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More fear mongering from Bill-O and KKKarl on the "show trial" of Khalid Sheikh Muhammed. I want to know why Karl hasn't had his "show trial" yet. Apparently Rove thinks that judges in this country have absolutely no control over what happens during their court proceedings or he would not be making these ridiculous claims. The only thing Rove and his ilk are actually worried about is outrage over what the Bush administration did in our name if the general public hears too much about it.

Transcript via Nexis Lexis.

O'REILLY: And joining us now from Washington, FOX News analyst Karl Rove.

Now, look, as I said, I appreciated the counselor coming in here because he knew he was going to get, you know, a tough interview. But the bigger picture is he had absolutely no, no salient points to justify this show trial in New York City. And I'm saying to myself, I think this is going to damage the Obama administration and the entire country in front of the world in ways that are just going to be unbelievable. Am I wrong?

ROVE: Oh, no, you're absolutely right. This is an utter, complete disaster. It will hurt America's security and America's interests all around the world. And I understand that lawyers have an obligation to mount the most powerful defense they can mount to make every argument they can make to provide their clients every opportunity to be heard in the court of law. And that is exactly - they're going to undermine the methods that we use to capture these people in war by saying well, you wouldn't do that to an ordinary criminal who knocked over the 7/11. They're going to say the chain of evidence, the treatment of these people, you didn't mirandize them. They're going to make a mockery, a mockery of our Constitution by trying to apply it to people who are not mere criminals but are, you know, enemy combatants.

And it is going to damage our country all around the world by providing a stage, you know, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed since his capture in Pakistan has wanted nothing more than to have the opportunity to spew his hatred all clear around the world and hurt America. And we're going to give it to him.

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November 19, 2009 FOX News

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November 16, 2009 FOX News
Judge Andrew Napolitano explains to Bill O'Reilly why a New York Trial is appropriate for the 9/11 terrorist.

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November 16, 2009 C-SPAN

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November 16, 2009 C-SPAN

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(Mayor LaGuardia - Lightin' up one for Labor)

Well . . . .there was a war going on.

LaGuardia: “Monday is Labor Day. And that of course brings a long weekend. I want to call attention to the preparations we’ve made for the people of the entire metropolitan area. . . . .we’ve provided ample parking space in Manhattan for all our friends from the metropolitan area who would come in by car. There will be facilities for several hundred cars on the South side of all streets. In addition to that, we’ve provided free parking spaces in Queens at the termini of our subway lines at 169th street and other stations.”

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July 25, 2009 MSNBC.

From The New York Times--Bush Weighed Using Military in Arrests:

WASHINGTON — Top Bush administration officials in 2002 debated testing the Constitution by sending American troops into the suburbs of Buffalo to arrest a group of men suspected of plotting with Al Qaeda, according to former administration officials.

Some of the advisers to President George W. Bush, including Vice President Dick Cheney, argued that a president had the power to use the military on domestic soil to sweep up the terrorism suspects, who came to be known as the Lackawanna Six, and declare them enemy combatants.

Mr. Bush ultimately decided against the proposal to use military force.

A decision to dispatch troops into the streets to make arrests has few precedents in American history, as both the Constitution and subsequent laws restrict the military from being used to conduct domestic raids and seize property.

The Fourth Amendment bans “unreasonable” searches and seizures without probable cause. And the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 generally prohibits the military from acting in a law enforcement capacity.

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Glenn Greenwald:

Though it received very little press attention, it is not hyperbole to observe that this October 23 Memo was one of the most significant events in American politics in the last several decades, because it explicitly declared the U.S. Constitution -- the Bill of Rights -- inoperative inside the U.S., as applied to U.S. citizens. Just read what it said in arguing that neither the Fourth Amendment -- nor even the First Amendment -- can constrain what the President can do when overseeing "domestic military operations" (I wrote about that Memo when it was released last March and excerpted the most revealing and tyrannical portions: here).

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As Think Progress noted, Rick Santorum decided to try to give some advice on dating and how to be a role model for African Americans to the Obamas on Greta Van Susteren's show.

Besides the absurdity of Santorum's remarks, as stef at Daily KOS points out, where were these guys when Bush was running off to the ranch every chance he got? From the diary:

At a bare minimum, for the flights alone, Bush's 77 vacation trips to Crawford cost us $226,072 per trip. That's $17,407,544 so he could ride his bicycle in the woods and clear brush for the cameras.

