Super Tuesday (Live Updates)

Everything's super in the US of A: Superman, Super Bowl, Superpower, Superstars and, of course, Super Tuesday.

But the thing about Super Tuesday is that the math behind the process is so convoluted, you practically need a PhD to understand it. On top of that, there are Super Delegates whose votes won't come in until that last minute - months from now.

Keith Olbermann explains:


I don't have a dog in this fight. I have no use for the Democratic party and I'm definitely not one of the 15% of Canadians who would rather vote in the US election than our own.

That said, I'll throw out my prediction: Hillary wins the popular vote today while the delegate count is too close to call to make either Hillary or Obama the clear leader.

As for the Repubs, it looks like McCain (back from the dead) has the momentum, much to the chagrin of people like Rush Limbaugh who actually defended Clinton and Obama over McCain today. (Because that's how much he loathes McCain).

And isn't this handy for the Republicans? Be afraid, be very afraid. Pee your pants all the way to the polls: Intelligence Chief Cites Qaeda Threat to U.S.

I'll post results as they come in, because that's the kind of political junkie I am.

Results:

Obama wins in Indonesia. Really! Democrats Abroad are hooked up via the intertubes all over the world and the Indonesian results (such as they are) were the first ones to come in after midnite. The Republicans are not counting ex-pat votes in other countries because...well...democracy sucks, apparently. (Update: the Repubs voted the old-fashioned way - absentee ballots. I guess the tubes were just too complicated for them to figure out.)

The Huckster wins West Virginia.

NBC and CNN project that Obama has won Georgia.

8 pm ET and on:

NBC projected winners:

Democrats:

IL - Obama
OK - Clinton
TN - Clinton
AR - Clinton
MA - Clinton
DE - Obama
NJ - Clinton
AL - Obama
NY - Clinton
ND - Obama
UT - Obama
KS - Obama
CT - Obama
MN - Obama
Am Samoa - Clinton
ID - Obama
AZ - Clinton
MO - Obama ("apparent" winner - very close race)
UT - Obama
CO - Obama
CA - Clinton
AK - Obama
NM - too close to call at the time of this writing

Republicans:

IL - McCain
NJ - McCain
MA - The Mittster
CT - McCain
AR - The Huckster
DE - McCain
AL- The Huckster
NY - McCain
UT - The Mittster
GA - The Huckster
OK - McCain
AZ - McCain
ND - The Mittster
TN - The Huckster
MT - The Mittster
CA - McCain
MO - McCain ("apparent" winner)

A wise reminder about exit polls (which these projections are based on).
 

Mulroney Running Scared: Spector Testifies Today

Despite insisting last week that what Mulroney's chief of staff Norman Spector was prepared to reportedly testify to today is beyond the ethics committee's mandate in the Mulroney/Shreiber investigation, Mulroney's lawyers have launched what the G&M calls a "pre-emptive strike" one hour before Spector is set to appear before the committee this afternoon by providing documents relating to that supposedly irrelevant testimony:

The documents include a statement by Marilyn Burk, former assistant to the Mr. Spector, concerning the removal of confidential files from the prime minister's office, according to a media release.

There are also “various documents relating to the system of expense management at the PMO and OLO” and “to payments for 24 Sussex furnishings.”

Here's what Spector plans to submit to the committee:

Mr. Spector, former chief of staff to Mr. Mulroney in the early 1990s, has said he'll be bringing documented evidence to Parliament Hill of other cash transactions.

“The MPs will be interested no doubt in my good knowledge of the Bear Head project when I was chief of staff to Mr. Mulroney,” Mr. Spector wrote in French last week in Le Devoir newspaper.

“I equally hope to help the committee understand the motivations and the behaviour of my old boss by discussing other cases,” Mr. Spector continued.

“Finally, documents in hand, I believe myself quite capable of helping them identify the source of large quantities of money reported at 24 Sussex while Mr. Mulroney was prime minister of Canada.”

Today's hearing starts at 3:30 pm ET. Watch it live on CPAC.

Popcorn!

Related:

Spector's Jan 28, 2008 letter to Paul Szabo, chair of the ethics committee.

