CHS!!

Great post!

Miss Christy - hope things are “settled” Chez Reddhedd.

Welcome back, Christy!

Bad manners going OT…but I have to go..

Jeralyn has a nice piece about what a piece of Republican crap, Murkasey is.

Mukasey, Rudy and Bernie Kerik

link

On second thought, Republican crap does dove-tail with Karen Hughes.

When O’Reilly starts peddling his “War on Christmas” again this year can we turn it around on him and talk about the Republican War on Christmas?

I mean, vetoing SCHIP is about as close to an antithesis to the Christmas Spirit as you can get. And rattling sabers against Iran doesn’t really gel with that old Biblical chestnut from the Christmas story, “Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men.”

Maybe there really is a War on Christmas, but it just so happens it’s not being waged by liberals.

Let’s get that meme out this year. You know, as a little Christmas gift to the world.

Karen Hughes is doing what any rat would do faced with a sinking ship.

Bye, bye. Mission accomplished.

your machinations, your manipulations, and your middling attempts at mendacity

W00t, CHS!!

EPU’d from last thread, with emendations:

Biodun @ 41

OT–

Karen Hughes’s “achievements”:

Here’s Condoleezza Rice, announcing the resignation today of Karen Hughes, the Bush inner-circle stalwart who has been working since 2005 as the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy:

“When I asked Karen to come, I asked her to come and to help us make public diplomacy strong and central to the mission of transformational diplomacy, and she has done that. She’s done it in spectacular fashion … If I could put on one sheet all of the things that Karen has achieved, I would do so, but it would take me a quite long time to talk about her achievements.”

Rice proceeded to tick off a few of Hughes’ “achievements,” but they were all what we might call “process-oriented.” She “cared about the people she has overseen”; she “built a strong organization”; she “made it possible for every ambassador around the world to feel comfortable going out and talking about America’s message”; she “institutionalized” a “rapid response unit that every day lets people know what Washington is thinking”; she created a Counterterrorism Communications Center “so that we are able to work to counter the message of terrorists and to spread, instead, a message of hope and democracy.”

As for the actual results of this work?

Rice didn’t say much, nor could she.

From a Pew Global Attitudes Project report dated June 2007: “The U.S. image remains abysmal in most Muslim countries in the Middle East and Asia, and continues to decline among the publics of many of America’s oldest allies. Favorable views of the U.S. are in single digits in Turkey (9 percent) and have declined to 15 percent in Pakistan. Currently, just 30 percent of Germans have a positive view of the U.S. — down from 42 percent as recently as two years ago — and favorable ratings inch ever lower in Great Britain and Canada.”

TeddySanFran @ 9

your machinations, your manipulations, and your middling attempts at mendacity

W00t, CHS!!

a classic!

So much material in that clip, it’s hard to know where to begin.

So let me just pick on one item: watching a film about how great the U.S. is while waiting in an endless line to get your passport stamped by a surly ICE employee. Yep, that little piece of irony will go completely unnoticed by the average tourist.

Here’s my Q about Hughes’s departure. No one in the W Administration has left for incompetence without being completely & utterly humiliated in public. Wazzup with Hughes?

Biodun @ 41
That’s the kind of weak shit you see on resumes of people that have been hiding in the shadows hoping no one will notice that they actually don’t DO anything.

Hughes is off to Texas and the grim prospect of a life filled with barbecues and wingnut welfare.

Noron Odonnell msgop gushed over Hughes and said she can’t believe they have known each other so long.

Biodun
Results count

“from shriek to Shining shriek”

And then there’s this:

From today’s White House press briefing:

Reporter: Since [Hughes] assumed the position of undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, according to a Pew survey, the U.S. image remains abysmal in most Muslim countries. Favorable views of the U.S. in Turkey are at nine percent. In Egypt, they’re 21 percent. In Pakistan, they’re 15 percent. In the Palestinian territories, they’re 13 percent. In Morocco, they’re 15 percent.

Dana Perino: I think I get your point.

