Yee Haw! The first ever “Tea Party Presidential Debate” is starting on CNN, staring Wolf Blitzer!?!

So break out your pitchforks and anti-Obama Nazi-inspired signs and cheer along to the crazy!

5:05 (PDT): I may add some comments as the debate progresses. But, really, is there any point? My hunch is that the sheer crazy will be stand-alone entertaining.

5:11: Did Newt Gingrich REALLY just suggest that the teabagger battle against the government is really like the War on Terror?!? So…Newt believes the U.S. government is like al Qaeda?

5:14: Perry says that nobody has the “courage to fix [Social Security].” I think a former Texas Governor might disagree with that. Of course, Americans rejected that attempt.

5:16: Mitt’s decided he’ll take over asking questions for the debate.

5:18: Ron Paul claims that Social Security IS broke. I guess it depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.

5:21: Newt Gingrich favors scaring the American people because “Obama frightens them every day.” In other words, “Obama is a scary black man.”

5:23: Rick Santorum, “I came out in 1994….”

PROMOTED COMMENT Via Michael: Huntsman goes for the non-existent righty grunge vote with a Curt Cobain reference! [Darryl: Yeah…that was really awkward.]

5:37: Rick Perry just claimed the stimulus created ZERO jobs!?! That is provably false.

5:39: Bachmann, “I said, ‘Don’t raise the debt ceiling….Don’t give the President a $2.5T blank check.” Somebody should point out to Michele that there was no blank check…the $2.5T was already spent.

5:41: Mittster recycles his pay-phone/cell phone quarter-jamming line.

5:43: Mitt sure knows a lot about Texas Economics. Mitt on Perry’s job growth record, “If your dealt 4 aces, it doesn’t necessary make you a great poker player.” Yeah…like Mitt hasn’t been dealt 4 aces in his life….

5:45: Perry wants to kick all the trial lawyers out. He might need to pass a constitutional amendment first….

5:46: Perry has a strong record of cutting taxes in Texas. Sure…and then filling in the missing revenue from Obama’s stimulus funds.

5:54: Wolf Blitzer misquotes Perry. Perry did not suggest Bernanke be “tried for treason” he suggested that “printing more money” would be treasonous. Sheesh!

6:03: Mitt briefly turned liberal, as he criticizes the “fair tax” for being too regressive.

6:06: Man…Bachmann sure goes off the deep end on HPV vaccine discussion.

6:09: Rick Perry is insulted by the suggestion he can be bribed for $5000. Right…it takes a hell of a lot more money than that!

6:18: Ron Paul: The churches will pay for the heath care costs of the uninsured!

6:28: Santorum and Newt are having a love fest between them this debate.

6:30: Wow…Perry may have just lost the entire bunch of teabaggers with his affirmation in support for out-of-state tuition for undocumented residents.

6:32: Huntsman says Perry’s statement on securing the border is treasonous. What the fuck debate is he listening to? I’m not judging the merits of Perry’s statement, but it sure the hell didn’t approach treason!

6:34: Huntsman is babbling nearly as badly as Bachmann tonight. Is he fucking stoned?!?

6:43: Huntsman: More American “shine” will liberate the oppressed women of Afghanistan.

6:49: The “what would you bring to the White House” question was a complete waste of time. Wait…the whole debate doesn’t really qualify as a great use of time. About as “valuable” as watching a typical sitcom.

Conclusion:

I used to think that Huntsman was the least crazy of the bunch. Now I think he has a drug problem.

Perry worked very hard to come off as a moderate. I guess his days as a shit-kickin’ Texan are over. Huh…that strategy seems vaguely familiar….

Mitt began the debate all worked up and then quickly faded to just another right-wing talking point machine.

Michele…Oh, those eyes and their crazy hypnotic spinning!

Newt still demands he be called, “Mr. Speaker.”

Herman Cain…slogan city. And he closes the debate by, essentially, saying that Americans are lacking in humor.

Santorum…eeewwwww, YUCK!

Paul…the same unelectable, semi-babbling person who isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it.

Olbermann with Arizona state Sen. Steve Gallardo on protecting the Voting Rights Act.

Pap: Republicans continue to fail on national security.

September 11th, Ten Years Later:

• Aloyna’s Fireside Chat: Talking about all the costs of 9/11.
• Ann Telnaes: Our 9/11 response.
• Gen. Eric Sinsheki remembers.
• Eric Holder remembers.
• Leon Panetta remembers.
• Janet Napolitano remembers.
• Young Turks: Ground zero students sick ten years later.
• Alyona’s Tool Time: Rep. West uses 9/11 to spread Islamaphobia
• New recordings released.
• Cafferty: 10 years later, did the terrorists win?
• ONN: Rembering 9/11 a pleasure for nation compared to remembering past 10 years.

Pap and Harry Shearer on “The Big Uneasy,” six years later.

Mark Fiore: Tea Party tradition.

Roy Zimmerman: The Unions Are to Blame:

Joint Address:

• Ann Telnaes: Which Obama will we see?
• Obama’s jobs speech leaked
• Jon: Tales of manufactured conflict. (via TalkingPointsMemo).
• Boehner makes golf small talk with Biden before speech (via The Political Carnival).
• President Obama introduces the American Jobs Act:
• Kimmel: Republicans during the address (via HuffPo).
• Sam Seder: Breaking down Obama’s jobs plan.
• Young Turks: Pros and cons of Obama’s jobs plan.
• Obama discusses The American Jobs Act in Richmond, VA

FAUX News’ Roger Ailes dissembles his way to Worst Person in the World.

Tea Party Zombies:

• Newsy: The Tea Party Zombies Must Die video game.
• Aloyna’s Happy Hour: Tea Party Zombies must die!

Sam Seder: Anti-immigrant NM Gov. Susana Martinez admits that her grandparents were illegal immigrants.

Young Turks: Koch Bros caught on tape…..

Olbermann with Faiz Shakir on the impact of Islamophobia in the U.S..

The G.O.P. Primary Asylum:

• Young Turks: Reagan dominates debate.
• GOP debate in 45 seconds (via AmericaBlog).
• NPR: Science skeptics among GOP presidential hopefuls
• GOP 2012: Chasing the Tea Party.
• Lawrence O’Donnell: Sarah Palin is still not running.
• Young Turks: Michele Bachmann lies about stimulus and jobs.
• Ed: Bachmann doubles down on her “$2 gas” promise.
• Newsy: Bachmann wants to eliminate Dept. of Education.
• Young Turks: Michele’s dubious immigrant statement.
• Michele Bachmann’s back to school message:
• Dick Cheney tells candidates to go fuck themselves watch their mouths.
• Thom and Bill Press analyze the G.O.P. debate.
• Stephen: Why T-Paw dropped out. (via Political Wire).
• Young Turks: Hooray for executions!
• Thom: Rick Perry’s “ponzi scheme” campaign slogan
• Sam Seder: Rick Perry on Social Security.
• Ed with Pap and Brad Friedman: Koch bros. would love a Perry presidency.
• Jon on the Mitt Romney versus Rick Perry debate.
• Lawrence O’Donnell: Mitt’s sci-fi job plan—tax cut after tax cut.
• Jon: Mitt’s plan to create jobs for smartphones or something.
• Maddow: Mitt Romney is threatening to bring back the architect of bush’s economic disaster, Part I and Part II
• Ron Paul on his “altercation” with Rick Perry during the debate (via Mediaite).
• Young Turks: Rick Perry’s “assault” on Ron Paul.
• Surprise, surprise: Orly Taitz for Rick Perry (via The Political Carnival).
• Stephen on the debate and Rick Perry’s Texacution miracle
• Young Turks: Perry cut fire fighting in TX.
• Newsy: Obama tells Congress to pass his jobs bill.
• Ann Telnaes: Perry on Galileo and climate change.
• Young Turks: Mitt v. Rick.
• Sam Seder: Rick Perry’s death penalty record receives thunderous applause from sick-ass Republican.
• Young Turks: Rick Perry and Social Security.
• Stephen on Parry with an “a”-gate.
• Newsy: How’d Perry do in his debut?

Pap: Tea Party hate boils over.

Thom with Ari Berman on The GOP War on Voting.

Obama with a labor day message.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann crazies her way to Worst Person in the World.

Ann Telnaes: Obama—Boehner silliness.

NPR: It’s All Politics, week in review.

Pap: Republicans celebrated Labor Day by embracing sweat shop capitalism.

Super Committee:

• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) on Super Committee rules.
• Sen. Patty Murray: Super Committee opening remarks.

Sharpton: U.S. ranks 19th among 19 industrialized nations in ‘avoidable mortalities’.

Thom vs Matthew Vadum: Is registering the poor to vote un-American?

SCTV: Jesus lover:

White House: West Wing Week.

Susie Sampson: Tea Party on labor and jobs (via Crooks and Liars).

Maddow: Obama and Biden come out big for unions on labor day.

Sam Seder: How the right wingers destroyed the U.S. Post Office.

Olbermann and Ken Vogel: Gov. Christie’s relationship with the Koch brothers.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

The Washington state Republicans have fallen into something of a mid-life crisis (via SeattlePI.com).

The Washington State Republican Party, splitting from many of its business backers, is endorsing Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1125, which would severely restrict use of tolls to pay for bridge and highway projects.

Republicans have separated from some of their long term partners to “take-up” with the babysitter initiative whore, Tim “biggest like of my life” Eyman.

Former partners are left disappointed, and with a recurring case of small blisters in their rectal region as a reminder of their past passionate relationship. Looking back, they’re deeply regretful of ever going beyond third base with the younger and less-reckless G.O.P. party.

As a coping mechanism, the former partners have joined forces:

…several leading business groups have thrown their support being Keep Washington Rolling, a group that is fighting I-1125. The initiative is on Washington’s November ballot.

Opponents of I-1125 include the Washington Roundtable, the Associated General Contractors of Washington, as well as the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
[…]

“I-1125 is a new attack on transportation and transit projects in Washington State,” Steve Mullin, president of the Washington Roundtable, said as Keep Washington Rolling announced his campaign.

a “nearly unprecedented coalition speaks volumes about just how much harm I-1125 would do to our economy and quality of life in Washington,” Mullin added. Keep Washington Rolling has brought together business, labor and environmental groups.

I’m pretty sure this marks the end of the long-struggling moderate wing of the Washington state Republican party.

You can catch it live almost everywhere (try KUOW).

Like Carl yesterday, I won’t be able to live blog it—must finish a project with a deadline.

Talk among yourselves.

Just in case you are bed-ridden or in need of some serious self flagellation on this beautiful day you can always sit in front of your computer and watch the opening session of the The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (a.k.a. The Super Committee).

The committee is co-chaired by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).

The live feed is here.

HA will not be responsible for folks jamming hot irons in their eyes and ears…so pace yourself.

Update (7:58): Drama! Protesters are creating a ruckus outside the chamber, causing the committee to suspend the ceremony. They cannot close the doors because of all the TV and radio feed cables going through the door. Oh…the humanity!

A few days ago I offered four hypotheses on why King County Council member Jane Hague is blocking the appointment of George Cheung to the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee:

1. Hague hates Chinese voters.
2. Hague’s own insecurity over Cheung’s impressive credentials.
3. Because Cheung is a Democratic PCO.
4. Because she’s just too goddamn drunk to get around to it.

Cheung has outstanding credentials by any measure: a B.A. from Brown University in Political Science; a Master in Public Policy from Harvard; current Executive Director of the Win/Win Network, a get-out-the-vote nonprofit; founder and past Board Chair or Interim Executive Director of Equal Rights Washington; a past intern with the Organization of Chinese Americans to lobby for the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act; a stint as a project director for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination; a civil rights investigator for Rhode Island and Washington; a consultant for APIAVote, United Way of King County, Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and Seattle Public Utilities; a board member of Equal Rights Washington and the Western States Center.

Cheung was recommended by King County Elections director Sherril Huff to fill an open committee position designated to represent the Chinese-speaking community.

So…which hypothesis is correct? Today Jane Hague responded to Publicola‘s queries with a copy of her letter to Cheung:

I believe that it is in the best interests of King County citizens and our elections division for the appointment to go to someone who is neither an active partisan for the Republicans or for the Democrats.

Unfortunately, I do not believe you are qualified for this particular position because of your
long-standing work as a Democrat [sic] Precinct Committee Officer and campaign activist.

Yes…Hague overlooks a stellar resume and dismisses a life of highly relevant achievement…because Cheung is a Democratic PCO.

Unbefuckinglievable!

A PCO? Hell…I hear that people have been blackmailed and threatened at knife-point to force them to run for PCO. Numerous PCO positions go unfilled or end up being appointed (instead of elected). PCO doesn’t even qualify as a gateway-drug to activism.

Cheung has also committed the “crime” of publicly supporting some Democratic candidates. But a web search of his activism on behalf of candidates reveals that Cheung supports candidates who are strong on the issues he has spent his life supporting. As it happens, many of Cheung’s issues—fighting discrimination, promotion of citizen activism and involvement in government, get out the vote, etc.—are bad issues for many Republicans. But they are precisely what the position needs.

One must wonder if Hague realistically believes there are similarly qualified candidates—degrees in political science & public policy, experience promoting civic engagement, strong anti-discrimination creds, get-out-the-vote activist—who are politically chaste, and therefore eligible (in her eyes) for the position? I don’t think so.

There may be one other reason Hague is stonewalling: Cheung contributed $100 to her opponent, Richard Mitchell.

Hell hath no fury like a Republican scorned. And Hague is a Republican hack, something she betrays with the phrase “Democrat Precinct Committee Officer” in her letter.

Hauge’s hypocrisy is evident by other members on the committee. One of the non-partisan committee seats (see 2.53) is to represent “an independent research and policy institute.” That seat is held by Paul Guppy of the Washington Policy Center. Mr. Guppy has great credentials for the position. Hague not only voted in favor of appointing Guppy, she sponsored the motion.

But Guppy has his own partisan baggage. He currently holds a partisan appointment, made by the Senate Republican Caucus, to The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences. Guppy has made political contributions to Dino Rossi and John Carlson. And he writes partisan essays, like this one against King County Executive Dow Constantine.

If Paul Guppy is acceptable as a non-partisan member of the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee by virtue of his credentials and experience in policy analysis, then so too is George Cheung acceptable by the strength of his credentials and experience.

And so the committee remains without the representative of the Chinese-speaking community required by the King County Code.

All this leads me to say, “Jane, you ignorant hack, sober-the-fuck-up, and quit hating on Chinese voters!”

Please join us this evening for a feast of politics under the influence at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

We meet at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00 pm, but a few folks show up earlier for dinner.

Can’t make it tonight? The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. Or check out the Everett chapter of Drinking liberally next Monday.

Mike Lofgren was a Congressional staffer for 28 years, including 16 years on the Republican side of the House and Senate Budget Committees. He retired recently, and has written an insightful essay on his disillusionment with contemporary Republicans.

It’s a serious “must read.”

Here are a couple of juicy excerpts. Footnote 2 says:

I am not a supporter of Obama and object to a number of his foreign and domestic policies. But when he took office amid the greatest financial collapse in 80 years, I wanted him to succeed, so that the country I served did not fail. But already in 2009, Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, declared that his greatest legislative priority was – jobs for Americans? Rescuing the financial system? Solving the housing collapse? – no, none of those things. His top priority was to ensure that Obama should be a one-term president. Evidently Senator McConnell hates Obama more than he loves his country. Note that the mainstream media have lately been hailing McConnell as “the adult in the room,” presumably because he is less visibly unstable than the Tea Party freshmen

On why he retired:

I left because I was appalled at the headlong rush of Republicans, like Gadarene swine, to embrace policies that are deeply damaging to this country’s future; and contemptuous of the feckless, craven incompetence of Democrats in their half-hearted attempts to stop them. And, in truth, I left as an act of rational self-interest. Having gutted private-sector pensions and health benefits as a result of their embrace of outsourcing, union busting and “shareholder value,” the GOP now thinks it is only fair that public-sector workers give up their pensions and benefits, too. Hence the intensification of the GOP’s decades-long campaign of scorn against government workers. Under the circumstances, it is simply safer to be a current retiree rather than a prospective one.

Read the whole thing here.

King County council member Jane Hague is, apparently, stonewalling the appointment of George Cheung to the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee.

Cheung applied for the position at the encouragement of King County Elections Director Sherril Huff (via Publicola but my emphasis throughout):

Cheung says Huff urged him to apply because of his GOTV work with minority communities, particularly with Chinese voters who do not speak English. (After the 2000 Census, the federal government directed King County to pay special attention to language barriers for the growing Chinese, non-English-speaking population.) One spot on the committee designated as “representing the Chinese-speaking community” is currently vacant, and Cheung was slated to fill that spot.

