New Application for White House Press Room

Scott McClellan Unveils New Credentialing Application for White House Press Room

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Talon "News" Flies the Coop

Talon News, the so-called media outlet that the so-called Jeff Gannon wrote for, apparently can't stand the heat, so it's getting out of the kitchen.

"The recent public focus on Talon News, while much of it malicious, has indeed brought some constructive elements to the surface....In order to better serve those readers across the country who enjoy Talon News content and look forward to receiving it each day, we feel compelled to reevaluate operations in order to provide the highest quality, most professional product possible. Thus, Talon News will be offline while we redesign the web site, perform a top-to-bottom review of staff and volunteer contributors, and address future operational procedures."

See article here.

President Bush's "cocaine thing"

With the new of Paris Hilton's phone being hacked, maybe you (like most of the media) overlooked this news item.

Before President Bush was elected, an old "friend" secretly recorded comments that pretty much confirm what we've always thought -- that he used pot, cocaine, and more in his "wild days" -- also known as "the first 40 years of his life."

They were aired on "Good Morning America." He talked about his strategy to avoid answering any questions related to his past drug use:

"I don't want any kid doing what I tried to do 30 years ago....And I mean that. It doesn't matter if it's LSD, cocaine, pot, any of those things, because if I answer one, then there will be another one. And I just am not going to answer those questions. And it may cost me the election....

"Do you want your little kid, to say, 'Hey daddy, President Bush tried marijuana; I think I will?' That's the message we've been sending out. I wouldn't answer the marijuana question.

"The cocaine thing, let me tell you my strategy on that. Rather than saying no...I think it's time for someone to draw the line and look people in the eye and say, you know, 'I'm not going to participate in ugly rumors about me and blame my opponent,' and hold the line. Stand up for a system that will not allow this kind of crap to go on."

"AshHole"?

Speaking of Belgium (see below), check out this item from today's "Inside the Beltway" from The Washington Times:

Hollywood A-word
Christopher C. Horner, policy counsel for the European Enterprise Institute in Brussels, has just flown back to Washington aboard United Airlines, its cabin treated to the popular movie "Sideways."

"A pleasant surprise given the Mrs. and I have only been turned away due to crowding at the theater," notes Mr. Horner. "As part of its process of editing out offensive expletives, United was kind enough to show a version of the film in which a character, not once but twice, is heard to refer to an antagonist as an 'Ashcroft' — the former Attorney General John Ashcroft and bane of the left — serving as the substitution of choice for the anatomical slur sharing the same first letter."

What Do You REALLY Think of Our President, Belgium?

Bush pee pee sticker

This is not a product endorsement by Democrack. Just trying to keep you up with how the rest of the world continues to embrace our president.

Calculate This

How will President Bush's Social Security plan affect your payments? Use this calculator to find out!

Bin Laden to U.S. -- Crappy Valentine's Day!

Nothing too heavy on this Valentine's Day. Just a funny item from The Onion -- "Latest Bin Laden Videotape Wishes Americans a Crappy Valentine's Day." It quotes BL as saying:

"This Feb. 14th on the Western infidels' calendar, may all Americans receive no valentines from their beloved ones. May the homemade construction-paper mailboxes taped to the desks of the American schoolchildren remain empty, as well. May whomever you ask to 'bee yours' tell you to 'buzz off.'"

But fear not. The article notes: "The Department of Homeland Security did not raise the terror advisory, recommending that Americans proceed with their Valentine's Day plans."

Talking to Conservatives about Social Security

With the White House spending $35 million of our money spreading misinformation about Social Security, it's easy to see why many people are confused. This is a great, simple summary of the facts.

Jeff Gannon -- This Story is Just Starting...

As reported yesterday, the story of fake journalist "Jeff Gannon" (real name James Dale Guckert) is raising a lot of questions about what the WH knew, when they knew it, and why it took so long for these terms to be linked -- Bush White House, gay porn, and male prostitution.

Wonkette has a good wrap-up of the attention the story is getting.

Stay tuned.

You're Either With Us...or Terrorists

A news item submitted by one of Democrack's foreign correspondents:

Hungary Prime Minister Ference Gyrurcsany was excited that the national football team performed so well in a 0-0 game against Saudi Arabia -- particular since their opponents included "very many terrorists."

He was quoted as saying: "I think that there were very many terrorists also among the Saudi soccer players, and our sons fought with death-defying bravery against these terrorists, so a draw away from home is a fantastic result."

He later apologized.

Fraud, Homosexuality, and Prostitution -- Oh My!

Here's a petition calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Jeff Gannon (not his real name), the journalist (not his real profession) who was given WH credentials and used RNC talking points verbatim in his "news reports" for Talon News. Read the kinds of tough questions he asked Scott McClellan at WH briefings.

Oh, and he may have been involved in gay porn and male prostitution.

It's a good thing President Bush has restored dignity to the White House.

Working Three Jobs to Stay Afloat = "Fantastic," Says Prez

Drudge reports that while talking about Social Security Friday to citizens in Omaha, Neb., President Bush said working three jobs is "uniquely American." He thinks it's "fantastic" that Mary Mornin, divorced and in her late 50s, has to work three jobs to support her three children, one of whom is "mentally challenged."

