Jim Leach for UN Ambassador
ArchPundit
He’s close with 41 and incredibly sane.
Steve Clemmons is kidding himself that the Administration would even consider this given Leach voted against Iraq, but what the hell.
Please Check the Water at the Tribune
Because Asia isn’t adding nuclear nations fast enough. Let’s get Japan to go nuclear!
In the interim, Bolton has proved he doesn’t have horns. In fact, he has answered any questions about whether he has the right temperament and diplomatic skills for the job. He has worked to build consensus on the world’s response to North Korea’s nuclear test, Iran’s nuclear program, the Middle East conflict and genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.
The Trib should read one of its own properties for why this is one of the most assanine statements ever published by the Tribune including the usual crap by Byrne and Kass.
His record since taking over as ambassador in August 2005 has shown that his adversarial stance toward the institution has not softened. In his first month as U.N. envoy, he gleefully undermined the most comprehensive reform movement in U.N. history by insisting on the adoption of hundreds of irrelevant amendments that were never going to be accepted by the General Assembly.
Later, when the U.N. did agree on one important change — creating a new, reformed Human Rights Council — he argued furiously against it, rallied just three other nations to the cause (out of 191) and eventually saw the U.S. go down to a humiliating defeat. Then he turned around and said he would work with the council and help it financially but not join it. Which left Washington looking not just like a loser, but a whiny one at that. As Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) remarked, Bolton was not just a bully, but an “ineffective” one.
In furtherance of his mission, Bolton also has promoted various pet causes at the institution. For example, when issues of population control or limiting the use of small arms come up, he brings into his office antiabortion activists and National Rifle Assn. members, respectively, to take the other side.
He has, on occasion, reportedly sneaked around his own nominal boss, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, to Vice President Dick Cheney’s office to get support for his own hard-line views at the U.N. — for example, his refusal last summer to endorse the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals aimed at reducing poverty in the developing world. Rice eventually forced him to reverse that stance.
To the extent that he has been able to operate at all at the United Nations — most recently in the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire — he has had to bow to a new realism within the Bush administration, and yes, sometimes, to international pressure. Even then, though, according to published news reports, he doesn’t get along well with our allies. His bristling nature has left many bruised feelings among his colleagues. His accomplishments are marginal at best. He may be among the most ineffective envoys the United States has ever sent to the U.N.
The man is not only shrill, but stupid. He had the US almost completely shut out of the the peace deal for the Israel-Lebanaon war. He has specifically undermined Rice in attempts to engage Iran–something now being pushed by the Baker Commission.
Confirming John Bolton would only enable the Cheney faction to make more of a hash out of US Foreign Policy than it already has and leaving him at the UN will only mean that any attempt to find a regional solution to Iraq will have to fight a two front war against him and those factions in the Middle East who don’t want any sort of peace. The Trib’s editorial is one of the single most irresponsible and unfathomable editorials ever produced by the Tribune. It is an endorsement of endangering the few alliances we have left, a nuclear arms race in Asia, and continued quagmire in Iraq.
And the Democrats are supposed to go along with the Administration to show responsible bipartisanship.
I’m sorry, but this election was an intervention. Irresponsible bipartisanship–something I took part in at the beginning needs to end. Enabling this Administration to continue a failed foreign policy because it’s good to get along failed miserably already. Denying that failure and asking for more of the same only demonstrates how out of touch with reality are those who continue to view this administration as somehow competent to fix the disasters they have created.
Would the Tribune Rejoin the Reality Based Community Please
hat tip Rich
Kass is spreading Jack Roeser’s conspiracy theory that Bill Brady was a plant by the combine. Worse, he claims Burris was a plant.
Because, you know, Burris never ran before. Like in 1994 and 1998. People may have taken advantage of Burris’ candidacy, but he wanted to win.
Here’s another reason people enter crowded fields–ambition. I’m no fan of Bill Brady other than he was an upgrade to Gordon Ropp’s career crusade for a state soil. Brady is ambitious and he ran a hell of a lot stronger of a campaign than I thought he could. He ran for Congress in 2000 and has been looking to move up the political ladder for some time.
If anything, Brady offered Republicans a chance to actually elect a conservative to statewide office. Oberweis is the Democratic dream candidate. He’s not terribly bright, he makes really dumb decisions, he’s not charismatic, and he’s no where close to the median voter. The only worry about Oberweis was whether he’d actually do worse than Keyes in the percentage of vote.
If the Illinois GOP is going to try and rely on Jack Roeser and friends to bring them back to winning, that’s going to be a long, long wait. In the short term, the numbers for Republicans make winning nearly impossible given the national GOP’s shift to the right. Following that drift isn’t going to help.
Criticism of IL-6
I know this has become conventional wisdom in some parts to claim too much money was wasted in IL-6, but the reality is all that money was a two way street. Republicans and their allies probably got close to $7 million spent on that race—all money that couldn’t be switched to races where their incumbents were running. By strongly contesting a long time seat, the attention paid to it pulled resources from other seats. Sure some of that money could have gone elsewhere for Democrats, but putting Republicans on defense is the whole point of the 50 State Strategy.
And no, I’m not having the Cegelis debate again. If anything, the time to win that District is in a Presidential year–same with 10 and 11. Part of the problem is that since there is little Democratic infrastructure in the area for 6, many of the Democratic votes for Kerry were Presidential election voters who called themselves independents and are more marginal voters. Trying to get them out there during a non-Presdintial year is like difficult when facing a fading, but still relatively strong Republican apparatus in the area.
Isn’t Carville Transparent?
He’s backing Hillary people–it’s not hard to figure out what he’s trying to do.
Don’t take the bait, he’s burying his candidate and that’s good for the party.
Just add me to the signature line
Memo to every Democrat
by kos
Fri Nov 10, 2006 at 02:06:06 PM PST
Dear Everyone Who Thinks They Singled-Handedly Won the Last Election,The DNC and Howard Dean couldn’t have won this by themselves. They are not the source of all good in the world. Or all evil.
The DCCC and Emanuel Rahm couldn’t have won this by themselves. They are not the source of all good in the world. Or all evil.
The DSCC Chuck Schumer couldn’t have won this by themselves. They are not the source of all good in the world. Or all evil.
The netroots and grassroots couldn’t have won this by themselves. They are not the source of all good in the world. Or all evil.
The 527s and unions and allied organizations couldn’t have won this by themselves. They are not the source of all good in the world. Or all evil.
The big dollar donors couldn’t have won this by themselves. They are not the source of all good in the world. Or all evil.
They were all part of a glorious puzzle. And working together, even if not always harmoniously, led to great, great things.
Hugs and kisses.
kos
p.s. As for the know-nothing pundits in DC and the DLC? Well, we won because they were ignored.
You know, Rahm’s far from perfect, but he kinda gets that the netroots allow more candidates to be funded than the DCCC ever could. Then they can help when those people get into position and prove they’ve run a decent race. They make dumb calls, but so do all of us. Trying to create a fight after winning is a good way to stop winning.
When the Press Doesn’t Understand Religion
Teaching intelligent design in a school science lab makes as much sense as having Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species required reading in Sunday school.
The statement is just dumb. Evolution and religion aren’t mutually exclusive. Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, the main branch of Lutherans, many Baptists, The Presbyterian Church USA, and UCC just as some examples all accept evolution. Teaching the Origin of Species in the Sunday School classes might very well make sense in a discussion on interpretation and the physical world versus the revealed word.
The problem with teaching creationism isn’t that it’s not science and science classes are for science. Religion deals with science quite often and understanding science and the scientific method is a good lesson in Sunday School for most.
The problem is that by setting up the two as somehow mutually exclusive it completely misrepresents the issues surrounding science and faith. By setting them up as polar opposites Huntley confuses the issue more than clarifies it adding to a problem that the press has covering religious issues.
It’s The Gay that Caused Allen’s Loss
You had to know Petey was coming out with something new:
AFT Calls on Republican Senatorial Comm. to Rescind ‘Sexual Orientation’ Policy, Says Pro-‘Gay’ Political Correctness Led to Sen. Allen’s Loss
Contact: Peter LaBarbera, Americans For Truth, 630-546-4439
NAPERVILLE, Ill., Nov. 10 /Christian Newswire/ — Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera today called on the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) to rescind its “sexual orientation” policy as inconsistent with the GOP’s professed pro-family values, and said pro-“gay” Political Correctness contributed to Sen. George Allen’s narrow loss for re-election in Virginia.
LaBarbera also called on all homosexual staff in both major parties to be open about their lifestyle in the interest of full disclosure to the public and each Member’s constituents.
Allen’s defeat–after failing to strongly embrace Virginia’s successful marriage amendment–led to the GOP’s loss of the Senate. Allen is widely reported to have homosexual staff. Jay Timmons, a senior Allen aide and former director of the NRSC, is among those being targeted for “outing” by homosexual bloggers, as is Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman.
“In recent weeks, homosexual activists have sought to ‘out’ various high-level GOP staffers and leaders as homosexuals, to highlight their hypocrisy in working for a socially conservative party,” LaBarbera said. “Now we in the pro-family movement are calling for full disclosure for a different reason: because homosexual GOP staff and pro-‘gay’ policies in the party are undermining the wholesome values Republicans say they support.”
Noting that the homosexual newspaper Washington Blade reported in 2004 that the NRSC has a nondiscrimination policy based on “sexual orientation,” LaBarbera said: “Who knew that the Republican Party committee responsible for electing senators across the country has embraced the exact same pro-homosexual ‘orientation’ policy that social conservatives have been fighting for decades?”
Due to the Mark Foley scandal, social conservatives are learning about the existence of a network of homosexual GOP staffers on Capitol Hill who promote policies antithetical to the party’s stated “family values.”
In 2004, the pro-family group PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays) was outraged when Sen. Allen refused to sign their pledge supporting tolerance for former homosexuals, then went ahead and broke a promise to another pro-family group by backing a pro-“gay” federal “Hate Crimes” bill. Allen also signed a pro-homosexual “nondiscrimination” pledge for his Senate office.
“George Allen’s lukewarm support for Virginia’s marriage amendment cost him his Senate seat,” LaBarbera said. “Now we are left to wonder: did the stealth influence of gay Republican staffers move him toward this course that would ultimately turn the Senate over to the Democrats?”
Americans For Truth is dedicated to equipping Americans to confront the homosexual and transgender activist agendas. Phone: 630-717-7631. AFT, PO Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522. E-mail: americansfortruth@comcast.net.
Changing the Tone
Michael Steele is tapped for RNC Head if he accepts.
I guess it’s up to the reader to figure out if phone jamming by Mehlman or using homeless folks on more than one occasion is worse.
Let me just suggest we get some of those flyers and make sure they never, ever go away.
And It’s Certainly True No Party Is Clean
The odd thing about the Hoyer Murtha race is why would anyone want either of them? Mollohan is like the fox guarding the chicken house and Hastings has no business on Intelligence let alone running it.