Ex-Mulroney chief of staff to tell MPs about cash

Background: The Fifth Estate's "Brian Mulroney: The Unauthorized Chapter"
 

Quote du Jour: Know Your Quotes

Health minister Tony Clement in question period on Tuesday:

The last refuge of scoundrels is to say you were misled.

Wrong!

Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels.

- William Samuel Johnson

And when it comes to using the refuge of "patriotism" against anyone who criticizes this Conservative government, there's no doubt who the real "scoundrels" are.
 

Alberta's Speech From the Throne

Alberta's Lt. Governor, Normie Kwong, delivered Alberta's Speech From the Throne (text) on Monday which was really just the Conservative government's launch of its election platform since it's expected that an election call will come at any time - most likely right after the speech with the date of March 3rd being floated.

You know there's an election coming up when the premier spends like a drunken sailor (in the tradition of Ralph Klein) and those promises have been coming fast and furious lately while Steady Eddy Stelmach hopes to hang onto his job. (Good luck with that!) As one reporter noted today, Alberta has had an influx of ~100,000 "immigrants" the past five years - not just from other countries, but from other provinces. Many of them had not had to suffer under decades of regressive Conservative rule in this province. On one hand then, they may throw their support behind these neanderthals if they're married to Conservative ideology or simply don't know any better about how the Cons have behaved in Alberta. On the other hand, the Liberals and NDP did make gains during the last election so the Conservative establishment here is nervous. And so it should be. Those new Alberta voters could bring much-needed change to a province mired in conservative orthodoxy for so long.

Probably the biggest news coming out of this year's speech is the promise by Stelmach to end health care premiums - a $900 million item that's long overdue. Charging premiums in this province, which has been drowning in oil money for decades, has been one of the Conservatives' most perverse taxes.

The move, which has been demanded by opposition parties and spending watchdogs for years, will save Alberta families $1,056 per year and individuals $528 annually. Municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals are expected to save more than $84 million annually.

Fellow Alberta blogger daveberta will also be following this race closely and here's a link to other Alberta blogs.

Updates as they come in...

- Kwong announced that health care premiums will be phased out over 4 years. That's just not fast enough.

- speaking of oil company money, Canadian Oil Sands profit quadruples. "Canadian Oil Sands said it earned $515-million, or $1.07 a unit, up from a year-earlier $128-million, or 27 cents a unit." That's just obscene.

- It's official: Steady Eddy just announced that our next election will be held March 3rd. Get out there and vote!
 

Sunday Food for Thought: Politicians

 

“Politics: “Poli” a Latin word meaning “many”; and "tics" meaning “bloodsucking creatures”.”
- Robin Williams

“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”
- Will Rogers

“The question is, why are politicians so eager to be president? What is it about the job that makes it worth revealing, on national television, that you have the ethical standards of a slime-coated piece of industrial waste?”
- Dave Barry

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress."
- Mark Twain

Random News & Views Roundup

- Did you know that Pakistan tested a medium range missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead just a few days ago? If, like me, you wonder why this happened now - in the midst of political chaos in that country - you'll find this Asia Times piece quite interesting.

- And, while you're at the Asia Times, check out this article by Tom Englehardt: Bombs away over Iraq: Who cares?. It's an eye-opening look at the increased use of air power in Iraq and the tens of thousands of pounds of bombs being dropped.

- Speaking of bombs: U.S. Says It Accidentally Killed 9 Iraqi Civilians (again) and Editor & Publisher takes on the claim that mentally disabled women (which the Times of London has labeled "Down's Syndrome Bombers") were used as suicide bombers in the latest Baghdad market attack.

- Omar Khadr's lawyers are back in the so-called "court" at Gitmo on Monday:

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - A U.S. military tribunal will hear arguments Monday on whether it has the right to try Omar Khadr, a Canadian captured as a 15-year-old while fighting against American forces in Afghanistan in 2002.

Lawyers for Khadr, now 21, argue in a challenge on the hearings' agenda that the judge would be the first in western history to preside over a trial for alleged war crimes committed by a child.
[...]
Khadr's trial is scheduled for May and is on track to be the first for a detainee at the U.S. naval base in southeast Cuba, where the Pentagon's efforts to hold the first war-crimes trials since the Second World War era have been stalled by legal setbacks.

A Pentagon spokesman, navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon, said that Khadr's age may be considered during the sentencing phase if he is convicted - but it does not affect the trial.

