March 10, 2008 – Capitol Hill Blue

‘Mr. Clean’ governor likes high-priced prostitutes

March 10, 2008

Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s political career teetered on the brink of collapse Monday after the corruption-fighting politician once known as “Mr. Clean” was accused of paying for a four-hour romp with a high-priced call girl.

The scandal drew immediate calls for the Democrat to step down. At a news conference before about 100 reporters, a glassy-eyed Spitzer, his shellshocked wife at his side, apologized to his family and the people of New York.

“I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself,” said the 48-year-old father of three teenage girls. “I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.”

He did not discuss his political future and ignored shouted questions about whether he would resign. And he gave no details of what he was apologizing for.

It’s worse than we know!

March 10, 2008

Tainted drinking water kept under wraps

When water providers find pharmaceuticals in drinking water, they rarely tell the public. When researchers make the same discoveries, they usually don’t identify the cities involved.

I don’t see how ANYONE could say that our gov’t has the ability to keep anyone safe! It’s simply not true!

And here is another related story:

Mutated fish swimming in tainted water

A Legacy of Torture

March 10, 2008

The headline of the top story in Sunday’s New York Times story was promising: “Bush’s Veto of Bill on C.I.A. Tactics Affirms His Legacy.”

There is absolutely nothing noble or glorious about war, but…

March 10, 2008

For the most part war is the prime example of the illogical and perverse in human conduct. Very few wars are really called for and those that do have to happen can never be anything more than grim necessities, devoid of nobility and glory, devoid of all of the foolish facade of nonsense that jingoistic fools attach to it.

It’s not the economy, stupid! It’s the stupid war!

March 10, 2008

From a political point of view, the Iraq war is over.

Americans will continue to die in George W. Bush’s failed war and U.S. taxpayers will continue to pay $12 billion a month to fund his folly but, politically, the war is no longer the issue that drives voters to the polls or determines their vote.

Exit polls in the Ohio and Texas primaries last week show the issue that determined how primary voters cast their ballots was — survey says — the economy.

McCain seeks to cash in on nomination

March 10, 2008

This is the week John McCain takes a measure of what the Republican nomination is worth. The Arizona senator, less than a week removed from having secured enough delegates to become his party’s presidential standard-bearer, sets out on a nationwide fundraising drive aimed at restocking his campaign kitty.

Florida mail-in primary plan gains traction

March 10, 2008

A consensus began to emerge Sunday that the best way to give Florida’s Democrats a voice in electing a candidate for president lies with the U.S. Postal Service.

The Democratic National Committee stripped Florida and Michigan of all their convention delegates — a total of 313 — for holding their primaries too early, making both contests meaningless. New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won both states, but no delegates. Her rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, did not appear on Michigan’s ballot.

Why Tony Rezko is a problem for Barak Obama

March 10, 2008

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has been questioning her rival Sen. Barack Obama’s relationship to political donor Tony Rezko, now on trial for fraud — particularly Rezko’s involvement in the purchase of Obama’s Chicago home. Here’s a look at what’s going on and what it means:

Girl in Clinton ad is an Obama supporter

March 10, 2008

Casey Knowles didn’t much like a recent campaign commercial for Hillary Clinton — even though she’s in it as a sleeping 8-year-old.

After all, she about to turn 18 now and is a big supporter of Barack Obama.

“What I don’t like about the ad is its fear-mongering,” Knowles told ABC’s “Good Morning America Weekend Edition” on Sunday. “I think it’s a cheap hit to take. I really prefer Obama’s message of looking forward to a bright future.”

The cost of war: $12 billion a month

March 10, 2008

The flow of blood may be ebbing, but the flood of money into the Iraq war is steadily rising, new analyses show. In 2008, its sixth year, the war will cost approximately $12 billion a month, triple the “burn” rate of its earliest years, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and co-author Linda J. Bilmes report in a new book.