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THIS IS PART 2 OF THE MAY 27, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1.

Subject: Act on Al Gore's Speech!!

Tonight after watching Al Gore's speech, I sat down and wrote the following letter to my senators and to a couple of local papers. I don't care how ridiculous what I write may sound to SOME people!! The capabilities and character of the man who occupies the oval office (on the rare occasions he bothers to be in Washington) compared to those of the man we actually elected is one of the greatest tragedies of this century! If nothing else, the farce of the Bush administration has brought Al Gore into his own!!

Anyway, the following letter is what I wrote and sent. I suggest loyal BuzzFlash readers bombard their newspapers and Congress people with letters of a similar vein. We need to rise up!! As William Rivers Pitt said, "we used to impeach liars," and that is ultimately what needs to be done to all those in power now!!

Dear Senator,

Today the good and honorable man the people ELECTED president -- not the man who was appointed president by the Supreme Court against the dictates of the Constitution -- gave a magnificent speech. In it he did what a true leader should do and called for the resignation of the people responsible for sullying the image and the reputation of Americans and of the United States throughout the world. It was an important speech containing a lot of information this administration is trying to cover up, but the network news reports will only highlight the most dramatic points of his speech, and most will ridicule it or make light of it.

Gore's entire speech can be downloaded at C-span.org. Perhaps C-span will run it again if enough people ask them to. The transcript of his entire speech is also available at BuzzFlash and at truthout.org.

We should all write our senators and congressman and our newspapers demanding Congress do what our true president suggested, and what might restore some of our credibility to the people of the rest of the world, which is to demand that Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Feith, Rice, and Tenet resign But, I suggest we go a step farther. I believe we should include the president and vice-president on the list of those who must resign or be impeached. And I then suggest we insist the man we elected president serve out the remainder of what should have been his term!! At their convention the Republicans can nominate a decent Republican to run in the fall.

IF the media had covered the 2000 campaign fairly, (and many reporters admit they did not) and IF Jeb Bush and Kathryn Harris had not conspired to steal the election for G.W., Gore, the man who won the election by 500,000 votes in spite of the media's biased coverage, would be president now. The war in Iraq would not have happened, and perhaps 9/11 would not have happened. Unlike the "Pretender," Gore probably would have paid attention to a PDB that said "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S." However, the one thing we DO KNOW is that if the tragedy of 9/11 had happened under Gore, the Republicans would have created such a furor of outrage he would have been impeached long since!!

Lonna Gooden VanHorn

Subject: Polls plummet for Bush, surge ahead for Kerry

If you only listened to Limbaugh...the gas bag....you would never get one single truth. I was in my car today....and had the dittodimbulb on....and he said, "It really does not matter, because Kerry is only ahead in maybe one poll..and that one is nothing."

I really wonder, when Kerry wins (hopefully and with prayers), what will Limpbag say. Will he start with some other lie on the man...something that has been made up. I am beginning to wonder if anyone will listen anymore.

Everyone in this country thought Clinton was the biggest liar ever....until......Bush!! True...you never hear that anymore...even in my own family and amongst just acquaintances. Friends...no one! At last, I am free of that noose around my neck! He is like Gore, only more so (Clinton)......he can fill the Kennedy Center...all five tiers...and get a standing ovation for 5 minutes, they absolutely love him!!!

The other night...when Bush was making his phony speech...my husband (who is Mary Matilan) asked me what I was watching. And I told him, I was going to watch the president speech....did he not think he should watch him?? Nah...nah..he said. I told him that less than 6 months ago, he told me he would vote for Bush again in a new york minute...can't you even watch him make a speech...you should, I said, You should be up on politics...know what he is doing. He hemhawed around and sat down for a few minutes...and the man came on with his soldiers in the audience all in a row. (he only appears in front of republican campaign fundraisers or Military) You see, the military is brainwashed...the president is God to them.

He, my husband, sat there for a while, then got up and left....I think the truth is he can't stand to watch him...I really think that if a GOOD republican ran...he would vote against Bush...if anyone can find a good republican...(slap my own mouth)!

I did not say that to him...I think all republicans who voted for Bush and those democrats who went over for Bush are living in their own kind of Hell right now..

Believe me...I have noticed it...

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

Subject: Alert Level: Relax

Dear BuzzFlash

It's natural to panic after hearing that al-qaeda plans to strike big in the US this summer. But the pressures of the 24-hour news cycle leads us too often to forget yesterday's news.

So, someone tell those silly-dillies Ashcroft and the Media that we don't have to worry about al-qaeda hitting New York. All the terrorists are in Najaf! Boston, Brooklyn, and Baltimore are safe, because the terrorists are in Basra! Cleveland is protected by Karbala, etc.

We're fighting them over there, not here! So everyone can relax now, knowing that BushCo can't keep rolling "craps" forever.

Jim P

Have we had enough?

After reading so many letters in this section about disgusted Republicans changing parties, and people who are very dismayed with the Bush Administration, I will vote in the November.

Don't be afraid to vote Independent. With the record the Bush Admin. has, their only chance to win will be more (a lot more) election fraud, but I think too many people are tuned in to that problem now. We badly need more than two parties in this country to break the grip of the corporate wealth.

Because I have not heard a thing from the Libertarian or Green Party, I beg that all of you please listen to Mr. Nader. I don't believe anyone understands the system or the mess this country is in any better than him, and he has concrete ideas on solutions - not just political rhetoric on the problems. He is the only one I feel we can trust. The super wealthy don't like him, but remember, there's way more of us than them. And Mr. Nader is the only one I know of that actually does good for all of us.

Denny Burbeck
Omaha, Ne.

Subject: Thank you, Al Gore

Dear Buzz,

First, thanks for your giant headline highlighting Al Gore's speech. I've attended all of Mr.Gore's speeches in New York, and was crushed when this speech event filled up before I could reserve my seat. If I had been present, I no doubt would have sobbed grateful tears at the event's end, as I witnessed many doing at one of Mr. Gore's previous speeches.

Words fail me to express my gratitude to Mr. Gore for addressing, in strong, unapologetic language the many grievances and points of disgust we all have and have felt in regard to the corrupt, lawless and cruel Bush administration.

One point in particular which Mr. Gore brought up -- Bush's utter swagger when he made the shocking statement in his State of the Union 2002 address that certain persons had been "taken care of" in a such way that they were no longer a "threat to us or our allies" -- really resonated with me, because more shocking than even this statement, was that no one ever called Bush on this brutal, lawless statement made during a national address, no less.

No journalist, no Congressperson or Senator ever publicly questioned this arrogant admission from Bush that he had approved wholesale, clandestine murders and assassinations, even at that point in time. In answer to Mr. Gore's query -- YES, I had the same reaction you did when Bush uttered those barbaric words. (For the dittoheads, it doesn't mean I support the "terruh-ists," what it means is I support the due process of the laws of our country, not a reality version of "the Sopranos meets Doofy.")

Although ultimately having to settle for watching Mr. Gore's speech at home on C-Span, I stood many times to applaud and was deeply moved by his courage, eloquence, compassion and true shining example of what it means to be an American citizen.

Thank you for speaking for us, Mr. Gore. You remain my President of the United States.

Sincerely,

Bri Held

I got in on the end of his speech today...and thought, hey, Al...he finally got his voice back...after four years...he was letting Bush have it with both barrels.

He preached...he shamed ....he was scathing to Bush and Cheney and called for the resignation of almost all of Bush's Cabinet...including Rice.

It warmed my heart!!!

Then tonight..I don't know if anyone else caught this...but I always watch the news with Jim Leherer....and there was a quite interesting piece on the New York Times..where they have written a column, apologizing to the world about not checking out the crap about WMD...they said they simply followed the Administration's information...and showed a run of Cheney with Tim Russert on one of the early 'Meet the Press' shows, where Cheney lied his stupid head off about aluminum tubes...and all the silliness that we now know is lies....blatant lies!!!

Why does it seem like everyone on earth is coming to this conclusion at the same time? Are they all afraid the people of this country who knew it was not true to begin with...will blame them....well, hell yeah...we will!

Any News program or Newspaper who prints information or program who brings people on and lets them spout lies without checking it out....deserves nothing from anyone...they are as bad as the ones who lied the lies to begin with. It is all coming out how, folks, that is why JFK has decided to accept the nomination at the convention. If anyone votes for Bush...they are simply stupid...

I don't know how many of you follow country music...I do some...but, had a real hard time with it, when Toby Keith blasted the Dixie Chicks for what Natalie said about Bush...I agreed with her at the time...and she was right.....right???

Okay, I recently saw Dan Rather interview Toby. Now, I cannot stand the man's work..but I was curious. And at the end of the interview....Dan asked him how he felt about Bush now.. And he said, and I quote, "Well, I am backing the military...and as such, I have to back the president to a certain extent...but, he took us into this war on the word that there were WMD.....now, if there are none found...he is going to have a lot of explaining to do in November." I kid you not!!!

Maybe you don't know what that means...but when a redneck, Oklahoman says something like that...after singing the praises of this war.....something has happened to change his mind...and I think we all know what that was...right???

Bush must go...Cheney must go!!!!! It is that simple. Gore said, "We can take care of Bush and Cheney in November...but, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Condoleeza Rice, etc. must be sent packing" or words to that effect.

Praise the Lord...he found his voice...and the crowd was rousing...they stood most of the time...cheered so loud you could hardly hear the man...it certainly gave me reason to hope.

And, as if he needed it, General Clark is advising John Kerry...our next President!

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

Subject: in the interest of being in complete accord with ALL Catholic orthodoxy...

...are those cardinals denying Communion to pro-choice Democratic politicians also denying the Sacrament to pro-death penalty Republican politicians?

As the saying goes, "just asking".

Cory Hinman
Ann Arbor,MI

Subject: Terror Warnings

Dear BuzzFlash,

While the citizens of the United States get to spend their summer in a perpetual state of fear due to their governments dire terrorist threat warnings, the rest of the world can spend a worry-free summer.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/05/26/canada/martin_terror040526

I invite Americans to spend their summer holiday in Canada. You will not be killed by terrorists here. To boot, you will not be thrown in jail if you smoke a joint, there are relatively few religious freaks up here, and the media is not right-wing.

I, for one, will avoid the USA like the plague until your repressive government is changed. I will definitely not visit other similar places like Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, or Chechnya.

A loyal BuzzFlash reader

Subject: Welcome 1984 and the "mother of all attacks"...

Dear Buzz --

I see tonight that our good friend Mr. Ashcroft is reporting the "mother of all attacks" coming soon in a neighborhood near you. What delightful news. Of course, there are no details, except that we have mug shots of the suspected terrorists -- a motley looking group (are you scared?), interesting that they can come up with photos but no "details."

Now that we know virtually everything coming out of Washington these days are lies, we can with confidence file this threat in the "deceit" folder -- although, like the staged Berg execution, people will die as a result.

Isn't it convenient that when Bush's poll numbers are 41% approval and dropping, that the "big one" is now just around the corner? Why is it that only Ashcroft and the White House know that the upcoming attack will be "big"? How does it make you feel my fellow Americans that thousands of us are about to die in Bush's imperialistic oil war?

This doesn't come as a surprise, we have all argued that a second "Reichstag Fire" is needed to convert the unbelievers over to the "right" side, to shore up the upcoming election. This is soooo Orwellian it's scary. Invisible enemy, you're with us or against us, Bush is our freedom loving "wartime" president. I have never grown so tired of such blatant nonsense. Never before in the history of this country have we been threatened with such absurd and unbelievable garbage.

The GOP, as is true in the history of any tyrannical government, will not relinquish power -- it will take a war to do so. With 100,000+ electronic voting machines placed in "critical counties", and the new redistricting (unconstitutional) in Texas, Colorado and other states, as well as the upcoming "attacks", they are now set to overthrow our democracy for another decade. Once they are in for the second term, the Bush crime family will finally, after 50+ years of tyrannizing the Americas, be in a position to pursue their dream of the imperialistic overthrow of middle east countries, thereby gaining total control over the world's oil markets. Next year, when the military draft is in full swing, it will be Iran, then Syria, then North Korea (if the latter doesn't nuke us first).

I don't think the rest of the world has embraced the PNAC plan. Hold on to your hats, we are seeing, I believe, the opening salvo of the third World War. Lets pray on this next "attack" that many thousands of us are not murdered. But Ashcroft, a religious right-wing nutcase who's own state rejected him in his bid for a seat in the Senate, has assured us that unlike 9-11, this one will be much "bigger".

Whether we have a democracy left or not, is open for argument. Having a doctorate in Law, my guess is that we do not.

Welcome to 1984. We all knew someday we'd be here.

Jim Johnson
Jacksonville, FL

Subject: Why I support John Kerry and not George Bush

Dear BuzzFlash,

Yesterday I got a fundraising request from the Bush campaign because I used to be a Republican. So, since it had free postage on it, I sent this letter back to them.

***********************************
***********************************

I'm sorry, but I do not intend to vote for President Bush in this election. I feel he and his administration are taking my country in the wrong direction. I intend to work for and donate to John F. Kerry. He has the ideas that are worth voting for. What ideas might that be? Well, I'm glad you asked:

1. Creating and protecting jobs for Americans 2. Tax relief for middle-class families 3. Balanced budget 4. Strengthening and not destroying public education 5. Taking care of our veterans instead of taking advantage of them 6. Protecting the environment 7. Protecting the country from terrorism by: - Defending the homeland on our shores through action and not rhetoric - Strengthening our ties with our allies - Sharing responsibilities with them in the war on terror 8. A real plan for Iraq and not the "big stick" approach that is working so poorly 9. Making rich people and companies pay their fair share of taxes 10. Strengthening, not destroying our institutions 11. Separation of church and state 12. Telling the truth and not lying about everything 13. Open government 14. Not warmongering 15. Taking responsibility for his decisions and not blaming everyone else 16. National healthcare 17. Energy independence with an emphasis on renewable resources 18. Government for Americans and not multinational corporations 19. Affordable college for American students 20. Stopping the theft of our taxes by large corporations 21. Restoring the honor and respect to the American presidency that has been squandered in the last four years

I could go on and on, but I think you get the hint. He stands for everything honorable and decent that George W. Bush doesn't. Are you sorry you asked now?

Regards,

A Former (and never to be again) Republican

************************************** **************************************

I think what is most important is that John Kerry is a decent and honorable man and he will be a great president to have in these troubled times. On the other hand, George Bush is the epitome of Alice Cooper's campaign slogan when he ran for governor of Arizona after Fyfe S(L)ymington was convicted of fraud, "A troubled man for troubled times."

Keep up the good work, BuzzFlash. You're a beacon in the darkness.

Gary

Subject: BF...Your the GREATEST

I concur....Bush's latest terrorist scare is a HOAX...and its so transparently blatant. Too bad Gore didn't come out swinging like that before 2000 and we wouldn't be in this mess now. Bush is setting himself up for election, to steal it again and to scare people into believing there is a terrorists at everyone's door. He's now desperate -his poll ratings are dismal at best. If the voting machines and the polls don't match due to machine rigging-where is our recourse since there is no paper trail for re counting....???? SCARY. I have a bad feeling there will be an October surprise from the Bush camp-they will do ANYTHING to get elected...The DEMS MUST be mighty VIGILANT this time around.

Whore Woman of the day Andrea Mitchell....I thought good Journalists were supposed to report the news not make it....Mitchell was bad mouthing Kerry this a.m on Imus-a pay back to Bush for her OLD man's re appointment. That old guy should be fired a long time ago -he's soooo biased and far too political....closing his eyes to the theft of our Treasury and our SS/Medicare...surely he knows better. I rest my case.

Keep up the good work BF

Margaret Miller
Florida

Subject: Idea

Hey Buzz,

You know how the Bush Cartel uses scare tactics on Iraqi prisoners? If they would use scare tactics on prisoners, are the terror warnings also scare tactics they use on Americans? Just asking...

WesClarkSupporter04Kerry

Subject: Growing Grass in NYC

I grew up in the same village as Ernest Hemingway. A village earlier on referred to as a place of "broad lawns and narrow minds". Apparently the Hemingway house, on a prominent street near the center of town, was often an eyesore. At some point, the fed up neighbors confronted the harried Victorian Era mother about the state of her lawn, her reply was priceless. "I am not growing grass", she reportedly said, "I am growing boys".

The refusal of New York City to issue a permit for protesters during the Republican convention, based on the assertion that they are growing grass reminded me of the Hemingway story.

To update: New York ought not to be growing grass, they should be growing democracy!

Lexie

Subject: Gore's speech- he should have been our president

I read al Gore's speech last night and I realized that had he been president -things right now would have been so different. A lot of people would still be on this earth and thousands more would still be better equipped for this life with arms and legs and hands and feet and eyesight, both our side and theirs. Al Gore's speech reminded me of what the pride of being an American used to feel like. It's been a long time, and his speech gave me hope that someone like him would say it like it is, he did not go easy on them and I loved it, it's what I've been waiting to hear. Al Gore said what so many of us needed to hear and from someone like him. He attacked Bush Co with all Bush's own ammunition. Bush and Co have forgotten what a democracy is, and thank you Al gore for reminding us all.

Suzanne in San Diego

Subject: Good for you, Buzz

Dear Buzzy,

Thanks for posting Al Gore's comments. We know the media won't show all of them. Remember when Gore got after Trent Lott for his racist leanings? It was only after that when we saw Bush criticize Lott. It took him how long? A week? Let's see how long it takes Bush to fire Rummy and Tenet and Rice. If he doesn't do it, then it really does show Bush up. Good job, Buzz

Clark supporter for Kerry

Re: Pentagon Was Blindsided by Bush Pledge to Raze Prison

Dear New York Times,

I find it hard to believe that you would run the story in your May 27, 2004 edition by Elizabeth Bumiller with the title "Pentagon Was Blindsided by Bush Pledge to Raze Prison". This is clearly a story that was intentionally planted by the Bush Administration to make it look like destroying Abu Ghraib was George Bush's own idea, which it was not. In fact, the House of Representatives voted to include the destruction of Abu Ghraib in their defense spending bill on May 20th, four days before President Bush's speech. This information can be found here:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&...

If the Pentagon was not aware that a huge majority of the House of Representatives was intending to destroy Abu Ghraib, they certainly should have been, and if they're not paying attention to what goes on in Congress then the entire department should be replaced. The quote in Ms. Bumiller's article that says, "It's just an idea the President came up with" is a blatant falsehood, because it was already in a bill that passed four days before the President's speech. This whole piece is basically designed to make George Bush look like he came up with the idea independently because of his strong personal convictions, when it is just not true. I wish that the New York Times and the news media in general would do a little more analysis on their stories before they print them and allow themselves to be used as an image-doctoring forum for the Bush Administration. It is highly ironic that you would run this story the day after issuing an apology for serving as the Bush team's propaganda vehicle for WMD allegations, and yet there was no critical analysis of the "lead" supplied to Ms. Bumiller. I hope that my letter will in some small way lead you to be more critical of the motives behind the leads that you receive, and that you will encourage your writers and editors to be more aware of current events before you publish puff pieces like this one. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Eric Eichler
Los Angeles, CA

Subject: Gore's Speech

I went straight to BuzzFlash this morning to find the link to Al Gore's speech & there it was, right at the top! He made some excellent observations & voiced my overall sentiments very well regarding how the U.S. is now viewed by the world after the atrocities of the last few years: HOW DARE THEY!!!

In last Sunday's Arlington Star-Telegram every single letter to the editor was in defense of Dubya, and I've got to say I just don't get it!!! If one is not appalled by the lies, cronyism, failure to observe the Geneva Convention, etc., regarding the war in Iraq, you would think that they could look around here at home & see how much worse things are than they were five years ago.

Thanks for being there, Buzz & everyone who reads & contributes to the website faithfully. You give me hope for our great country!

Stephanie Trimble
Arlington, TX

I see Kerry has many of his old navy buddies out on the campaign trail with him. . . . . . . . . . . . . are any of Bush's old national guard buddies helping him?

Oh, thaaaaat's right,............no one can remember him! :):):):):):):)

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