Proud Bush Mishandles What Could Have Been an Opportunity

Proud Bush Mishandles What Could Have Been an Opportunity

This story about President Bush spotlighting the mom of four live active-duty troops who backs the Iraq war has me picturing Bush putting his thumb to his nose and waving his four fingers at Cindy Sheehan and her dead son. Everyone I have spoken to thinks it looks very small of him.

In a disturbing piece at Capitol Hill Blue, Doug Thompson reveals something I find to be hard to believe, and if it's true, then God help America:

While President George W. Bush travels around the country in a last-ditch effort to sell his Iraq war, White House aides scramble frantically behind the scenes to hide the dark mood of an increasingly angry leader who unleashes obscenity-filled outbursts at anyone who dares disagree with him. “I’m not meeting again with that g**damned b*tch,” [edited by Iddybud] Bush screamed at aides who suggested he meet again with Cindy Sheehan, the war-protesting mother whose son died in Iraq. “She can go to hell as far as I’m concerned!”
.....Bush, administration aides confide, frequently explodes into tirades over those who protest the war, calling them “motherf**king traitors.” [edited by Iddybud] He reportedly was so upset over Veterans of Foreign Wars members who wore “bullsh*t protectors” [edited by Iddybud] over their ears during his speech to their annual convention that he told aides to “tell those VFW as*h*les [edited by Iddybud] that I’ll never speak to them again is they can’t keep their members under control.”

Yesterday's NY Times' stinging editorial reveals that the Emperor is wearing nothing but a deceitful and faithless smokescreen.

Take a look at this challenge from the Steering Group of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity:

"..we believe a quiet, respectful session with the wise women and perhaps others at your doorstep would give you valuable new insights into the ironic conundrums and human dimensions of the war in Iraq.

A member of our Steering Committee, Ann Wright, has been on site at Camp Casey from the outset and would be happy to facilitate such a session. A veteran Army colonel (and also a senior Foreign Service officer until she resigned in protest over the attack on Iraq), Ann has been keeping Camps Casey I and II running in a good-neighborly, orderly way. She is well known to your Secret Service agents, who can lead you to her. We strongly urge you not to miss this opportunity."

_ _ _

/s/
Gene Betit, Arlington, Virginia
Sibel Edmonds, Alexandria, Virginia
Larry Johnson, Bethesda, Maryland
David MacMichael, Linden, Virginia
Ray McGovern, Arlington, Virginia
Coleen Rowley, Apple Valley, Minnesota
Ann Wright, Honolulu, Hawaii

[source: Common Dreams]

Digby has a comment about Bush's "animated" speech:

And to think they gave Howard Dean days of shit for his scream. This guy is doing a bad imitation of a certain gentleman who also used to work himself into a frenzy before his adoring crowds. Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer!

Chavez Taunts Bush in Retaliation for Mullah Pat's Idiocy

Chavez Taunts Bush in Retaliation for Mullah Pat's Idiocy

In a typically robust response to remarks by the US televangelist Pat Robertson, Mr Chávez compared his detractors to the "rather mad dogs with rabies" from Cervantes' Don Quixote, and unveiled his plans to use Venezuela's energy reserves as a political tool. "We want to sell gasoline and heating fuel directly to poor communities in the United States," he said. Mr Robertson's remarks have threatened to inflame tension between the US and one of its main oil suppliers. [Guardian]

There is more Guardian coverage on Chavez here.

The fingers of mad preachers are usually far from the button, but the untimely words of Pat Robertson, easily discounted in Washington and airily dismissed by the state department as "inappropriate", might yet wake an echo among zealots in Venezuela.

- Richard Gott who is the author of Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution

Chavez is using Venezuela's windfall not to fatten his own country's oligarchy but to benefit the Venezuelan poor and help neighboring countries:

Pat Robertson looks at Chavez and sees a devilish danger. He wants our government to "take him out." Over at the White House, Bush and his aides may use more restrained language, but their goals are not much different. But there's a whole different view down in Latin America, where a half-dozen nations have seen liberal and populist governments swept into office in recent years. Down there, Chavez has become the new miracle man of oil. Unlike Exxon/Mobil and the Big Oil fat cats, who wallow in their record profits while the rest of us pay, Chavez is spreading the wealth around.A dangerous man, indeed. [Juan Gonzales/NY Daily News/Common Dreams]

The South American view of Chavez is much kinder than the United States' view of him:

He's highly popular with the country's poor but resented by many in the upper classes. Recent polls show him receiving about 70 percent support from Venezuelans. To U.S. observers, his warm relations with Castro and his regular criticism of U.S. actions and policies such as the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan have been worrisome. He regularly warns against what he calls the United States' imperialist policy and threatens to use Venezuela's oil money to counter northern influence.For many South Americans, however, Chavez is little more than a colorful president who's feuding with the world's superpower. [Contra Costa Times/Knight Ridder]

Pat Robertson showed that, as a so-called Christian leader, he is a hypocrite, and his apology comes too late to see him as anything other than a hypocrite. UK writer Ron Ferguson spots off a beauty from the Gospel according to Mullah Pat:

And Jesus goeth up to a high mountain with his disciples and saith unto them: "See that King Herod? I want him taken out. He hath it coming; not only that, it will be cheaper than waging war on the Romans." And Peter, also known as Scarface, saith unto Jesus: "Right, boss. Your wish is our command. It shall be done." And so it came to pass. [Herald]

_____

Related:
Land for People not for Profit in Venezuela

The New Republic:

"..the U.S. struggle against violent religious extremists abroad is damaged significantly when our own religious extremists all too casually resort to violent exhortations. Nor does it help that Robertson's invocation of American covert assassins only feeds Chavez's paranoia of, well, American covert assassins, which he then uses to justify taking his country further down the road toward authoritarianism."

A Bush Blair Love Ballad

A Bush Blair Love Ballad
Must-See

I picked up this romantic gem from Mark Oliver at the Guardian newsblog. Thanks, Mark. I've gotten all squishy about the eyeballs after viewing it. Mwwwaaah!

Cindy Sheehan Speaks to Parents of Fallen Soldiers

Cindy Sheehan Speaks to Parents of Fallen Soldiers

Excerpt from today's statement from Mrs. Sheehan, directed toward the parents of fallen soldiers who still support the Bush narrative of the Iraq war's cause and course [source: Crooks and Liars]:

"If there is any family who says that they believe their child died for a noble cause, I say that is your right; if that helps you get through the day..if that helps you in your pain. We might not have the same politics, but trust me, we have the same pain. We do what we have to do to get through our pain and we hope they respect us for that, and we respect them in anything they have to do to get through their pain."

Friday Blog Showcase: Random Fate

Friday Blog Showcase: Random Fate

At Random Fate, Jack Grant has a quote for all of us to think about.

Jack also has some interesting thoughts about the Iraq war controversy. Many people on the Right are becoming conscious of (and concerned about) certain points about which those on the left have been screaming, at the top of their lungs, for a long time. When the Left does it they are called "shrill". When the Right does it, the Left feels vindicated for the sore throats they got while having had to scream.

Mort Kondracke Compares Fallen Hero's Mom to Mullah Robertson

Mort Kondracke Compares Fallen Hero's Mom to Mullah Robertson



Mort Kondracke had the nerve to compare this cowardly, hypocrital, nutcase-chickenhawk to the mother of a fallen American hero today on Brit Hume's Fox News show panel.

His words: "Cindy Sheehan, meet Pat Robertson."

All I can say is: What a stupid and insulting demagogue Mort Kondracke sounded like today. This is the same Mort Kondracke who said about Zell Miller at last year's RNC convention,

"Miller went over the line into demagoguery by accusing the Democrats of defaming American troops."

Demagogy bleeds from Kondracke's moral relativism in which he attempts to draw an unequivocal connection between Pat Robertson and Mrs. Sheehan, in terms of their "outrageous statements".

Poppycock.
Robertson wants someone murdered.
Mrs. Sheehan wants to know WHY her son, a war hero, was murdered.

"Mort Kondracke, meet Zell Miller."
Mort seems to want to be the Zell Miller of cable news journalism.

He has sunk about as low as you can go. (Almost as low as Robertson himself). Perhaps the job at Fox News has washed away a good chunk of his common sense. Maybe he's gotten into Brit Hume's bottle of hair dye and it's permeated his brain and left him tetched.

________

Pat Robertson's call for American agents to assassinate President Hugo Chavez is a "terrorist" statement that needs to be investigated by U.S. authorities, Venezuela said Tuesday. [Yahoo News]

Moog Dies in Asheville

Moog Dies in Asheville

Anonymoses has a blogpost about the life and death of Robert A. Moog, who died at his home in Asheville, N.C.



Inspired by the genius of Mr. Moog, I have memories of my father, who was an electrical engineer and a musician, building his own synthesizer at my family's dining room table back in the early '70s - and my mother asking the daily question, "When are you going to get that thing done?"

My heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Ileana; his children, Laura Moog Lanier, Matthew Moog, Michelle Moog-Koussa and Renee Moog; a stepdaughter, Miranda Richmond; and his former wife, Shireleigh Moog.

Bryan Preston Calls 70% of America "the Enemy"

Bryan Preston Calls 70% of America "the Enemy"

70% of Americans are questioning whatever the hell it is we are doing in Iraq today...and what the pre-war secular government of Iraq ever had to do with the bin Ladenism.

Bryan Preston, a guest blogger at Michelle Malkin's website today, send kisses and flowers to David Frum, saying that: "... our war premise had the effect of leaving us vulnerable to any flimsy charge either the caliphascist enemy or the anti-American agitators in the West could throw at us."

Note that Preston uses "us", "our", etc, as if Americans who disagree with his version of the two popular war narratives are "the enemy" themselves.

The repeated and haughty categorization of Americans who question our purpose in Iraq as "anti-American agitators", whom he lumps in with the "caliphascists", is nothing but disgusting.

Mr. Preston may feel strongly about his beliefs, but he'd best understand that he lives in a nation where over half the free and democratic citizens have doubts.

When he points a finger at them and cries "anti-American", he looks like a fool who severely regrets that they are exercising their right to say what they honestly feel.

While I encourage Mr. Preston to state his beliefs, I totally condemn him when he accuses fellow Americans of betrayal.

His biggest break from reality is when he says "We premised this war not so much on a nation's right of self-defense as on our moral superiority over the enemy."

Interesting use of the word "we". I think, for a reality check, Mr. Preston should take a good, hard look at the President's speech to the nation on March 17, 2003 - less than 48 hours before the Iraq war began.

I saw this line from one of Mr. Preston's writings:

"The left has argued--in complete bad faith--that President Bush said Saddam already was an imminent threat, then used the lack of major WMD stashes to somehow "prove" that Bush was lying about the whole thing."

Complete bad faith? Dear God, what is Mr. Preston thinking? The war was advocated as necessary, in its pre-eminent nature, because Saddam Hussein posed an imminent threat to our national security. It was pressed into the American public's psyche, day in/ day out in the lead-up to the war; in an unmistakable political hardball-style; by the Bush administration.

The took a risk with intelligence they knew was shaky and controversial.
They turned out to be dead wrong.

Now Mr. Preston suggests it is "in bad faith" that we mention it? That is insane.

We are all Americans, and until Mr. Preston respectfully speaks to all Americans with something logical that reaches their hearts and minds, he will be seen as a polarizing and repulsive force - even if his intentions are in good faith.

John Edwards: Podcast #4

John Edwards - The Fourth Podcast

Cate Edwards is the special guest on John Edwards' fourth podcast. Edwards was in NYC for the podcast, along with his daughter Cate Edwards. He began with some updates on last month's progress:

Cate Edwards
This month's special guest
- Elizabeth and the children have moved back to North Carolina. Elizabeth is there with Jack and Emma Claire, and they're having a great summer together.

- Sen Edwards was in Chicago, speaking at a Rainbow Push meeting; he was speaking about Poverty, which he says is his life's cause, and about the need for the Democratic party to stand strong for their core beliefs.

- He was in New Hampshire raising money for Democratic candidates and had a Poverty meeting.

- He had a Poverty meeting in NYC on the day of this podcast.

- He's been very busy, in a good way, raising money for a State senator in New York and other state candidates.

