September 22, 2005

9/22: Blogging Up A Storm

Not only is the gov't paying closer attention to Rita as it approaches than it paid to Katrina, so is the blogosphere. The hurricane, now a Cat 5, isn't set to make landfall for another 36 hours or so, but already it's the talk of the blogs. (Rita and "Hurricane Rita" are the top 2 searches at Technorati this a.m.). We've got live-blogging, FEMA-bashing, and evacuation evaluations. And already there's debate about where money will come to clean up not just coastal LA-MS-AL, but now TX.

The other noteworthy discussion of the moment is the confirmation of CJ nominee John Roberts. There's plenty of angst on the left about Senate Jud Cmte ranking Dem Pat Leahy voting yes, and others wonder how NARAL can stand by its endorsement of moderate Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) though he has announced he will support Roberts as well. And how will Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) vote?

Plus: JetBlue's near miss, Able Danger's neutered hearing, Air America's fundraising plans, the Los Angeles Times' circulation problems, and more.

RITA: Ready Or Not, Here She Comes

As Hurricane Rita bears down, Houston Chronicle's SciGuy: "One can only think the a city that opened its arms so wide to the victims of the truly catastrophic Katrina deserves a better fate. We shall see..." Happy Puppy Furry Story Time's Norbizness: "As for preparations, let's put it this way: there was no bottled water in the Randall's I went to tonight. In Austin." Andrew Sullivan and Radley Balko are two libertarian-minded bloggers upset that FEMA is sending ice to ME. Balko: "If FEMA wanted to have that ice further away from Hurricane Rita's likely Texas landfall, they really couldn't have done better in the lower 48 than send it to Maine." QandO: [M]ost are hoping that Rita doesn't take a right turn toward New Orleans. You know, I'm not sure I agree. New Orleans is already devastated and mostly empty. We already know its going to cost a lot to fix it back up. How much more could it be if Rita hits it?" Everyone seems to have track 10 from Sgt. Pepper on the brain for their headlines. But is Hurricane Rita "Lovely" or some negative variant (i.e. "Not-So-Lovely"?) Judging by Technorati search results, we'd have to say the former has a decisive lead. But that could change.

Bloggers are covering multiple angles of the storm. Here are a few:

>> On the evacuation -- Generation Why? posts 2 contrasting photos, of the N.O. school buses sitting under water and of the Houston evacuation, where school buses are being used to transport evacuees. At his personal blog, Charleston Daily Mail's Don Surber also notes the Houston bus photo. Liberal Your Right Hand Thief quotes ex-Speaker Newt Gingrich recently discussing the N.O. buses: "Southern conservatives haven't been this exercised about the urban poor riding buses since..."

>> On the economic impact -- The Left Coaster: "As Hurricane Rita now becomes a Category 5 storm heading straight for the Texas oil refinery infrastructure, a day after Sir Alan raised interest rates another quarter point based on inflationary fears post-Katrina, the market fell again by over a hundred points because oil prices shot up over $2 per barrel today, and fears of what the storm can do to our domestic oil production." The Indepundit's Citizen Smash: "If oil and gas production is further impacted, energy prices are going to go through the roof, and we're looking at a possible global economic downturn. Businesses will go bust, factories will shut down, and people will lose their livelihoods." He adds: "Please, please, please remember this: hurricanes will happen. It's not our fault. No leader, politician, or policy can prevent them. We can't control the weather, but we can control how we react to it."

>> On the coverage -- Hugh Hewitt: "The Houston Chronicle is asking bloggers in Rita's path to team up for storm coverage. This raises an interesting issue or two should any of those bloggers get seriously injured as a result of the storm. Are the Chron lawyers requiring a waiver stating that the bloggers were absolutely positively going to stay anyway? ... Most bloggers are mature adults... well, most bloggers are adults and can make up their own minds. But lets be clear that the Chron is putting out a pretty tempting offer to the always looking for audience bloggers." A Chronicle editor e-mails him to disagree with the interpretation; Hewitt posts the message and stands by his concern.

>> On the cause -- Noting arguments at The Huffington Post (including Laurie David and RFK Jr.) that global warming contributed to Katrina's strength, right-leaning Independent Sources points out an '01 Science article which "suggests that recent ocean warming trends are part of a recurring 30-40 year cycle, not any human-caused permanent increase." Interestingly, Bitch Ph.D., Majikthise and others cite a different Science article which suggests the opposite. Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte: "I'm gonna go ahead and plead for sympathy for Texas and I'll tell you why. If in fact the huge numbers of recent hurricanes is the fault of global warming ... I would like to point out that those Texans most likely to die from this are those least likely to be driving cars that get 4 miles to a gallon."

A handful of reader resources:

• At Weather Underground, Dr. Jeff Masters and Steve Gregory have been following Rita at their weather blogs. In a recent post, Masters points out that Rita has joined Katrina as one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded.
• This Blog Is Full Of Crap posts a good listing of TX news, weather sources, and TX blogs, including a special note for those in the storm's path. He adds: "If you're getting your Houston news through the New York Times, Washington Post, or some out of state blogger, you might as well shove your head up your ass, too."
• Prairie Pundit blogged extensively on the evacuation and storm tracks on 9/21, and looks set to keep doing so.
• The Wall Street Journal's blog-like Storm News Tracker has been made available free to the public.
• Wikipedia's Hurricane Rita page is just getting under way. A disclaimer at the top reads: "Information on Wikipedia may not be current or applicable to your area. Do not decide whether to leave your house, shelter or vehicle based on Wikipedia information."

ROBERTS: Another Storm Brewing?

While the GOP and right are solid behind Roberts, Dems are making their calls one by one, and the lefty bloggers are arguing about the impact of the Dem division. More than a few note that Leahy is positioning himself well for the next time, but some on the left think that's not enough.

• On Leahy -- Ed Kilgore at New Donkey: "I didn't find it terribly surprising." As the cmte's ranking Dem, Leahy "will be the particular object of a massive Republican propaganda campaign about 'Democratic obstruction'" next time: "I would guess that Leahy calculated he would be more effective in opposing a Justice Brown or Owens or Jones or Garza if he takes a dive on Roberts." Captain's Quarters: "Leahy's turnaround gives the base an opportunity to calm its rhetoric and start acting like adults rather than petulant children who still haven't gotten over the losses the electorate dealt them in 2002 and 2004." Quoting Leahy's statement that "in my conscience I find it is better to vote yes than no," AMERICAblog gives him benefit of the doubt: "Democrats always vote their conscience. When was the last time a GOPer even had a conscience?" Centrist Ann Althouse , on Leahy saying of Roberts: "I can only take him at his word that he does not have an ideological agenda.": "Interesting. The hearings were full of statements by Democrats that it's not enough to be asked to take Roberts at his word that he's not an ideologue. Leahy sounds like he's admitting that the Senate's role is weak. At the same time, he's preserving room for himself to say later that Roberts deceived the Senators."


• On GOPer Chafee -- Oliver Willis, Scott Lemieux and Ezra Klein are among liberals who notice that Lincoln Chafee, who has announced his intention to vote for Roberts, is backed by NARAL. Writes Klein: "NARAL should pull their endorsement. Actually, take that one step farther: NARAL should pull their endorsement and work like hell to defeat Chafee. If it was important for them to prove they'd reward friends, it's orders of magnitude more crucial to show they'll steamroll those who betray them." Liberal Dadahead sees it differently, noting that Leahy will vote the same as Chafe: "So Republicans confirm Republican judges, and so do Democrats. Is anyone else confused?"


• On HRC: Liberal Cowboyz 'n' Poodles: "Hillary Clinton owes a good portion of her political success to the upswing in activist feminism after the Anita Hill testimony/Clarence Thomas hearings. So how can she still... STILL be on the f---ing fence about John Roberts?" The Next Hurrah speculates, "Reid's coming out against Roberts will also clear the way for Hillary Clinton to oppose Roberts, inasmuch as Reid actually opposes abortion, while Hillary prefers to keep it "safe, legal and rare."


• On the Dems as a whole: David Sirota, at Huffington Post: "I can't decide who is more pathetic: the mainstream media, or unnamed DC strategists/aides/beltway-gliterrati-types and the Democratic Party they've run into the ground? ... The fact is, there are very serious questions surrounding Roberts' record that go well-beyond just the fact that we are about to make a guy who has served less than 3 years on the bench the most important judge in America." Fellow HuffPo contributor Cenk Uygur makes the same point: "Democrats are always ready to fight the next battle. Republicans are the complete opposite. They fight every battle, no matter how large or small." RedState's Leon H writes an open letter to cmte Dems, whom he expects will mostly vote for Roberts: "You know, of course, that you're providing some great incentive for Bush to send up another pick who's just like Roberts, and I think that's pretty much a loser for both of us. It's bad for you, because you lose a perfectly good opportunity to pontificate about the evils of 'Emilio Garza's America' ... And hey, between us, we're pretty sure that we got the short end of the stick in trading Rehnquist for Roberts, which is what usually happens with Republican nominees who have no paper trail ... So we're pretty much in favor of the President not having incentive for throwing unknowns up there. So you see there? It's a win-win for us both. I hereby renew my call for bipartisan comity, expressed in a good old-fashioned party-line vote. It's not too late for you to change your mind and go 10-8 tomorrow. Then, later, we can really put the screws on Max Baucus and see if we can't forge a 55-45 final tally. Whaddya say? TPM Cafe's Reed Hundt considers several different ways to consider the man his post header already calls "Justice Roberts." Conservative South Dakota Politics highlights a quote from the 9/22 Sioux Falls Argus Leader, wherein ex-Senate Min. Leader Tom Daschle says he "would support" Roberts because he is qualified. Comments SDP: "The political implications are huge. Reid is Daschle's direct successor as Senate Leader, but not even the guy who hand-picked him is supporting his position."

SPENDING: Fiscal Conservatism Is Sooooo Cute!

Reports in the Washington Post and The Hill about cong. GOP dissent from the WH position on Gulf Coast rebuilding sets off a few liberal bloggers, although Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) gets some credit for not ruling out tax increases. OH-based Tim Russo criticizes the TTLB/InstapunditPorkBusters effort, writing: "By the time Rita is done with the Gulf Coast, all those cute little 'porkbusters' (aren't they just so adorable!) are gonna look like a bunch of DUMB F--- TRUSTAFARIAN CHEAPSKATE ASSHOLES scrounging for loose change in their fixed-income grandmother's couch cushions." Liberal Duncan Black, on the same: "It's sorta cute when the right wingers start spinning their wheels over something not entirely awful. But they obviously haven't been paying much attention to what happens when a reporter gingerly questions these people on their pork. I saw Chuck Grassley [(R-IA)] on CNBC looking like he swallowed a giant slug when the host gingerly asked him about his indoor rainforest. ... The real test is what happens when [conservative bloggers] realize that the Republicans, who do indeed control the government, aren't going to give up a damn bit of their hard-earned pork." Markos Moulitsas: "Despite the debate over funding reconstruction on our home soil (which threatens to split the GOP, interestingly enough), fact is they would rather spend hundreds of billions of dollars rebuilding Iraq than rebuilding America. It's clear the new GOP slogan is 'America Second!'"

For his part, Instapundit keeps up the pork-blogging, here and here and here. In the first post he gives House Min. Leader Nancy Pelosi credit for saying she was willing to return fed'l funds earmarked for her district; he updates later to note: "Pelosi backpedals." Today's Day-By-Day cartoon criticize House Maj. Leader Tom DeLay for his earlier reports that there isn't any room to make cuts. Heritage's Policy Blog notes that the House GOP Study Cmte recommends rolling back the Medicare Rx benefit, but to "say that the White House doesn't look upon these efforts favorably, however, would be an understatement -- it has no intention to delay what it considers perhaps the President's greatest domestic policy achievement." N.Z. Bear has updated his PorkBusters page to show the names of all 535 members of congress by state and noting whether they have committed to make budget cuts. So far all are listed as "NO CUTS COMMITTED."

