DeLay says he's the victim of a partisan fanatic . The investigation is meritless, no proof, yada, yada, yada... Further, he explains that Earle's "witch hunt" will cost the Texas tax payers millions of wasted dollars. The indictment hinges on the transfer of identical amounts ($190,000) to and from DeLay's TRMPAC and the Republican National Committee. Subsequently, $190,000 went to the election coffers of several of DeLay's buddies. So here's and idea... Why not just explain the money transfer fully in a way the average American can understand it? And while you're at it, please explain how a man who so tightly controls every aspect of a huge political machine that he has become arguably the most feared/revered man in American politics DID NOT KNOW that these idential amounts were flowing in and out of his cherished organization. Wouldn't that be for the best? Not that I'm asking you to Do Ronnie Earle's job, but in the interest of fai...

DeLay as been indicted . On the karma scale, this is one step below Karl Rove getting a subpoena over the Plame scandal. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. First Katrina, then Frist, now DeLay... Not the best month for the GOP. More later after I scour the blogosphere. Special shout outs to Ragged Thots visitors; I appreciate the link back, Robert.

A discussion I'm having with a poster on another board . This guy is a real hoot. There are posts in between, but you can follow us.

To whom it may concern: I am a telegenic, articulate, working, married father of two who owns his own house and a small business. Before you come knocking on my door, there are a few ground rules. Rule No. 1 No discussion of "The Party of Lincoln" without claiming Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms too. I know American history well enough, thank you. I also know that Thurmond was only a Democrat until the party decided to stand up for the rights of Black people. Then he jumped ship (while denying his own half-Black daughter) and led the drive to keeping a strong segregated state. Leave Lincoln in his grave (besides, we both know he didn't really emancipate very many don't we?) Rule No. 2 Liberal is not a bad word. It does not mean that Democrats love big government and spending tax dollars foolishly. That's Bush's job. Nor does it mean that I have been stroked and manipulated by a Leftist cabal that wants to think for me. Convince me on the merits of what YOU ...

A brief aside on the topic of Sista-SOULs...Ms. Rice's parents named her Condoleezza because of their affection for classical music. Her mother, a music teacher, selected Condoleezza as an interpretation of the Italian term "con dolcezza" meaning "with sweetness." Ahem. That's pretty soulful, if you know what I mean. Soulful in the way that a son might be named Anfernee in lieu of Anthony for instance. I just raise this point to indicate that even the highest ranked Black personage in the country is only a hearbeat away from being named Sforzando Jenkins because his mama thinks it sounds pretty. This is a woman who emerged onto the international scene with commendable credentials. Earning her PhD at age 26, she was a strong academician who rose through the ranks to become Provost of Stanford. She served on many corporate Boards, racked up some honorary degrees, lectured on the Soviet Union and made a name for herself as a driven, intelligent woman. And then ...

My homegirl has just posted an incredible essay about the despicable comments of Bush 41's wife, Barbara Bush. To call her the "First Lady" affords her a level of respect of which she has proven unworthy. Her comments are so perfect, I won't waste your time with my take. Just go there now.

Suzanne Malveaux just finished interviewing POTUS 41 and 42 about their fundraising efforts. Both were offering the expected statements about support when something phenomenal happened. In response to Malveaux's question about international aid, Clinton related a story about how Sri Lanka (SRI LANKA!) was working to organize fund-raising efforts among the TSUNAMI-AFFECTED NATIONS to help our folks over here. He said that as poor as these countries were, they understood that the people devastated by our disaster were poor too and they wanted to help. I tell you, a palpable sense of warmth spread through my body. Clinton had captured a single story and transformed the tragedy (however briefly) into a statement of universal caring and hope. Moments later, Malveaux dropped the bomb shell everyone had been waiting for... did this administration do enough? Papa Bush stumbled out of the gate, but Clinton recovered deftly and shot out his hand, taking control. He calmly explained th...

about this amazing tide of bullshit that this "administration," his traitorous minions, and pundits who fancy themselves policy-makers are doing to this country? I am absolutely incensed not only at the pathetic lows to which they are willing to stoop, but the blind ignorance to hypocrisy and simple truths which daily weaken our nation and our standing as a leader in the free world. Now more than ever, I am dumbfounded by these self-styled patriots who spout rhetoric that energizes a tragically-deluded "base" into desecrating a war memorial . Hannity, Limbaugh, Hitchens, O'Reilly... are punk bitches whose tax bracket insures that no one they know or care about will ever face the danger of combat. Yet, they dare to spout their ridiculous filth to high ratings and equally large paychecks from a viewership that is as close to propagandist Nazi-group think than any Western population in recent memory. Is there anything I can do? Democratic "leadership" ...

This article appeared on the eurweb site today. In the midst of their in depth coverage of Li'l Kim and Supahead, they manage to sneak in some relevant social commentary. Here's my take... While I was a student at FAMU, Dick Gregory came to speak at one of our convocations. He was talking about civil rights and mentioned MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech. In particular, he referred to the passage where King longed for a day when men would be judged not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. Our problem, as he pointed out, is that too many of us would fail the character question regardless of race. The same is true for reparations. How many folks would do exactly as Chappelle suggested in his sketch? Unlike the author, I find Chappelle to be a particularly articulate voice on the topic of race in our country and know that we are not prepared to take advantage of opportunities that do occasionally come our way. Far worse than Chappelle...

Am I the only one who thinks that Judy Miller OWES the investigation her cooperation inasmuch as she may have abetted a federal crime? Notwithstanding her willingness to swallow the bitter draught of lies by an administration architect LEGENDARY for nefarious tactics, those lies have helped to weaken our entire country's standing on the world stage. Iraq is a mess that would still be simmering in a tightly-albeit tenuously-lidded pot had Miller et al said "No Thanks" to the hawkish Kool-Aid that barreled us into war on the fear of an immediate and dire threat of WMDs. Now, she wants to hide behind journalistic ethics? A source that peddles lies for the benefit of a corrupt administration is a far cry from a TRUE whistle-blower that lays their career (and perhaps life) on the line for the sake of informing the public. Maybe journalistic protections SHOULDN'T extend to lying bastards that attempt to work the system for their own benefit. Precedent has established t...

Salon is escalating the story of Karl "Darth Sidious" Rove now that it has been confirmed that he DID pass information leading to the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame. One can only wonder... How far can Bush carry the "loyal to the end" devotion that has marked his inexplicable rise to power? If Cheney is Count Dooku, the public face of the Empire's surge to power, then Rove is Palpatine, gently pulling the strings from behind the curtain to manipulate the most powerful man on the planet. Alas, now those curtains have been swept away and Rove stands exposed--via the Internets and that pesky email. The White House's unflappable front man McClellan is harumphing and backpedaling from his traditional shows of strength. Dubya's numbers are faltering; he's lost Social Security and appears headed for the fight of his life over the Supreme Court. And now he's poised to lose his consigliere... These are the moments that make life worth living!

The prosecution's contention is that AFTER the damaging Bashir special and AFTER the rebuttal video, Michael Jackson decides to turn on the heat and molest the accuser...WTF?!?!? Does anyone believe that Michael Jackson will be convicted of this crime? E Online's daily deliberator should have the defense feeling pretty good right about now. After weeks of nearly even (and sometimes heavy guilty votes) Mijac is pulling consistent "Not Guilty" votes in the high 80s. The mother is a joke, the accuser is a foul-mouthed opportunist, three of the prosecution's smoking gun alleged victims OUT RIGHT DENIED wrong-doing. Certainly, Jackson has an unsettling penchant for interacting with young boys, but this is not the case to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt. ANY parent that would let their child interact with any ANY adult for unsupervised "sleepovers" is derelict in their duty. I certainly would never let that happen, ESPECIALLY after the allegations fi...

Salon.com Arts & Entertainment | Jackson recovering, leaves hospital : "Michael Jackson was recovering from flu symptoms and was in good spirits after a short hospital stay that prompted another delay in his child molestation trial, a doctor said." Arguably one of the most bizarre sentences in recent memory... I am at a loss on the whole MJ issue. I had wanted to side with the angels and offer benefit of the doubt because of his extraordinary weirdness; but when the Crown Prince of "celebrity" kooks, Corey Feldman, rolls on you, the writing is on the wall (or "Off the Wall" as the case may be). And then there's the British Geraldo Rivera, Martin Bashir. Gingerly stepping across an ominous slate grey tableau in a curiously ill-matched ensemble, Bashir promises startling revelations into Michael's secret world. The second of his exposes on the Pop icon, Secret World promises to focus almost exclusively on the molesation allegations that ...

The election disappointment has had me Blog-free for awhile, but since the holidays are coming, here's a really delicious recipe for egg nog. Considering the liquor content, this is a designated driver recipe. As with any "uncooked" egg recipe, there are some risks, but if you follow the directions and keep the nog chilled, you should be fine. Hell, Rocky ate raw eggs every day and still beat the crap out of Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang AND Ivan Drago. 2 cups sugar (save ¼ cup for egg whites) 1 quart bourbon 1 quart milk 1 pint whipping cream 1 dozen eggs (separated) 12 oz. dark rum 1 quart Half and Half Fresh grated nutmeg Beat egg yolks, sugar and nutmeg until sugar grains have been dissolved (you can't feel them) Gradually beat in rum and bourbon (the liquor "cooks" the eggs) Add milk and half and half Beat egg whites with ¼ cup sugar until stiff and peaks form Chill bowl and beaters before whipping cream Whip cream until it peaks Into egg a...

You know, I was depressed for most of the Post-Election Wednesday. Rehnquist's diagnosis grew more dire. Kerry conceded awfully early in the news cycle. France and Germany rolled over and hinted that they were ready to play ball with the newly-vindicated Dubya. Republican hacks and Freepers alike were sharing the "We Won" luv... You know what saved me? America's Next Top Model. Insipid (yet strangely satisfying) reality television. Dubya is a simple-minded bastard being puppeted by some of the most despicable partisans in the history of our nation, but my sweetly zaftig SISTUH Tocarra made it through the fire one more time. Meanwhile, Tyra's hypnotic allure was a balm to sooth my Dubya-stained soul. Sure we lost Senate seats, but Obama's right, they don't have 60 votes. We will lose some Supremes, but Dubya can't elevate Scalia or Thomas to Chief. And one of his replacements will have to be a concession to the Dems. Besides, if things co...

That Nevada's Clark county would close the 5,000 vote deficit and deliver Nevada to Kerry... That late New Mexico precints would give me a reason to smile... and that the final 2% of precints in Ohio's Cuyhahoga and Hamilton counties would represent a surge that would close Kerry's 150,000 vote gap. This morning, tired and disheartened from the long night, I awoke to see all of those dreams dashed. Of course, Ohio's provisional ballots will be counted. Ohio's Secretary of State isn't the new Katherine Harris, he's the new Judge Ito. In O.J. Simpson's legendary trial, Ito was giddily happy to be thrust into an unexpeccted spotlight while evidence of bloodshed littered his courtroom. Relishing every opportunity for a sensational ruling, Ito quickly became emblematic of how the media transformed public servants into creatures consumed with TV-friendly hair cuts. Ken Blackwell is cut from the same cloth. Extolling the virtues and merits of a syste...

5:45 PST CNN.com Election 2004 Nader is SUCH a PRICK! Already he's siphoned more than 20,000 Florida votes. That's 38 times the number that decided the election last time. How can people vote for this jackass???? Miami-Dade and Broward show no results yet, so all is not lost, but I'm turning my attention to Ohio and Pennsylvania where Kerry is actually leading Bush.

I want to pose a question about the Florida "toss-up." In 2000, Bush carried his Brother's state by an official tally of only 537 votes. Of course, various recount and probable misvotes for Buchanan indicate a much larger margin of victory for Gore. But here's the rub... As the post-election furor died down, the disenfranchisement of thousands of Black voters was revealed. A similar scenario would likely have happened this time around, but the spotlight shone too brightly on Jeb and consequently, these folks will be able to cast ballots this year. What's more, they will be trucked to the polls by the bus and vanloads thanks to the efforts of rightly-disgusted Black voter corps and Democratic poll watchers. Since we KNOW the pollsters are under-representing Black voters, doesn't it seem reasonable to presume that Florida is actually MUCH more likely as a Kerry win by thousands of votes? Just something to ponder. Thanks for reading.

Mary Cheyney is a grown woman. She is an employee of her father's campaign. She is also a lesbian. Sort of a professional lesbian inasmuch as her pre-campaign job was improving Coors Gay market share. Thanks to the homophobic pandering of the (not-much-longer-God-willing) President, she can't be married. However, she DOES wear a "wedding" ring. As an out, professional, "married" lesbian, one imagines that she is not ashamed to be who she is. But somebody IS ashamed. The Cheney's are mad as hell and they're not gonna take it anymore. Dick, Lynne and Big Sis (BS) Liz have all made scathing remarks about Kerry's brief and, frankly innocuous, comment in response to a debate question about homosexuality. Dick is an angry Dad. Lynne says he's a bad man. Mary says... well, NOTHING. Hmm, how come we haven't heard from the "injured" party. At Paula Zahn's town hall meeting, BS Liz labeled the remark being offensive. ...

Kerry reinvigorated my belief in his candidacy last night. And Bush reawakened my fears that he is even a bigger idiot than I ever could have believed. Did no one remind him that a split screen means that folks can see him grimacing like a petulant child? Doesn't he remember how Gore was excoriated for his exasperated posturing in the 2000 debates? Kerry obviously had it figured out. Calmly taking notes while Bush rambled. Preparing to skewer Bush on his half-offered "broken-record" platitudes. Actually KEEPING UP with the dialog and thinking on his feet to craft credible, measured responses... It was a breath of freshness from Kerry that had me on the phone for hours after the debates with folks (and not al Qaeda folks either). When will someone call Bush on the fact that the authorization vote was about Saddam's imminent threat as outlined by the President's intel about the purchase of nuclear fuel? Disputing the yellowcake claim is all the reasonable doubt a...