Remember that movie from a few years ago, The Straight Story, about a man who rode a lawnmower across a state to see his estranged brother before he died? It won several awards.

Well I think Mark Ryan of Kingfisher can top that. He road a horse, with mule and dog in tow, from Okahoma to Washington state. Took five months — and  he’s not back yet because after he decided to get a truck to drive back, the truck broke down.

You just can’t count on those new-fangled contraptions.

Long Ride: Oklahoma cowboy rides his horse 2,000 miles to Washington state — Newsday.com.

Well, this news sucks.

In 2008 Oklahoma ranked 49th in the nation in the number of women elected to the Legislature.

I think we have a good chance of ranking at the bottom in 2009.

Thanks to Jean Warner of Oklahoma Women’s Network Blog for tracking and sharing this stuff.

Let’s see, highest percentage votes for McCain/Palin, least women in legislature. Coincidence? I think not.

Colin Powell, former Sec. of State for George W. Bush, is scheduled to be the guest on Meet the Press this Sunday, and buzz is that he will announce his endorsement of Obama for president.

While this prospect is supposedly a good thing for us Obama supporters, in that it will sway a few people who still hold out some reservations about Obama in terms of the much over-hyped “foreign policy experience” thing, because they view Powell as an fine American warrior, and really, isn’t foreign policy all about war after all?

But for me, it just brings up a lot of anger and bad memories, and I was going to blog about how disappointing I find the idea that the media pundits and other lobotomized groups in American society will give Powell’s imprimatur any kind of validity.

But David Sirota has already made the case at Open Left:

Let’s just remember: Colin Powell is one of the major reasons we went to war in Iraq. In his 2003 United Nations speech, he perpetrated one of the biggest frauds in the history of international diplomacy - a fraud that, in terms of its blood-and-guts ramifications, dwarfs major scandals like Watergate.

The idea that being endorsed by someone like that is a good thing - well, that logic may fly in the television studios of New York and D.C., but it shouldn’t fly anywhere else. A person whose most important legacy is destroying America’s international credibility shouldn’t be seen as a Serious or Respectable person, nor an asset to any campaign, no matter how many apologists - liberal or conservative - claim that “behind the scenes” Powell was really a good guy. He wasn’t a good guy - he was one of the handful of people who quite literally lied us into a war. That the elite media imparts even an ounce of credibility to this dishonest yes-man is not a commentary on Powell’s alleged positive attributes. It is a reflection of the elite media’s deep disdain for the facts and truth it purports to respect.

Of course, Tom Brokow, or whoever the MTP host is this weekend, will treat Powell and his (expected) pronouncement with great reverence and respect. A member of a true oppositional press would instead ask: “Well you squandered your reputation being a good soldier for George Bush; why should anyone follow your advice now?”

So, welcome to the reality-based community, Gen. Powell, and if an 11th hour nod to Obama gets him closer to landslide territory, and Sarah Palin sent to permanent exile in Wasilla, thanks a lot. But please don’t think this in any way cleanses your soul. You’re still a war criminal.

At Thursday’s debate, where both candidates pandered to “Joe the Plumber” (who turns out not to be a plumber, not to be undecided and not to pay his taxes), U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan tried to get their questions asked, and were treated horribly. Five vets and four civilian supporters were arrested) and several injured, including one vet who was stepped on by a horse ridden by a cop — on his head, causing him to be taken to the hospital (after insistance by other vets) before he was hauled to jail.

Report from World Can’t Wait:

RNC Police Tactics v. Iraq Veterans with a Message for the Candidates

A group of us from World Can’t Wait went to Hostra University yesterday before the debate. Several different groups had messages outside the gates. Immigrant rights activists (Hempstead has a large Salvadoran community) came on a march with student anti-war groups, World Can’t Wait, Code Pink and many local activists. The Long Island Alliance of peace/environmental groups, and about 50 Planned Parenthood supporters, along with a mix of Obama supporters had a rally inside a fenced-in “free speech zone.” We were all in a kind of fluid mix across a wide turnpike from where the debate was held, while elsewhere, a free concert was held for Obama. All the national media were inside the campus.

Iraq Veterans Against the War had announced last week that they had questions for Obama and McCain about the war and treatment of veterans, and wanted their representatives allowed into ask them. IVAW had a meeting earlier with the local police, assuring them would be non-violent. At 7pm, the deadline they gave the debate organizers for an answer, 15 members of IVAW led a march across the street. At least 100 of us followed them, backing them at the entrance of the campus, and shouting “Let them in!” We were met by a solid line of police on horses, with nearly 100 riot police.

Matthis Chiroux and Kris Goldsmith read the questions they wanted to ask the candidates, and when they stepped forward a few feet to attempt to go on campus, they were arrested. In the next few minutes, a total of 10 IVAW members were arrested, some after standing together, pushed across the turnpike by cops on horses. They never raised their arms. The horses were used repeatedly to charge into the crowd, and especially at the IVAW members, in uniform, who were able to stay upright for nearly 10 minutes. As we were pushed to the opposite sidewalk, the batons came out, and horses pushed several veterans to the ground, including Geoff Millard. Nick Morgan was stepped on by a horse, and treated at a hospital (only after the other vets demanded it) for a broken cheekbone and possible concussion, then sent on to jail. Two women in the crowd were also hurt by horses.

The several veterans who were not arrested spoke to the independent media afterward, full of outrage. Jabar Magruder, who was stationed in Iraq as part of the national guard, said he had not seen people attacked like that since he was in Iraq, and “I don’t need to see that here”.

Those arrested were charged with disorderly conduct and refusal to obey an official order, and released for a November 10 court date. There was almost no mention of this protest in the news today. New York Newsday and The Army Times were the only daily newspapers to cover the story. Local TV affiliates sent cameras after the arrests. See independent media reports:

Democracy Now
The Indypendent

Be the Media

And the questions that went unasked:

Chiroux planned on asking Obama a pointed question:  “My question is, as President of the United States of America, are you prepared to back up your own words [about the illegality of the Iraq War] and the U.S. Constitution by supporting service members refusing to participate in what you describe as an illegal occupation?”

Goldsmith wanted to ask McCain a question about his lack of support for veterans.  “What promises are you willing to make, as a veteran, as a senator, as a presidential candidate, to the veterans of the United States, to prove that you will ensure the V.A. is fully funded, staffed and capable of preventing troops from suffering as they are now?” he says.

Protest photos.

The radical conservative editors at the Oklahoman obviously don’t think they have a big enough microphone, despite the fact that 100% of their editorial board, all syndicated columnists and all inhouse content is conservative/Republican. No, they have to even add footnotes to the rare liberal letters they do print in order to try to discredit their content or authors. They do this all the time, and I’m going to start keeping track.

Today’s example is a letter from Clinton Hays of Oklahoma City, which references Robert Greenwald’s documentary about Fox News, Outfoxed. Hays overtly (and correctly) says the film (along with others he names) is of the “liberal” persuasion, but that’s not good enough for the Oklahoman. They think their readers also need to know that the film was distributed (not produced, just distributed!) by MoveOn.org, the group most reviled by Republicans because its large membership means it can actually have some clout in the civic arena.

Is the footnote true? Yes. Is it the least bit relevant or does it correct any misrepresentation in the letter? No. It’s only purpose is to further the paper’s own conservative agenda of liberal-bashing for fun and profit.

Letters to the Editor: Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 | NewsOK.com.

