August 16, 2004
The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag.
Subject: Virtual protest at CNN (MONDAY, August 16)
Greetings BuzzFlash,
Thanks for being the real "Most Trusted Name In News." It has been a blessing to have you as a source for information when our mainstream media has been hijacked by reactionary thugs who care nothing for the fate of this country.
I am a regular poster on Democratic Underground, and many of us have agreed to participate in a virtual protest tomorrow on 8-16-04 against the fake "Most Trusted Name In News," otherwise known as CNN. We intend to slam them with emails criticizing their obvious right-wing bias and pro-Bush coverage. If it is at all possible, I was wondering if you could maybe provide a link on your homepage to the following site listed below to let you hundreds of thousands of readers know about it.
I realize this is short notice. I just read a post on DU asking them to inform all major progressive sites about this, so I responded. You are not only a major site but also the best, in my opinion. If you are unable to do so, I certainly understand. But here is a link in case you are. Many thanks for all your hard work. Democracy and freedom owe you a deep debt.
http://groups.msn.com/FocusGroupNow/whatsnew
Yours in truth, justice, and the American way,
MacArthur Lundeen
Subject: Police cover-up in Bush visit?
---Denied protesters use of Copeland Park Shelter and electricity.
---Herded protesters far from stadium and park and off public sidewalks.
---Indicated protesters would be arrested for making noise, using a 55-year-old ruling.
---Used police chaplains for crowd control.
---Intimidated protesters by video-taping them.
More: "Police report says no misconduct during Bush visit"
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Paul Coverdell
In the mailbag for August 9 there is a contribution from 'jan in georgia' in which she states that Paul Coverdell was a 'Democratic' senator from Georgia.
Now I know that Coverdell was highly respected. A friend (Democrat,) originally from Georgia, worked with him at the Peace Corps and thought very highly of him.
Nonetheless, he was a Republican. Always important to keep our facts straight.
I confirmed this by checking Paul Coverdell on google.
Colleen Clark
Cambridge, MA
Sent to: NewsHour PBS <newshour@pbs.org>:
Subject: PBS' new programming
To say that we are extremely disappointed with PBS' management's decision to cut "NOW" in half and allow Tucker Carlson to spew his venom toward anything Democratic or "liberal" is a gross understatement.
My wife and I have been avid viewers of many of PBS' programs, especially the British comedies, music shows, Frontline, and NOW With Bill Moyers. We have also made generous donations to PBS in the past. We will be contacting them and letting them know of our disappointment and the likelihood of their receiving much fewer dollars from us in the future.
To learn more about the changes at PBS, please go to www.commondreams.org and read Eric Alterman's piece entitled "PBS Adds Insult to Injury".
Afterwards, please contact your local PBS station and let them know what you think of their recent program changes.
Thank you for your consideration.
Neb Conner
Subject: Best Democrat/Kerry Ad
I would like to know why the DNC and the Kerry campaign have not mounted a massive TV ad blitz featuring the clip from Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 that shows the boy president frozen for seven full minutes after being informed that the nation was under attack. Furthermore, he spent 20 additional minutes in a "photo-op" immediately after he found his huevos and left the room where the children were reading the goat book.
This ad should be presented over and over to the American people as a fine indication of the decisiveness and fortitude of the little man now in the White House. Here is a man who was like the well-known deer in the headlights, recorded for posterity. The Bushies can rave all they want about alleged inaccuracies and so-called lies in the film, but they cannot refute the seven minute freeze, where Bush sits like the village idiot, liking his lips and flitting his eyes around the room like a man awaiting the executioner's hand on the switch. He was transfixed by something other than intelligent thought. The excuse that he "did not want to alarm the children" is ludicrous at best. He was unable to move, paralyzed by fear.
Let's get the gloves off and expose this chicken hawk to the country for what he is; a man who defaulted on his pledge to serve as a pilot, and a man who is eager to send the middle class's children to fight a war he lied about. He is a man who deserves to be put in the dock. The least we, as voters, can do, is send him and his crowd packing on November 2.
Ron Weinert
Buhl, Idaho
Sent to bobherb@nytimes.com <bobherb@nytimes.com>; fair <fair@fair.org>; krugman@nytimes.com <krugman@nytimes.com>; president@whitehouse.gov <president@whitehouse.gov>:
Subject: "Ashcroft's Quiet Prisoner"
Sir:
Anyone reading you most excellent piece should immediately write George W. Bush, reportedly John Ashcroft's boss, to demand that this case be resolved post haste. The very idea of any civilized "Christian" subjecting ANYONE to this kind of treatment makes me want to vomit, as I am sure it must disgust the vast majority of Americans, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR PERSONAL POLITICS!
Thank you, Mr. Herbert, for bringing this injustice to the notice of the nation, and perhaps, the world.
Sincerely,
Sidney S.
Keith
Eagle, Idaho--08/13/04
Subject: ....and foaming at the mouth....
Reading the headline:
...I believe "Rabid" should be inserted. All too many Republicans would take pride in being characterized as "Attack Dogs," whereas only the perverse hardcore would swell to "Rabid Republican Attack Dogs."
Diseased animal is a more apt metaphor than coarse, mindless, snarling, sneering beast. Well, maybe not...there is this prison in Iraq...
Norm Pettit
La Jolla CA
Subject: CFHFP and the Killian grounding of bush
Hey Buzzers,
Sign me up for Citizens for Honest Fighter Pilots.
I'm a pilot (civilian, not military) and former flight instructor and have been following the GWB/Air Guard and the "missing" year saga fairly closely for the past couple of years. (Gee, bush seems to be noted for blank spots: just like the "missing" seven minutes in Florida).
The missing (that word again) Killian disciplinary action report remains something of a mystery. Like yesterday's reader Mike Lauderdale, if it's making the rounds on the internet I can't find it. (The link from the Linda Starr blog is to the AWOL Project--maybe I overlooked something but I didn't see it there). That it pertains to grounding under the Human Reliability Program certainly is plausible even probable, but it might be something else. A clue lies in an article called "Chasing George W. Bush and the F-102" at
http://www.seanet.com/~johnco/bush102.htm
The pertinent quote from this article is as follows:
"But what about the rumors?" he [Bush] shot back. Then, to my utter stupefaction, he proceeded to tick off everything the national press was investigating about his past: five or six of the most salacious things that could be said about anyone—including, in his own words, "I bought cocaine at my dad's inauguration"—plus intimate gossip about his family.
As he well knew, I had already heard all of it through the media grapevine. "You missed one," I said. "You crashed a jet while you were in the National Guard because you were drunk."
He spread his hands. "That's easy," he said. "Where's the plane?" Game over. He spun around and headed off.
Reader Mike Post's suggestion of checking aircraft maintenance records for info. is excellent, but if the apparently well-circulated rumor of bush tearing up a plane flying while drunk is true, then the paper trail probably has been well covered over by now.
In addition to repaying the quarter of a million wasted on his pilot training (damn, I had to pay for mine), maybe bush also needs to pay for one of Uncle Sam's nice aeroplanes that he busted!
Barbara Rhodes
Subject: Bush blunders into the truth AGAIN
"Let me put it to you bluntly: In a changing world, we want more people to have control over your own life."
-- White House
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: CFHFP Questions to answer
How about the following questions:
When has Bush ever flown after leaving the guard? I don't believe he was ever a pilot as a civilian...
There are rules about getting/keeping a pilot license if you are a heavy drinker.
I would like to also see a breakdown of the flight hours per aircraft that e flew...it strikes me that he had only 254 hours flight time...that is way too low to be an F102 pilot.
Keep up the good work.
Stephen
Subject: Bush/Kerry PDX Visits
This sums up the differences: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/jack_ohman/
I'm not sure how long the link will work. It will just show the current day's cartoon. I couldn't find a unique link for today's cartoon.
Also, I sent off these Bushisms to Slate. I don't have a link but if one becomes available, I will forward it to you.
While speaking at Southridge High School in Beaverton, Oregon today (August 13, 2004), Bush said the following:
While talking about the No Child Left Act:
" When we find children in schools who won't teach...."
" We've been in a recession. That mean's things are going backwards."
"It's very important for the federal government to help people with something they don't have enough time for .. and that is time."
I was not at the event, only invited guests were allowed in. I took these down while watching the television coverage.
Thanks for your web-site. I visit it daily and have urged my friends to contribute to keep it going.
Barbara Culpepper
"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"- George W. Bush, Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000
Subject: Pilots for Truth
Folks:
I'm a daily reader and thank you for all the info you give.
Regarding pilots for truth, now that Bush surrogates have been flinging mud at Kerry re Vietnam, its high time there was a real, organized, grass roots effort to get equal time about Bush. Might even crack the mainstream media with the right campaign.
What about seeing if we can enroll Michel Moore in the project
Or Wesley Clark
What about getting some of the witnesses who say he never showed up, a couple of generals. Basically just saying Bush lied about his service, link it to Kerry the hero and keep at it. make the commercial, run it just enough to make the news stories.
Fight back.
Would love to know what you think.
Marc Merson
Re: Citizens for Honest Fighter Pilots Ask Bush To Get Honest
Concerning the article “Citizens for honest fighter pilots”, this is a great concept!!! Many of us would like to see these questions answered!! It might help to have a group of people, more than the few writing about honest swift boat captains, to send this to the white house or to news media!! Could you put this into the form of a petition to be signed, and I’m sure you would get many to sign it, and then it could be sent on to any number of people/media??
Mary Jo Manley
Subject: CNN - Worse than Fox?
Dear BuzzFlash--
Attached, please find a link from Democratic Underground. This piece is worth reading and posting on your site.
It would seem that CNN is escalating its disingenuous partisan campaign as the Republican convention approaches. While Fox has been outed, CNN has remained unscathed, despite their corrupt agenda to manipulate public opinion in the guise of honest reporting. The worst offenders are Blitzer and Woodruff, but the right wing culture permeates the entire network.
LINK:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/08/10_cnn.html
Please help get the word out, and thanks for your site, I read it daily.
James Whyte
Subject: First Loyalty Oaths, now THIS
Newspapers are required to pledge NOT to QUOTE CHENEY as a condition of being allowed to cover fund-raisers! The Bush campaign must be spooked after Michael Moore caught Bush admitting the elite "the haves and have mores" are his "base."
What next? Initiation rites to be admitted in the presence of the Divine Right Rulers? Oaths signed in blood? Sacrifices?
From the Spartanburg Herald-Journal:
"The vice president's staff required that the Herald-Journal not quote Cheney directly as a condition of admission to Monday's event."
Robert W. Dalton can be reached at 562-7274 or bob.dalton@shj.com
===================
and readers of the newspaper were not impressed:
DISAPPOINTED: Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Spartanburg disappointed Mary Kathryn Smith of Lyman. "After all the publicity surrounding his visit, the media was not allowed to publish direct quotes?" she's asking. "Makes one wonder what deep, dark secrets Cheney shared with those attending." (no link for this letter, sorry---may have been removed from website?)
* * *
Thursday, Aug. 12, 2004
Not impressed
Bob Perrin of Inman was asked by a neighbor to write Vice President Dick Cheney and ask him how he could use such poor language on the Senate floor, and Mr. Perrin, of course, wasted no time in firing off a letter. The response, however, didn't impress him. "Cecilia Boyer, a special assistant, replied, saying the vice president 'appreciates knowing your views, even if you disagree.' In other words, I suppose, I got the same response Sen. Patrick Leahy got," says Mr. Perrin. "The good news is that when the vice president tied up traffic in Spartanburg the other day, and on I-85, he did more for the Democratic Party than any thousand-dollar lunch did for the GOP."
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Do we have a Sadist in the White House?
Dear BuzzFlash Readers:
As I once said, not too much gets past the Christian Liberal. In reading " Bush on The Couch", I have one question:
DOES AMERICA HAVE A SADIST IN THE WHITE HOUSE?
It is with a good deal of trepidation that I ask this question. Consider the following passage from "Bush on The Couch" - Chapter 7 - "The Smirk":
"...Beyond providing a venue in which Bush could mete out the ultimate punishment (when he was Governor of Texas and presided over more executions in the State's History) the Texas death chambers functioned as a tool he could exploit to spread fear. The sadist spreads fear for two important reasons: to inflict emotional pain and to assert and retain his power..." (p.112)
Isn't that why every time his numbers dip in the polls, or John Kerry does something positive, then we see Tom "Wrong Way" Ridge or John "Borderline" Ashcroft get trotted out to a press conference to announce an elevated terror alert? Why do we have to keep being reminded of 9/11 and the consequences of that terrible event? To keep us scared, even as GeeDubya tells us not to be scared; so that in our fear, we elect him back to power to continue a four year old sadistic streak for another four years. How long will it be before we get tired of having such pain inflicted upon us from an individual whose idea of childhood fun was to shove firecrackers into frogs and blow them up? How long are we going to allow GeeDubya and the Cartel to exploit 9/11 in keeping America afraid?
Do we have a sadist in the White House? Remember, God gave us minds to think for ourselves; you can please God by using yours to come to the correct conclusion, and when you do, be inspired to take divine action...like voting the sadist out of office and back to his make-believe ranch in Crawford, Texas on November 2, 2004.
Leutisha
The Christian Liberal
Subject: A new twist on the terror alerts
Greetings BuzzFlashers!
I just noted that the "crawl" along the bottom of the "news" on CNN that the FDA has announced potential terrorist plots against our food and drug supplies.
Particularly the prescription drugs imported illegally into the US.
Hmmm... so now another branch of government (FDA) and private industry (the drug companies) are jumping on board with the fear mongering.
I'm sure this wouldn't have anything to do with the powerful drug industry wanting to insure that their revenue stream isn't circumvented and their consumers domestic purchasing patterns remain intact thereby insuring their inflated profits.
Needless to say, the drug companies stand to lose billions of dollars if Americans are allowed to order these meds internationally side stepping the enormous profits built into the domestic pricing and secured by BushCo's Medicare fiasco of eliminating insurance companies and hospitals, etc. ability to negotiate pricing.
Where will it end with this administration and their sleazy tactics?
I would presume this is the tip of the iceberg in terms of corporate America joining with BushCo to undermine yet more of our basic freedoms, including freedom of choice.
Dale from NYC
Subject: Reason For High Volume Of Hits on BuzzFlash
Hi BuzzFlash,
There is a very simple reason why BuzzFlash had 902,358 hits in one week ending August 7th.
The Inept Media CorpSE, which basically plays lap dogs for Bush, does not report the news "fair and balanced".
Case in point is how the media corpSE took Cheney's "sensitive" quote, from Kerry's speech, as Gospel. The media corpSE is to lame at checking out the facts, because they don't have computers and have never heard of some "new fangled thing" called The Internet.
People like me, who are very interested in the news and politics, have to go to your website and many others, to find out what is "REALLY" going on in Politics.
Keep up the great work!!!!
Tom Wieliczka
Windsor Locks, CT
PS: Heard many calls on Randi Rhodes (AAR) from people in Oregon at a Kerry rally. They were all saying the attendance was at least 100,000. Have no fear, the media corpse will not report that.
Subject: Will the real president please stand?
Re "Family of Three Was Kicked Out Of Bush Event For Bringing A Pro-Choice T-Shirt": quotes the daughter as saying, "I’m not an American? I can’t see my president?"
If she wants to see the real president, she should go to see Al Gore.
Suzanne Gorenfeld
CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE AUGUST 16, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG.