Words haunt, Barack

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE   IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TODAY, SENATOR SWEETIE INSISTED THAT JOHN MCCAIN WAS RUNNING "THE LEAST HONORABLE CAMPAIGN."   THE CROWD REACTION WAS MUTED.   AS THESE REPORTERS SPOKE TO PEOPLE ATTENDING, IT BECAME OBVIOUS WHY.   "LEAST HONORABLE?" ASKED ONE WOMAN.  "HE HAS A LOT OF NERVE SAYING THAT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.  THIS WAS WHERE HE ATTACKED HILLARY NON-STOP AND, WHEN HE LOST OUR PRIMARY, HE SENT JESSE JACKSON JR. TO ATTACK HILLARY FOR WINNING AND IMPLY SHE WAS A RACIST.  WE DON'T FORGET THAT. HE HAS THE MORALS OF AN ALLY CAT."   THE SENTIMENT WAS ECHOED REPEATEDLY LEADING US TO DECIDE NEW HAMPSHIRE WASN'T BARACK COUNTRY.       FROM THE TCI WIRE:   Turning to the US presidential race and starting with indepdent presidential candidate Ralph Nader who appeared on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (CNN) Wednesday (click here for transcript).  Blitzer asked Ralph his goal in the election?     RALPH NADER, INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well if we're in the presidential debates, it might be a Jesse Ventura, three-way race. But -- yet today, we put together --   BLITZER: Three presidential debates, but the Presidential Debate Commission has set a bar that's pretty hard for you to overcome.      NADER: Yes, since it's controlled by the two parties, as you know.  Today I think is an historic day because we, Ron Paul and the candidate for the Green Party, the candidate for the Constitutional Party, and me, and Bob Barr, agreed on four major areas: foreign policy -- get the soldiers back, end the war in Iraq, stop being imperialistic, privacy, deal with the repeal of the Patriot Act; the revision of FISA -- Military Commissions Act and you know, get rid of torture; and a third is the national debt. Deficits are now used for reckless government adventurism. The -- BLITZER: The national debt has nearly doubled over the last -- NADER: Yes, and the Iraq war is financed from deficit spending. BLITZER: And the fourth issue? NADER: And the fourth issue is the Federal Reserve is now a government within a government. It is totally out of control. Congress doesn't control it. It's funded by the banks. And we either have constitutional government or we don't because of this. Well -- here's the question: Is there anything left for the American people to decide about their country?   Is there anything left to decide?  Earlier this week, Steve Horn (The Badger Herald) hit on similar points:   We've been conditioned by the mass media to believe there are only two political parties worthy of our attention. Because only the Republican Party and the Democratic Party receive significant coverage, especially during election cycles, it's easy to forget that other parties do indeed exist. Case in point: While Democratic presidential-nominee Barack Obama filled the Kohl Center to an over-capacity crowd of over 17,000 during his trip to Madison in February prior to the Wisconsin presidential primaries, Independent candidate Ralph Nader, running for president for the fifth time, struggled to fill the small Orpheum Theatre this past Friday on State Street, which has a capacity that is only 10 percent of the Kohl Center at 1,700.  Most students here probably didn't even know Nader would be speaking at the Orpheum, and those who did know scoffed at the idea of him running for president again. The situation is shameful -- because over the past eight years, the two mainstream parties have failed us and no one really seems to care, nor do they really want to do anything about it.  With wars on two fronts both deemed failures by the general public and key congressional leaders involvement in Jack Abramoff's money laundering scandal, the odds were rightfully stacked against the Republicans for the 2006 midterm elections. And indeed, they resulted in sweeping changes in the United States' political landscape from the local level all the way on up.  Democrats gained 31 seats in the House of Representatives and five seats in the Senate, drastically altering the landscape of Congress. Democrats won these seats under the premise that Washington -- under the leadership of the Republican Party -- was broken, and a change in leadership was necessary to fix it. Two years later, looking at the voting records of the spineless Democrats, they have, by-and-large, failed us.   On the campaign trail, Ralph will be heading to New Orleans September 17th where he will speak at Tulane University where he will hold a press conference at the Freeman Auditorium starting at 2:30 p.m. and a rally starting at 3:00 p.m.   Turning to Sarah Palin who is John McCain's running mate on the GOP ticket.  This is a quote from her when she was speaking to her church:   Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right.  Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God.  That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan.   That's what Palin said in her church.  Here for text (Glen Beck, CNN), here for audio (KPFK's Uprising -- and Sonoli Kolhatkar notes that the clips are cutting off short during the segment).   Note it because Charlie Gibson distorted her words.   ABC News has the first interview with Governor Palin.  Charlie Gibson conducted the interview.  One segment aired 'dealing' with Iraq.  Russell Goldman (ABC News) summarizes it as follows:   Palin defended a previous statement in which she reportedly characterized the war in Iraq as a "task from God."   Gibson quoted her as saying: "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God."   But Palin said she was referencing a famous quote by Abraham Lincoln.   "I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's words. But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that's a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God's side."      Actually, Goldman, Gibson got what she said wrong.  Click here for World News Tonight's official transcript, click here for the video.   GIBSON: You said recently, in your old church, "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God." Are we fighting a holy war?    PALIN: You know, I don't know if that was my exact quote.   GIBSON: Exact words.   PALIN: But the reference there is a repeat of Abraham Lincoln's words when he said -- first, he suggested never presume to know what God's will is, and I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's words.   But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that's a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God's side.    That's what that comment was all about, Charlie. And I do believe, though, that this war against extreme Islamic terrorists is the right thing. It's an unfortunate thing, because war is hell and I hate war, and, Charlie, today is the day that I send my first born, my son, my teenage son overseas with his Stryker brigade, 4,000 other wonderful American men and women, to fight for our country, for democracy, for our freedoms.    Charlie, those are freedoms that too many of us just take for granted. I hate war and I want to see war ended. We end war when we see victory, and we do see victory in sight in Iraq. GIBSON: I take your point about Lincoln's words, but you went on and said, "There is a plan and it is God's plan."   PALIN: I believe that there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good. I believe that there is great hope and great potential for every country to be able to live and be protected with inalienable rights that I believe are God-given, Charlie, and I believe that those are the rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That, in my world view, is a grand -- the grand plan.       Charlie quoted Palin stating, "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God."  That wasn't a sentence, that was part of a sentence with additions to it by Charlie Gibson.  Again, what Palin actually said:   Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan.   When Palain said, "I don't know if that was my exact quote," Gibson insisted, "Exact words."  No, they were not.  Gibson was also wrong when he stated, ". . .  you went on and said, 'There is a plan and it is God's plan'." She did not say that, she asked her church to pray that there was.   Even Sarah Posner told Sonali, "I mean, in a way, she was right with respect to the words that Gibson was quoting."  And note that MSM Gibson got it wrong and did not play clips of Palin's remarks while left-wing Sonali was more than happy to play the clips and allow a discussing (with Posner) and for listeners to make their own judgments.  If Gibson had access to a recording of Palin's remarks, then he lied.  If Gibson was using a secondary source, he practiced bad journalism.  Sonali showed more fairness than he did (not at all surprising considering Sonali's track record, but it needs to be noted).      Staying with the topic of religion, US House Rep and Idiot Steve Cohen was back in the news this week.  