Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, appeared with James Carville on Larry King last night defending those who believe Barack Obama is not a citizen, otherwise known as “birthers.”
No Liz. These folks aren’t fundamentally uncomfortable with Obama because he’s “afraid to defend America.” They are fundamentally uncomfortable because he is black. And you and others like you are milking it for all it’s worth.
The Senate today voted to strip funding for F-22 fighter jets from the Department of Defense Authorization bill. The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act rides as an amendment to the DoD legislation, which was under the threat of a veto if funding for the controversial aircraft remained.
The 58-40 vote reflected an all-out lobbying campaign by the administration, which had to overcome resistance from lawmakers confronted with the potential losses of defense-related jobs if the F-22 program was terminated.
“The president really needed to win this vote,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said. Levin said it was important not only on the merits of the planes but “in terms of changing the way we do business in Washington.”
While the termination of the F-22 program increases the likelihood Obama will sign the hate crimes bill when it reaches his desk, it is unclear if the “unwelcome” amendments added just yesterday, including a provision for the death penalty, will pose further problems.
The ACLU also has issues with the Senate version of the bill, preferring the House version.
When God offers up the idea of human sacrifice, and asks his loyal servant if he has reservations about killing his son Isaac, Abraham declares, “No Lord! I am your bitch!” A hysterical retelling of the Abraham and Isaac story from the hysterical British show “That Mitchell and Webb Look.”
Over 200 people gathered on Sunday for a second kiss-in supporting gay couple cited and detained on LDS property last June. Some protestors clashed with members of the anti-gay/pro-religion group America Forever, who were on hand pushing their pro-religion, anti-gay message. From the Salt Lake Tribune:
After 20 minutes of shouting between members of America Forever and protesters at Sunday’s event, several gay couples moved to the plaza for kissing and hand-holding, along with straight couples such as Peter Saunders, a Salt Lake City software designer, and his wife of 37 years, Gerda.
“There’s no need for controversy and hatred, especially in a beautiful environment like this,” said Saunders, raising his right arm toward the temple.
LDS Church members in support of the protest, and troubled by their church’s support last fall for California’s Proposition 8, also made a showing. One handed out fliers promoting an online petition for reconciliation between the church and the gay and lesbian community. Another, 25-year-old Brigham Young University graduate Kate Savage, attended with her boyfriend, Tristan Call.
“It’s as if the doctrine of the importance of families we’re taught is used to destroy other people’s families, and we don’t understand that,” Savage said.
Counter-protesters led by America Forever’s Sandra Rodrigues held their ground, even if unsuccessful in preventing protesters from entering church property. “This is a staged scenario,” Rodrigues said. “These people just want to embarrass the church.”
Clips from the protest below.