FITZZZZZZZZ

Fitz too and two!

Fitz me once and Fitz me twice and Fitz me once again . . .

He is supposedly talking immigration….yeah, riiiight.

Hindenburg!

Fitz today!!

Great timing Bushco. Now that less than 1/3 of the Americans trust the Preznit, he is going to take to the bully pulpit in an attempt to convince “the base” (which is english for Al Qaida) that a guest worker program is a good idea.

that request for prime-time night-time full-network half-hour by the Preznit certainly seems odd — I wonder what’s really up?

“Things are not always what they seem,
sour milk masquerades as cream…”

why do I have the feeling we may have Iran news this weekend …

’spose Fitz snuck in the back door?

The ship may be sinking but they got their tax cuts.

No matter weak Bush appears he keeps getting what he wants. So who wins?

People seem to be celebratory about Fitz, NSA revelations, etc but our country is dead. I definitely don’t feel like celebrating. There is no saving America.

We need to destroy America in order to save it. Grab yer pitchforks.

I prefer this picture . . .

http://science.nasa.gov/headli…..enberg.jpg

good one Christy ! I had a mini spew of my first cup when I saw the news this morning – President ‘Snoop’ Druggy Drunk needs his base something fierce – yet those in the know (try Charlie Cook) seem to think the issue of immigration was the tipping point for any of the last remaining sane so called conservatives

I’m sorry Karl, what was that you said about lifeboats ?

That’s the feeling I got with his emergency presser yesterday… I swear I thought he was gonna pull out the old “major combat operations” thing we have heard before wrt Iran, siun. Could be…

I thought this was a good question from the prior thread:
“xyz says:
May 12th, 2006 at 7:34 am
Okay, it is now 10:30 and the GJ usually starts around 9:30 (so I understand from people here at FDL).
Does that indicate or suggest that it is likely that nothing is happening today w/r/t indictments?
Thanks.”

Definitely getting that feeling. The conservatives I know are posting things like “Chung visited Clinton 49 times!” “Pelosi will ban your guns!”
LOL!~
That’s all they got. Fear and…fear.

EPU’d. May I ask indulgence to repost? I hate to leave people with the impression that I am some kind of troll, as FDL means alot to me, and I thought if folks here knew a little bit about me, they may change their minds. Here goes:

Once again, I was offering a supposition that Fitz could never get at the truth because of lies.

cbl @70- I am a paralegal working exclusively on issues arising out of domestic violence, and have participated in any number of cases that put away child molesters. They all lie (with extremely rare exception)but medical reports don’t lie. I take a backseat to no one on that score.

As for a couple of comments that I am “running scared.â€

You damn right I’m scared. I’m scared the gov’t was listening to a conversation I had with my sister the other day in which she divulged to me some very personal information. I’m scared political dissidents will end up in concentration camps. I’m scared this country is not becoming a dictatorship, but already is one.

But as for running? Hell naw, I won’t go. I live in a town just ten miles north of Mobile, Alabama, a town more full of Bushbots you are never likely to find, and have been a vociferously vocal anti-Bush critic since he first came on the national scene. Everybody in this town who knows me or has come into contact with me knows how I feel. Hell, people who have never even seen me know how I feel, due to the “Impeach!†“No Blood for Oil†and strikethrough “W†bumper stickers on my car. I have had my windshield busted and tires slashed.I’ve been called an atheist (not) a communist (not) a socialist (well, maybe)and a terrorist sympathizer (not) and none of it in a nice way.

Now, people sometimes come up to me and tell me they wished they had listened to me during the ‘04 election, when I was registering everyone in sight and speechifying at the drop of a hat.

I take a backseat to no one on standing up, either.

The press advisory for Libby went up about 10 a.m. last time, so we’re already an hour and a half beyond that — don’t think I need to chill the champaign for today.

and just why do gun nuts assume that those gun background checks are discarded as required by law? Wouldn’t it be useful in a post-9/11 world to know if terrorists are buying guns after getting telephone calls? Just askin’ …

OT but relevant: An excerpt from Michelle Goldberg’s new book Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism is posted over at Salon. Worth a slip through the non-subscriber ad filter.

Rick at 18 — I keep champagne in our fridge at the ready. I figure you never know, and it pays to be prepared. *g*

I hope so. I have yet to talk to anyone today who really cares about the datamining. They figure they don’t have anything to hide, so… I find it very depressing. Someone actually said well if it will help get the terrorist..

siun, imo the first 24 hours after the Rove indictment will be the most important wrt Bushwacking Iran. I suspect Rove/Bush/Cheney would want to use such an unlawful strike to control the news cycle. If we can get through the first 24 hours after the Rove indictment without any cruise missle attacks, I might take a breath or two.
OT OldCoastie, thanks for your response prior thread.

While we are waiting on word regarding the Rove Grand Jury….

http://tinyurl.com/a6erq

^^^ Help Impeach Today ;)

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 :)

wrt to Snow’s first gaggle and in the category of things that makes you go hmmmmmmmmm.
>>>>

One of his first announcements was to further postpone his first on-camera briefing. Expected to be on Monday, Snow said it has been moved back to Tuesday.

And why not?

His boss is giving a speech to the nation Monday night.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…../tony_snow

hee hee i took part in that poll!

Kerry on Cspan2 giving a speech– good so far.

Sunny #17 – I’m with you on the concentration camp worries. It doesn’t take much of a tin hat when Halliburton already has a contract for nearly $.5B to build them here.

Christy at 21,

I keep champagne in our fridge at the ready. I figure you never know, and it pays to be prepared. *g*

Doesn’t everyone? (to clarify, I have a bottle of Sauternes and a bottle of champagne in the fridge …just in case) *g*

C&L has posted a memo from all nine Dem members of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, to other Dems, regarding the NSA programs. Comply with FISA; get a warrant.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

Peace to Sunny @17

Here is a question I would like to see the pollsters ask about spying on domestic telephone calls.

“President Bush says that it helps prevent terrorist attacks if the government analyzes the records of your telephone calls. Do you believe the President?”

Rove’s pushback on USAT is another act of genius. By having ABC run the poll yesterday, before even the afternoon shows had the chance to weigh in, and carefully wording the poll questions, ABC managed to get a 2:1 ratio that Americans weren’t that concerned about Telecom data mining. So now the weekend warriors will have their talking point in hand that America prefers security (just like Bush advocates) over civil rights. Evil genius.

THIS IS NOT A ‘GLITCH’ OR A FLAW, IT IS A DELIBERATE HOLE LEFT IN THE VOTING SOFTWARE TO ALLOW IT TO BE EASILY HACKED.

Bush stole 2 elections and the Rethugs have been stealing Cong elections since 2000. You watch, they will win big in November and EVERYONE (except me) will wonder why.

