On the day we learn of the FBI raid Donald Trump's propaganda tabloid goes hard after Paul Manafort.

Whoa. Does this National Enquirer attack on Manafort mean he's turned on Trump? https://t.co/ExlncvLzFK

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) August 9, 2017

Kristol might be onto something because the tabloid aggressively accused Manafort of cheating on his wife with a much younger woman, and of wearing his wedding ring while "romping with his 33 year old mistress in the same bed he shares with his wife!"

The horror!

The Enquirer also leaves no doubt that this is a smear campaign in the quotes they use from White House sources: "President Trump has been focused on draining the swamp in Washington D.C." a White House insider said. "Meanwhile one of his trusted advisers was bedding another woman behind his wife's back, betraying her and his country!"

The source that the Enquirer identifies for these details is Manafort's daughters hacked I-Phone.

That hack occurred back in February, and was reported on by multiple news sources in March.

That of course was several months after Manafort was fired from Trump's campaign, and after it started to appear that he might be a liability.

Hmm, now who do we know who is into hacking folks, and leaking their information to pro-Trump media outlets?

Yeah, methinks this is a fairly obvious coordinated effort to smear Paul Manafort before he starts singing at the top of his lungs for Robert Mueller and his investigation team.

Did the White House plant a fake story to smear a reporter? What do you think?

Reporter writes story WH doesn't like/disputes. WH anonymously plants false story about reporter. https://t.co/2ZGue3uxfz

— Carrie Budoff Brown (@cbudoffbrown) February 27, 2017

Courtesy of The Independent: 

The White House has been accused of trying to smear a critical reporter by planting its own fake news. 

Politico published an article on Sunday, by journalists Alex Isenstadt and Annie Karni, on an impromptu meeting called by press secretary Sean Spicer to examine aides’ electronic devices for evidence of leaks. 

The same article claimed Mr Spicer pushed deputy communications director Jessica Ditt to tears by criticising her work at a staff meeting.

Six and a half hours after the Politico report broke, the Washington Examiner published a story about Mr Isenstadt. 

It quoted an anonymous source as saying that Isenstadt “appeared dismissive and laughed” at Mr Spicer’s denial and reference to Mr Owens. 

“He started laughing about that Seal,” said The Examiner’s "informed official" source.

 If you don't think that the Trump White House is capable of this then you must have been living in a cave for the last year. 

Remember that this is the administration of a man who used to pose as his own spokesman (John Barron or John Miller) in order to brag to the media about his love life and his business expertise.

Faking stories for the media is essentially Trump's bread and butter.

He is only famous for lying about himself, and creating a phony image that he sold to the public.

So would they make up a lie to smear a reporter?

Do you even have to ask?

A year after the Center for Medical Progress released those doctored videos attacking Planned Parenthood, things have never been better for the organization.

Courtesy of Broadly Vice: 

Officials in 13 states have investigated the Center for Medical Progress's claims and cleared Planned Parenthood of all wrongdoing; officials in eight other states declined to even investigate the reproductive health organization, citing a lack of evidence. In addition, Planned Parenthood no longer accepts reimbursement for its fetal tissue donation program, in order to dispel "the ludicrous idea that Planned Parenthood has any financial interest in fetal tissue donation," according to an October statement from Cecile Richards, the group's president.

While Planned Parenthood has been cleared, the Center for Medical Progress remains under heavy legal scrutiny: In surreptitiously recording abortion providers as part of their "sting operation," the group is accused of fraud and trespassing, among other charges, as well as engaging in a "complex criminal enterprise." 

If anything, according to Laguens, the Center for Medical Progress's tactics have backfired. "Over the last year, millions of people have taken action and have made known their use of and their support of Planned Parenthood," she said. "There's been an outpouring of appreciation for what Planned Parenthood has meant for the country and what Planned Parenthood has meant to individual people's lives." 

She pointed to the recent Supreme Court decision, which struck down Texas's onerous clinic restrictions, as further proof that disingenuous, political attacks on women's bodily autonomy are failing. 

