Aloha, Teddy!

aloha, CT!

teddy! cheney is scary to anyone sane.

Teddy! Shining light into the dark corners of the Bush (mal)administration. Beware the giant rabid cockroaches!

I’ll guarantee they were wiretapped…! ;-)

I read that this morning, Teddy. How freaky that top lawyers in OUR Justice Department felt that way.

Oh the dark one.. Feels like I am at camp and it’s time for ghost stories.

And KBR did the wiring. *ouch* /s

hi Suzanne, but isn’t it odd these “two of the top lawyers” would admit it?

i wonder who these “two” are….

Hey Teddy. Amazing how scared people get, and then how used to being scared they become.

Hi DrD!

Hi Loo Hoo!

Put your flashlite under your chin, ES.

In January all these people can talk. If there is any justice in this world they will.

how many ‘top lawyers’ do they have?

It is normalized deviance.

Reading Dick Clarke’s book, about Cheney and Libby’s trips to Langley to intimidate CIA analysts during the runup to our War on Iraq, made me realize these guys play by very different rules. And the terror of 9/11 really terrorized them. They, in turn, terrorized those around them — and all of us.

I admit that (despite the FISA vote) I’m turning into an Obama freak. His Meet the Press interview was dynamite. Imagine how tired he must have been too. Ahhhh, youth.

I thought normalized deviance was my first marriage?

*ouch* Lol! ;-)

Hi Teddy. Kind of weirdly in danger of getting shot in the face?

yeah well

Or any of mine.

Jane Mayer’s book is now at #9 at Amazon. Seems a lot of people are reading about this bunch of thugs. Maybe it will do some good.

It would be irresponsible not to speculate: I thought of Comey and Fitz when I read this.

some say he offed Wellstone

And we don’t even have any evil gazillionaire sugar daddies buying our books in bulk (and then using them as fuel to roast the peasants on their estates).

it is our responsibility to figure it out…

Lynne and Dick are big 24 fans; shot in the face would be getting off easy.

Anyone check out McCain’s paraphrase of Amb Ryan Crocker’s statement today? McSlime said Crocker stated that ‘we have won’.

Sooo….

Why are we not already withdrawing troops?

Plus, of the nine who were “asked to resign,”, we know that at least 4 told DOJ to fuck-off when they felt the squeeze.

They had a right to be frightened. This is a group of power crazed and paranoid minds that are responsible for the death of 4,124 U.S. soldiers and 500,000 + Iraqis. In any other country they would be called what they are War Criminals.

G

Somebody has to maintain control of our new colony.

double the Iraqi body count

Linky, please?

Of course our corporate media will never call the criminals of this regime War Criminals because rich celebrity members of the corporate media are complicit in crimes against humanity. In their world, might makes right.

1945

You can also double the number of dead American soldiers. They don’t count the ones that die outside of Iraq after being taken to Germany or the USA as patients.

i can NOT let myself think about it more than once a day…..depression ensues

Easily double that…!

And do not forget the US civilian contractors who constitute 1/2 of US forces in Iraq, but are not counted in any official casualty figures.

And factor in the nearly 3000 dead on a clear September day in 2001.

Huh? Where on earth did you hear that…?

such a tidy little word contractors

Sounds sooooo much nicer than mercenaries, doesn’t it?

or murder for hire

Out of respect for their service and sacrifice, I think the next Defense Department should revisit this metric, don’t you? There should also be an accurate accounting of those casualties who will never again speak or recognize their families. Brain injury is the signature injury of this horrid war, and our troops’ sacrifice should be accounted for — and disclosed to Americans.

I caught parts of that interview this morning. It was good to hear someone be able to speak intelligently about all of the many subjects that were covered. I kept thinking how much of a contrast it would be if it had been McCain trying to talk, old ‘McTeleprompter’ just would not have gotten it done. It would be cool if one of the networks would do a split-screen with Obama and and an equivalent interview of McCain for comparison, kind of like Letterman’s ‘great moments in presidential speeches’ bit. It might wake some people up.