STORY:

Experts see new Diebold flaw
They call it worst security glitch to date in state’s voting machines and a ‘big deal’

http://www.baltimoresun.com/ne…..-headlines

Computer security experts say they have found the worst security flaw yet in the oft-criticized touch-screen machines that Maryland voters will use in this year’s elections, leaving one computer scientist to warn that the state should have “stacks of paper ballots” on hand in case of a complete Election Day breakdown.

The machines, made by Diebold Elections Systems, are “much, much easier to attack than anything we’ve previously said,” said Avi Rubin, a Johns Hopkins University computer science professor who first cast doubt on the reliability of the technology in a 2003 report.

“On a scale of one to 10, if the problems we found before were a six, this is a 10. It’s a totally different ballgame,” he said.

The new problem is being described as an intentional hole left in the system to allow elections workers to update voting software easily. Instead of using pass codes or other security protocols, anyone with access to a voting machine could install new software that could easily disable a precinct full of machines, Rubin said.

FOLLOW LINK TO READ REST OF STORY.

Also check out:

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com

Has anyone given any thought to the ieda that everything this administration has done is focused on one thing, creating a dictator?

Without the “War” the Shrubs claims of presidental power could not have been made, sooo working back from that what if everything that has happened was conceived by The Schrub and Company to bring about his new superpowers?

And the Democrats are just as guilty as the Republicians, cuz they were right there handing war powers to him for what was truly a criminal offence.

We are such a bright people, so I guess we get what we deserve in the end. Bring on the bread and circuses

beard5 at 29, I’ve been keeping a sixpack of caffeine free diet coke ready in my fridge for 2 years.

oh my goodness Sunny, my apologies if it sounded like you were being accused of being ‘okay with’ molestation – was just making my usual response to those who dismiss obsstruction and perjury as ‘technicalities’. We in Texas have the misfortune of being represented in the Senate by one of those idiots AND as a Texan can relate to being surrounded by now recovering Bushbots

Kerry is ripping the admin for Katrina non recovery and neglect and abuse, fyi.

Off Topic, but curious. I wonder if this NSA was ongoing when that guy (forget exactly, a programmer w/McDermott name?) around Boston a few years back. Christmas eve timeframe. Had a shotgun stashed at his desk or something. Thing is, the ‘official’ story is he got a ‘bad’ phone call that was never really fully described; hung up phone and started the bangbang biz. Being a grassy knoll dweller, that gave me Manchurain style goosebumps, if ya know what I mean? Wonder if a FOIA request might reveal the other end of that call. Just ruminating while hoping for some Fitzinating…

Talk Left has the May 5 transcript

Just got in. Is it Fitzmas Day?

Me3 — have you noticed any change in rate of petition signatures in the last 24 hours?

sunny (#17):

you’re ok, babe. we’re cool with you.

Sunny,
I welcome you. I live in a fairly conservative area of Ohio, about 60 miles from that idiot Parsely’s megachurch. So I hear a lot of bushbot talk. I can go up to a person I’ve always thought was nice and reasonable, express a reasoned opinion about Bush and have them say, “You’re nothing but a Bushbasher!”

The picture says it all. Let’s hope that the ’ship’ goes down with all hands.

My goal has shifted from just Fighting Back! To doing whatever is required to see BushCo in jail. Yep, the chokey is the place for all of them.

Let’s send them there.

Angie-at 27, thanks for the alert. Have it on now. Good speech so far.

BobbyG at 40 — no so far as we’ve heard yet. But we are keeping an ear to the ground.

Christy, when I was in grad school in Philly, my wife and I were in a wineclub, where the finest thing we learned was that you shouldn’t deny yourself champagne (or sparkling wine). Drink it at any and all times, not just special occasions.
It was a great club, met at Jack’s Firehouse (which has awesome food), and was really the anti-snobby wineclub. We learned a lot, and drank some awesome wines. I can say that I have had a 1500$ bottle of wine.

big hug your way, sunny. I’ll admit I am scared too. ;(

Anyone hear anything about Katherine Harris–Republicans have until noon to join her on the butterfly ballots….

EPU’d.

Larry King Live tonight:

“America’s most outrageous talk radio stars speak out on everything from the NSA spying story to the immigration debate.â€

The TV ad showed Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz and I don’t know who else, but should be good.

Last time they were on the show, Randi and Ed were great – blew the socks off of whoever the rightwing hosts were. And the callers were overwhelmingly pro-Randi and Ed’s position. Good way to get the truth out there to the ignorant masses.

BobbyG-That was fast. How was the shoe search?

DJ at 47 — Oooh, LUV Jack’s Firehouse. I served up food to the troops when they came back from the first Gulf War and Philly had that big parade thanking them in 1990. Worked at the Irish Pub on 20th and Walnut and went down on the restaurant’s behalf to help out with food service. The Jack’s Firehouse crew had made huge quantities of paella, and it was really fantastic stuff. Spent the entire day, getting sunburned and hanging out with Jack and the crew, and had a blast. Good memories — thanks, DJ.

No Rove-march until next Friday.

Obfuscatocracy is that a word ?

Did you know….

Bush has not had a PRIME-TIME NewsConference since April 13, 2004….

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..13-20.html

Think about it…

Its been more than two years since he faced questioning at a time that most Americans are able to tune in to…TWO freakin YEARS!!!!!

Since that time

– we have had a Presidential election
– almost 2000 troops have died
– Katrina occured
– Wiretapping scandal
– Rove/Libby indictments
– Energy prices out of control
– Medicare program in shambles
– acts of global terrorism have increased tremendously

It is beyond belief the media has not called him on this…..

This man and his administration are bullying COWARDS!!!!!!!….

They can only bring Bush out to speak with the media during the day when no one is home and when no one is really paying attention…

pathetic

We need David Neiwert from Orcinus to post on this, maybe:
http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm
the 14 points of fascism. I hate that it rings so many bells.

They should absolutely get Bush on teevee, to talk as long as possible about immigration, data mining, the deficit, Iraq, Katrina, Social Security privatization, corruption, port security, pre-emptive nuclear strikes, the Constitution, absolute Executive authority, signing statements and whatever else needs to be addressed.

There is no heavier boat anchor to drag his numbers down than him opening his mouth.

Sunny @ 17…I don’t think you came off as a troll at all…Chalk it up as a mis-understanding…As far as the timing of indictments go, it looks to me (non-lawyer that I am) like this Plame investigation is going to take another 4 years or so until the last perp is nailed…Sounds crazy but I’m betting George W. Bush eventually goes to jail.

http://thismodernworld.com/2887

While Bush’s approval rating is still a bit higher than Nixon’s at a comparable point, his disapproval rating now exceeds or equals that of Nixon’s in every Gallup poll except one. This sole exception is the final poll in July, 1974 just before Nixon left office, when Nixon’s disapproval rating was a single point higher at 66%.

brick status = SHAT

good techie article here.

It’s not a question of ‘phone records’, it’s a question of creating a detailed personal profile of every single citizen in the entire fucking country.

I just don’t buy the ‘people just don’t care’ bullshit polls being pushed. Even the bushbots in my neck of the woods don’t like the idea of cops sticking their noses in their business. If they ever get the correct idea that this is exactly what’s going on here, then look out. There is no bottom for the chimpster.

Blank Kludge,

Mucko McDermott, I believe. I never knew what was the tipping point for him, but. I think that he was wound up already….I thought some of his problems were financial…I thought it was a collection agency or something to that effect.

My high school buddy’s wife used to be a nurse at Cedar Junction—the worst of the worst for Mass.–she used to have to give that big homcidal gorilla his medical check-ups.

She quit that job…..much to my buddies happiness.

-GSD

For some reason its a little too quiet. Everyones holding thier breath. 29% approval and an indicted Rove. Indicted Fletcher. Democrats takeover all but certain in Nov.

You can bet the ranch all hells about to break lose sooner rather than later. Thats just how these folks work. Distraction is the pulse on which fuels the World Famous Karl Rove Magic Show. Unka Karl got secret knowledge and the Colonels super secret 29 herb recipe.

ANd if you have Cingular, and havent already called to tell them to go fuck themselves for whoring our phone records, you should probably do so.

everhopeful @ 50

“blew the socks off of whoever the rightwing hosts “

Hugh “Ground Zero” Hewlett – can be beaten with one synapse tied behind your back

My husband keeps telling me the same thing #11 said, “Bush is getting what he wants”. He and his friends are making a lot of money. They have their voting machines in place. They own the media. Gas will come down before the election because of what he did. Our public education system will be ruined and on and on.
He is not a failure,he is accomlishing his goals.We must understand this in order to fight
and win.

DJ DrZ -

Love your calculus observations on your link site. LOL!!

My wife and I are in a wine club too here in Vegas (Lee’s). I go to these huge tasting events (UNLVino, Splendor in the Glass), drink too much, and always seem to come home with these expensive charity auction item artworks.

Yes, champagne, it’s not just for breakfast any more.

blue eyes at 40 — yep — I’m reading it right now. Good stuff. Should have a post up on it later.

CNN had a poll up earlier asking if people thought the NSA database was creepy or not (I forget the positive term they were using). It was running 2 to 1 for creepy.

One of my friends was wondering if it includes cell and VOIP calls. (It’s my understanding that the more competent terrorists will use disposable cells as being harder to trace.)

I actually hope Fitzmas is postponed at least a week. This NSA story has some serious legs, let’s let it fester for a while, get people riled up. Then add the left hook of a Rove frog march.

Lotta comments over at the WaPo criticizing Richard Morin for polling the latest on NSA spying so quickly, before people had a chance to digest the information. Evidently we aren’t the only one’s who Morin didn’t poll.

ccmask says:
May 12th, 2006 at 8:46 am

…How was the shoe search?
____

Hi. Refresh my memory. I’m havin’ a Senior Moment…

Champagne needn’t be kept in the fridge (I don’t think long term refrigeration benefits it). It can be quickly chilled in an ice bucket at nearly a moment’s notice.

UNREAL! MSNBC under the heading “What’s wrong with Washington?”.. talking with Lawrence O’Donnel about THE WEST WING…good idea…
let’s talk about a fictional presidency while Wasihgton burns.

“Lotta comments over at the WaPo” I should have stipulated, today’s regularly scheduled “online political chat,” not their blog.

Me3 — have you noticed any change in rate of petition signatures in the last 24 hours?

Nearly 4x the previous average rate. It started to pick up actually the day before yesterday (I noticed) – But in the last 36 hours or or… About 4x the previous average rate of petition signers.

Munson at 61:
Good article. It shows that this is more than just collecting numbers called or a regex search of “terrorist” keywords in conversations. When has this administration ever limited the scope of its evil? When has it ever told the truth?

The Titanic has hit the iceberg and is sinking, yet all the repugs keep buying tickets?

Sunny–
Re: not being able to get at the truth because Libby, Rove etc. are lying….
I like to look at it this way: That is exactly WHY Fitz will get at the truth, because they lied. And they will be under very heavy penalty for doing so, and they’ll flip, or others with similar knowledge will flip and the truth will out.
I’m a glass half full person….;-)

lib4 @ 55 –

Bush is going to have a press conference? I thought the Monday Night thingy was a speech. A presser would be suiciderating!!!

ccmak @ 49 –

I’ve thought Jeb was going to get into the Florida Senate Race at the last minute. But with Cruella holding the ace cards on the Stolen Election Criminal Conspiracy, Jebby might just have deciderated to take a job with a Nigerian pump exporter or something.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmp…..nterview_1

Most likely, there will be a “tidal wave” that propels Democrats into the majority, said Murtha. He predicts Democrats will gain 40-50 seats — well more than the 15 needed for the party to gain control.

citizensue @ 73 — and did ya notice Tweety was wearing a brand new suit ? (can’t help it, I’m married to a suit diva)

champagne ….naaa, prosecco here …often!

lib4 – that press conference in ‘04 was perhaps the most bizarre performance W ever gave and I was stunned that the media then said it was great – he was clearly heavily drugged, incoherent much of the time (I mean incoherent for him) and it was truly frightening to watch though moreso when the press folks ignored all that.

CBL: Ohh baby… and me in my second hand Ebay threads.

Is anyone else starting to think that the “Rove may be indicted today” rumor was just to try to distract from the NSA phone scandal? The CNN poll was also a little too convenient for my tastes. And I don’t put much stock in it. An overwhelming majority of Americans are willing to sacrifice other people’s civil liberties at the altar of national security. But I’ll bet that they’re much less willing to sacrifice their own civil liberties. Once people realize that the Administration is spying on ordinary Americans, this program is going to implode.

Oh. My. God. Monday night’s topic? Our worst fears appear ever more likely: Raw Story:

Concern is building among the military and the intelligence community that the US may be preparing for a military strike on Iran, as military assets in key positions are approaching readiness, RAW STORY has learned.

According to military and intelligence sources, an air strike on Iran could be doable in June of this year, with military assets in key positions ready to go and a possible plan already on the table.”

Me3 — thanks; 4X is significant. Would be interesting to know which issues attract the most signing? Do the hosts track reasons?

Monday Speech will be on Immigration — might as well be on puppies and kittens.

GSD

Thanks. Yep, that’s the guy. Right, the call was supposed to be finance related. I’ve still got questions, but the one before us is Fitz.

siun @ 82

In our house we refer to it as The Nyquil Press Conference

don’t know whether it’s my system or not, but refresh is awfully slow for only 90 comments – have been thinking we should have some kind of contingency plan for Rover indictment, regardless of when it happens – have been worried the site traffic could shut the Goddesses down – should I go over to blogger and set something up ?

*54% of Kentuckians want Fletcher to resign.

*Gov. Ed Rendell(D-PA) is now leading Swann by 22% in the latest poll.

*Mike Beebe(D-Arkansas) is leading Asa-hole Hutchinson by 11% points for Gov.

*Gov. Pataki(R-NY) is at 30% approval in latest polls.

*W. Virgina Robert Byrd(D) leading Caputo(R) by 23%.

*Elliot Spitzer is ahead of Republican rivals by the 30 to 40 percent.

*Harold Ford(D-Tenn) is looking weak.

-GSD

talk about dictatorship: bush motorcade pointing rifles at protestors:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyo…..8012/38216

Um, wasn’t his last prime time address right after Katrina? I think it was much more recently than 2004. I can’t imagine that he’s going to talk about immigration, though. It’s a little early for the Iran strike–that’ll be June at the earliest.

If Rove is indicted that will be the day that the Hindenberg crashes into the Titanic.

-GSD

Frank: “…An overwhelming majority of Americans are willing to sacrifice other people’s civil liberties at the altar of national security…”

Exact-a-mundo. “Privacy” is that which we value most highly for OURSELVES and that upon which we cast aspersions (“what have you to hide?”) when asserted by OTHERS.

lib4 @ 55 –

Bush is going to have a press conference? I thought the Monday Night thingy was a speech. A presser would be suiciderating!!!

Yes I believe it is just a Speech with NO QUESTIONS allowed…that was my original point….even after this “change the subject speech” (Rove, NSA, etc)

Bush will still have gone over two years without a primetime newsconference……

Re today’s picture: that boat is full of those wealthiest passengers for whom the Senate just voted the largest benefits from tax cut extensions.

I read somewhere earlier that the particular bills were not subject to filibuster, but it did not explain why. Apparently, there was no attempted fili- and the vote was described in NYT this a.m. as “largely along partisan lines.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05…..r=homepage

Can’t find who among Dems voted “for.”

The Post/ABC poll misses the point, which is whether or not the administration has conducted this program legally. You might be able to find 66% of people who think child molesters should be shot on sight, but that doesn’t mean that someone who takes that action hasn’t broken the law, and wouldn’t have to face the consequences. Why is this so hard for the media to frame? I have no doubt we’ll hear the Brit Humes and the Wolf Blitzers blathering on about “what most Americans think,†and none of them will address whether or not the program is legal.

You also won’t hear enough conversation about why we should trust that the program is legal just because Bush and Hayden and Pat Roberts and others say so, or why we should trust that anyone has been completely briefed on what is going on at NSA. Those who were briefed can’t say whether or not they knew about this collection of data, and no one will come before any committee and tell the truth.

I also would like to hear a discussion about what happens after the NSA computers identify a pattern of calls that seem suspicious, and how they know it is suspicious if they don’t know the identity of the person making the call or the person receiving the call. Are they going to court to obtain that next level of information? And if not, why not?

Seems to me there’s a lot of questions that aren’t being asked, no answers for the ones that are being asked, and for the life of me I do not understand why – if these questions are apparent to us – why the media seem to be deaf, dumb and blind to them.

FWIW, I think analyzing and trending the “strong disapproval” numbers might be very revealing. These are voters with enough conviction that the GOP won’t be getting them – or getting them back – for years. If this group becomes sufficiently large and/or is composed just right, you’ll see an ‘08 race with both major candidates essentially running against Bush (unless the Dem nominee is Hillary, in which case the Dem will be pro-Bush and the Rep will be anti-Bush).

BobbyG-Didn’t you just take a trip to the airport. Airport=shoe search. Or am I confused today…They put me on collections today here at work–I hate calling customers and asking them to pay up…

Marco!

tom chicago 91 -

They gotta get pics of that kind of stuff, or no one will believe it.

scarecrow – I believe I read that these kinds of bills, if under a certain dollar amount, can be passed by a simple majority. That’s why they broke the tax cut bill into parts, so that the bills would be guaranteed passage.

“Iceberg straight ahead.”

When Bush has lost Mel Gibson, it is looking pretty grim for him.

Gibson decries Bush’s “fear mongering”.

http://www.pr-inside.com/gibso…..-r4937.htm

-GSD

Sorry – prior link to Raw Story didn’t work. More from Larissa’s article:

Retired Air Force Colonel and former faculty member at the National War College Sam Gardiner has heard some military suggestions of a possible air campaign in the near future, and although he has no intimate knowledge of such plans, he says recent aircraft carrier activity and current operations on the ground in Iran have raised red flags.

Gardiner says his concerns have kept him busy attempting to create the most likely scenario should such an attack occur.

“I would expect two or three aircraft carriers would be moved into the area,” Gardner said, describing what he thinks is the best way air strikes could be carried out without disengaging assets from US fronts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Two air-craft carriers are already en route to the region, RAW STORY has found.

scarecrow here you go:

>>>>>
The Senate passed the bill 54 to 44. The only Democrats to vote for it were Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Bill Nelson of Florida, and Mark L. Pryor of Arkansas. The only Republican ”no” votes were cast by Senators Lincoln D. Chafee of Rhode Island, Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, and George V. Voinovich of Ohio.

http://www.boston.com/news/nat…..b_tax_cut/

Bush doesn’t pay attention to polls but then again most dictators don’t. JARs in the 20s is a serious paranoia zone, though, where the bunker mentality is the norm. As with the Hayden nomination, tax cuts, Iraq, they will push forward because they are afraid of what might be coming up from behind. Expect no zigs, no zags, no compromises, these guys are all in and going for broke. The Administration is going into collapse and their last concern is how that may affect you or me.

scarecrow @ 96

anyone have a bill # for the measure passed yesterday ?

ccmask -

Yeah. I’ve not had the full pat-down search in a while, though I always gotta lose the shoes, lose the belt, the watch, etc. It’s funny; it’s usually the smaller, less busy airports where these TSA employees take themelves SO seriously. At McCarran (Vegas) they don’t have time.

Enduring Peace @85 – don’t get too excited about that report yet – right now, the aircraft carriers are all on their normal deployments. Moving all those carriers groups into the Gulf is typically proceeded by a lot of hyperactivity by the Navy and I’m not hearing any of that.

Me3 @ 80 –

What Murtha said is exactly right — the Democrats need to stand up and say they are going to kick some GOP ass in November.

Whether they do or don’t doesn’t matter; we’ll know the day after the election. But they need to STOP being such hand wringing nervous Nellies.

Nothing gets the respect of Joe LunchBox and the NASCAR crowd like Toughness — they don’t have to agree with you on the issues, but weasel words and backing down from a fight will turn them off quicker than anything. (see Kerry, John)

Interesting headline from Raw Story – not sure what it means:

Exclusive: New book suggests Libby’s relationship with
reporters spared him Plame coverage… Developing…

GSD
and Mel is doing a series about the Iraq war, too.

http://today.reuters.com/news/…..ived=False

Frank #92 – Yes, a bit early to launch the Iranian attack, but a perfect time to rattle the sabers more dramatically.

