The death of Princess Diana is reported on BBC World News 10
years ago tonight in the Pacific time zone. She died in the early
morning hours in Paris on August 31, 1997, occasioning an
enormous wave of grief around the world.
** CALIFORNIA ELECTRIC POWER CRISIS AVERTED. Peak electric power demand in California today was 47,843 megawatts, more than one thousand megawatts below the forecast peak of 49,105 megawatts. Which in turn is well over a thousand megawatts less than the record established during last summer’s unprecedented heat storm.
** NEW IOWA POLL SHOWS EDWARDS’ INTENSE FOCUS PAYING OFF. After Democrat John Edwards spent a week in Iowa on a bus tour, the three-way tie there in the traditional first-in-the-nation state accordioned back to him. The new numbers: Edwards 29%, Hillary Clinton 24%, Barack Obama 22%, with Bill Richardson a distant fourth.
** FRED THOMPSON ANNOUNCES FOR PRESIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 6TH. Former Senator and Law & Order star Fred Thompson will announce his long-awaited candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in an Internet webcast on September 6th. He may appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Funny, I think I was at that movie premiere. He will follow that up with a five-day tour of early primary and caucus states.
** POSSIBLE CALIFORNIA POWER CUT-0FF TO BUSINESS THIS AFTERNOON. With the current heat wave greatly affecting some parts of the state, California’s grid manager may have to cut electric power to some voluntary business members of the state’s conservation corps. Perhaps some of our core enviro friends who think that energy efficiency alone will solve the power problems of a growing state — and have opposed all liquefied natural gas projects — will rethink their positions.
** MACHINISTS’ UNION BACKS HILLARY … AND HUCKABEE. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, once one of the most left-wing of all unions in the US, just issued an unusual dual endorsement for president of a frontrunning Democrat and a darkhorse Republican. The IAM endorsed New York Senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, the surprise second place finisher in this month’s Iowa Republican straw poll, on the Republican side.
The union did this after learning that one-third of their members are actually Republicans.
Clinton won the relatively small United Transportation Union endorsement earlier this week after losing the coveted International Association of Firefighters Association to Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd.
** EDWARDS WINS CARPENTERS’ UNION ENDORSEMENT. Former Senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards, who has pitched his hopes to labor, won his first union endorsement of the season from the carpenters’ union.
** NO VOTE TODAY ON SCHWARZENEGGER HEALTH CARE PLAN. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez’s strategist Steve Maviglio checks in with this: “The Assembly will NOT vote on the Governor’s health care plan today. We are talking with the Governor about health care reform and making progress.” This is called a movida.
** MILITARY SPLIT ON IRAQ. Further reflecting the fact that the nation’s military leadership is not at all sure about the latest course in Iraq, General David Petraeus’s long-awaited report in mid-September on the success, or lack of same, of the “surge” in Iraq will be accompanied by other reports, both public and private — though you can bet those will be leaked — by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the Army, and the head of US Central Command, of which Petraeus is a part. Those reports, by Marine General Peter Pace, Army General William Casey, and Navy Admiral William Fallon, are very likely to be less positive than whatever Petraeus comes up with.
In short, according to Pentagon sources, the military will make it clear that it is President George W. Bush’s strategy that is being pursued in Iraq.
** TEST VOTE ON CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE. As first reported on NWN, last week, the state Assembly is scheduled to have a test vote today on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s preferred version of universal health care reform today. The vote, triggered by Speaker Fabian Nunez, is a drill intended to demonstrate to the governor that his plan, with its various mandates and fees on businesses and medical providers (which are, of course, also businesses) has no Republican support in the Assembly. Which would be consistent with what Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines told me months ago.
So far, the dynamics around the health care and redistricting reform and water policy issues are playing out as anticipated in a column here early in the week. Something major on health care, the stickiest of the issues, remains quite possible. And what precisely that is still remains to be worked out amongst the leaders.
** CALIFORNIA POWER ALERT CONTINUES. With a heat wave striking much of the state, as discussed yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling for more sparing use of electric power by consumers. You can track peak electric power demand in near real time via Cal ISO (California Independent System Operator).
** AL QAEDA’S AMERICAN PRISONERS STILL NOT LOCATED. American troops are now in the midst of a 108th 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. After going up earlier, crude oil prices have slipped back to the $70 to $73 per barrel range on word that Iran is slowing its nuclear enrichment process.
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The conservative Media News chain. Which falsely credited Fleishchman with a scoop it said was the key to his success, which he’d already apologized for falsely claiming.
>Ann :
Flash Report is NO COMMENT as always.
lol
What dumb newspaper reporter wrote about it?
Aug 30, 2007 12:21 PM
Do you look like Fergie before or after?
>carole w :
CADTS,
You made me cry but, that is a good thing. I agree with Edwards on the health care coverage issue. I think Edward’s wife is awesome.
The Diana years,
I remember Diana’s first girlfriend photos, engagement, wedding and I was watching the CNN duirng the coverage of her death. I paid close attention to both women(Sara and Diana) because I am Diana’s age. Fairly often I would be at a big horse show or a fox hunting gathering and someone would walk up to me, tell me how much I looked like Sarah and ask if I am English. I thought all the attention was fun.
If he had money, he’d be right in there.
>CADTS :
I will keep saying it…people gotta look out for Huckabee.
Aug 30, 2007 11:57 AM
So it goes.
>Brasky :
“MACHINISTS’ UNION BACKS HILLARY … AND HUCKABEE.”
HUCKABEE?! Hillary has to share her endorsement with a guy who’s polling in the high “1′s” nationally?
Aug 30, 2007 11:50 AM
Watch yourself now:)
I said last year that Edwards is an outstanding candidate.
He has one big problem. He is running against two superstars.
