1.) Obama says words about the words he’s going to say about jobs — If you’re like absolutely nobody, you’re really excited about Obama’s Annual Big-Time Jobs Speech next week. He’s been in office for over 31 months, and he just got done with yet another vacation, so of course the only date and time when he could possibly give his nation-saving speech before a joint session of Congress is… during the next GOP debate on Sept. 7. Wow, what an amazing coincidence! This amateurish attempt at gamesmanship went about as well as everything else has been going for Obama lately. TheDC’s Neil Munro reports: “Agreement broke out along Pennsylvania Ave. this evening as President Barack Obama accepted House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to address a joint session of the Congress on Sept. 8, one day later than initially sought by the White House. ‘The President is focused on the urgent need to create jobs and grow our economy, so he welcomes the opportunity to address a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday, September 8th and challenge our nation’s leaders to start focusing 100% of their attention on doing whatever they can to help the American people,’ said the announcement from the White House, released at 9.17 p.m. The letter’s tone reflects the White House’s frequently stated desire for a campaign-trail dispute with the House Republicans. In his recent three-state bus tour, for example, Obama repeatedly said Republicans are putting party before country, and threatened to use public opinion as a tool to force GOP agreement with a series of medium-term economy-boosting programs… Boehner quickly refused the request, citing Congress’ schedule and security problems, but his polite response also highlighted the jobs crisis.” So, the Adult in the Room clumsily tried to upstage his opponents and divert attention away from his own failures, and he fell flat on his face. Again. Note to Barry: This is the sort of bumbling, passive-aggressive childishness you might’ve gotten away with back in the old days, when you were still popular. Maybe you should ask one of the brainiacs on your staff to explain your approval ratings to you. Note: You’re not supposed to try for the lowest score possible. It’s not like golf.
2.) West vs. Carson — The New Civility is about to start any minute now, just as soon as folks like Andre Carson and Maxine Waters get done throwing their temper tantrums. One of their colleagues isn’t putting up with it, though, as TheDC’s Caroline May reports: “In response to recent comments made by Indiana Democratic Rep. Andre Carson and California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters that denigrate the tea party movement, Florida Republican Rep. Allen West — a member of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Tea Party Caucus — sent a letter to CBC Chairman Emanuel Cleaver Wednesday requesting that the body condemn such remarks. ‘As Chairman of the CBC, I believe it is incumbent on you to both condemn these types of hate-filled comments, and to disassociate the Congressional Black Caucus from these types of remarks. Otherwise, I will have to seriously reconsider my membership within the organization,’ West wrote. The freshman congressman declared, ‘It is unconscionable when a fellow CBC Member, Congressman Andre Carson, comes to South Florida and claims that some in the Tea Party would love to see black Americans “hanging on a tree.” It is appalling to hear another CBC colleague, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, say “The Tea Party can go straight to hell…”‘ West reiterated that the movement is focused on fiscal responsibility and American exceptionalism and wrote that the the CBC should be working to end the ‘balkanisation’ of America.” And now it’ll be Rep. West’s fault for condemning hate speech, not his esteemed colleagues’ fault for spewing it.
3.) Santorum’s sativa surprise — And now, a little something from the Who Asked? file. TheDC’s Jeff Poor reports: “Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a candidate for president of the United States, hasn’t had his longshot candidacy completely erased by an on-air pot confession. In an appearance on Wednesday’s ‘Piers Morgan Tonight’ on CNN, Santorum admitted that he smoked marijuana as a student in college. ‘Well, yeah, I admitted you know, back when I was running for the Senate, that when I was in college that I smoked pot and that was something that I did when I was in college,’ Santorum said. ‘It was something that I’m not proud of, but I did. And said it was something that I wish I hadn’t done. But I did and I admitted it. I would encourage people not to do so. It was not all it’s made up to be.’” This really changes everything we thought we knew about Rick Santorum, doesn’t it? What a shocking revelation. Fortunately for Santorum, he’s every bit as likely to become president now as he was before his confession. Heck, he might even pick up one or two libertarian votes.
4.) Will De Palma take de blame? — Up until now, the pain and suffering caused by Brian De Palma has been limited to those who sit through his movies. Now he’s kicked it up a notch. TheDC’s Neil Munro reports: “A Balkan Muslim who killed two U.S. Air Force servicemen in March has told a German judge Wednesday that he was motivated after seeing the movie ‘Redacted,’ which was made as a political statement in 2007 by Hollywood director Brian De Palma, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and several high-profile movie industry producers. Arid Uka told the judge that that he murdered the two Americans in March after he watched the movie’s graphic depiction of U.S. soldiers raping a girl in Iraq, according to a BBC report. ‘I thought what I saw in that video, these people would do in Afghanistan,’ he said, the BBC reports… The dead solders were Senior Airman Nicholas Alden, age 25, and Airman 1st Class Zachary Cuddeback, age 21. ‘I honestly had not heard about it,’ said one ‘Redacted’ producer, Jason Kliot. “I’m terribly sorry to hear that, but I don’t understand how my movie would impel anyone to commit murder… I don’t see how people would be made to commit acts of violence [after watching 'Redacted'], any more than they would for watching Fox News,’ Kriot said.” That’s the way. When in doubt, sputter “B-b-but… Fox News!!!” Then the reality-based community will realize you’re one of the good guys and leave you alone. Quick question for everybody who thought Sarah Palin had blood on her hands for putting up a map with crosshairs on it: Does Brian De Palma have blood on his hands too? If not, why not? Jared Loughner never even saw the thing that supposedly incited him to kill, whereas this murderer, Arid Uka, says he was reacting to De Palma’s film. Why isn’t De Palma responsible for toxic rhetoric and hate speech and all that? Why is your outrage so selective?
5.) If you thought the finale of ‘Lost’ made you angry… — …that’s nothing compared to what it’s done to Matthew Fox. Apparently, Fox’s portrayal of Dr. Jack Shephard as a rage-fueled rageball of raging rage was autobiographical. TheDC’s Laura Donovan reports: “Matthew Fox should be feeling pretty lost and humiliated right now, as the ‘Lost’ star has been charged with brutally beating a female bus driver. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the mother of three Heather Bormann sustained injuries from Fox after she refused to allow him onto a private bus party. Bormann, who says she did not recognize the celebrity when he tried to enter the gathering, claims he started ‘swinging on her’ and reeked of booze. ‘He smelled like a liquor cabinet, like a bar,’ Bormann explained to the newspaper. ‘I told him, “Sorry, buddy, this is a private party. You have to get off my vehicle.” I told him three times. He never said a word. He just looked at me.’ Bormann says she has bruises all over her body and that she assumed Fox would stop attacking her, so when he didn’t, she chose to hit him. After a blow to the mouth, Fox reportedly fell into a fence but got up to fight Bormann again.” A Cleveland prosecutor is now interviewing witnesses in the case. As for what Fox is doing in Cleveland in the first place, he’s filming a movie with Tyler Perry. Maybe that’ll count as time served.
6.) Today’s good question from Adam Baldwin’s Twitter feed — “Dear Leftists: Empirically speaking, what exactly do you believe makes Barack Obama smarter than current GOP frontrunner Rick Perry?”
VIDEO: Protesters explain why tar sands are evil
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