Jake Tapper (ABC News, link has video) points out, "Last seen in election 2008 comparing Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., to the villain played by Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction" -- having survived an anti-Semitic primary challenge -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., feels liberated to come on the House floor and say that 'Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate a governor'." No, JPT, that's not what Cohen said.  The video shows Cohen stating, "Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus, who our minister prayed about, Pontius Pilate was a governor."  So Cohen -- that would be Jewish Cohen for those not paying attention -- was 'endorsing' Barack on the House floor by comparing him to Jesus?  Or as the Jews might say, "You know, him."  Jewish people do not believe in or pray to Jesus (unless they are "Jews For Jesus").  Exactly what belief does Cohen have left and, if there is one, has put a price tag on it already?  And for the record, Christian theologians will dispute Cohen's crackpot claim re: Jesus and historians will say, "Not so fast" on the Pilate claim.  Meanwhile Laura Strickler (CBS News) provides a fact check on several rumors about Palin currently making the rounds while Women's Media Center highlights Republicans for Choice's Ann E. W. Stone weighing in on the meaning of Sarah Palin's being the GOP's choice for v.p.:   Also, we are incensed by the petty and misogyny of the small-minded statement the Obama campaign released totally dissing her background! Couple that with Obama telling the Hillary folks to "get over it" and I would think disenchanted Hillary supporters should flock to the GOP.   We need to reach out to Palin and try to find common ground--social issues are not her front and center agenda. No nonsense, no BS--Palin is a doer, not a talker, and not afraid to take the boys on.    Did we mention she is a feminist for life?  Again, her position on abortion means we will never endorse her, but even her selection advances all women.    The Democrats stood by while the media and others, including extreme elements in our own party, trashed Hillary Clinton and did not speak up to defend her.  Many were baseless attacks and jabs having to do more with her hairstyle or clothing than with her policies.  That stops now.   As Sarah Palin said when she thanked pro-choice Democrat icons Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton during her first speech upon being selected, they led the way but women are not finished yet and we will crash through the glass ceiling.     Tell it to the The Daily Toilet Scrubber -- and their squeaked voice tiny-tot 'leader' -- which continues their smears on Palin.  The latest recalls what Bully Boy did to McCain in 2000 -- spreading lies about John and Cindy McCain's daughter Bridget.  The trash being spread shouldn't be surprising, Toilet Scrubber is not left.  Joseph (Cannonfire) explores that latest nonsense and notes, "This is the first election that finds me observing Democrats 'from the outside.' My god. My good god. Have we always been this foolish, this clueless, this self-defeating? Have lefties always gone so far out of their way to alienate huge voting blocs?"   "I try to take the reigns and lead me somewhere better, I try to keep on moving on," sings I Am Three ("I Try") which sums up World Can't Wait's Sunsara Taylor who hides in no political closet and refuses to silence herself in the latest in the never ending Quiet Game To Elect Democrats.  Taylor spoke in Denver during the DNC convention (no, she didn't speak to the convention) and Revolution has an edited transcript:  "I know Recreate '68 had to go up against this. I'm going to be really blunt because it matters. United for Peace and Justice, Leslie Cagan, she said maybe we should call off the protest today and advocated instead that we should mingle with the delegates. I'm all for going and talking to delegates...in order to get them to join us in the streets, okay? But Code Pink, Progressive Democrats of America, where were they today? . . .  I'm not going to prettify this. We are in the belly of an empire. It is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. They have legalized torture and both parties, the whole system, is involved in that. History is going to judge us by how we act. If your allegiance to the Democratic Party is bigger than your allegiance to the people of the world then you have foreclosed your right to call yourself an 'anti-war leader'."  Use the link to read all of Taylor's strong speech.   Turning to public televsion,  NOW on PBS begins airing tonight on most PBS stations (and it will stream online) with topics that include: "Are tactical mistakes by Obama going to cost him the election? Maybe, says psychologist and Democratic political consultant Drew Westen. The author of "The Political Brain," talks to NOW's David Brancaccio about how appealing to voters' emotions reaps bigger electoral rewards than hammering home policy proposals. Westen is a Professor of Psychology at Emory University and the founder of Westen Strategies, LLC, a political and corporate consulting firm."  PBS' Washington Week (begins airing tonight, check local listings) features Gwyn being joined by ABC News's Martha Raddatz, Time's Karen Tumulty, the New York Times' Jackie Calmes and Slate's John Dickerson.    RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot" "Other Items" "Iraq" "I Hate The War" "Thomas Friedman mounts his Huffy bike" "Adults in the Kitchen" "sunsara taylor" "nancy pelosi donates to cindy sheehan's campaign!" "Andrew Romano, Jeff Roca" "Dems give one more reason to vote Nader" "E-mails and other topics" "Reality on the 2000 election" "I don't want Bill campaigning for Barack" "Nancy Pelosi: The fold-out politician" "Sunsara Taylor and political honesty" "The crazies" "Ralph, Barack, McCain" "Barack the unwanted" "THIS JUST IN! BARACK NEEDS RESCUING!"

Barack the unwanted

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE   IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE SENATOR SWEETIE FLIP THE BIRD.   HE IS NOW BEHIND IN FLORIDA AND PENNSYLVANIA.  THE PARTY IS 'FRETTING' OVER HIS 'TONE.'  AND YET AGAIN TO SHORE UP HIS DWINDLING SUPPORT, HE HAS TO TURN TO THE CLINTONS.   IT'S NOT BAD ENOUGH THAT THE WOMAN HE AND HIS SUPPORTERS DEMONIZED HAS TO BARNSTORM THE COUNTRY TRYING TO ASSURE VOTERS THAT THE UNQUALIFIED AND NOT READY BARACK WOULD MAKE A GOOD PRESIDENT, NOW BILL CLINTON, REPEATEDLY AND WRONGLY TARRED AS A RACIST BY THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN, HAS TO HIT THE ROAD TO SUPPORT THE SNOTTY NOSED RUNT.   AS HILLARY HAS TO SUPPORT BARACK OVER AND OVER, IT'S REALLY AMAZING THAT THE LAME LIKE KATHA POLLITT WERE SO QUICK TO BOO-HOO THAT A GOVERNOR'S WIFE HAD TO BE TROTTED OUT BEFORE THE PRESS DURING A SEX SCANDAL BUT CAN'T SAY 1 DAMN WORD ABOUT HOW THE LAST THING IN THE WORLD HILLARY SHOULD HAVE TO DO IS TRY TO SHORE UP BARACK'S WEAK ASS.  BUT PEOPLE LIKE KATHA POLLITT AREN'T KNOWN FOR THEIR HONESTY, JUST FOR BEING ASSHOLES.   MEANWHILE MATT DAMON FINDS TIME FROM DENYING RUMORS THAT HE AND BEN AFFLECK ARE LOVERS TO TRASH SARAH PALIN.  HEY REMEMBER WHEN HE AND BEN HAD PROMISING CAREERS . . . ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO.   FROM THE TCI WIRE:   There were a lot of lies told to start the illegal war and for it to continue a lot of lies continue to be told.  Among the big liars today, the editorial board of The Detroit Free Press which isn't content to play dumb with War Hawk Barack Obama's remarks, they 'improve' (lie) about them.  Lying through their teeth, they offer: "Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama wants to get all American forces out of Iraq within 16 months of taking office and focus more on Afghanistan. Leaders of the Iraqi government have said such a timetable could work. But Republican candidate Sen. John McCain believes a large-scale pullout would come at the risk of the current hard-won but fragile stability in Iraq."  Not even aged groupie Tom Hayden lies like that for Barack today.    During the Democratic Party primaries, Barack did use the "16 months" figure.  He did not use for "all American forces."  He stated "combat troops" and always stated that US service members would remain in Iraq for "training" and "terrorism" activities.  He never said "all America forces out of Iraq" and that an editorial board doesn't know that is beyond belief so the term is "lie."  Campaigning in Houston, Texas, Barack suddenly dropped the timetable down to "ten months" but he was still referring to "combat forces" only.  That was his campaign 'promise' but it wasn't a promise.  Dropping back to the June 6th snapshot:   The Press Trust of India reports that Barack told CNN he would "not rule out the possibility that conditions on the ground could alter his policy of immediately beginning a troop withdrawal and that Barack insisted of his 'pledge' to end the illegal war, "Well, you know, I'd never say there's 'nothing' or 'never' or 'no way' in which I'd change my mind." Confronted with his statements on withdrawal policy, He spoke of "broader perspective"s and offered praise for Gen David Petraeus.  It's shocking only if you've trusted the liars of Panhandle Media.  