Just POlitics

Hillary raw

Drudge reports that the Hillary Clinton crew are on peak alert to fight back against a new book that will stop Hillary cold:

A book battle has broken out on Publisher's Row over the ultimate Hillary-attack!

The project being billed as "Hillary in the Raw", like you've never seen her before, is set to drop in September by liberal Ed Klein, former NYT MAGAZINE editor, VANITY FAIR, PARADE contributor and author of multiple works on the Kennedy’s.

"The revelations in it should sink her candidacy," a source close to Klein warns the DRUDGE REPORT.

Chafee key to Bolton

Democrats are hoping to create an opposition to John R. Bolton as U.N. ambassador by swaying Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI.) to vote against Chafee. It seems that the Democrats are having difficulty coming up with reasons to vote against Bolton.

Republicans control the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by 10 to 8 and a negative vote by Chafee (who is one of the 10 Republicans on the committee) would prohibit the forwarding of Bolton for confirmation by the Senate.

In front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bolton said, “Now more than ever, the United Nations needs American leadership."

He further went on to say, “The United States must be a leader in the effort to improve the United Nations, particularly in the area of accountability."

Carter & the Pope funeral flap

The Washington Post reports on what they define as an "imbroglio." It has been widely reported that former President Jimmy Carter requested a spot in the U.S.’s delegation attending the funeral of Pope John Paul II – but didn’t make the final cut. However, the reported Carter slight may only exists on the Post’s pages:

One person close to Carter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the former president thought the final delegation was a strong one and did not require his presence. "He did not believe there was any kind of snub or anything inappropriate," the person said. "The president and first lady, and I include them both, have been nothing but gracious and courteous to President Carter."

Maine & Massachusetts

The Senators from Maine and Massachusetts seem to be drinking from the same... something. According to the Washington Post, senators from these two states have teamed up to tamper with decades of scientific studies. Their aim seems to be to hurt the American livestock industry.

They are basing their action on such groups as American Academy of Pediatrics, Environmental Defense, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the American Public Health Association and the Food Animal Concerns Trust. The Post lead begins:

A coalition of public health and environmental advocates petitioned the Food and Drug Administration yesterday to ban the use of seven classes of antibiotics commonly used on farms to speed the growth of livestock.

On Capitol Hill, Sens. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) reintroduced a bill that would require the same thing.

Judicial confrontation

"Our next step, whatever it is, must be more than rhetoric," the Rep. Tom DeLay told the conference, entitled "Confronting the Judicial War on Faith."

A group known as the Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration is beginning to organize conservatives to take on the judiciary’s declared war on faith and are sponsors of the conference.

"There are many right-thinking judges but there are many who are not right thinking and that's where Congress has to step in," Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith said about action needed against the judiciary’s war against religion.

DeLay vulnerable?

Democrats are now thinking of taking the fight to Rep. Tom DeLay in his home state of Texas – in the 22nd congressional district. Democrats are hyping possible interest in a Democrat primary to face DeLay, whom they have targeted for ethics attacks.

Former Rep. Nick Lampson -- whose district was redrawn to favor the GOP and covered areas that DeLay now represents -- has been approached about running. He has still not decided whether he will seek office against DeLay.

DeLay won reelection in 2004, beating his opponent by 55-41 percent.

"While he never takes an election for granted, he consistently outperforms his opponents because the voters know when it comes to the issues they care about ... Tom DeLay delivers for the people of the 22nd District," Shannon Flaherty, a spokeswoman for DeLay, said.

If the Democrats weren’t enough of a problem for DeLay now Republicans are piling on, too. Senator Rick Santorum made the following comments over the weekend:

"I think he [DeLay] has to come forward and lay out what he did and why he did it and let the people then judge for themselves," Santorum told ABC's "This Week." "But from everything I've heard, again, from the comments and responding to those, is everything he's done was according to the law.

In addition, another moderate Republican congressman criticized DeLay as well:

"My party is going to have to decide whether we are going to continue to make excuses for Tom to the detriment of Republicans seeking election," Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) said.

Reid’s radio address

Sen. Harry Reid offered up the Democrat radio address this Saturday. Reid continued the Democrats’ arguments that Republicans are trying to thwart the tyranny of Democracy by a minority. Reid singled out the Republicans’ attempt to ban the unprecedented action of Senate Democrats to filibustering judicial nominees.

"When it comes down to it, stripping away these important checks and balances is about the arrogance of those in power who want to rewrite the rules so that they can get their way," Reid said in his party's weekly radio address.

Talking to China

The Bush Administration announced that Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick has been assigned to head the U.S. delegation and a Chinese vice foreign minister will be his counterpart for regular meetings between the two countries. The U.S. and China have never held meetings at this level on a regular basis before.

The Chinese formally asked for strategic talks between the U.S. and China. The talks as a global dialog because strategic talks is reserved for discussions between the U.S. and its allies.

Jing Quan, a Chinese diplomat and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the talks with the United States would provide "a platform, a basis for the two countries to have direct, frank and deep dialogue." He said that, "through such effective communication, both sides would be in the position to avoid actions and policies that would lead to misunderstandings."

The odd couple

The LA Times offers a report on why Speaker Denny Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay seem to get along so well:

DeLay asked Hastert in 1993 to run his campaign to become whip, anticipating that Gingrich would become the top Republican in the House after the 1994 retirement of then-Minority Leader Robert H. Michel of Illinois. After DeLay won the whip's job, he rewarded Hastert by making him chief deputy whip. That put them both in the inner circle just as Republicans had won control of the House for the first time in 40 years.

MoveOn is pushing

MoveOn.org believes they are having an effect in stopping President Bush’s judicial nominees. Here is what they said in their latest e-mail:

Dear MoveOn Member,

In the last few weeks a surge of grassroots action has helped turn the tide in our fight against the Republican bid for absolute power to appoint far-right, corporate leaning judges. Last month, MoveOn members blanketed the nation with 19,000 letters to the editors of nearly every sizable newspaper in America.^[1] This week, we joined our allies on the steps of the Supreme Court to present Senate leaders with signatures from over 1 million Americans opposing the "nuclear option."

Each time you act, Democrats find more courage, and moderate Republicans get more nervous about their radical leadership's plan to eliminate the filibuster—we've got to keep the pressure on.

It's time for our senators to hear from us directly. That's why we've set the ambitious goal of generating 25,000 phone calls today opposing the "nuclear option" to break the rules and ram through extreme judges. If you make a call today, your voice will combine with thousands of others to have a huge impact. Please call right now:

Bush – Sharon meet

After meeting with Israel’s President Arial Sharon, President Bush offered praise to Palestinian President Abbas.

"I appreciate the fact that they've taken some action on security," Bush said of the Palestinians. "We want to continue to work with them on consolidating security forces."

As for Israel Bush said, "I told the Prime Minister not to undertake any activity that contravenes the road map or prejudices final status obligations."

"As to settlements, Israel will meet all its obligations under the road map," Sharon said.

Kerry’s crutch

Sen. John Kerry will be gimping along on crutches because of microscopic surgery on his right knee according to a Kerry spokeswoman. April Boyd said it was an outpatient procedure to repair cartilage in his knee, which was damaged by "years of soccer, hockey and marathon running."

Liberals go too far

A Washington liberal whose dislike for DeLay lead him to offer a Tom DeLay suicide shirt has found his way on To Drudge. Christopher Goodwin’s Caffepress site on the Web offered a T-shirt that urged DeLay to commit suicide. Caffepress has removed the shirt off the site since Drudge posted the story.

The shirt read, "Tom DeLay, please commit suicide, Sincerely Everyone."