okee dokee!

Dick Cheney Controls Tim Russert.

Oversight!

fyi – Sampson’s lawyer Berenson worked in the WH Counsel Office ;)

Christy! Peanut!

Justice!

Wo0T!

Great linkies.

I personally thought that the most amusing part of Ron Brownstein’s whiny screed at bloggers at the Libby trial knowing more than his journalist pal was this: why wasn’t Brownstein horrified that “non-journalists” (read: average American citizens) knew more about the subject they were covering than his “professional, journalistic, paid-to-cover-the-story” colleagues?

Don’t you see, Christy? Brownstein subscribes to the 19th-century British Victorian notion that amateurs were better than professionals. Uh, wait a minute…

Seriously, you’re right: Why isn’t Brownstein horrified that a group of people, most of whom don’t even have Lexis-Nexis accounts, are kicking his compadres’ butts on one of the biggest stories of the past decade?

OT, but I’m so glad someone cited the hearings on C-span about global warming. Dr. Hanson, the chief scientist and expert on global climate change at NASA, just said that due to Deutch’s youth and inexperience, he made the rare mistake of putting things on paper that others who were interfering in his speaking out about global warming would not have made. His point was that others that interfere did it verbally, although quite effectively. Guess you had to be there to get the full impact of his statement, but…

It’s no wonder that Putin and Bush grok so well. They are both responsible for hundreds of thousands of innocents perishing.

EPU’d from last thread but relevant here:

Last Friday in a live-blogging thread, questions were raised (the passive voice, in the spirit of BuschCo) about Waxman voting for the Iraq War. This from Frank Rich should clarify things a little bit:

March 17, 2003

Representative Henry Waxman, Democrat of California, who voted for the Iraq war resolution, writes the president to ask why the administration has repeatedly used W.M.D. evidence that has turned out to be “a hoax” — “correspondence that indicates that Iraq sought to obtain nuclear weapons from an African country, Niger.”

[Still waiting for “an adequate explanation” of the bogus Niger claim four years later, Waxman, now chairman of the chief oversight committee in the House, wrote Condoleezza Rice on March 12, 2007, seeking a response “to multiple letters I sent you about this matter.”]

(NYTimes link behind TimesSelect firewall.)

Waxman nails Issa and calls his attack on Hansen a “smearing” of his reputation and an “attack”.

Plain facts spoken in that hearing room– sounds so nice and fresh after these long years…

i hate darrell issa.

i know i’m late to the party here…. but he’s just slimed hansen on c-span. thank goodness st. henry called him on it, calling it a “smearing”

darrell issa is such an obnoxious idiot. the combination of arrogance and ignorance is a dangerous thing.

The flood gates are about to open. Sampson is not going to take the hit alone. He is looking at an obstruction of justice charge at least. Bush is looking to run out the clock with the Iraq war, but all of the Republican criminals won’t be able to run out the clock on the statute of limitations for all of their felonies.

Barbara Bush’s (the mother, not the daughter) take on The Beautiful Mind:

March 18, 2003

Barbara Bush tells Diane Sawyer on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that she will not watch televised coverage of the war: “Why should we hear about body bags and deaths, and how many, what day it’s going to happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it’s, it’s not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?”

(NYTimes link behind the TimesSelect firewall.)

Christy:

…why wasn’t Brownstein horrified that “non-journalists” (read: average American citizens) knew more about the subject they were covering than his “professional, journalistic, paid-to-cover-the-story” colleagues? Isn’t there any sort of institutional pride in the man at all — because, from where I am sitting, reading through the copious legal documents in the case took a lot of time, but it also was invaluable for understanding the various nuances of the case…which is exactly what our readers wanted from us, and what I expected of myself to be able to adequately talk about the case. I just don’t see why any “professional” like Ron Brownstein would see that as a bad thing.

Perhaps this from today’s LA Times might shed some light – Brownstein’s wife works for McCain, so perhaps his screed is an attempt to marginalize what will continue to dog the GOP, and his wife’s guy, for the next election cycle: citizen journalists pushing the MSM into competence.

Reading that article, it struck me that of the four journalists mentioned – Brownstein, Matthew Cooper, Nina Easton (Fortune & Fox News) and Campbell Brown, only Copper had the good taste to marry a Democrat. And this is our liberal media?

And, by the way, shouldn’t Campbell Brown always have to disclose that her hubby worked for the current White House before she spouts off on anything about them or their political opponents?

Yecch.

Biodun @ 15

Barbara Bush’s (the mother, not the daughter) take on The Beautiful Mind:

March 18, 2003

Barbara Bush tells Diane Sawyer on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that she will not watch televised coverage of the war: “Why should we hear about body bags and deaths, and how many, what day it’s going to happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it’s, it’s not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?”

(NYTimes link behind the TimesSelect firewall.)

Hard to say which is worse. Babs, or her son, the prez. I have read that the only person George listens to anymore is Mom.

One quibble, PW @ 7, with your closing comment.

Seriously, you’re right: Why isn’t Brownstein horrified that a group of people, most of whom don’t even have Lexis-Nexis accounts, are kicking his compadres’ butts on one of the biggest stories of the past decade?

I believe that should be “kicking his compadres’ butts on ALL the biggest stories…”

Perhaps this from today’s LA Times might shed some light – Brownstein’s wife works for McCain, so perhaps his screed is an attempt to marginalize what will continue to dog the GOP, and his wife’s guy, for the next election cycle: citizen journalists pushing the MSM into competence.

Good catch!

selise @
12

i hate darrell issa.

i know i’m late to the party here…. but he’s just slimed hansen on c-span. thank goodness st. henry called him on it, calling it a “smearing”

darrell issa is such an obnoxious idiot. the combination of arrogance and ignorance is a dangerous thing.

Is Issa doing anything that will look nice in a ‘Had Enough’ spot in 2008?

From Bush’s address to the nation from the Oval Office, March, 19, 2003:

Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly — yet, our purpose is sure. The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder. We will meet that threat now, with our Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines, so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities.

There were no weapons of mass murder. And the outlaw regime was gone within weeks of that address. Then what are we still doing there?

Are these the best of times or what! We have the son of the former Director of the CIA and a former KGB agent running the two most nuclear armed nations on earth.

Mutant at 15 — You know, I’m of two minds about that sort of thing. On the one hand, I am much more liberal than Mr. ReddHedd (much!), and I think anyone who knows both of us knows that I speak my own mind regarding politics pretty clearly on most issues. That said, though, on the few issues that I don’t touch due to potential ethical conflicts because of his work or friends of ours or what have you, I always try to be up front as to why I’m not talking about them or what bias issues I may have, etc. — because I feel like honesty is the best policy with that sort of thing. And where any of those journalists — and that list ought to include Howie Kurtz and Jim VanDeHei, and a number of others as well — find that their personal lives and their reporting are intersecting, and that it is impacted by that intersection — I DO think that candor rather than silence is important.