"The real criminals have been exposed and are now facing lawsuits and criminal charges," Laguens added. "I think it couldn't be more different than on the day that they launched. While there's certainly a long way to go and a lot to do, it's a very hopeful time."

That was one of the most dishonest attacks I have ever seen.

Nice to see that in the end it only made its target stronger and virtually destroyed themselves in the attempt. 

Newest strategy from Bristol Palin supporters. Dakota Meyer abused her. Update!

Truth

A photo posted by Bristol Palin (@bsmp2) on Nov 18, 2015 at 9:27pm PST

So I am sure that some of you have seen a link to this popping up over and over again here in the comments, along with the accusation that Dakota physically abused Bristol while they were together.

Now first let me say that I actually think that Dakota might have some serious issues, not the least of which might be PTSD and possible alcohol abuse.

However having said that I will also say that from what I have heard Bristol has NOT told anybody up here that she was being abused, and let's face it if she were the Palins would have spread that ALL OVER the tabloids by now.

If Bristol and her mother decide to use that tactic in order to smear Dakota in the future, they might want to think long and hard about it first.

The military is very protective of their Medal of Honor winners and if somebody files false allegations against one of them, that person is going to have a serious fight on their hands.

After all if it is not just Dakota Meyer's reputation at stake, but also the Marine Corps and the entire United States military for awarding such a prestigious award to a man who would do such a thing to a woman.

 Of course as we know false allegations are the Palin family weapon of choices, ie David Letterman purposefully slandered Willow Palin, Joe McGinnis moved next door to peer through Piper's bedroom window, Levi Johnston got Bristol drunk in a tent and raped her, etc. etc. etc.

However in this case they might not want to "go there."

Update: By the way accurate or not that whole Bristol Palin is demanding a paternity test from Dakota Meyer meme is going viral. You can already find examples here, here, and here.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy admits that the point of the Benghazi hearings was to damage Hillary Clinton politically. Well there goes that Speaker of the House job.

"Wait, what did I say?"

Courtesy of the Washington Post: 

House Republicans are in the midst of a coronation of California Congressman Kevin McCarthy as the next Speaker of the House. McCarthy's comments about the motives of the House select committee investigating the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, on Tuesday night, however, should give the party pause about whether he's totally ready for the big job.

Prodded repeatedly by conservative Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity to name an accomplishment for the Republican-led Congress, McCarthy seized on the Benghazi committee and its investigation into Hillary Clinton's role (or lack thereof) in the handling of the incident during her time as secretary of state. 

"Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right?" McCarthy told Hannity. "But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she's untrustable. But no one would have known any of that had happened, had we not fought." 

Whoops!

And that my friends is how political careers blow right up in your face. 

Of course it's not like this was really any secret.

But in order to represent Republicans in the House rule number one is "Don't tell the truth about our bullshit politically motivated investigations!"

Well this is certainly an early Christmas present for the Clinton campaign.

Fox News in a nutshell.

Republican Indiana governor Mike Pence launches investigation into state's Planned Parenthood clinics, comes up with nothing.

Courtesy of the Journal Gazette:  

The Indiana State Department of Health has cleared Indiana's three Planned Parenthood abortion clinics of any wrongdoing related to a national controversy. 

GOP Gov. Mike Pence called for an investigation earlier this month after an undercover video raised concern over harvesting organs for donation from aborted fetuses. 

Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky said from the beginning that it didn't participate in a tissue donation program. But Pence went ahead with an investigation and has talked extensively about it in various interviews. 

Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky said this morning it received official notice from the Indiana State Department of Health that its health centers in Merrillville, Bloomington and Indianapolis were found compliant with state abortion clinic licensure regulations.

Gee don't you hate it when you launch a witch hunt and it turns out there are no damn witches? 

Sarah Palin is worrying this Planned Parenthood "controversy" like a dog with a bone.

Actual photo that Palin used to illustrate this post. I kid you not.

