March 31, 2010
Joy Behar in the green room at Jay Leno‘s Tonight Show discussing Coco.
BEHAR: Do you feel upset about Conan? Do you feel bad about Conan?
LENO: Conan got screwed – I got screwed. This is TV. The reason show business pays a lot of money is so when you get screwed you have something left over….Conan was treated terribly and I was treated terribly….I think Conan will come back and he’ll be strong and we’ll all compete with one another…
BEHAR: Kimmel was a little bit of a turncoat.
March 30, 2010
It appears the Hawaii vexatious birther bill passed in the House after all. I thought “deferred” meant it was over. Wouldn’t go into effect until 2050 – so what does it have to do with birthers?
Hawaii SB2937 SD1 (abbreviated listing)
1/27/2010 Introduced in Senate.
1/28/2010 Passed 1st Reading.
1/29/2010 Referred to JGO.
2/23/2010 Recommends measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.
2/26/2010 Passed 2nd, as amended.
3/2/2010 Passed 3rd, as amended.
3/2/2010 Transmitted to House.
3/3/2010 Passed 1st Reading
3/4/2010 Referred to JUD
3/16/2010 Recommends measure be deferred.
3/25/2010 Recommends measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.
March 30, 2010
Chuck Todd runs down the key student loan changes in the bill and most importantly the dates they take effect. As laid out, no present college student will benefit from the changes (unless they go longer than 4 years).
POTUS remarks on signing the bill.
Ends federal subsidies to banks and private lenders who offered government-backed student loans.
Govt gives loans directly to students
Starting July 1st – those loans given out only by Dept of Education
2013 Pell grants to keep up with inflation
2014 Limit repayment of college loan to 10% of yearly income
And if they have no income?
And if he’s not in office in 2013?
WARNING: Adult content (words – not images/video)
March 30, 2010
Updated
Dr Jill Biden & POTUS remarks re: Student loan bill.
Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA – where Dr Jill Biden teaches. She spoke first and then introduced barry.
Snippet
Signing of the bill.
STUDENT LOAN PORTION OF REMARKS FOLLOWS
March 30, 2010
Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA – where Dr Jill Biden teaches. Guess they didn’t want to risk a VP Biden 2.0 moment.
POTUS signs “fixes” healthcare and student loan bill portion.
Snippet of remarks on healthcare.
–
Signing of the bill. Counted 17 pens.
TRANSCRIPT OF HC REMARKS FOLLOW
March 30, 2010
Worsened since last week (-11)
Strongly disapprove 43
Strongly approve 30
Disapprove 53
At least somewhat approve 47
March 30, 2010
Rasmussen Poll
1000 likely voters, March 27-28, +/- 3 pts
Opinion hasn’t changed since last week. 25% Dems want HC bill repealed and 49% voters nationwide want their state to sue the federal govt re: HC bill.
Repeal healthcare bill?
Yes 54 – No 42
Strongly favor repeal 44
Strongly oppose repeal 34
Favor repeal
Reps 84
Inds 59
Dems 25
Good for the country?
No 50 - Yes 41
Cost of health care?
Increase 55 - Reduce 17
Will reduce quality of care 49
Will increase federal budget deficit 60
March 29, 2010
The first time barry will go to a Nationals game will be their April 5th, 1:05 ET home opener against the Phillies. (John Lannan vs Roy Halladay)
Why the Nationals (NL) and not the Sox (AL)?
To get into the history books one more time.
Nationals are celebrating the 100th Anniversary of a president tossing out the first pitch on opening day. The first being William Howard Taft on April 14, 1910. Hard to imagine he didn’t split his suit. Wash Senators beat Philly Athletics 3-0 – Hall of Famer Walter Johnson threw a 1-hit complete game.
MLB Commissioner BUD SELIG:
Opening Day of the baseball season is a special event for our country, and its importance has been reinforced by the 100-year history of presidential participation. I am proud that President Obama will continue the long presidential tradition of throwing out the first pitch of Opening Day in Washington, D.C.
Nationals managing principal owner THEODORE N LERNER:
Across the country, Opening Day is a celebration of the return of hometown baseball and the glorious days of spring. It’s a time of renewed hope and optimism for fans everywhere. The Lerner and Nationals family are honored that President Obama will mark that moment with us at the home of the national pastime in the nation’s capital.
Other 2009 1st pitches if interested: barry All-Star game, Jeff Skiles, Capt Sullenbger, Gen Dunwoody & the late Ted Kennedy.
March 29, 2010
NY Mayor Bloomberg did his bit for charity by participating in the musical “Hair”. During Age of Aquarius he rolled up in a bong smoke-filled flower power VW bus dresed like a hippie he never was.
mayorbloomberg
Which one’s Ozzie?
March 29, 2010
MSNBC
David Shuster discusses Sarah Palin stumping for Senator John McCain with radio hosts Nancy Skinner (Dem) and Mike Slater (Tea Party). Finally, someone laughs at Shuster.
SHUSTER:
Mike, you seem like a very bright guy. Do you think that Sarah Palin is a very bright woman and is a deep thinker, or doesn’t it matter?
SLATER [laughs]:
Oh, David give me a break! That’s ridiculous. I’m not even going to bother. I’m not even sinking to that level, David. Sorry. Pass to Nancy.
And Nancy was more than happy to comment…
March 29, 2010
A few of Biden’s better lines. Inspired by his most recent BFD comment (video).
Funniest: “Barack America”
Favorite: Hillary Clinton is a better candidate than him, which was meant to bring her fans over to barry. Instead it was a declaration of fact proving “Hillary” fans were right.
March 28, 2010
updated
Here’s what Joe Biden told folks at a fundraiser about barry’s reaction to: “This is a big f—ing deal” (video).
At the following morning’s briefing:
BARRY:
You know what the best thing about yesterday was?
Joe’s comment.
BIDEN:
If you thought it was so good, why didn’t you say it?
Biden also said barry wanted a t-shirt made with the remark.
ZazzleDOTcom was already on it. Orders were taken online within 3 minutes of the shirt being put up on the site.
Dylan Radigan & Robert Beaver, CEO Zazzle
March 28, 2010
Inventor and Harvard University biomedical engineering professor, David Edwards, along with his students, culinary artists, designers and money people designed Le Whif – an inhaler for coffee and chocolate.
A micro-powder delivery system releases coffee/chocolate granules onto your tongue through a single use (biodegradable) inhaler and voila! taste without calories.
Costs approx $3 = 8 whiffs = small espresso or 300 mgs of chocolate.
Flavors: chocolate, mint chocolate, raspberry chocolate
Silliness and portability aside, it has practical benefits for folks unable to chew and/or swallow due to illness/injury, who have to limit fluid intake (dialysis, heart failure) or limit caloric intake (diabetics).
March 27, 2010
Today Show
Lester Holt discussing the Palin-McCain rally with Chris Matthews who grudgingly said something non-nasty about Sarah Palin aka the mental midget Caribou Barbie Jeopardy American Idol contestant.
MATTHEWS:
McCain is a man of substance. She is a man of – I have to say – startling brilliant politics.
Then they run a video piece from Lee Cowan.
Sarah Palin has improved quite a bit. Watch her gestures and timing.
Sen McCain is laughing as hard as the audience. Win or lose he’s enjoying himself.
COWAN: Something’s never change.
PALIN: Arizona, do you love your freedom?
COWAN: She reveled in blasting the administration.
PALIN: Fidel Castro likes Obamacare – but we don’t like Obamacare…doesn’t that kinda tell ya somethin’?
COWAN: And she drew cheers for blasting the media.
PALIN: This BS coming from the lame stream media about us inciting violence. Don’t let a distraction like that get ya off track. Keeping fighting hard!
What do you reckon she was paid?
