“I’m confident the president knows who the source is. I’d be amazed if he doesn’t. So I say, ‘Don’t bug me. Don’t bug Bob Woodward. Bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is.’” What did the President know about Plamegate, and when did he know it? Saving his own skin first, as per the norm, Douchebag of Liberty Robert Novak says ask Dubya. Update: Safe once more among his kind, DoL Novak joins FOX News.
Category: GOP
The Eye of the Needle.
“They are trading the lives of poor people for their agenda. They’re being, and this is the worst insult, unbiblical.” As liberal Christian groups protest GOP cuts in poverty programs, the Post looks into why the usual right-wing suspects are AWOL on the issue of poverty.
Mea Culpa, Sort-of.
“It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. As president I am responsible for the decision to go into Iraq.” In his final speech on Iraq before tomorrow’s elections, (text) Dubya admits the case for war was FUBAR, while insisting it was a good idea anyway. (“The United States did not choose war — the choice was Saddam Hussein’s.“) Of course, Bush neglected to mention that it was he, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al who cherry-picked through the available intelligence and continued to recite claims they knew to be false. Still, for someone who’s seems pathologically incapable of accepting reality at times, this has to be considered a step forward.
(Chief) Justice De-Layed?
Ten days after the Post unearthed a Justice Department memo deeming the recent Texas redistricting a violation of civil liberties, the Supreme Court says it will review the DeLay plan. “The panel stressed that it was deciding ‘only the legality’ of the redistricting plan, ‘not its wisdom.'”
The Money Pit.
The Washington Post offers some handy graphs on the comings-and-goings of Casino Jack Abramoff’s donation operation. Looks like, while the GOP has a 2-1 advantage in obtaining Abramoff and the tribes’ money, some prominent Dems — particularly Patrick Kennedy — have seen their share of the loot as well. Update: Another Dem — Byron Dorgan — returns his Abramoff-tainted money.
The other Novak speaks.
“One final note: Luskin is unhappy that I decided to write about our conversation, but I feel that he violated any understanding to keep our talk confidential by unilaterally going to Fitzgerald and telling him what was said.” TIME reporter Viveca Novak explains her testimony before the Fitzgerald grand jury. Novak, who may well have tipped Luskin to a hole in Rove’s story, is now on a leave of absence with TIME “by mutual agreement.”
Greenhouse Doghouse.
Shunned by Dubya and spurred on by Bill Clinton, the rest of the world comes together to limit greenhouse gases and extend the Kyoto treaty. “Brushing aside the Bush administration’s fierce protests, all the industrialized nations except the United States and Australia were near an agreement Friday night to embark on a new round of formal talks aimed at setting new mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions after 2012, when the existing pact known as the Kyoto Protocol expires.“
Adam Had ‘Em.
More trouble for Casino Jack and his GOP shakedown operation cronies: Federal prosecutors are on the verge of flipping Abramoff associate Adam Kidan. “Kidan, who has known Abramoff since their student days when they were members of the College Republicans, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud…’Adam will testify against Abramoff and Ney if he is given an opportunity to do so,’ said Joseph Conway, an attorney for Kidan.”
The Recrudescence of Dividend Dubya.
Ever the one-trick pony, Dubya tries to make the case anew for dividend and capital gains tax breaks for the wealthy. But, to their credit, GOP moderates such as Olympia Snowe (R-ME) are no longer buying, and even cultural conservatives don’t want tax credits for Vegas-style businesses along the rebuilding Gulf Coast.
Hammered Again.
In a blow to the Hammer’s hopes of regaining his seat of power in the near future, the judge in Boss DeLay’s Texas trial offers up a split decision, dismissing a conspiracy charge against DeLay (the law apparently wasn’t on the books when he broke it) while upholding the “far more serious allegations of money-laundering.” Update: As a result of the judge’s decision, DeLay’s GOP opponents start to balk under his regime.