The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be:
…U.S. borders don’t stop people who shouldn’t get in. Buses and subways are vulnerable to bombings. Few cargo containers are inspected. Detection is inadequate for nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies are still troubled by rivalries and poor communication.
Republican Thomas Kean, who was chairman of the 9/11 commission, said the United States is gradually moving in the right direction to fix the problems but he still worries.
"At top levels, it wasn’t taken seriously enough. It wasn’t on top of the priority list. … And that’s what I see happening again," Kean said. "It shouldn’t be a political issue. It should be something that everybody supports."
But with Americans souring on the war in Iraq, the fight on terrorism is a divisive issue for the November elections that will determine which party controls Congress. Unhappiness over the war was a major factor in the primary defeat of Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.
Many Democrats accuse Bush and the GOP-led Congress of mishandling Iraq and the broader war on terrorism. "As a result of mismanagement and the wrong funding priorities, we are not as safe as we should be," said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid.
National security traditionally has been an issue that favors Republicans. Bush won re-election with a tough-on-terrorism argument and the promise that the United States was better off confronting terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq than battling them at home. In Bush’s view, Iraq and the war on terror are one and the same.
But Americans appear to be tiring of that argument after more than three years of fighting in Iraq, a death toll of nearly 2,600 U.S. troops and a price tag of more than $320 billion.
Public approval of Bush’s handling of foreign policy and terrorism has slumped to 40 percent, near the lowest levels of his presidency, according to AP-Ipsos polling in August. Approval of his handling of Iraq, 33 percent, is at the lowest level yet.
Democrats were favored over Republicans by 46 to 38 percent in an ABC-Washington Post poll early this week when people were asked whom they trusted more to handle the fight against terrorism….
The fact that the American public no longer trusts Republicans to handle much of anything is telling, isn’t it? That’s what happens when you repeatedly distort the facts and don’t back up your words with actions that are effective. It’s called failure. Heckuva job, Bushie.
Are you feeling more secure than you did five years ago? Had enough?
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Fitz!
the josef goebbels playbook has run its course.
Next!
ned!
Fredo!
There was a very important victory in the ‘War on Terror” yesterday, and it would do progressives a lot of good to think about what it means.
Now, in my opinion, the victory only serves to emphasize the importance of human intelligence. I think a very cogent argument could be made that we’re much better served by dedicating resources to intelligence than we are by an extended occupation of Iraq. Shouldn’t we be making that argument???
Also, Bush back way down to 33% in the AP poll.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Poli…..id=2299968
You have to work really hard to get down to 33%.
Doc:
I think progressives have been making that argument, and were ridiculed by the “adults.”
Rob Zuber @ 5
ohgodohgodohgodPLEEEZE
(and I am an A-THE-IST!):
29 by the end of the month!
The public may be getting it, Christy, but the press sure isn’t. I opened the NYT online this morning and saw a headline: “Arrests Bolster GOP as Election Nears,” by Ad Nags.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08…..r=homepage
“Crap,” I thought, “They’re up in the polls ALREADY?”
Then I read the article. Shorter Ad Nags: “Republicans say ‘Us good, Dems bad.’”
That’s it. Stenography, plus a misleading headline which should have read “Arrests Bolster GOP Bleating as Election Nears.”
Morning, all. Turned a coworker on to the Lake last night. She was excited to hear about Blue America, and all the great progressive candidates that Howie’s found. I’m not sure she’s ever read a blog before, so I’ll be interested to hear back from her. :)
Sent another coworker the article you posted last night, Christy, about the administration politicizing the latest “terror alert.” This guy’s a Republican who’s disgusted with all the GOP wrongdoing, but still isn’t quite ready to vote for Democrats. So every couple of weeks I give him a little more info. I need to dig out the documentation about this being a pattern for them. Anyone remember off the top of their head where I can find that?
Dr. Sinker at 4 — I’ve made that argument a number of times before. But perhaps it’s time to articulate it again. You do what is effective, you learn from your mistakes, and you adapt…unless you are George Bush.
Percy at 8 — I try not to subject myself to Ad Nags first thing in the morning. Once I’ve had a little more coffee, I’ll take a peek. *g*
Christy Hardin Smith @ 11
Good idea, Christy. The morning digestion can be a bit delicate, after all. ;)
Christy Hardin Smith @
10
I think it may be. Republicans are seizing on this event to say: “See – if we had Dems in control, we never would have been able to catch these guys!”
I think we need to turn the tables. Point out the obvious.
It makes me laugh when I think that the Bush folks and the GOP are so out-of-touch with their own failures, they actually believe the British terror plot helps them.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans were in airports, or on airplanes, suddenly realizing that after 5 years and billions of dollars spent, Bush’s version of airport security consists of minimum-wage TSA employees carrying cardboard boxes for passengers to dump hair gel and toothpaste and sunscreen in, and they’re only doing it now because “no one could have known that terrorists would use ordinary liquids to make explosive devices…”
And while they were purging the water they bought in the “secured boarding area” – something they were probably also thinking about – they were probably wondering about all that uninspected, unscreened checked baggage that would be sitting in the baggage hold as they were winging their way to their – hopefully not “final” – destination.
Which may have made them think about the billions of dollars we have spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, which – judging from the state of things in both countries, and in countries in the region – has been a spectacular waste of money, resources and blood.
Please – run on national security. We’re more than ready for THAT debate.
Had enough?
Good lord. I had had enough on day 1 of this sack of shit administration when they started with a lie about the Clinton administration trashing the White House. Since then, the lies and incompetence have just escalated. It would be funny if it weren’t for the thousands of innocent American lives, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi lives, and trillions of dollars that have been wasted and pissed away.
When you have a government that manipulates people through fear and lies and does not even attempt to do any of its major functions, instead concentrating of stealing money and gutting government programs to turn them into cash conduits for their buddies, it’s going to have consequences. Horrible consequences.
Notice that this case was cracked via two things that Rove ridicules with contempt:
law-enforcement techniques, not war.
cooperation of an authoritarian Islamic government.
Also, it required no civilian casualties, and neither U.S. troops nor U.S. money. Rather, it required intelligence, in both senses of that term.
Here ya go, Christy, li’l giggle from the near-EPU file:
lotus @ 426
lamont for prez
Nefarious Leslie,
is this what you’re looking for ?
http://www.dccc.org/stakeholde…..05138.html
Quote for the day:
Wigwam @
16
Absolutely. Notice also that it underscores the need to invest in detection technology and to improve screening in other areas. All things Dems and Progressives have been calling for. They need to call for them again, and LOUDLY.
twolf1 @ 18
Surprising even myself, I am so down wid dat! I actually see Ned as the Second Coming of Abe Lincoln — and not a minute too soon!
lotus @ 22
If only he could get some air time.
DrSinker:
Give Fox News a call. Maybe they’ll put you on the air. They’re always ready to feature intelligent, comprehensive policy discussions.
