The big annual conservative conference called the “Value Voters Summit” kicks off today in Washington and runs through the weekend. We’ll have photos from the event, and I hope to find time to swing by myself to sample the fare. Speakers at the event are a who’s who of conservative glitterati, including Michele Bachmann, Mike Huckabee, Gary Bauer, Tony Perkins, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Ed Meese and Phyllis Schlafly. (Sarah Palin is scheduled to speak but as we’ve seen lately, Palin manages to miss a lot of the events she’s supposed to attend.)
Republicans still operate like the old Hollywood studio star system, whereas Democrats would rather be caught dead than venerate their has-been leaders. But what jumped out to me about the VVS this year were the titles for the breakout sessions they’re having: Read More
Are Boehner (R) and Cantor (R) really worried that Rep. Michele Bachmann is sullying the Republican brand with all her ridiculousness?
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME): I won’t let my party dictate my vote on health care reform.
Israeli Defense Minister (and former PM) Ehud Barak has told one of Israel’s leading dailies, Yedioth Ahronoth, that an Iran with nuclear weapons would not pose an existential threat to Israel. And PM Netanyahu, albeit cautiously and more opaquely, says he agrees with him.
The argument is pretty elementary. Whatever nuclear capacity Iran may have, Israel’s deterrent capacity is so overwhelming that it can deter any nuclear attack. It’s what most people already think. But having it said by the Israeli Defense Minister sounds a very different note.
SNL explains the real story behind Joe Wilson’s “You lie!” outburst (including a brief appearance by Kristen Wiig as Michele Bachmann).
Late Update: The James Carville impersonation towards the end is pretty good, too.
A touching Value Voters Summit moment, as Carrie Prejean, the former Miss California, recalled her controversial night at the Miss USA pageant: “Even though I didn’t win the crown that night, I know that the Lord has so much of a bigger crown in heaven for me.”
So there’s a Baucus bill out of Senate Finance. And a few different, more liberal bills in the House. So what happens between here and actually having a single bill that will go to a final vote? Not the pros and cons of different bills. But what are the mechanics and order of events between here and there. Brian Beutler explains.
It’s tough being a former Bush administration official trying to practice law.
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wasn’t able to find work as a lawyer until Texas Tech gave him a sinecure (disgraced high-profile types being a Red Raider specialty, see, e.g. Bobby Knight). Gonzales’ former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, had to go to court to gain admission to the DC bar after he was initially rejected because the admissions committee was wary of the criminal investigations of Sampson from his time at DOJ.
And now TPMmuckraker learns that Scott Bloch, another former Bush official, was admitted to the DC bar thanks to a goof by the DC appeals court even though, like Sampson, he is under criminal investigation.