The Highs and Lows of Technology (and How It's All Good!)

During my last few days in Croatia, I wanted to pull together some thoughts on technology, with pictures.

Although we have many modern conveniences here: electricity, hot water, a stove with a full size oven, even a clothes washing machine and dishwasher, there are some "comforts" notably missing.

We have to do without such things as television, internet access (even from dial-up service, as there's no phone line), and the ability to drive up to the house (it's a quarter mile walk to the nearest parking, and usually we travel on foot or bicycle.)



Carting cases of pivo (beer) or mineral water up this hill on a hand truck is a periodic ritual that is, fortunately, self-rewarding at the end!

There are some other particularly low tech rituals that are every bit as pleasurable as anything technology has to offer. Every morning, I am sure to fill up the solar shower so we can have a hot fresh rinse to remove the Adriatic salt from the day's swim without messing up the bathroom (or giving up the view!)



And yes, that is a fireplace in the background big enough (and designed for) cooking a goat on an open fire. We have yet to use it for its intended purpose, as we haven't entertained the requisite number of guests in the same day. But I've been slowly gathering firewood from the trail near the house, so when the time comes, we'll be ready.

Of course, we may choose to introduce a bit more technology to the process, as I'm told the three hour cooking time is much more enjoyable with the spit being turned by a converted washing machine motor instead of by hand!

As for the technology required to bring you this post, I have been able to use my Treo as a text editor, along with a portable infrared keyboard to spare me the frustration of dealing with congenitally large thumbs. I can write virtually anywhere, without carrying anything heavier than my foam beach pad (although, frankly, I often opt to include a heavier bottle of Karlovacko Pivo among my beach blogging gear!)




I can save the Word files, and any photos I take, on a memory card, which in turn can be moved to a jump drive about the size of one of my fat thumbs, ready to be plugged into any computer. For 15 Kuna (about $2.80), I can get 30 minutes of web access on a PC at the nearby Hotel Punta.

Truth be told, we actually have a laptop with us and wireless access is also available at the same rate, but since it's a Mac belonging to Ms. seenos, and my blogging speed drops to a crawl on the unfamiliar Mac, it is still more efficient for me to use their machine - even if it does require translating the standard Blogger and Google commands from Croatian.

Occasionally, the low tech and high tech aspects of our lives here collide in interesting ways.

For example, when we installed the current kitchen two years ago, we had to put in an additional electrical line for the stove. In our wood constructed home in California, this would be a relatively easy task, but in a stone house with two foot solid walls, the job requires some serious hammering and chiseling in order to dig out a path for the line that can later be filled with stucco and painted.

Because of the uneven nature of the stone underneath, it is not possible to follow the most direct path, or sometimes any specific path. What you are left with is a nice painted wall with a live power line snaking somewhere beneath the surface.

This is particularly troublesome if you want to drill holes, such as we needed to do in order to hang a cabinet. We knew where we wanted to drill, just not if we could do it without getting electrocuted and/or shorting out the stove.



The picture above represents our high tech solution. We were able to dig back through our digital image archive to find a shot that we took right after the wall was patched. By putting the laptop next to the actual wall, we were able to drill away without any problems. Other than having to drill into solid rock, that is!



The result was worth the effort. (You may also note another decidedly high tech luxury - a Bose I-Pod dock that was probably the best thing we ever struggled to squeeze into our luggage!)

I mentioned earlier that we have no TV, which means that on those occasions when we want to end the day will a little mindless visual entertainment, we get to enjoy the oldest, lowest tech, form of evening entertainment - an example of which is a perfect way to close this post.



This was taken from the terrace cafe of the Hotel Punta about 5 minutes ago.

Hvala i do vidjenja!

A Letter To George Bush - Encore Filibuster Edition

Having watched many hours of the Senate's 30 hour - overnight - filibuster - debate on the Reed/Levin Amendment - I couldn't help but think of this post from a couple of months back.

Somehow someone needs to get through to old George. He's missing a great opportunity. His legacy is shot. He will go down in history as the worst U.S. President of all time. But if he follows my advice he could pretend, for a few days at least, that people like him.

Dear George,

Several months ago I wrote to you with my suggestion to save your presidency and perhaps keep you from going down in history as the worst president ever. I realize now that you may not have read my letter. It was kind of long. And I used a few big words. So, in this letter I will use a lot of pictures to try to keep you interested.

I am writing you this time to point out something that I think you have overlooked.

I realize that I have criticized you often in the past – but this time I am going to try and stay positive - point out a strength.

George you are without a doubt the best President ever ........................................ at staging military photo ops.

Let’s sample your body of work shall we.

Who can forget this one?

Or this one? Nice Jacket! This one may not have been the best choice?

But then you really out did yourself? Now to the main reason for this letter. George you have overlooked the best military photo op possible. And you are running out of time.

All the polls show that this country remains extremely divided (although you are doing your best to unite us in our dislike for you). The one thing that every American agrees on is our support for the Men and Women of the United States Military. Even while many disagree with the War in Iraq - we unanamously support the troops.

So I ask you – wouldn’t the best military photo op possible – be you leading the parade of soldiers returning to the hero’s welcome they would undoubtedly receive? Think of it George – millions of citizens lining the streets of every small town in America welcoming home the troops. And, you could travel the country and lead every parade.

Now that would be history George. Think about it - do you really want Hillary’s photos gracing those pages of the history books? No - that is your destiny - you have earned it.

Bring the troops home George – they have earned it even more!

Sincerely,

Left-over

But Can He Look You In The Eye?

There are a lot of convicted felons who serve their time in prison and then go on to lead productive, and occasionally inspirational, lives.

Of course many don't, as the recidivism rate is still quite high. Still, the common thread for those who are highly successful in their future endeavors is the ability to look others in the eye and say, "I've made mistakes, but I've paid my debt to society!"

Not Scooter Libby! He's a convicted felon who will never have the opportunity to look anyone in the eye and say that he is free and clear, having paid his debt to society and able to move ahead with the knowledge that he owes nothing to anyone.

Sure, he'll try to surround himself with those willing to act as if he was a great man who was unjustly accused, but this will be little more than a charade - since the commutation of his sentence has basically acknowledged his guilt, but enabled him to skate on his debt.

He is now destined to live out his life knowing deep down that he stole from society, got caught, but never had to pay anything back because he was declared (morally) bankrupt!

Wolf Has A Michael Moore Situation

Wolf Blitzer loves to say that news is happening live in his situation room. Well, it certainly was yesterday. Michael Moore is not afraid to say what needs to be said. I am so tired of all the talking heads who just play the game by politely stating their sides talking points and collecting their paychecks. Moore doesn't play that game and Wolfie doesn't know what to do with him.
This is the kind of outrage that many of us feel toward the establishment and the press for enabling it. Michael Moore is my hero! Watch and enjoy!




Update: Here are the facts and explanation from the Sicko website that Michael promised in the clip.

Rebuilding America's Image Abroad

There can be no doubt that America's image throughout the world has declined under the "decidership" of George W. Bush!

Many Americans, while traveling abroad, feel compelled to pretend to be Canadian, just to avoid potential scorn over their connection to the arrogant, imperialist foreign policies of their president.

