I would have appreciated Barack coming out and having a "press availability" about his cave-in on the bullshit FISA "compromise." Instead, he just posted an item at HuffPo; don't even see any evidence he publicized it outside of that site.

BTW, the quotes I snipped out were just his most complimentary grafs. Most of his post was the same old bogus explanation of how the corrupt FISA bill will "improve" things.

His justifications don't hold water. He said:

"But I also believe that the compromise bill is far better than the Protect America Act [PAA] that I voted against last year. The exclusivity provision makes it clear to any President or telecommunications company that no law supersedes the authority of the FISA court."

Then he said:

"Given the choice between voting for an improved yet imperfect bill, and losing important surveillance tools, I've chosen to support the current compromise. I do so with the firm intention -- once I'm sworn in as President -- to have my Attorney General conduct a comprehensive review of all our surveillance programs, and to make further recommendations on any steps needed to preserve civil liberties and to prevent executive branch abuse in the future."

But Greenwald has debunked exactly those claims. The PAA expired and it's NOT coming back. It expired because Congress was fed up with White House intimidation. Now Barack is saying he wants to preserve some of the things PAA allowed.

Totally talking out of both sides of his mouth.

Posted at July 3, 2008 5:32 PM in response to News Orgs Already Getting It Wrong On Obama's Iraq Remarks

As if by magic, Barack just posted this over on HuffPo about three minutes ago:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barack-obama/my-position-on-fisa_b_110789.html?view=print

He says, among other things, the following:

"Now, I understand why some of you feel differently about the current bill, and I'm happy to take my lumps on this side and elsewhere. For the truth is that your organizing, your activism and your passion is an important reason why this bill is better than previous versions. No tool has been more important in focusing peoples' attention on the abuses of executive power in this Administration than the active and sustained engagement of American citizens. That holds true -- not just on wiretapping, but on a range of issues where Washington has let the American people down." *** [snip] "Democracy cannot exist without strong differences. And going forward, some of you may decide that my FISA position is a deal breaker. That's ok. But I think it is worth pointing out that our agreement on the vast majority of issues that matter outweighs the differences we may have. After all, the choice in this election could not be clearer. Whether it is the economy, foreign policy, or the Supreme Court, my opponent has embraced the failed course of the last eight years, while I want to take this country in a new direction. Make no mistake: if John McCain is elected, the fundamental direction of this country that we love will not change. But if we come together, we have an historic opportunity to chart a new course, a better course."

Posted at July 3, 2008 5:14 PM in response to News Orgs Already Getting It Wrong On Obama's Iraq Remarks

Let's see if I can fix that blockquote command:

"The candidate is then scheduled to participate in two events in Washington within the span of two hours on Tuesday. At 6 p.m., Mr. Obama is to attend a dinner at the home of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, where guests must spend $28,500. At 7 p.m., he is expected at a V.I.P. photo reception at a nearby hotel, where the ticket price is $23,000."

Link is still the same:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/us/politics/03donate.html?pagewanted=print

Posted at July 3, 2008 5:05 PM in response to News Orgs Already Getting It Wrong On Obama's Iraq Remarks

Well, well, more distortions and making-shit-up from the MSM. Good thing we have TPM & Election Central to debunk the bullcrap.

Meanwhile, if anyone wondered what Barack is really planning on doing on the day of the big Senate vote on FISA, here is his schedule for next Tuesday evening, July 8:

"The candidate is then scheduled to participate in two events in Washington within the span of two hours on Tuesday. At 6 p.m., Mr. Obama is to attend a dinner at the home of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, where guests must spend $28,500. At 7 p.m., he is expected at a V.I.P. photo reception at a nearby hotel, where the ticket price is $23,000."/

That is from this NYT piece talking about all the big-dollar fundraising Barack is doing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/us/politics/03donate.html?pagewanted=print

Posted at July 3, 2008 5:03 PM in response to News Orgs Already Getting It Wrong On Obama's Iraq Remarks

"our" demanding, not "are" demanding.

Posted at June 30, 2008 6:01 PM in response to Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn

Debra, you might look back at your posts where you said the left wing was "extreme" and "arrogant," which I assumed you intended to apply to MoveOn, to the netroots, and to other progressive, anti-war factions who played a huge role in Barack's primary victories. We are neither of those things and are demanding that Barack keep his promises does not make us either of those things. You be sure to call Barack on breaking any promises he made to you.

F'rinstance, did you support him because he wants to end the occupation of Iraq, or do you support McCain's position on the occupation? Just askin'.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:59 PM in response to Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn

have to run. sorry to post and skedaddle.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:56 PM in response to Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn

I will tell you who did not support our troops returning home from Vietnam -- the Nixon White House, the Nixon Veterans Administration, and the VA hospital system. I represented hundreds of Vietnam era vets on their Social Security disability claims who were given the most absolutely shitty treatment by the VA medical & disability systems.

It is true that both parties sucked at funding the VA or Social Security disability systems, but the government mistreatment of Vietnam vets was far broader in scope and far more damaging than occasional civilian insults. That is why Barack now campaigns on a pledge of "no more homeless vets" and pledges to substantially jack up funding for all medical and disability systems supporting vets.

So, drop the attitude that we are "sneering" at the military if we want to have a careful examination of McCain's actual military and medical records.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:46 PM in response to Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn

"40 bazillion." heh. at least.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:14 PM in response to Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn

Debra, it is not arrogance to claim credit for putting Obama over the top in crucial early primaries, to claim credit for pounding Hillary into submission with massive online donations to Obama month after month after month, to claim credit for helping double or triple the turnout in critical congressional districts by phone banking and door-knocking, and the netroots and grass-roots volunteers were leaders in all of those successes. Barack owes us loyalty. He owes you too. But just because he owes you and other moderates does not mean he does not owe us loyalty. Claiming credit for the netroots's part of Barack's revolutionary campaign is not "extreme" politics and is not unreasonable, it is simply pragmatic politics. Don't start revising history that we were in the middle of -- esp. not history that we saw unfolding starting only one year ago.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:11 PM in response to Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn