What's The Matter With Kansas

By JOHN MILBURN


TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party jumped ship in a big way Tuesday, switching his affiliation to Democrat amid speculation that he would become Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' running mate.
Johnson County Elections Commissioner Brian Newby confirmed that Mark Parkinson, the state GOP chairman from 1999 to 2003, came to the office and switched his party affiliation shortly before noon.
Parkinson's name has been widely circulated as Sebelius' choice for a running mate as the Democratic governor seeks a second term. Current Lt. Gov. John Moore - another former Republican - is retiring when his term expires in early 2007.
Sebelius spokeswoman, Nicole Corcoran, would not comment about Parkinson, but said an announcement of the governor's choice of running mates was scheduled Wednesday not far from Parkinson's home in Olathe, a Kansas City suburb.
"Traditionally, you do see that the first stop would be in or around that person's home base. It would be safe to assume that she would be choosing someone from the Johnson County area," Corcoran said.
Parkinson didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.
Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison also switched parties from Republican to Democrat to challenge Attorney General Phill Kline, a Republican, in the November election.
Republican House Speaker Doug Mays said he was disgusted by Parkinson's lack of loyalty to the party that made him chairman, but he isn't surprised by the rift.
The Republican Party, which has dominated Kansas politics since statehood, has shifted to the right in recent years and it inevitably will shift back to the left, he said. Instead of defecting to challenge one another, though, Republicans need to find common ground, he said.

Lay, Skilling Convicted in Enron Collapse

By KRISTEN HAYS
AP Business Writer

judge said the bond already in place for Skilling was sufficient. The judge said he did not believe home confinement was necessary for either.



The former corporate titans are now felons facing years in prison after being convicted of running an elaborate fraud that gave the company a glamorous illusion of success.
Jurors declared through their verdict that both men repeatedly lied to cover a vast web of unsustainable accounting tricks and failing ventures that shoved Enron into bankruptcy protection in December 2001.
The conviction was a major win for the government, serving almost as a bookend in an era that has seen prosecutors win convictions against executives from WorldCom Inc. to Adelphia Communications Corp. and homemaking maven Martha Stewart. The public outrage over the series of corporate scandals led Congress to pass the Sarbanes-Oxley act, designed to make company executives more accountable
The panel rejected Skilling's insistence that no fraud occurred at Enron other than a few executives skimming millions from secret scams behind his and Lay's backs, and a lethal combination of bad press and poor market confidence sank the company.
Both men testified in their own defense. Skilling is expected to appeal.
The government's victory caps a 4 1/2 year investigation that nabbed 16 guilty pleas from ex-Enron executives, including former Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow and former Chief Accounting Officer Richard Causey.
All are awaiting sentencing later this year except for two who either finished or are serving prison terms.
Many deemed the outcome of the Lay-Skilling case a final exam of sorts of the federal government's ability to prove complicated corporate skullduggery.
Enron's implosion and the subsequent scandals vexed Wall Street, sent skittish investors fleeing, increased regulatory scrutiny over publicly traded companies and prompted Congress to stiffen white collar penalties.
Former WorldCom head Bernard Ebbers awaits a 25-year prison term for orchestrating the $11 billion accounting fraud that bankrupted the company. Stewart did five months in prison and more time confined to work and home for lying about a stock sale. Adelphia Communications Inc. founder John Rigas and his son got double-digit prison terms for looting their company.
HealthSouth Corp. founder Richard Scrushy bucked the trend with his acquittal last year of fraud charges despite five former finance chiefs pointing the finger at him in a $2.7 billion scheme to inflate earnings. He dropped in on the Lay-Skilling case during Fastow's lengthy testimony in March, saying the ex-CFO couldn't be believed.
But those cases were much simpler than that against Lay and Skilling.
The government's vast investigation seemed to stall until Fastow pleaded guilty in January 2004 to two counts of conspiracy and paved the way for prosecutors to secure indictments against his bosses. Fastow also led investigators to Causey, who was bound for trial alongside Lay and Skilling until he broke ranks with their unified defense and pleaded guilty to securities fraud just weeks before the trial began.
© 2006 The Associated Press.

Hillery for president

Hillery for president' rally draws 20 instead of hoped-for 200


By BONNA de la CRUZ



A Hillary Clinton rally drew critics of President Bush, nonpartisan voters looking for a strong leader, and people who want to elect a female president.

About 20 people attended the Tuesday event, the national kickoff for Hillarynow.com, a grass-roots group pushing to draft the New York senator and former first lady to run for president in 2008.

"I've been fired up about her for a long time," said Mary Sneed, 64, of Pegram. "I think she can get things done. I admire what she's done in upstate New York. If she can win over New Yorkers, she can win over anybody."

Organizers hoped to have 200 people at the event in Nashville, a city selected to show that Democrats can win in Southern states.