Imagine if Ned today called for an end to the admin’s delays in improving technology the TSA uses. Isn’t that a progressive concept?
cbl @ 19
cbl, that’s a nice summary of what they’ve done with this latest event, thanks – but elsewhere in the blogosphere, someone has compiled a list of all the times the administration has suddenly had to raise the threat levels, or made some other bogus announcement in the “war on terror,” and always at a time when their poll numbers were sinking. So it’s spread out over the last several years.
Anne 14 nails another one right on the ol’ bazoo!
“Everyone knows you dont roll out a new product in August.”
Wonder what these truly awful people have in store…
If we knew Ramzi Yousef was making liquid explosives XX years ago, why weren’t we already banning liquids on flights?
Why is it okay to pour the liquids into a trash can in the middle of an airport?
Why is is still okay to pack them in your luggage?
Who will stop the food court vendors from sabotaging the soft drinks? (They are all staffed by resentful furriners dontcha know?)
And finally, how much will the airlines charge for a bottled “terra free” water?
“Republicans run for office on the grounds that government is incompetent. Then they get elected to prove it.”
- GOP humorist P.J. O’Rourke
_
Gotta check out for a bit; catch you in a while.
anecdotal observations from God’s Country
no one appeared at all interested in the Terra! Terra! Terra! coverage yesterday – no one asked to turn volume up on the teevee, didn’t overhear any talk of it during my double shift
have a kid co worker, Michigan Republican (hey rayne!), law enforcement student, and I use him as a barometer when this stuff breaks – “aint buyin’ it, they couldn’t catch a bad guy on the WH lawn”
geepers, Ken’s gonna need more pearls
OT-ish:
Experts: Joe’s Web Setup Was Lacking
(along with everything else of to do with Joe)
Damn, y’all, my good daddy’s name was Joe, and I’m rilly getting ticked with its constant besmirching by this schmuck.
I’m a longtime commenter (I left my usual email so the moderators can see I’m not a wingnut troll), but some of what I want to share is a tiny bit business-sensitive (none of it is classified); not sure I’d want my boss to see it with my personally-identifiable moniker…I’d appreciate not speculating on my usual commenting name…
I’m an R&D physicist with a large airport security-scanner manufacturer. So you can calibrate us, we all had a nice giggle at work over the Miami arrests. And, like many of you, when I read the very first reports (Thursday morning about 5 AM), I wondered for a bit how real it was. Especially since I had to fly yesterday. (Actually, security lines at O’Hare weren’t that bad. But that wouldn’t make for such a good story on CNN.)
So let me say: this one is real. Or, to be a tiny bit more accurate: it is not invented from the top. Technical folks up and down the line at the agencies believe in it and are providing information about the plot. The TSA called our president early Thursday morning; real green dollars are changing hands, technical information is moving about; and we’re shipping particular products into the field pronto.
Nothing like any of this happened for Miami, or any other “alert”; even the July 7th subway bombings in London didn’t produce this kind of response.
Two points to remember:
1. Just because the Cheney administration consists of incompetent war profiteers, doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there trying to kill us.
2. Just because they are exploiting this politically (and they are), doesn’t mean the underlying threat is not real.
That said, I think, as often happens, Billmon has a lot of excellent things to think about in his post.
This does show a complete boneheaded failure in the struggle to fight terrorism, and a cynical willingness to exploit events politically, but it’s not a lie.
First timer but previous avid reader.
Of all the ideas and slogans thrown about through all of these years of bushco inflicted suffering there is really only one all-encompassing slogan that should be the rallying cry for every action:
Had enough?
Reddhedd!
We are finally watching President Rove overplay the hell out of his desperately empty hand.
i’m not quite sure how the gop thinks that jumping all over a terror plot that was foiled in BRITIAN is gonna do anything but make the public even more convinced that we are wasting our time in IRAQ.
and didn’t they just recently ease the restrictions on those scissors and small sharp objects you could bring on planes? but it’s taken them nearly 5 years since 9/11 (their favorite moment in history) to decide that my travel tube of crest is the greatest danger in the sky.
and these are the people that want to run on “national security”? i say let them.
Christy -
How much information has been disclosed about the individuals arrested in connection with the aircraft bomb plot? How many of them attended the North London Central mosque, formerly known as the Finsbury Park mosque? Until its radical imam was deposed and arrested last year, that mosque was apparently a haven for radical Islam in Europe, according to this MSNBC article published about five weeks ago: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13501930/
lotus, the link from tpm is even funnier “Experts: Lieberman’s tech dudes were boneheads.” Oh yeah, I’d like to see that headlining a national newspaper of record.
Great post, Christy, as usual. I read the Terrence Hunt piece. Why is it repeated again and again, by reporters, that Republicans are generally considered stronger on national security? Because they start all the wars? As stated here every day, that does not automatically make us safer and also can make us more vulnerable. AArrrgggghhh…
OT: I signed up for Feingold’s online listening session today. Any FDL suggestions for a question I should ask? There are so many in my head I’m having trouble settling on one, to-the-point question. Thanks!
Eugene Robinson’s op-ed today is a mighty fine read . . .
And the mental image at the end of the column? Priceless. Infuriating, but priceless.
Thanks, Incog — that makes perfect sense to me .. and it goes so nicely with u-pick-em day at WaPo:
Want some of Krauthammer’s Democrats as Myopic Doves, Again (going with the homepage linky’s wording, rather than the true headline, just ’cause it’s cuter)
or d’ya prefer Robinson’s The War Bush Isn’t Fighting?
Incognito at 35 — I’m hearing the same thing in terms of the police work involved in nailing these jerks and how far along the planning stages really were. We owe Scotland Yard a huge debt of gratitude — they appear to have worked this case amazingly well — with an undercover op who was damn good at what he did, and with a long history of reach-out to the Islamic community in Britain, from which they got the tip. THIS is effective means of combatting terrorism, and we truly owe the Brits an enormous thank you for doing it so well.
That said, this really points up so many of our own failures in shoring up the vast number of holes that we have in this country in terms of real security. Not doofy PR moves that do nothing, but REAL security — container inspections, communications equipment for first responders, and on and on. That we have not been able to muster competent action whent he GOP controls both Congress and the White House ought to be trumpted from the rafters. If they can’t get the job done in five years of controlling two branches of government, then they should move the hell over and let Democrats GET IT DONE.
It seems like this might be a real plot, but Bush has yelled “Terror, Terror” so many times that who believes him anymore? And therein lays the problems.
Coming out for a stronger (yes stronger NOT weaker like Cheney made it) intelligence apparatus would be an excellent dem strategy for fall. Talk to ALL the players, not just the ones that cozy up to Bush for his leftover favors.
lotus -
re your request for absolution . . . left you a message downstairs.
lotus @ 43
Great minds . . .
Lieberman’s petitions are “sloppy”.
Well, it is beyond our control, but I would love to see Lieberman removed from the ballot due to the incompetence of his signature gatherers. If they are as bad as his website managers, I like the odds.
Here’s a quote from the Courant article:
‘Shirley Surgeon, Hartford’s Democratic registrar of voters, said she is verifying 59 pages of signatures delivered to that city’s town clerk last week.
Although each petition contains room for 30 signatures, Surgeon said the majority of those she received contain about half that, and several have been disqualified.
