Happy Halloween!

White House Fence Jumper Speaks

If you still support the Iraq invasion, please watch this video to hear what it's really like from someone who was there.

And, to my regular blogger buddies, please watch this, too.

This is heartbreaking.

White House Fence Jumper Speaks

"We don't torture" is the new "I am not a crook."

Cheney confirms waterboarding

By Jonathan S. Landay
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney has confirmed U.S. interrogators subjected captured senior al-Qaida suspects to a controversial interrogation technique called waterboarding, which creates a sensation of drowning.

Cheney indicated the Bush administration doesn't regard waterboarding as torture and allows the CIA to use it. "It's a no-brainer for me," Cheney said.

Waterboarding demonstration:


From Lizzy:

The simple fact is, torture doesn't work. People will say whatever their captors want to hear, however non-true, to make them stop.

The worst part is, if it's ok for America to torture people, (which it isn't) it makes other countries believe it's perfectly fine to torture our own soldiers.

Who got impeached, and what for?

I'm going to try to lighten the mood like my buddy, Snave, did on his blog.

Here's a sweet little song to get you through the weekend:

http://warehouse.nimbit.com/ericschwartz/ClintonBJ.mp3


(Adults only. Give it a minute to load.)

Obsessed with poll numbers

If you really want to get scared this Halloween, forget Jason or Freddy, and try to catch the documentary, "Two Left Feet" on CNN.

It was about why Democrats have such a hard time winning elections. The reasons? Well, you already know what they are: guns, G-d, gays, the wuss factor, unclear definition of what it means to be a Democrat, and our liberal elitist attitude. (Heck, I'm the first one to admit I'm guilty of that last one. )

However, with times like these, we have our best shot.

Right now I live & breathe by the poll numbers in Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.

These last 13 days are going to be painful. It has already started to affect my sleep.

Ter-ror-ism (noun) Definition: to coerce by intimidation or fear, esp. for political purposes (in other words, The RNC)

Keith Olbermann Special Comment:Terrorism


Is there anyone out there better than Keith Olbermann right now? I don't think so.

Played out

Republican Bill Frist was on CNN's Late Edition this morning. The fear on his face was palpable. No matter what he tried to say, his body language told another story. He knows his party is in big trouble.

So, of course, in turn, they trot out their card of last resort: the fear card. It may have worked in the last 2 elections, but people are not buying it anymore.

From USA Today:

For the first time since the question was asked in 2002, in the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, Democrats did better than Republicans on who would best handle terrorism, 46%-41%.


In a last desperate attempt, the RNC put out an ad that might as well say, "if you don't vote for us, you'll die. "

Almost makes you feel sorry for them... NOT.


I'm not saying we have this thing wrapped up by any means. A lot can happen in 2 weeks...and we have those hackable voting machines to contend with. We cannot be complacent.

Watch this now

Olbermann 2006-10-18


"A government more dangerous to our liberty than is the enemy it claims to protect us from."
- Keith Olbermann


The more I think about the passing of "The Military Commissions Act," the more incensed I become.

Now that Bush has killed habeas corpus, any one of us can now be pulled off the street, deemed an enemy combatant, and then be locked away somewhere without trial.


According to Mary Benoit of the John Birch society:

"The bill authorizes a new system of military tribunals that would try persons designated 'unlawful military combatants' by the president. The term 'unlawful military combatants' is broadly defined and could include any person who is not in-step with the administration's policies on bringing 'democracy' to the world."


To my fellow left-wing bloggers: watch your back.

My Dream Ticket

I don't watch Oprah's show because it's on the same time as CNN's Situation Room, but today I made the exception. Barack Obama was her guest for the entire hour.

Like I said back in April when I saw him in person, I couldn't be more impressed by the Illinois Senator. This guy has it all.

While he won't answer the question if he'll run or not in '08, I think all bets are on that he will.

My dream ticket would be Feingold/Obama or Obama/Feingold, even though I'm quite sure the country isn't ready for a Jewish/Black ticket...which is a crying shame.

"We will look back on this day as a stain on our nation's history." - Sen. Russ Feingold

Bush Signs Bill on Terror Prosecution

By NEDRA PICKLER

WASHINGTON Oct 17, 2006 (AP)— Some of the most notorious names in the war on terror are headed toward prosecution after President Bush signed a law Tuesday authorizing military trials of terrorism suspects.

The legislation also eliminates some of the rights defendants are usually guaranteed under U.S. law, and it authorizes continued harsh interrogations of terror suspects, a provision Bush had said was vital.

Civil libertarians and leading Democrats decried the law as a violation of American values. The American Civil Liberties Union said it was "one of the worst civil liberties measures ever enacted in American history." Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin said, "We will look back on this day as a stain on our nation's history."

"It allows the government to seize individuals on American soil and detain them indefinitely with no opportunity to challenge their detention in court," Feingold said. "And the new law would permit an individual to be convicted on the basis of coerced testimony and even allow someone convicted under these rules to be put to death."


Note from Lizzy:

This bill represents the end of the America I once loved. I hope that no Dems voted for it... but if any did, may they never again get a good night's sleep.

I have looked all over the web to find out who voted which way, but I can't seem to find out. Does anyone know where to look?

And, one more thing, Senator Feingold, please run for President.

I think #3 is their favorite, especially lately

Submitted by Brian (I loved this)



Question: How many members of the Bush Administration are needed to change a light bulb?

Answer: TEN.

1. One to deny that a light bulb needs to be changed;

2. One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the light bulb needs to be changed;

3. One to blame Clinton for burning out the light bulb;

4. One to tell the nations of the world that they are either for changing the light bulb or for eternal darkness;

5. One to give a billion dollar no-bid contract to Halliburton for a new light bulb;

6. One to arrange a photograph of Bush, dressed as a janitor, standing on a step ladder under the banner "Bulb Accomplished";

7. One administration insider to resign and in detail reveal how Bush was literally "in the dark" the whole time;

8. One to viciously smear #7;

9. One surrogate to campaign on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has had a strong light bulb-changing policy all along;

10. And finally, one to confuse Americans about the difference between screwing a light bulb and screwing the country. And after all is said and done, no one will notice that they never actually managed to change the light bulb...

The final death nail for the GOP?

New book: Bush advisers mocked evangelicals

The White House denies the assertions made by a former
official in the faith-based-initiative program.

Peter Wallsten, Los Angeles Times
Last update: October 13, 2006 – 12:14 AM

WASHINGTON - A new book by a former White House official says President Bush's top political advisers privately ridiculed evangelical supporters as "nuts" and "goofy" while embracing them in public and using their votes to help win elections.

The former official also writes that the White House office of faith-based initiatives, which Bush promoted as a nonpolitical effort to support religious social service organizations, was told to host pre-election events designed to mobilize religious voters who would most likely favor Republican candidates.

The assertions by David Kuo, the former No. 2 official in the faith-based-initiatives program, have rattled Republican strategists already struggling to convince evangelical voters to turn out this fall for the GOP.

Some conservatives lamented Thursday that the book, "Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction," also comes in the midst of the scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley's interest in male congressional pages, another threat to conservative turnout in competitive House and Senate races. The book is scheduled to hit stores Monday, but the White House responded to its assertions Thursday as excerpts began leaking out.

In the book, Kuo, who quit the White House in 2003, accuses Karl Rove's political staff of cynically hijacking the faith-based-initiatives idea for electoral gain. It assails Bush for failing to live up to his promises of boosting the role of religious organizations in delivering social services.

White House strategists "knew 'the nuts' were politically invaluable, but that was the extent of their usefulness," Kuo writes, according to the cable channel MSNBC, which obtained an advance copy.

"Sadly, the political affairs folks complained most often and most loudly about how boorish many politically involved Christians were. ... National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as 'ridiculous' and 'out of control.' "

It is unclear whether Kuo identifies any specific official as using the dismissive language.

Kuo is scheduled to appear Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes" program as part of a rollout arranged by his publisher, Simon & Schuster, which shares a corporate parent with CBS. Despite a publisher-enforced embargo, a copy of the book was purchased early at a Manhattan bookstore by a producer for MSNBC's "Countdown," a spokesman for the cable channel said. Program host Keith Olbermann began reading excerpts on his Wednesday show.

The White House denied Kuo's account with help Thursday from two former officials popular among the evangelical base -- former speechwriter Michael Gerson and former faith-based-initiative director Jim Towey.

Gerson called Kuo's account "laughable," while Towey cited a December 2002 e-mail from Kuo expressing positive feelings about the program's progress in promoting "compassionate conservatism."He doesn't seem to have been working at the same White House where I worked," Towey said. "I had marching orders from the president to keep the faith-based initiative nonpolitical, and I did."

Still, neither Gerson nor Towey denied Kuo's assertion that politics did factor into the initiative.

Holy crap! Check this out:

Death of a President Trailer


I don't know what to think about this one, but I've got to admit, it did make my heart skip a beat.

Dead Prostitute Found In Bush's Bed

I was watching CNN today, and they were interviewing a group of people in one of the southern red states (I can't remember which one.)

They asked a woman which way she'd be voting in the upcoming election. She said something like "as long as nothing else happens, I'll stick with the Republican candidates."

Umm, "nothing else?" I guess making a complete disaster out of everything just doesn't cut it, in her book.

What's it gonna take? A dead prostitute in W's bed, perhaps?

I couldn't agree more

Latest letter to the editor written by my (awesome) Uncle Richard to the local paper in East Hampton, New York:

Dear Editor,

For at least a year I have been writing to this paper about the utter disgrace and disaster of the Bush administration. The deficit, the tax cuts, the secrecy, the constant and pervasive lying, the name calling of opponents, the disregard of the middle class, the erosion of our civil rights, Katrina, and the hypocrisy in the appointment of political supporters without experience to key positions (not only "Brownie.") And then there is the crazy, irresponsible, stupidity of the Iraq War and its abject failure. And now, in the Woodward book "State of Denial" we see in this fool President and his cohorts in the Administration, as totally living in a bizarro world of denial.

And yet, even with the publication of unquestionably, truthful, fact laden, well researched and documented book after book, the NIE report of all 16 U.S. intelligence Agencies documenting the failure of the war and the war's creation of more terrorists, and the new charges of deviant sexual behavior by a Republican Congressman and its cover up by the Speaker of the House and The Republican House leadership, and the baldfaced selling of legislative votes and favors to cash paying political lobbyists, and learning that present day Iraq is being described like "Mad Max," and the insurgency getting even worse in 2007 of which was covered up with rosy statements by the criminal conspiracy that calls itself the "Bush administration " - there are still people who write to say they are "proud" to be supportive Republicans....WOW!

They must think: screw the nation, screw our dead and wounded youngsters and the thousands of Iraqis --we must retain our hold on Congress.


Thus, what makes most of us sick, is swallowed whole by these right wing , flatheaded disgusting apologists who dare to write in support the out of control criminals in this administration!

Richard H.
East Hampton, NY



Uncle Richard (late 60's/early 70's)

I'll say it in advance - Shut up, Robin.

Real Time with Bill Maher is one of my favorite shows.
Robin Williams is a good dramatic actor.

However, having Robin Williams on Bill Maher's show is always a bad idea. Robin can't help but trample on everyone else's time, and Bill can't reel him in.

Robin is on the panel tonight. Crap.

39%

Upon hearing the news that Bush's approval rating dropped to 39%, Stella couldn't help but smile, however the news didn't do much for Norman.

It's your move, Karl

With all the despicable & criminal acts that we've had to endure over the past 6 years from the absolute power of this Republican party, it appears that the Foley scandal may be the one that finally crushes them. Issues like illegal NSA wiretapping or the National Intelligence Estimate that concluded that we are less safe because of the war in Iraq is too complicated for the general public...but they do understand what Ex-Congressman Foley did.

The question is... what is Karl Rove going to do about it? My prediction? A new threat! In the next couple of days, or weeks, we are going to hear that they've "uncovered" a terrorist plot to take out the Statue of Liberty, or something like it. Our threat level will go to orange and the mainstream media will eat it up. We won't hear about Foley, or the cover-up -- it will be 24/7 reporting of the new threat.

Karl is working on it right now.