Yeah, somebody might mention this to Dana Milbank, Bill Kristol and the "presumptuous" (i.e. "uppity") crowd:
Standing behind a lectern in Michigan this week, with two trusted senators ready to do his bidding, John McCain seemed to forget for a moment that he was only running for president.
Uh-oh, it looks like somebody’s in danger of not getting to sit on McCain’s lap:
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili says he talks to McCain, a personal friend, several times a day. McCain’s top foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was until recently a paid lobbyist for Georgia’s government. McCain also announced this week that two of his closest allies, Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), would travel to Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi on his behalf, after a similar journey by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice…The episode also follows months of sustained GOP criticism of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who was accused of acting too presidential for, among other things, briefly adopting a campaign seal and taking a trip abroad that included a huge rally in Berlin.
And results similar to Rice too, no doubt, as the Russians have gotten all they wanted…and they’ll keep it.
Say, it sure would be interesting to know when these "daily" talks started and what they were comprised of? I’m pretty sure even the GOP cannot assert a "Presidential Candidate" privilege. Especially since the criticism of Russian actions shouldn’t cause us to completely ignore the fact that Saakashvili is a bit of a rouge and a chunk of moron himself.
This video of McCain the other day sums up the whole … "John McCain Experience" — if you’ve seen a more pathetic campaign stop since "Bob Dole Stagediving" you’ve watched entirely too much C-Span:
Which, if you’re like me — and I know I am, reminds you not so much of any other candidate but this:
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it seems to me these neo fascists are getting everything they wanted
cheney undermined nixon’s treaty of detante because they couldn’t make money off of peace, he made up bull along with rumsfeld so that the cold war would continue, there is profit in war and fear
and then he did the same thing again to get us into Iraq, tried again to get us into Iran
and now they are ramping up the “russian threat” again, cold war, propaganda, never ending unrest
and they score big time
we really need to throw these criminals in jail for good
Me thinks I hear the refrains of a FL song:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t…..534985.ece
The British are leaving within a year, if the report is to be believed, (Note: believe has a lie in it ;-) )
Good morning Attaturk and pups. Thanks for the post, Attaturk.
Just watched Paul Walden up against that fucking cretin “author” whose name I will not type or speak. Did not know Mary Matalin was the publisher. She really makes my skin crawl.
McMumbles free ride on the Georgia mess is going to blow up in his face very soon. There are far to many voters that remember, vividly, growing up with the fear of nuclear war with Russia. (We are still called Baby Boomers.) To intentionally bring us back to those times is the unconscionable act of a truly deranged mind.
As a relative aside; Cbl had an encounter yesterday with some repub mover and shaker types. When told that McMumbles and our Congressman, (Carter, R) had voted against the new GI Bill the man pulled out his cell and got him on the phone. Was heard yelling at him. Priceless. When finished he asked Cbl about our D candidate. Converts happen one at a time. By the way, our district includes Ft Hood.
Off to get ready for work.
Mr.Cbl
Welcome to the 3-D candidacy of John McCain: Deranged; Deluded; Demented or Ditzy; Drooly; Dumb if you are of a milder persuasion.
The MIC people are looking to start fires everywhere lest the people demand an end to that nonsense and have their tax dollars spent on THEIR social and domestic needs. The MIC has been sucking our resources for 60 years. Shrink the military to fit and a bath tub and open the drain.
This is such an enormous waste and an assault to the environment, not to mention the millions of lives lost by military adventurism.
McCain campaign
Swirls mainly
Round the drain
Good morning, pups. It’s Bobo and Krugman today. Bobo asks “Where’s the Trauma and the Grief?” He says there was no disguising the emotional resilience of the people in a village in China’s Sichuan Province, an area hit hard by the earthquake. He seems gobsmacked that the people whose village he descended on didn’t parade their private feelings for him. Bobo is a tool. Mr. Krugman’s column is titled “The Great Illusion,” and he says the conflict in the Caucasus may be an omen. Will nationalism kill globalization — again?
http://mgpaquin.wordpress.com/
The coffee and tea are ready, and I’ve got a selection of bagels with cream cheese. After having a lovely respite for the last few days with temperatures that stayed in the 80s it looks like were about to head back up to the mid 90s again. Have a great day.
As a relative aside; Cbl had an encounter yesterday with some repub mover and shaker types. When told that McMumbles and our Congressman, (Carter, R) had voted against the new GI Bill the man pulled out his cell and got him on the phone. Was heard yelling at him. Priceless. When finished he asked Cbl about our D candidate. Converts happen one at a time. By the way, our district includes Ft Hood.
