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| October 26, 2005 |
MAILBAG ARCHIVES | ||
The BuzzFlash Mailbag The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag. Subject: WSJ Op-Ed Says Nothing Wrong Here All About Iraq: Patrick Fitzgerald is really investigating a policy dispute (10/24/05Wall Street Journal) A bizzare twisted stream of logic and falsehoods leads this op-ed pundit to say disregard the whole Plame affair because it might just be about a policy dispute and that shouldn't be prosecuted. How they manage to ignore the whole lie about Niger-Iraq-Uranium purchase including the forged document and the whole outing of a CIA NOC working in WMDs for a partisan attack is beyond me. I think they managed to repeat just about every one of the 9 plamegate lies in one article as seen here: http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/27281/ John McGinn [BuzzFlash Note: You should write to them using their "Respond to this article" button on the article's page. Responses already received are at http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110007447.] Subject: Which lawyer? From the NYT article: "…Mr. Libby's lawyer, Joseph Tate, would not comment on Mr. Libby's legal status." So at least we know they talked to him. But don't say they even tried to contact Cheney's lawyer? Wouldn't Cheney's lawyer be the one you'd want to talk to? Unless Cheney's lawyer is getting the "truth" out that Cheney knew the wife worked for the CIA (preparing for a later argument that while he knew she was CIA he didn't know she was NOC). Rosamond Subject: Now Republicans Gear Up Two-face the Nation! Just when you think you have heard it all, someone like Chris Matthews and his guests, who have always provided fertile ground for “misspeaking,” comes up with one of the dumbest statements heard lately! George W. Bush and his Administration have had the MOST CORRUPT, MOST INEPT, MOST SECRETIVE, MOST UNACCOUNTABLE government in our history. In the midst of lies, scandals, indictments, paid pundits, blocked investigations, leave it to Chris Matthews to comment that Bush has “SUNNY NOBILITY” about him! In illogical inconsistency, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison {another one of Mr. Bush’s adoring women?}, and card-carrying hypocrite, whose remarks in 1999 were quite different and who wanted to roast Clinton alive for the same offenses, now says perjury and obstruction are NOT a big deal and if indictments come down for the Bush Administration, she implies that they are not “that guilty”! George W. Bush and the Republicans, have used and abused power so many times, it’s hard to keep track of all the irregularities. In the Bush Administration proof of lack of skill or judgment has led to censorship of news or altering scientific data or government reports to agree with government opinion. {Global warming, EPA Reports of 9/11 site on air quality, etc.} The Bush government’s practice and pattern of blaming others rather then the higher- ups in this Administration to avoid responsibility for their actions is well-known. A prime example of this is Government officials denigrating humanitarian watch groups for their reports on torture, abuse and rendition. Of course, through the Administration in collusion with the Bush-influenced MSM, we are provided with many diversions and distractions to the bad news. We have noticed the over-emphasis 24/7 of any and all storms, {we only need a small part of an hour to update} and trivia to the suspicious timing of terror alerts. Yet, we didn’t hear much about the referendum fraud and the overstuffing of ballots in the election, except for the new Iraqi government to declare the results seems to be “FAIR”??? In fact, in both Iraq elections and in Afghanistan as well, there were questions and black clouds of illegitimacy hanging over the “progress!”
As Mr. Bush spoke this morning in the safe haven of an Armed Forces Wives luncheon, he mentioned the radicalism if the insurgents, but is blind to his own radical actions. He talked of clear strategy and clear choices, but fails to account for the muddy results of contradictory evidence to his success and progress! As of this morning 2000 soldiers are dead, 15,000 or more seriously injured and countless numbers of Iraqis die each day. This includes many women and children killed from our “air support” of bombing or other action by the U.S, as well as the insurgents. Bush claimed this morning he is answering history’s call in his war on terror, but neither history nor God commissioned George W. Bush and his NeoCon cronies to be the world’s policemen! I repeat this from another post for the sheer audacity of power used by the Republican Party that should concern us all.
The vote ended up 212 to 210! The Republican Leadership abuses its power in the chair, and holds votes open for the sole purpose of reversing the outcome of the vote on a regular basis. On five separate occasions in the 108th Congress alone, votes were held open beyond the traditional 17-minute limit in order to overturn the will of the majority. These votes include the infamous 3-hour Prescription Drug vote in November 2003, which went far beyond any previous vote and broke all records in the history of electronic voting. By comparison, in 1987, the Republicans excoriated the Democratic Leadership for holding a vote open for only 30 minutes. I never liked Jesse Helms, but must agree that his statement fits today when he said, “Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands!” Right now we are in the midst of Republican political jockeying as the tentacles of deceit reach the Bush Administration from Bush on down in Treasongate, DeLaygate, and Fristgate. The Republicans are desperate to save face, and will ALL be out in the news, trying to marginalize corruption by downplaying, undermining, and distracting all of us in an obvious attempt to defend the indefensible! Susan Carr Subject: An Open Letter To George W. Bush! Well Mr. President, (and I use that term loosely), as your polls continue to drop and indications that your party is in self-destruct mode, we are patiently waiting for the Grand Jury results. If they indict your “Brain” and Libby and anyone else in your Administration we could see your empire collapse like a house of cards. You deserve everything that happens to you and your ilk, for more than 5 years you have turned a blind eye, or ignored the crooked, deceitful, corrupt actions of your “brain” (Rove). You stood by as he and his team discredited, slandered, and otherwise destroyed the political careers of your opponents. By your lack of action or by ignoring the rotten actions of your team is just the same as saying “I approve of this.” If your empire crumbles, you deserve it! My only regret is that you all aren’t taken out in handcuffs!!! Davesdad Subject: Red Fridays Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who oppose Bush's war for oil and support bringing our troops home used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our call for an end to the blood shed. We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no conservative media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops and want them out of harm's way. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday--and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that... Every red-blooded American who opposes Bush's bloody war for oil, will wear something red. By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on. The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is...We need your support and your prayers. Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday. IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON -- IF YOU COULD CARE LESS -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON --- IT IS YOUR CHOICE. WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED----SO WEAR RED! --- MAY GOD SAVE AMERICA FROM THE BUSH CRONIES. (for you business folks, a red pattern tie or scarf works) Guy McPherson Subject: Sunny Nobility? Say What? On Monday's Hardball Chris Matthews posed the question of whether Bush can get his sunny nobility back. Now this is actually funny--he was asking Tony Blankley of the Wash. Times! I'm wondering how someone like Mr. Matthews can sincerely believe Bush possesses nobility, present or past tense, let alone describing it as sunny. I think he's confusing a demanding expectation of everyone-naturally-owes-me-because-my-name-is-Bush along with a juvenile fratboy-aren't-I-cute and boyish demeanor with a "sunny nobility." Bush's meanness belies any "nobility." I emailed Mr. Matthews but I really doubt if he reads any criticisms from viewers. I don't think he tolerates dissent, if his on-screen hyper personality is any clue. Yeah, those Bushes are quite the noble bunch, aren't they? Peggy Subject: Not to rain on your parade, but... Dear Buzz, I share the somewhat excited anticipation of the upcoming Fitzmas, but, let's face it, there is no Santa Claus here. So Margaret Carlson's speculation that Rove "may not survive" the possible indictment is, unfortunately, overly optimistic, in my eyes at least. Even if Libby and Rove are indicted, you can't honestly say that you expect things in Washington to change -- or that Rove and Libby's (and whoever else's) political careers (financial prosperity, etc.) would be seriously affected by this. Sure, they may be let go, if that's what's needed to maintain the illusion -- for the public -- of "dignity" and "honesty" in the White House (and even this may not happen). But if they are let go, you can be certain they will not stay far away from the Bush cabal. They will work behind the scenes and, in time, resurface with new "rehabilitated" images. Maybe not in this administration, but the next Republican one (or one after that). Americans' attention spans are woefully short. And the more things change, the more they stay the same -- especially in Washington, D.C. Elizabeth Subject: Why 2k? Now that the U.S. military death toll has reached 2001 (and rising) we have a real Why 2 K problem. Bush should have to answer for this real Why2K problem. Bring out those old Y2K stickers - update them and direct them at Bush and his agents of disaster.... A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Punchin' Judy Editor & Publisher has put Miller's response to the NYT Public Editor Byron Calame's Sunday smackdown up on its website here. What is perhaps most important about this (from Miller's standpoint, at least) is that she has clearly lost her big soapbox. The fact that the only way she can hit back is through Inside Baseball trade mags like E&P tells us that her excommunication from the Times is fait accompli even if Pinch can't bring himself to pull the trigger. ... Now on to the specifics. IN arguing with her (former) enablers, Judy makes three arguments. First:
In other words, Saint Judy, patron saint of the First Church of the Chalabi Hobby, expects us to believe that (a) she is telling the truth while her editor is lying, and (b) that she was willing to seriously entertain the possibility that she would turn on her neocon buddies. Suuuure. Perhaps you could point us to a few of your previous examples of such searing exposes tearing Scooter et al new ones. No? Thought so. Judy dearest, your credibility is a bit suspect. You have already asked us to believe that you "forgot" how the name "Valerie Flame" ended up in your notebook, and and that you don't remember who your original source was on the story you claim to have brought to your editor. So credibility here goes hand in hand with the concession that you are one sorry-ass reporter. You might want to let this one drop. Judy continues:
Oh, now I get it. You told Scooter-pie you were willing to tank your nano-scale integrity in order to help him mislead hoi polloi -- but "only to hear the information." So what does that mean, exactly? Does it mean that despite promising him his requested attribution, you would have run with "Senior Administration official" -- that is, that you were willing to lie to him to get your story? How do we square that with your claim that you went to jail for him? How does telling us you lied to a source help rehabilitate you? Or does it mean you never intended to use the information, which proves your previous argument false? And finally:
"Clarified?" I must have missed something here. You strongly implied that you had a security clearance in your mea non culpa Times swan song. Does the fact that the DOD disavowed any knowledge of you having such a clearance -- that is, marking you as a grandiose serial fibber -- count as clarification? The normal metaphorical tool of the reporter is a pen. Judy's is the shovel -- both before and after her release from jail, it was her instrument of shit stacking. Now she has found a second use -- digging herself into a hole. John Subject: UP OR DOWN VOTE???? I thought the Republicans believed in an “up or down vote” for ALL judicial nominees. What happened? Sw Subject: The Future of Liberalism It's time for the Progressive base to embrace our ideals and make sure that all Americans realize that our values are what *they* too value. Moving toward the center in order to pacify the electorate isn't the answer; That is, rather than redefining, how about re-educating? Conservative candidates get to unabashedly run as conservatives. Liberal candidates should settle for nothing less. Keep fighting the good fight! David R. Modny Subject: Jesus Here's one for ya, bumper sticker that is: WHO WOULD JESUS TORTURE ? If you like it, It's yours. Keep up the great work. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Government Melt Down I get no solace from the recent developments in Washington, D.C. As a life-long Liberal Democrat and Kerry supporter (and a veteran), I lament the condition my country finds itself in. There is no reason to celebrate. There are many reasons to cry. A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: Still, we can be hopeful, if the rule of law enjoys a resurgence thanks to Patrick Fitzgerald, Ronnie Earle and assorted truth seekers.] Subject: CIA Leak Investigation Office Pool Photocopy this sheet and use for your CIA Leak Investigation Office Pool If you add any answers to the list, please pass around the amended list to everyone in your pool. When will indictments be announced? Wed 10/26 12: 01am - 9:00am EST 35-1 What 'news' story will distract from the announcement? Bin Laden is captured 50-1 Which female GOP Operative will make a statement? Condosleaza 'Unable to Determine Legitimate Threats to the U.S. therefore unqualified to be VP or POTUS' Rice 2-1 When Oilboy does finally face the media, he will be seen with... Miscellaneous facial blemish 2-1 What excuse(s) will be echoed? Stop playing the blame game 3-1 A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: War Precedent Buzz, While we address the run up to war, and the mistruths of this administration, let's not forget something I feel is even more dangerous long term. Thanks to US action, there is now a so-called right to "preemptive war." A dangerous policy that can threaten global peace. The genie has been let out of the bottle, I'm afraid. But perhaps if the principle can't be retracted, it can at least be overhauled and refined following the Iraq War fiasco. Congress failed to debate the policy before the war. This needs to be corrected. The US has set a terrible precedent. Beth Martin Subject: Rosa Parks Hi, Buzz!! May Rosa Parks rest in peace; she's earned it. She is a hero for our nation; her life proves that one person CAN change the world. Goodbye, Miss Rosa; you live in our hearts! Jane Hawes Subject: 2000th U.S. fatality This is the 2000th fatality the Bush government is telling us about. What is the real number of fatalities? With this lying bunch we may never know. Clay Parkinson Subject: Rosa Parks I am an avid BuzzFlash reader. I rely on BuzzFlash for my news. However, when almost every newspaper (and I do use that term with trepidation) in the US has the passing of Rosa Parks on the front page, and BuzzFlash has little more than a passing note, then I think it is time to raise our hands and say that we did not "do right" by the passing of an icon of the Civil Rights movement. You are usually on top of every story, Folks. However, you blew this one badly - and at a time when the progressive community and the communities of color need to be linking arms at that. Rollyn Carlson [BuzzFlash Note: We share your deep respect for Ms. Parks and have posted a number of items in recognition of her passing (http://www.buzzflash.com/search/?Query=rosa).] Subject: Bush Would Lose If Election Were Held This Year Hey CNN, Newsflash!! Bush lost in 2000, and he lost in 2004. If you get a chance read the article in Harpers magazine; None dare call it stolen. Says it rather clearly. Where was CNN when John Conyers made the report entitled "Preserving Democracy: What Went Wrong in Ohio"? Suddenly, with Bush in the toilet, they have the nerve to be concerned with polls. Yet they had no use for the exit polls when it mattered. 'CNN’s Lou Dobbs deadpanned ironically on March 8, “Teresa Heinz Kerry still can’t accept certain reality. She suggests the presidential election may have been rigged!”' You don't say? SE Subject: Arctic Thaw Gains Momentum Simply amazing. There's something going on in the far north that's a threat to all living beings and the NYT puts the story in its science section. What's the NYT afraid of now? Losing corporate money or some of its well-placed reliable sources, the wrath of the so-called religious right? Or is it, perhaps, that they're scared of taking a humpty-dumpty-like fall, should they actually play it straight and put the ice melting story on the front page where it belongs; thereby enabling we the people to decide what needs to be done? Whatever its reason for its downplaying of the ice-melting story, such ongoing deception shows that the NYT hasn't learned a thing from its complicity in the murder of two thousand of our best and brightest in Iraq - by its refusal to inform the public that our commander-in-chief was lying to us about the weapons of mass destruction; because at this very moment the NYT is at it again, complicit in the crime of deceiving the public as to how serious a danger global wfarming actually is to life on earth. And what can the NYT's daily "we're oh so very very sorry' for what we did that begot the Iraq war" actually mean, when at the same time this very same newspaper is back-paging global warming - the ultimate threat to us all? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Bush Would Lose Election If It Were Held Today He lost the last two, but was able to steal them in the end. He would do it again. He is going to beat this treasongate scandal as well. They will get judges that he appointed and the rest will be history. He has control of all of government. It may only last 15 months though. Al V. Subject: Negligible? Two thousand dead American servicemen, killed in a war based on lies for the purpose of stealing a commodity from a sovereign nation which had no ties to 9/11/2001. But it's okay, because that amount of casualties is "historically negligible;" right Brit? At least your investments are doing well. It can also be accurately stated: "Historically, the content of truth in Fox News broadcasts is negligible - virtually nonexistent. Michael J. Fowler Subject: "Bush Would Lose The Election If It Were Held Today" Regarding your link "Bush would lose the election if it were held today": How does that differ from November 2000 or November 2004? Jon Krampner Subject: Flags At Half-staff I know it takes a Presidential order to display the flag at half-staff, but I would like to suggest the following as a display of "civil disobedience": To remind our nation's leaders and its people that we have American sons and daughters dying in an illegal and immoral war, we should display all American flags at half-staff in honor of those who have died and those who have yet to die. It will serve as a continual reminder of what our so-called "leaders" have done to our country since 2000 when the cabal was appointed to the house we all own at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Lisa J. Subject: Hutchison Is One Big Hypocrite With the Word Blow! Hi BuzzFlash, What a HYPOCRITE Kay Bailey Hutchison is!!! Hutchison tells Russert that "Blowing" the cover of a Non-Official-Cover CIA Agent (a NOC), who could be killed on the spot if her identity is revealed along with all her sources, is okay. But Hutchison tells Russert that it is FINE if The White House committed “picayune perjury”! Yet, when Bill Clinton got a "BLOWJOB" (there's no other word for it), Kay Bailey Hutchison said the following closing statements at Clinton's Impeachment: And I Quote:
TALK ABOUT BEING A HYPOCRITE! It's time to flood her office with e-mails and phone calls! Tom Wieliczka Subject: Show the Iraqi War Dead as Their Parents See Them The NYT photo montage of 1,000 of the 2,000 Iraqi war dead only tells half the story. The other half would be that each of these was the son or daughter of someone. Maybe it is time for the NYT to run only the baby photos of the second 1,000 war dead. Perhaps open some eyes to who has really fought Bush's proving-I'm-a-man war. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/national/IRAQDEATHS_GRAPHIC.html Betty L. Subject: Letter to the Editor - Bush Administration Advocates Torture It is somewhat ironic that Vice President Dick Cheney is trying to weaken the anti-torture bill to create loopholes allowing suspected criminals to be tortured when he is facing possible criminal charges himself. As someone who may have outed the identity of an undercover CIA agent it makes me wonder of Cheney himself would be subject to his proposed torture exception provision that would allow CIA agents working undercover to use torture. Perhaps if we shipped Cheney to GITMO and kept him awake 24 hours a day playing peace protest music he might crack and confess to outing the identity of Valerie Plame. Maybe we should allow special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald to torture Bush's staff and see how it works? Marc Perkel Subject: The ACLU Freedom Files: Dissent Freedom of speech is a given in America, right? Not if you're Muslim hip-hop poet Amir Sulaiman, who spoke his mind on national television then found the FBI on his doorstep. Or groups of protesters at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions relegated to "free speech" zones far from the politicians with whom they disagreed. Plus, you’ll hear “America’s foremost commentator on almost everything” Lewis Black -- from Comedy Central's The Daily Show -- give his take on the current state of dissent with his trademark biting wit and humor. Don’t miss “Dissent”, the 3rd episode of the groundbreaking TV series The ACLU Freedom Files. “Dissent” will showcase the stories of everyday Americans practicing their constitutional right to free speech, only to be thwarted, harassed or arrested. On November 10th, watch the series on satellite LinkTV, at 8:00 p.m. EST and at 8:00 p.m. PST. Take action now to protect your right to dissent! Visit our website at www.aclu.tv to participate in the The ACLU Freedom Files Producers Club and find out how you can get the “Dissent” DVD for free. Be part of a growing network of AcTiVists who are using The ACLU Freedom Files to catalyze dialogue and action in communities, schools and living rooms across the country! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: US Aid to US Citizens? The U.S. Government is refusing to assist Americans trapped in Cancun and Cozumel after Hurricane Wilma. My family members trapped there have finally been able to get through by phone and advise they finally, after 6 days, were contacted by a State Dept. representative who advised them it was not the U.S. Government's responsibility to assist them, they got themselves there and needed to get themselves out. 140 other Americans trapped in the Moon Palace Convention Center also can confirm this scenario. The British and Italian Governments arranged for busses to take their nationals to Merida, Mexico where they could get flights home. We have arranged an American Airlines flight out of Cancun for the 140 stranded Americans and our State Department won't even help these people cut through the Mexican Government's red tape to ensure these folks can get to the airport in time to catch their flight. We have thousands of Americans trapped in Mexico at this time and our government has turned its back on them. But we can make sure we get aid to Pakistan after an earthquake. Terry S. Subject: Bush would lose the election if it were held today This is about your Headline. Great article, but I think your headline on this one (and on any of your headlines of similar subject) should include acknowledgment that Dubya has never won a Presidential election - not in 2000 and not in 2004. Something like this: "Bush would loose the election for a third time if it were held today" A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Let's Launch a Neuticles Campaign Hello, I don't know how one would go about getting something like this started, but I just had the idea for a campaign to catch the attention of Democratic (largely DLC) representatives who seem incapable of "growing a set" despite the fact the Republicans are self destructing. I'm thinking that for every completely ball-less move, such as Chuck Schumer (D-NY) saying that knowing what he currently knows, he would still have voted to go to war in Iraq (which way over half of the country now considers a mistake), we proudly present them with a set of "Neuticles," the prosthetic silicone testicle implants. (This is of course a unisex effort - Hillary could certainly use a pair from time to time, but Barbara Boxer obviously doesn't need them.) http://www.neuticles.com/index1.html Kimberley Edwards Subject: GW's Prayer George Bush Nightly Prayer Dear God, Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray that I can keep my Veep.... If I should die, before I wake, Cause I have had all I can take.... My defense will be quite concise, That I was given bad advice! AMEN! (c) Loree O'Neil 10/26/05 Loree O'Neil
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