Bachmann: It’s All Chris Matthews’ Fault! ‘He Laid A Trap, And I Walked Into It’»

Think Progress » Bachmann: It’s All Chris Matthews’ Fault! ‘He Laid A Trap, And I Walked Into It’

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is still on the defensive from an appearance last Friday on MSNBC’s Hardball, in which she called for the media to conduct a “penetrating exposé” into anti-American views of members of Congress.

Speaking with the St. Cloud Times on Tuesday, Bachmann said she regretted suggesting
that Barack Obama held “anti-American” views. Referencing
Chris Matthews by name 12 times in a 6 minute interview, Bachmann
portrayed herself as the victim of a clever ploy devised by the MSNBC
host:

Chris Matthews laid a trap, and I walked into it. […]

Chris Matthews was using the term over and over, and I should not have used it. […]

This was Chris Matthews. I made a big mistake by going on the show. I never should have. […]

I just didn’t recognize — I never watched the
Chris Matthews show before. I should have before I went on. I
didn’t recognize that he would lay a trap the way that he did.

Bachmann concluded the interview by circling back to where she
began: “I didn’t bring the word choice up. That was Chris
Matthews who brought the word choice up. Unfortunately, like I said, I
walked into a trap.”

Bachmann, who appears frequently on Fox News,
apparently doesn’t understand that journalists on other networks
sometimes ask critical questions. The issue isn’t Matthews’
questions; it’s Bachmann’s answers. Here’s key
portions from the transcript:

MATTHEWS: So you believe that Barack Obama may have anti- American views.

REP. BACHMANN: Absolutely. I’m very concerned that he may have anti-American views.

[…]

MATTHEWS: What parts of America would you say are anti-American? What parts of this country?

REP. BACHMANN: Well, I would say that people who hold anti- American views. I don’t think it’s geography. I think it’s people who don’t like America, who detest America.

[…]

MATTHEWS: How many do you suspect of your colleagues as being anti-American?

REP. BACHMANN: What I would say — what I would say is that the
news media should do a penetrating exposé and take a look. I
wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great
look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they
pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an
exposé like that.

Bachmann’s biggest disappointment must be that she wishes she hadn’t been so honest about her true feelings.

McCain's black family ties touch on the GOP's racial faultline

McCain's black family ties touch on the GOP's racial faultline | Crooks and Liars

Normally, the story of John McCain's black family -- the ones who are
planning to vote for Barack Obama -- might elicit some modest interest
in terms of what it says about the complexity of race relations in
America.

But what's been even more interesting has been how John McCain has responded to the story ever since it surfaced.

Initially, back when he first was doing the "Maverick" schtick in
the 2000 primaries, he actually denied that the aristocratic
Southerners from whom he was descended were slaveholders. But it really
became impossible for McCain to deny their existence after a 2000 report in Salon in the course of which reporters showed him photographs and birth records in person and he had to concede to their existence.

One account, In the South Florida Times, describes how McCain has handled the connection publicly and privately:

White and black members of the McCain family have met on
the plantation several times over the last 15 years, but one invited
guest has been conspicuously absent: Sen. John Sidney McCain.

“Why he hasn’t come is anybody’s guess,”
said Charles McCain Jr., 60, a distant cousin of John McCain who is
black. “I think the best I can come up with, is that he
doesn’t have time, or he has just distanced himself, or it
doesn’t mean that much to him.”

Other relatives are not as generous.

Lillie McCain, 56, another distant cousin of John McCain who is
black, said the Republican presidential nominee is trying to hide his
past, and refuses to accept the family’s history.

“After hearing him in 2000 claim his family never owned
slaves, I sent him an email,” she recalled. “I told him no
matter how much he denies it, it will not make it untrue, and he should
accept this and embrace it.”

She said the senator never responded to her email.

In her CNN interview with Kyra Phillips, Lillie McCain discusses this further:

PHILLIPS: Do you think it could make a difference with regard to
diversity issues, issues of race, if John McCain did participate?

L. MCCAIN: I think it probably could. It would give him an opportunity to know us.

I e-mailed him back in 2000 to remind him of his ties to Tiak,
Mississippi. I heard him say on I believe it was "Meet the Press," that
his ancestors owned no slaves. Well, I certainly have carried the name
McCain from the beginning of my whole life, and I've known of the ties
to John McCain and tried to get him to communicate with me about that,
but he has been unwilling, at least, to date.

PHILLIPS: Well he found out in 2000, to be fair to the senator
there, and he did come forward and gave this quote -- "How the Tiak
descendants have served their community and, by extension, to their
country, is a testament to the power of family, love, compassion, and
the human spirit." And then he added in the statement, "an example for
all citizens."

That sure is a warm, fuzzy little sentimental quote from the
senator, and the fact that it really says nothing in reality says
everything we need to know about John McCain.

Limbaugh defends his Powell race comments

Limbaugh defends his Powell race comments - UPI.com

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh Monday defended his remark that Colin Powell endorsed Democrat Barack Obama simply because of race.

