Waldo's Virginia Political Blogroll » Howling Latina

Health Care Reform: A Historic Victory

Howling Latina — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Senator Webb Delivers Remarks on Health Care Reform Legislation

Howling Latina — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:32:00 +0000

Jim Webb, being his usually awesome self.

What’s That Man Doing In The Middle Of The Tsunami Waves??

Howling Latina — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:39:00 +0000

Webb Will Block GOP’s Filibuster

Howling Latina — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:05:00 +0000

Today on CNN's "State of the Union," Sen. Jim Webb told John King that he would vote with Dems to break any Republican attempt to block the health care reform bill in Congress.

"One thing I did say to [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid] is I will vote to proceed forward to debate," Webb said Sunday.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Creigh Deeds is struggling to win support and Washington Post wrote last Friday that administration officials feel Deeds has no one to blame but himself.

Senior administration officials have expressed frustration with how Democrat R. Creigh Deeds has handled his campaign for governor, refusing early offers of strategic advice and failing to reach out to several key constituencies that helped Obama win Virginia in 2008...
[...]
A[n]...administration official, who...spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "Obama, Kaine and others had drawn a road map to victory in Virginia. Deeds chose another path."

Well...as to blame, I would add the gullible Democratic primary voters who listened to the Post and voted for Deeds instead of Moran or McAuliffe.

Would Sheila Johnson be mocking McAuliffe?? Would Wilder be denying the Democratic candidate for governor his endorsement?? Hell, would we be having this conversation if either McAuliffe or Moran had been the candidate...???

Patrick Fitzgerald Protecting America

Howling Latina — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:45:00 +0000

U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald doesn't fool around...

Hal Turner, a right-wing shock jock and blogger, had railed against a federal decision that had gone against the National Rifle Association on his radio show.

Outrageous but..no harm, no foul; it's a free country.

However, the next day, the Washington Post reports, the idiot nutwing opined on his blog that the three judges merited to die.

"Let me be the first to say this plainly", he wrote. "These [j]udges deserve to be killed." You see, according to Turner, blood was required for the tree of liberty to be replenished. It seems it needed the same nutrient the guy with the 9 mm pistol strapped to his thigh outside the Obama town meeting was trying to use. And surely a little blood was "[a] small price to pay to assure freedom for millions", Turner reasonably reasoned.

Just in case his readers needed any help in carrying out justice, the good blogger posted pictures of the judges, a map of the courthouse where they worked and an even more helpful guide to where those nasty "anti-truck bomb barriers" were placed for security.

Of course, the FBI was not amused or pleased; and they proceeded to arrest Mr. Turner.

Oops, I "meant no harm", he told them. I wasn't serious, cross my lips and hope to die.

U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald and his prosecutors...charged Turner, a blogger admired by white supremacists, with threatening the lives of three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit: Frank Easterbrook, Richard Posner and William Bauer.

Thankfully, the death-dealing sap "is now [safely] behind bars awaiting trial, accused of threatening the judges." A U.S. magistrate wisely ruled that he "was too dangerous to be free."

Nah, ya think??

Another American Released

Howling Latina — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:15:00 +0000

In breaking news, Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia has secured the release of American prisoner John Yettaw from Myanmar.

Yettaw had been convicted of illegally breaking the immigration law that requires Burmese officials be notified whenever a guest stays overnight. Back in May, Yettaw swam "across Inya Lake" to Nobel Prize winner Suu Kyi's house and stayed two days after claiming exhaustion.

While in Myanmar, Webb also met with Kyi who was recently sentenced to an additional eighteen months of house arrest. Just last month, acccording to Wikipedia, "UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon...arrived in Myanmar on a journey seeking the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and to press the junta for democratic reform" but to no avail. Guess Webb has more starpower...

Yettaw had been sentenced to seven years, four in hard labor after being convicted of " illegally entering a restricted zone [and] illegal swimming.

Webb will be bringing Yettaw with him to Bangkok on Sunday.

Go Webb!!

Unbelievable…but Predictable

Howling Latina — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:04:00 +0000

After a few days of much needed rest and restoration, the howler feels compelled to now chime in on the latest endorsement to go Bob McDonnell's way in the Virginia governors race.

For fans of Creigh Deeds, don't say you weren't warned. Those who might've voted for Obama, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are either staying home in November or gasp, voting for the dark side.

Hot off the press, or at least a little luke warm, the media reports Black Entertainment Television co-founded Sheila Johnson is supporting Republican Bob McDonell over the Democratic candidate, Creigh Deeds.

"[T]he former chairwoman of Democratic Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's inaugural committee...crossed party lines today to endorse Republican Bob McDonnell as Kaine's successor, arguing that McDonnell would do a better job of spurring economic development in Virginia," the Washington Post writes.

Johnson, who has been Kaine's second largest individual donor and has contributed more than $600,000 to Kaine since 2000 (Adding Feathers to Her Cap -- Post, January 2006), said her decision came after meeting with both Deeds and McDonnell and coming to the conclusion that McDonnell would be more likely to right Virginia's ailing economy.

Let's not forget last year's famous split with hubby who supported Hillary as Sheila was endorsing Obama. Unfortunately, this is an off-year election so don't be looking for Deeds to pull off any miracles. Personally, can't imagine she would've endorsed McDonnell over Moran.

At Long Last….

Howling Latina — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Hear ye, hear ye...

The Minnesota Supreme Court has finally declared Al Franken the winner. Seven months after he won the election, Al Franken of Minnesota will at long last take his rightful spot in the US Senate.

In the meantime, USA Today reports that Democrats have been keeping a seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee warm for Al. And Norm Coleman has accepted the obvious and called it day.

Sixty votes -- and away we go!

RIP – Farrah Fawcett

Howling Latina — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:07:00 +0000

How sad...

Froomkin’s Firing

Howling Latina — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0000

By now everyone knows that Dan Froomkin was summarily fired by the Washington Post. In the meantime stellar voices like gasbag George Will, David Broder, Charles Krauthammer, David Ignatius and Michael Gerson continue to write for the fading paper at death's door.

But dear readers; there's a sure-fire logical reason why Froomkin had to go. And Nobel Memorial Prize winner Paul Krugman is more than happy to explain to you why it was so.

He’s Barack Obama

Howling Latina — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Waiting on a Breakthrough…

Howling Latina — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:28:00 +0000

We are destroying the world as we know it; and betting our very existence on a so-far evasive scientific breakthrough that will change the composition of carbon dioxide to something the planet can handle.

In paraphrasing this afternoon's panel on Gordon Peterson's show from the nation's capital, the seas will rise unless humans can figure out what to do with all the carbon dioxide we're emitting.

In the meantime, governments refuse to reduce carbon emmissions since China has already told them, hey folks, keep China out of your grand plans; we've got two centuries to catch up on.

That's right, boys and girls. China has told the West they have 150 years to come up with a scientific breakthrough before it's irreversible; in the meantime, they're off to the races and will see us in 2200 or before, depending on their luck.

Ronald Reagan Intimate Speaks Truth to Batwings

Howling Latina — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:33:00 +0000

In an amazing opinion piece, a Reagan intimate excoriates the current crop of leaders in the Republican Party.

Here's a sample, as published by Los Angeles Times:

The Republican Party that is in such disrepute today is not the party of Reagan. It is the party of Rush Limbaugh, of Ann Coulter, of Newt Gingrich, of George W. Bush, of Karl Rove. It is not a conservative party, it is a party built on the blind and narrow pursuit of power.

The author is no RINO; he is former Congressman Mickey Edwards from Oklahoma, one of the most conservative states in the Union. Edwards was "one of three founding trustees of the Heritage Foundation and national chairman of the American Conservative Union." He also served as an adviser to Ronald Reagan during the 1980 presidential campaign and once held the "fourth-ranking leadership position" in the House.

Read the rest and be enlightened; it explains why people are leaving the Republican Party in droves.

Post Speech Polling

Howling Latina — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:10:00 +0000

From Politico:

What should President Obama have talked more about during his speech in Cairo?
Iran 4 %
Israel-Palestine 5 %
Terrorism 26 %
U.S. Muslims 1 %
Something else 9 %
Nothing, I liked the speech as is. 55 %
Results are based on 16654 votes

Oh well...so much for should'ves and missed opportunities.

Out of the Mouths of Home-Grown Terrorists

Howling Latina — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Scott Roeder faithfully believes that "lethal force is not a criminal offense if it protects the lives of unborn children." After all, George Tiller wasn't really human; he was a mass murderer and had to be stopped by any means necessary.

Be afraid, folks, very afraid. Scott is not the only Christian Taliban running around the countryside; it's just a matter of time and there will be more blood. Death to the infidels!

Kansas City activist Regina Dinwiddie...said she does not consider death of Tiller, the nation's most prominent provider of controversial late-term abortions, to be a homicide.
"I don't think he was murdered. I believe he was absolutely stopped in his tracks and it was long overdue," Dinwiddie said. She declined to say when she last spoke with Roeder.

But don't trust your ears and eyes, right-wing extremists screech. Contrary to every piece of evidence, there's no link to them and violence; and no need to keep a watchful eyeball on their goings-on. That would be an outrage. Just ask the agin' cheerleader, Michelle Maulkin. or James Young of SkepticalObservor.

Who us??

Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, whose group is based in Wichita and whose Web site carries a "Tiller Watch" feature, said he was "shocked" by the killing.

Yes, yes; everyone is absolutely shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on.

Pro-life Terrorist Opens Fire in Church, Kills Doctor

Howling Latina — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:02:00 +0000

With his headline and a few words, John Aravosis of Americablog pins the tail on the terrorist.

Thank God that the Obama administration caved last month to religious right and GOP demands that it withdraw a new domestic terrorism report that indicated, among other things, that radicals might use abortion as a justification for committing acts of domestic terrorism. Now a man is dead, and an American church has been shot up during services.

That's right. Earlier this morning, a prominent late-term abortion doctor was shot and killed by some right-to-life terrorist. Let the Washington Post fully explain:

Tiller, 67, had performed abortions since the 1970s and ran the Women's Health Care Services clinic, one of just three in the nation to perform abortions after the point when a fetus is considered able to survive outside the womb.

Of course, fundies will say this was just an aberration -- a few bad apples of the Abu Ghraib type. But...don't you believe it; as usual, they're lying. Huffington Post has all the gory details.

The Smoking Gun

Howling Latina — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:25:00 +0000

No more hushed whispers and pussy-footing around. America tortures; and it's not because of some imminent danger to the homeland that lurks behind every shadow. Nope. The pure and simple reason America tortures or at least the reason why it did is because Cheney wanted to link Saddam to 9/11 so he could justify going to war with Iraq, and any living sap who could corroborate this delusional madness had to be waterboarded or worse.

Don't believe...? Here's the smoking gun from Richard A. Clarke, former chief counter-terrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council under President George W. Bush as explained in yesterday's Washington Post.

Despite being told repeatedly that Iraq was not involved in 9/11, some, like Cheney, could not abandon the idea. Charles Duelfer of the CIA's Iraq Survey Group recently revealed in his book, "Hide and Seek: The Search for Truth in Iraq," that high-level U.S. officials urged him to consider waterboarding specific Iraqi prisoners of war so that they could provide evidence of an Iraqi role in the terrorist attacks -- a request Duelfer refused. (A recent report indicates that the suggestion came from the vice president's office.)

Finally, an authoritative voice utters the inconceivable truth. Looks like during the Bush administration, The Decider was actually Cheney; and what Cheney wanted, Cheney got.

Well, there's only one way out of the moral decrepitude that was once boldly called the 'war on terror.' The naked-truth must now be revealed in some form of Nuremberg-like trials with every miscreant from the Bush administration under oath; and if we can't get the truth out of them, well, there's always enhanced interrogation techniques. After all, it's not as if we're not already on the list of nations who torture. Hell, even Abu Sanchez thinks that at minimum we should have a "a truth commission to investigate the abuses and torture" by loyal patriots under Bush & Company.

Mancow Waterboard

Howling Latina — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Yep, it really, really is torture.

Barry White – Playing Your Game Baby

Howling Latina — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Let's play...

Barry White-Don´t play games

Howling Latina — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Don't play games, Repukes.

Kiss Her Liberal A–

Howling Latina — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:05:00 +0000

During the last few days Howling Latina has been gettin' some love from splindly male bloggers because gasp, someone mentioned her when posting about "Women for Moran," a group of gals who know that Brian Moran is the absolute best candidate for governor in Virginia.

Well, as she wrote a few weeks ago, Brian Moran is indeed her man; and if anyone has a problem with that, they can kiss her liberal a--. Of course like the divine law of karma, the Washington Post linked to her post and today, it has a story that fully backs the howler's reasoning for endorsing Moran in the first place; Moran strongly came out against that gawd-awful marriage amendment that was enacted in '06.

You see, Moran "is gambling that Virginia Democrats, testing their strength after winning the governor's mansion twice and helping to deliver the White House, will now embrace the candidate they see as their most progressive option in the June 9 primary."

Meanwhile, McAuliffe and Deeds are busy oscillating between Planet Backslide and Planet Claptrap.

Moran's rivals, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds and Terry McAuliffe, former national Democratic Party chairman, helped create the opening by taking a more cautious approach to the issue in a campaign that has not been marked by significant policy distinctions.
All three candidates oppose same-sex marriage, but they all opposed the 2006 constitutional amendment because they believed it restricted even contractual relationships between same-sex couples.
But only Moran has said he would work to repeal it.

Oh yes, boys and girls, Moran has got a spine to go along with his winning smile and progressive roots; just what Virginians need to fight off the rabid batwings when divvying up the voting precincts after the '10 census.

Specter Switches

Howling Latina — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Other than that nasty business with Anita Hill, Sen. Arlen Specter has always been one of the howler's favoritest Republican. Just a few days ago in The New York Review of Books, Specter spelled out what he hopes to accomplish in the Senate; and folks, it's music to a progressive's ears.

It's about the rule of law and "rolling back [the] presidential power grab" that seems to be all the rage of late; and yes, this would include any power grab from Precious One.

In reporting, Washington Post describes how the senator told the truth straight up -- free of spin; after centrists left the Republican party in droves in '08, he simply can't win in Pennsylvania. It also looks like good ol' Joe played an instrumental role in the switch.

[Senate Majority Leader Reid credited Vice President Biden for playing an important behind-the-scenes role in softening Specter's resistance. Biden and Specter are old friends and Senate colleagues, and Biden successfully courted Specter over a period of weeks to support the stimulus bill.

Read it and weep, Republican wingnuts; soon (if not already) ya'll have Rush, Beck, Ingraham, Savage and Hannity as the swine face of your party.

Bwah, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Torturing Cheney

Howling Latina — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Don't worry; we don't torture...

Randy Does Fox

Howling Latina — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Like that ol' seedy porn of yesteryears, "Debby Does Dallas," Randy Does Fox.

Yes, boys and girls, Rhodes, the whore, is back on reel and this time, she's doing Fox. Well actually, it's even worse; she's signed on with the same deplorable scumbags who corrupt the airwaves with Limbaugh, Hannity, Dr. Laura and Beck; looks like little Randy has found her campestral adobe.

Premiere Radio Networks adds The Randi Rhodes Show to its lineup of nationally syndicated shows, beginning May 11. The show will broadcast live from Washington, DC, and early affiliates will include KTLK/Los Angeles, KKGN/San Francisco, and KPOJ/Portland, OR.
"Randi has carved a niche in talk radio with her straight-forward approach, intelligence, wit, and fact-driven content --- qualities that attract audiences," said Premiere EVP/Affiliate Marketing Julie Talbott. "We can't wait to deliver The Randi Rhodes Show to stations nationwide."

Now isn't that special?? Maybe during the late witchy hours when nothin' much is going on at Fox, Rhodes and Annie the Coulter can spawn their own horror show to perfectly suit their special brand of personage.

Clinton to Rep. Pence (R-IN): Obama Won the Election

Howling Latina — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:18:00 +0000

This is about the best slapdown you will ever see.

A.G. Holder: Investigate Torture

Howling Latina — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Ever since Moveon crapped on Hillary, they've been on the howler's crapper list. But this ad is goooood. Now let's see if Precious One decides to do anything 'bout it.

Holy Cow! Gov. Perry Gets Spanked by Texas House

Howling Latina — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Read all about it in the Houston Chronicle. It looks like Texas legislators have had about all they can take from Perry.

Indeed, if "Gov. Rick Perry carries through on his vow to block some $555 million in stimulus funds for unemployment benefits," the House legislation will take away "$136 million [from] the Enterprise Fund." That's the big corporate give-away that Perry absolutely adores and that bribes, er, entices new businesses to relocate to the Lone Star State.

It's really too bad the commonwealth of Virginia doesn't have a few brave GOPers in the House equal to those in Texas. Instead, they are batwings equal to Perry. And yes, Perry is still touting his support for "affirming Texas' sovereignty under the 10th amendment," whatever the hell that means.

Talk of secession is dangerous business; we all know what happened when a few maverick states decided to secede from the Union more than 100 years ago; nearly 700000 Americans died.

So far, Virginia Republicans are content renouncing cash from Washington and tea-bagging. And with such a glorious strategy, look for them to have another great electoral season. Of course now with their candidate for governor shooting his mouth about somethin' that's really none of his business (whether or not Notre Dame should award a ceremonial degree to Obama), polls could get a little droopy.

Are Cuba and U.S. Heading Toward Reconciliation…?

Howling Latina — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:17:00 +0000

The Associated Press writes that "[a]fter a series of overtures by...Obama, Castro said Thursday that he is ready to talk with the U.S. and put 'everything' on the table, even questions of human rights and political prisoners."

Hmmm, don't know about that one. Like Chris Matthews of MSNBC said this morning on "Morning Joe," there's still that pesky business about Oswald and Kennedy and what the heck was Oswald doing at the Cuban embassy in Mexico City in the fall of 1963 -- the same year he shot Kennedy; and why did CIA headquarters lie to its Mexican station??

Back in January 2006, the howler wrote about her suspicions. What with every Democratic and Republican president since Kennedy shunning Castro as if he had infectious nuclear diarrhea. By the way, it's one of her most popular post with some really intriguing comments.

Our Senator in Washington…

Howling Latina — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:21:00 +0000

What a great write-up in The Nation about Virginia's senior Sen. Jim Webb; and his crusade to reform the criminal justice system; too many wasted lives.

Here's a paragraph from the story that fully capures the man.

Webb's biography makes him the perfect vessel for this endeavor; it also helps that he's so indifferent to the rudiments of electoral politics. In fact, it's a kind of miracle the man is a senator at all. On a recent afternoon, as he toured the Bragg Hill Family Life Center, which provides social services to ex-offenders in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he was so stone silent that co-founder Rev. Joseph Henderson grew self-conscious. "You can ask any questions," Henderson offered nervously. "We preachers talk too much sometimes." As we walked through the gym, Webb had to be prompted to shake the hands of the (adorable) children scurrying around him, and the look on his face as he prepared to glad-hand was that of a man steeling himself for the dentist's chair.

Christopher Hayes hits it out of the ball park with his last line. Howling Latina can clearly picture the visuals. In the past, she's seen Webb in action as he plods through a queue of smiling supporters and nary a smile from him; he's just naturally shy.

Indeed, the senator may not be an instinctive baby-kisser, but he's a natural born leader; just read his bio and a quote from the senator himself.

"People follow leaders," Webb told [Hayes], "if leaders give them something to believe in."

Right now, Webb is leading the way: fix the American criminal justice system by January 2013 and peacefully go back to private life and writing -- his true passion.