TJ AND THE TUX MOVIE CLUB: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA

Keep an eye out for this documentary. It's out mid September. The Pentagon Papers, the 1971 release of top secret docs to the NY Times by Vietnam strategist Daniel Ellsberg exposed the government mistakes regarding policy and military strategy in Vietnam.
It also sharpened the blade for an already paranoid Richard Nixon. This episode not only furthered the divide on the domestic homefront between the anti war folks and authorities, it revved up the Oval office to a culture where "plumbers" would now be
welcomed to help stop "leaks." The Watergate break in took place in 1972. see trailer

JENNA BUSH HAGER AS DEAN MARTIN

The President is back in DC from the Vineyard and as mentioned in the previous post better have grown some facial hair during his summer break. No more Mr Nice guy please Barry, OK? It starts with the Senate. Those knuckleheads need guidance but first, a smack down. A WWF smackdown. Dive off the top ropes, clothesline the "Death Panel" liars. Pick up a chair and crack the Blue Dog filibusterers over the head. Swing the Far Righties who hide in the corner waiting for 2010 to be over, off of the ropes then run into them with a flying elbow. It's time for Barry the Badass to start kicking ass. The congenial approach needs a vacation now.

That bastion of truth the NY Post, reports that Jenna Bush Hager will work as a part time correspondent on the Today show, reporting on Education. She's a teacher in the Baltimore area. Remember her wild days of trying to out run her Secret Service protection while heading to the bars in DC. Who could blame her for those days? Not us. We'd do the same thing if we were in her shoes, with access to black limos and VIP treatment at the clubs. Sounds like fun actually. Like a video game made for Wii. Drink and Ditch. Run fast and make your getaway car race down Pennsylvania ave. If she IS still partying hard, which we'll assume she's not, the recently married offspring of W could turn the Today segment into an old Dean Martin show type episode. Stand wobbly while holding a highball glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other then then tell a story with a laugh track in the background.

Dick Cheney thinks it's a good idea to re open the conversation on Waterboarding altogether. Um, we don't. In fact, it's the worst idea i've heard of this weekend. It's such a bad line of thinking considering all that is on Obama's plate right now, that if this is a window into the pragmatism of Dick Cheney well then, there's not even a need to read his or W's biography's that will hit the shelves in the coming years. Wait a second, W's may be worth getting. I hear they'll have interactive pop up castles and buttons to press that will make various cartoon and sitcom theme song sounds. Maybe even fart noises.

Mr Kadaffi is not welcome in NJ now, according to Senator but not for long Senator John Corzine. The feelings mutual with Kadaffi who had to be saying to himself "NJ? What the ##%K?!! Hey, what the hell made it ok in the first place ? Even though the former public enemy #1 of the US has since reconciled and even terminated Libya's nuclear program, the damage has been done, no?
Pan Am Flight 103 that killled 270 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 left a permanent mark on the Libyan President here. Regardless of the fact that he looks like he could be in the next rock n roll band that Jack White puts together.

As Jim Morrison once said "Summer's almost gone." He's right again. Gotta live it up while we can beach goers. All those people who can't wait for the Fall and September, better be the ones tough enough to walk around when it's twenty out in December. In other words shut up and don't rush things. You can all wear your Million dollar 70's cop show leather jacket re makes soon enough Soho residents. Patience.

SUMMER VACATION IS OVER, OBAMA NEEDS TO GET TOUGH

Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah said that Obama needs to have a leadership role in the Health Care debate, on CNN's State of the Union with John King Sunday. Hatch is right. The loss of the bipartisan ability of the late Ted Kennedy will make it harder to rely on a Congress that has become more divided by party lines than many can ever remember it being.. The emotional aftermath of Kennedy's passing will not be enough to move the quagmire along either. For Barack Obama, now is the time to take the reins. It's time to lead. Health care reform can be the issue and the template for what the country and the Senate can expect from the Commander in Chief from here on in.

First Obama must take back the authority. He's given it out to a Congress that has proven that it can't enjoy the prosperity of having a the chance to make an impact on its own. For the President, congenial delineation of authority without lending a clear guiding hand has to be over. That may mean putting the gavel down on the extreme notion that if compromise can't be reached, a partisan Health care bill is still an option.

If Obama's approach does NOT change, and Health care becomes a dead issue, then the opposition borne out of Tea Parties and Town Hall meetings will gain in real strength. Real confidence. Not the phony stuff that makes an angry mob appear to be a silent majority. More like the stuff that can make what seemed like a slam dunk second term after a victory in 2012, turn into a whole new political ballgame.

