Clarksville, TN Mayor Johnny Piper:

Johnny Piper, the mayor of Clarksville, TN, recently forwarded an anti-Muslim email urging all “patriotic Americans” to protest a U.S. Postal Service stamp that commemorates an Islamic holiday. Piper’s email falsely claims that the creation of the Eid stamp was ordered by President Obama. In fact, the stamp was first issued in 2001, during the Bush administration. It was reissued in 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

And yes, he’s a Republican.

Tennessee Mayor Defends Sending Out False Anti-Muslim Email [ThinkProgress]

Another hiring reminiscent of that of Michael Brown:

Over lunch this week in Dallas, Bush offered former White House official James K. Glassman the opportunity to run [his presidential library] think tank that the former president has described as a place to foster debate on democracy, education and other global concerns.

Glassman, who was an undersecretary of state in 2008, is a longtime fixture in Washington. He was a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute for 12 years and held top executive positions at the Atlantic Monthly, U.S. News & World Report and the New Republic.

Glassman also wrote Dow 36000. Wonder how that worked out?

James K. Glassman to Head Bush Library Policy Institute [Dallas Morning News]

David S. Broder:

Nonetheless, I think it is a matter of regret that Holder asked prosecutor John H. Durham to review the cases of the agents accused of abusive tactics toward some captives.

I realize this is a preliminary investigation, not a decision to prosecute anyone. And if it were to stop at that point, no great harm would have been done. But it is the first step on a legal trail that could lead to trials — and that is what gives me pause.

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Richard Cohen just can’t figure this torture thing out. He’s worred about Ishmael, a terrorist he dreamed up:

Now he is in American custody. What will happen? How do we get him to reveal his group’s plans and the names of his colleagues? It will be hard. It will, in fact, be harder than it used to be. He can no longer be waterboarded. He knows this. He cannot be deprived of more than a set amount of sleep. He cannot be beaten or thrown up against even a soft wall. He cannot be threatened with shooting or even frightened by the prospect of an electric drill. Nothing really can be threatened against his relatives — that they will be killed or sexually abused.

Don’t you hate it when you can’t threaten to fuck a detainee’s grandmother?

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Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell:

In McDonnell’s thesis at Regent — the school founded by Pat Robertson — the then-34-year old grad student laid out how his fundamental concern was the decline of the traditional family unit, and how government policies must be designed to counteract the nefarious influences that have contributed to it. As examples, McDonnell cited women joining the workforce, abortion and contraception (he even pined for the old days when non-marital sex was by itself a crime), and what he called a socialist effort to have the state replace the family unit.

TPM has some interesting details from the thesis here.

Deed’s Campaign Slams McDonnell’s Right Wing Thesis as ‘Blueprint for Governing’ [TPM]

Fuckabee:

The 2008 Republican presidential candidate suggested during his radio show, “The Huckabee Report,” on Thursday that, under President Obama’s health care plan, Kennedy would have been told to “go home to take pain pills and die” during his last year of life.

And the right-wing echo chamber keeps going, and going, and going …

Huckabee: Kennedy Would Have Been Urged to Die Earlier Under Obamacare [Sam Stein]

[via]

George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush:

George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush won’t attend Ted Kennedy’s funeral tomorrow, the AP reports. All of the living presidents had been expected at the senator’s service in Boston, but the 85-year-old Bush changed his mind after learning his son would be among the mourners, a rep says. Bush [43] will “amply and well represent” the family, the spokesman says.

The only thing W “well represents” is his own disgusting legacy. We’re reminded of that every time he surfaces.

Interestingly, the Bushes were nearly edged out by this man.