They were disappointed but said they are not focused on numbers.

"We can build something from this," said E. Gayle O'Hanlon, president of Enchanted Gingerbread, who cooked for and helped organize the fundraiser.

Clinton is not associated with the group. "Hillary is focused on working for the people of New York and winning re-election to the U.S. Senate," Ann Lewis, director of communications for Clinton's Senate campaign, said via e-mail.

Miami Beach-based activist Bob Kunst, the founder of Hillarynow.com, said Clinton needs the help of energized grass-roots supporters, not the Beltway consultants who tripped up the campaigns of John Kerry and Al Gore.

"Out of this can come the White House, starting here in Nashville," Kunst said. "We're not afraid of the controversy, and we have to make the controversy an ally."

Under large shade trees on a vacant lot in the Germantown neighborhood, the mostly female crowd picnicked. Two anti-Clinton protesters picketed on the sidewalk nearby.

"Nashville is well-known as the buckle of the Bible Belt, and Hillary's position is in direct opposition to the values of both Republicans and Democrats," said protest organizer Tom Kovach, 48, of Mt. Juliet, a candidate for Congress in the 5th District.

Attendees got custom-baked "Hillarynow.com ginger-girl" cookies that O'Hanlon baked and chocolate chip cookies from a Clinton recipe made by Goodlettsville chef Anna Lia Notardonato-Hicks.

"Even if she doesn't run, at least we started a dialogue about having a woman president," Notardonato-Hicks said. •

Copyright © 2006, tennessean.com.

Gays more accepted in workplace

-- A Harris survey finds that 61 percent of U.S. adults think that companies should be free to offer partnership benefits to gay and lesbian employees.
The fifth annual Out and Equal Survey also found that 72 percent of those questioned favor company non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation, up from 63 percent in 2002.
Gays and lesbians included in the survey had a growing comfort level with being open about their orientation. Half said they would be comfortable displaying a same-sex partner's photograph in the office, and 62 percent said they would be comfortable introducing same-sex partners to supervisors and other management.
In 2002, only 34 percent were comfortable with photographs and 41 percent with introductions.


READ THE SURVEY

©2006 www.RonMills.us

Hijacking Jesus

Christianity in America has become nearly synonymous with rightwing fanaticism, conservative politics, and--courtesy of Mel Gibson--a brutally sadistic version of the religious experience. But millions of devout Christians, like longtime journalist and author Dan Wakefield, are appalled by the religious right's distortion of their faith, which only three decades ago stood largely for peace equality, healing, and compassion for society's outcasts.
In his new book, The Hijacking of Jesus, Wakefield turns his sharp analytic eye on the religious right. Through careful research and interviews with religious leaders across the country, Wakefield has developed a unique understanding of the rise of this new political juggernaut and thoughtful insights into what can be done about it.
Read a recent Nation magazine excerpt drawn from The Hijacking of Jesus.
Read Nation intern Eric Stoner's interview with Wakefield.
Buy a copy of the book.

Republican Rubber Stamps

REPUBLICAN
PARTY & DROP IN ALL POLLS ??

DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS TO
REMEMBER ALL THE SCANDALS.






REPUBLICAN PARTY :

IT DOESN'T TAKE A

GENIUS TO SEE HOW BAD THEY HAVE GOTTEN.



A blank check. A rubber stamp. A culture of corruption. These
shouldn't be the first things that jump to mind when asked
about Congress.

But that's exactly what our entire legislature has become.

If we're going to take back control of Congress, we're going
to have to defeat all the incumbents.

In addition to voting in lock-step with President Bush,
enjoying trips with lobbyists, accepting thousands of dollars
from people such as Tom DeLay, and partying at fraternity
houses on the weekends, they find time to try to privatize
Social Security and give away billions more to the oil
industry.(That is our congress of today).



1. BIN LADEN STILL ON THE LOOSE.



2. NO WMD, PRE -EMPTIVE ATTACK.



3. MOSSAD, ISRAEL

& AIPAC.



4.NO SEPARATION CHURCH & STATE.



5. INTERFERING IN THE END OF LIFE DECISION FOR ONE FAMILY.



6. IRAN & N. KOREA

GAINING NUKES WHILE WE ARE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL.



7.NO BID CONTRACTS, & CORRUPTION INVOLVED.



8. LARGEST TAX CUTS TO THE VERY RICH.



9. KATRINA, HOMELAND INSECURITY, FEMA

AND STILL THE AFTER MATH IS A MESS.



10.PRICE OF GAS, SAY NOTHING ABOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AND
BOWING TO THOSE CORPS.



11. OUT-SOURCING OF THE BETTER PAYING JOBS.



12.TORTURE OF, AND SECRET PRISONERS.



