Too Progressive

MSNBC is reporting that Barack Obama has cut ties with controversial religious leader Jeremiah Wright. Keith Olbermann is set to interview Barack Obama regarding the situation at any moment. This just shortly after Obama posted a blog on Huffington Post further distancing himself from Jeremiah Wright.

8:11pm UPDATE: The interview is now taking place on MSNBC. Let’s do some liveblogging…

8:13pm UPDATE: Obama says he had no idea Wright had made the so called “God Damn America” comments. Obama once again denounces and objects the statements.

8:14pm UPDATE: Obama: “Wright is like an Uncle. He doesn’t really talk to me about social issues, but brought me to God and taught me about faith, God and family.

8:18pm UPDATE: Subject changes to Tony Rezko. Obama confirms and reiterates that there is nothing in their relationship that relates to the corruption trial.

And that’s it that’s all. Overall Obama handled himself well in the (albeit brief) interview. One other important aspect that Obama addressed was that he said he does believe that this will be used by 527 groups and Republicans (and Clinton, obviously) as political fodder against him.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is set to give the Democratic rebuttal to Bush’s final State of the Union address. Let’s liveblog this too!

10:14pm - Sebelius is supposedly set to endorse Barack Obama for President. HA HA, it would be funny if she did it during her speech tonight.
10:16pm - You’re an American! I’m an American! Everyone watching tonight is American!
10:16pm - We’re all rolling our eyes at Larry King and Wolf Blitzer.
10:18pm - This will be a non-partisan rebuttal.
10:20pm - Will you join us, Mr. President? Will you join us?
10:23pm - There is uncertainty throughout the land!
10:25pm - If she ask George Bush to join us one more time…
10:26pm - Oh hey there, take tonight off, we’ll just get to work tomorrow.
10:26pm - Aaaaand she’s done! Who the hell wrote that speech? They are so fired. I’ll have the video up shortly (maybe).

[Earlier: LIVEBLOG: George Bush’s final State of the Union speech & LIVEBLOG SURGE PART 2: George Bush’s final State of the Union speech]

[Earlier: LIVEBLOG: George Bush’s final State of the Union speech]

9:36pm - He’s reminding us what happened on September 11, 2001. Rudy Giuliani (the mayor and owner of 9/11) is soooo happy right now!
9:38pm - We’re going to have a SURGE in Afghanistan now!
9:40pm - SURGE SURGE SURGE!
9:41pm - SURGE! The Iraqi’s launched some sort of grassroots SURGE (WTF?) IN Iraq! American SURGE!
9:42pm - Hey look there’s the oldest man (538 years old) in the world John Warner again!
9:47pm - Progress! Surge! Progress! Surge!
9:49pm - Forces of extremism in “the holy land.”
9:50pm - Condi Rice looks like a dragon! She also looks stoned..
9:53pm - Oh hey there, did you know the terrorists still want to kill us!
9:55pm - To protect you from terrorist we have to listen in on your phone calls, read your emails, and oh hey.. install cameras in public bathrooms too!
10:00pm - Hooray! Now we’re going to get a history lesson on how the Constitution was drafted.
10:01pm - HE SAID IT! HE SAID IT! The state of our union will remain strong! HAHAAHAH!
10:02pm - GOD BLESS AMERICA! It’s finally over!!
10:03pm - CNN reports that Hillary and Obama still haven’t spoken to each other. As I said in part one of the liveblog, they were only sitting about 10 feet from each other!
10:10pm - The NPR FactWatch blog calls Bush a lying liar!

And now, lets liveblog the Democratic rebuttal!

8:43pm - Ha ha, John McCain won’t be there!
9:00pm - Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne isn’t invited to the party!
9:01pm - The Bush twins are there (and probably drunk?). This is the first time they’ve attended Bush’s SOTU speech.
9:03pm - CNN just reported that Hillary Clinton is seated about 10 feet from Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy. When she walked over towards them Ted Kennedy reached across Obama to shake her hand, while Obama just looked away. BURRRRRN!
9:09pm - Bush calls for debate on the economy and foreign policy. Yeah because he’s been so open to debate over the past seven years.
9:10pm - Republicans and Democrats can cooperate! Wow……. Really…..?
9:11pm - “Our economy is undergoing a period of uncertainty…”
9:13pm - You’re all screwed in the short run.
9:13pm - Bush calls on Americans to send the IRS checks AND money orders!!
9:15pm - Bush threatens a surplus in 2012 (but only because we’ll have a Democrat in office).
9:15pm - We’re going to veto EVERY bill over the next year!
9:16pm - Something is apparently funny.
9:18pm - Oh man Hillary looks THRILLED to be there!
9:18pm - Obama too!!
9:19pm - Let’s help the rich people some more!
9:20pm - NO ONE can deny No Child Left Behind has been nothing but a big.. fat.. disaster!
9:20pm - No Child Left Behind is bi-partisan because….. uhm…. Joe Lieberman (?) supports it?
9:24pm - Colombia is our new BFF!
9:25pm - Hey look there’s 49 term Senator John Warner of Virginia. Oh John Warner, I thought you were dead already. You know, since you’re like 538 years old and all.
9:27pm - All this talk about cleaner and more energy efficient technology would be great and all, you know, if Bush would actually act on it.
9:27pm - Stop murdering stem cells!
9:29pm - All life should be treated with dignity. Except in Iraq. Except for the death penalty. Hell, except for anyone who isn’t a white wealthy Christian male.
9:30pm - The Federal government is supporting religion. Wait, isn’t that sort of, ya know, a violation of the Constitution?
9:32pm - Massive deficits!
9:34pm - Stirring moments in “the history of liberal.” LOLZ!
9:36pm - Juvenile Iraqi’s voted? Wait, I don’t think that’s legal OR a correct statement.

Let’s start a part two!

It’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these, but tonight I’ll be here liveblogging George Bush’s final State of the Union speech beginning at 9pm ET.

Also, here’s a look back at Jim Webb’s rebuttal to Bush’s State of the Union speech last year: