(David Vitter pic via @thinkprogress)
Santorum Struggles To Explain Why He Called For Clinton To Resign, Yet Gives Vitter A Free Pass
Cementing The Double Standard, Rachel Maddow
You know, today, Greece had its credit rating dropped to the lowest in the world. So, Greece could be about to default, which could mean another international financial crisis.
Today, Germany recognized the rebels in Libya as the legitimate government of Libya.
Today, King Abdullah was pelted with bottles and rocks in southern Jordan, as everyone wonders if the “Arab Spring” will bloom in his country, too.
Today, we learned that a U.S. navy destroyer stalked a ship thought to be carrying missile parts towards Burma, stalked it for days before it turned back and went back to North Korea.
Today, the Missouri River breached two levees in Iowa and Missouri, prompting evacuations of a whole with bunch of farm towns.
Today, one of President Obama‘s major economic advisers, Larry Summers, said the economy needs more stimulus spending.
Today, President Obama himself talked about dozens of jobs creation ideas from his jobs council. He warned about how—essentially, how whack it is that the only feasible ideas now are ones that don‘t have to go through Congress.
And there‘s a presidential candidates debate.
And LeBron James just proved the existence of karma.
And the al Qaeda guy who planned the Kenya and Tanzania embassy bombings got killed.
And the FBI‘s taking new search and seizure powers.
And photos of Gabby Giffords.
And the New York state legislature moves on gay marriage.
And, and, and—there is a lot going on. There is a lot going on.
It may be a sleepy June Monday, but there is a ton going on.
And did you hear there were absolutely no new developments in the Anthony Weiner sex scandal today? OMG! OMG!
The latest argument from Democrats why Congressman Anthony Weiner must resign is he is a distraction from other much more important stuff that Democrats would rather be talking about, which would make sense if Democrats were only now being deprived of the great news coverage they are used to because they‘re always so disciplined about their message.
If Anthony Weiner resigning would help Democrats keep their message focused on Republicans trying to kill Medicare.
If Anthony Weiner resigning would get the Democrats to come up with a political message on repealing the Bush tax cuts for zillionaires, which the polls say is more popular than free beer.
If Anthony Weiner resigning would restore honor to Congress, (sarcastic cough) Mr. Vitter.
Or if Anthony Weiner resigning would do anything else to substantively improve—substantively improve Congress or the Democratic Party‘s politics, then every partisan liberal in the country probably would want Anthony Weiner to resign—or at least they should.
If Anthony Weiner would do anything to improve the seriousness of news coverage in our great nation, or its evenhandedness, everyone in the country would want Anthony Weiner to resign, or at least they should. But Anthony Weiner resigning would not do any of those things. Anthony Weiner does not have a magic wand, and the pun is partially intended.
So, while David Vitter gets to stay in the United States Senate as the hooker guy from the family values party, what is it about Democrats that has them now lining up to call on Anthony Weiner to resign, to cement that double standard?
This full page ad ran in the Washington Post on Sunday Oct 14th 1998 during the super charged Bill Clinton impeachment saga… GOP congressman Bob Livingston, who was in line to become the next Speaker of the House was forced to resign… The guy busy impeaching Bill Clinton, had been unfaithful to his own wife. It was blatant, humiliating hypocrisy. - Rachel Maddow (Watch)
The man who replaced Bob Livingston? Now, Sen. David Vitter. You can’t make this stuff up.
“
Dear Rachel,
Regarding my remark during a radio conversation today, I apologize.
The hosts made their comment and I obviously chimed in. While we do not usually agree on the issues, I do not think you deserved that comment.
Sincerely,
David
Update: Rachel Maddow has accepted Senator Vitter’s apology:
Dear Senator Vitter —
As a former radio host who knows how on-air exchanges like that can escalate, I both understand how it happened, and appreciate the apology.
Thank you.
Best wishes,
Rachel
”Sen. Vitter apologized to Rachel Maddow
in case you missed it here is what he apologized for. audio and text.
“Also, I’ve seen a picture of David Vitter NOT looking like he’s addicted to whores. Must’ve been a long time ago!” - daveweigel
“
MALE HOST: I wonder if Senator Vitter is ever going to post, like, maybe the video of the first time he was on the floor of the Senate. If I have to show the way I looked the first time I was on TV, you should do that too.
VITTER: We should go further back than that, how about high school yearbook?
MALE HOST: Oh yeah.
VITTER: De La Salle marching band.
MALE HOST: That’d be cool. Well you know, with Rachel Maddow they had that picture of her…
FEMALE HOST: Looking like a woman.
MALE HOST: Yeah it was really bizarre.
VITTER: [LAUGHS]: Must have been a long time ago.
ALL THREE: [HEAVY LAUGHTER]
”Senator David Vitter suggests Rachel Maddow only looked like a woman “a long time ago”
The exchange came on Rush Radio 99.5 in New Orleans this morning - wapo
“…a NEXIS media search reveals that the word “disgraced” appears extremely close to the phrase “Eliot Spitzer” (within two words) a total of 394 times.
By blindingly stark contrast, ever since he got caught hiring prostitutes to wrap him in diapers while campaigning on the basis of Family Values, the word “disgraced” appeared within two words of the name “David Vitter” a grand total of 4 times — all from small blogs.
I thought about this issue because Newt Gingrich announced today that he was seriously considering running for President, and I virtually never see the word “disgraced” attached to his name; in fact, in the 3 years since he confessed to James Dobson that he was cheating on his second wife with his then-mistress-and-congressional-aide/now-third-wife, at the same time as he was leading the Clinton impeachment hearings…”
Glenn Greenwald
continue reading… salon
Sen. David Vitter supports lawsuits to force President Obama to produce his birth certificate.
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) has made his views known on the Birther controversy:
“I support conservative legal organizations and others who would bring that to court. I think that is the valid and most possibly effective grounds to do it.”
“By the same token, after every plane crash, you and I should both oppose plane travel.”
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), telling Candy Crowley why it’s irrational to oppose deep-water drilling
Sen. Sherrod Brown Calls Out Sen. Vitter For Obstruction
Sen. Sherrod Brown, who in recent months has become famous for his rebuttals of Republican talking points, took Vitter to task for his claim that Democrats were not allowing debate.
great stuff from Sen. Brown here.
Senator David Vitter (R-LA) Confronted By Rape Victim Over Franken Amendment Vote
