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Hundreds Line Up To Visit Ted Kennedy's Grave
The Washington Post reports that hundreds of people turned out on Sunday to visit the grave of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), after he was buried Saturday night at Arlington National Cemetery: "Arlington had been closed to the public for Kennedy's burial, which was attended only by family members and a few close friends. When the cemetery opened at 8 a.m. Sunday, a small group of people was already waiting. By 11 a.m., the line had swelled to more than 100 people."

U.S. Ramping Up Withdrawal From Iraq
The United States is working to withdraw forces from Iraq, picking up the pace a year ahead of the August 2010 deadline: "The goal is to withdraw tens of thousands of troops and about 60% of equipment out of Iraq by the end of next March, Brig. Gen. Heidi Brown, a deputy commander charged with overseeing the withdrawal, told The Associated Press in one of the first detailed accounts of how the U.S. military plans to leave Iraq."

Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will spending the morning in Philadelphia, attending a fundraiser for Rep. John Adler (D-NJ). He will return to Washington in the afternoon, and at 1:30 p.m. ET he will host conference calls with governors and mayors from across the country to discuss Recovery Act implementation. At 4:30 p.m. Et, he will meet with Gen. Raymond Odierno, the commander of multi-national forces in Iraq.

NYT: U.S. Sees Profit From Bailout
The New York Times reports that the U.S. Treasury has made a profit of $4 billion so far from the Wall Street bailout. The money has come from eight of the biggest banks that have fully repaid their debts to the government.

Vicki Kennedy Floated As Possible Senate Appointee
Ted Kennedy's widow Vicki is increasingly being mentioned as a possible appointee as interim Senator from Massachusetts, if the state legislature were to change the law to allow for it. "I think Vicki ought to be considered. She's a very brilliant lawyer," said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), a Kennedy friend. "She's a very solid individual. She certainly made a difference in Ted's life, let me tell you. And I have nothing but great respect for her."

Former Rep. Joseph Kennedy A Possible Candidate For Ted's Senate Seat
The Boston Globe reports that former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-MA) is now being widely watched as a possible candidate for his late uncle Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. Said Democratic media consultant Dan Payne: "I'm not saying he is going to run, but he wouldn't be human and he wouldn't be a Kennedy if he didn't give serious thought to running for the so-called Kennedy seat."

Bush Daughter Joins Today Show
Jenna Hager, one of the daughters of former President George W. Bush, has joined NBC's Today show as a correspondent, and will contribute segments about once a month on education. Said Today executive producer Jim Bell: "I think she knows something about pressure and being under some scrutiny. When she came here for a handful of appearances, she knocked it out of the park."


DeMint: My Wife Would Shoot Me If I Ran For President
In a New York Times profile, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) was asked whether he would run for president. "I wouldn't get out of my driveway without my wife shooting me in the back," said DeMint. "You've got to find somebody who's smart enough to be a great president but dumb enough to want to be president. Right now, I think I'm still too smart to be president."

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August 31, 2009 9:32 AM   

Why Jim DeMint is Sure to be Next GOP Presidential Nominee
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=8574

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August 31, 2009 9:40 AM    in reply to DonDavis

Please go away, annoying SPAMMER. Far, far away....

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August 31, 2009 9:43 AM   

Wow, Obama made money on the bailout. There goes another main teabagger talking point. Oh wait, facts don't matter to those people. Nevermind, Obama is still a Muslim Commie..

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August 31, 2009 9:46 AM    in reply to LuxVeritas

If the guvmint made money, then it's a tax. Obama raised taxes!

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August 31, 2009 9:48 AM    in reply to LuxVeritas

It would be helpful if NYT reported the TOTAL amount paid back, not just the profit.

I'm sure a lot of people will look at that $4B vs. the $700B authorized and think... so what?

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August 31, 2009 10:05 AM    in reply to MASON

Don't forget those other programs that shoveled money to them under the table. We're never getting that back.

