I Told You So

Best. Dog. Ever.

2011-04-07T20:29:00.002-05:00

We had to put our American Eskimo dog, Katie, to sleep today. She was 15 years old. Over the past couple of weeks her health had deteriorated rather suddenly and she couldn't stand up on her own and could barely walk. She needed help to eat and drink. Everything she did seemed to require a lot of effort. Yet I could still tell she was in there. Which made it more difficult to make the decision to say goodbye. I didn't think I was going to be able to do it, but thanks to the good people at Wayside Waifs a very difficult thing was made a little easier. Goodbye Katie. I'll never forget you.

The video below should give you an idea of what she was like.

I Add an Ad

2010-04-05T23:19:00.002-05:00

I have added my first ad to the sidebar. I wouldn't have, but the good folks at RetailMeNot made me an offer I couldn't refuse. In exchange for adding a bit of code to the site they will give me a $25 gift certificate to Threadless.

I like both of these companies. I use RetailMeNot whenever I'm purchasing anything online. I've often found great coupons that save me some cash on stuff I want to buy from most any site on the net. I like Threadless so much I buy their great tees without regard to needing anything to wear. Combine the gift certificate with with one of their sales and I could get as many as 3 shirts out of the deal. That's too good for me to pass up.

So check out the box on the right and see if you can't save yourself some money. I'll let you know what shirts I pick out!

Sci-Fi Channel to Change Name

2009-03-16T19:16:00.003-05:00

I guess I'm getting cranky in my old age, but this name-changing stuff has got to stop. The Sci-Fi Channel announced today that they're changing their name in July to... Syfy. WTF?!

I guess the idea is to expand their audience. The only problem is, if they continue down this road with the wrestling and the name change, they're going to wind up alienating (no pun intended) their core audience that watches their crappy shows.

The cable universe already has USA, TNT and TBS and others for general audience programming. The whole idea of having all these channels on my cable system is to allow for niche programming.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Except for the wrestling, that can go.

Sears Tower Renamed? Heresy!

2009-03-13T01:56:00.003-05:00

News from Chicago says that the Sears Tower is going to be renamed for some insurance broker no one has ever heard of.

Memo to Willis Group: It's not going to work. Chicagoans are not going to call the building that defines Chicago's skyline by a new name just because you decide to rent some space in it. You might want to ask Macy's how renaming Marshall Field's is working out for them.

Upside to Daschle Withdrawal?

2009-02-03T20:34:00.003-06:00

Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination today for Secretary of Health and Human Services. He had run into some criticism for his tax troubles, but had been widely expected to be confirmed. However, when the New York Times called for him to withdraw, Daschle decided the heat was too much and stepped down.

What's the upside you ask? There's now the perfect job opening for Howard Dean! There's already a Facebook group and an online petition. Look at his credentials: he's an M.D., as governor of Vermont he led healthcare reform, and last but not least, as DNC chair his 50 state strategy was instrumental in getting President Obama elected.

Come on, Mr. President. Do the right thing.

UPDATE: There's now a website too.

Carnahan for Senate 2010

2009-02-03T19:58:00.002-06:00

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced today that she's running for Kit Bond's Senate seat in 2010. She has a good chance to be elected as 2010 looks to be another bad year for the GOP. I don't know if there are any other Democrats eying the seat, so I'll say she's my candidate, for now. Watch the announcement:

Bye, Bye Blago

2009-01-29T18:50:00.003-06:00

Rod Blagojevich was removed from office today by the Illinois Senate by a 59-0 vote. He was also prohibited from holding any other public office in Illinois, also by a 59-0 vote. I got to listen to some of the statements of the Senators. (Thanks to WUIS in Springfield, IL for providing the bandwidth so I could listen on my iPhone this afternoon) I was transfixed while listening to the roll call vote as name after name was called, each one voting 'Yes'.

Blagojevich made a fool of himself in all this. If he had half a brain, he would have resigned immediately after he was arrested. Instead over the past six weeks with the Roland Burris mess and his media blitz over the past few days, he made himself look like an idiot and brought shame on the Governor's office.

The great State of Illinois is well rid of him, but we probably haven't heard the last of him with his Federal trial coming up.

White Sox Pitch Obama Cap

2009-01-28T19:15:00.004-06:00

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the White Sox are seeking approval from the White House for an Obama themed cap with the proceeds going to charity.

I expect it would look something like the image at right. I found it sometime last year, I don't remember where. Thanks to the creator, whoever he is.

I hope this happens because I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, want one. Really.

Stimulus Bill Passes House

2009-01-28T17:23:00.002-06:00

Just watched the House vote on final passage of the stimulus bill on C-Span. The final count was 244-188. 12 Democrats voted against it, while no Republicans voted for it.

I understand what the President is trying to do by bringing the GOP along on this, but it seems like he wasted a lot of time on them for little benefit. Maybe he could try to shame them into cooperation by saying "Hey, I tried to work with the GOP but they didn't want to work with me." It probably wouldn't work, though. I think the President is just going to have to realize that Congressional Republicans are just insane and that he should ignore them.

Weekend Jumble

2009-01-26T01:25:00.002-06:00

According to Think Progress: President Obama got an awful lot done in his first 100 hours.

Check out this 1474(!) megapixel picture from Inauguration Day. Zoom in to really appreciate the detail.

Chris Matthews thinks Sarah Palin can't read or write. I'm inclined to agree with him.

I'm late to the party on this one, but I blew through the last four episodes of Dr. Who last night, and they were absolutely incredible. I don't know how the new guy is going to top it.

Digg Request

2009-01-23T18:38:00.003-06:00

If there's anybody out there I'd appreciate it if you'd take a minute to Digg this story I just submitted. It's about how a Google bomb that once targeted Bush is now affecting Obama.

I haven't made the front page in along time, thanks.

Original Story

White House Tech Is Lame

2009-01-23T01:24:00.002-06:00

There's a great story in today's Washington Post about how the new White House staffers have been hamstrung in getting started with their new jobs because of the outdated technology in use at the White House.

Check for yourself, even the blog on the spiffy new whitehouse.gov hasn't been updated since Inauguration Day.

I understand the need for security and to adhere to the law, but something has got to change here. It's the 21st century and it's difficult enough to run something as large as the federal government without making the task even more difficult by using outmoded technology. If the rules or laws need to be changed then let's get them changed. The new Administration needs all the tools it can get to get the government and the country back on track.

At least the President will get to keep his Blackberry.

Farewell, Howard Dean

2009-01-22T00:36:00.002-06:00

Howard Dean gave his farewell speech to the DNC today, marking the end of what is an unarguably successful chairmanship. I think it's a crying shame that the architect of the 50 state strategy that helped lead to President (I'm never going to get tired of that) Obama's election can't get a job in the new administration.

Barack Obama won 9 states that President Bush won in 2004. We picked up 8 Senate seats in 2008 and 6 in 2006. We won in places like Alaska and North Carolina-states where no one thought Democrats could be competitive. But we knew better.

We picked up 24 House seats last year after winning 31 in 2006. We had 22 Democratic governors when you elected me your chairman. Today we have 29.

Our Party now controls at least 60 of the nation's 98 state legislative chambers, which will not only impact redistricting, but will make our Party's bench even stronger.

We brought in more than 1.1 million new donors and raised more than $330 million this cycle.

We created a national voter file for the first time in our Party's history. We improved micro-targeting models and developed 21st century campaign tools that merged traditional organizing with new technology.

We reached out to people of faith and invested in regions of the country that hadn't voted for Democrats in quite some time - places like the Southwest and the Southeast.

We reached out to young voters and new voters, and recommitted ourselves to seeding the grassroots of our party.

We registered millions of new voters, and brought approximately 24 million young Americans to the polls --- with 66% percent of them voting for Barack Obama.

An impressive record by any measure. I've always been a big Dean backer. I think it's fair to say I was my county's biggest Dean supporter in 2004. I was disappointed when his candidacy was derailed by the media, but was very pleased to support him for the DNC chair and thrilled when he won and even more thrilled when the 50 state strategy began paying dividends in 2006.

I guess he must have rubbed someone the wrong way to get treated so shabbily. While the new administration may not appreciate his efforts, this proud member of the netroots always will. Tim Kaine, the new DNC chair would do well to stay the course that Dean has charted.

Farewell, Dr. Dean. I wish you well in your future endeavors and I hope we'll be hearing from you again soon.

Farewell Address by DNC Chairman Howard Dean as Prepared for Delivery

Washington, DC - The following prepared remarks were delivered by Governor Howard Dean at the Democratic National Committee's Winter Meeting in Washington, DC:

My friends, let me begin by thanking you for the opportunity to lead this Committee and this Party for the last four years. After logging more than 727,000 miles visiting Democrats in all 56 states and territories, I say with confidence that I return to you a Party stronger than the one we inherited four years ago.

That could not have happened without you, and all the hard work you have done in your states. It could not have happened without the dedicated, talented and hard working staff at the DNC and your state parties. It could not have happened without the leadership team we assembled at the DNC, including the outstanding slate of Vice Chairs with whom I have had the privilege of serving for the last four years. Please join me in thanking them all.

At our Winter Meeting in 2005, you elected me as your chairman. Together we set out to rebuild our Party from the ground up in every neighborhood and every community in America.

Together, we pledged that we would never run another 18 state campaign. We promised to compete in every state, for every level of office. We promised to stand up for our Party and fight for an agenda that reflects our values. We promised to show up everywhere and ask everyone for their vote.

We promised to modernize our Party, renew our commitment to the grassroots, expand our donor base and draw young voters and new voters into the Party.

And that is exactly what we did.

Barack Obama won 9 states that President Bush won in 2004. We picked up 8 Senate seats in 2008 and 6 in 2006. We won in places like Alaska and North Carolina-states where no one thought Democrats could be competitive. But we knew better.

We picked up 24 House seats last year after winning 31 in 2006. We had 22 Democratic governors when you elected me your chairman. Today we have 29.

Our Party now controls at least 60 of the nation's 98 state legislative chambers, which will not only impact redistricting, but will make our Party's bench even stronger.

We brought in more than 1.1 million new donors and raised more than $330 million this cycle.

We created a national voter file for the first time in our Party's history. We improved micro-targeting models and developed 21st century campaign tools that merged traditional organizing with new technology.

We reached out to people of faith and invested in regions of the country that hadn't voted for Democrats in quite some time - places like the Southwest and the Southeast.

We reached out to young voters and new voters, and recommitted ourselves to seeding the grassroots of our party.

We registered millions of new voters, and brought approximately 24 million young Americans to the polls --- with 66% percent of them voting for Barack Obama.

We responded to widespread electoral irregularities in 2000 and 2004 by creating a professional, year-round voter protection effort to make sure that every voter who wants to can cast their ballot and have their vote heard.

In other words, we rebuilt our Party and took our country back.

What we have accomplished together over the last four years has been nothing short of remarkable. But I want to be clear. None of it would have been possible if we didn't have the best candidate and the best campaign in my lifetime.

At our Winter Meeting in 2007, we were fortunate to hear from the most impressive slate of primary candidates ever fielded by any Party. One of those candidates was the man sworn in yesterday.

In the two years since, America has come to know Barack Obama as a truly transformational leader in American politics. He was as incredible candidate who inspired a new generation of young Americans and new voters to come out, get involved, and change their country.

President Obama led more than a campaign. He inspired a grassroots movement and won a broad and diverse coalition of voters of all backgrounds in every part of the country. He set a new direction and a new tone for our nation and our politics, and people responded. I have no doubt that Barack Obama will be a great President and Joe Biden will be a great Vice President.

Let me also be clear about one more thing: As much as we have accomplished together these last four years, our work is not done.

This has been a truly historic and transformational election --- one that reflects the passing of the torch to a new generation. This new generation wants us to put aside the divisions of the past and come together around the shared task of building a common future. Barack Obama was right in 2004 when he said there are no red states or blue states. There are only American states, and we all share the same values. If we are to keep those voters engaged, and keep them in the fold we need to keep the promises we made.

We cannot afford to lose the millions of new voters and young voters who participated in this campaign for the first time. We have to keep the promises we made, and keep finding ways to engage them.

