zunoed!

Jane!

zed?

Yeah Jane!

And Christy!

I rarely watch American Morning, so sorry I missed that. The YouTube would do fine.

Jane!!!

Damn ,we have some good looking DFH’s, don’t we?

I caught the segment this morning. That host is a Republican tool. I’d wished Jane had had time to give her a good Michael Moore smackdown.

Okay, number two, but I try harder (sigh).

Thanks for this, Christy! Eager to see the Jane clip.

And I repeat from down below:

BushCo is building an ever stronger case that the failures in Iraq are — Iraq’s. We blasted our way into that country in an ill-advised (unadvised?) immoral incursion, have been complicit in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis (and others), have made absolute hash of Iraq’s infrastructure, torpedoed its quality of life, destroyed its economy and now BushCo says, “Well, dudes, you’re just not living up to your end of the bargain.” A “bargain” imposed, tops down, by BushCo, on BushCo’s terms to protect BushCo’s oil interests, Halliburton’s bottom line, and Cheney’s bottom. These. People. Are. Evil.

Is there a reason Robert Bluey hasn’t enlisted? Why doesn’t he have a Glorious Iraq Adventure? Shame he’s denied the opportunity to cover himself with glory….

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

Congrats Jane!

selise @ 208

Kathleen @ 177

So far the MSM has once again allowed the P to get away with repeating unsubstantiated claims about Iran’s “alleged” nuclear weapons program. Not one person has questioned him abtut this. Or about his claims about the IED’s being from Iran.

They have allowed once again for his Iran Plan to move forward. Deja Vu. How did these comments just slip by again.

Because the “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots have been repeating them so often over the last 4 years that it has been completely accepted.

Deja Vu

the problem, i think, is that the dems are going along with these claims. makes it much harder for media folks to challenge both Rs and Ds.

yesterday we had the senate dems roll on claims that iran is responsible for deaths of our troops in iraq.

a few weeks ago we had the house dems roll on claims that iran has a nuclear weapons program and that their president is guilty of inciting genocide.

a few weeks ago we had presidental candidate obama state (in a presidential debate) that every serious person knows that iran has a nuclear weapons program.

it’s past time for us to hold our D policial leaders accountable – and demand that they hold the president accountable… at least to the truth.

I heard Obama say that. I also watched Obama roll over during the Condi Rice and John BOlton nomination hearings. Kerry, Kennedy and a few others hit hard…Obama rolled over. I am really not sure what people are so excited about with Obama!

WHEN WILL THE MSM DO THEIR FING JOBS AND ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE IRAN CLAIMS. HAVE THEY LEARNED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

NOT ONE QUESTION ABOUT THESE UNSBUBSTANTAITED CLAIMS ABOUT IRAN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR FOUR YEARS.

I am not surprised by the Democrats rolling over to the Israeli lobby a large percentage of their funding comes from them.

TeddySanFran @ 10

Is there a reason Robert Bluey hasn’t enlisted? Why doesn’t he have a Glorious Iraq Adventure? Shame he’s denied the opportunity to cover himself with glory….

reason #1: he doesn’t want to go ka-Bluey

Christy Hardin Smith @ 11

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

me plus one

Very effective, precise comments from Jane…

Yeah, it’s smooth sailing with you guys at the helm….

Kudos to the Lake…..

Christy Hardin Smith @ 11

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

Raises hand. Hope we have an fdl meetup!

excellent, excellent job Jane.

Not that I expected anything else, but you were stellar. Well reasoned, factual, and persuasive. Goddam I’m proud of you.

CHS,

I’m mostly a lurker, but my husband and I will be attending DKos2.

I have a question that relates to Bush claiming Executive Privilege. I’ve heard it said that if Congress takes the fight about Executive Privilege to court, it will take two years. Is there some kind of mechanism that would speed up the process?

It didn’t take two years to figure out who was going to be President in 2000. Of course, that didn’t turn out too well but anyway…

Is there a fast track for these kinds of issues?

Jane has an excellent television presence. She should do more tv.

I agree, the anchor seemed to demonstrate a “rightward” bias.

no YK2 for me, alas

Hey! {{{{{{JANE}}}}}}

Thanks Christy.
And special thanks for covering the hearings this week. I don’t know how you guys do it.

You spoil us rotten *g*

Jane was fabulous and lucid and excellent. The CNN announcer was atrocious. I… WILL… NOW… SPEW… REPUBLICAN… TALKING… POINTS… AS… I… HAVE… BEEN… PROGRAMMED… TO… DO… Where do they find these people? Are they ALL on the Rove payroll?

Christy Hardin Smith @ 11

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

I’m going to pass. I have vacation time coming but I am flat out going somewhere with no phone service and minimal human contact.

Still no questions about the repeated and unsubstantiated claims about Iran!

The “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots have said it so often the last four years that the press just lets these comments slide…helping the cakefolk to build their case.

Deja Vu

M @ 18

I have a question that relates to Bush claiming Executive Privilege. I’ve heard it said that if Congress takes the fight about Executive Privilege to court, it will take two years. Is there some kind of mechanism that would speed up the process?

It didn’t take two years to figure out who was going to be President in 2000. Of course, that didn’t turn out too well but anyway…

Is there a fast track for these kinds of issues?

Throw Miers in jail and you’ll see how fast those bastards run

“A fantasist like Joe Lieberman”

ZING! LOL

Impressive! She did great. Good to see a leading progressive blogger get some MSM time.

I swear I’m not being a chauvinist. Jane is beautiful. Geez, Louise.

punaise @ 12

TeddySanFran @ 10

Is there a reason Robert Bluey hasn’t enlisted? Why doesn’t he have a Glorious Iraq Adventure? Shame he’s denied the opportunity to cover himself with glory….

reason #1: he doesn’t want to go ka-Bluey

yeah, Bluey blows. (couldn’t resist!)
Jane of course looked and sounded great.

You know, living in America is a farce with
all those jokers and clowns in Repug suits
making idiots of themselves…

Kathleen @ 24

Still no questions about the repeated and unsubstantiated claims about Iran!

The “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots have said it so often the last four years that the press just lets these comments slide…helping the cakefolk to build their case.

Deja Vu

selise, Kathleen:

Here is what I tacked on last thread. Forgive the reposting:

I’ve been thinking of this since yesterday. The more unanimously craven the Dems are on this, the less I worry. How do I explain, for example, Jim Webb’s vote? That The Lobby “got to him”?

I think The Lobby has a monopoly on public discourse, but not on real power. I interpret yesterday’s vote as a form of discourse, not the exercise of power. Yes, it’s ugly, but insignificant.

Michael Harold @ 27

I swear I’m not being a chauvinist. Jane is beautiful. Geez, Louise.

Jane is beautiful. But Helen Thomas is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen or heard, her soul her guts her essence is to be respected.

reason #1: he doesn’t want to go ka-Bluey

clarification: no disrepect intended to actual soldiers putting their lives on the line

I think that CNN anchor was not horrible, although she wasn’t great. Her constant need to throw in those “it’s open to interpretation” lines shows her bias, but she did a decent job of focusing on specific questions and she stopped the little boy from going off on tangents and spewing GOP slogans.

lina @ 19

Jane has an excellent television presence. She should do more tv.

I agree, the anchor seemed to demonstrate a “rightward” bias.

ditto.

barbara @ 8

Okay, number two, but I try harder (sigh).

Thanks for this, Christy! Eager to see the Jane clip.

And I repeat from down below:

BushCo is building an ever stronger case that the failures in Iraq are — Iraq’s. We blasted our way into that country in an ill-advised (unadvised?) immoral incursion, have been complicit in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis (and others), have made absolute hash of Iraq’s infrastructure, torpedoed its quality of life, destroyed its economy and now BushCo says, “Well, dudes, you’re just not living up to your end of the bargain.” A “bargain” imposed, tops down, by BushCo, on BushCo’s terms to protect BushCo’s oil interests, Halliburton’s bottom line, and Cheney’s bottom. These. People. Are. Evil.