Research easy

Mike Jones (Your Views, Aug. 28) wrote that “Mr. and Mrs. Average American” are too busy to do political research. I disagree. With the Internet and Web sites like procon.org and candidate Web sites, it’s easy to do a little research. As for Fox News, Jones needs to look more into Rupert Murdoch and his practices. A scathing look at Fox can be found in the documentary “Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism.” Noam Chomsky and the makers of the film “Myth of the Liberal Media” do a great job of presenting a clear picture of how the media operate. Sure, these can be labeled as “liberal” movies, but they’re telling the truth, however liberal it may seem.Finally, maybe it’s time we ended partisan bickering and tried working together.

Clinton Hays, Oklahoma City

The “Outfoxed” movie is distributed by Moveon.org.

Emphasis added.

I have no problem with the Oklahoman footnoting letters to provide needed clarity or correction. I’d like to see them used on some of the irrational, untrue radical-right tripe they print regularly. But to use them to add gratuitous bias to what is already a completely far right op-ed section is unfair and unprofessional, not to mention juvenile.

I hope my readers will join me in contacting the paper to protest.

Management:

• Ed Kelley     Editor     (405) 475-3920     ekelley@oklahoman.com
• Kelly Fry     VP of News & Information     (405) 475-3247    kfry@opubco.com
• Mike Shannon     Managing Editor     (405) 475-3467     mshannon@oklahoman.com
• Robby Trammell     News Director     (405) 475-3221     rtrammell@oklahoman.com

Opinions department:

• Owen Canfield     Editorial Writer     (405) 475-3205     ocanfield@oklahoman.com
• J.E. McReynolds     Chief Editorial Writer     (405) 475-3469     jmcreynolds@oklahoman.com
• Christy Watson     Editorial Writer     (405) 475-3466     cwatson@oklahoman.com

Phone: (405) 475-3311; or (877) 987-2737 tollfree

Mail: OPUBCO,9000 N Broadway, Oklahoma City 73114-3311

Some behind the scenes fascist nonsense going down at the parties in Denver this week.

The Field: Al Giordano Reports the US Presidential Elections.

When I retook my seat, suddenly a big fat police officer came up to me, accompanied by this smarmy Bruno clown, and told me, “You have to leave, sir.” (Why do they always call you “sir” when they’re screwing with you?) I looked at Bruno and said, “I warned you. I’m sitting here quietly, not making any noise, and you send cops up? Do you want a disturbance as Maher is beginning his show? Because if they try to haul me out of here I guarantee you that you’ll have one! The entire show will have to stop for you to get me out of here!”

But that was small beans. Amy Goodman also got in a bit of a wrangle with the security goons, but this time they were working on behalf of AT&T, which was just trying to throw a nice private “thank you for that FISA vote going our way” bash for Blue Dog Democrats.

Glenn Greenwald was one of the voices you heard, one of the people you saw in that piece. He was outside AT&T Blue Dog fundraiser last night. Glenn is a constitutional law attorney and political and legal blogger for Salon.com. He joins me here in the Denver studio. Welcome to Democracy Now!, Glenn.

GLENN GREENWALD: Great to be here, Amy.

AMY GOODMAN: So, we were there, dogging the Blue Dogs, trying, actually, just simply to get into the party. The delegates and the lobbyists were able to walk in and out, but we had a lot of trouble.

GLENN GREENWALD: Well, one of the things I found so interesting is that there’s a very stringent credentialing process, as you know, in order to obtain press credentials for the convention. And because I write with Salon.com, Salon has obtained press credentials for me and others.

And I expected, quite naturally, that the press passes would enable access to the party. I mean, here is a meeting between the nation’s—one of the nation’s most influential corporations and probably the single most influential faction in the United States Congress, which is the Blue Dog Coalition, meeting at this lavish party with hundreds of people present near where Barack Obama will speak. The last thing that occurred to me was that it would be closed to the press, given the public significance, the fact that members of the United States Congress are meeting. And yet, the first declaration that they announced when asked if we could enter was that press is completely banned. It was an entirely private affair.

I guess only Democracy Now! and us were the only press interested in covering it, in any event, but they certainly, whether that rule pre-existed our arrival or was created specifically for us, it was made very clear and enforced, through layers of security, that press would not be able to access the event.

