April 04, 2006
4/4: DeBlogs Delight In DeLay's Demise
Yesterday, the blogosphere remained scatter-brained, focusing on several stories of at least import, including the SCOTUS's decision to refuse to review a major case dealing with enemy combatants of American citizenship, examinations of some WH '08ers, and what appear to be two serious charges against Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA). Then, needless to say, the discussion changed. Fast.
As word leaked out that Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) will no longer be a candidate for Congress and will step down from the House "within months," just about every blogger went nuts. The discussion evolved so quickly that we need to break down responses into categories. First, instant reactions, as the left crowed and the right at once eulogized, celebrated and slammed Dems. The left then turned on those slamming Dems, and mini-debates ensued. Finally, a few bloggers had the foresight to start reading TX election law, and provided some clear and clever insights, not only into what will happen in the coming months, but which GOP candidates are the ones to watch to replace DeLay. The buzz continues to grow, faster than we can keep up.
DELAY: Justice Delayed Or Dispensed, Depends On POV
DeLay's announcement that he'll withdraw from his race for re-election and resign from Congress has nearly every blog abuzz this a.m. Time Magazine's exclusive has the full story. The Political Pit Bull has video from MSNBC's "The Situation," in which Time's Mike Allen and MSNBC's Chris Matthews, whom DeLay told of his decision, react and respond. Hotline OnCall has TV highlights from last night as well. Michelle Malkin has links to many relevant news items. Burnt Orange Report notes reaction from local TX papers.
Reactions are mixed on the right. RedState offers a eulogy, of sorts. Power Line: "It's too bad, I think. DeLay was an effective leader, albeit too liberal in recent years." Captain Ed is similarly "sorry to see him go," but thinks that "no one can deny that DeLay carries baggage, and at least a significant portion is of his own making." Gateway Pundit, though, calls today "a sad day" for the GOP. 
The Political Pit Bull thinks the development "might be an 'ominous sign' for DeLay's current legal situation, but this event itself is not representative of any problem for Republicans in 2006." Outside the Beltway agrees: "This is good news all around for the GOP." Like several others, TexasRainmaker sees the resignation as the death knell for ex-Rep. Nick Lampson's (D) camp. RedState's Crank: "In the end, as he often did, DeLay put the good of the party first. Good for him. I can't think that staying on as a back bencher would have been much fun." 42 GOP commentors respond, with some interesting and unexpected blowback for people both defending and deriding DeLay. RightWingSparkle, a native TXan: "I never liked Delay. I can't really say why. God knows he isn't as bad as many in Congress and he was right on most of the issues, but there was just something that didn't seem right with him. ... Here's hoping for better leadership. Delay was good at power grabbing, but I want someone who is just good." No More Mister Nice Blog offers an interesting take on DeLay's proclaimed devotion to rededicating his life to charity: "Loudly proclaiming Christianity is helping to keep [HealthSouth CEO] Richard Scrushy out of jail; DeLay seems to be banking on that strategy combined with liberal- and Democrat-bashing." Betsy's Page sees the forest for the trees. Others commenting: QandO, The American Mind Crooked Timber takes a look at some of the comments from the right.
The Moderate Voice asks: "Is this the end of Rico?"
The left is thrilled. A typical response, from The Carpetbagger Report: "I would have loved to see him get beat in November, but his resignation is an embarrassment for him, his colleagues, his Republican Party, and the movement he's led for years." Greg's Opinion: "That'll put a smile on almost anyone's face." Obsidian Wings: "By the simple act of resigning, DeLay has already brought government closer to any God worth worshipping." Michael Hussey sees larger effects afoot: "The political landscape is changing." Taylor Marsh charts the downfall of the last two strong GOP leaders. Scott Rosenberg, Driftglass, Scrutiny Hooligans, Josh Marshall, Tennessee Guerilla Women, The Brad Blog, The Next Hurrah, Middle Earth Journal, Firedoglake, NewsHog, Shakespeare's Sister, Confined Space, Lean Left, SpeakSpeak, Brilliant at Breakfast and Hullabaloo all comment. Atrios offers a graphic typical of the left's reaction.
With instant analysis completed, some bloggers had no choice but to turn back on each other. Peking Duck and Donklephant take on Power Line's assertion that Dems are to blame for "the politics of personal destruction."
Tom DeLay v. The World offers a look at TX special election law and concludes that a messy process is forthcoming. Swing State Project has a similar look, though with a partisan bent. Kos chimes in. Off the Kuff concludes: "You folks in the 22nd CD, get ready to do a lot of voting this year." The same blog and Greg's Opinion take a look at who's next for TX 22's GOP.
Finally, Newsie8200 lists those Reps who received money from DeLay ex-Dep CoS Tony Rudy, and what they've done with the cash.
SCOTUS: Court Refuses To Hear Padilla Case
In a 6-3 decision on 4/3 a.m., the SCOTUS refused to hear a challenge from ex-gang member Jose Padilla, who had appealed his three-year detention as an enemy combatant without access to an atty. The gov't had argued that, since being moved to Miami, an appeal of his time as an enemy combatant was moot. AP reports. SCOTUS cases in the blogosphere tend to feed off blogs that digest complex opinions, and SCOTUSblog, has the easiest-to-comprehend explanation. Noting that SCOTUS didn't declare the case moot, but simply refused to hear it, Lyle Denniston writes: "The decision was a victory for the Bush Administration in one significant sense: by not finding the case to be moot, the Court leaves intact a sweeping Fourth Circuit Court decision upholding the president's wartime power to seize an American inside the U.S. and detain him or her as a terrorist enemy, without charges and -- for an extended period -- without a lawyer." Orin Kerr also explains.
Prawfsblawg adds to the explanations and notes with surprise that Justice John Paul Stevens was among three justices issuing an opinion explaining their decision to reject the case. The other two joining the opinion were Kennedy, the author, and Chief Justice John Roberts. Legal Fiction is also surprised at Stevens. The Carpetbagger Report calls the decision "a victory for the White House, but only a partial one." The Heretik, Just a Bump in the Beltway, Liberty Street, Kevin Drum and TalkLeft aren't happy with the decision. Jonathan Schwartz makes a clever analogy to Schrodinger's Cat. Jeremy Dibbell, however, thinks the court made the right decision in refusing the case, but that should Padilla's status change again, SCOTUS ought to be ready to act. Donklephant is concerned about the level of debate the case will inspire: "Even though this is far from a black and white issue, I have a feeling that's how much of the debate surrounding the decision will be portrayed."
SCOTUSblog's Marty Lederman notes with interest the emergence of Justice Anthony Kennedy as the swing vote on the court when it comes to the war on terror. And The Talking Dog spotlights interviews with Padilla's lawyers.
WHITE HOUSE '08: When The Other Party Attacks
Senate Maj. Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) was the subject of several less-than-flattering articles last week, and this week begins no better for the embattled Maj. Leader. A 4/3 New York Times article is headed: "Frist is treading a perilous path leading to" '08. Time's Klein: "Prognosis looks grim, doc." To the claim that Sen Maj Leader is a poor platform from which to run for Pres., Poliblog agrees: The "position of Majority Leader is a singularly poor platform for launching a presidential bid. This is a problem for Frist, although I don't think it is his main one." After examining Frist's accomplishments as Maj Leader, he concludes: "This is not the stuff of an electrifying campaign." Real Clear Politics' Tom Bevan thinks Frist still has a legitimate shot at the nomination. The left chimes in, perhaps claiming its first victim of the '08 campaign. State of the Day: "We certainly don't need a video tape to diagnose that his political career is in a irreversible coma." Booman Tribune, noting that Frist won't seek re-election in '06: "Good riddance." Pensito Review sees Frist's "flame out" as an error by WH Dep CoS Karl Rove. AMERICAblog, The All Spin Zone and Brendan Nyhan also comment.
