Quote of the Day

"That is the height of irresponsibility. It is shameful, and part of what we're going to need is for folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint and show some discipline and show some sense of responsibility. There will be time for them to make profits, and there will be time for them to make bonuses. Now is not that time."

-- President Barack Obama responds to a report of $18.4 billion in Wall Street bonuses

Quote of the Day

I gave the Quote of the Day a brief rest following Inauguration Day. I was in such a good mood after seeing the former president on his way that I chose to ignore a lot of the posturing that was going on, most notably the gaseous bloviating of one Rush Limbaugh, who went into great detail about why he hoped Obama would fail.

I finally decided to restart the QotD yesterday, only to discover that there weren't really any notable quotes floating around. Then I happened upon Rep. Phil Gingrey's message to Rush Limbaugh to lay off the Republican leadership. Ah, a Republican standing up to the gasmaster! Good stuff! Well, uh...never mind...

From Congressman Phil Gingrey's website:

Because of the high volume of phone calls and correspondence received by my office since the Politico article ran, I wanted to take a moment to speak directly to grassroots conservatives. Let me assure you, I am one of you. I believe I was sent to Washington to fight for and defend our traditional values of smaller government, lower taxes, a strong national defense, and the lives of the unborn. In my six years in Washington, I have led the charge on many of these issues. In fact, in 2008 The National Journal ranked me the #1 most conservative Member of the House of Representatives.

As long as I am in the Congress, I will continue to fight for and defend our sacred values. I have actively opposed every bailout, every rebate check, every so called “stimulus.” And on so many of these things, I see eye-to-eye with Rush Limbaugh. Regardless of what yesterday’s headline may have read, I never told Rush to back off. I regret and apologize for the fact that my comments have offended and upset my fellow conservatives—that was not my intent. I am also sorry to see that my comments in defense of our Republican Leadership read much harsher than they actually were intended, but I recognize it is my responsibility to clarify my own comments.

Now more than ever, we need to articulate a clear conservative message that distinguishes our values and our approach from those of liberal Democrats who are seeking to move our nation in the wrong direction. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich, and other conservative giants are the voices of the conservative movement’s conscience. Everyday, millions and millions of Americans—myself included—turn on their radios and televisions to listen to what they have to say, and we are inspired by their words and by their determination. At the end of the day, every member of the conservative movement, from our political commentators and thinkers to our elected officials, share an important and common purpose in advancing the cause of liberty, reigning in a bloated federal government, and defending our traditional family values.

Quote of the Day

“I think that our leadership, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, are taking the right approach. I mean, it’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks. You don’t have to try to do what’s best for your people and your party. You know you’re just on these talk shows and you’re living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing. But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders, they’re not in that position of John Boehner or Mitch McConnell."

-- Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.)

"Purple Haze"

Like last week with Peter Gabriel, I've discovered that I've never posted any of my favorite songs by the Cure. Even if you don't know the Cure, you know this Jimi Hendrix song they're covering...

Purple Haze (From Stone Free- A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix) - The Cure

Stimulus Goals

Most of President Obama's immediate attention is focused on passage of his economic stimulus plan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. One of the chief Republican attacks is that the plan will cost some $223,000 for every job created. This would be true if the the plan were only about job creation, but Obama has laid out some pretty ambitious goals, much more than job creation, in his weekly radio address. And the new administration has already set up an internet site to keep track of where the money is going once the bill has passed...

Post-Partisan? Not Bloody Likely!

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics."

-- President Barack Obama - from his first Inaugural Address

Some people haven't gotten the memo yet. One of the problems I have with Obama is his naivety about partisanship; that it's suddenly going to go away and he's going to be able to work constructively with everyone. I'm afraid that extending a hand in friendship to some on the right may result in having to be treated for rabies. With the country in such dire straits, statements such as Rush Limbaugh's "I hope he fails" sound particularly obtuse. Is he content to continue to watch the country circle the toilet for another four years just to make a political point or two.

