A Jeopardy Winner to Head CFPB? Really!??

President Obama passed over Elizabeth Warren and nominated Richard Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general, state lawmaker,and 5 time "Jeopardy!" winner to run the nascent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The White House is spinning this by saying "Cordray’s resume is well suited to the task at the CFPB . . ." But I don't see he is anywhere near the caliber of Elizabeth Warren.

Here's what is in his official biography from when he ran unsuccessfully for Senate:

As State Representative, Richard Cordray was the principal sponsor of legislation fighting crime, preserving the environment, and protecting children and families. His Community Service Education Act was the first law in Ohio to promote community service education as a way to teach values and responsibility in our schools. His Environmental Siting Disclosure Act ensured more public involvement and input into decisions about locating facilities that are environmental hazards. Richard Cordray also helped pass laws promoting undercover sting operations, improving our ability to deal with juvenile crimes, reforming death penalty juries, and raising the penalty for attempted aggravated murder, as well as the first Ohio law making stalking a crime. He fought for a family leave law in Ohio before Congress ultimately was able to pass federal legislation.

Richard Cordray's record shows that he is tough on crime, tough on bigotry, and tough on protecting children and families.

Nice guy, sure. Good Democrat, yes. But where is the extensive experience and life time of consumer protection advocacy that Elizabeth Warren has?

Why do we have to settle for someone who has not the skills, passion, and knowledge of Elizabeth Warren?

Of course the bigger questions, when is Obama going to stand up to the Republithugs and quit selling us out?

We've Got to Quit Dancing to Their Sick Music

Don't we all remember Bush's greatest Bushism:

"There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."

This was one lesson we could have learned from Bush. But instead we are the fools. Why are we allowing a pond scum dweller like Andrew Breitbart play us like marionettes?

He unfairly smeared and broke ACORN and now he's after Shirley Sherrod. And just like the good little puppets, Obama and the press do exactly what he wants and look guilty.

We have got to stop this nonsense!!

Andrew Breitbart selectively edited a clip of an African-American USDA official seeming to admit she treated a white farmer poorly out of her own racial bias while an USDA employee. It turns out that Shirley Sherrod was actually telling an anecdote of an experience she had 28 years ago to show how the issue of race often obscures the issue of class, and the fact that poor black farmers and poor white farmers had a lot in common (eventually, she helped and became close to the white farmer and his family) — but Breitbart left all of that out of the video (just as he selectively and unfairly edited his cartoonish ACORN tapes). The White House immediately insisted she resign before doing any kind of investigation and now looks like a whimp.

I hope Shirley Sherrod sues the life out of Breitbart! But only after Obama publicly apologizes to her and reinstates her immediately!

h/t http://www.srbwi.org/

UPDATE: Rachel Maddow was just on and reminded me that this really the third time they have done this. I completely forgot their role in getting Van Jones fired.

We have got to grow a spine!

Chief Justice Robert's Messing the Oath

Most of the talking heads when commenting about the Chief Justice Roberts’s verbal stumble while administering the Presidential oath, focus on the adverb “faithfully.” Adverbs can be placed almost anywhere in the sentence and in most cases will not change the meaning.

On the other hand, not one of the pundits I've seen have talked about Robert's changing of “of” to “to” in the phrase 'President of the United States'. That slip is a much bigger deal. It changes the meaning and diminishes the Presidency.

Here's the way the Constitution says it should be administered:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

But this is the transcript:

ROBERTS: I, Barack Hussein Obama...
OBAMA: I, Barack...
ROBERTS: ... do solemnly swear...
OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear...
ROBERTS: ... that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully...
OBAMA: ... that I will execute...
ROBERTS: ... faithfully the office of president of the United States...
OBAMA: ... the office of president of the United States faithfully...
ROBERTS: ... and will to the best of my ability...
OBAMA: ... and will to the best of my ability...
ROBERTS: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
OBAMA: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
ROBERTS: So help you God?
OBAMA: So help me God.
ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

The phrase President of the United States is not open to variation. In what context would we ever say “President to the United States?”

One can speak of “an ambassador to the United States” or “an ambassador of the United States.”

In the first instance, to makes it clear that the ambassador belongs somewhere else. He may be attached to the United States, but it’s as an outsider.

In the second instance, the of makes it clear that the ambassador is carrying on the work of the United States.

So why would Chief Justice Roberts come up with the unprecedented “President to the United States” while delivering the oath of office?

Freudian slip maybe?

I'm Liking Obama More and More Every Day

The Obama team just announced that New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, a vocal gay rights leader, will open President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration with a prayer on Sunday's kick-off event at the Lincoln Memorial.

I LOVE the timing of this! After all the dismissing by the Right of our outrage over Warren, it will be very awkward for them to get outrageous over Robinson's role (although I'm sure the hypocrites will be happy to show themselves).

Was this delibrate? Or was this in response to the Left's outrage? Either way this was a smart move for Obama.

UPDATE 1-18-09
HBO cut the Robinson invocation from their broadcast today of the Lincoln Memorial concert. Chicken shit!

UPDATE 1-19-09
HBO must have heard our voices. They've promised to include it on future broadcasts.