Decision ‘08 » 2006

Archive for April, 2006

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

Dallas Night Club Wins Round One

Though the TABC could still rule to revoke the Dallas Night Club’s liquor license, an administrative judge on Friday ruled against the TABC and for Dallas:
An administrative law judge recommended Friday that Dallas Night Club keep its liquor license, saying that the evidence presented in a January hearing did not support the Texas Alcoholic Beverage […]

No Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by Mark

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

It’s All Over In Italy, Including the Crying

Though it seems the incumbent Silvio Berlusconi will not now, nor never(?) concede defeat, the Italian elections have now been confirmed as a victory in both houses for his rival:
Romano Prodi’s narrow victory in the upper house of parliament in Italy has been confirmed by an appeals court.
The certification of overseas ballots was the final […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Al Gore, Foreign Affairs, Democratic Candidates by Mark

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

Meet The New Boss

The BBC profiles Iraq’s new Prime Minister-designate, Jawad al-Maliki:
Before his return from exile, he was asked about what kind of society he wanted his country to become in the future.
Mr Maliki said he wanted to see a pluralist Iraq whose various ethnic and sectarian groups regarded each other as equals.
It’s a nice sentiment - […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iraq by Mark

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

A True Milestone of the Iraq War

Parliament has convened! The forward momentum seems to have taken hold:
Iraq finally has names for its top jobs — more than four months after its historic general election.
A political deadlock appears to have been broken on Saturday, with Jawad al-Maliki asked to be prime minister-designate and form a new government.
Al-Maliki, a Shiite, was nominated […]

2 Comments » - Posted in POTUS, Iraq by Mark

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

The Blog Week in Review, a Pajamas Media podcast…check it out here…

No Comments » - Posted in Pajamas Media by Mark

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

United 93: Another Look

The lovely Mary Katharine Ham has seen the movie that has everyone talking:
I saw United 93 yesterday.
I’m not sure if I can use this word as an adjective, but it keeps coming to mind, so here goes. It was shaking. I was shaken. I was shaky. However you want to say it, that’s what it […]

No Comments » - Posted in Celebrities / Pop Culture / Sports by Mark

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006

Want Another Reason For Worry in 2006? The Intensity Factor

Pollster and analyst Charlie Cook says the anti-Bushies are far more fired up than the pro. Cook still sees a Senate takeover as unlikely, and a house that is leaning staying Republican by the thinnest of margins - but that’s assuming the bleeding gets stopped…

2 Comments » - Posted in 2006 News, Elephants, Donkeys by Mark

Friday, April 21st, 2006

A CIA Leaker Meets Her Fate

Meetings all day and a rare night out equals a neglected blog, and thus, I haven’t even had time to mention the fired CIA leaker story. Fortunately, as is often the case, AJ has covered it so well that I need only, really, point you to his fine work on the story…

23 Comments » - Posted in Domestic Affairs by Mark

Friday, April 21st, 2006

A New Prime Minister - Maybe

There are still some hurdles to cross, but a name has been put forward as Iraq’s new Prime Minister, and the initial reaction seems hopeful:
Jawad al-Maliki, an experienced political operator and advocate for Iraq’s Shiite Muslims, won the approval of his coalition’s leaders for the post of prime minister on Friday, a day after the […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iraq by Mark

Friday, April 21st, 2006

Don’t Cry For Me, al-Jaafari

The signal from Iraqi leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari that he is finally ready to bow to the inevitable and stand aside may not have anyone dancing in the streets, but it is bringing out the latent optimist in almost everyone. From today’s New York Times:
Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s agreement yesterday to step aside and let his Shiite […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Iraq by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

It’s Fitzmas Every Day

Where have I heard this before?
Just as the news broke Wednesday about Scott McClellan resigning as White House press secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove shedding some of his policy duties, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald met with the grand jury hearing evidence in the CIA leak case and introduced additional evidence against Rove, […]

6 Comments » - Posted in PlameGate by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

Behold The Power of Patterico

I, for one, know better than to grapple with that pugnacious pontificator Patterico, but the L.A. Times never learns. Earlier, Patterico spotted a cowardly move by Michael Hiltzik of the L.A. Times-sponsored Golden State Blog, who was engaging in a shell game with his readers by posting under his own name and two pseudonyms […]

3 Comments » - Posted in NY Times/Media Watch by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

A Tale Of Three Leaders

Good post by Tom Bevan at the RCP Blog on the intersection of the presidents of the U. S., France, and Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear ‘emancipation’, as Tom puts it. Highlight:
When George Bush says that “all options are on the table” regarding Iran, the world convulses like an MIT feminist listening to Larry Summers […]

2 Comments » - Posted in POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

Unambiguously Good News From Iraq, For A Change

This may, finally, break the political impasse:
Iraq’s prime minister will give up his nomination for a new term as head of the country’s new government, a senior member of his Shiite party announced, only a few hours before a long-delayed parliament meeting scheduled for Thursday was ultimately postponed by two more days.
Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iraq by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

Now Tell Us What You REALLY Think

Jay Rosen is a smart fellow, to be sure, but isn’t this a little harsh?
[Scott] McClellan’s specialty was non-communication; what’s remarkable about him as a choice for press secretary is that he had no special talent for explaining Bush’s policies to the world. In fact, he usually made things less clear by talking about them. […]

No Comments » - Posted in POTUS, NY Times/Media Watch by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

Strange Bedfellows Department

Mickey Kaus defending Ann Coulter? Believe it…

2 Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by Mark

Thursday, April 20th, 2006

A GOP Comeback?

In the midst of all the Republican gloom-and-doom forecasts for 2006, Deborah Orin divines a change in the tide:
…Republicans seem to have grasped that this is the post-Bush era so they’re successfully decoupling themselves from Bush and snuggling up to the more popular Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).
But Republicans aren’t dumping or dissing […]

6 Comments » - Posted in 2006 News, POTUS, Elephants by Mark

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006

Has Rumsfeld Weathered the Storm?

Academic Elephant certainly thinks so:
Yesterday (Tuesday) may well prove to have been the coup-de-grace for this whole episode. Pushed to respond to the criticism of Mr. Rumsfeld, the President shot back that while he listens to “all voices,” he–rather like Secretary Rumsfeld–has to come to an ultimate decision, which is his right and well as […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Domestic Affairs, POTUS, Iraq, Foreign Affairs by Mark

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006

Wednesday Night Quick Shots

One of those days when I can’t get around to everything, so here’s a few quick recommendations.
All I can say about this Ryan James piece is “It’s a start!”…
Ken Rudin has the latest edition of the always interesting Political Junkie up…
Power Line follows up on the news that Germany is opening up a huge Holocaust […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Domestic Affairs, Mike Huckabee, Linky Love, Foreign Affairs, Republican Candidates by Mark

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006

Non-Snarky Lefty Link of the Day

Hey, I have great fun with the Nutroots® from time-to-time, but that doesn’t mean I think it’s all nonsense. Today, mcjoan has a good post on the Kos front with numbers - lots of numbers, fundraising and otherwise - for the political junkie in all of us. Check it out…