We won in the West and the South because we showed up and asked people for their vote. But we cannot become complacent. We all know that the political landscape can change very quickly. We need to keep showing up and keep asking people for their vote or we can lose those parts of the country just as quickly as we won them.

We must continue to reach out to people of faith. Barack Obama doubled his support among white evangelicals. But we must continue to look for common ground and areas where we can work together. This is not only important for our Party, it's important to healing our country.

We erased the Republican Party's technological advantage in one cycle. But they will not stand still, so we cannot afford to either. We must continue to invest in the technological infrastructure of our Party and build new tools to keep a new army of grassroots activists engaged.

In Governor Tim Kaine, President Obama has picked the right man to build on our accomplishments.

When I was working with Tim's campaign for governor in 2005, I knew then he would become one of our Party's great leaders. Under his leadership, Virginia was named the best managed state in America. I know he will bring that same leadership to the DNC.

Governor Kaine understands the importance of reaching out to everyone and standing up for our values. He knows that the strength of our party comes from the bottom up and will continue the grassroots approach that has made our party so successful.

Tim is the right choice to lead the Democratic National Committee into this new era of American politics and to support President Obama's agenda.

I have always believed that our values are core American values. We value work over wealth, tax policies that invest in the middle class, fiscal discipline, and equality and justice for all. Those are core American values. What we have lacked is a full time, professional party to help communicate those values and organize around them and a leader to inspire people to the cause. In President Obama, that is exactly what we have.

I am humbled by what we have accomplished here over the last four years. Today, we have a great president and vice president and a Party that is stronger than ever. And we did it by empowering people to take ownership over their democracy. Together, we moved our country forward.

It's a New Day!

2009-01-20T12:36:00.004-06:00

A day I was once afraid would never come. I don't think I've ever seen so many people in one place before. Truly amazing. Now begins the work to undo all the damage that Bush has done.

President(!) Obama's Inaugural address as prepared for delivery.

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

The Final Countdown Has Begun

2009-01-19T14:22:00.003-06:00

Less than 24 hours remaining in the Bush Administration. This is the thing I've been waiting for for fully one fifth of my life. The White Sox World Series Championship was the only thing I've waited longer for.

The end of an error, indeed.

Version 2.0

2009-01-18T22:47:00.002-06:00

It's been awhile, hasn't it? Not that anyone's been paying attention. I've updated the template here and I think it looks a lot better. I've fixed the links as a lot of them were dead or no longer relevant. I've added some Web 2.0 widgets on the right. If you use any of those services, feel free to look me up!

It's my intention to make at least one post per day. It really shouldn't be that hard to spend five minutes writing something considering I'm probably sitting in front of the computer anyway.

See you tomorrow!

Dialing for Democrats

2006-11-02T21:41:00.000-06:00

I've been doing phone banking for the Democrats at the local office this week. I've only been calling other Democrats, so it's been pretty pleasant when I get someone on the phone. Today, Claire McCaskill stopped by to rally the troops. Here are some photos I took of the event.

Where's Osama?

2006-09-11T06:16:00.000-05:00

The DNC has a great new video detailing George Bush's sudden new concern with Osama bin Laden. Check it out.

I Flip Off George Bush

2006-09-11T05:51:00.000-05:00

I meant to post this Friday, but I didn't get to it. On my way home Friday afternoon, traffic seemd heavier than normal, a traffic report mentioned that some roads were closed for "a Presidential motorcade". George Bush, here? I hadn't heard anything. In any event, the road closed was in the opposite direction that I travel, so I wasn't concerned that it was going to hold me up.

As I get on the Interstate I see where the road's been closed because there are no cars on a usually heavily trafficked stretch of highway. It's just on the other side of the highway divider. Shortly thereafter, I see a number of police motorcycles coming down the closed road. Is he coming now? Then there are some police cars. He is coming! I get an idea and roll down my window. There are some more security vehicles. I stick my left arm out the window. I see the limo coming. I raise my hand and give George my best middle finger as his limo passes.

Did he see it? Probably not, but I gotta tell you, it sure felt good to do. I called my mom and we both had a big laugh. I only wish I could have taken a picture.

1-0

2006-04-03T19:30:00.000-05:00

The defense of the Chicago White Sox' World Championship (giggle) began last night with a 10-4 drubbing of the division rival Cleveland Indians. Unfortunately, the celebration was marred by a three hour rain delay in the middle of the fourth inning, that kept the game from ending until 1am.

The newcomers were the stars of the game. Brian Anderson went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and two runs scored, Jim Thome blasted a monster 431 ft homer, and most surprising to me, Matt Thornton didn't suck, pitching the last four outs while only giving up one hit. Brandon McCarthy pitched 3 perfect innings to pick up the win.

I can't wait for Friday, when the Champs (giggle) come to KC!

Something Pretty Cool Happened to Me Today

2006-02-28T23:48:00.000-06:00

Something pretty nifty happened to me today, and since no one I know would appreciate it, I thought I would share it with you, the faceless Internet.

I enjoy listening to Harry Shearer's le Show. During last week's show Harry badly mispronounced White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen's name during his "Apologies of the Week" segment. As a Sox fan I decided I couldn't let this slide and I sent him the following email:

Harry,

On the most recent episode you mispronounced the name of the Chicago White Sox manager. It is pronounced ghee-YEN, not gwillen.

I'm sure you regret the error.

I enjoy the show,

I was both surprised and delighted to get a reply the same day.

I do, and thanks.

I figured that was the end of it as I assumed that he must have received a lot of mail about it. Well, I must be the only Sox fan who listens to the show as I was even more surprised to hear Harry paraphrase my email at the beginning of this week's show when apologized again for the mispronunciation. I got a big kick out of that.

Thanks for listening.

Ten Down, One to Go

2005-10-26T16:25:00.000-05:00

I have to make this quick, I was up so late last night, I want to try to get a quick nap before game time.

Roy Oswalt doesn't seem so tough to me, the Sox were able to send 11 men to the plate in the fifth, scoring five runs to take the lead. Here's how it happened:

# Joe Crede: Home run to right; 4-1.
# Juan Uribe: Single to left.
# Jon Garland: Strike out swinging.
# Scott Podsednik: Single to right, first and second.
# Tadahito Iguchi: RBI single to center, scores Uribe, first and second; 4-2.
# Jermaine Dye: RBI single to center, scores Podsednik, first and second; 4-3.
# Paul Konerko: Fly out to center.
# A.J. Pierzynski: Two-run double to center, scores Iguchi and Dye; 5-4.
# Aaron Rowand: Walk.
# Crede: Hit by pitch, bases loaded.
# Uribe: Fly out to center.

For our part, I thought Jon Garland was struggling. So much so, that I was hollering for Ozzie to bring in El Duque in the 4th. After he got the lead he settled in and was effective.

Outstanding performance by the buulpen. The Astros got no hits after the eighth inning. I figured the game was lost twice, once whe Luis Vizcaino came in and again when Damaso Marte came in. I have give them both props for keeping the Astros from crossing the plate.

When Geoff Blum hit the homer that gave the Sox the lead, I was so shocked I forgot to react. It deserved the same kind of reaction I had for Konerko's and Podsednik's homers in Game 2, but I was either too surprised or too tired to give it the respect it desrved.

Heads up managing by Ozzie to have Mark Buehrle ready to go in case Marte got in trouble, which he did. Sure, he's supposed to start Game 6, but Ozzie knew that if we won last night, there likely wouldn't be a Game 6. Good move.

The game would have been over in 9 if the umpires didn't give the Astros a free homer in the fourth when Jason Lane hit a ball that should have remained in play according to the crazy ground rules at the Astros' park. Fox TV has delighted in rehashing over and over every little break the Sox have received in the playoffs, yet when this glaring error occurred, they barely mention it.

The Astros have been complaining aout MLB's ruling that they have to keep their roof open. The Astros want to close it so they can increase the crowd noise. From what I heard last night, I doubt it would have made much difference. In many critical game situations, Astros fans were virtually silent. There were also a number of times I was able to clearly hear chants of "Let's go White Sox". That's fine for a midseason midweek game, but to be able to hear cheering for the visiting team during a World Series game is unheard of. Astros fans should be ashamed.

Up next,
Freddy Garcia vs Brandon Backe
I like our chances to close it out tonight.

Go Sox!

Nine Down, Two to Go

2005-10-23T23:21:00.000-05:00

~~Paul Konerko~~ Scott Podsednik pulled the Sox' fat out of the fire tonight with a dramatic home run.

The Sox were scratching for runs after failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities all night. The Sox were trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh when the Sox managed to load the bases against Astros reliever Dan Wheeler on a controversial hit by pitch to Jermaine Dye. Paul Konerko managed to crush the first pitch from Chad Qualls into the left field stands for just the 18th Grand Slam in World Series history. I thought that was my greatest moment as a Sox fan until the Astros scored two off closer Bobby Jenks to tie the game at six. My greatest moment as a Sox fan came in the bottom of the ninth when, with one out, Scott Podsednik, who hit zero home runs during the season, hit his second of the postseason to win the game 7-6.

Some other stuff happened before that but none of it matters now.

I will say I think Astros closer Brad Lidge is done. In his last two appearances he has given up a game losing homer to Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols in the NLCS and tonight a walk off homer to Podsednik. If he gets another chance to close a game, I like our chances.

The Chicago f'ing White Sox are up two games to none in the World f'ing Series. I can't f'ing believe it.

Next up, John Garland vs Roy Oswalt on Turesday.

Go Sox!

Eight Down, Three to Go

2005-10-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

A World Series recap post. Wow.

Joe Crede was the star of the game. Not only for his hitting, though his fourth inning homer gave the Sox the lead, but also for his defense, he made three outstanding plays at third that helped keep the Astros in check.

José Contreras wasn't at his best, he hit three batters to tie a World Series record, but he pitched well enough to win. I don't know why Ozzie brought him out to start the eighth, but he wisely pulled him after he gave up a leadoff double. Fox TV cameras made it seem as if Ozzie was still hesitant to make the change.

What bullpen rust? After giving up a single, Neil Cotts and Bobby Jenks were outstanding, recording 5 of 6 outs on strikeouts. Most memorable being Jeff Bagwell's to end the eighth. Jenks was firing 100 mph fastballs and it was obvious that Bagwell didn't have a chance.

I think we've seen the last of Roger Clemens in a Major League uniform. He left after the second inning with a hamstring injury. I can't help but think that Scott Podsednik's 13-14 pitch at bat had something to do with it. Scott fouled off pitch after pitch and was visibly upset with himself after striking out on a 3-2 pitch that was out of the zone. He made up for it with his RBI triple in the eighth that gave the Sox a needed insurance run.

I was disappointed that the Sox weren't able to break through against Wandy Rodriguez, the Astros' long reliever. It turned out not to matter.

I also want to note Carl Everett's heads up baserunning. In the second inning with Everett on third, AJ Pierzynski hit a grounder to Astros first baseman Mike Lamb. Lamb thought he had frozen Everett and tried to start a double play. Everett took off for home when Lamb released the ball and scored without a throw, while the Astros only recorded one out on the play.

I wish Fox had shown Luis Aparicio's ceremonial first pitch to Ozzie, that would have been nice to see. I also see that Frank Thomas was in uniform for the game, nice for him. No one on the Sox roster deserves this more than Frank.

Next up, Andy Pettite vs Mark Buehrle. The weather report doesn't look encouraging, I hope they can get the game in.

Go Sox!

It's the Astros

2005-10-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

After their epic collapse on Monday, I figured the Astros were done, but they managed to pull themselves together and eliminate the Cardinals last night. I had a slight preference for the Cardinals because it would have driven Cub fans crazy and because the ex-Cub factor was in our favor. It doesn't matter because the White Sox are in the World Series! I just saw an ad for the broadcast that featured the Sox and I couldn't help chuckling to myself.

It's going to be great!

Tom DeLay's Mugshot

2005-10-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

From his booking today in Houston. Odd that he's smiling. I hope that Ronnie Earle will correct that soon.

Update:
This Washington Post article theorizes that he's smiling so that Democrats can't use it against him. Fair enough. We'll just have to use the footage of him being hauled away to prison instead.

