CNN's resident curmudgeon comes out with some funny stuff from time to time, and now and then with something to think about.  Much of the time, however, it appears his mouth is running without engaging his brain.

Commenting last night on Judith Giuliani's role in Rudy's demise as a Republican candidate for the presidency Cafferty mentioned that Rudy had once said that as President he would allow Judith to sit in on Cabinet meetings.  Cafferty then proceeded to say Rudy had retracted the statement and then Jack said...and I quote:

Maybe that had something to do with the fact that she was a graduate of a 2-year nursing program with no college degree.

Last night as I watched CNN they gave coverage to every candidate in the race...except John Edwards. It has been that way for a long time.  I suppose the CNN producers decided, or were told, that John Edwards wasn't ultimately good for their long term employment as hacks for their owners.

In almost every debate, regardless of sponsorship, the candidates the media picked as their favorites received the most time, the most questions, and the most glowing reviews.  CNN's panel of pundits included such luminaries as Ralph Reed...JacK Abramoff's partner in the Indian Reservation influence peddling...and Jeffrey Toobin, legal analyst turned political pundit who only a few days ago mentioned there wasn't a whit of difference in the Democratic Candidates health care proposals, etc.  And then there's Jack Cafferty, professional curmudgeon, who is paid to make smart-ass remarks but doesn't appear to be able to find his own behind with both hands much less have any idea about differences between candidates.  

My wife and I are activists...and we strongly support John Edwards.  We live in Wilmington, NC, about 90 miles north of Myrtle Beach and we drove down early yesterday to do phone banking for Senator Edwards and to be there during the pre-debate rah-rah showing support for our candidate.  We've travelled to numerous events and places supporting John and Elizabeth and I thought folks who may not have had that opportunity might be interested in our impressions and observations about what actually went on prior to and shortly after the debate...before we left to drive home.

We arrived at Edwards HQ about 11AM and immediately began phone banking with about 10 other volunteers.  Others were at the debate site setting up signs.  

Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th President, spoke at the Sorbonne in Paris on April 23rd, 1910.  The title of his speech was "Citizenship in a Republic" and the best known words of that address are:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

John Edwards is the man in the arena.

Time is running out for Democrats and Independents who are malleable or undecided on how to cast their vote in the upcoming presidential primary.  After the primary process is complete, our Democratic candidates for President (and Vice President) will be subjected to intense scrutiny and we should expect this contest to be one of the most vitriolic in our history.   Republicans are teetering on the edge of political disaster and will pull out all the stops to discredit whomever we select as our candidates.

I'm hopeful we select someone who won't have to deflect intense criticism and discussion of their past before the debate can be engaged about the issues of current and future importance.

In October, 1993 (before NAFTA became law on 1/1/1994), Martin Kasindorf of Newsday reported President Clinton insisted that

"I would never knowingly do anything to cost an American a job," defending his support for the North American Free Trade Agreement before a labor audience fearful that the controversial pact will funnel work to Mexico.   "Is it a perfect agreement? No," the president told 1,000 delegates to the AFL-CIO's annual convention. "But I don't want to make the perfect, the enemy of the better"

Well, we know how that has turned out for the American worker, don’t we?   Cheap-labor-seeking corporations and money-grubbing politicians got the goldmine.  American workers got the shaft!  

When I was in Vietnam so many years ago (artillery) I sometimes wondered what I would do if I thought I was going to be captured. Stories of torture and atrocity were common place and I wondered whether or not I could withstand such things.  It never came to that, but there were times I was pretty scared.  

I've read the accounts of many who were captured and tortured.  While I know the hope of returning to their loved ones and home sustained those brave soldiers, I also know somewhere in their minds they were also comforted and rebelliously sustained knowing they held the high moral ground and that their captors would someday be punished for their crimes.

The Geneva Conventions said all you have to give is name, rank, and serial #.  And that's what many did.  They paid dearly....but their heads were held high.  

Schumer said today, during a meeting with distraught critics of AG nominee Michael "cuddles" Mukasey, it was unfortunate Mukasey wasn't informed about the details of the Geneva Conventions, Article Three of the Uniform Code of Miltary Justice, and obviously hadn't read a newspaper since 2005.  On the other hand, Schumer said, perfect is the enemy of good, and Mukasey obviously had the full confidence of the Preznit, and that was good enuf for him.  Schumer mentioned Bush's recent statement

"He's a good man. He's a fair man. He's an independent man, he's plenty qualified, and he's promised to kiss my entire ass any time I say so."  

saying "What more could you ask for?"

Of all the things I've ever heard anyone say about John Edwards, something Kate Michelman said has stuck with me the longest and has been proven true again and again by Edwards himself.  Kate, the former head of NARAL ProChoice America, said

"John Edwards understands the links between poverty and disease, war, and the destruction of our environment."

I'll add John also demonstrates his understanding of the link between greed, corruption, and the decline of America's working middle class, the shredding of our Constitution, and our nation's plunge in esteem in the eyes of the civilized world.  

nyceve is my dKos heroine...champion of those who are too weak, too ill, and often too poor to find someone to listen to them or to help them as they face the challenge of this nightmare we call healthcare in America.  I know when I read one of nyceve's diaries I'm going to be either heartsick, angry as hell or, more likely, both.    