Meanwhile, over at Moonbat Central, an "exclusive commentary" puts Obama squarely on the side of evil. An exaggeration?

Many a coward has been bolstered in his conviction against challenging tyranny by not reading too deeply into the Scriptures. Yet, nowhere does the Bible ever suggest evil rulers are to be obeyed. When the rule of men conflicts with the commands of God, the Bible leaves no doubt about where we should stand.

That's why I do not hesitate today in calling on godly Americans to pray that Barack Hussein Obama fail in his efforts to change our country from one anchored on self-governance and constitutional republicanism to one based on the raw and unlimited power of the central state.

It would be folly to pray for his success in such an evil campaign.

I want Obama to fail because his agenda is 100 percent at odds with God's. Pretending it is not simply makes a mockery of God's straightforward Commandments.

So you will not see me joining in the ritual of affirming Obama and his mission in public or private prayer this week – or any other week.

Fox News is leading the hackery. The Daily Show segment below aired on Thursday, which means that most of the Fox ravings collected took place on Wednesday, the first full day of Obama's presidency. Day One! No honeymoon here...

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Fox News Fear Imbalance

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Obama and Roberts Try, Try Again

I mentioned in a prior post that Chief Justice John Roberts and President Obama managed to screw up the oath of office on Inauguration Day. They both took part in a do-over Wednesday evening "out of an abundance of caution." I guess it's all official now.

A Lost Sneak Peek

Lost returns for its fifth and final season tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Here's a sneak peek...

Some Random Items About the Inauguration

GIANT ATTACKS CAPITOL DURING INAUGURATION

Well, it didn't go off without a few goofs, mistakes and snafus, but Barack Obama is now the 44th president of the United States. Chief Justice John Roberts screwed up the oath of office, which screwed up Obama, who ended up saying all the correct words but not in the order precise required. Obama also made a mistake very early in his inaugural address when he said, "Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath." Obama is indeed the 44th president, but only 43 Americans have taken the oath. Grover Cleveland (the baseball fan in me always seems to want to add "Alexander" to his name) served nonconsecutive terms -- he is the 22nd and 24th president. There were also a lot of problems with the logistics involved in cramming a couple of million people into the Mall to witness history. But if these are the worst mistakes over the next four years, we'll be very lucky indeed.

Senator Edward Kennedy suffered a seizure during the inaugural lunch and was taken to Washington Hospital Center. Senator Robert Byrd became "emotional" and was either escorted out of the room by security personnel or left on his own accord. The seizure was said to have been caused by "simple fatigue" and Kennedy is "doing well." He should be released later today.

Obama and his team got a bit of work done amidst all the ceremonies and balls. The first sign of this came at the official White House webpage which is now all Obama-y and missing a lot of stuff that was on there a few days ago lauding the former resident. Obama also took the time today to order federal regulators to stop work on President Bush's unfinished last-minute regulations and to urge military prosecutors to halt legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay. Also, the Senate has confirmed seven Obama cabinet picks, but not Hillary. Senator John Cornyn is seeking more financial information about Bill's foundation.

Just to calm your fears, there was no giant attack in Washington Tuesday. The photo above is from the Boston Globe's "The Big Picture" photo-essay on "Inauguration Preparations." The photo by the AP's Sandy Huffaker shows model builder Gary McIntire putting the finishing touches on a Lego presidential inauguration scene on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009 at Legoland California in Carlsbad, California.

Quote of the Day -- A Special Inauguration Edition

"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

"These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

"Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met."

-- from President Barack Obama's First Inaugural Address

The New York Times has a special interactive feature, "Analyzing Obama's Inaugural Speech," complete with video and full text broken up into segments with links to articles relating to some of the segments. They also have "Inaugural Words: 1789 to the present" showing the key words of every presidential inaugural address with links to full texts.

