(Hi there, Firedogs, it’s Thesaurus Rex. Jane has been called back to Oregon for a family emergency so I will be filling in as your Late Nite host this evening. Everyone please remember Kobe in your prayers tonight.)
Every so often, in the face of the administration’s stonewalling in the NSA leak probe and Abu Gonzales’s cavalier attitude toward the Rule of Law (except as it applies to political enemies), I feel overwhelmed and hopeless, and despair of ever seeing justice served in the myriad of egregious abuses of power perpetrated by BushCo and its cronies. But then I see something like this at Think Progress where the good folks at Tom DeLay’s Legal Defense Fund are saluting Stephen Colbert for his hard-hitting interview with "Outfoxed" director Robert Greenwald on the subject of Greenwald’s new film "The Big Buy: Tom DeLay’s Stolen Congress". They’ve even posted the full video at the Defend Delay Web-Site. According to them, Greenwald "crashed and burned" under the withering glare of Colbert’s laser wit.
Now, why would a bunch of crony-sucking Repug thugs suddenly rush forward to embrace a known liberal satirist? BECAUSE THEY DON’T REALIZE HE’S A LIBERAL!
I’ll let you kids sit back and soak that in for a second.
Yup, apparently one layer of irony is one too many for the brain-donors at Defend Delay. They don’t get that when Colbert asks a question like, "Who hates America more, you or Michael Moore?" that his tongue is firmly planted in his cheek.
And this, my friends, is why we shall overcome.
Because right wingers are stupid.
They make a lot of noise about the Liberal Elite, how we’re a bunch of latte-sipping, college-degree-holding, eggheaded bleeding hearts. It’s why they declare war on the educational system, whether it’s through Regnery books about the dangers of liberal college professors, paying money for students to surveil their teachers and report the ones who aren’t toeing the right-wing party line (WHO, exactly, are a bunch of Nazi block-watchers, Ann Coulter? Hm?), or instituting bogus reform programs like No Child Left Alive or whatever it’s called. They don’t like smart people. We’re harder to manipulate. We ask difficult questions like, "Isn’t covert surveillance of American citizens against the Fourth Amendment?" or "Why did we invade Iraq in the first place?"
By sowing mistrust of intellectuals and dismissing us, they are trying to level the playing field the only way they know how. They can’t get any smarter, so they try to make the world dumber. A country full of Paris Hiltons will never stop to ask if the Diebold machine counting their votes is accurate and tamper-proof. Paris Hiltons don’t vote at all. It’s how Tom DeLay and Bill Frist and Karl Rove want things. Nobody votes if they don’t care, which leaves the Wingnut Brigade free to loot the treasury, spy on political enemies, and fix elections. Ignorance and apathy are the coin of their realm.
The good news is that it isn’t going to work. Through grass-roots action, incisive writing, documentary filmmaking, guerilla publishing, blogging, letter-writing, and all the other ways that we of the New and Angry Left are making our voices heard, we will beat them. We may not have big bucks to throw around like the lobbyists they’re used to. We may not have their choke-hold on the major media outlets. We may not have their motorcades, consultants, and expensive Ivy-League connections (okay, well, not most of us), but we have our passion, our intelligence, and our love of our country. And that is how we will trump arrogance and sanctimony. It isn’t going to be easy. It will take some time. We must stick together. We will face setbacks and hardships along the way. But the fact of the matter is that WE are the real Americans. WE are the people who are carrying out the ideals that this great nation was founded on. And WE shall overcome. WE, the People.
WE THE PEOPLE!!
Say it with me! WE THE PEOPLE!!
God bless you all, patriots. Gird your loins for battle. We have a long, hard road ahead. But victory will be ours. This country belongs to us.
We. The People.
Related posts:
Spotlight
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
Advanced search
FROOTZ ! ! !
FITZ! Colbert!
I make occasional forays Freeperville and it’s true-many of them LIKE Colbert and it’s painfully obvious that the satire goes right over their heads. They think he’s one of theirs.
Oh, and “Fitz!!!”
Fitz Fitz FITZ!
delaygrupen did it for three reasons; 1. they did it now because they knew Colbert was going on vacation for two weeks
2. that their constituents would not remember it past 2 weeks when he comes back on air.
3. and because no one that votes for tom knows he is even a tv star, much less understand comedy central.
I kept looking for the spoof proof but I didn’t find it. Is it for real? No one could be that stupid. Could they?
TRex, I look forward to your posts so much. Love your style and the way you see things.
LeisureGuy!
Phuckin Phitz! Leisure Guy! Kittz! We the Farkin People, Motherfuckers!
TRex, I look forward to your posts so much. Love your style and the way you see things.
Aw. Thanks, Mommybrain! Just trying to help out around here. I have set a timer here at work to beep every 30 minutes and remind me to send a prayer to Jane and Kobe. I sure hope the li’l fella is going to be alright. Jane’s plumb foolish about that dog and I don’t blame her. Let’s all hope that he comes out of surgery okay.
The only Diebold machine Paris Hilton is familiar with is the ATM, and I’m sure she’s mastered that survival skill.
opp99
how was dinner? Were you nice?Tell us a story!
Rex in da HOUSE!
Goddamn, there’s quite the new filing from Fitzgerald, all about Cheney and Libby, complete with about 15 pages of Libby’s actual grand jury testimony attached. It’s really quite unbelievable.
I read earlier that something was wrong with Kobe. What happened to him? I have a smaller version of Kobe and it hurts my heart.
Plameaholic alert – there is a new fitz court filing in existence. I don’t have access to PACER, but if someone does, maybe they could transcribe a bit or otherwise disseminate the info. Word on emptywheel’s site that it is pretty content-rich. Thanks!
I kept looking for the spoof proof but I didn’t find it. Is it for real? No one could be that stupid. Could they?
*They* might not be totally stupid, but they probably think their readers are either stupid or ignorant and will buy into their snake oil propaganda. (At least long enough to deposit the donations, which is what they’re really after.)
more info Jeff!
Jeff, can you type fast and share a few choice tidbits for us? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
briefly de-lurking to wish the best to Kobe; hang in there, big fella….
Many years ago, I thought George Carlin nailed
the problem with this country – “Too many stupid
people.” It’s getting more and more true.
Anyone know that URL for the official prosecution website? I know it has been posted here dozens of times, but I’m on a different PC and it don’t have my bookmarks :-)
We. The People.
Yeah, we are going to Drive the Republicans into the Sea.
If this filing is a juicy as Jeff claims, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that we might hear from Christy again tonight!
Is that rumble in the distance the sound of a bus heading for drowsy Cheney?
Um. . . I confess I have Ivy League connections.
What was I s’posed to do with my loins, again?
Jane, my thoughts are with you and Kobe tonight.
TRex, it makes absolute sense that wingnut apologists think Colbert is an actual conservative; look at how easily they bought Bush’s obvious-except-to-the-oblivious line of bullshit about…uh, everything?
Ooh, a Lamont commercial right now during Colbert. Huh.
“Now, why would a bunch of crony-sucking Repug thugs suddenly rush forward to embrace a known liberal satirist? BECAUSE THEY DON’T REALIZE HE’S A LIBERAL! “
Interesting. I don’t watch Colbert all the time, but when I first tuned in to him I instantly saw that he was/is a parody of typical “real conservative guys”. (I’ve read that he imitates O’Reilly…I’m not sure. I always thought that Colbert is just poking fun at ALL right wing types)
And so, I would wonder why this parade of conservatives would even come on his show! I figured maybe part of it is to try and sell a book. But who in a typical Colbert audience would buy such a book??
And now you write and confirm this growing suspicion of mine…one which I simply refused to believe. They really must not get it??!!
Ghostman
Hella visual – really about you T? Dang, superstar sheeit even if not!
TRex -
your post touches on something that both frustrates the crap out of me and gives me on going hope –
how in the hell did such a collection of barely concious dumb clucks get over on us ?!?!? Think about that Mensa candidate Oil Company shill they sent after Gore yesterday or that hunka hunka burnin’ intellectual love who sheperded the SD Abortion Ban (ho-ho boy who works at the family Quik Sak) and of course there’s the Chimpinator (my repub neighbors were embarassed by his Interview w/David Gregory last week)
it took me a while to figure out it has very little to do with the players and everything to do with the script and direction
and thanks TRex for reminding those who needed rerminding – We Shall Overcome . I urge anyone still down by doubt to take a look at Christy’s post this morning showing the CTG/Roots .
