Not a darn thing peaked my interest for a "this day in history" discussion, so now is as good a time as any for my Countdown wake (of sorts) for Richard Wolffe - gorgeous, smart, funny segment guest who's been missing for a couple months & is now presumed banished to the Western Lands.
Man, I don't know who he cheesed off at MSNBC, but I haven't even seen him on any other show, either; I know he occasionally showed up at Tweety's place, but I don't think he's even been there. Unless he's still showing up on MTR, he cheesed off "upper management" at MSNBC/NBC but good! Richard Wolffe was unfairly singled out for apparently doing what a lot of other people who appear on Countdown & other news shows do & have done for a long time, and he's being made a scape goat. He's a smart guy who I think brought a lot to Countdown; the fact that he was easy on my eyes & ears didn't hurt, either! ;D However, as I said back when all this Richard Wolffe stuff blew up here at DailyKos, Keith's name is on the show, I trust his judgment, and I absolutely will not stop watching or doing this diary every night just because Richard Wolffe will apparently no longer be appearing. So, with a last look at what I deem to be Richard Wolffe's finest Countdown moment, I tell him, "Good night, sweet prince."
Let's Countdown.
#5 "Breaking News" AKA "Abominable Circumstance" - Former President Jimmy Carter said in clear no uncertain terms that much of the ballyhoo against President Obama is because of his race. Um, with all respects to President Carter, that bit of information can be filed under "No $hit, Sherlock." President Carter was brave to say it so clearly in such a public forum, but this belief isn’t exactly new information. I respect Lawrence O’Donnell so much, and y’all should know how I feel about Keith Olbermann by now, but I’m just flabbergasted at why they are treating this "development" as such shocking news. Is it because, like I just said, that a former President chose to voice this on a national network evening news cast which just happened to be NBC? One would’ve had to live under a few rocks over the last weeks to not hear the "dog whistle" racist aspects of "debate" over any number of issues – not just health care reform. Hell, with the birthers, the race aspect isn’t "dog whistle" racism; it is loud & disgustingly clear! Lawrence O’Donnell made a good point about the attacks on Hillary Clinton during the early 90s health care reform debacle. While there were a few less – than – classy comments about her personally, many of the attacks addressed the nature of the bill itself. There’s not a whole heck of a lot of that principled "debate" amongst the GOPers these days. Here’s our Great Orange Satan leader! Let us not forget that this "other" mentality toward Barack Obama began during the POTUS campaign egged on by St. Sarah from Wasilla & not nipped in the bud sufficiently enough. Senator McCentury & his peeps let this ugliness fester & fester until he FINALLY told that nice crazy lady that Barack Obama wasn’t a "Muslim." By then, it was too little too late. I still can’t believe no Congress critter or other government type hasn’t been caught on the YouTubes calling President Obama "the ‘n’ word." Y’all wanna see how your Rep. voted for the not – even a slap on the wrist for little Joey Wilson? Well, then, click here, my friends! There were actually a few GOPers in the "yes" column! An equally stunning revelation is the number of Dems who were in the "no" column. In all seriousness, what the spark is this resolution stuff? What’s the difference between what happened today & a censure? A part of me does think this was a bit of a time waster. Something obviously had to be done since little Joey Wilson was too big of a spoiled brat baby to apologize on the House floor like a big boy, but, if he’s going to be "punished" for making himself look like an a$$, punish him in a way that counts!
#4 "Unhealthy Business" AKA "Health Care Deform" AKA "Insuring Profits Over People" - The proposed health care reform legislation coming from the Senate Finance Committee is going to probably be a big ‘ol wet smooch on the white hairy backsides of the health insurance industry. Once again, file this "breaking news" under "No $hit, Sherlock." The health insurance industry will get theirs (and them some!), and people without AND WITH HEALTH INSURANCE will be told, "Up yours!" Spousal abuse & pregnancy could be and have been deemed pre – existing conditions & a basis to deny coverage. And, of course, even with this health insurance backside smooching bill, the GOP Senators are just saying no – AGAIN. My brilliant investigative journalist skills brought me this recent picture of Senator Max Baucus.
Is there a prescription for this condition? The citizens of Montana better sure as $hit give him one in the form of a pink slip the next time his Senate seat’s up! It sounds like Senator Reid might – JUST MIGHT – be ready to play the reconciliation card in the Senate toward health care reform. I’m not holding my breath on that score; he doesn’t exactly have the greatest spine track record, ya’ know! Wendell Potter testified today of the especially $hitacular nature of the draft bill calling it "an absolute gift" to the health insurance industry. If he’s not "lobbying" the TRUTH of what’s going on in the halls of Congress, he damn well should be. Mr. Potter thinks the bill should be called "The Insurance Industry Profit Protection & Enhancement Act." HELLO?! Damn! Mr. Potter needs to give some updated "f bomb" lessons to Rahm Emanuel since Rahm is clearly falling short in that area these days. Some Senate Dems tried to get spousal abuse to NOT be a pre – existing condition; Senate GOPers even back then just said no. There’s your compassionate conservatism for ya’! I hope none of these "gentleman" has daughters with abusive husbands. There’s Rep. Anthony Weiner! Why didn’t he run for Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat when she became SOS?!
** Bob McDonnell dropped the "f bomb" on the radio! I guess he didn’t say that would be a bad thing in that little thesis of his, huh? A West Virginia letter to the editor evoked Caesar Chavez & Keith Olbermann in attacks on FAUX News – BRILLIANT! An L.A. Times columnist found secret pro – communist leanings in the 9/12 logo! Drag Lonesome Rhodes in front of HUAC! Bat$hit Bachmann’s still pulling for that resurrection of HUAC?! **
#3 "Hate on the March" AKA "The Lies of the March" - Plenty of FAUX News personnel, Boss Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, etc. are using the TurdBlossom math in garnering attendance figures for the 9/12 "activities" on Saturday that Mr. 9/12 himself didn’t bother to show up for. 1.7 million people were there on Saturday according to the guy who wasn’t there on Saturday. According to a DC cop who probably actually was there (heaven bless him/her for pulling the short straw on having to go to THAT!), there were 75K TOPS. Look at all those white people in those crowd shots from Saturday.
WPITW – Dick "Toe Sucker" Morris doesn’t think the GOP’s been playing the race card at all in their criticism of President Obama. Bat$hit Bachmann still thinks illegal immigrants will be covered in health care reform. Rep. Virginia Foxx is at it again:
In a recent article, conservative commentator Thomas Sowell, an African – American, examined some of President Obama’s claims about the health care reform legislation moving through the Congress. I wanted to quote some excerpts from his column that I found insightful.
The comments she addressed had nothing to do with race. I don’t suppose there’s a snow ball’s chance in Hades that she’ll get a pink slip from her constituents, too, is there?
#1 "Speechifying" - Former GWB speech writer, Matt Latimer, is dishing the good on the GWB reactions to the 2008 POTUS campaign. In regards to Grandma ExGov TurkeyLover,
"’I’m trying to remember if I’ve met her before. I’m sure I must have.’ His eyes twinkled [was he hanging around Rich Lowry?], then he asked, ‘What is she, the Governor of Guam?’ This woman is being put into a position she is not even remotely prepared for...she hasn’t spend one day on the national level. Neither has her family. Let’s wait and see how she looks five days out.’"
Uh – oh... I think part of my world view has just fubarred a little!