London Telegraph Shows Prisoner Abuse Photos

As Frank Rich notes in Sunday’s New York Times, it’s futile for the president to object to the release of torture photos, as they are likely to be leaked, if they haven’t been already. Channel SBS in Australia obtained photos as early as 2006.

One picture showed a prisoner hung up upside down while another showed a naked man smeared in excrement standing in a corridor with a guard standing menacingly in front of him. Another prisoner is handcuffed to the window frame of his cell with underpants pulled over his head.

Others yet to be …

NRA’s Gun Rally Excuse To Bash Democrats

This is the NRA’s convention weekend but you’d think it was the Republican National Convention the way they’re behaving.  John McCain was an early weekend main event along with Mitt Romney, and the name “Nancy Pelosi” got boos each time it was mentioned.  Executive Director Wayne LaPierre offered a healthy dose of paranoia which, of course, is good to gin up the crowd and to raise money.

“The world government dreamers out there” and “the Washington boss bunch” are launching “unsubstantiated attacks on our cores values,” LaPierre said.

NRA lobbyist Chris Cox did give President Obama credit for …

GOP Attempt To Silence Pelosi Is Really Attempt To Silence Truth Commission

Nancy Pelosi is being used as a whipping post for Republicans to claim they have the high ground on Iraq and on torture.  They think Democrats have to stop talking because Pelosi has stood up to the CIA.  Think Progress has a compilation of conservatives hitting that meme.  Of course Republicans are conveniently forgetting all the times they complained about being lied to by the CIA.

And let’s not forget that Russ Feingold has seen the memos Cheney claims he wants released, and that nothing in those documents indicates that torture BushCo authorized was necessary.

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Michael Steele: Gay Marriage Will Hurt Small Business

So this is going to be the way they fight equal rights for gays?  They’re going to claim it’s bad for business?

Republicans can reach a broader base by recasting gay marriage as an issue that could dent pocketbooks as small businesses spend more on health care and other benefits, GOP Chairman Michael Steele said Saturday.

Steele said that was just an example of how the party can retool its message to appeal to young voters and minorities without sacrificing core conservative principles. Steele said he used the argument weeks ago while chatting on a flight with a college …

Friday Finally

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Pelosi Attacked For Saying CIA Lies By Republicans Who’ve Said CIA Lies

John Boehner, the House minority leader, is incredulous that the CIA would lie to a Member of Congress.

“I’ve dealt with our intelligence professionals for the last three-and-a-half years on an almost daily basis, and it’s hard for me to imagine that our intelligence area would ever mislead a member of Congress.”

But when Republicans didn’t like the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, Boehner had a different response.

“Either I don’t have confidence in what they told me several months ago or I don’t have confidence in what they’re telling me today.”

HuffPost has a couple of other examples of …

On Friday’s Radio Show…

• President Obama is headed to Notre Dame, but abortion activists want him to stay home. Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes explains why he’s willing to break the law in protest of the president.

Plus: It’s the Friday Night Free-For-All with:

• Former Democratic Pollster Pat Caddell

• Comedian Jimmy Tingle

• Author Michael Eric Dyson, whose latest book is Can You Hear Me Now? The Inspiration, Wisdom, and Insight of Michael Eric Dyson…

FCC: Fairness Doctrine Is “Phony Issue”

In spite of the ongoing whining of conservative talk show hosts and other right-wingers who worry that their voices will be silenced, FCC Acting Chairman Michael Copps made clear that there is no intention to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine and that it is a “phony issue.”

“The Fairness Doctrine is long gone and it’s not coming back, he said in a speech to media reform group Free Press at the Newseum in Washington Thursday.

Copps was referring to criticism from the right of the FCC’s diversity committee. “A couple of weeks ago, when we finally got the FCC …

Will President Obama Turn Notre Dame Students Against The Church?

If not, why all the protests about Obama’s upcoming graduation speech? At least six demonstrations are planned by anti-abortion activists.  Graduating students will be entering a world where they will confront all kinds of views, and they’re probably strong enough to withstand them.  Should every view of every potential speaker be examined to make sure it conforms to church doctrine?

NotreDameScandal.com has registered 362,608 online signatures on a petition calling for the school’s president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, to withdraw the invitation for Obama to speak.

“Notre Dame has chosen prestige over principles, popularity over …

Arkansas Senate Hopeful Apologizes For Calling Chuck Schumer “That Jew”

Arkansas GOP State Senator Kim Hendren, who has announced a run for Blanche Lincoln’s senate seat, has apologized for calling New York Senator Charles Schumer “that Jew” at the Polaski County Republican meeting.  Hendren spoke to Arkansas blogger Jason Tolbert.

“I don’t use a teleprompter and occasionally I put my foot in my mouth…At the meeting I was attempting to explain that unlike Sen. Schumer, I believe in traditional values, like we used to see on ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ I made the mistake of referring to Sen. Schumer as ‘that Jew’ and I should not have put it …

Former U.S. Senator Says CIA Lied To Him

Nancy Pelosi is not alone in claiming that the CIA misled lawmakers.

Former Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) tells the Huffington Post that just one month ago, the CIA lied to him about when he was briefed on enhanced interrogations.

“When this issue started to resurface I called the appropriate people in the agency and said I would like to know the dates from your records that briefings were held,” Graham recalled. “And they contacted me and gave me four dates — two in April ’02 and two in September ’02. Now, one of the things I do, and for …