It’s hard to imagine DeLay and his slithering snake lawyers wouldn’t understand Colbert is mocking their existence. But then again, DeLay is a dimwitted, single-minded villain. I’m sure with his vanity he only surrounds himself with people who make him look good, so they’ve got to be worse.
The other reasonable explanation is that DeLay and his snakes know Colbert is a parody but they don’t think their supporters will know the difference. It’s quite possible that DeLay has the same contempt for everyone who gives him money that he’s shown everyone, and has no problem fleecing them with bullshit.
Trex,
You da bomb.
And WE shall overcome. God, how I still love that phrase. It plucks the righteous heartstrings, it does.
Not all wingnuts are that stupid though. Some are quite bright but harbour corrupt morals. Those are the ones I want to mash like grapes.
For the stupid ones, I ask the universe (parallel and otherwise) for their enlightenment and then I make fun of them in a most shameful manner (not really).
Thanks Rex. Prayerful wishes for healing blessings to all two and four legged friends.
TRex –
You are SO correct! I agree 100% with what you said. It has driven me NUTS the past 6 years, seeing truly intelligent people cower in the background. WHY? Beats me.
But now, it seems they are getting strong again.
Is it too late? I don’t know, but I hope not.
What was I s’posed to do with my loins, again?
Uh, Pach, I’m pleading the fifth on that one.
Teresa, from what I understand, Kobe has suffered a twist in his digestive tract. They say a dog’s stomach “turns over”. It’s very painful and sometimes fatal, so really, pray hard. He must be so sad and scared without his mommy there. But she’s winging her way westward even as we speak. Go, Jane!
Jeff,
I hope you don’t mind, but I ran over to emptywheel’s site and pulled your quote from the Fitz filing to share with FDL. Thanks!
From Fitzgerald, p. 6 fn 5 (transcribing):
To be clear, the government’s argument is not (as the defendant claims) that it is more likely that the Vice President discussed these issues with defendant merely because he wrote them down but, rather that, in light of the Vice President’s annotation of the Wilson Op Ed with the words, “Did Wilson’s wife send him on a junket?,” it is unlikely that, as defendant testified, the issue was not discussed in defendant’s repeated conversations with the Vice President during the week following the Wilson Op Ed’s publication.
Hella visual – really about you T? Dang, superstar sheeit even if not!
Hey, Sharky! It’s real, but he wasn’t talking about me. It just popped up there on the screen.
Personally, I think he lurks here. Or posts under a screen name. How would we know?
Actually, I think Stephen C. posts here as punaise.
punaise 19 – never hear you “straight” like that – gives pause – makes me want to hug you ((())))
(however please get your ass back to the forte we need you for)
Good night, all. Off to read wizard stories and put the young onion to bed.
Ghostman – I know, almost too good to be true.
cbl – #28 – except for that impeachment thing, things were rollin’ along pretty well. I think we fell asleep and they snuck up on us.
Here’s a nice tidbit. From Fitzgerald, p. 6 fn 5 (transcribing):
To be clear, the government’s argument is not (as the defendant claims) that it is more likely that the Vice President discussed these issues with defendant merely because he wrote them down but, rather that, in light of the Vice President’s annotation of the Wilson Op Ed with the words, “Did Wilson’s wife send him on a junket?,” it is unlikely that, as defendant testified, the issue was not discussed in defendant’s repeated conversations with the Vice President during the week following the Wilson Op Ed’s publication.
The funniest part is where Libby, in the grand jury, explains that Cheney discussed the substance of each one of Cheney’s annotations on Wilson’s article with Libby shortly after that article appeared except for the note about whether Wilson’s wife sent him on a junket. To be clear, Libby says that Cheney did discuss that issue with him after Wilson’s article appears, but, Libby says, it was only after Libby relearned, as though for the first time, about Plame from Russert. Maybe it happened late on July 11 or on Air Force Two on July 12. Or maybe it happened, oh, some time in September.
There can be almost no question Fitzgerald thought Libby was lying his ass off to protect Cheney, and probably even to hide the fact that Cheney was directing Libby to leak Plame’s CIA affiliation.
That said, it seems to me that there’s no way Fitzgerald would let all this information about Cheney come out publicly if he had any real hope of going after Cheney.
Also, Fitzgerald denies that he has made representations to Team Libby that Cheney would not be a witness at trial. He’s not saying he will be, and he’s not saying he won’t.
Trex with the Late Nite Rx!
Not that I don’t appreciate your POV – I do – but do not underestimate what we are up against. There are intelligent and thoughtful people in the Republican camp, not all of them malicious and self-centered. Those are people we need to work on with the “flies with honey” approach. Some cheerleading is OK, but a steady diet of “We Rock, Y’all Suck” convinces nobody, changes nothing. So put those big liberal brains to work, tell the not-so-bright WE THE PEOPLES why we belive what we do, what is wrong, how we can change it for the better. We must provide the alternative, the antidote to Fear and Hatred. E Pluribus Unum!
Thank you, TRex.
Just
Thank you.
T Rex,
If they’re so stupid, why are they in charge? Of everything…..
Your post is OK and your optimism commendable. David Niewert’s preceding post made me want to cry.
Hilde – you say every damn thing I think of to say! What a damn brilliant thing you are! :)
This is what I wrote over at Kos about this:
If I was an ordinary Joe who voted Republican, I think I would see that Colbert interview as very supportive of Delay.
Frankly, I don’t think it is a very good interview for our side, if you want to convince people who aren’t already in on the joke.
Greenwald laughs at Colbert as if he is watching a performance, instead of doing his part as part of the performance. It’s a fake interview with a fake interviewer. By treating Colbert as a friendly voice, he is not actually going along with the joke, but against it.
I think that is a flawed approach. It would be more effective IMO, if the interviewees would treat Colbert as the the character he plays. Deride his idiocy, scoff at his claims and make “him” look small. Say all the things they can’t say if they were to actually do an interview on Fox. Colbert would let them.
Colbert himself constantly derides his own character (by that I mean the role he plays). These book and movie shillers should get with the program. Then they might really affect the conservative audience who drink their Colbert straight.
And
For the liberal folks who go on to talk about issues like Delay’s indictment, they aren’t part of the audience, they are part of the show.
I just think it would be more effective if they treated Colbert like the conservative dittohead he portrays and nail his idiocy. It might make some of the open to conversion types start to question the real conservative talking heads also.
When Feingold was on, he was good at this. He didn’t try to be a funny man and he didn’t get lost in giggling at Colbert’s inanities. He did get his message across.
They don’t all have to behave the same way, some need to be dignified, others can rant, but I don’t think it helps the cause of conversion if they also act as if Colbert isn’t serious. Then they aren’t playing their part.
If Colbert’s show is just supposed to be entertainment, then my point is moot.
And let’s not forget how Delay exploited the personal friendship of an aide in an attempt to smear John Kerry as having an affair with an “intern” (scroll to the bottom for the dish), a rumor that turned out to be patently false.
DUMB DUMB DUMB
T Rex, thanks for the insight. It’s the only explanation that makes sense. Too stupid to get the joke. Damn.
Jane and Kobe, there’s a candle lit at our house
The official Fitz home page is http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/index.html, and if you click on “In Re: Special Counsel Investigation” at the bottom, it takes you to the filings.
Note: This is not to be confused with the official Fitz site found here: http://www.fitzsrootbeer.com/
(Does PJF have relatives in St. Louis?)
If the wingers are smart, it’s only in a cunning, reptilian kind of way. Rove smart. Smart like ants and roaches.
Okay, gotta head out to the grocery store and then home. I’ll check back in.
Thanks so much for not throwing rotten tomatoes and all. You guys rock.
Dangit… How did that happen…? Somebody with moderator skills, I think I left a tag open up there after the word “intern” and something I typed had me double post at the same time! Grr!
cbl 28,
“it took me a while to figure out it has very little to do with the players and everything to do with the script and direction”
Bingo. Politics is now developed and sold like a product. Or products. It’s researched, focus grouped, targeted, positioned and messaged and just like Brand New Tide.
The marketers of this world know fully well that a good marketing campaign can sell trainloads of crap. As in real feces. And can overwhelm less expensive, higher quality competing products (not crap).
We are – no wait, the “American public in general” has grown not complacent but compliant. Marketing is now SOP with every fucking thing in the whole wide world: religion, politics, education, cars, homes, pizza, boner pills, music, etc. It’s a proven method for success.
I consider Bush the Milli Vanilli of modern day political office holders. When people refer to his decision-making, his beliefs, his policies, I’m reminded of Milli and Vanilli’s exceptional vocal skills and musical ability. And then a hurl a little bit in my mouth.
As the sages said of old, LJ/Aquaria, “all things in moderation.”
A comment that would have been better on the previous thread, but I know people here in NOLA who use the word “democrat” in place of the “N” word they can no longer use so openly. But it’s a sort of “generic” racism – not directed at specific individuals, but at “them”, the not-like-us – and I have seen these same people associate freely with people of color. Quite frankly, I don’t know what to make of it.
Peterr,
Doesn’t look like the new filing is up yet on the website you referenced, FYI. But I imagine it will be up tomorrow. Thanks.
Trex, thank you for answering my question about Kobe. I know from personal experience how serious that is . I’m pulling for you Kobe and Jane.
Colbert is awesome, watch/listen faithfully.
I hope Kobe is fine;
Trex, you rock.
Back to previous topics: I’ll try to keep this brief. It’s not my gift, but what the hell.
We see the Dems in DC caving on everything and we get pissed off. Why can’t they grow a spine and just shut the place down? Why can’t they vote no on every single GOP proposal and go on record as a strong opposition party?
I think this is strategy. Everything this administration and Congress has touched as turned to shit. Everything. Why the heck should the Democratic Congresspeople and Senators keep them from taking more stupid, idiotic, ineffective actions? The chickens are indeed coming home to roost: every poll for this entire year has showed a continuing decline in administration and GOP congressional trust, rated effectiveness, and approval. They’re sinking and stinking. I think it could be that the democratic congressional leadership, such as it is, is watching this behavior and the resultant Republican crash, and is not willing to get in the way. Every indicator except our own battered-wife lack of confidence shows that the Democratic party has a very real chance at winning at least one house in November, and I for one cannot imagine a single GOP strategy to convince mainstream America that Republicans can suddenly be trusted and are worthy of a vote.
I’m not saying that this strategy is the ‘right’ one to follow. I think it’s the only one that the leadership can agree on. If they shut things down there is danger of being painted as the obstructionist party, the group causing the problems. There’s danger of taking the attention off the inept, illegal, idiotic antics of the Party In Power. (And I think the few strong voices on the left are scouts taking positions that are ‘radical’ so the press and public are exposed to fresh ideas—once the Democratic Party is in power, those ideas won’t seem as radical as they’ve been seen and argued before.)
When DiFi is clearly frustrated at the hearing, tells folks that she isn’t happy with the nominee, and then votes to clear him through to the full Senate, it could be that she’s been convinced to do so. The strategy may be to let the GOP hang themselves further on their own stupid inept decisions (what could be better than pointing to the fact that the guy who was in charge of domestic spying on EVERYONE (and lied about it to Congress) got a promotion to run the CIA? Heckava job, Magoo!) Also, as someone around here pointed out, it’s good politics in that the Rummy ain’t gonna’ like this choice. Sow seeds of discontent in the enemy camp, right?
Lastly, about the relative progressiveness (is that a word?) of democrats like DiFi: so what? She’s on our side. She’s more centrist than most of us would like, but she’s clearly a strong Democrat. On our side we range from radical leftist to middle-of-the-road centrist, just as the GOP ranges from radical Christian wingers to centrists gritting their teeth and supporting the Party. We all have a clear role to play. Solidarity within the Democratic Party is the essential cooperative effort that wins elections and saves the republic. Sometimes you have to hold your nose, smile, and thank them for coming to the aid of the Party. And, if I may add, Feinstein is just now beginning to be hit with the strength and coordination of the progressive NetRoots. She’ll learn, and right quick, to pay attention to our side, our strength, and our learned opinions. Boxer may help in this learning…Maybe a shock to the system of a strong showing in the primary would be good, I don’t know, to underline this needed shift. But we need to keep the Democratic seat in California’s corner of the Senate.
Thanks for reading; hope I didn’t step on too many toes. I’m off to read Alanna to the seven-year-old and sing her to sleep.
Keepin’ a Kobe virtual-candle burnin’ this rainy night in Fargo with two sleepy eyed cocker spaniels staying vigil. Jane, take care, we’re with you.
There’s a rather depressing pattern to many arguments I have with wingnuts and other conservatives. It usually goes like this: they bring up various silly points they’ve learned by listening to the Rush/Hannity crowd; I spend unbelievable amounts of time convincing them that each point is wrong; at the end they say something like “Well, it looks like you got it all figured out” with a sarcastic overtone that would be easy to spot even if I were as dumb as they think the average liberal is. At the end of this process I just want to scream at them “Why didn’t you figure this out! What makes you think that just because something someone says conforms to your preconceived notions about the world, that they are actually true?”.
Of course, we all tend to accept the information that fits our world view, but there are just times when I wonder what deviant mental track these folks got on that gets them where they are today. So much of what they think they know is just nonsense that you just have to wonder if they spent their youths in some secret North Korean brainwashing camp.
Good essay, TRex, and you’re right, it’s a long road ahead.
Quite correct in that “nobody ever went broke by underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
But don’t go poppin’ no Champagne.
Just because they’re dumb don’t mean they’re gonna lose automatically.
Anybody remember the Brownshirts?
That nasty little chaper of history wasn’t exactly Exhibit A for the triumph of reason in educated Western cultures…
marksb,
This is not strategy, this is surrender. This is why people have no idea what Democrats stand for: there is nothing they will fight for, even if they know they will lose. We need officeholders who will fight for what is right BECASUE it is right, not because they are sure they will win. Yes, pick your battles, but for cryin’ out loud, FIGHT some battles, Please!
Hilde, Marketing is indeed the scourge of our times. AND it is the way to sell shit to massive target markets—that’s just the way it is. I’ve been preaching to the choir around here and at Kos that we must learn to effectively market or we will sit second in line forever. I think somehow this ties in with the question earlier today about how to be ready to respond to attack campaigns, to swiftboating.
I think they just read the transcript of the show – without having actually seen it.
Sending prayers and warm, healing thoughts for Jane and Kobe and thanks to TRex for stepping up on such short notice.
Unfortunately, it’s not just the conservatives who are too dumb to get that Colbert is doing satire. In preparation for his appearance, Greenwald posted on his site asking for advice, and there were plenty of supporters giving helpful advice that pretty clearly showed they didn’t get that Stephen is doing a character.
Jeff
I went to the next hurrah and did not see the filings or any excerpts thereof. you got a link? Or sumpin?
Talkleft has posted about Fitz’s new filing:
http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014938.html
AirportCat, good point. I’m trying to think about this: their in/actions MUST have a reason. I mean, can they really be that spineless? And I can imagine a reality where this strategy makes sense. If the GOP is so good at knifing themselves, do they need my blade? Night all.
Edward T 40 – yes the nazis seemingly do win and win. Nazi shit is so easy. Real reality coolness is harder and takes awhile it seems. But come on say it, we the people will bury that fucking chimp and half dead DUI dick and the fascist corp horses they rode in on. How can we not? Me just an old hippie, good morning starshine, the earth says hello. Assholes never prevails.
Sharkbabe,
Humble thanks but I my candle glows dimly in the midst of your sharp wit :-)
I’m feeling a rant coming on regarding the marketing of politics as a PRODUCT. A product that’s consumed or used for a purpose, be it useful or whimsical. It’s been rumbling through the bowels of my deeper chakras now for a while, this awful realization that politics is now marketed by external sources like something that we use or consume. But it’s late here so I’m tucking away for the night.
Been lovely to join in the fun for once. Thanks ya’ll for including me. Keep up the good fight!
Just learned that Fargo lost a 21-year-old National Guardsman in Iraq. I can’t imagine the pain and sorrow his parents and sister are feeling this night, but it makes me mindful of the true meaning of the upcoming weekend.
And that this is not some shilly-shell political pawn gamesmanship. It is people’s lives.
May there be a special place in the afterlife for these inhuman monsters who rationalize their WHIG and campaigning conduct with the tawdry tossaway that our citizens’ lives are “fair game.”
For Michael and his family, profiles in courage.
E Pluribus Unum. We, the people…all of us deserve better.
er prevail.
Reporting in from my local county Democratic Party shindig tonight at which James Carville was the speaker (Monroe County, NY). My observations:
1. Carville told a bunch of jokes and then did some motivational rah-rah stuff why republicans are bad. Considering the audience was 100% Dem officials and activists, it was akin to talking to college students as if they were 3rd graders.
2. The local Party people were real pleased with turnout and enthusiasm levels. Hopefully that is a harbinger of a fired up base.
3. My table was 1/2 Drinking Liberally Netroots types, and 1/2 long time party activist types. When Carville gushed praise on Hillary and Schumer, we netrooters sat on our hands and maybe emitted some raspberries, while the “establishment Dems” cheered wildly. They looked at us like we were infiltrators from a mental institution. After the speech we explained why progressives are pissed off at the Dem power brokers triangulating Democratic principles into oblivion. They nodded politely, but it didn’t really seem to make much of an impression.
4. The establishment dems who stopped by Drinking Liberally afterward were well informed on national politics, but it seemed to me they were overwhelmingly focused on winning local races. It strikes me that this practical focus dilutes their ideology; they are accustomed to struggling in pursuit of the possible, and have perhaps lost sight of their vision in the process. They would settle for a Lieberman as long as it was a win.
5. I hope that this does not come across as criticism – my hat is off to these folks for keeping our party in the game when all I ever did up until now was cast my one vote.
6. In short, the party ain’t moving until the netroots infiltrate the local party apparatuses. I haven’t read Crashing the Gate yet, is that what it says?
#64 TalkLeft link includes a link to Fitz’s 10-page filing:
http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014938.html
A big get-well to Kobe! I’m sorry to hear he’s having such trouble, and hope he gets well soon.
Hilde,
Nice we are finally on at the same time.
To go back to an earlier discussion. What think you about the “innocullation” idea? When we believe a sliming is coming we announce that it is coming and so make it farcicle?
Alternatively, how can we set up a rapid repsonse? Can we get people to volunteer to contact specfic media outlets on the day we learn that the smear has begun?
I think it’s safe to assume that we will be amoung the first to know. News travels faster over the water of the Lake than over most other places. can we divvy up the dead tree media? Have people waiting to write the op ed, the letter to the editor, the drive by email to the ombudsman?
Wouldn’t that be something. A net roots counterpunch to the Mighty Wurlitzer?
Of course the MW is paid for with big bucks and favors. e would do this for love. Love of country, love of truth, love of an honest man just trying to
do his job the best he can.
Jeez, I sound like a FrankCappra movie!
But I really do mean it.
oh no, not kobe! i’ve broke muffins with the big lug! good luck jane and kobe, my prayers are with you!
Great Post Trex. I’m a children’s librarian and just today I put a great big poster of the Constitution on my door, so your post tonight really struck a chord with me.
Does this mean we get to start all threads now with Fitz! Roots! and We the People!
Seriously, if anybody hasn’t gone to itunes and paid $.99 to download Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks and be listening to it over and over all evening, well I don’t know what, y’all missing the most serious wondrous simple beauty shit.
“We the people”
‘Republicans picked my son to be the President…You nasty liberals can just go dig up one better, if you can’
;>)
Prayers for Kobe from our family.
My prayers are that they’ve gotten the pain under control now; that Jane’s there–that will be a huge comfort to Kobe; and that they have successfully done the surgery.
marksb,
I’m afraid the only reason behind the actions of many of our “representatives” is to get themselves re-elected. Personally, I nether need nor do I want (well, maybe) a representative who agrees with me on every issue. I want someone who shares my views on the big, important issues, but who has strong beliefs and is not afraid to stand up and fight for those things. For example, corporations are not citizens and should not be granted the same political rights as citizens (really big corporations tend to be far wealthier and longer-lived than us mere Humans). ALL of us should have access to affordable, good-quality health care. We should never have gone to war against a country that did not attack us first (unless you count the attack on USS Stark in 1987). Workers should expect that their health will be adequately protected in the workplace. Add your own. What is our message? Who will step forward and lead? (Yeah, that Feingold guy … he’s a good one, truly!)
http://www.talkleft.com
TRex:
I think you are correct, though I believe you and I have a fundamentally different views about just exactly who “we” are.
“We” are not the friends of the current Democratic leadership, a leadership that has failed the American people utterly and completely for so long now that any claim to credibility is lost.
I no longer consider myself a Democrat — though I have voted mostly Democratic for over 30 years. I will no longer support Democrats simply in the name of party unity. The Democrats are culpable to a great degree, along with Republicans in the willful destruction of this country’s constitution. And that is a crime for which they cannot be forgiven. For the time being, I’m quite comfortable with choosing no party affiliation. If the Democrats want my vote, they’ll have to earn it.
Oh, I’ll continue to contribute and vote for certain specific Democratic candidates where our positions coincide. And I’m certainly capable of being pragmatic. And I’ll help in projects where I believe there’s even symbolic hope. But I will no longer contribute anything to the state or national Democratic coffers. I’ll determine just exactly who my money goes to, thank you! And I’m taking as many of my friends and acquaintances with me as possible.
In my opinion, much of the current Democratic leadership is pathetic and morally bankrupt. From the vote to authorize Bush to use force in Iraq, to the Patriot Act, to the Alito nomination to the NSA wiretapping to the Hayden nomination, the Democratic leadership has bent over backwards to help Bush dismantled our constitution.
The latest example of their unmitigated hypocrisy came today when Pelosi joined in the call to have documents seized from Jefferson’s congressional office returned. For years now we’ve watched while Bush consolidated power for himself – up to and including the outright violation of laws — all the while the Democrats did NOTHING to challenge this power grab. Now, all of a sudden, when it affects their little fiefdoms, they’ve got religion, they understand! and they’re passionately worried about excesses of power in the executive branch. How flippin’ convenient. I’m touched. Really. One little search warrant accomplished what years of cards, letters and faxes from constituents could not communicate.
So yes, I do think you’re right, TRex. WE will win… in the end. But “WE” are not the Democratic party — at least not in its current form. And “in the end” is likely to be a fair ways off.
Irishmom 74 – I’m library of congress, surfed our kid lit stacks/spines long and long for publishing project stuff – always think about the Real People like you doing the real stuff. Nice to meet you. Libraries and library people are It. Haven’t hesitated to stand up to Bushco bullshit ever.
T Rex
Thanks for taking the graveyard shift.
Irishmom,
I actually did start a thread with “Fitz! Roots! We, The People!” the other day, so yeah, it has my vote, and I really like “E Pluribus Unum” too … I still haven’t gotten over it that we allowed that wonderful motto to be kicked to the curb in favor of “In God We Trust”. (Note to Mr. Bush: I don’t think I want to put any trust in YOUR God, sorry!)
looseheadprop,
I was off to bed but snuck back in for one more peep in case there was Plame news and here you are!
Funny, I first read your opening as “Nice we are finally on the same team”. Strange, I thought, what other team have I been on? It’s getting late is my excuse.
If you’re suggesting that a good defense is a good offense, then I agree. Getting in front of the wave is crucial and I think the netroots is the absolute best at that. It’s one of the reasons I read blogs now, almost exclusively, as my news resource.
Folks like Jane and Christy have developed a fine nose for the oncoming slime. It’s the additive power of the web of these folks that makes it so effective in picking up the scent.
But as you ask: What’s the best, most effective tactical response? Your suggestions are a start. But are letter to the editor, etc. swift enough to out-swiftboat the swiftboaters? If detection is early enough, then probably. But penetration (don’t get excited) and reach also come into play. You’ve got to reach enough outlets to achieve critical mass to make a dint. Right now, on this late eve, I don’t know what that mass is. Other wiser heads may have more insight.
I was thinking earlier today that for speed, nothing beats online. Email and text messaging, for starters. But I may be thinking like a professional marketing here and not a grassroots participant. I do think that whatever distribution methods can be organized, another key element is content. We must be able to backup our claims and condemnations – we don’t have the $$$ for a bigger, louder bullhorn. But gathering those resources is time-consuming, though Jane and Christy and other bloggers amaze me sometimes at that speed that they can react with real meaty content.
OK. I’m starting to ramble. Sorry, it is past my bedtime. I’ll take these thoughts to slumber over. Will pipe in later tomorrow after this old brain reboots.
Cheers and peace to all mankind…
Dammit, will somebody please close the link?
The latest Fitz filing is at http://www.talkleft.com
Frank’s summary:
1. Libby repeatedly says Cheney told him to get “all” of the information out there. Fitz allows you to draw your own conclusions as to what this means.
2. This filing is a bit snarkier than usual. I think Fitz has had it with Team Libby’s antics. My guess is that the judge is on the same page, although with a little less snark. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if the judge issued a “Ruling on Defendant’s Latest Eight-Part Discovery Motion: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.”
darkblack you are such disturbing nightmare perfection!
Ed N Sted, Well Said! (@82)
Irishmom #75: That reminds me, the Mini Page has done great pages on the Constitution in the past year, with specific ones focusing on various parts of the Bill of Rights. It seems to me they’ve been wonderfully subversive and topical without specifically mentioning current events, but maybe they’re completely straight and it’s just the times we live in that makes them seem subversive.
Thank the Gods, the link is closed and I can post.
Jane and Kobe, you are in my thoughts and prayers tonight. Asking for the best result possible for both of you and your family.
Night hilde, you smart cool, see ya on the flip and beyond as we destroy this fuckhood of evil!
Oh, and since I couldn’t access comments earlier in the day (my work connection was going to the old FDL servers), let me mention it now –
In the CtG project video at the very end, the tall guy in the suit is me!
It looks like Fitz is continuing to play a mighty fine poker hand with the “will he, won’t he, call Cheney” question. Every time Team Irving asks if jokers are wild, Fitz reminds them the game is seven card stud and turns over another ace.
My hope tonight is that Jane and Kobe will be playing on that beautiful piece of the Oregon coast very soon.
Hilde #49 and marksb #60:
I’ve been in marketing, mostly the research end, for a third of a century. I could go on and on about the scapegoating I’ve seen here and elsewhere. But instead, please allow me to suggest something for you to consider:
One of the most destructive concepts of modern times is the “Better Mousetrap Theory”. Experience teaches that the world will not -repeat not – build a path to your door.
Republicans know how to build that path and persuade people to set out upon it. Democrats used to know, but times have changed.
Here’s a strategy for Democrats to take on the Hayden nomination vote. They should abstain. This is why I believe this is the best course of action.
Hilde and lhp, what was that from the Clinton campaign? “Speed Kills.” Not much faster than the netroots, is there?
al-scooter,
“Republicans know how to build that path and persuade people to set out upon it.”
Are you suggesting that Democrats follow the GOP example and pander to people’s fears, their greed, and their prejudices? Because if you are, you are overlooking a fundemental difference between Democrats and Republicans: there is a limit to how low Democrats will stoop to grab the gold ring, and thank God for that.
Redshift 93, the ponytail guy?
Mash @ 96, I like it. The “I refuse to be a party to this BS” approach. It’s a keeper, especially as long as the D’s are outnumbered in both House & Senate. Wish you could convince the “leadership” to use it.
Mash 95: There’s merit to that idea. I read your arguments and I see no flaw: abstention blunts the “pussies in time of war” accusation while registering disapproval of the nominee’s fundamental dishonesty, as well as of the institutional disrespect of he who nominated him.
Goodnight all and Jane – Jane everybody right beside you
(((((( )))))))
Mash @ 96
I concur. Good post.
DP, I think al-Scooter was suggesting we show people a different path … not that I would presume to speak for someone else, that was just how I read it. Turn away from the Dark Side, yah?
Bravo, TRex.
Bon soir, all … I gotta work tomorrow!
mark sb – I never really saw where DiFi said she was displeased with the candidate, but if she was it makes no sense to then vote for him. If you want the argument to be that they want to make sure the Repubs get what they ask for, so it can all be laid at their feet – well, the Repubs had the votes for him already. So adding her voice to theirs makes her a sharer in the calamity – in essence, the opposite of what you are speculating might be the strategy.
Moral bankruptcy is never a good strategy – this may be too obscure – but they only do sevens in the court of morals, never 11s.
OMG this will teach me to be late to the Lake – been hypnotized over at the Kos site with a most fascinating dust up of Pelosi continuing to unfold.
Thanks T-rex – compelling & inspiring, as always.
Have candles lit for bravehearts Kobe & Jane.
Am off to the Fitz filing. Sweet dreams everybody.
Duktig Pojke #98:
I’m suggesting that the Democrats put some mdicum of effort into communicating their positions to the electorate by using images and language to which the electorate can relate.
If Democrats have the better “product”, why not tell that truth?
Excellent post and comments !! BRAVO !!
Sharkbabe #83…Nice to meet you too! Wow, Library of Congress…I’m in awe. You’re right about us librarians. I think most of us feel we have something sacred to protect…access to knowledge. It’s getting harder and harder for us school librarians though. I’m on a listserve for school librarians, and more and more of them are complaing about right wing parent groups that are trying to censor books. Today, there was a discussion that started with a school librarian (from a Catholic School no less!!) who was pissed because some parents wanted her to remove “Of Mice and Men” for the library because of the “swear words” in it. She refused.
Airport Cat #85…so O.K. if I ever get to be the first to post on a thread (doubtful) it’ll be..Fitz! Roots! E Pluribus Unum (In god we trust..bleeech)
Redshift #90…funny you should say that about Mini Page. I was wondering about them myself this year….Good for them.
al-scooter,
I think it is a fallacy that the Democrats don’t put any effort into getting their positions out there. The problem is that the media is controlled largely by corporate entities that prefer the party of corporate tax cuts and refuse to deliver the message. You saw this in the last presidential election: Kerry was repeatedly mocked for “having a plan” for this, that, and the other. I’m not buying it.
Frank Probst, thanks for the TalkLeft link. I did get over there, and it was interesting. Props to you for finding it!
Time for bed now. Hang in there, Kobe and Jane and MrsK8!
I think that what Kobe had is what dogfolk commonly call bloat and it can be extremely serious.
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bloat.html
Working dog owners, and goofy fun loving high energy dog owner and esp large breed owners run into it easily. The worst thing about bloat is that it often goes too long before people decide to go to the vet bc some of the early signs are not real definitive.
Loud and long prayers for Kobe, hugging my MadDog to help get it right. A few more for Jane too – it would break my heart to have something like that happen while I am travelling.
{{{{{Kobe & Jane}}}}}}
and TRex – you are wonderful! I’m leaving you my ears under Article IV: Really Weird or Icky Bequests but insert a foil pad between mine and the Reepers. I’m not as optimistic as you, but I believe optimism is more contagious than bird flu, so I am going to keep going back to this one over and over.
“Together, we can do better!”
I’m not buying that.
Al scootah,
I think you have a kernel to chew on there. Our guys have to realize that the 4th estate is a 5th column, and when they get their 8.3 seconds of airtime, they gotta land a punch, even when the hairpiece/interviewer asks “Have you Democrats stopped beating your wives yet?”
See: Al Gore invented the Internet.
Hilde, upthread: Yeah, but wouldn’t you want Milli Vanilli to come by and have a beer at your barbeque?
For Sharkbabe and Irishmom
http://64.233.161.104/search?q…..11247.html librarian doll&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1
Wasn’t it a librarian who did the helicopter rescue of her boyfriend from prison? *g* The nat assoc of librarians that fought the fight on the NSLs – they showed they know all about spines. Librarians are the BEST!
There, there…
For Sharkbabe and Irishmom
Was not PICKLES a librainian . . . before selling her soul to the BCF???
just saying . . .
All the way from Melbourne, Australia – the Spoodles, Crumpet & Dumpling send get-well soon licks to Kobe. Thank you FDL! Read you & your commentators every day.
Jane:
Sending white light to you and Kobe – God Bless!
boy, busy tonight, I go away to post on other blogs and things have scrolled! :)
#100, 101, 103: I hope the Dem leadership has already considered this idea and is thinking about it seriously.
I usually crosspost on dKos and I put a poll up there tonight. The Poll is currently at 52% (vote yes) and 41% (abstain). Not very encouraging in terms of adopting this idea. Also got flamed for being “spineless” :(
knuckles #116:
I really do have to get to bed, but here’s something to ponder: it’s not an accident that the upper ranks of the GOP are filled with guys who cut their teeth on direct mail. It’s a medium that allows continuous testing and refinement of messages, but it also demands detailed knowledge of the target audience. Great creative helps a lot, but also it’s blood, tears, toil and sweat that makes it go.
Say what you will about these guys, they know how to boil a message down to its essentials and get it to play. If they have to lie, it’s because they have the inferior product. I don’t see anything wrong with using the same techniques to tell the truth, but it takes a commitment to infrastructure and to the disciplne to keep after it. Mostly, it’s just damn hard work and the humility to respect the audience.
So yeah, the M$M’s biased their way. But the facts are biased our way. Getting the message right can turn the M$M and the swift-boaters on their respective heads – I’m looking at you, Howard Dean! – and get us back in the game.
knuckles 116:
I have to get some sleep. I left a reply that was disappeared. Let’s pick up this thread another time soon. Thanks for your thoughts. Hope this post works.
I am not at all down with this political packaging and naked ambition that seems to be so much a part of our cultural schema. As a perfect example of the heights of cynicism to which these punks have soared, Lindsey Hayseed Graham comes out with his pals and says in front of the whole damn world that they have to pass immigration legislation now because it’s politically expedient. Yeah, just like that. Well, fuck you, Hayseed. Go back to your bottomless void. The day that I see that and think it’s OK is the day I need to check out of this heartbreak hotel. We have not yet begun to fight.
I’m sorry to hear that a room full of Democrats cheered Carville and his antiquated ideas about the national stage. If only we had old-style conventions where people duked it out in the pit and nominated the person with the right stuff. I’m just so tired of the smoke and mirrors and the flim flam, I could cry. Don’t accept this kind of numbing that comes when confronted with the bloodthirsty pursuit of power. Fight back every day with all you’ve got. Find something to believe in and then try believing in it.
Thanks Trex for being there for us and for Jane and Kobe. The spark is palpable.
Fitz may prevail, after all. My money is on him.
And then the post reappeared. We’re trapped in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
thanks al scooter, pleasant dreams…
Saw the Safavian trial has started. His mouthpiece is Barbara Van Gelder, of Wiley Rein & Fielding.
From their respective Sourcewatch entries:
Fred F. Fielding is a Commissioner on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
According to his Commission profile, “Fred Fielding is senior partner and head of Wiley, Rein, & Fielding’s Government Affairs, Business & Finance, Litigation and Crisis Management/White Collar Crime Practices. From 1981-1986, he served as Counsel to the President of the United States, as deputy counsel from 1972-1974 and as Associate Counsel from 1970-1972. He also served as clearance counsel during the Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition. In addition to his public service as White House counsel, Fielding has served as the U.S.-designated arbitrator at the Tribunal on the U.S.-U.K. Air Treaty Dispute (1989-1994), as a member of the president’s Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform (1989) and as a member of the secretary of transportation’s Task Force on Aviation Disasters, (1997-1998), as well as numerous other commissions.
Richard E. Wiley is the managing partner of Wiley, Rein & Fielding, a coporate law firm in Washington, DC. Wiley is also a member of the Republican National Lawyers Association Board and Co-Chairman of “its Judicial Advocacy panel, which fights to confirm” President George W. Bush’s judicial nominees.
Wiley was also:
* National Co-Chair, Lawyers for Bush-Cheney (2000)
* National Co-Chair, Lawyers for Bush-Quayle (1992)
And Rein?
Former director of the US Chamber of Commerce, as well as involved in Richard M. Nixon’s 1968 campaign, and the transition team of Reagan’s first term. Founding partner of Wiley, Rein, & Fielding.
WE the PEOPLE. I like the sound of that. Hope lives! Thanks, TRex.
I hope they have a nice, ducks in a row, case on Safavian.
BTW – when the newpiece first came up about the Sprv Prosecutor saying he might call Cheney I checked PACER and nothing was on the docket then. I wonder what the time stamps on the document and the newstory might be — no that there have been any prior incidents of pre-docketing releases of filings *g*
S’late – night all and some extra thoughts and prayers for those with children in the military right now, and with injured, ill and sick loved ones (human or extrahuman) or that just have too much on their plate.
#55, marksb-
funny, i had the same suspicion about the dems continual rollover.
hope its so.
As one of those damnable liberal college professors who corrupts the youth of America by teaching them to think critically, I LOVED your post, T-Rex.
Teaching students to interpret satire can be tough. Some just get it; others, especially the fundamentalist types (who’ve been taught to interpret the Bible literally) have a harder time. Even after all the discussion, there’s always someone appalled at Jonathan Swift for trying to get people to eat babies.
I should have said “professors who corrupt” in #131, but never mind.
Sadly Trex that’s becoming increasingly true in Iraq, just like it was in El-Salvador.
12 years old – hauled off the street whipped with electric cables, violated with an electric drill, shot, body dragged through the streets
Abdullah Yaseen Wept Alone
Is it any surprise that someone thinks that O’Reilly presents an unbiased look at the news and that the MSM has a liberal bias would not get that Colbert is satire? I wonder if that contributed to his presence at the WH Correspondents Dinner. I still think that someone who can’t otherwise come out and criticize the administration is feeling pretty good about getting Colbert in there to speak up for them.
op99 #99: Yep, that’s me!
Star-crossed hilly-billy lovers, robbing their way into your hearts and wallets
;>)
I think one of the most interesting things about the interview was that even though Greenwald wasn’t extremely articulate in explaining Delay’s legal trouble, he got quite a few juicy soundbites and repeated them several times.
Why, even if they were rock dumb enough not to know Colbert’s liberal, would they post any interview in which someone says “illegal” over and over and over again?
Kitty vigil for Kobe in the Cricket residence tonight. We know from living through veterinary crises what these mean. Yeah, Kobe is not feline. We don’t care. It doesn’t matter.
Jane, extended arms around you. ~~~~~~~~God, the angst.~~~~~~~~
Prayers. Love. Tears of anxiety.
with love from jcricket, cubby and milo.
Kudos to T Rex for a great post. And good vibes and best wishes from an atheist, secular humanist to Jane and her hurtin’ dog, Kobe. May he soon run on the beach again.
…for Kobe…burning incense in front of statue of Ganesh surrounded by seven candles…all will be well…
I’d like to be more upbeat but when I look at the way African-Americans are taken for granted and dissed by the Vichy Dems I have to see not voting as the smart play.
Sometimes not voting is not, ‘ not-doing-anything’. It’s not doing anything stupid. The Vichy’s have turned their backs on the road map laid out by MLK. They ignore the likes of Jesse J and Reverend Al and they proffer what?
Tofu weenies and GOP lite flavoured Kool-aid?
Vote Tweedledee quick before Tweedledum gets in?
Shee-it…no matter who you vote for a stinkin’ politician get’s in…and no matter how you slice it, it’s baloney. If voting could really change anything it would probably be illegal.
‘ Don’t vote – it only encourages them ‘
Had enough?
Just remember when the turnouts below 50% then NEITHER side can claim a mandate!
Voting for peace is like fucking for chastity.
You do know what your doing when you do vote don’t you? That Sharia law only applies to true believers?
Vote with yr wallet or vote with yr feet but please, kid’s , please…just don’t vote.
*ahem*
Vote for no other reason than that eet geeves joo the right to beetch.
so.
Wheech ees to say, eef joo have no other reason, VOTE because eet geeves joo the right to beetch.
yo soy apesadumbrado por la confusión.
so.
Either Delay’s people really are that dumb, or they think their donors are that dumb, not to get what Colber’s doing. Although honestly, I’m sure many of them watched the segment and thought, “That Colbert sure showed Greenwald!”
It is not that they are stupid, but rather that they are so extreme that they don’t realize that they resemble a parody of themselves.
AT&T is back in the House
H.R. 5417, Sensenbrenner’s and Conyers’ Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006,
Looks like today is another…dialing for net neutrality day. After all if it’s good enough for the NSA. Now big telcos are saying they can’t afford to increase high speed access infrastructure. Well I am on dial up (costs more than city folks dsl) and don’t want dsl with a choke hold thank you.
KOS has the full list of Judiciary Committee members. Pass this WITHOUT AMMENDMENTS.
From Froomkin, it looks like Harper in Canada is taking a page out of Bush’s book:
“A Canadian reader alerts me to this story by Alexander Panetta of the Canadian Press: “About two dozen journalists walked out on Stephen Harper on Tuesday after he refused to take their questions, the latest chapter in an increasingly unseemly spat between the prime minister and members of the national media.
“The scene of reporters boycotting a prime ministerial news conference was described by Parliament Hill veterans as a first. It resulted in Harper being forced to make his announcement on aid to Darfur to a small handful of reporters, photographers and cameramen outside the House of Commons.”
See, it turns out that the prime minister’s office insists on choosing who gets to ask questions based on a list it compiles.
” ‘We can’t accept that the prime minister’s office would decide who gets to ask questions,’ said Yves Malo, a TVA reporter and president of the press gallery. ‘Does that mean that when there’s a crisis they’ll only call upon journalists they expect softball questions from?’ “
Hastert, ABC spar over investigation report
“WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Speaker Dennis Hastert is demanding a “full retraction” of an ABC News report that he is being investigated in connection with the Jack Abramoff corruption probe.
snip
ABC News, citing “high-level official sources,” reported that the FBI is investigating a letter Hastert wrote three years ago urging then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton* to block an Indian casino that would have competed with casinos operated by other tribes, which were represented by Abramoff.
Hastert’s letter, the details of which were widely reported during news coverage of the Abramoff case, was written shortly after a fund-raiser for the speaker was held at the lobbyist’s Washington restaurant, where Abramoff and his clients made contributions to Hastert.
“A source involved with the Abramoff case told CNN that Justice Department officials have asked Abramoff about the fund-raiser, which netted $75,000 for Hastert days before he wrote the letter. However, the source said it is unclear if the Justice Department is actively pursuing an investigation of Hastert or simply checking out the details of the fund-raiser.”
*A lot of FDL discussion about this when Norton resigned. It appears she put Abramoff inside the WH at the Cabinet level.
Haven’t had much time to feed my FDL habit of late, but I did have a chance to read this post and I have to chime in with a thanks to TRex, this is so on the money. Uninformed citizens are the goal for the rightwing and stupid citizens serve their agenda even more effectively.
I will add though that I don’t think they’re all nitwits over there, there are some brains behind the wingnut political machine and its wurlitzer, just not enough to hide the fact that their entire r’aison d’etre of reverse Robin Hood tax policy, war-profiteering and empire are designed to drown the working class in Tom Delay’s hot tub. Evil? Sure. Stupid? Not all of them. Fuckers.
Good morning, all.
I hope that Kobe is recovering and Jane is at ease.
I wonder what today will bring?
Miles Obrien on CNN this AM asked whether Al Gore’s recent on-camera appearances were because he is throwing his hat into the presidential race OR were they because he is promoting his movie. What great journalism Miles. Well, he is miles from the truth (hahhaha). In an America where more people know who the American Idle (sic) winner is than can find Louisiana on a map, Gore knows that a movie is the only way to reach the masses.
No Miles, those aren’t the only two choices. Did you ever consider that maybe Al Gore, or anyone for that matter, actually cares about the planet and is worried about global warming? I thought not. Maybe your lack of insight was caused by the sucking intelligence vacuum that you are sitting next to — Soledad O’no-brain. Why just yesterday she was absolutely shocked that a town in California was fighting a Walmart that was going to be built in their community. She asked “Why wouldn’t they want a Walmart?”
Soledad, do you know where Louisiana is?
OK, that’s my rant for this hour, now I better get some coffee.
“Everyone please remember Kobe in your prayers tonight.” ??? Why should we pray for luxury beef? What’s next? Pray for Champagne?
:D
Come on Kobe, come on big dog. Think Pumpkin Bread! All our thoughts are with you Jane.
Kobe and Jane are in my prayers.
the assumptio with this article is that claiming we will will is that the game isn’t fixed
sorry, untill we address the electronic voter issue, the alienating democratic regions issue, the not enough polling points in democratic regions issue, the no exit polling issue
and a host of other issues
we have to loose
we HHAVE to start the movement now and insure the proper vote count
otherwise nothing at all matters
Gray @152,
Kobe is the name of Jane’s beloved dog, who is suffering from a potentially life-threatening illness. We here at FDL just want her to know our thoughts are with her.
And I, for one, often find myself praying for champagne!
“I was dreaming in my dreaming
of an aspect bright and fair
and my sleeping it was broken
but my dream it lingered near
in the form of shining valleys
where the pure air recognized
and my senses newly opened
I awakened to the cry
that the people / have the power
to redeem / the work of fools
upon the meek / the graces shower
it’s decreed / the people rule
The people have the power
The people have the power
The people have the power
The people have the power”
http://www.oceanstar.com/patti/lyrics/people.htm
Tommy, I’m sry to hear that. Our dog died of cancer, I know the pain of watching this. My thoughts are with Jane.
But, pls understand, as long as hundreds of millions of people are suffering all around the world, I don’t pray for a pet, ok?
And this, my friends, is why we shall overcome.
Because right wingers are stupid.
Yes, but look what happened to the smart people under Pol Pot and Mao. I am not encouraged.
Gray,
I’m sorry for your loss. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m not much of a “prayer” myself, unless I’m doing it for someone/something else.
But at the end of the day, isn’t it better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness?
“But at the end of the day, isn’t it better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness?”
Amen, brother!
Today is National Missing Children day, can tomorrow be National Missing Congress Day?
http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/36647/
Arianna takes on the Hillary issue.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/36638/
AlterNet links to Roots Project video, but they don’t use Roots Project name, boo hoo.
Jane — we’re thinking about you and Kobe. Let us know how things are going.
Redshift 135, even before I knew it was you, I was thinking, wow, what a radiant smile that guy has!
A Girl can Dream…
It’s hard to say, but I think they really thought Colbert was serious. One reason why I say that is because their are so many other examples of the wingers not understanding what is going on in the world around them. Just the other day I read an article by some guy on (I think it was) Times.com. It was about the Dixie Chicks’ cd. The author of the article, after writing that the Chicks were once again standing against having been dissed for having spoken out, wrote, “Erm, will anybody buy it?” (the cd.) Of course, at the time of this writing the cd was number one in all sales of popular, not just country, music at Amazon.com. And the cd wasn’t even out yet. Don’t these people do any research whatsoever before they open their pieholes?!
zennurse
Let me in on that dream :’) I hope darkblack gets to see that one.
Here’s a scarey idea. Aside from all the dumbasses, the rightwing has attracted a relatively small number of geeks who are great with computers. This cohort builds our shiny new computer voting machines. They’re also the Goebbels of our era–did you watch the Goebbels diary the other night? That little pissant didn’t realize he was totally lost until the Russian Army was two blocks away.
“Net neutrality fans pressure U.S. Senate”
http://news.com.com/Net neutrality fans pressure U.S. Senate/2100-1028_3-6076231.html
Pls join the good fight! Call your Senator today and tell her/him that Senate must protect net neutrality to keep the Internet free and open to all!
You’ll find contact info here:
http://www.savetheinternet.com/callcongress.php
hmm, dunno why that first link is garbled, test:
http://news.com.com/Net neutrality fans pressure U.S. Senate/2100-1028_3-6076231.html
Strange, this forum software deletes ‘plus’ signs in a link. Add them at all that spaces and the link is ok…
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/052406A.shtml
” The article reports on a provision in the Senate immigration bill that removes the cap on the number of nurses who can enter the country each year. The problem, as described in the article, is that the country faces a large and growing shortage of nurses. In a market economy, a shortage means that wages should rise. This will cause more students to enter nursing schools (presumably creating more incentive to establish nursing schools), and will induce many part-time or retired nurses to work more hours as nurses. It may also curtail the demand somewhat, as some tasks that are performed by nurses can presumably be performed by less-skilled workers.
But, that is not the way things work in the world of the conservative nanny state. The people who set economic policy in this country dont want to pay nurses higher wages. They have a different solution – bring more nurses from developing countries into the United States. These nurses will be very happy to work for the current wages received by nurses in the United States, which are far higher than what nurses in places like the Philippines or India earn. (Never mind the impact that this drain of nurses has on developing countries.)”
This has enraged me since yesterday.
Redshift (90) — wow. Thank you, thank you. I’d completely forgotten the Minipage; our local paper dropped it a while back. This is important because one of this summer’s projects for the kids in my house is the Constitution. We are going to cover (2) amendments a week, including discussion about their application; I want them to be able to recite them forwards and backwards. I didn’t have any curriculum, was just going to wing it, but after reading your comment I went and looked for Minipage Lessons. There’s BOATLOAD of stuff at the Denver Post, will help me immensely!! Thank you, thank you!!
another medical disaster thanks to Bush
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/052306Z.shtml
the DEA is going to war on Pain docs and patients, victim as criminal. I just hate this.
~~~De-lurk:
Is anyone making “Angry Left” bumperstickers?
Re-lurk~~~
zennurse at 148
I only wish that the US press corps would take a page out the Canadian play book and boycott the White House press conferences when they don’t get responsive answers or get threats of lost access by asking hard questions. They need to get back in the game. (I know, I know, but hey I can dream…)
Just mentioned on C-SPAN the House will have a full debate on ANWR today. This is the third year in a row.
Right on. Rise up brothers and sisters and throw off the yoke of the oppressors. Let’s join arm in arm and fight the good fight until Liberty, Justice, and Freedom for all is more than just a slogan.
http://tinyurl.com/euupj
When the President Breaks the Law, the President, and Not the Courts, Should Decide Whether it Stays Secret and Whether the Law Applies to the President
The United States government, not any court, is the best judge of whether to keep programs such as its controversial effort to eavesdrop on citizens a secret, an assistant attorney general said on Wednesday
http://www.usatoday.com/news/w…..htm?csp=34
FCC Says If The President Is Breaking The Law, It’s A Secret and Even If It’s More Exposed Than a Nipple at a Football Game, Well, That’s Why Head’s Are Able to Turn and Look the Other Way
The Federal Communications Commission declined Tuesday to investigate whether a spy agency has access to millions of Americans’ telephone records. It cited the secrecy of the National Security Agency.
The decision drew a call for congressional hearings from a Democratic congressman who had requested a probe. “The FCC has abdicated its responsibility to protect Americans’ privacy to the National Security Agency without even asking a single question about it,” Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said.
http://tinyurl.com/lm66v
ACLU Petitioning 20 States on Wiretap Probes
The ACLU and its affiliates are petitioning utilities regulators and attorneys general in 20 states to demand investigations and public hearings with a goal of stopping the domestic spying or revealing more about it.
“Because right wingers are stupid.”
You think you’re going to win votes this way? Come on. I’m a proud lefty, and I think a lot or most of right-wing positions are short-sighted, totally wrong, horrible, whatever, but we have to bring people into the fold and not think we can shame them into going our way by proving that we’re smart and they’re dumb. Isn’t that like Politics 101?
Also…..
I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more!!!!!!!!
Did anyone else here see the movie
‘Mother Night’?
re: 182
Actually, I do think the left can win votes this way. The right has been winning votes with these kinds of tactics for decades. Belittling other people can have a negative impact on their reputation.
That’s why people do it.
“Sometimes it’s better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness”
-Terry Pratchett
Ann Coulter is fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm. She can’t believe that Larry David is a Liberal Democrat (and long time Nation reader, according to their ad.)
Stephen Colbert… trojan horse
Melior 141 –yes, and Ulysses is too vulgar for words.
re: dumb and dumber:
did ya see those numbers for american idol? more voted than for any prez in history!!!
without quality free public ed K-college AND the fairness doctrine returned we r doomed to stupidhood…
welcome aboard.
“Sometimes it’s better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness”
Yup, but mostly probably the guy who said that in that TP novel also believes that the earth is flat (and rests on the backs of four turtles), so we should take this with a grain of salt, some lemon and a lot of tequilla!
:D
Hate the sin, love the sinner. I think you can point out how a lot of right-wing policies are just plain stupid but not feel you have to call all right-leaning people stupid. It just isn’t constructive. If my child says to me, I stole a cookie from the jar because my little brother did it first, I say, come on, you know that’s not right, and you’re capable of better than that. If the cookies were yours would you want other people stealing them from you?
Actually, analogizing to children is helpful in pointing out the problems in a lot of right-wing policies. hmm.
clb72 (192) — okay, if it’ll make you happy I’ll not call people like my father and my in-laws –died in the wool right-wing members — “stupid”.
How about “willfully unread”?
How about “pointedly incurious”?
How about “easily manipulated and deceived”?
Believe me, they now regret the unread and incurious part, and are quite angry about being taken for a bobsled ride to hell.
Would really love to say “I told you so”, but that won’t take care of my mother-in-law’s $900 /month prescription meds bills that she’s mounting up inside the “donut hole” of coverage. My father-in-law says he sure hopes somebody takes care of that problem soon; I ask him if he’s aware that the folks he’s voted for in the past are recipients of Big Pharma campaign contributions. He gives me the look he reserves “stupid angry leftists.”
Yeah, I can see where avoiding the name calling will help us all. Meh.
Ah, how about I call them “the angry right”?
Long EPU’d, but I wanted to send best wishes Jane’s way.
Hey, call them whatever you want! They TOTALLY deserve it. How about instead of “Right wingers are idiots,” we say, “Right wingers are acting like idiots.” Or is that just semantic.
I was just talking about the sales pitch is all.
btw the latest line I get from right-wing acquaintances is that the American death rate in Iraq isn’t that bad when you compare it to Detroit. I kid you not. We should have called the Iraq invasion Operation Detroit.
Yep. That’s why. Not long after the 2004 election, I was listening to a guest (the name escapes me now) on Air America’s late lamented Morning Sedition who told Marc and Mark that there was good news in the election after all. While it had taken the Republicans 20 or 30 years to build their machine, Progressives had gotten a pretty good one up and running in 18 months. Wartime presidents are notoriously hard to beat and the fact that Kerry lost by so little (if he lost at all. Yes, I’m talking to you, Ohio) was pretty amazing.
So I’ve carried that idea and broadcast it around. We’re smarter and more committed to change than ever. We will take our country back.
I just wish we could bring back Morning Sedition.
Great post. And funny about Colbert. If everything weren’t so horrible, there would be room for a few good laughs.
To quote Frank Zappa:
“It’s not getting any smarter out there. You have to come to grips with stupidity and make it work for you.”
I think you are mistaken in your outlook for liberalism. A.k.a socialism, has never, and will never, succeed as long as reasonable, intelligent, competent, caring, and hardworking individuals like myself are alive. Intellectuals have their role in society, but it sure isn’t in leadership or protecting our freedom. You are NOT better, OR smarter, than the rest of us, just arrogant and condescending. There are a lot more of us than you, and we see this distinction very clearly. It is because of this that you will always be on the losing side. :)
Have a great American day!
I find it very hard to believe that the DeLay crowd doesn’t know that Colbert is a satirist of extreme rightwing rhetoric; especially after the high profile media coverage of his President Bush roast.
I think it much more likely that the DeLay group is so cynical that they think their supporters are either so stupid, so uninformed, or so lacking in any appreciation of the satirist arts that their supporters won’t make the distinction and buy it wholesale.
Run Satire! Run!
I love it when you guys call yourselves intellectuals and then do head long into a tirade including every crackpot conspiracy theory you can think of. And using run on sentences and forgetting details, man, what biting wit. What scintillating cranial capacity you must have! There must be no better way to convince people you are smart than to continually tell them you are as loud as you can. Its not working on me, but apparently that is all you got, so you might as well run with it.
yeah. You tell’em Popeye. Stupid intellectuals, who do you think you are? With your dumb scintillating cranial capacity and everything, jeez. Way to screw everything up and be overly annoying and such. How’s this for intellectual: What starts with the letter “L”, besides “L”oser? “L”iberal! Ha ha! Loser Liberals, get it?! Cuz they start with the same letter! ha ha ha
I can’t believe it’s STILL up there! Too freakin’ funny for words. Could neocons actually have a sense of hu… nah!!!
STOOPID is as stoopid does.
God.. Republicans have a special brand of stupidity. The Delay site is just to much. As for Abu Gonzales, I wrote today how he is really just Bush’s Paulie Walnuts… a mob enforcer/attorney.
Loser Liberals Lambada Lasciviously.
That video is “no longer available” at the DeLay site.
We here in California’s Canada are glad that Delay’s supporters have removed that traitorous Colbert’s video from their site, as Colbert has continually encouraged his viewers to think of us Oregonians as non-American. We are glad that the Delay supporters eventually saw through his faux-patriotism, and now see him as the lying blowhard he really his.
“Now, why would a bunch of crony-sucking Repug thugs suddenly rush forward to embrace a known liberal satirist? BECAUSE THEY DON’T REALIZE HE’S A LIBERAL!”
Rather, I think the part Repugs don’t get about Colbert is that it’s satire. They don’t get the plot twist. Republicans generally are not stupid, they just like wearing blinders. Blinders to the truth, blinders to the suffering, blinders allowing intolerance. AND in this case, blinders to “irony.”
yea baby!
Someone should point them to:
http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/
One the surface, this may seem funny, but the gambling that their veiwers will not understand it as irony (either?).
They have done this before – it’s just a variation on the ‘bigger lies are more believable’. Take him at face value, and gamble that your listeners won’t bother to scratch deep enough to see through it.
Jane -
Best to Kobe. Our greyhound Boomer came through a retroverted stomach about 2 months ago and is back to his fighting weight, though the week of fevers and barfing had us scared to death. I’m sure Kobe will come through, too. Sending best wishes from SW Washington.
sowing mistrust of intellectuals
They have taken the Pol Pot strategy and run with it. What’s next, shooting people who wear eyeglasses?
Yet they still get all pissy about “those hollywood types thinkin’ we’re all country bumpkins.”
Not all of them, just the vast, vast majority of them.
Must amount to roughly 27 percent of Americans if you ask me…