Maybe some day we will hear it all, but I don’t honestly think most Americans want to hear it. We have the problem of always thinking of ourselves as the good guys and facts to the contrary don’t set very well with people.

it’s true

Yes, but these are the people who will not even acknowledge those making the ultimate sacrifice by allowing pictures to be taken of their coffins or funeral, even when the relatives request it. The Bush mob have no honor or decency. Period.

KIA and WIA is accounted for in theater even if the soldier is medevac’d out of theater… I’m perplexed as to where Mary heard otherwise…

We’ll all see it during the debates. Fun times ahead.

its all about the gobs of money…..fiendish addiction of Darth to OPM

I have read it many places over the years. I think I have even read it here. Anyone?

Betsy, I’ve had to maintain and give personnel reports…! Unless the policy has suddenly changed since ‘05!

Then there are the suicides after they get home and can’t cope.

I have seen that reported as well, but do not remember where and cannot vouch for its veracity. Bear in mind who we are talking about here. Laws, rules, and decency have no meaning or bearing.

i’m remembering it also mary mcc – how dod was fudging the #s of KIA and not counting those who died after being medevac’d. only being kia in iraq were counted and i’m also remembering something about fudging on the #s re methodology of death and that vehicle accidents etc were not counted as a KIA even if the accident was caused by a ied???

That’s a whole ‘nother ball park…!

Yep.

Like “The Marlboro Man” who inhaled aerosol to death.

McCain doesn’t do interviews anymore, though. He has untruth opportunities like this morning’s disaster with Little Georgie, where he denied ever saying “timetable” and got hopelessly confused by his own talking points on Teh Gay Adoption.

No more interviews. Just more chances to lie on camera.

I also recall hearing it, Mary, in teh context of fudging numbers and as a change in policy, CT, so yes, I think it did change since 2005.

I’m no longer convinced that they were terrorized by 9/11. Watched the dvd from Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth this morning. “9/11:Blueprint for Truth -the architecture of destruction”. You can watch it online at ae911truth.org.
Pretty much wipes out the theory that it was a terrorist attack.
I think it should be required viewing for every American. Straight scientific evidence. And frightening !!!

I am shocked that they would cook the books!

You mean by interupting “reality TV” or something

Well, let me tell you the records are true and accurate up to Brigade level, maybe Division and Theater might tamper with’em…!

This would seem to indicate that they are not systematically under reporting US service casualties.

I would like to see Liz Cheney in the dock at the Hague as well, by the way. Her many performances at the State Department surely qualify her for a spot on the dias.

This is my memory as well, Suzanne.

That is very close to what I recall. Lots if “ifs” and conditions in DOD numbers.

Pentagon is underreporting the number of American soldier casualties in Iraq

Every word out of their mouths, and out of the mouths of those political generals who report to them now, is a lie, including “and” and “the.”*

* apologies to Mary McCarthy, who first said this (about Lillian Hellman, iirc).

we were quick to hold the NAZIs accountable,but NOT ourselves

what ever happened to that woman who got fired for accomodating media at Arlington when the family of the fallen soldier had requested it?

mccain is getting like giuliani except it’s noun, verb, surge.

It is under investigation

shocked I say!

Haven’t heard any more about her since that initial story. So like our media to fail to follow up.

I don’t think that’s the way they do it, not according to what I’ve read at Iraq Coalition Casualty Count.

What did McCain say to the WSJ reporter this weekend? As soon as she said “WSJ” he brushed her right off and went to a CNN reporter. Anyone?

you’re shitting me! if a soldier gets injured in iraq and gets flown to germany and dies there from the injuries sustained in iraq, he/she doesn’t count as an Iraqi war death??

It was Dana Milbank’s scoop, and I would be surprised if he let it drop. He seemed quite invested in the story. I have little respect for Milbank, he is the jester of their court, but somehow this story seems to have captured him.

We shall see.

Dugg

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a casualty as “a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment or capture or through being missing in action.”

“We don’t do Webster’s,” Jim Turner, a Pentagon spokesman told me in 2004 as I was reporting on counting casualties. In a written statement, the Department of Defense told me that the casualty reports describe casualties to fit the “understanding of the average newspaper reader.”

Brigade level and below we have to utilize merriam-webster’s definition… We must know and account for where our troops are and their status 24/7…!

Ben Stein says Rove should run McSame’s campaign

dugg

She’s suing the Pentagon for unlawful termination!

i’m commin’ along, too. i thought he was very good. also good on CNN. got the feeling he’s playing with mccain about those joint town hall meetings. right now it sounds like he’s reversing an earlier promise. i think they want mccain to howl, he’ll say Ok, they’ll do a couple town halls and he’ll kick mccain’s ass.

“understanding of the average newspaper reader.”

Oh, yeah.

He already is.

exactly… we don’t do has been their whole fucking attitude with regard to everything and anything they can fuck with.

At least the troops are taken care of while they’re fighting…
Army begins treating PTSD in the field

Never has the U.S. military been forced to confront so much of “the battle behind the battle” — the psychic and emotional wounds of war. What’s more, grunts no longer bear the brunt of such attacks; thanks to suicide bombers and homemade bombs, drivers, cooks and other rear-echelon troops have also been killed and wounded.

snip

The Army’s term for what happens when soldier sees what Col. Paschal calls “things so horrific that no human should ever have to see” is called a CID, a Critical Incident Debrief. That mandatory session takes place 24-72 hours after an event that may be sapping a soldier’s will to fight.

Thanks, guys.

I don’t think he said anything, he just called on her and then rudely ignored her after she identified herself. Very stupid.

Yep. We don’t do intelligence briefings saying bin Laden aims to attack US with Airplanes. We don’t do Geneva Conventions. We don’t do environmental regulation. We don’t do labor relations regulation. We don’t do financial sector regulation. And most importantly we don’t explain ourselves to nobody, especially that stinking congress.

Why would he do that to the WSJ? I thought the WSJ loved him.

Yup. Make McCane cry uncle again.

Thanks, Loo Hoo,
I tried to hear it over and over, but just couldn’t understand the comment. What a jackass.

I shall return… My turn to cook and it won’t cook itself…! ;-)

Watch Lindsey Graham’s face, it’s hysterical.
Play it again if you miss it the first time.

As long as the town halls don’t have those hand-picked audiences … or at least not hand-picked by the GOP.

Can’t you just see McC trying to answer real questions from real people? Without the teleprompter to pass him answers, he’s pretty hopeless.

As I recall, they are rather lukewarm to McCain (they backed either Romney or Ghouliani, I believe). They represent a sector of the ruling oligarchy that is not particularly fond of McC.

Stupid? rude? Or another McSenior moment, hmmm?

Hah! It’s always my turn to cook.

I thought so too, hence the mystery of such distain.

Which reminds me. If McCane has a plan to capture bin Laden and doesn’t share it with the president and the Joint Chiefs, that’s treason.

If Huckleberry thinks it’s rude, wow.
What a tell!

that’s forking harsh… she must not have brought sprinkles donuts

That was clearly intentional. McCain is pissing all over them for not being sufficiently reverential during the primaries.

I take it back after watching the vid. That’s a dis.

His base…

link?

So, did we come to a conclusion as to whether a soldier dies in Germany or two weeks or two months later in the USA — is that soldier counted as an action casualty? I know that I read that the 4000+ were ONLY those who died in theater. Surely we have someone here who can get to the truth. And does anyone know how many mercenaries being paid by our tax dollars have died in theater or as a result of injuries therein incurred?

Evenin’ all !

Can I guess that the two attorneys are Comey & Ashcroft ?

Does anyone else have the impression that McCs campaign people have given up? He seems out of control, obviously nobody is getting through to him that he shouldn’t do or say some things. I believe that they have said “what the hell, he’s going to lose anyway, let him be himself.”

Why would McGetOffMyLawn dis a WSJ reporter? Did they dis him recently?

But not the WSJ, who wanted someone strongly in the economic conservative branch of the party. They really did have a minor civil war in the party during the primaries with each major constituency fileding its own candidate. In the end it came down to the crazy dumbfuck faction’s candidate.

the wsj reporter musta jangled her keys before she identified herself

They do (mostly) love him. But they can’t go too far down the lagoon. Many people who read the WSJ have lost a lot of money and may be looking beyond the front page these days. Any media that continues to behave like FOX still does may be out of business in any meaningful way. ***no expertise claimed***

Strange that here in left blogistan (or MSM for that matter) we haven’t heard anything at all about Edwards today. If it were bull, it would have been reported.

