Sometimes Jonah Goldberg reminds me of Felix Carbury, the spoiled and pampered young swell from Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now:
It is hardly possible that any training or want to training should have produced a heart so utterly incapable of feeling for others as was his. It seemed as though he lacked sufficient imagination to realize future misery though the futurity to be considered was divided from the present but by a single month, a single week,–but by a single night. He liked to be kindly treated, to be praised and petted, to be well-fed and caressed, and they who so treated him were his chosen friends. He had in this the instincts of a horse, not approaching the higher sympathies of a dog…He had given himself airs on many scores; — on the score of his money, poor fool, while it lasted; — on the score of his title; on the score of his army standing till he lost it; and especially on the score of superiority in fashionable intellect…His airs and his appearance, joined with some cleverness, had carried him through even the viciousness of his life.
And like Lord Carbury, it appears that Mr. Goldberg has run afoul of gambling debts. Yes, gambling, that scourge of so many young men from Good Families.
AlterNet has the story:
There are many shades of right-wing punditry in our country. Among the shadiest is Jonah Goldberg. With arrogance seemingly matched only by his ignorance, Goldberg was just being Goldberg when he offered this wager two years ago:
Let's make a bet. I predict that Iraq won't have a civil war, that it will have a viable constitution, and that a majority of Iraqis and Americans will, in two years time, agree that the war was worth it. I'll bet $1,000 (which I can hardly spare right now).
The two-year period comes due this Thursday. Even Goldberg now realizes his prediction was totally wrong — with poll after poll showing most Americans do not "agree that the war was worth it." (Not to mention what Iraqis think of the war or Goldberg's boast that "Iraq won't have a civil war.")
So shouldn't Goldberg — or somebody — pay off the $1,000?
Indeed! He'll be ruined! He'll be sent to the Debtor's Gaol at Fleet Street, or worse, the prison ships moored on the Thames.
Goldberg made the bet in a debate with Professor Juan Cole:
The bet was offered near the end of an overheated blogo-debate between Goldberg (at National Review Online) and Dr. Juan Cole, the Middle East scholar from University of Michigan. In proposing the wager to Cole, Goldberg goaded: "Money where your mouth is, doc. One caveat: Because I don't think it's right to bet on such serious matters for personal gain, if I win, I'll donate the money to the USO."
Actually, I've just received word from Nitpicker that we have covered Jonah's debt!
Here's the list of the people who've covered Jonah's bet:
David Rees
Matt Ortega
Charles Kuffner
Christopher Dumler
TRex
Sean-Paul Kelley
Jesus' General
Markos Moulitsas Zuniga
Adam Bonin
Tom Tomorrow
Ian Welsh
Stephanie Taylor
Robin Marty
David NeiwertAnd there are others, some who asked not to be named and some who said they simply could not bring themselves to post "in honor of" Jonah. I'll post others as they come in, but it should suffice to say that far more than $1000 was raised.
It's a good cause and I hope you consider donating more to the USO.
Editor and Publisher covered the fact we paid Jonah's debt here, speaking to me early in the morning before we topped the $1000 mark.
It does my heart good to have been a part of this brave and noble effort to help out a young man in straitened circumstances. I've heard that ever since his mom adopted that 18-year-old skinhead from Australia, she hasn't been returning his calls.
Pity.
Related posts:
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- When Wilson Defines Debate, Democrats Squander Chance to Set Record Straight
- Evan Bayh, Big Oil and Coal’s Great White Hope, is Open for Business
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Team FDL!
I’ve been lurking and reading and I’ve got to say, I’ve never seen coverage so well done—complete and smart—rare indeed.
Thanks to the whole team!
FITZ!!!!!!!!!
“The prosecution rests.”
Yay for the good guys!
Goldberg, quick! Double down, bro’. $2,000 says we’ll have Bush’s “victree” by fall.
_
What?? No balance in the Librul Media? Even though it’s payoff time, is there no one who wants to demonstrate their impartiality by donatin’ — even a pittance — to the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade? /snark
S.O.S. in MA @ 5
You can tangentially donate to the al Scooter Martyr Brigade here.
_
TRex when are you coming back? Hope to see you in DC soon. I have been in hiding trying to restore my scattered energy. Apparently when I can focus my energy it’s quite the weapon.
Shiny new thing at egrBlog.
Hasn’t this been the most astonishing two weeks? We have waited SO LONG for this trial. It seems surreal to watch it actually happen.
I am starting to get questions and comments from family and friends in the midwest. Earthquake tremors reach pretty far out.
