Hmmm…Condi said to try and be diplomatic. Everyone likes to laugh, right? Oh wait, are they laughing with me or at me?
(AFP/DDP/Johannes Eisele)
Mom made shake and bake. And I helped!
(Jim Bourg/Reuters)
[For some hilarious video of Bush and the Pig!, take a peek at this clip from Crooks and Liars. Oh. My.]
Look Ma, one hand! Have I mentioned that I have not yet spoken to the Prime Minister of Israel, but that I can make time to ride my bike here in Russia? It’s all about that time management thing-y that Pickles harps on me about alla time. Wish you were here! Love, Bushie.
(Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)
Mem-rees…light the corners…of my mind…misty, water collllllered mem…rees…of the way we were. Scattered pic….tures….of the smiles we left behind…
(Grigory Dukor/Reuters)
"We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy that they have in Iraq, quite honestly." Putin to Bush, 7/15/06
(Jason Reed/Reuters)
Let’s just say that the United States is no longer the revered, honest broker for Middle East peace that it once may have been. And Putin, President of Russia, whose abysmal record has been on our human rights radar for years, felt free to embarass the President of the United States to his face by calling him out on the mess that is Iraq, right in front of all the cameras and reporters. And Bush’s comeback, "Just wait."
Wow, good one. Zing.
The President of the United States was publicly humilated by the President of Russia for failures in Iraq, and the best he could do was "just wait." I’m embarassed for him. And for the rest of us, for having a President so weak that other world leaders call him out to his face in front of reporters for sucking at his job. Shameful. Apalling. George Bush.
The Middle East and other hot spots around the world are flaring up and worse, we have no long-term foreign policy strategy other than "do as the President says, and no one gets hurt," and George Bush is clowning his way through what passes for diplomacy in his Administration – and the United States has lost all semblance of moral high ground and intelligent, well-thought-through diplomacy as a means of resolving intricate conflicts because our own actions do not come close to matching our cowboy rhetoric. And no one, and I mean no one, has any faith that we will have a viable plan for any crisis issue and then actually follow through with it. Gee, wonder why?
Any questions? Had enough?
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fitz
the elusive zero!!
It’s possible that Bush, following Cheney, just doesn’t care what anyone thinks anymore. This is the scariest thing.
Good Morning!!
What me worry?
OT:
Discovery made it back safely.
:-)
It has always been part of their communications strategy to alienate the rest of the world. It fits with the gun slinger, cowboy, john wayne, go-it-alone image of our fearless leader. The wingnut base loves it.
Although lately it might be wearing a little thin. (see JAR – 2006).
Just. Wait.
epu’d, got to get this in general discussion and action, it’s important
the democrats can hit the national security issue now and they can hit it HARD
other countries have evacuated their nationals from lebanon and we are still making plans
the news conferance should go something like this;
“WHO’S IN CHARGE OF THIS COUNTRY?…, how on the PLANET does sweden evacuate it’s nationals while ours are still left behind by our government?”
this is HUGE for us and we have to jump on it IMMEDIATELY
we can get rhumsfeld fired IMMEDIATELY, we can lay to waste ANY claims the republicans try to make concerning national security
WE HAVE ABOUT A DAY to jump on this inept performance AND WE HAVE TO JUMP TODAY
whoever has contact, whoever has made contact with a representative, GET ON THEM TO JUMP ON THIS NOW
OMG! He has no clothes!
It is truly amazing. I read somewhere a comment to the effect ‘now they can do away with the notion that they HAVE a foreign policy.’
Sadly, that’s true. All those folks scribbling for years in various think tanks, and this is what we have.
At home, ‘we don’t need to follow no laws.’
Abroad, ‘foreign policy…ummm…what’s that?’
Good stuff.
I think that Georgie is finally starting to lose it. His stability has always been questionable (details courtesy of Capitol Hill Blue), but now he’s getting caught on audio:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/…..index.html
President Gimmee Turkee
The picture of Bush and Putin remind me of several of the Civil Unions that I’ve performed at over the past few years. Do they vamp?
…From the words of
Bill O’ Reilly,
That I heard on my TV,
From Bob Novak,
And Rush Limbaugh,
It all made sense to me.
Anyone who spoke
Against us,
Was playin’
A dangerous game.
But my Country’s become
A laughing stock,
And The GOP’s to blame…
Christy — wondeful!
I love the pic of Bush with Putin in his shiny suit…. So Soviet!
*OT* NED!
(moving this up…)
Somebody needs to do an ad like that which helps union workers to think for themselves rather than with their decrepit leadership that has helped drive down union membership in this country past the point of no return.
CT labor rank and file doesn’t stand with Joe.
IAM(International Association of Machinists) and the CT Nurses Union have split with the National office of the AFLCIO to endorse Ned. When Lieberman expressed his disappointment that he would not recieve the IAM endorsement, a union member was overheard to say: “…we’ve been disappointed by you for the last ten years, welcome to the club…”
The National office of the AFLCIO is rumored to have decided that they will support the winner of the Democratic primary.
The CT IAM have hated Joe since they travelled all the way to his offices in DC, to lobby him on an issue, and he refused to even see them. He let them cool their heels in his waiting room for hours before sending a flunky down to say that he’d already made up his mind on the issue. Arrogant ass!
avenging angel, that’s not his instability showing, it’s his stupidity. See links at 172 & 176, last thread, for more.
