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

Subject: Questioning Valor

Dear BuzzFlash,

In the midst of the present and all its attendant day-to-day necessities, it is sometimes of real value to look to the past, and try to learn what history might teach us.

Given the great truckloads of filth being unloaded on Senator Kerry's service record (with hardly a media "peep" about Chicken George's), I thought it might be instructive to look back at the career of another American hero: Sergeant Alvin Collum York.

Much hay has been made about Senator Kerry's having won the awards he won in the course of only four months in Vietnam. Only Four Months!

Let's take a look then at Sgt. York, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre. Sgt. York entered the European Theatre on June 27, 1918. He served acceptably, but without commendation, until October 18, 1918. On that day he performed acts which resulted in his commendations noted above, AND HE WASN'T EVEN WOUNDED. In short, Alvin York won the highest honors a nation can confer, even though he was "in country" for LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS and NEVER GOT A SCRATCH! After leaving the service, Sgt. York deliberately traded on his "heroic" status, allowing the State of Tennessee to provide him with a farm, and founding a Bible School with the funds he garnered from endorsements.

Wonder what the Swift Boat Scumbags would have to say about that? Maybe they can spend some of that right-wingnut money they've collected to mount a smear campaign on Sgt. York. After all, there's no one left to dispute their smears.

It would be a shame, but that's a commodity the Swift Boat Scumbags have never possessed anyway.

Bob Kincaid
(Devoted BuzzFlash Reader)

Subject: Swift Boat Veterans

Dear BuzzFlash,

Swift Boat Veterans latest lies about John Kerry lying about his injuries - I wish that Kerry would just slap a lawsuit against these idiots. Then they can spend their money on something besides lies! Hit em in the ole pocketbook!

Connie Dirig

Subject: Sen. Kerry: Bush's Desertion & Bush's Biography

Dear BuzzFlash,

A copy of what I sent to JohnKerry.com:

* * *

Dear "Rapid Response" Team

When bringing up Bush's desertion in 1972-73 [see "The AWOL Project"], and Bush's failure to release all his military records despite five promises to do so (AP is suing for the records held in Texas), it is equally important to emphasize that Bush's autobiography, published when he decided to run for President in 1999, contains lie after lie about his service record. [see for example, Joe Conason's " Bush's war stories simply don't fly"]

These lies have been repeated on his website since he seized office.

In other words, it is not just that Bush did everything he could to avoid even minimum service thirty years ago, when he was a drunken coke-head, but just five years ago, supposedly after he had given his life over to God and Truth, he completely falsified his own history.

It's not just old lies, it's current lies as well.

"Mr Bush, what other lies are you going to tell the people?"

I'd tell you to make sure you kick Bush in the balls because he's going to try to cut your throat, but that raises another question about Bush.

Jim P

Subject: SWIFTBOAT OF LIARS GET DISCREDITED

Click here: Records Counter a Critic of Kerry (washingtonpost.com)

Dear BuzzFlash,

I hope the above article will be given the same attention by the media, like they did to the swiftboat of liars. Bush supporters like Scarborough flogged this dead horse continuously for days, and gave it so much time and attention; it was disgusting. Now they owe it to Senator Kerry to expose one of the liars on that boat.

Isn't it unbelievable? Here we have a candidate with a magnificent record in the services, and a nincompoop who failed to show up for duty(or even a medical test) and cannot account for those days, and yet we find that the hero is being questioned and trashed. What the heck is wrong with this picture? I am sure that Richard Nixon who was out to discredit John Kerry would have thoroughly investigated JK's medals and found that there was no dirt there. I guess they were successful in trashing John McCain, so they decided to smear John Kerry too.

It is a sad day indeed when our veterans are smeared and trashed, and when their accomplishments are diminished by a bunch of liars, who are backed by a gang of right wing cowards, who avoided serving their country.

Looking forward to a Kerry victory in November!

Roseanne

Subject: We are in greater danger because of Bush's inability to lead during crisis.

On September 11, 2001 there were four hijacked airplanes. Bush was warned on Aug 6th (one month and 5 days) of attacks in a report titled, "Bin Laden Determined To Strike In Us" which detailed training for hijacking airplanes. On the morning of September 11th I'm sure he was aware that there was more than one hijacked airplane, even if he didn't know the exact number. Once the first plane hit the WTC, if he had any brain at all, it should have clicked that the other hijacked aircraft were headed for buildings as well.

The information was there, and would have been obvious. Certainly after the SECOND plane hit a building, and there were still 2 more planes in the air, the pattern should have been obvious. The third plane should never have reached the pentagon. I'll excuse the first plane not making a pattern, but the second plane, that makes a pattern.

How much of a pattern? The people on the fourth plane figured out the pattern before Bush did, and downed the plane themselves. Without the CIA, or the FBI, or the FAA to tell them, they knew the pattern, and downed that plane. Bush the incompetent meanwhile was at Booker Elementary listening to children read, having been informed of the hijacked planes and that two had already hit their targets.

Timeline of 9/11
8:46 am Flight United 11 Hits WTC 1
9:03 am Flight United 175 Hits WTC 2
9:38 am Flight AA 77 hits Pentagon (Time: 52 Min WTC 1, 35 Min WTC 2)
10:06am Flight United 93 Crashed By Passengers.

Fighter flight time from Andrews Air Base outside Washington DC? 10 minutes.

Sincerely,

Rob
( http://www.liberaltimes.com )

Subject: Iraqi Soccer Players Angered by Bush Campaign Ads

Unwilling participants; Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads featuring team

"Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign," Sadir told SI.com through a translator, speaking calmly and directly. "He can find another way to advertise himself."

Ahmed Manajid, who played as a midfielder on Wednesday, had an even stronger response when asked about Bush's TV advertisement. "How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women?" Manajid told me. "He has committed so many crimes."

[snip]

But they also find it offensive that Bush is using their team for his own gain when they do not support his administration's actions in Iraq. "My problems are not with the American people," says Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad. "They are with what America has done in Iraq: destroy everything. The American army has killed so many people in Iraq. What is freedom when I go to the [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?"

[snip]

"I want to defend my home. If a stranger invades America and the people resist, does that mean they are terrorists?" Manajid says. "Everyone [in Fallujah] has been labeled a terrorist. These are all lies. Fallujah people are some of the best people in Iraq."

[snip]

When the Games are over, though, Coach Hamad says, they will have to return home to a place where they fear walking the streets. "The war is not secure," says Hamad, 43. "Many people hate America now. The Americans have lost many people around the world--and that is what is happening in America also."

A BuzzFlash Reader

re: Presidential Briefing of Aug 6, 2001 on Bin Ladin threat

Not only did Bush not react to the Presidential Briefing Paper worked up for him on Aug 6, 2001, reporting the threat of Bin Ladin attacking the US using (among other possibilities) hijacked planes but ....

.... we didn't even know of the existence of this Briefing Paper until Condi Rice's testimony (in April 2004, IIRC) to the special 9-11 Commission (the commission that Bush didn't want set up, and originally wouldn't cooperate with), and ...

After the existence of this Briefing Paper was revealed the White House was asked to make it available. In response the Bush White House has released only one and a half pages of it, although there are news reports that the actual Briefing Paper was eleven pages long. When will we be able to see the rest of the document??

Bernard J. Sussman, JD, MLS, CP (Bethesda, Md)

Re: On August 6, 2001, Bush was Given a Security Briefing Entitled, "Bin Lade...

Please add to your arguments on this point the failed hijacking attempt in 1994 to destroy the Eiffel Tower. (See Jane's website with information on this.) For Rice or anyone else to say it was "unforeseeable" or "beyond imagination" that planes would be used as missiles, is disingenuous at best (notwithstanding the 1990s novel that used this as a plot device or that the Japanese used their planes in that way during WWII).

Russ Haven
Albany, New York

Subject: Decisions, decisions . . .

Campaigning in Portland, Oregon:

Resident Bush addressed 2300 carefully screened citizens with scripted comments all around, and only after an virtual army had shaped and formed the crowd to the preferred, prescribed experience.

(Real) Senator John F. Kerry addressed 50,000 people who were not restrained from exercising their legal, though I hate to say it - Constitutional rights - and Senator Kerry handled it with strength to spare. Senator Kerry, thank God, knows the difference between respecting an individual's right and respecting what an individual does with that right. Too bad more Americans don't get this not-so-fine distinction.

Bush purposely attempted to dominate the airwaves by extending his speech. He is willing to violate anything and anyone to have his way, all the time. Interesting.

Senator Kerry just gives his speech and gets the job done, no muss, no fuss, no obfuscation, no explanations for questionable behavior or comments (didn't need any).

My goodness! I would be pleased to give GWB to all those people who love him so much. If only . . .

ogf

Subject: Miller Time at the GOP's Beer Hall Putsch : Madmen Senator supports torture

It's act of treason to criticize torture. That's the view of GOP Keynoter Zell Miller. He calls such criticism "Giving aid and comfort to the Enemy". In other words if you criticize Abu Ghraib, Gitmo et.al you're neck is fit for the hangman' noose. Well maybe,if you're lucky, "compassionate conservative" Bush will just sentence you to a "Detention Camps ". Pol Pot called them "Re-education Centres". That Bush named this lunatic as GOP keynoter speaks volumes on the true intentions of that Barely Closeted would-be Dictator , George W. Bush. http://journals.aol.com/csandhollow/Currentevents/entries/171 These speeches don't reflect an overheated Pol popping off at a VFW Hall. They are prepared speeches delivered on the Senate floor.He means every word he says. Who will follow Miller at the podium? Our latest proxy torture master , Iraqi strongman Iyad Allawi?

Brad

Subject: Swift Boat Vets

I am vet that was in service during the Vietnam era 1967-1969. If you did not live through those days, you have no perspective or any idea what that time in history was all about. I was very opposed to the war but got my draft notice as soon as I graduated from college. I fully understand trying to avoid the draft like Clinton, Cheney or those that signed up for the national guard. I know what the feel of the nation was then and I can not fault anyone for doing what they could to avoid going. Nor will I fault John Kerry and others for speaking out against the war when they returned. If you weren't there, you don't know. And those that condemn those actions seem to forget what it was like back then. History shows the protesters were the ones that were right all along.

That being said, I did go ( I exhausted all my deferment possibilities) but was sent to Korea instead of Vietnam. During that time we would talk via radio, late at night or very early in the morning, to our fellow soldiers in Vietnam and a few times even while they were in the midst of engagements.

I know many people that were decorated with the purple heart and other medals and this slur against John Kerry and his service by this right wing gop hate group is a discredit to ALL our servicemen. How any former military, active military or anyone that has any respect for what our country stands for, can support this group is beyond me. Shame on this group. Shame on their supporters. And shame on this administration for not speaking out against them.

