No Curtain Calls for Gonzales

"British officials said Tuesday there was 'sufficient evidence' to charge a Russian former KGB agent with murder and seek his extradition from Moscow in the sensational poisoning death of Alexander Litvinenko." (WaPo)

Livinenko was an outspoken critic of Russian President Valdimir Putin, and pointed the finger of blame for his poisoning at Putin from his deathbed.

But, Moscow has already made it clear they wouldn't cooperate with any British attempt to extradite Andrei Lugovoy who met with Litvinenko for tea at a London hotel on the day he fell ill.

The timing for the British in filing these charges is curious.

Tomorrow, the G8 Justice and Interior Ministers.... from Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, Russia and the United States.... are meeting in Munich in advance of the G8 Summit in early June.

Ironically, the ministers will be discussing among other things "international judicial cooperation, particularly in the fields of counter-terrorism."

Surely the poisoning of Litvinenko in London by a former KGB agent using a rare and deadly isotope.... 97 percent of which is manufactured in Russia.... would qualify as terrorism. This would be the perfect opportunity to exercise "international judicial cooperation."

A Litvinenko family spokesman, Alex Goldfarb, said the British investigators "have pretty strong evidence" based on the radioactive trail.... where it came from and who was handling it.

So, will these icons of world justice meeting tomorrow demand Russia's cooperation with Britain's prosecution?

Don't hold your breath.

Not when the likes of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is the person representing law and justice for the United States at the G8 meeting.... The Decider's legal strawman who has prostituted his legal moral authority.

So, the G8 justice ministers will probably ignore the hot potato of extradition in the diplomatic confrontation between London and Moscow.

But, perhaps not all justice will be denied.

Sometime in the next two weeks the Senate is planning a vote of no confidence in Gonzales. A move The Decider has called pure "political theater."

However, if Gonzales doesn't resign after a bipartisan no confidence vote, and, The Decider doesn't fire him, the "I" word is being urged on Congress as a means of ridding us of this legal pestilence.

For Gonzales, theater it is, and the curtain will be going down.

Bush, You're No Jack Kennedy

"Macaca's" Odor Lingers in Virginia

Connecticut has a "red" Democrat, Sen. Joe Lieberman.... a Bush-hugging, pro-Iraq war, fair-weather-friend to his party.

Well, Virginia also has its "red" Democrat, state Sen. Benjamin Lambert (Richmond).... a Sen. "Macaca" Allen supporter who showed up on the same stage with George Bush in 2004 supporting Republican incumbent Allen against the eventually victorious Democrat James Webb.

And, U.S. Senator Webb isn't about to forget it.

Since Lambert is black, his appearance with Allen and Bush was to show the voters how cozy Allen was with minorities.... but their eyes, and the you-are-there truth-telling of YouTube, unveiled the racist underbelly of Allen, and the straight-talking Webb won the election.

Fast forward to the upcoming elections.... Webb is now supporting Lambert's challenger in the primaries, Democrat Del. Donald McEachin (Richmond), whose decision to run for the Virginia state senate was influenced by Lambert's traitorous actions.

To his shame, Lambert didn't just show up on the stage with Bush and Allen, he rode in Bush's limousine to get there.... Lambert says it was to lobby for $500 million in federal funds for historically black colleges. Thus, showing his willingness to embrace The Deceiver and upset the chance for the Democrats to regain control of the U. S. Senate.... for a promise of pork.

The Democratic primary is June 12, and all 140 Virginia Senate and House seats are up for election this fall. A primary loss by Lambert would send the message, "No fraternizing with the enemy, one Lieberman in a party is enough".... and polish Webb's already sterling resume.

How Low Can Gonzales Go?

Eugene Robinson reviews the skulduggery of our Attorney General in "Gonzales's Signature Moment," and Gonzales' brazen efforts to confront his predecessor on his sickbed, trying to browbeat him into signing a shady legal opinion on domestic surveillance.

It will remain an indelible stain on the White House and Gonzales that he has been the willing tool for The Decider and his Dark Prince in their assault on our Constitution. There really is no sacred wall they haven't breached.... be it the one shielding the law from politics, dividing church and state, or defining the balance of power normally shared by the executive, judicial and legislative.

We also have Gonzales to thank, undoubtedly carrying out White House marching orders, for not enforcing our immigration laws, and for going after border patrol agents trying to do their job.

