Shocking Allegations

Neal Pollack interviews John O'Neill.

Buh-Bye

Cali says buh-bye to Diebold.

They Get Letters

America's third greatest patriot, General JC Christian, writes a letter.

1, 2, 3...

Strikes I'm out... going to see some baseball. Be back later.


As you may have noticed I've re-though my ad policy with candidates. I'll have more on that later...

Enjoy your day.


...damn, for a minute there it was like I was at a Rollerball match.

boo marlins.

The Taliban in America

This is unbelievable.

Doctors or other health care providers could not be disciplined or sued if they refuse to treat gay patients under legislation passed Wednesday by the Michigan House.

The bill allows health care workers to refuse service to anyone on moral, ethical or religious grounds.

The Republican dominated House passed the measure as dozens of Catholics looked on from the gallery. The Michigan Catholic Conference, which pushed for the bills, hosted a legislative day for Catholics on Wednesday at the state Capitol.

The bills now go the Senate, which also is controlled by Republicans.

The Conscientious Objector Policy Act would allow health care providers to assert their objection within 24 hours of when they receive notice of a patient or procedure with which they don't agree. However, it would prohibit emergency treatment to be refused.

If this law passes, I will personally help compile the wall of shame so we can frequently and loudly object to anyone who thinks they have the moral right to do this.

Cut Their Mics

David E. tells us why it's time to do away with unnamed sources.

Questions

Submitted in advance.

Speaking to a large gathering of newspaper editors, publishers and executives this afternoon, President Bush defended his policies on Iraq and the war on terror, saying "We're changing the world for the better."

Asked about an editorial in today's Washington Post noting that Sen. John Kerry now called for a stable Iraq but not necessarily a full democracy, Bush repeated his own view that democracy in that country "is necessary and it will change the world." He later added: "We're not gonna cut and run as long as I am in the Oval Office."

The whole issue of questions from the audience at the Associated Press annual luncheon was a running joke for the president during his talk. He opened his speech by saying, "I kind of like ducking questions," and said he would be "glad to duck any questions like my mother once told me to do" following his remarks.

In the end he only took three questions, from those submitted in advance by AP members, and read by Burl Osborne, the AP chairman. After replying to one question he apologized for "the long answer, but at least I answered it."

Chaos

Hey all, sorry for the absence. Was on the road. More later... 150 emails to get through, many of which I'll miss so if you sent me anything particularly important, feel free to resend...

Morning Thread

Another open thread until Atrios has a chance to post.

Thread III

Tomasky coming up...

Open Thread II

Blogging from WLIB. Groucho Glasses on.

Open Thread

Chat Away.

From the NYT

Okrent writes in to repair the damage done by his overly snippy assistant:

Dear Atrios,

I recently learned that some readers wrote to this office concerning the protocols of White House press conferences. I cannot speak for other news organizations, but I can assure you categorically that the New York Times does not -- ever -- submit press conference questions in advance.

Yours sincerely,
Daniel Okrent
Public Editor

Daniel Okrent
Public Editor
N.B.: Any opinions expressed here, unless otherwise indicated, are solely my own

I've heard enough to believe that this is basically true across the board. But, perhaps the press should think about why reasonable people even entertain this notion.

Mo Money

I just want to add to the post below about the spending on the Iraq war. Assuming we're not just going to pull out (which, no matter what the merits of that idea isn't likely to happen before the next round of spending happens), as many of you have said it's absolutely vital for the Democrats to get out in front of this issue. They need to propose some supplemental spending before Bush pulls it out of his back pocket when it's "almost too late." If that happens, the Democrats will once again be beaten over the head with the "support the troops you America-haters" stick and end up swallowing yet another spending bill with few conditions and zero congressional oversight.

They need to get out in front on the spending and the strategy in a positive, constructive fashion. Or, this totally corrupt enterprise is just going to continue...

Remember, from Nightline 4/23/03:

[01]03:39:36 ANDREW NATSIOS, AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Well, in terms of the American taxpayers contribution, I do, this is it for the US. The rest of the rebuilding of Iraq will be done by other countries who have already made pledges, Britain, Germany, Norway, Japan, Canada, and Iraqi oil revenues, eventually in several years, when it's up and running and there's a new government that's been democratically elected, will finish the job with their own revenues. They're going to get in $20 billion a year in oil revenues. But the American part of this will be 1.7 billion. We have no plans for any further-on funding for this.

That Liberal Media

Can you even comprehend a press that will put this on the air?

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A man who served in the same Navy unit as Sen. John Kerry denounced on Tuesday charges the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee made as an antiwar protester that he and other U.S. troops committed atrocities in Vietnam.

"I saw some war heroes ... John Kerry is not a war hero," said John O'Neill, a Houston lawyer who joined the Navy's Coastal Division 11 two months after the future senator left Vietnam. "He couldn't tie the shoes of some of the people in Coastal Division 11."

Bush Administration Immoral

According to a Republican Congressman:

But military officials, defense contractors and members of Congress say that worsening U.S. fortunes in Iraq have dramatically changed the equation and more money will be needed soon. This comes as lawmakers, returning from their spring break, voice unease about the mounting violence and what they say is the lack of a clearly enunciated strategy for victory.

The military already has identified unmet funding needs, including initiatives aimed at providing equipment and weapons for troops in Iraq. The Army has publicly identified nearly $6 billion in funding requests that did not make Bush's $402 billion defense budget for 2005, including $132 million for bolt-on vehicle armor; $879 million for combat helmets, silk-weight underwear, boots and other clothing; $21.5 million for M249 squad automatic weapons; and $27 million for ammunition magazines, night sights and ammo packs. Also unfunded: $956 million for repairing desert-damaged equipment and $102 million to replace equipment lost in combat.

The Marine Corps' unfunded budget requests include $40 million for body armor, lightweight helmets and other equipment for "Marines engaged in the global war on terrorism," Marine Corps documents state. The Marines are also seeking 1,800 squad automatic weapons and 5,400 M4 carbine rifles.

Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, charged that the president is playing political games by postponing further funding requests until after the election, to try to avoid reopening debate on the war's cost and future.

Weldon described the administration's current defense budget request as "outrageous" and "immoral" and said that at least $10 billion is needed for Iraqi operations over the next five months.

"There needs to be a supplemental, whether it's a presidential election year or not," he said. "The support of our troops has to be the number one priority of this country. . . . Somebody's got to get serious about this."

My guess is they'll sit on this for awhile, and then suddenly suckerpunch the Democrats by putting a Bill out there and demanding that they pass it right away to "support the troops."

Wingnut Responsibility

World O'Crap perfectly sums up the standard wingnut response:

The logic here is flawless: Michelle maligned someone and is asked to apologize; other people have apparently campaigned on behalf of another Muslim arrested for aiding terrorists; so, Michelle will send the guy she maligned a "condolence card" only if the people who think she's done something wrong will apologize for what some other people did.

$700 Million

David Sirota explains the (il)legality of diverting $700 million.

3 Hours of Heaven

I'll be helping out Sam Seder tomorrow night on the Majority Report on AAR from 8-11PM ET. Apparently, America's Greatest Patriot Janeane Garofalo has more important and more patriotic things to do tomorrow night. So, if you normally tune in for her you can make other plans tomorrow.

Guernica

Here's the picture of John Negroponte posted on the CPA website.

[they cropped the photo - here's the one they had up earlier:]


Someone there has a sense of humor.
(thanks to reader g)


...just want to add that the more I stare at this the more I realize it is itself a magnificent work of art. Negroponte, looking somewhat sinister with a touch of glee, stands with Guernica in the background and a Fox microphone in the foreground.