The BuzzFlash Mailbag

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Subject: Just the facts, Ma'am

The media has finally hit on a truism about John Kerry. Two months ago, I sent the same Kerry problem to the mailbag.

Kerry [when speaking to the American people] needs to keep it simple. It's not that Bush is intelligent, but he speaks in simple terms. It's not what Bush says. From Bush, we get simple statements from a simple minded man and most of it can be shot full of holes. But by golly, it's short and simple for Americans to remember!

In America, we have been groomed to keep everything short and efficient... just the facts Ma'am, just the facts. We have been in the fast lane so long that it is impossible to get off the expressway. Public Relations and advertising has taught me, the shorter the better. Art designers of billboards understand it better than anyone. If a billboard is advertising the Acme Auto Body Shop, only a few points can be conveyed in 3-4 seconds like, Reasonable fees, Courteous service and the Location. If Acme insists on putting more points on that billboard, they will not be read by people traveling at 60-70 mph. In fact, the human eye will just see Acme Auto Body Shop and glance away because there is too much to encompass in 3-4 seconds.

John Kerry's intelligence has been well established. If he fine tunes his messages and files them down, voters will get the point. Kerry has begun to do that and his ratings have gone up. Personally, I'd like to hear Kerry just say that Bush lied us into a war with no end. There must be something slanderous about the word 'lie' because no one will publicly use the term in association with Bush and his chicanery. But you get the point quite easily when you hear, BUSH LIED US INTO A WAR WITH NO END, don't you? It only took 9 words.

Cathy

Subject: What Nonsense Repbus Are Repeating & Believing---KERRY NEEDS TO RESPOND!!!!

Yes Mr. Rove...I will Follow...

Boy, the neo-con plan is working. Just listening to NPR and a Republican woman (Security Mom...geeze) just said..."It doesn't matter about healthcare if a terrorist blows you up, it doesn't matter about jobs, if a terrorist blows you up..." What a brilliant seed to plant! And women are turning to Bush because they believe he can protect the country from terrorists better than Kerry.

HELLO! Bush was the only President we had on 9-11. So....let's recap....don't worry about your job, money, healthcare, unions, retirement or taxes...just worry that some terrorist (from Iraq no doubt) is going to blow up your kiddies. And trust the same guy who ran to the hide-y hole in Nebraska after putting down his copy of My Pet Goat....ran while the buildings fell. Brilliant!

And then I'd ask, exactly what has Bush done to make you and your children safer where you live?

Did you know, he's reduced funding to the COPS program, thus taking police and first responders OFF the street?

Did you know, we have a skeleton crew of Nat. Guard and troops in this country, which leaves us vulnerable in our local communities?

What protection has Bush exactly provided around your schools and neighborhoods to protect you and your children?

NONE is the answer.

What protection you do have is thanks to your local community, and it could be MUCH better and STRONGER if it weren't for Bush's cutbacks and unnecessary war in Iraq.

He has actually made you less safe rather than more.

He's pulled the wool over many people's eyes and it's very sad!

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: the debates

to shorty in memphis who wonders where the 'debate' in the presidential debates has gone:

If you missed PBS' NOW with Bill Moyers this week, there was an interesting bit on the history of the presidential debates and how watered down they have become. Both parties have signed agreements to have the process become merely face time with sound bytes. These changes happened before I became interested in politics so I had no idea things had ever been different. What are the chances a future candidate will take a stand to try and change things? This organization, Open Debates, is trying to do something.

Loretta Gillespie
Chicago, IL

Subject: bumper sticker polls

I can't pretend to be reflecting a scientific sample here, but I have seen enough Kerry bumper stickers in my area to convince me that the narrow polls can't be accurate.

I live in San Antonio, Texas, previously a Bush/Cheney bastion. I seldom saw Clinton/Gore stickers in the 90s nor Gore/Lieberman stickers in 2000. We are a conservative military town and a Texas town. Along with the rest of the South, San Antonio has been pretty strongly Republican since the Reagan Revolution, and Dubya, to my enduring dismay, was a popular governor.

But today, I see Kerry/Edwards stickers on cars and pickup trucks everywhere, even in our more affluent north side neighborhoods. I see Bush/Cheney stickers only occasionally. Perhaps Kerry supporters are just more visible this year because we recognize that the stakes are so great. Maybe Bush still has plenty of support, but it's no longer so passionate. Maybe some Republican voters who are disappointed with Bush but can't quite bring themselves to support "liberal" Kerry will just stay home, as so many Democrats did in past elections.

I just don't detect much fire in the belly among Republicans around here. And if Bush can't light a fire in South Texas, he's got problems.

I predict we're going to have a lot of new people voting and a significant number of conservatives staying home. My conservative friends are all good people, even if we differ politically. It strikes me that they've been awfully silent lately. I don't know how they'll vote. I just don't see how any decent person can vote to re-elect this criminal administration?

I may be all wrong, but this is my gut feeling. If this election is at all fair (major question mark), I think George W. Bush will go down in flames. Jeb should be too busy cleaning up after hurricanes to rig another election in Florida.

Keep the faith, baby.

Steve S.

Subject: Novak at it again

What is up with this guy, does he just enjoy naming CIA people by name in news stories?

He makes a big deal out of saying this guy is not covert, but then confesses his name was not to be mentioned under the Lindley Rule and then names him. GEEZ.

Pillar's Tuesday night presentation was conducted under what used to be called the Lindley Rule (devised by Newsweek's Ernest K. Lindley): The identity of the speaker, to whom he spoke, and the fact that he spoke at all are secret, but the substance of what he said can be reported. This dinner, however, knocks the Lindley Rule on its head.

CIA vs. Bush (townhall.com)

A BuzzFlash Reader

[BuzzFlash Note: See also "Prewar report saw Iraq instability" (International Herald Tribune)]

Subject: LOVE YOUR SITE!!

BuzzFlash,

I love your site. It is the first place I go every time I log on. It gives me hope that I am not alone. I just bought one of your T shirts and contributed to you. Keep up the good work!!

Larry Cahill
Duluth, Mn.

Subject: Ask the NSC

Went to the White House website and found a link, "Ask the NSC." You can ask questions of Jim Wilkinson, Deputy National Security Advisor for Communications. Questions that deal with our personal survival and the survival of our nation and way of life. Found this exchange:

Rich, from NYC writes:

Does NSC have a secret handshake?

Jim Wilkinson

Rich,

If I answered your question, I would have to.........................

Just kidding. No...we do not have a secret handshake...but it might be cool to have one...

Gosh -- we've got a great bunch of professionals looking out for us, don't we?

Link at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ask/20040923.html

Roma P.

Subject: articles: debate, draft, post-debate spin machine

There are 3 articles worth reading: First is Joe Trippi's warning to Kerry about the question he better be ready to answer Thurs night (any suggestions ought to be sent to the campaign IMO).

The Big Debate - Johnny Be Ready (Joe Trippi) (MSNBC)

Second is Jonathan Alter's warning that the draft is a real possibility and shouldn't be blown off.

We're Dodging the Draft Issue (MSNBC)

Third is Joe Trippi's comment relevant to the post-debate spin wars. Trippi warns that while Democrats use the net better to get out grassroots, the Republicans use it better to start media stories. Trippi says that the Republicans have a ready response system and established echo chamber feeding stuff to Drudge and then the media, but the Democrats don't. We ought to be prepared to handle the post-debate spin, and this is our heads up.

Which campaign is using the Internet better? ( Joe Trippi ) (MSNBC)

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Abizaid on Meet the Press

General Abizaid was on Meet the Press on Sunday.  Given the length, completeness and word structure of his answers to Tim Russert'™s questions, I came to the conclusion that he must have had the questions in advance.  Also, his eye movements made it appear that he was reading the answers off a teleprompter or like device, which further suggests being supplied the questions.  Did anyone else notice this?

Also, when asked about the number of "foreign fighters" in Iraq he said he thought around a 1,000.  Aren't there about 135,000 foreign fighters from the good, ole USA in Iraq?

Turk Meister

Subject: George Bush link suggestion

I am writing to make a George Bush link suggestion for the set of research material below:

George W. Bush Presidential Papers:  17,361 pages of President George Bush and Bush Administration papers... (paperlessarchives.com)

Material released through Freedom of Information Act Request releases and public information releases. Composed of internal White House documents, Public financial disclosures of President Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, and other members of the Bush Cabinet, George Bush military service records, Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority documents, George Bush and Richard Cheney tax records, 2000 Presidential election dispute court documents and reports, Government Accountability (sic) Office reports, Executive Orders issued by President George Bush, transcripts of President George W. Bush public papers, and government reports on issues related to the Bush Administration.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Bush Administration Pays Iraqis $60M to Not Take Up Arms

Hi Buzzers,

I just saw a report on the NBC Nightly News, from Iraq (9/27/04), that the administration in Iraq is firing 40,000 of the 100,000 police already trained because of incompetence or because they cannot be trusted. They will be PAYING those 40,000 fired police trainees 60 Million dollars so they will "not take up arms" against the Americans. (I'm not making this up!)

Michael W. Prah
North Hollywood, CA

Subject: Voter Registration

The deadline for voter registration in AK, AZ, CO, FL, GA, HA, IN, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, NJ, OH, PA, TN, TX and VA will expire in less than a week. The deadline for voter registration in most other states is fast approaching. Complete voter registration info. for all 50 states, including contact information for state Democratic parties can be found at

http://www.joecitizen.org/voter/voter.html

Please mention this info or link to this page as you see fit. Thanks.

Joe

Subject: msnbc-abizaid

What Abizaid says at the end of the interview is below. Read carefully. The italics are mine.

The General was reading from a teleprompter. In his own words, even as the regime claimed progress, Abizaid told the truth -- he sees a long war that requires, in order to win; 1) a combat zone bigger than Europe; 2) a unified American population supporting the war; 3) a unified EU (and UN), the people of which also equally support the war; 4) a unified support of this US - EU coalition and the war by, (get this!) the peoples of the region! (who, presumably, are, now, the very peoples who are supporting "the ideological movement that's just getting started." In other words, the war is winnable, at great expense and over a long time, if the whole world joins together with the US and the Bushists.

Fat Chance.

(Even the General must realize that this is pure fantasy. He is therefore, it seems, saying that the effort is doomed to failure, even as he mouths the party line)

GEN. ABIZAID: Tim, the American people need to brace themselves for a long war in the Middle East and Central Asia, and they need to brace themselves for a long war in the Middle East and Central Asia because the battle is being waged out here between extremists and moderates. It's not a war that ultimately needs to entail large number of American forces, but it's a war where intelligence, where economics, where political and diplomatic power need to come together with military power to defeat this ideology of al-Qaeda, Zarqawi, Ansar al-Islam, the Islamic movement of Uzbekistan, etc.

This ideological movement is just starting to gain strength. People in the region do not like it. They don't want it to be successful. They need our help to win the fight on their own, and that's what we need to do. It'll be a long process, it'll be a difficult process, but it'll be one that can be successfully fought if we come together not only at home but in the international community and with the peoples of the region to set the standards for good government and the standards for a moderate lifestyle.

(NBC NEWS' MEET THE PRESS)

Yeah, one more time, let's see, he proposes this: A minority-supported Bushist junta somehow unifies the US population in support of a long, deficit-financed and expensive foreign war and then aligns that miraculous achievement with the "international community" (by which he seems to mean Europe and/or the UN, which despise the Bushists) -- unifies and aligns this new miracle-pair with the famously fractious "peoples of the region." With this fantasy he plans to fight a long war in the Middle East and Central Asia against an opponent that "is just starting to gain strength."

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: John Kerry Prayer Circle announcement

Hello BuzzFlash,

FYI, I started the John Kerry Prayer Circle. The motto is: Vote, Volunteer, Contribute, Pray. The web address is www.johnkerryprayercircle.com. You will see BuzzFlash at the top. Any help you can give would be appreciated. If you have any questions, reply to this email. If every state in the nation and every nation on earth prays for a John Kerry victory, God will deliver us from this catastrophe called George W. Bush.

FYI, here is the announcement I have been posting to John Kerry Yahoo! Groups across the nation: Hello Fellow John Kerry for President Volunteers, - I've started the John Kerry Prayer Circle at www.johnkerryprayercircle.com. All faiths are welcome. Anyone who believes in the power of prayer and has an hour a week to spare, please join. 30 minutes would work, too. - You can join as a group or as an individual. If you are too busy, ask your mother or grandmother to pray along with our prayer circle. - The John Kerry Prayer Circle starts on October 1, 2004. - God Bless America.

William Walker
El Sobrante, California
www.johnkerryprayercircle.com

Subject: Being the Mother of a deployed Marine

As an originally registered (22 yrs.) democrat, and an anti-war supporter, since the Viet Nam era, I am horrified to have a son serving in Iraq.  My son, Zack, enlisted in the Marines almost 1 year ago.  Not being particularly a patriot or pro-Bush, he joined at 18 to have a "goal & purpose" in life, and a secure job, as he was not ready for or interested in college.  I believe many of our Armed Forces joined for exactly the same reasons, given our deteriorating economy and job market.  Hence, we are asking these  brainwashed "children" to put their lives on the line, and take the lives of others, in the name of "fighting terrorism."  Obviously, I don't have to convince you or your readers of the immorality, illegality, and corruption of this occupation in Iraq.  

To have a son in this situation, is one of the most unendurable experiences for a parent. Especially, knowing he is in Iraq to fullfill a self-serving agenda from an evil and corporate- controlled president. 

I pray for the safety of my son, and all those involved, with the knowledge that Zack will never be the same person, if and when he returns.  He WILL have scars, whether they be physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. I also pray for a "regime" change in THIS country!!!!

Benay Stein
Durango, Colorado

Subject: any chance?

dear BuzzFlash:

you have such a great web site! we were wondering if there is any chance of getting a cable channel based on your web site. i just can't watch cable news anymore. would love to see a BuzzFlash news channel!

karen massey
south carolina

Subject: It's all in the Interpretation

I understand that the FBI is lagging behind in their daily routines because they don't have enough interpreters. Perhaps they should borrow some from Bush's cabinet. There's plenty of them there and within the GOP. Every time a Bush verbal blunder comes through media outlets, the GOP interpreters rush to his defense and tell us what he meant. Many times the GOP interpreters flat out lie about what Bush said. It's a sad day when an American president needs interpreters to explain what he meant instead of what he said. America deserves a president who speaks directly to the American people about American issues without an interpreter. Does this sound cynical? You bet! This pResident is the laughing stock of the world.

Cathy

Subject: Valerie Plame investigation

To BuzzFlash Mailbag:

Excuse me, but am I missing something? Was Robert Scumbag Novak not the reporter who outed Valerie Plame in one of his columns, citing a source inside the White House? So, how come every other reporter in the world EXCEPT Scumbag is being called up to testify? They could settle this real quickly by calling Scumbag and telling him that if he doesn't come clean about his source, he goes to jail. Scumbag will cave like the girlie-boy he is, the 1st Amendment be damned.

Thanks,

Jim Palmer

Subject: My Wish for America

My wish for America is that it be liberated from George W. Bush and his crony insurgents. Yes, the US needs to be liberated from these subversive invaders. Skip a phony-baloney October surprise from the GOP. Skip the biased media, the mysterious poll numbers, the Swift Boat Whackos and the [foaming at the mouth] pundits who would sell the US down the river rather than lose their pathetic jobs. The US and the world badly needs a November surprise... John Kerry giving an acceptance speech as the new president. If it can be imagined, it is very possible!

Cathy

Subject: oh for christ sake!

oh for christ sake! will you people at fox, msnbc and cnn stop pretending these are real debates? it is a joke. it is set up with 32 pages of stuff the bush people put in the rules so that bush can say anything he wants and get away with it. bush can say the world is flat and no one will call him on it. by no stretch of the imagination could one call these debates! tv news is becoming a joke. and it irks the hell out of me that while our kids are dying in iraq, his kids are running around going to parties and getting sloshed out drunk!

sharon swift
memphis tn

Subject: kerry needs to use "Bush on Couch" to figure out how to attack Bush!!!!

The book seems to point out that Bush, the bully, might collapse if really attacked in an aggressive manor.  He hates being challenged.  He gets rattled.  Kerry has to show he is tough enough to attack Bush and not let the rules of the debate hamper him.  Fuck the rules! He can say this election is war and you have to be very tough to win and there is nothing he wouldn't do to protect this country and our Democracy. 

Turn that god damn boat into Bush and start firing.  Bush is such a coward he will sputter and implode.

One has to be courageous enough to take this election.  Challenge the media too.  Put them on notice that he will not be silent.  Accuse Bush of sounding more and more like Baghdad Bob.  Go for the jugular and be tough and optimistic.

BuzzFlash Addict

Subject: Dan Rather

I read in the paper this morning that another CBS station has dropped Dan Rather. The power of this rightwingnut bunch is unbelievable, I am frightened most times, but, yesterday...I got a boost. 

I went to the Kerry/Edwards campaign headquarters, to get a yard sign...and they were out (they were so busy they had no time for anything). They had no yard signs...said they could not get them from the maker, even, they were going so fast.

However, I do not see that many in my neighborhood...I see more anti-Bush signs.

It struck me that...maybe republican operatives are coming in and getting them and destroying them. I am gonna ask.  I am working there tomorrow night...the night before the debate.

The place was so busy, they were complaining that they had a lot to do...could I come

in...and I will...but, when I went in when it first opened, there were four people and they

were standing around. Now, the phones do not stop...there were at least 25 people

working their cans off!

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

PS: Also, in the letters to the editor, in the Post Dispatch, someone wrote in and said they had seen a bumper sticker that said, "You are either a Christian or a Democrat," you have to choose!  Isn't that scary????

Subject: so what's the point?

I understand at the town hall meeting debate bush will only take questions from republicans and kerry from democrats. Well then what's the point? also if they are not allowed to ask each other a question, again, what is the point? so one of them could (an obvious exaggeration) just stand there and say he plans on giving everyone a new car and free vacation and it will go without question and the many morons would believe it.

k Johnson
fl

Subject: A Freudian Slip?

The American Forces Press Service on 8 September actually used this headline for a speech given by Wolfowitz at a RAND Corp.-sponsored conference on the war on terrorism.

"War on Terrorism Is Really a War Against Freedom, Wolfowitz Says"

By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA

American Forces Press Service

The whole article can be read here:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2004/n09082004_2004090809.html

I couldn't have said it better myself, Wolfie, the war you guys are waging is a war against freedom, against the freedoms of everyone who deigns to disagree with you and that nutty Keystone Kops crew you're part of down there in Versailles.

We can only hope that you'll find a spot in the Conciergerie when this bad dream is finally over in November.

Matt

[BuzzFlash Note: When we followed your link, a new headline came up: "Terrorism Targeted Against Freedom, Wolfowitz Says." Seems like that DOD headline writer had some "fixing" to do... Google News still has the original headline...]

Subject: Maureen Farrell's article

Dear Buzz,

While reading her excellent essay, I was struck again by the thought that I have had several times when watching our non-illustrious selected president in that classroom on 9/11:  Maybe he wasn't so much paralyzed by fear that day; maybe he was thanking the God that he worships for giving him his own "Pearl Harbor!"  After all, he and his cronies had said several times that they needed a day like Pearl Harbor to enact their own plans for our nation and its foreign policies.  Scary, isn't it!?!

An avid NC fan

Subject: Homeland Security at Polling Places!

can you find the transcript from MSNBC and post that? This appeared on dailykos.com earlier this morning reporting on MSNBC Showdown at the voting booth Tue Sep 28th, 2004 at 15:18:12 GMT "Did anyone see MSNBC around 11 pm last night? They had a special on that showed how Homeland Security is planning to set up perimeters at polling stations. "This was the most frightening report I've seen yet about the election. Apparently, you have to show your voter reg card at the perimeter before you're even allowed in. "Why are they doing this? So terrorists don't blow up polling booths? I think that's the ostensible answer. And indeed, in order to prevent the appearance of impropriety (which HS acknowledges) they defend themselves by saying the plans for such security perimeters have been in place for over a year. (Uh-huh, I have no doubt they have been planned for that long). "So, we're supposed to believe that terrorists will go after individual polling stations? "The thought of having individual HS officers at each polling station is absolutely frightening. There will be a showdown. At best, the perimeter will delay individuals from voting by increasing the amount of time it takes to vote. At worst, officers will not allow legal voters in without photo ID. "And you can bet that the riskiest polling stations (ie the ones the terrorists are targeting, ha! ha!) are all in swing states and in urban areas. "This is a huge story, and only MSNBC has mentioned it so far. To the best of my knowledge.

[BuzzFlash Note: Can't find it, but here's The Washington Post's take: "State Election Officials Told to Step Up Security Efforts."]

Subject: BUSH'S BLUNDERS SUMMARIZED (IRAQ)

Please feel free to pass this along, post on blogs or internet sites, e-mail to others, report about, etc.

We are saying that it was inappropriate for the administration to go after Saddam and remove him, his government, his military, all civil authority, from power and function.

We went after Saddam without completing negotiated procedures, confirming uncertain circumstances, and we went after him without preparing for the conditions after his removal.

After we blundered there, we blundered again when we didn't provide the security required for the 'freed' Iraqi people.

After we blundered there, we permitted segments of the Iraqi society to constrain the will of Iraqis to form a governance of their choosing.

After we blundered there, we continued to insist that emerging nationalism was the activity of dead enders and foreign terrorists.

After we blundered there we failed to close out threats because it might look bad politically.

After we blundered there we failed to put strong leaders in place in the three interest areas in Iraq.

After we blundered there we failed to train replacement forces for Iraqi security.

After we blundered there we elected a new president.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Re: Is It Time for War Zealots to Send Their Kids to Iraq?

Yes, for sure if Bush is elected......the war will start up again in full force...and more of all our kids will die. 

My brother died in vietnam...because we thought it was a civil war...that at the time was okay...it is not.

And folks, Iraq is not even a civil war.....there are never going to be democratic elections in that county.

Shirley.....St. Louis

I don't know why I haven't seen it yet, but I'd like to see a constantly updated graph showing the number of Americans Al Qaeda killed on 9-11 and the number Bush has gotten killed in Iraq with his insane policies. He sent them there for no reason, he should take full responsibility. He must be closing in on half the number Al Qaeda killed.

Mike Kilroy
Aliso Viejo, CA

Subject:Re Bush's hometown newspaper endorses Kerry

Hi,

I love that you linked to the AP story on Bush's hometown newspaper endorsing Kerry, but the AP bit is just that, a bit.

The editorial that endorses Kerry is a must read for all Americans, whether they vote or not. It lays out the entire case against Bush and for Kerry. The Lone Star Iconoclast has an online edition and the editorial can be found at: http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/Columns/Editorial/editorial39.htm

This is a much bigger story than just a small newspaper endorses Kerry, the Iconoclast nails the case. You would be doing a service to all Americans to link to the original editorial.

