TODAY'S SHOW: TUESDAY JUNE 19TH 2007
On today's show we will be talking to Charlie Savage, Legal Affairs Correspondent for the Boston Globe. You can preorder his new book here.
Other Stories Discussed on Today's Show:
Bloomberg Turns Independent
Late Breaking News tonight -- New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg just announced that he's leaving the Republican party. Very interesting. Air America Host David Bender and Air America President and former New York Mayoral Candidate Mark Green join us to discuss the possibilities.
Big Day for Campaign Videos
Today was a strangely big day for campaign videos. Did you see Hillary Clinton's riff on the Sopranos finale? Or Mitt Romney's family video from last Christmas?
Rejecting Recommendations
A new study by Army psychologists of US troops in Iraq has recommended that American soldiers get a one month break for every three months they spend in a combat zone. That's basically what they did during WWII. The army has rejected that recommendation.
Remember the Other War?
Remember how we routed the Taliban and brought peace and liberation to Afghanistan? The Taliban briefly captured control of one part of Kandahar province today.
White House Budget Director
Rob Portman, the White House Budget Director resigned today. Apparently it's time to go back to Ohio. The official line is that he needs to spend more time with his family. The unofficial line is that he wants to run for governor.
Happy Birthday Watergate Break-In.
It was 35 years ago this week, when five burglars were arrested at the Watergate Office Building, at the offices of the Democratic National Committee.
Charlie Savage
Here's hoping Rachel and Savage discuss the recently-released GAO report saying that Bush's signing statements effectively mean he is not following the law (duh).
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By chemgirlJune 19, 2007 - 5:06pmWisdom From Bill Maher
Now, as for Carter's assertion, I was up all night on Wikipedia doing an exhaustive study of former presidents. And while other presidents have sucked in their own individual ways, Bush is like a smorgasbord of "suck." He -- he combines the corruption of Warren G. Harding, the war-mongering of James Polk, and the abuse of power of Richard Nixon.
Nixon got in trouble for illegally wiretapping Democratic headquarters. Bush is illegally wiretapping the entire country! Nixon opened up relations with the Chinese. Bush let them poison your dog. Herbert Hoover, who was literally named after a machine that sucks--sat on his ass through four years of Depression, but he was an actual engineer. And if someone told him about global warming, he would have understood it before the penguins caught on fire.
Ulysses S. Grant let his cronies loot the republic, but he won his Civil War. Harding...Harding sucked, but he once said, "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here." So at least he knew he sucked.
He never walked offstage like Bush does after one of his embarrassing, language-mangling press conferences--with that smirk on his face like, "Nailed it!" Or maybe that's just the look you get when you have a showdown with the Democrats, and you win. Like he just did with Iraq. You don't get to become the worst president ever without a little help from the other side.
You know, I like Jimmy Carter, but when the -- when the Republican "fake outrage" machine pretended to be so upset at his remarks, Carter did what Democrats do, and backed down. He said his words were careless and misquoted, and the sun was in his eyes, and his hearing aid went out, and he was molested by a clergyman. Instead of looking them in the eye and saying, "No, I meant what I said because it's true! And speaking as the first citizen of Habitat for Humanity, let me take out my Jimmy Carter toolbox and build you a house where we can meet, and you can blow me."
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By jointfitter1969June 19, 2007 - 5:33pmEvening Rachel. Evening Kent. All.
Im in Im out Im in Im out, but Im in for a second until Im out again, and I thought this was cool and hadn't posted yet, Its a weird one but pretty cool if you hear it.
Gimme an F!
F!
Gimme an I!
I!
Gimme an S!
S!
Gimme an H!
H!
What's that spell ?
FISH!
What's that spell ?
FISH!
What's that spell ?
FISH!
Yeah, come on all of you, big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He's got himself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder in Vietnam
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Well, come on generals, let's move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Gotta go out and get those reds —
The only good commie is the one who's dead
And you know that peace can only be won
When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Huh!
Well, come on Wall Street, don't move slow,
Why man, this is war au-go-go.
There's plenty good money to be made
By supplying the Army with the tools of the trade,
Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
They drop it on the Viet Cong.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Well, come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on fathers, don't hesitate,
Send 'em off before it's too late.
Be the first one on your block
To have your boy come home in a box.
And it's one, two, three
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
Might wanna stick Iraq or Iran a few times to make it current but the points the same.
