September 9, 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: Poll Discrepancies
http://www.newsdissector.org/weblog/POLL DISCREPANCIES
As for the post convention bounce, What was it. Some say double digit. This morning, CNN says only two points. the Economist poll is coming up with different results that the others—but not being cited. While Time and Newsweek only polled 900 people, the Economist poll asked 2500+ people:
http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/YouGovI.pdf
And what of other polls not reported on? Mediamatters.com reports:
Don't believe the media about poll results. The daily tracking polls is considered more current than the
”Sunday's DAILY tracking poll:
[You will NOTE Bush has DROPPED and Kerry has GAINED]. Both the Times and Newsweek polls were done DURING the Republican Convention; see:
Jackie
+Joe Lockhart's Going to Help
Dear BuzzFlash
I am so glad that Joe Lockhart has joined the Kerry team. I watched him on a Sunday talk show last weekend, and he was fantastic. He was able to hammer the republican pundit (It might have been Ken Mehlmen) with precise details and sharp returns.
I wish John Kerry had more people like Joe represent the Kerry campaign. He needs fighters like that to win this election. I am tired of watching the republicans getting away with lies and distortions.
Keep your hopes up friends....
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: 4 were killed on Friday, the one listed 1000 was 19 and from Austin, Tx.
The 1,000 soldier listed on the CNN site was Lance Cpl Nicholas Perez, 19, of Austin, Tex, killed Sept. 3, 2004 in Anbar provence, Iraq. 3rd battalion, 7th Reg, 1st Marine Expeditionary force.
Austin, Texas, how ironic.
There were 3 others killed in his same outfit. Capt. Alan Rowe, 35 of Hagerman, Idaho; Lance Cpl. Nicholas Witt, 23, of Tampa, Fla; 1st Lt. Ronald Winchester, 25, of Rockville Center, NY.
1001-Was killed on 9/4/04 and 1002 was killed on 9/5/04.
Bush spoke on 9/2/04, no one was killed that day, but number 995 was killed on the 1st.
Karen Webb
Subject: Cheney's little draft deferment.
BuzzFlash reader,
"Cheney, like Bush, avoided being drafted but did it in a much slicker fashion. He had five deferments, all he could get. Then by a stroke of luck it was decided not to draft married men with children. Nine months and two days later his wife gave birth. Why the delay?"
You have it wrong. She was born 9 months and 2 days after they decided to draft men with children.
In case anyone is interested, in the first draft lottery for Vietnam held Dec. 1, 1969 and affected men born from 1944-1950. They highest number used for the 1970 draft was 195. Cheney was born in 1942, so this draft didn't apply to him, but he could have been drafted before. His number would have been 164.
Bush, born July 6, 1946 was 114, but he was in the Guard at that time. After January, 1971 he was no longer in danger of being drafted. He would have been called in 1970.
Kerry, born Dec. 10, 1943 was also too old, but his number was 039. He was already home from Vietnam before the lottery.
There was a drawing in Dec, 1972 which affected only men born in 1953 which included Edwards, but no one in this group was called because of the lottery. There were guys born in 1953 who went. His number was 064.
My husbands number was 133 and he did receive a notice, but he had already tried to join, but they wouldn't take him because of a punctured eardrum administered by his mother when he was about 12.
The guy I wrote to and had dated had number 180 and he was drafted.
Karen Webb
Subject: Bush, unprepared again.
Dear BuzzFlash,
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040907/D84V4DK80.html
The link is in regards to the latest "finding" of Bush's National Guard papers, I found the most telling statement towards the end.
Significantly, it showed the unit joined a "24-hour active alert mission to safeguard against surprise attack" in the southern United State beginning on Oct. 6, 1972, a time when Bush did not report for duty, according to his pay records
As part of the mission, the 147th kept two F-102a jets - the same Bush flew before he lost his flight status for skipping a required medical exam - on ready alert to be launched within five minutes warning.
Once again we find another instance of Bush on vacation and being ill prepared for a surprise attack on the US. I continue to be amazed at the gullibility of the American public to somehow equate his service to those who served overseas and under enemy fire.
