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Courtesy of Peter Baker and Tom Ricks at The Washington Post, we learn that
The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies, but it has had trouble finding anyone able and willing to take the job, according to people close to the situation.
Former NATO Commander Marine General John J. "Jack" Sheehan, among those offered the job, had this to say about why he and others are spurning the White House woo:
Sheehan said he believes that Vice President Cheney and his hawkish allies remain more powerful within the administration than pragmatists looking for a way out of Iraq. "So rather than go over there, develop an ulcer and eventually leave, I said, 'No, thanks,' " he said.
There's simply no one who wants the job:
Kurt Campbell, a Clinton administration Pentagon official who heads the Center for a New American Security, said the difficulty in finding someone to take the job shows that Bush has exhausted his ability to sign up top people to help salvage a disastrous war. "Who's sitting on the bench?" he asked. "Who is there to turn to? And who would want to take the job?"
If you're as old as I am, you remember the flower posters that asked "What If They Started a War and No One Came?"
Well, what if they had TWO wars that no one would run? Together with Nancy Pelosi's and Harry Reid's decision not to go to the White House for a lecture on how the Congress must implement the BoyKing's wishes immediately, might this be the beginning of the end of this disastrous policy of war, war, and more war?
(image from Sign Series: Dead End by Margaret Roleke)
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Well, if we’re lucky, it’s the beginning of the end…
Fitz!
TSF!
OT but KO looks to be going all over comedian Rust LimpBalls, Savage, Beck, et al.
I nominate Doug Feith. Provided his office is in Ramadi.
TSF!
Why are you reporting this? They just fired a white bigot nobody watched at MSNBC. Get your priorities straight.
dakine01 @ 3
Looks like KO will also be highlighting the theme of this post. Good on him, as usual. Marcy has a nice post up on this as well.
Others have weighed in on this today, of course, but I especially liked Shelley Lewis’ take at HuffPo:
Read the news this morning and just catching up, but beyond KO, any react from the MSM? Our are they still wrapped up in Imus? I would think this ought to be a MAJOR story.
dakine01 @ 4
Fired!! Imus is FIRED. And GREAT: KO does ask “why aren’t all these other [hate-spewing Right Wingers] fired as well.”
I’m off to watch.
I remember “What if they gave a war and nobody came?”
On having a “war czar.” I think that’s what they call the CiC (normally Commander in Chief although for current purposes, Chimpy in Charge makes as much sense). Or the SecDef.
But good on the retired generals who actually seem to understand the sh*thole the Chimpenfuhrer has put the country and army into and refusing to give him a scapegoat.
I hope that Harry and Nancy told the chimp to go Cheney himself.
Can “Sealed vs. Sealed” ever be unsealed?
mrsmarks @ 9
There are several major stories:
1. “I want someone to run my wars”
2. “State and DoD won’t obey me”
3. “No one will run my wars”
Hey, TSF -
btw, I remember the poster, “What if they gave a war and nobody came.” Plenty of us here at the lake old enough, I think.
I clicked thru to the Post article on the Congressional refusal to go along w/ Bush’s demand for a meeting w/o negotation — what struck me — Gary Bauer sounding like a pragmatist:
Mauimom @ 10
Imus still has his show for CBS..his simulcast was dropped from MSNBC. It has to hurt but he’s still on the air.
mrsmarks @ 9
Mostly mocked by blogs (our side anyhow) & MSM too.
Cafferty (CNN) had Q about War Czar. My entry was read on air, but BEST one was: Oh yeah, we would have both a King and a Czar! Wish I’d been so clever.
Steve Capus [NBC Pres., talking about the firing on KO]: “We place a tremendous value on the integrity of this organization.
[snip] This is not a business decision. We could make $$ [if we kept him].”
[The Rutgers coach said] “I want to put a human face on this” and she did [says Capus].
eCAHNomics @ 16
Ha! That’s a good one. But what was your comment? Please share!
Mauimom @ 17
Have to admit, sounds self-serving to me. Wish he’d said that Imus was so off the reservation that we fired him, and am happy to report that my organization was 100% behind decision. Show some moral courage, GFS.
Man, am I ever hating politics right now. If anyone else feels the need for a diversion, click my name for some extreme video cuteness.
Jay @ 16:
Well, let’s see what kind of cojones CBS has.
Steve Capus is sounding quite principled on this. Worth listening to.
Next he’ll announce a brush clearing czar for Crawford.
It bothers me that the NBC News guy sez that when sponsors cancelled, he realized corporations did want to be associated with Imus. And that it would affect NBC News’ reputation.