Limbaugh said the former U.S. secretary of state, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and national security adviser endorsed the Illinois senator because he is black, CNN reported.

"So what if it's race?" Limbaugh said on his radio show. "Why is it so hard to admit that it's race … ? What's so problematic about admitting it?"

Limbaugh's comments were widely discussed on news programs and in the blogosphere.

"I thought it should be about race," Limbaugh said Monday. "I thought you liberals thought this was a historic candidacy because finally we are going to elect a black guy … . Why hide behind this, why act like it's not about race?

"This was all about Powell and race, nothing about the nation and its welfare."

Racist 'N-Word' Calls Reported In Pennsylvania

Racist 'N-Word' Calls Reported In Pennsylvania

According to the election analysis site FiveThirtyEight.com, some Pennsylvanians have complained about a call that impersonates Barack Obama and includes racial epithets:

"Over in Indiana, PA and Northern Cambria, PA, volunteers
fielded complaints of a massive wave of ugly robocalls both paid for by
John McCain's campaign and those paid for by third parties. The
third party call was interactive, and purported to be from Barack Obama
himself. The call starts out reasonably, and then "Obama" asks what the
listener thinks is the most important issue. Whatever the response,
"Obama" then launches into a profane and crazed tirade using "n***er"
and other shock language."

If anyone has received this call, please send us an email so we can follow up.

AAPP: John Mccain's True Colors, No Longer Red, White and Blue

African American Political Pundit:: John Mccain's True Colors, No Longer Red, White and Blue

In recent days, the Huffington Post and other outlets have reported on the McCain-funded nationwide robocall campaign charging that Barack Obama "worked closely with"

former 60s radical William Ayers. Another RNC/McCain campaign call
states that Obama is a "celebrity" politician who was fundraising in
Hollywood during the financial crisis.

On Friday, a recipient
of one of those calls, Chris Shoff of Minnesota, said that he had tied
the origins of the campaign to the St. Paul-based firm FLS-Connect, run
by prominent GOP figure Jeff Larson.

This past week, Shoff, a
Freeborn, Minnesota Democratic County Commissioner, received the
Hollywood call while at work. Because state law dictates that any such
calls be made by an actual human, Shoff demanded that he be connected
to the supervisor. That official, who worked at the robocall shop King
TeleServices in Brooklyn, New York, said that they had been contracted
out by FLS-Connect. More HERE.

AAPP: 

I wonder (like many other bloggers) whether Colin Powell will support Barack Obama - We will know on Sunday.

NEWSFLASH: NIXZALIZ FOUND GUILTY, THANK GOD!

NEWSFLASH: NIXZALIZ FOUND GUILTY, THANK GOD!

Nixzmary Brown's mother found guilty of manslaughterBY DANIEL EDWARD ROSEN

The mother of Nixzmary Brown, the 7-year-old whose death stunned a city and influenced a new law named for her, was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of second-degree murder in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn on Friday.

Nixzaliz Santiago, 30, appeared unresponsive as the jury also found her guilty of second-degree assault, unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child.

"The journey for justice for Nixzmary is almost over," said prosecutor Ama Dwimoh. She went on to praise the jury of 10 women and two men for ruling on the case "professionally and stoically."

"Today is a good day for the children because this jury said loud and clear that parents have a duty - it's not just what you do, it's what you don't do," Dwimoh said.

Santiago faces 25 years in prison on the manslaughter charge alone. She is to be sentenced Nov. 5.

Nixzmary's stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, was convicted of manslaughter in March and sentenced to 26 1/3 to 29 years.

Defense attorney Sammy Sanchez told The Associated Press after the verdict that Santiago should not have been looked at in the same light as Rodriguez. "Cesar was the true criminal," Sanchez said.

Outside the courthouse, Santiago's mother, Maria Gonzalez, avoided reporters as she hustled to a nearby garage.

The nearly monthlong trial brought back to the public's memory the grisly details of Nixzmary's death, including the chair to which she was often violently bound and the litter box she was forced to use as a bathroom.

Nixzmary was beaten by Rodriguez after she took yogurt from a fridge and messed up Rodriguez's printer. Rodriguez slammed her head against a bathtub as she was being doused with cold water. Nixzmary weighed only 36 pounds when she died Jan. 11, 2006.

Her death brought swift and comprehensive changes to New York City's Administration for Children's Services and helped influence "Nixzmary's Law," which charges parents of children who have died as a result of abuse with first-degree murder.

During the trial, Santiago sometimes broke down into tears when prosecutors showed photos of Nixzmary's bruised corpse, even remarking, "This is messed up."

The jurors also heard testimony from an ACS worker how Santiago kept the remains of a miscarriage of hers in a jar. Santiago told Child Welfare Specialist Vanessa Rhoden that she kept the remains because "once she saw the baby's eyes, she couldn't let it go."

Santiago has five other children. Gonzalez is seeking their custody.

Republicans use Obama's picture on food stamp???