Regards,
Proud Liberal Democrat
Subject: Lending a Helping Hand
Dear Buzz,
Being a staunch Democrat, I get a lot of emails from different groups. I got one from the Kerry/Edwards campaign, and I was impressed with it enough to volunteer my services next month...this month I'm strapped. The site is http://johnkerry.com/roadtrip They are asking for volunteers for the swing states and asking you to get out the vote,pass out buttons,bumperstickers and make calls. This is an awesome idea, especially when I saw the Bush campaign workers at the Iowa State Fair doing the same thing to the hundreds of thousands of people that went! Ugh, I couldn't even enjoy the fair without those bastards being there! REMEMBER THE SWING STATES COULD BE THE ONES WHO DECIDE! Anyway, I just wanted to pass this along and see if maybe some of the BuzzFlash readers would be interested in joining me in doing this? www.johnkerry.com Harry Truman said: "When labor does well ......the whole country does well."
God Bless you BuzzFlash for all the good and wonderful job you do!!!!
A Loyal Buzz Fan Forever!
Sharon Carlton
Bellevue, Nebraska
Subject: swagger-walking?
I keep thinking about the remark bushy boy made at the thug convention. The one where he said," talking about my swagger, down in texas it's called walking."
Well, some of us from texas call it "smart assing." Especially with him being the one doing it. The smirk that some one said was gone? I thought he was laughing in our faces. Giving the impression, as always, that I am the almighty. I can do what ever I want and, you Democrats cannot do a thing about it.
I want to puke.
SAB
[BuzzFlash Note: Another BuzzFlash Reader found this interesting swagger tidbit.]
Subject: 1,000 Dead American Soldiers!!
As a Marine Corps and Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War I am outraged at this (and it truly challenges me to call him this!) President (?) not even attending just one of these courageous men and women's funerals. I ask....no plead, where is THE OUTRAGE America?
Ron Gordon
Subject: New Strategy to Defeat Tom DeLay
2004 is the year that Tom DeLay could be defeated. Strangely, it could be an independent who helps bring him down.
DeLay is polling about 45% - he's lost a majority but could still win a plurality. The Democrat in this GOP heavy district never gets more than 36% (rigged by DeLay for DeLay), so that is still good enough to limp back into Congress. The 80 year old Democrat in 2000 got the same percentage without spending a dime. In 2004, the Democrats have pumped in $300,000 - and his percentage remains unchanged! If the Democrat can't go up we need a new strategy to bring DeLay's #'s down.
What's different this year? The independent on the Nov. 2 ballot previously ran against DeLay in the GOP primary of 2000 and 2002, pulling a surprising amount of votes from moderate Republicans who hate DeLay but won't vote a Democrat. But they could vote for the moderate-turned-independent if he gets some funding to let them know he's in the race.
In the March 2004 GOP primary nearly 40% Republicans refused to vote for DeLay. They could vote for the GOP-turned-independent centrist and totally wipe DeLay so that he even falls below the Democrat concrete ceiling. That means either challenger could beat him.
All it will take is funding for the independent (a centrist) to get the word out.
If you want to dump DeLay, now is the time!
Michael
Fjetland
Michael Fjetland ("Fetland")
Independent for U.S. Congress
http://www.Congress1.com
A World of Experience to Replace DeLay
713 213 5080
" Don't DeLay Democracy!"
Paid for by Fjetland for Fair Elections
Subject: Catastrophic Success
Hi buzz,
Every time Bush opens his mouth to expel yet another catchy sound-bite I'm struck by the fact that it all has a double meaning in which there's a dark and sinister undertone hidden within his phrases.
'Turning the corner' - underestimating our intelligence he assumes everyone is going to put a positive spin on this, when, in fact he has turned the corner which leads us not where we should be going, but where he intends to take us. We will be forced to go backwards for a while undoing his trip down his filthy side alley.
'spreading the peace' - 'liberating the Iraqi people' - 'economic growth' - 'tax cuts create jobs'- 'no child left behind' , etc, etc. All true statements but if you look at the facts there's nothing positive in what has really happened. Every single sound-bite can be used to illustrate the opposite of what he hopes we'll think.
Now he uses 'catastrophic success'. I think he's right, only not in the way he wants us to think. He and the people who put him in power have been the most successful people ever to bring deliberate and pre-meditated catastrophe to the entire world. His Mob planned this for decades, and they have been horribly, disastrously, and catastrophically successful beyond our wildest nightmares.
Judith Foster,
Berkeley
Subject: Bush sweeps the Faroe Islands
and Niger!
A BuzzFlash Reader[BuzzFlash Note: But everywhere else he seems to be taking a beating.]
Hi BuzzFlash,
Subject: +
That is exactly what Professor George Lakoff says.
Democrats are Nurturant Parent Family model and the Republicans are Strict Father model.
There's a 3 part article here: http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/projects/strategic/nationasfamily/nationasfamily
Seriously, Bush is our dad... Geez whiz, sure which dad would stop embarrassing us. I'm sure women will love this too being cast as second class citizens. Argh :-(
Thank you.
Peg
Subject: Another Bushie breaks another law!
Jenna was seen, according to two different gossip columnists, smoking inside the Avalon nite club during the convention. Smoking indoors in a bar is against the LAW in NY. That, after being caught in an underage drinking bout. Just a chip off the whole lawless clan, I suppose Her cousin, Jeb's daughter was cited for illegal; drug purchases in Florida. Jeb's wife was discovered trying to illegally smuggle a fur coat thru Miami customs. George has at least one driving while intoxicated citation. Uncle Neil was involved in the Silverado debacle. One of the uncles was caught in some kind of sex thing overseas, and Laura went through a stop sign causing the death of a young friend.
Dotzoe
Subject: Bush-Hole
Mr. Bush's resolve is so steadfast that if he were the captain of a plane headed from Washington to Los Angeles during which it was learned halfway through the flight to only have enough fuel to get to Salt Lake City, he would continue to Los Angeles. Something about the rapture.
Michael
Barry
Reston, VA.
Subject: Don't let Bush divide and conquer U.S. workers
Dear BuzzFlash:
On Tuesday I watched Lou Dobbs Tonight on CNN (www.cnn.com/lou) where an apologist for the right, author Todd Buchholz, actually tried to make the claim that it is labor, not oppressive corporations, to blame for outsourcing millions of manufacturing jobs and hundreds of thousands of service jobs in recent years.
Those greedy, nonproductive, undereducated U.S. workers who want a living-wage and benefits are to blame, he argued, along with the labor-supporting politicians who protect them. Unprotected foreign workers will happily work for less, creating fewer headaches for our poor, exploited CEOs to contend with, he argued.
Dobbs reminded his short-sighted guest that if middle class dies, then nobody but a handful of millionaires will be left to fund schools and buy products, wherever they are made. But Mr. Buchholz failed to get the basic connection between a healthy middle class and a healthy economy.
The show led me to the Dobbs web site, where a poll showed 98 percent of those responding saying that Congress does NOT represent the middle class very well. No surprise there. With the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, along with most of the corporate media, under the control of Republicans, the American worker gets beaten raw day after day.
The Dobbs site carries a list of companies exporting jobs, from American Express to Zenith. What an eye opener. Just click on “Exporting America: List of companies exporting jobs.”This list of economic deserters will amaze you.
The question underneath the outsourcing issue, the question that the Kerry campaign needs to hammer again and again, is this: Will Bush get away with continuing to sabotage wages and benefits, and throw American families out of work? Will he don a hard-hat, surround himself with a handful of burly construction-boot models, and pretend to be a friend to labor long enough to get re-elected?
The Democrats must help all working folks see past the shrewd Republican image-makers who wave the flag while robbing labor to further enrich millionaires.
Fighting men of the colonies knew what it would take to win freedom from a crushing oppressor. They had a simple motto that is just as true today as it was then: Join or die.
Working people of today should remember this country would not exist if their ancestors didn’t have the savvy and courage to stand together when it really counted. Every working vote is needed this year to guard American jobs.
- A union member and proud of it.
J.M.Archer
Subject: Chechnya/Iraq . . . The Similarities are Deafening . . . Is Anyone Listening?
BuzzFlash,
This latest by Chechen rebels should get America's attention . . . no one can excuse the attacks on innocent people . . . but, like any disease, there is a cause and usually a cure. It depends on who is in charge. Glance at the similarities in leadership.
From a Google search . . . just a quick recap of the so-called Chechen War: Listed as the "First Chechen War" . . . occurred when Russian forces attempted to recapture the breakaway southern republic of Chechnya in a two year war lasting from 1994 to 1996. (Snip) On May 27, 1996, Boris Yeltsin met with Chechnyan rebels for the first time and negotiated a cease-fire in the war. The First Chechen War killed an estimated 100,000 civilians.
*****
On December 11, 1995 from Correspondent Steve Harrigan in Grozny, Russian (CNN) -- It has been a year since Russia began its military suppression of secessionists in the breakaway republic of Chechnya. Some 25,000 deaths later, the 40,000 Russian troops that poured into the region now control two-thirds of Chechnya. A half-hearted truce has been in effect since July. (Snip)
"They say the war is over," said Khava, who has four children. "What war is over? Dead bodies every step you take, at night we are afraid, we don't leave our houses. I'm in pain for our city." Sporadic talks to negotiate the republic's future have been futile. Chechen rebels still vow to fight for independence. Moscow still vows not to let them. So the standoff extends into a second year.
*****
Sound familiar, anyone? Another article on Google for brevity . . .
The Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War began in 1999 after attacks by Chechen forces on neighboring Dagestan and a series of terrorist attacks on residential buildings in Russian cities that caused more than 1000 casualties, which were blamed on Chechen terrorists. (Snip) The Moscow Theatre Siege took place in October, 2002, when a group of Chechen terrorists held a crowded theater hostage for three days. On October 26, 2002, Russian special forces used an anesthetic gas to disable the theatre's occupants and inadvertently causing the deaths of many civilians through adverse reactions to the gas. This brought many questions and doubts about the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy against Chechen terrorists. (Snip)
According to Chechen rebel sources 60,000 civilians have so far died in this war.
During the initial months of the war, Russia made effective use of air power instead of immediately rushing in massive numbers of ground troops. Thus, the Russians have avoided the first war's extremely high casualties. Russian forces later resorted to heavy carpet bombing and ballistic missile strikes against Grozny and other major cities. Though corridors were made for civilians to exit the cities when the attacks occurred, rebels sometimes blocked their escape. There are also reports of chemical weapons being used against rebels, though this is yet unconfirmed. Some Western countries have criticized heavy-handedness of the Russian military in dealing with the rebels, and both sides are charged with substantiated claims of torture, rape, looting, smuggling, and embezzlement. (Snip)
Despite public statements by Putin and other Russian officials insisting that the war is over, Chechen Islamist terrorists led by Shamil Basayev continue to wage a guerilla-style jihad against Russian troops and the Chechen administration, killing soldiers and civilians alike with frequent bombings, rocket, and gun attacks.
*****
In Iraq, the US has suppressed and killed thousands of innocent people. How many of us can forget 911 as if it never happened. Iraq had nothing to do with 911 and neither did the innocent who died in Afghanistan. It is simply human behavior and Putin and Bush are the type of leaders who give terrorists the excuse to keep killing, instead to trying to the solve the problems.
Why can't people understand? We had 3000 killed on 911, and Bush has killed ten times that amount if the US were counting. How can Americans think we can ever be forgiven for these deaths? How can Americans keep backing leadership that keeps killing innocent people and yet, keeps telling us the "war is over."
How long do you think this war would last, if such leaders had to attend the talks themselves? Violence will always beget violence. Americans should understand that by now. Bush's leadership is causing the same reactions by terrorists that is happening in Chechnya . . . how can people keep propping this lack of leadership up?
How many more Americans have to die because of Bush and this administration? Some of the Russian tactics seem to come from the same book Bush used on their "Shock and Awe." Even the title, "Shock and Awe," spews hubris.
Listen . . . shh shh, . . . listen ! Doesn't this small amount of old news from a simple Google search sound familiar when thinking of Iraq? Bush told the truth when he said (paraphrasing) the war against terrorism could not be won. Terrorism will never be defeated by leaders such as Bush, Putin or Sharon. It's that simple. It is war that makes them leaders . . . and because they understand this, these leaders that will constantly make war.
Thanks BuzzFlash,
Shirley Smith
Subject: weird bumper sticker at our GOP office in Eureka, CA
Hi,
The GOP campaign office in our town, Eureka, CA is peddling a bumper sticker with the text "GOP, the official party of God". I thought it was a joke at first but seems to be serious. You guys might get some mileage out of this by contacting them and asking for a few.
Bill Allen
Arcata, CA
Subject: Attacks on Kerry
I must respectfully disagree with the letter writer who said that if Kerry loses this election, it will not be because undecided voters are scared away by criticism of his "timid campaign." His theory is that attacks on Kerry need to continue because he needs to keep hearing it until he takes the gloves off, whaps GeeDubya upside the head, yada, yada, yada.