Barack has changed his position on the Iraq War repeatedly.  While running for the US Senate, he told Elaine and I at a big money, private fundraiser that he didn't favor withdrawal.  His attitude was that the US was in Iraq now and had to win.  (Neither Elaine nor I contributed to his run.  We both immediately walked out of the fundraiser.)  At that point he was a myth of the radical left, an "anti-war" candidate.  The press picked up on that and he became the "anti-war" Senator which required ignoring not only his public statements (his many public statements) but his continued voting for the illegal war once he got into the US Senate.  Throughout the campaign, he has signaled (and sometimes stated) to the mainstream press that his stance is far from it's portrayed.  "Hopelessly Devoted To Barack" Tom Hayden made a real ass out of himself doing a quickie write up of an NYT article co-written by Michael Gordon.  The reality of what was  in the transcript of the interview which the paper posted online.  In February, after his advertsiments where he robotically declared that his mother died of cancer, the campaign went into overtime with an advertisement that played like the Pepsi Generation (truly, it was the late 60s and early seventies Pepsi generation commercials).  To a bad 'rock' guitar, the commercial opened and featured quick shots of Barack barking out sentences while groupies swooned.  "We want . . ." he barked over and over, a laundry list of demands.  The Iraq War was on it.  But Barack wasn't running to be "we," he was running to become the nominee of the Democratic Party and then the president.  There were no "I will end the Iraq War."  All he did was offer what "we" wanted.  It got the psychos in Panhandle Media excited.  Of course, were he serious about ending the illegal war, his campaign would have stolen not the Pepsi commercials of that period, but the Coke commericals: I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony . . .   There was no "pledge" or "promise" made to end the illegal war, despite the groupies like Tom Hayden going bug-eyed crazy in their efforts to pretend otherwise (a fleeting sentence delivered in Houston, TX, as ginned up by Hayden into a new plan for Iraq). Then came the crash and burn of his advisor (a counter-insurgency supporter and War Hawk) Samantha Power.  The pathetics in Panhandle Media made themselves laughable -- and include John Nichols, Davey D and BuzzFlash at the top of that list.  Poor Samantha "fired" (Power resigned) for calling Hillary Clinton a "monster."  Poor sweet Sammy.  No, she resigned because of the damage she did with the press in England.  The "monster" insult was the trivia the MSM pumped out.  On that same trip, she insulted Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the UK and presumed ally of the next US administration regardless of who becomes president, and she gave an interview (that Panhandle Media refused to cover) to the BBC where she explained that Barack would be not be held accountable, if elected president, to any 'pledges' about Iraq he's making on the campaign trail.  She explained, as an advisor to Barack and a campaign insider, that any plans about what to do in Iraq would be decided only after he entered the White House.  Had that interview gotten the attention it should have, Barack would have faced tough questions.  That didn't happen.  It wasn't of interest to the corporate media (which still wants the illegal war) to give it much traction and the rejects of Panhandle Media are in love with Barack because of his 'connections' (his using of) Saul, Bernardine and Bill.  They deluded themselves into believing he was a Socialist when he is just a user who will use anyone regardless of political ideology in his efforts to climb to the top.   It was never a  promise, it was empty words offered on the campaign trail as Samantha Power revealed to the BBC in an interview taped while she was a foreign policy advisor to Barack and aired after she left the campaign (she has since come back -- no one's supposed to notice that either).  Had there been any adults, Samantha Power's statements would have immediately led to reporters questioning Barack non-stop about his advisor's statements.  Had the press not been in the tank for Barack, his own statements on CNN June 5th would have led to hard grilling because he had clearly led the American people to believe he was making a promise when, in fact, it was no promise on his end.  Everyone played dumb.  From the July 4th snapshot:   Arab News notes, "For Obama, who recently changed his positions on campaign finance and a wiretapping law, the suggestion that he was also changing course on a central premise of his candidacy holds particular peril. While Obama has long said he would consult commanders in the field when withdrawing troops, that point might have been lost on many Democratic primary voters who supported his call to end the war."  What's going on?  A bit of reality on War Hawk Barack. Suzanne Goldenberg (Guardian of London) puts it this way, ".Barack Obama was yesterday fending off charges from right and left that he had abandoned the core premise of his candidacy - the withdrawal of all US combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of taking office - in an attempt to attract voters from the political centre." Suzanne's a little out of it.  So were Katrina vanden Heuvel and Arianna Huffington on ABC's This Week last Sunday.  Withdrawal in 16 months?  That's 'so January 2008.'  Barack promised withdrawal of all (combat) troops within 10 months in a speech in Houston, Texas.  Always one to carry water for Barack, Tom Hayden immediately penned "End the War in 2009" (which popped up online at The Nation, Feb. 20th and elsewhere a bit later). Hayden: "In his victory speech in Texas Tuesday, Barack Obama promised to end the Iraq war in 2009, a new commitment that parallels recent opinion pieces in The Nation.  Prior to his Houston remarks, Obama's previous position favored an American combat troop withdrawal over a sixteen-to-eighteen-month timeframe.  He has been less specific on the number and mission of any advisors he would elave behind."  (The Texas primary was in March.  Barack was in Texas campaigning, for any more confused than usual by Tom-Tom's bad-bad writing.)  Texas community members saw the 10 month 'promise' pushed in advertising as well as on the campaign trail.  Those were his words (and Tom-Tom notes 'words matter') so let's all drop the nonsense that Barack's plan was 16 months (or at least leave the lying to Katrina who's become so very good at it).  Goldenberg's uninformed, ignorant or lying -- take your pick.  In her piece (dated tomorrow), she traces the uproar to Thursday when Barack said he might 'refine' his Iraq 'plan.'  If that's when the uproar started, is Arianna Huffington psychic?  Arianna was calling him out for 'refining' on Iraq Sunday on This Week. More water carrying from the allegedly 'independent' Guardian of London (which never wrote about the Downing Street Memos because 'independence' did not include informing people that Tony Blair lied England into an illegal war -- no time for 'truth-telling'  while Blair was in office at any rate.)  CNN reports that presumed GOP presidential candidate John McCain and the RNC are calling Barack a "flip-flopper" and they quote Barack's 'clarification' where Barack lies and says he has always said 16 months.  No, Barack, you went to ten months in February.  AP reports he celebrated the 4th of July in Butte, Montana (Kansas, he's done with you, he got what he needed) eating a hot dog. Tom Baldwin (Times of London) observes, "Grassroots activists whose energy and donations have helped to propel Barack Obama towards the White House are suddenly choking on the bitter pill of disillusion.   In less than a month since clinching the Democratic nomination, he has performed a series of policy pirouettes to assuage concerns about his candidacy among a wider and more conservative electorate." Geoff Elliott (The Australian) points out, "Barack Obama has started a dramtic reversal of the policies that helped him defeat Hillary Clinton for the presidential nomination, softening hardlines stances on the Iraq war and troop withdrawals.    Campaigning in North Dakota, Senator Obama said that while the US could not sustain a long-term presence in Iraq, his trip to the Gulf nation this month might prompt him to "refine my policies" on the war." John Bentley (CBS News) quotes Brian Rogers of the McCain campaign stating, "Today, Barack Obama reversed that position, proving once again his words do not matter. He has now adopted John McCain's position that we cannot risk the progress we have made in Iraq by beginning to withdraw our troops immediately without concern for conditions on the ground. Now that Barack Obama has changed course and proven his past positions to be just empty words, we would like to congratulate him on taking John McCain's principled stand on this critical national security issue. If he had visited Iraq sooner or actually had a one-on-one meeting with Gen. Petraeus, he would have changed his position long ago."  