But the mere fact of having a spouse who is on one side fo the aisle or other is not dispositive, in my mind, anyway. And yet, still, openness about that sort of thing and context are very important. Especially in the polarized political environment in which so many now work in the Beltway — the Bush policy of “you’re either with us or against us” has been so nasty and detrimental to any ability to think independently or be up front about so many issues.

Biodun @ 14..Babs&Nature=psychopath. If she had been a caring mother and gotten psychiatric help for little George when he was blowing up frogs, (and probably fire starting and bed wetting) we wouldn’t be in the shit now.

OT- FDL poster David Ehrenstein authors half a page op-ed piece on Obama in today’s L.A. Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/op…..ion-center

Help a guy out here – what “Ron Brownstein whiny screed at bloggers” are we talking about? Linky? I’d like to see the explanation of why reporters knowing less than bloggers is a good thing.

and speaking of the Straight Talk Express, it continues onward to Crazy Town . . .

idiot bashes Club For Growth

linky

Biodun @ 20

We will meet that threat now, with our Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines, so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities.

No, our fire fighters and police and doctors are in Iraq, fighting…and might I add dying and getting body parts blown off and wounded… because they are what comprise our National Guard and Reserves who have been called up for repeated and extended tours of duty in Bush’s war of aggression.

Rheinhard at 25 — It was during his appearance on Hardball the evening of the Waxman hearing last Friday. I’ll see if I can find a video link on the appearance. He was on with David Gregory hosting and Matt Cooper as the other guest and both of them read him the riot act about poo poohing Democratic investigation of the case with their “one, single, solitary” hearing on the matter, since the GOP failed to do any oversight on it at all. The Digby link above has some summary from the appearance, btw.

Biodun @ 20

From Bush’s address to the nation from the Oval Office, March, 19, 2003:

Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly — yet, our purpose is sure. The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder. We will meet that threat now, with our Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines, so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities.

There were no weapons of mass murder. And the outlaw regime was gone within weeks of that address. Then what are we still doing there?

We can’t leave before we make sure we take control of the oil.

Here’s the question that Bush and those who speak for him should be asked: Why aren’t the Bush daughters in Iraq?

http://www.latimes.com/news/op…..-rightrail

It’s outrageous that no one ever asks this Administration this question. Everyone acts as if Bush has no children or nieces or nephews who could serve. At the same time, those who are stuck serving must continue through multiple tours until they are rendered unfit by death or disfigurement.

Bush the Lesser replayed the tape this morning that goes:

“…….if American forces were to step back from Baghdad before it is more secure, a contagion of violence could spill out across the entire country.”

Bush added, “In time, this violence could engulf the region. The terrorists could emerge from the chaos with a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they had in Afghanistan, which they used to plan the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. For the safety of the American people, we cannot allow this to happen.”

GeeDub, in case you hadn’t noticed, they have a safe haven in Afghanistan again, because you’ve been wasting American blood and treasure getting even with the guy that tried to kill yo’ daddy!
Oh yeah, they have a pretty safe haven in the land of your good buddy Bushereff. On a final note, your boss, BigDick is funding Al Queada in Iraq and Afghanistan because, well because…… you tell me!

Christy Hardin Smith @ 22

But the mere fact of having a spouse who is on one side fo the aisle or other is not dispositive, in my mind, anyway. And yet, still, openness about that sort of thing and context are very important. Especially in the polarized political environment in which so many now work in the Beltway — the Bush policy of “you’re either with us or against us” has been so nasty and detrimental to any ability to think independently or be up front about so many issues.

I agree that sunshine is the best solution. I used to work for 20th Century Fox, and I’d post on a friends blog about the NFL & LA, and disclose that I worked for Newscorp, even though I had nothing – zero – to do with the TV or sports side. It buries the issue before it comes up. Ultimately, you want to evaluate reportage and opinion on the merits, and the easiest way to do that is to dispose of the distractions up front.

Ironically, focusing on the gristle and not the meat is page one of the GOP playbook – witness the disgusting spectacle of Valerie Plame being asked her party affiliation, as if it’s OK to ruin her career because she’s a Democrat.

The biggest difficulty I find with the MSM is they have lost their “edge”. When that happened, I stopped reading. Or listening.

HotFlash @ 19

selise @ 12

i hate darrell issa.

i know i’m late to the party here…. but he’s just slimed hansen on c-span. thank goodness st. henry called him on it, calling it a “smearing”

darrell issa is such an obnoxious idiot. the combination of arrogance and ignorance is a dangerous thing.

Is Issa doing anything that will look nice in a ‘Had Enough’ spot in 2008?

i don’t know… would have to watch it again. but count me in for a few bucks to support getting rid of him. what a dangerous idiot.

Drunk, crazy and stupid is no way to go through life……..someone should do her a favor and remove her webcam.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 28

Rheinhard at 25 — It was during his appearance on Hardball the evening of the Waxman hearing last Friday. I’ll see if I can find a video link on the appearance. He was on with David Gregory hosting and Matt Cooper as the other guest and both of them read him the riot act about poo poohing Democratic investigation of the case with their “one, single, solitary” hearing on the matter, since the GOP failed to do any oversight on it at all. The Digby link above has some summary from the appearance, btw.

I saw Brownstein’s comments. All these guys oughta have a disclaimer onscreen of their conflict of interest — Tucker’s daddy is Scooter’s fundraiser, Kurtz’s wife is a Republican operative, Campbell Brown’s husband was Bremer’s “Ari” in Iraq. For the shallow-thinkers who need the proverbial 2×4 betwixt the eyes.

And Christy, you stated well the ethical code you and others in the progblogosphere operate by. Rethugs–smoke and mirrors and carny barkers alla time.

Rheinhard — they don’t have the Hardball transcript up yet for Friday’s show, but you can check back here later and see if they’ve put it up. He was talking about one of his colleagues covering the trial and being in a room full of bloggers who knew more about the case than he did.

..it keeps turning out that it happens to be something for which that USA was commended during their tenure.

That’s Rove’s signature tactic; recasting a person’s strength as a weakness…Remember John Kerry’s swift boating? Or, perhaps more troubling examples, this taken from the Atlantic Monthly:

When his (former Alabama judge Mark Kennedy) term on the court ended, he chose not to run for re-election. I later learned another reason why. Kennedy had spent years on the bench as a juvenile and family-court judge, during which time he had developed a strong interest in aiding abused children. In the early 1980s he had helped to start the Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama, and he later established the Corporate Foundation for Children, a private, nonprofit organization. At the time of the race he had just served a term as president of the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect. One of Rove’s signature tactics is to attack an opponent on the very front that seems unassailable. Kennedy was no exception.

Some of Kennedy’s campaign commercials touted his volunteer work, including one that showed him holding hands with children. “We were trying to counter the positives from that ad,” a former Rove staffer told me, explaining that some within the See camp initiated a whisper campaign that Kennedy was a pedophile. “It was our standard practice to use the University of Alabama Law School to disseminate whisper-campaign information,” the staffer went on. “That was a major device we used for the transmission of this stuff. The students at the law school are from all over the state, and that’s one of the ways that Karl got the information out—he knew the law students would take it back to their home towns and it would get out.” This would create the impression that the lie was in fact common knowledge across the state. “What Rove does,” says Joe Perkins, “is try to make something so bad for a family that the candidate will not subject the family to the hardship. Mark is not your typical Alabama macho, beer-drinkin’, tobacco-chewin’, pickup-drivin’ kind of guy. He is a small, well-groomed, well-educated family man, and what they tried to do was make him look like a homosexual pedophile. That was really, really hard to take.”

A Rove chronology here, for those who want some background. The guy’s a cancer on the body politic.

Censorship. I suppose no one is immune. Sadly.

AP story from the Des Moines Register, with a headline corrected for accuracy;

BUSH ASKS FOR MORE “PATIENTS”
The war has stretched longer, with higher costs, than the White House ever predicted. On the fourth anniversary of the day Bush directed the invasion to begin, the president made a televised statement from the White House Roosevelt Room to defend continued U.S. involvement.

“Comedy Gold”!

“he’s got diplomacy out the wazoo…”

read: he’s an *sshole.

comedy gold, indeed. Although, at first I have to admit that I thought it was a parody (the jugg shaking, wino routine)

Last week when I listened to audio on NPR’s Talk of the Nation: A Look at an Autistic Savant’s Brilliant Mind, I noted the points in the discussion with Daniel Tammet that I wanted to revisit. Since my next work project starts tomorrow, and I have a quiet house at the moment, I thought I’d transcribe some of those spots in the program for people who are interested.

sticky at 42 — It is a parody. *g*

Badwater @ 30

Here’s the question that Bush and those who speak for him should be asked: Why aren’t the Bush daughters in Iraq?

http://www.latimes.com/news/op…..-rightrail

It’s outrageous that no one ever asks this Administration this question. Everyone acts as if Bush has no children or nieces or nephews who could serve. At the same time, those who are stuck serving must continue through multiple tours until they are rendered unfit by death or disfigurement.

And if it’s injury, an unhealthy mental state or disfigurement, they still may be sent back!

OT,
Waxmans hearing has moved to radio. Sorry do not know how to link. The Repub from Indiana and Issel need to go. I love the reasonableness of Hanson’s answers with the McCarthism of the Rethugs. What a contrast!

I do agree with Hanson, more like Stalin’s Russia than Hitler’s Germany. Ah! the Irony of Extortion by chilling effect and apparitchiks as well as funding reduction.

grape_crush @ 38

..it keeps turning out that it happens to be something for which that USA was commended during their tenure.

That’s Rove’s signature tactic; recasting a person’s strength as a weakness…Remember John Kerry’s swift boating? Or, perhaps more troubling examples, this taken from the Atlantic Monthly:
* * * *
He is a small, well-groomed, well-educated family man, and what they tried to do was make him look like a homosexual pedophile. That was really, really hard to take.”

A Rove chronology here, for those who want some background. The guy’s a cancer on the body politic.

Hmmmm. Casting a person’s strength as a weakness. And earlier someone commented that a signature Rove “tell” is that he projects his own actions on others.

Hmmmmmmm.

Epu’d from below:

Lets suppose for a minute that the following “why should anyone rely on lawyers like Toensing to explain the law or protect our spies?” might the ‘anyone’ include Robert Novak. What if, in the small town where everyone knows everyone else, Novakula called his good friend Vicky and asked her if it would be OK to out this pesky CIA operative who had been refusing to play along during the run up to war. And what if Vicky had said, “Yeah, Bob. I wrote the law and she’s not covert, so go ahead. I’ve got your back.”

Why doesn’t someone ask Vicky if Novakula talked to her prior to July 11, 2003?
Just suppose.

Thanks to C&L, I found this per Howie Kurtz, WAPO, 02/27/1998

The couple (Vicky and Mr. Vicky) retreat on weekends to their Fenwick Island, Del., beach house, hanging with such pals as Robert Novak..

Damn, when will some Congresscritter ask Vicky if she gave Novakula any worthless legal advice before he hit submit on 07/11/2003.

Well Mr. President: Which is it?

Months?

WASHINGTON – With Democrats pushing for an end to the Iraq war now entering its fifth year, President Bush pleaded for more patience Monday, saying success is possible but “will take months, not days or weeks.”

or Weeks?

On CBS’s “Face the Nation” on March 16, Cheney said the fight would be “weeks rather than months. There’s always the possibility of complications that you can’t anticipate, but I have great confidence in our troops.”

If you have ever set off that obnoxious car alarm that says “PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE CAR”
you have heard Darrell Issa’s voice. He made that audio clip.

Is it true that he’s also an ex-con who did time for auto theft before he got elected to Congress, then made millions making auto alarms with his ominous voice recording?

Maybe someone already mentioned some of this, but he also paid for the original recall that ousted Gray Davis and installed the guvernator, which wasn’t Issa’s original plan, he was imagining himself on the California goob’s throne, so Ahnold’s jumping into the race was a real disappointment to him..

Thankies!

This made me laugh, it’s Larry Johnson on Toensing’s testimony. The whole article is good. He’s pissed about Toesing’s testimony.

Undercover, Covert, and Classified (Also Hush Hush)
by Larry C Johnson
[…]
It was very sad watching the Georgia Congressman, Lynn Westmoreland, give the rest of America reason to believe that the South is inhabited with folks who are retarded versions of Gomer Pyle’s cousin, Goober. He seems to have trouble accepting the fact that folks who work inside a classified facility like the CIA, don’t walk around the halls like Wallmart greeters saying, “howdy, I’m Valerie and I’m undercover”. When you join the CIA you are briefed on the fact that most of the folks you will be working with are undercover and that this information is classified and that you do not talk about people by name outside of Headquarters.
LINK

CHS – awww, dang, you ruined it for me…

I guess it’s all good as long as I don’t need to see her in a swimsuit again… the sting from washing my eyes out with Clorox after that youtube moment lasted like a week.

JEP @ 50

If you have ever set off that obnoxious car alarm that says “PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE CAR”
you have heard Darrell Issa’s voice. He made that audio clip.

Is it true that he’s also an ex-con who did time for auto theft before he got elected to Congress, then made millions making auto alarms with his ominous voice recording?

Maybe someone already mentioned some of this, but he also paid for the original recall that ousted Gray Davis and installed the guvernator, which wasn’t Issa’s original plan, he was imagining himself on the California goob’s throne, so Ahnold’s jumping into the race was a real disappointment to him..

I am sure he is less than thrilled that Arnie promptly sprinted to the left after the crushing defeat of his ballot initiatives last year.

Waxman Update,
Shays is is an a@s as well. Giving an questopn that you can say anything you want any time you want? Hanson calmly answers no. If Shays is hysterical they must be scared.

Waiting with breathless anticipation for the Prince of Pampers to call Abu Gonzales on his Mickey-Mouse Phone and in his typical Manglish, say:

Vaya Con Cheetos, Chollo!

For those of you old enough to remember Apple’s 1984 “think different” commercial, well it’s back and altering the way the 2008 election will be fought.

H/T to Countdown’s daily email.

Here is Vote Different

Regardless of your feelings about Sen Obama, this makes the macaca moment very yesterday.

Connaghton up next on Waxman,

Muddying the waters. we consulted many. Certifiable doubt. we exhaustably studied this.
One more comment. Some Dem made the very accurate observation that their argument was similar to tobacco company behavior about Certifiable Doubt about the Science of tha community. This I think will resonate.

Not to pimp my earlier post much, but did any other pups pick up on Valerie’s testimony that they knew that Novak knew her ‘true employer’ during the week before the July 14, 2003 column. Who in Novak’s circle was talking?

Anyone else notice the background sound of Atlas Juggs? A nonstop screaming baby. Think it’s anyone we know?

Punch—

The article went online before the 14th, and was shared at least with Rove before publication.

Waxman,
Want me to keep listening and bad typing blogging or is this not important?

Jim Clausen @ 62

Waxman,
Want me to keep listening and bad typing blogging or is this not important?

Jim -

please continue – I’m cable free, and enjoy the cspan blogging!

Jim Clausen @ 62

Waxman,
Want me to keep listening and bad typing blogging or is this not important?

Definitely important! Wishing I could listen.

Jim Clausen @ 62

Waxman,
Want me to keep listening and bad typing blogging or is this not important?

Jim—

It’s all good. Keep it comin’.

Can someone please ask George Bush if he defines “winning” as simply riding out both conflicts until he is out of office and no longer has to make the tough decisions?

Greg Palast has a rather neat definition of victory. It certainly fits in with Cheney’s assertion that there have been some amazing successes in Iraq:

The war has kept Iraq’s oil production to 2.1 million barrels a day from pre-war, pre-embargo production of over 4 million barrels. In the oil game, that’s a lot to lose. In fact, the loss of Iraq’s 2 million barrels a day is equal to the entire planet’s reserve production capacity.

In other words, the war has caused a hell of a supply squeeze — and Big Oil just loves it. Oil today is $57 a barrel versus the $18 a barrel price under Bill “Love-Not-War” Clinton.

Since the launch of Operation Iraqi Liberation, Halliburton stock has tripled to $64 a share — not, as some believe, because of those Iraq reconstruction contracts — peanuts for Halliburton. Cheney’s former company’s main business is “oil services.” And, as one oilman complained to me, Cheney’s former company has captured a big hunk of the rise in oil prices by jacking up the charges for Halliburton drilling and piping equipment.

And it brings to mind this comment from William Rivers Pitt:

Here’s the deal, in case anyone is wondering: none of this, not one bit of it, can be or should be chalked up to “incompetence” on the part of Bush or anyone else within his administration. This was not a mishandled situation. Bush and the boys have gotten exactly, precisely what they wanted out of Iraq, and are now looking forward to fobbing it off on the next poor dupe who staggers into the Oval Office. They got what they came for, and have quit.

btw, grape @ 38,

I had cancer. It’s not *that* bad.

concerted white house effoert to inject politics into the chairman’s reports-Waxman was ther communication with white house?

Bush today on the Iraq War:

At this point in the war, our most important mission is helping the Iraqis secure their capital.

Until Baghdad’s citizens feel secure in their own homes and neighborhoods, it will be difficult for Iraqis to make further progress toward political reconciliation or economic rebuilding — steps necessary for Iraq to build a democratic society.

This is the fourth mission: suppressing a foreign civil war and not letting a historical development run its own trajectory. Iraqis need to stablize their own country first before moving or not toward democracy. Let history take its course, as the US’s did.

The first mission was to prevent Iraq from using weapons of mass destruction and from completing its nuclear problem. A phantom mission, since there were no weapons and there was no nuclear program.

The second mission was removing Saddam Hussein from power. Fine: Saddam was deposed and he’s been executed. On YouTube for the world to see.

The third mission was building democracy in Iraq as a flower that will then blossom into democracy all over the Middle East. An impossible mission, as the terrain must be ripe for Iraqi democracy and for democracy in the Middle East. Iraqis and Middle-Easterners have to be ready on their own for democracy. It’s not up to the US to foster democracy in the region all on its own.

Jim Clausen @ 62

Waxman,
Want me to keep listening and bad typing blogging or is this not important?

Please keep going. I’m away from my XM radio where I was able to listen to it. If you don’t mind and have the time, that is. Much appreciated!

Roddy McCorley @ 66

Can someone please ask George Bush if he defines “winning” as simply riding out both conflicts until he is out of office and no longer has to make the tough decisions?

Greg Palast has a rather neat definition of victory. It certainly fits in with Cheney’s assertion that there have been some amazing successes in Iraq:

The war has kept Iraq’s oil production to 2.1 million barrels a day from pre-war, pre-embargo production of over 4 million barrels. In the oil game, that’s a lot to lose. In fact, the loss of Iraq’s 2 million barrels a day is equal to the entire planet’s reserve production capacity.

In other words, the war has caused a hell of a supply squeeze — and Big Oil just loves it. Oil today is $57 a barrel versus the $18 a barrel price under Bill “Love-Not-War” Clinton.

Since the launch of Operation Iraqi Liberation, Halliburton stock has tripled to $64 a share — not, as some believe, because of those Iraq reconstruction contracts — peanuts for Halliburton. Cheney’s former company’s main business is “oil services.” And, as one oilman complained to me, Cheney’s former company has captured a big hunk of the rise in oil prices by jacking up the charges for Halliburton drilling and piping equipment.

And it brings to mind this comment from William Rivers Pitt:

Here’s the deal, in case anyone is wondering: none of this, not one bit of it, can be or should be chalked up to “incompetence” on the part of Bush or anyone else within his administration. This was not a mishandled situation. Bush and the boys have gotten exactly, precisely what they wanted out of Iraq, and are now looking forward to fobbing it off on the next poor dupe who staggers into the Oval Office. They got what they came for, and have quit.

Mission accomplished!

Waxman-
EPA whitman, how to reconcile the comments. Reinvigorate debate about warming. sounds like API? Waxman is cornering him.

Will you provide this memorandum? all communications withn VP office? !!!

Yum Yum
Another meaty post from Christy!
WooHoo!
luv you, thanks!

1,460 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen Hardin Smith and the Firepup Patriots:

ALERT!! ALERT!! ALERT!! Get to C-Span right now…Waxman in doin’ his thing on manipulation and censorship of science in the executive. Good God…if this continues, within weeks there won’t a place to hide for anyone in the executive branch including Karl Rasputin. And the Republican shills like Rep. Shays who go out in front of their fascist masters are signin’ their retirement papers for ‘08.

KEEP THE FAITH AND GO WATCH THE FUN!!!

Oklahoma kiddo @ 21

Are these the best of times or what! We have the son of the former Director of the CIA and a former KGB agent running the two most nuclear armed nations on earth.

now you’ve got me back under the bed

Christy Hardin Smith @ 37

Rheinhard — they don’t have the Hardball transcript up yet for Friday’s show, but you can check back here later and see if they’ve put it up. He was talking about one of his colleagues covering the trial and being in a room full of bloggers who knew more about the case than he did.

Oh!! It’s that old guy from the LAT. I remember when they were arguing over some really obscure issue and I explained it to him once or twice. He said he hoped I’d be back the next day to explain it to him again!

Re: Vanity Fair article on Libby and all: Michael Wolff needs to print a retraction. He writes the following.

http://www.vanityfair.com/poli…..olff200704

What’s more, Fitzgerald, aware, no doubt, of the weakness of the charges—mere perjury and obstruction, acts of omission rather than commission—and, perhaps, defensive about the tens of millions he’d spent to produce them,
Italics mine.

I remember reading in the fall that the Special Counsel’s office had spent a bit over $1.5 million on their two year investigation, and most of those funds went to salaries. I’ll have to dig out a link for Mr. Woolf. Hopefully, Mr. Carter is in the mood to ask Mr. Woolf for a retraction.

-S

Waxman’s video-casting this global warming hearing on his site,
how could they appoint a non-scinetist holding that position.

And now BUSH decides what is “settled science”.

These guys could spin hell as an amusement park…

A little info on GOP Joe Liarman:
http://www.courant.com/news/po…..lines-home

chaos and confusion!!!!

madness, madness, madness!!!

Christy -

Just finished reading the VF article you ref’d & can certainly understand why you need a hiatus before doing a slash & burn. ;-) VF usually seems to do a better anaylsis of political stuff than this garbage.

Re. above mentions of the Bush I clan: Bilicki has a fun cartoon up today (sorry no linky but I’d be epu’d by the time I got back w/it)….. Babs holding junya w/Bush I watching; junya crying; balloon above the proud momma…..”Mistakes were made.”

Is Cooney related to Rove? Seriously, they sure have some similar affectations…

Witness,
we allchaffe at public affairs officers. policy is important. NOT managed in their scientific world. Yeah right. Repub, isn’t it true that pollutants reflect clear danger to us? This guy says wide range of uncertainties, we take it important.
What would have happened if everybody interviewed after shuutle crashes? Is there a reasonable limitation on comment . Public afffairs offices AVOID CONFUSION> If not would be chaos. PROJECTION again PACH!

anybody catch that Hank Greenberg/cv piece on TRUTHOUT via Daily Kos this morning? This is a pin prick that leads right to the fascist jugular vein.This is how they get it done.Sure hope the progressive blogoshere opens up this wound a little more!
ATAAAAACK!!
I’m sending you guys money TODAY!

[Mod Note; incomplete link removed]

Terry Gross: Fresh Air with Jeremy Scahill, who wrote a book about Blackwater.

Blackwater USA is a secret army based in North Carolina with a sole owner: Erik Prince, a radical right-wing Christian multimillionaire. He controls 20,000 troops, a military base and a fleet of 20 aircraft, but most people have never heard of his organization. Journalist Jeremy Scahill has. His new book is Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.

Now he’s squirming!!!!

“global warming is melodramatic!!!”

Witness

Too complex for us to understand. BIg document few changes.
This guy is on speed.

J C @ 67

btw, grape @ 38,

I had cancer. It’s not *that* bad.

Point taken, congrats, and stay vigilant…

Maybe I should have phrased it as ‘Rove is the broken whiskey bottle lodged in the rectum of the body politic’.

Arrrrgh, Joe Lieberman is on my teevee talking about Iraq on MSNBC. (And someone please get the man some lip balm.)

JEP @ 83

Is Cooney related to Rove? Seriously, they sure have some similar affectations…

Rove’s a much better liar

oops!
d’ont know why that ”Star and CO.” has a link…
anyway it’s on TRUTHOUT.
i’m a computer neophyte idiot

Christy Hardin Smith @
90

Arrrrgh, Joe Lieberman is on my teevee talking about Iraq on MSNBC. (And someone please get the man some lip balm.)

God he is annoying! Oh, he might switch. . .bummer.

JEP @ 79

Waxman’s video-casting this global warming hearing on his site,
how could they appoint a non-scinetist holding that position.

And now BUSH decides what is “settled science”.

These guys could spin hell as an amusement park…

Is there a link?

Repug, nothing here, move on poor 23 year old, hanson-good vs. evil, Hanson charachter attacked on MORAL NAZI statement here. Did Rove write his questions? Same method, swift boat, HANSON”S fault.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 90

Arrrrgh, Joe Lieberman is on my teevee talking about Iraq on MSNBC. (And someone please get the man some lip balm.)

A minor point, but I’m afraid HoJo is entitled to decline medical assistance (not being Terry Sciavo and all).

Though denying us visual relief, HoJo’s refusal of care does hold forth the prospect of his dematerialization.

Even his dermis can’t stand to be next to him.

cspan1 now covering Waxman’s hearing.

update: Al Gore will be on cspan 3 at 930 am on Wednesday to testify on climate change acc to blurb on the screen.

http://www.c-span.org/watch/in…..mp;Code=CS

Christy Hardin Smith @
90

Arrrrgh, Joe Lieberman is on my teevee talking about Iraq on MSNBC. (And someone please get the man some lip balm.)

Speaking of “Joe the Democrat” Lieberman:

What we all knew to be true has been confirmed: Republicans poured millions of dollars into re-electing him last year. Just as they helped him get elected back in 1988, even though it meant getting rid of Republican Lowell Weicker.

egregious @
61

Punch—

The article went online before the 14th, and was shared at least with Rove before publication.

So you think that Joe and Valerie found out on the 11th when Novak submitted it to his syndicate, or from Richard Holdt, or someone in the WH? Valerie was very vague. She just said, “the week before”. I can’t believe that the WH would have given her a heads up/warning.

I thought it was Connelly up there, it is Connaughton, got my time zones confused…

grape_crush @ 89

J C @ 67

btw, grape @ 38,

I had cancer. It’s not *that* bad.

Point taken, congrats, and stay vigilant…

Maybe I should have phrased it as ‘Rove is the broken whiskey bottle lodged in the rectum of the body politic’.

I like it!

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1214

Here’s the link to Waxman’s committee site…

shays wants to compare gore’s house and bush’s house.

CT needs to boot this simpering fool next time around; he disgusts me.

PunchPrincess @ 99

egregious @
61

Punch—

The article went online before the 14th, and was shared at least with Rove before publication.

So you think that Joe and Valerie found out on the 11th when Novak submitted it to his syndicate, or from Richard Holdt, or someone in the WH? Valerie was very vague. She just said, “the week before”. I can’t believe that the WH would have given her a heads up/warning.

I’ve always assumed that since someone (can’t remember who) at CIA was trying to warn off Novakula, that they would certainly have given her and her colleagues a head’s up.

Actually, though I’m no fan of his, Shays is sounding like an environmental advocate, at least compared to the jerk he’s questioning..

Why does the Beltway Crowd still reflexively genuflect? Because elephants have long memories: Dick Cheney is still fighting the Watergate prosecutor. And Karl Rove has shown Keyser Soze to be a piker when it comes to getting even, which is Shrub’s favorite past time (when not riding his stationary bike).

But I agree. Fear of retribution does not adequately explain it. The Crowd must want the status quo. Just because it’s easy, keeps them comfy and rich and at the center of attention? That would take us back to first century Rome, after the Republic fell.

Shays-
Kyota 100-0 left out India and China. Clinton favored. If Kyoto voted only 5 senator would have approved. Tragedy that repugs did bilateral agreemants and didn’t commit to warming. then named petroleum head. IS THIS A BAD START? Bush took the heat for Clinton’s ?
poor Bush . Took the advice of the academy.
Gore does not practice economy, but President has beeen green all along? Projection again. Irony that Bush has been Green all along. These President is not proud enough. toom, quit . NUCLEAR

Meanwhile, getting ready for democracy. From AP:

The poll — the third in Iraq since early 2004 by ABC News and media partners — draws a stark portrait of an increasingly pessimistic population under great emotional stress. Among the findings of this survey for ABC News, USA Today, the BBC and ARD German TV:

–The number of Iraqis who say their own life is going well has dipped from 71 percent in November 2005 to 39 percent now.

–About three-fourths of Iraqis report feelings of anger, depression and difficulty concentrating.

–More than half of Iraqis have curtailed activities like going out of their homes, going to markets or other crowded places and traveling through police checkpoints.

–Only 18 percent of Iraqis have confidence in U.S. and coalition troops, and 86 percent are concerned that someone in their household will be a victim of violence.

–Slightly more than half of Iraqis — 51 percent — now say that violence against U.S. forces is acceptable — up from 17 percent who felt that way in early 2004. More than nine in 10 Sunni Arabs in Iraq now feel this way.

–While 63 percent said they felt very safe in their neighborhoods in late 2005, only 26 percent feel that way now.

(snip)

Today Thom Hartmann was playing clips of Bush selling the war in his Jan. ‘03 State of the Union. The demagogic tone in Bush’s voice now sounds so transparent in his efforts to scare and stampede America.

By contrast, his tone in today’s (and the past year’s) presser comes off as childishly defensive. There’s a whine mixed with surprise and anger that we’re not buying his bull anymore. It’s not the tone of someone who can sell anything anymore — certainly not a war on Iran. Maybe he feels he doesn’t have to, but doesn’t know yet that he can’t.

Punch at 100 — I’d say it was likely Novak’s call to the CIA, wherein the CIA spokaeperson (Harlow) told Novak not to publish his column when Valerie found out that it might be coming. I’m certain once the CIA was notified by Novak that he knew her job description that they had to kick into overdrive in notifying agents and assets that the Brewster cover and other operations cover might be blown. There is a LOT that goes into something like that — and knowing that a smarm merchant like Novak wasn’t going to pay attention to someone at the CIA saying “Do not publish this.” had to kick that into gear, wouldn’t you think? That would include Valerie having to be notified so that she could contact assets and agents that she was running on her various networks. (Not that the CIA could talk about any of this publicly, mind you, because that could put agents and assets still in the field in danger if they acknowledged any of this publicly, I would imagine.)

Waxman – the persident’s policy was the petroleum industry’s policy (paraphrase)

TOUCHE’ WAXMAN!!!!

Biodun @ 108

Meanwhile, getting ready for democracy. From AP:

The poll — the third in Iraq since early 2004 by ABC News and media partners — draws a stark portrait of an increasingly pessimistic population under great emotional stress. Among the findings of this survey for ABC News, USA Today, the BBC and ARD German TV:

–The number of Iraqis who say their own life is going well has dipped from 71 percent in November 2005 to 39 percent now.

–About three-fourths of Iraqis report feelings of anger, depression and difficulty concentrating.

–More than half of Iraqis have curtailed activities like going out of their homes, going to markets or other crowded places and traveling through police checkpoints.

–Only 18 percent of Iraqis have confidence in U.S. and coalition troops, and 86 percent are concerned that someone in their household will be a victim of violence.

–Slightly more than half of Iraqis — 51 percent — now say that violence against U.S. forces is acceptable — up from 17 percent who felt that way in early 2004. More than nine in 10 Sunni Arabs in Iraq now feel this way.

–While 63 percent said they felt very safe in their neighborhoods in late 2005, only 26 percent feel that way now.

