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April 30, 2004
Friday Stories
Guardian. Iraqis see bright future - without the US
NYT. Bush and Cheney Tell 9/11 Panel of '01 Warnings
NYT. U.S. Weighs U.N. Proposal for an Interim Iraqi Leader
WPost. 9/11 Panel Questions Bush and Cheney; Members Cite New Details About Strategy
WPost. Chemical Plant Security Lagging Under Bush, Kerry Tells Mayors
WPost. Marines Plan Handoff To Militia in Fallujah; Car Bomb Kills 8 Soldiers in Baghdad Suburb
WPost. Allegations of Abuse Lead To Shakeup at Iraqi Prison
WPost. EPA Delays Mercury Regulations: Final Action on Plant Emissions Rules Slated for March '05
USAT. Fear of anti-U.S. backlash spurred troops' pullback
AP. Bremer Faulted Bush Before Terror Attacks
MSNBC. Kerry offers Sharpton forum at convention
Reuters. Bush's Approval Rating at All-Time Low Poll
Commentary
Bob Herbert. From Dream to Nightmare
NYT. Troops Without Armor in Iraq
Krugman. In Front of Your Nose
E.J. Dionne Jr. The GOP's Vanishing Breed
Buzzflash. Interview: Ambassador Joseph Wilson
Joe Conason. Pro-life zealots ignore Republicans: Kerry isn't the only pro-choice Catholic politician
Ellen Goodman. Don't look now: Iraq war requires civilian sacrifice -- in the form of ignoring occasional contraband photo of flag-drapped coffins
Molly Ivins. Sinners unite! Bush tax cuts for rich leave local governments only sin to pay bills
Joan Claybrook. A Déjà Vu Energy Bill
Robert Scheer. Face the Iraq Fiasco, Senator
William McColl. This Is Your Government On Drugs: George W. Bush fights the culture war
Sean Aday. The G-Rated War: The media have covered up the casualties - and we've got the data to prove it
Arianna Huffington. The 9/12 Effect
Terence Samuel. Specter Rising: Alas, Pennsylvania Republicans have failed to shoot themselves
Harold Meyerson. Prince Hal vs. King Henry: When it comes to maturity, Kerry is light years ahead of Bush
Laura Secor. Mess-opotamia: The latest plan on Iraqi sovereignty is the worst option -- except for all the others.
John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton. March of the Banana Republicans
Bill Berkowitz. The Military's Mounting Mental Health Problems
Posted by Eric at 11:51 PM | Comments (3)
Friday Stories
Guardian. Iraqis see bright future - without the US
NYT. Bush and Cheney Tell 9/11 Panel of '01 Warnings
NYT. U.S. Weighs U.N. Proposal for an Interim Iraqi Leader
WPost. 9/11 Panel Questions Bush and Cheney; Members Cite New Details About Strategy
WPost. Chemical Plant Security Lagging Under Bush, Kerry Tells Mayors
WPost. Marines Plan Handoff To Militia in Fallujah; Car Bomb Kills 8 Soldiers in Baghdad Suburb
WPost. Allegations of Abuse Lead To Shakeup at Iraqi Prison
WPost. EPA Delays Mercury Regulations: Final Action on Plant Emissions Rules Slated for March '05
USAT. Fear of anti-U.S. backlash spurred troops' pullback
AP. Bremer Faulted Bush Before Terror Attacks
MSNBC. Kerry offers Sharpton forum at convention
Reuters. Bush's Approval Rating at All-Time Low Poll
Commentary
Bob Herbert. From Dream to Nightmare
NYT. Troops Without Armor in Iraq
Krugman. In Front of Your Nose
E.J. Dionne Jr. The GOP's Vanishing Breed
Buzzflash. Interview: Ambassador Joseph Wilson
Joe Conason. Pro-life zealots ignore Republicans: Kerry isn't the only pro-choice Catholic politician
Ellen Goodman. Don't look now: Iraq war requires civilian sacrifice -- in the form of ignoring occasional contraband photo of flag-drapped coffins
Molly Ivins. Sinners unite! Bush tax cuts for rich leave local governments only sin to pay bills
Joan Claybrook. A Déjà Vu Energy Bill
Robert Scheer. Face the Iraq Fiasco, Senator
William McColl. This Is Your Government On Drugs: George W. Bush fights the culture war
Sean Aday. The G-Rated War: The media have covered up the casualties - and we've got the data to prove it
Arianna Huffington. The 9/12 Effect
Terence Samuel. Specter Rising: Alas, Pennsylvania Republicans have failed to shoot themselves
Harold Meyerson. Prince Hal vs. King Henry: When it comes to maturity, Kerry is light years ahead of Bush
Laura Secor. Mess-opotamia: The latest plan on Iraqi sovereignty is the worst option -- except for all the others.
John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton. March of the Banana Republicans
Bill Berkowitz. The Military's Mounting Mental Health Problems
Posted by Eric at 11:51 PM | Comments (2)
A News Org That's Undermining the War
It's Sinclair Media's stupid rationale time. Remember, they said:
While the Sinclair Broadcast Group honors the memory of the brave members of the military who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, we do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of “Nightline” this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming.The Nightline show, of course, is simply a news show that is airing the names of military men who died in Iraq.
Hmm ... news organization ... showing faces of vallen soldiers. The Army / Navy / Air Force / Marine Times.
Why, are they trying to undermine the war effort too?
Posted by Eric at 04:34 PM | Comments (14)
A News Org That's Undermining the War
It's Sinclair Media's stupid rationale time. Remember, they said:
While the Sinclair Broadcast Group honors the memory of the brave members of the military who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, we do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of “Nightline” this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming.The Nightline show, of course, is simply a news show that is airing the names of military men who died in Iraq.
Hmm ... news organization ... showing faces of vallen soldiers. The Army / Navy / Air Force / Marine Times.
Why, are they trying to undermine the war effort too?
Posted by Eric at 04:34 PM | Comments (3)
To Pay Respects or Not to Pay Respects
Airing the names of fallen soldiers is wrong? Ted Koppel responds:
Nightline's anchor Ted Koppel, who will read the names of the fallen aloud, said "it's not implicitly anti-war" on ABC's Good Morning America today. "I think it's an appropriate thing to do."Also this from FAIR:"I'm not suggesting that people in this country don't know what's happening, but I think that periodically it is not unreasonable to remind everyone of who these young people are and what they look like," said Koppel.
A statement on Sinclair's website explains: "While the Sinclair Broadcast Group honors the memory of the brave members of the military who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, we do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of Nightline this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming."Oh SNAAAP.Sinclair's rationale for the censorship of Nightline is explicitly political: "Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of the 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorists attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday." A response statement from ABC said that the network did broadcast a list of the victims of the September 11 attacks on the one-year anniversary.
Posted by Eric at 04:16 PM | Comments (19)
To Pay Respects or Not to Pay Respects
Airing the names of fallen soldiers is wrong? Ted Koppel responds:
Nightline's anchor Ted Koppel, who will read the names of the fallen aloud, said "it's not implicitly anti-war" on ABC's Good Morning America today. "I think it's an appropriate thing to do."Also this from FAIR:"I'm not suggesting that people in this country don't know what's happening, but I think that periodically it is not unreasonable to remind everyone of who these young people are and what they look like," said Koppel.
A statement on Sinclair's website explains: "While the Sinclair Broadcast Group honors the memory of the brave members of the military who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, we do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of Nightline this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming."Oh SNAAAP.Sinclair's rationale for the censorship of Nightline is explicitly political: "Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of the 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorists attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday." A response statement from ABC said that the network did broadcast a list of the victims of the September 11 attacks on the one-year anniversary.
Posted by Eric at 04:16 PM | Comments (12)
Cheney Hearts Fox News
No, really he does. From the Washington Post:
Vice President Cheney endorsed the Fox News Channel during a conference call last night with tens of thousands of Republicans who were gathered across the country to celebrate a National Party for the President Day organized by the Bush-Cheney campaign ... "It's easy to complain about the press -- I've been doing it for a good part of my career," Cheney said. "It's part of what goes with a free society. What I do is try to focus upon those elements of the press that I think do an effective job and try to be accurate in their portrayal of events. For example, I end up spending a lot of time watching Fox News, because they're more accurate in my experience, in those events that I'm personally involved in, than many of the other outlets."Hilarious.
Posted by Eric at 02:08 PM | Comments (24)
Cheney Hearts Fox News
No, really he does. From the Washington Post:
Vice President Cheney endorsed the Fox News Channel during a conference call last night with tens of thousands of Republicans who were gathered across the country to celebrate a National Party for the President Day organized by the Bush-Cheney campaign ... "It's easy to complain about the press -- I've been doing it for a good part of my career," Cheney said. "It's part of what goes with a free society. What I do is try to focus upon those elements of the press that I think do an effective job and try to be accurate in their portrayal of events. For example, I end up spending a lot of time watching Fox News, because they're more accurate in my experience, in those events that I'm personally involved in, than many of the other outlets."Hilarious.
Posted by Eric at 02:08 PM | Comments (2)
McCain: Sinclair Broadcasting "Unpatriotic"
From the Arizona Republican's PR:
There is no valid reason for Sinclair to shirk its responsibility in what I assume is a very misguided attempt to prevent your viewers from completely appreciating the extraordinary sacrifices made on their behalf by Americans serving in Iraq. War is an awful, but sometimes necessary business. Your decision to deny your viewers an opportunity to be reminded of war’s terrible costs, in all their heartbreaking detail, is a gross disservice to the public, and to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. It is, in short, sir, unpatriotic. I hope it meets with the public opprobrium it most certainly deserves.
Posted by Eric at 02:06 PM | Comments (142)
McCain: Sinclair Broadcasting "Unpatriotic"
From the Arizona Republican's PR:
There is no valid reason for Sinclair to shirk its responsibility in what I assume is a very misguided attempt to prevent your viewers from completely appreciating the extraordinary sacrifices made on their behalf by Americans serving in Iraq. War is an awful, but sometimes necessary business. Your decision to deny your viewers an opportunity to be reminded of war’s terrible costs, in all their heartbreaking detail, is a gross disservice to the public, and to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. It is, in short, sir, unpatriotic. I hope it meets with the public opprobrium it most certainly deserves.
Posted by Eric at 02:06 PM | Comments (2)
Blame Canada
The people up north are outpacing the US economy:
Outpaced by CanadaThe Center notes that "Canada targeted its tax breaks more toward the middle class and left the top rate in place."A new report from The Center for American Progress reveals that "had the U.S. kept pace with Canada in job creation since January, 2001, it would have more than 9 million additional jobs." With the president touting the 308,000 jobs the American economy added in March, the American Progress report, entitled: "Canada Moves North of U.S. in Job Creation," provides a sobering analysis of the overall job picture during the Bush administration. While Canada has faced similar challenges as the U.S. over the past three-and-a-half years, its job creation record is vastly superior—"Canada's total employment level expanded from 14.9 million to 15.75 million, an increase of 5.6%. During that same period employment in the United States declined from 131.8 million to 129.9 million." The report shows a troubling contrast between a Bush administration which has not developed policies to convert economic growth into new jobs, and a Canadian strategy which has overcome various challenges with policies including responsible tax cuts to maintain consistent job creation.
Posted by Eric at 02:04 PM | Comments (11)
Blame Canada
The people up north are outpacing the US economy:
Outpaced by CanadaThe Center notes that "Canada targeted its tax breaks more toward the middle class and left the top rate in place."A new report from The Center for American Progress reveals that "had the U.S. kept pace with Canada in job creation since January, 2001, it would have more than 9 million additional jobs." With the president touting the 308,000 jobs the American economy added in March, the American Progress report, entitled: "Canada Moves North of U.S. in Job Creation," provides a sobering analysis of the overall job picture during the Bush administration. While Canada has faced similar challenges as the U.S. over the past three-and-a-half years, its job creation record is vastly superior—"Canada's total employment level expanded from 14.9 million to 15.75 million, an increase of 5.6%. During that same period employment in the United States declined from 131.8 million to 129.9 million." The report shows a troubling contrast between a Bush administration which has not developed policies to convert economic growth into new jobs, and a Canadian strategy which has overcome various challenges with policies including responsible tax cuts to maintain consistent job creation.
Posted by Eric at 02:04 PM | Comments (0)
More About Sinclair Brodcasting
See this from Atrios and CAP.
They've been doing partisan stuff for a while. Another example of the liberal media, of course.
Posted by Eric at 02:00 PM | Comments (14)
More About Sinclair Brodcasting
See this from Atrios and CAP.
They've been doing partisan stuff for a while. Another example of the liberal media, of course.
Posted by Eric at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)
Howard Dean: The Show
Howard Dean may get his own syndicated talk show. From the biz trade Variety:
While everything's still in the early talking stages, the former Democratic presidential candidate is mulling the idea of hosting his own syndicated gabfest. He's hooked up with ex-Big Ticket TV topper Larry Lyttle ("Judge Judy") and longtime political consultant Gerald Rafshoon, who would likely serve as exec producers of a pilot for any such project.Dean is in Hollywood this week, and he's taking meetings with execs at Viacom-owned Paramount Domestic Television. Lyttle is still based on the Par lot, and he's helping Dean make the connection with the studio ... "He'd look at things like, What happens if you lose a sibling? What about when you're victimized by not having health care?" Lyttle said, arguing that Dean has the perfect persona for the small screen.
Posted by Eric at 12:48 PM | Comments (20)
Howard Dean: The Show
Howard Dean may get his own syndicated talk show. From the biz trade Variety:
While everything's still in the early talking stages, the former Democratic presidential candidate is mulling the idea of hosting his own syndicated gabfest. He's hooked up with ex-Big Ticket TV topper Larry Lyttle ("Judge Judy") and longtime political consultant Gerald Rafshoon, who would likely serve as exec producers of a pilot for any such project.Dean is in Hollywood this week, and he's taking meetings with execs at Viacom-owned Paramount Domestic Television. Lyttle is still based on the Par lot, and he's helping Dean make the connection with the studio ... "He'd look at things like, What happens if you lose a sibling? What about when you're victimized by not having health care?" Lyttle said, arguing that Dean has the perfect persona for the small screen.
Posted by Eric at 12:48 PM | Comments (2)
Hamster Numbers: Texas v. Vermont
Rank of Texas among states in which the largest percentage of citizens lack health insurance : 1 [U.S. Census Bureau (Washington) ]
Rank of Vermont : 42 [U.S. Census Bureau (Washington) ]
Posted by Eric at 12:53 AM | Comments (10)
Hamster Numbers: Texas v. Vermont
Rank of Texas among states in which the largest percentage of citizens lack health insurance : 1 [U.S. Census Bureau (Washington) ]
Rank of Vermont : 42 [U.S. Census Bureau (Washington) ]
Posted by Eric at 12:53 AM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2004
Yell at Sinclair Broadcast Group
See O'Franken Factor blog for the details, and Atrios for the complain numbers.
Posted by Eric at 07:37 PM | Comments (42)
Yell at Sinclair Broadcast Group
See O'Franken Factor blog for the details, and Atrios for the complain numbers.
Posted by Eric at 07:37 PM | Comments (1)
Joe Wilson Names Possible Leakers
In his brand new book,
AP:
Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, has been pegged as a possible leaker of the name of CIA (news - web sites) operative Valerie Plame to a syndicated columnist, according to accounts in a book by former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, Plame's husband.In "The Politics of Truth," to be published Friday, Wilson says Libby is "quite possibly the person who exposed my wife's identity," according to The Washington Post, which obtained an early copy ... "The other name that has most often been repeated to me in connection with the inquiry and disclosure into my background and Valerie's is that of Elliott Abrams, who gained infamy in the Iran-Contra scandal," he writes.
Another suspect named in Wilson's book: White House chief political adviser Karl Rove. "The workup on me that turned up the information on Valerie was shared with Karl Rove, who then circulated it in administration and neoconservative circles," Wilson writes.
Posted by Eric at 07:13 PM | Comments (23)
Joe Wilson Names Possible Leakers
In his brand new book,
AP:
Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, has been pegged as a possible leaker of the name of CIA (news - web sites) operative Valerie Plame to a syndicated columnist, according to accounts in a book by former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, Plame's husband.In "The Politics of Truth," to be published Friday, Wilson says Libby is "quite possibly the person who exposed my wife's identity," according to The Washington Post, which obtained an early copy ... "The other name that has most often been repeated to me in connection with the inquiry and disclosure into my background and Valerie's is that of Elliott Abrams, who gained infamy in the Iran-Contra scandal," he writes.
Another suspect named in Wilson's book: White House chief political adviser Karl Rove. "The workup on me that turned up the information on Valerie was shared with Karl Rove, who then circulated it in administration and neoconservative circles," Wilson writes.
Posted by Eric at 07:13 PM | Comments (8)
Howard Stern on The Nation Cover
Stern, of course, has been "fucked by the FCC."
Posted by Eric at 07:00 PM | Comments (72)
Howard Stern on The Nation Cover
Stern, of course, has been "fucked by the FCC."
Posted by Eric at 07:00 PM | Comments (6)
Cities with the Worst Pollution
From the American Lung Association, those partisan bastards. Reported by MSNBC:
1. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CASo congrats, the OC.
2. Fresno, CA
3. Bakersfield, CA
4. Visalia-Porterville, CA
5. Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX
6. Merced, CA
7. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Truckee, CA-NV
8. Hanford-Corcoran, CA
9. Knoxville-Sevierville-LA Follette, TN
10. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
11. Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
12. Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD
13. New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
14. Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC
15. Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH
16. Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC
17. Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
18. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
18. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
20. Modesto, CA
Posted by Eric at 06:57 PM | Comments (55)
Cities with the Worst Pollution
From the American Lung Association, those partisan bastards. Reported by MSNBC:
1. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CASo congrats, the OC.
2. Fresno, CA
3. Bakersfield, CA
4. Visalia-Porterville, CA
5. Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX
6. Merced, CA
7. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Truckee, CA-NV
8. Hanford-Corcoran, CA
9. Knoxville-Sevierville-LA Follette, TN
10. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
11. Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
12. Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD
13. New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
14. Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC
15. Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH
16. Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC
17. Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
18. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
18. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
20. Modesto, CA
Posted by Eric at 06:57 PM | Comments (6)
When Stupid People Write Stupid Things
E.g. Rene Gonzalez of UMass.
Posted by Eric at 03:51 PM | Comments (31)
When Stupid People Write Stupid Things
E.g. Rene Gonzalez of UMass.
Posted by Eric at 03:51 PM | Comments (5)
Britney Spears Has Competition
From good ol' Georgie, AP:
"There was some laughter from time to time: the president is a bit of a tease," Thompson said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.Ok."There were no tense moments. I thought the president gave a five-star performance," he said. "I wish the American people could have seen it."
Posted by Eric at 02:41 PM | Comments (11)
Britney Spears Has Competition
From good ol' Georgie, AP:
"There was some laughter from time to time: the president is a bit of a tease," Thompson said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.Ok."There were no tense moments. I thought the president gave a five-star performance," he said. "I wish the American people could have seen it."
Posted by Eric at 02:41 PM | Comments (3)
Ten Soldiers Killed Thursday
From the AP.
Posted by Eric at 11:44 AM | Comments (4)
Ten Soldiers Killed Thursday
From the AP.
Posted by Eric at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2004
Wed Stories
Newsday. 9/11 panel session won't be recorded
KRT. Bush administration defends secrecy of task force
AP. Dems determined to derail overtime plan
AP. Aide Denies Knowing About Memos: Bush Nominee Says White House Found Out From Media
WP. Hughes Defends Remarks on Abortion Rights March
WP. Shattered Lives on a Baghdad Street: Neighbors Suffer After Hotel Attack
NYT. Bush-Cheney 9/11 Interview Won't Be Formally Recorded
NYT. Justices Hear Arguments in Energy Task Force Case
NYT. U.N. Envoy Seeks New Iraq Council by Close of May
AP. Wisconsin sisters heed pleas of parents, military, governor; decide against returning to Iraq
Reuters. "Nightline" devotes show to reading war dead names
AP. Judge allows part of Condit case against magazine writer to proceed
AP. U.S. Warplanes Hit Insurgents in Fallujah
AP. 4 Dead in Syria Gunfire at Ex-U.N. Office
AP. Colo. Legislature OKs College Voucher Bill
Commentary
Andrew Cohen. Wasting Energy: Tuesday's Supreme Court arguments put the arrogance of the White House front and center.
Michelangelo Signorile. Kerry's a Bad Catholic
Robert Kuttner. Remedy to outsourcing: better US jobs
Mark Morford. Is Your Porn Safe? Lock up your daughters and hide your smut, John Ashcroft is on the anti-sex warpath, again
Harold Meyerson. Prince Hal vs. King Henry
David D. Perlmutter. U.S. can't block coffin photos: Defense officials are wrong even to try to keep the public from seeing such images
James P. Pinkerton. The more the public knows the better
Marie Cocco. GOP smears Kerry's war record
Robert Scheer. Taking on the War President
Mary Lynn F. Jones. Body Politics: The Hill Republicans' pathetic women's rights scorecard
Christopher H. Schroeder and Mark J. Rozell. Private Parts: Does Dick Cheney have to reveal whom he talked to? TAP hashes out executive privilege
Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood Demands Karen Hughes Apologize for 9/11 Comparison
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (35)
Wed Stories
Newsday. 9/11 panel session won't be recorded
KRT. Bush administration defends secrecy of task force
AP. Dems determined to derail overtime plan
AP. Aide Denies Knowing About Memos: Bush Nominee Says White House Found Out From Media
WP. Hughes Defends Remarks on Abortion Rights March
WP. Shattered Lives on a Baghdad Street: Neighbors Suffer After Hotel Attack
NYT. Bush-Cheney 9/11 Interview Won't Be Formally Recorded
NYT. Justices Hear Arguments in Energy Task Force Case
NYT. U.N. Envoy Seeks New Iraq Council by Close of May
AP. Wisconsin sisters heed pleas of parents, military, governor; decide against returning to Iraq
Reuters. "Nightline" devotes show to reading war dead names
AP. Judge allows part of Condit case against magazine writer to proceed
AP. U.S. Warplanes Hit Insurgents in Fallujah
AP. 4 Dead in Syria Gunfire at Ex-U.N. Office
AP. Colo. Legislature OKs College Voucher Bill
Commentary
Andrew Cohen. Wasting Energy: Tuesday's Supreme Court arguments put the arrogance of the White House front and center.
Michelangelo Signorile. Kerry's a Bad Catholic
Robert Kuttner. Remedy to outsourcing: better US jobs
Mark Morford. Is Your Porn Safe? Lock up your daughters and hide your smut, John Ashcroft is on the anti-sex warpath, again
Harold Meyerson. Prince Hal vs. King Henry
David D. Perlmutter. U.S. can't block coffin photos: Defense officials are wrong even to try to keep the public from seeing such images
James P. Pinkerton. The more the public knows the better
Marie Cocco. GOP smears Kerry's war record
Robert Scheer. Taking on the War President
Mary Lynn F. Jones. Body Politics: The Hill Republicans' pathetic women's rights scorecard
Christopher H. Schroeder and Mark J. Rozell. Private Parts: Does Dick Cheney have to reveal whom he talked to? TAP hashes out executive privilege
Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood Demands Karen Hughes Apologize for 9/11 Comparison
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (12)
Severin Idiot
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is renewing its objections to right-wing radio host Jay Severin. From the PR:
The Globe reported that in a conversation with a caller who suggested that the United States befriend Muslims in this country, Severin said: "I believe that Muslims in this country are a fifth column ... The vast majority of Muslims in this country are very obviously loyal, not to the United States, but to their religion. And I'm worried that when the time comes for them to stand up and be counted, the reason they are here is to take over our culture and eventually take over our country."Well ... yes, that's not nice. Uh, what else"My suspicion is that the majority of Muslims in the United States, who regard themselves as Muslims first and not as Americans really at all, see an American map one day where this is the United States of Islam, not the United States of America. I think it pays to harbor those suspicions."
Severin asked the caller: "Do you think we should befriend them?" "Yes,"
the caller said."I've got good news for you: We have," Severin replied. "Thanks for the call and that's what I'm worried about." Then, introducing another caller, Severin said: "I have an alternative viewpoint. It's slightly different than yours. You think we should befriend them; I think we should kill them."
Severin told the Globe: "To anyone who may have been offended by misunderstanding or misconstruing my remarks, I want you to know that I regret that."
"The actual transcript of the program is even worse than what had initially been reported," said CAIR's Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Based on Mr. Severin's claim that Muslim citizens are a 'fifth column' in this countryCounterspin is picking up action on this.
and his apparent belief that they should be killed, we renew our call for his
termination." Awad added that CAIR will ask for an FCC investigation of
Severin's remarks.
Posted by Eric at 08:31 PM | Comments (15)
Severin Idiot
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is renewing its objections to right-wing radio host Jay Severin. From the PR:
The Globe reported that in a conversation with a caller who suggested that the United States befriend Muslims in this country, Severin said: "I believe that Muslims in this country are a fifth column ... The vast majority of Muslims in this country are very obviously loyal, not to the United States, but to their religion. And I'm worried that when the time comes for them to stand up and be counted, the reason they are here is to take over our culture and eventually take over our country."Well ... yes, that's not nice. Uh, what else"My suspicion is that the majority of Muslims in the United States, who regard themselves as Muslims first and not as Americans really at all, see an American map one day where this is the United States of Islam, not the United States of America. I think it pays to harbor those suspicions."
Severin asked the caller: "Do you think we should befriend them?" "Yes,"
the caller said."I've got good news for you: We have," Severin replied. "Thanks for the call and that's what I'm worried about." Then, introducing another caller, Severin said: "I have an alternative viewpoint. It's slightly different than yours. You think we should befriend them; I think we should kill them."
Severin told the Globe: "To anyone who may have been offended by misunderstanding or misconstruing my remarks, I want you to know that I regret that."
"The actual transcript of the program is even worse than what had initially been reported," said CAIR's Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Based on Mr. Severin's claim that Muslim citizens are a 'fifth column' in this countryCounterspin is picking up action on this.
and his apparent belief that they should be killed, we renew our call for his
termination." Awad added that CAIR will ask for an FCC investigation of
Severin's remarks.
Posted by Eric at 08:31 PM | Comments (2)
Thank You, Center for American Progress
"Conservatives have spent the last 20 years distorting reality and getting away with it. That is about to change. The Center for American Progress has launched this new database project to chart the dishonesty and lies of conservatives – and compare them with the truth. In this database, each conservative quote will be matched against well-documented facts."
Posted by Eric at 08:18 PM | Comments (11)
Thank You, Center for American Progress
"Conservatives have spent the last 20 years distorting reality and getting away with it. That is about to change. The Center for American Progress has launched this new database project to chart the dishonesty and lies of conservatives – and compare them with the truth. In this database, each conservative quote will be matched against well-documented facts."
Posted by Eric at 08:18 PM | Comments (3)
Fear Fartman
Howard Stern is a political force to be reckoned with. Don't believe me? Look at the history. Jody Rosen in the LAT:
Some might dismiss this as bluster, but Stern's words should send a shiver up Karl Rove's spine. Stern has a record of successful election-year activism; political observers in New York and New Jersey remember how his on-air endorsements delivered key votes to George Pataki and Christine Todd Whitman in past gubernatorial races.What's more, although Stern's approximately 8.5 million listeners are often dismissed as overgrown frat boys, they might more accurately be called swing voters. They are overwhelmingly white and male, many are well educated and well off, and they vote. And millions of them listen to Stern's show in battleground states — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida — where the election will be decided ... By all indications, Stern's message is getting through. Since the FCC crackdown, his ratings have been going up. For example, Arbitron says he's now No. 1 in Los Angeles in the 25-to-54 age group, a spot he last occupied in 1995. And among entertainer websites, his was rated second (behind Oprah's) in mid-April.
Posted by Eric at 06:06 PM | Comments (14)
Fear Fartman
Howard Stern is a political force to be reckoned with. Don't believe me? Look at the history. Jody Rosen in the LAT:
Some might dismiss this as bluster, but Stern's words should send a shiver up Karl Rove's spine. Stern has a record of successful election-year activism; political observers in New York and New Jersey remember how his on-air endorsements delivered key votes to George Pataki and Christine Todd Whitman in past gubernatorial races.What's more, although Stern's approximately 8.5 million listeners are often dismissed as overgrown frat boys, they might more accurately be called swing voters. They are overwhelmingly white and male, many are well educated and well off, and they vote. And millions of them listen to Stern's show in battleground states — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida — where the election will be decided ... By all indications, Stern's message is getting through. Since the FCC crackdown, his ratings have been going up. For example, Arbitron says he's now No. 1 in Los Angeles in the 25-to-54 age group, a spot he last occupied in 1995. And among entertainer websites, his was rated second (behind Oprah's) in mid-April.
Posted by Eric at 06:06 PM | Comments (0)
Republican Candidate for Congress: A Little Nutty
The son of Joe Paterno just won the Republican primary for Congress, and he's a real winner. As the DCCC's blog notes
Let us first congratulate you on your victory in the Republican primary for PA's 17th, you ran a swell campaign and your utter lack of experience was nobly countered by the repetition of your father's well-respected name. However, in the spirit of good will and friendly advice, let us list some things that you should leave off of your website in the futureLike what?
From HIS OWN WEBSITE:
In my opinion, President Clinton, at the very least, conspired to commit murder at least 56 times. In my opinion, the President has abused his power for his own political gain, betrayed the public trust and will continue to do so unless the American people wake up and see the man for what he really is.Case 2:In the last decade, primarily in the last four years, Clinton has known several people who have died "mysteriously" or "accidentally." I can not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he had a hand in these deaths. I am not trying to prove that he did. My goal is to present the facts that are known, look at them as a composite, rather than individual isolated events, and then ask this one crucial question: Was it in the best interests of the president for these people to be dead?
That is what happens to people who threaten this president. They die, they die fast and they die before they can do any damage.Case 3:
Maybe that is why it is so hard to even consider the possibility that the president is as calculating and dangerous as I think he is. I admit, I struggled with whether any of this made sense. But then I detached myself from my expectations and looked at the facts that were available and I made my assessment. There have been several strange deaths associated with the Clinton White House that individually appear to be accidents, or tragedies, but may in fact have been connected by one theme: they all benefited the president politically. My last two columns looked at the circumstances of some of those deaths (all but a couple of which took place since 1993), and now I would like to focus on what the president was trying to hide.Clinton has always tried to stay one step ahead of the game, always keeping his enemies in front of him and his friends afraid of him. He is most likely guilty of the following crimes: conspiracy to commit murder, accessory to murder, campaign fraud, obstruction of justice, money laundering, extortion, drug running, bribery, destruction of subpoenaed documents, federal witness tampering . . . the list goes on and on.
I believe that the president is a criminal. I believe this because I don't believe in massive coincidences. I believe this because I know that there is nothing the man wouldn't do to become president and stay there.
If, as we are supposed to believe, all these events are isolated occurrences, then the president is the luckiest man in the world.
Posted by Eric at 10:23 AM | Comments (32)
Republican Candidate for Congress: A Little Nutty
The son of Joe Paterno just won the Republican primary for Congress, and he's a real winner. As the DCCC's blog notes
Let us first congratulate you on your victory in the Republican primary for PA's 17th, you ran a swell campaign and your utter lack of experience was nobly countered by the repetition of your father's well-respected name. However, in the spirit of good will and friendly advice, let us list some things that you should leave off of your website in the futureLike what?
From HIS OWN WEBSITE:
In my opinion, President Clinton, at the very least, conspired to commit murder at least 56 times. In my opinion, the President has abused his power for his own political gain, betrayed the public trust and will continue to do so unless the American people wake up and see the man for what he really is.Case 2:In the last decade, primarily in the last four years, Clinton has known several people who have died "mysteriously" or "accidentally." I can not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he had a hand in these deaths. I am not trying to prove that he did. My goal is to present the facts that are known, look at them as a composite, rather than individual isolated events, and then ask this one crucial question: Was it in the best interests of the president for these people to be dead?
That is what happens to people who threaten this president. They die, they die fast and they die before they can do any damage.Case 3:
Maybe that is why it is so hard to even consider the possibility that the president is as calculating and dangerous as I think he is. I admit, I struggled with whether any of this made sense. But then I detached myself from my expectations and looked at the facts that were available and I made my assessment. There have been several strange deaths associated with the Clinton White House that individually appear to be accidents, or tragedies, but may in fact have been connected by one theme: they all benefited the president politically. My last two columns looked at the circumstances of some of those deaths (all but a couple of which took place since 1993), and now I would like to focus on what the president was trying to hide.Clinton has always tried to stay one step ahead of the game, always keeping his enemies in front of him and his friends afraid of him. He is most likely guilty of the following crimes: conspiracy to commit murder, accessory to murder, campaign fraud, obstruction of justice, money laundering, extortion, drug running, bribery, destruction of subpoenaed documents, federal witness tampering . . . the list goes on and on.
I believe that the president is a criminal. I believe this because I don't believe in massive coincidences. I believe this because I know that there is nothing the man wouldn't do to become president and stay there.
If, as we are supposed to believe, all these events are isolated occurrences, then the president is the luckiest man in the world.