Seven Down Four to Go

2005-10-17T22:09:00.000-05:00

Now that I've calmed down and sobered up a bit, here's my thoughts on last night's game.

Joe Crede was the star of the game. His homer off Kelvim Escobar in th 7th tied the game at 3 and his 8th inning single put us ahead 4-3.

At the time I thought José Contreras was losing it,and I was screaming for Ozzie to bring in Jenks starting in the 8th. Thankfully, Francisco Rodriguez melted down and we scored two more in the top of the 9th. Contreras was able set down the Angels in order in the bottom of the 9th to clinch (I still can't believe I'm writing this) the White Sox' first trip to the World Series in 46 years.

The bottom of the 9th was an incredible experience for me. I stood up and put my hands on top of my head, shouting for each strike jumping up and down for the first two outs. Hyperventilating the whole time. When Konerko tagged first for the fianl out I started screaming and shouting for all I was worth bouncing around the room, knocking down anything in my path. I then proceeded to drink three beers in a row while watching the celebrations and interviews on TV and got very drunk (for me). I also found myself dancing involuntarily, smething I continued to do well into this afternoon. I find myself smiling and giggling a lot.

I was thinking to myself today that I was fully prepared to go the rest of my life without seeing this happen. Maybe they'd tease me every now and then with a playoff appearance, but I never thought they could actually do what they've done, advance to the World Series. If these guys can seal the deal and win it all I don't know what I'm going to do. I hope to find out.

Go Sox!

Six Down, Five to Go

2005-10-15T23:08:00.000-05:00

This game started out as a carbon copy of last night's game and ended with the White Sox a mere 27 outs away from the World Series.

Again tonight the Sox jumped out to a 3-0 lead, this time on a three run homer by Paul Konerko, instead of last night's two run jack. The homer absolutely took the crowd out of the game, it was like a tomb out there.

It looks like Scott Podsednik may have regained his baserunning momentum, he reached base four times, stole two bases and scored two runs. Good to see that.

Freddy Garcia joined the complete game club, holding the Angels to 2 runs on 6 hits and one walk. I thought Ozzie would pull him after the score went to 8-2, but Freddy was able to close it out without much difficulty.

The Fox announcers tried to make a big deal about a missed catchers interference call and a missed call on a pickoff, but they failed to realize that something like that might make a difference in a one run game, but in a six run game it's of no consequence.

Next up, a rematch of Game 1, José Contreras vs. Paul Byrd. I look for Ozzie and the Sox to go for the jugular and (I can't believe I'm writing this) the American League pennant tomorrow night. I don't think there's any way Paul Byrd can beat us twice in a row.

Five Down, Six to Go

2005-10-15T03:19:00.000-05:00

Tonight's game featured two things Sox fans haven't seen in a while: the White Sox offense and pitcher Jon Garland. Both were excellent.

The Sox jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Scott Podsednik scored on a Jermaine Dye double after Tadahito Iguchi sacrifced him to second. Paul Konerko followed up with a homer he crushed on a hanging breaking pitch by Angels starter John Lackey. Konerko drove in Iguchi in the fifth after he doubled with one out.

Garland showed no ill effects of a 13 day layoff. He allowed only 4 hits and one walk while striking out 7 in a complete game effort. The only blemish being a two run homer he allowed to Orlando Cabrera. They interviewed Garland's girlfriend during the game. Some guys have all the luck. Have fun tonight buddy.

My only concern is with the back to back complete games, the bullpen isn't getting enough work. Dustin Hermanson and Luis Vizcaino haven't even appeared in a postseason game yet. Though that may not be a bad thing in Vizcaino's case. Only Cotts has appeared in an LCS game. I don't think you want a reliever's first appearance to be in a game-critical situation.

I've said this before, but this postseason has just been unbelievable. It's all I can do to not think ahead. It's a good problem to have.

Next up, Freddy Garcia vs Ervin Santana. Before the LDS Garcia intimated that he would rather face the Angels because of the success he's had against them in the past. Now's your chance, Freddy.

Two of My Favorite Things

2005-10-13T17:55:00.000-05:00

~~President~~ Senator Barack Obama throws out the first pitch at last night's Game 2 of the ALCS.

Four Down, Seven to Go

2005-10-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

I thought this was going to be a replay of Game1, with the addition of an outstanding pitching performance by Mark Buehrle. Exemplified by Aaron Rowand getting thrown out at home leading off the second on a double and an error by Vlad Guerrero.

On to what everyone will be talking about tomorrow. Bottom of the 9th, two outs, nobody on. AJ Pierzynski appeared to swing and miss at strike 3, AJ thought that the ball hit the dirt so he ran to first while the Angels were running off the field and was called safe. Pablo Ozuna ran for AJ and stole second. Joe Crede followed with a clutch double to score the winning run.

To my eye, the replay showed that Angels catcher Josh Paul, caught the ball. If there was any question, Paul should have tagged AJ or thrown to first. He did neither, so IMO the Angels have nothing to complain about.

The White Sox aren't supposed to get these kind of calls, we've been screwed by the umpires more times than I can count. Which leads me to believe we just might have something special going on here.

Is there an ex-White Sox factor? Ex-Sox Tony Graffanino cost Boston Game 2 of the LDS with an error. Tonight, ex-Sox Josh Paul costs the Angels Game 2 of the LCS with an error. Things that make you go hmmm.

Missouri to Track Cell Phone Users

2005-10-12T18:04:00.000-05:00

The Missouri Department of Transportation is negotiating with private contractors to track cell phone users on all Missouri roads. The stated goal is to relay real time traffic information to motorists, by tracking the movement of cell phones on the roads. They claim the data will be anonymous, but I have serious doubts.

Citing "safety" concerns how long will it be before law enforcement agencies start using this information to issue traffic citations, or track the movements of political dissidents, or find out what their exes are up to, or watch where YOU go every day.

Check the calendar, it isn't 2005, it's 1984.

Still Eight to Go

2005-10-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

An hour before game time, it's too late to do a recap of last night's game, so I'll just say I was disappointed. The game was there for the taking, but the Sox failed to execute. I didn't think they'd go undefeated, but we should've had this one. Let's forget about this one and get them tonight.

Go Sox!

It's the Angels

2005-10-10T22:46:00.000-05:00

Despite losing Bartolo Colon to injury in the 2nd inning the Angels defeated the Yankees 5-3. The Yankees tried to make a comeback with three hits in the top of the 9th, but they fell short.

With Colon's injury and Washburn's illness, the Angels' pitching looks like it's in bad shape, but I still can't help but worry with the record we have against West Coast teams in recent years.

Jose Contreras vs Johnny Undecided tomorrow.

Go Sox!

Marte Makes LCS Roster

2005-10-10T15:22:00.000-05:00

Despite his poor performance on Friday, Ozzie has decided to keep Damaso Marte on the roster for the LCS.

''I had a meeting with Marte before I made that decision,'' Guillen said. ''We need this kid. I talked to him, and he says he's fine. The thing is, that's the only player on my roster that I worry about.

I can see why Ozzie would want to have him on the roster, but what's the point, if he can't actually use him. Ozzie has said previously that he can't use Marte at home becuase of the reaction from the fans. After Friday's performance he should be afraid to use him at all, because he can't get anyone out. So what good is he? Better to keep Brandon McCarthy, who has had success, even out of the bullpen.

I can't claim to understand all of Ozzie's moves, but I guess I have to give him the benefit of the doubt until one of them backfires. I just hope that should it happen, it won't be too costly. One can't hope for miracles in every game.

Poll: Bush Bigger Problem than Terrorism

2005-10-09T04:38:00.000-05:00

via Think Progress:

A new CBS poll shows that more people think that Bush is the US' most important problem, than think that terrorism is. It's only a 5% to 4% margin, but it's good to see.

Three Down, Eight to Go

2005-10-09T03:50:00.000-05:00

I'm finding this postseason more and more difficult to believe. These things aren't supposed to happen to the White Sox. I figured that after Damaso Marte wlaked the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the 6th, we were doomed. This would be the collapse, the Red Sox would take the lead, win the game, and take the next two to send us home for the winter.

El Duque had other plans, thankfully.

In an epic confrontation, Duque got Jason Varitek and Tony Graffanino to pop up, and then struck out Johnny Damon on a 3-2 checked swing. He then set down Boston's big guns 1-2-3 in the 7th. He allowed a harmless single to John Olerud in the 8th before handing the ball over to Bobby Jenks in the 9th. Jenks retired the side in order for his second save of the series. Duque earned a hold, which seeems wholly inadequate for what he did.

I've been watching baseball a long time, 23 of my 38 years. What Duque did was without a doubt the ballsiest pitching performance I've ever seen. Just one week ago, he was thisclose to being left off the roster in favor of rookie Brandon McCarthy. Now, he's earned himself a LCS start, IMO. I read somewhere yesterday that Ozzie had to fight hard to get Duque on the roster. I'm glad Ozzie won.

On to the LCS. I'd rather face the Yankees, because I think we could take them and because beating them would earn the respect the White Sox richly deserve. After this series, I'm beginning to think we could take anybody. I'll try to keep myself on an even keel, though.

Duque, if ever I meet you in a bar, the first one's on me, amigo

Two Down, Nine to Go

2005-10-06T02:05:00.000-05:00

This one didn't look good early, the Sox fell behind 4-0 early and it looked like the series might be tied 1-1. That all changed thanks to Tony Graffanino's error and Iguchi's 3 run blast in the 5th. Buehrle and Jenks were able to shut Boston down the rest of the way and the Sox pulled out a 5-4 victory.

Up next is Garcia vs Wakefield in Boston on Friday afternoon. The Sox have a good record vs Wakefield and Garcia likes to pitch in big games. This is certainly Garcia's biggest game in a Sox uniform so far. The experts keep pointing out how Boston has been able to come back when their backs are aagainst the wall, but this is a different team. I am cautiously optimistic.

One Down, Ten to Go

2005-10-04T20:28:00.000-05:00

The White Sox pounded Boston today 14-2. It was the first home playoff victory sicne 1959, the first victory since 1993, and the first one I'd seen since 1983. They also set an ALDS record with 5 home runs. I'm feeling pretty good about this team right now, but I hope Ozzie can keep them from getting overconfident. David Wells is no Matt Clement, but I wouldn't mind handing him a similar beating tomorrow. I'll take any kind of win, though.

A Prayer for White Sox Fans

2005-10-03T22:30:00.000-05:00

O, (Deity or Deities) on the eve of the playoffs, a rare and most wondrous occurrence for us, I, a humble White Sox fan doth humbly pray for the following:

Heal our players' ailments, and protect them from injury.

Let our pitchers' fastballs move and let their breaking balls break.

Let our batters see the ball and let their bats be quick.

May our fielders' hands be soft and let their throws be true.

May our baserunners get good jumps and let their feet be swift.

May our manager's gut not lead him astray, and let his coaches' counsel be wise.

Let the umpires' vision be clear and let their hearts be unbiased.

If You in Your inifinite wisdom should see fit to grant my humble request, I will promise to sing thy praises at every 7th inning stretch.

In Joe Jackson's name I pray,
Amen.

DeLay Indicted Again!

2005-10-03T22:26:00.000-05:00

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was indicted again today on charges of money laundering.

The hits just keep on coming!

This Weekend's Movies

2005-10-03T21:55:00.000-05:00

Went to the movies for the first time in a long time this weekend. I saw Serenity and A History of Violence.

I enjoyed Firefly when it was on Fox and I've fallen in love with it ever since I got the series on DVD, So I've been very excited to see the new movie. I was not disappointed. Joss Whedon was able to continue the story, while still leaving room for a sequel. I won't give away any of the big plot points, but there were a couple of small things that I didn't realize that added to my appreciation of the story. I didn't realize that the Firefly 'verse consisted of only a single solar system. While I later learned it was mentioned in one of the episodes I didn't realize that River was psychic. A lot of the episodes will make much more sense now. My rating (9/10)

I'd been interested in seeing A History of Violence since I first heard about it this spring. I liked it generally, with the excpetion of the ending. I didn't need a happy ending, but I did want a clearer resolution. It's still a provocative exploration on the origins of violence with some terriffic performances by its stars. My rating (8/10)

White Sox Clinch AL Central!