(snip)

These numbers make me want to vomit. But it’s the horrific visions in my head about how the Iraqis have to live now that makes me so ??????? I really don’t know if there is a word(s) to describe these feelings.

“THE MEDIA BEGANTO NIT-PICK”

Nitpickers for TRUTH!!!

O’Donovan comes up again. Waxman is tugging at the thread trailing from Shooter’s office.

The great unraveling has begun.

DOUBLE-TOUCHE’ Waxman!

“YES, WE CONSPIRED…”

Waxman,
API policy is Energy policy. let’s sew doubt. Is this intentional? Who did the deed? OMB? Yes.(referring to ten year plan.
when editing occurred did you talk to WH? Media distorted.
talked with WH communicators? I’ll get back to you. Card? after reports. before job? waht did Card Say?technology focus,
After report tell us?
science signed off. MEdis got early edits so caused flap. Much later. Damn leaked edits.
What did he suggest? Was process followed?

vp OFICE kEVIN O DONAVON? yes TALKED WITH EVERYONE.
Frequent with ODonavon? everyon

Brownstein was rather transparent over the weekend, in a rather flat-footed attempt to play “concern troll”.

He professed to be ever so worried the Dems were possibly spreading themselves too thin by taking up too many reform topics at once. I forget who did it (Carville?) but someone pointed out rather quickly & effectively that the Dems didn’t cause the sources of concern. They were simply dealing with the spillover from so much mayhem that had NOT rec’d any attn while repugs were in power.

ba-da-boom! ;->

Now Issa’s trying to make the conspiracy seem like “old news.”

The view from the ground in Baghdad among Iraqis. From BBC:

After four years of occupation, this is a dangerous, callous, frightened, anxious city.

Its people are wearily sceptical about the current dip in violence which the current American troop “surge” seems to have brought.

(snip)

They mostly believe that the various warring militia will keep their heads down while the surge lasts, then come out again when the Americans have left.

Moqatir and his militia have simply gone underground for now. Most of the violence is from Sunnis. NBC’s Richard Engel has been saying this as well.

Hotflash and theExile, if you are still around, I left you a note downstairs re: Valerie’s W2s.

I apologize that I am not Emptywheel. I have not differentiated between who to attribute what but got a kick out of trying.Hope this gave the essense of the hearing.
ps. Firedoglake has inspired me to try. Thanks, pups. I will listen to Gore if I am helpful to the community.

Veritas78 @ 109

Today Thom Hartmann was playing clips of Bush selling the war in his Jan. ‘03 State of the Union. The demagogic tone in Bush’s voice now sounds so transparent in his efforts to scare and stampede America.

By contrast, his tone in today’s (and the past year’s) presser comes off as childishly defensive. There’s a whine mixed with surprise and anger that we’re not buying his bull anymore. It’s not the tone of someone who can sell anything anymore — certainly not a war on Iran. Maybe he feels he doesn’t have to, but doesn’t know yet that he can’t.

Perhaps he’s not so confident about being vindicated by history.

There is an article in today’s LA Times discussing Brownstein being prohibited from covering the 2008 race as a result of his wife working for McCain.
http://www.latimes.com/news/po…..;cset=true

“John Bolton has diplomacy up the wazoo”…hard to disagree with that, although not in the sense AJuggs means it. what a piece of work, with the flipping of the hair and the come-whither breathalyzer slurring of the words…

I love watching Waxman ply his craft.
A real master… ;->

Connaughton rebukes Welch and others wrt Cooney and defends his BFF.

(I guess he attended the Toestink seminar on how to be rude/lie to Congress and passed with flying colors.)

Biodun @ 120

The view from the ground in Baghdad among Iraqis. From BBC:

After four years of occupation, this is a dangerous, callous, frightened, anxious city.

Its people are wearily sceptical about the current dip in violence which the current American troop “surge” seems to have brought.

(snip)

They mostly believe that the various warring militia will keep their heads down while the surge lasts, then come out again when the Americans have left.

Moqatir and his militia have simply gone underground for now. Most of the violence is from Sunnis. NBC’s Richard Engel has been saying this as well.

Juan Cole’s blog today linked to an amazing video, “Hometown Baghdad”.
http://www.salon.com/ent/video_dog/index.html

“What we immediately found absorbing in “Hometown Baghdad” is not the fear, confusion or carnage we’ve grown to expect from documentary reports out of Iraq. It’s the three men central to this series — Adel, Ausama and Saif — whose lives we see unfold in short, telling vignettes. We see them eat dinner and go to school, watch them go swimming and practice in their rock band. But in a war-torn, religiously divided city, even these simple actions are fraught.
On the fourth anniversary of our invasion of Iraq, when many of us have become hopelessly inured to reports of yet another bombing, the simple struggles of regular people take on a greater, more chilling power; we watch a way of life deteriorate before our eyes, and come to recognize the horrors of war in a way that the bold headlines or CNN news alerts no longer convey…”

angie @ 128

Connaughton rebukes Welch and others wrt Cooney and defends his BFF.

(I guess he attended the Toestink seminar on how to be rude/lie to Congress and passed with flying colors.)

spot-on, this new “class” of patent liars is showing up all over the place.

NorskeFlamethrower @
75

1,460 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen Hardin Smith and the Firepup Patriots:

ALERT!! ALERT!! ALERT!! Get to C-Span right now…Waxman in doin’ his thing on manipulation and censorship of science in the executive. Good God…if this continues, within weeks there won’t a place to hide for anyone in the executive branch including Karl Rasputin. And the Republican shills like Rep. Shays who go out in front of their fascist masters are signin’ their retirement papers for ‘08.

KEEP THE FAITH AND GO WATCH THE FUN!!!

I love seeing you have fun! Go for it!

Out of the kindness of my heart I thought I would send the GOP a suggestion for their ‘08 bumper sticker.

AMERICA
I beg your pardon ‘08

Here’s another touche’

Waxman’s reaction when repubs on the committee tried to complain they weren’t getting equal time on camera?

PRICELESS!

*g*

Jim Clausen @ 123

I apologize that I am not Emptywheel. I have not differentiated between who to attribute what but got a kick out of trying.Hope this gave the essense of the hearing.
ps. Firedoglake has inspired me to try. Thanks, pups. I will listen to Gore if I am helpful to the community.

Jim Clausen—

You were miraculous! It’s the content that counts, forget what it looks like.

THANK YOU for giving us the live blog. It’s really hard, have had some experience there…

Please accept our gratitude.

J C @ 60

Anyone else notice the background sound of Atlas Juggs? A nonstop screaming baby. Think it’s anyone we know?

It is the lovely and talented Watertiger playing Atlas.

NH

New Hamsher for you. “The Agony of Defeat”

Re: “Hometown Baghdad” video-
You can watch 1st segment @ the salon.com site- other segs available to watch @ http://www.hometownbaghdad.com

1,460 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen Eureka Springs, AZ:

Oh my God!! Be still my fibulating heart!! Please be careful of the snark and it’s effect on old folks like me…maybe a “CPR Alert” like the “Spew Alert” Jane and Christy issue pre-snark.

And by the way, ken we get someone to make a few of those bumper stickers? I’d pay a bunch for a couple of ‘em.

Thanks again Eureka…and please be careful in the future. ROFLMAO!!

KEEP THE FAITH AND AS FOR THOSE POPCORN FUTURES: BUY-BUY-BUY!!!

Funny clip, but somebody take care of that screaming baby….

PunchPrincess @ 59

Not to pimp my earlier post much, but did any other pups pick up on Valerie’s testimony that they knew that Novak knew her ‘true employer’ during the week before the July 14, 2003 column. Who in Novak’s circle was talking?

This is what Valerie Plame actually said in Waxman’s hearing:

MS. PLAME WILSON: Yes, sir. He was referring to Mr. Novak. We had indications in the week prior that Mr. Novak knew my identity and my true employer. And I of course alerted my superiors at the agency, and I was told, don’t worry; we’ll take care of it. And it was much to our surprise that we read about this July 14th.

Plame Testimony pt.2
not very specific.

A suggestion….

Bush’s position would be further weakened if we could force using the right term for the US presence in Iraq. “Occupation” is a lot more emotionally nasty for him to be made say than the macho “war!” And it is true, the war was over when Saddam ran and the statues came down. Then the Iraqis realised they had been lied to and we became Occupiers, objected-to Ocupiers.

my genenal impressions:
1. Bring on Gore
2. Repugs say is bipartisan problem, but let’s not look Back
3. Censorship to those who are trained in free thought(scientists) should just shut up and get with the program.
4. We have been set back a generation by the chilling effect and funding priorities of these clowns from the API vis a vis global warming.
5. Repubs are feeling the heat because Waxman etal are attacking this culture on so many fronts, a mirror of whatt this administration has been doing ‘willfully and recklessly’ to our face and behind our back.
Punaise,
My contempt for this adminisrtation knows no bounds including Joe Lie.

PunchPrincess @ 99

egregious @
61

Punch—

The article went online before the 14th, and was shared at least with Rove before publication.

So you think that Joe and Valerie found out on the 11th when Novak submitted it to his syndicate, or from Richard Holdt, or someone in the WH? Valerie was very vague. She just said, “the week before”. I can’t believe that the WH would have given her a heads up/warning.

Neither.

Remember Novak blabbed to Joe’s friend, who told Joe, who contacted CNN. And then Novak called Joe (IIRC on July 10), and Joe said it’d be stupid if it what Novak said were true. Novak also lied and said his souce was folks at CIA, even though hehadn’t talked to Harlow yet.

egregious @ 134

Jim Clausen @ 123

I apologize that I am not Emptywheel. I have not differentiated between who to attribute what but got a kick out of trying.Hope this gave the essense of the hearing.
ps. Firedoglake has inspired me to try. Thanks, pups. I will listen to Gore if I am helpful to the community.

Jim Clausen—

You were miraculous! It’s the content that counts, forget what it looks like.

THANK YOU for giving us the live blog. It’s really hard, have had some experience there…

Please accept our gratitude.

Mr. Clausen, You were great and thanks again!

March 18, 2003

Barbara Bush tells Diane Sawyer on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that she will not watch televised coverage of the war: “Why should we hear about body bags and deaths, and how many, what day it’s going to happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it’s, it’s not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?”

————————–
Heaven opens and six hundred sixty six million blackened tongues
lay waste to Houston

My, my @ 140

Funny clip, but somebody take care of that screaming baby….

Yeah, and the kid in the background was pretty annoying too.

Jim Clausen @ 58

Connaghton up next on Waxman,

Muddying the waters. we consulted many. Certifiable doubt. we exhaustably studied this.
One more comment. Some Dem made the very accurate observation that their argument was similar to tobacco company behavior about Certifiable Doubt about the Science of tha community. This I think will resonate.

I hope so, since that’s exactly where the argument comes from, as Chris Mooney’s The Republican War on Science makes clear. Whenever you hear a conservative mouth the phrase “sound science,” it’s a tactic that is explicitly out of the tobacco wars — “sound” science means “research” produced by people in the pay of the affected industry.

Redshift @ 148

Jim Clausen @ 58

Connaghton up next on Waxman,

Muddying the waters. we consulted many. Certifiable doubt. we exhaustably studied this.
One more comment. Some Dem made the very accurate observation that their argument was similar to tobacco company behavior about Certifiable Doubt about the Science of tha community. This I think will resonate.

I hope so, since that’s exactly where the argument comes from, as Chris Mooney’s The Republican War on Science makes clear. Whenever you hear a conservative mouth the phrase “sound science,” it’s a tactic that is explicitly out of the tobacco wars — “sound” science means “research” produced by people in the pay of the affected industry.

Thanks Redshift,
“hat dog on’t hunt,”in the words of the wonderful Larry Johnson(ex-CIA)

TiredFed @ 122

Hotflash and theExile, if you are still around, I left you a note downstairs re: Valerie’s W2s.

Tired Fed,

I see your note and thank you. I’ll send a copy to the IRS IG and report back. Firedogs multitask! I owe you a backrub (in a very platonic way, of course) and some Sleepytime tea.

Justice! Popcorn! It’s the Firedog way!

My, my @
140

Funny clip, but somebody take care of that screaming baby….

Can we complain about Pammy and child abuse?

Christy, I am just starting the Wolff piece in VF. Wolff writes that “Fitzgerald, aware, no doubt, of the weakness of the charges—mere perjury and obstruction, acts of omission rather than commission—and, perhaps, defensive about the tens of millions he’d spent to produce them,….”
WTF???!!??
Perjury and obstruction are acts of OMISSION??? WEAK???
And when did Fitz spend “tens of millions?” Last I heard he ran his office on a shoestring. Do you have any recent number on Fitz’s expenses on this case?

From WaPo – FITZ! I wondered where he was on the list of Bushie-prosecutors and Baddie-prosecutors.
“U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald was ranked among prosecutors who had “not distinguished themselves” on a Justice Department chart sent to the White House in March 2005, when he was in the midst of leading the CIA leak investigation that resulted in the perjury conviction of a vice presidential aide, administration officials said yesterday.”