Why are corporations the arbiter of moral values? That’s a slippery slope…
I think MSNBC dropping Imus is *potentially* huge. Film at 9.
smapdi @ 24
Oh, that’s a job he’ll never give up — it’s the only one that matches his skill set.
TeddySanFran @ 25
But they have such a great track record…
selise – if you’re here – thanks so much for the mp3 of Russ’ hearing today. I had to bail after 25 minutes of it.
They ALL know that Bush is a terrible commander in chief and that there is no war plan and that the whole purpose of the job is so that someone besides Bush gets blamed.
No one has any power that the rest of us don’t give them.
John Lennon said: “War is over (if you want).”
Jay @ 17 says:
Small steps. We take small steps and victories where we can get them. I would not be surprised if corporate CBS is getting calls right now from the NCAA. The women’s tournament is on ESPN but the Men’s tournament makes a sh*tload of money for CBS. Just give it a little more time as it takes a while to break those sindication contracts.
Do you suppose W needs a War Czar for Iraq and Afghanistan so he and BigTime can focus on Iran?
TeddySanFran @ 33
oh NO !!!!!!!
I think W needs a Finding A War Czar Czar.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @ 29
Keith is gonna interview one of the retired generals who declined the “invitation”. Going to be interesting.
Love the new handle!
Spunkmeyer @ 1
That’s what I’m afraid of.
TeddySanFran @ 24
I agree with you. That’s why I think it’s important to listen to Capus. Either he’s a phenomenal actor, or he really is sincere. He sounded sincere to me. I apologize if my “transcribing” emphasized the “not a financial decision” comment. Again, see for yourself. I think it’s a good start for discussion about this and a basis for going after this whole demeaning of African-Americans particularly, as well as Latinos & those from the Middle East.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @ 30
Yeah SnarkKassandra. It’s extremely difficult for the Chimpy to learn all those military manuvers while sitting on the stool at the Ocifer’s Club for TANG. :})
There’s a line in All the President’s Men – from Deep Throat – “The truth is, these aren’t really bright guys. And things got out of hand.” Seems an apt understatement today in relation to the war czar story (or anything else). Any guesses as to how many F.U.’s before this administration finally and totally implodes? What will it take? Because it’s been cracking big time for quite a while now.
mrsmarks @ 18
As confessed on prior thread, and excoriated for freely admitted plagarism (tpm reader, not Onion which I referenced):
Fiyero @ 40
And Nixon was roughly 1,000 times smarter than Dubya…
JJackson makes the point: It’s about women, it’s about race, it’s about religion.
War of attrition.
Attrition spreading through the ranks. Deployments extended to 15 months.
The war is wearing everyone out.
Attrition. No one left to do the work.
Also, if the Bush administration imploded…
How would we know?
mrsmarks @ 25
Heh. It’s the only thing I share with W. I have 50 acres 85 miles north & west of NYC. I LOVE clearing brush. Don’t step on my guilty pleasures.
Fiyero @ 40
Aanother blog over the weekend had a “List of Movie Sequels that shouldn’t be made.” I submitted All the President’s Men: Y2K as a joke. But it ain’t all that much a joke, ya know?
Glad you’re highlighting this TSF. This one is going to be the joke on of the week before it’s done, I think.
mcjoan at kos has this post on the reactions of Reid and Pelosi.
Chimpy is looking for cover. He wants someone who we all think has a clue to back him. Does anyone here think he’s actually gonna listen to his War Czar? That’s why no one wants it. He’s wrong and all the potential war czars know that.
Mauimom @
38
Sounds like Keith had weighed in with his opinion and then held silent until now. Remember , he wouldnt go on Imus
Helen @ 49
See, that’s the problem. Competence and loyalty are mutually exclusive qualities.
TeddySanFran @ 29
Good question. The fact that “Cheney and has hawkish allies” still wield more power than the “pragmatists” as is important and as disturbing as anything in this story.
TeddySanFran @ 25
I think this goes under the rubic (spin) corporate-personhood – and from my little corner of the Monterey coast we have a local activist group who have been railing against the concept for many years. Can only hope and trust a nationwide grass roots citizens group will flower…..corporations aren’t corporations they are friends of consumers and just like all persons. Oh dear – am not explainin’ it very well. Nevermind, I’ll see if I can find a linky or two to share about the nascent movement.
I heard Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are working on a very strict non-binding resolution.
Eli @ 44
Great point hidden in a little snark, true on multiple levels.
Oh, I am so down with Grandma on this. Bring them home. The price is too much to pay, the burden is too much to carry.
eCAHNomics @ 46
mrsmarks @ 25
smapdi @ 24
Next he’ll announce a brush clearing czar for Crawford.
—
Oh, that’s a job he’ll never give up — it’s the only one that matches his skill set.
Heh. It’s the only thing I share with W. I have 50 acres 85 miles north & west of NYC. I LOVE clearing brush. Don’t step on my guilty pleasures.
—
But eCAHNnomics, how often does the brush outsmart you?
Worst President Ever.
Eli @ 49
Actually, the National Intelligence Czar worked out so well that Bush wants to replicate the success.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @
30
Oh, you’re so right. His famed managerial style, isn’t it? Delegating?
But as KO just remarked in the Countdown lead in, it’s hard to get around the fact that War Czar=Commander in Chief…
Mauimom @ 38
I had the same impression re Capus. This affected him, and apparently affected a lot of folks at NBC. And good for KO for asking, “what about Beck and the others?”
Marie Roget @ 60
Delegating = Scapegoating.
I can’t believe I’m reading this. The Defense Department is the largest bureaucracy in the freakin’ government and they need somebody else from outside to run their goddam wars?
Incompetence, thy name is Bush/Cheney.
spaghetti happens @ 63
Wait’ll it shows up on Monster.com.
There’s already an official in place with “the authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies” and with the responsibility for conducting the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The position even has a nifty title: Commander-in-Chief.
But if a czar were appointed, maybe the Boy King could have even more time to clear brush on his “ranch”.
OT
Anybody know anything about Wolfowitz’s girlfriend?
All Things Considered just stuck a knife in.
From neocon to just plain con?
Bush: if his brain was dynamite, he couldn’t blow his nose.
smapdi @ 55
Almost every time. I come back with scratches out the wazoo from wild rose bushes, my 1953 International Harvester tractor stalls in the back 40 & I have to phone my yard guy to save me, deer eat all the good stuff & leave all the bad stuff. You just don’t know how evil is Mother Nture.
Urban Pirate @ 58
Now — with a CZAR
Recall, if you will, how well our other US Czars have worked out — in the Energy and Drug arenas, for instance.
Helen @ 49
Hmmm. Reading your comment makes me wonder whether Petreaus isn’t already beginning to send unpleasant news back to the WH. Somehow, Georgie has been able to dismiss one general after another without the public taking much notice. I don’t think he could get away with the same practice this time.
Maybe he’s trying to install someone who will do the decidin’ for public consumption?
Good news..
http://www.partnersforpeace.or…..200703050/
Keyser Soze for War Czar.
johnnywheaker @ 66
I think it’s simpler than neocon to just plain con. I think it’s neocon IS con. In all of the meanings.
I’ve been meaning to ’share’ this for quite a while. Back in early 2001 when W was a fresh, shiny new preznit, there was an op-ed piece in the NYTimes that said we really mustn’t make fun of him. I wish I could find it now. This piece sort of concatenated all the left wing insults, and said, “Now..Now..really shouldn’t be nasty”. The thing that I remember is the concatenated insult:
Idiot Usurper Boy King
Doesn’t it seem fitting now? I searched the NYTSelect base today and could not find it. Maybe someone else wil be more successful, or maybe their search engine is willfully dense, but I would just love to have the original column so I could say, ‘Told you so…’
spaghetti happens @ 63
And oh – don’t they want a smaller government?
Wow, Vivian Stringer [Rutgers Women’s Basketball coach] is phenomenal. Much better at articulating the problems than Jesse Jackson was.
Keith good too.
punaise @ 72
This guy was serious AND got things done. “The entity that is Keyser Sze was truly born, however, when rival smugglers working for the Hungarian Mafia invaded his house while he was away, raping his wife, and holding his children hostage, killing one of them when Sze arrived to show him they were serious. They then threatened to kill his wife and remaining children if he did not surrender his business to them. Rather than give in to their demands, he shot and killed his family and all but one of the Hungarians, whom he spared knowing that the survivor would tell the mafia gang what he was planning to do.”
Really serious.
TeddySanFran @ 33
Especially ominous given government claims this morning that Iran was teaching Iraqis to build EFPs (armor-penetrating IEDs).