It feels like I’m watching a comedy and the lead character is acting like a fool and I’m squirming in my seat feeling uncomfortable for him. I just want to get up from my seat right now and use the restroom and comeback when it’s all over.
Sadly, the entire world knows that dubya is a clown. He has ruined our standing, destroyed our reputation and made us the laughing stock of the planet. But other than that , he’s a great guy.
Lotus posted links in Late Night comments to articles about comments Bush made which were mistakenly picked up on mic – http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..87_pf.html
Note his comment that Condi needs to have success while he can “just go out and talk?”
also, repeating my rec to read local sources for news from Lebanon – the MSM is useless on the issues we understand, all the more important to not trust them on issues we are not so knowledgeable about. Information Clearing House provides a daily news update (includes Fisk, Chomsky, Stratfor, etc)
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/
and MFI has links to reliable Lebanese sources here (MFI served with UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon for many years):
http://gorillasguides.blogspot…..banon.html
also check the discussions at Lebanese bloggers (link in upper right hand corner of news.beiruter.com in MFI’s links) the comments include ones from both Israel and Lebanon as well as up to the minute reports … sorta liveblogging the war with peacemaking thrown in.
Is that conference over yet? (Pleeeasse say yes…) If bush were in vaudeville, the guy with the hook would be pulling him off the stage by now.
Taylor has pictures of bush’s performance at the G-8 posted too. The top picture, with bush’s befuddled (inebriated?) look, plus the beer bottle on the table don’t inspire my confidence in the “leader of the free world”. God help America.
While the Middle East Burns
I wonder if that Boar was fake, just like the one shrub served in Iraq:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..ge=printer
grandmatoo at 19 — I know. I saw that pix. And it looks like Putin has to show him where to sit. SIGH And no, I don’t think the G8 is done quite yet — I heard on NPR this morning that they managed to cobble together an agreed upon statement that deplores the violence in the Middle East, but doesn’t call for a cease fire nor does it call for denouncing Iran or Syria’s involvement…so it’s a Solomon split sort of agreement.
If he were still alive, Peter Sellers would be perfect in the role of W in the style of Inspector Clouseau. God, just thinking about it makes me ill.
Oh, and there are SO many more pictures that I wanted to use, but I was trying to be considerate for the folks on dial-up. There’s a whole series of pix with Bush, his hands and weird expressions on Putin’s face that had me laughing out loud last night when I was searching for these.
Putin should have raised lil w’s shirt and kissed his belly . . .
The phrase “fiddling while Rome burns” keeps playing in my head…
No one can understand, and the media is hitting it hard, why we are taking such a laissez-faire attitude about what is happening in the Middle East. Like why Bush hasn’t even phoned Ehud Olmert.
Pretty sad when Bush’s best memories of the G-8 summit will be the pig roast and the sweater he got from Tony Blair.
I don’t know if anyone saw the Chris Matthews show yesterday – not Hardball, but the one he does on regular network TV. His last segment was all about Bush 41 – and how he started from Day 1 of his presidency working the diplomatic channels, doing all the things that signal respect for the leaders of the free world, wheich enabled him to call in those chits when he needed them. The report – which was more like an editorial in tone – was a blistering indictment of the Bush version of diplomacy. Really quite surprised me, coming from someone who usually appears to be quite the Bush 43 cheerleader.
Fisk’s latest for Lotus:
http://www.informationclearing…..e14016.htm
note that Fisk has been criticized for some of his own allegiances as a resident of Beirut though I (based solely on my appreciation for his other work) tend to trust his dedication to the rights of people over authorities of all stripes.
Christy
That first set of photos, the ones with the powder keg, are they a mock up or did he really pose with that?
Fearlessleader when he thought the cameras were off at the G8
“See, the irony is what they really need to do is to get Syria to get Hizbollah to stop doing this s***, and it’s over.”
Big props to lotus for finding and commenting this on prior thread.
Then *ilson mentioned on the prior thread that Hizbollah is Shiia and in addition to being in Iraq, the Shiia work in the oil fields in for the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia. Evidently, Fearlessleader wants the price of oil to go even higher.
1,207 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOES ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hardin Smith:
I have nuthin’ ta add this AM except to ask for a quick legal plot outline of where the criminal investigation-prosecution is if it is as it seems and the POYUS was the primary leaker. Does Fitz simply take a plea from Libby, issue a report and walk away? What will be the likely response to a scathing report that identifies the Whitehouse as the center of the crime…do we get a Staurday night massacure kinda firstrom?
Gotta go help my son brainwash my grandaughters inta the fine art of catchin’ smallmouth bass so please give me a quick response so’s I ken get outta the way here this AM.
KEEP THE FAITH ALL THEY’VE GOT IS THE MONEY!!
Can you imagine going back in time to 1964, and telling folks who were used to Ike, JFK and LBJ that *THIS* is what their president was going to be acting like in 40 years? They’d’a been hanging themselves in shame.
Mornin’ Firepups. Welcome to the start of another workweek.
P.S. That’s “POTUS”
looseheadprop at 27 — nope, it’s an actual photo — and its a keg of sauerkraut. *g*
Norske
I spend way too much time worrying about a Saturday Night Massacre.
You have better priorities. happy fishing
Norske at 29 — All I can say is that I have been hearing some strictly rumor mill rumbles that something else may be coming down the pike and that the work goes onward. But nothing that I can report on solidly or I’d tell you guys what I have been hearing. (Yeah, yeah, I know, completely unsatisfactory, but you guys know that I don’t report on rumors that I can’t absolutely verify first. I’m working on it…)
Unbelievable! WHat was he thinkng? Looking closely I relize that is says “Ramas…”
But when you glance it it quickly, it looks like it says HAMAS, and it does look like a pwder keg.
It creates the impression he is mocking the outbreak of war. I did 2 doubletakes before I realized I was misreading the laabel
Anne, spiderpaws told a story in the wee hours this morning that may echo with Tweety too:
Avenging angel, siun and all
I question whether the ‘mistakenly overheard’ comment was actually a mistake.
Message to the base – We’re with Israel on this. Damn pesky Ayrabs.
I’m starting to believe that it is really true neocons and egoists don’t understand irony. HOw is it “ironic” that Syria “just” needs to tell Hezbollah to behave?
Italy’s Prodi re: Bush – he doesn’t understand the significance of the letters SISMI
http://news.independent.co.uk/…..181618.ece
Mr Prodi followed developments in the Abu Omar investigation while in St Petersburg for the G8 summit of leading industrial powers, but told reporters he stopped short of mentioning the affair when he met President George Bush. “I don’t think that President Bush knows the Sismi initials,” Mr Prodi said. “We didn’t talk about it.” emph.added
Faux news reporter in Haifa where a missile did land. He says Israel says the rocket came from Lebanon but was Syrian made. He held up buckshot he gathered from the ground as proof.
so there you have it. Faux gives proof positive of the origin of a missile from buckshot.
I don’t get bush’s statement wrt to irony.
Anne 25:
But Bush 41 lost reelection. That’s all that matters. If Daddy did it, it must be wrong. Karl says so.
Norske issue a report
He won’t be issuing a report. That is part of how his appointment was set up. He’s not an independent counsel that will be reporting to Congress. He’s inhouse DOJ.
Thanks again, siun, both here and on the last thread.
but so many of them are just sorry now because it is all going wrong and they are losing power
Not to minimize this stuff, but with the number of hysterical anti-abortion bumper stickers I see around these parts (Pennsyltucky), I’m thinkin’ there will never be a shortage of the hard-core kool-aid drinkers. For them Bush is still the Right Hand of Jeebus, and they’ll happily try to drag us all over the cliff with them. And there are a ton of more cynical righties who will try to ride them if they think it will get them another tax cut, or more defense $$$.
And just in time, little Ricky Santorum has kicked off his “what a great guy!” ad campaign. Casey may win yet, but the way he’s trying to finesse it, he’ll be backing over the finish line.
Pretty sad when Bush’s best memories of the G-8 summit will be the pig roast and the sweater he got from Tony Blair.
When he’s not actually *on* vacation when a crisis is going down, he sure does manage a pretty convincing simulation…
Bush’s attitude has a little of that Katrina feel… (especially noticable during the “pigfest” in Germany)… as if no one knows what they should be doing…
MSNBC is running the tape of W’s (mouth full of roll, Tony leaning over solicitously) off the record comment … even more embarassing than the photos above!
CNN’s about to repeat the “open-mike” story . . .
Well . . . they’re cottoning on, hey? Wonder if the networks did this morning or will tonight.
didn’t George’s mama teach not to speak with his mouth full?
gross…
lina – after the US response to Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait, Bush 41 had a 91% JAR – he didn’t lose re-election on his foreign policy, he lost it on the economy.
Bush may be able to go his dad one better, by killing the chances of many Republicans across the country to win election or re-election on both the economy AND foreign policy.
I cannot believe that they cannot get peeps out of Lebanon. We are not a superpower.
omg- cnn will be covering the four letter mike thingy– they just had a shot of w chewing with his mouth open and talking to blair while chewing!
In my opinion the Libby case is over. It has been delayed out past the November election and sometime early next year Bush will issue Libby a pardon. Fitzgerald is up for reappointment as prosecutor in Chicago and he will fold the whole investigation in order to insure keeping his job. He doesn’t have the balls to go after Cheney and torch his career in the process, especially when he knows it will all be in vain as the lame duck Bush will freely hand out pardons to everyone. Fitzgerald might even be looking at a Federal judgeship.
The whole thing has been a charade from the start. Libby was willingly hung out as the goat in order to get past the election with the understanding that his legal bills would be fully covered by friends and he would be pardoned. Look for him to be promoted and to receive the medal of freedom.
The American media will express little outrage over a pardon. They may even express a sense of relief that the “nightmare” is over. The American people have a political memory of six months or less. A year from now they won’t even remember who Libby was.
The left blogosphere has put way too much faith in Fitgerald from the start. The good news is everyone can stop using “Fitz” to start each thread.
W also goes after Kofi Annan in his comments per WaPo …
Annan is calling for UN Peacekeepers – of course, with Israeli tanks shelling Unifil positions, the willingness of other countries to participate in Unifil may be iffy.
You know, with the ME a little strained these days, whose idea was the pig roast? Can they get a different caterer for the Israel/Lebanaon negotiation lunches?
