It just seems wrong of her now to be dating your clock radio.

- Alan Shore

Robertson and Giuliani

Pat Robertson, who, in 2001, said that we were attacked because "God Almighty is lifting his protection from us" due to abortions, and the lack of Christian religion in our government and schools has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for President.

Of course, Rudy is a long-standing pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, relatively secular politician who is twice divorced.

c/o Huffington Post

My only question is this: which one of these guys is the bigger hypocrite...?

Waterboarding

Waterboarding.

In the U.S. Senate, they have been debating whether or not it constitutes torture over the past few weeks. Well, it hasn't been much of a debate, actually. Our soon-to-be U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasky has refused to say whether or not he believes it to be torture. Of course, it clearly is. To any sane person, forcing somebody believe they are drowning is torture. Period.

Years ago, I was swimming in my Aunt and Uncle's pool. I was in the deep end and decided to swim across to the other side. So, I dove under and kicked off. When I got to the other side, I had been under water for a little longer than I normally do, so I headed up to get some air. But one of my cousins inadvertently got between me and the surface. He delayed me getting some oxygen by only a matter of seconds, but those two seconds are vividly implanted in my mind. I don't remember anything else from that day. I couldn't tell you what the occasion was or even who all was there, but I remember the sensation for a split second that I might not be able to get to the surface for air. It was not a sensation that I care to relive.

Of course, it shouldn't even be up for debate whether intentionally triggering the natural human drowning panic reflex is torture. The only reason that this is an issue is because George W. Bush needs waterboarding to not be torture so that he hasn't been breaking the law since 2003.

Bush's actions don't surprise me, as they shouldn't surprise anybody. He has shown his colors. What is surprising is the behavior of the Democrats in the Senate. 34 years ago, Richard Nixon appointed Elliot Richardson to Attorney General. The Democrats, suspecting foul play, insisted that Richardson appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Watergate break-in as a condition of Senate confirmation. John Dean, Nixon's White House Counsel, discusses the parallel:

Nixon’s Attorney General had been removed (and was later prosecuted for lying to Congress) – a situation not unlike Alberto Gonzales’s leaving the job under such a cloud. Nixon was under deep suspicion of covering up the true facts relating to the bungled break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate, not to mention widespread rumors that he had engaged in abuses of power and corrupt campaign practices. Today, Bush is under even deeper suspicion for activities far more serious than anything Nixon engaged in for there is evidence Bush has abused the laws of war, violated treaties, and ordered (or approved) the use of torture and political renditions, which are war crimes.

Since Judge Mukasey’s situation is not unlike that facing Elliot Richardson when he was appointed Attorney General during Watergate, why should not the Senate Judiciary Committee similarly make it a quid pro quo for his confirmation that he appoint a special prosecutor to investigate war crimes? Richardson was only confirmed when he agreed to appoint a special prosecutor, which, of course, he did. And when Nixon fired that prosecutor, Archibald Cox, it lead to his impeachment.

Before the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee completely cave-in to Bush, at minimum they should demand that Judge Mukasey appoint a special prosecutor to investigate if war crimes have been committed. If Mukasey refuses he should be rejected. This, indeed, should be a pre-condition to anyone filling the post of Attorney General under Bush.

If the Democrats in the Senate refuse to demand any such requirement, it will be act that should send chills down the spine of every thinking American.

Of course, the Democrats aren't demanding a special prosecutor. They aren't even demanding that he say whether or not he believes that waterboarding is torture. This pathetic display by the party thrust into power in 2006 by a public disgusted by the Bush presidency is indeed chilling. If Charles Schumer can't grow a backbone, how can we reasonably expect rank and file Democrats to find one?

I'll let Keith Olbermann take it from here:

How dare the incompetent and willful members of this Bush/Cheney Administration humiliate our nation and our people in the eyes of the world and in the conscience of our own people. How dare they subject us to such dishonor and disgrace. How dare they drag the good name of the United States of America through the mud of Saddam Hussein's torture prison.

- Al Gore, May 26, 2004

Nauseating Programmer Joke of the Day

re·cur·sion [ri-kûr'zhum]
n. See recursion.

c/o a dork from ubuntu