And then there were three...

The New York Times is reporting that Bill Richardson is dropping out of the race for the Democratic nomination.

As you all know, he has been my candidate, because I want him in the next administration in some capacity. His resume is too damned good to pass up. Governor, Congressman, Diplomat, Energy Secretary...

If experience was what we were looking for, he would be the winner of every contest, standing up.

Good luck, Bill.

Hillary, it looks like you're my girl.

Rather's Suit Goes Forward--Will The Truth Come Out?

Things just couldn't get any worse for the Bush Administration. They are already irrelevant--whether it concerns foreign policy, domestic policy, the culture at large--there is little or no interest in them or what they have to say. They are the past. Everything happening this week has been about the future--the next President, the race for the nomination and the race to see who can get in there and fix everything that is broken (see the GAO report Blue Girl is going over with a fine tooth comb)

Then, this happens:

Breaking: It looks like former CBS News anchor Dan Rather will indeed get his day in court. On Wednesday evening Justice Ira Gammerman of the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan made a preliminary ruling denying the TV network's motion to dismiss Rather's $70 million lawsuit. "I think discovery should go forward," said Gammerman.

Rather's suit, you'll recall, claims CBS unfairly shuffled him off the air after that infamous 60 Minutes Wednesday story about Bush's performance (or lack thereof) in the Texas National Guard. Rather alleges that being shown the door was just the network's misguided attempt to placate the White House and shield CBS's then-parent company Viacom from political fallout. You know, the usual reasons for dismissal from a high-profile media job.

Now that the case will be moving forward, Rather's lawyer Marty Gold wants CBS to start forking over internal emails and documents to prove his case, including exchanges between network brass and the White House. Naturally, this has CBS lawyers asking the court to limit the scope of the discovery. "It seems pretty clear they don't want to produce [the documents]," said Gold.

Well, that wasn't too difficult, was it?

The incident, which fueled the wingnut dreams of so many wannabe "investigative" bloggers, stands as one piece of unfinished business. Did Bush have his associates "scrub" his National Guard records to hide, I don't know, a positive test for cocaine? Some other nasty piece of business? A little AWOL?

Here's Rather, talking to Karl Rove in 1972--what a great photo. And a great haircut:



Who knows? But maybe, just maybe, this case will reveal what was done behind the scenes to make certain that the American people wouldn't get to find out the truth.

May you mercifully be spared this virus...

Ugh. It's miserable. Thankfully I'm recovering now, but for just over 24 hours I was laying in the dark and trying not to whimper, with a brutal, near-migraine strength headache, and a non-productive stomach ache.

Thanks to Pale Rider for keeping the lights on for me. Check back this evening for a scary, scary post on maritime security - or the lack thereof.

Yes, I'm wonking out on GAO reports again...

The Shameful Media Coverage

"Thank you, Senator Obama. You've defeated Senator Clinton in Iowa. It looks as if you're about to beat her in New Hampshire. There will be no Clinton Restoration. A nation turns its grateful eyes to you."

--William Kristol



"It's the tears. She pretended to cry. The women felt sorry for her. And she won."

--William Kristol



I don't know if reaction to the media treatment of Clinton had anything to do with voter choices yesterday, but I certainly know people in real life who a) don't want Clinton to win and b) are tempted to vote for her every time they're exposed to the way she's treated by the deeply broken monsters in our mainstream media.

--Atrios

January 9 is the deadline, Missouri

In order to vote in the Super Tuesday primary on February 5, Missourians must be registered to vote by the end of the day today. You can do so at any branch of the Kansas City Public Library.

The primary is where we choose our standard bearer, and it is time for both Democrats and Republicans to take the primary back from the very worst elements of our parties who have hijacked the process for far too long.

The Republican primaries have been hijacked by bible bleaters - just look across the state line. When is the last time a sane Republican even made it through the primary to stand for election in the general? It just doesn't happen. The Kansas GOP would never stand Nancy Kassebaum (for whom I proudly voted twice) for election to the United States Senate today - she would loose the primary to a wingnut, who would loose to a moderate Democrat in the general.

And Democrats - good gawd, people! Take the process back from the hand-wringing appeasers who would compromise the party to death! Stand the hell up, and take back the party of Truman and FDR so some real, honest-to-Jefferson DEMOCRATS can get on the ballot!

Today is the deadline. Get registered (or if you have moved, get your registration updated) by the end of the day today. Look at the candidates, and cast your primary vote for the one that best represents you.

Primaries matter. Primaries are where the winnowing takes place. Primaries are the most important elections. Don't skip the primary then whine about your choices come November. Today is the deadline, Missouri. Get registered and get involved. Don't let the worst elements your party has to offer make the choice for you who will be on the ballot in November.