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

THIS IS PART 2 OF THE SEPTEMBER 22, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1.

Subject: Another insane FOX News nugget...

On Brit Hume's show (I think that was the one), Mort Kondracke just said there is a "campaign going" by insurgents in Iraq designed to "discourage" the U.S. and "...maybe even try to help elect John Kerry for all I know..."

Nobody else on the panel objected, of course.

I knew they'd sink to that level soon. "OutFoxed" was right on the money. And people like us are the only ones to stop them.

Let's keep an eye out for this "maybe terrorists are attacking our soldiers to help elect John Kerry" theme, and inform friendly members of Congress, complain loudly, etc.

Scott McGlasson
Denver, CO

Subject: I got a strange recorded phone call today

It is obviously a kid and if I can find my tiny tape recorder, Gary can put it on the computer. Gary is still registered Republican. I am keeping the tape. Here is what she says,

Hi, my name is Candace, being 13 I am too young to vote, but not too young to be concerned about John Kerry becoming president. My dad says, because of what John Kerry did when he was a soldier, he should not be on the presidential ballot. Dad said, That's a violation of the 14 th amendment of our constitution.

I asked, How come? and he said, after John Kerry promised to uphold the constitution, and didn't keep his promise which (I can't understand the word she says, but he means the same as negates or something like that) his eligibility to be on the ballot. He also took a vow to uphold military protocol and he broke that promise, too.

Our forefathers did not want a man like John Kerry to ever, ever have power and I don't either. There's something you and I can do. We can help get John Kerry's name removed from the presidential ballot.

Find out how you can help, call 1-800-503-1443. It's not too late we must hurry, call now. She repeats the number 2 more times. Help remove John Kerry from the ballot. I know we will all be glad you did.

What a load of crap. I tried to call, but there was no answer. I will find my recorder so you can hear her. She lowers her voice when it is supposed to be her dad speaking. I wonder what group this is.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok.

Subject: A little background

The Kansas City PBS station, KCPT (Kansas City Public Television, get it??) used to produce a show called "Ruckus."

It was supposedly an honest debate between supposedly knowledgeable people about supposedly germane issues of the day, and no longer airs on the station. For the most part, the show was well-produced, and the moderator appeared impartial.

The format of the show was a discussion among four people, one of whom was the individual referenced in the article below found on democrats.com, Richard "Rick" Nadler. The others usually included a liberal African-American woman (who, by the way, was the only female on the show and whose name I can't remember); Steve Rose, who is the publisher of the Johnson County Sun newspapers (more about him in another post); and Yael T. Albouhalkah, a columnist from the Kansas City Star. The station at least tried to produce a "fair and balanced" program, for which I will give them credit.

If I had to rank them from left to right, this is how they'd go: Most liberal, African American woman whose name I can't remember; Fairly liberal, Mr. Albouhalkah; Fairly conservative, Mr. Rose; and Extreme Right Wing, Mr. Nadler.

My point is that Rick Nadler was always the most unreasonable, the most biased, the most condescending member of this panel. My impression is that he was always nastiest to the only female in the group. To her credit, she usually held her own, but had to struggle to maintain her composure. He was blatantly the most right-wing member of the group, and usually disagreed with all the others, even the more conservative Rose.

Bottom line: this guy is as scary as they come. It doesn't surprise me that his M.O. is to operate below the radar as indicated below (source, democrats.com daily news, September 16, 2004):

GOP Uses Disgusting Voter Suppression Strategy to Keep Blacks Away from the Polls

"The Black Commentator" reveals the disgusting tactics being used by the GOP to suppress the black vote with a confuse-and-disempower tactic dubbed "voter suppression."

"A simple attack ad is probably similar to the Swift Boat ads, that sully a candidate's character and reputation," said the DNC's William Marshall. "Whereas, a Black voter suppression ad tries to use African
American voices to shift blame - They want you to come away confused." Too confused to vote, they hope.

An example: "A shadowy Republican-Right outfit called America's Pac Campaign took to the Black-oriented airwaves this month in contested mid-Western states. BC could find no evidence of America's Pac Campaign ever having previously existed. According to Dayton, Ohio radio station WRNB-FM sales records, the group's president and treasurer is [white rightwing
male] Richard Nadler, of Overland Park, Kansas, but Nadler delivers his[white, rightwing] message through a Black voice on the radio."

http://blackcommentator.com/105/105_cover.html

A BuzzFlash Fan

Subject: Bush/McClellan and reality

Boy, those two are far apart. Listen to this:

...the pessimistic tone of the new estimate (on Iraq) stands in
contrast to recent statements by Bush administration officials, including
comments on Wednesday by Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, who asserted that progress was being made....

"You know, every step of the way in Iraq there have been pessimists and
hand-wringers who said it can't be done," Mr. McClellan said at a news
briefing. "And every step of the way, the Iraqi leadership and the Iraqi
people have proven them wrong because they are determined to have a free
and peaceful future."

U.S. Intelligence Shows Pessimism on Iraq's Future (NY Times, 9/16/04)

But you got that one right, Scotty. Iraqis are determined to have a free and peaceful future -- and that's why they shoot at us day and night.

A Buzzer

P.S. Can someone answer this: Is being a balding dork with a personality of a fungus a pre-requisite for becoming White House spokesman? Ari? Scotty? Anyone?

Subject: Joe Scar

We hear that Joe Scarborough will be answering questions LIVE online next Thursday at the Washington Post.