Reporter: In Germany, in just the past two years, the favorable [rating] of the U.S. has dropped from 42 percent to 30 percent. Do you discount for those numbers? I just want you to address what has happened since she has taken on that role. It sounds like she didn’t do much.

Perino: I’m not going to comment on that. I think it’s preposterous to think that you could question Karen Hughes’ achievements in terms of being responsible for the numbers in a particular poll. That’s ridiculous.

Reporter: You discount…

Perino: I’m not — I’m not discounting the numbers. Certainly, the reason that the president wanted Karen Hughes to go to the State Department to help transform public diplomacy with Secretary Rice is because we realized that we need to do more about winning hearts and minds all around the world. And that’s exactly what she has started there. And she has said in her statement today this is not something we’re going to change overnight. This is a long-term project, much like — if you think about how long the Cold War took, she sees this as something that over the next couple of decades, we really need to focus on.

Reporter: So in your mind, she has succeeded in her goal of outreach to the Arab world, based on those numbers that I just cited.

Perino: I’m not going to comment or respond to a poll that you just read out. I don’t know about those numbers. I don’t know the questions that were asked. I think it’s inappropriate. What I can tell you is that she has done amazing work.

TeddySanFran @ 9

your machinations, your manipulations, and your middling attempts at mendacity

W00t, CHS!!

We do love us some …shoot, I can’t think of the term when you use words that use the same first letter. Mrs. Neugebauer - where are you????

Christy:

Masterful display of alliterations!

That’s some world-class, hot-shit snark, Ms. Smith. Good on you. :o)

alliteration

It seems the video link is “no longer available”. Anyone else getting that alert?

punaise @ 22

alliteration

Thank you Punaise and Biodun. I’m blushing here.

Are the rats, I mean cronies, deserting the S.S. Bush?

Buh-Bye Karen.

Who’s next?

Link to my 18.

Hugh @ 14

Hughes is off to Texas and the grim prospect of a life filled with barbecues and wingnut welfare.

How dismal.

katherine Graham Cracker @ 15

Noron Odonnell msgop gushed over Hughes and said she can’t believe they have known each other so long.

And yet O’Donnell never noticed during all that time that Hughes was part of the worst Administration in our history or thought to ask her about it.

opie_jeanne @ 26

Buh-Bye Karen.

Who’s next?

Will the last person to leave please turn off the lights.

Biodun @ 18

………. What I can tell you is that she has done amazing work.

Amazing work. I just can’t begin to list it all.

Not the first time she’s left, of course.

Wonder what she and Karl are cooking up for 2008?

They’re all gathering in Texas and when Bush returns to Brush Farm 1, the circle will be complete. Let it be soon.

punaise @ 22

alliteration

Yeah, yeah, anybody can string a sentence of similar consonants together. Let’s see some onomatopoeia up in here.

;-)

(sorry, now that my kids are in school, I’m forced to remember all the minutia from my own grammar school days)

Hugh @ 7

Karen Hughes is doing what any rat would do faced with a sinking ship.

when does this ship actually sink? i’ve never seen a more sea worth vessel with so many gaping holes.

except maybe the black pearl.

punaise @ 17

“from shriek to Shining shriek”

!777

“from shrew to silly shrew”

did you know that karen rewrote the constitution? neither did i. but googling around this a.m., i came across this column that contains not only that little tidbit, but several other of bigfoot’s great accomplishments:

Distribute widely, in English and in the host country’s language, the revised copies of the American constitution (in the process of being shipped to your post) that now contain the Under Secretary’s remark, made in Egypt, that the Constitution contains the phrase “One Nation under God.” The first sentence of the improved Hughes Constitution now reads: “We the People of the United States, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, in order to form a more perfect Union … ” While the Department rarely organizes exhibits abroad as it did in the past, we have obtained special funds from the White House for a “Paper Show” that will highlight the new Hughes Constitution and stress the important role that religion plays in the life of the President and his confidantes.

http://www.selvesandothers.org/article11761.html

TeddySanFran @ 32

Not the first time she’s left, of course.

Wonder what she and Karl are cooking up for 2008?

