Kerry : Gun-Runner to the Khmer Rouge ?

No, not a claim by some Barking-mad Rightwing Death Beast.

From NBC's Meet The Press, Dec 30 :

MR. RUSSERT: And you have a hat that the CIA agent gave you? SEN. KERRY: I still have the hat that he gave me, and I hope the guy would come out of the woodwork and say, "I'm the guy who went up with John Kerry. We delivered weapons to the Khmer Rouge on the coastline of Cambodia." We went out of Ha Tien, which is right in Vietnam. We went north up into the border. And I have some photographs of that, and that's what we did. So, you know, the two were jumbled together, but we were on the Cambodian border on Christmas Eve, absolutely.

There's also this :

MR. RUSSERT : Would you sign Form 180? SEN. KERRY: Yes, I will But everything that we put in it, Tim--everything we put in--I mean, everything that was out was a full documentation of all of the medical records, all of the fitness reports.

Fowler Surprises Dean In Race To Lead Democrats

Time Magazine reports that the executive committee of state party chairs voted to endorse Donnie Fowler rather than Dean to be the next Democratic Party chair:

Fowler, a South Carolinian who lives in California and is the son of former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler, headed Al Gore's field operation in the 2000 presidential election. Last year he ran the field operation in Michigan for John Kerry, who won that state by three percentage points.

Former Texas Rep. Martin Frost had been considered the front-runner among the Anybody-But-Dean crowd, which includes a large number of Democratic elected officials. But Dean has been the odds-on favorite, in part because the 478 delegates of the Democratic National Committee who will vote next month on the replacement for current chairman Terry McAuliffe are more liberal than many of the party's most prominent faces. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California and her counterpart in the Senate, Nevada's Harry Reid, are among those working behind the scenes to drum up anti-Dean sentiment, but other party stalwarts like Harold Ickes are backing the former presidential contender whose candidacy dissolved with a misplayed yowl in Iowa.

From California Yankee.

Soros: Kerry Was A flawed Candidate

Bloomberg reports that Billionaire Bush hater George Soros, who spent $26 million in the failed effort to defeat President Bush, said Democratic challenger John Kerry was a flawed candidate:

"Kerry did not, actually, offer a credible and coherent alternative," Soros, 74, said yesterday in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "That had a lot to do with Bush being re-elected."

[. . .]

The Kerry campaign "tried to emphasize his role as a Vietnam War hero and downplay his role as an anti-Vietnam War hero, which he was," said Soros. "Had he admitted, owned up to it, I think actually the outcome could have been different."

From California Yankee.

Poll Finds Rossi Would Win A Revote

The National Journal's morning briefing "Wakeup Call!" reports that a Strategic Vision poll shows that Republican Dino Rossi would defeat Governor Christine Gregoire in a revote:

1. If there was to be a revote for Governor, would you vote for Dino Rossi, the Republican or Christine Gregoire, the Democrat?

Christine Gregoire 43%
Dino Rossi 51%
Undecided 6%

From California Yankee.

Cheney: Too Casual For Auschwitz?

It appears Dick Cheney was a bit too casual for yesterday's Auschwitz rememberance ... at least in the eyes of the press. CNN:

Vice President Dick Cheney raised eyebrows on Friday for wearing an olive-drab parka, hiking boots and knit ski cap to represent the United States at a solemn ceremony remembering the liberation of Auschwitz.

Other world leaders wore dark, formal coats, suits, and dress shoes.

Too casual for the occaision? We report, you decide.

Thanks to reader GS for the link.

Update: They always stylish Virginia Postrel notes:

WaPost fashion critic Robin Givhan says, "There is little doubt that intellectually Cheney approached the Auschwitz ceremony with thoughtfulness and respect," but he got the wardrobe all wrong. He's from Wyoming, where they have to take winter weather seriously, but she's got a point. You don't dress for a solemn state ceremony as though you were going for a hike. The always perfectly attired president would not have made this mistake.

What Happened To Friends Of John Kerry's $25,000?

Uhhh ... ok. A bit confused here. (And typing on the fly, so apologies for any typos.)

You might recall that a week ago I posted about the Friends of John Kerry committee, and how it had taken a $25,000 contribution from a Texas Reps' committee ... even though the contribution was made out to Kerry-Edwards Victory 2004, and even though the contribution was made on November 1st, weeks before Friends of John Kerry was created.

So today I check that post again, and when I click the link to the page listing the Reuben Hinojosa for Congress donation ... there's nothing there.

Gone. Vanished.

Did I dream it? Certainly not. I'm trying to find a cache of the page now. The image of the contribution form, which clearly says Kerry-Edwards Victory 2004 is still up; just the listing under the FOJK contributions has vanished.

Anyone else out there follow the link at the time and remember seeing the listing? Anyone have a cache of that?

Update: Turns out I have a cache of that. Here it is (click for a full-sized image):

BEFORE: 20 Jan. 2005

Note the date (from the Windows clock) in the upper right. Loaded into cache last week, Jan. 20th. Pulled from cache today. You can also see the URL is the same as the link to the donations page ... the one that is now blank. Here's a screen cap of the page now, taken moments ago on my Mac:

AFTER: 27 Jan 2005

Anyone able to tell me this is all standard operating procedure?

The Latest From Friends of Kerry: Kids Come First!

I continue to recieve email from the (oddly) funded Friends of John Kerry. Today comes a missive with the title They Won't Put Kids First, But We Will!

Dear Supporter,

This is personal. As I traveled across the country last year, I learned a lot about the dreams, hopes, fears and frustrations of the American people. Nothing touched me more than the parents I met who feared that illness would strike a child who is uninsured.

A sick child is always a worry. A sick child that you can't get help for is a parent's worst nightmare. Helping the 11 million children who have no health coverage isn't even on the radar screen of the Bush administration and the Republican leaders in Congress. But, we're going to put it there.

It is totally unacceptable that, in the greatest country in the world, millions of children are not getting the health care they need. That's why this week I introduced the Kids Come First Act. Help me push through the Republicans' political roadblocks and take care of the 11 million children without health insurance.

Please co-sponsor my Kids Come First Act by clicking here:

http://www.johnkerry.com/KidsFirst

The Republican leadership will try to prevent this essential legislation from ever seeing the light of day. Help me gather one million co-signers for the Kids Come First Act, and we'll force them to act or to admit that they just don't care enough to act. Here's why it's so important to do something now:

• 1/4 of children are not fully up to date on their basic immunizations.
• 1/3 with chronic asthma do not get a prescription for medications they need.
• 1/2 of uninsured children have not had a well child visit in the past year.
• 1 in 6 has delayed or unmet medical needs.
• 1 in 5 has trouble accessing health care.
• 1 in 4 does not see a dentist annually.
• 1 in 3 had no health insurance during 2002 and 2003.

In the Senate, I am working hard to convince my colleagues to co-sponsor this vitally important bill. But, the most important co-sponsors - the ones who can help push this legislation through a Republican Congress and the Bush White House - are the hundreds of thousands of grassroots activists in the johnkerry.com community. If you haven't done so already, please sign our Kids Come First petition and forward it to your family, friends, and neighbors:

http://www.johnkerry.com/KidsFirst

To date, nearly 300,000 Americans have signed our Kids Come First petition. Our goal is to top 500,000 before President Bush makes his State of the Union Address on February 2nd. We'll build from there until we stand one million strong. We've got to put getting our children the health care they need at the top of our national agenda. It won't be easy, but we will never relent until we find a way to make sure Kids Come First.

The Bush administration wants to ignore the fact that children without health care translates into needless pain and suffering for millions of American families. But you and I won't let those children be ignored any longer.

Making sure that Kids Come First is the right thing to do. What's more, it makes no economic sense to leave millions of American children uninsured. Immunizations, annual visits to a pediatrician, dental care, and screening for vision, hearing, and developmental problems are all long-term money savers for the health care system as a whole.

And investing now in the health of our children is truly what is key to saving our Social Security system and the long-term financial solvency issues facing Medicare. The health and productivity of the next generation's workforce is what will contribute most to saving these systems, not whether or not we privatize accounts or means test the benefits.

I hope you will take a moment to review this essential proposal -- and I hope you will act to encourage everyone you know to sign our Kids Come First petition now.

As you read this, President Bush is on a health care swing through Ohio. In the midst of photo ops and canned speeches, he is offering no genuine solution to the fact that 11 million American children have no health insurance. You and I must work to provide the ideas and leadership that are missing from the White House and the Republican leaders of Congress. And we have to work day in and day out to mobilize America to cover every child.

Thanks for standing with me in this essential undertaking.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

P.S. You can read a summary of the Kids Come First Act here:

http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/billsummary.php

New Social Security Spinblog

New in the 'sphere: a spinblog (yes, I just coined that term) titled Social Security Choice. The "about" blurb:

Sponsored by the Club for Growth, this site seeks to promote “The Ownership Society” by advocating personal accounts for Social Security.

Contrary to popular belief, the Club for Growth is neither a hair club for men nor a penile enhancment e-store. From its "about" blurb:

Founded in 1999 by Steve Moore, National Review president Dusty Rhodes, Cato Institute president Ed Crane, Richard Gilder, economist and CNBC Kudlow & Cramer co-host Larry Kudlow and other like-minded pro-growth conservatives, the Club for Growth sends campaign contributions from our members to the most free-market oriented candidates in tight, but winnable races. Members of the Club are economic conservatives, like-minded political contributors who are frustrated with the ideological drift of both parties today. Club members have a shared goal of contributing to and electing more Reaganites to Congress who are willing to stand for the issues that they as members care about most, issues like: cutting taxes, controlling federal spending, personal accounts for Social Security, ending the death tax, eliminating the capital gains tax, fundamental tax reform, providing true school choice and minimizing government's role in our daily lives.

So there you go.

Proposed Legislation Restricts Illegal Aliens' Use Of Driver's Licenses

The Washington Times reports that House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. introduced a bill to restrict illegal aliens' ability to obtain and use driver's licenses. According to the Times, Mr. Sensenbrenner's new bill includes four of the provisions that he fought for but which were dropped from the final intelligence overhaul bill last month:

The bill would fill a gap in the fence on the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego, would extend the law so that terrorism-related grounds for excluding someone from entering the United States also become grounds for deportation for those already here and would revamp the asylum system to make it easier for judges to deny a claim for asylum.

But its major focus is to crack down on illegal aliens' ability to obtain and use driver's licenses.

The measure requires that any driver's license used as a form of identification to a federal official, such as a Transportation Security Administration screener at an airport, meet national standards that include a check on whether the holder is in the country legally.

The bill doesn't force states to change their laws, but makes driver's licenses from such states inadmissible for federal identification purposes.

From California Yankee.

PR Spending Doubled Under Bush

USA TODAY reports that the Bush administration has more than doubled its spending on outside contracts with public relations firms during the past four years. Details:

The administration spent at least $88 million in fiscal 2004 on contracts with major public relations firms, the analysis found, compared with $37 million in 2001, Bush's first year in office. In all, the administration spent $250 million on public relations contracts during its first term, compared with $128 million spent for President Clinton between 1997 and 2000. The analysis did not examine what the Clinton administration spent during its first term.

Senate Confirms Rice for State Dept.

Despite Democratic criticism of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq and elsewhere, Condoleezza Rice ) on Wednesday won the confirmation of the Senate as the next secretary of state.

The vote was 85-13. Twelve Democrats and independent Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont voted against the nominee. It was the largest vote against a secretary of state nominee since Al Haig was confirmed in 1981 with six votes in opposition.

Rice, 50, will replace Colin Powell and become the first black woman to serve as the nation's top diplomat.

More...

Race, Gender Factors For Social Security?

The Associated Press via MSNBC reports that on NBC’s “Meet the Press,”Congressman Bill Thomas, R-Calif., the chairman of the House tax-writing committee said Congress also should consider basing benefits on such factors as race, sex and the job a retiree once held:

“We also need to examine, frankly, ... the question of race, in terms of how many years of retirement do you get based upon your race. And you ought not to just leave gender off the table, because that would be a factor,” Thomas said.

From California Yankee.

TIME: Scalia's Likely Next As Grand Court Poobah

TIME emails with this all caps lead:

JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA COULD SUCCEED REHNQUIST, SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH WHITE HOUSE THINKING ON JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS TELLS TIME, BUT IT’S NOT A LOCK

I suppose this is something TIME feels is worth screaming about (read the story here).

In terms of the Blogosphere, Red Right offers an analysis here, fleshing out the Thomas/Scalia comparison.

Republicans File Governor's Race Challenge In State Legislature

The Associated Press reports that Washington state's Republicans, while still pursuing a court challenge to the disputed governor's election, have filed a separate challenge with the state Legislature:

Republicans have filed a legal challenge against the hand recount in Chelan County Superior Court, saying mistakes were made and calling for another statewide vote. That same challenge was filed with the Legislature Friday evening, "as an insurance policy," Lane said Saturday.

The challenge, however, goes to the Democrat-controlled Legislature, which certified the election Jan. 11 despite a GOP request for a two-week delay.

From California Yankee.

Yushchenko Takes Oath as Ukraine's President

As blogged live by Veronica Khokhlova:

The Oath - his right hand on the 16th-century New Testament and on the Constitution; then he signs some paper, shakes hand with the head of the Constitutional Court and kisses both books. The Constitutional Court head announces that Kuchma is no longer the President. At last.

See also here.

CNN has the full story

Dean's Image Tarnished

In its Washington Wire feature, The Wall Street Journal reports on Howard Dean's tarnished image:

DEAN BATTLES a tarnished image in bid for Democratic chairmanship. Just 27% of party backers view the Vermont ex-governor positively, down from 48% a year ago. But he's less of a lightning rod for Republicans than during his presidential bid; 37% view him negatively, down from 58% in January 2004

From California Yankee.

New Republican Voices Newsletter Up

Republican Voices has posted their latest online newsletter, an inaugural edition.

Inaugural Speech: Free Download

Henry Copeland emails to note that Audible.com has posted a free iTunes download of yesterday's inaugural speech. Missed it? iPod that sucker. (Hey! I created a new verb!)

Inaugural Counter-Spin: Hastings Group

It didn't take long for the Hastings Group (a DC-area lobbying & PR firm) to start working the inaugural counter-spin, sending me an email that leads:

A major new national opinion survey of 1,608 U.S. voters shows that most Americans do NOT support President Bush’s focus on “democracy building” – which was the primary call to action in his Inaugural Address message today. (1) According to the survey, American voters think the nation’s highest foreign and military policy priority should be close to home – “defense of U.S. borders and homeland security,” which was supported by a plurality of 43 percent of voters. A considerably smaller share of U.S. voters (7 percent) agree with President Bush that the primary U.S. foreign policy focus should be on “democracy building” in other nations.

See the survey results here. I post, you decide.

Transcript of Bush's Speech

Vice President Cheney, Mr. Chief Justice, President Carter, President Bush, President Clinton, reverend clergy, distinguished guests, fellow citizens:

On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable wisdom of our Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country. I am grateful for the honor of this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I have sworn and you have witnessed.

At this second gathering, our duties are defined not by the words I use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half century, America defended our own freedom by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire.

We have seen our vulnerability - and we have seen its deepest source. For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny - prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder - violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a mortal threat. There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom.

We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.

America's vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one. From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth. Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time.

So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.

This is not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law and the protection of minorities. And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.

The great objective of ending tyranny is the concentrated work of generations. The difficulty of the task is no excuse for avoiding it. America's influence is not unlimited, but fortunately for the oppressed, America's influence is considerable, and we will use it confidently in freedom's cause.

My most solemn duty is to protect this nation and its people against further attacks and emerging threats. Some have unwisely chosen to test America's resolve, and have found it firm.

We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies.

We will encourage reform in other governments by making clear that success in our relations will require the decent treatment of their own people. America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.

Some, I know, have questioned the global appeal of liberty - though this time in history, four decades defined by the swiftest advance of freedom ever seen, is an odd time for doubt. Americans, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of our ideals. Eventually, the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul. We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery. Liberty will come to those who love it.

Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world:

All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.

Democratic reformers facing repression, prison, or exile can know: America sees you for who you are: the future leaders of your free country.

The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it."

The leaders of governments with long habits of control need to know: To serve your people you must learn to trust them. Start on this journey of progress and justice, and America will walk at your side.

And all the allies of the United States can know: we honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help. Division among free nations is a primary goal of freedom's enemies. The concerted effort of free nations to promote democracy is a prelude to our enemies' defeat.

Today, I also speak anew to my fellow citizens:

From all of you, I have asked patience in the hard task of securing America, which you have granted in good measure. Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom. And as hope kindles hope, millions more will find it. By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well - a fire in the minds of men. It warms those who feel its power, it burns those who fight its progress, and one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world.

A few Americans have accepted the hardest duties in this cause - in the quiet work of intelligence and diplomacy … the idealistic work of helping raise up free governments … the dangerous and necessary work of fighting our enemies. Some have shown their devotion to our country in deaths that honored their whole lives - and we will always honor their names and their sacrifice.

All Americans have witnessed this idealism, and some for the first time. I ask our youngest citizens to believe the evidence of your eyes. You have seen duty and allegiance in the determined faces of our soldiers. You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself - and in your days you will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its character.

America has need of idealism and courage, because we have essential work at home - the unfinished work of American freedom. In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty.

In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. This is the broader definition of liberty that motivated the Homestead Act, the Social Security Act, and the G.I. Bill of Rights. And now we will extend this vision by reforming great institutions to serve the needs of our time. To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance - preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society. By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear, and make our society more prosperous and just and equal.

In America's ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character - on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives. Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people. Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before - ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In America's ideal of freedom, the exercise of rights is ennobled by service, and mercy, and a heart for the weak. Liberty for all does not mean independence from one another. Our nation relies on men and women who look after a neighbor and surround the lost with love. Americans, at our best, value the life we see in one another, and must always remember that even the unwanted have worth. And our country must abandon all the habits of racism, because we cannot carry the message of freedom and the baggage of bigotry at the same time.

From the perspective of a single day, including this day of dedication, the issues and questions before our country are many. From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few. Did our generation advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause?

These questions that judge us also unite us, because Americans of every party and background, Americans by choice and by birth, are bound to one another in the cause of freedom. We have known divisions, which must be healed to move forward in great purposes - and I will strive in good faith to heal them. Yet those divisions do not define America. We felt the unity and fellowship of our nation when freedom came under attack, and our response came like a single hand over a single heart. And we can feel that same unity and pride whenever America acts for good, and the victims of disaster are given hope, and the unjust encounter justice, and the captives are set free.

We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because freedom is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul. When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction, set by liberty and the Author of Liberty.

When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.

May God bless you, and may He watch over the United States of America.

Bush Takes Oath of Office

Chief Justice William Rehnquist administered the oath of office to President Bush, after which the band played "Hail to the Chief."

Minutes earlier, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., administered the oath of office to Cheney, who solemnly swore to "support and defend the Consitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and dometic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God."

After his oath, the band performed "Ruffles and Flourishes."

In attendance at Thursday's ceremony were friends and foes alike, including three former presidents, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, as well as Bush's November rival, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry. The U.S. Diplomatic Corps, U.S. Supreme Court justices, members of Congress and the administration and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also attended.

The ceremony and parade to follow were expected to be attended by a half a million Americans.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., was administering the oath of office to Cheney, who was to make his pledge first. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, delivered the call to order and welcoming remarks.

Bush was being sworn in by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist (search), and was resting his hand on the same Bible he used in 2001. Rehnquist, who is recovering from thyroid cancer treatments, entered the stage with the help of a walking can. A breathing tube was visible beneath his scarf.

After the noon EST oath, Bush was delivering an inaugural address expected to last about 17 minutes.

Committee Confusion: Why Are "Friends Of John Kerry" Using $25K Given To "Kerry-Edwards Victory 2004" Four Weeks Before The Creation Of "Friends Of John Kerry"?

Yesterday I receive the second email in as many days from John Kerry (as a function of being on a DNC-related distribution list for the convention). The first called for Rummy’s head; yesterday’s explains his vote against Condi Rice ... and again calls for Rummy’s head (lead posted below; full text in the extended entry).

Dear Supporter, Earlier today, I voted in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee against the nomination of Dr. Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State. This vote is an expression of my determination that we hold the Bush administration accountable ...

“What?”, I say to myself, “Does he think he’s still running?”

I notice that the emails, which used to come from the Kerry prez campaign, now come from “Friends of John Kerry.” Awfully busy, motivated, and well-funded friends, it seems.

So I do a little poking around.

The first place I go is www.johnkerry.com, which used to be the campaign site, but has now been re-branded as just johnkerry.com, “a community of online activists, first brought together in the heat of the 2004 presidential campaign. In 2005, we continue to work side-by-side to rewrite the book on grassroots politics.” By the content on the splash page, rewriting the book on grassroots politics appears to be code for “removing Don Rumsfeld.”

I also notice that the site is still full of Kerry/Edwards references and items, one of which is the “official blog,” which is (1) still branded Kerry/Edwards, and (2) empty.

So I poke around some more and notice that Byron York of National Review is seeing the same emails. He too has noticed that John’s Friends are the sponsors. He too has noticed the (poor and inconsistent) re-branding of johnkerry.com. And he adds:

The site, including the anti-Rumsfeld campaign, was paid for by Friends of John Kerry, Inc., a committee established by Kerry about six weeks ago.

Some more poking and I see that our own CA Yankee posted in this space that:

The Boston Globe reports that John Kerry plans to set up a federal campaign committee, Friends of John Kerry, which would allow him to seek a fifth term in the US Senate in 2008 while not precluding another run for president that year. The Committee will be a vehicle for fund-raising for either campaign.
According to the Globe, Kerry transferred all the money from his previous committee to his presidential campaign committee after retaining his Senate seat in 2002 and Kerry could do the same should he decide against seeking reelection in favor of a second bid for the presidency.

(Note to self: just search the Command Post for this stuff.)

Searching the Federal Election Commission database I find the FEC filing for Friends of John Kerry. The designation of FOJK is PRINCIPAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE OF A CANDIDATE: SENATE. I also find the donations to date:

• $25,000 by Reuben Hinojosa for Congress (Dem Rep for the 15th District of Texas ... long way away for a Sen from Mass, eh?)

• I also see that no individuals have given to date, so at least according to the FEC, Friends of John Kerry is funded, so far, by that single $25 K from Mr. Hinojosa.

• The original Boston Globe story about Friends of John Kerry ran on November 25th, 2004, and noted that Kerry planned to establish FOJK “as early as this week.” But what about this: The Hinojosa disbursement was (1) actually made out to "Kerry-Edwards Victory 2004," and (2) was made on November 1st, the day before the election. See the image of the filing yourself here. So I'm presuming that Kerry can "roll over" his donations to a new committee ... one that didn’t yet exist? Someone help clarify.

Now, this might be a nothing, and may be common practice. But I just find it a bit ... oh, I don't know, unsavory ... that a sitting Senator is using money from one campaign committee given by a Texas Representative to a different campaign committee several weeks the before the formation of the first committee to argue for the ousting of an existing Secretary of Defense more than two months later.

Don't you?

Update: From the Boston Globe story:

The Massachusetts Democrat will call the committee Friends of John Kerry, spokesman David Wade said, and stock it with money from fund-raisers that have yet to be scheduled. Kerry transferred all the money from his previous committee to his presidential campaign committee after retaining his Senate seat in 2002. He could do the same should he decide against seeking reelection in favor of a second bid for the presidency.

OK. But this wasn't stocked with money from a fundraiser that was yet to be scheduled ... it was stocked with money raised prior to Nov. 1, 2004, by, it appears, a Congressman from Texas. And if Kerry could transfer money between committees if he decided against seeking reelection, why does the scope of FOJK leave open support of a Senate OR Presidential campaign?

Confused yet?

***********

Dear Supporter,

Earlier today, I voted in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee against the nomination of Dr. Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State. This vote is an expression of my determination that we hold the Bush administration accountable.

