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January 28, 2004 |
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Subj: SOL Dear BuzzFlash,This morning I saw titles to two stories in my local newspaper: [1] US says more time needed on Iraq WMD. [2] 9/11 panel wants extension on report. Hmmm, what do you want to bet that the WMD thing will go on into eternity and the 9/11 panel will be SOL. That-a-be, Sorry, Out of Luck! ~ Cathy Subj: More Useful Info Needed Hi Buzz, Please continue to publish more links to information such as was listed in "Want Jobs? Vote Democrat!" Information like that is simply factual which means that I can share it with my Republican friends and family. That's the kind of info I can forward because it won't insult them or preach to them and that's the kind of info I need more of. It's clean and simple and verifiable. If we are going to beat Bush, we need to change the thinking of those working class Republicans (I don't get it either..) who think the Repubs are on their side. Keep up the good work! Mary Subj: One nice thing if the draft returns We can all ask why the Bush kids aren't in the service. Mike Curtis Subj: Right Wing As seen on Satelliteguys: TRUTH to the Right Wing----- Is like a Wooden Stake------ To a Vampire Ron-----mpls. Subj: Swipe In re Dean predicts comeback, takes swipe at media 1/27 Swipe? I read what Dean said and they were pretty neutral, slightly humorous comments. Considering the hatchet job the media did on Dean he is being incredibly sanguine. I wonder if I would be so gracious in that situation. Rosamond Subj: Elections BuzzFlash has hit the nail on the head....never in my life have I seen the importance of voting for the democrat. Not just today, or whenever this primary is in our state....we must get this maniac out of office. They keep replaying his little discussion with the Polish leader ...and a few questions from the press. He still maintains that his telling us lies to get revenge on Saddam is the right thing. He does not use those words....and he changes things, thinking that we will not notice. I stayed up long enough last night to watch the results in tiny Dixville Notch....there is a myth that the president has never been elected unless he carries the Notch. Bush, did not get as many votes as the democratic side did....there are 26 registered voters here..and Bush got 11. In another tiny town...something with the name of a mountain...the same...they had 30 registered....and Bush got 13...the rest were divided up between the dems. Clark won both for the democrats. That will play hell for the Bushites. No way can George Bush debate a person with a war record.....and a passionate person..a truthful person...a person with morals!!! I love 'em all, except two....and they will not win anyway. BuzzFlash will tell you another thing...the next 9 months are crucial if you do not want this "nuthatch maniac lying son of a gun."....running this country!!! Personally, I do not! Please, Please, vote Democratic..in your primaries and your regular elections!!!!! Shirley...............St. Louis Subj: Subject: Ashcroft and that "evil chemistry" From the AP today: "Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites), traveling in Vienna, Austria, said the Iraq war was justified, even if banned weapons are never found, because it eliminated the threat that Saddam might again resort to 'evil chemistry and evil biology.' " Of course, when we sold Iraq 10 Bell helicopters outfitted for "crop spraying" in 1983 (http://www.casi.org.uk/info/usdocs/usiraq80s90s.html), it seemed perfectly plausible in light of the war with the Iran. And then in 1988, when the US failed to directly condemn Iraq for the use of chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurds, prudent policy was to turn a blind-eye. Now Ashcroft gets a pass? Again? Where is the research department? Where is the press? Stephen Subj: Now it's "evil chemistry" and "evil biology" Check this out -- now the accusation is "evil chemistry" and "evil biology". Sounds like a wicked witch brewing something over a big, black cauldron. We went to war because of "evil chemistry". Our best and brightest are dying in Iraq because of this. "In Vienna yesterday, Attorney-General John Ashcroft said that even if weapons of mass destruction are never found in Iraq, the war was justified because Mr. Hussein can no longer resort to 'evil chemistry and evil biology.'" More at: http://www.globeandmail.com/ Roma Subj: Dennis Miller to give ... Appreciated that you gave your readers the 'heads-up' about the Dennis Miller show! While we thought Bob Hirschfeld's article was excellent we were disappointed that he left out the fact that the Miller show is giving out Bill O'Reilly's books etc. If this doesn't smack of an obvious right-wing bias nothing does! CNBC/Miller are shameless! Phil Subj: CBS Comes Clean on Dean BuzzFlash: Re Eric Salzman's admirable commentary on Dean's whoop-up moment in Iowa. The media mauling of Howard Dean over his cheerleading display in Iowa represents a low point in this century's reporting. Whatever one's view of Dean's politics, for so many "experts" to deliberately misconstrue Dean's actions and demeanor is reprehensible. Even Salzman in his clarifying CBS article writes that Dean improperly whipped up his crowd because he's "speaking to a television camera." But in the interest of fairness and accuracy, those employing the cameras should give the viewers the proper context, something that didn't happen in this egregious case. Suppose instead of giving their misleading accusations that Dean exhibited "anger" or "rage," a more- accurate version of events was stated thus: "Howard Dean made a valiant effort to rally his dispirited followers in a speech as up-beat as any football coach ever gave to his team at halftime. His voice rising in a crescendo, Dean grinned and listed all the states his camp would win, finishing off the performance with a whoop of real enthusiasm." * Here's my letter from the New York Times on the topic.
FW: It's About Free Speech Hello once again, CBS is taking some very public heat about refusing MoveOn.org's advertisement, "Child's Pay." You can help create more heat! Peter * * *
Subj: Can you believe this? I got a note from a NH Dem voter and they said Bush and Cheney team have vans going all over New Hampshire putting up Bush Cheney signs during a DEMOCRATIC primary. How desperate can they be? A BuzzFlash Reader Powell Troubled by Russia Democracy, Foreign Policy Buzz, It is not only the bold-faced lies told by this misadministration, but the blatantly ignorant hubris that accompanies them. Powell being "troubled" by Russia's foreign policy is prime example. The following is a shortened, paraphrased version of the official story, with DimSon/White House substituted for Putin/Russia. It makes more sense this way. Colin Powell is worried about Dubya's democracy in unusually blunt comments that underscored widespread concerns the White House is turning increasingly autocratic. ...he said Dubya's politics were not sufficiently subject to the rule of law ... officials are troubled by the 2000 and 2002 elections that all but swept liberal parties from all branches of government after a campaign critics say was tainted by biased coverage from corporate media. ... critics say the White House is turning more authoritarian. " Dubya's democratic system seems not yet to have found the essential balance among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government ... Political power is not yet fully tethered to law." ... Powell made clear he was worried about Dubya's assertive dealings with its neighbors, which include Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, France, Canada ... "Certain aspects of internal Dubya policy ...toward neighbors that emerged from Dubya's "axis of evil" have concerned us." T Quigly Subj: Sen. Durbin rocks for MoveOn.org Senator Durbin (D) of Illinois stood on the Senate floor today and expressed his feelings regarding the MoveOn.org ad. The Senator feels that the ad should be shown on CBS during the Super Bowl. He had a large blown up poster about the ad and he advised that anyone who agreed that CBS should reconsider their refusal to show the ad should write or call CBS. He gave the address and phone number for CBS . All this was shown live on C-span. We all should email Sen. Durbin and thank him for what he did. You may email him at dick@durbin.senate.gov PLEASE TAKE TIME TO TELL HIM THANKS! pissed off patricia [BuzzFlash Note: You can call Sen. Durbin's DC office at 202-224-2152.] Subj: Thanks to BuzzFlash A big thank you to BuzzFlash for keeping us all sane by knowing there are many others out there that feel the same way despite what the media keeps trying to tell us. I get my dose of hope every morning reading the BuzzFlash mailbag. Todd Smyth in Alexandria, Va took the words right out of my mouth in his letter "Don't Count Him Out" with his assessment of Dean. And just like Elaine in Petaluma, I too am a fan of Shirley letters from St. Louis. Keep up the good work BuzzFlash! Travis in Collinsville, Il Subj: Bush's Little Brother know that with all of the major news items, i.e., the New Hampshire Primary, Iraq, Halliburton kickbacks, outing CIA agents, etc., a regional report about the President's li'l brother probably doesn't count for much. After following Neil's escapades regarding the collapse of the Silverado Savings and Loan in Colorado costing taxpayers about $1.5 billion in bailouts and after soaking the Small Business Administration for a host of dry wells in a miserable attempt to wildcat his way to riches in Wyoming back in the 80's, li'l brother Bush is now enmeshed in a messy divorce. "Court papers filed in Houston detail sexual escapades, lucrative business deals, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4071824/ ." Just another little seedy detail about the Bush royal family that, if the country was in 1/10th as good of shape as it was when Clinton was President, would make front page headlines (at least in the Enquirer). Of course, now that Neil's getting a little older, maybe he'll become reborn and run for Governor of Texas. Lord knows we can't get enough of them Bushes in the Lone Star State. Brad....in Dallas Subj: Dick Cheney's visit to Ederle Caserme, Vicenza, Italy today I was listening to the event from my car radio in the garage and dashed some notes when I got upstairs. * * * This afternoon on Armed Forces Radio I listened to Dick Cheney reenlist four soldiers at Caserme Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, home of the 173d Airborne Brigade. He also pinned on purple hearts to two soldiers who were wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I believe they were with the 4ID, which is about to redeploy out of Iraq. There was mention made of the number of casualties suffered by the 173d Airborne in Iraq so far, around 60, I think. According to the 173d’s webpage, they’ve had nine KIAs. When Cheney walked into the auditorium, the theme song from "Rocky" was being played. His wife and daughter were with him. His wife was introduced as a historian and writer of children's books (the children’s book is a jingoistic rant about "patriotism.") Cheney gave a speech, saying, "We will honor those who have lost their lives during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and we won't forget their names (I wonder why, then, he won't allow the media to film the caskets being taken off the planes. That seems rather impersonal.) During his speech, he said that after 9-11, everything had changed, and we had to strike at the center of terrorist organizations before we were forced to deal with them in our own streets (he is still fixated on a link between 9-11 and Saddam Hussein). He said the Taliban were gone forever, that Afghanistan was being rebuilt, and that the Afghanis lived in peace and freedom as a result of the armed forces' success in striking at this terrorist center (no mention of the bumper crop of opium, not to mention the warlords who rule the roost). He said that Italy has been a great ally (implying that France and Germany have not been). He mentioned the capture of Saddam (applause line). Of the four soldiers he’d reenlisted, one was from Romania (an indication of the depth to which the DoD has to dig into other countries' human resources to fill US mercenary ranks), one was working in Account and Financing, one was working at Armed Forces Network, and the other was an MP. The above positions are desireable, especially considering the location, with the unlikelihood of having to deploy (except, perhaps, the MP). Why not reenlist a guy stationed in the Sunni Triangle whose MOS has been stop-loss’d, and really make an impression? This event was broadcast throughout Armed Forces Radio, giving Cheney lots of exposure to promote reenlistments, which the DoD sorely needs. He also promoted Bush, whose own photo-oping w/troops has worn thin as shown by the letter complaints printed in "Stars and Stripes." This was Cheney’s second visit overseas since the election and his first visit to a cemetery dedicated to the allies landing in WWII. Armed Forces Network’s evening news program just showed Cheney in slo-mo, placing a bouquet at the tombstone of an American soldier, with background commentary reporting Cheney wasn’t in Italy for photo-ops (those negative Bush letters must have struck a nerve), but to commemorate the fallen (I wonder if he will be "honoring" our many recently wounded at Landstuhl military hospital in Germany, with a personal visit.) It sounded like Cheney got a decent applause from what I could hear on the radio, with some whistling and hooting in the background (AFN only showed about 30 seconds of it, five minutes dedicated to Cheney at the cemetery of the fallen). He’s redeploying the 173d to Iraq in April. Cheney got five military deferments to keep himself out of VietNam. I wonder if anybody in the audience was asking themselves, "Why do we support this guy?" According to AFN, the event appeared to be "last minute, quick notice," but it was actually "planned and coordinated three months in advance." Perhaps we’ll find out who was allowed to attend the event and who wasn’t. It’s unlikely the Bushies left anything to chance. A BuzzFlash Reader in Europe Subj: SEN. DURBIN GIVES CBS A GOOD TELLING OFF Dear Buzz, Today I was very impressed to see Sen. Dick Durbin on the senate floor, lambaste CBS for not showing the Moveon.org ad during the super bowl. He gave an excellent speech, and said that CBS should be called Conservative Broadcasting Services. He asked folks to call or write to CBS and protest this crazy policy of theirs, which is obviously to benefit the Bush regime. It is now crystal clear that CBS is in the pockets of the Bush administration, and we cannot expect to find any fair mindedness coming from this organization. Oh yes, he also mentioned that many executives at CBS contributed to the republican party. I guess that alone speaks volumes. GOOD FOR SEN. DURBIN! A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Understanding the Media Everyone is at wits end trying to figure out the media. Why aren't they presenting fact based journalistic treasures of old. No more watergate investigations. No desire for the fourth estate to intelligently inform the public. No, we get such treasures as Gore is stiff and Clinton was a rapist. Why do we keep hearing about Dean's anger yet nothing about Bush's sick refusal to hear or witness dissent. BUT AH! One need look no further than the Iraq war. The media has gotten the message. In psychological warfare, it is called CONDITIONING. I like to call it good dog, bad dog. When something is said or done that this Bushco administration does not like, media types end up mysteriously dead or grazed, or captured and held as insurgents. Good dogs get patted on the head, bad dogs get PUT DOWN. I think the media has gotten the message loud and clear. Self preservation is always a good incentive to behave accordingly. If only the Democrats were as ruthless as the Republicans, I guess we are too decent for that and I think the media know this. PJOnes Subj: Rove says . . . Dear BuzzFlash, As much as I don't want to agree with Rove on anything, in this case I'd have to say I agree with him when he calls the Presidential press corps " weenies". They are a bunch of preening, uncritical, unquestioning weenies. They're like a bunch of first graders, afraid that the big, mean teacher will make them stand in the corner, or in this case move them to the back of the room, if they ask a serious question. They're such weenies that Rove can call them weenies and they still prostrate themselves for Bush. It's embarrassing, actually, to witness. How do they live with themselves? Joe Subj: What's with the right wing praising Kerry????? Dan Van Neste is onto something -- just today Bill O'Reilly wrote a glowing column about Kerry (today's Chicago Sun Times). I've had this feeling they (the media following the RNC's and Rove's direction) have been singling out Dean and Clark for some time for special trashing, and now that they've had some success, they're pushing Kerry. Let's not be manipulated. Ignore the press and vote your gut, your head and your heart. A BuzzFlash Reader MANY AMERICANS HAVE SAID ALL ALONG THE WAR IN IRAQ WAS BASED ON LIES FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION, OIL AND RETAILATION ON BEHALF OF BUSH'S DAD. FOR THAT REASON GEORGE BUSH SHOULD TRIED BEFORE A COURT OF LAW AND THROWN OUT OF OFFICE. Subj: SeeBS Dear BuzzFlash, Did you notice that SeeBS is asking people to vote for their favorite Super Bowl advertisement of all time? Of course, they didn't give us the option of writing in "MoveOn" censored ad! That would be way too democratic for SeeBS. Rob Subj: TWO MAILBAGS EVERY DAY...YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!! 'Scuse me.....sorry! I have always been a Dean lover...since the first time he hit the ground running..I liked every thing he said...and I still do. I will back him until the Convention, and then...like the good Democrat I am....I will vote for whomever gets the nod...Any of them except Lieberman and Sharpton..would be so far up from Bush he would think he was down!!! TWO MAILBAGS EVERY DAY....WONDERFUL!!! I know it is more work...but it is so great...I really look forward to it!!! So far as Dean is concerned, I tend to think that the Bush people, for some reason are more afraid of him than a Veteran of any war...and I am still trying to figure that one out. But, something tells me, that the rightwingnuts are...scared of that man! As Dimbus Frustratus says....if the idiotic media could get though one day without showing that scream....or bashing Michael Moore....I'd feel like we accomplished something, but it is not going to happen...They work with what they have to work with and it is precious little sometimes! Not much upstairs, you know??? Evil does not last, you must learn as you go along, and they would rather just be evil!!! Carolyn Ball...I just got acquainted with ABB club, now you present me with ABBA and Dabba???? Hey, sounds fine to me..thanks!!! Shirley.............St. Louis Subj: Preposterous O.K. -- that's it. Today, January 27, 2004, I've witnessed the be-all and end-all of what it is going to always be like, as we try to confront George W. Bush this fall. First, as we all know by now, David Kay just announced that there never were any WMD; the idea that they ever existed was essentially a chimera. So, what does Bush turn around and do? He grants a press interview, in which he then proceeds to say (without a red face) that David Kay found WMD!!! I'm not kidding about this -- it was on ABC News with Peter Jennings, 1-27-04. On top of this, the media fail to fall all over themselves about the idiocy of such an assertion (possibly because they are too exhausted from getting all lathered up about Michael Moore's "deserter" comment). Now, finally, we have direct proof of what we are dealing with. It's frighteningly Orwellian. War is peace, hate is love -- just like something right out of the novel 1984. If I am misinterpreting what I heard and saw today, I invite any readers to send an e-mail to BuzzFlash to disabuse me of my misinterpretations. Donald P. Russo, Bethlehem, Pa. I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag Revisited
Inspired by the work of Country Joe and the Fish A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: New Hampshire: The Unreported Results!! Dear Buzz! I usually write to you from my yahoo site, but this news is so good I am posting it from the university: http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2004/primaries There are two tables here. Scroll down to the second table: the Republican primary tabulations. Thanks to Daily Kos for picking up on this! What this means is that al most 10% of the registered Republicans were so displeased with Bush/Cheney that they wrote in a democratic candidate--a startling result! All in all, more newsworthy than the comparative percentages of the Democrat candidates, we can confidently predict this is one news item that will not get mass media coverage. Michael Subj: Quote of the Day
Tom Subj: The Prophylactic War Dear Buzz, As GWBush--again exposed to the world as Chicken Little--argues whether Iraq was a pre-emptive war or a preventive war, allow me to suggest it was a prophylactic war, started by a dozen lubricated Republicans. John Westermann http://www.johnwestermann.com/the_short_list.htm PS. I'm sick of the dodge that the media aren't allowed to cover coffins returning to Dover AFB. No one is stopping the wire services and television networks from covering local military funerals and feeding their pictures into national discourse. Except Bush doesn't go to those. It might sink in what he hath wrought. Subj: 9/11 and the Flight Stewardess On AOL today the Associated Press reports the Flight Stewardess notified the Air Traffic Controllers at 8:20 AM. I heard Alex Jones report on www.rense.com last week that the Secret Service were notified immediately of her telephone call and notified the White House by 8:22 AM. George Bush and Dick Cheney were notified before Bush went into the classroom. I also read that the Media, Republican Party and the White House refuses to embarrass the Bush Administration. Sounds familiar. The Supreme Court gave the White House to Bush in 2000 stating It might damage Bush because he would be the President anyway. No one has even investigated why Kennedy Airport in Queens, New York had shut down all incoming and outgoing planes at 11:00 PM on September 10, 2001. That is a fact. Arlene Subj: Colorado's financial picture askew?
Geoff Subj: Rush Hey Buzz, I tuned in to Limbaugh yesterday and he was bloviating about an article in IntellectualConservative.com which was condemning Sen. John Kerry of Ma. for an incident in Vietnam where a number of civilians were killed by American troops supposedly under his command. After adding his scurrilous comments and taking a call or two someone must have handed him a note telling him they had the wrong Kerry and that it was actually ex Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska who was connected to the incident. Listening to him back off the charges was comical, what a dingbat he is, and so much for "IntellectualConservative".com. Al Franken should run a tape of this incident on his new radio show. By the way, I checked that site Rush mentioned and the story wasn't there, but the following paragraph was:
I guess its OK to say the above about Kerry, but comparing Bush to Hitler is a no-no. JohnW Subj: The Subtle Message of Headlines "Despite a second defeat, Dean says he feels revitalized" It could have read, "Despite second place finish, Dean says he feels revitalized" Karen/Platteville |
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