D Day June 6, 1944

photo credit: Roanoke.com
D-Day June 6, 1944

"About ten of us were crossing along the edge of a field when we heard sniper bullets whiz by. We all fell to the ground. As we lay there hugging the earth, that we might escape shrapnel from shell fire and bullets from sniper's guns, the birds were singing beautifully in the trees close by. As I lay there listening I thought of the awfulness of it all; the birds were singing and we Human Beings were trying to kill each other. We are the greatest of God's creation, made in the image of God, and here human blood was being spilt - everywhere."

--from a letter by 2nd Lieutenant Burkhalter, written to his wife Mabel shortly after the Normandy invasion.

Blogger's Fable Graces Third Estate Sunday

Blogger's Fable Graces Third Estate Sunday

"The world has an Atrios and a Kos. Why would they want a copy?"

"Yeah," said Rebecca, "Outside of Creed, has a sound alike ever really made much of an impact?"

"Harsh but true," laughed Jess. "There's only one Pearl Jam!"

"So be yourself," Ty offered. "And if you're speaking your truth, people will listen."

- From 'Once more into the blog world'

Third Estate Sunday Review incorporates one of my favorite songs by Anais Mitchell in a new blog fable that rivals Ezra's mystical visitation with the angel Uriel. Who knows? Perhaps even the young Staussian with the decent heart and open mind might snatch poor Leo out of the wicked harpy-clutches of Midge and wipe the wide shit-eating grin off the face of Bill. But, really, you crazy kids - what a killer soundtrack!

"Ode to Tom DeLay" - written by Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, Ava, Rebecca, Fodling Star, Betty, Kat, and C.I?

I bow down to you.

My additional lyrical advice to New Blogger would be:



don't Take Any Wooden Nickels
when You Sell Your Soul
a Devil Of A Time Awaits You
when The Party's Over
you're On Your Own

- From the song by the Eels' Mark Oliver Everett, Daisies of the Galaxy

SCRUTINY HOOLIGANS' 1ST BLOGIVERSARY!

IT'S SCRUTINY HOOLIGANS' 1ST BLOGIVERSARY!

HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY, YOUSE GUYS!

Al Sadr: Iraq Election Legitimized US Occupation

Al Sadr: Iraq Election Legitimized US Occupation

Muqtada al-Sadr criticized the desecration of the Quran by interrogators and guards at the Guantanamo Bay, telling The Associated Press their action was criminal. He promised, at least for now, to stay away from Iraqi politics as long as U.S. troops remain, and he condemned senior Shiite leaders and the Iraqi government for embracing this year's elections that "legitimized the occupation." Al-Sadr indirectly criticized Iraq's Shiite spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, for promoting the process that led to formation of the Shiite-led government.

This conflicts with information from a recent column by Hamza Hendawi where it was said:

"Since the fighting, al-Sadr has rebuilt ties with Iraq's largest Shiite party, after months of tension threatened to escalate into violence. His aides have been mediating between a Shiite militia and a Sunni group after they exchanged charges of involvement in the killing of each other's clerics."

I would think that the U.S. would prefer, due to his popularity with the people, that al Sadr would stay involved in the Democratic process. This is yet another piece of dark news coming from Iraq.

Bill Moyers Gives Us a Reading Assignment

"A few weeks ago my colleague Charlie Rose put a question to the new president of CNN, Jonathan Klein. He asked: Could there ever be a successful progressive version of Fox News Channel? Klein didn't think so. He said Fox appeals to "mostly angry white men" while liberals - "you know, they don't get too worked up about anything."

Well, here's something to get worked up about....."

-- Bill Moyers, from his June 3rd speech at the Take Back America conference in Washington, D.C

Bill Moyers Gives Us a Reading Assignment
...and Marching Orders

Bill Moyers insists that writing the history of the Revolution is now up to all of us, and we should start by putting the soon-to-be released book "Thomas Paine and the Promise of America," by Harvey Kaye, on this summer's reading list.

Moyers adds:

You must be like the Irishman coming upon a street brawl who yells in a loud voice: "Is this a private fight, or can anyone get in it?" Not waiting, he wades in.

Wade in! Go home and tell the truth to your neighbors and fight the corruption of the system. But it's not enough just to say how bad the others are. You owe your opponents the compliment of a good argument. Come up with fresh ideas to make capitalism work for all. Ask entrepreneurs to join you - they know how to make things happen. Show us a new vision of globalization with a conscience. Stand up for working people and people in the middle and people who can't stand on their own. Be not cowed, intimidated, or frightened - you may be on the losing side of the moment, as the early progressives were, but you're on the winning side of history.

John Edwards Talks About the Dean "Dust-Up"

"Howard and I know that these are the wrong choices for America. We won’t always use the same words. But we will always fight the same fight: for the dignity, the respect, and the rights of those who built this country, the working people in America." - John Edwards

John Edwards Talks About the Fabricated "Dean Dust-Up"

CANDY CROWLEY/CNN: This is one of those stories we will not let go easily. We will have much more on Howard Dean's war of words coming up in the show.... - blah-blah-blah!

Read Sen. Edwards' statement here. I tried to respond, but I guess I hit my quota of posts there at One America for today. I'm glad Sen. Edwards spoke up about the matter with such clarity. Perhaps now we can move on - get away from this trivial melodrama - and perhaps Candy Crowley and Paul Begala can stop yap-yap-yapping and talk about truly relevant issues.

If anyone in the Democratic party lets something like this divide us, the GOP wins. (Why does the GOP always win?)

We will lose as long as we get caught up in worrying about the media and the sensationalist dirt they drum up. We should never treat a triviality as if it were a disaster. Howard Dean should be wholly supported as Chair, even if a statement he makes at a progressive convention is isolated and magnified by a monkey press.
SEE MY COMMENT AT DAILY KOS.

Markos put a great headline on his post about the issue: Edwards: 'Dean was right'.

Sen. Edwards explains himself well. He is smart to not freak out over this matter, and to earnestly lay out his own truth. Isn't it wisest to get it straight from the horse's mouth? Will Candy Crowley mention this today? If she does, I'll be impressed. Will Sen. Edwards be ignored beacuse his statement can't get a cheap thrill from the CNN audience? We'll see.

________

Democracy Cell Project:
Casey Meets John


photo: Democracy Cell Project

Don't miss Casey Morris' blog entry titled "Who Are the Working Poor?"

"What is the role of the citizen? Open your eyes to the poor in your community. Make them visible to yourself and those around you. Find out what resources are available in your neighborhood and then go help. Donate time, money, food, whatever you can.
Make the issue of poverty in America part of your life. And then harangue your Congressperson until it's a part of his/her daily life, too. Don't accept politicians who speak of Jesus on the one hand, and then ignore the blessed poor on the other hand.."

President 2008

Juan Cole Agrees With Biden

Juan Cole Agrees With Biden

Close down Guantanamo. Cole's reasons differ from Biden's. He says:

"The main reason is that the Bush Administration established the prison at Guantanamo in hopes of gutting the Bill of Rights...Guantanamo Prison should be closed because it was conceived as the beginning of the end of the American Republic."

Tarheel Tavern Is Open

Tarheel Tavern Is Open

This Week’s Tarheel Tavern:
Aliens Invade The Blogosphere!

Aliens have invaded the blogosphere! I'd say it isn't pretty - but Billy, in his inimitable way, has made it sound entirely acceptable - maybe even fun!

2005 - The Alien's Blog Odyssey

2005 - The Alien's Blog Odyssey





Note: I wrote this poem for this weekend's Tar Heel Tavern. It's about my recent trip to Greensboro. This week's host is Billy Jones, and I wrote the poem in honor of Billy's love for poetry. This weekend's Tar Heel Tavern theme is: "Aliens Invade The Blogosphere." I hope you'll enjoy it. - Jude

____



Eighteen hours on the bus, she started thinking she'd go insane
For just a few bucks more, she could have had her ass on a plane
Then again, thought she, look on the sunny side
Where else can you sit all day with a fellow who smells like something that died?





Thus, the alien came to Blogsboro with the hope of a Meet-Up grande
For this, she'd traveled with grimy folk from up the Northern land
She tells the tale from memory, she truly had some fun
Although she had to leave the South without meeting Mr. Sun.



photo credit: Yes Weekly



Roch was there to greet her - Greensboro101 in the flesh
He introduced her to the crowd whose love for blogging has caused them to mesh
Michael stopped to say "hello" and Patrick Eakes did, too
Along with David, Chewie, Stewart, Ben and Sue



Billy told her all about the Meet-Ups he has hosted
Lewis has his Barbershop to keep the blogworld
posted
Brian was there to write about the things that made them tick
While Lee took their photos with a focus and a click



Jerry shared his passion for blogging and VFW proses
Fecund found himself unworthy to decipher the word of Moses
Ron SAT down to tell her how to blog and make a buck
Jay told her he'd planned to write her something that didn't suck



photo: NorthCarolina.com


She visited Ross and Tara Sue at Revolution Mill
She went, next day, to lunch with Bora and Dave at Chapel Hill
The alien had a marvelous time, 18 hours on a bus was - well - almost worth it
When it comes to pioneering blog communes, who'd have known Greensboro would be the place to birth it?


-Jude

Today: Downing Street Memo to be Topic of Discussion on CSPAN

Sat, June 4- Downing Street Memo to be Topic of Discussion on CSPAN

What Can you Do? See HERE.

BBA-Downing Street Memo-BBA

No Need to Click Here - I'm just claiming my feed at Feedster feedster:321e3523551537f82c0fa7def8238be0

A summary of my articles

A summary of my articles:
*I've been busy these past few days.

Downing Street Memo - Conyers Receives 100K Signatures
It has been announced (on Air America radio) that Congressman John Conyers' letter has received his goal of 100,000 signatures in 3 days. He's upped the goal to 250,000. We can do that.

TAR HEEL TAVERN
May 28th Edition

Blog Carnivals
posted on June 03, 2005 04:16:00 pm
Blog Carnivals At Idea Consultants, Bora Zivkovic has posted an excellent piece on Blog Carnivals and the Future of Journalism.
Rushdoony - Ayatollah of Holy Rollers
posted on June 03, 2005 04:05:00 pm

Rushdoony - Ayatollah of Holy Rollers Don't miss Steve Weissman's series on "America's Religious Right - Saints or Subversives?" The last entry in the series is Part V: The Ayatollah of Holy Rollers Past articles in the series: - Part I: The Lure of Christian Nationalism - Part II: Hang Ten and Fight! - Part III: A Deadly Culture of Life - Part IV: Pie in the Sky
Book review: The New American Militarism
posted on June 03, 2005 01:44:00 pm

Book review: The New American Militarism John at Aaargghhh!Blog has done a thorough job of reviewing "The New American Militarism" by Andrew Bacevich. The thing that disturbs me most is something Bacevich mentions in his book - and something that I have long realized - that there is a definite and strong political affinity between the neoCons, the Bush administration, and Evangelical
After Downing Street - Updates
posted on June 03, 2005 10:54:00 am

After Downing Street - Updates 86,000 Signatures and Counting By Congressman John Conyers Late last week Congressman Conyers asked for 100,000 signatures on a letter to President Bush, and said he would deliver it personally to the President. As of Thursday afternoon, he had collected 86,000 signatures. Let's make sure we put it over the 100,000 mark today! Sent this to all of your
John Edwards: The Third Podcast
posted on June 02, 2005 03:45:00 pm

John Edwards: The Third Podcast by Jude Nagurney Camwell Washington "insiders" are talking about John Edwards, and so are his grassroots supporters. John and Elizabeth have taken time from their busy schedules to talk a bit about themselves, so you won't have to consult the "insiders" in order to find out what's happening in their public and private lives. Their third podcast is available for

My Right to Rant: Jeff Jacoby is Full of Crap
posted on June 02, 2005 01:19:00 pm
My Right to Rant: Jeff Jacoby is Full of Crap Can't the Boston Globe at least get a reasonably honest Conservative to write for them? I think this is the most unfair (and untrue) statement I've ever heard. "..there is a difference. Nixon really did a face an overwhelmingly hostile press corps. Kerry, Gore, and Clinton, by contrast, benefit from a news media that is overwhelmingly liberal,

The I-Word
posted on June 02, 2005 12:45:00 pm
The I-Word The Downing Street memo is causing the I-Word to be brought up quite a bit lately. The Blogworld is abuzz. In an editorial, The National Catholic Reporter states:"In the rush to war, the memo shows, both Britain and the United States trampled international law ostensibly on the way to establishing the rule of law elsewhere." BBA

59 Bloggers
posted on June 02, 2005 10:03:00 am
59 Bloggers First there was Blogumentary, by Chuck Olsen. Now, there will be 59 Bloggers. (50 have been chosen - nine slots still remain undecided).
Time Magazine Sucked In by Blogebrity?
posted on June 02, 2005 09:26:00 am

Time Magazine Sucked In by Blogebrity? From Steve Rubel: Blogebrity Fools Time Magazine Time magazine has a blurb on Blogebrity in this week's Blogwatch column that makes it all seem very real. Amazingly, they seemed to neglect that it was all part of a big viral marketing campaign. Hey. some are even calling it a hoax. Did Time drop the ball here?I've got to admit, it's easy, at first glance,

Inauguration Day 2005
posted on June 02, 2005 02:30:00 am
Sorry - it takes me forever nowadays to get my photos developed. These were taken at President Bush's inauguration in January, 2005. The young man in the second photo, who happens to be my son, is the same as the one in the photo directly above. Only the President was different then. Perhaps you can spot him in this photo (along with another person who will more than likely run for

Take Back Christ for Christianity - Jacksonville Declaration
Have you seen the "Jacksonville Declaration"? From The Christian Alliance For Progress: Sign the Jacksonville Declaration Help make justice and compassion the hallmarks of our country. Add your signature to this letter. Let the Political and Church Leaders of the Religious Right know they do not speak for you. Help them hear a different understanding of Christian values. Add your voice

A Primer on American Interrogation and Torture
"The Torture Feature" is an amazing creation by Slate writers Emily Bazelon, Phillip Carter, and Dahlia Lithwick. It includes an Introduction: "What Is Torture? - A Primer on American Interrogation".

Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, and "Ava"
Listen to these kids. They're wise beyond their years. I couldn't look Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, or "Ava" in the eye and tell them I think they're wrong. These kids already have more common sense and maturity in their fingertips than some MSM reporters have in the entirety of their hollow skulls

John Edwards to Co-Chair Council Task Force on Russian-American Relations
John Edwards and Jack Kemp will co-chair the Council on Foreign Relations' new Independent Task Force. They will review current U.S. policy toward Russia and make recommendations on future policy - from global security to Russia's evolution as a democratic state.

TPM Cafe
TPM Cafe is up and running. Instruction Manual HERE.

Don't Look Back, Muscle Jesus!
An American Catholic's Reflections on Pastor Ted and his anti-Catholicism

Memorial Day Parade, Camillus, N.Y.
Monday, May 30, 2005
"To honor them, why speak of duty or the will of governments?
Think first of love each time you tell their story.
It gives their sacrifice a name and takes from war its glory."
- Sam Hazo (Real Audio)

Memorial Day - Fair and Balanced
Fox News tells us, by it's slogan (which, ironically, they betray every day), that we should be fair and balanced. Memorial Day is approaching.
With the world as it stands today, I wanted to find a way to be Fair and Balanced about the American Holiday's observation. I have chosen to honor soldiers' sacrifices in the face of my bitter and realistic heartbreak over our current foreign policy.

John Edwards: The Four Pillars to Develop A Just New World
Re:Remarks By John Edwards
London School of Economics
May 25, 2005
Audio (Podcast411)
text (One America)

Bora and Me/Chapel Hill

I went to Blogsboro
Oh, yes, there's something definitely happening in Blogsboro. Yes Weekly's Editor Brian Clarey and photographer Lee Adams have done a fantastic job of helping you to envision the social (blogging) scene at Panera's on Lawndale last Wenesday night. It was a warm and welcoming group on a warm Spring evening.
...and all I got was this lousy t-shirt - er - my picture on the front cover!

Downing Street Memo - Conyers Receives 100K Signatures

Downing Street Memo - Conyers Receives 100K Signatures
It has been announced (on Air America radio) that Congressman John Conyers' letter has received his goal of 100,000 signatures in 3 days. He's upped the goal to 250,000.

We can do that.
BBA

Blog Carnivals

Blog Carnivals
At Idea Consultants, Bora Zivkovic has posted an excellent piece on Blog Carnivals and the Future of Journalism.

Rushdoony - Ayatollah of Holy Rollers

Rushdoony - Ayatollah of Holy Rollers
Don't miss Steve Weissman's series on "America's Religious Right - Saints or Subversives?"

The last entry in the series is Part V: The Ayatollah of Holy Rollers

Past articles in the series:
- Part I: The Lure of Christian Nationalism
- Part II: Hang Ten and Fight!
- Part III: A Deadly Culture of Life
- Part IV: Pie in the Sky

Book review: The New American Militarism

Book review: The New American Militarism

John at Aaargghhh!Blog has done a thorough job of reviewing "The New American Militarism" by Andrew Bacevich.

The thing that disturbs me most is something Bacevich mentions in his book - and something that I have long realized - that there is a definite and strong political affinity between the neoCons, the Bush administration, and Evangelical Christian leadership. John describes it as the Military being used as "Warrior Monks", which is a very, very dangerous way to abuse our Military. Evangelical Christians have abandoned their traditional role in society and have come to Crusader-like views - not dissimilar to the neocons.

Watch out for these "Patriot Pastors". I've seen enough misuse of our fine men and women in the Military and I plan to fight back with all my strength against these wolves in sheep's clothing who infiltrate our American churches with the not-too-secret hope of increasing their bloody Crusade.

I am a Patriot - and I will not stand and watch while troops are sent to spread and/or protect the word of Jesus Christ. It isn't their job. I'm not one of those people who will forget that I am free and powerful because my nation has been kept free and powerful by the support of our Armed Forces.

Because I have a grateful heart and a powerful voice, I'll use it to help keep the Armed Forces strong, which means pointing out public abuse, governmental abuse, and even intramilitary abuse of troops when I see it. James (Mullah) Dobson and Ted (Pastor Ted) Haggard and their gang of Theocrats must keep their hands off those who make the plans for our fighting forces. Neocons are pushing the envelope, too. They've come too close to espionage on behalf of Israel to cause me to trust them as far as I can throw them.

If it's blood for oil and a matter of survival, we're always going to have to deal with the fact that war will come. The Far Right lunatics of the Evangelical Christian Leadership must get the hell out of the Oval Office and the Pentagon, because they have no place in deciding why we war. Iraq carries the stench of the Far Right Evangelical Christian involvement, and it's tainted the way the Bush administration is viewed by millions of Americans because of it. Not only that, it has tainted Christianity itself.

Thanks again to John for the interesting review.

After Downing Street - Updates

After Downing Street - Updates

86,000 Signatures and Counting
By Congressman John Conyers

Late last week Congressman Conyers asked for 100,000 signatures on a letter to President Bush, and said he would deliver it personally to the President. As of Thursday afternoon, he had collected 86,000 signatures. Let's make sure we put it over the 100,000 mark today! Sent this to all of your friends.

Sign the Letter


Backbone Campaign Demands Resolution of Inquiry
The Backbone Campaign writes:
Please join us in sending Spine postcards to your Senators and members of Congress to let them know they should join the Inquiry into the Downing Street Minutes/Memo. You can click here to download a pdf file that can be printed on cardstock or other paper and sent to you members of Congress. This version of the pdf file refers directly to the Downing Street Minutes/Memo issue.



If I Want to Ask Bush or Cheney About the DSMinutes, Where Will I Find Them?
Those inclined to organize peaceful nonviolent demonstrations aimed at asking Bush or members of his administration about the Downing Street Minutes may benefit from this schedule of upcoming appearances.


A Poster to Take With You

Teach-In is Today
Former C.I.A. Analyst Ray McGovern and Attorney John Bonifaz Will Headline Progressive Democrats’ Panel Discussion In Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 3


Website Getting 1 Million Hits Per Day
The www.AfterDowningStreet.org website has become extremely popular, and now receives a little over 1 million hits per day. Alfredo Lopez, whose www.people-link.org hosts the AfterDowningStreet.org site said, "I'm elated. This is what we're on Earth to do, but we've never had a site get a million hits in a day before."


What Does Your Brother In Law Think of the Downing Street Minutes?
If you speak face-to-face or by phone or Email with your family members, neighbors, and friends, we would love to hear what they think of the Downing Street Minutes, especially if you convince someone that a congressional investigation is needed. How did you persuade them? What did they start out thinking? What did they learn from you? What did you learn from them? Please open this article and post Comments at the bottom.


PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION ON BLOGS AND BY E-MAIL

BBA

John Edwards: The Third Podcast

John Edwards: The Third Podcast
by Jude Nagurney Camwell

Washington "insiders" are talking about John Edwards, and so are his grassroots supporters.

John and Elizabeth have taken time from their busy schedules to talk a bit about themselves, so you won't have to consult the "insiders" in order to find out what's happening in their public and private lives. Their third podcast is available for listening at this link.

What Has John Edwards Been Doing This Month?

John Edwards has recently returned from a trip overseas, which ended in London. There, he had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair. They discussed issues such as Europe, the EU Constitution, Iran and their nuclear program, Russia and Putin, Blair Initiatives on Africa, Global Climate Change, China, Global Poverty, and some politics.

Sen. Edwards also met with Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown about the issue of Poverty. (Rumor has it that that Brown will succeed Blair.) Edwards gave a speech at the London School of Economics, where he'd found an interesting attitudinal dichotomy between British and U.S. students, which he gleaned by participating in an hour-long political Q & A session with students after the aforementioned speech. There was much more of a sense of hostility in the questions from people coming from outside the U.S. regarding topics such as the Guantanamo Bay prison (Gitmo), the alleged abuse of the Koran, America's methods of interrogating terror detainees, the treatment of enemy combatants, fair legal represenation for prisoners, etc. You can listen to speech (and future speeches) at the One America website (and see my own summary here).

Edwards has been attending events and working for Democratic state legislative caucuses in South Carolina, Michigan, and other states - as part of his Raising the States project for the building of more effective grassroots political organizations. (See Raising the States from the One America site) Sen. Edwards and his wife Elizabeth say there are two fronts on which they believe there must be a fight. First, it's important to have state legislatures who believe in the things we, the people, believe in. We must understand the role of an active government in order to do what must be done. However, a secondary point is that we need to see this as a virtual building bench for people who'll run in future gubernatorial, senate, and presidential contests.

Patsy Madrid, the current attorney general of New Mexico, has been aggressive - as has the attorney general of North Carolina Roy Cooper, on keeping tabs on predatory lending and other issues. Now, the Federal government wants to usurp state law and have federal law take precedence so the state laws are, in effect, made useless by the federal pre-emption.

There is not enough being done to build the party from the ground-up, and we need to empower people at local levels to get involved with Democratic party. You can read a synopsis of prospective State candidates at the One America site. Sen. and Mrs Edwards ask you to get involved with choosing your state legislators and to support these candidates, even if you are not from their respective states.


Council on Foreign Relations: Committee

John Edwards just returned from first meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations' new Independent Task Force for the review of current U.S. policy toward Russia. They will make recommendations on future policy - from global security to Russia's evolution as a democratic state. Edwards will be co-Chairing the Task Force with Jack Kemp. They've been working on the plans for the new Committee for many weeks now, with some of the foremost experts on Russia in the world. Issues they'll cover are: co-operating against terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, strategic energy partnerships, (de-)democratization, Russia's relations with its neighbors, Cold War legacy issues, and Chechnya.


The main question is: What will happen over next three years? Putin cannot run for President again, and with an election coming in 2008, there is no successor to have been groomed by Putin at the present time.

The Family

Jack and Emma Claire both had birthday celebrations this month. The "Jack-event" included real lizards and snakes, along with improvisational theater. Feeling "old age" setting in, Jack said to his father:
"I just can't believe I'm turning 5, Dad!"

John was happy to report that Elizabeth has finished her last treatment for breast cancer. She'd had chemotherapy first, then surgery, then a series of radiation treatments. Elizabeth plans to take a relaxing summer and spend it with the children, along with doing some reading and writing, and she hopes she will be in fighting form in the fall.


______________________


The Book forum at One America

John and Elizabeth have started a book forum at the One America site.

The book they've chosen for June's forum focus will be "The Working Poor" by David Shipler, which is an easy and compelling read. Anyone interested in participating is welcome. David has kindly agreed to participate in the forum.