2005-09-30T00:32:00.000-05:00

It was touch and go there for a while, but the Sox managed to pull it out today, with a little help from KC and Tampa Bay. I'm not especially optimistic about the playoffs, but I guess anything can happen. Go Sox!

Headline of the Day

2005-09-28T16:38:00.000-05:00

Tom DeLay Indicted

Other headlines I would like to see soon:

Bill Frist Indicted

Tom DeLay Convicted

This one most of all:

Bush, Cheney Impeached

And on a personal note:

White Sox Win World Series

But I don't think I'll ever live long enough to see that one.

Holy crap, it's been a long time since I've posted.

What if the GOP Held a Fundraiser and Nobody Came?

2005-04-21T01:25:00.000-05:00

Via The Carpetbagger Report:

On April 1st, the Wisconsin GOP held a fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Mark Green and House candidate John Gard. They had a special guest, Speaker of the House Denny Hastert. 700 invitatations were issued. 15 people showed up.

I know Hastert's a figurehead, but 15 people? How funny, er, embarrassing, OK both.

He Said It

2005-04-21T00:54:00.000-05:00

Verbatim from Think Progress:

The people do have a right to know:

“The time has come that the American people know exactly what their representatives are doing here in Washington. Are they feeding at the public trough, taking lobbyist-paid vacations, getting wined and dined by special-interest groups? Or are they working hard to represent their constituents? The people, the American people, have a right to know. I say the best disinfectant is full disclosure.”

– Rep. Tom DeLay, delivered on the House floor, November 1995

It's time to live up to your own words, Tom.

Clueless George

2005-04-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

Via Carpetbagger Report:
George W Bush is was unaware of the changes in travel policy that his Administration has propsed that will require citizens to have passports to travel to and from Mexico and Canada, until he read it in the newspaper.

“When I first read that in the newspaper about the need to have passports,” Bush told a meeting of editors Wednesday, “I said, ‘What’s going on here?’ “

First, I thought he didn't read the paper. Second, who's running this country if George doesn't know something like that? What's going on here indeed?

When the Facts Don't Fit the Ideology

2005-04-16T14:23:00.000-05:00

Then hide the facts. According to Political Wire, the Bush Administration is ceasing publication of an annual report on international terrorism because it would show that there were more attacks last year than in any year since 1985, the first year the report was issued.

Typical Republican thinking. If you can't lie, obfuscate.

Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld "Honored"

2005-04-13T17:30:00.000-05:00

From Science Blog via Boing Boing:

George W Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld have been "honored" by having species of slime-mold beetles named after them. According to Quentin Wheeler, the professor responsible for naming the beetles,

"We admire these leaders as fellow citizens who have the courage of their convictions and are willing to do the very difficult and unpopular work of living up to principles of freedom and democracy rather than accepting the expedient or popular,"

OK, if you say so. The choice of species seems terribly appropriate to me.

Sorry for no updates recently, will try harder.

It's a Good Thing Steven King Isn't in School Now

2005-03-05T04:30:00.000-06:00

Via Boing Boing:
A Lexington, KY high school student, William Poole, was arrested and jailed for writing a story about zombies. The charge is second degree terroristic threatening. In response to Poole's assertions that the story is fiction, police had this to say:

"Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill.

It's good to know that the police in Kentucky are on the job, protecting zombies from "terrorstic threats".

I Guess Fox News Wasn't Enough

2005-02-27T18:11:00.000-06:00

Via AlterNet
I guess Rupert Murdoch and the folks at Fox News weren't doing a good enough job, because the Department of Defense is starting its own cable channel. It's already available on some cable systems and soon Dish Network will carry it on sarellite. It seems to me that the government shouldn't be in the domestic broadcasting business. The next thing you'll see is news from "state-run" TV, the way we do from other countries now. The "free press" is practically a joke now, now it seems the government is going to eliminate the middle man and start broadcasting its propaganda itself.

Howard Dean Comes to Kansas

2005-02-26T14:27:00.000-06:00

Howard Dean began his campaign to make the Democrats a ntional party again, with a stop in Lawrence, Kansas Friday. He spoke for about 20 minutes to an enthusiastic crowd of about a thousand who paid $5 each to see the new DNC chair.

Lawrence Journal-World report
6 News Lawrence (local TV) report (Quicktime)
KCUR (Kansas City NPR) interview

It looks like Dean is keeping his promise with this trip and a trip to Mississippi next week. He's saying the right things, I only hope they translate into strategies that can get Democrats elected at the local level.

Count Me Blue Bracelets Wristbands

2005-02-23T21:36:00.000-06:00

I'm auctioning off my extra Count Me Blue wristbands on ebay. If you don't want to buy a pack of 10 this a chance to get one at a fair price. Auction ends 2/20/2005 at 22:12 PST.

Thanks.

Chicken George

2005-02-23T21:28:00.000-06:00

Via Political Wire:
George Bush was supposed to have a town hall style meeting with average Germans during his visit there, Wednesday. When the German government declined to go along with Bush's pre-screened and scripted format, he backed out.

Is anyone actually surprised by this? If George Bush had to answer questions from a potentially hostile crowd off the cuff, his brain would implode.

I Thought That Sounded Familiar

2005-02-23T00:55:00.000-06:00

I thought Bush's recent denails of military plans for Iran sounded familiar. Think Progress was kind enough to lay it out for me.

“This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table.” - George W. Bush, 2/22/05

“Again, all options are on the table, and – but one thing I will not allow is a nation such as Iraq to threaten our very future by developing weapons of mass destruction.” - George W. Bush, 3/13/02

Warning: This Program Contains Nudity, Violence, and Same Sex Marriage

2005-02-20T19:25:00.000-06:00

On tonight's episode of the Simpsons, Homer becomes an ordained minister in order to perform same sex marriages. Fox thought it necessary to warn viewers of this fact before the show began. Anyboody who watches the show, shouldn't be surprised at its liberal views. But it's still a shame that same sex marriage has risen to the level of sex and violence as something viewers need to be protected from. On Fox, anyway.

Check the parody website mentioned on the show

Don't Like the Science? Change the Law

2005-02-20T15:42:00.000-06:00

Via Think Progress:

A committee of the Indiana House voted Wednesday to send a bill to the full House that states that a human fetus is viable outside the womb at 20 weeks. Despite the fact that there's no scientific evidence to support this.

Attention all politicians! Science cannot be legislated. Leave science to the scientists. Please.

Memo to Joe Lieberman

2005-02-17T23:11:00.000-06:00

Via Political Wire:
According to poll in the Wall Street Journal 60% of Americans want Congressional Democrats to make sure Bush and the GOP don't go too far. Only 34% want Democrats to work in a bipartisann way to pass Bush's priorities.

Someone could do the country a great service by passing out copies of this poll to those Democrats who vote for Republican bills. Like the 50 Democrats who voted today to take away Americans' right to class action lawsuits.

It's Worse Than I Thought

2005-02-17T00:23:00.000-06:00

It's bad enough that the Army is sending one legged soldiers back to Iraq, now they want to send senior cittizens too. According to this Carpetbagger Report item, 84 year old WWII vet Floyd Baker, received letters from the Army promising generous incentives if he re-enlisted.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: there's a draft coming, and I'm not talking about the wind.

Howard, Get to Work on This

2005-02-15T21:34:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, the mid point of February, I received from the DNC my 2005 calendar.

Howard, I know you were just elected on Saturday, but you might want to look into this, so that next year the calendatrs go out in January, or even December!

Dems Out-Mobilize GOP

2005-02-15T21:29:00.000-06:00

Via Donkey Rising:

According to the 2004 American National Election Survey, 31% of respondents were contacted by the Democratic Party vs. 25% for the GOP. The previous high was 22% in 2000. The survey also showed that Democratic efforts were more effective. Among those who were contacted, the gap in turnout between the lowest and the highest income groups was only eight percentage points. Among those who weren't, the gap was 26 percentage points.

It's good to know that all those phone calls I made did some good.

Congratulations Howard!

2005-02-12T13:09:00.000-06:00

Although the result was a foregone conclusion, Howard Dean was elected chairman of the DNC today. I am, admittedly, a big fan of his, but I think he was the right choice because he has a plan to build the party by expanding it at the state and local levels.Which is exactly the path we need to take if we're going to be a national party again.

Good Luck Howard!

Did Bush Know About Steroid Use?

2005-02-06T23:55:00.000-06:00

Sorry, no updates last week, I was very tired.

Via Political Wire:
In former Chicago White Sox (I'm a fan) slugger Jose Canseco's new book, Juiced : Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big, he claims to have brought steroids to baseball, having introduced them to Mark McGwire, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez. He even claims that, then Rangers owner, George W Bush knew players were using performance enhancing drugs, but did nothing about it. The White House declined comment.

I don't know if Canseco's telling the truth, but if he's trying to draw attention to himself, it may just work.

Recommended Online Viewing

2005-01-30T14:27:00.000-06:00

Via Green Cine Daily:
America's Biggest Dick takes Dick Cheney's 2004 convention speech and replaces the audio with lines from Scarface. The result is both funny and scary. Check it out.

You're Welcome

2005-01-27T23:31:00.000-06:00

Via President Boxer:
Senator Barbara Boxer (H.O.D.) thanks Daily Kos and the blogosphere as a whole for their help durinng the Rice nomination hearings.

I know there aren't many of you seeing this, if anyone, but I still like to think I helped.

Boxer/Rice SNL Sketch

2005-01-26T20:09:00.000-06:00

Via President Boxer:

Crooks and Liars has a very funny clip of a Saturday Night Live sketch based on last week's hearings. I'm sorry I missed it, but I haven't watched SNL regularly in a long time.

Senate Dems Show Backbone

2005-01-26T18:43:00.000-06:00

In two seperate votes, Senate Democrats showed they do have some backbone. Condoleeza Rice was confirmed 85-13. It was the most no votes for any Secretary of State nominee since 1825. Alberto Gonzales cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee 10-8, a straight party line vote. One clue that Democrats are starting to wake up is Dianne Feinstein. She voted to approve Rice in the Foreign Relations Committee, yet she voted against Gonzales. To my view, they're both equally abhorrent, so maybe she's starting to get it.

Since I named names before, I'll do it again. These are the Democrats who voted against Rice:

Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Boxer (D-CA) (H.O.D.)
Byrd (D-WV)
Dayton (D-MN)

Durbin (D-IL)
Harkin (D-IA)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)

Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Levin (D-MI)
Reed (D-RI)

The Judiciary Committee's web site isn't up to date so I can't find an accurate list of how they voted. Will update when I find out.

Coalition of the Willing, R.I.P.

2005-01-26T17:57:00.000-06:00

Reuters reported Friday that the administration has scrapped the list of countries known as the "coalition of the willing", Bush's term for the countries who were providing varying levels of support for the war effort. No reason was given.

I suppose it wouldn't have any thing to do with the fact that countries are leaving the coalition in droves, would it?

Cartoon of the Day

2005-01-26T17:56:00.000-06:00

Monday's Non Sequitur. Tuesday's and Wednesday's aren't bad either. :)

Democrats DO Speak Out

2005-01-26T17:51:00.000-06:00

I'm a regular listener to Air America, and I don't know how many times I've heard people call in and ask, "Where are the Democrats?" The Democrats don't always stand up when they should but, the biggest part of the problem is that the media doesn't report it when they do speak out.

In that spirit, since it probably wasn't covered at all by the mainstream media, I'd thought I'd share a portion of Senator Robert Byrd's speech during the debate of Condoleeza Rice's confirmation yesterday. He spoke for an hour, but you can read or listen to a good portion of it here. This was his closing:

Mr. President, Dr. Rice's record in many ways is one to be greatly admired. She is a very intelligent lady, very knowledgeable about the subject matter, very warm and congenial, but the stakes for the United States are too high. I cannot endorse higher responsibilities for those who helped to set our great country down the path of increasing isolation, enmity in the world and a war that has no end. Oh, when will our boys come home? When will our men and women be able to sit down at the table with their families and their friends in their own communities again? For these reasons, I shall cast my vote in opposition to the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice to be the next Secretary of State.

Another Pundit Paid

2005-01-26T17:37:00.000-06:00

When the Armstrong Williams scandal broke, he let it slip that he wasn't the only one getting paid. Today he was proved right when it was reported that columnist Maggie Gallagher was paid $21,500 by the Department of Health and Human Services to promote the agency's marriage initiative.

In a weird way, I find this encouraging, because I know there can't really be that many people who actually buy the Administration's line of BS. The only reason why anyone would, because they were getting paid. It's just to bad that the accounting's probably too well hidden to show the connection between the White House and Fox News.

Dems Take Page from GOP Playbook (Gasp!)

2005-01-24T22:26:00.000-06:00

Via The Carpetbagger Report:
Looks like Senate Democrats are copying the Contract With America by laying out their own legislative agenda known as "Keeping America's Promise". I think this is a good move, it will help to blunt GOP criticism that Democrats aren't for anything just against them. Here are the specifics:

Putting America's Security First

S.11: Standing With Our Troops. Democrats believe that putting America’s security first means standing up for our troops and their families. Democrats will work to increase our military end strength by up to 40,000 by 2007. We will create a Guard and Reserve Bill of Rights to protect and promote the interests of our dedicated citizen soldiers. Democrats will also fight for the families of those who serve our country. This includes providing income security and immediate access to affordable health care.

S. 12: Targeting the Terrorists More Effectively. Keeping America secure means stepping up the fight against the radical Islamic fundamentalism. Democrats will work to increase our Special Operations forces by 2,000 to attack the terrorists where they are and to protect our freedoms here at home. We will further enhance our efforts against enemies by targeting the institutions that spawn new terrorists. Democrats are also united to ensure that the world’s most dangerous weapons stay out of the hands of terrorists. We will expand the pace and scope of programs to eliminate and safeguard nuclear materials, enhance efforts to keep these and other deadly materials out of the hands of terrorists, and assist state and local governments in equipping and training those responsible for dealing with the effects of terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.

S. 13: Fulfilling Our Duty to America’s Veterans. A key component of keeping America secure is protecting the rights of our veterans. Since the time of Lincoln, Americans have made and kept a sacred commitment to those who served this nation in the defense of freedom. As a new generation of veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan, Democrats are united to fulfill that promise. We will ensure that all veterans get the health care they deserve while also expanding the availability and accessibility of mental health care. We will ensure that no veteran is forced to choose between a retirement and disability check. We will also make the same commitment to the soldiers of today that was made to past veterans with a 21st Century GI Bill.

(These first three are basically Kerry campaign promises)

Expanding Opportunity To All Americans:

S. 14: Expanding Economic Opportunity. Democrats understand that the most effective means of increasing opportunity for our families is a high quality, good paying job. Democrats will fight to restore overtime protection to 6 million workers and increase the minimum wage for 7.4 million workers. We must do more to create good jobs today and in the future and the Democratic bill does so by eliminating tax incentives for companies that take jobs overseas, creating new jobs through an expansion of infrastructure programs to repair America’s backbone, and encouraging innovation in the American economy. We are also determined to pursue a trade policy that protects American workers and addresses our record trade deficit. Democrats will work to strengthen enforcement of our trade agreements while assisting those workers who have been unduly burdened by unfair trading practices of other nations.

S. 15: Quality Education for All. Democrats are committed to providing a quality education to all Americans because we recognize that education has always been the cornerstone of equal opportunity. Democrats will keep our promise to our children by increasing support for pre-school education, fully funding No Child Left Behind and improving its implementation. We are committed to providing safe and reliable transportation for our rural school children and meeting the Federal commitment to children with disabilities. Democrats will also address the shortfall of math, science and special education teachers by creating tuition incentives for college students to major in those fields. We will help expand educational opportunities for college by providing relief from skyrocketing college tuition, increasing the size and access to Pell Grants and supporting proven programs that encourage more young people to attend and succeed in college.

S. 16: Making Health Care More Affordable. Spiraling health care costs are putting the opportunity of America at risk, making it harder for families to buy health insurance and placing a difficult burden on small businesses and manufacturers. Democrats will address these concerns by making prescription drugs more affordable through the legalization of prescription drug reimportation and more safe by ensuring drugs are monitored after they are approved for use. Democrats will ensure that all children and pregnant women will have health care and protect Medicaid. We will reduce the growing cost of health care to small businesses by offering tax credits while also modernizing health care to cut costs for patients and businesses.

S. 17: Democracy Begins at Home. Equal opportunity in this country is based upon equal representation and fair voting. Democrats are determined to reforming the voting system in this country to create Federal standards for our elections. The bill adds verification, accountability and accuracy to the system. It increases access to the polls with Election Day registration, shorter lines and early voting. The bill also aims to modernize our election equipment and increase impartiality and provides the resources to our states to implement the bill.

Meeting Our Responsibility To The Future And The Past:

S. 18: Meeting Our Responsibility to Medicare Beneficiaries. Democrats will take the special interests out of the Medicare law by repealing the provision that prevents Medicare from negotiating better prices for seniors and eliminating the slush fund for HMOs. We will also improve the prescription drug benefit by phasing out the current doughnut hole where seniors pay a premium but get no benefit. We will buy down the Part B premium so premium increases are not too steep. We will address incentives that encourage employers to drop retiree benefits and we will ensure that no seniors are forced into HMOs while helping seniors in their transition to the new benefit.

S. 19: Fiscal Responsibility for a Sound Future. Democrats know that fiscal mismanagement today only leads to greater problems for our children. It is our responsibility to address the fiscal irresponsibility of the current Administration by imposing discipline today and Democrats are united to strengthen budgeting rules that require the government to live within its means.

S. 20: Putting Prevention First. Democrats are committed to reducing unintended pregnancies by increasing access to family planning services and improving contraceptive coverage. We will increase funding for family planning and empower states to enable more women to take responsibility for their health. We will also improve contraceptive coverage by assuring equity in prescription drug insurance.

Bush by the Numbers

2005-01-24T22:07:00.000-06:00

Via The Carpetbagger Report:
Numeralist lays out the numbers on Bush's "achievements" during his first four years in office.

Poverty Rate
2000: 11.3% or 31.6 million Americans
2003: 12.5% or 35.9 million Americans

Stock market
Dow Jones Industrial Average
1/19/01: 10,587.59
1/19/05: 10,539.97

NASDAQ
1/19/01: 2,770.38
1/19/05: 2,073.59

S&P 500
1/19/01: 1,342.54
1/19/05: 1,184.63

Value of the Dollar
1/19/01: 1 Dollar = 1.06 Euros
1/19/05: 1 Dollar = 0.77 Euros

Budget
2000 budget surplus $236.4 billion
2004 budget deficit $412.6 billion
That's a shift of $649 billion and doesn't include the cost of the Iraq war.

Cost of the war in Iraq
$150.8 billion

American Casualties in Iraq
Deaths: 1,369
Wounded: 10,252

The Debt
End of 2000: $5.7 trillion
Today: $7.6 trillion
That's a 4 year increase of 33%.

What the Networks Aren't Showing You

2005-01-24T21:54:00.000-06:00

Democracy Now! had great coverage of Inauguration protests on their Friday and Monday shows. Actual reports from the people who carried them out. You won't see this on the networks, although I understand that C-SPAN covered the protests live on the day.

Just for Laughs

2005-01-23T17:09:00.000-06:00

Via Boing Boing:

German police are are on the hunt for pranksters who are placing miniature American flgs in piles of dog poop in public parks. The German police are baffled:

"We have sent out extra patrols to try to catch whoever is doing this in the act," said police spokesman Reiner Kuechler.

"But frankly, we don't know what we would do if we caught them red handed."

George W Bush: Inspiring the world since 2001.

Powell Resigns

2005-01-23T16:53:00.000-06:00

Michael Powell announced Friday that he was stepping down as chair of the FCC. The countdown now begins as to which big media corporation hires him as a reward for being so favorable to them during his term.

Naming Names

2005-01-23T16:38:00.000-06:00

Here's how the Democrats othe Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Condoleeza Rice's confirmation.

For:
Joe Biden
Paul Sarbanes
Chris Dodd
Russ Feingold
Bill Nelson
Barack Obama (I'm SO disappointed!)

Who are these guys trying to impress? It's not going to help them with the Republicans, because they aren't going to deal with the Democrats anyway. By voting in favor of Rice, all they do is piss off regular Democrats like me, who tend to remember such things, come election and fundraising time. If they really want us to believe that they're fighting for us, they can't roll over on the first chance they get.

Against:
John Kerry (It's about time he showed some backbone)
Barbara Boxer (H.O.D.)

Boxer Asks the Tough Questiions

2005-01-19T00:38:00.000-06:00

Senator Barbara Boxer (H.O.D.) is quickly becoming my favorite Senator. During the confirmation hearings for Condoleeza Rice, Senator Boxer was the only one whohad the guts to ask Rice the tough questions. She confronts Rice with the contradictions in her own statements and Rice couldn't weasel out of it. Only Senator Lugar's call of recess saved her.

Here's the transcript of the exchange between Rice and Boxer via The San Francisco Chronicle

SEN. BOXER: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Dr. Rice, for agreeing to stay as long as it takes, because some of us do have a lot of questions.

And, Senator Lugar, you are a very fair chairman, and I wanted to say to the new members also welcome -- and you'll enjoy this committee, because we have such a great chairman and such a terrific ranking member, and we really do a lot of things in a bipartisan way, unlike other committees. And I think you're going to enjoy your time here.

Dr. Rice, before I get to my formal remarks, you no doubt will be confirmed -- that's at least what we think. And if you're going to become the voice of diplomacy -- this is just a helpful point -- when Senator Voinovich mentioned the issue of tsunami relief, you said -- your first words were, "The tsunami was a wonderful opportunity for us." Now, the tsunami was one of the worst tragedies of our lifetime -- one of the worst -- and it's going to have a 10-year impact on rebuilding that area. I was very disappointed in your statement. I think you blew the opportunity. You mention it as part of one sentence. And I would hope to work with you on this, because children are suffering, we're worried they're going to get in the sex trade. This thing is a disaster, a true natural disaster and a human disaster of great proportions, and I hope that the State Department will take a huge lead under your leadership in helping those folks in the long range.

Well, Mr. Chairman, again I thank you. I am -- Dr. Rice, I was glad you mentioned Martin Luther King -- it was very appropriate, given everything. And he also said, Martin Luther King, quote, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." And one of the things that matters most to my people in California and the people in America is this war in Iraq.

Now, it took you to page three of your testimony to mention the word "Iraq." You said very little really about it, and only in the questioning have we been able to get into some areas. Perhaps you agree with President Bush, who said all that's been resolved. I'm quoting today's Post: "Bush said in an interview last week with the Washington Post that the '04 election was a moment of accountability for the decisions he made in Iraq." But today's Washington Post/ABC poll found that 58 percent disapprove of his handling of the situation, to 40 percent who approve -- and only 44 percent said the war was worth fighting.

So in your statement it takes you to page three to mention the word "Iraq." Then you mention it in the context of elections -- which is fine -- but you never even mention indirectly the 1,366 American troops that have died, or the 10,372 who have been wounded -- many mentally, as a report that I read over the weekend that maybe a third will come home and need help because of what they saw -- it's been so traumatic to them. And 25 percent of those dead are from my home state. And this from a war that was based on what everyone now says, including your own administration, were falsehoods about WMDs, weapons of mass destruction. And I've had tens of thousands of people from all over the country say that they disagree -- although they respect the president -- they disagree that this administration and the people in it shouldn't be held accountable. I don't know if you saw the movie, "The Fog of War" -- war is a nightmare, you know that. Colin Powell I think was the most eloquent I've heard on it, because he's seen it himself -- he's been there and done it. And I don't want to have you in a circumstance where you're writing something years later about the fog of war. And I'm fearful if we don't see some changes here we're going to have trouble.

And I think the way we should start is by trying to set the record straight on some of the things you said going into this war. Now, since 9/11 we've been engaged in a just fight against terror. And I, like Senator Feingold and everyone here who was in the Senate at the time, voted to go after Osama bin Laden and to go after the Taliban, and to defeat al Qaeda. And you say they have left territory -- that's not true. Your own documents show that al Qaeda has expanded from 45 countries in '01 to more than 60 countries today.

