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30 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
A glimpse into the future: Floridians protest in front of DNC HQ
Roughly 250 angry Floridians, who were predominately Latino, protested today in front of the Democratic National Committee's headquarters today. Click here for the video. See below for the full article from Media General News Service.Florida Latinos Protest At Nat’l Democratic Party HQ By Billy H
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30 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Maya Angelou's ad
Below is the latest ad from the Clinton campaign. It features the iconic African-American poet, Maya Angelou, who is endorsing Hillary for president. The question is, who will this sway? Will African-American women be swayed? It seems like a way for Hillary to reach out to the African-American comm
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30 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
What's on TV tonight?
If you're a political junkie, or can't get enough of Rev. Wright, you're in luck. Hillary Clinton makes her big debut on the O'Reilly Factor at 8 pm EST on Fox News where she will discuss several topics, including Obama's infamous pastor. See clip below, or find excerpts of the transcript here. Mean
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30 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Explained: Texans Yearning for Zion from Foster Care
Explained: Questions from our Forum, Answers in our BlogOne of the latest questions in our "Hey Veracifier, Here's what I think..." thread touches on an interesting subject: the YFZ ranch and the FLDS who inhabit it - or, for the kids, who inhabited it until recently. After falling of the newspeg
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30 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Last time on The Real World: 2008 Democratic Primary
Senator Obama tried to play basketball against the University of North Carolina's Tar Heels, hoping that a few free throws, lay-ups, and maybe even a slam dunk could lock in his victory in North Carolina's May 6 primary into place by giving him immunity from Senator Clinton's challenge.But all the s
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30 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The Jeremiah Wright Obama Knew 20 Years Ago
Senator Obama's still got Rev. Wright to deal with, and he gave his big disowning speech yesterday, but it's not going to hold up to scrutiny from the people who are out to get Obama for being a black man.A major part of Obama's case is the idea that the Rev. Wright he first met in 1988 was not the
- 29 Apr
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29 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama repudiates Wright
The love affair is over. Obama, speaking in North Carolina today categorically repudiated Rev. Wright: "The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate,
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29 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Officially creepy
Last night via e-mail, Senator Clinton encouraged me to celebrate Mother's Day with her and daughter Chelsea in New York on May 10.Just 0 a pop to get in the room - id="archive_list" display_type="archive" post_count="8",000 for premium seating. You can bring your kids, too.Somehow this doesn't sit well with me. I feel like Senator Clinton is t
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29 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Is Obama about to get Kackalacka'd?
Perhaps you've seen this photo of Senator Obama looking squinty, grey, and hungover outside a Country Kitchen (of all places to look hungover) in Indiana. He's looking tired and beat up, like he knows something is coming. The media still might be on its "Obama is inevitable" frenzy, but it's not l
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29 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Next time on Real World: 2008 Democratic Primary
This is sort of like what happened when the producers of the Real World: Cleveland suddenly bring Stacy's ex-boyfriend onto the show, and just when she was starting to get close to Todd. The New York Daily News:Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling, angry, sarcastic remarks at the National
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Is Rev. Wright Obama's "personal cross"?
This morning's stirring speech by Rev. Wright, which was followed by an interesting Q&A, was not to be missed. Here's a full transcript of the event or watch it here. There's no question that Wright is an intelligent man, who is passionate and well respected by many in his community, but the man dug
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
AFP: Pentagon Military Pundit program suspended
The AFP is reporting that the Penatagon's public affairs program to manage military analysts has been suspended. Matt Thompson of FreePress.net reports that the hard questions in this scandal haven't been answered, because they haven't been asked- with a look at the main stream media's coverage: &n
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The audacity of Elizabeth Edwards
Before I write about today's big Rev. Wright story, I have to highlight Elizabeth Edwards' op-ed in this weekend's New York Times. It may seem a bit ironic to praise an article that is critical of the media and the kind of yellow journalism that seems to thrive day in and day out--mostly because we
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Caught! Penatgon exposed
Our partners at the Uptake put together this great piece on the Pentagon-military pundit scandal. Great job! Demand an investigation from Congress here.
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
BFF of Freedom?
You should really read New York Times correspondent Barry Bearak's humbling tale of being imprisoned in Zimbabwe for the crime of "committing journalism" as he covered the country's completely screwed-up elections in recent weeks. But if you can't get through it, consider this passage:But [Beatric
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Out of retirement
Don't call it a comeback, he's been here for years. Seriously, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is the pastor that won't go away. Senator Obama has tried his best to shake Wright's rantings loose from his campaign, and whether or not he succeeded this month in the run-up to Pennsylvania was up for debate.
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28 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Indiana may be a state with the right attitude
...about this farcical, non-stop, never-ending Democratic primary. I think the home of the Hoosiers has kept in mind what's really important: local issues, not the DCification of the entire country.Check out the Lazy Monday they're officially having over at the Courier-Press of Evansville, IN.My fa
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25 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Ten Things Better Left Unsaid
#10“We’re winning the war on terror... This is the best-trained force we have ever had… This is the best leadership our military has ever had…. We’re winning.”-- Various “Message force multipliers in a mashup from the Daily Show. John Stewart examines the recent revelation that ex-mill
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25 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
An op-ed from the Clinton campaign
In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, Clinton strategist Geoff Garin defends his campaign, and asserts that it has been the Obama camp that has fought dirty in this election. After providing some examples, Garin concludes the following: The bottom line is that one campaign really has engaged
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25 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Has “Yes we can” become “No she can’t”?
In today’s New York Times, Paul Krugman takes a critical look at why Obama has yet to win over white working class voters. It is this very problem that keeps Obama from winning those big important states. But why can't Obama get those votes?Krugman sweeps the notion under the rug that Hillary Cli
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25 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Ground Hounds International!
If you haven't seen our latest Ground Hounds episode, watch it now. The first dispatch we've had from a Ground Hound abroad, videographer George Turner takes us to the Young Atlanticists Summit in Bucharest during the recent NATO Summit. From their website:As world leaders met this April for the
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25 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
John McCain Promises Every Pressure To Bear To Stop Obama/Wright Ad
With the North Carolina primary coming up the state Republican Party has prepared an ad in which they go after Barack Obama for his connection to Rev. Jeremiah Wright. John McCain has come out against the ad showing far more integrity and respect for his likely fall opponent than his fall oppo
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24 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Michigan may be Clinton's key to victory
While Hillary Clinton was sewing up a win in Pennsylvania, she was also clandestinely amassing delegates in Michigan. In an op-ed, the Detroit News asserts that none of the remaining states will decide this race, and it is because of this, that Michigan will be Clinton’s secret weapon.
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24 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
McCain criticizes Bush admin. for Katrina aftermath
Sen. John McCain, who is in New Orleans today, said that he would have handled Katrina differently if he had been president. He was openly critical of the Bush administration. From the New York Times:Mr. McCain, who was on the fourth day of a tour of America’s “forgotten places” to try to prov
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24 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The latest Curveball toss
Today you're going to hear a lot of angry talk about North Korea supplying Syria with a nuclear reactor. "Video evidence" everyone will say, based on articles like this one. First, Congressional Intelligence Committee members are going to be seeing, "images from a video, believed to have been obt
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24 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
John Bolton Wants To Share!
John Bolton, regarding today's forthcoming triple-secret Congressional hearings on Israel's boming of Syria's supposed North Korean-supplied nuclear reactor, complains that, "It is ironic that we may have already disclosed to the North Koreans more than we have disclosed to Congress."I'm glad to see
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24 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
A handy new catch-all slur: Elitist
Elitism: it's not just for Barack Obama and his suporters anymore. Let's say you are a Republican and find yourself on the defensive because you are backing a government intervention that has spent billions of dollars and probably made the problem you're trying to solve worse. How do you fight bac
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23 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton's cashing in
By the end of today, Clinton will have raised million since her win last night, according to Clinton campaign chairman, Terry McAuliffe. McAuliffe said most of the support has come from grassroots donors, and it's the most money the campaign has raised in a 24-hour period of time.
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Elizabeth Edwards may support Hillary in N.C.
Elizabeth Edwards may show up at one of Hillary Clinton's events in North Carolina, according to Newsweek's Howard Fineman. Fineman said he didn't think John Edwards would endorse either candidate, however. This news comes after a stunning 10 percentage point victory in Pennsylvania for Clinton over
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
WWJED?
Maybe you're not the only person who is tired of this Democratic presidentil primary process. I want to bleach my hair, get underneath a sheet with a webcam, and shout "LEAVE AMERICA ALONE!" at Senators Clinton and Obama.Does John Edwards feel the same way?If there was ever an opportunity for Nort
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton wins Pennsylvania....on to Indiana & N.C.
According to the major networks, Hillary Clinton has carried Pennsylvania. Thus far, the margin of victory is unknown. A big win will help her raise much needed funds for the next contests.
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
For some Americans, democracy is a promise unfulfilled
That headline is the gist of today's editorial written by The New Republic entitled, "Voting block." The article takes a serious look at the disenfranchisement of not only Michigan and Florida voters, but also ex-felons, who in most states, cannot vote. What is striking is that some Dems
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
More from Pennsylvania's the Lehigh Valley
Jennifer Semm describes wanting to get rid of the ‘machine’ of politics as usual as a reason why she is leaning towards Barack Obama. Check out another installment of Polishing the Rust Belt:
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Meet Local Pennsylvania Small Business Owners
Ground Hounds is in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania where efforts are being made to overcome an economic recession in the wake of a closed steel plant. Watch as John Clark owner of the small business, Home & Planet, discuss why he is voting for Barack Obama in Polishing the Rust Belt.
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Praises Farrakhan
The highly visible Clinton supporter is seen here in 1997 praising Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. In debates with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton brought up Minister Farrakhan’s support of Barack Obama as suspect, potentially damaging and with harsh words tried to back him into a
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22 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
On the Ground: Pennsylvania Primary Day
On what possibly could be the end of the democratic fight for the presidential nomination supporters of Hillary Clinton vow that they will fight till the end.Check out the video:
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton internals show 11-point thumping in Pa.
According to the Drudge Report, Clinton's internal polling shows an 11-point lead over Obama in tomorrow's Pennsylvania primary. If these numbers are mirrored in Tuesday's voting results, then Clinton will definitely have some clout behind the talking points she will use to lead her to t
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Chelsea goes on a gay bar crawl in Philly, gets groped
Chelsea Clinton and Pa. Gov. Ed Rendell went gay bar hopping in Philly in order to drum up support for Hillary. Literally stopping traffic, Chelsea was surrounded by fans and even groped by a young woman. From MSNBC's First Read: Led around the neighborhood by Gov. Ed Rendell, Chelsea was mobbed by
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
On the Ground in Pennsylvania
Let the talking heads chatter - we know all too well that the only way to find out what's really going on with Pennsylvania voters right now is to be on the ground with them. Our latest Ground Hounds videos bring us a picture of PA's Lehigh Valley, where economic recession and recovery exist in th
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Katie Couric won't get to moderate: NC debate is off
Looks like there isn't going to be a 22nd debate for Clinton and Obama. Too bad, I was really looking forward to this one. From ABC:RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The democratic presidential debate scheduled for April 27 has been cancelled.According to the North Carolina Democratic Party, time constraints and
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Did Obama make another misstep?
The Hill reports that Obama said Sunday: "You have a real choice in this election. Either Democrat would be better than John McCain,” Obama said during an event in Pennsylvania, as quoted by the Associated Press. Then he added: "And all three of us would be better than George Bush." Even though O
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Hillary Clinton to Appear on Countdown Tonight
Senator Hillary Clinton will be Keith Olbermann’s guest on his MSNBC program ‘Countdown’ on the eve of the Pennsylvania primary. This is surprising, as Clinton has often criticized MSNBC’s coverage of her campaign. It is further surprising that Clinton would agree to be on Mr. Olbermann’s
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
A Day With Hillary Clinton
Check out this great video from the Uptake. Watch as Ground Hounds follows Hillary Clinton over Pennsylvania, interviewing voters.
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Devolution in Military Affairs
Defense Secretary Bob Gates complained in a speech this morning that the Air Force isn't carrying its load on the Iraq and Afghanistan battle-fronts, failing to supply enough surveillance and reconnaisance capability from the skies.It's kind of a weird criticism coming a year-and-a-half after Donald
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
A moment worth remembering?
Kyodo News in Japan reported this morning that one of the country's oil tankers was struck by a rocket off the coast of Yemen:A large crude oil tanker operated by Japan's Nippon Yusen K.K. was hit by what appeared to be a rocket from a small unidentified ship off Yemen at around 4:40 a.m. Monday, th
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21 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Monday Morning Must-Reads
Visit to Baghdad: Rice Praises 'Coalescing Center' [WaPo] Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced visit here Sunday to promote what she called the "coalescing center" of Iraqi politics around the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The visit followed a night of intens
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20 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Blame where it's due
I'm glad there's been so much outrage directed at Georgie Boy and Charlie at ABC News for their arrangement of last week's Democratic presidential primary debate in Philadelphia. As I noted that evening, the cheap value of the thing made it seem more like reality TV than the public deliberations of
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20 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
With enemies like these...
The old media is so desperate for another story about the presidential campaign that they're going to make a big deal out of the fact that the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, a newspaper owned by Bill Clinton-hater Richard Mellon Scaife, has endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton. They shouldn't, and consumer
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18 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Ten Things Better Left Unsaid
#10 “This is an exciting moment… Benedict XVI is much more a teaching pope… He is an intellectual… a man who is warm is kind is gentle… a really good listener… he’s gracious, he’s cordial… Well he’s really a very nice guy.” -A mashup of Pope coverage ripped from the daily sh
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17 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama: "Senator Clinton looked in her element"
Obama's seems a little miffed about last night's debate, saying: “They like stirring up controversy and they like playing gotcha games, getting us to attack each other. And I have to say Senator Clinton looked in her element. She was taking every opportunity to get a dig in there. You know, that
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17 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Mitt's top 10 reasons why he dropped out of the race
From the Radio & TV Correspondents' Dinner: 10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought. 9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.7. There wasn't room for two Christian leaders.6. I was upset that
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17 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Cheney unplugged
Look, it's Dick Cheney making jokes at last night's Radio & TV correspondents dinner. Who woulda thought he had a sense of humor?
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17 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Last night's debate
Last night’s debate was controversial—not because of the candidates’ answers, but because of the questions asked. Many criticized ABC News because their moderators asked questions that had more to do with campaign quibbles and character rather than policy questions. In the LA Times, ABC News
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
During a commercial break
It's worth being reminded that there are other things happening in the world. Tonight, the Associated Press reveals by way of the ACLU that our military tortured detainees in Afghanistan in 2003 (although it's worth noting that in Lara Jakes Jordan and her editors' esteemed legal opinion, this cons
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Reality TV?