Jonathan Weisman (Washington Post) terms it Barack exploring "the possibility of slowing a promised, gradual withdrawal from Iraq". NPR has two audio reports here. How bad it is?  A friend just called to laugh at ____'s latest nonsense.  In place of a now killed feature for Third, we may address ____'s latest nonsense and his plethora of lies throughout the campaign.  Poor ____, it's even harder to airbrush out reality today than it was following his expulsion from the Red Family commune in his "smash the state" days (when he fancied himself Chris Jones in Wild In The Street).   Despite being publicly insulted and dismissed by Barack ("Tom Hayden Democrats"), Hayden made the year (and most of 2007) all about cheerleading and lying for War Hawk Barack.  On July 4th, he showed up at Aging Socialite's Cat Littler Box with a meltdown column ("Obama's Position on Iraq Could Put His Candidacy at Risk"") short on facts as he tried to pretend no one could have guessed what was then going on with Barack (saying he could change his 'plan' for withdrawing combat troops).  Desperate to maintain his already strained credibility, Tom-Tom sought to lash out others and pin the blame on them:   The most shocking aspect of Samantha Powers' forced resignation earlier this year was not that she called Hillary Clinton a "monster" off-camera, but that she flatly stated that Obama would review his whole position on Iraq once becoming president. Again, no one in the media or rival campaigns questioned whether this assertion by Powers was true. Since Obama credited Powers with helping for months in writing his book, The Audacity of Hope, her comments on his inner thinking should have been pounced upon by the pundits.   First, here's the BBC interview on Iraq:   Stephen Sackur: You said that he'll revisit it [the decision to pull troops] when he goes to the White House. So what the American public thinks is a commitment to get combat forces out within sixteen months, isn't a commitment is it? Samantha Power: You can't make a commitment in whatever month we're in now, in March of 2008 about what circumstances are going to be like in January 2009. We can't even tell what Bush is up to in terms of troops pauses and so forth. He will of course not rely upon some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or as a US Senator.   In his column, Tom-Tom pinned the blame on the media and rival candidates but, note, he grabbed no slice of the blame pie for himself.  Tom doesn't have internet access?  He missed the interview in real time?  He had a hand cramp and couldn't write about it March when it took place or later in June when Barack made similar statements on CNN?  Some in the US media did cover it in real time.  The Washington Post covered it and you can click here for only one example of them covering it as the news broke (March 7th).  Rival campaigns?  Hillary Clinton's campaign called it out repeatedly but the trash in Panhandle Media wasn't about to stop their non-stop sliming of Hillary long enough to note reality.    The day after the news broke, March 8th, the Clinton campaign issued "MEMO: Obama's Iraq Plan: Just Words:" Once again, it looks like Senator Obama is telling voters one thing while his campaign says those words should not be mistaken for serious action. After months of speeches from Senator Obama promising a hard end date to the Iraq war, his top foreign policy adviser that counseled his campaign during that period is on the record saying that Senator Obama will 'not rely on some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator. Voters already have serious questions about whether Senator Obama is ready to be Commander-in-Chief. Now there are questions about whether he's seriou about the Iraq plan he's discussed for the last year on the campaign trail.   Senator Obama has made hard end dates about Iraq a centerpiece of his campaign and has repeatedly attacked Senator Clinton for not being clear about her intentions with regard to troop withdrawal.   It turns out those attacks and speeches were just words. And if you can't trust Senator Obama's words, what's left?     The Clinton campaign has since taken down the bulk of the campaign website (can't be critical of Barack!) but you can google the title and you will find it, you can google the title and almost any community site and find it running in real time.  That wasn't the only press release from the Clinton campaign on that Power's statements re: Iraq.   They repeatedly tried to raise the issue and Panhandle Media attacked them for it while rushing to defend counter-insurgency guru Samantha Power.  July 6th, Third offered "Letters to An Old Sell Out: Iraq" to Tom-Tom about all the cover ups that went on 'independent' media and how Tom-Tom was part of the cover up but he was far from alone:     So did John Nichols. C.I. called out John Nichols nonsense on Saturday March 8th (the day after Power's remarks were known) when Johnny Five-Cents was lamenting "Samantha Power and the Danger of Gotcha Politics." Not only did John Nichols cover for Samantha Power (his post at The Nation is labeled "03/07/2008 @ 11:28 pm" meaning his article went up that Friday hours and hours after the "Iraq snapshot" calling out Power did -- isn't Johnny Five-Cents supposed to be a 'journalist'?), so did you. You want to show up on July 4th and blame the lack of attention to this story on the MSM when The Washington Post was blogging about it as the story broke, when they would go on to do a print report on it and yet Panhandle Media couldn't even be bothered with it?  Like Nichols, they were all lying. Davey D would go on to lament -- on KPFA's The Morning Show -- that Samantha "Powers" (it helps to know the name of the person you're broken up about, Davey) had left the campaign for (he said) calling Hillary a "monster." But let's stay with The Nation where Tom-Tom sits on the board. It never got into The Nation and he damn well knows that. Not on March 7th, not on March 8th. March 20th, Eric Alterman would feel the need to weigh in Power's leaving the campaign in "The Ritual Sacrifice of Samantha Power" and though he would note "monster" and "NAFTA," he never said a DAMN word about the BBC interview that entered the press cycle March 7th. He didn't say one DAMN word. It didn't stop there. Michael Massing's "The Power Conundrum" (published online May 22nd and in the June 9th issue of The Nation) found time to recount the "monster" remark which was rather strange since he was reviewing Power's book on the UN involvement in the Iraq War. Wouldn't the better thing to have referenced when reviewing a book on Iraq have been Power's remarks on Barack's so-called "promise"?  June 12th, John Nichols was back on the scene ["Students for Hillary, er, McCain (or McKinney)" -- what a wit and joy he must be for the others at the SciFi conventions] quoting a missive that referred to the "monster" incident. No need on his part to enlarge the topic and note Power's interview to the BBC.   March 12th -- five days after the Power remarks were in the news -- FIVE DAYS AFTER -- Air Berman was offering "It's Okay to be Intemperate!" (at The Nation's blog Campaign '08) and yet again recounting Samantha Power's 'unjust' departure over the "monster" remark (when not licking Hendrick Hertzberg's aging sack). Never once -- FIVE DAYS AFTER -- did Berman mention Power's remarks to the BBC. He would conclude his sad eulogy to Sammy (and presumably devote full attention to "Rick") with this, "Thanks to the events of the past week, campaign officials will be even more guarded when dealing with the media, and I don't blame them. It's an outcome that benefits no one." Apparently Ari thought he could help fight that trend by not telling readers what Samantha Power said about the Iraq 'promise'? It needs to be noted that the day the news broke, Ari Berman attempted to distract from Power's statement by filing "Clinton Does McCain's Bidding" which was nothing but his rummaging through old chat & chew transcripts in an effort to discredit Hillary on Iraq. Needless to say, he said nothing about Power. [As we noted in our March 9th in "Editorial: The Whores of Indymedia."]    What we got from the alleged 'independent' media (including The Nation) and from the alleged 'independent' web was inane defenses of War Hawk Samantha Power that avoided her Iraq remarks. Check out Josh Michah's Marshy & Hairy Butt Crack where Greg Sargent posted "New Hillary Campaign Video Seeks To Revive Samantha Power Controversy." It's a March 19th post and what does Sargent conclude of the commercial featuring Power revealing that Barack's 'promise' isn't a promise? A snippy: "Given that this is weeks-old story, the timing of its release is pretty obvious: The Hillary camp is hoping to use it to overshadow Obama's big Iraq speech today." That's from mind reader Greg Sargent and even then (and terming the commercial an "attack video"), check out the reaction of Josh's groupies (conditioned to salivate at the mention of Barack's name): "Ah, Hillary. Desperation becomes her," purrs one while Patagonia and das2003 lead the sizeable number who are offended and outraged that the video was even posted at Joshy's site.     Over at Mother Jones, David CornNuts kind-of sort of covered it (as C.I. noted March 10th) huffing ("An Ugly Moment for the Clinton Campaign," March 10th) that the campaign "took the unusual step of convening a second conference call of the day for reporters. And it was a sorry spectacle." (CornNuts, you went nuts.) Davey C writes "the Clintonites pounced on the comments" -- comments, pay attention Tom Hayden -- that Davey C immediately dismissed: "In other words, a campaign proposal is just that: a proposal. And only a fool would think that a military plan would be applied to reality unchaged a year after it was first devised." That's what happened Tommy Hayden -- AS YOU DAMN WELL KNOW -- Panhandle Media mainly ignored it and then the CornNuts crowd excused it and attacked Hillary for raising the issue. They lied repeatedly and we can outline that (mainly because we already have -- starting with John Nichols' LIE that Samantha Power and Hillary knew each other very well when Power told Charlie Rose they'd only met once). C.I. led on this at The Common Ills, but we all called it out at community sites and we didn't do it for one day or one week. We stayed on the story. The one Tom Hayden couldn't bother to write about until July 4th -- even though it took place March 7th. The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and others in the MSM did cover it and the response was silence from 'independent' media and attacks from the Barack groupies in comments and e-mails to the outlets.   Tom Hayden is a flat out liar who has disgraced himself.  July 4th he wanted to claim that Real Media ignored it (they didn't) and that the Clinton campaign didn't attempt to highlight Power's interview when they did (and got slammed for it by Panhandle Media over and over).  Tom Hayden and many others provided non-stop cover for Barack.  They refused to call him out and then want to act shocked today that he's not the man they repeatedly lied to assert he was.  Today The Detroit Free Press chooses to join the Liars Club by insisting that Barack has promised to pull all US troops out from Iraq in 16 months.  It's exactly all this covering and looking the other way for Barack that goes to how he has never been vetted and how his 'anti-war' credentials are nothing but hype.   That's not how the media is supposed to work -- Real Media or Panhandle Media.  But all this time later, it's still the story.  A few voices explore the reality (Robert Fisk, John Pilger, Glen Ford, Bruce Dixon are among the few).  Last week, there was another voice speaking the truth but no one wanted to explore that, no one rushed to book him on Panhandle Media programs, no one rushed to explore his observations.  From  Chris Floyd's "Surge Protectors: Obama Embraces Bush-McCain Spin on Iraq" (Baltimore Chronicle): "But it is Obama's surrender on the Iraq War front -- or rather, the anti-Iraq War front -- that is most striking, and most disheartening. On the very night that John McCain was putting the 'success' of the surge at the center of his campaign, Obama was openly, cravenly laying down one of his chief weapons at the feet of Bill O'Reilly. Obama's cheerleading for the surge -- 'beyond our wildest dreams!' -- surpassed anything that McCain himself has claimed for the escalation."  Instead, we pretend we don't see what's before our eyes, instead The Detroit Free Press lies that Barack's promised a complete withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq in 16 months.  As bad as Tom Hayden's been this entire election cycle (pretty bad), even he has gone that far to lie.  It should also be noted that the Obama campaign has floated the notion that, should Barack be elected, he might keep Robert Gates on as his Secretary of Defense.  Change you can believe in?     RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot" "Other Items" "Iraq" "sucky kpfa and laura flanders" "Talking post" "Nader, Biden, Barack" "Jeremiah was a . . . piece of trash" "Ralph talks issues, Cult of Barack talks trash" "House Armed Services Committee" "The company he keeps" "THIS JUST IN! CAROL FOWLER TERRORIST AND ASS!"

The company he keeps

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE   AS 2007 DREW TO A CLOSE, CAROL FOWLER HAD TO DENY SHE WAS A TERRORIST.   SAID ASS CAROL, "I DON'T THINK I'M THE TERRORIST TYPE, FRANKLY.  I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE IN FLORIDA ARE UNAHPPY, AND I DON'T BLAME THEM, BUT I AM THE CHAIR IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND I DO WHAT I NEED TO DO."   TERRORIST.   ASS CAROL WAS BACK IN THE NEWS TODAY AFTER MOCKING SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TRASH G.O.P. VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE SARAH PALIN OF WHOM ASS CAROL DECLARED HER "PRIMARY QUALIFICATION SEEMS TO BE THAT SHE HASN'T HAD AN ABORTION."  WTF????????   THAT'S AN INSULTING THING TO SAY ABOUT MANY WOMEN SINCE IT BELITTLES THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT WHEN IT'S A WOMAN WHO JUST GAVE BIRTH TO A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD, IT'S SO OFFENSIVE SOMEONE SHOULD GRAB THE SOAP.  REMEMBER WHAT TERRORIST CAROL SAID WHEN SHE SCREWED OVER FLORIDA VOTERS, "I AM THE CHAIR OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND I DO WHAT I NEED TO DO."   WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO IS APOLOGIZE TO SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.    FROM THE TCI WIRE:     Back to the race for the US presidency.  War Hawk Barack Obama's in trouble for doing something so it was time for all his lovers in the press to come out in full force and defend their Christ-child.    Here's what he said.   Barack Obama: Let-let's just list this for a second. John McCain says he's about change too. Exc-and-and so I guess his whole angle is 'Watch out, George Bush.  Except for economic policy, health care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove style politics, we're really going to shake things up in Washington." That's not change.  That's-that's just calling some the same thing something different But you know you can't e-e-e-e You know you can put uh liptick on a pig, it's still a pig.   When he says "You can put lipstick on a pig," what is Barack doing?  What is he physically doing?  Chicago's gutter boy is flipping the bird and when the finger goes up the howls start. You can see it in the video his campaign/campaign surrogates issued as a response.  We see Dick Cheney speak, no bird flipping.    You can watch it at Joe Garafoli's post (San Francisco Chronicle) which reads like "He's Sure The Boy I Love."  Barack goes on to make a comment about fish smell.  It's not in the video, they cut it before that point.  CBS contributes, "CBS News reporter Maria Gavrilovic reports that as the crowd laughed, Obama added: 'You can you can, wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change, it's still going to stink after 8 years. We've had enough of the same old thing'."  Last week, Ruth took on sexist pig Ellen Susman who also had a "fish" 'joke' in her smear of Palin.  Writing as if she was Susman, Ruth observed, "And let me call my post 'A Fish Called Sarah.' I will pretend like I think it is a Monty Python film and mention other Monty Python films. But even as stupid as I, Ellen Susman, am, I know it is not. Even as dumb as I am, I do know the "two things smell fish" 'joke.'"  And so does Barack.   They weren't even his own words he was speaking -- which is why he stumbles (no teleprompter).  Joseph (Cannonfire) explains, "His comments were cribbed -- word for word -- from a Washington Post cartoon. Why is Obama allowed to plagiarize when others are not?"  Why indeed and this isn't the first time he's been caught stealing.   As Susan (Random Notes) sums up, "Well, Barack, if you'd have paid attention to presidential campaigns of the past, you would know better than to consider yourself immune to blasphemy, er, criticism, even fake criticism, from the other side."  Delilah Boyd (A Scrivner's Lament) lays it out as plain as day, "Before you Obots go all 'Obama didn't call Palin a pig' on me, hear this: How much longer will men get away with 'I was just kidding,' 'I wasn't talking about you,' and 'What's the matter? can't you take a joke?'"  miq2xu (Klownhaus) [language warning], "Regarding Obama's 'Lipstick on a Pig' comment, I call bull**it on Christy Hardin Smith, Marc Ambinder, D-Day, Taylor Marsh and Whoever Kidnapped Jeralyn Merritt (WKJM²) Each of these people has taken the position that not only were Obama's comments completely innocent, but that the McCain campaign is trying to manufacture a controversy because no reasonable person could possibly get the idea that Obama was calling Sarah Palin a pig. Even if someone truly believed that it was an innocent gaffe (I don't) it is easy to see how that connection could easily be made.  I didn't need anyone to explain it to me, nor did most former Hillary supporters, because we 'periodically' saw these types of misunderstandings before."  