Republicans are humbled and sad. Can this be what has happened to their party? Scales falling from their eyes.
Locally, when I talk to people who know what this is about, they open their eyes wide and have a kind of faraway glaze. Things are happening at a deep level.
We wait.
Perhaps Goldberg can be shamed into paying his bet, but that’s doubtful. Honor among conservatives died when they sold their collective souls to the Bush family.
I don’t know when I’ll get back up to DC. Soon, I hope. The thing is that covering my shifts here at the station puts a lot of people at great inconvenience.
Doughby Pantload is far too low-rent for Trollope.
William Faulkner’s “Snopes” saga, yes, but Trollope, no.
Jonah’s regular column at the LA Times this week was a new low. He went after global warming, somehow comparing 0.7C rise in global temp over the 20th century to a 1,800% GDP increase. He worked, no, flogged that comparison from more paragraphs than I thought possible. See, little number, big number. Big number better—makes dealing with little number worthwhile.
Sigh.
Never mind that we are talking about taking out the docks for the entire global shipping system, millions homeless, drought threatening all agriculture and water supplies…
As Pooh might say, no brain at all, some of them.
I’ll say one thing for Pantload: with all this on-the-job training, he still can’t write his way out of a wet paper bag.
TRex @ 9
Take yr time. I’m not going anywhere.
Except to Russia :)
marksb @ 2
marksb,
We hardly consider you a lurker. You are one of us. Hope you are in good health and good spirits.
We should send him boxes of Krispy Kremes until he pays his debts.
Thanks to all on FDL, or should it be fdl in lower case? I would opt for the former as you are making some sort of history with this site–Oh the “cunning of history.” But then in this world that so many denominate post-modern, it ought to be in lower-case hieroglyphics or linear A. Apologies for the snark and the OT, but you should all feel good about what you are doing.
All right, so Anna Nicole Smith died. May she rest in peace, and my sympathies to her family.
Can we have some coverage of actual news now?
Trex: CNN, HEADLINE NEWS and MSNBC are now Anna Nicole Smith 24/7.
When American soldiers die, why don’t they show pictures of them when they were alive and having fun?
What a disgrace.
‘As the baying liberal hounds capered ‘neath his transom, bright jaws flecked with froth, Jonah’s head sank deeper into his damp doughy palms…How could he have been sunk low into such riffraffery…he, a scion of the finest stock that money could buy? Where was the justice that was his birthright as a son of privilege? Oh, Caledonia, what a blogtastrophe.
…Of course the media played a part in ballyhooing this gentleman’s wager gone awry, and those long-haired neer-do-wells (smelling malodorously of patchouli and appeasement) had set their meagre talents against him as well, no doubt of it…A victim of self-generated circumstance am I, he lamented as the other voices within the caverns of his mind clamored for tollhouse cookies to ease the pain.’
;>)
Twisted Martini @ 14
No, you should send those to me.
Just remind the young swell to stay out of New Jersey – debtor’s prison still exists there (no fooling!).
But, only for debts incurred through the debtor’s own fraudulent conduct or concealment. Which, I guess, is why he should worry, no?
neurophius @ 16
Forget it, man. She was blonde. There will be nothing else until Easter. Nothing. No Iraq War, no Libby. Just Anna Anna Anna.
oh, bless you.
i am cracking up
trex, you rule.
go fdl “plant your seed and watch it grow”
Trex,
I salute you for your generosity!
TRex: follow-up re your Late Nite hoopster mention – salon.com front pager
Lovely post, TRex. :) And that so many lovely folks banded together to help the USO? Nicely done.
Just got confirmation on this, so I’m letting you guys know in advance (heads up, Jacqrat! *g*): I’ll be doing Sam Seder’s show on Air America in the morning around 9:15-ish am ET. Just FYI.
Libby Trial: Prosecution Rests–Strongly
David Corn
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenat…..on/3164384
Christy Hardin Smith @ 25
Don’t let Sam overwhelm you as he can be a talker! ;)
He is fun to listen to when he gets on a roll.
Maybe the USO can put on a show for the 101st Fighting Keyboarders to show its appreciation.
BobbyG @ 5
Geez BobbyG, I tried; but no PayPal button, no donation. HeeHee — as if he needs my moolah. Bremer’s gonna have a flyover of his office and drop a pallet on the roof. Hopefully hard. :)
S.O.S. in MA @ 29
LOL. y’see, that’s where all the Libby Defense Fund money ends up.
_
WASHINGTON – One of the nation’s most familiar “prosecutors” showed in “Scooter” Libby’s camp in court Thursday.
