Good Night, Larry "Bud" Melman

post from Cut to the Chase on 21 March 2007 03:49:00 PM. © Cut to the Chase

The man behind one of David Letterman's old semi-regular comic routines back when he was on NBC, Larry "Bud" Melman, has died.Although the man made the jump over to CBS when Letterman did, "Melman's" character name was changed to "Calvert DeForrest" to[...]

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Comedy From Tony Snow

post from Daily Kos on 21 March 2007 03:43:42 PM. © Daily Kos

Pure comedy from Tony Snow, explaining why Karl Rove should be able to "have an interview" with Senate and House members behind closed doors, without taking an oath, and with no transcript:

Well again the question is, do they want the truth and do they think they're not going to be able to get it? And the answer is, of course they're going to get the truth. And they'll get the whole truth.

Flashback to 2003:

Q -- have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him --

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good thing.

And:

Q All right. Let me just follow up. You said this morning, "The President knows" that Karl Rove wasn't involved. How does he know that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I've made it very clear that it was a ridiculous suggestion in the first place...And I said it is simply not true. So, I mean, it's public knowledge. I've said that it's not true. And I have spoken with Karl Rove -- [...]

Q But I'm not asking what you said, I'm asking if the President has a factual basis for saying -- for your statement that he knows Karl Rove --

MR. McCLELLAN: He's aware of what I've said, that there is simply no truth to that suggestion. And I have spoken with Karl about it.

Q Does he know whether or not the Vice President's Chief of Staff, Lewis Libby --

And Tony Snow wonders why anyone would doubt that Rove would tell the whole truth? Hilarious.

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Matt Drudge Rules His World

post from Eschaton on 21 March 2007 03:43:00 PM. © Eschaton

~~Kos~~ McJoan gives us some Mark Halperin funnies, and Tbogg gives us the text of his stalkeresque love letter to Hugh Hewitt.

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Alternatives To Recalled Pet Foods That Can Kill
Your Dogs or Cats

post from Cut to the Chase on 21 March 2007 03:39:00 PM. © Cut to the Chase

A few folks posting on the issue of the huge and deadly Menu Foods Item Fund pet food recall where many dogs and cats are dying of urinary/renal/kidney failure from a contaminant in some of the major brands of pet food, including IAMS and others, have[...]

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Tony Snow on Gonzales Presser: 18 DaysExecutive
privilege

post from Crooks and Liars on 21 March 2007 03:28:22 PM. © Crooks and Liars

Ed Henry did a good job of confronting Tony Snow today at the gaggle. He asks him about the 18 day gap in the emails, or a trail so to speak and Snow says: "Why don't you ask them." Snow was really uncomfortable today…&nbspDownload (1162)&nbsp| Play (1188) &nbspDownload (375)&nbsp| Play (627)Henry has his own analysis as well….He makes the [...]

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Tony Snow on Gonzales Presser

post from Crooks and Liars on 21 March 2007 03:28:22 PM. © Crooks and Liars

Ed Henry did a good job of confronting Tony Snow today at the gaggle. He asks him about the 18 day gap in the emails, or a trail so to speak and Snow says: "Why don't you ask them."&nbspDownload (0)&nbsp| Play (0)Henry has his own analysis as well….He makes the point that the gaggle is transcribed by someone [...]

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Gorewatch Lives!

post from Ezra Klein on 21 March 2007 03:21:00 PM. © Ezra Klein

Been a bit since we did this, but both Dave Roberts and Brian Beutler have been liveblogging today's congressional testimony from Al Gore. Meanwhile, I'm confused. First, Joe Klein tells me that based on Gore's global warming proposals, he may...[...]

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More on Dick Cheney's connections to Duke
Cunningham scandal

post from AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth on 21 March 2007 03:17:00 PM. © AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

I'm digging deeper into this Carol Lam/White House/Duke Cunningham story. Very odd stuff.

Check out the following from the LA Times. Now, keep in mind that MZM was the firm bribing Cunningham, and the firm that Cunningham was directing the federal contracts to. The thing is, MZM had no revenue yet in 2001, but somehow from somewhere they had $100,000 to pay off Cunningham at the same time. Also, MZM had never had any federal contracts. But somehow they get on the preferred vendor list and their first contract is with Dick Cheney's office in the White House. And the amount of money Cheney's people pay MZM is the exact amount of money that is needed to buy Duke Cunningham's boat.

How and why did Dick Cheney's office help this nobody suddenly get rolling?

MZM Inc. was incorporated in 1993 but had not posted any revenue as late as 2001. Still, the company began paying for Cunningham's expenses, according to court documents. In November 2001, a company check for $12,000 paid for three nightstands, a leaded-glass cabinet, an antique washstand and four armoires.

In December 2001, a $50,000 company check was sent to a mortgage banker, who in turn made out a check to Cunningham for the same amount. In January 2002, the company's American Express card was used to purchase a leather sofa and a sleigh bed for Cunningham.

In all, more than $100,000 in cash and furnishings were given to Cunningham even before MZM had posted its first revenue.

Although MZM had no experience with government contracts, the General Services Administration in May 2002 placed the company on a list of approved information technology service providers, a key step for the company to get business from federal agencies.

The first contract, worth $140,000, came from the White House ? to provide office furniture and computers for Vice President Dick Cheney.

Two weeks later, on Aug. 30, 2002, Wade purchased a yacht, later christened "Duke-Stir," for $140,000, according to court documents. Cunningham used the yacht, docked at the Capital Yacht Club, as his home in Washington ? and the scene of parties for lobbyists and others.

The money and gifts MZM gave Cunningham were a small price to pay for the ultimate prize. In September 2002, the General Services Administration signed a so-called blanket purchase agreement with MZM totaling $250 million over five years.

Under the agreement, specific computer services for the Pentagon would be contracted to MZM without competition.

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‘An intriguing question.’

Tony Snow explained that the standoff between the Executive Branch and Congress revolves around Bush’s right to “privileged communications with close staff members.” But he also stated that “the president has no recollection” of conversations about the attorney firings being raised with him. That means, as CNN’s Ed Henry noted, that the White House is [...]

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LA Charter School: Emmett Till Deserved to Die

(photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till )In the big drive of anti-Big-Gummint conservative Republicans to give big fat taxpayer-funded contracts to their buddies show that private industry can outdo the government in every field of endeavor,[...]

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