Bob Lambert
Northridge, CA

Subject: Me and my shadow

"Kerry Says Bush Uses Surrogates to Do 'Dirty Work'"

Is it me or did Scott McClellan just call the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush (er…Truth) a "shadowy group?"

Marc L. Lippincott
Austin, TX

Subject: He Knew

Hi BuzzFlash,

Mr. Bush knew! He didn't know exactly what was to happen, but he knew something was to happen. That day!

Was not it said, before he arrived at the school, they all knew the first plane hit Tower one? Am I wrong about this?? Didn't he say he saw the Tower was hit, and he saw it on the TV?? That was the second Tower he saw!

Shouldn't the whole school visit been called off, and a rush to see what the disaster, was about?

Was the PR more important, than the people in the Tower? Was the school used, so everyone would know where he would be, as this time frame, unfolded?

That look on his face, was a stunned look, like he knew he was part of something big, and was waiting to be called on to go into acting President mode. They played a game, a dangerous game, with children involved.

For this alone, endangering children's lives, any one who goes to the voting booth, should not have any doubt about who to vote for.

My opinion!

Angie...Phila

Subject: Decided Voter

Dear BuzzFlash,

After hearing both sides (GOP & DEM), I have made a decision on whom I will support for president. It hasn't been easy, but I will support George W. Bush for President of Iraq!

He and his administration have much work to do there, and it should be done in country. I feel we can suffer here with out his great leadership and he will be sorely missed.

Anybody want to chip in on the plane tickets?

BuzzFlash reader,

Subject: Bush Military Service

Dear Readers,

Yes, I believe George Bush was flying during his national guard service:

High as a kite!!

Whose yo leader?

Would you fly with George at the controls? (or) take the boat with Kerry at the stern in the jungle?

Love the idea about new york draping blue or displaying blue wherever in protest. It could work nationally, too.

My first gut thought when I saw Bush's reaction after being told about the plane hit at twin towers was he knew., He just didn't expect it to that big of a hit. I had the same strange feeling when i saw Cheney's reaction too.

Carolina

Sitting for 7 minutes after the country was being terrorized shows that G.Bush cannot lead this country without Karl Rove and Cheney telling him what to do. It shows how incompetent G.Bush really is.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Kerry Knows What He's Doing

Dear Buzz,

There've been times when I've not been too pleased with the way John Kerry has handled things, but to put it plainly, I've finally come around to trusting him to get done what needs to get done. Why?

Even with every Democrat in sight screaming for him to "do something!!!" to combat the latest outrageous attack against his campaign by Bush thugs, Kerry keeps his cool, chooses his moment, then turns his boat straight into the line of fire and hits a bullseye almost every time.

Witness his being given up for gone in the Democratic primaries. While his supporters shook their heads and prepared to shrug their shoulders woefully, he chose his moment, executed his strategy and ended up number one. (Much to my chagrin as a Dean supporter, I might add.)

When speculation ran rampant as to whether he could live up to the hype built up by speaker after speaker over the course of the Democratic National Convention, he marched straight up to the podium, raised his hand in salute, announced "My name is John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty!," and tore the roof off the sucka -- you had to be proud of the guy.

Now, with Democrats going national ballistic over the Swift Throat Liars for Bush and screaming all week for Kerry to "do something!!!!!!!," once again, he has neatly executed his strategy. He's given these swift throat liars enough time and enough rope to hang themselves, his campaign has countered with a powerful commercial, and he's challenged Bush directly -- "Of course, the president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: 'Bring it on.'"

While Kerry's technique seems frustratingly obtuse at times, it must be working! In almost every poll he's ahead, even if only by a little in some cases -- with the popular vote, with the electoral vote and in some places, even with the Republican vote -- and thank goodness it's been months since I've heard a shameless shill intone -- "yes, but do you think there's any Democrat who could challenge this popular wartime preznit?"

Kerry knows what he's doing.

Thanks for your consistently excellent site, Buzz. I don't think it's too much to say it's a lifeline to democracy.

Sincerely,

Bri Held

Subject: Michelle Malkin's attack on John Kerry

To Whom It May Concern at Creators Syndicate:

I have just watched Michelle Malkin slander John Kerry on Chris Matthews' "Hardball" broadcast. She directly accused Kerry of inflicting wounds upon himself. To Matthews' credit, he refused to countenance Malkin's attacks, and virtually threw her off the show, telling her that his show will not be party to such slanderous attacks. Congratulations to Matthews for refusing to give Malkin the latitude to besmirch Kerry's war service in such a disgraceful and dishonorable fashion. (Malkin will backtrack and claim, as she did on Matthews' show, that she is merely "repeating allegations." This will be a lie. She directly accused Kerry of shooting himself in order to receive a medal, though she danced and sidestepped the claim in the process. Check the transcript or the videotape to prove this claim.)

Malkin is accusing Kerry of a crime -- in and of itself a crime, if not provably true. To his credit, Matthews refused to be part of her criminal behavior. Malkin is basing her accusations on the fully discredited lies of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," a group of political agitators funded by Bush campaign representatives and Houston cronies of Bush that has done nothing but slander and besmirch the war record of a fine American veteran. Their lies have been well documented and disproven. They have misrepresented themselves as colleagues of Kerry, when not one of them served with him for a single moment. One tells us that he treated one of Kerry's wounds when he did not. Member Larry Thurlow has been proven a liar in his accusations that Kerry fraudulently received a Bronze Star -- his own statements from the battle in which both Kerry and Thurlow won citations disprove his allegations. They have hired private detective Thomas Rupprath to investigate Kerry's first Purple Heart, and Rupprath has responded by rewriting and twisting statements of support from fellow veterans who were with Kerry on that particular mission. In other words, the "SBVT" have twisted the facts into a pack of lies, and used the lies to slander and defame Kerry. Their book, "Unfit for Command," is a scurrilous package of slanders, libels, and outrageous defamations co-written by a flaming racist, Jerome Corsi, who has made his hatred for blacks, women, and Jews crystal-clear from his thousands of posts on the Free Republic message boards.

John McCain, a Republican and a Bush supporter, has called the allegations "dishonest and dishonorable."

Malkin is a disgrace to American journalism. She, and her fellow slanderers from this "Swift Boat Veterans" group, should be held accountable for their actions.

I respectfully demand that Creators Syndicate immediately fire Michelle Malkin. She disgraces the Syndicate with her presence. She has proven herself unfit to represent the Syndicate and American journalism as a whole. She is welcome to follow her true calling and become a PR representative for the Bush campaign, or perhaps the Aryan Nation, but for her to represent herself, and Creators Syndicate, as an ostensibly reliable columnist whose columns are worth reading is intolerable. She has discredited herself and by association has discredited and besmirched the integrity and reliability of Creators Syndicate and American journalists around the globe.

Fire her, and restore your own credibility.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Max Black

Subject: The Buck Stops Where?/Letter to the Editor

Your lead story today sounds just like a letter I wrote to my local paper back in April (below).

-----Original Message----- From: Ross, Richard
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 3:26 PM
To: 'edit@ctpost.com'
Subject: The Buck Stops Where?/Letter to the Editor

In defense of his administration's failure to act upon the August 6, 2001 PDB report, "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.", President Bush shrugs off the report's warning of airplane hijackings by saying that it meant "hijackings for hostages, not hijackings to fly planes into buildings." Huh? Bush thinks that plain old garden-variety type hijackings for hostages aren't a serious enough threat to demand action? I'm amazed that anyone would buy this thinking as exoneration of Bush's responsibility. In other words, Bush felt that your basic hostage hijacking didn't require sounding the alarm. It didn't demand an immediate shifting of U.S. security operations into a serious alert that would put airlines, airline crews, airports and passengers into a heightened terrorist awareness mode. This thinking is beyond the pale of logic. It reeks of irresponsibility. It's inexcusable out-of-touch disengaged bad judgment. And he calls himself tough on terrorism?

Hello!!! Doesn't the hijacking of an airplane for hostages stand alone as a very bad thing? And the threat of that alone should have put hijacking preventive strategies immediately into play. Acting to prevent a hijacking for hostages would have been the prudent action, the automatic consequence of which would have been to prevent a hijacking for the purpose of flying a plane into a building. And that leads me to believe that maybe something could have indeed been done to mitigate the disaster of 9/11. After all, doing something would have been better than doing nothing. Even if it was simply to alert pilots, crews, airport security and passengers to be extra vigilant.

Oh yes, I forgot, the President said the FBI was looking into it. If that isn't the height of buck passing I don't know what is. Bush blames the FBI, the FBI blames the CIA, Dick Clarke blames the President and Condoleezza Rice, and Condoleezza Rice blames the FBI, the CIA, and Dick Clarke. Who's in charge here anyhow? I thought President Bush was supposed to be in charge. I thought that President Truman had set the standard for all Presidents to come when he said "The Buck Stops Here".

This Bush administration pass-the-buck circle reminds me of the famous political cartoon called The Tweed Ring, in which a bunch of corrupt political cronies in 19th century New York are all depicted pointing to the next person to assign fault for rampant government misdeeds.

I think America deserves better than this, and the Bush administration needs to be replaced in November.

Richard Ross
Fairfield, CT

Subject: FBI interviewing protestors: a modest proposal

Dear Buzz,

I read and hear the reports of the FBI "interviewing" protestors who a presumably going to be at the Republican convention, far more openly and blatantly than they did in the sixties and early seventies. I find this horrifying.

However, listening to yet another report, I was struck by an idea, and so would like to offer to all of those interviewed by them a modest proposal: this is clearly an attempt to intimidate, or even blackmail, those people and others. Now, I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me that the organization that is ordering this attempted intimidation is criminally liable under the RICO act. So, perhaps they can join together, find an honest DA, and file charges against Ashcroft and the head of the FBI for criminal racketeering.

mark "it seems reasonable to me"

Dear Sir/Madam,

Although Michael Moore has highlighted Bush's extensive vacation schedule,42% of his time as president, I think it is critical that we look at the specific period known as the "Summer of Threats". President Bush,Vice President Cheney and CIA Director George Tenet were all on vacation for most of the month of August, 2001. In fact at the 911 hearings Tenet stated that he hadn't talked to the president once during that period. The White House later corrected Tenet's recollection by stating that he had talked to the president at least once during the vacation period. These are the top three leaders in the "War on Terror" and they were all on vacation at the same time during the "Summer of Threats".

Prior to the 911 Commission hearings Tenet had repeatedly stated that he met with the president almost every morning. It wasn't until the 911 hearings that he revealed under questioning that this claim did not include the month of August 2001. In other words,during this "Summer of Threats" the Commander and Chief, the Vice President, the Director of the CIA and who knows who else were all on vacation and not in contact with each other. Who was in charge? Who else at the top was on vacation.

In addition, during this vacation period, intelligence from Hosni Mubarak appears to have gotten lost. The media seems content to lump it together with other "chatter" in August 2001 and check it off as yet another failure of the intelligence community.

In this instance,however the Associated Press reported that the intelligence community claims no knowledge of the warning from Mubarak.

The Associated Press reported shortly after 911 that Hosni Mubarak claimed that he had warned "the Americans" just 12 days prior to 911 that there was going to be a "significant terrorist attack on the US" and he stated further "believe me this one is going to happen". Mubarak's choice of the phrase "the Americans" begs the question, Which Americans? And exactly what did he tell "the Americans?

Months later,during the Colleen Rowley hearings which focused on the failures of the intelligence community, the AP reported once again that Mubarak restated his claim that he had warned "the Americans" just 12 days prior to 911 and he reiterated his previous emphasis on the warning "believe me this one is going to happen".

The following day the AP reported that US Intelligence Agencies deny having received any warning from Mubarak.

So now we have the AP reporting that Mubarak claims he warned "the Americans" and the AP also reporting that US intelligence agencies deny ever having received that warning from Mubarak. In effect, the CIA,NSA, and the FBI are calling Mubarak a liar. Yet we have no follow up by the press or the 911 Commission.

Unless of course, Mubarak warned an American who's not a member of the intelligence community. This same person may have failed to forward this information in a timely manner to the intelligence community. Maybe he was on vacation and prior to 911 we didn't take threats as seriously?Maybe he went fishing like he did on the morning of August 6th when his PDB warned that Bin Laden was looking to attack in the US.

Over 3000 are dead as a result of an intelligence failure. The families are still looking for answers yet the press and the Commission fail to pose two basic question. 1. Who did Hosni Mubarak warn prior to 911 and what was done with that intelligence? 2.When the President,Vice President,Director of the CIA are all on vacation at the same time who's in charge?

Respectfully,

Michael Scott

Subject: Money???

What the hell?..............Do you actually expect Bush to know what a 'dinar' or a 'ruble'....is? He is trying to be intelligent...and it ain't working!

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

Subject: Not with a bang but a whimper

A recent letter to BuzzFlash spoke of the Republican sliming of Max Cleland which cost him the election. I’m not so sure it did because surely there must have many in Georgia who saw through it all and were turned off by it. No, I think the Republicans won it the old-fashioned way - they simply stole it. How? Well, take a look at the NATION’S long, brilliantly researched article titled “How They Could Steal the Election This Time.”Here’s an excerpt -

“Incumbent US Senator Max Cleland and incumbent Governor Roy Barnes, both Democrats, were odds-on favorites to win re-election. A week before the voting an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showed Cleland ahead by five points, 49-44, but on election day he lost to his Republican opponent, Saxby Chambliss, by seven points, 53-46, a twelve-point swing. The loss of Governor Barnes to Sonny Perdue was even more remarkable: a one-week switch of fourteen percentage points. These were suspicious anomalies, and subsequently in a Peach State Poll one in eight Georgia voters were ‘not very confident‘or ‘not at all confident‘that the DREs had produced accurate results; another 32 percent were only ‘somewhat confident.’”

“That is, the election was apparent rigged through the use of electronic voting machines lacking any real accountability, but ironically both of the losing Democrats had backed installation of the DRE systems statewide, so they could hardly call for recounts that their own state party had made literally impossible.”

End of story.

Norman Weinstein
NYC

Subject: Non-Combat War Leaders

Perhaps someone would like to point out that the people who are running the iraq war-have NEVER served in battle.

1. Paul Wolfowitz
2. Rumsfeld
3. Armitage
4. Bush
5. Cheney
6. Karl Rove
7. Rice

PERHAPS THAT COULD BE WHY IT ISN'T GOING SO WELL.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Another way the Bush Camp protects itself from dissenters

Today I went to georgewbush.com to see for myself the juvenile cartoon of John Kerry that is on the homepage. While there I saw that there was to be a chat this afternoon about the internet and how it can be used for campaigning. I was able to submit a question prior to the start of the chat (which appears below). At the time of the chat I attempted to log onto the chat and was unable to unless I signed up to be a Bush Volunteer (see that little note below). So after the chat I logged on to read the transcript and--surprise, surprise--they didn't answer my question (see the address to view the transcript below--I apologize that I cannot make it be a link). So here we go again--we can't hear him speak, we can't chat on his website. I sent an email to the address listed at the end of the transcript. We'll see if anything comes from that....

Description of the Chat:
Michael Turk, BC '04 eCampaign Director, discusses the campaign's innovative online effort and takes your questions about using the Web to motivate grassroots volunteers and to communicate the campaign's message.

My Question:
I agree that the internet is providing American citizens with an unprecedented forum for both learning and educating voters on the issues. My question is in regards to georgewbush.com. On the homepage of Mr. Bush's official re-election website, there is a cartoon image of Senator Kerry entitled "John Kerry's Flip Flop Olympics." It looks like a video game. I'm wondering why the Bush Campaign is wasting webspace on juvenile mudslinging rather than informing us as to his stance on the issues and his accomplishments. I thought that was what campaigning was supposed to be about. Not lying and deception.

My Rejection Note:
You are trying to enter an exclusive Bush Volunteer online chat session, but your email and password indicate that you don't have access to it.

If you are not already a Bush Volunteer, click here to sign up now.

Where to see the transcript: http://georgewbush.com/Chat/Transcript.aspx?ID=27

Subject: My Loyalty Oath

The recent requirement by Herr Cheney (and by tacit agreement of Herr Bush) that citizens wishing to attend presidential campaign visits first sign a "Loyalty Oath" is so reminiscent of Nazi indoctrination tactics that it would be ludicrous if it weren't so scary.

Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Franklin and Washington are surely turning in their graves at the outright repression and intimidation brought to an art form by the Bush Misadministration and its minions.

Here is MY Loyalty Oath (text taken directly from Cheney's Loyalty Oath text http://members2.boardhost.com/prouty/msg/99807.html):

"I, elaine from Petaluma ... do hereby wholeheartedly and with a well-informed and clear conscience, endorse John F. Kerry for election to the office of President of the United States.

I affirm my allegiance to the Bill of Rights. I declare and commit myself to a steadfast support of the Equality of all Men and Women, People of all Colors, Nationalities, Religions, Ethnicities and Persuasions. I irrevocably claim the right to speak my mind, and in particular, my Dissent, when I deem my government is derelict in its duty to protect the rights and security of myself and my fellow neighbors and citizens. I hold dear and cherish my absolute Right to Vote and to have my vote counted. I reserve my place in the ranks of Patriotic protesters; those who sacrifice their personal Comfort, Livelihoods and Security for the benefit of the Community at Large. I pledge to work toward Health Care for All, Education for All, Financial Security for All, Equal Protection under the Law for All, a Clean Environment for All, and most importantly, Peace for All people in the United States of America and for our Fellow World Citizens. I solemnly vow to Live a Life of Hope, to convey that Hope to my Family, Friends and Neighbors, and to loudly disavow the politics of Fear, Exclusion, and Oppression. By endorsing John F. Kerry, I do believe that Justice, Fairness, Prudence and Diplomacy will be returned to the People's White House, and I pledge work toward that end.

In signing the above endorsement I consent to the use and release of my name by John F. Kerry as an endorser of the Future President John F. Kerry."

Signed this day of August 19, 2004; to be affirmed on November 2, 2004, ELECTION DAY.

elaine in Petaluma

Subject: Leuticia's mails

Preach it, sister! And read James 5:1-10 for some more ammunition!

Another Christian Liberal, who loves you for pointing out, Bible in hand, what's really Christian, and how Bush isn't.

Jitske

Subject: In response to Stephanie in Arlington (August 18 mailbag)

I want to let Stephanie in Arlington know that I know what she means about being a Democrat in Texas. When I mentioned to my coworkers that the Iraq U.S. soldier death count would probably exceed 1000 this month, they told me well, hey, that's really not that many, we are at war you know. Of course not one of them spent a single day in the military.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Susan in Plano Texas

Sent to lou@cnn.com, cnn@cnn.com:

Subject: apparent CNN policy: Dem fraud = very bad, Republican fraud = no story

One would think that the serious and multiple fraud allegations against the current Speaker of the House, Tom Delay, would warrant more coverage than the allegations against a donor to a governor who is stepping down soon. But of course, CNN remains committed to focusing the spotlight on anything it can use to smear Democrats, while giving Republicans a free pass, under a thin guise of pretend scrutiny. Just like FOX News and most of your peers in the media industry.

Once again, you have expressed condemnation for alleged fraud by a donor to Democrats while ignoring the very serious fraud allegations against Tom Delay. Tom Delay is a very powerful Speaker of the House, and his actions affect the governance of our nation, while Kuscher is merely a donor.

Why not just tell your viewers that according to CNN policy, any news exposing problems with influential Republicans simply isn't important; that only news seen as somehow negative to Democrats is worth reporting? At least you would be honest then. I can't recall a single CNN story negative to Republicans in which you did not give the majority of time and deference to the Republican side.

If you are not going to change, please at least have the decency and character to accurately inform viewers of these practices.

Scott McGlasson
Denver, CO

Subject: about Kerry and the Swift Boat Vets for "truth".

My name is Darlene Hall. I live in Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada. I am American born but also a Canadian Citizen. I came to Canada on Woodstock weekend. My husband loved his country but did not follow his Army orders to go to Viet Nam. He was truly a patriot. He died 3 years ago of cancer. His favorite show while dying was TOUR OF DUTY. He believed the war was wrong but the soldiers were good people. He was born in Toledo Ohio.

I am so disturbed by these Swift Boat for Truth liars.

Why doesn’t Kerry bring out the Toledo Blade”s Pulitzer Prize winning series on The Viet Nam War Atrocities”These so called Truthful vets are saying that Kerry betrayed American troops by saying that these atrocities happened at Congressional hearings when he came back to Viet Nam. They say that they are doing this to him now because of his betrayal to them and other Americans who served in Viet Nam. Is the Toledo Blade a traitor to America? The Pulitzer Organization who awarded the prize to Toledo Blade believes the accuracy in reporting these soldiers in Viet Nam and what they did.

I feel the American Public, NOW more than any other time, needs to see, read and know about what the Toledo Blade wrote, since this issue of Kerry’s service is being so demeaned. This is also relevant with the events in Abu Ghraib.

Please see if you can pass on my suggestion to someone who can carry this torch of enlightenment to the masses. I want to see Kerry win in November. George Bush has harmed America and if he has another 4 years America will no longer be the America that I knew while growing up. It will no longer be the home of the free and being brave can land you in jail or worse.

Here is some excerpts from the Toledo Blade.

Mr. Ware called The Blade to ask about our series. "Why do you have to do this?"

That's a fair question, and one that other readers may be asking.

Why would we write about war crimes committed by American soldiers during an unpopular war 36 years ago? Why would we spend eight months researching records, interviewing more than 100 people, and travel to two provinces in Vietnam, and to California, Arizona, Washington state, Indiana, Washington, and several cities in Ohio and Michigan for this story?

This was a serious topic of discussion among Blade editors and the newspaper's publisher and editor-in-chief, John Robinson Block. One reason is that the public has a right to know that American soldiers committed atrocities and that our government kept them from the public. We would have been party to a cover-up if we had knowledge of these war crimes and did not publish the story.

Wrongdoing on this grand a scale is always significant. It is important to know what happened and why it happened because that's how a democracy functions. The people need to know what is being done in their name and who is responsible.

In this case, we still don't know who made the final decision not to prosecute. The Nixon White House received case updates of the Tiger Force investigation in 1972 and 1973 at the request of presidential counsel John Dean. Reports also went to Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger and Secretary of the Army Howard "Bo" Callaway.

The decision not to prosecute was made more than a year after Gerald Ford became president in August, 1974, but it is not known how far up in the Ford administration the decision went.

Assistants to Mr. Ford and Mr. Schlesinger said neither would comment. Mr. Callaway said he has no recollection of the Tiger Force investigation, but that if it were brought to his attention he would not have "swept it under the rug."

Former Warrant Officer Gustav Apsey, the lead investigator of the Tiger Force case, said he was disappointed that nothing resulted from the cases that had merit and is upset that some of these soldiers not only stayed in the military but were promoted.

One of the people who witnessed the atrocities 36 years ago, former Tiger Force medic Rion Causey, told The Blade recently it was time that the Tiger Force story was told.

Subject: WE HAD THE GREAT BARACK OBAMA - THEY HAVE, WHO?

Dear BuzzFlash

I just wanted to tell my fellow BuzzFlashers that we should not waste a minute of our time wondering why that traitor in the democratic party, Zell, is going to be their keynote speaker. It is no loss for us folks, we had the charismatic, intelligent and powerful speaker Barack Obama, as our keynote speaker. There is no comparison here. It is pathetic that the repugs have to choose Smelly Zelly for their keynote speaker, it looks like they cannot find someone within their own party to fit the bill. And if you haven't notice by now, the repugs have very low expectations when choosing their leaders, they are happy to settle for anyone with zero intelligence and of the low caliber kind.

They are welcome to have Zell, he has lost all respect on this side.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Bush's War with Words.

My favorites mentioned in this piece: The first is from the same speech where he decided that sovereignty is sovereignty.

Taxes? "I cut the taxes on everybody. I didn't cut them. The Congress cut them. I asked them to cut them."

he offered a curious wish for his audience in Oregon: "I hope you leave here and walk out and say, 'What did he say?' "

The man would be a hoot if what he says didn't get people killed. I wish I had a nickel for every time I have said, "What did he say?" during one of his speeches. I could pay for a prime time commercial.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6375-2004Aug16.html

NO:
C heney
A shcroft
R umsfeld
B ush
Speak up or they assume you agree!!! ABB

Karen Webb, Moore, Ok.

Subject: Blue Windows

Great ides but let's take it a step further. During the repub convention, all across the country put blue in our windows and write, email & fax all local papers, call in radio and tell them what we are doing & why!

A BuzzFlash Reader

How to steal an election (without hacking the voting machines)

PB, Sep 2004

1. Eliminate the competition

In the only election since he assumed power in 1994, North Korean dictator Kim Jong II got 100 percent of the vote. How did he do it? It’s easy to be the most popular candidate when you don’t have an opponent. Refugees reported that during a wave of famines in the 1990s, the government rewarded supporters and members of the military with donated food rations, while critics were left to starve. Kim has sentenced officials he suspected of disloyalty to prison, a concentration camp or death.

2. Smear the opposition

In 1972 a Nixon aide wrote a letter to a New Hampshire newspaper, claiming Senator Edmund Muskie, the leading Democratic presidential contender, had called French Canadians Canucks. When Muskie held a press conference to accuse the paper of shoddy journalism, reporters wrote that he had “tears streaming down his face.”Muskie later claimed that snow was melting on his skin, but one gonzo journalist theorized he was on the mind-altering drug ibogaine.

3. Subvert foreign policy

In 1980 Ronald Reagan’s campaign managers feared that if the American hostages held captive in Iran were released before the election, Jimmy Carter’s popularity would surge and Reagan would lose. As argued in the book October Surprise, Reagan’s campaign boss, William Casey (later CIA director), struck a deal withy the Iranians that delayed the hostages’release in return for the promise to send weapons to Iran. The hostages were freed the day of Reagan’s inauguration.

4. Rule the media

Russians get most of their information from state-controlled media. Prior to the March 14 election, print and broadcast outlets devoted anywhere from 57 to 100 percent of their coverage to President Vladimir Putin, while his six opponents split the remainder, according to a report by the Russian Union of Journalists. Putin, who refused to participate in televised debates, won the election with a landslide 71 percent of the vote. His closest challenger, Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov, finished with 14 percent.

---Patty Lamberti

(Added) Combination of 2, 3 and 4 above by the Bush regime in 2004 in an attempt to steal another election.

