Mark A. Kilmer (the weblog)

Oh, what the heck.

On ABC’s This Week this AM, host George Stephanopoulos interviewed Chuck Schumer and oil lobbyist Bennett Johnson, former Dem Senator from Louisiana, about the price of gas. Schumer, as you’ll see from my brief show notes (taken from the review at RedState.com), was particularly hilarious:

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CHUCKIE AND BENNETT ON TW. Steph’s next guests were Chuck Schumer and oil lobbyist (former Senator, D-Louisiana) Bennett Johnston to talk about the price of oil and gas. Johnston said it was a supply and demand thing, and that the price would go down. Schumer argued that we should take action against OPEC and the five major oil companies. Steph argued that the oil company mergers cause higher prices.

Johnston urged Chuck to help keep the U.S. from “rattling sabers at Iran.” Why? Because, he said, Hezbollah would give us $100/gallon crude oil and $6.00/gallon gasoline if we bombed Iran. He did not address, despite Steph’s weak question, a nuclear-armed Iran.

Schumer declared that we need a “Manhattan Project” for alternative fuels, adding that the Administration believes that what is good for Exxon is good for the country. He wants to engage, he said, in some “old-fashioned trust busting.”

Johnston recalled having voted for a windfall profits tax against oil companies [Jimmy Carter’s] which turned out to have been a terrible mistake and had to be repealed.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Tim Russert’s “gas prices” panel this morning, in part because famed Nazi hunter Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) was very outmatched. I’m not even certain why he was on the show.

Read my show notes below the fold…

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Sunday, April 30, 2006.

Dick Durbin was on Tim Russert’s panel on MTP. Durbin refused to share a laugh about Katie Couric contributing nothing of value to our economy, and Energy Secretary Sam Bodman tried to explain supply, demand, and profits to Russert. (As has been said, so much for pathos.)

WH Chief of Staff Josh Bolten told host Chris Wallace on FNS that he was there to “refresh, re-energize” the Administration. He suggested that the President wanted to “leave a legacy” of starting the process toward weaning Americans from “foreign oil.”

On TW, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused the Iranian mullahs of “playing a game” with the international community regarding its nuclear ambitions. Later on TW, Chuckie Schumer demanded action be taken against OPEC and American oil companies. He also asked for a Manhattan Project to reduce our dependence on oil. Fmr. Senator Bennett Johnston, Democrat of Louisiana, suggested that Hezbollah would raise our gas prices to $6.00/gallon if we bombed Iran.

On FTN, Rice got into an argument with host Bob Schieffer over whether the Iraqi army disintegrated or was abolished by President Bush. He also obsessed over the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish (the gimmicky Nuestro Himno), trying to see if Secretary Rice would say something outrageous.

Next on FTN, Maria Cantwell, Washington’s campaigning Democrat Senator, spouted off about price gouging while Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski suggested we explore and drill more domestically, off the coastal shelf and in ANWR.

On LE, Rice told host Wolf Blitzer that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said things which just aren’t spoken “in mixed company.” Wolf pressed her about admitting lots and lots of mistakes, and she said that was the job of studying in the future, “when I’m back at Stanford.” That’s her plan, evidently.

And the FNS “Power Player of the Week” was, of course, Tony Snow.

Catch the complete show-by-show review over at RedState.com.

Thirty days hath September…

It is 45° outside my home, kind of chilly for the merry month of May, or whatever they choose to call it next week. When it actually is the month of May, merry or otherwise.

“At least it’s not 8°,” I point out to my wife, hopefully helpfully but failing in both regards. There is not hope in 45°, and it does not help to bring up 8°.

I have the Sunday Shows to watch and review.

Cut the damn camera.

For Sunday, April 30, 2006

Meet the Press (NBC): Host Tim Russert has the most exciting show of his umpteen-year career as host of MTP. Yes, he will discuss the price of gasoline with Energy Secretary Sam Bodman, American Petroleum Institute Pres. & CEO Red Cavaney, CNBC’s Jim Cramer, famed nazi hunter Dick Durbin, and author/analyst Daniel Yergin.

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace chat with some new White House personnel: Chief of Staff Josh Bolten then incoming Press Secretary Tony Snow. It’s always nice to see Tony on what once was his show.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer talks has Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice then Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos talks to Rice, then it’s Chuckie Schumer vs. former Louisiana Senator Bennett Johnston, a Dem who lobbies for “BIG OIL”!

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer talks to Rice and Trent Lott vs. Babs Boxer. Plus his usual cast ot thousands.
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Seriously, if you want to watch a show between 9 and 10 ET, this may be the week to skip Russert. FOX has the most interesting show of the week this week, what with all the cries of this and that about the WH “shakeup.” Josh Bolten has to be a hot ticket, and Tony Snow is Tony Snow.

Secretary Rice takes three shows this week. After that, Schumer’s marginal and Steph won’t ask Johnston what he thinks of his replacement, Mary Landrieu. I’m not sure what to expect from Cantwell and Lisa M. Lott vs. Babs should be fun.

I shall watch the shows tomorrow morning and report what happened in the afternoon, overs at RedState.com.

Here’s John McCain discussing his druthers on Don Imus yesterday:

“He [Michael Graham] also mentioned my abridgement of First Amendment rights, i.e. talking about campaign finance reform….I know that money corrupts….I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I’d rather have the clean government.”

Senator, if it violates the Constitution, you just can’t do it. The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land, not McCain’s whimsy.

It’s Saturday morning. I’ve found a a little bit from the AP concerning a Tennessee anti-abort Democrat running for Congress: former Tennessee University Quarterback Heath Shuler. They compare him to Lynn Swann, but in doing so, they repeat an annoying conspiracy theory I’ve heard bandied about by some here in the Keystone State:

But it’s Shuler’s name and gridiron fame that may matter most in the voting booth. In an era when the party machines that once groomed and recruited candidates have broken down, political analysts say celebrities such as football stars have huge advantages in name recognition and fundraising.

That’s why the Pennsylvania GOP cleared the field so Lynn Swann - the Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers who went on to a career as a television analyst - could challenge incumbent Democrat Ed Rendell. In Nebraska, former Cornhuskers football coach Tom Osborne is giving up his seat in Congress to run for governor.

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‘T was my sister’s birthday, and I received the literary magazine with my brother’s first published short story.

In Texas, the State House has taken its steps to slap a $1/pack tax on cigarettes. They say it is to raise money and to discourage children from smoking.

The tax is not only on teens, so the expense will hit every smoker. Quitting smoking is arguably desirable – I quit – but it’s none of the state’s business. And if it does force people to stop smoking, they will raise less money as more people quit. It is leftism.

Bottom line: the Texas House wanted to raise taxes, and a cigarette tax will probably not receive serious opposition except from those who consider such governmental action to be nefarious. And from smokers, of ocurse.

The vote in favor of the tax was 83-57. There are 83 Texas representatives who ought to resign forthwith. In Texas, there a 53 conscientious representatives for whom I wish many sound nights sleep. The 83 would not have such an option if they had any self-respect.

Let’s hope their State senate rejects it.

Heard at a debate.

Candidate:

“It’s just not fair they’re picking on me! I didn’t do nothing but they attack attack attack and are mean to me and I just want a fair shake but why is everybody picking on me its not fair! Attack attack attack me he is liberal yeah he is a liberal! Liberal liberal really he is and how come people keep picking on me the meanies everyone is so mean and the world is conspiring against me!”

Some of us have better things to do. With varying shrillness, the whine remains the same. It’s a question of demeanor. It’s a question of comportment. It’s a question on intellect.

This nightmare will be over soon, and in four years, I’ll talk to a man whose mom and dad make spaghetti sauce. Maybe it’ll be time.

I’m tired of the blow-up pink pigs asserted to be what is great about my country, and I’m sick of being put in mind of… Magical Trevor.

At yesterday’s White House press thing on Air Force One, the WashPost’s Jim VandeHei, also a regular on MSNBC, had a small fit because incoming White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was a long time FOX employee and all the WH televisions were tuned to that network, not CNN.

“It’s come to my attention that there’s been requests — this is a serious question — to turn these TVs onto a station other than Fox, and that those have been denied,” VandeHei told McClellan, who is soon to be replaced by former Fox anchor and self-described conservative Tony Snow.

“My question would be, is there a White House policy that all government TVs have to be tuned to Fox?” VandeHei asked.

“Never heard of any such thing,” McClellan responded. “My TVs are on four different channels at all times.”

VandeHei said he was talking about the one the reporters could see, and FOX is biased, and taxpayers were paying for the TV. Also, VandeHei added, FNC was probably on Air Force One. McClellan said he’s never heard a complaint about it.

VandeHei replied, “I’m officially raising it, and officially complaining about it.”

Within 18 minutes, MSNBC contributors Jim VandeHei had his CNN. Brit Hume reported this Thursday evening with something of upturns in the corners of his lips.

Since NBC’s David Gregory runs the White House press corps, it seems in a sense, it appears that he had no objections to MSNBC being ignored. It’s not a real network, anyway.

The WashPost has discovered something:

The CIA and other agencies wrongly kept secret about a third of the records they pulled from public shelves at the National Archives during reclassification efforts that were far more extensive than previously disclosed, according to an audit released yesterday,

Dana Priest wants dibs, rightly or wrongly kept secret. Jim Risen wants firsties for the New York Times. The Pulitzer Committee will be watching.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said regarding Iran in Sofia, Bulgaria today:

“In order to be credible, the Security Council, of course, has to act.”

On September 12, 2002, President Bush asked the U.N. General Assembly regarding Iraq:

Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding or will it be irrelevant?

They’ve answered the question once. When is it time simply to accept their glaring answer: “WE ARE MEANINGLESS AND IMPOTENT!”?

Heard in Congress (on C-SPAN) this AM: Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) reciting poetry.

Dear lobbyists,
How do I love thee?
I couldn’t the ways.
I love thee to the depths of thy oil wells
For thou shall have $14.5 billion to drill them.

I love thee to the heights of the drug profits
For the medicare bill gives you $139 billion in profits.
I love thee for thy golf course, private jets, and retirement jobs.
I love thee for thy denotation, libations and vacations.

For now we must part and I call it reform,
But remember in December
once we get past November.
The travel ban expires and ‘ll meet you at the tees.
Yours forever because I can’t quit you the Republican Congress.

The People’s Poet. What a clown.

I’ve got this from Dave Winer at Scripting News Annex (via Matt Sheffield at NewsBusters.org). It seems he spoke to Dan Rather last night and Dan told him that “he may leave CBS, and if he does, may start blogging.”

I think Rather could be a great blogger. He’s a thoughtful, considerate person, who thinks about stuff. He has strong opinions about what should be covered by the news, about the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy, and he certainly has experienced the power of blogging personally, and has now had time to reflect. These are qualities of the blogosphere, although the louder and more sensational voices of course tend to be heard more by the MSM than the thoughtful ones. I don’t doubt that Rather would be listened to.

He thinks about stuff. Kewl.

The blogosphere has received a bad rap, I think, on its veracity, based largely on the fact that we have no editors. Hey, we’ve seen what Dan-o’s done when he’s his own editor, as he was at CBS News, Facts become optional. He’d try to drag us down as he has his network, and this is not a good thing.

But it would be hilarious to watch him try!

Good morning. Computer troubles will have me out his AM.

Machiavel at RedState.com reports that Tax Freedom Day, the day of the year after which all the money you earn will be yours, assuming you paid every penny earned previously in taxes, will be three days later this year than last, ten days later than in 2004.

This year, it’s April 26, so consider all the work you’ve done so far this year, all the effort, all the early morning commutes, everything, as work for the federal government, to appease the tax man.

‘T was a momentous day, in a lot of ways, and my machine — well, the Windows — malfunctioned. I have to wait for the restore DVD’s, which will arrive on the 2nd. Kewl. I’m now on my backup machine, which is a nice machine — but it’s my second backup. I have yet to restore my main backup, which I’ll do tomorrow morning after I post in here and my other spots.

Sometimes, I figure I need a break. Not yet. I’ll worry about that in mid-November.

Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a cartoon (subscription) which might just win next year’s Liberal Medal of Honor. It depicts a cigar-smoking fat guy in a business suit wearing a button reading: “Big Oil.” He’s holding a leash, leading down to a little dog (or pig) with big ears screaming: “Heel!” The little face resembles that of a caricature of President Bush.

His point, I think, was that President Bush makes a public show of commanding the oil industry to do this or that when it is really the oil industry which runs this country. A wild conspiracy theory, to be sure, but his name will be forever prefixed by “Pulitzer Prize winning.”

Readers could vote yea/no on the cartoon; after I voted, it had received 63 NO votes (13.07%) and 419 YES votes (86.93%).

I voted no, of course, because it is a very bad cartoon.

I reported over at SwannBlog, and it is a concern.

The latest Allentown Morning Call/Muhlenburg College survey shows Governor Ed Rendell leading Lynn Swann, 45% to 39%, with 16% not yet decided. Last month, the same poll showed Swann leading Rendell from within the margin (+/- 4.3%), at 46% to 43%.

Ed has gone from 43% to 45%. No big deal. Meanwhile, Swann has fallen seven points, from 46% to 39%. Undecideds look to have remained at 16%.

The good news is that Ed is well below 50-percent. By all rights, he should be beaten.

The bad news is that Swann is losing ground.

An allegation here, a misstatement there, it adds up, and such events have to be controlled. As the candidate is out spreading his message – property tax reform today – things should begin to look up, but Ed will not go quality.

Prez: “I appreciate Scott’s offer to help Tony Snow prepare for his new job, and I’m proud to welcome Tony as part of our team.”

MR. SNOW: Well, Mr. President, I want to thank you for the honor of serving as Press Secretary. And just a couple of quick notes, I’m delighted to be here. One of the things I want to do is just make it clear that I — one of the reasons I took the job is not only because I believe in the President, because believe it or not, I want to work with you. These are times that are going to be very challenging. We’ve got a lot of big issues ahead, and we’ve got a lot of important things that all of us are going to be covering together.

And I am very excited, and I can’t wait, and I want to thank you, Mr. President, for the honor, and thank all you guys for your forbearance, and I look forward to working with you.

Thanks.

And the President, Snow, and Scott McClellan walked of the stage, with Scott smiling as the press shouted questions.

He was done with them.

So what do I want from the new press secretary? Well, for starters, how about someone much brighter and more savvy than the White House corps. Even without David Gregory dragging them down, we have that in Tony Snow. I also want someone with the knowledge and the authority to answer the bleating definitively, and that’s up to the President. If, has been speculated and is almost certain in order for Snow to be lured, Tony Snow’s role goes far beyond a mere mouthpiece, he’ll bring a dose of reality into the west wing of the White House.

I don’t expect Snow to berate Helen Thomas or verbally smack or to reduce Peter Baker to tears. Remember, Tony Snow is a journalist who got his own gig. He’s given up that one to work for the President, but that does not eliminate his roots or his understanding thereof.

We shall see.

President Bush has asked for $92.2-billion in emergency funding for the action in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as funding for Hurricane Katrina. The Senate, seeing a chance to slip in all sorts of spending, has upped the mark they’re debating to $106.5-billion.

Included in the added funding inserted by senators was aid for farmers who have suffered weather-related disasters, funds for the U.S. fishing industry and money to move a Mississippi railroad critics say would only help developers and casinos.

Bush has threatened a veto, and Frist has said he’d support it.

It’s the threat that Bush hopes will be taken seriously. It would be politically insane, I think, to use his first-ever veto in five years to block funding for our troops. It really is up to the Senate to behave sanely. The House already has.