Courtesy of Bree Hodge's Facebook page:

"Planned Parenthood" equals quality health care? Nothing could be further from the truth. SHUT IT DOWN. Presidential candidates: join me in calling for Planned Parenthood to be SHUT DOWN. This is a sham business falsely advertising as a "provider of quality health care for our patients." How can anyone sit back and watch our tax dollars fund this? There are countless distributors of birth control and health care advice out there; PP's fake premise of doing so and caring for any aspect of health is offensive and beyond unethical. Kirsten Powers - thank you for speaking up because this atrocity is not a partisan or gender issue; it's obviously a moral one. The acceptance of this speaks to the character of a nation.

Actually I think the acceptance of Planned Parenthood speaks to the intelligence of the nation.  And those getting themselves all worked up over the video tape hoaxes...well quite the opposite.

(For those wondering about that Kirsten Powers shut out that is because Palin also included a link to a USA Today opinion piece by the Fox News contributor.)

As for Planned Parenthood's claim of providing birth control and health care advice as being fake, well Palin does not know what in the hell she is talking about. (I know, surprising right?)

Courtesy of Planned Parenthood at a glance: 

Planned Parenthood health centers focus on prevention: 80 percent of our clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancy. 

Planned Parenthood services help prevent approximately 516,000 unintended pregnancies each year. 

Planned Parenthood provides nearly 400,000 Pap tests and nearly 500,000 breast exams each year, critical services in detecting cancer. 

Planned Parenthood provides nearly 4.5 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including 700,00 HIV tests. 

Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services. 

Planned Parenthood affiliates provide educational programs and outreach to 1.5 million young people and adults each year. 

Planned Parenthood has eight million activists, supporters, and donors working for women's health and safety and our fundamental reproductive rights. 

I know it must be confusing for Palin to be confronted with the fact that an agency or individual actually does what they claim to do, but Planned Parenthood is definitely in that category. 

And as one can see from this list abortion only counts for three percent of the health care services provided by Planned Parenthood, yet 100% of their difficulties.

It does not have to be pointed out to any of you that Palin is a rollicking hypocrite on this subject as we all know about her "Wite-Out" pregnancies, not to mention her fake one.

However she is still a voice that a certain under educated segment of society takes seriously on this subject and for that reason she needs to be called out and confronted before she helps to destroy yet another necessary institute of public service.

Jeb Bush is outraged (Outraged I say!) over Donald Trump's disrespect for John McCain's military service. Seemed less so when it was John Kerry being disrespected.

Enough with the slanderous attacks. @SenJohnMcCain and all our veterans - particularly POWs have earned our respect and admiration.

— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) July 18, 2015

So as you can see Jebbie is livid that "The Donald" would suggest that John McCain should not be considered a hero because he was a POW during the Vietnam War.

And that should be admirable.

Except for the fact that Jebbie sent this letter to the men calling into question the heroism that earned John Kerry's a Silver Star during the same war.

So to be clear, it is outrageous that people would dismiss John McCain's heroism over the fact that he was captured by the enemy, but suggesting that John Kerry did not earn his medals while fighting for his country is perfectly reasonable.

Did I get that right?

(H/T to Crooks and Liars.)

Fox News and the Right Wing continue attempting to smear newly released Sgt. Bergdahl. Now accuse him of colluding with the enemy and converting to Islam.

Courtesy of Fox News:  

U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl at one point during his captivity converted to Islam, fraternized openly with his captors and declared himself a "mujahid," or warrior for Islam, according to secret documents prepared on the basis of a purported eyewitness account and obtained by Fox News. 

The reports indicate that Bergdahl's relations with his Haqqani captors morphed over time, from periods of hostility, where he was treated very much like a hostage, to periods where, as one source told Fox News, "he became much more of an accepted fellow" than is popularly understood. He even reportedly was allowed to carry a gun at times.

Apparently these "secret documents" were provided by a shadowy private firm, called the Eclipse Group, that claims to have subcontracted with the Department of Defense.

If that gives you pause, then get a load of this:

The group is run by Duane R. ("Dewey") Clarridge, a former senior operations officer for the Central Intelligence Agency in the 1980s best known for having been indicted for lying to Congress about his role in the tangled set of events that became known as the Iran-Contra scandal. He was pardoned by the first President Bush in December 1992 while on trial.