As the diarist notes, at least the president's date night to New York was an advertisement for the city. Van Susteren tries to justify the criticism by saying that times are different now because the economy is in the tank. I think they'd be attacking him no matter what the economy was like.

Democrat Scott Murphy wins the race in the congressional district of NY-20 in upstate New York formerly held by Kirsten Gillibrand, now Senator Gillibrand. Republican Jim Tedisco conceded just over three weeks from the election date, down by less than 400 votes of over 160,000 cast with no hope of catching Murphy with only a few hundred absentee ballots left to count.

One well-known local commentator called it a humiliating defeat for Tedisco, who was the State Assembly Minority Leader prior to this election. He was expected to win in a cakewalk against a Murphy who had never run for political office before, but ran a great campaign anyway. The Republicans in general, and RNC chair Michael Steele in particular have egg on their faces over this one.

The DNC has already put up an ad:

February 17, 2009 ABC Nightline
For years, Travis had been a local celebrity in his hometown. He featured often on TV adverts, and would pose for photographs performing his favourite tricks: tucking into a filet mignon, dressing himself or using a computer. But yesterday the pet chimpanzee went berserk, attacking a friend of his owner's and causing terrible facial injuries before turning on a police officer who shot him in self-defence.

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Well, it's now official:

Gov. David A. Paterson has selected Representative Kirsten Gillibrand, a 42-year-old congresswoman from upstate who is known for bold political moves and centrist policy positions, to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to a person who spoke to the governor early Friday.

Color us thrilled. To pieces. Not.

As Gregg Levine at FDL notes:

Gillibrand is a member of conservative Blue Dog caucus. She is the only NY Democrat to have voted against the TARP legislation both times it came before the House, and has supported the renewal of Bush tax cuts.

Gillibrand has also been criticized for her close ties to the NRA. Her positions on gun control are likely to earn Gillibrand a primary challenge from Long Island Representative Carolyn McCarthy.

Gillibrand’s positions on some social issues is, shall we say, a work in progress. Once maligned for her less than clear statements on abortion rights, Gillibrand and her supporters now make it clear that she is solidly pro-choice. Gillibrand has also moved to support full marriage rights for same-sex couples; a position she was much less clear about just weeks ago. (Her new position is stronger than either that of current Senator Chuck Schumer or former Senator Clinton.)

They're certainly not happy at Progressive New York, which noted yesterday:

Wrote one person: "It's a travesty. No matter who gets picked by the governor, he or she will be damaged goods and certainly won't represent me. Yes, that person will have the title, so what? I am not going to think of a person like that as my senator until we vote".

Well, perhaps she'll prove a "work in progress," especially considering she hailed from a conservative, Republican-leaning district. But then she will be vulnerable to flip-flopping charges.

Hope New Yorkers are happy, but no one else is very impressed.

According to today's New York Times, Caroline Kennedy withdrew her name from consideration for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat because of an issue involving taxes and her undocumented housekeeper.

NYT:

Problems involving taxes and a household employee surfaced during the vetting of Caroline Kennedy and derailed her candidacy for the Senate, a person close to Gov. David A. Paterson said on Thursday, in an account at odds with Ms. Kennedy’s own description of her reasons for withdrawing.

The account emerged 14 hours after Ms. Kennedy announced that she was taking her name out of contention for the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, and as Mr. Paterson, according to two Democrats told of his thinking, was leaning toward selecting Representative Kirsten E. Gillibrand, an upstate lawmaker in her second term in Congress.

Patterson's staff is now dumping on Kennedy, Check out this tidbit:

Hard feelings toward Ms. Kennedy were clearly building among the governor’s staff on Thursday, after a dramatic evening in which she was reported to be dropping out, then wavering, then ultimately, shortly after midnight on Thursday, issuing a statement ending her candidacy.

The person close to the governor said Mr. Paterson “never had any intention of picking Kennedy” because he had come to consider her unready for the job. The person did not describe the exact nature or seriousness of the tax and household employee issues.

Ouch. Being a New Yorker myself, I've been following this potential appointment closely. Looks now like Kirsten Gillibrand is gonna get it. Wish I knew more about her. Looks like Uncle Ted is rather ticked about how the whole thing unfolded.

Much has been written on both the left and right about the possibility of Caroline Kennedy being appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's vacant Senate seat. Well, no longer, as Kennedy has now officially withdrawn her name from consideration.

AP:

Caroline Kennedy withdrew from consideration for the U.S. Senate seat once held by her slain uncle, Bobby Kennedy, after a night of turmoil and uncertainty over her intentions.

"I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate," she said in a one-sentence statement released after midnight. Her spokesman, Stefan Friedman, wouldn't comment further.

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From Democracy Now Dec. 23, 2008.

AMY GOODMAN: Our guest is Congressman Jerrold Nadler. He represents New York’s Eighth Congressional District. It goes from the Upper West Side down right to Ground Zero.

REP. JERROLD NADLER: To, in fact, Coney Island.

AMY GOODMAN: In Brooklyn.

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Yes.

AMY GOODMAN: Speaking of districts, are you interested in the Senate seat?

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Certainly.

AMY GOODMAN: And what is the politics that goes on behind this?

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Well, that’s very hard to know. This is an appointment. It’s entirely internal to Governor Paterson’s head. So one doesn’t really know what the politics is. Obviously, the people supporting Senator—I’m sorry, the people supporting Caroline Kennedy think that a public campaign would be helpful. Other candidates have not been doing it. I have not been doing a public campaign. And no one really knows.

AMY GOODMAN: Have you talked to Governor Paterson privately?

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Yes.

AMY GOODMAN: And do you think Caroline Kennedy is qualified to be senator?

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Well, that’s up to Governor Paterson to decide, and I’m not going to comment on that. All I’ll say is that I think that’s the wrong question, and the press has been asking the wrong question. The question should not be is Caroline Kennedy or any other individual, for that matter, qualified, because the assumption there is if you meet the certain minimum qualification, you’re entitled to the seat. The question ought to be the same question anyone hiring someone for any responsible job would ask, and that is, is this person the most qualified of all the available candidates? That’s the relevant question.

AMY GOODMAN: And why do you think you’re the most qualified?

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Well, I think all the candidates think they’re the most qualified. I think my record in Congress is a very progressive and forward-looking record. I think I’ve shown very good judgment. I was one of the few downstate people who voted against the war, against the PATRIOT Act. I’ve taken a leadership role on civil liberties, on economic development. And I led the battle against the—I led the battle for eight years against the Bankruptcy, so-called, Reform Act of 2005, which we now recognize as probably responsible for maybe a third of the foreclosures that are going on in this country.

AMY GOODMAN: Which Vice President-elect Joe Biden championed.

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Well, he supported it. About a third of the Democrats in the House voted for it. And I think my record on economic development in New York, in terms of port development and transportation, has been a very far-seeing record. But, you know, all of this is for the Governor to weigh, and other candidates have other merits and other accomplishments, and he’s got to weigh all of them.

AMY GOODMAN: In terms of how you fit in with the new Obama administration, the path you’re taking now, pushing, for example, 1531, which would—well, which urges President Bush not to pardon people, this is not the path of the Obama administration.

REP. JERROLD NADLER: Well, we don’t know what the path of the Obama administration is, as I said earlier. We will see. I certainly hope that the new administration will recognize, and there are comments from the President-elect and from Eric Holder, who’s going to be the new Attorney General, and from other people, all over the lot on this, frankly, so it’s impossible to predict. But I would hope that they would recognize a necessity to investigate whether crimes were committed and, if they were, to prosecute them, and not—more to the point, not to hold high government officials automatically exempt from the normal processes of justice, because to do that is to loosen the bonds that protect us all.

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Chris Matthews hosted Joe Conason of the New York Observer and Dominic Carter of NewYork1 on Hardball today to talk about Caroline Kennedy filling Hillary Clinton's seat as the U.S. Senator from New York, and Carter reported this:

In terms of Governor Patterson, what I am hearing, Chris, is that this is -- the bottom line here -- a done deal. That it's hers if she wants it. She's going through, if you will, this tour of the state. As far as that poll you mentioned, Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general of this state, he may be up at this point because he has the advantage because he has actually been out there before New Yorkers as the state attorney general for almost two years. And I would venture to say that her numbers might be higher if New Yorkers knew more about her. But from what I am hearing, this is a done deal, in terms of if she wants it.

Conason then notes that if Carter "says it's a done deal, then I think maybe it is."

We'll see in the coming weeks and months whether she deserves it.