True, the rationalizaton is disgusting, but if that is what it takes for them to save face and justify pulling troops out of Iraq, then in this case the ends may justify the means.

i like how she colored it right from the start by say that a report was out on the iraqi’s “meeting the benchmarks”. actually the report states that they are NOT meeting the benchmarks, but you wouldn’t know it from the way it was phrased. and could we just say that the situation in iraq in NOT “open to interpretation”. it sucks. there. is. no. progress. jeeze.

Japandrew @ 22

Jane was fabulous and lucid and excellent. The CNN announcer was atrocious. I… WILL… NOW… SPEW… REPUBLICAN… TALKING… POINTS… AS… I… HAVE… BEEN… PROGRAMMED… TO… DO… Where do they find these people? Are they ALL on the Rove payroll?

Geez, with the flipped, brunette bob, she looks just like the McNews anchorwoman from Tom Tomorrow!!

Bay State Librul @ 25

M @ 18

I have a question that relates to Bush claiming Executive Privilege. I’ve heard it said that if Congress takes the fight about Executive Privilege to court, it will take two years. Is there some kind of mechanism that would speed up the process?

It didn’t take two years to figure out who was going to be President in 2000. Of course, that didn’t turn out too well but anyway…

Is there a fast track for these kinds of issues?

Throw Miers in jail and you’ll see how fast those bastards run

That’s a great idea! I’m sure Bush will pardon her before she ever saw the inside of a jail cell. I can already hear the wailing about ooohh poor Harriet. Fred T will probably start a defense fund for her tomorrow.

Jane is my hero. The other two were ‘bots out of “Tom Tomorrow”.
Unbelieveable …….

Heritage Foundation guy – love it!

Jane doesn’t need a damned corporate sponsored think tank to get on the news!

Christy — I’ll be at YKos2.

Jane — most excellent, groovy to see you on the tube!!

michael chertoff’s gut @ 37

Japandrew @ 22

Jane was fabulous and lucid and excellent. The CNN announcer was atrocious. I… WILL… NOW… SPEW… REPUBLICAN… TALKING… POINTS… AS… I… HAVE… BEEN… PROGRAMMED… TO… DO… Where do they find these people? Are they ALL on the Rove payroll?

Geez, with the flipped, brunette bob, she looks just like the McNews anchorwoman from Tom Tomorrow!!

Jinx!

Christy Hardin Smith @ 11

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

not me. :(

have lots of fun and let those of us who can’t go know all about it…

puppethead @ 34

I think that CNN anchor was not horrible, although she wasn’t great. Her constant need to throw in those “it’s open to interpretation” lines shows her bias, but she did a decent job of focusing on specific questions and she stopped the little boy from going off on tangents and spewing GOP slogans.

I think that’s a fair assessment.

They didn’t warn us about the Rudy question, she just opened up with “on your blog this morning…” and having been up since 4am to get over there in time I’m like, “OMG, I have no idea what’s on the blog, what has TRex done now…”

I think you can actually see my face fall when she says it.

Did Bluey do a name change to match his politics and shirt?

Jane!! You did an excellent job, and you look great on TV, plus you have a great voice. They will invite you back!! Congratulations!

brendan @ 30

Kathleen @ 24

Still no questions about the repeated and unsubstantiated claims about Iran!

The “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots have said it so often the last four years that the press just lets these comments slide…helping the cakefolk to build their case.

Deja Vu

selise, Kathleen:

Here is what I tacked on last thread. Forgive the reposting:

I’ve been thinking of this since yesterday. The more unanimously craven the Dems are on this, the less I worry. How do I explain, for example, Jim Webb’s vote? That The Lobby “got to him”?

I think The Lobby has a monopoly on public discourse, but not on real power. I interpret yesterday’s vote as a form of discourse, not the exercise of power. Yes, it’s ugly, but insignificant.

brendan @ 30

Kathleen @ 24

Still no questions about the repeated and unsubstantiated claims about Iran!

The “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots have said it so often the last four years that the press just lets these comments slide…helping the cakefolk to build their case.

Deja Vu

selise, Kathleen:

Here is what I tacked on last thread. Forgive the reposting:

I’ve been thinking of this since yesterday. The more unanimously craven the Dems are on this, the less I worry. How do I explain, for example, Jim Webb’s vote? That The Lobby “got to him”?

I think The Lobby has a monopoly on public discourse, but not on real power. I interpret yesterday’s vote as a form of discourse, not the exercise of power. Yes, it’s ugly, but insignificant.

If they do not have any effect or real power then why do we continue to refuse to deal with the I/P conflict fairly? Why was President Kennedy the last President to demand that they sign the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty and open their doors to inspections? Why does Israel receive a fifth of our foreign aid, which I believe is 10 percent of their overhead.

Two great sites for more information about these issues.

http://www.wrmea.com/

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/

If this is not power what is it?

I just want to say ***JANE*** well done.
Such a pleasure to see you on CNN
You were excellent: unruffled and intelligent
Hope to see lots more of you..

General, Ma’am!

I will not be in Chicago next month, except in spirit. I am crossing the pond next week but I gotta be back in Deutschland the 27th.

Jane at 44 — I think you handled that really well. Bluey actually says in his blog entry that it was completely out of the blue for you guys — that you had been expecting Iraq/al qaeda and not Rudy. Good answer on the fly! (Especially at that hour of the morning…blergh!)

Jane Hamsher @ 44

puppethead @ 34

I think that CNN anchor was not horrible, although she wasn’t great. Her constant need to throw in those “it’s open to interpretation” lines shows her bias, but she did a decent job of focusing on specific questions and she stopped the little boy from going off on tangents and spewing GOP slogans.

I think that’s a fair assessment.

They didn’t warn us about the Rudy question, she just opened up with “on your blog this morning…” and having been up since 4am to get over there in time I’m like, “OMG, I have no idea what’s on the blog, what has TRex done now…”

I think you can actually see my face fall when she says it.

It may have been a sandbag attempt but you handled it with grace and aplomb…

Nice zinger on Shortride BTW.

brendan @ 32

Kathleen @ 24

Still no questions about the repeated and unsubstantiated claims about Iran!

The “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots have said it so often the last four years that the press just lets these comments slide…helping the cakefolk to build their case.

Deja Vu

selise, Kathleen:

Here is what I tacked on last thread. Forgive the reposting:

I’ve been thinking of this since yesterday. The more unanimously craven the Dems are on this, the less I worry. How do I explain, for example, Jim Webb’s vote? That The Lobby “got to him”?

I think The Lobby has a monopoly on public discourse, but not on real power. I interpret yesterday’s vote as a form of discourse, not the exercise of power. Yes, it’s ugly, but insignificant.

i just don’t know how to square that with what we had in the run up to the war on iraq. rhetoric became discourse, discourse became war. the dems rolled, the media rolled… and the bombs fell.

too much deja-vu for me to be reasured.

p.s. i don’t think it’s primarily the “lobby”. i think the propaganda is working – dems are actually convinced that iran is genocidal and has a nuclear weapons program. i had a person in senator kennedy’s office tell me this morning that if iran were to get a nuke – he is 100% sure that they would give it to terrorists like hezbollah to use.

when i spoke with my rep (jim mcgovern) last week about h.con.r.21, he didn’t even know that there was any controversy about the translation. he had accepted it as true.

and kennedy and mcgovern are two of the better ones…

{{{{{{JANE!}}}}}}

Don’t watch MSM, except Olberman (if he can be called MSM). Thanks for the vid. Nice job Jane.

The anchor was appalling. “Open to interpretations”? Oh really, what am I missing about the clusterfuck that is Iraq? BRING ‘EM HOME NOW!

punaise @ 36

reason #1: he doesn’t want to go ka-Bluey

clarification: no disrepect intended to actual soldiers putting their lives on the line

That little cretin-guy is, in and of himself, a disrespect to soldiers putting their lives on the line.

I’m guessing it will be lost on most of the viewers that this guy is backed by a major conservative think tank and Jane Hamsher is an independent operator here whose had to do it the hard way as opposed to having the tpm’s handed to her to regurgitate.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 10

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

Is the info at Daily Kos?

Good gracious, Jane! Extemporaneous speaking becomes you! If that’s how you handle being blindsided, I can’t wait to see you when you are fully “armed” and ready! Excellent handling of a low balled question.

Advantage Jane.