The End of an Error

Inauguration Day should come on New Year's Day. It's the real deal that New Year's Day only pretends to be -- the day full of hope and possibilities. Even if it's not the person you voted for taking the oath of office, there's a new beginning much more profound than simply starting a new calendar, complete with expectations that haven't yet been stomped to death by cold realities. I've had that feeling of hope and possibility at every inauguration of a new president, even if it is just the hope 'maybe this won't be as bad as I think.'

All that remains is the pomp and circumstance that culminates in Barack Obama taking the oath of office of president of the United States today at high noon. Actually, that won't be the culmination. The partying will then start up again and continue until the wee hours of Wednesday morning in Washington, all across the United States and around the rest of our fragile globe.

No, the heavens won't part and angels won't descend and declare Obama 'The One.' At least I don't think that will happen. All of our country's problems won't suddenly be fixed with a wave of Obama's magic wand. Peace, love and understanding will take a while to achieve. Our two wars, our broken economy, and a host of other problems will be with us for years to come, and that's if Obama does a fantastic job. But, later today, we will see the most amazing, miraculous sight -- President George W. Bush will get on a Marine chopper and fly out to Andrews Air Force Base where he will step on a plane that's not Air Force One and fly, fly away. Hopefully into oblivion or a small jail cell somewhere, but thankfully, finally away.

For a while, I harbored a small paranoid thought that this would never happen, that some national catastrophe would make it necessary for the government to cancel the election, that we would be stuck with this man Bush forever. I see now that my fears were groundless. He is done. Now, at long last, our national nightmare is over.

These last eight years have been the antithesis of that little bit of hope I felt on Inauguration Day, 2001, when I dared to dream for just a second 'maybe this won't be as bad as I think.' It has been much, much worse. How bad? To quote David Michael Green, writing at Alternet...

It is a breathtaking record. It really is. Indeed, one might argue in complete seriousness that it would be far easier to list the one or two exceptions to a blanket rule of disaster than to catalogue the endless list of travesties. It would certainly take a lot less time to specify any successes than to climb the mountain of wholesale failures. In short, it literally involves almost no exaggeration to describe this adventure in catastrophic governance by means of a simple covering adage: If there was a way the Bush administration could have diminished America, it did.

The Daily Show has been doing a retrospective of the Bush Years. I'm not sure if these segments ever aired. If they did, I never saw them, but they've posted a few online. Take a few minutes to check out Bush's Alfred E. Newman "What, Me Worry?" grin once more, and delight in the fact that he is utterly, truly gone. There's the 2000 Election, the 2004 Election, the Iraq War, He's the Decider!, Dubya Economics, Jon's Dubya Impression and Farewell, Mr. President.

Quote of the Day

"We are here today not simply to pay tribute to those patriots who founded our nation in Philadelphia or defended it in Baltimore, but to take up the cause for which they gave so much. The trials we face are very different now, but severe in their own right. Only a handful of times in our history has a generation been confronted with challenges so vast. An economy that is faltering. Two wars, one that needs to be ended responsibly, one that needs to be waged wisely. A planet that is warming from our unsustainable dependence on oil.

"And yet while our problems may be new, what is required to overcome them is not. What is required is the same perseverance and idealism that those first patriots displayed. What is required is a new declaration of independence, not just in our nation, but in our own lives - from ideology and small thinking, prejudice and bigotry - an appeal not to our easy instincts but to our better angels."

-- President-elect Barack Obama, Saturday in Baltimore, Maryland

"I Can See Clearly Now"

On the eve of another Inauguration Day, I was trying to find a song that fit the situation, a song of joy. I'm still not exactly thrilled that Obama is taking over, but I'm absolutely ecstatic that Bush will be gone. This golden oldie is close enough...




Lyrics | Johnny Nash lyrics - I Can See Clearly Now lyrics

Quote of the Day

While only a few details are known, one overlooked issue is that it could create a major electoral advantage for Democrats at taxpayer expense. That would be unacceptable for what is being touted as a nonpartisan measure, and gives Republicans yet another reason to oppose it if not restructured...But most federal employees, that are not political appointees, vote Democrat. Since Washington, DC is the seat of government, whenever new federal bureaucrats are created many live in Maryland and Virginia. In 2008, Virginia went Democrat for the first time since 1964, and Mr. Obama won it by 130,000 votes. Creating 600,000 new jobs might help cement Virginia in the Democrat column, making it harder for Republicans to retake the White House.

