Megan’s post on one of the shitbags involved with Freedom’s Watch got my blood pressure up when it reminded me of another shitbag associated with the group: Ari Fleischer. Fleischer used to be the Dear Leader’s press secretary. Known for his ability to look reporters straight in the eye and lie, Ari would actually get angry when they didn’t buy his shit. Despite their best efforts, neither the McClellatron 3000 nor Deer-in-the-Headlights Dana have been able to match the depth and sweep of Ari’s dishonesty. Even Snowjob couldn’t fill his shoes. As Slate’s Tim Noah said:

Ari Fleischer’s ability to repeat a lie even after it’s been shown, repeatedly, to be false is what separates him from the amateurs.

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This is Bradley Blakeman. He used to be a deputy assistant to W., after which he was pulled into the clammy, close-talking, slightly sour-breathed embrace of the Republican political machine. He was tapped last year to lead the inaptly-named Freedom’s Watch, which was funded by a group of rich people to get us to invade Iran and elect Republicans and shit. You would think that would be working out really well for Brad, right? Well, luckily, he’s a pompous incompetent douchebag, so it’s not — although, it is sort of surprising he’s not working for Hillary directly. Read the rest of this entry »

This is Republican pollster Frank Luntz. Once the favorite butt boy of Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay, the rise of John “Not Boner” Boehner to prominence unironically reduced Ass Pirate Luntz’s role in the party.

In a little notice item this morning on Politico, Ben Smith catches Luntz in line for Elton John’s Hillary benefit last night. Conjectures are welcomed in the comments.

Elton John: ‘To hell with them’ [Politico]

It is my firm belief that Oklahoma has the stupidest congressional delegation in the history of the nation.  From global-warming-denier James Inhofe to the criminally stupid Tom Coburn, the batshit insanity sweeps down the plain at record levels.  But a reevaluation of this position might be in order if a contender for toilet goblin Senator Larry Craig’s seat wins in Idaho:

As disgraced U.S. Senator Larry Craig heads towards retirement, a man seeking his seat has taken an unusual step in his strategy:

He has changed his legal name to a political stance.

A 66-year-old Idaho strawberry farmer, formerly known after a previous name change as Marvin Pro-Life Richardson, is now, simply, “Pro-Life.”

“I think it’s just and I think it’s proper to have Pro-Life on the ballot,” Pro-Life told the Idaho Press-Tribune. “If I save one baby’s life, it’s worth it.”

Pro-Life made the change after an unsuccessful run for governor under the Constitution Party in 2006, hoping this time to skirt the state policy that prevented him from using what was then his middle name as his name on the ballot, as the state considered it not a name, but a slogan.

I’m sure Blastocyst-Americans nationwide are thrilled.

Political Candidate Legally Changes Name to Pro-Life [PageOneQ]

Governor Eliot Spitzer, Democrat of New York, fucked hookers and broke the law.  After this was discovered earlier this month, it took him a few days to resign, but he went.  Now New York has a new governor who it turns out fucked women who weren’t his wife (including a state employee) but that’s another post.

Senator David Vitter, Republican of Louisiana, also fucked hookers and also broke the law.  After this was discovered last year, it took him a few days too - not to resign, but to accuse everybody who disagreed with him of plotting his demise.  This got even some Republicans pissed at him:

I was at the news statement this summer and said the next day, David Vitter did not answer squat.  The only thing “direct” was a stilted apology from Vitter, broad attacks and denial of local allegations, and an emotional appeal by his wife (another Wendy), to leave them alone and then out-of-the door they scooted.   

More hypocrisy after the jump.

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Amazingly, Caligutard’s idiocy, mental illness and catastrophic record as president is beginning to undermine support for the Republican Party, ending a downward spiral that began in 1980 and that will terminate this year during the presidential general election when Gallup Poll surveys will show that the American people trust the Scientologists, the People’s Republic of China Army and Charles Manson 22%, 19% and 17% more, respectively, than the GOP.

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Jonathan Turley was my torts professor some years back. He’s a smart guy. And he’s highlighted something we all knew was coming. The Chinese government is defending their torture methods by pointing out that we do it too:

The Bush Administration has long been ridiculed by the international community as converting the United States from a leader in human rights to the very symbol of the violation of core principles of human rights. However, few were prepared for the utter hypocrisy of watching the Administration condemn China for its use of torture on the very same time that President Bush vetoed a ban on the use of torture in the waterboarding bill. Now China is using our torture program to defend its own abuses.

Chinese spokesman Qin Gang has accused the United States of “exercising double standards on human rights issues” in its condemnation of his country. There is little question that we are applying a double standard when both the President and Congress has struggled to preserve a well-defined form of torture. This hypocrisy will become more acute when our soldiers are waterboarded by other countries who will quote the President and various members of Congress in saying that it is perfectly appropriate.

No one could have predicted that one authoritarian government would use the actions of another authoritarian government to justify repression and torture.

Bush Legacy: China Defends Use of Torture by Citing The Bush Torture Program [via Crooks and Liars]

Think you didn’t have anything to live for?

Mitt Romney forms a Political Action Committee. I’m looking forward to the Huckabee-Romney 2012 primary fight already.  

Let the games begin.

MittPac [Matthew Yglesias, The Atlantic], Mitt Says He’d Be “Honored” to be Veep [Crooks and Liars]

It almost slipped by given the Spitzer mess, but guess who George W. Bush is sending to the Middle East to promote the peace process?  The Dark Lord:

US President George W Bush says he is sending Vice-President Dick Cheney to the Middle East next week.

Mr Bush said one of the reasons for the visit was to impress upon the Israelis and Palestinians the need to keep firm promises made on the peace process.

“His goal is to reassure people the US is committed to a vision of peace in the Middle East,” Mr Bush said.

So if Hamas and Israel don’t make up he’ll start shooting people in the face?  Sigh ….

Cheney to Tour Middle East States [bbc.co.uk]

Conrad Black used to run a publishing empire - Hollinger International.  He was sort of a pint-sized Rupert Murdoch.  He became a British lord in 2000, and he gave up his Canadian citizenship to do it. He’s also a peerless wingnut, and he’s married to another conservative nutjob - Barbara Amiel Black.  He’s an author, though some criticize him for using three words where one would do.  And, as of yesterday, he’s federal prisoner 18330-424.

What did Conrad do?  Eh, just a bit of minor-league looting of his company, but he’d forgotten that company was publicly-traded and didn’t belong to him. Ooops. More fun facts after the jump. 

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