Here is a linky defining corporate personhood and sadly it appears to be currently legal http://firstuucolumbus.org/corppers/cp.html
Mauimom @ 76
Agreed.
dakine @ 73
Well, I was specifically thinking of the striped suit variety…
Mike McConnell, the Intelligence Czar, has been busy:
(my bold)
oregondave @ 30
Too bad someone didn’t tell our president when he had admitted that he had prayed for peace on Easter. “war is over, if you want” PLEASE, someone shout it from the rooftops.
lolo
johnnywheaker @
81
What I figgered but the neocon bs is a con job/scam to the nth degree as well.
KO Talkin.. about the War Czar
mrsmarks @ 68
How could it be any other way?
Besides Cockburn in Rumsfeld bio has bad things to say about (media darling) Petraeus. $1.3 billion for Iraqi troop equipment disappeared under P’s supervison. P. 199.
TeddySanFran @ 80
The fact that Death Squad Johnny fled the position, willingly giving up his Cabinet rank to do so, says it all.
VJB @ 74
This was the closest I could find…
When all the rats flee the ship what’s left?
Yeah, for Negroponte to leave a job for reasons of conscience, giving up rank to do so — that’s scary.
Keep pushing CNN on Beck. Media Matters is invaluable.
dakine01 @ 80
Jesse looked and sounded exhausted – bet he’s been doing talk shows since Imus imploded. When I was a grad student in Chicago an age ago I loved going to the church where he preached by day and railed with speeches at night. He was a very young man and spellbinding and inspiring before and after the tragic King assassination. I greatly admire him then as now.
In that era Rev. Jackson suffered ghastly miagraine headaches yet as was sometimes painfully apparent he never failed to tough it out and complete his exhortations.
shooogarp @ 89
Roaches can’t swim.
Was just rereading Yoshi Tsurumi’s (who was Bush’s international business instructor at Harvard) comments about Bush in class. “He’d say something unsupportable, and when challenged, thirty seconds later, he’d deny he said it.”
It’s all of a piece–this is little more than putting another firewall between him and public opinion. For years, he’d say he was following the advice of the generals, and now, when it’s falling apart, the generals don’t want anything to do with what always was the Bush/Cheney way of waging war.
Now he wants someone to do his job–that’s the bottom line of this–in order, in his feeble, deranged mind, anyway, to evade responsibility.
That’s a sleazy CEO’s trick. And no one’s fooled by it.
shooogarp @ 89
The captain, his first mate and Gopher.
Why doesn’t W offer the Czar position to James Baker?
shooogarp @ 88
Semi-OT
Speaking of Keyser Soze & rats fleeing… it’s probably time to start the “New Attorney General pool” – who’ll play ball with ChimpCo, and be Senate-confirmable?
A throwback maybe…
I’m in for Edwin Meese.
TSF — KO up now on your story of War Czar and extension of duty for those in Iraq.
shooogarp @ 96
That may happen yet
When all the rats flee the ship what’s left?
the re-arrangers of deck chairs
TeddySanFran @ 99
How will he wash that ISG stink off of him?
TeddySanFran @ 88
John Negroponte resigning for reasons of conscience?
707
I wasn’t suggesting that.
It was because he was basically powerless.
TeddySanFran @ 69
He wants to delegate the Commander in chief responsibility. (Not the costume though) Un-fucking-believable.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 54
why nonbinding?
punaise @ 100
There’ll be only one left.
And I know you know what he’d be called.
Pardon OT, but I posted this as a comment to HuffPo’s full-width headline story about Imus losing his job:
I’m rather pleased with myself /preen :)
montag – What a read that was.. Should have been in every newspaper across the land before his first presidential election day.. we got punked America.
eCAHNomics @ 68
Hmm, is that tractor one of the ones with the reduction gearbox on each rear wheel?
I pretty much rebuilt one of those, front to back, in a former life….
newtonusr @
29
you’re very welcome!
Newspaperbrat @ 92: While Sharpton was speaking on Hardball, you could see Jesse standing next to him, so it probably has been a long day(s) for him in a lot of ways.
newspaperbrat @ 92
Jessie has endlessly come to Appalachia starting with visiting with Bobby Kennedy in the 60’s. The MSM tries to do a smear job on Jessie repeating “he goes where the cameras are”. Bullshit! He follows wherever it is that injustice and racism takes him. I have sat in a room with Jackson several times ( I am a peasant). He listened closely and responded clearly to everyones questions and comments.
I have a deep respect for him and his devotion to justice.
Way OT – I can’t help it, and it really irks me, but have crush on Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino.
newspaperbrat @ 92
What’s the update with his son? Heard him once on C-SPAN & he seemed like a pretty solid citizen, but have lost track.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie)- Because they wouldn’t want to make the president feel unhappy while he’s fighting terror.
TeddySF on the Front Page !
go baby go -
fyi – the three generals who turned it down
2 work for Oil Companies, the 3rd works for Boeing
“yeah, let me give up my 6 figures, plus bonus just so your sorry ass can sully my name with Iran for all eternity . . . and oh yeah, lose my phone number”
selise @ 109
I see you also posted Hugh’s growing list of Bush offenses on the Mass site. Looks good.
Wow, Richard Wolffe, who usually speaks Rovian pretty well, did not seem to buy into that Czar idea.
Eureka Springs @ 107
If the press had been doing its job, they probably would have dug the guy out. But, they were too busy with Gore’s “exaggerations.” That was, after all, important stuff.
montag @ 108
after years of chipping away, I removed the last vestiges of bittersweet and wild rose this week. :) I actually like brush clearing too, as long as I’m using my friends bobcat with brush mower attachment.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 114
I want him to be as unhappy as the families of the dead soldiers.
shooogarp @ 96
Go to my 49
TeddySanFran @ 113
Yeah – he basically made your point about Czars past.
A Candidate….
Jack Murtha for War Czar.
It bothers me that KO blames bloggers for spreading the Mullaly/Ford report, when it was reported straight in the Detroit News.
TeddySanFran @ 82
Teddy interesting linky.
shooogarp @ 112
It’s the big-girl panties, isn’t it.
allan_in_upstate @
5
I seconded that; provided everyone in Feith’s family has to enlist and go fight this war he help start.
Kathleen @ 111 says:
I have a deep respect for him and his devotion to justice.
My sister is a retired reporter and she got to cover Jesse during some political visits to her town. She has an autographed picture of the two of them together with “Keep Hope Alive” inscribed. It has an honored place on her shelves.
montag @ 108
I really wouldn’t know. I’m a mechanical moron. I mount the tractor, turn the key, & if it works, I’m off. Otherwise I call for help. If it helps, the color is bright yellow.
TeddySanFran @ 99
Ya tink? Let me know if their is a betting pool on this cause I can’t imagine him inviting one of Daddy’s go to boys – cause don’t cha know he prefers to do the opposite of what the old man prays for day and night.
TeddySanFran @ 124
Nah – he’s our friend. He reads us before he decides what goes on the air – HI KEITH!!!!
Bill Orally once again WPITW.
shooogarp @ 112
Understandable.
She’s cute, and no one fakes it like she does. ;)
Fiyero @ 52
Maybe Petreas said no to Iran.
eCAHNomics @ 129
The color tipped me… I’m thinking of an Allis-Chalmers, which came in orange….
I hope Pelosi and Reid stick to their guns and get Bush to work with them to end this war. I will miss Don Imus and the insightful political guests speaking candidly about issues without a script. What a loss. At this rate we will all PC ourselves out of relevence in short order.
shooogarp @ 111
Sexist reply: She’s a cutie in a tough spot.
So sue us.
Helen @ 121
I should submit my five year-old’s resume. Oh wait….even she knows he doesn’t have a clue.
And can properly pronounce Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Really.
Breaking – White House just admitted that a lot of staff emails got deleted from RNC accounts.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c…..013579.php
Eli @ 126
Oh my! It’s a sign that I spend too much time here that I know what that means.
TeddySanFran @ 124
It bothers me that he covers American Idol. (FOX)
Urban Pirate @ 133
Ah man, there are just so many ways I could get in trouble with that statement. C-o-n-t-r-o-l thyself, stay in control, do not engage alligator mouth (or fingers) allowing hummingbird a** overload. :})
*xyz @ 139
I am soooo not surprised. Fuckers.
Eli @ 126
*blush*
Loo Hoo @ 141
I wonder if MSNBC would be interested in some input from their Olbermann fans about how to use their suddenly available formerly-Imus time….
kathleen @ 111
newspaperbrat @ 92
dakine01 @ 80
Mauimom @ 76
Wow, Vivian Stringer [Rutgers Women’s Basketball coach] is phenomenal. Much better at articulating the problems than Jesse Jackson was.
Keith good too.
Agreed.
Jesse looked and sounded exhausted – bet he’s been doing talk shows since Imus imploded. When I was a grad student in Chicago an age ago I loved going to the church where he preached by day and railed with speeches at night. He was a very young man and spellbinding and inspiring before and after the tragic King assassination. I greatly admire him then as now.
Jessie has endlessly come to Appalachia starting with visiting with Bobby Kennedy in the 60’s. The MSM tries to do a smear job on Jessie repeating “he goes where the cameras are”. Bullshit! He follows wherever it is that injustice and racism takes him. I have sat in a room with Jackson several times ( I am a peasant). He listened closely and responded clearly to everyones questions and comments.
I have a deep respect for him and his devotion to justice.
Lights – action – camera!
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03…..index.html
Eli @ 105
the Conductor in Chief?
This article by Mr. TSF illustrates some very real panic going on at the WH. By tacit admission, the WH acknowledges that it has incompetent people running the war effort.
I think this aticle by Mr. TSF, and the news contained within, is HUGE. It may not get alot of immediate play due to all the roar over the long-overdue firing of Don Anus. I would humbly encourage Mr. TSF and others to re-visit this news item in the future.
Ghostman
*xyz @ 139
Yeah, like 9/11, KAtrina, Iraq, Iran, Housing Bubble, etc, we could have NEVER SEEN IT COMING.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie)- I’m sure you do. I was mocking their leadership.
I hate it when the wingnuts call Jesse Jackson a race pimp.
Just imagine the USA without Jesse Jackson. It would not be the same.
montag @ 153
Yellow, not orange.
Both IH and Ac have been merged out of exitence, but I think in 1953 they were still separate entities.
What I found odd in this story was I thought the job description belonged to the Secretary of Defense. So if it isn’t his job, what is he doing?
punaise @ 147
I was thinking more like The Lone Re-Arranger…
Eli @ 143
Now, when are the rocket scientists in the MSM going to ask why the White House is making an announcement about deleted RNC email?
Ghostman @ 148
Bullseye. The crux.
Eli @
64
You don’t know how right you could be … check this out
[scroll down]
Scarecrow @ 116
i couldn’t keep track of them… there’s just too many!
(hugh is emailing me as he thinks of additions – i’m just providing the webpage.)
montag @ 155
I want to know how the *White House’s* mishandling would result in the deletion of e-mails from the *RNC’s* servers.
Eli @ 154
heh. not a tontology.
smapdi @
24
No, brush clearing is why he needs a War Czar!
Only so many hours in the day.
*xyz @ 139
I sure would like to ask Dana about all those deleted e-mails. ;)
Eli @ 158
I never even thought of that!
shooogarp @ 161
think she would answer?
RealWorld @ 153: And I thought it was the National Security Advisor’s job to herd all the agencies into a single policy.
Whoever…we’re already paying somebody’s salary to do what Bush wants this Czar (oh, please) to do.
montag @ 155
DITTO DITTO DITTO – FUCKING DITTO.
My thought is that the Bush Admin has used their ‘new reality’, sometimes seen as incompetence, but more of an up-is-down mentality to piss people off, to push out anyone who didn’t get it. Think the Civil Rights Division at DoJ. Nobody wants to work for a moron, so act stupid and folks will quit.
Unfortunately, that eventually fails if you need to hire in someone who knows a few things.
They built their nest, every rational person has left the building. It must have been tough for those wanting to serve our country, even as a regular employee, to be forced to quit on principle.
Regardless of the president, employees should be able to do their job with respect, nobody with a pulse wants to step into this mess now.
Ghostman @ 148
Thanks, Ghostman, good to see you back at the lake. There’s 37 pages of comments
on the original WaPoO article, but we are all responsible for keeping this story alive.
Let’s write letters to the editor to our local papers. Let’s ask our Senators and Congresspersons why our President is delegating HIS war.
I want him fully consumed for the rest of his term with the withdrawal of our forces imposed upon him by the American people, acting through their elected representatives. No need for a Czar for that.
TeddySanFran @ 145
Bet they’d be real interested. Specially if some of our blog neighbors joined on in.
Eli @ 158
Pre-cise-ly my point….
Time to resurrect Sam Ervin.
“Won’t someone please be my War Czar?”
Said Bush, bellied up to the bar.
“I can’t ask Shinseki –
His rep makes me look drekkie;
And I can’t pull my fists from this tar.”
shooogarp @ 112
I wanna see Dana ‘interviewed’ by Lara Logan. Is that just a guy thing? *wink
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @ 163
The better question to ask her might be whether SHE has an RNC email, how often she uses it and how she determines when it’s time to do so.
selise @ 157
My bold.
shooogarp @ 112
Oh my dear you definitely need to get out and about more. ;~)
S.O.S. from MA @ 169
BE careful now S.O.S from MA. You do show your age with that. Which I also show as I get the ref.
This may be a stupid question but why didn’t they use gmail or something?
