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[AlohaDawg]

What's ominous to me about this NSA deal was the revelation that the gov't is tracking the numbers reporters call to catch leaks.  This is not a good thing.

The problem with that is that, potentially, legitimate 'confidential'  sources could get outed too - but leaking classified information is a felony and you have to allow some provision for investigating it. It's a fine line, and the only answer I can see is that NSA staff members are judicious and handle sensitive material with respect. That, of course, will not make members of the press feel any better....

It will just keep sources off the phone. Back to meeting people in, say, parking garages. All that cloak and dagger stuff.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Georgia cops use counterterrorism unit to hassle vegan activists, anti-war protestors.
IRS investigating more liberal-oriented organizations than conservative ones.

Yes, I'm sure we can trust our Republican overlords not to use their wiretapping powers for anything vaguely related to domestic politics.

[AlohaDawg]

I'm not sure liberal organizations would fare well in Georgia regardless of the national administration. That story is not too surprising.

The second story - well, it's interesting. It should be just as easy for liberal organizations to accuse conservative ones of the same thing. During the 8 years of the Clinton Administration and with the IRS headed by Democrats, maybe that happened....I guess my point is that the tide always turns eventually when the electorate has its say.

I chafed for 8 years under Clinton like you are chafing now. For different reasons, obviously. But it always, always changes.

I was looking at the links you provided and I started thinking about the neutrality of the sources...and I found this interesting study by UCLA.

[wombat]

It will just keep sources off the phone. Back to meeting people in, say, parking garages. All that cloak and dagger stuff.

Tradition!  And much better in movies than sitting in your office talking on the phone.

[Carlos del Vaca]

I was looking at the links you provided and I started thinking about the neutrality of the sources...and I found this interesting study by UCLA.

I'd like to know how they define bias/leaning.  Is this one of those "the facts are biased" things?  If a Republican administration is doing evil shit, reporting on it is not "liberal bias."  Reporting the facts, then reporting administration spin/lies to explain it away, is not "balance."  (And vice versa, natch.)

[wombat]

Well, as Stephen Colbert always tells us, reality has a known liberal bias.

[theinevitable]

I would like to make a statement:

as of today, Wednesday the 17th of May, I, Daniel Robert Burton, declare as follows:
if John McCain is the Republican Nominee for the Presidency of the United States, I will vote for him.
And if he loses because George W. Bush has alienated so many people, I will cry hearty tears.
And if the Democrat who beats him is another do-nothing, lying jackass, I will lose a little faith.

I don't know what I'll do when I have to confront a Democrat screwing up the country.

[Drygioni]

I would like to make a statement:

as of today, Wednesday the 17th of May, I, Daniel Robert Burton, declare as follows:
if John McCain is the Republican Nominee for the Presidency of the United States, I will vote for him.
And if he loses because George W. Bush has alienated so many people, I will cry hearty tears.
And if the Democrat who beats him is another do-nothing, lying jackass, I will lose a little faith.

I don't know what I'll do when I have to confront a Democrat screwing up the country.

This seems fairly figurehead based. Are the two main parties really that similar or does the President have so much power he is his political party?

[AlohaDawg]

I would like to make a statement:

as of today, Wednesday the 17th of May, I, Daniel Robert Burton, declare as follows:
if John McCain is the Republican Nominee for the Presidency of the United States, I will vote for him.
And if he loses because George W. Bush has alienated so many people, I will cry hearty tears.
And if the Democrat who beats him is another do-nothing, lying jackass, I will lose a little faith.

I don't know what I'll do when I have to confront a Democrat screwing up the country.

I think that everyone in the country is going to be a little disappointed the next go round. At this moment it seems like a good environment for the proverbial dark horse.

I don't think McCain can get elected, and I'm not sure he could beat Giuliani or Condi Rice in the Primaries. I think Hillary will run and although not unbeatable, she will be tough to beat, although if Gore and Kerry really run hard during primary season like they seem to be preparing to, it could complicate creating a cohesive public platform for the Dems which could cost them later.

 I think it's going to be painful, strident, and ugly in the next Presidential election, and a lot of people are not going to be proud of their party or their political process when it's said and done.

[smick]

I think it's going to be painful, strident, and ugly in the next Presidential election, and a lot of people are not going to be proud of their party or their political process when it's said and done.

It's really sad that what you describe is how I currently feel.  Mostly, I'm sad that we don't have nearly as many informed voters as we should.

[wombat]

I think Hillary will run and although not unbeatable, she will be tough to beat,

Do you really?  I think the whole idea of Hillary running is nuts. Wouldn't she be such a divisive figure?  I have a friend who wrote a book about Hillary's senate race who totally thinks she could actually win.  But I wonder if she's objective.  Because, um, she'd probably sell more copies of her book then, you know?

Mainly you are right though, this next election is going to suck to hell.

[AlohaDawg]

Do you really think her support for the war on terror is sincere? It's an election thing. She hasn't commented much about the current debate about migration over the southern border either. She's almost surely trying to find out how to approach the issue in the most centrist way possible. She has been steadily moving toward the center ever since her election to the Senate. This is a smart move for her; it maximizes her chances I think.

The far left and the far right won't probably vote for her, but I think there are a lot of folks in the middle who might - and she's jockeying for that position. I think she can be beaten, but it won't be easy and it will almost have to be by either a woman or a minority. Or, in the case I think would give Hilary the hardest fight, both. But Dr. Rice may not run at all, so it will be interesting. Ugly and interesting. This is a good opportunity for a Democratic candidate no matter who it is, but I think it could come down to what the last election came down to: having a message that America can understand, and if you say you have a plan, please, tell us what it is. Kerry never articulated his position or his plan well last time around; the Republicans were successful in keeping him off message with the constant pressure on his military record and attacks on President Bush's National Guard experience never really got the kind of traction they needed for Kerry to gain enough ground back on him. Still and all, it was a very close election, as was the one previous and I don't doubt the next one may be very close as well.

A Republican president in '08 could cement the Supreme Court in conservative thought for the next 30 years. That's going to really affect law, business, privacy, law enforcement and a lot of other issues that mark your daily life. A Democratic President could have the opportunity to put some balance back there. That could become a campaign issue.

[CortJstr]

I don't think McCain can get elected, and I'm not sure he could beat Giuliani or Condi Rice in the Primaries.

That is completely horrifying. Giuliani won the Jefferson Muzzle 3 years in a row. That's just insane. Including the first ever Lifetime Muzzle. To be that just proves he isn't even human. Because only some kind of non-person wouldn't grasp how expression is an inherent part of humanity and would think they could get away with the kinds of bullshit he tried to pull.

Although McCain also has 1 Muzzle to his name, which he shares with Lieberman, but still.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Oy, Hillary.  I'd vote for her, sure.  But the flood of crap that would come from the GOP if she was the nominee will make what they did to Kerry look like a garden party.

[JorgeFabregas]

I was looking at the links you provided and I started thinking about the neutrality of the sources...and I found this interesting study by UCLA.

Their methodology is...odd. I'm not comfortable with it at all.