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Subj: The smell of the crowd, the roar of the grease paint

The malevolent moron, the latest manifestation from the Bush crime family, forced upon us as our President is certainly part of a skilled troupe of vaudevillians. Their director, I assume Karl Rove, with the able assistance of Stage Manager Cheney, can readily improvise stage blocking that every time upstages any negative that might impact upon the regime even though our compliant media whores passing as drama critics usually won’t push too hard to uncover all. Thus do we have 9/11, largely funded, manned, and staffed by those close Bush-family pals the Saudis, and what’s the ensuing stage business? Why of course, get Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11. Then there was Bush’s pitiful trip to England, and sure enough we suddenly had Michael Jackson all over the front pages although the (very Republican) prosecutor could have grabbed the weird entertainer weeks before. And now what do we get? We have yet another Halliburton scandal and we have former allies again insulted, and then, what do you know, we get Saddam. Wham-bang! Big curtain ending loud applause, and who the bloody hell gives a damn about those dramatic thieves in the night? Ali Cheney and the Forty Thieves, poor souls, all upstaged like mad. And it’s not even Oscar season yet, but then, this ain’t the movies, this here’s live theater. Conspiracy and the theater? Hell yes, why not?

Norman Weinstein
NYC

Subj: Blix on Fox

Hope you heard Blix on FOX this morning. He said Iraq probably didn’t have any WMD and the Iraqis have been consistent in stating that. A real funny moment the FOX guy glazed over was when he asked Blix about giving Saddam the death penalty and he basically said “civilized”countries don’t use the death penalty. It was priceless.

Larry P

Subj: What Are They Feeling?

Since the announcement of the capture of Saddam I have seen tv talking head after tv talking head essentially swooning over this capture - feeling something that I imagine to be similar to what an English school girl might have felt about The Beatles in 1964. (Tom Oliphant on last night's PBS Newshour is a good example.)

So overcome with emotion (hysteria, perhaps?) are they that they have lost all capacity for rational thought. Even “seasoned”reporters who must think of themselves as objective & worldly wise, have reverted to some sort of primitive humanoid state. Many have declared that the capture of Saddam makes criticism of the invasion & occupation of Iraq impossible - unthinkable even. Why? They just don’t say. To them it is “self-evident”. Dean will have to “explain himself”. Gore “must regret endorsing Dean now”, etc. etc.

Does anybody have any better idea as to just what these nitwits are feeling, and whether or not the feeling produces permanent derangement?

Joe

Subj: Saddam -- Embarrassing Stories to Tell?

[Dallas News] Some of Mr. Hussein's answers could prove embarrassing. Many of his dealings with governments and businesses in the United States, Europe and throughout the Arab world involved clandestine channels for arms, money and intelligence, particularly during Iraq's eight-year war with Iran. If details about those dealings come to light, it's likely to occur during a public trial rather than a private interrogation. Dr. Marr and other historians said Mr. Hussein might hope to turn the tables on his accusers in order to salvage his reputation.

"He could be a treasure trove of embarrassment," she said.

Mika

Subj: Saddam's Capture

Over the past summer I fully expected the Bush Administration to announce, at a politically opportune time, the discovery of a large chemical/biological weapons cache in some remote area of Iraq. Of course this cache would have been recently planted in order to silence the unpatriotic, "against us types" who were questioning the missing WMD's and the rationale for a pre-emptive war. Lucky for Mr. Bush, America has a very short attention span, and many have forgotten what those initials stand for. But with more liberators and Iraqis dying while the VP was getting richer from ultra pricey petrol, what George Bush needed was stunning photo/live video opportunities. Karl Rove: "Lets plant the already captured ex-Pres and let some special operations soldiers dig him up! Twelve days before Christmas, it will be the gift every red-blooded American hoped for. Oh, and as a fringe benefit, this lets Halliburton slink away from the spotlight."

A BuzzFlash reader

Subj: Saddam/Prisoner

You guys probably figured this out but thought I would add my two bits.

The more I hear the spin on TV, the more they convince me that Saddam was actually a prisoner in the hole. Evidently others had captured him (two guys from the reports) and were negotiating for the reward. If this had been going on for several days that might have been the advance knowledge some people claimed they had about the capture. I think the couple of hundred thousands in Ben Franklins were an advance payment. I guess they discovered who they were “negotiating”with, picked one of them up and “convinced”him to tell them where they hid Saddam. If you notice, the little hovel he was supposed to be living in looked like no one had lived there in weeks. There were absolutely NO way for him to communicate with ANYONE. Also there was no possible way he could have camouflaged that hole without someone doing it for him. Why didn’t they pick up any accomplices or really even mention any? If he had been locked in that hole for days or even weeks, that would help explain his befuddled and haggard condition. Oh I also read that two AKs were found at the house also, which the press is not reporting at all. If my supposition is true, this would be the two capturer’s weapons. This also would explain why he put of no resistance WHATSOEVER.

Just my opinion…….or in the words of The Firesign Theatre, “Everything you know is wrong”.

Larry Parker

Subj: Do the Math (Iraq War)

400+ dead U.S. service personnel

2000+ maimed and disfigured

8,000+ dead Iraqi civilians

$400 million+ for Halliburton contracts

$80 billion+ of U.S. resources

1 old man cowering in a hole? priceless

BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: HYPOCRISY ALERT HYPOCRISY ALERT!!!

Bush Welcomes America's New Rich Uncle

This week, President Bush rolled out the red carpet for the No. 2 official from China, Premier Wen Jiabao - a greeting that Bush has not given any other No. 2 government official during his presidency. It was the welcome due the new rich uncle for the United States, which is what Bush has made out of China.

Bush's reckless borrowing and spending have not only set up our country for huge long-term setbacks as the bills pile up, but may be sacrificing our independence from countries that are lending us the money to cover our staggering new debts.

Since Bush took office, the U.S. budget has gone from a surplus to being expected to reach a $500 billion deficit next fiscal year. He has run up this debt with huge tax breaks for the rich, astronomical military spending and expensive occupations of foreign countries. Although others have noted the rise of this crippling debt, not many have asked who is lending us the money and what will they want in return.

MORE >>> CTNow.com

AFP Photo

Let's see: the Grand Hypocrisy Party denounces the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Then they buddy up with China.

China's record:

Communist dictatorship: yes

Restricts rights: yes

Tortures its citizens: yes

Occupies Tibet: yes

Has WMD: yes

Supports North Korea: yes

So I guess dictatorships are bad; if they don't support Bush financially, that is.

Ray Stankowski

Subj: The Anti-War Democrats

The "Anti-War Democrats" is the line CNN is using to describe those that are not siding with the bush administration on Iraq. This classification needs to be corrected. We are not the anti-war democrats. We are anti-arrogance, anti-secrecy, anti-unilateralist, anti-bully, anti-petty. If we continue to allow them to shape the debate, we will lose. I think we win when we correct them on this matter.

PJones
Mesquite, TX

Subj: About Saddam's "Capture"

All BuzzFlash readers should be smart enough to keep their eye on the ball. Whenever Bush does his dog and pony show (this week it's Saddam); he is always hiding some behind the scenes DIRTY WORK.

Keep your eyes open. There are plenty of people watching the bogus Saddam blow up. Keep watching the Internationalists/Industrialists (what I am saying is that the bush boys are NOT Americans - they're international pirates).

Buzz Reader

Subj: With this Administration, the choices are clear

Thanks to George Bush and his cronies, whenever I hear anything come out of the White House, I consistently have only one of two responses:

1. Well, no shit. As in "Well, no shit Halliburton was overcharging, Cheney owns the damn company and it never even had to bid on the contract,"

OR

2. Bullshit! As in....well, just about every time GW's lips move.

My yellow dog Democrat mother is rolling in her grave.

Lynne Keeley

Subj: Great Democratic Accomplishments in History and Those in the Making

Dear BuzzFlash,

It seems to me the time has come for BuzzFlash to have a column called "Great Democratic Accomplishments in History and Those in the Making." We need to stress to our fellow Americans that the Democratic Party is the Party of Great Doers who have made this country what it is today.

Some examples are FDR's WPA and construction of the Hoover and Grand Coolee Dams. We need to stress the Great Accomplishments of Bill Clinton like bringing democracy to Haiti, making peace in Bosnia and Kosovo and having peace and prosperity for 8 years with budget surpluses to boot. We need to toot our horns on things like FDR winning WW II and JFK preventing WW III.

We are the party of great thinkers, movers and shakers. We need to show our fellow Americans what we can do once we retake the White House and Congress. We need to show our fellow Americans that they will be proud to vote Democratic because it is the right thing to do!

Let's promise to do away with terrorism in the next 5 years. Let's let our fellow Americans know that life is good in America and it will only get better with a Democrat in the White House and a Democratically controlled House and Senate. Let's let our fellow Americans know that John Ashcroft and all his fellow born-again pinheads will no longer be able to tell us how to think and what to say.

Let's Give 'Em Hell.

Sincerely,

Norm Rost

Subj: W. has a stronger connection to Bin Laden then Saddam.

Dear Buzz,

I think BuzzFlash should write an editorial showing how George W. Bush, his father, family and certain other Pugs have a much stronger connection to Osama Bin Laden than Saddam Hussein does! Don't forget it was the Pugs favorite president, Ronald Reagan who gave Saddam all of the chemicals he needed to kill the Kurds. And I am sure if one looked closely they would find several Bushie body bags all their own.

What is good for Saddam should also be good for the Bushies. Military Tribunal or International Court, either one, let W. decide and trials begin!

Nancy Lynn Nagy (TN)

Subj: "Dr." Krauthammer

Folks,

I, too, take much umbrage with Krauthammer using his medical degree for partisan political purposes.

I have no idea whether Krauthammer still has a license to practice psychiatry, but if he does he should be sanctioned, if not have his medical license revoked entirely.

Is it possible to alert the American Medical Association or some such body of oversight to Krauthammer's unethical behavior? I have no idea if such action would produce results, but it's certainly worth a shot.

Sincerely,

Tod Westlake
New Paltz, New York

Subj: Those wimpy Democrats! Why NOT reveal who told the lies??

They are ALL full of s--t....if I learned anything during the past two years, it's that ALL politicians are self serving, ambitious liars who couldn't give a f--k about anything other than their careers.

We should have term limits for all elected offices, no fundraising, do with the government supplied money or get the hell out of town, and mandatory lie detector tests every time they open their mouths.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: I Have a Dream

I have a dream that once more America -- a golden civilization strung along the same energy string as the Periclean Age of Greece, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment -- will have eloquence in our leaders worthy of that heritage. Like FDR, JFK, RFK, and MLK..Words matter and set a tone. Devolving language, devolves the nation.

While Mr. Bush's "message" to Saddam Hussein doubtlessly reflects the sentiments of the planet, one would hope that he could articulate ideas that aim higher than a pugnacious street thug.

His words also point to the fact that the Reagan-Bush administrations built, armed and trained their Frankenstein whom they'd ultimately need to destroy. The paradigm of war profiteers everywhere. But as Mr. Bush has said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you concentrate on." Indeed.

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subj: White house goes "gloat-free".

Here a story by neocon Novak (Plame fame) that accidentally details a completely contrived Bush white house legacy of taking credit where none is deserved and running national affairs with a real "catch us if you can" need to keep moving, and now with all the humility of a bunch of debs at cotillion.

[Robert Novak's column in the Chicago Sun-Times]

They just know you know they know you know.

Gloat free? Looks that way, even with the TV sound turned off. GW has ditched his stupid cowboy swagger for something more uni and sort of Julia Roberts-ish, and Baker looks like he's in line to dance around a maypole. As phoney as everything else they do, but all TV shows do end.

Mike

Subj: Labels

Dear BuzzFlash friends:

Recently, the Repugnant Party has started up an old well-worn election year ploy of theirs, hanging labels on every candidate except theirs. A fiscally conservative medical doctor is labeled a "radical". A real and brave veteran who does not wear two extra pairs of socks in his uniform is called a "hairstyle", and so forth.

In the past, we progressives, having grown up in by and large healthy moral environments, refused to lower ourselves to Rush and Karl's puerile name-calling level of intellectual discourse,and rightly so. This year, I think, we have a right to label---the current placeholder can be labeled without resorting to lies, spitefulness, or even inaccuracy. George W. Bush is INADEQUATE.

Inadequate as a political leader---else why would Congressional Republican bosses need 3-hour rollcalls to get their own side to vote for their distasteful legislation?

Inadequate as a military leader--read what the men and women who REALLY caught Saddam Hussein say about his treatment of them in the Stars and Stripes!

Inadequate as an economic leader--would any of our families allow any of us to spend down from a big pension and money in the bank to pawning the kids' possessions in 3 years without strongly suggesting that someone has to go?

Actually, the only evidence of adequacy I see in this man's life is his twin daughters, who by their existence give us some slim assurance--pending DNA verification, of course--that one day, many years ago, George W. Bush was indeed adequate for a few minutes. Let us take what solace we can from this.

So let us label, but let us label accurately. George W. Bush is the INADEQUATE President.

Yours in celebration of next year's Victory,

Mike Reaume
Ionia, MI

Subj: My vote for evil GOP bastard of the week

Strom Thurmond.

So he raped the maid, impregnated a 16 year old child and then never acknowledged his daughter. What a guy.

Sari

Subject: What might happen to Saddam

Hi Buzz,

Saddam's capture is another experiment by a bunch of novice dunces who want to play at war to gain supreme power over the rest of the world. Killing Saddam's son's backfired. They learned they should have lobbed some sleeping gas at them instead of half their artillery, helicopters, etc. etc. The attacks on our soldiers increased after that. Not because Iraqis loved these men, but because our cavalier treatment of their bodies is an insult in a culture we don't understand at all. And, of course, because they hate us just as much.

So Bush and his ilk chose not to make the same mistake and kill Saddam and show off his bullet ridden body along with autopsy stitches and make-up. You have to admit that the present administration at least understands that when one lie doesn't work then they're clever enough to pick another lie.

Of course, they insulted everyone, even Westerners who think we should to be more civilized than the enemy in our treatment of prisoners, by showing the most humiliating pictures they could take of Saddam and repeating them endlessly. Bush and Rove are basically gloaters (which is seen so easily every time Bush smirks) and so they believe everyone has the same callous sensitivity they have. So they've spent days gloating to the max.

But they have a problem now. They can't afford to have Saddam talk. Ever. So they must somehow discredit him. They can drug him so he isn't coherent and they can claim he's got advanced alzheimer's, or he could suddenly develop an illness that's too life-threatening for him to stand trial. Say heart trouble. Acute heart trouble. Maybe even deadly heart trouble. Would anyone ever know any difference between subtle murder and natural causes? So what if some crazy conspiracy nuts had suspicions? Surely Bush would stand arrogantly in his bubble in the White House and say "Oh yeah? Well bring yer conspiracies on!"

I wonder if Saddam will live much longer. I doubt it. Not with elections less than a year away. And if if they're worried about the 2004 elections, then they must worry about the one 4 years after that because they want to make sure Jeb is elected in 2008. Just holding Saddam in a Guantanamo like cage won't be enough. And having him around to talk is not an option.

Judith Foster,
Berkeley

Dear BuzzFlash,

Re: the Dec 16 "BuzzFlash interview: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr"

www.FoxRiverWatch.com provides extensive well-researched, well-documented pages about PCBs and their impact on human health and the environment.

The following pages would be a good place to start looking through the site:

"Human Health Risks from PCBs"

"Children - Health Problems from PCBs"

"The History of PCBs: When Were Health Problems Detected?"

"Current News of Wisconsin & Global PCB Issues & the Environment"

FoxRiverWatch is produced by Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin (CWAC), a grassroots 501c3 educational, charitable organization that is working for a cleanup of PCBs from the Fox River. Rebecca Katers, Executive Director of CWAC, does the research for the website.

Please feel free to share this email with individuals and organizations who can use it.

Sincerely,

Alice McCombs, Webmaster
Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin
1270 Main Street, Suite 120
Green Bay, WI 54302
920-437-7304
cwac@execpc.com
www.FoxRiverWatch.com
www.cwac.net

While Saddam was Captured: Stealth enactment of the "Patriot II" legislation

Various Sources

While CNN and other media outlets are rejoicing because of the capture of Saddam Hussein, Bush again introduced new legislation last Saturday which increased the federal powers to investigate and reduces the privacy rights of American citizens:

H.R. 2417, INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT OF 2004

Whitehouse Statement on HR 2417 (December 13, 2003)

* * *

HR 2417 was cleared by the Congress on November 21, 2003

* * *

Comments of Ron Paul, Congressman for Texas on HR 2417 :

It appears we are witnessing a stealth enactment of the enormously unpopular "Patriot II" legislation that was first leaked several months ago. Perhaps the national outcry when a draft of the Patriot II act was leaked has led its supporters to enact it one piece at a time in secret. Whatever the case, this is outrageous and unacceptable. I urge each of my colleagues to join me in rejecting this bill and its incredibly dangerous expansion of Federal police powers.

http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2003_cr/h112203.html

* * *

Bush signs bill extending FBI powers, Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- President Bush has signed legislation making it easier for FBI agents investigating terrorism to demand financial records from casinos, car dealerships, and other businesses.

The changes were included in a bill authorizing 2004 intelligence programs. Most of the details of the bill are secret, including the total cost of the programs, which are estimated to be about $40 billion. That would be slightly more than Bush had requested.

* * *

Christyne

re: Bri Held...Ny,Ny

I cannot begin to tell you how much your letter meant to my self worth!

Everything I send to this website, is truly meant to sort of pay back Buzz for the insight..they have provided me over the years, since I have discovered it. I thank my very lucky stars every day, that I found this site, to be able to vent my frustrations when the world of politics has gone so wrong...as it has lately!

There were times, in the past three years, when I think I would have screamed had I not had this site to go to and read, especially the mailbag...I have learned a lot from these mailbags...they draw the best information I have found!

BuzzFlash has set its standards higher than most of the other webs...and, in that, they have provided us with a lot of outlets...a way to vent!!!!

Thank you again Bri, and keep reading the mailbags at Buzz..they are always informative!!!!!

Shirley..............St.Louis

PS...I discovered this site...I think, in 1998, when someone called on Washington Journal on C-span and advertised it as the anti-Drudge site. I call it the "Truth" site!

Subj: "Everyone parroting the same angle very scary"

Dear Buzz-

Phil from South Pasadena wrote in the 12/15 mailbag that the exact angle in the Saddam story--or any story--being recounted like a mantra in administration and media is scary. I've notice this too.

In the Robert Greenwald documentary "Uncovered" he would take comments, for instance about "mushroom clouds" and then replay all of Bush Inc at separate times, in different media, using precisely the same line. I thought that was the most chilling thing about Greenwald's excellent film. These people are psychotic. Its Nazi Germany all over again---no exaggeration. If they get back in, the full storm will be unleashed. Look at the incredibly militarized police in Miami...and a lady in Texas being arrested for selling vibrators! (Weapons of Mass Seduction)....really they are freaking nuts. Even their photos in newspapers are frightening. They are so inbred in their thinking, that their faces have gotten meaner and more sinister looking.

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subj: If Saddam couldn't even bend his knees in the spider hole,

Where was the cooler with the money?

How could the pistol have been in his lap?

Where were the two AK47s?

That hair and beard looks long, like since April 2003.

Signed,

A Buzz Flash Reader

P.S. The beard was first reported as fake?

Subj: Diane Sawyer and Bush

I cannot believe the Diane Sawyer interview with Bush. I turned it on for exactly one minute and had to turn it off for the sake of my sanity. Bush set the seed for next years campaign by ducking debates already. He is "too busy" being president to have a lot of debates. Rove is already setting the plan, the less Bush talks, the better. Because Diane Sawyer is not the brightest interviewer on TV (And that's not a healthy yardstick), she had no follow up question about Bush's hectic schedule: one that includes almost daily FUND RAISING and MONTH LONG VACATIONS. He performs his presidential duties in full make-up with plenty of press coverage and props (Back drops, signs, fake turkeys). We know when he is being president because we have to choke it down along with Michael Jackson news and Bennifer sightings on what passes for news programs in this day and age. Thanks "Liberal" Media, you should be proud of what you've help to create.

Jeff Maddock

Subj: Sorting out Differences

Dear BuzzFlash,

Lieberman doesn't miss an opportunity to badmouth Dean. Instead of negatively pushing the differences between he and Dean, shouldn't Lieberman be be campaigning on THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HE AND BUSH?

Oh I forgot... Lieberman has a track record demonstrating that there isn't much difference between him and Bush!

~ Cathy

Subj: Bush Signs Home Assistance

Bush signs home assistance initiative.

Sorry buddy, but where have you been -- eating fake turkey? When President Clinton was in office home ownership by minorities was it's highest EVER. This fact never mentioned by our US presstitutes. I swear the whores never evaluate these props, just repeat them like robots.

PJOnes
Mesquite TX

Subj: Dept. of Irony

Today, the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, the airspace around the site is completely shut down for a 10 nautical mile radius because W will be there. That means that all the private pilots and aviation enthusiasts who have been planning to go there for months can't fly in to the celebration!

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2003/03-4-155x.html