With no end in sight. Ugh.
Aside from the ongoing tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, today was a busy news day.
Senator Robert Byrd died this morning. If nothing else, he should be remembered for speaking out against the war in Iraq. Check the bottom of this post for the video of that wise and prescient speech.
The Supreme Court ruled against states rights on gun control. I guess we’re returning to the wild west.
Today is also the last day of this term of the Supreme Court, and the last day Justice John Paul Stevens sits on the bench.
It was also the first day of the Elena Kagan Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
Yes, a busy day… after a busy weekend!
We’ve been hearing for quite a while now about Sarah Palin’s $75,000 speaking fee for a talk at Cal State University’s Stanlislaus campus. Students and faculty alike have been protesting the engagement as their tuitions are rising and scholarships are cut, but Palin gets $75k, and the expenses for her travel, etc. add another $18,000 on to the tab.
But the speech happened on Saturday, and the wonderfully detailed Palingates blog had all the dirt. And the video that captured the brutally honest comments of the cameramen who sat through the speech. Watch for yourself:
Tonight on the show, we talked about that speech and more Palin with Patrick Palingates, who writes his part of the blog from Germany along with Regina Palingates, who writes hers from France.
I was also joined by Dan Howells, deputy campaigns director for Greenpeace, who explained to us what they’re doing about the BP disaster.
Victoria Jones checked in with an update from the Talk Radio News Service.
And Susie Madrak of Crooks & Liars joined me to discuss her experience this weekend at the America Speaks town hall event, which turned into a discussion about the skillsets lacking in the progressive movement.
And now for the speech to remember Senator Byrd by…