Here is an astounding quote form Republican Jean Schmidt who revealed she learned back in college that the "seats of terror" in the Middle East would attack the United States. In a Cincinnati WKRC-TV interview with Democrat Paul Hackett, Schmidt elaborated,
"Many, many years ago when I was in college, I learned so quickly that if we do not allow for the Middle East to have democracy, the seats of terror will get to the United States. It took thirty years from the time I was in college to now for that to happen."
Well thanks for informing the rest of us Jean of what you "quickly learned" 30 years ago. But then again you would not have much of a platform to run on. So one can see in hindsight how it would be understandable not alert everyone. I would like to know her stance on fighting for democracy with the lives of American men and women in the Middle East prior to 9/11?
Misleading a little, but still disgusting considering she is wearing a soccer mom pin picture of a dead soldier in Iraq. That she nor the president have done NOTHING wrong that could have possibly resulted in the death of that soldier.
If you have not checked out the video of Schmidt over at Crooks and Liars, please do. Also check it out here if it is slow.
The reaction from her appearance on HardBall had been overwhelming. Not only was she disgustingly gloating about using a dead soldier's memorial service as a campaign stop, the woman comes off as totally naive. From my roundup of the blogosphere reaction to the interview, here is what she has been called: Not to mention, craaaaaaazzzzyyyyyy, Worst Candidate Ever, absolute nutjob Republican woman, witch, clueless, wicked witch of the west, hackjob, and mine, Republican talking points robot.
These people never cease to amaze me. Fox "News" borrowed a page from the John Madden broadcast analysis playbook literally today. The use of the infamous Telestrator by Madden is not only limited to drawing receiver routes, X's & O's, and "Circle Me Madden" sign fans. In the it's ongoing coverage of the War On Terror, retired Major General Bob Scales informed viewers of the "Cone Of Instability."
You see, Scales explains, the military is sending advisors abroad "in order to get a step ahead of some of these terror networks in the war on terror. " It's a four-front deployment. First, as everyone knows the "heartland of the insurgency has been right here in the Middle East." But there are other flanks, as well. "It has an eastern flank which is the Muslim area of Southeast Asia." And, "It also has a western flank and that's in Trans-Saharan Africa and the horn of Africa."
Thanks to the good people over at Swing State Project and The News Blog for this hypocritical gem. Republican Jean Schmidt is defending her House seat against Iraqi War veteran Raul Hackett. It's no surprise that the Schmidt campaign has decided to "swift boat" yet another veteran by questioning his patriotism, if he ever really fought in combat, and not knowing what's going on "over here." However, the campaign manager for Schmidt, Joe Braun has made her situation a little "hairy" by being linked to a S&M (Yes, I had to look this up too) website. Here is his profile "deanofcorn" from CallerMe.com, a BDSM (Bondage Discipline Sadism Masochism) personals and chat website:
"...he is experienced with staging medical / gynecological exams."
Schmidt has focused her campaign on family values, but now it looks like her Campaign Manager may have used the internet to satisfy his bizarre sexual fetishes. If this is true, it is the ultimate in hypocrisy.
Here's how this whole thing came about. People who emailed the Schmidt campaign had their email's bounce back. The details of the bounce back showed that the email joe@jeanschmidt.com actually went to deanofcorn@aol.com . This is important because it shows that Schmidt Campaign Manager Joe Braun was using his AOL account for campaign purposes.
Here is a screenshot of the same profile name "deanofcorn," the same email address, and on Ohio Republican website Scioto County GOP (www.sciotogop.org):
Send "Dr." Joe Braun in Instant Message, AIM: deanofcorn
Showing his distaste for the press, PUTUS Bush gave reporters the middle finger Wednesday on Capitol Hill. The "born again" "Christian" conservative Republican gave a big "fuck you" or "go fuck yourself" by "flipping the bird" to the men and women of the press, who were the presumed target of the nonverbal communication gesture.
This is not the first time that Bush has been captured doing so. In 2004 in East Lampeter, PA. Bush also flick off a group of teenage boys protesting him while holding a sign that said, "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!" and "MORE TREES, LESS BUSH" while shaking copies of 1984 in the air as he passed them on a campaign bus tour. The boys recorded the event in their blog entitled
What is most disturbing about the event on July 27th, 2005 is that the White House actually commented to John Aravosis of AMERICAblog about the incident. David Almacy of the White House communications office told John that Bush definitely gave the "thumbs up sign." Right... What a liar, I guess he didn't see the video...
One may also recall that Bush's father George H. W. Bush also gave the "fuck you" sign to protesting Australians in 1992. Only after getting done telling the press he was an "expert in hand gestures."
Anyone have a picture of that one? I remember seeing it back when I was in middle school.
Update:
White House press briefing with Scott McClellen:
Q Scott, last night on the Tonight Show, Jay Leno, who apparently is subbing for Johnnie, displayed a video of the President at the Capitol yesterday. In that video, the President walking away from the press lifts his hand and raises a finger. Mr. Leno interpreted it as, shall we say, a finger of hostility. Each of our fingers has a special purpose and meaning in life. (Laughter.) Can you tell us what finger it was he held up?
MR. McCLELLAN: Ken, I'm not even going to dignify that with much of a response. But if someone is misportraying something, that's unfortunate.
Q Well, it was not a finger of hostility?
MR. McCLELLAN: Ken, I was there with him, and I'm just not going to -- I'm not going to dignify that with a response. I mean, I haven't seen the video that you're talking about, but I know the way the President acts. And if someone is misportraying it, that's unfortunate.
While only 41% approve of him in a new Quinnipiac University National Poll. This is a new low for Bush. The poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans voters, 65 to 30 percent support the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v Wade decision. In addition, by a 61 to 32 percent margin, American voters say U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts should publicly state his position on abortion. From July 21 - 25, Quinnipiac University surveyed 920 registered voters nationwide. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.
You really have to respect a faith that has such a wide range of the political spectrum. On one hand you have a right wing Republican Senator who rips off Pennsylvania tax payers for his children's out of state education, and opposes his Catholic faiths stance on the War in Iraq as being "unjust." Then you have a Nun who has pledged to live a humble life and stands up against people who do not practice what they preach. Those who pick and choose their so called high moral values need called out. Thank you Sister Liguori Rossner!
Not moral messages
As a teacher for the Diocese of Pittsburgh for 14 years, one important lesson I learned was that no matter what I said to the child, whatever the parents said superseded my message. What parents say and how they live sends a message stronger than any teacher's voice no matter what the issue.
Sen. Rick Santorum and his wife have taught their children a powerful lesson on civic responsibility by refusing to pay any tuition money to the Penn Hills School District for their children who attended the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School ("Penn Hills Loses Bid to Charge Santorum," July 12). Released from that payment on a technicality shows that even an upstanding, moral gentleman like Sen. Santorum teaches his children the following lessons:
1) Take advantage of the system whenever you can.
2) The little guy pays while the rich and powerful guy gets away with it.
3) As a Catholic, you have no obligation to pay your share to the common good in spite of Catholic social doctrine.
Finally, I am shocked that our religious leaders who see Sen. Santorum as some sort of faith-and-morals hero have not spoken up on this issue at all.
SISTER LIGUORI ROSSNER Sisters for Christian Community Bloomfield
Q.3F2 Please tell me what one word best describes your impression of George W. Bush. Tell me just the ONE best word that describes him. (OPEN-END. PROBE ONCE IF RESPONDENT ANSWERS "DON'T KNOW". ACCEPT UP TO TWO RESPONSES, BUT DO NOT PROBE FOR SECOND RESPONSE).
In the weeks after 9/11/2001, Bush removed security cleanrances from 92 Senators in order to limit the leaking of classified information. The 8 members of Congress who were privy to the classified access were: the Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, and chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees.
“We can’t have leaks of classified information. It’s not in our nation’s interest.” - President George W. Bush, 10/9/01
Gannett News Service reported on 10/1/01 that Bush was restricting information because, “The Washington Post reported last week that various lawmakers had been told there would be more terrorist attacks if the United States retaliated.”
Here’s what the Washington Post reported:
Asked whether more terrorist attacks are inevitable if the United States retaliates, [Sen. Richard] Shelby said, “You can bet on that.” … U.S. intelligence officials have told members of Congress there is a high probability that terrorists associated with Osama bin Laden will try to launch another major attack on U.S. targets here or abroad. [Washington Post, 10/6/01]
So at this slightest whiff of evidence that information was being leaked, President Bush pulled classified intelligence access for 92 senators. There was no ongoing criminal investigation nor was there evidence that all the members who had their access limited had leaked information. And now he refuses to hold Karl Rove and Scooter Libby to anywhere near the same standard, despite confirmation of their involvement in the leak of an undercover CIA agent’s identity.
Republican Senator Rick "man on dog" Santorum let it all hang out last night on CNN. Rick told CNN's Aaron Brown that Griswold v Connecticut was wrongly decided. As a refresher, in 1965 Connecticut banned anything that prevented contraception, as stated:
"Any person who uses any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purpose of preventing conception shall be fined not less than fifty dollars or imprisoned not less than sixty days nor more than one year or be both fined and imprisoned."
The case went all the way to the Supreme Court which ruled:
"statute forbidding use of contraceptives violates the right of marital privacy which is within the penumbra of specific guarantees of the Bill of Rights."
However, Rick Santorum thinks Griswold v Connecticut was "wrongly decided," and "it was a bad law, but they had the right."
Also Ricky says there is "no" right to privacy in the constitution except in, "unreasonable search and seizure."
In other "man on dog" news, Ricky rules out 08 Presidential bid.
Will Folks, Republican spokesperson for Gov. Mark Sanford of the great progressive state of South Carolina was charged with criminal domestic violence Sunday. Folks shoved his fiancee Ashlee Smith into furniture at her residence only after kicking down the front door to gain access into the home. The investigation shows that Smith received slight injury to her back. Chris Drummond the communications director to the Republican governor takes the line from the White House,
It's no surprise that the first Iraq War Veteran to run for a national office is a Democrat. Paul Hackett is running in a special election this August 8th in Ohio against Republican Jean Schmidt.
...On the same day Jean Smidt ate a four star meal and luxury box seats in Cincinnati paid by lobbist, while Paul Hackett eats a MRE meal and prepares for fighting in Fallujah with his fellow marines...
Ashcroft decides to give the White House a 12 hour head start from the special prosecutor on the investigation of the outing of Plame. All this before Ashcroft recused himself from the case because he had worked with Karl Rove for over 20 years. As one may recall, Rove helped Ashcroft run for a failed Senate seat when he lost to a dead man Mel Carnahan. From Think Progress:
Alberto Gonzales argues that the 12-hour head start he gave to Andrew Card before he instructed the White House staff to preserve documents related to Plame leak was appropriate because he got permission from the Department of Justice. According to Gonzales, he contacted the Department of Justice about it and was told: “Go ahead and notify the staff early in the morning. That would be OK.”
Remember: at the time, the investigation was controlled by former Attorney General John Ashcroft. Karl Rove “worked for Ashcroft over the course of two decades.” After Ashcroft lost his Senate seat in 2000 Rove “lobbied intensely for his former employer’s nomination” to Attorney General.
