I’ve been reading (and greatly enjoying) Eric Boehlert’s book Lapdogs. Aside from being extraordinarily well-written and entertaining, it follows many of the narratives we log every day on the blogs but places them in a larger context than we can do in real-time. I’m loving it.
Also, Eric has agreed to join us for the FDL Book Salon (which takes place here every Sunday at 5pm ET/2pm PT. We had a great chat with Markos and Jerome yesterday and the upcoming schedule now looks like this:
May 14 & 21st: Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus by Rick Perlstein, who will be joining us on May 21st
May 28 & June 4: How Would a Patriot Act? Defending American Values from a President Run Amok by Glenn Greenwald, who will be joining the chat on June 4
June 18 & 25: Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush
by Eric Boehlert, who will join us on June 25
As a side note, I should mention that Glenn Greenwald’s book has sold out its first printing of 20,000 — and it won’t even be released until May 15. This was accomplished with no money being spent on marketing or advertising; it was driven by the blogs and the publishing world is taking notice. Quite the phenomenon, especially for an independent publisher.
But it seems to be the day to devote some column inches to Monsegneur Tim, so here’s one of my favorite passages from Boehlert so far. Following the Cheney/Edwards 2004 debate:
Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert appeared on MSNBC and, like everyone else, was chattering about Cheney’s put-down of Edwards, which the pundit thought was efective. But Russert, perhaps better than anyone, immediately recognized Cheney’s I’ve-never-met-you charge wasn’t true because Russert was there when Cheney and Edwards were guests on Meet the Press on April 8, 2001. Appearing the next day on the Today show, Russert, discussing the debate’s pivotal moment, said, "I thought that John Edwards would call him on it right at that very moment," suggesting Russert knew, "at that very moment" that Cheney’s claim was false. And yet following the debate, as Russert analyzed the event on live television he remained mum about the uncomfortable fact that the two vice presidential candidates had met on his program. Instead of deflating Cheney’s attack with some relevant facts, Russert, who enjoyeed a series of exclusive Sunday morning talk show interviews with Cheney since 2001, simply sat on the facts.
Join us on June 25 and you can ask Eric about this and other slavishly devotional press moments in our online discussion.
And you can buy the book here.
Related posts:
- FDL Book Salon Welcomes Eric Boehlert, Bloggers on the Bus: How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press
- FDL Book Salon: Idiot America with Charles Pierce
- FDL Book Salon Welcomes Adam Gopnik – Angels and Ages: A Short Book About Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life
- FDL Book Salon – The Eliminationists: How Hate Talk Radicalized The American Right
- FDL Book Salon Welcomes Bradley Graham, By His Own Rules: The Ambitions, Successes and Ultimate Failures of Donald Rumsfeld
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Fitz!!!
Colbert!
Angie!
missing “i” in like in first sentence of 2nd blockquote.
Urban Pirate– you make me laugh and I just found out that you lived near the SYC cause an alert FDL compadre (Dru) gave me the heads up on your post the other nite. I lived on Gurley Road… wow, small planet!
Well, this lapdog post is an even more appropriate forum to discuss the new “biscuit system” for rating traditional media articles.
EEEEWWW! Ann Coulter’s book Godless is in my Amazon ad in the right column… must refresh! must refresh!
http://tinyurl.com/a6erq
Help Impeach Today
Now… People think this is a waste of time because even the Dems said that they were not going to impeach (yeah right)…
Keep the pressure on Congress… Talking about impeachment wakes people up… They question, it’s a strong motivator to get people thinking. It also lets Congress know how intense the dissapproval is for this President… They seem to be a little slow on the uptake. So please:
1) Sign petitions if you have not done so
2) Send a letter to Congress (both Senators & House rep)
3) Send a copy to the media
4) Enlist friends and family to help, ask them to chip in time
5) Spread the link around, email it (with a request to forward) post it on a blog, or in the comments of a news story.
Help out!!!
Thanks :)
The Wall Street Journal; May 4, 2006
Bush Job Approval Plummets and Question on Impeachment Shows Polarization of Nation.
New Zogby/WSJ Poll
President Bush’s televised address to the nation produced no noticeable bounce in his approval numbers, with his job approval rating slipping to 28%, in the latest Zogby International poll.
And, in a sign of continuing polarization, more than three-in-five voters (62%) say they would favor impeachment proceedings if it is found the President misled the nation about his reasons for going to war with Iraq.
The Zogby America/WST survey was of 3210 likely voters.
Just one week ago, President Bush’s job approval stood at a previous low of 31%—but it to 28%, despite a speech to the nation intended to build support for the Administration and the ongoing Iraq War effort.
The Zogby America survey includes calls made both before and after the President’s address, and the results show no discernible “bump†in his job approval, with voter approval of his job performance at 28% in the final day of polling.
http://tinyurl.com/a6erq
O/T Message for Rayne -
Shirlington Contract is only signed by DHS Contracting Employee: Shirley Turner -
there was costing activity on it as recently as April 21, 2006 where they shifted $$ away from one Div. to charge another.
sorry guys – back to the thread
me3: can you give us a link to the zogby poll?
The biscuit thing is hilarious. From the last post: ‘And when she takes a semester abroad to complete her Arabic studies, this program will not intercept your communications,” Hayden said.’
Try instead:
‘And when she takes a semester abroad to complete her Arabic studies, **THIS** program will not intercept your communications,” Hayden said.’
Re: Presidunce Bush’s ski slope JAR trajectory -
The Deciderer looks like he’s finally close to fulfilling his promise that he’s “a Uniter.” Everything thing Shitfinger does helps unify the nation against him. Long overdue.
Welcome back me3
A book is not successful until drudge posts fake stats.
I read an article on kos today from makethemaccountable.com. Russert says “integrity is for paupers”. All I Need To Know.
