Posts from ‘February, 2008’

Thursday’s White House press conference exhibited anew how ill-suited President Bush is to formulating foreign policy — and how lacking the White House press corps can be at questioning Bush about foreign policy. The centerpiece of this dim-bulb display concerned the matter of meeting with leaders of out-of-favor countries such as Cuba.

Remember that high-tech border surveillance system, the “virtual fence,” President Bush ordered up when he was trying to sell his immigration reform bill a couple of years ago?
Add it to the long list of expensive, worthless boondoggles the Bush administration has saddled taxpayers with.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has been trying since last year to find out what happened to huge numbers of e-mails generated by about 80 White House personnel, including Karl Rove, illegally through the Republican National Committee’s e-mail system. . . . Yesterday, committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said the RNC informed him it has ceased looking for the e-mails.

If people expected to see fireworks from or desperation in Sen. Hillary Clinton during this evening’s debate with Sen. Barack Obama, they had to have come away disappointed.

But those interested in serious discussion of some important issues should be reassured both Democratic candidates are solid, serious contenders with plenty to offer.

Given his oversized ego, Nader surely enjoys the attention that goes with being a presidential candidate, even if only in a spoiler-loser’s role — things like appearing on “Meet the Press.” But Nader’s major motivation seems to be pure damned spite. . .

Quote: “If there is one unmistakable message from voters in this remarkable year, it is this: We want our government back! That means ending the unhealthy influence of moneyed interests. And that is what public financing is all about. . .”

What we do care about is whether the comely and ambitious Vicki Iseman — or anyone else — elicited undue favors from the powerful chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.

On that score, the Times story raises plenty of reason to doubt McCain’s integrity and to be skeptical of his denials.

The New York Times’ story about Sen. John McCain’s involvement with Vicki Iseman and other lobbyists and business types raises another interesting question: Who put the Times onto this, and why?

Sorry, ’bout that folks, just a little slip-up at the Food and Drug Administration, so the wrong drug factory in China got inspected.

Meanwhile, another drug factory in China that went uninspected was turning out pig byproducts used in making the blood thinner heparin for export.

Quote: ““I say that Huckabee is only technically a candidate because jetting off to the Cayman Islands to give a paid speech is not generally considered the best way to win the Wisconsin primary. . .”