S.O.S. from MA @ 169
“When you wish upon a czar,
Everyone knows how fucked you are…”
*xyz @ 135
I was reading about this earlier at Huff Po. Comes from Jennifer Loven from the AP. Loved this part: “Stanzel said some e-mails have been lost because the White House lacked clear policies on complying with Presidential Records Act requirements.”
I have a suggestion for a clear policy procedure:
1) Comply.
Is not having clear policies for how to follow a law a legal excuse for breaking it?
OK sorry Suzanne for the yelling. I am calm now. Hey – Pups – Franken on Larry King
Ghostman @ 148
I think this will become a joke on the late-nite shows. All they needed to do was look around for a replacement for a deputy to the NSA who is resigning, and no one would have cared. Instead, they announce they’re looking for a war “czar” — what??? — to do what really is the NSA’s job (emptywheel has a fine post on this), and then let it leak out that nobody wants the job. What clowns.
And the story comes out on the same day that Gates has to announce the extensions of tours for all the troops, following the announcement they have to sent new troops over early without the needed rest/training, following the announcement they have to call up 15,000 National Guard — all the while blaming the Dems for this!
And they have to admit they’ve “mishandled” — deleted potentially embarrassing/incriminating e-mails that should have been kept in the public record by law.
I’m and amazed every week at how this Administration thinks up new ways to look ridiculous, incompetent and dishonest.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @ 175
And what makes you think they didn’t?
RE comparisons above of Vivian Springer and Jesse Jackson: I wonder sometimes if television producers think they’ve done their job for every incident involving Black Americans by hitting the rolodex for the numbers of (1) Mr. Sharpton and (2) Mr. Jackson. While both are strong voices, they are not the only ones out there worth hearing. I’ve found Ms. Springer to be an articulate and intelligent person whose voice and heart have brought much to the Imus discussion. Personally, I hope we hear more from her and other successful Black Americans through the US media. (Hope against hope….)
I do wish everyone on my teevee would now stop saying “nappy-headed ho’s”
Lou Costello @ 171
As I display my vestigial remnants of sexism, it may be a guy thang but nothing wrong with it (as he ducks and runs away).
eCAHNomics @ 180
If they used gmail it can probably be recovered with an appropriate subpoena
Eli has Consequences upstairs
eCAHNomics @ 179
If I remember, a lot of the emails went to yahoo.com and possibly gmail accounts. Even if they wiped RNC servers, there are still forwarded and CC’d copies on other servers.
Another possibly dumb question:
Can’t Congress just impound all of the machines at RNC HQ? Subpoena them and get them asap? Someone could resurrect those emails.
Doesn’t the NSA save everything?
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @ 175
No question is stupid. All White House emails are archived. They thought they could circumvent that by using RNC email. Turns out (I’ve learned by reading here) that there is no such thing as circumventing when you use enail or palms or blackberrys; (or whatever the kids use today).
FYI, New thread
eCAHNomics @
18
Well? Are you going to share your entry with us?
TeddySanFran @ 188
Apparently so – but if they can erase RNC emails – why can’t they erase the relevant NSA emails? Has anyone subpoened the NSA?
Helen @ 179
FWIW dear Helen cause I felt like yelling too when as I read your feisty rant – and stomped to the kitchen for some de-caf tea. ;~)
dakine01 @ 174
Hey, I’m in good company ain’t I? It ain’t as if WH Press Secretary Tony Snow didn’t make the same reference… (of course he got into a heapa trouble for doing it…) whoops /snark /on me :)
“Quay-Czar…. boomp boomp boomp boom”
(old TV jingle)
S.O.S. from MA @ 106
good job
marshen @ 136
in your dreams, no more dirty tricks is more like it.
newspaperbrat @ 195
Hey – I went for a beer!!
I know I am joining this thread way late, but did anyone see Doug Schoen’s post at HuffPo where he advocates Dems’ full funding of the war in order for it to focus attention on Bush’s failure.
It just sounds so passive agressive to me. It’s not like anyone but the diehards aren’t already focused on the failure and want to stop now. It is time for grownups to do something drastic to stop the bleeding. I personally think the only way to make it stop is to impeach Cheney and W. But just being direct about stopping the war is okay, too.
There’s nothing prohibiting MSNBC putting their stars on teevee in the morning to talk candidly about the issues of the day — the blogs have proved there’s an audience for Unbent Talk. But there’s no reason why book authors — and political leaders — should rely on a bigot and sexist to sell their sizzle.
SnarKassandra (who was Cassie) @ 162
Me neither! Brilliant! (with apologies to that beer commercial)
Atrios suggests Lieberman is the man for the job. He has the enthusiasm, the experience and the ability.
Let me second the nomination.
TeddySanFran @
33
Somebody somewhere was pointing out that this army tour extension could free up as many as 40K soldiers, if they kept to the current deployment pattern in Iraq. Can’t recall where I saw it yet. Agree, especially combined with that EFP garbage that Spurious noted, sounds like they’re trying another ram job. Yet I keep getting the feelling that they’re missing a piece that they just can’t quite compensate for.
prostratedragon @ 205
Teddy,
If nothing happens to Iran, will you reexamine your “feelling”?
Czar of all the brushes.
shooogarp @ 112
Dude, she’s a Borg. Deal with it.
Regarding the ‘War Czar’: Yes, yes, this is very nice, no one wants to get beat up in the cuisanart of Iraq. BUT, as long as we have a standing army (and unfortunately the National Guard is now a standing army), those in power, both and/or all parties will be tempted to USE that army. It’s the old use it or lose it argument. How can a politician resist all that might? Even if that pol has used ‘diplomacy’ there’s always those guns to back s/him up. We will be in this position again and in not so long a time.
I’m obviously missing something. Where does the Constitution or the statutes allow for a War Freakin’ Czar?
Commander in Chief. Check. Secretary of Defense. Check. War Czar. Nope. Nada.
DoD runs the wars. That’s why it *used* to be the War Department. Should still be, but that’s a different argument. In any case, the Generals and the DoD staff are supposed to do the running. They managed it okay with two whole continents at war some years back, and I bet they still could if they didn’t have brainless gits at the helm.
Mightn’t this, indeed, be the beginning of the end? But what the hell took so long?
Saw a homeless person on the street today, sitting against a wall. He held a sign in his lap that read:
Will be War Czar for food
Probably should have gotten some forwarding info on him, being that country is so desperate and all…
Since when did my country start having “Czars”?
What is the general connotation of “Czar”? Isn’t it “authoritarian elite Russian wackos who thoughtlessly murder and live off of Russian peasants” ?
Am I missing something here?
Well, gee, why don’t Bush and Cheney just run a Help Wanted ad on the Heritage Foundation’s web-site to find their war czar?
I mean, this worked so well in staffing the Coalition Provisional Authority, didn’t it? Hell, maybe Paul Bremer would like another shot at bringing his special brand of wingnuttery to bear in Baghdad?
Maybe Boykin is available? Ooops, on second thought, he’d probably pull a stunt so horrendous it’d lead to Armageddon starting in the Middle East.
Or maybe Bush and Cheney can run a Help Wanted ad in the student newspaper at Trinity University? There’s bound to be some “Onward Christian Soldier,” in the mold of Monica Goodling, who’d take on the responsibility of being the war czar or war czarina?
I mean, there must be someone stupid enough to want to get into the middle between the White House, our neo-con-fragged military and the Muslims.
Hmmm, I wonder if Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage or Bill O’Reilly have been offered this plum position yet. They’ve been doing such a fine job armchair quarterbacking, maybe it’s time to put their money (and life) where their mouth is and spend the next ten years trying to clean up the mess Bush and Cheney made? At the least, they could set up a studio in the Green Zone and take callers from inside Iraq…you know, to get on-site feedback from the people Bush and Cheney “liberated”? To report on all the “good news” that isn’t being reported out of Iraq?
Anyway, it may be time to help our wingnut friends in their job search by printing up and mailing out job applications to selected members of the wingnutosphere. Hey, they’ll get combat pay. What more could they ask for than that?
Does this mean that Jr. is not happy with Gates.
So, in the absence of leadership they will just make the soldiers stay 25% longer.
I volunteer
atablarasa @
210
Constitution? Didn’t you hear? They got rid of that a long time ago.
ooops:
“If you’re as old as I am, you remember the flower posters that asked “What If They Started a War and No One Came?”
Pardon… it’s not just a “flower poster” but – in my opinion – one of the greatest sentences ever written by Bertolt Brecht:
playwright
poet
theatre director
genious
moralist
communist
whatever… much more
amongst others he wrote “threepenny opera” (Mac The Knife) and “The Rise and Fall of Mahogany”. And The Doors and Bowie sang his “Whiskey Bar”. He exiled when Hitler took over here… only to some years later stand in front of McCarthy because of “Un-American-Activities”
here’s the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertolt_Brecht
Dubya is THE war czar–everyone knows that. Dubya wants to appoint someone else so he has a scapegoat. Who would be dumb enough to take such a job?