Newscoma

Vibinc breaks it down.

Americans are angry. We’re angry that government isn’t working for us. We don’t understand why someone, or a group of someone’s with so much, would ask for, and get a bailout when there are so many that have been left behind. The whole tenor of this “crisis” has been fevered, but no one has bothered to explain it to the average person. Why, after 28 years of economic policy that has favored the wealthy, should anyone want to go further into debt to help those very people? No one wants to answer that question, and so, many people are even angrier than they were that they have been seemingly forgotten for people who have gained so much.

I really would love to see politicians come to any Hooterville, not just mine, and listen to the average American, ’cause campers, they aren’t happy. I can write that here every day, preach about it and it still doesn’t change the fact that politicians do not pay attention.

But folks are paying attention, they just don’t have the luxuries that others are enjoying and what I mean by that is that I know people who are already eating Ramen Noodles and pinching pennies. Remember, TVA rates went up on Oct. 1.

What about those folks who have been left behind.

And I realize we are not only in an American crisis, but a global one.

It’s a freight train that has spun off the track years ago.

And who loses?

Us.

So, I met Mike McWherter last night. I’ve seen him around through the years, but never chatted with him. I know his sister who is a philanthropist in the area, but not him.

And being all Brenda Starr and all, I asked him a couple of questions, because, you know, that’s what folks like me do.

I asked him when and if he was going to announce. There was a bit of the political shmooze thing and he said he wasn’t avoiding my question.

I said I thought he might be.

It was all quite pleasant.

He said that he was going to Washington this week and then he should have an announcement right after that.

I asked him if Fred Thompson finally announcing was critical and he did say he was watching that although he did think Fred jumped in the race a bit late. I asked if it was being taken into consideration that a Thompson announcement might give Lamar Alexander some momentum. He agreed that was a consideration. To his credit, he spoke of this with a great deal of candor.

He said it was crucial to make a decision soon so if he wasn’t going to run, then another democratic candidate could get in.

Now remember, talking to a reporter in a situation like this where there are homemade sandwiches and pies in the armory named after his grandparents is a bit different than talking to candidates in an urban setting. I actually much prefer this way of doing it.

But, let me say this and I’m editorializing here, why would McWherter have come to a Weakley County Democratic Rally and not be considering jumping in soon?

Now, let’s break it down over the past couple of months from across the state, shall we?

Ken Whitehouse has his comprehensive background from the Nashville Post from June 22.

If you don’t know McWherter, here is a summary written by Whitehouse.

No stranger to the political world, McWherter has been intensely involved in Tennessee politics throughout his life. Well known among the state’s Democratic activists, McWherter served most recently as treasurer of State Sen. Lowe Finney’s successful campaign that unseated party-switcher Don McLeary. He has been a longtime political advisor to West Tennessee Democratic Congressman John Tanner.

From 1987 to 1995, Ned Ray McWherter served as Tennessee’s governor. Arguably one of the most popular politicans in recent Tennessee history, alongside Republicans like former U. S. Sen. Howard Baker and the late East Tennessee Congressman Jimmy Quillen, the elder McWherter still looms large over Tennessee’s political landscape. In the years after he left office, it was not uncommon to see “I miss Ned” bumper-stickers on cars throughout the state.

John Tanner and Lowe Finney were also at the rally last night as was Sen. Roy Herron.

Jackson Baker at the Memphis Flyer wrote about McWherter, also back in June of this year.

R. Neal wrote in Facing South that there might be another name being tossed around for a democratic nominee for the Senate seat. And that would be Bill Purcell. His post was from just last week.

Tom Humphreys of the Knoxville News Sentinel interviewed former Gov. Ned McWherter in an excellent article on August 25. Here’s what he wrote about Mike’s father talking about his son’s political aspirations:

If Mike McWherter follows his father’s advice, his decision on running for the U.S. Senate may hinge on Fred Thompson’s decision on running for president.

“He’s got the itch to do public service pretty bad,” said former Gov. Ned McWherter of his son. “I told him I don’t know where he inherited that.”

In a telephone interview, Ned McWherter said the two had a “long talk” on the possibility of a race against Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander next year. While promising to “organize and do whatever I can do” to help if his son runs, the former governor said he also counseled caution.