With the help of ABC News' Max Headroom-style camera work, we're finally starting to understand how much of a reality television program the Democratic political campaign really is! It's better for management than the West Wing because you don't have to fight Aaron Sorkin about his contract, you do
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The final debate countdown
I'm sure the Lincoln and Douglas debates out on the campaign trails of the 1850s were a thing to watch, but other than the guys who carried the candidates' valises (they didn't have suitcases back then), I'm almost certain that not a single person in these United States of America saw every single d
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama needs to dunk more
Forget bowling. Barack Obama needs to show he can jam. Two friends of mine have been on this topic. Check out our friend Chris Rabb of Afronetizen on this. And Ezra Edelman's piece for HBO. Bryant Gumble asks him about whether he has shied away from this 'black' sport. Obama ducks the answer.
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Previewing tonight's debate plus Michelle Obama on Colbert
Tonight's big Philly showdown is sure to be interesting. It's almost a lock that Obama's comments on small town America will surface, and how both Obama and Clinton tackle the topic will be important. Obama has defended his remarks, while apologizing for 'mangling' the way they came out
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton won't run for NY Gov.
According to Clinton's own Howard Wolfson, the New York Senator will not run for governor, and will continue to support Gov. David Paterson. “This whole line of inquiry is ridiculous,” Mr. Wolfson said. “There are no circumstances under which Senator Clinton will run for governor.” Read the
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16 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Death & Taxes
If you consider yourself middle class, then you probably have a right to be upset about taxes. In Minnesota, when you include all local, state and federal taxes, you pay a higher proportion of your income in taxes than those who make more than 0,000 a year. And those who are poor pay a rate nea
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Mangled words
Today Obama explained his "bitter" comments, saying he "mangled the words." Discussing this clip on MSNBC's Race for the White House, Republican strategist Mike Murphy said, " I think he needs to get a little crisper than what I just saw." Maybe so. Rachel Maddow of Air America added that Obama coul
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Oil prices are soaring to a new high
Oil prices are at a new high, and that's enough to get anyone bitter. Did you know that the U.S. is the world's top consumer of oil, accounting for nearly a quarter of global demand? Translation: we're all going ot feel the crunch, but there's good news...well sorta. From The New York Times: But thi
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Condi Says ‘No’ to the Vice-Presidency
The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has indicated that she will not be Senator John McCain’s running mate for the GOP this fall. While she praised John McCain she said, “I don’t want to be, don’t intend to be, won’t be on the ticket.” Ms. Rice,
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Explained: Can the Polls Be Right?
Explained: Questions from our Forum, Answers in our Blog. politicaljunkie10 asked: what's your take the entirely unscientific polls we see all over the blogosphere? and looking forward to PA, what can actually be predicted? [Yesterday, 04:35 AM] Can anything? This came up in a lively disc
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Berlusconi's extraordinary return
Italy's answer to Rupert Murdoch, Silvio Berlusconi (or is Murdoch America/Australia's answer to Berlusconi?) is back in the seat of power, having trounced a confused coalition of Italian parliamentarians. As premier, it is often said that he won't send Italian troops back to Iraq after ousted l
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Bloomberg's Gift to the Democrats?
The politics of the Second Amendment have always been bruising for the Democratic Party, and it would appear that New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg might have given them some cushioning this election season. The Bloomberg-bankrolled Mayors Against Illegal Guns will run ads that include all three p
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Barack Obama on Charlie Rose in 2004
In the past week there has been much discussion of Senator Barack Obama’s use of the word ‘bitter’ to describe rural American’s whose government seems to have left them behind. In an interview with Charlie Rose in 2004, when Mr. Obama was a candidate for US Senate, Obama gives in further det
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The Baghdad Embassy 'Punch List'
The guy who is in charge of running our brand new US Embassy in Baghdad tells the McClatchy Washington bureau that our Mesopotamian Club Fed is ready to open because the only remaining problems are, "numerous small "punch list" items remain to be rectified."The mind wanders to what we considered to
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
No witches, either
Pope Benedict XVI announced today that the Catholic Church won't allow priests with a tendency to molest children. Phew. I'm glad the Boy Scouts of America and the United Federation of Teachers agreed to share the "how to spot child rapists in your midst" technologies they've developed.This sounds
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Delta and NWA Merger
With news of the NWA/Delta merger today, our friends at the Uptake spoke to the filmmakers behind "The Red Tail" documentary. More about The Red Tail: http://www.redtailmovie.com/
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15 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Faking the book
The former icon of incompetence and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, such a tool that he even ran a company called "General Instrument Corporation," is publishing his memoirs. Somehow, I'm imagining the autobiography of Montgomery Burns here more than Citizen Kane. Here's what we know from the a
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Bubba's take on "bitter"
Bill Clinton weighs in on Obama's bitter remarks here. Campaign surrogates in Indiana, North Carolina and Pennsylvania are denouncing Obama's comments, and further driving a wedge in the electorate. Will this stick? How much mileage will Clinton get out of this? Read it at ABC News.
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
How big a deal is Obama's 'bitter' gaffe?
Since late Friday, Obama’s now infamous words about how small towners in Pennsylvania “cling” to guns and religion during tough economic times. Obama explained this perceived bitterness at a closed charity event in San Francisco, and regardless of how true or false the comments are, what’s o
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Chelsea and 2,000 gay men
This isn't qualified as real 'news,' but I found it amusing, nonetheless. Here's a short article from Willamette Week on Chelsea Clinton's appearance at the "Red Dress" party in Oregon.
