Hard to believe it’s been three years already. My, how time flies. It seems like just yesterday that our glorious leader looked sternly into the camera, and blinked his way through a pack of lies about how we “tried” diplomacy, and telling Saddam and his boys they had 48 hours to get out of Dodge. And then of course we blew up a reataurant with a cruise missle, in hopes that Saddam would be there. Oops. Sucks to be an Iraqi restaurateur, I guess. Anyway, one exhilarating flight deck victory landing, a couple thousand US Soldiers, a hundred thousand or so Iraqis, and a trillion dollars (and counting, at the rate of $200 million a day) later, here we are. Happy Anniversary Iraq!

To celebrate, on Press the Meat, Timmy Potatohead has General George Casey, Commander of the “Multi-National Force” (don’t forget Poland, damnit!) in Iraq. Maybe Timmuh will ask him how many more photo-op “missions” we need to have before we can declare victory, pack it in, and get the hell out. As they put it on their website, “and for the Democrats, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), a 37-year Marine Corps veteran and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, will join us in an exclusive interview to talk about his views on the war and his plan to redeploy American troops from the region. ” Ah, so it’s the Democrats on one side, and the Military on the other. Nice.

Over on Fazed the Nation, Bushbuddy Boy Scheiffer has a special treat for us all. Yes, it’s an exclusive live interview with Darth Vader himself, deadeye Dick Cheney. The airwaves should literally drip with truthiness.

Iraqipalooza continues over on This Weak with George Snufalufagus, as Senators Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Jack Reed, D-R.I. come on to tell us what, exactly, constitutes success in Iraq and can we get the hell out already? Then Olympic speed skater Joey Cheek (not the black one) will be on to tak about his advocation for relief efforts in Darfur, and, on the rountable, the axis of drivel is reunited again, as George :jerk:Will, Cokie “Skeletor” Roberts, and Sam :omg: Donaldson are together again to talk about how censuring the president is a win for the Republicans, and never mind the fact that 67% of those asked to provide a one-word description of George W. Bush in the latest Pew Poll chose either, “Incompetent,” “Idiot,” or “Liar.”

Over on Fux News Sunday, Chris “Kiwi Black” Wallace has Dick Durbin on to talk about Russ Feingold, the latest updat on glorious Operation Smarmer, and – gasp! – apparently there’s some sort of controversy with the preznit’s medicare prescription drug program.

Later, on 60 Minutes, Steve Kroft talks to a bunch of kids all fathered by the same incessant sperm donator, Scott Pelley talks to the head of NASA’s Climate Study Institute about how the Bush Administration is muzzling him on Global Warming (and politicians are rewriting the science), ad Ed Bradley talks to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, who has formed his own 1,000-member counterterrorism unit (and, lucky for you NY’ers, he’s lef the Bushies out of it).

I have no idea what CNN has scheduled, but odds are it’ll be highlight reels of the Iraq invasion, and maybe some updated DOD photos from Operation Smarmer. Just don’t start watching too close to 9:00 EST, because you don’t want to fall asleep before we find out what happens with Tony on the Sporanos.

“Not a shot was fired.” Ordinarily, I’d say that was a good thing, except in this case it’s how Time starts out its description of the big dog and pony show know as “Operation Swarmer.”

This “massive” military action, which was billed as a mission to stop these nasty old insurgents once and for all, managed to pick up “48 suspected insurgents, 17 of which had already been cleared and released.” OK, so 31. I wonder how many of these poor schlubs were just minding their own business, tending to the family sand farm in this area that “has long been suspected of being used as a base for insurgents operating in and around Samarra?”

“But contrary to what many many television networks erroneously reported, the operation was by no means the largest use of airpower since the start of the war. (“Air Assault” is a military term that refers specifically to transporting troops into an area.) In fact, there were no airstrikes and no leading insurgents were nabbed in an operation that some skeptical military analysts described as little more than a photo op. What’s more, there were no shots fired at all and the units had met no resistance, said the U.S. and Iraqi commanders.”

Well, frankly, I’m glad that no more of our people (and hopefull not too many Iraqi’s) were killed or wounded in this. But I’m not exactly sure what we’ve accomplished here. Was this photo-op supposed to make dubya look better? Was it suppose to make it all look worthwhile as the 3rd anniversary of Bush’s Folly rolls around? Or is this just another example of the incompetence of the Mayberry Machiavellis that are about to drag us into an even bigger catastrophe – a war with Iran?

Bad news tonight – there’s a Clippers game starting at 7:30, so we’re probably talking about a show of less than an hour long. After trying to stay up last night, I was lucky just to make it past Bill Maher; it’ll be the Replay for me, tomorrow.

On tonight’s show, Alex Gibney, director of “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” (winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary), former Congressman Richard Martin, and Cardinal Milfington has the Rapture Watch. Better hope there’s no OT!

Call Marc (if there’s enough time) at 1 (877) 520-1150 if you’re in KTLK’s regional calling area, or try 1 (800) 783-7412.

Top-o-the-mornin’ to you (“and the balance of the day, to you,” is the appropriate response). Here we are, the only real holiday on the calendar. For some reason, they don’t close the streets of Syracuse until tomorrow for the parade, but I suppose we’ll just have to make a three-day weekend of it, eating corned beef and cabbage (because for some reason Irish Americans have been led to believe that’s Irish), and watching the tourists drink green beer on Tipp Hill (where there is the world’s only – I’m told – traffic light with the green on top, because every time they tried to change it, kids (including one of our future mayors) chucked rocks and broke it, so they finally gave up).

I used to live up that way (it was a fine place, where everyone, it seemed, was named Patrick or Sean or Brigid. To tell you the truth, we hated to see the tourists come along on St. Patrick’s Day, when our nice pubs would be packed with wannabes swilling overpriced beer out of plastic cups, and just making a general nuisance of themselves.

Of course our monkey-faced Republican stooge Congressman Jimmy Walsh will be out and about. It might be the only time the little coward comes out of his hidey-hole until after the elections; he’s refused to have a townhall meeting for years now, the bastid. At least dubya can’t claim to be Irish (it used to sicken me to think that Reagan was, but then he was was Protestant, so I don’t know if that counts 😉 ).

At any rate have a safe and happy day, and to George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and all the minions doing your bidding, “May the devil damm you to the stone of dirges or to the well of ashes seven miles below hell and may the devil break your bones. ” Figuratively speaking, of course.

And the rest of you members of the NeoCon Death Cult Christo-fascist Zombie Brigade can kiss my ass, too.

No Clippers, so the show should start and end on time tonight (assuming Bush doesn’t manage to start WWIII or something). On tonight’s show, Global Warming activist Laurie David stops by, and then Jerry Stahl will be in to collect DNA samples from Marc and Jim. Plus, we’ll take a trip to Planet Bush with Lawton Smalls, and Jim spins the wheel of anger.

Call the show at 1 (877) 520-1150 if you’re in KTLK’s regional calling area, or dial 1 (800) 783-7412 to listen to the show on hold.

Not much to say this morning. They’re putting machine guns on the Coast Guard boats in the Great Lakes, I guess to keep the Canadian Navy at bay. I guess I’ll refrain from any Thousand Islands boat tours this summer. Pew has Bush down to 33%. I hope the Democrats don’t do something crazy like stand up for what’s right. Nah, that could ruin their chances to make sure Russ Fengold doesn’t get the ’08 nomination. He’s just not “electable” enough.

There’s a game tonight, but it started at six, and last night Marc seemed to indicate they’d go on the air as soon as the postgame stuff is over, even if it’s before 10:00, so I’m putting this thread up earlier than usual, and getting ready for the stream to begin anytime after, well, after now. Hey, I can’t lose, since I’ll either get more Matt Pinto, or more Maron. It’s a win-win situation.

On tonght’s show, Jimmy Dore from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater’s Pop and Politics show, and Mort Mortenson has the Weekly Remembrance.

And of course, you can call in at 1 (877) 520-1150, or outside their regional calling area, dial 1 (800) 783-7412.

Another Wednesday, but I didn’t have to get up and get out of the house this week, which is a good thing, because I’m exhausted. How you can be anything but exhausted and exasperated with these cowardly, stupid Democrats? To paraphrase Sean Connery from The Untouchables, “Isn’t that just like a Democrat, bringin’ a knife to a gunfight.” Except in the case of these Democrats, it’s more like a spork.

I mean, they voted for Bush’s little war (and every multi-billion dollar, Halliburton enriching, troop-screwing appropriations bill since) beacuse they were afraid to look bad. They couldn’t filibuster Alito, because they didn’t want the Republicans to say mean things about them, and they can’t even get together to vote for a slap on the wrist to a President who has so clearly committed high crimes and misdemeanors that Barney Fife would arrest him.

But, life goes on. I still think we need to get the Republicans out of the majority in the House or Senate, not because I think the Democrats will do some good (they’ll be ineffective and pathetic, as always), but because I’m terrified of the damage the Republicans can do with another two years in charge (and unchecked). And as dreadful and unpopular as Bush and his posse have been, I cringe at the thought of what “electable” candidate the Democrats will put up in ’08. Even my Guy Noir bobblehead shakes his head in disgust.

But can the Democrats manage to overcome corrupt election officials, voter disenfranchisement, and rigged voting machines (not to mention the voter apathy they sow with every spineless step they take)? Or will they just lose amid statistically impossible exit poll discrepancies, and harrumph about holding hearings, which, if they’re lucky, the Republicans will allow them to hold in some closet in the basement of the House, while dozens of us watch on CSPAN as we quietly hide our “Chickenhawk” and “Buck Fush” t-shirts, because they’ll be coming for us this time if we don’t shape up.

Hey, maybe I’m just being too pessimistic. Sometimes it’s hard not to be, when the “good” guys show they aren’t all that good, and the “bad” guys get more evil every day.

Dave Attell joins Marc and Jim tonight, in a show that promises to be unencumbered by either the LA Clippers or Matt Pinto. Also, Marc steps into the Liberal Confessional with Cardinal Milfington. Hopefully we’ll get a full two hours tonight.

As usual, you can call in at 1 (877) 520-1150, or outside their regional calling area, dial 1 (800) 783-7412. Tell ’em Stephie sent ya.

I don’t really buy into all this bird flu panic shit (unless they’re planning on releasing something around election time to kill a bunch of us and invoke marital law under a “health emergency”), but it’s nice to know that the Bush Administration has the best minds working on a solution, just in case.

Here’s Health and Human Sevices Secretary Mike Leavitt’s plan for the avian flu:

“When you go to the store and buy three cans of tuna fish, buy a fourth and put it under the bed,” Leavitt said. “When you go to the store to buy some milk, pick up a box of powdered milk, put it under the bed. When you do that for a period of four to six months, you are going to have a couple of weeks of food. And that’s what we’re talking about.”

Hey, Mike, I’m on it. I’ll keep my canned tuna handy, right next to my duct tape, and my two boxes of “emergency” wine. Bill Frist would probably suggest we grab an extra cat or two from the shelter, too. If you don’t need to eat ’em, you can always pick up a copy of “So, You Want to be a Surgeon” and get a little practice in.

The Chimp’s gonna be in my neck of the woods today, as he flies in to Rochester, and heads off to the Canandaigua Academy, apparently to try and sell his prescription drug plan to senior citizens. Yo, dubya, just tell ’em to stash a couple extra cans of cat food under their beds. Who meeds medicine?