The Summer vacationweek in Martha's Vineyard that ends tonight, should be enough time for Obama to asses his performance and message shaping to date. Let's see how he comes out of the gates when the trip is over. Obama has attempted and exaggerated spreading the power around DC since day one as a way to create distance from the narrow centralized power based approach that defined the Bush approach to many people here and abroad. it's no longer needed. Enough time has passed.

While we're on the topic of the Bush era, let's also suggest that the need for probes into alleged illegal torture methods authorized by the previous administration by Attorney General Eric Holder, should be reviewed before implementation. The President has said that he doesn't want to look back yet in doing so will come off as hypocritical. Then there is Holder, whose job it is to make sure that the rule of law is being followed by our government while former VP Dick Cheney will remind us as he did today on the Sunday morning talk show circuit, that the idea of investigations are simply politically motivated.

That is not to say that Obama should be afraid or intimidated by Cheney or Bush officials. It just that it's worth him being ready to accept that the tighter the grip is made regarding any future code of conduct, the more scrutinized that military "incidents" or misshaps that occur his watch will become as well. The best way to wiggle out of being cornered one day by an Abu Gharib type incident is for Obama to put a stop to the rear view mirror at once. Throwing an indirect verbal slap on the wrist for is enough, using a comment such as "We don't condone torture but we must look ahead." Obama can't waste his time trying to placate to those on the far left who need bloodthirsty revenge on the Bush years. Leave the legal implications against those who tried to keep us safe at all costs in the past. This will help politically by neutralizing GOP claims of diversion, while pragmatically allowing the focus for Washington players to remain on the Health care issue.

The President has to leave Congressional Carrots in Martha's Vineyard and instead, and bring a giant shit kicking stick, back to the Nation's Capital instead. Obama must then knock on Eric's Holder's door and say "Eric, not now, timing is everything." As we've seen this Summer poll ratings change fast. Obama was once untouchable, now he's not. The President's decreased political capital has is not exactly dwindling, but it has become more precious. Not something not to be risked frivolously. For Obama, more will be gained at this time by stepping up his presence through firmer leadership with the Senate, than by taking on a legal issue that brings us back to a time many expected he'd help us forget. Obama has to get tough now by showing who is boss on Capitol Hill, and by saying "no" to anyone trying to put a spotlight on Bush era interrogation practices.

Ted Kennedy Tribute at our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica

Many of the top Washington players showed up today at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Roxbury for the funeral service of former Senator Ted Kennedy. This was the first time since he died that he wasn't upstaged by pictures of of JFK and RFK, and the unescapable legacy of his brothers. It's about time.

George Bush Jr was there sitting next to Hillary Clinton. Assigned seats we assume. Wonder if they put Attorney General Eric Holder next to CIA director Leon Panetta, given Holder's decision last week to hire special prosecutor to look into Bush era torture methods.

Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Joe Biden, W. (Sr was too ill to attend) John McCain, Arnold Sgwarzenagger. They were all there. Where was Dick Cheney? Must have been out shooting his buddies on a hunting trip somewhere. He better have a written note from Scooter Libby as to why he missed this one. I bet Sarah Palin wishes she could have a press conference outside of the church this morning to make the claim that Obama's death panel would have left Ted Kennedy on the outside looking in after being diagnosed with brain cancer last year anyway. Rush Limbaugh too. He's still patting himself on the back for predicting that Kennedy's death would precede any health care bill being passed.

The coverage from the Church on CNN has not had a peep for the last 20 minutes. A far cry from the Apollo theater tribute for Michael Jackson sponsored by Al Sharpton's National Action Network. That tribute was a dance-a-thon hosted inside by the best DJ's from 98.7 highlighted a dirty dancing moment with the Reverend and a female fan while Spike Lee laughed his ass off on stage next to them. Different approaches to tributes in

This church contains the most powerful people in the United States. The street sweeping bomb sweeping dog sniffing units had to be off the charts before this one. This of course is not the right time or place but it would be great to see W get up there and do a slapstick stand up comedy routine. It's just so solemn in the church.

As we discussed on Shock And Awesome Friday on East Village Radio, Kennedy's legislative record has been impressive. Look we all know about Chappaquidick and the drunk gaffes from time to time. in the end though it doesn't feel right to say anything else but RIP Ted, job well done.

THE KENNEDY FAMILY

One great point raised by a former 1980 Ted Kennedy for president campaign worker on the show today was that Ted's passing finally a "normal" ending for the Kennedy's. Let's hope that tragedies and horrifying moments are in the rear view mirror for America's first family.

