really stood out to me and in my opinion it is a very big reason why Bush is such a huge political liability to Republican incumbents who have been Bush rubber-stamps:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16942296/

Demise of GOP just took turn for the worse

Scarborough: Bush willing to take his party over a cliff to prove his point

All right, that‘s my sermon for tonight.  Joe Klein and Michael Crowley, thank you.  Pat Buchanan, stick around.  We‘ll be right back..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25853581#25853581  (07:30)

McClellan on Bush, Iraq and election
July 25: A new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll says 74 percent of Americans think the nation's on the wrong track.  Scott McClellan, former White House press secretary and author of "What Happened," offers insights and analysis on the state of the nation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25853581#25853581  (07:30)

Transcript link of this Hardball video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25885493/

'Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Friday, July 25
Read the transcript to the Friday show

Guests: Jim Popkin, Margaret Brennan, Andrea Mitchell, Chuck Todd, Michelle Bernard, Deroy Murdock, Rory Kennedy, Ron Brownstein, Scott McClellan

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST:  "Welcome back to HARDBALL.  Scott McClellan was the White House press secretary for President Bush.  He‘s the author of the best seller, the booming best seller, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington‘s Culture of Deception.”

You know, there‘s a big difference between the Bush you worked for, President Bush, and his father.  President Bush seemed to like the world.  He had allies all around the world.  He was friends with people in Russia, all over the world, even, you know, friends with Mitterand of France, certainly friends with Thatcher, with Helmut Kohl.

Why did President Bush, the one you worked for, the current president of the United States—why is he so anti-foreign?  Why does he seem to dislike anybody who‘s European or from another country?

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY:  Well, I think part of that changed after we went into Iraq and the view that it was a go-it-alone approach, and when things turned south there.  But he‘s had pretty good relations with most world leaders.  But our reputation and credibility is what has been tarnished because of some of the actions and policies of this administration.

And that‘s what, you know, Barack Obama was touching on in his speech yesterday.  He was touching on some of that and how we need to restore some of that credibility and reputation around the world.  But it is a little bit of a different attitude from his father.  I think part of it is this—that he has to distinguish himself.  It‘s a competitiveness in the Bush family.  He has to be his own person, to some extent.  And he decided to govern a little bit differently from his father in those ways.

MATTHEWS:  Is it a Texas thing?  He goes down there.  He wears cowboy boots.  He has a ranch of some kind down there.  He doesn‘t want to say he‘s from Connecticut or from that fancy prep school he went to, or Yale or Harvard Business.  He acts like he‘s a Texan—you know, I have to use the right word here—soddy (ph) buster.  Is this all part of it?  I don‘t like—I never went—he was a kid in school, he had all the money in the world, all of the power in the world to make connections.  Never took a trip to Europe.  I would have loved to take a trip to Europe in college.  I mean, this kid didn‘t seem to like—he never visited China, did he?  I mean, what‘s his story, when his dad was...

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLELLAN:  ... Crawford, as you know.

MATTHEWS:  But when his dad was ambassador.  I‘m getting to something, and you‘re not helping me here.  What‘s his problem with the world?  Is it he thinks it‘s elite to go somewhere else besides America?  What‘s it—because the next presidential election‘s going to be about who wants to rejoin the world or not rejoin the world, basically.

MCCLELLAN:  Right.  I think Senator Obama actually touched on that in his speech, that it‘s not a view that Europe has of America that—that we‘re what‘s all wrong with the world and it‘s not—it shouldn‘t be a view that some Americans have of Europe, that we should be deriding Europeans and their role in the world, that we‘ve got to work together on this.  And I think you‘ve seen the president change a little bit in the last several months and come around on some of those policies, whether it‘s Iran or North Korea or...

MATTHEWS:  Aren‘t you embarrassed...

MCCLELLAN:  ... Iraq or some of the others, but...

MATTHEWS:  ... to be part of that administration, that we made fun of French fries?  We called them “freedom fries”?  Weren‘t you embarrassed to...

MCCLELLAN:  Well, those things...

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS:  ... I mean, a know-nothing-ism about the world?

MCCLELLAN:  Right.

MATTHEWS:  You know it‘s like these congressmen who run around saying, I don‘t even own a passport.

MCCLELLAN:  Yes, those things...

MATTHEWS:  Who are these people?

MCCLELLAN:  Those things certainly don‘t help in the long run, in terms of building your reputation around the world. 

And it‘s not that—just that we have to reach out just for the sake of reaching out and building our reputation.  It‘s that it‘s in our interests, because these challenges that we are facing, in this day and age, are global challenges that we all—that face of all us and that..."

These vulnerable GOP Senate candidates cannot run away fast enough from Bush, from the mess that he has caused, and from his out of the mainstream Republican brand of arrogance and incompetence:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25853593#25853593  (02:33)

GOP senators to skip the convention?
July 25: The National Journal picked twelve "targeted" Republican Senate candidates in tough races this year.  Out of those 12, how many haven't made plans to attend the GOP convention?  Find out as Chris Matthews reveals the Hardball big number.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25853593#25853593  (02:33)

Transcript link of this Hardball video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25885493/

'Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Friday, July 25
Read the transcript to the Friday show

Guests: Jim Popkin, Margaret Brennan, Andrea Mitchell, Chuck Todd, Michelle Bernard, Deroy Murdock, Rory Kennedy, Ron Brownstein, Scott McClellan

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: "Time now for tonight‘s “Big Number.”

Not only is it a tough year to be a Republican; it‘s a tough year to be seen with Republicans, even if it‘s at the GOP‘s national jamboree in Saint Paul this September.

So, according to “The National Journal,” of the 12 vulnerable Republicans in U.S. Senate races this year, how many have not made plans to attend the convention?  Nine.  That‘s right.  Three-quarters of the most vulnerable Republican U.S. Senate candidates are either skipping party celebrations are undecideds—undecided right now about going, nine Senate no-shows.  They don‘t want to be seen with the Republican brand..."

questions about Iraq that Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn, being a Bush rubber-stamp, has NOT asked!

John Cornyn not asking the tough questions and his voting record show exactly why he and other Bush rubber-stamp incumbents just like him need to be replaced by good Democratic candidates like Rick Noriega who will ask the tough questions and who will hold the President accountable for what he does:

http://www.ricknoriega.com/news/press_releases?id=0090

Rick Noriega Demands Iraqis Stand Up, Pay Their Own Way

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Martine Apodaca: (713) 447-3269
Holly Shulman: (713) 857-9637

August 7, 2008

Austin - Representative Rick Noriega demanded today that U.S. taxpayers be reimbursed for the costs of Iraqi reconstruction after a new GAO report indicated that soaring oil revenues from Iraq have left the country with a nearly $80 billion budget surplus. While Iraq is racking up budget surpluses from the skyrocketing cost of oil, the American people are continuing to pay for reconstruction efforts as well as unprecedented prices for gas and food.

Statement of Rep. Rick Noriega:

''When the war began, we were promised that Iraqi oil revenue would pay for most of the reconstruction costs of the country. Five years later, the American people are still footing the bill.

The New York Times reported yesterday that the Iraqis are sitting on billions while American taxpayers bear the burden of rebuilding their country. This is unacceptable, and what you get when your representatives in Washington vote against any kind of oversight or accountability. It is outrageous that U.S. taxpayers are still paying the bills while Iraqi government coffers swell because of $4 gas.

Even worse, a huge amount of Iraqi surplus money is sitting in a bank in New York collecting interest. It's about $10 billion dollars, and is expected to grow even more. But here's the kick in the gut. The deposit of Iraqi money at the Federal Reserve Bank is so large that U.S. taxpayers have paid $435.6 million in interest since last year!

Some of these problems could have been avoided if Washington had demanded real accountability over Iraq. But Cornyn and the Bush administration have consistently opposed efforts to provide real oversight over Iraqi operations. It is a slap in the face to our men and women in Iraq who are dying every day to ensure that the Iraqis can stand on their own feet, take responsibility, and rebuild their own country. Now we learn that they've had the money, but we've still been paying the bills. While Texans pay record prices for gas and the war drags on, Cornyn repeatedly voted against any kind of oversight of Iraqi reconstruction efforts and consistently voted against efforts to create a Congressional Commission to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse.''

This report should make every Texan angry. Our men and women have done their jobs, and they are fighting every day to help the Iraqis stand up and take responsibility for their own country. I am outraged that after all the lives that have been lost and the billions that we've spent that we're still paying the bills with blood, in taxes and at the pump. This is a disgrace, and today I'm demanding that Iraqi government stand up, pay its own way, and reimburse American taxpayers.

On Investigating Massive Waste Fraud and Abuse:

Cornyn Voted Against Investigating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Iraq AT LEAST FIVE TIMES. Cornyn serially voted against amendments that would have established an oversight committee to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in the awarding contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the reconstruction after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. [S.2400 Vote #120 6/16/04; HR 3058, Vote #259, 10/19/05; HR 2862, Vote #228, 9/14/05; S 1042, Vote #316, 11/10/05; S 2766, Vote #176, 6/20/06]

Cornyn Voted Against Requiring the President To Submit A Budget For Military Operations In Iraq and Afghanistan for the Following Year. Cornyn voted for the Stevens motion to table the Dorgan amendment which requires the President to submit a budget amendment for FY 2004, which sets forth the cost of U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The motion passed 53-41. [HR 2658, Vote #278, 7/16/03]

Cornyn Voted To Allow Tax Dollars To Be Spent Advertising The War In Iraq. In 2006, Cornyn voted to table an amendment that would bar the use of funds by the Defense Department for public relations programs to promote positive news coverage in Iraq. The motion to table passed 51-44. [HR 5631, Vote #236, 9/7/06]

On Oversight of Iraqi Government Progress:

Cornyn voted to exempt the Iraqi government from accountability. Cornyn voted to require thePresident to withhold funding for military operations in Iraq if the Iraqi government fails to meet certain benchmarks. The president could waive the requirement if he submits in writing to Congress a justification for the waiver. [HR 1495, Vote #168, 5/16/07]

Cornyn voted against requiring the Iraq Government to meet benchmarks. The benchmarks would have served as a progress report from the Iraqi government. Cornyn voted against a conference report on the bill that provided $124.2 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency funding, it also set a goal for redeployment of troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008. If the president can not verify that the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks then the troops would redeploy by the end of 2007. The legislation also provides $95.9 billion for military operations, $6.9 for hurricane recovery and $3.5 billion for crop programs. [HR 1591, Vote #147, 4/26/07]

On Real Congressional Oversight of The War Effort:

Cornyn Rubber Stamped The Administration's Request And Voted Against Iraq War Reports. Senator Cornyn voted to table an amendment that would require the Defense Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to provide Congress with an assessment of whether civil war has broken out in Iraq and a strategy to protect U.S. troops. Cornyn voted yea. [S.Amdt. 4885 to H.R. 5631, Vote # 233, 9/6/06, passed 54-44]

Cornyn Voted Against Requiring Detailed Costs Of Military Action In Iraq. In 2003, Cornyn voted against requiring the Defense secretary to submit a report to the House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee every 30 days detailing the costs of military action in Iraq, including any contributions from foreign countries. Motion to table passed 50-45 [HR 2658, Vote #281, 7/16/03]

Cornyn Voted Against Requiring The President To Submit A Report On The US Strategy Related To Post-Conflict Iraq. In 2003, Cornyn voted for the Stevens motion to table the Kennedy-Leahy-Durbin amendment which requires the President to submit an unclassified report, with a classified annex if necessary, within 30 days after enactment, on the United States strategy regarding activities related to post-conflict security, humanitarian assistance, governance, and reconstruction in Iraq that are undertaken as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The motion passed 52-43. [HR 2658, Vote #283, 7/16/03]

Cornyn Voted Against Requiring Defense Department Report On Detainees. In 2003, Cornyn voted to table an amendment that would require the Defense Department to submit a report within 90 days on individuals detained as military combatants. The report would have to include the names and nationalities of all detainees and information on how the government plans to handle each detainee's case. The motion to table passed 52-42. [HR 2658, Vote #279, 7/16/03]

On Investigating The Most Massive Intelligence Failure In U.S. History:

Cornyn Voted Against Creating Iraqi Intelligence Commission. Senator Cornyn voted to table the Corzine Amendment, which would have created a 12-member independent commission to investigate the development and use of intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq. Cornyn voted yea. [S. Amdt. 1275 to H.R. 2658, Vote # 284, 7/16/03, passed 51-45]

Cornyn Voted Against Requiring The President To Submit A Report Regarding Pre-War Intelligence. In 2003, Cornyn voted to table an amendment that would withhold $50 million in intelligence funding from the bill until the president submits a report on the role executive branch policymakers had on the development and use of intelligence relating to the war in Iraq. The report would have to be submitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House International Relations Committee and the Appropriations, Armed Services and Intelligence committees of both chambers. The motion to table passed 62-34. [H 2658, Vote #287, 7/17/03]

###

Mr Inhofe is now blaming the Democrats for the high gas prices. And he is now wanting Oklahomans to send their gas receipts to him so he can send them to our Democratic Congress . Because he says it is their fault for taking a vacation and not doing anything to solve this crisis before doing so.
But mostly everyone knows it is the Republicans fault. Especially Mr Inhofe who has been known to be in the pocket of Big Oil and Energy. Andrew Rice has a petition up on his site that he wants to send to Mr Inhofe that states how much he has taken in campaign contributions over the years. Only the little matter of over 1 million dollars.
You can sign the petition at Andrews site here:
http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/newsroom_details.asp?id=1142
Andrew Rice is good. Real good. And I hope that he takes this Bush crony down.

http://www.thechrismatthewsshow.com/html/transcript/index.php?selected=1&id=123

Weekend of August 3, 2008

THE CHRIS MATTHEWS SHOW

Ms. ELISABETH BUMILLER (The New York Times): "Well, look, and George Bush got those massive tax cuts through the first year of--in office

CHRIS MATTHEWS, host: Even though he won with a less than popular vote?

Ms. BUMILLER: And he--yeah--they--George Bush was not--he was not--remember, they were going to govern as if they'd won a landslide victory. That was Dick Cheney's idea from day one..."

This is what Incumbent Republican Bush rubber-stamp members of Congress and the Senate were not asking the tough questions about or holding Bush accountable for which means that they were NOT doing their jobs:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,417064,00.html

In New Book, Woodward Says Bush 'Failed to Lead,' Even as Surge Succeeded

Thursday, September 04, 2008

By Bill Sammon

WASHINGTON — Bob Woodward, who wrote two books praising President Bush and then a third harshly criticizing him, is out with a fourth tome that renders a mixed verdict on Bush, lauding the president’s surge of troops into Iraq, but saying "too often he failed to lead."

At 487 pages, "The War Within" is the fourth installment in Woodward’s series of books on the president. Its release is embargoed until Monday, although an advance copy was obtained exclusively by FOX News.

The new book is less critical than Woodward’s last tome, "State of Denial," which savaged Bush for his execution of the war in Iraq. "Denial" ended with the line: "With all Bush’s upbeat talk and optimism, he had not told the American public the truth about what Iraq had become."

Woodward repeats the line in his new book, adding: "My reporting for this book showed that to be even more the case than I could have imagined."

Bush refused to grant an interview to Woodward for "Denial," but gave the author several interviews for "War Within." Such increased access did not seem to improve Woodward’s opinion of Bush.

"President Bush has rarely leveled with the public to explain what he was doing and what should be expected," wrote Woodward, an assistant managing editor at the Washington Post, in "War Within." "He did not seek sacrifice from most of the country when he had the chance. He did not even mobilize his own party. Republicans often voiced as much suspicion and distrust as Democrats. The president was rarely the voice of realism on the Iraq war."

On the other hand, Woodward acknowledged the success of Bush’s surge of additional troops into Iraq in 2007.

"Violence was down so much in a few places that some U.S. soldiers were not receiving combat action badges because there was no fighting in their area," he wrote.

Woodward notes that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opposed the surge, while GOP presidential candidate John McCain was “advocating more troops for years.” Woodward also quotes McCain expressing frustration with the Bush White House, clenching his fists in the West Wing and exclaiming to Woodward: “Everything is f---ing spin.”

Woodward asserts in his new book that Gen. George Casey, when he was the U.S. commander in Iraq, believed "that President Bush does not understand the war" and eventually concluded "he has lost the president’s confidence."

Calling Bush "the nation’s most divisive figure," Woodward criticized the president for failing to fulfill what some might view as impossible expectations.

"He had not rooted out terror wherever it existed," Woodward scolded. "He had not achieved world peace. He had not attained victory in his two wars."

Woodward also observed that seven years in the White House has "taken a visible toll" on Bush, who "has a noticeable paunch and sometimes slouches in his chair."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/23/mccain-lambastes-bush-years/

EXCLUSIVE: McCain lambastes Bush years

In an interview with The Washington Times, Mr. McCain lashed out at a litany of Bush policies and issues that he said he would have handled differently as president, days after a poll showed that he began making up ground on Sen. Barack Obama since he emphatically sought to distance himself from Mr. Bush in the final debate..."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/1008/McCain_tags_Bush_GOP_Congress.html

McCain tags Bush, GOP Congress

Banner headline in today's Washington Times that may help with Virginia's swing voters while angering some of the president's loyalists: "McCain lambastes the Bush years."

By Jonathan Martin 10:37 AM
comments (50)   |    post comment   |    permalink

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/23/former-bush-aide-voting-for-obama/

October 23, 2008

Former Bush aide voting for Obama

Fmr. Bush staffer backs Obama 0:35
Former George W. Bush press secretary Scott McClellan endorses Barack Obama on CNN's 'D.L. Hughley Breaks the News.'

200 Comments | Permalink

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/23/lkl.01.html

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Interview With Michael Moore

Aired October 23, 2008 - 21:00   ET

LARRY KING, HOST: "All right. We have a blog in that regard from Michael -- from Ronnie, rather, to you: "Michael, wouldn't you agree that the ages of the candidates is making a big difference on peoples' choices, especially young and Independent voters?"

Do you think they are voting age?

MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: No. I think young and Independent voters are voting because they're -- they can't take another eight years of this. We've been through a rough time, Larry. And this last month has been the roughest in terms of domestically here in this country.

They can't take it anymore. They don't want more of that. I know people that are going to vote for Obama who don't even really agree with half of the things that he stands for, but they just can't take another four or eight years of what they've been through.

And so I think the country is collectively shouting uncle. I can't take it anymore and so I'm going to try something else. This may not be the right thing, but, you know, it's better than what we've had. And, unfortunately, it's -- I think people realize it isn't going to get any better if John McCain and Sarah Palin are in the White House..."