If we organize a list of extremely honed questions about Lori Klausutis, including a fact list, would BuzzFlash be able to post a LAST MINUTE "QUESTION JOE RIGHT NOW" so that he's not tipped off ahead of time but he could be hit with questions from all over? I'm not sure if they can screen questions or questioners, but if it's live and we're organized we should be able to get through a lot, I'd think.

robyn su

Subject: It has to get worse

So, in New Jersey a woman whose son was killed earlier this year [was arrested] because she disturbed Laura Bush's death and destruction pep rally. And she says she is compassionate. When her husband needs to be defended who cares if she has a mother arrested?

There will need to be a lot more deaths to kick into gear the rage needed to have people sign up to go help in the fight. To rescue a hopeless mess. And Laura and George do not care. They will never admit a mistake and therefore they can never fix it and they do not care home many kids are killed.

It is a strange sort of compassion that has the grieving arrested.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok.

Subject: Another interesting Flip type Flop

Dear BuzzFlash,

Recently I heard Dubya admit that his service protecting the skies of Texas from invasion during the Vietnam era was not as honorable as John Kerry's service in combat. This is a complete flip flop from his earlier position on his own service.

I lived in Texas in 1994 when Dubya creamed Ann Richards in the "guns, gays and god" election.

They did several debates. Probably three. In the opening minutes of the very first one, George Bush was asked why he chose to serve in the TANG rather than volunteering for service in Vietnam. His answer? I'm quoting from memory, but it was so breathtaking I've never forgotten it. Believe he actually said, "I think I was in just as much danger flying over Texas
as anyone was flying over Vietnam."

You won't find the quote anywhere. I've tried and I couldn't even find a transcript of this debate. I think Dubya's friends in Texas have made sure it's sealed in a box somewhere at Daddy's Prez'nenshul Liberry there at Texas A&M. But that's what he said then. The REALLY sad thing is that nobody has ever brought it up since he said it. Ever.

It's a blatant flip flop, and somebody should say something about it.

Best regards,

Dogfolks

Subject: CAMPAIGNING AT HIGH SCHOOLS???

If this is happening (and I think I did read about this at other high schools) then it needs to be exposed and to STOP. Is this really happening?

''I am from Lee's Summit Mo. where the President just came in. The reason why I wrote is because the Republican Party held a slated campaign speech on Lee's Summit High School Public Property, during school hours, and students were forced to go. If they did not want to attend the rally they couldn't leave but had to go to a study hall where they couldn't talk but work. Those that did attend the rally couldn't wear anything Kerry, or else they were given detention or sent home.
Added to this sad fact, the Republican Party handed out tickets all over the Kansas City Area to republicans only. Also the CIA was driving by taking pictures of the protestors! And many "civilians" were carrying professional cameras in their car to take pictures...what a coincidence.

This is a story that I think needs to be made known to the people. [See also, Lee's Summit school officials say hosting Bush campaign event was appropriate (Associated Press, 9/08/2004)]

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: DUBYA BUSH as my wingman

It was absolutely imperative in World War Two that a lead fighter pilot in battle had to have 100 percent dependability and full trust in his wingman..... since it is still one of the main items in today's training, perhaps it is best that he failed to complete his training program because he could have been a serious danger to his fellow airmen. I simply ask, would you trust him as your wingman in an air battle?

Bill Smith

Subject: Suggested Answers For Tough Questions

I've put together a document of "Suggested Answers For Tough Questions About John Kerry" to assist independent grassroots volunteers counter lies and distortions when dealing with undecided voters. People can download it here:

http://www.liberaloasis.com/toughquestions1.doc

I could be wrong, but the sense I have is that a lot of volunteers aren't trained to handle the tough questions, so I'm hoping to get this document distributed widely so people will be better prepared.

There's time for revisions and additions, so feel free to send me any suggestions. Thanks.

Bill Scher
Executive Editor, LiberalOasis

Subject: Re: CNN

Buzz:

Is there anyone out there as sick of CNN as I am? Except for occasionally tuning in to Larry King, I intend to ditch CNN. The last couple of days I've noticed that they have done more stories to disparage CBS then Fox/Faux news has. I have written to inform them that we don't
need another Fox/Pravda arm of the White House. There is no way that the Fox viewers are going to turn to them and they are surely losing the rest of us.

Dee Turner
Atlanta

Subject: the polls and the outcome

Dear Buzz,

Let's not worry about these polls. Remember that Gore was down the entire time by the pollsters except for a little bounce at the Democratic convention.

This president had to be appointed in the end because the old way of electing a president was not going to work. The facts are that this president has alienated almost every thinking informed person on this planet. I live in a country that gives him a six percent approval rating.

Plus there is the debacle in Iraq, the investigations galore, the shame of all of Bush's captains of industry friends and the hideous ignorance and arrogance that he parades regularly. This is not a winning candidate by any measure even with the likes of Bill Schneider campaigning for him ruthlessly.

Who is Bill Schneider, people ask me? Well, he is one of the most despicable persons this round of history has coughed up yet. He is cast as a "political commentator" on CNN. He is also part of the Project for a New American Century and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. One could not purport any better credentials than that to be considered part of the vast right wing nonsense that has indoctrinated either rich and selfish people (I say, "Just because a person is rich, does not mean they are dumb.") or those so dumb that they do not know they are voting against their own self-interest if they support Bush.

Plus there is Mother Nature's wrath and retribution blasting the guilty state of Florida. I am sorry that people have to suffer because of Mother Nature, but I am behind her all the way when she reminds us we are not in charge here on earth. If I was Floridian I would gird up, because the J, K, L, and M hurricanes are on the way as well.

Cheers,

Linda Deak
American Abroad
Wassenaar, the Netherlands

Subject: Great quote on CNN's website

"I think that anybody that thinks that you can hold elections in the Sunni
Triangle by the end of January is really smoking something," military
historian Frank Fukuyama said.