But it was a “prosecutor” who only plays one on TV.
Joining Libby’s public relations person, Barbara Comstock, in the public gallery was former Tennessee Republican Sen. Fred Thompson, who plays a New York City prosecutor on the NBC series “Law & Order.” He came to listen while another NBC star, Washington bureau chief Tim Russert, was cross-examined by defense attorney Theodore Wells.
At one point, Libby’s wife, Harriet Grant, went back and sat beside Thompson. They hugged, laughed and chatted for a few minutes before she returned to her seat in the front row.
Asked why he came, Thompson said, “I’m a friend of `Scooter’ Libby and his family.”
During a late-morning break, Libby and Thompson shook hands in the hallway and went into a private conference room to chat. Thompson did not return for the conclusion of the morning session.
The former senator is on the steering committee of the Scooter Libby Legal Defense Fund Trust, an organization that set out to raise more than $5 million to help finance Libby’s defense.
Thompson, who declined to answer more questions Thursday, hosted a fundraiser at his northern Virginia home last May to raise money for Libby’s defense fund.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/…../702082899
TRex, you’re a saint, covering that poor man’s wager for him.
Surely somewhere there’s a gambler’s rehab clinic just waiting for him. I hear that they can do wonders in a one Freidman Unit stay.
Peterr @ 32
You know Trex, as a saint you will be required to pray alot, probably no smoking, get together with the Pope on Holy Policy Issues, provide a few relics for altars, always tell the true, clean up the dishes in the sink, call your mother at least once a week, listen to everything Christy and Jane tell you, and be kind to small children no matter how out of control they are.
TRex @ 20
As I said in the gabbly.com/firedoglake.com chat when the news broke, “Now they’ll never cleave that story from the front page.” Yah, I know, I shouldn’t really be proud of that — the death of anyone should not be joked about — but I’m a sucker for a good snarky pun. And I was lamenting, as was TRex, the creation of yet another shiny stone that the MSM can ogle instead of covering The Farging Truth About the TRAITOROUS Monsters Now Running This Country Over a Cliff… OK I’ll go quietly now…
you guys made yahoo news (E&P reprint)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ep/200…..tivepundit
TRex @ 21
This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it should swamp (like a big wave cleaning the beach by washing away all before it): (a) the Edwards/Shakepeare’s Sister/Catholic League hissyfit; (b) the Astro-nuts story; (c) the concocted tempest over transport for Pelosi.
We’ll still be stuck with Iraq/Iran, but that isn’t going away anytime soon, anyway.
Ewwww..I just turned on the teevee and found Rita Cosby and her clearly specially done hair-do in an Anna Nicole-a-thon. It’s very sad that she died, I feel for her family and friends — especially for the baby she had last summer — but this whole public craziness is creeping me out. The woman is dead and everyone is using her death to get themselves on camera or on the air by phone. It’s downright creepy. Had to turn the tv off. Anyone know if Hardball will be on at all this evening? Was hoping for a uster wrap-up.
As if I didn’t know why I come here, I open this up and see Trollope. This old English teacher feels so grateful,so very grateful. Now scurrying back up to read the post (though fdl is responsible for really cutting into my other reading time).
kristinejoy @ 35
Nice.
TRex @ 39
Without even being MBA “credentialed” no less.
_
Rita Cosby?
That’s frightening!
rwcole @ 41
The Undead.
I had to turn off the main stream media. The AnnaFest is really horrible. They are presenting it as a fashion show.
Democracy Now is the best.
Trex — inspired post! Such a gentleman, to help poor Jonah in his time of need.
The CM is about entertainment, and Anna Nicole Smith was “entertaining” in life, and no doubt will be “entertaining” in death. Particularly if you believe that all TV is based on schadenfreude (which it is – you should accept my omniscience on this point at a minimum).
And if you don’t want to believe that it is all based on schadenfreude, then we can have a collorary to the schadenfreude rule, which we’ll call the “false controversy rule” so we can get some people on to feign outrage, say outrageous things, and basically create theater (though not art). If you ever wondered why the CM gives “equal respect” to all points of views, its most likely b/c then they can create false controvery, which is, again, entertaining.
The CM might once have been about more than simply making money (though historically news divisions have been second to only late night shows as profit centers b/c of low production costs and self-production), but they are that no more. So why is anyone surprised?
On dead blonde woman du jour — TrimSpa is saddened to hear of her loss, no, the pills didn’t kill her…
Is there any other news?
musicsleuth @ 46
Continuing AstroNut coverage.
_
At least Lou Dobbs isn’t talking about Anna Nicole
NZ Expat @ 37
What with the subject of at least part of this thread, I thought that the final e was a mistake…
RIP of course, pay no attention to the punster behind the curtain…
BobbyG @ 47
Why bother.
I know, Iknow, zig alert. I counted!
Your Trollope excerpt was apt and clever. Kudos. Trollope couldn’t have said it better himself.
Oh, TRex, The Way We Live Now. Swoon. One of my all-time favorite books, by my most favorite author, Anthony Trollope. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Now I know where you got your terrific writing skills!!
And yes, when are you coming back to DC? We need to have a get-together of DC area pups.
ccmask, thanks for the link to David Corn’s article. I enjoyed his turn of phrase when he said that the Defense had offered up “a variety pak” of defenses for Libby, and then listed them: a conspiracy by the state department, the white house, and lastly NBC, to undermine Scooter.
Corn noted that the defense had produced no evidence so far supporting any of those claims.
He mentioned that the defense witness list will include lots of journalists, so this could end up being so juicy and flavorful a liveblog that I may end up getting fired for doing no work at all.
Worth it.
The NBC division of GE has pronounced the winner of the Wells-Russert confrontation in the Libby trial, with the following opening paragraph:
The effect of Russert’s testimony on Libby is not nearly as important as the issues of Russert’s ethics and credibility. Who would have ever thought that?
…tapping your toes?
In Europe, people gather in various town squares to drink and people-watch.
In the midst of the people-watching, musicians set-up and play.
If you tap your toes, the musician will come over to you at the end of the song with his donation box – it’s considered correct to give for the enjoyment.
We call it the ‘toe-tapping’ tax.
So, if you’re enjoying following the live-blogging of the Libby Trial here at FDL – ie, tapping your toes – please consider ‘giving’ to support the cause by using the ‘donation’ box that can be found at the end of each article.
Thanks, and
Go FDL!
darkblack at 18
…Of course the media played a part in ballyhooing this gentleman’s wager gone awry, and those long-haired neer-do-wells (smelling malodorously of patchouli and appeasement) had set their meagre talents against him as well, no doubt of it…A victim of self-generated circumstance am I, he lamented as the other voices within the caverns of his mind clamored for tollhouse cookies to ease the pain.’
cracked me up, exemplary
i believe it was montag who posted this website:
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/ contest for bad fiction
ccmask @ 31
Dang, I had him confused with former Republican congressman Fred Grandy!
Gopher and Scooter, now that would have been hilarious!
Interviewing a mother of a Blackwater employee killed in Iraq. It seems he had just emailed asking for better equipment.
The parents hold Blackwater responsible and they are suing Blackwater. The company refuses to hand over any documents. Yesterday they were forced to face their accusers for the first time. We have an undeclared surge with the sending of these mercenaries.
Jerry Scahill, author of Blackwater, is being interviewed by Amy Goodman.
He says that he has obtained the campaign records and they are only contributors to Republicans, or to the green party, to try to do away with Democrats.
The mother (Katy Helvenston)says that she testified because her ultimate goal is to make sure that Blackwater never gets another government contract. Every time an employee dies, there are two more hired behind the deceased. Calling it an undeclared surge.
NBC News mentions Russert’s court appearance but leads with the Anna Nicole Smith story.
Lucianne’s adopted 18-year-old skinhead Australian is handsome and cheerful, with a sunny disposition. We can’t say that for Jonah.
Oh TRex. You would be such a bad father figure, spoiling the child and sparing the rod and all.
Far too kind and generous for this lazy, disgusting lout who has wanted for some tough love for most of his overindulged and pampered life.
Goldberg is not fit to tie the shoes of troops serving our country; the debt he assumed of his own free will should be paid by his own sweat, or the skin of his back side.
It revolts me to no end to think my stepson served in Iraq because dolts like Goldberg hyped and indulged the lies that sent him there, the same lies that have now become burdens on my school-aged children to the tune of $35-40,000 in national debt.
As kind and generous as the folks were who paid up this slacker’s debt, I reject the notion that Goldberg is paid in full. There is no way he can ever do so.
My 3:31 is from Democracy Now, on right now.
Thread Theorist @ 54
“ethics and credibility,” Russert vs Scooter? A draw, that one. Two roaches caught in the corner with nowhere to run when the light switch got flipped on.
_
Williams talking to Russert now on NBC.
Ooooh…Timmeh on NBC Nightly News!!!
Very haltingly describing his session in court.