Thanks,

Susan Smith
BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Bushes on Dr. Phil (Wednesday)

I just sent them a message asking if Dr. Phil will keep telling them they have to be real or honest. Will your viewers assume they are being truthful because you insist on it normally?   

The Kerry's will be on Oct. 6. 

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok.

Subject: More Republican New Businesses Start Up in Iraq . . .

BuzzFlash,

I saw this on Information Clearing House site.

US1m ransom could free Italian hostages Iraq (theage.com.au)

We really need the money to pay for this Republican war . . . I suggest, we swap Republicans for hostages . . . the ones who made the decisions that prompted such a business as "Taking Hostages."

Well, I'm surprised the Republicans haven't thought of this. After all, they are swapping the lives of Iraqis and our military for their oil and now they are also giving the enemy cash. Who will they (hostage takers) buy their weapons from? The same people who armed Saddam?

Just a thought . . .

Thanks BuzzFlash.

Shirley Smith

Dear Buzz,

Here is an unbelievably sad, sad article that just made me want to weep. But it also increases my determination to work to expose the cruelty and idiocy of George W. Bush. You might want to post this link if you haven't done so already.

U.S. casualties grim cost of Iraq war (Toronto Star)

Leslie in
Winchester, MA

Subject: PTSD (The Walking Wounded)

Is the price of this illegal war worth it? I'm not talking about the nearly 137 billion dollars and counting. I'm talking about what is happening to our troops. How are they going to handle their lives after they come home? I'm writing about P.T.S.D. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is very real and can destroy people just like bullets and bombs. I know for an absolute fact that there is a price to be paid from traumatic experiences if they are not treated.

I'm a Vietnam Vet and I have P.T.S.D. I'm 100% disabled because of it. I was a crew chief in the 1st Cav. Co. A 229th AHB in '68 and '69. I still smell the burning flesh, the JP4 and dead people. Everyday. I still hear the screams of those who were about to die. Everyday. I still see every face of every person that I killed. Everyday. I remember the faces of men I had to leave because my helicopter was full and we couldn't carry any more. I watched them shake their fists, then flip the bird and then I watched them die as they were overwhelmed. It was horrible. It was unnecessary. It was another war built on lies and deception.

I read that Bush is cutting back on V.A. funding. We are going to have a whole new crop of Vets who need help. America is going to pay the price for this. I wonder how Republicans can support illegal wars and lying politicians. Haven't we learned anything? I hope America wakes up and finds out we can't support the Neo Cons at any price. Think Nov. 2nd.  

Tim Adams

Subject: Bill Maher on Hardball

Chris Matthews just had Bill Maher on Hardball and now I know why. He must have seen Bill trash Kerry last week on Real Time. It was ugly, even his guest, Larry Gelbart, said he'd remain silent because he didn't want to give people a reason to vote for Bush. Even the audience was lukewarm. I don't know if the guy thinks his humor is more important than what's at stake here or he's delusional. Remarks like "all Bush has to do is show up and breathe if he wants to appear more decisive than Kerry in the debates."

Matthews kept asking derogatory leading questions and Bill took the bait and boy did they have one big laugh fest at Kerry's expense. Chris was just loving it. As if to give some helpful tips Bill would suggest Kerry say this or that, all the things Kerry has been saying for weeks. Either Bill is uninformed or maybe it just doesn't fit into his personal career agenda.

There are so few liberal voices who can get on during prime time and denigrating Kerry is how Bill chose to spend his. At this crucial time we need to get our message out as much as possible. So if Bill thinks he can say whatever he wants on cable now he's got bad news coming. I'm sure the Republicans will show their gratitude by making his show the first one to be canceled for "indecency" for there will be no freedom of speech. Way to go Bill. As for me, I watched my last Real Time With Bill Maher. I'll get my dirt from FOX, at least I know where they're coming from.

Barbara
California

Subject: is this a joke?

no follow up questions?

they can't ask each other questions?

is this some kind of joke?

so why don't the democrats make an ad showing all the stupid stuff bush demanded before he would debate? such as the no follow ups and kerry can't ask him anything...

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: George Soros

I am so glad to see this Hungarian American come out and face the rightwingnuts in this country...(he seems to be a true American who is just wanting to help).

[See: http://quote.bloomberg.com...]

You would never have seen Richard Mellon Scaife.....the most treacherous of

liars...before Bush and Cheney and Rummy. Yeah, there was one....he funded the Arkansas Project...he funded the Paula Jones suit against Bill Clinton...and her nose job after it was over. He gave Linda Tripp an entire new face...and curses...it did not help her one bit!!

Jerry Falwell admitted selling 60,000 copies of the Arkansas Project from his pulpit. How is that for separation of church and state???  When faced with it, on one of the Geraldo shows back then, he grinned and made some lame excuse, like it really was not his idea.  Jeeeeez, what a piece of slime!!