It is actually one of Rove’s understudies who is working for McCain and put out the most recent nasty ad. I am pretty sure that the sleazy little Toad Lord had at least some input. I think I saw it at TPM or Kos.

Let us hope so… fingers crossed and keyboard adept.

we don’t do disaster relief and recovery

According to the HuffPost, that WSJ reporter authored an article about how the McCain campaign is irked by Obama’s coverage.

More of this please. And Lindsey, you just urge him on….

I did see his face. Too funny! He did say “Who else has a question”. Then he cleaned his dentures with his tongue. Quite revolting.

I checked out Obama’s website today and under issues he wants to restore the VA to ALL Veterans and give them back access to full medical and not this bullshit this administration has foisted on our loyal and brave veterans! The first thing on his list for the Veterans is to restore benifits.

Allow All Veterans Back into the VA: One of Obama’s first acts will be reversing the 2003 ban on enrolling modest-income veterans, which has denied care to a million veterans.

For that reason alone I will support him in his quest to become the next President. Yeah I am still pissed at him for the FISA betrayl.
Of course there is the SCOTUS and that is important as this court has been swung way to far to the right and for big business and against labor rights.

Part right. I believe it was James Comey and Jack Goldsmith, formerly of Office of Legal Counsel.

his own talking points on Teh Gay Adoption.Now, see, this is something I really just don’t understand. It’s okay for gay men who are in denial to get married and father children, and be really Confused about who they are and possibly this confusion might actually become a problem in the dynamics of the family, but two people, men or women, who acknowledge their sexuality and have healthy relationships should’nt be allowed to adopt children who have no one to love and care for them.
It’s right up there with gay marriage somehow “endangering” heterosexual marriages.
I’ve never heard a reasonable argument.
Grrrrrrr. It just confounds me. And, you now how much I hate that. I Want To Understand.

i would rather have a d pres i disagreed with some of the time than an r pres i disagreed with all the time.

As I said, the WSJ, while generally supporting him over Obama, have been decidedly tepid in their support.

Mark Shields on the Newshour on Friday night referrig to McCain was disheartening. Yes, he spotlighted McCain’s sustained “snarkiness” but then he calls it an anomaly, and plugs his admiration and acquaintanceship with McCain over the years. Personalities above principles once again? Say it ain’t so, Mark. Shields seems to have lost his capacity for outrage at least since David Brooks has climbed on board.

They had a watch-up on how long it’d been since he’d been to Iraq. And so, you know, he was going to dominate the coverage while he was gone. And I just thought — I agree with David that John McCain looked captious, he looked waspish, he looked petulant. And that isn’t the John McCain that’s at his best; that isn’t the John McCain that I’ve known and admired over these years.

Only fellatrists need apply.

I’m still waiting for the day the Toad Lord gets frog-marched.

Apparently she’s written two articles lately that didn’t flatter him enough. Makes him behave like the asshole he is. That video should go viral. Maybe KO will show it.

I have been voting for the lesser evil my whole life. That has always been the Dem. Incremental change is the name of the game.

If you ever fully understand McC we will have to put you in a home for the terminally confused :)

Shields has always been a tool and a “token liberal”.

That was my second guess … *g*

Oh, yes please! This is exactly what I was talking about.

what was that show Shields used to be on, The Capitol Gang?

definitely an inside the beltway type of guy

He is a Broderite Villager whose real loyalties are his buddies from the Beltway cocktail parties.

hmmm, I seem to be responding to a lot of DrDick’s comments tonite.

Hi, DrDick! *g*

Sorry Mods,
I so miss (show text) and what a gift it was…

so do we *sigh*

Christine, have you tried clicking on the comment address in the “In response to” line to see the previous comment, then clicking on your back arrow to return to the later comment?

Hey, neuro! Always nice to have someone to converse with. 8-)

NO! I have to save the world and I can’t do that from the terminally confused home.
And, it’s not just HIM, it’s all of them I don’t understand.
No fear, the chance of me understanding is highly impossible. I think.

funny, show text sometimes works for me in IE, then it doesn’t, all within the same comment thread

Here’s a thought from Pete Pierce next door:

They’re kickin’ the can down the road. Bush has ceased to be President. Obama is acting President now.

Interesting. They have turned over Commander in Chief responsibilities in a way.

Wish I had a great song to sing. Hey Suzanne, how is everything, and packing?

Demi…you understand. !!!

OK, does that mean we can start Obama’s 16-month out-of-Iraq clock now and move the event up by about 6 months?

i’m packing up

Hee hee. Don’t tell them. I’ll most likely get added to another list.

No, I have not, but I’ll check it out. Thanks!

I always thought he was this Shields. No?

Me too, Suzanne.

With 100 days left (!) before election day, it’s time to close ranks and work to get our guy elected. Or defeat McCain, depending on your perspective.

“If conditions on the ground are sufficient the oil contracts are finalized, cool!”

Might as well be.

I love it that Obama made the hoop in Afghanistan. Nothing but net…makes for quite a contrast with the republican candidate, doesn’t it?

I admired Shields for a long time and enjoyed listening to him. Maybe I have radicalized more. Though when “the beltway gang” didn’t kick Novak to the curb … that upset me.

I’ve never seen that Shields before, mommybrain!

Kind of the way they talk about Rick Noriega and Mark Begich casting their :first votes: in the Senate when Cornyn and Stevens voted right, at long last, on something (maybe the GI Bill?).

Hey, I thought the video of McCain riding in 41’s golf cart were inspiring!

I am hoping McCain will defeat McCain

I’m off to bed. Hiked 9 miles this morning and then had a stimulating political discussion with the Obama platform group this afternoon at lokywoky’s (who is even more delightful in person than on the toobz). I’m beat. Take care and enjoy each other.

g’nite dr no pause dick

nite, DrDick. hope you have a nice strenuous but enjoyable day tomorrow!

Heh. Absolutely. My older son has two friends who just started working for O’ campaign. My guy’s going to call for an interview tomorrow. He’s even willing to cut his hair (just like the song) and wear real clothes to the meeting. Anyone wanting to cross their fingers for this situation, I’d appreciate it. It would be a Very Good Thing. For oh so many reasons.

fingers and toes crossed demi

I know what you mean. I stood up and screamed, “That guy’s for me!” the minute I saw it.

Help us.

Cool. You can give us the inside skinny!

That would be cool. Best of luck to them!

In a golf cart with boosh 41 is exactly where McSame belongs.

Thanks, Suz. Really.

Another rock star Obama photo. Dang. It’s like he took modeling classes.

The man has a shockingly excellent wife – of course he looks like a Rock Star.
/s

Loo Hoo and Newtonusr…Beyond cool…it would be awesome. And guess how much support he’s getting from the entire family? A Lot.
And, yeah, some inside poop might be fun too!
Hell, I might have to go down and interview too. I’ve got a paying writing assignment this coming week, but if they’re still hiring the week after that, who knows…maybe I will.

I’d like to see that photo juxtaposed with a photo from Cottage Cheese McCain’s appearance in front of the Lime Green Jello backdrop

And McCain would have one of those goofy little inappropriate smiles on his face

Jane Mayer is great, thank God for her vigilance. Louis Bayard of Salon did an article on her 7-15-08. This was an interesting point he made.

Sadism, as Orwell taught us, is best screened by syntax, and administration lawyers were especially adept at the neutering of language. Interrogations were merely “special” or “enhanced” or “robust” and were always consistent with the Bush administration’s “new paradigm.” Under duress, these euphemisms morphed into denials. “We don’t torture,” announced Vice President Cheney. “Torture is never acceptable,” Bush told the New York Times in January 2005. “Nor do we hand over people to countries that do torture.” But even the administration was hard-pressed to put a happy face on waterboarding — though the media certainly did their part to help, describing the practice in such value-neutral terms as “simulated drowning.” “It’s not simulated anything,” explains one SERE instructor. “It’s slow-motion suffocation with enough time to contemplate the inevitability of blackout and expiration … You can feel every drop. Every drop.”

