Fitz!

Fitz me again!

Please tell me that the Kerri Strug line was inserted as a joke … to see if anyone was paying attention maybe?

Shudder.

Unless it’s actually Chris Kattan pretending to be Kerri Strug. That might be worth watching.

LaMont !!

dws at 3 — nope, I double checked it on the This Week website. It’s true. You can click thru on the link and see with your own eyes. *g*

Sure needed that photo this morning, Christy. Thank you.

CNN: the doctor who blew up his townhouse has died.

But doesn’t Hezbollah watch every Sunday talk show on satellite? Isn’t this Rice’s cagy way of sending them death stares and secret messages without appearing to actually talk to them?

Biden and Gingrich in an AssClown jerk-off, Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Honestly, when I read these things I am soooooooooooooo glad I don’t have a TV.

Hairplug and FatBoy gumming each other to rhetorical death. Does not sound edifying.

Apologies for all the Os.

I thought a photo of two dissimilar living beings getting along might be appropriate for this morning. Seeing how mucked up the world is and all…a little peace and harmony and contentment seemed like a nice counter-balance.

Sam Donaldson, Cokie Roberts and George Will — join me to debate the week’s politics

Are you serious, Christy? Are you personally going to be there joining the debate?

Gonna be a food fight if true! *g*

Good morning America! I’m watching Chuck Todd from “Roll Call” and Jennifer Duffy from “Cook Political Report” on C-SPAN preview the up-coming Congressional races, and over-all I’m encouraged. Before that, they took viewers’ calls on the situation in the Middle East. Again, I’m encouraged. If younger people today are dismayed by the current world political situation, all I can say as a person who remembers Air Raid drills in Kindergarten back in 1958…this too shall pass. Do NOT let the Chicken Hawks cause you to become discouraged! Good will always win, because love is always stronger than hate.

More from Frank Rich today:

“The Bush doctrine was a doctrine in name only, a sales strategy contrived to dress up the single mission of regime change in Iraq with philosophical grandiosity worthy of F.D.R. There was never any serious intention of militarily pre-empting either Iran or North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions were as naked then as they are now, or of striking the countries that unlike Iraq were major enablers of Islamic terrorism. Axis of Evil was merely a clever brand name from the same sloganeering folks who gave us “compassionate conservatism” and “a uniter, not a divider” — so clever that the wife of a presidential speechwriter, David Frum, sent e-mails around Washington boasting that her husband was the “Axis of Evil” author. (Actually, only “axis” was his.)

Since then, the administration has fiddled in Iraq while Islamic radicalism has burned brighter and the rest of the Axis of Evil, not to mention Afghanistan and the Middle East, have grown into just the gathering threat that Saddam was not. And there’s still no policy. As Ivo Daalder of the Brookings Institution writes on his foreign-affairs blog, Mr. Bush isn’t pursuing diplomacy in his post-cowboy phase so much as “a foreign policy of empty gestures” consisting of “strong words here; a soothing telephone call and hasty meetings there.” The ambition is not to control events but “to kick the proverbial can down the road —far enough so the next president can deal with it.” There is no plan for victory in Iraq, only a wish and a prayer that the apocalypse won’t arrive before Mr. Bush retires to his ranch.”

Only slightly OT since it is part of Sunday mornig politcal spin:
but some wingnut from the “New America Foundation” has a ginormous op-ed int the NYTimes this AM and in it he says that liberals joined with neo-cons to take us to war with Iraq.

I kid you not. Read it, rub your eyes, and read again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07…..ref=slogin

He said:

shared idealism is what led many liberals to join neocons in supporting the Iraq war, which hasn’t turned out ideally.

You see? The Iraq war is the fault of LIBERALS!!! I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. The Times gave this lunatic the eqivalent of a full page, actually did better than that. They gave him two half pages above the fold. The damn thin has “chapters” wih roman numeral headings.

Krazy World. I’m living in Krazy World. Wait till Cindy Sheehan finds out that LIBERALS like her forced the US into war with Iraq. Her head is going to spin 360.

Me, I gotta put my eyeballs back into my head. The shock of reading this lunacy caused them to jump right outta my skull

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..israel_110

The attack on Haifa raised Israel’s death toll from the fighting to at least 23 — 11 soldiers and 12 civilians. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed 130 people, mostly civilians.

Mad Dogs at 11 — nope — it’s a Stephanopolous cut-and-paste. Thanks — usually, I go back through and clean all those up — but this morning, certain small peanuts were a little hands-on and I missed that one. Will fix it…

Who can explain it? The talk show hosts are no more interested in reasoned discussion as the Middle East explodes than their bike-riding King.

I Emailed Bob Novak after he “outed” Valerie Plame and complained to him that he had helped criminals in the White House to commit a felony. He called me (and others) “left -wing nut jobs” on CNN. I also Emailed CNN and demanded that he be fired. I’ll be watching Face the nation to see how he tries to repare his image. Should be fun !!

Does anyone have a guess how quickly its going to take Condi to tell us that “no one could have anticipated” the situation in Lebanon? Once again, we knew NOTHING.

I’m not about to venture into the “whose fault is it” waters, today…however…

How is it that the European nations are already getting their people out of Lebanon and yet the US is saying that a rescue plan will happen “this week”, but that it will only be able to accomodate 4,000 of the 25,000 Americans estimated to be in Lebanon? Oh yeah, an immediate plan would involve buses and, as NOLA so aptly showed us, we don’t do buses very well.

Fucking terrific!! Well,no one could have anticipated….

Steve — he’ll be on Meet the Press on NBC. Just FYI.

Christy at 16:

Dagnabbit…I was so looking forward to that food fight. *g*

Thanks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5184946.stm

UK prepares for Beirut evacuation

Preparations are being made to rescue UK citizens from Lebanon, the British ambassador in Beirut has said.

James Watt says there are a “number of options” open to assist Britons in the country following Israeli air strikes.

Two Royal Navy ships, aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and assault ship HMS Bulwark, are heading to the Middle East on stand-by for a rescue operation.

Other countries including Spain, Italy and Greece have already begun removing their nationals from the capital.

Thanks lina at 6:08, Frank really nailed it.

*ilson

John C 24: He always does.

*ilson
It’s times like these I remind myself of the (guilty)comfort I have in knowing I have duel citizenship.

lhp,

The last time I checked, 56% of Democrats voted against the war in Iraq. That would be more than half.

lhp : duel citizenship? do your two nations often war with each other?

And how pathetic will it be to watch Tim Russert interview Bob Novak about the Plame case acting like he’s not involved up to his eyeballs? It’s such a farce. You would think some overlord at NBC would get a clue that you don’t get the journalist (cough) who is involved in the story to interview someone about the story.

But that would be in another era, I guess.

Wot’s the other half of your duality, lhp?

CNN: LBC says a team has arrived at the US Embassy in Beirut to suss out the American evacuation.

oilfield

I know that, you know that, but evidently the moron at the NYTimes that accepted this piece of fantasy fiction for publication is completely out of the loop on that.

Has the Times compleely given up on fact checking? Hell, it’s summer. They should be hip deep in summer interns eager to prove their mettle byvigorous fact checking.

What? It’s too hard to ask some kid to do the work the editorial board is too lazy to do themselves?

Nice photo Christy! (you DO have a certain eye…)
—-
Ed*ard Teller’s piece late last thread was really cool, I thought. Hanging out at the 10,000-year-old nexus of inter-continental migration; and a time-machine meditation.
——
For the first time this AM I delved into the Globe’s (online, that is…back in the day paper it was a routine stop) Editorial page. Today they give a little coverage of ‘Political blogs’. Unsigned; but the lede is full of ‘wacko’ (words like ’soapbox’…which to me is remindful (word?) of “The End Is Near! Repent!…and who’s to argue with that given what’s going on ME-wise) Anyway, they end it with basically, “This could be a Good Thing. More, please.” kinda take.
—-
Overnight, streamed some BBC. Had “Political Analysis” show. Asked if Tony the Poodle might be brought down by his own very ‘fund-raising scandal’ (Peerages for Pay) One astute fellow: “By itself, no.”

I just don’t get this. They’ve learned that as long as you can say, “That’s NOT a Smoking Gun.” (Even though the thing is in plain sight.) then they can go with coverup, obfuscation and denial. Or something. What does it take? Seems even ‘dead girs/live boy’ will just end w/”We’ll never know” sputtering, Or something like that.

Sorry. Just pissed off.
—
More coffee, plz.

Latest news from here in Norway is that our bunch is moving now, in a joint norwegian/swedish evacuation – they’re expected to reach the Damascus and the plane that’ll carry them out in about 10 hours or so.

That doesn’t help the quarter of a million lebanese who’re watching as the infrastructure around them is being reduced rubble once again.

I grow weary of the constant meme put forward that the dems supported this war and had the same facts the Preznit had. It flies in the face of the facts. Yet the Dems will not defend their voting record in fear of appearing weak.

*ilson

Howcome I never see the typos when I’m typing them.

If I could only be so funny INTENTIONALLY

Lotus

I am Irish as well as American

I was born here, but my mother registered me with the Irish consulate as a “registered foreign birth” So, the Republic of Ireland claims me as one of their own

op99 : it’s OK ! Israel promised not to misuse the armaments … there’s a piece of paper correctly filed somewhere in the Pentagon with that promise all properly certified.

Last night I read this Dkos Diary:

Americans not getting the whole story on Lebanon by gjohnsit
snip

I bet most of you didn’t even realize that the Hezbollah had given terms for the release of the soldiers:

The capture of the soldiers fulfills a longtime promise by Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah to snatch Israelis and swap them for the remaining three Lebanese prisoners held by Israel — boosting his standing among followers. Eight other Israeli soldiers were killed in the raid.
Nasrallah was smiling and confident at a press conference in his stronghold in south Beirut as he dubbed the raid as “Operation Truthful Promise” and sent a message to the Lebanese held by Israel: “You are now on the road to freedom.”
“The (Israeli) prisoners will not return home except through one way — indirect negotiations and a trade,” he said. “Nobody in the whole world can return them home except through a (prisoners) exchange.”
snip
Wait a second. What is this about Lebanese prisoners?
It seems that Israel has been holding three Lebanese soldiers prisoner since before the Israeli withdraw from Lebanon in 2000.
snip

So there you have it. Hezbollah taking prisoners makes them terrorists. Israeli’s taking prisoners makes them what, victims?

I’ll never understand this war on error.

Side note on my Appalachian foothills youth was a beautiful swimming hole we use to venture to that Christy might also know for those Morgantown hot days, Blue Hole Big Sandy Creek, I think was the place.
also:
A few days ago there was an article in the times “Redefining American Beauty, by the Yard” http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07…..?8dpc?8dpc
I remember how lawns became more and more competitive and the use of chemicals became common use. Green lawn chemical crazy neigbors were concern to my family because we got our water from a well and the suburban sprawl that engulfed our small town had little concern for water tables.

*ilson 37, oh, well, that really sets my mind to rest, then. Phew!

Lucky you, lhp — what a fine haven you have in yer back pocket. How them pup girls this morning? How them tootsies of yours?

I’m a potato(e) eatin’ Irish myself. But I don’t have a certificate for it. Would really like to visit Ireland someday. And Spain.

I am relieved that your dual citizenship is with Ireland … for a few fleeting moments, I was afraid the can of worms about US/Israeli dual citizenship was going to be opened. “Dual citizenship” is a code-word by anti-Semites for accusing US Jews of being under the control of the Elders of Zion.

Found this on another site:

A funny to start your day. Well, the last part is so serious it could make you cry.

A Japanese doctor says, “Medicine in my country is so advanced that we
can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him
looking for work in six weeks.”

A German doctor says, “That is nothing, we can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him looking for work in four weeks.”

A British doctor says, “In my country, medicine is so advanced that we can take half of a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have them both looking for work in two weeks.”

The doctor from Texas, not to be outdone,

“You guys are all way behind. In the US, we took a man with no brains out of Texas; put him in the White House and now half the country is looking for work.”

Galway’s looking pretty good about now.

Puppies are getting fat already. They are the most active at this age of any litter I have seen.

The first time momma, however is just nuts. Won’t pee or poo. Won’t drink water. Keeps trying to hide the puppies. She is SOOO anxious.

I had to trick her to get her outside for 5 minutes to poop.

Tooties are fine. Got all my chores out of the way yesterday, kid is off to Boston in a few minutes and I will spend the day putting the book outline in final. Yeah! I whole day of peace, quiet and getting some work done. Yippee.

I am not snarking, I am so chomping at the bit with this election fraud book and life keeps interrupting my progress.

I tell you I cannot figure out how Christy manages her rate of productivity considering all the interruptions she has each day. I am in awe of that

CNN’s Barbara Starr (the Pentagon spokeperson posing as a CNN correspondent) is reporting that DoD folk who are experts in US civilian evacuation have arrived at the American Embassy in Beirut.

Ms. Starr is using the phrase “American troops in Lebanon” with trepidation …

We are all Earthlings first. Too bad we have to think in terms of nationality and borders. Are we not human beings ? Let’s show some compassion to our brothers and sisters who are dying around the globe today.

*ilson at 43

No, but I have been accused of being under the control of Druids *g*

lhp -
Lucky you. I looked into going ‘dualie’ around ‘90. Never did follow through…(chagrin)
—-
Link to Globe Op/Ed re: political blogs:
http://www.boston.com/news/glo….._politics/

Godspeed to you and peace to Baby Mitten’s and Bridget’s Momma today, lhp!

Baby Mittens’

my six 6-week-old pitpuppies have reached the synchronized screaming phase — damn, those mutts are noisy! Mommydog acts so nonchalant…

“Let’s show some compassion to our brothers and sisters who are dying around the globe today.”

WHEN have we ever NOT, SC?

I figure the U.S. evacuation will be:
Air drop 25k inflatable rafts; each one a has a copy of Catch-22 taped to it.
—-
(Remember Yosarian rowing across the Mediteranean? TO ESCAPE THE INSANITY!)

Blank Kluge

Read the Globe Op Ed about the blos. How do you suppose this Ed Wonk guy got so lucky, that outta all the blogs in all the world, he is the only one who gets a plug?

Rice, Biden, Gingrich, Cokie R., G. Will, Novak, Feinstein, George Allen, Dan Bartlett, Shimon Perez, Moustapha, and others. Genuine promoters and pillars of abject compassion, credibility, objectivity… and… truth, justice, and the American way… all. Yuk. The world is on fire. And our proxy is carrying the torch. Burn baby, burn.

B K

Re: the life raft scenario:

If it weren’t so likely to be true, it would be really funny

*ilson, these little guys are what? 72 hours old? They yip already. Not cry, little yips trying to be woofs.

They were also amazingly mobile after only about 4 hours. They are like puppies from the planet Kryton. Not big, but amazingly strong for newborns

Timmeh’s giving R Novak a pretty thorough grilling, hope you’re taping it, Christy.

Right after the anthrax attack, a customer came in my restaurant. He was a truck driver and short of cash. He asked if I could feed him and next time he was in the areqa he would bring two gas masks for me and my son. Sounded like the best deal of the day so I fed him as much as he could eat and tipped him a doggy bag on the way out.

He returned in about 2 weeks with my gas masks. They were two clothes pins painted red white and blue and each had a little tag hanging off the end reading “US Government issued Gas Mask. It was so funny.

lhp,

As a part-time blogger, I am not interested in fame or recognition. I merely put forth my views as a sort of self-therapy. I know absolutely nothing about how to promote, market or increase traffic to my site. And as far as I know, only one other blog has placed me on their blogroll. That would be Eli’s and Lizzies place.

Further to my comment at 19 above, from the latest edition of Newsweek:

The Bush team didn’t see this one coming. Maybe it was simply that too many other volcanoes were erupting at the same time. Iraq was tipping closer to civil war, Iran was getting more brazen by the day and North Korea’s missiles were roiling East Asia. The president, meanwhile, was preoccupied with what would likely be a testy G8 summit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. True, the two top U.S. Mideast envoys—David Welch and Elliott Abrams—were in the region when hostilities began. But they had been reassured by Lebanese contacts that Hassan Nasrallah, the Hizbullah leader, didn’t plan to “stir things up” while Hamas and Israel contended over a kidnapped Israeli corporal, according to a senior U.S. diplomat who would divulge the details only if he remained anonymous. “You had six and a half years of, if not calm, basically a stable deterrence between Hizbullah and Israel,” the official told NEWSWEEK. “I did not expect this at all.”

As Chris Rock would say, “Right on time. That train’s never late.”

my 6-week old pitpuppies are quite variegated vocally. Mommydog is a “talking dog” — I kept one of her babies from 6 months ago (Bebecito Evo) who is built like Denny Hastert but has a voice like Yma Sumac. He can bark loudly in a deep voice but he can also scream for attention with a horrendously high pitch just for the fun of it.

lhp-

You’re smarter, more collected, etc than I am. I hadn’t considered how/why Ed blog (whatever his name is) got the only mention.
—–
You’re doing a book? I didn’t know that. Good on you!
Best wishes. It’s already on my list.

lhp, my mother, who was a dual citizen born in Canada of a US father, said that by the act of voting in the US, she thereby renounced her Canadian citizenship. Was she all wet, or is that a function of Canada but not Ireland? (I assume anyone who lives at the Lake votes.)

O F G

Internet marketing has always been a mystery to me too.

i came here for the Fitz, stayed for the friends.

don’t forget Kerri, Oklahoma @ 57!

Madeline Albright on This Week pretty much carved up Rice for sitting in Russia while the Middle East burns. Pointed out to George that she never really answered the question of why Bush hasn’t even spoken to Ehud Olmert.

Whoever said Rice will be dragging out her stock “no one could have anticipated” line is no doubt spot on…

Loved the pic, Christy.

Am off to the kitchen: raspberry/blueberry tart to make, chicken to marinate. Then house to pretty up for guests.

Oh – good news, everyone: my future son-in law put us out of our misery and spoke to my husband last night about marrying our daughter, so the cat’s officially out of the bag and I can bring all the Bride’s magazines and books from the library into the house! No more biting my tongue for fear of giving it away!

Sorry for the OT bit, but couldn’t help myself!

George Bush has probably been talking to Arial Sharon recently, seeking advice …

Whew, Anne — “two weeks” DID sound like an awfully long time to keep that kitty bagged. Good stuff!

Jesus Christ! There’s a hard-hitting bunch of bushCo cheerleader’s and apologists, if ever seen.

I guess knowing which questions not to ask guarantees you some interview pub.

Dual Citizenship is a tricky thing and varies from country to country. *ilson referred to that upthread. Isreal conveys daul citizenship on any jewish person (i’m sketchy on this, don’t know if it applies to converts) who cares to claim citizenship.

I can maintain dual citizenship as long as I don’t really exercise it. If I vote in an Irish election or serve in the Irish army or government, I will effectively renounce my US citizenship.

Years ago, you had to be an Irish citizen to own farmland and the US government allows you to do that w/o endangering your status as a US citizen.

During the Reagan/Bush I years and because of the Achille LAuro murder, the US started looking the other way if you travelled on another passport that you were leaglly entitiled to.

during that period, one of my sisters was doing a travelogue through Africa for BBC radio and travelled on her Irish passport. In fact she had her US passport hidden in a fals bottom of a suitcase b/c she did not want anyone at a border search to know she was an american. Not only was it dangerous to be an american, you could not get interviews for squat if you were a known american back in those days.

Robin Wright of WaPo : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13884768/

Israel, with U.S. support, intends to resist calls for a cease-fire and continue a longer-term strategy of punishing Hezbollah, which is likely to include several weeks of precision bombing in Lebanon, according to senior Israeli and U.S. officials.

For Israel, the goal is to eliminate Hezbollah as a security threat — or altogether, the sources said. A senior Israeli official confirmed that Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah is a target, on the calculation that the Shiite movement would be far less dynamic without him.

For the United States, the broader goal is to strangle the axis of Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria and Iran, which the Bush administration believes is pooling resources to change the strategic playing field in the Middle East, U.S. officials say.

Whatever the outrage on the Arab streets, Washington believes it has strong behind-the-scenes support among key Arab leaders also nervous about the populist militants — with a tacit agreement that the timing is right to strike.

“What is out there is concern among conservative Arab allies that there is a hegemonic Persian threat [running] through Damascus, through the southern suburbs of Beirut and to the Palestinians in Hamas,” said a senior U.S. official who requested anonymity because of sensitive diplomacy. “Regional leaders want to find a way to navigate unease on their streets and deal with the strategic threats to take down Hezbollah and Hamas, to come out of the crisis where they are not as ascendant.”

Anne, congratulations on your impending mother-in-law-hood. I’m sure you’ll be a good one, judging from the restraint you have shown in keeping your yap shut even though you were brimming with the news. :>)

A “hostage situation” is looming in Basra.

If Israel bombs Syria, 8,000 Brit troops will find out how the Iraqi Shia feel about it.

As ol’ Matt says: “developing”….

Oh, I gotta go read the Sports page…

The “Who could have IMAGINED…” stuff is out already.

ugh.

