The order from the federal district court in Texas (PDF). Discuss.

Politico:

The Donald is gearing up for Tampa. When the Republican National Convention kicks off next Monday, Donald Trump will have a “surprise” role on its first day, people familiar with the matter said Sunday evening.

Why is Romney having a birther featured at his convention? Also too, was Joe Arpaio not available?

I'll be on Daily Kos radio with Jesse LaGreca this morning at 11 Eastern.

We'll be talking about Todd Akin and "legitimate rape" among other things:

So much to watch tonight: Breaking Bad, Weeds, and a new season of the Great Food Truck Race.

There's also a new BBC in America crime series starting, Copper. It's the network's first original scripted series. It takes place in New York's Five Points after the civil war and features an Irish heavy-handed cop ("He does bad things to bad people") in an era in which the cops were as corrupt as the criminals and there was no such thing as Miranda rights. The series was created by Tom Fontana ("Homicide: Life on the Street") and produced by Barry Levinson. The madam is played by Franka Potente, who starred in "Run Lola Run" (a very strange film that I really liked and have seen a few times.) Anyway, it's getting very good reviews all around.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome, TV related or not.

Rudy Giuliani today said Joe Biden is "too unbalanced" to be step into the role of President should that become necessary.

"I don't think he's nuts. I'm just saying I wonder if he's got the kind of balance - probably what I should have said is the balance to be president of the United States," Giuliani said. "This guy is like one gaffe after another, and he's a joke on late-night television."

Earlier this week he said Biden isn't too bright. He was referring to Biden's comment on Tuesday, when speaking to a predominantly African American group, that "Mitt Romney's regulatory policies would "put y'all back in chains."

In 2008, when Sarah Palin used the words "blood libel" in responding to media reports that she may have contributed to the Arizona shootings, which many regarded as anti-Semitic, he defended her. [More...]

Update: Assange spoke from a balcony. He looked healthy. He called for an end to the U.S. war against whistleblowers:

"The United States must vow it will not pursue journalists for shining a light on the secret crimes of the powerful"

Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange is scheduled to give a statement today at 2pm London time from the Ecuadoran embassy.

How will he do it without stepping outside where British police are waiting? [More...]

The New York Times has an editorial today on Obama and Romney/Ryan's dueling and confusing positions on Medicare. It fact checks the major points and concludes:

In the Medicare arena, the choice is between a Democratic approach that wants to retain Medicare as a guaranteed set of benefits with the government paying its share of the costs even if costs rise, and a Republican approach that wants to limit the government’s spending to a defined level, relying on untested market forces to drive down insurance costs.

Beautiful day here. Which means an open thread for you, all topics welcome.

The three female members of the Russian punk rock group "Pussy Riot" were sentenced to two years in prison today following Judge Marina Syrova's 3 hour reading of the verdict, finding them guilty of "hooliganism." What is hooliganism? From the verdict: [More...]

Daily Kos Radio's Ministry of Truth show, with me and Jesse LaGreca, is on today live.

Listen here.

The Blue Skies Netroots Radio Player

Some experts weigh in with some possibilities on how Julian Assange will get out of the Ecuadoran Embassy in London and whether Britain would revoke Ecaudor's status under a little if ever used law and go in and seize him.

Among the possibilities being discussed: Having him escape in an oversized diplomatic bag or crate. another one:

Ecuador could name Assange its representative to the United Nations. That would make him immune from arrest while traveling to U.N. meetings around the world. Assange could be stripped of his role as representative by the U.N. General Assembly, but in the meantime would be protected.
[More...]

The Center for Disease Control today announced that all baby boomers should be tested for Hepatitis C.

Arizona is denying drivers' licenses to young immigrants who apply for a deferral of removal under President Obama's order.

A jury has awarded $4.5 million to a gay student in his lawsuit against lawyer Andrew Shirvell, formerly an assistant attorney general, who wrote about him on an anti-gay blog and on social media pages. The student had offered to drop the lawsuit if the Shirvell apologized. Shirvell was fired from the AG's office after his postings. An apology vs. $4.5 million -- big mistake.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.