Cross-posted at Democrashield

Now, there are a lot of Hillary supporters out there calling the exclusion of Florida and Michigan from the Democratic primary "disenfranchisement."  These Hillary supporters are saying they won’t vote for Barack Obama because he’s disenfranchising millions of voters.  They say their opposition has nothing to do with what’s best for Hillary Clinton, that they're taking a principled stand against voter disenfranchisement.  

Alright, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt.  Let’s say you are taking a principled stand against voter disenfranchisement.  Let’s say this has nothing to do with your support for Hillary.  Then I have some questions for you, like...

I was watching C-SPAN today when I heard something I couldn’t hep but comment on. During an interview with the chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, a conservative African-American woman called in and stated "the Democrats have done nothing for me."

More below the jump...

Cross-posted at Democrashield

Recently, Barack Obama went to a Pennsylvania bowling alley; during the campaign stop he bowled 7 frames and scored a 37. In other words, he made a typical campaign stop, met some voters and had a good time.

Unfortunately, that's not how the media saw it...
   

Cross-posted at Democrashield

Yesterday I reported that the self-imposed cease-fire by Moqtada Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army was unraveling, sparking violence in the heart of Iraq:

A cease-fire critical to the improved security situation in Iraq appeared to unravel Monday when a militia loyal to radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al Sadr began shutting down neighborhoods in west Baghdad and issuing demands of the central government.

Simultaneously, in the strategic southern port city of Basra, where Sadr’s Mahdi militia is in control, the Iraqi government launched a crackdown in the face of warnings by Sadr’s followers that they’ll fight government forces if any Sadrists are detained. By 1 a.m. Arab satellite news channels reported clashes between the Mahdi Army and police in Basra

Well, now the violence has spread as the Mahdi Army clashed with Iraqi security forces both inside and outside the capitol city.

More below..

Cross-posted at Democrashield: Protecting America From The Right

First, a disclaimer: Eliot Spitzer deserved what he got.  He broke the law by soliciting high-priced prostitutes. He hurt his wife and his family with his infidelity. Most of all, he was a hypocrite--cultivating a clean image by going after the corruption of others and hiding his own.  It bothers me that Eliot Spitzer had to resign while another prostitute-loving hypocrite--David Vitter--gets to stay in office, but I prefer the double standard remain intact and Spitzer resign.

With that said, there's something fishy about how Governor Spitzer was caught.  The problem wasn't that he got caught--he deserved that, and more--but that the way in which he got caught was extremely unusual; in involved numerous exceptions to the rule.

More below the jump...

Cross-posted at Democrashield.

This post isn't an attack on Senator Clinton, but her campaign's latest attack on Barack Obama is just beyond the pale.

The Clinton campaign is saying that Obama doesn't have the experience to be President; they're saying that both Hillary Clinton and John McCain have the experience to be President, while Barack Obama doesn't.  They're basically saying McCain would be a better President than Obama, which is going to come back to haunt us if he ends up being our nominee.

It's a foolish attack--plenty of great Presidents came into office without any foreign policy experience (Bill Clinton and John Kennedy come to mind) But not only is it a silly attack, it also puts us Democrats in a lose-lose situation; no matter who wins the primary, this line of attack will come back to hurt them

More after the jump...

Cross-Posted at Democrashield

Two days ago I wrote about the right wing's latest attack on Barack Obama--basically, that he's unpatriotic because he doesn't wear an American flag lapel pin.

Some excerpts--and Kingston's stunning hypocricy--below the fold.

Cross-Posted at Democrashield

Today, Barack Obama is being attacked by the right-wing noise machine.  His latest dreamt-up offense? Not wearing an American flag lapel pin, which apparently makes him unpatriotic.

Of course, anyone with $2 in their pocket can wear an American flag pin, regardless of what they believe. In fact, how many politicians have worn that pin while tearing down nearly everything this great country stands for?

Patriotism isn't defined by what we wear--it's defined by what we do.  And through his actions, Barack Obama has shown us what true patriotism is:

Cross-posted at Democrashield

Yesterday I wrote about the John McCain-Vicki Iseman scandal, and today I figured I would follow up with some of my thoughts.

Cross-Posted At Democrashield

The media loves John McCain.  They love portraying him as a maverick, as a straight-talker who never panders.

Now, it's standard for candidates to play themselves up using positive labels and positive rhetoric, but this is one of the few times the media has bought the spin hook, line and sinker.

Too bad for our political press--and John McCain--that reality has a well-known liberal bias.  When you scratch the surface of the gilded facade McCain has erected around himself, you'll find a long history of flip-flopping, pandering and confusing rhetoric.

Cross-posted at Democrashield

Recently, James Dobson--Christian conservative and head of the extremist group Focus on the Family--endorsed Mike Huckabee, saying that he would never vote for John McCain.  At the Conservative Political Action Conference, the GOP rank-and-file booed McCain during his speech.  On show after show, right-wing talking head Rush Limbaugh trashes McCain.  Republican stormtrooper Ann Coulter said she would rather vote for Hillary Clinton than John McCain.  

More below the fold...

Cross-posted at Democrashield

The war in Iraq seems to have dropped off the national radar, replaced by the economy, the horserace, and the ominpresent celebrity scandal.  It seems that--since violence is down in Iraq--the traditional media has decided that the war is no longer worth covering.

More after the jump...

Is Ron Paul's quixotic campaign for the White House now all but over? With the media--and the voters--focusing on McCain-Romney-Huckabee, is there any oxygen left for the strongly right-wing Congressman from Texas? And, if he continues his failed run for President, will his primary challenger snatch his Congressional seat right out from under him?

Follow me below the fold for my take on the end of Ron Paul.

Cross-posted at Democrashield

Bill O'Reilly recently declared victory in the War on Christmas. I wonder if this was what he had in mind:

A Muslim man jumped to the aid of three Jewish subway riders after they were attacked by a group of young people who objected to one of the Jews saying "Happy Hanukkah," a spokeswoman for the three said Wednesday.

Friday's altercation on the Q train began when somebody yelled out "Merry Christmas," to which rider Walter Adler responded, "Happy Hanukkah," said Toba Hellerstein.

More below the fold...

Cross-Posted at Democrashield

Last night, Tucker Carlson admitted to beating up a man who 'bothered' him back in high school.

More below...

Republicans don’t understand Iraq.

How do most of us see Iraq?  We see a complex struggle involving a variety of different actors—US troops, militias, terrorist groups, insurgents, the Iraqi government and the Iraqi military.  We see a political and a military confrontation, a battle fought on the ground and in the parliament.  We see some progress, but not nearly enough relative to the massive level of violence.

How do Republicans see it? Find out after the jump...

Cross-Posted at Democrashield

A common allegation among the right-wing is that the left is intolerant.  What leads them to this conclusion? Because progressives aren’t afraid to condemn conservative bigotry–and thus begin the conservative cries of "You hypocrittes, how dare you don’t tolerate our intolerance!"

Follow me for some common sense...

Cross-Posted at Democrashield

Kos, Digby and Crooks and Liars picked up on this, but I thought it warranted a closer look.

A right-wing organization called Family Security Matters published the article below on their website; the site has since been scrubbed and the article removed.  Find the entire article and analysis after the jump...