Let's be clear: when a 527 forms for the express purpose of electing or defeating a particular federal candidate, and engages in public advocacy towards such ends -- as opposed to discussing issues -- it is breaking the law.
The Clinton 527 known as The American Leadership Project (ALP) just posted it's fifth pro-Clinton TV/Internet ad on it's YouTube account:
The American Leadership Project continues our commitment to highlighting issues of importance to the middle class with this new ad, now running in Oregon, focusing on clean energy and good jobs.
The endorsements just keep on coming - late this afternoon former Kentucky State Senator and current Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo endorsed Barack Obama.
Kentucky's Democratic Governor (& superdelegate) Steve Beshear is still uncommitted and says he will not indicate his choice for Democratic presidential nominee until after the May 20th Kentucky primary.
As far as I know Hillary Clinton was not caught fibbing about her reason for declining an invitation to participate in a debate proposed for the beginning of Passover, and it pains me to see that a diary proclaiming that HRC was "caught" in such a "fib" has been sitting on the rec list. Hey, people. I thought we were smarter than this. I thought that manufactured distractions had been put "on notice"
Here's a key part of the news report on which that diary is based:
Clinton didn't agree to the date, noting that night is the beginning of the Passover observance among Jewish people.
I kept waiting for an open thread to post this video of Bryant Gumbel interviewing Barack Obama about basketball. I waited & waited & finally decided that the fourteen minute video, The Audacity of Hoops which recently aired on HBO's Real Sports is wonderful enough to merit a diary.
Not much of a visual here, folks. But it's really a treat to listen to freshman Senator Amy Klobuchar speak at length about her endorsement of Barack Obama: The recording of today's press conference call lasts for just under a half hour:
"Between Barack and a hard place, I chose Barack...The 'hard place' is a reference to being uncommitted"
It would be difficult to find a dkoser who would not agree that Sheldon Whitehouse - our new Democratic Senator from Rhode Island - has distinguished himself as a remarkably brilliant, valuable and persuasive member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Yesterday, when he took to the floor of the Senate he made fine points about the importance of protecting the privacy rights of American citizens travelling abroad. But then he departed from his prepared remarks and argued for the Intelligence Committee version of the FISA legislation - the version that provides retroactive immunity for the telelcoms.
I'm not saying that I agree with him. I just think that it's useful to review his reasoning, because we all know that this fight is far from over.
[please follow me below the jump for a transcription of his statement]
Today was a great day to be a Democrat. Especially after witnessing a year of spineless capitulation and relentless insults to our collective intelligence. Today Edward Kennedy lit up the Senate floor with brilliant oratory, and made a case that no one could deny about why retroactive immunity for the telecoms must be rejected.
The President has said that American lives will be sacrificed if Congress does not change FISA. But he has also said that he will veto any FISA bill that does not grant retro-active immunity. No immunity, no FISA bill. So if we take the President at his word, he's willing to let Americans die to protect the phone companies.
Update: THANKS, ct! for restoring our Diary watchlists.
Tuesday Mornig Update: My Diary Watch List has been wiped clean. (not by me) It looks like I'll have to start fresh.
I just thought I'd throw this diary together to see if anyone else is having trouble accessing their Diary "watchist".
Mine seems to be wiped clean. It's way too long anyway - but I suppose that I would prefer not to have to start from scratch.
Anyway - I did attempt to try to start a new hot list - but when I selected "subscribe" for one of my favorite diarists, "permission denied" popped on the screen & I was automatically logged out.
At a Saturday, October 14, 2007 Town Hall meeting in Southern California, Representative Diane Watson (CA-33) responded to a constituent question about impeachment. Watson brought up numbers to illustrate her point, but was clearly ill-prepared to use the numbers effectively because she got them wrong. Even though she got the numbers wrong, I think she believes that the Dems don't have the numbers to pull an impeachment move off. I don't doubt her sicerety when she says, "I'm all for impeachment this moment."
The video begins with a statement/queston that lasts for a little over two minutes. There's a lengthy, informative set-up that flows into a question about whether the Democratic Congresswoman would be willing to sign on to H. Res. 333. Representative Watson's reply begins about two minutes and five seconds into the video:
Yes Colbert coined it - and it applies right now. Will you stand in solidarity with our Transgendered brothers and sisters who were excluded from the recently passed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)?
AG2 is about to give his last speech as Attorney General. It will be broadcast live on CSPAN in moments. I was surprised not to see a diary about this so I'm offering this diary for live blogging.
