Patrick McConnell Blog

Farrell Case Goes Federal

Apparently the author of “Colin Farrell: A Dark Twisted Puppy” had more to give the actor last week than a copy of her latest magnum opus.

Dessarae Bradford, who unexpectedly approached Farrell during a “Tonight Show” taping Thursday and left a copy of her self-published tell-all on Jay Leno’s desk before being escorted out of the building, announced Monday that she had been trying to serve the 30-year-old Irishman with court papers.

Whatever she was trying to do, Farrell didn’t much appreciate it. First he joked to Leno that he had just met his first stalker.

Schlussel On Hezbollah’s Population in the US (VIDEO)

Conservative columnist Debbie Schlussel appeared on FOX’s Your World With Neal Cavuto last week to discuss the pro-Hezbollah population in the United States. Schlussel, a Detroit resident spoke about the large amount of Hezbollah supporters in her area.

VIDEO – .WMV
VIDEO – .MOV

yes I`m Selling My HTDAAB (I have A Copy)

On Ebay…Check It Out…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=013&item=230011238719&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

Josh Bolten squirms during Stem Cell questions

 I doubt Josh Bolten will be back on MTP anytime soon. I’ll post more of his appearance, but Timmeh made Bush’s stem cell veto laughable and indefensible,

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Once Tony Snow called it murder-it was downhill from there as it should be.

Russert asked Bolten if Bush thinks it’s murder then why doesn’t he outlaw it altogether. When he was asked about Karl Rove’s take on stem cell research that could not be backed up by scientists-Bolten said he wasn’t a scientist.

Bolten also said there are wide differences of opinion on Stem Cell research. There are only two. People who think the research will save and help the quality of life and the James Dobson version. As has been noted, only 128 snowflake babies have been adopted out of 400,000. Meanwhile, our government:

Nightlight, which has received more than $800,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote embryo adoptions, is one of only a few agencies that treat embryos exactly like infants.

Developing…

Bush Quiz from 1999

 Bush undergoes a quiz about foreign leaders in 1999.

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Then a little “G8″ open mic thrown in for good measure.

NY Times, CNN reported Bush signed “fetal farming” ban, failed to note there is no such thing as “fetal farming”

In their coverage of President Bush’s July 19 vetoof legislation that would have expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cellresearch, The New York Times andCNN reported that Bush also signed a bill thatday banning “fetal farming” — creating embryos or fetusesspecifically for use as sources of cells or tissue. But neither the Times nor CNN noted that “fetalfarming” is a nonexistent practice — it is neither being carried out, nor is it”under serious scientific consideration,” as National Public Radiohealth policy correspondent JulieRovner reportedon the July 19 broadcast of Morning Edition.While the Chicago Tribune alsoreported Bush’s expected signing of the “fetal farming” billwithout noting the strictly hypothetical nature of the practice, a separatearticle by the same reporter noted that “fetal farming” is notactually taking place.

Rovner reported that the “Fetus FarmingProhibition Act of 2006” — proposed by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and co-sponsoredby Sens. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) –was motivated by “politics,” as opposed to any purported need toban an actual scientific practice. According to Rovner, “Republican leaders knew” that Bushwould veto the embryonic stem cell bill, “[s]o they came up with two other bills hecould sign, allowing him to claim to be pro-stem cell research.”The first bill –proposed by Santorum and passed by the Senate — encouragedresearch using stem cells not derived from human embryos. But a motion tosuspend the House rules andpass the bill failed toachieve the two-thirds majority required in a July 18 vote. (On a Monday or Tuesday,a motion may be filed to suspend the rules of the Houseand pass a bill without amendments, allowing only 40 minutes of debate. Thistype of motion requires a two-thirds majority to pass and is typically usedonly for swift consideration of non-controversial legislation.) The second bill banned “fetal farming”and was signed by Bush July 19.

The Times and CNN reportedBush’s signing of the “fetal farming” ban without noting thestrictly hypothetical nature of “fetal farming.” A July 20 New York Times articleby staff writer Sheryl Gay Stolberg reported that Bush had “signed a’fetal farming’ measure, barring trafficking in embryos and fetuseswith the intent of harvesting body parts.” The article did not note,however, that “fetal farming” is not actually being carried out,nor is it being seriously considered by the scientificcommunity:

The bill Mr. Bush vetoed would haveallowed taxpayer-financed research on lines derived from embryos slated fordestruction by fertility clinics. Mr. Bushalso signed a ”fetalfarming” measure, barring trafficking in embryos and fetuseswith the intent of harvesting body parts.

”These boys and girls are not spareparts,” the president said in a speech that was interrupted repeatedly byhoots of applause, and twice by standing ovations. ”They remind us of what islost when embryos are destroyed in the name of research.”

Similarly, a July 20 CNN.com articlereported that Bush had “signed the ‘fetal farming’legislation,” which would “ban the commercial production of humanfetal tissue”:

Opponents argue that otheralternatives, such as adult stem cells, are available. Two companion bills — one to promote alternative meansof developing stem-cell lines from sources such as placental blood and anotherto ban the commercial production of human fetal tissue, also known as “fetalfarming” — passed the Senate in 100-0 votes.

On Tuesday evening,the House approved the “fetalfarming” bill 425-0 but didn’t passthe measure promoting alternative stem-cell sources when backers failed toachieve the two-thirds majority that House rules required. The vote on thealternative-sources bill was 273-154.

Bush signed the “fetalfarming” legislation and urged Congress to fund alternativeresearch.

Additionally, a July 19 ChicagoTribune articleby correspondent Jill Zuckman reported Bush’s expected signing of the”fetal farming” ban, but failed to note that “fetalfarming” is not actually being conducted. However, in a subsequent July20 articlereporting Bush’s signing of the “fetal farming” ban, Zuckmannoted that “scientists say ["fetal farming"] is nothappening.”

From the Chicago Tribune’sJuly 19 article:

The Senate also passed a bill topromote research that does not include creation or destruction of embryos,something already allowed under current law. Andit passed a bill to prohibit “fetalfarming,” or growing embryos for the sole purpose of harvestingtissue. The votes were 100-0 in both cases.

The House passed the fetalfarming bill Tuesday night but did not get the necessarytwo-thirds vote for the other measure. Bushis expected to sign the fetalfarming bill as early as Wednesday. Another House vote ispossible on the bill to promote research that doesn’t include creation ordestruction of embryos.

From the Chicago Tribune’sJuly 20 article:

At the White House, Bush issued hisveto in private, without cameras present. Healso signed a bill into law to prohibit “fetalfarming,” growing fetuses for the sole purpose of harvestingtissue, which is something that scientists say is not happening.

From the July 19 broadcast of NPR’s Morning Edition:

ROVNER: But politics is playing a major role in this debate. Republican leaders knew President Bush would veto thebill expanding funding of embryonic stem cell research, putting him at oddswith most of the public. So,they came up with two other bills he could sign, allowing him to claim to bepro-stem cell research.

Kansas RepublicanSenator Sam Brownback is sponsor of one of those bills. It would ban so-called fetusfarming, in which embryos are gestated in women or animals beforebeing harvested for their stem cells or other tissues. He says his measure represents an important step evenif the practice isn’t under serious scientific consideration.

BROWNBACK: Somebody was saying,well, we weren’t going to do it anyway, but that’s what they said about humancloning when we started out on this debate; so you’re going to ban “fetal farming.”

ROVNER: But the other supposedly noncontroversial bill failed to pass when it reached the House last night. Itwould encourage research into alternative ways to find stem-cells that show asmuch promise as those derived from human embryos. The attack on the bill waslaunched by sponsors of the bill facing the veto. Colorado Democrat DianaDeGette insisted she has substantive concerns about the bill, but she alsoadmitted the effort was partly to deprive the president of some politicalcover.

REP. DIANA DeGETTE (D-CO): No onewill be fooled by this fig leaf. The tens of millions of people who suffer fromdiseases like Parkinson’s, diabetes, paralysis, cancer, they know that thisresearch holds hope and they know that 72 percent of Americans support this.

ROVNER: This snag is apparently atemporary one. The House, later today, is expected to bring the bill up for asecond vote it will likely win. And any attempt to override the promised vetowill almost certainly fail.

Fox News: “Are Saddam Hussein’s WMDs Now in Hezbollah’s Hands?”

On the July 21 edition of Fox News’ The Big Story, during a report on the”scary ‘what ifs’ ” surrounding the current conflictbetween Israel and Hezbollah, host John Gibson, along with Fox News’ The Big Story Weekend Edition host JulieBanderas, speculated onwhether there was any truth to the baseless reports and statements fromunidentified “experts” that Saddam Hussein’s allegedstockpile of weapons of mass destruction was secretly transported to Syriaprior to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and “might have been put inthe hands of Hezbollah.” Throughout the segment, the onscreen text read: “Are Saddam Hussein’s WMDs Now in Hezbollah’s Hands?”

During the report, Banderas endeavored to “separatefact from fiction.” Not mentioned at any time during the segment was thefact that the Iraq Survey Group’s final report, commonly known as the Duelfer report,included no evidencethat any secret transfer of weapons from Iraq to Syria had ever taken place.

From the July 21 edition of TheBig Story with John Gibson:

GIBSON: It has been claimed byseveral individuals that Saddam Hussein smuggled his weapons of massdestruction out to Syriabefore the U.S. invaded Iraq. Now,one report suggests these WMDs might have been put in the hands of Hezbollah inorder to strike Israel.Here, now, the host of The Big Story Weekend Edition, JulieBanderas. So, what dowe know?

BANDERAS: All right, John. Well,this just adds to the “what ifs” — I mean, scary “what ifs.”You know, what if Hezbollah had chemical weapons? While, it’s,of course, purely speculative right now, it is a definite possibility, and sois the possibility of Israeli troops carrying out ground invasions into Lebanon.We’ve been watching them massing up and lining up along the Lebanonborder today. But if they do go in, the worry is: What awaits them on the other side?

Now, you may remember yesterday AlJazeera television airing an interview with Hassan Nasrallah — he’s theleader of Hezbollah — and he warns, “We have a number of surprises upour sleeves.” What’s he talking about? What does that mean? Well,John, there’s widespread concern that could mean weapons of mass destruction.

So, here’s what we do know. OK, let’s try to separate fact from fictionhere. Syriadoes have chemical weapons. Six months ago, in fact, former Iraqi general GeorgesSada told Foxthat Saddam Hussein had his WMD program flown out of Iraqand into Syria before weinvaded Iraq.General Sada also says it was flown out on a series of 747 flights. Civilianaircraft were used; theseats were taken out, replaced with chemical weapons. That means thedocumentation, the test equipment, the production equipment, everything andanything that had to do with Saddam Hussein’s WMD program was flown to Syria.

And we also know this. As you know, Iran,it funds Hezbollah, giving them over $100 million a year. Iran wants nuclear weapons; Iran supports Syria. Some experts say if Hezbollah has any WMDs and uses them thatthey’ll probably trace back to Iraq,possibly, and keep Syria’shands clean of this.

GIBSON: Yeah.

BANDERAS: Could you imagine thatpossibility?

GIBSON: Well, Syria’s hands wouldn’t be clean, butsure, it’s a possibility, especially if that stuff was taken out of Iraq and into Syria. Julie Banderas, thank youvery much.

Gingrich: Deny Deny Deny…

You’ve got one chance to ask one question of one of the most sanctimonious hypocrites ever to serve in Washington.  He’s on at least his third wife, after cheating on the first two.Oh good god, man…I’ll find the link later and edit this post.  But this man is absolutely disgusting.  I can’t believe people talk [...]

The Daily Show on Stem Cell Brownback

 Bush vetoes Stem Cell research.

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Here’s comes Brownback

On Meet the Press, Gingrich cited nonoperational terror plots as evidence of “World War III”

On the July16 broadcast of NBC’s Meet the Press,Fox News political contributor and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA)cited the break-up of two aspirational — but not operational — alleged terrorplots as evidence of “World War III.” To prove that “we arein the early stages of … the Third World War,” Gingrich pointed tothe recent arrests in Miami ofseven men who allegedly planned to bomb the Sears Tower in Chicago, and thearrests of three foreign nationals who allegedly conspired to attackcommuter train tunnels in New York City, in conjunction with NorthKorea’s recent missile launches, the currentconflict between Israeland Hezbollah, an apparent terrorist attack inIndia, and the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

On June23, federal agents arrested seven men in Miamifor allegedly conspiring to bomb the SearsTower in Chicagoand some federal buildings in Miami.But, the alleged plot was far from operational. The group reportedly had littlein the way of a plan of attack, beyond an apparent desire to establish anindependent “Moorish” nation through violence. Indeed, inannouncing the arrest, FBI deputy director John Pistole stated that the allegedChicago bombingplot was “more aspirational than operational.” At the same pressconference, U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said that the seven menarrested posed “no immediate threat.” Additionally, as The Miami Herald reported July 16, uponarresting the suspects, the FBI raided the group’s hideout in the Liberty Cityarea of Miamiand “found no firearms, explosives, blueprints or terror plans — onlythree machetes and a Koran, among other items.”

In April,reportedly with assistance from the FBI, Lebanese authorities arrested AssemHammoud (also known as Amir Andalousli) as the alleged ringleader of a plotaimed at attacking New York City commuter trainlines running under the Hudson River.According to reports, Hammoud and other unnamed conspirators were arrestedafter authorities monitored internet chat room conversations discussing theplot. As the Los Angeles Times reported, the suspects”apparently had not conducted reconnaissance or acquired weapons.”New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg asserted that “[t]here is not oneshred of evidence that the plan continued beyond the planning stage,” althoughthe article further stated that “federal officials said authorities wereconvinced that the suspects were preparing to act.”

Despiteevidence that neither alleged plot posed a significant threat, Gingrich toutedthe two to argue that the world is engaged in “World War III.” Whenhost Tim Russert asked Gingrich to confirm that “[t]his is World WarIII,” Gingrich replied, “I believe if you take all the countries Ijust listed, that you’ve been covering, put them on a map, look at all thedifferent connectivity, you’d have to say to yourself this is, in fact, WorldWar III.”

As Media Matters for America has previously noted, with the recent escalation ofviolence in the Middle East and a terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, theright-wing media have declared a new “world war” but have not agreedupon which global conflict the United States now faces: World War III, IV, orV. Also, as noted by the weblogThink Progress, Gingrich has apparently decided that the use of World War IIIrhetoric is a political winner for Republicans. According to The Seattle Times,in a recent interview, Gingrich talked about the “need to recognize WorldWar III as important for military strategy and political strategy.” The articlereported that Gingrich was “very worried” about Republicans’chances in the fall elections and felt “the need to recognize thatAmerica is in World War III” is an element missing from PresidentBush’s political strategy. Gingrich told the newspaper that “Bushneeds to deliver a speech to Congress and ‘connect all the dots’ forAmericans” and argued “that public opinion can change ‘theminute you use the language’ of World War III.” Perhaps for thatreason, The Seattle Times reported that”Gingrich said in the coming days he plans to speak out publicly, and tothe Administration, about the need to recognize that America is in World War III.”

Fromthe July 16 edition of NBC’s Meet thePress:

RUSSERT:And now, joining us in Washington, Democratic Senator Joe Biden, formerRepublican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.Welcome, both.

Mr.Speaker, what are we witnessing in the Middle East?

GINGRICH: Well, let me, let meoffer three observations.

First,this is not the fifth day of the war. This is the 58th year of the effort bythose who want to destroy Israel.As [Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad, the head of Iran,says, he wants to defeat the Americans and eliminate Israel from the face of the Earth.So we should not see this event in isolation. There is an Iran-Iraq-Syria — Imean, an Iran-Syria — was an Iraqbefore Saddam was replaced — Syria,Hezbollah, and Hamas alliance trying to destroy Israel.

Second,the Israelis withdrew from Gazato create the circumstance of peace. The Israelis withdrew from south Lebanon tocreate the circumstance of peace. They now have a thousand missiles fired from Gaza, they’ve had hundreds of missiles fired from south Lebanon. Youclearly have Iranian involvement — there are at least 400 Iranian guards insouth Lebanon.Apparently, it was an Iranian missile fired by Iranians which hit an Israeliwarship yesterday. The United Statesshould be saying to Syriaand Iran, “South Lebanon is going to be cleared out. We are for Israel and the Lebanese government breaking theback of Hezbollah, getting rid of all 10 to 13,000 missiles, and we willdecisively stop any effort by Syriaand Iranto intervene.”

I mean, this is absolutely a question of the survival of Israel, butit’s also a question of what is really a world war. Look what you’ve beencovering: North Koreafiring missiles. We say there’ll be consequences; there are none. The NorthKoreans fire seven missiles on our Fourth of July; bombs going off in Mumbai, India;a war in Afghanistan withsanctuaries in Pakistan.As I said a minute ago, the, the Iran-Syria-Hamas-Hezbollah alliance. A war in Iraq funded largely from Saudi Arabia and supplied largely from Syria and Iran. The British home secretarysaying that there are 20 terrorist groups with 1,200 terrorists in Britain. Sevenpeople in Miami videotaped pledging allegiance to AlQaeda, and 18 people in Canada being picked up with twice the explosives thatwere used in Oklahoma City, with an explicit threat to bomb the CanadianParliament, and saying they’d like to behead the Canadian prime minister. Andfinally, in New York City, reports that in threedifferent countries people were plotting to destroy the tunnels of New York.

I mean, we, we are in the early stages of what I woulddescribe as the Third World War, and frankly, our bureaucracies aren’tresponding fast enough, we don’t have the right attitude about this, and thisis the 58th year of the war to destroy Israel. And frankly, the Israelis have every right to insist that everysingle missile leave south Lebanonand that the United Statesought to be helping the Lebanese government have the strength to eliminateHezbollah as a military force, not as a political force in the parliament, butas a military force in south Lebanon.

RUSSERT:This is World War III?

GINGRICH: I, I believe if you take all the countries I justlisted, that you’ve been covering, put them on a map, look at all the differentconnectivity, you’d have to say to yourself this is, in fact, World War III.