March 26, 2010
PEOPLE is reporting Ms Boyle received her first royalty check of £4M (approx $6M) and that her first major purchase will be a new home…near Blackburn. She reportedly has made on offer on a new 5 bedrooom house that backs up to a small river – asking price = £300,000 (approx $447K).
The home she has been residing in is public housing and she has been urged to move because of intruders – the one she walked in on was arrested and turned out to be a 16 y/o local.
Her next gig is in Tokyo, Japan on her birthday, April 1st. She will perform with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra for a 10K crowd. Tickets: 7800-8800 yen (approx $84-95).
March 25, 2010
Democrats voted against the GOP (Sen/Dr Tom Coburn – OK) amendment to ban ED drug coverage for sex offenders (57-42).
Why wasn’t it in the first version?
This amendment also prohibits coverage of Viagra and other ED medications to convicted child molesters, rapists, and sex offenders, and prohibits coverage of abortion drugs
The second half of the sentence is why they rejected it.
The vast majority of Americans don’t want their taxpayer dollars paying for this kind of drug for those kind of people.
The vast majority hope ED drugs never get in the hands of sex offenders.
Sen Max Baucus (D-MT) had a different take. He doesn’t think ED drugs and sex offenders are a big deal and finds the amendment a “mockery” and a ‘crass political stunt”.
BAUCUS:
This is a serious bill. This is a serious debate. The amendment offered by the senator from Oklahoma makes a mockery of the Senate, the debate and the American people. It is not a serious amendment. It is a crass political stunt aimed at making 30-second commercials, not public policy.
Wonder how he would feel after being raped for 30 hours?
March 25, 2010
Hardball
Matthews talks with Reps Stupak (D-MI) and Tom Pierrello (D-VA) about the violence and threats of violence surrounding the passage of the healthcare bill. He seems to be unaware that the majority of Americans were opposed the bill and last time I checked 13 states had filed lawsuits opposing the mandate.
And who is the root of all evil in Matthews’ universe?
The birthers. Of course. Just like he blamed them for the Nazi shooting up the Holocauset Museum and murdering a guard.
His target this time is Rep Randy “baby killer“ Neugebauer (R-TX) who signed onto Rep Posey’s barry Soetoro birth certificate bill (HR 1503) last June. The bill was referred to the House Committee on House Administration on March 12, 2009 and nothing has been done since and probably never will.
Matthews has already gone after co-sponsor Rep Campbell (and Roland Martin after Rep Poe).
REP NEUGEBAUER: (back in June)
I don’t have the documentation one way or the other. And so my assumption is that he is a natural born citizen, that hopefully the appropriate people checked that.
March 26, 2010
Evidently a 25 y/o Frenchman “HackerCroll” thought it would be fun to hack into barry’s Twitter account (among others). Exactly why the SS didn’t want him to have a blackberry. French authorities said HC got into email accounts and then posted personal information on “specialist blogs”. Not sure what that means. They believe he was more curious than malicious and acted alone. Police were alerted several months ago by the FBI but it took till now to arrest him.
March 26, 2010
Roland Martin in a moment of enlightenment recognizes truth. Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the one who demanded they didn’t stop on healthcare and the one who ultimately delivered the vote.
Sunday night coverage of the vote on CNN.
BLITZER: Are you surprised that they worked out this deal, this new arrangement with those House Democrats who oppose abortion, Bart Stupak, leading that group, that they managed to bring them on board to support health care reform?
MARTIN: No surprise at all. You had to get your folks in line. And for Democrats, you needed a victory. 14, 15 months of this going on and on.
The president needed this.
I got to say this, Wolf, it is really important.
You know, folks are talking about President Barack Obama, Senate majority leader Harry Reid,
After the Scott Brown loss, they were trying to back up and advance a piecemeal approach.
It was Speaker Pelosi who said no, we’re going to pass this, we’re going to keep our folks in line.