RB

Subject: Civil Liberties Legislation

Just wanted to alert BuzzFlash.com readers about H.R. 4585. Combined with the "Patriot" Act it would give the President the potential power to have citizens subjected to police actions. Here is my letter to Representative Ryan of Wisconsin:

H.R. 4585, introduced by Porter Goss of Florida, has as its subject heading:

"To amend the National Security Act of 1947 to improve the organization and operation of the intelligence community, and for other purposes."

I urge you reject this vaguely worded bill because of its potential to further erode civil liberties. In a specific reference to the CIA, the bill goes on to state that:

"the Agency may not exercise police, subpoena, or law enforcement powers within the United States, except as otherwise permitted by law or as directed by the President;"

With the excesses of the so-called Patriot Act already in place, this would allow the President or members of his cabinet to allow the CIA to become involved in domestic affairs.

Since its inception in 1947, the CIA has been specifically banned from operating domestically. In reality, as documented by investigative reporters such as Michael C. Ruppert and Gary Webb, the CIA has illegally operated in the U.S. in such activities as arms and drug running. Can one forget Iran-Contra? North and his associates used U.S. soil (and taxpayer money) to conduct their illegal operations.

It should not be at the Presidents discretion to exercise domestic police actions. This opens the door to a totalitarian-style abuse of power. This is not acceptable in a democracy. It is why the founders of our country created the check and balance system of Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches. Again I ask that you not support H.R. 4585.

Sincerely,

Randy Waters
Twin Lakes, WI

Subject: Fingerprints

Questioning voters at the exits [American pollsters] Penn, Schoen & Berland Assoc. put out the word Chavez's opponent was ahead by 20%. Chavez ended up winning with 59% of the vote. Was this a fluke? Was this a manipulation? Was it an attempt to influence those who had not voted yet? Former President Jimmy Carter and his observers vouched for the accuracy of the election. So, we're left with one deduction... that there was a US attempt to influence the Venezuelan election. Imagine that!! Who in the present US government would do such a thing, heh, heh?

Here are some hints:

[1] Venezuela has Oil.

[2] Chavez has had Bush's number for quite some time.

[3] There were numerous discrepancies in the presidential election of 2000 in the US.

~ Cathy

Dear BuzzFlash - a nomination for GOP hypocrite of the month. DEAL HUDSON who led the efforts to have Kerry excommunicated for not opposing abortion. A close friend of Karl ROVE.

From the NEW YORK TIMES :

PUBLISHER SETTLED HARASSMENT CHARGE Deal W. Hudson, publisher of the conservative Roman Catholic magazine Crisis and until this week a top adviser to the Bush campaign, paid $30,000 to settle accusations of sexual misconduct brought by an 18-year-old student when he was her professor at Fordham University in 1994, according to an article on the Web site of The National Catholic Reporter and a person involved in a university investigation. In papers filed with Fordham at the time and quoted in the paper, the student said that after she became drunk with Mr. Hudson and a group of students at a Greenwich Village bar, he took her to his office, where at his suggestion they exchanged sexual favors. She accused him of sexual harassment, and the university revoked his tenure. On Wednesday, Mr. Hudson resigned as a Bush adviser in anticipation of the article. Yesterday, Crisis said in a statement that Mr. Hudson "deeply regrets" the incident at Fordham but remained bound by a confidentiality agreement.

Love your site. Keep up the important work.

Kevin Scheen
Fort Lauderdale

This was on the front page of the Oregonian this morning.

"Oregon prosecutor accuses Kerry in ad"

"A Clackamas County prosecutor and decorated Vietnam veteran who appears in an ad attacking Democratic presidential contender John F. Kerry's war record said he did not witness the events in question and is relying on the accounts of his friends who served with the senator. "

Isn't that hearsay which is not admissible in court? I think he should be disbarred.

Keep up the good work.

Barbara Culpepper

[BuzzFlash Note: Bush supporters, in a nutshell, have nothing important to say, because their candidate hasn't done anything worth talking about. But they can't keep their pie hole shut long enough to stop the vile puke of their brains from pouring out onto the floor. Someone hand that prosecutor a wetnap and warn him not to slip and fall in his own mess.]

Nation Books has a new one out, available from BuzzFlash, by Ian Williams, entitled "Deserter: George W. Bush's War on Military Families, Veterans and His Past."

'SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY' should dictate that some bright young reporter would read this book and in an explosion of devotion to his deeply held convictions of the importance of unbiased reporting, produce one of the most brilliant pieces of investigating journalism ever seen in a major newspaper in the United States of America!

Go get'em, Guys! Us old folks isa countin' onya!

Sidney S. Keith
Eagle, Idaho
Aug 20, 2004

HARDBALL got himself some balls and tried to show americans that all the crap floating around about John Kerry, is just that, CRAP!

Kudos to Chris Matthews for once doing a fine job! And for that slimy Michelle (whatever her last name is) to insinuate that John Kerry shot himself??!! Jesus! And the swiftieboat clan saying that John Kerry had a plan for the future while getting his ass shot off in VietNam??

If Kerry/Edwards don't win, I'll be moving to Canada!!

A Loyal Buzz Fan Forever!!

Kerry/Edwards 04

Sharon Carlton
Bellevue, Nebraska

Subject: Rich Religious Right politician sues illegal immigrant maid for custody of her child because she is too poor to take care of.

Hey, here's a novel idea! If these rich texas republican do-gooders are so concerned with the child's well-being, why don't they PAY THE MAID AN ADEQUATE LIVING WAGE SO SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF HER CHILD?

Joe