and they're rabid.

With the now infamous "I'm a Hillary Girl ... if McCain gets the nomination" rant on Hannity and Colmes we are seeing the unleashing of Romney's hounds. This little drama on Faux News is simply the Romney slime machine ramping up. Any harm to Clinton is just collateral damage (or an added bonus) to these people. Of course you all know that, but it's amazing to me how dense the people reporting this story are. Not one single word about who Coulter is really backing. Not a word about Romney or even McCain for that matter. The real story here is McCain v. Romney and their nasty little proxy war. Not how Coultergeist hearts our Hillary. geez!

I got an email from my Senator, Bob Casey, today.

He assures me, "As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, you can be assured that I will continue to press the Bush administration and General Petraeus in upcoming hearings. And I will continue to urge my Republican colleagues to join me to pass legislation to change the Bush policy in Iraq."

Well, tomorrow is where the rubber hits the road pal. Time to put up or shut up!

Not to be rude Senator, but after that ridiculous dog and pony show I witnessed in the House today I am in no mood for more empty rhetoric. We waited patiently for magic September and according to your own letter "... the signs are clear that the Bush troop surge did not achieve its goal..."

Specter Kicks Off August Tour of Pennsylvania and he'll be in my hometown tomorrow morning for a brief Q&A session. It will be early, but I'll be there, with my coffee, patiently waiting my turn to ask the distinquished Senior Senator from Pennsylvania a question.

So fellow kossacks, what shall I ask?

Since he's the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee I should probably ask him a question about Alberto Gonzales. But where to begin? Maybe with the latest  shocker? Or should I bring up the "I" word?

Rossiter is a rural "back road" community in Western-Central Pennsylvania. It’s on the northern border of Indiana County, approximately 5 miles south of Punxsutawney. If you were to travel through Rossiter today what you would see is a tiny bedroom community with an aging blue collar population. But on closer inspection the reminders of the once booming coal mining settlement can still be found, including the historical marker commemorating the 1927-28 strike. The events surrounding this strike have been largely forgotten, but the impact it had on the national Labor Movement must never be!

Please join me for "the rest of the story" ...

During the 6/14 congressional hearing on human rights, Rep. Payne (D-NJ) asked Thomas Malinowski of Human Rights Watch about the "diplomatic" impact of Senator Lieberman's recent bomb Iran commentary.

Congressman Donald Payne: I just wonder what do you think about the recent statement by the... I guess he’s an ‘independent’ from Connecticut , Senator Lieberman, who has a bright idea — let’s just go bomb Iran. I mean, do you that’s a good diplomatic tool to help us try to win over our people?

Thomas Malinowski of Human Rights Watch: Well, as I suggested in my testimony, I think if our goal is to unite the Iranian people with their leadership that’s a really good way of doing it.

h/t Crooks and Liars

There you have it! Lieberman's idea of how to win the hearts and minds of young Iranians. I bet Bush is considering replacing Condi with Joe as the next Secretary of State considering that brilliant demonstration of skillful diplomacy! Bush does seem to have a knack for fox in the henhouse political appointments.

By now you are all well aware of the unfortunate and unsubstantiated warmongering by Senator Joe Lieberman this morning on "Face the Nation," so I will spare you from any more of his quotes. Unless, you spent the day in a cave you all know what he said about bombing Iran, but for those just coming out of the cave you can see for yourselves: Crooks and Liars has the video

There are also a couple of diaries from DavidNYC and Bill Tchakirides here and here

Other than leaning towards the undeclared Al Gore in 2008 I am totally undecided. However, the very first Democratic candidate to publically denounce Lieberman's comments and distance himself, or herself, from the bomb Iran meme will have my full support.

Regardless of who it is, one of them needs to get out there and make it clear that they, and not Ron Paul, are the best option for those opposed to the neoconservative agenda.

Ron Paul? Oh, sorry! I'll explain the seemingly unrelated Ron Paul reference below. please join me - there's a poll!

Don't go!

Prince Harry is preparing to go to Iraq and though I fully believe the ruling classes, in making war, should sacrifice their own first I can't help but fear that his decision will influence many others who may look to him as a role model. It will further legitimize this illegal war and occupation.

Harry is in a position to make a stand of resistance. Should he be encouraged to do so?  

Although, unlike his brother, William, who is second in line for the throne, Harry can be sent into a war zone - if his regiment is called up?

I'm interested in what others think of Prince Harry going to Iraq. Does it matter? Is it a big deal? Who cares? What does this say about our own ruling elite here in the US? Etc....  

HHS Secretary, Mike Leavitt is "misrepresenting" the facts regarding "millions" of veterans leaving the VA plan for the Medicare Part D. As usual there’s more to the story and in a recent AP story, Kevin Freking sets the record straight by reporting both sides of the story here