And so, frankly,
And we are blessed by leaders in each chamber who not only do their jobs very well but who never lost sight of that larger mission. They didn’t play for the short term; they didn’t play to the polls or to politics: One of the best speakers the House of Representatives has ever had, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
And Speaker Pelosi will be the one taking the rap for barry because she signed two different certifications of nomination.
March 25, 2010
Healthcare Bill signed
Executive order signed
After changes, the Senate approved the bill (56-43) and sent it to the House a second time. The House then passed it (219 – 207).
Dems Y 219 N 32
Reps Y Zero N 175
March 25, 2010
Are you starting to get the picture?
Yesterday’s press briefing concerning the Hyde Amendment and the signing of the executive order.
Gibbs gets asked whether the executive order was just ceremonial. And a correspondent actually asks about barry’s stance on the Hyde Amendment as a candidate (against it). Of course, it’s meaningless being asked after the bill was signed when barry’s stance was known back in 2007.
Re stance on Hyde Amendment [emphasis added]:
Q Thanks. In 2007, during the campaign, the President said that he does not support the Hyde Amendment and the federal government should not intrude onto a poor woman’s decision whether to carry to term or terminate her pregnancy. So my question today is, as he signs this executive order, which will further enshrine the Hyde Amendment, how does he feel about that?
MR. GIBBS: David, I would have to see what — I don’t know the comment that you’re referring to.
Q He was opposed to the Hyde Amendment.
MR. GIBBS: Yes, I’d have to –
Q It was in a questionnaire, a pro-choice questionnaire.
Q It was in a questionnaire –
MR. GIBBS: And I’ll have somebody — I haven’t – you can just assume I haven’t looked at a questionnaire in quite some time.
[but he should know barry's stances on everything and should have to state it on the record. As usual, he ducks the question and, as usual, the press lets him.]
Q But you stipulate that he opposed the Hyde Amendment, correct?
MR. GIBBS: I would stipulate that the President believes in a woman’s right to choose.
^^
Think Rep Stupak knew of barry’s stance?
And the disingenuous Nancy Keegan at NARAL?
Here’s the exchange about the farce that is Executive Order 13535.
Q Does the President think that this executive order is necessary? Does he think that there was ambiguity in the law? Or does he think that there wasn’t any ambiguity but this was just done because people like Bart Stupak wanted it done?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I would say the President believed that the law — the President has always believed that health care reform should be about that, not about other issues. The President did not, in health care reform, believe we did change the status quo and believes that this reiterates that it’s not changed.
[Just admitted there was no "Change!"]
Q So he doesn’t think it’s necessary, it’s just reiterating what is already in the law?
MR. GIBBS: I mean, it’s an executive order so this isn’t — I mean, it’s not a frivolous thing, Jake.
Q No, of course not. But does this executive order change anything that the law already didn’t do?
MR. GIBBS: It ensures that health care, the law the President signed yesterday, maintains the status quo of the federal law prohibiting the federal use — the use of federal dollars for abortion.
Q So it is needed, that the law was not clear enough?
MR. GIBBS: The President reiterated that in the executive order.
Q So all he’s doing is repeating what’s in the law?
Q So it’s just — I mean, you can’t have it both ways. Either the executive order is needed to clarify something that’s not-
MR. GIBBS: No, I — again, I would refer you to the executive order and the statements that we made about this over the weekend.
Q I read the executive order, and it says that’s a reiteration of what already exists.
MR. GIBBS: Well, there you go.
Q So it’s not necessary?
Q Not legally necessary?
MR. GIBBS: We reiterated –
Q Might have been necessary for other reasons, but it’s not legally necessary.
MR. GIBBS: No, we reiterated the status quo, and we’re comfortable reiterating that status quo.
Q — comfortable for a legal purpose?
MR. GIBBS: We’re comfortable reiterating that status quo.
Q Doesn’t it diminish the whole purpose of a presidential — of an executive order if all he’s doing is reiterating what’s already in the law? Why would he do that?
MR. GIBBS: No. No. We don’t see that as diminishing –
^^
And that was it.
The answer was?
March 25, 2010
Ask yourself this:
Why was the Stupak-Pitts Amendment not allowed and an executive order used in its place — an order that has no legal anything and can be rescinded or ignored at any time?
They both address the Hyde Amendment and they have almost the exact wording that no federal funds will be used abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.
The difference?
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment would have been made LAW and there would be no way around it except a veto.
The executive order leaves the door open.
The key to barry is not what’s there – it’s what’s missing.
March 25, 2010
Mitt Romney on Larry King Live pushing his book aka testing the waters for 2012. Honestly, if anyone could get the economy and healthcare in order he’s it.
King quotes Romney’s book:
Obama has betrayed his oath to the nation.
Yes. By taking it.
Romney mentions barry’s promises:
1-New style of politics in Washington just “Chicago politics of the past”
2-Bipartisanship – healthcare has no GOP vote
3-Healthcare process would be open and transparent and the media invited
In reference to the healthcare bill:
Democrats want to talk about the couple of maraschino cherries that are on top of the dirt…Republicans are all in favor of the cherries.
March 25, 2010
Antidepressants, yes, ED drugs for sex offenders, no.
GOP goal: If the Senate makes any amendments to the legislation, the bill goes back to the House.
GOP proposed Amendment from CBS:
No Erectile Dysfunction Drugs To Sex Offenders
This amendment would enact recommendations from the Government Accountability Office to stop fraudulent payments for prescription drugs prescribed by dead providers or, to dead patients.
This amendment also prohibits coverage of Viagra and other ED medications to convicted child molesters, rapists, and sex offenders, and prohibits coverage of abortion drugs.
How can Democrats vote against it?
And, frankly, why wasn’t it included, as well as abortion drugs?
March 24, 2010
updated
Healthcare Bill signed (text/video)
Here’s the executIve order concerning abortion and the new healthcare act.
Main point of EO: to make sure Federal officials, State officials, including insurance regulators, and health care providers are aware of their responsibilities “new and old”.
And he calls for OMB/HHS to develop:
a model set of segregation guidelines for State health insurance commissioners to use when determining whether exchange plans are complying with the Act’s segregation requirements, established in section 1303 of the Act, for enrollees receiving Federal financial assistance.
This EO only applies to the insurance exchanges and the Community Health Center funding. It leaves the door open for some other funds appropriated through the bill to pay for abortions.
HYDE AMENDMENT: No federal funds should be used for abortion services, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered.
STUPAK-PITTS AMENDMENT to the Affordable Health Care for America Act: (passed 11-7-09) Prohibits the use of federal funds “to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion,” except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother.
Why did it need to be added?
The Hyde Amendment is not a law – it is a rider that is added to bills – so Rep Stupak and other pro-lifers had a real concern. And it wasn’t added to the Senate bill.
Problem is executive orders are not laws either. As was made clear with barry’s for show only naive EO about Guantanamo Bay closure. Rep Stupak did however make sure that everyone knows what barry promised and what his vote was predicated on so down the road the truth is clear…because down the road is going to come….like with everything else barry promises.
What matters is the language contained in that bill and nothing else.
And the language allows – as does this ridiculous EO – the possibility for federal funds to be used to pay for abortion.
Nancy Keenan of NARAL, who chose to endorse barry the morning after Clinton won in WV by 44 points, is not happy with her savior. Regarding the Hyde Amendment, the Obama-Stupak deal was “a stark reminder of why we must repeal this unfair and insulting policy.”
Haven’t checked to see how closely the proposed language (before the bill passed) matches this version.
This signing didn’t have quite the same fanfare.
(Official White House photo via FOX)
Rep Stupak (gray hair) watching over barry’s shoulder.
FULL TEXT FOLLOWS
March 24, 2010
Rasmussen Reports has a new “Media Meter” that measures the % of positive vs negative coverage barry gets in the media.
Positive 63%
Negative 37%
Citizens Against ProObama Media Bias