Lambert (Corrente) weighs in on Barack's pig remarks, "You know, if Obama hadn't indulged himself by getting snarky in front of a friendly crowd, he could be talking about the economy right now -- and winning P.T.A. moms too, who like those kitchen table issues."  madamab (The Confluence) advises, "Case in point: When you call your opponent's vice president a pig and say she smells like fish, you do not try to pretend you didn't do it. You did it, in front of God and YouTube. So apologize and move on, otherwise you will engender anger and resentment."   On the topic of sexism, it bears noting that Feminist Wire Daily finally got active calling out sexism against Palin, "Donny Deutsch recently made sexist comments about Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin and former Democratic Presidential contender Hillary Clinton. Deutsch appeared on CNBC's Squawk the Street (Watch the video here) and made several misogynistic comments including praising Palin for earning respect through her ability to make men 'want to mate with her' and calling Senator Clinton's loss in the Democratic Primaries a direct result of the fact that she 'didn't put a skirt on.'"  Egalia (Tennessee Guerilla Women) points to another with a need to sexualize Palin Salon's Gary Kamiya who needs to Palin as "a whip-wielding mistress".  Last night Kat took on 'progressive' Ed Garvey's need to compare Palin to erectile medications, "The comparison is insulting; however, it may indicate what's in Garvey's own medicine cabinet."   Now before we get to today's remarks by Barack (which are even more insulting to women -- if anyone actually listens), Kirsten Powers (New York Post) provided the backstory leading up to Palin's speech last week, "No, Obama didn't engage in the mass sneering at Palin - but he did fall into the trap of disrespecting her. When McCain chose her, the Obama campaign's first response was to ridicule the size of her town. Then the candidate himself began referring to her as a "former mayor" when she is in fact a sitting governor. When she retaliated (justifiably) by mocking his stint as a organizer, the Obama camp was clearly rattled. Obama himself actually began arguing about the importance of community organizing. His supporters amplified this cry - claiming Palin's attack was a racist slur and passing around e-mails titled 'Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor.' Meanwhile, the rest of the country was probably wondering what being a community organizer has to do with being president."   Today, Barack spoke.  And what did the Christ-child say?  It's wowed some of the usual PIG MEN, Queen Bees and Gender Traitors.  From CNN (text and video), this is Barack:  "We have real problems in this country right now. The American people are looking to us for answers, not distractions, not diversions, not manipulations. They want real answers to the real problems we are facing."   Sexism isn't a real problem to Barack Obama.  It's an annoyance for him to have to address sexism.  He's laughing in the video.  He finds it all so funny.  (I find his attempt to grow a mustache hilarious.  That's day two by the way.)  "This is what they want to talk about," insists Barack. And talking about it means he's not able to address "the issues that matter to you."  Barack, you sad PIG, sexism matters to me and to many.  It's not a "diversion" or a "distraction" (his words), it is a very real issue.   And it took Katie Couric calling it out to finally get the MSM to notice it.  And what was the Obama campaign's response?  Katharine Q. Seelye and Julie Bosman (New York Times) reported in June what US House Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz told them on behalf of Team Obama, "She said Mr. Obama had no specific plans for a speech on sexism, partly because he already incorporates themes of discrimination as a societal problem into his speeches."   But Barack's bothered that he had to even get near the topic today.  He calls it unfair.  He didn't think it was unfair when his Cult was tarring Bill Clinton as a racist for using "fairytale."  He used the odor of fish and lipstick on a pig to insult a woman.  All Bill Clinton did was point out Barack was a damn liar about his positions on the illegal war.    Sexism can be used by Barack's campaign and by Barack but the Christ-child must never have to address the topic and sends out flunkies (he hides behind a lot of women) to insist that he's already addressed an "ism" and wasn't that enough?  No.  No, it is not enough.  In March 2008, he decied to bore the country with a never-ending stream of words (4,683) allegedly on the topic of race. (It wasn't about race it was about the only topic he enjoys getting wordy on: Himself.)   He can't address sexism?    He has two daughters and he can't address sexism?  He said of Hillary Clinton that "periodically" when Hillary was "feeling blue" "the claws come out."  He's now going after Sarah Palin and wants yet another pass?  He can't address sexism but, as Marie Cocco's "Obama's Abortion Stance When 'Feeling Blue'" (Washington Post Writers Group) pointed out, he's got plenty of time to speak to anti-women men:   Obama says that these women should not be able to obtain a late-term abortion, because just "feeling blue" isn't the same as suffering "serious clinical mental health diseases." True enough. And totally infuriating.        During the recent Obama pander tour -- the one in which he spent about a week trying to win over conservative religious voters -- the presumptive Democratic nominee unnecessarily endorsed President Bush's faith-based initiative, a sort of patronage program that rewards religious activists for their political support with public grants. Then in a St. Louis speech, Obama declared that "I let Jesus Christ into my life." That's fine, but we already have a president who believes this was a qualification for the Oval Office, and look where that's gotten us.Obama's verbal meanderings on the issue of late-term abortion go further. He has muddied his position. Whether this is a mistake or deliberate triangulation, only Obama knows for sure.         One thing is certain: Obama has backhandedly given credibility to the right-wing narrative that women who have abortions -- even those who go through the physically and mentally wrenching experience of a late-term abortion -- are frivolous and selfish creatures who might perhaps undergo this ordeal because they are "feeling blue."   When Palin entered the race and made her "lipstick" line, the game changed.  If Hillary had been the Democratic nominee and had chosen Joe Biden for her running mate, John McCain could declare that they were negative and refer to their "dark vision" for America's future.  With Barack as the nominee, his use of that term would be called out immediately.  With Barack in the race, the game changes.  It's the same thing with Sarah Palin being in the race.  Barack's remarks yesterday were pre-pared as evidenced by the fact that he stole a huge chunk from a cartoon.  If he and his team are too stupid to grasp how those remarks would play, that's their own damn fault.  He should have apologized.   Instead, he hides behind women and has them trot out to offer excuses and attacks.  It's not going to work anymore than it does in a court room when a rapist hires a female attorney or a rapist's defense team uses the sole woman to cross examine the rape victim.  If Barack can't even address sexism what does that really say about him?  And what does it say about the women who allow him to hide?  President of NOW's New York state chapter Marcia Pappas offers "To Women Who Love Their Political Party Too Much" and all -- men and women -- would benefit from reading that.   And on a similar note, To The Contrary's Bonnie Erbe (writing at US News & World Reports) explains:   Women can be sexist, too, you know, just like persons of color can be racist. As the media debate whether Gov. Sarah Palin's public treatment is sexist or not, take this punch, socked to Palin by a woman, that's as clearly out of bounds as a husband slapping his wife in the face in public.   As related by The Washington Post's Ruth Marcus today:          My colleague Sally Quinn put it most provocatively. "Is she prepared for the all-consuming nature of the job?" Quinn wondered. "When the phone rings at three in the morning and one of her children is really sick, what choice will she make?"        Has Quinn ever asked the same question of a man running for vice president? Of course not, nor would she. What if the answer is, Sarah Palin would take the call at 3 a.m. and jump on any plane to anywhere in the world, confident that her husband would care for the sick child? To pose the question is to promote idiotic and sexist media viewpoints, while ignoring the much more important flaws in the Palin candidacy.            RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot" "Other Items" "NYT's frustrated creative writing majors" "nader, palin, barack" "Child labor scandal" "Nader" "Nader makes the ballots in 45 states" "Steve Horn represents hope for the future" "Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, Barack" "Barack's padding" "THIS JUST IN! BARACK PADS!"

