the Justice Department's website.


No one has ever accused Sarah Palin of having a keen political mind and her finger on the pulse of the American people. There's a reason for that.


Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's plan to create a quarter of a million new jobs while drastically undercutting consumer demand is going about as well as you'd imagine.


Finally, that auto industry bailout was sure an awful, awful thing, huh?

Related articles

• Governor Walker's Wisconsin Lost 3,900 Private-Sector Jobs In December, Nation Added Jobs That Month (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• How Scott Walker Turned the GOP Against Workers (alternet.org)
• Walker on the Run: 1,000,000+ Signatures in WI (bradblog.com)
• One of Newt's Ex-Wives Says He Wanted An 'Open Marriage' (littlegreenfootballs.com)

Stories to Watch: 1/17/12

It was a wonderful day in Wisconsin (see below). Now here's the news...


It was a big day in my little city. Recall petitions were delivered to the capital -- a literal ton of them and accounting for more than one million signatures. A reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal says that the head of the Government Accountability Board (GAB) is having trouble finding workers to check the signatures, because one of the requirements is that the temps can't have signed the petition. That's how successful this petition drive has been. There are more such nuggets of info at WSJ's live blog of the filing, as well as a photo gallery here.


Chuck Grassley is a freakin' moron.


Handy tip: when you're trying to convince people you're not a hate group, it helps to refrain from acting exactly like a hate group.


Team Obama is already pricing TV ads.


Things that are bad to the GOP base: having a Mexican ancestry.


Rick Perry sparks an international incident by being stupid on the teevee. His campaign tries to clean up the mess, but it's pretty hopeless.


After realizing that not releasing his tax records created a bigger problem than it solved (i.e., the "Streisand Effect"), Mittens reveals his taxes are a ridiculously low 15% and says he'll release his records this spring.


Finally, Young Lee -- the co-founder of the Pinkberry yogurt chain -- is an awful, awful person.

Related articles

• Wis. recall leaders claim more than 1M signatures - USA TODAY (content.usatoday.com)
• Griper Blade: Scott Walker's Taxpayer-Funded Bailout (gripernews.blogspot.com)
• Perry Comment Roils Turkish Foreign Ministry: We Joined NATO 'When The Governor Was 2 Years Old' (thinkprogress.org)
• Perry: Turkey Is Run By "Islamic Terrorists" (alan.com)

Stories to Watch: 1/11/12

Got a call yesterday from a buddy vacationing in Florida. I heard seagulls. It was horrifying. Now here's the news...


Talking Points Memo has a photo gallery of things that aren't as steep as Rick Perry's plunging poll numbers.


Note to first-term Republican Rep. Diane Black: don't try to claim the House isn't in recess while talking about how you went on recess.


As if the recall weren't enough trouble, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is accused of over 1,000 campaign finance law violations, which could cost him over a half a million in fines. Once again, I point out that voter ID won't solve election fraud problems -- but getting rid of Republicans will.


Warren Buffett is once again awesome.


Gingrich walks back his criticism of Mitt Romney's corporate predator past. The brief Gingrich flirtation with reality is over -- for now.


And so Newt goes back to favorite themes: frootloop paranoia about the Homosexual Menace and a war on Christianity.


How do you prove that voter fraud is a big problem? If you're stupid, you commit some voter fraud and make sure you get it one tape.


The clown show effect strikes again; waning GOP enthusiasm was as evident in New Hampshire as it was in Iowa.


Finally, Herman Cain announces that he won't endorse anyone, as every single GOP candidate breathes a huge sigh of relief.

Related articles

• James O'Keefe Commits Voter Fraud to 'Prove' Voter Fraud (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• The man who could stop Romney (cnn.com)
• Who Will Bail Next? (thedailybeast.com)
• Newt Gingrich's Gay Sister Backs Obama For 2012 (gunnyg.wordpress.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/21/11

Pretty much done with my Christmas sourdough pancake project. I still have more to make, but they can wait. I've got to make some for a buddy who's over in Czech and won't be back until after the holidays -- and a batch to make for myself. When you're making everyone else pancakes, you really develop a hankerin' for a stack to call your own. Now here's the news...


Mittens takes up residency in an alternate universe where the crazy-assed stuff they say on rightwing talk radio is true, true, true. It's a tremendous strawman argument where President Obama tries to "create equal outcomes" in an "entitlement society," in which "everyone receives the same or similar rewards, regardless of education, effort, and willingness to take risk." Needless to say, this resembles the things Obama has said and done in absolutely no way. "This is nuts, Glenn Beck–level insane," writes Jonathan Chait.


