by Frank James
A quick guided tour of some of the morning's most important or interesting (or both) Washington-related stories.
Karl Rove's influence on American politics may be felt long after he officially leaves his White House job as President Bush's chief political advisor later this month since operatives who worked with him learning his methods work in many Republican campaigns.
Rove watchers, including his allies, believe he failed to achieve his goal of creating a permanent Republican majority.
U.S. and Iraqi forces began a new offensive Monday north of Baghdad to drive insurgents out of areas they fled to because of pressure from the U.S. surge elsewhere.
The Justice Department is finalizing new rules that would increase Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's role in death-penalty cases, allowing him to "fast-track" them by reducing death-row inmates' appeals to federal courts.
Millions of documents associated with Sen. Hillary Clinton's White House years as First Lady are locked up away from public scrutiny which has led a conservative watchdog group to sue the National Archives for their release.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's great personal wealth is being enhanced by his ties to Bain Capital Partners, the private equity group whose officials and employees are contributing significantly to his campaign.
The extent of the federal government's surveillance of e-mail communications as part of what's been called the Terrorist Surveillance Program could be revealed if federal judges allow two lawsuits to go forward.
Prices for foods like eggs and milk that form an essential part of American diets have risen significantly more than food prices generally, contributing to consumer pessimism.
The U.S. Border Patrol has asked for volunteers among its agents to help build a border fence between the U.S. and Mexico.
A single company, likely Verizon Wireless, could gain more than half of the broadcast spectrum to be auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission next year.
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Comments
"...believe he failed to achieve his goal of creating a permanent Republican majority."
Actually, just like Shrub, he is King Midas in reverse. Because of the Republic party's descent into wingnuttia, I believe 2006 was the start of the permanent Dem. majority. (At least until the Republics are punished sufficiently to return to moderation.) Thanks Karl; you've helped poison the Republic brand for a generation.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | August 14, 2007 8:54 AM
Rove's influence, both bad and worse, will burden the USA for years to come. His predecesor Lee Atwater laid the foundation of using wedge issues and fanning fears and bigotries and KKKarl learned those lessons well. Now, it appears to have become institutionalized far beyond the negative campaigns in our history. Going all the way back to the re-election of George Washington, there have been dirty campaigns & tricks. Sadly, our communications technology has made this ugly part of us on full-speed & full-blare 24 hrs/day 7 days/week.
Let's all start voting FOR someone who campaigns only on a positive platform and who refuses to demonize his opponents. All it takes is once to break a cycle.
Posted by: snalg | August 14, 2007 9:21 AM
Anybody hear how the Iraqi political reconcilliation is coming along?
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 14, 2007 9:28 AM
Speaking of Iraq, here's a nice little video of Cheney talking about Iraq.
http://tinyurl.com/3bjrzo
Posted by: Marko | August 14, 2007 9:54 AM
Karl Rove set new standards for defamation, vilification, and character sssassination. His lies about McCain, and McCains allowing them, destroyed Mc Cain's manhood and is the real reason he is not a viable candidate. The "swift boating" of Kerry indicated the complete lack of ethics of Rove and Bush.
Rove and the media that supported the lies have permanently lowered the standards of American politics. To be successful telling lies you need a gullible media to repeat them intact. Rove was lucky.
Posted by: c. perry | August 14, 2007 9:55 AM
We have justifiably trashed Rove, but remember, his dirty tactics did influence us. We bought it. We deserve just as much blame for its success.
Posted by: Chris | August 14, 2007 10:22 AM
As you can tell from the first 5 comments above, Bush Derangement Syndrome has a cousin--Rove Derangement Syndrome.
But enough of the tin foil hat crowd and their conspiracy fantasies.
There are several stories in the news today that the Swamp doesn't mention above:
1) The latest Gallup Poll has Rudy Giuliani widening his lead in the GOP presidential race. In fact, Giuliani tops the 8 leading contenders, Democrat and Republican, on who the public has the most favorable impression of. See http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=28363
2) The European countries that have pushed "greenhouse gas" emission standards for everybody else are going to fail, spectacularly, in their goals of reducing their own emissions. In fact, a leaked government report (to the hard left UK Guardian) suggests that the British government will have to cover up their failure. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/aug/13/renewableenergy.energy
3) The recent "Ethics" Bill passed by the Democrat Congress is, predictably, full of loopholes, as even the leftist Washingtn Post acknowledges: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/13/AR2007081300980.html?nav=rss_politics
4) The surge in Iraq is working, as USA Today and the German Der Speigel concede. There's been a 50% decline in major attacks since the surge started. See http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-08-12-lede13_N.htm
Posted by: Bruce | August 14, 2007 10:30 AM
RNC Bruce,
Get on point.
Where is the Iraqi government's political reconcilliation?
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 14, 2007 10:46 AM
Are Bush and Rove Derangement Syndrome related to Clinton Derangement Syndrome?
Posted by: chimpymcflightsuit's navigator | August 14, 2007 11:23 AM
4) The surge in Iraq is working, as USA Today and the German Der Speigel concede. There's been a 50% decline in major attacks since the surge started.
Posted by: Bruce | August 14, 2007 10:30 AM
Bruce Whinerdyce,
I see your still buying into the Bush/Cheney propagada.
How is OCCUPYING Iraq going to give us a solution and how much longer do you think we can do it?
How is this Iraqi government (that currently is on VACATION) going to govern their own country when they can't even leave the "green zone".
"The surge is working"?....tell that to our troops who have died for nothing this month, Brucie http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2945310
Posted by: John E | August 14, 2007 12:08 PM
Bruce,
Tin foil has been made of aluminum for about 60 years now. Tin cans - steel or aluminum.
Keep up, Bruce.
Posted by: snalg | August 14, 2007 12:09 PM
"a new offensive Monday north of Baghdad to drive insurgents out of areas they fled to because of pressure from the U.S. surge elsewhere."
Kind of sounds like my dogs chasing the flocks of starlings around in the fields. They just fly up for a bit to get out of the way and then land again when the dogs are out of range or get tired.
Bruce,
The surge is working? No thanks to the Iraqi Parliament that is spending August by the pool while our troops are busting their butts and getting killed. Can you EVER loosen your goose step and disagree with the actions of this administration?
Posted by: DD | August 14, 2007 12:19 PM
Bruce,
If the surge is working, how come Iraqi politicians are living in and commute from Jordan? Perhaps there are no more living spaces in the Green Zone but isn't it safe enough for them to stay in Baghdad neighborhoods. Seems like an awful lot of money someone is wasting to pay for travel to and from Jordan and Iraq.
PS Did I spell everything right?
Posted by: janet | August 14, 2007 12:30 PM
"Speaking of Iraq, here's a nice little video of Cheney talking about Iraq."
http://tinyurl.com/3bjrzo
Posted by: Marko | August 14, 2007 9:54 AM
"Cheney, '94: Invading Iraq invites a 'quagmire'"
Posted at 9:56 AM by Mark Silva
Marko and Mark Silva,
My God, do you guys live in a cave!? This is news for you?
I didn't think there was any conscious adult in America today who didn't already know what Cheney thought about "finishing the job" back in the 90s.
I was wrong. There are two.
Posted by: [INSERT CLEVER POST NAME HERE] | August 14, 2007 1:11 PM
I don't think Hillary Clinton should be eligible to run for President until her records are eligible to be made public. Anyone else who runs doesn't have their past 'experience' locked away from the public. And my guess is she'd be one of the first to cast a stone if the situation was reversed and Barack's documents were sequestered until after the election!
Posted by: Deb | August 14, 2007 1:22 PM
I don't think Hillary Clinton should be eligible to run for President until her records are eligible to be made public. Anyone else who runs doesn't have their past 'experience' locked away from the public. And my guess is she'd be one of the first to cast a stone if the situation was reversed and Barack's documents were sequestered until after the election!
Posted by: Deb | August 14, 2007 1:22 PM
Deb, if only we would have demanded that from W. in 2000........
Posted by: John E | August 14, 2007 3:31 PM
So Deb, are you going to produce Shrub's AWOL documents?
Beating Republics...it's like falling off a log.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | August 14, 2007 8:05 PM