If enough people are interested, the Book forum will be continued. Please send book suggestions to OneAmericacommittee.com. A "Bookcast" (podcast) with David Shipler will be forthcoming. Visit the Book Forum.

Currently, these are the books John and Elizabeth are reading:

Elizabeth - 'Gilead' by Marilynne Robninson
John - by "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman, "The End of Poverty" by Jefferey Sachs, "Ugly Americans" by Ben Mazrich, and "1776" by David Mccullough (He says he's reading them all a bit a at a time and that he's about halfway through all of them except "1776", which he's just started to read.


___________________

Now Available: Video Blog

A new video blog was launched Thursday, June 2 at the One America site. Edwards will videoblog while traveling, and it will be informal but substantive.

Visit the new videoblog at One America.

RSS feeds to which you can subscribe are listed here.

____________________

Questions


Q: Mark LeVine asks about the problem of the United States' ever-increasing debt held by China.

Sen Edwards says that the bigger issue is the rising economic power of China and India. U.S. jobs are steadily leaving, and are being outsourced, for China and India. Over next 20-40 years, China will undoubtedly become an increasingly powerful competitive global economic force. America is going deeper and deeper into debt under President Bush, and China is holding more and more of America's debt. These countries understand that the best way to compete is through the field of Education. In the fields of Math, the Sciences, and Technology, we could lose economic advantage and opportunity for ourselves if we fail to maintain educational standards comparative to those of nations like China and India.

A crackdown is necessary on the Chinese government's ability to manipulate their own currency, allowing them to dump goods on the American markets much cheaper than they otherwise would be able to.

We need an American President (not George Bush) who will stop putting the United States deeper and deeper into deficit and get us back on a path to operating our government in a responsible way. We need to invest more in graduate education for young people, especially in the areas of concern. (Math, Sciences, Technology). We should be finding ways to create incentives for young people to become interested in those areas.

Elizabeth Edwards commented that President Bush has taken us down the wrong path on trade in his failure to enforce existing trade agreements and in his failure to act agressively against China's currency manipulation. In his most recent press conference, President Bush said that we shouldn't leave a burden for our children - and he's talking about Social Security - but he should be concentrating on the deficit he's leaving for our children. We can't stop the Chinese from buying
T-bills when they're auctioned, but we know it has left us vulnerable to China's rapidly increasing economic power; leaving us at a disadvantage. We have ourselves - our own government - to blame. We've gotten ourselves into this. Because China has become such a huge creditor, they have a big stick with which to hit us. But, the truth is, it comes at a price to them, too. They'd have to have some real hesitation before dumping - or doing something to ruin the credit of the United States.

_____


Q: Tammy Lane asked, regarding the Nuclear Option:
"What do you think of the compromise that was reached?"

First, Sen Edwards stated that he has "no idea what the Republicans were thinking." The reality is, he says, that one of two things would have happened had there been no compromise and they got rid of the filibuster:
- Democrats could have shut the Senate down.
- So much hinges upon cooperation in the Senate, as politically confident the Republican leadership in the Senate may feel at this time, one thing that is certain is that the Democrats will be back in power someday They would be remiss to throw away the Senate's long-standing tradition of cooperation since they will be affected by the rule change someday.

Although Sen. Edwards considers the compromise a win for Senate Democrats, these right wing judges going through because of the compromise agreement are unacceptable. They are, in a word (said twice for effect) "terrible, terrible choices" and they run against everything we believe in as Democrats.

_____

Q: When are the Edwards moving back to North Carolina?

On June 8, the kids will finish school for the year - and teh Edwards plan to make the move in mid-June. They will eventually move to a new home in Chapel Hill (next Spring), but for now, they will be at their house in Raleigh. Elizabeth said she was pulling out stuff for summer vacation and is having a lot of "fun" deciding what to pack - and for where?

June 10th is John's birthday, and they'd all like to be in one place for that special family celebration.

_____

The Edwards want to hear from you. Your questions are very imporatnt to them. Send them by e-mail, by videoblog, however you can get your questions to them.


Other Summaries:

Podcast One
Podacst Two

ADDITIONAL NOTE: See Edwards' speech today at the Take Back America Conference.


P2008

My Right to Rant: Jeff Jacoby is Full of Crap

My Right to Rant: Jeff Jacoby is Full of Crap

Can't the Boston Globe at least get a reasonably honest Conservative to write for them?

I think this is the most unfair (and untrue) statement I've ever heard.

"..there is a difference. Nixon really did a face an overwhelmingly hostile press corps. Kerry, Gore, and Clinton, by contrast, benefit from a news media that is overwhelmingly liberal, as countless surveys have shown." - Jeff Jacoby

Surveys schmurveys. Clinton was not protected by the alleged "liberal" media during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The supposedly "liberal" MSM "news" networks piled on him and smothered all of us with the tawdry details 24/7, just like those who hawk gossip rags.
As Marvin Kalb said in 2002, "According to Bernie [Goldberg's] thesis, the Washington press corps is a very 'elitist liberal press corps'. Why in God's name, if he's right, would they have gone out and lacerated and destroyed a liberal president? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever!"

During the last election season, the partisan Swift Boat vets were given free reign by MSM with barely a challenge.

Howard Dean's yell was turned into a circus when only the version of his yell with the blown-out-of proportion volume was shown again and again and again by the MSM. (And the Democratic party allowed him to be eaten alive without a peep)."If the media are “liberal” and the media had anointed Dean as the “liberal” – why would they beat the scream to death over the airwaves during the most critical moments of Dean’s campaign? In fact, if the mainstream media were truly “liberal”, they would have downplayed it to Dean’s benefit." - Ilpundit


Mainstream Media:
If they're so powerful and "liberal",
why do Republicans keep kicking ass
in the elections?
MSM is not "liberal."
It's "ineffective"."

If any of the following was true (which it's not) - if "liberal" MSM were doing something newsworthy and if they were effective at doing so - then John Kerry would surely be President today:

"The right-of-center Fox News cannot hold a candle to the combined left-of-center output of ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and PBS."

"Cannot hold a candle"?!!
Hello??
Obviously, they CAN.
CNN is not any more liberal, in a political sense, than Entertainment Tonight. CNN has gone from a reputable news organization to a lame entertainment network since FOX starting kicking their kiesters in viewer ratings. One of their best newsmen, Eason Jordan, was sent flying when CNN allowed themselves to be cowed by Conservative pressure. CNN no longer knows the meaning of real investigative journalism, with the exception of Lou Dobbs and some of their reporters in Iraq ie: Christiane Amanpour (and she admits that the press has muzzled itself).
Jacoby never mentions MSNBC, who has enough Conservative schlock (like Scarborough's verbal diarrhea and the recently-cancelled Dennis Miller's boring Dem-hating "humor") to turn any liberal's stomach.

How Much Longer Can the Boston Globe Continue to Prop Up
Such A Buffoon as a Credible Columnist?

I know this sounds crass, but I think Jeff Jacoby is full of crap and I can't think of any plainer way to say it.
Who does he think he's kidding?
Doesn't intellectual honesty mean anything at all to the Boston Globe editorial staff?
It's time for Americans to wake up and see what Jeff Jacoby is trying to get away with and how much the Boston Globe editors allow him to get away with. My intelligence and common sense is insulted by his categorization of the press as "hostile" to a President who was a proven criminal. Those Nixon-era press people did their jobs! The people on the inside also did the right thing. Where are those people today? George McGovern made this statement to Fox News Radio:

"We need someone like that who is highly placed to tell us what's really going on. We know that we were misled on Iraq."

Parallels are easily drawn to what Bush and Cheney have been allowed to get away with because we no longer seem to have an accomplished investigative press or brave, ethical editors. Geov Parrish recently wrote the opinion that Watergate, as it was reported in 1974, would never have been reported today. Parrish says:

"It's hard not to contrast the frenzy that greeted the revelation of a 30-year-old secret with the thudding indifference U.S. media has given the Downing Street Memo. The memo has scarcely been mentioned in the country's leading newspapers, and has been completely ignored by evening network news."

So much for the "liberal media."

BBA

The I-Word

The I-Word
The Downing Street memo is causing the I-Word to be brought up quite a bit lately. The Blogworld is abuzz.

In an editorial, The National Catholic Reporter states:

"In the rush to war, the memo shows, both Britain and the United States trampled international law ostensibly on the way to establishing the rule of law elsewhere."

BBA