Chuck Todd, White House Correspondent

Glenn Greenwald allows Chuck Todd of (MS)NBC to demonstrate his thought process. With "reporters" like this, it's no wonder that king george was able to break the law at will...
(the previous article they reference is here)

a sampling:

GG: So what do you think happens - I think what has destroyed our reputation is announcing to the world that we tolerate torture, and telling the world we don't --
CT: We have elections, we also had an election where this was an issue. A new president, who came in there, and has said, we're not going to torture, we're going to do this, and we're going to do this--
GG: What do you think should happen when presidents--
CT: Is that not enough? Isn't that enough?
GG: When, generally, if I go out and rob a bank tomorrow, what happens to me is not that I lose an election. What happens is to me is that I go to prison. So, what do you think should happen when presidents get caught committing crimes in office? What do you think ought to happen?
CT: You see, this is where, this is not - you cannot sit here and say this is as legally black and white as a bank robbery because this was an ideological, legal --
GG: A hundred people died in detention. A hundred people. The United States Government admits that there are homicides that took place during interrogations. Waterboarding and these other techniques are things that the United States has always prosecuted as torture.
Until John Yoo wrote that memo, where was the lack of clarity about whether or not these things were illegal? Where did that lack of clarity or debate exist? They found some right-wing ideologues in the Justice Department to say that this was okay, that's what you're endorsing. As long the president can do that, he's above the law. And I don't see how you can say that you're doing anything other than endorsing a system of lawlessness where the president is free to break the law?
CT: Well, look, I don't believe I'm endorsing a system of lawlessness; I'm trying to put in the reality that as much that there is a legal black and white here, there is a political reality that clouds this, and you know it does too.

So, the lesson I take from this is that no matter what a President (past, present or future) does, the corporate owned media (in this case, a joint venture of MSFT & GE) will be cheerleading (unless it impacts their bottom line). No wonder people are abandoning traditional media as fast as credible alternatives become available.

Scientists Have Opinions

Hey, what do you know? Well educated people who make their living using logic, and are willing to submit the rationale behind their conclusions to inspection have certain characteristics in common. From the Pew Research Center for People and the Press:



Ok, so Americans have a pretty positive view of scientists (slightly below teachers). Scientists, however, aren't quite as impressed with the American public's knowledge of science:


Scientists see an American public that is poorly educated about science, can't tell real science from junk science, and is poorly served by the media on science topics.

Could things like this have anything to do with it?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has chosen Gail Lowe, an outspoken creationist, to run the state's Board of Education.

It was actually the less controversial choice. Cynthia Dunbar, reportedly under consideration for the post, believed government should be guided by a "biblical litmus test" and thought public education was a "subtly deceptive tool of perversion." (She home-schooled her own children.) She has also endorsed conspiracy theories suggesting President Obama is not a natural-born citizen.

These next two are your opportunity to guess the punchline.



Think you have it?



How about now? Give up?



9% conservative, 6% republican. So that's what people mean when they say that reality has a well known liberal bias!

Buffet on the Economy

Warren Buffet quoted in Reuters:

Buffett, a supporter of President Barack Obama during last year's election campaign, said a second economic stimulus package might be needed. The Obama administration says it does not see a need for a second stimulus yet.

"I think a second one may well be called for. It is not a panacea. A stimulus is the right thing. You hope it doesn't get watered down," he said.

He likened the first $787 billion stimulus package passed by Congress to "half a tablet of Viagra and then having also a bunch of candy mixed in --- it doesn't have really quite the wallop."

...

"We're going to come out of this better than ever, the best days of America lie ahead but not next week or next month," he said.

Not Perfect, But Full of Promise

A few more songs for the 4th.
Here's one that has become near to my heart in recent years. Check out the band - Chuck Berry, Linda Ronstadt, Keef, Bruce (in a beatles wig).


This Land


Somebody get me a cheeseburger!


Living in America

America the Beautiful

Brother Ray.

Marvin Gaye: Star Spangled Banner

My Independence Day weekend starts right now. Here's Marvin:

Whatever Happened to That Guy??

Congratulations Senator!