13. NO ACCOUNTABILITY,

NO ONE INSISTING ON IT.



14. THE PORTS DEAL, NOW THE AIR DEAL.



15. SOCIAL SECURITY SCAM THAT WAS PROPOSED.



16. HEALTH CARE,

ANOTHER DROPPED BALL.



17.DON'T FORGET CHALABI. AND THE MESS WITH HIM AND

MOSSAD AGENTS AT PENTAGON.



18. IMMIGRATION

AND NO LAWS BEING ENFORCED

REGARDING THE ILLEGALS.



19. WIRE TAPPING

AMERICANS WITH OUT WARRANTS.



20. CAMPAIGN REFORM HAS GONE NO WHERE.



21. THEY WONDER WHY WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

DISTRUST THEM.



HAVE THEY NOT HEARD OF ETHICS, INTEGRITY, MORAL VALUES BEYOND
ELECTION DAY,

TALK ABOUT DECEPTION.

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Wall Street Journal bashes liberal blogs

Wall Street Journal bashes liberal blogs for embracing "Rove indicted" story. Problem is, we didn't.

Salon's War Room does a great analysis of how the liberal blogosphere did NOT embrace the story from a few days ago about how Karl Rove was supposedly secretly indicted. While the Wall Street Journal bashes liberal blogs for running with unconfirmed stories, in fact, the story itself didn't come from a blog at all, and what's more, most of the top liberal blogs, this one included, refused to link to the story because we questioned whether it was true.

Liberal blogosphere member Peter Daou even went so far as to openly criticize the "Rove has been indicated" piece just a few days ago. I guess the WSJ must have missed that.So, in fact, the liberal blogosphere showed that we already police ourselves and already have a pretty well-developed sense of journalistic ethics.I hate when facts gets in the way of a perfectly good story.

More from Salon's Tim Grieve:


I don't know whether Karl Rove will be indicted today, tomorrow, later this week or never. But we do understand that there's a distinction between Truthout's Jason Leopold and the bloggers who've been writing about him, and that gives us at least one leg up on the folks at the Wall Street Journal.The Journal's Anne Marie Squeo checks in today on Leopold's report that Rove has already been indicted in the Valerie Plame case, and she uses her story as an occasion for a little blog-bashing. Squeo says that bloggers have "blurred the lines with traditional media and changed both the dynamics of the reporting process and how political rumors swirl," and she quotes Jay Rosen for the proposition that the blogosphere has a "let's see if this holds up" philosophy when it comes to news.Just two problems here: Leopold isn't reporting on Plamegate as a blogger, and the blogosphere -- or at least the part of it we respect -- hasn't taken anything like a "let's see if this holds up" approach to his latest report. While some liberal bloggers jumped immediately on Leopold's Rove "scoop" Saturday, many others looked at the story through more cautious eyes.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP LIBERAL BLOGS ON THE NET








posted at AMERICAblog.com

Rove Not Running Scared

Rove apparently gave a humdinger of a speech at the American Enterprise Institute,
and some are clucking that this could be the

last word from Bush's "architect".

If indicted, Rove will send Bush's favorability levels to astounding lows for
the self-proclaimed "war-time" President. But while distracted by
legal matters, Rove will no doubt likely to lurk behind the scenes of Republican
grand strategy for some time. He's a real genius when it comes to knowing how to
gut the Democratic party and call the issues that get the Republican 'base' to
turn out.

Clearly, Rove & Co. are weakened, but those challenging today's status
quo -- whether as dissident Republicans or Democrats -- make a major mistake
underestimating Rove's strategic political senses -- in or out of the White
House.

The best way to beat Rove is to out-Rove him and Bush's fellow travelers, but
there is scant evidence that that is happening yet.

--

CNN catches Bush

CNN was a little over anxious in their coverage of Bush's speech.

Video-WMP Video-QT

Wolf: Let me interrupt for a second. I think what happened Jeff, is that the President is rehearsing and the pool, the network pool inadvertently went to the President as he was rehearsing...

Just another CNN conspiracy moment to make our Commander in Chief look bad.

Crooks and Liars has an email with a document saying that:"NBC stage manager has now admitted he cued the president early and CNN was the only network ready to go."

Cheney Handwritten Notes Show Wilson Preoccupation

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Gannon comes out: Former escort, conservative reporter grilled on White House visits

Video: Rogers-Gannon introductions; Gannon says he 'wasn't outed'

Panel Discussion on the Media [Highlights] 05.04.06 Event Sponsor: Equality Forum The presence of blogs is changing the face of mass media, altering the way people obtain information and news on current events. The Equality Forum sponsored a panel discussion with Michael Rogers from Page One News Media, Jeff Gannon from the Washington Blade and Anne Gordon from the Philadelphia Inquirer to examine the rise of blogs as the new media sensation.