Report finds Iraq prospects bleak (cnn.com)

Tom

Subject: rove

Hey Editor:

I told you. The rumors about Carl Rove and the Rathergate papers are getting louder and louder in the working class streets. Even if Rove didn't do it, it warms my heart to see so many americans suspicious of that jerk. Nevertheless, Rove or no Rove, what these documents say is true. Bush was a rich little snob who did not take orders and made a big pain out of himself during the time of the Vietnam war.

Kerry fought!

Bob Elia
North Tonawanda, NY

Subject: Which is more frightening and dangerous?

Which is more frightening and dangerous? That Bush knows he lies -- or that he doesn't?

Frank Lineaweaver
Buena Vista, CO

Subject: More Dubya Hypocrisy

I shouldn't be surprised that the media didn't jump on this recent comment by Dubya at a "rally" in West Virginia:

"In all we do to improve health care, we will make sure the health care decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C."

OK. So that means he'll get his nose out of women's choice issues, right? It also logically follows that he'll get his nose out of stem cell research. Treatment options are doctor/patient issues, too. And further, he'll be telling his brother Jeb to get his nose out of the death with dignity issue of Terry Schiavo in Florida, where Jeb has been interfering and using the courts to keep this poor woman alive against her and her husband's wishes.

I am so sick of the hypocrisy and lies of bush and his cronies. The media is sure in no hurry to point out these discrepancies.

Sue

Subject: The Liberal Media Cough Cough Cough

Hi BuzzFlash,

With the momentum going for Bush because of CBS, I want to see if I have the "Liberal Networks" analysis correct.

Liberal Network CBS "makes up" memos that are validated by the woman who typed the contents, and BUSH WINS.

Conservative Network FOX LIES about WMD like Bush, The House, The Senate and
The Media (TV, Print, Web) and BUSH WINS.

I'd better not hear that druggie Limbaugh say "that LIBERAL MEDIA" one more time, or he may need a bodyguard, the way I can swing my crutches (ala Barry Bonds).

Tom Wieliczka

Subject: AWOL my foot!

Dear Buzz, you're doing wonderful job, but please, PLEASE set the record straight.

George Wrong Bush was away from his unit for MORE than 30 days. That constitutes DESERTION, not mere AWOL.

Please call a rose a rose. If G. Wrong Bush deserted for whatever reason - I really don't care what his reasons were, OK? - he DESERTED, he did not go absent without leave.

He DESERTED during a war.

There is, as far as I know, at least a court martial for DESERTION DURING A WAR. The court martial may decide to put the coward to death, right?

I want to see it written ALL OVER the BuzzFlash:

GEORGE WRONG BUSH IS A DESERTER!!!!!

Thanks for all you do to keep me sane.

Malgoska

[BuzzFlash Note: Here's what the Uniform Code of Military Justice says:

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/ucmj/blart-85.htm]

Subject: Kick their ass

Go Buzz Go,

I feel a momentum shift. Kerry has a new "kick their ass" pace. His Nat. Guard speech in vegas was very strong. Please do whatever you can to keep him moving in this direction. Thank you for your amazing contribution to discourse.

Steve W.
Las Vegas

Subject: Check out the LA Times

The LA Times has a Waldman [Correction: Peter Wallsten] article posted late this afternoon, identifying "Buckhead" -- the Freeper-Blogger who posted the first shot in the Typography Wars of the last week. He has a very interesting history as a conservative Republican operative. Worked for Ken Starr -- was the lawyer who petitioned to have Bill Clinton Disbarred for Paula Jones matters, works for Southeastern Legal Foundation, a Richard Mellon Scaife funded deal -- large anti-Affirmative Action practice -- just a real interesting well connected fellow. I'd suggest linking to the LATimes piece.

GOP Activist Made Allegations on CBS Memos

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: you can't out fox fox...

could you explain to us why? fox news is basically bush campaign headquarters and that's ok. on the other hand the media wants dan rather stoned to death and cbs to go dark. media bias? this is getting scary. just a word of advice to all of you except fox. don't think you will ever out fox fox, you made them the power they are by being afraid of the right wing attack dogs. you are as pathetic as the wimpy democrats.

km

Subject: News Story

Following story seen on page A-6 of the New Orleans Times Picayune of 17 September 2004...

Signs supporting Kerry are burned

From Staff Reports

Signs supporting Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry were pulled from the ground and burned on the front steps of the Lafayette (Louisiana) headquarters of the state Democratic Party, Chairman Mike Skinner said Thursday.

The vandalism, which also included graffiti painted on the front door and two windowpanes, was reported to the Lafayette Police Department, which classified the acts as "criminal damage to property." The graffiti was painted with what officials believe is a mixture of ash from the burned signs and a substance similar to oil, Skinner said.

The Office was unoccupied from Wednesday about 9 p.m., when the last worker left the building, to Tuesday about 8 or 9 a.m. when the first worker arrived for the day, officials said.

The dates in the last paragraph seem backward but this is a verbatim transcript.

Thanks for your outstanding service to America.

R/John Shuler

[BuzzFlash Note: here's another version : Democrats cite vandalism at Lafayette Kerry office]

Subject: A Perfect Example of the Media-Fix

Dear BuzzFlash,

Linking to your headline about Kerry calling Bush on his plans to screw the Guard after the election...

Kerry Accuses Bush of Hiding Troops Plan (AP/Yahoo)

I found several disturbing examples of the "Democrats claim" device. I wish I knew who to complain to. The Press turns facts-on-record into mere "claims" in almost every news story. For example, from the story above:

"Dick Cheney's old company, Halliburton, has profited from the mess in Iraq at the expense of American troops and taxpayers," Kerry said. ...the Democrat [ad] suggests that Cheney has conflicts of interest stemming from money he received from Halliburton under a deferred compensation agreement.