So the group claiming that Bergdahl was a  traitor is run by disgraced CIA agent who lied to Congress about Ronald Reagan's treasonous activities in the 1980's.

So of COURSE Fox News went with it.

However there are reports from more reliable sources that this whole thing is a bunch of made up crap: 

During his time in Tampa as commander of U.S. Central Command, Marine Gen. James Mattis said he saw no evidence to confirm that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, released in a prisoner swap last week, collaborated with his captors. 

“I have never seen one bit of verified or confirmed evidence of that,” Mattis said in a phone interview with The Tampa Tribune. “Not one bit. You hear things and it was second- and third-hand.” 

Other information “specifically discounted” reports that Bergdahl, captured by the Taliban in June 2009 after leaving his outpost in Afghanistan, was working with his captors, he said. Mattis declined to comment on what that information was because it remains classified.

Hey you know, maybe it's just me, but I would be far more likely to take the word of a former CENTCOM commander than a known liar and criminal.

There are also reports that Bergdahl was not exactly treated like a collaborator during his time with the Taliban: 

U.S. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has told people treating him at an American military medical facility in Germany that he was tortured, beaten and held in a cage by his Taliban captors in Afghanistan after he tried to escape, a senior U.S. official said Sunday. 

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss what Bergdahl has revealed about the conditions of his captivity.

That by the way seems to confirm the reporting by the late  Michael Hastings for Rolling Stone magazine.

And now thanks to Fox's lack of journalistic ethics Bergdahl's parents are receiving death threats:  

The FBI is investigating threats against the parents of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the latest development in a case that has put the spotlight on the circumstances surrounding his capture in Afghanistan and release by the Taliban. 

"We are working jointly with our state and local partners and taking each threat seriously," FBI Special Agent William Facer told CNN in an e-mail on Saturday.

Well I guess I will spend this Sunday afternoon being disgusted again. 

MSNBC's Alex Wagner takes on the Right's obsession with attacking Wendy Davis.

Click Alex to play video

"When was the last time that a man running for Governor of Texas, or any statewide office, had to specify who paid for his law degree? Whether or not he had any help with the kids? Exactly when he finalized his divorce? And how many days in trailer qualify as hardship?"

Exactly!

This attack on the Wendy Davis bio is extremely nit picky and the "exaggerations" that were claimed to have been uncovered amounted to virtually nothing. As the Washington Post pointed out a politicians bio is often not entirely accurate, but it is rare to have that cause the candidate any serious trouble in the long run.

And really, comparatively speaking, the inconsistencies in this case are almost negligible.

By the way I really like Alex Wagner, she was my favorite host in the mornings, and now that she has moved her show to Martin Bashir's old slot I make sure to never miss it.

CNN helping to create fake outrage over MSNBC panel's remarks concerning Romney adoption. Suggesting that Melissa Harris-Perry join Bashir and Baldwin as ex-MSNBC hosts.

Courtesy of Mediaite:  

We are now into Day Four of Kierangate, the slow-news-fueled controversy surrounding an at-best tone deaf MSNBC segment that used a photo of Mitt Romney grandchild Kieran Romney as a vehicle to attack Republicans’ lack of racial diversity, and CNN has upped the ante by reporting that “some” are “demanding” that host Melissa Harris-Perry be fired. If you stay through the tease and the entire report, though, you might find the evidence of an angry, firing-demanding mob somewhat lacking. 

What began as online criticism of a ham-handed cable news segment has now morphed into a full-blown public cable news flogging of Dean Obeidallah, Pia Glenn, and MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry, who participated in said segment on Sunday’s episode of Harris-Perry’s show. MSNBC competitors Fox News and CNN each filled the desolate holiday weekend with multiple segments attacking the segment, while Harris-Perry and her panelists offered a round of apologies on Twitter, and elsewhere. 

On Wednesday morning, CNN anchor Zoraida Sambolin teased a report on the uproar by telling viewers “Some people demanding MSNBC fire one host after she mocked Mitt Romney’s black grandson,” (Harris-Perry’s comment on the photo had to do with imagining a Mitt Romney/Kanye West-sponsored wedding in the future) and introduced the report, by Lisa Desjardins, by repeating that claim, and grouping Harris-Perry with recently-ousted MSNBC hosts Alec Baldwin and Martin Bashir. 