-- Ken Blackwell, former Ohio secretary of state and candidate for the Republican National Committee chair, explains why he is against the economic stimulus package

Quote of the Day

"If you look at the history of the use of that technique, used by the Khmer Rouge, used in the Inquisition, used by the Japanese and prosecuted by us as war crimes. We prosecuted our own soldiers for using it in Vietnam. I agree with you, Mr. Chairman, waterboarding is torture."

-- Attorney General nominee Eric Holder

Battlestar Galactica -- The Home Stretch

Tonight at 10 p.m. ET (SciFi), Battlestar Galactica enters the home stretch. It's Season 4.5, the final ten episodes. I don't know where we're going from here. The whole point of the show has been for the Fleet to find Earth, and they found it, a planet that has been devastated by a nuclear war. Or is this really Earth? I'd say not, but even so, there are still a few unanswered questions that need resolution before the final curtain falls.

If you need a refresher after the long break, the SciFi website has one: "Catch the Frak Up!", a 13-minute recap of the entire season thus far. If you need a slower paced recap, there's the three-part "The Top Ten Things You Need to Know." Here's Part 1...



Like previous seasons, there are also exclusive "webisodes" that give a little backstory to what's to come. Here's Part 1 of "The Face of the Enemy"...



If you need to see more, you can find the remaining parts plus other clips and even the final episodes of Season 4.0 at the Battlestar Galactica page at Hulu.com or by digging around at SciFi.com.

Quote of the Day

"You know, I am very reluctant to say, of all the people in the world, I have been picked out by the Almighty. And the reason I’m reluctant to say that is, one, I don’t know. Secondly, far be it for me to put myself in the Almighty’s shoes or position. I have received a lot of comfort as a result of my faith, but never have I felt like I was any better than anybody else as a result of my faith or I was, you know, The Person as a result of my faith. Some — some believe that. I have real trouble, as I repeat, I have real trouble, you know, saying, 'Well, I know what God was thinking.'"

-- President George W. Bush, Monday on Fox News

Defending a Terrorist and the Rule of Law

Sunday's edition of my local paper, the Chattanooga Times-Free Press, had a front page story profiling Lieutenant Colonel Mike Acuff, a Chattanooga lawyer who is defending Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the Guantanamo detainee accused of masterminding the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Aside from the "local-man-is-witness-to-history" angle, the article didn't offer much insight into Acuff's client and the case except to say "that Mr. Mohammed’s case will land in the U.S. Supreme Court and become a vehicle either for challenging or defending the legitimacy of the United States’ approach to the global war on terror." Something most people could figure out on their own. But then, you can't expect too much information. After all, there's attorney-client privilege and the client is a "high-value detainee" whose every utterance is top secret.

But a couple of things stand out. There's the path that led Acuff to Guantanamo -- high school in Indiana, a stint in the army as a medic, college at ETSU, law school at the University of Tennessee, the move to Chattanooga, work in the Hamilton County public defender's office, a return to active duty as a reservist, and a meeting with defense-office supervisors in Washington where he was sent to Guantanamo. It's the old story of life never turning out quite like you planned it. Acuff wanted to be a doctor, but was tripped up by the same thing that tripped up quite a few pre-med students: organic chemistry.

The other thing that really stands out is Acuff's respect for the rule of law -- much more so than your typical Bush administration flunkie. You know, where every prisoner gets his day in court to hear the evidence against him and has the right to an attorney. All that legal mumbo-jumbo. It comes out in snippets in the article, random quotes here and there from Acuff...

"I think people misperceive that being a criminal defense attorney means approving of wrongdoing...It just means you’re there to make sure they have a fair shot at things."