New York Daily News' Grove reports that ex-VP Al Gore remains a hot ticket on the bash-Bush circuit. Gore is attacking Bush on global warming, the subject of his new "gasket-blowing polemic," and on nat'l security. Noting Gore's statements that Bush received a daily briefing on Al Qaeda plans to attack the U.S. in 8/01, Blogs For Bush takes all Dems to task: "Having once commended Bush's leadership, declaring "George W. Bush is my commander in chief," Gore decides that in the present time it's more important to play politics, and deteriorate any last atom of unity this country had following 9/11. The unity we experienced after 9/11 is been long gone... spit-on and thrown into the garbage by power-hungry Democrats who are fighting a war against President Bush, and not the terrorists." California Conservative: "Does this strike anyone as being delusional, bordering on certifiable?" Daimnation: "Thank God He Lost." Some on the left still love Gore, though. Shakespeare's Sister: "Like Gore or not, every progressive had better hope that he does run for president in 08. That he doesn't currently hold office gives him the latitude, the freedom, to say things that candidates who still have to worry about a political career will never risk saying. He has the potential to be Al Sharpton with more credibility -- and best of all, he knows it."
MyDD's Scott Shields asks: "What Is Wrong With [Sen.] George Allen?"
MCKINNEY: Constituents Get Shaft -- Isaac Hayes-Style
Rep. Cynthia McKinney's (D-GA) 4/3 a.m. presser in Atlanta proved newsworthy for some bloggers, but more were attracted to reports that the Capitol Police were seeking an arrest warrant against her. WSB-TV in Atlanta has details. Mark in Mexico is one of the first to point out that McKinney spent $1K from her office fund to fly singer Isaac Hayes to Atlanta for her new office opening. The original article on WSB-TV's website pointed out that fact, but the article has been replaced. Many other bloggers caught it, though, and call the expense a misuse of taxpayer funds, including Sister Toldjah, Leaning Straight Up, American Diva, Josh Marshall and Riehl World View. Asked by a reader how much more embarrasing the situation can get for McKinney, BitsBlog replies: "Embarrassment is limited to those who have shame. McKinney, alas, has demonstrated herself repeatedly to be absolutely shameless." Washington Times reports that Reps. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) will introduce a resolution today commending the Capitol Police. Babalu Blog, Pirate's Cove and Michelle Malkin all commend the two GOPers.
Looks like McKinney may have at least one blogosphere-supported opponent: Dignan is ready to run.
PLAME: Look For This Story To Move Up
Truthout.org's Leopold reports 4/3 that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald knew the identity of the Bush admin official who leaked ex-CIA agent Valerie Plame's name to columnist Bob Novak "just two months after the probe began." The official: An ex-aide to then-Under Sec/State John Bolton on loan to the VP's office, John Hannah. But Fitzgerald later switched tactics and began building perjury and obstruction cases against ex-VP CoS Scooter Libby and WH Dep CoS Karl Rove, and is now reportedly close to asking the grand jury for an indictment of Rove.
JustOneMinute questions Leopold's reporting and offers a summation of the latest events in the case. TalkLeft points out that Hannah, after Libby's resignation, got a promotion and still works for VP Dick Cheney. The Washington Note continues to try and independently verify details. Shakespeare's Sister eagerly awaits indictments.
BUSH: Shake Your Scotty
CNN's Malveauxreports that WH press sec. Scott McClellan and Treas. Sec. John Snow will be the next heads to roll in the ongoing WH shakeup. Righty John Cole thinks McClellan may be in hot water: "In my somewhat-informed opinion I think that Ari [Fleischer] left because he found himself too far inside the Plame story to credibly answer questions. ... Did something similar happen with Scott McClellan? Who knows. The scandals have grown so thick you wonder whether they can keep up." Pam's House Blend asks: "What masochist will want to take that job?" Commenting on rumors of a Snow departure, lefty Carpetbagger Report notes: "Snow has effectively been this close to being fired every day for a year and a half." Booman Tribune sees the development as a victory for the lefty blogosphere in an era when legislative action by the left is "purely defensive."
BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Appropriate Considering The Season
Today the Blogometer talks to Chad Evans, who writes In The Bullpen.
What is your full name?
Chad Evans
What is your age?
27
Where did you grow up?
Dallas, TX
Where do you live now?
Dallas, TX
What is your occupation?
I operate my own small advertising agency, with more of an emphasis on media buying and promotions and less on the creative angle.
Have you ever worked on a political campaign or for the mainstream media?
No.
When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging in July 2004 for several reasons, namely because my family and friends grew tired of my blathering on the world of politics and the GWOT. I also wanted to work on my writing skills so that I could perform more public relations duties for clients. Little did I know then that blogging has the adverse effect on journalistic writing that I previously believed.
What has been your favorite post, or favorite story to write about, in that time?
I don't have a favorite post or a favorite story. I personally find it fascinating that so little mainstream coverage has occurred on the GWOT and the threat of radical Islam, which is why after the election of 2004 I shifted my blog to cover radical Islam more than the same old political game that has infested this nation for three centuries. Yes, the bigger events are covered, but they are often without historical background or any real insight into, for instance, why Al Qaida has a fetish for the lion. I am hardly an expert, but I like to consider myself more knowledgeable on this subject than most beat writers. I did though enjoy putting together a timeline of messages released by Osama Bin Laden and picking out what I thought was the most pertinent information from those messages.
Describe your typical blogging schedule. And what is your average output?
Typical? That sounds like a nice word and a routine I should aspire towards. I blog daily, though weekends are sparsely blogged. I am not a morning person, but I try to get up a post or two in the early hours of the day before work kicks in. Since blogging by no means is my job, I don't blog just for the sake of getting something down, or up as we state in the Internet age. I only blog when there is a story or a news item I feel is important, or when inspiration strikes me.
What is your average output?
My average output has decreased over the past few months, mainly because of the monotony of items worth covering. I used to write upwards of ten posts per day, but now my output is down to around four to five posts per day. Because I don't believe in flogging our readers with useless information because, frankly, I don't have to have a certain amount of column inches to correctly place the advertisements sold, I only blog what I believe is of interest to those who want information on the GWOT. That is, with a scant post related to other events.
Who is your favorite political blogger?
We're playing hardball I see. To narrow down all of the blogs and bloggers I enjoy reading down to just one is very difficult to do, but Ed Morrisey of Captain's Quarters is at the forefront of my mind related to this question. One great thing about Morrisey's writing is that he is often concise and to the point.
Favorite non-political blogger?
Because I do not consider blogging the GWOT and radical Islam to be political despite what the politicos in Washington feel, I thoroughly enjoy reading and the friendly banter with Marc Schulman of American Future, Richard of Hyscience and Dr. Rusty Shackleford of The Jawa Report. All three of those authors and blogs are top-notch and offer different perspectives on many of the same core issues.
Who is your favorite mainstream media columnist?
Without question Mark Steyn. I don't always agree with Steyn, but I have never read an article by Steyn and not been entertained. It is his ability to incite, excite and make readers laugh that all opinion journalists should aspire to emulate. He also doesn't play the same politically correct cards most journalists do, which is one major reason why his columns are so entertaining. I also enjoy Rowan Scarborough and Bill Gertz.
What is your favorite television news program, either network or cable?
I suppose we're not talking sports otherwise it would be 'Around the Horn,' but I prefer not to watch television news programs because it is the same news over and over again with the same injected bias. My journalism professors would fail me with that answer, but television news has become an extension of print that covers the same topics on the front page for weeks, if not months, and places higher emphasis on any story involving death and destruction rather than why this particular incident occurred. The explanation stories, if printed or discussed at all, are relegated to the back pages or in television news' concept of a back page, the quick blurb.