Good grief! He HAS a self-evident conflict of interest. He DOES retain shares in the Company and will benefit from Halliburton's increasing value. And Cheney LIED to the public about whether he received money and the disposition of his shares, and his office had a direct hand in the no-bid contracts. This isn't super-sleuthing on my part. This is just reading the newswires for an hour each day.

Democrats did not "suggest." They POINTED TO an obvious conflict of interest. The discussion should be: how can Cheney still be in office and why isn't he ashamed to show his face? (Forgive me for yelling, but it is very--unsettling--that this is how the Press colors things.)

"...Other Democrats joined Kerry in a chorus trying to drown out Bush's message on Iraq..."

Oh, is that what they were doing? How so very objective! Aren't they saying rather explicitly that Bush is misrepresenting Iraq deliberately? Why is this sentence not, "Bush continued to present his talking points, despite the evidence cited by Democrats, which is the following..."?

Here's the best of the lot:

"...The [Democratic] ad also contends that Halliburton wasted taxpayer money, in contracts awarded without competitive bidding..."

What can you say? There is absolutely no reference to the repeated findings that Halliburton has indeed wasted taxpayer money. No, the Democrats "contend." They "suggest" they "drown out" they "claim." And it is never once mentioned that all these things are in the public records as facts. Check it out for yourself, story after story gets this treatment.

Maybe there isn't time before the election to fix this. But you can be sure that win or lose BushCo will continue its subversion of all that's decent, and you can be sure the Press will continue to serve their agenda. Sometime soon we've got to fix this or lose everything.

Jim P.

P.S. Sorry to keep harping on this point, but really the Media Elite's propaganda assault on the citizenry is the paramount political fact of this election and of our times.

Subject: MacDougald?

I am sure that I am not the only one that has seen the LA Times article naming the first person to question the military records of George Bush on CBS as Harry W. MacDougald. He is an Atlanta lawyer, a conservative activist and one of the people that worked to get Bill Clinton disbarred in Arkansas.

I find it disconcerting that, without access to the memos, he was calling them forgeries within 4 hours on the internet. Without access to the originals he seemed to have a lot of detailed information?

To me it seems to verify the Karl Rove scenario. In light of the fact that Killian's secretary
believed that the documents were not authentic and she did not type them, but the information was correct and that she had typed memos with similar information. Where are the memos she typed?

It seems very possible that when Bush had his National Guard records scrubbed that the original memos were removed and the fake ones were put in their place. As suggested, the time bomb was set. Then Rove was just waiting for them to be found, so that by
questioning the authenticity the content could be avoided and forgotten.

Stephan

Subject: Kerry Has Found His Theme

Dear BuzzFlash,

Though I still think "lying bunch of crooks" is the best summary for Kerry, I think he has hit on a good device with "fantasy world of spin."

This covers and links everything. Bush's imaginary war on terror, his imaginary growing economy, his imaginary leadership, attacks on Kerry, excuses, lies--the whole ball of wax can be tagged part of Bush's Fantasy World of Spin.

Jim P.

Subject: Fighting Fire With Fire

Bush's major selling point continues to be national security, he is proving what psychologists already know which is that fear (i.e., Republican ideology) beats out hope (i.e., Democratic ideology). It used to be that the most optimistic campaign won, but that was pre-9/11 and I don't think that this fundamental shift has yet registered with many in the Kerry campaign. It
is high time to start fighting fire with fire or, more correctly, fear with fear.

To fight fear with fear the Kerry campaign needs to start exploiting what is seen as Bush's greatest strength but what is in fact his greatest weakness and therefore vulnerability: his level of decisiveness.

People give Bush higher marks on national security because he is seen as decisive and consistent. Today Bush said "it is critical that the president of the United States speak clearly and consistently in this time of great threat in the world and not change positions because of expediency or pressure."

This is crying out for an attack ad from Kerry, the DNC and/or a 527 (such as MoveOn.org) since Bush is the greatest flip-flopper ever to sit in the White House: the self-proclaimed 'war President' opposed the creation of the Department of Homeland Security then he flip-flopped and favored it, he opposed the creation of the 9/11 commission then he flip-flopped and
favored it, he said that he could not win the 'war on terror' then the very next day he flip-flopped and said he could win it.

Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" once ran a 'debate' featuring presidential candidate Bush versus the current Mr. Bush, showing numerous video
clips of his fundamental flip-flops, it was both entertaining and compelling and something similar could start the process of showing Bush to be the indecisive, inconsistent person that he is.

The facts are out there, the video clips are out there, the vulnerability is out there, all waiting for someone to realize it and act - W is for wobbly, W is for wishy-washy, W is for weak.

Pat H.

Subject: Why does no one ask about the lucrative tax deduction Cheney may get from donating HAL stock?

Won't ANYONE please ask Cheney or his people if:

1. He will get a tax deduction from the donation of his Halliburton stock.

2. If so, isn't his deduction based on the value of the stock?

3. If #1 and #2 are true, then isn't it a FACT that his personal gain
is tied to things like Halliburton's successfully obtaining lucrative
Government contracts?

Why do non-expert citizens like myself have to ask the no-brainer questions like this? If my suppositions are true, then Cheney has been lying about any connections between his fiscal rewards and Halliburton's. Please ask any colleagues with financial expertise about this, and then formulate a cogent question for Cheney or his handlers.

Thanks.

Dave Dorsett

Subject: Remember All The Republican Dirty Tricks

Dear BuzzFlash,

There is only ONE WORD of how The Republicans Have ALWAYS WORKED in Politics
- DIRTY.

The CBS's Fake Bush Military Documents have Karl Rove's Finger Prints ALL OVER THEM.

Think back in history of "just a few, few" Republican Tricks.

Ed Muskie and the Chinook Letter. Remember?

Watergate Break-in and Bugging. Remember?

Nixon Wiretaps. Remember?

Iran Hostage Release Arranged Before Reagan Sworn In as President. Remember?

Iran-Contra and Arms For Hostages Sales. Remember?

All the Clinton-Gates that "Republicans Had To Investigate." Remember?

Senator McCain "Had A Black Child" in SC (McCain and his wife had adopted the child). Remember?

Republicans Bug Senator Leahy's Office to see how he will fight Bush Judicial Nominations. Remember?

White House Illegally Outs Covert CIA Agent Valerie Plame by giving her name to Novak, who reports it. Remember?

Ashcroft's Patriot Act, in which your "Rights" get thrown right out the window. Remember?

And now, Rove's Fingerprints and/or techniques Are All Over the documents Dan Rather used, to embarrass CBS.

I'm sure I've missed many, many Republican Political Tricks, but the message is loud and clear.

Don't Mess With The Dirty Republicans.

THEY CANNOT WIN with their politicians or on what they stand for, so they need to muddy up the other guy, whoever it is.

Tom Wieliczka
Windsor Locks, CT

Subject: Trial Balloon

The problems in this country are not caused by Democratic Trial Lawyers, but by Republican
Accountants . . . for Enron, Qwest, etc. Honest accountants are an endangered species.

Like Bush, I hope.

Thanks,

Ted

Subject: Re: CBS receipt of phony papers

Did Terry McAuliffe get it right when he said the phony papers came from Karl Rove?

Read the Saturday edition of the LA TIMES on Buckhead and his amazing connections to Bush and Rove--and his sudden "four hour" turn around on all the expertise of every facet of font, mode and the amazing "th"--that broke the phony paper news.

I smell a rat, and it's name is Karl Rove.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: A question

Thanks for your site!

My question is how come nobody has ever asked Dick Cheney what were the "other priorities" he had that were more important than serving our country during Vietnam?

I think it could be very interesting for Senator Edwards to ask him during their debate. If you agree could you get it to his campaign?

Thanks.

J.

Subject: bush awol again

At a time that Bush's military adventure in the middle east is clearly out of control and has failed, his royal highness, instead of calling his cabinet and military heads together and fixing it, he goes on a campaign bus tour fighting hard for his reelection. Bush puts our troops in peril for...well we don't really know why, but instead of working to fix the mess he has made, he's busy working on his reelection. What a creep! The man has no shame or ethics either!

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Important detail in the soldier's mom's arrest

Apparently, the mother of the dead soldier was NOT arrested for interrupting
Laura, but for TALKING TO REPORTERS. Remember how reporters were warned not
to talk to the protester whose hair was pulled? HOW can law enforcement go along with this agenda to separate protesters from the press??

How is that ensuring public safety and upholding the law?

Though she eventually left voluntarily, she was charged with trespassing while talking to reporters.

The moment was emblematic of how far the Bushies will go to squelch any voice that presents a view of Iraq that's different from the sunny party line, which they continue to dish out despite a torrent of alarming evidence to the contrary.

No Stars, Just Cuffs (nytimes.com, Maureen Dowd)

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: He's giving up creating jobs

I heard George W. Bush on NPR say that he understands that many people have lost their jobs and that is why he believes in Community Colleges. I guess he is going to start creating Community Colleges that not only give you training in a new career, but support your family in the style they have been accustomed to, while you are in school.

College helped him so much. The only reason he got in was because of his name and donations made by his parents and grandparents.

His degree at Yale was in history, I think, he certainly hasn't learned much from history.

He learned to fly in the Guard, but no longer flies. He has a Masters in Business and bankrupted 3 and is doing the same to the nation.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok.

Subject: timely quote from edward r. murrow

this is a quote from edward r. murrow-i hope you can use something similar against george w. bush

This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthy's methods to keep silent, or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of a republic to abdicate his responsibilities. As a nation we have come into our full inheritance at a tender age. We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it -- and rather successfully. Cassius was right. "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves." Good night, and good luck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Murrow

karin d.

Subject: Kerry Ad Idea #1 - Seven Minutes With "My Pet Goat"

Because I wonder why the Kerry campaign hasn't JUMPED ALL OVER this - cull 25 seconds worth (or whatever) from the scene in Fahrenheit 9/11 showing Bush getting the news of the 2nd airliner hitting the WTC and then quick cuts showing his reaction as time passes (with the time stamps on screen).

(Voice over)
"George Bush and Dick Cheney claim that America will be safer if they are
given another 4 years in office. But when America was under attack, Dick
Cheney hid in a bunker, unreachable by Pentagon Officials while George
Bush..."

(Moronic deer-in-the-headlights look on Bush's face)

"...stood reading 'My Pet Goat' to Second Graders even though he was fully aware the country was under attack."

(More moronic deer-in-the-headlights look on Bush's face)

"Is this how you think a President should react in a time of crisis?"

"Kerry/Edwards - For a stronger America."

Put that puppy into heavy rotation and I guarantee you the polls will be 70% Kerry, 20% Bush. It ain't rocket science, folks.

Posted on my blog today at http://ninothemindboggler.blogspot.com/

Jim

Subject: My letter to the mother of a fallen soldier

The contact info was provided at the site where Diane's article appeared.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04262/381101.stm

Diane Davis Santoriello lives in Penn Hills (dianesantoriello@hotmail.com).

Dear Diane Santoriello,

My deepest sympathies on the loss of your remarkable son.

My son is in high school and although he has no interest in joining the military every one of his friends in our working class neighborhood has signed up with ROTC. I fear for them should Bush remain in power.

All I can say is that I have been out, on the streets, protesting this criminal regime from November of 2000. Everything that has happened was inevitable given the installation of an unelected "President" and goes back to the concerted effort to unseat a twice-elected President, and even to the arms for hostages deal, which Bush senior was part of.

Meanwhile, dealing with the horrific here and now, thank you for courageously speaking out, and so eloquently, on whether remaining silent or blasting the ineptitude and corruption of Bush and crew better "supports" our troops. As you laid out, our soldiers are stuck, underequipped, in a quagmire.

It is hard to believe how your forceful and poignant representation could be gainsayed or ignored, and yet, even Abu Ghraib has yet to sink into our collective consciences as the horror it is.

Maybe our problem is we are so beset by numerous outrages that one hardly knows what to respond to. Otherwise, how could the American public, knowing that our soldiers are underequipped and mired in a death-trap, fail to demand the actual, physical support our troops need, not short of bringing them home.

Again, thank you for your incredible strength, and my sincerest condolences.

Robyn Miller
Quincy, MA

Subject: About those presidential polls... (Or "This fish has been too long in the sun!")

On polls...

Folks, the bigs are screwing with the polls. Look at the internals. The NY Times/CBS poll/story just posted Friday? On page 32 of the complete results (PDF file) they show that their sample had 36 percent who voted for Bush in 2000 versus only 28 percent for Gore. Recall who won the popular vote?

Page 33 shows that fully 33 percent of respondents self identify as Republican versus 31 percent Democrat yet in almost all previous polls going back four years and even in the poll from just this July that number is reversed and sometime by a larger margin

Gallup is just as bad or worse. The Left Coaster deconstructs Gallup's methodology quite nicely.

(T)he Gallup Poll, despite its reputation, assumes that this November 40% of those turning out to vote will be Republicans, and only 33% will be Democrat. You read that correctly.

... According to John Zogby himself:

If we look at the three last Presidential elections, the spread was 34% Democrats, 34% Republicans and 33% Independents (in 1992 with Ross Perot in the race); 39% Democrats, 34% Republicans, and 27% Independents in 1996; and 39% Democrats, 35% Republicans and 26% Independents in 2000.

So the Democrats have been 39% of the voting populace in both 1996 and 2000, and the GOP has not been higher than 35% in either of those elections. Yet Gallup trumpets a poll that used a sample that shows a GOP bias of 40% amongst likely voters and 38% amongst registered voters, with a Democratic portion of the sample down to levels they haven't been at since a strong three-way race in 1992? More...

Read the NY Times PDF and read The Left Coaster. Something is rotten. If one did not know better, one might think the polls were being rigged to try and depress Democratic turnout and swing the election.

(Forwarded from http://tabletalk.salon.com/webx?14@@.773a0a05/6550)

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Latest Republican Hypocrite

Please be aware of the difficulty our U.S. Congressman Henry Brown finds himself in here in Charleston, SC. Rep. Brown calls himself, "the Republican Workhorse," and his voting record follows the exact orders of the party faithful led by Tom DeLay. According to our local newspaper the Post & Courier, a right-wing rag, Rep. Brown was burning some land he owns not far from Charleston when the fire escaped into the Francis Marion National Forest destroying 20 acres.This happened about six months ago and he has since tried to dodge responsibility by claiming it was an act of God, then threatening to cut funds to the forest service. The Forest Service has fined him $250 for the action, hardly a pimple compared to the $4000 raise Mr. Brown voted himself this week. This story is especially galling when you realize that Rep. Brown is running unopposed for re-election in this hotbed of patriotic virtue.

Arthur P. Barber

Subject: The far right has become a cult...

The Great Republican Noise Machine, the extreme right, is being exploited by the subversives who now run the show. There is a huge bubble defined by Faux News and conservative talk radio, a bubble that seems to house what has become almost cult-like as the right-wing media
revs them up into a hysteria, losing the ability to discriminate, judge, and include others who think differently from them.

A friend of mine is a Montessori teacher. The grandmother of one of her students disclosed to her how upset she is about the effect on her grandchildren of her son-in-law's constant statements of vitriol and aggression, e.g., "Someone should just go kill that Michael Moore." What kind of a generation is being formed in these homes?

And the media helps the obfuscation by continuing to chew the bones the right throws them beginning with the blue dress scenario during Clinton's reign, now the Swifties, typewriter fonts, etc.

Forget the scandals, coverups, misleading, distortion, and true conspiracy jobs perpetrated over the environmental issues, the War, 9/11, the recent spy scandal in Cheney's office that Ashcroft wants to suppress, Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, Medicare, tax cuts for the wealthy, welfare for the corruptorations, cronyism up the kazoo, voter fraud...this group never saw a democracy they liked.

Thursday Rush said that he was withdrawing his fair-minded policy of allowing "liberal" callers to be at the first of the call-in line. He is sick of their whining and perpetuation of the "Democrats' talking points." So now they will have listeners fill out forms with personal information that they will then forward to "their friend John Ashcroft" to "find out exactly who you are before we give you the privilege of being heard on this program." He says that he is doing this to look out for his listeners who have been pummeling him with complaints for the
last 3 years about hearing these (paraphrase) 'hate-filled, stupid nay-sayers.'

Bill Moyers' program last night was on the 9/11 Commission Report and connecting the dots. It was a digested version of the report for those who don't read. The Commissioners were on Hardball. They reiterated what they have always said, that they did not want to point fingers because it wasn't in their power to fire and punish. They made the Report very readable so that the American people could read it for themselves and understand the obvious that is in the pages. And the heads of those departments that screwed up could use the report to fire and punish their people. Tim Roemer said the buck stopped with the President, which made the other Commissioners scramble to neutralize the statement to maintain their stance of non-partisanship.

If people are reading the Report, which is now the # 1 selling paperback, since George doesn't know how to fire, Nov 2 we need to fire him. The Report is quite clear that BushCo had the most, best, and maddeningly last chances to prevent 9/11. They did not protect us then, and they have since created a web of terror that has made us even more vulnerable, giving lip service to homeland security with few cities getting the funds they need to carry it out.

They compounded the tragedy with the morass in Iraq that is a result of going after the wrong people in the wrong country, mortally wounding more than 1000 Americans, terribly mentally and physically wounding thousands more, killing from 12,000 to 30,000 Iraqi civilians, to say
nothing of the Iraqi military who were also fathers and brothers and husbands and sons and human beings. Let alone leaving behind tons of radioactive depleted uranium surrounding the poor Iraqi people, those who are "lucky" enough to still be living, as opposed to many of their
dead relatives. But the media probably won't focus on DU for another 8 years until we see some study that reveals it.

Jackie Newberry
Houston

Subject: cngopn

cngopn and the rest of the media have decided that the election is over and that kerry lost. and that Dan Rather is the anti christ if he doesn't role over for them and play their game. so goes the sunday morning tv chant.

Paul

Subject: A Question To Ask the Media Whiz Kids

Dear BuzzFlash:

Here's a question the media needs to answer.

Recently, the White House released a letter from G. H. W. Bush, responding to a general who had written him with a progress report about young George. That letter ended up in "official" files. It is only reasonable to ask: WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THE GENERAL THAT GENERATED THE CONGRESSMAN'S REPLY? WHAT DID THAT LETTER SAY?

Surely, that, too, was official correspondence. Why didn't that end up in Bush's file?

I spent 20 years in Service. My daddy did almost 30 years. My daddy never wrote to basic training to check up on me, and my boot camp instructors, or the senior officers over them, never wrote to my daddy with progress reports.

The LAMESTREAM media needs to get on this. Where is the General's letter? WHAT DID IT SAY? Something stinks...BIG TIME.

MS

Subject: Do we stick with failure?

This election is about the future of America. Do we stick with failure - or do we go back to success? The Bush presidency has been a miserable failure. The war in Iraq is a failure. The Republican Congress is a failure. The economy is failing. Our schools are failing. The war on
terrorism is failing. Bush has failed to capture Osama bin Laden. Society is falling apart. We have a failed president leading America down a failed path to a future of failure.

I say - let's turn our back on failure and take this country back to the path of success. Let's create jobs instead of lose jobs. Let's go back to surpluses instead of deficits. Let's have peace instead of war.

This election is a choice between success and failure. It's time to elect a new president and a new congress and create a new future for this country.

Marc Perkel
San Francisco, CA

Subject: electronic voting

Hello BuzzFlash Family,

Thanks to everyone who contributes to this site.

I have a real sense of foreboding and I can't seem to shake it. I truly believe Kerry would
win because there are a lot more new voters who would vote against bush than there are evangelicals who will come to his side. But that is IF it were a fair election. I believe that the whole electronic voting issue is not about just rigging the election for bush but for undermining
voter confidence. That no matter what the outcome is the cartel will object to the results and we know the media will help. I would not be surprised if they manipulated a voting fraud in favor of Kerry somewhere, so they can scream afoul at any or all of the results. See- they know that we know who owns those machines and they are crafty little demons.

I have felt this for a while and I think Nancy Cashman is right on in her theory in Thurs. 16th mailbag. It is their way of working. I think that Kerry/Edwards need to vocalize and vocalize LOUD that we need accountability with our voting. NO ELECTRONIC VOTING WITHOUT AN ABILITY FOR A RECOUNT. Why wouldn't anyone want a verifiable vote? This should be their focus and our focus. Democrats are still acting as if these
guys play fair. WAKE UP.

The only way we can win is if we get all of our representatives to start screaming about electronic voting. Quick. Their jobs and democracy is on the line.

Peace and love.

Sabina
San Marcos, TX

Subject: Mission Accomplished!

Hey Buzz,

Help me out, here. Was it Dumsfeld who said it would be a "cakewalk"? Wasn't it Wolfowitless who told us that we'd be welcomed as "liberators"? Or was it vice versa? It's all a big blur to me now, I must confess. Either way, though, I think they both should step right up to the plate and take a well deserved bow. Don't you? But they won't, of course. It's just not their style, you see. It's just not in their natures. They just can't abide being showered with accolades and adulation, doncha know. Yeah. That's the ticket! Such modesty! Such humility!

One thing I do have a distinct recollection of, however, is our buff and fearless leader triumphantly landing on that aircraft carrier! Wasn't that a photo-op to die for! I don't know about you, but it made my heart pound with pride to watch him prance across that flight deck with such protuberant panache. Oh. And that devil may care, virile optimism, bursting at the seams, did something else again to my heart - something which, alas, I can't even begin to put into words. Anyways, I still get all choked up, even today, just thinkin' about it. So there!

Ha! "Mission Accomplished"! In your faces, all you naysayers! And all you high and mighty top brass in the military who opposed the idea from the very outset. Take that, all you purveyors of pessimism! Who's your Buff Daddy, now?!

But wait. Why are all these Generals and Admirals still sayin' that "Iraqi Freedom" was, and still is, a colossal blunder? Why are they still sayin' that? Even now?! Do they hate America? And who's responsible for that damnable intelligence report? And what's up with Lugar and Hagel? They're sendin' the wrong message to our enemies! You know what? I'll bet those Generals and Admirals didn't even earn all those medals they got. Unlike our fearless leader. He earned every single one he got! Can these people be tried for treason? Who do they think they are? Do they think that they know more about martial strategery than our feckless...er...I mean, fearless leader. What gives? What's this country comin' to, Buzz?

On a happier note, did you happen to see this little tidbit in the news? Seems that since the year 2,000, household energy costs here in the good old U.S.of A. have gone up, on average, $1,000 per year. So much for our tax cuts. Well, so much for mine, at least. And then some. I don't know about yours. That translates, in case you were wondering, into a cool $100 billion windfall profit for the gas and oil industries. Hey! I don't wanna hear it! It's all for the best. If it weren't, our fearless leader would do somethin' about it. Right? Case closed. Thank you. God bless you. And, God bless America!

Best regards,

G. Will Hunter

Subject: Republican Congressman Mark Souder--Notorious Repug Homophobe and Racist

Dear BuzzFlash,

Don't let readers miss NYTimes Editorial Bang, Bang You're Elected.

"The fact is, we didn't allow the District to have home rule on the selling of slaves, either," ...Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN), notorious Republican homophobe and racist, on

District of Columbia Personal Protection Act, the impending vote on legislation to legalize handguns and semiautomatic weapons on the streets - striking down the home-rule wishes of Washington's citizens.

BuzzFlash Reader, Amanda

Subject: Reasons to vote for John Kerry

Pass this message along in letters to the editor.

1. John Kerry will defend America better than George W. Bush. George W. Bush provoked the 9-11 attacks by attempting to force the Taliban to accept an oil pipeline through Afghanistan under threat of invasion. This got them mad and they got Al Qaeda to strike back. On 9-11 George W. Bush failed to defend America. The Spanish conservatives failed to defend Spain on 3-11-2004 and got voted out. Now we should vote for Kerry because he will defend America better than George W. Bush.

2. John Kerry will set a climate for creating jobs. Under George W. Bush 3 million people lost their jobs. Forget about the computer model "fake recovery" that the Bush administration used to lie about improvement in June 2004.

3. John Kerry will set a climate for honesty in the private sector by getting congress to regulate private companies in the area of stocks and accounting. George W. Bush presided over Enron and other scandals. George W. Bush once represented Enron and knows Ken Lay well.

4. John Kerry will not declare war on false premises for oil resources. George W. Bush declared war against Afghanistan in secret and provoked the 9-11 attacks. George W. Bush declared war against Iraq based on lies for oil, and for diverting the public away from his domestic failures. John Kerry will defend America better than George W. Bush. Over 1,000 soldiers died for a lie and for oil, just like the 2750 people died on 9-11 for oil.

When Republicans lead, people bleed.

5. John Kerry will keep Social Security and Medicare safe and will reverse the damage that the Republicans did to Medicare and Social Security in the form of a meager prescription drug benefit and a 17 percent increase in Medicare premium which functions like a social security benefit cut.

6. John Kerry will treat the unemployed with dignity. George W. Bush in his poor economy refused to extend unemployment benefits to people whose benefits expired after 6 months and still looking for work every day despite the fact that in his poor economy a lot of people cannot find jobs after 6 months of looking. George W. Bush has left people to fend for themselves without income while they still seek work.

7. John Kerry will get congress to increase the minimum wage to 7 dollars an hour or more. I believe it should go to 9 dollars an hour. The cheap labor conservative Republicans have refused to increase the minimum wage for 7 years which left hard working people who cannot even afford a decent place to live or to afford the normal items in life to live a decent life. George W. Bush believes in the fend for yourself philosophy.

Vote for John Kerry, retire the mean spirited Republican party in congress and the presidency. Pass this letter to others.

Jesus wouldn't vote Republican. Why should you?.

Thank you.

Dennis B.

Subject: NY Times white washes Bush's AWOL

After 4 years of work on Bush's military record, the Times accomplished little more than a whitewash. In summary:

1. The Times scrubs Bush's abuse of alcohol and possibly drugs during this period, ignoring all of the witnesses who were interviewed by real reporters

2. The Times ignores Bush's repeated disobedience of direct orders

3. While the Times notices some of the important gaps in Bush's records, they make absolutely no effort to investigate WHO might have removed key records

4. When the Times presented its weak discoveries to the White House, they were given new lies, which they didn't bother to challenge

5. The most serious charge - FRAUD - is buried at the very end, and they made no effort to identify or challenge those who committed that fraud

Portrait of George Bush in '72: Unanchored in Turbulent Time (NY Times)

Bob F.

Subject: Dennis Hastert : Traitor?

At an Illinois rally with Vice President Dick Cheney on September 19, Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert stated that Osama bin Laden wants John Kerry to win the election, since Kerry would be the weaker American leader.

If Speaker Hastert knows what Osama bin Laden wants in our upcoming national elections, it suggests that Hastert may have some communications with the terrorist leader. Since Osama bin Laden, not Saddam Hussein, is the monster who attacked American citizens on September 11, 2001, if this U.S. Representative is engaging in an exchange with bin Laden that is not aimed at bringing him to justice, could he be considered a collaborator and a traitor to U.S. interests?

We might want to contact the United States Attorney General, John Ashcroft's, offices at http://www.usdoj.gov/ and urge an investigation into this troublesome situation!

Mark K