Desjardin’s report, however, presents little evidence of such a groundswell. giving just one example of a person on Twitter who wants Harris-Perry fired. Even with more examples, a raft of tweets is an awfully low bar for a national news network to claim as a newsworthy movement to have someone fired. To this point, Harris-Perry’s critics from competing cable news outlets have not suggested she be fired, nor has anyone else in Desjardin’s report.

Let me just say that if MSNBC caves and allows this non-scandal to cost them yet ANOTHER host due to Right Wing outrage they will have finally lost me as a loyal viewer. 

And for those who did not see the segment, MHP herself said NOTHING objectionable at all, and in fact referred to the child as gorgeous.

Here see for yourself.

Please MSNBC, do NOT let the Right Wing professional outrage machine steal away another talented member of your cable news family.

If you give in they will not stop until there is nobody left to compete against Fox News and CNN. And you know, perhaps THAT is the goal!

Insignificant Sarah Palin now growling and snapping at the heels of Secretary of State John Kerry.

Palin aims and fires her Facebook torpedoes at John Kerry and his boat..

Courtesy of the ghostwritten Facebook page of a has been:

Must I Repeat? Quit Making Things Up! Outrageous. (I always like how the queen of deception and obfuscation tells other people not to make things up.)

Once again the cover-up is worse than the “crime.” Secretary of State John Kerry WAS on his boat while Egypt fell into turmoil resulting in an overthrow of its new government ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood that the Obama Administration had so recently supported and may still support. (That, however, we do not know because President Obama's absolutely dithering foreign policies, his "leading from behind," and his benign statements on the Muslim Brotherhood make no sense to sensible people.) 

(Now HOW John Kerry could have prevented the overthrow of Morsi by the Egyptian people I have no idea. What does Palin suggest? That Kerry had put troops in there to stand against the will of the Egyptian people and the military? The Secretary of State has no such power, and no such right.)

The State Department categorically denied Kerry was on his boat. Yet CBS had pictures to prove it. Goodness. There is no need to lie, even on such a "little" thing as the location of a government leader during a military confrontation happening in real time. (Benghazi? Ring a bell? (Still gnawing on that Benghazi bone Sister Sarah?)There still isn't anyone in the media who'll find out where our Commander-in-Chief was that night.) Come on, Obama Administration! It's no big darn deal that Kerry was on his boat! We expect, and deserve, to assume that our highest ranking public servants to whom We the People have given the most responsibility are always working – even when they're clearing their heads and breathing in some fresh air on a yacht, or sweating away stress on a basketball court, or yukking it up with pals on the fairway... let's trust they're always preparing for the proverbial 3:00 AM phone call. 

Now sadly Palin is right that Kerry was on his boat in Nantucket celebrating the 4th of July with his family, and that when originally asked his people denied that. They have since released this statement: 

“While he was briefly on his boat on Wednesday, Secretary Kerry worked around the clock all day including participating in the president’s meeting with his national security council," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, according to Politico.

This rather unflattering picture was also taken of Kerry which makes him appear to be an Inspector Clouseau-like figure, bumbling around while Egypt burns.

Of course this is the same attack used against the President when things happen during a vacation, even though we know that people at this level of responsibly are NEVER really on vacation, and are constantly being briefed about breaking news all around the world.

But blood in the water, regardless of how minimal, is still blood in the water, so shark-like Palin goes in for the "kill."

Being on his boat isn't the issue. Blatantly deceiving the American people is the issue. (Yes the American people have lost all faith in government because somebody did not know John Kerry was on his boat.)

Our government, yet again, either had no idea where the boss was, or worse yet, they lied to us. (Oops-a-daisy. Correction. In Obamaspeak, we were told the "least untruthful statement.") Our government directed its swift-ly boat changing denials to what one can only surmise is their perception of who we are: a nation of sheep – heads down, grazing away, gullible, ignorant, and undeserving of truth. (Did you see what she did here? Using the term "swift-ly" she gets to not so subtly bring up a connection between this incident and the swift boat attacks against Kerry in the 2004 election.)