It's becoming chillingly clearer each day, the Bush administration has no scruples, morals or even common decency, and Attorney General Gonzales is their willing enforcer.

Bloomberg and Hagel's Kabuki

If money could talk.... well, money is talking.

"New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is prepared to spend an unprecedented $1 billion of his own $5.5 billion personal fortune for a third-party presidential campaign." (Washington Times)

Bloomberg, a Republican who fashions himself as a social liberal and fiscal conservative, has "lowered the bar" and upped the likelihood for a decision on making a run.

The last serious third-party candidate was H. Ross Perot, the Texas billionaire whose 1992 bid split the vote and helped elect Bill Clinton while tripping-up incumbent George H. W. Bush.

Bloomberg is looking closely at the strategies used by Perot, and meeting with Perot's most senior people.

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel teased on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday about a third-party ticket with Bloomberg... "It's a great country to think about a New York boy and a Nebraska boy to be teamed up leading this nation." (WaPo)

Hmmmm.

Hagel, an anti-war conservative, in an unhappy marriage with the GOP, has opined "neither party is seen as an answer."

Such a third-party entry into the fray would drastically upset the Shermanesque march of Sen. Hillary Clinton toward the White House, and peel away many of the still-looking GOP voters disappointed with the drift of their party on the watch of Commander Guy.

Hagel, a social conservative, is not only an effective communicator, but would help to counter-balance the "nanny state" label pinned on Bloomberg because of his social policies.

Bloomberg is downplaying a possible double-billing with Hagel. But, it is seeming more and more likely that the real reason for the strange news conference Hagel held two months ago to declare his presidential bid intentions... he announced that he had nothing to announce.... may have had something to do with a rethinking of his options to include the possibility of hitching his wagon to "Brinks" Bloomberg.

What the consequences might be..... well, candidate spinners could use this pithy line intoned by former Vice President Dan Quayle..... "We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."

Ten White Men in a Row

A testosterone-hyped field of 10 white men went mano a mano on the Iraq war and torture last night in their debate battle for the GOP nomination . With a couple of refreshing exceptions.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas (who, by the way, has a corn dog's chance at the Iowa State Fair of getting a bite on the nomination) stood his lonely ground by denouncing the decision to go to war in Iraq, the use of torture and even suggested that terrorists actions like 9/11 were in part in retaliation for the United States' actions in the world, saying "If we ignore that, we ignore that at our risk."

This gave the question-dodging and debate-floundering America's mayor, Rudy Giuliani, the opening he needed for chest thumping, challenging Paul's statement as an "absurd explanation for September 11." We know what Paul was trying to say, but this forum wanted napalm in the morning.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona also rejected the use of torture explaining he's been there and had that done unto him.... and, the thing that kept him and his fellow POW's going was the fact that their country wasn't like that. Of course, McCain stayed with his support of the surge in Iraq, at this point he really has no choice.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee delivered the best zinger, joking that in recent years Congress had "spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop." This campaign season the GOP will make sure that Edwards keeps paying for his $400 haircut.

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, was articulate, polished, knowledgeable and well.... perfect. I could hear the casting call. Would someone please put a big spot on his tie?

Former governor James Gilmore, as a poll bottom-feeder, tried to make points by challenging the true conservatism of McCain, Giuliani and Romney. They easily dodged his barbs and he faded once again into the Virginia countryside.

Rep.Tom Tancredo of Colorado delivered the second best zinger aimed at his GOP rivals changing positions... "I trust those conversions when they happen on the road to Damascus, not on the road to Des Moines." But strangely, he gave a shallow reply on a question about illegal immigration, his calling card. It didn't turn out to be a trump.

A glib Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas put on a good performance, but it seemed a performance.

Rep. Duncan Hunter of California was on point on defense issues and immigration. His concise responses were refreshing.

And that leaves only Elmer Fudd, the former Wisconsin gov Tommy Thompson, who seemed to be down-shifted to low gear.... upstaged perhaps by the other Thompson, Fred, the Thompson the GOP electorate is panting for although he has yet to announce, let alone debate. According to the latest polls, Fred is even eating into Giuliani's leading position.

I had predicted, and anticipated, that a debate sponsored by FOX News and hosted by Brit Hume would be one long GOP commercial, all softballs and no substance. I was wrong. It was the best debate by either party so far, although probably partly because the candidates are becoming better at it. And mixing it up a bit.

