Ed Klein Gets Debunked by Al Franken & Joe Conason
Ed Klein is pushing his new book "Blood Feud: The Clintons vs. the Obamas." People on the left and the right pointed out the factual inaccuracies in Klein's 2005 book "The Truth About Hillary." Conservative columnist John Podhoretz wrote a brutal review.
ON page 202 of his new tome – just out yesterday – Ed Klein writes, “Greed seemed to be the only explanation for the outlandish book deal.” Klein is referring to the $8 million advance Hillary Clinton received for her autobiography.
These are curious words to be publishing in 2005, when Klein and the world know that her book “Living History” was a phenomenal success and has earned its author more than the $8 million in royalty payments advanced to her.
Curious and revealing. Because if any book in recent memory reads as though it has been written out of greed – a greedy hunger to separate millions of conservative book buyers from their hard-earned 25 bucks – it is Ed Klein’s “The Truth About Hillary.”
This is one of the most sordid volumes I’ve ever waded through. Thirty pages into it, I wanted to take a shower. Sixty pages into it, I wanted to be decontaminated. And 200 pages into it, I wanted someone to drive stakes through my eyes so I wouldn’t have to suffer through another word.
Ouch.
Below is an interview with Klein on The Al Franken Show from 2005. Franken and Joe Conason pressed Klein about his sources and his misrepresentation of quotes. Klein wasn't able to back up the claims he made in his book. The Klein interview is a demonstration of why fact-challenged conservative only go on Fox News and conservative talk radio.
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Al Franken gave a stirring speech on the Senate floor about the insanity of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Franken recounts during a USO show in 2006 and making a DADT joke. After the show, female soldiers came up to Franken and him they were gay. Franken is moved nearly to tears giving the speech.
Let me also briefly tell you about my experience. Before I was a Senator, I did a number of USO tours over the years. And on each tour, I was more and more impressed by the men and women of our military.
I always did Don't Ask Don't Tell material, and over the years that I did the tours, you could feel the change in the military.
I was on, I think, my seventh tour. As we always did, we had an eclectic show, and it was a long show too. Most of the troops would be standing for four hours during the show, though I remember during this one particular show at one of our bases, there was a group of female soldiers sitting in the bleachers who were particularly enthusiastic.
The troops loved the show, probably because otherwise they spent all of their time either in danger, or incredibly bored.
So I got to my Don't Ask Don't Tell material. "One thing I don't get," I'd say, "is Don't Ask Don't Tell. The bravest serve. Take your commander, for instance. He's one of the bravest men ever to serve in the U.S. military. And he's also one of the gayest. General, stand up, thank you!" The troops loved this, they thought it was hilarious, everyone was cheering and laughing - maybe especially those female soldiers up in the bleachers.
And at the end of the show, there was a very moving performance of a patriotic song, which was always very emotional. The commander gave each of us a flag that flew over the base - I still have it in my office - and he told me, "Al, keep telling those Don't Ask Don't Tell jokes." And that group of female soldiers up in the bleachers came up to me after the show to tell me how much they loved my Don't Ask Don't Tell material, and that it was personally important to them.
Compassionate Conservatism: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Edition
Raw Story reports the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent out a mass email asking supporters to lobbying against Amendment 2588. The legislation forbids the Defense Department from doing business with any contractor that requires "employees or independent contractors sign mandatory arbitration clauses regarding certain claims. The amendment was written by Al Franken, in response to Jamie Leigh Jones being gang raped in Iraq. Jones was unable to take Halliburton and KBR to court. The
The U.S Chamber of Commerce email contained this myth.
Opponents of pre-dispute arbitration use anecdotes and a handful of narrow studies to claim that the arbitration system is broken and favors companies, but in fact arbitration is more likely to result in positive outcomes for consumers and employees. Individuals fare as well, if not better, in arbitration disputes than they would have in court. The National Workrights Institute found that employees were almost 20% more likely to win employment cases in arbitration than those litigated in court. Further, a study in California showed that consumers won 66% of arbitration disputes brought against businesses. Studies examining other types of consumer related arbitration show similar, if not better outcomes for consumers.
The Fifth Circuit Court ruled that Jones could take her case to court. Judge Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale found that arbitration allowed Halliburton and KBR to not hear Jones' claims.