Never seen him this at loss for words, not even after David Bloom’s passing.
am epu’ing this a few times so it gets out:
February 8th, 2007 at 7:14 am
diane rehm show doing an hour on libby trial and inner workings of washington…….go get ‘em diane……..guests are john dickerson, michael isikoff, and BYRON YORK…………WHERE’S MARCY i wanna know……am sending them an email……..
she is detail oriented in her questions and doesn’t back down when someone gives a non-answer, i suggest people listen to the show later.
she spoke in my little college town and she was fantastic, lotsa meat in her talk…….and took a lot of tough questions, and answered them brilliantly……..
go fdl
AND after people posted about marcy’s book—–
February 8th, 2007 at 10:33 am
irt today’s diane rehm show about libby trial and marcy’s book-
when ms. rehm spoke here last year, she said how many books she receives a week, don’t remember exactly how many but it was a lot..a thousand is the number that sticks in my brain….. she looks through them all……in order to be considered for the show for a book, you must submit it-must mail her a copy……submission protocol is available on her website…….
to just have marcy be a guest on a topic might be another route to go, too, when you write your letters…….
i was rather surprised by some commentary by the guests, pleasantly….and not so surprised by other parts. many good points were addressed. and in a different tone than i have heard so far. a few mis-directing (see the shiny object) things, too. my favorite comment is when diane says that there seems to be an awful lot of sloppiness going on here–irt reporters’ ways…..and some good comments made by callers…..
i encourage everyone to listen to the show
diane rehm email is drshow@wamu.org
website for audio of show is
http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/07/02/08 .php#12608
go fdl “plant your seeds and watch them grow”
Another group covers a bad bet.
NBC News now covering Russert’s appearance in greater detail. Russert is on recapping his testimony. Russert doesn’t discuss the shiftiness between his FBI testimony and his sworn interview and how his conversation was, wasn’t, and was kind of confidential.
Wow. Tony T. got Jonah’s number, big time.
Now you’ve done it; I’m going to have to go read the whole book.
OT, but Libby going down, soon to be followed by Cheney’s pet Dougie Feith:
Laura Rozen
see report to Intell Committee, Feith and Special Operations acted “inappropriately”
These Blackwater guys get killed, and they don’t get counted. They kill and they don’t get asked questions.
These mercenaries are the worst, IMO. I think they are actually hired to create turmoil all over the planet, to allow the military a good excuse for a war.
Waxman says the largest cash payouts in US history has been sent (numerous times) to Iraq. And this money, might be showing up in the hands of insurgents.
So, this cash is being used to kill our soldiers.
Oh nice…Now a story on autism. No offense to those of you who have children with autism, but GE/NBC should be announcing that one of its key executives is an activist in autism because he has an immediate family member with autism. You won’t see as much coverage on other major networks about autism for this reason.
Full disclosure would be nice, but not forthcoming. How appropriate following Timmeh.
musicsleuth @ 46
Yes Moveon.org is asking everyone to sign a petition to save PBS and NPR from Chimpy’s cuts again.
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/
TRex, a typo, perhaps? “want of training”?
MSNBC announced a while ago that the late version of Tweety (Libby trial coverage) would be on at the regular time – 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT – however, we shall see in about 20 minutes whether they can actually tear themselves away from the wall-to-wall Anna Nicole story…
Chubby Jonah is the perfect example of right-wing welfare. When Momma Lucianne realized her boy was unemployable, she called in her chits with her right-wing buddies who conspired with her to bring down Bill Clinton. (In case you do not remember, Lucianne Goldberg coopted Linda Tripp and convinced her to tape her conversations with Monica Lewinski.) So, instead of flipping burgers in a fast-food joint, little Jonah made it to the LA Times. Of course, Momma Lucianne writes his columns, because the poor little dear’s writing skills are not up to par.
Her right-wing friends were only too happy to please.
dmac – EPU should be all caps, all the time. Not only is it proper grammer, it’s respectful too.
But no vested interest in that instructional point there, eh, EPU? Heh.
Uh, diverting a bit from ANS and Jonah “Welsher” Goldberg, I think Jeff Danziger gets it.
re: 31’s thompson. wasn’t he the minority counsel (nixon defender) in the watergate hearings?
The more I think about it, that bit covering Russert relaying his experience in court today wasn’t for us.
He just spoke in a manner that would be appropriate for a guy relaying a message to Dick Cheney directly, while being scrutinized by others.
F*ck you, Russert.