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Jimmy Carter vs AIPAC
Last week, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and almost everyone else in the Washington establishment including the State Department condemned and criticized Jimmy Carter for his latest attempt to make the world a safer place. Far from deserving all the cheap shots, Jimmy Carter should be praised
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Reversal of fortune
Matt Drudge is screaming to the world about this weird ARG poll that shows Hillary beating Obama 57% to 37% in Pennsylvania 8 days out from the big dance.It's an interesting turnabout - back last year around this time, all the polls showed Hillary leading by wide margins nationally, but Obama ahead
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Barack Obama and the Pre-Teen Brides
No, I'm not saying that Senator Obama was out there secretly with the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints in Texas getting young women knocked up, but the National Review is! Look at genius editor Kathryn Jean Lopez manufacturing her outrage, OUTRAGE! at what Senator Obama said at the Compas
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
"With sprinkles!"
Well, I guess that's that - John McCain is the Homer Simpson presidential candidate. Speaking just now at the Associated Press meeting, he was presented with a box of a half-dozen frosted donuts with sprinkles by his moderators. I could note that this is another example of how buddy buddy the pres
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The Tax Man does not cometh (if you're a large corporation)
Not to ratchet up the pressure this April 14 as you track down that missing W-2 or download that extension form, but here's a little update from the IRS: they don't give a dang about corporations and their tax paying or not paying funny business. The AP says today:The Syracuse University-based Tran
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14 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Monday Morning Must-Reads
First Look Inside YFZ Ranch [Deseret News] The children's shoes still sit neatly, side by side where they last left them. Child-sized shovels and miniature wheelbarrows sit on the porch of their three-story, log cabin-like home. The only noise now emanating from this 1,700-acre compound
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
"We'll will rise from the ashes like a phoenix"
That's actually what Bill Clinton said after he found out one of Hillary's Indiana campaign offices was burned to the ground today. Below is a video report of what happened. So far, there is no indication that the fire was arson. The AP is reporting that two people were inside when the fire broke o
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama: I would have fired Penn. Clinton: HA!
Obama is weighing-in on the Mark Penn firing today, according to the Politico.“I think it was surprising to me that a high-ranking, if not the highest-ranking, member of Sen. Clinton’s team would be engaged in business activities and lobbying that was directly contrary to the position Sen. C
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Where in the world is...Jimmy Carter...?
Super-delegate and former president, Jimmy Carter is off talking to Hamas and is jaunting around Syria, but you won't find any judgement from Barack Obama, Reuters reports. Obama, who says he would meet with some dictators, disagrees with Carter's willingness to meet with Hamas because the group is
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton tackles crime
When Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter was running for office, he pledged to reduce crime significantly. This was, of course, welcomed in Philly, a city that recorded 392 homicides last year alone. Today, according to the L.A. Times, Hillary Clinton is backing Nutter's pledge by proposing 100,000 ne
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Here's one for the ladies
On CBS News, c/o Marc Ambinder: Hillary Clinton is telling her husband to back off from making comments about her trip to Bosnia after he blundered several facts when defending the trip yesterday. “Hillary called me and said ‘I misstated it, you misstated it.’" President Clinton said. “She
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama's campaign finance insinuation
Barack Obama is still in John McCain's periscope over his pledge last year to take public financing if his campaign makes it to the general election. Today, he criticized the public financing system, and had the chutzpah to argue that he *is* being publicly financed."I think that it is creaky," Ji
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Reviving Bosnia
Bill Clinton was caught on tape mentioning the Bosnia story two times, pointing out how the media "blew the story up." Either the former president is trying to intentionally sabotage his wife's campaign, or he is employing some new political strategy. Could Bill Clinton be that politically out of pr
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Street dreams are made of these
The blogs are buzzing about Senator Obama taking a high road in Philadelphia and refusing to pay "street money" to political operatives to get out the vote for him. Ed Morrisey at Hot Air comments:Let’s be clear: street money is nothing more than a payoff racket. If the Democratic candidates wan
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
"Centrist" evangelicals
The Washington Times says that more evangelicals are identifying themselves as "centrists." Does that really mean that they won't vote for Republicans anymore? I'm not so sure. I mean, it doesn't help that in 2006 the GOP became the party of Mark Foley and page-diddling, and that one Republican p
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Going deeper into the bunker
Ambassador Crocker says the Embassy in Baghdad is "ready", according ot the AP:The U.S. ambassador to Iraq says that American diplomats will start moving into the new embassy in Baghdad at the end of May, and should be safer in the more fortified complex inside the so-called Green Zone. Ryan Crocker
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11 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
A pox on both their houses
It's been about a year since Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinich initiated his quixotic impeachment campaign against Vice President Dick Cheney. The activist advocates of his effort track and stridently report every iota of imagined progress toward actually bringing the vice president to court. But ulti
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10 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
False Dichotomy: Experience or Judgment
Last night, Chris Bowers over at Talk Left asserted that Democrats should not argue over experience and that they should be focusing the campaign on judgment and ideology. He was commenting on an exchange between Obama and Hillary: Obama on his choice for Vice President: "I think a lot of people a
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10 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Not so fast...
Marc Ambinder writes at The Atlantic about war crimes charges for Bush administration officials post-2008:Another source of potential prosecutions comes, of course, from the Hague, although the failure of the US to participate in the ICC kind of puts the kibosh on that possibility.The US failure to
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10 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
A turning point?
It's sad when anyone dies in our mistaken war in Iraq, but something about this story seems all the more poignant, from the AP: In correspondence from Iraq's fortified Green Zone, Col. Stephen Scott had always insisted to relatives that he was safe. But recently, family members noticed a surge in vi
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10 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Only the neocons speak the truth on McCain
The New York Times paints the picture of a war over John McCain's foreign policy platform, but I say it's all so much bubkus, and so does Robert Kagan in the article:Conservatives around Mr. McCain counter that the other side’s concerns are groundless because Mr. McCain is hardly an empty vessel w
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10 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Barack Obama loves Passover
That's what we learn in the presidential candidate's latest delicate dance with American Jewry. Senator Obama sat down with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency yesterday and talked about Israel and Palestine, direct dialog with Iranian President Ahmedinijad, and his pastor. Not too much new from the int
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09 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Explained: Will the "Magic Number" Ever Change?
Explained: Questions from our Forum, Answers in our Blog.Corndogg asked: This is not the general election, this is the primary season. While all the fuss now? Why is Sen. Clinton and her donors so concerned with Florida and Michigan? Why didn’t they say a word way back in February? Florida Del
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09 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Petraeus Asked What He Would Do If Next President Wants Withdrawal
Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) draws on public opinion polls when asking how General Petraeus would respond to a change in strategy when there is a change in the White House. This question seems emblematic of the focus capital hill has with the change in strategy that will occur next January.
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09 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
McCain Supporter Calls Obama Tiger Woods
David Bellavia of the group "Vets for Freedom" referred to Senator Barack Obama as Tiger Woods in a recent speech introducing GOP presidential nominee-presumptive, John McCain. This raises some controversy as the famous golfer is also black and multiracial and there is little other basis for compari
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09 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Senator Voinovich Questions Ambassador Crocker
Sen. Voinovich (R-OH) expresses in his questioning the frustration the American people have with the current path of the Iraq war. In his response Ambassador Crocker acknowledges that an examination of other options is necessary.
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09 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama Engages in Constructive Dialogue with Petraeus and Crocker in Senate Hearings
When the next president takes office in January of 2009, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will still be the top American military and civilian leaders in Iraq. In light of the 2008 presidential race Obama’s line of questioning seemed less like a senator’s harsh questioning of Bush adminis
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Did Obama damage Oprah's popularity?
Here's an interesting article from Politico, which investigates whether Oprah's plummeting ratings have anything to do with her endorsement of Obama. Politico:"Almost instantly, Oprah’s popularity in America plummeted. An August 2007 CBS News poll showed only 61 percent of Americans we
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Petraeus Acknowledges "Haven't Seen Any Lights at the End of the Tunnel"
Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) questioned General David Petraeus on the certitude of his assessment of Iraq.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton's hospital story was accurate
A quick break from the Petraeus hearing. Over the weekend, Hillary Clinton took some heat over reports that a story she had been telling on the stump about the tragic death of an uninsured woman was false. Now, however, the Washington Post is reporting that Clinton's story was, in fact, accurate. Th
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Hillary Clinton Questions Petraeus and Crocker at Senate Hearing
In this clip Senator Clinton questions Ambassador Crocker on the wisdom of submitting an agreement to the Iraqi parliament as an executive agreement rather than one that would be submitted to the US congress for “advice and consent.” Senator Clinton questions General Petraeus on the conditions f
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Hillary Clinton Addresses Iraq War at Petraeus Hearing
In her opening statement at the Armed Services Committee Hearing, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) discusses the human toll of the prolonged war. The failure of the Iraqi government to make good of the US surge and her plan for an orderly withdrawal.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Lindsey Graham on Iraq War and Petraeus
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) praises the work of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Lieberman Praises Petraeus, Enumerates Rosy View of Iraq
Former Democrat and McCain supporter Senator Joe Lieberman uses his time at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to praise the progress made in Iraq.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Senate Armed Services Hearing: General Petraeus, Are We Any Safer?
Senator John Warner (R-VA) questions General Petraeus on whether or not America is safer in light of the war in Iraq. When compared with the answer General Petraeus gave when asked by Mr. Warner back in September it does not seem as if Gen. Petraeus believes we are any safer.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Questions for Ambassador Crocker at Senate Armed Services Hearing
The issue of the Basra invasion comes up again when Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) asks Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus about the extent to which Vice President Dick Cheney might have played a role.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Petraeus Testifies Before Senate Armed Services Hearing
In this clip, Michigan Senator Carl Levin (D) questions General David Petraeus about when America can start withdrawing troops from Iraq. In the middle of the line of questioning a protester in the audience disrupts the proceedings screaming, “Bring them home.” Gen. Petraeus is also unable or u
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Petraeus irritates Senator Warner
Senator Warner, the soon-to-retire Virginia Republican who is the former chairman of the Armed Services Committee and one of the military's greatest advocates on Capitol Hill, just got irritated with General Petraeus.The senator asked the commander of our forces in Iraq a pretty simple question abou
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The Pulitzer committee honors the soldiers
A couple of weeks ago I complained about the soldiers "getting screwed" again by the committee that awarded the Goldsmith Prize for investigative journalism. They chose a good, but less important series on Vice President Cheney's power and influence over Dana Priest and Anne Hull's saddening series
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Senator McCain, General Petraeus, and Iran
Senator McCain just used up his time to ask questions and couldn't get around to asking General Petraeus about the threat posed by Iran.Hopefully, President Bush will use up his time, too.
