On December 7, 1941, Japan executed a successful sneak
attack on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, drawing America into World War II.
** IRAQ, IRAN, AND PAKISTAN CRISES. Tensions have eased, some, on a few fronts lately. War with Iran is off the table in the wake of the National Intelligence Estimate declaring that Iran doesn’t have an active nuclear weapons program. As a result, the US is preparing another round of formal talks, starting next month, with Iran to to help settle the still very unsettled political situation in Iraq — virtually no progress there, actually, with the Iraqi parliament taking the month off rather than pass needed reconciliation legislation — and stabilize the security situation. Things have improved, due to the effective work of the US military, but the surge has always been time-limited. In fact, the first surge brigade is being withdrawn this month, so the clock is ticking.
In Pakistan, America’s deeply troubled key frontline ally in the Terror War, only Islamic nuclear power, with both top opposition leaders now saying they’ll take part in next month’s elections, the continual uproar has subsided to a mere roar. President Pervez Musharraf, under pressure from President Bush, says he’ll lift martial law on December 16th. We’ll see how that goes. The election is on January 8th. Which even if all the restrictions are lifted and political prisoners released, doesn’t give much time for a real democratic election. So this bad situation could get worse again in the next several weeks. But for now, it’s not a cauldron bubbling over.
** BROWN ANNOUNCES GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION AGREEMENT WITH PORT OF LOS ANGELES. Former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown, joined by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, today announced an agreement between the the state and the Port of LA in which the port agrees to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The port will do a thoroughgoing inventory of port-related greenhouse gases that tracks emissions from their foreign sources to domestic distribution points throughout the United States. This data will be reported annually to the California Climate Action Registry, a program now underway to gather baseline greenhouse gas emission data.
As part of the agreement, the port will also construct a 10 megawatt photovoltaic solar electric power system to offset approximately 17,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. It will also use electricity, rather than conventional fossil fuels, to power ocean-going vessels when in port. Though much of that electricity, when derived from offsite sources, will come from natural gas-fired plants.
** NO MOVEMENT FOR HUCKABEE OR ROMNEY IN NATIONAL TRACKING POLL. Last night’s Rasmussen national tracking poll shows no deterioration for Mike Huckabee, recently beset by controversy discussed below, or improvement yet for Mitt Romney, who gave a very high-profile speech yesterday on religion in America.
On the Republican side, it’s Huckabee 22%, Rudy Giuliani 18%, Romney 13%, John McCain 12%, and Fred Thompson 9%.
On the Democratic side, it’s Hillary Clinton 34%, Barack Obama 25%, and John Edwards 16%. The other candidates are not being polled.
I have trouble with the robopoll concept, but this poll is intriguing because it is done nightly with the same methodology, and thus has relevance for looking at the direction of public opinion.
** CLINTON CAMPAIGN CITES ENDORSEMENTS OF FORMER AMBASSADORS AS EVIDENCE OF GEOPOLITICAL EXPERTISE. Attempting, at this rather late date, to establish her bona fides as an experienced hand at the highest levels of geopolitics, Hillary Clinton today is touting the endorsements of 32 ambassadors who served in her husband’s administration. Many, if not most, had already endorsed her. Here is the statement from the campaign: The Clinton campaign is releasing a letter today signed by 32 former U.S. ambassadors and diplomats who served while Senator Clinton was First Lady that attests to her unique foreign policy experience.
During her tenure as First Lady, Senator Clinton traveled the world as a representative of the United States, meeting with Presidents and Prime Ministers, refugees and victims of war and genocide. In her diplomatic role, she fought for human rights from China to Uganda to Kosovo, and helped pave the way for improved U.S. relations with countries such as India. Having seen her activities first hand, these former diplomats and ambassadors write that Senator Clinton “is the candidate with the strength and experience to restore America’s standing in the world and to return the United States to a position of global leadership.”