And I think we’ve established I don’t give a damn about his haircut or his house.
>CADTS :
BB and the BB Groupies of NWN:
Now I know we all disagree on whom is the best candidate for President and thats a GREAT thing.
But folks, I saw this video today, and with your kind indulgence BB, I would like everyone to click on it. Its from the Edwards campaign but its pretty moving stuff. Seriously, I frackin cried over it and I am a pretty cynical person about politics.
If it wasn’t for the Colbert Report, I would have forgotten that Huckabee was even running.
Fox says Fred Thompson is announcing today?
That would be … no.
Can we have a photo of Newsom in his Tesla?
So clearly I was wrong about the unions keeping their powder dry…i.e. the Carpenters endorsing Edwards.
On the Fred Thompson front it’s an announcement of when he’s announcing? Man, these guys really pad the news cycle.
Soon … he will announce.
Soon … he will campaign.
Soon … I will go to the post office.
It is extremely exciting.
Soon … he will announce.
Soon … he will campaign.
Soon … I will go to the post office.
It is extremely exciting.
No, Carole, but I do have video of Jerry Brown in his wife’s Lexus.
well I think Diana’s death remains very murky. She was no doubt a loose cannon. Even biographies that are flattering paint her as very emotionally and psychologically unstable and very needy…. which most men, if they have any real character, backbone, and intellect find eventually very boring no matter how attractive a woman is… it is also not surprising she was seen as a threat to certain people in high places…that’s never a good place to be, i.e., a perceived threat to the often unscrupulous powers that be…still for a “sick chick ” she had many endearing qualities…her advocacy on victims of AIDS, her campaign against landmines were real and made her more than just a “celebrity”. Her death like several others…raises more than just eyebrows..it raises some serious questions…but like the other deaths…they will not be answered.
…By the way the audio version of the Craig arrest(after miranda)is being played on Fox. I don’t think this should be made public. It is very sad.
I met Diana once. I was acquainted with Dodi Fayed. We’ll get into that tomorrow.
Soon….Fred Thompson’s wife will say and do something WHOLLY inappropriate and torpedo his campaign.
BB, not to sound to celeb watcher-esque, what was Diana like.
Well, I’ll get into it tomorrow, but she seemed quite nice yet I was not over-wowed.
Barbara,
Diana was 19 when she married. She has two gorgeous sons. She is not here to love her children but, the other woman…is. Proper behavior under difficult circumstances, is to be admired….
I am looking forward to your stories about Dodi and Diana.
Does Jerry Brown’s wife drive a Lexus SUV? If so I wold like to see the video.
Not your type, Bill? She was 5 foot 10 …
Yeah. What can I say? I watched the latest Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake and had trouble tearing my eyes off Nicole Kidman. Who 10 years ago I didn’t especially like.
Like I said, what can I say?
carole w – let sleeping SUV dogs lie.
No, Carole, Jerry Brown’s wife — the very smart and amusing Anne Gust Brown, who was general counsel and COO of The Gap — does not drive a Lexus SUV. She has a ’90s era Lexus sedan.
Brasky,
Yes Sir.
Brasky,
Yes Sir.
“The Invasion” isn’t even a good movie! lol
carole,
yes it is very sad she is not here for her sons. It was very sad (and selfish and irresponsible as parents) and I am sure painful for her sons how she and Charles conducted their divorce and war campaigns against each other…she had great clothing style and I already discussed her more nobler role in worthy causes…but a sick chick …is still a sick chick…and can be very destructive and self- destructive…personally, when I come in contact with one ….I go the opposite direction…a sick chick never makes for a good girlfriend.
I haven’t seen it. Nicole Kidman is a gawky beanpole of a girl.
Actually, I’ve never met her.
Is Fred Thompson trying to be Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Perhaps.
He’s not going to talk about a bikini wax is he?
I saw Nicole Kidman in person about a year and a half ago in New York at a Simon Wiesenthal Center dinner…she presented an award to fellow Aussie Rupert Murdoch…she was stunning in blue and made a gracious and very intelligent speech/presentation…Rabbi Hier was all smiles! There were gorgeous pictures of the event in “Hello”!
Thompson is the last boy at the prom.
lol
The nasty little Kos Kidz at Kaliticz are trying to use Larry Craig to out David Dreier. Nobody told them Dreier wasn’t arrested for anything. Duh.
One never knows.
>Brasky :
He’s not going to talk about a bikini wax is he?
Aug 30, 2007 03:49 PM
(shudder)
(shudder)
My problem with David Dreier is he was part of the leadership team that saddled generations of Americans with trillions in debt, not his sexual preference.
For the record, any politician who has sex in public restrooms is not a suitable leader and should resign, regardless the gender of their partner or their party registration.
Well, I’d say it’s doubtful.
>Brasky :
(shudder)
Aug 30, 2007 04:24 PM
Well, I’d say it’s doubtful.
>Brasky :
(shudder)
Aug 30, 2007 04:24 PM
You know, what’s wrong with the ladies’ room, the elevator, the beach, so long as one is not scaring the kids?
Really, this is why I find these stories troubling. There is the endless sniggering and then the inevitable emergence of the No Fun Allowed Sex Police.
If this poor guy has committed a crime, if he is an enormous hypocrite, that’s one thing. Though actually I feel sad for the man, though I suspect we don’t have dirt in common.
There is a serious issue in your Republican Party, KK, which you all would do well to address.
I’ve avoided outing prominent Republicans in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a real issue to deal with.
>For the record, any politician who has sex in public restrooms is not a suitable leader and should resign, regardless the gender of their partner or their party registration.
Aug 30, 2007 05:09 PM
Bill, Republicans are the party of sexual represssion.
For sure.
They have had, at times, a libertarian bent.