While the deck is stacked against Khadr, pressure from international human rights group is mounting - urging Canada's heartless government to do the right thing. This weekend, UNICEF released a statement in support of Khadr's rights as well.

If in contact with a justice system, persons under 18 at the time of the alleged offense must be treated in accordance with international juvenile justice standards which provide them with special protection.

- The IAEA's Mohammed ElBaradei reports that Iran is cooperating with his agency's inquiry into Iran's nuclear facilities and that his report will be released later this month. The clock is ticking. Will Bush start one more war before he leaves office? Could the fact that Iran is without internet access right now be related? Here's more on that.

- Finally, this news in Afghanistan is reportedly causing strains between the Brits and Karzai: Revealed: British plan to build training camp for Taliban fighters in Afghanistan
 

Death Penalty Sentence Reprieve for Afghan Student

The Independent reports:

In a dramatic volte-face, the Afghan Senate has withdrawn its confirmation of a death sentence on Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, the student convicted of blasphemy for downloading a report on women's rights from the internet.

The move follows widespread international protests and appeals to the President, Hamid Karzai, after the case was highlighted by The Independent and more than 38,000 readers signed our petition to secure justice for Mr Kambaksh. In Britain, the Foreign Secretary David Miliband, the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and the shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague, backed the campaign, and there have been demonstrations in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

But the fight isn't over:

Mr Kambaksh can now petition the court of appeal against both his conviction and sentence, and, afterwards, the supreme court. If he fails there, he can appeal directly to Mr Karzai – who has been inundated with emails about the case – for a pardon. Mr Kambaksh's brother, Sayed Yaqub Ibrahimi, welcomed the new position adopted by the Senate. He added, however, that he might have difficulties finding lawyers to present the case at the appeal court after warnings from fundamentalist groups against people "allying themselves with the apostate". He said the only realistic chance of his brother being freed might be the personal intervention of Mr Karzai.

The Independent will keep its petition going in the meantime. Canadians should contact the department of foreign affairs to put pressure on Bernier to keep an eye on this case. (Yes, I know he's practically useless and won't even stand up for the rights of Canadians held in other countries who are facing the death penalty, but he is the minister.) Bother Steve while you're at it too.

Update:

NDP presses for stronger stand by Ottawa on Afghan death sentence

OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jack Layton wants Parliament to take a stand in support of an Afghan journalist sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Islam.

In an interview Sunday, Layton complained the Conservative government has been largely silent on the case of Sayad Parwez Kambaksh, convicted by a court in northern Afghanistan two weeks ago.

"We have every right as a country to speak out on this issue," said the NDP chief.

Quote du Jour: Bozo Journalist Version

Iain Hunter in the National Post:

It could, of course, be argued -- and has been -- that the American involvement in Afghanistan followed far more logically from the 9/11 attacks than toppling Saddam Hussein and wrecking his country.

That's putting it rather fucking mildly, wouldn't you say, Iain?

There was absolutely no logic involved in linking 9/11 to Iraq.

(And don't count on America "surging" anytime soon in Afghanistan either.)
 

Quote du Jour: Newman on Karzai

My jaw dropped today while watching the CBC show Politics. The reason? While Don Newman was interviewing British Labour MP Kim Howells about the situation in Afghanistan, the matter of Karzai's rejection of Paddy Ashdown as UN "super envoy" to that country came up.

Here's what Newman had to say about Karzai's decision:

Who's he to say he can't accept him?

Gee Don, could it be that he's the president of Afghanistan??
 

Is the Harper Government Providing Cover for a Torturer?

The Globe & Mail lays out the case:

The Harper government knew, but tried to keep secret since last spring, allegations that the governor of Kandahar was personally involved in torture and abuse of detainees.

The allegations against Governor Asadullah Khalid, appointed directly by President Hamid Karzai and a key political partner to Canada's nation-building efforts in southern Afghanistan, were regarded as sufficiently credible that senior officials in Ottawa were immediately informed and Canadian diplomats secretly reported them to the International Red Cross and Afghanistan's main human-rights group.

Government documents detailing the accusations were heavily censored by the government which, claiming national security, blacked out the references to “the governor.” But multiple sources, both inside and outside the government, confirm that the words “the governor” have been censored as have whole passages referring to secret cells allegedly run by Mr. Khalid outside the official prison system.

Last spring was the time that Harper et al were very busy trying to convince Canadians that any torture allegations coming out of Afghanistan were just Taliban propaganda. Today, even after the government finally had to admit that there might be credible cases of detainees being tortured, the Cons' pit bull on the issue - Peter van Loan - called the allegations against Khalid and the obvious cover up "histrionics and hyperbole." We didn't believe them the last time they used such a weak, ad hominem defence and there's certainly no reason to believe them this time either since documents confirm that there were concerns raised about Khalid and his secret prisons.

Rumours have long linked Mr. Khalid to secret prisons. That he had close ties with U.S. intelligence agents and special forces had been known since Canadian troops arrived in southern Afghanistan in early 2006. But Ottawa didn't confront an accusation of the governor's direct involvement in the interrogation and torture of prisoners until it sent diplomats to inspect the main secret police prison in Kandahar on April 25, 2007.

“Another prisoner beckoned to us,” begins the crucial passages describing the first inspection of the secret National Directorate of Security police prison in Kandahar city.

The detainee, like others in the secret police jail, was in leg irons, according to the documents. He told the Canadians his name and described how he initially had been imprisoned for nearly a year, most of the time shackled alone in a room in one of the governor's private prisons. “He went on to state he had been interrogated by foreigners and the governor,” said the report by Gavin Buchan, a Canadian diplomat and Linda Garwood-Filbert, the head of the Canadian Corrections team in Afghanistan.

“He alleged that the governor beat him and gave him electric shocks,” Ms. Garwood-Filbert wrote in her inspection report. Eventually the prisoner was moved to the NDS prison where he gave his account to Canadian officials.

Within days, senior Canadian diplomats had passed on the reports to both the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

It also looks like government lawyers attempted to obstruct justice by not fully releasing the information concerning Khalid:

One meeting was with the International Committee of the Red Cross; the other with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. When the briefing note was finally made public late last year as part of the government's delivery of documents in the Federal Court case brought by Amnesty International Canada and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, it also had the words “the governor” blacked out, multiple sources have confirmed.

Despite sharing the allegations with the Afghan government and outside agencies, Ottawa kept them from a Canadian Federal Court judge hearing a case brought by Canadian rights groups. It claimed the national security exemption.

Why would Khalid be protected by claiming the release of his possible involvement in torture would be a "national security" risk? That's a handy Bush-like excuse for not revealing the truth about torture allegations. It's the same reason Maher Arar's case against Rumsfeld and the US government has had to go through appeals.

The G&M notes that we, the lowly peasants, have no way of knowing if the accusations against Khalid were investigated and it's important to keep in mind that he is a darling of the Bush administration and now, apparently, of the Harper government as well.

In other news on the torture front:

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The Afghan human rights agency charged with investigating the condition of arrested insurgents says it wants to reopen talks with Canada about turning detainees back over to Afghan authorities.

A spokesman for the Afghan Independent Human Rights Agency says they weren't told by Canadian officials that they'd stopped transferring detainees to Afghan authorities in November.

Farid Hamidi says the agency learned of the policy change from the media last week and only after that were they informed that the Canadians have arrested between 18 to 20 people since that time.

He says the assumption is that they are being held at the Kandahar Airfield, but he doesn't know that for sure because his agency isn't being kept in the loop.

Yet another secret.

This entire detainee debacle is a classic display of the incompetence of this government and its ferocious need for secrecy. What possible excuse could it have for not telling Afghanistan's Human Rights Agency that it had supposedly suspended transfers? I'm sure they'll shout "operational security" about this major whopper too.

Meanwhile, Rick Hillier is saying that if Canadian troops remain in Kandahar past February 2009, they will have to be in a combat role.

Oh....and...wait for it... :

Hillier also refused to comment on the number of detainees currently being held by Canadian Forces at their military base in Kandahar, citing the need for operational security.

Either I'm psychic or this government is way too predictable.

Related:

German troops to stay in Afghan north (despite Gates' "strongly worded letter")

Senators Challenge White House Approach on Afghanistan

Taliban shifts tactics in Afghanistan

Australian troops 'still needed in Afghanistan in 15 years'

Rice heads for London as Afghan crisis looms