News Nugget 224

People in Japan preparing to commemorate the bombing of Hiroshima - from the Chicago Tribune

Stay the Stimulus Course (Alan Blinder) from the Washington Post

"Apparently not bothered by facts, some congressional Republicans are already claiming that President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package has failed and are even advocating that some of the remaining scheduled steps in the legislation be canceled.

In medicine, that would be malpractice. In politics, it's demagoguery. In reality, we need to stay the course."

Hillary Clinton is No Ventriloquist's Dummy (Editorial) from the Times [of London]

There are times like this when I actually like liking Hillary again.

"Mrs Clinton’s fighting words sum up the drive that propelled baby-boomer women to power. Gags about her menopausal tantrum may have begun, but men with HRT punchlines should prepare for a punch of a different sort."

Rove Key to New Mexico Attorney Firing from Politico

We'll still have to see what the Bush Posse can make out of all this paper.

"The 6,000-plus pages of documents, which include transcripts from interviews with Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, make it clear that Rove and other White House aides were much more involved in the U.S. attorney firings than previously reported. "

Why Things Aren't Bleak for the President (Paul Maslun) from Salon

"A pollster applies some historical context and gives three reasons why things aren't bleak for the presiden"

Obama Faces 'Scare Tactics' Head-On from the Washington Post

"President Obama began a personal effort Tuesday to reclaim momentum for his health-care initiative with a direct rebuttal of what he called "scare tactics," rumors and misrepresentations."

Obama Assails Health Care Foes from the Associated Press

"Braced for a fight he never got, President Barack Obama went on the offensive in support of his health care plan Tuesday, urging a town hall audience not to listen to those who seek to "scare and mislead the American people.""

Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin Fall into Nancy Pelosi's Trap (Matt Lewis) from Politics Daily

I'm not sure I buy this argument -- I've suspected that Obama was egging the wing-nuts on but I'm not sure this is the reason why.  Interesting, nonetheless.

"A week ago, President Obama's health care plans (I say plans, because there is not one "plan") were on the verge of defeat, the result of a flawed policy prescription and numerous political miscalculations. This week, Obama and the Democrats have some breathing room, thanks in large part to Republicans."

Here's another version of this argument from someone with a decent track record:

How Conservatives Are Blowing Their Chance (Marc Ambinder) from the Atlantic

"The base condition here is an enthusiastic Republican base and a depressed Democratic base. A coherent, organized effort would have recognized that the moment the media began to take sides was the moment that the entire enterprise could be damaged. The media, being a collection of different megaphones, reported on the town hall meetings in one of two ways, both damaging to Republicans."

'I Don't Trust Your Side and My Side Sickens Me': My Talks with Conservatives from Talking Points Memo

"First thing to know is:  They're not stupid.  They're just scared.  It is important to know that upfront if we are going to get anything accomplished on health care reform. "

It is Democracy, Not Health-Care Reform, That is Sick (Ezra Klein) from the Washington Post

"We've reached a point in the health-care reform discussion where logic has fallen apart. ... The fact that an idea as loony as death panels has found even the slightest purchase in the public consciousness shows how distant the minority feels from our democracy."

In the same vein:

Obama Needs to Learn from Sarah Palin (Robin Wells) from the Huffington Post

"Our uniquely noxious blend of racism, right wing politics, and moneyed interests exploiting racial fears and economic insecurity have hollowed out the core of moderation in American politics. In an unbroken line from Goldwater to Limbaugh and Palin, the Republican party has committed itself to scorched-earth tactics that have shredded the economic, political, and moral fabric of this country."

Over the Top and Beneath Contempt (Roger Simon) from Politico

"The purpose of rabid response is to scorch the earth, to raise the stakes, to go nuclear in the hope that your opponent will be so shellshocked he can make no response at all. The purpose of rabid response is to grab the public by the throat and not let go. "

Town Halls in Danger (Charlie Cook) from the National Journal

Sadly, I very much agree with Cook's argument here.  If these town hall disturbances succeed, they will become the 'new normal.'  Thanks, GOP.

"Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle will rue the day that the civility of political discourse notched down a bit further. This will become a routine tool for activists and organizers of all stripes for one simple reason: It works."

Lawmakers' Priority During Recess: Avoid Town Halls from the Christian Science Monitor

"Virulent meetings over healthcare reform lead some in Congress – especially Democrats – to seek less public ways to engage voters."

VERY predictable.  As I said, 'new normal.' 

Eruptions at Sen. Specter's Town-Hall Meeting from the New York Times

"Fury erupted over a range of topics, from health care to immigration, government spending and the cap-and-trade program to control pollution. Many also expressed broad if unspecified disdain for the government and for President Obama."

Catholic America: Is it a Sin to Listen to Rush? (Editorial) from the Washington Post

"His political take on issues may be defended as legitimate opinion; but it is indefensible to base opinion upon untruths or wrap them up with any of the sinful "-isms." "

OBAMA FAMILY NUGGET!!

Dreams from his Mother from the New York Times

"The anthropologist Clifford Geertz wrote that “the aim of anthropology is the enlargement of the universe of human discourse.” This was clearly a central goal of Dr. Soetoro’s work and life. From an admittedly great distance, I can see those same values in her son."

News Nugget 223

A seal in Norway raised in captivity.  He will be released this week into the wild -- from the Chicago Tribune.  

Taliban Takedown: Pakistan Has Been an Early Obama Foreign-Policy Success from the Wall Street Journal

"Not all leaders are easily replaced, and the charismatic and daring Mehsud is probably one of them. He was by most accounts a key figure in uniting the dozen or so factions of the Taliban under his umbrella group Tehreek-e-Taliban."

Wow!  This actually looks like PRAISE from the WSJ!

The Death of Mehsud (Robert Dreyfuss) from the Nation

"The death of Baitullah Mehsud, if true, is a good thing for all concerned, not least for the people of Waziristan. ... It is, to me, an example of counterterrorism done right: precise targeting, little collateral damage, and high-value targets."

Averting the Worst (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times

"So it seems that we aren’t going to have a second Great Depression after all. What saved us? The answer, basically, is Big Government."

What if We Win the Healthcare Debate? (David Frum) from Newmajority.com

AMAZING! A conservative pundit who can see beyond today's news cycle!

"We’ll have entrenched and perpetuated some of the most irrational features of a hugely costly and under-performing system, at the expense of entrepreneurs and risk-takers, exactly the people the Republican party exists to champion.  Not a good outcome."

The End of Polling? (Max Blumenthal) from the National Journal

"A statistics convention is not exactly the place you would expect to see a dramatic presentation. But if not drama, one presentation at last week's Joint Statistical Meeting in Washington, billed as the world's largest annual gathering of statisticians, did at least offer something of a surprise: A pollster willing to say that the telephone polling he conducts for a living is "doomed" by 2012."

A very interesting set of findings here!

Sotomayor and the 2010 Races from the Washington Post

"Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation to the Supreme Court last Thursday revealed the lingering concerns that many Republican officials and aspiring GOP candidates carry about angering their party's base."

The Tough Thing About Racism (Ta-Nehisi Coates) from the Atlantic

"I've never in my life really experience outright racism in a public place. Signs of Obama hung in effigy, racial slurs on signs, people chanting negative words ( too many to list) and outright screaming at Obama supporters. The hatred was in their eyes and they actually scared me for a

moment. ...  I'm still cold inside."

Some interesting reaction HERE at Daily Kos

Meet the Birthers from Mother Jones Magazine

"Meet the birthers: people who believe, despite truly overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Barack Obama was born in Kenya and has illegally usurped the presidency."

Is the South Ruining the GOP? from the Daily Beast

"In a gaffe of truth, Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) said his “party’s being taken over by Southerners.” Lloyd Grove on the growing disconnect between Republicans and political reality."