48
siun says
July 17th, 2006 at 7:12 am
MSNBC is running the tape of W’s (mouth full of roll, Tony leaning over solicitously) off the record comment … even more embarassing than the photos above!
————————————————
I’m almost afraid to ask: What did he say now?
And what about his side conversation with Blair cursing out the Syrians? Clearly, the NeoCons have him by the balls.
Bush replied “just wait” but didn’t Pooty Poot hit him with another haymaker after that? Something about crusades I think.
BTW the way Pooty has a hold of Bush’s hand, you can tell he wants to flip him.
Frank – see the WaPo article which Lotus found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/…../17/AR2006 071700187_pf.html
my comment with the link above is in moderation since it included too many links – apologies to the hardworking moderation crew!
Never went to law school, didja Greg? The professors would have written “CONCLUSORY!” all over your bluebooks and flunked your fanny toot sweet.
I want to second what Siun #19 said, I’ve decided I can’t possibly rely on learning enough from the news to form any valid opinion on the mess.
OTOH pictures of the Middle East in flames, regardless of how they came about, certainly don’t reinforce any notion that we’re making the region over for democracy…
Billmon is probably the most thoughtful source of timely information I’ve read on this whole subject. But, as I mentioned before, I don’t know enough to evaluate whether I agree with him…
Can the country, and the world, afford two and a half more years of this pretender, this incurious dolt, this rube?
My disrespect for George Bush know no bounds.
That is one disgusting video.
oh the mike thing is worse in its entirety with both the audio and video– you can actually hear him masticating.
Eli–
Having seen your time stamp on last night’s thread, I have to ask: when do you sleep?
That’s “knows” no bounds.
anne 51 – from your keyboard to God/Goddess’ ear.
I’ll tell you what;
I’m pretty certain just about everybody, even the wing nuts wish al gore took the office he was elected
I’ve posed the question to some pretty hard right republicans and they all say the world would have been better off.
it’s pretty bad
I wonder what the latest polls for bush are, and I’d REALLY like to see polls on rumsfeld and cheney
Angie @ 7:06
Stating the obvious, again…we understand why the rightards want to emphasize who made the rockets hitting Israel.
They are confident that no one will counter that argument by pointing out that the US is (going out on a limb here) the largest exporter of weapons on the planet and that the planes and bombs that Israel uses to kill and terrorize muslims are made in the good ol’ US of A.
Matt O., or anyone else, please correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m pretty certain just about everybody, even the wing nuts wish al gore took the office he was elected
I’ve posed the question to some pretty hard right republicans and they all say the world would have been better off.
me to me–I wish I lived in your neighborhood…
Prof Foland … thanks. I do like Billmon but rely on MFI and his blog associates as so many of them actually served as UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon for years … they know the ground and have seen up close the results of these horrors … keeping an eye on their comments is esp valuable. (link to MFI as always in my homepage link here)
also the Lebanese bloggers (links in my comment at 19 above I think) are an amazing resource – and the comments at http://lebanesebloggers.blogspot.com/?1153143771
are an astonishing look at feelings on both sides. Haaretz has apparently noted this as well – Israeli and Lebanese bloggers are talking even when the various forces are killing each other.
Chimpy’s JAR will hit the teens soon — but we may be past caring by then.
Sorry to off topic for a sec, but I see legal expertise online. The local paper ran and Op/Ed that says Arlen’s cooked up compromise re: NSA will keep things on the up and up. Here:
http://www.masslive.com/editor…..amp;coll=1
—
My rebuttal:
To The Republican:
I write to respond to your editorial published Sunday, July 17, which blesses Sen. Arlen Specter’s legislation addressing the NSA domestic spying issue.
That editorial is in error is a variety of ways, but let me just point out what I think is your key mistake. The piece opens with a clever line: “Tell it to the judge.”
I will admit the bill in question may just do that. If things work the way you seem to portray Sen. Specter’s crafty creation as working. However, the issue is not just ‘the judge’ , as you put it. Rather, the question is WHICH judge. (As is true for many cases.) The bill you cite would send the matter to the FISA court.
I have followed this issue closely, and I can tell you there is very little about the FISA court and it’s workings that is made public. Of all the warrant requests for spying since it was instituted, very few have been refused. (Which is as it should be. It is a secret court set up to deal with national security issues.) Most importantly, the results of any deliberations are never published. We, the people, have no way to know the legal basis on which decisions are based. Nor would there be any avenue for appeal. Which means it would never come up before the Supreme Court.
That secrecy stands in contrast to the Supreme Court, which makes the legal rationale behind any decision public. And in writing. So the public can see how the Court arrived at any given outcome. DIssents are written for the record as well. And, it has the advantage of being the arbiter of rule of law in all cases. To me, when an issue of such Constitutional import comes up that virtually rewrites part of the Bill of Rights, in this case the Fourth Amendment, I’d like to see all the reasons.
Sen. Specter’s bill allows for secret conclusions, that are not published. On the other hand, his fellow Judiciary Committee member, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) has an alternative which brings the matter directly under Supreme Court scrutiny. I endorse that bill. At least I would know the results. Can supporters of Sen. Specter’s bill say the same? I don’t think so. Which would you rather have?
Signed,
BK
—–
I’ve been known to make factual assertions that needed a fact checker. Anything I should change that might be embarrassing? etc? Thanks.
Remember Catrina?! It is the same response here to the Mideast melt down underway now. Everyone in the G8 (and elsewhere) says please act now! Response: nothing, silence. No one there. Some one needs to put together some video clips for the preznit to show him what is happening. Oh, sorry, I got it wrong. The point is to do nothing, allow no one in, then write the contracts in such a way that only Halliburton and friends get them. Been there, done that. It worked in New Orleans. Why not now? Plus, with Gingrich’s WWIII underway, we can expect to see (and enthusiastically support) our liberties further compromised.
Wonderful pork pix thanks!
when condi said the notion that Bush caused this unrest was “grotesque”
what is grotesque is the FACT that bush was warned this would be the result of his unprovoked attack on Iraq
that’s what’s grotesque
53 – Greg says
July 17th, 2006 at 7:14 am
The left blogosphere has put way too much faith in Fitgerald from the start. The good news is everyone can stop using “Fitz” to start each thread.
i agree w/ greg . . . IMO : fitz = good gop actor. hit his mark, said his lines and now will cash the checks! sad!
i would, of course, love to be proved wrong . . .
“You know, with the ME a little strained these days, whose idea was the pig roast? Can they get a different caterer for the Israel/Lebanaon negotiation lunches?”
LMAO
btw, AG Gonzales will be testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow morning starting at 9:30 am ET. Just FYI for everyone…
Mary at 42 and Norske
Re: Issue a report.
He is not required to issue a report. He has said in the past that he didn’t really want to issue a report (so many greymail problems), bt nothing (except ptoblems declassifying documents) prevents him from issuing a report , should he decide to do so
I have had the feeling myself…we might have been played and now it’s too late for him to do anything at all even if we weren’t played
That’s big siun. If, and it’s a monumental if, we could get Olbermann or Froomkin or the few friends we have left in the TM to read, publicize those blogs, it might really help.
Siun — do you have a link on the article about the blogger cooperation across the borders? I’d love to see it, if so. (And if I can find it in English…lol)
Greg and Ppirt:
FITZ!!
it doesn’t really matter but the Rasmus keg contained herring…a pickled fish; kinda like el presidente himself; only he is more of a cod…
http://www.iht.com/articles/20…..s/bush.php
Having seen your time stamp on last night’s thread, I have to ask: when do you sleep?
Dude, that’s what work is for.
BK, good start there, but if you cut it in half you’ll make it at least twice as powerful — make it lean ‘n’ mean. (Also note the sentence fragments in the 5th graf.)
Redd– just waitin’ to see if Specter puts him under oath.
Dru at 84 — thanks! I was thinking sauerkraut, but you are right, it was herring. Now that you say that, I remember the article…man, my brain is porous this morning…
lotus 87.
Thanks. Noted. Will give ‘editing’ a go. (so bloody hard on complex issue)
Nothing factual in error?
I sure could go for some pickled herring on some hearty brown bread right about now…
Christy – the link provided is to the Hebrew edition but noted at 5:23 in this comment thread – just reading the comments (do not want to even think about *that* moderation task) gives the feeling and apparently this has gone on in several threads there – I’m supposedly working so will read all of them later and pass along anything I find … meanwhile, Haaretz link is here:
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasit…..ntrassID=0
and the comments thread is the one for the latest posting here:
http://lebanesebloggers.blogspot.com/?1153143771
CHS *g*
Blank Kluge at 73
Two things to thin about adding:
Specter’s bill ALLOWS the president to go to the FISA court VOLUNTARILY, if he feels like it.
Also, the quid pro quo for that non-concession is that all of the domestic spying cases now pending are removed from the jurisdiction of the court system. Yup, there would be no way to a citizen to sue.
That is a HUGE problem. Kinda like trying to remove Supreme Court oversight of Gitmo.
No one has ever found that a FISA Court shirked it’s oversight duty. Iknow you can say “well, how could they?” and you would have a point.
But the fact is, it’s a slander on the entire federal judiciary. FISA court judges are regular federal district court and court of appeals judges who carry an extra FISA docket.
These are the very same judges that you want to be hearing the cases anyway, it’s just that their written opinions (and they do write them) are not published
ps Christy – MFI has links to a Human Rights Watch report on the international law issues in play here … you might find it useful – all the links are at his Gorilla’s blog (link in my name above)
BK, no factual errors jump out at me, but several more writing probs did. If you like, send the next draft to me at lotuslander AT cfl DOT rr DOT com, and I’ll help you edit it (20-yr English prof, here).
According to a NYT article, there is a “strategy” behind the apparent “hands off” attitude of bushco toward the Middle East crisis: Strikes Are Called Part of Broad Strategy – US, Israel Aim to Weaken Hezbollah
Well, now I feel better—our foreign policy geniuses are on the job again, with Iraq having worked out so well for them and all… Geez.
Ugh, just woke up to this, haven’t read the thread yet, but Little Georgie imprinted on how Preznits are supposed to act by watching his daddy go sailing (was it sailing?) while we bombed the crap out of Iraq the first time. Ooh! That’s what presidentin’ is!
He’s not an authentic personality. He’s just a compilation of a mish-mash of behaviors he’s picked up along the way — what human beings are supposed to do. He’s pathetic. Pathetic.
He makes me sputter with rage!
What Imm said at 83
and let me add my own
FITZ!
All together now, 1 – 2 – 3 -
FITZ!!!
Oops, re my #97, not NYT – WaPo article.
Ooooooh, Ooooh… *hand in the air*
Leisure Guy!
:-)
But he is so funny. Just a goofy mime. A sad clown. He can wink, mug, mime, wave, and chew food loudly with his mouth open while talking to leaders of other nations.
My hero.
Boy, those right wingers used to think that Clinton made the US into a laughing stock.
Look who’s laughing now? Why it’s the entire international presscorps doing it at Bush’s and the US’s expense.
Heckuva job.
-GSD
Re Fitz and report:
Not only will he issue no report, if there are no more indictments, there will be no additional public statements about anything.
He will stay in DC until the Libby case has ended (one way or the other) and he will quietly move on.
lhp -
Thanks for that. There’s so much out there, like G. Greenwald, it was hard for me to pick a focus. Almost asleep late last night this tack ‘popped’ up. I’ve never drafted anything legal. I was hard to figure a way to both prick THIER case and make mine simultaneously.
My ol’ journalism prof said, “It’s easier to edit SOMETHING than edit NOTHING.” So true. I scratched this out prior to dipping a toe in the Lake. First coffee. ;->
Karl Rove has a point. Strike at strength.
—
“Working…” (on rewritten draft.) ;->
Lotus 61
No I never went to law school. I am a much lesser human being, Too Sweet. I suppose it’s comforting to have blind faith in the legal system, but in the real world I live in justice has proven to be a whore.
I would like to believe that Fitzgerald is the White Knight who will slay the dragon, but really…what are the odds?
lotus:
Thanks. Soon as v 1.1 gets typed. (see BK 104)
Imman – you are an instigator. I’m not in the fan camp, but why people think that things like the NIE info and Cheney’s notes would have surfaced if someone was trying to endear themselves to the GOP and get a Bushkiss – seems a suspension of analysis.
lhp – I think both Comey and Fitzgerald said he did not have statutory authority to issue a report. [found a clip from a press conf below] How could he issue a public report going into findings on which he does not indict and/or which may relate to things outside the scope of his appointment that he discovered? I think he could make an inhouse report upchain, but I don’t see how he can do much else – ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
QUESTION: I think you, kind of, answered this but I assume that you have no plans and don’t even think you’d be allowed to issue a final report of any sort.
FITZGERALD: You’re correct. But let me explain that.
I think what people may be confused about is that reports used to be issued by independent counsels. And one of the complaints about the independent counsel statute was that an ordinary citizen, when investigated, they’re charged with a crime or they’re not; they’re not charged with a crime, people don’t talk about it.
Because of the interest in making sure that — well, there’s an interest in independent counsels to making sure those investigations were done thoroughly but then people ended up issuing reports for people not charged. And one of the criticisms leveled was that you should not issue reports about people who are not charged with a crime.
That statute lapsed. I’m not an independent counsel, and I do not have the authority to write a report, and, frankly, I don’t think I should have that authority. I think we should conduct this like any other criminal investigation: charge someone or be quiet.
QUESTION: Isn’t it kind of true that Mr. Comey’s letter to you makes you in essence almost a de facto attorney general and you can abide or not abide by the CFRs or the regulations as to whether or not to write — to write a report or not to write a report?
And the follow-up is, every special counsel prior to you has in fact written a report and turned it over to Congress, and they’ve gotten around the grand jury issue as well.
FITZGERALD: Let me say this. I think any prior special counsel may have been special counsel appointed to — certain regulations for people outside the Department of Justice, which I do not fit into. I’m not an independent counsel. I may be unique in this sense. I can tell you, I’m very comfortable, very clear that I do not have that authority.
And the extent that I was given sort of the acting attorney general hat for this case, it’s the acting attorney general, but the attorney general can’t violate the law. And the law on grand jury secrecy is the law.
So I may have a lot of power for this one case in the acting attorney general hat, but I followed the Code of Federal Regulations in this case, and I certainly would follow the law
emph added
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I agree that he doesn’t really have the legal or ethical footings for a report, but would love to see one, so if there’s a good way, it’d be nice.
No report is one reason I was pissed (yet again) with the approach. It was a payoff IMO to Ashcroft et al for recusal – don’t worry, it’s staying in the family. Heaven forbid we should have had Independent Counsel with a set of regs and authority behind them, instead of a soloer on a highwire. *s*
Some folks say that writing can only begin once you’ve got the first draft down. When it comes to LTEs, at least, I think that’s probably true.
Oh yeah, the Juvenile in Chief was reportedly the only world leader who drove the golf cart himself. He was described as excited about the golf carts.
That is our president folks.
-GSD
I’m at work right now-just wanted to stop in &
FITZ!!!!!
Fitzgeralf Schmitzgerald.
It is not like Bush and Cheney betrayed the nations’ trust by using Christmas card lists for political purposes.
-GSD
Hee, GSD!
Specter’s concept also IGNORES the Fourth Amendment.
For citizens of the United States, on US Soil, the Constitution requires judicial supervision and warrants, and Specter is carving out “Consitution didn’t apply for 5 years” zone. Tripe.
GSD- I wonder if the preznut is using those christmas socks riding his bike above as a statement for the religious sector…
GSD – anonymouse sources blame Socks.
Ooopsies from Raw Story:
73% in USA favor rights for terror suspects… Developing…
GOP Rep: Judiciary chair treats us like dogs
One more plug, b4 I go for abit, for The New York Times article by Wright on some of the FBI investigations (including the little packet they got at one point from CIA).
Love FDL and all of you! I read this blog several times daily.
I haven’t seen this discussed anywhere, and I think it is an analysis by Lakoff and others that is worthy of consideration. I have heard others say that W isn’t as dumb as he appears, but I have always thought that was impossible. Now, I wonder . . .
by George Lakoff, Marc Ettlinger and Sam Ferguson
(c)The Rockridge Institute, 2006 (We invite the free distribution of this piece)
“Progressives have fallen into a trap. Emboldened by President Bush’s plummeting approval ratings, progressives increasingly point to Bush’s “failures” and label him and his administration as incompetent. For example, Nancy Pelosi said “The situation in Iraq and the reckless economic policies in the United States speak to one issue for me, and that is the competence of our leader.” Self-satisfying as this criticism may be, it misses the bigger point. Bush’s disasters — Katrina, the Iraq War, the budget deficit — are not so much a testament to his incompetence or a failure of execution. Rather, they are the natural, even inevitable result of his conservative governing philosophy. It is conservatism itself, carried out according to plan, that is at fault. Bush will not be running again, but other conservatives will. His governing philosophy is theirs as well. We should be putting the onus where it belongs, on all conservative office holders and candidates who would lead us off the same cliff.”
“To Bush’s base, his bumbling folksiness is part of his charm — it fosters conservative populism. Bush plays up this image by proudly stating his lack of interest in reading and current events, his fondness for naps and vacations and his self-deprecating jokes. This image causes the opposition to underestimate his capacities — disregarding him as a complete idiot — and deflects criticism of his conservative allies. If incompetence is the problem, it’s all about Bush. But, if conservatism is the problem, it is about a set of ideas, a movement and its many adherents. “
I’m new to posting here, so sorry – I don’t know how to link the site! )-:
Anyone remember the Tom Hanks movie, “Big,” where he makes a wish at a carnival booth with an animated “fortune teller” to be bigger, and he wakes up the next morning as his same 12 yr old self, but in an adult’s body? My favorite scene in that movie was when he went to the party and put a big ol’ glob of caviar in his mouth, hated the taste and just started spitting it out, wiped his tongue off with a napkin, etc.
Could someone please find the carnival game that turned the 12 yr old Bush into an “adult” before he destroys the world? Please?
Linky, Mary?
Searching for that, I bumbled into Senator’s Slip of the Tongue Keeps on Truckin’ Over the Web
As a professor of religious studies, I just wanted to warn everyone that saying “FITZ” — no matter how loudly — won’t actually stop the nightmares that Greg and Ppirt have given voice to. These kinds of vocal offerings simply reinforce a narrative in which it is Fitz’s sanctity tht guarantees a good outcome, rather than, say, facts on the ground. Faith in Fitz, or skepticism about that faith, are both normal reactions to the dearth of information, but what we’re really here for is the fact-based home cooking, folks.
Speaking of information, I am curious about the rumors to which Christy is alluding. Without telling us the content, can you tell us if they are rumors that would make us happy or make us sad?
The anonymouse source story is behind the wall. Literally.
Sensenbrenner may not be my fave – but that was a funny story at the rawstory “dogs” link.
Great pix, Christy, I guess. The stunned GLARES he’s getting from all the other G8s! Hoo boy.
What a complete & utter embarassment, parading for all the world, while half of it burns on & on.
Imagine how much self-control the other G8’s are exerting to keep from calling him ******** without talking through their biscuits.
Good gawd! This has to be proof positive of all those murmerings about “dry drunk”. He clearly thinks he’s at the world’s most “in” frat party.
Wonder if the slick connivers among SCOTUS are proud stillyetagainalready of what they did to the world in 2000.
We’ve got to get through this. Keep up the good work pups. It gives me hope that you’re all there. Oh sigh.
Sunday morning I was watching Russian TV live from St. Petersburg; it was embarrassing to listen to the announcer run down the list of which world leaders were meeting with other leaders at that moment….and then Bush rides by on his bike.
Take a look at ToL’s homepage:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/global
Every Republican or Democrat or Independant who voted for this pathetic headcase should be pissed and demoralized….over and over again.
They knew deep down that he was a tool…but they got frightened by John O’Neil and his swiftboat stormtroopers.
I have so little regard for the nation and its people right now.
-GSD
Well, look on the bright side, at least they have their World War III.
Here’s a link for an article that does dangle the possibiity of a report
http://www.prospect.org/web/pa…..leId=10563
I’m still thinking it is extremely unlikely – unless and until and if – the Spec Pros. report goes in to a diff. admins very different AG. Even so – I doubt we’ll hear squeaks.
Is this trip to Russia just one long bender for Bush? On the CBS News last night, his hair was all dissheveled — looked like they just got him up after being passed out on the couch. With Wolfowitz no longer around, doesn’t anyone give the President grooming tips?
The Globe is still playing up Bush and Laura’s marital troubles. Saw in the supermarket checkout that they are now attending ’secret’ marriage counseling.
Good morning everyone:
Doesn’t Bush remind you of Chrustchev lifting his shoe? We’ve become the laughing stock of the whole world…
“Dr. Strangelove” captured it better than me…
No charges for British Bobbies who mowed down an innoncet bystander by mistaking his dark Latino skin for that of a bloody terrorist.
See, the Bush doctrine is spreading like a flesh eating virus.
http://english.aljazeera.net/N…..587991.htm
-GSD
Just got an e-mail from a friend who said, “I hope Bush goes to the ranch for a month in August – maybe it’ll save the world.”
Ain’t it the truth…
Check out the photo here.
Welcome, KathieinMN — Great Comment!!!
I agree with Lakoff — Bush is a lot smarter than he seems, but his complete lack of intellectual curiosity is what makes him so dangerous.
In a Spring 2001 article in the Nation, Mark Crispin Miller quotes Mary Matalin, who said Bush was a “Political Campaign Terrorist.” I think that is absolutely correct — political terrorism is the only core competency Bush brings to the job, and the Democrats still think we are playing with Queensbury rules.
Posting links — just copy paste, and Word Press does the rest.
OT– I am getting very sick of this daily MSNBC interview with 19 y o David Gruskin from Teaneck NJ who is now moving from Haifa to Jerusalem.
Maybe they could find one of the 25,000 americans in Lebanon to interview and get their “take”.
Oh yeah. Dan Quayle walked out of a John Mellencamp concert after some anti-Bush comments.
The horror, the horror.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/…../#comments
-GSD
The french and brits are managing to evacuate their people…
ours are still stuck along with those that have nowhere to run to or the means to escape.
French Foreign Minister Villepin has arrived in Beirut for peacemaking efforts … I wonder how — helicopter? They also probably have some dusty old maps showing some back roads …
angie…135
19 year old moving from Haifa to Jerusalem. Why?
ppirt says:
July 17th, 2006 at 7:24 am
53 – Greg says
July 17th, 2006 at 7:14 am
The left blogosphere has put way too much faith in Fitgerald from the start. The good news is everyone can stop using “Fitz” to start each thread.
i agree w/ greg . . . IMO : fitz = good gop actor. hit his mark, said his lines and now will cash the checks! sad!
i would, of course, love to be proved wrong . . .
———————————————————-
I disagree. I don’t necessarily think Fitz is going to save the world, but if you think he’s a Republican actor, you need to go back and look at the timeline. Remember, his investigation has been going on since well before the 2004 election. A Republican actor would have investigated for six months and then held a press conference to say that reporters weren’t co-operating with him, so he had to shut his investigation down. There would have been a big stink about how the First Amendment was protecting leakers who were damaging our national security. Rove would have made it a rallying cry right before the election. “The ACLU and The New York Times just want to protect the rights of terrorists!”
But that isn’t what happened. JudyJudyJudy spent 2 1/2 months in the clink. We now know that Rove and Libby were leakers. Cheney looks even more evil than before. And a high-level White House aide has been indicted on five felony charges. That’s not a Rove-approved storyline.
to be safer– and the same anchorperson is just so fascinated with his “story”. it’s just a “human interest” story that they keep updating. they even interviewed his parents yesterday, it’s a fluff piece to elicit something, i don’t know what.
I wonder if a/the reason our government is so hands-off with the Israelis right now is that they’ve already said all that’s needed; ie is this a coordinated operation, with the IDF being the active force, instead of our own military?
I also can’t seem to shake the religious aspect, especially with Newty popping out with his apocalyptic mutterings so quickly – which also would explain the US’s apparent lack of interest; are they all just waiting for the call home?
Just thinking these things makes me feel as crazy as I think these clowns are…
new thread: http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..mouth-full
AMEN “Greg” who wrote in #54 above:
>>The left blogosphere has put way too much faith in Fitgerald from the start. The good news is everyone can stop using “Fitz” to start each thread.
Mary:
Fitz can’t write a report in his own name, but there is a thing called a “Grand Jury Report” that the GJ votes on just like they vote on an indictment.
he was making a distiction with the kind of report Starr wrote, which Fitz is clearly not empowered to do
Cristy, regarding your last two words in the above, my heart leaped up this morning when I saw the following on a bumper sticker in this red State: “Had enough? Vote Democratic in ‘06.” An especially great morning for that question and answer.
There’s more. Fitz said that he was just about wrapped up back in October 2004, but needed Judy and Cooper’s testimony to make his charging decision.
It was Judy who pushed it back past the election. Fitz then OUTED HIMSELF by saying that he would have been able to wrap up, but for Judy’s stupid lawsuit. Fitz put the Admin on notice that he was not playing ball.
The thing that has always confused me though is this, Floyd Abrams is supposed to be this lefty 1st Ammendment guy, right? You’d think he would want Kerry to win.
Yet, Abrams brings a suit on a theory, which even if the court bought it, still would not have exempted Judy from testifying. The only thing that would have gotten Judy off the hook was the court finding that reporters enjoy an absolute privledge with no exceptions, which even in his wildest dreams Abrams did not have a reason to think would happen.
He knew he was just wasting time. And not doing his client one bit of good, so why did he do it? I have been a Floyd Abrams fan since law school, I just don’t understand what happened there
Spot on analysis Christy.