"I was interested in the defense of those cases because it appeared there really wasn’t a whole lot (of evidence), and people weren’t being given much rights."

"This country has gone wrong where we have put people in jail, changed the rules and haven’t given them a quick and fair opportunity to hear their cases."

"It is more Christian to defend these people than to condemn them."

There is also a video embedded within the online version of the article in which Lt. Col. Acuff offers...(a quick and dirty transcription)

"Sometimes the individual cases with the individual accused gets overwhelmed by the fight against the laws that we've passed and the things that we've adopted as a...interrogation procedures, you know, that we've accepted as a national morality. I mean, those issues to me are more important than the individual cases overall, in the end, in a historical context.

"People will remember Mr. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but what will really affect our country is how we, in the end, decide to deal with these procedures that we've passed, these attitudes that we've adopted. That will be what will carry forward."

Quote of the Day

"I strongly disagree with the assessment that our moral standing has been damaged. It may be damaged amongst some of the elite, but people still understand America stands for freedom, that America is a country that provides such great hope.

"You go to Africa, you ask Africans about America's generosity and compassion; go to India, and ask about, you know, America's -- their view of America. Go to China and ask. Now, no question parts of Europe have said that we shouldn't have gone to war in Iraq without a mandate, but those are a few countries. Most countries in Europe listened to what 1441 said, which is disclose, disarm or face serious consequences.

"Most people take those words seriously. Now, some countries didn't -- even though they might have voted for the resolution. I disagree with this assessment that, you know, people view America in a dim light. I just don't agree with that. And I understand that Gitmo has created controversies. But when it came time for those countries that were criticizing America to take some of those -- some of those detainees, they weren't willing to help out. And so, you know, I just disagree with the assessment...

"And in terms of the decisions that I had made to protect the homeland, I wouldn't worry about popularity. What I would worry about is the Constitution of the United States, and putting plans in place that makes it easier to find out what the enemy is thinking, because all these debates will matter not if there's another attack on the homeland. The question won't be, you know, were you critical of this plan or not; the question is going to be, why didn't you do something."

-- President George W. Bush in his final (!) White House press conference

Defeating the Purpose

While most of America's political junkies were focused on the sagas of Roland Burris and Al Franken when the 111th Congress opened last week, an incoming congressman, Eric Massa, Democrat of the 29th District in New York, tried a little political stunt that fell a flat.

Massa arrived at the Capitol Washington for his swearing-in ceremony in a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle, a crossover SUV that burns hydrogen and oxygen and emits water. The fuel cell stacks for the vehicles are built in his district, in Honeoye Falls, New York, and while touring the facility, the new congressman arranged with GM "to drive this vehicle to Washington to demonstrate that this technology is real, it’s here and we are going to work to make sure it’s ready for the American people within a decade." Sounds pretty good so far, right? And Massa got some good press in upstate New York for his efforts.

Just one teeny, tiny little problem. So teeny and tiny it's barely worth mentioning but...The distance between Massa's home in Corning to the steps of the Capitol is 280 miles. The fuel range of the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle is 200 miles. And there are no hydrogen refilling stations between Corning and Washington.

The "solution" was two Equinoxes. Massa drove the first car to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where the second Equinox was waiting for him. He drove that car up to the steps of the Capitol. Still, the story doesn't sound too bad, but two Chevy Tahoe Hybrid S.U.V.’s were used as tow vehicles. One Tahoe Hybrid was used to tow Equinox No. 2 from Washington to Harrisburg. The other was used to tow Equinox No. 1 back to Honeoye Falls from Harrisburg. I can't figure out why they just use one Tahoe Hybrid and to essentially make the trip in reverse from Washington to Honeoye Fall and just change Equinoxes in Harrisburg, but the logic of the logistics makes it sound like Massa's trip was basically twice as long with a Tahoe Hybrid that averages about 20 mpg highway, less when it is towing another SUV.

Massa and the representatives from GM brushed all that off by claiming after the fact that the trip was also intended to demonstrate the need for more hydrogen infrastructure.