Dr. Rice is a principal architect, implementer, and defender of a series of Administration policies that have not made our country as secure as we should be and have alienated much-needed allies in our common cause of winning the war against terrorism. Regrettably, I did not see in Dr. Rice's testimony before our committee any acknowledgment of the need to change course or of a new vision for America's role in the world.

On Iraq, on North Korea, on Iran, to name just a few of the most critical challenges, it seems to be more of the same. I hope I am proven wrong. I hope the course will change. And I hope that the Administration will recognize the strength of a foreign policy that has bipartisan support.

I am prepared to work with Dr. Rice and others in the Administration to try to reach agreement on policies that will truly strengthen our security and restore America's credibility on the world stage. And I am confident colleagues on both sides of the aisle are prepared to do so as well.

But, we've got to remain firm in our insistence that those who create policies that don't work have the courage to admit their mistakes and the wisdom to change course. Our johnkerry.com community has been expressing that determination in huge numbers.

Over 700,000 people have called on President Bush to fire Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense.

If you haven't signed the Rumsfeld petition, please do so immediately.

http://www.johnkerry.com/ReplaceRumsfeld

And, please forward the petition right now to friends and colleagues, urging them to join in this effort.

I know you share my strong convictions on the importance of holding the President and his Cabinet accountable. I pledge to you that I will not yield in this effort. Let's keep working together. America's future is at stake.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

Inauguration News

Speaking at the "A Celebration of Freedom" concert at the Ellipse on Wednesday, Bush previewed his speech, pledging to try to unify a country divided by partisan differences. "I will speak about freedom. This is the cause that unites our country and gives hope to the world and will lead us to a future of peace. We have a calling from beyond the stars to stand for freedom, and America will always be faithful to that cause," the president said. "I am eager and ready for the work ahead."

--

Excerpts released by the White House last night show that he will promise to promote liberty abroad, and offer to work with Democrats stewing over their defeat in November and angered by an Iraq policy they consider flawed.

"We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: the survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands," President Bush is expected to say.

"In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty."

Schedule of events for today:

St. John’s Church Service, at St. John’s Church, 9 to 10 a.m.

Oath of Office Ceremony, at the U.S. Capitol, Noon

Inaugural parade, along Pennsylvania Avenue, 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Celebratory Balls:

Constitution Ball: at the Washington Hilton, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Freedom Ball: at Union Station, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Independence Ball, Texas Wyoming Ball, Patriot Ball, Stars and Stripes Ball, Liberty Ball, Democracy Ball: at the Convention Center from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Commander-in-Chief Ball, at the National Building Museum, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Put On Your Top Hat: It's Inauguration Day

It's Inauguration Day here in the States, and I swear to God, there were times in the past two years I thought this day would never arrive.

But it has, and here's some web stuff (that's me, Mr. Sophistication) to aid your enjoyment of the festivities:

• The White House Inaugural 2005 page, which includes the 2005 schedule of events (no times, though, which makes it a bit weak as schedules go).

• As of yesterday, the President was on draft 21 of his remarks. According to his PressSec they will be 17 minutes long.

• Bush asked to see the Washington Bible yesterday morning ... he may use two, it and the family bible he used in 2000.

• Bartleby.com has record of all inaugural speeches from GW (Washington) to GW (Bush).

• For the record: Best 2nd inaugural of all time? Lincoln's. Read it here. The key passage is the close:

Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Enjoy the show.

Rice Endorsed By Senate Committee

MSNBC reports that he Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to confirm Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state. The vote was 16-2 vote with only John Kerry and Barbara Boxer voting not to recommend that Rice be confirmed.

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman To Head UNICEF

The Los Angeles Times reports U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has nominated U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman to head the United Nations Children's Fund:

Veneman, a 55-year-old lawyer, grew up on a peach farm in Modesto, and her career has focused on agriculture. Before she joined President Bush's Cabinet in 2001, she served from 1995 to 1999 as secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. She has also served in agriculture-related posts in the administrations of Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

UNICEF is the U.N.'s largest agency and has always been headed an American.

From California Yankee.

Rice Statement at Confirmation Hearing

Via FOX:

"Thank you Chairman Lugar, Senator Biden, and Members of the Committee. And let me also thank Senator Dianne Feinstein who, as a fellow Californian, I have long admired as a leader on behalf of our state and our nation. Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, it is an honor to be nominated to lead the State Department at this critical time a time of challenge and hope and opportunity fo America, and for the entire world.

"September 11, 2001 was a defining moment for our nation and the world. Under the vision and leadership of President Bush, our nation has risen to meet the challenges of our time: fighting tyranny and terror, and securing the blessings of freedom and prosperity for a new generation. The work that America and our allies have undertaken, and the sacrifices we have made, have been difficult and necessary and right. Now is the time to build on these achievements to make the world safer, and to make the world more free. We must use American diplomacy to help create a balance of power in the world that favors freedom. And the time for diplomacy is now.

"I am humbled by President Bush's confidence in me to undertake the great work of leading American diplomacy at such a moment in history. If confirmed, I will work with members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, to build a strong bipartisan consensus behind Americas foreign policy. I will seek to strengthen our alliances, to support our friends, and to make the world safer, and better. I will enlist the great talents of the men and women of the State Department, the foreign and civil services and our foreign service nationals. And if I am confirmed, I will be especially honored to succeed a man I so admire my friend and mentor, Colin Powell.

"Four years ago, Secretary Powell addressed this committee for the same purpose I do now. Then as now, it was the same week that America celebrates the life and legacy of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a time to reflect on the legacy of that great man, on the sacrifices he made, on the courage of the people he led, and on the progress our nation has made in the decades since. I am especially indebted to those who fought and sacrificed in the civil rights movement so that I could be here today.

"For me, this is a time to remember other heroes as well. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama the old Birmingham of Bull Connor, church bombings, and voter intimidation the Birmingham where Doctor King was thrown in jail for demonstrating without a permit. Yet there was another Birmingham, the city where my parents John and Angelena Rice and their friends built a thriving community in the midst of the most terrible segregation in the country. It would have been so easy for them to give in to despair, and to send that message of hopelessness to their children. But they refused to allow the limits and injustices of their time to limit our horizons. My friends and I were raised to believe that we could do or become anything that the only limits to our aspirations came from within. We were taught not to listen to those who said to us, 'No, you cant.'

"The story of Birmingham's parents and teachers and children is a story of the triumph of universal values over adversity. And those values a belief in democracy, and liberty, and the dignity of every life, and the rights of every individual unite Americans of all backgrounds, all faiths, and all colors.

"They provide us a common cause in all times, a rallying point in difficult times, and a source of hope to men and women across the globe who cherish freedom and work to advance freedoms cause. And in these extraordinary times, it is the duty of all of us legislators, diplomats, civil servants, and citizens to uphold and advance the values that are the core of the American identity, and that have lifted the lives of millions around the world.

"One of history's clearest lessons is that America is safer, and the world is more secure, whenever and wherever freedom prevails. It is neither an accident nor a coincidence that the greatest threats of the last century emerged from totalitarian movements. Fascism and Communism differed in many ways, but they shared an implacable hatred of freedom, a fanatical assurance that their way was the only way, and a supreme confidence that history was on their side.

"At certain moments, it almost seemed to be so. During the first half of the 20th century much of the democratic and economic progress of earlier decades looked to be swept away by the march of ruthless ideologies armed with terrible military and technological power. Even after the allied victory in World War II, many feared that Europe, and perhaps the world, would be forced to permanently endure half enslaved and half free.

"The cause of freedom suffered a series of major strategic setbacks: Communism imposed in Eastern Europe Soviet power dominant in East Germany the coup in Czechoslovakia. the victory of the Chinese Communists, the Soviet nuclear test five years before we predicted to name just a few. In those early years, the prospect of a united democratic Germany and a democratic Japan seemed far-fetched.

"Yet America and our allies were blessed with visionary leaders who did not lose their way. They created the great NATO alliance to contain and eventually erode Soviet power. They helped to establish the United Nations and created the international legal framework for this and other institutions that have served the world well for more than 50 years. They provided billions in aid to rebuild Europe and much of Asia. They built an international economic system based on free trade and free markets to spread prosperity to every corner of the globe. And they confronted the ideology and propaganda of our enemies with a message of hope, and with the truth. And in the end though the end was long in coming their vision prevailed.