Off to get ready for work.
Dang that is the kind of story I’d like to hear in detail.
Yeah, somebody might mention this to Dana Milbank, Bill Kristol and the “presumptuous” (i.e. “uppity”) crowd: My Bold
You might want to ad George Bush to that list of people who Presume to act or speak when they either don’t have the authority or ability to do what they say that they are going to do.
Pentagon officials told McClatchy that they were increasingly dubious that any U.S. Navy vessels would join the aid operation, in large part because the U.S.-based hospital ships likely to go, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy, would take weeks to arrive.
“The president was writing checks to the Georgians without knowing what he had in the bank,” said a senior administration official.
http://firedoglake.com/2008/08…..g-georgia/ My bold.
This sounds like the Definition of Presumptuous to me.
Bush seems to be very stressed he apparently felt that he had to say something cheerful to make Us?, Georgia? feel better.
Without checking to see if he could, which he can’t Cognitive Dissonance folks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
In psychology, cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling or stress caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a fundamental cognitive drive to reduce this dissonance by modifying an existing belief, or rejecting one of the contradictory ideas.
Often one of the ideas is a fundamental element of ego, like “I am a good person” or “I made the right decision.” This can result in rationalization when a person is presented with evidence of a bad choice, or in other cases. Prevention of cognitive dissonance may also contribute to confirmation bias or denial of discomforting evidence. If not corrected, this can lead to further bad choices for the sake of consistency, rather than learning from mistakes.
Saakashvili seems to be under the impression that US troops are going to be defending their ports and airfields (thus freeing up Georgian troops to fight the Russkies).
US Military to Take Over Georgian Ports and Airfields
If true, we are just a casualty away from being deeply embroiled in this war.
And one more report of Chinese duplicity to appear multicultural and open Ethnic Children actually Han Chinese
No wonder the IOC and Chinese cancelled the Media Press Conference Today.
The BBC has a report on the Polish/US missile issue, look at the links(features and analysis) for further background into the history.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7561926.stm
Hi Mod
my comment at 9 reads
“The president was writing checks to the Georgians without knowing what he had in the bank,” said a senior administration official.
http://firedoglake.com/2008/08…..g-georgia/
it should read
“The president was writing checks to the Georgians without knowing what he had in the bank,” said a senior administration official.
http://firedoglake.com/2008/08…..g-georgia/ My Bold
Thank You.
P.S. Condi gets to try out her new shoozies going to Georgia to try to straighten out the messy there.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7562393.stm
sending the idiot child on a woman’s task.
In psychology, cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling or stress caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
Like the ideas that all of our troops are in Iraq and that choice has not made America weaker/vulnerable to our enemies and that we despite their being an oil pipeline on the line the best Bush can offer Georgia is supplies…and even then it would take weeks so its likely we won’t even bother sending them talk about impotence .
will she get the correct Georgia?
Condi looks worried Georgia attacked one area but now Russia has liberated an other area that didn’t like Georgia next to the coast. The oil pipeline deal turns to dust if Georgia losses access to its coast.
Which will be the next step if Bush doesn’t deal on Iran with Russia.
Hysterical post, Attaturk. I bet Ridge, Lieberman, and McTeleprompter were inside the bus standing in formation but in the wrong sequence and spent 10 seconds scurrying around as the announcer was announcing their names. LOL Wouldn’t surprise me. It’s embarrassing watching a bunch of old lying warmongers trying to be young and hip. One thing is for sure though, choosing 80’s music is perfect because that’s where their minds are stuck at.
Johnny McTeleprompter through out the proverbial cake on Social Security:
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/…..nt-5159876
The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a fundamental cognitive drive to reduce this dissonance by modifying an existing belief, or rejecting one of the contradictory ideas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
Which explains why Bush promised Georgia aid even though I’m sure that his aides told him we had no ships in the region, no troops that we could spare and certainly not enough planes, ships, troops etc close enough to Save or Liberate Georgia without pulling troops out of Iraq.
And that is where I’m sure his mind shut down he stopped listening and made a point of making a promise to Georgia that he couldn’t keep just so that he could deny an unpleasant reality.
Oh, Gawd… Don’t send her here, please.
Blackwater will no doubt recruit some drunken russian ex soldiers to help the Georgians
yeah Things, that was a nice report from Mr. cbl.
I enjoy hearing conversion stories, and the arguments used.
here’s WJ this morning.
can’t believe it’s Friday again.
