Depending upon which part of the political/
gender/color/Kinsey/socio-economic/age/
cultural/religious spectrum you fall on, this week brought news that was guaranteed to delight or disgust you—in some cases, both.
Between the Supreme Court's rulings on the Voting Rights Act, the Defense of Marriage Act, and California's Prop 8, there was more than enough joy and outrage to go around.
And that's to say nothing of Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis' marathon filibuster; the next Scott Brown's very special election in Massachusetts; the Senate's passage of comprehensive immigration reform; or the growing blacklash against Paula Deen.
Bottom line: If you can't find anything to love and/or hate about this week's events, you must be a nihilist.
Morning lineup:
Meet the Press: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis (D); Prop 8 Plaintiff's Attorney Ted Olson; Roundtable: Rachel Maddow (MSNBC), Ralph Reed (Faith and Freedom Coalition), Georgetown University Prof. Michael Eric Dyson, Jim DeMint (Heritage Foundation) and Pete Williams (NBC News).
Face the Nation: Prop 8 Plaintiff's Attorney Ted Olson; Tony Perkins (Family Research Council); Former NSA/CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden; Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis (D); Roundtable: Michael Gerson (Washington Post), Benjamin Jealous (NAACP), Lehigh University Prof. James Peterson, Fernando Espuelas (Univision) and Jan Crawford (CBS News).
This Week: Julian Assange (WikiLeaks); Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis (D); Chad Griffin (Human Rights Campaign); Brian Brown (National Organization for Marriage); Roundtable: GOP Strategist Matthew Dowd, Terry Moran (ABC News), Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) and Peggy Noonan (Wall Street Journal).
Fox News Sunday: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL); Rep. Trent Gowdy (R-SC); Roundtable: Kimberley Strassel (Wall Street Journal), Mara Liasson (NPR), Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post) and Juan Williams (Fox News).
State of the Union: Prop 8 Plaintiff's Attorney David Boies; John Eastman (National Organization for Marriage); Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA); Rep. Luis Gutierrez (R-IL); Matt Bai (New York Times); Corey Dade (The Root); Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA); Democratic Strategist Hilary Rosen; Reliable Sources: George Washington University Prof. Steve Roberts; American University Prof. Jane Hall; Terence Smith (Formerly of PBS); Eric Deggans (Tampa Bay Times); Robbie Myers (Elle); Janet Reitman (Rolling Stone).
Note: This will be Howard Kurtz's last week hosting "Reliable Sources."
Evening lineup:
60 Minutes will feature: an interview with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (preview); and, a two-part interview with author/historian David McCullough (preview).
On Comedy Central...
Guest host John Oliver and the "Daily Show" team weighed in on the Supreme Court's DOMA decision.
And Stephen Colbert discovered Darrell Issa's reason for refusing to release the full IRS interview transcripts.
Note: The Daily Show and The Colbert Report will be airing reruns this week.
Elsewhere...
One of Wendy Davis' esteemed colleagues quacked up during her epic filibuster.
The brilliance this time comes from state Sen. Bob Deuell (R-So SMRT), whose legislative website says he is "a board-certified family physician." According to the Facebook post by his colleague Rep. Dukes, Sen. Deuell (who is now one of the R's in the Texas Senate trying to interrupt Sen. Davis's filibuster) had this insight during the debate:
Another ah ha moment in the senate during SB5, Sen. Duel [sic] said pregnancy only occurs after "accurate intercourse". But of course, any other is I assume inaccurate. Hmmmm!
Meanwhile...
"God's law" reigned supreme in the Pennsylvania state legislature.
It takes just one legislator to end the impromptu remarks. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe was one of the House Republicans who objected.
"I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God's law," said Metcalfe, R-Butler.
Two more Democratic legislators got up to speak in support of Sims. Neither was allowed to proceed.
And, in other news...
Stupidity was on the menu for Rep. Steve Stockman's communications director.
An aide to Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) failed the so-called "SNAP Challenge" last week, just days after accusing Democrats of "intentionally buying overpriced food and shopping at high-priced chains."
The aide, Donny Ferguson, accepted the challenge in response to dozens of Democrats who lived off the program for a week to draw attention to the inadequacy of the average benefit of $4.50 per day. [...]
The Dallas Morning News reported on Monday that the communications aide had to buy additional food after embarking on an unexpected trip. Since he was unable to carry his canned purchases onto the plane, "Ferguson limited himself to $9 in meals while traveling" and ended up "going about 14 percent over budget." [...]
Ferguson, however, remains undaunted, saying he will donate the additional food to a food bank and is now referring to himself as the "Undisputed Snap Challenge Champion."
You get nothing! You lose! Good day, sir!
- Trix