Could it be? Does Jane Hague hates the idea of helping Chinese voters vote? It’s one plausible explanation.

I hope it’s wrong.

Cheung has impeccable credentials for the position. He is currently the Executive Director of a get-out-the-vote nonprofit called the Win/Win Network. And if that’s not enough…

During college, he interned with the Organization of Chinese Americans in Washington DC as a lobbyist to pass the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act. He also worked as a project director for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in charge of designing and implementing a study of potentially discriminatory real estate practices through over 200 interviews with Massachusetts homebuyers. He was also a civil rights investigator for the state governments of Rhode Island and Washington. As a consultant, George has worked for a variety of non-profit and government agencies including APIAVote, United Way of King County, Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and Seattle Public Utilities. In his volunteer time, George is a board member of Equal Rights Washington and the Western States Center. He holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and B.A. from Brown University in Political Science.

Impressive! So…instead of hating Chinese voters, maybe Hauge is just intimidated by Cheung’s credentials?

Because unlike Hauge, Cheung completed his Bachelors degree. All the way. And then went on to earn a Masters degree. And he didn’t need to lie about having a college degree to launch his career.

Gosh…I hope Hague isn’t that insecure….

A third plausible hypothesis comes from this observation:

Cheung [is] a Democratic PCO in the 34th Legislative District….

Is Jane Hague holding up Cheung’s nomination because he is a Democratic PCO?!? Really? The same Jane Hague who said:

I have worked hard to bring people together – bridging partisan political differences and soothing personal animosities.
[…]

I “walk the talk” and I believe my bipartisan policy choices are reflective of my greater Eastside constituents.

She couldn’t be blocking the nomination for cynical partisan reasons, could she?

If not, what is it?

I refuse to believe the fourth possibility: that she’s just too goddamn drunk to get around to it.

Young Turks: Bill-O bribes cops to investigate his wife’s lover.

Ed and Pap and Lizz Winstead: No adults at home in the GOP:

Alyona’s Tool Time: Megyn Kelly.

Thom: Presidential firsts.

Dem video blasts GOP on…angry town halls (via TalkingPointsMemo).

Young Turks: GOP—cut FEMA, first responders, and hurricane hunters.

ONN: The Onion Week in Review.

The Return of Darth Cheney:

• Pap: The criminal history of Dick Cheney.
• Young Turks: Cheney says it isn’t okay to waterboard Americans.
• Ed: Cheney’s tell-all book.
• Powell blasts Cheney.
• Ann Telnaes: Cheney says his book will make heads explode.
• Alyona’s Show & Tell: Charge Cheney with war crimes?
• Pap: Dick Cheney belongs in jail, not on a book tour.

Olbermann with Ambassador Joe Wilson: Cheney…Pt I.
Olbermann with Ambassador Joe Wilson: Cheney…Pt II.

TED: Fourth Quadrant Politics.

Piers Morgan asks Rick Santorum if he’s a bigot.

Thom: This is what anti-Americanism really is:

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is Worst Person in the World.

Alyona’s Tool Time: FL GOP doesn’t want you ‘living in sin’.

FAUX News viewers are, apparently, confused by Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

Newsy: Obama moves back joint session address.

Sam Seder: Gov. Rick Scott blows money & proves he’s wrong about welfare recipients being druggies.

Young Turks: Republican will lead Supercommittee.

Mark Fiore: The future now.

Newsy: Daryl Hannah arrested for environmental protest.

Olbermann and Makos: The Nat. Geo. Geo. Bush interview.

Republican Committee of Pima County, Arizona is Worst Person in the World.

Young Turks: Eric Cantor’s disaster relief flip-floppery.

Ed with some racist Psychotalk from Rush Limbaugh.

Thom: Sen. Chuck Grassley lies on camera.

Limbaugh: Melanin is thicker than water (via Blatherwatch).