Barack's padding

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE   SENATOR "SWEETIE" BARACK OBAMA REALIZED HE NEEDED SOMETHING MORE THAN "FAILED COMMUNITY ORGANIZER" TO OFFER SINCE AMERICA ISN'T IMPRESSED WITH HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE.  SO HE'S GOING TO BE EMPHASIZING HIS 'EDUCATION BACKGROUND.'    THAT WOULD BE THE WORK HE AND BILL AYERS DID.    THAT WOULD BE THE BILL AYERS HE PLANS NOT TO KNOW.   INTERESTINGLY, IN HIS FAILED DEBATE PERFORMANCE AGAINST HILLARY, HE TRIED TO ARGUE THAT HE BARELY KNEW BILL AYERS AND THAT THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND ACTIONS DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE HE WAS ONLY 8 YEARS OLD (AS IF IT WAS A ONE YEAR OPERATION); HOWEVER, NO ONE NOTICED HE HAD HIS DISTRACTION READY, LYING THAT BILL CLINTON PARDONED TWO MEMBERS OF THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND.    NOW HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNEW THAT?  HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE HAD THAT READY UNLESS HE KNEW BILL AYERS WAS A HUGE ISSUE DESPITE ALL OF HIS LIES TO THE CONTRARY.      FROM THE TCI WIRE:   Turning to the US presidential race.  Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader can announce that the plan for the Nader-Gonzalez ticket to be on the ballot in 45 states by September 20th happened nine days early.  Ralph and his running mate Matt Gonzalez (and their team of supporters) have already advanced the independent run further than in 2004 and have had to jump through obstacles of ballot access that no one should have to.  In addition to that news, Team Nader picked an endorsement, from Jaclyn E.'s "Ralph Nader for President" (Teen Ink):   Choosing between the ­Republican and Democratic candidate would mean choosing the lesser of two evils. Instead, I prefer to align myself with a candidate who shares my views on stabilizing the economy, preventing war, and downsizing the government. This candidate is Ralph Nader.   Nader is the only presidential candidate who has experience running his own business. He has applicable knowledge of the economy and strives to distribute wealth equally. He was quoted on "Meet The Press" as saying: "There is a two-tier economy where the top 10 percent is doing quite well, the top one percent spectacularly. But the top one percent of the richest ­people in this country have financial wealth equal to the combined 95 percent of the American people. That's a very ­unhealthy inequality." In order to fix this, Nader proposes to repeal the Bush administration tax cuts and adjust the federal income tax. This shows that he is driven to help the average American survive the current ­economic slump.  Nader also wants to help America move past Congress's war-happy regime. He proposes a "draft from the top," meaning when an administration approves a war, the service-aged children of all members of that Congress and Cabinet will be the first to serve. This would ensure that elected officials think carefully before declaring war. Nader also supports pulling out of Iraq within six months and trying to negotiate with Iran. He wants to take our men and women in uniform out of Iraq and bring them home where they belong.    Team Nader announces:   Drop $11 on Nader/Gonzalez.  Why?  We're celebrating.  At the beginning of this campaign, we made a promise:  Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot in 45 states by September 20.   Today -- Tuesday, September 9, 2008 -- eleven days ahead of schedule -- we declare victory.  We have completed our ballot access efforts and we're set to be on in 45 states.  On in more states than in 2000 (43).  On in more states than in 2004 (34).  On in 45 states.  Now, the American people will have a choice.  To vote for a campaign free from corporate influence.   But, as you probably have figured out by now, we are not a campaign that rests on its laurels.  So, today we are proud to announce the launch of our eight-week Nader/Gonzalez Get Out the Vote drive.  We need to raise $80,000 by September 17.  This money will be used to reach out to Americans throughout this country.  We're planning on deploying 30 full-time field staff.    Ordering tens of thousands of lawn signs.    Printing hundreds of thousands of pamphlets.   And making hundreds of thousands of phone calls.  To inform the American people that they now have a choice in November.  And to get them to vote for Nader/Gonzalez.  Want health care for all? Vote Nader/Gonzalez.  Need a living wage? Vote Nader/Gonzalez.  Want to transform the country to a solar energy economy? Vote Nader/Gonzalez. Want to reverse course in the Middle East? Vote Nader/Gonzalez.  Help us celebrate this historic opportunity the only way we know how.   With action for a change.   So, donate $11 now to the Nader/Gonzalez Get Out the Vote Fund.   (If you give $100 or more now, we will send to you In Pursuit of Justice, the 520-page book of essays by Ralph Nader -- essays on corporate power, the Constitution, and transforming our country. If you donate $100 now, we will send you this historic collection -- autographed by the man himself -- Ralph Nader. (This offer ends at 11:59 p.m. September 17, 2008))  So, let's start to spread the word.  Nader/Gonzalez on in 45 states. Time to crank it up.   And get out the vote.   Let's get it done.   Onward to November.       RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot" "Other Items" "Iraq" "the new 'obama girls'" "Isaiah, e-mails and Palin" "Ralph gets another endorsement" "How stupid is Michelle Cottle?" "Sexism and bad journalism" "Isaiah, Ralph Nader, Third" "Bad news for Barack" "THIS JUST IN! BARACK SINKS LIKE A STONE!"

