The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag.

Subject: LOVE YOUR HEADLINE!

Subject: Everyone's talking about Kerry

Everyone's talking about John Kerry, especially George Bush. Of course Bush and the Republicans have to talk about Kerry because there's nothing good to say about Bush and attention on Bush's record hurts him politically. When your record shows that you were the Commander in Thief instead of the Commander in Chief you definitely don't want the public to notice it.

Marc Perkel
San Francisco, CA

Subject: Berger Cleared of Document Theft

Where the hell are the screaming cable idiots today? Sandy Berger is cleared of all charges and they say nothing. I heard the story on KGO radio during the middle of the night. I can't find a story today. I only find this little story.

The conservative idiots screamed for days, and now nothing, no oops we were wrong, da nada, zip, I guess it never happened.

President Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger -- who'd been accused of stealing classified material from the National Archives -- has been cleared of all wrongdoing.

The National Archives and the Justice Department have concluded nothing is missing and nothing in the Clinton administration's record was withheld from the 9-11 Commission.

The Wall Street Journal reports archives staff have accounted for all classified documents Berger looked at.

Late last year they asked investigators to see if the former national security adviser removed materials during his visits.

Berger's lawyers said his client had inadvertently removed several photocopies of reports, but later returned them.

Karen

Subject: Hot news

Let me get this straight, the White House leaks a story that Sandy Burger is under investigation just before the Democratic Convention. Information they have had for some time. Big headlines everywhere.

Today the Convention is over there is a report that he has been cleared. But no big headlines...Hmmmm. Move along, nothing to see here.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Presidential Debates

Skip the President and Vice-Presidential debates; let's have the Kerry daughters debating with the Bush daughters! Just picture that. Wait, just think about what the questions would be! Now, that is the fun part! Like...

Betsy
True Texan

Subject: Leaks

You missed one by the administration to the "Weekly Standard." The Feith memo about all the links between al Qaeda and Iraq that divulged intell sources and methods and was based on Top Secret Special Compartmented Information. I understand it supposedly is being investigated by the FBI. Gerald A. Lechliter Colonel, USA (Retired-1999) Lewes, DE

Subject: "results matter"?

Hey Buzz:

Much amused by Bush's latest catch phrase, "results matter."

Sweet lord, what are his speech writers thinking???? Yeah, dude, results matter! Like the results of the last election in Florida that you railroaded. Like the resulting chaos you've created in Iraq. Like the resulting civilian and military deaths that came out of your unjustified pre-emptive war. Like the zero result of searching for those sure-to-be-there WMD. Like the results listed on your military records that show you didn't show up for duty. Like the results of your underfunding initiatives like "No Child Left Behind." Like the results of how much the Medicare bill will really cost. Like the results of turning a trillion-dollar surplus into a multi-billion-dollar deficit. Like the results of cutting funding to firefighters and policeman. Like the results of privatizing services to the military so troops don't get sufficient armor or healthy food. Like the results of lying to the America voters. You bet results matter.

Sincerely (and thanks for awarding the media Hypocrite of the Week--appalling, they were),

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: CNN convention coverage deplorable

Dear BuzzFlash:

Loved your choice of the TV News Media as Hypocrite of the Week. I have come to the same conclusion you did: " the mainstream news media is a big time enabler to the vast right wing conspiracy." Since I was most angry at CNN, I sent the following message to them this morning:

I found your decision to not air the speeches of Joe Biden, Wesley Clarke, and Nancy Pelosi appalling. That you determined it was more newsworthy to air Wolf Blitzer, Judy Woodruff and other pundits instead of these important Democrats has convinced me that CNN has become just another corporate infotainment channel, and not much better than Fox. Happily, PBS and MSNBC showed those speeches, but it broke my heart that CNN did not. Unless Ted Turner can somehow re-purchase CNN, you've lost me as a viewer and advocate.

Thanks for being there, BUZZ.

Shari Schartman-Walczak
University Park, PA

Subject: TV coverage on DNC

Dear BuzzFlash:

Oh for crying out loud, can't you see that this lack of network coverage of the DNC was completely planned. As Democrats cry about the lack of coverage of their convention, the networks will respond by apologizing and then covering the RNC non-stop. For the public interest, of course.

Sincerely,

Richard Lejnieks,
Joshua Tree, C

Subject: his back door snarly remarks

Someone please tell bush making back door snarly remarks about Teresa Kerry is not very presidential, it makes him look petty and mean. If he wants to appeal to women, THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT! No one has ever said a bad word about Laura, and making fun of your opponent's looks is very petty and grade schoolish as well. Jesus he is such an embarrassment to our great country! Laura Bush needs to take her drunk to the side and tell him to stop looking so small as to attack his opponent's wife!

Kate Johnson
Tampa

Subject: does he know what he is saying?

My mother was sitting at the kitchen table while I made her some breakfast and she saw Bush talk about what he has done for seniors. :):):)

I was scared her blood pressure would go through the roof. :):) Do they give Bush things to say and he just says them without asking if they are true or not?

Sharon Swift
Memphis, TN

Subject: Deception was Marine recruiter's game (Brattleboro Reformer)

When Staff Sgt. Jimmy Massey worked as a Marine recruiter, he felt like a god.

Now, he prays to God for forgiveness.

"I pray to God every day for his forgiveness for what I've done," he said Tuesday.

Massey, of Waynesville, N.C., encouraged people at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden to be tough on military recruiters. He told a crowd of roughly 100 to be there during every step if their child is considering joining the military and to be aware that their children need not remain on recruiters' prospect lists.

Massey recruited Marines for three years, during which time he said he brought 75 men and three women on board. About 95 percent of those recruits, he said, are most likely serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

That is not OK with him.

The war in Iraq is not legitimate, he said; the only war he considers a just one was World War II.

Massey was part of the first wave of Marines that spearheaded the U.S. invasion of Iraq last March. What he saw still disturbs him, he said.

His platoon killed innocent civilians, he said, and the news was covered up. The military has used depleted uranium munitions in the war, he said, shooting the armor-piercing ammo at vehicles.

"I saw children playing in and around these vehicles that we shot at," he said.

Much as the scenes of war have disturbed him, it was Massey's recruitment methods that he spoke most forcefully about.

As a recruiter, he said he had access to a list of all the juniors and seniors in a high school. He would start stalking potential recruits early.

"As long as he's 17 and he's fixing to be a senior, I can sign him up," he said.

He said he would feed off the student's desires and weaknesses -- money, self confidence. He would drive around in a brand-new Ford Mustang to show that his way of life brings in the money, even though Massey could hardly afford the car payments.

This was his job, he said, and not doing it brings punishment. Nevertheless, he said parents and students have a choice: They can opt out of allowing the military to get their children's name through public schools.

His message was met with seemingly no opposition, and the groups sponsoring the event are all for his cause. The event was sponsored by the Brattleboro Area Peace and Justice Group, Alternatives to Recruitment by the Military, American Friends Service Committee and Veterans for Peace, Chapter 88...(more)

Sharon A.

Subject: A letter I sent to John Kerry

Dear Senator Kerry,

Why is Vietnam important to this election? There are 58,178 reasons why a Vietnam veteran should be our president. Our generation paid dearly in that war. We wanted to have a voice in our government then and we should demand to have a veteran in our White House now. You did your duty to your country, twice, voluntarily.

You went to war and fought for your country. You came home and fought for your country. You represent the 58,178 Americans who were killed. You represent those who were imprisoned there. You represent those who were wounded and are wounded still. You represent a deep wound in our generation that can only be healed when a veteran is elected and gives us and those on the Wall a voice in the way we wage and conduct war. A Vietnam Veteran is the perfect choice for America. Our generation deserves it. The names on the Wall earned it for us.

Senator Kerry, my name is Paula. I am from Indiana and I am reporting for duty, sir.

Paula

Subject: The Wealth Factor

Maybe I'm missing something here. I keep hearing Kerry and Edwards being attacked by the media as "millionaires." However, I never seem to hear any reference to millionaires when it comes to Bush and Cheney. Rush Limbaugh, who is reputed to make something like $35 million a year doing his rabidly right-wing talk shows, is one of the most vocal critics of Kerry's wealth. What's wrong with this picture? Is there something in the constitution that says wealthy people are prohibited from holding public office? It seems to me that it is less likely that a wealthy person will accept graft. A politician of modest means (i.e. former governor Rowland of Connecticut) might be a lot more tempted. Even Ross Perot was on the receiving end of less criticism for his wealth than John Kerry, and Perot could buy and sell both Kerry and Edwards with the change in his pocket. The Bush family is among the wealthiest in America, and Cheney is certainly not going to be applying for food stamps anytime soon. If only poor people are allowed to be president, I am one of the most qualified people in America.

Stu from
Stamford, CT

Subject: Hypocrite of the Week

BuzzFlash GOPHOTW: "Kerry has his work cut out for him. He's running against Bush AND the media.... [T]he news divisions of the networks and of cable television are just extensions of the corporate politics of their owners."

In-freakin-deed! We need to make this a part of the language. Corporate media sticks a price tag on democracy and it's every man for himself. Corporate media ensures that there is less and less public interest in the public sphere. Corporate media needs a divided electorate because conflict gets attention, attention means ratings, and ratings mean profits. Corporate media needs a dumbed down population because if you don't know how to ask questions you can't know what you want, and if you don't know what you want you won't know what you like, and if you don't know what you like, it's easier to keep you jumping at the latest fashions in music, clothes and attitudes. Corporate media sucks. Spread the word. Corporate media sucks.

"Keep on rockin in the free world...,"

Barry
Winfield, Illinois

Subject: Did Anyone Notice?

Aloha BuzzFlash,

When switching back and forth from Fox to CNN during the Kerry speech there was a distinct difference in the audio. Fox had a very low (in volume and audio frequency) crowd noise and Kerry's vocal was also low without any high frequency. With the picture on Fox a little darker it gave a (comparatively) gloomier view of the entire convention.

Was all their coverage manipulated as this was? If you are the sound tech you definitely know when you leave out the mid and high.

Who pays these people?

Also thought it was fun to know the biggest news was the fellow yelling about the balloons.

John in Hawaii

Subject: "Liberal Media"???

Dear BuzzFlashers,

I love all the comments about the convention coverage on TV. Thank God for CSpan! My husband just returned from Maine today, Friday. Exiting I 93 in Somerville MA he saw a big billboard with Uncle Sam pointing and the text "Don't Believe the Liberal Media." He doesn't remember who the sponsor was. Maybe another BuzzFlasher in the neighborhood can help out. I'm with Eric Alterman - What Liberal Media? CNN? Fox? etc etc??? Scary!

Colleen Clark
Cambridge, MA

Subject: Ban all mainstream propaganda from DNC

BUZZ:

All the the so-called media should be BANNED from the Democratic National Convention! They should be indignantly ignored by all Democrats--period! It is a visual oxymoron to see Faux "News" ensconced in the convention lodges. The Democrats must get rid of all so-called mainstream propaganda, blackout, censorship, coverup and outright lies! Otherwise they surely will be destroyed by the corporate propaganda which is determined to continue the illegal and loss of our democracy in all three branches of government!

Will Wyche
Palm Springs, CA

Subject: Kerry....had them from hello.....

Truly great article.....congrats to whomever created it! I read each and every response and enjoyed it all.

I don't know, how many stars you all counted, but there was Spike Lee, Alec Baldwin, the guy from West Wing... (sorry, the bearded one)...at the end, and on the stage was James Taylor, from the state of Mass...likely knows the Kerrys, but a plus to any show. Willie actually put on a suit to sing with the black choir backing him up...all the music was so inspirational. They outdid themselves...It was a rousing convention!

If we do not win this one, something is rotten in Crawford, Texas....I am getting so sick of seeing idiotic Bush with that silly grin every time he tells his loving stupid crowd another lie...you can just always tell...if he acts like we just do not get it...we don't!!!! And, he has that sinister grin...just watch him...he does it every time, then he sort of darts his eyes around...oh, God, you all know....the look in Fahrenheit 9/11.

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

Subject: Hi-level operative; 1992 election

In CNN's story "Pakistan captures high-level al Qaeda operative," you should have reminded the audience of the New Republic story saying the Bush administration pressured Pakistan to come up with the capture of "a high-level al Qaeda operative." They preferably wanted the announcement during the Democratic Convention. This guy was captured Sunday morning, but the announcement was withheld until Thursday (the most important day of the convention -- Kerry's speech). Is this not blatant proof of what the New Republic warned? Doesn't this deserve a mention?

After twelve years of saying (or allowing to be said with no rebuttal) that GHW Bush would have won the 1992 election if it had been a two-man race without Ross Perot, CNN finally shows the truth: Perot dropped out in the summer of 1992 and endorsed Bill Clinton. After that, Clinton led Bush 56% to 40%. I remember some polls showing a bigger lead. Now that this has been said, will you no longer allow the old myth or will you continue to allow Republicans to say anything no matter how false?

Keith Gordon
Arroyo Grande, CA

Subject: How in god's name has the GOP become the party of "results matter"?

According to THIS NEWS ARTICLE, the new GOP refrain has become "Results Matter." What positive results have the GOP given the American people? It is inhumane, to put it lightly, to tout "Results Matter" when there are no results. I am so terribly confused by their statements; can you remind me what results the GOP has provided?

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Note from reader

Hi Folks:

Haven't been able to keep up with your site for the last few days. Glad I got on it today. The "Hypocrite of the Week" column was just great. Ever since Gulf War 1, I have turned my back on the TV networks. For that war I listened to shortwave, BBC in particular, and would watch CNN if I actually wanted to see anything. In fact I wrote an article for our local alternative newspaper when Gulf II began, suggesting that if people wanted a really fair look at what was going on they turn to shortwave. Great medium and quite varied.

As far as the networks go, and I'm saying this as a freelance writer and part time reporter, they can't walk and talk gum at the same time. That is, at least when journalism is considered.

My best wishes go with John Kerry and his campaign. As a Vietnam era vet I sure am rooting for him. It's about time we have a veteran, and especially a combat veteran, in the White House. As far as you people at BuzzFlash go, well I have only one thing to say, "KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND DON'T STOP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT!"

Sincerely,

Dan McGee

Subject: convention

Dear Buzz,

Thank you for your coverage of the convention, and making it feel like we were there too. I really enjoyed watching every evening the different speakers, and what they had to say. Each night I'd go to bed in a good mood, but last night I actually went to bed with chest pains, as right after the convention my daughter sent me two new emails ripping Kerry, and idolizing Bush. Well that really pissed me off, and my fingers were a flying on the key board.

With that forgotten, I get up this morning and my Uncle from Florida starts in with his bullshit about Kerry, and an article about Zell Miller and how the Republicans like him....that did it, I lost it, and now it's been hours since I heard from my Uncle, and with him describing what he drives, ( a Lexus and Lincoln town car) both paid with cash, and in Sept. he and his wife, his son and his wife are all going to Hawaii for a week, and he's picking up the tab, and next year he (my uncle) is going with his wife on a cross-country trek all across Canada by train.....it hit me like a ton of bricks, that I believe my Uncle is one of the 2% of the top of the Bush brigade!!!!! I never saw it coming!

Thank God my brother is a Democrat, but he hasn't spoken to me since Mama died 10 yrs ago.....I'm starting to feel like Shirley fron St Louis. Thank God three of my friends (I don't have many) are Democrats! I pray with all my heart that Kerry & Edwards win the election and that Michael Moore keeps an eye on all polls in Florida so no voter can be stopped from voting, and maybe then my relatives will shut the hell up! But I doubt it, but I would just love to rub it in!!

Thank you Buzz for being there bringing the truth in news and just for being there in general. Best site on the web!

A Loyal Buzz Fan Forever!

Sharon Carlton
Bellevue, Nebraska

Subject: i sent this to meet the press i am so sick of this

can someone answer me: i sent this to meet the press in regards to asking questions -

is story of incomes going down for past two years going to be discussed?

is the number of us deaths in iraq for july compared to june going to be discussed?

is anyone who says that kerry hasn't laid out what he is going to do going to say to that person look at www.johnkerry.com - all the answers are there.

is anyone going to ask why the public did not know that george bush sat in that school reading for 7 minutes after he was informed 2nd plane hit trade center?

is anyone going to ask what happened to all the stories that have been reported and then ignored by the media? ie: valerie plame, osama, the drug companies getting caught blackmailing hmo's to keep their drugs on formulary? the e mails stolen from the judiciary committee's e mails by the republicans? the medicare bill fraud? bush knew it would cost more and never told until after bill was signed? the prisoner abuse, where is it today? why does the media drop these stories and so many others?

to me, this administration has not even been held accountable for its misdeeds, for its lies, for its secrecy, for its mistakes. you all talked about clinton and monica forever and whitewater. why is this president's corrupt government never discussed in length, and why don't the stories get investigated by the press and stay in the news? why? what happened to good important journalism?

and tim, how did you like that your channel practically ignored the democratic process by not showing the convention. shame on all of you.

a really disillusioned 56-year-old woman who used to respect the media.

karin dicker
los angeles, ca

Subject: defending the record

Holy Cow...it takes a lot of nerve for a president who has been on vacation about 40% of his time in office to criticize a senator who missed a few votes. How low can they stoop??? No, please don't answer that!! Now I know why I went to volunteer my time for Kerry/Edwards.

We, my good democrats, have a lot to do...much work...before Nov.2nd.

You know of course, that the protesters were shown to everyone at the democratic convention. I saw all of them, but, as usual, the ones at the Bush rally in Springfield, Mo., the most righteously, white home of John Ashcroft, were kept in their little pen, just like when he was here in St.Louis.

Doesn't anyone get it???

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

Subject: Re: Alternative News Week

I like Buzz fan R. David Goldberg's idea of tuning out the network news shows for a week, but especially for this reason: August is a sweeps ratings period, when the broadcast medium officially tallies its viewership (and listenership for radio). From the results come the advertising rates. If the viewership drops, they have to lower their advertising rates. With this in mind, perhaps we should consider two weeks of network news blackout, and really push this into a national event. Hitting the ol' corporate pocketbook in this way is, really, about the only way the little guy can step on Goliath's toes.When you step on someone's toes, they jump. And if there's anything those corporate media folks need, it's exercise.

Sue

Subject: Re: Your Afternoon Buzz

Chris Matthews is, I believe, a Bush supporter. I don't care for him either. He really tried to pin down the Democratic Convention as nothing more than what Al Sharpton's speech was, about left-wing Liberals.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Florida votes

Dear Buzz,

I was just wondering, during an election when one votes for a president, isn't that considered a federal election? Just wondering.....if it is, then Jeb Bush should be arrested for tampering or hindering the election process. Isn't there some law to get this guy and his cronies on before the election so maybe the people of Fla. won't be disenfranchised? Just daydreaming as usual. A Loyal Buzz Fan Forever!

Sharon Carlton
Bellevue, Nebraska

Subject: Boycott the major news media

Honest, unbiased news is dead in this country. Tune in to any major news channel and instead of receiving legitimate news, you'll be opening yourself up to lies and misinformation. The major networks are like a river. At one time you could trust and enjoy what flowed through it. Unfortunately the controls that were in place to protect its purity were removed and now it's polluted and unfit and what it carries is to be avoided.

Times have changed and we all need to change too. That's not all bad however. Those of us seeking truth have found each other here at BuzzFlash. We are aware enough of the media condition that we search for alternatives. Let the networks fester in their lies. Let their CEOs explain to their stockholders why their viewing public is down along with their advertising revenue as we abandon them.

I do watch an hour and a half of tv daily. One half hour of local in the morning, and I watch BBC at 6 p.m. and the Simpsons at 6:30 p.m. If anything traumatic is reported, I then head for my computer and get the news from the horse's mouth. I have no cable bill, as rabbit ears work just fine. I'm not telling others how to live, just that TV is like tobacco, once it's out of your life, things get much better.

Peace,

Vaughn Nickel

p.s. I could live without the Simpsons but it's the closest thing to intelligence Fox has to offer.

Subject: Want to be a Bush Ambassador? Buy a Baseball Club

Excerpt, Royce Webb, ESPN Page 2 Columnist: Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 755. [On the Top 5 movies he'd like to see Moore make next...]

3. The Ballclub: Good Ol' Boys Will Be Good Ol' Boys

Michael Moore voiceover

Now that I've got all this money from my movies, I've decided to buy a piece of my beloved Detroit Tigers so that I can become the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg.

That makes no sense, you say. That's what I thought, too, until I noticed a funny trend: baseball owners named to prestigious European ambassadorships by former baseball owner George W. Bush. Probably just a coincidence, but I thought I'd examine a little more closely....

Here's a starting rotation of ambassadors, with one relief ambassador.
See if you notice a pattern:

George L. Argyros, U.S. ambassador to Spain, 2001-present:

Owner, Seattle Mariners, 1981-1989; team compiled 614-790 (.437) record during his tenure, with no winning seasons.

Speaks fluent English.

No habla espanol (does not speak Spanish).

No. 265 on Forbes 400 Richest Americans list, 2003.

Republican party campaign chair, California, 2000.

GOP contributions in 2000: $123,000.

"Pioneer" for George W. Bush reelection campaign, 2004.

Mercer Reynolds III, U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, 2001-2003:

Former co-owner (with George W. Bush), Texas Rangers, 1989-1998.

Co-owner, St. Louis Cardinals, current.

Speaks fluent English and basic French.

Speaks no German, Italian or Rhaeto-Romansch (official languages of Switzerland, along with French).

GOP contributions in 2000: $373,173.

George W. Bush reelection campaign's National Finance Chairman, a.k.a. "Fundraiser-in-Chief," 2003-present.

Stephen Franklin Brauer, U.S. ambassador to Belgium, 2001-2003:

Co-owner, St. Louis Cardinals (present).

Speaks fluent English. Speaks no German, Flemish or French (official languages of Belgium).

GOP contributions in 2000: $415,830.

"Pioneer" for George W. Bush reelection campaign, 2004.

Jeffrey A. Marcus, U.S. ambassador to Belgium, 2003:

Co-owner, Texas Rangers. Replaced Brauer and served for four days before resigning due to divorce proceedings.

GOP contributions in 2000: $275,000.

"Pioneer" for George W. Bush reelection [sic] campaign, 2000.

Craig Roberts Stapleton, U.S. ambassador to Czech Republic, 2001-2003:

Former co-owner (with George W. Bush), Texas Rangers, 1989-1998.

Married to cousin of George W. Bush.

Resigned ambassadorship to serve as fundraiser for George W. Bush re-election campaign.

"Pioneer" for George W. Bush reelection [sic] campaign, 2000.

OK, so we all know diplomacy and international relations aren't that important these days. I mean, it's just talk, talk, talk. The only thing most of these folks understand is a big stick.

And that's why I want to buy the Detroit Tigers, and that's why I should be the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg -- so I can travel around the world, all expenses paid, and tell those foreign folks the score. No, I don't speak Luxembourgish. But there is one thing that Luxembough [sic] and baseball have
in common: great beer. And I love beer."

R. B.

Subject: Media bias

God bless BuzzFlash. Please do all your loyal readers a service by printing addresses/contact info, etc. of all networks, CNN, etc., as well as so-called news men and women, so that we, the people, can voice our outrage at their blatant bias. Also, since Fox News is nothing more than one continuous campaign ad for the republicans, the democrats are owed a great deal of "equal time." How about a call for that plan?

Charles B.

[BuzzFlash Note: Scroll to the bottom of the BuzzFlash home page, where we provide links to many newspaper and broadcast news media. At their home pages, look for something like a "contact us" link.]

Subject: CSPAN ALERT!!!

Just read through a few letters regarding the media coverage of the convention, and noted the many who did not see it all.

PLEASE TELL YOUR READERS TO GO TO CSPAN; THEY HAVE A CONVENTION COVERAGE PAGE!!

You can download all the key speeches, several interviews and other talks, including one by Michael Moore.

And encourage your readers to frequent CSPAN; it is cable's public channel, and the 'no comment' coverage was SOOOO refreshing! Made me appreciate more fully just how insulting all that jabber really is, like Americans don't have the sense to just take the events and the words and draw their own conclusions.

And thanks for all you do!

LLL

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE AUGUST 2, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG.