Hillary Clinton: No Way. No How. No McCain.


I am honored to be here tonight. A proud mother. A proud Democrat. A proud American. And a proud supporter of Barack Obama.

My friends, it is time to take back the country we love.

Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines.

This is a fight for the future. And it's a fight we must win.

I haven't spent the past 35 years in the trenches advocating for children, campaigning for universal health care, helping parents balance work and family, and fighting for women's rights at home and around the world ... to see another Republican in the White House squander the promise of our country and the hopes of our people.

And you haven't worked so hard over the last 18 months, or endured the last eight years, to suffer through more failed leadership.

No way. No how. No McCain.

Barack Obama is my candidate. And he must be our president.

Tonight we need to remember what a presidential election is really about. When the polls have closed, and the ads are finally off the air, it comes down to you — the American people, your lives, and your children's futures.

For me, it's been a privilege to meet you in your homes, your workplaces, and your communities. Your stories reminded me everyday that America's greatness is bound up in the lives of the American people — your hard work, your devotion to duty, your love for your children, and your determination to keep going, often in the face of enormous obstacles.

You taught me so much, you made me laugh, and ... you even made me cry. You allowed me to become part of your lives. And you became part of mine.

I will always remember the single mom who had adopted two kids with autism, didn't have health insurance and discovered she had cancer. But she greeted me with her bald head painted with my name on it and asked me to fight for health care.

I will always remember the young man in a Marine Corps T-shirt who waited months for medical care and said to me: "Take care of my buddies; a lot of them are still over there ... and then will you please help take care of me?"

I will always remember the boy who told me his mom worked for the minimum wage and that her employer had cut her hours. He said he just didn't know what his family was going to do.

I will always be grateful to everyone from all fifty states, Puerto Rico and the territories, who joined our campaign on behalf of all those people left out and left behind by the Bush Administration.

To my supporters, my champions — my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits — from the bottom of my heart: Thank you.

You never gave in. You never gave up. And together we made history.

Along the way, America lost two great Democratic champions who would have been here with us tonight. One of our finest young leaders, Arkansas Democratic Party Chair, Bill Gwatney, who believed with all his heart that America and the South could be and should be Democratic from top to bottom.

And Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a dear friend to many of us, a loving mother and courageous leader who never gave up her quest to make America fairer and smarter, stronger and better. Steadfast in her beliefs, a fighter of uncommon grace, she was an inspiration to me and to us all.

Our heart goes out to Stephanie's son, Mervyn, Jr., and Bill's wife, Rebecca, who traveled to Denver to join us at our convention.

Bill and Stephanie knew that after eight years of George Bush, people are hurting at home, and our standing has eroded around the world. We have a lot of work ahead.

Jobs lost, houses gone, falling wages, rising prices. The Supreme Court in a right-wing headlock and our government in partisan gridlock. The biggest deficit in our nation's history. Money borrowed from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudis.

Putin and Georgia, Iraq and Iran.

I ran for president to renew the promise of America. To rebuild the middle class and sustain the American Dream, to provide the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford the gas and groceries and still have a little left over each month.

To promote a clean energy economy that will create millions of green collar jobs.

To create a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance.

To create a world class education system and make college affordable again.

To fight for an America defined by deep and meaningful equality — from civil rights to labor rights, from women's rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families. To help every child live up to his or her God-given potential.

To make America once again a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.

To bring fiscal sanity back to Washington and make our government an instrument of the public good, not of private plunder.

To restore America's standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq, bring our troops home and honor their service by caring for our veterans.

And to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges, from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming.

Most of all, I ran to stand up for all those who have been invisible to their government for eight long years.

Those are the reasons I ran for president. Those are the reasons I support Barack Obama. And those are the reasons you should too.

I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?

We need leaders once again who can tap into that special blend of American confidence and optimism that has enabled generations before us to meet our toughest challenges. Leaders who can help us show ourselves and the world that with our ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit, there are no limits to what is possible in America.

This won't be easy. Progress never is. But it will be impossible if we don't fight to put a Democrat in the White House.