(usually I’m kinda stoic, up close and personal, regardless what I type here…well, maybe not so much…) anyway, I’m usually avg/low blood pressure wise. I don’t have a cuff handy just now, but I’m certain the heart rate ain’t like the song:
“Check my pulse;
it don’t change.
Stays seventy-two,
come shine or rain.”
—
Grateful Dead
“U.S. Blues”
http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/usblues.html
Ironic, but not on purpose.
Guess I need a dose of Jerry Radio (thanks Urban Pirate)

…and a kilo of Soma.

Anne

vcongratulations. I think it is SOOO charming that your son in law did the old fashioned asking for your daughter’s hand thing.

If you can find it, the first MArtha Stewart weddings book (from the mid 1980’s) was amazing. Just bursting with easy to implement ideas.

The early MS stuff was so much more idea dense

lhp,

I came here much after the “All Plame, all the time”, and truthfully, I am not involved in the minutae of the case. It is a bunch of legal hairsplitting over an outrageous breach of national security. There exists no rational for it and any defense, IMHO, really sux.

I too stayed for the friends. And in my short friendship, I have managed to have lunch with CHS, a chat with Ambassador Wilson, and coffee with Jane. This hat-trick has shown me that these are very nice and honorable people, people who have earned respect for their accomplishments but truly dislike idolization.

This is especially true of Ms. Hamsher. She has a Masters Degree in Business (Administration?) and it shows in the structure of this blog. I respect her for all she has done, but idolization is something most “targets” find creepy and boring.

The General has a new Joe ad online: http://patriotboy.blogspot.com…..5460852788

Thanks for the info on dual citizenship, lhp. While I am in full “save my country from the fascisti” mode at present, I have idly wondered whether my Canadian ancestry, and the fact that I have tons of relatives there, would give me a leg up on getting Canadian citizenship should our best efforts here be for naught. Sigh.

Newt is clearly trying to appear “Presidential”.(out here in Arizona meet the press just came on.)

The Bush Administration didn’t see this one coming!?! I long for the days when the president would be too embarrassed to admit such a thing. And maybe even pretend to know about it, if need be, to reassure the citizens that he is on top of things.

Sadly,
There are no idols in my life. I tend to have an overcritical eye. Ironic from a cjick who can’t even type straight, eh?

I have been fascinted with the Plame thing ever since I read the Joe Wilson Op Ed. I don’t know why I, like Dick Cheny, cut it out of the paper and put it on my desk to read and re-read.

I became even more involved in following the case when the rumors started flying around the courthouse that Cmey was about to take it over from Ashcroft. Then Jim appointed PatFitz and I knew there was something very very heavy going on that would probabaly never be in the public record.

You don’t call on a guy like Pat for something like this, lightly. You also don’t expose your best friend to the wrath of the Sith Lord, w/o a good reason.

Is the USofA evacuating its citizens from Isreal too?

“Precision bombing”? Does that mean that the elderly, the disabled, and women and children won’t be extinguished?

“Washington believes…” Well, that is comforting. If Washington (Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rove, etc.) believes something, then it must be gospel. Now I can go back to sleep.

Glory beeee! Washington believes.

*ilson -

That WaPo article sorta DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS Ms. Rice’s et al assertions re: ‘who could have imagined…’ doesnt’ it.
—
ps – I’ll just reiterate my appreciation for your efforts and intellect, etc.
—-
This site provides excellent analysis, info and commentary. For free.

Thanks all. No idolatry here, just appreciation for the whole shebang (and maybe just a wee addictiion…)

Few things in my life have kept me away from the Sunday Globe Sports section. Still havent’t clicked to it yet. ‘I could never have imagined…’ … oh, nevermind…

;->

O F G

The Plame coverage here is the best anywhere that I can find. B/C it is so thorough and current, it helps me avoid the temptation to ask questions I should not ask, seeking info from those who should not give it to me.

Keeping current by reading FDL allows me to know what is going on w/o having the sorts of awkward conversations that can lead to slip ups.

US citizens in Israel can leave anytime and anyway they may wish to. Normal transportation continues in and out of that country.

Israel has bombed, destroyed and blockaded travel from Lebanon. Special evacuation methods have to be devised for those 25,000 American citizens trapped by Israeli aggression.

lhp, in order:

How many puppies?

When does your book come out?

Thnx *ilson46201.

egrigious

2 puppies born alive (one stillbirth) Names: babby mittens and bridget

Working first draft is due for August 18th DNC meeting

Congratulations and hurry, respectively.

egregious 93, LOL.

Nut-job at The Corner (guess who):

They are taking a risk here, hoping that we will understand the gravity of the moment and the dimensions of the opportunity. The great opportunity, and indeed the just consequence of the attack against Israel, is to bring down Assad along with destroying Hezbollah. That must be the mission. There are many Syrians who are ready to act, but the first step toward the removal of Assad is for the president and the secretary of state to call for regime change in Syria.[my emphasis]

The immediate response in same forum is:

…a wonderful notion, that — America helping to take the lead in destroying Hezbollah and taking down the regime in Syria even as we fight a difficult war in Iraq. Wonderful. And science-fictional.

The “Didn’t see this one coming” meme reminds me of nothing so much as Fawlty Towers. Those familiar with the greatJohn Cleese series surely recall the episode where Basil, tryingto hide something from Sybil tells Manuel (the hapless Spanish busboy) that if she asks about anything to say “I know nothing.”

So Manuel goes about loudly proclaiming “I know nothing!” 24/7.

Thus Condi has taken up the Manuel Defense

egregious

Today is the last verssion of the expanded outline.That gets circualted for comments (the maddening part b/c I have to wait a week or better for the comments from other dem lawyers–the chomping at the bit part)

However, by the end of today, the outline will be SOOO expanded and detailed that the first draft of text should probabaly only take a weekend. it is actually miuch further along than it seems.

For me, figuring out the narractive arc is the hard part. the actual writing goes fast. The thughts come faster than the fingers can keep up.

But you knew that from the crappy typing

Until the so called Palestinian “question” is solved there will be no peace in the Middle East. Ever! The Palestinians need a homeland, to be treated with human decency, afforded basic dignity, self-rule, taxation with representation and assurance that the hell that is Gaza will be halted. We need to treat these peoples as we treat the Israelis. As human beings.

Was just scanning Courant for anything Ned and found this little beauty about R primary in the CT-1st Congressional to face incumbent D in Nov:

http://www.courant.com/news/po…..tics-state

…”has turned on religion with challenger Miriam Masullo attacking the religious denomination of the GOP’s endorsed candidate, Scott MacLean.

In a recent letter to the district’s Republican leaders, Masullo accused the leadership of the United Church of Christ of supporting terrorists and suicide bombings. And because MacLean is a retired minister in the church, Republicans should reject him in the Aug. 8 primary, Masullo said.”…
…”Masullo’s accusations amounted to “delusional ramblings.”

“All that stuff is just looney tunes….”
——
LMAO. Might be funny to keep track of.

CNN: standing by for statement from Nasrallah.

Meet the Press is on in NYC now. Newt and Timmeh are saying that WW III has begun

Love the photo, Christy. I too got it in my email awhile ago. My first reaction was to ask whether that was some sort of pygmy deer, since the fawn was so small. On the farm where I board my horses, a young pig (probably an escapee from a place in the area that would have turned him into bacon) found his way through a gap in the fence into one of the paddocks. He set up residence, eating the horses’ grain, wallowing in the mud around the water trough, and playing with the horses, who seem to like him. The proprietess wound up naming him Iggy and buying him pig chow. He responded by growing so big that he couldn’t get back out now if he wanted to, which he doesn’t. Iggy the Piggy is presenting a bit of a problem, though. He is very protective of his herd and charges anyone who comes too close. Does a pig version of barking at strangers, too. So she is trying to find him a home where he can concentrate on siring junior Iggies. The horses will miss him if he leaves.

Now that every conceivable political volcano has erupted around the world, the full stupidity of invading Iraq is on display. On top the horrible situation we have created there, we have next to zero credibility OR ability to deal with all the escalating conflagrations.

Imperial designs always dream beyond the capacity of the nation-that-would-be-an-empire.

For years I have been saying it has to get worse before it gets better because of American irrationality. The public cannot believe we can f*** up so completely and be so helpless. I guess we need full-on global hostilities to wise up to the insanity of conservative politics. Its a tragedy and would make a great script if it weren’t all true and so intensely painful to live through.

OFG and LHP -
Hey there. On the issue of “liberals joining neocons to support the Iraq war” way back when – back in 2002, leading up to midterms, how many of us saw 1.) there were no WMDs (digby/poputonium has a great quote here http://digbysblog.blogspot.com…..5011824501), 2.)the war was both a long-term wet dream of the PNAC folks as well as an expedient maneuver to win the 2002 midterms, 3) an added benefit of 2. would be that when the whole thing blew up and fell apart (what that GWB has touched hasn’t done that, with the possible exception of the Rangers), the neocons would be able to say, “but the liberals thought so too!” about the Dems they were able to cow into supporting AUMF.
There is no common decency with these people, no common rules for dealing with having the fact demonstrated that your position is utterly wrong – when a normal person (i.e. motivated by the desire to serve/govern effectively/achieve some common purpose) faces such utter repudiation of their ideas, the normal action is to back up, rethink, learn fom mistakes. With this crew – yell louder that the fault is liberals and that conservatism was betrayed. Josh Marshall sums it up far better than me here:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c…..009059.php

Rat bastards…

On the topic of animals…
Took my boys (4 and 10) out to the farm we just subscribed to (weekly basket of veggies, flowers, eggs now ’til October). Pulled them away from audio/visual overstimulation in front of computer and took them to the country. They loved it! They were chasing/holding chickens (little guy wouldn’t put down the big old hen he was hugging with two arms – except to pet bunnies), checking on peacock chick (being raised by a chicken hen!), donkeys, pygmy goats, geese – it was animal wonderland. The farm produces veggies – the animals are mostly pets, though the hens work. What was amazing were the hierarchies – boss hens and young junior girls, strutting roosters and the older guys they displaced. papa goose yammering at everybody, especially if the missus was off her nest, the two donkeys looking for trouble like a couple of teenagers, and speaking of looking for trouble – the goats, however cute were ALWAYS looking for trouble to get into. There were all these societies that had organized themselves, but interacted little to none between species (except with the hen raising the peacock chick – the had a pea egg that wasn’t being sat upon, and a hen getting “broody” and they put the two together – which will make it interesting to see which crowd – peacock v. chicken – the youngun hangs out with when he/she gets bigger.) Really wonderful.

why does Bush assume Iraq will remain quiescent about the Israeli actions and its US protector?

Does anyone have any particularly inspiring quotes on the subject of the importance of honest elections or related thoughts?

Preferably, historical quotes. I am sorting through some some now and am looking for more suggestions.

Biden’s teeth look even whiter than last week.

Yes this could be the genesis of WW III. But it wasn’t the Israelis that started it. They just do what America let’s them do. Bush started this.

left of liberal

You said it brother

poor Bob Novak is backtracking all over the place — stumbling and admitting to mistakes. This interview is worth reading carefully — I’m sure has has slipped up enough to make it very revealing of something (aside from general-purpose douchebaggery)

Also, listening to putz’ like Bill Kristol call for escalation, I am reminded how war-mongers will alwasy escalate. Threat and risk call for violent responses. Its why fools like Andrew Sullivan keep supporting the policy of invading Iraq but lament the execution. Despite all evidence to the contrary, there are people who will see in war a solution and not a problem, a tool and not a last resort, a act of strength and not a sign of weakness. They are a plague on this poor planet.

AND, OK kiddo, no one else will do what Bush asks of them now.

Bastard’s killed this century in its cradle.

Wow,
Newt on Press the Meat is saying that this admin has no ability to display any operational competence

lotus @ 112: ‘Bastard’s killed this century in its cradle.”

Got that right.

* ilson

Worth reading? Is there a transcript?

looseheadprop @ 113: That Newt, he is so observant. I wonder when he decided it was politically safe to grasp the obvious.

Anne 69 – cool – thanks for the smile

Welcome baby mittens and bridget – would either of you like to be president of the united states? we desperately need one right now.

oh, and Fitz! Val! Redd! Baby Deer!

lotus…

Yes. Bush has been rendered impotent and irrelevant.

SG 111 -
Yes, a plague indeed.
Partly the escalation that Kristol, Sullivan and their ilk call for is a manifestation of never retreating – never admit mistakes – keep attacking – the point isn’t in being right, it’s in holding and wielding POWER. Also, what you describe feed into the notion that the problem in Iraq is in execution, when in fact, the fatal error was essential in the idea of invading in the first place – it was immoral, unnecessary and predicated on a stinking heap of lies.

i just caught it on the TeeVee — I assume there’ll be a transcript online fairly soon. The interview was so disjointed but full of admissions of error that I know there’s a significant slipup or two there…I’ve got a good ear for music and sound but for logic, I have to see it in print.

lhp –

A simple, coherent, narrative arc is the key to successful storytelling, and it is exactly what the Democratic Party lacks.

It’s not that the Democrats lack the makings of a compelling narrative, but for the past 25 years they have the GOP to trash Brand Democrat, while relying on their residual support. That’s worked out well, hasn’t it?

The best overarching political narrative was GWB’s, in 2000 — Compassionate Conservative. All of the other other themes were sub narratives that supported the central narrative.

Your book is about GOP vote supression? Have you read the Rachel Berry piece? It has one section that can be used to blow up Thomas Kean Junior’s Senate Campaign. His daddy’s campaign in 1981 used the BSTF strategy (Ballot Security Task Force — armed guards and intimidating signs in minority precints) which led to the 1982 settlement of the DNC vs RNC lawsuit, in which the RNC promised to never ever use the BSTF again. Of course, they didn’t miss a beat — Karl Rove used it in Texas in 1982, and the RNC has used it many times since.

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE V. EDWARD J. ROLLINS:

POLITICS AS USUAL OR UNUSUAL POLITICS? by Rachel E. Berry

[snip]

C. Prior Attempts At Vote Suppression By The Republican National Committee

“Bush has been rendered impotent and irrelevant.”

He always, always was. I just hope to God that Cheney’s heart can’t take this and that Bush’s new string-puller — Condi? — will get rid of Rummy.

Big Oil is in charge of our government. Fanning the flames of war will increase the price of oil. These oil guys will make more money, they don’t care about any of the people who will die, they just care about money. Greedy Oil People (G.O.P.)

lhp 113, if newt has presidential aspirations, then he needs to make only the execution of the policy look incompetent, not the policy itself look wrong. “I can run this policy better.”

leftofliberal @ 119: Indeed. The only mistakes to be admitted pertain to not being a better all-around kicker-of-ass. Oh, and Sullivan would crow about standing up against torture, which is to his credit, but frankly that hardly deserves a medal. Any sane person should oppose torture, they way they should condemn elective wars on trumped up evidence that serve some sense of global entitlement. And the high-handed moralism of people like Kristol adds the last gag inducing bit of gall to the whole thing.

Democracies don’t grow in gun barrels, even one’s filled with dirt.

It’s interesting that after last night’s total vacuum (all reruns of old documentaries all the time), CNN has now decided the situation in the ME is important enough to preempt Howie Kurtz and go straight to Inside Edition. I did watch the last half of Fox News Sunday; that’s the one Faux show I watch to find out what this week’s talking points are, even though I want to scream at Juan Williams to f***ing do some homework occasionally so he has a clue what he’s talking about. Anyway, Kristol never disappoints. Bush’s problem is that for the past few months he’s looked weak, don’t negotiate, invade, yada yada yada. His take on the Plame lawsuit? It will be dismissed, and Scooter is a hero who will be acquitted and should be back in the government. His name is going to appear in the dictionary as a synonym for “delusional.”

op99 at 124
Yes! The meme is that execution is flawed, with the implication that the policy/philosophy behind is just peachy.
This we must resist – it’s prelude to the neocons distancing themselves from the disaster they’ve engendered – blaming poor execution, liberals “stabbing in the back”, dog ate my homework, etc…
What must be repudiated is the essense of the neocon agenda, not the nuts and bolts of carrying it out. Iraq was wrong (from many angles) from the get go. Nothing would have made it succeed, as it was essentially wrong. Ditto most everything this admin has initiated.

It is going to get much worse before it gets better in terms of global violence, I think, because there is absolutely no advocate of peace out there who is getting any attention or respect. If there is, I want to find them. I am not talking local organizations, peace movement celebs, etc. I mean a leader with some clout advocating real peaceful means to move the world out of this mess.

The assumption that advocating peace would only lead to more violence, meanwhile every bit of violence is what is causing more violence, is classic Orwell. Peace = death, death = peace.

I’m glad Timmeh’s cranky (though I can’t quite bring myself to watch…), but how in the hell is it ethical for someone who is at least knee deep in this muck to be grilling someone whose neck deep in it?

one of the CNN documentary re-runs was about North Korea — the producer must have been an out-of-work troll from the Cold War: Commies eat babies! Commies hate America! Commies are icky! Even Goebbels would have laughed at the lousy propaganda work…

Lieberman and any other Democrat who has supported blindly the Bush Iraq war share responsibility for what’s going on in the Middle East today. Disgraceful. I am, at this moment, quite angry at my party.

And Biden makes me sick.

Shorter Kristol: We face an existential threat, and existential threat, attack!

Fucking warmonger with a complete incapacity to evalution military success vs. failure. Anyone who can even begin to think new fronts, more invasions, etc. is a complete dolt.

I am reminded of the childhood taunt, “you and who’s army?” because is kind of occupied with occupying and its capacity is spent.

Morning all!

OK Kiddo @ 98– a big amen to that!

This administration is a complete and total failure– when can we impeach and then take them to the Hague?

I am lucky, sitting here in peace far away from blood, bombs, wailing sirens, grief and fear. My brain and guts are roiling from our collective responsibility, though. I want to sleep thru a night sometime soon knowing my country is as good and right and honorable as it should and can be.

Does anyone want to guess what the stock market will close on on Monday and how high oil will go?

Also, does anyone want to guess what the temperature of the rotisserie that Ken Lay is spinning on right now?

-GSD

Bill Kristol the human embodiement of the banality of evil.

-GSD

GSD: Ken Lay was cremated — they wanted to save the Devil the trouble…

SG at 125
Amazing how they’ve lowered the bar to “noble” behavior – being against torture. Feh
Perhaps they’ll come out against hurricanes or melting glaciers, too – can you hear it? “tax relief is essential to the American economy, as is loosening of regulatory oversight, but I can’t believe they let the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melt – perhaps we can drill there now, though”
It’s never an admission that their theory is wrong in its essense – they have to shift the discussion to execution, and then onto expendable people, particularly liberals.

GSD @ 136: “Bill Kristol the human embodiement of the banality of evil.”

Painfully true.

LHP:

We stand today at a crossroads: One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right choice.–WOODY ALLEN

If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side.–ORSON SCOTT CARD

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!–BEN FRANKLIN

I could think of no worse example for nations abroad, who for the first time were trying to put free electoral procedures into effect, than that of the United States wrangling over the results of our presidential election, and even suggesting that the presidency itself could be stolen by thievery at the ballot box.–THOMAS JEFFERSON

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.– H.L. MENCKEN

*ilson at 136
*conspiracy warning*
hard to extract DNA from cremated remains – is Kenny Boy in Bora Bora?

Trying to imagine the immediate future gives a whole new resonance to the term “grateful dead.”

God, if you’re there, please help us all.

Christy, anyone, everyone.

This is no joke. I want to know some details, but I hate wallowing around ferreting out little bits & pieces, when I won’t like the results. My psyche just can’t take much more of this scummy gang-in-power. I’ve been trying to ‘help’, by translating things politically for a pretty decent-sized group of friends, family & acquaintances, since 2000 & in the run-up, but . . .

Please don’t ignore me, but it’s o.k. to laugh in frustration & tease. I deserve it! BUT, here’s the thing that’s got me stumped:

WHAT, SPECIFICALLY, is it about Biden that makes you all “in the know” grind your teeth so about him. And I do NOT mean those idiotic blinding teeth, NOR the hair plugs. Those are beside the point, except for making for some good healthy *snark*. I mean, what is the serious, meaningful stuff that’s wrong about him?

Please, please, fire when ready. I’m all ears. I know he seems “slick”, heaven knows he adores that camera, & his political ‘enemies’ revealed long ago that he got caught plagiarizing in college. But there HAS to be more, right??! Is it his voting record? (a biggie for me), talking all sides of issues depending on audience, thus unreliable as to intent, other than to advance his own political fortunes?

Help me, please. I’m not kidding. I’ve got a list of people to ‘argue’ with, and I need a better handle on this.

Thanks all! Will stay tuned.

CK

Not exactly. It is a mnaual for the prevention, detection, and documentataion of election fraud.

The emphasis will be on prevention (an ounce of prevention is worth, well, you know) but While we are outr there trying o prevent, we must also detect and docuemnt so we can build prosecutatble faud cases if need be.

Unless or until those who woud prepetrate election fraud start be;lieving that they will go to jail for it, they are gonna keep trying to steal elections.

To which end, I would LOVE to see the New Hampshire phone jamming cases get mush more media play.

When I was a prosecutor, I did fraud against the government and public corruption cases. I still do fraud cases to this day. My firm does independent investigations for corporations and governments, so this is home turf for me

CNN’s got Nasrallah live on Lebanese TV.

lotus…122

Yes but… I do not trust Condi. She is not a person of principle. I think. And when push comes to shove, unfortunately, I’d bet on Rummy. But for the sake of human survival, I do hope you’re right!

leftofliberal @ 138: Yeah, I think “noble” is now “not-Zarquawi.” Critical reflection is weakness, a willingness to stay one’s hand rather than kill needlessly is immoral, and never learning from mistakes is resolve. Foreign policy brought to you by insecure, adolescent boys.

lhp @ 106

Here’s one for you:

We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe — the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans — born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

It’s the opening to JFK’s inaugural address, and speaks to the connections between an old revolution and the struggles of a new day and time. Times have changed, said JFK, but the beliefs in constitutional processes, free elections, and the “survival of liberty” remain constant.

[Preview’s not working for me, so I hope this comes out right.]

lhp –

Here’s another good resource –

The Long Shadow of Jim Crow: Voter Intimidation and Suppression in America Today — by Laughlin McDonald, ACLU voting rights attorney.

“The New Poll Tax”

Just re-read your own paragraph a few times. It should sink in:

“Please, please, fire when ready. I’m all ears. I know he seems “slick”, heaven knows he adores that camera, & his political ‘enemies’ revealed long ago that he got caught plagiarizing in college. But there HAS to be more, right??! Is it his voting record? (a biggie for me), talking all sides of issues depending on audience, thus unreliable as to intent, other than to advance his own political fortunes?”

-GSD

Adie

i think you have it covered.

new thread — old hack

She’s probably no better than the worst of them, OK kiddo — just the most likely Cheney-successor, from what I can see.

Peterr That’s perfect

Ck
Thank you. You are either an encyclopdic mind or a much better internet researcher than I will ever be

GSD– Bill Kristol is just one of the thugs eating from the banality of evil tree– no disrespect to simians or chimps, but helllooo? Stop eating the bananality, get straight to evil so regular americans can see you for what you are. Grinning and talking cowboy just confuses everybody.

Bob Novak is lying.

Biden actually said some good things, imho, but it was in contrast to a svelter Newt.

Adie: “WHAT, SPECIFICALLY, is it about Biden that makes you all “in the know” grind your teeth so about him.”

Its a fair question. My take is this: he is more interested in being on camera and in being politically important than in solving problems. He is very knowledgable and gets lots of air time but seldom leads on key foriegn policy fights. He is wedded to the establishment. And, as a teacher of rhetoric, my expert opinion is that he is excruciatingly dull and self-referential.

I think many of us would love it if he would use his position to fight hard rather than secure air time to voice criticism. When has he put forward a policy proposal that made a difference?

I think many us expect a whole lot more from him but the security of his career seems more important to him.

Adie 142
Here’s one – Biden (D-MBNA) is beholden to financial services industry largely based in Delaware. He was instrumental in personal bankruptcy overhaul – making it VERY difficult for ordinary people to get out from under crushing debt. this was portrayed as a means to stop cheats (read: Cadillac-driving wwelfare queens, the meme never changes) from reneging on their debt. Reality is that a huge fraction of people declaring bankruptcy do so as a result of medical debts from a major health disaster in their family – because we have no effective health insurance mechanism in our soon-to-be banana republic.

*ilson 130, that’s got to be the twentieth time they’ve aired that piece. I would think it’s pretty clear by now that Kim Jong Il is a CINO (Communist in name only.) He’s more like a cult leader. Not exactly a workers’ paradise, and that state isn’t planning on withering away any time soon. I’m fine with calling that regime icky, but truth in labelling doesn’t get us very far. He’s there, he’s staying there, and the Administration continues to think that it would “reward” reality by dealing with it. Can’t go around rewarding reality, y’know.

lhp –

To prevent GOP vote fraud, you have to know what it will be and where it is coming from.

The most insidious manifestation was what we saw in Ohio — insufficient and inoperative voting machines in minority precincts, which led to long lines and voters turned away.

Electronic vote tampering is a big worry, but I believe the tabulating software is the more likely target than the DREs.

I’d suggest using the GOP history of voter suppression as a narrative arc, outlined in an introduction. Kind of like Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” — the anti-Fascist documentary, that took footage from “The Triumph of the Will” and turned it against the bastards.

SG 155
You teach rhetoric – how totally cool!

lotus 142 -

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mleone/gdead/faq/name.html

…” The dictionary entry reads along these lines:

GRATEFUL DEAD: The motif of a cycle of folk tales which begin with the hero coming upon a group of people ill-treating or refusing to bury the corpse of a man who had died without paying his debts. He gives his last penny, either to pay the man’s debts or to give him a decent burial. Within a few hours he meets with a travelling companion who aids him in some impossible task, gets him a fortune or saves his life. The story ends with the companion disclosing himself as the man whose corpse the hero had befriended.(Funk & Wagnall’s Dictionary).”…

Link also includes a poetic verse out of the “Egyptian Book of the Dead:
“”We now return our souls to the creator,
as we stand on the edge of eternal darkness.
Let our chant fill the void
in order that others may know.
In the land of the night
the ship of the sun
is drawn by the grateful dead.”

— Egyptian Book of the Dead”
—-
Take your pick. I myself prefer the F&W version. My birthday gift from Dad was an collegiate thumb-indexed F&W…plus Rowan & Martin’s references.

Sorry for Off Topic, but some folks are skittish about the band based on the name alone.

anybody else just hear what sounded like a bomb going off in the background while Nassrallah is speaking?

leftofliberal: Uh, thanks. I like it.

lhp –

thanks — I do have an encyclopedic memory, but all of these links are from research I did on the Rove Bush involvement in the 2000 Florida Voter Purge.

In the spring of 2002, I had a long conversation with Laughlin McDonald, and referred him to the Rachel Berry piece. That fall, the American Prospect published the “New Poll Tax.”

I’ve talked with reporters at the WaPo and other papers — nobody wanted to pursue the story I’d dug out. Too much work, not enough reward.

Another group to watch out for is the VIP — Voting Integrity Project. It was founded by Morton Blackwell’s wife, and it pretends to be a nonpartisan voting group — but it’s real purpose it to do the GOP’s dirty work.

Hey gang,
gotta go feed the kids (have one more – sleepover last night)
Just want to say – I love this community!
See ya

lhp @ 153

Glad I could help.

*ilson,
I switched off MTP after Biden/Newt. Didn’t want to watch Novak. Will try to Catch Nvaok segment tonight. MTP repeats on MSNBC at 10PM Eastern and also at 1 or 2AM Monday, I think.

GSD 150

MUCH THANKS! Gotcha.

That alone, heh? Yes, that’s more than enough reasons to shove the scum aside. Just had to be sure my antennae were picking up proper signals.

The guy makes me so angry!
Oodles of native talent & gift-of-gab that is utterly wasted when hitched to carnival-barker personalitiy (& that’s being unfair to carnies). Maddening that he’s good enuf at his schtick, he probably slides his way past most pit-fall traps.

It seems darkly appropriate to have a Biden/Gingrich “discussion” on Meet the Press, right before NOvACK ’splains his sorry self.
I can better spend my time tackling weeds in the veg. garden!

[snarky aside: I did so enjoy it when Slick Mr. B. slipped badly recently - gonna have to be more careful around those tiny new recorder/camera/phones, when he’s out schmoozin’ the crowds. Recent clip making the rounds spoke volumes, heh heh]

Wow. Thanks all of you!

Now I feel o.k. going ahead with what I wanted to tell folks. It was pretty strong, & I don’t like to be wrong when I’m out on a limb.

Some Guy at 156: Thanks especially. You expressed very well some of what frustrates me and angers me so about him. What a waste of a life & career. He’s free to choose, but, . . . dang!
Dumber than he thinks, I guess.

Christie: that crazy, wonderful picture!?! The fawn is so-o-o tiny. That doe better wake up & realize she’s about to be raising a horse-wannabe instead of a respectable wildthing. Seriously, goats, deer, lotsa critters, bond very early, then it sticks. hm-m-m. Don’t tell Fallwell.
just KNEW this was a kinky site *g*

lotus – you have mail

SOME GUY: Great explanation of Biden! He’s more interested in being asked what he thinks of a specific situation, which question he then answers with condensed version of the Beltway CW, ending with a passionate statement of the need for bipartisanship, and never actually proposes a solution.

Another one that sticks out to me is his Fresh Air interview with Terri Gross last year. He devoted a good five minutes to talking about his deep friendship with John McCain, talking about how in ‘00 when the Rove machine got ginned up in South Carolina, he called McCain and said “What can I do? Where do you want me?, ’cause I know if I were being smeared, he’d be there for me.” Gross didn’t have the presence of mind, unfortunately, to ask Biden where pussybitchRoveasskissing Johnny Mac was for his “friends” Max Cleland and John Kerry.

Yes, everyone be sure to waste a perfectly good day watching all the stupid lying pols on teevee, so we can all blog endlessly about how stupid and treacherous they are as we point out the lies, the contradictions, the outrages, etc. etc. etc. Except, I KNOW all this already. Um, don’t you guys?

So I ask myself now: does this really make one a warrior? Is this a life?? Is it effective??? (The last time I looked, the corporate authoritarians were stronger than ever. ) It’s a lot easier than planting a garden or shutting down the government, I’ll grant you that.

I submit that going without television for say, an entire year at least, i.e. removing oneself from the influence of the political/consumer marketing machine, will do more to change society and the world than any amount of analysis. Just quit. Just flat-out QUIT! You wouldn’t believe the change in your perspective. It’s actually quite possible to emigrate from Hell and still live in North America. Surely this is the ultimate political act, removing oneself from the line of fire, demonstrating with one’s life that one isn’t to be counted in the herd…

The beauty is, you don’t even have to pack.

We have a spotted fawn who comes around in the mornings lately, about7:30 am. So cute, so timid, so tiny even next to her yearling sisters.

Species coexist in our house unbelievaby well. Our late pet rat (old age, not dog-related), Scabbers, and our rotten lab mix, Brownie, used to romp and play all over the house. The rat used to chase the dog into a corner, then Brownie would use his muzzle to flip the rat out of the way and go dashing off for more chase again. Tooooo funny.

I know this is EPU’d, but why in the —- is our great Secretary of State spending all of her day on talk shows? Shouldn’t she be out there diplomacing, as our leader would say? Oh well, at least it’s better than shopping for shoes.

She should be diplomacing on a daily basis– late into the night.

Alas, no. She’s busy trying like hell to do nothing while impressing world leaders with her shoes and her “uniqueness”.

blech.

oh good, john roberts and wulfie taking it to Iran.

my head exploding regularly.

Angie: Condi is definitely eunuch.

This is partly for

John from El Norte at his 172

but I hope others are still out there and will add their 2%

Okay, it may seem to you an utter waste, for people to spend a seemingly inordinate amount of time and attention on listening to and analyzing material they openly categorize as noxious, stupid, arrogant & self-serving,inane, boring, a waste of airtime, ya-dahXx-zzzzzz..

Nevertheless, even if YOU don’t seem to ‘get it’, there IS a point to doing all that, when you have a collection of minds such as those who tend to gravitate toward blogs like FDL.

I say !BRAVO! and a hearty !THANKS! to those with the stomach to plow through the stuff and the brains to analyze what they glean from it. These folks do NOT just sit there, dumbstruck by the spew from the tube. However,an awful lot of other folks do just that – maybe not consciously, but it’s well documented that most people use tv as their main news-source.

Therefore, what many unwary viewers are being ’spoon-fed’ by the media informs, and MISinforms, their opinions and actions, their decisions how or even whether to vote.

FDL bloggers, bless them, are among the most tireless, dedicated, and well-informed patriots you’ll find anywhere – spreading the word, sounding the alarm, calling mainstream media to task when they fail to do their jobs.

They are the ones gathering facts that fortify meaningful questions with which the rest of the populace can skewer laggard or crooked politicians, show their appreciation for those who DO CARE about their mission to serve the public good, and decide how to cast their vote. These viewer/bloggers perform a critical service for the rest of the country, by helping people know the difference between important facts and contorted, dangerous fiction.

In short, if more people back before the 2000 election had been paying attention, and doing what FDLers choose to do independently and together, today’s world might very well be in a lot better shape than it is right now. Alas, I would give anything that a certain nekkidemperor merely had responsibility over clearing his backyard brush pile, rather than strategizing the future of our whole world.

I’ll allow you one thing. If you meant to urge us all not to vegetate in front of the tube in our jammies for the rest of our lives, that’s your perogative. Rest assured, I truly don’t think that’s a danger among FDL fans.

I refuse to endure the blatant bullshit on most Sunday Morning bloviata-thons.

I just glance at the list of the usual suspects and can generally tell what the lies and coverups of the week will be, especially if that buck-toothed b**ch is trotted out on her Feragamos across the several panels to tell her prepackaged lies. It isn’t even that she does it so well – it’s that some brain trust decided that since she’s a woman and black they won’t attack her for the blatant fucking liar she is. And when she’s on three of ‘em – expect big, biiiiig lies.

Sugar, not vinegar, dammit! I always forget.

John from eN, or Just Plain – whatever
your 180 & previous

Go ahead. Make the big step & admit it.
Sugar and vinegar are both valuable in this big world. So-o-o-?

That which you choose to label as mere wheel-spinning may not be as silly & useless as you perhaps would like to imagine.

It’s hard to go thru life pretending to be superior to all you survey.

Enjoy life more. Pay fwd. Won’t kill ‘ya.

Smell a flower once in awhile. Even thistles are beautiful, and enrich the world if given a chance. Just don’t yank on ‘em without cause & forethought without expecting to encounter a thorn or 3. Oh.. and those thistles are covered with bees and wasps this time of year. Careful. Complex world out there – dammit?

((( peace )))