“Out of 15 on this first page, nine were good,” Surgeon said.
In Norwalk, Town Clerk Andrew Garfunkel said he received one petition page Wednesday.
Norwalk Democratic Registrar Betty Bondi said if the rest of Lieberman’s petitions are as “sloppy” as that one piece of paper, his chances to make it onto the ballot do not look good.
“There were less than 10 names and only two good signatures,” Bondi said.
But Lieberman and Lamont’s campaigns said yesterday that with more than 18,000 signatures being counted, there is no doubt the senator will have the 7,500 valid names needed to run in November.
“We are confident that we’ll be fine. We filed over 18,000 signatures,” Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein said.’
Hat tip to LamontBlog – here’s the link to the article:
http://www.courant.com/news/lo…..ines-local
I was hearing last night that one of the terrists busted actually worked at Heathrow. Was that confirmed?
Peterr, you dear man, I hope you won’t mind my considering you my pastor, because you certainly are at least 1,000X better at it than anyone else could ever claim to be.
I’ve been following the Univ of Wisconsin 9-11 conspiracy theory/pedagogy story with a good deal of interest, so I read this story on CNN, which doesn’t have a lot of new info in it. BUT, when I went to the “what do you think?” poll/vote box and voted, I was absolutely jaw-dropped shocked at the results.
Check it out!
I know these polls are “unscientific,” but it’s a fascinating example of what Christy’s talking about in her post.
Incog:
It’s because the threat is REAL that so many are so frustrated with the FACADE of security that eminates from this White House.
Their overall policy toward real terrorism has been so wrong for so long, that getting another dose of propaganda is vomit inducing.
CNN – Two of the suspects held in connection with the alleged plot to down commercial jetliners with explosives may have had contact with a Pakistani suspected of being an al Qaeda operative, government officials in Britain and the United States told CNN.
this is a great poll, BUT we really HAVE to start taking advantage of it
we have GOT to use terms like;
this adminstration has created MORE terrorism and they were TOLD by their own advisors they’d be making America less secure
we really have to PUNISH the administration, not just by siting polls, but by SPELLING IT OUT…what they did wrong, why they KNEW what they were doing wss bad for national security
then we have to present the programs we proposed and DEMONSTRATE WITH NO DOUBT that the administration and the party in charge have gone out of the way to prevent national security programs from going forward so they could give middle class dolarws to rich people
‘it’s not only the message, it’s how you tell the story
In August, 1973, Connecticut U.S. Senator Lowell P. Weicker told the NYT:
“You expect a lot more out of the Commander-in-Chief than you do the privates,” Weicker said on an interview on’Face the Nation’.
“And its been the privates who have been thrown out on the line. The American people have the instinct the President held something back. He should release all the tapes….and tell us every instance where government agencies were used in a manner not intended by their founding.”
Ah, the good old days.
Dr. Sinker—-I’ve made that argument.
I want us to fight smarter. HUMINT is essential.
The conservatives I’ve talked to don’t think human intelligence on the ground is something we have time for, I guess. They don’t seem interested.
It does take a long time to develop but we need it more than ever.
To start with, we need a huge emphasis on foreign language studies starting in kindergarten. That would be helpful, don’t you think? Get kids at that window of time when they can learn a language easily.
To paraphrase Rove’s oft-cited smear, after 9/11 Democrats called for using intelligence and law enforcement to stop terrorist plots, roll up their organizations, and lock up their leaders. Republicans said that was weak and called for bombing the crap out of anyone who looked at us wrong.
Today in Blighty’s press:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk
http://www.independent.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
I’m very concerned about recent White House efforts to decriminalize war crimes. There have been many good articles on the subject. Reference [1] gives background on how the White House set policy permitting war crimes. The others discuss recent attempts by White House officials to cover the asses.
[1] “Is George Bush Guilty of War Crimes…and Who Cares?” By David Wallechinsky, HuffingtonPost.com, 8/9/06: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..26669.html
[2] “Detainee Abuse Charges Feared, Shield Sought From ‘96 War Crimes Act,” By R. Jeffrey Smith, The Washington Post, Friday 28 July 2006: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080106B.shtml
[3] “Top Military Lawyers Oppose Plan for Special Courts” By R. Jeffrey Smith, The Washington Post, Thursday 03 August 2006: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080306A.shtml
[4] “War Crimes Act Changes Would Reduce Threat Of Prosecution” By R. Jeffrey Smith, Washington Post, 8/9/06: http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01276.html
[5] “Retroactive War Crime Protection Proposed” By Pete Yost, The Associated Press, Wednesday 09 August 2006: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081006A.shtml
[6] “Amendments Sought in War Crimes Act”, From the Associated Press, August 10, 2006: http://www.latimes.com/news/pr…..-a_section
“Are you feeling more secure than you did five years ago? Had enough?”
Wrong question. 911 was less than five years ago, almost nobody would feel more secure today. The question should be:
‘Are you feeling more secure than before the Ieaq war? Had enough?’
The majority of Americans seems to think the answers are ‘No!’ and ‘Yes, we had enough, get us out of this hell’
Incog@35 – Thanks, coming from you it’s confirmation. Tsk, that so many people could even think this is another political tactic makes me mad. Not that they think it, but that they could just as easily be right.
To start with, we need a huge emphasis on foreign language studies starting in kindergarten. That would be helpful, don’t you think? Get kids at that window of time when they can learn a language easily.
Margot (55), I gotta say that one of the very first things I expected to see after 9/11 was a huge rush to SW-Asian-languages instruction in the U.S.
If you’d have asked me on, say, September 14, 2001, I’d have predicted that — at least in our college towns — Afghani restaurants would be edging up on Mexican, Korean and Thai joints in popularity by now. (Who knew from Iraqi ones, then?)
Gaaaah.
xyz;
It looks like Joe’s people waited til late July to start hiring signature collectors …
http://hartford.craigslist.org/npo/185388839.html
If the folks who signed on to collect signatures were like the Leiberyouth paid “volunteers” who picked up brochures and turned around and dumped them in the trash, I expect a whole mess of “signatures” will be suspect. Whee!
But the British stopped a terrorist plot! If we’d have just annointed Joe one more time, this never would have happened! The terrorists would have just given themselves up instead of getting caught!
This is a disaster for the Dems!
9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11!
This is a good thing for Republicans! We can change the subject!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 44
And remember, not only doofy PR moves that do nothing, but doofy PR moves that actively harm our security, like how they burned a major mole inside al Qaeda just to take the attention of the news cycle away from the Democratic Convention.
The British and Pakistanis appear to have learned their lesson from that one — by Juan Cole’s interpretation, they’ve been pursuing this investigation for over a year, but only told the Bush Administration about it when they were ready to make arrests.
I would just like to humbly add that in my opinion they have never had any intention of doing the jobs that they are paid by us to do. They, from the very start, have had no intention of doing what is best for us or for our country.
They have done things just the way that they wanted to. If you ask them, all has been pretty successful.
They’ve succeeded in getting their seemingly never-ending war/invasion of Iraq. And with it, what they really wanted, complete freedom to do with the U.S. Treasury as they wish. Mainly, funnel it to the contractors of their choice . . . see dick cheney.
They have also gotten their way with tax cuts for their corporate donators and the very wealthy in a time of the war of their choice. While at the same time making sure that only their corporate friends have the ability to file bankruptcy while denying their retirees their pensions.
The list of their crimes against the people of our country is probably fairly endless.
The general point is . . . . for them . . . their decisions are not stupid. They are just what they want, and what they planned from the get-go. They are corporate puppets and criminals, pure and simple.
They should be treated as such.
bonzarella 51; wowee, that percentage is down from 86% when I saw that poll a couple of days ago; I was stunned too. Wonder if it got freeped?
Dru @ 67
Dru, which side was at 86%?
Dru-
Wow – you are on top of this – I didn’t realize that people were watching Craigslist to keep track of Lieberman’s signature drive!
If they started in late July and relied primarily on hired Craigslist help, this could get very interesting.
Also note that even once the local boards have gone through the petitions and eliminated any clearly invalid signatures, I think that Lamont’s legal team will also be able to take a crack at going over the petitions AGAIN with a fine-tooth comb.
It would be great if this worked out, but it is something that we cannot control, so we just have to keep pouring our efforts and cash into the Lamont campaign!
Had Enough? You bet!!
Please come to DC in September for Camp Democracy and the International Day of Peace. Register your disapproval of the incompetence, misguidedness, corruption, and authoritarianism of the Bush regime not only at the ballot box and on the blogs, but in the streets.
As pointed out earlier by Peterr, Eugene Robinson nails it on the WaPo Op-Ed page today, while Charles Krauthammer offers the other alternative, that what we realy need to do to solve these problems is re-elect Joe Lieberman and start a war with Iran. Your choice, America.
What I haven’t had enough of lately is Peace. Got any?
jim
lotus, to add to your list, here is Dionne at WaPo: Who’s Guilty of Petty Partisanship?
Harris’ former spokesperson on her debating herself, “I hope she doesn’t lose.” LOL. You just can’t make this stuff up. Maybe TDS show hire that guy as a writer for the show.
Lieberman says bush “haters” are just like the radical republican Clinton-haters during his presidency. Never mind that we had a surplus, etc, etc & now every part of our government is fubar. Legitimate dread of the future of this country is labled hate. I think Joe has been a republican mole all along.
When polls show americans disapproval of the Iraq war climbs past the present 60% plus to 70 % or higher, will the rightie pundits still persist in believing they can continue the spin that the majority of americans are fringe?
Off to a couple of laid-back, stress busting days at the Bayfront Blueberry Festival in Duluth, MN. Even better, it has cooled off to the 70’s (45 deg last night) so we won’t get heat fried.
oops—”Petty Partisanship“
Can we impeach these traitors yet?
These idjits remind me of the Keystone Cops.
In referring to Dems as being soft on terror, they are leaving themselves wide open to repudiation.
They have not followed the recommendations of the 911 investigation panel.
They have done crap to bolster our security.
The Mexican border knee jerk reaction is a complete farce. Not to mention a collosal waste of scarce resources.
Our military is at the point of being un-functional,with billions in repairs outstanding. (Now Bush wants to be able to commandeer the National Guard over the control of governors).The list goes on and on and on and on.
They are criminally incompetent.
THAT is what the Dems ought to be pounding on. They are CRIMINALS.Try them,impeach them,expose them,incarcerate them.
In the mean time, we have an almost incomprehensible challenge in front of us.
Trying to fix what they have broken, while at the same time, keeping up with the never ending list of new challenges.
We are going to be busy.
bonzarella @ 68
DID believe in alternative theories!
lotus @
50
Not sure about your math there . . . but thanks for the compliment!
They’re trying to spin the thing — but how long can you keep crying wolf? And what’s with the liquids? Either we were in mortal danger the last dozen years since the similar Pacific plot, or they had it under control all along. So why now? Spin, spin, spin …
Major wire service softens its coverage of Bush terror exploitation: First version of AFP story about White House political exploitation of foiled terror plot was scathing. Later, softened version just made it seem like normal, partisan political bickering between Dems and Republicans. Spinmeisters at work? Or just “objective” journalism as usual? You decide. Compare and contrast these versions for yourself.
Redshift @
65
Now here’s a solid point that can be brought up to counteract the “We helped catch these guys, you Dems are soft on terror.” According to Cole’s post the Brits didn’t even trust the Bushies enough to let them in on the investigation until the last possible moment…
Margot @
56
I agree. Along these lines, it’s worth pointing out the 50 (?) Arabic-linguists who were recently tossed from the armed services under the suspicion of being homosexual. It makes zero sense whatsoever.
More pressure for Schlessinger to step aside for a stong GOP candidate:
http://tpmcafe.com/blog/electi…..enter_race
Anyone in the MSM asking how these guys would have been allowed to board the 10 or more planes in the first place? Are we just where we were with the boarding of the 19 on 9/11?
So much for the value of terrorist watch lists and all that on-the-ground intelligence gathering. Back to grampa’s tube of Ben Gay.
1,237 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hardin Smith:
Isn’t it about time for Democrats to start hammerin’ on the theme that all elected Republicans are theives and fascists…let’s change the argument thesis to a hyperbole that is true or at least arguable.
The elected leadership no longer hasta cowtow to the threat of rightwing backlash within it’s own ranks…the Republicrats like Salazar and Prior are not up for re-election and thus have no leverage against the imposition of party discipline. Now is the time for Harry Reid ta show some leadership which a lotta you folks have given ‘im credit for but I have yet ta see. Harry hasta put the hammer down on Schumer too…the DNC should be directin’ the money in BOTH senate and house campaigns. There should be only one voice now that Lieberman has been put out in the street.
KEEP THE FAITH AND DON’T LET ‘EM UP OFF THE GROUND!!!
Anne Holliday @
55
It’s frightening the way Watergate seems to be coming around again. It’s almost as if Cheney and Rummy said “Damn, blew it in the 70s . . . let’s get it right this time!”
A guy could right a book about it. Oh, wait – John Dean already has.
Peterr, my math’s always been the one thing possibly shakier than my soul . . .
xyz @ 69
I found that last week while searching the classifieds…Just curious to see when he actually initiated the boots on the ground work of the defection.
Agree- attack attack attack 100%
DrSinker @ 79
Do you have a cite on that story, Dr. Sinker? I hadn’t heard it. . .and am totally horrified. I’d like to be able to get the word out about that.
Morning Firehounds!
Nobody around here is taking this particular “terra terra terra” campaign seriously either. Everyone IS, however, talking about BushCo’s incompetence and stupidity.
Oh and Joe’s website is STILL not back up! Though they finally managed to change the text on it at least.
lotus 62,
…I gotta say that one of the very first things I expected to see after 9/11 was a huge rush to SW-Asian-languages instruction in the U.S.
If only. That would have been the smart thing to do.
And besides, we’re too busy teaching to the test for NCLB.
I seem to remember after Sputnik that there were some pretty big changes in curriculum. That’s why I too expected a push for foreign languages.