We need to elect Barack Obama because we need a President who understands that America can't compete in a global economy by padding the pockets of energy speculators, while ignoring the workers whose jobs have been shipped overseas. We need a president who understands that we can't solve the problems of global warming by giving windfall profits to the oil companies while ignoring opportunities to invest in new technologies that will build a green economy.

We need a President who understands that the genius of America has always depended on the strength and vitality of the middle class.

Barack Obama began his career fighting for workers displaced by the global economy. He built his campaign on a fundamental belief that change in this country must start from the ground up, not the top down. He knows government must be about "We the people" not "We the favored few."

And when Barack Obama is in the White House, he'll revitalize our economy, defend the working people of America, and meet the global challenges of our time. Democrats know how to do this. As I recall, President Clinton and the Democrats did it before. And President Obama and the Democrats will do it again.

He'll transform our energy agenda by creating millions of green jobs and building a new, clean energy future. He'll make sure that middle class families get the tax relief they deserve. And I can't wait to watch Barack Obama sign a health care plan into law that covers every single American.

Barack Obama will end the war in Iraq responsibly and bring our troops home _a first step to repairing our alliances around the world.

And he will have with him a terrific partner in Michelle Obama. Anyone who saw Michelle's speech last night knows she will be a great first lady for America.

Americans are also fortunate that Joe Biden will be at Barack Obama's side. He is a strong leader and a good man. He understands both the economic stresses here at home and the strategic challenges abroad. He is pragmatic, tough, and wise. And, of course, Joe will be supported by his wonderful wife, Jill.

They will be a great team for our country.

Now, John McCain is my colleague and my friend.

He has served our country with honor and courage.

But we don't need four more years ... of the last eight years.

More economic stagnation ... and less affordable health care.

More high gas prices ... and less alternative energy.

More jobs getting shipped overseas ... and fewer jobs created here.

More skyrocketing debt ... home foreclosures ... and mounting bills that are crushing our middle class families.

More war ... less diplomacy.

More of a government where the privileged come first ... and everyone else comes last.

John McCain says the economy is fundamentally sound. John McCain doesn't think that 47 million people without health insurance is a crisis. John McCain wants to privatize Social Security. And in 2008, he still thinks it's OK when women don't earn equal pay for equal work.

With an agenda like that, it makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart.

America is still around after 232 years because we have risen to the challenge of every new time, changing to be faithful to our values of equal opportunity for all and the common good.

And I know what that can mean for every man, woman, and child in America. I'm a United States senator because in 1848 a group of courageous women and a few brave men gathered in Seneca Falls, New York, many traveling for days and nights, to participate in the first convention on women's rights in our history.

And so dawned a struggle for the right to vote that would last 72 years, handed down by mother to daughter to granddaughter — and a few sons and grandsons along the way.

These women and men looked into their daughters' eyes, imagined a fairer and freer world, and found the strength to fight. To rally and picket. To endure ridicule and harassment. To brave violence and jail.

And after so many decades — 88 years ago on this very day — the 19th amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote would be forever enshrined in our Constitution.

My mother was born before women could vote. But in this election my daughter got to vote for her mother for president.

This is the story of America. Of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.

How do we give this country back to them?

By following the example of a brave New Yorker, a woman who risked her life to shepherd slaves along the Underground Railroad.

And on that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice.

If you hear the dogs, keep going.

If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.

If they're shouting after you, keep going.

Don't ever stop. Keep going.

If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.

Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going.

I've seen it in you. I've seen it in our teachers and firefighters, nurses and police officers, small business owners and union workers, the men and women of our military — you always keep going.

We are Americans. We're not big on quitting.

But remember, before we can keep going, we have to get going by electing Barack Obama president.

We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare.

Nothing less than the fate of our nation and the future of our children hang in the balance.

I want you to think about your children and grandchildren come election day. And think about the choices your parents and grandparents made that had such a big impact on your life and on the life of our nation.

We've got to ensure that the choice we make in this election honors the sacrifices of all who came before us, and will fill the lives of our children with possibility and hope.