Not the usual RHA material but related none the less. Here are some screen captures from the new Green Day video, Wake Me Up When September Ends. The video is about that an 18 year old boy who enlists in the military. He has a girlfriend who he tells that he would never leave her; however, ends up enlisting for both of them. It begins in a sunny field of flowers and ends a bombed out battlefield city in Iraq. Some foreshowing takes place early on as the boyfriend does not have money to pay for a meal for his girlfriend and she pays for him. Also a scene celebrating his 18th birthday. Next scene the girl finds out her boyfriend enlisted and she is emotionally upset. He argues back thinking it would make her proud. The boyfriend is scene going to boot camp and getting his long locks cut. Lastly he is in a firefight in Iraq with cut scenes of the girlfriend back home thinking and worrying. I doubt it will make much noise but you never know.
Democrat Reprentative Henry "Bulldog for Democracy" Waxman from California lays out 11 security breaches from the Plame case in which our national security was breached. These are the highlights, also read the full report here.
The disclosure of the covert identity of Valerie Plame Wilson in a July 14, 2003, column by Robert Novak has triggered a criminal investigation and led to calls for congressional investigations. The Novak column, however, appears to be only one of multiple leaks of Ms. Wilson's identity. A new fact sheet released today by Rep. Waxman documents that there appear to be at least 11 separate instances in which Administration officials disclosed information about Ms. Wilson's identity and association with the CIA.
New Fact Sheet Details Multiple Administration Security Breaches Involving Valerie Plame Wilson
On July 14, 2003, columnist Robert Novak revealed that the wife of Ambassador Joseph Wilson, Valerie Plame Wilson, was a covert CIA agent. This disclosure of classified information has triggered a criminal investigation by a Special Counsel and led to calls for congressional investigations.
The Novak column, however, appears to be only one of multiple leaks of Ms. Wilson's identity. As this fact sheet documents, there appear to be at least 11 separate instances in which Administration officials disclosed information about Ms. Wilson's identity and association with the CIA.
Under Executive Order 12958, the White House is required to investigate any reports of security breaches and take "prompt corrective action," such as suspending the security clearances of those involved. Unlike prosecutions for criminal violations, which require "knowing" and "intentional" disclosures, the executive order covers a wider range of unauthorized breaches, including the "negligent" release of classified information. There is no evidence that the White House has complied with its obligation to investigate any of the 11 reported instances of security breaches relating to Ms. Wilson or to apply administrative sanctions to those involved.
The Disclosures of Valerie Wilson's Identity
1. The Disclosure by Karl Rove to Columnist Robert Novak
2. The Disclosure by a "Senior Administration Official" to Columnist Robert Novak
3. The Disclosure by Karl Rove to TIME Reporter Matt Cooper
4. The Disclosure by Scooter Libby to TIME Reporter Matt Cooper
5. The Disclosure by an "Administration Official" to Washington Post Reporter Walter Pincus
6. The Disclosure by a "Top White House Official" to an Unidentified Reporter
7. The Disclosure by a "Top White House Official" to an Unidentified Reporter
8. The Disclosure by a "Top White House Official" to an Unidentified Reporter
9. The Disclosure by an Unidentified Source to Wall Street Journal Reporter David Cloud
10. The Disclosure by an Unidentified Source to James Guckert of Talon News
11. The Disclosure by a "Senior Administration Official" to Washington Post Reporters Mike Allen and Dana Milbank
As more and more of the "facts" (as McLellan likes to say) are revealed in this "ongoing investigation" it's becoming very apparent that there are two different sides to the story. There is the reporters side which all match up that they were informed about Plame from Rove in an obvious smear campaign. Rove even told MSNBC's Chris Mathews on that Plame was "fair game." Then there is the Rove side of things, which went from being a source, to not being a source, to not "knowingly" being a source, and now the new version, being informed from the press. Documents show that the White House was informed in a "top secret" document about Plame's cover days before the Novak story. With all this, it seems that Rove has perjured himself in his grand jury testimony. "Scooter" Libby may have done the same, and again a Republican White House will be faced with obstruction of justice charges.
Lewis “Scooter'’ Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, told special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald that he first learned from NBC News reporter Tim Russert of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame, the wife of former ambassador and Bush administration critic Joseph Wilson. Russert has testified before a federal grand jury that he didn’t tell Libby of Plame’s identity.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove told Fitzgerald that he first learned the identity of the CIA agent from syndicated columnist Robert Novak, who was first to report Plame’s name and connection to Wilson. Novak, according to a source familiar with the matter, has given a somewhat different version to the special prosecutor.
These discrepancies may be important because one issue Fitzgerald is investigating is whether Libby, Rove, or other administration officials made false statements during the course of the investigation. The Plame case has its genesis in whether any administration officials violated a 1982 law making it illegal to knowingly reveal the name of a CIA agent.
...
A memo by the department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) included Plame’s name in a paragraph marked “(S)'’ for `Secret,’ a designation that should have indicated to anyone who read it that the information was classified, the Washington Post reported yesterday.
The memo, prepared July 7, 2003, for Secretary of State Colin Powell, is a focus of Fitzgerald’s interest, according to individuals who have testified before the grand jury and attorneys familiar with the case.
The three-page document said that Wilson had been recommended for a CIA-sponsored trip to Africa by his wife, Valerie Wilson, who worked on the CIA’s counter-proliferations desk.
Keep your chins up Karl... Yes, I got that from Tom Oliphant on Franken.
In a leaked "high-level memo" of GOP talking points about John Roberts, Republicans are asked to defend against "attack[s]" that Roberts is "pro-life." The memo obtained by Raw Story also defends Roberts as being "anti-environment," "hostile to civil rights and affirmative actions," and labeled as an "extremist."
Attack: Roberts is pro-life.
Opponents will undoubtedly argue that Roberts is hostile to abortion rights based on a pair of briefs on which Roberts appeared while Deputy SG (a) Rust v. Sullivan and Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic, 506 U.S. 263 (1993). Roberts’ opponents have argued that Roberts unnecessarily called for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade in Rust, a case challenging federal regulations which prohibited certain receipients of federal funds from counseling patients on abortion. Critics argue that the case could have been argued solely on the basis of statutory construction of the provisions at issue. Critics also point to Roberts’ co-authoring the government’s amicus brief in Bray, a private suit brought against Operation Rescue, which argued that Operation Rescue was not engaged in a conspiracy to deprive women of equal protection rights. The unspoken undercurrent of these charges, and the likely basis for a whispering campaign against Roberts, is that he is a practicing Catholic and therefore predisposed to advancing the social policies of the Catholic Church through judicial opinions.
Response:
• In both cases, Roberts, as one of several attorneys on the brief for the government, was simply arguing the position of the United States, his client. • The Rust argument, which has been a focal point of criticism of Roberts by PFAW and other abortion interest groups, is easily rebutted. The SG’s office was simply restating the position that the Reagan and Bush Administrations had already taken in several other cases. Indeed, while the focus of the government’s Rust argument was statutory, the reference to Roe in the Rust brief was minimal: “Petitioners argue that the Secretary’s regulations impermissibly burden the qualified right discerned in Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), to choose to have an abortion. . . . We continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be overruled. As more fully explained in our briefs, filed as amicus curiae, in Hodgson v. Minnesota, 110 S. Ct. 2926 (1990); Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 109 S. Ct. 3040 (1989); Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 476 U.S. 747 (1986); and City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health, 462 U.S. 416 (1983), the Court’s conclusions in Roe that there is a fundamental right to an abortion and that government has no compelling interest in protecting prenatal human life throughout pregnancy find no support in the text, structure, or history of the Constitution.” Judge Roberts has not decided any cases involving abortion, and it would be irresponsible to speculate on how he might rule in such a case. • At bottom, critics who attack Roberts’ unstated views on abortion are simply attempting to impose a religious litmus test on nominees, i.e., practicing religious (especially Christians) need not apply. This is the same scurrilous attack on several of the President’s lower court nominees, such as Bill Pryor, and has no place in modern politics.
So are Republicans really defending Roberts as being pro-choice instead of anti-choice in which the vast majority of Americans favor, as well as the view of O'Connor? Poll's show that about half of Republicans are in favor or upholding Roe v Wade. Or is this all just a Republican smokescreen in which Roberts is a true anti-choice Supreme Court candidate in hopes he will be diceviably placed on the bench without a massive knowingly informed opposition?
Thanks to Gabrielle Banks of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for this excellent article. Maybe it is best that Young Republicans do not enlist to fight in Iraq (not that they would anyways), as getting pushed around by a group of anarchist is any indication, its probably best they do not join the military. The Young Republicans and College Republicans of Allegheny County thought it would be a great idea to "egg on" Howard Dean as he was the South Side section of Pittsburgh, PA. The 16 GOP activists attempted to have a contest in imitating the DNC Chairman. However, their Dean imitation party was cut short by a group of anarchist who ripped up the wimpy Young Republicans place cards. The Republicans media stunt was then over and their signs were trampled on and torn up. Pittsburgh Police Officer John Suzensky stepped in and had to tell the anarchist to "ease up." The two groups were separated on different sides of Liberty Ave by Officer Suzensky leaving Monica Douglas, the Executive Director of the Republican Committee of Allegheny Country with a crumpled "Republicans Rock" sign.
Alex Bradley of Bloomfield tried to talk some sense into Neal Andrus, of Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania, Vice Chair of Federal Affairs: 412.381.2166 or nealandrus@yahoo.com
Alex Bradley, of Bloomfield,
"I'm not trying to have a debate... They're interested in having a media stunt. I'm just interested in disrupting their media stunt."
Confused Republican Marky Billson, 34, of Hazelwood makes an ass of himself only before getting his ass kicked.
Jules Bonnot, 21, of Bloomfield,
"We would like to talk about serious issues, like war, racism, poverty, reproductive rights."
...
Members of a local group called Anti-Racist Action unfurled a blue tarp spray-painted with the words "We Bash Back" and argued with the roughly 16 GOP activists, taking pains to say they weren't Dean supporters.
...
A Duquesne University student named Dan, holding a poster that said "I [love] the GOP," stepped up to resume the contest. "Howard Dean is gay," he said, and was immediately surrounded and lectured by the anarchists.
Republicans wish to create "A Culture Of Life" so it would be against their beliefs for these wimps to even consider combat as it would likely be the death of them. One thing is for sure though, these Young and College Republicans are definitely not Operation Yellow Elephant material.
Nice manly and all so very heterosexual belt you got there Mark. What is this Republican trying to hide?
From conflicting lies from Karl Rove and where the Grand jury seems to be heading, it seems Rove most likely also lied to the FBI thinks Murray Waas of The American Prospect.
White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove did not disclose that he had ever discussed CIA officer Valerie Plame with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper during Rove's first interview with the FBI, according to legal sources with firsthand knowledge of the matter.
The omission by Rove created doubt for federal investigators, almost from the inception of their criminal probe into who leaked Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak, as to whether Rove was withholding crucial information from them, and perhaps even misleading or lying to them, the sources said.
Also leading to the early skepticism of Rove's accounts was the claim that although he first heard that Plame worked for the CIA from a journalist, he said could not recall the name of the journalist. Later, the sources said, Rove wavered even further, saying he was not sure at all where he first heard the information.
Karl Rove with Robert Novak wearing a pin "I'm a SOURCE not a TARGET." Or rather, "I'm a SOURCE and a TARGET"
John G. Roberts Jr., along with being Anti-Choice, Anti-Civil Rights, Anti-Gay, Pro-Payer In School, this Republican is also Anti-Environment. In 2001, then private attorney Roberts coauthored an amicus brief that argued against the citizens in West Virginia who were adversely effected by mountain top removal.
As a lawyer in private practice, Mr. Roberts has also represented large corporate interests opposing environmental controls. He submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the National Mining Association in the recent case Bragg v. West Virginia Coal Association. In this case, a three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that had stopped the practice of "mountaintop removal" in the state of West Virginia. Citizens of West Virginia who were adversely affected by the practice had sued the state, claiming damage to both their homes and the surrounding area generally. [NOTE: Rivers that were coming back to life have become clogged with toxic sludge, groundwater quality has been adversely affected, and environmental-genus illnesses in these areas are now on the increase.] Three Republican appointees -- Judges Niemeyer, Luttig, and Williams -- held that West Virginia's issuance of permits to mining companies to extract coal by blasting the tops off of mountains and depositing the debris in nearby valleys and streams did not violate the 1977 Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. [NOTE: This would have been an absolutely laughable decision if the human and environmental results of it had not been so tragic.] This decision was greeted with great dismay by environmental groups. In another case, Roberts represented one of several intervenors in a case challenging the EPA's promulgation of rules to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions
Roberts Coauthored Amicus Brief in Support of Mountain Top Removal. "Another Bush judicial appointee with experience representing the mining industry is John G. Roberts, Jr., a former colleague of George Miller's at the Hogan & Hartson law and lobbying firm. Roberts was one of the co-authors of Miller's amicus brief on behalf of the National Mining Association's challenge to the government ban on mountaintop removal." While serving on the DC. Circuit Court Roberts ruled against environmentalist who were pushing for stricter government regulation of copper smelters." [Center for Investigative Reporting, 10/12/04]
Though Bush commented,
"He has a good heart... loves his country, loves his family"
Just not the families who live in the mountains of West Virginia.
Massey Energy (destroyer of mountains, waterways and communities in WV and KY; also viciously anti-union, owned by Republican Don Blankenship who is ant-public education)
Friends of Coal (A fake Republican front group for Massey Energy endorsed by Republican Don Nehlen who gives out these "Friends of Coal" bumper stickers at events within West Virginia)
Coming to a rapture watching Republican driving SUV near you, the BushFish. As stated from their website:
Do you believe God belongs in government? Do you believe President Bush is doing The Lord's Work? If so, then show your love for God, the President, and the USA!
This preaching for profit "Christian" LLC is no parody as one may think. In reality, the BushFish is a car magnet. You can use the BushFish if you are:
Tired of Secularists Telling You...
Or anyone who appreciates our Constitution and does not want to live in a Theocracy.
Prayer has no place in our public school system
Anyone is free to pray on their own or together given the appropriate time. Why do they hate our public schools? Oh that's right, they want to abolish them.
Evolution is the ONLY explanation
It is, get over it, proof is that people like this are continually getting dumber. Why do they hate science?
"God" does not belong in the Pledge of Allegiance
It did not belong in it for the majority of our countries history, added in 1954.
The 10 Commandments do not belong in public places
As the Supreme Court recently ruled, unless historic, it has no place. Why do they hate our government court systems?
Terry Schiavo had no right to live
What a cheap sell shot... very sad.
Life begins AFTER birth
Yeah, because we are all born dead until the doctor spanks us on the butt...
If so... then stand up and be counted!!
hallelujah ah men brothers and sisters!!
This ignorance for profit site also is also decked out with the usual "support the troops," "9/11" reference, rapture links, and GOP fanboy sites. However, missing is the all powerful T. rex Jesus fish, which these people believe was killed along with all other dinosaurs during the flood of Noah. As we all know the Earth is only 4,000 years old.
I heard on ABC Radio News that Bush may make his SCOTUS announcement as early as today. Makes sense that Karl Rove would want to move the attention off of Karl Rove. Let's just hope that the person who has these "mainstream American values" is not some Eric Rudolph type to really get the attention off of Karl Rove... We know the media cannot handle two stories at once.
I will try to find the video clip of this, meanwhile check it out on the span.
Q (HELEN THOMAS): What is his problem? Two years, and he can't call Rove in and find out what the hell is going on? I mean, why is it so difficult to find out the facts? It costs thousands, millions of dollars, two years, it tied up how many lawyers? All he's got to do is call him in.
MR. McCLELLAN: You just heard from the President. He said he doesn't know all the facts. I don't know all the facts.
Q (HELEN THOMAS): Why?
MR. McCLELLAN: We want to know what the facts are. Because --
Q (HELEN THOMAS): Why doesn't he ask him?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'll tell you why, because there's an investigation that is continuing at this point, and the appropriate people to handle these issues are the ones who are overseeing that investigation. There is a special prosecutor that has been appointed. And it's important that we let all the facts come out. And then at that point, we'll be glad to talk about it, but we shouldn't be getting into --
Q (HELEN THOMAS): You talked about it to reporters.
MR. McCLELLAN: We shouldn't be getting into prejudging the outcome.
Republican and "Christian" Eric Rudolph was sentenced for the murder of police officer and maiming a nurse at an Alabama abortion clinic. Rudolph received two life sentences though he plea bargained to avoid the death penalty. When Rudolph was asked if he wanted to give a statement, he replied,
"What they did was participate in the murder of 50 children a week. Abortion is murder and because it is murder I believe deadly force is needed to stop it."
Emily Lyons, the nurse who was also injured in the terrorist bombing had undergone 21 surgeries and lost her left eye. She forcefully commented:
"When it was your turn to face death you weren't so brave again... You want to see a monster, all you have to do is look in the mirror."
Meanwhile, Pat Robertson claims that Christian terrorism, "just doesn't happen." On a July 14 edition of the 700 Club, "Christian" Roberston proclaimed:
Don't you feel it rather interesting that every time you have a story about terrorism, it is linked to Muslim extremists? You don't hear somebody, "Christian extremist killing film producers, Christian extremists blowing up trains." It just doesn't happen. But it's Muslim extremists and, ladies and gentlemen, Islam, at least at its core, teaches violence. It's there in the Quran in clear, bold statements. Well over 100 verses dealing with violence against infidels, and that is what they're taught. They're also taught to sacrifice themselves in jihad against infidels to gain paradise. It is part of the teaching of that faith. And I know people so reluctant to say, "Lets not identify those terrorists with these wonderful people." Well, yes, they may be wonderful people, but this is what that faith teaches, and those who believe it sincerely in their hearts are those that think Osama bin Laden is their great hero. And I think we need to recognize that. Political correctness says that you're not supposed to recognize this, but it just happens to be the truth. Every story, you see it over and over again, Muslim extremists blew up trains, Muslim extremists assassinated film producers. Muslim extremists blew up a crowded shopping center in Netanya [Israel]. Muslim extremists, it's always Muslims, and that's where it comes from, it's the breeding ground. And then it's radical clerics who incite this kind of violence, and it's time we recognize it and begin to deal with it.
"Christian" terrorist Rudolph has also been charged for 1996 Atlanta Olympic bombing, as well as a 1997 bombings of an abortion clinic and gay bar in Atlanta. He was living in the wilderness for five years where his skills gained in the U.S. Army aided him. He joined the military despite his well-established hatred for the U.S. government, Rudolph had hopes of becoming an army ranger. He learned a lot about making explosives and survival tactics, but was ultimately kicked out for insubordination and marijuana use. Rudolph practiced a form of Christianity which believes in Aryan superiority among other radical right-wing beliefs.
As Eric Rudolph stated in a letter released by his attorneys in April 2005:
"They say that the mechanism through which this will be achieved is the Republican patsy, and under the benevolent leadership of men like George W. Bush, the wholesale slaughter of children will be a thing of the past."
Also check out the video of Pat Roberston's comments at Media Matters.
Again Republican Rick "man on dog" Santorum has sex on the brain, this time it is about "post-pubescent men" who really engaged in a "basic homosexual relationship." No, we are not making this up. As Santorum stated in 2003 AP interview:
"In this case, what we're talking about, basically, is priests who were having sexual relations with post-pubescent men. We're not talking about priests with 3-year-olds, or 5-year-olds. We're talking about a basic homosexual relationship. Which, again, according to the world view sense is a perfectly fine relationship as long as it's consensual between people. If you view the world that way, and you say that's fine, you would assume that you would see more of it."
Evidently, anyone who has gone through puberty and is under 18 is consenting to sex as long as it is homosexual sex in Santorum's mind.
Fist it was "anyone... involved" then it was "somebody... did leak" and now it is "someone committed a crime" with the ever changing story from Bush in his hard stance to defend treason. Rove has said that he got the information from a reporter, but Cooper and Navak testified differently. So what is this all saying? The new criteria for being fired is "committed a crime," thus they are going with the stance that leaking CIA agent identity is not a "crime" or they didn't "knowing" do it, or Rove simply did not do it. Let alone the lies they are "commit[ing]" right know with possible purjery charges from the conflicting public statements that we already know about. Here is a Bush CIA leak timeline thanks to Kos.
McClellan: "If anyone in this administration was involved in it [the improper disclosure of an undercover CIA operatives identity], they would no longer be in this administration."
Bush: "If someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."
The bottom line, Bush is a liar, and not just about stupid crap. He lies in just the most colossal and open way that the average person would think, "oh that can't be true."
Maybe it was Rush Limbaugh just having a bad day, or make that week, with constantly having to support and defend treason with an ever changing story from the White House and Karl Rove. On a rant about Democrats and SCOTUS Rush seemed to lose it a bit and show a side of a man who seems to be fighting more than the left. It could be the possibility of knowing that his medical records will now be looked over by prosecutors in his upcoming drug case, or even still fighting off withdrawal from oxycodon. It's not really for me to say...
The “Christian” organization Christian Exodus hopes to have a major impact on the state government of South Carolina by the year 2016.The non-profit organizations goal is to begin with 2,500 new Republican voting “Christians” inside the PalmettoState by 2006.From their website, a list of “Problem[s]" in South Carolina that the group is moving to change:
THE PROBLEM
Christians have actively tried to return the United States to their moral foundations for more than 30 years. We now have a professing Christian president, a Republican Congress and a Republican Supreme Court. Yet consider this:
Abortion continues against the wishes of many States
Sodomite and lesbian "marriage" is now legal in Massachusetts (and coming soon to a neighborhood near you)
Children who pray in public schools are subject to prosecution 1
Our schools continue to teach the discredited theory of Darwinian evolution
The Bible is still not welcome in schools except under unconstitutional FEDERAL guidelines
The 10 Commandments remain banned from public display
Sodomy is now legal AND celebrated as "diversity" rather than condemned as perversion
Preaching Christianity will soon be outlawed as "hate speech" 123
Fathers are denied equal rights under law in cases of child custody
Our right to keep and bear arms continues to be INFRINGED
Private homes are now subject to arbitrary government seizure
From a local Fox “News” article, here are some quotes from citizens of South Carolina about the Christian Exodus plans for the state. Local rapture watcher Reggie Brown from Mauldin, SC says:
“I think it's fantastic, I think we need more of that actually. I don't know which direction our government is heading in, but I think they need Christian influence, it would go a long way, I really think so… I think it's great, bring them on.”
Hey Reggie, great line by the way, where did you get that from? So now lets all “bring on” on terrorist, Iraqi insurgents, and now “Christians.”
Constitutionalist Percy Croft of Greenville agrees,
"America was founded on Christian principals...people with different views about Christianity, you have them getting into the elected positions and they don't want to see this country stay the way it is, they want it to change...They're getting away from what they were founded on."
South Carolina does have some critical thinkers thankfully, Windy Sizemore of York, SC says
"I don't think that any one group trying to take over is good in anything."
Talk about a foremost flip-flop in White House cabinet “conduct.”Thanks to Jeff Seemann For Congress at Daily Kos for digging up this beauty.Back in 2001 Right-Wing Republican “publication” NewsMax, wrote an all-so-proper piece on the new Bush administration and their “highest ethical standards.”
WASHINGTON (UPI) - President Bush witnessed the swearing-in of his White House staff Monday and said he expected them to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and to conduct themselves with humility and civility at all times.
[...]
Bush warned that he expected his White House staff to meet the highest ethical standards, avoiding not only violations of law, but even the appearance of impropriety.
"We must remember the high standards that come with high office," he said. "This begins careful adherence with the rules. I expect every member of this administration to stay well within the boundaries [that] define legal and ethical conduct.
OK, as soon as you're done laughing, please read on.
Let's look closely at the words "even the appearance of impropriety", shall we?
We KNOW FOR A FACT, despite all the spin that they throw at us, the following.
A CIA agent was outed.
A senior White House aide, through his OWN LAWYER, has admitted discussing the agent's identity to several reporters.
That aide never disclosed the blown cover with the CIA.
That aide has since lied several times in public and private about knowing any detail of the incident.
That aide has since been promoted to Deputy Chief Of Staff.
Chalk it up as YET ANOTHER INSTANCE that Bush cannot and will not be a man of his word.
"I expect every member of this administration to stay well within the boundaries [that] define legal and ethical conduct." - George W. Bush
At first glace, one would think it would be a satire spoof website; however, the weblog Right-Wing Right Minded is pure GOP hypocrisy. Chris Greenfeather the author and founder of Right-Wing Right Minded has everything a cookie cutter rank-in-file Republican fanboy website would and should have. Greenfeather of course displays the waving US Flag with the 1954 version of The Pledge of Allegiance with the all important “Under God” revision.
So where does the hypocrisy start? This has to be one of the best cases for Phase 3 of Operation Yellow Elephant. Let's begin with Greenfeather signing each post with:
The Only Thing Necessary For Evil To Triumph Is For Good Men To Do Nothing
Though evidently, being a member of the 101st Keyboard Warriors is enough to combat “evil”. The 25 year old GOPer even posts pictures of soldiers who were killed in “The War on Terror” who he calls “Hero[es]” yet cannot even fathom enlisting himself. He ends each post with:
These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
The site is decorated with all kinds of links to more, “I support the troops do you?” type websites that are known to exist.
During a post on 6/14/05 titled, “War On Terror: Not Good,” Greenfeather went on to rant about the dangers of North Korea and Iran on, “being the next targets in the War On Terror.” He also commented that,
“…I feel that within the next year to 18 months we should start pulling some of the troops out of Iraq. It's about time for them to start handling their own security. I'm not talking about just pulling up stakes and leaving them alone. They would be decimated within a year. But we can't hold their hands forever. After that we then need to turn our attention to N. Korea and Iran.These two madmen with nukes is a bad combination.”
So I thought it would just be ingenious to inform Republican Greenfeather that he should actually ENLIST within the US military. I even posted a link to the Army “Enlisted Career Management” Here is the reply that I got:
"It's almost a little too late. I don't think they take too many 26 year old new enlistees."
Greenfeather totally dodged the question and even lied. He is only 25 years old, his birthday is August 23, 1979. He lied about his age to act like he was just too old by a year. I later informed him that the Army (Reserve & National Guard) recently increased the enlistment age by five years from 34 years old to 39. This young Republican still has 14 years to enlist.
Greenfeather's "patriotism" was hurt and offended. He made no more replies to my question. He created a new post totally devoted to the subject at hand entitled, “Liberal Lunacy: Shut Up, Please,” where he asked,
"… some Left-wing dope going by the name FrankieWVU (that’s me) who keeps going on about how I should join the military because I support what they do and call them heroes… Tell me, is it wrong for me to support the military with never being in it myself? I could be mistaken, but I don't think it is. I mean, I support the Texas Rangers but I've never played on the team. I'm a little confused."
Great analogy, we know are you "confused," but we asked you to enlist, not if you had already served in the military. This was yet another dodge by Republican Greenfeather. I reminded Greenfeather that he even had a link to the Army website on his blog. He later openly replied in a heroic Republican dream fantasy type post of actually serving in the military:
"Think about this scenario. I join the military. I go to Afghanistan. I capture bin Laden single handedly. I become a national hero. I'm free to spew my views all over the national airwaves. Hell, the world airwaves. Is that what you want?"
He was replied to multiple “Yes” and “enlist” answers but Greenfeather dodged it once more and his Republican military joining fantasy was never mentioned again.
Greenfeather was last listening to the song “Robbie Robertson - It Is A Good Day To Die” as reported on his blog. Maybe he was fantasizing again about joining the military and fighting for his cause, "caputre[ing] bin Laden single handedly," but in all likely seriousness, based on the evidence, probably not…
The third ranking Republican Senator Rick “man on dog” Santorum from Pennsylvania failed to back off his comments claiming that the city of Boston’s “liberalism” ''sexual license" and ''sexual freedom" were the cause for the Catholic Church sex scandal.Santorum commented on Tuesday:
“The basic liberal attitude in that area . . . has an impact on people's behavior.If you have a world view that I'm describing [about Boston] . . . that affirms alternative views of sexuality, that can lead to a lot of people taking it the wrong way.I was just saying that there's an attitude that is very open to sexual freedom that is more predominant."
