Glad I partied on Friday

'Cause I knew they wouldn't waste any time making me want to puke all over again.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ.

I posted a quick little background on Scalito first thing this morning but of course throughout the day, I learned just how bad this horrorshow really is. It's bad. Really, really bad. Between the Frothing Freepers who're anxious for a throwdown in the Supreme Court confirmation battles and Alito doing a photo FUCKING op in front of Rosa Parks' coffin*...I'm worn out by the depth of depravity involved.

I woke up to "Breaking News" that Bush had nominated Alito, then was treated to Scalia's Mini-Me, escorted by Frist (or was that Hatch? honestly, I've tried to block out the entire memory) traipsing up to the cordoned-off pathway around her coffin, lying in state. They chatted like they were on their way to lunch, waiting in line for a table or something. Not attending a solemn pilgrimage to honor a woman worthy of their respect and reverence. I went downstairs to get ready for work with my stomach churning, bile sitting high in my throat. It was all downhill from there.

And as I said, the details flowed in all day, and that bile just rose higher and higher. He's against Family Leave. Against Racial Equality. Against Disability Equality. And against many, many other basic rights and freedoms.

And of course -- of course -- he's against the right of a woman to control her own body. It's not just the fact of it, but the breadth to which he believes that women are little more than property that's so mind-bogglingly terrifying. Think I'm exaggerating about that property thing? Then you explain to me why he voted that women should have to nofty their husbands before getting an abortion.

And don't give me that old saw about how it's "his baby, too". We're not talking about situations where people are happily married, here. The very fact that a woman might be reluctant to tell her husband that she's pregnant should clue you into that. The idea that she would have to, in effect, get his permission before terminating the pregnancy...you name me any other medical procedure where this is a requirement for a healthy adult in full control of their faculties. I can guaran-goddamn-tee you that if any man had to ask his wife's permision before getting a vasectomy, or viagra, or any other penis-centric procedure...well, that Supreme Court would be overflowing with liberals who believe a person has a right to control their own body.

But that's what this is all about, isn't it? The penis, I mean. Those who possess them have fundamental rights that cannot be taken away. (Unless, of course, you're non-white, and then all bets are off.) Not fortunate enough to be gifted with the special endowment of a penis? Well, them's the breaks, lil' miss. Guess you'd better hope you find a kind and gentle penis-possessing master who doesn't knock you around too much. 'Course, he might knock you up every chance he gets, but then, that's your whole purpose, right?

Mark this date on your computer, ladies. This is the beginning of the end of our first-class citizenship. It was a good thing while we had it. I hope maybe someday our daughters' daughters will know the freedom we tasted oh so briefly.

"Scalito"

Wondering who this Samuel Alito fellow is and just how scary he is (because you know he has to be if he's nominated by Bush, even if you don't know anything about him)? Dark Christianity, an LJ community that tracks the Dominionist Christianity movement, has the goods. The gist: be afraid, be very afraid.

The man they call "Scalito". Oy.

Guessing Fitzgerald's Game Plan

Gadfly over at the Booman Tribune has some insight into yesterday's events and what they maytell us about future proceedings.

In short: no one at the White House, especially Darth Cheney, should breathe a sigh of relief just yet.

Happy Fitzmas!

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the Vice-President's right hand man -- or, as several pundits have said repeatedly today, "Cheney's Cheney" (vomit) -- has been charged by Patrick Fitzgerald for all kinds of crazy hijinks. Five counts -- 1 count of Obstruction of Justice, 2 counts of Perjury, 2 counts of Making False Statements. Oh, that Scooter, what a rascal, what a scamp. What does the "I" in "I. Lewis Libby" stand for? "Indicted, bee-yotch!"

Ha ha I kill me.

But seriously folks. First time since the Grant Administration that a sitting White House official has been indicted. I'll save you the Wikipedia lookup...that's 130 years. In other words, first time in well over a century that a serving member of the White House has been busted for wrongdoing while in office, and that includes the Nixon Administration, people. Couldn't happen to a more deserving administration.

Wonder if he'll plead out or risk a trial. Neither option probably seems particularly appetizing, considering he'll have to hand someone juicier over in exchange for a plea -- this being a felony, after all, and the sentencing guidelines for this particular crime being especially high bars to clear -- and any trial will require calling Rove, Bolton, Hadley, and yes, Cheney, to testify under oath and causing a lot of embarrassing questions this Administration doesn't want asked to be asked. Including the Big Kahona, the Brass Ring, the Ultimate Prize: the casus belli for the Iraq War. I've already heard the questions being asked by the MSM in the last couple of days, which just goes to show that even lazy journalists can put two and two together eventually.

As for Rove...well. Like everyone, I had hoped to his name one the paper from Fitzgerald today, too, but I've decided Fitzmas is more like Hanukkah than Christmas...as Adam Sandler once sang, "instead of one day of presents, we get eight cra-azy nights!" It appears this investigation will be the gift that keeps on giving, as Rove remains under investigation. That has all kinds of delectable possibilities. (Including that he's possibly already reached a plea agreement late last night and it just hasn't been announced yet. On the delectability scale, this is lower down the list, but it does raise possibilities of its own.)

Oh, we've been good girls and boys and our stockings are chock full this year. Jeebus bless us, every one.

George Clooney: Heartthrob. Activist. Dragonslayer?

Ever since Three Kings, George Clooney has had a special little place in my heart. Today, that place just quadrupled:

"(Ann Coulter) did something to me which I would never do to her, which is question her masculinity."

Oh, how this makes me laugh. I heart you, Mr. Clooney.

Perspective

Sometimes guilt can do good things.

Global Rich List

It's not February, and yet it feels like it's my birthday

Eight months ago -- the day before my birthday, in fact -- I quoted a commenter on another blog:

"Take heart. All empires contain the seed of their own undoing. The arrogance of this administration is that seed."

Well, reserve that keg and order some party platters, kids, because Festivus has come early this year and the party? It's gonna be epic, man. A sneak preview:

• Mr. DeLay is about to get his picture taken and spend some time with Mr. District Attorney.
• Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby are clearing their calendars for an upcoming engagement.
• As are several of their closest friends.*
• Mr. Bush is preparing for a little lesson in history repeating itself.
• And Mr. Cheney is contemplating a nice retirement.
• Meanwhile, Mr. Frist has been sent an invitation to upcoming festivities in his honor.

Kevin Drum predicted some of these, oh, about a year ago, as well as some I haven't listed here, and many, many more that are on their way. The world may be going straight to Hell in a Bottomless Handbasket, but at least we'll get some live entertainment along the way.

[*ThinkProgress has an excellent summary of all the players in the WHIG (White House Iraq Group), including their role in the whole sorry mess, what they've said on the record, and how they fit into Fitzgerald's investigation.]