That is our duty, to build that bright future, and to teach our children that in America there is no chasm too deep, no barrier too great — and no ceiling too high — for all who work hard, never back down, always keep going, have faith in God, in our country, and in each other.

Thank you so much. God bless America and Godspeed to you all.

Michelle Obama: A Great Example Of A Third-Wave Feminist!


She misses being an official member of Generation X by one year, but Michelle Obama is just like Generation X feminists. Simply put, she equates her family with her own ambitions, she equates women with men, she is fearless, and she never plays the victim card.

That's my girl. That's millions of Gen-X women. And that's Michelle Obama. A '21st Century Woman.' Not a perfect speaker. Not a slick CEO. Not a trophy wife either. She's for real. She was herself last night, and addressed the nation as a jury. She delivered an awesome opening statement, which could have equally served as a closing argument.

She is not an 'angry black woman' as the right-wing bloggers and pundits have asserted. She does not hate America, as Karl Rove has slyly suggested. She is quite likable, in fact.

The PUMA Secret

The PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) crowd's secret is out. They are not Hillary Clinton supporters. They are not even Democrats. They are Wingnuts, who have planted themselves into the coverage of the DNC, and who have spread debunked falsehoods about Senator Obama.

This video finally proves it, as he was 'punk'd' by representatives of JustSayNoDeal.com. The Democrats need to counter-attack this kind of ratfucking:

Michael Saitzman in today's Huffington Post: PUMAs Give Cougars a Bad Name

Have you heard about a nutter named Chrissie Atkins? She's one of those scorned loons that call themselves "PUMAs." PUMA, for the blissfully uninitiated stands for -- and I'm not making this up -- "Party Unity My Ass." Chris Matthews took on this Chrissie Atkins sack-of-dung yesterday in the crowd outside the convention center when she claimed to have a 17-page report from a congressional investigator that says that Barack Obama "went to a madrasa" and is a "registered Muslim."

I'm not even sure what part of that is my favorite. The 17-page report? Wow, 17 pages. Single spaced? Somebody's been burning the midnight oil. No, maybe my favorite part is the "congressional investigator." When Matthews pressed this crooked tooth trashbag for a name, she said she wouldn't tell him. When he asked again she said he should have his ears cleaned out so he could hear her better -- "I'm not telling you!" She huffed this out while panting and seething as if she just caught her husband in bed with her sister (or his sister). Of course when Matthews pressed her again she finally said that the author of the report was a "former congressional investigator," though she still wouldn't or couldn't furnish a name.

Actually, the part that made me laugh out loud ("lol" for you stay-at-home Pumas) was the "registered muslim." After the laughter died down, I found myself thinking about how organized these Muslims are. Not like us Jews. I couldn't get registered if I had a Torah around my neck. Then I tried to picture the registration office -- the DMV -- the Department of Muslim Verification, I would imagine.

Obviously Obama is not a Muslim. But even if he was...am I the only one deeply uncomfortable with the fact that the word "Muslim" has become synonymous with "monster" among the PUMA set and so many others? Yes, radical Muslims who fly planes into buildings are monsters of the most heinous variety. That's a given. But were the Japanese-Americans who were thrown in American internment camps and stripped of their U.S. citizenship the same as the Japanese pilots who flew their planes into the ships at Pearl Harbor?

I wonder what the PUMAs would have said about Senator Daniel Inouye, winner of the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Medal of Honor for his heroism in WWII? Would they have praised him as a war hero? Or would they have gone on national television and claimed to have a 17-page report, written by an un-nameable and alleged former congressional investigator, proving that Senator Inouye is a registered Jap?

Critical Days For Lehman


CEO Dick Fuld is under serious fire as he struggles to raise cash. The easiest way to raise cash right now is to sell the profitable and successful Wealth Management/Asset Management division. Private Equity firm KKR is the front-runner to buy the business unit from Lehman, which is valued at over $10 Billion.