Above, the Kennedy family arrives at JFK museum Thursday in Boston

FLOSS STICKS WILL SAVE HEALTH CARE DEBATE: SHOCK AND AWESOME, THE TED KENNEDY TRIBUTE SHOW

TJ and the TUX have found middle ground for both parties to begin the Health care debate on. Floss sticks. This ingenius notion that could both bring the cost down and insure that personal health and hygiene is maximized was first heard on EVR this morning. This topic of course coming off the heels of the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, who fought his whole political life for the passing of a bill.

The guys interviewed Winchin Chala, a Boston journalist covering the Kennedy saga this week, who shared personal experiences with the late Senator as well as a member of Teds 1980 New Hampshire ground campaign as the "Lion of the Senate" took on incumbent Jimmy Carter.

In discussing the trip to Boston for the memorial the dynamic duo asked each other Where the Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis and Assasination in Dallas exhibits in the JFK museum were. We'll tell you where. They were missing, along with the reasons why these 3 events may be linked. Someone call Oliver Stone it's time to investigate this further.

The show streams all week on www.eastvillageradio.com
above, TJ mans the 1960 CBS news camera on election night

SHOCK AND AWESOME FRIDAY 10am

Winchin Chala from the Examiner joins the show at 11am to discuss her personal accounts of Ted Kennedy. Billie Joy Joy, once a member of the 1980 Ted Kennedy for president campaign, will share some memories about the campaign. Here is Chala's piece for the Examiner from August 25th.

above, The Tux manning the CBS News camera from 1960 Election night room, at the JFK museum in Boston Thursday.
Shock and Awesome was there to cover the Ted Kennedy Memorial. Both TJ and the TUX were so overjoyed when the results were in and John F Kennedy was declared the winner, that security had to escort them out through the freight elevator.

SHOCK AND AWESOME ROAD TRIP TO TED KENNEDY MEMORIAL IN BOSTON

The JFK Museum and Library hosted the Ted Kennedy memorial today where his body will lie in repose for the next two days. Shock and Awesome was there, standing on line for what felt like an hour while people wrote novels in the condolence books to the Kennedy family. Passing time while locals told stories about Teds partying ways as if these tales were a Bostonian's badge of honor. The real honor was to have a badass hold their Senate seat for 47 years

Watching the many hundreds wait in in anticipation until the Kennedy motorcade, in full force, arrived at 5pm. No family in American history carries this type of mystique. Maybe Jon and Kate makes eight will one day, but for now...

Prior to the afternoon memorial, we went through the JFK museum. The highlights: The 1960 Nixon Kennedy debate room, the 1960 CBS news election night room, the many confidential papers that were on display, RFKs Attorney General office desk which had so many of his notes and original phone. The lowlights: So little was shown regarding the Bay Of Pigs, The Cuban Missile Crisis, and his assasination. It was almost as if the book hasnt been written on those yet. Know what I mean? I mean the full story. Who did what to whom and how those two issues in Cuba may have affected the evenets of Nov 22 1963 in Dallas. Just a thought.

Check out the show tomorrow. We'll interview a 1980 Ted Kennedy for President campaign staffer as well as some media members who have been covering the Kennedy story in Boston this month.Shock and Awesome www.eastvillageradio.com 10am-12

TED KENNEDY AND THE 1980 CAMPAIGN TRAIL

"No more hostages and no more Jimmy Carter," were the words out of Ted Kennedy's mouth as he took on incumbent Carter in 1980 in the Democractic Primaries. After losing rather handily to the President whose approval rating was near 30 percent nationally, Republican challenger Ronald Reagan took Kennedy's speech and threw it in a campaign commercial. Watch the ad

Will Gadhafi pitch a tent in NJ

TED KENNEDY

The NY times obituary calls the life of Ted Kennedy "gifted and flawed." It started out as a fairy tale. Three Kennedys in Washington. A dynasty was born. Camelot. Then by 1968, after the assasination of RFK 5 years after JFK was gunned down in Dallas, there was only Ted. A senate member since 1962, the "liberal lion" was part of. His biggest fight was for health care. A fight that Senator John McCain said this morning, would have been easier to get bipartisan support on had Kennedy been healthy enough to have been there. The Chappaquidick incident in 1969 in which he drove a car off of a Martha's Vineyard bridge, killing a female companion, essentially ended any hopes for a national top of the ticket run. Kennedy turned down the VP position on the 1972 George McGovern ticket, but did take on the incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 only to lose handily. Ted made his point though, and his famed "no handshake" with Carter at the Democratic convention sank the already sinking Carter hopes for re election. Then there were the bills he helped get through.The Voting Rights act of 1964, the Disabilities act of 1990, the family and medical leave act of 1997, the Immigration reform act of 2007 , No Child left behind act of 2002, voing NO on the Iraq War

Let's hope that what comes out of Kennedy's passing is more than an emotional reminder that the fight to reform healthcare should not and can not get lost in partisan politics. Someone in the Senate needs to grab the reigns and spearhead the way towards finding a middle ground to work outwardly from. The Ted Kennedy health care bill would be the Massachussets Senator's greatest legacy.It's time. For a look back on his life from the Boston Herald, click here.

above: Kennedy with JFK , RFK. Also pictured with Vietnam vet and 2004 Presidentail candidate John Kerry

OBAMA LOST IN THE TREES ON THE GOLF COURSE AND STUCK IN THE FOREST OF PARTISAN POLITICS

Let's not mistake the President for Tiger Woods ok? The guy is hooking balls left and right on the Martha's vineyard links where he'll spend the week. It's pretty symbolic seeing a picture of him on the course today stuck under a tree figuring out his next move. He's lost in a forest of trees, old oak trees in Washington, where he's left the health care battle to partisan positioning and
gamesmanship. While the Death panel jargon has died down, player son both sides have hit the trails to win the war of public opinion on Obama care. For the Republicans, out strolled John McCain to tell us that 1 trillion dollars of more debt on our children is not what we need. Of course he and the rest of the GOP can find nothing but futrue debt and death panels to help them stiff arm an obama plan that is still unclear but aims to reduce the rising costs that will continue to hurt employment numbers. This coming from the guy who told us the economy was strong while we all contemplated selling our bodies for rent money last Winter. Keep golfing Barry, no rush back. Truth is, Obama is going top have to risk political capital in one of two ways. By backing up and putting health care off, which will make him appear weak. Or he can flip naysayers the bird, trust his instinct, ask for a reformed version of the millin page plan, sign it, and let the chips fall where they may. I'd rather go out swinging than backpeddling personally.

Attorney General Eric Holder is appointing a special prosecutor to go after Bush era torturers? Who can blame Dick" Darth Vader "Cheney for saying that this proves Obama's mindset puts us all at risk? It's a shrewd politcial ploy by a guy who already got his special assistant Lewis "Scooter 'Libby branded "Asswipe" for life, by being unable to get out in front of the pardon that George W told Cheney to forget about. And you were wondering why Cheney wheelchaired exit stage left away from Bush on inauguration day. The former VP's flipping the script on the torture methods and turning the focus instead to the idea of a soft conciliatory President is a nice measuring stick to the temperature of the status quo. Are the angry mob the majority or just a brilliant Trick Dick Nixon disruption trick rehashed in a new form? Either way, the need to look back and not forwards is a lay up for Republican strategists who will surely call this move a "deflection" by Obama to keep us from noticing that Obamacare is going down the toilet faster than vomit from a late night bender.

Fidel Castro (above) has even chimed in, with his Cuban baseball team warmup suit on, saying its the racist right wing attacking Obama. This could be true. Whats also true is that the right wing nuts Castro talks about are doing cartwheels over the notion that it's Castro, not Americans who understand where his policies are coming from. Socialism, communism, dictatorship. There. now you don't have to watch Sean Hannity tonight folks. I just summed it up for you in the speed of a coffee rush. And hey Fidel, go stretch out and throw a bullpen. You may get to live out your dream at last. The Mets need two starters. Hurry up, get loose.

AWESOME THOUGHTS: CAN ADHD CURE SWINE FLU?

So ADHD (above) is the new drug of choice on College campuses. The prescription drug for 10-19 year olds is apparently the latest thing. God we're so proud of those college kids continuing on a long tradition of campus life introducing the culture with how and what to abuse for the coming decade.

Speaking of which, I walked by a street book sale and picked up a nothing book called "The Gap" for a buck and loved it! It's 100 pages, takes place in 1968. Both a college student and his 42 year old Uncle spend time in each others circles. The kid goes to Madison ave while the Uncle smokes weed with his nephew and hangs out in Tompkins sq park. Conversations are about Vietnam, the draft, music, hippie culture vs the work world. It's a pre cursor to 70's mega huge show " All in The Family"
which gave the world the lovable bigot Archie Bunker. The book came out the same year as "I Love You Alice B Toklas," a film in which the "square" star Danny Kaye leaves his wife at the alter for a life of smoking weed that extends to a hippie commune in his apartment. Great cult film.

Now waking up today to Washington we see that there are those like Joe Lieberman who suggest as he did on CNN's State of The Union Sunday, that Obama should wait for another year, another time, to get back into health care. Meanwhile rumours about whether to ram the bill through still fly overhead. Town hall meetings across the country continue today. None in Martha's Vineyard where according to right wing mosquito Anne Coulter the Obama's are having their "elitist" summer vacation. Hey Anne, if McCain won, which of the six houses that he didn't know he had would HE be camping out at?