What MSM-produced websites (i.e. newspapers, magazines) do you visit on a daily basis?
I read well over 50 worldwide newspapers/sites per day in order to get different perspectives on current events. My RSS reader makes this quest much easier. I always make a point to read Adnkronos International first thing in the morning and later in the afternoon. Depending on what topic I wish to discuss with my readers in a particular post, certain media outlets provide critical connections the U.S. media does not. Then again, the U.S. media largely is stuck in the same news cycle. For instance, The Daily Times gives insight into Pakistan and the Observer Research Foundation provides a valuable Indian perspective on current events. Even newspapers which are hostile towards my way of thinking (i.e. the Iranian state-run Islamic Republic News Agency) are in my list of daily reads because I feel to form an opinion that is valuable to our readers, I must at least consider what the opposition has to say.
What non-MSM websites (i.e. blogs) do you visit on a daily basis?
I live with my RSS reader and I have around 200 blogs that I read this way. Aside from the blogs listed above, I always make a point to visit Euphoric Reality, bRight & Early, Winds of Change, Newsbusters and of course the sites run by my co-bloggers, Interested Participant and Right Truth.
How often, or do you ever, read a newspaper in its dead-tree (i.e. print) form?
I read The Dallas Morning News daily and I have for as long as I can remember. Well, I read the sports section of my local rag at least. Once newspapers figure out to charge for Internet users, this likely will change. Let us hope they never do.
How do you see the new media and old media affecting and influencing each other in the next five years?
I am actually a proponent to what is commonly called the "old media." Most blogs are extensions of the old media. In fact, that's where my site's name In the Bullpen comes from. Rather than being a typo or wrong name from some illiterate Texas as some emails have insisted, the name is derives from my affinity for baseball with what I perceive is the role of my blog; to come into the game in a relief role and provide valuable backup and either close out the story or continue to provide the long-relief needed to storied relegated to the back pages.
Through my venture into the "new media," one thing has become abundantly clear. Most bloggers, myself included though from a different perspective, are hostile towards the MSM due to perceived bias or spin, yet we use the MSM to provide content for our blogs. The MSM on the other hand, either has a disdain for bloggers or they simply don't care what some 27 year-old living in Dallas has to say. Contrary to popular belief, if the MSM wanted to put bloggers out of business, they could easily do so. Why don't they? They don't see us as serious competition, and I don't see this changing as long as the old media is run by the same old executives that believe the Internet is a phase. By the time they figure out diverse opinions are what consumers of media crave for, it may be too late.
Some of the more hostile journalists to blogs are either from the old guard or those who have been attacked by bloggers, and frankly, they have a reason to be upset that some ordinary American whose job isn't to cover the White House Beat is questioning them. The times are changing in this regard, and these journalists are hearing the unfiltered complaints to their job performance. The concept of blogs is really nothing new, but what is new is that these letters to the editor have bypassed the middle man and reached the masses.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Polling -- The One Industry That Can Never Be Outsourced
Immigration continues to buzz around Capitol Hill, and while 500K people may march one day in L.A., neither locale will be truly representative of American public opinion. Surveys and polls can be similarly skewed by question wording, a poll's universe and sample problems. How does one truly gauge the American pulse on such a hot-button issue? Mystery Pollster sheds some light on the topic.
LEST WE FORGET: Soriano Was Safe, J.J.'s A Putz, And We Got 161 To Go
It's almost time for the Koufax Awards, a newly annual set of prizes for best efforts in the liberal blogosphere (named for one of the best lefties of all time, Sandy). Angry Bear has links to the leading contenders in every category, but we thought you'd enjoy "The Wizard of Oil," by Dood Abides.
By the way, what would conservatives choose? The Big Train Awards? The Rockets? Ideas welcomed.
NOTES AND ERRATA
Questions, comments, reservations? Drop us a line at blogometer@nationaljournal.com.
Posted by at April 4, 2006 12:19 PM
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