UP-FRONT FOLLOW-UP-FROM-EARLIER-IN-THE-WEEK NUGGET!!
As we have seen the last several days, the wingnut mob has been turning out in force -- and Democrats HAVE NOT! Senator Chris Dodd (the guy just diagnosed with prostate cancer) and Rep. Chris Murphy both got rough receptions in the last two days up in CT! See HERE and HERE. We MUST show up -- or the loonies will indeed control our asylum.
Now -- some congress people are nervous about disclosing to just anyone when they will be in your area. So how do you find out when & where to show up? Barack has the answer! Sign up HERE -- and you will be notified.
Clinton's Mission to Pyongyang from the Far Eastern Economic Review
"We will only slowly learn the full details of Bill Clinton’s historic mission to Pyongyang. But the preliminary indicators are positive, especially in what they tell us about domestic politics in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)."
The World from Berlin: When Bill Met Il from Der Spiegel
"Clinton and his entourage were able to observe and draw conclusions about the man in the khaki outfit. They were able to see how sick he really is, how he speaks and how he moves. Those details will provide America with valuable keys for discerning his position in the North Korean military structure and whether he is truly in a position to keep his house in order"
Interesting analysis of Bill's trip to Korea from various German perspectives.
Clinton: International Man of History from Politico
"The 42nd president’s success in forging a behind-the-scenes deal for the release of two American journalists in exchange for Clinton’s surprise appearance in Pyongyang may signal a new chapter in one of the United States’s most vexing and dangerous relationships. Or it may turn out to be another false start with an isolated and paranoid regime."
Frenemies: Will Iran's Right Wing Abandon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? from Newsweek
"As Ahmadinejad stepped in to kiss Khamenei's hand, the Supreme Leader stepped back and raised his left hand. The two shuffled back and forth for a few moments before Ahmadinejad said a few words and bent over to kiss Khamenei's shoulder, a sign of deference more common among Arabs than Persians. It was the perfect emblem for the weeks of protest that have begun to cleave the two apart."
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Still Faces Bitter and Spreading Opposition from the Economist [of London]
"In a pointed break with protocol, numerous top officials, including two former presidents, found themselves too busy to attend. So were several notable members of the family of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution of 1979 and the Islamic republic’s founding father, who by tradition are prominent at such events. ... Hardly had the ceremony closed before street protests erupted anew across Tehran."
President of Iran ... for Now from the New York Post
"Signs of trouble were abundant at Monday's ceremony -- a legally necessary prelude to today's -- when "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenei officially "endorsed" the election results with a fatwa appointing Ahmadinejad to a new term. Concerned that protesters might disrupt that ceremony, organizers kept its venue a secret until the last minute. This was the first time in 29 years that the "endorsement" event was shrouded in secrecy."
Green Shoots in Palestine (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"The good news is that the U.N. Development Program and a new group of Arab scholars last week came out with a new Arab Human Development Report. The bad news: Things have gotten worse — and many Arab governments don’t want to hear about it. This new report was triggered by a desire to find out why the obstacles to human development in the Arab world have “proved so stubborn.” "
Kremlin Burning Bridges with Every Neighbor from the Moscow Times
"Russia’s foreign policy failures are snowballing at such a rate that they threaten a second geopolitical collapse on a par with the disintegration of the Soviet Union 20 years ago. What makes this tragedy so comic is that our leaders are essentially running backward into the future and calling it progress."
Republicans Will Not Defeat Healthcare Reform (Robert Reich) from Salon
"This isn't grass roots. It's Astroturf. The vans carry the logo "Americans for Prosperity," one of the Washington front groups orchestrating the fight against universal health. They're using Congress's August recess to heckle Democratic representatives when they meet with their constituents, stage erszatz local anti-universal health rallies, and fill home-town media with carefully crafted, market-tested messages demonizing healthcare reform."
White House Launches Attacks on Attacks from Politico
"The White House launched a coordinated effort Tuesday to combat what it calls a “viral whisper campaign” to torpedo health care reform. Its playbook: the same one Barack Obama’s campaign used in 2008 to shoot down rumors and questions about his citizenship, faith and patriotism. "
Protests at Democrats' Health-Care Events Spark Political Tug of War from the Washington Post
"As House members headed home for the August recess, some Democrats have been met by taunts, jeers and even an effigy. Video footage of the sometimes-belligerent protests has taken hold online and on television in a relatively quiet news week, threatening to drown out any health-care debate."
Drowning out the debate IS the point!
Angry Mobs or Concerned Citizens? DNC Calls Out GOP for Town Hall Protests from Politics Daily
"During the August recess, Democratic members have been holding events in their districts to educate constituents about health care reform. To torpedo support for legislation expected to be voted on this fall, protesters feigning "grass roots" origin (but of uncertain recruitment history) have been disrupting the events, the DNC says."
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