Bad news for Barack

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE   POOR SENATOR "SWEETIE."  ALREADY ON THE RUN FROM THE SARAH PALAN JUGGERNAUT (PICTURED BELOW ON SUNDAY), BARACK CONTINUES TO SWEAT HIS OVERREACH.     HIS DECISION TO BREAK HIS PROMISE TO UTILIZE PUBLIC FINANCING IS HARMING HIM SINCE HE HAS TO SPEND TIME FUNDRAISING AND SINCE AUGUST'S FUNDRAISING TOTALS FOR SWEETIE ARE EXPECTED TO BE DOWN AND MAY BE HIS LOWEST FUNDRAISING MONTH EVER.   MEANWHILE PALIN IS DRAWING CROWDS ON THE ROAD AND JOHN MCCAIN HAS SEEN A BOUNCE IN THE POLLS.   THE BEST THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE CAN OFFER IS TO SEND IN THE WOMAN HE STOLE THE NOMINATION FROM TO TRY TO ADD ENTHUSIASM TO HIS INCREASINGLY FADED CAMPAIGN.  ALL SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON ON THE ROAD DOES IS REMIND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BASE THAT THE 'LEADERSHIP' SCREWED THEM OUT OF THE REAL CANDIDATE.     FROM THE TCI WIRE:       Turning to the US presidential race and starting with the pig holler Barack Obama.  Shailah Murray (Washington Post) noted his comment last week on GOP vice presidential nominee Gov Sarah Palin "I assume she wants to be treated the same way that guys want to be treated" -- do you assume that?  How very 'forward' of you, pig face. What an insulting thing for him to even say.  Palin's run a real campaign.  She didn't sniff her opponents panties to put them out of the race -- a claim Barack can't make for himself (see Jack Ryan especially). Barack went on to declare that he'd been vetted for 19 months unlike Sarah. Brack Obama vetted?  Oh, that's hilarious.  The only thing funnier than his claim to have been vetted is watching him nosedive in poll after poll. CNN offers the most optimistic findings from their poll with Opinion Research Corp: 3% undecided, 48% for Barack - [Joe] Biden, 48% for [John] McCain.- Palin.  CBS News reports, "Sarah Palin's addition to the ticket probably exceeded her running mate's wildest expectations: McCain has turned an eight-point deficit in the Gallup daily tracking poll into a three-point lead."   Dan Balz and Jon Cohen (Washington Post) report the results of the Washington Post-ABC News poll which find the two in a dead heat. Todd Spangler (Detroit Free Press) zooms in on Michigan and studies Public Policy Polling to determine, "From the data, it appears that the Palin pick is clearly helping McCain in the race against Obama in Michigan -- a state the Republican hopes to pick up in order to beat the Democrat." Michigan is, of course, the state Barack refused to have his name listed on the primary ballot and somehow managed -- via the 'rules' committee -- to come out with more delegates than Hillary from the primary she won -- the one he refused to compete in.  Scott Conroy (CBS News) repeats the usual dumb ass garbage that concludes with, "Sarah Palin, by contrast, has repeatedly pointed to her son Track's service in the National Guard when making the case that John McCain should be the next president. Track Palin is scheduled to deploy to the Middle East later this week to begin his training for a tour of duty in Iraq." Let's speak slowly for the dumb asses.  1) Joe Biden's children's military service is stated and stretched.  2) Military service is not a private issue.  For one thing, you're required to take a public oath.  Scott Conroy sounds as idiotic as Jeannie Cummings and that's his own damn fault.   And it's that dumb ass 'reasoning' that's going to have a sizeable number of people dismissing any 'scoops' (real or false) the media may come up with on Palin because it still sounds like they're gunning for her.  Military service is public service.  It is not about anyone's private life and -- unless you get a parental waiver -- only adults can enlist in the US.  There's a big difference and Conroy looks like a real ass pretending there's not.     PBS' Independent Lens wrote of the now independent presidential candidate, "Ralph Nader was born on February 27, 1934 in Winsted, Connecticut.  His parents, Nathra and Rose, were Lebanese immigrants.  He received a B.A. from Princeton University in 1955 and graduated from Harvard Law School three years later.  In 1963, he abandoned his Hartford, Connecticut law practice and hitchhiked to Washington, D.C. to embark on a lifelong career as a public citizen.  He worked as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Labor and founded the Public Citizen research group."  That was to promote their airing of the documentary An Unreasonable Man.  And they also offered "Where's Nader?" as part of the promotion -- a photograph you could scroll across "to spot 18 things that can be attributed to his work."   At the Super Rally last week, he noted "three polls that will tell you that the Nader - Gonzalez agenda is a majority agenda.  Inferentially and item by item.  81% of the American people think the country's going in the wrong direction.  That's the highest level ever registered.  75% of the people in this country think corporations have too much control over their lives.  And 61% of the people in this country in a Gallup poll say that the two major parties are failing."  In response to a question regarding impeaching Dick Cheney and the Bully Boy after they leave office, Ralph explained (here for video):   Ralph Nader: Well you can't impeach them once they leave office but they're subject on January 21, 2009 for criminal prosecution under federal law and it's possible.  One of the most experienced prosecutors in the country, whose now retired, Vincent Bugliosi wrote that bestseller recently on the prosecution of George W. Bush [The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder].  Any district attorney, he claims, where a US soldier resideded and lost his or her life in Iraq due to a criminal war based on false pretenses by Bush and Cheney could bring a criminal homicide action and impanel a grand jury to indict both Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld.  And it's often misunderstood that presidents and vice presidents do not  escape the criminal laws after they leave office.  When Nixon was accused of obstructing justice in the Watergate burglary back in the 70s, there was a Watergate task force of government attorneys that was just about to ask for his indictment and prosecute Nixon before [Gerald] Ford pardoned him.    So for a one-time obstruction alleged in the Watergate burgalry, the arm of the criminal law was going to move forward.  That is like tiny compared to the criminal behavior engendered day after day -- systemic torture, imprisoning thousands of people without charges and without lawyers, the signing statements, hundred of them, where George Bush would sign a bill and say "I will decide whether or not to obey it."  Our Founding Fathers fought and got rid of King George III not to allow King George IV to take control of our country.  And then of course there's spying in violation of the FISA Act without judicial warant on hundreds of thousands maybe millions of Americans.  That's a first-class felony with a maximum penalty of a five-year jail term.  And of course, there is the criminal war of aggression in Iraq -- probably the worst violation of international law other than genocide -- is a criminal war of aggression.  So the question is: "Are there going to be any district attorneys in the country who are going to begin the process of holding presidents and vice presidents after they leave office accountable for their crimes or are Bush and Cheney going to set a precedent for their successors who then think that they can be above the law, beyond the law, violate the law with impunity?" That's the question that we all have to ask.   On Friday, Ralph spoke in Wisconsin and Kevin Bargnes (The Badger Herald) reports, "Nader and his running mate Matt Gonzalez support the establishment of a date for troop withdrawal from Iraq and an end to the imprisonment of nonviolent drug offenders.  A large portion of the attendees were University of Wisconsin students, and Nader painted a bleak future for a generation he believes will be worse off economically than its parents. 'You've got to wonder about whether you can get affordable housing, affordable health insurance, whether your white-collar skilled job dealing with software is going to be outsourced to China or India,' Nader said. 'And then in the moments of anxiety you're smoking a joint and you can be arrested and thrown in jail'."  Michelle L. Quinn (Post-Tribune) reports on a sit-down interview with Nader and running mate Matt Gonzalez when they were in Indiana over the weekend, "Their platform includes items he says Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have taken 'off the table,' such as a 6-month, comprehensive negotiated military and corporate withdrawal from Iraq; single-payer, Canadian style free-choice health insurance; a living-wage and repeal of the anti-union Taft-Hartley Act; and a no-nuke, solar-based energy policy supported by renewable and sustainable energy sources. Solar energy is a change he's touted for years, and many utility executives to whom he's spoken prefer wind power as the next energy source, he said."  Ralph was also campaigning in Wisconsin over the weekend and among the speakers at Fighting Bob Fest.  Matthew Ryno (Baraboo News Republic) reports he "gave a biting speech to kick off the morning's events.  He targeted what he called, 'least, worst' voters, or voters who he says cannot tolerate another four years of a Republican as president.  'The question is whether or not we get a Republican in disguise,' Nader said, referring to Democrat Barack Obama.  'We're seeing similar parties.' Nader said. 'Measure the Democratic control of Congress and ask how much of Bush's legislature have they rolled back? Have they even tried to impeach?'"   Have they done anything?  And what of Barack?  Chris Floyd (Baltimore Chronicle) tackled the issue of 'anti-war' Barack over the weekend, "In short, he continued his relentless campaign to purge himself of any of that weak-sister 'anti-war' taint that got attached to him in the early days of his campaign -- which was, of course, responsible for his phenomenal rise in the first place. He rode that wave to national prominence -- trading on the desperate hopes of millions of Americans that the ungodly criminal nightmare in Iraq might finally end -- but it was obvious long ago that he was never going to dance with the ones that brung him. Once it was clear that he might really make it all the way to the top of the greasy pole, he began a dogged campaign to prove to our ruling elite that he would be a 'safe pair of hands' for the imperial enterprise."   RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot" "Other Items" "Iraq the medical nightmare" Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Barack Running Scared" "And the war drags on . . ." "White House gets 2 copies of Woodward's book Thursday" "Chris Floyd explores realities" Truest statement of the week Truest statement of the Week II Truest statement of the week III A note to our readers Editorial: The Sour Grape Girls TV: More sexism, more self-promotion The Palin effect Ty's Corner Whose Media Center? CounterSpin's wrong, Ava and C.I. are correct Kwame The vain woodman Highlights "When" "THIS JUST IN! THE 'VICTIM' SOBS!"