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am4

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August 31, 2009 10:17 AM    in reply to LuxVeritas

If the USG had not bailed out AIG, you wouldn't have seen Goldman, etc. paying back their sweetheart TARP handouts. So Bush/Paulson/Geithner/Bernanke, with Congressional approval, robbed the taxpayer to pay off Wall Street and we got a fraction of that back. When will we see the $185B back from AIG? When will Goldman pay back the $15B in taxpayer dollars they got through AIG? How about the trillions the Fed--with no transparency--gave to the banks in the "cash for trash" program? Did the taxpayer benefits from that? This "taxpayers turned a profit" meme is a lie.

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August 31, 2009 10:21 AM    in reply to am4

The full amount lent to AIG will not be paid back.

OTOH, although the bailout lacked the requisite transparency, I think there would have been a complete meltdown of the financial system without it.

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am4

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August 31, 2009 10:49 AM    in reply to Rich in NJ

My questions were rhetorical. We'll never get back the money given to AIG. GS will never give back the $15B they got from the taxpayers through the AIG bailout. Were the bailouts necessary to avert a catastrophe? I've seen no proof of that. And the burden of proof is with the people--Bush/Paulson/Bernanke/Geithner/Summers/Obama/Congress supporting this kleptocracy. And if they were necessary why are we not seeing comprehensive reform so that we do not go to the brink of crisis again? The casino is still open and JPM, C, GS, et al all know the government will throw them billions if they threaten again to shut down the economy. And Obama seems to be supporting this system. His proposed "reforms" are toothless.

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August 31, 2009 11:27 AM    in reply to am4

Krugman thinks they were. I respect his opinion.

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August 31, 2009 12:13 PM    in reply to am4

Did the taxpayer benefits from that?

If you consider avoiding a global financial meltdown a benefit, then yes.

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August 31, 2009 10:20 AM    in reply to LuxVeritas

Wait, I thought Obama was still a black Nazi? Darn, I am so last week. :-)

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August 31, 2009 9:46 AM   

Ever since DeMint's senate-campaign appearance on MTP in which he could not answer a question about abortion and that "it should be left up to the lawmakers," despite the fact that he was, you know, running to become a lawmaker, I've known that this guy is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He's just another rubber-stamp, doctrinaire republican who satisfies the base's checklist.

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August 31, 2009 9:54 AM   

By all means, please run, Jim DeMint.

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August 31, 2009 10:08 AM   

Hannity-Demint 2012. Or Beck-Bachmann 2012. Regardless, the winner will be Obama-Biden in 2012. How about Joe retiring and Hillary gets the VP job in 2012? I would love a Hillary-Bachmann debate. It might be as fun as a Obama-Hannity or Obama-Beck debate.

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August 31, 2009 10:19 AM    in reply to Seeryer

"I would love a Hillary-Bachmann debate. It might be as fun as a Obama-Hannity or Obama-Beck debate."

Oh wow, strongly seconded! I'd throw in Rush Or Caribou Barbie too. The thought of any of these would be so entertaining and a slaughter for either Obama or Clinton.

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August 31, 2009 11:48 AM   

To Sen. DeMint:  C'mon, Jim!  Run!  Do it!

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August 31, 2009 12:26 PM   

The Gore-Bush and Kerry-Bush debates were also slaughters. But look what happened anyway.

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August 31, 2009 12:48 PM   

Hey Jim!

Go on! Run for President! I guarantee you, your problem will NOT be that you're "too smart" to be President. Give the Moose Slayer a run for her PAC money. Between the two of you, you might be able to half fill a bag of "lost" marbles.

Just to be fair (and safe), let's chip in for some sharpshooting lessons for the little missus.

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August 31, 2009 12:54 PM   

Republicans are like the Boy Who Cried Wolf if the Villagers *never caught on*. They know now that they (like Palin) can just go out there and say the most repulsive, hateful falsehoods with a big stupid smile on their faces, and their base and the corporate media will just suck it down and ask for more, please, you betcha.

And now they've discovered that they can increase the directness of their threats against President Obama on a daily basis with no apparent pushback or consequences of any kind.

I fear for my country... I wish I had something arch to say at this point, but I don't.

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