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Subj: Tim's Interview with George

What an orchestrated, choreographed propaganda moment coming on Sunday morning!!! Tim Russert’s Interview:

Very significant that Tim had to go out of his nationwide Meet The Press studio to George’s home turf! Tells you who’s really in control!

All week NBC has played up how past Presidents have been on Meet the Press, while showing the old black and white pictures of them in the studio, various years and decades, thoughtfully answering questions thrown at them. Get it?! They all came to the studio and were interviewed, without the questions given to them ahead of time. They were even interrupted, sometimes repeatedly. It was Live, and NOT pre-taped and edited several days earlier. The Meet the Press “true journalists”of yesterday did not have to go to the Court of a President such as King George for a canned, pre-taped interview, like the GE-NBC highly paid water boy of today, that Tim Russert is.

Betsy

Scalia was a the key man in the Supreme Court decision to stop the Florida recount, in so doing, gave the Presidency and Vice Presidency to Bush/Cheney.

I wonder how he will vote when the court takes up the appeal questioning the constitutionality of Bush/Ashcroft Anti terrorist act?

With guys/gals like Scalia in control of The Supreme Court, Guys/Gals like Hastert in control of the House of Representatives, Guys/Gals like Fisk in control of the Senate Bush/Cheney controls all three branches of the U.S. Government!

Add the subservient U.S.. Media and what do we have?

No checks and balance and no media oversight

Bush rules by decree His wish has come true! " It would be so much easier to govern if this were a dictatorship and I was the dictator!"

Peace

Tom

* * *

Food For Thought:

Here we are less than nine months to go before we cast our vote for or against Bush and the Media and Neocons are screaming about a BOOB display on T.V. and Gay Marriages and Michael Jackson! Listening to some of those Media clowns is like reading Star Magazine.

The Bushies love this stuff because it keeps the important issues like his war in Iraq, his failed economic policies and his questionable Military service off the front pages

If one would take the time to read the Unauthorized Bush Biography, the real G.W. Bush, he is not a man of high moral values that Karl Rove presents to the American people!

He has used and abused people from day one! In my opinion he is a pathological liar, a guy who has no problem with telling a fib when doing so benefits him in any way.

His Military Service, or better yet, his Military Non Service is a good example or maybe his Insider trading with his Harken Oil stocks.

Martha Stewart's insider trading deal is petty cash compared to the Bush Harken deal!

Let's not forget the Texas Ranger Stadium deal which netted Bush over 5 Million dollars. I could go on with more Bush deals but i have to get some shut eye!

Don't be sucked into the non Issue debate they are real but the Bushies are using them to cover up his failed economic policies!

Tom

http://www.prospect.org/weblog/archives/2004/02/index.html#002392

Archive: Re: CIA and Iraq War

I searched google with "CIA felt pressured" and there are hundreds or thousands of articles came up.

AM - Claims Cheney pressured CIA for evidence
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2003/s873501.htm

C.I.A. Aides Feel Pressure in Preparing Iraqi Reports
http://www.communityvoice.com/messages/584.html

IOL : CIA analysts felt pressured on Iraq - report
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?sf=24&click_id=3&art_id=qw1054791360596B262&set_id=1

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: IRAQ EDUCATED CLASSES BEING ASSASSINATED

Why are Iraq's leading intellectuals and human rights activists being killed. The case of Dr. Abdul al-Latif is especially disturbing. Who gains from the lack of educated "leaders" to give Iraqis self-rule. Take one guess.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/07/international/middleeast/07ASSA.html

"Abdul al-Latif al-Mayah was never safe. Not before the war started, and not after. A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Mayah, a 53-year-old political scientist and human rights advocate known in his neighborhood here as "the professor," was driving to work when eight masked gunmen jumped in front of his car. They yanked him into the street, the police said, and shot him nine times in front of his bodyguard and another university lecturer. Dr. Mayah, the professor who was killed, had also refused to be intimidated. He spent years ducking the secret police under Mr. Hussein. As a member of the Shiite underground, he pushed for the overthrow of the government, his family recounted."

Marguerite

This is from Andrew Sullivan, who usually swoons over George W.'s action hero persona. He admits: "It occurs me to that, on [the AWOL], [Bush] might have nothing more to say. The criticism might well be right. Gulp"

Here is Sullivan's quote in context:

One the other hand, Peggy Noonan is doing her best not to say that the interview sucked. Money quote: The president seemed tired, unsure and often bumbling. His answers were repetitive, and when he tried to clarify them he tended to make them worse. He did not seem prepared. He seemed in some way disconnected from the event. When he was thrown the semisoftball question on his National Guard experience--he's been thrown this question for 10 years now--he spoke in a way that seemed detached. "It's politics." Well yes, we know that. Tell us more.

It occurs me to that, on this question, he might have nothing more to say. The criticism might well be right.

Gulp.

http://www.andrewsullivan.com/

Maureen

Subj: Who is Laurence Silberman?

Co-Chair of Bush's "commission" to investigate intelligence failures was heavily involved in the October Surprise--when Reagan-Bush and CIA operatives who'd been fired by Carter made a deal with the Iranians not to release the hostages until after the election. (They are also said to have arranged the sabotage of Carter's hostage rescue mission (Oliver North, Richard Allen [Reagan's first national security advisor], George Bush, Donald Gregg [at the time, Carter's CIA liaison, later to become Bush's national security advisor], and others were also heavily involved.)

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/02/280014.shtml

Additional article on "October Surprise:"

http://www.sumeria.net/politics/oct-sur.html

Dina

I found this on BuzzFlash.

http://news.findlaw.com/news/s/20040202/iraqusawolfowitzdc.html

This guy Wolfowitz is truly nuts. He was on the military base where I work the other day and we had no notice....but he did get to use the military air waves to promote his optimistic bullshit, saying how difficult it was for families not to see their loved ones (sometimes both parents are deployed at the same time) for a year (Wolfie can only imagine since he was never in the military), but that the 1ID has one of the highest reenlistment rates despite the hardship deployments it must endure, and that families are choosing to stay in Wuerzburg during this year-long deployment rather than return to the U.S. blah blah blah. He's implying that our reenlistments are high BECAUSE of these unaccompanied one year plus deployments. In reality, the reenlistment is/was high because of the crown-jewel tour to lovely Wurzburg, Germany, a base which Wolfie is trying his hardest to close in an effort to move the 1ID to shithole Bulgaria, Romania or Poland so the money used for the Base Support Battalions in Wuerzburg can be diverted to private corporate base support on unaccompanied tours in Eastern European countries. Families are in fact choosing to redeploy home to stay close to extended family members. Wolfie is hoping to god there isn't an exodus from Europe because the state-side bases and the cities enveloping them aren't federally financially supported nor do they have the necessary facilities to support a large increase of inbound military families.

Neither Wolfowitz nor Cheney visited Landstuhl Hospital, where our wounded are. Likewise, they gave no Stars and Stripes interviews and there was no public question/answer session. Cheney did take the opportunity to lay a wreath at a WWII US soldier's grave in Italy, shown in slow-mo on AFN, while an Armed Forces Network reporter stated in the over-dubbing that Cheney had not come to Italy for photo-ops.

The propaganda we put up with these days is unimaginable and never-ending.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Dean's Revenge

It’s a fun game to play, imagining who a potential Democratic Presidential nominee should pick for VP, and who could fill various cabinet positions. Some have proposed Howard Dean for Surgeon General. My favorite scenario is this:

Make Dr. Dean the Chairman of the FCC. That way, he can do to the corporate-owned right-wing media what they did to him.

Joseph Luna

Subj: makes me sick

over 500 of our kids are dead, over 3000 injured and we have no idea how women and children in iraq we killed, and no wmd.

tim russert ask bush if he would testify on that commission...... bush recoils with...........

TESTIFY? YOU MEAN LIKE UNDER OATH? UM, LOOK RUSSERT, IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL, I WILL BE HAPPY TO CHIT CHAT ABOUT IT OVER SOME COFFEE AND PIE. MAYBE WE COULD ALL GET TOGETHER AT DENNY'S! YOU KNOW US WHITE GUYS GET PREFERRED TREATMENT THERE.

bush's response to russerts question did not surprise me at all. this is not a real investigation, it is cover to get him through the election. if you ask me if i robbed the bank, i would tell you no. however, what would you think if told you i would not say it under oath, just take my word for it?

diane anderson
miami fl

Hey Buzz,

First the obligatory KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Nex: regarding your headline Right Wing Commentator Speculates on a Bush-McCain Ticket.

I couldn't help but express my appreciation for the author's insight, so I sent the following email to him:

I'm quite amused at your subtle admission of the failure of the bush presidency such as the confession bush still needs a VP with foreign policy experience.

The truth is bush has been an abject failure, and he will need some marketing ploy to distract folks from the modern day cheap labor economics theology; eliminating the protections of our source of food, water, air and shelter (aka the physical environment); reducing worker protections via assaults on civil litigation and overtime pay rules; reward the rich tax and economic policies; and more.

I can't wait for the "family values" debate. bush and company will be spouting anxious, spittle flecked warnings of attacks by legions of homosexuals wanting to have their own family in their own lives - and the answer from the bushies will be to have people's religious tenets and actions debated and formalized on the floors of the US House and Senate. Of course the bushies will ignore what a lack of affordable health care, good pay for one's labor and sending some poor southeastern kid off to Iraq to lose life or limb because of bush lies does to families; but that's okay because we'll still be there.

And here it all is - GrrRadio.com - because we DO fight for our future!, Ramabahama.net, WomansVoice.org, VtGrassrootsParty.org, and VtHorseCouncil.org

Rama

Subj: Supporters of Bush

Dear BuzzFlash Readers:

I would like to see the candidates ask the families who whole-heartedly support Bush/Cheney's "Liberation" of Iraq..."where are your kids?" You know the ones. Those who ranted against us who did not agree with this goon administration's finding any reason they could to put our people in uniform in harm's way...as long as it did not include their kids.

Are the children of the supporters of the Bush/Cheney regime still in college?..safely away from the fighting.?..how funny. Support the war..as long as YOUR kids are not threatened.

How 'bout you families and your kids put your money where your mouths are...or are you supporters of Bush/Cheney just giving lip service...as usual.

Mary in Indiana

Bush: Through the eyes of a psychologist

The Eyes are the windows to the soul; watch Bush's eyes. The rest of the body language concurs

He runs the gamut in eye shifting, facial expressions, and hand gestures that fairly scream: " I'm lying! I am even lying to myself!"

The last three times I have seen this man speak, whether from script or while being questioned, even by Mr. Softball Russert, I have been increasingly alarmed.

Americans are in very big trouble. The man in the White House is not stable.

Is it just me, or did it seem that his face was swollen? Edema? He looked like the Pillsbury doughboy from the neck up.

Think, for a moment, about some of the things that can cause this kind of edema.

Bad knees, pain killers, uhoh!

Peace be with you

DD+

Subj: the powder found in Frist's mail room was mostly paper dust,

with traces of ricin so minute, they can't even be evaluated for particle size or purity. No envelope or note has been found, and no other piece of mail from the Senate has even a trace of ricin on it. Neither do any door sills, doorknobs, railings or surfaces anywhere in the building. Same goes for air filters, which should catch floating particles

. . .

But ricin isn't especially good as a weapon of mass destruction. It's easy to make, using a recipe you can get off the Internet. It comes from the castor bean, which is used around the world in products ranging from laxatives to brake fluid to nylon, and also grows wild in the southwestern U.S., so there's no shortage of raw material. But unlike anthrax, ricin is tough to aerosolize and inhale; the easiest way to deliver a fatal dose is injection or ingestion, and you need a lot for the latter. Ricin is powerful, but it's a retail, not a wholesale, poison.

"Homegrown Terror", Time Magazine

A BuzzFlash Reader

Re: Bush on 'Meet the Press'

Talk about doing the little 'Texas Two-step' around avoiding answering questions honestly and truthfully, and being incapable of admitting any of his numerous blunders and the complete dishonesty on taking the country into war against Iraq without any justification, which constitutes an illegal war, Bush was presenting his case for war by a variety of 'could of,' 'we all thought,' 'I have no idea,' 'could have produced,' 'perhaps,' 'will find out.' He defended charges of being AWOL and a deserter from the Texas Air National Guard with just a "they were all wrong."

He said that he would "perhaps" submit to questions from the commission on 9/11 attacks.

He did not directly respond to election-year allegations that his administration exaggerated intelligence to bolster the war to oust the Iraqi president.

This administration has yet to face a possible charge of violating the UN charter and war crimes.

With all the stonewalling, stalling, and refusing to admit to any wrongdoing regarding any of the serious nature of investigations against this regime, it is high time voters rejected him and the members of his regime before they can do further harm to this country. And Repubs in Congress need to be returned to the minority party where they belong, because they are as bad or worse that this administration.

* * *

Bush Says Saddam Had Capacity for Nukes

President Makes His First Appearance on 'Meet the Press'

By DEB RIECHMANN, AP

WASHINGTON (Feb. 8) - Defending his decision to invade Iraq, President Bush said that although stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons have not been found, Saddam Hussein had the capacity to produce such arms and could have developed a nuclear weapon over time.

Subj: Unbelievable...Democrats must pound this home!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3459617.stm

With “...friends in the War on Terror...”like this, Mr. President... who in the HELL needs enemies?!?

This is exactly what Wes Clark, John Kerry and all the other Democratic candidates should be asking, very loudly on the campaign trail. Incredibly enough, this question was not put forward by Tim Russert to the President on Meet the Press just this morning.

The facts speak for themselves! Pakistani president Musharraf has pardoned Dr. Kahn for these terrible crimes! Why has the Bush Administration not spoken out about this? We know why. Coming on the heels of the Kay report, which called into serious question the judgment of the Administration about going to war in Iraq, this latest monumental lapse in judgment would be more than Karl Rove could bear in the public arena.

While one of our “... best friends in the War on Terror...”has actively seen that nuclear technology (i.e. Weapons of Mass Destruction) have proliferated to American-hating nations such as Iran, Libya and North Korea (i.e. Axis of Evil) via our “...good partner in the War on Terror...”Pakistan, over five hundred American boys are dead in a country where George Bushes hand-picked weapons investigator David Kay admits that “..we were ALL wrong”!

Who’s judgment decides our “...friends in the War on Terror...”from “..evil nations sowing hatred towards America”? The buck stops at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue! No further! George Tenet did not decide Pakistan was our friend. George Tenet did not decide to take whatever “intelligence”we possessed and go to war in Iraq. George W. Bush makes these final, important decisions... these critical judgments. And he has failed.

Pakistan is a glaring and embarrassing and DANGEROUS failure in George Bushes’judgment. Dangerous to America and the entire world.

I hope very much that Wes Clark and John Kerry and Howard Dean and John Edwards, while they still have their own version of the American bully-pulpit in this primary election season, do not let Americans forget that these tragic failures in judgment have not only failed America and the world, but left us MUCH LESS safe.... MUCH LESS SAFE than if we had done nothing at all. Incredible.

John L. Johnson
Laingsburg, Michigan

Subj: Couldn't Even Handle 'Softballs'......Few 'Fastballs' He didn't Even See...Very Poor Performance.....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4179618/

His Poll Numbers are going to drop.....expect more 'alerts'...maybe even a 'capture'....

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Check out Millennium Challenge Corporation - More Rape of the Public Fisc BUSH

Click here: Millennium Challenge Corporation - Overview

buzz, i stumbled on this but hadn't heard of it before. it appears to be a further privatization of the public fisc for military/corporate ends. from what i read, the 'loans' and 'contracts' are not subject to the regulatory framework established for all other government foreign aid programs...there is much, much more but I wanted to bring this new Bush inspired Millennium Corporation Account to your attention.. in budget proposed $1 billion a year beginning in FY'04 and $5 billion A YEAR beginning in FY 05.

D. Shatin
Levittown, PA

Subj: Munich Security Conference

February 8, 2004

http://securityconference.de/konferenzen/2003/i

This is a link to the Munich security conference in 2003, when everybody talked about the coming war against Iraq. Please note the speeches from McCain who is appointed to the investigative group regarding intelligence and Iraq war. {at the conference in 2003 you cold hardly tell the difference among Rumsfeld, Lieberman and McCain.

The page also has links to the just finished conference of 2004 - but unfortunately without Q&A to Rumsfeld.

Best regards,

Susanne Arends

Sent to Meet the Press:

Subj: Explanation/Clarification...Please!

Sirs,

Having just watched and recorded Tim Russert's hard-hitting, journalistic inthegrity-filled, gritty interview with President Bush, and having reviewed the transcript of the same, a question comes to mind: Why did your transcriptionist edit Bush's remarks? Specifically, when Russert asked the following straightforward question, to-wit:

Russert: How do you respond to critics who say that you brought the nation to war under false pretenses?

...the first word out of Bush's mouth was "Yes..." And yet it miraculously disappeared from the transcript. Why is that?

Did Karl Rove have an advance copy of the questions? Is the transcript based on pre-created written answers from Rove and Company? Given Bush's "aw-shucks" approach to the questioning, don't you think it ethically appropriate to tell the public this was all a set-up? Don't you think it might be appropriate on your website to include the disclaimer "Freudian Slips Editted To Appease Karl Rove And Make Sure General Electric Gets Another Monstrous Tax Cut And A Few More Defense Contracts?"

Just asking.

Robin Welch
Victor, West Virginia

Subj: A Word from Middle America

Dear Buzz,

Oh, please! Nature's God save us all. Could this man say "danger" and "war" more? And one I had never noticed before, "in other words". And I was thrilled to see a return of our old favorite, "huntin' 'em down". This would be a good drinking game. If it weren't Sunday morning. Oh what the hell, let me grab a beverage of choice, get on the phone with my son and all his buddies at college, and have us some fun!

Even if I were five years old I would be insulted by this man's inability to speak straight and articulate. Children can spot a phony a mile away. What happens as we mature? Why do we leave our common sense and instinctual radar at the door?

Does he actually have a thought process for the American people to follow? Referring to "speeches" he made, and wanting the American People to " understand"...and then not helping us to understand. Hey, Mr. "President" you're speaking to us now! What did you say in that speech, and why? What do you want us to understand? You have my ear.

And now you have me groaning and shouting at the tv. And playing drinking games...

All I ask for is a president who is a little smarter than me. Or as smart. He doesn't have to be, say, A Rhodes Scholar. Not even a noo-cyoo-lurr scientist.But a basic grasp of right and wrong, of large concepts, of the world around us and our place in it, and, ok, the Ten Commandments, and the language of the realm. Any or all would help.

Nice touch, the Oval Office and all. You look like a very small man in there. It does not suit you well. Tim Russert filled the room better, even as he subjugated himself and lay prostrate at your feet.

I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!! Who are these people? Where were they hiding all these years? Is this the other side of the Rabbit Hole? Or is this the way it's always been and I've been operating in a parallel universe? Could be a Twilight Zone episode and it's really 1967. This is America and anything is possible. But I never could have imagined this. Let's hope it's a mass hallucination. Lord only knows what's in the water anymore...

How I long to hear those words, "Our long National nightmare is over..."

Lexie

p.s. I applied for a position on the Draft Board. I received a very polite letter thanking me for my interest in this(kid you not) "prestigious" position. They will keep my application on file. I remember another Buzz letter writer who applied and received a positive reply. Could it have been because of my draft-age son?

Subj: "Napoleon" Bush, God appointed leader of the free world!

Dear BuzzFlash:

I just finished watching Sunday’s taped delay broadcast Bush’s cameo on Meet the Press. Recent events at the Super Bowl most certainly spelled the death of many previous live TV events as a censor must now stand by to prescreen the high moral standards of each broadcast. However, it appears that despite the 16 hour tape delay, George W. Bush was still able to slide his particular brand of indecency and obscenity right passed the censors at NBC for the better part of an hour. Even after all of the editing, the broadcast still provides some textbook training footage on how to spot a liar. Some of the more classic signs are restlessness, stammering, loss of eye contact, etc. We could certainly go rambling on and on for an hour, as did Spurious George, but there were actually a couple of statements that I do not think were rehearsed that I find most disturbing. You can call it what you like, a peak behind the curtain, one more Bushim, or even a Freudian slip, but it was there for all to see.

As we know, Bush claimed that he was a unifier and not a divider. He has also claimed he was not a nation builder. He also claims that God selected him to lead. Well on Sunday, it was clear just how mighty the spurious one thinks of his calling. In response to a question from Mr.Russert, Bush stated in front of God and country, “I have got a vision for what I want to do for the country. See, I know exactly where I want to lead. I want to lead us…I want to lead this world toward more peace and freedom. Napoleon Bush does indeed think that is the right hand of God and the chosen leader of the free world.

Another interesting comment was the comparison of Iraq to Vietnam. I do find it a bit interesting that he claims Vietnam was a political war, and Iraq was one of necessity. Particularly in light of what we know about the hyped intelligence and the push for war. I would like to hear what the hundreds of thousands of people who either served or lost someone in Vietnam might think of that from someone who dodged combat service. I would also like to hear what the troops and their friends and families of the current conflict for political regime change really have to say. Again, in light of the fact that the reasons for preemptive actions now appear unjustified and that their tour is extended again and again while their benefits are continually cut.

This is very scary stuff to me, and I see dead people, lots and lots more dead people. Tell your friends and neighbors…No More Bush!

Barry Baker
Bethel, CT

Subj: Rummy acting rummy: a most unstable man

Let's see . . . It's caucus night and Howard Dean's campaign has just suffered a stunning blow. But, his supporters love him, are ready to fight on and cheer enthusiastically for the man when he takes the stage to pep them up from a difficult night and prep them for a tough road ahead. The candidate, yelling to be heard over the roaring, loving crowd, takes their collective spirit and runs with it -- ticking off a list of states they will be victorious in and topping it with a joyful "war-whoop." As shocking as it may seem, I'll even bet some in the crowd had been drinking. They were clearly in the mood for just the battle-cry the candidate gave 'em.

And the media twisted the moment look like the man was itching for a straight-jacket.

Then, a couple weeks later, comes Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, speaking to an assembly of NATO ministers about the U.S. (oh, "coalition") invasion of Iraq. This crowd is somber, serious and sober. Many of the ministers assembled were, furthermore, not "on the same page" as Rumsfeld, as they represented nations that virtually begged the U.S. not to launch a war against Iraq last year, understanding that Iraq posed no imminent threat to NATO, its member nations or even its Middle East neighbors; understanding that Iraq either had no "weapons of mass destruction" or what it may have possessed was ill-useable. They understood that inspections of Iraqi munitions, though not perfect, were keeping Saddam on a short leash. In February 2001, speaking in Egypt, Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters that sanctions worked and Iraq was contained. Even the Bush Administration never disputed that Iraq had anything more than one-third the military strength it possessed before it was crushed in the 1991 Gulf War.

So, in what manner did Secretary Rumsfeld address this august NATO group? Like a rum-addled drunk stumbling into his house at 3:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, yelling at his wife for having the nerve, the nerve, to question where he was and what he was doing all night long. Rumsfeld shouted, fumed and talked about a "monkey on the moon." His defensiveness bordered on the paranoid and his tone flirted with a psychotic episode. He visibly trembled.

He looked like a none-too-stable in-patient at some state hospital, making the case for early release before his doctor and social worker "treatment team" -- and his performance didn't help him. Among the criteria for release from mental institutions are whether the patient's mental condition will deteriorate if in-patient treatment does not continue (Rumsfeld is, by any objective measure, getting worse); whether the patient has maintained stability for at least a 90 day period (strike two); and, whether the patient would pose a risk of serious harm to himself or others, if in-patient treatment did not continue (strike three). Unfortunately for the world at large, over 500 dead U.S. soldiers and their families and untold thousands of dead and maimed Iraqis, Rumsfeld and his enablers in the White House (and at No. 10 Downing, for that matter) are not under lock and key, getting serious treatment.

And, yet, I somehow doubt that Rumsfeld's "way-far-gone" rant and spittle-spewing rave will be analyzed ad nauseum by the American Popular Pundit Class for the spooky public display of mental instability that it was. Contrast this with the lambasting Mr. Dean received from the Millionaire Burbling Heads and GOP wowsers for his giving a stump-speech many (at least Southern political aficionados and, I believe all the Dean supporters who were there and part of the moment) found appropriately exuberant. It's going to be a long, long campaign season.

Richard R. Newton
Birmingham, Alabama

+A National Guard Story

During the Viet Nam war (1970) I had a friend who was serving in the National Guard. He was in radio and he changed jobs. He moved out of state and told his local guard unit of the move. The officer told him he would send his paper work to the receiving unit in his new location. When he arrived he reported to the local guard unit there. Every week he reported religiously. Because there was a paperwork snafu the officer at the receiving unit told him he couldn't pay him until his paperwork arrived. He told my friend he didn't have to report until the receiving unit got his paperwork. The officer said he would call him the minute his papers arrived. In the mean time, the job didn't work out and my friend moved back to his original location and unit. Once again, he reported in to his local guard unit and the same scenario happened. No paperwork, no pay. Not long after reporting back to his local unit, and shortly after his wife had a baby, two FBI agents showed up at the door, handcuffed him, and hauled him off to jail. He was accused of "desertion." He spent over six months in jail while the paper shufflers ran down his paperwork, eventually finding them at Ft. Benning, GA.

I lived through this experience with him, his wife, and their newborn. It was a nightmare. He got beaten up regularly in jail. We would go to see him and he would have bruises and cuts all over his face.

When I listen to the lies from this nitwit of a pResident, I can't help but think of my friend and what he went though and wonder to myself why Mr. Bush did not get the same treatment, but then we all know why, don't we?

Linda Ward
Pocatello, Idaho

Mr. Novak has revealed sources before...

Regarding you link to Ms. Overholser's editorial "The Journalist and the Whistleblower" calling on Mr. Novak to reveal his sources: there is a key bit of hypocrisy about this matter the media so far has been missing. In the past, Novak himself has found it necessary to reveal his sources. Check out the following link: http://www.whoslying.org/index.php?option=conten [...]

Background

Mr. Novak has been the subject of controversy over his reluctance to reveal who leaked Ms. Plame's status as a CIA agent after her husband questioned claims made by Bush in his State of the Union speech that Hussein had attempted to by yellowcake from Niger.

Statement/Action

"They're welcome to think anything they want... As has been demonstrated, I don't reveal my sources."

Robert Novak,"Infiltration of Files Seen as Extensive", Boston Globe, Jan. 22, 2004

Reasonable Inference

Robert Novak does not reveal his sources.

Contradictory Statement/Action

"Three and half-years ago, I reported that a veteran FBI agent resigned and retired after refusing a demand by Attorney General Janet Reno to give the Justice Department the names of top secret sources in China. My primary source was FBI agent Robert Hanssen.

"Disclosing confidential sources is unthinkable for a reporter seeking to probe behind the scenes in official Washington, but the circumstances here are obviously extraordinary."

Robert Novak, "The Hanssen Mystery", Townhall, July 12, 2001

Comments

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Dylan

Subj: BUSH'S PATHETIC PERFORMANCE WITH TIM RUSSERT

Dear BuzzFlash,

I thought that TIm Russert did ask some tough questions from Bush today, and I was surprised that he did, as I expected him to handle Bush with kid gloves. What I saw were a lot of tough questions, and Bush became a blathering idiot, hardly ever answering the question. It was "Saddam was a dangerous man" as usual, He turned some of the questions about Iraq into terrorism, linking the two, I guess the nitwits bought it hook line and sinker. He seems to have forgotten that he called the UN irrelevant, and spoke of trying to work with them. It was a load of bull, and I think he is quite delusional and is in total denial. I guess the pro war Bush supporters were quite impressed with this pathetic performance.

I only wish Russert would have asked him why Saddam, the dangerous tyrant that he is, did not use ANY of his so called WMD's when our troops first landed in Iraq. Does it not make sense that he would have used these weapons if he had them at the first opportunity?

There are millions of us who did not get duped by George Bush and his lying administration.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Quotes

The following are copied directly from the Meet the Press interview with Bush this morning. I think he needs a Thesaurus!

we need a good intelligence system.

We need really good intelligence

intelligence services provide as good a product as possible

the intelligence service, particularly in the Congress, and that's good as well

good intelligence means that a president can make good calls

whether or not I made a good calls, whether or not I used good judgment,

to get as good an information as possible.

and provide good product to the President

I need good, honest information

we are doing a pretty good job of dismantling al Qaeda better than a pretty good job, a very good job.

We are making good progress in North Korea.

there is good momentum when it comes to the creation of new jobs

And I look forward to a good campaign.

times are tough and be steady and make good decisions,

Sigh,

Janet
Phoenix AZ

Subj: This is why he's not trusted

I would be careful to not denigrate the Guard. It's fine to go after me, which I expect the other side will do. I wouldn't denigrate service to the Guard, though, and the reason I wouldn't, is because there are a lot of really fine people who served in the National Guard and who are serving in the National Guard today in Iraq.

can anyone think of even one person who has tried to denigrate the national guard? we can't. why didn't russert ask who he had heard do that? they are trying to insinuate that kerry is putting down the guard! no, just people who are awol from the guard!

a BuzzFlash reader

regarding disrespecting service in 1960's - 1973 Guard;

Having lived through the chance of being drafted into the viet nam war service, we ALL knew '''THEN''' we had one last chance if our draft number was low. If we wanted to remain a citizen in 'legal' standing in the US, we needed to get into the guard, period.

Back before the draft was halted, service in the armed forces was mandatory and only if you had connections like rich or politically connected daddy, you were gonna either join or be assigned a grunt army status and go fight the war. So if there are questions about all this, ask anyone between the ages of 51 and 61 and you will find they also know now what was true then,,,,, the guard was an option if you did NOT want to go fight an infantry position in VietNam.

So your hero 'W' did get bumped in front of others and did serve in an alternative branch of the service and has yet to provide much if any highlights of his WMD's (W's missing documents) as opposed to National Guard (related program training indoctrination) Service.

As to the Guard of today, there are as too many who have been 'drafted' into fighting a war to bring freedom and liberty to a nation we cared less about un till 'w' needed to roll out a new issue (national security) to defeat democrats in 2002 to stop any investigations into his other huge failure...9-11!

jt
p'cola FL

Subj: Intelligence Committee

Suppose that the committee reports five months after the election that the President may have tweaked the intelligence information prior to the invasion of Iraq. As a result Bush is forced from office. That leaves Cheney as president as was the plan all along. Remember he originally was recruited to help select the best possible vice presidential candidate. What a surprise that it turned out to be him. Now I understand why Silberman was appointed to the committee. Cheney recommended him to Bush.

Roger in Michigan

Subj: Outsourcing Jobs

Jobs are being outsourced because corporateers are getting away with nearly everything they want. They say they can't compete using our labor....PHOOEY! Have them divulge the upper management salaries and bonus' and then try to make that argument.

Corporations are not inherently evil. Greedy Execs wearing "bottom line" clothes are! And, sadly, these types are the people with the most influence in politics through their gargantuan lobbying campaigns and contributions to politicians.

This country is in need of much campaign reform!

D. Burbeck
Omaha, Ne

Four Alarm Bush WMD Hypocrisy Alert: Musharraf has pledged that the disgraced founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program can keep the vast wealth he accumulated selling bomb-making technology to rogue states around the world.Bush Blesses the Deal. 2/9

When Musharraf came to power in a coup, this was condemned, except by the Republicans. Bush said Musharraf would add "stability" to the region.

Only Bush could consider paying a scientist to proliferate bomb technology worldwide to be "stability!"

Bruce

Subj: Incredible

In his interview with Tim Russert Bush stated:

"I believe I owe it to the American people to say what I'm going to do and do it, and to speak as clearly as I can, try to articulate as best I can why I make decisions I make, but I'm not going to change because of polls. That's just not my nature."

suuuuuuuuuure...his appearance in the show had nothing to do with the latest polls that show his decline...but what else but lies can you expect from him, specially since there is no secrecy in his administration.

Jocelyn - Miami

Subj: Meet the Press Interview

Tim Russert gave a good show but pulled his punches when it really counted. For example, he allowed the President to base most of his justification on Hussein’s support for terrorists when the only example he could cite was funding of suicide bombers in Israel. Saudi Arabia has provided considerable moral and financial support for these terrorists and Saudis played a fundamental role in the 9-11 attack. Justifying an attack on Iraq for that reason is pitiful. On the AWOL issue, Russert simply said that there was no proof that Bush showed up in Alabama but didn’t mention powerful statements by Alabama National Guard officers indicating that Bush definitely wasn’t there. The interview was hard hitting on the surface, making Bush’s answers sound credible to the uninitiated observer, but in reality it allowed him to appear to put to bed difficult issues that were never adequately probed.

David Levine
Bellevue, Washington

Subj: The Resident Squeaks

This interview needs to be saved for posterity! Made me laugh like he was Chris Rock, he did. Looked, behaved, spoke, and thought as a five year old kid who'd been called into the principal's office [and, who, no matter the number of surveillance videos providing evidence of his transgressions, FAR "beyond a reasonable doubt," is NOT going to shut up until he's "convinced" Principal Russert that he can't believe his eyes. You know these kids. They figure if they can juuuuuust wear you out]...

-- vcz