WHITE HOUSE '08: Taking Daschle Seriously

Captain's Quarters, on Daschle's possible WH'08 positioning: "He's aiming higher, not lower, and all of this fundraising and campaigning is meant to remind Democrats of his ability to build the party and deliver the money. Daschle would be the darkest of dark-horse candidates for the top slot in 2008, but he could make a good VP candidate if other combinations don't mesh well. Hillary-Daschle? It could happen."

9/11 MEMORIAL: Back To Ground Zero

Little Green Footballs criticizes a "typically slanted" New York Times story on the controversial Int'l Freedom Center, which is part of the future plans for Ground Zero: "You wouldn't expect the Times to mention it, but it's not just 'some victims' relatives' who are opposed to plans to turn the site of the September 11 attacks into an America-bashing Moonbat Disneyland." Take Back The Memorial points out that the Times didn't mention the opposition of the Uniformed Firefighters Assn., representing some 20K members.

ABLE DANGER: The Hearing That Barely Was

NRO's The Buzz live-blogged the hearings. On 9/21, he noted the only Dem "to appear so far" was DE Sen. Joe Biden, who arrived late and left after 1 question. Meanwhile, Jud cmte chair Arlen Specter was the only GOPer "in attendance the entire time." He adds: "However, just like with yesterday's hearing, the public seating section is full and the backflow is at its capacity as well." JustOneMinute guesses what the story is: "It was allowed to lapse per plan in 2001, with a major clean-up due to domestic spying concerns, however misplaced. ... My guess is that a similar program has since been reconstituted, but no one wants to tell [GOP PA Rep. Curt] Weldon because the intel community thinks he is daft."

MIDTERMS '06: You Pick A Fight With Slaughter, You Pick A Fight With The Blogosphere

Roll Call reports that netroots-friendly Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) may face a primary challenge from Buffalo councilor Antoine Thompson, Atrios writes: "She's been a great supporter of issues important to the netroots, and she deserves our support in the primary and the general election if need be." He adds Slaughter to his approved-candidates list. MyDD's Chris Bowers: "She is the absolute definition of what I would like a Democratic member of Congress to do. ... This is a slap in the face to all of us who are trying to get Democrats to actually stand up and fight Republicans. Tread on Louise at your own peril."

DEMOCRATS: Know Your Democrats!

Right Wing News offers up the 4 types of Dems: the conservative "Old School" Dems such as ex-Sen. Sam Nunn, the late Scoop Jackson, ex-Sen. Zell Miller; the "relatively moderate" "DLC Crowd" including TN Gov. Phil Bredesen, VA Gov. Mark Warner, Sen. Joe Lieberman; the "Stealth Dems" who are "very liberal" but use conservative rhetoric, including ex-Sen. Tom Daschle, MA Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Clinton; the "Radicals," who are similar to the "Stealth Dems," but are "more open about their views -- examples are MA Sen. Ted Kennedy, filmmaker Michael Moore, and Daily Kos founder Moulitsas.

BLOGS VS. THE MSM: Will Kaus Do For The Tribune Co. What Jarvis Did For Dell?

Mickey Kaus reported last weekend that he had canceled his Los Angeles Times subscription -- but then got a bill and found out only a "stop delivery" order had been recorded. He reports last p.m., "I got a phone call from the Times this morning. 'Thank you ... [We] want to welcome you back!' ... I told him I'd cancelled. He said, 'It's on hold right now.' I said no, I'd cancelled it twice. He said "So you don't want the paper right now" and rang off." Having previously noted that the behavior sounds illegal (and reeks of "desperation" from a paper in a "death-spiral," Kaus filed a "handy Web complaint form" with the CA AG, and provides a link for others having the same experience.

JETBLUE: Fear Of Flying

Right-leaning McCanta relays a CNN interview with New York Observer features editor Alexandra Jacobs, who "said that it was a bit unnerving to see their own ordeal competing" with Rita coverage. Jacobs: "We couldn't believe the irony that we might be watching our own demise on television. It just seemed a bit post-post-modern if you will." McCanta adds: "In a darkly comedic moment as they approached the airport just before landing, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, the pilots announced 'Flight attendants, please prepare for landing.' To this, many in the plane quietly laughed, relieving the pressure and anxiety just a bit before landing."