But there is a problem. Analysts say that if the Asset Management division is worth $10 Billion, then the rest of the firm is worth little more than nothing. Of course, Dick rejects this assessment. But the clock on the firm and his Chairman seat is ticking. We knew that Bart McDade would one day take-over. But that day is approaching quickly.

I can only imagine what it's like in the House of Lehman right now. Some interns and summer analysts might wind-up with this week's tickets to Lehman's many box seats at Yankee Stadium. The mood in the luxury box at Arthur Ashe stadium is probably very somber. Rank and file traders and bankers may have updated their resumes. And probably everyone has given-up hope for a bonus in January.

It was great to get through Lehman through its toughest times as a public company. But this has to be the toughest time for the firm. It could even be the end.

Home Opener In Newcastle

Photo by Flickr user TooMuchTyne, used here under a Creative Commons license

Photo by Flickr user Cul 9, used here under a Creative Commons license

Ah, the lads are back in town. The traditional pre-game pie and pint have been consumed and the final minutes are ticking down. I will get my chance to watch the game at 5pm at Nevada Smiths. But for the Toon faithful, it is 5pm now, and the post-game celebrations have begun.

Newcastle 1 - Bolton 0

New York City Loses Another Civil Liberties Suit


They can spin it all they want, but a $2M settlement is a defeat in my book. Good for the plaintiffs in this case. 52 people were peacefully protesting on a city sidewalk on April 7th 2003, when the NYPD rounded up and arrested them. Unfortunately, justice will not be given to the nearly 2,000 protesters who were arrested, thrown into detention pens, and denied their constitutional rights for over 24 hours during the Republican National Convention just over a year later. The 2003 incident could have been a warm-up for the RNC, because the tactic they used was similar to what they did during the RNC. The police cut-off West 53rd Street, surrounded the protesters, and then arrested them all:


Lawyers said that..people were arrested without police warning or without providing an opportunity for anyone to leave.

During the 2004 RNC, the NYPD had perfected this tactic so that they turned side streets into 'traps.' By cutting off access to the east and west avenues, everyone trapped on the street could be taken into custody. The police even used scooters and nets to perform these sweeping mass arrests. In at least one reported case, they directed pedestrians and bicyclists to turn onto a street where they were subsequently trapped and arrested. Many of those arrested weren't even involved in the protests, such as the famous case of bicyclist Alexander Pincus, who was directed to ride his bike into a trap after picking-up soup for his girlfriend at the now defunct Second Avenue Deli.

And last week, we got some good news regarding the 2004 RNC tactics. A federal judge has ordered the city to turn-over NYPD reports and summaries of their intelligence-gathering of protest groups prior to and during the 2004 RNC. The city will appeal, but perhaps this means that we're a year or so away from determining the depth of the NYPD's spying program. The documents detail which groups were spied on and/or infiltrated by undercover officers, and include summaries of what intelligence was obtained from each group.

I have always asked (and I assume others ask it as well) - was there any overlap between the NYPD surveillance and spying by the NSA or FBI? In other words, was the NYPD spying on groups that the FBI had already looked at (or didn't bother looking at)? Did the NYPD go beyond what the feds were doing? What made the NYPD commit to an expensive surveillance program if the feds weren't concerned with the target groups? Or if the feds were watching the groups, what made Commissioner Ray Kelly think that the NYPD could do a better job? Did the NYPD tell the feds that they were doing this? Did the NYPD spy on groups outside the US? Wouldn't that be the NSA's responsibility? We know there is historic tension and mistrust between the FBI and local law enforcement, but this would make a great case study by a criminal justice or legal scholar.

We Have A Heartbeat!


The Red Sox are not dying. They are on the verge of building a critical win streak. They swept the Rangers at home. And now they host the Blue Jays and their excellent starting pitchers for three games.

Veteran pitcher, confirmed HGH user, and born-again Christian Paul Byrd makes his debut for Boston in what should be an exciting matchup against flame-thrower Roy Halladay.


The addition of Paul Byrd brings the number of evangelical Red Sox players (on the roster) back up to six. Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, J.D. Drew, Mike Timlin, and Jon Lester are the others.

What 'Elitist' Really Means To Republicans

Brad over at Sadly, No! hits the nail on the head:


You see, “elitism” in this country isn’t defined by how much money you have, but whether you ever enjoy your life. For instance, you can make a lot of money and not be an elitist if your work is joyless and purposeless. This is why the Waltons are considered salt-of-the-Earth types, even though they’re the richest family in the world: because the only joy they get out of life is exploiting cheap labor both here and abroad to produce and sell cheap plastic crap. And since the Waltons are such miserable people, it’s hard for the average spite voter to feel much resentment toward them, since they’re basically richer versions of themselves.

And this is where tying Democrats to Hollywood movie stars and hip-hop moguls comes in handy! See, unlike the joyless corporate drones who comprise the GOP’s major donor base, celebrities seem to be enjoying the wealth they’ve accumulated by throwing parties filled with endless supplies of sex and drugs. The most fun your typical corporate GOP sleaze gets, on the other hand, is through hiring hookers to humiliate them or through cruising for action in an airport bathroom — not exactly glamorous, I’d say.

While I certainly don’t hold it against Obama or any Democrat for going on vacation in Hawaii, I would like to see them try to appeal to peoples’ spite and hatred more — and let’s face it, it’s tough to do this when you’re having a good time. So maybe next summer, Obama can show everyone what a Real American looks like by taking a vacation in a miserable craphole and hating every minute of it. Gary, Indiana comes to mind, although I hear Youngstown, Ohio is particularly unlovely this time of year.

Digby got the ball rolling for Brad:


Cokie Roberts said today that Obama shouldn’t be going on vacation anywhere that has the “look of a foreign exotic place” and should go to Myrtle Beach instead. Apparently, Hawaii isn’t quite American enough for Cokie and her provincial pals in the beltway, even though it’s one of the 50 states.

I remember that Clinton got dinged right after he was elected for vacationing in Santa Barbara because it was too “California.” Unless you’re a Republican presidential candidate apparently you shouldn’t go to any western beach, much less to Hawaii, unless you want to be called a foreign fag.

The video clip that started it all. The ever-illogical Cokie Robers argues that Hawaii is a 'foreign and exotic' place for Obama's one-and-only extended vacation this year. Never mind that Obama couldn't make news with the start of the Olympic coverage. Also, never mind that his maternal grandmother and his sister lives there. Forget that it is the state of his birth, and that he went to high school there. Oh, and never mind that Hawaii is a US state, and you don't need a passport or "exotic" taste to go there. Congratulations, Cokie, you just insulted 1.3 million Americans.

These people want to see elitist? How about educating themselves that John McCain and his wife Cindy have eight residences between them?

I think Brad's argument is all but proven. You can be a millionaire, but so long as you vacation in Crawford, go quayle hunting in south Texas, or cruise for sex in airport restrooms, you can never be called an elitist. But if a liberal blogger (like this one) buys blueberries at whole foods, listens to jazz, slurps gazpacho, or swims in Vieques, then the 'Elitist' label is completely justified.

'Canada 1, Gasbags 0'


H/T to Sadly, No! commenter, Lesley.

The most twisted and hateful of all American wingnut pastors, Fred Phelps, was successful at entering Winnipeg last week with the intent of protesting at the funeral of Greyhound bus beheading victim, Tim McLean Jr.

Lesley writes:

Fred Phelps and his batshit crew traveled into Canada to “protest” at the funeral of Tim McLean, the fellow who was beheaded on the bus two weeks ago. (Their MO was the usual…God killed Tim because Canada allows gay marriage and abortion.) Neither the government nor the border guards were successful in keeping them out, though they tried. Canadians hearing of it on the news arrived in the hundreds at the funeral and erected a human wall to keep them from disrupting the funeral and getting anywhere near the mourners. The gasbags didn’t show up, saying they were afraid someone might assault them. Damn straight.

Canada 1
Gasbags: 0

Second Veteran Cop Caught Demanding Free Starbucks


Photo by Flickr user, Waves (UK).