Will not be attending YKos2, really wanted to go, however I defer to the universe and it’s infamous wisdom.

Jane Hamsher on CNN — a rare voice of reason and sanity!

Just a reminder to those still thinking about YKos2 — deadline for registration is 14-JUL, end of the week.

If you can’t physically attend, you could still virtually attend YKos2 in Second Life.

Hope to meet many of you FirePups there in both real and virtual YKos2!

kathleen at 58 — Here’s the link to the conference website. HTH!

Bush today – per Rawstory:

“I’m aware of the fact that perhaps somebody in the administration did disclose the name of that person,” Bush said. “I’ve often thought about what would have happened if that person had come forth and said, ‘I did it.’ Would we have had this endless hours of investigation and a lot of money being spent on this matter?”

This probably isn’t politically correct, but please take it in the spirit it is offered:

DailyKos has a mission to elect Democrats, no?

Isn’t that distinct from moving a progressive agenda forward?

Not that they don’t largely overlap, but where there are differences, should there not also be a distinct and separate entity for the progressive movement schema?

Market opportunity for progressive meeting/convention venue?

Or a change in mission for yearly kos?

Something else?

And no – can’t go – no job

dakine01 @ 52

Jane Hamsher @ 44

I think that’s a fair assessment.

They didn’t warn us about the Rudy question, she just opened up with “on your blog this morning…” and having been up since 4am to get over there in time I’m like, “OMG, I have no idea what’s on the blog, what has TRex done now…”

I think you can actually see my face fall when she says it.

It may have been a sandbag attempt but you handled it with grace and aplomb…

she couldn’t have handled it any better had she been given the question in advance. very impressive.

Jane, it looked completely natural to me, didn’t look at all like you were surprised by the Rudy question, only looked like you were giving it serious consideration.

But it’s rather interesting that the first question was about Rudy…change of subject, perhaps, to keep you from going with the Senate and House Judiciary Committee meetings this week??

LS @ 64

Bush today – per Rawstory:

“I’m aware of the fact that perhaps somebody in the administration did disclose the name of that person,” Bush said. “I’ve often thought about what would have happened if that person had come forth and said, ‘I did it.’ Would we have had this endless hours of investigation and a lot of money being spent on this matter?”

Since “that person” was himself, I think not.

LS @ 64

Bush today – per Rawstory:

“I’m aware of the fact that perhaps somebody in the administration did disclose the name of that person,” Bush said. “I’ve often thought about what would have happened if that person had come forth and said, ‘I did it.’ Would we have had this endless hours of investigation and a lot of money being spent on this matter?”

I hope Armitage gets pissed off about this, because it is obvious that he is “the person” Bush is referring to. And guess what, he was the ONLY person who did exactly that. The money spent on the investigation was due to the fact that almost everyone else (exception perhaps being Ari Fleisher) lied and obfuscated. Just like their precioussss massster!

Has ‘Rudy the hero’ ever served in the military?

the video made it clear firefighters died because of guliani’s decision to keep equiptment he knew was faulty

that’s important to bring up whenever we talk about this guy

and now for a plame fix which is never really off topic here at the lake

from the ap and via raw story, the president admits exposing our covert asset came from the administration

WASHINGTON – President Bush on Thursday acknowledged publicly for the first time that someone in his administration likely leaked the name of a CIA operative, although he also said he hopes the controversy over his decision to spare prison for a former White House aide has “run its course.”

Nothing like some vague rhetoric to square off against Jane’s facts. That guy’s personal surge, is, um, pitifully weak, poor guy. He doesn’t have much to work with, does he? Of course the newscaster has to split the difference: some say the earth is round. Others maintain that is just partisan rhetoric. Who’s right? We turn to our panel of experts. Pat Buchanan, where is all this heading?

Beautiful, Jane!

I will be at YK2 and look forward to meeting other pups and hopefully you brilliant owners and headliners as well.

Selise just the way the Dems believe the false intelligence before the invasion of Iraq?

Do not underestimate the I-lobby. They put their money where their mouths are (can’t blame them for that). But I can blame our Reps for allowing the I-lobby to disproportionately effect their votes on National Security and Foreign policy.

Ooops — forgot to mention that Sam Seder is subbing for Mike Malloy on NovaM tonight — and I’ll be on around 9:10 pm ET.

thanks for posting the clip of jane. she was great!

Oklahoma kiddo @ 70

Has ‘Rudy the hero’ ever served in the military?

BWWAAHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OKK made a funny!

Oklahoma kiddo @ 71

Has ‘Rudy the hero’ ever served in the military?

No personal offense intended OK, but what a stupid question! Rudy? Serve in the military? LOL.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 10

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

me.

(any chance of another brunch? i’m happy to pitch in in any way…)

Jane Hamsher @ 44

They didn’t warn us about the Rudy question, she just opened up with “on your blog this morning…” and having been up since 4am to get over there in time I’m like, “OMG, I have no idea what’s on the blog, what has TRex done now…”

I think you can actually see my face fall when she says it.

I admire your constraint and aplomb. I could never politely sit there and listen to a robot making mindless statements issued via talking point memos. I’d be shouting about the idiotic statements, which wouldn’t be good.

Rudy has one thing to ride on – 9/11. Wasn’t he lucky that happened in his town and not Chicago or Los Angeles or Atlanta? Or, he would be a volunteer for the Republican Party working on someone elses campaign.

Jane:

Excellent! Beauty, brains, and articulation all on display…

Jane on tv, Christy on the radio all in the same day. Woo hoo fdl!!

fyi – as requested, audio from yesterday’s hearings is up. you can download the mp3s from this page – scroll down to items #9 and #10.

Nequals1 @ 68

LS @ 64

Bush today – per Rawstory:

“I’m aware of the fact that perhaps somebody in the administration did disclose the name of that person,” Bush said. “I’ve often thought about what would have happened if that person had come forth and said, ‘I did it.’ Would we have had this endless hours of investigation and a lot of money being spent on this matter?”

Since “that person” was himself, I think not.

I think you misunderstood. “that person” is Valerie Wilson. You know – “the wife”.

JH @ 44

For future reference, leave yourself some time before your appearance to find out about any late breaking events & esp to read your own blog. With your time constraint this morning it was pretty impossible to follow my advice, but keep it in mind. Be prepared, as they say.

We viewers couldn’t tell you were blindsided. Great job.

Beautiful and intelligent job, Jane.
(And, maybe I did see your face drop A Little Bit wondering what crazy thing might have been up on the site, Late Late Night sometimes being a little Out There!)
I especially was impressed by your quoting CNN’s Weirr (sp?) on Lieberman and not some nutwing left quote. Ha!
Also I loved your reflection of so many of the commenters’ quotes “Out of Iraq now!” as your final words. Just excellent.

Rudy’s 9/11 claim to fame is he filled a role Bush failed as president—Rudy projected confidence during press conferences while Bush was running around hiding in secure locations. But both of them failed the country when it came to being prepared for the attacks.

Selise the MSm has been allowing the zealots to repeat these unsubstantiated claims about Iran for four years now. Listne to one of the latest rants by John Bolton on NPr. Neil Conan did not challenge him once, not once

http://www.npr.org/templates/s…..Id=9942906

The only MSMers challenging these claims have been Chris Matthews (sorry many FDLers love to pound him) and Diane Rehms has been challenging some of these endlessly repeated claims about Iran.

Flynt Leverett ex CIA analyst and middle east expert (who was with the Bush administration as a analyst before the invasion quit the administration due to their Iraq policies) has been trying his best to provide a counter weight to the repeated unsubstantiated claims.

Go to New America Foundation for Flynts facts and insights on Iran

http://www.newamerica.net/pres…..n_and_iraq

http://www.newamerica.net/pres…..of_america

“OMG, I have no idea what’s on the blog, what has TRex done now…”

I think you can actually see my face fall when she says it.

That made me laugh out loud. Very nice job, Jane.

The old one two by the MSM… quoting the NYT article at the end just to try and belittle what you said…well I think I might have blown a fuse if I were there.. You get a ten just for showing up and maintaining composure under double fire before sunrise.

Later FDL folks. Thanks Christy, Jane and Marcy. You are true patriots!

kiren chetry a graduate of the roger ailes (not the good one) school of journalism
bluey should have pointed out conservatives don’t have to do anything because shills like Chetry and her compatriot John I am Dumb Roberts do it for them

TeddySanFran @ 9

Is there a reason Robert Bluey hasn’t enlisted? Why doesn’t he have a Glorious Iraq Adventure? Shame he’s denied the opportunity to cover himself with glory….

I was thinking along those lines while watching the clip. He’s sitting there all nice and shiny and I bet he smells real nice- like too. A real ‘He Man’…Those not as smart or as manly as me can do the actual fighting and dying. I’m to valuable to the Bushie/neocon cause.

Well, I watched the video. I thought Ms. Hamsher did just fine. Good job Ms. Hamsher.

Ghostman

There was no evidence Jane was blindsided. She knew how to field the question and give an intelligent direct response. No tapdancing from Jane. I’ve come to expect nothing less. That’s what a standard of excellence does to you, it becomes the norm. Thank you, Jane.

cool. thanks for posting CHS.

Jane, you were great and succinct. The other guy is a tool. And of course he got the most air time. I guess the TH was expecting you to break in and start screaming like most guests do nowadays, but you are an admirable human being who doesn’t stoop to such low standards.

I just love how Republicans insist that facts are “partisan” in re the Fireman’s union video. Did Giuliani get the right radios or not? No.

Gosh, I just hate it when reality is partisan.

Christy and egregious — I and GrandmaJo are going to chicago. Can’t wait. Trying to look at the schedule to see what we might want to attend.

Will there be a FDL breakfast? Just asking.

What was puzzling was CNN’s choice of Bluey.

Why Bluey? Was he the only willing right-wing blogger? Was he the one most likely to reflect a specific point of view, a la Heritage Foundation?

Sorry Jane, if you want to look bad, you are just going to have to work a lot harder. It was terrific!

Scott Horton on yesterday’s Taylor testimony: “Swearing an Oath to a Leader.”
http://www.harpers.org/archive…..c-90000492

And why has Preview, my friend, gone missing?

Obama is a complete tool.

We need a second political party.

recoveringlurker @ 101

And why has Preview, my friend, gone missing?

Looks ok here. Try refreshing the whole page. Save your comment before you refresh.

recoveringlurker @ 101

And why has Preview, my friend, gone missing?

Sometimes you need to clear out your cache and restart your browser. Usually that clears up everything.

Yeah and another thing…did Bluey Tool actually watch the video? There were some conservatives who were interviewed as well, who actually voted for Giuliani for mayor. This was not an anti-GOP video, just an anti-Giuliani video.

just a nitpick.

There is a bad article up at the NYT: Report on Iraq Sees Progress; Bush Rejects Troop Pullout by Christine Hauser.

It begins:

With the release this morning of a White House report finding some progress on political and security goals in Iraq, President Bush said today that it was premature and “not the real debate” to be talking now about a withdrawal of American troops.

“Some progress” is not the same as “little progress” and little progress would be far more accurate, especially because almost nothing has happened on the political front. The article fails to point out that even according to David Petraeus the surge was never meant to achieve military victory but rather to allow time for a political settlement, something that not only hasn’t happened but hasn’t begun to happen.

It is only in the second to last paragraph that any attempt is made to analyze what is going on with the Bush spin

The administration’s decision to qualify many of the political benchmarks will enable it to present a more optimistic assessment than if it had provided the pass-fail judgment sought by Congress when it approved funding for the war this spring.

But then there is this devastatingly revelatory final paragraph:

The administration officials who provided details of the draft report, in advance of its official release, to The New York Times, insisted on anonymity, partly to rebut claims by members of Congress in recent days that almost no progress had been made in Iraq since President Bush altered course by ordering the deployment of about 30,000 additional troops earlier this year.

Is this really a proper use of anonymous sourcing? Administration officials wanted to attack members of Congress but wanted to do so anonymously. So we let them. And more than that we let them put their own spin on the facts in the lede and only did a perfunctory reality check of our own at the end.

As this article shows, it is no coincidence that both journalism and joke begin with a ‘j’.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07…..ref=slogin

recoveringlurker @ 101

And why has Preview, my friend, gone missing?

Preview comes and goes for me…

Christy Hardin Smith @ 10

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

Count me in.

selise at #54:

That’s interesting about the Kennedy and McGovern responses (ah, Kennedy, McGovern…). If I have time I’ll call Webb’s office for an explanation, though I’m not a constituent. How did you phrase your inquiry?

I think you’re wrong, however, on something: this kind of vote is exclusively the doing of the Lobby. Who asked for this amendment? 49 (?) Democratic Senators are “convinced” of the Iranian threat because there’s only one consituency addressing it: The Lobby. They have scorecards, down to minutiae you wouldn’t immediately associate with Israeli interests. Meanwhile there is no organized counterconstituency for peace, much less peace with Iran, so there is no upside to voting against this kind of irresponsible crap. I fault Democrats for a lot of things, but if I were to take this 97-0 vote as a serious measure of intent to use military force against Iran it would be time to pack it in completely. Where would one even start in attempting to salvage the party? I don’t know if you see my point.

Also, it’s fair to consider much of the press propaganda the work of The Lobby, which is what I mean about a “monopoly on discourse”. As just one example, we had an official national intelligence report that said Iran will take ten years to get a bomb, but that’s not included in the public discourse outside a print newspaper; you’re more likely to get a breathless update on the latest alarmist “allied intelligence”.

Jane is a great rep for the knowledge & content rich faction; that talking head seemed a bit tilted in the opposite direction.

Count me in for YK2.

“No one will be candid with the President if people are expected to be held accountable for what they say.” from CHS summary of Rethug argument found in “HJC Heating up. Harriet Part I”

WTF???

I think the whole Scooter thing teaches us that no one can be expected to be candid, UNLESS they are expecting to be held accountable for wht they say.

BTW, CNN’s American Morning has had a troubled history from its inception: first it was Coop and Paula Zahn, then Pretty Boy Bill Hemmer (who jumped to Fox) and Forgettable Anchorwoman, then it was the cute O’Briens, and now another Pretty Boy T.J. and Pretty Girl Kiran Chetry (who jumped in from Fox).

Drive-by from Al The Spook:

Have updated my blog about Helen M to add in the specious DOJ amendment. linky.

Will try to get the iran post up next (Why Have Only One War When You Can Get Three For The Price Of Three?)

(poof)

Hey, kids! Try this one out on your parents! Tell them that you’ve made partial progress on 8 out of your 18 chores! Then see if they let you have the car on Friday night!

Question: What’s better than a Republican sleazebag caught up in a prostitution scandal?

Answer: TWO Republican sleazebags caught up in a prostitution scandal!

http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..m-scandal/

This report on Iraq today is just a carefully crafted ‘report’ engineered by the Bush administration and belongs in the trash. And do we really expect a truthful and objective report by the Bush guy, Petraeus, come September?

Breaking News:

GOP Shill Jack Burkman is on the DC Madam’s list multiple times. Link at Crooks And Liars.

Senate currently debating the Levin amendment to the defense bill. Purpose: funds for returning vets with medical problems, especially brain injuries.

Woodhall Hollow @ 78

Oklahoma kiddo @ 71

Has ‘Rudy the hero’ ever served in the military?

No personal offense intended OK, but what a stupid question! Rudy? Serve in the military? LOL.

On that note, be extra wary of politicians who claim to have served “during” Iraq a la Kirk, (watch the congressman’s courageous retreat from Iraqi vet’s video camera at C&L).

Word parse alert: “during” does not equal “in Iraq” or “with Iraqi Freedom force” etc.

But you all knew that.

selise at #54:

I also wanted to add that I think it would be confusing cause and effect to interpret a 97-0 vote by a rump parliament as a substantial step towards war. In a way, it’s unmerited flattery of our democracy, which no longer functions in the realm of foreign policy, especially under these war criminals. It doesn’t matter what 97 Senators vote, when, as Rosen said, he can get seventy signatures on an empty cocktail napkin overnight.

Ben Sargent’s Cartoon for Lady Bird Johnson

althespook @ 117

Breaking News:

GOP Shill Jack Burkman is on the DC Madam’s list multiple times. Link at Crooks And Liars.

And a coulter supporter, if I recall… Nice.

What a horrible biased little bitch the CNN host was.
She completly tries to rebukes both of Jane’s (2) shorts segments.

CNN has become a big mouthpiece for all things Right wing and pro-hard line Israel.

EPU’d but in case this wasn’t answered:

boxer @ 90

Marie Roget @ 75

Ditto. Got to drive in to work. Read you all later :-)

So we are at a clear fork. Either she shows cause w/in 5 days, or appears, or is in contempt – period? What can we do to make sure the latter trail is followed should she not do either of the former?

typically, Congress counts business days, so Harriet needs to show up ready to talk by COB Thursday, July 19, 2007. Anyone want to call Code Pink and put them on Harriet Watch? The House Seargeant at Arms should be on hand wherever she is to serve the contempt citation and cuff her.

Frank Probst @ 114

Hey, kids! Try this one out on your parents! Tell them that you’ve made partial progress on 8 out of your 18 chores! Then see if they let you have the car on Friday night!

“Partial progress” means nothing more than they read the benchmark. It doesn’t actually mean “working” or moving toward meeting the benchmark.

Re: Giuliani Firefighter ad:

This has been in the works for sometime. Expect more in the next few weeks and even months. The Swiftboat-like attack is from Rove’s playbook: Attack a candidate at his greatest strength. All America’s Mayor has is 9/11 and nothing else. His record as Mayor was abyssmal at best, ugly and nasty at worst. Simply put: He is NOT a nice man. Not to men. And certainly, most certainly, not to women, especially to those close to him.

Breaking News: from TPM

Linda Sanchez has ruled against Helen Miers claim of executive privilege. More as story develops…

althespook @ 117

Breaking News:

GOP Shill Jack Burkman is on the DC Madam’s list multiple times. Link at Crooks And Liars.

Life just got a little better. Also loved that a Repug state senator in Fla. got arrested for asking an undercover police officer for sex. Yep, some days the sun shines in.

althespook at 127 — Yes — we liveblogged the whole hearing earlier.

With regards to bias, the anchor is almost immaterial. More telling is the fact that the network showed “heroic” 9/11 Rudy images over the discussion. Jane performed magnificently, but we really can’t win with the constant knee jerk regurgitation of Republican narratives and talking points.

The evidence mounts daily. All is lost.

Hugh @ 106

There’s another one at the LA Times. They ran one about the people in Monument, CO, who apparently are all hawks, and put this headline on it: Pullout talk prompts anger at Congress

I’ve filed a request to change the headline as both an error and with the ‘readers’ rep’, saying that the headline is misleading, as it implies that this opinion is general. (Which is an understatement, since it flat out says that!)

Christy Hardin Smith @ 129

althespook at 127 — Yes — we liveblogged the whole hearing earlier.

Sorry CHS, thot this was something new…so much corruption, so little time…

Loved that “fantasist” bit! Congrats

Separately, is the WH seriously trying to assert executive privilege as a defense against subpeonas for the RNC or did I mishear that bit from the hearings this morning?

eCAHNomics @ 100

Scott Horton on yesterday’s Taylor testimony: “Swearing an Oath to a Leader.”
http://www.harpers.org/archive…..c-90000492

What Scott Horton* said:

1. Harriet Meiers should be held in contempt.
2. Fuckwad has broken a specific law in telling her not to show up.

IMPEACH NOW. it’s the right thing to do.

*Scott Horton is a highly respected lawyer who, among many other things, has represented Andrei Sakharov and Elena Bonner.

brendan @ 109

selise at #54:

……………..
………………
Also, it’s fair to consider much of the press propaganda the work of The Lobby, which is what I mean about a “monopoly on discourse”. As just one example, we had an official national intelligence report that said Iran will take ten years to get a bomb, but that’s not included in the public discourse outside a print newspaper; you’re more likely to get a breathless update on the latest alarmist “allied intelligence”.

mlk @ 7

I caught the segment this morning. That host is a Republican tool. I’d wished Jane had had time to give her a good Michael Moore smackdown.

She’s taking the feed from her producer. The announcers are just puppets who’ve been trained to move their lips in accordance with what comes through their earphones. You think she had the NYT bit in her teentsy brain? It came from the consol.

Jane, you were great. Composed and cheerful. The other guy was a typical hack. There must be some factory that turns them out because they are all alike.

Go, Jane!

Ralph @ 72

Nothing like some vague rhetoric to square off against Jane’s facts. That guy’s personal surge, is, um, pitifully weak, poor guy. He doesn’t have much to work with, does he? Of course the newscaster has to split the difference: some say the earth is round. Others maintain that is just partisan rhetoric. Who’s right? We turn to our panel of experts. Pat Buchanan, where is all this heading?

KO had a great take on this the other night. Paraphrase: “some people think that being a fair journalist means hammering both sides equally. That’s wrong. Being fair means having a single standard, and then hammering whichever side does not come up to that standard.”

I never heard is stated so succinctly.

OT – for those of you who are interested William Leonard is on CSPAN 3 testifying live about classification issues in the Executive branch.

Just tuned in, so I can’t say what’s gone on so far.

Isn’t Jane just the smartest freshest voice on television? My blood pressure drops 20 points just listening to her. Thank you.

Big Mitch @ 137

Ralph @ 72

Nothing like some vague rhetoric to square off against Jane’s facts. That guy’s personal surge, is, um, pitifully weak, poor guy. He doesn’t have much to work with, does he? Of course the newscaster has to split the difference: some say the earth is round. Others maintain that is just partisan rhetoric. Who’s right? We turn to our panel of experts. Pat Buchanan, where is all this heading?

KO had a great take on this the other night. Paraphrase: “some people think that being a fair journalist means hammering both sides equally. That’s wrong. Being fair means having a single standard, and then hammering whichever side does not come up to that standard.”

I never heard is stated so succinctly.

If KO doesn’t watch it he’s going to be the new Walter Cronkite. The nation’s media conscience. We need one. (Moyers is good but somehow seems too elitist (altho I know he doesn’t mean it that way)).

Jane,
You did great.

Christy,
I’ll be at YK2 as will KathrynMA and Scarecrow. The straw man hadn’t made arrangements until I think yesterday.

Having a few probs with laptop and talking with tech. back later.

What was that last little contradictary bit by the CNN person (Kiran) – she jabbed with the NYT does not think the violence up?

What the hell is that?

In any event, great job, Jane.

As was said in the vid up top. Politicians should “… reflect the will of the American people.” Who are “overwhelmingly in favor of getting out of Iraq.” End of story.

OT ~ Bush on Plame: Who Cares?

Nequals1 @ 125

Frank Probst @ 114

Hey, kids! Try this one out on your parents! Tell them that you’ve made partial progress on 8 out of your 18 chores! Then see if they let you have the car on Friday night!

“Partial progress” means nothing more than they read the benchmark. It doesn’t actually mean “working” or moving toward meeting the benchmark.

Speaking of “progress”. There’s an interesting unstated implication in the Woodward piece in the Post this morning. It details how Hayden listed Al Quaeda as the fifth biggest worry in Iraq in late 2006. Now, however, the administration would have us believe it’s the biggest. I don’t suppose anyone in the press would want to point out the contradiction about “progress” inherent in their current “Al Quaeda” propaganda hysteria?

Thanks, Christy, I woke up too late to see this. Very much appreciated.
No YKos for me this year. Hug people for me, will ya? ;)

hey christy,

thanks for the blogiversary wishes, thanks for the links, and thanks for being firedoglake (pls. pass on the last one to jane & the rest of the fdl pups)!

Jane, you were great!

Very good job, Jane, although it must have been hard to listen to the info-person maintain that everything can be seen from both sides.

Biodun @ 126

Re: Giuliani Firefighter ad:

This has been in the works for sometime. Expect more in the next few weeks and even months. The Swiftboat-like attack is from Rove’s playbook: Attack a candidate at his greatest strength. All America’s Mayor has is 9/11 and nothing else. His record as Mayor was abyssmal at best, ugly and nasty at worst. Simply put: He is NOT a nice man. Not to men. And certainly, most certainly, not to women, especially to those close to him.