Clearly, the person who ends up following George W. Bush into the White House will have a monumental task of rebuilding trust and cooperation from the rest of the world.

Having arrived in Europe a little over a week ago, I quickly noticed one of the ways this process could be accellerated.

On my first night in Croatia, I was invited by some friends to meet for a drink at a club where there would be live music. The performer turned out to be a delta blues guitarist named Philadelphia" Jerry Ricks (pictured above.) He was very good, but what stood out the most was the reverence with which most of the audience listened to his two sets.

Typically, in social settings - particularly those involving drinking - Croatians tend to be very warm and friendly. Music is likely to be the background to enthusiastic conversation and laughter. However, for this performance, I heard quite a few "shushes," as anyone interrupting the music was quickly asked to be quiet.

Between sets and after the show, Ricks was surrounded by admiring fans, intent on getting autographs and asking him questions about his music.

Among many other forms of music, I consider myself to be a blues afficionado. I had never heard of Jerry Ricks, although I am quite familiar with many of the greats at whose knees he learned his craft. However, I talked to several people in the crowd who were well aware of him, and just about any other blues legend I could name.

In fact, it seems there is a vast reservoir of love and respect for many aspects of American culture, if not the current incarnation of American politics!

And it occured to me that one of the ways that we, as a country, can start to rebuild our reputation abroad, is to begin to embrace our historic contribution to the arts - particularly music, but also dance, theater, and visual arts.

Instead of "No Child Left Behind" squeezing out funds for the arts and creating a generation with no formal understanding of our artistic history, we should be funding something like "No Artist Left Behind!"

For this is what the world still loves about America, and if we bring the arts back to a prominent place in our own daily lives, we may be able to regain some of what we have lost during the last seven years - when the face of America to the rest of the world has been that of a smirking chimp flipping them the bird!

Scooter's Bargain

I realize that I'm a little out of the loop, sitting halfway across the world on a small island with no English newspapers, no television, and only sporadic internet access. But after hearing about Bush's decision to commute Scooter Libby's prison term before the appeals process had even run its course, I have to post a few initial thoughts.

Sorry if I'm being redundant, since I'm sure the rest of the Plamaniacs in the blogosphere are all over this like squid ink on black risotto, but here's what I'm thinking.

Duke Cunningham went to prison for taking money and expensive gifts in exchange for steering defense contracts to those offering bribes. Jack Abramoff went to prison for getting favors from a number of congressmen in exchange for money and expensive gifts.

The key to both of these convictions was the ability to prove the existence of a "quid pro quo" relationship. It wasn't random, but was a part of an organized plan - a "conspiracy," if you will.

Bush's commutation of Scooter's sentence leaves no doubt in my mind that Scooter's actions were part of a similarly organized "quid pro quo" relationship with the Bush Administration. If Scooter lied to the Grand Jury, and did not reveal any incriminating information against his bosses while defending himself in court, the President promised to use his power to ensure that Scooter did not spend so much as a day in prison!

I suspect there's a fair amount of money and/or expensive gifts on the way toward Scooter too, as compensation for the loss of his law license and any other inconveniences that accompany life as a convicted felon.

In fact, with all the forensic accounting resources we've developed in the aftermath of debacles like Enron and WorldCom, and while tracking funding for terrorist groups, we can probably spare an agent or two to keep an eye on Scooter's bank accounts, just in case there is any other suspicious activity that would prove a "quid pro quo" criminal conspiracy on top of the perjury and obstruction charges for which he was already convicted!

(The image was taken during a hike to Balvanida - a restaurant only accessible on foot or by boat. It is near the foot of the bay to the right.)

The Next Puppet President?

There was a time when George Allen was the clear republican frontrunner to succeed George Bush as the next simple-minded, good ol’ boy, puppet president. He had all the requisite qualities. He’s dumb as a post, he likes western attire, and he has a family affiliation with professional sports. He’s the kind of guy who could get support from the conservative base simply because he seems comfortable and familiar.



Like Bush in 2000, he could get elected for being the guy they’d like to have a beer with. But also like Bush, he would probably be satisfied with meaningless photo ops, and getting to strut around calling himself “The Decider,” and “Commander Guy” while the Dick Cheneys’ and Donald Rumsfelds’ of the world secretly ran the country.

But, as it turned out, “Macaca” Allen proved to be too stupid, even to follow in George Bush’s footsteps! And Bush has pretty much burned out the “western sportsman” archetype of the guy you don’t actually know, but still want to have a beer with! So who’s next in line to fill the necessary role of the puppet president?

My good friend (whom I’ve never met), Emptywheel, had an excellent post describing her impression of Fred Thompson as possibly filling that role.

And Josh Marshall (whom I’ve also never met) recently informed me, as I drank my morning coffee, that Thompson is considered by many to be a leading presidential candidate because he has the kind of speaking voice that makes people feel secure and comfortable.

Finally, I learned from my pal, Kos (who was once in the same room, just a few feet away from me – having a conversation with another well-known blogger whose opinions I often love to consider over lunch) that Fred Thompson likes to blog.

And I thought, how convenient! It occurs to me that among the people I don’t know, but still feel comfortable enough to want to have a beer with them, are a pretty large number of bloggers. In fact, blogging is quite an excellent way to make strangers feel that they know you, get them to like you and feel comfortable with you, and it maybe even make them willing to vote for you!

That’s right folks – when it comes to republican presidential politics, Blogging may be the new ”Fake Cowboy on a Bicycle!”

Who's an Activist Judge Now?

Bush has returned from his fishing vacation to commute the sentence of "Scooter" Libby. After spending the last six years railing on so called "activist judges" for interpreting the law rather than enforcing it - George has decided that he knows better. But in choosing to commute rather than pardon Libby, Bush has conceded Libby's guilt. Now there is no longer an ongoing investigation for Bush and Cheney to hide behind. It's time for the press to finally do their job to find out what the President knew and when he knew it. Libby wasn't lying for the fun of it.

Now we know what the name of the "Bush" boat refers too. He's faithful to his minions.

A Rare Reprise.

Amid last minute packing for a three week trip to Croatia, I made a little time to scan the blogs for a final survey of the world I'm leaving. I thought it would remind me of how much I enjoy getting away from the U.S. political scene, but surprisingly I found this article, which made me more hopeful than anything else.

Combined with the video Left-Over posted below, I can actually start to envision the generation of my own 17 and 18 year old sons finally deciding to take back their future from the current mob of rich white males who have repeatedly tried to use the threat of terrorism to take it from them.

It won't be easy, as the levers of power are still turned against them, but time carries a power of its own (and how much time will it take to outlast the Dick Cheneys of the world anyway!)

All of which leads me back to a piece I wrote a little over a year ago, during my last trip to the small island in Croatia that will be my home for the next three weeks. I think it is very much related to the task ahead for the generation of my boys.

In that spirit, I'd like to re-post it here:


Building a Wall For the Future
(Originally posted 5/18/2006)

With an unexpected opportunity to blog off the clock while staying at a friend's house in Rijeka, Croatia, I've suddenly realized that the two main sources of inspiration for most of my posts here at Left-Over – a frequent rekindling of anger over the course that George Bush and his cronies have taken my country, and the consistently hilarious stupidity of the many lies offered by his defenders – just don't exist for me here!