** CALIFORNIA ELECTORAL COLLEGE INITIATIVE BACKERS MAKE THE OBVIOUS OFFICIAL. As NWN reported the other day, the backers of the Republican scheme to change California’s Electoral College vote for president from winner-take-all to an allocation by congressional district — a ploy which might hand the presidency to the Republican nominee, have failed to make the June ballot. As you may have noted reported in today’s newspapers.
As I said the other day, not enough money, not enough signatures, not enough time. Now they say they’ll try for the November ballot. Which, of course, is when the presidential election takes place. The legal challenge would be obvious. In addition, their best chance, to the extent they had one, was in the low turnout June primary.
** SCHWARZENEGGER LIVE WEBCAST ON SUBPRIME MORTGAGE CRISIS THIS MORNING. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will hold a press conference this morning in Oakland to highlight a program that a Bay Area foundation and community-based organizations are launching to help homeowners avoid foreclosures. The event will be webcast live at 10:30 AM.
Mike Huckabee and action movie star Chuck Norris discuss their religious faith. Huckabee sums up: “You do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Huckabee’s surging campaign is beset by questions about his policy preparation and the disastrous parole of a rapist.
** HUCKABEE STRUGGLES. While Mitt Romney struggles in discussing his faith — which is to say, he doesn’t discuss it, while painting a picture of an America in which “religion is freedom” — the surging Mike Huckabee is much more comfortable discussing his own faith. As you see in the video above with fellow Christian Chuck Norris.
What Huckabee is having trouble with is his role in the release of a convicted rapist who went on to rape and murder another woman. Wayne Dumond has been convicted of raping a cheerleader who was a distant cousin of Bill Clinton. In the bitter culture wars of the ’90s, many conservatives claimed the rapist, Wayne Dumond, had been railroaded. The criminal subsequently died in prison. And in assuring voters that he is adequately prepared for the big questions of the presidency. Huckabee didn’t know about the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, or lack of same, which is merely the biggest national security story in quite awhile.
He can probably spin out of trouble on the disastrous parole controversy. (Although letters to Huckabee obtained by the liberal Huffington Post from other women who said that Wayne Dumond had raped them present a major complication, at the very least.) But his campaign, which has been the political equivalent of a pick-up basketball game, has to ramp up its game now that he is suddenly a frontrunner.
Mitt Romney delivers his “Faith In America” address at the
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library.
** ROMNEY STRUGGLES. Mitt Romney gave an impressive speech yesterday on religious faith in America. Yet, while he’s getting kudos from a built-in cheering section of conservative commentators who fear the populist Mike Huckabee and eschew the socially liberal Rudy Giuliani, he didn’t address the fundamental question. Is his religion, Mormonism, too far outside the mainstream for not only evangelical Christians, but independents and other mainstream voters he would have to appeal to in order to win a general election?
In the Mormon faith, Jesus is the brother of Lucifer. (Who is also known as Satan.) The American Indians (or Native Americans, if you will, though the tribes themselves increasingly call themselves “Indians”) are descended from the Israelites. The great star Kolob is next to the home of God somewhere in the far distant reaches of the universe yet governs the astronomical turnings of all stars and planets. Many momentous things occurred in ancient cities that no one outside the religion believes existed. Much of this was revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith in the 1840s, in upstate New York, while he examined hieroglyphs associated with a traveling mummy exhibition. Much of it was revealed in even more spectacular fashion.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel.
You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND U.S. ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Crude oil prices are trading around $88 per barrel.
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A lot is known about his religion. It’s just not widely known.
>Brasky :
“Which one’s religion is whackier, Huckabee or Romney?”
After yesterday’s speech, we still don’t know anything about Romney’s religion (or more importantly, his beliefs), so the whackiness potential approaches infinity.
Huckabee is a much more defined matter. In short, I think Americans are more wary of subterfuge than open religiousness.
Huckabee is a tough nut to crack – he’ll need to be considered carefully if he appears to be the Republican nomination. Frontal attacks could backfire…
Dec 7, 2007 12:01 PM
To his credit, he has also said that the six days leading up to Creation may well have lasted vastly longer than days as we now know them …
>Dana :
That is frightening thought. Ok, so this bozo [Huckabee] joins Rudy on my no way, no how list of people I oppose to becoming Prez. No Bush redux! (maybe I should have a T-shirt printed w/that slogan on it…).