What the hell is going on? First, a 15-year veteran angrily demands free coffee in multiple Daytona Beach stores, and is fired. Now, we have a female 15-year veteran who demanded free coffee and baked goods from multiple stores in Chicago, and was suspended after years of alleged intimidation of store employees.

I thought Starbucks was for liberal pussies like me? Can't these cops be happy with 7-Eleven or Dunkin'? So they want the top-shelf shit. Well, I can vouch that Starbucks really is that good. If your drive is to stay awake, 300+ milligrams of caffeine (in the Grande espresso drinks) is quite a boost. The beans might be over-roasted, but man, what a rush.

Stressful job? You betcha'. Dangerous? Sure. Long days? Yup. But Peace Officers, there is no free coffee on-demand or through intimidation. Freebies are discretionary. We little people need to make a living. Most of us don't qualify for overtime.

Andrea Pininfarina, 1957-2008


On August 14 1988, Italy lost an automobile legend when Enzo Ferrari passed away. Twenty years later, it has lost the living legacy of the Pininfarina name, Andrea Pininfarina, who was killed today in an accident involving his Vespa scooter. A driver pulled out of a driveway or other road directly in his path, and he had no chance to stop. He served as the CEO of Pininfarina since 2001. It is widely speculated that since he is the only living grandson of the founder, Battista Farina, and the Pininfarina family is considering reducing its share of ownership of the compamny, this could be the end of an era. The influence and involvement of the Pininfarina family could be coming to an end.

Andrea Pininfarina was involved in some key projects for the firm, including the Cadillac Allante (1987) and the non-US versions of the Ford Focus (1998-present).

The 2005 Maserati Birdcage 75, a concept car to celebrate Pininfarina's 75th anniversary, and designed by Ken Okuyama.

Looking Back: The Ordeal Of Sarah Taylor


Bloggers have pointed out the significance of the Sarah Taylor ordeal in the wake of last Monday's report detailing the wrongdoings of Monica Goodling. Sarah Taylor was second in command to Karl Rove at the White House Political office from 2001-2007. Here are are few recaps of a woman who handled herself even more poorly than Goodling did (albeit it could be argued that Goodling purjured herself in her testimony).

The Sarah Taylor appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 11th of last year was significant because her claim to executive privilege was undercut by her testimony. First, she claimed that she couldn't answer most questions because she was covered by the President's claim of executive priviledge. But as the hearing went on, with her lawyer present, she went against the claim and answered a few selective questions. Every now and then, she opened a window for the senators to look through, and they only had more questions (and they do to this day).

Damozel: The Ordeal Of Sarah Taylor

Here, Senator Patrick Leahy corrects Ms. Taylor about the oath she took when she joined the White House staff:

Her testimony under questioning from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse proved to be most interesting. Here, Whitehouse almost nails her for admitting to violations of the Hatch Act (discussing campaign or party strategy in Federal offices):

Keep in mind that this is someone who was involved in sending and receiving e-mails using her RNC e-mail account, outside the White House servers, and thus outside the review of Congress:

Dana Milbank:


Contemptuous of Congress or not, the witness's most obvious sentiment was her fondness for bottled water. She bounded into the hearing room and, ignoring the glass and coaster in front of her, unscrewed the Deer Park bottle, licked her lips and drank. She took seven more such sips during Leahy's opening statement. When he said she "was among the staffers who played a key role in these firings," she licked her lips and sipped. "What role did Ms. Taylor and others in Karl Rove's White House political office play?" Sip. "It's apparent that this White House is contemptuous of the Congress." Sip.

Dahlia Lithwick: Sara Taylor plays the Senate judiciary committee like a harp

Monica Goodling: Where She Is Now And Where She Should Be

Where she is now: Married to Mike Krempasky, founder of the right-wing blog, Redstate.

Where she should be: In a Federal courtroom, on trail for violating Federal hiring laws, violations of the Hatch Act, and for obstructing justice. Andrew Cohen of CBS news agrees.

Damozel at The Moderate Voice saw the same Sadly, No! post I saw on Monday, and she created this most excellent post.

Spoke Too Soon - Manny Ramirez Delt To Dodgers


I underestimated the Red Sox. I thought they would try hard for a 3-way deal to get rid of Manny, see it fail, and then tell the disgruntled outfielder that they 'really tried...sorry, Manny.' But no, they had a beautiful backup plan. Instead of a 3-way deal between Boston, Miami, and Pittsburgh, we have a 3-way deal between Boston, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh.

Boston sends Manny Ramirez to LA after paying the $7 Million reamining on his final year. The Dodgers send 2 minor league prospects to the Pirates. The Red Sox send backup outfielder Brandon Moss and reliever Crag Hansen to the Pirates. And the Pirates send 30 year-old outfielder Jason Bay to the Sox to replace Manny.

So Manny will be playing for Joe Torre. Serves him right. If you bad-mouth the team that loves you, cuts you slack, protects your privacy, and pays your salary, then you don't deserve to play in Boston. Manny and Nomar can hang together while the Dodgers clearly have paid too much for a 2-month rental. Thanks, LA. You've been really kind to us Bostonians this year.

Manny Ramirez is a future hall of famer. I really wanted to see him finish his career with Boston. But his two MLBCS rings and series MVP will assure that he enters the Hall of Fame with a B on his plaque. I will also miss him because he was from the hood next door to me - Washington Heights. His Indians jersey and photographs hang on the wall of Coogans. He's one of us New Yorkers. We will always be proud of him.

"That damned spotted owl. It haunts us to this day."


Thanks to Sadly, No! and their commentator, J--, for pointing this out.

The Office of Professional Conduct (OPC) has published its final report on the interviewing techniques of Monica Goodling during her tenure at the US Department of Justice.

It is worth a read because it is full of scathing evidence and a conclusion that cannot possibly be misread:


[Page 125] The evidence demonstrated that Goodling violated Department policy and federal law, and committed misconduct, by considering political or ideological affiliations in the appointment of IJs and BIA members. Goodling admitted in her congressional testimony that she “took political considerations into account” in IJ and BIA hiring. She stated that Sampson had told her that IJ hiring was not subject to civil service laws, and that she “assumed” those laws did not apply to BIA member hiring. The evidence showed that she used political considerations in assessing candidates for both IJ and BIA positions.

That's an important distinction. It means that Monica Goodling asked the same political screening questions of both political appointees (which is legal) and DOJ candidates for employment (which is not). Many of the candidates for career positions screened by Goodling included IJ applicants - Immigration Judges. Ms. Goodling was not a decision maker in the hiring process. But she was a key interviewer, and made recommendations on who to hire and who to reject. You might think that the political screening questions would be subtle. But thankfully, they were quite blunt. Take a look at this key excerpt from pages 17-19 (emphasis mine):

As White House Liaison, Goodling’s primary responsibility was to screen candidates for political positions. Based on our witness interviews and review of documents, and the results of our survey, we found that most of the people Goodling screened or interviewed had applied for political positions. However, Goodling also assessed candidates for various types of career positions, including candidates for AUSA positions requested by interim U.S. Attorneys, career attorneys applying for details to Department offices, and candidates for IJ and BIA positions. We also found that Goodling interviewed many candidates who were interested in obtaining any position in the Department, whether career or political.

Our investigation demonstrated that Goodling sometimes used for career applicants the same political screening techniques she employed in considering applicants for political positions. In addition, she used for candidates who were interested in any position, whether career or political, the same political screening she used for applicants who applied solely for political positions, and some of these candidates were placed in career positions.

In the sections that follow, we describe the process Goodling used as White House Liaison to screen candidates for political positions within the Department. We note where applicable the evidence that she used similar techniques in assessing candidates for career positions. As detailed in this chapter, Goodling used a variety of methods to screen candidates, including interview questions, Internet searches, employment forms, and reference checks.

