Harry Reid Should Be More Like Dick Durbin

The Senate’s second-ranking Democrat (pictured right) has come out squarely in favor of building the lower Manhattan community center, unlike Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (pictured left).

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said Sunday that those who are opposed to the mosque are trying to divide the country with fear and hate.

“The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has given his assent to this center and I support his decision,” Durbin said Sunday. “The politicians like Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin who try to divide America with fear and hate over this issue betray the diversity which …

Presbyterian Minister Faces Church Trial For Performing Legal Gay Marriages

Rev. Jane Spahr, a retired Presbyterian minister, has been accused of publicly, intentionally and repeatedly violating church doctrine when she presided over 16 weddings in California between June and November, 2008.

Eleven of the couples are expected to testify as witnesses at the trial scheduled to start Tuesday at the Presbytery of the Redwoods in Napa.

It’s the second time the 67-year-old Spahr has faced sanctions from the Presbyterian Church (USA).

A regional church court convicted her in 2007 for marrying two lesbian couples. But the church’s top court later acquitted her, saying the ceremonies were not real marriages.…

Jimmy Carter Headed To North Korea on Rescue Mission

Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly going to North Korea to gain the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, a 30-year-old Boston man who was arrested in April crossing into North Korea from China, and sentenced to 8 years in prison.

There will be no U.S. government officials on the trip and Carter is traveling in his capacity as a private citizen, our sources report — much like when former President Bill Clinton traveled to Pyongyang last August to bring home Current TV reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who had wandered across the North Korean border with China and were …

Howdy Doody Show And Theme Writer Edward Kean Dead At 85

Even if you didn’t grow up watching Buffalo Bob, you surely know the Howdy Doody theme song. Edward Kean wrote for the show until 1954, created its theme song, and helped create Howdy in his own image.

The New York City native wrote the song “It’s Howdy Doody Time,” which was sung during the show’s opening. He had a major role in developing the characters and their personalities, and created the exclamation, “kowabunga,” made popular by one of the show’s characters and borrowed by Bart Simpson, the animated problem child on the long-running comedy “The Simpsons.”

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Ron Paul Vs. Rand Paul On New York Islamic Center

Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul has come out against having an Islamic center near Ground Zero (never mind that there are already mosques within blocks).  He told TPM they should put their money elsewhere. Congressman Ron Paul, on the other hand, has spoken out against Islamophobia, telling “sunshine patriots” to “stop your demagoguery.”

Neither Paul immediately responded to a request for comment on their difference in language. But the Cordoba House appears to be an issue where Rand is very publicly breaking from this father’s dyed-in-the-wool libertarianism, which often leaves the elder Paul standing alone against the GOP …

On Monday’s Radio Show…

• Alan examines the latest comments from the imam behind the mosque near Ground Zero.

• “Hard Hat Pledge” creator Andy Sullivan tells Alan why he and other construction workers are vowing not to do work on the Islamic center.

• What would a Republican Congress do? Nothing, admits one GOP lawmaker. Alan questions why voters should support the Party of No in November.…

GOP National Comitteewoman To President Obama: “Are You A Christian? Do You Believe That Jesus Christ Is The Only Way To Heaven?”

Kim Lehman may be the first National Committee member to state that Obama is  Muslim. What’s startling, besides her position, is how it is obvious by her comments that she believes being Muslim is wrong. Lehman attracted attention after Politico published a story about how Obama is confronting questions about his faith, and she Tweeted:

“@politico you’re funny. They must pay you a lot to protect Obama. BTW he personally told the muslims that he IS a muslim. Read his lips.”

Lehman says her belief about the president is based on a speech he gave in Cairo last summer …

New York Billionaires Behind The Tea Party Movement

The myth of the tea party being a grassroots movement takes another hit, as the New Yorker‘s Jane Mayer looks a the Koch brothers, Charles and David, who fund much of the tea party movement (via Glynnis MacNichol).

The Kochs operate oil refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, and control some four thousand miles of pipeline. Koch Industries owns Brawny paper towels, Dixie cups, Georgia-Pacific lumber, Stainmaster carpet, and Lycra, among other products. Forbes ranks it as the second-largest private company in the country, after Cargill, and its consistent profitability has made David and Charles Koch—who, years ago, …

Rep. Darrell Issa: Tea Party Isn’t Outraged Enough

California Congressman Darrell Issa told a California Republican Party meeting that the tea party isn’t angry enough.

“We have to say to the tea party: You’re not strident enough, you’re not angry enough and the government has gone far enough,” Issa said.

“We’ve already squandered the legacy of our parents.”…

Watch The Governor Races!

by Stuart Shapiro

As November draws closer, more and more attention will be paid to the horse race aspects of the election.  Much will focus on the Senate and House, but gubernatorial contests are also crucial.  Governors will play a key role both in redistricting after the 2010 Census results are announced and in the 2012 election. Steve Singiser has a nice (if depressing) post up about these contests at Kos.

Aside from their critical importance, the gubernatorial races deserve the eye of the political junkie for another reason–they are bound to be top-flight political theatre. The cast of …

“Constitution-Loving” Republicans Have Proposed 42 Amendments To Their Beloved Document

Democrats have proposed 27 amendments, but they’re usually not the ones running around calling themselves “constitutionalists.” Case-in-point is Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia.

Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia won his seat in Congress campaigning as a strict defender of the Constitution. He carries a copy in his pocket and is particularly fond of invoking the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

But it turns out there are parts of the document he doesn’t care for — lots of them. He wants to get rid of the language about birthright citizenship, federal income taxes and direct election of senators, among …