You know, something is seriously wrong at "All Things Considered". It appears that whoever makes the decisions about who to have on for commentary is one of the last ten people in America who read NRO's "The Corner" and take it seriously. Within the last six months, we've heard essays from Dinesh D'Souza, Jonah Goldberg, Rich Lowry, and the lamentably stupid "Mr. Crunchy Con" Rod Dreher, but virtually nothing from liberals. At least nothing about politics. We did hear some effete gay guy from the Pacific northwest rhapsodizing lamely about Girl Scout Cookies the other day, and every now and then some hoary old academic will come on to ruminate thoughtfully about their garden or the squirrels that stalk their bird-feeder, but when it comes to Op Ed pieces about the state of affairs in Washington, it's all conservatives all the time.
Take today's piece by Lexington Foundation (an ultra-right-wing think tank) fellow Dan Goure. In it Goure reminisces morosely about his good friend and former coworker Scooter Libby and says the following bit of utter dreck:
"So what explains the charges for which he has been convicted? The only explanation that I can come up with is that he thought he was protecting his boss, the Vice President. Nothing else makes sense of Scooter's apparent kamikaze dive into the Special Prosecutor's investigation. But even here, I have problems making sense of the story. Cheney did not leak, so how would lying to anyone protect the Vice President? In spite of the jury's decision, I have tremendous respect for Scooter. The verdict against him is a tragedy. I am tempted to say that his conviction is a miscarriage of justice, but I'm not sure what the truth of the situation is. That has always been the problem with the Plame Leak investigation and Scooter's trial. We are no closer to the truth of the matter today."
Uh, with all due respect, Mr. Goure, that's about as big a load of steaming horseshit as I think I've ever heard. Did Babs Comstock fax this to you an hour before you recorded it? But let's take down your statements one at a time. I'm going to go very slowly and speak very loudly and clearly since you are obviously something of a simpleton who either can't or won't bother to inform himself about the basic details of the trial and the charges before you go spewing garbage through your pie-hole on national radio.
So what explains the charges for which he has been convicted?
Uh, he lied to the grand jury and the FBI. I know this may be difficult for you to grasp, but the laws in this country are not just for peasants and other people unconnected to the BushCo junta.
The only explanation that I can come up with is that he thought he was protecting his boss, the Vice President. Nothing else makes sense of Scooter's apparent kamikaze dive into the Special Prosecutor's investigation.
Well, it was a combination of craven CYA behavior and a misguided urge to keep Shooter out of the line of fire. Libby is a good drone. He is a true-believer in the tenets of Republican hierarchy. He is an expendable pawn on BushCo's chess board. Someone had to drink the hemlock and it sure wasn't going to be Dead Eye, Chimpy, or Unca Karl, so it fell to Libby to drain that bitter cup.
But even here, I have problems making sense of the story. Cheney did not leak, so how would lying to anyone protect the Vice President?
Okay, Mr. Goure, this is where you've been reading too much NRO and Victoria Toensing's meretricious attempts at jury tampering in the ComPost. Perhaps it was not Cheney himself who spent two hours buttering Judy Miller's toast at the St. Regis, but all of his surrogates were acting on his direct marching orders. That was made abundantly clear in this trial. Maybe if you read FDL you'd understand that.
The fact that he was not physically the one actually taking people out to eat and planting stories with them does not make him innocent of the leak. It makes him what the justice system likes to call An Unindicted Co-Conspirator. You dig?
In spite of the jury's decision, I have tremendous respect for Scooter. The verdict against him is a tragedy.
Ah, no, sir, it is not. It's justice. Something we've been seeing terrifyingly little of in the last seven years. You lie to a grand jury and get caught? You get convicted. It's very, very simple, really. Just like you!
I am tempted to say that his conviction is a miscarriage of justice, but I'm not sure what the truth of the situation is. That has always been the problem with the Plame Leak investigation and Scooter's trial.
Your lack of understanding is no-one's fault but yours, dickhead. The only "problem" with the investigation and trial has been the media's determination to misreport, misstate, and obfuscate. That may sound familiar to you, Mr. Goure. You're soaking in it right now.
We are no closer to the truth of the matter today.
Actually, given the excellent coverage of the trial by this blog, I think we're closer to the truth than ever before. But this of course is the problem with all you NeoCons. When something doesn't fit your idea of "the truth", you claim it doesn't make any sense, is "just a theory", or you attempt to discredit the source of the information. (See "War in Iraq: Intelligence Leading Up To-" for further clarification.) Do I need to explain to you how this process is exactly oriented to distorting, covering up, and invalidating the facts of any given matter?
William F. Buckley once famously described a conservative as a man standing athwart the flow of history, crying, "Stop!" Well, the last few years have taught us that a NeoConservative is a man standing athwart the flow of history, saying, "Huh?"
So, tomorrow, when you guys wake up from your post-verdict revelries, I hope you will take a moment to use some of the skills I shared with you last night and write a letter to NPR explaining to them how you feel about this and their other egregious missteps in covering the CIA leak investigation like having Rich Lowry on to declare that since Rove wasn't indicted, it was proof positive that there was no real crime in the outing of Valerie Plame. I urge you to send hard copies to the ombudsman:
Ombudsman, National Public Radio
635 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Although if you'd like to hear your letter read on the air, listener emails are featured on Thursday, so go to the top of the page at npr.org and click "Contact Us". Good luck and godspeed.
Oh, and hooray for guilty verdicts! Hooray!! Hooray!!
Hooray for Jane and Christy and Marcy and Pach and Jeralyn and Looseheadprop!! HOORAY, HOORAY!!
Isn't it great to get things right? We rule.
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Fitz! Trex!
Firedoglake!!!!
TRex, too!!
And, of course, FITZ!!!!!!!
Hell, It’s just starting!
TRex, I’m a lurker from WAAAAYYYYYY back. Today was outstanding for FDL. I’ve been extremely impressed at the coverage of the Libby trial, and just wanted to come out for a moment.
I’ll now return to lurking from beautiful Davis, CA……
Oh, by the way, my letters to the Editor have followed your style for years. Good post last night.
“Plop, plop. Fitz, Fitz, Oh, what a relief it is.”
Congratulations to FDL for a job well done.
Just BTW, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJlAiaKZRJQ has Jane and Marcy…
Good post, Trex. NPR used to be pretty decent, do you think it has been the parade of Chimpy’s minions as heads of CPB that did it in?
Of course, I’m still fuming about Bob Edwards…
But I thought YOU were an NPR employee, Mr. THESAURUS REX!!
THEEESSSSAAAAAUUUURRRUSSS REXXXXXX…
a taxpayer subsidized NPR employee, right??
Mr. REX!!!
/tacitus-goldstein
Sorry… couldn’t help myself.
The death of “All Things Considered” can be marked from the moment they moved from NYC to Washington, D.C. At the time they claimed it was to be closer to the stories, but it’s become clear it was all about being closer to the cocktail weenie parties.
ATC is the single reason I dislike NPR. What it does is more insidious than FOX Noise, because ATC and NPR have a reputation of being real news. Because of this, their (not-so-anymore) subtle bias to the right wing world view suckers in a lot of long-time public radio listeners. It disgusts me.
truth wins and so did justice today.
more, please!
Morning Edition ain’t no great shakes either any more. The only good news has been Neil Conan (spelling phonetic) at TOTN. No one was better than Ray Suarez but Juan Williams was a pathetic joke (which he remains). Don’t get me started. Thankfully we have Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and Car Talk.
C&L has Wilson video up.
Yep, I do.
But of course, you will never, ever, ever convince the average ButtPluglican that NPR doesn’t have a liberal bias. Rush told them so, so it must be true. Black is white! Up is down! We have ALWAYS been at war with Eastasia!
FDL: Accept no substitutes.
We also have Prairie Home Companion.
Joy to me ears.
(Love Wait, Wait and Car Talk, too.)
Anyway, Pups, it’s been a long and glorious day and this pup is heading to the kennel for the night. G’Night everybody.
Hey, there’s my brother! Are you feeling any better?
(He was quite miserably sick last night and today, gang, so send some get well vibes to the Twin of TRex, please!)
I heard that and thought the exact same thing. Thanks for showing us how little you really have been following the story, Mr. NPR Commentator.
OT, but of interest.
Ooh! Ooh! New Fahrney’s catalog in today’s mail! Major pen porn! Lots of Omas celluloid! New Visconti Wall Street colors! Ooh! Ooh!
Peterr says:
FDL: Accept no substitutes.
nice!
Feel better Twin of TRex!
Yes… I heard the very last bit of this segment – the very drivel that TRex drills in on. What a disheartening, pathetic, commentary. It rained on my Fitz parade for about 10 minutes this evening.
Then I remembered the sad truth that all Neocons are either enormously ignorant, fantastically disingeneous, or both.
Perhaps, like heroin addicts, they would be better placed in full time treatment than jail.
Nice catch TRex!
This has been going on for a long time at all NPR shows. I’ve called them Nice Polite Republicans for years now! The worst examples are Mara Liasson and wan williams but as Trex shows they’re not alone.
let me click that button one more time
William F. Buckley once famously described a conservative as a man standing athwart the flow of history, crying, “Stop!”
Well, the last few years have taught us that a NeoConservative is a man standing athwart the flow of history, saying, “Huh?”
–Deserves to become a classic, TRex. May it be quoted and quoted and…
Hope you feel better soon. Must really blow having a contracted simultaneous tacitus-goldstein. Fingers crossed for an early cure.
Here is what I got for writing in about Dinesh–I just let it drop–but I may continue with this article as inspiration…
> Date : 1/26/2007 5:49:42 PM
> I was disheartened to hear Dinesh D’Souza and his commentary about how
> Iraq
> is not Vietnam–not because his opinion differs from mine, but because he
> is in my opinion little more than right wing flack.
>
> Of course, it did make me angry to hear his peculiar take on the war in
> Iraq–but it made me even angrier to be reminded of the title of his
> latest
> book “The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for
> 9/11″.
>
> I have not read it, but I saw his shot at an executive summary on the
> popular comedy show “The Colbert Report” and was underwhelmed by his
> reasoning. Mr Colbert had very little trouble making it clear how
foolish
> this assertion was.
>
> In todays commentary, Mr DSouza manages to assert that we should put more
> American kids into this grinder (real lives, not beans, as Chuck Hagel so
> matter of factly put it) without actually having to go on record by
saying
> it, and at the same time assert that we can win this war without any
> mention of how (there is not plan, as Senator Hagel also clarified).
>
> This, while disappointing, is not surprising–but what was surprising was
> that he was able to deliver this talking point with zero criticism or
> counter point.
>
> So my question to you is this, how exactly does a guy like that get to
use
> airwaves (that I have paid for) to shill for the Bush administration?
>
> It is my understanding that public broadcasting was established as a
means
> to counter and protect the American public from this type of ham-handed
> propaganda–so please, tell me the exact manner in which this commentary
> came to be. Who requested it, through what channels, whether it was
> recorded in NPR studios, who approved it and why did they feel it was
> appropriate to broadcast it so uncritically.
>
> Thank you ahead of time for your prompt response in this matter, and
> please
> copy your ombudsman in your reply.
>
> Kyle W…
On 2/2/07, npr_response@npr.org wrote:
>
>
> Dear Kyle,
>
> Thank you for contacting NPR’s All Things Considered.
>
> We appreciate your thoughts regarding NPR’s recent show with Dinesh
> D’Souza.
>
> Making decisions about covering the events that impact our everyday lives
> is never easy. We make every attempt to ensure that the segments and
> stories you hear on NPR programming, and the attention devoted to them,
> are
> valid and appropriate.
>
> We welcome praise, as well as criticism, and your thoughts will be taken
> into consideration.
>
> Additionally, your message has been forwarded to NPR’s Office of the
> Ombudsman. For more information about the role of the NPR Ombudsman,
> please
> visit http://www.npr.org/yourturn/om…..sion.html.
>
> Thank you for listening to All Things Considered, and for your continued
> support of public broadcasting. For the latest news and information,
visit
> NPR.org.
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Justin
> NPR Services
Date : 2/2/2007 11:12:54 AM
——=_Part_15984_2965030.1170432524755
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
Hi Justin,
I appreciate your response to my comments, but my questions have gone
unanswered:
Tell me the exact manner in which this commentary came to be.
– Who requested it, through what channels…
– (was it) recorded in NPR studios…
– Who approved it (for airing) and
– why did they feel it was appropriate to broadcast it so
uncritically.
Please include contact information for any Public Radio employees that you
list…these are unambiguous questions and I would appreciate a clear
answer to each of these points.
Dear Kyle,
Thank you again for contacting NPR.
Commentaries are submitted to NPR in the same manner a freelance journalist
submits news stories for possible use. A commentary, however, is
essentially an on-air opinion pieces and is presented and treated as such.
These submissions are reviewed by each show’s production staff, and some
are selected for broadcast. The executive producer for All Things
Considered is Chris Turpin.
You can learn more about submission guidelines, including information about
where to send a piece, by visiting
http://www.npr.org/about/pitch/commentary.html.
Thank you for listening and for your continued support of public
broadcasting. For the latest news and information, visit NPR.org.
Sincerely,
Justin
NPR Services
We have always been at war with Oceania!
Thank you FDL for sticking with this case. History will not be on W’s side.
Somewhat. No more coughing my black soul into the toilet, and half an excedrin every two hours finally made the headache go away.
But I still feel somewhat weak and puny. I have the dogs bracketing my inert body here in the bed. They’re keeping me warm and keeping my self-pity at bay.
Also somewhat buoyed by the verdict today and the continued erosion of BushCo credibility as Josh Marshall and Co. pick apart the US Attorney Scandal.
Hey TRex, ever thought about a career in radio? Methinks someone from FDL ought to submit a commentary . . .
I have enjoyed the unanimity on the right today:
A cursory review of these talking points reveals that they could apply in any situation, and are verdict-independent. Sure, there would have been more hilarity and less faux-upset (Ed Rogers, I’m looking at you!!) and probably less losing-one’s-place (hi, Victoria!!) but, essentially, Barbara Comstock had these ready to go when the jury began deliberations.
This has been today’s lesson in how the VWR Noise Machine works. Even in utter, complete, total defeat. Or when the opposition is, as Keith put it, batting 800!!
Charlie Rose has Novakula and Matt Cooper on now.
Gee what part of convicted for lying to a federal grand jury and to FBI agents don’t they understand? Why is lying to a federal grand jury and the FBI even if it is to protect one’s boss something we should respect?
Reminds me of how the fascists loved to get in line to kiss the ass of the one in front of them with the higher rank…
I did. I was on the phone with ATC director Bob Boilen asking if I could come on while I was in DC. He asked the editor for commentary contributions and as soon as she found out I was from FDL, she said, “NO!! Absolutely NOT!!”
No further explanation was given.
Chris Turpin is the executive editor, but there is a woman who makes the OpEd decisions. I just don’t know her name.
Sadly, NPR has become just another Right Wing organ.
Another prime example of The Golden Rule:
Those Who Have The Gold Make The Rules.
Constant FDL lurker (and avid fan of Late Nite with TRex), de-lurking to say thank you so much to all Firepups who were involved in the exceptional coverage of Plamegate. It was and is simply inspiring to witness 21st century politics a) occurring despite the relentless attempts of the Reich-wing to curtail any and all real political activity, and b) having such a powerful effect. Firedoglake – the blog heard ’round the world. (At least as far ’round as Hobart, Tasmania. G’day, everyone.) Perhaps I should clarify – I mean politics in Hannah Arendt’s sense of the term, as words and deeds performed in the public sphere concerning matters of shared interest and concern to many.
CNN: Libby Not Guilty on One Count
My take: If the investigation and further trials do not take place, then …
One Guilty of Perjury Blocks Justice
Four Guilty of Treason Walk Free
Hundreds of Thousands Murdered
Billions of Dollars Wasted & Stolen
National Security Compromised !
Bush Still President
Trex! Great post.
You know why? Because someone keeps pushing them to NPR because NPR has to keep PROVING that they aren’t liberal. And nobody is pushing authors on the other side saying, “Prove you aren’t a conservative tool because you book all the right wing think tankers!”
When Doug Feith was in the news again after the IG report came out did NPR attempt to get the woman who wrote the BOOK on Feith on one of their shows? No.
Allison Hanschell of the Most Excellent First Draft blog, who writes as Athenae, did a book that came out in 2005 that pointed out what Feith did and why it was wrong.
Bloggers on the Left got the story right. And they got it right YEARS ago.
But I think that NPR is still worried that if they don’t suck up to the old think tanks they will get shouted down by the crazies on the right. I want to tell them, “They already think you are biased, don’t try and convince them. Even if you book these neocons over and over (which you do) they still won’t think you aren’t a liberal.”
Dear NPR Ombudsman,
Please stop giving airtime to Bush Administration shills. 80% of the national public you claim to represent is tired of the bullshit and can’t wait for it to end.
Never mind that the Bushies have threatened your funding if you don’t tell the Republican side fo the story. They’ll be gone soon enough. And when they’ve all been executed for their treason, won’t you feel silly for giving a voice to the enablers of traitors?
It’s not too late to come back to the fold. In Episode 2096 of Sesame Street, first aired on Nov 18, 1985, the adults apologized to Big Bird for not believing that Snuffalupagus existed. Their apology was accepted. Yours will be also. We’re a forgiving people, just like Big Bird says we should be. But we’re not stupid.
It sure would be a shame to see you go down with the ship.
Best regards,
Smiley
(that’s only 12 sentences. Does it work for you?)
Welcome Hhmmmm. Don’t be shy now that you have dipped a toe into the Lake.
By the way, I tried to write that first email so that it would sound good being read on the air–it was kind of fun imagining it. My first angry letter to the editor!
T-Rex!
I, too, remember when ATC meant responsible journalism, instead of the subtle Fox News clone they have become. Sigh . . . RIP, ATC.
Anyways, it was said of Alexander the Great, that when he saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer. Not so, FDL.
All of us pups need to take a deep breath and enjoy the moment, but remember that we’ve only just started. As long as the Bush junta is in power, our work isn’t finished. And after Commander Codpiece is relegated with Franklin Pierce to the sub-basement of history, we’ll be cleaning up the stench for years to come.
Depressing, I know, but true.
Sorry to hear about your sojourn at NPR, TRex.
NPR’s She Who Cannot Be Named might do well to check out the sitemeter at FDL. Seems there’s a *bunch* of folks coming by here these days.
All Things Considered was my only news source back in the mid-1970s, I didn’t have a TV. It sure has changed.
I’ll try to write one of those letters…
Merry Fitzmas!
Hey TeddySanFran!
Re your post 31. You must have been listening to the Brian Sussman show tonight on Disney owned KSFO! That’s exactly what he was saying!
I could transcribe the show and prove it. And all the stuff he gets wrong. Willfully wrong.
Their denial of reality is astounding. But they are good at it, they have a lot of practice.
Merry Fitzmas!
All Things Considered’s coverage of the Libster
Guilty verdict, was sparse. WTF?!
spocko in da house!
Please do!
NPR is no worse than BBC-World radio. When I switch from one to the other on my Asian satellite radio I distinctly get the impression that this Mr Libby has been badly treated, unlucky, made to be the unfortunate fall guy (for who ? one wonders). Frequent reports on both public radio channels focus on a juror who liked Mr Libby and was loath to convict him, they underline his right of appeal, they do not explain how Mrs Plame was linked to White House Iraq strategy. But then they live on Governmet money, both of them. What to do?
We are feared.
Spocko, I’m not sure why your first comment was caught in the auto-mod. I released it.
Whoo-hoooo!!
Evenin’, Spocko!!
It seems like some folks have followed your plan of attack against KSFO and brought the pain to Coulter:
Advertisers Cut and Run from Coulter Website!
A grim reminder: We are going to have to be eternally vigilant in fighting to keep the Internet free and open. The great work by Jane and Marcie and Christy and TRex and Glenn and Josh and many others in the blogosphere is having a huge impact. The established political and economic interests are watching their world get turned upside down, and they don’t like it one bit. They will use every trick in the book to try to limit our Internet freedoms. This is likely to be an ongoing fight, so let’s take the long view and be ready for it.
Matt Cooper just shoved it up Novak’s nose in a BIG WAY:
“Back in the 90’s conservative columnists had no problem with an investigation that turned into a national symposium on sex, so this is where the prosecutor took the CIA leak case, deal with it.”
Somebody give that guy a pat on the back for standing up to right-wing columnist bullshit.
Today’s Sitemeter for FDL
Ha, ha spocko!! As if I would listen to KSFO ever!
Question for any people in the Washington D.C. Area. What are the rules for carrying weapons in the city of D.C.?
Do you have to have a permit? What kind of permit?
is it just me and my web browser(s), or has “Quote this comment” disappeared?
Also, I used to log in as PaTrex, but oddly I have been returned to a previous moniker.
It might just be the fever, too….
they took the quotes and edits down to take the load off the server!
Oh, God, TRex! Thank you!
I heard this piece of offal oozing out of my car radio on the way home and wanted to effing SCREAM.
But you know what? (Run this by Pach; I’m sure he’ll agree.) That whole thing is a monument to cognitive dissonance.
Goure knows — KNOWS — that Cheney and Libby conspired to burn a NOC. But he can’t bring himself to say it, certainly not before an audience of millions. So instead, he says stuff like this:
English Translation: “All the evidence shows that Cheney and Libby leaked, but I would rather eat ground glass than admit it, so I’m just going to pretend that both men are innocent and that Scooter Libby was protecting Cheney tooth and nail for no apparent reason.”
It’s a defense mechanism, honed to a fine art and internalized. So much so that Goure may actually not consciously realize what he just did.
Spokco @ 38 “When Doug Feith was in the news again after the IG report came out did NPR attempt to get the woman who wrote the BOOK on Feith on one of their shows? No.”
Do you have the title and name of the author? Maybe FDL could have her on for a Sunday Book Club.
Indeed it has – as an act of mercy to the server.
PatrickRex, the edit and quote this comment buttons were disabled today to help the servers cope with verdict day.
I heard the news just North of Ft. Worth, Tx on my way to a location with a 100,000lb gas compressor. For some reason, I could not help but think of all the abused women who found strength through the law to protect them from abused men.
Valerie was an abused woman, as was America.
By the way, in case you missed it, John Edwards is skipping the Fox Nevada debate.
Our Orange Overlord is bringing the pressure.
Spocko, I’m sure a call to the DC Police Department during business hours would give you the information you are seeking. It would help to specify the type of weapon you are talking about – different rules for guns, knives, and clubs.
Here’s a sneak preview of tomorrow night’s post:
Rachel Maddow said:
Darkblack has been kind enough to provide us with a visual aid.
TRex, I know a producer there–maybe it’s even She Who Cannot Be Named. You have motivated me to check in with her about all this even though she is not a social friend but a business acquaintance. Thanks for the kick in the rear. Especially when I hear there is a ban on FDL–the nerve!
ohhh, darkblack….that one is scary!
patrick rex,
I was wondering if that was you.
I doubt very much you will remember, but last summer , very, very late at night, I begged you for the recipe for brown beans.
To wit;
IT’S THE CUMIN, STUPID!
Thank you, thank you.
Twenty years I tried to duplicate my Granny’s beans.
Now I can.
Merry Fitzmas, everyone!
DC gun laws are some of the strictest in the country. You can peruse them here.
My understanding is that you’re not to have a firearm on your person under any circumstances unless you have demonstrated a clear and overwhelming need AND been approved for a permit from the chief of police.
Why do you ask?
TRex; Yeah I spotted that. So great! I’ve been in contact with Volvo Driving Liberal on that campaign.
It’s good to see others learning from the process.
I’m working on the next steps for new advertisers. I think that they still haven’t gotten just how bad KSFO still is because they just hear from the sales people, who will of course say, “Oh we dealt with all that, we are totally fine now.” (Which is bull)
When Media Matters busted them for smearing Soros they had the Program Manager apologize for Rodgers and Morgan. The apology, “we regret it was broadcast.” (aka.”I’m sorry we got caught by a billionaire so we’ll trot out the PM to give a bs apology but the hosts can keep smearing anyone else who doesn’t have the resources to challenge them”)
Do let us know how you get on. Those folks need to understand that 80% of the population are not a bunch of fringe radicals, but people like D’Souza and Coulter are.
Any headway you can make will be eternally appreciated.
That’s the best news I have heard all day.
You’ll pardon me if I don’t roll out another recipe for everyone to share tonight, as I have had a terrible bout with the stomach ick today, and everything not saltine-ish is inspiring a “BLURGH!!” reaction.
Well, you know, I think we could tear a page from Melanoma Miscarriage’s ethos here. If you don’t like someone, then just make shit up about them.
For example, I’ve heard that Morgan has a Catherine the Great style sling in her bedroom so she can copulate with horses and mules. Is it true? Who the fuck cares? I’ll get someone else who works here to apologize for me later!
It’s the Reich Wing way.
Goure’s problem with objective reality reminds me of the description Hunter S. Thompson gave of conservative writer and Nixon stalwart Stewart Alsop, who as Thompson stated could never get his blue-blood Yankee Republican head around the fact that Nixon turned the White House into a declasse den of thieves and fixers with nothing but contempt for the law and even the social niceties Alsop held so dear.
TRex- I just checked out the “behind the scenes” list for NPR. There are four names/ four femmes that show up as being associated with All Things considered. Three are “weekend edition”
The fourth is Susan Feeny, link Susan Feeny here
full list here
Maybe that’s a lead….
ROTFLMAO TREX>
Now I’m choking with laughter.
NPR and how you fix it.
Goure’s problem with objective reality reminds me of the description Hunter S. Thompson gave of conservative writer and Nixon stalwart Stewart Alsop, who as Thompson stated could never get his blue-blood Yankee Republican head around the fact that Nixon turned the White House into a declasse den of thieves and fixers with nothing but contempt for the law and even the social niceties Alsop held so dear.
I like’a way you tawk. Mmmmhmm.
I gotta go feed my cat, it is not going to be happy.
MERRY FITZMAS!
Oh, and BTW;
Gloat, gloat gloatiddy gloat gloat.
From that article:
True, true, true.
Most local stations are staffed by a bunch of firebrand liberals like myself. It’s the executive branch in DC that is carrying water for the ButtPluglicans.
Hey TRex, ever thought about a career in radio? Methinks someone from FDL ought to submit a commentary . . .
I did. I was on the phone with ATC director Bob Boilen asking if I could come on while I was in DC. He asked the editor for commentary contributions and as soon as she found out I was from FDL, she said, “NO!! Absolutely NOT!!”
No further explanation was given.
Chris Turpin is the executive editor, but there is a woman who makes the OpEd decisions. I just don’t know her name.
Heh! Chickenshits.
This deserves a post all by itself, TRex. Or maybe you could edit the current post to include this.
I want the NPR Bush-defending zampolit to know that this evidence of their whoredom is being seen a non-trivial portion of their listening (and check-writing) base.
TRex, thank you for keeping us in stitches while we waited for teh four corners to be sewn up by Fitz with the appeals zipper installed by Walton.
I think you have given a bad name to ComPost however. As it is garden time, I have finally had a chance to inspect the condition of the eisenia foetida in mine, and they have survived the winter and are ready to go into heavy production. They are totally ready for some steaming horseshit, spewed garbage, and some serious soaking in preparation for some seeds of justice. Which I can bet will be sowed by some intrepid peasants here at FDL.
At any rate, I can only say that Justice Reigns, and I am ready for spring. Go FDL, thank you to everyone!!
Call Congress, write letters!! The universe is ready.
Carefull, Litigatormom will come and get one of those to sacrifice.
patrick rex says
Why do I ask about the Gun laws in DC?
Because Melanie Morgan of Move America Forward her “non-profit non-partisian 501 c 3 charity group” will be be in D.C. on March 16th and 17th to CONFRONT Cindy Sheehan and members of Code Pink. (Confront is THEIR WORD.
http://www.moveamericaforward……_dont_run/
Move America Forward is working with a group called “A Gathering Of Eagles” that include one of the people behind the John Kerry Swiftboat lies.
These people are spoiling for a fight. They want to get physical and in the face of the anti-war left. They are saying that Sheehan will be descrating the war memorial and that they must STOP HER. And they will DEFEND the war memorial.
And normally I would ignore them, but yesterday they mentioned that the Chairman of the NRA is proudly backing them and sending out invites to all their members to attend the event and support Morgan.
So we have a bunch of pissed off NRA people, who own guns, defending a monument against people they see as traitors in the capitol.
Does this sound to anyone else like a recipe for a tragic event?
Remember, these people have been physically stalking Cindy Sheehan for years. (Flying to Crawford to have the “You don’t Speak for Me Cindy” confrontation.
They talk violent. Are they one their way to actual violence?
Does anyone else have a funny feeling? I started the afternoon on a high from the conviction that slowly descended into vague questioning that something doesn’t feel right.
Fitz spent 4 years interviewing everyone involved, some multiple times. We can expect that given Fitz’s superman like reputation that everything was done by the book. Yet all we get is Libby.
We don’t get to see the collected evidence. In essence it is all buried. Most likely Libby will be pardoned. Does anyone else have the sense that maybe we have been had?
Okay, I admit, sometimes I am a cynic.
Second that!
I have puzzled over that from time to time. Just like the juror said, “Where’s Rove? Where’s Cheney?”
The ink isn’t dry on the final chapter of this, I’ll wager. Next, Congress will get hold of all the testimony and records. Also, there is the civil trial to look forward to.
I’m not scared. It ain’t over til it’s over.
Suzanne: cleanup prevthread….
Okay, kids. Just about to head out of here. I’ll check back in a bit.
Breathlessly asking: will Marcy liveblog the civil trial? ;-)
Well spocko, I don’t think my cheaterpipe is on anybodies list of weapons, but it can adjust attitudes. I am not one of the wussyfied fuzzy-headed librul dirty hippy types. When they talk violence, they need to know I’m in to stuff like that.
Strictly defensive naturally.
I hope this heartbroken theme doesn’t get much traction. I don’t know how much of the most-distraught-since-he-shot-his-other-friend-in-face stuff I can take.
Guess you only hurt the ones you love, huh?
My suggestion? Next time your toady comes to you and tells you he intends to commit perjury, take a moment and preempt all that heartache.
TRex: I’m not scared. It ain’t over til it’s over.
Wine you ask? Thanks that would be great. No, I don’t need a glass. The bottle will be fine.
There is no question in my mind, though, that if the verdict had been elsewise, Mr. Fitzgerald would be among the USAttorneys outta business. Maybe still, we’ll see….
working on it now,
For what it is worth, Mary Louise Kelly called and interviewed me today. I understand the piece will air tomorrow morning(March 7). As most probably know I’m strongly in the Val and Joe camp. In my experience up to this point Mary Louise has been fair.
LJ
Let me reassure you that if YOU are thinking this, then the DC police are as well. You don’t want to go walking in there with heat of your own… THAT’S a recipe for disaster in my opinion.
Most of these right wing types talk a big game, but they aren’t actually insane. However, making elaborate and public plans to bring your own heat to an event might set off the worst sort of chain reaction- “Well, I saw in the comments at Firedoglake that THEY were bringing guns, so I brought MY gun…” etc.
I would mebbe notify the DC Park Police that you have some concerns, then they’ll notify the DC Metro, and there will be plenty of guns at the event, for better or for worse.
Hey, Larry!! Great to see you here. You’ve done a lot of great work through this whole thing.
Can I buy you a drink?
Welcome LJ
I got a bottle of wine. . .
teddy, which thread?
Larry! great day for justice, eh?
patrick rex,
methinks spocko was not planning on “packing heat”, but just give a heads up to the locals.
I insert all my bullets manually.
tula’s at 82
Wine you ask? Thanks that would be great. No, I don’t need a glass. The bottle will be fine.
wine ought?
Mr. Johnson, Sir, please accept my thanks.
Somewhere today, Me was smiling.
Any long time FDL reader remember that guy? He was so passionate and confident about Fitz’s skill so early on, and he was right.
He disappeared from here a long time ago, but I thought with all of the kudos today, he deserved a mention.
FDL is Teh Place!!
thx, teddy
Suzanne has your back!!
Oilfield Guy is exactly right. I’m not going. It’s the NRA folks and Move America Forward people that I’m worried about. The group Gathering Of Eagles is careful to SAY they are non-violent. But what will they do in their defense of the monuments?
Just how good will their control of their members be?
reposting my favorite comment of the day, seen at DKos:
AH! I see, said the blind man.
Of course, anyone who carried a pistol into the District would be in deep dung if caught. Mandatory one year in jail is what I remember from when I lived there.
They’re very serious about it there.
#91. I am convinced Congress will not touch this. Did you hear anyone in Congress pick up on Fitz’s challenge? It ain’t happening.
I have high hopes for the civil trial but does anyone know the timeline? There doens’t seem to be a begining – other than filing– or an end. I don’t blame them but the Wilson’s seem more focused on books and movies.
I just have those lingering doubts.
DKos/Indy Scott: Somewhere in Heaven. . .Molly Ivins is drunk off her ass and loving every minute of this.
ParTAY!
This is our day. Yes.
I’m working on a synopsis for this whole sordid affair. Unfortunately it is not fit for fdl.
This is the mission statement from Gathering of Eagles: See numbers 3, 6-10. Do these sound a little spooky to you?
I’m a cheap date TREX. I’ll take you up on the drink and buy for you as well.
***!!Rawrrr!!***
***!Chomp! !Chomp! !Chomp!***
!El Gato Negro!’s pointy ears were likewise afflicted by thees nonsense on National Public Relations.
He was left to wonder eef no one there had ever heard The Chewbacca Defense before.
!Pfui!
on a happier note:
My felicitations to all at FDL for their succesful coverage of the Libby trial.
Joo are putting the Old Meda Dinosaurs to shame.*
!Sangria y catnip for all!
so.
*(The New Media Dinosaurs seems to be doing just fine, eh?)
Spoko @38: Author’s name? I’d like to mention that in my letter. I must be using the wrong search terms on google.
I had to hop a plane to Miami this afternoon and missed the chance to do my happy naked dance. I appreciate Joe’s high road, measured reaction. Me. Not so much. I’m enjoying this.
Joe Wilson’s done a great job today tying the impact of these lies on his family to the impact of these same lies on our troops and their families.
!El !Gato !Negro
I am just a humble peasant at FDL tonight.
bobtaco, I remember ME, as does Valley Girl. I’ve thought of him too, especially after the verdict.
Larry, if Libby gets a pardon and this doesn’t go any farther, will you still be enjoying it?
Epu’d from an earlier thread … I called Conyers office to urge him to investigate Cheney and was completely dissed by his staff. So I wrote this letter that I plan to send tomorrow. I have a great deal of respect for the folks here at the lake and would greatly appreciate corrections/comments/suggestions …sorry the post is so long…
Larry Johnson- looks like you might have just missed TRex- he usually leaves work at his local NPR station and goes to the grocery store at about this time… then returns home to continue the FDL conversation.
Great to see you here.
Mark @ 118
Legs. The story needs Legs. The Wilson’s are doing exactly that. Yes, the civil suit is plodding ahead, with hearings starting in a couple of months. In the meantime, the movie and book deals keep the story going.
Plus, what better place to have the story now play but in the tabloids and tabloid TV to get the public interested, since that is where the general public seems to get their news.
Finally, I have hopes the civil case will be like the Starr investigation, with daily leaks. So unlike the Fitzgerald investigation where we had to wait to the end to learn few if any details, I expect as discovery proceeds, new facts will become public. Death by a thousand cuts. Which is how it needs to be played out.
Maybe when Melanie Morgan says how they are going to confront Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink she is thinking that she and MAF are Jets and Cindy Sheehan are Sharks!
Puerto Ricans grumble FAIR FIGHT
but if they want to rumble we’ll rumble ‘em Righttttt!
And remember how THAT confrontation turned out?
They love to call Mike Stalk, a Stalker, they are Oh So Clever, but THEY are the ones traveling across the country to get into Cindy Sheehan’s face. And remember, the right wing LOVES their guns.
Dana!!!! Hey!!
re: bobtaco, I remember ME, as does Valley Girl. I’ve thought of him too, especially after the verdict.
YES I certainly do remember ME. It would be great if he turned up!
hungry, that was a great letter.
Oh sorry her is the woman who wrote a book about Feith:
Allison Hantschel. Athenae of First Draft.
Special Plans, The blogs on Douglas Feith and the Faulty Intelligence that Led to War.
Published by William James & Company.
I can send you the PR contact person’s info too if you like.
spocko — there will be cops at the protest, and there will be a line of them between the protest and any counter-protest if it’s official (and probably even if it isn’t.) They have a lot of experience with this stuff, and with far larger groups than these bozos will be able to muster. Any “confrontation” will therefore be limited to the verbal variety from many yards away.
Ms. Redshift is a member of Code Pink DC, so I’ll make sure they know about this, but I wouldn’t worry too much.
Suzanne at 136 – thanks:)
Queenie’s Daughter aka keep em hungry
tenmile, way to latch on! You’ve inspired me. The responses were total blow off…but now they’re out there for all the world to see.
keep ‘em hungry,
I suggest you open a little stronger. Put the most important point in the first sentence, as opposed to a linear letter. ie;
I was deeply dissapointed by your rude staffers…
just a thought.
Oilfieldguy@141 thanks you are right I burried my lede…will edit
Pectopah@132
I hope you are right. Hearings in May/June, discovery, disputes over discovery, delays, delays, when do you think the trial might actually happen. Quick test: Do you really think that trial will ever happen in the way we all imagine it with Cheney, Rove and Co. all testifying.
hungry, nicely done.
jim H says:
March 6th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
NPR is no worse than BBC-World radio.
I must disagree.
I have leestened to the BBC for five years now, through a local NPR affiliate, and I must say that the comparison could no be more detrimental to NPR’s reputation.
From the run up to the invasion all the way through the 2004 elections to even such theengs as coverage of Russia and North Korea, the BBC stands head and shoulders above NPR.
Es verdad, si, they are no perfect, they sometimes have the most shocking rightweengnutbar extremistas on weeth no context, but even so, the BBC makes NPR look like a timid, bland, gaggle of hacks and shills.
so.
Besides the 2X4 upside the head, hungry, to get the attention, you got some great stuff in that letter.
Here’s an amazon link for the Allison Hantschel book on Feith
Link to book
hungry, good letter, but remind Congressman Conyers that you contacted him, because he is highly respected as a man of integrity, so you were a bit surprised at this poor reflection on him by a staffer. Mention something like, you would have expected that from a GOP staffer, but not his.
(We are probably now getting into the Trex rule of too many sentences, from too many cooks, so you will need to distill the broth)
TeddySanfran thanks – I changed the opening to read stronger…
Lindy says @ 125
March 6th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Lindy go to First Draft and look for a writer named Athenae
(si, weeth the extra “e”)
The Feith book was her project.
so.
Keep ‘em hungry, that is a great letter but I’ll be pleasantly surprised if the Democrats pick up the banner and charge. There’s a serious lack of huevos in the congress these days. I think it all goes back to the utter lack of due diligence in giving BushCo the hand to do everything that they’ve done.
I remember when it all went down, Senator Mark Dayton stood on the senate floor and said, “I do not like being lied to,” and he was vilified for it…vilified on both sides of the isle, turned into a pariah and marginalized. He was a good man and he had the balls to stand up to something that everyone can now see was so very, very wrong. Well, our elected officials should have seen then, and they didn’t.
Maybe some freshmen will take up the charge, but the old guard on both sides of the isle have to answer the simple questions, “How could this have happened? Didn’t the founding fathers build in checks and balances to prevent this? Who didn’t have the guts to stand and demand the people’s rights be protected?”
The answer: Damn near the whole Congress.
Hungry – instead of your paragraph about your not being a lawyer etc. I suggest you summarze in couple of sentences what it was that you wanted to tell him in the first place when you called.
The cat what is black;
I like’a way yew tawk. And I like musturd an biskits. Mmhmm.
Pectopah@149
Thanks – and another excellent point – I knew you lakers would help:)Will keep editing.
Redshift. Thanks.
One of the strategies of the right is to get people to disavow an association with extremists.
Right now we are finally working on them to disavow THEIR association with extremists. (see Coulter, Ann)
I want to insist that Move America Forward and The Gathering of Eagles demonstrate that their defense of the memorials will be peaceful.
Plus of course I always wonder about the Karl Rove tricks that they will pull, “The Code Pink member attacked me first! I had to STAND MY GROUND” (See, “The Kill Bill”, Florida)
Would they insert a fake Code Pink Agent Provocateur to make the first move?
It’s not like Young Republican’s haven’t played these tricks before.
Warren Olney’s warped discussion of the Scooter verdict with Harwood, York, and Perez was a sad low point in the quality of ‘To The Point’. Someone has conspicuously gotten to NPR and it ill serves those of us who listen and support it for now.
Fern@152
I was going to attach a seperate note with my this letter thinking that if he read the first and was ready to make nice the second would be more closely read… you think this strategy is too confusing? I was also going to attach the code that looseheadprop suggested … but maybe thats too much ????
I am calling Conyers tomorrow also.
I think I will begin with, “Wonderful. I am speaking to Congressman Wonderful’s office. Thank you so much for answering my call. About yesterday. . .do you think there is any possibility that Congressman Wonderful will look into the Libby testimony? Because it would be such an important investigation.
Again, thank you so much. I really appreciate the work that Congressman Conyers is doing.”
T-Man,
Well said. I think Kenneth Tomlinson’s toxic touch was felt today on public broadcasting. Excellent piece! Thank you.
I had gone to bed and now I’m up again. Hyper.
Shit! Oh, Dear!
Hungry,
we be the mighty left wing wurlitzer at fdl. The soothing and healing waters of the lake shall bathe your coorespondence with wisdom and snap. May we always remain a good sounding board for ideas and policy.
It’s what we do.
I listen to BBC World Service every night and it exhibits real journalism, but the thing that bothers me is that they always talk to the wingnut faction in the US when doing stories about America. I get the impression that it’s an “idiots on display” kind of thing they’re doing, but the BBC is so consistent about it it really is slanting the view of America to their listeners. Maybe they feel justified because America is a nut house run by crazies.
I agree 1000%, if there is such a thing.
I almost fucking drove off the road with rage when I heard that this afternoon.
WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO NPR???
WHO GOT TO THEM?
I would like Amy Goodman, or Jane, or CHS, or Trex similar airtime to add some “balance”.
Fuck it.
I gotta send some e-mails to NPR.
Not that they will listen….
{{{{VG}}}}}! Do you know if ME still has that blog he created at the start of all this–or well into the start? He used to plead with people to write letters. When he created it–Fushioner’s Board?—he pretty much stopped commenting at FDL except to urge letters.
All I do is lurk these past many weeks.
bg@158
I was hoping Conyers office would get alot of calls as I told my mate … one raindrop is not a flood but a bunch of us! Democracy in action:)
Thanks T-rex for the CALL-OUT of NPR and All Things Considered. Yes siree.. that Media Source has been Infiltrated and Hijacked and Corrupted like the traitorous New York Times and most of the US Media.
ANOTHER TRAGIC situation is the Morphing of C-SPAN. On many levels it is morphing to the same fascist propaganda type content and distribution. (A “CSPAN-Watch” webpage and project should be started.)
For instance the interview and book programs have similar Placed and Planted authors, sources, “scholars” “critics” and “interviewers.”
CSPAN is becoming more like the NPR Hustle you describe. They also Sensationlize and editorialize More and More.. and more..and allow crap to be stated without challenge.
And CSPAN’s LATEST INTELLECTUAL DISHONSETY and SOPHISTRY was “IRAQ WAR” The BANNER– at the top left of the screen during coverage of The Congressional Debate on Iraq Resolution.
There is NO WAR. No OFFICIAL WAR. Yet CSPAN joins in the WRONG USE of WORDS– 1984 NEWSPEAK STYLE- to legitimize an illegal Invasion and Occupation. While covering- in the Capitol Chamber- the Congress of the USA- who Forfeited their WAR MAKING POWERS to a dubiouss pResident. Yet CSPAN- shows how subversion and slippery slopes work- by Bolstering, Marketing and Giving a Seal of Approval using INTELECTUALL DISHONESTY– This IS the JOURNALISTIC equivalent of the Abuse of War Making Powers. Shame on CSPAN and NPR. Poop!
And the Graphics for “IRAQ WAR” were Glammy– much like a Fox or CNN banner– All that is needed next is the Hypnotizing Visual Play of the Banner Graphics– make it wave and spin and fade in and out and sparkle… and PRESTO! CSPAN is now an Murdoch- Allbritton – Fascist media Mind control venue with the other Treasonous Conspirators. Behold and Beware! CSPAN and Viewers.
Thanks FDL, T-Rex for calling out NPR and All Things Considered with a play by play take down of their false expert who pretend to act in good faith. In fact, dont even give them the benefit of doubt when you analyse them.
Their effort is illegal propaganda and damage control to further Treason and fascist operations in the USA. Now is the Time, folks.
Thanks TRex and spocko -
NPR’s rightward tilt breaks my heart.
KQED is NPR’s SF station – and has the largest listenership in public radio.
A great opportunity for a long-term campaign to reclaim public radio for the public.
KQED is so arrogant that they pushed the listenership to vote away control over the station.
Some weeks later KQED scheduled hate priest D’Souza for the local AM gabfest show.
A big “fuck off” to progressive/liberal/GBLT Bay Areans.
Who just happen to have all the media, technical, and organizing skills required to redirect corporate behavior.
And who just happen to have repatedly deployed those skills in successful high profile campaigns.
KQED is easily disrupted by legal means: polite phone campaigns during pledge drives (the human touch).
More ominously for KQED’s bottom line, sustained outreach to KQED’s local corporate/foundation donors about NPR’s fight against progressive values will dry up the station’s support base.
How many gay-friendly Bay Area businesses want to subsidize editorials written from homophobic (group)think tanks?
And how many will place KQED’s allegiance to NPR’s neocons ahead of their local customers?
KQED management will say they are not responsible for NPR programming.
But NPR charges for national programs by listenership – making KQED’s payment to NPR one of the largest for national programs.
Hmm.
Leverage, progressive values, and extremely effective media activists.
The Bay Area and KQED -
what better leverage to pry the neocons’ grubby hands off the controls at NPR?
Oifieldguy @ 153,
and senor, jour mode of diction puts me een mind of an Atriot, (from Eschaton) who originally went by the name konopelli, but has seence made great use of the moniker “Woody Guthrie’s Guitar”.
Hees blog ees called Walled-in Pond.
so.
johnSwifty
agreed but if I dont try i am as culpable as they are:)
Mark @ 142
Anyones guess. I hope the trial is televised. One reason the Libby trial was pre-empted by Anna Nicole Smith, is her hearings were televised. Despite the drama of the Libby closings, sketches and reporters narration did not do it justice. So no wonder Judge Larry was the lede that day. Had the Libby trial been televised, maybe even Rita Cosby would have covered it.
I suspect the Wilson’s want justice and not money, so I doubt they can be bought off to stop the suit. Plus, it is the pardon blocker. If Scooter is denied bail during appeal, perhaps the Wilson’s can put more pressure on him to flip in exchange for dropping him from the civil suit.
Hello Pach! Welcome to offshoot of ink, or something. I can never get that part right. However, I for one, will never confuse you with the infidels that cut the hearts from virgins like a barbaric Aztec.
That would be great! If you post it here lindy at lindysgraphics dot net.
El Gato, muchas gracias.
Dana- I don’t know- but I remember that ME (ME3) at one point said he was off to battle with the wingnuts. So, that would not be FDL. I will let you know if I find more about ME.
These two points really kind of say it all for me. Sorry, but I will not condone an exclusionary partisanship–and yes, these points do make you partisans, no matter what you try to claim–that ties support for troops or any other category of human beings to the conduct of an unjustified and illegal war. I also will not concede my opinion that this war is not and never was winnable in any way. You may commence with the namecalling and false accusations now.
(Not addressing you, Spocko. I know you’re just pointing to somebody else’s twisted message.)
They might try to fake something or provoke something, but again, that line of cops in between makes it pretty hard to claim that you had to personally defend yourself. They may fantasize that they’ll provoke something big, but I doubt it. The business at the last protest of the vet counter-protester supposedly being spat on may well have been a plant, and all it got them was about a day’s worth of tooth-gnashing, mostly on right-wing media.
queenie @ 9:41
Every little bit helps said the old lady as she peed in the sea ;-}
Lindy @161
Oh, Dear Congressman,
The shit faerie has befouled your office.
Sincerely
(that Mr. Empty Wheel and his Irish:)
He is here now as “perris”.
johnSwifty @178
Sigh…and I had promised myself to stop getting into pissing matches with garden hoses!
puppethead @ 153 says
March 6th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I listen to BBC World Service every night and it exhibits real journalism, but the thing that bothers me is that they always talk to the wingnut faction in the US when doing stories about America.
Ohhh, si, I weel never understand why the keep having Dana Rohrbacher on to geeve “the congressional perspective”.
They also used to have everyone’s favorite frothing loon William O’Donohue on, but they may have finally gotten enough info about heem to have changed thees.
so.
On c-span, the purged US attorney hearing is very interesting.
As Sen. Cardin put it, they have no choice now but to ‘move forward’ on it. Heads, prepare to roll.
-
TRex, LJ responded to you upthread.
The post-verdict picture in the New York Times of Cheney and Lieberman goosestepping through a government edifice is, well, priceless.
Congrats, FDL crew for great service to self-government.
Queenie’s Daughter – I think you need to decide what the main one or two things are that you are trying to communicate, and structure your letter around that – and what I hear from you are these two points – One: your staff person was rude and disrepectful and I think you should know about this. Two: Whatever your message was in the first place.
You can always write again in future – keeping it simple is good.
I hate when i can’t edit my comments. *sigh* the hardships of high traffic.
Hey TRex- did you see my link above to Susan Feeney at NPR? She is married to Steve Hirsh. I have been trying to google on this guy. So far, what little I have suggests he may have worked for Fauz neuz. But maybe it was a different Steve Hirsh.
TRex, you may not remember the actual ME/ aka ME3? He and Perris are def. not the same individuals. Trust me on that one.
Quentin C: On c-span, the purged US attorney hearing is very interesting.
As Sen. Cardin put it, they have no choice now but to ‘move forward’ on it. Heads, prepare to roll.
!!Please let one of them be Rep. Wilson!!
Gingrich couldn’t kill NPR, so he had it assimulated instead. Resistance is futile.
OK, FWIW, here’s my letter to ATC:
Fern@186
Excellent point … will continue to edit:)
johnSwifty @178
and by garden hoses I hope you know I meant congress
goosestepping through a government edifice
Looks more like duckwaddling, stepping on competitors’ eggs.
-
queenie:
please dont change this part. twas my fav:
TRex- ah… Perris used to be “me to me” (moniker), but the ME/ ME3 that bobtaco, Dana and I are referring to is not the same person.
Ooh, good one there Mutant Poodle.
TRex- or were you being too subtle for me?
Excellent work, Mutant Poodle. Top notch.
Send it both to the ombudsman and ATC.
queenies daughter @ 178: 707!!!!
I loved the way the fairy worked today!
TRex, I will work up a letter to NPR. It may take awhile before I am able to get it off. Some points that I will include, in case others on this blog have more time than me, will be to contrast the difference between what their initials stand for and a government tool, which is Pravda.
Valley Girl @ 197
I thought that was the same person.
Hey, “Quote this comment” is back.
Guys, I am never going to get caught up on all these comments, or at least not in the next few minutes. Are there pressing questions upthread that I should answer immediately?
ohhh i’m late again! damn! just wanna say today has been good for me all around ;o)- now the wingnuts are in full battle mode – fuck em!!
Mutant poodl,
Outstanding.
You know, these stories kind of make me sick to my stomach, but I thought I should tell you.
We have a new Jeff Gannon, the darling of the CPAC convention, Mark Sanchez, former gay porn star and male escort, who has been carrying right wing water claiming that as an Iraq veteran, he has been harassed and persecuted by pacifists.
Wow–thanks, VG. I read TRex’s note and my jaw dropped. I thought I would recognize the voice.
I used to love NPR. Now I only listed to Car Talk and Wait, Wait. . . . I can barely stand watching any news but Countdown. Is there a rule that Buchanan has to be ON EVERY NIGHT on Scarborough? I only watch parts of Hardball and Joe/Buchanan, depending on the topic, and even then, I have to turn it off because of high irritation levels.
Prowling time.
(choplick)
Hasta luego, perritos del fuego.
so.
TRex, the only things I am aware of is Spocko’s DC stuff and Johnson’s reply to you. Queenie wrote a great letter (under the nom de blog of keep em hungry)that is being tweaked.
Yes, the buttons are back – remember the zig limit is 3 – after that risks busting the margins.
It is really beyond me why there is sympathy for teh Libby. Because he has willingly and intentionally given cover (madness, madness, madness, give me back the truth!!) in this whole charade.
He has been paid off to be the fall guy. I don’t know why that is just not evident.
He should get whatever the highest medal of honor they have for chicken hawks who did not see battle and mistake this “falling on the grenade for Cheney” guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty for that.
Must.
Sleep.
Now.
*pzzzzf*
Suzanne
If you insist:) I will keep it in!
queenie @ 9:45
It’s a good letter. It’s good sentiment and it’s righteous indignation. There needs to be more energy focused towards a very direct call to action and I do applaud those who do it. I’m just sorry there aren’t more in the United States Congressional body.
I’ll admit the Libby verdict has actually depressed me a bit. Yes, he’s a lying sack of fecal matter and he’s just one sack on a big pile and maybe something will become of it; but that’s a felony conviction for one of the heads of state for our country. It’s good that justice is done, but it’s not good that we’re at this crossroads.
There’s a long dusty road to walk back to the point where America is moving in what I would call a positive direction. I know I should revel in this victory and laud it as a start in that direction; but, it still depresses me that we are even here. There were so many opportunities along the way to turn around and it just seemed so obviously the right thing to do. Now, years later, the jury member said today, “There were several manager types on the jury and when you laid the facts out it was just obvious he was guilty.” Well, its been obvious all along and, in a way, the guilty verdict has sort of verified a certain amount of depression over that fact.
I’ll get over it. Tomorrow is another day.
queenie’s daughter, i think you struck just the right tone in your letter. I’m kind of tired of being made to feel the humble peon by our oh so elite lawmakers and their flappers.
Redshift@138
Don’t forget the power of passive resistance. If they attack in any way (God forbid!) just lie down/curl up and cover your head. The video images of a bunch of rabid Right Wingers beating on peaceful protesters would speak more eloquently than any op/ed piece could ever do. It would expose, once and for all, what these people really stand for. And I would imagine that Ghandi and MLK Jr. would be proud of your actions. And Peace be with you.
Hey TRex- thanks for the Sanchez link… and if you follow the links there, his “cell phone number” is prominently displayed. Tho that is probably inoperative by now…
TRex @
204
Ha ha ha. Anyone have porno netflix? I suddenly find this guy quite compelling.
I needed a good laugh.
TRex @ 204
I guess in order to find people willing to do things like that, one has to be willing to tolerate a few personality “quirks”.
johnSwifty@211
I feel you. I am a bit down as well. I dont have faith that career politicians and money hungry war mongers can be persuaded to put things right. I am sort of nervous about the day after when all is swept under the carpet and business as usual is resumed.
Since I am not a religious man I cannot even be comforted by divine justice I can only hope to do my own best. And I have a sense that my own best will require alot of postage:)
queenies daughter @ 210
BTW, Conyers still has a blog. I don’t about the comment policy now, but the blog is here
If you can post there, that is another option…
p.s. edit- an additional option/ way to make the point
Lindy @ 212
that is exactly how I feel! especially since so few of them are willing to walk their talk.
I really hate people like Mark Sanchez. These gay men glomming on to the ButtPluglicans and never stopping to think how they are contributing to their own oppression. It makes me violently angry. I think about people like Matthew Shepard and my blood just starts to boil.
Okay.
Deep breaths.
Counting slowly to ten and back down.
alright, pups… time for me to turn in.
Hope everyone has a lovely night and a pleasant tomorrow. I am holding out for solid food tomorrow…. that’s my wish.
Ah, what a day. And yet there are STILL killjoys out there. I really don’t get the “It’s all going to end here” line. At the very minimum, there’s the Wilson/Plame civil trial. And there’s just no way in hell Libby’s going to get immunity for that. Committing four felonies is not part of anyone’s job description, so the “I was just doing my job” defense isn’t going to hold water. As for Congress, they may investigate, they may not. I suspect that they won’t, but Fitz has wrapped up a bunch of GJ testimony in a nice little bow for them. Bush and Cheney will probably keep stonewalling on this case, but if they rile Congress enough, all they have to do is release that testimony. I’d love to hear Rove #1-5.
Valley Girl @ 218
Ohhhhhh….you rock! that is an awesome idea! Thanks!
queenies daughter @ 217
I’m not a religious man either; but I do subscribe to a certain respect for the wyrd…the fickleness of fate and the strange coincidental occurrence of a butterfly’s wingbeat and a typhoon a hundred miles away.
The romantic notion that your letter will be the snowflake that starts an avalanche is the happy thought I take to bed tonight.
Goodnight, and good luck (and Murrow never meant it more!).
patrick rex @ 221
Good night.
Feel better.
Mark Sanchez is totally busted. No more fun for him.
They gonna run from him tomorrow.
He got what he needed. They don’t want him any more.
johnSwifty@224
I am reminded of the butterfly that stamped, oh best beleved…thx
The BBC ees covering the Plame trial right now.
Joo can, eef joo weesh, leesten een here.
They do no sound like they are going easy on Scooter.
so.
I think some people are feeling the aftereffects of a lot of adrenaline today. I was taught in the academy that it is common to have a certain amout of low after the big high produced during an emotional or physical event. That it was due to the push of internally produced chemicals, such as adrenaline, manufactured during such events.
Not sure if that is accurate or not, but I have noticed that effect to be true – at least with me.
I sleep now that I may edit fresh tomorrow …thanks for all the help.
Plame questions I’d still like to see answered:
1. Who told the Shooter that Plame worked at the CIA? What, exactly, did that person say?
2. Who told Armitage about Plame? Did he really read about her in a memo (marked “Secret”), or did someone feed him the information?
3. How did Rove duck an indictment? Was it really a case of “the fifth time’s the charm”, or did he work out some sort of deal with Fitz? (”Oh, you mean THESE 250 e-mails!”)
4. What was in that e-mail that Fitz mentioned in his opening statement? We never saw it at trial.
5. Who were the players in 1×2×6? I’m still not entirely convinced we know for sure.
Mmmmm.
Sesame semolina toast with butter.
Wish I had me some vegemite.
Larry Johnson says: “For what it is worth, Mary Louise Kelly called and interviewed me today. I understand the piece will air tomorrow morning(March 7). As most probably know I’m strongly in the Val and Joe camp. In my experience up to this point Mary Louise has been fair. LJ”
Thanks for the heads up. I’ll check it out. I’ve been enjoyng the post on your blog. Keep up the good work.
johnSwifty @ 211
The problem is that they don’t want to do anything if they don’t have the “votes”. They should be introducing resolutions and legislation even if they has no hope of passing. The more radical the better. That way it gets into the news cycle and starts to erode resistance to more reasonable proposals. Of course it would be nice if we could push our own (non-whimpy if not outright combative)talking heads onto the news shows.
Suzanne, I guess that is why lots of attorneys, actors, and artists (among others) use alcohol and other substances. Too many roller coaster rides.
queenies daughter @ 226
More like the quantum theory of a butterfly in australia flapping its wings and causing a hurricane halfway across the world. Always a neat little image. *grins* Always the little things that build the big things, which was proven long before physics got their point of view in.
(Terry Pratchett played with that concept in The Last Continent. Excellent read. hehe. XD )
TRex @
204
oh
my
god
.
he was on the factor, right after billo’s rant about the colt studio proclamation our mayor signed for their 40th anniversary….