On the other hand, old Romney habits are hard to break -- even as you're trying to convince GOP voters that you're Herman-Cain-league insane. Mittens just can't bring himself to form an opinion of the House Republicans' payroll tax cut debacle.


Romney's also having trouble agreeing with himself on the issue of the Iraq War.


And on the question of that debacle, Karl Rove agrees with the Wall Street Journal.


If you're trying to make the GOP's position on the payroll tax cut fiasco look good, this is not the way you want to do it.


Ron Paul is now the frontrunner in Iowa. I stand by my assertion that this will be meaningless outside of Iowa.


Wisconsin's own big-bottomed GOP Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner is a jackass.


The EPA sets new limits on mercury emissions from power plants.


Man, is Iowa religious freak Bob Vander Plaats ever fickle.


Finally, this must really steam anti-gay Republicans.

Related articles

• Scott Brown Denounces House Republicans Over Payroll Tax Cut Deal (huffingtonpost.com)
• Republicans Walk Out on Payroll Tax Vote, Cut Off C-SPAN Cameras (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• Tom McMahon: Merry Christmas, Middle Class! House Republicans Just Voted To Raise Your Taxes By $1,000 (huffingtonpost.com)
• WATCH: Maddow Hammers John Boehner And House Republicans (huffingtonpost.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/10/11

Heading out again to canvass in the Walker recall. I had a lot of fun last time, even if the area I was in was pretty well covered already (most of the people had already signed). Now here's the news...


Big GOP debate tonight and everyone's going to be gunning for Gingrich.


You might recognize The Daily Caller's Matt Lewis as a frequent cable news talking head. So imagine my complete lack of surprise in discovering that he's dumb. Don't listen to most TV pundits, people. They're minor celebrities on a never-ending campaign of self-promotion, not seasoned political analysts.


The rightwing blogosphere is finally realizing that Rick Santorum is indeed acceptably crazy. It's too soon to predict a Santorum boomlet, but it sure would be fun.


Mittens gets all flippity-floppity again.


Texas' gerrymandered redistricting plan reaches the Supreme Court. Writes Lyle Denniston of SCOTUSblog, "It raises the strong possibility of a major new ruling on the power of federal judges to draw up redistricting plans while a state legislature’s own maps are under challenge in court."


A new CBS News poll has some bad numbers for President Obama. Thing is, he still beats everyone in the GOP field.


Newsmax says the Trump debate is still on, but with only Gingrich and Santorum showing up, what would be the point? I'd put good money on Gingrich realizing his mistake, pulling out, and killing it for good. Still, you never know.


Elizabeth Warren continues to be awesome.


Finally, for all the political price he's paying for it, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's union-busting is mostly failing to bust unions.

Related articles

• Newt Comes To Debate With Front-Runner Status, But Can He Keep His Cool? (huffingtonpost.com)
• Five things to watch in tonight's GOP debate - USA Today (content.usatoday.com)
• The conservative aura: Gingrich has it, opponents trying to take it (thehill.com)
• Santorum: Undocumented Immigrant Families Should Be Broken Up (thinkprogress.org)

Stories to Watch: 12/8/11

What's nearly as good as fresh-baked lasagna? Leftover lasagna. I'm eatin'. Now here's the news...


RNC chair Reince Priebus comes out against a Trump-sponsored GOP debate. When it's beneath even Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann, that tells you a lot. This thing is probably dead.


A payroll tax cut fails again in the Senate.


Meanwhile, Republicans offer their own payroll tax cut plan. As always, the GOP wants to cut off your left arm as the price for saving your right.


David Frum sees Newt Gingrich as the latest GOP fad-candidate. But this time, he sees it hurting the party. "[G]iven that these balloons take typically 6-8 weeks to shrivel, the impending Gingrich bust may not arrive soon enough to save Romney," he warns. "No question though, it will arrive in time to freak out the Republican party."


A certain fella named "Mitt" seems to agree with Frum.


Eric Cantor shuts down a bill in the Financial Services Committee that would've made insider trading by congress critters illegal. If congress shuts off the easy-money tap, Republicans like Cantor might have to actually, you know, do work.


President Obama bitchslaps GOP candidates who claim he follows a foreign policy of "appeasement": "Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al Qaeda leaders who have been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement. Or whoever’s left out there about that."


As ads tying Elizabeth Warren to Occupy Wall Street fail to impress Massachusetts voters, Karl Rove switches gears and tries to tie her to big banks. When one argument contradicts another, that's what savvy DC insiders call "amateurish bullshit."


Finally, here's a good way to join the ranks of the unemployed.

Related articles

• Why The GOP Fears Gingrich (andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)
• WATCH: GOP Candidate's Wild Night In DC (huffingtonpost.com)
• Fox News Poll: Gingrich Leads in GOP Voter Preference (foxnews.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/3/11

I'm heading out to petition to recall Gov. Walker -- in the cold rain, because he just sucks so much that's it's worth even that. So I'm a little pressed for time. Instead of the normal headlines, I'm putting up a collection of reactions to the big (i.e., ridiculous) story of the day. Now here's the news...


News that birther/carnival barker/game show host/publicity whore Donald Trump will moderate a GOP debate has the left -- and even some on the right -- nearly disabled by paroxysms of glee. A sampling:

This is an absolutely terrific idea. What better way to build confidence in the GOP primary process, and to reinforce the gravtias of candidates who are aspiring to be seen as prepared for the presidency, then to submit them to questioning from a reality-TV star whose appeal to conservatives is rooted in the fact that he spent his own short-lived freak-show presidential campaign questioning Obama’s citizenship, right up until the killing of Bin Laden wiped the smug, megalomaniacal grin off his face? -Greg Sargent

Yes, driving a clown car with a bumper sticker that reads, "Really people? Is this what the debates have come to!?" -GOP outsider candidate Buddy Roemer to Dave Weigel, on whether he'd attend

LOL. We look forward to watching Mitt and Newt suck-up to The Donald with a big bowl of popcorn. -Jon Huntsman's campaign, in response to a similar question from Business Insider

How do you say clown show? This is how –- Trump to Moderate Republican Debate. -Ron Beasley, The Moderate Voice

Candidates who take their candidacies for president seriously should follow [Jon Huntsman's] suit, and this should be a litmus test to demonstrate who is willing to admit that the charade of politics evidenced by a Trump-moderated debate is exactly the problem that the United States faces, and who wants to be the next political Snooki. -Colby Hall, Mediaite

That anyone would take Donald Trump seriously about anything is already a concept that is hard to fathom. That the Republican party would elevate him to moderator status for one of their 5705789 presidential debates is downright hilarious... or abysmally pathetic... or both. -GottaLaff, Political Carnival

It's hard to see how President Obama can lose with this competition. I almost wonder if they aren't throwing it deliberately. -Digby, Hullabaloo

Also, don't miss Conor Friedersdorf's "Top 10 Reasons Why It's Good That Donald Trump Will Moderate a Debate."

Related articles

• Theme Song for a Donald Trump Moderated Republican Debate (themoderatevoice.com)
• Having declined an invite the Donald Trump-moderated GOP debate, Jon Huntsman will instead face off one-on-one with Newt Gingrich at a Lincoln-Douglass style debate. (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
• Donald Trump To Moderate Republican Debate (alan.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/2/11

I've tried a bunch of different ways to speed up rising bread, but the best way is still the way my grandma did it; use a heating pad on medium. Now here's the news...


Jon Huntsman's campaign emails a reporter, on whether he'll attend the Donald Trump/Newsmax celebrity game show GOP debate; "Lol. We look forward to watching Mitt and Newt suck-up to The Donald with a big bowl of popcorn." So I'm taking that as a no.


Unemployment numbers have dropped more quickly than expected, which is confusing on many levels.


The Republican War on Voting marches on.


Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus is a shameless liar.


Will disaffected GOP moderates run a third party candidate? Former NJ Gov. and Bushie Christine Todd Whitman says yes and Jon Huntsman's on the short list.


Insiders on both sides of the aisle have deep, deep doubts as to whether Newt Gingrich will be the nominee.


Finally, what was a hot item during the national Black Friday sales riots? Guns. I guess all that "peace on Earth" stuff is still a bunch of hooey.

Related articles

• Huntsman Down with Gingrich, Not with Trump (thepage.time.com)
• Having declined an invite the Donald Trump-moderated GOP debate, Jon Huntsman will instead face off one-on-one with Newt Gingrich at a Lincoln-Douglass style debate. (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
• Wait, What? Donald Trump To Moderate Newsmax Sponsored GOP Presidential Debate (mediaite.com)
• Tamron Hall To Trump: Could Your Debate Look 'Like An Episode Of The Apprentice?' (mediaite.com)

Stories to Watch: 11/10/11

I hate it when the clocks change in the fall. It's like your plunged headlong into winter, overnight. Now here's the news...


Penn State students riot after Joe Paterno is fired for covering up what became a child sex abuse scandal. Pepper spray makes an appearance, but no rubber bullets. So, for the record; rioting jackasses who put sports above child welfare -- no rubber bullets. People who protest income inequality and unemployment -- crackin' heads with rubber bullets.