“Next year is going to be a dangerous year for Democrats,” he said, adding that Tennessee is shaping up as “a whole different ball game than nationally.”

And from An Enduring Democratic Majority, a good point about how an announcement from McWherter might shake things up.

If Mike McWherter jumps into the race, it instantly becomes competitive. Governor McWherter was one of the most popular leaders in Tennessee history and the name “McWherter” alone would give Mike a huge boost in name-recognition and favorability.

In addition, Alexander isn’t overwhelmingly popular in Tennessee right now. The most recent Survey USA Approval Ratings for Tennessee put Alexander just over 50 percent, at 53. Considering that Alexander is still serving his first term and is not a deeply entrenched incumbent, there should be reason for alarm among Republicans.

Last November DLC candidate of choice Harold Ford Jr. came within an eyelash of defeating Senator Bob Corker in an open seat competition. Ford Jr., who ran a campaign of trying to be more conservative than his Republican counterpart, may have sealed his fate by being too reactionary and alienating the minority of liberals in the state, who perhaps did not show up to vote. The final vote tally was:

Corker (R): 51%
Ford (D): 48%
Choate (I): 1%

And, finally, here is a video from NashFlix, also from June, with McWherter talking about a run against Alexander.

And Adam Kleinheider has been writing about him for months. Here’s a round-up.  

Especially this one, where ACK breaks it down on whether McWherter has a chance to beat Alexander, responding from a post from David Oatney.

My opinion on whether he’ll run.
He’s in.

If he doesn’t run, then I’ll own that, but I think he’ll announce by Oct. 7th.

Why Oct. 7th?

No other reason than its my birthday which doesn’t have a damn thing to do with anything, but pleases me to say anyway.

I expect presents. Like an interview or something.

8th District Congressman John Tanner is battling it out with fellow democrats according to the Memphis Flyer.

The topic? You guessed it.

Iraq.

Here’s what it says, campers.

The 9th District’s Steve Cohen isn’t the only local member of Congress to be in the middle of a verbal firefight these days. Tennessee’s 8th District congressman John Tanner, who represents part of Memphis and much of northern Shelby County, is feuding with fellow Democrats over a bipartisan measure he’s sponsoring to relax the terms of a congressionally mandated withdrawal from Iraq.

In response to criticism from MoveOn.org and other critics who want more direct and immediate withdrawal measures, Tanner, a leader of the Democrats’ congressional Blue Dog faction, said, “When these soldiers, sailors, and airmen are buried, they’re not buried as Republicans or Democrats. I care a hell of a lot more about them than I do about partisan politics.”

There’s more.

Ted Haggard. Sen. Larry Craig.

It’s really on the lines of what Sharon Cobb said. It’s the hypocrisy. Both men said one thing and did another. They made such broad, sweeping statements, and then turned around and did what they had damned.

You see, Craig was legislating morality. It was something he couldn’t live up to himself but he expected others to be held a different level. Voters have no patience for hypocrisy. They just don’t.

The got caught. Frank at Left of the Dial reports Haggard is still begging for money.
I don’t have any sympathy for either one of them. Southern Beale has a breakdown on Craig’s voting record. He plead guilty, and returned to the airport before he plead out. He can’t use the excuse that he didn’t know what he was doing.

Because, he did.

From CNN this morning:

“Let me be clear: I am not gay and never have been,” said Craig, who has aligned himself with conservative groups who oppose gay rights.

With his wife by his side, Craig said he is the victim of a “witch hunt” conducted by the Idaho Statesman newspaper.

“In pleading guilty, I overreacted in Minneapolis, because of the stress of the Idaho Statesman’s investigation and the rumors it has fueled around Idaho,” he said. “Again, that overreaction was a mistake, and I apologize for my misjudgment.”

But Craig said this when he entered his guilty plea as part of his petition.

Craig paid a $500 fine when he entered his guilty plea in Hennepin County Municipal Court in Bloomington, Minnesota, according to state criminal records.

In his petition to enter a guilty plea, Craig acknowledged that he “engaged in (physical) conduct which I knew or should have known tended to arouse alarm or resentment.” (my emphasis)

It appears its the media’s fault once again. (snark) I’m calling B.S.

So, I say this. Sen. Craig, no one is saying that you are a homosexual although your actions are pretty bizarre. We are saying that you are a hypocrite and that you lied.  Gay has nothing to do with it, it just happens to be the tool that got you a cushy gig with Mitt Romney and it was the button you pushed.

Gay is not a dirty word, which you are making it here.

Now stop it, own what happened, quit blaming everyone else and let’s all move forward.

I think September is going to be an interesting month in Washington.

There’s a lot bubbling under the surface, don’t you think?

You won’t believe why they paid this money. I’m still reeling.

I must not be clever enough to bilk the government. Not that I want to bilk the government, but if there is any truth in this story, I’m thinking some folks have it figured out.

Aug. 16 (Bloomberg) — A small South Carolina parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to a Texas base, U.S. officials said.

The company also billed and was paid $455,009 to ship three machine screws costing $1.31 each to Marines in Habbaniyah, Iraq, and $293,451 to ship an 89-cent split washer to Patrick Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Pentagon records show.

The owners of C&D Distributors in Lexington, South Carolina — twin sisters — exploited a flaw in an automated Defense Department purchasing system: bills for shipping to combat areas or U.S. bases that were labeled “priority” were usually paid automatically, said Cynthia Stroot, a Pentagon investigator.

When I was a kid, my grandfather (the one I adored) told me that the reason why screwdrivers cost $100 (or whatever because I’m making an example here) was for money to be creatively shifted. It seems in this case though, that the Pentagon wasn’t paying attention. And if they Pentagon allowed this loophole to happen, do we need some new folks up there?

Heck, I can’t even buy a Pilot Precise pen (in blue, mind you) without letting the Powers That Be know I did it, why I needed it and how long it took for the ink to run out.

I think Mabel would be more adept at running government.

Just saying.

There is a lot of talk in the media about Karl Rove leaving his post in Washington. Now, I’m the first one to say that Rove is not one of my favorite people, but now that I’ve had a day to think about it, there are some things I’m pondering about all of this.

The agenda has changed. Rove needs to be out of Pres. Geo. Bush’s shadow now (or was Bush in his? I’m no longer sure.)

Why, you ask?

Because the Republicans want to retain the White House, and Rove, although he says that he wants to spend time with his family, will be back behind the scenes doing what he does and that is winning elections at any cost. Or at least that’s the way I see it, although I sometimes wonder where exactly Rove’s allegiances actually lie.

Now we could banter about that they didn’t really win in 2000 and all of that, but for me at least it’s representative of my feelings today about what lengths this administration will go to but it’s also ancient history in the political world. We could say that Bush is a lame duck and Rove bailed. But, in watching those two men over the last few years, there is a bond. Rove was the brains and Bush had the brawn. But when you are on top, the only place to go is down. And with some of the things going on in Washington right now from information surrounding Scooter Libby or Albert Gonzalez let’s say, on top of the subpoenas that have been ignored, Rove isn’t considered as golden as he once was.

But he’s still got some life in him.

If you count him out, I think you are probably deceiving yourself, because he took Geo. Bush to the governor’s mansion and to the White House and he wins. We could also banter a bit more about how he won, which many of us believe was sort of like a game of Dodgeball where he was constantly throwing the ball at the other side’s family jewels where it wasn’t always “fair” but Bush got the the big “V” in the scorebook.

And in politics, in this day and age, its about winning.

This was politically the right time for Rove to leave. Not too close to the Democratic wins of last November, not after the Libby case, nope. He waited until August recess when Washington is quiet.

Now, the thing I want to see is if Rove is loyal to all of the GOP or just Geo. Bush. The jury is out on that one.

All of this is very curious.

I was wandering around the blogosphere this a.m., and found this article about what presidential candidates really CAN’T, or won’t rather, say while being on the campaign trail, and in all honesty, what they can’t do because of the status quo.

I found it to be very interesting. The writer cites that candidates are not going to get too “passionate” about certain things. They want us to think they are leaders, sure, but they only want to touch on things just enough to get our hineys out to the polls on that infamous day in November.

We don’t know what they’ll do in all honesty. Did we expect what we have now as a nation?

Some of the things the post discussed where items like illegal immigration (where they come out and say NO, we can’t get 12 million folks out of this country in a mass sweep cause it just isn’t going to happen) or that conspiracy theories become urban legends that the media reports as facts.

They are going to say what the majority of people who actually vote or going to buy. Retail, of course.

Interesting. Some of the list of the 20 things candidates won’t talk about will most likely make folks mad, but it’s an interesting dialogue to say the least.

Here is a snippet:

What’s sort of weird about all this is that a lot of people actually seem to agree with the “fringe” candidates – those who confront some of the taboo topics on my list. Ron Paul has had some luck pressing forward with ideas and positions that are considered taboo. He’s the breakout “fringe” candidate this year, but fringe nevertheless. And substantial numbers — maybe even a majority — of Democratic primary voters like Dennis Kucinich’s positions on the issues better than those of Clinton or Obama. But Kucinich’s campaign has never even caught a light breeze.

Obviously, perception trumps content. Voters may agree with nearly everything a fringe candidate says, but when the media echo chamber dismisses that candidate as “fringe,” they are drawing a big “L” for Loser across the candidate’s face. And while voters will eventually develop some measure of contempt for the actual President, loser candidates are beneath contempt, and can’t really be taken seriously.

The idea of retail politics gives me a case of the wiggums. Because it’s a selling technique and that’s about it. It also works on the theory that the squeeky wheel gets the oil.

I think I would add the quote “Mission Accomplished” to that list as something that will never be uttered by a president for the rest of this country’s days.

Ironically, I found this post on Fark.

Just saying.

Well, my life as a carefree and nonchalant blogger is about to change.

I want cash, campers. The law just might make it so. It’s only gotten through a house panel and the folks in Washington are leaving for their August siesta soon so it might die, but still, its out on the table.

But something is going to happen. ‘Cause bloggers are (shhhh) a little weird and dangerous. So I gotta take ads apparently.
Bill Hobbs and Adam Kleinheider have made me come to you asking as they report the news today. My life as a free-spirited member of blogtopia has, alas, changed.

Hobbs says this:

The legislation is a step forward, but still rests on a fundamental mistake in it’s approach. The legislation is designed to shield “journalists” from revealing confidential sources, which requires Congress to define who is, and isn’t, a journalist for the purposes of the law. Thus, the definition that a blogger is a “journalist” if they get ad revenue from their blog.

It would be far better if the legislation was written to protect journalism rather than journalists. Here’s what I mean: journalism is a craft that, as the bill correctly describes, involves a number of news-gathering and publishing steps. A blogger who does those things is doing journalism even if their blog doesn’t accept advertising. On the flip side, a self-declared “journalist” who doesn’t do those things isn’t doing journalism even if their publication does accept ads. (emphasis mine.)

He says this as well:

Congress should simply say that “the people” have the right to shield confidential sources if those sources are part of a journalistic project, regardless of whether or not the person in question accepts money from advertisers.

Yeah, I get that at work. I get yelled at. A lot. But it’s not written on a blog. It’s usually a pissed off woman with an umbrella that dangerously looks like a secret weapon staring at me across my desk.  I have an attorney. I’m all legit.

Of course, my confidential sources on this blog are usually my dog Mabel and this little man that lives at the end of the block who I bribe with Cheetos at the end of a busy day for material. Or Squirrel Queen, who is much more of a lethal enemy of the state than I am. (Go there.)
My saucy and frothy style of pseudo-witty banter will have to be modified. No more talking of zombies, bad government and sharks for this girl. From now on I will only talk about oatmeal and turtles.

Unless …

I am willing, at this point, to put up ads from anyone willing to allow me the courtesy of writing about what I want to write about. (Wait, I’m on Wordpress.com, I can’t take Java script or anything like that.)

Or, I will just take your cash and go to Aruba. Or you can buy me a beer as long as it’s a Miller Lite or a good import, I’m down with that too although I don’t think the law will save me on the last two.

Because, God forbid, I do this for fun. And, if I were to ever cross the line and break a story here, I’m in trouble. (You know, I’ve had a lot of new folks stop here for Presidential Directive 51 in the last two days. Man, I’m so screwed.)

But, seriously, once again the little guy gets burned. So let’s take ads.

Or maybe that’s the point. Drive out some folks who are apparently unworthy. Like me.

I’m going to be an ad ho. I wonder what Smiley will do. He talks about a plethora of things. I guess he can be an ad ho too.

Resume and references on request.

I know, I’m just being cranky and although this is tongue-in-cheek, it’s not.

The Commercial Appeal has a story that I think is pretty scary. And none of us knew very much about it.

President Bush, on a spring day on May 9th, signed a directive. It’s a plan, a blueprint if you will, that would, in case of disaster, set up a plan for the White House.

The plan, embodied in National Security Presidential Directive 51 (NSPD-51), was issued without fanfare by Bush on May 9. It draws upon blueprints prepared by past administrations stretching back to the Truman administration.

The latest directive underscores long-standing presidential authority to declare a “catastrophic emergency” and coordinate “enduring constitutional government.”

But it also awards the president broader authority to take over disaster recovery from state officials and calls on federal authorities to provide “appropriate support” to the vice president to orchestrate any post-attack recovery, if necessary.

Bush says the new plan for dealing with a catastrophic emergency would “enable a more rapid and effective response to and recovery from a national emergency.”

Bush has ordered White House homeland security adviser Frances Townsend to develop details for the plan by Aug. 10.

But the general outline of the plan already has stirred heated reactions across the political spectrum.

The Doomsday Plan?

Just read the whole thing, and when you are done, allow me to be a conspiracy theorist for a moment please. Go to this picture and see when it was unveiled. Then see that our president doesn’t have an end date on the bust. It could be nothing, in all honesty. But, I’m being Fox Muldar right now so allow me to shake in fear for a few minutes. Then we will go back to talking about movie and zombies because they aren’t real.

Yikes.

Oh yeah, we are doing a $20 million dollar arms deal with the Saudi Government.

I’m going back to watch Shark Week. It’s a much safer environment.

It seems to me that Alberto Gonzalez is in a heap of trouble.

FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress Thursday that the confrontation between then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft in Ashcroft’s hospital room in 2004 concerned a controversial surveillance program — an apparent contradiction of Senate testimony given Tuesday by Gonzales.

There are several directions of conversation I have no doubt that will blow up on the Internet over the weekend. And, we live in a time where people are getting upset.
But, I have concerns more than just about Gonzo. You see, we know about Gonzo, but what about the things we don’t know about. What we aren’t being told. That’s what bothers me.

Stuff like this. On the surface, yeah, we are going to deal with folks who are aiding terrorists and we all can agree we want that. But what bothers me, if we can’t trust our leading law enforcement representative in this country, how in the heck do we know that American citizens aren’t being watched for the sake of being watched because they disagree with the Powers That Be in Washington. What if an American citizen is not given the chance to prove his/her innocence? You basically are just guilty. That bothers me.

We have checks and balances in this country.

Or we did.

There are quite a few things getting through the cracks. And, yes, we have an election coming up, and if I were elected president, I would sweep a great deal of these executive orders (that are apparently less important that Lindsey Lohan’s life or a cat that lives in a hospice where people go to pass on but has become spun into a supernatural tale of predicting death according to the mainstream media) out the door.

But once power is gained, it’s hard to give it back up. I don’t care what elected party a candidate is in.

Yeah, I find that worrisome.

You know, it is a big deal, tonight’s debate on CNN cosponsored with YouTube.

The Internet collides with democratic candidates for president in a controlled arena. And, let’s remember, it is being controlled. This isn’t random. This is either a big pile of waste or will honestly show, even to the old media folks, that the times they are past changing.

Which is what I believe, of course. And I like Anderson Cooper just fine although I do miss me some Aaron Brown.
So, I’m going to watch. I think that this could be a wonderful thing or a colossal nightmare. But I’m holding out hope. Is this the way, as bloggers have thought for years actually or there wouldn’t be so many political blogs out in cyberspace trying to be heard, that this will actually be effective.

And, with visionaries showing up in mainstream media (there are a few, believe it or not) this could go, once again, in a couple of directions. It will either control what’s going on via YouTube or open a door of citizens finding their voices are being heard again.

I’m hoping for door number two.

UPDATE: Jack Lail has more on how John Edwards is going to utilize Twitter tonight. I don’t know how I missed that.