I also looked for the 10 white men to trip over each other in expressing their sympathy over the death that day of Rev. Jerry Falwell who spearheaded the Moral Majority winning GOP strategy. But wisely, Hume nipped that rush in the bud at the outset of the debate by expressing their unified regret so the candidates wouldn't need to do so individually.

The other no-show thus far in the GOP field is former House speaker Newt Gingrich who is dangling the "great possibility" of his candidacy. At least his timing may be propitious, he is slated to deliver the commencement address at Falwell's university on Saturday.... there could be no better center stage than before a grieving GOP base.

Bush's Playground

Guru took Pootie-Poot to the woodshed, and Pootie-Poot promised to stop sticking his tongue out at Dubya.

No, you haven't wandered into a Dr. Seuss children's book.

Welcome to the world of the most powerful leader in the world.... the self-proclaimed "Commander Guy," a.k.a. "The Decider," his Secretary of State, Condi "Guru" Rice., and Russia's President "Pootie-Poot" Putin.

Excuse us George if we don't laugh at your bestowing of childish nicknames in lieu of a real governance.

It was bad enough that you gurgled after your meeting with "Pootie-Poot" in 2002, "I looked the man in the eye. I was able to get a sense of his soul."

Since then, Putin's "soul" has been hard at work suppressing the press and individual freedoms in Russia, and aligning Russia's interests with those of our enemies.

It was even discovered that Russia provided intelligence to Iraq's government on U. S. military movements in the opening days of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Naughty, naughty Pootie-Poot.

Now we've had to witness Commander Guy dispatching "Guru" Rice to Moscow to deliver her school marm scolding to Pootie-Poot. Putin is kicking sand in our face because he doesn't like the U.S. plans for a missile defense system in his backyard among other things.... and a week ago in Red Square appeared to compare Bush's United States to Hitler's Third Reich.

Now, now Pootie-Poot, it's not nice to call names.

If only we could go back to the fairy tale "Mission Accomplished" days. When Iraq was a glorious victory, and Russia loved the U.S.

In those la-la land days, "Guru" Rice .... a supposed Russian specialist....said, "To see the kind of relationship that Presidents Bush and Putin have developed and to see Russia firmly anchored in the West - that's really a dream of 300 years...."

A dream indeed.

Actually, it's a part of the nightmare scenario inflicted by an inept, unready, uncomprehending, stubborn, good-ol'-boy Commander Guy leading our great nation into the abyss.

And, our clever Bush even has a nickname for the United States of America..... the North American Union.

Will someone please wake me up!

Oxymoron: Wolfowitz Ethics

In the back and forth between sugar-daddy CEO Paul Wolfowitz and the World Bank over the obscene pay raise he engineered for his girlfriend Shaha Riza, Wolfowitz said he had to be the one to give her the raise because the Bank's ethics committee "members did not want to deal with a very angry Ms. Riza."

Ohhhhh.... she might get mad.... and the powerful ethics panel members are quaking under their mahogany executive desks.... give her whatever she wants.

Yep, that's Wolfowitz's defense.

According to Wolfowitz, the ethics committee told him after he arrived in 2005 that he couldn't directly supervise his girlfriend Riza, who also worked at the Bank, but declined to oversee her job transfer and compensation, instead ordering him to handle those tasks.

Seems reasonable, after all he is the World Bank's CEO. And, he could have delegated the task to a Bank Vice President.

So, just who is afraid of Virginia.... errr, Shaha Riza, and why.

Wolfowitz actually admitted Riza's "intractable position" in demanding a salary increase as compensation for her transfer forced him to grant one to avoid a lawsuit.

Hello? Doesn't that sound like blackmail. Could it be that Wolfowitz's pillow partner knows where the bones are buried. Like his role in the Big Lie leading to the invasion of Iraq? Like the inside scoop on The Decider's modus operandi? So, just give her a big ($50,000) raise to shut her up.

The Bush administration is going ballistic over the idea of Wolfowitz being canned by the outraged Bank board . Lead mouthpiece VP Cheney appeared on FOX news (where else) proclaiming Wolfowitz "is a very good president of the World Bank."

The White House is demanding Wolfowitz stay on the basis of executive privilege.... the self-proclaimed traditional right of the United States to name the head of this world institution, that his mistakes don't warrant his being fired. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is busy on the phone with overseas finance ministers pimping for the administration's favorite sugar daddy to keep his job.