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The lack of courage campaign
Last year, word spread that Rudy Giuliani and other Republicans were slyly backing a scary idea - a referendum that would grant California's electoral votes in presidential elections on a proportional basis. The Courage Campaign was a group that got behind sticking with the current arrangement so t
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08 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Sen. McCain Questions Gen. Patraeus at Senate Hearing
Check out GOP presidential nominee-presumtive John McCain question General David Patraeus in today's Senate hearing.
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
McCain making play for Latino vote in NM
While we were all talking about the Richardson-Clinton drama, John McCain started running Spanish language ads in New Mexico. According to the Huffington Post, McCain is making all the right moves and Dems should be concerned. But the real reason that Democrats should worry is that the GOP presi
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Obama: My VP wouldn't need foreign policy experience
At a fundraiser last night in San Francisco, Sen. Obama said that he "knows and understands the world better than Senator Clinton or Senator McCain." Therefore, according, to Obama, his potential running mate would not need foreign policy experience. I guess a potential Bill Richardson vice presiden
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
John McCain = co-conspirator?
John McCain went all populist this weekend according to the Wall Street Journal and slammed James Cayne, the former head of the now very much solid and not at all liquid Bear Stearns Cos., stating, "I think it's outrageous that someone who is the head of Bear Stearns cashes in millions and millions
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
McCainycism
McCainycism (noun) - the belief among liberal, progressive, and Democratic voters, activists, and stalwarts that Senator John McCain is the unbeatable candidate.Seriously, it's not just Bill Kristol blowing smoke up our butts (although he is doing that, too): But a surprising number of Democrats wit
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Cheney's post-White House detail
I certainly wouldn't want anything to happen to Vice President Cheney after he loses his Secret Service Detail (via Washington Whispers). What I'm more interested in is this: with our financially well-endowed vice president having all this time on his hands to quail hunt again, when does America's
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Wait for it
Senator McCain's campaign released a statement honoring the life of Charlton Heston about as quickly as a brave soldier boy would jump on a grenade in a crowded foxhole."He was devoted to the cause of freedom for all Americans from the battle for civil rights in the 1960s to protecting Second Amendm
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The Rumpled Master
What can we say about Mark Penn? It's difficult to understand how anyone ostensibly so smart could behave so foolishly. The only thing that really adds up about this rumpled schlub was that he is little more than a greedy man ever hopeful that some day he would make enough money to buy a good enou
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07 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Monday Morning Must-Reads
Dean Warns Dems of Divided Danger [Politico] Howard Dean warned on Sunday that a Democratic Party that’s still divided come convention time could hand the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presidency. But Dean said he's not going to pressure undecide
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06 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Mark Penn, Controversial Architect of Clinton Campaign Departs
The New York Times is reporting that Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton’s chief campaign strategist has stepped down from his position in the Mrs. Clinton’s campaign. Often described as a rogue, Mr. Penn was seemed by many to be the cause of much infighting with in the Clinton campaign. Penn was behind
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06 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Condi Rice Vying for VP Spot on GOP Ticket
George W. Bush’s Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has apparently been courting a spot on this year’s Republican ticket. As National Security Advisor in Mr. Bush’s first term, Ms. Rice has played an important role in the administration’s campaign strategy. If presumptive GOP nominee John M
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05 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Stephen Colbert’s ‘Colbert Bump’ is Real
Washington Monthly has just published a study showing that the so called ‘Colbert Bump’ is real. The study shows that when democratic politicians appear on the Colbert Report the receive a “statistically significant” bump in campaign donations. It seems as if the master of truthiness has rea
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04 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Ten Things Better Left Unsaid
#10 "I'm f*cking Obama." - Hillary Clinton? College Humor channeling Sarah Silverman. #9 “I was pinned down by sniper fire.” - Hillary Clinton on Jay Leno, making light of a gross exaggeration from the past couple of weeks. Hillary jokes sniperby dollarsandsense123 #8 “F
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04 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Living history
Today the country honors the 40-year anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assasination in Memphis, Tenn. The New York Times has a touching op-ed commemorating MLK's legacy in the context of Robert F. Kennedy's historic speech delivered to a gathering of mostly African-Americans in downtown I
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04 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Unemployment soars, recession may be looming
From the AP: WASHINGTON - Employers buffeted by talk of recession slashed 80,000 jobs in March, the most in five years and the third straight month of losses.At the same time, the national unemployment rate rose from 4.8 percent to 5.1 percent, the clearest signal yet that the economy might already
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04 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Joe Scarborough: Bosnia dust up is "much ado about nothing"
On Morning Joe today, Joe Scarborough admires Hillary Clinton's willingness to make fun of herself, citing her spot on Jay Leno last night where she joked about the Bosnia episode. Scarborough called Clinton "tough," and talked about how Clinton is able to "laugh at herself." "I want this in a poli
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
McCain: "I love The Hills, dude!"
