Violent clashes erupted today in East Jerusalem over the Israeli policy of increased settlements there.

** QUICK HITS. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process went from bad to worse today, as you can see in the video footage above. The controversy over expanded settlements in the disputed West Bank is leading to an impasse of sorts between the U.S. and Israel. … Since I am not a subscriber to the Field Poll (I am a subscriber to the Public Policy Institute of California poll), I can reveal that tomorrow’s Field Poll will show that billionaire Meg Whitman’s massive unanswered advertising campaign has moved her into a slight lead over Jerry Brown in the California governor’s race. Whitman also has a huge lead over her Republican rival, super-rich state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. …

** NEW COLUMN COMING UP … THE MITT & MEG SHOW: “TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS”

** SCHWARZENEGGER PUSHES BACK HARD ON ANTI-AB 32 MOVES. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger toured the Green California Expo this morning. Having been in the middle of it, I can tell you that it was a tumultuous slow walk with a large entourage, festooned with cameras, interrupted by countless well-wishers.

Schwarzenegger stopped at many displays of what looks like a vibrant emerging green technology sector in California.

He also pushed back hard against the forces that want to roll back California’s landmark climate change program, AB 32.

Two Texas oil companies are funding an initiative drive seeking to place a proposition on the November ballot to roll back AB 32. The weekend’s California Republican Party convention, which Schwarzenegger did not attend, was awash in anti-AB 32 sentiment. Both candidates who are trying to succeed Schwarzenegger, billionaire Meg Whitman and super-rich state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, want to suspend AB 32. Whitman also vowed to call a halt to all new regulation in California, claiming in her Friday night banquet speech with her mentor, conservative Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, that it has cost four million jobs.

This morning, Schwarzenegger was having none of that.

“It’s an amazing experience to come through here, and see the technology moving so quickly. All the innovation, and we see because of our policies that we have put in place, people are saying this is where we want to do business, no matter where they come from around the world. Because they know that we stay with the policy moving forward.

“I think that the Californian people are very much for protecting our environment. And for supporting AB 32. I think Californian people are outraged that Texas oil companies are coming to California to try to change the law and affect policies in California.

“I mean, it’s outrageous. And so this is why I think all of us, environmentalists and ordinary citizens, we all will be out there defending AB 32, this historic, landmark policy that rolls back greenhouse gases and protects the environment.”

Why the push for the anti-AB 32 initiative?

“It’s just greed. They just want to go and make decisions for another state,” he said, referring to the two Texas oil companies bankrolling the drive. “We make the decisions for this state.”

Schwarzenegger noted California’s long history as a leader, especially on energy.

“This has been what we do here. Energy conservation. The state has been number one, 40% more energy efficient than the rest of the United States, for a long time. And the great thing about AB32 is job creation, look around here. Every one of the businesses that I visited want to expand. The only place that is creating jobs now is the green sector. So why would I want to go and undo that? Why would we want to go back to the Stone Age?”

** THE BIG NATIONAL HEALTH CARE SPLIT. OR IS IT A WASH? A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll is coming out late this afternoon on the national health care reform bill. But part of it has been released in advance. And that part shows that, while the vote is certainly a tough one for members of Congress, it may also be something of a wash.

Asked if their representative were to vote with Republicans to ditch the current health care overhaul bill, 31% said they would be more likely to vote for him or her in November while 34% said they’d be less likely and 34% said it wouldn’t matter. The poll, which comes out later today, also asked voters how they would feel if their representative voted with Democrats to pass the bill, and 28% said they’d be more likely to vote for him or her. On the other hand, 36% said they’d be less likely, and 34% said there would be no difference.

That sounds to me like President Barack Obama has the opportunity to recast the bill once passed.

** CALIFORNIA 2010: THE GREAT DEBATE! THAT WASN’T! Billionaire Meg Whitman and her Republican rival, super-rich state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, faced off in their first debate last night before a private fundraising group in Orange County. Frankly, the event was something of a farce.

The debate should have taken place, as Poizner wanted, at the California Republican Party convention just before in Santa Clara. But Whitman would have none of that.

Far more people would have seen the event, which was not televised. There were also far more press in attendance in Santa Clara.

I watched the debate on a live webcast, the only way it could be seen outside the hall in Costa Mesa. Actually, I should say that I tried watching it.

For a big money group, the New Majority — joined by the California Chamber of Commerce and California Association of Realtors as the co-sponsors — did a remarkably inept job of operating a webcast. It cut out entirely about 20 minutes in, then played intermittently after that.

I would say that the shockingly bad transmission kept viewership down. However, there were only about 1700 people viewing when the transmission was first lost. From what I could tell, viewership topped out around 2000 at the debate’s height.

As for the debate itself, there were no knockout blows landed.

Whitman nearly knocked herself out, however. First when she didn’t know how to use her microphone. Again when she nearly knocked the water over. Her expected case of nerves led to some serious clumsiness on the Republican frontrunner’s part.

In contrast, Poizner was much more relaxed.

He zinged her as a liberal masquerading as a conservative. She zinged him as a liberal masquerading as a conservative.

I think you see where this is going.

Both sides claimed victory. The press onhand proclaimed it a draw. I say, let’s see a real debate in front of a real audience, on television, not the world’s most inept webcast viewed by 1500 political junkies.

The two debate again in May.


President Barack Obama continued his renewed push for a national health care reform bill yesterday in Ohio.

**  OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington today.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have received the daily intelligence briefing and met with senior advisors in the Oval Office.

At 9 AM Pacific, Obama and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine have lunch in the Private Dining Room.

At 1:30 PM Pacific, Obama meet with Secretary of Defense Bob Gates in the Oval Office.

In other action, Biden hosted a breakfast meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Naval Observatory. Biden also meets with senior officials to assess progress in Iraq in the wake of the national parliamentary elections.

Clinton is off to Moscow tomorrow to work on closing the new nuclear arms treaty with Russia and to meet with other members of the Quartet powers on the Middle East (U.S., Russia, European Union, and United Nations).

Clinton will meet with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, President Dmitri Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov on nuclear weapons and other security-related matters.

Clinton and U.S. special envoy to Middle East George Mitchell will meet on the stalled Israeli/Palestinian peace process with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, EU foreign secretary Catherine Ashton, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Quartet special envoy.

With the national health care reform bill reaching its final stages, Obama also finds himself this week managing a crisis with Israel. It comes just before the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) meeting in Washington, which is drawing Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to town.

In the wake of last week’s snub of visiting Vice President Joe Biden in the form of the announcement of 1600 new housing units for the hotly disputed West Bank, Obama rescinded the scheduled trip to the region this week of Middle East envoy George Mitchell. Meanwhile, Palestinians are protesting the proposed increased Israeli settlement presence in East Jerusalem. Israel captured the area from Jordan in the Six Day War of 1967.

Obama is also monitoring geopolitical crises in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.

** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles and Sacramento today.

Schwarzenegger tours the Green California Expo this morning at the Sacramento Convention Center.

He then holds a press conference at 10:30 AM.

The event will be webcast live on www.gov.ca.gov.

** MEG WHITMAN’S NEW! IMPROVED! POST-JOURNALISM! POLITICS. Something new and more than a little bizarre is busy being born in California. Call it post-journalism politics.

Billionaire Meg Whitman has been spending feverishly for months on an advertising blitz, trying first to purchase the Republican nomination for governor and, ultimately, the governorship itself. After a number of terrible performances in press conferences and interviews with knowledgeable reporters, the former national co-chair of the McCain/Palin campaign and her high-priced handlers have decided to drop the pretense of normal campaign engagement, dispensing entirely with press conferences. …

In very stark contrast to Whitman and her bloated, big budget would-be blockbuster of a campaign, Jerry Brown is pursuing what might be described as a cinema verite campaign. … From my March 12th column.

** IS MEG WHITMAN LIKE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER? YES (IN THE WRONG WAYS) Is billionaire Meg Whitman, the former McCain/Palin campaign co-chair who seeks to replace action movie superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger as the governor of California, like Schwarzenegger?

It’s a question that her ultra-megabucks campaign clearly doesn’t like. The heavily programmed career corporate marketing executive goes out of her way to distinguish herself from the multiple times Mr. Universe. She was a CEO, of a company you may have heard of, eBay. And in case you hadn’t heard that and you live in California, she’s spent many millions of dollars for months on ads telling you about it. After all, it is her sole claim to fame. Whereas, in her view, Schwarzeneggger was merely a jock turned entertainer. (Not that she mentions her not so excellent eBay era adventures with, say, Skype, Craigslist, and Goldman Sachs. So I won’t, either.)

Whitman hates the comparison with Schwarzenegger, a comparison which is nonetheless obvious as both she and Schwarzenegger are Republicans, both are super-rich, and neither had any experience in elected office before deciding to run for governor of California. Why does she hate it? Well, Schwarzenegger, while still personally popular, has seen his once record job approval rating plummet with the global recession and the state’s gridlocked budget process. And he’s turned out to be too liberal for the increasingly right-leaning party whose nomination she is trying to win.

As someone who knew Schwarzenegger and talked with him extensively before he ran for governor in the 2003 California recall election — and who began scouting Whitman, putting together several hours of film of her, when she suddenly emerged as national co-chair of the Republican presidential campaign in early 2008 — it occurs to me that Whitman is like Schwarzenegger.

But in the wrong ways. (Keep in mind that I’m referring to the Schwarzenegger who suddenly jumped from promoting Terminator 3 into running for governor in 2003.) … From my March 9th column.


The Pentagon is investigating reports in the New York Times and elsewhere that one of its officials illegally hired contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan to track down and kill insurgents.

** IS OBAMA’S AFPAK STRATEGY ACTUALLY WORKING? From my March 5th column.

** THE CALIFORNIA AS FIRST “FAILED STATE” DEBATE: SCHWARZENEGGER, DAVIS, WHITMAN, AND JERRY BROWN. With Democrat Jerry Brown finally declaring his candidacy for California governor today and billionaire Meg Whitman’s super-rich Republican rival Steve Poizner starting his own TV ad campaign against her, this seems a good time to talk about a big new negative theme about the rather tarnished Golden State. Is California America’s first “failed state?” That’s what a lot of people are saying. So I talked about that with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; the governor he replaced, Gray Davis; and a famous former governor favored to be the next governor, Jerry Brown.From my March 2nd column.

** SO WHO IS THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNER ANYWAY? PALIN, ROMNEY, PAUL (!) … From my February 23rd column.

** MAD MEN: THE STREAK CONTINUES.From my February 22nd column.

** THE BIGGEST SPENDING RACE IN AMERICA IS UNDERWAY! (WELL, SORT OF.)From my February 19th column.

** TONY BLAIR’S GHOST (WRITER).From my February 16th column.

** HOW JERRY BROWN CLEARED THE DEMOCRATIC FIELD FOR GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA. From my December 9th column.

** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th, 2009 Huffington Post column.

** HELP FOR HAITI.

You can donate to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, www.clintonbushhaitifund.org, by clicking here.

** 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 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. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. 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.

** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in two wars in the region, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Based in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, Al Jazeera is very influential and more than a bit controversial. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.

** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, 2008, crude oil is trading around $81 per barrel.

This is up about $47 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity.

Your posts are welcome in the Forum. You can send me a private tip by clicking on the “Contact” button in the upper right.

52 Responses to “Non-Random Notes (Throughout the day)”

  1. Jonas Blane says:

    Obama is good when he rolls up his sleeves.

  2. Jonas Blane says:

    This is a wild story about the CIA and contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  3. Capitol Boy says:

    Barack is going to get health care reform done!

    Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:23 am
    Obama is good when he rolls up his sleeves.

  4. Capitol Boy says:

    Some of those guys always get out of control. It never fails.

    Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:31 am
    This is a wild story about the CIA and contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  5. Capitol Boy says:

    That was really ridiculous…

    ** CALIFORNIA 2010: THE GREAT DEBATE! THAT WASN’T! Billionaire Meg Whitman and her Republican rival, super-rich state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, faced off in their first debate last night before a private fundraising group in Orange County. Frankly, the event was something of a farce.

  6. Len says:

    I was wondering who watched that.

  7. Bill Bradley says:

    Only political junkies.

  8. Bill Bradley says:

    It was quite bad.

    > Capitol Boy says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:56 am (Edit)

    That was really ridiculous…

    ** CALIFORNIA 2010: THE GREAT DEBATE! THAT WASN’T! Billionaire Meg Whitman and her Republican rival, super-rich state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, faced off in their first debate last night before a private fundraising group in Orange County. Frankly, the event was something of a farce.

  9. Bill Bradley says:

    There is still a significant outlaw culture there.

    > Capitol Boy says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:55 am (Edit)

    Some of those guys always get out of control. It never fails.

    Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:31 am
    This is a wild story about the CIA and contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  10. Bill Bradley says:

    It’s one of those little things he does to demonstrate that he means business.

    > Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:23 am (Edit)

    Obama is good when he rolls up his sleeves.

  11. Clutch J says:

    It’s a biproduct of our policy. Not its essence, but something that comes with even the best-intentioned war.

    >BB: There is still a significant outlaw culture there.

    > Capitol Boy says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:55 am (Edit)

    Some of those guys always get out of control. It never fails.

    Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:31 am
    This is a wild story about the CIA and contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  12. Capitol Boy says:

    How is it a byproduct of the policy when it is against the policy?

  13. Clutch J says:

    The war itself is the policy to which I refer. War emboldens rogues.

  14. Jonas Blane says:

    More video today?

  15. Jack Aubrey says:

    Letting terrorists attack you emboldens rogues, too…

    Clutch J says:
    March 16, 2010 at 11:47 am
    The war itself is the policy to which I refer. War emboldens rogues.

  16. Jack Aubrey says:

    That Dewey Claridge guy has been involved in this kind of shit since the ’60s.

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 9:44 am
    There is still a significant outlaw culture there.

    > Capitol Boy says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:55 am (Edit)

    Some of those guys always get out of control. It never fails.

    Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:31 am
    This is a wild story about the CIA and contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  17. Jack Aubrey says:

    He better keep his sleeves rolled up all this week, then.

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 9:44 am
    It’s one of those little things he does to demonstrate that he means business.

    > Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:23 am (Edit)

    Obama is good when he rolls up his sleeves.

  18. Dana says:

    “I watched the debate on a live webcast, the only way it could be seen outside the hall in Costa Mesa.”

    Actually Kevin Roderick reported it was broadcast on digital channel 4.2 (aka NewsRaw) by KNBC in L.A. Of course that is mostly watched by junkies…

    http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2010/03/kaus_gets_the_launch_any.php

  19. Jonas Blane says:

    Good news video from Jerusalem.

  20. Bill Bradley says:

    If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it really fall?

    > Dana says:
    March 16, 2010 at 12:43 pm (Edit)

    “I watched the debate on a live webcast, the only way it could be seen outside the hall in Costa Mesa.”

    Actually Kevin Roderick reported it was broadcast on digital channel 4.2 (aka NewsRaw) by KNBC in L.A. Of course that is mostly watched by junkies…

    http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2010/03/kaus_gets_the_launch_any.php

  21. Bill Bradley says:

    This is definitely the week …

    > Jack Aubrey says:
    March 16, 2010 at 12:27 pm (Edit)

    He better keep his sleeves rolled up all this week, then.

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 9:44 am
    It’s one of those little things he does to demonstrate that he means business.

    > Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:23 am (Edit)

    Obama is good when he rolls up his sleeves.

  22. Bill Bradley says:

    I don’t believe it’s happened in many wars of the past.

    > Clutch J says:
    March 16, 2010 at 9:56 am (Edit)

    It’s a biproduct of our policy. Not its essence, but something that comes with even the best-intentioned war.

    >BB: There is still a significant outlaw culture there.

    > Capitol Boy says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:55 am (Edit)

    Some of those guys always get out of control. It never fails.

    Jonas Blane says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:31 am
    This is a wild story about the CIA and contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  23. Dana says:

    Touche!

    >21.Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 2:12 pm
    If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it really fall?

  24. HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN says:
  25. HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN says:
  26. Bill Bradley says:

    I’ve never heard of that station, and it was not mentioned in any of the suggested ways to watch the debate.

    > Dana says:
    March 16, 2010 at 2:25 pm (Edit)

    Touche!

    >21.Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 2:12 pm
    If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it really fall?

  27. Capitol Boy says:

    This is really good stuff!

    Good for Ahnold…

    ** SCHWARZENEGGER PUSHES BACK HARD ON ANTI-AB 32 MOVES. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger toured the Green California Expo this morning. Having been in the middle of it, I can tell you that it was a tumultuous slow walk with a large entourage, festooned with cameras, interrupted by countless well-wishers.

    Schwarzenegger stopped at many displays of what looks like a vibrant emerging green technology sector in California.

    He also pushed back hard against the forces that want to roll back California’s landmark climate change program, AB 32.

  28. Elizabeth Miller says:

    When you get right down to the nitty gritty, what do you suppose it is that the Israeli people should fear the most urgently … Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon or expanding settlements?

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 9:42 am
    They are very afraid of Iran.

    > Elizabeth Miller says:
    March 15, 2010 at 11:37 am (Edit)

    As there should be … and it should have nothing to do with Iran.

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 15, 2010 at 10:52 am
    There is a fundamental existential fear, not exactly unfounded, either, around Israel now.

  29. Capitol Boy says:

    That’s OK. What goes up, must come down.

    … Since I am not a subscriber to the Field Poll (I am a subscriber to the Public Policy Institute of California poll), I can reveal that tomorrow’s Field Poll will show that billionaire Meg Whitman’s massive unanswered advertising campaign has moved her into a slight lead over Jerry Brown in the California governor’s race. Whitman also has a huge lead over her Republican rival, super-rich state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. …

  30. Jack Aubrey says:

    These Democratic groups better get off their behinds and make sure Jerry Brown beats this fraud.

  31. Elizabeth Miller says:

    I’m not sure Democratic groups are capable of that sort of thing. :)

  32. marcos leon says:

    The Field poll should be a good wake up for the groups in California to make sure that Meg Whitman is stopped.

  33. marcos leon says:

    I watched part of the President’s health care speech. He does appear to have the bit between his teeth. This is a very good thing.

  34. Bill Bradley says:

    He’s taking a big risk. If the bill is not passed now, it will hard to explain away …

  35. Bill Bradley says:

    You may recall the old Will Rogers line: “I am not a member of any organized party. I am a Democrat.”

    That said, I expect Jerry Brown to be the next governor.

    >#
    Elizabeth Miller says:
    March 16, 2010 at 6:13 pm (Edit)

    I’m not sure Democratic groups are capable of that sort of thing. :)

  36. Bill Bradley says:

    I would assign equal measure to both.

    The latter because it increases the anti-Israel rationale. The former because Iran wants a nuclear weapon in any event.

    > Elizabeth Miller says:
    March 16, 2010 at 4:52 pm (Edit)

    When you get right down to the nitty gritty, what do you suppose it is that the Israeli people should fear the most urgently … Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon or expanding settlements?

  37. Bill Bradley says:

    It’s a very strong statement.

    I believe the moves will be defeated.

    >#
    Capitol Boy says:
    March 16, 2010 at 4:09 pm (Edit)

    This is really good stuff!

    Good for Ahnold…

    ** SCHWARZENEGGER PUSHES BACK HARD ON ANTI-AB 32 MOVES. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger toured the Green California Expo this morning. Having been in the middle of it, I can tell you that it was a tumultuous slow walk with a large entourage, festooned with cameras, interrupted by countless well-wishers.

    Schwarzenegger stopped at many displays of what looks like a vibrant emerging green technology sector in California.

    He also pushed back hard against the forces that want to roll back California’s landmark climate change program, AB 32.

  38. Elizabeth Miller says:

    I am all too familiar with that quote. But, I’m sure you’re right – I have complete confidence in Califorians.

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 7:21 pm
    You may recall the old Will Rogers line: “I am not a member of any organized party. I am a Democrat.”

    That said, I expect Jerry Brown to be the next governor.

  39. Elizabeth Miller says:

    Well, just because Iran wants a nuclear bomb doesn’t mean that Iran will send it off to Israel, or anywhere else for that matter. I mean, you can call Iran’s leaders many things … but, suicidal? I don’t think so.

    And, that is essentially why I think the actual expanding settlements will be far more destructive to the state of Israel, as we know it, than a theoretical nuclear attack by Iran which can arguably be put into the realm of the 1% doctrine, more or less.

    What I can’t understand is why Israel would be so keen to sustain the status quo wrt settlement policy knowing, as they do, that that policy remains one of the biggest obstacles preventing movement toward a two-state solution … a solution that is the only hope for Israel if it wishes to remain a Jewish and democratic state. Have Israel’s leaders become oblivious to the facts on the ground that they are creating? Do they understand basic demographics?

    I say send Biden back to knock some more sense into them!

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 7:22 pm
    I would assign equal measure to both.

    The latter because it increases the anti-Israel rationale. The former because Iran wants a nuclear weapon in any event.

    > Elizabeth Miller says:
    March 16, 2010 at 4:52 pm (Edit)

    When you get right down to the nitty gritty, what do you suppose it is that the Israeli people should fear the most urgently … Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon or expanding settlements?

  40. sergei says:

    The nuclear bomb alters all dynamics of power.

  41. Jonas Blane says:

    What new video today?

  42. Bill Bradley says:

    St. Patrick’s Day, Kucinich switches to yes on health care, Americans charged with terrorism in Pakistan.

  43. Bill Bradley says:

    You have to ignore what they say, along with their very extreme ideologies and messianic religious views, to say that …

    Iran might be able to survive a nuclear war. Israel would not.

    > Elizabeth Miller says:
    March 16, 2010 at 8:00 pm (Edit)

    Well, just because Iran wants a nuclear bomb doesn’t mean that Iran will send it off to Israel, or anywhere else for that matter. I mean, you can call Iran’s leaders many things … but, suicidal? I don’t think so.

  44. Bill Bradley says:

    It’s a great old line.

    > Elizabeth Miller says:
    March 16, 2010 at 7:41 pm (Edit)

    I am all too familiar with that quote. But, I’m sure you’re right – I have complete confidence in Califorians.

    Bill Bradley says:
    March 16, 2010 at 7:21 pm
    You may recall the old Will Rogers line: “I am not a member of any organized party. I am a Democrat.”

    That said, I expect Jerry Brown to be the next governor.

  45. It’s great to see great, fabulous ideas that have never been done before

  46. Terminator 2 was by far the best movie ever. Later Terminator movies have just not been able to live up to our expectations.

  47. Bill Bradley says:

    Incidentally, NWN passed 94,000 comments sometime in the past week or so.

  48. Leon Shigemi says:

    Just thought i would comment and say neat design, did you code it yourself? Looks great. If you liketo swap the links with us please let me know.

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