First Door on the Left

Why John McCain will never be a nominee for the presidency of the United States:

Part two:

It appears that Rudolph Giuliani has been studying up on how to campaign as a Republican…

Keith Olbermann is not inclined to let him get away with it…

Since some indeterminable hour between the final dousing of the pyre at The World Trade Center, and the breaking of what Sen. Barack Obama has aptly termed “9/11 fever,” it has been profoundly and disturbingly evident that we are at the center of one of history’s great ironies.

Only in this America of the early 21st century could it be true that the man who was president during the worst attack on our nation and the man who was the mayor of the city in which that attack principally unfolded would not only be absolved of any and all blame for the unreadiness of their own governments, but, moreover, would thereafter be branded heroes of those attacks.

And now, that mayor — whose most profound municipal act in the wake of that nightmare was to suggest the postponement of the election to select his own successor — has gone even a step beyond these M.C. Escher constructions of history.

“If any Republican is elected president — and I think obviously I would be best at this — we will remain on offense and will anticipate what (the terrorists) will do and try to stop them before they do it.”

Insisting that the election of any Democrat would mean the country was “back … on defense,” Mr. Giuliani continued: “But the question is how long will it take and how many casualties will we have. If we are on defense, we will have more losses and it will go on longer.”

He said this with no sense of irony, no sense of any personal shortcomings, no sense whatsoever.

Click on the headline to read the entire column.

Also see: Dem[ocrat]s Rebuke Giuliani Over Attack Comment.

One step at a time…

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law Saturday a measure to create domestic partnerships, giving gay and lesbian couples some of the same rights that come with marriage.

The law creates a domestic partnership registry and provides enhanced rights for same-sex couples, including hospital visitation rights, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations and inheritance rights when there is no will.

“It offers the hope that one day, all lesbian and gay families will be treated truly equal under the law,” said state Sen. Ed Murray, who is one of five openly gay lawmakers in the Legislature.

To be registered, couples have to share a home, not be married or in a domestic relationship with someone else and be at least 18.

Unmarried, heterosexual senior couples will also be eligible to register if one partner is at least 62. Lawmakers said that provision, similar to one in California law, was included to help seniors who are at risk of losing pension rights and Social Security benefits if they remarry.

Gregoire received a standing ovation from about 200 people in the ornate reception room at the state Capitol.

“This is a very proud moment for me as governor, to make sure the rights of all of our citizens are equal,” Gregoire said.

People in the crowd cried as Gregoire relayed stories of couples who testified before lawmakers this year about how they have been denied hospital access to dying partners, or were not allowed to plan their funerals.

“It is time we put an end to these stories,” she said. “This simply allows our seniors and our same sex partners to rely on each other and to care for each other when they are faced with life and death situations. These are the rights of all Washingtonians.”

I do not want to detract from Cho Seung-Hui‘s fifteen minutes of fame (heavens forbid), but…

BAGHDAD (AP) – Suspected Sunni insurgents penetrated the Baghdad security net Wednesday, hitting Shiite targets with four bomb attacks that killed 183 people – the bloodiest day since the U.S. troop surge began nine weeks ago.

Late Wednesday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered the arrest of the Iraqi army colonel who was in charge of security in the area around the Sadriyah market where at least 127 people died and 148 were wounded in the deadliest bombing of the day.

It was the second massive blast at the market since Feb. 3.

Nationwide, the number of people killed or found dead on Wednesday was 233, which was the second deadliest day in Iraq since The Associated Press began keeping records in May 2005.

Here is what all the fuss is about…

Letterman had the creator of votefortheworst.com on last night. The guy has without doubt made a lot of money for his efforts, however if he manages to put an end to American Idol, he will have earned every penny of it.

I will disagree with him in one respect, however. I do not believe that Sanjaya Malakar is “the worst.” It takes a lot for a 16-year-old kid to come back week after week and take the crap that the three judges throw at him with the stamina and maturity that he has displayed.

So I’m joining the chorus…. Vote for Sanjaya!

Update: ‘American Idol’ Says Sayonara to Sanjaya.

Via Pam’s House Blend…

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s gays and lesbians would win the benefits of marriage and protections against discrimination under landmark bills approved Tuesday by the Oregon House.

The two measures go to the Senate, where they are expected to win approval and be forwarded to Gov. Ted Kulongoski, a strong supporter who plans to sign both.

With dozens of gay rights activists looking on from the upper gallery, the two measures won the unanimous endorsement of the House’s majority Democrats, with a few Republicans adding support.

One would enable same-sex couples to enter into contractual relationships that grant them the same benefits offered to married couples under state law. The bill refers to the relationships as “domestic partnerships.”

The other bill would ban discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people in employment, housing and access to public accommodations.

One step at a time.

Our hearts go out to all those who lost friends and loved ones in Blacksburg yesterday.

Hey. We’ve located some more “safe neighborhoods” for John McCain and his buddies to stroll in…

BAGHDAD (AP) – Six bombs exploded in predominantly Shiite sections of the capital Sunday, killing at least 45 people in a renewal of sectarian carnage that set back the U.S. push to pacify Baghdad.

North of Baghdad, two British helicopters crashed after an apparent mid-air collision, killing two service members, U.K. officials said.

The U.S. military announced three U.S. troop deaths – two soldiers and a Marine killed in separate incidents.

And in the holy Shiite city of Karbala, health officials raised the toll from a bombing Saturday close to one of the sect’s most sacred shrines, saying 47 people were killed and 224 wounded.

Twin car bombs exploded minutes apart in the busy market of Baghdad’s Shurta Rabia neighborhood, a mostly Shiite area in the city’s west. The first blast went off at midmorning in front of a kebab restaurant. Five minutes later, another car exploded nearby as rescuers were evacuating victims. Many women and children were among the casualties, police said.

Shortly after noon, a suicide bomber blew himself up on a minibus near a courthouse in the mainly Shiite northwest Baghdad neighborhood of al-Utafiyah, killing at least eight people and wounding 11, officials said.

Many of the victims were severely burned, an official at the Khazimiyah Hospital said.

About three hours later, a minibus rigged with explosives detonated on a busy street of electronics shops in the predominantly Shiite central Karradah district, killing 11 people and wounding 15, authorities said.

Update: While going through some old files on my hard disk just now I happened upon this Doonesbury cartoon dated January 24, 2005. It seems as apropos now as it did then…

Click on the cartoon to view it full size.

Today’s Doonesbury is priceless…

(Click to enlarge.)