From that link: “…..Her trademark line is that she has worked with the president so long she can finish his sentences.”

I don’t think that makes her a brain trust, or even says much about the time spent with him since most of us here could do that.

eCAHNomics @ 30

opie_jeanne @ 26

Buh-Bye Karen.

Who’s next?

Will the last person to leave please turn off the lights.

Perpetual VP Cheney likes the lights off.

Biodun #18,

Hughes did amazing work and Perino is not going to let the facts to the contrary get in the way of that talking point.

Excellent post chs.

And I really like this part:

In discussing Hughes’ accomplishments, Perino noted that Hughes and her deputy “really put a focus on … bringing foreign exchange students back to the United States.”

“After September 11,” Perino explained, “there was a downturn in the number of foreign exchange students we had coming to America. The president strongly believes the best way to expand America’s values is for more people to come to America and find out what it’s all about, and then to be able to take that home to their country.”

I like that. It’s education, stupid!

(Same link as my 27.)

No Kare Scare, but here are some other good costumes that will scare today.

SufiLizard @ 34

punaise @ 22

alliteration

Yeah, yeah, anybody can string a sentence of similar consonants together. Let’s see some onomatopoeia up in here.

;-)

(sorry, now that my kids are in school, I’m forced to remember all the minutia from my own grammar school days)

the word “alliteration” is kinda onomatopoeial

Read an analysis which suggests that the resignation signals the likelihood of a strike on Iran…here:

www.thoughttheater.com

Daniel DiRito @ 45

Read an analysis which suggests that the resignation signals the likelihood of a strike on Iran…here:

www.thoughttheater.com

Now that’s scarey.

And Hughes’s “achievements” is not the only Perino f*ckery for today:

Pushing today for the confirmation of Michael Mukasey as attorney general, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said: “It is, I believe unprecedented, to have a nominee actually be voted down in committee or on the Senate floor.”

She’s wrong on both counts.

According to this article from Time — God bless the Google! — the Senate rejected President Calvin Coolidge’s nomination of Charles Beecher Warren on March 10, 1925.

When Coolidge renominated Warren, the Judiciary Committee sent the nomination back to the floor, but with 9-7 vote against his confirmation. The Senate subsequently rejected the nomination, 46-39, on March 16, 1925.

I don’t think that pretty-girl Perino is up to the task.

(Same link as my 27.)

Biodun @ 47

I don’t think that pretty-girl Perino is up to the task.

(Same link as my 27.)

Dude, how do you think she got the job?
:-)

With the slide in (bottom falling out from under) the US dollar, the USA would be a bargain to visit… and they are still staying away?
Bushco needs to leave the Whitehouse asap.
Now he has also detroyed the tourist trade…people are probaly afraid to run the security guantlet at the airports… and in the back of their minds they probably wonder if they might get wisked of to some undisclosed location for a little chat with our new gestopo.

A true snake(Bush and Cheney)-oil(oil) saleswoman.

-GSD

I dont want to be too crass, so Ill be delicate:
This means Laura has to go back to wiping GW’s nether regions. Again.

According to the Globe & Mail, the picture of Niagara Falls in the video is the Canadian Falls (The Horseshoe Falls) and is taken from the Canadian side of the river.

I don’t think that pretty-girl Perino is up to the task.

Most Press Secretaries have had enough of an understanding of the facts to lie about them, but in the Bush Administration there has been a progression to emptier and emptier bubbleheads.

smapdi @ 51

I dont want to be too crass, so Ill be delicate:
This means Laura has to go back to wiping GW’s nether regions. Again.

Thought that was Condi’s job.

And hey, these are a couple of Hughes’s..em…”achievements”:

[Hughes] was credited for her vigor, care and the sweep of her efforts. But she was mocked at times for gaffes or misreadings of local sentiment.

Shortly after taking up her job, she told an audience of 500 Saudi women that she hoped some day they would be able to drive and “fully participate in society”; but many of the women expressed resentment at the American assumption that everyone wanted to live like them.

Just in the past week, many Canadians were annoyed that a new welcome-to-America video, proudly posted on Ms. Hughes’s blog on the State Department web site, used images of the Horseshoe portion of Niagara Falls, which is entirely within Canada.

Bush’s nether regions are a smooth as a Ken doll.

Why do you think he needs to over-swagger?

-GSD

I have a Canadian friend of Italian heritage who looks vaguely Arabic. The last two times he attempted to enter the United States, he was strip-searched and finger fucked by Homeland Security at the border. I doubt very much any Disney movie is going to convince him to come back.

This is not some sort of ‘cosmetic’ problem of perception that can be fixed by a little feel-good propoganda. Canadians (and others) don’t give a shit how ‘nice’ we are once you get inside our borders. They want some assurance they aren’t going to get strip-searched and humiliated trying to get in, or ‘rendered’ over for two years of torture in a third world shit hole like Maher Arar. It’s going to take real change to affect those perceptions, not some smiley-faced Disney bullshit.

Toby Wollin @ 19

TeddySanFran @ 9

W00t, CHS!!

We do love us some …shoot, I can’t think of the term when you use words that use the same first letter. Mrs. Neugebauer - where are you????

Alliteration :)

resignation signals the likelihood of a strike on Iran

By this point i’m certain there will be a strike on Iran. I wish to god there was something we could do to stop it, but I honestly don’t see a way. The question i’m interested in is when. I would bet on around January or February. Hillary will have clinched the Dem nomination by then, and a manufactured incident will spark the bombing, which will then lead to a wave of smear attacks insinuating that we shouldn’t trust a woman to lead us in a time of war. What do you guys think?

GSD @ 56

Bush’s nether regions are a smooth as a Ken doll.

Why do you think he needs to over-swagger?

-GSD

I thought it was a codpiece

linda @ 37

did you know that karen rewrote the constitution? neither did i. but googling around this a.m., i came across this column that contains not only that little tidbit, but several other of bigfoot’s great accomplishments:

Distribute widely, in English and in the host country’s language, the revised copies of the American constitution (in the process of being shipped to your post) that now contain the Under Secretary’s remark, made in Egypt, that the Constitution contains the phrase “One Nation under God.” The first sentence of the improved Hughes Constitution now reads: “We the People of the United States, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, in order to form a more perfect Union … ” While the Department rarely organizes exhibits abroad as it did in the past, we have obtained special funds from the White House for a “Paper Show” that will highlight the new Hughes Constitution and stress the important role that religion plays in the life of the President and his confidantes.

http://www.selvesandothers.org/article11761.html

*headkerplooie*

Oh, COME ON!!!

OT: something that’s been bugging me. the footage of Cheney falling asleep during a meeting with Shrub…the camera moves past someone at the table who looks like Jeb Bush.

anyone know if he was at this meeting, and if so, uhm…why? thx.

Bush being the true moral coward, liar and prince of deception has sold the Kurds down the river once again and has begun giving the Turkish government bombing coordinates.

Like father, like scummy son.

-GSD

punaise - incoming mail… ;~)

Well if Disney is behind this maybe they could use Mickey Mouse to describe extraordinary rendition, torture, and Guantanamo. I’m sure he would still look cute in a little SS uniform.

rosalind @ 61

OT: something that’s been bugging me. the footage of Cheney falling asleep during a meeting with Shrub…the camera moves past someone at the table who looks like Jeb Bush.

anyone know if he was at this meeting, and if so, uhm…why? thx.

Perpetual VP Cheney has been secretly training Jeb to be his next Bush puppet. Training these guys really wears him out.

#59
“played like a fiddle”
“Keep the powder dry ” friends; it’s going to be a rough year ahead.

OT.

Hillary Wins Big Union Endorsement: “This Is One Strong Woman”

This is interesting in light of her support of NAFTA and other anti union stands

The Gray Lady puts it ever so indelicately:

The overall gains made in public diplomacy during Ms. Hughes’s tenure are difficult to assess. Perceptions abroad of the United States are formed mainly by wars, foreign policy, direct contacts and popular culture, not by diplomacy.

(Same link as my 55.)

Badwater @ 66

Perpetual VP Cheney has been secretly training Jeb to be his next Bush puppet. Training these guys really wears him out.

Especially the new Mukasey sockpuppet.

Ugly In Pink @ 59

resignation signals the likelihood of a strike on Iran

By this point i’m certain there will be a strike on Iran. I wish to god there was something we could do to stop it, but I honestly don’t see a way. The question i’m interested in is when. I would bet on around January or February. Hillary will have clinched the Dem nomination by then, and a manufactured incident will spark the bombing, which will then lead to a wave of smear attacks insinuating that we shouldn’t trust a woman to lead us in a time of war. What do you guys think?

I keep going back & forth on this. FWIW, my army major efriend (who’s been wrong on so many things) tells me the military mucky mucks all hate the idea. When I point out to him that the Air Force is chomping at the bit, they’re the ones who would be assigned the mission, and AF is filled with millenarians at the upper levels, he dismisses them as still bent on proving they’re most important branch. Somehow, that doesn’t comfort me.

Still it is important to know that there’s a lot of push-back from Army that would be at risk on the ground in Iraq from Iranian counterattack.

Well, I go back & forth & forth & back on this. Still haven’t made up my mind whether he’d be so foolish. But if he decides to do so, I agree there’s no stopping him.

nomolos @ 68

OT.

Hillary Wins Big Union Endorsement: “This Is One Strong Woman”

This is interesting in light of her support of NAFTA and other anti union stands

I think it is a case of backing someone perceived to be a winner as opposed to backing someone who represents your views.

orson @ 23

It seems the video link is “no longer available”. Anyone else getting that alert?

Do you mean the youtube? I have had the problem when I come back here repeatedly for an embeded video it sometimes states vid is no longer available. Try the direct URL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICzEh3pMeMI

Elliott:

I responded to your inquiry on my Facebook wall…*g*

In case this ThinkProgress post has not already been mentioned on any of today’s previous threads…
Cheney repeatedly rejected proposals ‘to help the poor, sick.’

In his new book, President Bush’s controversial former speechwriter Michael Gerson sharply criticizes the office of Vice President Cheney and his misplaced priorities:

For Michael Gerson, the pattern became discouragingly familiar. A proposal to help the poor or sick would be presented at a White House meeting, but Vice President Cheney’s office or the budget team or some other skeptical officials would shoot it down. Too expensive. Wrong priority.

Gerson is more critical of Cheney’s office, former defense secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and two Texas Republicans who served as House majority leaders, Tom DeLay and Richard K. Armey.

(snip)

Mrs. Hughes was the best at smiling while lying. Looks like W will be standing completely alone at the end when his administration is officially judged a failure.

ot - anyone listening to the walker hearing (house foreign affairs)?

The Fed cut the discount rate by 1/4 of a point. This will likely drive the dollar lower and oil prices reacted by increasing. The Cushing Spot is currently $94.36/bbl. The gasoline futures price is also up, not a good sign for pump prices.

idiots often hire idiots that are smart enough to convince the original idiot that it is smart, but not smarter than the boss. trouble is, an idea from one, much like a tale told by an idiot, is, well……

Gerson is pathetic. Trying to make Bush look better by making Cheney out to be just what Bush knew he was when he picked him.

Worse than pathetic.

-GSD

peanutbutter @ 61

linda @ 37

did you know that karen rewrote the constitution? neither did i. but googling around this a.m., i came across this column that contains not only that little tidbit, but several other of bigfoot’s great accomplishments:

Distribute widely, in English and in the host country’s language, the revised copies of the American constitution (in the process of being shipped to your post) that now contain the Under Secretary’s remark, made in Egypt, that the Constitution contains the phrase “One Nation under God.” The first sentence of the improved Hughes Constitution now reads: “We the People of the United States, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, in order to form a more perfect Union … ” While the Department rarely organizes exhibits abroad as it did in the past, we have obtained special funds from the White House for a “Paper Show” that will highlight the new Hughes Constitution and stress the important role that religion plays in the life of the President and his confidantes.

http://www.selvesandothers.org/article11761.html

*headkerplooie*

Oh, COME ON!!!

This. Must. Be. A. Joke.

I have clicked around the page and I just can not tell if this is alleged to be real instructions sent to our embassies. If so.. ..how can they “improve” the constitution, and if they released it more than 20 days ago why have we not heard?

npb - got it

Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 75

In case this ThinkProgress post has not already been mentioned on any of today’s previous threads…
Cheney repeatedly rejected proposals ‘to help the poor, sick.’

In his new book, President Bush’s controversial former speechwriter Michael Gerson sharply criticizes the office of Vice President Cheney and his misplaced priorities:

Wow, he must have been really upset with them, which no doubt explains why he stayed with them in the Bush White House for 5 1/2 years.

Ugly In Pink @ 59

resignation signals the likelihood of a strike on Iran

By this point i’m certain there will be a strike on Iran. I wish to god there was something we could do to stop it, but I honestly don’t see a way. The question i’m interested in is when. I would bet on around January or February. Hillary will have clinched the Dem nomination by then, and a manufactured incident will spark the bombing, which will then lead to a wave of smear attacks insinuating that we shouldn’t trust a woman to lead us in a time of war. What do you guys think?

I think the resignation of this nothing indicates nothing. If Rice resigned, that would be indicative of something.

Ugly In Pink @ 59

resignation signals the likelihood of a strike on Iran

By this point i’m certain there will be a strike on Iran. I wish to god there was something we could do to stop it, but I honestly don’t see a way. The question i’m interested in is when. I would bet on around January or February. Hillary will have clinched the Dem nomination by then, and a manufactured incident will spark the bombing, which will then lead to a wave of smear attacks insinuating that we shouldn’t trust a woman to lead us in a time of war. What do you guys think?

Agreed. The Republicans want to campaign in 2008 on the basis of a war in Iran.

albert fall @ 84
It has been said many times in many places that W doesn’t care what happens to the Rs in 08. He’s completely centered on doing what’s right for the U.S. of A. in the long run.

eCAHNomics @ 71

Ugly In Pink @ 59

By this point i’m certain there will be a strike on Iran. I wish to god there was something we could do to stop it, but I honestly don’t see a way. The question i’m interested in is when. I would bet on around January or February. Hillary will have clinched the Dem nomination by then, and a manufactured incident will spark the bombing, which will then lead to a wave of smear attacks insinuating that we shouldn’t trust a woman to lead us in a time of war. What do you guys think?

I keep going back & forth on this. FWIW, my army major efriend (who’s been wrong on so many things) tells me the military mucky mucks all hate the idea. When I point out to him that the Air Force is chomping at the bit, they’re the ones who would be assigned the mission, and AF is filled with millenarians at the upper levels, he dismisses them as still bent on proving they’re most important branch. Somehow, that doesn’t comfort me.

Still it is important to know that there’s a lot of push-back from Army that would be at risk on the ground in Iraq from Iranian counterattack.

Well, I go back & forth & forth & back on this. Still haven’t made up my mind whether he’d be so foolish. But if he decides to do so, I agree there’s no stopping him.

Watching his WW III threats last week or whenever it was made me think that Bush has already decided to do it. That smirky, smiley, oh-so-superior lecture on how their knowledge of nuclear weapons technology was sufficient reason to attack Iran, combined with his announcement today of the intention to use administrative orders to bypass Congress convinced me that he no longer considers there to be any constraints on his actions. We are well and truly fucked, IMO.

eCAHNomics @ 86

albert fall @ 84
It has been said many times in many places that W doesn’t care what happens to the Rs in 08. He’s completely centered on doing what’s right for the U.S. of A. in the long run.

that’s scarier than any headless horseman that might ride by tonight.

Seamus D @ 86
I don’t pay much attention to W’s increasingly vitriolic and hyperbolic hissy fits. All they are is his trying to up the bullying ante because he’s not getting his way.

eCAHNomics @ 89

Seamus D @ 86
I don’t pay much attention to W’s increasingly vitriolic and hyperbolic hissy fits. All they are is his trying to up the bullying ante because he’s not getting his way.

For the first time in a long while, I thought Nancy did well yesterday. That “Poor President” business was a great start. The hope has to be that she has more in her quiver.

As a comment on what eCHANomics said earlier, I think the original plan was for us to have attacked Iran last spring, when there were three carrier groups in the gulf, the war rhetoric was heating up, and those British soldiers were being held captive. I think that was supposed to be the incident that sparked off the war, but the generals said no, so the propaganda etc. abated until the problematic military leaders could have their minds changed or be quietly retired. Just a hunch.

Sorry, CAHN. Typed too quick.

Comey, Goldsmith, Ashcroft send a letter to Leahy encouraging telecom immunity. Bitchez.

Ugly In Pink @ 90

As a comment on what eCHANomics said earlier, I think the original plan was for us to have attacked Iran last spring, when there were three carrier groups in the gulf, the war rhetoric was heating up, and those British soldiers were being held captive. I think that was supposed to be the incident that sparked off the war, but the generals said no, so the propaganda etc. abated until the problematic military leaders could have their minds changed or be quietly retired. Just a hunch.

Yeah, I didn’t mention it yet, but there have been several times like that (although the one you cite is the most obvious) when it looked like they were going to strike while the iron was hot, and then they didn’t. Thos kinda gave me attack-Iran-fatigue.

Ugly In Pink @ 91

Sorry, CAHN. Typed too quick.

No need to apoligize. Believe it or not, that’s most common misspelling of my surname, even if you say: C A (long pause) H N. So I’m used to it.

oldtree @ 79

idiots often hire idiots that are smart enough to convince the original idiot that it is smart, but not smarter than the boss. trouble is, an idea from one, much like a tale told by an idiot, is, well……

Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing?

albert fall @ 85

Ugly In Pink @ 59

By this point i’m certain there will be a strike on Iran. I wish to god there was something we could do to stop it, but I honestly don’t see a way. The question i’m interested in is when. I would bet on around January or February. Hillary will have clinched the Dem nomination by then, and a manufactured incident will spark the bombing, which will then lead to a wave of smear attacks insinuating that we shouldn’t trust a woman to lead us in a time of war. What do you guys think?

Agreed. The Republicans want to campaign in 2008 on the basis of a war in Iran.

It will be political Suicide for the GOP. Americans are tired of being a country at war. The last thing Americans want is more war. It will be easy to defeat the GOP with a meme of if you want perpetual war then vote for the GOP.

If you take a deeper look at any of the approval ratings of Bush, you will see that among republicans he has almost a 70% approval rating. It is 2% approval among Dems and 12% Among Independents. These numbers clearly indicate how far out of whack the GOP has become.

Yeah, but I don’t think Thos was wrong. I think those were real attempts to start a war that were thwarted by the military. I don’t think that’s going to last too much longer though. It’s started to sound like they’ve got their shit in order to really do it this time.

It will be political Suicide for the GOP.

They don’t have to win they just need a plausible excuse for not losing, then cheat. Again.

Enough Americans will believe that every other American is an idiot that bought the war hype that Guiliani might just be able to ascend to the presidency unchallenged.

Phoenix Woman upstairs.

re: From that link: “…..Her trademark line is that she has worked with the president so long she can finish his sentences.”

Well golly, somebody has to (finish his sentences), since the man himself seems to be grossly unfamiliar with the English language. Maybe someone could read him the Constitution and “splain” it to him.

Karen Hughes resigned because she just couldn’t help George to understand the facts of life.

;>)

Smgumby @ 81

peanutbutter @ 61

*headkerplooie*

Oh, COME ON!!!

This. Must. Be. A. Joke.

I have clicked around the page and I just can not tell if this is alleged to be real instructions sent to our embassies. If so.. ..how can they “improve” the constitution, and if they released it more than 20 days ago why have we not heard?

It’s a joke. Read some of the other numbered points on that page.

darkblack @ 102

Karen Hughes resigned because she just couldn’t help George to understand the facts of life.

;>)

You’re my hero!

What is that other little sumbliminal thingie that appears over on the right when I start to navigate away from that page?

One small step for Disney; one giant leap for Karen Hughes.

SufiLizard @ 6

When O’Reilly starts peddling his “War on Christmas” again this year can we turn it around on him and talk about the Republican War on Christmas?

I mean, vetoing SCHIP is about as close to an antithesis to the Christmas Spirit as you can get. And rattling sabers against Iran doesn’t really gel with that old Biblical chestnut from the Christmas story, “Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men.”

Maybe there really is a War on Christmas, but it just so happens it’s not being waged by liberals.

Let’s get that meme out this year. You know, as a little Christmas gift to the world.

Is there a war on All Hallows Day?

watching a film about how great the U.S. is while waiting in an endless line to get your passport stamped by a surly ICE employee.

I recently travelled to Australia and the difference in immigration procedures was startling.

Australia — Personable staff in blue uniforms, professional and efficient, working in a soothing-colored airport entrance hall. Not friendly or chatty, but treated people like human beings. Not unlike a trip to Kinko’s.

USA — Military-style shaved-headed muscled lunkheads with pistols, bellowing for the next victim to step forward in a glaring white airport basement, with airport staff shouting instructions at dazed, sleepy travellers; very police-state. And that was in the US citizen queue — I imagine the foreign passport holders had it worse.

Australians don’t even seem to dislike the US much anymore, as they did a few years ago; they’re just tuning us out of their viewpoint of the world like a belligerent, ill-tempered drunk uncle who has nothing positive to offer them anymore.

Biodun @ 55

And hey, these are a couple of Hughes’s..em…”achievements”:

[Hughes] was credited for her vigor, care and the sweep of her efforts. But she was mocked at times for gaffes or misreadings of local sentiment.

Shortly after taking up her job, she told an audience of 500 Saudi women that she hoped some day they would be able to drive and “fully participate in society”; but many of the women expressed resentment at the American assumption that everyone wanted to live like them.

Just in the past week, many Canadians were annoyed that a new welcome-to-America video, proudly posted on Ms. Hughes’s blog on the State Department web site, used images of the Horseshoe portion of Niagara Falls, which is entirely within Canada.

I saw that about them filming some of this :Come to America” film in Canada. What a bunch of schmucks. The Canadians should be pissed. The people who made this should be embarrassed, Pathetic.

cinnamonape @ 106

SufiLizard @ 6

When O’Reilly starts peddling his “War on Christmas” again this year can we turn it around on him and talk about the Republican War on Christmas?

I mean, vetoing SCHIP is about as close to an antithesis to the Christmas Spirit as you can get. And rattling sabers against Iran doesn’t really gel with that old Biblical chestnut from the Christmas story, “Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men.”

Maybe there really is a War on Christmas, but it just so happens it’s not being waged by liberals.

Let’s get that meme out this year. You know, as a little Christmas gift to the world.

Is there a war on All Hallows Day?

See what their making a big deal of now? I was home from work yesterday and tuned in FOX news for a few. The story - Veterans are forbidden to say two parts of the flag folding recital where there are Biblical/religious references. Some veterans groups vow to disobey this edict. Great. Nobody’s gonna know. who cares? What’s the point?

eCAHNomics @ 30

opie_jeanne @ 26

Buh-Bye Karen.

Who’s next?

Will the last person to leave please turn off the lights.

But, If Darth is the last one there they should turn the lights on. Since he normally works in the dark this would only scare him silly and make him go running away.

We are nice??!! Give me a break. I remember a social studies book we had to read “The Ugly American” That was in the 50’s, in the sixties, my wife did the touring around Europe bit with backpack, etc. She said that one was received well if you sewed a Canadian flag to your backpack. American flags got you little or no welcome. In the 90’s–well take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNzZzsvOClc

Funny when Wolfie II said there was a long history of “entertainment companies” used to bolster American image. Would that include CNN?