Update: John Nichols: A Baldwin shift to Obama could send crucial message

So, why is Wisconsin's most progressive elected official and superdelegate still declared, alone among elected state officeholders, for Hillary Clinton?

Good question for Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison).

What does it take from Clinton for Baldwin to jump ship?

Bush and his gay-hating pigs can always be counted on to if not lead, at least emulate, the worst of the world's bigotries.

from Doug Ireland at Z-Net:

President George W. Bush and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may not agree on much, but tragically they may find common ground about the disposability of Hassan Parhizkar's life.

Since November 7, a mild-mannered 40-year-old gay Iranian businessman from Rockville, Maryland has been sitting in jail in the Frederick County, Maryland Detention Center, housed with common criminals, in the living hell of limbo between the freedom he has known since he came to the United States as a young man 17 years ago and the certain persecution, imprisonment, or worse that will be his fate as a gay man if he is sent back to Iran.

A deportation order to send him back to Iran has been issued, and any day he could be put on a plane back to Tehran, where he was born.

"I am very afraid, and so very frustrated," Hassan Parhizkar told me in a truncated, collect telephone call from jail.

Wrote a few posts at Daily Kos, Folkbum and MAL Contends about the racist Jim Broussard cutting down and stealing an American flag on someone's private property in Reno, Nevada, last week, while brandishing a military knife, and daring anyone to take the flag back.

Most of the hostile e-mail and comments spoke indignantly of the failure of "they (Mexicans)/them" to assimilate into our country, and misstating First Amendment doctrine and the rights of freedom generally. Below is an e-mail that is my personal favorite and the most revealing.

The e-mail still has me wondering if someone can actually be that dumb, and it sounds like something a couple of friends would say when they mock racists and other assorted ignoramuses:

 by Michael Leon at MAL Contends

Madison, Wisconsin — Several major American religious right figures signing an anti-Iraqi withdrawal statement were previously identified by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as extremists assaulting tolerance and pluralism in America.

A group of 44 right-wing, extremist American leaders released a Declaration on Monday urging the continuation of American policy in Iraq and warning of catastrophic consequences if America withdrawals from Iraq.

- via MAL Contends

  X-off has a nice piece noting that Republicans have a ways to go to reach Latinos.  

Here’s a piece of advice for Republicans: Don’t call them “roaches,” like the leading rightwing luminary Ann Coulter just did in Human Events.  

- via Rob Kall

Jerry Falwell, one of the most despicable abusers of the teachings of Jesus and the earnest faith of religious Christians, a foul, mean-spirited power hungry Neanderthal who sought to set back civilization has been called to meet his maker. I have no doubt, he will join the other racists, bigots, homophobes, war mongers, greedy money-grubbing corporatists and holy-rolling religious hypocrites he supported, encouraged and empowered.

Falwell made his infamous, and perhaps signature statement after 9/11 on the 700 club, saying, "the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians," as well as liberal advocacy groups were to blame for the attacks, according to Fox news. He later made a weak, non-specific apology. This statement could well be the quote that he is and should be remembered by.