TRex @ 232
TRex- I just happen to have a 235g jar of vegemite, vitually untouched. Oz friend brought it to me… but what I really wanted was Marmite… Where can I send it?
he was on the factor, right after billo’s rant about the colt studio proclamation our mayor signed for their 40th anniversary….
teddy, ko has got to be told about this
TRex,
I’m late to your party as usual. There’s one thing on which I must disagree. You offer Mr. Goure the excuse of, perhaps, being something of a simpleton. He, in fact, may be one but his remarks are too disingenuous to be taken at face value. I would put them pretty much in the same category of the remarks made by the smarmy shill who said a few days ago that Ann Coulter’s use of the word faggot should be taken in it’s original context: a bundle of sticks.
These people are not simpletons any more than they are naive and innocent and we should not allow them that excuse. These people are willful, hypocritical liars. May they rot in their own delusionary version of hell. Let Dante sort ‘em out.
The editors of NPR need to grow a pair. And they need to give Juan Williams, Cokie Roberts and Mara Liasson back to Fox News, where they belong.
NPR is considerably responsible for the lack of outrage on the part of the educated public over the wrongdoing of this administration.
Sesame semolina toast–the best!! G’nite, all. I’m completely exhausted.
I think the surprise in all the investigations lately is the case of the fired prosecutors. That’s going to get bigger and bigger.
Thanks again for everything FDL.
Awesome coverage. Awesome people (and cats).
;) See ya!
aliasofwestgate @ 236
More like the quantum theory of a butterfly in australia flapping its wings and causing a hurricane halfway across the world. Always a neat little image. *grins* Always the little things that build the big things, which was proven long before physics got their point of view in.
(Terry Pratchett played with that concept in The Last Continent. Excellent read. hehe. XD )
Sorry, I got the point but was being fey – thanks for the reading reccomendation. A good book is just what the doctor ordered and a trip tot he Community Bookstory in Bklyn is always a soul soother.
I didn’t hear this particular piece.
However, I did hear Matt Cooper on All Things Considered. He was great, and puts to the lie to the thesis of the post here.
I paraphrase: “Does the fact that this is a perjury conviction, but no one was prosecuted for the leak, diminish the importance of the Libby verdict?” Cooper: “This is a normal way to get at people in criminal conspiracies; they got Al Capone on tax evasion.”
Wow! Best quote I’ve heard, frankly. We have to quit whining every time somebody we don’t like is on the news. All Things Considered did a great job of covering today’s Libby news, in the segments I heard.
tryggth @
97
Well, his heart IS broken, right? I mean stents, pacemaker, etc. So technically correct.
Frank Probst@222 you rock. My sentiments exactly although I haven’t nearly your force of articulation. Kudos
Russert on the Conan re-run tonight referred to his own bobblehead doll as having a potatohead. hehe.
Valley Girl @ 175
His board still appears to be up:
http://fusioner.proboards60.co…..rd=general
Suzanne @ 229
Excellent comment Suzanne I agree
montag @ 241
In agreement Montag
bobtaco @ 249
Thanks for the link! I don’t have time to check it out this eve, tho… but, maybe if there is a place to email him, I will let him know that FDL folks were asking about him.
bg @ 243
love you bg :))
I had vegemite once. Being the diplomat I am, I merely ran from the room.
Suzanne @ 229
As a West Coaster, I can relate. I got up this morning, heard, via David Schuster at MSNBC, the jury “was dressed up” this morning. Long bus ride to work, logged into FDL first thing only to read the verdict will be announced within the hour. Resisted hitting refresh button, site crashed, went to MSNBC.com to get verdict. Spent morning sharing the news w/compatriots, sh*t eating grin on my face all day. By mid-afternoon, adrenalin started to wear off, so wanted to go home, especially as East Coasters started to comment on Tweety and KO. A roller-coaster of a day if there ever was one.
Spent the day thanking stars/God/gods/goddesses/powers that be for Team Fitz, FDL, and all who post here. We are all truly blessed by having one another. Admit it, WE FUCKING ROCK!
lindy. I sent you the PR info for Allison at the email address you posted.
For the rest of you, here is the MP3 podcast of
Allison Hantschel (Athenae of the blog First Draft) on the Coy Barefoot show. What is interesting is just how right she and the other bloggers who wrote about Feith were. YEARS ago they saw who was feeding Cheney what he wanted so the Iraq war could be sold to the American Public.
http://www.cvillepodcast.com/p…..070222.mp3
And of course Feith goes on the shows screaming, “See! They said what I did WASN’T illegal!” But of course they also said it wasn’t UNAUTHORIZED either. Which means someone authorized it. And that someone (Cheney) is looking for the same kind of intel for Iran.
Allison explains it all very well in the interview. It runs about 27 minutes.
bobtaco, Yes, I did check it out. But I don’t believe he’s been active for quite a long time. I looked at his own dates. I could be wrong; I didn’t search long.
It seems we need to all take a moment to thank the cats, dogs, and/or fish (remembering litigatorboy) in our lives
Great post, and I agree about NPR; they have totally lost it nowadays.
But…you write
But…I noted this yesterday. “Meretricious” does not mean what you think it means. It’s a wonderful word that has rapier-like powers in the hands of those who understand its true meaning, and it is extremely useful in describing many of the gaudy morons who infest and infect our national discourse…but, gosh darn it, you’ve used it incorrectly; the pointy part of the rapier needs to be facing away from the user.
Dana- what are we doing up so late? I also checked the dates on the board, and I agree… comments more recent, but not original posts in quite a while.
fahrender at 240
You know how Ann Coulter gets away with everything by saying, “It’s a JOKE!”?
Listen to this “joke” where Melanie Morgan and “Officer Vic” of Disney station KSFO 560 AM in San Francisco laugh at the death of UN Peacekeepers.
This is not funny and sick on so very many levels.
Context? They were talking about the bombing in Lebanon where four UN Peacekeepers died.
Listen:
Ann Coulter “On the bright side we hit a couple of UN peacekeepers.” (WMA audio link)
All in all, the last seven weeks have been pretty amazing, and everyone at FDL who helped pull this off should be very pleased with the coverage, from body language to the play-by-play, to dissection of the legal minutae to who had what in the cafeteria and who paid. :)
And to think that right-wing bloggers only have the empty-headed whining of Michelle Malkin, the grumpy proselytizing of Hugh Hewitt and the intellectual jerking-off of Jonah Goldberg to keep them occupied…. They are a deprived lot, aren’t they? :)
Kristine @ 213
Spocko and Kristine, thanks for your concern about the safet of the Code Pink protesters.
Our right to assemble is so terribly important, I’m weighing in even though Redshift already covered this.
I’ve co-organized medical services for a very large DC protest, and kept in touch with other protest medics’ observations of DC law enforcements’
public suppressionviolencetactics*.They’ll keep the wingnuts away from Code Pink.
Wingnuts who blog about packing heat at Park Service demos ensure maximum attention there from the Feds. (As if the Feds already scoping out Code Pink weren’t enough.)
Hope folks will turn out for the Code Pink action in solidarity and large numbers.
_______________________________________________________________
[*After the success of the Seattle WTO protests, the next big “set piece” action opposing the megacorps was the April, 2000 IMF/World Bank protests.
We planned to encircle and shut down the hangout for the megacorps’ enforcers.
In the heart of the megacorps’ Empire.
We failed.
Co-coordinating the medical collective gave me a lot of exposure to the DC/Park Service/assorted Feds’ crowd control tactics.
Regarding firearms, here’s my bet:
The same uniformed people who beat up and maimed many activists in April 2000 will be protecting their turf from firearms in the post-”terra” era.
They’ll see firearms in the District as a greater threat than - with all respect - another Code Pink action…so I’d expect Code Pink will be protected, should any wingers threaten to show up with weapons.]
WarrenS @
259
Oh, dammit. I meant to write “mendacious”. I just fixed it.
WarrenS- I don’t get your point.
2 a: tawdrily and falsely attractive
b: superficially significant : pretentious
http://209.161.33.50/dictionary/meretricious
oh… never mind…
WarrenS @ 259
Umm, actually, the root definition is to relate to or resemble the customs of prostitutes or prostitution.
That seems to me to fit quite well with what Toensing is and was doing…. :)
Queenie’s Daughter.–
I may have errored on the book title. I know for sure it’s either The Last Continent or Interesting Times. Let me go check. Either way, the author is the correct one. *grins*
Although it is a good word to associate with Toensing.
Valley Girl @ 265
Cheney did not leak- No, he directed others to do it for him. He’s a chicken shit coward like the rest of the republic party.
Phoenix Woman @
61
Phoenix Woman:
I know I’m basically repeating what I said to TRex but, please do not offer Goure the rationalization that he “may not consciously realize what he just did”. He is conscious of it. It was deliberately done. This is First Degree Bullshitting. It is willful lying. There is no excuse for it. We must not allow him any wiggle room any more than the Libby jury allowed Irving wiggle room.
loving FDL (((hugs)))
tmp @
272
loving our readers
{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}
VG– I am up late because the whole day rocked!! I logging off now, truly. Good night to you and TRex and all the rest of the FDL’ers!
Dana @ 274
Hey, hon! I was just thinking about you. I got some semolina bread at the bakery yesterday.
TRex, I bought some yesterday! Good night before I fall face down on my keyboard–
TRex, YGM
Tuesday March 6th 2007. The First Fitzmas.
I thank the goddesses of Justice and Liberty. I thank Jane, Christy, Marcy, Pach, TRex and all of the rest of the Pantheon at FDL. We had a good November 2006 and we’re having a hell of a March 2007!
This week we celebrate. Monday begins the next campaign!
Thank you, one and all.
This ‘pup has gotta go get ready for work. It’s almost 8AM Wednesday over here in Dresden. Tschuess!
spocko @
256
Spoko, thanks. Mail server is down for maintenance, so I’ll pick it up in the morning.
Gonna bug out early tonight, folks. Had to get up way before my usual crack of noon to have the house ready for an early morning showing – that never showed up nor called the rat bastoid.
I’m going to crawl into bed. G’nite all
kirk murphy @263 Thanks! That is VERY helpful.
Morgan really loves to use tough talk and then she pretends that the words don’t mean EXACTLY what she knows they mean.
She gets busted on her word choice time and time again and still keeps weaseling out of any responsibility for her violent rhetoric.
Speaking of violence and Melanie Morgan:
Did any of you read about the homeless woman who was burned alive in San Francisco? Disgusting and morally repugnant right? Well it happened on 1/12/2007. The same day that Morgan, Sussman, Rodgers and Benner were “fighting back” against us evil bloggers who dared tell their advertisers what they were paying to be part of.
And what comment DIDN’T they address on that show? The burning an alleged arsonist alive. That is the audio link.
Now did the women who burned alive the homeless woman listen to Rodgers and Morgan when they said that a person be hogtied and tied to a post and burned alive?
Probably not. But you know who DID listen?
Disney executives. And they approved of these people’s comments. The Disney brand now includes support for suggestions that people be burned alive.
Disney has not disconnected themselves from these people. Since they want the KSFO money, they should get the taint too.
Fitzmas?
yes:
(may we all bow our heads in Holy prayer.
… prayer over.)
FitzMASSIVE!!
(let us ROCK with Fire Dogs!!)
Goddess(es) and Green Tara Bless FDL!
I always get here too late to be ‘part of’ (I was a poll worker today!), but both TRex’s post and the subsequent comments have me floored. I thought maybe it was just me, but the way Nationalre Publican Radio has been twisting rightward is really upsetting. Thanks, Ken Tomlinson. Plus, their sponsors are starting to sound suspiciously and overly corporate.
But that’s par for the course from this Administration. If they can’t kill something they don’t like outright, they appoint someone to infiltrate it and destroy it from within.
Great letters, everyone!
OT- Moving the Presidential Primary in Califormia is now in the hands of the governator.
Alicia @ 283
Okay, I’ll stay up a little longer.
What’s happenin’, hot stuff?
Karl Rove spotted in San Francisco parade
punaise @ 286
A more than passable likeness, that. :)
yellowdog jim @ 282
or appropriate ceremonial observances in keeping with your tribe’s faith traditions.
punaise @ 286
I rather think he’d be leading it, don’t you?
;>)
darkblack @ 289
DB!!
Good to see you.
Man, I’m still reeling from the CoulterWurm. It’s beautifully hideous. A masterpiece.
I took the day off from work to go to Soldier field and support the Chicago 2016 bid. On the way in, our Air America Afilliate’s broadcast of the Bill Press Show featured a similarly fertilizer filled interview with motherTucker Carlson.
According to the fabulous (and very heterosexual) Tuckface, the Walter Reed scandal is an example of why the government shouldn’t provide our health care.
Did Bill Press call him out on the fact that 250 of 300 the Walter Reed employees quit when Bush privatized the facility, in dodgy bidding process Cheney/BushCo gave the contract to the same Halliburton connected company that botched aiding Katrina victims with ice deliveries.
Give me a Tucking break.
Later, after reading the news of the verdict online, I was in my car and heard this twit on NPR spew this nonsense.
Then, at the end of the night i thought I actually heard Bill O’Reilly informing an ill-informed wingnut the basic facts of the Plame case. Almost. He turned it around at the end, saying maybe you’re right and she was not an undercover agent.
Disinformation is potent. if only the truth could come out and be easily explained to a popuation that that doesn’t to hear it.
Well, you know what I always say. . .
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7VW03ZBybu4
Okay, kids. I’m tired. Off to bed.
Play nice, now.
Good night!
Spocko @ 281:
Glad to be of service!
Thanks again for your campaign against KSFO and corporate media’s “hate radio” profit centers.
That work must be very time consuming…
but if you (or any media activists you know) would like to take on NPR/KQED, they are vulnerable in the Bay Area.
More up on comment 168….
Don’t look upon her visage for too long, T…Her beguilement portends a man’s doom.
;>)
Don’t stay up too late, TRex – I’m going to turn in, too – just wanted to stick my head in and be a part of this huge and powerful day! I hope everyone here on FDL is aware of what a difference you’ve made in the way people are getting their information. What were the stats today?
Party tonight, kick ass tomorrow!
Hi, late niters! I’m finally home and sipping some bubbly. It’s not so much a celebration of the verdict today, it’s more like celebrating the beginning of the end of the Bush regime.
And remember, Fitz said the investigation is inactive, not closed. He’s so careful with his words, that must mean something. :)
Even if the fools at NPR allow idiots to clutter their airtime, we know better.
Oh, look who made a funny:
Starpulse
Of course it does…Like that time that it asked everyone to read your lips?
Cue the theme
;>)
May the Iraqi dead haunt Scooter’s twisted dreams.
-
ReNAMBLAcan thuggery.
-
TRex @ Top:
Okay. That one’s going into the next edition of Bartlett’s.
Thanks, TRex. Brilliant snark.
Buchanan was mentioned upthread, and I saw him on Scarborough. Besides the usual boneheaded crap he spews, he was angry that there’s no investigation into the Niger forgeries. Someone tried to lie us into war, why isn’t the Bush administration mad?
Good question. But they don’t have to ask questions when they already have the answers. IMHO anyway.
My NPR letter:
Driving between locations on my job this afternoon, I caught Dan Goure’s commentary regarding the Libby verdict on ATC. I had to hear it again tonight when I got home, on my laptop, to make sure what I thought I heard earlier was correct. It was.
When friends get in trouble, we tend to reach out, sometimes irrationally. That is what Mr. Goure did on your dime. Maybe the next time somebody from the Lexington Foundation has a friend get a DWI, you can get another one of their “fellows” to help us see the injustice in that too. If nobody in your editors’ room realizes how important this trIal and verdict are, I feel your show has lost any sense of perspective.
I can tune over to my AM dial to hear such uninformed people being passed off as authoritative all day long. More and more, I hear shoddy commentaries like Mr. Goure’s on ATC. Is this the new direction of journalism at NPR, or did somebody just mess up?
kirk murphy @ 263
For what it’s worth, the DC police have gotten spanked in court several times since then for their treatment of protesters, and they’re more hands-off these days for peaceful protesters. However, I would agree that threats of illegal weapons and violence will get their attention.
The mods may be asleep. Nite, gang. Merry Fitzmas!
d f i f t g l a s s opines. don’t miss the graphic.
punaise @ 304
Along with TRex, everyone is coming up with great stuff this evening… digby sez, “Cheney is running all over the world babbling and shaking his fist like some sort of Hunter S. Thompson hallucination.”
justice has prevailed. bonne nuit
spocko @
46
Last night BBC 10 o’clock news programme on the little island had some idiot doing exactly, and I mean exactly, the same spiel. There is so obviously a talking points list out there. BBS did run Sid Blumenthal as well though. Not sure how many people over here care though or understand what your leaders are doing to the World.
JGabriel @
300
Hey, a tasty treat for reading the thread backwards. Ding, TRex!
From the graveyard shift of the second day of Fitzmas, another tasty treat, at WaPo by way of Josh Marshall:
One last item. Twice today, while discussing the Libby verdict on tv, different pundits made bitter jokes about the US Attorneys getting fired.
Michael Isikoff (sp?) and VanderHei were on Hardball, discussing Cheney and if he would stay in office. Isikoff said he could be replaced as fast as a US Attorney (that’s paraphrased).
Then Bob Shrum was discussing Fitz, and said he was heading back to Chicago, until he gets fired too, like the other USAs. He was arguing with Ed Rogers, and it was great to watch Rogers fuming with indignation. What a whiner.
Everyone is paying attention to the purge of USAs. One blog (I’ll try to find tomorrow so they can have credit) calls them the Pearl Harbor Seven, since they were all called on Dec 7th and fired. There are actually eight, but I don’t know the timing of the last one.
spocko @
261
Just listened. You cannot imagine how that sounds from outside the USA. We worry here a lot about anti-Americanism. It is that sort of Americans we hate.
It has always been my view that in the whole run up to Iraq the destruction or emasculation (yes that is the word I wanted), of the UN was not just a by blow but a primary aim of the Neocons.I hope all you Firepups go around talking up the UN as often as possible. Please!!! On this the World depends on the long term defeat pof the Neocons.
Also thankyou thankyou thankyou to the team covering the trial. I can get some sleep now.
I have a friend who just finished an internship at NPR. My friend worked in production and had the opportunity to watch the process of the development and assembling of programs, including ATC.
It was very clear that stories were not only being filtered by producers, the content was being tailored to fit a conservative idealogical pre-conception; facts that didn’t “fit” were downplayed or omitted. Librul media my *…
I know I’m deep in EPU territory now, but speaking of the U.N., it appears our gummint has again bailed on the Human Rights Council…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl…..98,00.html
Good morning everyone,
Russert and Matthews to be on Imus this morning.
I’ve switched to coffee, but its going to be one long day in the resource room of a certain middle school.
Kristine @ 213
PLEASE.Under no circumstances lie down/curl up and cover your head!They will kick it!Evasive action(The way the cameras cover us in slo-mo)There is no such thing as a fair fight.Moving target and minimal energy expense with an added aim of allowing the aggressor to appear ridiculous seems to be a viable strategy.Watch out it isn’t used against you.
Just a though(or few)
Imus knows nothing about Joe Wilson.
GAG
Jenna Bush Writing Book About Single Mom
NEW YORK — First daughter Jenna Bush is writing a nonfiction book for young adults, “Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope,” that will center on a 17-year-old single mother who is HIV positive.
Based on her time working for UNICEF, the book will be published this fall by HarperCollins.
“I have been inspired by my work with adolescents in Central and South America,” Jenna Bush said in a statement released by her publisher on Tuesday.
Imus, you’re listening to the wrong people.
Wise up.
GAG
Fred Hiatt’s at it again in the WaPo:
Same bullshit as always. What a loser.
Trex:
Just wanted to jump in at the end of the thread and thank you for the post. Nicely done. I am copying it and will use it as a model of reply to the lame comments that my Repub associates will hit me with in the next few days!!!
Thank God he asked Fineman.
So, Mr. Fineman,
Why not follow up?
Good morning, pups. It’s Thomas Friedman, Rory Stewart and Judith Warner in the NYT today. Ms. Warner has some words for Ann Coulter.
http://mgpaquin.blogspot.com/
Help yourselves to coffee and tea, and take a blueberry muffin too. Have a great Wednesday.
Raven @ 317
Harper Collins=Rupert Murdoch
It’s the plate that used to have Judith Reagan.
‘Nuf said
If anybody has an alternate phone # for whoever’s left at Plame House coould you plaese cll over there and make sure MArcy is awake?
I tried to call her cell phone for her 6:30 wake up call, but it went straigh to voicemail.
She has a radio interview at 8 and needs to start caffiene loading NOW
TRex, you never disappoint.
“You’re soaking in it” — nice.
What about perjury and obstruction of justice as crimes doesn’t Dan Goure understand?
Coming up, David Shuster
How sad for Bernie and Imus and Charles that they haven’t done any research.
Steaming horseshit indeed! I am astonished at the coverage in the MSM (including NPR) and will immediately apply TRex’s advice on writing angry letters to newspapers and Congress.
just goddamn the goddamn goddamn.
Morning, all. Hey, lhp!
NPRs been suckin’ for years. I told y’all about when they had Marcy on, as counterpoint to some MSM hack. The next piece was about bloggers on the take.
Screw ‘em. The wingers got to them already.
Morning Pups, rainy afternoon here (what else is new.) If your throbbing head needs a good laugh, check out the SF Chronicle’s Bad Reporter.
Imprisoned Libby Converts to Islam.
Cheney Operated On at Walter Reed.
Mornin’ all!!!
Yes indeed. Lewinski precedent. Cheney cannot hide. He can be brought to trial and can be cited for perjury if he does not match the record.No Executive Privilege. If he resigns for health reasons and the civil proceedings carry forward then he no longer can claim criminal privilege when it expands the Fitz sealed material?
AWOL-”We’ll be dead before anyone knows.”
Politically speaking, that’s true now.
twolf!
Leg @
291
It proves exactly the opposite. Walter Reed went to hell when they “unleashed the miracle of free enterprise” on it (to use one of my favorite Reaganisms). In fact, the inefficiency of U.S. healthcare is the best refutation of Reagan’s unseen-hand nonsense.
Hi Tommy! Happy day-after-Fitzmas!
Let me dash a quick note off to Imus:
I wonder if you know what type of person would buy your wonderful new product, GTC?
CSPAN is taking calls about the Libby verdict…
twolf1 @ 338
Mmmm. Wait a moment, I’m savoring. Oh, yeah. Oooh.
Yup, feels just as good this morning!
Republicans could face new ethics probes
twolf1 @ 340
some of the calls are just plain painful to listen to.
jeebus!
oh, and hi tommy and it is just wonderful about little Esten.
Fred Hiatt’s editorial today has pissed me off to no end. What the hell is wrong with that man?
angie @ 344
…tell me about it! It wouldn’t hurt some of these people to
turn on the news once in a whileread through some FDL articles!Imus ‘lert:
Russert up next [hear the Instant Replay on wfan.com]
Meanwhile, Kelly O’Donnell doing steno duty this morning for the WH. Shorter version: Kindly Unca Dick just wanted to know if there was nepotism in that trip.
This from the guy that puts his daughter and son-in-law on the crony-dole in State and Homeland Security. Obstruct away, Chee-knees.
What’s on the menu this AM Tommy?
Feds test new data mining program
heh, twolf1!
How in the world are we ever going to rid ourselves of these
neanderthalsfools?“Imprisoned Libby Converts to Islam.
Cheney Operated On at Walter Reed. “
…………or like the Enron corpse!
twolf1 @ 347
I just whipped up a shallot fritatta, with red cow reggiano. Fresh mango and polenta on the side. Lots of hot, strong sumatra too!
tommy yum @ 352
mmmmmmmmmmm…
angie @
350
Good question. We do have a powerful weapon called ‘teh facts’!
Russert asserting that the unanswered questions [what was WH action/involvement in Plame leak] should still be asked.
Mr. S says there’s one group that can do it.
Congress, says I.
No, says he. The press. They can keep asking questions and not get snowed by Tony.
Time to put Dana Priest on the story.
bobtaco @ 112
Can somebody tell me about “Me” — did he pass on? Can somebody link to a comment by him?
I’m stunned (half way through it, it’s long) at the good writing, and of course, the inside info, of the juror’s tale of deliberation at HuffPo.
I love this TRex snark. My belly laugh for the morning:
My action plan for the week:
1. Donation (however humble) to FDL
2. Donation (again hh) to http://www.wilsonsupport.org/donate for their civil suit
3. Write to my congress people–tell them to get going on the investigation of the CIA Leak
4. Buy a copy of Anatomy of Deceit and give it to a factually challenged republican.
Good morning! It’s snowing this morning in DC. There’s a light dusting outside. Very quiet and peaceful.
have you seen this article on Huff about the gay porn star Marine hangin with Coult? Sanchez
good morning, all… coffee’s ready…
well, what are we going to do with ourselves today without our lucky shoes or dinosaur suits?
Does anyone remember what interview show Marcy was doing this morning?
Isikoff re bloggers at Libby trial on cspan…
“bloggers were a useful source…”
Isikoff checked in to find out what was going on.
nervous laughter.
It’s “new”.
angie @ 366
Yep, he tried to pass the blogging off as silly and frivolous (those crazy obsessive bloggers) but then admitted to reading the live blogging because he couldn’t be at the trial every day.
trifecta @ 344
These wingnuts must live in an alternate universe where fact and logic have no relevance. Hiatt would have us believe that the Ashcroft/Bush DoJ appointed an Special Counsel to pursue the non-crime of outing a non-covert CIA employee, and that “Cheney and Mr. Libby were overbearing in their zeal to rebut Mr. Wilson and careless in their handling of classified information.” What classified information if not the identity of a covert agent? Recall that Bush claims to have given Cheney power to declassify almost anything.
Hiatt continues directly: “Mr. Libby’s subsequent false statements were reprehensible.” They weren’t merely “reprehensible.” If there was no underlying crime, they were monumentally stupid. If they hadn’t outted a covert agent and everything they said had been declassified by Cheney, why commit perjury? In and of itself, this article by Hiatt is one of the silliest things I’ve ever read. And that’s before we start checking his facts.
Good Morning Firedogs,
today is Boxing Day, the day after Fitzmas when all good rabid lambs contact Chairman Conyers so Fitz will send BOXES of documents over
Office
2426 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5126
(202) 225-0072 Fax
Judiciary Comm.
2138 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
p/202-225-3951
Yo, ‘Pups!! How’s your morning-after going?
Bloody awful local news got it wrong last night, lede on telly said Scooter was convicted of leaking. Wishful thinking, but utterly wrong.
I swear they all need to be replaced by citizens armed with camera phones and nothing but YouTube.
Morning Rayne! Did you see the pics?
same steaming pile at the Washington Post today
couple of questions for the experts here:
1. Is it true that this conviction, even if Libby is pardoned, makes the civil case more damaging against him?
2. Isn’t it true that if Libby is pardoned, he can’t hide behind self-incrimination when questioned and must be honest & forthwith with investigations, Congress, etc.?
thanks
twolf1 @ 360
Yes!!! And thank you for your great YouTubes of Fitz’s presser.
twolf1 @ 367– you captured it perfectly.
Mr. Isikoff and all the rest of the MSM– hit the paypal button and pay the folks who did your job!
Oh and can y’all start telling the truth now that we know you read here?
Go FDL!
and how the hell are y’all this morning ?
hey – Rayne! thank you again for yesterday – your dispatches kept me from climbing the walls of a very crowded restaurant xxxoooxxx
did anyone (Angie) watch the USA hearings yesterday ? was there promise of movement from any of the congresscritters ? have it on tivo but haven’t had the chance to skim through it yet
Pat_AlexVA @ 371
You pictures are AWESOME! Better than almost any of the reuters/AP.
cbl @ 369
Thank you!
JoyB @ 374
No problem. I just wish i had recorded it from CSPAN instead of MSNBC. CSPAN carried the whole thing while MSNBC cut away to hear the juror speak.
‘…pie hole on national radio…’
ladies and gentlemen it’s time to tune in to yer favourite pie hole. it’s gonna scream. it’s gonna justify. and by golly it just might convince you there’s nothin’ here to see. While you’re here jus dab yer eyes with our new ‘pie hole flag tissues’ available in the new convenient handy dispenser packaging (made in china by reNAMBLAcan inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Newer Life Family Values War and God Outreach).
so gather round. it’s ‘pie hole hour’ on national radio!!!
oh and I see in the great Fitzmas tradition the wingers are celebrating The Feast of St. Irving, the first (of many) martyrs – bwaaahaaaahaaa!
Schuster now on Imus. Giving the smackdown to Washington Post’s spotty editorial standards.
Great sound! Hear it on wfan.com “Instant Replay” if you don’t have msnbc.com
what pics ?
NPR’s “On Point” today with Tom Ashbrook will be talking about Libby. It would be great if some Firepups called in!
(800)423-8255 from 10-12 EST
Pat_AlexVA — NO!! Where are they??? I want to see the pics!!!
cbl — no problem at all, although I was having a yucky time with the cell phone. Don’t know if I dropped Pat once or twice, phone died after my last phone call with him.
Damn, if I’d know tommy was slinging such tasty chow this morning, I’d have skipped making dirty fried rice…
marjo @ 373
This case brought forth a lot of useful evidence for the civil case.
It would seem that whether he gets pardoned or not, if he loses his appeal, he loses any chanchide behind the fifth amendment on these matters.
Here are my shots from yesturday. They seem to have loaded in reverse order. The jacket pics… well, you have to remember who forgot their jacket.
That HuffPo jury deliberation piece will snuff out all the wingnut spin that the jury was confused. Absolutely mindblowing that there was a lawyer on the jury, as well as this writer, with a novel about the CIA just out, who worked for Woodward and WaPo, knew Pincus and Isikoff, and shared backyards with Russert.
Shuster said blogs are the future~!
looseheadprop @ 326
didn’t Literary Jenna or her *cough* ‘publisher’ also say the book speaks in a voice similar to Anne Frank?
didn’t Literary Jenna or her *cough* ‘publisher’ also say the book speaks in a voice similar to Anne Frank?
puleeeze
Mabel’s Wig Shack @ 389
More like in a voice similar to Ann Coulter….
Those photos Pat_AlexVA took are absolutely not to be missed.
Wow.
Swopa, you must have been a bad boy to be baited by these folks.
Matthews coming up next on Imus.
Schuster mentioned itching to get on to more stories, like Walter Reed.
We’ve found fault with a lot of reporting about BushCo in the last six years. Lord knows there’s been waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too much steno-ing. But this is also a good time to salute the reporters who serve the country well.
Schuster and Priest and Hall [Hull?, my apologies for not knowing Priest’s colleague on the tip of my tongue] outstanding among ‘em.
Great post TRex! I heard that commentary on NPR last night and was fuming – you put the case perfectly, as always.
Did anyone catch David Gergen gushing about “the quality of people on the jury” and then dissing the Wilsons and dismissing the importance of the case las night? It seems to me that the contrast between the integrity and respect for the Constitution displayed by the jury, judge and prosecutor in this case and the utter lack of those qualities in the President, Vice President and their staffs is quite striking. Gee, if we only we had this “quality of people” in government.
Crazy Horse @ 388
I bring you insight from Upton Sinclar: It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.
The wingnuts do not operate as good faith parties acting within political deliberations to form good policy. No set of facts, however monstrous, will snuff out their spinning, just as no set of facts will keep a good defense lawyer from advocating for their client. The wingnuts are paid advocates.
For instance, try this on for size: “We all know how liberal the media is, and one of the jury members had a clear bias to ‘get’ Scooter Libby. He even knew many of the other liberal media figures who figured in the case. Who knows what they told him?”
And I’m just an amateur at this…
Well firepups, do you think there is any chance that Karl Rove and Rishard Armitage and Cathie Martin and Cathie Mayfield and etc and etc will be frogmarched up to Capitol Hill to testify under oath the answer to Jury Foreman’s question????
Soon?
new thread from Scarecrow!
thanks for the snaps Pat !
although I am heartin’ me some Shuster – did anyone catch Matt Cooper’s atty on Tweety yesterday – oh yeah, that handsome devil was preachin it
ok, am having trouble linking it – go to tweety page and click on it from “More From Hardball” under Edwards pic
Tweety link
Just read the reprehensible Fred Hiatt editorial in WaPo and the firestorm of comments Out of hundreds, only two support the editorial. There is a huge amount of well-informed and angry concern out there. How can we harnass it?
trifecta @
345
He’s a refugee from the old (and very conservative) Washington Star, which went belly-up in 1981; the Moonie Times was created as its replacement, but even Hiatt couldn’t stomach working directly for Moon, so he went to the WaPo, along with Howard “Mistah” Kurtz.
Before the invasion NPR had many “experts” from the American Enterprise Institute before the invasion on their programs. Real diversity. HEH
NPR has been taken to court by several employees in the past for “pervasive cronyism” practices. There was “allegedly” an outside agency hired to investigate these claims and the report has never been released.
How about Ted Koppel being hired as NPR’s senior news analyst. Now that provides more more diversity (cough). Koppel is Kenneth Pollacks father in law. One of Ted’s latest documentaries was called “Inside Iran: The Most Dangerous Nation” Such a neutral an unbiased title Ted.
On the program Ted actually states that diplomacy will not work with Iran. Go watch this program on line. Also if you go listen to Daniel Schorr and Koppels comments about Iran at NPR’s archives, lightbulbs in your head may be turned on.
reba @
400
By posting links to FDL, to let the folks reading and typing those angry comments know that they’re not alone! (It also wouldn’t hurt to post things like this over there.)
kathleen @ 402
Holy crap — for real?!?
This explains a LOT.
I’ve had it with NPR. They have utterly turned on their own constituency. Those few times I tune in, when II hear Cokie Roberts I turn the radio off. I’ve even stopped annual membership to the local public radio station. Enough is enough! If they want to be a schill for the right wing, they can do it on their own time and their own money.
Ed*ard Teller @
302
Excellent work, ET.
Right on about NPR. Also, much of PBS, other than Bill Moyer’s reports skews to the right.
It seems like David Brooks, the right wing op ed columnist of the Times has been on TV more than a thousand times in the past decade. I don’t recall seeing Bob Herbert, the Black liberal, even once.
By the way, all the liberal columnists of the Times see things through Right wing framing — Daily Howler has covered that well.
Did someone say Trex has a day job? Isn’t there some sort of a grant (I mean something a little more substantial than the couple of hunderd I can afford a year to send to FDL) for news reporting that people like Trex and Patch, and Marcy and most of all Jane and Christy (and I’m leaving everyone one else out just because of space, not because I don’t love all of them) could get (if they don’t have one already) that would bring these people to us on a regular paid basis. I mean we pay them to do it. I’m just sayin. I don’t listen to All Things Considered anymore, and we’re about to cancel the NYT, so what about it? Anyone know?
I heard this load of dreck while I was driving yesterday and I couldn’t believe NPR let it on the air. I was yelling back at the radio. Is everyone so poorly educated that they can’t read and discern the facts? How do these people rise to rather prominent positions. It’s one thing to say Libby is a friend but to deny the facts of this case and the whole Plame outing is outrageous besides unpatriotic.
Except for Terri Gross, I can’t listen to NPR anymore. They used to be great. We lost our liberal talk station in Cincinnati too so it’s slim picking while driving. At least Ira Flatow’s Science Friday hasn’t gotten all ID yet.
I agree with all the above posters. NPR has become usually too unbearable to listen to anymore. More and more now, I switch over to Air America, which ain’t perfect, but at least I don’t have to hear the same, tired, smug right-wing talking points dished out for the 1,000th time that day.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, Air America’s ratings are going up while public radio’s (and everyone else’s) are going down. Wonder if the two are connected? Maybe a whole lot of us are hitting the change channel button in the car.
CD @ 25
I can’t give you permission, but I sure do give you lots of encouragement. This is a gem that is meant to be shared. It is absolutely delightful that we get so many gems like this at FDL.
FDL: Accept no substitutes.
Oops – I forgot to get permission from Peterr
I was right, right, to bad they closed down the forum, the whole neo bunch would be exposed as useful idiots.