This is a short, but sweet diary. Last year I came across a very interesting interview with David Paterson on Thirteen/WNET New York. The extensive interview, by Rafael Pi Roman touches on a variety of topics including his family life, race, discrimination, education, politics, his disability and more. You also get a good feel for his personality.

With the events unfolding in New York and Paterson about to take the reins up in Albany next Monday, I finally was able to dig up the interview. Many of us, including us New Yorkers, know little about Paterson and this video gives a look at what he's about as a politician.
Interview with David Paterson

Just heard on WFAN radio in New York that CBS Radio has immediately dismissed Don Imus. Mike and the Mad Dog, afternoon sports talk hosts are expressing their outrage right now. The pressure worked and Imus will no longer earn $10 million/year to broadcast his hate filled content.

This was about more than one comment. Imus and his sidekicks, along with the media outlets that broadcast his show, have made alot of money off of their racist, sexist and homophobic content. On Daily Kos and elsewhere on the blogosphere, we've gone after hate radio station KSFO in San Francisco as well as Ann Coulter when she made that horrible comment about John Edwards. Alot of folks want to go after Glen Beck and others for their hateful speech. I say let's go.

"Whitey plucked you from the jungle..." This is a quote from the "Imus in the Morning" radio program. Please read on for more about it.

Whether or not you feel that Don Imus is a racist, it's clear to me at least that his producer and on-air sidekick Bernard McGuirk is. McGuirk is usually the instigator for much of the racist/sexist/homophobic commentary that occurs on the "Imus in the Morning" radio program.

Of course the "nappy headed hoes" comment has been getting ALOT of attention, however, the Imus program has a long history of racist, sexist and homophobic comments that many seem to either be unaware of, or just ignore. Below the fold is a recent example of other abhorrent commentary.

For those that want to take action and exert pressure on advertisers on the "Imus in the Morning" program, which is produced by CBS Radio and simulcast on MSNBC.com, I created a partial list of advertisers of his radio program. I only listened to the last 90 minutes of the show today, so this list is not complete.

Whether or not you feel that Imus should be fired, or, you just want the advertisers to pressure him to elimiate racially, sexist and homophobic charged content from his radio program, please take a few minutes to send some emails or make a few phone calls to express your concern or outrage.

Please note, this is a basic list compiled from information gathered from their corporate websites. If anyone has better contact info, please post it in the comments.

Don Imus, whose nationally broadcast radio show is simulcast of MSNBC, has a long history of making racist comments on his show, and, allowing his sidekicks to make racist statements. For those who are not familiar with the comments from last Wednesday's Imus in the Morning Show, you can read the transcript at Media Matters

Yes, whether sincere or not, Imus made an on-air apology Friday. However, what led to the apology? Did he really feel that what he said was so offensive, or was it the public pressure mounted against him and his radio station? Just one day before his mea culpa, he wasn't so apologetic.

And so on Thursday, Mr. Imus wondered aloud on his show what the big deal was, saying people should not be offended by "some idiot comment meant to be amusing."
Link.

There are more women in the U.S. Armed Forces now than at any time in our history. Like their male counterparts, there are different reasons why they decide to commit years of their life in order to serve their country. No matter their reason for serving, they do so with honor and courage which makes it all the more sickening that these women are resorting to carrying weapons with them when going to the latrine in order to protect them selves from the fellow male servicemembers.

Link.Spc. Mickiela Montoya, 21, who was in Iraq with the National Guard in 2005, took to carrying a knife with her at all times. "The knife wasn't for the Iraqis," she told me. "It was for the guys on my own side."

I was in middle school, I believe the seventh grade, when I learned about the human reproductive system in what was then called health education class. Of course, part of that education included learning about the penis and the vagina. Well, it turns out that thirty years later, here in the 21st century, a high school student can be suspended for using the word at a school sponsored "open min" event.

...is our own place."

While wrapping gifts and reading news stories online I came across this USA Today story titled: "Homelessness Catches Families Even Amid Affluence".

Christine Fuller finds holiday kindness at unexpected moments, such as before sunrise at a bus stop 7 miles from the White House.

A bus driver sees her switching buses each weekday morning at 6:15 with four neatly dressed children, ages 6 to 10, as she escorts them to a before-school program. The driver lauds their behavior and says he wants to give each child a Christmas present.

Fuller doesn't know his name. He doesn't know hers. She says presents would be fine.

The bus driver also doesn't know that Fuller and her children are homeless. They've been living at a shelter since September. Fuller has a full-time job that pays her $23,000 a year but says she can't afford an apartment in this affluent suburb of Washington, D.C., where a typical two-bedroom apartment rents for $1,225 a month.