I would rather see these after he is the nominee.

Paraphrasing CNN’s own Michael Ware about Lieberman was brilliant! ; )

Jane’s calling Lieberman a “fantasist” marks the only time anyone has called this demagogue out on televison. Long overdue.

behindthefall @ 149

Very good job, Jane, although it must have been hard to listen to the info-person maintain that everything can be seen from both sides.

If we’re talking cable, the two sides would be the far right and the far, far right.

crazyridesrockets @ 130

With regards to bias, the anchor is almost immaterial. More telling is the fact that the network showed “heroic” 9/11 Rudy images over the discussion.

Very insightful. I agree.

Well, I decided I’m going to give my Rep a present. A red, white and blue wristband that says: Protect the Constitution – Impeach!

Got one for me, too…

brendan @ 111 & @ 122

when i first called kennedy/kerry/mcgovern’s offices i first asked for an explanation of their vote. that led to a discussion of why their vote was not, imo, wise.

i don’t think yesterday’s vote was legislatively a move towards war – i think it was a rhetorical advance towards war. which the dems had no business doing.

to clarify wrt to “the lobby”. i don’t think that concern for israel motiviates most of the people lobbying for war – i think they use that as an excuse. there are a couple of reasons for this view. one is that it has become clear that our warmongering undermines the security of israelis. another is that i think most of the warmonger lobby are tied more closely with the MIC than with israel. i do agree that there is a lobby for war – i just think the ideology of the warmongers is more about domination than it is about any particular country. could be wrong… that’s just my current working hypothesis.

and i think you’re right on with this statement:

Meanwhile there is no organized counterconstituency for peace, much less peace with Iran, so there is no upside to voting against this kind of irresponsible crap

there’s not enough proactive counterconstituency – and i think it’s up to us to become that constituency – and watchdog. hence my efforts to contact my own congress critters.

althespook @ 140

Big Mitch @ 137

KO had a great take on this the other night. Paraphrase: “some people think that being a fair journalist means hammering both sides equally. That’s wrong. Being fair means having a single standard, and then hammering whichever side does not come up to that standard.”

I never heard is stated so succinctly.

If KO doesn’t watch it he’s going to be the new Walter Cronkite. The nation’s media conscience. We need one. (Moyers is good but somehow seems too elitist (altho I know he doesn’t mean it that way)).

KO is self-consciously trying to become the next Edward R. Morrow. Good night and good luck.

Rocket Scientist @ 135

brendan @ 109

selise at #54:

……………..
………………
Also, it’s fair to consider much of the press propaganda the work of The Lobby, which is what I mean about a “monopoly on discourse”. As just one example, we had an official national intelligence report that said Iran will take ten years to get a bomb, but that’s not included in the public discourse outside a print newspaper; you’re more likely to get a breathless update on the latest alarmist “allied intelligence”.

Ooops! In a hurry and hit the wrong button.

What I wanted to point out is that even the comment that it would take 10 years to produce a nuclear bomb is misleading.

This is not my field so I do not recall the correct terms. Nevertheless, for simple nuclear “bombs” such as what are called “suitcase” the preferred uranium is not the refined uranium used in nuclear reactors. Moreover, there is no need to develop a missle delivery capabilty with significant range. Thus, I see no reason why Iran could not easily and virtually at this date provide such a nuclear weapon, if that were their objective.

It is quite reasonable to conclude that Iran is telling the truth when they state that their interest is only producing nuclear energy. This is an appropriate strategy for Iran, in order to stretch out their being able to sell their oil. (Nigeria should also be pursuing using either nuclear power plants or ocean thermal energy plants to prolong their having oil for sale.) I strongly believe that it is in the best interest of the United States ( not some other country ) to assist Iran in developing nuclear energy power plants. This should put us near the front of the line when oil supplies start to significantly dwindle. It would also give us a presence in the Iran nuclear program to easily keep tabs on just what they are doing.

Bottom line is that virtually all of the media comments about Iran are either flat out wrong, irrelevant, or misleading.

Towards the end…Chetry said something like, “..the NYT article today said that there has been a decline in sectarian violence..” as proof of her ’subject to interpretation’ comment…

Yet the NYT article that (I think) Chetry’s referring to includes lines like:

The report also forecast a rise in attacks by insurgents in the coming months.

versus

..with an overall decrease in the numbers of Iraqi civilians killed in sectarian violence and in casualties from car and truck bomb blasts, [without including the following] some of the benchmarks have not been met in that section, such as improvements in the ability and political neutrality of the Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi government.

What can’t be ’subject to interpretation’ is the number of US troop deaths, which have been trending upward over the past few months…One more today, and 55 Iraqi civilians as well…and it is irresponsible to identify a 45% decrease in Iraqi civilian casualties in one month (June) as a positive indicator of the success of the surge.

Nice how Chetry fit her statement in the last five seconds of her segment in order to avoid being challenged on it.

Brisingamen @ 155

Well, I decided I’m going to give my Rep a present. A red, white and blue wristband that says: Protect the Constitution – Impeach!

Got one for me, too…

Where from?

TeddySanFran @ 9

Is there a reason Robert Bluey hasn’t enlisted? Why doesn’t he have a Glorious Iraq Adventure? Shame he’s denied the opportunity to cover himself with glory….

All neo-cons are cowards.

What a fine presence, though the host mashes FDL and your last name, the well reasoned prevails. Thankyou, Jane.

Tula has: Global Warming and Income Inequality
upstairs – great read.

Rocket Scientist @ 158

Rocket Scientist @ 135

Ooops! In a hurry and hit the wrong button.

What I wanted to point out is that even the comment that it would take 10 years to produce a nuclear bomb is misleading.

This is not my field so I do not recall the correct terms. Nevertheless, for simple nuclear “bombs” such as what are called “suitcase” the preferred uranium is not the refined uranium used in nuclear reactors. Moreover, there is no need to develop a missle delivery capabilty with significant range. Thus, I see no reason why Iran could not easily and virtually at this date provide such a nuclear weapon, if that were their objective.

It is quite reasonable to conclude that Iran is telling the truth when they state that their interest is only producing nuclear energy. This is an appropriate strategy for Iran, in order to stretch out their being able to sell their oil. (Nigeria should also be pursuing using either nuclear power plants or ocean thermal energy plants to prolong their having oil for sale.) I strongly believe that it is in the best interest of the United States ( not some other country ) to assist Iran in developing nuclear energy power plants. This should put us near the front of the line when oil supplies start to significantly dwindle. It would also give us a presence in the Iran nuclear program to easily keep tabs on just what they are doing.

Bottom line is that virtually all of the media comments about Iran are either flat out wrong, irrelevant, or misleading.

You think it is smart to assist Iran in acquiring nuclear power so they can stretch out their oil exporting timeline???? Well you are in good company. President Ford, (Chief of Staff Dick Cheny) and Minister of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld tried to sell them nuclear reactors under precisely this rationale. Of course, there was a dictatorial tyrant who tortured people in power in Iran at the time. But he was our dictatorial tyrand who tortured people.

As others have noted, Chetry’s reference to the New York Times assessment of the level of sectarian violence was completely off the wall. The only references by the NYT to sectarian violence merely cited the claims of the report and did not evidence any independent assessment by the Times of the level of sectarian violence.

Chetry was just atrocious, rapidly rebutting every statement made by Jane with something to the effect of “others disagree” while conspicuously avoiding such challenges to the wingnut tool.

Big Mitch @ 160

Brisingamen @ 155

Well, I decided I’m going to give my Rep a present. A red, white and blue wristband that says: Protect the Constitution – Impeach!

Got one for me, too…

Where from?

Here:

http://www.wristbands-with-a-message.com/

Thanks to the person who posted this info a couple of days ago!

Is there a reason Robert Bluey hasn’t enlisted? Why doesn’t he have a Glorious Iraq Adventure? Shame he’s denied the opportunity to cover himself with glory….

Sorry, but there is no chance that guy survives the DADT litmus test!

Is Mark Foley still in rehab?