Top 10 George Bush Moments

A David Letterman Top 10 list...

Quote of the Day

"I think it's going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak to help design exactly what we need to do. But I don't want to be ambiguous about this. We are going to close Guantanamo and we are going to make sure that the procedures we set up are ones that abide by our constitution. That is not only the right thing to do but it actually has to be part of our broader national security strategy because we will send a message to the world that we are serious about our values."

-- President-elect Barack Obama Sunday on ABC's "This Week"

"Red Rain"

Since I haven't featured any Peter Gabriel songs among my weekly music selections, it's time to rectify that oversight with a classic, "Red Rain."



While wading through YouTube looking for a good version, I also found this video. It's a VH-1 special of some sort with Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant singing along with Peter. WARNING: There's a big difference in volume between the two videos. The one below is a lot louder than the upper one.




Lyrics | Peter Gabriel lyrics - Red Rain lyrics

Obama and Spider-Man

Obama-mania (or is it Obamania?) comes to the comic book world.

While out on the campaign trail, President-elect Barack Obama mentioned Spider-Man a few times at children-oriented events and named Spidey and Batman as his favorite superheroes in an Entertainment Weekly survey, so Marvel Comics hit upon the idea of a special Inauguration Day edition of the Amazing Spider-Man...



The issue is sure to be an instant collectors' item, especially since Obama will only be on the cover for half of the run. In fact, the issue, The Amazing Spider-Man #583, is already turning up on eBay at extravagant buy-it-now prices, even though the comic won't be released until Wednesday, January 14.

The storyline involves Peter Parker covering the inauguration in his photo-journalist guise and spotting two Obamas. As Spider-Man, he uses a basketball move to reveal the real Obama, then punches out the imposter who turns out to be Chameleon. There's a good joke in sample panels at USA Today -- Spider-Man apologizes for mistaking Joe Biden for the Vulture. After all the action is over, Spidey and Obama exchange a fist bump.

Quote of the Day

“They’re working hard to build their historical reputations. Generally, presidents don’t spend the last days and weeks in office defending their record. They produce a memoir, they write a volume. To spend your waking hours on a defense of yourself speaks volumes about how, in a sense, defeated they’ve been.”

-- presidential historian Robert Dallek

Dubya, Drawn and Quartered

Vanity Fair is bidding adieu to President George W. Bush with "Dubya, Drawn and Quartered," a slideshow of 20 portraits that have appeared in the magazine over the years. Above is a Sketchbook illustration by Dan Adel from the January 2007 issue.

Quote of the Day

"From the very moment of my reelection, I've been engaged in a struggle with the House to try to get things done for people. The House's action today and the causes of the impeachment are because I've done things to fight for families who are with me here today...Let me reassert to all of you once more that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing. I'm confident that, at the end of the day, I will be properly exonerated."

-- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich after the Illinois House of Representatives voted 114 to 1 to impeach him

Quote of the Day

"It’s an urban legend. It never happened...This whole notion that somehow I exceeded my authority here, was usurping his authority, was simply not true. There was never any question about who was in charge: it was George Bush and that’s how we operated."

-- Outgoing Vice President Dick Cheney

Crisis in the Senate -- Deliberative Disorder

Inauguration Day is now less than two weeks away (YIP-EE!), but Tuesday marked the opening of the 111th Congress, an inauguration day of sorts for the newest members of the U.S. House and Senate. After the swearing-in ceremonies and the election of Rep. Nancy Pelosi to a second term as House speaker, they rolled up their sleeves and got right down to business. Yeah, right.

Instead of readying an economic stimulus plan for President Obama to sign right after his own swearing-in, most of the day's activities, it seemed, were centered around the man who would replace Obama in the Senate, Roland Burris. Burris, who is suffering from a taint-by-association after being selected for the position by Governor Rob "#%&*^$*" Blogojevich, showed up to claim what was rightfully his, a seat in the U.S. Senate. He was turned away because he lacked the "proper credentials," -- i.e., Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has refused to sign off on the appointment.