Also, it's personal.  My beloved wife has an extremely rare chronic disease that, while not life threatening, can often be very debilitating.  If you ever meet my beautiful, talented, articulate, and loving wife you'll never know she's ill.  She doesn't talk about it and is one of the bravest and most stoic ladies around.   She and Elizabeth Edwards are my idea of what courage means.  

I used to bank with Bank of America but cancelled all my accounts there some time ago.   So, I was surprised yesterday when I received a fat over-sized envelope labeled "Important Amendments to Your Credit Card Agreement."

Enclosed was a two page letter telling me B of A is committed to providing me with timely and relevant information regarding my account and an overview of the enclosed six page (3 pages of legal size paper, front and back) notice of change to my (thankfully non-existent) Credit Card Agreement.

Out of curiosity I read it anyway.  If you have a credit card with or sponsored by Bank of America, I suggest you are about to be screwed !  Here's my read on it, but if you have a B of A Credit Card be sure you understand for yourself what's happening.    

People's religious beliefs and practices aren't typically of much concern to me.  As long as my neighbors aren't sacrificing small animals in the name of their beliefs, handling venomous reptiles on my lawn, advocating inequality for or violence towards those who have differing beliefs, and so on, I figure each to his or her own.   OTOH, when others attempt to press their beliefs on individuals or the citizenry at large through violence, legislation, and/or the exercise of their political power, it's time to be concerned and to act.  

The September-October issue of Mother Jones arrived in my mail two days ago.  An article entitled "Hillary's Prayer" wasn't high on my list to read immediately, but after I read it, I thought it's time to be concerned.  More below the fold...        

We're a little slow to get the NYT editorials here in SE North Carolina, but David Brook's OP-ED entitled "Reality 101: The Economy is Booming" appeared yesterday in our local Outhouse Companion (owned by the NYT.  After reading the editorial and looking at the referenced data, I was so enraged I didn't know whether to go blind or go bowling.  Brooks says, in part, that "neopopulist" campaign rhetoric about the economy is drifting away from reality.  He cites Congressional Budget Office statistics showing that average wages are rising sharply, that growth in earnings (80% between 1991 and 2005) for the poorest 20% of Americans are outpacing the earnings growth of the wealthy (50% during the same period), that recent rises in inequality are simply because the wealthy work harder, smarter, and longer hours while those "down the economic scale have seen their leisure time increase by a phenomenal 14 hours a week."  Brooks further suggest that huge CEO pay packages are justified because these talented execs have so increased their company's earnings. He also says Democrats may paint gloomy a picture of the economy, but facts matter.  Facts surely do matter...and Brooks justs leaves most of them out.

In an amazing display of personal sacrifice our Senators Dole and Burr braved the cold and discomforts of the US Senate Chamber during an all-night filibuster.  

More below the fold...(Snark)

It's clear the major media companies have initiated a contest with their editorial and news staff to see who can come up with the best recipes for swill they can feed to their readers and viewers. A leading contender, WA-PO's John Solomon has been facing heavy competition from various other journalists, reporters, bilge-belchers,  but he's clearly in contention for a top prize in the "Op-Ed Drivel" category. While the full list of ingredients for his entry hasn't yet been released I've gleaned the basics and wanted to share them with all kossacks eager for his culinary secret.  Be advised that some ingredients may vary based on availability.

A few nights ago a relative by marriage, a dyed in the wool Cape Cod waterfront-owning-Bush-loving-Republican-diehard sent me the youTube link to the snark on Edwards combing his hair and, of course, the $400 haircut article.  I'm used to his stuff.  He's always sending jokes about Democrats and Southerners cuz he knows I'm a yaller dawg en Suth'in tew boot.   He also sent the stuff to about a dozen of his apparently nearest and dearest like-minded morons friends.

When I replied...which I usually don't...I replied to all. Here's what I said..edited to remove names of the innocent and some extraneous stuff...etc.

Regardless of our differences we here at Dkos all have the common dream of living in a nation governed by folks whose first priority is what's best for "we the people." There hasn't been much of that type of governance going on in America for a long time and we're each in our way, and collectively, fighting to take back our country.

I want to talk with you about two people who share our dream,  I'm going to ask you to put your money where your heart is, and and ask you to do all you can to help them.  This is a call to action...and it's for John and Elizabeth Edwards...and for all who are ready to commit to taking our country back.
More below the fold...

Today two Border Patrol agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean entered prison to begin serving 11 and 12 year terms respectively for shooting and wounding a Mexican Drug dealer bringing 700+ lbs. of marijuana across our border.   The Justice Department gave immunity to the drug dealer in exchange for his testimony against the Border Patrol agents.  

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton released a lengthy statement defending his decision to prosecute the agents and offer immunity to the drug smuggler saying. in part, "Federal prosecutors cannot look the other way when law enforcement officers shoot unarmed suspects, then lie about it to their supervisors and file official reports that are false."  Elsewhere it has been reported three jurors on the trial are now saying they were coerced into a guilty verdict.  There's lots of details of this case elsewhere and the details are not the point here...

The point is...beyond what appears to be a grave miscarriage of justice, what is stunning is that 55 Congressmen have signed a petition asking President Bush to pardon the two agents...and he hasn't had the courtesy to reply much less take action.  

More below the fold....