I've just learned from BBC Radio that President Emperor Bush, Condi Rice, and Stephen Hadley have landed in Iraq on another stealth visit. They've been met there by Robert Gates and Nuri al-Maliki. Al-Maliki, I'm sure, will have some interesting obeservations for the American visitors.
Next question: will Basra be on their itinerary?
Sorry this is so brief, but there's really nothing else to tell at this early point.
UPDATE: Here's a link to the early New York Times coverage; exceprts below the fold:
I was one of the people who foolishly decided not to attend YearlyKos 2006, and I regretted my decision almost as soon as it began. So when YK2007 was announced, I was an early registrant, booked my room, booked my flight, and knew that I wouldn't be sitting around feeling sorry for myself while hundreds were meeting and getting to know each other, attending absorbing and exciting panels, and being addressed by elected officials and candidates (not to mention partying!).
Imagine how I felt when, 2 1/2 weeks before I was due to leave for Chicago, while hiking on a remote island in Nova Scotia, I broke my ankle.
I live in one of the deepest-blue districts in the country. During this campaign season I've spent a lot of my blogging time reading diaries from those of you who live in districts where we are hoping to take seats away from Republicans, and districts where the 50-state strategy is just getting started. I've sent my share of contributions out across the country, too, not only in order to help the Democrats gain control of Congress, but because I understand that your Democratic congresscritter will be working for my benefit, too.
You probably feel like you've got your hands full. So why am I asking you to help a candidate in a district that has been Democratic since the day it was created, is Democratic now, and will be Democratic on November 8th, barring a right-wing coup d'etat?
Because there are Democrats, and then there are Democrats. Please let me explain:
After reading SusanG's excellent frontpage, "But Enough About Us", I thought we'd all seen the last word on this topic. Especially in the last week, we've all seen oceans of ink and hurricanes of airtime spent by clueless mainstream pundits, all attempting to elucidate blogs for the unwashed masses, and all So. Not. Getting. It.
And then, just when I'd given up all hope, shrugged my shoulders and walked away, I found this:
As if he didn't already have enough to worry about, Dear Leader is about to lose some crucial support. His toehold at the New York Times has just gotten a bit less secure, as Elizabeth Bumiller hangs up her pompoms:
I bet you thought that Bush's recent statements regarding our "addiction to oil" and his interest in hydrogen-powered and switchgrass-powered vehicles meant that the country was finally getting all on the same page regarding need to do something about global warming. You silly goose!
Follow me below for a quick look at the future of anti-environmentalism.
This isn't really my diary. I'm posting it on behalf of my respected friend, Garrick Beck, a good man who ran afoul of Samuel Alito in the pursuit of his rights under the First Amendment, and spent three months in the Federal Prison Camp at Florence, Colorado for his pains.
As Melody Townsel once turned to this community in an effort to bring her experiences with John Bolton to the attention of the committee holding his confirmation hearings, so Garrick has turned to us in the hopes that the letter he sent to Sen. Leahy will receive some notice if it is posted here. Unlike Melody, he doesn't want or expect to be called to testify, but merely that Senator Leahy, or some other Senator on the committee, would question Alito on this topic, which seems not to have attracted the kind of attention that Roe v. Wade and executive authority are getting.
Please read on for Garrick's story, and the letter he sent.
Todays NYTimes brings us another brilliant observation from their house lunatic (no, not Judy!), John Tierney. Follow me below to find out how he makes the title equation work:
Although it seemed last night that the hell-on-earth that New Orleans has become couldn't possibly get any worse, this morning we learn of a major chemical plant explosion there in the pre-dawn hours. See below:
While most Americans focussed on the terrifying events on the Gulf Coast today were thinking in terms of praying for those in the path of the storm or what they could do to help, here's what concerned Fred Barnes and Charles Krauthammer, as they discussed the situation this morning on Faux:
Frist just will not give up: since they decided that "nuclear option" sounds too scary (read:real), and people laughed in their faces for about a week when they tried "Constitutional option", he's test-driving a new frame.
In the latest Harper's (sorry no link, the April issue isn't up on their site yet), Michael Hudson discusses what he believes to be the true underlying cause for Bush's insistence on privatizing Social Security: that if we don't, the stock market will crash.
PS: this is my first diary. Please be kind. And constructive criticism is welcome.