Senate Democrats at first were having no part of Roland Burris, but are now softening. In fact, Burris gained the support of a key Democrat, Dianne Feinstein, Tuesday. Burris has filed a motion with the Illinois Supreme Court to compel White to sign off on his appointment, and if no evidence surfaces that he was involved in Blogojevich's schemes, should be able to take his seat in the Senate shortly. The Senate Democrats who are standing in Burris's way are setting a bad precedent where a governor or secretary of state with an axe to grind can simply refuse to sign off on an election or appointment if the mood strikes.

A similar situation is happening in Minnesota where Democrat Al Franken has been certified the winner of the Senate seat there. Out of almost three million votes cast, Franken "won" by 225, like Florida in 2000, too close to call, within the margin of error of the voting machines used. The race, like Florida in 2000, is being decided by voters too ignorant to fill out a ballot properly. "Overvotes" and "undervotes," terms I never wanted to hear again, are back in the news. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, has not signed off on the election results yet and Franken's challenger, Norm Coleman, rather than bow out gracefully like he urged Franken to do on Election Day, is taking it to the courts. It could be months before Minnesota has a junior senator. And if Coleman fails in his efforts and Pawlenty doesn't like it and refuses to sign off, what then? Will Franken have the "proper credentials" to be seated?

Jon Stewart had a different, funnier view of the whole mess on the Daily Show...

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Crisis in the Senate - Deliberative Disorder

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Oh, and that economic stimulus package? Senate Democrats are now saying it won't be ready until February. Which means don't look for it until March or April.

Quote of the Day

"The question, really, is one in my view of law. And that is, does the governor have the power to make the appointment? And the answer is yes. Is the governor discredited? And the answer is yes. Does that affect his appointment power? And the answer is no until certain things happen...If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America. Mr. Burris is a senior, experienced politician. He has been attorney general, he has been controller, and he is very well-respected. I am hopeful that this will be settled."

-- Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Quote of the Day

"After 62 days, after the careful and painstaking hand inspection of nearly 3 million ballots, after hours and hours of hard work by elections officials and volunteers across the state, I am proud and humbled to stand before you as the next senator from Minnesota."

-- Al Franken on Monday after he was certified the winner of Minnesota's US Senate race

"Extreme Ways"

During the holidays I got a little off-kilter with the Monday Music thingy. I'm back on schedule now. Sometimes I plan what song I'm going to feature in advance -- usually a song suddenly appears on my mental iPod and gets stuck on repeat for a day or two, sometimes something that happens or something I read triggers a pick. Sometimes it's an almost random pick that happens a few minutes before I post it. This song by Moby falls into the latter category...




Lyrics | Moby lyrics - Extreme Ways lyrics

Quote of the Day

"Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process. Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the president-elect and his administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done."

-- NM Governor Bill Richardson withdraws as nominee for commerce secretary

Quote of the Day

"Earlier this year, I promised that I would sprint to the finish of my time as President. We are working hard to keep that promise. Despite the challenges we face, nothing encourages me more than the character of the American people, whose acts of courage and service sustain our free society and make this the greatest country on Earth."

-- President Bush's New Year's message to the country

Random Thoughts on New Year's Day

I'm not much of a holiday person. I just don't get into them very much, and usually just go along to get along with the people who are into holidays. I enjoy Christmas the most, but it takes me quite a while to get into the holiday spirit -- usually not until the last few days or so. New Year's Day is quite an unusual holiday too. It's all arbitrary -- just the way that we mark the Earth's orbit around the Sun. We could have started at any time in the year and ended up in the same place calender-wise as long as we came out astronomically accurate. This last year we ended up putting an extra day in at the end of February and tacking on an extra second at the very end of the year to make it all come out right.

I've never been much of a New Year's party animal. In college, my buddies and I might have gone out and partied a little, but we usually joked that it was best to stay off the roads on "amateur night." And is there anything worse than beginning a new year with a hangover? I don't think so. The New Year's tradition around the old homestead is to sit at home and watch the ball drop in Times Square on the telly, but my "bucket list" would include a trip to Times Square at some point to check it out for myself.

I spent this New Year's Day sane and sober with my grandson. He's in kindergarten and was having a bit of a problem understanding what all the hoopla was about. I got out the calender and tried to explain what day it was and how we were about to move into a new year, and he stayed up late and we watched the ball drop together on TV, then watched and listened to the fireworks and celebrating going on around the neighborhood, then went around and wished the other family members a "Happy New Year!" I probably should have picked up some sparkling grape juice so we could toast the new year together, but it didn't occur to me until it was too late.

In just a few minutes the brew-ha-ha was all over. The neighborhood settled back down. Everyone went about their business. My grandson and I played a few hands of War and Go Fish before he called it a night. It even looked like Times Square was pretty played out by about 12:30 a.m judging by the background shots on TV. Some people stuck around to watch T.I or whoever the hell that was playing "music," but the rest of Times Square looked like it was emptying out. I spent the remainder of the night piddling around online.

Usually, my favorite part of New Year's Day is overdosing on college football, but the powers that be have screwed that up little by little until they've ruined that. They've moved the traditional New Year's Day bowls around to where you're not left with much by the end of the day -- just a Rose Bowl that I couldn't be more uninterested in (couldn't we have both teams lose) and a crappy Orange Bowl matchup. The Cotton Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, which should be on on New Year's Day, are on January 2 this year, the Fiesta Bowl is on January 5, and the BCS Championship game is not on until January 8. The best part in the past was always having another game to watch. This year, if you've got a crappy Rose Bowl (which we do have with USC leading Penn State 31-7 at this moment in time), you're stuck with it.

One good thing about New Year's Day is that it is a good place to stop and take an accounting of where we have been in the past year and what we have to look forward to. This New Year's Day, with an Inauguration Day just around the corner (only 19 days now!!!), is an especially appropriate time for the taking stock and the looking back.

Think Progress compiled a few statistics from 2008, taking stock of the last year of President George W. Bush's time in office...

– Number Of U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq: 322.
– Number Of U.S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan: 151.
– Number Of Jobs Lost: 1.9 million.
– Number Of Banks Federal Government Now Owns Stock In: 206.
– Number Of Uninsured Americans: 47.5 million.

– Change In Housing Prices: declined 18 percent.
– Change In Health Insurance Premiums: increased 5 percent.
– Change In Number Of Delinquent Mortgages: increased 75 percent.
– Change In Use Of Food Stamps: increased 17 percent.
– Change In Dow Jones Industrial Average: declined 35 percent.
– Change In Bush Approval Rating: declined 9 percent to 29 percent.

The looking forward is up to you and whether that makes you hopeful or depressed probably has a lot to do with your personal situation and whether you think Barack Obama will bring us the Change™ we need. I'm generally optimistic with some reservations.

While I'm on the subject of New Year's Day, a few other notes...

I hate to be the one to say this. I've always liked Dick Clark, but Great God, Almighty!!! Please, someone talking him into retiring or something. He should have never returned after his stroke. He looked like he died, the undertaker embalmed him, and they were moving him around with robotics, hydraulics, wires and string. He looked and sounded terrible. It was painful to watch.

It looks like Microsoft's Zune mp3 player did not handle the holiday very well. Most of them turned into useless bricks at the stroke of midnight, requiring a battery drain and a reboot. Some users are still having problems.

U2 has a pretty pessimistic take on New Year's Day. "Nothing changes on New's Years Day"

And in keeping with my whole arbitrary calender idea, some including Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne are suggesting that we finally, nine years in, are entering the 21st century.

Quote of the Day

"What is it that I did that is so fundamentally wrong, that deserves this kind of response to my service? For some reason, I am portrayed as the one who is evil in formulating policies that people disagree with. I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror."

-- former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales