Stories to Watch: 5/9/12

Barack Obama's marriage position is sucking all the air out of newsrooms, so this one will be brief and marriage-heavy. Now here's the news...


After President Obama comes out in favor of same sex marriage, the religious right warns that America is doomed -- DOOMED!


Meanwhile, Mittens responds with his usual degree of political courage. Santorum is predictably a dick about it. And for the wingnut blogosphere it's -- do I really have to say it? -- absolutely, positively the worst thing ever!


More ugly reactions.


And if all that hate isn't enough for you, how about white supremacists planning a race war?


We haven't forgotten about how awful a corporate citizen Bank of America has become.


There's a Republican who supports Planned Parenthood. Just the one, sure, but you've got to start someplace.


Finally, in the upcoming recall election, Gov. Walker's most dangerous enemy isn't Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett or labor unions, it's his own record.

Related articles

• Obama Comes Out for Gay Marriage -- Finally
• Obama now backs gay marriage
• Gay Republicans Attack Obama For Announcing Same-Sex Marriage Support

Stories to Watch: 2/11/12

I think I'm heading over to Milwaukee today. It's cold as hell and where am I headed? A city on the shore of a giant freakin' lake. I'm thinking it'll be fun anyway. Now here's the news...


The GOP's shift to culture war wedge issues will do them more harm than good. Jesse Singal argues that, when faced with a big steaming simplistic issue, Republicans can't help themselves. I think there's more to it than that; with the economy improving, what else do they have?


Meanwhile, faced with the culture war issue of the moment, Republicans decide dial the crazy up to eleven.


Also in the same category; a group of Catholic Bishops prove that the contraception brouhaha wasn't about "religious liberty," but about keeping as many people off contraception as possible, regardless of their religious affiliation.


Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker pleads with birthers, racists, and general nutjobs at CPAC for the money it will take to save him from recall.


The Romney campaign expends way too much energy fighting a satirical Pinterest account.


Even a Fox News poll shows that birth control coverage is really popular.


Anonymous takes down the CIA's website again.


Finally, Intrade's "investors" see Obama's reelection as pretty much a done deal.

Related articles

• At CPAC: Conservative Columnist Cal Thomas Says Rachel Maddow Is 'Best Argument' For Contraception (mediaite.com)
• Catholic Bishops Demand All Businesses Be Given The Right To Deny Women Contraception Coverage (mykeystrokes.com)
• Maddow Responds To Cal Thomas: I'm Glad You Were Born. Otherwise, Who'd Give The 'Fox News Bat Signal'? (mediaite.com)
• GOP joins Catholic church in trying to get insurers to deny women contraceptive coverage (americablog.com)

News Roundup for 9/7/11

Paul Ryan's constituent services department

-Headline of the Day-
"12 kicked out, 3 arrested at Paul Ryan Town Hall."

A PR exercise in Milwaukee went off the rails this week, when democracy broke out at a Paul Ryan "town hall." I put "town hall" in quotes, because this was that one thing were he charged a cover charge to keep protesters out. An actual town hall meeting is where people show up and ask questions or make statements. Rayn's "town hall" a fundraiser he decided to call a "town hall."

Anyway, it didn't work. People paid their $15 cover for the chance to yell at Congressman Ryan for trying to steal their Medicare and Social Security money to pay for tax cuts for the rich and famous. According to the report, "When turning his town halls into PPV events didn't keep the protesters away, Rep. Ryan did the next best thing. He kicked them out, and in some cases, they were arrested. These people paid money to ask Paul Ryan a question, but when the Congressman didn't like their questions, he had them kicked out."

So a word to the wise, if you're at a Paul Ryan event and you have a question other than, "Why are you so awesome?" you might want to keep it to yourself. Asking Paul Ryan uncomfortable questions is apparently illegal these days. (Teamster Nation, with video)


-Impeccable logic-
OK, so it's not politics. But it may be the most disturbing and effective pickup line in history.


Click to embiggen

I rest my case. (Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal)


-Bonus HotD-
"G.O.P. Legislators Balk at a Call to Tie Storm Aid to Budget Cuts."

Eric Cantor is quickly finding himself alone on the "Disaster Victims are Welfare Queens" side of the argument. (New York Times)

Stories to Watch: 7/2/11

I had a good time in Milwaukee. It seemed it was a good day to get the hell out of Madison. When we left here, it was hot and muggy and just awful. But Summerfest is right by the lake, so there was a nice breeze and the humidity was barely noticeable. All in all, a good call. Now here's the news...


At this point in time, Herman Cain is probably not measuring the drapes for the Oval Office. How fickle the 'baggers are.


In his weekly address, President Obama says we can't afford tax breaks for "millionaires and billionaires."


Reports of hacker group LulzSec's death seem to have been greatly exaggerated.


The Department of Justice just called the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. This is kind of a big deal.


Mittens backs off his bogus claim that Obama has made the economy worse since Bush. Of course, he lies as he does so; "I didn't say that things are worse," Romney claims. Oh, yes you did.


Finally, Ezra Klein points out that the deficit is a problem that, if ignored, really will go away. The fight isn't about how to eliminate the deficit, the fight is over how to cushion the blow. "We don't really have a deficit problem. We have a Congress problem," he writes. "Congress pretends otherwise, because they don't want to take the blame for the deficit-effects of the legislation they plan to vote for, but that's the truth of it."

Related articles

• U.S. Feds Drop Deportation Case Against Same-Sex Partner (edition.cnn.com)
• Summerfest - Milwaukee, WI (travelpod.com)
• Herman Cain is Not Above Playing the Race Card He Says the Media Should Avoid (passthedoucheys.com)
• Perfect Weather To Kick Off Summerfest! (weatherwatch12.wordpress.com)