BuzzFlash Mailbag - July 29, 2004


July 29, 2004		MAILBAG ARCHIVES
The BuzzFlash Mailbag The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag. S.N.A.CH.U. Situation Normal All Cheneyed Up. The language is informal, The policies corrupt. So glad he feels better, No fun like degradation. I should send a letter To his undisclosed location. Dear Dick, please talk dirty, So forceful and sincere. No need to be wordy. Your message is quite clear. Let's dispense with niceties, And law, let's just ignore. More fun to commit atrocities. Profit from endless war. Dick, keep up the good work, Wow us with your wit. You and your buddy Smirk Have shown you are unfit. Take your job and shove it. You ain't working here no more. Americans will love it, Again proud from shore to shore. Paula Subject: More impressed by Moore Dear Buzz, We -- i.e. my whole family -- are more and more impressed by Michael Moore. This is a rare man of courage and integrity -- no wonder GOPers hate him. His responses to O'Reilly were admirable: At one point O'Reilly accused Moore, director of the anti-Bush film Fahrenheit 9/11, of being Saddam Hussein's "biggest defender in the media." "That's insulting," Moore said. O'Reilly repeatedly pressed Moore to apologize to the president for saying Bush lied to the nation about whether there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq before American troops entered that country. "Actually it's President Bush that needs to apologize to the nation," Moore said. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Michael Moore! You are the voice of American conscience. Let's hope that your example will lead the way. We would love YOU to be our president. Filmmaker Moore, talker O'Reilly spar in Boston (USA Today) Elizabeth Subject: Working around the touch screen voting machines... If the FEC won't change the voting machines to our satisfaction, why don't we all vote absentee? If you live in a county with those "hocus pocus maybe we work and maybe we don't" machines and you're not comfortable that your vote will be counted, request and fill out an absentee ballot. We could even get Democrat County offices to tell their registered voters that to ensure their vote they should use the absentee ballot. At least that way, there would be a piece of paper somewhere. I have called Chuck Schumer's office with this idea this morning. I have called Hillary Clinton's office with this idea this morning. I have called the Executive Director of Verified Voting.org with this idea this morning....and am waiting to see if I get any feedback. Thought, since I am a regular reader of your site, that I would email you the idea as well. What do you think? Jill Taylor NYC, NY Subject: McNicklism Colin McNickle, neo-con right-wing pro-Republican hyphen-boy and the editorial page editor of, to quote Al Franken, "the [Richard Mellon-]Scaife fish-wrapper" the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, used a true-to-form tactic of the Insipid Right to try and catch Teresa Heinz Kerry in a gaffe Sunday evening at a Democratic reception in the Massachusetts Statehouse. As reported by WTAE-TV of Pittsburgh, Ms. Heinz-Kerry's comments to Pennsylvanian delegates were "We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics...." Later, McNickle, although the recording is inaudible at points, clearly asked her what she meant about "un-American activities." Heinz then argued that she didn't say what he just said and questioned why he was putting words in her mouth. He asks her again what she meant by "un-American activities" at which point she said, "I didn't say activity or un-Amercan." (See http://www.cbsnews.com....) According to WTAE reporters, she did say un-American traits, apparently referring to the kinds of political tactics championed by the likes of McNickle, but she did not say "un-American activities" which has a specific connotation in the American lexicon. Either McNickle is woefully inattentive as a journalist or he was trying to sucker Ms. Heinz-Kerry into a gaffe. If, after asking her what she meant by "un-American activities" she had responded in any way that affirmed McNickle's question, it is a sure bet that he would have [written] that Ms. Heinz-Kerry is accusing conservatives of McCarthyism. After all, this is the man who, on July 18th, published an op-ed piece which included the following lurid commentary: "John Kerry and John Edwards, two Johns pimping for a populism that can only perpetuate poverty, haven't a clue. Now there's a campaign theme, eh?" (See http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/opinion....) Accusing liberals, progressives, and Democrats of "liberal McCarthyism" became an especially favored past-time of the Insipid Right during the Clinton Years and will likely experience a resurgence when Bush is defeated. No doubt, the frustration of dealing with hacks like McNickle can get to anyone. Frankly, like Ms. Heinz-Kerry, it's about time that Democrats offer back a little more spit and venom. Rob in the PacNW Subject: Americans are angry and rightly so -- but at the WRONG PEOPLE Have you been listening to talk show radio? Those Dittoheads are some really really angry people. And the Christian fundamentalists? They're furious! Truckers, rednecks, Nascar dads? Grrrrr. Blood pressure meds are a hot item right now. Americans these days are grinding their teeth and have steam coming out their ears. Me too! How pissed off can you get? I can top you. You wanna see anger? I'm your man. Michael Savage? Rush Limbaugh? I'll see you and raise you. Forget about anger management. Forget about the well-bred manners I learned as a sorority girl. Where's my tire iron? I wanna punch a hole in the wall. Forget the tire iron. Bare hands will do! The difference between me and the Dittoheads, however, is this: I'M ANGRY AT THE RIGHT PEOPLE! I should be mad at Clinton? The liberals? Come on. They are not the ones who are screwing us! Look closely at who has their hands in our pockets. It ain't Hillary. It's not even Monica. The Bush gang has skyjacked my religion. I'm pissed off about that. But are the Christian fundamentalists mad at Bush-as-Anti-Christ too? Hell, no. At George's slightest bidding, they give up on Jesus like He was yesterday's sit com; turn their backs on Our Lord and morph into dictatorial control freaks. Then this army of "Thou shalt kill" dominatrix wannabes gets mad at who? Liberals? Duh. Is the common working slob such as myself angry at the union-busters, little-old-lady robbers and embezzlers in Washington? Hell no. They think the decline and fall of the American economy is Saddam Hussein's fault. Saddam who? Congress just sold you out! Get a clue. Our schools and libraries are closing, our local taxes have gone sky-high to make up for Bush's so-called tax cuts, we were failed on 9-11, we are less safe than we have ever been, our sons and daughters are dying for WMDs that never were, election fraud is rampant, GW is padding his Swiss bank account with OUR nest eggs? And it's Michael Moore's and Linda Ronstadt's fault? Give me a break. America, get angry and stay angry. Anger is good for you. It's therapeutic. Just let's make sure that we use it to protect democracy and morality and OUR JOBS. Let's stop hating guys who are trying to warn us that we are being hustled and start to "direct our anger" at the guys who have loaded the dice. ______________________________ "Imagine a world where EVERY child is wanted, nurtured, protected and loved: World Peace in one generation!" Life is a competition. The winners are the ones who do the most good deeds. Here's an opportunity: In October, I will be walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-day walkathon to benefit breast cancer research. Donate $5 and I will put you on my prayer list! (You are on there already but hey...) To donate, please go to http://www.the3day.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=30112 Click on "sponsor a participant" and type in my name. Thank you Jane Stillwater http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com Subject: Bill Bennett just talked through the national anthem, afternoon session Wednesday CNN stopped talking as the anthem was sung, even switched to video. so, I turned to Fox......today's sun times has an item about o'reilly talking through the anthem, and sure enough, Bennett talking to Cavuto while the anthem played. mr. "morality" is mr. unpatriotic. thanks for being there to get the news out to all of us. cathy dunlap Subject: Democratic Convention Blog Hi BuzzFlash, Printed and read BUZZ DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION BLOG. All I can say is, Thank you from the heart, for putting this together, for us. I appreciate this, you'll never know how much. It's a keeper! Angie.... Sent to MSNBC's Hardball Subject: First ranked Liberal Why do the media and even Chris [Matthews] continue to repeat the RNC spin about Kerry & Edwards being the 1st & 4th most liberals. This is a misleading stat since it was based only on 2003 where Kerry and Edwards missed a lot of votes because they were campaigning. Edwards is actually a moderate based on his full 6-year record, and Kerry also isn't the most liberal based on his whole voting record. Are we in for another Presidential campaign where the pundits and hosts just repeat preconceived BS as fact? Remember the whole "Al Gore invented the internet" lie in 2000? Shouldn't we expect people like Chris, who get paid the big bucks, to at least get things right? Also, Frank Luntz is a master of spinning polls. Don't you think its wrong to have a Republican pollster without a Democratic one to balance him? I mean, come on, Frank is famous for his GOP memos on manipulating language for his party. How is he a "fair & balanced" pollster? Thank you, stevie gardiner somerdale, nj Subject: OSMOSIS?? Cheney hanging around the Marines at Camp Pendelton is the equivalent of hanging around your Mechanic & thinking you know how to fix a car. This applies to the Carrier Landing also. Bush Landing on an Aircraft Carrier is the equivalent of hanging around Marines & thinking you know how to fight a war. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: It's deja vu all over again. Do you recall the reaction of Resident Bush to the infamous Presidential Daily Briefing of August 6, 2001, which warned of imminent attacks by al Qaeda on American targets? He went on a month's vacation to his "ranch" down in Crawford, Texas. Now the 9/11 Commission has given him its report which waves every red flag imaginable regarding impending attacks on America, leaving no doubt that this/these attack(s) are foregone conclusions. So, what is Mr. Bush's reaction to this warning? He goes to Crawford on another vacation. I only hope he took the goat book with him so he could finish reading it. Ol' Yogi Berra was right -- it's deja vu all over again! Bill Sybert Dallas, Texas Subject: Re: Your Afternoon Buzz Thank you Ruth Lopez! (BuzzFlash contributor.) Your comment was fun and satisfying to read. I hope Brokaw & all get to see it and feel the shame they deserve. Jon Stewart may be playing the news for its comedy content, but Brokaw & all are so obviously spinning it they have ZERO credibility with me. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Biased coverage CNN's Judy Woodward interviewed actor Richard Dreyfuss today at the Democratic National Convention. When his reply to her baited question backfired, she ended the interview to talk about convention hats. Then she interviews the people in charge of the Bush-Cheney campaign discussing negative comments about Kerry. Hey CNN, when the Republican convention takes place, can we hope that Judy will interview Dems about what they feel are the real problems with the Bush administration (in the interest of equal time)? Or will it be praise and adore Bush all the time and never allow a dissenting thought. Oh but hey, Judy's playing monitor again, "deciding" that TV viewers are more interested in hearing about what kind of hats people are wearing to the convention than what Kerry supporters like Dreyfuss have to say. My gosh, that's about as exciting as the breaking "news" earlier on CNN which zoomed in on Michael Jackson at some mall, buying teddy bears. "News," indeed. Campaign "coverage" -- yeah, right. It's shill, fluff, shill and more shill, pretending to be "news you can trust." Judy, we see right through you. Here, have a convention hat. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: CLAIM v. FACT: Snacking at the White House The First Family...does not snack...They are very good at respecting meal time hours and do not eat between meals ... there is no snacking ... -- White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, Whitehouse.gov, 7/27/04 VERSUS President Bush fainted for a brief time Sunday in the residence of the White House while eating a pretzel and watching a professional football game on television. -- CNN, 1/14/02 Judd C. Legum Center for American Progress www.progressreport.org Subject: Inspiring Mass Media Yesterday evening I was driving down Sunset Blvd. and I had tears in my eyes (and running down my cheeks). I wasn't sad though. In fact, it took a lot of restraint to prevent myself from rolling down my windows and telling my fellow-drivers to tune into KCRW so they could hear Barack Obama speaking at the Democratic Convention. I absolutely YEARNED for everyone in America to share that cathartic moment with me and the people at the Fleet Center and the people watching it on cable TV (broadcast TV decided it wasn't newsworthy enough to replace re-runs of SEINFELD) and the people hearing it on NPR Radio. Obama was so dignified and human and straight to the point and so positive and so full of hope. (How I wish he were the one going up against Bush....) Obama urged parents to "turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander..." I think that really got to me. I mean when I turn on my radio all I hear is corporate propaganda (if not outright bigotry and hatred) and suddenly, this week, whenever I turned on the radio I was hearing uplifting and inspiring stories and visions from across our country. I was loving what was coming out of the car radio and I was loving what I was seeing on television. The day before I saw an eloquent and well-spoken Bill Clinton make a powerful speech. And I saw a powerful, tough, well-reasoned speech from President Carter. I missed Gore but Dean was OK and Kennedy had some good moments and Teresa Kerry was good (and was I ever relieved she was!). I've come to expect nothing but more crap from the mass media. Robert Greenwald exposes Fox in his new film OUTFOXED but I never watch that GOP propaganda network anyway. Yesterday I saw the film, THE CORPORATION, and the case against Fox (as an example of corporate control of the mass media) was even more powerful. When I arrived at my destination last night I parked in a lot across from where I was to have dinner. I listened to all of Ron Reagan's awesome and enlightening speech about stem cell research in my car. When I got out I saw the parking lot attendant was watching a small TV set in the booth. I walked over and we spoke for a few minutes about how galvanizing and inspiring Obama had been. I didn't have to ask the attendant who he's voting for. After dinner I got back in my car and KCRW was broadcasting a council meeting from the Santa Monica City Hall. I switched on KFI, the Clear Channel station -- call me a masochist but the guy on the air, Phil Hendry, used to do a funny show. Unfortunately he's turned into a raving right-wing maniac whose show is now mostly a huge advertisement for the Republican Party. After the glorious radio I had been listening to on the way to my meeting, as I retraced my route on the way home I got to hear Hendry using satire and "humor" to hide behind while he expressed his vicious racism, bigotry and blatant GOP propaganda. He was impersonating a highly obnoxious woman claiming to be a Democratic Party official talking about how the Democrats don't want Black voters. (He does this character frequently.) I don't even think Goebbels ever stooped to the levels of Phil Hendry, Clear Channel and their GOP patrons. It just made me think about how uplifting what I had earlier heard -- sans commentators and filters -- from the Democratic National Convention. ABC, CBS and ABC should all lose their broadcast licenses for not showing it. Howie K. Subject: Note to Tom Brokaw by Ruth Lopez OUTSTANDING!!!! Absolutely excellent and spot on!! Extremely well written as well. They ought to be ashamed of themselves! Keep up the good work! I read BuzzFlash religiously! Larry B. Subject: NBC News Dear BuzzFlash: Let me first start off by saying that I am fast becoming addicted to your site. You guys are the greatest!!!!!!!! Subject 1: One of the best reader contributions I have ever seen on your sight is the Note to Tom Brokaw from Ruth Lopez. And from reading the mailbag, it's obvious she's a huge hit. I only hope that she sent it to NBC News as well. From reading today's mailbag, there seems to be a rising sentiment against the big corporate media. I myself have sent two nasty letters to NBC News informing them that they have just lost another viewer due to their obviously biased reporting in favor of the Rethuglicans. I urge everyone to join in and write to the network of their choice and express outrage at their pro-repug propaganda which has been getting more and more conspicuous lately. They may have the money, but it's all in the ratings. Perhaps if they continue to see their numbers drop and demand for more objective reporting rise, they will change their ways. Here's hoping. Thanks, Anne Keb Corona, CA Sent to CNN... Subject: Coverage? I am amazed how far CNN has bent over backwards to appease conservatives. Come on, giving Ralph Reed a forum to rebut the Edwards speech is a joke. I will be waiting to see if there is a 10 minute rebuttal right after Vice President Cheney's speech at the Republican Convention. I won't hold my breath. Candy Crowley and Wolf Blitzer are obviously the wrong people to cover politics given that they are so infatuated with George Bush. Will CNN continue to allow these two to be tough on Democrats, while using kid gloves on the GOP? Please fix this problem, because if I wanted to see bias I would watch Fox. thank you, stevie gardiner somerdale, nj PS - I hope equal time will be given during the Whole GOP convention to the Democrats to criticize. CNN sure has devoted enough rebuttal time to the GOP. Subject: Michael Moore The brass at CNN have apparently declared war on Michael Moore. I know that the national media was embarrassed with "Fahrenheit 9/11" because it showed the media's ineptitude. However, the CNN reporter who suggested that there are people who want Michael Moore dead is a disgrace. Why would he ask such a loaded and insinuating question? He would never have asked this type question of a member or follower of the Bush administration. There are two things that we should do: write and complain to CNN......and keep Michael Moore in our prayers. Dee Turner Atlanta Subject: Thanks for the REAL NEWS Dear BuzzFlash, I teach history and current events at Ursuline Academy High School in Springfield, IL, and your website will be a-must-visit-site for my current events class this fall (I have actually put requirements about visiting BuzzFlash.com in my syllabus). Thank you so much for all of the great articles and views on the news! With Great Appreciation, Dominic Meneghetti Subject: U.S. Doctors complicit in torture in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Dear Friends - This just out in the highly respected New England Journal of Medicine: a frightening new dimension in the shameful and unethical treatment of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. Doctors and Torture Robert Jay Lifton, M.D. There is increasing evidence that U.S. doctors, nurses, and medics have been complicit in torture and other illegal procedures in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay. Such medical complicity suggests still another disturbing dimension of this broadening scandal. We know that medical personnel have failed to report to higher authorities wounds that were clearly caused by torture and that they have neglected to take steps to interrupt this torture. In addition, they have turned over prisoners' medical records to interrogators who could use them to exploit the prisoners' weaknesses or vulnerabilities. We have not yet learned the extent of medical involvement in delaying and possibly falsifying the death certificates of prisoners who have been killed by torturers. A May 22 article on Abu Ghraib in the New York Times states that "much of the evidence of abuse at the prison came from medical documents" and that records and statements "showed doctors and medics reporting to the area of the prison where the abuse occurred several times to stitch wounds, tend to collapsed prisoners or see patients with bruised or reddened genitals." According to the article, two octors who gave a painkiller to a prisoner for a dislocated shoulder and sent him to an outside hospital recognized that the injury was caused by his arms being handcuffed and held over his head for "a long period," but they did not report any suspicions of abuse. A staff sergeant medic who had seen the prisoner in that position later told investigators that he had instructed a military policeman to free the man but that he did not do so. A nurse, when called to attend to a prisoner who was having a panic attack, saw naked Iraqis in a human pyramid with sandbags over their heads but did not report it until an investigation was held several months later....(more) The New England Journal of Medicine, July 29, 2004 Reference: THE REACH OF WAR: THE WITNESSES; Only a Few Spoke Up on Abuse As Many Soldiers Stayed Silent (Kate Zernike, The New York Times, May 22, 2004) Peter L. Subject: Rev. Al Sharpton I had to laugh when I heard Wolf Blitzer and the gang at CNN got all out of sorts due to the Reverend Al Sharpton's speech at the DNC. Oh my goodness!! The man was on fire and heaven forbid, he had something to say. And to think he spoke for 20 minutes instead of his allotted 6 minutes. Personally, I could care less. The man was on fire with passion and I could have listened to him for hours. To think of it. He actually spoke his mind. How dare he? Answer: Simply put, he said things that have been long overdue to be said. We can only hope that others will follow in his footsteps and show the courage to exercise their right to free speech. Television ratings and talking heads be damned. God bless Al Sharpton. My hat is off to you sir!! Well said. Drew S. Forwarded to BuzzFlash Subject: Meathead for Governor Kos at the Dem Convention: You heard it here first, folks... CA-gov: Reiner thinking about guv run Ran into Hollywood mogul and philanthropist Rob Reiner at an event, and shouted out, "So, you going to run for governor?" The answer they're supposed to say is, "I'm not focused on that right now," or some variation thereof. Instead, he offered the surprising: "I'm thinking about it." http://www.dailykos.com/section/Governors Jon Ponder Subject: To the Kerry campaign Dear Friends, I think it would send an important signal if one of the senators would make a brief appearance at the so-called free speech zone. I remember hearing Senator Kerry speak at a couple of huge antiwar demonstrations in the 70s. I don't know how he in particular can countenance the scornful way demonstrators are being treated in Boston. I'm a supporter and contributor, and I personally disagree with the strategy behind protesting the dems this year, but, damn it, Senator Kerry, don't forget where we are coming from! Go down and shake some hands, and invite the nation -- and the Boston PD -- to celebrate our Bill of Rights. All the best, Chuck Van Wey www.bushwatch.com Subject: Awesome article, history lesson, and eerie parallels to neocons Quote: Vice President Wallace bluntly laid out in his 1944 Times article his concern about the same happening here in America: "If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States. There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful. ... They are patriotic in time of war because it is to their interest to be so, but in time of peace they follow power and the dollar wherever they may lead." The Ghost of Vice President Wallace Warns: "It Can Happen Here" --Common Dreams Maria NYC Subject: Kerry TV Commercial I have the perfect commercial for the Kerry campaign. Let them run the comments made by the Rev. David Alston who served with Kerry in Vietnam. He eloquently told how Kerry barked out orders through the smoke and artillery shells, shooting his gun at the enemy and making sure his men were alright. He let the nation and the world know what kind of man Kerry is under pressure, what kind of decisions he makes in a life or death situation. After showing these comments, they should run a snippet of the shrub in chief sitting in front of the Florida school children on 9/11 reading the goat book looking like he just shit his pants. Could the contrast be any more obvious? In John Kerry we have a man who had to make the toughest decisions imaginable while under fire. In the pretender in chief we have a person (can't even call him a man - perhaps girlie-man ) who when presented with the terrifying events of 9/11 made NO decisions at all. CASE CLOSED. Mark Podhorzer Decatur, GA Subject: Let's Clarify "Cowboy" I am so tired of hearing Democrats say we need to send this "cowboy" back to Crawford, Texas. That's a direct insult to the cowboys of America. George W. Bush wouldn't make a pimple on a good cowboy's behind. Expensive cowboy boots do not a cowboy make. Cowboys ride horses, not $3,100 bicycles. He's a rich man's son who happened to purchase 1600 acres in the country rather than a resort home in Kennebunkport, like his father did. He makes as good a cowboy as he makes a pResident. So from now on fellow Democrats, let's get politically correct and call it like it is. Let's send this cowboy-wannabe back to the country where he belongs. Sharion Hardaway A Loyal Democrat and Deaniac for Kerry/Edwards Subject: Huh? What are all of these RNC analysts doing on NPR and PBS during the DNC convention? What the hell is going on? I'm trying to follow the DNC convention and the coverage is monopolized by Ed Gillispie et al... Is Terry McAuliffe going to get equal time in August? Even worse... this is on NPR and PBS, I can't imagine what the mainstream media is like. I know that Kerry/Edwards have a rapid response blog, but who reads that compared to nightly news and daily newspapers? just my two cents... Ed Sent to the chairman of the DNC... Subject: Ex-N.H. GOP director pleads guilty dirty tricks -- this needs to be told loud and clear -- and by the way, whatever happened to that case where the man running for the democratic spot for governor in philly's office was bugged? was anyone caught? why did that story die? why did the stealing of internet material on the judiciary committee die? why do all these stories that show the dirty tricks of the republicans always die? now there is e mail going out saying kerry owns companies that are against everything he says he is for. don't you think public needs to know that? Karin D. Subject: "Facing South": Elections at Risk INSTITUTE INDEX - Elections at Risk Number of "felons" purged from Florida's voter lists in the 2000 elections: 173,000 Number that weren't felons and were wrongfully barred from voting: 50,000 Number of "felons" Florida had planned to remove from voter rolls in 2004: 47,000 Number on list that are African-American: 22,000 Number on list that have been granted clemency and shouldn't be on the list: 2,100 Percent of Florida's African-American population that live in counties with the most unreliable voting machines: 53 Number of presidential votes lost due to election system failures in 2000, in millions: 4 to 6 Sources on file at the Institute for Southern Studies Chris Kromm Institute for Southern Studies www.southernstudies.org CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE JULY 29, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG.
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