Sorry, don’t know how to do linkys. The article was written by Podvin.
Glenn sells 20,000 — woohoo! I note that amazon orders for multiple books only count as ONE order for the ranking. Also I wonder if my second order was combined with the first since the book hasn’t come out yet. Hmm.
Kent #43 on last thread, I’m very late to the party here today, but I think you hit the nail on the head – Goss wasn’t doing anything Cheney/Bush didn’t want done, and the only reason he’s out has some connection with Fornigate. That Negroponte, Hayden or whoever may have given him an extra shove toward the door wouldn’t surprise me, but wrecking the agency was why he was put there in the first place.
Hehe….someone notciced this this morning…
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/8/13337/27030
Its been giving me a good laugh all day. Pass it on, and my apologies if someone already has….its just too good….lol
I also think the biscuit rating for news articles is an excellent idea. How many biscuits is the maximum possible? Four or five? Five (or four) being the most lapdogalicious, and one being the least?
> but wrecking the agency was why he was put there in the first place.
Along these lines… isn’t it interesting that George W. Bush’s father is a previous director of the agency?
aReader, Freud sure would find W. intriguing, wouldn’t he?
http://www.usatoday.com/news/w…..oval_x.htm
USA Today / Gallop Poll
I am sorry… There is no free link to the WSJ page with that poll information. It was emailed to me.
Leslie in CA
Freud, shmoid! Not even the most trance-induced aboriginal storytellers could have concieved Bush’s universe!
Rayne – I was EPU’d, but RawStory has a bit up that two Dem Congresscritters are looking into the awarding of the contract itself and expect that to be a topic of discussion at a May 18 meeting.
I say Bush will drop to at least 23%.
Me3 – if the kitchen was out of the chicken tamiflu, what would you order instead, if not preferentially? I think you recommended it here a few months ago. thanks in advance.
Foggo resigns. Sorry if this is repeat:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2….._0508.html
Possibly the only person in America dumber than The Deciderer:
_____
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (AP) — Convicted September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui says he lied on the witness stand about being involved in the plot and wants to withdraw his guilty plea because he now believes he can get a fair trial.
In a motion filed Friday but released Monday, Moussaoui said he testified March 27 he was supposed to hijack a fifth plane on September 11, 2001, and fly it into the White House “even though I knew that was a complete fabrication.”…
_____
So, Zac, the prospect of your impending new soundproof/viewless barren poured concrete digs starting to sink in? ‘eh? A little too fucking late, moron.
No biscuits — an unbiased article which includes all the facts and doesn’t try to mislead the reader.
One biscuit — the basic story, but spins it toward the administration
Two biscuits — the facts it gives are correct, but crucial facts are omitted
Three biscuits – relies on false information to make the administration’s talking points fly
Four biscuits – repeats false information already debunked elsewhere
Five biscuits – truly outrageous reporting with catastrophic results
***
Never less that 2-biscuit lapdoglets: VandeHei, Steno Sue
Steady diet of 3-biscuit fare: Limbaugh, Hannity, O’Reilly
Leading the league in 4-biscuit baggers: Deb Howell, Victoria Toensing
The High Five Biscuit Queen: Judy Judy Judy
***
then you’ve got the really dangerous ones like Russert and Matthews, who throw in just enough zero-biscuit action to lull the viewers into a false sense of security, just in time to blind them with a freshly baked biscuit crust pie in the face
Can we slot in Helen Thomas’s new book sometime this summer?
Many thanks for this puncture of Tim Russert–may he rot in hell. Bush is on a downhill slide–20 at least.
The flu vaccine you want is RELENZA folks. Just remember “relief” plus “influenza” equals RELENZA.
I have asked my doctor to prescribe me some to keep on hand.
aReader – truth is stranger, etc.
Really don’t mean to demean any “liberals” or “leftists,” or “progressives,” or whatever we’re calling ourselves today, but Eric Boehlert is one of these amazing writers/bloggers who doesn’t know the difference between “then” and “than.”
Two days in a row, he had an “if…then” sentence and wrote “if…than.”
I’m supposed to buy a book by this guy?
Every nerdy computer jock knows it is “if…then.” It’s what the whole computer age is about; yet authors can’t get it together?
Eric Boehlert might by more successful THAN I, but I don’t understand why; IF he is such a great writer, THEN he should know the difference between THAN and THEN.
Jesus, how low do we have to set the bar?
With a Rove plus ??? indictment(s) this Fri. any polling post 5/12 will be 25% JAR or below.
http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm
The DISapprove measure went to 60% range in late Feb. And hasn’t really moved much.
Lapdogs Earning 5 Biscuits by Omission:
NYT, Time & WaPo are co-winners of the 2004 Biscuit Bake Off for NOT writing articles about Plame investigation facts that they had in their possession, while reporting, as news, statements by Bush & McClellan which they knew to be bald-faced lies, thus altering the results of the presidential election.
Likewise NYT for withholding its illegal wiretap story until after the election.
Lighten up, dms. Jane can’t spell merde but you read her. Did ya shoot the guy a quick comment to fix it? No? “Than” STFU.
Might I propose a book for Bush library in the vein of “Would you like a book for Xmas. No, I already have one.”
With apologies to Clinton’s book cover designer-
Book
dms, sorry, that scans kinda harsh.
I have the craziest excuse for not reading.
I quit smoking and the two habits went together…smoke a cigarette on the back porch, read my book.
Now, I can’t finish the book I was reading last week.
I may have to leave home and hole up in the library just to read! Me, a 5-book-a-week reader.
This really sucks.
looseheadprop: If the Hayden nomination tanks and they are back at Fragos-Townsend, here is a link to an old USNEWS&WORLD Report article fwiw – has alphas and omegas and I have no clue although reading that Judge Lamberth said his lost confidence in her and that there were dozens of “truthy” FBI warrant apps under her supervision doesn’t make me feel hugely reassured, but then, the two non-politician heroes here don’t always make me feel hugely reassured either ?????
I was on a conf call today where there was wrangling and one of the lawyers said he’d come up with language to make everyone happy. I had to tell him I easily agreeable, but hard to make happy and he decided to lower his expectations.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/n…..wnsend.htm
New Froomkin, only thing at WP worth reading …
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..00879.html
Such a deal at Amazon – Lapdog and Patriot for $30.
dms – either that or he needs a new editor.
From Jesus’ General:
Monday, May 08, 2006
Wounded in action
“Earlier today (Sunday), I was fighting islamicommunistfacism by placing a new yellow ribbon magnet on my command vehicle when I fell, breaking my wrist. I waited until about 7PM before I decided I’d better see a doctor. Now, it’s almost 11, and I’m just now returning. Between the Vicodin and the lateness of the hour, I won’t be posting tonight. I apologize for that….”
Biscuits?
http://tinyurl.com/j2cdc
Re: approve/disapprove
Do we need a caveat that some of the disapprove are people who think he hasn’t destroyed the country enough through faith based bombings and “quick – eat the Constitution so it doesn’t fall into enemy hands” responses?
Or do most of those 65 just think: Disaster, thy earthly name be W.
feinstein, in response to tweety’s question about the necessity of a director of national intelligence to oversee the multitude of intel agencies, replied she didn’t want ’someone rearranging chairs on the titanic’.
probably not the best metaphor … lol.
Did anybody see Ray McGovern on Lou Dobbs just now? Wow! Lots of great, straightforward stuff – don’t want to paraphrase too much and screw it up so I’ll wait for the transcript and post it as soon as it comes up (CNN is usually pretty fast).
One thing he did say was that the nomination of Gen. Hayden makes him sad because Hayden, as head of the NSA before 9/11 had always stood fast on the laws/principles of no spying on Americans. But when BushCo told him to implement the plans for a new spying/wiretap on Americans program that bypassed both the FISA court and Congress, he (illegally) succumbed to their pressure and acquiesced.
McGovern says the General had an obligation to tell them that he could not obey an illegal order yet he laid down for BushCo, knowing it was totally illegal.
McGovern said that when Bush called Hayden “a man of integrity” he meant that he is a man who does what he is told by the administration.
This is completely OT, but Lieberman (with Cornyn) proposed some appalling legislation: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05…..ref=slogin
It’s not appalling in itself (though certainly problematic), since it’s about making federally funded scholarship available at no cost to the public, but look at the rationale: “Not everybody has a library next door. I don’t mean to be flippant about it, but this gives access to anybody,” said Donald Stewart, a spokesman for Senator Cornyn.
This is flabbergasting in the context of “In Connecticut, it shouldn’t take more than a short ride to get to another hospital.” Apparently Lieberman is more concerned that the public can read about, say, emergency contraception in scientific journals than about making sure they can obtain it in hospitals.
anon 43, thanks for the link – Froomkin points out this gem from Bild’s GWB interview: “And he referred to the Oval Office as ‘a shrine to democracy. And we treat it that way. When people walk in here, they — they don’t come in here in bathing suits and flip-flops. They come in here dressed like they’d come to a shrine.’”
Trex, you don’t need to panic unless you have unprotected sex with chickens. Calling Senator Santorum?
If there is no human-to-human transmission, there is NO EPIDEMIC. Unless you are a chicken. There has been no human-to-human transmission anywhere in the world. Ignore press stories of “possible” h-to-h transmission. Propaganda: it’s hard work!!
Rumsfeld made $5,000,000 from avian flu vaccine. Just a coincidence I’m sure :)
October surprise: the first “death from avian flu,” a completely fact-free incident. Regular flu killed **35,000** people this year, did we panic/call out the National Guard/federalize all situations/cancel the elections? No.
BTW there are several kinds of avian flu, have seen newspaper reports of OOH SCARY avian flu here in the U.S. But unless it is “51″ H5N1 then not to worry. Unless you’re chicken.
Between Feingold reading the Constituion, Wilkerson’s oped strolling back to the Common law and the Magna Carta and McGovern willing to call an illegal order what it is —
I think we may be able to survive being turned to salt.
mommybrain: I found that same deal at Amazon over the weekend (Lapdog and Patriot) and ordered both, along with Crashing the Gates and a couple others – can’t wait for them to get here.
Wish I had thought at the time to pass the information on, but I spaced it. Thank you for doing it. Yeah, good deal.
Margot 41, needing oral fix to read books, what about lollipops? Drinks thru a straw? Finger at the corner of your mouth? Eating raisins or other tiny food? Good luck getting back to your reading fix.
op99 50, jeebus. I mean yeah, I would be a little awed entering the Oval Office, but with Bush you can’t help but get the feeling that he’s all about basking in the reflected glory.
Leslie in CA, lol, after I had hit “submit”, I thought, “damn, I shoulda ended it with “Jeebus”". Great minds and all.
Wingnut Holocaust over at Drudge,
Drudge is running the headline:
Murdoch to host Hillary Clinton fundraiser.
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash8.htm
This goes along the lines of my Fox friends assertion that Murdoch was going to support Hillary.
-GSD
but with Bush you can’t help but get the feeling that he’s all about basking in the reflected glory.
a brief clip of fredo in the oval office caught that friggin run he’s so proud of and it reminded me of a sunburst-type image you see as the backdrop in a picture of jesus. he is fucking insane; i wonder what the secret service agents detailed to him think. or maybe i don’t, cause i’m sure they’ve all been vetted as reliable fundamentalists.
56 was me. “Reflected glory”, hell, I think he’s got a divine right of presidents thing going on.
Jane, when I’m on Amazon.com’s site and ready to purchase a book from our club list, is there something required in order to give Firedoglake credit for my purchase? Is there something I can do on my Amazon accunt so all my purchases from Amazon give credit to FDL?
Remember this?
In October 2001, press reports revealed that White House staff had been on a regimen of the powerful antibiotic Cipro since the September 11th terrorist attacks. Judicial Watch is aggressively pursuing the disclosure of the facts and the decision for White House staff, and President Bush as well, to begin taking Cipro nearly a month before anthrax was detected on Capitol Hill.
could we use the great minds here at firedog to start compiling questions for us to ask hayden please?
we can’t leave it up to the democrats, they won’t come up with the right questions
this is important
This goes along the lines of my Fox friends assertion that Murdoch was going to support Hillary.
follow the money. rupert is nothing but about money (and they’ve been getting cozy for a while; rupert was an attendee at bill clinton’s big policywonkfest a few months ago); and wall street is bailing on the republicans. no doubt, that’s why the tax policy they are determined to pass is only targeted to the uber-rich. kevin drum has the ugly details.
http://www.sploid.com/news/200…..n_amer.php
Lots of little bits about Goss for those of us leaning towards unofficial (as opposed to “official”) conspiracy theories.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00125.htm
And then there’s Hayden and Abramoff:
===The 2001 Contract to Privatize NSA’s Surveillance Systems
In 2001 Verizon, along with CACI (a defense contractor shepherded by Abramoff that heavily contributed to the GOP), was awarded part of a multi-billion dollar NSA contract to privatize the NSA’s information technology systems, capabilities that were then used by the Bush Administration to carry out illegal domestic spying. This massive privatization of NSA was shepherded by its Director at the time, Gen. Hayden. As part of that ten-year program, code-named Project Groundbreaker, NSA surveillance systems continue to be developed, operated and maintained by private sector IT companies.===
Also http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/25/132559/979
In reference to the reported Republican hub-bub surrounding the appointement of Genital Hymen(General Hayden) to head the CIA, I am starting to smell a funk emanating from the Dept. of Rovian Obfuscation.
I just read that Denny(’s) Hastert has signaled he may vote against General Fudd(General Hayden).
This may be the “Republican moment of scripted independence” in order to give the wilting asses in Congress a small victory to say–’See we ain’t no rubber stamps’.
I am not convinced of it, but it is starting to give me a little bit of pause.
-GSD
in the left column at FDL, in a box announcing the Book Club, one can click through to Amazon to order. I assume that the site-owners are getting a small commission on each sale? Purchasing through the FDL site will mean FDL gets ‘credit’ for the order…
curious in central Texas 60, click through from the Amazon thingy in the right margin. Jane, I’m also curious as to what all y’all get a piece of. If it’s everything, let us know, and you’ll be our doorway to Amazon.
Mary 42 re: lowered expectations.
After reading the scathing ‘briefs’ you’ve posted in these parts,I’m sure the other conf call party was wise in his decision.
There’s a quote about early computer hackers (early programmers at MIT, etc).
“Dealing lightning with both hands.” Like using the keyboard to attain magical results. Effecive, sharp, no wasted ‘bits’ and ‘elegantly designed’.
Applies to things you post here, too.
Question for Hayden: Have you ever played poker at the Watergate Hotel?
me to me –
#62
Good idea. Although I don’t consider myself one of the “great minds” and don’t really know enough to take part, Mary for one is someone I’d nominate to ruminate on the best questions.
I’d also suggest connecting with Glenn Greenwald — he must have a few choice ideas.
curious in central Texas says:
May 8th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
If you click on to Amazon by way of the FDL ad, a reference to FDL will appear somewhere in the address at the top of the screen.
CCmask,
Judicial Watch has come around to be a thorn in the ass of Bush too.
They have lots of atonment for their Clinton assaults, this is certainly a step in the right direction.
As to the nut of the story. Sure is mighty interesting, there hasn’t been any such scare since.
-GSD
op99 59, yeah, there are undeniable indications of a Messianic complex. All the scarier, that. But I think it extends beyond the “merely” political or even the “merely” religious to any kind of reflected glory W can get his hands on — e.g., the flight suit stunt, etc. It’s all of a piece.
I think that even more important than (then? :)) a JAR in the 20’s is a JDR of 70%.
Bring. It. On.
Mom, *ilson and I gave conflicting help at 66 & 67, can you settle it?
GSD says:
May 8th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
The House is not involved with confirming Presidential nominees.
ccmask 69, “or the Westin?”
op99 -
You and Wilson might both be right; someone else may know more about this.
Boo! Be afraid! 9/11! Iraq! Iran! Brown people! Chickens dying!
We need to declare martial law and cancel the elections! Or not.
Just caught the very end of poolboy on Tweety but it sounded like he was spinning for Luskin the line that Rove is not going to be indicted – at least he seemed sure that Luskin “truly believes” that to be true.
Waddya all think about that?
BKNY,
I am sure more than once Bush has been alone in the office and has stood right in the middle of the “ray of God’s light-Pickles designed” rug and has had a Blues Brothers moment–just like at the Baptist Church where James Brown as Reverend Cleophus James was sermonizing.
Rev: “Do you see the light? Do you see the light?”
Bush: “Yes, yes! I have seen the light. Jesus H. Tap-Dancing Christ, I have seen the light!”
-GSD
Mrs. K8, I saw your comment a few threads back about your pup, but haven’t caught up with you since then. I’m so sorry, and sending good thoughts and prayers to both of you.
Hi Fitzoids!
If Russert sat on the facts, those poor facts are smashed & flattened like Wile E. Coyote on a canyon wall.
Margot 41 – congrats on quitting! I’m trying. You’ll figure out something on the reading.
GSD 65
Does Hastert get a vote? He’s House. I thought this was a Senate only confirmation. Am I ‘misinformed’?
Leslie in CA 73, remember those shots of Clusterfuck at a podium with the lighting giving him a halo?
fitzmas is cancelled . . . john fund told me so!
Has anyone seen this?As a father of an autistic boy this fills me with total fury
http://www.oregonlive.com/prin…..amp;coll=7
can’t even say any more…..fuck it
Big House members like Hastert can weigh in on large issues…
Sharkbabe, Fitzoids? Gee, I dunno . . . sounds like a medical condition or something. Of course, we are a pain in the patootie to any number of people, so maybe it’s appropriate. ;)
ccmask 61, the original plan was for the anthrax “attack” to come immediately after the 9/11 “attack” so that’s why White House and other truly important people were taking Cipro during September.
Will be interested to learn why they didn’t go ahead with the anthrax “attack” right away.
SP,
One need not vote to express dissatisfaction with the Prez. in order to set up an “independant” false flag. Bush gets his nominee, pathetic Repubs get to say..I didn’t support the Prez’s choice…No one gets hurt that way.
All the more reason to be suspect of Hoekstra and Denny(’s) Hastert chiming in with negative comments.
Also, does not the Senate get lumped in with “congress” when talking about the whole legislative institution?
-GSD
egregious says:
May 8th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Martial law = unjustified declaration of national emergency? Might such a declaration require Congressional approval? What Federal statutes, other than 50 USC 1601 through 1650 (the National Emergencies Act), provide any information about this subject?
Cancel elections? That, of course, would be unprecedented.
Question for “Sterling” Hayden: “Do you own stock in Verizon?”
op99 85, oh yes I do. They were creepy and infuriating at the same time.
I read about a third of “Crashing the Gates” today and found it to be impressive.
Hi Sharkbabe. I don’t wanna be a Fitzoid either, my first thought was “hemorrhoid”.
Here’s part of the Ray McGovern transcript from Lou Dobbs (Kitty Pilgrim sitting in for Dobbs). It starts out talking about McGovern’s altercation with Rummy, goes further into the case for war, then moves on to Hayden:
PILGRIM: You’re not shy about giving an opinion, so I’m going to ask you what you think today about General Michael Hayden to head the CIA.
MCGOVERN: Well, it’s saddens me, frankly. I don’t know Mike Hayden, but I do know his career. He was head of the National Security Agency, and he enjoyed quite a bit of popularity and respect there. Why? Because he emphasized the 11th commandment of NSA, thou shalt not eavesdrop on Americans.
Now, comes 9/11, everything changed, how many times have you heard that? The president and the vice president said we’re going to develop a new program, and we’ll monitor American citizens but we’re not going to Congress or the courts about it, can you just womp (ph) up the program and we’ll do it without the respects to the FISA laws of 1978.
Now, as a uniformed military officer he should have known that he was bound not to obey an illegal order. He should have said Mr. Vice President and Mr. President, with all due respect, that’s an illegal order. I will not fulfill it, reassign me, but I can’t do it. Instead, total power corrupts totally, and when you’re that close to power — I know how it feels, OK? And he said, OK, if that’s what you want. So he reversed all the ethos that the NSA has religiously aspired to, and now he won’t tell us about the program.
He’s exactly the wrong case. It’s not that he wears the uniform, it is that he has dubious integrity. The president says he has impeccable credentials. What the president means is he’ll do what he’s told.
The interview starts about 3/4 of the way down the page – be sure to read the whole interview about WMDs and such – great!
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA…..dt.01.html
Leslie, thanks!
We’re giving her a supplement which one of my doctors (a serious board-certified guy with a good rep) suggested for anyone with cancer: organic germanium.
Granted, this is not my doc’s field (he’s a surgeon, not an oncologist), but he advised his electrician (the guy rewiring his house) to give large doses of the stuff to his wife who had (Stage 3? Stage 4? can’t remember now) ovarian cancer and was given a “death sentence” prognosis. This woman is one of the few women anywhere to now be completely cancer-free. Her doctors “can’t explain it.”
In Japan, organic germanium is used to treat cancer. So, we’re trying it. There are no known side effects, so we figure it can’t hurt.
Pupster is scheduled for surgery the end of the month — to remove the one affected anal sac, and pull her broken tooth at the same time. I’m angling to get her in sooner for an ultrasound of the local pelvic lymph glands, since anal sac adenocarcinoma spreads quickly during the VERY early stages.
Thanks for asking, and many thanks for the prayers! Can’t begin to express how much we love her, but then anyone with a beloved pet will know what I mean.
everhopeful says: “Waddya all think about that?”
May 8th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Three possibilities readily come to mind: (1) It’s spin; (2) It’s a smokescreen; (3) Karl entered into a plea agreement contingent upon his full cooperation with Team Fitz.
The elections in 2006, and just as importantly in ‘08, will, like it or not, depend in large measure on how the press views the situation. The media likes a winner. Don’t we all? The coming elections it would appear, are more winnable by the Democtats than at anytime since since LBJ won in a lanslide. The problem seems to be that so far the the Democratic prospects have not caught fire, with perhaps the exception of Senator Clinton. The press likes a fight. And it seems that everytime I turn around there is an article about Senator Hillary Clinton being the front runner, and indeed having a lock on the nomination. The senator from New York is a polarizing politician within her own party. So it stands to reason, as is being reported, that she would be a very divisive candidate in the general elections. There are certainly better candidates than Clinton. Candidates who stand for something and are not playing the same political and press games that Clinton and McCain are consumed with. Feingold and Gore come readily to the fore. I think, for their own selfish motives, the media, especially the MSM would like nothing better than to see a Clinton/McCain match-up. Let’s deny those guys (the press) the chance to report on two un-statesman pols like Hillary and John Mccain in 2008. Democrats need to find candidates who are willing to take chances, say what they think, stand up for what they believe, and above all, tell us the truth. Otherwise we might just have to choose between two rather unsavory characters: McCain and Clinton. There’s just not that much light shining between these guys when it comes to principles. McCain vs. Clinton in 2008? What a nightmare. What a depressive thought.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01…..38;emc=rss
===Bush Sees No Need for Law to Approve Eavesdropping
By ELISABETH BUMILLER
[]He (BUSH) said that after the Sept. 11 attacks he had asked people like Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden, then the director of the National Security Agency and now the principal deputy director of national intelligence, to come up with plans to protect against terrorist attacks.
“And so he came forward with this program,” Mr. Bush said. “In other words, it wasn’t designed in the White House; it was designed where you expect it to be designed, in the N.S.A.”
Mr. Bush took issue with a questioner who asked why he felt the need to circumvent the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which requires court warrants for wiretaps.
“Wait a minute,” Mr. Bush said. “That’s a — there’s something — it’s like saying, you know, ‘You’re breaking the law.’ I’m not.” He said that the surveillance act “was written in 1978″ and that now “it’s a different world.”===
OT: organic germanium? germanium is a basic element like iron or copper or uranium — doesn’t a substance have to have carbon with it to be an organic compound? I smell whiffs of laetrile here … or compounds to keep snakes from getting rusty…
“Wait a minute,†Mr. Bush said. “That’s a — there’s something — it’s like saying, you know, ‘You’re breaking the law.’ I’m not.†He said that the surveillance act “was written in 1978″ and that now “it’s a different world.â€===
7-Eleven changed everything.
*ilson –
It’s my understanding that organic germanium is present in food, but in very tiny amounts. There’s a scientist in Japan who discovered, some decades ago, how to make an organic form in a way that wouldn’t be too prohibitively expensive. He runs a research institute there, and there are new trials being conducted here in the US, but to my knowledge they have yet to be completed. Back in the eighties there were stories of people who had kidney damage from germanium, but in each instance the person was taking an inorganic form, which is toxic.
Would be happy to provide links at a later time, but I have to get ready to leave for physical therapy.
Stephen Parrish #99: I sure hope it’s (1) or (2) – only only only if Rove’s given up both Chimpy and Cheney, as well as the whole WHIG, should he go unindicted – and not even then – maybe more “lightly” indicted…
woohoo — shuster just said on countdown that he’s convinced rove will be indicted.
Margot #41
The library sounds like a great idea.
Sending you lots of moral support.
You CAN do it.
And it IS worth it.
At the risk of being EPU’d, I share this lengthy comment:
I’m still talking about Crashing the Gate, even if noone else is. I’m still talking about it because it specifically addresses this speech, a speech that makes me cry every time I read it. This is the speech that moved me to become politically active for the first time in my life.
The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) went after the Democrat who gave this speech, targeted them in the same way that the Republicans target Democratic candidates. For this reason I will never support anything that comes directly from the DLC; they do not represent the Democratic Party or the democratic process. And I will never vote for Hillary Clinton, a member of the DLC leadership team, if I have another Democratic candidate from which to choose.
This must be fixed; the Democratic Party cannot be subordinate to the interests of corporate money, as the DLC is, if it is to be the party of the people, a truly differentiated choice over the Republican party. I will never forgive the DLC for what they did to our chances in 2003-2004; I lay the failures of the Bush Adminstration during the last two years in part at their feet, for failing us as surely as as this administration has, for their attack on the democratic process.
Some of you know very well who gave this speech; don’t mention the name, let the others here unfamiliar do their homework and read Crashing the Gates to get to the bottom of this story.
And pollster Penn, who counseled Hillary that the netroots are irrelevant, has much to learn about us; we are wired, well-educated, we’re locked and loaded, and we do not forget.
And Schuster’s rationale is that they have researched every single case where Fitz used “Offiicial A” in another person’s indictment, and 100% of the time, A was indicted later.
Sounds like a good track record for Fitz to me.
Yeah, Shuster seems really convinced. He also gave a time frame of “two weeks”.
*ilson –
Do have time to give THIS much, now. The form of germanium we take, as labeled on the bottle is this:
Bis-Beta Carboxyethyl Germanium Sesquioxide
That’s Greek to me, but for someone with chemistry background, maybe it helps.
ccmask at 4:45 pm – Question for Hayden: Have you ever played poker at the Watergate Hotel?
Are you trying to make Mrs. Hayden cry?
time to plan the Fitzo de Mayo party!
In addition to Amazon, I respectfully submit that http://www.Powells.com has Lapdogs available for $25.00. It is $16.50 at Amazon. Powells is a blue company and Amazon is a huge red one. When buying books online, I try to support Powells, even if the cost is higher, because I do not want to support fascism. I understand that one’s personal finances are personal. I offer this gentle suggestion as an alternative to those who are able to and wish to support a company that supports democrats and/or progressive values instead of Amazon, which strongly supports republicans. I have no financial interest in Powell’s Books. I feel (as others do) that any dollars not spent with big red and are spent in the other direction are helpful (and have a net double economic impact).
hi all- just checking in and catching up… watching a re-run of negroponte presser. boy what i ewouldn’t give to see a front page tell all in the NYT starting, “At the time Mr. Negroponte was in Honduras, Honduras was a military dictatorship. Kidnapping, rape, torture and executions of dissidents was rampant. …” He makes my skin crawl.
everhopeful says:
May 8th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
I should have mentioned that he would have to give up one or more people in exchange for a plea deal.
Now if it turns out that he is indicted, as bkny reports just below your most recent post, that brings us back to options (1) and (2) mentioned upthread.
Shuster on Countdown, speculates Rove will be indicted because (1) 5 GJ appearances, (2)hasn’t been told he won’t be, and one would have expected that by now, and (3)Rove was “official A” and Fitz has a practice/history with “official A” types. No new evidence.
On Hardball, my least favorite reporter (3-4 biscuits)John Fund, claims Rove will not be indicted and reminds us that Joe Wilson has no credibility – which Ignatius does not take the trouble to dispute. But Matthews insists the broader issue is the Administration’s efforts to go after someone who revealed they lied getting us into war, and that will be the issue the public gets. Quien sabe?
Leslie 89 and op99- yeah, “oids” not so good – didn’t even think of it
OT and speaking of derrieres – this link was posted over at the Fables of the Reconstruction blog. It is quite possibly the funniest video I have ever seen in my life. NOT work safe, kid safe, easily shocked-safe or humor-impaired safe. It destroys what should be a sleazy/porny premise with total lighthearted cleverness. It made me laugh all day. Hi-speed recommended.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWZo3UBVJZA
KO asked David Shuster if he agrees with poolboy that Fitz’ case against Rove has narrowed considerably – Shuster says maybe – but that prosecutors many times tell the defense attorney only as much as they have to and that Fitz may have a whole lot of other evidence (stuff that didn’t come up in Rove’s last GJ appearance) that would make the case against Rove a lot bigger than what Rove’s attorney knows about. Hmmmm…
Margot 41 and totally CONGRATS for quitting smoking. You rock. Keep us posted. It’s gotta be hard. Any ideas from fdl former smokers?
re: 118
maybe you should be directing that question to Scooter & Karl
hackworth at 114, FDL gets some love from amazon if you click through from this site. From Powells they get bupkus. Let’s not cut off our nose (FDL) to spite our face (Amazon).
hackworth,
Been a Powells customer since the days I lived in Portland (been on the right coast for 10 years now). Still order from them. It should have it’s own zip code!
But I got an e-mail from Salon to renew my subscription and they are throwing in a copy of Lapdogs and a year of Rolling Stone to boot! Wouldn’t have thought twice about wanting RS until that great cover with the chimper in a dunce cap “Worst President Ever.”
Not 9-11, the Bush selection changed everything.
Since Dumbya’s inauguration we’ve been catastrophically attacked while Bushie vacationed, he’s shown his adolescent rebelliousness thru over 750 signing statements–statements of intent to violate laws, he’s decidered invasion by deceit of a sovereign nation, plus wanton destruction of the CIA, checks and balances, the nation’s checkbook, the seniors’ healthcare…..fiddled while a landmark American city and coastline drowned…the list is endless….
As the MN 5th District Democratic-endorsed candidate Keith Ellison noted his father taught him…any jackass can tear down a barn, it takes a carpenter to build it up. [Today’s Strib]
The ultimate carpenter was Jesus, and he must be appalled by the jackasses at work in government leadership destroying our “God-given” Democracy.
cbl (10) – Thanks much!! Don’t be surprised if I come to you for more answers like that one! Any chance the cost transfer between divisions was fishy?
Mary (25) – thanks, I caught that at RawStory, too; only problem is, well, Dems asking the questions once again. The Repugs have absolutely no interest in cleaning house even if they bought it and live in it.
sharkbabe 118. BWAHAHA, forward it to that sellout Wonkette. She used to brag about taking up the ass before she went all mainstream.
Americablog has Breaking News:
http://americablog.blogspot.co…..n-may.html
I’m reading Lapdogs. It’s great. But I can only take a chapter at a time because I get so angry. What really makes me angry is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the media persons (I won’t call them journalists) who actually read this cogent and impeccably sourced book will get defensive and somehow make it out to be “bloggish”, notwithstanding that it’s published in print.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being bloggish. After all, it wasn’t liberal blogs that got this incompetent embarrassment elected.
But it’s a very good book. Just take some blood pressure medicine first (or, failing that, a shot of whisky).
Rayne,
don’t forget who’s tops at the DLC now,the same one that gave that speech.
From Raw Story:
MSNBC reporter live on air: ‘I am convinced Karl Rove
will be indicted’…. More soon….
Been a busy day and I know the fish topic was covered… but did anybody read the entire Bush interview with that German weekly?
It is the most painful thing I’ve ever read. The leader of the “free world” talking like he’s interviewing for a chance to go to a private junior high school. Seriously, it’s dark.
And so –the other thing I want you to know about me is that no matter how pressurized it may seem, I’m not changing what I believe. Now, I may change tactics, but I’m not going to change my core beliefs — a belief that freedom is universal, or the belief that private markets work, a belief in ownership — when p own something, society is better off; a belief that there’s a role for government, but it’s limited in nature. And I’m not changing. I don’t care whether they like me at the cocktail parties, or not. I want to be able to leave this office with my integrity intact.
That’s George Washington, the first President, of course. The interesting thing about him is that I read three — three or four books about him last year. Isn’t that interesting? People say, so what? Well, here’s the “so what.” You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you’re gone. If they’re still analyzing the presidency of George Washington — (laughter.) So Presidents shouldn’t worry about the history. You just can’t. You do what you think is right, and if you’re thinking big enough, that history will eventually prove you right or wrong. But you won’t know in the short-term.
Lincoln — this is the place on the Oval Office wall where the President puts the most — the best President, and I put Lincoln here, and I don’t think there’s any question — now, people will have their — but I think he was the most influential President ever. And the reason why is because that in the midst of a difficult presidency, needless to say — the Civil War, thousands of people dying, with Americans killing Americans — he had a vision of a United States. It’s conceivable this country would have ended up being two countries had he not had a clear vision, even though all around him was seemingly falling apart. He was a great President.