News from Kabul is that the Afghan elections may have been rigged. That's almost as shocking as telling me a horse race was rigged. Those poor bastards at OTB on Manhattan ave in Greenpoint. Imagine if we let them in on that secret. It could crush their whole existence.

Back to thecollege kids. 47 cases have been reported at U of Kansas already. The college heads are telling kids to stay home and commute if possible . Yea right. Don't the school heads know that the sole purpose for most kids in college is to party and get laid? Should be an interesting semester across the country. Can ADHD cure Swine Flu? We're sure the frat boys will give it the old college try after three beer funnels.

That's all for now. Gotta race to the dealer. Cash for clunkers is on the clock. One hour left. My dreams for a hybrid the size of a mini snickers candy bar is fading. Fast.

IS OUR PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN WAR WANING?

50 percent of Americans polled in an ABC Washington post poll said the now 8 year war in Afghanistan is one not worth fighting. The chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff says in an CBS news article that the President is "still formulating his plans on how to deal with Afghanistan." Yet the goal, defeating the Taliban and Al Qaeda in a country whose terrain is brutally hard to navigate, has been a losing proposition for many who have tried to win wars there before. Ask the Russians who first supported the ruling Democaratic party in 1979 with security form the Muhajideen resistance. 10 years later when they left, the Russian's were staring at their own "Vietnam," a war that starting as a security matter, then escalated into a conflict, ending up in a quagmire.

By adding 17,000 troops as Obama has done in his version of the troop surge, we'll have tripled our forces from 20,000 to 60,000 in the past three years. Reports say the new policy is intended to destroy an Al Qaeda presence that has strengthened in Pakistan. What if it doesn't? Will this then be Obama's Vietnam, if a modest troop increase yields only modest results? Should history be any indicator, maybe we can expect the increase to continue. In 1965 our military presence rose to 180,000 from a mere 16,000 soldiers and advisors in 1964.

From 1965-1968 anti war sentiment was at it's peak. It was during that four year span that yearly marches in Washington helped grow the national attention to the fight taking place over in Hanoi. In 2009 protests will not come in the form of shouts and signs put rather postings on blogs. The strength in numbers of discontent will rear their ugly heads not on streets surrounding the White House, but on twitter and in voter polls taken.

The bigger question will be whether the Obama approach to achieving goals in Afghanistan will be compromised by domestic opinions of the war here in the U.S. If War room strategists should take anything from the Johnson and Nixon administration's experiences during the Vietnam war, they should realize the level of importance an unpopular war can push a party to save themselves from getting buried politically in it's own quagmire. A quagmire of partisan politics and dissent at home.

Fallout from the Afghan elections this past Thursday may affect the strategy as well. If the Taliban is found to have been more than simply an intimidating disruptive presence in the process (they've reportedly chopped off a few voters fingers) more media attention will be directed back towards whether our current strategy over there has been effective in defeating the enemy.

It's too soon to call Afghanistan "Obama's war." He's inherited a war that once kickstarted the War on Terror and has since continued for seven years. Nonetheless, what Obama MUST do, what he has failed to do with regard to health care, is to get in front of the message. The Feeling out process is wearing thin. He needs to stop dancing around the ring and start throwing punches. Both in the Afghanistan policy and in through his comments about it to the American people. Sooner not later. He should use not only the lessons we learned form policy mistakes in 'Nam, but also from communication mistakes he's made by not being clear and direct on the Health care front. He can't afford to be bogged down for the second time in his first year. Being out in front with a solid plan will lend Obama the additional public support he'll be happy to have gained back after a rough August that has hardly resembled the fun of a summer sleep away camp.

SHOCK AND AWESOME LANDS THE INTRO

It's not always been a smooth landing for the Shock and Awesome guys during the intro of the show. Explosions, wires sparking,
pyrotechnics going off too early. Disco demolition covered carpets. However today, the Shock and Awesome Zeppelin balloon landed smoothly on this, the week of Robert Plant's birthday. Mayorial candidate Bill Thompson admitted to the duo that he was a Met fan in addition to explaining the platform he's basing his campaign against Mike Bloomberg around. The guys created a "Death Panel" that includes among others the Terminator, Charles Manson and Richard Simmons. They also suggested that the Israelis and Palestinians need a corporate retreat and a session provided by Landmark. Shock and Awesome. streams all week.
Also airs Saturday 8am-10am. www.eastvillageradio.com

above, Famed TV producer legend Don Hewitt, who passed away this week, as he prepped the set for the famed 1960 Nixon Kennedy debates.

