Writing Life

I finished reading Scott McClellan’s memoir: What Happened: Inside the Bush White and Washington’s Culture of Deception. This is my first political memoir of a recent event. Normally, I’d pick up a book written many years after the fact, letting distance provide some context. But, I just had to have this book as McClellan worked the media and blog circuit. As you may know, he was a loyal Bush supporter and fellow Texan who served as White House Press Secretary from July 2003 until April 2006.

The memoir focuses primarily on the selling and secrecy around the Iraq War and the outing of a CIA agent as payback for challenging the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) claim for the war. It touches ever so briefly on the political effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Bush presidency.
continue reading…

Late at night from the drunk tank to come bail you out after you were busted for DUI? How about your mistress? That seems to be what Republican U.S. Representative Vito Fossella (R-NY 13) did last week. I love that some New York rags are now calling him Vino Fossella. And, he may even have fathered a child with his mistress, leaving his wife at home in New York to raise their three children.

The 13th District leans Democratic (PVI: D+1), but Rep. Fossella was considered likely to be reelected. Republican and Democratic circles in New York are talking about him not running for reelection. He blew a 0.17 on his breathalyzer test, over two times the 0.8 legal limit in Virginia. He may have blown even more than that: his career and his marriage.

Update: I can now remove the “seems” and “may even have” from my original posting. Republican Rep. “Vino” Fossella admits his long affair with the woman who bailed him out jail and admits that he fathered her 3-year-old daughter. No word yet on whether he’ll retire/resign.

Rep. Rick Renzi (R), a three term Congressman from Arizona’s 1st Congressional district, has just been indicted on extortion, money laundering, wire fraud and other charges connected to land deals in his state. The investigation has been going on for some time and the Republican Congressman announced last August that he would retire at the end of his current term. Many folks are reporting it, but I’ll link to The Hill’s piece. I’m sure this story will continue to develop through the day and in coming months.

To be nonpartisan in this post, here’s an update on Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA 02), the Congressman who took a $100,000 bribe and wrapped up $90,000 of it and stored it in his freezer. He was indicted on charges of bribery, racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of justice and other offenses. He still won his 2006 election and has given no indication that he’ll step down or not run this year. His trial has been delayed pending his appeal about separation of powers and the “speech and debate” clause of the Constitution. This is a sad and pathetic misuse of the Constitution, whereby someone who is clearly guilty will now throw a shadow on future cases where an innocent person turns to such protections. Rep. Jefferson, please resign and bring honor to the House of Representatives, your constituents in Louisiana, and yourself.

[Update:] Swing State Project says it’s 35 counts for Rep. Renzi (R). Also, Rep. Renzi is co-chair of presidential aspirant and fellow Arizonan John McCain’s campaign! This can’t be good news for that campaign.

I’ve just finished watching Cheney’s Law, a PBS Frontline documentary about Vice President Dick Cheney, his cronies, and their sweeping usurping of power from Congress, the Supreme Court and the American People.

The U.S. Constitution starts out with the words “We The People.” I think Cheney classified then shredded that memo. This documentary is terrifying, depressing and one hopes, motivating. These figures are still just people. We can take back the power. We can take back our rights. Go out, get involved in the political process. 2008 is around the corner. Presidential and Congressional races are important so that we can free ourselves again. It’s time for the 2nd Revolutionary War. We must overthrow King George, or at least his ideas and make sure that this country returns to its place in the world: the beacon of freedom and democracy. We need to turn the lights back on in the Statue of Liberty to purge the darkness.

Definitely check out the Frontline site. You can find more information as well as watch the episode online.

Republican Senator Larry Craig (ID) has filed an appeal over his inability to withdraw his voluntary guilty plea to offenses he committed as part of a public sex solicitation sting in a Minneapolis airport. While he had months to debate what to do, he never engaged a lawyer, even after being told to get one, and voluntary said he was guilty and submitted that plea in writing. And, not after being beaten or browbeat by police. He did it by mail, several months later. As the scandal exploded across the national news, he said he would resign, then maybe not, then definitely, then perhaps not, then definitely not. He’s reneged on his promises so often; how can he possible stand up for Idaho in the U.S. Senate?

WTF! Politico is report that disgraced Republican Senator Larry Craig (ID) will not resign as he said he would if he couldn’t withdraw his guilty plea. He’s vowing to stay in Congress until his term expires at the end of 2008 and then retire. Given his repeated flip flops since August, even that’s not a definite anymore. What is wrong with this man? Forget the whole soliciting sex in a public bathroom thing, this is about integrity. The man has changed his mind at least five times since his press conference at the end of August. And it’s not a change of mind like hey I’ll have ham and cheese instead of salami and cheese today, it’s I’m resigning from the U.S. Senate, no, wait, I’m not; oh, maybe I will, maybe not, not just yet, but soon, perhaps later, … and so forth.

Mr. Craig, go home to Idaho. Now!

Breaking news from various sources, including MSNBC, say that Hennepin County (Minnesota) Judge Charles Porter has denied Republican U.S. Senator Larry Craig’s petition to withdraw his voluntary guilty plea, related to his possibly soliciting sex in a public men’s bathroom in a Minnesota airport.

This clears the way for Craig to resign. He had said he would resign, then that he wouldn’t, then that he would, and then that he was trying to clear his name by having his guilty plea withdrawn. Now that that attempt has failed, this writer wonders if Sen. Craig is finally going to resign and let Idaho Governor Bruce Otter (R) appoint someone to fill out the remainder of Sen. Craig’s term.

Breaking News: Disgraced Republican Senator Larry Craig of Idaho is not resigning from the Senate, at least for now, or at least that’s what he’s saying this evening.

You put your first plea in, you take your first plea out. You put your first resignation in, you take your first resignation out. And then you spin your deal all about.

As you may recall, Sen. Craig was caught by police in a Minnesota airport bathroom and charged on June 11th. He was charged as part of a police operation that arrested men soliciting sex in that restroom. On August 8th, he entered his plea of guilty. Around August 28th, as his actions become public, Republicans in the Senate literally railroad Craig into resigning. On September 1st, Sen. Craig holds a press conference to say he’s resigning, effective September 30th. On September 4th, he says he’s reconsidering. Later, his staff say he’s all but sure to resign on the 30th. Now today, September 26th, his dream team of lawyers tries to get his guilty plea withdrawn. The Senator says he’s not resigning just yet.

The way Sen. Craig makes it out, he was coerced and frightened by the media. So much for the “Party of Responsibility”, as in taking responsibility for one’s actions. But, let’s look at this. He’s arrested on June 11th and is released and goes home to DC and Idaho. He talks with the prosecutor’s office in Minnesota during this time. All the while, from his arrest on, he’s told he should consider talking with a lawyer. And then, almost two months later, he submits a written plea of guilty. So, two months goes by and this 17 year veteran of the Senate doesn’t think to go talk with a lawyer? And now, he wants his plea withdrawn. Let’s hope that the high bar for granting such requests remains high in Minnesota. This is clearly a case where his plea should remain in place.

Is Larry Craig the kind of Senator that the great state of Idaho wants and that they most certainly deserves? I don’t think so. If he can’t make up his mind about whether he’s guilty or not and then can’t make up his own mind about whether he’s resigning or not, then clearly he’s not up to the caliber of person required to by a United States Senator? Mr. Craig, please just go home to Idaho on Sunday.