Under these circumstances, the outer limits of the “related to” language of the arbitration provision have been tested, and breached. Halliburton/KBR essentially asks this court to read the arbitration provision so broadly as to encompass any claim related to Jones’ employer, or any incident that happened during her employment, but that is not the language of the contract. We do not hold that, as a matter of law, sexual-assault allegations can never “relate to” someone’s employment. For this action, however, Jones’ allegations do not “touch matters” related to her employment, let alone have a “significant relationship” to her employment contract.
Under arbitration, no claims can not be heard in court or allowed to be made public. Arbitration was made to protect corporations. If that was not the case , why would the Chamber of Commerce be so hellbent on revoking Franken's amendment?
Al Franken smokes Diane Furchtgott-Roth's claim that a European health care system, in America would increase medical bankruptcies. Medical expenses account for 62 percent of bankruptcies in 2007. Franken asked Furchtgott-Roth how many medical bankruptcies were there in the countries of Switzerland, France and Germany. Furchtgott-Roth did not know the answer. The answer is zero.
Furchtgott-Roth attempted to change the conversation by citing cancer survival rates. Franken noted anti-health care reform groups only people with the most survivable forms of cancer. The truth is countries have higher survival rates for different forms of cancer. The United States does have excelent doctors and medical facilities. The health care debate is about making that care affordable to all Americans. Right now we have a class system in health care. Denying reality with bogus bankruptcy claims only hurts people to poor to receive medical care.
Al Franken's Amendment 2588, to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, passed 68 to 30. The amendment was written in tribute to Jamie Leigh Jones. She was drugged and raped by several men at Camp Hope, Baghdad, Iraq. The Defense Department would be forbidden from having contracts with companies that settled sexual assault and harassment cases in arbitration.
To prohibit the use of funds for any Federal contract with Halliburton Company, KBR, Inc., any of their subsidiaries or affiliates, or any other contracting party if such contractor or a subcontractor at any tier under such contract requires that employees or independent contractors sign mandatory arbitration clauses regarding certain claims.
Technically, Jones's former companies KBR and Halliburton were contracted under the State Department. At the time, CPA Order 17 gave contractors immunity from crimes committed in Iraq. The men that raped Jones had a free get out of jail ticket. Scott Horton explained how messed up the legal process was during his House Judiciary committee testimony.
(1) The Justice Department is effectively not present on the scene, does not have personnel deployed charged with conducting investigations, collecting evidence and making preliminary decisions as to whether incidents are suitable for prosecution. This would require a team of FBI agents with appropriate training, including access to forensic labs and personnel.
(2) The case when first alleged seems to have been treated as an issue related to administration of a contract, rather than a criminal justice matter, triggering only a State Department investigation. But the State Department does not have authority to conduct criminal inquiries or to bring charges.
(3) The Department of Defense was called upon to provide medical expertise, which was a reasonable step. But no guidelines appear to have been available as to how this was done. The alleged surrender of the rape kit by military medical personnel to Kellogg Brown & Root was grossly improper, producing a serious lapse in the chain of custody—and in this case, loss of evidence which cannot be reproduced. It reflects an attitude which I hear constantly when interviewing State Department and Defense Department personnel—namely, that the problem is the contractor’s. Of course, the contractor has an interest in performing its contract and maintaining a good relationship with the contracting agency. The contractor does not have any interest per se in law enforcement. It might well decide to terminate employees it believes are involved in a crime, but beyond that the contractor will, very appropriately, believe that the responsibility for law enforcement lies with law enforcement agencies.
Jones still has not had her day in court. The Franken amendment was a major moral victory for her.
Jones said the amendment's passage "means the world to me."
"It means that every tear shed to go public and repeat my story over and over again to make a difference for other women was worth it," she said. Jones testified about the alleged assault before Congress and other women employed by contractors have made similar allegations.
Rep. Jeff Sessions proved the GOP's true base is the business community. Sessions gave his reasoning for voting against the Franken amendment.
"The Congress should not be involved in writing or rewriting contracts," Sessions said.
The Franken amendment doesn't rewrite abitration contracts. It simply says the federal government will not do business with corporations that use arbitration to restrict employees from taking sexual assault cases to court. Sessions is placing the interests corporate profits above civil rights. Would he hold a female member member to the same standard as Jones. I don't buy it for a second. Does Sessions believe he his staking out a morally courageous stand for Halliburton's honor?
Fox News is claiming Al Franken stole the election. This is the same network that attacked Al Gore for the Florida recount. I supported Norm Coleman's effort to recount the votes. Recounts have angered partisans but have forced us to examine our election system.
"Now we find out that Al Franken -- who's barely sane if you read his books, and is quite angry in every facet of his life -- is now the Senator from Minnesota," Kilmeade said, turning to his Minnesota-born co-host Gretchen Carlson. "Explain yourself, Gretchen."
If Kilmeade read Franken's books he would know the author is a humorist. Kilmeade isn't aware he works on a comedy channel. His lack of understanding irony isn't surprising.
I don't have a problem with the length of the recount process. I didn't support Norm Coleman candidacy but I support his right to contest the vote. It is time for Republicans to back election reform.
Franken tells the crowd he doesn't see himself as the 60th Democatic caucus member. Franken say he is the "second Minnesota Senator." Smart sound bite answer.
"It's true," said Manley when reached by phone. "It is obviously sometimes difficult to say this to your audience [Huffington Post readers]. While this is, of course, good news to the people of Minnesota, President Obama, and the Senate Democratic, Franken's mere presence alone will not mean that the Democrats will be able to jam through our agenda, or make it any less critical for Democrats and Republicans to work together. We have a diverse caucus who represent diverse constituencies. No one's vote is ever automatic. Also... we have two senators that currently aren't voting right now. But then I would go back and say that up until now we have gotten very little to no help from Republicans who say no against everything and are prepared to bet on this president to fail."
On the Ed Show, Markos Moulitsas Zúniga said Democrats will have a hard time in 2010 if they can't anything done with a super majority. Bush passed tax cuts, the Iraq war and the Patriot Act with less Republicans. Senate Democrats have no excuse not to pass their agenda.
RNC Chairman Michael Steele has voiced his approval for Norm Coleman to fight Al Franken in court forever. (It sure feels like it's been forever.)
No, hell no. Whatever the outcome, it's going to get bumped to the next level. This does not end until there's a final ruling that speaks to whether or not those votes that have not been counted should be counted. And Norm Coleman will not, will not jump out of this race before that.
Many have speculated Steele's real reason to support Coleman's legal battle for Franken's Senate seat is a Politico gem that Coleman will replace Steele as RNC chair. It is only a rumor at this point. A telling comment by Judd Gregg reveals why Republicans have no desire for Franken to take his seat.
“Usually you need 41 votes to get anything done around here. But right now, you can do a lot with 40 votes,’’ said Judd Gregg , R-N.H.
I give Gregg credit for being honest. I don't agree with the Republican Party's platform. I don't expect the GOP to give Obama a honeymoon. Notice Republicans are muted about Obama not being bipartisan. Obama did everything short but group hug Senate Republicans. Unlike Bush, Obama is concerned about public perceptions of being too partisan. Even Rahm Emanuel is being sent out to reach out to moderate Republicans. Emanuel made his political career out of plotting strategy against the GOP. The Republicans can't pull enough Blue Dog Democrats in the House. The only option is the Senate. That explains why the Coleman/Franken legal battle continues ad nauseum.
Nasser Kazeminy has given campaign contributions from addresses in Palm Springs Florida and Minneapolis, Minasota. Kazeminy used both addresses to give Senator Norm Coleman $2,000. Kaseminy may have given suits to Coleman that went over federal gift limits. It is a bad sign when Coleman's campaign manager Cullen Sheehan will not give the media a yes or no answer.
Cullen will only say, "The Senator reported every gift he ever received." Cullen sounds like a defense attorney.
The latest Public Radio/Humphrey poll shows Democrat Al Franken leading Coleman 41 perecent to 37 percent. Both candidates are weak. I thought Coleman had this race in the bag.
Side note: If Coleman loses, he will be the only candidate to lose elections to Stuart Smalley and Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Ouch.
The former professional wrestler, who served one term as governor beginning a decade ago, said on CNN’s “Larry King Live” that he “isn’t going to run, at this moment,” and that it would take an act of God to get him to file by Tuesday’s filing deadline.
He said God has never spoken to him before.
I have zero Stuart Smalley. The Minnasota Democratic Party made a mistake endorsing Franken. The poll numbers have shown Norm Coleman ahead. Voters will look at Coleman as the experienced politician. Democrats could have won this seat with a more credible candidate. I'm just grateful that I don't live in Minnasota.