'Birther' Coverage Hits Fever Pitch from Politico

"Shuster and Hall smacked down Taitz's arguments, along with the bogus Kenyan birth certificate making the rounds online. But by giving the birthers such a platform — even to knock them off of it — is MSNBC giving them more legitimacy than they deserve?"

Obama is Not the Antichrist (David Waters) from the Washington Post

"The arguments are so very bad and it is so over-the-top that I suspect a Colbert-like mockery of conservative Christians. If so, a disturbing number of people are taking it seriously."

TWO NEVER-THOUGHT-I'D-SEE-THEM STORIES

(1)  If We Only Had One Bill Clinton! from Sotal Iraq [of Iraq in English]

"How many nations would be lucky to have one man like this?! Only one, not more! ... Sadly for Iraq and its unfortunate people, we only produce caricature-like, wretched, greedy, voracious and bloodthirsty men, good only for looting, killing and slaughtering. The life of an Iraqi citizen means as much to them as the life of a beetle you step on, or at best, neglect and ignore."

(2) 'Heroic' Missions Put Team Clinton on Top from the Times [of London]

"A LITTLE more than a year ago, the American tabloids were in no doubt: Barack Obama had derailed the Hillary Clinton juggernaut, and Bill’n’Hill were heading for divorce. “Why on earth would she stay with him now?” one bemused online columnist wondered after Obama’s victory in the Democratic presidential primaries.  Last week the doubters had their answer."

CRAZY-BUT-COOL STUNTS NUGGET!!

At first, this stunt doesn't look so dangerous until you see how it ends.

HISTORY NUGGET!!

From Woodstock to Sarah Palin, or Not (Editorial) from the New York Times

"What was Woodstock’s particular significance in that era? And what is its real legacy, aside from being a one-word boo-getter at Republican political rallies? Was Woodstock less threatening than other, more serious chapters of the 60’s — like racial confrontation and antiwar militancy — because it was a commercial, rather than a political, turning point? Or did it inflame the silent majority and help create the Reagan revolution?"

NEW ANIMAL NUGGET!!

Flying Frog Among 353 New Himalayan Species from Agence France Presse via RawStory

"A flying frog, the world’s smallest deer and the first new monkey to be found in over a century are among 350 new species discovered in the eastern Himalayas in the past decade, the WWF said Monday."

News Nuggets 222

One of the ritual activities involving heated bricks employed by Shaolin Monks in China -- for those of you looking for a new hobby!

UP-FRONT LOCAL NUGGET!!

Netroots Nation Comes to Town from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The citizens of this nation, about 2,000 strong, define themselves as the netroots, lower case version -- liberal bloggers who use the Internet and grassroots activism to promote their causes and candidates. Mr. Clinton met with bloggers in June, and yesterday Netroots made the announcement that he would open the convention."

The World's Ten Most Dangerous Countries (David Rothkopf) from Foreign Policy Magazine

"To begin with, let's consider criteria and that means we need to ask "dangerous to whom?" There are plenty of local actors who are the nearest, greatest threats to the neighbors. So, let's limit ourselves to actors who can cause the greatest disruption through their actions to the most people over the next decade or so."

Asymmetric Warfare from the Times [of London]

"The killing of the Taleban’s top leader in Pakistan confirms the role of drones in fighting terrorism. Britain needs to come clean about its position on these weapons."

Why Al Qaeda is Losing the War on Terror (Editorial) from Esquire Magazine

"America certainly does its best to suppress radical Islam, but that's not what scares al-Zawahiri and bin Laden — having to integrate with the rest of the world does. Career opportunities and a better life, after all, means fewer young people driven to extremism.

And that's exactly what's happening: Radical Islam has overplayed its hand again, creating popular resentment escalating to political backlash."

Green Shoots in Palestine II (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times

"Ever since the collapse of the Oslo peace accords in 2000, and the horror-show violence that followed, there has been only one thing to say about the West Bank: Nothing ever changes here, except for the worst. That is just not the case anymore — much to my surprise."

Obama Makes Plans for Middle East Peace Conference This Year from the DEBKAfile [of Israel in English]

"According to our Washington sources, the Obama White House is not thinking in terms of a new peace plan but a multinational conference on the lines of the Madrid conference convened by the first President George Bush to take place in November this yea"

Obama Must End the Cold War (Editorial) from RealClearWorld

As if he has nothing else on his plate right now.

"This November will mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. But the end of confrontation in Europe may be proving only temporary... Although the Cold War in Europe was declared over, the truth is, it never really finished."

Criminal Investigation into CIA Treatment of Detainees Expected from the Los Angeles Times

"A senior Justice Department official said that Holder envisioned an inquiry that would be narrow in scope, focusing on "whether people went beyond the techniques that were authorized" in Bush administration memos that liberally interpreted anti-torture laws."

Is Obama Punking Us? (Frank Rich) from the New York Times

"What disturbs Americans of all ideological persuasions is the fear that almost everything, not just government, is fixed or manipulated by some powerful hidden hand, from commercial transactions as trivial as the sales of prime concert tickets to cultural forces as pervasive as the news media."

Where Have You Gone, Joe the Citizen? (Editorial) from the New York Times

"“We’re living in the era of the viral town meeting,” said Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University who once worked as a Senate aide. “I remember back in the ’70s getting identically worded telegrams in the thousands. What’s happened now is the technology of protest has metastasized, and it threatens to overwhelm the relationship between members of Congress and their constituents.”"

It's Time to Fight Dirty (Editorial) from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Foes of health-care reform are winning because they know it's a war."

Obama Still Isn't President in the South (Andrew Sullivan) from the Times [of London]

"They grasp conspiracy theories to wish Obama — and the America he represents — away. Since white southerners comprise an increasing proportion of the 22% of Americans who still describe themselves as Republican, the GOP can neither dismiss the crankery nor move past it. The fringe defines what’s left of the Republican centre."

Conservative Protesters Prepping for Obama N.H. Town Hall (Chuck Todd) from MSNBC

Now, this should be interesting!  There are times when Obama is fearless.

"If anything, I'd bet some inside the White House are hoping for a confrontation since they believe the president's demeanor alone will politically play well with the folks the White House cares most about right now, ACTUAL independents. "

Conservatives Slam Palin Attack as 'Crazy' (Steve Benen) from the Washington Monthly

"On "Meet the Press" this morning, David Brooks called Palin's attack "crazy" adding that "the crazies are attacking the plan because it will cut off granny. That is simply not true, that simply is not going to happen.""

Conservatives are the Real Joker (Editorial) from the Nation

"Joker's evil is banal, random, gleeful and almost effortless. "Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" he asks.  If the current political moment were mapped onto The Dark Knight script, it would be the right wing fringe of the GOP cast as the chaos-inducing Joker."

It's Hard Out Here for a Sane Republican (Alex Koppelman) from Salon

"It seems clear that regardless of the role FreedomWorks and similar organizations are playing, there is a real vein of discontent here. That said, though, that discontent often appears to be driven by a paranoid view of what healthcare reform will mean, one largely divorced from reality."

Mrs. Clinton Answers Man Who Wanted Her Daughter from the Standard [of Kenya in English]

"The man who wishes to be Mrs Clinton’s son-in-law is Mr Godwin Kipkemoi Chepkurgor, a former nominated councillor in Nakuru.  Chepkurgor had first written to then President Clinton offering 40 goats, and 20 cows in the year 2000, in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage."

TV NUGGET!!

Are They 'Hung'? from Salon

"It's been decades since "American Gigolo," and "Deuce Bigalow" didn't exactly drill deep into the authentic experience. So, I talked to some real-life Rays -- yes, they do exist -- about what's realistic about "Hung" and what isn't."

News Nuggets 221

Wildfires in San Bernardino in California -- from the Chicago Tribune

UP-FRONT MESSAGE FROM MOVE-ON.ORG!

Normally, I don't tie in with the various campaigns being waged by progressive activist groups.  Given how important the health care debate is right now, however, I make an exception here.

Dear MoveOn member,

It's getting ugly out there.  All across the country, right-wing extremists are disrupting congressional town-hall meetings with venomous attacks on President Obama's plans for health care and clean energy.

  * Last night in Tampa, Florida, a town hall meeting erupted into violence, with the police being called to break up fist fights and

    shoving matches.

  * A Texas Democrat was shouted down by right-wing hecklers, many of whom admitted they didn't even live in his district.

  * One North Carolina representative announced he wouldn't be holding any town-hall meetings after his office began receiving death threats.

  * And in Maryland, protesters hung a Democratic congressman in effigy to  oppose health-care reform.

We've got a plan to fight back against these radical right-wingers. We've hired skilled grassroots organizers who are working with thousands of local volunteers to show Congress that ordinary Americans continue to support President Obama's agenda for change. And we're building new online tools to track events across the country and make sure MoveOn members turn out at each one.

But we need to scale up our efforts quickly to make sure this plan works. To really swing into action during this month's congressional recess, we need to raise at least $250,000 immediately. Can you chip in $25 to support our work?

Go HERE if you want to do this.

Now back to our regularly scheduled nuggets!

UP-FRONT MUST-READ ECONOMIC NUGGET!!

As Economy Turns, Washington Looks Better from the New York Times

"The evidence is now pointing pretty strongly in one direction: history books may conclude that the financial crisis of 2008 turned out to be far less bad than it could have been and that Washington deserved much of the credit."

Dialogue Only Option (Editorial) from the Arab News [of Saudi Arabia in English]

An interesting overview of where US-Middle East Policy is right now from an Arab perspective.

The Week When it All Came Together for the Clinton Two-for-One Package from the [Manchester] Guardian

"Here was Hillary Clinton, embarking on a seven-country tour of Africa as secretary of state, while her husband, the former president, successfully carried off an ultra-sensitive mission to one of the world's most recalcitrant regimes."

What the Death of Pakistan's Public Enemy No. 1 Means from Foreign Policy

"If Baitullah Mehsud is really dead, it's great news for Pakistan and the United States, and bad news for the militants.."

The End of Al-Qaeda? from Newsweek

"If Baitullah Mehsud, the Pakistani Taliban's most dangerous and powerful leader, was indeed killed by a U.S. Predator drone strike earlier this week, the biggest loser of all may be Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda. For the past eight years, the group had depended on Mehsud, his close allies, and other sympathetic tribals to protect it in South Waziristan."

The Danger to the West of Not 'Helping Russia' (Editorial) from Le Mond [of France in English]

An interesting view of Russia's status and recent history from a western European perspective.

"In Moscow, Obama called for, "a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia," occupying "its rightful place as a great power," and stated his belief that, "the days when empires could treat sovereign states as pieces on a chess board are over."  How much we would like to believe it! But can we?"

Republicans Propagating Falsehoods in Attacks on Health-Care Reform (Steven Pearlstein) from the Washington Post

"The recent attacks by Republican leaders and their ideological fellow-travelers on the effort to reform the health-care system have been so misleading, so disingenuous, that they could only spring from a cynical effort to gain partisan political advantage. By poisoning the political well, they've given up any pretense of being the loyal opposition. They've become political terrorists."

Take a Chill Pill (Matt Miller) from the Daily Beast

"No matter what the critics say, health-care reform isn’t in trouble yet. The Daily Beast’s Matt Miller says the bill should get through Congress and offers a prescription for making it easier to swallow."

The Tea Baggers Are Back -- Crazy as Ever (Bill Press) from the Hartford Courant

"We've seen it in Philadelphia; Austin, Texas; Georgetown, Del.; Salisbury, Md; and other communities. Taking a page right out of a Nazi playbook, organizers bus in professional protestors and arm them with instructions on how to take over meetings, shut down discussion, shout over any pro-health care reform speakers, and then post video of the resulting chaos on YouTube. It's mob rule, pure and simple."

The GOP's Ugly Jokers (John Avlon) from the Daily Beast

"A new ad campaign paints the president as a communist on health care—complete with hammer and sickle. The Daily Beast’s John Avlon on why the Obama-Soviet iconography degrades our country."

The GOP Freak Show (John Bachelor) from the Daily Beast

Conservative radio talk-show host John Batchelor says the whack jobs disrupting health-care town halls confirm the Republican Party has become a cruise ship to the seventh grade."

Violent Threats Target SEIU Over Health Care Town Halls from Daily Kos.  See also HERE for a similar story from the Huffington Post

"The argument appears to go something like this: "If you say that you disagree with me, you're revoking my First Amendment rights, and to defend them, I'm going to shoot you!""

Punking the Obama Birthers from The Week

"An anonymous blogger posted four photos apparently showing the creation of the “infamous” fake Kenyan Obama birth certificate touted by Taitz, along with a “mocking” itemized list, MasterCard-style, that starts with “Fine cotton business paper: $11” and ends with “Punkin’ the Birthers: Priceless.”"

ODD ENVIRONMENTAL NUGGET!!

'Cloud Ship' Scheme to Deflect the Sun's Rays is Favourite to Cut Global Warming from the [London] Daily Telegraph

"Ships with giant funnels which travel the world's seas creating more clouds to deflect the sun's rays could help cut global warming, say scientists."

HISTORY-OF-CRIME NUGGET!!

My Battle with Manson (Vincent Bugliosi) from the Daily Beast

"Forty years ago today, Charles Manson’s “family” killed Sharon Tate. Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor who put Manson away, on how he nailed the infamous murderer."

ANCIENT HISTORY NUGGET!!

Roman Emperor's 2000-Year-Old Villa Unearthed Near Cittareale from the Huffington Post

"Archaeologists have unearthed a sprawling country villa believed to be the birthplace of Vespasian, the Roman emperor who built the Colosseum, they said Friday. The 2,000-year-old ruins were found about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Rome, near Cittareale, lead archaeologist Filippo Coarelli said."

LITTLE-HOUSE-ON-THE-PRAIRIE NUGGET!!

Wilder Women: The Mother and Daughter Behind the Little House Stories from the New Yorker

"Mrs. Wilder ... wasn’t entirely happy with her part-time career, or with her obscurity. In 1930, she sat down with a supply of sharpened pencils—she didn’t type—to write something more ambitious: an autobiography."

News Nuggets 220

An image of Wuzhen in eastern China - from the Chicago Tribune

Beyond Bill Clinton's Trip Lurks President Obama's Nuclear Disarmament Agenda from the [London] Independent

"President Obama has demonstrated that he is a serious strategic thinker, and by dispatching the former president to Pyongyang he has his eye on the long term."

Obama Lets N. Korea's Kim to Save Face from the China Post

"The Obama administration let North Korean leader Kim Jong Il save face by releasing two jailed Americans to former President Bill Clinton. The payoff — maybe not right away — is likely to be renewed dialogue with Pyongyang about its nuclear weapons program."

More Bloodshed for Iran from the National Interest

"After all the bloodshed in the streets, after the accounts of innocent demonstrators being tortured and after the spectacle of the show trials, the position of each faction has hardened beyond compromise."

Where are the Bright Spots Amid the Global Recession? from Forbes Magazine

"Which countries have best weathered the global recession and credit crunch. All economies have been affected by the crisis, but a combination of policy responses and strong fundamentals has given some countries, especially some emerging market economies, a relative edge."

