My ambivalence about Lieberman is reflected in my extremely reluctant endorsement of him in his 2006 primary, followed by my even less enthusiastic endorsement of primary winner Ned Lamont in the general, my “told you so” to all the lefties who called for Lieberman’s to be tossed from the party for his Independent race, when he ultimately enabled the Dems to take back the Senate after the 2006 elections, my condemnation of Lieberman’s speaking at the 2008 Republican convention, my call for the Democrats to punish Lieberman in 2009, and my sneering evaluation of Lieberman’s role in the Senate following that.
Then I remember DADT, as well as the relevant portion of the Mickey Kaus post linked here:
"Point of Personal Privilege (in response to Drum's comments section): Have I defended Lieberman? I don't think so. I've never particularly cared if Lieberman or Lamont represents Connecticut–Lieberman's annoyingly sanctimonious, and less of a neolib than a neocon. Maybe the self-righteousness is why he's never actually convinced many fellow Democrats to change their minds on anything, the way President Clinton changed minds on welfare, for example, or Fritz Hollings changed minds on the budget.**
**–Beinart praises Lieberman's stands on Bosnia and Kosovo–which seem to have helped change one mind, namely President Clinton's. What I'm talking about is changing the minds of large numbers of Democratic and Dem-friendly voters. …[Via Room Eight]”
The Room 8 link is to me (I believe it was my first national link ever) and Bosnia and Kosovo were BFDs which may have been this country's proudest moment of the 1990s.
For that, the end of DADT, and a few other things which Joe's incessant and sanctimonious whining has conspired to make me forget, we all owe Lieberman our thanks. Hillary spins the New York Times. www.slate.com
Reading Brooks' strange defense of Lieberman, I was baffled (Only once does Brooks actually seem to get it: "There have been times, like during the health care debate, when I found Lieberman’s independence befuddling and detached from any evident intellectual moorings.") I fought to overwhelming temptation to immediately run home and rip its screaming illogic to shreds, by pointing out its ugly implicit conclusion, but when I finally got home, I found Chait had already written the article I conceived of. A Not-Very-Flattering Defense Of Lieberman | The New Republic www.tnr.com
Getting 7 3/4 year old Dybbuk to tolerate the nightly line up on MSNBC has always been touch and go. One time he actually heard Madow make a joke he understood, smiled, said "that's funny" and went back to playing "Plants v. Zombies." But Dybbuk dug Olbermann. Last night he watched in shock as Keith said good bye, listened with delight to the Thurber Fable, and then kept shaking his fist at the TV and yelling "Worst Person in the World" at some faceless network executive. While I much prefer O'Donnell, I doubt Dybbuk will agree, dooming us to an hour of ICarly reruns.
Yes, I know I've run this video before, and I know Olbermann was sometimes insufferable and even offensive, not least of which to some of my fellow Democrats like Hillary Clinton (although he was a piker compared to Limbaugh, Beck, O’Reilly, Hannity and their ilk), but nothing so demonstrates our ideological polarization as when a company like Comcast, ostensibly in business to make money for its stockholders, instead violates its fiduciary duty by putting principles ahead of profits to silence a political opponent in the marketplace of ideas when the marketplace itself considers the guy a cash cow.
As such, Olbermann, at best an imperfect and sometimes irritating spokesman for liberalism, has earned this salute. Nils Lofgren – Keith Don't Go (From "Cry Tough" DVD) www.youtube.com
For perspective on offensiveness, please compare Olbermann’s worst night, or the video of Congressman Cohen’s controversial remarks to this piece of comic operetta from Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck Shoot Them In The Head Video Clip Found www.youtube.com
Republican dissident Frum advises candidates to embrace some version of RomneyCare. Problem is once you do that, opposition to ObamaCare becomes a matter of increments, and one can't demonize increments (which, given Frum's record as of late, may be the point). The GOP’s Healthcare Dilemma | FrumForum www.frumforum.com
The left has spent so much time whining about their centrist enemies in the Obama administration, like Rahmbo and Larry Summers, that one could easily ignore their whines about "centrist" (notice the quotes) Bill Daley.
It takes a centrist like Chait to lay out the frightening case for Daley Revulsion (too bad the bulk of the article is behind TNR’s pay wall). Bill Daley Is A Terrible Choice For Obama's Chief Of Staff | The New Republic www.tnr.com
1) Perhaps anther centrist gesture, invoking memories of Reagan. Well, at least it's not prematurely orange.
2) At least it's not the process. Can you imagine a Presidential Doo-Rag? As one who wears a natural, I am proud of my President. Hank Ballard – How You Gonna Get Respect.mov www.youtube.com
Can you believe we live in an age when the title “Government’s Place in the Market” invokes a bold concept? Spitzer’s book | The Empire empire.wnyc.org
A truly bad omen; the PA are supposed to be the good guys. Palestinian Authority Blocks Tunisia Rally thelede.blogs.nytimes.com
Long after the damage is done and the issue mostly forgotten, a reminder that the jihad against the Young Men's Islamic Association proposed for the Holy Mother Coat Factory was primarily about electoral advantage. Conservative Party’s Anti-Mosque Contributor Revealed www.capitaltonight.com
I'm not saying we don't need pension reform. In fact, it's clear that we do, but if Mayor Koch is going to be the face of this fight, I suggest he lead by example, and give half his check back to the City. Untitled Document www.nycivic.org
I’ve posted this here just so I could note the answer to the bonus question is David Dinkins and Robert Wagner, and no, I did not use Wikipedia. Winners & Losers, Jan. 21 Edition www.cityhallnews.com
I can never think of Norm Steisel without remembering the time he got falsely arrested at the 3rd Ave Dunkin Donuts for solicitation–anyone who's met Norm understood that when he told the undercover he wanted a little "jellyroll," he meant it literally. And it's hard to picture him very enthused about any form of exercise. But the City is not entitled to its own facts; it must share its underlying data. Unless it does so, I myself will choose to instead believe my own eyes. Bikes 'inflated' www.nypost.com
If The Assembly Dems agree to draw a Greater Bay Ridge seat (and they very well might do so) it will be drawn tailored to the Speaker's favorite, Former Assemblywoman Janelle Hyer-Spencer. One can now probably draw a Greater Bay Ridge seat that at least leans Dem (Hyer-Spencer carried bay Ridge when she lost her seat), and if Greater Bay Ridge gets a seat, that is the seat it will get.
As such, the GOP might consider holding its applause; as to District Leader Kevin Carroll, one could ask themselves if his surprise job from the Greater Vito Lopez Empire presages a dive in favor of the Speaker's personal choice. Senator Golden’s ‘Senior’ Post By:Chuck Otey
Azi just can't get enough of Gatemouth. Roundup: Gaspard moves, Maspeth forgotten | The Empire empire.wnyc.org
Court Street “The New Smith Street”?
I remember when Smith Street was "The New Court Street." Court: The New Smith St? southbrooklynpost.com