Washington Journal
Friday, August 15, 2008
7:00-7:30 Question/Newspaper Articles/Phones
7:30-8:00 ANNE GEARAN
Associated Press
Diplomatic Writer
http://www.ap.org
Topic: Latest in the conflict between Russia and Georgia, and the U.S. role in developments there. These include Secretary of State Rice’s trip today to Tbilisi (teh-BLEE-see), the Georgian capital, Defense Secretary Gates’ news conference yesterday on the U.S. response to the conflict, and a look at the
diplomatic origins of the situation.
8:00-8:30 WILLIAM FREY
Brookings Institution
Senior Fellow & Demographer
http://www.brookings.edu
Link to Census Bureau Report:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/w…..12496.html
Topic: Yesterday’s release by the Census Bureau of figures which project that minorities, now about one- third of the U.S. population, are expected to become a majority by 2042 and be 54 percent of U.S. residents by 2050. The nation’s population will also be significantly older by that time. Current U.S. population is now 302 million, and is expected to reach 439 million by 2050.
8:30-9:30 BARA VAIDA National Journal
Staff Correspondent http://www.nationaljournal.com
National Journal Series: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmaga…..9_5784.php
Bara Vaida Article: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmaga…..80705_9136
Topic: Washington Journal, in conjunction with National Journal, continues its 10-part series, which will run Fridays at 8:30am looking at the Democratic & Republican presidential candidates and Campaign 2008 issues. In part two, we focus on Ethics & Lobbying. Our guest will discus the candidates’ positions and records on earmarks, ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance reform.
9:30-10:00 Newspaper Articles/Phones
Often one of the ideas is a fundamental element of ego, like “I am a good person” or “I made the right decision.” This can result in rationalization when a person is presented with evidence of a bad choice, or in other cases. Prevention of cognitive dissonance may also contribute to confirmation bias or denial of discomforting evidence. If not corrected, this can lead to further bad choices for the sake of consistency, rather than learning from mistakes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
My Bold
This remark does seem to sum up the entire Bush Presidency. Bush might call it Triumph of the Will
Triumph of the Will(German: Triumph des Willens) is a propagandistic documentary film by the German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. It chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg. The film contains excerpts from speeches given by various Nazi leaders at the Congress, including portions of speeches by Adolf Hitler, interspersed with footage of massed party members. Hitler commissioned the film and served as an unofficial executive producer; his name appears in the opening titles. The overriding theme of the film is the return of Germany as a great power, with Hitler as the True German Leader who will bring glory to the nation.
tp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_of_the_Will
But in the end can anybody name one accomplishment Bush has achieved during his entire Presidency? Ignoring Reality to impose your belief on it does not seem like a good way to get thing done in the real world.
Can Blackwater find enough drunks or pay enough to find people who want to fight the Russian Army? I don’t think the Geneva Conventions regarding treatment of Prisoners applies to Mercs.
And if anybody knows what can happen to enemy combatants after they are captured its a Blackwater Merc!
Saakashvili planned an offensive attack against S. Osettia for at least a month.
According to him, he speaks to McCain several times a day. McCain’a adviser is on Georgia’s payroll, to give advice and influence Washington policy (at minimum, or collude at maximum).
Has McCain not committed a misprision by his actions? How is McCain not an accessory after the fact in concealing the Genocide that he and his adviser apparently helped to enable?
I’m blaming the Russia/Georgia conflict on John McCain and George Bush. Anyone else?
Since Johnny think GITMO is one of the nicest places on the planet, then I think it’s time for Johnny to go there [edited by moderator] along with George Bush, his BFF.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/…..o-live-in/
[Mod Note; Please do not suggest violence or harm on others. Thank you.]
Laws do not apply to these people.
TBILISI (Reuters) – President George W. Bush’s pledge to send aid to Georgia means that the U.S. military will take control of the ex-Soviet state’s ports and airports, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Wednesday.
“You have heard the statement by the U.S. president that the United States is starting a military-humanitarian operation in Georgia,” Saakashvili said in a television address.
“It means that Georgian ports and airports will be taken under the control of the U.S. defense ministry in order to conduct humanitarian and other missions. This is a very important statement for easing tension.”
http://www.reuters.com/article…..080813?fee
Great Catch Cinnamonape @10
Sending troops into a war zone on one side of a conflict sounds like declaring war to me so what does Congress have to say?
Sending in not enough troops to stop the Russians in the hopes that they don’t want to escalate a fight which they know that they can win so close to Russia especially when all our troops are in Iraq is stupid.
The Google map feature is gone, IIRC the geography, Poti is the only practical port for shipping oil, there is some serious terrain further south towards the Turkish border, difficult to lay a pipeline through (not impossible). The satellite shows some large and medium sized storage tanks in the port area, question is whether incoming or outgoing oil is involved, or those facilities are not yet built pending pipeline. My atlas is as dated as McCain’s alleged brain, not of great help.
You mean, that there were TWO Georgi was a secret? lol
Will the Dems stop Bush this time is the Question?
Sending in a force that will get killed if the Russians decide to move against them, is well sending in a Martyr Force whose duty it is to die so that America will feel it has to avenge them.
If that is the best plan the Chimp can come with then IT SHOULD BE A NONSTARTER!
The idea of any of the Dem. “leadership” stepping up is laughable besides most, if not all, of them are in the pay of the MIC.
Right wingers on the Howie Carr radio show were saying yesterday that America needs to butt out of this conflict. Interesting…that seems to be what Barack Obama is doing. Barack must know the Serenity Prayer. Meanwhile, George Bush, Condi Rice, and John McCain are immersed in it. If it escalates into a full blown war, we’ll know who to blame!
BP 58.83, -0.74, -1.2%) said Wednesday that force majeure has been declared on liftings from the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline following its shut-down Tuesday.
The U.K. oil company, which is the largest shareholder in Baku-Supsa, closed the 150,000 barrels a day route to Supsa on Georgia’s Black Sea coast from Baku, Azerbaijan due to the conflict between Georgia and Russia.
Another pipeline operated by BP in the former Soviet Republic, the larger Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, is already out of action after a fire last week. The BTC pipeline usually provides around one million barrels of Caspian crude to international markets.
http://www.marketwatch.com/new…..;dist=hpts
I think the current oil piplines are out already. I think though that they were planning an other oil pipeline though.
I can’t believe that Bush/McCain think getting America into another war for oil is an election year winner.
I know we have to replace all the blue dogs and Nancy and Harry. Which will be a lot easier if they keep on doing nothing.
Right wingers on the Howie Carr radio show were saying yesterday that America needs to butt out of this conflict. Interesting
That is very interesting why are they saying that we should but out of this conflict? If Bush pisses off his 30%ers before an election and they just stay home…all the polling numbers change in our favor.
I don’t believe the polls anyways, TCU. To me, the polls are meant to panic people if you ask me. I think Barack’s numbers are a lot higher, but to make Johnny and the RNC feel better about themselves and to protect themselves from the upcoming November landslide, they need these “close” poll numbers.
Another interesting thing heard on Howie Carr’s radio show from yesterday:
Colonel Hunt (he goes on Fox News a lot) was filling in for Howie and Hunt announced that they (Howie’s listeners) should give Barack Obama a chance. He said that there is no worse a president can do than what has happened over the past 8 years and to fix what has happened, we have to do a 180 and go the other way. Wow.
In the meantime, here’s a photo to make us all smile and put a kick in our step today:
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/…..847267.jpg
;-)
Besides, if the polls can manipulate the public into thinking this is going to be a close race, it will be easier for the right wingers to steal the election using Diebold and other lovely means.
I agree with that point kay, man I hope it’s true and thought so up until I went to my friends daughter’s wedding
all of my democratic friends, all of the bush haters, were actually on the fence and “wanted to see obama and mccain in dabate”
translation?
they are biggots and won’t admit it, that’s the translation, there is NO WAY any “democrat” nor any “bush hater” is going to be “on the fence”
we live in a world where even some of us who think we are not bigots, harbor an unconcous fear, an uconcous “we have to root for “our” family.
there is bigotry in this country and it’s deeper then non biggots can possibly realize
I am given hope however, I thought that gore could not possibly win with a jewish man as his running mate, I thought he simply gave the election away
yet there he was, winning the election nicely, however, of course our government was overthrown in a silent coup by men in black robes who installed a moronic puppent in gores place
OT re: that clip – I really miss “Arrested Development”.
and I want everyone to begin looking out for the “new russia”, the new super power
I am talking about blackwater, an enemy of this state funded by these neo cons, the purpose was to create a threat if none other exists, if there is no soviet bloc to challenge us, if there is no Iraq or Iran or afghanistan, why there will always be that rogue mercinary army, no armed by the treasurey of the american middle class
These were weird, unnerving interviews, and I don’t pretend to understand what’s going on in the minds of people who have suffered such blows and remained so optimistic. All I can imagine is that the history of this province has given these people a stripped-down, pragmatic mentality: Move on or go crazy. Don’t dwell. Look to the positive. Fix what needs fixing. Work together.
I don’t know if it’s emotionally sustainable or even healthy, but it raises at least one interesting question. When you compare these people to the emotional Sturm und Drang over lesser things on reality TV, you do wonder if we Americans are a nation of whiners.
http://mgpaquin.wordpress.com/
Its nice to talk about China doing so well after the earthquake but wouldn’t it be cool if Bobo talked about America after 9/11.
The World Trade Center Captive Insurance Co., funded for $1 billion by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2003, has settled just six claims out of nearly 9,400 filed by workers who say they are suffering health problems as a result of their jobs.
http://www.govexec.com/story_p…..todaysnews
Bobo has forgotten 9/11 and he apparently doesn’t care. New York gots a problem Bush seems to want to dump this on Obama Bobo you live in New York are you going to tell me you won’t write about this! 9/11 was years ago and these Heroes are still waiting for healthcare!
What does it take to get Bobo to say something harsh about Bush? Talk about one sided, biased, hacks I bet if more or any rich Republicans helped on 9/11 Bobo would be all over this.
After all its only when Bush strays from the Republican Base does Bobo get snippy with him!
we need to teach our children because there will no longer be politics taught in class, unless it is “believe everything the government tells you” politics
they are beginning to teach magic in science class where a super duper wizard is responsible for everything they don’t want to explain, they have eliminated courses that teach us about government and the reasons america was founded
they want and need an uneducated, fearfull mass, they do not want a middle class they will undermine their plans for a “haves and have nots” society
off to work, will read more later
Blue Texan is upstairs :)
I’m referring to real poll numbers which I admit that the MSM will downplay even if we do see them, assuming their are any.
These guys I’m still checking out they seem ok http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/ and of course MYDD is very good http://www.mydd.com/
me stays here with attaturk
When I read Ian’s offering this morning, it was striking the number of commentators that premised their remarks in a manner which inflicted no wrong on the governments position and no remorse or regret for that position. In other words, the country can do no wrong, it is someone else’s fault for the “error”. The world does not subscribe to that point of view. Reality does not commend it as well. But the insistence that the country is exceptional is rooted so deeply in the American consciousness, it may never be rectified without complete disintegration of the American State. Without a stable currency and economy, those days may be upon the nation before long, and the wealthy will be paying their burden in that scenario, they are not exempt.
Good Friday Morning Attaturk,
Shocking that a war criminal,Mc Cain,who bombed innocent men, women and children from 30,000′ in Vietnam is giving advise on illegal military action against civilians. This is the face of unending murder of the have less’.
Vietnam ,for the younger ones who weren’t here then, wasn’t a constitutionally declared war rather a corporate mob action. Iraq is more of the same. But i think the really big show will be Iran soon.
I also miss “Arrested Development”, best American sitcom in years.
You can get the entire series on DVD from Amazon for less than $50 if you are so inclined.
Was “map” taken off Georgia on Google?, It is on outside the border of Georgia, showing roads, towns, etc. Why is this information being curtailed? Will this always happen, something to “protect” “our”"friends” from what? Why is the internet being controlled in this way?
Is this a portent of things to come?
Change MSM to MGM – Mushroom Growers Media; kept in dark, fed shit.
so EPU’d
I already have the entire series. Brilliant show! Will Arnett’s magician act still cracks me up. “The Final Countdown” is the theme song on my racing sailboat.
the neo fascists have deliberately undermined our monetary system, they have tried and succeeded in making oil the new money
I was struck by the same lack of comprehension of our true place in the world in some the comments (not mine, of course). I get it even among strong democratic supporters with whom I consorted last weekend in Aspen. Only one woman with whom I spoke seemed to understand the truly deep existential hole we’ve dug ourselves into. Read Russell Banks Dreaming Up America for some possible reasons why our nation is so f*cked up.
Russell Banks Dreaming Up America. I will put it on my to get and read list. Two for you if interested:
Lies in a Mirror, An Essay on Evil and Deceit by Peter Charleton ISBN 1-84218-101-7 . An Irish barrister who writes of the relationship between the lies criminals tell themselves, and projects this to the lies that criminal societies tell themselves; a thought provoking read, applicable to today’s world.
America Rules, US Foreign Policy, Globalization and Corporate USA by Tom Hanahoe, ISBN 0-86322-309-5 . Hanahoe is a world class investigative reporter. He has researched into the beginnings, the development, the actors that have been behind the junta that has usurped the government, eviscerated the constitution, and have set the course to the disaster the world faces today. This book would be the worlds history, if that history were ever to be written truthfully. This is the past, without knowing it, there is no future.
Both books are/were available in Ireland, possibly through Amazon.co.uk, possibly through Amazon.com
I wonder if they have permission from Van Halen to use that song? Jackson Browne is already taking legal action for unauthorized use of his music and voice.