Confronted with photographic evidence, the State Department merely tossed the public a handful of hay today in its tepid effort to kinda-sorta explain the whole thing away. Something about, well, yeah, so the evidence contradicted all their public claims, but… eh, no harm, no foul. And like good herder dogs, with calm authority to avoid commotion, the bureaucrats barked the suggestion that we all just move along now. (So the media are sheep I take it. Again, so subtle! What is "calm authority to avoid commotion" by the way?)

No. You move along, little doggie. (That's "dogies" and refers to cattle, NOT puppies. Moron!) Enough is enough. It's unacceptable. Remember, the nation's Mama Grizzlies don't just rise up to swat away threats to protect the next generation. They also school, scold, and signal to teach a lesson. (And bitch at the President, and get fake breastessess so people will stop ignoring them, and put their children on reality shows to get them to shut up, and have people write their Facebook posts for them. There, fixed for ya!) One lesson taught all children is if you lie on the little things, you'll lie on the big things. (Only MOST parents use proper grammar when teaching their children not to lie.)

George Orwell wrote of a time when citizens could no longer trust big government, and by wearing down the citizenry through doublespeak and lies a tired country finally retreated to its dark and depressing demise. (Hi RAM!)

America, we shall not go there! Why? Because if we know from our nation's forefathers that weariness is not in our blood! It's not in our DNA to retreat. Have faith that there are enough patriots in our exceptional nation willing to fight together for what is right. Proof of this is all the families still encouraging and supporting their loved ones who choose U.S. military service. (Yep, she's suggesting military action in Egypt alright.) And proof of a unified commitment to defend our republic is what the independent tea party movement is all about. (Does she mean the same Tea Party started by the Koch brothers and tobacco companies?) Disregard the constant criticism, mocking, and flagrant lies about this diverse, proud movement that still spew from big government cheerleaders and their lapdogs in the media. (I'm a lap dog?) Despite harassment and intimidation, commonsense conservatives are rising up again to get a better view of what is ahead. They are identifying threats to our Constitution and our children's future. (That is why virtually the ONLY laws that the Tea Party backed politicians have tried to pass since coming into power are laws that restrict a woman's control over her own body. You know, for the kids.) The permanent political class angrily bemoans this because they know our diverse working class – those who make the world go 'round – can shake off the slumber, unify, and effectively encourage others to come out of a 2012 hibernation and demand accountability at the 2014 ballot box. It's there we prove the average, everyday American's ferocious strength when exercising that beautiful belief in loyalty only to a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Until then, we mustn't have the fighting instinct of sheep. Pay attention, do your own homework on candidates and political machines, turn off media that would disrespect you by continuing to deceive, and keep the faith. (This is the point where I imagine Palin jumping up and down on her skinny legs shaking her fake pom poms at the computer screen. "Sis boom bah, rah rah rah, rick'em rack'em ruck'em, get out there and really f...ight'em!")

While celebrating America's glorious Independence this week, be secure in knowing that there are more of us who support men and women ready and willing to fight on our behalf for freedom and truth than those who would continually deceive us. (In other words Track's warrior body is ready for action. Not for actual combat of course, because bullets hurt and all.) Thank God. And thank a Vet.

State Department: say you're sorry and don't ever do this again. CBS News: thank you for doing your job on this issue. (Did Palin just give a shout out to the "Lamestream media?" Oh the horrors!)


 Happy 4th of July weekend, America. 

- Sarah Palin

Well I have to hand it to RAM she was in rare form here.  There was red, white, and blue enthusiasm, an incredibly overblown attack on a politician who has probably never spent more than five minutes thinking about Sarah Palin, and a call to get more of our fellow American killed in yet another war of choice that probably sent a thrill up the atrophied legs of the scooter bound Tea party faithful and a chill down the spine of every young soldier hoping that finally the twelve years of constant war are coming to an end.

This is why only the grownups are supposed to make policy decisions, and NOT the lunatic fringe.

Decisions, by the way, that they can undoubtedly make both on land, or on a boat.

Clearly Rand Paul is afraid to run against a woman. Update!

Hillary is exceedingly popular, highly intelligent, and a sure winner in 2016. Think Rand, there must be some way to smear her!

Courtesy of The Washington Times: 

The secretary of state’s responsibility is to protect our diplomats. Mrs. Clinton should have been relieved of her post for denying pleas for additional security. Almost 20 years ago, President Clinton’s secretary of defense was relieved of his post for a similarly bad decision. 

In early October 1993, a battle between U.S. forces and Somali militia in Mogadishu left 18 Americans soldiers dead, 80 wounded and two American helicopters shot down. Today, this is remembered as the Battle of Mogadishu or more popularly, “Black Hawk Down,” thanks to a subsequent movie of the same name. 

A month earlier in September, then-Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff Colin L. Powell requested soldiers, tanks and armor-plated vehicles to reinforce the mission in Somalia. Secretary of Defense Les Aspin denied these requests. The Associated Press reported the following on Oct. 8, 1993, just days after the Battle of Mogadishu: “Defense Secretary Les Aspin today brushed aside calls for his resignation as ‘the politics of Capitol Hill,’ but conceded that in light of recent casualties, he shouldn’t have rejected a request to send more armor and troops to Somalia last month.” 

Two months later, after less than a year of service, Aspin resigned as secretary of defense. 

I'm sorry, is roadkill head REALLY comparing the death of four Americans killed in a surprise attack while the ambassador was trying to keep a low profile  to the destruction to two Black Hawk helicopters, 18 dead soldiers, and 80 wounded servicemen in one of the bloodiest, and most well known, conflicts of the Clinton era?

Yep he sure is, and using that comparison in an attempt to remove his biggest challenger should he decide to run for President in 2016.

Here is more of his attempt to smear his future President.

Aspin resigned over Black Hawk Down. The same precedent should have applied apply to Mrs. Clinton. To date, no one has ultimately taken responsibility for Benghazi. 

My office is currently seeking out the witnesses and survivors of Benghazi to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. To date, the Obama administration has refused to let them testify. 

Too many questions remain unanswered. Now, there are too many new questions. The evidence we had in January already suggested that Mrs. Clinton ignored repeated requests for more security in Benghazi. The new evidence we have today — and that continues to mount — suggests that at the very least, Mrs. Clinton should never hold high office again. 

"Mrs. Clinton should never hold high office again."  Is that said with the same over inflated sense of authority in which he also stated that if HE were President he would have relieved Hillary of her post?

Because NOBODY took that seriously either!

Clearly this bandy legged little pipsqueak seems to think that his Flea Market toupee and undeserved arrogance gives him some right to tell his betters what they should or should not do,

But what I see is cowardly little douchebag that would like to win the presidency, after his lunatic father tried and failed to do so for years, and realizes that if he somehow manages to win the GOP primary that he will then suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of a woman in front of his misogynist base of Teabaggers.

He is obviously panic stricken at the very idea of facing off against Hillary and is hoping against hope that this Benghazi thing will do for him that which he lacks the balls to do for himself.

Update: It looks like Karl Rove believes he smells blood in the water as well.

South Carolina election gets ugly, and weird.

Courtesy of Slate: 

 Mark Sanford's "weird your way to winning" campaign strategy comes replete with moves such as getting sued for harassing his ex-wife and "debating" (and still somehow losing to) a cardboard cutout of Nancy Pelosi. Sanford, a Republican, is running in a special congressional election on May 7 in South Carolina against Elizabeth Colbert Busch, who has the added advantage of being Stephen Colbert's sister. Now, the head-scratching tactics have caught on with those shadowy third party operations that run push polls. As Think Progress writes, voters in South Carolina claim to have received push polls from Survey Sampling International, at the behest of a non-disclosed client, that ask a bunch of leading questions about Sanford's Democratic opponent. A sample of the reported questions: 

- “What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you she had had an abortion?” 

- “What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you a judge held her in contempt of court at her divorce proceedings?

- “What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if she had done jail time?”

 - “What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you she was caught running up a charge account bill?” 

Hey, they don't have to prove these accusations, since there are question marks at the end! Plus, we should remember that Colbert Busch can actually accuse Sanford of billing the taxpayers for his two-timing trip to Argentina.

This "push poll" is disgusting and very indicative of how the Republican party does politics these days. 

Elizabeth Colbert Busch has talked publicly about her divorce, though until recently has never discussed that she was arrested for contempt of court during the proceedings. However Drudge managed to get their hands on an old and faded copy of her mugshot and has now plastered it all over Right Wing news sites.

Of course that arrest was twenty years ago, under extenuating circumstances, and since that ONE INCIDENT Colbert Busch seems to have had little trouble staying out of court, and out of jail.

Still that has not stopped some shadowy group supporting Mark Sanford from making internet only political ads comparing Colbert Busch to axe murderer Lizzy Borden. (Yeah, because you know THAT seems reasonable.)

All I have to say is that if South Carolina allows this weaselly, lying, POS to win this election, they should be ashamed of themselves.

I mean the man literally debated a card board cutout of Nancy Pelosi!

How can ANYBODY take this douchebag seriously?

Well I certainly hope that South Carolina doesn't.

Secret tapes reveal that Mitch McConnell was so terrified of Ashley Judd that he planned to smear her if she chose to run.

Courtesy of Mother Jones: 

On February 2, Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, opened up his 2014 reelection campaign headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, and in front of several dozen supporters vowed to "point out" the weaknesses of any opponent fielded by the Democrats. "They want to fight? We're ready," he declared. McConnell was serious: Later that day, he was huddling with aides in a private meeting to discuss how to attack his possible Democratic foes, including actor/activist Ashley Judd, who was then contemplating challenging the minority leader. During this strategy session—a recording of which was obtained by Mother Jones—McConnell and his aides considered assaulting Judd for her past struggles with depression and for her religious views.

Mother Jones has the audio if you want to hear it, but essentially it involves the McConnell team sitting around listening to tapes of Judd talking about her depression and religious views followed by their laughter and agreement that it is "a wealth of material" they can use to discredit her.

As you can imagine the McConnell campaign is none too happy that we have been able to hear of their plans, and have issued a statement calling it "Nixonian:"  

“We’ve always said the Left will stop at nothing to attack Sen. McConnell, but Nixonian tactics to bug campaign headquarters is above and beyond,” Jesse Benton, McConnell’s campaign manager, said in a statement.

I think this is a good place to remind this prick that Nixon was THEIR guy!

They have also called in the FBI to investigate potential wiretapping.

However Mother Jones is not worried and is standing by the integrity of their sources and defending the tactics used: 

We are still waiting for Sen. Mitch McConnell to comment on the substance of the story. Before posting this article, we contacted his Senate office and his campaign office—in particular, his campaign manager, Jesse Benton—and no one responded. As the story makes clear, we were recently provided the tape by a source who wished to remain anonymous. We were not involved in the making of the tape, but we published a story on the tape due to its obvious newsworthiness. It is our understanding that the tape was not the product of a Watergate-style bugging operation. We cannot comment beyond that.

A spokesperson for Ashley Judd has also responded to this story:  

"This is yet another example of the politics of personal destruction that embody Mitch McConnell and are pervasive in Washington, D.C.," Judd's spokeswoman, Cara Tripicchio, said in a statement. 

"We expected nothing less from Mitch McConnell and his camp than to take a personal struggle such as depression, which many Americans cope with on a daily basis, and turn it into a laughing matter," the Judd statement continued. "Every day it becomes clearer how much we need change in Washington from this kind of rhetoric and actions."

Apparently much of the information obtained by this "opposition research" came from audio recordings of Judd's book,  "All that is Bitter and Sweet."

I will once again state for the record that I think Judd would have destroyed McConnell in the election, and the fact the he was prepared to go THIS route in an attempt to impugn her character is evidence which suggests that he felt the same.

As it is I have much less confidence that the next Democrat chosen to run against him will be any more successful than the last.