"The Bush Diplomatic Hall of Glory"

What "diplomatic glory"?

The smell of fresh paint wafting last week through the hall heading to the State Department cafeteria signaled the demise of the Bush Diplomatic Hall of Glory -- that series of lovely photographs that touted the 43rd president's world leadership and diplomatic victories.

Loop Fans will recall that the exhibit of about 20 large color photos caused a bit of a stir back in 2003 when it replaced the long-standing array of black-and-white shots of historic moments. That included an original political cartoon from the Jefferson era and Woodrow Wilson at Versailles and Roosevelt and Churchill signing the Atlantic Charter and so forth.

The George W. Bush exhibit, the old-timers complained, was hardly more than a family travel album, showing him and Laura Bush traveling about the world, hanging out with foreigners, not exactly making history. There were also a few pics of the secretary of state, first Colin L. Powell and then Condoleezza Rice, usually with the president in the picture.

Word.

But wait a minute, does the photo exhibit include this leadership victory in China?


How about this diplomatic victory in Iraq?


It wasn't a complete "hall of glory" without these moments of victory, no?

Photos: The Sydney Morning Herald, Washington Times

Republican Gregg for Commerce?

The White House remains mum, but if Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) accepts the nomination for Commerce Secretary, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch could give the Democrats a 60 seat-strong majority in the Senate by appointing a fellow Democrat to replace Gregg.

Gregg will be under pressure from the GOP to say no, although given his age, 16 years in the Senate and a possible tough fight for re-election in 2010, he might say yes. The possibility becomes more likely if we consider that Gregg praised Obama publicly and that among Republicans he was second only to Olympia Snowe in voting with the Obama Administration.

Politico reports the GOP may demand that Governor Lynch appoint another Republican to replace Gregg before they agree to let him go, but that's not their call now, is it? If Gregg thinks his re-election prospects in 2010 are dim or if he's just more interested in serving in Obama's cabinet rather than retaining his Senate seat, then the Democrats don't have to concede a thing to get both him and their filibuster-proof majority.

Obama Signs Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act

[Transcript of the President's remarks here.]

For his first piece of major legislation, President Obama signs into law an Act that corrects a gross miscarriage of justice:

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act effectively nullifies a 2007 Supreme Court decision that denied Ledbetter an opportunity for redress.

Ledbetter, 70, has said she did not learn about the sizable discrepancy in pay between her and her male co-workers until near the end of her 19-year career at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Gadsden, Ala. She sued, but the high court said in a 5-4 decision that she missed her chance to bring the action.

The court said a person must file a discrimination claim within 180 days of a company's initial decision to pay a worker less than another doing the same job.

Under the new law, each new discriminatory paycheck would extend the statute of limitations for an additional 180 days. That was the interpretation before the Supreme Court was asked to step in.

Since her case can't be retried, Lilly Ledbetter will not receive a single cent more because of this new law, but thanks to her and all the other women before her who fought for what's right, those of us who come after won't have to suffer the indignity and gross unfairness of less pay for being a woman.

Incidentally, the Bush White House and the Republicans blocked this bill in the last session of Congress. True to form, they were against what is essentially a law for equality and fairness because all lawsuits by employees against employers is baaad, didn't ya know. Lest we forget, McCain and Palin also campaigned against it, being the true party mavericks sidekicks that they are. This time, only five Republicans, including the only four female Republican Senators, voted for this bill. Color me not surprised.

Next stop: the much broader Paycheck Fairness Act. Perhaps the current Grand Obstructionist Party will surprise me this time? Not freakin' likely.

Blagojevich Out

Impeached and barred from political office in Illinois:

The vote, 59 to 0, ended nearly two months of political spectacle in which Mr. Blagojevich, a second-term Democrat who rose from the ranks of Chicago ward politics on the strength of his charisma and the connections of his wife’s family, sought to salvage his career and reputation.

The conviction followed a four-day trial, Mr. Blagojevich’s dramatic address of some 45 minutes to the senators Thursday in which he declared his innocence, and then about two hours of deliberation.

After the first vote, the Senate held a second, deciding again by 59 to 0 to bar Mr. Blagojevich from ever holding public office again in Illinois.

Lt. Governor Pat Quinn was sworn in as the new Governor an hour later.

I caught Blagojevich on Rachel Maddow's show, part of the media blitz he chose to do instead of attending his three-day impeachment trial, and the arrogant defiance was cringe-worthy. He insisted that everything he did, he did out of love for the people of Illinois. He also insisted the hearings were rigged because he can't call in witnesses to prove he didn't do anything illegal, even though an impeachment hearing isn't like a criminal trial and the State Legislature only need prove his actions were unethical.

The same arrogant defiance showed up in his 45-minute final plea to the State Senate (transcript) when he insisted he did "a lot of things that were mostly right" and that he did it all for the children. And the vulnerable senior citizens. Ugh.

It shouldn't have taken the Illinois Senate two months to get this joker impeached, but I'm glad it's over; President Obama feels the same way, it looks like.

Of course, there's still his possible criminal prosecution, but at least Blagojevich can no longer use the bully pulpit of his governorship to save his hide.

Final Sendoff

Bush booed at the Inaugural:


The commentators loudly tsk tsked, though only a decided minority of the nearly 2 million-strong crowd expressed their understandable displeasure and disapproval. Well, at least no one threw shoes.

I'm just as disgusted with what this man did to our country and our Constitution, but I wouldn't have bothered. This day is not about him. There's a time for accountability, but today is ours.

Meanwhile, the foreign press took their final swipe at Dubya:

"A weak leader, Bush was just overwhelmed in the job," said Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung under a headline: "The Failure." "He confused stubbornness with principles. America has become intolerant and it will take a long time to repair that damage..."

"Goodbye to the worst president ever," [Canada's Toronto Star] declared. "Bush was an unmitigated disaster, failing on the big issues from the invasion of Iraq to global warming, Hurricane Katrina and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression..."

The Scottish Daily Record observed: "America is now hated in many parts of the world. Bush leaves a legacy of wars and the world economy in meltdown. He has been dismissed as a buffoon and a war-monger, a man who made the world a more dangerous place while sending it to the brink of economic collapse..."

The British Daily Mail and French Le Monde gave him credit for no terrorist attacks since 9/11, but that's like crediting the crowing of the rooster for the sun rising at dawn. Besides, how about the anthrax attacks? Hello? Yet Bush defenders and apologists will always insist on this fantasy, because in their own make believe world he never fails, even when he does.

A Truth Self-Evident

Cartoon by Tom Toles via the Washington Post.

It's Inauguration Day!

You can watch MSNBC's live streaming coverage here:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

MSNBC is also hosting live screenings at select movie theatres and Starbucks locations across the country.

Of course, all the major networks and news channels will carry live coverage during the day. Online livestreams will also be available at C-Span, Hulu, Current TV (which will also Twitterstream its coverage), Ustream.tv (with live chat) and Joost.

The Huffington Post will liveblog the event, and Twitter (just click on search word "Inauguration") is a great source of real time reax from people who are experiencing the historic occasion in person. Other great sources are the NPR Inauguration Report which will collect dispatches from several platforms (Twitter, Flickr, Youtube and text messages) and CNN/Microsoft Photosynth which will transform spectators' uploaded photos into 3D images.

Here's the official schedule of events (via ABC News):

1. 8:45 a.m. ET: Obamas attend a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church.
   
   
2. 10:00 a.m. ET: Obama meets with President Bush at the White House for coffee, together they travel to the Capitol for inauguration ceremony.
   
   
3. 11:30 a.m. ET: Official inaugural ceremony begins.
   
   
4. 12:00 p.m. ET: Obama is sworn in as president and delivers inaugural address.
   
   
5. 1:00 p.m. ET: President Obama and Vice President Biden attend luncheon at the Capitol.
   
   
6. 1:30 p.m. ET: President Bush Depart Washington DC.
   
   
7. 2:30 p.m. ET: Inaugural parade begins, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama join inaugural motorcade.
   
   
8. 8:00 p.m. ET: Neighborhood Ball at the Convention Center (first of ten official balls), featuring the POTUS and First Lady's first dance of the evening and the POTUS' first inaugural ball speech (will be covered exclusively by ABC News).

More information are available at the Joint Congressional Committees on Inaugural Ceremonies as well as at the Presidential Inaugural Committee web sites.

The theme of the Inauguration is "A New Birth of Freedom" in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. This theme is incorporated into the Inaugural Program, Luncheon menu (pdf) and decor. Of course Obama will carry this one step further by being sworn in on Lincoln's Bible.

Lastly, here's a fun video showing 23 facts about the Inauguration:

Let the celebrations begin!

Pre-Inaugural Concert At Lincoln Memorial

Highlights of the We Are One Concert that kicked off this historic Inauguration Week:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The near-freezing temperature didn't stop the enthusiastic crowd estimated at 400,000 which stretched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.

Big names from the worlds of music and movies performed: Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington just to name a few.

It was a rockin' good time; the crowd jumped and did the wave to Garth Brooks singing Shout while the Obamas were on their feet singing along with Stevie Wonder, Usher and Shakira to Higher Ground. All the performances were great, but I especially liked Renee Fleming's rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone with the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club and for sheer significance, Bruce Springsteen singing Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land with folk legend Pete Seeger. Yes wingnuts, we're taking our country back. Get used to it.

At the same time, there was the pomp and circumstance of flags and military colors and choirs and the grandeur of the setting itself: the imposing statue of the sitting Lincoln in the background, the same setting in which Martin Luther King, Jr., whose memory we are honoring today, gave his "I Have A Dream" speech.

As usual, the Obamas and Bidens looked great and were positively beaming. I thought Michelle Obama's black and tan suit and coat ensemble looked elegant and becoming.

The full concert was covered on HBO -- which authorized its service providers to show it to their viewers for free -- and will probably be replayed the rest of the week. You can also watch the entire event online for free here. USA Today also liveblogged the event here.

He Had A Dream

Our work is not done, but tomorrow's historic Inauguration is an important milestone, and shows the whole world why we are the United States of America.

I'd like to think the MLK, Jr. will be looking on, smiling and bursting with pride.

Worst. President. Ever.

The people have spoken:

Only 16 percent of those questioned in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday say things are going well in the country today. That's an all-time low. Eighty-three percent say things are going badly, which is an all-time high...

The all-time low on the public's mood may have something to do with the poll's finding that President Bush is the most unpopular president since approval ratings were first sought more than six decades ago. Seventy-six percent of those questioned in the poll disapprove of how he is handling his job.

That's an all-time high in CNN polling and in Gallup polling dating back to World War II.

"No other president's disapproval rating has gone higher than 70 percent. Bush has managed to do that three times so far this year," Holland said. "That means that Bush is now more unpopular than Richard Nixon was when he resigned from office during Watergate with a 66 percent disapproval rating."

Meanwhile, the same poll shows Obama has majority support of the electorate:

So far, Obama seems to be meeting the public's high expectations. Two-thirds of all Americans have a positive view of what he has done since he was elected president, and three-quarters think he will do a good job as president.

"Obama has the support of virtually every African-American in the poll, but he also gets high marks from a solid majority of whites," Holland said.

Gallup shows he has a 68% approval rating, which interestingly is the mirror opposite of Bush's disapproval ratings.

I'm with David Letterman on this:

"I think I speak for most Americans when I say, anybody mind if he [Obama] starts a little early? Would that be a problem?"

Howard Dean Steps Down As DNC Chair

The Huffington Post reports:

After four years at the helm of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean is preparing to relinquish his chairmanship.

Dean, who has been serving in the post since 2005, has said in the past that he would serve only one term, though his successful work with the Obama campaign had led some Democrats to wonder whether he would stay on into the next administration. This won't be the case, officials at the DNC confirm. He will serve as chair until his term ends in January. The party will settle on a new head when it hosts a meeting during the week of Obama's inauguration.

Howard Dean was a netroots candidate and favorite in 2004, and his 50-state strategy deserves major credit for the party's congressional wins in 2006 and last week's presidential landslide win in which red states like Indiana, North Carolina, Indiana and the seat of the confederacy itself, Virginia, turned Democratic Blue.

Does Dean's departure signal the end of the 50-state strategy? Chris Bowers thinks so, given that the paid, locally-based organizers who formed its core have been fired.

I tend to disagree, simply because there's no reason to abandon it. The strategy was a resounding success and in perfect sync with Obama's own campaign strategy of going on the offensive instead of accepting the traditional delineation of "red states" and "blue states". Besides, why stop now? The Dems came close to turning even more states like Georgia, Nebraska, Montana and Arizona blue; with the changing demographics that increasingly favor the party, they could turn in a few more election cycles. Heck, even Texas is ripe for the picking.

Also, I see the firings as pro forma, the same way that a previous president's administration all have to tender their resignation when a new president assumes office. There's nothing to stop Obama and his aides to re-hire the same people or at the very least, deploy the same strategy and continue finetuning it.

As for Dean's replacement, Senator Clair McCaskill (D-MO) and Obama's Deputy Campaign Manager Steve Hildebrand's names come up as co-chairs of the DNC going forward.

No word yet on Dean's future plans. One thing is sure, though: because of the groundwork he laid, the Democratic Party is strong and its future bright.

New World Order

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Yes, he's gonna come and swoop down from a big, black helicopter to get you, Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA):

"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may — may not, I hope not — but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism." ...

"That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did," Broun said. "When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."

Obama's comments about a national security force came during a speech in Colorado about building a new civil service corps. Among other things, he called for expanding the nation's foreign service and doubling the size of the Peace Corps "to renew our diplomacy."

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!!!

* All the networks just called it for Barack Hussein Obama, the next President of the United States.

* Fox News showed Jesse Jackson quietly crying.

* Electoral vote totals so far: Obama 334, McCain 144, with 54 electoral votes still too close to call, including Arizona and North Carolina.

* McCain just conceded, very graciously. Too bad the crowd couldn't be as gracious, but the campaign he and Palin ran had a lot to do with that.

* On to Grant Park, waiting for our President-Elect to make his speech, woohoo!

Update: 11-05-08 12:27 a.m. EST

* Obama speaks. It's a bittersweet moment, Toot not being here to witness this.

* Obama: WE ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

* Now the work of rebuilding our nation begins.