A lot of hope was placed on the back of Elizabeth Warren and the financial reform act passed by Congress at the behest of the Administration and formally known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Concurrent with belittling the liberal Democratic activist base as ungrateful whiners, the Administration and Democratic leadership has touted Liz Warren and Dodd-Frank as prime examples of accomplishments that should thrill and satisfy the base. But are those “accomplishments” really all that and should they mollify Democrats, at least on financial reform issues? The initial returns indicate no.

Yes, that is Sparky the Sun Devil and the small turd next to him is John McCain. As you may have heard, the Arizona primary was last Tuesday and McCain squeaked by the “serious challenge” of gasbag extraordinaire J.D. Hayworth. McCain beat Hayworth by 25 points; this and other news and notes from the Arizona primary election.

30% of US Attorney spots are either still under Bush appointees or under “acting status” and well over 100 Federal judicial seats are empty with far less that half even having a pending nominee. Republicans have put the appointment of conservative judges at the top of their agenda; Democrats and Obama need to get with the program.

Like they did to Dawn Johnsen, the Obama White House has hung absolutely outstanding progressive nominees Goodwin Liu and Edward Chen out to dry, and are well on their way to doing the same with Elizabeth Warren. It is a pathetic track record on progressive nominees.

Despite all the noise and antics in the months leading up to his criminal trial, Rod Blagojevich has gone quietly into the night and put on no defense whatsoever.

Yet another recess appointment proves the sham and fraud that was the Obama White House handling of Dawn Johnsen.

The courts and government of the United States of America are open and unfettered. It is time for the Obama Administration to quit frittering away the American foundation of law to the whims and winds of personal electoral desire and perceived political necessity. There can be no greater show of strength and character than to demonstrate to the world that we live and die with the principles we were founded with. Put the September 11th defendants on trial where they belong, as criminals in the Article III Federal court of jurisdiction.

A number of people have taken the DNC to task for its Rovian attack on RNC Chair Michael Steele for comments suggesting we might fail in Afghanistan (Glenn Greenwald, Greg Sargent, Adam Serwer). The only thing I would add to their comments is to note that not only a majority of the Democratic caucus in [...]

Lanny Davis has an op-ed up at The Hill calling on Barack Obama to “Sister Souljah” the progressive netroots. As if Obama has not done enough of that already. Davis can go Sister Souljah himself.

Obama has suddenly announced his determination to have an empathy fest with the family and friends of the deceased victims of the criminally negligent BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. they deserve much better, and more, than that.