National Hall of Flame
Morning-After-Election Headlines
by Dylan Thomas
• KERRY KICKS BUSH GLASSWARE
• BUSH TRACKED, HI-JACKED, SMACKED, CRACKED, PACKED, STACKED, SHELLACKED
• BUSH DAD HAD, SAD, MAD
• RALPH REED’S PANTS PEED
• KAREN HUGHES UNAMUSED
• “SLEEZZY LEEZZY CON” RICE DICED
• “SEMICOLON” POWELL HOWLING
• RUMSFAILED “CHUMMY RUMMY” CRUMMY
• SCREECHWRITER DAVE “AXIS OF EVIL” FRUM GLUM
• TOM “CHICKEN LITTLE” RIDGE OFF BRIDGE
• JOHN “TORQUEMADA” ASHCROFT ALOFT
• FAILED IMPEACHER HENRY HYDE FRIED
• DOUG FEITH NOT BLITHE
• PEGGY NOONAN SWOONAN
• JAMES INHOFE SCOFFED
• MIKE SAVAGE RAVAGED
• PHIL GRAMM SLAMMED
• BILL FRIST IN TWIST
• RICK PERLE ASWIRL
• ANDY CARD JARRED
• GARY BAUER SOUR
• MCCAIN SLAIN
• NEWT MUTE
• KEMP LIMP
• BUSH HANDLER MATTHEW DOWD COWED
• TOM DELAYED, SPLAYED, SPAYED, DISMAYED
• TURNCOAT MORRIS DICK: BIC WON’T CLICK
• GEN. “ALLAH IS SATAN” BOYKIN BROYKEN
• RABBI SHMULEY BOTEACH WRECKED
• KRAUTHAMMER SNOUT HAMMERED
• HOROWITZ HORROR-FRITZED
• RICH $CAIFE $TRAFED
• GIULIANI ROODY MOODY
• “GESTAPO DICK” CHENEY RAINY
• BILL “LYING LIAR” O’REILLY NO LONGER SMILEY
• G. FELON LIDDY HALF PAST GIDDY
• DRUGGY LIMBAUGH RUSH CRUSHED
• NUTTY LIMBAUGH DAVE STAVED
• BUSH HANDLER KARL “POLL TROLL” ROVE STOVED
• CARLSON TUCKER SUCKERED
• SCARBOROUGH JOE SNOWED
• MOWBRAY JOEL IMPALED ON OWN POLE
• GOP SEN DICK LUGAR CHEWED BY COUGAR
• WILLIAM SCHNEIDER BRUNCHED BY SPIDER
• CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS STILL A-BITCHEN
• FAILED IMPEACHER HASTERT DEN DISCOVERS ZEN
• BOB DOLE LOSES SOUL
• LINDA TRIPP LOSES GRIP
• STEVE FORBES LOSES ORBS
• BARNES FRED BRAIN DEAD
• “LAS VEGAS BILL” BENNETT: NO LONGER IN IT
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH CHENOWETH JACK WHACKED
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH ELLIOTT GEORGE MEMORY FORGED
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH ADRIAN LONSDALE: FROM CONSDALE
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH THURLOW LARRY WEDS TOOTH FAIRY
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH O’NEILL JOHN E. COPS PLEA
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH DICK PEES: FLEES ON KNEES
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH WILLIAM E. FRANKE: HIS BOAT SANK
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH LANNOM BILL: GOP SHILL
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH HOFFMAN ROY: GOP TOY
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH PONDER JOE: GOP HO
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH CORDIER KEN GOP SPIN
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH ALVIN A. HORNE: PURE PORN
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH PLUMLEY CAPT CHARLEY: 200 PROOF BARLEY
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH WEYMOUTH SYMMES STILL SLIMES
• SWIFT BOAT VET FOR UNTRUTH MARK HYMAN STILL A-SLIMIN’
• BROOKS DAVY: BRAINWAVY
• PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY AWFULLY WAFFLY
• MORT KONDRACKE: WHACKY
• BUCKLEY JR: EVEN LOONIER
• SEAN HANNITY: INSANITY
• ALAN KEYES: PUHLEEEEEZE!
• “KENNY BOY” LAY TAKEN AWAY
• SANTORUM GOP SEN RICK: OIL SLICK
• GLENN BECK: TRAIN WRECK
• WHITE HOUSE COM DIR DAN BARTLETT: WARTLET
• JOHN O’NEILL: NO APPEAL
• WALT SHAPIRO NO HERO
• ROBERT KAGAN NOOOOOOO RON REAGAN
• FALWELL: “SCARY JERRY” VEEEERY WARY
• GINGRICH: “PHILANDERIN’ NEWT” SNOT IN SNOOT
• GINGRICH: “ZOOT SUIT NEWT” SNOOT IN SNIT
• COULTER: “SLANDERIN’ ANN” HITS THE FAN
• WOLFOWITZ: “WOLF WOLF” PAUL HITS THE WALL
• “LEAKY BOB” NOVAK SACKED
• “LEAKY LIBBY” SCOOTER NOOTERED
• WILLIAM SAFIRE CONDITION DIRE
• MATT “ALL SLUDGE” DRUDGE WHOLE NEW GRUDGE
• BOB JONES GROANS
• BOORTZ NEAL REELS
• “ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MAN” WOODWARD BOB SOBS
• GOLDBERG JONAH PULLS A BONAH
• MIKEY MEDVED WETS HIS BED-BED
• “UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED” BRIT HUME FACES DOOM
• GEORGE F. WILL POPS POISON PILL
• HANSON VIC DAVE SPINS IN GRAVE
• GOP REP DICK ARMEY FAAAAADES AWAY
• CHUCK COLSON BACK TO FOLSOM
• “BALLOT FRAUD KATHARINE” HARRIS OFF TO PARIS
• “MARRIED TO THE ENEMY” MATALIN STAYS A-BATTALIN
• “BILLY THE KID” KRISTOL PACKS A PISTOL
• “PORN KEN” STARR DRAAAAAINS BAR
• PRAGER DENNIS SPONGES GUINNESS
• HUNTER GOP REP DUNCAN DRUNKAN
• MAYOR ED KOCH SCOTCHED, DEBAUCHED
• DR. THOMAS SOWELL THROWS IN TOWEL
• THOMAS CAL JOINS QAEDA AL
• ROBERTSON “CRYPTO-NAZI PAT” DRATS STATS
• DOBSON “CRYPTO-FASCIST JAMES” NAMES NAMES
• BUSH “HMO JEB” GOES REB
• CANNED ‘BAMA JUSTICE ROY MOORE STARTS WAR
*my favorite:
• DEM SEN MILLER ZELL TOASTS IN HELL
Internet muse.
Daring, bold, never sold.
My daily weblog of politics, humor, philosophy...and a constant and nagging reminder of the existence of universal love....
Friday, August 27, 2004
Morning-After-Election Headlines
Thursday, August 26, 2004
McCain's looking mighty hypocritical
McCain's looking mighty hypocritical
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"527s - I think these ought to be outlawed. I think they should have been outlawed a year ago. We have billionaires writing checks, large checks, to influence the outcome of the election."
--President G.W. Bush 8-26-04
"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base."
--President G. W. Bush at a fundraising event, as seen in "Fahrenheit 9/11"
"He has condemned the 527's, which I'm pleased that he did. I'd like to see him go further....
I must and have put anything disagreeable concerning the 2000 campaign behind me. Americans don't like a sore loser."
--Sen John McCain 8-25-04
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Kerry campaign has yanked this ad per John McCain's wishes.
What has the Kerry campaign gotten in return?
Not much.
McCain says he thinks Bush has gone far enough in condemning the Swift Boat ad accusations.
I don't think Bush has gone far enough. All Bush has done is to blame 527s entirely (rather than denounce the liars who support and work with his campaign).
The White House has announced that Bush will join forces with McCain in a legal action to "crack down" on political ads aired by the 527s because of a section of the tax code that covers them. If the court action doesn't work, Bush would be willing to cram his plan to gag our free speech down our throats by pursuing legislative bully-action with McCain.
None of us should stand for this.
I'm respecting McCain less and less these days. We know what the Bush campaign did to him in 2000. He condemned the Swift Boat liars, and then gave Bush a free pass when Bush stubbornly refused to firmly denounce the ads himself.
Worse yet, he fully supports Bush's reelection and will assist the President in gagging our free speech.
Howard Dean's internet-based fund-raising campaign showed the GOP that Progressives could learn how to play the same fund-raising game better than the GOP themselves had ever learned. Suddenly, Conservatives become the imitators who lag behind. Little voices, yours and mine, have found their way to a large audience. We've discovered how we can work together. Dean's campaign awakened and inspired enough of us to take part by making our small contributions. We've learned how we would be able to opt out of the system-- because the system was broken.
The power must remain in the hands of the American people. Only the American people have the power to honestly change this broken political system. It is every citizen's duty to ensure our new-found power is not crushed by the likes of G.W.Bush and John McCain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"527s - I think these ought to be outlawed. I think they should have been outlawed a year ago. We have billionaires writing checks, large checks, to influence the outcome of the election."
--President G.W. Bush 8-26-04
"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base."
--President G. W. Bush at a fundraising event, as seen in "Fahrenheit 9/11"
"He has condemned the 527's, which I'm pleased that he did. I'd like to see him go further....
I must and have put anything disagreeable concerning the 2000 campaign behind me. Americans don't like a sore loser."
--Sen John McCain 8-25-04
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Kerry campaign has yanked this ad per John McCain's wishes.
What has the Kerry campaign gotten in return?
Not much.
McCain says he thinks Bush has gone far enough in condemning the Swift Boat ad accusations.
I don't think Bush has gone far enough. All Bush has done is to blame 527s entirely (rather than denounce the liars who support and work with his campaign).
The White House has announced that Bush will join forces with McCain in a legal action to "crack down" on political ads aired by the 527s because of a section of the tax code that covers them. If the court action doesn't work, Bush would be willing to cram his plan to gag our free speech down our throats by pursuing legislative bully-action with McCain.
None of us should stand for this.
I'm respecting McCain less and less these days. We know what the Bush campaign did to him in 2000. He condemned the Swift Boat liars, and then gave Bush a free pass when Bush stubbornly refused to firmly denounce the ads himself.
Worse yet, he fully supports Bush's reelection and will assist the President in gagging our free speech.
Howard Dean's internet-based fund-raising campaign showed the GOP that Progressives could learn how to play the same fund-raising game better than the GOP themselves had ever learned. Suddenly, Conservatives become the imitators who lag behind. Little voices, yours and mine, have found their way to a large audience. We've discovered how we can work together. Dean's campaign awakened and inspired enough of us to take part by making our small contributions. We've learned how we would be able to opt out of the system-- because the system was broken.
The power must remain in the hands of the American people. Only the American people have the power to honestly change this broken political system. It is every citizen's duty to ensure our new-found power is not crushed by the likes of G.W.Bush and John McCain.
Swift boat smear: Why would you believe it?
Swift boat smear: Why would you believe it?
On the face of everything that has ever made common sense to you, why would you choose to believe this group of political thugs?
Your comments would be appreciated.
On the face of everything that has ever made common sense to you, why would you choose to believe this group of political thugs?
"...many of the veterans now accusing Kerry of being more of a poltroon than Barney Fife were supporters of the candidate, some as recently as a year ago....Hustings thugs created a blatant special interest group that exploits Vietnam veterans who served with distinction, and who may well have a fair beef with Kerry over his antiwar activities, simply to advance the political career of a candidate who used the war himself as little more than a glorified dental plan.."
--Daniel Ruth
"George Bush has two silver dental fillings in his teeth to show what he did during the Vietnam War. John Kerry has a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. You wouldn't want to be there for four hours or four minutes. John Kerry went above and beyond the call of duty, sticking his nose into enemy fire. Not everybody liked that because some were just intent on survival. But until recently, nobody ever said he did not serve honorably. John Kerry should not be alive today," He was aggressive -- more aggressive than the rest of us. That was his nature, and everybody who was there knows it."
--Rich Baker, former Navy lieutenant and Swift boat commander in Vietnam
Your comments would be appreciated.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Tell me lies about Vietnam
Tell me lies about Vietnam
Adrian Mitchell
Listening to all the Bush-supporting Swift Boat veteran's lies-- hearing these men attempt to erase settlesd (unsettling) history--- I am reminded of a poem by Adrian Mitchell...
I was run over by the truth one day.
Ever since the accident I've walked this way
So stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Heard the alarm clock screaming with pain,
Couldn't find myself so I went back to sleep again
So fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Every time I shut my eyes all I see is flames
Made a marble phone book and I carved all the names
So coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
I smell something burning, hope it's just my brains.
They're only dropping peppermints and daisy-chains
So stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Where were you at the time of the crime?
Down by the Cenotaph* drinking slime
So chain my tongue with whisky
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
You put your bombers in, you put your conscience out,
You take the human being and you twist it all about
So scrub my skin with women,
Chain my tongue with whisky
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam
*Cenotaph - war memorial in London
First read out in Trafalgar Square in 1964. Read again Saturday 13 October 2001 at the Anti-War demonstration in London.
Adrian Mitchell
Listening to all the Bush-supporting Swift Boat veteran's lies-- hearing these men attempt to erase settlesd (unsettling) history--- I am reminded of a poem by Adrian Mitchell...
I was run over by the truth one day.
Ever since the accident I've walked this way
So stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Heard the alarm clock screaming with pain,
Couldn't find myself so I went back to sleep again
So fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Every time I shut my eyes all I see is flames
Made a marble phone book and I carved all the names
So coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
I smell something burning, hope it's just my brains.
They're only dropping peppermints and daisy-chains
So stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Where were you at the time of the crime?
Down by the Cenotaph* drinking slime
So chain my tongue with whisky
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
You put your bombers in, you put your conscience out,
You take the human being and you twist it all about
So scrub my skin with women,
Chain my tongue with whisky
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam
*Cenotaph - war memorial in London
First read out in Trafalgar Square in 1964. Read again Saturday 13 October 2001 at the Anti-War demonstration in London.
Bushites run on nothing but negativity
Bushites run on nothing but negativity
Poor things. It's really all they've got
Tucker Carlson was on CNN today saying that Kerry has no message.
This is all the Bushites have to run on, my friends.
Sheer negativity.
They can claim no positive American progress of their own.
There is no badge of honor for them to wear so instead they create, in their own fantasy world, a banner of shame to try to place on Senator Kerry's chest.
The funny thing is, every time Paul Begala tried to talk about the past four years, Tucker Carlson would loudly whine over Begala's points.
The past four years will bring Bush down in November, no matter how much his campaign tries to change the subject.
That's precisely what "Anybody But Bush" is all about.
It's a steamroller of a movement.
I'm sure John Kerry won't mind a bit when "Anybody but Bush" translates to "President Kerry" on November 3rd.
Poor things. It's really all they've got
Tucker Carlson was on CNN today saying that Kerry has no message.
This is all the Bushites have to run on, my friends.
Sheer negativity.
They can claim no positive American progress of their own.
There is no badge of honor for them to wear so instead they create, in their own fantasy world, a banner of shame to try to place on Senator Kerry's chest.
The funny thing is, every time Paul Begala tried to talk about the past four years, Tucker Carlson would loudly whine over Begala's points.
The past four years will bring Bush down in November, no matter how much his campaign tries to change the subject.
That's precisely what "Anybody But Bush" is all about.
It's a steamroller of a movement.
I'm sure John Kerry won't mind a bit when "Anybody but Bush" translates to "President Kerry" on November 3rd.
Eliminating 527s would limit free speech
Eliminating 527s would limit free speech
No wonder the Bush team wants to do away with them. Bushites aim to limit public opinion just like they screen Bush rally attendees.
Marc Racicot was seen today on CNN with Judy Woodruff saying it's a "complete fabrication" that there is any connection between the Bush campaign and the Swift Boat ads. He takes a lot of Americans for complete idiots, I guess.
Racicot casts the red herring--appealing to the Kerry campaign to denounce all 527 ads---to do away with them altogether.
Once again, we see the Bushites stepping on the toes of citizen's 1st Amendment protections for their own selfish political relief.
They want to hide from 527-attacks on Bush's actual record, which is the very dismal thing they wish to keep out of the public eye in this campaign.
Supporting 527s would expose the cracks in his terrible record and his flimsy logic.
Eliminating 527s would gag U.S. citizens.
What is more important to Bush?
Hiding the record or protecting citizens' rights?
I don't have to tell you.
You're no dummy.
You already know the answer.
Using near-psychotic control-tactics on the American public in the name of politics, the Bush campaign is holding the further spreading of complete slander over Senator Kerry's head unless he agrees to get in bed with them on the idea of eliminating the free speech that the 527-option provides.
Bush wants to limit the great American discussion.
This is evil, my friends...pure and simple.
No wonder the Bush team wants to do away with them. Bushites aim to limit public opinion just like they screen Bush rally attendees.
Marc Racicot was seen today on CNN with Judy Woodruff saying it's a "complete fabrication" that there is any connection between the Bush campaign and the Swift Boat ads. He takes a lot of Americans for complete idiots, I guess.
Racicot casts the red herring--appealing to the Kerry campaign to denounce all 527 ads---to do away with them altogether.
Once again, we see the Bushites stepping on the toes of citizen's 1st Amendment protections for their own selfish political relief.
They want to hide from 527-attacks on Bush's actual record, which is the very dismal thing they wish to keep out of the public eye in this campaign.
Supporting 527s would expose the cracks in his terrible record and his flimsy logic.
Eliminating 527s would gag U.S. citizens.
What is more important to Bush?
Hiding the record or protecting citizens' rights?
I don't have to tell you.
You're no dummy.
You already know the answer.
Using near-psychotic control-tactics on the American public in the name of politics, the Bush campaign is holding the further spreading of complete slander over Senator Kerry's head unless he agrees to get in bed with them on the idea of eliminating the free speech that the 527-option provides.
Bush wants to limit the great American discussion.
This is evil, my friends...pure and simple.
Kerry to Bush: Time to Take Charge
Kerry to Bush: Time to Take Charge
John Kerry believed Donald Rumsfeld should have resigned from his position long ago.
From what we can glean from Kerry's latest comments, he wonders when the hell Bush will take charge as an intelligently decisive Commander-in-Chief.
(They aren't Kerry's words, but it isn't hard to get his stately drift).
U. S. soldiers in the lower ranks have been scapegoated in the Abu Ghraib scandal and the public knows it.
Kerry recommends a chartered Congressional demand for an Independent Commisssion because of the simple fact that accountability for Abu Ghraib runs through the civilian command, and it is absolutely left out of the Schlesinger and Maj. Gen. George Fay reports.
Bush's campaign spokesman says Kerry will say anything that's politically advantageous.
While that may be a natural consequnce of a political campaign, no one could argue (unless they were politically defensive), that Senator Kerry is making sense.
John Kerry believed Donald Rumsfeld should have resigned from his position long ago.
From what we can glean from Kerry's latest comments, he wonders when the hell Bush will take charge as an intelligently decisive Commander-in-Chief.
(They aren't Kerry's words, but it isn't hard to get his stately drift).
U. S. soldiers in the lower ranks have been scapegoated in the Abu Ghraib scandal and the public knows it.
Kerry recommends a chartered Congressional demand for an Independent Commisssion because of the simple fact that accountability for Abu Ghraib runs through the civilian command, and it is absolutely left out of the Schlesinger and Maj. Gen. George Fay reports.
Bush's campaign spokesman says Kerry will say anything that's politically advantageous.
While that may be a natural consequnce of a political campaign, no one could argue (unless they were politically defensive), that Senator Kerry is making sense.
Bush Attorney Benjamin Ginsberg Resigns Too Late
Bush Attorney Benjamin Ginsberg Resigns Too Late
We already know what he's done, in cahoots with the Bushites.
He joins retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier in the Bush campaign's Hall of Shame.
Another Bush connection confirmed.
How very ugly.
It's too late for the resignation to mean anything at all.
He may as well have stayed because anyone who believes the Bushites were unaware would have to be an imbecile.
We already know what he's done, in cahoots with the Bushites.
He joins retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier in the Bush campaign's Hall of Shame.
Another Bush connection confirmed.
How very ugly.
It's too late for the resignation to mean anything at all.
He may as well have stayed because anyone who believes the Bushites were unaware would have to be an imbecile.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Swift Boat Vendetta-The Real Reason
Swift Boat Vendetta-The Real Reason
The right-wing mouth machine got through to their parrot Matt Drudge and we ascertain a glimpse of truth about the reason for the bitter Swift Boat lie-attacks facilitated and given a free ride by the Bushites and the malleable ("we have to present two sides of a story regardless of ethics") press:
KERRY: "Why are all these swift boat guys opposed to me?"
BRANT: "You should know what you said when you came back, the impact it had on the young sailors and how it was disrespectful of our guys that were killed over there."
______________
Has anyone read Four Hours in My Lai? The My Lai massacre was 'Abu Ghraib on speed'. The book should be required reading for every American who enters a voting booth before judging Kerry based on the dishonest political contortions of John O'Neill and Company. No yellow ribbon or Purple Heart or delusions or Swift Boat liar will ever conceal the truth of the war crimes that took place in Viet Nam.
I spent an entire afternoon just listening to A Viet Nam vet a few years ago. He was a cashier at a dollar store. Business was terribly slow. I was making a purchase and the book I was buying caught his eye. We began to talk and the conversation drifted to war. He began to talk about his own life and his experiences as a young soldier in the Viet Nam war. The memory of a young Vietnamese girl haunted him. She sold trinkets and doodads by the side of the road and the Vet's Army transportation vehicle would pass by the sweet, friendly girl nearly every morning. She would smile brightly and wave and the soldiers in the truck would all wave back. It was their routine. One morning as they passed the spot where they'd normally see the girl and wave, they noticed she wasn't there. As their truck came closer, the horror of seeing that little girl's entrails spilling out into the dusty road had poisoned the Vet's mind forever. She'd been killed for someone's amusement...or perhaps someone's frustration or anger.
Do the Swift Boat Vets wish to conceal the truth of the horrors of the VietNam conflict? The Sixties protests didn't happen for no reason. People knew the truth.
Self-examination is a healthy American value. The green and gangly Lt. John Kerry gave us a healthy dose of it when he returned from the war.
Our souls will wither if we fail to examine our conscience. Casting away inquiry will numb us to the pertinence of civility and law.
Whither goest our souls when memory faileth?
Whither goest thou, America?
The right-wing mouth machine got through to their parrot Matt Drudge and we ascertain a glimpse of truth about the reason for the bitter Swift Boat lie-attacks facilitated and given a free ride by the Bushites and the malleable ("we have to present two sides of a story regardless of ethics") press:
KERRY: "Why are all these swift boat guys opposed to me?"
BRANT: "You should know what you said when you came back, the impact it had on the young sailors and how it was disrespectful of our guys that were killed over there."
Has anyone read Four Hours in My Lai? The My Lai massacre was 'Abu Ghraib on speed'. The book should be required reading for every American who enters a voting booth before judging Kerry based on the dishonest political contortions of John O'Neill and Company. No yellow ribbon or Purple Heart or delusions or Swift Boat liar will ever conceal the truth of the war crimes that took place in Viet Nam.
I spent an entire afternoon just listening to A Viet Nam vet a few years ago. He was a cashier at a dollar store. Business was terribly slow. I was making a purchase and the book I was buying caught his eye. We began to talk and the conversation drifted to war. He began to talk about his own life and his experiences as a young soldier in the Viet Nam war. The memory of a young Vietnamese girl haunted him. She sold trinkets and doodads by the side of the road and the Vet's Army transportation vehicle would pass by the sweet, friendly girl nearly every morning. She would smile brightly and wave and the soldiers in the truck would all wave back. It was their routine. One morning as they passed the spot where they'd normally see the girl and wave, they noticed she wasn't there. As their truck came closer, the horror of seeing that little girl's entrails spilling out into the dusty road had poisoned the Vet's mind forever. She'd been killed for someone's amusement...or perhaps someone's frustration or anger.
Do the Swift Boat Vets wish to conceal the truth of the horrors of the VietNam conflict? The Sixties protests didn't happen for no reason. People knew the truth.
Self-examination is a healthy American value. The green and gangly Lt. John Kerry gave us a healthy dose of it when he returned from the war.
Our souls will wither if we fail to examine our conscience. Casting away inquiry will numb us to the pertinence of civility and law.
Whither goest our souls when memory faileth?
Whither goest thou, America?
My War- A Soldier's Blog
My War- A Soldier's Blog
At night here in Mosul, all you can hear the faint barking of loathsome stray dogs coming from the city, and every now and then, all at the same time, this somewhat creepy recording in Arabic is blasted from all these shitty radio shack quality speakers mounted on various mosques scattered randomly throughout Mosul. Its kinda eerie hearing these recordings, which is some guy speaking Arabic, in a monotone voice, versus and parts from the Koran.
It's one of those sounds and you'll experiences here in this country that you will never forget. Every time I hear those recordings being played from those mosque speakers, it completely hits me with the realization that I'm on the other side of the planet far away from home, and that I'm stranger in a really strange land....
This is a great new blog written by a soldier who is serving in Iraq.
What you hear on CNN is not the whole story.
Step into this soldier's boots for a while.
At night here in Mosul, all you can hear the faint barking of loathsome stray dogs coming from the city, and every now and then, all at the same time, this somewhat creepy recording in Arabic is blasted from all these shitty radio shack quality speakers mounted on various mosques scattered randomly throughout Mosul. Its kinda eerie hearing these recordings, which is some guy speaking Arabic, in a monotone voice, versus and parts from the Koran.
It's one of those sounds and you'll experiences here in this country that you will never forget. Every time I hear those recordings being played from those mosque speakers, it completely hits me with the realization that I'm on the other side of the planet far away from home, and that I'm stranger in a really strange land....
This is a great new blog written by a soldier who is serving in Iraq.
What you hear on CNN is not the whole story.
Step into this soldier's boots for a while.
God is not Republican or Democrat
God is not a Republican..
..or a Democrat
People are beginning to talk.
Democratic Underground is talking about it.
The Common Good movement has contributed to it.
Sojourners feels so strongly about it that they've taken out full-page ads.
Freepers are talking about it.
God is not a Republican...or a Democrat.
Catholics are talking about it.
Blogger Chuck Currie's talking about it.
The topic is of great interest to Independent voters.
Now I am talking about it.
..or a Democrat
People are beginning to talk.
Democratic Underground is talking about it.
The Common Good movement has contributed to it.
...sincere Christians and other people of faith can choose to vote for President Bush or Senator Kerry - for reasons deeply rooted in their faith.
We believe all candidates should be examined by measuring their policies against the complete range of Christian ethics and values.
We will measure the candidates by whether they enhance human life, human dignity, and human rights; whether they strengthen family life and protect children; whether they promote racial reconciliation and support gender equality; whether they serve peace and social justice; and whether they advance the common good rather than only individual, national, and special interests.
Sojourners feels so strongly about it that they've taken out full-page ads.
Freepers are talking about it.
God is not a Republican...or a Democrat.
We believe that poverty - caring for the poor and vulnerable - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' budget and tax policies reward the rich or show compassion for poor families? Do their foreign policies include fair trade and debt cancellation for the poorest countries? (Matthew 25:35-40, Isaiah 10:1-2)
We believe that the environment - caring for God's earth - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' policies protect the creation or serve corporate interests that damage it? (Genesis 2:15, Psalm 24:1)
We believe that war - and our call to be peacemakers - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' policies pursue "wars of choice" or respect international law and cooperation in responding to real global threats? (Matthew 5:9)
We believe that truth-telling is a religious issue. Do the candidates tell the truth in justifying war and in other foreign and domestic policies? (John 8:32)
We believe that human rights - respecting the image of God in every person - is a religious issue. How do the candidates propose to change the attitudes and policies that led to the abuse and torture of Iraqi prisoners? (Genesis 1:27)
We believe that our response to terrorism is a religious issue. Do the candidates adopt the dangerous language of righteous empire in the war on terrorism and confuse the roles of God, church, and nation? Do the candidates see evil only in our enemies but never in our own policies? (Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 8:12-13 )
We believe that a consistent ethic of human life is a religious issue. Do the candidates' positions on abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, weapons of mass destruction, HIV/AIDS-and other pandemics-and genocide around the world obey the biblical injunction to choose life? (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Catholics are talking about it.
Blogger Chuck Currie's talking about it.
We also admonish both parties and candidates to avoid the exploitation of religion or our congregations for partisan political purposes.
The topic is of great interest to Independent voters.
Now I am talking about it.
Monday, August 23, 2004
When Bush regrets 527s, he regrets freedom
When Bush regrets 527s,
he regrets freedom
Joe Gandelman posted today that President Bush has denounced the Swift Boat Vet ads, but continues to tie that in to a call to do away with 527s (which are, in reality, representative of free speech).
Joe quotes Bush:
I do not regret that the Swift Boat Vets have employed the rights and priveleges enveloped by our nation's First Amendment protections.
I do regret dishonorable opportunism when it comes to a politically calculated revision of settled history.
The president also reissued his call for Kerry to echo his statement about such ads.
I would be very upset with John Kerry if he denounced 527s.
I would be pleased to hear Kerry admit that any deliberate and reckless lie is never acceptable in political advertising, especially when it so blatantly dishonors the service of any veteran.
A Commander-in-chief worth an ounce of honor would have denounced the Swift Boat ads "day one".
Talk about your whining politicians, this is the FEC complaint Bush-Cheney made against 527s (against our freedom) last March.
~~~~~~~~~
Speaking of dishonorable opportunism, Joe comments, in the same post, that he believes Bob Dole's recent comments are truly reprehensible.
I couldn't help but notice, while Bob Dole made those comments, he did so with his eyes continually cast down to the ground, indicative of a man who may have felt some shame in what he was saying about a fellow citizen who gave honorable service to America.
Shame on Bob Dole.
________________________________
At Crooked Timber, I caught a discussion about 527s:
Uggabugga links to a list of 527s and asks, “Why does the Bush campaign object to ads that the Oregon Grocery Association might run? What are they doing that is objectionable?”
Sorry to keep harping on this, but it’s pretty incredible that a serious candidate would talk like this. I doubt that five people in a hundred would agree with Bush’s position if it was presented in a cooler-headed context. The right of people to organize and speak out is right at the heart of the First Amendment.
Mr. Bush should realize this is a bipartisan issue and that he isn't fooling those of us (on either side of the ideological fence) who truly respect freedom.
he regrets freedom
Joe Gandelman posted today that President Bush has denounced the Swift Boat Vet ads, but continues to tie that in to a call to do away with 527s (which are, in reality, representative of free speech).
Joe quotes Bush:
" 'That ad and every other ad' run by such groups [527s] have no place in the campaign."If we choose to lean toward freedom, the freedom of 527s must be kept intact.
I do not regret that the Swift Boat Vets have employed the rights and priveleges enveloped by our nation's First Amendment protections.
I do regret dishonorable opportunism when it comes to a politically calculated revision of settled history.
The president also reissued his call for Kerry to echo his statement about such ads.
I would be very upset with John Kerry if he denounced 527s.
I would be pleased to hear Kerry admit that any deliberate and reckless lie is never acceptable in political advertising, especially when it so blatantly dishonors the service of any veteran.
A Commander-in-chief worth an ounce of honor would have denounced the Swift Boat ads "day one".
Talk about your whining politicians, this is the FEC complaint Bush-Cheney made against 527s (against our freedom) last March.
Speaking of dishonorable opportunism, Joe comments, in the same post, that he believes Bob Dole's recent comments are truly reprehensible.
I couldn't help but notice, while Bob Dole made those comments, he did so with his eyes continually cast down to the ground, indicative of a man who may have felt some shame in what he was saying about a fellow citizen who gave honorable service to America.
Shame on Bob Dole.
________________________________
At Crooked Timber, I caught a discussion about 527s:
Uggabugga links to a list of 527s and asks, “Why does the Bush campaign object to ads that the Oregon Grocery Association might run? What are they doing that is objectionable?”
Sorry to keep harping on this, but it’s pretty incredible that a serious candidate would talk like this. I doubt that five people in a hundred would agree with Bush’s position if it was presented in a cooler-headed context. The right of people to organize and speak out is right at the heart of the First Amendment.
Mr. Bush should realize this is a bipartisan issue and that he isn't fooling those of us (on either side of the ideological fence) who truly respect freedom.
Credentialed RNC Bloggers
Credentialed RNC Bloggers
RNC Bloggers
Here is list of credentialed bloggers for the Republican National Convention:
Kevin Aylward, WizBang
Dean Esmay, Dean's World
Blogs For Bush
Matt Margolis of Blogs For Bush
Captain Ed, Captain's Quarters and Blogs For Bush
Scott Sala, Slant Point
John H. Hinderaker, Power Line
Karol, Dean's World and Spot On,
Bill, INDC Journal (was a disinvited blogger from DNCC)
Tom Bevan, RealClear Politics
Ben Domenech, Red State
Tacitus
Roger L. Simon
Brian Reich, Campaign Web Review
David Adesnik from OxBlog
Hugh Hewitt
Unofficially blogging:
Travis LaFrance
RNC bloggers more privileged than delegates?
The Bloggers' Invitation (difficult to read)
GOP Convention Media Walk-Through
RNC.org blog
Convention musical entertainment
Includes: Brooks and Dunn, Lee Ann Womack, Third Day, Jaci Velasquez, Darryl Worley, Dexter Freebish, Gracie Rosenberger, Donnie McClurkin, Michael W. Smith, Daniel Rodriquez, Daize Shayne, Ron Silver, the Gatlin Brothers, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sara Evans and Dana Glover.
________________________________________________________
Top GOP Convention FAQs:
1. When is the Republican National Convention?
The Official Convention Period runs from Monday, August 30 thru Thursday, September 2, 2004.
2. Where is the Republican National Convention 2004 being held?
Madison Square Garden will be the main site. MSG is located in Manhattan, New York, USA and is bordered by Seventh and Eighth Avenues, 31st and 33rd Streets.
3. What street, subway, LIRR, business, and transportation closings and restrictions are expected?
Traffic, Transportation, closings, restrictions roundup. MTA-LIRR closings, Penn Station entrance closings map. Latest Penn Station closings, Republican Convention street closing map one, this map represents the first days street closings and the less extensive closing conditions that will apply for off hours. Republican Convention street closing map two, this map represents the more extensive street closing rules that will apply when the convention is in session. The Official NYC RNC street closings press release, with full details. Latest press Release For Penn Station, subway, business, pedestrian closings.
4. Who will speak at the RNC 2004? Updated RNC speakers list.
Here is the Official Prime Time list of speakers for the 2004 Republican Convention:
Monday, Aug 30:
Michael Bloomberg, Rudy Guiliani, John McCain
Tuesday, Aug 31:
Laura Bush, Rod Paige, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wednesday, Sept 1:
Lynne Cheney, Dick Cheney, Zell Miller
Thursday, Sept 2:
George Pataki, George Bush
Others: Senator Bill Frist, Senator Elizabeth Dole, Senator Rick Santorum, Senator Sam Brownback, Rep. Dennis Hastert, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele-MD, Rep. Heather Wilson-MD, Rep. Anne Northup-KY, Erika Harold(Miss America 2003).
5. What Security is being enacted for the 2004 Republican National Convention?
This is a question with many aspects, here we will catalogue a few. Latest security updates, airspace security, airport security, Security Cost, Federal Task Force, NYC Security, MSG Penn Station security, federal RNC waterside security, NYPD convention harbor security, bio-tech security.
6. To whom/where should permit applications be submitted?
Applications for march permits or sound device permits should be made with the Office of the Chief of Department, room 1300, One Police Plaza, New York, NY 10038.
7. Who handles applications for parkland use?
Permit requests to use parklands are handled separately by the New York City Parks Department.
8. How many delegates will attend the 2004 Republican National Convention?
2,509 delegates and 2,344 alternates.
9. How are delegates for the 2004 Republican National Convention chosen?
Delegates are chosen by a primary election, a caucus[closed political meeting], or a combination of the two. The selection process varies depending on the state's, territory's or District of Columbia's rules. state delegations to the 2004 republican national convention.
11. Who founded the Republican party?
The Free Soil Party and The Conscience Whigs [Whig Party Northerners] founded the Republican Party in Jackson Michigan July 6, 1854.
RNC Bloggers
Here is list of credentialed bloggers for the Republican National Convention:
Kevin Aylward, WizBang
Dean Esmay, Dean's World
Blogs For Bush
Matt Margolis of Blogs For Bush
Captain Ed, Captain's Quarters and Blogs For Bush
Scott Sala, Slant Point
John H. Hinderaker, Power Line
Karol, Dean's World and Spot On,
Bill, INDC Journal (was a disinvited blogger from DNCC)
Tom Bevan, RealClear Politics
Ben Domenech, Red State
Tacitus
Roger L. Simon
Brian Reich, Campaign Web Review
David Adesnik from OxBlog
Hugh Hewitt
Unofficially blogging:
Travis LaFrance
RNC bloggers more privileged than delegates?
The Bloggers' Invitation (difficult to read)
GOP Convention Media Walk-Through
RNC.org blog
Convention musical entertainment
Includes: Brooks and Dunn, Lee Ann Womack, Third Day, Jaci Velasquez, Darryl Worley, Dexter Freebish, Gracie Rosenberger, Donnie McClurkin, Michael W. Smith, Daniel Rodriquez, Daize Shayne, Ron Silver, the Gatlin Brothers, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sara Evans and Dana Glover.
________________________________________________________
Top GOP Convention FAQs:
1. When is the Republican National Convention?
The Official Convention Period runs from Monday, August 30 thru Thursday, September 2, 2004.
2. Where is the Republican National Convention 2004 being held?
Madison Square Garden will be the main site. MSG is located in Manhattan, New York, USA and is bordered by Seventh and Eighth Avenues, 31st and 33rd Streets.
3. What street, subway, LIRR, business, and transportation closings and restrictions are expected?
Traffic, Transportation, closings, restrictions roundup. MTA-LIRR closings, Penn Station entrance closings map. Latest Penn Station closings, Republican Convention street closing map one, this map represents the first days street closings and the less extensive closing conditions that will apply for off hours. Republican Convention street closing map two, this map represents the more extensive street closing rules that will apply when the convention is in session. The Official NYC RNC street closings press release, with full details. Latest press Release For Penn Station, subway, business, pedestrian closings.
4. Who will speak at the RNC 2004? Updated RNC speakers list.
Here is the Official Prime Time list of speakers for the 2004 Republican Convention:
Monday, Aug 30:
Michael Bloomberg, Rudy Guiliani, John McCain
Tuesday, Aug 31:
Laura Bush, Rod Paige, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wednesday, Sept 1:
Lynne Cheney, Dick Cheney, Zell Miller
Thursday, Sept 2:
George Pataki, George Bush
Others: Senator Bill Frist, Senator Elizabeth Dole, Senator Rick Santorum, Senator Sam Brownback, Rep. Dennis Hastert, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele-MD, Rep. Heather Wilson-MD, Rep. Anne Northup-KY, Erika Harold(Miss America 2003).
5. What Security is being enacted for the 2004 Republican National Convention?
This is a question with many aspects, here we will catalogue a few. Latest security updates, airspace security, airport security, Security Cost, Federal Task Force, NYC Security, MSG Penn Station security, federal RNC waterside security, NYPD convention harbor security, bio-tech security.
6. To whom/where should permit applications be submitted?
Applications for march permits or sound device permits should be made with the Office of the Chief of Department, room 1300, One Police Plaza, New York, NY 10038.
7. Who handles applications for parkland use?
Permit requests to use parklands are handled separately by the New York City Parks Department.
8. How many delegates will attend the 2004 Republican National Convention?
2,509 delegates and 2,344 alternates.
9. How are delegates for the 2004 Republican National Convention chosen?
Delegates are chosen by a primary election, a caucus[closed political meeting], or a combination of the two. The selection process varies depending on the state's, territory's or District of Columbia's rules. state delegations to the 2004 republican national convention.
11. Who founded the Republican party?
The Free Soil Party and The Conscience Whigs [Whig Party Northerners] founded the Republican Party in Jackson Michigan July 6, 1854.
Kerry documentary: Brothers In Arms
Brothers In Arms
The documentary by Paul Alexander.
Produced in 2003.
To be released September 7. Get it here.
The documentary by Paul Alexander.
Produced in 2003.
To be released September 7. Get it here.
Howard Kurtz is off the mark
Howard Kurtz is off the mark
Since when is cooperating with liars a requirement to winning public office?
Howard Kurtz writes that the Kerry campaign's new ad reflects "anxiety and astonishment" over the Swift Boat Veterans ad. [LINK]
Are you kidding?
This is what is called 'fighting back'.
It's what Al Gore failed to do in 2000.
It never ceases to amaze me when I see the media crediting the Bush crowd for political genius on these Swift Boat lie-ads when all the public sees are a bunch of well-funded Bush-supporting vets doing anything they can to revise history for their preferred candidate's sake (calling "black" what is truly "white"--- even when your eyes can clearly see it's white).
This takes nuance to a whole new level.
Perhaps crediting scum is considered to be apropos in the world of politics.
Perhaps I'm naive to think Americans care about having a shred of decency regarding all activities in which they choose to participate--including politics.
Perhaps a lot of people will stay home on election day.
That is what the Bush team is praying for.
Our political pundits further propel the chance for lowered voter turnout by disgusting the public-at-large, playing directly into manipulative hands.
Perhaps our political pundits truly believe a candidate must "cooperate
with indecency" without fighting back or they risk political failure.
Would you put up with the line of thinking in your life?
That line of thinking is exactly what we're hearing from many in the land of professional punditry.
Perhaps this contributes to a world where unnecessary wars are started by the same lying techniques. Meanwhile, we say a loving goodnight to our 16-year olds and look forward to the day the draft letter comes for the next wrong-minded, barely-planned military event. Mission accomplished.
If we expect the world to change, politics is going to have to change.
The pundits must stand up for common sense, decency, and honesty...even in politics.
This swift boat garbage is not only causing a rift in the media..it's causing a rift amongst our great protectors---the military.
There's a young man or woman facing enemy fire in Najaf today. If he/she eventually runs for public office, who will be questioning his/or/her bravery or honesty in 35 years?
Tom Oliphant gives weight to the (common) sense of decency-in-politics in his observation that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth may backfire and end up hurting George Bush rather than John Kerry.
Since when is cooperating with liars a requirement to winning public office?
Howard Kurtz writes that the Kerry campaign's new ad reflects "anxiety and astonishment" over the Swift Boat Veterans ad. [LINK]
Are you kidding?
This is what is called 'fighting back'.
It's what Al Gore failed to do in 2000.
It never ceases to amaze me when I see the media crediting the Bush crowd for political genius on these Swift Boat lie-ads when all the public sees are a bunch of well-funded Bush-supporting vets doing anything they can to revise history for their preferred candidate's sake (calling "black" what is truly "white"--- even when your eyes can clearly see it's white).
This takes nuance to a whole new level.
Perhaps crediting scum is considered to be apropos in the world of politics.
Perhaps I'm naive to think Americans care about having a shred of decency regarding all activities in which they choose to participate--including politics.
Perhaps a lot of people will stay home on election day.
That is what the Bush team is praying for.
Our political pundits further propel the chance for lowered voter turnout by disgusting the public-at-large, playing directly into manipulative hands.
Perhaps our political pundits truly believe a candidate must "cooperate
with indecency" without fighting back or they risk political failure.
Would you put up with the line of thinking in your life?
That line of thinking is exactly what we're hearing from many in the land of professional punditry.
Perhaps our political pundits truly believe
a candidate must "cooperate with indecency" without fighting back or they risk political failure.
Would you put up with the line of thinking
in your life?
Perhaps this contributes to a world where unnecessary wars are started by the same lying techniques. Meanwhile, we say a loving goodnight to our 16-year olds and look forward to the day the draft letter comes for the next wrong-minded, barely-planned military event. Mission accomplished.
If we expect the world to change, politics is going to have to change.
The pundits must stand up for common sense, decency, and honesty...even in politics.
This swift boat garbage is not only causing a rift in the media..it's causing a rift amongst our great protectors---the military.
There's a young man or woman facing enemy fire in Najaf today. If he/she eventually runs for public office, who will be questioning his/or/her bravery or honesty in 35 years?
Tom Oliphant gives weight to the (common) sense of decency-in-politics in his observation that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth may backfire and end up hurting George Bush rather than John Kerry.
ABC Political Note disappointment
ABC Political Note disappointment
I was reading ABC's Political Note today and I was not particularly impressed by some of the sections of political analysis I was seeing.
First of all, they write:
—The traditional media has shown no capacity to resist the story — for a week and counting this stuff has been the dominant narrative of the presidential race.
I submit to you, dear readers, that these analysts are speaking as if they are not writing to you from one of the biggest players in the traditional media. They are the ones showing no capacity to resist the story themselves. It's much like an alcoholic calling another guy a sot.
Another point of analysis that had me tearing at my hair for lack of meaningful comparative contrast was this one:
—There is no evidence that the Bush campaign is orchestrating the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and the known ties between them are significantly less close than between John Kerry's campaign and the 527s supporting him.
First of all, the analyst makes a definitive statement: "There is no evidence..".
No evidence? According to whom? (Howard Kurtz, apparently. Why are they using Kurtz as the definitive font of wisdom?) Has there been an end-all news story I haven't heard about?
When you work for a power player like ABC, either you must be more careful of definitive statements like these or risk being seen as a Bush-coddler or, at best, a news network who doesn't care to investigate further because they "already know".
Then we have: "..the known ties between them [SwiftBoatVets and Bush] are significantly less close than between John Kerry's campaign and the 527s supporting him.."
Once again, where's the beef?
Where's the investigation and the end-all proof?
Most importantly, why are we pointing fingers at the 527s?
This is sick, my dear readers.
Sick, sick, sick.
The 527s are representing our freedom of speech.
It isn't Freedom to Lie.
Thankfully, slander and libel are still remedied by American justice. (That is, until our rights to sue are removed by the radical right-wing--look what's happening with Overtime Rules today for a taste of the slow death of justice and freedom in America).
Why would ABC political analysts drive the public to blame the 527s and not the deliberate and outright lies presented in the Swift Boat ads?
Would ABC analysts recommend that 527s be outlawed by the FEC?
Dear God, some bastion for defense of the First Amendment they're turning out to be if that's true.
James Madison would spin like chicken rotisserie in his grave.
Needless to say, I'm disappointed. I thought I trusted these folks.
I was reading ABC's Political Note today and I was not particularly impressed by some of the sections of political analysis I was seeing.
First of all, they write:
—The traditional media has shown no capacity to resist the story — for a week and counting this stuff has been the dominant narrative of the presidential race.
I submit to you, dear readers, that these analysts are speaking as if they are not writing to you from one of the biggest players in the traditional media. They are the ones showing no capacity to resist the story themselves. It's much like an alcoholic calling another guy a sot.
Another point of analysis that had me tearing at my hair for lack of meaningful comparative contrast was this one:
—There is no evidence that the Bush campaign is orchestrating the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and the known ties between them are significantly less close than between John Kerry's campaign and the 527s supporting him.
First of all, the analyst makes a definitive statement: "There is no evidence..".
No evidence? According to whom? (Howard Kurtz, apparently. Why are they using Kurtz as the definitive font of wisdom?) Has there been an end-all news story I haven't heard about?
When you work for a power player like ABC, either you must be more careful of definitive statements like these or risk being seen as a Bush-coddler or, at best, a news network who doesn't care to investigate further because they "already know".
Then we have: "..the known ties between them [SwiftBoatVets and Bush] are significantly less close than between John Kerry's campaign and the 527s supporting him.."
Once again, where's the beef?
Where's the investigation and the end-all proof?
Most importantly, why are we pointing fingers at the 527s?
This is sick, my dear readers.
Sick, sick, sick.
The 527s are representing our freedom of speech.
It isn't Freedom to Lie.
Thankfully, slander and libel are still remedied by American justice. (That is, until our rights to sue are removed by the radical right-wing--look what's happening with Overtime Rules today for a taste of the slow death of justice and freedom in America).
Why would ABC political analysts drive the public to blame the 527s and not the deliberate and outright lies presented in the Swift Boat ads?
Would ABC analysts recommend that 527s be outlawed by the FEC?
Dear God, some bastion for defense of the First Amendment they're turning out to be if that's true.
James Madison would spin like chicken rotisserie in his grave.
Needless to say, I'm disappointed. I thought I trusted these folks.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
The Swift Boat Controversy Continues
The Swift Boat Controversy Continues
-FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT
Officer Recalls Boat Mission With Kerry
by William Rood, Chicago Tribune
--BIG LIES FOR BUSH
Boston Globe Editorial
August 22, 2004
--Update: Two New Witnesses
Contradict Kerry's Swift Boat Critics
FactCheck.org
--Please take the time to view Patty Ann Smith's brand new blog Hope4America.
Today, she asks you this question:
What could be more un-American than people trying to discredit a soldiers medals? That is sacred territory. And, if it no longer is, then think about the almost 1,000 dead of ours right now...many of whom received medals. Are we going to start investigating whether they or their still living comrades deserved theirs?
[LINK]
Voice of a Veteran in an e-mail to CNN:
For Judge Napalitano:
No sir, not all veterans agree with the swift-boaters, not by a long shot. In fact you are going to see that the Bush campaign will be sorry it ever started this attack when Mr. Bush’s avoidance of military duty is hammered home in the next two months before the election. The Repubs thought they had a “Willie Horton” issue and were frustrated when Hurricane Charlie and the Olympics knocked their issue off of every conservative media outlet. Now they are trying to again force the issue, not Sen. Kerry.
The massive assault on John Kerry's war record appears to be being blamed, by you, on Kerry hyping the subject himself. But let's look at one very important piece missing from what you might call the "chain of evidence." This whole onslaught actually began with conservatives and their media sympathizers’ heavy criticism of Kerry, before the Democratic Convention. Mr. Bush and virtually all of the talk radio conservatives (and several CNN TV notables) blasted Kerry for being, in their words, “the most liberal of U.S. Senators, who is soft on national security.” Mr. Bush continues to use those words, and because Mr. Bush led the polls in that subject area, the attack had to be addressed at the convention and afterwards, and the Kerry campaign did so. This is one veteran, as even Senator John McCain has expressed, who believes that the swift-boaters and their supporters are in deep water and over their heads in personal agendas.
-FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT
Officer Recalls Boat Mission With Kerry
by William Rood, Chicago Tribune
--BIG LIES FOR BUSH
Boston Globe Editorial
August 22, 2004
--Update: Two New Witnesses
Contradict Kerry's Swift Boat Critics
FactCheck.org
--Please take the time to view Patty Ann Smith's brand new blog Hope4America.
Today, she asks you this question:
What could be more un-American than people trying to discredit a soldiers medals? That is sacred territory. And, if it no longer is, then think about the almost 1,000 dead of ours right now...many of whom received medals. Are we going to start investigating whether they or their still living comrades deserved theirs?
[LINK]
Voice of a Veteran in an e-mail to CNN:
For Judge Napalitano:
No sir, not all veterans agree with the swift-boaters, not by a long shot. In fact you are going to see that the Bush campaign will be sorry it ever started this attack when Mr. Bush’s avoidance of military duty is hammered home in the next two months before the election. The Repubs thought they had a “Willie Horton” issue and were frustrated when Hurricane Charlie and the Olympics knocked their issue off of every conservative media outlet. Now they are trying to again force the issue, not Sen. Kerry.
The massive assault on John Kerry's war record appears to be being blamed, by you, on Kerry hyping the subject himself. But let's look at one very important piece missing from what you might call the "chain of evidence." This whole onslaught actually began with conservatives and their media sympathizers’ heavy criticism of Kerry, before the Democratic Convention. Mr. Bush and virtually all of the talk radio conservatives (and several CNN TV notables) blasted Kerry for being, in their words, “the most liberal of U.S. Senators, who is soft on national security.” Mr. Bush continues to use those words, and because Mr. Bush led the polls in that subject area, the attack had to be addressed at the convention and afterwards, and the Kerry campaign did so. This is one veteran, as even Senator John McCain has expressed, who believes that the swift-boaters and their supporters are in deep water and over their heads in personal agendas.
Bush heading for Athens?
Bush heading for Athens?
Drudge says Bush may go to Athens to attend the Iraq soccer playoffs. (Even though the Iraqi soccer team wants him to take a hike and the White House is trying to sell us on the fact that those Iraqi athletes are simply "naive".
I think Bush would be be less nauseatingly political and better at uniting America if he was gutsy enough to attend a Dixie Chicks concert or an NAACP rally.
Drudge says Bush may go to Athens to attend the Iraq soccer playoffs. (Even though the Iraqi soccer team wants him to take a hike and the White House is trying to sell us on the fact that those Iraqi athletes are simply "naive".
I think Bush would be be less nauseatingly political and better at uniting America if he was gutsy enough to attend a Dixie Chicks concert or an NAACP rally.
Tenor of Bush Campaign: Play Base
Tenor of Bush Campaign: Play Base
The Bushites are approaching the presidential election campaign in much the same way that they have approached their political agenda over the past four years.
Play only to your avid supporters. Give them what they want and talk out the other side of your face about the good you're doing for the other 53% of America.
Ram idiotic talking points down the neck of the media and listen to those points warble and worm back up the parrot-throats of cable news networks 24/7.
If that fails to work, just lie.
Don't worry--it doesn't matter if it's ludicrous on its face.
What is in the military record and has not been disputed for 40 years means nothing when you have a media who will talk about any old reckless subject day in/day out.
Go ahead. Get some nice fellows together to raise up doubts that any rational person would dismiss as nonsense.
Give them plenty of money to place a few TV ads and Brit Hume and William Kristol will do the rest.
A lazy recipe for Republican election success?
-Go negative on your opponent hoping swing voters will stay at home on election day (while constantly reminding them they might be attacked by terrorists come voting-time).
-Play to your base--only your base. Screw the rest of them. Watch out especially for those precious under-45 white males from small towns and rural areas. They've got your back.
-Don't allow anyone to hear you publically speak if they have any small quarrel with the fact that they have you figured out.
-Have plenty of friends in corporate media who will keep their cameras off thousands of pesky protesters.
-Avoid talking about your actual record at all costs.
-Code words: Tax-cuts, tax-cuts, tax-cuts.
-Trot out the "Three Ms": The Moderates, the Matrons, and the Minorities in numbers incredibly disproportionate to the reality of your voting bloc.
Soon, the Republican party will trot out their most popular moderates (and one traitorous Democrat) to put a happy face on what has actually been a radical agenda without a mandate, a piss-poor jobless economic recovery, and an unnecessary war for which we were misled and unprepared.
The Bushites are approaching the presidential election campaign in much the same way that they have approached their political agenda over the past four years.
Play only to your avid supporters. Give them what they want and talk out the other side of your face about the good you're doing for the other 53% of America.
Ram idiotic talking points down the neck of the media and listen to those points warble and worm back up the parrot-throats of cable news networks 24/7.
If that fails to work, just lie.
Don't worry--it doesn't matter if it's ludicrous on its face.
What is in the military record and has not been disputed for 40 years means nothing when you have a media who will talk about any old reckless subject day in/day out.
Go ahead. Get some nice fellows together to raise up doubts that any rational person would dismiss as nonsense.
Give them plenty of money to place a few TV ads and Brit Hume and William Kristol will do the rest.
A lazy recipe for Republican election success?
-Go negative on your opponent hoping swing voters will stay at home on election day (while constantly reminding them they might be attacked by terrorists come voting-time).
-Play to your base--only your base. Screw the rest of them. Watch out especially for those precious under-45 white males from small towns and rural areas. They've got your back.
-Don't allow anyone to hear you publically speak if they have any small quarrel with the fact that they have you figured out.
-Have plenty of friends in corporate media who will keep their cameras off thousands of pesky protesters.
-Avoid talking about your actual record at all costs.
-Code words: Tax-cuts, tax-cuts, tax-cuts.
-Trot out the "Three Ms": The Moderates, the Matrons, and the Minorities in numbers incredibly disproportionate to the reality of your voting bloc.
Soon, the Republican party will trot out their most popular moderates (and one traitorous Democrat) to put a happy face on what has actually been a radical agenda without a mandate, a piss-poor jobless economic recovery, and an unnecessary war for which we were misled and unprepared.
Trust Destiny: Letter to John Kerry
Trust Destiny:
A Letter to John Kerry
Dear John Kerry:
Manipulation of the media will not win the election. The muse that inspired you to speak out so eloquently against the Vietnam War might. In truth, if the Creator means for you to be elected, you will -- if not, you won't, and there is nothing you can do about it. More importantly, if you speak from your heart, what needs to be said will have been said, regardless of whether you win or not. The question is: do you trust this, or are you as cynical as your actions appear to be to anyone who has their eyes open? Trust destiny, not your handlers. Trust that the process of life will unfold things as they should be, and that your job is to speak your truth from as deep a place inside yourself as you are able. Then leave the rest to the Creator. The American people are hungry for the truth. They feel in their hearts that they are in a wasteland of lies, falsehood, and sham. They need inspiration, not rote speeches, infantile squabbles, and canned messages that have no heart and soul. Please, wake up! Damn the mines! Push the throttle forward, and let greatness form in your wake!
Sincerely,
Jim Bush
Portland, Oregon
A Letter to John Kerry
Dear John Kerry:
Manipulation of the media will not win the election. The muse that inspired you to speak out so eloquently against the Vietnam War might. In truth, if the Creator means for you to be elected, you will -- if not, you won't, and there is nothing you can do about it. More importantly, if you speak from your heart, what needs to be said will have been said, regardless of whether you win or not. The question is: do you trust this, or are you as cynical as your actions appear to be to anyone who has their eyes open? Trust destiny, not your handlers. Trust that the process of life will unfold things as they should be, and that your job is to speak your truth from as deep a place inside yourself as you are able. Then leave the rest to the Creator. The American people are hungry for the truth. They feel in their hearts that they are in a wasteland of lies, falsehood, and sham. They need inspiration, not rote speeches, infantile squabbles, and canned messages that have no heart and soul. Please, wake up! Damn the mines! Push the throttle forward, and let greatness form in your wake!
Sincerely,
Jim Bush
Portland, Oregon
Sadr Standoff-The Fight for a Shrine
Sadr Standoff
-A journey into the epicenter of the Sadr standoff
Scott Baldauf
Christian Science Monitor
-Continued Violence in Iraq
Juan Cole
Informed Comment
-A journey into the epicenter of the Sadr standoff
Scott Baldauf
Christian Science Monitor
-Continued Violence in Iraq
Juan Cole
Informed Comment
Fired in Frederick
Fired in Frederick
Advertising employee Glen Hiller of Berkeley Springs, WV made the mistake of thinking free speech at Bush-Cheney political rally was actually free.
"[Bush] surrounds himself with people who support him," Hiller said of Bush. ``Your opinion ... is viewed as right or wrong."
Advertising employee Glen Hiller of Berkeley Springs, WV made the mistake of thinking free speech at Bush-Cheney political rally was actually free.
"[Bush] surrounds himself with people who support him," Hiller said of Bush. ``Your opinion ... is viewed as right or wrong."
Distortion, blindness and the 'liberal' media
Distortion, blindness and the 'liberal' media
by Jimmy Dee, OnLineJournal.com
Right-wing pundits and politicians cry media bias almost any time a conservative figure or issue receives negative coverage. Through unending repetition, the notion of a liberal media has become such a staple of the American political dialog that it is only rarely questioned, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth.
[LINK]
by Jimmy Dee, OnLineJournal.com
Right-wing pundits and politicians cry media bias almost any time a conservative figure or issue receives negative coverage. Through unending repetition, the notion of a liberal media has become such a staple of the American political dialog that it is only rarely questioned, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth.
[LINK]
Saturday, August 21, 2004
'Fahrenheit 9/11' Due on DVD Oct. 5
'Fahrenheit 9/11' Due
On DVD Oct. 5
Gary Susman, Entertainment Weekly
Just as he promised, Michael Moore will get ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' into video stores well in time for Election Day. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment announced Monday that it will release ''Fahrenheit'' on DVD on Oct. 5, just 102 days after its theatrical release but nearly a month before the Nov. 2 election.
The disc, which will retail for a suggested $28.95, will contain such extras as deleted footage (including sequences involving homeland security and Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison), a featurette documenting the controversy leading up to "Fahrenheit's" release, footage of the movie's gold-star mom Lila Lipscomb at the film's Washington premiere, a featurette about Arab-American comedians in the aftermath of 9/11, and footage from the 9/11 commission hearings this past spring, including the testimony of national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and a press conference held by President Bush after his closed-door testimony. Of course, with the film's video debut coming less than four months after its theatrical opening, it may still be playing in a few theaters. At this writing, according to Box Office Mojo, it's still on 716 screens and has earned $115 million to date in America.
Copyright 2004 Entertainment Weekly
On DVD Oct. 5
Gary Susman, Entertainment Weekly
Just as he promised, Michael Moore will get ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' into video stores well in time for Election Day. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment announced Monday that it will release ''Fahrenheit'' on DVD on Oct. 5, just 102 days after its theatrical release but nearly a month before the Nov. 2 election.
The disc, which will retail for a suggested $28.95, will contain such extras as deleted footage (including sequences involving homeland security and Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison), a featurette documenting the controversy leading up to "Fahrenheit's" release, footage of the movie's gold-star mom Lila Lipscomb at the film's Washington premiere, a featurette about Arab-American comedians in the aftermath of 9/11, and footage from the 9/11 commission hearings this past spring, including the testimony of national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and a press conference held by President Bush after his closed-door testimony. Of course, with the film's video debut coming less than four months after its theatrical opening, it may still be playing in a few theaters. At this writing, according to Box Office Mojo, it's still on 716 screens and has earned $115 million to date in America.
Copyright 2004 Entertainment Weekly
The Tank: Republican National Convention Blog
The Tank:
Republican National Convention Blog
Information on activities during the Republican National Convention at the Tank, 432 West 42nd St, and around New York City.
A summary of the latest blogposts from RNC bloggers.
Organizations in NYC
Counter GOP Concention events.
The UnConvention.
Imagine Festival
Drinking Liberally.
Republican National Convention Blog
Information on activities during the Republican National Convention at the Tank, 432 West 42nd St, and around New York City.
A summary of the latest blogposts from RNC bloggers.
Organizations in NYC
Counter GOP Concention events.
The UnConvention.
Imagine Festival
Drinking Liberally.
Beauty rises from dust
Beauty rises from dust
How can beauty arise from bitterly distressed circumstances, as in Afghanistan?
Perhaps only through art.
AP photo
This week, I was invited into another's world by seeing the film 'Osama'. By chance, I happened to find this N.Y. Times article by John Rockwell about the messages we receive of beauty delivered to us through the arts.
I'm also reading a cultural history book I recently picked up at the Plimoth Plantation about leisure and recreation during the Puritan colonial times in New England.
Finding this article..and then realizing that the article weaved both topics in such a way that leads me to believe that, from a personal standpoint, there are meaningful coincidences which lead us to change the world. Our eyes and ears are naturally attracted to the beautiful, and more than a distraction, beauty can be a healing and transforming force.
A repressive, judgmental streak in Western culture, from Plato to the Inquisition to the Puritans to hard-core Marxists to the political correctness of today, remains stubbornly suspicious of beauty. Moralists fear that beautiful church music can distract from the worship of God, that beautiful painting can hide cruel social realities, that beautiful films can sugarcoat contemporary cruelty.
I thought of the recent Afghan film "Osama" (and all the remarkable Iranian films to which it is so clearly indebted). A girl disguises herself as a boy named Osama to support her female family in the harsh years of the Taliban. (All the men have been killed fighting.) Eventually she is exposed, and her punishment, dispatch into sexual slavery to a lecherous imam with a harem, is harsh and cruel; there is no happy ending. The film shows a human and physical landscape stripped of nearly all human warmth or natural richness. And yet nearly every shot is colored and framed and imagined to be breathtakingly beautiful.
Is the beauty of "Osama" a delusion? Does it serve as a mere lure to get us to confront horrors we might otherwise avoid? Or is there no inherent contradiction between beauty and the full range of human experience?
How can beauty arise from bitterly distressed circumstances, as in Afghanistan?
Perhaps only through art.
AP photo
This week, I was invited into another's world by seeing the film 'Osama'. By chance, I happened to find this N.Y. Times article by John Rockwell about the messages we receive of beauty delivered to us through the arts.
I'm also reading a cultural history book I recently picked up at the Plimoth Plantation about leisure and recreation during the Puritan colonial times in New England.
Finding this article..and then realizing that the article weaved both topics in such a way that leads me to believe that, from a personal standpoint, there are meaningful coincidences which lead us to change the world. Our eyes and ears are naturally attracted to the beautiful, and more than a distraction, beauty can be a healing and transforming force.
A repressive, judgmental streak in Western culture, from Plato to the Inquisition to the Puritans to hard-core Marxists to the political correctness of today, remains stubbornly suspicious of beauty. Moralists fear that beautiful church music can distract from the worship of God, that beautiful painting can hide cruel social realities, that beautiful films can sugarcoat contemporary cruelty.
I thought of the recent Afghan film "Osama" (and all the remarkable Iranian films to which it is so clearly indebted). A girl disguises herself as a boy named Osama to support her female family in the harsh years of the Taliban. (All the men have been killed fighting.) Eventually she is exposed, and her punishment, dispatch into sexual slavery to a lecherous imam with a harem, is harsh and cruel; there is no happy ending. The film shows a human and physical landscape stripped of nearly all human warmth or natural richness. And yet nearly every shot is colored and framed and imagined to be breathtakingly beautiful.
Is the beauty of "Osama" a delusion? Does it serve as a mere lure to get us to confront horrors we might otherwise avoid? Or is there no inherent contradiction between beauty and the full range of human experience?
Stooping to indignity with George
Stooping to indignity with George
Seen out in the blogosphere:
"To go to a Bush rally today, I'd have to tell lies that I support the man, and I'm not going to stoop to that indignity just to see a president. This used to be a free country. I miss it. I hope we can get back to that America after November."
Seen out in the blogosphere:
"To go to a Bush rally today, I'd have to tell lies that I support the man, and I'm not going to stoop to that indignity just to see a president. This used to be a free country. I miss it. I hope we can get back to that America after November."
Washington Post Slams Swift Boat Vets
Washington Post Slams Swift Boat Vets
Green and gangly trumps the Old Liars' Club.
"For Kerry, then a green and gangly Navy lieutenant........"
Here's a good question:
Will 'green and gangly' trump
'yellow-belly'?
Green and gangly trumps the Old Liars' Club.
"For Kerry, then a green and gangly Navy lieutenant........"
Here's a good question:
Will 'green and gangly' trump
'yellow-belly'?
Friday, August 20, 2004
The Grampy Patrol
The Grampy Patrol
I had great fun reading about Juice's Walt Mart adventure at Tales from the Liberry.
Thanks to Juice, I was blissfully led to the Horribly True Tales of the Drunken Trucker .
A prehistoric blog. *wink*
I had great fun reading about Juice's Walt Mart adventure at Tales from the Liberry.
Thanks to Juice, I was blissfully led to the Horribly True Tales of the Drunken Trucker .
"They warn me that I can't distribute thisHave you seen the Most Mentally Ill Job Resume?
resume in Tempe".
A prehistoric blog. *wink*
Kerry and the Iraq Votes
Kerry and the Iraq Votes
Can Kerry Just Be Himself?
By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor Berkeley Daily Planet
This isn't going to be easy.
In a post-9/11 world, Mr. Allen-Taylor states that progressives (ie: Robert Scheer) should not look to the election of 2004 as a reprisal of 1968.
The U.S. military presence in Iraq that is exacerbating the problems we face in the Middle East. Most Americans now believe that we never should have invaded. They also believe that a precipitous U.S. withdrawal would make things worse. These are legitimate yet opposing views.
John Kerry became the Democratic Party nominee precisely because he fudged his positions on Iraqi withdrawal, straddling the great American divide (yes, we shouldn't have gone in, but how we should leave is a matter yet to be determined). Turning from that course in either direction would now tip the balance and lose Kerry one wing of the Democratic Party or the other, dumping all of us into the abyss.
The only way the nation will have a chance – within the next four years – of pulling itself out of this Middle East mess, is to let Kerry BE Kerry. If Bush wins, we go in deeper, without a doubt. If Mr. Kerry wins, we may not.
Mr. Allen-Taylor makes the observation that it's not the best of choices. But it's the best choice we're going to get.
Allen-Taylor's article sounds like what we've come to know as "Anyone But Bush".
Is that a negative thing? I don't think so.
Is it a "Bush-hate" thing? Sure, I think it is.
We all know what hating Bush means.
Why deny it?
Many people believe he's the worst president this country has ever had.
If you love your country, why on earth wouldn't you hate a person who you firmly believed was destroying it?
What do you think?
Can Kerry Just Be Himself?
By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor Berkeley Daily Planet
This isn't going to be easy.
In a post-9/11 world, Mr. Allen-Taylor states that progressives (ie: Robert Scheer) should not look to the election of 2004 as a reprisal of 1968.
The U.S. military presence in Iraq that is exacerbating the problems we face in the Middle East. Most Americans now believe that we never should have invaded. They also believe that a precipitous U.S. withdrawal would make things worse. These are legitimate yet opposing views.
John Kerry became the Democratic Party nominee precisely because he fudged his positions on Iraqi withdrawal, straddling the great American divide (yes, we shouldn't have gone in, but how we should leave is a matter yet to be determined). Turning from that course in either direction would now tip the balance and lose Kerry one wing of the Democratic Party or the other, dumping all of us into the abyss.
The only way the nation will have a chance – within the next four years – of pulling itself out of this Middle East mess, is to let Kerry BE Kerry. If Bush wins, we go in deeper, without a doubt. If Mr. Kerry wins, we may not.
Mr. Allen-Taylor makes the observation that it's not the best of choices. But it's the best choice we're going to get.
If you love your country, why on earth wouldn't you hate a person who you firmly believed was destroying it?
Allen-Taylor's article sounds like what we've come to know as "Anyone But Bush".
Is that a negative thing? I don't think so.
Is it a "Bush-hate" thing? Sure, I think it is.
We all know what hating Bush means.
Why deny it?
Many people believe he's the worst president this country has ever had.
If you love your country, why on earth wouldn't you hate a person who you firmly believed was destroying it?
What do you think?
Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
Sports Illustrated
Recently, Daniel Pearl's family asked Cheney and the entire Bush administration to immediately stop using Daniel's name for their political campaign.
Now, members of Iraq's olympic soccer team are angrily saying that they have been made unwilling participants in a new political campaign ad for Bush.
Sports Illustrated
Recently, Daniel Pearl's family asked Cheney and the entire Bush administration to immediately stop using Daniel's name for their political campaign.
Now, members of Iraq's olympic soccer team are angrily saying that they have been made unwilling participants in a new political campaign ad for Bush.
What Went Wrong in Iraq
What Went Wrong in Iraq
ForeignAffairs.org
Larry Diamond is Co-editor of the Journal of Democracy and Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. From January to April 2004, he served as a Senior Adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad.
In summary, Mr. Diamond has written an article about the consequences of early U.S. blunders in the occupation of Iraq. The Bush administration was never willing to commit the resources necessary to secure the country and did not make the most of the resources it had. U.S. officials did get a number of things right, but they never understood-or even listened to-the country they were seeking to rebuild. As a result, the democratic future of Iraq now hangs in the balance.
ForeignAffairs.org
Larry Diamond is Co-editor of the Journal of Democracy and Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. From January to April 2004, he served as a Senior Adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad.
In summary, Mr. Diamond has written an article about the consequences of early U.S. blunders in the occupation of Iraq. The Bush administration was never willing to commit the resources necessary to secure the country and did not make the most of the resources it had. U.S. officials did get a number of things right, but they never understood-or even listened to-the country they were seeking to rebuild. As a result, the democratic future of Iraq now hangs in the balance.
Anti-Kerry Swift Boat Vet Denies Vietnam War Ever Took Place
Anti-Kerry Swift Boat Vet Denies Vietnam War Ever Took Place
It must be true! I read it at Tom Burka's blog!
It must be true! I read it at Tom Burka's blog!
An Attack on Democracy
An Attack on Democracy
By Dr. Robert Abele, professor of philosophy; author of "A User's Guide to the USA PATRIOT Act", published by University Press of America, due out in November
These are very serious charges and very serious issues, including unconstitutional acts by the Bush administration and at least four particularly horrific ways in which they have circumvented democracy (well-detailed).
By Dr. Robert Abele, professor of philosophy; author of "A User's Guide to the USA PATRIOT Act", published by University Press of America, due out in November
These are very serious charges and very serious issues, including unconstitutional acts by the Bush administration and at least four particularly horrific ways in which they have circumvented democracy (well-detailed).
Slice of life from the Kerry campaign trail
Slice of life from the Kerry campaign trail
August 20, 2004
Charlotte, N.C.
--Of the 15 odd folks that appeared there, one was a woman carrying a Kerry sign, and several firemen carrying Bush signs.
"Hey you were the guys who put the fire out at my house!", the woman said, as she recognized the firemen.
"When it comes to work, politics doesn't matter", one of the firemen said, exemplifying what is best about government work.--
[LINK-Anonymoses]
August 20, 2004
Charlotte, N.C.
--Of the 15 odd folks that appeared there, one was a woman carrying a Kerry sign, and several firemen carrying Bush signs.
"Hey you were the guys who put the fire out at my house!", the woman said, as she recognized the firemen.
"When it comes to work, politics doesn't matter", one of the firemen said, exemplifying what is best about government work.--
[LINK-Anonymoses]
Feith: Military advice from a dubious character
Feith: Military advice from a dubious character
They have faith. The Bush administration destroys that faith more and more every day.
General Tommy Franks on Douglas Feith:
"I have to deal with the f*cking stupidest guy on the face of the earth almost every day."
From Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack"
________
Douglas Feith? You're not sure who he is, you say? I think you should get yourself acquainted with him before you even consider his take on the state of the military.
Start by reading this.
The hack that equipped the Bush administration with the PR-fodder they desired to make the unnecessary Iraq invasion politically palatable is now trying to sell you on the idea that removing a significant presence in South Korea is smart.
Douglas Feith has it ass-backwards when he says:
1. In any season, we went headlong into a unilateral action (whether or not Tony Blair killed his political career by following).
2. Political season? In any season, politics is the only priority that has driven the Bush agenda.
3. The Bush administration has already crushed our international alliances with his macho-bully (who gives a sh*t about you?) policies. What does it matter that our allies are "capable" if they don't respect us enough to deal with us in the first place?
4. Bush has already doomed a good part of our defense partnerships, and Douglas Feith himself was part of the machinery that destroyed America's stature and credibility.
Why the hell would anyone believe Douglas Feith now?
He should have been ousted from his dubious position long ago.
They have faith. The Bush administration destroys that faith more and more every day.
General Tommy Franks on Douglas Feith:
"I have to deal with the f*cking stupidest guy on the face of the earth almost every day."
From Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack"
________
Douglas Feith? You're not sure who he is, you say? I think you should get yourself acquainted with him before you even consider his take on the state of the military.
Start by reading this.
The hack that equipped the Bush administration with the PR-fodder they desired to make the unnecessary Iraq invasion politically palatable is now trying to sell you on the idea that removing a significant presence in South Korea is smart.
Douglas Feith has it ass-backwards when he says:
In this political season, it was inevitable that some critics would charge us with "unilateralism." But the charge gets the matter backward. The posture changes will make U.S. alliances capable and usable well into the future. The failure to make such changes could doom our defense partnerships to irrelevance.
1. In any season, we went headlong into a unilateral action (whether or not Tony Blair killed his political career by following).
2. Political season? In any season, politics is the only priority that has driven the Bush agenda.
3. The Bush administration has already crushed our international alliances with his macho-bully (who gives a sh*t about you?) policies. What does it matter that our allies are "capable" if they don't respect us enough to deal with us in the first place?
4. Bush has already doomed a good part of our defense partnerships, and Douglas Feith himself was part of the machinery that destroyed America's stature and credibility.
Why the hell would anyone believe Douglas Feith now?
He should have been ousted from his dubious position long ago.
Mahdi Army Departs Shrine
Mahdi Army Departs Shrine
It appears that the Mahdi army has departed the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf. I'm relieved there was no bloodbath there in that holy place. The Mahdi militia has not laid down its arms to date. Juan Cole states that what the US military has done to Najaf in the past two weeks while fighting the militiamen has already deeply hurt the reputation of America in southern Iraq and indeed in much of the Muslim world.
It appears that the Mahdi army has departed the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf. I'm relieved there was no bloodbath there in that holy place. The Mahdi militia has not laid down its arms to date. Juan Cole states that what the US military has done to Najaf in the past two weeks while fighting the militiamen has already deeply hurt the reputation of America in southern Iraq and indeed in much of the Muslim world.
Kerry stands proudly by his wartime record
Kerry stands proudly by his wartime record
I'm so glad that Senator Kerry has stood up for his wartime service record proudly and boldly.
Open Secrets website here.
What these swift boat defamers are doing is putting a blue-dress-style stain on the proud and glorious sheen of of serving our country during wartime.
Be all that you can be----only to have your bravery and effort diminished and smeared by irresponsible lies while you watch the Armed Forces' commander in chief smirk.
Go get 'em, John.
I'm so glad that Senator Kerry has stood up for his wartime service record proudly and boldly.
Open Secrets website here.
What these swift boat defamers are doing is putting a blue-dress-style stain on the proud and glorious sheen of of serving our country during wartime.
Be all that you can be----only to have your bravery and effort diminished and smeared by irresponsible lies while you watch the Armed Forces' commander in chief smirk.
Go get 'em, John.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Zell Miller keynote speaker at GOP Convention
Zell Miller keynote speaker at GOP Convention
He's no Democrat!
The same Zell Miller who was chief of staff for the unrepentant racist Lester Maddox will be the keynote speaker at the GOP convention.
Yes, Zell Miller was right-hand man to Lester Maddox who, in 1964, smashed in the roof of a black minister's car. Maddox also publically pushed defiance of federal civil rights legislation calling for desegregation of restaurants and other public places--he pushed his racist agenda so strongly that he passed out axe handles to white customers at his eatery to prevent its integration. Later in the year, Zell Miller's boss Maddox closed the Pickrick establishment rather than be forced to serve African Americans.
Yes, my friends. Lester's ex-chief of staff Zell Miller says that today's democrats are too liberal--and maybe he thinks they should be like his old buddy. The same old buddy, Lester, who picked up a pistol and chased black protesters from the Pickrick fried chicken restaurant the day after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law.
Was that the kind of Democrat for whom Zell waxes nostalgic and for whom he has the true respect?
This lone little traitor, Zell Miller, will be staring down the rolling thunder of the unified Democratic party when he delivers the keynote speech.
How pathetic for the RNC.
The Democratic convention convinced an ex-president's (a Republican's) son to come and speak about an issue that will benefit mankind--steam cell research.
The Republicans get a man who was connected with an era of ugly violence against the black race and whose poor character would lead him to be a political traitor to his party because his fellow party members (including the North Carolianian who has been chosen to be the VP Dem candidate) did not choose to be part of his washed-up conservative Dixiecrat circle.
Hey, GOP--we saw Bush snub the NAACP this year. Your popularity poll numbers with African Americans have never been lower. You disenfranchised more black voters in 2000 than Lester Maddox bopped in the head with his axe handle in '64.
The smell of voter suppression coming out of Florida is getting stronger.
A great moment in liberalism was Lyndon Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
GOP, keep going backward--you can have Zell!
He's no Democrat!
The same Zell Miller who was chief of staff for the unrepentant racist Lester Maddox will be the keynote speaker at the GOP convention.
Yes, Zell Miller was right-hand man to Lester Maddox who, in 1964, smashed in the roof of a black minister's car. Maddox also publically pushed defiance of federal civil rights legislation calling for desegregation of restaurants and other public places--he pushed his racist agenda so strongly that he passed out axe handles to white customers at his eatery to prevent its integration. Later in the year, Zell Miller's boss Maddox closed the Pickrick establishment rather than be forced to serve African Americans.
Yes, my friends. Lester's ex-chief of staff Zell Miller says that today's democrats are too liberal--and maybe he thinks they should be like his old buddy. The same old buddy, Lester, who picked up a pistol and chased black protesters from the Pickrick fried chicken restaurant the day after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law.
Was that the kind of Democrat for whom Zell waxes nostalgic and for whom he has the true respect?
This lone little traitor, Zell Miller, will be staring down the rolling thunder of the unified Democratic party when he delivers the keynote speech.
How pathetic for the RNC.
The Democratic convention convinced an ex-president's (a Republican's) son to come and speak about an issue that will benefit mankind--steam cell research.
The Republicans get a man who was connected with an era of ugly violence against the black race and whose poor character would lead him to be a political traitor to his party because his fellow party members (including the North Carolianian who has been chosen to be the VP Dem candidate) did not choose to be part of his washed-up conservative Dixiecrat circle.
Hey, GOP--we saw Bush snub the NAACP this year. Your popularity poll numbers with African Americans have never been lower. You disenfranchised more black voters in 2000 than Lester Maddox bopped in the head with his axe handle in '64.
The smell of voter suppression coming out of Florida is getting stronger.
A great moment in liberalism was Lyndon Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
GOP, keep going backward--you can have Zell!
Nick Cohen has lost the left
Nick Cohen lost the left
If he took a rational view of modern political science, he might see where it went
Part One- He blames commies and a film.
Nick Cohen begins his diabtribe against the left titled "Where Have All the Children of the Left Gone?" by blaming a movie. Why such emphasis on a piece of entertainment? I think you have to ask yourself that question because it colors much of his complaint.
Cohen imagines the millions of people who viewed 'Fahrenheit 9/11' as those who would see Iraqis as "comrades". I really think that's pushing the envelope....no...ripping the envelope.
Most of the people who viewed the movie had no strong political or ideological motivation whatsoever. I would say the major force driving them to the theater was sheer curiosity.
Just wait for the book.
Curiosity will also lead people to read Michael Moore's upcoming book of letters from Iraq war soldiers.
After 9/11, we're told that we're leaving cold war thinking behind....but are we? When will our ideas catch up with our bombs?
Cohen writes as if Marxism was still a major threat to modern societies. The Cold War ended some time ago and I think we've all seen political progress and mutation borne by the mere passing of time.
The problem with the hard right is that they cling to old ideas, therefore thay cannot imagine how the left may have evolved. Perhaps that is why they are called conservative...and perhaps that is why many of them have to be careful about what they choose to conserve. Antiquated thought is seldom a healthy thing to be clinging onto. History can be used to make a better future rather than used as a tool for division. The world has changed drastically over time and the fact that 9/11 occurred and we were shocked and unprepared was proof-positive that many of us simply didn't "get it".
So, I ask you---when will we get it? We aren't going to win any wars against terror in a divided global state.
Right/left? How utterly simplistic.
I believe Mr Cohen is far too simplistic in his analysis. If we examine the world through the eyes of a political scientist, we would see that it's full of myriad systems and movements that are vying with each other for power.
We need imagination (as the 9/11 Commission pointed out to America). We need to see fewer of our differences and more of our common decency.
Our world troubles shouldn't be posed in the tired frames of right-world vs. left-world any longer. If we use our intelligent imagination, we would see how American-style corporate capitalism and statist liberalism can work successfully together to beat terror. (The folly of Iraq exposed a gigantic crack between the two, however, and we need to mend those fences with intelligent leadership).
When are we going to learn?
This incessant mistrust and teeth-baring at the left is going to kill us--and I mean that literally.
We need to be decent and civil world vs. indecent and uncivil world.
It isn't complicated and it doesn't take a genius to understand.
To his credit, I think George W. Bush believes this in its black-and-white terms, but has never had a clue how to make it a political reality.
He's a beautiful fool who should never have been allowed to run powerfully amok. I believe he was ill-advised by those he trusted.
I do not believe he was ever a capable leader.
If Cohen can't see the left anymore, he may need to take that log out of his own eyeball and put down that old crutch of left/right division (which should have died along with the cold war).
The right has shifted backward surely as the left has progressed
If we must talk in terms of left and right (bored sigh), let's state what is real and what is true.
In reality, what was once the "left" (and is still "the left" to Cohen's rather antiquated way of thinking) is now being replaced by what we know as the radical right. Think of the NeoConservative movement and the totalitarian-leaning activities by the Ashcroft Justice department and you may begin to understand what I mean.
The Bush effect
The Bush administration has contributed to this political upheaval and unrest in our world. They've practically ruined Tony Blair by his association with them.
Until the Iraq war, I'd wager most of the world saw Blair as a rational, intelligent, and decent leader.
He got into bed with a fool--albeit a beautiful fool.
The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
Cohen says honorable traditions have been forgotten by 'the left'. I think Cohen needs to sift through the cobwebs in his mind and think anew. All good people desire honorable and decent goals. There are good people on the old left and on the right and in all ideological spaces in between.
If we don't seek the common angels of our better nature, the civil world will go to hell.
If he took a rational view of modern political science, he might see where it went
Part One- He blames commies and a film.
Nick Cohen begins his diabtribe against the left titled "Where Have All the Children of the Left Gone?" by blaming a movie. Why such emphasis on a piece of entertainment? I think you have to ask yourself that question because it colors much of his complaint.
Cohen imagines the millions of people who viewed 'Fahrenheit 9/11' as those who would see Iraqis as "comrades". I really think that's pushing the envelope....no...ripping the envelope.
Most of the people who viewed the movie had no strong political or ideological motivation whatsoever. I would say the major force driving them to the theater was sheer curiosity.
Just wait for the book.
Curiosity will also lead people to read Michael Moore's upcoming book of letters from Iraq war soldiers.
After 9/11, we're told that we're leaving cold war thinking behind....but are we? When will our ideas catch up with our bombs?
Cohen writes as if Marxism was still a major threat to modern societies. The Cold War ended some time ago and I think we've all seen political progress and mutation borne by the mere passing of time.
The problem with the hard right is that they cling to old ideas, therefore thay cannot imagine how the left may have evolved. Perhaps that is why they are called conservative...and perhaps that is why many of them have to be careful about what they choose to conserve. Antiquated thought is seldom a healthy thing to be clinging onto. History can be used to make a better future rather than used as a tool for division. The world has changed drastically over time and the fact that 9/11 occurred and we were shocked and unprepared was proof-positive that many of us simply didn't "get it".
So, I ask you---when will we get it? We aren't going to win any wars against terror in a divided global state.
Our world troubles shouldn't be posed in the tired frames of right-world vs. left-world any longer.
Right/left? How utterly simplistic.
I believe Mr Cohen is far too simplistic in his analysis. If we examine the world through the eyes of a political scientist, we would see that it's full of myriad systems and movements that are vying with each other for power.
We need imagination (as the 9/11 Commission pointed out to America). We need to see fewer of our differences and more of our common decency.
Our world troubles shouldn't be posed in the tired frames of right-world vs. left-world any longer. If we use our intelligent imagination, we would see how American-style corporate capitalism and statist liberalism can work successfully together to beat terror. (The folly of Iraq exposed a gigantic crack between the two, however, and we need to mend those fences with intelligent leadership).
When are we going to learn?
This incessant mistrust and teeth-baring at the left is going to kill us--and I mean that literally.
We need to be decent and civil world vs. indecent and uncivil world.
It isn't complicated and it doesn't take a genius to understand.
To his credit, I think George W. Bush believes this in its black-and-white terms, but has never had a clue how to make it a political reality.
He's a beautiful fool who should never have been allowed to run powerfully amok. I believe he was ill-advised by those he trusted.
I do not believe he was ever a capable leader.
If Cohen can't see the left anymore, he may need to take that log out of his own eyeball and put down that old crutch of left/right division (which should have died along with the cold war).
The right has shifted backward surely as the left has progressed
If we must talk in terms of left and right (bored sigh), let's state what is real and what is true.
In reality, what was once the "left" (and is still "the left" to Cohen's rather antiquated way of thinking) is now being replaced by what we know as the radical right. Think of the NeoConservative movement and the totalitarian-leaning activities by the Ashcroft Justice department and you may begin to understand what I mean.
The Bush effect
The Bush administration has contributed to this political upheaval and unrest in our world. They've practically ruined Tony Blair by his association with them.
Until the Iraq war, I'd wager most of the world saw Blair as a rational, intelligent, and decent leader.
He got into bed with a fool--albeit a beautiful fool.
The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
Cohen says honorable traditions have been forgotten by 'the left'. I think Cohen needs to sift through the cobwebs in his mind and think anew. All good people desire honorable and decent goals. There are good people on the old left and on the right and in all ideological spaces in between.
If we don't seek the common angels of our better nature, the civil world will go to hell.
The Press: Commercial consideration triumphs truth
The Press: Commercial consideration triumphs truth
Press contributed to unnecessary war in Iraq through soft censorship. They buried stories. We got war.
Executive editor Len Downie appeared on the August 18th Online News Hour and tried to reassure moderator Terrence Smith that his Washington Post was not a megaphone for the Bush administration.
Smith's question was this: Was there, Len Downie, a reason why those stories that did question those assumptions [about reasons for war; WMD] ended up inside and that the administration views generally ended up on page one?
Mr. Downie replied: Well, administration views ended up on page one because it was the administration deciding whether or not we were going to go to war.
He called it "accountability reporting."
He blamed the Washington Post's administration-heavy war coverage on their editorial "focus".
I believe was it their determined (soft) censorship. They buried the stories. We got war. It really wasn't all that complicated.
I hope it won't happen again.
I don't have much faith these days, however.
Mr. Downie went on to say: What we did not place in the front page enough at the same time were the voices which were in many cases anonymous and not on the record and obviously not people in the same public offices at that time, retired generals rather than active generals who were warning that perhaps this was not a wise war. In retrospect, I wish I had put more of those stories in the front page.
If any lesson is to be learned, it's that our news editors must have a new focus. Now that they know (and we know) this Bush administration cannot be trusted, anonyomous sources may have to grace more front pages.
On the same Online News guest-panel, journalist and author Michael Massing made the comment that, in the period since 9/11, "the public mood has put barriers in the place of the type of skepticism and independence that we look for in the press."
I found this to be an accurate and honest statement.
The public mood should never have a bearing on the reporting of the truth, but I know why it does.
The responsibility of journalists should be asking the hardest questions and the responsibility of editors should be to proudly and boldly place the answers to those tough questions in the typical reader's direct sight, but I understand why that didn't happen in the lead-up to the Iraq war.
The truth is not always easy for a moody public to accept.
The truth doesn't sell papers if it's too controversial.
The truth may not help you gather advertisers in controversial times.
Obviously, commercial factors have a direct bearing on censorship.
Burying important stories was a harmful form of censorship.
This is a place where capitalism is terribly flawed.
The very fact that the press has to be questioned like this is dismaying because I know it took almost a thousand deaths of our American brothers and sisters in Iraq in order for the "public mood" to shift so the press could tell us the truth without fear of financial recrimination.
_______________________________
Danny Schechter asks: Why does the term “weapons of mass deception” still apply to our media coverage of a war that is at war with the truth?
Press contributed to unnecessary war in Iraq through soft censorship. They buried stories. We got war.
Executive editor Len Downie appeared on the August 18th Online News Hour and tried to reassure moderator Terrence Smith that his Washington Post was not a megaphone for the Bush administration.
Smith's question was this: Was there, Len Downie, a reason why those stories that did question those assumptions [about reasons for war; WMD] ended up inside and that the administration views generally ended up on page one?
Mr. Downie replied: Well, administration views ended up on page one because it was the administration deciding whether or not we were going to go to war.
He called it "accountability reporting."
He blamed the Washington Post's administration-heavy war coverage on their editorial "focus".
I believe was it their determined (soft) censorship. They buried the stories. We got war. It really wasn't all that complicated.
I hope it won't happen again.
I don't have much faith these days, however.
Mr. Downie went on to say: What we did not place in the front page enough at the same time were the voices which were in many cases anonymous and not on the record and obviously not people in the same public offices at that time, retired generals rather than active generals who were warning that perhaps this was not a wise war. In retrospect, I wish I had put more of those stories in the front page.
If any lesson is to be learned, it's that our news editors must have a new focus. Now that they know (and we know) this Bush administration cannot be trusted, anonyomous sources may have to grace more front pages.
On the same Online News guest-panel, journalist and author Michael Massing made the comment that, in the period since 9/11, "the public mood has put barriers in the place of the type of skepticism and independence that we look for in the press."
I found this to be an accurate and honest statement.
The public mood should never have a bearing on the reporting of the truth, but I know why it does.
The responsibility of journalists should be asking the hardest questions and the responsibility of editors should be to proudly and boldly place the answers to those tough questions in the typical reader's direct sight, but I understand why that didn't happen in the lead-up to the Iraq war.
The truth is not always easy for a moody public to accept.
The truth doesn't sell papers if it's too controversial.
The truth may not help you gather advertisers in controversial times.
Obviously, commercial factors have a direct bearing on censorship.
Burying important stories was a harmful form of censorship.
This is a place where capitalism is terribly flawed.
The very fact that the press has to be questioned like this is dismaying because I know it took almost a thousand deaths of our American brothers and sisters in Iraq in order for the "public mood" to shift so the press could tell us the truth without fear of financial recrimination.
_______________________________
Danny Schechter asks: Why does the term “weapons of mass deception” still apply to our media coverage of a war that is at war with the truth?
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Bush team refuses teacher admission to rally
Bush team refuses Social Studies
teacher admission to campaign rally
I'll bet she'll have a great lesson to teach her fall class.
Bush campaign staffers tore up a 55-year-old social studies teacher's ticket and refused her admission because she sported a small sticker on her blouse that touted the Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards.
"I had my ticket and photo identification, but they would not let me in because of this sticker," said Mead, a teacher at Traverse City West Senior High, who said she has seen Queen Elizabeth and Pope John Paul in person.
"I have never found this kind of screening anywhere in my travels around the world. I can't imagine being denied access to hearing the president of the United States speak."
[LINK]
teacher admission to campaign rally
I'll bet she'll have a great lesson to teach her fall class.
Bush campaign staffers tore up a 55-year-old social studies teacher's ticket and refused her admission because she sported a small sticker on her blouse that touted the Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards.
"I had my ticket and photo identification, but they would not let me in because of this sticker," said Mead, a teacher at Traverse City West Senior High, who said she has seen Queen Elizabeth and Pope John Paul in person.
"I have never found this kind of screening anywhere in my travels around the world. I can't imagine being denied access to hearing the president of the United States speak."
[LINK]
Helen Thomas Tough on Kerry
Helen Thomas Tough on Kerry
Some very tough love for Kerry from Helen Thomas. I've said this several times now. If he wants to convince those hardest to convince--the ones who want to vote for him but demand clarity--John Kerry needs to put his clearest heartfelt thoughts on leadership (his thoughts in 2002, now, and the time in-between) in black and white and send it to the N.Y. Times.
Put your finger on the pulse, Senator Kerry.
Listen to Helen Thomas.
Listen to what's in the wind.
Listen to the hearts of troops that no longer beat.
Listen to the families of those troops like Army Capt. Humayun Saqib Khan of the Germany-based, 201st Forward Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. He wrote home in a letter: "This is a mess, why are we here? This is such chaos. We should be coming home instead of being here."
His family wants him to be remembered as a peacemaker..someone who cared about his fellow man.
Listen to the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory E. MacDonald. Like you, Senator Kerry, he was a cerebral man, but he never made it home to tell his nation what you were able to tell our nation. He was a scholar who wanted to create peace in the Middle East. Greg told his friends many times that he would support any candidate who stood up forcefully against this war because it was wrong and was not sold on evidence, but lies and ideology.
Many of us have sons and daughters who are thinking of joining the service. They are loving and caring people. Even after Viet Nam, we have been a trusting people. Until this Iraq mess; this Iraq lie.
We need to trust now more than ever.
Put your finger on the pulse, Senator Kerry.
Some very tough love for Kerry from Helen Thomas. I've said this several times now. If he wants to convince those hardest to convince--the ones who want to vote for him but demand clarity--John Kerry needs to put his clearest heartfelt thoughts on leadership (his thoughts in 2002, now, and the time in-between) in black and white and send it to the N.Y. Times.
Put your finger on the pulse, Senator Kerry.
Listen to Helen Thomas.
Listen to what's in the wind.
Listen to the hearts of troops that no longer beat.
Listen to the families of those troops like Army Capt. Humayun Saqib Khan of the Germany-based, 201st Forward Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. He wrote home in a letter: "This is a mess, why are we here? This is such chaos. We should be coming home instead of being here."
His family wants him to be remembered as a peacemaker..someone who cared about his fellow man.
Listen to the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory E. MacDonald. Like you, Senator Kerry, he was a cerebral man, but he never made it home to tell his nation what you were able to tell our nation. He was a scholar who wanted to create peace in the Middle East. Greg told his friends many times that he would support any candidate who stood up forcefully against this war because it was wrong and was not sold on evidence, but lies and ideology.
Many of us have sons and daughters who are thinking of joining the service. They are loving and caring people. Even after Viet Nam, we have been a trusting people. Until this Iraq mess; this Iraq lie.
We need to trust now more than ever.
Put your finger on the pulse, Senator Kerry.
A Republican Clears His Conscience
A Republican Clears His Conscience
War in Iraq was a mistake
An unexpected four-page statement from retiring Rep. Doug Bereuter (R) of Nebraska must be driving Karl Rove to drink. Rep. Bereuter has stated it's his belief that it was a mistake for the Bush administration to have launched military action in Iraq, especially without a broad and engaged international coalition. He said his vote on the Iraq resolution was based on what he had been told about the WMD threat from Iraq. He stated: "Left unresolved for now is whether intelligence was intentionally misconstrued to justify military action."
I can recall, prior to the preemptive strike on Iraq, being told that "we can't wait for the smoking gun to come in the form of a mushroom cloud." The 16 words about Niger used calculatingly in the 2003 State of the Union speech stil ring out alarmingly in my mind.
Rep. Bereuter knows he's right and he won't let his conscience be erased by politics.
You may wonder why my headline is so large.
If this was Zell Miller saying something contrary about a Democratic leader, Drudge would slather it all over his front page. Instead......zippo.
War in Iraq was a mistake
An unexpected four-page statement from retiring Rep. Doug Bereuter (R) of Nebraska must be driving Karl Rove to drink. Rep. Bereuter has stated it's his belief that it was a mistake for the Bush administration to have launched military action in Iraq, especially without a broad and engaged international coalition. He said his vote on the Iraq resolution was based on what he had been told about the WMD threat from Iraq. He stated: "Left unresolved for now is whether intelligence was intentionally misconstrued to justify military action."
I can recall, prior to the preemptive strike on Iraq, being told that "we can't wait for the smoking gun to come in the form of a mushroom cloud." The 16 words about Niger used calculatingly in the 2003 State of the Union speech stil ring out alarmingly in my mind.
Rep. Bereuter knows he's right and he won't let his conscience be erased by politics.
You may wonder why my headline is so large.
If this was Zell Miller saying something contrary about a Democratic leader, Drudge would slather it all over his front page. Instead......zippo.
Kerry's Invitation from Grover
Kerry's Invitation from Grover
Political intimidator-extraordinaire Grover Norquist has sent John Kerry a cordial invitation to attend one of his infamous weekly Wednesday meetings. I guess Kerry's attendance, in these conservative minds, would be akin to Bush attending an NAACP function (which Bush, of course, has refused to do).
Sincere congratulations go out to Grover and Samah on their engagement.
Political intimidator-extraordinaire Grover Norquist has sent John Kerry a cordial invitation to attend one of his infamous weekly Wednesday meetings. I guess Kerry's attendance, in these conservative minds, would be akin to Bush attending an NAACP function (which Bush, of course, has refused to do).
Sincere congratulations go out to Grover and Samah on their engagement.
Krugman vs. O'Reilly
Krugman vs. O'Reilly
Thanks to Jim Gilliam, we have reels of the intelligent Paul Krugman facing off with the anti-intellectual "just-shut-up-you're-stupid" Bill O'Reilly at CNBC/Tim Russert.
(You'll need Quicktime in order to view them).
"This is not your show..you can't cut my mike."
--Paul Krugman to Bill O'Reilly
Here are a few of O'Reilly's fantastic Foxworld comments about his network:
"Colmes is a liberal( please!). Van Susteren is a liberal.(zzzzz) Shepard Smith is really nothing. (hmm-maybe he's right). We put more liberals on the air than conservatives (Bwah!). There are no talking points (see Outfoxed)."
Watch O'Reilly go nuts at the very mention of Media Matters. It's priceless. He compares Media Matters to the Ku Klux Klan.
Jim--a tip o'the hat to you. Thanks.
________
Popeye vs. Einstein
Here are my comments to Jim Gilliam's website:
Geez, turn down your speakers when O'Reilly bellows from the depths of his echoing "traditionalist" body cavern at the mention of "Media Matters". Ear plugs may be required.
I recommend ear plugs for most of O'Reilly's rantings. He fantasizes that if you don't agree with him you're a Commie elitist or a soft wimp or some other bullcrap generalization.
I watch him with the same expectations I'd have watching WWF. If someone chooses to enter his wrestling ring, they set themselves up for an anti-intellectual body-slamming, which only sates the bloodthirsty crowd.
I often wonder why any self-respecting liberal would grace his entertainment show and why Russert would even bother to give him the status he doesn't deserve by asking him to debate someone like Krugman. It's like watching Popeye debate Einstein. All Popeye's got is his can o'spinach. What fun is that?
Thanks to Jim Gilliam, we have reels of the intelligent Paul Krugman facing off with the anti-intellectual "just-shut-up-you're-stupid" Bill O'Reilly at CNBC/Tim Russert.
(You'll need Quicktime in order to view them).
"This is not your show..you can't cut my mike."
--Paul Krugman to Bill O'Reilly
Here are a few of O'Reilly's fantastic Foxworld comments about his network:
"Colmes is a liberal( please!). Van Susteren is a liberal.(zzzzz) Shepard Smith is really nothing. (hmm-maybe he's right). We put more liberals on the air than conservatives (Bwah!). There are no talking points (see Outfoxed)."
Watch O'Reilly go nuts at the very mention of Media Matters. It's priceless. He compares Media Matters to the Ku Klux Klan.
Jim--a tip o'the hat to you. Thanks.
Popeye vs. Einstein
Here are my comments to Jim Gilliam's website:
Geez, turn down your speakers when O'Reilly bellows from the depths of his echoing "traditionalist" body cavern at the mention of "Media Matters". Ear plugs may be required.
I recommend ear plugs for most of O'Reilly's rantings. He fantasizes that if you don't agree with him you're a Commie elitist or a soft wimp or some other bullcrap generalization.
I watch him with the same expectations I'd have watching WWF. If someone chooses to enter his wrestling ring, they set themselves up for an anti-intellectual body-slamming, which only sates the bloodthirsty crowd.
I often wonder why any self-respecting liberal would grace his entertainment show and why Russert would even bother to give him the status he doesn't deserve by asking him to debate someone like Krugman. It's like watching Popeye debate Einstein. All Popeye's got is his can o'spinach. What fun is that?
Quote of The Day-Fareed Zakaria
Quote of The Day-Fareed Zakaria
"..it's widely understood in the business world that having a good objective means nothing if you implement it badly."
--Fareed Zakaria from Why Kerry Is Right on Iraq, Newsweek
"..it's widely understood in the business world that having a good objective means nothing if you implement it badly."
--Fareed Zakaria from Why Kerry Is Right on Iraq, Newsweek
George Bush-Take That Ad Off The Air
George Bush-Take That Ad Off The Air
MoveOnPAC is going to air a new TV ad in the swing states where the Swift Boat defamers are airing their own Kerry-bashing ad. MoveOn is exposing the fact that Bush (with his own weak wartime service record) has refused to condemn the misleading commercials...allowing false advertising that attacks John Kerry, a man who asked to go to Vietnam and who served with dignity and heroism.
MoveOn thinks Bush should pay the political price for his refusal to condemn the dreadful attacks.
It's going to be a pretty hefty price if the MoveOn ads are effective. Almost everyone I speak to in my own little town--- old/young, conservative/independent/liberal--- thinks the Swift Boat ads are rotten.
__________
C-SPAN provides a video of John Kerry's 1971 appearance on the Dick Cavett Show where Kerry debates the Vietnam War with John O'Neill. O'Neill is the author of the book attacking Kerry's integrity titled "Unfit for Command".
MoveOnPAC is going to air a new TV ad in the swing states where the Swift Boat defamers are airing their own Kerry-bashing ad. MoveOn is exposing the fact that Bush (with his own weak wartime service record) has refused to condemn the misleading commercials...allowing false advertising that attacks John Kerry, a man who asked to go to Vietnam and who served with dignity and heroism.
MoveOn thinks Bush should pay the political price for his refusal to condemn the dreadful attacks.
It's going to be a pretty hefty price if the MoveOn ads are effective. Almost everyone I speak to in my own little town--- old/young, conservative/independent/liberal--- thinks the Swift Boat ads are rotten.
C-SPAN provides a video of John Kerry's 1971 appearance on the Dick Cavett Show where Kerry debates the Vietnam War with John O'Neill. O'Neill is the author of the book attacking Kerry's integrity titled "Unfit for Command".
John Kerry: Cincinnati VFW Speech
John Kerry: Cincinnati VFW Speech
"I will wage war with the lessons I've learned in war..and those lessons run deep."
"Strength is more than tough words," said John Kerry today in his speech to the VFW Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Senator Kerry said that "we didn't have to become a divided nation" after 9/11, yet we did.
"I know what I have to do in Iraq", he said as he explained we need international allies' wide support in order to steer our troops safely home.
"I will wage war with the lessons I've learned in war..and those lessons run deep."
Kerry asked: "What is our long term strategy to make America safer?" (TRANSCRIPT).
About the troops, Kerry said, "Never send them into battle withouit a plan to win the peace. That is essential."
He recommended 40,000 new troops (not in Iraq) but to relieve the pressure of the overtrstretch of the U.S. armed forces today. He said the "backdoor draft" must end.
"We need to do everything we can to avoid another 9/11." Kerry said that "winning the war on terror demands a team effort", working cooperatively with other nations to secure good intelligence. About terrorists, he said that "we need to get them before they get us".
He called upon Congress to create a central national intelligence director.
Long term success demands the use of national power, international cooperation, intelligence, economic policy, diplomacy, homeland defense...and more.
"I will fight a smarter and a more effective war on terror," he said.
He stressed the use of principles as well as firepower.
He said question for November is not simply "Who will lead America?", but also, "Will America continue to lead the world?"
Kerry stated this is not the right time to redeploy 70,000 troops as Bush has recommended. He went as far as to say that the redeployment was hasty and could be dangerous, especially the redployment of 12,000 troops from South Korea.
___________
Before John Kerry got to the podium, the RNC had their uber negative attack machine in gear.
The RNC pulled out young Kerry's (circa 1971) criticism of the VFW and American Legion: "We will not quickly join those who march on Veterans Day waving small flags, calling to memory those thousands who died for the 'greater glory of the United States.' ... We will not readily join the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars." (as the Washington Times was happy to report).
Consider the reality of the Viet Nam conflict and its dreadful politics and it's not hard to understand how an incredibly intelligent young man who had fought in Viet Nam would have been disillusioned and confused about taking pride in what he'd had to do.
I respect young Kerry's confusion and disillusionment a hell of a lot more than George W. Bush never acknowledging that he wanted to avoid fighting in Vietnam altogether.
After having seen the speech, I don't think any vet in that Cincinnati audience today left with the impression that John Kerry didn't have the utmost respect for them and/or the deepest love for his country.
When he said "I will wage war with the lessons I've learned in war..and those lessons run deep," there was no question about what he meant.
They knew he was in-country back in the late 60s. A vet understand history better than you and me because he's faced the fire. I think they understand what John Kerry's talking about when he says he'll keep the faith with those who have served. It's a faith only a brother-in-arms might truly understand.
"I will wage war with the lessons I've learned in war..and those lessons run deep."
"Strength is more than tough words," said John Kerry today in his speech to the VFW Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Senator Kerry said that "we didn't have to become a divided nation" after 9/11, yet we did.
"I know what I have to do in Iraq", he said as he explained we need international allies' wide support in order to steer our troops safely home.
"I will wage war with the lessons I've learned in war..and those lessons run deep."
Kerry asked: "What is our long term strategy to make America safer?" (TRANSCRIPT).
About the troops, Kerry said, "Never send them into battle withouit a plan to win the peace. That is essential."
He recommended 40,000 new troops (not in Iraq) but to relieve the pressure of the overtrstretch of the U.S. armed forces today. He said the "backdoor draft" must end.
"We need to do everything we can to avoid another 9/11." Kerry said that "winning the war on terror demands a team effort", working cooperatively with other nations to secure good intelligence. About terrorists, he said that "we need to get them before they get us".
He called upon Congress to create a central national intelligence director.
Long term success demands the use of national power, international cooperation, intelligence, economic policy, diplomacy, homeland defense...and more.
"I will fight a smarter and a more effective war on terror," he said.
He stressed the use of principles as well as firepower.
He said question for November is not simply "Who will lead America?", but also, "Will America continue to lead the world?"
Kerry stated this is not the right time to redeploy 70,000 troops as Bush has recommended. He went as far as to say that the redeployment was hasty and could be dangerous, especially the redployment of 12,000 troops from South Korea.
Before John Kerry got to the podium, the RNC had their uber negative attack machine in gear.
The RNC pulled out young Kerry's (circa 1971) criticism of the VFW and American Legion: "We will not quickly join those who march on Veterans Day waving small flags, calling to memory those thousands who died for the 'greater glory of the United States.' ... We will not readily join the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars." (as the Washington Times was happy to report).
Consider the reality of the Viet Nam conflict and its dreadful politics and it's not hard to understand how an incredibly intelligent young man who had fought in Viet Nam would have been disillusioned and confused about taking pride in what he'd had to do.
I respect young Kerry's confusion and disillusionment a hell of a lot more than George W. Bush never acknowledging that he wanted to avoid fighting in Vietnam altogether.
After having seen the speech, I don't think any vet in that Cincinnati audience today left with the impression that John Kerry didn't have the utmost respect for them and/or the deepest love for his country.
When he said "I will wage war with the lessons I've learned in war..and those lessons run deep," there was no question about what he meant.
They knew he was in-country back in the late 60s. A vet understand history better than you and me because he's faced the fire. I think they understand what John Kerry's talking about when he says he'll keep the faith with those who have served. It's a faith only a brother-in-arms might truly understand.
Norm Coleman Misleads on Jon Stewart's Show
Norm Coleman Misleads on Jon Stewart's Daily Show
I saw Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman totally mislead people last night on Jon Stewart's Daily Show. When Jon Stewart asked Coleman if it was true that a Rio Rancho, New Mexico audience for a recent Cheney-rally had to sign loyalty pledges in order to be admitted, Coleman said it wasn't true at all and it was a rumor started by "those 527s".
That was either a lie or a gross prejudice on Coleman's part.
It was in the news.
I saw Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman totally mislead people last night on Jon Stewart's Daily Show. When Jon Stewart asked Coleman if it was true that a Rio Rancho, New Mexico audience for a recent Cheney-rally had to sign loyalty pledges in order to be admitted, Coleman said it wasn't true at all and it was a rumor started by "those 527s".
That was either a lie or a gross prejudice on Coleman's part.
It was in the news.
China warns Bush to follow international law
China warns Bush to follow international law
Beijing spokesman Kong Quan from China is warning Washington not to send the "wrong signal" to the East Turkestan terrorist force by releasing Guantanamo Bay detainees (from the autonomous Xinjiang region) to a random third country (vs. returning them to the Chinese government).
China's treatment of terrorists has been tough (as tough on terror as Bush has been), and I don't see where Bush would have the lawful (or the moral) authority to ignore China's request to get them back once they're released from Guantanamo. The Chinese have supported our war on terror thus far because they have seen that resistance to their own Chinese rule is led and fanned by Muslim extremists, usually egged on from outside China's borders.
Let's hope Bush doesn't decide to flip the bird to the rule of law and get China's feathers all ruffled. It's not the time to create tensions with foreign nations we need as allies fighting against terror. This is one of those sensitive issues where I have learned, from experience, to have shaken faith in Bush's possible reaction.
Beijing spokesman Kong Quan from China is warning Washington not to send the "wrong signal" to the East Turkestan terrorist force by releasing Guantanamo Bay detainees (from the autonomous Xinjiang region) to a random third country (vs. returning them to the Chinese government).
China's treatment of terrorists has been tough (as tough on terror as Bush has been), and I don't see where Bush would have the lawful (or the moral) authority to ignore China's request to get them back once they're released from Guantanamo. The Chinese have supported our war on terror thus far because they have seen that resistance to their own Chinese rule is led and fanned by Muslim extremists, usually egged on from outside China's borders.
Let's hope Bush doesn't decide to flip the bird to the rule of law and get China's feathers all ruffled. It's not the time to create tensions with foreign nations we need as allies fighting against terror. This is one of those sensitive issues where I have learned, from experience, to have shaken faith in Bush's possible reaction.
Albany Mosque Evidence Flawed?
Albany Mosque Evidence Flawed?
It's said there are possible flaws in a key piece of evidence in the recent case against two leaders of an Albany, New York, mosque accused of supporting terrorism. The error concerns a possible incorrect translation of one particular word. The word translators mistook for "commander" may have actually merely meant "brother". One of the accused men's attorneys has said it looks as if his client has been "framed". [LINK]
It's said there are possible flaws in a key piece of evidence in the recent case against two leaders of an Albany, New York, mosque accused of supporting terrorism. The error concerns a possible incorrect translation of one particular word. The word translators mistook for "commander" may have actually merely meant "brother". One of the accused men's attorneys has said it looks as if his client has been "framed". [LINK]
Don't stay the failing course in Iraq
Don't stay the failing course in Iraq
"Withdrawal [from Iraq] would be a blow to American credibility, but less so if it were deliberate and abrupt rather than a retreat under fire imposed by surging antiwar sentiments at home. (See Vietnam.)"
--Edward Luttwak, Time to Quit Iraq (Sort Of) , N.Y.Times op-ed
"Withdrawal [from Iraq] would be a blow to American credibility, but less so if it were deliberate and abrupt rather than a retreat under fire imposed by surging antiwar sentiments at home. (See Vietnam.)"
--Edward Luttwak, Time to Quit Iraq (Sort Of) , N.Y.Times op-ed
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