Bill Richardson Would Have Pardoned Shoeless Joe Jackson

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Bill Richardson stopped by the sight where the the movie “The Field of Dreams” was shot in Dyersville, Iowa today. Richardson, a big baseball fan, considers it his favorite movie only behind “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid”, and has seen the movie 18 times. “I came here as a fan. I know I’m running for president, but I would have come here as a tourist,” Richardson said. “I love the movie.” He sat on the porch swing made famous in the movie, and talked about it’s main character “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. Jackson was part of a team called the “Black Sox”, because they were accused of trying to fix the 1919 World Series. Many baseball historians say they where innocent. Trying to keep on the campaign trail Richardson said, “I was asked if I would consider pardoning “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, and the answer is yes. I’ll consider it, if Scooter Libby can get off the hook.” Richardson own baseball career goes back to the 1960’s when he was offered a $25,000 signing bonus if he would have signed up for Houston Colt .45’s/Astros organization.
Alan Cosgrove

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Ron Paul Is The First Candidate To Launch iPhone Platform

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Ron Paul is the first candidate to use the iPhone in a political campaign. He is the first to launch an iPhone platform for his campaign. So now you can take Ron Paul with you everywhere. In his press release, “The iPhone is an exciting technology that will help us reach potential voters across the country,” according to Ron Paul’s e-campaign director. “The Ron Paul campaign continues to utilize new technologies to spread Dr. Paul’s message of freedom, peace and prosperity.” To launch the Ron Paul platform for your iPhone click here.
Alan Cosgrove

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The Candidates Talk About Scooter Libby

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

President Bush commuted Scooter Libby’s 2 and half year prison term just handed down 5 hours earlier after a federal appeals panel ruled that Libby could not delay his prison term. “I respect the jury’s verdict,” President Bush said in a statement. “But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby’s sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.” So Paris Hilton will serve more jail time than Scooter Libby. Some of the candidates have taken the time to respond to Bush’s latest move. Fred Thompson in the past has urged Bush to pardon Libby, so it is no surprise that he supports the decision. “I am very happy for Scooter Libby,” said Thompson. “I know that this is a great relief to him, his wife and children. This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life.”
Rudy Giuliani who always seems to agree with Bush said, “After evaluating the facts, the President came to a reasonable decision and I believe the decision was correct.” The Democratic candidates weren’t as friendly.
Barack Obama was the first to respond saying, “This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people’s faith in a government that puts the country’s progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years.”
John Edwards released a statement saying, “Only a president clinically incapable of understanding that mistakes have consequences could take the action he did today. President Bush has just sent exactly the wrong signal to the country and the world. In George Bush’s America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush and his cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences. The cause of equal justice in America took a serious blow today.”
Bill Richardson said, “It’s a sad day when the President commutes the sentence of a public official who deliberately and blatantly betrayed the public trust and obstructed an important federal investigation,” said Richardson. “This administration clearly believes its officials are above the law, from ignoring FISA laws when eavesdropping on US citizens, to the abuse of classified material, to ignoring the Geneva Conventions and international law with secret prisons and torturing prisoners. There is a reason we have laws and why we expect our Presidents to obey them. Institutions have a collective wisdom greater than that of any one individual. The arrogance of this administration’s disdain for the law and its belief it operates with impunity are breathtaking. Will the President also commute the sentences of others who obstructed justice and lied to grand juries, or only those who act to protect President Bush and Vice President Cheney?”
Hillary Clinton said in a press release, “Today’s decision is yet another example that this Administration simply considers itself above the law. This case arose from the Administration’s politicization of national security intelligence and its efforts to punish those who spoke out against its policies. Four years into the Iraq war, Americans are still living with the consequences of this White House’s efforts to quell dissent. This commutation sends the clear signal that in this Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice.”
And Joe Biden sent an email urging supportors to flood the White House with phone calls expressing your outrage. Joe Biden’s release said, “Last week Vice President Cheney asserted that he was beyond the reach of the law. Today, President Bush demonstrated the lengths he would go to, ensuring that even aides to Dick Cheney are beyond the judgment of the law. It is time for the American people to be heard. I call for all Americans to flood the White House with phone calls tomorrow expressing their outrage over this blatant disregard for the rule of law.” He includes the phone number, 202-456-1414, and a video of Bush saying, “I expect every member of this administration to stay well within the boundaries that define legal and ethical conduct. This means avoiding even the appearance of problems.” Biden has the whole quote on his website. Just one more part of the Bush legacy.
Alan Cosgrove
Here is video Biden includes in his email;

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Al Gore Rocks This Weekend 7/7/7 With Live Earth

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Al Gore’s big rock blow out on 7/7/07 is scheduled on seven different continents. It will start in Aussie Stadium, Sydney, Australia, then roll around the globe with concerts at Makuhari Messe in Tokyo, Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg, the Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, the HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg, London’s Wembley stadium, Giants Stadium in New York and finally, Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach. A special performance at the British Antarctic Survey Station in Antarctica will ensure all seven continents are included. They expect over 100 different artist performing, among those already committed are; Pharrell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi, Paolo Nutini, Sheryl Crow, AFI, Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Damien Rice, Corinne Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Maná, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Faith Hill w/ Tim McGraw, The Police, Roger Waters, Keith Urban, The Smashing Pumpkins, Lenny Kravitz, Chris Cornell, Linkin Park, Madonna, The Beastie Boys, Genesis, Spinal Tap, Bloc Party, and many more. For more information, and to get tickets to the big show, Live Earth: The Concert For a Climate in Crisis click here. To get live updates, participate, and watch the show via the internet visit http://liveearth.msn.com/. It will be on T.V., the internet, and the radio. There is also 6,000 parties scheduled in 119 different countries around this concert. Because of one of the shows scheduled in Shanghai they expect to reach two billion people with these shows, which will make it the biggest media event ever surpassing the Live8 shows. Gore will use these shows to push people to sign a “7 Point Pledge” promising personal action in curbing global warming.
Gores 7 Point Pledge:

* Demand that my country join an international treaty within the next two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90 percent in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth.
* Take personal action to help solve the climate crises by reducing my own C02 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral”.
* Fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the C02.
* Work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation.
* Fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal.
* Plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests.
* Buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crises and building a sustainable, just and prosperous world for the 21st century.

“Quite a few of the seven points are directly designed to put pressure on governments and on businesses, but do so by asking people around the world to help to focus that pressure,” said Gore. Both Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have announced they have signed the pledge.
Al Gore will attend the show at Giants Stadium. Profits from the shows will go towards Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection. They have been criticized for this show including from Live Aid and Live8 organizer Bob Geldof who said, “I hope they’re a success. But why is he actually organizing them? To make us aware of the greenhouse effect? Everybody’s known about that for years. We are all fucking conscious of global warming.” Apparently Geldof doesn’t read the right wing press that says that global warming is a big hoax. Also the skeptics like to point out that the concerts themselves will use a lot of fuel to power the speakers, lights, video, and the fuel spent on getting the artists and their equipment to the venues. But co-organizer Kevin Wall points out, “We are trying to minimise the carbon as much as possible. Most artists are coming from nearby areas. Madonna, for example, lives in London and will be performing at Wembley.” He added, “There are 3,000 concerts a year. We’re doing 10, but touching 2 billion people about what I think is the biggest issue that’s ever faced humanity.” Even if you don’t like Al Gore, and even if for some reason you refuse to believe in global warming, this is going to be one hell of a concert.
Rock On Live Earth!!!
Alan Cosgrove

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Barack Obama Celebrates While John McCain Downsizes

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

The second quarter fundraising is over, and Barack Obama comes out big. Obama’s campaign raised a record $31 million dollars in the last three months. His biggest rival Hillary Clinton raised $10 million less with only $21 million. But both figures break any fundraising efforts by any other Democrat, and we are still 16 months away from the election. Obama’s money came from 258,000 donors this past six months, and the average contribution is under $300. This means he can can tap these same donors again. “Together, we have built the largest grass-roots campaign in history for this stage of a presidential race,” Obama said in a statement Sunday. “That’s the kind of movement that can change the special interest-driven politics in Washington and transform our country. And it’s just the beginning.” The Clinton camp has not disclosed how many donors she had. John Edwards raised about 9 million, which exceeded his goals, and he claims about 100,000 donors in the first 6 months. Bill Richardson did better the second quarter with about $7 million raised. Chris Dodd reported about $3.25 million raised with about $6.5 million still on hand to spend. These are all estimates and we won’t know the real figures until July 15 when they have to file financial reports with the Federal Election Commission. Only one Republican disclosed his second quarter figures, and they were disappointing. John McCain raised only $11.2 million this past quarter, which is less than he raised the first quarter. It was such a disappointment that McCain had to cut staff and salaries of those who stayed around on the sinking ship. The campaign said they only had about $2 million in the bank right now. “We need to downsize our operations,” said Terry Nelson, McCain’s campaign manager. “We face a difficult fundraising environment right now, and certainly difficult in comparison to what our Democratic counterparts are able to raise.”
According to the Federal Election Commission the Democratic contenders raised $95.2 million in the first quarter compared to only $62 million for the Republican candidates. This gap between Republican and Democrats will only get bigger when the final numbers are in on July 15. This is bad news for Republicans who traditionally raise more cash than Democrats. The Democrats are benefiting from President Bush’s unpopularity, and the country is looking for a change. Obama and Clinton should have enough cash on hand to buy commercials anywhere and anytime they like, while Republican front runner McCain might have to drop out of the race soon because of lack of cash. Even Richardson and Edwards will have enough money on hand to campaign heavy in the early voting states, and maybe make a difference.
Alan Cosgrove

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Wesley Clark Thinks About Running For President Every Day

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Wesley Clark just gave an interview with The New York Times Magazine, and he discusses the threat of Al Qaeda, his chances of running for the President, and his future with MSNBC. When asked about running for President as a Democrat Clark replied, “I haven’t said I won’t. I think about it every day.” In the interview Clark says that Al Qaeda is not the big threat that neo-cons would like you to believe. He uses the threat of the Soviet Union during the Cold War as an example of a real threat. Clark says the neo-cons need an enemy saying, “Perhaps the neoconservatives believe that we can only be defined by having an enemy.” He also left his job as a foreign affairs analyst at Fox News to go to work at MSNBC. I would call that a positive move for anyone calling themselves Democrat. Clark has a new book coming out called, “A Time to Lead.” When asked about the title of the book Clark said, “‘A Time to Lead’ is a time for America to lead. That is the intention of the title. Certainly we are having a leadership crisis. We have an administration that has lost all sense of strategic purpose in the Mideast. I am very concerned that we have lost the foundation of America’s worldwide power and influence. It has been squandered.” Sounds to me like he is ready to run again. To read the whole interview, click here.
Alan Cosgrove

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Lewis Black Takes On The Right Wingers

Posted on July 1, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Here is a video from the Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show featuring Lewis Black. Black takes on the right wingers this time. Lewis Black says conservatives like Rupert Murdoch either devour and destroy anything they consider liberal. They then create their own conservative versions. For example in response to wikipedia, they have created conservapedia. And instead of YouTube we can get QubeTV, a politically conservative video-sharing website in response to claims of anti-conservative bias on YouTube.
Alan Cosgrove

Here is Lewis Black on The Daily Show taking on right wingers;

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Ron Paul On Top Again While Rudy Giuliani Gets Kicked Off Of Presidential Idol

Posted on June 30, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Ron Paul gets the most votes again in the June voting for Presidential Idol. Ron Paul got 70% of the vote. Mike Huckabee was second with 9% of the vote, and coming in third was Barack Obama with 4% of the vote. Ron Paul is a big hit on the internet, and is getting some attention due to the debates. We didn’t hear much from him in the last debate, but in the first debate he explained blowback to the crowd, which was news to some of the other candidates. He has been a guest on many news shows since the debates, but he will be excluded from the next debate as of this writing. Rudy Giuliani got less than 1% of the vote and is kicked off of Presidential Idol. Rudy Giuliani is running his campaign as America’s mayor. He claims he is tough on terrorist since he was the mayor of New York City during the 9/11 attack. He has a checkered past with three marriages, including his first marriage to his cousin. His family includes some ties to the mob, and his father was an enforcer whose weapon of choice was a baseball bat. Rudy Giuliani started his run for the Presidency early, and has been the front runner in many polls for some time, except of course here at Presidential Idol where he has become the third candidate kicked off, and the first Republican kicked off. He is facing pressure from Fred Thompson who hasn’t even entered the race yet. Giuliani is also facing pressure from conservative voters that feel he is a bit left on social issues. He also has been spotted wearing drag, likes gun control, is O.K. with abortion, and has lived with a gay couple for a while during one of his divorces. It won’t be long before he is dropped out of the real Presidential race as well. We are now down to 17 candidates on Presidential Idol. They all start with zero votes again for the month of July. At the end of the month we will kick one more candidate off, until we get to November 2008 when we will pick the first Presidential Idol. You can vote once a day for your favorite candidate. Vote Here.

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Hillary Clinton Says Fred Thompson Doesn’t Know Cubans

Posted on June 30, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

In a speech in South Carolina Fred Thompson was criticizing the recent immigration bill saying it would have made us more vulnerable. As an example he noted that in 2005 the United States had apprehended about 1000 Cubans trying to flee Cuba. Thompson said, “I don’t imagine they’re coming here to bring greetings from Castro. We’re living in the era of the suitcase bomb.” Since they risk their lives just to cross over, I doubt if any are terrorist. Hillary Clinton jumped all over this one, and at a forum sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials she said, “I was appalled when one of the people running for or about to run for the Republican nomination talked about Cuban refugees as potential terrorists. Apparently he doesn’t have a lot of experience in Florida or anywhere else, and doesn’t know a lot of Cuban-Americans.” Thompson has responded in his blog with a posting stating, “Our national security is too important an issue to let folks twist words around for a one-day headline. Cuban-Americans are among the staunchest opponents of illegal immigration, and especially so when it’s sponsored by the Castro regime.” He stated he was referring to Cuban spies, not refugees. I don’t believe they are bringing greetings from Castro either. It’s more likely they are wanting a better life than that available in Cuba, despite what Michael Moore thinks about their health care system. We can’t treat all the immigrants like they are terrorist, and we shouldn’t be looking at everyone as if they are our enemy. Is Fred Thompson just another cookie cut out Reagan wanna be like Giuliani?
Alan Cosgrove

Here is a video of Fred Thompson suggesting that illegal Cuban immigrants pose a terrorist threat;

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Joe Biden Gives Us Another Reason To Vote For Him

Posted on June 30, 2007 by Alan Cosgrove

Joe Biden is giving us another reason to vote for him. According to the email, “We promise that during a Biden Administration, Dick Cheney will not be a member of the EXECUTIVE OR LEGISLATIVE branch of government.” Dick Cheney should be in jail by then, but I do appreciate Biden’s humor.
Alan Cosgrove

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