Before everyone runs upstairs, let me add my Brava Zulo to Jane.

selise @ 156

brendan @ 111 & @ 122

when i first called kennedy/kerry/mcgovern’s offices i first asked for an explanation of their vote. that led to a discussion of why their vote was not, imo, wise.

i don’t think yesterday’s vote was legislatively a move towards war – i think it was a rhetorical advance towards war. which the dems had no business doing.

to clarify wrt to “the lobby”. i don’t think that concern for israel motiviates most of the people lobbying for war – i think they use that as an excuse. there are a couple of reasons for this view. one is that it has become clear that our warmongering undermines the security of israelis. another is that i think most of the warmonger lobby are tied more closely with the MIC than with israel. i do agree that there is a lobby for war – i just think the ideology of the warmongers is more about domination than it is about any particular country. could be wrong… that’s just my current working hypothesis.

and i think you’re right on with this statement:

Meanwhile there is no organized counterconstituency for peace, much less peace with Iran, so there is no upside to voting against this kind of irresponsible crap

there’s not enough proactive counterconstituency – and i think it’s up to us to become that constituency – and watchdog. hence my efforts to contact my own congress critters.

I think that in certain kinds of lobbying only Israeli interests are advanced, particularly these kinds of Congressional votes: they are, indeed, “rhetoric”, as you say. In a strange way, the “Israel Lobby” is a popular constituency, and in some ways even a transparent one. Compare other shadowy lobbies for the war (contractors, defense firms, oil interests in their many manifestations) — they don’t advertise their interests, much less construct a whole ideology for public consumption: I think they piggybacked on the ideologists and propagandists — commonly known as “neoconservatives” — of the Israeli lobby for their rationales for war (democracy? the word burns their ears). I used to be convinced that the Israel lobby was the primary cause of the war, but I’m not so sure: I think their omnipresence in the media made me tend to exaggerate their actual omnipotence.

did a little research on Chris Cannon. Seems that David Safavian worked for him before David went on to greater glory with Jack Abramof and then to the White House ….

(Bravo Zulu = Air Force slang for “Job well done.”)

No Kos2 for me. Sorry.

brendan @ 169 –

yes.

i’ve wondered if the nra is a bit similar… the popular lobby of gun “rights” backed by the money and supprot of the gun manufacturers.

selise:

I’ll call Webb. Do you have a linky to the amendment?

Christy Hardin Smith @ 10

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

in spirit only *grump*

Will there be video to share afterwards, please, please?

brendan @ 174

selise:

I’ll call Webb. Do you have a linky to the amendment?

yesterday’s discussion – here.

text of amendment is now up… but it requires a few clicks. – start here. must click on “S9035-9036″, then click on “Page: S9035″…. then scroll down to “SA 2073″.

hopefully it will be up in a better form soon.

warning. propaganda level in the bill is high.

hazmaq @ 123

What a horrible biased little bitch the CNN host was.
She completly tries to rebukes both of Jane’s (2) shorts segments.

CNN has become a big mouthpiece for all things Right wing and pro-hard line Israel.

Yeah, does she really believe she’s CNN’s answer to David Shuster? Dream on. All repubs do.

Sara Taylor News:

Brad Cummins Refutes Taylor Allegations.

althespook @ 178

Sara Taylor News:

Brad Cummins Refutes Taylor Allegations.

Terrific response from Bud.
Every time one of Chimpy’s tools open their mouth, they provoke these fired USA’s. At their peril, IMO.
Thanks Alfred!

just called Lamar Smith’s (ranking member) office and asked him to support the contempt of Congress action and also to support an inherent contempt action

Dave in Okinawa delurking here. Here’s the e-mail I just sent to Bluey:

Bluey,

I just saw your You Tube clip of your CNN appearance opposite Jane Hamsher. Here’s a quick question for you: Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces? My guess is no.

If you haven’t signed up for the Armed Forces, I would strongly urge you to do so, and quickly, so you can get in on the ‘Surge.’ My assumption however, is that you’ve got “better things to do.” Perhaps, just perhaps, if you had served in the U.S. military, you just might have a small appreciation of how this reckless war is breaking the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps.

My sense is that you are just another repug, chicken-hawk cheer leader, rah-rahing for continuing this madness created by your King George. Here’s an old Marine grunt combat phrase for you: Get Some. Get some of this surge. Do your patriotic duty and sign up. Make sure you sign up for a combat arms assignment so you can experience the full flavor of daily life in a combat zone, where you spend your quiet hours just hoping you’ll escape from your personal hell and make it back home to be re-united with family and friends.

Do you understand that our combat units are going back into this insanity for a fourth tour? The only reason that these superb young men and women are being thrown into this living hell again is to save face for Boy George, aka the Preznit. That’s the down-to-brass-tacks summation I’m throwing at you: this war in Iraq is continuing so that your boy Bush can leave office in January, 2009 without having to lose face. Without having to take any responsibility for this unparalleled disaster that he and his puppet master ‘Big Time’ have inflicted upon our country. And when I say your boy George, I mean that in every diminutive sense of the word, since he is King Chicken Hawk and has been since Daddy got him that safe-from-going-to-Viet Nam slot in the Texas Air National Guard. That same slot that he walked away from when he got bored with that assignment. But I keep forgetting that the UCMJ or the USC is not applicable to the Bush Family Syndicate.

So, Bluey, Get Some. Stop running your suck about how the surge has only just started, and that we need to give it time to work. You aren’t making any sacrifice that I can see, and I’ll bet that none of your kith and kin are either. If you’re in that 30% or so of BCC’ers *, then there should be enough of you collectively to immediately sign up and form up a good 10-12 combat brigades. Hell, I’d be willing to throw in some personal contributions to help expedite the training and equipping of these Neo-Con Combat Teams (NCCTs), just to be able to watch the news reports of your experiences in Iraq. Or Iran. There’s still time, but you need to hurry and make that commitment. And just imagine how tough you can sound after that combat tour(s) experience(s) when you next appear on CNN. If you make it back OK, with most of your extremities still functioning.

* Bush Cargo Cultists

Semper Fi,

Dave Leipold
Retired grunt,
USMC
Kitanakagusuku,
Okinawa, Japan

WOMAN OF THE WORLD UNITE!!

Something has to be done about the mainstream broadcast media inundating our airways with uninformed, copy reading twits. They know absolutely nothing about the subject matter and are unable to conduct a decent interview. If there is any question about what the male dominated media thinks of women, all they have to do is watch CNN, MSNBC and FOX. There is a word for people that deliberately marginalize themselves just for money. Get a clue Ladies……and hey, Larry King, that goes for you too.

OkiDave @ 181

Dave in Okinawa delurking here. Here’s the e-mail I just sent to Bluey:

Bluey,

I just saw your You Tube clip of your CNN appearance opposite Jane Hamsher. Here’s a quick question for you: Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces? My guess is no.
…

Semper Fi,

Dave Leipold
Retired grunt,
USMC
Kitanakagusuku,
Okinawa, Japan

Thank you for your service.

Once de-lurked, no going back. Nice piece!

OkiDave @ 181

Dave in Okinawa delurking here. Here’s the e-mail I just sent to Bluey:

Bluey,

I just saw your You Tube clip of your CNN appearance opposite Jane Hamsher. Here’s a quick question for you: Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces? My guess is no.

If you haven’t signed up for the Armed Forces, I would strongly urge you to do so, and quickly, so you can get in on the ‘Surge.’ My assumption however, is that you’ve got “better things to do.” Perhaps, just perhaps, if you had served in the U.S. military, you just might have a small appreciation of how this reckless war is breaking the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps.

My sense is that you are just another repug, chicken-hawk cheer leader, rah-rahing for continuing this madness created by your King George. Here’s an old Marine grunt combat phrase for you: Get Some. Get some of this surge. Do your patriotic duty and sign up. Make sure you sign up for a combat arms assignment so you can experience the full flavor of daily life in a combat zone, where you spend your quiet hours just hoping you’ll escape from your personal hell and make it back home to be re-united with family and friends.