It won't be much longer before New York State has a new governor and it can't happen soon enough. The state government is famous for it's 'three men in a room' unofficial form of governance as well it's many instances of corruption. This story I just came across in the New York Observer typifies the crooked style of government Republican Governor George Pataki has exhibited for the last 12 years. More below.

There's a very close race in CA-50 which has some significant implications. Francine Busby is running to replace the seat vacated by convicted Republican Randy Cunningham. Francine's opponent, Brian Bilbray is a Republican lobbyist with a questionable past. Sounds familiar. Turns out that John McCain was expected to headline at a fundraiser for Bilbray but wound up cancelling very late. With his Abramoff ties, Bilbray is the perfect example of someone we don't need in the House. The Busby campaign has been very successful in fighting off a massive smear campaign funded by upwards of $4 million from the NRCC, however, she still needs our help.

In CA-50, Democratic candidate Francine Busby is locked in a tight battle against Republican lobbyist Brian Bilbray. This special election is to replace the convicted felon and corrupt Republican congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham who is now serving time in a federal prison. It's no surprise that the subject of ethics has played a prominent role in this campaign and it seems that ethics is an area that Republican lobbyist Brian Bilbray is lacking. Yesterday, I diaried about just who Brian Bilbray is and wrote about some of his questionable dealings in the past.
More below.

In just over a week, June 6 to be exact, there will be a special election held to replace federal convict and corrupt former Republican Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham. The Democratic party candidate is Francine Busby. A fine candidate who is is making ethics reform a large part of her campaign. A very appropriate topic taking into account not only the cretin that she is vying to replace, but also considering the lobbyist she is running against. More below about Mr. Bilbray.

It's time to start banging the drums (again) for Francine Busby. There are just 34 days left until the election in CA-50, a congressional district which we can turn blue. Francine is now in a run-off election against Republican lobbyist Brian Bilbray. Both volunteer and financial support is needed to win this seat and we need to re-start those efforts immediately. The Busby campaign has  successfully weathered a $1.4 million ad buy by the NRCC and despite these many false and misleading ads, the Busby campaign has not only endured, but has managed stay very close in the polls, even in the middle of the barrage of attack ads.

The right of a woman to have control over what happens to her body is something that many here hold close to our hearts and is a right that we will vigorously defend. In just four days a special election will be held in California that can play a big role in preserving a woman's right to choose. Democratic candidate Francine Busby is running against a slew of GOP wingnuts for the right to represent the people of CA-50. The prospects are good for Busby winning in this formerly GOP represented district and her victory would go a long way in the struggle to protect women's reproductive rights. Recent polls show Busby with strong numbers and her fundraising is tops among all candidates with over 8,000 contributions from individuals providing strong evidence of wide grassroots support.

After having his press conference today disrupted by a mob organized by Tom Delay's campaign manager Chris Homan, Nick Lampson the Democratic candidate to replace Delay in TX-22 handled it with class and grace. It didn't seem to be anything new to him and I get the impression that this sort of thing happened before. For those who haven't read about this incident yet, mini mum wrote a diary about the incident.

Here we are, coming up on five years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and you'd think that with all of the Republican claims about how safe they are making our country, that we'd have a comprehensive security plan in place to protect out nuclear power plants. Wrong.

It's amazing how the GOP bullshit artists are able to get away with their fairy tales about just how well they're defending the homeland. Read on for more about how they're failing to protect us from further terrorist attacks.

The April 11th special election in CA-50 is rapidly approaching. With only 29 days to go it's important to get the word out that this is a winnable race and a good opportunity for a Democratic party pickup of this seat. Francine Busby has recently announced that her campaign has topped the $1 million mark in fundraising (with contributions from over 6,700 individuals) and has been the top fundraiser of all candidates in the race.

Hey New Yawkas, howudooin? lol Just here to let everyone in NYC and NYC suburbs know about a two fun and exciting fundraising events being held this coming Tuesday in Westchester County and Manhattan. This is your chance to meet and support to great Democratic party candidates running for their respective congressional districts. They are teaming up Tuesday, March 14 to help each other raise money and meet supporters.

Coleen Rowley is already known to many. The retired FBI Special Agent and Time magazine's co-Person of the Year is running for the House seat in MN-02 which is currently held by Republican Bush lapdog John Kline.

John Hall, a citizen activist, songwriter and musician with the band Orleans, is running for the seat in NY-19 which is currently held by another Bush/Delay stooge Sue Kelly. Hall has also served as a county legislator in Ulster County.