Heads or tails? In the universe of political stenography all stupid ideas or concepts have the same value as anything else.

Seriously?:

KRASKE: Where’s Bill Clinton? Why is Robin Carnahan so alone? Just talking with myself…

….Get this: Clinton, who now ranks as one of the country’s most popular political figures (who would have guessed that a decade ago?)….

[emphasis added]

I’ll answer that. Anyone who can read:

Presidential Approval Ratings — Bill Clinton

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as president?

2000

00 Dec 15-17

Approve – 66%

Disapprove – 32%

No Opinion – 2%

00 Dec 2-4

Approve – 60%

Disapprove – 35%

No Opinion – 5%

00 Nov 13-15

Approve – 63%

Disapprove – 33%

No Opinion – 4%

00 Oct 25-28

Approve – 57%

Disapprove – 38%

No Opinion – 5%

Or:

NBC  News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R)….

“Now I’m going to read you the names of several public figures, and I’d like you to rate your feelings toward each one as either very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative, or very negative. If you don’t know the name, please just say so. Bill Clinton.”

10/13-15/00 RV

Very Positive – 25%

Somewhat Positive – 26%

Neutral – 10%

Somewhat Negative – 11%

Very Negative – 28%

Not sure –

Heh. That 28% has got to be that nascent Faux News Channel watching teabagger core.

Gallup  Poll…

“Next, we’d like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people — or if you have never heard of them. How about Bill Clinton?”

11/13-15/00

Favorable – 57%

Unfavorable – 41%

Unsure – 2%

10/25-28/00

Favorable – 54%

Unfavorable – 44%

Unsure – 2%

CNN/Time  Poll conducted by Yankelovich Partners

“Next, I’m going to read you the names of some people in the news today. Please tell me whether you have generally favorable or generally unfavorable impressions of each, or whether you are not familiar enough to say one way or another. Bill Clinton.”

10/25-26/00

Favorable – 57%

Unfavorable – 38%

Not Familiar – 2%

Not Sure – 3%

“…who would have guessed that a decade ago?…”

Having a memory helps, too. If you weren’t a stenographer you’d get the picture.

Flip you for the narrative…

I choose math challenged.

The stenographer in today’s Kansas City Star:

On Friday, the White House announced its three finalists for the Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge.

Blue Valley Northwest wasn’t one of them.

The high school had been named one of six semifinalists in the country still in the running to bring President Barack Obama to its graduation ceremony. Students had produced a video and completed other tasks to advance as far as it did.

An Obama spokesman insisted that the three finalists were picked by people who visited the White House website and voted.

But from the start, I thought that given Kansas’ GOP propensities, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance that Blue Valley Northwest would win.

Turns out that the three finalist high schools are in Ohio, Michigan and Colorado, each a pivotal swing state.

The White House flack told me I’m too cynical. Really?

Too cynical? They were being way too nice. You’re math challenged.

“…An Obama spokesman insisted that the three finalists were picked by people who visited the White House website and voted…” [emphasis added]

Uh, why did the White House spokesperson have to “insist” for you? Did you question the process? Just asking.

We sort of get the point that the Johnson County, Kansas school didn’t have a chance. But, it’s not the White House doing the voting.

The vote in Johnson County, Kansas and in the state of Kansas in 2008:

Johnson [Kansas President 2008]

McCain 152,627 54%

Obama 127,091 45%

That’s not a lot people, eh?

President [2008]

Kansas

McCain 699,655 57%

Obama 514,765 42%

So, would anyone who was not a stenographer think to check the differences in the presidential election voting population among the areas of the school finalists? You bet, that’s why we’re here.

The White House press release:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

____________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 30, 2010

Top 3 Finalists Announced for Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge

National winner to be selected by President Obama for commencement speech

WASHINGTON – The White House and the Department of Education announced today the top three finalists of the first annual Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge.

The top three finalists, in no particular order are:

• Clark Montessori Jr. & Sr. High School in Cincinnati, OH

• Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, MI

• Denver School of Science and Technology in Denver, CO

Between April 26th and April 29th, over 170,000 people weighed in on the six high school finalists.    President Obama will now choose a winner from the top three rated schools and deliver their commencement address later this spring.  The final winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 4.

In recognition of the extraordinary achievements and outstanding efforts by each of the original six finalists, the Obama Administration will work to provide a Cabinet secretary or senior administration official to deliver the commencement address at each of the five schools not selected as the national winner.

The Commencement Challenge, launched in late February, invited public high schools around the country a chance to show how they are challenging their students to excel in academics, take personal responsibility for their education, and graduate high school ready for college and career.  Over one thousand schools submitted applications.

# #

[emphasis added]

Well, Blue Valley Northwest does get a consolation speaker. Secretary Sebelius, perhaps?

Let’s take look at President Obama’s most recent approval numbers in Kansas, via Survey USA:

Geography: Kansas

Data Collected: 04/09/2010 – 04/11/2010

Release Date: 04/14/2010

Sponsor: KWCH-TV Wichita

600 Adults

Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4%

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President?

Approve – 34%

Disapprove – 62%

Not Sure – 4%

If you were anything but a stenographer would you think if the President wasn’t too popular in a state that perhaps people wouldn’t go out of their way to vote on-line to bring the President to speak at a high school graduation ceremony?

Let’s take a look at some of the 2008 election results for the locations of the finalist schools:

Denver [Colorado President 2008]

Obama 204,882 76%

McCain 62,567 23%

Okay, that’s a lot more people voting for the President in 2008 than in Johnson County, Kansas.

Kalamazoo [Michigan President 2008]

Obama 77,051 59%

McCain 51,554 39%

Well, there are fewer voters than in Johnson County, Kansas, but, to be sure, Sunday Talk Show President McCain lost the county by twenty points.

Hamilton [Ohio President 2008]

Obama 224,644 53%

McCain 195,107 46%

Yep, more people voted for Obama in 2008 in Cincinnati than in Johnson County, Kansas. Go figure. Yeah, the percentages are similar but the numbers are larger.

“…Turns out that the three finalist high schools are in Ohio, Michigan and Colorado, each a pivotal swing state…”

Uh, it turns out that President Obama carried Ohio, Michigan and Colorado in 2008. He didn’t carry Kansas in 2008. You think that people who didn’t vote for him in 2008 were gonna vote to bring him to their community in 2010? Just asking.

The stenographer weighs in on the open seat race in Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District (Johnson County) in today’s Kansas City Star. The rumor reported by the Star is that Stephene Moore, the spouse of retiring Congressman Dennis Moore, is considering a run. Consider the following two statements in the article:

…Democrats view the always-on-the-move nurse and community activist as sharp and pleasingly energetic…

[emphasis added]

…Doubters are surfacing. One of them showed up at a talk I gave last week on the Plaza.

“What has she done besides being a congressman’s wife?” one man asked with obvious disdain…

Uh, that question was clearly answered earlier in the article. Yes, it was a direct quote from an unnnamed “doubter,” but really, shouldn’t the Star’s political stenographer expend a little less ink on repeating baseless cliches about women?

I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

The stenographer writes in today’s Kansas City Star:

Posted on Sat, Dec. 12, 2009 10:18 PM

ON POLITICS

Ex-lawmaker calls Missouri General Assembly a ‘scam’

By STEVE KRASKE

Former Missouri lawmaker Brian Yates couldn’t hold back.

Having resigned his seat Dec. 1, midway through his final term, the Lee’s Summit Republican let loose last week with a no-holds-barred assessment of the state of Jefferson City….

….Serving in the General Assembly, he said, had become a “scam….”

….The 34-year-old lawyer ticked them off: the passage of legislation in exchange for campaign donations, the underhanded dealings of former House speaker Rod Jetton, price tags placed on committee chairmanships, wealthy folks getting all the attention, all that political money sloshing around the Capitol….

The stenographer fails to mention what our good friends at Fired Up point out:

Brian Yates (R-Payday Loans)

Submitted by .Sean on November 30, 2009 – 5:43pm

Rep. Brian Yates (R-Lee’s Summitt) is officially resigning at noon tomorrow to work full time for QC Holdings.  It’s a payday loan company, with stores operating mostly as Quik Cash or National Quik Cash.

H’ray usury!

We did a search at the Missouri Ethics Commission for campaign contributions by QC Holdings during 2008 and this is what we came up with:

[Note: duplicate listings for the same single contribution will show up due to ammended campaign finance reports]

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 12/19/2007 $625.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071143 CITIZENS TO ELECT SUE ALLEN — QC Holdings 10/05/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071365 SPEAKER JETTON LEADERSHIP FUND — QC Holdings INC 12/29/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — AMENDED JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 11/29/2007 $1,000.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031227 REPUBLICAN 18TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT COMMITTEE — QC Holdings Inc 10/17/2007 $500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051222 CITIZENS TO ELECT JAMILAH NASHEED — QC Holdings Companies 11/01/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071365 SPEAKER JETTON LEADERSHIP FUND — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 12/29/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 11/14/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 12/05/2007 $3,750.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C010289 PEOPLE FOR MICHAEL SPRENG — QC Holdings , inc 10/24/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 11/29/2007 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc.   01/11/2008 $18,000.00 Yes — 24 HOUR EXPENDITURE REPORT – SPECIAL ELECTION

C010402 ZWEIFEL FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE — QC Holdings 02/21/2008 $325.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C001096 FRIENDS OF DELBERT SCOTT — QC Holdings 01/02/2008 $650.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031160 FRIENDS OF TILLEY — QC HOLDINGS INC 01/02/2008 $325.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 02/28/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc.   12/19/2007 $625.00 Yes — AMENDED – JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 2/26/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 02/28/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051104 MISSOURIANS FOR STEVE HOBBS — QC Holdings 06/30/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051104 MISSOURIANS FOR STEVE HOBBS — QC Holdings 06/30/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 04/24/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 06/30/2008 $5,300.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041065 FRIENDS OF WARD FRANZ — QC Holdings, Inc. 06/27/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C010503 CITIZENS FOR JAY WASSON — QC HOLDINGS, INC. 06/26/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051087 CITIZENS FOR TIMOTHY W JONES — QC Holdings, Inc. 06/05/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031212 BRUNS FOR REP — QC Holdings Inc –   06/29/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C061248 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM Yes QC Holdings, Inc 06/05/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C081056 GINA LOUDON FOR SENATE — QC Holdings Inc   04/10/2008 $650.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041135 CITIZENS FOR BOB NANCE — QC Holdings 07/11/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C061401 MO LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE — QC HOLDINGS, INC. 07/01/2008 $2,500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051286 CITIZENS FOR MIKE TALBOY — QC Holdings, Inc.   07/01/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C010334 FRIENDS OF CHARLIE DENISON — QC Holdings, INC 07/11/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C061291 LEADERSHIP FOR TOMORROW — QC Holdings, Inc 07/24/2008 $500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051232 CITIZENS FOR RYAN SILVEY — QC Holdings, Inc. 07/02/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051161 CITIZENS FOR A BETTER GOVERNMENT — QC Holdings Inc. 07/01/2008 $500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051286 CITIZENS FOR MIKE TALBOY — QC Holdings, Inc. 07/01/2008 $325.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C010193 RON RICHARD 2010 — QC Holdings 09/03/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC   09/04/2008 $2,500.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 09/10/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071368 STEVENSON PAC — QC Holdings Inc – 07/14/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000762 GREATER KC WOMENS POLITICAL CAUCUS PAC — QC Holdings 09/29/2008 $1,250.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071384 ECONOMIC GROWTH COUNCIL — QC Holdings 07/28/2008 $12,500.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041584 0011TH SENATORIAL LEADERSHIP COMM — QC Holdings Inc. 10/16/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041050 COMMITTEE TO ELECT KENNY JONES — QC Holdings Inc. 10/20/2008 $400.00
Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C010293 MISSOURIANS FOR GOODMAN — QC Holdings 10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C071320 SCHMITT FOR SENATE — QC Holdings Inc 10/17/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C001285 COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOAN BARRY — QC Holdings Inc   10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C061646 STAN COX FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE — QC Holdings, Inc 10/20/2008 $400.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc.   10/21/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C031110 MISSOURIANS FOR CROWELL — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041628 ENGLER 08 — QC Holdings Inc –   10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/15/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C051320 COMMITTEE FOR EL-AMIN 57TH Yes QC Holdings, INC 10/10/2008 $400.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/28/2008 $500.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C001285 COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOAN BARRY — QC Holdings Inc 10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041628 ENGLER 08 — QC Holdings Inc – 10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/28/2008 $500.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc.   10/27/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C051108 CITIZENS FOR RIDGEWAY — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC   10/24/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 2/26/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C071384 ECONOMIC GROWTH COUNCIL — QC Holdings 07/28/2008 $12,500.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 01/11/2008 $18,000.00 Yes — AMENDED 30 DAY AFTER SPECIAL ELECTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — AMENDED 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

[emphasis added]

There are a number of relatively small contributions and, of course, we also note contributions to candidates and committees of both major political parties.

What’s interesting is that old media fails to point out the irony of a critic of the system and the culture of the previous Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives quitting the House and going to work for an entity that made a significant amount of political contributions.

Ultimately the voters get the campaign finance world they deserve. If they want to change it for the better individual voters can get of their duffs, decide on the individual candidates they want to support, and send them each a check for ten dollars. If enough people get it and start doing such there wouldn’t be a culture that exploits the need for large contributions from other entities.

Kraske: The GOP will rise again!…

…The GOP soul-searching is destined to continue. But remember, the Republican Party isn’t going anywhere. The Democrats will see to it.

That’s one you can take to the bank…

Ever hear of the Arkansas Project, Steve?

Senator Claire McCaskill “Turns the Tables on Reporters”:

“…I learned that Claire McCaskill has better technology than I have…”

Ouch.

“…it’s cheaper, they don’t have to pay for a photographer…”

Double ouch.

And the stenographer speaks! (ever so briefly)

Heads or tails? In the universe of political stenography all stupid ideas or concepts have the same value as anything else.

I noticed this little gem in Sunday’s Kansas City Star:

For Kansas Democrats, Parkinson gets another chance at bat

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star

…Brownback wasn’t saying how he would vote on Sebelius. He appeared to be opening the door to a “no” vote amid an anti-Sebelius backlash from anti-abortion groups…

…His struggle brought back memories of a similar difficult choice that former Democratic senator Jean Carnahan of Missouri confronted in 2001. That year, President George W. Bush nominated Missourian John Ashcroft, a Republican, for attorney general…

Sure let’s compare someone who was overwhelmingly re-elected by the voters of her state and was nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services by a president who was elected by a strong majority to someone who lost a statewide re-election campaign and was nominated for Attorney General by a president who lost the popular vote and was anointed by the right in the aftermath of a controversial Supreme Court ruling. Yeah, that’s roughly equivalent.

The only things the two have in common are the right wingnut extremists who are inserting themselves into the process and that Kansas and Missouri share a border.

Struggle? Similar difficult choice? Please.

The usual suspects:

Anti-Abortion Activists Plan to Fight Sebelius’ Nomination for HHS…

…By Sharon Kehnemui Liss

FOXNews.com

Monday, March 02, 2009…

…Anti-abortion activists are planning strong opposition to Kathleen Sebelius, President Obama’s pick for secretary of health and human services, saying the Kansas governor’s positions on abortion and her ties to a late-term abortion provider are too extreme for her to be in charge of America’s health care policy…

It’s fairly easy to find out who actually holds the “extremist position” on that particular issue. Let’s take a look back at John Ashcroft’s nomination:

Profile: John Ashcroft  

Last Updated: Wednesday, 10 November, 2004, 04:57 GMT…

..When he was nominated by President George W Bush, Democrats objected that a man with such firmly-held beliefs – he is pro-death penalty, anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, and opposed to gun control – was unsuitable to be the country’s “sheriff”…

And time showed us that he was indeed an extremist:

Justice Department Releases Bush Administration National Security Memos (3/2/2009)

Newly Released Legal Documents Responsive To ACLU Lawsuit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

…NEW YORK – The Justice Department today released nine secret memos and opinions written by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) that authorized some of the Bush administration’s unlawful national security policies, including a memo written by OLC lawyer John Yoo that argued the Fourth Amendment does not apply to military activities inside the United States. Some of the memos are responsive to American Civil Liberties Union lawsuits seeking OLC legal opinions and other government records.