"The challenges we face today are no less daunting. America and the free world are once again engaged in a long-term struggle against an ideology of tyranny and terror, and against hatred and hopelessness. And we must confront these challenges with the same vision, courage and boldness of thought demonstrated by our post-World War Two leaders.

"In these momentous times, American diplomacy has three great tasks. First, we will unite the community of democracies in building an international system that is based on our shared values and the rule of law. Second, we will strengthen the community of democracies to fight the threats to our common security and alleviate the hopelessness that feeds terror. And third, we will spread freedom and democracy throughout the globe. That is the mission that President Bush has set for America in the world and the great mission of American diplomacy today.

"Let me address each of the three tasks I just mentioned. Every nation that benefits from living on the right side of the freedom divide has an obligation to share freedoms blessings. Our first challenge, then, is to inspire the American people, and the people of all free nations, to unite in common cause to solve common problems.

"NATO and the European Union and our democratic allies in East Asia and around the world will be our strongest partners in this vital work. The United States will also continue to work to support and uphold the system of international rules and treaties that allow us to take advantage of our freedom, to build our economies, and to keep us safe and secure.

"We must remain united in insisting that Iran and North Korea abandon their nuclear weapons ambitions, and choose instead the path of peace. New forums that emerge from the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative offer the ideal venues to encourage economic, social and democratic reform in the Islamic world.

"Implementing the Doha Development Agenda and reducing trade barriers will create jobs and reduce poverty in dozens of nations. And by standing with the free peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan, we will continue to bring hope to millions, and democracy to a part of the world where it is sorely lacking.

"As President Bush said in our National Security Strategy, America 'is guided by the conviction that no nation can build a safer, better world alone. Alliances and multilateral institutions can multiply the strength of freedom-loving nations.' If I am confirmed, that core conviction will guide my actions. Yet when judging a course of action, I will never forget that the true measure of its worth is whether it is effective.

"Our second great task is to strengthen the community of democracies, so that all free nations are equal to the work before us. Free peoples everywhere are heartened by the success of democracy around the globe. Together, we must build on that success.

"We face many challenges. In some parts of the world, an extremist few threaten the very existence of political liberty. Disease and poverty have the potential to destabilize whole nations and regions. Corruption can sap the foundations of democracy. And some elected leaders have taken illiberal steps that, if not corrected, could undermine hard-won democratic progress.

"We must do all we can to ensure that nations which make the hard choices and do the hard work to join the free world deliver on the high hopes of their citizens for a better life. From the Philippines to Colombia to the nations of Africa, we are strengthening counterterrorism cooperation with nations that have the will to fight terror, but need help with the means. We are spending billions to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases, to alleviate suffering for millions and help end public health crises.

"America has always been generous in helping countries recover from natural disasters and today we are providing money and personnel to ease the suffering of millions afflicted by the tsunami, and to help nations rebuild their infrastructure. We are joining with developing nations to fight corruption, instill the rule of law, and create a culture of transparency. In much of Africa and Latin America, we face the twin challenges of helping to bolster democratic ideals and institutions, and alleviating poverty.

"We will work with reformers in those regions who are committed to increasing opportunity for their peoples. And we will insist that leaders who are elected democratically have an obligation to govern democratically.

"Our third great task is to spread democracy and freedom throughout the world. I spoke earlier of the grave setbacks to democracy in the first half of the 20th century. The second half of the century saw an advance of democracy that was far more dramatic. In the last quarter of that century, the number of democracies in the world tripled. And in the last six months of this new century alone, we have witnessed the peaceful, democratic transfer of power in Malaysia, a majority Muslim nation, and in Indonesia, the country with the world's largest Muslim population. We have seen men and women wait in line for hours to vote in Afghanistan's first ever free and fair presidential election.

"We and I know you, Mr. Chairman, were heartened by the refusal of the people of Ukraine to accept a flawed election, and their insistence that their democratic will be honored. We have watched as the people of the Palestinian Territories turned out to vote in an orderly and fair election. And soon the people of Iraq will exercise their right to choose their leaders, and set the course of their nation's future. No less than were the last decades of the 20th century, the first decades of this new century can be an era of liberty. And we in America must do everything we can to make it so.

"To be sure, in our world there remain outposts of tyranny and America stands with oppressed people on every continent -- in Cuba, and Burma, and North Korea, and Iran, and Belarus, and Zimbabwe. The world should apply what Natan Sharansky calls the 'town square test': if a person cannot walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm, then that person is living in a fear society, not a free society. We cannot rest until every person living in a 'fear society' has finally won their freedom.

"In the Middle East, President Bush has broken with six decades of excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the hope of purchasing stability at the price of liberty. The stakes could not be higher. As long as the broader Middle East remains a region of tyranny and despair and anger, it will produce extremists and movements that threaten the safety of Americans and our friends.

"But there are hopeful signs that freedom is on the march. Afghanistan and Iraq are struggling to put dark and terrible pasts behind them and are choosing the path of progress. Just months ago, Afghanistan held a free and fair election, and chose a president who is committed to the success of democracy and to the fight against terror. In Iraq, the people will soon take the next step in their journey toward full, genuine democracy. All Iraqis, whatever their faith or ethnicity from Shias to Sunnis to Kurds must build a common future together. The election later this month will be an important first step as the people of Iraq prepare to draft a constitution and hold the next round of elections elections that will create a permanent government.

"The success of freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq will give strength and hope to reformers throughout the region, and accelerate the pace of reforms already under way. From Morocco to Jordan to Bahrain, we are seeing elections and new protections for women and minorities, and the beginnings of political pluralism. Political, civil, and business leaders have issued stirring calls for political, economic and social change. Increasingly, the people are speaking, and their message is clear: the future of the region is to live in liberty.

"And the establishment of a Palestinian democracy will help to bring an end to the conflict in the Holy Land. Much has changed since June 24th, 2002, when President Bush outlined a new approach for America in the quest for peace in the Middle East, and spoke the truth about what will be required to end this conflict. Now we have reached a moment of opportunity and we must seize it.

"We take great encouragement from the elections just held for a new Palestinian leader. And Senators Biden and Sununu, I want to thank you for representing the United States at these historic elections. America seeks justice and dignity and a viable, independent, and democratic state for the Palestinian people. We seek security and peace for the State of Israel. Israel must do its part to improve the conditions under which Palestinians live and seek to build a better future. Arab states must join to help and deny any help or solace to those who take the path of violence.

"I look forward to personally working with the Palestinian and Israeli leaders, and bringing American diplomacy to bear on this difficult but crucial issue. Peace can only come if all parties choose to do the difficult work, and choose to meet their responsibilities. And the time to choose peace is now.

"Building a world of hope, prosperity and peace is difficult. As we move forward, America's relations with the world's global powers will be critical. In Russia, we see that the path to democracy is uneven and that its success is not yet assured. Yet recent history shows that we can work closely with Russia on common problems. And as we do so, we will continue to press the case for democracy, and we will continue to make clear that the protection of democracy in Russia is vital to the future of US-Russia relations.

"In Asia, we have moved beyond the false assumption that it is impossible to have good relations with all of Asia's powers. Our Asian alliances have never been stronger and we will use that strength to help secure the peace and prosperity of the region. Japan, South Korea, and Australia are key partners in our efforts to deter common threats and spur economic growth. We are building a candid, cooperative and constructive relationship with China that embraces our common interests but still recognizes our considerable differences about values. The United States is cooperating with India, the world's largest democracy, across a range of economic and security issues. This, even as we embrace Pakistan as a vital ally in the war on terror, and a state in transition towards a more moderate and democratic future.

"In our own neighborhood, we are cooperating closely with Canada and Mexico, and working to realize the vision of a fully democratic hemisphere, bound by common values and free trade.

"We also must realize that America and all free nations are facing a generational struggle against a new and deadly ideology of hatred that we cannot ignore. We need to do much more to confront hateful propaganda, dispel dangerous myths, and get out the truth. We will increase our exchanges with the rest of the world. And Americans should make a serious effort to understand other cultures and learn foreign languages.

"Our interaction with the rest of the world must be a conversation, not a monologue. And America must remain open to visitors and workers and students from around the world, without compromising our security standards. If our public diplomacy efforts are to succeed, we cannot close ourselves off from the world. And if I am confirmed, public diplomacy will be a top priority for me and for the professionals I lead.

"In all that lies ahead, the primary instrument of American diplomacy will be the Department of State, and the men and women of its Foreign and Civil Services and Foreign Service Nationals. The time for diplomacy is now and the President and I will expect great things from America's diplomatic corps.

"We know from experience how hard they work, the risks they and their families take, and the hardships they endure. We will be asking even more of them, in the service of their country, and of a great cause. They will need to develop new skills, and rise to new challenges. This time of global transformation calls for transformational diplomacy. More than ever, Americas diplomats will need to be active in spreading democracy, fighting terror, reducing poverty, and doing our part to protect the American homeland. I will personally work to ensure that America's diplomats have all the tools they need to do their jobs from training to budgets to mentoring to embassy security.

"I also intend to strengthen the recruitment of new personnel, because American diplomacy needs to constantly hire and develop top talent. And I will seek to further diversify the State Department's workforce. This is not just a good cause; it is a necessity. A great strength of our country is our diversity. And the signal sent to the rest of the world when America is represented abroad by people of all cultures, races, and religions is an unsurpassed statement about who we are and what our values mean in practice.

"Let me close with a personal recollection. I was in government in Washington in 1989 to 1991. I was the Soviet specialist in the White House at the end of the Cold War. I was lucky to be there, and I knew it. I got to participate in the liberation of Eastern Europe. I got to participate in the unification of Germany and to see the Soviet Union collapse. It was a heady time for us all. But, when I look back, I know that we were merely harvesting the good decisions that had been made in 1947, in 1948, and in 1949, when Truman and Acheson and Vandenberg and Kennan and so many wise and farsighted statesmen in the executive and legislative branches recognized that we were not in a limited engagement with Communism, we were in the defining struggle of our times.

"Democrats and Republicans united around a vision and policies that won the Cold War. The road was not always smooth, but the basic unity of purpose and values was there and that unity was essential to our eventual success. No president, and no secretary of state, could have effectively protected American interests in such momentous times without strong support from the Congress, and from this committee. And the same is true today. Our task, and our duty is to unite around a vision and policies that will spread freedom and prosperity around the globe. I have worked directly with many of you. And in this time of great challenge and opportunity, Americas co-equal branches of government must work together to advance freedom and prosperity.

"In the preface to his memoirs, published in 1969, Dean Acheson wrote of the post-war period that 'those who acted in this drama did not know, nor do any of us yet know, the end.' Senators, now we know and many of us here bore witness to that end. The end was a victory for freedom, the liberation of half a continent, the passing of a despotic empire and vindication for the wise and brave decisions made at the beginning. It is my greatest hope and my deepest conviction that the struggle we face today will some day end in a similar triumph of the human spirit. And working together, we can make it so. Thank you."

Rice Faces Grilling to Be Secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice faces questioning by a Senate committee Tuesday in her quest to be the nation's next secretary of state, replacing Colin Powell. Rice is expected to easily secure enough votes to be confirmed but she also is prepared to answer tough questions about her role combatting terrorism and waging war in Iraq. If confirmed, Rice would be the first black woman, and only the second woman after Madeleine Albright, to be America's top diplomat.

Read more...

D'Amato 'Opens Door" To Endorsing Spitzer For Governor?

The New York Post reports that Republican and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato, has "opened the door to endorsing New York's Eliot Spitzer for governor." D'Amato called Democrat Spitzer "a great attorney general" who has done "a terrific job" cracking down on Wall Street abuses.

According to the Post, D'Amato remains close to Pataki and said he would back the governor if, as few senior Republicans now believe likely, he runs for a fourth term in 2006.

From California Yankee.

Kerry Criticizes Election Outcome

The Associated Press reports John Kerry, speaking at Boston's annual Martin Luther King Day Breakfast, criticized President Bush and decried reports of voter disenfranchisement on Election Day:

"Voting machines were distributed in uneven ways. In Democratic districts, it took people four, five, 11 hours to vote, while Republicans sorted through in ten minutes -- same voting machines, same process, our America," he said.

From Californuia Yankee.

TIME: Limousine Terror at Inauguration?

^{From a TIME email alert - story appears in the Jan. 24, 2005 issue}.

LIMO GAS BOMB THREAT HAS BECOME FOCUS OF CONCERN FOR PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
---
Prompted By Document Seized from al Qaeda Last Year Entitled,
'Rough Presentation for Gas Limo Project,' U.S. Intelligence Sources tell TIME
---
Plan Calls for 3 Limos, Each Carrying 12 or More Compressed-Gas Cylinders to Create a 'Full Fuel-Air Explosion' by Venting Flammable Gas into a cofided Space and Then Igniting It'
--
Cylinders Would be Painted Yellow to Falsely Signify Toxic Gases to
Spread Terror and Chaos When Emergency and Haz-Mat Teams Arrive on Scene

New York - As Washington gears up for the first Inaugural of the post-9/11 era, one potential security threat has emerged as a particular focus of concern: vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, or VBIEDs, possibly disguised as limousines, TIME's Adam Zagorin reports. The fears were prompted in part, say U.S. intelligence sources, by a 39-page document seized from al-Qaeda last year, titled "Rough Presentation for Gas Limo Project." It lays out a scenario for using limousines to deliver bombs equipped with cylinders of a flammable gas. Though the Inauguration is not specifically mentioned, parts of the document began circulating among senior U.S. intelligence authorities on Jan. 5. In response, barriers have been set up to block any vehicle bent on destruction.

The document is believed to have been written by Issa al-Hindi, an al-Qaeda operative captured in Britain last year. It recommends concealing bombs in limos because the vehicles "blend in" and "can transport larger payloads than sedans ... and do not require special driving skills." The limos can "access underground parking structures that do not accommodate trucks" and "have tinted windows that can hide an improvised explosive device from outside."

The document calls for the deployment of three limos, each carrying 12 or more compressed-gas cylinders to create a "full fuel-air explosion by venting flammable gas into a confined space and then igniting it." It suggests painting the cylinders yellow to falsely "signify toxic gases to spread terror and chaos when emergency and haz-mat teams arrive."

Al-Qaeda used similar devices in the truck bomb that blew up the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam in 1998 and in a 2002 attack on a Tunisian synagogue. Shortly after the document surfaced last summer, the Department of Homeland Security began contacting limousine firms to warn of the danger. With hundreds of limos expected to jam the capital this week, authorities are on the alert.

"60 Minutes Wednesday" May Not Survive

The New York Times reports that CBS's "60 Minutes Wednesday," the program that broadcast the Rathergate story may not survive:

Leslie Moonves, the chairman of CBS and co-president of the network's parent company, Viacom, said in a telephone interview that Mr. Rather was expected to continue his career at CBS on the Wednesday edition of "60 Minutes" after he steps down as the network's primary anchor in March. But Mr. Moonves added the phrase, "provided the show continues."

The program is guaranteed to be on the air through May, when the current television season ends, Mr. Moonves said, but "they are not exactly tearing it up in the ratings over there."

From California Yankee.

Gregoire Sworn In as Washington's Governor

The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports that Christine Gregoire pushed back tears as she took the oath of office as Washington's governor. Gregoire outlined her vision for the state in her inaugural address, "casting herself as the governor for everyone and claiming a mandate to mend fences and build on a centrist agenda."

Tacoma's News Tribune reports that Republicans were unenthusiastic but polite during the inauguration:

Republicans, either by plan or happenstance, were polite if unenthusiastic. Only a handful wore orange ribbons – a symbol borrowed from the Ukranian opposition party that means the wearer supports a revote.

They stood when Gregoire entered the House chambers. They applauded – briefly – as she walked up the aisle. They stood when it was expected, they applauded when it was expected.

Many other times, when Democrats were standing and applauding with all the enthusiasm of a party given a second chance, Republicans sat silently. But no one should have expected them to be happy Wednesday, just civil.

From California Yankee.

Bush Names Judge Michael Chertoff Homeland Security Chief [Updated]

President Bush on Tuesday named federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff as his nominee to be the next homeland security secretary. The announcement was made at 10 a.m. EST. Chertoff will have to be confirmed by the Senate before he can take over for retiring Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

Chertoff was a U.S. attorney in New Jersey before he became special counsel for the Whitewater Committee in the U.S. Senate. He was then a partner with the firm, Latham and Watkins, then joined the Justice Department as an assistant attorney general within the criminal division.

More about Chertoff here.

Bio here.

Complete CBS Report (PDF)/Links [Updated -2-]

Can be found here.

It's 234 pages long.

Others reacting to the news:

Jeff Jarvis
Glenn Reynolds
Jim Geraghty
Hugh Hewitt
Stephen Green
Rathergate
INDC Journal
Rather Biased
Wizbange, here and here.
TBIF0C
----

Rooftop Report has many more links.

CBS Releases Report, Fires 4 Staff

CBS has released the long-awaited report of its independent panel investigation into a disputed 60 Minutes story about President Bush's National Guard service. Four employees have been ousted, but CBS News President Andrew Heyward appears to be unaffected.

(CBS) Four CBS News employees, including three executives, have been ousted for their role in preparing and reporting a disputed story about President Bush’s National Guard service.

The action was prompted by the report of an independent panel that concluded that CBS News failed to follow basic journalistic principles in the preparation and reporting of the piece. The panel also said CBS News had compounded that failure with “rigid and blind” defense of the 60 Minutes Wednesday report.

Asked to resign were Senior Vice President Betsy West, who supervised CBS News primetime programs; 60 Minutes Wednesday Executive Producer Josh Howard; and Howard’s deputy, Senior Broadcast Producer Mary Murphy. The producer of the piece, Mary Mapes, was terminated.

The correspondent on the story, CBS News anchor Dan Rather, is stepping down as anchor of CBS Evening News.

Official Panel Report in PDF format

Official CBS News Reaction and actions taken in PDF Format

The panel said a "myopic zeal" to be the first news organization to broadcast a groundbreaking story about Mr. Bush’s National Guard service was a key factor in explaining why CBS News had produced a story that was neither fair nor accurate and did not meet the organization’s internal standards.

The report said at least four factors that some observers described as a journalistic “Perfect Storm” had contributed to the decision to broadcast a piece that was seriously flawed.

"The combination of a new 60 Minutes Wednesday management team, great deference given to a highly respected producer and the network’s news anchor, competitive pressures, and a zealous belief in the truth of the segment seem to have led many to disregard some fundamental journalistic principles," the report said.

The piece was aired during a tight and hotly contested presidential race between Mr. Bush and Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry. The timing of the story prompted charges of political bias against CBS News.

While the panel found that some actions taken by CBS News encouraged such suspicions, “the Panel cannot conclude that a political agenda at 60 Minutes Wednesday drove either the timing of the airing of the segment or its content.”

The story, which aired last Sept. 8, relied on four documents allegedly written by one of Mr. Bush's Texas Air National Guard commanders in the early 1970s, Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, who is now dead. Questions about the authenticity of the documents were raised almost immediately.

After a stubborn 12-day defense of the story, CBS News conceded that it could not confirm the authenticity of the documents and asked former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and former Associated Press President Louis Boccardi to conduct an independent investigation into the matter.

Their findings were contained in a 224-page report made public on Monday. While the panel said it was not prepared to brand the Killian documents as an outright forgery, it raised serious questions about their authenticity and the way CBS News handled them.

The panel identified 10 serious defects in the preparation and reporting of the story that included failure to obtain clear authentication of the documents or to investigate controversial background of the source of the purported documents, retired Texas National Guard Lt. Col. Bill Burkett.

The producer of the piece, Mary Mapes, was also faulted for calling Joe Lockhart, a senior official in the John Kerry campaign, prior to the airing of the piece, and offering to put Burkett in touch with him. The panel called Mapes’ action a “clear conflict of interest that created the appearance of political bias.”

The panel noted that the Guard segment was rushed on the air only six days after 60 Minutes Wednesday had obtained some of the documents from Burkett and that preparation of the piece was supervised by a new management team of executive producer Josh Howard and senior broadcast producer Mary Murphy.

A key factor in the decision to broadcast the piece was a telephone conversation between Mapes and Maj. Gen. Bobby Hodges, Killian’s commanding officer. Mapes told the panel Hodges confirmed the content of the four documents after she read them to him over the phone.

Hodges, however, denied doing so. He also told the panel he had given Mapes information that should have raised warning flags about the documents, including his belief that Killian had never ordered anyone, including Mr. Bush, to take a physical.

Hodges said that when he finally saw the documents after the Sept. 8 broadcast, he concluded they were bogus and told Rather and Mapes of his opinion on Sept. 10.

“This alleged confirmation by Major General Hodges started to march 60 Minutes Wednesday into dangerous and ultimately unsustainable territory: the notion that since the content of the documents was felt to be true, demonstrating the authenticity of the documents became less important.”

Mapes’ telephone conversation with Hodges was part of a vetting process that the panel concluded was wholly inadequate, largely because it had to be done so quickly. The key executives vetting the piece were West, Howard, and Murphy.

After rushing the piece to air, the panel said, CBS News compounded the error by blindly defending the story. In doing so, the news organization missed opportunities to set the record straight.

“The panel finds that once serious questions were raised, the defense of the segment became more rigid and emphatic, and that virtually no attempt was made to determine whether the questions raised had merit,” the report concluded.

The panel believes a turning point came on Sept. 10, when CBS News President Andrew Heyward ordered Betsy West to review the opinions of document examiners who had seen the disputed documents and the confidential sources supporting the story.

But no such investigation was undertaken.

“Had this directive been followed promptly, the panel does not believe that 60 Minutes Wednesday would have publicly defended the segment for another 10 days,” the report said.

The panel made a number of recommendations for changes, including:

Appoint a senior Standards and Practices Executive, reporting directly to the President of CBS News, who would review all investigative reporting, use of confidential sources and authentication of documents. Personnel should feel comfortable going to this person confidentially and without fear of reprisal, with questions or concerns about particular reports.

Foster an atmosphere in which competitive pressure is not allowed to prompt airing of reports before all investigation and vetting is done.

Allow senior management to know the names of confidential sources as well as all relevant background about the person needed to make news judgments.

Appoint a separate team, led by someone not involved in the original reporting, to look into any news report that is challenged.

©MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Abbas Elected Palestinian President

Mahmoud Abbas was elected Palestinian Authority president by a landslide, partial results showed Monday, giving the pragmatist a mandate to resume peace talks with Israel _ but also leaving him with the tough task of reining in powerful armed groups.

Israeli leaders welcomed Abbas' victory but said they will closely watch how hard he tries to subdue militants. Abbas could easily lose his political capital over a major bombing or shooting attack, and while most militant groups signaled they are willing to give him a chance, not all have signed on to a truce with Israel.

[...]

Based on results from 10 of 16 electoral districts, Abbas won 65 percent of the vote, election officials said Monday. Final results were expected later in the day. Abbas' main challenger, independent Mustafa Barghouti, won 21 percent, while the remaining five candidates scored in the lower single digits.

In his acceptance speech, Abbas said he faces a difficult mission, but he reiterated that he would not go after militants. Instead, he said, he wants to "give our fugitives a life of dignity," referring to those wanted by Israel.

"I present this victory to the soul of Yasser Arafat and present it to our people and to our martyrs," Abbas said, referring to Palestinians killed in the conflict with Israel.

Read more..

Exit Polls: Abbas Wins 66 Percent of Vote

Early results showed the moderate candidate Mahmoud Abbas overwhelmingly winning the Palestinian presidential election Sunday with 66 percent of the vote, an exit poll said.

Such a margin of victory would give the 69-year-old Abbas, popularly known as Abu Mazen, a clear mandate to renew peace talks with Israel (search), rein in militants and reform the corruption-riddled Palestinian Authority.

Abbas' main challenger, Mustafa Barghouti, won 19.7 percent of the vote, according to the exit poll conducted by the independent Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.

Read more..

Palestinian Vote Updates

Palestinians voted on Sunday for a successor to Yasser Arafat and were expected to elect Mahmoud Abbas, who has pledged to revive peacemaking with Israel after years of bloodshed.

But while a steady stream of Palestinians cast their ballots on a cold and sunny day, Hamas and other militant Islamic groups urged a boycott of the poll and Israel reasserted that progress toward peace depended on a halt to "terrorism and violence."

As if to underscore the problems facing Abbas if he wins the presidency, Palestinian militants fired at least two rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

There were no casualties but Abbas, 69, who took over as leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization after Arafat died on Nov. 11, has demanded such strikes stop.

----
List of candidates

----

Abbas Likely to Win

----

Abbas rejects Sharon conditions for meeting

----

Gaza: Low turnout marks poll openings

Congress Certifies Bush's Win After Protest

The U.S. Congress on Thursday formally certified President Bush as the victor of the November elections after two Democrats symbolically stalled the event in protest at alleged voting irregularities in Ohio.
California Sen. Barbara Boxer and Ohio Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, formally lodged objections because of Ohio, although they said they recognized Bush had won and were not trying to overturn the results.

They said their goal was to force lawmakers to heed problems that had been particularly evident in Democratic-leaning minority and urban neighborhoods and to consider the need for more voting reforms including standard election rules in all states.

"This objection does not have at its root the hope or even the hint of overturning or challenging the victory of the president," Tubbs Jones said. Boxer called it a matter of "electoral justice."

The rare objection to vote certification, the first filed in decades, forced the House and Senate to halt their joint session, usually a routine and ceremonial affair. Each chamber then debated the objection, and rejected it, the Senate by a 74-1 vote, the House 267-31. The state-by-state certification was completed a few hours later.

Read more...

Education Dept. Paid Journalist to Push "No Child Left Behind"

The Bush administration paid a prominent commentator to promote the No Child Left Behind schools law to fellow blacks and to give the education secretary media time, records show.

A company run by Armstrong Williams, the syndicated commentator, was paid $240,000 by the Education Department. The goal was to deliver positive messages about Bush's education overhaul, using Williams' broad reach with minorities.

The deal, which drew a fast reuke from Democrats on Capitol Hill, is the latest to put the department on the defensive for the way it has promoted Bush's signature domestic policy.

The contract required Williams' company, the Graham Williams Group, to produce radio and TV ads that feature one-minute "reads" by Education Secretary Rod Paige. The deal also allowed Paige and other department officials to appear as studio guests with Williams.

Read more...

Two Court Challenges Filed In Washington Governor's Election

The Associated Press reports that two voters have challenged Washington's gubernatorial election in Washington's Supreme Court:

Both challenge the legitimacy of Gov.-elect Christine O. Gregoire, a Democrat who lost the first two counts but beat Republican Dino Rossi by 129 votes in a hand recount of 2.9 million ballots. Gregoire's inauguration is scheduled for Wednesday.

[. . .]

Stevens, 38, owner of a construction and real estate business, said he filed the challenge out of frustration.

"An engineering department has plans and codes and rules to address a 100-year storm. Why can't the state be prepared for the 100-year vote?" Stevens asked. "The impact of who gets in office is minimal if we miss this opportunity to use this as a catalyst for reform."

[. . .]

Dr. Arthur Coday Jr., a pediatrician in Shoreline, filed an 11-page brief arguing that the hand recount was flawed for several reasons and asking the high court to declare Rossi the winner.

"It was an issue of conscience, to be honest," Coday told The Seattle Times.

From Califoirnia Yankee.

Ukraine Court Dismisses Yanukovych Appeal

The Associated Press reports that Ukraine's Supreme Court rejected losing presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych's appeal of last month's repeat election:

Yanukovych, who has one more chance to appeal, has said openly he had little hope of success, but he vowed to fight against the Dec. 26 vote, which preliminary results show Yushchenko winning.

Yanukovych's campaign had said their main appeal is still to come and would be filed with the Central Election Commission only after the Central Election Commission announces the final results.

The campaign will then seek to prove that massive fraud made it impossible to determine the winner of the vote.

From California Yankee.

Presidential Vote Certification Faces Objection

When the joint session of Congress meets Thursday to certify the Electoral College votes that gave President Bush his second term, several Democratic House members are expected to contest the results.

They may also find support from Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., whose participation under congressional rules would then require senators and representatives to recess to their respective chambers to debate certification.

The action would be the first of its kind in 36 years, but most likely won't add up to more than a procedural delay of the inevitable.

Read more...

Details Of Social Security Reform Leaked

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of those infamous administration officials revealed some of the details of President Bush's ideas for Social Security Reform.

The Associated Press reports the size of the private accounts could be similar to those in a proposal by Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and the main plan from Bush's 2001 Social Security commission:

The White House cautioned Tuesday that Bush had not decided on a specific plan.

But the administration is leaning toward letting workers divert 4 percentage points of their 6.2 percent in payroll taxes - almost two-thirds - into investment accounts, up to $1,000-$1,300 a year, the official said. The remainder of the workers' payroll taxes would continue going into the system.

Graham's plan calls for annual contributions to be capped at $1,300, while the commission proposed a $1,000 cap.

The more difficult aspect of any reform will be the financial tradeoffs. According to the Associated Press, any reform proposal will likely cut traditional benefits for younger workers to help fund the future shortfall, with returns from the private accounts expected to cover, but not guarantee, the difference. Then there is the issue of the estimated $800 billion to $2 trillion shortfall over 10 years caused by diverting payroll taxes into the proposed private accounts:

In the main plan offered by Bush's commission, promised benefits would be cut for many workers, with reductions ranging from 0.9 percent to 45.9 percent. Investments in the personal accounts are counted on to make up the income loss.

Growth in benefits would be slowed dramatically by tying them to inflation rates instead of wages. The rate of inflation grows more slowly than wages over a person's lifetime.

Income from the worker's private account, funded with a portion of their Social Security tax, would be expected to at least make up the reduction in benefits.

From California Yankee.

Ukrainian President Kuchma Accepts Yanukovych Resignation

The Associated Press reports that Ukranian President Kuchma formally accepted the resignation of Yanukovych as prime minister on Wednesday:

Yanukovych's resignation immediately triggers the dissolution of the entire 20-member Cabinet. Kuchma now has 60 days to appoint a new government - though he is likely to appoint a caretaker government until a new president is inaugurated.

Yanukovych announced his resignation on New Year's Eve.

From California Yankee.

Second Ohio Recount Demanded

The Associated Press reports that Green Party candidate David Cobb and the Libertarian Party's Michael Badnarik asked a federal court in Columbus to force a second recount of the Ohio vote.

According to the Associated Press,iIn the recount finished Tuesday President Bush won the state by 118,457 votes.

The two candidates, who received less than 0.3 percent of the Ohio vote, said they don't expect to change the election results, but want to make sure that every vote is proply counted.

From California Yankee.

Yanukovych Resigns

Prime Minister Viktor F. Yanukovych resigned yesterday, saying he has little hope of winning the presidency of this former Soviet republic. But he vowed to continue his court battle to overturn last week's elections, won by his pro-Western opponent, Viktor A. Yushchenko.

Yanukovych's resignation, which appeared to take effect immediately, was announced as Yushchenko and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili prepared to welcome the new year side by side on Kiev's Independence Square, the center of mass protests that overturned the political order in this nation of 48 million.

The joint appearance of two post-Soviet politicians who have openly and actively courted the West is certain to further irk the Kremlin, which has strongly supported Yanukovych.

Yushchenko easily won the court-ordered presidential revote, but Yanukovych has refused to recognize the results, vowing to challenge the results in the Supreme Court. He resigned during a New Year's Eve address to the nation, his first significant concession since Sunday's vote.

"We are still fighting, but I don't have much hope," Yanukovych said. "I will act as an independent politician, as the rightful winner of the legitimate Nov. 21 election."

Read more....