For those of you who do not remember the Arkansas Project...it tied Clinton into Drug dealing...about 200 deaths...some were known cancer victims...but, it did not

matter, there were deaths that were thousands of miles from Clinton at the time, but hey...what's a few miles to a murderer...and of course, Vince Foster...he was the most famous...of the Clinton murders...he and she!

That lying talk changed a person close to me, it changed the politics of that person and even though he is smart and knows that Bush is the most evil man we've ever had in the White House, he will never admit it, those are the worst kind, the ones who do not ever admit that they might have misjudged.

My daughter got her fill of Clinton's shenanigans in 2000...and voted for Bush...later

telling me that she did...and she would have to live with it for the rest of her life....

she saw the light.  I tried to tell her, but her rant was always, "He lied, Mother, he

lied." See....she found out what a LIE really is,the big Kahuna...the lie that broke the camel's back...and so many innocent Americans and Iraqis!

It is just funny....how...different people handle mistakes...some never,ever admit it. Some just silently change...some never do. Relatives that are dyed in the wool .will never change...when Saddam runs for president of this country...they will find something nice to say about him.

I remember one night watching Bill Maher...and he said, laughing, "You know, we

should just let him have it...see what the hell he can do in the next four years to keep

this country afloat." He, Bill Maher...always saw Bush for what he was.  Many do not ever...and some make the mistake of putting him in office...then like a leach....they cannot get rid of him...

Can any of you imagine what we will be doing in 2008, if this man is allowed to run this country for four more years??

Not me!!

Shirley....St. Louis

Subject: ABC: Bush Ad Misquotes Kerry

Today's ABC Instant on-line news attacks the Bush ad against Sen. Kerry on Iraq. ABC states that the ad misquotes Kerry and doesn't give all the facts. This is the favorite tactic of Repubs, in which they take part of a sentence, and leave out the rest of it, and they should be condemned on every political ad they put on the air.

Fact Check

Latest Bush Ad Uses Kerry Quotes Out of Context (ABC)

RB

Subject: Rove Lies to Nation at TV Press Conference

I remember this press conference well. It wasn't just broadcast on cable but CBS, NBC, and ABC.  Rove shows the press and a huge national TV audience a Chicago butterfly ballot he claimed was used in a 2000 Illinois Judicial Race.  He goes on to make the entirely specious argument that Gore's campaign chairman Bill Daley, the brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Jr., is hypocritically complaining about a butterfly ballot in Florida that was also used in his backyard, Chicago.    

The document was clearly forged. (Sound Familiar?) Ted Koppel called up Cook County electoral officials who said the butterfly ballot was not in use and had not been in use in recent history.  On a Special edition of Nightline, "The Nation Waits," Rove tried to make Jesse Jackson Sr. appear the goat by going on the program and stating that the butterfly ballot the senior Jackson was calling a "racist dirty trick" was used in his son's successful run for a congressional race in the Chicago area.  Again the BIG Lie.   http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/docs/florida2000/pressbush11-09.php  

This transcript of the Bush campaign press Conference on November 9, 2000 was obtained in the archives of the University of California at Santa Barbara.    

Brad F.

Subject: Re: Your Afternoon Buzz

I think this time around people are smarter than we give them credit for. Only a few people will be persuaded by this propaganda and they were G. Bush supporters from the start.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Dallas Morning News Editorial

The Dallas Morning News lead editorial today, 9/28, is calling for a Constitutional Amendment to allow Arnold Schwarzenegger to run for President.  Talk about gall.  Throw away our heritage for that phony.  What chutzpah!   Read it and gnash your teeth.

Ellis L. Bert
Dallas, TEXAS

Subject: Fw: VOTER REGISTRATION INVALIDATED BY WRONG KIND OF PAPER

Buzz,

You'll be shocked by this one.... The League of Women Voters press release with a link is below. The state in question is Ohio, and Blackwell is, of course, a republican. The heart of the matter is that Blackwell has issued a directive to local election boards saying they must invalidate voter registrations that aren't printed on the right kind of paper.

Secretary of State Blackwell has ordered local elections boards to reject new voter registrations if they are printed on the wrong kind of paper. "This is just one more blatant attempt to disenfranchise progressive voters - many of whom registered for the first time in the past few weeks and months." -- Jenny Saboley, WADC Member

HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1) Pass this note on. Tell your friends and urge them to tell their friends.

2) Tell friends who have recently registered to vote to call their county board of elections (the number for the Franklin County Board of Elections is 462-3100) to verify they are registered to vote. You can also go to this page of the Franklin County Board of Elections Web site to verify you are registered to vote: http://www.co.franklin.oh.us/boe/apps/voter/index.asp

(Note: You can NOT register to vote online in Ohio.)

3)Call the Franklin County Board of Elections at 462-3100 (or the board of elections in your county) and ask them to follow the lead of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and ignore Blackwell's ruling.

4)Call Secretary of State Blackwell's administrative assistant at 466-2655 and leave a message for Blackwell that what he is doing is unacceptable.

5) Send e-mails to the following editors at The Columbus Dispatch and ask them to immediately provide front-page coverage of this situation. Include the link to and the full text of the press release on the League of Women Voters Web site. Let them know that Dispatch readers need to be made aware of what's going on so they can ensure they are registered to vote:  bmarrison@dispatch.com; afisher@dispatch.com; psouhrad@dispatch.com; amiller@dispatch.com; karnott@dispatch.com; jhallett@dispatch.com

6) Call the Ohio ACLU at 216 472 2200.

Here is the link to the press release at the League of Women Voters Web site.

http://www.lwvohio.org/advocacy/press/sos.html

Cathy Vance

Hello.

I am an avid reader of your site, and I enjoy reading the stories and articles to which you provide links. An interesting note, I just clicked a link from your site to the GOP mailer that shows 'banned' bibles and 'approved' same sex marriage... There is one odd/funny thing about this image, and I think it reflects very strongly on the seemingly low intellect of the GOP machine as a whole. Now, keep in mind that I am only 23 years old, and am unmarried. However... even I know what finger wedding bands go on... The man on the left side of the image is placing the 'wedding ring' on the RIGHT HAND of the other man. Now... wedding rings are supposed to be worn on the left hand, aren't they? If the GOP propaganda machine cannot pay attention to small details, such as this, how can we trust them with bigger, more important details?

Matthew Buckley

Subject: Gallup is NOT weighting its polling sample by party ID

CNN can't defend its use of its own poll. In a call to Tom Hannon, CNN's Executive Director of Political Coverage, Mr. Hannon was decidedly aggressive when asked why CNN was reporting a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll that oversamples Republicans by 12 percentage points (43% Republicans to 31% Democrats). The bias in the poll sample was pointed out by Tad Devine, but CNN continued to quote the poll throughout the day without making note of this bias. The biased sample in the poll, which unsurprisingly gives Bush a lead over Kerry, is questionable in that over the last three presidential elections Democrats have either outnumbered Republicans (39% to 35% in 2000, and 39% to 34% in 1996) or had even numbers (34% each in 1992).

Gallup sent out Frank Newport to deflect these criticisms of their poll (most notably made by a MoveOn.org add in the NY Times today). Mr Newport attacked the style of the ad, but not the ad's substance. Not once in his statement did he talk about the sample bias.

CNN is on an shaky ground in using the poll, as was apparent in Mr. Hannon's who used the same method of attacking the questioner that Mr. Newport used, rather than explaining why they continue to use the poll without disclosing the sample bias. The sample bias is, in fact, not included in the information on the CNN website (as of 1:30 pm on 9/28/04), one must seek the information out directly from Gallup. Mr. Hannon asserted that only those with "expertise in polls" would understand why such a stilted sample bias was appropriate. But pollster John Zogby disagrees. In a statement he describes that the bias markedly affects the results, "Given the fact that each candidate receives anywhere between eight in ten and nine in ten support from voters in his own party, any change in party identification trades point for point in the candidate's total support."

Dave Covel
Delray Beach, FL

Subject: The Real "October Surprise"

Hi Gang!

Milo, the antagonist in the Robert Redford/Sidney Potier film "Sneakers" said that power would no longer be measured in terms of wealth or military strength.

"It's about who controls the information."

Seeing as who is in control and who controls the information, it hardly comes as a surprise whatsoever that this nugget comes out of nowhere.

"All 50 States Post Personal Income Growth"  (Reuters/Yahoo)

Never mind WHOSE income actually rose [i.e., across the spectrum of American workers or wealthy individuals that affected the results] but there goes one of Kerry's key points in terms of the economy. 

"Its about who controls the information," and Shrubya's administration controls it all.  It wouldn't surprise me that more stinky nuggets like this get passed out of the anal cavity that sums up this presidency.

Jerry Peurala
Westfield, IN

Subject: Talk to the Republicans you know

A suggestion to BuzzFlash readers: Tell every Republican you know that they don't HAVE to vote for Bush!

I said to each of mine:  "If you cannot bring your self to vote for a Democrat, then please consider not voting for Bush."

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: vote early!!

this is what they are telling their people to do...

http://www.nrsc.org/nrscwebimages/bushflag.gif  

we need to provide people with info on how to register and how to vote absentee

https://electionimpact.votenet.com/johnkerry/absentee.cfm

A BuzzFlash Reader