BURRESS GETS TWO YEARS FOR SHOOTING HIMSELF IN THE LEG

Disgraced football star Plaxico Burress received 2 years with a chance for parole in 20 months for bringing an unlicensed gun to a NYC club and shooting himself in the leg. Sports in society, in these cases pro football, has been a hot topic lately with convicted Michael Vick's signing, hall of famer Brett Favre's unretiring for the 2nd time and now the Burress sentence. Does this odd behavior reflect society that doesn't know which way is up?

LOCKERBIE BOMBER DEBATE

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahli, the Libyan mastermind of 1988 PAN AM flight 103 that killed 270 people over Lockerbie has been freed on grounds that he has terminal prostate cancer and can die at home. People are outraged. read debate

OBAMA INVOKES FDR IN SPEECH ON HEALTH CARE

In his remarks at Organizing for America's National Health Care Forum on Thursday, President Obama invoked FDR's battle to pass Social Security, clearly comparing himself to his predecessor in terms of the challenges they faced and the vehemence of the opposition they encountered.

After asserting that the public option was "important," Obama sought to clear up some of the existing misinformation about "death panels" and the cost of reform. That prompted his discussion of his predecessor's legacy, along with JFK and Lyndon Johnson's push for Medicare:

I am absolutely confident that we can get this done, but I want everybody to remember, this has never been easy -- never been easy. When FDR proposed Social Security, all across what was I guess the equivalent of today's Internet, right -- (laughter) -- all the newspapers and the radio shows and all that -- he was accused of being a socialist. He was going to bring socialism to America. How dare he-HUFFINGTON POST

MAYORIAL CANDIDATE BILL THOMPSON ON SHOCK AND AWESOME FRIDAY 10:30AM

Once dubbed the "stealth candidate," City Comptroller Bill Thompson is picking up the pace and the poll numbers show it.
Mayor Bloomberg's lead dwindled to 10 percent in late July from 22 percent in mid June. Thompson will join TJ and the TUX Friday at 10:30am on Shock and Awesome. Listen live at www.eastvillageradio.com

CASH FOR CLUNKERS TO END MONDAY

If you have a gas guzzling beater and wanna trade it in for a cash credit and a new ride , hurry the $##% up! The government program ends Monday. read article

TOM RIDGE: TERROR ALERTS RAISED IN 2004 ON PURPOSE

Former Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge in a new book claims that he was forced to raise the terror alerts before the 2004 election. This of course would have been done to dissuade voters from changing the guard to John Kerry while under such security threats. read article

OBAMA "GUARANTEES" HEALTH CARE

Like Joe Namath famously did in 1969 when he "guaranteed" an improbable Super Bowl victory days before the big game, the President has gone just as bold. Let's see how this unfolds now. read article

AFGHANS VOTE DESPITE MILITANTS

Hamid Karzai seeks reelection. The Taliban have promised to violently disrupt the process. Voter turnout has been 40 percent lower than the previous Afghan election of 2004, yet some ballot boxes are full anyway. Fraud could bring a whole new set of dynamics to this story. read article

BLASTS IN IRAQ KILL 95 AND WOUND OVER 500

It's good to see that Iraq has settled in since we announced our troop withdrawal months back. Ugh. read article

TIM PAWLENTY: VOTERS TICKED OFF AND SCARED

The Republican Governor of Minnesota is known for his strengths in policy. Staying away from the WWF style "Death Panel " argument, Pawlenty who we've brought up before as a 2012 potential for the GOP is beginning to find a place for himself in the National debate on Health care. read article

OBAMA: HEALTH CARE IS A MORAL OBLIGATION

The NY Times reports that the "President asked religious leaders to help promote his efforts to overhaul the nation’s health care system." Calling the plan to change health care a moral obligation, his recruitment of these religious giants could help in the war of propoganda going on.

Woman Shouts "Heil Hitler!" At Jewish Man Praising Israel's National Health System

Send laywers, guns and money....the shit has hit the fan!

BARNEY FRANK LAYS A SMACKDOWN

It's about time Democrats starts telling people they're crazy for comparing Obama to Hitler. Will other dems follow Frank's lead in eradicating the ignorance from the health care debate?

DON HEWITT DIES

Hewitt produced the famous 1960 Nixon Kennedy debate, the CBS news with Walter Cronkite, 60 Minutes. A giant. A legend. RIO. read article

THE NEXT SARAH PALIN?

Rising GOP star , New Hampshire's Kelly Ayotte is a gun loving mother of two with her eyes on a Senate seat. read article

THE HEALTH CARE "NUCLEAR OPTION"

Rumblings in the media have the White House considering as an option the "nuclear option" on the health care issue. This being the notion of simply ramming  Obamacare down the throats of Congress, and hope for a one vote victory. This will take complete cooperation by Dems. It would make sense that the Blue Dogs temperature is being taken right now should this drastic tactic be taken as a way to get something done.

 It would be a shame if both parties couldn't make adjustments and come up with a compromise that improves the system somehow in the rush to get something done.The impatience on the part of Obama to get a bill on the table is due to the 2010 Congressional elections that will force Congress members to vote along the lines of their constituency, making it a political and career risk not to. If all of the Democrats are on board though, it's over. Like it or not. 

However, it seems as though they are not all on board. In fact the message out of Washingtonin recent days  has been messy. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the public option was "not essential" to which Press Secretary Robert Gibbs answered "she misspoke." Sebelius has since changed her tone but the first order of operation before any "nuclear option" is seriously considered, is to get the administration on message. Then, Ii Obama truly likes what he is reading in the gazillion page plan, he'll have to expend alot of political capitial to get leery Dems on his side in order make this happen.

AFGHAN ELECTION PRIMER

Meet the candidates for Thursday's election. The field is vast. The threat of the Taliban disrupting polling areas, and creating fear in people to come out and vote is no secret. Democracy tries to fight it's way through the muck in the Middle East. Will President Karzai remain  the face of the country? read article

ROBERT NOVAK DIES AT 78

"the Prince of Darkness" is gone. Conservative writer and journalist for the past half century, Novak's signature line  "Always love your country, but never trust your government," summed up his approach to investivagive journalism, a job he loved and was proud to have partaken in. 

Novak's  stamp on recent politics will be his media outing of Valerie Plame as a CIA agent in 2003. Plame, U.S Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife, had her identity made known to Novak, through Richard Armitage, some feel through Dick Cheney's office as a way to stifle Wilson, whose op ed piece in the NY Times challenged the administration's claim that Iraq had enriched uranium. Enriched uranium was the main reason that the White House felt it just to invade Iraq as a matter of national security. Scooter Libby, Cheney's chief of staff, took the fall as charges of obstruction of justice and perjury were laid on him. His sentence was later commuted by President Bush but Libby was never pardoned, a bone of contention still to this day between Bush and Cheney. read article

WHITE HOUSE WILL TRY AND REFRAME THE MESSAGE ON HEALTH CARE

The biggest problem that the Obama squad is having is that they have lost control of the message on health care. They've let the opposition frame it as: hazardous to future generation bank accounts, dangerous for the elderly who may face "death panels," and a glaring exampleof  Socialism. Well that's about to change as the White House tries to take the lead again in the fight for people's hearts and minds. read article

TOP DEMS CALL PUBLIC OPTION ESSENTIAL

Nancy Pelosi is among the top Dems who call a public health care option essential. This comment comes after the confusion caused by the mixed messages over the weekend. Health care secretary Kathleen Sebelius deemed that a public option is not an essential element to reform to which press secretary Robert Gibbs responded "she misspoke." Pelosi is now helping to lead the charge back to where Obama started this Rock n Roll Town hall tour. read article

MAN BRINGS GUN TO OBAMA PROTEST

It's in the 2nd amendment. The right to bear arms at Presidential Town Hall meetings.

read article

North Korea to Reopen Its Border to the South

Pretty soon you will start seeing travel advertisements for North Korea on late night television -Looks like NK is allowing South Korean citizens to travel across the 38th parallel to visit family members they have been seperated from since 1953. Who has family members that are still alive from the 50's over there, and how have they been staying in contact? Can South Koreans send mail to North Korea? Im pretty sure North Koreans dont have email accounts. Is there a google.NK that only allows Kim Jong-Il's face to be on the home page? read here.

Memos Show Nixon’s Bid to Enlist Brazil in a Coup

New released documents show that Richard Nixon and General Emilio Medici of Brazil discussed the overthrow of Salvador Allende, Fidel Castro, and all other leftest regimes in South America. I wonder how Hugo Chavez is going to react to finding out both his dear neighbors are in bed with the "Great Evil". Everyone already knows that Colombia will do the U.S.'s bidding because we give them billions of dollars in aid every year to "fight" the drug trade, but the relationship with Brazil was still unclear. The US has been following the Monroe Doctrine in South America since it was instated by the 5th president James Monroe. Any threat in South America will be unilaterally delt with by any means neccessary. read here.

DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Scientists Show

Even precious DNA evidence can be manipulated a recent study found. Our criminal justice labs are already overused and outdated. Now they are going to have to contend with bio-criminals who can genetically frame someone at the scene of the crime. FUCK! read here.

Whole Foods Fight

John Mackey, the chief executive of Whole Foods, put out his own plan for healthcare reform over the weekend. Alhough his reforms arent complete, they will add much needed improvements to the system. He is for, among other things, tort reform, removing state laws that reduce private insurance company competition, and increasing tax deductions for those who want to donate money to needy families for health insurance. It seems however that John forgot exactly which company he is running becuase while his ideas are desperatly needed the solutions he proposed fall on the right side of the spectrum. All the organic food buying hippies that drive BMW hybrids are livid. The hate mail written on recycled paper is just pouring in, and people are threatening to stop purchasing $80/bottle free trade hand lotion made by sexually progressive nuns in El Salvador just to spite John's ideas. read here.

CREDIT CARD DEBT SOARING

Credit card debt is soaring but now companies will be forced to allow three weeks before due date, not two for customers to pay their bills. I've already voiced my personal concern from experiences as a Bank Of America cardholder. I won't go as far as calling late fees turned insane defaults rating a scam, but I will say that credit card companies have in the past done everything in their power to see to it that bills are not payed on time. And they are NEVER wrong. Here, Terry Savage writes in the Chicago Sun Times on the matter. read article

SHOULD THERE BE A FAT TAX?

We've brought it up on the show before. whether or not there ought to be a fat tax. Obesity creates health issues which drive up the cost of overall health care. however, there are also those whose weight issues are hereditary or metabolism driven. What to do? How bout tax crappy junk food and make fruits and veggies cheaper for one? read article

MIXED MESSAGE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON HEALTH CARE

Health sec Kathleen Sebelius said a public option is not essential. PRess secretary Robert Gibbs said she misspoke. President Obama has been touring the country touting the fiscal value of a public option. What the hell is going on? This article wonders that as well. read article

TOP GAME THEORIST TRIES TO PREDICT IF IRAN WILL GET A NUKE

NYU Prof Bruce Bueno De Mesquita is one of the worlds top game theorists and political prognosticators. He's worked with the CIA since the 80's. Check out what he's up to now and his take on Iran getting nuclear bombs. read article

AS HIPPIES PARTIED: MEANWHILE IN 'NAM

Richard Kolb makes an excellent point that on the weekend of Woodstock we lost 100 American in Vitenam. 100 brave individuals who put society over self, half of whom were volunteers. Never applauded for their efforts while the "defining moment of a generation" was happening thousands of miles away. Is the cultural divide between those who support the wars we are in and those who oppose them as great as it was in 1969?  read article

IS THE GOP GAINING STEAM AS HEALTH CARE SPUTTERS?

Politico is making the argument that the GOP is gaining steam off of the sputtering health care drama. Before we go ahead and start showering the GOP with praise in their attempts to thwart Obama care let's picture what immigration reform will look like. Yeesh. You think the health care fight is bad? This is a party that had no answer for the personal appeal of Obama in 2008 and has now found it's voice. By disrupting Obama's attempts to push forward at what some feel is too quick of a speed. The truth is , with 2010's mid term elections on the way, Obama gambled that now was the best time to go for health care. Not AFTER the mid terms when his approval rating would be left up to speculation. 

Approval for Obama care is 43 percent, disapproval is at 49. In the game of politics , where people don't matter, but winning power does, maybe the GOP has gained a little steam. The steam will sputter though, if they don't have any ideas other than getting in the way of someone else's . That trick can only fool people for so long.

above:Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Governor of Minnesota  Tim Pawlenty

OBAMA RIPS CRITICS IN COLORADO

Here is  NPR version of Saturday's Town Hall meeting . read article

SEBELIUS: PUBLIC OPTION NOT ESSENTIAL

Health secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that a public option is not the essential issue with the health care overhaul and that according to the AP:

The White House indicated it could jettison the contentious public option and settle on insurance cooperatives as an acceptable alternative, a move embraced by some Republicans lawmakers who have strongly opposed the administration's approach so far.

Still want to call Obama Hitler and a Socialist? He crushed it in Colorado yesterday, finally making hi spoint clearer while rebutting opposing view with grace and easy to follow thoughts. read Obama's Grand Junction, Colorado Town Hall transcript.

TJ WITH JOHN SEBASTIAN OF THE LOVIN SPOONFUL

Do You Believe In Magic? Yes. Above, TJ with the the great John Sebastian of the Lovin Spoonful Morrison Hotel Gallery for the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock festival which took place 40 years ago this weekend.