Here's what happened:

In response to a question from Ms. Mornin, he assured her that the government will keep its promises regarding the Social Security system she's been contributing to -- and is counting on. She then went on:

MS. MORNIN: That's good, because I work three jobs and I feel like I contribute.

THE PRESIDENT: You work three jobs?

MS. MORNIN: Three jobs, yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that. (Applause.) Get any sleep? (Laughter.)

African Americans and Social Security: The Facts

As I watch President Bush ramble on about Black History Month, I think it's time to correct some misinformation he is knowingly spreading about African Americans and Social Security.

President Bush has repeatedly claimed that the current Social Security system is unfair to African Americans since African Americans have a lower life expectancy than other Americans. In fact, that statistic is shaped mainly by black males who die at a young age -- and not retirees. According to the NY Times and other sources, African American men who live to 65 generally collect benefits for 14.6 years, just short of the rate of 16.6 years for white men.

The NAACP is strongly opposed to the administration's Social Security proposal. Dennis Hayes, the NAACP's interim president and CEO, said: “Social Security is the only source of income for one in three African Americans over the age of 65. Without the guaranteed Social Security benefits they receive today, the poverty rate among older African Americans would more than double, pushing these seniors into squalor and poverty during their most vulnerable years.

“President Bush’s assertion that Social Security is a bad deal for African Americans because our life expectancy is shorter than whites is misleading because it assumes that blacks will forever die sooner than whites. Rather than privatize Social Security, the administration should take steps to improve health care as a means to decrease the black mortality rate."

Oklahoma Senator is Pro-Breast

The fact that Oklahomans could elect Tom Coburn to the Senate when they had a moderate/conservative option in Brad Carson is simply mind-boggling. Here's a sample of what you can expect from the esteemed senator from Oklahoma.

The physician and new member of the Senate Judiciary Committee had this to say at a meeting last week about a bill that would restrict class-action suits:

"You know, I immediately thought about silicone breast implants and the legal wrangling and the class-action suits off that. And I thought I would just share with you what science says today about silicone breast implants. If you have them, you're healthier than if you don't. That is what the ultimate science shows....In fact, there's no science that shows that silicone breast implants are detrimental and, in fact, they make you healthier."

War spending up; social programs slashed

Here's The latest on those moral values President Bush is supporting. His proposed budget eliminates or reduces funding for programs including:
- Medicaid
- Law enforcement grants to states
- Funding for firefighters
- 48 education programs (including high school programs and state grants for vocational education)
- Safe and Drug-Free School grants
- Education technology state grants
- Even Start literacy program
- Upward Bound programs for inner-city youth
- Grants for land and water conservation
- Health access programs

Importantly, the budget does NOT include funding for operations in Afghanistan or Iraq -- or the billions in additional debt that the president's Social Security plan would incur. When you take those items into account, we're talking about $6.1 trillion in deficit spending over the next decade.

A liberal rant? Don't take my word for it. On "Fox News Sunday" yesterday, Vice President Cheney admitted that the government will need to borrow TRILLIONS of dollars over the next few decades to cover the cost of the administration's proposed personal retirement accounts. Specifically, he acknowledged that they want to borrow $754 billion over the next 10 years -- and trillions more in later decades. "That's right," he said. "Trillions more after that."

"None of it makes a lick of sense"

As CNN's Lou Dobbs said yesterday before the State of the Union Address:

"How in the world do you rationalize private accounts, a $2 trillion addition in the ten-year projection across the federal government? None of it makes a lick of sense right now, let's just be honest. There's no crisis, there is no way in the world that this government responsibly could undertake $2 trillion in further debt, and seniors don't want anyone messing with their Social Security."

Here's brief, point-by-point analysis of Bush's main arguments last night, versus the truth.

For more details, here's a review of the speech from David Corn, whose website www.BushLies.com is a must-read.

Keep up with exaggerations and misleading statements on both sides of the issue at www.factcheck.org, from the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

The State of the Union is...(depends who you ask)

Ready for tomorrow's State of the Union Address? If you can't stand listening to President Bush pontificate, hold your nose and watch it anyway. You've got to understand the arguments he's making to know how to make your own.

And don't sit back, when you can get involved. Two ideas:

1. ThereIsNoCrisis.com is organizing house parties -- sign up here -- to help Democrats counter Bush's misstatements and scare tactics on Social Security.

2. When Bush goes on his post-SOTU campaign to push his agenda, moveOn.org wants to run Social Security ads -- see them and help get them on the air here.

A preview from Congress Daily:

"President Bush will provide some new details about his plans for changing Social Security, particularly with respect to the private accounts he wants to incorporate into the system, but will not provide a full account of his ideas in deference to Congress, a senior administration official said today.

"The official, who briefed reporters at the White House this afternoon, did not rule out the president providing further details on Social Security in the future, saying that Bush would provide more ideas if he believes it can move his Social Security effort forward.

"The official was mostly mum on the information Bush will provide, though he said the president will talk about how the private accounts would be set up, will make the case for why Social Security needs to be changed this year and will reassure Congress he is going to take the leadership role in the debate. 'There will be no doubt, I believe, in people's minds by the end of this speech that President Bush is willing to offer the political leadership necessary to get this issue done,' the official said."