Shortly we'll find out if the World Bank actually does have ethics (the dust-up over Riza isn't their only beef with Wolfowitz) or, if the Bush bully boys have now infected this once-respected world institution....

Then, the scary Riza gets to keep her job, her raise, her broom.... and, her secrets.

Can't Take Wolfowitz to The Bank

Some people have a moral blind spot so big you could drive a war, or the World Bank through it.

Paul Wolfowitz manipulated intelligence to support The Decider's mandate to create the rationale for the invasion of Iraq.... and when his pivotal role in the Big Lie was exposed, in 2005 Wolfowitz was quickly shuttled off to the World Bank as its CEO.

Well, you can take White House away from Wolfowitz's stink, but you can't take the stink away from Wolfowitz. He brought his foul ethics with him.

Overpaying his girlfriend at the World Bank was just the tipping point.

As Sebastian Mallaby observes, "Wolfowitz has lost the confidence of the bank's shareholders, borrowers and staff.... including the support of those who initially welcomed him despite his record on Iraq. He has brought about the collapse in the World Bank's external prestige and internal morale..."

When Wolfowitz called his staff together recently to try to make nice, they booed and called for him to resign.

Wolfowitz's brought his ethical odor with him, part of the stench emanating from the moral black hole of The Decider's administration that has soiled our external prestige, internal morale and national honor.

This Wednesday the World Bank's board will decide if Wolfowitz goes or stays.

If he goes, look for The Decider to award him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.... joining the administration's rogues' gallery of moral blindmen.

The Shallow GOP Pool

"How far would I travel, just to be where you are? How far is the journey, from here to the White House star?...... And, if I ever lost you, how much would I cry? How deep is the ocean, how high is the sky?"

This should be the official presidential candidate theme song, played whenever two or more are gathered to lay the words on us. However, the song may not quite fit the current field of GOP hopefuls because as Eugene Robinson points out, their field is ten wide, but it's not ocean deep.

In their first debate, this GOP country club lineup of well-heeled white men mostly tread around the shallow end of the Republican talking points .... Iraq war on the right track, abortion rights bad.... Bush who?.... Reagan's our president.

In fact, there doesn't seem to be any reason for Fred Thompson, Newt Gingrich or Chuck Hagel not to wade in.... "The water doesn't look very deep." It'll just be more GOP white men with a toe in the presidential puddle.

After all, shallow has worked fine for The Decider. He has been using the kiddie pool for over six years, barely getting his intellect wet.... "How deep is corruption, how high is the lie"

Boy George

A trumpet fanfare, a 21-gun salute.... Queen Elizabeth is welcomed by King George at the White House while thousands of invited guests crowded the South Lawn, eager to drink in the pomp and pageantry.

Seizing the moment, Commander Guy took center stage, remarking that the queen had dined with 10 U.S. presidents and had helped the United States "celebrate its bicentennial in 17.... err, 1976."

Then, to make sure the queen was thoroughly offended, he joked that the queen just "gave me a look that only a mother could give a child."

The queen sees George for what he is.

Where was she in 2000 when the voters needed "the look" to remind them that only grownups should be president of the most powerful nation on earth, not a reckless frat boy proud of his C- grades.

Bush is Naming Names

OK, you know that President Bush is into nicknames. For example, he calls his political guru, Karl Rove, "Turd Blossom." Now, that's a really good nickname, except for the Blossom part.

And, you know that he gave himself the crown of "The Decider." We've had to watch in horror as he has decided us into national turmoil.

Now, The Decider has anointed himself with a different nickname. While speaking to the Associated General Contractors of America recently, and opining on whether the Congress or the commanders should decide how many U.S. troops are needed in Iraq, The Decider said: "And, as you know, my position is clear - I'm the Commander Guy."

As Eugene Robinson wondered in "Lost in the Fog With Commander Guy," is he The Decider or the Commander Guy.... "Or does he spend some days deciding and other days commanding."

As our Commander Guy, here is his latest pearl of wisdom about the war in Iraq.... "Either we'll succeed or we won't succeed." Deep.

Queen For A May Day

Dick Cheney, the Prince of Darkness, welcomed Queen Elizabeth II to Jamestown, Virginia yesterday so the Queen could help celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in the New World.