Well, with you in the lead role, Dr. Rice, we went into Iraq. I want to read you a paragraph that best expresses my views, and ask my staff if they would hold this up -- and I believe the views of millions of Californians and Americans. It was written by one of the world's experts on terrorism, Peter Bergen, five months ago. He wrote: "What we have done in Iraq is what bin Laden could not have hoped for in his wildest dreams: We invaded an oil-rich Muslim nation in the heart of the Middle East, the very type of imperial adventure bin Laden has long predicted was the U.S.'s long-term goal in the region. We deposed the secular socialist Saddam, whom bin Laden has long despised, ignited Sunni and Shi'a fundamentalist fervor in Iraq, and have now provoked a defensive jihad that has galvanized jihad- minded Muslims around the world. It's hard to imagine a set of policies better designed to sabotage the war on terror." This conclusion was reiterated last Thursday by the National Intelligence Council, the CIA director's think tank, which released a report saying that Iraq has replaced Afghanistan as the training ground for the next generation of professionalized terrorists.

That's your own administration's CIA. NIC chairman Robert Hutchings said Iraq is, quote, "a magnet for international terrorist activity."

And this was not the case in '01. And I have great proof of it, including a State Department document that lists every country -- could you hold that up? -- in which al Qaeda operated prior to 9/11. And you can see the countries; no mention of Iraq. And this booklet was signed off on by the president of the United States, George W. Bush. It was put out by George Bush's State Department, and he signed it. There was no al Qaeda activity there -- no cells.

Now, the war was sold to the American people, as Chief of Staff to President Bush Andy Card said, like a "new product." Those were his words. Remember, he said, "You don't roll out a new product in the summer." Now, you rolled out the idea and then you had to convince the people, as you made your case with the president.

And I personally believe -- this is my personal view -- that your loyalty to the mission you were given, to sell this war, overwhelmed your respect for the truth. And I don't say it lightly, and I'm going to go into the documents that show your statements and the facts at the time.

Now, I don't want the families of those 1,366 troops that were killed or the 10,372 that were wounded to believe for a minute that their lives and their bodies were given in vain, because when your commander-in-chief asks you to sacrifice yourself for your country, it is the most noble thing you can do to answer that call.

I am giving their families, as we all are here, all the support they want and need. But I also will not shrink from questioning a war that was not built on the truth.

Now, perhaps the most well-known statement you've made was the one about Saddam Hussein launching a nuclear weapon on America with the image of, quote, quoting you, "a mushroom cloud." That image had to frighten every American into believing that Saddam Hussein was on the verge of annihilating them if he was not stopped. And I will be placing into the record a number of such statements you made which have not been consistent with the facts.

As the nominee for secretary of State, you must answer to the American people, and you are doing that now through this confirmation process. And I continue to stand in awe of our founders, who understood that ultimately those of us in the highest positions of our government must be held accountable to the people we serve.

So I want to show you some statements that you made regarding the nuclear threat and the ability of Saddam to attack us. Now, September 5th -- let me get to the right package here. On July 30th, 2003, you were asked by PBS NewsHour's Gwen Ifill if you continued to stand by the claims you made about Saddam's nuclear program in the days and months leading up to the war.

In what appears to be an effort to downplay the nuclear-weapons scare tactics you used before the war, your answer was, and I quote, "It was a case that said he was trying to reconstitute. He's trying to acquire nuclear weapons. Nobody ever said that it was going to be the next year." So that's what you said to the American people on television -- "Nobody ever said it was going to be the next year."

Well, that wasn't true, because nine months before you said this to the American people, what had George Bush said, President Bush, at his speech at the Cincinnati Museum Center? "If the Iraqi regime is able to produce, buy or steal an amount of highly-enriched uranium a little larger than a single softball, it could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year."

So the president tells the people there could be a weapon. Nine months later you said no one ever said he could have a weapon in a year, when in fact the president said it.

And here's the real kicker. On October 10th, '04, on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, three months ago, you were asked about CIA Director Tenet's remark that prior to the war he had, quote, "made it clear to the White House that he thought the nuclear-weapons program was much weaker than the program to develop other WMDs. Your response was this: "The intelligence assessment was that he was reconstituting his nuclear program; that, left unchecked, he would have a nuclear weapon by the end of the year."

So here you are, first contradicting the president and then contradicting yourself. So it's hard to even ask you a question about this, because you are on the record basically taking two sides of an issue. And this does not serve the American people.

If it served your purpose to downplay the threat of nuclear weapons, you said, "No one said he's going to have it in a year." But then later, when you thought that perhaps you were on more solid ground with the American people because at the time the war was probably popular, or more popular, you'd say, "We thought he was going to have a weapon within a year."

And this is -- the question is, this is a pattern here of what I see from you on this issue, on the issue of the aluminum tubes, on the issue of whether al Qaeda was actually involved in Iraq, which you've said many times. And in my rounds -- I don't have any questions on this round, because I'm just laying this out; I do have questions on further rounds about similar contradictions. It's very troubling.

You know, if you were rolling out a new product like a can opener, who would care about what we said? But this product is a war, and people are dead and dying, and people are now saying they're not going to go back because of what they experienced there. And it's very serious.

And as much as I want to look ahead -- and we will work together on a myriad of issues -- it's hard for me to let go of this war, because people are still dying. And you have not laid out an exit strategy. You've not set up a timetable.

And you don't seem to be willing to, A, admit a mistake, or give any indication of what you're going to do to forcefully involve others. As a matter of fact, you've said more misstatements; that the territory of the terrorists has been shrinking when your own administration says it's now expanded to 60 countries. So I am deeply troubled.

MS. RICE: Senator, may I respond?

SEN. LUGAR: Yes, let me just say that I appreciate the importance of Senator Boxer's statement. That's why we allowed the statement to continue for several more minutes of time.

SEN. BOXER: I'm sorry, I lost track of time.

SEN. LUGAR: But clearly you ought to have the right to respond. Then, at that point, we're going to have a recess. But will you please give your response?

MS. RICE: Yes. Senator, I am more than aware of the stakes that we face in Iraq, and I was more than aware of the stakes of going to war in Iraq. I mourn and honor -- I mourn the dead and honor their service, because we have asked American men and women in uniform to do the hardest thing, which is to go and defend freedom and give others an opportunity to build a free society, which will make us safer.

Senator, I have to say that I have never, ever lost respect for the truth in the service of anything. It is not my nature. It is not my character. And I would hope that we can have this conversation and discuss what happened before and what went on before and what I said without impugning my credibility or my integrity.

The fact is that we did face a very difficult intelligence challenge in trying to understand what Saddam Hussein had in terms of weapons of mass destruction. We knew something about him. We knew that he had -- we had gone to war with him twice in the past, in 1991 and in 1998.

We knew that he continued to shoot at American aircraft in the no-fly zone as we tried to enforce the resolutions of U.N. Security -- that the U.N. Security Council had passed. We knew that he continued to threaten his neighbors. We knew that he was an implacable enemy of the United States who did cavort with terrorists.

We knew that he was the world's most dangerous man in the world's most dangerous region. And we knew that in terms of weapons of mass destruction, he had sought them before, tried to build them before, that he had an undetected biological weapons program that we didn't learn of until 1995, that he was closer to a nuclear weapon in 1991 than anybody thought. And we knew, most importantly, that he had used weapons of mass destruction.

That was the context that frankly made us awfully suspicious when he refused to account for his weapons-of-mass-destruction programs despite repeated Security Council resolutions and despite the fact that he was given one last chance to comply with Resolution 1441.

Now, there were lots of data points about his weapons-of-mass- destruction progra MS. Some were right and some were not. But what was right was that there was an unbreakable link between Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction. That is something that Charlie Duelfer, in his report of the Iraq survey group, has made very clear, that Saddam Hussein intended to continue his weapons-of-mass- destruction activities, that he had laboratories that were run by his security services. I could go on and on.

But Senator Boxer, we went to war not because of aluminum tubes. We went to war because this was the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of a man against whom we had gone to war before, who threatened his neighbors, who threatened our interests, who was one of the world's most brutal dictators. And it was high time to get rid of him, and I'm glad that we're rid of him.

Now, as to the statement about territory and the terrorist groups, I was referring to the fact that the al Qaeda organization of Osama bin Laden, which once trained openly in Afghanistan, which once ran with impunity in places like Pakistan, can no longer count on hospitable territory from which to carry out their activities.

In the places where they are, they're being sought and run down and arrested and pursued in ways that they never were before. So we can have a semantic discussion about what it means to take or lose territory, but I don't think it's a matter of misstatement to say that the loss of Afghanistan, the loss of the northwest frontier of Pakistan, the loss of running with impunity in places like Saudi Arabia, the fact that now intelligence networks and law enforcement networks pursue them worldwide, means that they have lost territory where they can operate with impunity.

SEN. BOXER: Mr. Chairman, I'm going to take 30 seconds, with your permission. First of all, Charles Duelfer said, and I quote -- here it is; I ask unanimous consent to place in the record Charlie Duelfer's report --

SEN. LUGAR: It will be placed in the record.

SEN. BOXER: -- in which he says, "Although Saddam clearly assigned a high value to the nuclear progress and talent that had been developed up to '91, the program ended and the intellectual capital decayed in the succeeding years."

Here's the point. You and I could sit here and go back and forth and present our arguments, and maybe somebody watching a debate would pick one or the other, depending on their own views. But I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in the facts. So when I ask you these questions, I'm going to show you your words, not my words.

And, if I might say, again you said you're aware of the stakes in Iraq; we sent our beautiful people -- and thank you, thank you so much for your comments about them -- to defend freedom. You sent them in there because of weapons of mass destruction. Later, the mission changed when there were none. I have your quotes on it. I have the president's quotes on it.

And everybody admits it but you that that was the reason for the war. And then, once we're in there, now it moves to a different mission, which is great. We all want to give democracy and freedom everywhere we can possibly do it. But let's not rewrite history. It's too soon to do that.

MS. RICE: Senator Boxer, I would refer you to the president's speech before the American Enterprise Institute in February, prior to the war, in which he talked about the fact that, yes, there was the threat of weapons of mass destruction, but he also talked to the strategic threat that Saddam Hussein was to the region.

Saddam Hussein was a threat, yes, because he was trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction. And, yes, we thought that he had stockpiles which he did not have. We had problems with the intelligence. We are all, as a collective polity of the United States, trying to deal with ways to get better intelligence.

But it wasn't just weapons of mass destruction. He was also a place -- his territory was a place where terrorists were welcomed, where he paid suicide bombers to bomb Israel, where he had used Scuds against Israel in the past.

And so we knew what his intentions were in the region; where he had attacked his neighbors before and, in fact, tried to annex Kuwait; where we had gone to war against him twice in the past. It was the total picture, Senator, not just weapons of mass destruction, that caused us to decide that, post-September 11th, it was finally time to deal with Saddam Hussein.

SEN. BOXER: Well, you should read what we voted on when we voted to support the war, which I did not, but most of my colleagues did. It was WMD, period. That was the reason and the causation for that, you know, particular vote.

But, again, I just feel you quote President Bush when it suits you but you contradicted him when he said, "Yes, Saddam could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year." You go on television nine months later and said, "Nobody ever said it was" --

MS. RICE: Senator, that was just a question of pointing out to people that there was an uncertainty. No one was saying that he would have to have a weapon within a year for it to be worth it to go to war.

SEN. BOXER: Well, if you can't admit to this mistake, I hope that you'll --

MS. RICE: Senator, we can have this discussion in any way that you would like. But I really hope that you will refrain from impugning my integrity. Thank you very much.

SEN. BOXER: I'm not. I'm just quoting what you said. You contradicted the president and you contradicted yourself.

MS. RICE: Senator, I'm happy to continue the discussion, but I really hope that you will not imply that I take the truth lightly.

SEN. LUGAR: Let me intervene at this point. Now we've had four hours of good hearing, and we thank all members for their constancy. We're going to recess, and I'm going to suggest we come back at 2:30. Is that convenient for you, Dr. Rice?