I'm sure I could muster more anger and/or derisive laughter about the state of affairs in Croatian politics if I understood them better, and I don't want to be overly idealistic, but what I see here – at least in the small town life of the residents of Losinj – is a simple appreciation for hard work, and for the sometimes hidden, long-term benefits that go completely unvalued in American life.

For lack of time, and the building aggravation of using a keyboard that has letters scrambled like a game of musical keys, I will limit this post to a description of one example.

Every day of the last week, I have walked along a cobblestone path that leads to the house where I am staying at least three or four times. For the first few days, I kept noticing a man who was engaged in the task of building a stone wall. Working alone, he would mix a small batch of mortar, and carefully select each stone, probably weighing about 75-125 lbs each, to fit in the wall like a puzzle. Each time I passed, the span of wall about 20 feet long looked nearly identical to the last time, but after a couple of days it seemed about a foot higher.

After watching him for about 5 days, I finally asked the man how long he had been working on the wall. In broken English (fortunately, I've found that nearly everyone speaks at least "a leetle," which soundly beats my Croatian), he explained that he had been working on the wall for three weeks, "but only for about 4 hours per day." In 95 degree heat and no shade, I initially thought this to be a foolish endeavor, particularly since the island is loaded with trees, and one could build a wooden fence of similar length in about a half a day.

But then I tried to consider the long-term benefits of the rock wall. First of all, the island is also full of rocks, and they are essentially free – with a minimal need for processing. Further, moving the rocks into a wall frees up valuable soil for growing food. Wood, on the other hand, would have to be shipped to the island by boat or milled from the existing trees on the island, robbing it of its natural beauty. And the rock wall will be there for hundreds of years with little, if any, need to maintain it.

The rock wall just means that this guy has to invest a month in the hot sun stacking rocks – for benefits that will not be immediate, and are intended to be shared by future generations. But the rock wall will preserve, and even improve, the natural environment in which it is built.

Think about that for a minute: Investing for future generations in a way that preserves and improves the natural environment!

And the funny thing is, from what I've also seen while I've been here, this guy building the rock wall probably still had a state-of-the-art cell phone, a satellite dish on his house, and a new car with five or six cup holders!

My Heroes Too!

On Tuesday fifty top high school students stood up to President Bush. Countdown has the story:

I, Lobbyist

After reading this short note a while back regarding efforts By Karl Rove, Andy Card and Laura Bush to start developing “the Bush legacy plan,” I’ve come up with an idea for some new legislation. Consequently, I am currently looking for members of either the House or the Senate who are willing to sponsor my bill.

I don’t have a lot of money to pour into campaign coffers in exchange for this support, and I’m not willing to take anyone golfing in Scotland, or let anyone live on my boat. But my proposal does have a catchy name and the potential to build a lot of good will among most of the voting public for anyone in Congress who chooses to take it up!

I call it The Presidential “Incomplete Grade” Initiative, and it would make illegal any effort to raise funds for, or conduct activities related to, “legacy polishing” for an outgoing or ex-president, as long as any war declared by that president continues!

This would mean there could be no planning for an architecturally striking presidential library (such as the Clinton Library shown above), built as a monument to the president’s term in office, as long as a war that he (or she) started is unresolved.

It would mean there could be no “think tank” churning out position papers touting the benefits of the president’s policies, as long as soldiers are dying in the aftermath of those policies, and without the ability to determine the final benefit attached to those deaths.

It would mean there could be no vetting of friendly biographers, or ghost writers who could simulate the deeply contemplative thoughts of a wizened veteran of the most powerful job in the free world, as long as the final, most important, lessons of the presidency remain in doubt.

Such a law would be similar to preventing a student from sending out resumes listing an educational degree that was not received, because the student was given an incomplete grade in a critical class required for graduation.

It would be similar to preventing a corporation from sending out a prospectus that reports actual earnings based on projections that will not be realized until some time in the indefinite future.

It would (perhaps more than anything else) be similar to preventing a child from getting his allowance before he completes his homework or does his chores.

Richard Cohen: A Columnist with the Lights Off (and Nobody Home!)

It amazes me to think that WAPO’s Richard Cohen will be collecting a paycheck for his latest contribution to the “Free Scooter” movement, which included this gem:

(Scooter's lying) is not an entirely trivial matter since government officials should not lie to grand juries, but neither should they be called to account for practicing the dark art of politics. As with sex or real estate, it is often best to keep the lights off.

While Glenn Greenwald takes Cohen apart over the implications of this line as a metaphor for the attitude of the DC press, and Christie Hardin Smith takes Cohen apart over the implications of this line as a metaphor for Cohen’s attitude toward the rule of law, I’d like to offer a simpler reminder of how stupid this man is.

Richard Cohen is the same man who thought his days as an elementary school class clown made him qualified to tell us that Stephen Colbert is not funny!

Clearly, as with sex or real estate, when it comes to generating ideas for his columns, Richard Cohen finds it best to keep the lights off!

[I think the image above is one of the only known lighted shots of Cohen with his real estate agent!]

The One and Only (Current Republican) Savior!

With their three leading candidates seriously flawed, someone has to step in to fill the void of desperate hope for republicans somehow imagining that they can follow-up the disastrous Bush administration by keeping the White House in 2008 - to stave off sinking into corruption-filled oblivion for the next decade or two.



McCain’s flaw is summed up by this picture, although there are plenty of corruption-and cover-up-related details to back it up



Giuliani’s flaw is summed up by this quote from his reaction after 9/11, although there are plenty of sleazy, dickhead-related details to back it up!



Romney is, well, a buffoon, who is virtually sure to choke on his own foot well before the general election, and probably the republican primary – if not the next time he opens his mouth!

Unfortunately for republicans, that leaves the as-yet-undeclared Fred Thompson as the latest great (rich) white (male) hope to follow in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan and keep the White House in conservative hands.

Hunter recently offered this humorous explanation for why Thompson even has a chance in a current American culture that seems to glorify celebrity over everything else:

He is Reaganesque, even, if Reagan had been less of a 50's-era leading man type and more of a tenderized, slightly doughy, puzzlingly lumpy ex-football player turned midpriced motivational speaker.

I'm not sure whether Thompson ever played second fiddle to a dull-eyed and vaguely unwilling thespian chimp, however. But if both Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney could do it, I'm sure Fred could if the situation ever came up.

And ex-republican-savior, George “Macaca” Allen, described what some supporters consider to be Thompson's greatest strength:

Thompson . . . is "the best voice in America," Allen, a Virginia Republican, told a lecture series audience yesterday.
He likened Thompson's voice to that of a "modern-day Rex Allen," drawing a reference to a now-deceased cowboy actor.

It must be pretty sad for an actual moderate, traditional, fiscal conservative to realize that their party’s chances of any sort of influence during the next presidential term have been reduced - by the incompetence and corruption of the Bush administration, and the pathetic crop of potential candidates - to such strategies as convincing Thompson to actually run, and hoping to coerce someone like James Earl Jones to be his running mate!

Libby is Going to Jail!!???

MSNBC is reporting that Judge Walton has ruled that Scooter Libby must begin serving his sentence.

OK George - the pardon ball is now in your court. Your approval rating is at 29%. I think a Pardon will put you in the teens.

And now we may find out who Libby's wife wants to f--k!

I Have a Dream! No, Seriously; It Goes Like This . . .

The subconscious mind works in mysterious ways, but sometimes the mysteries are a little easier to discern than others.

Left-Over and I are planning to attend the Yearly Kos Convention in Chicago later this summer. It should be an exciting and eventful weekend, but not as exciting and eventful as the dream I had last night.

In my dream, I am at the convention, sitting in a balcony seat for a Q&A session with an unknown speaker. Surprisingly, as the mystery speaker walks out on the stage, I realize that it is none other than George W. Bush. He has a number of security guards with him as he strides out to the center of the stage and sits in a chair.

For some reason, the stage is not in a convention center, but rather some sort of performing arts venue. I can’t see the very front of the stage from my seat in the balcony, but I can see five chairs in the center for Bush and his four security guards. There is nothing else on the stage but a plain backdrop that slopes upward, at first gradually, but increasing to near vertical at the very back.

It is eerily quiet, as I look around at the audience, waiting for someone to ask a question. No one speaks. I am also waiting for a chorus of booing, like during the presentation of Andy Card’s honorary degree, but it doesn’t come. There is no question to be heard, but Bush starts answering one anyway. He starts to talk, but I can’t hear what he is saying because his voice is quickly overpowered by music that is coming from the house sound system.

Bush stands up and his security crew suddenly scampers off of the stage dragging all of the chairs. Bush begins to shuffle his feet, slowly at first, but then speeding up into a tap dancing rhythm. Before long, Bush is bounding around the stage like Fred Astaire. A partner appears from stage left, and they begin to swirl and dip to the music.

The audience seems too stunned to do anything other than stare, slack jawed. I want them to boo his dancing, but they don’t. He’s not bad, but I want to yell something that will show him how much he is reviled! How could he be so bold as to come to a liberal bloggers’ convention, and not be treated with disdain?

I think of a “clever” line that will undoubtedly break the ice and turn loose a torrent of boos and catcalls. I yell out that he’s “not on Dancing With the Stars, so he can just get off the stage!” I’m quite proud of myself for being the first to challenge him. But suddenly, my call doesn’t make sense because he is no longer dancing.

He has jumped on a bicycle and is riding it around the stage! It’s a trick bike with pegs on the back wheel, so he can jump and spin as he turns. He rides up the ramp at the back of the stage and then zooms back down to the front where he briefly leaves my field of vision. I strain my neck to see what he’s going to do, as he circles the stage a couple of times. Suddenly, as he reaches the part of the stage that is hidden from my view, I hear a loud crash. The crowd, who had been completely silent other than my own yell earlier, bursts into loud applause.

I jump from my seat and run to the front of the balcony to see George W. Bush sprawled on the stage, his bike a mangled scrap of metal lying next to him. His security guards are running to his side as several audience members point and shout “His hand is broken, His hand is broken!”

I feel a sense of intense joy and contentment wash over me as the crowd is filled with lively discussion about what they have just witnessed. Finally, some “karma” has come home to roost!

As I get up and begin to walk out of the venue, a big smile on my face and a bounce in my gait, I start to overhear some conversations that snap me out of my good mood.

According to the voices, media reports are beginning to circulate that because Bush is known to be an expert rider, the only possible reason for the crash is that Bush was drugged, apparently by attendees at a liberal bloggers’ convention. All over the country, people are beginning to question the motives of bloggers, whose lack of patriotism led them to poison our incredibly talented President!”

And suddenly, my thoughts crystallize on what I understand to be the real story behind the President’s drugged bicycle crash. While the crowd around me buzzes with questions and perplexed conversation, I know exactly what happened behind the scenes, unrecorded by any form of evidence or proof. It is all part of a grand master plan to undermine the convention and build sympathy and support for the President!

I wake in a cold sweat, yelling out the same words that I have considered many times before: “Damn You, Karl Rove!”

Bush's Albania/Bulgaria One Two Punch

In case you missed our eloquent Commander-in-Chief today. Here are his two proudest comandering moments:

#2 Albania

Q Thank you, Mr. President. Yesterday you called for a deadline for U.N. action on Kosovo. When would you like that deadline set? And are you at all concerned that taking that type of a stance is going to further inflame U.S. relations with Russia? And is there any chance that you're going to sign on to the Russian missile defense proposal?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thanks. A couple of points on that. First of all, I don't think I called for a deadline. I thought I said, time -- I did? What exactly did I say? I said, "deadline"? Okay, yes, then I meant what I said. (Laughter.) The question is whether or not there is going to be endless dialogue on a subject that we have made up our mind about. We believe Kosovo ought to be independent.

#1 Bulgaria

Q Mr. President, I want to take you back to domestic issues again. You say the no-confidence vote has no bearing as to whether Alberto Gonzales remains as Attorney General. How can he continue to be effective? And it seems like you're not listening to Congress when it comes to Gonzales, but you are listening to Congress when it comes to Peter Pace.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, it's an interesting comment about Congress, isn't it, that, on the one hand, they say that a good general shouldn't be reconfirmed, and on the other hand, they say that my Attorney General shouldn't stay. And I find it interesting. I guess it reflects the political atmosphere of Washington. And they can try to have their votes of no confidence, but it's not going to determine -- make the determination who serves in my government.

Sometimes It's Not About Politics!

This is my first good chance to try blogging from my new Treo, so here goes: This shot of the Chicago skyline is taken across Diversey Harbor about half a mile from my son's apartment. I'm here for the whole week - part business and part fun.

Mitt Romney’s (Likable) Twin?

This piece from Matt Taibbi at Rolling Stone completely nails the characterization of Rudy Giuliani that I think has led me to develop such a strong dislike for him. Although there isn’t a physical resemblance, Giuliani has mastered George W. Bush’s ability to appeal to the stupid, macho bully portion of the electorate, while giving the impression that he genuinely feels that the sun rises and sets from his own ass!

I find myself with a similar dislike for Mitt Romney, and I’ve been struggling to pinpoint the exact reason. From his choice to run early campaign ads on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, to his ridiculous boasts about “hunting varmints,” to his bumbling descriptions of his then-15-year-old wife as “hot,” to just about every foot-in-mouth comment he’s made during the debates, Romney has reminded me of someone familiar. Someone particularly annoying! But I haven’t been able to put my finger on who it is.

And then it hit me:



Mitt Romney is Sam Malone, but without the benefit of an endearingly clever script writer, and a cast of lovable misfits like Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin for entertainment value. And, of course, without actually being the likable Ted Danson, playing a role.

This, unfortunately for him, leaves Mitt Romney as nothing but an “empty suit” . . . who thinks he’s charming the pants off of the very people who find him to be an idiot!

Bush On Global Warming!

This would be even funnier if it weren't so close to reality.

What Kind of Parent IS Scooter Libby?

Throughout the 160 support letters [large PDF warning] sent to the court on Scooter Libby’s behalf, one of the recurring themes was Libby’s exceptional parenting instincts, and his ability to connect with children in general. There were numerous references to Scooter’s children, and their need to have their father at home with them, instead of serving a prison sentence typical of the crimes for which he was convicted.

Mary Matalin and James Carville offered a description of how their children always asked about the beloved “Mr. Scooter,” and offered the following glowing (though slightly inane) characterization:

One of my many enduring and endearing memories of Scooter is of his universal love of families.

There were other examples:

“This is one reason I’m asking you to be lenient in your sentencing – this is a good father . . . any more hardship on the family would leave an undeserving permanent mark on the family and most of all the children.” (Emily Ashman)

“Now more than ever, at this critical time in his children’s lives, they need their father to provide the kind of support, love and guidance that they have always relied on. They need him home.” (Donna Doll)

"I personally have some grave concerns for his children in the event that he is sentenced to any length of time in prison as his two children are quite dependent on him at a most important time in their life.” (Jose Fuentes)

As a focal point for the current P.R. campaign for a Libby pardon, these comments are quite valuable, and I think it’s no coincidence that the first statement from the White House, after hearing of Libby’s 2 ½ year sentence, was focused on Libby’s family, and not on Libby himself.

"The president said he felt terrible for the family, especially for his wife and kids" (Dana Perino)

Bush is in a bind regarding a Libby pardon, and his way out of that bind is to attribute the need for a pardon to Libby’s kids! I think that’s why so many supporters were enlisted chose to focus on his undying love for his (and everyone else’s) children - despite a defense in court based on being so preoccupied with doing the work of six mere mortals that he could barely remember to zip his pants in the morning!

Which leads me to the question that everyone should be asking right about now:

What kind of parent IS Scooter Libby?

Or, more specifically:

What kind of parent would risk denying his children the presence of a father during their formative years, while serving prison time to protect someone like Dick Cheney?

I suspect that Scooter didn’t think the risk was so great at the beginning of the whole Plame affair. But nevertheless, at some point, Scooter had to make a decision: Do I do what is best for my children and come clean, or do I follow the recommendation of these people, who are offering to pay the monetary cost of sticking to my phony story?

Libby, the parent, had to ask himself: Who is more important to me - my growing children, who have their entire futures ahead of them; or Dick Cheney, who has led a full (albeit evil and deceitful) life, and whose heart is already ticking on borrowed time?

Libby’s choices, when faced with questions like these, say as much or more about the kind of parent he is, than any comments offered by those lobbying for Libby’s freedom with talk of his “universal love of puppies families!”

Also at ePluribus Media.

Pondering the Mysteries of the Libby Case! (Part 3)

In Part 1, I described four unexplained mysteries that remain from the Libby trial. In Part 2, I offered some speculation on the first two of them. Here’s how I think they may fit with the other two:

Dan Froomkin had a great roundup many weeks ago that included analysis of a possible deal behind the decision of Libby’s attorneys to pack it in after only a feeble effort at getting their client acquitted. His speculation was that Bush had already promised Libby a pardon, so there was no reason to risk revealing more details of the conspiracy to attack Wilson by outing Plame, or of having to sink deeper in lies to conceal those details.

This would explain why a supposedly brilliant, and extremely high priced, legal defense team closed up shop after using Hannah as a poor surrogate for the testimony they had promised from both Libby and Cheney. At that point, it was all over but the crying (by Ted Wells, I mean!)

Surprising no one, the jury returned a guilty verdict on 4 of the 5 counts. With the odds stacked against a successful appeal, a (promised?) pardon now seemed like the only way out for Libby. But this administration is littered with broken promises . . . .

So what of the F-bomb from Libby’s wife? Who was she proposing to f**k?

With little opportunity to do anything to the jury (short of starting a nuclear war in the world they inhabit!), it seems unlikely that they were the target of her wrath. The prosecutors might be frustrated by a successful appeal, but they were just doing their jobs. A setback like having to go through a new trial, would hardly be considered a “f**king” to them. Prosecutors get paid for their work either way, and a new trial would actually give them an opportunity to bring out even more details of the underlying conspiracy!

To me, it sounds like the wife’s emotions probably only caused her to raise her voice at the end of a conversation that was overheard by reporters. I can easily imagine her saying something like “If they don’t pardon him, we’re going to f**k them!” In this case, “they” being Rove, Bush, Cheney, et al. as they were all still the ones being protected by Libby’s predicament.

This clearly makes the most sense, because Libby was now essentially down to only one last chance at a “get out of jail free” card, after being the only one to “put his neck in the meatgrinder!” If Bush doesn’t come through with a pardon, as purportedly promised to quash the politically dangerous spillover from a vigorous defense, then Libby could f**k them all by spilling his guts!

And Libby’s wife wanted “them” to know it!

Pondering the Mysteries of the Libby Case! (Part 2)

In Part 1, I described four unexplained mysteries that remain from the Libby trial. While we don’t know the answers to these questions, here‘s my speculation:

I’ve suggested several times in the past that Libby set himself up as a lightning rod. Fitzgerald showed during the trial how Libby’s cover story about learning of Valerie Plame from Tim Russert would serve to break the chain of information from an official source (Cheney) to Libby and others, thus taking it out of the realm of an IIPA violation.

My view is that Libby was chosen, or volunteered, because someone had to be the one to lie in order to break the chain. At the time, I suspect there was little concern that the reporters, particularly Russert, would end up talking about their sources and conversations, so it seemed like a safe and effective cover story that would protect Cheney, Rove and everyone else involved.

Once Fitzgerald’s investigation had picked apart the cover story, and as he was preparing to indict Libby - and probably Rove - I suspect that Rove went to Fitzgerald and offered an explanation that left Libby as the only person to be indicted.

If Rove had claimed that he learned of Valerie Plame from Libby, and that Libby had said (to Rove) that he learned it from Russert, this would effectively make Libby the bottleneck for the flow of information, and cut off Rove from culpability. The only person who could refute Rove’s story was Libby himself, and Libby had to stick to his story in order to save himself. This would also make Rove a meaningless witness for the prosecution while remaining a dangerous one for the defense, and thus leave him out of the trial entirely.

It would also have left Libby all alone on an island. Since he was the one who was selected (or volunteered) to lie to the Grand Jury, he was effectively sacrificed to protect Rove and others. Now he was facing five felony counts, and he wanted everyone to know that the big guns would turn out to support him, or else!

This would explain why his attorneys telegraphed an argument based on revealing how Libby was made into the “fall guy” and with authoritative testimony from the Vice President to back him up.

However, with all of the ammunition Fitzgerald had at his disposal – beyond just what he needed to make the perjury and obstruction cases against Libby – there was no way that Cheney could actually testify without having to lie himself. That’s likely why he made himself scarce, planning a trip out of the country during the period when he would supposedly have to testify. Clearly, Cheney wasn’t interested in taking a personal risk to support his former Chief of Staff.

More to come in Part 3.

I’ve Been Nice to People My Whole Life. Can I Commit Some Felonies Now?

I’ve just finished reading the Libby Defense Team’s glowing depiction of Saint Scooter, in which they try to argue that he should get absolutely no prison time. What a nice guy – not just your average, ordinary nice guy, but 160 support letters and 33 pages of nice guy! Of course, they could have saved me the trouble of such a long read by including the following brief summary:

He was a good student who was active in a local church and a boy scout. He was awarded a college scholarship and excelled in law school, becoming an honor student who was well liked by all of his professors. He volunteered his time doing public service, while also working hard to develop a successful professional career, even though it took time away from his devoted partner who loved him deeply.

He was extremely charismatic and personable, and many people naturally gravitated to him, and genuinely found him to be a nice, warm, generous guy. Many were shocked at his arrest, but even after his conviction, hundreds of fans and admirers continued to write letters of support.

Oh wait, that’s not Scooter Libby. That was Ted Bundy!

Sure, the analogy is a bit tortured, but keep in mind that I haven’t even mentioned Scooter’s apparent preoccupation with such things as children “coupling” with bears that have been aroused with a stick!

I’m guessing that none of the 160 support letters mention it either!

Pondering the Mysteries of the Libby Case! (Part 1)

With the Scooter Libby sentencing hearing scheduled for next week, I thought I’d ponder a few lingering aspects of the Libby case that remain unresolved and seem somehow connected. The following is pure speculation, but if you are looking for a plausible theory to explain some of the remaining mysteries about the case, this may (or may not) be one of them.

I should also note that this was mostly written several months ago, and then moved to the back burner as other issues heated up. After re-reading it and making a few minor edits, I still think it holds up pretty well. Because of the length I’m going to chop it into several easier to digest segments. First, here are the unexplained aspects that I’m going to speculate about:

Why wasn’t Rove indicted? This has been a mystery since he was singled out as “Official A” in the Libby indictment. We know Rove was a serious target, but we don’t know what Rove told Fitzgerald at the last minute that caused Fitz to reconsider charging him at the same time he charged Libby. Even one of the jurors said the jury was asking the question, “Where’s Rove?”

Why did Libby’s attorneys’ suggest he was “sacrificed” to protect Rove? Inexplicably, this was a prominent part of the opening statement, but almost no evidence was presented to back it up. There was only a handwritten memo from Dick Cheney suggesting that Libby was asked “to put his neck in the meat grinder over the incompetence of others.”

Why did the defense place their hope for acquittal on the lame testimony of John Hannah? After spending close to a year setting up a defense based on Libby’s testimony regarding a faulty memory, and foreshadowing powerful testimony by Dick Cheney to support that defense, neither Libby nor Cheney took the stand, and Hannah was a complete disaster!

What’s with the post verdict F-bomb from Libby’s wife? According to courtroom observers, shortly after the verdict was read, Libby’s wife was heard angrily stating something that ended with an emphatic “We’re gonna f**k em!” No one was able to determine which “they” she was referring to.

Wild speculation to follow in Part 2.

Were Attorney Firings Driven by Supply or Demand?

While it was overshadowed by her admission of playing politics with hiring practices at DOJ, her implication of the AG for witness tampering, and her implication of the DAG for perjury, there was another brief moment during Monica Goodling’s House testimony that deserves a bit more attention.

As she was being questioned by Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Goodling revealed that Rachel Paulose, the bible spouting, self aggrandizing, US Attorney from Minnesota who drove out her entire senior staff after being appointed to an interim USA position with no management experience (and who then tried to blame the defection on sour grapes by older lawyers who "had difficulty dealing with a young, aggressive woman”), is considered a candidate for presidential nomination!

Heres the direct quote from the WAPO transcript:

GOODLING:Rachel Paulose was selected based on her qualifications overall.And we did include the fact that she might be able to be a candidate for the presidential nomination.We sometimes thought if we had somebody that we could put in to be an interim U.S. attorney who also had the opportunity to be considered for the presidential nomination, then that was a factor.

A bit premature, don’t you think? That is, unless the DOJ was simply being used to pad the resumes of young, up-and-coming, “loyal Bushies” for future political placement. Much like Regent University was set up to provide an army of young, Christian conservatives with law degrees (if not the ability to know that “crossing the line of the law” and “doing something illegal” are the same damned thing), it seems that the Bush Administration decided to use the DOJ to arm those same individuals with the “experience” necessary to achieve greater political power and influence in the future.

Is it possible that the reason everyone involved in the scandal talks about “collaborative effort” on the firings but none can explain the actual reasons for them, is that they were driven more by the list of “loyal Bushies” they wanted to appoint, than by the list of “poor performing” prosecutors they wanted to replace?

Tim Griffin in Arkansas certainly seems to fit that mold. Paulose too, although placing her did not necessitate a firing, as her predecessor retired suddenly on his own volition. In fact, the firing list seems to have been revised so frequently, quickly and carelessly that the revisions could have been prompted more from who was available on deck for each position than from the actual attorneys on the job.

At this point, I would be quite interested to know if there is a list of “loyal Bushies” waiting in the wings to be placed in positions like federal prosecutor, where they could be “groomed” for future higher profile roles such as judges, legislators, or President of the United States!

(note: the image represents the author's conception of the supply of "loyal Bushies.")

A Rare Opportunity!

Andrew Card getting an honorary degree at the University of Massachusetts.

It must have felt great for these real, ordinary Americans to have an opportunity to express how they feel about the Bush Administration, publicly and directly!

If George Bush is content to sit back and wait for history to determine his Presidential legacy, I hope he realizes that this is probably the generation who are going to be writing those history books!

OK, I’ll Bite: What If Monica Goodling Were a Muslim?

This is really lame! On the conservative blog, Newsbusters, one writer speculates about what would happen if Republicans “interrogated” a Muslim like Steve Cohen (D-Tenn) grilled Monica Goodling about her attendance at Pat Robertson’s Regent University.

You can read it if you've got the stomach, but I'll give you the gist: He changes their exact conversation by substituting Islamic references for Christian ones, and then wonders how the media would react. Ooh, how clever! Based on the Republican MO, I’m guessing the grilling of a Muslim Monica Goodling by a Republican Congressman would go something like this:

Republican Congressman: Did you attend a Muslim college?

Muslim Goodling: Huh?

Republican Congressman: I’m over here, Ms. Goodling – the good looking old, fat white guy! Did you or did you not attend a Muslim college?

Muslim Goodling: Yes, I did.

Republican Congressman: Why do you hate America?

Muslim Goodling: I don’t.

Republican Congressman: Did you break the law by allowing your religious and political views to affect hiring decisions?

Muslim Goodling: Well, I . . . I . . . I, um, I crossed the line, but I didn’t mean to.

Republican Congressman: Oh, yeah?

Muslim Goodling: Hey, why are you putting that bag over my head?

Republican Congressman: Tell us what we want to know, you evildoer!

Muslim Goodling: Glug glug, gasp, glug glug!

Republican Congressman: Hey Cannon, hand me those fingernail pliers, will ya?

Muslim Goodling: I’ve already told you everything I know!

Republican Congressman: Why are you plotting to harm David Gregory’s children? Tell us! TELL US!!!!

Muslim Goodling: My hair, watch the hair! I worked really hard on this. I want to talk to my attorney!

Republican Congressman: You’ll see your attorney as soon as the State Department authorizes him to visit you . . . in your new spiderhole in Kazakhstan!!!

Muslim Goodling: But I’m a kind person who just wants to serve Allah! I was class president at my madrassa, you know.

Republican Congressman: Shut up and answer my questions! You think I’m good looking, don’t you? Did you know that I was the Attorney General of my State? Have you heard about the horrible things Murtha did?

Muslim Goodling: Sigh!

Also at Daily Kos.

[F**king Hypocritical] Losers!

I find it particularly ironic that the MSM has been so helpful in spreading the Republican narrative that wanting to bring home the troops before “completing the mission” makes the Democrats into "quitters" and "losers." Yet, when the Democrats appear willing to give Bush exactly what he wants – war funding with no accountability – they are labeled by the MSM as quitters and losers for backing down!

Note to the Democratic leadership: If you are going to be called quitters and losers no matter what you do, then at least let it be for the thing you say that you believe in!

[F**king Update] By the way, these are the 9 Democratic and 1 Independent Senators who voted for the thing they say they believe in:

Boxer
Clinton
Dodd
Feingold
Kennedy
Kerry
Leahy
Obama
Sanders
Whitehouse
Wyden

And Lieberman too, I guess, since he comes out and says that he believes in the death and destruction of endless war!

Oh, and for my one Senator who is missing from this list, Ms. Feinstein. Know this:

I will run against you myself before I vote for you again!

Hitchens and His Little Toad - Falwell

If you haven't seen this clip - Hitchens puts Falwell in his rightful place. Enjoy!

Increasing Irrelevancy? Now There’s Something Bush Can Actually Achieve!

(Hat tip to Left-Over for inspiring this post through his earlier comments. I would have preferred to read his thoughts on the topic, but after recent statements from the administration, I just can’t hold it in.)

You’ve got to love it when the Bush White House is willing to engage in a pissing match with an ex-President over "relevancy!"

If you want to see how fast an ex-President can become irrelevant, just wait until January of 2009. The average horse race is over in less time than it will take for George W. Bush to become irrelevant, once he is no longer the President Decider Commander Guy!

What exactly is Bush going to do when he leaves office that will allow him to remain relevant? Certainly not taking on an important role in the Republican party? Hell, he’s still the President, and he’s already radioactive to every GOP candidate for any public office higher than dogcatcher! Once he’s out of office, he’ll be about as welcome at Republican party functions as a leper with the Ebola virus!

I rather doubt that he’ll be hitting the speaking engagement circuit. I don’t think there are a lot of people who are going to care what he has to say, once he no longer has the benefit of a team of presidential speechwriters telling him what hand gestures to make and which syllables to emphasize for dramatic effect!

He certainly won’t be sent out as an ambassador of good will, like his father and President Clinton were for tsunami relief. As reviled as he has made himself, if he were to go out into the real world without an impenetrable gauntlet of security personnel, he’d likely be ripped apart quicker than an animal carcass floating in a school of piranhas.

I’m guessing he won’t be writing any bestselling books about his life and philosophy either (although I suppose there’s still room for the first edition of “Brush Cutting for Dummies!”) Even if he were able to peck out a children’s storybook, like, say, “Barney Rides his Bike,” its audience would not exactly constitute cultural relevance, and the first volume would certainly exhaust his creative capacity, if not his vocabulary.

He has, in the past, mentioned the desire to eventually establish his own “think tank.” Now there’s an idea! I’ll bet there are scores of young scholars who will want to build their professional credentials and analytical reputations - while basking in the glow of George W. Bush’s intellectual accomplishments!

No, George W. Bush will likely fade into irrelevance in record time, giving him at least one measure by which he can claim a mark that past Presidents have failed to match, and that future Presidents can be judged. It will be his Legacy! (Well, that and the death, destruction and shredding of the Constitution!)

Then again, there is one way that he can remain in the public eye - quite visible to his small but loyal group of remaining followers and even successful at raising funds from a broad cross-section of Americans who may not appreciate his record during two terms in the White House. It was my suggestion when he first began talking about creating his own think tank, and it remains my suggestion today as the best way for George W. Bush to remain relevant after he leaves the White House.

He could barnstorm the country, appearing at County Fairs, civic festivals, and church fundraisers – as a part of the George W. Bush Presidential Dunk Tank!



If he keeps at it long enough, he might even raise enough money to pay for as many houses for the poor as Jimmy Carter has built with his own hands!

Also posted at Daily Kos

Time to Reset the Table, Madam Speaker!

Nancy Pelosi has said that impeachment is off the table, suggesting that it would be a distraction from the important tasks facing the current Congress.

But that is before Tuesday’s stunning testimony by James Comey that provides clear evidence (from a guy with an actual memory and no talking points, no less) that the President was directly involved in an end run around his own Justice Dept.

According to Comey’s testimony (shown in the video below), Bush directly called John Ashcroft’s wife to plead for permission for his two goons, Gonzales and Card, to see Ashcroft in the hospital – something she was denying to anyone else – so they could coax him into signing off on a program deemed illegal by his acting Attorney General, Mr Comey.



Even in a heavily sedated state, Ashcroft refused to approve the NSA surveillance program, but Bush renewed it anyway, before later revising it to prevent the resignation of the entire leadership of the Justice Dept, including Ashcroft!

Then, as we learned from Murray Waas, Bush himself obstructed, by denying security clearances normally granted without question, a Justice Department investigation that was targeting, in part, Alberto Gonzales’ conduct in the very incident Bush facilitated.

So, Madam Speaker, aside from ending the war in Iraq and bringing our troops home safely, there is no other more important task that restoring honor and respect for the law to the Justice Department and the White House.

At this point, I don’t care what else you have on the table! Until the people who elected you know its not poisoned by the current Administration, we can’t sit down to eat it anyway!

And The 2007 “Weasel of the Year” Award Goes To . . . .

Talk about shameless! Alberto Gonzales spends two whole days testifying before the Senate and the House without remembering a lick about who was responsible for firing eight USAs . . . and then he remembers that it was all Paul McNulty’s fault on the day after McNulty resigns! Think Progress has the video, if you have the stomach to see and hear Gonzo’s finger pointing and blame-gaming.

Of course, Gonzo’s timing could not be worse, since McNulty’s resignation might lead him to be even more forthcoming in any future testimony before Congress - since he now has nothing to lose and everything to gain by batting the responsibility ball back into Gonzales’ court!

If only Gonzales had waited just a few more hours, he could have found a way to blame it all on Jerry Falwell, and his secrets could have burned in hell for all eternity!

But that’s not all folks! Gonzo appears well on his way to locking up a Lifetime Achievement Award in Weaseldom. Earlier in the day, McNulty’s predecessor, James Comey, slammed Gonzo with this charge:

Former deputy attorney general James B. Comey testified under oath that Alberto R. Gonzales and Andrew H. Card Jr., at the time President Bush's White House counsel and chief of staff respectively, went to see Ashcroft in intensive care at George Washington University Hospital in March 2004 in an effort to "do an end run" around Comey, who was then acting attorney general, and obtain recertification of the highly sensitive program.