• Crooks & Liars has the video in WMV, QT and BitTorrent versions of both.
• Header at (recently re-designed) Sploid: "Huzzah! Pilot nails emergency landing."
• Daily Kos: "Wow, I was glued to the TV for that JetBlue landing. Mad props to the pilot, who gave his passengers the smoothest landing ever (according to one passenger) while missing the front tires."

FRIST: Need Input

Senate Maj. Leader Bill Frist's curious stock sale isn't catching on yet; not enough yet is known, and he isn't nearly as disliked on left-leaning blogs as DeLay or WH dep. CoS Karl Rove. Josh Marshall wonders about this final paragraph from the 9/22 Washington Post story on Frist: "An SEC spokesman said it is the commission's policy not to comment on investigations, and would neither confirm nor deny that it is probing insider trading at HCA." Marshall: "The passage is left sort of hanging there, without context or further explanation. ... Is Frist in some real trouble over this? And if he is, who can explain how a guy with such vaunting ambitions for higher office would do something so foolish and, it would appear, easy to detect?" Marshall's preceding 3 posts concern the Frist deal as well.

Liberal Carpetbagger Report notes that "when asked why he hadn't sold the stock previously," Frist's spokespeson said: "'I don't know that he's been worried about it in the past.' But that answer doesn't make any sense. Something prompted Frist to change his mind. It couldn't have been Senate ethics rules; he's been there 11 years and been cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee to own the stock. So what made him, in his spokesperson's words, 'worry' about the stock now?"

IRAQ: Calling In Reinforcements?

Conservative Andi's World reports from Walter Reed, where the Code Pink protest is ongoing, as is a counter-protest largely organized by Freepers (FreeRepublic regulars). She reports that while CodePink has tried and failed to call the police on the Freepers over supposed noise violations, now they have "resorted to sneaky tactics in the hopes that they can trick someone else into doing their dirty work for them," distributing flyers to the neighborhood encouraging residents to complain. Conservative Propaganda: "It sounds like the Freeper counter-protestors, doing the work of the angels, are getting under the skin of the Code Pink anti-war protestors, who have little taste for free speech from anybody but themselves."

AIR AMERICA: Cue The NPR Comparisons

Michelle Malkin: "Having taxed the patience of deep-pocketed liberal sugar daddies, Air America execs have cooked up a new campaign to hit up their own listeners for cash donations." Brian Maloney posts text of the e-mail at Radio Equalizer.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: I'm With Stupid

Oliver Willis asks under the header "Have Right Wing Bloggers Ever Met Any Black People?": "According to Vodkapundit and Instapundit, 'Stuck on Stupid' is a brand-new catchphrase that has never been uttered before. Well, I suppose if you've never talked to a black person, that might be true. But even then, it seems to have made an appearance or two on the internets. Ironic that the people who are truly 'stuck on stupid' are jamming the gas pedals." Ace of Spades HQ partly concedes the point, writing: "Well, look here Old Man, it is true that blacks and whites don't socialize as much as we should in a perfect world, which is why some black slang ... suddenly becomes the white flavor of the month when we finally hear it." He adds: "Wonder how many 'homies' (I'm down!) Eric Alterman 'chills' with on a regular basis."

LEST WE FORGET: Non-Friday Cat-Blogging

Welcome To Blog tells a "semi-tragic anecdote involving kittens, fire and airport security" about being disallowed from bringing on board a "bizarre knicknack" -- a "cigarette lighter covered in photos of kittens" from Paris. "Parisian kitty lighters are pretty rare in this part of the world so I wasn't going to let it go without at least a twenty second argument. ... After one guard misunderstood my rambling explanation, she concocted a story about how the lighter was a sentimental gift from my 'fiancee.'" Succeeding in persuading them to keep it in storage for the duration of his trip, he now posts a poll asking his readers: "Should I go back to the airport to get the lighter?"

Posted by at September 22, 2005 12:54 PM