Rayne – Not that I’m aware of. I do a conflicts check before every comment I type though, just to be sure. Although I got my rules regarding conflicts from some guy named Timmeh on a street corner in DC. Maybe I bought some bad stuff?
hey firedogs !
the Doughy One
reach for the bleach
My last off topic….you know how we trained Osama years ago? Well, we now have over 100,000 Blackwater guys who will be coming home one day. Does this make anyone else nervous?
Okay, T, I’m done!
“WASHINGTON – NBC’s Tim Russert deflected criticism of his ethics and credibility as he completed a heated second day of cross-examination Thursday in the trial of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter Libby.”
Yes, if by ‘deflected’ you mean, ‘came across as lame, ethically self-serving, and kind of sleazy in a used car salesman way’.
Evil Parallel Universe @ 82
I’ve been gagging on the same stuff every Sunday.
mui at 73: Got the email. Thanks.
mui @ 73
Thanks for the link. Somehow this story slipped under the radar screen and I only found out about through a viral email.
Rayne @ 80 — I don’t understand… would you pls amplify for someone not as well versed in this affair? TIA
Hugh @ 88
Your welcome. ChimpCo is getting very tedious with this go-round stuff. It’s almost as if nothing is sacred to them.
I have no love for the Smith woman. I didn’t know her. But I take no glee from the fact she died.
egregious:
Shiny new thing at egrBlog.
Hasn’t this been the most astonishing two weeks? We have waited SO LONG for this trial. It seems surreal to watch it actually happen.
I am starting to get questions and comments from family and friends in the midwest. Earthquake tremors reach pretty far out.
Republicans are humbled and sad. Can this be what has happened to their party? Scales falling from their eyes.
Locally, when I talk to people who know what this is about, they open their eyes wide and have a kind of faraway glaze. Things are happening at a deep level.
We wait.
oh my, yes……..i live in se ohio and it is definitely happening here.
go fdl “plant the seeds and watch them grow”
Fred Thompson
AZ Matt @
33
I thought TRex was the Pope?? Or do we have a regular Pope and a goddamned Pope?
….couldn’t
writethink his way out….Which I often say of Chimpy, et al.
Rayne @ 81: “He just spoke in a manner that would be appropriate for a guy relaying a message to Dick Cheney directly, while being scrutinized by others.”
How so? Please elaborate for those of us who haven’t seen it.
The plane,boss! The plane!
LBrowne: “I thought TRex was the Pope?? Or do we have a regular Pope and a goddamned Pope?”
Well, that’s cracked it. Bill Donahue will never let you work for a political campaign again, you… stem-cell eating, anti-catholic smear merchant, you.
Trex: YGM
Reading & running tonight: another Trollope fan! Thanks, TRex—excellent post.
Rayne @ 72
Not sure what you’re driving at with that comment, Rayne, since I don’t watch T.V., but I do belong to the group which you say you don’t wish to offend. I’ll just say that it’s been my experience that if autism’s effects were not broad and deep and devastating enough that doctors, lawyers, congressmen and television executives were not affected by it, no one would want to talk about it at all. Many more “nobodies” are affected by autism than “somebodies,” but the somebodies get listened to. I figure I’ll take what I can get.
Autism happens to be just one of many important issues that get short shrift in this era of misrule. I believe it is always relevant to bring these up in public in the context of victims being literally robbed on account of our nation’s misplaced priorities, even when “full disclosure” is eschewed.
SOS, JGabriel — what I saw on NBC was a guy who was very careful in using his words; he was flat, almost monotone. This is not the Russert we have seen on Sunday mornings or on any evening program. I’ve seen him choked up and trying to talk about David Bloom, too — he was much more emotive. I’ve unfortunately seen Russert enough in my life time to say this, never seen a performance from him like the one tonight.
The manner in which Russert spoke was like someone speaking directly to someone else, giving news he didn’t want to have to convey.
In doing so, he pulled out one of his folksy anecdotes from Catholic grade school, said that Sister Lucille told him that if he told the truth, he’d only have to remember one story and not flub up multiple stories in a lie.
In other words, “Buck up, DeadEye, I had nothing for you,” sez Timmeh.
One caveat: Because I don’t think it’s right to bet on such serious matters for personal gain, if I win, I’ll donate the money to the USO. He can give it to the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade or whatever his favorite charity is.
I haven’t read all the comments so I might have missed it if someone already mentioned this but why is it, do you suppose, this Cohen person writing for AlterNet left the above highlighted text out of his little article?
Not only does Goldberg suggest a bet on the blood of people but he then proceeds to call Dr. Cole a terrorist sympathizer and Cohen thinks that part should be left out?
.
new thread
David Olsen — I agree that we need more coverage on autism, but GE/NBC has a conflict of interest here and is not doing autistic Americans any favors by failing to make proper disclosure.
You’re in a vulnerable position where you can’t do anything but defend them. How do you think those of us with family in Iraq and Afghanistan have felt when they covered the troops in the field as embeds for the purposes of promoting a lie in which GE had a substantive vested yet undisclosed interest? We’re compromised, damned if we do, damned if we don’t.
The right thing for GE/NBC to do would be to provide more funding to research on autism for the benefit of the entire autistic population without any strings — instead of using the coverage to fulfill one executive’s personal interest.
darkblack @
18
just a damned good thing he didn’t challenge Mr. Cole to a duel, don’t cha think???
adnoto @ 103
I suppose the best answer would come from Cohen himself. You might try writing him here.
Maybe, Cohen thought it was unnecessarily inflammatory to repeat the comment. Perhaps, Juan Cole asked him not to emphasize it (Cole’s take on it is that Goldberg “couldn’t find his behind with both hands”).
Best to go to the sources on this one.
evil parallel universe at 77″
thank you for the info, didn’t know that, have been out of cyberworld for 10 years, but won’t say that i will do that all the time, am limited on muscles, they lock up easily from repetitive things, easier to type without caps, same as DELBERT USES CAPS BECAUSE HE CAN’T SEE THE SCREEN. so, thanks for the etiquette lesson, that matters in my world, thank you, but will try but not guarantee that i will follow it……..a habit to type with no shift key, is too hard on me to use it on a regular basis…….pinkys hard to use repetitively………..ok, now you know……..but didn’t mind the ‘how to do it’ lesson, really. still learning the etiquette of live-blogging, so don’t mind the tips…….
BobbyG @ 4
Yes, but autumn of which year?
MrEgregious assured me that home renovations would be completed before the baby was born. Unfortunately he didn’t specify which baby.
Rayne,
Thank you for responding to my comment, but I’m not sure I understand you’re point. I didn’t see the report but it seems that you’re making a false analogy between NBC’s vested interest in war and one executive’s vested interest in autism. If he’s using his relative’s autism to promote something he’s making money on then I can see it.
I also have a relative in Iraq and in no way do I defend NBC for their shillery. Sometimes people do the right thing for selfish reasons and not in the best way. They are then not to be admired particularly, but should they be condemned?
jeffreyw @ 92
AEI — that’s all that need be said.
Christy Hardin Smith @
25
Oh, you got my email… I missed Jane on Thom’s show today, dammit. Thanks for the heads-up, I’ll have to set my alarm for 6.
Xoxoxoxox
rayne at 102
the bumper sticker on my car says:
when you tell the truth you don’t have to remember what you said
someone the other day attributed a quote to mark twain-
when you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything- although i haven’t been able to verify the quote.
Ich bin ein knish.
everhopeful @ 75
Wall to wall Anna Nicole coverage? Why? I mean I understand it’s going to be a big story in the eyes of the popular press, but how is it wall to wall? What is there to say?
I know this is a stupid question but I just can’t help myself.
dmac @ 113
the bumper sticker on my car says:
when you tell the truth you don’t have to remember what you said
someone the other day attributed a quote to mark twain-
when you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything- although i haven’t been able to verify the quote.
Version I tell witnesses: “Tell the truth, it’s easier to remember.”
For shame. Even KO leads with the demise of Anna Nicole Smith.
This may sound like a troll, but I’ll post it anyway. My apologies if it’s too long, too boring, and also too idiotic.
I think Libby is a bastard thru and thru. I think the case for war was *intentionally* exaggerated. I think he and others *knew* they were lying about the most serious subject possible – and manufacturing a case for taking the country to war. It realy can’t get much worse. But here’s the thing:
What if Libby’s telling the truth in much of his GJ testimony? What if he really was so busy – doing all that horrible sh*t he does all day – that the “Wilson’s wife” thing was actually very inconsequential to him? She may have been 3 seconds of a 2 hour conversation with Judy. The fact he wrote down talking points from Big Dick and media whore Mary Matlin about dealing with Wilson doesn’t necessarily mean he, or even Cheney, were obsessed with this thing, right? Maybe he takes far more copious notes than that on everything else, and these were relatively inconsequential? Maybe he really did forget until he heard it “as if it was new” a month later? Maybe the media types (which he was not) had their underpants in a bunch over Wilson, but he actually did not?
Just saying – most of us here – and certainly myself – have him prejudged, and are obsessed with the Plame outing. But could it be that he really wasn’t? Maybe he had far more important shit on his brain, even if they were all evil somehow too? I think we’re about to get a look at one hell of a daily schedule – maybe it deserves consideration?
Please feel free to slap this down, I do honestly want to be convinced about the obsession and vidictive thing, if it’s there.
I just think it’s possible that it wasn’t L’s idea to push back, to get invloved in the meat grinder – he probably had a gazillion things he considered to be far more important. My guess is the pushback really came from elsewhere, from people who did obsess about it, and who were vindictive towards Wilson. Could he be a (realtively) innocent pawn in this thing?
goldberg is the essence of what this country has become in so many ways. It really makes you want to hate it.
I’ve hated this country long before Jonah was a bulge in his Daddy’s shorts.
Rayne @ 72
I am glad to see more coverage of autism for whatever reason.
LBrowne at 94 Or do we have a regular Pope and a goddamned Pope?
I cannot imagine why you find this humorous.
Can we please analyze the treason taking place in this country without gratuitous Catholic or Pope bashing please?
jeffreyw @
67
More like when Frankie Five Fingers’ brother was brought over from the old country to sit next to Michael Corleone.
What, was the 17 year-old Italian, neo-fascist, cop-killing soccer fan unavailable for adoption?
Just wondering……….
Olbermann hits the Doughy Pantload with Worst Person “honors.”
stingray @ 118
They showed the timeline on KO and I guess I’d forgotten he was dicsussing Plame with Ari just 4 days before talking to Russert – not a month.
Never mind.
egregious (121) — I don’t think anybody should profit off others’ misfortunes. That was my point, not that less or more coverage is called for.
More research and funding for illnesses based in genetics and environmental exposures – yes.
Profits to media executives “selling” misfortune – no
Failure to disclose to the public any possible conflict – no.
TRex writes: “And like Lord Carbury, it appears that Mr. Goldberg has run afoul of gambling debts. Yes, gambling, that scourge of so many young men from Good Families. “
Alas, Lucianne chose to ignore the advice of Louis Mazzini D’Ascoyne in “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” who noted that it was the convention among the moneyed gentry to send the idiot of the family into the church.
stingray @
118
I think that if YOU look at his meeting notes that are posted for the dates involved would show you that, while he did note that other topics were discussed, the Wilson issue did receive substantial attention from both the VP as well as Libby. The President raised the issue of the Kristof article at the top of his June 9th, 2003 meeting with Cheney, Libby and the NSC directors. He had whole meeting blocks assigned to deal with it…including meetings with Hadley, Rice and Cheney where they talked about declassifying documents ~ using the Presidents executive status to do so. Rice said that they should “leak” the NIE, which hadn’t been declassified yet!
If this were a “minor” task why was IT the one referred to by Cheney as “putting his head in the meatgrinder”? Would someone forget such an important task…given directly by the Pres. .
And recall that Libby somehow remembered that “Wilson’s wife” worked for the CPD inn the CIA for a whole month after Cheney told him. He remembered it to talk about “someone whose spouse works in the CIA” to Addington, to Ari, to Miller. These just days before he said that he learns it from Russert. He remembered, then suddenly forgot, and then “thinks he learns it” from someone that didn’t tell him. THEN he supposedly goes and tells Rove about it…just hours after NOT HEARING IT from Russert??? And then tells the VP about hearing it from Russert?
But Russert didn’t tell him? How can you have a memory of an event that never happened and go tell other people about it within hours of the conversation???
It’s called lying! Unless, of course, neither Rove or Cheney ever DID learn about the Russert conversation from Libby? But in that case he’s lying about telling Rove and Cheney. Maybe he forgot those events too. But he claims that his memory is crystalline on the Russert discussion, and he can recall Cheney’s “cock of the neck” and “surprise” when he told him of the Russert conversation. He can remember the demeanor of Cheney when he first told him about Wilson’s wife, and that it wasn’t a big deal. He can recall telling a Joke (the precise joke!!!) to Grossman on the day he and Grossman discussed Wilson…but he can’t remember discussing Wilson, or the INR report on him?
Is Libby going to call them to the stand to show that he said these things about Russert. Will he himself take the stand to support his loss of memory?
Sorry, I don’t believe it!
The sad part of this saga is that there are still many media outlets that are giving this spoiled brat Goldberg an avenue to spout the same kind of nonsense that he spouted against Cole.
A month ago (while on vacation) I read an article in an Austin, TX newspaper from Goldberg where he was spouting the same kind of stupid rhetoric about how the Democratic party’s plans for Iraq would land us in doomsday.
Goldberg is pathetic.