bustardblog

Lessons from Alito

Even though Mr. Bush has already been in office for almost five years, we continue to learn more about what he really cares about and who he really is.

With Plamegate, we learned a lot more about Bush's concern for weapons of mass destruction.  He could not have cared less.  Protecting his political life was far more important than protecting America.  In order to smear a critic, Bush trashed a CIA agent working on weapons of mass destruction.  All of her contacts, built up over 18 years, were rendered useless.  Her cover was an elaborately created company that would have taken the CIA much effort and money to build.  Normally, the agency does not built up such a cover for one agent.  Brewster Jennings in all probability "employed" other CIA operatives.  In the White House's zeal to silence it's critics those careers were destroyed as well. 

It's bad enough that W. and his team have destroyed careers and caused lives to be threatened, but it is even worse that our ability to learn about WMD's around the world, has been damaged as well.

In the next few days, we will learn a lot more about the character of our President.

By nominating Alito, we have seen his respect for women and for diversity. Non-existent.

We have also seen his total lack of loyalty to the Latino community. As Senator Reid pointed out, this is the third candidate he nominated that was not Hispanic.  In the face of his vague promises, I think that you have to conclude that he felt that he just could not find a qualified Hispanic.  Worse, he has effectively precluded any Hispanic candidate from being nominated for decades.  If this nomination goes through, there will be five Roman Catholics on the court. By nominating another non-Hispanic Roman Catholic, Bush has killed any hope that a Catholic Hispanic could be appointed for years.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

Because of the rotation and spherical nature of our planet, it is always upside down to somebody.

Today's my day.

1. Atrios applauds Kristof's apology to Mr. Fitzgerald.  But he then lets Kristof get away with pure crap. Kristof writes in today N.Y. Times that Cheney "learned from the C.I.A. that Joseph Wilson's wife worked at the agency, and told Mr. Libby that on June 12, 2003. Why? There may be innocent explanations." Kristof does not come up with any possible "innocent" explanations, and I defy you to come up with one. ( I already want to apologize to M. l'Atrios who usually does an amazing job.)

2. For weeks now the Republic Party spokesmen have been bragging about the graciousness shown by the White House in dealing with Mr. Fitzpatrick.  They make much of the stark contrast that they see to the vicious smearing that the Democrats did to Ken Starr. So it was fun this morning to hear Messrs. McLaughlin and Blankley on the TV agreeing as to how incompetent and unprofessional Ken Starr's investigation really was.

3. David Brooks actually wrote something of interest! He closed his op-ed today by saying that "On Friday we saw a man, Patrick Fitzgerald, who seemed like an honest and credible public servant. What an unusual sight that was." This is from a "journalist" who has spent his life em-bedded in the Republic Party. A man whose career is reporting  on the Republican House, the Republican Senate, and the Republican White House, is surprised to encounter "an honest and credible public servant."

It all seems a little crazy to me. And no, I do not have a recipe for pineapple upside down cake. I find any dessert whose central attraction is a marischino cherry repulsive.

Talking Back

Media Matters gives us some good points we can use to rebut Republican talking points.

I'd like to add another. They are certain to continue ranting on and on about the "criminalization of politics." We should respond by reminding them of the outrageous hypocrisy they showed when their recently defeated candidate for President, Bob Dole, was shilling for Viagra while House Republicans were using Monica to criminalize sex.

Coincidences

Last night Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas spoke of how Bush 'ran very clearly on the issue that he wanted the court to be a court and not a legislature' and how his spoken desire to appoint justices in the mold of Scalia and Thomas was a critically important  factor in his being elected.

Phyllis Schlafly, president of Eagle Forum said "The judicial issue was a major issue in the 2004 elections, and it was a reason why many people voted for Bush..."  (H/T to Vicki)

OpEd in today's N.Y Times, Hugh Hewitt, who is possibly the only living American to strongly defend Harriet Miers,: "Over the last two elections, the Republican Party regained control of the United States Senate"...victories that were attributable in large measure to the demand that Bush's "nominees deserved an up-or-down-vote on the floor of the Senate."

Do we smell some "talking points" here, and, if so, who do we think is issuing them?

Freudenschad

Jon Stewart has announced that the use of the word schadenfreude is now verboten. He stated that "the narrative that is my life is not advantaged  by this meme. Use of this word will mean guests invited to appear on The Program will have to go to the show."

In fact any word that Andrew Sullivan uses twice in twenty-four hours and italicized is not allowed to be vocalized. Ever.

We Loved Hattie

A true tragedy occurred this morning,

W. 's withdrawl has possibly ended the  Harriet Miers Blog,

And it seems to me you lived your nomination
Like a candle in the wind:
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in.

Goodbye Texas Rose,
From a country lost without your soul,
Who'll miss the wings of your compassion
More than you'll ever know.

These words of beauty were submitted to Harriet's blog by HH.

MM

The title of this piece does not refer to the ever repugnant Ms. Malkin, but to the numeral system used in classical Rome. It refers to the number of US soldiers that have died in this war of imperialism - 2,000.

Many on the right have condemned  the liberals' plans to demonstrate, hold vigils, and recognize  the dead. They suggest that these kinds of acts are akin to celebrating the deaths. In their virulence, they argue that 2,000 is not so great a number; that we liberals should keep things in perspective. But in fact, it often sounds like what they are really saying is that 2,000 is not enough.  These are some of the same people who prevent a photo of a coffin being shown on TV, and screamed when Ted Koppel read the names of the dead.  Maybe some of us could visit Dummocrats, Captains Quarters, or e-mail Ms Malkin or Mr Goldberg, and point this out to them.

When visiting some regressive sites today, I was most infuriated by Andrew Sullivan. In trying to seem reasonable, he lies like the proverbial rug.

Sully would like us to avoid two temptations. The first is to not "absorb the human cost of war. Every dead - and maimed - soldier has a story, a narrative." I find his inappropriate use of the overused and silly word 'narrative' demonstrative of a lack of sincerity. I don't understand how he failed to fit the word 'schadenfreude' into his piece.

The second temptation which Andrew insists we resist is to "move the goalposts on this war."  You see, the war has actually gone much better than anyone could have possibly anticipated. The problem is that we liberals are always moving the goal. If he had heard that Saddam's "murderous tyranny would be over" in just three years of fighting, he would have been "thrilled."  Could someone please let me know who was telling Andrew that we expected Saddam to be in power even six months after the invasion?  Was he listening to the same Perle, Wolfowitz and Cheney that I heard?  He babbles on in this wandering stream.

Sully says he would have been "heartened" to hear that by this time "unemployment was dropping." It's now somewhere around 50% according to The WaPo and 70% according to Al Jazeerah.  But maybe it's dropping.  It's hard to measure in today's Iraq.

In discussing last weeks elections, he's  "amazed by how quickly democratic habits can take root in a post-totalitarian country." Now when Saddam received 99% of the vote we thought it ridiculous and a case of transparent vote-rigging. Post-Saddam, when there is a vote of 99 to 1 in four provinces -  it's a triumph of democracy. The WaPo report numbers showing that out of 18 provinces, 13 voted yea or nay on the constitution by a majority of 95% or more. 

He is also heartened that the country had not dissolved into a "civil war." What does he think is going on there now?  There are more dead in October of 2005 than there were in October of 2004, and  October 2004 had higher fatalities than October 2003.  Also he might want to ask Turkey about the unified Iraq.  It sees government sponsored terrorism from a virtually independent Kurdistan attacking it's citizens.  Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey said on Monday that " We are running out of patience....No one has the right to ask us for more patience while each day in a different city, flag-draped martyrs are being buried, mothers are weeping and children are becoming orphans."  The Turkish press was less than thrilled when Bush earlier this week called a visiting Kurd from  'Iraq's Northern Provinces' "The President of the Kurdistan Regional Government."  Are these Provinces a part of Iraq or are they a regional government?

Sorry Andrew, we honor none of the dead by slavishly following our failed leadership. Nor do we honor their families by writing fiction.  Intellectual dishonesty serves no one.

Tense Times

The Plame Leak Affair has more than just guilty Bush/Cheney Cronies biting their fingernails. A fellow like Randall Samborn must be getting nervous as well. I have nothing against the guy, but  I am praying that today or tomorrow, his fairly laid back job becomes incredibly tense. He is Mr. Fitzgerald's spokesman, and he's had it easy for too long.

Please click on thumbnail to enlarge

"Without vision, the people will perish, and without courage and inspiration, dreams will die - - the dream of freedom and peace" 

Rosa Parks Died Yesterday at 92.

In referring to her death today, President George W. Bush got her name wrong.

For reasons that I still cannot fathom, my mother allowed me (at age 12) to accompany my 15 year old brother on a three hour bus trip to Washington, DC in 1963.  We went to meet my older sister, and to participate in the March on Washington. She did totally embarrass us by getting on the bus, briefly, to see if any friend of hers might be on board.  On seeing one acquaintance, she asked him to look after us in case anyone tried to overturn the bus or if shots were fired at it.   There were radio reports that this had happened to some of the buses chartered by the March's organizers as they neared D.C. Our trip was uneventful, and I still am very grateful to my mother for allowing me to go.

As I remember the event, there were very few, if any, women speakers at the march.  But I can still remember how enthusiastic the crowd was when Rosa Parks' presence and her achievements were acknowledged from the stage. To say that the crowd went wild would be a gross understatement.

And yes, when the speaker at that March honored her, he said her  name correctly.

(Photo stolen from bitchphd.)