Saving Specialist Ryan

When NPR interviewed Pres Bush this week, they played a taped question from SPEC Ryan Schmidt of Minnesota -- currently deployed to Iraq.

A simple question:

“What if your plan for a troop surge to Baghdad does not work?”

In other words, do you have a back up plan?

The President answered only the he "believes" the new plan will work. Just like he "believed" all the other failed plans would work.

So what did SPEC Schmidt think of the non-answer?

"[I]t did not answer my question. I would have liked to know more so that there will be a plan if this does not work. For some of us that are over here, particularly me, my unit, we all feel, what’s the point of us being extended if your initial plan to send more troops over here does not work? What are you going to do, Mr. President?" (ThinkProgress.org)

Farm Cuts

President Bush wants to cut farm subsidies. His plan would leave the popular subsidy program in place -- just do some pruning off the top.

Under the President's plan, farmers making less than $200,000 in adjusted gross annual income could still recieve the government money. The current cap is $2.5 million a year in gross income. From the AP:

That would rule out payments for about 80,000 producers who currently are eligible, officials said. Those producers collect about 4.5 percent of overall farm payments. The limit on payments would save an estimated $1.5 billion over 10 years.

The Environmental Working Group is one of the most vocal critics of farm subsidies. Sirector Ken Cook says the plan could eliminate rich, absentee farm investors. That list has included people like billionaire Ted Turner, newscaster Sam Donaldson, and basketball star Scottie Pippen in the past. (AP)

Feeling Pretty

A mash up of John Edwards primping for the cameras with "I'm So Pretty" added for effect. (YouTube)

Osama's Brother In Law Killed

Washington's been looking for Osama bin Laden for more than five years with no success.

Meanwhile, an armed gang broke into the home of Osama's brother-in-law, shot him dead, and stole his belongings.

The brother-in-law was staying at a precious stones mine he owns in Madagasgar. (MSNBC)

You Tax Dollars at Work in Iraq

A Virginia contractor spent $4.2 million taxpayer dollars on a swimming pool and 20 VIP trailers for an Iraqi police training camp.

After spending the money, the camp was never used.

That's one of the findings in a new report from the special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

It also says a $73 million Baghdad Police College has never been opened because of shoddy construction. (UPI)

Maine Could Ban Blackberrys in Statehouses

Maine lawmakers could soon ban text messages between legislators and lobbyists. Representatives want to cut off "secret, instant communications" which they see as a way lobbyists monitor activities in the legislature.

More than 30 states have addressed electronic communications on their House and Senate floors. (CNN)

Super Bowl Surge

Washington's putting out bids for contractors looking to cash in on both the Iraq War and Super Bowl XLI. From Al Kamen in the Washington Post:

"Yes, get your bids in for a fine contract to 'provide a tour manager to bring players and cheerleaders' to the Middle East so troops in Kuwait and Iraq can share in the excitement of the big game next Sunday."

The contract requires an agent to round up two players from each of the teams -- along with two cheerleaders form each team. Since Chicago doesn't have cheerleaders, it allows cheerleaders from another team.

No word on whether you'll be paid in surplus F-14 parts. (WaPo)

Whitewater Rafting through the Video Stream

When Ford bombed with the Edsel in the late 1950s, they spent a fortune on PR research to find out the best way to deal with the disaster. The final suggestion: do nothing.

Sen Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) campaign took the Edsel approach to viral video of her singing the national anthem off-key in Iowa. The video spun around the Internet -- but never emerged in the major media. The campaign has to consider that a victory.

Campaigns are struggling to determine what streaming videos can be ignored and which ones must be responded to right away -- and how to best respond to it without being "George Allened."

The best, simple explanation: The national anthem was an honest, innocent attempt to sing the Star Spangled Banner. No insult -- just the same off-key effort most of us are familiar with. Sen George Allen's "macaca moment" was an honest, deliberate attempt to insult a Virginia voter with a racial slur -- and then he made excuses and lied about it as the story grew. (NYT)

Today in Congress

Today's Schedule for the 110th Congress

Reigning in Tomcat Sales

The Pentagon's banned the sale of surplus F-14 parts.

Good idea, since only two nations ever flew the planes -- the US and Iran.

The US recently retired it's fleet of "Tomcats." So, look like the only buyers would be people supplying Iran.

The Associated Press earlier this month uncovered Pentagon sales of surplus parts -- where buyers were reselling parts to potential military threats to the US including Iran and China. (AP)

Party Games

What's the popular parlor game at Washington cocktail parties? Getting John Negroponte to say "global" and "warming" in the same sentence.

Rep Jim Cooper (D-TN) says he overheard -- at a party -- the Bush administration banned the Director of National Intelligence from saying the two words in the same sentence -- even if he's not talking about "global warming."

Rep Cooper claims the guests spent the evening trying to trick Mr Negroponte into slipping up.

ThinkProgress.org has the video.

Counting Iraq's Beans

Democrats have dusted off the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee.

It's the only panel in Congress specifically designed to keep an eye on military related spending. From The Politico:

"Chaired by Rep. Marty Meehan, (D-MA), (pictured) the new subcommittee will delve into the details of Iraq-related reconstruction contracts, troop readiness, equipment priorities and Iraq war strategy -- looking for waste, fraud and shortfalls that were essentially ignored after the panel was shuttered in 1995 by the Republican congressional majority."

Rep Meehan also wants to focus on the billions in contracts issued so far to rebuild and rearm Iraq.

"We've spent literally billions of dollars on building infrastructure, and the Iraqi army and police have nothing to show for it." -- Rep Marty Meehan in an interview with The Politico

Rep Meehan wants the subcommittee in full swing by the end of February. That may be too late to address the President's troop surge. But it will allow time to review the 2008 Defense budget and supplemental spending requests for the Iraq War. (The Politico)

Supplying the "Surge"

While President Bush is planning to increase troop strength by 21,500 troops in Iraq -- top commanders say they don't have the vehicles and armor to put those troops into combat.

The Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Force Development told Congress last week the Army's short 1,500 trucks for the surge. GEN Stephen Speakes also says the Army's scrambling to find enough Humvees.

Washington recently sold the Iraqis 600 up-armored Humvees -- and the general says that decision "better not be at the expense of the American Soldier or Marine."

"It's inevitable that [troops will be underequipped], unless five brigades of up-armored Humvees fall out of the sky." -- a senior Army official quoted in the Washington Post

The National Guard has been stripped of much of its equipment to supply troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 60% of Guard equipment is overseas, damaged, or destroyed in the war. (WaPo)

Avoiding those "Macaca Moments"

This time last year, former Sen George Allen (R-VA) was coasting to re-election and already working on his 2008 Presidential campaign plans.

Today, he's out of work.

But on the bright side, he's found a place in the dictionary -- as a verb. From Carrie Budoff at Politico.com:

"In Republican campaign strategy sessions and conference calls, candidates and consultants are invoking Allen's name as a verb -- to be 'George Allen-ed' -- and devising tactics to avoid a fate similar to that of the former Virginia senator, taken down by a shaky, 51-second video that volleyed around the country via YouTube."

Candidate classes now warn politicians to expect a recording device is always watching them.

But, remember, we're talking about politicians -- the folks who've given us budget deficits, page scandals, and that whole Iraq War.

Sit back and enjoy YouTube -- they'll forget about the cameras quickly enough. (Politico)

Obamamania

The Daily Show takes on FOX News for its reporting the false story about Sen Barak Obama's (D-IL) elementary school.

Monday's Top Political Videos

Daily Show: Wolf Blitzer Interviews Dick Cheney