Honey I’m home home in Phoenix…. Miss Dog is still talking to me after being away for 5 weeks……

thankfully baby boy (26yrs old)was house siting….

Now how long have I said about the illegal warrantless wiretaps and spying was about find sh*t on everyone to get what they want…. what I see is a meeting between someone in Congress and someone from the Office of the VP with a folder….. it is put on the desk and a question is asked ….. “What is your position on X” and then the fingers drum over that folder….. yep they fold like a cheap suit…

Thanks for the lead.

He doesn’t need lessons, Loo Hoo, that’s the natural man.

And some of it is the photographers.

Y’all are gonna have the coolest, most suave Leader after 8 years of this guy !

ES might wanna turn the comments on…! ;-0

Bet they’d love to have you. You’re in the Hillary loving demographic. Course, who knows. Obama has California sewn up. Maybe they’ll send you to Colorado…

Ach. I clicked. You suckered me.

That might be fun too.

Hard refresh, everybody, in Eureka’s post.

Why don’t those people look him in the eye and say “Impeachment, bastard”? Certainly none of the critters have done anything approaching what Cheney has done.

Welcome home, btw!

Hi Suzanne…I have show text working fine. Pumped iron, bicycled, jogged and rowed across the bay and visited Blackjack’s million dollar grave site. It is so nice having the Bayside site. He has a god’s eye on the blanket so will remain here after the rapture most likely. Life is good. Enjoyed the rollicking book salon with Christy and author Rob Kutner,
My screen time is computer no TV so I get a bit of data from your discussions.
I am more in touch with people and the Earth than media. I was wondering about a visit next weekend to your cabin meet up? E-mail me please. The new mail is a charter address. Thanks.

Sorry I kind of did a drive by – I posted that and then had to go do something else.

You asked for the link about McCain’s comments. It was McCain on with George Stephanoupoblabla I can’t spell his name.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..ulos-care/

McSlime is attacking Obama again about the Surge.

All our soldiers are dead.They have had their souls ripped from their minds and their consciences stolen and turned into pyscopths that one day will come to grips with what they have been a party to.They are and have never been responsible for their actions,the gov is.
Poor bastards

find out what pisses em of and give em plenty of it

of=off

Fascist cannot function when truth is realized. Fascism flourished behind veils of secrecy, as malaria and blood suckers thrive in the “used tire’s.” stagnant water!

How depressing. I have never heard this. Is there any basis? Surely not.

In another interview Mayer said they weren’t just any old lawyers in the White house who were scared of Cheney/Addington. They were Comey and Goldsmith! I suspect Ashcroft musthave been scared of Cheney/Addington too (given Comey’s interesting testimony on how Ashcroft made Comey promise not to leave until he did. “don’t leave me, don’t leave me”.) That makes Ashcroft’s mafiaesque testimony before Congress one big smack upside the head. No matter how much Ashcroft et al thought the other was out to get him, they still hold thick as a gang of thieves before Congress. I don’t think that comes out of fear, but pure clubbiness.
I want to read this book badly. I hope it comes very, very well indexed.

I keep thinking that we, in the US, need to quit trying to focus so much on the many many crimes committed by BushCo and pointlessly imploring our so-called “representatives” to do something about them. Nothing will EVER come of it – even Obama (and every monster who advises him) is for sweeping everything under the rug and “moving on” (while conducting similar illegal acts, because of the now rock-solid precedent set by Congress). Instead, we need to push for peoples in other countries to read the various books laying out the many crimes. We need to push for peoples in other countries to pay attention to the reports, leaks, and actual “facts on the ground”. We need to encourage peoples in OTHER countries to take up the cause of justice.

Other countries are not hamstrung by presidential pardons. Other countries are not bound by Pelosi’s desire to hide her (and Bush/Cheney’s) crimes. Other countries are not bound by political desires in the criminal government of the criminal USA to let bygones be bygones. Other countries must be encouraged and supported to bring charges and arrest and try persons in the US government and soon-to-be-former Bush Administration. They need to be ready to take on Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer, Harman, and a host of GOPers for their criminal complicity in EVERY single crime committed these last 8 years.

Nothing will happen in this country. We must seek redress from foreign countries that have ethics, morals, and strength.