It gets even worse in this WAPO account:

Comey, who had assumed Ashcroft’s powers on an acting basis and was in Ashcroft’s hospital room at the time, said he believed he “had just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very seriously sick man, who did not have the powers of the attorney general because they had been transferred to me.”

But Ashcroft backed up Comey and other top aides, and refused to sign off on re-authorizing the program, which required a review by the administration every 90 days.

Even so, President Bush okayed the so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program, and Comey decided to resign in protest.

Not only was Gonzo “weasely” enough to try to coerce an incapacitated man into being responsible for continuing an illegal program, he was given an ethical spanking . . . by John Ashcroft!

And yet, in his role as White House Counsel, he allowed the President to continue the program anyway!

All I can say is that Alberto Gonzales is actually beginning to make the rest of the Bush Administration look competent by comparison!

Cheney’s Mission

Here’s Dick Cheney’s take on the state of the Bush presidency. I think I know what he means . . . and my slight editorial modifications make it a little more obvious!

We didn't get elected to be popular. We didn't get elected to worry just about the fate of the Republican Party American people. Our mission is to do everything we can to prevail on what is now, we believe, a global conflict, a fundamental test of the character of the American people Republican Party, whether or not we're going to be able to prevail against one of the most evil opponents we've ever faced. And on our watch, we're going to do absolutely everything we can to see to it that we do succeed and that we do prevail in that conflict, and sometimes that means that we don't do well in the polls or people want to be critical. That's their prerogative . . . We know how committed our adversaries are to try to get at us the country. And we've done what we thought was right for the country us.

The bottom line is clear: The Bush Administration doesn’t ever back down from its enemies!

So ordinary Americans (and legislators willing to represent them) better be prepared to fight back!

Impeachment anyone?

My Newest Letter to George Bush

Dear George,

Several months ago I wrote to you with my suggestion to save your presidency and perhaps keep you from going down in history as the worst president ever. I realize now that you may not have read my letter. It was kind of long. And I used a few big words. So, in this letter I will use a lot of pictures to try to keep you interested.

I am writing you this time to point out something that I think you have overlooked.

I realize that I have criticized you often in the past – but this time I am going to try and stay positive - point out a strength.

George you are without a doubt the best President ever ........................................ at staging military photo ops.

Let’s sample your body of work shall we.

Who can forget this one?

Or this one? Nice Jacket! This one may not have been the best choice?

But then you really out did yourself? Now to the main reason for this letter. George you have overlooked the best military photo op possible. And you are running out of time.

All the polls show that this country remains extremely divided (although you are doing your best to unite us in our dislike for you). The one thing that every American agrees on is our support for the Men and Women of the United States Military. Even while many disagree with the War in Iraq - we unanamously support the troops.

So I ask you – wouldn’t the best military photo op possible – be you leading the parade of soldiers returning to the hero’s welcome they would undoubtedly receive? Think of it George – millions of citizens lining the streets of every small town in America welcoming home the troops. And, you could travel the country and lead every parade.

Now that would be history George. Think about it - do you really want Hillary’s photos gracing those pages of the history books? No - that is your destiny - you have earned it.

Bring the troops home George – they have earned it even more!

Sincerely,

Left-over

The Administrations' New Shiny Object?

I’ve only seen it mentioned in the blogs jokingly, as an ironic aside, but I was interested in Alberto Gonzales’ response to the question of whether he would resign over the attorney purge scandal. His conclusion:

I’m not going to resign. I’m going to stay focused on protecting our kids.

For some reason, the way he said it sounded like he thought it would make him immune from further criticism - like even his harshest critics would agree that protecting kids is a noble goal and back off. I wondered – how long has Gonzo been so focused on protecting kids?

While hardly the product of an exhaustive search, I did find a couple of curious pieces of information that have led to a theory worth watching as further scandals unfold. It is the idea that the current administration has latched on to the issue of "protecting kids from internet predators" as a publicly acceptable diversion from anything related to corruption and scandal in its political dealings.

After Gonzales’ comment, I did some research into the Justice Department’s focus on this issue. It turns out that a major initiative, Project Safe Childhood, was announced on February 15th, 2006, right in the middle of efforts to “aggregate” the names of US Attorneys who would be replaced by “loyal Bushies.”

The press release announcing this program opened with the following quote from the President:

“Our nation has made this commitment: Anyone who targets a child for harm will be a primary target of law enforcement. That's our commitment.” -President George W. Bush

Of course, the date of Bush’s quote was October 12, 2002, so apparently the “commitment” didn’t manifest itself until four years later, when Gonzales happened to need a popular program to talk about instead of having to deal with nagging questions about impropriety in his department, when many of the “primary targets” of law enforcement were Republican officials, and when “interim” USA’s were being placed in accordance with a Patriot Act provision that bypassed Senate confirmation.

I also found it interesting that one of the most controversial of these interim USA appointments was Rachel Paulose, who was appointed only two days after the announcement of Project Safe Childhood, and who was, according to this article, one of the “authors” of that initiative. While fending off criticism that she caused three key members of her staff to resign rather than deal with a dictatorial management style and her quoting of bible verses in the office, Paulose has indicated that her primary focus is on getting “righteous sentencing” for predators who target children on the internet.

Clearly, no one will argue that the basic idea behind the stated focus of Paulose and Gonzales is an important one, but the emphasis on such a narrow issue (and one that has been sensationalized greatly in recent years for dramatic effect) as a way of deflecting criticism, seems, well, a bit “Rovian” to me!

Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, and I should remove the tin foil from my cranium, but I will be interested to see how many times Gonzales tries to rely on “protecting children” as a shield; and on how many other embattled “loyal Bushie” prosecutors trot out the same story!

My Letter to Congress

The video is John Edwards latest ad, which essentially says the same thing as the following letter that I just sent to my two senators, and my representative:

As one of your constituents, I am writing to implore you not to give in to the President's demand for a modified Iraq spending bill that gives him unlimited ability to continue his failed policies in the Middle East.

Prematurely withdrawing your efforts to bring an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq - before Congress has completed the mission to which it was tasked during the 2006 midterm elections - will only embolden the President!

Allowing funding for an unlimited "war" will do nothing but offer aid and comfort to the President, as he will know that all he has to do is wait out the will of the American people, and then he can continue his efforts to overthrow the Constitution and terrorize those whose beliefs differ from his radical fundamentalist agenda!

Please do not change your course before accomplishing the mission that is backed by a majority of the country and the rest of the world, including the Iraqi people.

The President and his supporters have called the Democrats quitters, losers and of having a defeatist attitude toward following through with their stated intentions.

On behalf of myself and the majority of your constituents who want this war to end as soon as possible, please don't prove them right!

seenos

George Bush and "The Cauldron of Chaos"

Apparently George is going to take to the airwaves tonight at 6:10PM EST just after vetoing the War Appropriations bill to once again slam the Democrats. Four years to the day after the most ridiculous photo op in presidential history - Bush is going do it again. I wonder if he will be wearing the flight suit. It has been leaked that he is going say that if we pull out of Iraq it will become a "Cauldron of Chaos". What is it now Mr. Bush a "Tub of Tranquility"?

Here is a great thread from Daily Kos. Its laugh out loud funny.