Santorum was later slammed by Democrats for his outlandish comments.Sen. Kennedy commented in a speech and demanding Santorum to apologize.
“The people of Boston are to blame for the clergy sexual abuse? That is an irresponsible, insensitive and inexcusable thing to say.”He noted that sexual abuse occurred in, "red states and blue states, in the north and in the south, in big cities and small."
Democratic Congressman Barney Frank called Santorum a, “Jerk” and cited his comments about Terri Schiavo’s death as an “execution” and saying,
“This is one of those people who claims to have had eye contact with a blind woman.”
Martin T. Meehan, Democrat Congressmen from Massachusetts said,
“There's not much you can say about someone who claims to have read the Bible cover to cover and came away from it thinking it encourages hatred for fellow human beings.”
Sen. Kerry also demanded Santorum apologize in his released statement:
"The families of Massachusetts soldiers who have given their lives for their country in Iraq know more about the mainstream American values of Massachusetts than Rick Santorum ever will.
As a prosecutor in Massachusetts putting criminals behind bars, I saw some of the worst criminals who had abused children and not once did I hear them hide behind Sen. Santorum's bizarre claim that the state was responsible for their acts.
Rick Santorum owes an apology to the families of abuse victims and an apology to the faithful who fill the pews of Massachusetts churches every Sunday."
All elected official mentioned are Roman Catholic except Frank who is Jewish. Santorum is preparing for a possible 2008 presidential bid but has to win his Senate seat first which is not looking too good.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum has gained slightly on State Treasurer Robert Casey, Jr., but still trails the Democratic challenger 50 - 39 percent in the 2006 Senate race, according to a Quinnipiac poll released today. This compares to a 49 - 35 percent Casey lead in an April 20 poll by the independent QuinnipiacUniversity.
What is it with this guy with sex CONSTANTLY on his mind?... and not the normal kind either...
Thanks to the good people over at The Left Coaster for putting together this list of lying GOP talking points that you are sure to hear. Read them, study them, and know them. Use this knowledge at the office, watercooler, lunchroom, gym, weddings, cookouts, or on any Kool Aid drinking Fox "News" watching zombie.
TALKING POINT: Valerie Plame (Joseph Wilson's wife) was not covert.
TALKING POINT: Karl Rove was "not the leaker". FACT: Rove's attorney's statement and Cooper's email shows this claim is false. Rove did leak Plame's identity. (Whether or not this is found to be prosecutable is another matter). P.S. It's not like this is the first time Rove has been in the spotlight for leaking secrets.
TALKING POINT: Karl Rove has never lied about his role in this matter. FACT: Yes, he has.
TALKING POINT: The White House has never lied or misled people about its role in this matter. FACT: False.
TALKING POINT: Karl Rove never knew that Valerie Plame was covert. FACT: Really? Then why not state this on the record, something Rove's attorney refuses to do.
TALKING POINT: Matt Cooper of Time magazine "burned" Rove. FACT: Rove's lawyer, who made the above fake claim, himself has been expounding again and again about how Rove gave complete waivers to all his journalist contacts to testify.
TALKING POINT: Bob Novak used the word "operative" by accident and his sources did not say she was one. FACT: This is false, after-the-fact spin from Novak.
TALKING POINT: Rove "was discouraging a reporter from writing a false story" based on Joe Wilson's "false premise" (that DCI Tenet or VP Cheney authorized his trip) FACT: False. Moreover, Joe Wilson did not make such a claim before Rove exposed Valerie Plame's identity.
TALKING POINT: The Senate Intelligence Committee said that Valerie Plame was the one who set up Joe Wilson's trip. FACT: False and false. (Also see here). (In fact, there is no consensus view that Valerie Plame even suggested that Wilson be sent on the trip.)
TALKING POINT: Karl Rove is not a target of Fitzgerald's investigation. FACT: He is a subject of the investigation.
TALKING POINT: The Butler Report etc. vindicated Bush's "uranium in Africa" State of the Union claim FACT: False. The Butler Report was intended to exonerate Tony Blair and George Bush to prevent them from facing criminal charges. For obvious reasons, it excluded reams of information about Bush's claim that showed that the White House lied through it's teeth in defending Bush's claim. (Indeed, as the link shows, people from the NSA, CIA etc. themselves stated that the SOTU claim did not have a sound backing.)
TALKING POINT: This is all just a partisan attack by Democrats (or Joseph Wilson) FACT: False. The GOP leadership has a habit of minimizing numerous acts of treason from individuals inside the Bush administration over the last several years, by smearing truth-tellers. This is just the latest episode among many. In private, even Republicans admit that this kind of nonsense would have resulted in Congressional hearings "in a second", if the President had been a Democrat. Not to mention the hypocrisy of Rove himself.
TALKING POINT: Even if Karl Rove leaked Valerie Plame's identity, it's no big deal and deserves a medal. FACT: The GOP's Ed Gillespie and George Bush disagreed (with an emphasis on 'd'). In fact, if it's so not a big deal, why all this intrigue about what the White House can or cannot comment on? Just tell the truth then rather than hiding behind reporters and smears of people who had nothing to do with the expose. (As for medals, it probably deserves a medal in prison, to define the "role model" for fellow prisoners at Gitmo - while eating rice pilaf in the process).
TALKING POINT: There was no legal crime committed with the Plame expose. FACT: False and false. So much for offering "a stiff dose of truth" instead of "more lectures, and legalisms, and carefully worded denials".
Sunday, July 31, 2005