AMY GOODMAN: The police were there, working in force. They clearly are telling—explaining to protesters what the rules are, the line that they can’t step over. And then when we came up, when Democracy Now! came up, the police very patiently explained this is private property. The security, not the police, but the security, was Mile High, as well as the actual venue of Mile High Station.

Don Grissom film, Oklahomans Taken for a Ride, to be screened Saturday, August 2, in OKC The film Oklahomans Taken for a Ride will be shown 1 p.m. Saturday, August 2, 2008 at the Belle Isle Library in Oklahoma City . The film highlights the importance of protecting Oklahoma 's rail infrastructure and putting it to better use.  The event is being sponsored by the Coalition to Save Union Station Railyard. This film explores the extent to which Oklahoma City 's transportation future is threatened by plans of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to rip out the 12-track Oklahoma City Union Station railyard as a part of the I-40 Crosstown relocation.  The film details ODOT rerouting plans while also detailing efforts to fight the destruction of the railyard.  The video also shows how the facility could be reused as an Oklahoma multi-modal transportation hub. The filmmaker, Don Grissom, is a graduate of Norman High School .  He worked in film and video production in Washington , D.C. for 28 years, recently returning to Norman in 2007 to continue his documentary career.  He has been involved in the production of One World Quest (Muheim Motion Pictures), Benny Andrews Route 66 Tour (Ogden Museum of Southern Art), Intel Wars (CNN Documentary), Extreme Makeover (ABC), Drugs (Frontline, Resolute Films), and many other films. A discussion will follow the 24-minute film. The film is free and the public is invited. Belle Isle Library is located at 5501 N. Villa in Oklahoma City (on NW Expressway).

by Steven D, originally published at Booman Tribune and reprinted here with permission. It's a sad fact, but Senator Dodd was unable to stop a very bad FISA bill, that even Bruce Fein, a former Reagan official at the Department of Justice claims is a gross violation of our civil liberties.  Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid wouldn't let him.  Yet one man, one Senator, has been able to stop dozens of bills simply by saying "no" to Harry Reid.  Who is this all powerful Senator?  Why a Republican, of course:

. . . Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has a large framed picture next to his desk that serves as a constant reminder of his political ideology. Inside the black frame and matting is a single word, in large white letters: "No."Coburn has become best known as the lawmaker who says no -- no to increased funding for unsolved civil rights crimes, no to creation of a national registry for victims of the disease ALS, no to more money for child pornography prosecutions. [...] Most of the bills, including a child pornography law that passed the House 409 to 0 in November, are so noncontroversial that they would normally sail through on voice votes, with no roll call taken. [...] Since January 2007, Coburn has used his senatorial "hold" to block more than 80 pieces of legislation, which means Reid knows that Coburn will object to unanimous consent on those bills.

Coburn is also the Senator who put a hold on extending additional protections to government whistleblowers, a bill that had already passed the House 331 to 84.  The same bill that would likely pass the Senate with a veto proof majority if it were allowed to come to a vote. Does anyone wonder anymore why Congress has such a poor approval rating?  When Republicans held the majority they passed whatever the hell they wanted (or whatever Bush told them to pass) and Democrats were powerless, or at least they claimed they were.  Remember the Terry Schiavo legislation?  That passed even though a majority in the country opposed it because the Democrats in the Senate caved. Yet, now, when Republican Senators up for re-election are running scared and willing to back many Democratic proposals, Reid lets one yahoo nutcase like Tom Coburn put the kabosh on any and all legislation regardless of how beneficial it might be.  Need you be reminded of just how loonie Coburn is, take a peek at this: (cont.)

At a Republican meeting this spring, Coburn warned: "The gay community has infiltrated the very centers of power in every area across this country, and they wield extreme power ... That agenda is the greatest threat to our freedom that we face today. Why do you think we see the rationalization for abortion and multiple sexual partners? That's a gay agenda." [...]"I favor the death penalty for abortionists and other people who take life," he told the Associated Press in July. Last week, he told the Hugo [Okla.] Daily News: "We need someone who will speak morally on the issues and not run from the criticism of the national press ... We need to have moral clarity about our leaders. I have a 100 percent pro-life record. I don't apologize for saying we need to protect the unborn. Do you realize that if all those children had not been aborted, we wouldn't have any trouble with Medicare and Social Security today? That's another 41 million people." [...] In 1999, after the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, Coburn opposed President Clinton's proposal for making adults liable if they allow their children to buy guns and harm others. "If I wanted to buy a bazooka to use in a very restricted way, to do something, I ought to be able to do that," said Coburn.

Yet this moron is allowed the privilege by Harry Reid to hold up any damn thing he wants, no matter how popular it is with his own Republican colleagues.  This ideologue and criminal, who illegally sterilized one of his Native American female patients without her consent and filed a fraudulent Medicaid insurance claim, is more powerful than Harry Reid.  You have to ask yourself -- why?  Why does Reid allow this buffoon to run rings around him, and delay and deter desperately needed legislation? Whatever happens in the Presidential election this Fall, Democrats are likely to retain their control over the House and Senate. And if there is one thing we've learned it is that our current Democratic Leaders, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have been a disaster for the Democratic Party.  They were not only dead wrong on FISA, but they have been ineffective across the board in promoting the Democratic Party's stated agenda, from ending the Iraq occupation to increasing funding for the SCHIP program, which provides health insurance to uninsured children.  Reid allowed the Senate to pass the Lieberman-Kyl amendment which all but grants the Bush administration permission to attack Iran at its discretion. Time after time Harry Reid has proven himself to be a gutless coward when it comes to standing up for  progressive policies which have the support of the majority of Americans.  When push comes to shove, he's permitted President Bush to get whatever he wanted on the important issues of the day.  And now he has allowed one idiot Senator from Oklahoma to run rings around him in blocking the passage of needed bipartisan legislation.  It's time for Democrats to just say no to Harry Reid's continued tenure as Senate Majority Leader.  If he can't out think and outfight Tom Coburn, he doesn't deserve to lead the Senate.

Saying that GLBT activists have revealed that they indeed do have an "agenda," Sally Kern has returned to her own: promoting anti-gay bigotry in the guise of Judeo-Christian values. In a statement reminiscent of the secretly recorded speech that got her global attention earlier this year, Kern warned Oklahomans about the dire consequences of the "Clock In for Equality" Day organized by Lambda Legal. The national group asks workers to pledge to support a fair environment for gays and lesbians. The event takes place May 15.

She urged Oklahomans who support traditional families to become more active in social policy fights "or we will cede the victory to groups seeking special rights based on changeable homosexual behavior.""Those of us who believe in preserving traditional marriage and upholding Judeo-Christian values cannot afford to simply stand on the sideline," Kern said in a prepared statement. "The groups committed to undermining those ideals remain active and if we do nothing, they win by default."

Kern insists that she is against discrimination, but that this  campaign (and of course any other that seeks to end or prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation) involves giving "special rights" to gays and lesbians. Kern's "confusion" about political action agendas, and who's allowed to have them is noted by Timothy Kincaid at Box Turtle Bulletin.

So Sally isn't for discrimination, she just doesn't want anyone to organize against it. And she wants people to "become more active in social policy fights" to fight against an agenda with which she finds a common goal.

In Oklahoma, Kern's antics are getting tiresome. She is facing multiple Democratic challengers for her seat in the state House. The first to announce, Ron Marlett, is having a fundraiser on May 20. Due to the publicity Kern garnered by her outrageous statements from last winter, her religious-themed legislation has generated far more public protest than in the past. A bill to allow religious expression in public schools passed 70 - 28, and efforts are underway to ask the Democratic governor to veto it. Cross posted at Pam's House Blend