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By madgardenerJune 19, 2007 - 6:00pmBloomberg
Rachel, for Pete's sake, don't be fooled by Bloomberg. This is the same man whose administration purposely rounded up legal demonstrators during the RNC and kept them tied up in the system for its duration, his NYPD spied on legal political protestors all over the country and then fought to hide the "dossiers", he bought two mayoralties, he fought tooth and nail to build a west side stadium that benefitted his rich friends, he hasn't lifted a finger to put some sense into this rampant "development" that has overrun practically every neighborhood in the city, he insists that poor people get the same medical care as rich people, etc. He ingratiates himself with some worthwhile projects and speeches, but in truth he's just a rich man who's used to getting what he wants and is out of touch with the poor and the middle class. His new proposal to pay poor people to go to school and get healthcare is such an insult. He's way better than Rudy, but he's no prince.
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By 4ayesJune 19, 2007 - 7:00pmBloomberg
I must agree. Frankly, I'm looking for a Hillary/Obama or Gore/Obama 2008. Then perhaps our long national nightmare will end. I just hope we are in time before dear leader starts WWIII! Seriously, I think it's a race against time now. I'm hoping that we are ever closer to the day when he and Cheney must resign or face impeachment/criminal charges. It's a process and one that is frequently frustratingly slow. Still, following these caging emails may just do the trick.
Sorry, I know I digressed a bit...
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By jad68_esqJune 19, 2007 - 7:54pmLOVE the Journey Kris! Keep Rockin' My Friend... >:)
Rachel,
Sorry, but this has now become comedy and therefore it MUST continue...LOL. It was too perfect that Hillary decided to continue the "don't stop believin'" torture.
Ok, so I will be humming the stupid song for the next 6 months.
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By jad68_esqJune 19, 2007 - 7:49pmAbout the Watergate Break In Occurring on June 19, 1972
"Actually the Watergate Break In was on June 17, 1972".
"June 17th, was also Art Bell's & Harry Browne's Birthday"
But on this day of June 19th, these things did happen.
1846 - The first baseball game under recognizable modern rules is played in Hoboken, New Jersey, United States.
1862 - U.S. Congress prohibits slavery in United States territories, nullifying the Dred Scott Case.
1870 - After all of the Southern States are formally readmitted to the United States of America, the Confederate States of America ceases to exist.
1934 - The Communications Act of 1934 establishes the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
1939 - Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with "Lou Gehrig's disease" on his 36th birthday.
1953 - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are put to death at Sing Sing, in New York.
1961 - Kuwait declares independence from the United Kingdom.
1976 - King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden marries Silvia Sommerlath.
1978 - First comic strip of Garfield is published. This day is considered Garfield's birthday.
Bomar
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By bomar75June 19, 2007 - 7:52pmwhich candidate will focus on changing the world?
While the U.S. government and media keep focusing on defense policies and the war in Iraq, 1.2 billion people in the world continue surviving on less than $1 dollar a day. We should not forget the committment the U.S. made towards the U.N. Millennium Goals (a pact of ending extreme world hunger by the year 2025) in 2000. According to The Borgen Project, an annual $19 billion dollars is needed to end world hunger by the year 2025. To my sense, it is almost unacceptable to have spent so far more than $340 billion in Iraq only, when we have more than war immunities to change the world and eliminate poverty.
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By aileenchJune 19, 2007 - 8:52pmWhat The F*ck???
Has Hillary Lost Her Mind?????
It takes a village to have an idiot - Actor212
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By actor212June 20, 2007 - 8:40amHolt's bill does more harm than good!
Rachel:
Usually you're pretty savvy about issues, but you really have this one wrong. I assumed that someone like you would be a regular reader of The BRAD BLOG and would know what a disaster the Holt bill, HR811, would be for US election integrity. I challenge you to go to that website, do the research, and interview Brad on your show about this issue.
I consider you to be one of the most well-informed and open-minded media personalities on the air today. Please don't let me down!
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By burningbushJune 20, 2007 - 9:44amBush and the alcohol
Belatedly talked to a German friend about the photos of Bush drinking beer at the recent summit. Yes, that was not "unleaded," that was alcoholic beer, the real deal. Weizenbier, wheat beer, in fact. He drinks. (So do I, but then again I haven't found Jesus.)
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By Buxtehude_BarbarossaJune 20, 2007 - 4:22pmMediocre musicians?
Not only do I agree, but I think that is the first truth w has told on 6 years....before the lie anyway.
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By AntillectualJune 20, 2007 - 6:18pm