A man is in critical condition after suffering a gunshot wound at Occupy Burlington in Vermont. At the moment, it seems as if it's a suicide attempt by a troubled homeless man.


Matthew Yglesias is leaving the Center for American Progress' ThinkProgress blog to work for Slate. As an aside, right now he's included in the ThinkProgress RSS feed, but I may have to get the new URL for the Superfeed. I definitely want Matt Yglesias in there.


Karl Rove is up to his old tricks again -- namely, being a professional liar.


Writing for Sabato's Crystal Ball, Alan Abramowitz calculates that President Obama "has a good chance of winning a second term."


The Senate rejects a repeal of net-neutrality rules.


Contrary to GOP talking points, small banks like Dodd-Frank regulations. Then again, pretty much everything is contrary to GOP talking points.


Finally, Occupy Michele Bachmann!

Related articles

• Occupy Burlington Man In Grave Condition After Being Shot (lezgetreal.com)
• Elizabeth Warren responds to Karl Rove, stands by Occupy Wall Street (dailykos.com)
• Self-inflicted shooting at Occupy Burlington, Vermont (100gf.wordpress.com)

Stories to Watch: 11/8/11

More fun with RSS feeds. After putting together the Progressive News Must-Read Superfeed, I wanted to do something with it that was easy. So I fed it into the Progressive News Must-Read Twitterfeed. That's basically a bot account that tweets the first item at the moment in the Superfeed, once every half hour -- I'll crank that up later, but I have to do some research on it first. I'm not sure offhand how many hits I can send to Twitter's API in a day. It's nowhere near as comprehensive as the Superfeed, but it gets the job done when you're on Twitter. I'll put icons for all this stuff on my blogs later -- probably this weekend, if not sooner. Now here's the news...


A second Cain accuser steps forward.


Erick Erick joins the anti-Mittens jihad, which is going to be embarrassing when Romney wins the nomination and all the righties try to pretend he's the best thing ever.


President Obama threatens to veto an anti-net-neutrality bill if it reaches his desk.


The Affordable Care Act passes constitutional muster in a very conservative court.


OWS is on the right track; income inequality works really well for the Wall Street crowd.


Republican dirty tricks in the Ohio elections.


In Italy, Silvio Berllusconi says he's ready to resign.


Gallup finds that GOP voters are beginning to realize that Herman Cain probably isn't a wonderful guy.


Finally, watch to see how these races turn out tonight.

Related articles

• Fifth woman comes forward with story of unwanted advance from Herman Cain (dailykos.com)
• And Then There Were Five Herman Cain Accusers [Herman Cain] (gawker.com)
• Despite Ratings Drop, Herman Cain Remains Top For GOP Primary (huffingtonpost.com)
• Herman Cain: Accuser Is Lying (blogs.wsj.com)

Stories to Watch: 11/4/11

Got a loaf of sourdough in the oven and the place smells outlandishly good. Now here's the news...


Joel Bennett, the attorney for one of Herman Cain's alleged harassment victims, cites not a single instance, but a "series of inappropriate behaviors and unwanted advances" from the candidate. The National Restaurant Association says they're "willing to waive the confidentiality of this matter and permit Mr. Bennett’s client to comment," but Bennett says his client would rather remain out of the media three-ring circus that would no doubt result from her coming forward. Hard to blame her.


Meanwhile, Cain's Koch ties and his money-laundering scandal start to get more media attention.


House Republicans go on a fishing expedition, come back emptyhanded.


It's finally happened; Mittens flip-flops on the subject of Mittens' flip-flops.


ThinkProgress's Alyssa Rosen proposes a cure for abusive Twitter trolls.


Faced with budget shartfalls and the GOP's resistance to "bailing out" state and local governments, a Michigan city turns out the lights -- literally and permanently.


Finally, Republicans' frequent bouts of frothing outrage are often brought on by their own stupidity. Today's GOP; always on the lookout for a chance to play the victim card.

Related articles

• Text of Statements on Allegations of Sexual Harassment by Herman Cain (blogs.wsj.com)
• Herman Cain Harassment Victim's News Conference (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• Cain Accuser's Lawyer: 'Where There's Smoke There's Fire' (abcnews.go.com)
• Cain Accuser Disputes His Account, But Decides Not To Go Public (alan.com)

Stories to Watch: 11/2/11

Pot roast tonight. Just throw it in a slowcooker with carrots, potatoes, and what have you, then walk away and leave it. Started it about noon and now all I'll have to do is make gravy and I'm good to go. Easy-peasy. Now here's the news...


