Randi Rhodes: Eating Their Own

Hour One Guest: Former Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) on the game of debt ceiling Russian-roulette being played by the GOP and it what it means for your job and personal finances.

Newt Gingrich announced his candidacy last week. He’ll be lucky if it survives this week. In the past couple days, both Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump issued public statements saying they would not be in the running to be our next president. Newt Gingrich also said the exact same thing. He just wasn’t aware of it at the time. Newt managed to announce that he will not be our next president while in the act of running for president. Newt set off a hornet’s nest with statements that attacked Paul Ryan’s budget plan and that supported the idea of an individual mandate for health insurance. Newt really stepped in it, and by “it” I mean his own big mouth, where his foot is now firmly lodged. Now he’s begun the process of walking back those statements. And that is going to be one long, hard walk.

Newt called Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan “rightwing social engineering.” But all except four of the House Republicans voted for it. Newt, you can throw people under the bus… but you can’t throw the bus under the bus. Paul Ryan and the House Republicans worked very hard on that plan. I’d like to see Newt Gingrich come up with a better plan to destroy Medicare without doing anything for the budget deficit!

Now the GOP Empire is striking Newt back. Dick Armey said this fits Gingrich’s track record of being “confused and conflicted” on health care policy. Give most of the rest of the Republicans credit—they’re consistent on healthcare policy. Consistently wrong, but consistent nonetheless. But then not all Republicans feel that Newt is “confused and conflicted.” Charles Krauthammer said that Newt is “contradictory and incoherent.” So there’s a variety of opinions out there. Krauthammer also said point blank that Newt Gingrich “is done.” Hey Newt, you just got “Krauthammered!” Everything Newt Gingrich has said and done over the years is coming back to haunt him. Well, some of the things he’s said and done. If it were everything, he would be in prison for life.

Also, it came out that former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child ten years ago with a long-time household staffer. OK, let’s do the math, and check the irony meter on Arnold’s fathering of this child. It looks like it was well after he made the movie “Junior.” That’s good. But uh-oh—it was right around the time he made “Collateral Damage.”

Today’s Homework | Discuss

In spite of being for a healthcare individual mandate since at least the 1990’s and as recently as two days ago, Newt rushed out this bizarre hostage tape-like repudiation of the individual mandate yesterday to try to appease the tea freaks that now control the GOP…

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Thom Hartmann: It seems like the only way banksters go to jail nowadays is if they try to rape a hotel maid

More evidence that banksters should go to jail. The Department of Housing and Urban Development just wrapped up an investigation into the nation's five largest mortgage companies - Bank of America - JP Morgan Chase - Wells Fargo - Citigroup - and Ally Financial. What the agency found is that these banks routinely lied about the how much foreclosed homes were worth when they were getting reimbursed for those loans by the government - a practice that generated huge profits for the bank by swindling taxpayers. This is just the latest report to uncover crimes by banksters.

It was also discovered earlier this year that banks made as much as $30 billion thanks to illegal foreclosure practices - like kicking people out of their homes who didn't deserve to be. All of these reports have been handed over to the Department of Justice - yet nothing has been done to hold the banksters accountable.

It seems like the only way banksters go to jail nowadays is if they also try to rape a hotel maid. When will we once again start throwing banksters in jail for fraud and fraud alone - like Reagan did with the S & Ls?

-Thom

(Do you think any banks or banksters will be punished? Tell us here.)

‘Boo-yah!’: Stewart takes on O’Reilly over Fox News ‘selective outrage machine’

by Joe Pompeo

In the last installment of the Fox News-fueled controversy involving the rapper Common's appearance last week at a White House poetry reading, Bill O'Reilly had challenged Comedy Central's Jon Stewart to debate the issue on his 8 p.m. Fox show, "The O'Reilly Factor."

At issue is Common's sympathy for two convicted cop killers, Mumia Abu Jamal and Assata Shakur, who have both long had the support of left-wing activists who believe neither received a fair trial. O'Reilly argued last week that it was unacceptable for the White House to have hosted Common. Stewart argued that O'Reilly and his Fox News colleagues were simply manufacturing the controversy to pump up ratings and viewer outrage.

O'Reilly and Stewart have a curious love-hate relationship. Each host's past appearances on the other's show have made for great TV, and Monday night was no exception. Fox News pre-taped the interview and broke it into two parts. The first aired last night in two clips (see Part One above, and Part Two after the jump, below). The second half of the exchange will air on "The O'Reilly Factor" tonight. Here's a recap of round one:

Monday's segment began with Stewart clarifying why he believes Common has advocated for Shakur.

"What I think he's doing is not celebrating, but honoring someone he believes was wrongly convicted of cop killing," said the "Daily Show" host. "I think he believes she was convicted unjustly."

Maybe so--but O'Reilly fired back by arguing that the White House unfairly validated and elevated Common as a poet. "Do you know how many poets would have liked to have been there?" he said. "Why did he get that honor in your opinion?"

"Because I think he's not defined as an artist by this Assata Shakur case," said Stewart.

To illustrate his point, Stewart brought up Leonard Peltier, the Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents: "Guess who wrote a song about Leonard Peltier? [U2's] Bono. Guess where he was? The White House."

"Boo-yah!" Stewart exclaimed in mock triumph. (In a mock-pedagogic aside to O'Reilly he explained: "That's a rap word.")

Stewart then cited Bob Dylan as another White House-honored artist who had composed a song about a convicted killer--the former boxer Ruben "Hurricane" Carter.

Which brought him to the crux of his argument: "There is a selective outrage machine here at Fox that pettifogs only when it suits the narrative that suits them," he said. "This guy is in the cross hairs in a way that he shouldn't be, whether you agree with him or not."

The interview generated strong reactions online. The Nation's Ari Melber called it "a virtuoso duel where comedy eviscerated farce." Business Insider's Glynnis MacNicol applauded both hosts for producing a feature "that shows ... opposite sides of the political spectrum partaking in intelligent discussion. Emphasis on intelligent."

As for how many people were watching, if Stewart's last appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor" is any indication, you can expect higher than usual ratings for Monday's and tonight's editions of the show.

Randi Rhodes:Newt Gets Trump's Dog Whistle

Well, Donald Trump will not be our next president. But then everybody has known that for a long time… with the possible exception of Donald Trump. Today Trump released a statement saying “After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the Presidency.” Don, you could have skipped all the deliberation and reflection. All you had to do was look at the latest polls. Trump’s statement said “I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election.” Yes, yes, Donald. Nobody was afraid that this meant you were no longer delusional. You know what Trump’s departure means—Newt Gingrich has to step up and become the chief purveyor of subliminal racism in this campaign.

So far, so good on that front! This weekend Newt Gingrich called President Obama a “food stamp president.” The only truly shocking thing about that is that he hadn’t already done it. Really, you’d think that the phrase “food stamp president” would have been higher on Newt’s list of racist dog-whistle phrases. Or maybe he was just saving one of his favorites for right after he announced his candidacy. “Food stamp president” is clearly coded racism. And it’s not a very difficult code to break. You can decode that one with the secret decoder ring from a box of Cracker Jacks. Yeah, Newt really spells it out for you. And the first letter of the secret word is “N.” Newt first floated the phrase this last Friday at the Georgia state Republican convention, and then he tried it Sunday on Meet the Press. From a GOP gathering to a mainstream news program—it’s like Newt is trying to make a country and western song into a cross-over hit.

Newt also suggested the U.S. bring back a “voting standard” that requires voters to prove they know American history. What is he trying to do—disenfranchise Michele Bachmann? Unless of course, Newt is referring to the conservative version of American history. In that case, you can only vote if you know that the battle of Concord was fought in New Hampshire, the Founding Fathers worked tirelessly to end slavery, and the battle of “Iwo Jemma” was a battle against all odds.

Today’s Homework | Discuss

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Thom Hartmann: Don't the millionaire oil executives realize they can't escape climate change either?

Thanks to record-breaking rainfall last month - the Mississippi River is overflowing, pouring enormous floodwaters across - Louisiana - Mississippi - Missouri - and Tennessee. Several billions of dollars of damage has been reported. The Army Corps of Engineers is now relieving pressure on New Orleans levees by flooding thousands of acres in Louisiana, in a desperate bid to save the city from drowning in a disaster worse than Katrina. Record breaking twisters a few weeks ago - record breaking floods now - yet Republicans are pressing ahead denying climate change.

In fact - of the 43 Members of Congress representing the afflicted states - 38 have voted to block the EPA from enforcing greenhouse gas regulation. How many more homes destroyed - and people killed - will it take for Republicans to accept we are living in dangerous times with an increasingly volatile climate as a result of our destructive energy policy? Don't the millionaire oil executives realize they can't escape climate change either?

Oh, wait - that's right - they can afford million-dollar waterproof bunkers, one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States specifically designed for rich people to avoid everything from floods to wildfires.

-Thom

(Where would you put their bunker? Tell us here.)

Teen who challenged Bachmann to Constitution showdown is running for class president

When 16-year-old Amy Myers launched her campaign to be class president at Cherry Hill East High School in New Jersey, the boys in her sophomore class began teasing her. And that crash course in how aspiring female leaders get judged on the basis of gender led, in a roundabout way, to Myers' challenge to debate Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann on the Constitution.

"Your slogan for president should be that you're not a witch," Myers' male detractors said, referencing the much-mocked campaign stance of ex-Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell, who decided to confront her years-old statements about Wicca head-on in her first TV ad. The boys told Myers she just wanted to be "another girl politician" like O'Donnell and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, whom the boys (and pretty much every late-night comedian) often made fun of.

"And I just said, 'oh great,'" recalls Myers.

Myers was angry that many of the most visible female politicians were seen as fodder for jokes and ridicule, which made her peers think it was ok to mock her political aspirations, too. She singled out Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) after her father noticed the congresswoman had incorrectly stated the Revolutionary War Battles of Lexington and Concord happened in New Hampshire. (She told a group of conservatives in Manchester in March: "You're the state where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord.") In January, Myers watched agasp as Bachmann said America's founding fathers "worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States."

"We covered the presidents, and we're currently at Jackson," Myers says. She says that though John Adams (and his son John Quincy Adams, who was not a founding father) objected to slavery, the other founding fathers did own slaves. They were all dead before slavery was officially abolished in 1865, during the Civil War.

She decided that Bachmann's inaccurate historical statements were irresponsible, since they reflected badly on women everywhere, and particularly on Myers herself. (We at The Lookout would like to point out that politicians of both genders frequently say stupid things; you can consult our sister blog The Ticket for proof.) The forceful letter Myers ended up writing to Bachmann, challenging her to a showdown over the Constitution and civics generally, quickly went viral on political blogs. Many Yahoo! commenters suggested that all politicians be forced to take the challenge before being allowed to take office.

As the letter picked up national attention, Myers' campaign to be class president also started to gather steam. And she finally feels she is getting respect from the boys who teased her.

"The big joke in school is: Want to hear a funny joke? Haha, women's rights," says Myers. "Also the boys will tell you, 'Oh go make me a sandwich,' when you leave the table. That's what they're all like--it's awful!

But ever since this happened everyone's been cheering me on, and now everyone's so supportive. And I was surprised at how quickly everyone came to the realization that I am serious about politics," she says.

When asked about female politicians she admires, Myers lists Abigail Adams, Sandra Day O'Connor, Margaret Thatcher, and Eleanor Roosevelt. But when we asked her about current officer-holders, she paused. "I'm trying to think," she says. "Generally the people I admire, most of them are deceased or they are retired from office," she concluded.

She says that even though some people online have accused her of being a "Communist" for her criticism of Bachmann, she characterizes her own politics as independent and thinks of herself as a "split-ticket" kind of voter--once she's old enough to vote, that is.

Myers still hasn't received a response from Bachmann, but says she's ready to make good on the debate challenge at a time and venue of the congresswoman's choosing. A request for comment from Bachmann's spokesman has gone unanswered.

By Liz Goodwin

(Myers: Alexandra Elisabetta)

Jasse James is Big Ugly Un-Remorseful, Un-Grateful, Cheating Schmuck!

Dorothy Lucey Meets Jesse James' Dark Side: MyFoxLA.com

Thom Hartmann: Do we now have three co-equal branches of government - each owned by big oil?

People who care about the environment are screwed. Republicans are handing our Gulf of Mexico over to oil corporations. A new bill entitled the "Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act" passed out of the House of Representatives on Wednesday ending the moratorium on drilling in the Gulf and giving his oil corporations free reign to explore for new wells as if the BP oil spill last year never happened. But a sneaky little provision in the bill makes sure oil corporations will have a favorable audience in the courtroom if they should screw up again.

The bill says that any lawsuits against oil corporations in the Gulf MUST be brought in front of the Fifth Circuit court. Why the fifth circuit court? Because it's bought off by big oil! Ten of the sixteen judges on the court have stakes in oil - including the Chief Judge who owns over $300,000 in oil investments. Other judges on that court have attended legal junkets sponsored by big oil companies.

Looks like we now have in America - three co-equal branches of government - each owned by big oil.

-Thom

(Do you think there should be any drilling in the Gulf? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Texas Tea & Nevada’s Shame

It's Friday, ya bastids!

Ron Paul announced today that he is running for president. We need people like Ron Paul saying the things that he says. But face it, nobody should really listen to him. Ron Paul interesting. But then so is Charlie Sheen. And I don’t want to be riding in any vehicle that Charlie Sheen is driving. How would the United States end up if you put Ron Paul in charge of it? Well, he raised Rand Paul. ‘Nuff said.

The Senate Ethics Committee has released an explosive report on John Ensign’s lack of ethics. After reading the report from the Ethics Committee, you know why John Ensign resigned. The only mystery is why he hasn’t fled the country. This is extreme, even by Republican Senator standards. I can imagine Larry Craig and David Vitter reading this report and saying “What the hell was John Ensign thinking?” This report is so full of salacious details that a lot of its 68-pages are going to end up stuck together.

In one part of the report, Ensign’s “spiritual adviser” called Ensign from outside of a hotel room where the senator was with his mistress and said “I know exactly what you are doing. Put your pants on and go home.” Wow. I kind of assumed that a spiritual advisor helped you to avoid temptation. I guess we’re well beyond that point when your spiritual advisor is telling you to put your pants on. “Put on your pants and go home.” Too bad—that would have been the perfect sentence to close with if the Senate had expelled John Ensign: “The vote is for expulsion. Senator Ensign, put your pants on and go home.” And then Ensign engaged in obstruction of justice by destroying documents and emails relevant to the investigation. At least he had his pants on while he was doing that. Or am I assuming too much?

Three of bin Laden’s widows have been interviewed by U.S. intelligence. The other two of his wives are separated from him. You might get juicier tidbits from them. Together, these three wives gave birth to 20 of Osama bin Laden’s children. My God. If your kid allowed that to happen with his hamsters, you’d take them away from him. 20 children, and that’s just with three of his five wives! That sounds like a commercial for whatever type of herbal Viagra bin Laden was using.

JUST IN: Osama bin Laden’s porn stash

Today’s Homework | Discuss

Flashback: Randi asked the questions others won't in her Feb 2011 Ron Paul interview...

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Norman Goldman: justice is served on torture; former Sen. John Ensign potentially criminal conduct; oil company taxes allegedly paid; flash mobs and R

Norman Goldman May 12th 2011 Full Show
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Today, justice is served on torture; former Sen. John Ensign potentially criminal conduct; oil company taxes allegedly paid; flash mobs and Republicon candidates, plus bin Laden's kids suing the government and 'Cons wanting to radically restructuring the state-federal balance. Too much show!

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) who was himself tortured in Vietnam, today came out strongly against torture. About time!

The Senate acted to bring criminal charges against recently made ex-Senator John Ensign and I'll explain why!

The First Amendment lives! And, I'd love to see it proved on the Republicon presidential candidates! I'll explain how today!

Does Exxon REALLY pay taxes? Let's take a little look-see at their claims today!

Osama bin Laden's kids are threatening a lawsuit. Should we be scared? Senior Legal Analyst time!

Republicons want to re fight the Civil War in a new way - and they may be on to something!! Civics class today!

On Beyond The Norm - the dangers of cough-and-cold prescription drugs!

Fierce independence means giving real analysis to all manner of ideas. We do this everyday here, at the place where fierce independence IS the norm - The Norman Goldman Show!

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Norman Goldman: , justice is served on Wall Street; Afghanistan; oil companies; the Republicon Party; the budget deficit; unemployment and the nationa

Norman Goldman May 11th 2011 Full Show
Click Link Above to hear 2hour Radio Show

Today, justice is served on Wall Street; Afghanistan; oil companies; the Republicon Party; the budget deficit; unemployment and the national debt!

An insider trading case came to a close today with a jury verdict - it's Senior Legal Analyst time!

The plan to "draw down" from Afghanistan is leaking out and it's not much of a draw down! Details today!

Democrats in the Senate have a plan to strip oil companies of their corporate welfare and reduce the deficit. Finally!

There is a split amongst the 'Cons! There are the pure business Republicons and the insane Tea Baggers. Why do we need to care? The answers today!

Arthur Delaney of the Huffington Post is on with us today to discuss the latest effort by the House of Representatives to screw the unemployed.

On Beyond The Norm, "you have the right to remain silent". But do you really?

Fierce independence means leaving no favored interest unexamined. We do this every day here, at the place where fierce independence IS the norm, The Norman Goldman Show!

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Norman Goldman: justice is served on immigration; Republicons; the corporate media; nuclear power plants; bank fees; antitrust law and gas prices!

Norman Goldman May 10th 2011 Full Show
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Today, justice is served on immigration; Republicons; the corporate media; nuclear power plants; bank fees; antitrust law and gas prices!

House Speaker John Boehner is a domestic terrorist. He is acting totally irresponsibly and threatening to destroy America. How can Americans vote for these people?

The President is out stomping for immigration reform. It's all about 2012! And, as to gas prices, I have a message for you!

Bank fees are up and Microsoft is buying Skype. We'll talk with David Lazarus of the Los Angeles Times about the bank fees!

Alabama has a nuclear plant in trouble. Is that really the only one here in the U.S. with problems?

The corporate media showed itself this past weekend. Rachel Maddow caught them and we'll give her the credit she deserves!

On Beyond The Norm, there is LOTS of law that happens out of sight and not in court. Have you ever heard of an "ALJ"? You will today!

Fierce independence means speaking up and speaking plainly. We do this every day here, at the place where fierce independence IS the norm - The Norman Goldman Show!

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Randi Rhodes: Thursday May 12th

Well, the rapper named Common appeared at the White House last night. Surprisingly, there were no shootings. I guess they really must have searched people for weapons going in. Fox News tried their best to make Common sound like some kind of gangsta thug (see Jon Stewart video below). The guy is totally mainstream. Common has appeared on a recording by the Jonas Brothers! I’m no expert on gangsta rap, but I don’t think that singing with the Jonas Brothers is how a rapper gets street cred. And it’s rather ironic that rightwingers who idolize Ted Nugent are upset over this guy Common. That’s like fans of Lady Gaga criticizing Marie Osmond for showing too much skin.

Bin Laden told his followers to explore ways to recruit non-Muslims who are oppressed in the United States, like African Americans and Latinos. Osama, minorities in the US want a slice of the pie—they don’t want to blow the pie up. How could Bin Laden have thought that black people in America were ready or willing to attack their own country? He must have been watching too much Fox News. Osama probably saw the Fox News reports on those two Black Panther nuts outside the voting place. And nobody explained to him that it was all just footage of the same two guys.

Glenn Beck spent a good chunk of recent program pretending to vomit at the thought of Meghan McCain naked. http://www.mediaite.com/online/glenn-beck-repeatedly-vomits-at-mention-of-meghan-mccains-naked-psa Here’s some advice Glenn—if you want to criticize Meghan McCain, saying that she’s unattractive is probably not the most realistic tack to take. I have a lot of problems with Sarah Palin, but I don’t go after her for being ugly. Besides, on the scale of physical attractiveness, Meghan McCain is way above Glenn Beck. Of course, I could say the same thing about any human being who is under 90 years and/or 300 pounds.

Glenn’s also livid that Barack Obama put his feet on the desk in the Oval Office. How dare Barack Obama stick his feet on the desk! He might knock off one of the wads of gum that George Bush stuck there. There’s also a picture of George Bush with his feet up on the desk. And I suspect that right after they took that picture there’s another picture of George Bush tipping over backwards in the chair.

Today’s Homework | Discuss

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