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John Edwards Watch: UNHINGED Blogger Amanda Marcotte and the Edwards Campaign
Somehow, Flap thinks you can put a FORK in Amanda – She’s DONE.
Technorati Tags: AmandaMarcotte, JohnEdwards
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Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Get It Right or Get OUT
Republican Senators and The Choice Before Them: Get It Right Or Get Out
The Senate GOP Caucus have their marching orders:
Get it Right or Get Out.
Previous:
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: The McCain Resolution
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part VIII
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part VII
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part VI
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: GOP Senators Debate 5 Different Iraq War Resolutions
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part V
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part IV
John McCain Watch: DNC Criticizes McCain Contradictions on Iraq War
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part III
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part II
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge
Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, IraqWar, JohnWarner, MitchMcConnell
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President 2008 Watch: Mitt Romney WINS January Poll
In Flap’s January President 2008 Presidential Poll, Mitt Romney has won with 47.97 % of the votes.
The poll ran from January 12, 2008 through January 31.
Totals were:
Candidate Votes Percentage of total Mitt Romney 450 47.97 Rudy Giuliani 446 47.55 John McCain 42 4.48 Analysis:
Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani are closely vying for internet poll voters. John McCain supporters generally lag.
This supports Flap’s contention that going into primary season next January, Romney and Giuliani will be the two front runners. McCain is fading in the polls and internet presence – at least here – is poor.
Stay tuned for the next poll…….
Previous:
President 2008 Watch: GOP Bloggers and Flap’s Poll January 2007
Technorati Tags: RudyGiuliani, JohnMcCain, MittRomney, President2008
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Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part VI
Senate Iraq Battle Nears Showdown
The political battle over the war in Iraq continued Wednesday on Capitol Hill, where at least seven resolutions are on the table in response to President Bush’s plan for a troop buildup.
With a Senate showdown just days away, No. 2 GOP leader Trent Lott of Mississippi said he had concerns with each of a host of the resolutions introduced so far. If Republican leaders do not rally behind a single proposal, the party could avoid taking a clear, united stance on the widely unpopular Iraq war – a consequence Lott suggested he wouldn’t mind.
“To herd the cat sometimes you have to let them stray,” he said. “Think about that. Keeping them together by letting them stray.”
It sounds like Senator Lott has been listening to the NRSC Pledge folks.
31,484 people have signed The Pledge thus far. Will you?
So, what is happening with the Biden and Warner resolutions?It appears the original Iraq resolution, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Joe Biden and endorsed by Republican Chuck Hagel, is losing steam, CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports. It expresses symbolic opposition to the president’s troop increase.
“It’s dead, politically,” said one Republican source.
Gaining steam are a similar bipartisan proposal from Repubican Sen. John Warner and a new alternative being drafted by Republicans John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
CBS News has learned the McCain-Graham resolution would “allow Republicans cover” by “admitting that the past strategy has failed.” But it would support the president’s troop surge. It would require Iraqi benchmarks like disarming the militia, allowing local community elections. It would not set out consequences because that, says one person close to the negotiations, “would empower the enemy.”
The Biden resolution is DEAD.
But, the GOP has to endure John McCain and Benchmarks?
No Way……..
Robert Novak has some inside poop from his newsletter that will eventually be posted to Human Events:
Iraq Resolution: The saucer phenomenon is most clear with respect to the non-binding resolution being planned to oppose President Bush’s new strategy in Iraq. Democrats had high hopes — and the Bush Administration faced long odds — just last week on the prospect of a strongly worded and bipartisan resolution against a troop surge or “escalation” in Iraq. Somehow the administration dodged a bullet.
- The Democratic plan was for Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden (D-Del.) to sit down over the weekend with Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) and hammer out a consensus bipartisan resolution opposing the troop surge. But not even the influx of anti-war protesters on Saturday — who vandalized the Capitol and the Capitol South Metro station — could focus the Senate on finishing this work. Warner, who has been making backroom deals for 28 years in the Senate, informed Biden late last Thursday that the “will of the Senate” should be determined in “open” session. This effectively killed the Democrats’ hopes of passing a Biden-crafted anti-surge resolution. Such a proposal now cannot get the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster (and could even fall short of the 50 senators needed for a simple majority). It remains unclear whether any resolution will pass the Senate.
- Biden wanted to force through a harsh resolution condemning Bush’s plan, but advisers prevailed on him to meld his proposal with Warner’s milder non-approval language. Biden and his principal Republican co-sponsor, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), said last Wednesday that they would negotiate with Warner. Biden would have accepted most of Warner’s resolution, except for the parts leaving the door open for further troop increases and perhaps its affirmation of the President’s constitutional role as commander in chief. Biden was surprised when Warner and the conservative Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) asserted that “issues set forth in [the resolution] should occur as a consequence of the will of the Senate, working in ‘open’ session.” In other words: no private negotiations.
- That stand poses a dilemma for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) because of bipartisan support for Warner’s resolution. Besides Nelson, co-sponsors include Democrat Senators Mary Landrieu (La.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Bill Nelson (Fla.) and Ken Salazar (Colo.), and Republican Senators Norm Coleman (Minn.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Gordon Smith (Ore.). If they all stick together, Biden cannot change the Warner resolution. With Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine) joining Hagel as the only other Republican backing Biden’s version, it may lack even enough votes for a simple majority. Reid faces a difficult choice: He could crack the whip on Democrats to get a majority to pass the Biden resolution, or he could swallow an unaltered Warner resolution to win a bipartisan vote.
- Democrats are learning what Republicans found out after they last regained Senate control in 2002: The U.S. Senate is a sluggish, quirky and madly frustrating body that slows all progress and stops most legislation in its tracks. In the House, Speaker Pelosi has held back quick House passage of an anti-surge resolution, awaiting action in the cooler Senate.
- Despite the apparently good result for Bush with regard to the resolution, all is not rosy. Republicans feel withdrawal of troops must begin in the next six months for their party to have any chance at retaining the presidency in 2008. Even if Biden can’t have his way, there is little or no enthusiasm for sending more troops to Iraq.
Hugh Hewitt is RIGHT:
Senator McCain needs to hear from you, again.
His Senate office phone is: (202) 224-2235
His Senate office fax is: Fax (202)-228-2862
His Senate office e-mail is here.
His campaign phone is: (703) 418-2008
And here is the expanded list of contacts of other key senators:
Senator McConnell: Phone: (202) 224-2541 Fax: (202) 224-2499E-mail here.
Senator Lott: Phone: 202-224-6253 Fax: (202)-224-2262 E-mail here.
Senator Kyl: Phone: (202) 224-4521 Fax: (202) 224-2207 E-mail here.
Senator Ensign: (202)-224-6244 Fax: 202-228-2193. E-mail here.
Senator McCain: Phone: (202)-224-2235 Fax (202)-228-2862. E-mail here.
Senator Warner: Phone: (202) 224-2023 Fax: (202) 224-6295. E-mail here.
Senator Cornyn: Phone:202-224-2934 Fax: 202-228-2856. E-mail here.
Senator Smith: Phone: 202-224-3752 Fax: 202-228-3997. E-mail here.
Senator Coleman: Phone: 202-224-5641 Fax: 202-224-1152.E-mail here.
Finally, here is the contact information for Senator Brownback, who is about to completely dash his already small hopes of becoming the conservative alternative for GOP primary voters if Romney falters. Senator Brownback is not mentioned in the Times’ story, but earlier reports had him somewhere in the Warner/McCain camp. You can contact his presidential campaign here, or call his Senate office at (202) 224-6521.
Call senator McCain and the Senators again.
Ask them to FILIBUSTER or VOTE AGAINST CLOTURE on ALL Iraq War resolutions supporting FAILURE coming to the floor of the Senate tomorrow/this week/the coming week.
Flap is and you will be glad you did.Previous:
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: GOP Senators Debate 5 Different Iraq War Resolutions
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part V
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part IV
John McCain Watch: DNC Criticizes McCain Contradictions on Iraq War
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part III
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part II
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge
Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, IraqWar, JohnWarner, MitchMcConnell
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Apple v. Does Confidential Sources in the Blogopshere Watch: Apple Pays Legal Fees
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
National Journal: Apple Pays Legal Fees Of Bloggers
Apple Inc.’s unsuccessful lawsuit against two bloggers it accused of helping expose trade secrets has cost the company $700,000 as a reimbursement for the bloggers’ legal fees.
The bloggers argued that California’s “shield law,” which lets journalists protect anoymous sources, applied to them as they concealed their sources of information about forthcoming Apple products. A state court sided with bloggers last spring, and Apple dropped the case in the summer after a stream of bad press over the suit.
The outcome of the case was one of several instances of official recognition of bloggers as journalists, which I ranked among the Top 10 blog stories of 2006.
Remember the story and the involvement of the California Bear Flag League?
*******
Hugh Hewitt: Bloggers are Journalists (at least in California).
For your convenience, a long excerpt from the opinion from California’s Sixth Appellate Court in O’Grady v. The Superior Court of Santa Clara County, holding that bloggers and their blogs are covered by California’s Reporter’s Shield Law:
Thanks to Hugh for bringing this to the forefront again.
But, thanks to the efforts of the Bear Flag League on May 26th California Bloggers officially became journalists.
Flap reprints his post of this day: Apple v. Does Confidential Sources in the Blogopshere Watch: Bloggers WIN
The Southern California Law Blog: Bloggers Win, Apple Loses in California Decision Over First Amendment Rights
Today, the California Court of Appeal issued its opinion overturning the trial court’s discovery orders obtained by Apple
against a blogger. The EFF described the lawsuit by Apple as follows:In December 2004, Apple filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara county against unnamed individuals who allegedly leaked information about new Apple products to several online news sites, including AppleInsider and PowerPage. The articles at issue concerned a FireWire audio interface for GarageBand, codenamed “Asteroid†or “Q7.†In addition, Apple filed a separate trade secret suit against Think Secret on January 4, 2004.
Apple is seeking information from these news sites regarding the identities of the sites’ sources, and has subpoenaed Nfox.com, the email service provider for PowerPage, for email messages that may identify the confidential source.
The Bear Flag League in 2005 filed an amicus brief in support of Jackson O’Grady.
Congratulations to Justene Adamec and Jeff Lewis, attorneys extraordinaire, who represented the Bear Flag League and the Blogosphere so well.
*******
Well, under the law BLOGGERS ARE JOURNALISTS.
However, Flap finds resistance from organizations to grant press credentials and the access that the MSM already and readily enjoys.
Perhaps Flap should reprint this post and send it to them.
Listening California GOP?
According to ipodNN, a California court earlier this month ordered the company to pay the legal fees that the bloggers incurred in their defense. More than half of the $700,000 — a total of $425,000 — went to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which represented the bloggers. The rest went to co-counsels in the case.
“Bloggers break the news, just like journalists do,” EFF staff attorney Kurt Opsahl said. “They must be able to promise confidentiality in order to maintain the free flow of information. Without legal protection, informants will refuse to talk to reporters, diminishing the power of the open press that is the cornerstone of a free society.”
Indeed.
And Apple Computer – good call on dropping the lawsuit, which you shouldn’t have pursued in the FIRST PLACE.
Previous:
Apple v. Does: Confidential Sources in the Blogosphere
Judge: Apple can pursue fan site sources
Bloggers Speak up about the Apple Case
Technorati Tags: Bloggers, Apple, O’Grady, BearFlagLeague, JusteneAdamec, JeffLewis, blogosphere
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Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part V
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
In this photo provided by CBS, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., right, listens to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., before appearing on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation’ in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Hugh Hewitt: McConnell On Cloture And The Dance Of The Resolutions
Senator Mitch McConnell’s appearance on Face the Nation signaled clear victory for the victory Republicans. No resolution –not Biden’s, Warner’s or McCain’s– will advance without 60 votes for cloture. The Minority Leader also reminded the audience that General Petraeus made it clear he’d prefer no resolution. And after some nice words about Senator Warner. McConnell also announced he’d be voting against Warner’s resolution.
The Pledge is nearing 30,000 signatures, and poll questions have been added on whether Senator Warner should step aside in ’08 and on presidential preference among Pledge takers. The key for victory Repubicans is to communicate with the Senate that they expect Republicans to support the troops, General Petraeus and victory, and that such support cannot be demonstrated by posturing through hair-splitting resolutions.
This is good news.
But, this is not the time to be complacent.
Please make your calls, faxes and e-mails today to the following:
Senator McConnell: Phone: (202) 224-2541 Fax: (202) 224-2499E-mail here.
Senator Lott: Phone: 202-224-6253 Fax: (202)-224-2262 E-mail here.
Senator Kyl: Phone: (202) 224-4521 Fax: (202) 224-2207 E-mail here.
Senator Ensign: (202)-224-6244 Fax: 202-228-2193. E-mail here.
Senator McCain: Phone: (202)-224-2235 Fax (202)-228-2862. E-mail here.
Senator Warner: Phone: (202) 224-2023 Fax: (202) 224-6295. E-mail here.
Senator Cornyn: Phone:202-224-2934 Fax: 202-228-2856. E-mail here.
Senator Smith: Phone: 202-224-3752 Fax: 202-228-3997. E-mail here.
Senator Coleman: Phone: 202-224-5641 Fax: 202-224-1152.E-mail here.
Ask them to FILIBUSTER or VOTE AGAINST CLOTURE on ALL Iraq War resolutions supporting FAILURE coming to the floor of the Senate tomorrow/this week/the coming week.
And Senator Warner – time to retire, sir.
There WILL be a GOP Primary election challenge.
The transcript of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Face The Nation yesterday is here.
Stay tuned…….
Previous:
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part IV
John McCain Watch: DNC Criticizes McCain Contradictions on Iraq War
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part III
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part II
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge
Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, IraqWar, JohnWarner, MitchMcConnell
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Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part IV
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Hugh Hewitt: The Politics of Victory: Nine Phone Calls, Nine Faxes, Nine E-mails
If the United States Senate passes a resolution, non-binding or otherwise, that criticizes the commitment of additional troops to Iraq that General Petraeus has asked for and that the president has pledged, and if the Senate does so after the testimony of General Petraeus on January 23 that such a resolution will be an encouragement to the enemy, I will not contribute to any Republican senator who voted for the resolution. Further, if any Republican senator who votes for such a resolution is a candidate for re-election in 2008, I will not contribute to the National Republican Senatorial Committee unless the Chairman of that Committee, Senator Ensign, commits in writing that none of the funds of the NRSC will go to support the re-election of any senator supporting the non-binding resolution.
Sign the petition and make the e-mails, faxes and calls tomorrow.
NO Senate resolutions that undermine the President or our troops.
The List:
Senator McConnell: Phone: (202) 224-2541 Fax: (202) 224-2499E-mail here.
Senator Lott: Phone: 202-224-6253 Fax: (202)-224-2262 E-mail here.
Senator Kyl: Phone: (202) 224-4521 Fax: (202) 224-2207 E-mail here.
Senator Ensign: (202)-224-6244 Fax: 202-228-2193. E-mail here.
Senator McCain: Phone: (202)-224-2235 Fax (202)-228-2862. E-mail here.
Senator Warner: Phone: (202) 224-2023 Fax: (202) 224-6295. E-mail here.
Senator Cornyn: Phone:202-224-2934 Fax: 202-228-2856. E-mail here.
Senator Smith: Phone: 202-224-3752 Fax: 202-228-3997. E-mail here.
Senator Coleman: Phone: 202-224-5641 Fax: 202-224-1152.E-mail here.
Make this a priority tomorrow morning. Flap says support VICTORY in Iraq.
Flap knows you will be glad you did.
Previous:
John McCain Watch: DNC Criticizes McCain Contradictions on Iraq War
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part III
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge Part II
Iraq War Senate Resolution Watch: Take the Pledge
Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, IraqWar, JohnWarner, MitchMcConnell
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Hot Air Watch: Vent The Associated (With Booty Calls) Press
Michelle has it RIGHT – as usual!
ASSociated Press indeed……….
Technorati Tags: MichelleMalkin, HotAir, AssociatedPress
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President 2008 Watch: Most and Least Desired GOP Presidential Nominees
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Right Wing News: Right-Of-Center Bloggers Select The Most & Least Desired 2008 Republican Nominee (First Half Of 2007 Edition)
Most Desired Nominee For 200814) John Cox (4)
13) Jeb Bush (5)
12) Jim Gilmore (5.5)
11) Ron Paul (8.5)
10) Condi Rice (11.5)
9) Mike Huckabee (14)
8) Tommy Thompson (15.5)
7) John McCain (19)
6) Sam Brownback (20)
5) Tom Tancredo (31.5)
4) Duncan Hunter (35.5)
3) Mitt Romney (43)
2) Rudy Giuliani (45)
1) Newt Gingrich (52)Least Desired Nominee For 2008
13) John Cox (4.5)
12) Jim Gilmore (5.5)
11) Tommy Thompson (9)
10) Ron Paul (10.5)
9) Mitt Romney (11.5)
8) Mike Huckabee (12)
7) Newt Gingrich (13.5)
6) Rudy Giuliani (17)
5) Sam Brownback (21)
4) Tom Tancredo (30)
3) George Pataki (49)
2) John McCain (60.5)
1) Chuck Hagel (64)Rudy Giuliani does OK.
McCain sucks with the center-right blogosphere. But, no surprise here.
A Giuliani – Gingrich ticket works for Flap – and apparently everyone else.
Technorati Tags: RightWingNews, President2008, RudyGiuliani, JohnMcCain, MittRomney
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CapitolAlert Watch: New Subscription Only Blog From the Sacramento Bee
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Los Angeles Times: Uh, Nice Tie
There’s a new blog in town. No, it’s not CapitolAlert, the $499 service by the Sacramento Bee, which executive editor Rick Rodriguez said was designed to “capitalize on our brand as a premier provider of information about California politics and policy.” Notice Rodriguez diplomatically said “a” premier provider, not “the” premier provider.
Flap frankly doesn’t see how this business model works for the Sacramento Bee. In the early days of on-line newspaper journalism, readership fell precipitously when newspapers sold subscriptions. But, readership continues to fall for the MSM press so now why not try to recoup some costs?
Somehow I am skeptical – as is Robert Sallady at the Los Angeles Times.
And Flap is surprised that long time blogger Dan Weintraub will now be under the pay to read banner. Perhaps he will have an at home anonymous blog for the rest of the blogosphere?
Technorati Tags: CapitolAlert, SacramentoBee, LosAngelesTimes, DanWeintraub