Posted by Eric at 10:23 AM | Comments (12)
Hamster Numbers: Inmates
"About 70 percent of the prison inmates in the United States are illiterate. Perhaps 200,000 of the country's inmates suffer from a serious mental illness. A generation ago such people were handled primarily by the mental-health, not the criminal-justice, system. Sixty to 80 percent of the American inmate population has a history of substance abuse. Meanwhile, the number of drug-treatment slots in American prisons has declined by more than half since 1993." Eric Schlosser
Posted by Eric at 08:53 AM | Comments (21)
Hamster Numbers: Inmates
"About 70 percent of the prison inmates in the United States are illiterate. Perhaps 200,000 of the country's inmates suffer from a serious mental illness. A generation ago such people were handled primarily by the mental-health, not the criminal-justice, system. Sixty to 80 percent of the American inmate population has a history of substance abuse. Meanwhile, the number of drug-treatment slots in American prisons has declined by more than half since 1993." Eric Schlosser
Posted by Eric at 08:53 AM | Comments (2)
Another Senior EPA Official Leaves
This time, Marianne Lamont Horinko, from Grist:
Christine Todd Whitman flew the coop last spring, and yesterday one of her right-hand women -- Marianne Lamont Horinko, the assistant EPA administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response -- announced that she will follow suit on June 1.Horinko served as the agency's acting administrator for four months after Whitman's departure from the top EPA spot and before Mike Leavitt's appointment as her replacement. During Horinko's tenure, she quietly -- and by all accounts deferentially -- took a beating in what is known to be one of the most thankless jobs inside the Beltway. In an email announcing her resignation to EPA staff, she wrote of the "strength and courage" needed to withstand the "slings and arrows" that came along with the job ... "Frankly, it's hard to believe that she lasted this long," said Barbara Elkus, a senior policy advisor at the League of Conservation Voters and a former EPA employee who worked with Horinko. "I think at one point in her career she had good environmental inklings, so I was surprised to see that she put up with so much. She did everything they told her to. Many people assumed it was because she hoped for something in exchange -- like Whitman's job. So it was another surprise that she stayed on when she didn't get it."
Posted by Eric at 08:37 AM | Comments (14)
Another Senior EPA Official Leaves
This time, Marianne Lamont Horinko, from Grist:
Christine Todd Whitman flew the coop last spring, and yesterday one of her right-hand women -- Marianne Lamont Horinko, the assistant EPA administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response -- announced that she will follow suit on June 1.Horinko served as the agency's acting administrator for four months after Whitman's departure from the top EPA spot and before Mike Leavitt's appointment as her replacement. During Horinko's tenure, she quietly -- and by all accounts deferentially -- took a beating in what is known to be one of the most thankless jobs inside the Beltway. In an email announcing her resignation to EPA staff, she wrote of the "strength and courage" needed to withstand the "slings and arrows" that came along with the job ... "Frankly, it's hard to believe that she lasted this long," said Barbara Elkus, a senior policy advisor at the League of Conservation Voters and a former EPA employee who worked with Horinko. "I think at one point in her career she had good environmental inklings, so I was surprised to see that she put up with so much. She did everything they told her to. Many people assumed it was because she hoped for something in exchange -- like Whitman's job. So it was another surprise that she stayed on when she didn't get it."
Posted by Eric at 08:37 AM | Comments (0)
Simmons to March at GOP Convention
From MTV:
On August 30, the same day the Republican National Convention commences in the Big Apple, Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network are planning to hold "The March on New York."According to a spokesperson for the HHSAN, Simmons' organization is planning for tens of thousands to converge on NYC, and is calling out to people all over the world to participate. The group is expecting that members of the hip-hop community will have a particularly strong presence at the march. So far no artists are confirmed, but the HHSAN says it will announce names throughout the summer.
The three main topics Simmons wants to address at the March on New York are the three he's been speaking about most ardently for the past year: the elimination of the Rockefeller drug laws (see "Diddy, Jay-Z, Susan Sarandon Rally Against New York Drug Laws"), national funding for deprived schools across the country, and voter registration.
Posted by Eric at 01:54 AM | Comments (18)
Simmons to March at GOP Convention
From MTV:
On August 30, the same day the Republican National Convention commences in the Big Apple, Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network are planning to hold "The March on New York."According to a spokesperson for the HHSAN, Simmons' organization is planning for tens of thousands to converge on NYC, and is calling out to people all over the world to participate. The group is expecting that members of the hip-hop community will have a particularly strong presence at the march. So far no artists are confirmed, but the HHSAN says it will announce names throughout the summer.
The three main topics Simmons wants to address at the March on New York are the three he's been speaking about most ardently for the past year: the elimination of the Rockefeller drug laws (see "Diddy, Jay-Z, Susan Sarandon Rally Against New York Drug Laws"), national funding for deprived schools across the country, and voter registration.
Posted by Eric at 01:54 AM | Comments (7)
Gen. Clark Responds
But what would he know about military service and patriotism? Karen Hughes is much better qualified. Clark:
The evaluations were uniformly glowing. One commander wrote that Mr. Kerry ranked among "the top few" in three categories: initiative, cooperation and personal behavior. Another commander wrote, "In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action, Lt. j.g. Kerry was unsurpassed." The citation for Mr. Kerry's Bronze Star praises his "calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire."In the United States military, there's no ideology — there are no labels, Republican or Democrat — when superiors evaluate a man or woman's service to country. Mr. Kerry's commander for a brief time, Grant Hibbard, now a Republican, gave Mr. Kerry top marks 36 years ago ... Although President Bush has not engaged personally in such accusations, he has done nothing to stop others from making them. I believe those who didn't serve, or didn't show up for service, should have the decency to respect those who did serve — often under the most dangerous conditions, with bravery and, yes, with undeniable patriotism.
Posted by Eric at 01:51 AM | Comments (41)
Gen. Clark Responds
But what would he know about military service and patriotism? Karen Hughes is much better qualified. Clark:
The evaluations were uniformly glowing. One commander wrote that Mr. Kerry ranked among "the top few" in three categories: initiative, cooperation and personal behavior. Another commander wrote, "In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action, Lt. j.g. Kerry was unsurpassed." The citation for Mr. Kerry's Bronze Star praises his "calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire."In the United States military, there's no ideology — there are no labels, Republican or Democrat — when superiors evaluate a man or woman's service to country. Mr. Kerry's commander for a brief time, Grant Hibbard, now a Republican, gave Mr. Kerry top marks 36 years ago ... Although President Bush has not engaged personally in such accusations, he has done nothing to stop others from making them. I believe those who didn't serve, or didn't show up for service, should have the decency to respect those who did serve — often under the most dangerous conditions, with bravery and, yes, with undeniable patriotism.
Posted by Eric at 01:51 AM | Comments (6)
Specter Barely Wins PA
From the AP:
Specter, 74, eked out a win against Rep. Pat Toomey, 42, despite a low turnout among Pennsylvania's 3.1 million registered Republicans that had been expected to aid the challenger.With 96% of precincts reporting, Specter had 511,769 votes, or 51%, to Toomey's 494,695 votes, or 49%.
The race, one of the GOP's most closely watched contests this year, tested the strength of the party's conservative wing. Specter's win also was a victory for President Bush, who endorsed Specter and is counting on his supporters to help him win carry a state he narrowly lost to Democrat Al Gore in 2000.
Specter, of Philadelphia, will face Democratic Rep. Joe Hoeffel in the Nov. 2 general election.
Posted by Eric at 01:27 AM | Comments (38)
Specter Barely Wins PA
From the AP:
Specter, 74, eked out a win against Rep. Pat Toomey, 42, despite a low turnout among Pennsylvania's 3.1 million registered Republicans that had been expected to aid the challenger.With 96% of precincts reporting, Specter had 511,769 votes, or 51%, to Toomey's 494,695 votes, or 49%.
The race, one of the GOP's most closely watched contests this year, tested the strength of the party's conservative wing. Specter's win also was a victory for President Bush, who endorsed Specter and is counting on his supporters to help him win carry a state he narrowly lost to Democrat Al Gore in 2000.
Specter, of Philadelphia, will face Democratic Rep. Joe Hoeffel in the Nov. 2 general election.
Posted by Eric at 01:27 AM | Comments (5)
April 27, 2004
Tuesday Stories
WPost. Firefights Erupt in Fallujah, Najaf; Two Soldiers Killed in Baghdad Building Explosion
NYT. 2 Top Democrats Press Bush for Details on 9/11 Spending
NYT. Justice Dept. Opens Inquiry on Memo Theft
NYT. Kerry Questions Bush Attendance in Guard in 70's
Reuters. Bush, Kerry Campaigns Exchange Attacks on Security
NYT. Modest U.S. Aid for North Korea
Reuters. U.S. to Drop Fight for Hospital Abortion Records
Newsday. First Coast Guard casualty since Vietnam
NYT. China Bars Steps by Hong Kong Toward More Democratic Voting
NBC17. Wilson High School Removes Gay Student's Posters
KRT. Activism by young women may boost Democrats in November polls
Guardian. Diplomats rebuke Blair on Middle East
UK Indy. Lawyers try to gag FBI worker over 9/11
Commentary
Krugman. A Vision of Power
Richard Cohen. The Cultural Divides of War
E. J. Dionne Jr. Stooping Low to Smear Kerry
Greg Palast. Oil-Slick Jim Moves In
NYT. Mr. Cheney's Day in Court
Howard Zinn. What Do We Do Now?
Eleanor Smeal. A Crucial Coalition: Women, progressives must march for rights
Nicholas Halverson. Fund Fight: Progressive 527s fend off Republican attacks
Mother Jones. Everyday Chaos: Living in Baghdad means growing accustomed to the disturbingly mundane nature of unrelenting violence
Mother Jones. Sounding the Alarm: A Republican environmental icon takes a reasoned swipe at Bush's record
Greg Palast. Oil-Slick Jim Moves In
Matthew Yglesias. Our Man in Baghdad: Hardly anybody seems to have noticed that John Negroponte is going to be a diplomatic disaster
Michael Tomasky. Gruel on the Hill: Condi Rice's "meeting" with Democratic lawmakers.
Jodi Enda. Mall Walkers: Why Sunday’s monumental March for Women’s Lives is just the first step.
Amy Sullivan. Beyond the March: The Bush administration has attacked more than abortion rights
Katrina vanden Heuvel. Let's Take Back America
David Corn & Kristin V. Jones. Rumsfeld's Police Secret
Doug Ireland. All Profile, No Courage
Cynthia Tucker. Powell played good-soldier role all too well: In private, Powell tried to talk Bush out of war; in public, he parroted party lies
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (5)
Tuesday Stories
WPost. Firefights Erupt in Fallujah, Najaf; Two Soldiers Killed in Baghdad Building Explosion
NYT. 2 Top Democrats Press Bush for Details on 9/11 Spending
NYT. Justice Dept. Opens Inquiry on Memo Theft
NYT. Kerry Questions Bush Attendance in Guard in 70's
Reuters. Bush, Kerry Campaigns Exchange Attacks on Security
NYT. Modest U.S. Aid for North Korea
Reuters. U.S. to Drop Fight for Hospital Abortion Records
Newsday. First Coast Guard casualty since Vietnam
NYT. China Bars Steps by Hong Kong Toward More Democratic Voting
NBC17. Wilson High School Removes Gay Student's Posters
KRT. Activism by young women may boost Democrats in November polls
Guardian. Diplomats rebuke Blair on Middle East
UK Indy. Lawyers try to gag FBI worker over 9/11
Commentary
Krugman. A Vision of Power
Richard Cohen. The Cultural Divides of War
E. J. Dionne Jr. Stooping Low to Smear Kerry
Greg Palast. Oil-Slick Jim Moves In
NYT. Mr. Cheney's Day in Court
Howard Zinn. What Do We Do Now?
Eleanor Smeal. A Crucial Coalition: Women, progressives must march for rights
Nicholas Halverson. Fund Fight: Progressive 527s fend off Republican attacks
Mother Jones. Everyday Chaos: Living in Baghdad means growing accustomed to the disturbingly mundane nature of unrelenting violence
Mother Jones. Sounding the Alarm: A Republican environmental icon takes a reasoned swipe at Bush's record
Greg Palast. Oil-Slick Jim Moves In
Matthew Yglesias. Our Man in Baghdad: Hardly anybody seems to have noticed that John Negroponte is going to be a diplomatic disaster
Michael Tomasky. Gruel on the Hill: Condi Rice's "meeting" with Democratic lawmakers.
Jodi Enda. Mall Walkers: Why Sunday’s monumental March for Women’s Lives is just the first step.
Amy Sullivan. Beyond the March: The Bush administration has attacked more than abortion rights
Katrina vanden Heuvel. Let's Take Back America
David Corn & Kristin V. Jones. Rumsfeld's Police Secret
Doug Ireland. All Profile, No Courage
Cynthia Tucker. Powell played good-soldier role all too well: In private, Powell tried to talk Bush out of war; in public, he parroted party lies
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (3)
Bushisms Revisited
A Bushism every now and then is good for the heart. Seattle PI:
The intrusion of world affairs was evident yesterday when Bush was visiting the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. A suicide bombing in the Middle East prompted the president to briefly delay the start of his sunrise golf game with his father and gospel singer Michael W. Smith. Bush approached reporters to say he was distressed about the violence.British intelligence informs me it was a good drive."I call upon all nations to do everything they can to stop these terrorist killers," said Bush, golf club in his hand. "Thank you. Now watch this drive."
Posted by Eric at 10:43 PM | Comments (28)
Bushisms Revisited
A Bushism every now and then is good for the heart. Seattle PI:
The intrusion of world affairs was evident yesterday when Bush was visiting the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. A suicide bombing in the Middle East prompted the president to briefly delay the start of his sunrise golf game with his father and gospel singer Michael W. Smith. Bush approached reporters to say he was distressed about the violence.British intelligence informs me it was a good drive."I call upon all nations to do everything they can to stop these terrorist killers," said Bush, golf club in his hand. "Thank you. Now watch this drive."
Posted by Eric at 10:43 PM | Comments (2)
Dropping Howard Stern: Business Decision?
Drop Howard Stern at your own risk. From HowardStern.com:
Howard was dropped from Clear Channel's KIOZ-FM (San Diego) in FebruaryDemo Feb(Howard) March(No Howard)
P12+ 8.9 1st place 0.7 27th place
M18+ 12.7 1st place 0.7 27th place
P18-34 20.6 1st place 0.8 19th place
P25-54 10.1 1st place 1.0 23rd place
Posted by Eric at 09:02 PM | Comments (30)
Dropping Howard Stern: Business Decision?
Drop Howard Stern at your own risk. From HowardStern.com:
Howard was dropped from Clear Channel's KIOZ-FM (San Diego) in FebruaryDemo Feb(Howard) March(No Howard)
P12+ 8.9 1st place 0.7 27th place
M18+ 12.7 1st place 0.7 27th place
P18-34 20.6 1st place 0.8 19th place
P25-54 10.1 1st place 1.0 23rd place
Posted by Eric at 09:02 PM | Comments (1)
Intelligence Officials to Track Blogs?
Makes sense. From the conservative Investor's Business Daily:
Still, a panel of folks who work in the U.S. intelligence field - some of them spies or former spies - discussed this month at a conference in Washington the idea of tracking blogs."News and intelligence is about listening with a critical ear, and blogs are just another conversation to listen to and evaluate. They also are closer to (some situations) and may serve as early alerts," said Jock Gill, a former adviser on Internet media to President Clinton (news - web sites), in a later phone interview, after he spoke on the panel.
Some panel and conference participants, because of their profession, could not be identified. But another who could is Robert Steele, another blog booster. The former U.S. intelligence officer said "absolutely" that blogs are valid sources of intelligence and news, though he said authenticating the information in blogs "leaves a lot to be desired."
Posted by Eric at 08:47 PM | Comments (64)
Intelligence Officials to Track Blogs?
Makes sense. From the conservative Investor's Business Daily:
Still, a panel of folks who work in the U.S. intelligence field - some of them spies or former spies - discussed this month at a conference in Washington the idea of tracking blogs."News and intelligence is about listening with a critical ear, and blogs are just another conversation to listen to and evaluate. They also are closer to (some situations) and may serve as early alerts," said Jock Gill, a former adviser on Internet media to President Clinton (news - web sites), in a later phone interview, after he spoke on the panel.
Some panel and conference participants, because of their profession, could not be identified. But another who could is Robert Steele, another blog booster. The former U.S. intelligence officer said "absolutely" that blogs are valid sources of intelligence and news, though he said authenticating the information in blogs "leaves a lot to be desired."
Posted by Eric at 08:47 PM | Comments (1)
DCCC Blogtour
DCCC going on tour to several lefty blogs, including eventually this one.
Groupies optional.
Posted by Eric at 04:30 PM | Comments (15)
DCCC Blogtour
DCCC going on tour to several lefty blogs, including eventually this one.
Groupies optional.
Posted by Eric at 04:30 PM | Comments (3)
Salazar Beats GOP Opps
Rocky Mountain News/News 4 poll has the popular AG ahead of the two GOP primary battlers:
The poll of 600 registered voters conducted last week showed Salazar besting Schaffer 48-37 percent, or by 11 percentage points. He topped Coors 52-36 percent, or by 16 percentage points. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Posted by Eric at 04:10 PM | Comments (16)
Salazar Beats GOP Opps
Rocky Mountain News/News 4 poll has the popular AG ahead of the two GOP primary battlers:
The poll of 600 registered voters conducted last week showed Salazar besting Schaffer 48-37 percent, or by 11 percentage points. He topped Coors 52-36 percent, or by 16 percentage points. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Posted by Eric at 04:10 PM | Comments (1)
The Fifth Column
At one time, I would have been accused of being part of a 'fifth column.'
It appears we're revisiting that rhetoric. David Neiwert.
Posted by Eric at 03:12 PM | Comments (18)
The Fifth Column
At one time, I would have been accused of being part of a 'fifth column.'
It appears we're revisiting that rhetoric. David Neiwert.
Posted by Eric at 03:12 PM | Comments (3)
Bush vs. Kerry Service
Comparing the military records of Bush and Kerry.
Bush's war record is more embarrassing than the Yankees this past weekend.
Posted by Eric at 06:34 AM | Comments (21)
Bush vs. Kerry Service
Comparing the military records of Bush and Kerry.
Bush's war record is more embarrassing than the Yankees this past weekend.
Posted by Eric at 06:34 AM | Comments (10)
Hamster Numbers: Factor Farms
"Factory farms - giant livestock farms that can house hundreds of thousands of animals - generate nearly 2.7 trillion pounds of waste each year. The disposal practice of over-applying waste on land creates contaminated run-off that poses a threat to waterways and drinking water sources. According to the EPA, hog, chicken and cattle wastes contaminate 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and groundwater in 17 states. Instead of strengthening rules and updating technology standards to tighten water pollution controls, the Bush Administration, at the behest of the agribusiness industry, issued new rules that exempt factory farm owners from liability for contaminating waterways and allow them to craft their own permit conditions." Environment 2004.
Posted by Eric at 04:58 AM | Comments (19)
Hamster Numbers: Factor Farms
"Factory farms - giant livestock farms that can house hundreds of thousands of animals - generate nearly 2.7 trillion pounds of waste each year. The disposal practice of over-applying waste on land creates contaminated run-off that poses a threat to waterways and drinking water sources. According to the EPA, hog, chicken and cattle wastes contaminate 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and groundwater in 17 states. Instead of strengthening rules and updating technology standards to tighten water pollution controls, the Bush Administration, at the behest of the agribusiness industry, issued new rules that exempt factory farm owners from liability for contaminating waterways and allow them to craft their own permit conditions." Environment 2004.
Posted by Eric at 04:58 AM | Comments (1)
Talk Lineups of Note
Tu 4/27: Al Franken - Carson
Fr 4/30: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton - Letterman
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central
Mo 4/26: Bob Kerrey
Tu 4/27: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
We 4/28: Fareed Zakaria
Th 4/29: Bob Woodward
Mo 5/3: TBA
Tu 5/4: Amb. Joe Wilson
We 5/5: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Th 5/6: Andy Richter
Tu 5/4: Janeane Garofalo - Sharon Osbourne
Posted by Eric at 04:27 AM | Comments (162)
Talk Lineups of Note
Tu 4/27: Al Franken - Carson
Fr 4/30: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton - Letterman
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central
Mo 4/26: Bob Kerrey
Tu 4/27: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
We 4/28: Fareed Zakaria
Th 4/29: Bob Woodward
Mo 5/3: TBA
Tu 5/4: Amb. Joe Wilson
We 5/5: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Th 5/6: Andy Richter
Tu 5/4: Janeane Garofalo - Sharon Osbourne
Posted by Eric at 04:27 AM | Comments (11)
The Dick Cheney National Security Record
See Dick attack.
See Dick's record:
Isn't that special.Cheney Proposed Cutting F-16 Aircraft. In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Cheney said, "If you're going to have a smaller air force, you don't need as many F-16s...The F-16D we basically continue to buy and close it out because we're not going to have as big a force structure and we won't need as many F-16s." According to the Boston Globe, Bush's 1991 defense budget "kill[ed] 81 programs for potential savings of $ 11.9 billion...Major weapons killed include[d]....the Air Force's F-16 airplane." [Cheney testimony, House Armed Services Committee, 2/7/91; Boston Globe, 2/5/91]
Cheney Proposed Cuts to B-2 Program. According to the Boston Globe, in 1990, "Defense Secretary Richard Cheney announced a cutback... of nearly 45 percent in the administration's B-2 Stealth bomber program, from 132 airplanes to 75..." [Boston Globe, 4/27/90]
Cheney Proposed Cutting AH-64 Apaches. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Defense Subcommittee, Cheney said, "This is just a list of some of the programs that I've recommended termination: the V-22 Osprey, the F-14D, the Army Helicopter Improvement Program, Phoenix missile, F-15E, the Apache helicopter, the M1 tank, et cetera." In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Cheney said, "The Army, as I indicated in my earlier testimony, recommended to me that we keep a robust Apache helicopter program going forward, AH-64...I forced the Army to make choices...So I recommended that we cancel the AH-64 program two years out." [Cheney testimony, Senate Appropriations Committee, Defense Subcommittee, 6/12/90; Cheney Testimony, House Armed Services Committee, 7/13/89, emphasis added]
Of course, the Bush ad talks about Kerry supposedly cutting all these fancy smancy military stuff.
Posted by Eric at 04:18 AM | Comments (24)
The Dick Cheney National Security Record
See Dick attack.
See Dick's record:
Isn't that special.Cheney Proposed Cutting F-16 Aircraft. In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Cheney said, "If you're going to have a smaller air force, you don't need as many F-16s...The F-16D we basically continue to buy and close it out because we're not going to have as big a force structure and we won't need as many F-16s." According to the Boston Globe, Bush's 1991 defense budget "kill[ed] 81 programs for potential savings of $ 11.9 billion...Major weapons killed include[d]....the Air Force's F-16 airplane." [Cheney testimony, House Armed Services Committee, 2/7/91; Boston Globe, 2/5/91]
Cheney Proposed Cuts to B-2 Program. According to the Boston Globe, in 1990, "Defense Secretary Richard Cheney announced a cutback... of nearly 45 percent in the administration's B-2 Stealth bomber program, from 132 airplanes to 75..." [Boston Globe, 4/27/90]
Cheney Proposed Cutting AH-64 Apaches. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Defense Subcommittee, Cheney said, "This is just a list of some of the programs that I've recommended termination: the V-22 Osprey, the F-14D, the Army Helicopter Improvement Program, Phoenix missile, F-15E, the Apache helicopter, the M1 tank, et cetera." In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Cheney said, "The Army, as I indicated in my earlier testimony, recommended to me that we keep a robust Apache helicopter program going forward, AH-64...I forced the Army to make choices...So I recommended that we cancel the AH-64 program two years out." [Cheney testimony, Senate Appropriations Committee, Defense Subcommittee, 6/12/90; Cheney Testimony, House Armed Services Committee, 7/13/89, emphasis added]
Of course, the Bush ad talks about Kerry supposedly cutting all these fancy smancy military stuff.
Posted by Eric at 04:18 AM | Comments (4)
Mike Moore Suggests: Throw Party for Shrub
From the Oscar winning filmmaker, be a party pooper.
Posted by Eric at 01:17 AM | Comments (248)
Mike Moore Suggests: Throw Party for Shrub
From the Oscar winning filmmaker, be a party pooper.
Posted by Eric at 01:17 AM | Comments (5)
The Cheney Bait and Switch
Westminster College's president upset at Dick Cheney's highly partisan attack at John Kerry. Why, AP?
Fletcher Lamkin told The Associated Press that Cheney's staff approached him last week about using Westminster as the backdrop "for a major foreign policy address. Nothing was said about a stump speech."Atrios has the full text of the email.In a campus-wide e-mail after the speech, Lamkin said: "I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry-bashing for a large portion of his speech."
Posted by Eric at 01:12 AM | Comments (24)
The Cheney Bait and Switch
Westminster College's president upset at Dick Cheney's highly partisan attack at John Kerry. Why, AP?
Fletcher Lamkin told The Associated Press that Cheney's staff approached him last week about using Westminster as the backdrop "for a major foreign policy address. Nothing was said about a stump speech."Atrios has the full text of the email.In a campus-wide e-mail after the speech, Lamkin said: "I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry-bashing for a large portion of his speech."
Posted by Eric at 01:12 AM | Comments (7)
April 26, 2004
Clinton's Memoirs to Be Released in June
From the AP:
The book, for which Clinton received a reported $10 million to $12 million, will be called "My Life." Knopf is planning a first printing of 1.5 million, a realistic number given the success of "Living History," the memoirs of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites).Nearly 1.7 million copies of the hardcover of "Living History" are in print and a 525,000 first printing was announced for the paperback, which just came out.
Posted by Eric at 07:14 PM | Comments (15)
Clinton's Memoirs to Be Released in June
From the AP:
The book, for which Clinton received a reported $10 million to $12 million, will be called "My Life." Knopf is planning a first printing of 1.5 million, a realistic number given the success of "Living History," the memoirs of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites).Nearly 1.7 million copies of the hardcover of "Living History" are in print and a 525,000 first printing was announced for the paperback, which just came out.
Posted by Eric at 07:14 PM | Comments (8)
Kerry Promise: Press Conference Every Month
According to Editor and Publisher:
During a Q&A session with the hundreds of editors gathered for the ASNE event's closing luncheon, Kerry responded to a question about his thoughts on FOI issues. Although he did not mention any specific moves he would make to counter the restrictive efforts of the Bush administration, he indirectly took a shot at President Bush's failure to schedule regular press conferences.As opposed to Talking Points Tom:"I will hold a full press conference at least once a month," he promised. "You should welcome the opportunity to talk with you folks. It is a wonderful opportunity to market." Kerry also said he would seek to have "an open discussion on health care."
During more than three years in office, Bush has held only 12 formal press conferences, including just three in prime time.
Posted by Eric at 06:46 PM | Comments (34)
Kerry Promise: Press Conference Every Month
According to Editor and Publisher:
During a Q&A session with the hundreds of editors gathered for the ASNE event's closing luncheon, Kerry responded to a question about his thoughts on FOI issues. Although he did not mention any specific moves he would make to counter the restrictive efforts of the Bush administration, he indirectly took a shot at President Bush's failure to schedule regular press conferences.As opposed to Talking Points Tom:"I will hold a full press conference at least once a month," he promised. "You should welcome the opportunity to talk with you folks. It is a wonderful opportunity to market." Kerry also said he would seek to have "an open discussion on health care."
During more than three years in office, Bush has held only 12 formal press conferences, including just three in prime time.
Posted by Eric at 06:46 PM | Comments (11)
Bush Continues Attacks on Kerry's National Security Creds
From Reuters:
The Bush campaign produced a new television advertisement for 18 battleground states and national cable and Vice President Dick
Cheney went on the offensive with a Missouri speech attacking Kerry."As our troops defend America in the war on terror, they must have what it takes to win," the narrator says in the ad, as U.S. troops in the
video run across a desert landscape."Yet John Kerry has repeatedly opposed weapons vital to winning the war on terror: Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Patriot missiles, B-2 Stealth
bombers, F-18 fighter jets and more," the ad says. Each weapon disappears as it is mentioned.For his part, Cheney cited specific votes by Kerry for either cancelling weapons systems or cutting funding for them: the Apache helicopter,
the Aegis cruiser, Tomahawk cruise missiles, Blackhawk helicopters and the Predator drone.
Posted by Eric at 06:19 PM | Comments (13)
Bush Continues Attacks on Kerry's National Security Creds
From Reuters:
The Bush campaign produced a new television advertisement for 18 battleground states and national cable and Vice President Dick
Cheney went on the offensive with a Missouri speech attacking Kerry."As our troops defend America in the war on terror, they must have what it takes to win," the narrator says in the ad, as U.S. troops in the
video run across a desert landscape."Yet John Kerry has repeatedly opposed weapons vital to winning the war on terror: Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Patriot missiles, B-2 Stealth
bombers, F-18 fighter jets and more," the ad says. Each weapon disappears as it is mentioned.For his part, Cheney cited specific votes by Kerry for either cancelling weapons systems or cutting funding for them: the Apache helicopter,
the Aegis cruiser, Tomahawk cruise missiles, Blackhawk helicopters and the Predator drone.
Posted by Eric at 06:19 PM | Comments (6)
Evil Deeds
Karen Hughes: "I think that after September 11, the American people are valuing life more and we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life. President Bush has worked to say, "let's be reasonable, let's work to value life, let's reduce the number of abortions, let's increase adoptions." And I think those are the kinds of policies the American people can support, particularly at a time when we're facing an enemy and, really, the fundamental issue between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life."
Posted by Eric at 01:42 AM | Comments (36)
Evil Deeds
Karen Hughes: "I think that after September 11, the American people are valuing life more and we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life. President Bush has worked to say, "let's be reasonable, let's work to value life, let's reduce the number of abortions, let's increase adoptions." And I think those are the kinds of policies the American people can support, particularly at a time when we're facing an enemy and, really, the fundamental issue between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life."
Posted by Eric at 01:42 AM | Comments (17)
Hamster Numbers: Tax Cuts
From MovingIdeas and CBPP:
The Bush tax cuts have contributed to revenues dropping in 2004 to the lowest level as a share of the economy since 1950.
The cost of the tax cuts account for more than half of the 2004 deficit, which CBO estimates to be $477 billion or 4.2 percent of GDP. Based on these estimates, the deficit would have been 1.6 percent of GDP without the tax cuts.
Posted by Eric at 12:44 AM | Comments (12)
Hamster Numbers: Tax Cuts
From MovingIdeas and CBPP:
The Bush tax cuts have contributed to revenues dropping in 2004 to the lowest level as a share of the economy since 1950.
The cost of the tax cuts account for more than half of the 2004 deficit, which CBO estimates to be $477 billion or 4.2 percent of GDP. Based on these estimates, the deficit would have been 1.6 percent of GDP without the tax cuts.
Posted by Eric at 12:44 AM | Comments (7)
John Kerry vs. George W. Bush
Is there a choice? From the John Kerry camp:
John Kerry will protect a woman's right to choose by opposing judicial nominees who refuse to uphold Roe v. Wade.
Kerry believes that women have the right to control their own bodies. He believes that the Constitution protects a woman's right to choose and to make their reproductive choices in consultation with their doctor, their conscience, and their God. As Senator, Kerry promised to filibuster any Supreme Court nominee who would "turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose or the constitutional right to privacy, on civil rights and individual liberties and on the laws protecting workers and the environment." Based on this commitment to protecting women's rights, NARAL and Planned Parenthood gave Kerry a perfect 100 percent rating for his strong voting record. As president, John Kerry will fight Congressional attempts to chip away at a woman's right to choose, and he will only appoint judges who would uphold Roe v. Wade. [NARAL Scorecards 104th Congress-Present; Planned Parenthood Action Fund Congressional Scorecard, 2003; Associated Press, 6/20/03]George Bush consistently appoints judges who want to turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose.
Bush has said that he wants to appoint more lifetime justices in the mold of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, the two most anti-choice justices on the Supreme Court. Just this year, Bush nominated Alabama Attorney General William Pryor to the appeals court, even though Pryor stated that Roe v. Wade was "the worst abomination of constitutional law in our history." To make matters worse, he claimed that the landmark decision "ripped the Constitution and ripped out the life of millions of unborn children." When the Senate blocked Pryor's confirmation, Bush took the extraordinary step of installing him on the court during a Congressional recess without the Senate's approval. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/21/04; CBS Face the Nation, 1/23/00]
Posted by Eric at 12:38 AM | Comments (52)
John Kerry vs. George W. Bush
Is there a choice? From the John Kerry camp:
John Kerry will protect a woman's right to choose by opposing judicial nominees who refuse to uphold Roe v. Wade.
Kerry believes that women have the right to control their own bodies. He believes that the Constitution protects a woman's right to choose and to make their reproductive choices in consultation with their doctor, their conscience, and their God. As Senator, Kerry promised to filibuster any Supreme Court nominee who would "turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose or the constitutional right to privacy, on civil rights and individual liberties and on the laws protecting workers and the environment." Based on this commitment to protecting women's rights, NARAL and Planned Parenthood gave Kerry a perfect 100 percent rating for his strong voting record. As president, John Kerry will fight Congressional attempts to chip away at a woman's right to choose, and he will only appoint judges who would uphold Roe v. Wade. [NARAL Scorecards 104th Congress-Present; Planned Parenthood Action Fund Congressional Scorecard, 2003; Associated Press, 6/20/03]George Bush consistently appoints judges who want to turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose.
Bush has said that he wants to appoint more lifetime justices in the mold of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, the two most anti-choice justices on the Supreme Court. Just this year, Bush nominated Alabama Attorney General William Pryor to the appeals court, even though Pryor stated that Roe v. Wade was "the worst abomination of constitutional law in our history." To make matters worse, he claimed that the landmark decision "ripped the Constitution and ripped out the life of millions of unborn children." When the Senate blocked Pryor's confirmation, Bush took the extraordinary step of installing him on the court during a Congressional recess without the Senate's approval. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/21/04; CBS Face the Nation, 1/23/00]
Posted by Eric at 12:38 AM | Comments (21)
Comedy Monday
"Republican Senator Chuck Hagel says it may be time to reinstate the draft. When President Bush heard about that, he said, 'Uh oh, does that mean I have to go back to Alabama?" Jay Leno
"John Kerry has three Purple Hearts for his war wounds and Dick Cheney has one Purple Heart from deep dish pizza." Jay Leno
"Our old friend independent candidate Ralph Nader says he thinks the draft is coming back. ... But then again, Ralph thinks he's coming back." Jay Leno
"With the situation in Iraq growing ever more dangerous, the 34-member Coalition of The Willing are, one by one, dropping out to join the other coalition known as Most of The Rest of The World." Jon Stewart
"Spain's new Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced he will soon call back Spain's 1300 troops from Iraq — meaning the coalition of the willing is fast turning into a duet of the stubborn." Jon Stewart
"President Bush used an Associated Press luncheon to address a recent poll showing two-thirds of Americans believe another terrorist attack is 'somewhat likely' before the November elections.
Reassure us, Mr. President!
(Bush footage:) 'Our intelligence is good. It's just never perfect, that's the problem. We're disrupting cells here in America. We're chasing people down. But we've got a big country.'
There you have it. Vote Bush in '04. Because if this were Luxembourg, he could keep us safe." Jon Stewart
Sarah Silverman:
"Models are fair game for comics. Why? Because they’re so pretty. Society has no pity for them. But, you know, models scream when you put them in boiling water."
"This is not the first time that Europe has been passive while a Jew-hating tyrant with a weird looking mustache killed the people by giving them gas ... Obviously I'm talking about Chef Boyardee."
"I'm suing my boss for sexual harrassment ... and it's real hard, and a big strain on me ... because he hasn't done anything."
"A couple nights ago, I was licking jelly off my boyfriend's penis . . . and I thought, Oh, my God--I'm turning into my mother!"
"I buy water at the liquor store across the street from where I live. So I'm walking into the door, and standing, loitering, outside the door is a man. And I walk by him to go in and he says [in a clenched, abrupt voice], 'I want pussy!' Now, I don't want to seem conceited or anything, but [rolling her eyes, both embarrassed and proud] he was talking about me. It offended me, obviously, but more than offending me, it made me feel sorry for him. It made me sad. Because it was so obvious to me that this was a person who grew up and who was a child whose mother and father never gave him any pussy."
"Quite frankly, I think it's a good law. I was going to get an abortion the other day. I totally wanted an abortion.... And it turns out I was just thirsty." on 24-hour abortion waiting periods.
Blender Magazine. Run for Your Life! It’s the 50 Worst Songs Ever!
NY Times. Tina Fey: The New Queen of Mean
USAT. Tina Fey: The New Queen of Mean
The Onion. Fey gets her skewers out
Weekly World News. Europe to Become Giant Theme Parka>
Blender Magazine. Remembering the Gun Victims of Columbine: Vice President Cheney's Moving Address to the National Rifle Association's Annual Convention
Bob Odenkirk. HORNSWAGGLED!!! How the Me of Now was Tricked by the Me of Yesterday into Going to War by President George W. Bush
Hamster sellout: Miller Beer: President of Beers ads. Starring Bob Odenkirk of Mr. Show.
Click down for comics.
Posted by Eric at 12:11 AM | Comments (25)
Comedy Monday
"Republican Senator Chuck Hagel says it may be time to reinstate the draft. When President Bush heard about that, he said, 'Uh oh, does that mean I have to go back to Alabama?" Jay Leno
"John Kerry has three Purple Hearts for his war wounds and Dick Cheney has one Purple Heart from deep dish pizza." Jay Leno
"Our old friend independent candidate Ralph Nader says he thinks the draft is coming back. ... But then again, Ralph thinks he's coming back." Jay Leno
"With the situation in Iraq growing ever more dangerous, the 34-member Coalition of The Willing are, one by one, dropping out to join the other coalition known as Most of The Rest of The World." Jon Stewart
"Spain's new Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced he will soon call back Spain's 1300 troops from Iraq — meaning the coalition of the willing is fast turning into a duet of the stubborn." Jon Stewart
"President Bush used an Associated Press luncheon to address a recent poll showing two-thirds of Americans believe another terrorist attack is 'somewhat likely' before the November elections.
Reassure us, Mr. President!
(Bush footage:) 'Our intelligence is good. It's just never perfect, that's the problem. We're disrupting cells here in America. We're chasing people down. But we've got a big country.'
There you have it. Vote Bush in '04. Because if this were Luxembourg, he could keep us safe." Jon Stewart
Sarah Silverman:
"Models are fair game for comics. Why? Because they’re so pretty. Society has no pity for them. But, you know, models scream when you put them in boiling water."
"This is not the first time that Europe has been passive while a Jew-hating tyrant with a weird looking mustache killed the people by giving them gas ... Obviously I'm talking about Chef Boyardee."
"I'm suing my boss for sexual harrassment ... and it's real hard, and a big strain on me ... because he hasn't done anything."
"A couple nights ago, I was licking jelly off my boyfriend's penis . . . and I thought, Oh, my God--I'm turning into my mother!"
"I buy water at the liquor store across the street from where I live. So I'm walking into the door, and standing, loitering, outside the door is a man. And I walk by him to go in and he says [in a clenched, abrupt voice], 'I want pussy!' Now, I don't want to seem conceited or anything, but [rolling her eyes, both embarrassed and proud] he was talking about me. It offended me, obviously, but more than offending me, it made me feel sorry for him. It made me sad. Because it was so obvious to me that this was a person who grew up and who was a child whose mother and father never gave him any pussy."
"Quite frankly, I think it's a good law. I was going to get an abortion the other day. I totally wanted an abortion.... And it turns out I was just thirsty." on 24-hour abortion waiting periods.
Blender Magazine. Run for Your Life! It’s the 50 Worst Songs Ever!
NY Times. Tina Fey: The New Queen of Mean
USAT. Tina Fey: The New Queen of Mean
The Onion. Fey gets her skewers out
Weekly World News. Europe to Become Giant Theme Parka>
Blender Magazine. Remembering the Gun Victims of Columbine: Vice President Cheney's Moving Address to the National Rifle Association's Annual Convention
Bob Odenkirk. HORNSWAGGLED!!! How the Me of Now was Tricked by the Me of Yesterday into Going to War by President George W. Bush
Hamster sellout: Miller Beer: President of Beers ads. Starring Bob Odenkirk of Mr. Show.
Click down for comics.
Posted by Eric at 12:11 AM | Comments (7)
April 25, 2004
Bikinians Hope to Return Home
Not that kind of Bikinian ... This kind:
On March 17 in Washington, 7,000 miles east of here, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution hailing the half-century "strategic partnership" with these people of the mid-Pacific, a partnership in which they lost their home islands to U.S. nuclear bomb tests, and from which they fear Washington may soon walk away.The resolution noted "the cost of preserving peace." But the U.S. government, after $191 million disbursed since the 1970s, is offering nothing new to the Bikinians, no further compensation to revive hopes that Bikini atoll might be purged of lingering radioactivity, and Bikinians might return to the abandoned islands .... In all, between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, then a U.S. protectorate under the United Nations. The megatonnage was equal to exploding 1.6 Hiroshima atomic bombs a day for 12 years. Twenty-three tests took place at Bikini, and four of its islets were vaporized ...
Because of a high birthrate and marriages to people from other islands, the count of "official" Bikinians has exploded, to more than 3,000, since Chief Juda led 167 off the island in 1946. About 1,000 live on isolated Kili, 400 on Ejit, and others on the main island of Majuro or in the United States, where 300 students are in schools.
Posted by Eric at 07:38 PM | Comments (24)
Bikinians Hope to Return Home
Not that kind of Bikinian ... This kind:
On March 17 in Washington, 7,000 miles east of here, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution hailing the half-century "strategic partnership" with these people of the mid-Pacific, a partnership in which they lost their home islands to U.S. nuclear bomb tests, and from which they fear Washington may soon walk away.The resolution noted "the cost of preserving peace." But the U.S. government, after $191 million disbursed since the 1970s, is offering nothing new to the Bikinians, no further compensation to revive hopes that Bikini atoll might be purged of lingering radioactivity, and Bikinians might return to the abandoned islands .... In all, between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, then a U.S. protectorate under the United Nations. The megatonnage was equal to exploding 1.6 Hiroshima atomic bombs a day for 12 years. Twenty-three tests took place at Bikini, and four of its islets were vaporized ...
Because of a high birthrate and marriages to people from other islands, the count of "official" Bikinians has exploded, to more than 3,000, since Chief Juda led 167 off the island in 1946. About 1,000 live on isolated Kili, 400 on Ejit, and others on the main island of Majuro or in the United States, where 300 students are in schools.
Posted by Eric at 07:38 PM | Comments (1)
Michael Savage: Warm and Fuzzy
Get AIDs and die. With a warm, fuzzy caring smile! Enough nice pictures to make the liberal heart bleed.
[link from ConWebWatch]
Posted by Eric at 04:06 AM | Comments (45)
Michael Savage: Warm and Fuzzy
Get AIDs and die. With a warm, fuzzy caring smile! Enough nice pictures to make the liberal heart bleed.
[link from ConWebWatch]
Posted by Eric at 04:06 AM | Comments (4)
April 24, 2004
We Need More Nukes: Nuclear Spending "exceeds by over 50 percent the average annual sum" throughout Cold War
Defense spending up. From Kaplan at Slate:
The budget is busted; American soldiers need more armor; they're running out of supplies. Yet the Department of Energy is spending an astonishing $6.5 billion on nuclear weapons this year, and President Bush is requesting $6.8 billion more for next year and a total of $30 billion over the following four years. This does not include his much-cherished missile-defense program, by the way. This is simply for the maintenance, modernization, development, and production of nuclear bombs and warheads.Measured in "real dollars" (that is, adjusting for inflation), this year's spending on nuclear activities is equal to what Ronald Reagan spent at the height of the U.S.-Soviet standoff. It exceeds by over 50 percent the average annual sum ($4.2 billion) that the United States spent—again, in real dollars—throughout the four and a half decades of the Cold War.
There is no nuclear arms race going on now. The world no longer offers many suitable nuclear targets. President Bush is trying to persuade other nations—especially "rogue regimes"—to forgo their nuclear ambitions. Yet he is shoveling money to U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories as if the Soviet Union still existed and the Cold War still raged.
Posted by Eric at 01:56 PM | Comments (33)
We Need More Nukes: Nuclear Spending "exceeds by over 50 percent the average annual sum" throughout Cold War
Defense spending up. From Kaplan at Slate:
The budget is busted; American soldiers need more armor; they're running out of supplies. Yet the Department of Energy is spending an astonishing $6.5 billion on nuclear weapons this year, and President Bush is requesting $6.8 billion more for next year and a total of $30 billion over the following four years. This does not include his much-cherished missile-defense program, by the way. This is simply for the maintenance, modernization, development, and production of nuclear bombs and warheads.Measured in "real dollars" (that is, adjusting for inflation), this year's spending on nuclear activities is equal to what Ronald Reagan spent at the height of the U.S.-Soviet standoff. It exceeds by over 50 percent the average annual sum ($4.2 billion) that the United States spent—again, in real dollars—throughout the four and a half decades of the Cold War.
There is no nuclear arms race going on now. The world no longer offers many suitable nuclear targets. President Bush is trying to persuade other nations—especially "rogue regimes"—to forgo their nuclear ambitions. Yet he is shoveling money to U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories as if the Soviet Union still existed and the Cold War still raged.
Posted by Eric at 01:56 PM | Comments (9)
5 Dead, Six Wounded in Iraq
From the WPost:
Five U.S. soldiers were killed and six wounded early Saturday when two rockets landed in their base at Taji, north of Baghdad, the military reported.The attack was one of a number of eruptions of violence around Iraq Saturday. About three hours after the soldiers were hit in Taji, a car bomb was detonated in Tikrit, also north of Baghdad. Initial reports indicated the bomb targeted a police station, as have many car bombs in recent months. Reuters news agency said a shopping center was also in the area of the blast and that as many as three police officers were killed and 16 people, many of them also police, were injured.
Posted by Eric at 12:57 PM | Comments (28)
5 Dead, Six Wounded in Iraq
From the WPost:
Five U.S. soldiers were killed and six wounded early Saturday when two rockets landed in their base at Taji, north of Baghdad, the military reported.The attack was one of a number of eruptions of violence around Iraq Saturday. About three hours after the soldiers were hit in Taji, a car bomb was detonated in Tikrit, also north of Baghdad. Initial reports indicated the bomb targeted a police station, as have many car bombs in recent months. Reuters news agency said a shopping center was also in the area of the blast and that as many as three police officers were killed and 16 people, many of them also police, were injured.
Posted by Eric at 12:57 PM | Comments (1)
John Kerry: Douche Bag?
http://www.johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/ - Slightly amusing name. So douche bag, you say?
John Kerry is a douchebag, but I'm voting for him anyway. Well, not really. That is to say, he's not actually a douchebag, or not nearly as much of one as what the media, George W., and even perhaps John Kerry himself have made him out to be. It seemed that every time I saw, heard, or read something about Kerry, his doucheness factor increased. It wasn't until I did just a little research on my own that it became clear that all of these occurrences could be explained as lies, deception, media excess, or simply poor campaigning strategy. It is beyond vital that we all overlook these minor blemishes and unpleasantries, and unite in electing John Kerry to be the next president of the United States of America.
Posted by Eric at 02:50 AM | Comments (56)
John Kerry: Douche Bag?
http://www.johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/ - Slightly amusing name. So douche bag, you say?
John Kerry is a douchebag, but I'm voting for him anyway. Well, not really. That is to say, he's not actually a douchebag, or not nearly as much of one as what the media, George W., and even perhaps John Kerry himself have made him out to be. It seemed that every time I saw, heard, or read something about Kerry, his doucheness factor increased. It wasn't until I did just a little research on my own that it became clear that all of these occurrences could be explained as lies, deception, media excess, or simply poor campaigning strategy. It is beyond vital that we all overlook these minor blemishes and unpleasantries, and unite in electing John Kerry to be the next president of the United States of America.
Posted by Eric at 02:50 AM | Comments (35)
At Least It Wasn't John Kerry
Ohhh, snap!
Thursday's New York Times misidentified GOP Senate candidate Pete Coors as a Ku Klux Klan member who murdered a black sharecropper.Keep that girl away from Coors. And twiiins.The Coors campaign found the error "so outrageous it's kind of funny," said spokeswoman Cinamon Watson.
"It could have been worse," she joked. "Pete could have been identified as John Kerry."
UPDATE: Democrats up in arms.
Posted by Eric at 02:47 AM | Comments (44)
At Least It Wasn't John Kerry
Ohhh, snap!
Thursday's New York Times misidentified GOP Senate candidate Pete Coors as a Ku Klux Klan member who murdered a black sharecropper.Keep that girl away from Coors. And twiiins.The Coors campaign found the error "so outrageous it's kind of funny," said spokeswoman Cinamon Watson.
"It could have been worse," she joked. "Pete could have been identified as John Kerry."
UPDATE: Democrats up in arms.
Posted by Eric at 02:47 AM | Comments (9)
Sunday Talk Shows
Compiled by the AP.
ABC's "This Week" — Lakhdar Brahimi, U.N. envoy to Iraq; Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
CBS' "Face the Nation" — Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Carl Levin, D-Mich.
NBC's "Meet the Press" — Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Washington Post reporter and author Bob Woodward.
CNN's "Late Edition" — Prince Bandar; Sens. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., and Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.; Bush adviser Karen Hughes; Foreign Minister Sheik Hamad bin Jassim of Qatar.
"Fox News Sunday" — Ahmad Chalabi, Iraq (news - web sites) Governing Council member; Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn.; Bush-Cheney campaign chairman Marc Racicot and Kerry campaign chairwoman Jeanne Shaheen.
Posted by Eric at 12:12 AM | Comments (36)
Sunday Talk Shows
Compiled by the AP.
ABC's "This Week" — Lakhdar Brahimi, U.N. envoy to Iraq; Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
CBS' "Face the Nation" — Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Carl Levin, D-Mich.
NBC's "Meet the Press" — Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Washington Post reporter and author Bob Woodward.
CNN's "Late Edition" — Prince Bandar; Sens. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., and Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.; Bush adviser Karen Hughes; Foreign Minister Sheik Hamad bin Jassim of Qatar.
"Fox News Sunday" — Ahmad Chalabi, Iraq (news - web sites) Governing Council member; Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn.; Bush-Cheney campaign chairman Marc Racicot and Kerry campaign chairwoman Jeanne Shaheen.
Posted by Eric at 12:12 AM | Comments (10)
April 23, 2004
Soldier Who Left NFL Killed in Afghanistan
Quite sad. From ESPN:
Tillman played four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before enlisting in the Army in May 2002. The safety turned down a three-year, $3.6 million deal from Arizona.He made the decision after returning from his honeymoon with his wife, Marie. Several of Tillman's friends also have said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks influenced his decision to enlist ... In 2001, Tillman turned down a $9 million, five-year offer sheet from the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams out of loyalty to the Cardinals, and by joining the Army he passed on millions more from the team.
Tillman turned aside interview requests after joining the Army. He had denied requests for media coverage of his enlistment, basic training and ultimate deployment. According to Army officials at the time, Tillman wanted no special treatment, wanted no special attention, but wanted to be considered just one of the soldiers doing his duty for his country.
Posted by Eric at 03:00 PM | Comments (46)
Soldier Who Left NFL Killed in Afghanistan
Quite sad. From ESPN:
Tillman played four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before enlisting in the Army in May 2002. The safety turned down a three-year, $3.6 million deal from Arizona.He made the decision after returning from his honeymoon with his wife, Marie. Several of Tillman's friends also have said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks influenced his decision to enlist ... In 2001, Tillman turned down a $9 million, five-year offer sheet from the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams out of loyalty to the Cardinals, and by joining the Army he passed on millions more from the team.
Tillman turned aside interview requests after joining the Army. He had denied requests for media coverage of his enlistment, basic training and ultimate deployment. According to Army officials at the time, Tillman wanted no special treatment, wanted no special attention, but wanted to be considered just one of the soldiers doing his duty for his country.
Posted by Eric at 03:00 PM | Comments (10)
April 22, 2004
HD Dead
My hard drive has passed away, and gone to a better place - probably Hawaii.
Anyway, the Dell people are shipping me a new one under warranty, and I'll probably go to a data recovery place to get my lost stuff. Giving the shipping, setting up the files, etc, I'll probably be posting irregularly until Monday.
In the meantime, feel free to post anything of interest you like.
Posted by Eric at 11:09 AM | Comments (74)
HD Dead
My hard drive has passed away, and gone to a better place - probably Hawaii.
Anyway, the Dell people are shipping me a new one under warranty, and I'll probably go to a data recovery place to get my lost stuff. Giving the shipping, setting up the files, etc, I'll probably be posting irregularly until Monday.
In the meantime, feel free to post anything of interest you like.
Posted by Eric at 11:09 AM | Comments (10)
Happy Earth Day
From a guy who walks the walk, Robert Redford on behalf of the John Kerry campaign:
Today is Earth Day and I am afraid. For three decades, we have been fighting to protect the environment and have been proud of the great strides our country has taken. If George Bush is reelected we can count on the continuation of his agenda to undo all the advances we have struggled to achieve.To put it simply, George Bush's environmental policies endanger our health, loot our natural resources, and destroy the possibility of a secure energy future. George Bush may claim his environmental policies promote "healthy forests" and "clear skies" but those labels are both disingenuous and false. Most of his initiatives are nothing more than payoffs for wealthy campaign contributors.
We need a President who understands that patriotism includes protecting our nation's incomparable natural wonders, not looking at them merely as oil depositories. Throughout his career John Kerry has fought to clean up toxic waste sites, to keep our air and water clean, and to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other pristine wilderness areas. John Kerry has been one of the environment's greatest defenders.
I believe John Kerry will do what the President of the United States should do, which is to genuinely lead with a new era of solutions that are good for jobs and economic growth, public health, and the environment. He deserves our support.
On behalf of our environment, this Earth Day help me make sure the next generation will not have to deal with the devastating environmental consequences of the Bush Administration -- make a contribution to John Kerry today.
Posted by Eric at 10:58 AM | Comments (58)
Happy Earth Day
From a guy who walks the walk, Robert Redford on behalf of the John Kerry campaign:
Today is Earth Day and I am afraid. For three decades, we have been fighting to protect the environment and have been proud of the great strides our country has taken. If George Bush is reelected we can count on the continuation of his agenda to undo all the advances we have struggled to achieve.To put it simply, George Bush's environmental policies endanger our health, loot our natural resources, and destroy the possibility of a secure energy future. George Bush may claim his environmental policies promote "healthy forests" and "clear skies" but those labels are both disingenuous and false. Most of his initiatives are nothing more than payoffs for wealthy campaign contributors.
We need a President who understands that patriotism includes protecting our nation's incomparable natural wonders, not looking at them merely as oil depositories. Throughout his career John Kerry has fought to clean up toxic waste sites, to keep our air and water clean, and to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other pristine wilderness areas. John Kerry has been one of the environment's greatest defenders.
I believe John Kerry will do what the President of the United States should do, which is to genuinely lead with a new era of solutions that are good for jobs and economic growth, public health, and the environment. He deserves our support.
On behalf of our environment, this Earth Day help me make sure the next generation will not have to deal with the devastating environmental consequences of the Bush Administration -- make a contribution to John Kerry today.
Posted by Eric at 10:58 AM | Comments (8)
April 21, 2004
Wed Stories
Salem StatesmanJ. Gay marriages halted in Oregon
BGlobe. Senators seek to legalize drug imports from Canada
The Hill. Kerry taps Hill talent for WH bid
The Hill. Rep. Pelosi prepared to blast Bush on Iraq
AP. Greenspan Says Interest Rates Will Rise
NYT. Federal Oceans Commission Finds Decline Along Coasts
NYT. Bush Draws Terrorism Law Into Campaign
LAT. CA Legislators Support Same-Sex Marriage
LAT. Kerry Vows Business-Friendly Programs to Reduce Pollution
LAT. Bush Campaign Spent Monthly Record of $50 Million in March
WP. Wolfowitz Denies Woodward Report
CSM. Budget cuts are setting convicts free
CSM. Jordan's king snubs Bush, cancels meeting
AP. Kerry ads explain priorities, strategy
AP. Bush touts Patriot Act, raises GOP funds
BGlobe. Seeking new focus, Kerry hits White House record
BGlobe. Kerry to release records
AP. Chicago bans soda pop in public schools
AP. Families grieve after bodies ID'd in Iraq
USAT. USA TODAY editor resigns after reporter's misdeeds
Balt Sun. Powell: A good soldier or a good loser? In book, secretary of state seems more salesman for Bush than senior adviser
USAT. Screening of detainees key issue
KRidder. Ailing oceans need help, panel says
Commentary
Thomas R. Asher. Losing Control: It's beginning to look a lot like Watergate.
Mike Davis. Refining War: The world's poorest cities as warfare labs
Lisa Chamberlain. Marching for their lives: Pro-choice activists are mobilizing for Washington with new urgency: As more than a dozen states aim to outlaw reproductive rights, a nationwide abortion ban could be next
Harold Meyerson. Kerry's Inheritance
NYT. Politics and the Patriot Act
Seattle PI. Iraq's coalition of hired guns
Frederick Clarkson. On Ten Commandments bill, Christian Right has it wrong
Derrick Z. Jackson. Rumsfeld's 'fungible' facts
Robert Kuttner. The problem with outsourcing
Mark Morford. Why won't Dubya apologize?
Brian Dickerson. House arrogance is textbook case
Posted by Eric at 11:57 PM | Comments (39)
Wed Stories
Salem StatesmanJ. Gay marriages halted in Oregon
BGlobe. Senators seek to legalize drug imports from Canada
The Hill. Kerry taps Hill talent for WH bid
The Hill. Rep. Pelosi prepared to blast Bush on Iraq
AP. Greenspan Says Interest Rates Will Rise
NYT. Federal Oceans Commission Finds Decline Along Coasts
NYT. Bush Draws Terrorism Law Into Campaign
LAT. CA Legislators Support Same-Sex Marriage
LAT. Kerry Vows Business-Friendly Programs to Reduce Pollution
LAT. Bush Campaign Spent Monthly Record of $50 Million in March
WP. Wolfowitz Denies Woodward Report
CSM. Budget cuts are setting convicts free
CSM. Jordan's king snubs Bush, cancels meeting
AP. Kerry ads explain priorities, strategy
AP. Bush touts Patriot Act, raises GOP funds
BGlobe. Seeking new focus, Kerry hits White House record
BGlobe. Kerry to release records
AP. Chicago bans soda pop in public schools
AP. Families grieve after bodies ID'd in Iraq
USAT. USA TODAY editor resigns after reporter's misdeeds
Balt Sun. Powell: A good soldier or a good loser? In book, secretary of state seems more salesman for Bush than senior adviser
USAT. Screening of detainees key issue
KRidder. Ailing oceans need help, panel says
Commentary
Thomas R. Asher. Losing Control: It's beginning to look a lot like Watergate.
Mike Davis. Refining War: The world's poorest cities as warfare labs
Lisa Chamberlain. Marching for their lives: Pro-choice activists are mobilizing for Washington with new urgency: As more than a dozen states aim to outlaw reproductive rights, a nationwide abortion ban could be next
Harold Meyerson. Kerry's Inheritance
NYT. Politics and the Patriot Act
Seattle PI. Iraq's coalition of hired guns
Frederick Clarkson. On Ten Commandments bill, Christian Right has it wrong
Derrick Z. Jackson. Rumsfeld's 'fungible' facts
Robert Kuttner. The problem with outsourcing
Mark Morford. Why won't Dubya apologize?
Brian Dickerson. House arrogance is textbook case
Posted by Eric at 11:57 PM | Comments (4)
Tech Problems
I'm having computer problems after the webmaster of billoreilly.com sent me a computer virus that damaged my computer.
No, not really, but wouldn't it have been a story to tell if that was true? Anyway, I have an 'unmountable boot volume' blue screen that has crashed my system. The outsourced Dell tech guy was particularly unhelpful, and just reading from his manual, and eventually told me to reinstall and erase everything in my system (which they always tell me when I call them, but in the past I've been able to fix it on my own). Anyway, I'm trying things out ... hopefully it'll work, maybe it won't. I don't know. So 'to be continued.'
Posted by Eric at 06:03 PM | Comments (40)
Tech Problems
I'm having computer problems after the webmaster of billoreilly.com sent me a computer virus that damaged my computer.
No, not really, but wouldn't it have been a story to tell if that was true? Anyway, I have an 'unmountable boot volume' blue screen that has crashed my system. The outsourced Dell tech guy was particularly unhelpful, and just reading from his manual, and eventually told me to reinstall and erase everything in my system (which they always tell me when I call them, but in the past I've been able to fix it on my own). Anyway, I'm trying things out ... hopefully it'll work, maybe it won't. I don't know. So 'to be continued.'
Posted by Eric at 06:03 PM | Comments (15)
Fl. Rep Jokes About Hillary Assassination
From the AP:
One of the remarks caused Democrats to demand an apology: State Rep. Jennifer Carroll made a joke that suggested Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton could help the country best if she was assassinated.Now that's laugh out loud Sundays.
Posted by Eric at 11:56 AM | Comments (53)
Fl. Rep Jokes About Hillary Assassination
From the AP:
One of the remarks caused Democrats to demand an apology: State Rep. Jennifer Carroll made a joke that suggested Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton could help the country best if she was assassinated.Now that's laugh out loud Sundays.
Posted by Eric at 11:56 AM | Comments (35)
Coleman Seeks GOP Leadership Post
Someone wants to be president. AP:
Sen. Norm Coleman said Tuesday he will probably run for chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee at the end of the year, a post that would catapult him into GOP leadership ... Coleman raised about $10 million as a candidate in 2002. His Northstar Leadership PAC has pulled in about $350,000 so far, money he uses to help other Republican candidates.I saw Coleman speak at a GW Republican talk a while back - main part of his stump speech is that he was a Democrat turned Republican. This theme goes into a whole bunch of points about how Democrats have lost their touch, he's not a partisan / ideologue etc."So I've developed a national fund-raising base, which I do everything I can to make available to my colleagues," he said.
Regardless, I'm sure Norm Coleman will be a 99% improvement over the previous leadership.
Posted by Eric at 11:19 AM | Comments (51)
Coleman Seeks GOP Leadership Post
Someone wants to be president. AP:
Sen. Norm Coleman said Tuesday he will probably run for chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee at the end of the year, a post that would catapult him into GOP leadership ... Coleman raised about $10 million as a candidate in 2002. His Northstar Leadership PAC has pulled in about $350,000 so far, money he uses to help other Republican candidates.I saw Coleman speak at a GW Republican talk a while back - main part of his stump speech is that he was a Democrat turned Republican. This theme goes into a whole bunch of points about how Democrats have lost their touch, he's not a partisan / ideologue etc."So I've developed a national fund-raising base, which I do everything I can to make available to my colleagues," he said.
Regardless, I'm sure Norm Coleman will be a 99% improvement over the previous leadership.
Posted by Eric at 11:19 AM | Comments (15)
Heinz donations go to Bush, not Kerry
So complain away. AP:
Although John F. Kerry's wife is an heir to the H.J. Heinz Co. fortune, members of the board of the Fortune 500 company and its corporate political action committee have donated thousands of dollars to Republicans in recent years, including contributions to the Bush campaign. The corporate PAC has given nothing to Kerry. Republicans, meanwhile, have criticized the Pittsburgh-based company's job cuts and overseas moves -- an effort to taint the presumptive Democratic nominee with the conglomerate's business practices. Teresa Heinz Kerry gained much of her $500 million portfolio through her Heinz inheritance, but she does not serve on the board and is not involved with the management of the company.
Posted by Eric at 10:43 AM | Comments (19)
Heinz donations go to Bush, not Kerry
So complain away. AP:
Although John F. Kerry's wife is an heir to the H.J. Heinz Co. fortune, members of the board of the Fortune 500 company and its corporate political action committee have donated thousands of dollars to Republicans in recent years, including contributions to the Bush campaign. The corporate PAC has given nothing to Kerry. Republicans, meanwhile, have criticized the Pittsburgh-based company's job cuts and overseas moves -- an effort to taint the presumptive Democratic nominee with the conglomerate's business practices. Teresa Heinz Kerry gained much of her $500 million portfolio through her Heinz inheritance, but she does not serve on the board and is not involved with the management of the company.
Posted by Eric at 10:43 AM | Comments (7)
March For Your Right to Choose
New Hamster supporter Planned Parenthood, who reminds you about the march in Washington (which Hamster will attend). Visit their website for more info and other choice issues.
Posted by Eric at 09:12 AM | Comments (26)
March For Your Right to Choose
New Hamster supporter Planned Parenthood, who reminds you about the march in Washington (which Hamster will attend). Visit their website for more info and other choice issues.
Posted by Eric at 09:12 AM | Comments (8)
Dominican Republic Leaving!
All 302 troops!
The Dominican Republic will pull its troops out of Iraq early, in the next few weeks, following the lead of Spain and Honduras, Gen. Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez said Tuesday.The announcement came just two days after President Hipolito Mejia pledged to keep the country's 302 troops in Iraq until their one-year committment ended in August.
''The troops in Iraq will be coming back in the next couple weeks,'' the Dominican Armed Forces general said.
Posted by Eric at 12:15 AM | Comments (125)
Dominican Republic Leaving!
All 302 troops!
The Dominican Republic will pull its troops out of Iraq early, in the next few weeks, following the lead of Spain and Honduras, Gen. Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez said Tuesday.The announcement came just two days after President Hipolito Mejia pledged to keep the country's 302 troops in Iraq until their one-year committment ended in August.
''The troops in Iraq will be coming back in the next couple weeks,'' the Dominican Armed Forces general said.
Posted by Eric at 12:15 AM | Comments (15)
April 20, 2004
Tuesday Stories
Knight Ridder. Bush tapestry of policy woven with prayer draws concerns
MSNBC. Woodward defends book about Bush war strategy
NYT. Bush's Distaste for News Conferences Comes Into the Open
AP. Poll shows Toomey surging as GOP Senate primary nears
Reuters. Gas Price Hits Record High for 4th Week
AP. In swing state, Bush backs Patriot Act
LAT. More Funds Raised in Bid to Beat Bush
Corvallis Gazette. Kucinich lesson: activism
UK Indy. White House reels from Woodward book
AP. Powell Says Other Nations May Follow Spain
WP. Daschle Gains Support of Rival; Indian Activist Drops Senate Bid
WP. Kerry Assails Bush on Oil: Senator Calls Alleged Price-Fixing Deal With Saudis 'Disgusting'
WP. Powell Says He Was 'Committed' to Iraq War
WP. Bush Picks U.N. Envoy As Ambassador to Iraq
WP. Cheney Was Unwavering in Desire to Go to War: Tension Between Vice President and Powell Grew Deeper as Both Tried to Guide Bush's Decision
WP. Poll Shows New Gains For Bush; Lead Over Kerry Widens On Issues of Security
NYT. New Fund-Raising Rules Bring Lobbyists to Fore
NYT. Bush Officials Deny Money Was Diverted for Iraq War
NYT. U.S. Gives Leaders in Falluja a Chance to End the Insurgency
AP. Death Sentences Hinge on Court Decision
Reuters. Broadcasters Fight Back Against Profanity Ruling
AP. Bush Criticizes Spain's PM on Iraq Pullout
AP. Frist Funnels Cash to Daschle's Foe
AP. Japan Says U.N. Backing Would Aid in Iraq
Commentary
Paul Waldman. Unfortunate Sons: Who's really supporting our troops?
Jonathan Turley. Entrepreneurship Gets Slaughtered
Robert Scheer. With God on His Side ...
Marie Cocco. Protect rights of Gitmo prisoners
John Nichols. Baldwin's going after Halliburton
Seattle PI. Spain leaves Iraq, not terror fight
Helen Thomas. Bush's dramatic shift in Mideast
SFC. Bush's war games
Thomas Oliphant. The fiction of Israeli 'withdrawal' from Gaza
Krugman. Questions of Interest
David Cole. America's Prisoners, American Rights
Richard Cohen. Bicycling to War
Terry Jones. Invade Iraq? It's a no brainer
Robert Dreyfuss. God Made Me Do It
Michael Tomasky. Well, Ideally... Bob Woodward's Bush is no idealist -- just an incompetent
James K. Galbraith. How you will pay for the war: Historically, war causes inflation. The Bush administration's myopic deficit spending will only make matters worse
David Sirota. Clarke's vindication
Joe Conason. Bush's worst week
Peter Wilkinson. Columbine, five years later: The kids who survived the worst school massacre in U.S. history have graduated, and some of them have even forgiven. But many of their parents have not
Center for American Progress. Right-Wing Attack Machine: Slamming Victims, Families and 9/11 Panel
Mark David Agrast. Adrift at Guantánamo
Dan Hoyle. The Jail Generation
Judith Gorman. Show Me the Jobs
John Gartner. Seeding Renewables to Grow Jobs
David Corn. George Bush, Self-deluded Messiah
Posted by Eric at 11:09 PM | Comments (272)
Tuesday Stories
Knight Ridder. Bush tapestry of policy woven with prayer draws concerns
MSNBC. Woodward defends book about Bush war strategy
NYT. Bush's Distaste for News Conferences Comes Into the Open
AP. Poll shows Toomey surging as GOP Senate primary nears
Reuters. Gas Price Hits Record High for 4th Week
AP. In swing state, Bush backs Patriot Act
LAT. More Funds Raised in Bid to Beat Bush
Corvallis Gazette. Kucinich lesson: activism
UK Indy. White House reels from Woodward book
AP. Powell Says Other Nations May Follow Spain
WP. Daschle Gains Support of Rival; Indian Activist Drops Senate Bid
WP. Kerry Assails Bush on Oil: Senator Calls Alleged Price-Fixing Deal With Saudis 'Disgusting'
WP. Powell Says He Was 'Committed' to Iraq War
WP. Bush Picks U.N. Envoy As Ambassador to Iraq
WP. Cheney Was Unwavering in Desire to Go to War: Tension Between Vice President and Powell Grew Deeper as Both Tried to Guide Bush's Decision
WP. Poll Shows New Gains For Bush; Lead Over Kerry Widens On Issues of Security
NYT. New Fund-Raising Rules Bring Lobbyists to Fore
NYT. Bush Officials Deny Money Was Diverted for Iraq War
NYT. U.S. Gives Leaders in Falluja a Chance to End the Insurgency
AP. Death Sentences Hinge on Court Decision
Reuters. Broadcasters Fight Back Against Profanity Ruling
AP. Bush Criticizes Spain's PM on Iraq Pullout
AP. Frist Funnels Cash to Daschle's Foe
AP. Japan Says U.N. Backing Would Aid in Iraq
Commentary
Paul Waldman. Unfortunate Sons: Who's really supporting our troops?
Jonathan Turley. Entrepreneurship Gets Slaughtered
Robert Scheer. With God on His Side ...
Marie Cocco. Protect rights of Gitmo prisoners
John Nichols. Baldwin's going after Halliburton
Seattle PI. Spain leaves Iraq, not terror fight
Helen Thomas. Bush's dramatic shift in Mideast
SFC. Bush's war games
Thomas Oliphant. The fiction of Israeli 'withdrawal' from Gaza
Krugman. Questions of Interest
David Cole. America's Prisoners, American Rights
Richard Cohen. Bicycling to War
Terry Jones. Invade Iraq? It's a no brainer
Robert Dreyfuss. God Made Me Do It
Michael Tomasky. Well, Ideally... Bob Woodward's Bush is no idealist -- just an incompetent
James K. Galbraith. How you will pay for the war: Historically, war causes inflation. The Bush administration's myopic deficit spending will only make matters worse
David Sirota. Clarke's vindication
Joe Conason. Bush's worst week
Peter Wilkinson. Columbine, five years later: The kids who survived the worst school massacre in U.S. history have graduated, and some of them have even forgiven. But many of their parents have not
Center for American Progress. Right-Wing Attack Machine: Slamming Victims, Families and 9/11 Panel
Mark David Agrast. Adrift at Guantánamo
Dan Hoyle. The Jail Generation
Judith Gorman. Show Me the Jobs
John Gartner. Seeding Renewables to Grow Jobs
David Corn. George Bush, Self-deluded Messiah
Posted by Eric at 11:09 PM | Comments (8)
Hamster Numbers: Environment
From John Kerry research:
Instead of protecting public health, George Bush rolled back and undermined our most important safeguard from industrial air pollution, the Clean Air Act. Breaking a campaign promise to clean up the oldest, dirtiest coal-fired power plants, the Bush Administration has fought to weaken protections that would require the use of modern pollution control technology and has undercut pending lawsuits against polluters. George Bush's so-called "Clear Skies" proposal, will result in over 21 million tons more pollution than if he simply enforced the Clean Air Act. Compared to an alternate EPA plan, rejected by the White House, the Bush plan will result in over 100,000 more premature deaths and millions of added cases of asthma and other serious illnesses.
Posted by Eric at 11:08 PM | Comments (32)
Hamster Numbers: Environment
From John Kerry research:
Instead of protecting public health, George Bush rolled back and undermined our most important safeguard from industrial air pollution, the Clean Air Act. Breaking a campaign promise to clean up the oldest, dirtiest coal-fired power plants, the Bush Administration has fought to weaken protections that would require the use of modern pollution control technology and has undercut pending lawsuits against polluters. George Bush's so-called "Clear Skies" proposal, will result in over 21 million tons more pollution than if he simply enforced the Clean Air Act. Compared to an alternate EPA plan, rejected by the White House, the Bush plan will result in over 100,000 more premature deaths and millions of added cases of asthma and other serious illnesses.
Posted by Eric at 11:08 PM | Comments (7)
Bush - Cheney to Pay 90 Grand FEC Penalty
From the 2000 elections. FEC:
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has entered into a conciliation agreement with Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. resulting from the failure to report to the FEC receipts and disbursements associated with its recount activities. Bush – Cheney 2000, Inc. has agreed to pay a $90,000 civil penalty.According to the conciliation agreement, Bush – Cheney 2000 held a bank account designated “Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. – Media.” After the November 7, 2000 presidential election, the Committee redesignated this bank account “Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. – Recount Fund” and used the account to raise funds and pay costs associated with the recount. However, the Committee failed to include that activity in disclosure reports filed with the Commission.
The Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) requires authorized committees of candidates for federal office to report the total amount of all receipts of disbursements in committee accounts, and to itemize them when the aggregate amount or value exceeds $200 in an election cycle. In Advisory Opinions 1998-26 and 1978-92, the Commission held that while separate organizations established solely to fund a recount effort would not be required to file disclosure reports, a federal political committee establishing a bank account for recount purposes must report those receipts and disbursements.
Posted by Eric at 07:03 PM | Comments (14)
Bush - Cheney to Pay 90 Grand FEC Penalty
From the 2000 elections. FEC:
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has entered into a conciliation agreement with Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. resulting from the failure to report to the FEC receipts and disbursements associated with its recount activities. Bush – Cheney 2000, Inc. has agreed to pay a $90,000 civil penalty.According to the conciliation agreement, Bush – Cheney 2000 held a bank account designated “Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. – Media.” After the November 7, 2000 presidential election, the Committee redesignated this bank account “Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. – Recount Fund” and used the account to raise funds and pay costs associated with the recount. However, the Committee failed to include that activity in disclosure reports filed with the Commission.
The Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) requires authorized committees of candidates for federal office to report the total amount of all receipts of disbursements in committee accounts, and to itemize them when the aggregate amount or value exceeds $200 in an election cycle. In Advisory Opinions 1998-26 and 1978-92, the Commission held that while separate organizations established solely to fund a recount effort would not be required to file disclosure reports, a federal political committee establishing a bank account for recount purposes must report those receipts and disbursements.
Posted by Eric at 07:03 PM | Comments (7)
Rep. John Hostettler 'Forgets' about Gun at Airport
From the AP:
Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana was briefly detained Tuesday when airport security workers found a handgun in his briefcase as he was going through a checkpoint on a trip back to Washington.The five-term Republican congressman was preparing to board a US Airways flight at Louisville International Airport when the gun was found, said his press secretary Michael Jahr.
Posted by Eric at 02:40 PM | Comments (36)
Rep. John Hostettler 'Forgets' about Gun at Airport
From the AP:
Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana was briefly detained Tuesday when airport security workers found a handgun in his briefcase as he was going through a checkpoint on a trip back to Washington.The five-term Republican congressman was preparing to board a US Airways flight at Louisville International Airport when the gun was found, said his press secretary Michael Jahr.
Posted by Eric at 02:40 PM | Comments (14)
Honduras Out
Out of Iraq.
Posted by Eric at 01:04 PM | Comments (28)
Honduras Out
Out of Iraq.
Posted by Eric at 01:04 PM | Comments (7)
IRS Campaigning for Bush
Which one is from the IRS and which one is from the RNC?
1) "America has a choice: It can continue to grow the economy and create new jobs as the president's policies are doing, or it can raise taxes on American families and small businesses, hurting economic recovery and future job creation."
2) "America has a choice: It can continue to grow the economy and create new jobs as the President's polices are doing; or it can raise taxes on American families and small businesses, hurting economic recovery and future job creation."
Can you tell? "doing," vs. "doing;"
Can you? Which one is from a government agency funded by taxpayers, and which is from a campaign to elect Republicans?
Hmm ...
No, really! But that's OK, because the IRS is a 527 organization. From the infamously named Jennifer 8 Lee:
As the deadline for filing tax returns approached, news releases from the Internal Revenue Service included a little something extra, a sentence promoting the administration's tax policies that said, "America has a choice: It can continue to grow the economy and create new jobs as the president's policies are doing, or it can raise taxes on American families and small businesses, hurting economic recovery and future job creation."As Al Franken mentioned on his radio show and the O'Franken Factor blog , the wording from the IRS is very similar to this from the RNC website. Hmmm ..."Stating our position is appropriate," said Rob Nichols, a spokesman for the Treasury Department, which oversees the I.R.S. "The administration's views on fiscal policy are that lower taxes have helped strengthen the economy and led to an environment of increased job creation."
Earlier this year, the Treasury Department was criticized after its analysis of a tax plan similar to one proposed by Senator John Kerry was used to attack Mr. Kerry as he sought the Democratic nomination for president.
Posted by Eric at 12:22 PM | Comments (54)
IRS Campaigning for Bush
Which one is from the IRS and which one is from the RNC?
1) "America has a choice: It can continue to grow the economy and create new jobs as the president's policies are doing, or it can raise taxes on American families and small businesses, hurting economic recovery and future job creation."
2) "America has a choice: It can continue to grow the economy and create new jobs as the President's polices are doing; or it can raise taxes on American families and small businesses, hurting economic recovery and future job creation."
Can you tell? "doing," vs. "doing;"
Can you? Which one is from a government agency funded by taxpayers, and which is from a campaign to elect Republicans?
Hmm ...
No, really! But that's OK, because the IRS is a 527 organization. From the infamously named Jennifer 8 Lee:
As the deadline for filing tax returns approached, news releases from the Internal Revenue Service included a little something extra, a sentence promoting the administration's tax policies that said, "America has a choice: It can continue to grow the economy and create new jobs as the president's policies are doing, or it can raise taxes on American families and small businesses, hurting economic recovery and future job creation."As Al Franken mentioned on his radio show and the O'Franken Factor blog , the wording from the IRS is very similar to this from the RNC website. Hmmm ..."Stating our position is appropriate," said Rob Nichols, a spokesman for the Treasury Department, which oversees the I.R.S. "The administration's views on fiscal policy are that lower taxes have helped strengthen the economy and led to an environment of increased job creation."
Earlier this year, the Treasury Department was criticized after its analysis of a tax plan similar to one proposed by Senator John Kerry was used to attack Mr. Kerry as he sought the Democratic nomination for president.
Posted by Eric at 12:22 PM | Comments (14)
Claim vs. Truth
"I'm right now focused on the military operations in Afghanistan."
- President George Bush after a meeting with top Pentagon brass at his ranch, 12/28/01
VERSUS
Iraq "was the real focus of the session at his ranch."
- AP, 4/18/04
Posted by Eric at 11:45 AM | Comments (30)
Claim vs. Truth
"I'm right now focused on the military operations in Afghanistan."
- President George Bush after a meeting with top Pentagon brass at his ranch, 12/28/01
VERSUS
Iraq "was the real focus of the session at his ranch."
- AP, 4/18/04
Posted by Eric at 11:45 AM | Comments (11)
Powell Lies ... About Pottery Barn
As reported in a light manner on The O'Franken Factor and Lloyd Grove, Colin Powell has LIEEEED about Pottery Barn.
"You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people. You will own all their hopes, aspirations and problems. You'll own it all," Woodward quotes Powell as warning Bush about the consequences of invading Iraq. "Privately, Powell and [Deputy Secretary of State Richard] Armitage called this the Pottery Barn rule: You break it, you own it."So go forth, ye Hamster readers, and break things in Pottery Barn without regard to the consequences and extruding asses!Yesterday, Pottery Barn's Oshirak complained bitterly: "This is certainly not our policy in any of our 174 Pottery Barn retail outlets in North America. In fact, there is no policy regarding this whatsoever."
Posted by Eric at 11:44 AM | Comments (54)
Powell Lies ... About Pottery Barn
As reported in a light manner on The O'Franken Factor and Lloyd Grove, Colin Powell has LIEEEED about Pottery Barn.
"You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people. You will own all their hopes, aspirations and problems. You'll own it all," Woodward quotes Powell as warning Bush about the consequences of invading Iraq. "Privately, Powell and [Deputy Secretary of State Richard] Armitage called this the Pottery Barn rule: You break it, you own it."So go forth, ye Hamster readers, and break things in Pottery Barn without regard to the consequences and extruding asses!Yesterday, Pottery Barn's Oshirak complained bitterly: "This is certainly not our policy in any of our 174 Pottery Barn retail outlets in North America. In fact, there is no policy regarding this whatsoever."
Posted by Eric at 11:44 AM | Comments (13)
Coalition Provisional Authority memo: Democracy in Iraq Not So Fo-Sheezy
Jason Vest tells us what is becoming more and more apparent: Iraq democracy won't be an easy task. But it's not his opinion, it's a US government official in a Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) memo:
But according to a closely held Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) memo written in early March, the reality isn't so rosy. Iraq's chances of seeing democracy succeed, according to the memo's author—a U.S. government official detailed to the CPA, who wrote this summation of observations he'd made in the field for a senior CPA director—have been severely imperiled by a year's worth of serious errors on the part of the Pentagon and the CPA, the U.S.-led multinational agency administering Iraq. Far from facilitating democracy and security, the memo's author fears, U.S. efforts have created an environment rife with corruption and sectarianism likely to result in civil war.Provided to this reporter by a Western intelligence official, the memo was partially redacted to protect the writer's identity and to "avoid inflaming an already volatile situation" by revealing the names of certain Iraqi figures. A wide-ranging and often acerbic critique of the CPA, covering topics ranging from policy, personalities, and press operations to on-the-ground realities such as electricity, the document is not only notable for its candidly troubled assessment of Iraq's future. It is also significant, according to the intelligence official, because its author has been a steadfast advocate of "transforming" the Middle East, beginning with "regime change" in Iraq.
Posted by Eric at 11:07 AM | Comments (50)
Coalition Provisional Authority memo: Democracy in Iraq Not So Fo-Sheezy
Jason Vest tells us what is becoming more and more apparent: Iraq democracy won't be an easy task. But it's not his opinion, it's a US government official in a Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) memo:
But according to a closely held Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) memo written in early March, the reality isn't so rosy. Iraq's chances of seeing democracy succeed, according to the memo's author—a U.S. government official detailed to the CPA, who wrote this summation of observations he'd made in the field for a senior CPA director—have been severely imperiled by a year's worth of serious errors on the part of the Pentagon and the CPA, the U.S.-led multinational agency administering Iraq. Far from facilitating democracy and security, the memo's author fears, U.S. efforts have created an environment rife with corruption and sectarianism likely to result in civil war.Provided to this reporter by a Western intelligence official, the memo was partially redacted to protect the writer's identity and to "avoid inflaming an already volatile situation" by revealing the names of certain Iraqi figures. A wide-ranging and often acerbic critique of the CPA, covering topics ranging from policy, personalities, and press operations to on-the-ground realities such as electricity, the document is not only notable for its candidly troubled assessment of Iraq's future. It is also significant, according to the intelligence official, because its author has been a steadfast advocate of "transforming" the Middle East, beginning with "regime change" in Iraq.
Posted by Eric at 11:07 AM | Comments (6)
April 19, 2004
Monday Stories
USAT. Prisoners test legal limits of war on terror
LAT. Snap, Crackle, Pow Go the Internet Ads
LAT. Bush Losing Ground in Rural America
CSM. Death sentences by judges: Should they be thrown out?
CSM. African Anglicans shun US money over gay policies
CSM. Patriot Act gets boost from 9/11 hearings
AP. Bush to tout Patriot Act in Hershey, Pa.
AP. Gay activists target GOP summit
BGlobe. Kerry, Dean backers unite; Reception warm for ex-adversaries
BGlobe. Kerry attacks Bush on war: Diplomacy hit as 'ineffective'
NYT. Lack of Resolution in Iraq Finds Conservatives Divided
NYT. Airing of Powell's Misgivings Tests Ties in the Cabinet
NYT. Security Companies: Shadow Soldiers in Iraq
WP. In Break With Tradition, Frist Takes High-Stakes Fight to Daschle's Turf
CNN. Troops' death toll in April reaches 100
CNN. 9/11 commissioner Gorelick: 'I've received threats'
Commentary
Eric Alterman. Media Misunderestimates Bush... Again
Geov Parrish. The choice is ours: On this week's massive pro-choice rally in Washington, D.C., and why more people -- especially more men -- need to start paying attention to reproductive rights
Cynthia Tucker. Standing on war's sidelines: Bush's war on terror requires little sacrifice for most Americans
Barry Lando. Soldiers And Fortune: Who's calling the shots in Iraq? And who pays his salary?
SFC. The Earth's heroes
Ruth Rosen. Bush mobilizes women
Dave Zweifel. Many WI state Guard members have died
Douglas Brinkley. John Kerry's first Purple Heart
Phillip Robertson. Al-Sadr's men in black: Inside the Iraqi cleric's stronghold, the al Mehdi militia hunker down for a showdown with the U.S. that they believe they can -- and will -- win
Laura Miller. Who's a fascist? The ultimate political insult is making a comeback. But does anyone know what it really means?
David R. Francis. How to earn $3.5 trillion and pay zero taxes
Dan Reiter. Another Vietnam? No, worse
Bob Herbert. The Wrong War
Posted by Eric at 11:53 PM | Comments (33)
Monday Stories
USAT. Prisoners test legal limits of war on terror
LAT. Snap, Crackle, Pow Go the Internet Ads
LAT. Bush Losing Ground in Rural America
CSM. Death sentences by judges: Should they be thrown out?
CSM. African Anglicans shun US money over gay policies
CSM. Patriot Act gets boost from 9/11 hearings
AP. Bush to tout Patriot Act in Hershey, Pa.
AP. Gay activists target GOP summit
BGlobe. Kerry, Dean backers unite; Reception warm for ex-adversaries
BGlobe. Kerry attacks Bush on war: Diplomacy hit as 'ineffective'
NYT. Lack of Resolution in Iraq Finds Conservatives Divided
NYT. Airing of Powell's Misgivings Tests Ties in the Cabinet
NYT. Security Companies: Shadow Soldiers in Iraq
WP. In Break With Tradition, Frist Takes High-Stakes Fight to Daschle's Turf
CNN. Troops' death toll in April reaches 100
CNN. 9/11 commissioner Gorelick: 'I've received threats'
Commentary
Eric Alterman. Media Misunderestimates Bush... Again
Geov Parrish. The choice is ours: On this week's massive pro-choice rally in Washington, D.C., and why more people -- especially more men -- need to start paying attention to reproductive rights
Cynthia Tucker. Standing on war's sidelines: Bush's war on terror requires little sacrifice for most Americans
Barry Lando. Soldiers And Fortune: Who's calling the shots in Iraq? And who pays his salary?
SFC. The Earth's heroes
Ruth Rosen. Bush mobilizes women
Dave Zweifel. Many WI state Guard members have died
Douglas Brinkley. John Kerry's first Purple Heart
Phillip Robertson. Al-Sadr's men in black: Inside the Iraqi cleric's stronghold, the al Mehdi militia hunker down for a showdown with the U.S. that they believe they can -- and will -- win
Laura Miller. Who's a fascist? The ultimate political insult is making a comeback. But does anyone know what it really means?
David R. Francis. How to earn $3.5 trillion and pay zero taxes
Dan Reiter. Another Vietnam? No, worse
Bob Herbert. The Wrong War
Posted by Eric at 11:53 PM | Comments (6)
Bush Trounced in New York
Where something happened - Oh, I forget - that Bush enjoys referencing during his ads. AP:
The statewide poll, from Marist College's Institute for Public Opinion, showed Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat, leading President Bush, 56 percent to 38 percent. With third-party candidate Ralph Nader in the race, Kerry leads the Republican president, 54 percent to 37 percent, with Nader collecting 5 percent of the vote ... The findings from Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Marist mirror those of a statewide poll released last week by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. The Quinnipiac pollsters had Kerry leading Bush, 53 percent to 36 percent."New York is clearly not in play" for Bush, said Lee Miringoff, head of the Marist Institute.
Posted by Eric at 07:12 PM | Comments (38)
Bush Trounced in New York
Where something happened - Oh, I forget - that Bush enjoys referencing during his ads. AP:
The statewide poll, from Marist College's Institute for Public Opinion, showed Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat, leading President Bush, 56 percent to 38 percent. With third-party candidate Ralph Nader in the race, Kerry leads the Republican president, 54 percent to 37 percent, with Nader collecting 5 percent of the vote ... The findings from Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Marist mirror those of a statewide poll released last week by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. The Quinnipiac pollsters had Kerry leading Bush, 53 percent to 36 percent."New York is clearly not in play" for Bush, said Lee Miringoff, head of the Marist Institute.
Posted by Eric at 07:12 PM | Comments (15)
Rock Against Bush
The "Rock Against Bush" compilation is to be released by Fat Wreck Chords on April 20 and will be the first of two volumes. The comp boasts 26 songs, 17 of which are unreleased and exclusive, from some of the most notable bands in punk and rock: Social Distortion, NOFX, Ataris, Anti-Flag, New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, Descendents, Ministry, and many more. Because getting the crucially important message to as many people as possible is the most important goal of the "Rock Against Bush" project, the CD/DVD will retail for the especially low price of $8.98.There's a tour too.It's not enough to simply release a collection of protest songs, so Fat decided that it would be effective to include some content that was more substantial and enlightening to the hundreds of thousands that will own the compilation. The Rock Against Bush comp will be accompanied by a bonus DVD that is packed with music videos and informative political content such as trailers for the documentaries "Unprecedented" and "Uncovered", and a piece from Grammy-nominated comedian David Cross.
Al Jourgensen of Ministry had this to say about "Rock Against Bush," "Ministry's contribution to this compilation is a proactive expression of outrage against the 'evil-doings' being inflicted upon American citizens and citizens of other sovereign nations by the Bush Administration."
The RNC, meanwhile, has Reggie the Registration Rig. Don't laugh.
Posted by Eric at 07:06 PM | Comments (28)
Rock Against Bush
The "Rock Against Bush" compilation is to be released by Fat Wreck Chords on April 20 and will be the first of two volumes. The comp boasts 26 songs, 17 of which are unreleased and exclusive, from some of the most notable bands in punk and rock: Social Distortion, NOFX, Ataris, Anti-Flag, New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, Descendents, Ministry, and many more. Because getting the crucially important message to as many people as possible is the most important goal of the "Rock Against Bush" project, the CD/DVD will retail for the especially low price of $8.98.There's a tour too.It's not enough to simply release a collection of protest songs, so Fat decided that it would be effective to include some content that was more substantial and enlightening to the hundreds of thousands that will own the compilation. The Rock Against Bush comp will be accompanied by a bonus DVD that is packed with music videos and informative political content such as trailers for the documentaries "Unprecedented" and "Uncovered", and a piece from Grammy-nominated comedian David Cross.
Al Jourgensen of Ministry had this to say about "Rock Against Bush," "Ministry's contribution to this compilation is a proactive expression of outrage against the 'evil-doings' being inflicted upon American citizens and citizens of other sovereign nations by the Bush Administration."
The RNC, meanwhile, has Reggie the Registration Rig. Don't laugh.
Posted by Eric at 07:06 PM | Comments (6)
Comedy Monday
"Two big announcements coming out of Washington DC. The tour of duty for 20,000 troops in Iraq may be extended. That's too bad. And the other announcement, the tour of duty for President Bush may not be extended." David Letterman
"CIA Director George Tenet has now testified before the 9/11 commission and he said we are still making the same dumb mistakes, like leaving memos on the President's desk." David Letterman
"Last night, President Bush gave a prime-time press conference. It was such a big deal that Fox decided to preempt American Idol. Which made sense to me, you don't want too many amateurs on in one night." David Letterman
"Every Monday after Easter, they have the big Easter Egg hunt at the White House. This is interesting, the kids out there found strong evidence of Easter Eggs, but no actual eggs." David Letterman
"President Bush earned $400,000 for his job as president last year. That's not really that much for being president when you think about it. But President Bush, he doesn't do it for the money, he does it for the eight months of vacation every year." Jay Leno
"This week, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney released their tax returns. Cheney made more money than the president. When asked about it, the president said, 'That's true, but he also made more decisions.'" Conan O'Brien
Borowitz Report: MAN AT KUCINICH RALLY JUST LOOKING FOR BATHROOM
Humor Gazette: Critics: President may have evaded Boy Scout service
WhiteHouse.org: President Bush Wholeheartedly Endorses Ariel Sharon's Latest Diplomatic Strategy for the Global Enragement of Muslamian Vermin
The Onion: Bishop Sick Of Local Church Scene
The Onion: Rumsfeld Looking Forward To Secretary's Day
Apprentice: Fire Bush.
Hollywood Reporter. Money talks in 'Chappelle’s Show' universe; Comedian, Comedy Central in negotiations for third season.
Filter. David Cross to Release New Record.
MTV. William Hung's Sales Figures Are Nothing To Laugh At.
AP. 'Never Scared,' Chris Rock stars in an HBO comedy special.
Click down for toons:
Posted by Eric at 06:56 PM | Comments (21)
Comedy Monday
"Two big announcements coming out of Washington DC. The tour of duty for 20,000 troops in Iraq may be extended. That's too bad. And the other announcement, the tour of duty for President Bush may not be extended." David Letterman
"CIA Director George Tenet has now testified before the 9/11 commission and he said we are still making the same dumb mistakes, like leaving memos on the President's desk." David Letterman
"Last night, President Bush gave a prime-time press conference. It was such a big deal that Fox decided to preempt American Idol. Which made sense to me, you don't want too many amateurs on in one night." David Letterman
"Every Monday after Easter, they have the big Easter Egg hunt at the White House. This is interesting, the kids out there found strong evidence of Easter Eggs, but no actual eggs." David Letterman
"President Bush earned $400,000 for his job as president last year. That's not really that much for being president when you think about it. But President Bush, he doesn't do it for the money, he does it for the eight months of vacation every year." Jay Leno
"This week, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney released their tax returns. Cheney made more money than the president. When asked about it, the president said, 'That's true, but he also made more decisions.'" Conan O'Brien
Borowitz Report: MAN AT KUCINICH RALLY JUST LOOKING FOR BATHROOM
Humor Gazette: Critics: President may have evaded Boy Scout service
WhiteHouse.org: President Bush Wholeheartedly Endorses Ariel Sharon's Latest Diplomatic Strategy for the Global Enragement of Muslamian Vermin
The Onion: Bishop Sick Of Local Church Scene
The Onion: Rumsfeld Looking Forward To Secretary's Day
Apprentice: Fire Bush.
Hollywood Reporter. Money talks in 'Chappelle’s Show' universe; Comedian, Comedy Central in negotiations for third season.
Filter. David Cross to Release New Record.
MTV. William Hung's Sales Figures Are Nothing To Laugh At.
AP. 'Never Scared,' Chris Rock stars in an HBO comedy special.
Click down for toons:
Posted by Eric at 06:56 PM | Comments (4)
Hamster Numbers: Florida Environment
From NRDC:
In 2003, a total of 58,840,020 gallons of sewage spilled into Florida waters. Sewage containing bacteria, viruses, fecal matter and a host of other wastes has repeatedly closed beaches, killed fish and shut down shellfish beds. Florida beach closings and advisories in 2002 more than doubled to 1,745 from 686 in 2001. Meanwhile, the Bush administration is changing policy so cities and towns can skip a required treatment procedure for partially treated sewage they pump into rivers, lakes and coastal waters during high rains. Contact with sewage-infested water can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses, with exposure posing the greatest risk for children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Posted by Eric at 06:33 PM | Comments (14)
Hamster Numbers: Florida Environment
From NRDC:
In 2003, a total of 58,840,020 gallons of sewage spilled into Florida waters. Sewage containing bacteria, viruses, fecal matter and a host of other wastes has repeatedly closed beaches, killed fish and shut down shellfish beds. Florida beach closings and advisories in 2002 more than doubled to 1,745 from 686 in 2001. Meanwhile, the Bush administration is changing policy so cities and towns can skip a required treatment procedure for partially treated sewage they pump into rivers, lakes and coastal waters during high rains. Contact with sewage-infested water can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses, with exposure posing the greatest risk for children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Posted by Eric at 06:33 PM | Comments (11)
Say Hi
To new Hamster supporter, Dr. Miles Nelson, candidate in the Democratic primary in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District against retired DEA agent Eli Chavez and Senate President Pro Tem Rich Romero. The Republican is incumbent Heather Wilson, who has a nice record and has been making a scream about Janet Jackson's peaks of interest:
Viacom was already seen as a repeat offender, with MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern and The Opie and Anthony Show on its payroll. So when Karmazin declared that indecency standards needed to be clarified, Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., could hardly control her anger. "You knew what you were doing," she said of the Super Bowl, with tears in her eyes. "You wanted us to be all abuzz. It lines your pockets."Wilson, like Upton and many social conservatives in Congress, admits a lack of knowledge about MTV. "I don't have cable," she told Rolling Stone in an interview after the hearing.
Posted by Eric at 06:22 PM | Comments (18)
Say Hi
To new Hamster supporter, Dr. Miles Nelson, candidate in the Democratic primary in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District against retired DEA agent Eli Chavez and Senate President Pro Tem Rich Romero. The Republican is incumbent Heather Wilson, who has a nice record and has been making a scream about Janet Jackson's peaks of interest:
Viacom was already seen as a repeat offender, with MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern and The Opie and Anthony Show on its payroll. So when Karmazin declared that indecency standards needed to be clarified, Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., could hardly control her anger. "You knew what you were doing," she said of the Super Bowl, with tears in her eyes. "You wanted us to be all abuzz. It lines your pockets."Wilson, like Upton and many social conservatives in Congress, admits a lack of knowledge about MTV. "I don't have cable," she told Rolling Stone in an interview after the hearing.
Posted by Eric at 06:22 PM | Comments (9)
John Kerry on MTP
Here.
Posted by Eric at 12:23 PM | Comments (27)
John Kerry on MTP
Here.
Posted by Eric at 12:23 PM | Comments (4)
Columbine Dad Turned Away from NRA Convention
From the AP:
Mauser challenged Cheney to speak about extending the ban when the vice president delivered the convention's keynote address Saturday night ... Mauser entered the convention hall where the NRA was meeting, but was turned away by a security guard as several conventioneers applauded. A couple of conventioneers yelled "Get a life" and "Vote for Bush."
Posted by Eric at 12:18 PM | Comments (53)
Columbine Dad Turned Away from NRA Convention
From the AP:
Mauser challenged Cheney to speak about extending the ban when the vice president delivered the convention's keynote address Saturday night ... Mauser entered the convention hall where the NRA was meeting, but was turned away by a security guard as several conventioneers applauded. A couple of conventioneers yelled "Get a life" and "Vote for Bush."
Posted by Eric at 12:18 PM | Comments (9)
See Al Franken on Carson Daly
Free tickets here in NYC for Tuesday. Date of airing TBD (that's right, Carson doesn't tape live at 1:30am!)
Posted by Eric at 11:46 AM | Comments (28)
See Al Franken on Carson Daly
Free tickets here in NYC for Tuesday. Date of airing TBD (that's right, Carson doesn't tape live at 1:30am!)
Posted by Eric at 11:46 AM | Comments (18)
Environment: 150 Destructive Policies in 1 Year
NRDC's latest report, "Rewriting the Rules," documents the Bush administration's assault on the environment.
Posted by Eric at 11:36 AM | Comments (57)
Environment: 150 Destructive Policies in 1 Year
NRDC's latest report, "Rewriting the Rules," documents the Bush administration's assault on the environment.
Posted by Eric at 11:36 AM | Comments (8)
NRA Backs Bush, But ...
According to the Chicago Tribune, some gun owners are lukewarm about Bush, though the NRA is backing him over John Kerry. Why the eeehh?
The ban outlaws the sale of some assault-style semiautomatic weapons and limits ammunition magazines to 10 cartridges--restrictions that NRA supporters call "cosmetic" moves that have had no measurable impact on crime.At the NRA conference in Penn, Cheney said of Bush: he "has shown you respect, earned your vote and appreciates your support,"Bush has said he would allow the ban to be extended, a disappointment to many NRA members. But with a Republican-controlled Congress, it is questionable whether the bill even will get to his desk ... Some gun owners also are disillusioned with aspects of the Bush administration's Patriot Act, claiming it is an infringement of their personal privacy.
"I disconnected my computer line because of the Patriot Act," said Raymond Cromley, 54, of Farmingdale, Ohio, who said he has not decided whether he'll vote for Bush.
Posted by Eric at 11:20 AM | Comments (27)
NRA Backs Bush, But ...
According to the Chicago Tribune, some gun owners are lukewarm about Bush, though the NRA is backing him over John Kerry. Why the eeehh?
The ban outlaws the sale of some assault-style semiautomatic weapons and limits ammunition magazines to 10 cartridges--restrictions that NRA supporters call "cosmetic" moves that have had no measurable impact on crime.At the NRA conference in Penn, Cheney said of Bush: he "has shown you respect, earned your vote and appreciates your support,"Bush has said he would allow the ban to be extended, a disappointment to many NRA members. But with a Republican-controlled Congress, it is questionable whether the bill even will get to his desk ... Some gun owners also are disillusioned with aspects of the Bush administration's Patriot Act, claiming it is an infringement of their personal privacy.
"I disconnected my computer line because of the Patriot Act," said Raymond Cromley, 54, of Farmingdale, Ohio, who said he has not decided whether he'll vote for Bush.
Posted by Eric at 11:20 AM | Comments (2)
Conservative vs. Moderate Rift in Penn
Is Bush the Uniter helping to divide Penn politics between the conservative and 'moderate' candidate? LA Times:
Specter, 74, is a vanishing breed of Republican — a pragmatic, "Rockefeller Republican" who is a supporter of abortion rights, sympathetic to organized labor and an unabashed advocate of government spending to help his state and address social ills. He believes that an ideology that is too rigid narrows the reach of the GOP and polarizes the country ... Toomey, 42, is the prototype of a younger, post-Reagan generation of Republicans who are dedicated to cutting taxes, limiting government spending and ending abortion. He believes the party owes it to voters to stand for a clear, unwavering ideology ...The Specter-Toomey fight is a cautionary tale for Bush, a reminder of the balancing act he has to perfect to win reelection. He needs to generate enthusiasm among the kind of conservatives represented by Toomey. But in a swing state such as Pennsylvania — where Democrats narrowly outnumber Republicans — Bush cannot afford to alienate the centrist Republicans and Democrats attracted to Specter. That's why some analysts argue that Bush was wise to endorse Specter and would have a harder time winning Pennsylvania if Toomey was on the ticket ...
Still, for conservative activists concerned about the party's direction, the primary fight is about something even bigger than control of the Senate: It is about the soul of the party.
Posted by Eric at 11:14 AM | Comments (27)
Conservative vs. Moderate Rift in Penn
Is Bush the Uniter helping to divide Penn politics between the conservative and 'moderate' candidate? LA Times:
Specter, 74, is a vanishing breed of Republican — a pragmatic, "Rockefeller Republican" who is a supporter of abortion rights, sympathetic to organized labor and an unabashed advocate of government spending to help his state and address social ills. He believes that an ideology that is too rigid narrows the reach of the GOP and polarizes the country ... Toomey, 42, is the prototype of a younger, post-Reagan generation of Republicans who are dedicated to cutting taxes, limiting government spending and ending abortion. He believes the party owes it to voters to stand for a clear, unwavering ideology ...The Specter-Toomey fight is a cautionary tale for Bush, a reminder of the balancing act he has to perfect to win reelection. He needs to generate enthusiasm among the kind of conservatives represented by Toomey. But in a swing state such as Pennsylvania — where Democrats narrowly outnumber Republicans — Bush cannot afford to alienate the centrist Republicans and Democrats attracted to Specter. That's why some analysts argue that Bush was wise to endorse Specter and would have a harder time winning Pennsylvania if Toomey was on the ticket ...
Still, for conservative activists concerned about the party's direction, the primary fight is about something even bigger than control of the Senate: It is about the soul of the party.
Posted by Eric at 11:14 AM | Comments (4)
Rice: Prepare for Terrorist Attack Before Elections
Says the NSA to Fox News on Sunday, AP:
The opportunity for terrorists to try to influence the election, as was the case last month in Spain, appears to be an opportunity that would "be too good to pass up for them," Rice said.On a related note, according to CNN, Tom Ridge "is expected to call Monday for an acceleration of plans to prepare for a terrorist attack because of several forthcoming high-profile events that could give terrorists a chance to strike.""I think that we do have to take very seriously the thought that the terrorists might have learned, we hope, the wrong lesson from Spain," Rice told Fox News Sunday.
"I think we also have to take seriously that they might try during the cycle leading up to the election to do something," she said.
Posted by Eric at 09:09 AM | Comments (34)
Rice: Prepare for Terrorist Attack Before Elections
Says the NSA to Fox News on Sunday, AP:
The opportunity for terrorists to try to influence the election, as was the case last month in Spain, appears to be an opportunity that would "be too good to pass up for them," Rice said.On a related note, according to CNN, Tom Ridge "is expected to call Monday for an acceleration of plans to prepare for a terrorist attack because of several forthcoming high-profile events that could give terrorists a chance to strike.""I think that we do have to take very seriously the thought that the terrorists might have learned, we hope, the wrong lesson from Spain," Rice told Fox News Sunday.
"I think we also have to take seriously that they might try during the cycle leading up to the election to do something," she said.
Posted by Eric at 09:09 AM | Comments (11)
Spain to Leave Iraq ASAP
Prepare to replace 'Spanish Rice' with 'Freedom Rice.' From NY Times:
Just 24 hours after he was sworn in, Mr. Zapatero said he had ordered Defense Minister José Bono to "do what is necessary" for the Spanish troops to return home in the shortest possible time.Mr. Zapatero said he had made his decision because it was unlikely that the United Nations would be playing a leading role in Iraq any time soon, which had been his condition for Spain's 1,300 troops to remain. Because of troop rotation, more than 1,400 are there now.
Posted by Eric at 12:26 AM | Comments (74)
Spain to Leave Iraq ASAP
Prepare to replace 'Spanish Rice' with 'Freedom Rice.' From NY Times:
Just 24 hours after he was sworn in, Mr. Zapatero said he had ordered Defense Minister José Bono to "do what is necessary" for the Spanish troops to return home in the shortest possible time.Mr. Zapatero said he had made his decision because it was unlikely that the United Nations would be playing a leading role in Iraq any time soon, which had been his condition for Spain's 1,300 troops to remain. Because of troop rotation, more than 1,400 are there now.
Posted by Eric at 12:26 AM | Comments (13)
April 16, 2004
Friday Stories
Guardian. Spurned Blair in plea to Bush
NYT. U.S. Open to a Proposal That Supplants Council in Iraq
WP. Kerry Hopes to Cement Image With New Ads
AP. Bush, Blair Look to U.N. for Help on Iraq
NYT. Decision on Finance Rules Is Called Unlikely by May
LAT. GOP Contrasts Kerry Votes With South's Values
LAT. War Wears on Voters in Key Minnesota Suburbs
CSM. In reliability, Detroit forces BMWs, Benzes off the road
CSM. One way to kick-start youth vote: environment
CSM. 'Nader nation' - who are these voters?
CSM. New demands test troop stamina
BGlobe. On tax day, Bush sees economy working in his favor
BGlobe. Kerry meets with cardinal
LAT. GOP Contrasts Kerry Votes With South's Values
LAT. President Talks Up Tax Cuts in Iowa
BGlobe. Heinz Kerry seen as 'secret weapon'
Commentary
Jonathan Freedland. Sharon's triumph is Blair's defeat; By backing Israel's land grab, Bush has humiliated the prime minister
E. J. Dionne Jr. Radical Theories And Reality
Bob Herbert. A Soldier's Sacrifice
Krugman. The Vietnam Analogy
Derrick Z. Jackson. Shades of LBJ
CBPP. Are Taxes Exceptionally Concentrated At The Top?
James Goldsborough. Not exactly Vietnam, but parallels exist
Sean Aday. Déjà vu All Over Again: Bush's Don't Ask, Don't Tell Press Conference
Maureen Farrell. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
Michael Moore. Setting the Record Straight
Dan Rodricks. A Proud Army Parent Believes Bush Misled Us About Iraq War
Jason Vest. Incredible Credibility: Richard Clarke’s decision to step out publicly and write Against All Enemies is more shocking than the revelations within
Brian H. Kehrl. The Task at Hand: Will Cheney’s secret energy meetings see the light?
Juan Cole. Turning into Israel? Outraged by President Bush's embrace of Ariel Sharon and the bloody U.S. assault on Fallujah, the Arab world is linking America's occupation with Israel's. That's ominous
Saad George Hattar. Highways of horror: Driven by rage at the U.S. occupation, and hoping to split the shaky allied coalition, tribesmen are taking hostages -- and now killing them
Harold Meyerson. Kerry Was Right: Has Bush finally realized that success in Iraq requires the United Nations?
Jim Grossfeld. Ambassador's Journal: What will John D. Negroponte write in his diary over the next few months?
Michael Lerner. The Sharon-Bush Axis of Occupation
David Corn. On 9/11, CIA Chief Gets Off Easy
Steven Hill. Fixing The Election
Byron Williams. He who is without sin: 'War President' chooses campaign slogans over honesty, using soldiers as pawns in reelection bid
Bill Berkowitz. The spinning grounds: Can Team Bush's marketing machine possibly spin the current crisis into an upbeat media moment?
Arthur Schlesinger. This is Bush's Vietnam - the wrong war, at the wrong time, in the wrong place
Posted by Eric at 11:41 PM | Comments (28)
Friday Stories
Guardian. Spurned Blair in plea to Bush
NYT. U.S. Open to a Proposal That Supplants Council in Iraq
WP. Kerry Hopes to Cement Image With New Ads
AP. Bush, Blair Look to U.N. for Help on Iraq
NYT. Decision on Finance Rules Is Called Unlikely by May
LAT. GOP Contrasts Kerry Votes With South's Values
LAT. War Wears on Voters in Key Minnesota Suburbs
CSM. In reliability, Detroit forces BMWs, Benzes off the road
CSM. One way to kick-start youth vote: environment
CSM. 'Nader nation' - who are these voters?
CSM. New demands test troop stamina
BGlobe. On tax day, Bush sees economy working in his favor
BGlobe. Kerry meets with cardinal
LAT. GOP Contrasts Kerry Votes With South's Values
LAT. President Talks Up Tax Cuts in Iowa
BGlobe. Heinz Kerry seen as 'secret weapon'
Commentary
Jonathan Freedland. Sharon's triumph is Blair's defeat; By backing Israel's land grab, Bush has humiliated the prime minister
E. J. Dionne Jr. Radical Theories And Reality
Bob Herbert. A Soldier's Sacrifice
Krugman. The Vietnam Analogy
Derrick Z. Jackson. Shades of LBJ
CBPP. Are Taxes Exceptionally Concentrated At The Top?
James Goldsborough. Not exactly Vietnam, but parallels exist
Sean Aday. Déjà vu All Over Again: Bush's Don't Ask, Don't Tell Press Conference
Maureen Farrell. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
Michael Moore. Setting the Record Straight
Dan Rodricks. A Proud Army Parent Believes Bush Misled Us About Iraq War
Jason Vest. Incredible Credibility: Richard Clarke’s decision to step out publicly and write Against All Enemies is more shocking than the revelations within
Brian H. Kehrl. The Task at Hand: Will Cheney’s secret energy meetings see the light?
Juan Cole. Turning into Israel? Outraged by President Bush's embrace of Ariel Sharon and the bloody U.S. assault on Fallujah, the Arab world is linking America's occupation with Israel's. That's ominous
Saad George Hattar. Highways of horror: Driven by rage at the U.S. occupation, and hoping to split the shaky allied coalition, tribesmen are taking hostages -- and now killing them
Harold Meyerson. Kerry Was Right: Has Bush finally realized that success in Iraq requires the United Nations?
Jim Grossfeld. Ambassador's Journal: What will John D. Negroponte write in his diary over the next few months?
Michael Lerner. The Sharon-Bush Axis of Occupation
David Corn. On 9/11, CIA Chief Gets Off Easy
Steven Hill. Fixing The Election
Byron Williams. He who is without sin: 'War President' chooses campaign slogans over honesty, using soldiers as pawns in reelection bid
Bill Berkowitz. The spinning grounds: Can Team Bush's marketing machine possibly spin the current crisis into an upbeat media moment?
Arthur Schlesinger. This is Bush's Vietnam - the wrong war, at the wrong time, in the wrong place
Posted by Eric at 11:41 PM | Comments (4)
Dean: Fox has Dumbed Down news
In a speech to Dartmouth College in Hanover, Dean told a crowd of about 300:
As for Fox News, Dean said the cable network created “flashier, glitzier programming designed for people with (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) to look at. They've dumbed down the news,” and other networks have followed their lead.As a case in point, Dean said his concession speech to Iowa -- now regarded as the “scream” -- was unremarked upon by the print reporters who witnessed it, but then was played “630 times” on television, which didn't pick up the noise from the large crowd that had been responding to his impassioned speech.
“Do you think they reported the CPI (consumer price index) 630 times?” Dean said. “No, it was played because it was great entertainment, and that's what the news has become.”
Posted by Eric at 09:15 AM | Comments (28)
Dean: Fox has Dumbed Down news
In a speech to Dartmouth College in Hanover, Dean told a crowd of about 300:
As for Fox News, Dean said the cable network created “flashier, glitzier programming designed for people with (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) to look at. They've dumbed down the news,” and other networks have followed their lead.As a case in point, Dean said his concession speech to Iowa -- now regarded as the “scream” -- was unremarked upon by the print reporters who witnessed it, but then was played “630 times” on television, which didn't pick up the noise from the large crowd that had been responding to his impassioned speech.
“Do you think they reported the CPI (consumer price index) 630 times?” Dean said. “No, it was played because it was great entertainment, and that's what the news has become.”
Posted by Eric at 09:15 AM | Comments (12)
NRA Shoots for Media Presence
The NRA is attempting to expand its political influence by becoming part of the media, reports the AP:
The nation's gun lobby is creating an "NRA news" company that will produce a daily talk show for the Internet, buy a radio station and seek a television deal to spread its gun-rights message.The NRA and other political groups (including many on the left) oppose any changes to the current election laws so they can do so-called political education (e.g. quoted above):Looking for the same legal recognition as mainstream news organizations, the National Rifle Association says it has already hired its first reporter, a conservative talk radio host from Oklahoma. NRANews.com plans to start online broadcasts today at www.nranews.com.
The NRA is taking the step to operate free of political spending limits, hoping to use unlimited donations known as soft money to focus on gun issues and candidates' positions despite the law's restrictions on soft money-financed political ads within days of the election.
The McCain-Feingold campaign finance law prohibited the spending of "soft-money" by political committees to influence a federal election.Indeed, the NRA is having Cheney deliver the NRA's keynote speech.But the legal precedent surrounding that law is complicated, and lawyers who testified in the hearing yesterday disagreed over exactly what constitutes a political committee and an expenditure.
The commissioners are considering rule changes that would redefine those terms.
A wide swath of groups both left and right, including such powerhouses as the National Rifle Association, have protested any changes that would limit their "political education" work. The NRA is gearing up to support Bush's re-election.
Posted by Eric at 08:47 AM | Comments (66)
NRA Shoots for Media Presence
The NRA is attempting to expand its political influence by becoming part of the media, reports the AP:
The nation's gun lobby is creating an "NRA news" company that will produce a daily talk show for the Internet, buy a radio station and seek a television deal to spread its gun-rights message.The NRA and other political groups (including many on the left) oppose any changes to the current election laws so they can do so-called political education (e.g. quoted above):Looking for the same legal recognition as mainstream news organizations, the National Rifle Association says it has already hired its first reporter, a conservative talk radio host from Oklahoma. NRANews.com plans to start online broadcasts today at www.nranews.com.
The NRA is taking the step to operate free of political spending limits, hoping to use unlimited donations known as soft money to focus on gun issues and candidates' positions despite the law's restrictions on soft money-financed political ads within days of the election.
The McCain-Feingold campaign finance law prohibited the spending of "soft-money" by political committees to influence a federal election.Indeed, the NRA is having Cheney deliver the NRA's keynote speech.But the legal precedent surrounding that law is complicated, and lawyers who testified in the hearing yesterday disagreed over exactly what constitutes a political committee and an expenditure.
The commissioners are considering rule changes that would redefine those terms.
A wide swath of groups both left and right, including such powerhouses as the National Rifle Association, have protested any changes that would limit their "political education" work. The NRA is gearing up to support Bush's re-election.
Posted by Eric at 08:47 AM | Comments (51)
Hostage Crisis Splits Japan Into Two Camps
And they are not pro and anti Crayon ShinChan. From the Japan Times:
One side supports the government's decision not to withdraw the Self-Defense Force troops from Iraq. It believes the three Japanese hostages got what they deserved because they chose to enter a dangerous zone of their own volition.The other camp is critical of the government's stance, which it says makes light of human life because Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi immediately rejected any plan to withdraw SDF troops.
And the families of the three hostages are caught between the two camps. Their homes and temporary offices in Tokyo are flooded with telephone and fax messages of both encouragement and harassment.
Posted by Eric at 08:41 AM | Comments (23)
Hostage Crisis Splits Japan Into Two Camps
And they are not pro and anti Crayon ShinChan. From the Japan Times:
One side supports the government's decision not to withdraw the Self-Defense Force troops from Iraq. It believes the three Japanese hostages got what they deserved because they chose to enter a dangerous zone of their own volition.The other camp is critical of the government's stance, which it says makes light of human life because Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi immediately rejected any plan to withdraw SDF troops.
And the families of the three hostages are caught between the two camps. Their homes and temporary offices in Tokyo are flooded with telephone and fax messages of both encouragement and harassment.
Posted by Eric at 08:41 AM | Comments (3)
Hamster Numbers: Top Taxes
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
The Treasury analysis shows that the one percent of taxpayers with the highest incomes paid 33.9 percent of federal individual income taxes in 2001. However, a new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office shows that this group pays a substantially smaller proportion — 22.7 percent — of federal taxes overall, including payroll, excise, and other taxes.[2] The progressivity of the tax system is further muted if state and local taxes are taken into account; most state and local tax systems are regressive ... As a result of the three major tax cut bills enacted since 2001, the top one percent of taxpayers will receive average tax cuts of nearly $35,000 in 2004, according to new data from the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center, or 54 times the average tax cut that the middle fifth of taxpayers will receive. The highest-income taxpayers also will experience a much greater percentage increase in after-tax income as a result of the tax cuts than other taxpayers will. Finally, the Tax Policy Center data show that those at the top of the income scale will be paying a smaller share of all federal taxes when the tax cuts are fully in effect.
Posted by Eric at 08:20 AM | Comments (31)
Hamster Numbers: Top Taxes
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
The Treasury analysis shows that the one percent of taxpayers with the highest incomes paid 33.9 percent of federal individual income taxes in 2001. However, a new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office shows that this group pays a substantially smaller proportion — 22.7 percent — of federal taxes overall, including payroll, excise, and other taxes.[2] The progressivity of the tax system is further muted if state and local taxes are taken into account; most state and local tax systems are regressive ... As a result of the three major tax cut bills enacted since 2001, the top one percent of taxpayers will receive average tax cuts of nearly $35,000 in 2004, according to new data from the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center, or 54 times the average tax cut that the middle fifth of taxpayers will receive. The highest-income taxpayers also will experience a much greater percentage increase in after-tax income as a result of the tax cuts than other taxpayers will. Finally, the Tax Policy Center data show that those at the top of the income scale will be paying a smaller share of all federal taxes when the tax cuts are fully in effect.
Posted by Eric at 08:20 AM | Comments (4)
Zinni: "Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they not?"
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni has some thoughts about Rummy and the situation in Iraq. Where are the flowers and roses? SD Union-Trib
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni wondered aloud yesterday how Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld could be caught off guard by the chaos in Iraq that has killed nearly 100 Americans in recent weeks and led to his announcement that 20,000 U.S. troops would be staying there instead of returning home as planned.Any fallout regarding your criticisms?"I'm surprised that he is surprised because there was a lot of us who were telling him that it was going to be thus," said Zinni, a Marine for 39 years and the former commander of the U.S. Central Command. "Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they not?" ... For years Zinni said he cautioned U.S. officials that an Iraq without Saddam Hussein would likely be more dangerous to U.S. interests than one with him because of the ethnic and religious clashes that would be unleashed.
"I think that some heads should roll over Iraq," Zinni said. "I think the president got some bad advice."
"I've been called a traitor and a turncoat for mentioning these things," said Zinni, 60.Zinni says the US must go to the UN for help.
Posted by Eric at 07:52 AM | Comments (25)
Zinni: "Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they not?"
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni has some thoughts about Rummy and the situation in Iraq. Where are the flowers and roses? SD Union-Trib
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni wondered aloud yesterday how Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld could be caught off guard by the chaos in Iraq that has killed nearly 100 Americans in recent weeks and led to his announcement that 20,000 U.S. troops would be staying there instead of returning home as planned.Any fallout regarding your criticisms?"I'm surprised that he is surprised because there was a lot of us who were telling him that it was going to be thus," said Zinni, a Marine for 39 years and the former commander of the U.S. Central Command. "Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they not?" ... For years Zinni said he cautioned U.S. officials that an Iraq without Saddam Hussein would likely be more dangerous to U.S. interests than one with him because of the ethnic and religious clashes that would be unleashed.
"I think that some heads should roll over Iraq," Zinni said. "I think the president got some bad advice."
"I've been called a traitor and a turncoat for mentioning these things," said Zinni, 60.Zinni says the US must go to the UN for help.
Posted by Eric at 07:52 AM | Comments (6)
Ebert: "I find it strange that so many Americans describe themselves as patriotic when their values are anti-democratic and totalitarian"
On Rush and Stern, the film critic wisely picks Stern. But no problem with Rush, either:
You don't have to listen to Stern. Exercising the same freedom, I am Limbaugh-free. And please don't tell me that Stern must be fined and driven off the radio because he uses the ''public airwaves.'' If they are public, then his listeners are the public, and we want to listen to him on our airwaves. The public airwaves cannot be held hostage to a small segment that wants to decide what the rest of us can hear -- especially now that President Bush supports consolidating more and more media outlets into a few rich hands.But what if a child should tune in? Call me old-fashioned, but I believe it is the responsibility of parents to control their children's media input. The entire nation cannot be held hostage so that everything on the radio is suitable for 9-year-olds. Nor do I know of any children who want to listen to Stern, anyway; they prefer music.
It is a belief of mine about the movies, that what makes them good or bad isn't what they're about, but how they're about them. The point is not the subject but the form and purpose of its expression. A listener to Stern will find that he expresses humanistic values, that he opposes hypocrisy, that he talks honestly about what a great many Americans do indeed think and say and do. A Limbaugh listener, on the other hand, might not have guessed from campaigns to throw the book at drug addicts that he was addicted to drugs and required an employee to buy them on the street.
But listen carefully. I support Limbaugh's right to be on the radio. I feel it is fully equal to Stern's. I find it strange that so many Americans describe themselves as patriotic when their values are anti-democratic and totalitarian. We are all familiar with Voltaire's great cry: ''I may disagree with what you say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it.'' Ideas like his helped form the emerging American republic. Today, the Federal Communications Commission operates under an alternative slogan: ''Since a minority that is very important to this administration disagrees with what you say, shut up.''
Posted by Eric at 07:42 AM | Comments (62)
Ebert: "I find it strange that so many Americans describe themselves as patriotic when their values are anti-democratic and totalitarian"
On Rush and Stern, the film critic wisely picks Stern. But no problem with Rush, either:
You don't have to listen to Stern. Exercising the same freedom, I am Limbaugh-free. And please don't tell me that Stern must be fined and driven off the radio because he uses the ''public airwaves.'' If they are public, then his listeners are the public, and we want to listen to him on our airwaves. The public airwaves cannot be held hostage to a small segment that wants to decide what the rest of us can hear -- especially now that President Bush supports consolidating more and more media outlets into a few rich hands.But what if a child should tune in? Call me old-fashioned, but I believe it is the responsibility of parents to control their children's media input. The entire nation cannot be held hostage so that everything on the radio is suitable for 9-year-olds. Nor do I know of any children who want to listen to Stern, anyway; they prefer music.
It is a belief of mine about the movies, that what makes them good or bad isn't what they're about, but how they're about them. The point is not the subject but the form and purpose of its expression. A listener to Stern will find that he expresses humanistic values, that he opposes hypocrisy, that he talks honestly about what a great many Americans do indeed think and say and do. A Limbaugh listener, on the other hand, might not have guessed from campaigns to throw the book at drug addicts that he was addicted to drugs and required an employee to buy them on the street.
But listen carefully. I support Limbaugh's right to be on the radio. I feel it is fully equal to Stern's. I find it strange that so many Americans describe themselves as patriotic when their values are anti-democratic and totalitarian. We are all familiar with Voltaire's great cry: ''I may disagree with what you say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it.'' Ideas like his helped form the emerging American republic. Today, the Federal Communications Commission operates under an alternative slogan: ''Since a minority that is very important to this administration disagrees with what you say, shut up.''
Posted by Eric at 07:42 AM | Comments (12)
April 15, 2004
Thursday ...
AP. Iraqi Militants Execute Italian Hostage
CSM. Blogs: Here to stay - with changes
NYT. Cheney Urges China to Press North Korea on A-Bombs
NYT. Kerry Urges Bush to Share Responsibility With U.N. in Iraq
NYT. U.S. Jobless Claims Climb to 360,000
NYT. RealNetworks Seeks a Musical Alliance With Apple
NYT. Sept. 11 Panel Cites C.I.A. for Failures in Terror Case
WSTM. Some NY Vets Questioning Pre-9/11 Knowledge, Fighting In Iraq
WebMD. Americans Say Kerry Leads on Health
WP. House Member Seeks Gorelick's Resignation
WP. A Wrong Turn, Chaos and a Rescue: Marines Battle for Hours to Save Crew of Personnel Carrier Set Afire in Grenade Attack
WP. Bush Backs Israel on West Bank: In Policy Shift, President Says Some Disputed Settlements Should Remain
LAT. Hearings Open on Spending by Advocate Groups
LAT. Kerry Firing Away at Bush's Reputation as Straight Shooter
LAT. Kerry Places Stability in Iraq Above a Democracy
AP. Poll: Kerry has hefty double-digit lead in New York
AP. Poll: Most New Yorkers oppose gay marriage, back helping poor schools
BGlobe. Shifting sands stymie Bush, Kerry campaigns
BGlobe. On the road, Kerry is still close to home
AP. Bush backers concerned by Iraq 'mess'
Test. Kerry sees wider coalition on Iraq
Commentary
Sidney Blumenthal. Bush faces a revolt -- from the U.S. military: The president may see his mission to Iraq as a holy war, but frustrated Pentagon strategists say they're being ignored and ill-treated by the administration
P.W. Singer. Warriors for hire in Iraq: More than 15,000 employees of private military contractors, from giant Halliburton to tiny commando firms, are working, fighting and dying alongside U.S. soldiers. But who calls the shots in an outsourced war?
Micah L. Sifry. Standing Firm: On why Americans agree Iraq is a mess yet continue to support the war.
Bill McKibben. One Nation, Underperforming: There is so much more we can do environmentally, socially, fiscally. Why aren't we doing it?
Richard Cohen. America's Ayatollah
Mark Martell. Protect wetlands from off-highway vehicles
Ruth Rosen. Summer of 2004
Dick Ryan. Church should leave Kerry alone
James P. Pinkerton. Bush finds UN relevant, after all
Sheryl McCarthy. No apology can excuse the true cost of this war
Ellen Goodman. Putting Kerry on the 'wafer watch'
BGlobe. Bush's blinders
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (15)
Thursday ...
AP. Iraqi Militants Execute Italian Hostage
CSM. Blogs: Here to stay - with changes
NYT. Cheney Urges China to Press North Korea on A-Bombs
NYT. Kerry Urges Bush to Share Responsibility With U.N. in Iraq
NYT. U.S. Jobless Claims Climb to 360,000
NYT. RealNetworks Seeks a Musical Alliance With Apple
NYT. Sept. 11 Panel Cites C.I.A. for Failures in Terror Case
WSTM. Some NY Vets Questioning Pre-9/11 Knowledge, Fighting In Iraq
WebMD. Americans Say Kerry Leads on Health
WP. House Member Seeks Gorelick's Resignation
WP. A Wrong Turn, Chaos and a Rescue: Marines Battle for Hours to Save Crew of Personnel Carrier Set Afire in Grenade Attack
WP. Bush Backs Israel on West Bank: In Policy Shift, President Says Some Disputed Settlements Should Remain
LAT. Hearings Open on Spending by Advocate Groups
LAT. Kerry Firing Away at Bush's Reputation as Straight Shooter
LAT. Kerry Places Stability in Iraq Above a Democracy
AP. Poll: Kerry has hefty double-digit lead in New York
AP. Poll: Most New Yorkers oppose gay marriage, back helping poor schools
BGlobe. Shifting sands stymie Bush, Kerry campaigns
BGlobe. On the road, Kerry is still close to home
AP. Bush backers concerned by Iraq 'mess'
Test. Kerry sees wider coalition on Iraq
Commentary
Sidney Blumenthal. Bush faces a revolt -- from the U.S. military: The president may see his mission to Iraq as a holy war, but frustrated Pentagon strategists say they're being ignored and ill-treated by the administration
P.W. Singer. Warriors for hire in Iraq: More than 15,000 employees of private military contractors, from giant Halliburton to tiny commando firms, are working, fighting and dying alongside U.S. soldiers. But who calls the shots in an outsourced war?
Micah L. Sifry. Standing Firm: On why Americans agree Iraq is a mess yet continue to support the war.
Bill McKibben. One Nation, Underperforming: There is so much more we can do environmentally, socially, fiscally. Why aren't we doing it?
Richard Cohen. America's Ayatollah
Mark Martell. Protect wetlands from off-highway vehicles
Ruth Rosen. Summer of 2004
Dick Ryan. Church should leave Kerry alone
James P. Pinkerton. Bush finds UN relevant, after all
Sheryl McCarthy. No apology can excuse the true cost of this war
Ellen Goodman. Putting Kerry on the 'wafer watch'
BGlobe. Bush's blinders
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (4)
Romney Goes In for the Same-Sex Marriage Kill
To ask lawmakers "to let him bypass the state attorney general and ask the state supreme court to stay its decision legalizing same-sex marriage." CNN:
Romney, a Republican, asked Attorney General Thomas Reilly last month to request a stay of the court's ruling, which is set to take effect on May 17. But Reilly, a Democrat who argued the state's same-sex marriage case, said the governor's request contained no new legal basis for an appeal."I feel very deeply that the people's voice should be heard -- that a matter such as the definition of marriage is fundamental in our society, and that the citizens should have a right to be heard," Romney said.
But a lawyer for Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders -- the group that represented plaintiffs in the Massachusetts case -- called Romney's move "a last-ditch and hopeless effort."
"In refusing to go to court for a stay, the attorney general acknowledged reality: The case is over," GLAD attorney Mary Bonauto said in a written statement.
Posted by Eric at 10:02 PM | Comments (44)
Romney Goes In for the Same-Sex Marriage Kill
To ask lawmakers "to let him bypass the state attorney general and ask the state supreme court to stay its decision legalizing same-sex marriage." CNN:
Romney, a Republican, asked Attorney General Thomas Reilly last month to request a stay of the court's ruling, which is set to take effect on May 17. But Reilly, a Democrat who argued the state's same-sex marriage case, said the governor's request contained no new legal basis for an appeal."I feel very deeply that the people's voice should be heard -- that a matter such as the definition of marriage is fundamental in our society, and that the citizens should have a right to be heard," Romney said.
But a lawyer for Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders -- the group that represented plaintiffs in the Massachusetts case -- called Romney's move "a last-ditch and hopeless effort."
"In refusing to go to court for a stay, the attorney general acknowledged reality: The case is over," GLAD attorney Mary Bonauto said in a written statement.
Posted by Eric at 10:02 PM | Comments (9)
Kerry to Rumsfeld: "Troops are not chess pieces"
Rumsfeld said this in a press conference:
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can I ask you about your opening statement? You said that the challenge in Fallujah is being contained and that the situation in the South is largely stabilized. and I wonder if that is the case, why, then is it necessary to keep extra troops in Iraq for 90 days?So Kerry responds with this statement:RUMSFELD: Well, it is -- the reason it is contained is because we have the extra troops there. That is self-evident. Come on, people are fungible. You can have them here or there.
We have announced the judgment, it is clear, you understand it, everyone in the room understands that we needed additional -- The commander decided he'd like to retain in country an additional plus or minus 20,000 people and that is what we are doing.
''Secretary Rumsfeld's comment that 'people are fungible' is further indication of this Administration's continuing disregard for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in Iraq. Secretary Rumsfeld has it wrong. Troops are not chess pieces to be moved on a board, they are real people with families and loved ones who depend on them. From failing to provide our troops with adequate body and vehicle armor to breaking their commitment not to extend assignments beyond one year, this Administration has continually let them down. They deserve more than cold impersonal calculations when their tours are extended, they deserve compassion and understanding of the sacrifice they and their families are making for their country. Our troops are asked to serve in an action where the Administration can't even tell them what the plan is to move forward. They are key to our success in Iraq and deserve more from their leaders.''
Posted by Eric at 06:35 PM | Comments (30)
Kerry to Rumsfeld: "Troops are not chess pieces"
Rumsfeld said this in a press conference:
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can I ask you about your opening statement? You said that the challenge in Fallujah is being contained and that the situation in the South is largely stabilized. and I wonder if that is the case, why, then is it necessary to keep extra troops in Iraq for 90 days?So Kerry responds with this statement:RUMSFELD: Well, it is -- the reason it is contained is because we have the extra troops there. That is self-evident. Come on, people are fungible. You can have them here or there.
We have announced the judgment, it is clear, you understand it, everyone in the room understands that we needed additional -- The commander decided he'd like to retain in country an additional plus or minus 20,000 people and that is what we are doing.
''Secretary Rumsfeld's comment that 'people are fungible' is further indication of this Administration's continuing disregard for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in Iraq. Secretary Rumsfeld has it wrong. Troops are not chess pieces to be moved on a board, they are real people with families and loved ones who depend on them. From failing to provide our troops with adequate body and vehicle armor to breaking their commitment not to extend assignments beyond one year, this Administration has continually let them down. They deserve more than cold impersonal calculations when their tours are extended, they deserve compassion and understanding of the sacrifice they and their families are making for their country. Our troops are asked to serve in an action where the Administration can't even tell them what the plan is to move forward. They are key to our success in Iraq and deserve more from their leaders.''
Posted by Eric at 06:35 PM | Comments (8)
UAW Membership Lowest Since 1942
The UAW lost about 14,000 members in 2003, Detroit Free Press:
The United Auto Workers union continued its long, slow decline in membership in 2003, losing 14,000 more members and falling to its lowest level since 1942, according to UAW documents filed with the Department of Labor.UAW membership fell to 624,585 in 2003, down from 638,722 at the end of 2002. The drop came despite UAW successes in organizing thousands of workers at billion-dollar parts suppliers like Toledo-based Dana Corp. and Johnson Controls Inc. in Plymouth, not to mention some success in organizing graduate assistants on college campuses.
Despite the drop in membership, the UAW increased the amount of union dues it collected in 2003 to $214.3 million, up from $209 million in 2002.
The UAW peaked at 1.53 million members in 1969 and still had 1.5 million as of 1979 -- but as Detroit's automakers lose business, the union loses members.
Posted by Eric at 12:38 PM | Comments (25)
UAW Membership Lowest Since 1942
The UAW lost about 14,000 members in 2003, Detroit Free Press:
The United Auto Workers union continued its long, slow decline in membership in 2003, losing 14,000 more members and falling to its lowest level since 1942, according to UAW documents filed with the Department of Labor.UAW membership fell to 624,585 in 2003, down from 638,722 at the end of 2002. The drop came despite UAW successes in organizing thousands of workers at billion-dollar parts suppliers like Toledo-based Dana Corp. and Johnson Controls Inc. in Plymouth, not to mention some success in organizing graduate assistants on college campuses.
Despite the drop in membership, the UAW increased the amount of union dues it collected in 2003 to $214.3 million, up from $209 million in 2002.
The UAW peaked at 1.53 million members in 1969 and still had 1.5 million as of 1979 -- but as Detroit's automakers lose business, the union loses members.
Posted by Eric at 12:38 PM | Comments (5)
Condi vs. Reality
This is an interesting one from Progress Report:
"George Tenet met with the president every morning" before 9/11.
- National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, 3/28/04
VERSUS
CIA records show that despite increased threat warnings, Tenet briefed the president only twice in August - once in Crawford, Tex., on Aug. 17, and once in Washington, on Aug. 31. Tenet added that "I don't have a recollection of being called" by telephone by the White House to do any more briefings, either.
- WP, 4/14/04
Posted by Eric at 11:34 AM | Comments (20)
Condi vs. Reality
This is an interesting one from Progress Report:
"George Tenet met with the president every morning" before 9/11.
- National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, 3/28/04
VERSUS
CIA records show that despite increased threat warnings, Tenet briefed the president only twice in August - once in Crawford, Tex., on Aug. 17, and once in Washington, on Aug. 31. Tenet added that "I don't have a recollection of being called" by telephone by the White House to do any more briefings, either.
- WP, 4/14/04
Posted by Eric at 11:34 AM | Comments (4)
When People Review Things They Don't Listen To
Or at least, pay attention to. Granted, this is from a college newspaper, but the mistake is amusing none the less. Dylan Tanner in the Daily Vanguard of Portland State U (and I'll give them credit ... they have a good Div1AA football team):
I have bad news for Janeane Garofalo: Making Ralph Nader cry is easier than you think, and it's nothing to brag about. Back in the schoolyard, we used to taunt him with cries of "Nader, Nader, panty raider," and "Ralphy Nader, seatbelt hater," just to watch him scamper off, tears welling up in his beady little eyes. Sure it was childish and a little bit cruel, but what business does a seventy-year-old man have hanging around a schoolyard anyway?Of course, it wasn't Janeane Garofalo, whose voice sounds nothing like Randi Rhodes, the person who actually interviewed Ralph Nader. And, last time I checked, they ... uh ... sort of don't keep the name of the host a secret. So what was Dylan Tanner listening to? As if I need proof, Alternet:Garofalo's turn at taunting Nader came during the premier of her new radio show, "The Majority Report" last week. She lambasted poor Ralph over the phone for his supposed role in Al Gore's presidential loss in 2000 and John Kerry's upcoming presidential loss this November. Nader defended himself the best he could, but ended up slamming down the receiver with a sob. A pretty ugly performance for all involved, but a telling opener for the new liberal radio network, Air America, home of Garofalo's show.
Rhodes is far from the modulated-voice non-profit NPR-style radio host. When presidential contender Ralph Nader called in the first day, she screamed repeatedly, "We can't afford you this year, Ralph." When he accused her of being a lousy interviewer, she countered that she wasn't doing an interview, she was telling him what to do. Mr. Nader hung up on her. Now that's the stuff of talk radio.Criticism is great. I love criticism, and AAR needs all the feedback it can get because it's a new network and certainly has some problems. But you have to actually listen to the network (or be cognizant of what you're listening to) before you go off and publish a rant.
Posted by Eric at 11:30 AM | Comments (54)
When People Review Things They Don't Listen To
Or at least, pay attention to. Granted, this is from a college newspaper, but the mistake is amusing none the less. Dylan Tanner in the Daily Vanguard of Portland State U (and I'll give them credit ... they have a good Div1AA football team):
I have bad news for Janeane Garofalo: Making Ralph Nader cry is easier than you think, and it's nothing to brag about. Back in the schoolyard, we used to taunt him with cries of "Nader, Nader, panty raider," and "Ralphy Nader, seatbelt hater," just to watch him scamper off, tears welling up in his beady little eyes. Sure it was childish and a little bit cruel, but what business does a seventy-year-old man have hanging around a schoolyard anyway?Of course, it wasn't Janeane Garofalo, whose voice sounds nothing like Randi Rhodes, the person who actually interviewed Ralph Nader. And, last time I checked, they ... uh ... sort of don't keep the name of the host a secret. So what was Dylan Tanner listening to? As if I need proof, Alternet:Garofalo's turn at taunting Nader came during the premier of her new radio show, "The Majority Report" last week. She lambasted poor Ralph over the phone for his supposed role in Al Gore's presidential loss in 2000 and John Kerry's upcoming presidential loss this November. Nader defended himself the best he could, but ended up slamming down the receiver with a sob. A pretty ugly performance for all involved, but a telling opener for the new liberal radio network, Air America, home of Garofalo's show.
Rhodes is far from the modulated-voice non-profit NPR-style radio host. When presidential contender Ralph Nader called in the first day, she screamed repeatedly, "We can't afford you this year, Ralph." When he accused her of being a lousy interviewer, she countered that she wasn't doing an interview, she was telling him what to do. Mr. Nader hung up on her. Now that's the stuff of talk radio.Criticism is great. I love criticism, and AAR needs all the feedback it can get because it's a new network and certainly has some problems. But you have to actually listen to the network (or be cognizant of what you're listening to) before you go off and publish a rant.
Posted by Eric at 11:30 AM | Comments (7)
Top Ten Bush Flip-Flips
If we're going to keep talking about flip-flops ... From the DNC research, the flip flops:
1. Bush Flip-Flops on Independent 9/11 Commission
Bush Flip: Initially Opposed to Independent 9/11 Commission
Bush opposed an independent inquiry into 9/11, arguing it would duplicate a probe conducted by Congress. In July 2002, his administration issued a "statement of policy" that read "...the Administration would oppose an amendment that would create a new commission to conduct a similar review [to Congress's investigation]." [Statement of Administration Policy, Executive Office of the President, 7/24/02; LA Times, 11/28/02]Bush Flop: Bush Relented and Appointed Independent Commission
President Bush finally agreed to support an independent investigation into the 9/11 attacks after "the congressional committees unearthed more and more examples of intelligence lapses, the administration reversed its stance." [Los Angeles Times, 11/28/02] ...5. Bush Flip-Flops on Department Of Homeland Security
Bush Flip: Bush Thought Homeland Security Cabinet Position Was "Just Not Necessary"
In October 2001, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush opposed creating Office of Homeland Security position for Ridge. "[T]he president has suggested to members of Congress that they do not need to make this a statutory post, that he [Ridge] does not need Cabinet rank, for example, there does not need to be a Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security is because there is such overlap among the various agencies, because every agency of the government has security concerns," Fleischer said. [White House Press Briefing, 10/24/01]Bush Flop: Bush Decides to Support Homeland Security
The New York Times reported, "Bush initially resisted Democratic proposals for a Cabinet-level agency. But once he endorsed it, the president pushed Congress for fast action as it debated such issues as whistle-blower protections, concerns over civil liberties and collective bargaining for department employees."In remarks to Homeland Security Department employees, Bush claimed credit for supporting the Department: "In just 12 months, under the leadership of your President...you faced the challenges standing up this new Department and you get a -- and a gold star for a job well done." [New York Times, 2/28/03; Bush Remarks at One-Year Anniversary of DHS, 3/2/04]
Posted by Eric at 11:13 AM | Comments (220)
Top Ten Bush Flip-Flips
If we're going to keep talking about flip-flops ... From the DNC research, the flip flops:
1. Bush Flip-Flops on Independent 9/11 Commission
Bush Flip: Initially Opposed to Independent 9/11 Commission
Bush opposed an independent inquiry into 9/11, arguing it would duplicate a probe conducted by Congress. In July 2002, his administration issued a "statement of policy" that read "...the Administration would oppose an amendment that would create a new commission to conduct a similar review [to Congress's investigation]." [Statement of Administration Policy, Executive Office of the President, 7/24/02; LA Times, 11/28/02]Bush Flop: Bush Relented and Appointed Independent Commission
President Bush finally agreed to support an independent investigation into the 9/11 attacks after "the congressional committees unearthed more and more examples of intelligence lapses, the administration reversed its stance." [Los Angeles Times, 11/28/02] ...5. Bush Flip-Flops on Department Of Homeland Security
Bush Flip: Bush Thought Homeland Security Cabinet Position Was "Just Not Necessary"
In October 2001, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush opposed creating Office of Homeland Security position for Ridge. "[T]he president has suggested to members of Congress that they do not need to make this a statutory post, that he [Ridge] does not need Cabinet rank, for example, there does not need to be a Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security is because there is such overlap among the various agencies, because every agency of the government has security concerns," Fleischer said. [White House Press Briefing, 10/24/01]Bush Flop: Bush Decides to Support Homeland Security
The New York Times reported, "Bush initially resisted Democratic proposals for a Cabinet-level agency. But once he endorsed it, the president pushed Congress for fast action as it debated such issues as whistle-blower protections, concerns over civil liberties and collective bargaining for department employees."In remarks to Homeland Security Department employees, Bush claimed credit for supporting the Department: "In just 12 months, under the leadership of your President...you faced the challenges standing up this new Department and you get a -- and a gold star for a job well done." [New York Times, 2/28/03; Bush Remarks at One-Year Anniversary of DHS, 3/2/04]
Posted by Eric at 11:13 AM | Comments (12)
Roberts contradicts Frist on Clarke
A little GOP on GOP action, from The Hill:
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, says former Bush counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke’s testimony before a joint congressional panel on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks did not contradict his later testimony before a presidentially appointed commission.Nice, but a little too late, though.Roberts’s comments to The Hill contradict a stinging condemnation of Clarke by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) on the Senate floor after Clarke accused President Bush of failing to take Osama bin Laden seriously before Sept. 11.
Roberts said Frist did not consult him before making his floor speech, which has been criticized by Democrats. Roberts’s words make perjury charges against Clarke highly unlikely.
Posted by Eric at 09:45 AM | Comments (78)
Roberts contradicts Frist on Clarke
A little GOP on GOP action, from The Hill:
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, says former Bush counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke’s testimony before a joint congressional panel on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks did not contradict his later testimony before a presidentially appointed commission.Nice, but a little too late, though.Roberts’s comments to The Hill contradict a stinging condemnation of Clarke by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) on the Senate floor after Clarke accused President Bush of failing to take Osama bin Laden seriously before Sept. 11.
Roberts said Frist did not consult him before making his floor speech, which has been criticized by Democrats. Roberts’s words make perjury charges against Clarke highly unlikely.
Posted by Eric at 09:45 AM | Comments (4)
Hamster Numbers: community water systems
In June 2003, the EPA released a "Draft Report on the Environment," which stated, "94% of the population served by community water systems were served by systems that met all health-based standards." Internal agency documents, however, show that EPA audits for at least five years have suggested that the percentage of the population with safe drinking water is much lower - 79 to 84% in 2002 - which means that an additional 30 million Americans are at potential risk. The EPA Inspector General is currently investigating whether the agency deliberately misled the public by overstating the purity of the nation's drinking water. -Environment 2004.
Posted by Eric at 09:43 AM | Comments (21)
Hamster Numbers: community water systems
In June 2003, the EPA released a "Draft Report on the Environment," which stated, "94% of the population served by community water systems were served by systems that met all health-based standards." Internal agency documents, however, show that EPA audits for at least five years have suggested that the percentage of the population with safe drinking water is much lower - 79 to 84% in 2002 - which means that an additional 30 million Americans are at potential risk. The EPA Inspector General is currently investigating whether the agency deliberately misled the public by overstating the purity of the nation's drinking water. -Environment 2004.
Posted by Eric at 09:43 AM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2004
Wednesday!
AP. Tenet: 5 Years of Work Needed for Intelligence Agencies
AP. Sisters undecided on staying in Iraq
Salt Lake Tribune. Colorado River is ranked most endangered by group
ChicSunTimes. 'I'm 19. I'm not supposed to be a widow'
AP. McCain's wife suffers stroke
Reuters. US to update its detention policy
SacBee. Fund-raising penalties for Bustamante
BaltSun. Living-wage bill: 'disastrous' or 'great benefit'?
AP. MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE: Senate bill boosts minimum-wage to $6.65
LAT. Panel Deluged on Advocacy Groups' Election Ads
LAT. Bush Camp Scales Back Advertising
AP. Poll: New Yorkers favoring Giuliani for governor in 2006
BGlobe. Kerry visit to Boston nets $4m: Candidate the star at record fund-raiser
Boston Globe. Kerry faces questions over Purple Heart
AP. Fighting strains truce in Fallujah
LAT. Kerry in Verbal Attack Mode on Iraq
AP. Bush approval expected for Gaza pullback by Israel
NYT. Kerry Recruits Votes for Today and Politicians for Tomorrow
WP. Bush Is Resolute on Iraq Policy But Acknowledges 'Tough' Weeks
WP. Ashcroft's Efforts on Terrorism Criticized
WP. President Benefits From His Tax Cut: Bushes' Payment Drops 15 Percent On 2003 Return; Kerry's Taxes Triple
NYT. U.S. Workers, Lured by Money and Idealism, Face Iraqi Reality
Transcript. 9/11 Commission Hearing
Reuters. Ashcroft said to limit U.S. counterterror funds
Reuters. Four Bodies Found in Iraq, May Be U.S. Civilians
USAT. It's official: Coors vs. Schaffer in GOP Senate primary
Guardian. Sadr undaunted by massed US troops
Guardian. French and German citizens advised to leave Iraq
AP. Dell Employs More Overseas Than in U.S.
BBC. Canada seal hunt draws protests
AP. Poll: Balanced Budget Beats Tax Cuts
Commentary
Dan Carpenter. Paying the price again
DeWayne Wickham. U.S. sets poor example when it comes to death penalty
Eugene A. Brodsky. Bush the elder knew not to invade Iraq
SFC. The no-regrets president
John Nichols. Rice's electoral future vanishes in the fog
Robert Kuttner. Three perils for Kerry's 'honeymoon'
Derrick Z. Jackson. Bush's plea of ignorance
Tom Hayden. California's Prison System Needs Rehabilitation
AJC. Loopholes let companies steer clear of tax bullet . . .
Tim Grieve. Not ready for prime time President: Bush went on TV Tuesday to reassure voters about the war in Iraq. Instead, he came off as a schoolboy who hadn't done his homework
Harold Meyerson. Kerry Was Right
Dan Savage. First they came for Howard: Why isn't everyone who cares about free speech rallying around the embattled radio personality?
Eric Boehlert. Howard Stern unplugged: With the government escalating its war on radio free speech, the shock jock's days are numbered
Fred Kaplan. Ashcroft Gets a Free Pass
misleader.org. Ashcroft's Record of Lying to Congress About 9/11
Renee Graham. Limbaugh's attack of Kerry is a bad rap
James P. Pinkerton. Their ‘battle stations’ were no defense
Matthew Rothschild. Change the Channel?
Howard Zinn. The Ultimate Betrayal
Amanda Griscom. Keep on Truckin': Taxpayers could get stuck with tab for new diesel rules
Matthew Yglesias. Failure Redefined: They keep on lowering the bar for success in Iraq -- and Bush keeps on not meeting it.
Anne-Marie Cusac. An Army of Debt
Dan Payne. How Kerry wins: John Kerry's former media advisor recalls how the Democrat has already faced every smear the Bush campaign will try against him -- and has prevailed
Fred Branfman. A soldier for peace: The John Kerry I knew during the Vietnam War was far from the radical portrayed by the Bush campaign. He was a courageous truth-teller -- and, caught in a new inferno, the country could use him again
Jesse Jackson. 9/11 excuses won't work on Iraq
Wagner James Au. John Kerry: The video game: In "Battlefield Vietnam," a new version of one of the most popular games in the U.S., you too can try to win a Silver Star saving your buddies in the jungle.
Craig Unger. Unasked Questions: Who helped evacuate Saudi nationals in the days following the 9/11 attacks?
David Corn. Abusing Secrets: The no-right-to-know White House
The Project on Government Oversight. Flying Blind: Why did the Joint Chiefs reject the idea that planes could be used as missiles?
Katrina vanden Heuvel. Keystone Kounter-Terror: The 9/11 testimony is a stark illustration of the Bush team's incompetence
Jon Schell. The Phantom Sovereign: US policy on Iraq has taken leave of reality
Geov Parrish. Iraq falls apart: Failure of democracy at the point of a gun being illustrated ever more spectacularly in Middle East
Jim Hightower. The BS of Bush's mad cow policies
Dahr Jamail. Sarajevo on the Euphrates: An Eyewitness Account From Inside the US siege of Falluja
Posted by Eric at 11:50 PM | Comments (17)
Wednesday!
AP. Tenet: 5 Years of Work Needed for Intelligence Agencies
AP. Sisters undecided on staying in Iraq
Salt Lake Tribune. Colorado River is ranked most endangered by group
ChicSunTimes. 'I'm 19. I'm not supposed to be a widow'
AP. McCain's wife suffers stroke
Reuters. US to update its detention policy
SacBee. Fund-raising penalties for Bustamante
BaltSun. Living-wage bill: 'disastrous' or 'great benefit'?
AP. MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE: Senate bill boosts minimum-wage to $6.65
LAT. Panel Deluged on Advocacy Groups' Election Ads
LAT. Bush Camp Scales Back Advertising
AP. Poll: New Yorkers favoring Giuliani for governor in 2006
BGlobe. Kerry visit to Boston nets $4m: Candidate the star at record fund-raiser
Boston Globe. Kerry faces questions over Purple Heart
AP. Fighting strains truce in Fallujah
LAT. Kerry in Verbal Attack Mode on Iraq
AP. Bush approval expected for Gaza pullback by Israel
NYT. Kerry Recruits Votes for Today and Politicians for Tomorrow
WP. Bush Is Resolute on Iraq Policy But Acknowledges 'Tough' Weeks
WP. Ashcroft's Efforts on Terrorism Criticized
WP. President Benefits From His Tax Cut: Bushes' Payment Drops 15 Percent On 2003 Return; Kerry's Taxes Triple
NYT. U.S. Workers, Lured by Money and Idealism, Face Iraqi Reality
Transcript. 9/11 Commission Hearing
Reuters. Ashcroft said to limit U.S. counterterror funds
Reuters. Four Bodies Found in Iraq, May Be U.S. Civilians
USAT. It's official: Coors vs. Schaffer in GOP Senate primary
Guardian. Sadr undaunted by massed US troops
Guardian. French and German citizens advised to leave Iraq
AP. Dell Employs More Overseas Than in U.S.
BBC. Canada seal hunt draws protests
AP. Poll: Balanced Budget Beats Tax Cuts
Commentary
Dan Carpenter. Paying the price again
DeWayne Wickham. U.S. sets poor example when it comes to death penalty
Eugene A. Brodsky. Bush the elder knew not to invade Iraq
SFC. The no-regrets president
John Nichols. Rice's electoral future vanishes in the fog
Robert Kuttner. Three perils for Kerry's 'honeymoon'
Derrick Z. Jackson. Bush's plea of ignorance
Tom Hayden. California's Prison System Needs Rehabilitation
AJC. Loopholes let companies steer clear of tax bullet . . .
Tim Grieve. Not ready for prime time President: Bush went on TV Tuesday to reassure voters about the war in Iraq. Instead, he came off as a schoolboy who hadn't done his homework
Harold Meyerson. Kerry Was Right
Dan Savage. First they came for Howard: Why isn't everyone who cares about free speech rallying around the embattled radio personality?
Eric Boehlert. Howard Stern unplugged: With the government escalating its war on radio free speech, the shock jock's days are numbered
Fred Kaplan. Ashcroft Gets a Free Pass
misleader.org. Ashcroft's Record of Lying to Congress About 9/11
Renee Graham. Limbaugh's attack of Kerry is a bad rap
James P. Pinkerton. Their ‘battle stations’ were no defense
Matthew Rothschild. Change the Channel?
Howard Zinn. The Ultimate Betrayal
Amanda Griscom. Keep on Truckin': Taxpayers could get stuck with tab for new diesel rules
Matthew Yglesias. Failure Redefined: They keep on lowering the bar for success in Iraq -- and Bush keeps on not meeting it.
Anne-Marie Cusac. An Army of Debt
Dan Payne. How Kerry wins: John Kerry's former media advisor recalls how the Democrat has already faced every smear the Bush campaign will try against him -- and has prevailed
Fred Branfman. A soldier for peace: The John Kerry I knew during the Vietnam War was far from the radical portrayed by the Bush campaign. He was a courageous truth-teller -- and, caught in a new inferno, the country could use him again
Jesse Jackson. 9/11 excuses won't work on Iraq
Wagner James Au. John Kerry: The video game: In "Battlefield Vietnam," a new version of one of the most popular games in the U.S., you too can try to win a Silver Star saving your buddies in the jungle.
Craig Unger. Unasked Questions: Who helped evacuate Saudi nationals in the days following the 9/11 attacks?
David Corn. Abusing Secrets: The no-right-to-know White House
The Project on Government Oversight. Flying Blind: Why did the Joint Chiefs reject the idea that planes could be used as missiles?
Katrina vanden Heuvel. Keystone Kounter-Terror: The 9/11 testimony is a stark illustration of the Bush team's incompetence
Jon Schell. The Phantom Sovereign: US policy on Iraq has taken leave of reality
Geov Parrish. Iraq falls apart: Failure of democracy at the point of a gun being illustrated ever more spectacularly in Middle East
Jim Hightower. The BS of Bush's mad cow policies
Dahr Jamail. Sarajevo on the Euphrates: An Eyewitness Account From Inside the US siege of Falluja
Posted by Eric at 11:50 PM | Comments (2)
Hamster Numbers: AIDs in China
Chance that a resident of China has never heard of AIDS : 1 in 5 [Futures Group International (Washington) ]
Estimated number of doctors in China with experience in treating HIV/AIDS : 100 [amfAR (N.Y.C.) ]
Posted by Eric at 11:19 PM | Comments (19)
Hamster Numbers: AIDs in China
Chance that a resident of China has never heard of AIDS : 1 in 5 [Futures Group International (Washington) ]
Estimated number of doctors in China with experience in treating HIV/AIDS : 100 [amfAR (N.Y.C.) ]
Posted by Eric at 11:19 PM | Comments (3)
AAR Going Under?
It indeed would be a funny story if AAR was writing bad checks to everyone, while still adding stations across the country. Ah yes, what a bad business strategy that would be. Regardless, as compiled by Morons.org, this is what's happening:
Multicultural Radio's owner Arthur Liu claims (l/p:free_read/readfree) that one of Air America Radio's checks to him bounced and that the network owes him more than $1 million. Air America chairman Evan Cohen responded to the charge by saying, "That is an outright lie." Cohen has previously stated that Air America Radio has enough money to keep it running for at least two years before turning a profit. ( more) It seems unlikely Air America Radio would have brought on 6 more stations (as it did recently) if it were having money problems. Further, one would expect problems at other stations as well; both the stations that went off the air today are owned by the same individual.Air America has released this statement. Smoking Gun has the breach of contract lawsuit, which explains more of the AAR position and what the station manager is trying to do.Air America has filed a complaint in New York's supreme court charging Multicultural Radio with breach of contract and is seeking an injunction to bring Air America Radio back on the air in Chicago and LA.
Progress Media's chief operating officer recently told Randi Rhodes' audience the details behind the dispute:
There are two contracts with Arthur Liu, the stations' owner; one for the Chicago station (WNTD) and one for the LA station (KBLA). Progress Media learned that Liu had been charging two different entities- Progress Media and another party- for time on the LA station at the same time.
Progress Media objected to this, figuring that charging two different entities for time on the same station at the same time amounted to theft, and disputed some of their charges related to the LA station. They did send Liu his checks on time but instructed Liu not to cash those checks until the dispute had been settled, and began negotiating to settle the dispute. Meanwhile, they allowed Liu to cash the checks for the Chicago station, since their dispute was related to the LA station only.
In the middle of negotiations over the contract dispute in LA, Liu pulled the plug not only on the LA station but the Chicago station as well, in violation of the Chicago station contract.
Again, no checks have bounced. Liu has been asked not to cash checks for the LA station until disputes over charges for that station's service are settled.
Posted by Eric at 06:28 PM | Comments (19)
AAR Going Under?
It indeed would be a funny story if AAR was writing bad checks to everyone, while still adding stations across the country. Ah yes, what a bad business strategy that would be. Regardless, as compiled by Morons.org, this is what's happening:
Multicultural Radio's owner Arthur Liu claims (l/p:free_read/readfree) that one of Air America Radio's checks to him bounced and that the network owes him more than $1 million. Air America chairman Evan Cohen responded to the charge by saying, "That is an outright lie." Cohen has previously stated that Air America Radio has enough money to keep it running for at least two years before turning a profit. ( more) It seems unlikely Air America Radio would have brought on 6 more stations (as it did recently) if it were having money problems. Further, one would expect problems at other stations as well; both the stations that went off the air today are owned by the same individual.Air America has released this statement. Smoking Gun has the breach of contract lawsuit, which explains more of the AAR position and what the station manager is trying to do.Air America has filed a complaint in New York's supreme court charging Multicultural Radio with breach of contract and is seeking an injunction to bring Air America Radio back on the air in Chicago and LA.
Progress Media's chief operating officer recently told Randi Rhodes' audience the details behind the dispute:
There are two contracts with Arthur Liu, the stations' owner; one for the Chicago station (WNTD) and one for the LA station (KBLA). Progress Media learned that Liu had been charging two different entities- Progress Media and another party- for time on the LA station at the same time.
Progress Media objected to this, figuring that charging two different entities for time on the same station at the same time amounted to theft, and disputed some of their charges related to the LA station. They did send Liu his checks on time but instructed Liu not to cash those checks until the dispute had been settled, and began negotiating to settle the dispute. Meanwhile, they allowed Liu to cash the checks for the Chicago station, since their dispute was related to the LA station only.
In the middle of negotiations over the contract dispute in LA, Liu pulled the plug not only on the LA station but the Chicago station as well, in violation of the Chicago station contract.
Again, no checks have bounced. Liu has been asked not to cash checks for the LA station until disputes over charges for that station's service are settled.
Posted by Eric at 06:28 PM | Comments (5)
California Activist Dies in Kaua'i Surf
From the Honolulu Advertiser:
A grandfather saw his two grandkids, an 11-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl, in trouble Monday in the surf off Anahola and leaped into the rough water to help.The children made it to shore. But their grandfather did not.
Victor Schaub, 61, the former mayor of Arcata, Calif., had spent two years in the Islands in the early 1970s, some of it living in a communal environment on North Kaua'i called Taylor Camp—just 15 miles down the coast from where he would die 30 years later ... "Victor was an unabashed liberal," Hoover said. "He coined the term for our more belligerent conservatives —curmudgeons. The Wall Street Journal picked it up, and pretty soon there were bumper stickers, 'Proud to be a curmudgeon.' "
Schaub was mayor, a planning commission member and a council member, and also served on local and state Democratic Party central committees.
While he had distinct political leanings, Schaub was also a peacemaker with deep roots in his community. His law office doubled as a mediation service and he served as a magistrate for local Indian tribes, once taught history and political science, and was an active Rotarian, a former president of the Arcata Rotary.
Posted by Eric at 01:09 PM | Comments (41)
California Activist Dies in Kaua'i Surf
From the Honolulu Advertiser:
A grandfather saw his two grandkids, an 11-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl, in trouble Monday in the surf off Anahola and leaped into the rough water to help.The children made it to shore. But their grandfather did not.
Victor Schaub, 61, the former mayor of Arcata, Calif., had spent two years in the Islands in the early 1970s, some of it living in a communal environment on North Kaua'i called Taylor Camp—just 15 miles down the coast from where he would die 30 years later ... "Victor was an unabashed liberal," Hoover said. "He coined the term for our more belligerent conservatives —curmudgeons. The Wall Street Journal picked it up, and pretty soon there were bumper stickers, 'Proud to be a curmudgeon.' "
Schaub was mayor, a planning commission member and a council member, and also served on local and state Democratic Party central committees.
While he had distinct political leanings, Schaub was also a peacemaker with deep roots in his community. His law office doubled as a mediation service and he served as a magistrate for local Indian tribes, once taught history and political science, and was an active Rotarian, a former president of the Arcata Rotary.
Posted by Eric at 01:09 PM | Comments (5)
Billy Kristol
Tehehe. LA Times:
"I was depressed," said conservative strategist William Kristol, one of the war's most vocal proponents. "I am obviously a supporter of the war, so I don't need to be convinced. But among people who were doubtful or worried, I don't think he made arguments that would convince them. He didn't explain how we are going to win there."
Posted by Eric at 12:46 PM | Comments (22)
Billy Kristol
Tehehe. LA Times:
"I was depressed," said conservative strategist William Kristol, one of the war's most vocal proponents. "I am obviously a supporter of the war, so I don't need to be convinced. But among people who were doubtful or worried, I don't think he made arguments that would convince them. He didn't explain how we are going to win there."
Posted by Eric at 12:46 PM | Comments (7)
"The War President"
See this image from Michael Moore and American Leftist.
Posted by Eric at 11:32 AM | Comments (117)
"The War President"
See this image from Michael Moore and American Leftist.
Posted by Eric at 11:32 AM | Comments (10)
Shales: "little new" in Bush Press Conference
Indeed, as was plain to the viewer, the conference was further reaffirmation that Bush has trouble defending his own policy. From the WPost TV critic:
"When I say something, I mean it," George W. Bush said decisively near the end of last night's prime-time presidential news conference. Nobody called out, "When will you say something?" -- the White House press corps is too mannerly for that -- but some reporters, and some viewers, must have been thinking it ... Bush similarly struggled, a few minutes earlier, to cite the single biggest mistake of his presidency. He looked baffled and incredulous. "I'm sure something will pop into my head here," he said, noting the intense "pressure" of holding a news conference on TV. Of course people watching throughout the country expect a president to be able to handle that kind of pressure without blinking, based on the assumption that this is one of the milder forms of pressure that come with the office.The extreme-conservative John Derbyshire at The National Review remarks about Bush:Earlier still, Bush stopped in mid-answer and for a few seconds appeared to have lost his train of thought. Looking anxious, he fell back on phrases and thoughts he'd used earlier, saying he and the world changed after 9/11, which was a truism, and that in the 21st century, America is no longer protected by the oceans on either side. But that's been true since the invention of nuclear weapons and of missiles to deliver them from halfway around the world.
I guess these things need saying, but they slide off the consciousness like Muzak. Nothing sticks, nothing makes an interesting point. And nobody's mind gets changed.However, will the public still give Bush props? Shales thinks so:I'm on board with the Iraq war. I'll be voting for George W. Bush in November. The petty sniping at the War & at the administration's anti-terrorism efforts, the blood-for-oil insinuations, the infantile sloganeering -- "Bush lied," "Halliburton's war," and so on -- is disgraceful. I'm with this guy, I'm on his side. Still, there is just something about a Bush speech, or news conference, that fails to stir my blood. I'm sorry, but I think the President is desperately, hopelessly inarticulate.
And yet people responding to polls today will probably give Bush points for just showing up. By having so few televised news conferences, he's made the ones he does have into big events. By expressing tremendous confidence in his own judgment and actions, even to the point of not being able to recall a single mistake, it's likely Bush made Americans feel a renewed confidence as well.Unfortunately, one of the more astute analysts of Bush, Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, is in repeats.
Posted by Eric at 11:20 AM | Comments (18)
Shales: "little new" in Bush Press Conference
Indeed, as was plain to the viewer, the conference was further reaffirmation that Bush has trouble defending his own policy. From the WPost TV critic:
"When I say something, I mean it," George W. Bush said decisively near the end of last night's prime-time presidential news conference. Nobody called out, "When will you say something?" -- the White House press corps is too mannerly for that -- but some reporters, and some viewers, must have been thinking it ... Bush similarly struggled, a few minutes earlier, to cite the single biggest mistake of his presidency. He looked baffled and incredulous. "I'm sure something will pop into my head here," he said, noting the intense "pressure" of holding a news conference on TV. Of course people watching throughout the country expect a president to be able to handle that kind of pressure without blinking, based on the assumption that this is one of the milder forms of pressure that come with the office.The extreme-conservative John Derbyshire at The National Review remarks about Bush:Earlier still, Bush stopped in mid-answer and for a few seconds appeared to have lost his train of thought. Looking anxious, he fell back on phrases and thoughts he'd used earlier, saying he and the world changed after 9/11, which was a truism, and that in the 21st century, America is no longer protected by the oceans on either side. But that's been true since the invention of nuclear weapons and of missiles to deliver them from halfway around the world.
I guess these things need saying, but they slide off the consciousness like Muzak. Nothing sticks, nothing makes an interesting point. And nobody's mind gets changed.However, will the public still give Bush props? Shales thinks so:I'm on board with the Iraq war. I'll be voting for George W. Bush in November. The petty sniping at the War & at the administration's anti-terrorism efforts, the blood-for-oil insinuations, the infantile sloganeering -- "Bush lied," "Halliburton's war," and so on -- is disgraceful. I'm with this guy, I'm on his side. Still, there is just something about a Bush speech, or news conference, that fails to stir my blood. I'm sorry, but I think the President is desperately, hopelessly inarticulate.
And yet people responding to polls today will probably give Bush points for just showing up. By having so few televised news conferences, he's made the ones he does have into big events. By expressing tremendous confidence in his own judgment and actions, even to the point of not being able to recall a single mistake, it's likely Bush made Americans feel a renewed confidence as well.Unfortunately, one of the more astute analysts of Bush, Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, is in repeats.
Posted by Eric at 11:20 AM | Comments (3)
Priest Mixes Prayer and Politics
In the Colorado House, Rev. Bill Carmody is coming under fire for criticizing JFK and his politics:
Saying the official prayer at the start of House work, Carmody, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Security, said Kennedy's pledge to keep his own Catholic faith out of the president's office has led to a "vacuum of morality in public debate."Kennedy made the pledge in 1960, facing southern Protestant groups' fears that all Catholics had to answer to the pope. Kennedy said he believed in the separation of church and state and that he didn't speak for the church, or vice versa.
"Almighty God," Carmody prayed, "please change and convert the hearts of all representatives in this house. May they be the antithesis of John Kennedy. May they be women and men of God, and may their faith influence and guide every vote they make." ... "I thought I would just prick their consciences," Carmody said. "I didn't expect a firestorm."
Posted by Eric at 11:07 AM | Comments (22)
Priest Mixes Prayer and Politics
In the Colorado House, Rev. Bill Carmody is coming under fire for criticizing JFK and his politics:
Saying the official prayer at the start of House work, Carmody, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Security, said Kennedy's pledge to keep his own Catholic faith out of the president's office has led to a "vacuum of morality in public debate."Kennedy made the pledge in 1960, facing southern Protestant groups' fears that all Catholics had to answer to the pope. Kennedy said he believed in the separation of church and state and that he didn't speak for the church, or vice versa.
"Almighty God," Carmody prayed, "please change and convert the hearts of all representatives in this house. May they be the antithesis of John Kennedy. May they be women and men of God, and may their faith influence and guide every vote they make." ... "I thought I would just prick their consciences," Carmody said. "I didn't expect a firestorm."
Posted by Eric at 11:07 AM | Comments (5)
NY Post Editor: Attacking Bush is "borderline disloyal"
Yep, when the media does its job and attacks the sitting president, it's being unpatriotic. When shall the hangings begin? From the NY Observer:
Somebody sure is a propaganda sheet, said Post editor-in-chief, Col. Allan. The folks at the Daily News, he said, "are becoming more and more determined to attack the Bush administration. They are doing so with increasing shrillness."Mr. Allan said such partisanship reflects poorly on his competition. "Frankly, I think it’s borderline disloyal," he said.
Mr. Allan is no stranger to Ms. Rice. Having met with the national security advisor at an editorial-board meeting—and having heard her address News Corp.’s annual meeting at the Ritz Carlton in Cancun via satellite link earlier this year—Mr. Allan confessed an objective respect for her.
"I am an admirer of her skill and her intellect," he said. "And, frankly, her commitment to public service."
Posted by Eric at 09:13 AM | Comments (64)
NY Post Editor: Attacking Bush is "borderline disloyal"
Yep, when the media does its job and attacks the sitting president, it's being unpatriotic. When shall the hangings begin? From the NY Observer:
Somebody sure is a propaganda sheet, said Post editor-in-chief, Col. Allan. The folks at the Daily News, he said, "are becoming more and more determined to attack the Bush administration. They are doing so with increasing shrillness."Mr. Allan said such partisanship reflects poorly on his competition. "Frankly, I think it’s borderline disloyal," he said.
Mr. Allan is no stranger to Ms. Rice. Having met with the national security advisor at an editorial-board meeting—and having heard her address News Corp.’s annual meeting at the Ritz Carlton in Cancun via satellite link earlier this year—Mr. Allan confessed an objective respect for her.
"I am an admirer of her skill and her intellect," he said. "And, frankly, her commitment to public service."
Posted by Eric at 09:13 AM | Comments (10)
Press Conference Response
Links from Talk Left. David Sirota of CAP and O'Franken Factor is the man who never stops researching, as he posts responses to the Bush press conference:
CLAIM:Also, John Kerry has this response:"But there was nobody in our government, at least, and I don't think the prior government that could envision flying airplanes into buildings on such a massive scale."
- George W. Bush, 4/13/04FACT:
In the very same press conference, President Bush said "part of [the reason I requested the PDB] had to do with the Genoa G-8 conference I was going to attend" in 2001, where he was warned that Islamic terrorists were potentially plotting to fly airplanes into buildings.
CLAIM:
"The oil revenues, they're bigger than we thought they would be at this point in time."
- George W. Bush, 4/13/04FACT:
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said before the war that "we are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon" with Bush administration officials claiming "that Iraq's oil revenues would be $20 billion to $30 billion a year." Those oil revenues are now only "running at a rate of about $14 billion a year" while Americans taxpayers are shelling out billions for reconstruction.
– NY Times, 10/6/03CLAIM:
Iraq "refused to disarm."
- George W. Bush, 4/13/04FACT:
"The Bush administration's top weapons inspector in Iraq, David Kay said that his group found no evidence Iraq had stockpiled unconventional weapons before the U.S.-led invasion in March."
- CNN, 1/26/04
“The President may refuse to acknowledge a single mistake in the course of his presidency, but with deaths mounting and American sacrifice increasing, it’s time he offered a specific plan that secures real international involvement, gets the target off the backs of our troops, and starts to share the burden in Iraq.”
Posted by Eric at 12:05 AM | Comments (43)
Press Conference Response
Links from Talk Left. David Sirota of CAP and O'Franken Factor is the man who never stops researching, as he posts responses to the Bush press conference:
CLAIM:Also, John Kerry has this response:"But there was nobody in our government, at least, and I don't think the prior government that could envision flying airplanes into buildings on such a massive scale."
- George W. Bush, 4/13/04FACT:
In the very same press conference, President Bush said "part of [the reason I requested the PDB] had to do with the Genoa G-8 conference I was going to attend" in 2001, where he was warned that Islamic terrorists were potentially plotting to fly airplanes into buildings.
CLAIM:
"The oil revenues, they're bigger than we thought they would be at this point in time."
- George W. Bush, 4/13/04FACT:
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said before the war that "we are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon" with Bush administration officials claiming "that Iraq's oil revenues would be $20 billion to $30 billion a year." Those oil revenues are now only "running at a rate of about $14 billion a year" while Americans taxpayers are shelling out billions for reconstruction.
– NY Times, 10/6/03CLAIM:
Iraq "refused to disarm."
- George W. Bush, 4/13/04FACT:
"The Bush administration's top weapons inspector in Iraq, David Kay said that his group found no evidence Iraq had stockpiled unconventional weapons before the U.S.-led invasion in March."
- CNN, 1/26/04
“The President may refuse to acknowledge a single mistake in the course of his presidency, but with deaths mounting and American sacrifice increasing, it’s time he offered a specific plan that secures real international involvement, gets the target off the backs of our troops, and starts to share the burden in Iraq.”
Posted by Eric at 12:05 AM | Comments (11)
April 13, 2004
Tuesday
DenPost. Peter Coors nailing down a political platform
RockyMNews. A true Coors original:Brewer takes family legacy on new path into political arena
UnionLeader. Sen. Kerry kicks off tour at UNH
AP. Jeb Bush Rallies Hispanics for Brother
LAT. Gun Groups May Not Be Bush Campaign Weapon
NYT. Bush News Conference Set Amid Campaign Concerns
USAT. Scalia apologizes for seizure of reporters' tapes
Reuters. Aide to Shi'ite Cleric Sadr Held by U.S. in Baghdad
AP. GI Killed As Troops Deploy Outside Najaf
Newsday. Justice Dept. added terrorism to budget priorities after 9/11 attacks
Copley News. Independent campaign ads facing tighter FEC scrutiny
WP. Unable To Marry, Unable To Stay; Exposing the Plight Of Gay Binationals
WP. Kerry Cites 'Misjudgment' by Bush on Iraq: Democrat Says U.S. Is Paying the Price for Policy Mistakes by Administration
WP. Fallujah Gains Mythic Air; Siege Redefines Conflict for Iraqis in Capital
WP. Bush Weighs Overhaul of Intelligence Services: Aides Say He Will Await 9/11 Panel's Suggestions
WP. Ashcroft's Pre-9/11 Priorities Scrutinized
Newsweek. The Race Heats Up: In a new Newsweek poll, Kerry moves ahead of George Bush as Americans grown increasingly concerned about the war in Iraq
Newsweek. 'Get Your Praise On': At these new booze-free nightclubs, DJs spin and patrons shake in the name of Jesus Christ. No dirty dancing allowed
TIME. New Thugs On The Block: Called to arms by Muqtada al-Sadr, young Shi'ites are turning their anger against the U.S
AP. Scalia Apologizes for Recording Erasure
AP. Sen. Specter Defends Record
AP. Kerry: U.S. Must Lead Iraq Military Effort
AP. FBI, Justice Officials to Face 9/11 Panel
AP. Bush to Face Reporters in Prime Time
CBS. Iraqi Militants Target Civilians
Commentary
Robert Scheer. Drug War Led Bush Astray Before 9/11
E. J. Dionne Jr. Will Bush Own Up?
Molly Ivins. Iraq cover stories
Paul Krugman. Snares and Delusions
John F. Kerry. A Strategy for Iraq
Thomas Oliphant. Iraq exit plan gaining bipartisan support
Marie Cocco. Bush was out of White House loop
Richard Cohen. Blind in Baghdad
Edward Keane. Nation Building in Haiti: Can We Do Better This Time?
Rajeev Goyle. Shock Jock Gets Shocked: The FCC's Misplaced Priorities
Buzzflash. John Dean, former White House Counsel to Richard Nixon and Author of "Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush"
Frida Berrigan. Outside the Inside: Karen Kwiatkowski, a lifelong conservative and career military official, was knocking heads with what she called “the neoconservative coup, the hijacking of the Pentagon.”
Mary Lynn F. Jones. Just the Ticket: What Kerry needs is an experienced vice president. He should try looking on Capitol Hill
Kevin Phillips on NOW. Bill Moyers
Cynthia Tucker. Administration's house of cards is tumbling
Paul Waldman. How Much Would You Pay to Create One Job?
Donna Dees-Thomases. Looking for a few good moms: Excerpt: How one mother rallied a million others against the gun lobby
Reuters. DuPont to Cut 3,500 Jobs, Slash Costs
Bart Acocella. Zellhole: Senator Zell Miller would like people to think he's a principled centrist offering a tough-love critique of his party - but he's nothing more than another mindless Republican hack
David Corn. Bush’s Biggest Mistake: The pre-9/11 intelligence gaffe you haven’t heard enough about.
Posted by Eric at 11:26 PM | Comments (16)
Tuesday
DenPost. Peter Coors nailing down a political platform
RockyMNews. A true Coors original:Brewer takes family legacy on new path into political arena
UnionLeader. Sen. Kerry kicks off tour at UNH
AP. Jeb Bush Rallies Hispanics for Brother
LAT. Gun Groups May Not Be Bush Campaign Weapon
NYT. Bush News Conference Set Amid Campaign Concerns
USAT. Scalia apologizes for seizure of reporters' tapes
Reuters. Aide to Shi'ite Cleric Sadr Held by U.S. in Baghdad
AP. GI Killed As Troops Deploy Outside Najaf
Newsday. Justice Dept. added terrorism to budget priorities after 9/11 attacks
Copley News. Independent campaign ads facing tighter FEC scrutiny
WP. Unable To Marry, Unable To Stay; Exposing the Plight Of Gay Binationals
WP. Kerry Cites 'Misjudgment' by Bush on Iraq: Democrat Says U.S. Is Paying the Price for Policy Mistakes by Administration
WP. Fallujah Gains Mythic Air; Siege Redefines Conflict for Iraqis in Capital
WP. Bush Weighs Overhaul of Intelligence Services: Aides Say He Will Await 9/11 Panel's Suggestions
WP. Ashcroft's Pre-9/11 Priorities Scrutinized
Newsweek. The Race Heats Up: In a new Newsweek poll, Kerry moves ahead of George Bush as Americans grown increasingly concerned about the war in Iraq
Newsweek. 'Get Your Praise On': At these new booze-free nightclubs, DJs spin and patrons shake in the name of Jesus Christ. No dirty dancing allowed
TIME. New Thugs On The Block: Called to arms by Muqtada al-Sadr, young Shi'ites are turning their anger against the U.S
AP. Scalia Apologizes for Recording Erasure
AP. Sen. Specter Defends Record
AP. Kerry: U.S. Must Lead Iraq Military Effort
AP. FBI, Justice Officials to Face 9/11 Panel
AP. Bush to Face Reporters in Prime Time
CBS. Iraqi Militants Target Civilians
Commentary
Robert Scheer. Drug War Led Bush Astray Before 9/11
E. J. Dionne Jr. Will Bush Own Up?
Molly Ivins. Iraq cover stories
Paul Krugman. Snares and Delusions
John F. Kerry. A Strategy for Iraq
Thomas Oliphant. Iraq exit plan gaining bipartisan support
Marie Cocco. Bush was out of White House loop
Richard Cohen. Blind in Baghdad
Edward Keane. Nation Building in Haiti: Can We Do Better This Time?
Rajeev Goyle. Shock Jock Gets Shocked: The FCC's Misplaced Priorities
Buzzflash. John Dean, former White House Counsel to Richard Nixon and Author of "Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush"
Frida Berrigan. Outside the Inside: Karen Kwiatkowski, a lifelong conservative and career military official, was knocking heads with what she called “the neoconservative coup, the hijacking of the Pentagon.”
Mary Lynn F. Jones. Just the Ticket: What Kerry needs is an experienced vice president. He should try looking on Capitol Hill
Kevin Phillips on NOW. Bill Moyers
Cynthia Tucker. Administration's house of cards is tumbling
Paul Waldman. How Much Would You Pay to Create One Job?
Donna Dees-Thomases. Looking for a few good moms: Excerpt: How one mother rallied a million others against the gun lobby
Reuters. DuPont to Cut 3,500 Jobs, Slash Costs
Bart Acocella. Zellhole: Senator Zell Miller would like people to think he's a principled centrist offering a tough-love critique of his party - but he's nothing more than another mindless Republican hack
David Corn. Bush’s Biggest Mistake: The pre-9/11 intelligence gaffe you haven’t heard enough about.
Posted by Eric at 11:26 PM | Comments (4)
"After decades of bombings, Hawaiian island begins to heal"
Once used as target practice, the island of Kahoolawe, part of the Hawaiian Island chain, is trying to heal. AP:
For nearly five decades after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the land was ravaged by bombs from U.S. planes and warships. But after years of protests and lawsuits, President George H.W. Bush ordered a halt to the exercises in 1990.Protect Kaho`olawe `Ohana is a 3rd party group devoted to the island, while the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission is a government site from Hawaii.Today, Hawaii's wet winter is evident in the swaths of green across Kahoolawe's typically barren plains and hills. For Davianna McGregor, an ethnic studies professor at the University of Hawaii and a member of the grass-roots Protect Kahoolawe Ohana, it's a sign of hope.
"You feel like the island is finally at rest and can begin healing," she said ... Some 22,114 acres (8,845 hectares) of Kahoolawe's surface have been cleared of ordnance: about 84.5 percent, according to the Navy, which does not count 2,600 acres it deems completely inaccessible. Only 2,650 acres (1,060 hectares) — 9 or 10 percent, depending who's counting — has been cleared to four feet below ground, a level where native plants can possibly be grown as a first step in ending erosion.
Work remains to be done on the island, said Stanton Enomoto, the acting executive director of Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission.
"That's always going to be a reminder to us," he said. "There's still an obligation on the part of the United States that they have to finish the job."
Posted by Eric at 09:18 PM | Comments (29)
"After decades of bombings, Hawaiian island begins to heal"
Once used as target practice, the island of Kahoolawe, part of the Hawaiian Island chain, is trying to heal. AP:
For nearly five decades after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the land was ravaged by bombs from U.S. planes and warships. But after years of protests and lawsuits, President George H.W. Bush ordered a halt to the exercises in 1990.Protect Kaho`olawe `Ohana is a 3rd party group devoted to the island, while the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission is a government site from Hawaii.Today, Hawaii's wet winter is evident in the swaths of green across Kahoolawe's typically barren plains and hills. For Davianna McGregor, an ethnic studies professor at the University of Hawaii and a member of the grass-roots Protect Kahoolawe Ohana, it's a sign of hope.
"You feel like the island is finally at rest and can begin healing," she said ... Some 22,114 acres (8,845 hectares) of Kahoolawe's surface have been cleared of ordnance: about 84.5 percent, according to the Navy, which does not count 2,600 acres it deems completely inaccessible. Only 2,650 acres (1,060 hectares) — 9 or 10 percent, depending who's counting — has been cleared to four feet below ground, a level where native plants can possibly be grown as a first step in ending erosion.
Work remains to be done on the island, said Stanton Enomoto, the acting executive director of Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission.
"That's always going to be a reminder to us," he said. "There's still an obligation on the part of the United States that they have to finish the job."
Posted by Eric at 09:18 PM | Comments (6)
Lies and the Lying Liars
From the DNC:
9/14/03: Cheney: "And since I left Halliburton to become George Bush's vice president, I've severed all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interests. I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven't had now for over three years." [Vice President Dick Cheney, NBC's Meet the Press]Indeed.4/13/04: "In addition, the [Cheney's] tax return reports the payment of deferred compensation from Halliburton Company, in the amount of $178,437." [White House press release]
Posted by Eric at 06:49 PM | Comments (24)
Lies and the Lying Liars
From the DNC:
9/14/03: Cheney: "And since I left Halliburton to become George Bush's vice president, I've severed all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interests. I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven't had now for over three years." [Vice President Dick Cheney, NBC's Meet the Press]Indeed.4/13/04: "In addition, the [Cheney's] tax return reports the payment of deferred compensation from Halliburton Company, in the amount of $178,437." [White House press release]
Posted by Eric at 06:49 PM | Comments (15)
Hamster Numbers: Health Care
Almost 44 million Americans are uninsured. The uninsured in America represent people across the spectrum, including:
8.5 million American children. This represents 11.6 percent of American children.
One out of every five African-Americans. 7.4 million African-Americans are uninsured.
28.4 million people making under $50,000. This represents 21.2 percent of Americans making under $50,000.
2.2 million Asian-Americans. This represents 18 percent of Asian-Americans.
Almost one-third of all Hispanics. 12.8 million Hispanics are uninsured.
(“Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2002,” U.S. Census Bureau Report, Sept. 2003; “Census Finds Many More Lack Health Insurance,” Washington Post, September 30, 2003; “43 Million Lack Insurance,” Miami Herald, September 30, 2002.)
Posted by Eric at 02:25 PM | Comments (16)
Hamster Numbers: Health Care
Almost 44 million Americans are uninsured. The uninsured in America represent people across the spectrum, including:
8.5 million American children. This represents 11.6 percent of American children.
One out of every five African-Americans. 7.4 million African-Americans are uninsured.
28.4 million people making under $50,000. This represents 21.2 percent of Americans making under $50,000.
2.2 million Asian-Americans. This represents 18 percent of Asian-Americans.
Almost one-third of all Hispanics. 12.8 million Hispanics are uninsured.
(“Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2002,” U.S. Census Bureau Report, Sept. 2003; “Census Finds Many More Lack Health Insurance,” Washington Post, September 30, 2003; “43 Million Lack Insurance,” Miami Herald, September 30, 2002.)
Posted by Eric at 02:25 PM | Comments (6)
More Ashcroft Guides
This time from the American Progrss folks:
If Ashcroft Says, 'We Increased Funding for Counterterrorism,' Remember That:
- According to his final budget document submitted to the Office of Management and Budget on Sept. 10, 2001, the attorney general requested spending increases in 68 programs, none of which directly related to counterterrorism.
- In fact, Ashcroft proposed cuts in 14 programs, including trimming $65 million from grants to state and local governments to improve counterterrorism preparedness. He also did not endorse an FBI request for $58 million for new counterterrorism field agents, translators and intelligence analysts.
- An official memo from the attorney general on the budgetary goals of the DOJ dated May 10, 2001, does not include terrorism among its seven strategic goals, a major departure from then-Attorney General Janet Reno's last budget memo in April 2000 that listed counter-terrorism as its top priority. According to the New York Times, Reno's counterterrorism budget increased 13.6 percent in 1999, 7.1 percent in 2000, and 22.7 percent in 2001.
- Even after the Sept. 11 attacks, internal OMB documents reveal that the administration cut nearly $1 billion from the FBI request for additional counterterrorism funding.
Posted by Eric at 12:19 PM | Comments (19)
More Ashcroft Guides
This time from the American Progrss folks:
If Ashcroft Says, 'We Increased Funding for Counterterrorism,' Remember That:
- According to his final budget document submitted to the Office of Management and Budget on Sept. 10, 2001, the attorney general requested spending increases in 68 programs, none of which directly related to counterterrorism.
- In fact, Ashcroft proposed cuts in 14 programs, including trimming $65 million from grants to state and local governments to improve counterterrorism preparedness. He also did not endorse an FBI request for $58 million for new counterterrorism field agents, translators and intelligence analysts.
- An official memo from the attorney general on the budgetary goals of the DOJ dated May 10, 2001, does not include terrorism among its seven strategic goals, a major departure from then-Attorney General Janet Reno's last budget memo in April 2000 that listed counter-terrorism as its top priority. According to the New York Times, Reno's counterterrorism budget increased 13.6 percent in 1999, 7.1 percent in 2000, and 22.7 percent in 2001.
- Even after the Sept. 11 attacks, internal OMB documents reveal that the administration cut nearly $1 billion from the FBI request for additional counterterrorism funding.
Posted by Eric at 12:19 PM | Comments (5)
How Bush Slights Military Families
Barbara Ehrenreich's article is a must read
Military families on food stamps? It's not an urban myth. About 25,000 families of servicemen and women are eligible, and this may be an underestimate, since the most recent Defense Department report on the financial condition of the armed forces--from 1999--found that 40 percent of lower-ranking soldiers face "substantial financial difficulties." Senator Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, reports hearing from constituents that the Army now includes applications for food stamps in its orientation packet for new recruits.The poverty of the mightiest military machine on Earth is no secret to the many charities that have sprung up to help families on U.S. military bases, like the church-based Feed the Children, which delivers free food and personal items to families at twelve bases. Before 9/11, trucks bearing free food from a variety of food pantries used to be able to drive right on to the bases. Now they have to stop outside the gates, making the spectacle of military poverty visible to any passerby.
Market forces ensure that a volunteer army will necessarily be an army of the poor. The trouble is, enlistment does not do a whole lot to brighten one's economic outlook. Frontline battle troops, most of whom have been in the military for about a year, earn less than $16,000 a year--which puts them at about the level of theater ushers and Wal-Mart clerks. Even second lieutenants, at a starting salary of $26,000 a year, earn less than pest control workers and shoe repairers. So when the Bush Administration, in its frenzied rush to transfer more wealth to the already wealthy, hurts the working poor, you can count the troops among them. The 2003 Bush tax cut for the rich, for example, failed to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 military personnel.
Posted by Eric at 11:39 AM | Comments (66)
How Bush Slights Military Families
Barbara Ehrenreich's article is a must read
Military families on food stamps? It's not an urban myth. About 25,000 families of servicemen and women are eligible, and this may be an underestimate, since the most recent Defense Department report on the financial condition of the armed forces--from 1999--found that 40 percent of lower-ranking soldiers face "substantial financial difficulties." Senator Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, reports hearing from constituents that the Army now includes applications for food stamps in its orientation packet for new recruits.The poverty of the mightiest military machine on Earth is no secret to the many charities that have sprung up to help families on U.S. military bases, like the church-based Feed the Children, which delivers free food and personal items to families at twelve bases. Before 9/11, trucks bearing free food from a variety of food pantries used to be able to drive right on to the bases. Now they have to stop outside the gates, making the spectacle of military poverty visible to any passerby.
Market forces ensure that a volunteer army will necessarily be an army of the poor. The trouble is, enlistment does not do a whole lot to brighten one's economic outlook. Frontline battle troops, most of whom have been in the military for about a year, earn less than $16,000 a year--which puts them at about the level of theater ushers and Wal-Mart clerks. Even second lieutenants, at a starting salary of $26,000 a year, earn less than pest control workers and shoe repairers. So when the Bush Administration, in its frenzied rush to transfer more wealth to the already wealthy, hurts the working poor, you can count the troops among them. The 2003 Bush tax cut for the rich, for example, failed to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 military personnel.
Posted by Eric at 11:39 AM | Comments (11)
More Unpatriotic Americans
From the conservative Union Leader of NH:
Military families threatened to wage a war of their own last night, as sadness turned to sharp anger at the Bush administration for keeping their loved ones in Iraq ... Two days after learning their loved ones would not be leaving the Middle East as expected Sunday, the families said they’re ready to launch a political fight.“God forbid, if one soldier dies, there will be no end to anything any one of our members can do,” said Gerri Whittredge, who lent the group her Hollis home for the meeting. “I will be in Washington, D.C., at Mr. Bush’s door, shoving his words down his throat.”
Others said she would not be alone.
“We want the whole country to hear our story,” said Franklin resident Richard MacDonald, whose son, Adam MacDonald, 23, is a specialist in the company.
Family members said their frustration soared to new heights this weekend, when many received phone calls or e-mails from the soldiers, who have spent 17 months on active duty.
Posted by Eric at 11:11 AM | Comments (20)
More Unpatriotic Americans
From the conservative Union Leader of NH:
Military families threatened to wage a war of their own last night, as sadness turned to sharp anger at the Bush administration for keeping their loved ones in Iraq ... Two days after learning their loved ones would not be leaving the Middle East as expected Sunday, the families said they’re ready to launch a political fight.“God forbid, if one soldier dies, there will be no end to anything any one of our members can do,” said Gerri Whittredge, who lent the group her Hollis home for the meeting. “I will be in Washington, D.C., at Mr. Bush’s door, shoving his words down his throat.”
Others said she would not be alone.
“We want the whole country to hear our story,” said Franklin resident Richard MacDonald, whose son, Adam MacDonald, 23, is a specialist in the company.
Family members said their frustration soared to new heights this weekend, when many received phone calls or e-mails from the soldiers, who have spent 17 months on active duty.
Posted by Eric at 11:11 AM | Comments (4)
Guide to Testimony By Attorney General John Ashcroft
From ACT:
When John Ashcroft says: “following up on the investigations in the Aug 6 PDB was a priority.”Read on ...Remember his failures:
Bush: “I didn’t feel a sense of urgency.” [Source: George W. Bush to Bob Woodward, “Bush at War.” 2003]
Ashcroft: “An FBI budget official told the Joint Inquiry that counterterrorism was not a priority for Attorney General Ashcroft before September 11, and the FBI faced pressure to make cuts in counterterrorism to satisfy his other priorities.” [Source: Report Of The Joint Inquiry Into The Terrorist Attacks Of September 11, 2001, 12/02]
Ashcroft: “little interest” in counterterrorism pre 9-11. “Commission officials said their evidence showed that Mr. Ashcroft had taken little interest in counterterrorism before Sept. 11 and, days before the attacks, had rejected pleas from senior F.B.I. officials for more money for counterterrorism even as intelligence agencies warned of an imminent, possibly catastrophic, terrorist attack.” [Source: New York Times, 4/6/04]
Clinton made terrorism priority; Ashcroft reversed course. “And under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the department was being prodded back into its old law-and-order mind-set: violent crime, drugs, child porn. Counterterrorism, which had become a priority of the Clintonites (not that they did a better job of nailing bin Laden), seemed to be getting less attention.” [Source: Newsweek: 5/27/02]
Bush cabinet “de-emphasize” terrorism as a priority in 2001. “The attorney general was hardly alone in seeming to de-emphasize terror in the young Bush administration… “ [Source: Newsweek: 5/27/02]
F.B.I failed to connect several signs – Phoenix memo and al Qaeda in the U.S. “Those signs included a July 2001 memorandum from an F.B.I. agent in Phoenix warning that Al Qaeda appeared to be training terrorists in American flight schools; the arrest the next month of Zacarias Moussaoui, a flight school student who was later connected to the German terrorist cell that carried out the attacks; and the discovery in late August that two Qaeda operatives had entered the United States.” [Source: New York Times, 4/6/04]
F.B.I never passed threat information to the field. “Despite a sudden burst of intelligence in the summer of 2001 pointing to an imminent Al Qaeda attack, including indications of a major event within the United States, the FBI never passed that threat information to its thousands of field agents across the country.” [Source: LA Times, 4/10/04]
Posted by Eric at 11:07 AM | Comments (17)
Guide to Testimony By Attorney General John Ashcroft
From ACT:
When John Ashcroft says: “following up on the investigations in the Aug 6 PDB was a priority.”Read on ...Remember his failures:
Bush: “I didn’t feel a sense of urgency.” [Source: George W. Bush to Bob Woodward, “Bush at War.” 2003]
Ashcroft: “An FBI budget official told the Joint Inquiry that counterterrorism was not a priority for Attorney General Ashcroft before September 11, and the FBI faced pressure to make cuts in counterterrorism to satisfy his other priorities.” [Source: Report Of The Joint Inquiry Into The Terrorist Attacks Of September 11, 2001, 12/02]
Ashcroft: “little interest” in counterterrorism pre 9-11. “Commission officials said their evidence showed that Mr. Ashcroft had taken little interest in counterterrorism before Sept. 11 and, days before the attacks, had rejected pleas from senior F.B.I. officials for more money for counterterrorism even as intelligence agencies warned of an imminent, possibly catastrophic, terrorist attack.” [Source: New York Times, 4/6/04]
Clinton made terrorism priority; Ashcroft reversed course. “And under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the department was being prodded back into its old law-and-order mind-set: violent crime, drugs, child porn. Counterterrorism, which had become a priority of the Clintonites (not that they did a better job of nailing bin Laden), seemed to be getting less attention.” [Source: Newsweek: 5/27/02]
Bush cabinet “de-emphasize” terrorism as a priority in 2001. “The attorney general was hardly alone in seeming to de-emphasize terror in the young Bush administration… “ [Source: Newsweek: 5/27/02]
F.B.I failed to connect several signs – Phoenix memo and al Qaeda in the U.S. “Those signs included a July 2001 memorandum from an F.B.I. agent in Phoenix warning that Al Qaeda appeared to be training terrorists in American flight schools; the arrest the next month of Zacarias Moussaoui, a flight school student who was later connected to the German terrorist cell that carried out the attacks; and the discovery in late August that two Qaeda operatives had entered the United States.” [Source: New York Times, 4/6/04]
F.B.I never passed threat information to the field. “Despite a sudden burst of intelligence in the summer of 2001 pointing to an imminent Al Qaeda attack, including indications of a major event within the United States, the FBI never passed that threat information to its thousands of field agents across the country.” [Source: LA Times, 4/10/04]
Posted by Eric at 11:07 AM | Comments (7)
Kerry Win in Iowa?
According to Iowa columnist David Yepsen, "Bush faces an uphill battle here in November." Among other reasons why ...
* According to a Rasmussen Reports Poll of 500 likely Iowa voters taken March 23, Democrat John Kerry leads Bush 51 percent to 41 percent; 2 percent were for other candidates and 5 percent weren't sure. The survey has a margin of error of 4.5 percent.Also, an Iowa Poll that was taken by The Des Moines Register in February showed Kerry leading Bush, 49 percent to 42 percent. Bush's deficit is growing here, and that's before he hit a rough patch in Iraq.
* Bush's television ad spending, once thought to be a trump card for the president, is effectively being countered by the ads from left-of-center groups that are allegedly not part of Kerry's campaign. Exact figures aren't available, but just watching a little television in Iowa suggests the two sides are at parity.
* Democrats and their constituency groups have superior absentee-ballot and get-out-the vote programs in Iowa. Nothing new there. GOP strategists concede the fact. But the Kerry side is expanding its effort. Groups such as Americans Coming Together or the Iowa Citizen Action Network and assorted women, youth, Latino and union operations plan on registering more anti-Bush voters. No comparable effort can be found on the Republican/con- servative side.
Posted by Eric at 09:28 AM | Comments (21)
Kerry Win in Iowa?
According to Iowa columnist David Yepsen, "Bush faces an uphill battle here in November." Among other reasons why ...
* According to a Rasmussen Reports Poll of 500 likely Iowa voters taken March 23, Democrat John Kerry leads Bush 51 percent to 41 percent; 2 percent were for other candidates and 5 percent weren't sure. The survey has a margin of error of 4.5 percent.Also, an Iowa Poll that was taken by The Des Moines Register in February showed Kerry leading Bush, 49 percent to 42 percent. Bush's deficit is growing here, and that's before he hit a rough patch in Iraq.
* Bush's television ad spending, once thought to be a trump card for the president, is effectively being countered by the ads from left-of-center groups that are allegedly not part of Kerry's campaign. Exact figures aren't available, but just watching a little television in Iowa suggests the two sides are at parity.
* Democrats and their constituency groups have superior absentee-ballot and get-out-the vote programs in Iowa. Nothing new there. GOP strategists concede the fact. But the Kerry side is expanding its effort. Groups such as Americans Coming Together or the Iowa Citizen Action Network and assorted women, youth, Latino and union operations plan on registering more anti-Bush voters. No comparable effort can be found on the Republican/con- servative side.
Posted by Eric at 09:28 AM | Comments (2)
April 12, 2004
Monday Stories
Guardian. President spends 40% of time out of the office
Guardian. Bush given hijack alert before 9/11
Guardian. Iraq hostage crisis intensifies
UK Indy. UK: Government is letting down Britain in Iraq, says Howard
AP. Dead Soldier's Kin Want Sibling GIs Home
Bloomberg. U.S. Gasoline Rises to Record $1.80/Gallon in Survey
AP. Forest Service's Use of Photos Criticized
CNN. U.S. military says 23 troops killed in past 3 days
CNN. McCain on talk of run with Kerry: 'No, no and no'
AP. Ephedra banned from Monday
WP. Memo Not Specific Enough, Bush Says
AP. 70 Troops, 700 Iraqis Killed in Recent Fighting
WP. Bush Says 'It's Hard to Tell' When Iraq Violence Will Ebb
WP. Iraqi Insurgents Down U.S. Copter, Killing 2 in Crew
WP. Lobbyists Try to Parlay a Presidential Campaign
LAT. Hughes answers the call
LAT. Kerry's Wife Would Keep Her Philanthropic Role
USAT. States consider property-tax limits
NYT. Corporate Risk of a Tax Audit Is Still Shrinking, I.R.S. Data Show
CSM. $50B later, taking stock of US aid to Egypt: Bush meets with Egypt's president as critics charge that largesse slows reform
CSM. Moderate Shiites gaining new clout
BGlobe. Kerry riding a wave of Democratic unity
AP. Bush Prays with Troops After 'Tough Week' in Iraq
Reuters. Kerry Uses 'Misery Index' to Hit Bush on Economy
AP. Kerry courts young voters in Boston
Commentary
The Nation. Bush, AIDS, Big Pharma
Eric Margolis. Bush's Boy Blunder
Michael Tomasky. Gunsmoke: Where the 9-11 probe needs to go from here
Center for International Environmental Law. U.S. Leads the World in Breaking Environmental Laws
John Kerry Camp. Kerry, Obama Outline New Direction for America at Chicago's Greater West Town Training Partnership
USPIRG. New Report Finds Chemical Industry Facilities Have Had More Than 25,000 Chemical Accidents Since 1990, Despite Industry-Touted Safety Measures
Travis Justice. 'How do you spell fiasco? B - U - S - H'
Jon R. Luoma. Unhappy Returns: Tax-prep firms are making billions off tax credits for working families. And the IRS may be making things worse
Judd Legum. 10 questions for John Ashcroft: When the 9/11 commission grills the attorney general Tuesday, here's what they should ask
Rebecca Traister. Sex and the single voter: Single women are the hot, must-have demo for the 2004 presidential race. But will they put out this November?
LAT. The Justice in the Bubble
David Sarasohn. Oregon takes a pass on Nader
Seattle PI. Scalia forgets the public is his boss
Howard Dean. For Ralph Nader, but Not for President
Bob Herbert. A Justice's Sense of Privilege
John M. Byrne. Iraq 'nation building' much like Vietnam
Jay Bookman. Come clean, or risk repeat of Vietnam
Husain Haqqani. Think Again: Condi's 'Safe' Fantasy
Cassandra Q. Butts. The Corporate Tax Dodge
Stan Cox. Time To Shift The Tax Debate
Arianna Huffington. A Progressive Vision For a Divided Country
Posted by Eric at 11:56 PM | Comments (6)
Monday Stories
Guardian. President spends 40% of time out of the office
Guardian. Bush given hijack alert before 9/11
Guardian. Iraq hostage crisis intensifies
UK Indy. UK: Government is letting down Britain in Iraq, says Howard
AP. Dead Soldier's Kin Want Sibling GIs Home
Bloomberg. U.S. Gasoline Rises to Record $1.80/Gallon in Survey
AP. Forest Service's Use of Photos Criticized
CNN. U.S. military says 23 troops killed in past 3 days
CNN. McCain on talk of run with Kerry: 'No, no and no'
AP. Ephedra banned from Monday
WP. Memo Not Specific Enough, Bush Says
AP. 70 Troops, 700 Iraqis Killed in Recent Fighting
WP. Bush Says 'It's Hard to Tell' When Iraq Violence Will Ebb
WP. Iraqi Insurgents Down U.S. Copter, Killing 2 in Crew
WP. Lobbyists Try to Parlay a Presidential Campaign
LAT. Hughes answers the call
LAT. Kerry's Wife Would Keep Her Philanthropic Role
USAT. States consider property-tax limits
NYT. Corporate Risk of a Tax Audit Is Still Shrinking, I.R.S. Data Show
CSM. $50B later, taking stock of US aid to Egypt: Bush meets with Egypt's president as critics charge that largesse slows reform
CSM. Moderate Shiites gaining new clout
BGlobe. Kerry riding a wave of Democratic unity
AP. Bush Prays with Troops After 'Tough Week' in Iraq
Reuters. Kerry Uses 'Misery Index' to Hit Bush on Economy
AP. Kerry courts young voters in Boston
Commentary
The Nation. Bush, AIDS, Big Pharma
Eric Margolis. Bush's Boy Blunder
Michael Tomasky. Gunsmoke: Where the 9-11 probe needs to go from here
Center for International Environmental Law. U.S. Leads the World in Breaking Environmental Laws
John Kerry Camp. Kerry, Obama Outline New Direction for America at Chicago's Greater West Town Training Partnership
USPIRG. New Report Finds Chemical Industry Facilities Have Had More Than 25,000 Chemical Accidents Since 1990, Despite Industry-Touted Safety Measures
Travis Justice. 'How do you spell fiasco? B - U - S - H'
Jon R. Luoma. Unhappy Returns: Tax-prep firms are making billions off tax credits for working families. And the IRS may be making things worse
Judd Legum. 10 questions for John Ashcroft: When the 9/11 commission grills the attorney general Tuesday, here's what they should ask
Rebecca Traister. Sex and the single voter: Single women are the hot, must-have demo for the 2004 presidential race. But will they put out this November?
LAT. The Justice in the Bubble
David Sarasohn. Oregon takes a pass on Nader
Seattle PI. Scalia forgets the public is his boss
Howard Dean. For Ralph Nader, but Not for President
Bob Herbert. A Justice's Sense of Privilege
John M. Byrne. Iraq 'nation building' much like Vietnam
Jay Bookman. Come clean, or risk repeat of Vietnam
Husain Haqqani. Think Again: Condi's 'Safe' Fantasy
Cassandra Q. Butts. The Corporate Tax Dodge
Stan Cox. Time To Shift The Tax Debate
Arianna Huffington. A Progressive Vision For a Divided Country
Posted by Eric at 11:56 PM | Comments (4)
Comedy Monday
"In response to the escalating violence in Iraq, President Bush is delaying the return home of 25,000 troops and will actually add reinforcements to the south. Then in a symbolic gesture he pulled down the mission accomplished banner, put on a flight suit, walked backwards to a jet fighter and flew it in reverse off an aircraft carrier." Tina Fey
"In response to a request by the 9/11 commission the White House agreed to declassify the president's daily intelligence briefing from August 6th titled 'Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.' The commission also wants to see the August 20th briefing, 'No Seriously Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States' and also from August 26th, 'Mr. President, Please Put Down the Game Boy, Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.'" Tina Fey
"Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, has announced that he will support President Bush's re-election. Really, it's so hard to tell from the news coverage." Jay Leno
"President Bush says now he is sticking to his plan for handing over power to the Iraqis on June 30. It's also part of his plan to hand over power to John Kerry on January 20." David Letterman
"Before President Bush threw out the first pitch, the White House released a statement saying the president had been suffering from a sore shoulder. You know, can't Bush do anything about the White House downplaying expectations?" Jay Leno
"Senator Ted Kennedy said that Iraq was President Bush's 'Vietnam.' When he heard about it, President Bush said, 'That's not true; I went to Iraq."' Conan O'Brien
"It was reported that on her upcoming tour Madonna will include a dance number that will “re-enact battle scenes ... to illustrate the tragedy of war.” Madonna will also wear a camouflage bikini top to illustrate the tragedy of time." Tina Fey
The WhiteHouse.org has the August 6th, 2001 memo.
Fark.com: Photoshop moments in which saying "my bad" just doesn't cover it.
NationalLampoon.com: Tax Primer.
TheOnion.com: If Elected, I Will Be Extremely Surprised.
bushrecall.org: Lord of the Right Wing.
Eli: Well, everyone knows Custer died at Little Bighorn. What this book presupposes is... maybe he didn't.
Eli: You never even gave me the time of day till I started getting good reviews.
Margot: Your reviews weren't that good.
Eli: But the sales are.
Narrator: Immediately after making this statement, Royal realized that it was true.
-Royal Tenenbaums
Shifting Baselines: with the Groundlings: "Ocean decline is such a serious topic that there are limits to how much the general public can absorb without feeling the need to take a little break. Over the past two years the Groundlings Improv Comedy Group has helped us lighten the bad news a bit."
Jail Bill Watterson:
1) Bill Watterson is a small minority. There are an estimated 290,809,777 people in the United States of America (July 1, 2003 estimate of the U.S. Census Bureau), 290,809,776 of whom are not Bill Watterson. Even if Mr. Watterson himself is inconvenienced, the people who read his new “Calvin and Hobbes” strips will be thrilled to re-enter the magical world of a boy and his tiger. Sometimes, we must make tough decisions for the greater good of the greater number; sometimes, these decisions harm good people. This is a mere inevitability of politics.Click down for toonsies.2) Bill Watterson is a cartoonist. The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment was written in 1868, before cartoonists ever existed. Had our founding fathers known of “cartooning” and its implications, they would have explicitly exempted them from certain rights, most likely the right to the “pursuit of happiness” when it impinges upon other citizens’ happiness. Although the Constitution may appear to protect cartoonists, this is merely an illusion caused by our projection of our current society onto an ancient document.
Posted by Eric at 06:44 PM | Comments (10)
Comedy Monday
"In response to the escalating violence in Iraq, President Bush is delaying the return home of 25,000 troops and will actually add reinforcements to the south. Then in a symbolic gesture he pulled down the mission accomplished banner, put on a flight suit, walked backwards to a jet fighter and flew it in reverse off an aircraft carrier." Tina Fey
"In response to a request by the 9/11 commission the White House agreed to declassify the president's daily intelligence briefing from August 6th titled 'Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.' The commission also wants to see the August 20th briefing, 'No Seriously Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States' and also from August 26th, 'Mr. President, Please Put Down the Game Boy, Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.'" Tina Fey
"Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, has announced that he will support President Bush's re-election. Really, it's so hard to tell from the news coverage." Jay Leno
"President Bush says now he is sticking to his plan for handing over power to the Iraqis on June 30. It's also part of his plan to hand over power to John Kerry on January 20." David Letterman
"Before President Bush threw out the first pitch, the White House released a statement saying the president had been suffering from a sore shoulder. You know, can't Bush do anything about the White House downplaying expectations?" Jay Leno
"Senator Ted Kennedy said that Iraq was President Bush's 'Vietnam.' When he heard about it, President Bush said, 'That's not true; I went to Iraq."' Conan O'Brien
"It was reported that on her upcoming tour Madonna will include a dance number that will “re-enact battle scenes ... to illustrate the tragedy of war.” Madonna will also wear a camouflage bikini top to illustrate the tragedy of time." Tina Fey
The WhiteHouse.org has the August 6th, 2001 memo.
Fark.com: Photoshop moments in which saying "my bad" just doesn't cover it.
NationalLampoon.com: Tax Primer.
TheOnion.com: If Elected, I Will Be Extremely Surprised.
bushrecall.org: Lord of the Right Wing.
Eli: Well, everyone knows Custer died at Little Bighorn. What this book presupposes is... maybe he didn't.
Eli: You never even gave me the time of day till I started getting good reviews.
Margot: Your reviews weren't that good.
Eli: But the sales are.
Narrator: Immediately after making this statement, Royal realized that it was true.
-Royal Tenenbaums
Shifting Baselines: with the Groundlings: "Ocean decline is such a serious topic that there are limits to how much the general public can absorb without feeling the need to take a little break. Over the past two years the Groundlings Improv Comedy Group has helped us lighten the bad news a bit."
Jail Bill Watterson:
1) Bill Watterson is a small minority. There are an estimated 290,809,777 people in the United States of America (July 1, 2003 estimate of the U.S. Census Bureau), 290,809,776 of whom are not Bill Watterson. Even if Mr. Watterson himself is inconvenienced, the people who read his new “Calvin and Hobbes” strips will be thrilled to re-enter the magical world of a boy and his tiger. Sometimes, we must make tough decisions for the greater good of the greater number; sometimes, these decisions harm good people. This is a mere inevitability of politics.Click down for toonsies.2) Bill Watterson is a cartoonist. The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment was written in 1868, before cartoonists ever existed. Had our founding fathers known of “cartooning” and its implications, they would have explicitly exempted them from certain rights, most likely the right to the “pursuit of happiness” when it impinges upon other citizens’ happiness. Although the Constitution may appear to protect cartoonists, this is merely an illusion caused by our projection of our current society onto an ancient document.
Posted by Eric at 06:44 PM | Comments (5)
Racicot Warns: Liberals Will Outspend Us
In a recent email to GeorgeWBush.com supporters, the Chairman of Bush-Cheney '04 and RNC head:
We must prepare for the worst and assume that these shadowy liberal propaganda groups - who are illegally working to help Senator Kerry - will outspend our campaign until they are forced to shut down. President Bush needs the help of grassroots leaders like you to respond to the deceitful ads these groups are airing with this illegal cash. Please contribute today, using our secure server, so we'll have the resources to counter their efforts.
Posted by Eric at 01:06 PM | Comments (49)
Racicot Warns: Liberals Will Outspend Us
In a recent email to GeorgeWBush.com supporters, the Chairman of Bush-Cheney '04 and RNC head:
We must prepare for the worst and assume that these shadowy liberal propaganda groups - who are illegally working to help Senator Kerry - will outspend our campaign until they are forced to shut down. President Bush needs the help of grassroots leaders like you to respond to the deceitful ads these groups are airing with this illegal cash. Please contribute today, using our secure server, so we'll have the resources to counter their efforts.
Posted by Eric at 01:06 PM | Comments (8)
Shinseki Was Right
From the AP:
But more important, many critics believe, Bush should have listened to former Army chief of staff Gen. Eric Shinseki, who said a postwar occupying force in Iraq would have to number in the hundreds of thousands.So what did they do to the former war hero, who received "two Purple Hearts and four Bronze Star Medals for his service in Vietnam"? Smear him:Such a force, Shinseki said, is needed to maintain security and calm ethnic tensions in the immediate aftermath of the fall of a government.
The Bush administration settled on a force of about 150,000, expecting it would be augmented by eventual support from other countries.
Reinforcements did not arrive right away or in massive numbers. So when looting broke out, there were not enough soldiers on hand to bring the situation under control.
At the time, Shinseki's troop estimate was called "wildly off the mark" by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.
"It turns out Wolfowitz was wildly wrong," said Joseph Nye, a former assistant defense secretary who is dean of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
"If they had put in more troops, they would have prevented the looting and the situation from deteriorating," Nye said.
Hardly any of this the reached public domain until last month when Gen Shinseki told a congressional committee that he thought an occupying force in the hundreds of thousands would be required to police postwar Iraq. Mr Rumsfeld publicly repudiated him, saying he was "far off the mark".As Bob Herbert summed it up:In semi-private, the Pentagon's civilian leadership was far more scathing. A "senior administration official" told the Village Voice newspaper that Gen Shinseki's remark was "bullshit from a Clintonite enamoured of using the army for peacekeeping and not winning wars."
When the Army chief of staff, General Eric Shinseki, dared to say publicly that several hundred thousand troops would be needed to occupy Iraq, he was ridiculed by the administration and his career was brought to a close.Shinseki and his family have long been targets of those who would question their loyalty.
The origins of the Shinseki-Rumsfeld war long predate any mention of Iraq. There are many ironies to it, but the most bitter seems to be that the general has found himself characterised as an obstacle to progress. This is improbable on the most personal level. He is a Japanese-American (as is his wife), born in Hawaii in 1942 when his parents were officially enemy aliens.He was inspired to join the army by the example of uncles who fought for the US then and eradicated the perception that they might be traitors. In Vietnam, "Ric" Shinseki was terribly injured twice - losing a foot the second time - yet he persisted in the army.
Posted by Eric at 12:11 PM | Comments (48)
Shinseki Was Right
From the AP:
But more important, many critics believe, Bush should have listened to former Army chief of staff Gen. Eric Shinseki, who said a postwar occupying force in Iraq would have to number in the hundreds of thousands.So what did they do to the former war hero, who received "two Purple Hearts and four Bronze Star Medals for his service in Vietnam"? Smear him:Such a force, Shinseki said, is needed to maintain security and calm ethnic tensions in the immediate aftermath of the fall of a government.
The Bush administration settled on a force of about 150,000, expecting it would be augmented by eventual support from other countries.
Reinforcements did not arrive right away or in massive numbers. So when looting broke out, there were not enough soldiers on hand to bring the situation under control.
At the time, Shinseki's troop estimate was called "wildly off the mark" by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.
"It turns out Wolfowitz was wildly wrong," said Joseph Nye, a former assistant defense secretary who is dean of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
"If they had put in more troops, they would have prevented the looting and the situation from deteriorating," Nye said.
Hardly any of this the reached public domain until last month when Gen Shinseki told a congressional committee that he thought an occupying force in the hundreds of thousands would be required to police postwar Iraq. Mr Rumsfeld publicly repudiated him, saying he was "far off the mark".As Bob Herbert summed it up:In semi-private, the Pentagon's civilian leadership was far more scathing. A "senior administration official" told the Village Voice newspaper that Gen Shinseki's remark was "bullshit from a Clintonite enamoured of using the army for peacekeeping and not winning wars."
When the Army chief of staff, General Eric Shinseki, dared to say publicly that several hundred thousand troops would be needed to occupy Iraq, he was ridiculed by the administration and his career was brought to a close.Shinseki and his family have long been targets of those who would question their loyalty.The origins of the Shinseki-Rumsfeld war long predate any mention of Iraq. There are many ironies to it, but the most bitter seems to be that the general has found himself characterised as an obstacle to progress. This is improbable on the most personal level. He is a Japanese-American (as is his wife), born in Hawaii in 1942 when his parents were officially enemy aliens.He was inspired to join the army by the example of uncles who fought for the US then and eradicated the perception that they might be traitors. In Vietnam, "Ric" Shinseki was terribly injured twice - losing a foot the second time - yet he persisted in the army.
Posted by Eric at 12:11 PM | Comments (9)
Sleep Schedule
God, I wish I had this sleep schedule:
Regardless of what is going on in the world Mr Bush is usually in bed by 10pm and wakes at 6am. As governor of Texas he would be in work by 8.30am and out by 5.30pm. In between was a 90-minute to two-hour break for exercise or a nap.Posted by Eric at 11:03 AM | Comments (40)
Sleep Schedule
God, I wish I had this sleep schedule:
Regardless of what is going on in the world Mr Bush is usually in bed by 10pm and wakes at 6am. As governor of Texas he would be in work by 8.30am and out by 5.30pm. In between was a 90-minute to two-hour break for exercise or a nap.Posted by Eric at 11:03 AM | Comments (9)
Late Night TV
Of interest, courtesy of Sue Trowbridge:
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS
Tu 4/13: Chris Rock,
We 4/14: Sen. John McCainTHE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC
We 4/21: Bill Maher
Th 4/22: Janeane GarofaloLATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC
Th 4/15: Chris RockTHE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central
Mo 4/12: Rerun TBA
Tu 4/13: Rerun TBA
We 4/14: Rerun TBA
Th 4/15: Rerun TBAMo 4/19: Melissa Etheridge
Tu 4/20: Mark Ruffalo
We 4/21: John Gibson
Th 4/22: Arianna HuffingtonMo 4/26: Bob Kerrey
Tu 4/27: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
We 4/28: Fareed Zakaria
Th 4/29: Bob WoodwardTHE SHARON OSBOURNE SHOW, syndicated
Tu 4/20: Margaret ChoPosted by Eric at 11:01 AM | Comments (38)
Late Night TV
Of interest, courtesy of Sue Trowbridge:
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS
Tu 4/13: Chris Rock,
We 4/14: Sen. John McCainTHE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC
We 4/21: Bill Maher
Th 4/22: Janeane GarofaloLATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC
Th 4/15: Chris RockTHE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central
Mo 4/12: Rerun TBA
Tu 4/13: Rerun TBA
We 4/14: Rerun TBA
Th 4/15: Rerun TBAMo 4/19: Melissa Etheridge
Tu 4/20: Mark Ruffalo
We 4/21: John Gibson
Th 4/22: Arianna HuffingtonMo 4/26: Bob Kerrey
Tu 4/27: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
We 4/28: Fareed Zakaria
Th 4/29: Bob WoodwardTHE SHARON OSBOURNE SHOW, syndicated
Tu 4/20: Margaret ChoPosted by Eric at 11:01 AM | Comments (6)
Scalia the Hypocrite
From the Jackson Sun in Tenn:
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a hypocrite. There's no nice way to say it. For a man who, just last March received the Citadel of Free Speech Award, he has shown himself to be afraid, even contemptuous, of the same Constitution he claims to revere.Meanwhile, as Bob Herbert reports:Scalia's contempt was on full display last week at a pair of speeches he gave in Hattiesburg, Miss. While speaking at Presbyterian Christian High School on - ironically - the importance of protecting constitutional rights, a federal marshal confiscated a digital recording from an Associated Press reporter and erased it. The marshal did the same with a cassette from a local Hattiesburg reporter.
This is outrageous. Claims by the federal marshal service that this was a routine matter of providing security for Scalia don't hold water. It wasn't as if the justice were speaking on a matter of great sensitivity, say a matter of national security. Nor was he speaking on a specific subject, something that might come before the Court later.
Scalia was speaking on a very generalized topic - protecting constitutional rights. That's the same Constitution that includes the right to free speech, and the right to a free press.
I called Jane Kirtley, a professor of media, ethics and law at the University of Minnesota, and asked her what was wrong with what the marshal did. She replied, "Everything."Not only was it an affront to the Constitution to seize and erase the recordings, Ms. Kirtley believes it was also a violation of the Privacy Protection Act, a law passed by Congress in 1980.
Posted by Eric at 10:43 AM | Comments (26)
Scalia the Hypocrite
From the Jackson Sun in Tenn:
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a hypocrite. There's no nice way to say it. For a man who, just last March received the Citadel of Free Speech Award, he has shown himself to be afraid, even contemptuous, of the same Constitution he claims to revere.Meanwhile, as Bob Herbert reports:Scalia's contempt was on full display last week at a pair of speeches he gave in Hattiesburg, Miss. While speaking at Presbyterian Christian High School on - ironically - the importance of protecting constitutional rights, a federal marshal confiscated a digital recording from an Associated Press reporter and erased it. The marshal did the same with a cassette from a local Hattiesburg reporter.
This is outrageous. Claims by the federal marshal service that this was a routine matter of providing security for Scalia don't hold water. It wasn't as if the justice were speaking on a matter of great sensitivity, say a matter of national security. Nor was he speaking on a specific subject, something that might come before the Court later.
Scalia was speaking on a very generalized topic - protecting constitutional rights. That's the same Constitution that includes the right to free speech, and the right to a free press.
I called Jane Kirtley, a professor of media, ethics and law at the University of Minnesota, and asked her what was wrong with what the marshal did. She replied, "Everything."Not only was it an affront to the Constitution to seize and erase the recordings, Ms. Kirtley believes it was also a violation of the Privacy Protection Act, a law passed by Congress in 1980.
Posted by Eric at 10:43 AM | Comments (5)
The Standards of William Raspberry
Suppose I wrote a column decrying someone for "misrepresentations" and blasted his new media show by writing, among others, that the "answer to lies and partisan innuendo is not more lies but truth" and "Who needs him?"
You would expect that I would have, at least once, or maybe twice, or heck, watched or listened to that show - the object of my criticism - for just an hour. You'd also expect that I'd cite examples of these "misrepresentations" instead of making broad generalizations.
Well, no. Not if you're a Washington Post columnist named William Raspberry.
Posted by Eric at 09:15 AM | Comments (31)
The Standards of William Raspberry
Suppose I wrote a column decrying someone for "misrepresentations" and blasted his new media show by writing, among others, that the "answer to lies and partisan innuendo is not more lies but truth" and "Who needs him?"
You would expect that I would have, at least once, or maybe twice, or heck, watched or listened to that show - the object of my criticism - for just an hour. You'd also expect that I'd cite examples of these "misrepresentations" instead of making broad generalizations.
Well, no. Not if you're a Washington Post columnist named William Raspberry.
Posted by Eric at 09:15 AM | Comments (12)
Hamster Numbers: Death Penalty
ACLU:
While white victims account for approximately one-half of all murder victims, 81% of all Capital cases involve white victims. Furthermore, as of October 2002, 12 people have been executed where the defendant was white and the murder victim black, compared with 178 black defendants executed for murders with white victims.In January 2003, researchers at the University of Maryland concluded in a study commissioned by the Maryland Governor that defendants are much more likely to be sentenced to death if they have killed a white person ... In April 2001, researchers from the University of North Carolina released a study of all homicide cases in North Carolina between 1993 and 1997. The study found that the odds of getting a death sentence increased three and a half times if the victim was white rather than black.
Posted by Eric at 09:01 AM | Comments (23)
Hamster Numbers: Death Penalty
ACLU:
While white victims account for approximately one-half of all murder victims, 81% of all Capital cases involve white victims. Furthermore, as of October 2002, 12 people have been executed where the defendant was white and the murder victim black, compared with 178 black defendants executed for murders with white victims.In January 2003, researchers at the University of Maryland concluded in a study commissioned by the Maryland Governor that defendants are much more likely to be sentenced to death if they have killed a white person ... In April 2001, researchers from the University of North Carolina released a study of all homicide cases in North Carolina between 1993 and 1997. The study found that the odds of getting a death sentence increased three and a half times if the victim was white rather than black.
Posted by Eric at 09:01 AM | Comments (3)
April 11, 2004
11 Soldiers Dead Since Friday
From the WPost:
The military announced Sunday the death of 11 more U.S. troops in Iraq combat over the past three days, including two pilots killed when an Apache attack helicopter was shot down near Baghdad Sunday.Three 1st Armored Division soldiers were killed in a coordinated attack Friday morning, the military said. A fourth member of the same unit died during an attack on a convoy in Baghdad that evening.
On the same day in Tikrit, three members of the 1st Infantry Division were killed in an ambush, said a military spokesman, while in Anbar province--where fighting has continued in Fallujah and Ramadi--another U.S. Marine died Friday.
One more soldier died from wounds received in the fighting that raged in Baqubah, 30 miles northeast of Baghdad. That fight took the lives of 47 Iraqis Friday, U.S. officials said. It was one of the bloodiest confrontations of the insurgency, part of one of the bloodiest weeks in Iraq since the fall of Baghdad a year ago.
Posted by Eric at 07:17 PM | Comments (23)
11 Soldiers Dead Since Friday
From the WPost:
The military announced Sunday the death of 11 more U.S. troops in Iraq combat over the past three days, including two pilots killed when an Apache attack helicopter was shot down near Baghdad Sunday.Three 1st Armored Division soldiers were killed in a coordinated attack Friday morning, the military said. A fourth member of the same unit died during an attack on a convoy in Baghdad that evening.
On the same day in Tikrit, three members of the 1st Infantry Division were killed in an ambush, said a military spokesman, while in Anbar province--where fighting has continued in Fallujah and Ramadi--another U.S. Marine died Friday.
One more soldier died from wounds received in the fighting that raged in Baqubah, 30 miles northeast of Baghdad. That fight took the lives of 47 Iraqis Friday, U.S. officials said. It was one of the bloodiest confrontations of the insurgency, part of one of the bloodiest weeks in Iraq since the fall of Baghdad a year ago.
Posted by Eric at 07:17 PM | Comments (2)
Hypothetical
James Pinkerton: "If you knew that President Franklin D. Roosevelt had received a memo a month before Pearl Harbor entitled, "Japanese Determined to Attack the United States in the Pacific," and that he had done nothing about that information, would that knowledge change your perception of FDR as a wise war leader?"
Indeed.
Posted by Eric at 07:14 PM | Comments (72)
Hypothetical
James Pinkerton: "If you knew that President Franklin D. Roosevelt had received a memo a month before Pearl Harbor entitled, "Japanese Determined to Attack the United States in the Pacific," and that he had done nothing about that information, would that knowledge change your perception of FDR as a wise war leader?"
Indeed.
Posted by Eric at 07:14 PM | Comments (22)
April 10, 2004
Saturday Stories
News
NYT. Bush Was Warned of Possible Attack in U.S., Official Says
WP. Briefing on Al Qaeda Included Specifics: White House Says Declassification of Pre-9/11 Document Will Be Delayed
Newsday. 2 U.S. soldiers missing
AP. Poll: Most American oppose gay marriage but support other rights
SFC. California lags behind rest of nation in job growth; Despite modest payroll gain in state, unemployment inches up
AP. Kidnappings Upstage Cheney's Japan Visit
Reuters. Japan Issues Video Demanding Release of Hostages
AP. 21 States Not Meeting EPA Beach Deadline
WP. Deep in the Heart Of Washington: Karen Hughes Returned To Texas but She Kept Her Foot In Right Here
WP. Kerry Sprinkles Jobs Message With Attacks on Iraq Policy
NYT. As Bush Ends Money Drive, Kerry Goes On
NYT. Gas Prices Soar, Angelenos Shrug
NYT. Kerry Says Policy in Iraq Compromises U.S. Safety
BGlobe. Kerry calls for larger role for allies
AP. Bush, Kerry still in close fight
NYT. Built With Steel, Perhaps, but Greased With Pork
Commentary
LAT. Stop Trashing the Ocean
Ayo Griffin. BUSH SHREDS THE CLEAN AIR ACT
Bill Berkowitz. Rushing to judgment: Conservatives call for investigating Democrats' alleged ties to Saddam Hussein’s Iraq
Ewen MacAskill. A Coalition Showing Signs of Fracture
Terence Samuel. Ted the Knife: How Ted Kennedy became John Kerry's front-line infantryman
Garance Franke-Ruta. Big Think: Rice’s testimony shows that Bush’s pre-9-11 fight against terror was a classic case of the perfect being an enemy of the good
Cynthia Tucker. Bush speaks of truth, but doesn't tell it
Simon Hoggart. Arianna, first lady of Boulder
Posted by Eric at 11:36 PM | Comments (20)
Saturday Stories
News
NYT. Bush Was Warned of Possible Attack in U.S., Official Says
WP. Briefing on Al Qaeda Included Specifics: White House Says Declassification of Pre-9/11 Document Will Be Delayed
Newsday. 2 U.S. soldiers missing
AP. Poll: Most American oppose gay marriage but support other rights
SFC. California lags behind rest of nation in job growth; Despite modest payroll gain in state, unemployment inches up
AP. Kidnappings Upstage Cheney's Japan Visit
Reuters. Japan Issues Video Demanding Release of Hostages
AP. 21 States Not Meeting EPA Beach Deadline
WP. Deep in the Heart Of Washington: Karen Hughes Returned To Texas but She Kept Her Foot In Right Here
WP. Kerry Sprinkles Jobs Message With Attacks on Iraq Policy
NYT. As Bush Ends Money Drive, Kerry Goes On
NYT. Gas Prices Soar, Angelenos Shrug
NYT. Kerry Says Policy in Iraq Compromises U.S. Safety
BGlobe. Kerry calls for larger role for allies
AP. Bush, Kerry still in close fight
NYT. Built With Steel, Perhaps, but Greased With Pork
Commentary
LAT. Stop Trashing the Ocean
Ayo Griffin. BUSH SHREDS THE CLEAN AIR ACT
Bill Berkowitz. Rushing to judgment: Conservatives call for investigating Democrats' alleged ties to Saddam Hussein’s Iraq
Ewen MacAskill. A Coalition Showing Signs of Fracture
Terence Samuel. Ted the Knife: How Ted Kennedy became John Kerry's front-line infantryman
Garance Franke-Ruta. Big Think: Rice’s testimony shows that Bush’s pre-9-11 fight against terror was a classic case of the perfect being an enemy of the good
Cynthia Tucker. Bush speaks of truth, but doesn't tell it
Simon Hoggart. Arianna, first lady of Boulder
Posted by Eric at 11:36 PM | Comments (6)
In 2002, According to Cheney, Clarke WAS in the Loop
Interesting find by Ryan Lizza of TNR.
Posted by Eric at 02:04 PM | Comments (71)
In 2002, According to Cheney, Clarke WAS in the Loop
Interesting find by Ryan Lizza of TNR.
Posted by Eric at 02:04 PM | Comments (5)
Hamster Numbers: Mercury
"Power plants are the largest uncontrolled source of mercury, a neurological toxin that threatens the health of fetuses, children and other vulnerable populations. Twelve percent of women of childbearing age in the United States have levels of mercury in their bodies that exceed the level EPA considers safe. Prenatal exposure to methyl mercury can cause adverse developmental and cognitive effects in children, even at low doses that do not result in effects in the mother. Mercury may also affect cardiovascular, immune and reproductive systems. In 2001 the Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory to pregnant women, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, nursing mothers and children on the hazard of consuming certain kinds of fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish due to mercury contamination. Health Canada, the country's federal health agency, included tuna in a similar advisory. Local fish are also a risk. In 2001, 44 states had advisories in effect for mercury in non-commercial fish and 17 states had statewide advisories in effect. Another 9 states have statewide advisories for mercury in their co