Oh, yeah, Kerry probably surfs the net every night looking for campaign advice. Undecided voters, however, probably are taking it all in. The professional character assassins working for Bush say Kerry is cowardly, lying slime; the media is doing its standard reporting -- reading (verbatim) republican press releases that Kerry is cowardly, lying slime; and a good percentage of letters on liberal/democratic websites say Kerry is a cowardly timid wimp. Pray tell, why should an undecided voter, especially one who has had the piss pretty much scared out of him by the republicans, think he should vote for Kerry?
Consider how close the last presidential election was. It's just a couple of months away from this one. Polls (real ones, not the Newsweek/Time ones) show that this race is a toss-up. And, like it or not, the winner is probably going to be determined by those undecided voters in swing states (unless the supremes decide to repeat). So, once again, if you can't do something constructive to help, won't you please just shut up? You just cannot really believe that writing letters attacking Kerry does anything except help Bush. Surely you can contain all that vitriol until the votes are all cast, then you can write letters to your heart's content enumerating all the ways that Kerry could have won if only he had listened to you.
You'll never get the chance, though, because Kerry is going to be the one in the White House come January. Regardless of what the media and you sunshine patriots say, Kerry is now and always has been a fighter. He can handle the republican slime machine; I don't know what the hell he can do about the lying mediawhores; it's just a shame that he has to be subjected to verbal fragging from people supposedly on the same side he is.
And while I'm ranting, how the hell does anyone have the nerve to call a guy "timid" who once turned his boat directly into enemy fire?
And, I say again, IT'S THE BUSHES, STUPID!!!
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: We have an OB-GYN running for the senate.
I wonder if Bush was talking about Dr. Tom Coburn, who is running for Sen. Don Nickles' seat. He is an OB-GYN who objected to Schindler's List being on in prime time because it is erotic.
An OB-GYN who finds emaciated Jewish women and men erotic would certainly have a problem with not being able to spread his love to women across America.
NO:
C heney
A shcroft
R umsfeld
B ush
Speak up or they assume you agree!!! ABB
Karen Webb, Moore, Ok.
Hi ,
When I first saw the headlines, "Cheney Warns Against Vote for Kerry", I thought to myself, so does Dick Cheney want to tell us something? What is he planning in that shadow government?
"...the nation faces the threat of another terrorist attack if voters make the "wrong choice" on Election Day,..", did our VP just threaten us?
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040907/ap_on_el_pr/cheney
Thank you.
Peg
Subject: HUGE amount "W" has BLOWN
With the latest deficit numbers at 422 BILLION, there is also the "war category" at least 137 BILLION for Iraq & Afghanistan. Then there is the money Pres.Bill Clinton left in the "bank", 1.3 TRILLION. Add all of this together, 1.859 TRILLION, almost 2 TRILLION dollars in 4 years, this man has BLOWN.
A BuzzFlash Reader
An open letter to Dick Cheney:
Subject: Concerning your words about Senator Kerry
Mr. Cheney, I was shocked and disturbed by your words about Senator Kerry. Saying that if the nation makes the "wrong" choice on Election Day that it faces the threat of another terrorist attack as a result, was a horrible thing to say. For some reason, I took that as a direct threat from you and President Bush to every man, woman, and child in the United States of America.
How dare you and the rest of the Bush administration spend your days and nights scaring us with these types of threats in order to further your own agenda? How dare you undermine the very liberties this country was founded on by using such gestapo tactics to intimidate the good people in this country? You and President Bush have done nothing but lie, threaten, and bully your way through the last four years. And frankly, I'm sick and disgusted with both of you. I've been a Republican all of my life. One of the greatest Republicans, and the finest men I've ever know was Barry Goldwater. He'd turn over in his grave if he could see what you and your ilk have done to the Republican party. You've turned it into a group of greedy, power hungry, war mongering, fascist thugs. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. You've even managed to turn John McCain into a rhetoric-spewing idiot. I'm ashamed of the whole lot of you.
The American people aren't fools, and we will vote you out and try to repair the damage that this administration has wrought. May G-d help us all. And don't you ever threaten me or the people of the United States of America ever again. You don't scare us. We'll vote you out of office come November and I hope to G-d, as President Kerry's first order of business, he has the whole lot of you arrested.
Marguerite Stewart
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