MS. RICE: Perfect.

SEN. LUGAR: Very well. We recess until 2:30

I've Been to the Mountaintop

2005-01-17T17:58:00.000-06:00

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered this speech in support of the striking sanitation workers at Mason Temple in Memphis, TN on April 3, 1968 — the day before he was assassinated

Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy in his eloquent and generous introduction and then thought about myself, I wondered who he was talking about. It's always good to have your closest friend and associate say something good about you. And Ralph is the best friend that I have in the world.

I'm delighted to see each of you here tonight in spite of a storm warning. You reveal that you are determined to go on anyhow. Something is happening in Memphis, something is happening in our world.

As you know, if I were standing at the beginning of time, with the possibility of general and panoramic view of the whole human history up to now, and the Almighty said to me, "Martin Luther King, which age would you like to live in?" — I would take my mental flight by Egypt through, or rather across the Red Sea, through the wilderness on toward the promised land. And in spite of its magnificence, I wouldn't stop there. I would move on by Greece, and take my mind to Mount Olympus. And I would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides and Aristophanes assembled around the Parthenon as they discussed the great and eternal issues of reality.

But I wouldn't stop there. I would go on, even to the great heyday of the Roman Empire. And I would see developments around there, through various emperors and leaders. But I wouldn't stop there. I would even come up to the day of the Renaissance, and get a quick picture of all that the Renaissance did for the cultural and esthetic life of man. But I wouldn't stop there. I would even go by the way that the man for whom I'm named had his habitat. And I would watch Martin Luther as he tacked his ninety-five theses on the door at the church in Wittenberg.

But I wouldn't stop there. I would come on up even to 1863, and watch a vacillating president by the name of Abraham Lincoln finally come to the conclusion that he had to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. But I wouldn't stop there. I would even come up to the early thirties, and see a man grappling with the problems of the bankruptcy of his nation. And come with an eloquent cry that we have nothing to fear but fear itself.

But I wouldn't stop there. Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty, and say, "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the twentieth century, I will be happy." Now that's a strange statement to make, because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a away that men, in some strange way, are responding — something is happening in our world. The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee — the cry is always the same — "We want to be free."

And another reason that I'm happy to live in this period is that we have been forced to a point where we're going to have to grapple with the problems that men have been trying to grapple with through history, but the demand didn't force them to do it. Survival demands that we grapple with them. Men, for years now, have been talking about war and peace. But now, no longer can they just talk about it. It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence.

That is where we are today. And also in the human rights revolution, if something isn't done, and in a hurry, to bring the colored peoples of the world out of their long years of poverty, their long years of hurt and neglect, the whole world is doomed. Now, I'm just happy that God has allowed me to live in this period, to see what is unfolding. And I'm happy that He's allowed me to be in Memphis.

I can remember, I can remember when Negroes were just going around as Ralph has said, so often, scratching where they didn't itch, and laughing when they were not tickled. But that day is all over. We mean business now, and we are determined to gain our rightful place in God's world.

And that's all this whole thing is about. We aren't engaged in any negative protest and in any negative arguments with anybody. We are saying that we are determined to be men. We are determined to be people. We are saying that we are God's children. And that we don't have to live like we are forced to live.

Now, what does all of this mean in this great period of history? It means that we've got to stay together. We've got to stay together and maintain unity. You know, whenever Pharaoh wanted to prolong the period of slavery in Egypt, he had a favorite, favorite formula for doing it. What was that? He kept the salves fighting among themselves. But whenever the slaves get together, something happens in Pharaoh's court, and he cannot hold the slaves in slavery. When the slaves get together, that's the beginning of getting out of slavery. Now let us maintain unity.

Secondly, let us keep the issues where they are. The issue is injustice. The issue is the refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants, who happen to be sanitation workers. Now, we've got to keep attention on that. That's always the problem with a little violence. You know what happened the other day, and the press dealt only with the window-breaking. I read the articles. They very seldom got around to mentioning the fact that one thousand, three hundred sanitation workers were on strike, and that Memphis is not being fair to them, and that Mayor Loeb is in dire need of a doctor. They didn't get around to that.

Now we're going to march again, and we've got to march again, in order to put the issue where it is supposed to be. And force everybody to see that there are thirteen hundred of God's children here suffering, sometimes going hungry, going through dark and dreary nights wondering how this thing is going to come out. That's the issue. And we've got to say to the nation: we know it's coming out. For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.

We aren't going to let any mace stop us. We are masters in our nonviolent movement in disarming police forces; they don't know what to do, I've seen them so often. I remember in Birmingham, Alabama, when we were in that majestic struggle there we would move out of the 16th Street Baptist Church day after day; by the hundreds we would move out. And Bull Connor would tell them to send the dogs forth and they did come; but we just went before the dogs singing, "Ain't gonna let nobody turn me round." Bull Connor next would say, "Turn the fire hoses on." And as I said to you the other night, Bull Connor didn't know history. He knew a kind of physics that somehow didn't relate to the transphysics that we knew about. And that was the fact that there was a certain kind of fire that no water could put out. And we went before the fire hoses; we had known water. If we were Baptist or some other denomination, we had been immersed. If we were Methodist, and some others, we had been sprinkled, but we knew water.

That couldn't stop us. And we just went on before the dogs and we would look at them; and we'd go on before the water hoses and we would look at it, and we'd just go on singing "Over my head I see freedom in the air." And then we would be thrown in the paddy wagons, and sometimes we were stacked in there like sardines in a can. And they would throw us in, and old Bull would say, "Take them off," and they did; and we would just go in the paddy wagon singing, "We Shall Overcome." And every now and then we'd get in the jail, and we'd see the jailers looking through the windows being moved by our prayers, and being moved by our words and our songs. And there was a power there which Bull Connor couldn't adjust to; and so we ended up transforming Bull into a steer, and we won our struggle in Birmingham.

Now we've got to go on to Memphis just like that. I call upon you to be with us Monday. Now about injunctions: We have an injunction and we're going into court tomorrow morning to fight this illegal, unconstitutional injunction. All we say to America is, "Be true to what you said on paper." If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn't committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right. And so just as I say, we aren't going to let any injunction turn us around. We are going on.

We need all of you. And you know what's beautiful tome, is to see all of these ministers of the Gospel. It's a marvelous picture. Who is it that is supposed to articulate the longings and aspirations of the people more than the preacher? Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, and say, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Somehow, the preacher must say with Jesus, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to deal with the problems of the poor."

And I want to commend the preachers, under the leadership of these noble men: James Lawson, one who has been in this struggle for many years; he's been to jail for struggling; but he's still going on, fighting for the rights of his people. Rev. Ralph Jackson, Billy Kiles; I could just go right on down the list, but time will not permit. But I want to thank them all. And I want you to thank them, because so often, preachers aren't concerned about anything but themselves. And I'm always happy to see a relevant ministry.

It's all right to talk about "long white robes over yonder," in all of its symbolism. But ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here. It's all right to talk about "streets flowing with milk and honey," but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, and his children who can't eat three square meals a day. It's all right to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day, God's preachers must talk about the New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. This is what we have to do.

Now the other thing we'll have to do is this: Always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal. Now, we are poor people, individually, we are poor when you compare us with white society in America. We are poor. Never stop and forget that collectively, that means all of us together, collectively we are richer than all the nations in the world, with the exception of nine. Did you ever think about that? After you leave the United States, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, West Germany, France, and I could name the others, the Negro collectively is richer than most nations of the world. We have an annual income of more than thirty billion dollars a year, which is more than all of the exports of the United States, and more than the national budget of Canada. Did you know that? That's power right there, if we know how to pool it.

We don't have to argue with anybody. We don't have to curse and go around acting bad with our words. We don't need any bricks and bottles, we don't need any Molotov cocktails, we just need to go around to these stores, and to these massive industries in our country, and say, "God sent us by here, to say to you that you're not treating his children right. And we've come by here to ask you to make the first item on your agenda fair treatment, where God's children are concerned. Now, if you are not prepared to do that, we do have an agenda that we must follow. And our agenda calls for withdrawing economic support from you."

And so, as a result of this, we are asking you tonight, to go out and tell your neighbors not to buy Coca-Cola in Memphis. Go by and tell them not to buy Sealtest milk. Tell them not to buy—what is the other bread?—Wonder Bread. And what is the other bread company, Jesse? Tell them not to buy Hart's bread. As Jesse Jackson has said, up to now, only the garbage men have been feeling pain; now we must kind of redistribute the pain. We are choosing these companies because they haven't been fair in their hiring policies; and we are choosing them because they can begin the process of saying, they are going to support the needs and the rights of these men who are on strike. And then they can move on downtown and tell Mayor Loeb to do what is right.

But not only that, we've got to strengthen black institutions. I call upon you to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank—we want a "bank-in" movement in Memphis. So go by the savings and loan association. I'm not asking you something we don't do ourselves at SCLC. Judge Hooks and others will tell you that we have an account here in the savings and loan association from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. We're just telling you to follow what we're doing. Put your money there. You have six or seven black insurance companies in Memphis. Take out your insurance there. We want to have an "insurance-in."

Now these are some practical things we can do. We begin the process of building a greater economic base. And at the same time, we are putting pressure where it really hurts. I ask you to follow through here.

Now, let me say as I move to my conclusion that we've got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point, in Memphis. We've got to see it through. And when we have our march, you need to be there. Be concerned about your brother. You may not be on strike. But either we go up together, or we go down together.

Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness. One day a man came to Jesus; and he wanted to raise some questions about some vital matters in life. At points, he wanted to trick Jesus, and show him that he knew a little more than Jesus knew, and through this, throw him off base. Now that question could have easily ended up in a philosophical and theological debate. But Jesus immediately pulled that question from mid-air, and placed it on a dangerous curve between Jerusalem and Jericho. And he talked about a certain man, who fell among thieves. You remember that a Levite and a priest passed by on the other side. They didn't stop to help him. And finally a man of another race came by. He got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy. But with him, administering first aid, and helped the man in need. Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the "I" into the "thou," and to be concerned about his brother. Now you know, we use our imagination a great deal to try to determine why the priest and the Levite didn't stop. At times we say they were busy going to church meetings—an ecclesiastical gathering—and they had to get on down to Jerusalem so they wouldn't be late for their meeting. At other times we would speculate that there was a religious law that "One who was engaged in religious ceremonials was not to touch a human body twenty-four hours before the ceremony." And every now and then we begin to wonder whether maybe they were not going down to Jerusalem, or down to Jericho, rather to organize a "Jericho Road Improvement Association." That's a possibility. Maybe they felt that it was better to deal with the problem from the causal root, rather than to get bogged down with an individual effort.

But I'm going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It's possible that these men were afraid. You see, the Jericho road is a dangerous road. I remember when Mrs. King and I were first in Jerusalem. We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem down to Jericho. And as soon as we got on that road, I said to my wife, "I can see why Jesus used this as a setting for his parable." It's a winding, meandering road. It's really conducive for ambushing. You start out in Jerusalem, which is about 1200 miles, or rather 1200 feet above sea level. And by the time you get down to Jericho, fifteen or twenty minutes later, you're about 2200 feet below sea level. That's a dangerous road. In the days of Jesus it came to be known as the "Bloody Pass." And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it's possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking. And he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"

That's the question before you tonight. Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?" The question is not, "If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?" "If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?" That's the question.

Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation. And I want to thank God, once more, for allowing me to be here with you.

You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, "Are you Martin Luther King?"

And I was looking down writing, and I said yes. And the next minute I felt something beating on my chest. Before I knew it I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. And that blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that's punctured, you drown in your own blood—that's the end of you.

It came out in the New York Times the next morning, that if I had sneezed, I would have died. Well, about four days later, they allowed me, after the operation, after my chest had been opened, and the blade had been taken out, to move around in the wheel chair in the hospital. They allowed me to read some of the mail that came in, and from all over the states, and the world, kind letters came in. I read a few, but one of them I will never forget. I had received one from the President and the Vice-President. I've forgotten what those telegrams said. I'd received a visit and a letter from the Governor of New York, but I've forgotten what the letter said. But there was another letter that came from a little girl, a young girl who was a student at the White Plains High School. And I looked at that letter, and I'll never forget it. It said simply, "Dear Dr. King: I am a ninth-grade student at the White Plains High School." She said, "While it should not matter, I would like to mention that I am a white girl. I read in the paper of your misfortune, and of your suffering. And I read that if you had sneezed, you would have died. And I'm simply writing you to say that I'm so happy that you didn't sneeze."

And I want to say tonight, I want to say that I am happy that I didn't sneeze. Because if I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1960, when students all over the South started sitting-in at lunch counters. And I knew that as they were sitting in, they were really standing up for the best in the American dream. And taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around in 1962, when Negroes in Albany, Georgia, decided to straighten their backs up. And whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can't ride your back unless it is bent. If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been here in 1963, when the black people of Birmingham, Alabama, aroused the conscience of this nation, and brought into being the Civil Rights Bill. If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have had a chance later that year, in August, to try to tell America about a dream that I had had. If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been down in Selma, Alabama, been in Memphis to see the community rally around those brothers and sisters who are suffering. I'm so happy that I didn't sneeze.

And they were telling me, now it doesn't matter now. It really doesn't matter what happens now. I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us, the pilot said over the public address system, "We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong with the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we've had the plane protected and guarded all night."

And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

The Man in the Hood Speaks

2005-01-16T21:36:00.000-06:00

In the current issue of Vanity Fair (February 2005, Star Wars cover) there's a story about the man who may be the subject of the most infamous Abu Ghraib torture photos, as well as some of the other innocent Iraqis detained by US forces. It's not online, but there's an exchange from his interrogation session I want to share. I'm not sure if it's interesting, funny or just sad.

"Where is Osama bin Laden?"
"Osama bin Laden is in Afghanistan," he replied.
"How do you know?"
"I heard it on the news."
"What is your plan? What are your plans to resist the Americans coming to occupy you?"
"I thought the Americans came to liberate us."
"Are you anti-Semitic? Do you hate Christians? Do you hate Christianity? Do you hate Jesus Christ?"
"No. Why would I hate them?"

What are we doing there?

The Simpsons Gets Subversive

2005-01-16T20:49:00.000-06:00

Rupert Murdoch must not watch his own network, otherwise he might see that one of its flagship shows, The Simpsons, is is espousing (gasp) liberal viewpoints. On this week's show:

“Midnight Rx”

After Burns cancels the employee drug program, Grampa and Homer goes to Canada for cheaper prescriptions and get caught smuggling.

Matt Groening better watch out.

Fallujah Footage

2005-01-16T20:37:00.000-06:00

Via GreenCine Daily:

Amazing footage shot by an Iraqi doctor upon his return to the city. You're not going to see this on Fox.

Iraq Imitates U.S.?

2005-01-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

It's been widely reported that the Bush Administration paid commentator Armstrong Williams to promote No Child Left Behind. In Iraq, it's easier for reporters to make an extra buck, all they have to do is show up.

Ayad Allawi, the Iraqi prime minister, yesterday admitted that officials from his political alliance had paid journalists for attending press conferences.

At a meeting in Baghdad on Monday hosted by a cleric who is an ally of the prime minister, several Iraqi and Arab journalists were given sealed envelopes containing $100 notes (£53) simply for turning up.

This is similar to Saddam Hussein's policy of rewarding loyal journalists with gifts.

Now did the Iraqis learn this from us or did we learn it from them?

CBS Meeting Leads to Firings?

2005-01-12T21:05:00.000-06:00

Call me a a conspiracy theorist, but I think it's awfully interesting that the firings at CBS come just a few days after CBS News executives met with White House communications director Dan Bartlett.

Supposedly, the meeting was to "repair chilly relations with the Bush administration". If I were a suspicious person, I might think that the White House asked for the firings in exchange for improved access for CBS.

But why would I be suspicious of the Bush Administration?

Read it for Yourself

2005-01-09T23:16:00.000-06:00

I happened across these and I thought I'd share them with you.

Alberto Gonzales' torture memo (PDF)

Colin Powell's rebuttal (PDF)

Read them for yourself and make up your own mind.

On a lighter note, Lynne Cheney's lesbian romance novel Sisters. (PDF)

More on Blackwell Letter

2005-01-08T15:44:00.000-06:00

An update to Thursday's item about Ken Blackwell. The AP has a story that the letter illegally requested corporate contributions. Blackwell claims it was "an oversight"

Regarding his Bush campaign work:

Blackwell has rejected the criticism. As a Republican election official, he said he is permitted to campaign for Bush and that Ohio's election system has checks and balances to ensure fair elections.

"I have an obligation to follow the law," Blackwell said.

If this guy gets one red cent from the RNC, there should be indictments.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

2005-01-08T03:23:00.000-06:00

Maybe there's something here, maybe there's not, but I think it's terribly interesting that just four days after Halliburton settles its asbestos lawsuit, Bush campaigns against... asbestos lawsuits.

Make of this what you will.

Take a Moment to Thank Senator Boxer

2005-01-07T16:54:00.000-06:00

True Majority has made it easy to send a thank you note to Senator Barbara Boxer (H.O.D.). Click on this link and fill in your information and/or a personal message and you're done. It only takes a second and maybe it will help others to stand up when it counts.

Blackwell Shows True Colors

2005-01-06T21:14:00.000-06:00

Democracy Now! reported this morning that Ohio Secretary of State, Ken Blackwell, sent out a fundraising letter on official stationery boasting of how he "delivered" Ohio for Bush, before the votes were counted. (Emphasis mine)

Were Democrats just supposed to accept that Bush won Ohio, when there's stuff like this going on?

You can see the actual letter here.

This should be Exhibit A in the case for electoral reform. The people who supervise our elections should be non-partisan, as they are in other democracies around the world.

Congratulations!

2005-01-06T20:37:00.000-06:00

To Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first recipients of the award I just created, the Hero of Democracy, for challenging the Ohio electors and forcing Congress to debate the many problems voters had on Election Day. It took great courage to do what they did, knowing that it wouldn't change the results. I can only hope that it will lead to electoral reform.

Read the text of Tubbs Jones' speech here.

On the other hand, a great big raspberry for John Kerry, for not having the cojones to stand up for himself and the voters, while asking supporters to make sure every vote gets counted. I don't know how Kerry expects us to back him again, if he can't stick his neck out when it counts.

CNN Cancels Crossfire

2005-01-05T23:06:00.000-06:00

According to Political Wire, CNN is planning on dropping its long running show Crossfire.

If I were Jon Stewart, I'd be pretty pleased with myself right about now.

NPR Gets the Real Story

2005-01-05T23:00:00.000-06:00

It's been widely reported that Republican House members voted Monday to reverse the "DeLay rule" that would have allowed the House Majority Leader to keep his leadership if (when?) he's indicted. The GOP didn't suddenly get a conscience or bow to publlic pressure as has been suggested.

According to this NPR report they were responding to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's plan to force Republicans to record a vote on the rule.

Props to Leader Pelosi for forcing the GOP to react and props to NPR on getting the real story.

I've Still Got Gmail

2005-01-03T22:36:00.000-06:00

I still have Gmail invitations for anyone who wants them. No strings attached. Just send me an email using the link on the right.

Top Movies of 2004

2005-01-03T22:24:00.000-06:00

Here are my picks for the top movies I saw in a theater during 2004.

1. Farenheit 9/11
2. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
3. Kill Bill Vol 2
4. House of Sand and Fog
5. Twilight Samurai
6. Touching the Void
7. Spider-Man 2
8. Spanglish
9. Shaun of the Dead
10. The Incredibles

Real close:

The Bourne Supremacy
The Fog of War
Spartan

What are your picks?

Tutu Speaks Out

2005-01-03T22:17:00.000-06:00

Via The Carpetbagger Report:

There's a brilliant interview with Bishop Desmond Tutu in the current issue of Newsweek in which he shares his views on religion and the elections. Recommended reading, but here are my favorite parts.

You said George Bush should admit that he made a mistake. Were you surprised at his re-election?
[Laughs] I still can't believe that it really could have happened. Just look at the facts on the table: He’d gone into a war having misled people—whether deliberately or not—about why he went to war. You would think that would have knocked him out [of the race.] It didn’t. Look at the number of American soldiers who have died since he claimed that the war had ended. And yet it seems this doesn't make most Americans worry too much. I was teaching in Jacksonville, Fla., [during the election campaign] and I was shocked, because I had naively believed all these many years that Americans genuinely believed in freedom of speech. [But I] discovered there that when you made an utterance that was remotely contrary to what the White House was saying, then they attacked you. For a South African the déjà vu was frightening. They behaved exactly the same way that used to happen here [during apartheid]—vilifying those who are putting forward a slightly different view.
Do you see any other parallels with white-ruled South Africa?
Look at the [detentions in] Guantanamo Bay. You say, why do you detain people without trial in the fashion that you have done? And when they give the answer security, you say no, no, no, this can't be America. This is what we used to hear in South Africa. It's unbelievable that a country that many of us have looked to as the bastion of true freedom could now have eroded so many of the liberties we believed were upheld almost religiously. [But] feeling as devastated in many ways as I am, it is wonderful to find that there are [also] Americans who have felt very strongly [about administration policies]—the people who turned out for rallies against the war. One always has to be very careful not to do what we used to do here, where you generalize very facilely, and one has to remember that there are very many Americans who are feeling deeply distressed about what has taken place in their country. We take our hats off to them.

Talking about religion, much has been said about the role it played in the White House race. What do you say to those who believe that Bush was chosen by God?
[Laughs] I keep having to remind people that religion in and of itself is morally neutral. Religion is like a knife. When you use a knife for cutting up bread to prepare sandwiches, a knife is good. If you use the same knife to stick into somebody’s guts, a knife is bad. Religion in and of itself is not good or bad—it is what it makes you do… Frequently, fundamentalists will say this person is the anointed of God if the particular person is supporting their own positions on for instance, homosexuality, or abortion. [I] feel so deeply saddened [about it]. Do you really believe that the Jesus who was depicted in the Scriptures as being on the side of those who were vilified, those who were marginalized, that this Jesus would actually be supporting groups that clobber a group that is already persecuted? That’s a Christ I would not worship. I'm glad that I believe very fervently that Jesus would not be on the side of gay bashers. To think that people say, as they used to say, that AIDS was God’s punishment for homosexuality. Abominable. Abominable.

When will the right-wingers wake up and realize they're being sold a bill of goods that only they're buying. Too bad none of them will take what Tutu says to heart because he's a foreigner.

When Will They Learn?

2005-01-02T23:14:00.000-06:00

According to news reports, the Bush Administration is mulling lifetime detentions for terror suspects that they don't have enough evidence on to try in a military tribunal.

Do they even have a copy of the Constitution in the White House?

How many times does the Supreme Court (even this one) have to smack them down before they realize they can't get away with this kind of stuff?

Either try them or release them, that's what the Sixth Amendment is about.

Satire or News?

2005-01-02T15:59:00.000-06:00

This is a few weeks old, but this item from the Onion makes me think how unsurprised I would be to see this as a real headline.

Happy New Year!

Homeless Iraq Vets Speak Out

2004-12-29T22:25:00.000-06:00

I've written before about how veterans from Iraq are strting to show up in homeless shelters. Monday and last Thursday, Amy Goodman interviewed two Iraq vets who are or have been homeless. Remarkably enough, the Army was the cause of one soldier losing his home, because they failed to pay him while he served in Iraq. I guess the GOP only supports the troops while they have a use for them. After they get home, they're on their own.

Compelling interviews, not to be missed.

Kerry to Iraq

2004-12-29T21:47:00.000-06:00

In an e-mail to supporters last week John Kerry mentions that he's planning a trip to Iraq next month "to see the situation firsthand".

If this is part of his permanent campaign, good. However, I can't help but wonder if it might have done more good if he had pledged to do that during the campaign. Like when Eisenhower pledged to go to Korea during the 1952 campaign. I'm sure the right-wingers would have found a way to spin even that into a negative, claiming that Kerry would be exploiting the troops for political gain, even though Bush does that every time he gets dressed up to appear before crowds of troops who have been ordered to be there.

It will be interesting to see how this trip plays out when it happens.