>Bill Bradley :
He knows about evolution. He’s against it
Dec 7, 2007 01:01 PM
To his credit, he has also said that the six days leading up to Creation may well have lasted vastly longer than days as we now know them …
>Dana :
That is frightening thought. Ok, so this bozo [Huckabee] joins Rudy on my no way, no how list of people I oppose to becoming Prez. No Bush redux! (maybe I should have a T-shirt printed w/that slogan on it…).
>Bill Bradley :
He knows about evolution. He’s against it
Dec 7, 2007 01:01 PM
>>Bill Bradley : I think they don’t like any Republicans.
Of course, but doesn’t this have the look and feel of “pick your opponent” to it?
I think they’ve got a guy, Murray Waas, who’s really gone after Republicans and who knows Arkansas very well.
I prefer Doctor McCoy’s description:
“According to myth, the Earth was created in six days…”
>Bill Bradley :
To his credit, he has also said that the six days leading up to Creation may well have lasted vastly longer than days as we now know them …
For a superb account of the “group narrative” of the Mormon settlement of Utah see chapter 7 of Tim Egan’s fine collection of essays on the American northwest, Lasso the Wind. That chapter is titled The Empire of Clean, and deals mostly with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, where in 1857 Mormon settlers killed more than 120 prospective settlers from Arkansas–everyone except the youngest children, who were then raised as Mormons. The Mormons didn’t want competing settlers near them.
It was an important event in the history of Mormonism, of Utah, and of the American west.
For a superb account of the “group narrative” of the Mormon settlement of Utah see chapter 7 of Tim Egan’s fine collection of essays on the American northwest, Lasso the Wind. That chapter is titled The Empire of Clean, and deals mostly with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, where in 1857 Mormon settlers killed more than 120 prospective settlers from Arkansas–everyone except the youngest children, who were then raised as Mormons. The Mormons didn’t want competing settlers near them.
It was an important event in the history of Mormonism, of Utah, and of the American west.
True–like the eucharist really being Christ’s body and blood…
>Bill Bradley :
There are seemingly outlandish things in a number of religions.
They all sound weird if you think about them. The LDS church, Mormons, is weirder than the rest.
Newsweek telephone poll conducted Dec. 5-6 would seem to confirm Obama’s continued surge in Iowa:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/74215/page/2
The matter of religion is a wash in America once one looks behind the durface hypocrisy and ignorance of the fractionated Religious Community.
The matter of religion is a wash in America once one looks behind the durface hypocrisy and ignorance of the fractionated Religious Community.
The matter of religion is a wash in America once one looks behind the durface hypocrisy and ignorance of the fractionated Religious Community.
Sorry for the double-popsting.
Sorry for the double-popsting.
Popsting?
That was in one of the movies, right?
>Dana :
I prefer Doctor McCoy’s description:
“According to myth, the Earth was created in six days…”
There was a recent movie about that, I think with Jon Voight.
>larry :
For a superb account of the “group narrative” of the Mormon settlement of Utah see chapter 7 of Tim Egan’s fine collection of essays on the American northwest, Lasso the Wind. That chapter is titled The Empire of Clean, and deals mostly with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, where in 1857 Mormon settlers killed more than 120 prospective settlers from Arkansas–everyone except the youngest children, who were then raised as Mormons. The Mormons didn’t want competing settlers near them.
There was a recent movie about that, I think with Jon Voight.
>larry :
For a superb account of the “group narrative” of the Mormon settlement of Utah see chapter 7 of Tim Egan’s fine collection of essays on the American northwest, Lasso the Wind. That chapter is titled The Empire of Clean, and deals mostly with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, where in 1857 Mormon settlers killed more than 120 prospective settlers from Arkansas–everyone except the youngest children, who were then raised as Mormons. The Mormons didn’t want competing settlers near them.
That’s clearly a metaphor.
>Dana :
True–like the eucharist really being Christ’s body and blood…
I hear it’s showing in all the campaign polls.
Edwards’ campaign ripped Oprah today!
>Chris M :
Newsweek telephone poll conducted Dec. 5-6 would seem to confirm Obama’s continued surge in Iowa:
I don’t think it’s a wash. There are deep, real divisions.
>Jonathan Hemlock :
The matter of religion is a wash in America once one looks behind the durface hypocrisy and ignorance of the fractionated Religious Community.
Dec 7, 2007 03:39 PM
NEWSWEEK has Huckabee ahead by double digits in Iowa and surging in New Hampshire, SC and Fla. And both Romney and Guiliani are sinking.
McCain anyone? (that is if you’re old line GOP)
NEWSWEEK has Huckabee ahead by double digits in Iowa and surging in New Hampshire, SC and Fla. And both Romney and Guiliani are sinking.
McCain anyone? (that is if you’re old line GOP)
The AP piece below doesn’t pick up on the Edwards hit. However, they do report that in Iowa Oprah has a favorable rating comparable to that of…SANTA! Ho-ho-ho! Top that, Hillary!
http://tinyurl.com/37stxz
>Edwards’ campaign ripped Oprah today!
Non-Random:
The US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the US Forest Service cannot cut brush and use controlled burns to abate the wildfire hazard in the San Bernardino mountains WITHOUT an environmental impact assessment.
How long does it take to finish a environmental assessment? Couldn’t and emergency declaration by a Senator or Governor over rule, this upper court decision?
Carole,
My guess is that the decision would be appealed. Don’t think that authority exists for s Governor or Senator to over rule.
Carole-
This ruling by the Ninth Circus will be overturned on appeal. Not every court is nuts.
Carole-
This ruling by the Ninth Circus will be overturned on appeal. Not every court is nuts.
Oooh – maybe Mitt can get Santa to tour with him! That’d show them!
>>Chris M : However, they do report that in Iowa Oprah has a favorable rating comparable to that of…SANTA!
Carole, under a declared state of emergency, the Governor can suspend virtually any state law or regulation and expend money without legislative appropriation. Very strong powers, rarely used.
While I think the 9th Circuit decision is tediously silly, it would be fun to watch an EIR balance more tangible environmental impacts of brush clearing and tree removal against the global impacts of CO2 release from preventable wildfires. If we are on a hell-bent quest to save the planet from cooking, then how important are local watersheds, traffic and viewsheds??
I’m not quite tracking that last, KK.
Perhaps.
>Wilbur :
Oooh – maybe Mitt can get Santa to tour with him! That’d show them!
>>Chris M : However, they do report that in Iowa Oprah has a favorable rating comparable to that of…SANTA!
Dec 7, 2007 10:15 PM
Perhaps.
>Wilbur :
Oooh – maybe Mitt can get Santa to tour with him! That’d show them!
>>Chris M : However, they do report that in Iowa Oprah has a favorable rating comparable to that of…SANTA!
Dec 7, 2007 10:15 PM
The Edwards campaign had its black supporters on a conference call attack Oprah.
They also released an internal poll showing Edwards tied for the lead in Iowa.
Not so much …
>Chris M :
The AP piece below doesn’t pick up on the Edwards hit. However, they do report that in Iowa Oprah has a favorable rating comparable to that of…SANTA! Ho-ho-ho! Top that, Hillary!
http://tinyurl.com/37stxz
>Edwards’ campaign ripped Oprah today!
Dec 7, 2007 04:04 PM
I’m told Romney’s now in trouble in New Hampshire and there may be worse to come.
>richard locicero :
NEWSWEEK has Huckabee ahead by double digits in Iowa and surging in New Hampshire, SC and Fla. And both Romney and Guiliani are sinking.
McCain anyone? (that is if you’re old line GOP)
Dec 7, 2007 04:00 PM
Thank You Gentlemen for your answers.