Cate Edwards took the microphone to send a message about the organization she helped to start, which is called Generation Engage. It is a youth voter initiative of a different kind. The group would like to promote an increase voter turnout for youths aged 18-24 through community infrastructure - built from the ground-up. They are targeting 19-29 year olds - especially non-college youth (one half of those in the 18-29 age bracket are not attending college). This age group is harder to reach because they are not in typical college atmosphere. Generation Engage will be a sustained effort, even when it's not a campaign season. It's going well so far. Cate invites anyone interested to go to the Generation Engage website for more information.

Benjamin from Michigan asked Cate for the best piece of advice her parents have ever given her. Cate replied that she's had a lot of great advice, all different kinds, but the best is probably to never look down on anybody. A belief in equality is the best advice that Cate believes anyone could give.

Jasmine from Nashville asked about Sen Edwards' work on the minimum wage - how does she get involved? Sen Edwards replied that he's working to raise the minimum wage (now at an embarrassing $5.15 per hour) in Pheonix, AZ; Albequerque, NM; Lansing, MI; and Cleveland and Columbus, OH. In the next several months, Edwards will be concentrating on working with coalitions in various cities (including ACORN) to promote the program and get wage increases on the ballot and into law, along with an expansion of the Earned income tax credit.

Lane, a Cincinatti resident and a student at the University of Ohio, was extremely discouraged with the 2004 election in his state, after all the change he and his fellow activists had tried to effect. Some of the many problems were: long lines, poorly trained election offiicials, absentee ballot problems, race-related issues, and difficulties with registration and polling locations. Sen Edwards commented that a recent DNC report, which was a very thorough study, showed that, 40 years after the Voting Rights Act, we still have enormous work to do to in order to ensure equal access and to ensure that your vote is fairly counted. Sen Edwards believes that Republicans will likely ignore the result as they have in the past, and that the RNC will continue to do as little as possible, saying they'll register voters and make sure no voter fraud occurs - and we know what that means - it means that they'll engage in the same questionable tactics in which they've engaged in the past. There have been far too many obstacles to fair voting. Sen Edwards believes that there is no excuse for all these questions that need to be raised about the fairness of our voting system - the leading democracy on the planet should have the best election system in the world. It's absolutely ridiculous to have to wait 6 hours to vote and to have questions about your ability to vote once you get there. Much needs to be done. It's especially important that partisans are not in control of the election process. Knowing that Kenneth Blackwell was in charge of the Ohio election process and was, at the same time, the head of Bush's Ohio campaign was INSANE. It could not have possibly been seen as impartial. This system must be fixed. Bush talks about promoting democracy overseas, but for all the talking, we know he he has a heck of a lot of work to do about democracy right here at home. Democrats must lead the way - or no one will do it.

The next question is from Sharon - the country is clearly divided, the Supreme Court. If you were advising President Bush, what would you tell him to do? Tongue-in-cheek, Edwards procalimed that Bush is not likely to ask him for any advice anytime soon, but he offered some ideas for what he thinks Bush should do:
- Consensus is important - before nomination. Bush needs to consult with members of the Democratic party. It could avoid a fight. If he nominates someone out of the mainstream, the Democrats must be prepared for a fight - backbone and guts will be absolutely necessary.
- Nominating a Supreme Court justice who is out of the mainstream will effect everything that happens sunsequently. Look back on what has already occurred: we saw the results of Bush v Gore in 2000, where the US Supreme Court decided who president would be. We see what an impact a Supreme Court can have. Every justice has a huge impact on the fate of our nation. This will be a fight well worth having - if Bush refuses to do what is right. While serving in the Senate, Sen Edwards opposed a judicial nominee named Terry Boyle from North Carolina because he felt that Boyle didn't belong on the court. Later, Allison Duncan's name came of for Fourth Circuit nomination, there was consensus, Edwards felt she was a very capable Repulcan from North Carolina was a good, solid African-American justice sailed through the process.

*SEE FINDING A JUSTICE WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT by John Edwards [Raleigh News & Observer]

Ali from Pennsylvania asked Cate, since she's been working for Vanity Fair in NYC, if she'd heard anything about the Mark Felt story. (aka 'Deep Throat') Cate is an assistant to one the the editors (who edits Christopher Hitchens, James Wolcott, Amy Fine Collins). She loves the job and is very happy. She has three rommates, one she's known since she was a 6-year-old in Raleigh. North Carolina; and two friends from Princeton. She had no inside scoop on Mark Felt. The first she heard about it was in an e-mail from Mom (elizabeth), who had found the story while "scouring the internet." (In the background, John commented that Elizabeth is great at keeping on top of what's going on. He said, "Nothing gets by Mom!" He also mentioned that this podcast seemed a bit strange, since they were not podcasting into a microphone set up on Jack's blanket this time. ;)

Wilma from Phoenix had a question about Social Security. She asked "what do you think of the Republicans' new Social Security plan?" Sen Edwards replied, with a knowing laugh, "What do I think? I think it stinks. They don't believe in Social Security - they didn't believe in it to begin with." We know their aim is to privatize the Social Security system and remove the safety net. He said his view was uncomplicated.
We believe people who worked hard all their lives ought to be able to grow old without their having to depend on their children to support them. He assures us that we'll fight to the death to save it.

Tara from Sacramento asked Cate about Generation Engaged, what are the important issues for young people today and how can young people stay engaged and involved in between election cycles? How are we going to keep young people involved in the Democratic party? Cate recommended that all young people should stay informed - when the big issues come up rather than waiting until an election season. She raised the issues of Social Security and the minimum wage as examples of something which effects young Americans' lives and of which conversations should not be delayed until election time. She suggested having simple conversations with one another about all issues, and that political activism is important. Getting together in numbers to have these conversations will lend young people a greater voice in the issues that affect their country. Young people have an interest in the same basic issues as anyone else. Regarding the question about keeping young peopel involved in the Democratic party, Cate said that it isn't merely the issues that hook young people, they're also "good at telling whether or not someone really means what they're saying." The younger generation has a lot of passionate people, and young people look for passion, heart, and morals in their leaders. Cate mentioned poverty as an important issue. Young people in particular, have great compassion for all people around them, and the issue of poverty is appealing to passionate young people looking for a moral cause. They see it, simply, as the right thing to do.

Sen. Edwards thanked Cate for her participation and said that he and Mrs. Edwards were very proud of her.

The Podcast ended with an ethereal musical composition called "introspection" by Bob Alexander, an artist from North Carolina. See BobAlexander.net. If you are interested in submitting music for future podcasts, you may write an e-mail to: infoOAC@oneamericacommittee.com

Iraq Updates

Army Recruitment Down; Iraq Updates
Lt. Gen. James Lovelace, the Army deputy chief of staff, said the Army can sustain 100,000 in Iraq for the next four years if needed without "breaking the force" but he said it would include three or four rotations for some troops. [Fox News]

Juan Cole has what I consider to be the best blogging today on the subject of Iraq.

Cole has a list of Ten Things Congress Could Demand From Bush on Iraq.

The attack on US vessels at the port of Aqaba in Jordan shows that the Iraqi war is spreading terrorism in the region.

Ledeen the Cur

Ledeen the Cur

James Wolcott rips Michael Ledeen to shreds.

Listen to: Prairie Chapel Road

Listen to: Prairie Chapel Road

Eric Folkerth has written a song about Camp Casey. You can listen to the song by clicking here.

Prairie Chapel Road
By Eric Folkerth

The grieving mother pitched her tent,
On Prairie Chapel Road...

With questions for the President
On Prairie Chapel Road...

A host of pilgrims came along
To Prairie Chapel Road...

Raised their voices, sang their songs
On Prairie Chapel Road...

You can mow down the crosses,
but you can’t mow down our hope,
‘Cause the truth will always greet
The light of day.
And we know what the cost is,
In this darkness, where we grope,
But we know that peace
Will be the better way...
On Prairie Chapel Road...

Around the nation, all eyes turned
To Prairie Chapel Road...

To mark the lessons we had learned
On Prairie Chapel Road...

People who had found their voice
On Prairie Chapel Road...

Millions more who joined their choice
On Prairie Chapel Road...

In every city, and small town,
There’s a Prairie Chapel Road

Where two sides of the road are found,
On Prairie Chapel Road...

And we may always disagree
On Prairie Chapel Road...

But the right to do keeps us free
On Prairie Chapel Road...

The grieving mother pitched her tent,
On Prairie Chapel Road...

With questions for the President
On Prairie Chapel Road...

Copyright © 2005

Why is DLC Generating Party Disunity?

Why is DLC Generating Party Disunity?

I deeply regret that the DLC is so obviously attacking members of their own Democratic party, classifying those who have serious reservations about the security disaster in Iraq right now as "unpatriotic". Actually, I am more aghast than sorry upon seeing it. Without party unity, the Democrats will not be winning elections in 2006 or beyond.

Can you imagine Ken Mehlman talking about "upscale white conservatives" who "seem torn about the meaning of patriotism"?

Can you??!?

Is any strategy devised to make your party members look strong on defense worth questioning the patriotism of people like myself, a hard-working and loyal American who has serious and realistic questions about the war in Iraq?

If anyone affiliated with the DLC sees this blogpost, I say to you: Stop this tactic immediately. It's no-win.

"Democrats need to be choosier about the political company they keep, distancing themselves from the pacifist and anti-American fringe. And they need to have faith in their fellow citizens: Americans will accept constructive criticism of their country if they know the critic's heart is in the right place."

Will Marshall is directing this message to people like Cindy Sheehan, who happens to have people like Michael Moore (an Eagle Scout) who agree with her at the moment. Will Marshall, in my humble opinion, is dead wrong when he goes into this territory and calls any concerned American citizen "anti-American". These are the tactics of hate talk-radio, and it's not honorable or respectable to buy into that line of thinking and turn it around to use on your own fellow party members.

In a recent article which I consider to be required reading for all, James J. Kroeger states:

"They [Republicans] define themselves [positively] by defining their Democratic opponents [negatively]."

The DLC are defining members of their own Democratic party negatively, and are thus campaigning as a Republican would...against their own! Losing confidence in their own convictions, they have bought into the lies which the Right has expertly and negatively employed against the Democrats - and are making it their own message, turning the tables on key members of the Democratic party.

Oh - this is very bad, DLC. Do you hear me?

Very, very bad.

Hometown Showcase: North Carolina Bloggers

Hometown Showcase: North Carolina Bloggers

Both Charlotte and Asheville featured their local bloggers in the news this week.
Anonymoses has a blogpost about Creative Loafing's feature on Charlotte bloggers, including

ace pryhill
anonymoses
converge south
charlotte capitalist
charlotte101.us
anna-banana.net
pam spaulding
tbo talks
save cms kids
dump cms
the 704
drunk-in-a-midnight-choir
charlotte mommies



Blog Asheville has the story on the Asheville feature at the Mountain XPress.

Asheville Blogs

Blog Asheville
Asheville Music Blog
1000 Black Lines
AshVegas
Scrutiny Hooligans
Edgy Mama
DEMbloggers
The Syntax Of Things
Modern Peasant
Easy Bake Coven
Jeremy Brett
Dirty Greek
Bird on the Moon
Tingle Alley
Evening Rose
gwendiesblog
Me & Mine...
The Avant Garden
Mister Sugar
A Sort of Notebook
Sweet Tea
Breathlessly Simple
Moon Meadow Farm
HangOver Journal
Stitch and Bitch
Unlaced Corset
Raphael Doxos
The War In Context

Iraq: The Myth of Negative Journalism

Iraq The Myth of Negative Journalism
War Supporters - Here's the Reality

I might be amused to read this paragraph from an AP article if it wasn't about such a depressing subject:

War supporters accuse journalists of undercutting the troops by highlighting problems and ignoring progress in Iraq.

Only yesterday, I had read this quote from seasoned and courageous reporter Robert Fisk (one of the few who actually gets out into the street instead of locking himself in a Green Zone hotel room taking phone calls from military PR officials for his source information on news stories) :

"It is extremely dangerous now. Most of my colleagues won't go into Iraq. And many who do just sit in their hotel rooms. I don't object to that. What I do object to is that they don't tell their readers thta they sit in their hotel rooms. They give the impression that they can check out stories on, for example, people shot by the Americans, when in fact, they can't or don't or won't. So they take the line from a telephone call from an American pfficer and that becomes the story, which is one reason why the reporting has become so skewed."

[Utne Reader, Sept/Oct 05 - longer version of interview at Progressive Mag June 2005]

How the hell can the "liberal media" be writing so may skewed horror stories when they're getting their lines directly from the American military officers?

Looking for American Gothic?

Looking for American Gothic?
For the many who've come here in search of something called American Gothic with Cindy Sheehan and Michael Moore, I have no clue what it is. It sounds insulting. Don't expect to see it here anytime.

Political Advice for Democrats: Ideas Needed

Political Advice for Democrats: Ideas Needed

I defer to Laura Rozen, who sends out what I believe to be an important bit of advice to all Democratic politicians:

the Post's David Ignatius has some advice for Democrats:

...America doesn't need more of the angry, embittered shouting matches that take place on talk radio and in the blogosphere. It needs a real opposition party that will lay out new strategies: How to withdraw from Iraq without creating even more instability? How to engage a world that mistrusts and often hates America? How to rebuild global institutions and contain Islamic extremism? How to put the U.S. economy back into balance? A Democratic Party that could begin to answer these questions would deserve a chance to govern.

Bruce Jentleson proposes that the task of thinking how to get out of Iraq without leading to greater instability be a bipartisan endeavor lead by the Senate Foreign Relations committee. With Republicans such as Walter Jones, Chuck Hagel, and Democrats like Russ Feingold talking about how to get out, it seems this could be the way to go.

- Laura Rozen

Related - Gideon Rose talks about the Bush administration's initial objectives in contrast to their currently lowered expectations:

"...the realists have come in after an election to offer some adult supervision and tidy up the joint. This time it's simply happened under the nose of a victorious incumbent rather than his opponent (which may account for the failure to change the rhetoric along with the policy)." - [NYT]

At Hullabaloo, Digby is so disillusioned and angered, given the contrast of the lofty Bush-speeches and the reality of the drastically lowered expectations in Iraq, that it is driving him to become isolationist in favor of being led down garden paths about what "freedom and democracy" turn out to mean in reality, once we've "spread" it to others.

"Dead Wrong" Premieres on CNN Tonight

"Dead Wrong" Premieres on CNN Tonight

Tonight marks the premiere of CNN's "Dead Wrong - Inside an Intelligence Meltdown" which airs at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET.

From the CNN website: Former aide: Powell WMD speech 'lowest point in my life'

A former top aide to Colin Powell says his involvement in the former secretary of state's presentation to the United Nations on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was "the lowest point" in his life.

"I wish I had not been involved in it," says Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, a longtime Powell adviser who served as his chief of staff from 2002 through 2005. "I look back on it, and I still say it was the lowest point in my life."

Swift Boat Tactics May Backfire As Iraq War Rages

Swift Boat Tactics May Backfire As Iraq War Rages

In Frank Rich's column The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan [NYTimes], he explains how Casey Sheehan's death in Iraq could not be more representative of the Iraq war's mismanagement and failure. I'd imagine that he'll strike a familiar chord with many average Joes when he says that, when Mr. Bush's motorcade in Crawford "left a grieving mother in the dust to speed on to a fund-raiser, that was one fat-cat party too far."

Swift-boating may have been effective 30 years after the war in question, when a Presidential candidate was the target, but this war is failing right before our eyes - here and now. The news of each new American death in Iraq stings more than ever before, and this time it's a fallen soldier's mother that has had 'open season' declared upon her.

Tar Heel Tavern #26

Tar Heel Tavern #26

William has put this week's edition of the Tar Heel Tavern up at Pirate's Cove.

Because this past week has been filled with stories about parents who have lost children in Iraq, I hope Erin Monahan won't mind me posting a poem she has written at her lovely website titled "Poetic Acceptance for Grieving Parents".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Shadow of Grief

on her fourth birthday
This solitude passes
like the first breeze of spring
through crocus blooms
tender, silent
and undeniable.

It is the ghost of grief that haunts me -
a whisper in the garden of my dreams.

No longer is it the honeysuckle nightmare
that cloys at the fence with sickly sweetness
or the suffocating kudzu cloak
in the hot August sun.

It has become the scent of wisteria
charming and gentle
in the shade of the hollow water oak.


© Erin Monahan 2005