Joe Bidengaffer: “I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now”

April 30, 2009

VP Joe Biden is back and it’s for the same thing as always: his mouth. On the Today Show, Matt Lauer asked whether he would advise his own family against flying to Mexico and Biden answered as expected:

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BIDEN: I would tell members of my family — and I have —I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now. It’s not just going into Mexico. If you’re any place in a confined aircraft, and one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft. That’s me. I would not be at this point - if they had another way of transportation - suggesting they ride the subway.

109 cases 11 states. More states reported. Patient Zero found in Mexico - 5 y/o boy alive and well.

Here are the responses to Biden’s statements.

Within 2 hours they had a statement out from the VP’s office about Biden’s comment. Compare that to the 6 hours for Gibbs to say he knew nothing about the dive bombing of NYC by Air Force One. 7 hours for Louis Caldera to release an apology and over 24 hours for barry to say 24 words with not a word addressed to the traumatized New Yorkers/Jerseyans.

This is conclusive proof they knew exactly what was going on with the “mission” and stalled for as long as they could to gauge the fallout. They were saved by Arlen Specter and the H1N1 flu.

BIDEN SPOKESWOMAN:

On the Today Show this morning, the Vice President was asked what he would tell a family member. That advice he’s giving family members is the same advice the administration is giving to all Americans.

They should avoid all unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico. If they are sick they should avoid airplanes and other confined spaces.

Acting head of the CDC, DR RICHARD BESSER:

There’s no one action that’s going to stop this, there’s no silver bullet.

CDC’s DR ANNE SHUCHAT:

This is a time when we don’t want the worried well flooding the emergency rooms. At no time in our nation’s history have we been more prepared to face this kind of challenge.

If you’re ill, you shouldn’t get on an airplane or any public transport to travel. If you’re sick, stay home. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that this week.

Homeland Security Director: JANET NAPOLITANO:

If they’re feeling sick they should stay off public transit or confined spaces because that indeed is the advice we have been given.

JAMES MAY, president of the Air Transport Association, which represents airlines, sent Biden a letter expressing “extreme disappointment at your suggestion that people should avoid air travel.”

American Airlines spokesman TIM SMITH:

To suggest that people not fly at this stage of things is a broad brush stroke bordering on fearmongering.

Source: MSNBC

Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton sworn in (video)

February 2, 2009

Swearing-in ceremony for Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton #2.

Part 1 was done privately in her office and she was sworn in by childhood friend: DC Court of Appeals Associate Judge Kathryn Oberly.

Hillary Clinton was sworn in as the 67th Secretary of State (15th from New York) after being confirmed 94-2. The two dissenters were Jim DeMint (R-SC) and no surprise DC Madame frequenter David Vitter (R-LA). He has severe castration anxiety and gyne envy and has to pay women for sex. He was the only dissenter in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote (16-1).

Her confirmation was initially held up by John Cornyn (R-TX) because a Republican had to do it. He wanted a roll call not the voice vote even though he said she would be confirmed. It was political theater. Period. Officially the reason was because he wanted to investigate Mr Bill's foundation as if the reps won't be watching it every hour. Besides Mr Bill signed an agreement that lays everything out.

CNN:

CORNYN: But we should not let our respect for Sen. Clinton or our admiration for the many good works of the Clinton Foundation blind us to the danger of perceived conflicts of interest caused by the [foundation's] solicitation of hundreds of millions of dollars from foreign and some domestic sources. The perception and reality must be that the office of secretary of state is viewed around the world as beyond reproach.

SEN JOHN MCCAIN: I think the message that the American people are sending us now is they want us to work together and get to work. I think we ought to let Sen. Clinton, who is obviously qualified and obviously will serve, get to work immediately.

Will Madame Secretary ever be viewed as her own being?

Immediately after being sworn in she resigned from her Senate seat. I wonder if she advised Paterson about her replacement. Tomorrow she will be welcomed at the State Department and give her initial press conference.

Taylor Marsh

Madame Secretary 1, Vittner 0

January 16, 2009

Thank you, vyttalimma. I never did get around to the exchange between DC Madam piglet Vitter and Sen Clinton and Mr Chairman. I had transcribed it by hand with body language but Taylor Marsh has the video.

Vitter, like all of them, had reservations about Mr Bill's foundation. They really just want to find out what's in there for them to keep ragging on. Madame Secretary Clinton has been held back by her husband and now when she is clearly more informed than all of them together - they focus on her husband. What did they ask her that she didn't know? Nothing. So the old fall back - Mr Bill.

Vitter wanted more disclosure and asked about conflict of interest. He said Mr Bill hadn't agreed to disclose future foreign contributions to his Global Initiative and she gave an explanation of what barry and Mr Bill agreed on. Something that has been made public and answers were provided ahead of time that he must not have read. Maybe his wife gave him an ultimatum. She looked awfully scary in that picture and appeared taller than him. Surprise. This man has a lot of issues above and beyond simple coarseness.

courtesy of taylor marsh

Madame Secretary Clinton is speaking with her head down, glancing at her papers. When vitter rudely interrupts, she stops and looks up.

CLINTON: But I want to speak for a minute, if I can, about the work that's done, because I think it's important--

Vitter, a fellow senator, a southerner, a prostitute frequenter, a father of three daughters, a husband of a former prosecutor and a Catholic Church Lector, rudely cuts her off. But he has no problem addressing Chairman Kerry with respect.

VITTER: Mr. Chairman [Face flushed, voice quivering, hands palm out like, enough wench!]

[points both hands at himself - he wanted camera time] no objection listening to this.>[lie] But I don't want it to come out of my time, 'cuz I'd like to pursue these questions.

He sits back like, aha, I won. Not even close. He was always going to vote nay and just wanted to stand out. He did. As a classless, rude pig. He lost himself an awful lot of votes with his gyne envy microphallus insecurity. I wonder if his prostitute ever pissed or shat on him. My guess is he liked to be spanked...for good reason. I would like to know what Mr Chairman said afterward. Vitter, besides disrespecting a woman and a colleague - disrespected the Chairman and the proceedings in front of foreign dignitaries.

MR CHAIRMAN (off camera): Well, I guess, I mean, it's fair to say...

Clinton raises her eyebrows, like you've got to be kidding me - this eunuch? She re-centers herself in the chair--showing him he didn't begin to put her in her place--draws in her upper lip--figuratively biting it--rests her forearms on the table--bring it on, this is my domain--and waits for Kerry to handle the useless gnat not worthy of swatting.

KERRY (wide shot of him and piglet) ...that if you ask a question you deserve an answer, and the answer, traditionally, comes out of the time of the senator.

Piglet sits back in his chair and rocks like a kindergartner who has to urinate - or already has - in his diaper.

VITTER: Well, I'm still waiting for an [laughs dismissively] answer. I'd love an answer. [rocking and smirking] But if there's an answer to my question--

KERRY calmly, in control: Well, I think you need to give the senator an opportunity to give you answer the question. And if you need additional time--

Vitter cuts off Kerry, looks away, stops rocking, puts his elbows on the table and gestures with his hands. His face still flushed, he starts in without pardoning himself, addressing her by name or thanking Kerry.

VITTER, dismissively, 35 second question: Let me repeat the question: which is, would you support

[blinks after a wimpy 10 words]

and help produce a new MOU that requires the same sort of disclosure

[Looks down. He couldn't hold her gaze. He looked down. Couldn't sustain for a single sentence. Her look back is what I would have liked to have seen]

for contributions for the Clinton Global Initiative. Under this,

[he points and looks away]

there is no disclosure moving forward for contributions of the Clinton Global Initiative. So, it 's a yes or no. Would you support expanding that disclosure. Admittedly - this is voluntary and it's not required by law - but it seems to be a big exception to the rule of MOU in terms of disclosure.

Clinton then told him the answers were provided and that she would be happy to provide whatever he needed. She answered evenly and calmly and maintained eye contact. Her response lasted the same time as his question. I would love to know if she gave him a second thought once he had his little notice me I'm a senator too tantrum. Most notably he never got his yes or no. He got a polite didn't you read your handout?

Vitted, cowed, still flushed and waving his hands: Well, ok, if you could consider that suggestion. And then he basically asks the same thing, Clinton corrects him and then Me Chairman steps in and says asked and answered. Vitter says he won't vote till it's amended. She says it isn't going to be amended but we'll clarify it. Then he says, I hate to beat a dead horse...

And Madame Secretary responds with a zinger, sealing his nay vote. How else could he save face?

Not only that, there will be ongoing reviews by anything that is brought to the attention of the career professionals.

David Vittner nays Sen Clinton's appointment

January 15, 2009

Sen Clinton passes 16-1 by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The only dissenter was David Vitter (R-LA), who was the only one to try to challenger her. Chairman Kerry asserted himself and that was that. I didn't know who Vitter was (I only started following politics in Jan 08) but he looked angry about something that was not related to Sen Clinton so I went agoogling. Turns out he's a pig with castration anxiety. Explained everything except the diaper fetish.

He got his microwillie involved with the DC Madam and was the first member of Congress to be outed by her phone book. He is actually trying to use his reelection funds for defense against the allegations. Can you say wardrobe? Clothes vs defending himself because he frequented a prostitute? His lawyer says that his defense costs are a direct result of him holding office as senator. Problem being he was involved before he became a senator. And he dropped out of the 2002 gubernatorial race because of his alleged relationship with a prostitute named Wendy (like his wife).

Salon's MARY JACOBY:

He presents himself as a morally righteous, clean-cut family man, and his wife and three young children have become virtual campaign props. The Harvard-educated Rhodes scholar is also extremely intelligent, observers say, and runs perhaps the most effective political ads in the state. But there are hints of a dark side: allegations of an affair with a prostitute and a lawsuit claiming he lost his temper and physically charged at a woman at a town hall meeting.

Mercedes Hernandez, who was involved in Republican politics, testified that she frequently attended local meetings to engage officials on the issues, usually tape-recording the events. At a town hall meeting, Hernandez asked the state representative about a rumor she'd heard that he was supporting a gay-rights bill in the Legislature. Vitter became "enraged by her question, left the podium where he was standing, advanced toward her in a rapid, threatening manner, pushing aside chairs ... and grabbed a portable tape recorder" that Hernandez was holding, according to her legal complaint.

And then there's his ethical campaign standards bringing David Duke and the KKK:

Vitter was against any form of affirmative action. For most of the race, the better-known Treen led in the polls -- until the last week, when Vitter violated his pledge not to play dirty, John Treen said. The Vitter campaign sent fliers to black voters stating that the racist David Duke was supporting his opponent. In fact, Treen had been an enemy of Duke and had tried to stop his rise in Louisiana GOP politics. "Dave Treen and I have absolutely no use for David Duke whatsoever," John Treen said. "He [Duke] tried to shake my hand once, and I said, 'I'm not going to shake your hand, you son of a bitch.' It's hypocritical to shake someone's hand if you consider them an enemy." But in what John Treen believes was a secret pact between Duke and Vitter, the former Ku Klux Klansman came out publicly for his nemesis, Treen.

Sound familiar?

He vowed to outlaw abortion in almost all cases, even when pregnancy results from rape or incest.

Crooks and Liars' JOHN AMATO:

VITTER on "sanctity of marriage" in 2004:

This is a real outrage. The Hollywood left is redefining the most basic institution in human history, and our two U.S. Senators won't do anything about it. We need a U.S. Senator who will stand up for Louisiana values, not Massachusetts's values. I am the only Senate Candidate to coauthor the Federal Marriage Amendment; the only one fighting for its passage. I am the only candidate proposing changes to the senate rules to stop liberal obstructionists from preventing an up or down vote on issues like this, judges, energy, and on and on." stated David Vitter.

In 2006, Vitter told reporters that "the existence or non-existence of a stable, loving, two-parent household" is the most significant predictor of success in life, and conceded that infidelity contributes to the breakdown of traditional families.

Vittner's number in DC Madam's phonebook (SHAILAGH MURRAY)

Vitter and his wife, Wendy, a former prosecutor, have four children. On his Senate Web site, Vitter says he is committed to "advancing mainstream conservative principles" and notes that he and his wife are lectors at their hometown church.

His come to Jesus moment. Why is it they have "respect for their families" only after they're caught?

This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible. Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there -- with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.

Salon's JOAN WALSH:

Predictably, he refused to take questions; less predictably, he pushed his wife, Wendy Vitter, out to speak. Wendy Vitter, you'll recall, made fun of Hillary Clinton's plight during impeachment, telling the New Orleans Times-Picayune that if she had a cheating spouse, she'd be "a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary. If [he] does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me."But today we got the calm, forgiving, Christian wife -- "I'm proud to be Wendy Vitter," she declared -- who insisted she was mainly speaking as a mother and who is "sad for our children" because the media has been hounding the family since Vitter's admission a week ago, even following them to church.

Lorena Bobbitt? Mrs Spitzer is more like it. One wonders what he thought of barry's pick of Warren.

As Glenn Greenwald points out, Vitter was a leading sponsor of the ban on same-sex marriage, insisting, "I don't believe there's any issue that's more important than this one," and he compared gay marriage to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

And there's this:

Impeachment-backing state Rep. David Vitter, by the way, wrote this in the Times-Picayune: "Some meaningful action must be taken against the president [Clinton]. If none is, his leadership will only further drain any sense of values left to our political culture."

I honestly cannot believe these men can say such things when they've been busy doing it for years themselves. Remember Mark Foley who was the crusader against internet predators at the same time he was sending teenage pages graphically sexual IMs? And, of course, like Foley, Vitter was not found guilty of anything.

Washington Post's MARY ANN AKERS:

The Senate ethics committee in May exonerated Vitter because his contacts with the late D.C. Madam's escort service occurred when he was a House member, before he ran for the Senate. And since the House ethics panel cannot retroactively investigate Vitter's conduct, the Louisiana Republican looks to be off the hook completely.

Wendy Vitter doing her Mrs Spitzer impersonation at a news conference in Metairie, La. on July 16, 2007. (AP File Photo/Alex Brandon)

Spitzers: pickwaynesbrain