White House: Global Warming is good for your health

Given their constant assertions that "the verdict is still out" on global warming, it seems they're pretty sure about this. Here's episode #77584 of "how stupid are these people?" featuring the creepily hot Dana Perino.
From Think Progress:


I have to say that her remarks at the end about "not being an expert" and "letting Julie Gerberding answer that question" are particularly laughable given that the question was about censoring Dr. Gerberding;s testmony before congress. Does she really not understand the fundamental contradiction between the idea of allowing someone to give there expert opinion and censoring it for political purposes?
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Standing up for the fourth estate

by Ari Rutenberg

Well its nice to be able to report once again that there are at least some journalists willing to do there jobs and not simply bow to White House demands and rules. During the farewell press conference for Karl Rove, though I have a sneaking suspicion that we've not seen the last of him, reporters were told there would be no questions form the press. And most reporters complied. But one intrepid journalist, CBS correspondent Bill Plante, did not acquiesce. Instead he shouted, several times and with no response, one simple question of Karl Rove. Plante asked "“If he’s so smart, how come you lost Congress?". Well thank you, Mr. Plante. Not only has he challenged the notion that the White House should completely control the agenda. He has also used a rare press conference with one of the most controversial political figures of our time to challenge the conventional wisdom about Mr. Rove, which is that he is some kind of genius and not just a crass, base manipulator who exploits the worst of human nature to achieve his ideological ends. The best part is that he is now on the recieving end of some vitriol from the right-wing blogosphere. So I guess you must be on the right track when these dishonest, self-deceiving, greedy, unenlightened people are all over you because it means that you must be on the right track in terms of exposing their lies and hypocrisy. It's too bad that there are so few serious journalists who are willing to speak truth to power, which I had always assumed was the only job of journalists, that it is noteworthy enough to remark on each individual reporter who does so. Read more!

House Votes to Pull Troops Out

From the BBC:

US House votes for troop pullout

Some Republicans have broken ranks with the President on Iraq

The United States House of Representatives has voted in favour of pulling most combat troops out of Iraq by April next year.

The legislation calls for the Pentagon to begin withdrawing combat troops within four months.

The vote comes despite President George W Bush's threat to veto any timetable.

Correspondents say the House of Representatives, controlled by the Democrats, is hoping to pressure the Senate to approve a similar timeline.

It is the third time this year the House has voted to end US military involvement in Iraq.

Two previous efforts either failed in the Senate or were vetoed by President Bush.

Limited progress

The latest attempt would allow some US forces to stay in Iraq to train the Iraqi army and carry out counter-terrorism operations.

"It is time for the president to listen to the American people and do what is necessary to protect this nation," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat.

"That means admitting his Iraq policy has failed, working with the Democrats and Republicans in Congress on crafting a new way forward in Iraq and refocusing our collective efforts on defeating al-Qaeda."

Earlier, President Bush presented an interim report on the situation in Iraq which said there had been only limited military and political progress following his decision to reinforce US troop levels in the country.

But Mr Bush rejected calls for a withdrawal of US forces, saying it would be disastrous.

"The report makes clear that not even the White House can conclude there has been significant progress," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat. "We have already waited too long."

The BBC's Matt Lantos in Washington says the most eagerly-awaited reaction is yet to come - that of those wavering Republicans who could determine whether or not Congress will try and force the president's hand. Read more!

I'm sure you don't Scott...

From today's WH press breifing:

Question: Scott, is Scooter Libby getting more than equal justice under the law? Is he getting special treatment?

Scott Stanzel: Well, I guess I don't know what you mean by equal justice under the law.

No surprises here...just more bitter disappointment with the gross incompetence and obvious disdain for the law, the constitution and the Enlightenment displayed by the Bush Administration on a daily basis.

Read the full transcript here Read more!

Trying to sugar coat a very bitter pill...

By Ari Rutenberg: When I first saw this clip of Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino mounting a very weak defense of Dick Cheney's latest abuse of power I thought "wow, what a pretty mouth to spew such bullshit." Now that isn't meant to be sexist and I'm sorry if it sounds that way. I reacted that way because it really struck me as I was watching this that she is really used as an instrument of propaganda. It seems like every time there is really bad news, which is quite often these days, they put her out there because they think that maybe it will be less shocking from her. I don't know... I really could be way off base here, but that is really what it seems like to me. Plus I wonder if she really believes this bs or if she is just complacent in the destruction of the American democracy?



(via YouTube and TPMtv) Read more!