Happy Thanksgiving from the Gropinator & his Cosmetic Surgeon

Have some of my excess skin.

Just Relax

When will we get Zarqawi?

BAGHDAD –– US forces are closing in on top Al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgent Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and expects to capture or kill him "in the not too distant future", a US general said Wednesday.

This, of course, was reknowned American General, Clayton Forrester.

In the not too distant future?

Next Sunday A.D. perhaps?

Compare & Contrast

Turkey versue Turkee

Turkey:


Turkee:

Such Pain

The Deep Thoughts of Tom DeLay...

"Must...hold...smile...look sincere..."


"Muscles...so...tight...so...unnatural"


"Must...look...like...nice guy."

And now the thoughts of his wife...

"He's touching me! Dear God he is touching me! I can still smell Abramoff's English Leather. Must keep lunch down! Bargain broken."

Liars

To follow up from the post below, the PDB reported on by the National Journal discussed immediately below is important because it shows INTENTIONAL manipulation of evidence by Bush, Cheney and higher up officials just prior to the Senate vote authorizing the use of force.

Examples from the article:

But a comparison of public statements by the president, the vice president, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld show that in the days just before a congressional vote authorizing war, they professed to have been given information from U.S. intelligence assessments showing evidence of an Iraq-Al Qaeda link.

"You can't distinguish between Al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the war on terror," President Bush said on September 25, 2002.

The next day, Rumsfeld said, "We have what we consider to be credible evidence that Al Qaeda leaders have sought contacts with Iraq who could help them acquire … weapons-of-mass-destruction capabilities."

The most explosive of allegations came from Cheney, who said that September 11 hijacker Mohammed Atta, the pilot of the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center, had met in Prague, in the Czech Republic, with a senior Iraqi intelligence agent, Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, five months before the attacks. On December 9, 2001, Cheney said on NBC's Meet the Press: "[I]t's pretty well confirmed that [Atta] did go to Prague and he did meet with a senior official of the Iraqi intelligence service in [the Czech Republic] last April, several months before the attack."

Cheney continued to make the charge, even after he was briefed, according to government records and officials, that both the CIA and the FBI discounted the possibility of such a meeting.

Credit card and phone records appear to demonstrate that Atta was in Virginia Beach, Va., at the time of the alleged meeting, according to law enforcement and intelligence officials. Al-Ani, the Iraqi intelligence official with whom Atta was said to have met in Prague, was later taken into custody by U.S. authorities. He not only denied the report of the meeting with Atta, but said that he was not in Prague at the time of the supposed meeting, according to published reports.

They had been informed repeatedly and consistently that there was no link between Al Qaeda and Saddam's regime.

Yet there they are, just before the vote proclaiming NEW evidence (evidence for which the existence of is...we lack evidence) of a connection between Iraq and the now ever present "boogeyman" Al Qaeda. This evidence, like the September 21, 2001 PDB has not been provided, even in redacted form to the Senate.

Funny how we find out of this as Darth Cheney is heading out to AEI to lie in front of a Kool-Aid consuming audience.

Karma hates you Dick.

Americans: BushCo is lying about being liars

From the Wall Street Journal, that fine publication ruined by an insane editorial page:

A majority of U.S. adults believe the Bush administration generally misleads the public on current issues, while fewer than a third of Americans believe the information provided by the administration is generally accurate, the latest Harris Interactive poll finds.

While the telephone survey of 1,011 U.S. adults indicates about 64% of Americans believe the Bush administration "generally misleads the American public on current issues to achieve its own ends," opinion on the topic is clearly divided along party lines. A large majority (68% to 28%) of Republicans say the Bush administration generally provides accurate information. However, even larger majorities of Democrats (91% to 7%) and Independents (73% to 25%) think the information is generally misleading.

The poll was taken between November 8 to 13 so about the time the White House hysterical pushback started. I'm guessing that probably didn't help their numbers. If nearly two-thirds of the country thinks you are a liar, they are not going to be persuaded by you wheeling out Crashcart to glare and sneer at people. Not to mention if you think someone is a liar, you tend to think they are the type to point fingers.

And, of course, it helps if they are actually liars.

From the National Journal:

Ten days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President Bush was told in a highly classified briefing that the U.S. intelligence community had no evidence linking the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein to the attacks and that there was scant credible evidence that Iraq had any significant collaborative ties with Al Qaeda, according to government records and current and former officials with firsthand knowledge of the matter...

...One of the more intriguing things that Bush was told during the briefing was that the few credible reports of contacts between Iraq and Al Qaeda involved attempts by Saddam Hussein to monitor the terrorist group. Saddam viewed Al Qaeda as well as other theocratic radical Islamist organizations as a potential threat to his secular regime. At one point, analysts believed, Saddam considered infiltrating the ranks of Al Qaeda with Iraqi nationals or even Iraqi intelligence operatives to learn more about its inner workings, according to records and sources.

So:

1. Richard Clarke and Paul O'Neil were right when they said that Bush wanted to take out Saddam early and often and 9/11 provided a search for an excuse to go after Iraq.

2. Bush, Cheney and the rest were informed that there were NO connection between Iraq & Al Qaeda.

...except to the extent that Saddam hated them and feared them as a potential threat to him...not as allies in the war.

3. Laurie Myolrie is nuts. But so is every other PNAC tool that actually got a job in the Bush Administration.

To build up support for their glorious little war, the Bush regime constantly buttressed their now discredited "WMD" claims with peripheral evidence of an Iraq-Al Qaeda connection.

This is the thing that has gotten Stephen Hayes, who left his prior profession of septic tank cleaner to push these unsupported half-assed ideas, on all these talk shows the last several years.

The highly classified CIA assessment was distributed to President Bush, Vice President Cheney, the president's national security adviser and deputy national security adviser, the secretaries and undersecretaries of State and Defense, and various other senior Bush administration policy makers, according to government records.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has asked the White House for the CIA assessment, the PDB of September 21, 2001, and dozens of other PDBs as part of the committee's ongoing investigation into whether the Bush administration misrepresented intelligence information in the run-up to war with Iraq. The Bush administration has refused to turn over these documents.

Indeed, the existence of the September 21 PDB was not disclosed to the Intelligence Committee until the summer of 2004, according to congressional sources. Both Republicans and Democrats requested then that it be turned over. The administration has refused to provide it, even on a classified basis, and won't say anything more about it other than to acknowledge that it exists...

..."What the President was told on September 21," said one former high-level official, "was consistent with everything he has been told since-that the evidence was just not there."

In arguing their case for war with Iraq, the president and vice president said after the September 11 attacks that Al Qaeda and Iraq had significant ties, and they cited the possibility that Iraq might share chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons with Al Qaeda for a terrorist attack against the United States.

Douchebags one and all.

So when does Bush plan on bombing the National Journal?

Just you and me and the two nuts between us

Ol' pal.


Bush flees to the ChickenRanch for Thanksgiving.


(AFP/Mandel Ngan)

A picture that Summarizes all of the Artistry of Mariah Carey in one picture

I predict 27 Hehs and 23 Indeeds

OSM Peemypajamaramas or whatever the hell it is called had this "teaser" up today:

A CARNIVAL OF PRE-WAR INTELLIGENCE: WHAT WE KNEW, WHEN WE KNEW IT, AND WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN GOING INTO THE IRAQ WAR. On Friday, OSM extended an open-invitation to bloggers everywhere, requesting posts on the topic of pre-war intelligence. Over fifty bloggers weighed in over the weekend, and Glenn Reynolds, the Instapundit, edited the results. Read on to find out where the bodies (or WMDs) are buried.

Oh, what could be a more dubious honor than being "edited" by Ernest T. Bass, Professor of Blogging?

This isn't good

As we approach, if we already haven't the 2,100st death of an American soldier, Iraq continues to show signs of unending madness.

Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms broke into the home of a senior Sunni leader on Wednesday and killed him, his three sons and his son-in-law on the outskirts of Baghdad, his brother and an interior ministry official said...

...The slaying follows a big push by U.S. officials to encourage Sunni Muslim participation in the upcoming election, which will install the first non-transitional government in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. Some Sunni-led insurgent groups have declared a boycott of the election and have threatened politicians who choose to participate in it.

Good job C plus Augustus.

Memories

I thought now would be a good time to resurrect this beauty from what now seems ages ago. It is a good reminder of the lengths this administration will go to perpetuate the cult of the personality in Dear Leader.

It has been a tough year for me but I'll count my blessings. I didn't lose a home in a hurricane. I didn't send a loved one off to a foreign land where every day brings new danger and death. I have enough food. My children are clothed and seem well adjusted. But there is still so much suffering right here close to home, so much to do, so many people to help.



What shall we do? Cut taxes for the rich, of course. And use our soldiers as props in a real-life tragedy where even the Thanksgiving turkey isn't real.

War Criminal

You know I'm guessing we'd have caught Osama by now but for a few things, but a couple prominent ones come to mind:

1. Bush and his major appointees are gross incompetents, who'd manage to blow a Girl Scout Cookie Sale let alone manage a military action.

I'm serious, you know that Bush & Rummy would only order "the shortbreads" thinking nobody would ever want to buy the Thin Mints or Caramel Delights.


2. Bush himself is a virtual war criminal, with virtually no higher brain function whatsoever. Here's more evidence and if this is serious, I want the impeachment proceedings to be wrapped up by next week:

PRESIDENT Bush planned to bomb Arab TV station al-Jazeera in friendly Qatar, a "Top Secret" No 10 memo reveals.

But he was talked out of it at a White House summit by Tony Blair, who said it would provoke a worldwide backlash.

A source said: "There's no doubt what Bush wanted, and no doubt Blair didn't want him to do it." Al-Jazeera is accused by the US of fuelling the Iraqi insurgency.

The attack would have led to a massacre of innocents on the territory of a key ally, enraged the Middle East and almost certainly have sparked bloody retaliation.

A source said last night: "The memo is explosive and hugely damaging to Bush.

"He made clear he wanted to bomb al-Jazeera in Qatar and elsewhere. Blair replied that would cause a big problem.

"There's no doubt what Bush wanted to do - and no doubt Blair didn't want him to do it."

A Government official suggested that the Bush threat had been "humorous, not serious".

But another source declared: "Bush was deadly serious, as was Blair. That much is absolutely clear from the language used by both men."

Jesus Mohammmed Christ!

Lying, war mongering, torturing, and now wanting to bomb the press (and let's not forget known Al Jazeera facilities actually were bombed by U.S. forces in Iraq)

Uncle Cheney

Well, like the buzzards returning to Hinckley, the Bush Confligracy returns Dick Cheney to friendly audience after friendly audience to audaciously lie about being lied about. It happened again yesterday.

And so...as always the lovely pictures flowed from another public Cheneying.

(To "Fiddle About" from the Who's Tommy)


I'm your wicked Uncle Cheney
I'm glad the public can't get near me

As I fiddle about
Fiddle about
Fiddle about !


Your Preznit left me here to mind you

Now I'm invadin' what I want to
Fiddling about
Fiddling about

Fiddle about!


Down with Geneva

Up with the ball bat!

Fiddle about

Fiddle about
Fiddle about !


You won't shout as I beat and flout
Fiddle about

Fiddle about

Fiddle about !
Fiddle, fiddle, fiddle.


(pics from AP, AFP & Reuters)

Continuing Tragedy...

Last week this blog (and many others) linked to a story from Scout Prime on how officials had declared the search for the dead over prematurely ... and how it sure seemed related to race.

USA Today has another story of just how large the death toll will certainly rise:

The whereabouts of 6,644 people reported missing after Hurricane Katrina have not been determined, raising the prospect that the death toll could be higher than the 1,306 recorded so far in Louisiana and Mississippi, according to two groups working with the federal government to account for victims.

Most of those who remain listed as unaccounted-for 12 weeks after the storm probably are alive and well, says Kym Pasqualini, chief executive officer of the National Center for Missing Adults. She says they are listed as missing because government record-keeping efforts haven't caught up with them in their new locations.

However, Pasqualini says those counting the victims are particularly concerned about an estimated 1,300 unaccounted-for people who lived in areas that were heavily damaged by Katrina, or who were disabled at the time the storm hit. The fact that authorities haven't been able to determine what happened to them suggests that the death toll from Katrina could climb significantly.

Thank goodness USA Today is still covering this, the press has certainly abandoned this story...and gone back to Natalie Holloway.

Tool versus Fool

Oh man, this is rich:

A colonel in the Marine reserves has taken issue with how his views were represented in a Republican attack last week on Representative Murtha.

Speaking on the House floor on Friday, Representative Jean Schmidt, Republican of Ohio, asserted that the colonel had "asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, marines never do."

But a spokeswoman for the colonel, Danny R. Bubp, said Ms. Schmidt had misconstrued their conversation.

While Mr. Bubp, a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, opposes a quick withdrawal for forces, "he did not mention Congressman Murtha by name nor did he mean to disparage Congressman Murtha," said Karen Tabor, his spokeswoman. "He feels as though the words that Congresswoman Schmidt chose did not represent their conversation."

Schmidt has repeatedly used GOP Operative and Marine Reserve Desk Jockey Danny Bobp to abuse individuals who actually served in a conflict. She used him often when she was sliming Paul Hackett. Now her knuckle-dragging douchebaggery comes back to kick her in the ass and Bobp, the willing tool, runs for the proverbial hills.

Leaving Mean Jean all alone -- except, of course, for her flying monkeys.

"How 'bout a little liar Scarecrow?!"

Not good for the GOP; Great for America

One might say that after about 50 years of being in control of the House of Representatives the Democratic Party deserved to lose control of the body -- not for their policies, but for the petty corruptions the last and biggest of which was problem the check-kiting scandal.

But being overachievers in the art of corruption, as opposed to the wankery which cometh naturally, the GOP has managed to catch up with amazing efficiency and take sleaziness to a lofty new plane. The plea bargain of Michael Scanlon has huge implications for the House Leadership and several key members, almost all Republican.

Investigators are looking at half a dozen members of Congress, current and former senior Hill aides, a former deputy secretary of the interior, and Abramoff's former lobbying colleagues, according to sources familiar with the probe who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Because of his central role in much of Abramoff's business, Scanlon could be a key witness in any trials that arise from the case.

Scanlon had been in discussions with prosecutors for six months before Friday's announcement that he was being charged with one count of conspiracy as part of a plea agreement. He entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle yesterday and agreed to pay restitution of $19.7 million, Scanlon's share of fees from four tribes named in the charging documents.

He admitted that he or Abramoff offered bribes on behalf of clients over a period of four years, and at one point during the proceedings he corrected court filings that mistakenly noted that the illegal acts began in 2001. "My client informs me that some of the overt acts are actually in 2000," said Scanlon attorney Stephen L. Braga.

With all of their policy initiatives, especially the White House's repeated clusterfuckery (what have they done as an achievement other the scare enough people to get them reelected? What on earth is "better" after any of their actions?) the GOP is blowing itself up.

So far the most predominant GOP rejoinder is "Oh yeah? Well at least we have a plan". Nobody seems to understand that in the Fall of 2006, the populace will likely unite in saying...and that's the problem!"

For now, though the punditry doesn't like it, I see nothing wrong with the Democrats saying that their plan so far is, NOT TO BE ASSHOLE INCOMPETENTS LIKE THE REPUBLICANS!

Seems to me like its better to be accused of having "no plan" than already demonstrating you have a clearly disastrous one.

One last frivolous post...

Not to just throw my "geek" status out there for all to see (ed: You mean besides having a blog?) but after what he did with the "Lord of the Rings" I'd pretty much see any Peter Jackson 'movie experience'. I've always sort of admired the original "King Kong" as a film of achievement and influence for its time. However, it was never something I'd be all hopped up about seeing a remake of, until now.

If having Jackson doing it wasn't enough, have any of you seen the new television advertisement for the movie?

WOW!

Somebody knows how to do a movie trailer. I don't know if Jackson's folks cut that, or the studio but it is one of the best commercials for a film I've ever seen.

Rivalry

As anyone who has read this blog knows I need psychological counseling, or an intervention, or something.

But also, as anyone who has read this blog knows; despite my progressivity, I'm a sucker for the NFL (the ultimate Corporate/Socialist league). I grew up watching the Vikings lose Super Bowl after Super Bowl, only to mature into a person who has watched the Vikings lose games of lesser consequence (Gary Anderson nooooooooooo!)

I slept through the second half of the game last night -- comfortable in the knowledge I was missing the last hour and a half of John Madden's sloppy love sonnets to Brett Favre. Somehow the Vikings won a game over their biggest rival. By the way the NFC North, as it is now called, has great rivalries. It pretty much goes like this:

Packers hate the Vikings, Vikings hate the Packers;

Packers hate the Bears; Bears hate the Packers;

Lions pissed that nobody hates them enough, decide they will just generally hate everybody and take it out on Joey Harrington.

X-Box vs. Being Outside

So Hegemonians I've decided that I will not buy myself a new X-Box. The keeps my game playing device record to "0 since Pong".

I hope you understand this decision.

He must be on Pot to call the Kettle Black

Crashcart certainly has never been curtailed from flat-out lying before a friendly audience (the only kind these schmucks ever appear in front of):

Cheney pressed the administration's high-voltage attack on war critics, particularly Senate Democrats who voted in October 2002 to give Bush authority to go to war in Iraq and who now oppose his policy, calling them "dishonest and reprehensible."

Shall we replay your lyin' again Dick?

Shy Bladder...

"I can only go in front of someone if Jack Abramoff paid them $500 for a golden shower!"


Photo found at Needlenose.

Too much Wild Turkey!

Bush visits Maurice Sendak's house.

Dick "Ticking Timebomb" Cheney

From CNN:

A former top State Department official said Sunday that Vice President Dick Cheney provided the "philosophical guidance" and "flexibility" that led to the torture of detainees in U.S. facilities.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Larry Wilkerson, who served as former Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff, told CNN that the practice of torture may be continuing in U.S.-run facilities.

"There's no question in my mind that we did. There's no question in my mind that we may be still doing it," Wilkerson said on CNN's "Late Edition."

"There's no question in my mind where the philosophical guidance and the flexibility in order to do so originated -- in the vice president of the United States' office," he said. "His implementer in this case was Donald Rumsfeld and the Defense Department."

Better late than never, I guess.

Who'd have thunk this guy would be capable of being so craven and evil?

The Mongolian President Enjoys Tricking His Visitor

By telling him it is customary for the visitor to "mount" the yak first.

(REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

"Fucking Chinese Doors"

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

"Hey Ghengis, nice to meet you"

Who's the white guy?

(Jason Reed/Reuters)


How do you stuff one of those? heh heh heh

(Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)


Meanwhile, as Atrios pointed out, this is rather depressing and says something about all involved.

As he barnstormed through Japan, South Korea and China, with a final stop in Mongolia still to come, Bush visited no museums, tried no restaurants, bought no souvenirs and made no effort to meet ordinary local people.

"I live in a bubble," Bush once said, explaining his anti-tourist tendencies by citing the enormous security and logistical considerations involved in arranging any sightseeing. "That's just life."

The Bush spirit trickles down to many of his top advisers, who hardly go out of their way to sample the local offerings either. A number of the most senior White House officials on the trip, perhaps seeking the comforts of their Texas homes, chose to skip the kimchi in South Korea to go to dinner at Outback Steakhouse -- twice. (Admittedly, a few unadventurous journalists joined them.)

I can understand the security concerns for a President. But, fuck you are in, for Americans, an exotic country -- LIVE A LITTLE! See something, be less ignorant.

For these people, I bet they figured they were being adventurous by seeing if the "bloomin' onion" tasted the same as it does in Fairfax, Virginia. It's the traveling equivalent of seeing whether a Pringles in Seattle can fit with the Pringles you bought in Miami.

But I'm not going to let Bush off that easy, every prior President even "I read it in a Script Once" Reagan got out and explored a bit. Here's a good story from that article:

She [Laura Bush] has had little luck enticing her husband into joining her over the years. The first time the Bushes traveled to China together in their current capacity, she had to tell him to slow down as he tried to race through a tour of the Great Wall. She once persuaded him to go to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, only to see him burn through the place in 30 minutes. He dispensed with the Kremlin cathedrals in Moscow in seven minutes. He flatly declined an Australian invitation to attend the Rugby World Cup while down under.

Freeance via Black & Decker

Wow, we really must be winning now!!

British-trained police operating in Basra have tortured at least two civilians to death with electric drills, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

John Reid, the Secretary of State for Defence, admits that he knows of "alleged deaths in custody" and other "serious prisoner abuse" at al-Jamiyat police station, which was reopened by Britain after the war.

Militia-dominated police, who were recruited by Britain, are believed to have tortured at least two men to death in the station. Their bodies were later found with drill holes to their arms, legs and skulls.

The victims were suspected of collaborating with coalition forces, according to intelligence reports. Despite being pressed "very hard" by Britain, however, the Iraqi authorities in Basra are failing to even investigate incidents of torture and murder by police, ministers admit.

That's right, the POLICE recruited by the Coalition, drilled holes in people suspected of working with the Coalition!

Well, I guess it could be worse, they could be getting creative with a dremel. We could be looking at a collaborator turned into a coffee table or something.

The Thinly Veiled Lie

Rummy today:

While some lawmakers press for a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld made no promises on Sunday and said commanders' assessments will determine the pace of any military drawdown.

Right now, I have little doubt that Commanders are ordered to require such orders to come down in a timely fashion for the 2006 elections.

Cynical and as disastrous as ever is our Bush Administration.

For the callous Mr. Rumsfeld though, it is all an abstraction -- just like a dead or wounded soldier.

Where's Roberto Al-D'Aubuisson?

Billmon noted that Negroponte should head back to Iraq because it would be old home week. Like Billmon, I have little doubt that Negroponte helped set up this system, after all it was bragged about by the Pentagon some time ago:

According to human rights organisations in Baghdad, 'disappearances' - for long a feature of Iraq's dirty war - have reached epidemic proportions in recent months. Human rights workers, international and local, who asked not to be identified in order to protect their researchers in the city and their organisations' access to senior government officials, told The Observer last week that they have hundreds of cases on their books. They described the disappearances as the most pressing human rights issue in a country that is in the midst of a human rights disaster.

The crisis was underlined by last week's uncovering of the secret Ministry of the Interior detention facility in the well-to-do neighbourhood of Jadriya.

It led the US embassy in Baghdad to forcefully condemn the new Iraq's culture of torture and killing - a statement that many believe has been too long in coming.

The emergence of a culture of pernicious violence at Iraq's interior ministry blossomed in the face of repeated warnings to US and UK officials over the past year and a half, under an apparently deliberate policy by London and Washington to avoid public criticism of the country's new institutions.

It is a silence that persisted despite compelling evidence provided by human rights organisations, journalists and Iraqi officials that, from the very moment of the hand-over of sovereignty, violent abuses were being committed in the Ministry of the Interior building - the results of which have been witnessed by The Observer.

So "Freedom" has been on the march using the time-tested American model of encouraging torture and human rights abuse, looking the other way, and then being like Claude Rains in Casablanca expressing "Shock" that such abuses are occurring. The "Central America" method.

Nevertheless, somewhere at this moment a right-wing blogger is masturbating at this news.

If you can, go read the rest of Billmon's post, he's at his usual thoughtful best.

President Charles Nelson Reilly

He looks like someone told him Michael Moore is coming over.

Update:

The true story of this picture is far funnier than any caption I could have come up with:

When the reporter asked for "a very quick follow-up", Bush cut him off by thanking the press corps and telling the reporter "No you may not," as he strode towards a set of double doors leading out of the room.

The only problem was that they were locked.

"I was trying to escape. Obviously, it didn't work," Bush quipped, facing reporters again until an aide rescued him by pointing to him towards the correct door.

Congratulations Suburban Cincinnatti

Here is how the GOP leadership describes Jean Schmidt's tirade on Friday against Jack Murtha:

Several Republicans who were on the House floor said afterward that Ms. Schmidt did not appear to know she was referring to a much-decorated veteran.

"The poor lady didn't know Jack Murtha was a Marine - she really just ran into a hornet's nest," said Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia.

Representative David Dreier of California said, "Very clearly, she did not know that Jack Murtha was a Marine."

Shorter description:

"What she lacks in tact, she makes up for in being a complete moron."

By the way, it would be nice if the New York Times would actually give an accurate description of the "Marine Colonel" she quoted. Colonel Bobp is a complete GOP shill, and current GOP Ohio State Representative (is he awash in Noe money?)

Santa Claus is being "Served" Downtown

Jerry Falwell's makin' a list;
He's checkin' it twice,
He's gonna serve a Summons,
Tonight,

'Cause Santa Claus is bein'
served Dowtown

Evangelical Christian pastor Jerry Falwell has a message for Americans when it comes to celebrating Christmas this year: You're either with us, or you're against us.

Falwell has put the power of his 24,000-member congregation behind the "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign," an effort led by the conservative legal organization Liberty Counsel. The group promises to file suit against anyone who spreads what it sees as misinformation about how Christmas can be celebrated in schools and public spaces.

...

Fanning the Yule log of discontent against what the Liberty Counsel calls "grinches" like the American Civil Liberties Union are evangelical-led organizations including the 150,000-member American Family Association. It has called for a boycott of Target stores next weekend. The chain's crime, according to the group, is a ban on the use of "Merry Christmas" in stores, an accusation the chain denies.

These people are the biggest killjoys since Prohition. Now I cannot figure out whether we are supposed to boycott Target for employing a few wingnut pharmacists, or go to Target because they say "Happy Holidays". "My religion of love and tolerance is superior to all -- and if you don't like it, I'm going to sue your ass."

It would be laughable, were they not give power well beyond their actual means -- but the cynicism of the GOP in using them has built them up to thinking that this sort of bullshit will sell. Watch FOXNEWS try to sell it all holiday season.

Progress

The day after 80 people were killed in suicide bombings in Iraq, only 48 or so have died from suicide bombings.

You see, we are making progress that's a 40% reduction.


Freeance Bitches!

Jean Schmidt Proves her "Bravery" and "Patriotism"

By stealing the chorus costumes from a community theatre's production of "Yankee Doodle Dandy."


As an aside, I would like to say...

"RUN TOTO RUN!"


Picture from MSNBC courtesy of Quentin Compson

Now that's an "Unfortunate" photograph

A little too much of a peek behind the veneer.

And, as usual, monogrammed flight jacket. Quite the martinet

Sober Judgment

From CNN, the Chimperor Disgustus in Korea:

"So long as I am commander-in-chief, our strategy in Iraq will be driven by the sober judgment of our military commanders on the ground," he said, adding that U.S. troops are "making steady progress" in training Iraqi forces to defend their country.

"As Iraqis stand up, we will stand down," he said.

Well as long as someone is sober I guess...

I predict the day Bush declares "victory" will be around Labor Day 2006. It won't be an actual victory of course, in fact it will be almost the opposite, but they hope they can spin it as a victory for two months.

Almost too Outraged

Hunter at Kos has a wonderful diary up. It pretty much agrees with much of what I was thinking yesterday watching the GOP launch a slime attack against Murtha -- one clearly directed by the White House.

I'll be honest with you. Some days, I don't like blogging. A quick look around the blogs will show idiot upon idiot upon blowhard upon liar upon racist upon CLAP LOUDER upon fool, stacked like cordwood at every IP address in use. Republican divinations of the Fitzgerald investigation -- which roundly expected Fitzgerald to indict Wilson, in a fever dream of antilogic -- were long ago enough to convince me that the value of internet punditry is worth far less than the collective electrons that contain it.

I ended up getting away from the television and going to a movie last night so I did not see all that Hunter saw. By the way, I was all dressed up in my Harry Potter wizard outfit -- which made it kind of awkward when I ended up seeing 'Capote'.

There are days when you really enjoy being a blogger because so much is going on. For example, when Fitzgerald finally released his first indictment. But there are also days when the dark nature of the current regime is revealed through their use of the same playbook they used to get us into this war. You know there are still folks out there that devour each and every bit of it into their slack-jawed maws. The seeming weight of what we are up against just depresses you -- any time you listen to the callers on C-SPAN you know how desolate the landscape can seem. It becomes too personal to really deal with.

And you fall into a prolonged period of being melodramatic and posting self-reflecting bullshit.

It can really be a trial.

Woodward's Doppelganger

That's who it had to be because he is a consumate professional, right? Digby has been ALL over Woodward's shit on this one and it is beautiful.

I don't think it had anything at all to do with jail time--why he inserted himself into this mess that he thought was a fool's errand anyway. I think Mr. Inside saw another book going down the shitter and he was PISSED. That's my 2 pennies.

Course, could be just the wine talking.

Now carry on.

I Hate Self-Congratulatory Posts

That's a lie, of course.

Or else I wouldn't just out and out copy Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and ask your help in getting this bloggy blog another 35,000 to cross the million visits mark before December 1st.


...that's a lot of blog whoring in 12 days.

Also, No Capital is going for its own milestone if you want to help, it is a great blog.

Almost

We're almost turning into Rude Pundit.

Warning it's rather offensive (ed: Rather?!), which is why it is at RH:After Dark.

Advice from Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar.

Busy Bee

In addition to this, the normal blog.

And the new "Rising Hegemon: After Dark!!"

I will, along with several others, be guest posting over at Crooks & Liars today and over the weekend. Hopefully it will go okay. C&L uses "Radio" which is apparently a quite tricky means of posting. Hopefully, they can handle the screwey HTML. And best wishes to C&L who is attending the funeral of a close friend.

The War on Old Talking Points

There I was having another typical evening at home.

A quick game of "Cranium" with the dog, followed by our usual tea party (poorly recreated above, she loves her little bonnet), when what do I hear on the tee vee news but this statement about John Murtha from the little dummer boy, Scotty McClellan (yes that's right I'm getting ready for the season -- Hey, John Gibson HAPPY HOLIDAYS BEE-YATCH!). Sorry, my parenthetical digressed [and you know have enjoyable that is] Scotty-booooy said:

Press Secretary Scott McClellan says the eve of fresh Iraqi elections "is not the time to surrender to the terrorists." ...

...McClellan says the administration finds the change of heart "baffling". He says Murtha seems to have endorsed the views of anti-war filmmaker "Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic party."

This refrain, of course, is as tired as it is inaccurate. First of all, Murtha is hardly Moore on the political scale. Second, of all Murtha is a military vet, a decorated one, who correctly pointed out 5 Deferment Dick is in no position to criticize (oh, yeah, Scotty I believe never served more than his metaphysical ass). Third, of course is 16 months after the release of Fahrenheit 911 all the Right Wing really has is "Michael Moore is fat". Anyone who has actually seen the film knows that Moore's goal is more than defeating Bush, it is keeping soldiers from being uselessly killed.

So all I can say is:

Michael Moore is a friend to all soldiers (and japanese kids in short pants)

Michael Moore, Michael Moore
Michael Moore is really neat
He is fat, but full of beef
We all love Michael Moore!

You know they take the "Ladies" too

Oh, the Duch-ass of "Moron Junction", so toadlike and so vile:

A FINAL POST-DINNER POINT [Kathryn Jean Lopez ]
I remain livid about Rep. Murtha. Whenever I have passed a TV today I have been told he's been a hawk—like until today. Take a look at that 2004 Murtha-Pelosi positioning. I don’t doubt the man is honestly concerned Iraq isn't going well. But I question whether we should all be dropping things to act like he is a new, news story. He's been here, anti-Iraq war. Can we be on the up-and-up about that?
Posted at 02:16 AM

It isn't just Jonah that could enlist. Although if he's the Doughy Pantload, Lopez is pretty much the Doughy Big&Tall Store.

So K-Lo any plans on dropping about 5 stone and signing up?

Beep...Beep.

We Do Teach Torture

I think I am pretty well informed, maybe no Attaturk, but I've got a general idea about what is happening in the world. I was not well informed about this subject, and I am sure a lot of people also don't know about the School of Americas sponsored by our government. We train torturers and hit squads, and even insurgents!

The US Army School of Americas (SOA), based in Fort Benning, Georgia, trains Latin American security personnel in combat, counter-insurgency, and counter-narcotics. SOA graduates are responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses in Latin America. In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the school that advocated torture, extortion and execution. Among the SOA's nearly 60,000 graduates are notorious dictators Manuel Noriega and Omar Torrijos of Panama, Leopoldo Galtieri and Roberto Viola of Argentina, Juan Velasco Alvarado of Peru, Guillermo Rodriguez of Ecuador, and Hugo Banzer Suarez of Bolivia. Lower-level SOA graduates have participated in human rights abuses that include the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the El Mozote Massacre of 900 civilians.

I'll bet you didn't know that this weekend there are some protests scheduled to shut down the school. Just so you know. Pass it on.

Our Question of the Week

A day early, and back by popular demand. The last few weeks have been entertaining because of the trouble the Cheney administration has found itself in. Now on top of the indictment and the dame Judy scandal we now have "the dean" of the Washington press corpse roasting over a spit of his own making. Which got me to thinking...

(Cue dream sequence)

If people like Woodward and Miller had been actually doing their jobs instead of selling their souls for access, would the country be in Iraq today?

Something you want to tell us Dickie boy?

Richard Cohen, often useless, rarely as ridiculous:

It would be nice, fitting and pretty close to sexually exciting if Bush somehow acknowledged his mistakes and said he had learned from them.

Um..........

Give 'em Hell Murtha

Congressman John Murtha is not from what one might call the "Dove" wing of the Democratic Party.

But he's seen enough bullshit and bless him for speaking out and telling Crashcart to shut his lyin' piehole.

An influential House Democrat who voted for the Iraq war called Thursday for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, another sign of growing unease in Congress about the conflict.

"It is time for a change in direction," said Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), D-Pa., one of Congress' most hawkish Democrats. "Our military is suffering, the future of our country is at risk. We cannot continue on the present course. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf region."

Murtha estimated that all U.S. troops could be pulled out within six months. A decorated Vietnam veteran, he choked back tears during his remarks to reporters...

...In recent days, President Bush and other top administration officials have lashed out at critics of the war and have accused Democrats of advocating a "cut and run" strategy that will only embolden the insurgency.

Vice President Dick Cheney jumped into the fray Wednesday by assailing Democrats who contend the Bush administration manipulated intelligence on Iraq, calling their criticism "one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city."

Murtha, a Marine intelligence officer in Vietnam, angrily shot back at Cheney: "I like guys who've never been there that criticize us who've been there. I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done."

The top Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, Murtha has earned bipartisan respect for his grasp of military issues over three decades in Congress. He planned to introduce a resolution Thursday that, if passed by both the House and the Senate, would force the president to withdraw U.S. troops.

And there is more and it is devastating:

First elected to Congress in 1974, Murtha is known as an ally of uniformed officers in the Pentagon and on the battlefield. The perception on Capitol Hill is that when the congressman makes a statement on military issues, he's talking for those in uniform.

Known to shun publicity, Murtha said he was standing up because he had a constitutional and moral obligation to speak for the troops.

His voice cracked and tears filled his eyes as he related several stories of visiting wounded troops, including one who was blinded and lost both his hands but had been denied a Purple Heart because friendly fire caused his injuries.

"I met with the commandant. I said, 'If you don't give him a Purple Heart, I'll give him one of mine.' And they gave him a Purple Heart," said Murtha, who has two.

Suck it Cheney, just suck it!

So....

Are we wanging, or chunging, tonight?

(AFP/Luke Frazza)

Potential Justice Alito needs to work on his diplomacy...


"Nice family you got here Senator...shame if something 'appened to it."

...and apparently his history.

(AFP/Getty Images/Win McNamee)


...He does impressions though...



(Adapted from Larry Downing/Reuters)

Worried about the Trifecta

First, the Plame matter embarassed the journalistic integrity of Judy Miller and the New York Times.

Then it caught up and embarassed the journalistic integrity of Bob Woodward and the Washington Post.


In both instances the reporters were shown to have been little more than stenographers keeping the identity of their "dictators" secret.

I am worried that this scandal will spread. I fear that the next thing you know the integrity of the New York Post and Deborah Orin will be impugned.

Why would we think that this face is lying?

It's so honest



It's so sweet



It is so benevolent



It is so gassy



It is so sponsored by Grover Norquist (hey, Sonny Crockett try a razor sometime)

All pictures by Joshua Roberts/Reuters

President "Third Wheel"

"Who's ready to start their Asian Sex Tour Early?"

Life is full of Surprises

One thing that I have learned about politics in America, lo these four decades is that no matter how low I think the floor is; there is inevitably an ability to dig that son-of-a-bitch a little deeper.

For example, you can defibrillate Dick Cheney to the point that he can come out and sneer that it is indeed YOU, Mr. or Ms. Reality-based that is indeed the liar. Why it is you and your lyin' eyes that that have things all wrong you un-American bastard.

And if the floor hasn't been dug deeply enough, you can even outcrazy Li'l Lulu with a guest filbert:

Keep a sharp eye on fresh developments in both Canada and Cuba, two countries with rogue, corrupt and repressive regimes that don't know when to cut their losses and leave town.

There is a person who is "literally" coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. I believe the operative word would be "Hoser". May he be eternally afflicted with a bad case of hockey hair.

And digging toward the earth's core comes Cap'n Crunch telling us that the liberals are in trouble because their poll numbers are only 34% and that should be cause for panic.

Well, if that's the case, Cap'n you better panic:

President Bush's positive job rating continues to fall, touching another new low for his presidency, the latest Harris Interactive poll finds.

Bush's current job approval rating stands at 34%, compared with a positive rating of 88% soon after 9/11, 50% at this time last year, and 40% in August.

Mr. Warmth

Oh this should go over well with 19% of the population, the rest, not so much.

Unleash Cheney:

Vice President Dick Cheney added his voice on Wednesday to the chorus of Republican criticism of Democrats who have accused the Bush administration of manipulating intelligence on Iraq, calling it "one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city."

Apparently outrage is a fixative because otherwise my head would explode.

Although let's face it, when they trot out Crashcart to make a speech, you know they are pretty much out of ideas.

We Don't Need No Stinking Torture

Just tell those dumbasses that we don't torture. This is the You-Nita States of Murica yous are talking about. Jeez Louise.

This isn't funny

It's just disturbing and disgusting. Remember how they called off the search for bodies (read "poor, black people) on October 3rd? From Scout Prime:

You know, it's hard to imagine anything worse than coming back to your home in New Orleans and finding it completely destroyed. But, tonight, as you're about to hear, there is something worse, much worse. Dozens of families have returned to what is left of their homes and found, lying amidst the mold and the wreckage, a body, forgotten, abandoned. Maybe it's their mother or their grandmother, sometimes even their missing child.

Thankfully CNN deigned to mention this for a few minutes because god knows this tragedy has dropped off the radar.

There is more here.

Attaturk would like to say...

That Attaturk agrees with Attaturk's co-blogger that there is no greater denoter of bullshit than constantly referring to oneself in the third person.

Attaturk finds that very annoying.

"Fire Island, Here I come!"

I shit you not, Bill O'Reilly is trying to start a boycott of visiting San Francisco.

Here is the question on his website (cleverly named Bill O'Reilly.com)

Should Americans who disagree with San Francisco's anti-military stance avoid traveling to the city?
Yes
No

Shorter Bill O'Reilly:

"Until they agree with me about anything, no more visits to the Castro District"

I'm sure the entire population of San Francisco is happier about its decision than ever before.

(Tip of the Fez to Dartanyon)

Look out Japan!!!!

It even has those annoying singing mothra girls.



*I know, it does look a little like "Moe-thra" leading the way for "Larry-thra" and "Curly-thra" (not to mention "Shemp-thra" and "Curly Joe DeRi-thra")

"Mine!"

Having been both uncomfortable and unsuccessful at being what passed for her as diplomatic; Karen Hughes has undertaken a new, more familiar tactic:

Negotiating the release terms of children she has abducted.

"You will pledge your love for George Bush and freedom, or I'll squeeze"

(REUTERS/Achmad Ibrahim/Pool)

It's like a really...really bad porn movie

It's from the Moonie Times (via Kos), so by Freeper definition it simply MUST be true!

The sources said Mr. Bush maintains daily contact with only four people: first lady Laura Bush, his mother, Barbara Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes. The sources also say that Mr. Bush has stopped talking with his father, except on family occasions.

That is from the subscribers only link.

It's early in the morning and my snark button isn't fully working yet (don't worry there will be a skit eventually), but what is more bizarre, this story, or that the Washington Times has an "exclusive" section for subscribers? I mean, some subscribers get wacky phones or fleece pullovers, Moonie Times subscribers get this, a free mass wedding to a mystery partner (explains how Tony Blankley could ever get laid) and an autograph picture of tax-evading Jeebus!

What a surprise....they're LIARS!!!!

Now we know why when asked if he'd swear them in, Ted Stevens shouted "NO!"

A White House document shows that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Cheney's energy task force in 2001 -- something long suspected by environmentalists but denied as recently as last week by industry officials testifying before Congress.

The document, obtained this week by The Washington Post, shows that officials from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco (before its merger with Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met in the White House complex with the Cheney aides who were developing a national energy policy, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being debated.

In a joint hearing last week of the Senate Energy and Commerce committees, the chief executives of Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips said their firms did not participate in the 2001 task force. The president of Shell Oil said his company did not participate "to my knowledge," and the chief of BP America Inc. said he did not know.

Chevron was not named in the White House document, but the Government Accountability Office has found that Chevron was one of several companies that "gave detailed energy policy recommendations" to the task force. In addition, Cheney had a separate meeting with John Browne, BP's chief executive, according to a person familiar with the task force's work; that meeting is not noted in the document.

Because these assholes (is it okay with everyone if I call Oil Industry CEO's assholes?) were not under oath, it will be quite difficult to get them on contempt or perjury charges.

Me thinks Stevens knew that and allowed them to get away with lying.

Nice huh?

Real ethical.

A Fitting Republican Tribute to Heroes

Well if they are not going to adequately fund veterans, I guess they might as well go for the full douchebag:

Congressional budget negotiators have decided to take back $125 million in Sept. 11 aid from New York, which had fought to keep the money to treat sick and injured ground zero workers, lawmakers said Tuesday.

New York officials had sought for months to hold onto the funding, originally meant to cover increased worker compensation costs stemming from the 2001 terror attacks.

But a massive labor and health spending bill moving fitfully through House-Senate negotiations would take back that funding, lawmakers said.

"It seems that despite our efforts the rescission will stand, very sadly, and that is something of a promise broken," said Rep. Vito Fossella (news, bio, voting record), R-N.Y. "We will try hard in the coming weeks, but ultimately Congress will have something of a black eye over this."

They really are sweethearts.

Hey Bob Woodward come of here...closer...closer...closer

FUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKKKKKK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!


I'm sorry, are you now more tone deaf then ever?

Might as well go for the other ear.

Ready?

Iowa -- Sometimes it sucks

Tornados on Saturday -- followed by snow on Tuesday.

So yes, that sort of sucks.

But as C&L tells us NOTHING could suck more than Daryn Kagan's flacid semen leaker:

"Support our men and women in uniform by giving a subscription to Rush 24/7 and the Limbaugh Letter to a member of the US Armed Forces. He or she will receive unfettered access to Rush 24/7 online as well as every big, colorful issue of The Limbaugh Letter "

No, we're not taking that $50 to help soldiers...no, we are taking that $50 and using it to keep Rush knee deep in twinkies and oxy.

It there is a bigger non-serial killing creep than Rush Limbaugh, I don't want to know about him or her [so spare me the Ann Coulter comments -- for now].

Sensible Senators Where Have You Gone?

Check out Digby if you already haven't. This is something that has been rolling around my brain lately: isn't the senate supposed to be the house of congress that stabilizes the government--or at least saves the congress from itself? People like Brownback, Thune, Coburn, and Graham, to name a few, are plainly bad for America.