Gray @ 60
I disagree. 9/11 happened on their watch, because of their incompetence — contrast it with what the British have done this week. It was the first of the major Bush Administration national security failures; pretending it “just happened” and we should only talk about what they did afterwards lets them off the hook and buys into their spin. By focusing on their whole tenure without forcing people to directly confront the fact that a more competent government might have prevented 9/11, which many are still uncomfortable thinking about, “five years” accomplishes that.
If they want to still try to run as the “national security” party, they are responsible for everything they’ve done and not done for national security, and we can’t continue to let them crow about their successes but pretend that their failures were things that “just happened.”
Christy, you ask an excellent question about security — 9/11 only adds to your question’s validity
when bush ran in 2000 i recall that some folks were angry with nader for running — these tended to be fans of lieberman, the same lieberman who told floridians before the election that bush was a great man
i was horrified when bush won & felt that we were going to suffer a terrorist attack [my indian news vendor reminded me of that at noon on 9/11 — i had forgotten my prescience but he hadn’t]
we keep breeding terrorists by having a onesided policy in the middle east — great britain breeds terrorists by siding with us
senator percy of illinois once said he wanted us to have an evenhanded policy in the middle east — for daring to speak out, he stirred up such a hue & cry that he never won another election — since then our representatives in washington have been afraid to speak out, so we taxpayers have no say when it comes to setting our foreign policy — i don’t see where democrats will be much better, although domestically they’re the only way
Good morning chuckle. I love your ‘barometer’CBL
Dru -
“Agree- attack attack attack 100%”
Yes. Exactly. Keep focused on this race. This cannot be repeated often enough.
This race is the national bellweather.
I prefer http://www.CT4Joe2006.com or
http://www.Team-Connecticut.com
xyz
This race and the one in Virginia, please. Gotta get rid of George v. 2.0
Our pathetic msm, cutting education funding, attacks on college profs, pushing “intelligent” design are all clear agendas of the current wingnut office holders to make the US citizenry the dumbest on the planet.
wyz – wow. Read your link to TPM and if another GOP candidate gets into the race, Joey will be calling Rove and Whining all the way to November.
Dems need to rub these failures right in their faces. no polite words. big old howard dean fearless stuff. Mock them, ridicule them.
do it the way the people of this country understand: jerry springer hairpulling fist fight time. GRAB SOME HEADLINES YOU COWARDS!
P.S.
BE THEATRICAL.
Harry Reid and the gang are acting like bit players or extras in this drama.
bonzarella @ 86
Here’s a June 2004 Washington Post piece on the subject, titled How ‘Don’t Tell’ Translates
I’m constantly flabbergasted (although I shouldn’t be by now) at this administration’s capacity for taking credit for the actions of others, while blaming others for their own failures.
In this case, it was British intelligence that foiled this alleged plot. How does Bush (and the GOP) seriously believe the American public will credit them with keeping us safe? If the “War on Terror” was truly effective, OBL would be dead (or behind bars), Al Queda would be a disparate bunch of loonies, and thousands of American and Iraquis would be alive today.
Let’s not forget that the biggest intelligence failure, 9-11, occurred on Bush’s watch. The loss of an American city, New Orleans, occurred on Bush’s watch. The gravest environmental threat of our times, human-induced global warming , is accelerating under Bush’s watch. And who’s fault are these calamities? Clinton, poor Black people, and liberals, in that order.
I’m proud to be American, but I couldn’t be any more ashamed of this government. And let me close with a few words from that brave Canadian, Neil Young:
“If Liberty was a little girl
Watching all the flags unfurl
Standing at the big parade
How would she like us now?
We balance the power
From hour to hour
Giant guns rage
It’s such a long walk home
It’s such a long walk home
It’s such a long walk home.
From Vietnam to old Beirut
If we are searching for the truth
Why do we feel
that double-edged blade
Cutting through our hand.
America, America
Where have we gone?
It’s such a long walk home
It’s such a long walk home
It’s such a long walk home.”
I’m going to the CSNY Freedom of Speech concert tomorrow in Northern VA. And I’ll be singing loud enough for Bush to hear me in Texas, or the White House, or wherever the hell he is.
bonzarella @ 86
Here it is, from MSNBC:
Margot —
I just KNEW my Farsi-speaking sis-in-law and her four sisses (all US-educated, longtime residents married to Americans) would immediately be swept outta their high-power civilian jobs by irresistibly-sweet offers from CIA, DoD, or maybe private universities w/ gummint contracts . . .
*crickets*
Hopie –
Howya doon today, keed? Your mama get in okay? Any news from Doc?
Roger the lodger – don’t EVEN get me started about the dreaded “evenhanded.” By now all the toobz filters should be immediately blocking any comment that has the dreaded word. Just ask Howard Dean. He walked into a buzzsaw handled by none other than our own Ms. Pelosi.
So…I can take my purse onboard, but have to throw away my lipstick. Wow I feel safer, if not prettier.
Can you use baking soda for deodorant? I know it works for toothpaste.
Greg Sargent reporting at TPM:
go read the whole thing.
woohoo!
Bush looked rattled (stuttered, groped more than usual for words, deer-in-headlights look, who is going to remember my bud Bin Laden is still grooving) giving his six-year-old spiel yesterday about how he is protecting freedom lovers the world over. Perhaps the Ghost of 9/11 Past whispered in his ear that his total neglect of the terrorist threat is coming back to haunt him and all the Tims in their echo chambers reciting the Bush talking points will not be able to get The Decider out of his utter failure to make the world safer and his great success with making it much, much less safer.
lotus @ 101
Your sister-in-law and her family make Humvees and body armor?
thanks Peterr and Redshift. That is bizarre and fucked up beyond belief.
And meanwhile, I’m just girly enough to be HORRIFIED by this line from the nytimes:
Julie Beasley, 31, tossed her Chanel cosmetics into a trash barrel before boarding a JetBlue flight to Boston from Phoenix. “I’m throwing away my whole face,” said Ms. Beasley, who lives in Phoenix and sells window blinds. “There’s my lip gloss. There’s my other lip gloss. There’s my lipstick. There’s my lotion,” she said as she pointed out objects in the barrel.
The British caught these guys. Not BushMoron and his cabal of AssClowns.
That is if there was anyone to actually ‘catch’…
Hannity and the rest of the Right Wing Idiot Machine are doing their thing. So what? They are losing market share steadily despite all the fear and terror they can churn out. Actually, that is why they are losing share. Humans only respond to the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome for a limited amount of time…
Then they attack the stimulus which is activating that famous syndrome.
In point of fact, I am not convinced there was any more of a plot here than with the ‘Miami 7′. Remember them do ya?
Lemme see…
Binary radio detonated liquid explosives using perfume bottles…
Uh…huh…
I would like to know:
Who initiated the bust? It is reported that this operation was not scheduled for Thurs. and that White House pressure forced the Brits to bust them. Why Thursday?
Why didn’t they bust these “terrorists” boarding the planes with their yet to be assembled bombs? or on the way to the airport? Now they are reporting that some may not be caught yet?
Since presumably the Brits are not involved in the NSA style taps.. it may prove that this is not necessary for effective police work. This sounds like Human intel .. no?
Has anyone considered the possibility that this was a staged event… planted within the Islamic community and thwarted for purely political purposes? This may sound very conspiratorial, but since the bumbling of the 7/7 event and the killing of an innocent Brazilian man, could the MI5 and MI6 be looking to polish their tarnished image?
Bush knew about this bust last Friday… what say you?
Hey FirePups — anybody seen *ilson yet?
Got something for him he’ll LOVE.
Re:100 The Gay witch hunt in the military is also removing hundreds of medical personnel.
Oh, if anyone is wondering what a President McCain world would look like, take a gander at this. (scroll down and click on the “Trailer” link on the righthand side). It’s a fictional graphic novel based on real life events.
Your sister-in-law and her family make Humvees and body armor?
Naw, Peterr, but they’ve long since made themselves indispensible at Apple and sichlike venues . . .
Someone should set up a mini shipping stand just outside airport security. Then you could easily ship your illegal makeup et al to your destination.
Squirrel Hiller, Remember that Jerry Springer is indeed a politician. He was a longtime city council member and Mayor of Cincinnati.
i couldn’t do a transatlantic flight without lip gloss. sorry, i’d have to take a boat.
I just received an SOS snail mail letter from Jon Tester asking for help. Seems the big DC cronies have begun vicious attacks aginst him…
Please send support, if you are able to, here:
Jon Tester
PO Box 6318
Great Falls, Mt. 59406
gotta run….
so someday soon we will all be flying naked in little paper hospital gowns with paper slippers. then we’ll be safe.
gotta go, have a lovely progressive day doggies !
p.s. to Redshift & egregiouis – have you seen the “Dude, Where’s My Ranch ?!?” Webb ad – I’m lovin’ it
Rayne @ 109
And he’s not the only one!
Clinton on Cheney: ‘I don’t take anything
he says seriously anymore’… Developing..
http://rawstory.com/
LOL!
OT, but kind of not;
The Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is getting ready to bloom.
I’d like to send Dumbya and Pickles a nice specimen for their oval office carpet; two to the Shooter (the unclassifiable titanium enabled dickweed himself). Mayhow they can inhale their fill.
http://www.bbg.org/vis2/2006/titan/
lina @ 116
I’m with ya Lina. When ya take my lip gloss, the terists have won.
There seems to be a lot of nervousness on our side about this terror alert possibly helping the Rethugs. I’m not concerned at all. It’s not going to help them. I think the last two years demonstrate that. The Rethug poll numbers keep going down.
I’m with ya Lina. When ya take my lip gloss, the terists have won.
BIG ol’ honkin’ 707!!!
I was listening to the BBC on NPR this morning-the person being interviewed by the BBC said that the British were claiming that all the major suspects were arrested but the American Gov. claimed there were still four or five at-large. How would the US Gov know more about these arrests than the Brits.
I also think that Bush and Co. will want to distract attention away from the other anniversary the Country is facing, and all the related unanswered questions-Katrina.
next, they will ban breast implants, prosthetic limbs and dentures.
Rob Zuber @ 124
I agree. Any time al Queda makes the news, it brings up one inevitable question: Where’s Osama? We still don’t know. And we’ve disbanded the team that was looking for him.
Kurt @ 87
There was another AP story extensively quoting Lieberman and Geary, the campaign’s web apologist about how they were “hacked,” while still admitting they have no specific evidence.
The AP got an outside “Internet security consultant” who says it appears to be a DoS attack (which, while incorrect from what we know, is not an unreasonable conclusion if you just give it a cursory look in return for your name in the paper, rather than taking paid time.)
I wish every journalist who writes about this could just pick up the phone and call their paper’s IT department, and find out that being unable to get a website operational in even minimal form three days after a crash or attack is prima facie evidence of incompetence.
(Oh, the article also has Joe whining about how this is hindering his fundraising — I wonder if it will become his stock excuse?)
twolf1 @ 127
exploding breasts! what an image!
warning: do not trust women with a D cup size.
if you see sparks as a woman tries to connect left nipple to right nipple, RUN.
Dru @ 122 – thanks for the show. Wow, that is one. biggus. dickus. I don’t think I’d have know it was a flower if I’d come across it in the jungle (or where ever the heck they live when not in captivity). I’ve book-marked the webcam. thank the goddess there’s no smell-o-vision yet.
twolf1:
I live in So. Calif. Some of the implants around here could hold massive amounts of explosives.
Whaddya bet that, when we see next week’s polls, the Goopers (actual and wannabe) lost at least 5 points of JAR yesterday/day-before alone?
That would account for anybody having to fly anywhere and saying “E-fooken-nuff!”
Folks, for a truly righteous rant, check out the Angry Black Bitch – a seriously rockin’ sister in St. Louis. As you might guess from her handle, her language is a bit salty – which seems most appropriate, under the circumstances.
On Tuesday night, she heard disco (I will survive . . . “Y’all know that song was already up in your head…” so no complaining about disco), and today she well and truly goes off on those who call people like herself (and us) who question the decisions of those in power as “defeatist.”
Click on through to read “Defeastism, my black ass,” and stand back. Here’s a taste:
ABB and CHS, singing in harmony. Now that’s a sweet, sweet song to wake up to! My Lord, what a morning . . .
msnbc – suspicious odor on plane in houston. (someone musta farted) ALSO, swat team on I95 in FLA – man w/ gun on bus. road closed in jacksonville. Two, yes two terra plots breakin’.
I’m trying to get a new Lieberman meme started – one which I think will be highly effective.
From this day forward, Joe Lieberman will be referred to by me as:
“SELFISH JOE”
No one likes someone who is selfish. Distaste for selfishness crosses all party, class and economic boundaries.
Joe is all about himself, and I think everyone knows it. His selfish run as a third party candidate is a perfect example. Let’s spread the word by changing Joe’s nickname.
So, from now on, no more HoJo or RGJoe – for me, he will henceforth be “Selfish Joe”.
*ilson, you got me motivated.
http://www.vetojoe.com
I hope you don’t mind.
*ilson might want to get the rights to
http://www.selfishjoe.com
xyz @ 138
i thought you said Shellfishjoe.
good name for a seaside joint.
cbl @ 119
Not yet, but I like the title! I’ll have to check it out after work.
bonzarella & lina,
BWAHAHAHA! & Amen!
Peterr & ABB,
Wow! & Amen!
Selfish (Self”ish) (?), a.
1. Caring supremely or unduly for one’s self; regarding one’s own comfort, advantage, etc., in disregard, or at the expense, of those of others. “They judge of things according to their own private appetites and selfish passions.” Cudworth. “In that throng of selfish hearts untrue.” Keble.
2. (Ethics) Believing or teaching that the chief motives of human action are derived from gratifying one’s own pleasure. “Hobbes and the selfish school of philosophers.” Fleming.
3. Meanly covetous or avarcious in dealing with others; stingy.
Redshift @ 8:12
I could get a cursory website back up myself in just a few minutes. Basic phone numbers, stance on issues, email linky…and I’m no web guru, I just know a little html and how to use Filezilla to upload the files.
And I love that AP article. “Scary hackers! ooga booga terra terra terra.” Joe looks just as incompetent as BushCo during this whole episode.
Mommybrain ” thank the goddess there’s no smell-o-vision yet.” lol, I hung onto that link for a while to allow time for breakfast to settle!
Heh. I should have Refreshed first…there’s *ilson!!
cbl — OMG. You poor thing, a young MI Repug co-worker? At least he’s spot on about the ineptitude of the administration he’s helped stay in power…I’d have been sorely tempted to ask him what he’s going to do change that.
“Incognito” — If we are at all skeptical about terror alerts as progressives, it has little to do with the plausibility of threats. It has everything to do with the reality of manipulation this administration has deployed so frequently on the citizenry, along with the Machiavellian machinations intended to use the manipulation not for the safety and welfare of the people, but purely for its own selfish purposes. Purchases of new detection equipment could well be legitimate and driven by facts on the ground, but knowing as we do that this administration has shamelessly gamed and been gamed to increase benefits to itself and to cronies, you’ll forgive the skepticism we nurse. (I won’t ask if your firm is publicly held, if lobbyists promote your firm on K Street, if owners/managers have made donations to the Republican party.)
The news about the UK-based plot should have been sotto voce, so as not to disturb on-going police work; instead it was used as a fund-raising tool and as a tool to squelch news about Lamont’s primary win, with any police work in progress ignored.
Lotus at 103
Mom not in til 3:30 AM tomorrow. Sheesh.
I leave 6 hours later. Not much of a visit.
Haven’t heard from the good doctor. Maybe in a few hours.
Hope you’re well today Miss Lotus. I have got to pack (unpack my jello molds).
Check in later.
the more Joe-mockery URLs, the better! That Party of One is not my site, I merely redirect my owned URLs to that site for the time being.
My latest acquisition was http://www.LieberLoser.com yesterday
um, is ANYONE going to add to glenn Greenwald’s piece about press freedom yesterday?
You know, this one?
The district court in that case today refused to dismiss the charges, holding that the Espionage Act empowers the government to prosecute private individuals for disseminating classified information, and that national security concerns outweigh the citizens’ First Amendment interests in speaking about the conduct of their government. This is a huge win for the administraiton’s efforts to put jouranlists in prison for the stories they publish.
this scares the shit outof me.
agregious—
I wonder if it would work to soak some cotton make-up applicator squares (or maybe wet wipes) with roll-on anti-perspirant. Or coat them with regular stick anti-perspirant….Put in clear ziplock bag to keep moist.
xyz
good meme. Sadly for Joe, there are lots out there, none of which are terribly complimentary.
Aravosis might be on to something regarding the liquid ban on planes:
And it would seem that if they knew about this last Friday, why didn’t they put the precautions into place THEN?
Dru and Mommybrain –
Isn’t it wonderful how some plant structures just shout, “Why, yes, I am a sexual organ”?
The government has known since the early 90’s that OBL was a threat; heck, even the public knew it. My friend showed me this Reader’s Digest article about OBL in 1998: This Man Wants You Dead
So, what is obvious is that the government Did Know that attacks by OBL were probable, yet they haven’t done much to prevent them. What did BushCo do to prevent 9/11? Nothing.
They knew in the 90’s that terrorists were plotting to try to bring liquid explosives in ordinary containers on board airplanes. Yet, airport security Only Yesterday decided to ban liquids being brought on board.
Bush & Co are trying to cover themselves with glory over the police work done by the British–even though I’ve heard reports that some of the plotters may have gotten away there. Also, the US is looking for several “missing” students here. Do I feel safer? Heck no! I just feel damn lucky that the nuts haven’t been able to organize and execute their plans sooner.
Margot @ 148
maybe just duct tape our armpits for the flight.
I dont think http://www.ShellfishJoe.com would be halal – or sumtin’
BushCo and in a lesser but sim fashion the dems operate as the global mafia — they’re all made men. Therefore it’s difficult to look at the mainstream dems for action against the crimes of BushCo. I think the Goebbels, Fredo analogies are apt. I have hope from Conyers et al and Bush’s low ratings and the sleeping jaugernaut of the American people at least seeming to be lifting its eyelids to look at reality.
I LOVE that FDL operates as an activist outlet — I am blown away that Jane et al post and get 500 some comments. A lot of us were up late commenting re: Lamont v. Joser (pronounced hoser). Keep it up! There’s lots of us out here.
squirrel hiller – exploding breasts! what an image!
warning: do not trust women with a D cup size.
if you see sparks as a woman tries to connect left nipple to right nipple, RUN.
Squirrel hiller – 707! Tea spew on aisle 555!!
RevDeb – Thanks! Hope you’re doing well.
And many thanks to you and Scarecrow for your hard work in Connecticut for Lamont!
*ilson46201 @ 153
oops. but hey, wouldn’t be the first time joe didn’t play by the rule book or torah.
Oh, Mary Carey is running again against the Governator here in CA…I wonder if Arianna is running?
*ilson, I would suggest you get a site up, even if its a simple one, asap.
You are being linked to and google bombed by the biggest in the net. This means that connecticutforlieberman.com would appear very highly, if not first, for most joe lieberman searches on google/yahoo/msn.
The tech savvy here can probably make you a one or two page optimized site in an hour or two.
Seriously, do it. Imagine getting thousands of searchers to find your site each day!
Dru 8:06 am — in re: Corpse Flower to the White House.
Um, that would be redundant.
The stench of corruption would overwhelm the delicate odor of rotting flesh.
Okay, Hopie … dang. But, um, your jello molds? You had some naughty ideas for Landstuhl recreation afoot, didja?
Maybe that disease will come back. You know the one that hit Washington after 9/11?
Anthrax.
Yeah, I remember. No one was ever caught after all these years. What was it called?
Anthrax
I heard it was military grade and made in America, whatever it was.
ANTHRAAAAX!
I know how to get past security under the new restrictions:
Get a suicide bomber to replace the Poly-Grip on his dentures before he boards the plane with…well you get the idea.
xyz @ 155
Doing great. Volunteering tonight at the “concert on the green” for the local dems. Gonna wear my Lamont For Senate t-shirt and Kiss button.
squirrel hiller and mommybrain @154 and ?
707 indeed! That image will haunt me as I get on a plane next Tues. for LA. In tears that you won’t be around mb. :-(
Check out Paul Krugman in the NY Times, too. (He is subbing for Frank Rich, who is on vacation.) Great column.
Subway Serenade @ 162
Bwwwhhhhhaaa! Stop helping the terists, Subways Serenade!
RevDeb – I’m so disappointed we won’t see you this trip. Leaving tomorrow am (she says, frantically packing and refreshing at the same time). I hope the weather cooperates for you. Are you going to the West side? The Valley? The Other Valley?
Get to the airport at least two days early, ship everything ahead UPS; voila, no hassles.
HopeSAT,
very behind in trying to keep up here. HOW are you and how’s Dr. Turtle? Been thinking about you, sending prayers and thanks for what you both are doing.
Sometimes I wish we could be more like the Republicans when it comes to talking points. It would be joyous to see all Democrats prefacing all the Republican achivements with the word mismanaged. The mismanaged -take your pick.
Then the media person will have to ask, how is it mismanaged, or what do you mean, etc.
If they don’t ask, they imply that they agree.
Mommybrain @ 165
Going to Marina del Ray, where mom lives. As for getting to the airport 2 days early, have you ever been to Logan? Other than the new terminal A it’s rather a pit.
new thread
weeder @
71
wicked!
somebody else owns the URL of http://www.ConnecticutForLieberman.com , not me. I redirect my lil empire of Joe-mockery to that site run by somebody else. I have Emailed the NedFolk offering to redirect my domains to wherever they wish … I am awaiting their reply.
I do have a website space I could use — I know HTML — I did the first website for a Black Congressional campaign in ‘96 and then did the very first totally bilingual official Congressional website… I’m setting up websites for some local candidates this year too
So if Americans continue voting for the people George Bush disapproves of are the Republicans going ignore the Terrorists?
“Vote for Us or else!” appears to be the motto.
…and a $2 a bottle for water, the airlines will be able to afford real security…oops!
Sorry, wrong planet.
Real republican to run in CT?
http://tpmcafe.com/blog/electi…..enter_race
Oh, my bad.
I thought you owned connecticutforlieberman.com
Off Topic but To Squirrel Hiller at 158 – Are you from Pittsburgh?
An EPU not to be missed:
Nate @ 439
Nate, if you’re here: Thank you so much for this.
But would you please consider changing the color scheme of your blog? White-on-black is always hard (much more so in a small font), and the blue-on-black disappears to the point that I couldn’t make out those phrases at all. Such good text deserves to beckon, not thwart, the reading eye, eh?
xyz @ 136
I can’t remember where I read this (Next Hurrah, maybe), but someone out there in blogland has dubbed Joe’s politics “self-centrist.” *g*
Isn’t it wonderful how some plant structures just shout, “Why, yes, I am a sexual organ”?
Yes indeed lotus, ain’t nature grand?
DrSinker @
79
speaking as a teacher of English as a second language and a long-time public school teacher in the US, it’s really difficult to start any meaningful foreign language programs in the US unless you have strong parent and community support, and funding. it’s not part of our culture, generally, to learn foreign languages. it would be nice if that were to change but, having taught now for more than forty years, i’ll pass that torch on to some bunch of young whipper snappers. we should start with spanish, though, so we can better communicate with the ever-increasing number of latinos stateside.
Kurt @ 143
Yeah, but I suspect part of the point of the whole “hacker” story is to try to scare candidates off from working with bloggers. “You can’t control them! They’ll do stuff like hack your opponent’s website, and make you look bad!”
It’s their fallback position now that associating a candidate with MoveOn and DailyKos doesn’t work as a smear any more.
new thread, btw.
Redshift @
100
well, there you have it:
HOMOPHOBIC, HYPOCRITICAL PUBLIC POLICY
HAS ENDANGERED OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
bet you won’t see that as a headline on Fox News………
maybe we could talk to Bill O’Reilly.
ccmask @
117
Thanks for posting this. My 24 year old son, a paid DNC staffer, is headed out to Montana to help with the campaign.
I was telling him about the horrible remarks Burns made to the firefighters last week. (My son was in Ohio and didn’t see the coverage).
Anyway, could someone link me to the article about Burns? TIA
Redshift @ 180
there’s a good one over at KOS: ALL ABOUT JOE
“9/11 happened on their watch, because of their incompetence — contrast it with what the British have done this week. It was the first of the major Bush Administration national security failures; pretending it “just happened” and we should only talk about what they did afterwards lets them off the hook and buys into their spin.”
Ok, Redshift (#89), you have a point here. I agree, 911 was indeed preventable. However, this touches a traumatic experience, and imho the broad public isn’t ready to concede that 3000 innocent people had to die because the clear and present danger was ignored by the Bush administration. So, my question would draw more ‘positive’ answers and thus would have a bigger impact on the public.
Gray @ 188
Yup. Something we should always keep in mind…………
lisadawn82 @ 178
how’d you guess?
He who has ears, let him hear.
Please, one more word, Christy.
Had enough? Impeach.
That’s what happens when you send a boy to do an adult’s work.
People haven’t quite had enough of this shit yet, I’m afraid. But the time will come.
I used to be repulsed by how ordinary people became frenzied with bloodlust during the French Revolution, sending the aristocracy en masse to the guillotine.
I’m beginning to understand. I envision a hundred guillotines lined up around the Reflecting Pool circa 2020. It is a beautiful day and a joyous occasion for the thousands who have gathered — for everyone, that is, except the former regime and their enablers, who are lined up in ankle chains, whimpering, pissing their pants and begging for mercy. Cheers erupt periodically as another avaricious, murderous, world-destroying melon goes “whump” into the basket. Only this sort of purgation will do the trick after 20 years of tyranny under the juntas of Bush, Bush, Bush, Giuliani, and Allen.
I can dream, can’t I?
If the collection of gels, toothpaste, cologne, lip balm, etc was anything but a media stunt, the stuff would not have been dumped into common containers.
Every liquid confiscated or abandoned would be in individual plastic evidence bags with name and flight number, etc. if this huge waste of travelers time were anything but a political stunt.
More of my rant on this at Dakota Today, but I have also noted that airlines should have a two-price structure with significantly less for travelers flying with zero luggage, etc.
Unfortunately the same Bush,Inc. that thought carefully watching pizza shops made sense in combatting terrorism because the 9-11 terrorists liked pizza also decided that prime terrorists suspects would be flying with no luggage because they did not plan to arrive or return.
Incidentally, the lable for Lieberman should be “Joe-monontenym”
I don’t get it…what’s wrong with republican rule?
Seriously.
republicans have been bellowing for a generation that government sucks. And now they made it so. Americans got exactly what they wanted. So where’s the problem?
.
pluege 196
They stole the election(s).
They’re tearing our country, our constitution, the world, our kids’ future and YOURS to shreds.
And we’ll have to pick up the pieces yet again, if we get the chance. Been there. Done that.
Had enough!!!
Get it, doufus?! Seriously!
‘Heckuva Job, Bushie!’ Now THAT is a campaign slogan. Progressive dems take note!
I’d like expound on the above quote.
We have spent billions on these failures, we have sacrifice our men & women in the manner of sending them hurredly into war, without proper equipment to do their jobs. For 11 years Saddam thumbed his nose at the world, why not wait a few more weeks or months to properly prepare our men and women to go to war and a plan to win the peace?
Billions of dollars are unaccounted for with this war.
Millions of dollars are unaccounted for, scammed and stolen from the Katrina relief.
There has been no “gradual” procurement or budgetted dollars for this failed administration’s agenda and thus we have a right to demand more than “gradual” progress to be made.
Has anyone been held accountable for the missing billions and failed responses beside the Fema Director?
Has there been a real plan to pay for the borrow and spend habits of this administration?