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Political Animal

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Motioning to proceed'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 02:55:00 pm'); document.write('
MOTIONING TO PROCEED.... Going into today, Senate Democrats had lined up 58 votes in support of bringing health care reform to the floor for debate. Every Republican in the chamber hoped to kill the initiative before the discussion could even...'); document.write('
How stimulating'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 11:25:00 am'); document.write('
HOW STIMULATING.... Republican critics of the economic recovery efforts, when they\'re not taking credit for the money that\'s benefiting their state/district, take it as a given that the stimulus \"failed.\" For the right, it\'s a foregone conclusion, hardly worth discussing...'); document.write('
This Week in God'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 10:55:00 am'); document.write('
THIS WEEK IN GOD.... First up from the God Machine this week is a push among conservative political activists on something called \"imprecatory\" prayers, which are basically appeals to God to hurt, or possibly kill, a specific target. It\'s become...'); document.write('
Obama in Asia'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 10:30:00 am'); document.write('
OBAMA IN ASIA.... All week, administration officials have expressed a great deal of satisfaction with President Obama\'s trip to Asia. And all week, U.S. reporters have told the country that the trip has been unproductive and unsuccessful. It\'s probably worth...'); document.write('
All he is saying, is give escalation a chance'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 09:50:00 am'); document.write('
ALL HE IS SAYING, IS GIVE ESCALATION A CHANCE.... I\'ll take, \"People whose opinions should no longer matter\" for $100, Alex. (via Atrios) US Senator John McCain predicted an allied win in Afghanistan in one year to 18 months if...'); document.write('
If they\'ve already made up their minds...'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 09:15:00 am'); document.write('
IF THEY\'VE ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS.... On Fox News yesterday, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) explained, in no uncertain terms, that \"every single Republican\" in the Senate \"will oppose\" health care reform. Kyl conceded that the reform bill...'); document.write('
As if Standish hasn\'t suffered enough'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 08:35:00 am'); document.write('
AS IF STANDISH HASN\'T SUFFERED ENOUGH.... Few communities have been as hard hit by the recession as Standish, Michigan. With an unemployment rate for nearly 25%, Standish\'s economy has been kept above water, barely, by the Standish Maximum Correctional Facility....'); document.write('
Hardheaded on Hardball'); document.write('
posted on November 21, 2009 08:00:00 am'); document.write('
HARDHEADED ON HARDBALL.... During last year\'s presidential campaign, MSNBC\'s Chris Matthews had some annoying habits. Particularly when it came to sizing up Barack Obama, the \"Hardball\" host repeatedly questioned whether the candidate was disconnected from regular ol\' America. For example,...'); document.write('
Friday\'s Mini-Report'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 05:30:00 pm'); document.write('
FRIDAY\'S MINI-REPORT.... Today\'s edition of quick hits: * Still no word from Sens. Landrieu and Lincoln as to whether they\'d rather kill health care reform than let the Senate debate the bill. Landrieu said she\'d end the suspense in the...'); document.write('
Playing a game with ellipses'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 04:55:00 pm'); document.write('
PLAYING A GAME WITH ELLIPSES.... Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.), who is considered a vulnerable House incumbent next year, voted against health care reform two weeks ago. She\'d been under fire from the National Republican Congressional Committee, and when push came...'); document.write('
Norah O\'Donnell\'s reasonable question'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 03:50:00 pm'); document.write('
NORAH O\'DONNELL\'S REASONABLE QUESTION.... A clip made the rounds this week of MSNBC\'s Norah O\'Donnell appearing live in Michigan, at a bookstore where Sarah Palin fans had lined up to get their copy of \"Going Rogue\" signed. The video seems...'); document.write('
Trent Franks\' short memory'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 03:00:00 pm'); document.write('
TRENT FRANKS\' SHORT MEMORY.... Six years ago this month, the floor of the U.S. House was the scene to one of the more embarrassing moments in the history of the institution. It was when the Republican majority brought Medicare Part...'); document.write('
Coburn\'s cravenness'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 02:00:00 pm'); document.write('
COBURN\'S CRAVENNESS.... Sen. Tom Coburn, a right-wing Republican from Oklahoma, is apparently not above callous opportunism. He saw headlines about mammogram screening, headlines about a proposed tax on elective cosmetic surgery, and in his drive to kill health care reform,...'); document.write('
Cloture watch'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 01:30:00 pm'); document.write('
CLOTURE WATCH.... Senate Democrats need 60 votes to bring health care reform to the floor for a debate. As of this morning, three Dems -- Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) -- had not yet committed...'); document.write('
The dangers of illiteracy'); document.write('
posted on November 20, 2009 01:05:00 pm'); document.write('
THE DANGERS OF ILLITERACY.... OK, so most Americans have no idea what they\'re talking about when it comes to the deficit. How are they when it comes to understanding stimulus efforts? Arguably, on this, they\'re even worse. Rasmussen has a...'); document.write('