News Nuggets 351

This cat is called a liger, a cross between a male lion and a tigress. The picture certainly gives you some perspective on why lions and tigers are called LARGE cats. Incredible!

Iranian Backfire? (Michael Adler) from the Daily Beast

"The mullahs tried to avoid sanctions by agreeing to yet another nuclear deal yesterday. But diplomats tell Michael Adler that Iran's latest gambit will not slow the U.S. pursuit of penalties."

America Defeats Iran at the UN Human Rights Council from Izvestia [of Russia in English]

"Due to the clever procedural game of the Americans, Iran has withdrawn its candidacy for the U.N. Human Rights Council. … Every day, American diplomats have reminded their colleagues that Iran violates human rights - and joy! Allegedly afraid of defeat, Tehran abandoned the fight."

What Happened to Obama's Armegeddon? (Jon Meacham) from Newsweek

"What if Barack Obama is not a tone-deaf big spender who misread the public on large-scale government reform such as health care, but is, instead, what he has always been: a smart, steady, and unobtrusively savvy politician whose long-term bets (his first being winning the presidency itself) are well--considered?"

That reporters indulge in this kind of obsessive narrative/counter-narrative building up and tearing down says a lot about why people don't trust the MSM.

America is Still Number-One Ally to the UK as Hague Flies in to Washington from the Independent [of the UK]

"The new Foreign Secretary, William Hague, stood side by side with Hillary Clinton in Washington yesterday and delivered a convincing message of reassurance: Anglo-American ties will continue to be Britain's foreign policy priority under a Tory-led coalition."

Vatican to Claim Bishops Are Not 'Employees' from the Times [of London]

"Jeffrey Lena, the Vatican's lawyer in the US, said the Vatican would assert that bishops are not its employees because they are not paid by Rome, don't act on Rome's behalf and are not controlled day-to-day by the pope — factors courts use to determine whether employers are liable for the actions of their employees."

A nicely Nixonian response -- ah, and just the other day I thought the Holy See was learning something. I guess not. They're back to behaving like an organized crime syndicate. I'll be curious if US courts buy this line. Given what I know about Europe's tougher labor laws, it would not fly there.

Interior Official Who Oversees Offshore Drilling for MMS Resigns from the Washington Post

"Chris Oynes, who oversaw oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico for 12 years before being promoted in 2007 to associate director for offshore energy and minerals management, informed colleagues in an e-mail that he will step down. He has come under fire from former MMS officials for being too close to the industry he regulated."

Yes -- he's "stepping down". Pay no attention to that boot protruding from his ass. The MMS needs to be shaken up big time and it needs it immediately!

Obama Begins to Rein in Congress from Politico

"For more than a year, President Barack Obama set a broad, ambitious legislative agenda, and, for the most part, allowed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to let Congress to “work its will,” as Pelosi likes to say. Those days are fast coming to an end. After watching congressional Hill Democrats squander months — and perhaps their majorities — on health reform and a grab-bag stimulus package, the White House is taking a more hands-on approach with its highest priority bills before this fall’s midterm elections."

Women Rising (Joe Conason) from the New York Observer

"Mr. Obama’s decision tells us something important about him, too. Surely he appreciates Elena Kagan's reputation as a conciliator who listens to all sides. He is probably reassured by the fact that the Senate easily confirmed her last year as solicitor general. But what this nomination reminds us is that he is not only the first African-American in the Oval Office, but the first president raised on feminist principles as well."

Poll: Voters Tilt Back Toward Democrats from the Associated Press via Yahoo News

"People want Democrats to control Congress after this fall's elections, a shift from April, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Saturday. But the margin is thin and there's a flashing yellow light for incumbents of both parties: Only about one-third want their own lawmakers re-elected."

We'll see how this claim looks this evening.

A Super-Divided Tuesday (E.J. Dionne) from the Washington Post

"This year's elections may exacerbate the difference between our two political parties, but not in the way most people are talking about."

Candidate's Words on Vietnam Service Differ from History from the New York Times

"“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam, ... ” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. ... There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records."

Sad. Running for the US senate in CT, Blumenthal goes from being a sure thing to absolute toast overnight. This news raises so many issues and questions for me. Most immediately, is he going to go quietly -- or is he going to stick it out and produce a bloody senate race all the way to November to almost certainly lose? CT voters are VERY forgiving -- but, as Chris Dodd can attest, not THIS FORGIVING. It is my sense that CT's Dems have a fairly deep bench -- but we'll see. My bet: Blumenthal will stick it out. He's been wanting and waiting to run for the senate for thirty years and has always been fobbed off by Lieberman and Dodd. This is his chance, and I don't see him stepping aside for anyone.

Second, Blumenthal has been mentioning his Nam experience for years, and he's won I-don't know-how-many elections as attorney general. How is it that this comes out now? Can CT Dems even put someone else forward at this point? The timing of the story smells of political payback [not from the Times but from their sources who chose to come forward now]. [UPDATE: Sure enough! The story came from his Republican rival. From MarcAmbinder at the Atlantic: "Linda McMahon, a Republican, is claiming that her campaign's research team provided the New York Times with the tip that led to the story. "]

Finally -- God, there is a part of me (as I've said before) that can't wait for baby-boomers and their 1960s issues to pass from the political scene! The Republicans practically wet themselves anytime they can tag a Democrat as a flaming ex-Black Panther, a draft-dodger, an anti-war protester, or some other type of refugee from the 1960s culture wars.

Kentucky Primary Reveals GOP Rift on Afghan War from the Washington Examiner

"While there is no Republican incumbent candidate at risk, one of the GOP's incumbent ideas -- support for the occupation of Afghanistan -- is headed for a fall."

White House Bracing for Specter Loss from Raw Story

"CBS' Bob Schieffer has been told that the White House expects Sen. Arlen Specter to lose in the Democratic primary Tuesday."

Ten Reasons Why Palin Would Be a Bad President from US News and World Report

"Most cite her lack of worldly or even national experience on issues other than trade and energy, key to her state of Alaska, while some think that she will be dragged down by late night comedy ridicule. Take a look."

ONLY TEN!?!

Right Wing Reacts with Rage to First Muslim American Miss USA from ThinkProgress

"Just as they erupted over Carrie Prejean’s loss in the Miss USA contest 2009, the right is again alleging a liberal bias against Woolard. But many more right-wingers are enraged over Fakih’s crowning:"

These folks are simply losing their minds! How is it that raging, frothing-at-the-mouth intolerance has become so fashionable!?

Solving the Mystery of Barack Obama from the Times [of London]

"A new study shows how the ‘skinny kid with the funny name’ rose to the top and became President of the United States"

COMIC STRIP NUGGET!!

Top Ten Long-Running Comic Strips from Time Magazine

"Little Orphan Annie has been living the hard-knock life for 86 years. On June 13, one of America's favorite redheads pack her bags for good. In honor of the strip's cancellation, TIME takes a look at some of the best long-running newspaper comics around."

Does anyone read the comics page anymore? I read them a lot as a kid -- but I stopped decades ago. I think this art form is dying a slow death -- and, given the economics of the newspaper industry these days, it will sooner-or-later get the ax completely.

FRENCH NUGGET!!

Plus Ça Change from Newsweek

"Seventy years ago, the Nazis conquered France. Since then, the country has changed less than you might think."