In a recent letter to the Obama administration, the ACLU called on the OLC to release, at the earliest possible date, dozens of still-secret legal memos related to interrogation, detention, rendition, surveillance and other Bush administration policies…

Office of Legal Counsel Memoranda [pdf]

Memorandum Regarding Status of Certain OLC Opinions Issued in the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 (01-15-2009)

Memorandum Regarding Constitutionality of Amending Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to Change the “Purpose” Standard for Searches (09-25-2001)

Memorandum Regarding Authority for Use of Military Force to Combat Terrorist Activities within the United States (10-23-2001)

Memorandum Regarding Authority of the President to Suspend Certain Provisions of the ABM Treaty (11-15-2001)

Memorandum Regarding the President’s Power as Commander in Chief to Transfer Captured Terrorists to the Control and Custody of Foreign Nations (03-13-2002)

Memorandum Regarding Swift Justice Authorization Act (04-08-2002)

Memorandum Regarding Determination of Enemy Belligerency and Military Detention (06-08-2002)

Memorandum Regarding Applicability of 18 U.S.C. § 4001(a) to Military Detention of United States Citizens (06-27-2002)

Memorandum Regarding October 23, 2001 OLC Opinion Addressing the Domestic Use of Military Force to Combat Terrorist Activities (10-06-2008)

Due to public interest in this matter, the Department of Justice is releasing these documents in an inaccessible format. Accessible versions will be posted as soon as possible. If you have a disability and the format of any material on the site interferes with your ability to access some information, please email the Department of Justice webmaster at webmaster@usdoj.gov. To enable us to respond in a manner that will be of most help to you, please indicate the nature of the accessibility problem, your preferred format (electronic format (ASCII, etc.), standard print, large print, etc.), the web address of the requested material, and your full contact information so we can reach you if questions arise while fulfilling your request…

Remind me, who was Attorney General during dubya’s first term? You might notice that the right wingnuts who are rushing to go after the Sebelius nomination didn’t exactly line up to criticize John Ashcroft when his Justice Department was busily shredding the Constitution. Then, why would anyone expect them to do so? They’ve never shown that they really care about something like that.

Political stenography in old media must dictate false equivalence as a matter of course. It’s definitely time to convene another panel on blogger ethics.

One of These Things (Is Not Like The Others)

The stenographer holds forth on lame responses to presidential addresses:

…Last year, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius redefined “stiff” when she delivered the Democratic response. This year, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal placed a deep dent in his 2012 presidential express.

Why doesn’t it work? One big reason: You move from the energy of a vibrant president speaking to a joint session of Congress to a lone figure staring straight ahead and reading an often formulaic script…

[emphasis added]

Uh, even a year ago “vibrant” wasn’t an adjective anyone in politics was using to describe dubya.

Seriously. I need that like a hole in my head.

The Kansas City Star should have kept their classical music critic and laid off their political writer. Useless, completely useless.

Yeah, I know, tell you something new.

Kraske on Sarah Palin:

ON POLITICS

Best week ever goes to American politics

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star

Does it get any better than this…?

…Her coming out Friday was a success as she delivered a host of sizzling lines with a steady, determined hand.

Her best line: “I told Congress, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we’d build it ourselves…”

[emphasis added] tiny URL

Oh, really? You’d think a political reporter might do some fact checking, you know, like maybe from sources in Alaska, instead of being just a, a stenographer.

…Today, while I watched her hop out of the “Straight Talk Express” bus, and give the second reading of her acceptance speech, one of my fellow viewers said, “You know, I don’t remember her opposing the Bridge.”  And it hit me.  I don’t remember that either.  A quick double-check with the third member of our watch party confirmed our confusion.  We all live here.  We all watch the news, read the paper, and pay attention to the local political circus, but none of us connected Sarah with her claims of rebuffing the controversial earmark…

“….People across the nation struggle with the idea of building a bridge because they’ve been under these misperceptions about the bridge and the purpose,’ said Palin, who described the link as the Ketchikan area’s potential for expansion and growth.

Palin said Alaska’s congressional delegation worked hard to obtain funding for the bridge and that she ‘would not stand in the way of the progress toward that bridge’.

8-8-06

‘We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals are on the table like the bridge and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that’s so negative,’ Palin said.”

Ketchikan Daily News 9-28-06

Or, how about this?:

After federal funding had been slashed, Palin was asked if she was still in support of funding the project.  She said:

Yes. I would like to see Alaska’s infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now-while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.

….So, if Congress had gone along and coughed up what Stevens and Young had asked for, guess what….that bridge to nowhere would have become a reality during the Palin administration.  She supported the bridge every step of the way…until the funding was cut.  So we decided to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.  If we want a bridge we’ll build it ourselves?!”   Is that like the failed earmark version of “You can’t fire me….I quit!”

It’s going to a long journey to election day if our useless media stenographers have their way.