via AmericaBlog via E&P Read the transcripts. Terry Moran takes Dick Cheney's idiotic words and throws them in Scotty's face. This is almost a Poor Man, TBogg or Jesus General moment.

Role model

via TBogg: John Hinderaker equates members of the Bush administration with Augusto Pinochet as if that was a good thing: I think I saw a reference to this some days ago but didn't follow it up. Today Captain Ed picked up the story, and Glenn Reynolds linked, so there should be a fair amount of buzz about Amnesty International's call for the arrest of President Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and pretty much any other Republican whom foreign governments can get their hands on....read on

CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL - June 16, 2005

BUSH'S JOB APPROVAL

Now 5/2005 5/2004

Approve 42% 46% 41%

Disapprove 51 48 52

Bush's job approval dropped significantly since last month among people aged 30 to 44, from 52% to 40% now. Approval among those in middle-income households (incomes between $30,000 and $50,000) also dropped, from 46% in May to 40% now. Bush also lost ground among white Catholics.

However, the President retains the approval of some key constituent groups. More than 8 in ten Republicans approve of the job he is doing, unchanged in the past month, as do about 7 in ten white evangelical Christians. About two in three conservatives approve of him.

On Iraq, the President's 37% approval rating (not much different from the 38% he received last month) is also similar to the low ratings he received last summer. The percentage of Americans who say taking military action against Iraq was the right thing to do is now at 45%, matching the lowest level ever found in this poll. 51% think the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq.

U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ

Now Approval among those in middle-income households (incomes between $30,000 and $50,000) also dropped, from 46% in May to 40% now. Bush also lost ground among white Catholics.

U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ

Now 4/2005 1/2005 10/2004

Right thing 45% 47% 45% 53%

Should have stayed out 51 48 49 42

By 60% to 40%, Americans think things are going badly for the U.S. in Iraq rather than well.

Bush's approval ratings on specific issues are also low, in some cases approaching all-time lows for this President. Even when it comes to terrorism, the President's strongest issue, approval has dropped 6 points since last month, and now is just above last year's lowest rating of 51% on this issue.

BUSH'S JOB APPROVALS

Approve Disapprove

Overall 42% 51%

Right thing 45% 47% 45% 53%

Should have stayed out 51 48 49 42

By 60% to 40%, Americans think things are going badly for the U.S. in Iraq rather than well.

BUSH'S JOB APPROVALS

Approve Disapprove

Overall 42% 51%

Campaign against terrorism 52% 40%

The economy 39% 56%

Foreign policy 39% 51%

War in Iraq 37% 59%

Handling Social Security 25% 62%

The President fares worst when it comes to opinion of his handling of Social Security. Despite Bush's months-long promotion of his plan for Social Security, only one in four Americans approves of the way he is handling the issue.

In addition, two in three Americans are uneasy about Bush's approach to Social Security; only 27% have confidence in his ability to deal with it. Even some (but not most) Republicans are skeptical. 32% of Republicans disapprove of Bush's handling of the issue, and 35% are uneasy about his approach.

Campaign against terrorism 52% 40%

The economy 39% 56%

Foreign policy 39% 51%

War in Iraq 37% 59%

Handling Social Security 25% 62%

The President fares worst when it comes to opinion of his handling of Social Security. Despite Bush's months-long promotion of his plan for Social Security, only one in four Americans approves of the way he is handling the issue.

In addition, two in three Americans are uneasy about Bush's approach to Social Security; only 27% have confidence in his ability to deal with it. Even some (but not most) Republicans are skeptical. 32% of Republicans disapprove of Bush's handling of the issue, and 35% are uneasy about his approach.

BUSH'S HANDLING OF SOCIAL SECURITY

Confident 27%

Uneasy 66

Brad Blog did some live blogging: Extraordinary Testimony Given...

C&L is working on getting some video up as soon as possible.

ABC Bosses Tell ABC News Kill The Interviews With Robert Kennedy Jr. …

via Huffington Post: ABC corporate executives at the network's highest levels ordered
three interviews with Robert Kennedy Jr. pulled from ABC News programming. The interviews all centered around Mr. Kennedy's investigation of thimerosal, a mercury based preservative, used in vaccines given to
children and believed to be responsible for increasing cases of neurological diseases including autism.

Mr. Kennedy's interviews were slated for prime shows ABC World News
Tonight, 20/20, and Good Morning America. Salon.com and Rolling Stone Magazine have exclusive rights to Mr. Kennedy’s article and they embargoed his story on other networks because of his arrangement with ABC...read on

I was wondering how Frist would handle the news about Terri's autopsy.

Think Progress gave me the heads up: Majority Leader Bill Frist this morning on the Today Show: LAUER: But when you stood on the floor and you said, She does respond, are you at all worried that you led some senators…

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FRIST: I never said, She responded. I said I reviewed the court videotapes – the same ones the other doctors reviewed – and I questioned, Is her diagnosis correct?

Frist on Senate Floor, 3/17/05: I have looked at the video footage. Based on the footage provided to me, which was part of the facts of the case, she does respond.

More from Frist, 3/17/05: She certainly seems to respond to visual stimuli…

48 Dead in Guerrilla Violence Suicide Bombing in Khalis Targets Iraqi Troops

Juan Cole has the latest from Iraq.

Washington Journal: John Conyers on DSM forum and Patriot Act

This morning, John Conyers appeared as a guest on C-SPAN's Washington Journal.

Conyers answered questions about the Patriot Act as well as Rep. Sensenbrenner's abrupt closing of last Friday's hearing.

Conyers focused on this afternoon's hearing that is centered around the leaked "Downing Street Minutes". He answered questions about the latest leaked British documents and much more.

-Real Audio only

David sent me this video and only had it in this format. It is a 30 minute segment so if you have Real Audio you'll be able to check it out.

The Govenator appearing at S.M. College got barraged with boos and protests.

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday ordered a Nov. 8 special election that could trim the power of California's Legislature and dampen the influence of the public employee unions that help finance its Democratic majority.

Keith goes through the various cast of characters and interviews some as he gets JAY WOLFSON, TERRI SCHIAVO‘S FORMER GUARDIAN as well as former Schiavo family attorney David Gibbs on to do an analysis. Gibbs tries to spin the results as best as he can. Also there is a greatest hits collection of some of the wingnuts who had some rather bizzare statements.

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Arianna says: Bill Frist may be a lousy Senate Majority Leader, but it seems that we’re all better off that he left medicine...read on