by TChris

Following on the heels of Wednesday's criticism by leading scientists of the Bush administration's suppression or distortion of scientific evidence to provide a smokescreen for its unscientific approach to the environment, health care, and arms control, the administration admitted that "it improperly altered a report documenting large racial and ethnic disparities in health care."

The theme of the original report was that members of minorities "tend to be in poorer health than other Americans" and that "disparities are pervasive in our health care system," contributing to higher rates of disease and disability.

But that theme doesn't mesh well with the administration's cheery view of an America where racial inequality is a thing of the past, so the administration adopted its usual spin strategy: when the facts are inconvenient, ignore them or change them. And so,

the final report has an upbeat tone, beginning, "The overall health of Americans has improved dramatically over the last century."

The authors of the report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, led by Dr. Carolyn Clancy, resisted the bureaucratic pressure to doctor the report, but in the end gave in.

This just in from AJ, a frequent TaklLeft reader:

My friends in Plano tell me that Karl Rove was intimately involved in the decision for Bush to pardon David McCall. McCall's son, David McCall III, asked Texas state senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) to intercede with Karl Rove and the White House. As you can see from this excerpt from a Boston Globe story on Rove, Florence Shapiro's first state senate race was managed by Karl Rove:

The Boston Globe, July 23, 2000, Sunday

GEORGE W. BUSH'S MAIN MAN AS CHIEF STRATEGIST FOR THE BUSH CAMPAIGN, KARL ROVE TELLS THE CANDIDATE WHAT TO SAY, WHEN TO SAY IT, HOW TO SAY IT, AND WHERE TO SAY IT. AND BUSH IS LISTENING.

By David M. Shribman, Globe Staff

There may be no Classic Rove Campaign - the strategist says he trims his advice to fit the frame of each candidate - but the state senate campaign of Florence Shapiro provides something of a template. In the early 1990s, Shapiro was the mayor of Plano, Texas, a sprawling mass of irrigated Texas subdivisions that provided the setting for the television show Dallas. The road from there to Austin, however, was rough: Shapiro would have to plunge into a Republican contest against two male opponents, face the possibility of a run off after the primary, and then, if she hadn't been pummeled to a pulp politically, take on a general-election battle against a 13-year Democratic incumbent. There are easier ways to make a living.

Shapiro had heard good things about Rove, and she went after him. He became the strategist, but he was more than that. He was really an educator,
teaching her how to build political relationships (the lesson: People like to support a candidate they feel they can be in touch with), reminding her to look at the primary, not at the general election, preaching that she should never - not for a single moment - rely on her emotions, tutoring her in the technique of calculating every move.

"The skill I think Karl brings is to take the long view," says Shapiro. "He knows every possible move, and he knows every possible response. He lays out a plan for you that is day-in, day-out." Shapiro's gerrymandered district was rural, metropolitan, and suburban, all in one. Rove taught her that her campaign message had to be plausible to all three, and he helped her map a political strategy designed to play to her strengths. On it was education (it helped her reinforce her experience as a teacher). Also business (she owns a small advertising firm). And children (she has three). She learned her lessons well. She's been in the state senate for eight years.

We reported earlier on President Bush's curious pardon of convicted savings and loan fraud participant and former Plano, TX mayor David B. McCall, Jr. Here's a connection:

A prominent Republican Texas state legislator is Brian McCall of Plano, TX. In 1995, Brian McCall introduced H.R. 595--a bill to commemorate the 50th wedding anniversary of David B. McCall, Jr. and Nellie McCall. Brian McCall is the son of David B. McCall, Jr..

David McCall Jr.,'s other son is David McCall, III, a lawyer with the prominent Plano firm of Gay, McCall, Isaacks, Gordon & Roberts, P.C.

Last week, a Plano downtown plaza was renamed for Mr. McCall. It is now called the David McCall Jr. Sesquicentennial Plaza.

The Dallas Morning News says that the McCalls are not top contributors to President Bush's campaign.

President Bush has granted a pardon to a Texan who pleaded guilty to fraud in one of the 1980's Savings and Loan scandals. He is David B. McCall, Jr., former lawyer and mayor of Plano, Texas.

David B. McCall Jr., who is battling cancer, served six months in prison for his role in fraudulent loans at the Plano Savings and Loan Association, which failed in the mid-1980s.

Our ears perked up when we heard fraud and "1980's savings and loan" because that was what Neil Bush had been involved in. We checked on Lexis to see if there was a connection between McCall and Neil Bush and there wasn't. But, what we learned was that McCall's fraud was big. From the October 11, 1996 Dallas Morning News:

Former Plano Mayor David B. McCall Jr., one of the most prominent civic leaders in Plano's 115-year history, on Thursday pleaded guilty to bank fraud, federal prosecutors said. Mr. McCall, 72, is the second former mayor of the city to admit guilt in the case involving more than $ 25 million in fraudulent loans made in the mid-1980s.

President Bush is making progress. He's gone from not reading newspapers to reading the sports section:

I was just as surprised as the Yankee fans and the Boston Red Sox fans when I opened up my paper today," President Bush, the Rangers' former owner, told NBC at the Daytona 500. "It, obviously, is a big deal. ... A-Rod's a great player and the Yanks are going to be a heck of a team with him in the infield."

Thanks to Rooftop Report for the heads-up.

Did Neil Bush father a child with his paramour (now his fiance) while he was married to his wife Sharon? A judge has ordered Bush to submit to a DNA test.

Sharon Bush requested the tests to defend herself against a defamation lawsuit stemming from the tangled relationship between the Bushes and another Houston couple, Robert and Maria Andrews.

During the Bushes' contentious divorce, which became final in April, Sharon Bush testified she heard rumors that her husband had an affair with Maria Andrews and is the father of her 3-year-old son, Thomas Alexander Andrews.

The Andrewses ended their 14-year marriage in 2002. Robert Andrews sued Sharon Bush for defamation in September, saying he is the boy's father. Andrews demanded at least $850,000 in damages -- the amount Sharon Bush paid to buy the Memorial-area home in which she had lived with Neil Bush.

Our prior coverage is here.

Avedon Carol of Sideshow sums it up just right:

From all appearances, Hutton just refused to accept what the BBC said and accepted whatever Blair said instead, regardless of the fact that it's as plain as the nose on my face that the BBC was right and you'd have to be completely incompetent to believe that stupid "45 minutes" claim. So the head of the BBC fell on his sword, and everyone is supposed to pretend that Blair wasn't full of it. Please.

Our hearty congratulations to New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg who got married this weekend at the age of 81.

I was quite surprised to learn in reading the article that the new Mrs. Lautenberg is Bonnie S. Englebardt who is "in her 50's." I spent a week at a health spa with Bonnie, and her mother and sister Carol, in the early 1980's. I saw her a few times after, and remember when her husband Hank died of an unexpected heart attack at the young age of 40. I remember Bonnie's mother being appalled at my career, particularly my defense of persons accused of drug crimes. She thought drug dealers deserved the death penalty. I stayed good friends with Bonnie's sister Carol for a number of years, but lost touch a long time ago.

Bonnie was pretty, vivacious and fun.

Mr. Lautenberg, back at work in his Newark office on Monday, recalled in an interview that he and Ms. Englebardt first met in the late 80's when she traveled to Washington with a citizens group to lobby members of the Senate for support for Israel. She followed up that visit with a thank-you card and a note telling the senator that she was recently widowed and asking if he knew of any "interesting'' men who might be nice dinner dates.

"I put that card in my pocket, and about five months later, I called her,'' he recalled. "We went out, and I don't know whether she found me interesting, but here we are 16 years later.''

I'm glad for the newly married couple and wish them much happiness.

The Rocky Mountain Progressive Network says Karl Rove was on NPR this morning, talking about Colorado:

Karl Rove's laughable mendacity on NPR this morning, citing Colorado as an example of a state with a healthy economy and budget, have generated more spontaneous outburst to RMPN than we've had in a long time....

Here are the real stats.

Ashcroft Sings--hysterical, you gotta watch and listen:

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft ended a speech at a Charlotte, North Carolina seminary with a rousing rendition of a song he wrote called 'Let The Eagles Soar'

Who knew there was a Las Vegas lounge singer lurking inside him?

[link via Last One Speaks]

DNC bloggers at Kicking As* will be blogging live in real time during the State of the Union Address:

Tonight during President Bush's State of the Union Address, come back to this thread for live coverage. As Bush gives his speech, we'll deliver the facts on Bush's record that belies the promises he'll be making. Discuss Bush's speech in real time as you learn the truth about Bush's failed policies.

You can also use this as an open thread on SOTU. What did you think?

Update: There was applause when Bush said that key provisions of the Patriot Act will expire next year--then embarassed laughter-- it may have been a mistake as there was also applause when he said we need to renew it.

From Fair and Balanced Political Bias. Go look. [hat tip to Nathan C.]