I think the preznit is doing a hell of a job protecting us from the #1 threat facing the US of A: gay illegal aliens coming to the US to take our guns!

Anne — thanks — the total tax cuts are $70 billions! If you’re right, that’s an interesting threshold, or as Everett Dirksen would have said, “a [b]illion here, a [b]illion there, and pretty soon, you’re talking about real money.”

angie — thanks for the Globe article on who voted which way — ironic, I’m sitting here in Cambridge, but always read the NYT first and the Globe later. Are you in MA?

cbl says: “…should I go over to blogger and set something up?”
May 12th, 2006 at 9:04 am

If you do, please let us know where it is.

scarecrow– right next door in NH.

Chris Mathews is the one lone source that said the GJ is meeting today. He made one brief mention of it yesterday with no attribution to sources or anything. I think Jane is right, he was guessing (and wrong).

Quickly, before I get sucked into the fever swamp:

I just have to say that the Post “poll” on NSA domestic spying wins todays’ “biggest crock of shit” award.

Utterly, utterly meaningless—I would love to know who commissioned it (Toni Snow, determined to be proactive?), how the questions were phrased, the methodology (robo-calls? push questions?) And when was it was conducted? Five hours after the story broke? Three? And consequently, does the poll mention the level of awareness of the issue when asked about it? Odd–it doesn’t. How unlike the Post. And didn’t I read somewhere that the author of the article has steadfastly refused to even poll on the question of impeachment?

Like a witch stirring her cauldron, Richard Morin peers into his bubbling crock of dung and tells us what he sees. Thanks, but the 5-lb wart on your nose tells me everything I need to know.

We had a cross to the states from Oztrailya where some MSM suit said that 75% of Merkins were in favour of this spyin’ bizness.

I was thinkin’ in that case then all public servants above 25% base pay shouldn’t mind having live webcams placed around their houses. ‘ Nothin to hide – nothin’ to fear’ right?

One of those cunning linky deals like Hillys payrise trick could do it. Talk about open , honest and transparent governatin’!

Anne says:
May 12th, 2006 at 9:08 am

Have you seen this?

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002399.html

Anne – in response to your 9:11 am post, a tax cut bill can pass with a simple majority, if I am not mistaken. A bill increasing taxes would require a 60% majority vote, I think; it has been a while since I have read the details.

The “creepy” poll is still running on CNN, currently at 76% yes.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US…..e.records/

Surprise! Juan Williams just cited that WaPo poll in asserting that the American people are A-Ok with illegal domestic spying. And he was brought on right after John Cornyn, who claimed his constituents were more concerned about gas prices and illegal immigration than sacrificing a little liberty/privacy. Truth be told, he’s probably right. sigh.

113 Jim says:
May 12th, 2006 at 9:16 am

I think the preznit is doing a hell of a job protecting us from the #1 threat facing the US of A: gay illegal aliens coming to the US to take our guns!

i heard that the gay aliens also want to burn flags and recycle bibles!!!! good thing the preznit protects the merkin people!!

On the tax cuts, it is my understanding that the capital gains stuff (for the rich) are to extended to 2010 while the exemptions to the Alternate Minimum Tax (upper middle class) are for 2006 only. That 2006 is an election year probably has nothing, nothing to do with this, yeah. Given the size of the on budget (real)deficit this year (~$600 billion), this is really irresponsible but this is an Administration whose motto is the buck stops anywhere but here.

angie, scarecrow – just read a blurb in Roll Call (I don’t subscribe) that Ben Nelson’s numbers against his Nov. opponent Rickerts are ’softening’

prof rat– bloomin’ wankers, eh?

(do you say that in Oz?)

nickname nomination for chimpy’s new mouthpiece:
tony FAUX . . . get it?

cbl – noticed the slow down here too. btw, we have a little php forum over at http://www.lespeakeasy.org that is available for folks to use anytime they need an extra talk space – we use it for non big blog discussions amongst friends. It’s something we created when Billmon stopped his comments section and we’re happy to have FDL folks use it as a quiet table in the corner.

“nyquil press conference” – yeah!

Stephen Parrish, CPA — re voting requirements, that sounds like what I read before. Thanks.

I suppose we should be almost pleased that the Dem’s held together as much as they did on the tax cut vote, in an election year. There have been numerous instances of improved party discipline recently, with exceptions tending to be mainly for those in reddish states that need an out. This leaves the Dems free to argue “the Repubs favor the rich while they bankrupt our and our kids’ future,” an issue that I hope to see this Fall. But the price is that the tax cuts get passed, we lose the revenues and the ability to deal with real problems, and the cuts come up for renewal in 2010, when the next President and Congress have to face the music under even worse conditions. It is sad.

Look, Bush thinks the American people are stupid. Proof????…..his reelection!!! The constitution???? “its only a god damned piece of paper”. That was the first lie he made, witnessed by all of us, when he swore to uphold “that god damned piece of paper’.

I think Bush wants the Monday night primetime so he can tell the American people about his fish story and remind us again that it is still hard, hard being Pressed n dented.

FBI just raided Dusty Foggo’s home in NoVA. go to talkingpointsmemo.

DJ DrZ (48) — so basically we are WAY overdue to have champagne, asti, blanc de blanc, what have you with bubbles, to celebrate Libby’s Indictment, DeLay’s indictment, Ernie Fletcher’s indictment, Duke Cunningham’s indictment, Abramoff’s indictment – and another for his and Duke’s incarceration – and I’m sure I’m missing a couple more here.

Bottom’s up; if I don’t get started now, I won’t be sober by the time Fitz comes through with the next one.

ppirt (124) — au contraire; Preznit forgot to secure the ports and now we have 6+ major ports with flaming, illegal alien stevedores wearing an excess of plaid flannel and fishermen’s caps to blend in, flaunting atrocious eurotrash and Latin accents, shipping contraband Chinese Bibles into our nation.

The horror, the horror.

Stephen #121 – I like this quote from the NSA article you linked:
“If you’re looking for a needle, making the haystack bigger is counterintuitive. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Here’s a darned smart suggestion to chimpy wrt to Iran’s letter:

>>>>>
Finally Bush’s response to the Iranian leader’s letter should propose a serious dialogue and negotiations on U.S.-Iranian bilateral relations, Iraq, Afghanistan and the nuclear issue.

A measured and thoughtful U.S. response to Ahmadinejad could bring several prizes: a much needed increase in U.S. prestige in the Middle East; a sense among Muslims that America is listening to their concerns; and not least, a diplomatic opening between the United States and Iran after 26 years of frozen relations, giving both sides a chance to climb out of their current boxed-in positions, avoid war and stabilize a troubled region.

The U.S. government has nothing to lose and everything to win in responding to the letter.

http://www.tompaine.com/articl…..letter.php

chisholm,

“FBI just raided Dusty Foggo’s home in NoVA. go to talkingpointsmemo”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/…..foggo.html

JWR 123: “surprise” is right! As Jane posted several months back, “this is how it’s done.” Get the press to do/print something, then follow quickly with WH/RNC talking points that say, “see, this is what the press reported.” The WaPo poll looks like a staged event.

But why wasn’t the other side ready with a better poll? Schumer? Emanuel? Hello?

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

Somebody better start speaking up pretty damn quickly!

Checked with my phone companies this morning. Local coverage by Trinsic said they have not given records to the feds. Working Assets long distance said the same. I told them both that they needed a statement on their web sites stating such and then I would spread the word. Working Assets actually does have a brief statement though I would like it to be clearer as to what they have done besides join in the law suit:

“Working Assets joins the blogosphere in opposition to Big Telecom/NSA database
Working Assets is the only telephone company participating in the ACLU’s lawsuit against the National Security Agency. We believe that the warrantless monitoring of phone conversations ordered by the Bush administration is illegal and unacceptable. We oppose the sale of domestic calling records to the NSA by AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon.”

Now they need to say what they did when asked for the records. Meantime, I stick with them and look into their cell phone service.

chisholm– Well, at least the FBI are clever enough to wear latex gloves while going thru Dusty’s “things”…..

Article on why Plamegate is undercovered in mainstream press:

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2….._0512.html

Frank @ 9:33 am (#131) – Just got through saying a similar thing over at Andrew Cohen’s column What do you want him to say on NSA?. In this article, he basically assumes that since it’s a secret program, we couldn’t want for Bush to say more than he did about it yesterday. I responded:

What do I want him to say on the NSA?

I want him to says that in order to carry out this senseless program, he persuaded three of America’s largest communications companies to prostitute themselves, violating their customers’ privacy and risking their own futures.

I want him to say that there’s a reason that he isn’t allowed to sneak around behind the back of Congress, the courts, and the American people to spy on them.

I want him to say he’s sorry for corrupting the mission of one of our leading defense agencies.

I want him to say that this program and the others like it have done far more harm to this country than any benefit we could possibly derive from it.

I want him to say he’ll stop doing this sort of thing and he’ll never do it again.

Now, if you’d asked “What would you EXPECT him to say about the NSA?”, I’d have said “pretty much what I heard him say”.

I’m way past being “realistic” on this issue, to use one of the words most often used by the cynical people who seem to abound in the lands around Washington, DC. To me, it’s not realistic to allow someone to break the law and flout the separation of powers because he can’t help himself. If he can’t follow the Constitution, which is the thing that he swore to do, then he needs to leave office.

If you expect us to be satisfied with what we expect this guy to say, then you need to adjust your expectations.

Posted by: Cuj359 | May 12, 2006 12:31 PM

It just unnerves me that people still have these low expectations of him. I just read Jennifer Nix’s column from last night, and I’m starting to realize why we’re in so much trouble. It’s not just that there are many people who couldn’t be bothered about all that geeky stuff like the separation of powers, etc. It’s that there are many people who know better and yet are willing to accept what is, because they seem to think that’s all we’re going to get.

I think such people need to review their psychology texts, particularly regarding placebo effects and the reasons for doing double-blind experiments. Our expectations of ourselves and others are part of the environment, and they have a measureable effect on us.

Evolving Peace -
This administration has proven over and over again that not only are their methods moronic, but that they have no intention of using any information, legally acquired or not, to capture and prosecute terrorists. The purpose of gathering not only the numbers but also the content of the calls (and emails, chat, and anything else that passes through telco pipes) is to gather information about us. To them, we are the bad guys. The best thing we have going for us to protect us is that they aren’t too bright. The Narus may do a great job gathering data, but someone has to interpret it, and the fascist goofballs running the show have proven that they suck at this.

George W. Bush is INSANE. He is absolutely INSANE. If he continues to be allowed to preside over the most powerful nation in the free world, VeryBadThings will happen. Like nothing we have ever seen before.

I just have to say that the Post “poll†on NSA domestic spying wins todays’ “biggest crock of shit†award.

I agree….but in the age of framing issues as quickly as possible to fit a particular agenda…ABC and WP provided GWB with a huge favor that Rethug pundits will now use to prove that the President is on the right side of the issue…..

regardless of the fact 99 percent of the other polls swing the other way….

Republicans make a living off of muddling issues to the point where a reasonable explanation cannot be agreed upon….

(Global warming, Intel Design are two things that come to mind)

WaPoo.com giving major “above-the-fold” headline play to the ABC poll claiming ~2:1 support for NSA phone log mining.

They’re gonna spin this issue into “griping beltway libruls and crybaby Birkenstock lefties are the only ones who object to this vital plan fer pertectin’ the Murkin peeple.”

RevDeb 139: — nice work. Looks like no party tonight, though. *g* I was going to bring some cocktail weenies.

Altercation exerpts –

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12687883/#060508

How low can he go? Bush’s approval rating drops below 30 percent, according to the Terrorist-loving Commies at the Wall Street Journal. …

And my “Liberal Media†column in The Nation is a tribute to Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg, Rev. William Sloane Coffin, and John Kenneth Galbraith. It’s called “Three Liberal Lives,†and it’s here. I really like this “emancipation of belief†notion of Galbraith’s. I think it might be the single most useful definition of liberalism I’ve ever heard.

scarecrow 147.
Frankly hoping that Fitzo de Mayo is next week. Got a sermon to write and other stuff. BUT should it happen today, can’t wait to party.

Meantime, we do need to vote with our checkbooks and rid ourselves of the collaborator corporations whenever and wherever possible.

I fear what Bush will do when cornered.
Attack Iran?

Write your Senators and Reps. Sign petitions, send letters:

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/iran

http://www.codepink.org (writing Laura for mother’s day on Iran)

Other ideas?

ck @ at 9:03 am (#87) – While we’re very interested in the NSA, Plamegate, etc., there are quite a few people interested enough in immigration to hold gigantic rallies. It might not be the most important thing in the long run, but quite a few people will be paying attention because they’re directly affected.

I suppose I’m stating the obvious, but that’s what I’m here for.

OT from Late Nite to
bkny @ 238~
bkny ~ “we even have “Christian†camps that are teaching our young they might have to sacrifice their lives in similar suicide missions…
do you have a link for that?”

google “jesus camp”

or go to air america radio and look for “ring of fire”. they should have links to “jesus camp”…

angie,
thanks for the info about Voinovich voting no on the 70 billion tax cut. I just called his office to thank him.

On DC radio local CBS news affiliate,Chris Matthews told the anchor that the Harris poll is a liberal poll, it has a history as being a liberal poll, and even JFK used Harris. The anchor asked him if he was going to quibble over 2 percentage points.

To his credit, Matthews said he thought trends were important, Bush is in a downward spiral, and it want stop unless something happens.

ck @ 148 – do you have a link to the Nation article?

Thank you for all the kind responses to my-it really wasn’t a rant, let’s call it an amicus brief on behalf of myself!

That said, here is another thing I’m scared of-the fact that a 29% approval rating will motivate the Bushites to do something truly crazy. I mean, even more crazy than the things they’ve already done.

More and more, I find myself ringing my hands, worrying “what to do, what to do!” because most of the dems are no help. It’s up to us, more than ever.

Thought I’d have a stroke this morning was so furious about the NSA news and the aircraft carriers.

Terminators.

Terminate them. Impeach now.

leslie — thanks. just happened to check back in…

re the wapo/abc poll:
i would suggest that is corporate media’s attempt to get out front and shape public perception. if you look at previous polling on national security/wiretap issues, the public was fairly evenly split — and this was under the assumption that the surveillance was restricted to the ‘terrorists and their sympathizers’ and inbound/outbound international calls — not domestic calls between me and my sister.

the wapo/abc numbers are very suspect (501 respondents) and i would suggest a little push-pulling might be at play.

http://www.pollingreport.com/terror.htm

The only consolation I can find in the poll results is knowing that millions of Americans will hear it and respond, “Well, I’m not okay with it – this is BS.”

If the Post and ABC are really interested in taking the temperature of the nation, they will do another poll in about 2 weeks. I’m guessing that if they do another poll, the numbers will be significantly lower, and the results will be buried and the Tweeties and the Blitzers will not mention it.

“we even have “Christian†camps that are teaching our young they might have to sacrifice their lives in similar suicide missions…
_____

Such faux- “Christians” have nowhere near the balls necessary to do such things. Their lives have been FAR too comfy. I don’t buy this, it’s simply wimpy bravado talk if anything at all.

More on Foggo…

CIA Official’s Home, Office Searched

WASHINGTON – Law enforcement officials executed search warrants Friday on the house and office of CIA’s outgoing executive director, the FBI said.

The agency’s third ranking official, Kyle “Dusty” Foggo, has been under investigation by the FBI, IRS, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the CIA’s inspector general, said FBI spokeswoman April Langwell in San Diego.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..NlYwM3MTY-

rudy @ 155 –

click on the Altercation link and scroll down . . .

Can we get past this idea of the “base.” Chimpco and repugs have never lost their base of hardcore, rascist, rapture waiting supporters. Whatever core support Chimpco has, its lower than 29%, is meaningless. The “base” is, and has always been, a small minority. Plus, the idea that Chimpco has lost the “base” is bullshit. The majority of people who voted for Chimpco and repugs in general are not the “base.” Its great marketing by the repugs to have the issue framed in that way because it makes the “base” seem much larger than it is (or ever was), and the now disillusioned just need a little encouragement to come home and all will be forgiven. They will once again proudly identify themselves as standing with Chimpco, supporting Chimpco’s initiatives, supporting god, mom and the flag (whatever the fuck that means).

Rather than being about the base, it is now all about going after the disaffected – not you or me, we’re lost causes, but those people who once supported Chimpco (and repugs in general). They are most definitely not the base – and in fact they probably have a lot more in common with you and me than they do with the base if they really thought about it.

Repugs have only two marketing themes: safety and membership (I am not going to repeat earlier posts discussing Maslow’s hierarchy of psychological needs – safety, membership, self-esteem and status and their relation to marketing – look Maslow up in Wikipedia).

Safety is how they won in 2004 and how the Patriotic Act got passed and renewed – fairly simple, we can protect you, Dems are pussies and can’t. Safety is also why immigration was brought out – doesnt matter the solution, but we can protect you against the brown hordes, and the pussy Dems can’t.

Membership* – My favorite psychological need to deconstruct (I could go on for days). Most people feel the need to be a part of, to identify with, a group. It is one of the more powerful selling points of religions and Harley Davidsons (among other things). It is also a very powerful tool for marketing political identity. The repugs were very good at this: repugs are winners, repugs stand for individual acheivement, personal responsibility, business and social success, the flag, apple pie, etc. What do you think all those “W” bumperstickers are about. It doesn’t matter that it isn’t true – that isn’t what marketing is about after all (Harleys really aren’t great motorcycles, don’t make you a badass or even a better American, and religion, don’t get me started).

A long time ago I posted that the Chimpco was doomed b/c they could only market safety and membership, and they lost both. Safety? Iraq is a grand, horrific failure, O’sama has not been caught, “warnings” are taken as politically inspired, who doesn’t have the bomb, etc. Membership? Turns out they’re a bunch of lying (the Iraq War), incompetent (Katrina), corrupt (name your scandal), philandering (Hookergate – you can’t ask for better material), hypocritical (see all the above) morons (see inept above). Who would want to be a member of THAT group? Not many, other than the true believers in the “base.” (You want to know why Faux News ratings are down – one reason is that people don’t want to be a “member” of that group of “losers” anymore).**

Which is where the failures on all fronts come in. It was, sadly, never about the lies. You and I would still be here, Jane and Christy and others would still be blogging away, but Chimpco would still be going strong. And that is sad. But if Iraq had gone well, would people care that they were lied to war, or that Plame was outed? If the Katrina response had been effective, would people have cared about who was getting contracts and why, or cronyism? Would the idea of the government fishing through communications resonate as egregious? No.

But you can’t market failure (abject or otherwise). You can’t “sell” safety when the war is the new Vietnam, while O’sama is still making videos; and you can’t “sell” membership when your group is seen as stupid, inept, corrupt, hypocritical, out for a quick buck, etc. Who would want to be a member of that group? A few, granted, but not nearly enough to win an election.

No Chimpco speach on immigration, or anything else for that matter (other than, perhaps, an attack on American soil – although I even have my doubts about that), is going to change Chimpco’s or repugs standings with the public. Assuming it might be possible to rehabilitate Chimpco and the repugs, which is not something I would necessarily agree with but anything is possible, they need a new marketing plan, and they just are not adaptable (whether b/c they are arrogant and don’t believe anything is wrong, or just don’t have the skills doesn’t matter).

I for one don’t want them to change – b/c if they don’t, they can’t win, can’t succeed. I want Chimpco to play to the “base,” b/c it reinforces for anyone who is not the “base” the failures – that they are not safer, that they don’t want to be members of that group of losers (be it b/c they are dumb, inept, criminal, hypocritical, whatever). Playing to the base alienates the non-base. The disillusioned will remain disillusioned – can’t help itself really. Reality is a bitch for Chimpco and repugs; perception is even bitchier, and harder to change.

____________________________________
*When people talk about “identity politics” they are really talking about “membership.” They should credit Maslow when they do, since they are stealing his ideas.

** BKNY – They are not geniuses. They are good marketers, so is Proctor & Gamble, Coke, Harley Davidson, Apple, and nearly any successful company (or person for that matter). It doesn’t take genius to be a good or even great marketer, the principles are relatively simple, and it all comes down to Maslow’s hierarchy of psychological needs in the end.

Anyway, have at it.

CNN is quoting the WaPo poll – had Schneider on saying folks are willing to sacrifice rights for protection against terrorism and only at the end saying that immediate polls are unreliable – then they mentioned their own poll.

They are reporting on Foggo now

CNN – search warrants issued for foggo’s home and office

Search warrants have been issued for Kyle Foggo’s home and office

Anne @ 9:58 am (#159) – It depends on how the question is asked, too. If you ask “Do you think the government should violate the law to collect phone records of ordinary Americans who aren’t suspected of having done anything wrong?”, you’ll see much different numbers even now.

wasn’t foggo a hobbit in lord of the rings?

CNN is going apeshit about the Foggo FBI homesearch ….

From the WTFC? Dept: MSNBC reports possible voting screwup on “American Idle” — fans demanding recount. Breathless Breaking News.

siun – thanks for the speakeasy link

Christy Hardin Smith -
have set up an a site on Blogger (took me a half hour – (no really, how do y’all do it ?) ONLY in the event we can’t get in here on Fitzmas Day, BUT feel awkward – I don’t have any interest in setting up or maintaining a blog – am just thinking of how things went when y’all migrated from Blogger – and want t/b able to frolic with fellow FDL’ers on that special day

My favorite from Froomkin readers’ suggested questions for Tony Snow:

Two years ago the president pledged to restore honor and dignity to the White House. As part of this pledge, would Mr. Bush promise not to pardon any members of his administration who come under investigation for crimes they may have committed? (Rob St. Amant, Raleigh, N.C.)

FBI Dusty Busters to search Foggo’s home!

scarecrow @138 – But, but, this wasn’t some WH/RNC shop like FOX News, it was NPR! Oh wait..

ppirt, if you’re around, I finally saw your response to my disappointment with NPR’s guest list yesterday. NPR still has some good programming, eg the BBC, but that only seems to give them license to run with the Heritage Foundation crowd for “balance”. Again.. sigh.

We are definitely going to have to get a bigger roost for all these returning chickens . .

via Atrios

epu 163 -

Terrific psychological insight!

The view from the parallel universe must be fantastic.

CNN Poll

How does the report that the NSA is building a database of Americans’ phone calls make you feel?

creepy

more secure

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/…..index.html

Just read Washington/ABC poll only polled 502 people.

EPU

Yes, but Iraq is the Bush reign. It was his choice and it defines him–it’s inseperable from all the rest. They bulled their way into office for that, and to toss the loot to their cronies, smash the bureaucracy’s kneecaps, and basically run the country into the ground because they know things can’t go on as they do–they’re slowly strangling the middle class (read the consumer goose) and they’re getting ready to jump ship.

They knew from the outset it wasn’t sustainable–that’s why they’re so corrupt–grabbing the spoils before it tanks

Evil Parallel Universe, Thank you, great post. Wikipedia-ing (is that a word?) Maslow now. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve thought of that.

Evil Parallel Universe @ 10:00 am (#163) – Good points, particularly about success being easier to market over time. Thankfully, there’s a relationship between honesty and a willingness to take the harder road. If you’re fundamentally honest, you’ll do things the hard way rather than compromise your principles. When you take the hard road, you tent do get better at doing things, because you can’t lie your way out of doing something badly.

This won’t always be true, of course, but I think in general you can count on hardcore liars to screw up in the end.

TPM says CNN is reporting that Dusty Foggo’s CIA office was also raided.

EPU @ 163 –

That Maslow “membership” thingy is spot on — I’ll have to read and re-read it; maybe even email it to myself.

I’ve described this as “tribalism” — human brains are hard wired to seek out membership in a tribal identity. We see it play out in Politics, Sports, Religion, Race, Culture, and Whatever — people have an innate need to belong to a group (yea, FDL!!!) and most folks, most of the time, lack the self awareness to recognize group membership automatically defines those outside the group as “The Other.”

The more virulent the tribal group identity, the more willing a member is to dehumanize and demonize “The Other.”

Big topic — and another place where the Democrats have dropped the ball on group identity membership, in favor of 500 page position papers.

A new poll from the Washington Post suggests that the President Bush may be winning a double victory with his illegal NSA domestic surveillance programs. Americans seem willing to buy the White House’s “tough on terrorism” hype at the expense of the law and their own civil liberties. And as an added ironic bonus, the President gets another opportunity to decry leaks that supposedly jeopardize national security.

For the ugly details, see:
“Poll: Double Win for Bush on NSA Phone Records”

Did anyone else dream about Karl R. last night? He looks like my Uncle Bill and I dreamt he hugged me.

Dear God, it was weird.

Loved that post EPU @163

Surely Foggo would have already cleaned out his office given recent events, and surely the FBI would have expected him to have already done so. Makes their raiding the place seem as much an opportunity to asssert their “authoritay” as anything else.

And I sure would like to have seen the looks on the neo-spook faces when the G-men and women dropped in on them. Here’s hoping it incited a major turf war.

EPU – Great post. Maslow rocks – thanks for reminding me.

TonyT – the night before Libby was indicted I dreamed that Karl Rove came and hid in my basement. It was horrible – I called the police to tell them where he was and to come get him and all they said was, “There’s no problem. Karl Rove can stay in your basement as long as he wants.” Then I tried the FBI, but they wouldn’t answer. Gee – as far as I know, he’s still there!

Just opened my copy of Neil Young’s “Living With War.” Powerful – Back in the Day of Shock and Awe is my favorite.

I bet I just got EPU’d. Oh well……

Here’s the WSJ link again:

http://online.wsj.com/public/a…..70511.html

We hear alot that Bush is among the top three for lowest approval rate but no one has said he’s the least popular president ever for having the highest disapproval rate ever.

Actually, that is an inaccurate picture of the Titanic sinking. There weren’t icabergs all around, and the sea was unusually calm that night.

Rove gettin’ indicted next week?
hallelujah!

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2…..206Y.shtml

Halliburton. $385 million contract. Detention centers. For immigrants? For “new purposes”?

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Maybe we’ll know more after Bush’s speech on Monday.

Will he announce he’s put a “bounty” on the heads of all illegal immigrants?

Will he announce that he has hired all the border-patrol Minute Men to be Bush administration mercenaries…like Blackwater?

Will he announce that he’s declared martial law and he knows who all the dissidents are because he’s had the NSA recording all their phone conversations?

Stay tuned.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Hey, it Tick’s me off, okay.