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26 May 2010 12:27

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Politics: John Kerry tells us the truth: We can’t quit offshore drilling

  • Now we are not going to stop drilling in the Gulf tomorrow, folks. Let’s be realistic. There are 48,000 wells out there. One of them went sour. About 30 percent of our transportation fuel comes from the Gulf. You think Americans are going to suddenly stop driving to work tomorrow? Do you think people are going to stop driving the trucks to deliver the goods to the department stores? Not going to happen.
  • Sen. John Kerry • Pointing out the ugly truth about the oil spill, which is that, put into perspective, we really need to be offshore drilling to keep up with energy demands. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it, crazy dreaming environmentalists. That dream of yours? It’s in a pipe. A pipe distributing oil. source

20 May 2010 20:59

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Politics: Rand Paul upset that he only got a day on top of the mountain

  • I thought I was supposed to get a honeymoon. When does my honeymoon start after my victory?
  • Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul • Talking to our boy Wolf Blitzer about how his last couple of days went after winning the Republican primary. It hasn’t been good. He’s been taking heat left and … well, mostly left … for comments that he made regarding the 1964 Civil Rights Act in the last couple of days. He suggested that businesses shouldn’t have to allow everyone in. And who does he blame? The messenger. “I think what troubles me is that the news cycle has gotten out of control,” he continued. “For several hours on a major news network [MSNBC] yesterday, they reported repeatedly that I was for repealing the Civil Rights Act. That is not only not true, never been my position, but is an out and out lie. And they repeated it all day long.” source

28 Feb 2010 10:32

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Politics: Jim Bunning getting empathy, not support, for unemployment move

  • All Senator Bunning was saying is that it should be paid for. It will pass, though, because it’s a temporary extension.
  • Sen. Jon Kyl • Discussing Jim Bunning’s infamous blocking of an unemployment benefits extension. Both Bunning and Kyl claim that the bill didn’t pass because it wasn’t agreed upon as part of the PAYGO extension – in other words, the government didn’t have a way to pay for it. Bunning, who this Fox News article calls an “outcast,” for his part blames Harry Reid for blowing up the bipartisan bill. “All of the programs that you have talked about could have been extended and for much longer periods if Senator Reid, your leader, had not blown up the bipartisan job bill,” he noted. Still doesn’t not make you a jerk, dude. source

26 Feb 2010 21:48

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Politics: A little more context into Sen. Jim Bunning’s petty moves

  • Savings are depleted, jobs are tough to come by, and families still have expenses to manage. Unemployment benefits are the only thing keeping food on the table for a lot of Minnesotans. One Senator, acting alone, should not be responsible for holding their livelihoods hostage.
  • Sen. Al Franken • In a statement criticizing the move by Sen. Jim Bunning to block unemployment benefits. It’s not the only one he’s made, either. He also just blocked some key highway funds from getting distributed, for all effective purposes shutting down much of the highway system and putting thousands more out of work. Crooks and Liars has a nice explainer explaining why that move is really, really bad for millions of Americans. Despite the importance of agreeing on these moves – we know a lot of out-of-work journalists, for example, depending on that unemployment – some people are still supporting him on Twitter (though most aren’t, fortunately). Unbelievable. source

26 Feb 2010 21:34

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Politics: Jim Bunning has no problem blocking unemployment benefits

  • The senator reportedly said “tough #*@(” to another senator criticizing him. Last night, the lame duck Senator (and former baseball star) complained about missing a basketball game because he wanted to block extending unemployment benefits that much. He’s the only Senator holding up the bill. Why? He says that there’s no way to pay for it. Come on. This is NOT the bill to be playing politics on, man. source

23 Feb 2010 21:18

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Politics: The right is letting Scott Brown know how pissed they are

  • 4,200 comments on Brown’s Facebook page source

23 Feb 2010 10:01

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Politics: The NYT’s killer sense of timing wins it some Brownie points

Yesterday, Scott Brown left many on the right wondering where he was coming from. Today, the NYT previews its Magazine piece: “Where Scott Brown is Coming From.” Nice. source
 

29 Jan 2010 17:19

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Politics: James O’Keefe: Pssh! We weren’t wiretapping that office!

  • On reflection, I could have used a different approach to this investigation, particularly given the sensitivities that people understandably have about security in a federal building.
  • “Gonzo” conservative journalist James O’Keefe • Regarding that whole arrest thing that happened earlier this week. His claim? “The government has now confirmed what has always been clear: No one tried to wiretap or bug Senator Landrieu’s office.” Who said this? Who? Anyway, O’Keefe and his three cohorts could face up to ten years in prison for maliciously interfering with a telephone system operated and controlled by the U.S. government. They claim they were just trying to shoot funny, embarrassing videos. Sure. source

19 Dec 2009 09:54

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U.S.: Ben Nelson’s on board: Health Care’s close to 60 votes, guys.

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  • He must have had a change of heart after being snowed in with Harry Reid. D.C. has a huge snowstorm on its hands right now, but if everyone could leave their homes and go out and stuff, this would be the huge story. Reid worked hard to make the bill something Nelson could support, so now he’s on board. Next up: Working on Olympia Snowe. Hopefully she’s in D.C., ’cause she’ll feel right at home right now. (Update: No, she’s not on board. Did they really rest their hopes on Lieberman?) source

14 Dec 2009 20:26

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U.S.: Health care: Joe Lieberman ensures there will be no joy in mudville

  • He’s stalling the Medicare compromise. So it goes away, too. Thanks to Joe Lieberman, the health care bill’s great compromise – which would’ve dropped the minimum age for Medicare to 55 – is now dead in the water. With the nonprofit option still on the table, all hope isn’t lost for improving health care. But it’s not going to be public in any way, shape or form. Thanks, Joe. source