Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh has joined Hillary Clinton in foaming at the mouth rhetoric against Iran that is sharply to the right of Dubya’s rantings.

Even yellow dog Democrat columnist Molly Ivins has had enough with these non-Democratic Democrats, and their refusal to take stands (except for when they try to out-flank the Republican Right and that’s noxious political calculation, not a stand on principle), saying “I will not support Hillary Clinton for president” (via Empire Burlesque)

Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone This is not a Dick Morris election. Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.

If no one in conventional-wisdom politics has the courage to speak up and say what needs to be said, then you go out and find some obscure junior senator from Minnesota with the guts to do it. In 1968, Gene McCarthy was the little boy who said out loud, “Look, the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes.” Bobby Kennedy — rough, tough Bobby Kennedy — didn’t do it. Just this quiet man trained by Benedictines who liked to quote poetry.

Oh come on, people — get a grip on the concept of leadership. Look at this war — from the lies that led us into it, to the lies they continue to dump on us daily.

You sit there in Washington so frightened of the big, bad Republican machine you have no idea what people are thinking. I’m telling you right now, Tom DeLay is going to lose in his district. If Democrats in Washington haven’t got enough sense to OWN the issue of political reform, I give up on them entirely.

Do not sit there cowering and pretending the only way to win is as Republican-lite. If the Washington-based party can’t get up and fight, we’ll find someone who can.

This is extraordinary, especially coming from Molly Ivins who has said for years she prefers to work within the Democratic Party for change rather than go a third party route. Now even she can no longer stomach the contemptible cowardice and evasion of beltway Democrats.

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MSNBC ratchets up attack on Iraq war opponents, compares us all to Bin Laden

They weren’t doing this a few short months ago. Back then, the Right was smug, confident. Now the war has gone way wrong, Abramoff fallout may jail some of them, and polls show their support is evaporating.

That’s why they’re getting hysterical. Let’s keep up the pressure. They’re starting to crack. As to the specifics of what the Right is babbling, I’ll let other sites like AmericaBlog and CrooksandLiars handle that. They enjoy doing it, and do it well. Me, I’m an antiwar organizer. For organizers, screaming at those on the other side is a waste of energy and a pointless tactic. You’ll be more effective by focusing on the uncommitted and especially on those starting to respond to your message. You build coalitions and effective movements by working with similar groups (regardless of whatever differences you may have) and by attracting like-minded people to your cause. Ranting about what O’Reilly said last night doesn’t build movements. Organizing does.

It feels more like the late 60’s every day. The polarization. Yes, the center is shrinking. People are going to the edges and choosing sides. The Left is, I think, in the ascendant now, with the pendulum (finally) moving our way.

These are dangerous times. But that also means opportunity. Let’s seize the moment and all do whatever we can. Now.

And please, don’t wait for D.C. Democrats to do it for you. That’s a huge mistake liberals and some progressives are making - hoping they can somehow implore Democratic leadership to actually lead. Again, a waste of time. Just get out there and organize. The change will not come from the top down, it will - and is - coming from the bottom up.

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In a stinging rebuke, a federal judge Friday ordered the city of Los Angeles to pay $1.1 million in attorney fees and costs to the family of slain rap artist Notorious B.I.G. as sanctions for intentionally withholding evidence.

U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper last summer declared a mistrial in the family’s civil lawsuit after finding that a Los Angeles Police Department detective hid statements linking the killing to rogue LAPD officers David A. Mack and Rafael Perez — a central figure in the Rampart police scandal.

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