Today in "it's silly to worry about rightwing extremists" news: rightwing militia-types are arrested in a plot to commit mass-terrorism using botulinium toxin. "There is no way for us, as militiamen, to save this country, to save Georgia, without doing something that’s highly, highly illegal: murder," said one. "When it comes time to saving the Constitution, that means some people have got to die."


Phase one of the GOP's laser-like focus on jobs: pass a meaningless resolution reaffirming "In God We Trust" as the national motto.


Occupy Oakland's general strike closes Mens' Warehouse. The retailer locked its doors in solidarity with the strikers.


Video shows Herman Cain losing it a little bit with reporters, who refuse to stop asking him about his sexual harassment problems; "What did I say? Excuse me. Excuse me! What part of no don't some people understand?"


And, of course, Herman plays the victim card.


As always, anti-internet piracy legislation has been written by people who don't understand the internet.


Not only does it start your tap water on fire, but fracking causes earthquakes.


Finally, 40 House Republican sign a letter saying they're open to taxes increases. You read that right.

Related articles

• Third Employee Claims Harassment By Herman Cain (businessinsider.com)
• House Reaffirms 'In God We Trust' (abcnews.go.com)
• President Obama Ridicules Congress For Wasting Time With 'In God We Trust' Vote (mediaite.com)
• Herman Cain's Accuser Wants to Tell Her Story (littlegreenfootballs.com)

Stories to Watch: 10/29/11

Finally got my loaf of sourdough done. Stretch and fold is definitely the way to go if you're lazy -- like me. It turned out a little too moist, but I think I probably overhydrated it a bit. Next time I'll go a little drier and see how that works. I'm hoping to have a dough I can use for dinner rolls by Thanksgiving or, if that's too soon, Christmas. Dialing it in. Now here's the news...


The rightwing fantasy of an Occupy movement orchestrated by the Obama White House dies, as polling shows that "about three-quarters [of Occupy Wall Street protesters] now disapprove of Mr. Obama’s performance as president."


John Boehner attempts to overdose on hypocrisy.


Public Policy Polling finds that President Obama's "struggling" to win Wisconsin's electoral votes. 44% approve, while 51% disapprove. Still, he beats everyone in the field, with Romney coming the closest at 3 points down. And now seems like a good time to whip out my old saw -- people vote against things, not for things. Obama's approvals don't matter as much as his eventual opponent's disapprovals.


Mitt Romney throws "American Exceptionalism" under the bus by arguing that, when it comes to foreign policy, we really ought to let Israel boss us around.


Speaking of Mittens, it turns out that Rick Santorum's not the only candidate with a Google problem.


Joe Biden sums up the GOP's newly-found deficit hawkishness nicely.


Finally, lowering the voting age to 17? Hell, I'd go with 16. They're driving, they're working -- they've got a stake.

Stories to Watch: 10/28/11

What a day. Just crisis after crisis. Everything seems to be squared away now and I'm about to put my loaf of sourdough in the oven. Hoping for a quiet night. This one's going to be pretty short. Now here's the news...


You know that guy who's smoking in that weird Herman Cain ad? Yeah, that's Cain's campaign manager Mark Block and he's one unsavory guy. According to AP, "Block has been accused of voter suppression and was banned from running Wisconsin political campaigns for three years to settle accusations he coordinated a judge's re-election campaign with a special interest group." He's also a tax dodger and a drunk driver.


Mittens Romney flips again on global warming; "we don’t know what’s causing climate change." Sorry Mitt, but we do.


George Will is a lot less than impressed with Mittens -- while all but verifying he's the best thing they've got.


In a sign of how far the debate has shifted, Rep. Paul Ryan writes that the GOP is worried about the "safety net for the poor" -- in a fundraising email to the base. Forget the blatant hypocrisy here and consider what that means; the GOP base is the 99% and the GOP knows it.


Scott Olsen, the vet who was the victim of the Oakland police riot, has suffered brain damage and can't speak, but is expected to eventually make a full recovery.


Finally, Egyptians march in support of Occupy Oakland.

Related articles

• An Unlikely Campaign Manager: The Story of Herman Cain's Cigarette-Puffing Political Guru (swampland.time.com)
• Scott Olsen 'cannot talk' after injury at Occupy Oakland protest (guardian.co.uk)
• Scott Olsen Attacked for Using First Amendment Rights, Says His Uncle (sfist.com)
• Injured Iraq veteran is face of Occupy movement (cnn.com)