Do you understand that our combat units are going back into this insanity for a fourth tour? The only reason that these superb young men and women are being thrown into this living hell again is to save face for Boy George, aka the Preznit. That’s the down-to-brass-tacks summation I’m throwing at you: this war in Iraq is continuing so that your boy Bush can leave office in January, 2009 without having to lose face. Without having to take any responsibility for this unparalleled disaster that he and his puppet master ‘Big Time’ have inflicted upon our country. And when I say your boy George, I mean that in every diminutive sense of the word, since he is King Chicken Hawk and has been since Daddy got him that safe-from-going-to-Viet Nam slot in the Texas Air National Guard. That same slot that he walked away from when he got bored with that assignment. But I keep forgetting that the UCMJ or the USC is not applicable to the Bush Family Syndicate.

So, Bluey, Get Some. Stop running your suck about how the surge has only just started, and that we need to give it time to work. You aren’t making any sacrifice that I can see, and I’ll bet that none of your kith and kin are either. If you’re in that 30% or so of BCC’ers *, then there should be enough of you collectively to immediately sign up and form up a good 10-12 combat brigades. Hell, I’d be willing to throw in some personal contributions to help expedite the training and equipping of these Neo-Con Combat Teams (NCCTs), just to be able to watch the news reports of your experiences in Iraq. Or Iran. There’s still time, but you need to hurry and make that commitment. And just imagine how tough you can sound after that combat tour(s) experience(s) when you next appear on CNN. If you make it back OK, with most of your extremities still functioning.

* Bush Cargo Cultists

Semper Fi,

Dave Leipold
Retired grunt,
USMC
Kitanakagusuku,
Okinawa, Japan

Ding! There are a lot of young bushies, 5 Romney sons, but Rudy Giuliani son apparently does not use his father’s name. Rich Lowry and Tucker Carlson are also available. Someone may have to google neo-cons who are no older than 42.

Jane!!!!! GREAT job!!! Good to see you on there keepin’ ‘um real! Good for you…. and us! :-)

Hey Dave, super grunt! My nephew is back in Iraq, 3rd tour. Match your donation to FDL. Welcome, I’ll check back later.

did you see the announcers little dig at what jane said at the end. that there has been a reduction in sectarian violence after jane said june was the bloodiest month.

i honestly think they feed announcers what to say via that little ear piece to counter the truth.

selise @ 176

brendan @ 174

selise:

I’ll call Webb. Do you have a linky to the amendment?

yesterday’s discussion – here.

text of amendment is now up… but it requires a few clicks. – start here. must click on “S9035-9036″, then click on “Page: S9035″…. then scroll down to “SA 2073″.

hopefully it will be up in a better form soon.

warning. propaganda level in the bill is high.

I read the amendment and called, first mentioning my admiration for his authorization resolution a couple month’s ago and my disappointment at the failure his troop rotation resolution (forgive my illiteracy in correct parliamentary terminology). I’m not in the habit of calling Congresspersons, as I’m no one’s constituent (DC). But I expressed my concern about the propagandistic assertions in the amendment. She seemed to take the propaganda laundry list in the amendment as established fact, so I gently tried to disabuse her of that. I described the amendment as “reckless rhetoric” in light of the its sponsor and the administration’s past acts. I then asked if Webb had made any public statement on the reasoning behind his vote. No, but she referred me to a foreign policy person: the immediate answer conveyed to me was a reassurance that it doesn’t authorize any military action of any kind and merely asks for “more information”, i.e., the reporting requirements. In other words, the “foreign policy” guy was dismissive of the contents, which I found reassuring confirmation about my suspicions of this “sense of the Senate”. I thanked her profusely for her time and Webb’s work and that was it.

I’ll have to make a habit of it. I’m usually more of a letter to the editor writer.

brendan @ 188 –

well done and thank you… and i should get in the habit of writing LTEs. *g*

oki dave at 181

(((((((high five))))))))))

Everyone should tone it down on Kiran Chetry regarding a bias. Look, she’s a crappy interviewer, period. She just doesn’t know how to do it properly. But a shill for Republicans? Come on! Chetry is a Democrat, quite liberal, and over my years of watching her she’s shown herself to be very pro-choice and pro-gay. Be glad that CNN didn’t hire someone like E.D. Hill for the job!

Congrats, Jane! Excellent job–and no one who knows you would doubt you’d do anything less than perfect.

dviper @ 108

Christy Hardin Smith @ 10

btw, just to get a sense of it — how many folks are going to be at YKos2?

Count me in.

Count me in too. I may be helping with the Pub Quiz. Most disagreements among the netroots cannot be easily settled — which candidate would best bring change to Washington? What region of the country hosts the most active political grassroots? What website has the most interesting analysis?

On Thursday, August 2, however, some of these scores will be settled, albeit in another realm. That night, YearlyKos will host its first annual Political Pub Quiz, a trivia contest in the British tradition to allow teams of 4-8 to test their knowledge of current events, civics and American history in a fast-paced, fun format. Without the aid of Google, which teams will remember the purpose of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, or the number of the Constitutional Amendment which bars Hillary Clinton and Eliot Spitzer from running as a ticket for the presidency?

The event will consist on multiple themed rounds of trivia questions of increasing difficulty to test the teams’ knowledge of fundamental and arcane facts. Teams can organize on whatever basis they choose — preferred websites, regions of the country, preferred candidates — and the organizers will also form teams onsite for unaffiliated participants as an exciting opening night icebreaker event.

Prizes will be awarded for the winning teams. They will be shiny. More importantly is the title of “Biggest Nerds In The Blogosphere,” which the winning team may trumpet until YearlyKos 2008

epu territory but just wanted to say thanks for the you tube, missed it this am. Good job,

Was that a stupid and biased ‘host’ or what?! First of all, she gets all flustered by a couple of blog names? Dumb. Then she clearly favored Blooey, dismissing Jane’s comments with those little phrases such as “the jury’s still out” or “some would disagree”. Ick.

We need better media, folks!

Jane just listened to your comments. Incredibly clear and on target. Thank you for your work your commitment to truth and justice and thank you for creating this blog.

Doodle Bean @ 195

Was that a stupid and biased ‘host’ or what?! First of all, she gets all flustered by a couple of blog names? Dumb. Then she clearly favored Blooey, dismissing Jane’s comments with those little phrases such as “the jury’s still out” or “some would disagree”. Ick.

We need better media, folks!

Efforts like hers to manipulate the conversation are not working as well as it used to. The majority of Americans are fed up with this obvious strategy to spin the facts.

Rayne @ 98

What was puzzling was CNN’s choice of Bluey.

Why Bluey? Was he the only willing right-wing blogger? Was he the one most likely to reflect a specific point of view, a la Heritage Foundation?

Actually I liked Bluey. I thought both he and Jane shared their perspectives respectfully.

newtonusr @ 183

OkiDave @ 181

Dave in Okinawa delurking here. Here’s the e-mail I just sent to Bluey:

Bluey,

I just saw your You Tube clip of your CNN appearance opposite Jane Hamsher. Here’s a quick question for you: Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces? My guess is no.
…

Semper Fi,

Dave Leipold
Retired grunt,
USMC
Kitanakagusuku,
Okinawa, Japan

Thank you for your service.

Once de-lurked, no going back. Nice piece!

Thank you Dave for your service and loyalty to our country. I am deeply sorry that your loyalty has been manipulated by the Bush administration. They owe all service people an apology for starters.

Hopefully they will pay in hell for the lives that have been lost due to their endless lies.

Fine job, Jane. You have far more patience for vapid ADD-suffering anchors on CNN than I ever will. This displaced-Cantabridgian mollusk salutes you once again. (cue trumpet solo)

Yeah, Jane.

And then in the other corner is the staunchly conservative blogger, so starchy and dorky in his Ezra Taft Benson glasses and suit.

He then goes on to deliver the same old Republican talking points at great length with lots of softball questioning followup. Jane is given very little time to do much more than introduce herself and make a brief comment.

It hardly matters, because the actual truth is catching up with the right wing media slant faster than they can wiggle their way out of it.

And I have to go back to how dorky he was .. surely this is not lost on the younger generation? Do they really expect to this to appeal to the next generation of voters?

The IAFF is hardly a little partisan group…it represents over 280,000 firefighters in the US. They support both sides of the politcal spectrum…but only the ones who support firefighter issues (hmmm…who could that be?). I urge people to check out the video or the IAFF website for more info.
IAFF.org
or
http://www.rudy-urbanlegend.com/