A new season of American Idol just started. Is anyone watching? There's a new judge this year.

I couldn't help but watch The Bachelor last night. My predictions: He chooses Melissa, with Molly being the #2 and Jillian #3.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

During the presidential campaign, President-elect Obama pledged numerous times to end DEA raids on individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state law. The U.S. Attorney General is the member of the cabinet who will implement Obama¹s criminal justice policies, including federal marijuana enforcement.

Confirmation hearings for Obama's nominee, Eric Holder, are scheduled to begin on January 15th before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Holder's past positions on drug law reform are outlined here.

Via NORML:

Please help NORML make sure the next Attorney General keeps the promises made by President-elect Obama! Call or write Senator Leahy's office at (202) 224-4242 and say:

With the Newsweek-led drive to mainstream "What Dick Did", it is important to remember that the Beltway and Newsweek have no grasp of history. This morning on Joe Scarborough's show, Newsweek Managing Editor Jon Meacham demonstrated his feeble grasp of the history regarding Lincoln, the Civil War and civil liberties. I addressed that here. In addition, FDR's name was also thrown around as an example to follow. You see, according to Newsweek, Korematsu was one of the great moments in American jurisprudence, not a shameful chapter in our history.

But the interesting thing is "Dick" did not even pass the Korematsu test. I'll explain why on the flip.

Remember when the Beltway thought "lying under oath" was an affront to the Constitution? No? Okay, let me try this -- do you remember when the Beltway thought "lying" under oath about oral sex with an unrelated consensual third party in a civil deposition in a case funded and promoted by right wing extremists was an affront to the Constitution?

Lying to Congress? About politicizing the Justice Department? The Beltway says, "who cares?" After all, "what would Dick Do?" is the key question President-elect Obama should be asking himself according to the Beltway Gasbags.

Speaking for me only

Is Troy Aikman a "dignitary" in need of protection? A U.S. Marshal claims government resources were not misused when Aikman, Joe Buck, and Joseph Band, a lawyer for the Marshals Service who happened to be a part-time statistician for Fox Sports, were driven to the 2008 Super Bowl by a deputy marshal.

Investigators found that in at least three cities (Boston; Tampa, Fla.; and Phoenix), United States Marshals granted Band’s request for vehicles and drivers, even though it should have been clear that he was not at the games on official business, the [Inspector General's] report said.

Band arranged for Marshals Service escorts to an NFL playoff game and to a couple of World Series games. Instead of coming clean and admitting that Band misused governmental resources for his own purposes, and that the marshals who signed off on his requests made mistakes, the marshal for Arizona claimed transporting Aikman and Buck "could be considered 'dignitary protection.'" Aikman was a fine quarterback and Buck is a stellar announcer, but dignitaries they are not. As excuses for poor judgment go, this one is awfully lame.

Bumped - BTD

Update (TL) 8:47 am MT: Hillary just finished her statement. The Q and A is beginning.

The hearing on the confirmation of Sen. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State is tomorrow before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It's expected to be a one day hearing with a vote on Thursday.

By nearly all accounts, Hillary Clinton is on a fast track to confirmation for the premiere position in the cabinet of President-elect Barack Obama. Not only has committee chairman Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) scheduled a vote on her confirmation for Thursday, but its top Republican, Dick Lugar of Indiana, said he would vote for her before she was even officially nominated....After meeting with her last week, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) called her nomination "a net plus for the administration and the country."

Go Hillary. This is a no-brainer. We're fortunate Obama chose her. Here's to a speedy confirmation.

Glenn Greenwald:

Politicians, by definition, respond to political pressure. Those who decide that it's best to keep quiet and simply trust in the goodness and just nature of their leader are certain to have their political goals ignored. It's always better -- far better -- for a politician to know that he's being scrutinized closely and will be praised and supported only when his actions warrant that, and will be criticized and opposed when they don't.

Why is so hard for some folks to understand this?

Speaking for me only

On Joe Scarborough's morning show, Newsweek's Jon Meacham continues that magazine's attempt to mainstream torture and Executive abuse of power "in time of war." Let's accept the dubious premise that federal policy against potential terrorist attacks on the United States is "a war," what is the basis for arguing that the Constitution becomes inoperative in time of war? Meacham argues that Abraham Lincoln made that argument and acted in that fashion. This is not accurate history. More importantly, it is not legally relevant. With the Al Marri case now going before the Court, this question will actually be before the Supreme Court. Let's consider the issues on the flip.

In the last week, the number of Guantanamo detainees on hunger strikes has risen to from 34 to 42. There are about 250 detainees in all. Possible reasons for the increase, according to the Pentagon: Obama's inauguration and the Jan. 11 anniversary of the opening of Gitmo.

As of last Friday, 25 of the detainees were being force-fed.

US military authorities said forced feedings begin after a detainee either has gone three weeks without a meal, has fallen below 85 percent of his ideal body weight, or if a doctor has recommended it as a medical necessity to preserve an inmate's life.

The Administration defends the force-feeding. The ACLU vociferously disagrees and condemns the force-feeding as inhumane: [More...]

Today unnamed Obama advisors say Obama will order Guantanamo closed during his first week in office.

Ordering Guantanamo's prison closed is not the same thing as closing it. There's no mention of a timetable. As noted yesterday, he said on ABC's This Week not to expect it during his first 100 days.

When is a cigar not a cigar? Apparently, when it comes to closing Guantanamo. As the ACLU says in its latest press release on the anonymously-sourced promise:

“While the news from unnamed sources in the Obama transition team about the closing of Guantánamo is certainly welcome, what we need are specifics about the timeline for the shuttering of the military commissions and the release or charging of detainees who have been indefinitely held for years. Executive orders are an important first step. But we trust that President-elect Obama will provide a detailed plan for ending the Guantánamo military commissions, shutting down the Guantánamo military prison and ending President Bush’s legacy of indefinite detention. An executive order lacking such detail, especially after the transition team has had months to develop a comprehensive plan on an issue this important, would be insufficient.

More...

Via TPM:

The Secretary of the Senate has determined that the new credentials presented today on behalf of Mr. Burris now satisfy Senate Rules and validate his appointment to the vacant Illinois Senate seat. . . . "As we had outlined to Mr. Burris, a path needed to be followed that respects the rules of the Senate. We committed to Mr. Burris that once those requirements were satisfied, we would be able to proceed. We are pleased that everything is now in order, we congratulate Senator-designee Burris on his appointment and we look forward to working with him in the 111th Congress."

So that letter in December from Senate Democrats about not seating any Blago appointee? Nevermind. They never meant it. What a humiliating embarrassment for Reid and Durbin.

Speaking for me only

My favorite baseball player, Rickey Henderson, was elected to the Hall of Fame today, his first time on the HOF ballot. Tim Kurkjian writes a great piece on Rickey. Here's a snip:

[T]here's no denying that Henderson is the greatest base stealer ever, and one of the greatest players ever. "But he didn't like day games," [Tom] Candiotti said. "We had a day game in Oakland, and Rickey struck out. He walked all the way through the dugout talking to himself, he always talked to himself. He was saying, 'I don't know who's inside Rickey's body, but he better get out because the guy in there doesn't like day games, he only shows up on day games, so he better get out.' We were all laughing so hard. I wish I'd played my entire career with Rickey because he was just so entertaining. And he was just so good."

In addition, Jim Rice was elected to the Hall in his last year of eligibility.

This is an Open Thread.