The G.O.P. Primary Asylum:

• Ed and Pap: G.O.P. candidates think about disaster response.
• Newsy: And then there were two—Perry and Romney.
• Pap: GOP candidates embracing the “Sovereign Citizen” extremists.
• Actual Audio: Mitt on corporate personhood.
• Maddow: How Perry dumps waste in your backyard in exchange for campaign donations.
• Young Turks: No stimulus programs under Perry.
• Thom: Rick Perry is a big-government Socialist!
• Sharpton: Perry’s plan for America.
• Ed: Perry’s gangster government for rich Texans.
• Young Turks: How Rick Perry got rich on the job.
• Buzz 60: Perry Polls
• Pap: Perry, the French cuff cowboy
• Sharpton: Bachmann gasping for air with Perry on the scene.
• The Michele Bachman KKKRAZZZY Comedian video.
• Ed with some major Michele psychotalk.
• Young Turks: Bachmann—Christians should run government.

Young Turks: Tea Party wants blacks lynched.

Olbermann with Brian Beutler on politics of Obama’s EPA decision.

Newsy: Arizona GOP raising funds with Glock gun raffle.

White House: West Wing Week.

Rubio’s Ruin:

• Ed and Pap: Marco Rubio’s troubled financial history.
• Ed: Marco Rubio is so stupid he doesn’t even know when he is being offensive. Pt. I
• Ed: Marco Rubio is so stupid he doesn’t even know when he is being offensive. Pt. II

A big change coming to Whitehouse.gov.

NPR: “It’s All Politics” political news round-up.

Liberal Viewer: FAUX News attacks Google as anti-church?!?

Olbermann: The real-life impact of WI Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-union efforts.

Mike Shaw, the acting chairman of the Republican Committee of Pima County, AZ is Worst Person in the World.

Thom: The Good, the Bad, and the Very, Very Ugly.

Bill-O the Clown is Back! As Worst Person in the World.

Young Turks: Obama’s jobs speech cave.

PBS: The devastating Texas drought.

Goldy and his friends engage in some Podcasting Liberally at Seattle’s chapter of Drinking Liberally.

Pap: Republicans want climate science removed from text books.

Sharpton: Gov. Haley’s ridiculous response to question on new ‘Jim Crow’ vote rigging law.

Olbermann and Maysoon Zayid discuss O’Reilly-Gate:

Alyona’s fireside chat: US failing on civil liberties post 9/11.

Ed with some major psychotalk from George Pataki.

Young Turks: Strippers prepare for GOP convention.

Eric Cantor cuts the competition on the way to Worst Person in the World.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

We’re all teabaggers now.

As you probably know, today the Washington state Supreme Court ruled to allow state Attorney General Rob McKenna to continue his humiliation of Washingtonians. The Court ruled that McKenna has the right to thwart the will of the legislature, the Governor, and the people, and participate in the Florida et al. lawsuit against the health care reform law.

Since McKenna is running for Governor in 2012, a natural question to ask is, “What will McKenna’s replacement do?”

The 2012 general election match-up for AG is likely to be between King County Council members Reagan Dunn (R) and Bob Ferguson (D). Where do the candidates stand?

Publicola’s Erica C. Barnett gives Ferguson’s unambiguous statement:

“I have been clear that on my first day in office, I will withdraw Washington State from that lawsuit. Instead, the Attorney General should focus on protecting Washington consumers, our environment and ensuring public safety.”

And Washington State Wire’s Erik Smith lays out Dunn’s position:

Dunn says he supports McKenna’s most controversial decision – to join the national lawsuit filed by Republican governors and attorneys general in 26 states against the Obama Administration’s health care reform initiative. And just in case that one hasn’t been resolved by 2014, Dunn says he’ll keep right on pressing the case.

So…there you have it: A sharp, unambiguous difference between Ferguson and Dunn for our next Attorney General.

Pretty fucking bad!.

The law:

The attorney general shall also represent the state and all officials, departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the state in the courts, and before all administrative tribunals or bodies of any nature, in all legal or quasi legal matters, hearings, or proceedings

Rob McKenna’s own argument why he doesn’t really have to follow the law (my emphasis throughout):

“The Constitution, state law and case law interpreting the powers and duties of the Attorney General affirm that the AG is more than just a passive observer of state agency action and grant this office authority to determine whether or not to appeal cases of interest to the state,” McKenna said.

Goldy’s assessment:

Huh. Really? […] Because the Constitution affirms absolutely nothing except that “The attorney general shall be the legal adviser of the state officers, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law.” There is no other mention in the Constitution about the AG’s powers and duties.

As for state law, we’ve already gone over that exhaustively, and I don’t see anything in there explicitly giving the AG’s office the authority to determine whether or not to appeal cases against the wishes of his client. I see RCW 43.12.075 defining a traditional attorney-client relationship between the AG and the Commissioner of Public Lands, mandating that it shall be the AG’s duty to defend the Commissioner when requested so to do, and explicitly stating that it is the Commissioner who represents the state in any proceedings relating to public land. But I see nothing in state law granting McKenna the broad powers he claims.

As for case law, well, I’ve already admitted that there is some case law on both sides of this argument, although absolutely nothing […] in Washington state…. I believe the case law I’ve previously discussed is pretty damn persuasive that the AG does not have the authority McKenna claims….

The court’s decision:

None of the case law cited confers on the attorney general the discretion he seeks to refuse to pursue an appeal despite his client’s directive that he do so. Nor does the attorney general’s constitutional role counsel otherwise. Given the mandatory language of the statute and the prohibition of hiring outside counsel, no discretion is involved, and representation is required. Therefore, we grant the writ.

So bad, in fact, that McKenna was out-lawyered by a fucking blogger!

Now, that Goldy…. He should have gone to law school…if only for his mother’s sake.

Today the Washington state Supreme Court denied Seattle’s petition that would require Attorney General Rob McKenna to withdraw from the Teabagger-inspired multistate lawsuit against the health care reform law. From the decision:

The people of the state of Washington have, by statute, vested the attorney general with broad authority, and Attorney General McKenna’s decision to sue to enjoin the enforcement of the (health care law) falls within that broad authority. As such, Attorney General McKenna has no mandatory duty to withdraw the State from the multistate litigation. The city of Seattle’s petition for a writ of mandamus must, accordingly, be denied.

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes responded:

I respectfully disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision. Attorney General McKenna dragged Washington state into a Tea-Party-inspired lawsuit that will, if successful, prevent millions of Americans from obtaining the health care…. He did this against the express wishes of and without first consulting the Governor, the Insurance Commissioner, the House Speaker, and the Senate Majority Leader.

By any rational measure, Washington is a blue state. Of late we’ve elected Democrats for Governor, Democratic Senators; Democratic presidential nominees win our popular vote. As a people we are strong on the environment, pro-labor, pro-choice, pro-science, pro-safety, pro-health.

And now we have an Attorney General who defies the Governor and the people and unilaterally decides to join the teabaggery. McKenna has, singlehandedly, made us red-faced by painting us as a pack of pitchfork-wielding Teabaggers.

So please join me in offering Rob McKenna a great big FUCK YOU for fucking humiliating the fuck out of us before the nation…fuckwad!

Unbelievable:

The Pima County Republican Party is raffling off a Glock 23 handgun to raise money for get out the vote efforts in the district where a Glock was used last winter to kill six people and wound Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

Really? Republican GOTV efforts?!?

The Podcast returns from a long vacation hibernation incarceration a coma the dead to tackle the big political issues of the day last many months. And freshen the sidebar.

The discussion starts with bold analyses of the recent election: the panel re-litigates The Tunnel (long after the topic is hip, relevant, or even interesting), and contemplates the meaning of the pro-tunnel vote for Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn. The discussion meanders into a referendum on Seattle itself (whereupon, Goldy briefly attempts to re-litigate the Chihuly Museum, long after the topic is hip, relevant, or even interesting).

Circling back to the election, the panel ponders the piss-poor performance of King County Councilmember Jane “37.9%” Hague, and the remarkable candidacy of challenger Richard Mitchell. Catalyzed by another lame-ass Seattle Times editorial, the Podcast closes on the topic of public employees, education and (of course) Seattle schools.

Goldy (The Stranger) was joined by Seattlepi.com’s Joel Connelly, and Horsesass’ Carl Ballard and me.

The show is 30:15, and is available here as an MP3.

[audio:http://www.podcastingliberally.com/podcasts/podcasting_liberally_aug_30_2011.mp3]

[Recorded live at the Seattle chapter of Drinking Liberally. Special thanks to Confab creators Gavin and Richard for hosting the Podcasting Liberally site.]