Well, he didn't say that verbatim, but after John McCain learned of his newest endorsement from Heidi Montag, star of The Hills, he told Time.com's Swampland blog, "I want to assure her that I never miss an episode of The Hills, especially since the new season started." The above clip is from Mornin
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Clinton calls for democracy, backed by a petition
In her quest to have Michigan and Florida's votes count, Hillary Clinton is going old school by presenting a petition to the powers that be. According to a spokesman at the Clinton campaign, over 100,000 people have already signed the document. The campaign is soliciting signatures on its website an
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Right back where we started
You've got to hand it to George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice. They had a plan in 1999-2000 before seizing the White House, and eight long years later, we have reached the end of that plan. Sure, the 9/11 attacks got in the way and changed the frame of reference, but like any good old steamroller
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Samantha Power would campaign for Clinton, too
Remember Samantha Power- Obama's foreign policy adviser who called Hillary Clinton a "monster"? In an inteview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Power not only apologized (again) for her remark, but also admits that she didn't mean to call Clinton a monster. "It was the kind of thing you say at a bas
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Helter Skelter
Veracifier columnist Mike Gravel's new video on the song Helter Skelter. Its a ride.
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Barr None
While Veracifier may be giving former Alaska senator Mike Gravel a platform, if you really want to get a Democrat in the White House, you might want to go and start collecting signatures for his challenger for the Libertarian ticket, the former Republican representative of Georgia, Bob Barr. So say
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Maybe California does need an English-Only law
From the New York Post's dispatch on Hillary's Obama-hating: "The word 'tirade' may be used differently out here than in the rest of the country," said Chris Stampolis, who supports Clinton's presidential bid and also attended the meeting. "There was not a single swear word, no screaming, no poun
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03 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Who will roll over for who?
Via Marc Ambinder, John McCain is working out a rapprochement with pill-popping conservative talk radio empreror Rush Limbaugh. Yes, the same radio Rush who said that McCain getting the nomination would cause the Republican Party to take its ball and go home.The question ends up being who will rol
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Polls, damned polls and statistics
The polls are all over the place as we get closer to the Pennsylvania primary. The latest one from Quinnipiac shows Clinton up 9 percentage points over Obama, which indicates that the race is tightening. The same poll had Clinton up 12 percentage points in mid-March, according to the AP. From the A
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Poll in Pennsylvania Shows Obama Taking Lead from Clinton
A new poll by the North Carolina based Public Policy Polling shows Barack Obama with a small 45/43 lead over Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania. Conducted in the aftermath of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy and Barack Obama’s speech on the subject of race it is a dramatic turnaround from Hillary
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Lawyering is not magic
The blogosphere is abuzz with John Yoo's 2003 torture memo today. And I think that Scott Horton sums up the problem pretty well (as he often does), pointing out that the legal analyses written to justify the acts of torture and other war crimes willfully committed by this administration were, "poo
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Both Dems virtually tied with McCain
Here's a look at over 19,000 responses from Gallup, which yielded some expected, yet interesting, demographic results. From the Baltimore Sun: Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are virtually tied with Republican John McCain in national daily tracking polls that Gallup has been runnin
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Another prositution ring, another day
The Detroit News is reporting that Senator Debbie Stabenow's husband was caught last month by police in a sting aimed at catching prostitutes. Sen. Stabenow issues a statementtoday: "This is very disturbing and serious. Obviously it's a deeply difficult and personal matter."Read more here.
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
Bill Blows up at Meeting of California Superdelegates
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that Bill Clinton went on an angry tirade at a meeting of California’s superdelegates last weekend. Charming and courteous at first, those present say Clinton began a rant about Bill Richardson and the way the media has been covering his wife after a pledge
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02 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
The '24' Rohrshach Test
Fox Television's 24 is a rohrshach test. You can either see it as an Ameria-Fuck-Yeah kind of program that justifies the use of torture, or read into it a deep philosophical message about how the reliance on imperfect heroes imperils our great republic.Jim Geraghty reports that John McCain got 24
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01 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
History may be on Clinton's side
As the lull between primaries is in full bloom, it seems like all we can talk about it quitting. When will Hillary quit? It’s all over the TV, blogs, newspapers, radio shows—it’s in the mouths of politicians, candidates and their supporters. But yesterday’s L.A.
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01 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
It's a bowl-off...
Hillary Clinton may have found a way to end the battle for the nomination quickly: a bowl-off. After Barack Obama bowled a pitiful 37 in Pennsylvania over the weekend, Clinton poked fun at her rival this morning at a press conference, challenging Obama, and even saying she would spot him two frames.
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01 Apr
Blog: Veracifier
All Your Super Delegates Are Upstanding Citizens!
April fool's. But when the Real World: Politics launches, I'm sure they'll turn to Kwame Kilpatrick, Detroit's scandalous "hip hop mayor," first. And instead of stepping down, it looks like he's trying to make nice in Detroit now:Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Council President Ken Cockrel Jr.
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