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15 Sep 2011 10:47

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Politics: Gauntlet, thrown: Bioethicist jumps on Bachmann’s HPV claims

  • If she can produce a case in one week starting today verified by three medical experts that she and i pick of a woman who became ‘retarded’ (her words) due to HPV vaccine i will donate that to a charity of her choice. She must donate 10k to a charity I pick if she fails to do so.
  • University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Art Caplan • E-mailing reporters with an offer of a challenge for Michele Bachmann, in response to her claims that the HPV vaccine can cause mental health issues. Here’s what we think is going to happen here — Bachmann is going to ignore Caplan because, if she doesn’t, she’s going to be proven wrong. That’s pretty much her only option for not looking stupid here. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Sep 2011 20:57

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Politics: The three craziest claims from Joe McGinniss’ Sarah Palin book

  • one According to a recap of the book by the National Enquirer, Sarah Palin was a former cocaine user, most notably during a snowmobiling trip.
  • two The book also repeats the claim the Palin had an affair in the mid-90s with one of her husband’s friends. She’s already denied this.
  • three Most shockingly, the book claims that Palin had a one-night stand — prior to her marriage — with former NBA star Glen Rice. WTF?! source
  • » Wait, is this stuff actually true?! Well, that depends on if you believe Joe McGinniss, the best-selling author of “The Selling of the President 1968.” McGinniss is no stranger to controversy, and he certainly wasn’t when writing this book — see, he moved to Alaska, within shouting distance of the former vice-presidential candidate, leading to rebukes from Palin’s staff. It will be interesting to see what happens when people besides Garry Trudeau get the book.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Sep 2011 11:26

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Politics: Chicago Tribune cartoonist torn on paper’s decision to pass on “Doonesbury”

  • As you might guess I am torn. On the one hand I understand their reasoning. They did the same thing to my comic strip Prickly City a few years back in a series on Ted Kennedy. This was before I was on staff here. So this is not a new policy aimed squarely at liberal comic strips as has been suggested. On the other hand, it ticked me off when it happened to me. As a creator you never want your work stiflied. You know that.
  • Chicago Tribune cartoonist Scott Stantis • Discussing his paper’s decision to pass on running a week of Doonesbury strips that openly cite passages from a biography on Sarah Palin — “The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin,” an unauthorized tome written by Joe McGinniss. The Tribune’s reasoning for skipping out on the strip this week is reasonable — the book isn’t on the market yet, so they can’t check it on their own — but nonetheless has ruffled a few feathers. Stantis’ take, of course, is interesting. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Sep 2011 11:02

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Politics: AttackWatch: Obama campaign makes its own GOP watchdog site

  • So this is what we’ve come to. The Obama administration has created its own version of NewsBusters — except, instead of attacking the media for liberal bias, the site’s attacking Republicans for saying false things. It’s actually a sequel to Fight the Smears, a site he ran during the 2008 campaign, but with one major difference — it looks like the site’s going for a more ruthless approach. It feels like, with this move, Obama is starting to use tactics we’d be more likely to see from Fox News commentary shows. Do we want Obama to run an attack dog ahead of the election, or be above the fray? Which one would work better? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 15:42

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Politics: Elizabeth Warren will run for Senate in Massachusetts, taking on Scott Brown

  • then President Obama decided that Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren wouldn’t head up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Despite the CFPB being Warren’s brainchild, it was clear the GOP would not vote for her confirmation in any measure.
  • now Warren’s set her sights on a job for which she doesn’t need Republican approval — she just needs to beat them. Warren is expected to announce her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts tomorrow, running against GOP Sen. Scott Brown. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 15:20

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Politics: Four more executions in Texas scheduled over next eight days

  • Rick Perry’s Execution problem: Though it’s beginning to look like an asset in a deep-red GOP primary process, the brouhaha over Rick Perry’s stewardship of the Texas death penalty continues – four more inmates are slated to die over the next eight days. In one case, a man named Duane Buck who shot and killed two people was subject to prejudicial testimony when a psychologist claimed his race (Buck is black) increased the likelihood of future dangerous acts. Another, Steven Woods, is to be executed for a murder that an accomplice has since claimed he carried out. Whatever your political stripe, these issues demand intense scrutiny from a responsible society (as this exemplary article illustrates, the odds that Texas has executed an innocent person seem gallingly high). source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 14:50

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Politics: GOP begins rhetorical push-back on Obama jobs bill

  • What the president’s proposed so far is not serious. And it’s not a jobs plan.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell • Ramping up his criticism of President Obama’s jobs bill. The plan’s starting point is, as many of the President’s negotiating postures throughout his term have been, pretty generous; more than 50% of its value goes to tax cuts, ostensibly a cherished Republican ideal. Obama’s tact in discussing the bill has been unique from past initiatives, too – whereas on health care and financial reform he deliberately distanced himself from the process, deferring to congress, he’s said in no uncertain terms that this is his plan, and he wants it passed swiftly. Faced with a more assertive adversary, the GOP seems happy to stick to the playbook, and why not? It’s been very successful for them so far, if at the risk of looking obstinate. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

12 Sep 2011 19:56

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Politics: Three things we’re watching for during tonight’s Tea Party debate

  • CNN The network’s previous debate coverage has been atrocious, so tonight is a great opportunity for them to redeem themselves. They probably won’t.
  • Michele The once-triumphant Michele Bachmann is facing difficulties now that Rick Perry is in the race, quickly killing her momentum. She’s got to do well tonight.
  • Tea Tonight is a coming out party for Tea Party Express. We’ll see if they can prove to be a true force with tonight’s debate. Our guess: Possibly. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Sep 2011 10:41

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Politics: Michele Bachmann: Did she hurt herself with last night’s debate?

  • I think the bottom line is, there was enough beating up of each other tonight [between Romney and Perry] that we didn’t have to get in. You know, never interrupt your enemy when they’re in the process of destroying themselves is an old adage.
  • Michele Bachmann campaign consultant Ed Rollins, who recently took a demotion • Discussing Bachmann’s debate performance on Wednesday. Bachmann, once the toast of the campaign, disappeared for long stretches last night, no longer standing out as a frontrunner, leading some to claim that her campaign was “finished.” Rollins apparently feels that way himself, recently calling the race “a Romney-Perry race.” Was it the Newsweek cover that did her campaign in? Or does she need another one of those? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Sep 2011 10:28

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Politics: Why would Obama not curb smog emissions? Gore has a few ideas.

  • Al Gore: He’s not happy with Obama. President Obama has recently halted regulations that would curb “smog-creating emissions until at least 2013“. According to Gore, the “result of the White House’s action will be increased medical bills for seniors with lung disease, more children developing asthma, and the continued degradation of our air quality.” He also likened Obama to George W. Bush, a seemingly low blow. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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