The Chaffey Community Republican Women sent out a newsletter that featured a qoute that read " If Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps -- instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement is followed by an illustration of "Obama Bucks" -- a phony $10 bill featuring Obama's face on a donkey's body, labeled "United States Food Stamps."

The groups president Diane Fedele says she doesn't thinks it's racist although Obama's picture is surrounded by watermelon, Kool Aid, and ribs. What's sad is that it took that picture for a black member of the group to realize why the GOP has such a hard time recruiting African Americans.
Read the story and see the food stamp here:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Media Declines To Challenge McCain's Evidence-Free ACORN Charge

Media Declines To Challenge McCain's Evidence-Free ACORN Charge - NewsCloud.com

In last night's debate, John McCain claimed that ACORN "is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy."

That's quite an allegation against a group that's working to register low-income voters. You'd hope that the media would ask McCain's campaign for some evidence for the claim, or at least note that the candidate himself didn't offer any. Or that moderator Bob Schieffer would have followed up in real time.

You'd be disappointed, of course. Reporters were too distracted by Joe the Plumber to pay much attention to McCain's hyperbolic accusation.

Of course, McCain had essentially no backing whatsoever for his claim. As TPMmuckraker and others have pointed out, there's virtually no evidence that fraudulent registration forms of the type erroneously submitted by ACORN in their thousands in some states ever turn into fraudulent votes.

McCain uses term ‘tar baby’

McCain uses term ‘tar baby’ - John McCain News- msnbc.com

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Republican presidential contender John McCain on Friday used the term "tar baby," considered by some a racial epithet, and later said he regretted it.

Answering questions at a town hall meeting, the Arizona senator was discussing federal involvement in custody cases when he said, "For me to stand here and ... say I'm going to declare divorces invalid because of someone who feels they weren't treated fairly in court, we are getting into a tar baby of enormous proportions and I don't know how you get out of that."

After the event, McCain told reporters: "I don't think I should have used that word and I was wrong to do so."

Singlaub is McCain’s Ayers...Where is the neo-con backlash??

Dems hope Singlaub is McCain’s Ayers - Kenneth P. Vogel and Cecile Dehesdin - Politico.com

Since the mid-1980s, there’s been almost no attention paid to John McCain’s long-ago association with a controversial group implicated in a secretive plot to supply arms to Nicaraguan militia groups during the Iran-Contra affair.

But now, with the Republican presidential candidate stepping up his negative blitz against Democratic opponent Barack Obama, some Democrats are hoping that the group — the U.S. Council for World Freedom, and its founder, John Singlaub — will become for McCain what Bill Ayers has become for Obama: a fleeting past association used as ammunition for political broadsides.

Over the past few days, a handful of Obama allies — none directly associated with his campaign — have called attention to McCain’s ties to the council to rebut the McCain campaign’s increasing focus on Obama’s ties to Ayers, a founder of the 1960s radical Weather Underground.

“This guilt by association path is going to be trouble ultimately for the McCain campaign,” Democratic strategist Paul Begala said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “John McCain sat on the board of a very right-wing organization; it was the U.S. Council for World Freedom. It was chaired by a guy named John Singlaub, who wound up involved in the Iran-Contra scandal. It was an ultraconservative, right-wing group.”

Palin Rally: "Kill Him" Yelled Again

Palin Rally: "Kill Him" Yelled Again

Via Politico, The Scranton Times reports another threat against Barack Obama at a Sarah Palin rally Tuesday:

Chris Hackett addressed the increasingly feisty crowd as they await the arrival of Gov. Palin.
Each time the Republican candidate for the seat in the 10th Congressional District mentioned Barack Obama the crowd booed loudly.

One man screamed "kill him!" At previous rallies, McCain-Palin supporters have shouted "Kill Him!" as well as "Treason!" "Terrorist!" and "Off With His Head!"

"We were really disappointed when an Alaska Native wasn't appointed," said Kookesh, a Tlingit Indian who held the job in a previous administration.

Palin's Rural Adviser Quits Over Native Record

JUNEAU, Alaska — Gov. Sarah Palin's rural adviser resigned Monday amid criticism of the governor's record on hiring Alaska Natives.

Rhonda McBride, who is not an Alaska Native, made the announcement in an e-mail to several Native leaders, saying there need to be more Native voices in Palin's administration.

"I definitely think it would help to have an Alaska Native in this position," McBride told The Associated Press.

Many Alaska Natives have said they felt neglected when Palin, now the Republican vice presidential nominee, made appointments to her administration, including the rural adviser post.

State Sen. Al Kookesh, a Democrat, said Palin left the position unfilled her first year in office and ignored Native leaders' suggestions on the selection process.

"We were really disappointed when an Alaska Native wasn't appointed," said Kookesh, a Tlingit Indian who held the job in a previous administration.

Natives bristled early in Palin's administration when she named a white woman to a game board seat held by a Native for more than 25 years. An Athabascan Indian eventually was named to the post after protests.