** REPLACING GONZALES. With very controversial US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a longtime political intimate of the president’s from Texas days, at last falling on his sword, attention moves to his replacement. The name immediately floated by administration sources was that of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Chertoff is a former federal judge, a Harvard Law grad who clerked for a US Supreme Court justice and later served as assistant attorney general. But it’s hard to believe that President Bush would appoint him. Chertoff presided over the debacle of Hurricane Katrina. After New Orleans was nearly destroyed, it took days to get needed supplies into the Superdome, site of previous Super Bowls, where many congregated. The majority Senate Democrats would have a field day doing a Hurricane Katrina expose, and would also likely grill Chertoff on civil liberties abuses they will say he went along with as homeland security chief.
Pointedly, Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton referenced the upcoming second anniversary of Katrina in discussing who should be the next attorney general. I’ve made a few calls, and don’t know who Bush will appoint. Meanwhile, Solicitor General Paul Clement will serve as acting attorney general. It may a long temporary tenure.
** TOM MCCLINTOCK AIRBRUSHES HIS FACTUAL ERROR ABOUT CALIFORNIA’S BUDGET DEAL. Last Tuesday, the right-wing California budget holdouts’ intellectual leader, state Senator and former candidate for governor, lieutenant governor, and state controller Tom McClintock wrote an online column expressing his dismay about the swift end of the the budget stall once the Legislature returned to session.
In the course of it, he made several factual errors, including one even he had to admit was wrong. I pointed them out in my column the following day. Late that afternoon, he changed his column to correct one of the most glaring errors. In so doing, the senator pretended he’d never made the mistake — a mistake which raises the question of what he knows about what he says — in the first place.
McClintock wrote: “Yesterday (Monday) rumors of a “deal” circulated but were denied by the Republican leadership. This afternoon, with very little notice, a bare majority of the Senate Republican caucus decided that further negotiations were unlikely to produce any additional progress. Abel Maldonado and Richard Ackerman ultimately combined with the Democrats and voted out this budget.”
But he expressed a spurious satisfaction. “The transportation and housing bond funds,” he wrote, “are to be exempt for two years from the impact of the Governor’s AB 32, which makes the use of concrete all but impossible due to its release of massive quantities of carbon dioxide.”
I pointed out that he is wrong on three counts. First, former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown never sued or threatened to sue on the infrastructure bonds package passed last November, for which he campaigned and which McClintock himself opposed. Brown was then and continues now to prod local governments to account for greenhouse gas emissions in planning processes. That’s what McClintock and company tried and failed to stop. Second, “the Governor’s AB 32” (Callifornia’s landmark climate change law) simply does not make the use of concrete impossible. And third, the face-saving deal for Republicans on environmental lawsuits did not include the housing bonds, contrary to McClintock’s representation.
It’s pretty hard to confuse the housing bonds with the water bonds. Although he was so hasty in changing his column that he may have made another mistake.
Because the water bonds which passed last year, part of a move by environmental groups, were not part of the face-saving budget deal, either. What is part of the budget deal is the flood control bonds. Which Brown also had no intention of suing over.
** SARKOZY CALLS FOR IRAQ WITHDRAWAL. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose election was much hailed by the American right, and who recently vacationed in America, has called for the establishment of a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. The Bush Administration continues to publicly oppose any such plan.
He’s also declared the denial of nuclear weapons to Iran to be a top priority, a departure from his predecessor who viewed the Islamic nation’s development of such weapons as inevitable.
** EUROPEAN DISMAY WITH AFGHAN EFFORT. Italy and Germany are considering scaling back their participation in the Afghan War. Other smaller countries may do the same. This comes with fighting in Afghanistan at its most intense since the successful ouster of the Taliban regime in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.
Italy’s foreign minister recently criticized US tactics in Afghanistan, saying that they have caused hundreds of Afghan civilian deaths, something that is “morally unacceptable.”
The issue seems to be around the widespread use of American air power in close-in air strikes. Three British soldiers were killed last week in a “friendly fire” incident involving a US unit in trouble calling in air support.
** AL QAEDA’S AMERICAN PRISONERS STILL NOT LOCATED. American troops are now in the midst of a 105th day of searching for the remaining two US soldiers captured by Al Qaeda in an ambush south of Baghdad. They have had no luck so far. A video put out by Al Qaeda forces in Iraq claims that all three men were executed after being captured. But, with the exception of the Californian found floating in the Euphrates River, that claim can’t be confirmed. The US high command in Baghdad has revealed that ID cards for the other two American prisoners were found in an Al Qaeda safehouse on June 9th.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Crude oil prices are in the $68 to $71 per barrel range.
** GONZALES OUT AS U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL. Embattled US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned. More to follow.
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| Comments (111) |
A telling series of errors or misrepresentations by McClintock. Despite his strident views, he typically has his facts straight, and is one whose presence has traditionally required members and staff going against him to do the homework and be prepared to counter his sometimes eloquent arguments.
Perhaps this flame out indicates he has become a bit too embittered by the string of defeats, causing him to concern himself with spin rather than facts.
I was waiting for the other McClintock shoe to drop. Nice write-up.
“It’s pretty hard to confuse the housing bonds with the water bonds.”
Not if you put the houses under the water. Casa de Sea Monkey – Starting in the low 300’s.
I said during the budget stalemate that the Republicans would over-reach and get nothing. They got exactly what was on the table at the start – except for the yacht tax. Uncle Moneybags can now get that new monocle and top hat he’s been eyeing.
Now I think Arnold is slow-playing the Capitol on water, redistricting and health care. I would expect historic dysfunctions and the compressed timeline to kill all three this year and Arnold will offer initiatives on all three. If he wins any of these battles in the legislature, he wins. If he loses any of these battles, he wins. Arnold’s favorite scenario.
Hap – good call on the Ramones.
The Ramones, Van Halen, Dead Milkmen, The Clash – the misspent youth of a SoCal skate-punk…
Bill,
2 questions…
a) any word on whether or not GAS will provide actual language on his health care “proposal” as challenged by the Speaker?
b) you have any thoughts as to who will succeed Ackerman? the rumor i hear is there’s a 50/50 split between Runner & Cogdill…
thanks!
p.s. you may want to fix this..(Callifornia’s
I don’t know who the next Senate Republican leader will be, but I can say with conviction that Reiko Aylesworth (a.k.a. Michelle Dessler on 24) is the new Ellen Ripley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqpMqpX3z0A
What?
What?
Thanks for catching the typo. Most everything I write is first take stuff. That’s especially true of the items during the day, which are composed in the online publishing program and immediately posted.
No, I don’t think Schwarzenegger is playing along with Nunez on the bill language.
Don’t know who will end up as the new state Senate Republican leader.
>four waters :
Bill,
2 questions…
a) any word on whether or not GAS will provide actual language on his health care “proposal” as challenged by the Speaker?
b) you have any thoughts as to who will succeed Ackerman? the rumor i hear is there’s a 50/50 split between Runner & Cogdill…
thanks!
p.s. you may want to fix this..(Callifornia’s
Aug 27, 2007 01:02 PM
Schwarzenegger should get one out of three.
>Brasky :
I said during the budget stalemate that the Republicans would over-reach and get nothing. They got exactly what was on the table at the start – except for the yacht tax. Uncle Moneybags can now get that new monocle and top hat he’s been eyeing.
Now I think Arnold is slow-playing the Capitol on water, redistricting and health care. I would expect historic dysfunctions and the compressed timeline to kill all three this year and Arnold will offer initiatives on all three. If he wins any of these battles in the legislature, he wins. If he loses any of these battles, he wins. Arnold’s favorite scenario.
Aug 27, 2007 12:24 PM
I’ve always found the Ramones unlistenable.
>Hap Hazard :
Scorpions it is true were a bit serious, perhaps in the Hellenic tradition. We shouldn’t end the reminiscing without giving honorable mention to the Ramones.
Heh heh. I always found Van Halen unlistenable
During that era whien you were on the presidential campaign trail I took a short break from straight rock and roll. I was focused on Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson, Todd Rungren etc
Bill Bradley :
Thanks for catching the typo. Most everything I write is first take stuff.
i regularly stand in awe of your pristine (typo-free) material. for real.
i think i favor Brasky’s take. (not so sure about one out of three.) i also agree, no matter what, Arnold comes out okay.
re; health care… whether he takes the Speaker’s bait or not, time is short and if’s it gunna be a bill, its kinda got to have language uhmm…. well, now.
“I’ve always found the Ramones unlistenable.”
Maybe you didn’t have them loud enough. There’s a minimal volume level that must be achieved before their music takes full effect.
Somewhere around “11″ is good.
“if’s it gunna be a bill, its kinda got to have language uhmm…. well, now”
Anything passed won’t go into effect for a year or more – plenty of time for a fix-it bill. “Language, schmanguage,” says the sausage maker!
I still require something called “melody.”
>Brasky :
“I’ve always found the Ramones unlistenable.”
Maybe you didn’t have them loud enough. There’s a minimal volume level that must be achieved before their music takes full effect.
Somewhere around “11″ is good.
Aug 27, 2007 02:00 PM
Thanks.
I think with Schwarzenegger taking a reality tour of the Republicans, this can be done in the smoking tent.
>four waters :
Bill Bradley :
Thanks for catching the typo. Most everything I write is first take stuff.
i regularly stand in awe of your pristine (typo-free) material. for real.
i think i favor Brasky’s take. (not so sure about one out of three.) i also agree, no matter what, Arnold comes out okay.
re; health care… whether he takes the Speaker’s bait or not, time is short and if’s it gunna be a bill, its kinda got to have language uhmm…. well, now.
Aug 27, 2007 01:52 PM
I wasn’t really a headbanging hard rocker. I simply needed appropriate music for bombing around the countryside.
>Hap Hazard :
During that era whien you were on the presidential campaign trail I took a short break from straight rock and roll. I was focused on Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson, Todd Rungren etc
Heh heh. I always found Van Halen unlistenable
Aug 27, 2007 01:45 PM
I think Chertoff will remain loyal to Bush under most circumstances, even if it means breaking the law.
Great choice for him, not for us. Don’t confirm under any circumstances.
is there any chance in hell that Chertoff would get through any reasonable hearing process and be confirmed??
What’s our track record four waters?
oh.
right.
nevermind.
So, I have been gone awhile and look at all that has happened.
1.) Chertoff was a name “floater”…its a tactic often used in Washington DC to see how a nominee’s name would “float” if they leaked it to he public.
2.) Chertoff would be gutted and grilled like a salmon (wow, dig the fish imagery today)in front of Senate Judiciary for Katrina, et. al.
3.)Rumor has it, Dave Cogdill has the instead track — he perceived as more a leader than anyone else.
4.) And finally, the right wing loony hypocrisy hits a new low (or is it high for us normal folk in the middle) with this little number brought to you by Larry “I swear I ain’t gay…” Craig, Senator from Idaho…Enjoy
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/08/gop_senator_larry_craig_arrested_for_lewd_conduct.php
Note, this is the same game who called Bill Clinton a “bad, naughty boy” during the Lewinsky thing…in retrospect, Larry Craig saying that is kinda creepy…
BTW, doesn’t Larry Craig look like Mr. Garrison from South Park…
Understanding, of course, there is more than ONE comparison there…
McClintock is a gasbag. When you oppose everything you have the easiest job on the planet. Being a contrarian never requires one to have put forth any policy that will be scrutinized. You just tear down the ideas of others as being in conflict with the “free market” and one can find a reason to counter anything.
“Note, this is the same game who called Bill Clinton a “bad, naughty boy” during the Lewinsky thing”
Larry Craig was going to say “someone needs a spanking,” but his press person caught it in time.
The senator did what in the men’s room?!
The senator did what in the men’s room?!
“fixed” URL for Larry Craig story:
http://tinyurl.com/2wzt32
I know I really shouldn’t enjoy this type of story so much, but I just can’t help myself…..
Can’t find anything in the police report re: Mr. Hand being apprehended… ;-}
“The senator did what in the men’s room?!”
Apparently, he lost his re-election…
McClintock strikes again. When does he retire?
McClintock is termed out in 2008. However, perhaps we won’t be rid of him as he intends on running for the Board of Equalization.
Would Hatchy want to give up his membership in the club?
Hillary remembers all the nasty things Chertof said when he was counsel to the GOP Impeachment forces in 1999. Payback’s a bitch.
Whomever is nominated the Senate Dems should insist on two things:
1. their contempt citations will be enforced
2. the appointment of a Special Counsael to investigate.
These should be non-negotiable.
Van Halen is my era! Is Bill buying tickets for us all to see Van Halen in concert in Vegas? Great…I am holding my breath till I get my front row center view of David Lee Roth singing “Feel your love tonight”. I love those guys!
Maybe the Idaho Dems can borrow a box of whatever Wheaties the Montana Dems have been eating that’s allowed them to take over the MT state leg, governorship, and Senate seats…
BTW, my issue with the notion of Hatch for A-G is, why would any successful person want to join the Bush administration these days? It’s virtually guaranteed to be a stain on their reputation. Hatch likes where he is, and he might have trouble getting back if he spent the next year as A-G.
I suppose he might want to retire anyways; he’s starting to look a touch fossilized, after all…
I would hope that the dems in Congress seize the opportunity presented by the resignation of Gonzales to tell the netroots folks to get lost, and that they are returning to more important business. But I am not expecting anything except more of the same posturing about subpoenas and contempt of Congress and the like. It’s as if they want to relive the glory days of Watergate, except of course there is little to nothing there in this case.
Hap, he didn’t resign because there’s nothing there.
Being attorney general of the United States is a great capper for any career.
>Auros :
BTW, my issue with the notion of Hatch for A-G is, why would any successful person want to join the Bush administration these days? It’s virtually guaranteed to be a stain on their reputation. Hatch likes where he is, and he might have trouble getting back if he spent the next year as A-G.
I suppose he might want to retire anyways; he’s starting to look a touch fossilized, after all…
Aug 27, 2007 11:37 PM
That would be no. I’m not really into Van Halen these days.
>carole w :
Van Halen is my era! Is Bill buying tickets for us all to see Van Halen in concert in Vegas?
Nobody knows who’s on the state Board of Equalization.
>Sacramento Solon :
McClintock is termed out in 2008. However, perhaps we won’t be rid of him as he intends on running for the Board of Equalization.
Aug 27, 2007 07:12 PM
Bill,
Think I was merely answering a question. Could have added that perhaps he won’t be termed out if the voters pass the term limits measure.
Right. And I’m merely stating that the Board of Equalization can substitute neatly for a witness protection program.
Right. And I’m merely stating that the Board of Equalization can substitute neatly for a witness protection program.
Nice. And that witness protection program has provided us with a state senator and state controller.
Really? A state senator, no less?
There aren’t 500 people in California who can name the members of the Board of Equalization.
Really? A state senator, no less?
There aren’t 500 people in California who can name the members of the Board of Equalization.
Yes, Bill, a state senator. A state senator who can drive like a bat out of hell. Or, could drive like a bat out of hell until she lost her license for driving like a bat out of hell.
I believe Gonzales resigned because he was unable to handle pressure, not because he was hiding so much impropriety. There may have been some shenanigans, but nothing serious.
Shenanigans?