Not Much to Celebrate After 10 Years of Putin from the Moscow Times

"Shortly after Putin took office as president in May 2000, he wasted little time rolling back virtually all of the political reforms that Yeltsin had worked so hard to achieve throughout his political career."

About Half of U.S. Mortgages Seen Underwater by 2011 from Reuters

"The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday."

This accompanying chart gives more detail about the worst impacted cities in the US.

The Clinton-Clinton-Obama Triumph from The Hill

"The release of the two journalists by the North Koreans on Tuesday night D.C. time was the result of a tour-de-force, trifecta combination of the three most talented and truly great political leaders of our times — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; her husband, former President Bill Clinton; and President Barack Obama. "

Bill Clinton Shows That Diplomacy Works from CNN

"President Clinton did more than free two unjustly jailed journalists. He jump-started the successful diplomacy he had begun 15 years earlier."

High-Speed Rail in the United States: Back on Track After 50 Years of Neglect from the [Manchester] Guardian

"With an initial infusion of $8bn, set aside under the spring's economic stimulus plan, the Obama administration is embarking on the most ambitious expansion of passenger rail in 50 years, with the construction or upgrade of up to 10 routes from California through the midwest to Florida."

Cash For Clunkers Extension Likely: Senate GOP Fails To Muster Opposition from the Huffinton Post

"The Senate reached a deal on saving the dwindling "cash for clunkers" program late Wednesday, agreeing to vote on a plan that would add $2 billion to the popular rebate program and give car shoppers until Labor Day to trade in their gas-guzzlers for a new ride."

An Unruly Night in Napa from the Napa Valley Register

"Monday night’s health care forum in Napa grew unruly and wild, with some critics of the current health care proposals seeking to derail the event, harming their cause and nearly destroying a meaningful forum on a critical topic for Napa and the nation."

Clinton and Gore Together Again from the New York Times

"on Wednesday morning was a visible reminder of how circumstances had conspired over the past few days to bring the reigning — and sometimes warring — names of the Democratic Party together around the drama of Mr. Clinton’s trip to North Korea."

Obama wants to Kill Grandma (Mike Madden) from Salon

"Here's a fact check of some of the more alarming claims that the right is making about healthcare reform, claims that are already hardening into myth."

HCAN Prepares Pro-Health Care Reform Activists For Responding To Town Hall Disruptions, Plans To Disrupt The Disrupters from Talking Points Memo

"With a significant campaign of town hall disruptions underway, it seems pretty clear that health care reform activists will have their work cut out for them, at least for the time being. But that's why they're changing their own playbook."

Parties Cry Foul Over Spate of Homestate Showdowns from The Hill

"The showdowns between lawmakers and constituents have not only fueled the high-stakes battle over healthcare reform but also started a debate over the authenticity of the interruptions."

Unions To Take On Conservative Groups Health Care Town Halls (Sam Stein) from the Huffington Post

"The nation's largest federation of labor organizations has promised to directly engage with boisterous conservative protesters at Democratic town halls during the August recess."

Conservatives are the Real Joker from the Nation

"It seems that some elements of America's fringe Right have become embarrassingly Freudian. This is a clear cut case of projection. The Right is the Joker, not President Obama."

THANK-GOD-HE'S-GONE NUGGET!!

A French Revelation, or The Burning Bush from the Council for Secular Humanism

"Incredibly, President George W. Bush told French President Jacques Chirac in early 2003 that Iraq must be invaded to thwart Gog and Magog, the Bible’s satanic agents of the Apocalypse."

VIDEO HUMOR NUGGET!!

The Big Dog is Back! (Jon Stewart) from the Daily Show

HISTORY NUGGET!!

Sacrificial Virgins of the Mississippi from Salon

"Archaeologists are slowly unearthing the ghastly secrets of Cahokia, an ancient city under the American heartland."

News Nuggets 219

A Somali refugee in a Kenyan refugee camp -- from the Chicago Tribune

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."