DMM (129) — Umm, no. Check the DLC website.
The initials you were looking for are DNC — and the DLC is NOT happy with the DNC these days.
new thread – new weeds
Stephen Parrish at 92–martial law/cancel elections…There is some new procedure approved after 9/11 (by Congress?) that Congress can be dissolved/overlooked in the event of a national emergency, ‘emergency’ to be defined by ??? and then government only by the executive. Of course one can argue we already have exclusive decision-making by the executive with signing statements and War Powers, despite there being no declaration of War. Even Gonzales admitted ‘we are not at war.’
Help me out here folks. What is the Terrorism Emergency legislation that permits the executive branch to ignore Congress and do whatever it wants?
In the last couple years iirc the succession to the Presidency has changed as well, to include Homeland Security. [/tinhat off]
Heil!
egregious 120 – I’ve been a whole day without a smoke! Wellbutrin (aka zyban) has been excellent for making cigs taste & feel really harsh crappy and boring. After psyching myself for some days and ceasing more and more to enjoy smoking, it hasn’t been all that hard so far.
It also helps to have a crush on a nonsmoker you’re angling for some kissing with :)
Sorry,my bad
Sharkbabe,Thanks-I was in a really crappy mood,that worked it all loose.ROTFLMAO
brkily 115, Even the name is scary sounding. Under Raygun, scary bastard and Head Chief El ‘ponte trained (and equipped) dirt poor Hondurans to slaughter dirt poor Nicaraguans. It was f**king lovely. Then there was that nun/priest slaughter. El Salvador caved and became a lapdog right wing outfit. Costa Rica continues to try to “deal” with the US (pay off huge debt). South American countries are now getting wise and are figuring out that the US only wants to F*** them. Good thing for them we are so bogged down and preoccupied in the ME, otherwise we’d have Pat Robertson on their asses, amping up the war rhetoric by calling them wicked communists.
egregious says:
May 8th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
If I’m not mistaken, the new procedure you mentioned might be a contingency plan for truly catastrophic events – but I don’t think that it has become law. This was mentioned on one of the threads some weeks ago.
Let’s give this more thought – now it’s time to move on to the new thread.
egregious,
Those were/are executive orders authorizing FEMA to set up a federal government in the event of an emergency.
Might be legislation too
KO’s worst person tonight?-the same recruter in the story that pissed me off tonight
http://www.oregonlive.com/prin…..amp;coll=7
egregious (134) — check the text of The Read ID Act. Yeah, it’s law.
Relenza – Tamiflu has proven to be among the least effective anti-viral for H5N1
Rayne (141) at 5:53 pm -
Here’s more about the Real ID act: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REAL_ID_Act
egregious — oops, forgot to point out the real damage is in Sect. 102; says which parties have authority, to what extent, and says no judicial review.
Ugh. I want this bill to be on the top of the Hit List when a Dem majority is back in power.
Rayne: Applause.
Blank Kludge: Will you write my eulogy? *g* I’m not half that scarey (he was laughing when he said it) but I do want to keep the compliment, even if it doesn’t fit.
Thanks for the trancript info everhelpful – I bet ET heard him saying some of the things he started with on Dobbs – about Hayden’s original reputuation – but not the follow up.
I have a hard time understanding how Rove doesn’t get indicted, but who knows? What would be interesting is Hadley getting a target letter or indicted while he is making the Hayden sales pitch.
Would that make the pitch a spit ball or a split finger?
Wow, you guys are amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a thread where the “don’t feed the trolls” directive was actually followed. (re: 35 & 38)
egregious,
I’m sure Real ID is a part of it but this might be the meat and potatoes of it all
REX 84
Question for Hayden: Have you ever played poker at the Watergate Hotel?
Even if he wasn’t physically there, he was probably there in spirit. BushCo having it’s clusterhead in the . . . whatever.
I am really bummed I don’t have my Crashing the Gate book yet. I ordered it on Amazon along with Neil Young CD and the Glenn Greenwald title. I could not resist the super-savings S&H, order together get both for $32, etc. Now I have to wait it seems until May 23-30. Such is the life of a cheapskate like me.
Margot 41: You can do it! I quit 12 years ago for the *last* time, after quitting 20 times before that. It sucks now, but it will feel better with time. You absolutely rock! Keep going.
Mount Weather
Margot and egregious, quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I’ve done, but I promised my mom I would do it. I presumed that as soon as a crisis arrived, I’d start again, since I’d tried and failed so often.
Well, my mom died and much to my surprise, I kept my promise to her. I had the same prob as you, Margot, and was the same type of reader – easily 5 books a week. My secret weapon? Sunflower seeds.
The kind in the shells; the shelled kind takes all the fun out of it. Your lips will swell, blood pressure will rise, no doubt, from all the salt, but you will be so happily occupied turning pages and cracking seeds you won’t care. I returned to reading (tho not for a while) until my son was born. now, I rarely can read more than 3 uninterrupted pages – but I don’t care.
I have 2 question’s relating to elements of style. While I grok that blogs are the new books here’s my problem…I like to absorb quiet understated sharply pointed and deadly snark… yet when it comes to contributing and pitching in with my writing’s to the narrative I find that I tend to ‘broadcast’ loud aggressive bombastic over-the-top and trebucheted rhetoric – Is this wrong with a capital ‘ W ‘? Or is it ‘ what-ever turns you on’?
Prof. Rat, Here’s my two cents. I noticed everyone has different commenting styles. Some are slightly academic. Some are quirky. Norske flamethrower always has a capitol letter motto at the end. It’s good that you stay you. That’s my two cents. Staying you is democracy. I like your comments actually.I wouldn’t change Norske or anyone else either supposing I had the option.