Consider this.... Gates was put in charge of quelling the insurgents. He viewed the devastation they wrought, finding safety only in their own fortification. With his forces depleted and under constant attack, Gates finally decides to abandon the place.... but reinforcements arrive and a major attack is launched against the insurgent stronghold. The insurgent leader and the leader's children are captured and executed.

No, I'm not off subject, this isn't Iraq, this is Jamestown three years after James I of England's fleet arrived in May of 1607 and built a fort at Jamestown.

Sir Thomas Gates was acting as Virginia's first governor. The insurgents of course were the native Indians who were fighting what they viewed as the invaders and occupiers of their land. The insurgent leader, perhaps ironically, was the Queen of Paspahegy Indian village who was executed along with her children, the village burned and the crops destroyed.

But I have digressed.... back to the Jamestown 400th anniversary celebration fairytale.

With a wave of her gloved hand at her might-have-been subjects, Queen Elizabeth pretends Jamestown was England's finest moment in the New World, and Prince Cheney pretends the debacle in Iraq is his and King George's greatest legacy.

GOP Hopefuls Opine

The first Republican presidential candidates "debate" last night was in many respects a yawn.... but, it did have a crazy-aunt-in-the-attic moment for the ten Bush wanna-bes.

When asked for a show of hands for those who didn't believe in evolution..... the flat-earthers responding were Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado. These three definitely go to the back of the class with the slow-learners.

I kept looking for the apple that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney had on hand for MSNBC moderator Chris Matthews.... Mitt is such a perfect teacher's pet.... well prepared, face scrubbed, not a hair out of place.... just too perfect. We need a Mitt Romney doll, just wind him up and he delivers his focus-group talking-points to the background of Hail-to-the-Chief.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona was animated, although he had a momentary "deer in headlights" moment when asked directly if he believed in evolution. He did give the old straight talk answer of "yes".... before shifting into his Falwell pandering-gear by adding when he's in the Grand Canyon, he sees God's hand over the horizon.

Actually, what McCain sees over the horizon is Joe Lieberman's hand waving his Straight Talk Express into the lane for presidential race losers. When asked what Democrat he would have in his cabinet if he became president, McCain named Lieberman with the same passion usually reserved for a hot prom date.

A subdued former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani was the only one of the ten to hedge over whether the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade.... although he made it clear that he "hates" abortion, as if rival Democrats or anyone supporting a woman's right to chose doesn't hate abortion. The other nine took the GOP safe "overturn" path, each trying to out-forceful-reply the other.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was the only one not supporting The Decider's troop buildup in Iraq, and actually mentioned GOP-abandoned items like upholding the Constitution and reducing spending. His biggest contribution, however, was that he made McCain appear young.

The former governor of Wisconsin, Tommy Thompson.... not Fred who kept his standing by not being in the lineup.... had the best Ronald Reagan brown-nose line recalling Reagan's optimism and "belief that America could be stronger and better tomorrow than it is today"... which is perfectly true as soon as we can rid ourselves of the Bush mafia.

California Rep. Duncan Hunter (great name) thinks he's the reincarnation of Patton.... but he didn't move his campaign forward much with so many other stage-generals trying to show their commander-in-chief mettle.

James Gilmore, former governor of Virginia didn't move the audience recognition needle much off 0.... what is it with former governors? Being a big fish in Virginia's pond doesn't equate to making a splash in the national ocean.

And that's how I saw it, the Republican debate. McCain perhaps summed up his party's "be very afraid" mantra the best.... "We must win in Iraq.... If we withdraw, there will be chaos, there will be genocide and they will follow us home."

No. A Democrat must win the election.... or, there will be chaos, there will be more war and corruption, and the GOP will follow us into our homes.

The Second Roundup

The showdown at DC corral didn't amount to much. The Democratically-led Congress huffed and puffed and then The Decider blew down their Iraq-funding-bill-with-a-timeline house.

Now, they're all at the White House bar for a second try, shooting high fives as the Democrats offer to withdraw the timeline demand.... while our troops continue to die in Iraq's unwinnable war.... and, our hand-picked president of Afghanistan declares his government can "no longer accept" civilian casualties caused by U.S.-led operations.

This motley bunch of executive and legislative cowboys all wear black hats. Bush is getting what he wants, a blank check for continuing his war, while the Democrats have shown they are really hollow vessels.... without the courage or the will to accomplish what the nation demanded in the last election.

The time has never been riper for a U.S.-first third party.... with a sheriff who will bring law and order back to our leadership-forsaken country.