I. Interview Questions

According to witnesses we interviewed and documents we reviewed, Goodling regularly asked interview questions designed to determine how politically conservative the candidates were. We interviewed Angela Williamson, who was the Department’s Deputy White House Liaison and reported to Goodling during most of Goodling’s tenure as White House Liaison. Williamson attended numerous interviews conducted by Goodling and told us that Goodling asked the same questions “all the time” and tried to ask the same questions of all candidates. Williamson said she became so familiar with the questions, Goodling occasionally allowed her to conduct portions of interviews or entire interviews on her own.

After Goodling resigned, Williamson typed from memory the list of questions Goodling asked as a guide for future interviews. Among other questions, the list included the following:

  • Tell us about your political philosophy. There are different
    groups of conservatives, by way of example: Social
    Conservative, Fiscal Conservative, Law & Order Republican.

  • [W]hat is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to
    serve him?

  • Aside from the President, give us an example of someone
    currently or recently in public service who you admire.

    • We found that this last question often took the form of asking the candidate to identify his or her most admired President, Supreme Court Justice, or legislator. Some candidates were asked to identify a person for all three categories. Williamson told us that sometimes Goodling asked candidates: “Why are you a Republican?”

    Several candidates interviewed by Goodling told us they believed that her question about identifying their favorite Supreme Court Justice, President, or legislator was an attempt to determine the candidates’ political beliefs. For example, one candidate reported that after he stated he admired Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Goodling “frowned” and commented, “but she’s pro-choice.” Another candidate commented that when Goodling asked him to name his favorite judge, it seemed to him that she was trying to “get at my political views.”

    Williamson said that she and Goodling took notes during candidate interviews, which were maintained in folders for the candidates. We also found that many of Goodling’s and Williamson’s interview notes reflected that the topics of abortion and gay marriage were discussed during interviews. It appeared that these topics were discussed as a result of the question seeking information about how the applicant would characterize the type of conservative they were. We received information from our survey that 34 persons interviewed by Goodling or Williamson said they discussed abortion, and 21 said they discussed gay marriage.


    And how did Goodling research candidates and filter out the suspected liberals from the 'good Bushies'? She used the most powerful media search tool on the planet - Lexis/Nexis. Any candidate who went near specific topics in print or online news media would presumably be disqualified. Another key excerpt:

    We found that Goodling’s Internet research on candidates for Department positions was extensive and designed to obtain their political and ideological affiliations. We determined that while working in the OAG, Goodling conducted computer searches on candidates for career as well as political Department positions. Goodling used an Internet search string in her hiring research that she had received from Jan Williams, her predecessor as the Department’s White House Liaison. At some time during the year Williams served as White House Liaison, she had attended a seminar at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and received a document entitled “The Thorough Process of Investigation.”

    The document described methods for screening candidates for political positions and recommended using www.tray.com and www.opensecrets.org to find information about contributions to political candidates and parties. The document also explained how to find voter registration information. In addition, the document explained how to conduct searches on www.nexis.com, and included an example of a search string that contained political terms such as “republican,” “Bush or Cheney,” “Karl Rove,” “Howard Dean,” “democrat!,” “liberal,” “abortion or pro-choice,” as well as generic terms such as “arrest!” and “bankrupt!”

    When Williams left the Department in April 2006, she sent an email to Goodling containing an Internet search string and explained: “This is the lexis nexis search string that I use for AG appointments.”

    The string reads as follows:

    [First name of a candidate]! and pre/2 [last name of a candidate] w/7 bush or gore or republican! or democrat! or charg! or accus! or criticiz! or blam! or defend! or iran contra or clinton or spotted owl or florida recount or sex! or controvers! or racis! or fraud! or investigat! or bankrupt! or layoff! or downsiz! or PNTR or NAFTA or outsourc! or indict! or enron or kerry or iraq or wmd! or arrest! or intox! or fired or sex! or racis! or intox! or slur! or arrest! or fired or controvers! or abortion! or gay! or homosexual! or gun! or firearm!

    In addition, Williams provided to Goodling the White House document described above entitled, “The Thorough Process of Investigation.”


    The Spotted Owl. The damned Spotted Owl. It haunts us to this day. Those Bushies know what we like. There is no escape from the Goodling Lexis/Nexis search string.