Thursday, September 30, 2004

There's No Joy In Freeperville Tonight!


What Free Republic Is Saying About The Debates...


"This is a sad thing. I am panicking....Bush is not doing well at all."

"I agree. The President is taking this very personally and it's affecting his delivery."

"You're not alone....and this topic is the President's strength.

I have a heart heavy with dread and disappointment."

"Bush is trying to remember points covered in debate prep instead of sitting back and talking as he does on the campaign trail.
Bush is not smooth, is too defensive, and is allowing major openings to pass.

This is not going well for Bush, I'm afraid."

"Well we just lost the election.

The President looks like a wimp and responding very poorly. Kerry is confidant and hitting all his points. Kerry sounds convincing.

I think kerry will convince the fence sitters and add the fraud to the mix we will lose.

And I though GWB was going win by a landslide.

What the hell happened to the President.

I just hope that my expectations were so high that any performance by GWB would be poor and any performance by kerry would be good.

I am not very happy right now."

"Kerry is looking really good.....very articulate, many facts back and forth.

BUsh is just saying the same talking points.

THIS IS A DISASTER!

I am just about ready to shut it off....Kerry is going to shoot up in the polls like crazy next week.....it is going to be horrible."

"Oh crap.

Kerry just gave a zinger to Bush on the enemy attacking us.

Kerry is winning by FAR.

Disastrous."

"Bush needs more facts, I am very ardent Bush supporter, but Kerry has facts, Bush is not hammering Kerry on things he has said and done in the past. He keeps talking about the messages. Bush needs to get on game or he will lose ground in the polls after tonight."

"Bush is phumphering and sticking too much to catch phrases and cliches.
He is definitely not winning this debate."

"Bush needs to stop hunching over... When shown from behind, as they're doing often, he looks awful, insecure... He needs to be erect.
Man, I don't know how so many of you see this 180 from me. I think that for those who don't know the truth (of Skerry's lies), he's going to convince many that HE's more qualified

His comment ..."Of course I know SBL attacked us. I know that"... What??? ARRRGGGHHH. He's doing AWFUL!!! Wake up folks, and be honest with yourselves."

"Didn't he practice at all?! Geez....he has no facts and figures...Iraq is a huge success, but the American public needs him to clearly tell us...he ain't doing it.

PRAY FOR HIM"

"Bush seems a bit intimidated. Bush still has time, but if he doesn't turn this around, then Kerry's going to benefit quite a bit from this debate. "

"Easy, amigo....if Bush is getting his ass kicked - because he for some reason is NOT rebutting Kerry's lies - he's getting his ass kicked. There's no denying it.

So far, Bush's performance deserves complaints....and if you think I'm a Kerry supporter, have a look at my posting history, Newbie!"

"THIS IS HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

We may have lost the election tonight. "

"W- keep the sarcasm out of your voice- it sounds condescending."

"You know, my husband is really making me depressed. He is saying Bush is losing this debate"

"No he's not. Forget about what they're saying. Kerry's attitude and manner are better, and on TV that, unfortunately, is the key."

"I don't think W is doing well at all. I know he's not a smooth talker, but he's way on the defensive and that's because Leher isn't asking anything tough for Kerry to have to defend."

"I totally agree. If Bush says "it's hard work..there's a lot of good people out there working hard...." I'm going to scream.

"He is definitely not winning this debate.

I'm afraid you're right. Bush is trying to remember talking points instead of sitting back, relaxing, and just pointing out all the stuff he knows.

Kerry is very good. He's got command of the facts. Bush is speaking in general platitudes.

I don't like this. Bush is doing just about as poorly as he possibly could do."

"I agree. I had to shut it off for fear of rubbing my face in the floor in frustration. Bush used a 30 second rebuttal to say the same thing he said four times already. Word for word. And even stuttered and stumbled while saying it.

ARGH, here goes the polls up for Kerry. I love Bush, but I don't think he's done well with this. People have gotten bored and moved on to CSI reruns or something on cable by now."

"Kerry IS looking good but his facts are not factual. I agree this is looking like a disaster. This debate is hanging on style NOT substance. I agree. I am scared to death."

"W has the facts and the message, Kerry has the rhetorical slicks. The mushy middles don't care to process facts. They go for looks. We'll be down in the polls over the next couple days.
I wish that the President's stage presence had been better tonight. He lost some ground, IMO."

"Damn...I thought it was just me. I live in Austin, TX and have seen W in large & small gatherings, and he is SO stiff tonight (over coached?) and Kerry is smarming charm all over the stage, and probably the undecideds.

Content-wise..W is the man..but his usual natural ease, appeals to common sense, and subtle humor just AIN'T there tonight!!! What happened?"

"I think I'm going to be sick. This is not good.
I'm afraid we may get 4 years of a panderer in chief. And I don't mean President Bush."

"Mr Bush is definitely on the defensive. I really hoped it would go better. I was disappointed he did not somehow link Iraq with the 9/11/01 attacks at al qaeda.

I thought the last time that Gore did better than Bush but polls didn't really reflect this. So hopefully Mr Bush will come out of this better than I think he is.

Again though, Dick Morris was wrong! He said Bush would cream Kerry in the debates. I wish Dick had been right this time."

"I feel sick in my stomach. I think Kerry is winning hands down. I hate to say it, but its what I feel."

"Listening on radio....The President doesn't sound so hot. Sen. Kerry sounds authorative....even though everything he's talking about is all 2nd guessing."

"I don't think I have ever seen such a lopsided debate. Bush has lost his footing if he ever had it.

Kerry supported every decision made and is not being held accountable.

Bush sounds like a high school cheerleader speaking against a seasoned veteran.

It is most regrettable."

"Agree. President Bush must stand straighter. He is leaning on the podium which is not a commanding position for any debate. Keep praying everyone...that is the best we can give President Bush."

"There are millions of Americans who (wrongfully) think Bush is shallow, dumb, airhead, an idiot.
I don't think Bush has changed a single mind.

There are countless millions who belive the Dem lies that Bush lied time and again...

Not only did Bush not change any minds, but I'd bet my bottom dollar that he's added millions more to the ranks by NOT CHALLENGING SKUMBAG SKERRY."

"Did you hear when Kerry caught Bush in the Saddam did not attack us on 9/11 moment?

What was Bush's response....."of course I know OBL attacked us."

THAT was his response? THAT!!!!!!!!!!

THAT WAS INCREDIBLY WEAK. THAT ONE LINE HAS COST US MANY VOTES TONIGHT."

"I agree, unfortunately. I'm watching on CSpan with the split screen, and GWB looks too fidgety and frustrated. "

"Been watching for an hour.

Bush is like Reagen in that first debate. He sounds beleaguered, and his plaintive tone is unpresidential.

He is on the defensive, and is the LOSER in the debate. He invokes the extra reburral when he has lost the point, and doesn't know enough to let it go when he has little more to say.

I went in thinking Bush would be the powerful victor. but Kerry owns Bush in this debate.

I hope no intelligent undecided voters are watching!"

When Even FOX Pseudo-News is calling the debate for JK, and Freepers are weeping, I just keep reliving the sight of a future president with an actual brain and a real human heart!



Let's Play Bush Debate Bingo!


Sittin' on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Goin' to the candidates' debate...

Let's face it. ABC News (scroll down) has already told you what happened during tonight's upcoming debate.

There's nothing left to do during tonight's debate but play...





Click here


Then print out some randomly generated Bingo cards for tonight.

The DNC also has Bush Face Markers, but I recommend those little round pretzels.

Tee Hee.



Oh, and...

Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson!


What's the matter with ABC News?


Don't be seduced by the headline.

Check out the verb tenses in the story...


Bush, Kerry Prepare for Debate in Fla.

President Bush, John Kerry Prepare for Debate in Fla., Where They'll Take on High-Stakes Issues


The Associated Press


CORAL GABLES, Fla. Sept. 30, 2004 — After a deluge of campaign speeches and hostile television ads, President Bush and challenger John Kerry got their chance to face each other directly Thursday night before an audience of tens of millions of voters in a high-stakes debate about terrorism, the Iraq war and the bloody aftermath.

The 90-minute encounter was particularly crucial for Kerry, trailing slightly in the polls and struggling for momentum less than five weeks before the election. The Democratic candidate faced the challenge of presenting himself as a credible commander in chief after a torrent of Republican criticism that he was prone to changing his positions.

Bush was expected to confront questions about leading the nation into war on the still-unproven premise that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. He also has faced accusations that he lacked a strategy to deal with the violence and chaos that have left more than 1,000 Americans dead and that the Iraq war has diverted U.S. attention from al-Qaida and other terrorists.

With a record of four years in office to defend, Bush had a debate strategy of being optimistic about Iraq but acknowledging that times were tough. His stance is that Americans know he is a decisive leader even if they don't always agree with his decisions and that Kerry has taken conflicting positions on Iraq and can't be trusted to lead the nation.

Although Kerry voted to give Bush authority to invade Iraq, he says he would not have followed Bush's path to war a path that alienated allies and, the Democrat says, left Americans less secure. Kerry argues Bush is out of touch with reality, paints too rosy a picture about Iraq and lacks a strategy to end the crisis.

Kerry also says Bush has neglected other major problems like North Korea and Iran, two nations suspected of pursing nuclear weapons.

Kerry, in a taped interview on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday, said, "George Bush is scaring America. He's talking terror every day, and people see terrible images of what's happening in the world, and they're real."

Bush spent the morning comforting hurricane victims on his fifth survey of Florida areas hit by storms. At the Martin County, Fla., Red Cross center, Bush thanked volunteers for showing "the true heart of America. We long to help somebody when they're hurting."

The debate's focus on Iraq was sharpened by bombings in Baghdad Thursday that killed three dozen children.

Ahead in the polls, Bush could afford to settle for a debate draw while Kerry needed something to break the status quo. Some Democrats saw the debates as the last chance for a Kerry breakout.

Thursday night's meeting at the University of Miami was the first of three Bush-Kerry debates over a two-week period. Neither side was underestimating its importance with a TV audience of 30 million to 40 million expected. Almost a third of people surveyed say the debates will be a deciding factor in how they vote.

The first debate drew the nation's attention to hurricane-battered Florida and its political importance. Florida swung the presidency to Bush in the disputed 2000 election and could determine whether he wins re-election.

The debates were staged under a rigid set of rules negotiated by the candidates' representatives to limit spontaneity and opportunities for back-and-forth exchanges. LINK


Yes, ABC, I posted the entire article, which violates media fair use agreements.

If this story doesn't fall down the memory hole by tomorrow, I'll edit it.

Until then...

Sue me, you hacks!



Blast From The Past:
Seven O'Clock News/Silent Night


I feel the same way today that I felt when I first listened to these lyrics:

Seven o'clock News/Silent Night

This is the early evening edition of the news.
The recent fight in the House of Representatives was over the open housing
section of the Civil Rights Bill.
Brought traditional enemies together but it left the defenders of the
measure without the votes of their strongest supporters.
President Johnson originally proposed an outright ban covering discrimination
by everyone for every type of housing but it had no chance from the start
and everyone in Congress knew it.
A compromise was painfully worked out in the House Judiciary Committee.
In Los Angeles today comedian Lenny Bruce died of what was believed to be an
overdose of narcotics.
Bruce was 42 years old.
Dr. Martin Luther King says he does not intend to cancel plans for an open
housing march Sunday into the Chicago suburb of Cicero.
Cook County Sheriff Richard Ogleby asked King to call off the march and the
police in Cicero said they would ask the National Guard to be called out
if it is held.
King, now in Atlanta, Georgia, plans to return to Chicago Tuesday.
In Chicago Richard Speck, accused murderer of nine student nurses, was brought
before a grand jury today for indictment.
The nurses were found stabbed an strangled in their Chicago apartment.
In Washington the atmosphere was tense today as a special subcommittee of the
House Committee on Un-American activities continued its probe into anti-
Viet nam war protests.
Demonstrators were forcibly evicted from the hearings when they began chanting
anti-war slogans.
Former Vice-President Richard Nixon says that unless there is a substantial
increase in the present war effort in Viet nam, the U.S. should look forward
to five more years of war.
In a speech before the Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in New York,
Nixon also said opposition to the war in this country is the greatest single
weapon working against the U.S.
That's the 7 o'clock edition of the news,
Goodnight.

Silent night
Holy night
All is calm
All is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Album: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme
Written By: Paul Simon
Performed By: Simon & Garfunkel
Released: October, 1966 LINK

Heavy sigh.



Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Thwacking Blackwell


Thwack!

Blackwell ends paper chase


Some could be unable to vote because of flap over registration forms


Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Catherine Candisky
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
ERIC ALBRECHT | DISPATCH

Under fire from voting-rights advocates, Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell retreated yesterday from a directive that critics said would slow voter-registration efforts and even block some people from casting a ballot Nov. 2.

At issue is a reminder Blackwell issued this month to county boards of election that voter-registration forms must be printed on "white, uncoated paper of not less than 80-pound text weight," a heavy, cardlike stock.

While the Franklin County Board of Elections and others have continued accepting forms submitted on lighter-weight paper, some county elections officials said yesterday they have been disqualifying registrations because the paper was not thick enough.

--snip--

Last night, a spokesman for Blackwell denied that the GOP officeholder was trying to prevent people from voting and said county boards should accept voter registration forms on paper of any weight as long as they are otherwise valid.

"We’re not the paper police. We’re not going to go to county election boards and review voter registration forms," said Blackwell spokesman Carlo LoParo. "We want them to process the forms."

But LoParo disputed suggestions that Blackwell was reversing his Sept. 7 directive, which states that "any Ohio form not printed on this minimum paperweight is considered to be an application for a registration form. Your board should mail this appropriate form to the person listed on the application." LINK (Bugmenot Login: asdfasdf66@asdf.com password: asdf)


Hey, Mr. Blackwell!

Many Americans have died to defend our rights, including our right to vote.


They didn't lay down their lives for a Republican Secretary Of State's attempt to disenfranchise voters by requiring forms printed on "white, uncoated paper of not less than 80-pound text weight."



A Bush, a Reagan, or an Eisenhower:
Whom would you trust?


All three are Fortunate Sons, to be sure.

But whom would you trust to tell you the truth about the state of our union?

Another View:
Why I will vote for John Kerry for President


By JOHN EISENHOWER
Guest Commentary

THE Presidential election to be held this coming Nov. 2 will be one of extraordinary importance to the future of our nation. The outcome will determine whether this country will continue on the same path it has followed for the last 3½ years or whether it will return to a set of core domestic and foreign policy values that have been at the heart of what has made this country great.

Now more than ever, we voters will have to make cool judgments, unencumbered by habits of the past. Experts tell us that we tend to vote as our parents did or as we “always have.” We remained loyal to party labels. We cannot afford that luxury in the election of 2004. There are times when we must break with the past, and I believe this is one of them.

As son of a Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, it is automatically expected by many that I am a Republican. For 50 years, through the election of 2000, I was. With the current administration’s decision to invade Iraq unilaterally, however, I changed my voter registration to independent, and barring some utterly unforeseen development, I intend to vote for the Democratic Presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry.

--snip--

I celebrate, along with other Americans, the diversity of opinion in this country. But let it be based on careful thought. I urge everyone, Republicans and Democrats alike, to avoid voting for a ticket merely because it carries the label of the party of one’s parents or of our own ingrained habits. LINK


The Case Against George W. Bush

The son of the fortieth president of the United States takes a hard look at the son of the forty-first and does not like what he sees

By Ron Reagan
September 2004, Volume 142, Issue 3
Illustration by Tim O'Brien


It may have been the guy in the hood teetering on the stool, electrodes clamped to his genitals. Or smirking Lynndie England and her leash. Maybe it was the smarmy memos tapped out by soft-fingered lawyers itching to justify such barbarism. The grudging, lunatic retreat of the neocons from their long-standing assertion that Saddam was in cahoots with Osama didn't hurt. Even the Enron audiotapes and their celebration of craven sociopathy likely played a part. As a result of all these displays and countless smaller ones, you could feel, a couple of months back, as summer spread across the country, the ground shifting beneath your feet. Not unlike that scene in The Day After Tomorrow, then in theaters, in which the giant ice shelf splits asunder, this was more a paradigm shift than anything strictly tectonic. No cataclysmic ice age, admittedly, yet something was in the air, and people were inhaling deeply. I began to get calls from friends whose parents had always voted Republican, "but not this time." There was the staid Zbigniew Brzezinski on the staid NewsHour with Jim Lehrer sneering at the "Orwellian language" flowing out of the Pentagon. Word spread through the usual channels that old hands from the days of Bush the Elder were quietly (but not too quietly) appalled by his son's misadventure in Iraq. Suddenly, everywhere you went, a surprising number of folks seemed to have had just about enough of what the Bush administration was dishing out. A fresh age appeared on the horizon, accompanied by the sound of scales falling from people's eyes. It felt something like a demonstration of that highest of American prerogatives and the most deeply cherished American freedom: dissent.

Oddly, even my father's funeral contributed. Throughout that long, stately, overtelevised week in early June, items would appear in the newspaper discussing the Republicans' eagerness to capitalize (subtly, tastefully) on the outpouring of affection for my father and turn it to Bush's advantage for the fall election. The familiar "Heir to Reagan" puffballs were reinflated and loosed over the proceedings like (subtle, tasteful) Mylar balloons. Predictably, this backfired. People were treated to a side-by-side comparison—Ronald W. Reagan versus George W. Bush—and it's no surprise who suffered for it. Misty-eyed with nostalgia, people set aside old political gripes for a few days and remembered what friend and foe always conceded to Ronald Reagan: He was damned impressive in the role of leader of the free world. A sign in the crowd, spotted during the slow roll to the Capitol rotunda, seemed to sum up the mood—a portrait of my father and the words NOW THERE WAS A PRESIDENT.

The comparison underscored something important. And the guy on the stool, Lynndie, and her grinning cohorts, they brought the word: The Bush administration can't be trusted. The parade of Bush officials before various commissions and committees—Paul Wolfowitz, who couldn't quite remember how many young Americans had been sacrificed on the altar of his ideology; John Ashcroft, lip quivering as, for a delicious, fleeting moment, it looked as if Senator Joe Biden might just come over the table at him—these were a continuing reminder. The Enron creeps, too—a reminder of how certain environments and particular habits of mind can erode common decency. People noticed. A tipping point had been reached. The issue of credibility was back on the table. The L-word was in circulation. Not the tired old bromide liberal. That's so 1988. No, this time something much more potent: liar.

Politicians will stretch the truth. They'll exaggerate their accomplishments, paper over their gaffes. Spin has long been the lingua franca of the political realm. But George W. Bush and his administration have taken "normal" mendacity to a startling new level far beyond lies of convenience. On top of the usual massaging of public perception, they traffic in big lies, indulge in any number of symptomatic small lies, and, ultimately, have come to embody dishonesty itself. They are a lie. And people, finally, have started catching on. LINK

George W. Tells It Like It Is


"I've been to war [sic]. I've raised twins. If I had a choice, I'd rather go to war." -- Bush, flat out lying in 2002.

"One of the interesting initiatives we've taken in Washington, D.C., is we've got these vampire-busting devices. A vampire is a—a cell deal you can plug in the wall to charge your cell phone."—Denver, CO. Aug. 14, 2001

"Well, it's an unimaginable honor to be the president during the Fourth of July of this country. It means what these words say, for starters. The great inalienable rights of our country. We're blessed with such values in America. And I--it's--I'm a proud man to be the nation based upon such wonderful values."--Visiting the Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C., July 2, 2001

"We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease."--After meeting with the leaders of the European Union, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 14, 2001

"It's very important for folks to understand that when there's more trade, there's more commerce."--Quebec City, Canada, April 21, 2001

"I've coined new words, like, misunderstanding and Hispanically."—Radio-Television Correspondents Association dinner, Washington, D.C., March 29, 2001

"I am mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself, but for predecessors as well."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2001

"Then I went for a run with the other dog and just walked. And I started thinking about a lot of things. I was able to—I can't remember what it was. Oh, the inaugural speech, started thinking through that."—Pre-inaugural interview with U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 22, 2001 issue

"Redefining the role of the United States from enablers to keep the peace to enablers to keep the peace from peacekeepers is going to be an assignment."—Interview with the New York Times, Jan. 14, 2001 (Thanks to Rachael Contorer.)

"The California crunch really is the result of not enough power-generating plants and then not enough power to power the power of generating plants."—Interview with the New York Times, Jan. 14, 2001

"They misunderestimated me."—Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."—Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."-Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

"The great thing about America is everybody should vote."-Austin, Texas, Dec. 8, 2000

"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it."--Reuters, May 5, 2000

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"-Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

"I understand small business growth. I was one."-New York Daily News, Feb. 19, 2000

"The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case."-Pella, Iowa, as quoted by the San Antonio Express-News, Jan. 30, 2000

"It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet."—Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000

"I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can't answer your question."— Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2000

"Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods."—Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000

"The senator [McCain] has got to understand if he's going to have—he can't have it both ways. He can't take the high horse and then claim the low road."—To reporters in Florence, S.C., Feb. 17, 2000

"We ought to make the pie higher."—South Carolina Republican Debate, Feb. 15, 2000

"They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program."—Debate in St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000

"It's your money. You paid for it."—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

"It's not the governor's role to decide who goes to heaven. I believe that God decides who goes to heaven, not George W. Bush." -- George W. Bush, in the Houston Chronicle.

"There ought to be limits to freedom. We're aware of this [web] site, and this guy is just a garbage man, that's all he is." -- George Jr., discussing a web site that parodies him

"I'm a uniter not a divider. That means when it comes time to sew up your chest cavity, we use stitches as opposed to opening it up." -- Bush, on David Letterman, March 2, 2000. (the audience booed)

"I didn't -- I swear I didn't -- get into politics to feather my nest or feather my friends' nests." -- Bush Jr., in the Houston Chronicle LINK

To quote Al Gore...

"It just makes you want to sigh."



Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Word Of The Week


Iconoclast


i·con·o·clast, n.

1. One who attacks and seeks to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions.
2. One who destroys sacred religious images.

[French iconoclaste, from Medieval Greek eikonoklasts, smasher of religious images : eikono-, icono- + Greek -klasts, breaker (from Greek kln, klas-, to break).]

i·cono·clastic adj.

i·cono·clasti·cal·ly adv.

Word History: An iconoclast can be unpleasant company, but at least the modern iconoclast only attacks such things as ideas and institutions. The original iconoclasts destroyed countless works of art. Eikonoklasts, the ancestor of our word, was first formed in Medieval Greek from the elements eikn, “image, likeness,” and -klasts, “breaker,” from kln, “to break.” The images referred to by the word are religious images, which were the subject of controversy among Christians of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th and 9th centuries, when iconoclasm was at its height. In addition to destroying many sculptures and paintings, those opposed to images attempted to have them barred from display and veneration. During the Protestant Reformation images in churches were again felt to be idolatrous and were once more banned and destroyed. It is around this time that iconoclast, the descendant of the Greek word, is first recorded in English (1641), with reference to the Byzantine iconoclasts. In the 19th century iconoclast took on the secular sense that it has today, as in “Kant was the great iconoclast” (James Martineau).

In dusty little Crawford, Texas, The Iconoclast speaks truth to power:



Crawford, Texas, Newspaper

Kerry Will Restore American Dignity

2004 Iconoclast Presidential Endorsement

Few Americans would have voted for George W. Bush four years ago if he had promised that, as President, he would:

• Empty the Social Security trust fund by $507 billion to help offset fiscal irresponsibility and at the same time slash Social Security benefits.
• Cut Medicare by 17 percent and reduce veterans’ benefits and military pay.
• Eliminate overtime pay for millions of Americans and raise oil prices by 50 percent.
• Give tax cuts to businesses that sent American jobs overseas, and, in fact, by policy encourage their departure.
• Give away billions of tax dollars in government contracts without competitive bids.
• Involve this country in a deadly and highly questionable war, and
• Take a budget surplus and turn it into the worst deficit in the history of the United States, creating a debt in just four years that will take generations to repay. Read more here...

Funny! That link worked just fine this morning!

Curious! The Iconoclast endorsed George W. in 2000.

I suspect homegrown hacker terrorists.





The Best Education Money Can Buy


... gets you this?

President's Math Goes a Bit Awry in Ohio

By CARL HULSE

Published: September 28, 2004

--snip--

"I'm proud to be on this stage with John Boehner. What a fine man he is, and a great United States senator," the president said to applause. "I'm proud to have worked with him on important legislation, and I'm proud to call him friend."

The president went on to say that he was honored "that Mike DeWine is with me today, the fine United States senator from the state of Ohio." Mr. Bush then continued with his comments, saying, "Speaking about senators, I hope you put George Voinovich back in office. He's a fine leader, good man." Let's see: Senators Boehner, DeWine and Voinovich..." LINK

Un-Cheneying-believable!


Ohio: Election 2004's New Florida!


Concerned citizens in Ohio (AKA 2004 Election Battleground State) have registered unprecedented numbers of new voters this year!

Great news, right?

Wrong...

If you're Ohio Secretary Of State Kenneth Blackwell.

Blackwell is soooooooo unhappy that he's decide to void voter registration forms printed on the wrong weight paper.

I'm sure this paperweight debacle has nothing to do with the fact that registration of new Democrats is up 250% this year.

From Kenneth's website:

We have received numerous questions concerning the paperweight of the Ohio voter registration form. The form prescribed by the Secretary of State must be printed on white, uncoated paper of not less than 80 lb. text weight. Any Ohio form not printed on this minimum paperweight is considered to be an application for a registration form. Your board should mail the appropriate form to the person listed on the application.

However, this office cannot dictate the paperweight of the federally prescribed voter registrations forms: the on-line Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and the “national” form prescribed by the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Both of those forms may be printed on regular weight (e.g. 20 lb) white paper.

If you have any questions on this directive, please call my Elections Division at 614-466-2585.

Sincerely,

J. Kenneth Blackwell LINK

My friend, Citizen, writes:

Blackwell's own form is not on 80 lb. stock!

I have in my hands a copy of a 2004 Ohio Voter Registration form. It is actually a part of a "Vote" brochure with J. Kenneth Blackwell's name all over it.

The last 8 1/2 x 11 page of the brochure is an 8/2 X 11 sheet containing the Voter Registration Form on one side and Blackwell's Address at the Statehouse on the revers, so it can be folded in half and mailed in.

The entire brochure is printed on REGULAR PAPER STOCK. While, I am not a paper specialist I know that this is not on 80 Lb. Stock!

Please make a point of mentioning this to Mr. Blackwell if you are lucky enough to reach him!

Let's all reach out to Kenneth!

For more information on Ohio's idiotic paper weight rule, contact Carlo LoParo at (614) 752-8110.
~OR~
Phone: 614-466-3910
Email guide@sos.state.oh.us

Mailing Address:
J. Kenneth Blackwell
Ohio Secretary of State
180 E. Broad St. 16th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

General Telephone Number (Toll Free): 1-877-767-6446
General Telephone Number (Local): 1-614- 466-2655

Client Service Center:
30 E. Broad St.
Lower Level
Columbus, OH 43215

Questions or problems with the Campaign Finance Database, or general Campaign Finance questions or comments:
email: cfinance@sos.state.oh.us
call: 614-466-3111

Elections questions or comments:
email: election@sos.state.oh.us
call: 614-466-2585

Business Services questions or comments:
email: busserv@sos.state.oh.us
call: Local: 614-466-3910
toll free: 1-877-SOS-FILE
1-877-767-3453

This paperweight debacle might be almost funny (on some level) if Kenneth hadn't tried other methods of voter suppression recently:

Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell this week directed county boards of elections to accept otherwise valid voter registration forms in which applicants have failed to submit duplicative citizenship and age affirmation information. The directive is a result of a recent Federal Elections Assistance Commission advisory opinion allowing states discretion in interpreting certain new federal standards for voter registration forms. Previously, forms in which applicants failed to check boxes indicating U.S. citizenship and legal voting age were not considered complete even though the applicant attested to that information elsewhere on the form. (See above link)

I guess I wouldn't have such a hard time believing someone would work so hard to deny citizens the right to vote if I knew he was a Big Ol' Chewin' Tobacco Spittin' Southern Cracker...



Meet Kenneth Blackwell!

Heavy sigh.



Monday, September 27, 2004

Remind us why we went to Iraq.







Blast From The Past:
True Lies Of The
Bush Administration


If you missed Sam Smith's Revision Thing feature last year in Harper's, here's an excerpt:

Revision Thing

A history of the Iraq war, told entirely in lies

Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2003

**All text is verbatim from senior Bush Administration officials and advisers. In places, tenses have been changed for clarity. Originally from Harper's Magazine, September 2003. **

By Sam Smith


Once again, we were defending both ourselves and the safety and survival of civilization itself. September 11 signaled the arrival of an entirely different era. We faced perils we had never thought about, perils we had never seen before. For decades, terrorists had waged war against this country. Now, under the leadership of President Bush, America would wage war against them. It was a struggle between good and it was a struggle between evil.

It was absolutely clear that the number-one threat facing America was from Saddam Hussein. We know that Iraq and Al Qaeda had high-level contacts that went back a decade. We learned that Iraq had trained Al Qaeda members in bomb making and deadly gases. The regime had long-standing and continuing ties to terrorist organizations. Iraq and Al Qaeda had discussed safe-haven opportunities in Iraq. Iraqi officials denied accusations of ties with Al Qaeda. These denials simply were not credible. You couldn't distinguish between Al Qaeda and Saddam when you talked about the war on terror.

The fundamental question was, did Saddam Hussein have a weapons program? And the answer was, absolutely. His regime had large, unaccounted-for stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons--including VX, sarin, cyclosarin, and mustard gas, anthrax, botulism, and possibly smallpox. Our conservative estimate was that Iraq then had a stockpile of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical-weapons agent. That was enough agent to fill 16,000 battlefield rockets. We had sources that told us that Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons--the very weapons the dictator told the world he did not have. And according to the British government, the Iraqi regime could launch a biological or chemical attack in as little as forty-five minutes after the orders were given. There could be no doubt that Saddam Hussein had biological weapons and the capability to rapidly produce more, many more. LINK

Perspective.

It's not just an Art Class term.




Sunday, September 26, 2004

Evil Trial Lawyer®
Hall Of Fame



Back By Popular Demand!






Today's Sermon


Are you an Apatheist?

Does it matter?


Theology is the effort to explain the unknowable in terms of the not worth knowing.
- H.L. Mencken

Whatever is thus.

-Mr. Natural

The Church of Apatheism


There are four main roots of theology (we'll ignore the various ascetic, moral, dogmatic, etc. branches of theology and stick to the roots): theism, agnosticism, atheism, and apatheism - all of which answer to ideas of the existence of supreme beings. Simply put, theists don't deny, agnostics don't know, atheists don't believe, and apatheists don't care about the existence of gods.

Apatheists neither believe in nor deny the existence of gods. They simply aren't interested one way or the other. To Apatheists, the "god question" is profoundly unimportant. Even if there were a blatant, undisputed answer to the question, we would most likely go on living our lives the same ways we already do.

There are several "sects" of Apatheism. There are many NP Apatheists - the Non-Practicing kind, which generally makes sense if you're an Apatheist. Others are Latent Apatheists, meaning they are but don't know it yet. Another common form is Closet Apatheism - pretending to be a member of some religion, but really, deep down, not caring one way or another whether god(s) exist. Evangelical Apatheism, practiced by many members of the Church of Apatheism, attempts to nonchalantly spread the tenets of Apatheistic thought, and to provide intellectual sanctuary to apatheists everywhere. LINK

Whatever.


Thus endeth today's sermon.



Saturday, September 25, 2004

Animosity!


Rightwing
Parenting 101:

What To Do
When Children Run Wild

BLOGGER.COM FIGURED OUT THAT I HAD POSTED A GIF IMAGE, AND THEIR MINIONS DISABLED IT, DAMN IT!






Stupid Quote Of The Week


"Nothing's perfect in life.

You have an election
that's not quite perfect.


Is it better than
not having an election?


You bet."



Donald Rumsfeld

Secretary Of Defense






Friday, September 24, 2004

The
Backside
Of The
Bell Curve

Calls CSPAN


Be Pollyanna Glad that this woman isn't your mother!
September 23, 2004

PETER SLEN, HOST: Kenner, Louisiana, good morning.

CALLER (in a very airy voice): Good morning. I’m going to vote for President Bush because, after all, you know, God made us there, you know, in His image, free from any black color and all . The only church that Kerry can go to is where they say the Black Mass, and that is in the Merriam-Webster Pocket Book dictionary, where it says that that is the devil worshippers. I would never vote for, you know, Senator Kerry.e every effort to give you the same booth again, or very nearSo, definitely, I would never vote for, you know, Senator Kerry.
And that isn’t the only reason. Also, in the Bible, God said … God … that, uh, also, like (unintelligible) and faggots, that he says, anybody that lays down with another man and has sex with his own sex, and any woman that lays down with another woman and has sex should be put to death and their blood upon them. It also says that about interracial marriages and everything. So that’s the reason why I’m voting for my president, Bush.

SLEN: What do you do in, uh …
CALLER: And that isn’t the only reason. They also have other reasons also. The other reason is political, because like the political terrorists, they’ve been out there for eight months, and they’ve been out on the road, and they’ve been talking about … they’ve talked against our president. They put him down in every way. And God knows that that is wrong. He’s out there doing God’s work. He’s taking care of all our children.

Like when Clinton was in, he made – he tried to make whores and faggots out of our little girls – whores out of our little girls. He put the pornography in the schools. And God’s gonna condemn him for that.
SLEN: What do you do in Kenner?

CALLER (talking over question): And that’s the reason why … he even went to the hospital and everything.
SLEN: Caller, what do you do in Kenner, Louisiana?

CALLER: Pardon me?
SLEN: What do you do in Kenner? Do you have a job?

CALLER: I’m a housewife.
SLEN: A housewife? Where do you go to church?

CALLER: I go to different churches. I go to, sometimes, in New Orleans, I go to the Cathedral. And I believe in my God, and I know that God is here to protect everybody. And if Kerry comes in … God helped the whole world, because God loved … Kerry … oh, that’s another thing …

SLEN (cutting her off): Thanks, caller. I’m afraid – I’m afraid we’re out of time. I wish I could let you go on, but I’m afraid we’re out of time."

Thanks, TIVO!
Heavy sigh.


The Rude Pundit and George W. Fluffer


The Rude Pundit is rapidly becoming sort-of well known in Blogland for his/her frequent bouts of George W. Ass-Slapping.

The Rude Pundit's insightful, entertaining posts get to the heart of George W. Disaster the fast way: a cyberspace butcher knife through the breast bone!


A few minutes ago, after reading The Rude Pundit's current post on The Fluffer-In-Chief, I had to write a fan letter.


Be warned!


The Rude Pundit is neither for the meek nor the mild.





Thursday, September 23, 2004

In the words of Horace Vandergelder...
It Takes A Woman!


Or two.

First there was Marian Carr Knox, Lt. Col. Killian's secretary, who claimed that George W. had disobeyed a direct military order.

Now, there's Janet Linke.


Duval County's Janet Linke, the widow of the pilot who replaced George W. (after he skeedaddled off to Alabama for free government dental work) has finally had enough of the war pResident.

Fear of Flying: A Duval County Woman Says Nerves Ended W's National Guard Service In Texas

by Susan Cooper Eastman

From Folio Weekly, Jacksonville, FL

Janet Linke has been thinking about George W. Bush a lot lately. Thirty-two years ago, her late husband Jan Peter Linke served briefly in the Texas Air National Guard's 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Bush's service in the same squadron has gotten plenty of mention in an election year when what you did during the Vietnam War is suddenly a litmus test of character. But Linke claims she knows a part of the story that nobody has mentioned.

According to Linke, a Jacksonville resident and artist, Bush's flying career was permanently disabled by a crippling fear of flying.

Linke's husband was admitted to the Texas Guard in the summer of 1972 to replace Bush. President [sic] Bush has said that he stopped flying fighter jets because the Alabama Guard unit didn't have jets, and he wanted to transfer to Alabama in order to work on a political campaign. But Linke says she heard a different story from her husband and Bush's squad commander, the late Lt. Col. Jerry Killian. Shortly after her husband joined the Texas unit, Linke says, the couple discussed Bush's service with Killian at a social event.

Contrary to some news reports that suggest Killian admired Bush, Linke says the officer didn't have much use for the young Lieutenant. He mentioned that Bush appeared to have a drinking problem, she recalls, but he was most offended by another incapacity: his fear of flying. According to Linke, Killian said Bush was grounded in his fourth year of flying after he became incapable of flying or properly landing a plane. Read the rest, damn it!


*George W. is from New Haven, Connecticut.

Ahem.

Lying about his service became routine:

Oh, yeah! I almost forgot.


George W.'s afraid of horses, too!



There Really Is
Such A Thing As
Must See TV
!


I'm not kidding!




Watch George W. Idiot
try to answer real questions
from a pissed off press corps!


Click On
Pres. Bush & Interim Iraqi P.M. Iyad Allawi
Joint Press Conference



This Week's
Backside
Of The
Bell Curve

Winner!


America's
Not So Reverent Reverend
,

Jimmy Swaggart





The homicidal sermon

Jimmy Swaggart disgraces himself in saying he’d kill a gay man over a lusty look.

In debate, there ought to be a place to draw the line, a time where opponents and supporters can agree that someone has gone too far, a point at which they can all recognize an outrage.

Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart provides an example.

During a sermon last week, Swaggart expressed his support for the Federal Marriage Amendment and, in the course of that sermon, also advanced a sentiment that ought to make him an outcast among supporters of a constitutional ban on gay marriages.

Swaggart said he’d kill a gay man for looking at him the wrong way.


Take A Closer Look



Swaggart surely expected gay groups to complain, but when über-conservative editorial boards started calling for him to be cast out, there was only one thing left to do...

Apologize.

Sort of.



Jimmy Swaggart apologizes after remark about 'killing' gay man

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Christian evangelist Jimmy Swaggart apologized Wednesday for saying in a televised worship service that he would kill any gay man who looked at him romantically.

"And I'm going to be blunt and plain: If one ever looks at me like that, I'm going to kill him and tell God he died," Swaggart says, to laughter and applause from the congregation.

On Wednesday, Swaggart said he's jokingly used the expression "killing someone and telling God he died" thousands of times, about all sorts of people. He said the expression is figurative, and not meant to harm.

"It's a humorous statement that doesn't mean anything. You can't lie to God — it's ridiculous," Swaggart told The Associated Press. "If it's an insult, I certainly didn't think it was, but if they are offended, then I certainly offer an apology."


Take A Closer Look



How many half-assed apologies does
The God Of Abraham allow you, Jimmy?


From rotten.com:

He [Swaggart] took great joy in 1986 for defrocking fellow Assemblies of God minister Marvin Gorman. Gorman had conducted an extramarital affair with one of his parishioners. And then the next year, when the PTL Ministry collapsed in around Jim Bakker, Swaggart was ecstatic. It was almost too good to believe. He went on CNN and told Larry King that Bakker was a "cancer in the body of Christ."

But if watching other people in misery was Swaggart's favorite thing, then his next favorite was probably looking at pornography and f*%king $35-per-hour prostitutes in cheap motels. When the rumors started flying, Jimmy was doomed. Ironically, it was Marvin Gorman who nailed him.


Take A Closer Look



Remember what Jimmy did then?

He apologized.

Sort of.


From The History Channel:

"To my lord, my savior, I have sinned against you, my lord." (February 21, 1988)

On February 21, 1988, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart admitted in a tearful, Sunday-morning sermon that he had engaged in improprieties with a prostitute. In addition to adultery, Swaggart was guilty of hypocrisy, for in 1987 he had scathingly denounced fellow Assemblies of God televangelist Jim Bakker and Marvin Gorman for their extramarital affairs. It was Gorman who hired the private detective that snapped photographs of Swaggart entering a seedy motel outside of New Orleans in the company of a known prostitute. These incriminating photos were then handed over to the Assemblies of God, forcing Swaggart's public apology and temporary departure from the pulpit. Jimmy Swaggart, the most popular television preacher of his day, was born in 1935 and grew up in the small town of Ferriday, Louisiana. His first cousins were Jerry Lee Lewis, an early rock-and-roll star, and Mickey Gilley, who became a country-western singer. Like Lewis and Gilley, Swaggart was musically gifted, but he found an outlet in the Pentecostal faith and traveled the South, performing gospel music and preaching in tent meetings. He soon was preaching on television, and by the 1980s his Swaggart Ministries was drawing in close to $100 million a year. He returned to preaching soon after his downfall in 1988, but his fortunes were seriously diminished.

Listen To
Swaggart's Apology


When asked for a comment, The God Of Abraham referred me to his public writings, on file in most motel bedside table drawers:


"Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." Luke 12:1.

"Ye hypocrites well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me." Matt. 15:7, 8.

"For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother... But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of hone effect by your tradition." Matt. 15:4-6.

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward." Matt. 6:5.

"A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor." Prov. 11:9.

"So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish." Job 8:13.

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." James 3:17

The Lord Jesus (AKA Christ) had a few choice words for Swaggart:


"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Matt. 7:5.

"And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 24:51.

Heavy sigh.




Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Hang Ten, George W. Juvenile!


For Immediate Release

New Kerry Ad Condemns Bush for Tasteless Attack Ad

Washington, DC - Taking to the airwaves with a new ad titled "Juvenile," the Kerry-Edwards campaign today is condemning the Commander-in-Chief for responding to the deteriorating situation in Iraq by running a juvenile and tasteless attack ad.

The ad will air in the same markets as the new Bush ad "Windsurfing."
"This week has seen a further deterioration of chaos in Iraq," said Kerry-Edwards spokesperson Mike McCurry. "And the response from George W. Bush and his campaign? A shrug of the shoulder from the president at the U.N., and an advertisement that takes a lighthearted approach to the war in Iraq. Mr. President, this is a shameful advertisement that shows a disturbing disregard for those fighting and sacrificing in Iraq, and you should repudiate it immediately."

While the president attacks his opponent as events deteriorate on the ground, Kerry has a plan to win the peace and avoid failure in Iraq, including getting our allies involved, speeding up the training of Iraqi security forces and taking the necessary steps to hold elections next year.

"Juvenile" can be viewed at www.johnkerry.com

-30-

NARRATOR: 1,000 US casualties.

2 American's beheaded just this week.

The Pentagon admits terrorists are pouring into Iraq.

In the face of the Iraq quagmire, George Bush's answer is to run a juvenile and tasteless attack ad.

John Kerry has a plan for success.

Get allies involved.

Speed up the training of Iraqis.

Take essential steps to get a free election next year.

On Iraq, it's time for a new direction.




Wipeout!


Besides its pathetic attempt to appeal to the Jeff Spicolis of America, the new BushCo campaign ad released today is Chock Full-O-Lies!


For Immediate Release
September 22, 2004


McCurry Calls on President to Repudiate New Ad

Washington, DC - Kerry-Edwards campaign spokesperson Mike McCurry
released the following statement today regarding the latest Bush-Cheney
television ad:

"This week has seen a further deterioration of chaos in Iraq. American
servicemen have been killed, two Americans were brutally beheaded, car
bombs continue to explode and, according to Prime Minister Allawi's own
account, thousands of terrorists continue to pour into Iraq.

"And the response from George W. Bush and his campaign? A shrug of the
shoulder from the President at the U.N., and an advertisement that takes
a lighthearted approach to the war in Iraq.

"Mr. President, this is a shameful advertisement that shows a disturbing
disregard for those fighting and sacrificing in Iraq, and you should
repudiate it immediately."

-30-

THE FACTS:

BUSH-CHENEY AD FACT CHECK

AD TITLE: "Windsurfing"
DATE: 9/22/04
TYPE: 30sec TV
PAID FOR BY: Bush-Cheney '04


BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP


Voiceover: "In which direction would John Kerry lead? Kerry voted for
the Iraq war, opposed it, supported it, and now opposes it again."


THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD


John Kerry: "I Voted to Hold ... Saddam Hussein Accountable. That Was
the Right Vote." "'I voted to hold Iraq accountable and hold Saddam
Hussein accountable," John Kerry said. "That was the right vote for the
defense of the United States of America.'"

Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein: Kerry's "Consistent Point", "Without
Variance" on Iraq - "... had one consistent point. Going back
to his speech last September at The Brookings Institution, and really
without variation since, he has argued that rather than trying to make
these decisions that you talked about with Paul Bremer ourselves--what
the new government is going to be, who's going to take over, who writes
the constitution--we should turn over that entire process to the U.N.
They should have the authority, both as a way of increasing legitimacy
of the product inside Iraq and also as a means of bringing in more
troops, possibly, to support our effort there. 4/11/04]

Fox News's Mara Liasson: "Kerry's Sticking to the Criticism He's Made
All Along" - "Kerry has been sticking to the criticism he's made all
along, which is Bush made a mess of Iraq. He made a mess before we got
there and he's making a mess after now. " Report with Brit Hume, 9/8/03]

But John Kerry Wouldn't Have Done One Thing Differently on Iraq - He
Would Have Done Almost Everything Differently. "When it comes to Iraq,
it's not that I would have done one thing differently from the
President, I would've done almost everything differently. I would have
given the inspectors the time they needed before rushing to war. I
would have built a genuine coalition of our allies around the world. I
would've made sure that every soldier put in harm's way had the
equipment and body armor they needed. I would've listened to the senior
military leaders of this country and the bipartisan advice of Congress.
And, if there's one thing I learned from my own service, I would never
have gone to war without a plan to win the peace." "Bush's Wrong Choices in Iraq That Have Left Us Without the Resources We
Need at Home" (Cincinnati, OH), 9/8/04]

John Kerry Has a Plan to Win the Peace in Iraq. "We need a new
direction. I know what we need to do in Iraq. We need to bring our
allies to our side, share the burdens, reduce the cost to American
taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. We need to train
Iraqi military and police - we need to train them more rapidly, more
effectively, and in greater numbers to take over the job of protecting
their own country. That's what I'll do as Commander-in-Chief - because
that's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home."
Without the Resources We Need at Home" (Cincinnati, OH), 9/8/04]


GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE

Recently-Revealed Intelligence Document Contrasts With Bush Rosy
Statements About Iraq. "The National Intelligence Council looked at the
political, economic and security situation and determined that, at best,
stability would be tenuous, a U.S. official, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said late Wednesday. At worst, the official
said, were 'trend lines that would point to a civil war.' The official
said it 'would be fair' to call the [situation] 'pessimistic.' The estimate, prepared for President Bush, contrasts with public comments in which Bush and his senior aides have spoken optimistically about the prospects for a peaceful and free Iraq." 9/16/04]

American Troops Have Borne 90 Percent of Total Casualties In Iraq War.
There have been 1016 American casualties and 127 non-American casualties
in Iraq since the beginning of the war. American troops have borne 90
percent of the total number of casualties. There are 162,000 coalition
troops in Iraq. 140,000 of those troops are American - nearly 90
percent.

Iraq War Has Cost Nearly $200 Billion. "The Kerry campaign's $200
billion figure is based on $144.4 billion already spent on the conflict,
plus $60 billion Kerry believes the administration will ask Congress for
in a supplemental request after the Nov. 2 election. The Congressional
Budget Office estimated in June that the war could cost from $180
billion to almost $400 billion over the next 10 years, under various
scenarios."

Attacks On U.S. Forces Have Been Increasing Since The Transfer Of
Sovereignty. On average, U.S. forces are now being attacked 60 times
per day. This is a 20% increase from the three months before the
transfer of sovereignty.

Bush Losing Coalition Support In Iraq. Since the beginning of the war,
eight countries are planning to or have already withdrawn troops from
the coalition in Iraq: Thailand, Norway, Dominican Republic, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Philippines, Singapore, and Spain. In all, nearly 3,000
troops have pulled out or planning to pull out of Iraq this month. Costa
Rica asked the United States to remove it from a list of Iraq coalition
partners in September after the country's Constitutional Court ruled
that inclusion on the list violated the Constitution, which bars support
for any military action not authorized by the United Nations. 8/13/04, 9/10/04]

Annan Said Lack Of Security May Threaten January Elections. U.N.
Secretary General Kofi Annan said that the continuing violence in Iraq
"may threaten elections planned for January and has forced U.N.
international staff to be limited to 35." Annan reported to the
Security Council that "the security environment in Iraq had not improved
much since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003."


BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP


Voiceover: "He bragged about voting for the $87 Billion to support our
troops before he voted against it."


THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD


John Kerry Voted Against Giving George Bush a Blank Check for a Failed
Policy. After witnessing the way in which the president went to war -
without our allies, without properly equipping the troops, without a
plan to win the peace - John Kerry voted against the $87 billion because
he didn't want to give a blank check to the president for a failed
policy. "The best way to support our troops and take the target off
their backs is with a real strategy to win the peace in Iraq - not by
throwing $87 billion at George Bush's failed policies," Kerry said. "I
am voting 'no' on the Iraq resolution to hold the President accountable
and force him finally to develop a real plan that secures the safety of
our troops and stabilizes Iraq." 10/17/03]

John Kerry Voted to Fund the Rebuilding of Iraq Through Shared Sacrifice
by Repealing Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. John Kerry would have supported
this legislation if the Bush Administration was willing to do the
responsible thing and pay for it by rescinding the tax cut for the
wealthiest Americans - which they refused to do. original cosponsor 10/1/03; Vote #373, 10/2/03]


GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE

George Bush Threatened to Veto the $87 Billion if Congress Made the
Funds a Loan. "The White House threatened Tuesday to veto its own
spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan if Congress made reconstruction
aid a loan, taking its most forceful stand on the issue even as more
lawmakers supported a reimbursement by Iraq. After declining to threaten
a veto last week before the Senate voted to lend up to $10 billion to
Iraq, the White House surprised many people on Capitol Hill with its
warning. ... If this provision is not removed, the president's senior
advisers would recommend that he veto the bill," Joshua B. Bolten, the
White House budget director, wrote in a letter to Congressional
leaders."

Under Bush, Military Was Sent To War Without Proper Equipment And
Resources
* Even in Mid-June, Soldiers Lacking Armored Vehicles. "The
problem with unarmored Humvees in combat situations continues to be an
issue. In early March, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, questioned Acting
Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee about the shortage of body armor and
fortified Humvees for troops serving in Iraq. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D.,
said after a visit to Iraq in mid-June that U.S. forces still need
better armored equipment. Of the 15,000 Humvees in Iraq, about 1,500 to
2,000 are armored, according to the Army." 7/2/04]
* Troops Lack Key Resources, Forced to Pay Their Way Home. "To
date, troops have lacked some key resources. The Pentagon has struggled
with delays in the production and distribution of the latest body armor
to troops in Iraq, among other supply problems. Troops reuniting with
their families have had to pay for their own airfare home and other
travel costs once they are flown free to a small selection of cities
while on leave."
* While Halliburton "Gravy Train" Was Wasting Money Meant for
Soldiers on $45 Cases of Soda. "The Pentagon has already awarded
Halliburton, the controversial military contractor, deals worth up to
$18 billion for their work in Iraq. But now, former Halliburton insiders
have come forward with new allegations of massive waste of taxpayer
money... (Halliburton employee) Ms. MARIE deYOUNG: It's just a gravy
train. ... MYERS: deYoung produced documents detailing alleged waste
even on routine services. Fifty thousand dollars a month for soda, at
$45 a case. A million dollars a month to clean clothes, or $100 for each
15-pound bag of laundry. Ms. deYOUNG: That money could have been used to
take care of soldiers."


BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP


Voiceover: "He voted for education reform and now opposes it."


THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD


John Kerry Has Fought For Accountability and NCLB Full Funding Since Day
One. John Kerry has consistently called on President Bush to fully fund
NCLB. When Bush signed NCLB, Kerry said that the law had to be backed up
with badly needed funding: "Resources without accountability is a waste
of money, and accountability without resources is a waste of time."
Since then, Kerry has consistently criticized Bush for failing to
fulfill his promise. "We're leaving millions of children behind every
single day in America because the president went back on his promise to
fund education in order to be able to borrow from our children to give a
tax cut to the wealthiest Americans. That doesn't make economic sense,
and I'm going to fight it," he said in December 2002, and "It's time to
secure for every school the resources it needs to insure that no school
will be left behind," he said in December 2003. Even the President's
partner on the No Child Left Behind law says Bush broke his promise.
Bush told California representative George Miller "'You do the reforms
and the resources will be there.'... That's where he says the president
let him down. The money hasn't been there." The Washington Post writes
that John Kerry's senate record "shows that he has long favored
accountability for schools and higher training standards for teachers."
12/1/02; Washington Post, 12/16/2003; Contra Costa Times (California),
May 25, 2003; Editorial, Washington Post, 8/9/2004]

John Kerry Has a Real Plan for Accountability in America's Schools. John
Kerry's "National Education Trust Fund" will make sure that, for the
first time ever, the federal government meets its obligation to fully
fund our education priorities. Kerry's "New Bargain for America's
Children and Teachers" will recruit or retain 500,000 teachers over the
next 4 years. The new bargain will offer teachers more-providing better
pay and preparation-and will ask for more in return-requiring high
standards and rewarding results for our children. Kerry will require
uniform and accurate data on graduation rates from all schools and
districts and require disaggregation of graduation data so we know that
all groups are achieving.


GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE


Bush Abandoned Promise to Leave No Child Behind By Underfunding His Own
Program. Bush's new budget proposes $24.9 billion for Elementary and
Secondary Education Act programs, $9.4 billion less than was authorized
under Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Bush's last four budgets
have cumulatively provided $27 billion less than what was pledged under
NCLB. Across the country, 56 percent of eligible districts will receive
smaller Title I grants this year than they received last year because of
Bush's underfunding of Title I combined with changes in the funding
formula. The total loss to these districts amounts to more than $233
million. Bush does nothing while one third of American students are
allowed to drop out of school. The national graduation rate "is not the
widely broadcast 85 percent," but closer to 68 percent. In fact, about
half of African-American Latino, and American Indian youths do not
finish high school. www.ed.gov ; AFT, 9/04;[br />Education Week, 7/28/04; Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2/04]

Bush Education Department Quietly Made Changes to Reform Law - and Laura Bush Predicts "More Adjustments." Since No Child Left Behind was enacted, President Bush has already flip-flopped on key NCLB provisions, and in May 2004, Laura Bush acknowledged that "there will be, I'm sure, more adjustments to the act itself." The Bush Education Department has reserved policy on children with disabilities, children with limited English proficiency, highly qualified teachers, and participation rates. Key changes "appear devised to defuse an outcry...especially in Western states where powerful Republican lawmakers have called the law unworkable." 12/1/03; Kansas City Star, 2/19/04; New York Times, 3/14/04; Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), 4/6/04]


BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP

Voiceover: "He claims he's against increasing Medicare premiums but
voted five times to do so."


THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD


Bush's Charge that Kerry Voted for Premium Hikes "Misleading." NPR's
Julie Rovner called Bush's charge that John Kerry "voted five times to
raise Medicare premiums" "misleading." In fact, Rovner reported, Kerry
voted to continue Congress's policy of setting Medicare premiums at 25%
of the program's cost - half the level originally established in 1965 -
to prevent taxpayers and seniors from bearing too much of the burden of
rising health costs.

John Kerry Fought Efforts to Increase Medicare Premiums. John Kerry
voted at least five times to cut back on proposed Medicare premium
hikes. When Newt Gingrich tried to raise Medicare premiums to 31.5% of
the program's cost - and keep them there - John Kerry voted to lower
premiums to 25%, the traditional standard. #66, 5/9/85; Vote #74, 5/9/85; Vote #292, 10/18/90; Vote #566, 11/9/95]

John Kerry Fought Medicare Deductible Hikes. John Kerry voted to
eliminate a proposed $92 increase in the deductible for Medicare
hospital costs, and supported successful legislation calling for future
deductible hikes to come more closely in line with increased Medicare
payments to hospitals. Kerry also cosponsored an amendment to raise
taxes on the wealthy to kill a plan to double the Medicare deductible
for doctor's visits and other health services, saying "we can't sit back
and let the elderly shoulder the burden of a deficit they did not
create." 11/12/85; SA 3017, Kerry original cosponsor 10/18/90; Vote #280,
10/18/1990; Kerry statement, Congressional Record, 10/18/90]


GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE


George W. Bush Forced the Largest Premium Hike in Medicare History.
Health insurance premiums for senior citizens enrolled in Medicare will
increase a record 17.5 percent in 2005, adding $140 to seniors' yearly
health care expenses. An estimated 38 million Medicare recipients will
be affected. www.cms.hhs.gov ]

Rising Medicare Premiums Will Consume 25 Percent of Social Security
Living Adjustments for 6.9 Million People by 2007, 22.2 Million by 2014.
According to an analysis by the Democratic staff of the Joint Economic
Committee, if Medicare premiums are continued to rise in conjunction
with Bush's new Medicare drug benefit by 2007 6.9 million of Medicare
recipients (25 percent) will seen at least one-quarter of their Social
Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) absorbed by the higher
premiums. By 2014, 22.2 million Medicare recipients (64 percent) will
lost at least 25 percent of their COLA to higher premiums. Economic Committee, Democratic Staff, July 2004]


BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP

Voiceover: "John Kerry, whichever way the wind blows."


WHO'S THE REAL FLIP-FLOPPER...?


CAPTURING BIN LADEN

Bush Flip: Get Bin Laden Dead or Alive
Question: Do you want bin Laden dead?
Bush: I want justice. And there's an old poster out west, that I recall,
that said, "Wanted, Dead or Alive."

Bush Flop: Not Concerned About Bin Laden
Bush: "And just - he's a person who has now been
marginalized. His network is -- his host government has been destroyed.
He's the ultimate parasite who found weakness, exploited it, and met his
match...So I don't know where he is. Nor -- you know, I just don't spend
that much time on him really, to be honest with you. I...I truly am not
that concerned about him."


WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR

Bush Flip: We Will Win the War on Terror
Bush: "We will win the war on terror."

Bush Flop: We Can't Win the War on Terror
"Bush, who has said he expects the war on terror to be a long, drawn-out
battle, was asked by interviewer Matt Lauer, 'Can we win it?' 'I don't
think you can win it,' Bush replied."

Bush Flipped Again: We Can Win the War on Terror
Bush: "In this different kind of war, we may never sit down at a peace
table, but make no mistake about it: We are winning and we will win."


WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Bush Flip: Saddam Has WMD
Bush: "The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has
used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we
stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. He's a dangerous,
dangerous man with dangerous, dangerous weapons."

Bush Flop: Saddam Had WMD-Related Program Activities
Bush: "But let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam
Hussein in power. We're seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay Report
identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program
activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from
the United Nations."

Bush Flip: "Weapons of Mass Destruction" Found
Bush: "We found weapons of mass destruction." 5/30/03]

Bush Flop: We Haven't Found The Stockpiles of WMD
Bush: "I thought we were going to find stockpiles... We hadn't found
them yet."


BushCo needs to chill out and order a pizza.

This campaign ad is totally lame, Dude!



Well, slap my palm
like a sportsball player!



I suppose this is considered really cool
among the Bud Liters and Half-Time Snackers...




Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (R) holds a jersey
given to him by Orlando Magic player Grant Hill (L)
after Hill took part in a rally for affordable healthcare,
in Orlando, Florida September 21, 2004.
REUTERS/Joe Skipper US ELECTION



Did you catch the fact that the media minion who composed that caption had to identify which one was the presidential candidate (the one on the Right) and which one was the sportsball player (the one on the Left)?



Hey, America!


Stop hiring the Backside Of The Bell Curve!

It makes them think they're smart!

Just sell them sportsball grub and stop encouraging them, OK?