If this is true, my Osama is dead theory is shot.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Arab satellite television Al Jazeera said on Friday it would broadcast a video tape from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden addressing the American people.
It said the tape, to be aired at 4 p.m. EDT, would discuss the reasons behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and their repercussions. It gave no further details.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Tom Harkin, Oracle of God
Well, if that's how God wants it.
VINTON - Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin says John Kerry has been gaining in the polls every day since Oct. 21, and George Bush has been going down every day.
"That's how God wants it to be," Harkin told a group of about 25 people at the Benton County Headquarters in Vinton on Thursday afternoon. Harkin was touring the state to stump for Kerry and Democratic legislative candidates. He appeared in Benton County on behalf of Mt. Auburn Mayor Dawn Pettengill, who is running against incumbent Republican Dell Hanson for the Iowa House District 39 seat.
VINTON - Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin says John Kerry has been gaining in the polls every day since Oct. 21, and George Bush has been going down every day.
"That's how God wants it to be," Harkin told a group of about 25 people at the Benton County Headquarters in Vinton on Thursday afternoon. Harkin was touring the state to stump for Kerry and Democratic legislative candidates. He appeared in Benton County on behalf of Mt. Auburn Mayor Dawn Pettengill, who is running against incumbent Republican Dell Hanson for the Iowa House District 39 seat.
More Nuance
What the heck is he saying?
NBCNEWS Brokaw interviewed John Kerry Thursday evening.
Brokaw: "If you had been President, Saddam Hussein would be in power."
Kerry: "Not necessarily."
Brokaw: "You said you wouldn't go to war against him."
Kerry: "That's not true. Because under the inspection process, Saddam Hussein was required to destroy those kinds of materials and weapons."
Brokaw: "But he wasn't destroying them."
Kerry: "That's what you have inspectors for. That's why I voted for the threat of force, because he only does things when you have a legitimate threat of force. It's irresponsible to suggest that if I were President, he wouldn't be gone. He might be gone, because if he hadn't complied, we might have had to go to war, but if we did, we would have gone with allies, so the American people weren't carrying the entire burden. And the entire world would understand why we did it."
NBCNEWS Brokaw interviewed John Kerry Thursday evening.
Brokaw: "If you had been President, Saddam Hussein would be in power."
Kerry: "Not necessarily."
Brokaw: "You said you wouldn't go to war against him."
Kerry: "That's not true. Because under the inspection process, Saddam Hussein was required to destroy those kinds of materials and weapons."
Brokaw: "But he wasn't destroying them."
Kerry: "That's what you have inspectors for. That's why I voted for the threat of force, because he only does things when you have a legitimate threat of force. It's irresponsible to suggest that if I were President, he wouldn't be gone. He might be gone, because if he hadn't complied, we might have had to go to war, but if we did, we would have gone with allies, so the American people weren't carrying the entire burden. And the entire world would understand why we did it."
"Bum Hunting"
5 High Schoolers Charged in Beatings
The Toms River North seniors went "bum hunting," beating three homeless people, according to police.
Associated Press
TOMS RIVER, N.J. - Police in Dover Township charged five high school seniors with severely beating three homeless people, and authorities said the youths went "bum hunting" because they were bored.
The four 17-year-olds and one 18-year-old, all students at Toms River High School North, went searching for victims in the woods off Route 37 where up to 20 people are believed to be living in tents and other structures, Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said.
The teens were charged Tuesday night. The most recent incident occurred last Friday when a 50-year-old man who lives in the woods was attacked.
The man told police a group beat him with pipes and baseball bats as he slept. He was taken to Community Medical Center with five broken ribs, a punctured lung and a fractured arm, police said. He told authorities the group also threw hockey pucks at him, Detective Raymond Maloney said.
"Apparently they were actually searching people out who are residentially challenged, or homeless... merely because of their stature in life," Mastronardy told the Star-Ledger of Newark for yesterday's newspapers.
Mastronardy said the assaults in the Ocean County community were "just something to do" for the teens. He said area youths call such activities "bum hunting."
The first thing I would do is take these five young men and beat them with pipes and baseball bats. Then I would take the Police Chief and beat him with pipes and baseball bats for using the term "residentially challenged."
The Toms River North seniors went "bum hunting," beating three homeless people, according to police.
Associated Press
TOMS RIVER, N.J. - Police in Dover Township charged five high school seniors with severely beating three homeless people, and authorities said the youths went "bum hunting" because they were bored.
The four 17-year-olds and one 18-year-old, all students at Toms River High School North, went searching for victims in the woods off Route 37 where up to 20 people are believed to be living in tents and other structures, Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said.
The teens were charged Tuesday night. The most recent incident occurred last Friday when a 50-year-old man who lives in the woods was attacked.
The man told police a group beat him with pipes and baseball bats as he slept. He was taken to Community Medical Center with five broken ribs, a punctured lung and a fractured arm, police said. He told authorities the group also threw hockey pucks at him, Detective Raymond Maloney said.
"Apparently they were actually searching people out who are residentially challenged, or homeless... merely because of their stature in life," Mastronardy told the Star-Ledger of Newark for yesterday's newspapers.
Mastronardy said the assaults in the Ocean County community were "just something to do" for the teens. He said area youths call such activities "bum hunting."
The first thing I would do is take these five young men and beat them with pipes and baseball bats. Then I would take the Police Chief and beat him with pipes and baseball bats for using the term "residentially challenged."
Huh?
Europe's largest newspaper, Germany's Bild, has endorsed....George Bush? Yep. Did I miss something.
Warum George W. Bush der bessere Präsident ist
Eine Wahl-Empfehlung von HUGO MÜLLER-VOGG
Hugo Müller-Vogg In sechs Tagen, am 2. November, hat Amerika die Wahl: George W. Bush oder John Kerry? Hier nennt BILD-Autor Hugo Müller-Vogg seine zehn Gründe, warum es für Deutschland, die Welt und Amerika besser wäre, wenn George W. Bush Präsident bleibt.
Warum George W. Bush der bessere Präsident ist
Eine Wahl-Empfehlung von HUGO MÜLLER-VOGG
Hugo Müller-Vogg In sechs Tagen, am 2. November, hat Amerika die Wahl: George W. Bush oder John Kerry? Hier nennt BILD-Autor Hugo Müller-Vogg seine zehn Gründe, warum es für Deutschland, die Welt und Amerika besser wäre, wenn George W. Bush Präsident bleibt.
The IRS is on the Case
Wait a minute. Stop the presses. You're telling me that the NAACP may have violated federal law by engaging political, partisan speech. No way.
WASHINGTON -- The Internal Revenue Service is investigating whether a speech by NAACP Chairman Julian Bond last summer that criticized the Bush administration violated a federal law that prohibits tax-exempt charitable organizations from engaging in most forms of political activity.
Bond said he felt the probe was politically motivated and meant to have a chilling effect on the NAACP, in particular its efforts to register black voters, who support Sen. John Kerry overwhelmingly.
Bond is wrong, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said.
WASHINGTON -- The Internal Revenue Service is investigating whether a speech by NAACP Chairman Julian Bond last summer that criticized the Bush administration violated a federal law that prohibits tax-exempt charitable organizations from engaging in most forms of political activity.
Bond said he felt the probe was politically motivated and meant to have a chilling effect on the NAACP, in particular its efforts to register black voters, who support Sen. John Kerry overwhelmingly.
Bond is wrong, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said.
We're Becoming More Civilized
Walter Shapiro of USA Today is one of the better political reporters around. He has a great article today describing how campaigns of the past were far, far more viscous and dirty than today.
Interesting Photos
The Pentagon has satellite photos of large convoys of trucks moving materials from in and around Baghdad to Syria just prior to the war. Now that's interesting.
You can read about it here. I don't know if the NY Times has an article or not.
You can read about it here. I don't know if the NY Times has an article or not.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
More Teresa
I'm beginning to think that Teresa's a Karl Rove plant. Here's her latest gibberish:
PITTSBURGH -- Teresa Heinz Kerry called attacks on her husband's foreign policy views "Neanderthal" while meeting with current and former Republicans who said they plan to vote for Sen. John Kerry.
"The perpetration of certain myths that diplomacy and alliances are a sign of weakness is Neanderthal," Heinz Kerry said at the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign headquarters in Pittsburgh. "I never heard of teaching a child to make enemies so they can get along in the playground."
Diplomacy and alliances aren't a sign of weakness. If they were, Bush would never practice them. But he most certainly does as exhibited with Iraq, Libya, the Syrian pullout of Lebanon, Pakistan, Australia, Great Britain, etc. The examples are endless.
However, continued diplomacy and alliance-building after numerous attempts have been tried - and failed - IS a sign of weakness. Case in point: France.
PITTSBURGH -- Teresa Heinz Kerry called attacks on her husband's foreign policy views "Neanderthal" while meeting with current and former Republicans who said they plan to vote for Sen. John Kerry.
"The perpetration of certain myths that diplomacy and alliances are a sign of weakness is Neanderthal," Heinz Kerry said at the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign headquarters in Pittsburgh. "I never heard of teaching a child to make enemies so they can get along in the playground."
Diplomacy and alliances aren't a sign of weakness. If they were, Bush would never practice them. But he most certainly does as exhibited with Iraq, Libya, the Syrian pullout of Lebanon, Pakistan, Australia, Great Britain, etc. The examples are endless.
However, continued diplomacy and alliance-building after numerous attempts have been tried - and failed - IS a sign of weakness. Case in point: France.
The Frenchies are Scared
French officials and politicians are worrying about the pending outcome of next week's U.S. presidential elections, which they fear President George W. Bush could win, prolonging the standoff with France over Iraq and the Middle East crisis.
French fear is almost universal as the latest official polls show that 85 percent of the French support Democratic candidate Sen. John Kerry.
"French fear is almost universal"? Yes it is. Man, you could drop that line into any story from the past 50 years.
French fear is almost universal as the latest official polls show that 85 percent of the French support Democratic candidate Sen. John Kerry.
"French fear is almost universal"? Yes it is. Man, you could drop that line into any story from the past 50 years.
Beer and Girls - A Dangerous Combination
I understand (sort of) why God gave us free will. But giving guys free will, along with girls and beer, just isn't fair. Ask these guys:
According to an AP report, two Buddhist monks in Cambodia have reportedly abandoned their vows after falling in love with a pair of girls who sold beer across from their temple. The Cambodia Daily reports that the monks, both 19 years old, gave up their monastic lives after the chief monk at their temple accused them of secretly courting the girls in violation of Buddhist guidelines.
According to an AP report, two Buddhist monks in Cambodia have reportedly abandoned their vows after falling in love with a pair of girls who sold beer across from their temple. The Cambodia Daily reports that the monks, both 19 years old, gave up their monastic lives after the chief monk at their temple accused them of secretly courting the girls in violation of Buddhist guidelines.
Arafat to Paris...Then Possibly to Hell
Now if you were a ruthless terrorist butcher, where would you go for medical treatment. That's right, Paris. I think Paris is also where his "wife" and bank accounts are as well.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Doctors decided to fly ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to Paris for treatment, as associates described an Palestinian leader who was too weak to stand Thursday, appeared confused and spent most of the day sleeping.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Doctors decided to fly ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to Paris for treatment, as associates described an Palestinian leader who was too weak to stand Thursday, appeared confused and spent most of the day sleeping.
How Things Have Changed
A rumor that a suspended student planned to bring a gun to school Tuesday prompted parents to keep from 350 to 400 students home from Holmes High School in Covington.
Except for the missing students, it turned out to be a routine school day with no major incidents, Covington School Superintendent Jack Moreland said. "I guess it must be a slow news day when the 5 o'clock story is, 'School dismissed without incident,'" he said.
What happened to the Holmes High School I used to know? Back in the day, students packing heat was a common occurrence and certainly didn't require staying home from school. Man, the kids have gone soft.
Except for the missing students, it turned out to be a routine school day with no major incidents, Covington School Superintendent Jack Moreland said. "I guess it must be a slow news day when the 5 o'clock story is, 'School dismissed without incident,'" he said.
What happened to the Holmes High School I used to know? Back in the day, students packing heat was a common occurrence and certainly didn't require staying home from school. Man, the kids have gone soft.
al Queda Tape Authentic!
CIA and FBI say it's the real deal.
Interesting tidbit, among other things:
Further claims on the video: America has brought this on itself for electing George Bush who has made war on Islam by destroying the Taliban and making war on Al Qaeda.
And...
Intelligence officials believe:
Videotape message likely produced in late summer '04 due to references to current events such as the 9/11 Commission. Individual is college educated, either American born or raised in the U.S.
The U.S. is actively seeking to identify the individual. Adam Gadhan - aka Adam Pearlman of Southern California - remains the chief candidate but another still unknown individual may be possible.
US intelligence officials say the danger is that if this individual is an American citizen, he will be immersed in the culture and customs and have the ability to travel in America freely and unnoticed.
Interesting tidbit, among other things:
Further claims on the video: America has brought this on itself for electing George Bush who has made war on Islam by destroying the Taliban and making war on Al Qaeda.
And...
Intelligence officials believe:
Videotape message likely produced in late summer '04 due to references to current events such as the 9/11 Commission. Individual is college educated, either American born or raised in the U.S.
The U.S. is actively seeking to identify the individual. Adam Gadhan - aka Adam Pearlman of Southern California - remains the chief candidate but another still unknown individual may be possible.
US intelligence officials say the danger is that if this individual is an American citizen, he will be immersed in the culture and customs and have the ability to travel in America freely and unnoticed.
Pops Update #5
Pops is in the intensive care unit over at University Hospital. He's got a bunch of issues right now. First, his liver isn't working (we knew that). Second, his kidneys have partially shut down so they've put him on dialysis. Third, he has a condition called ATN which is a lesion on the kidneys. Fourth, he has pneumonia. I thinks that's everything.
Here's what happens next:
1. They need about 7 to 21 days for the ATN to clear up. They're treating that now.
2. If the ATN clears up, they're hoping that the pneumonia will have cleared up by that time as well.
3. If both 1 and 2 happen, they'll shut off the dialysis to see if his kidneys will restart. There's a 60% chance that they'll start working again.
4. If 1, 2, and 3 occur, they'll catheterize (I think that's the term) one of the valves in his heart to see if it's working ok - or at least well enough to sustain a transplant. There's a small concern that one of the valves or chambers or something is not right.
5. If 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 all occur, he'll then get the ok from the transplant team and will be put on the transplant list. If this happens, he would probably have a liver within 2 weeks. This assumes that during that 2-week period nothing else happens.
The greatest obstacle is the kidneys. If those aren't straightened out, nothing else will go forward. At that point, they'll send him home with hospice care.
So that's where we are right now. Continue to pray for Pops. He's not in any pain right now, just uncomfortable. He knows the Lord's in control and is waiting as patiently as possible. Again, he knows he wins through life and even more so through death.
Here's what happens next:
1. They need about 7 to 21 days for the ATN to clear up. They're treating that now.
2. If the ATN clears up, they're hoping that the pneumonia will have cleared up by that time as well.
3. If both 1 and 2 happen, they'll shut off the dialysis to see if his kidneys will restart. There's a 60% chance that they'll start working again.
4. If 1, 2, and 3 occur, they'll catheterize (I think that's the term) one of the valves in his heart to see if it's working ok - or at least well enough to sustain a transplant. There's a small concern that one of the valves or chambers or something is not right.
5. If 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 all occur, he'll then get the ok from the transplant team and will be put on the transplant list. If this happens, he would probably have a liver within 2 weeks. This assumes that during that 2-week period nothing else happens.
The greatest obstacle is the kidneys. If those aren't straightened out, nothing else will go forward. At that point, they'll send him home with hospice care.
So that's where we are right now. Continue to pray for Pops. He's not in any pain right now, just uncomfortable. He knows the Lord's in control and is waiting as patiently as possible. Again, he knows he wins through life and even more so through death.
Is Arafat dead yet?
I don't wish ill on anyone, but I can honestly say I won't lose any sleep over Arafat's death. It will be fun reading all of the beautiful eulogies about this awful man. Chirac will be heartbroken.
Was Abe Lincoln Gay?
This will be the must-read of the year:
If the loving heart of the Great Emancipator found its natural amorous passions overwhelmingly directed toward those of his own sex, it would certainly be a stunning rebuke to the Republican Party’s scapegoating of same-sex love for electoral purposes. And a forthcoming book by the late Dr. C.A. Tripp — The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln, to be published in the new year by Free Press — makes a powerful case that Lincoln was a lover of men.
Tripp, who worked closely in the 1940s and 1950s with the groundbreaking sexologist Alfred Kinsey, was a clinical psychologist, university professor and author of the 1975 best-seller The Homosexual Matrix, which helped transcend outdated Freudian clichés and establish that a same-sex affectional and sexual orientation is a normal and natural occurrence.
In his book on Lincoln, Tripp draws on his years with Kinsey, who, he wrote, "confronted the problem of classifying mixed sex patterns by devising his 0-to-6 scale, which allows the ranking of any homosexual component in a person’s life from none to entirely homosexual. By this measure Lincoln qualifies as a classical 5 — predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual."
The first paragraph had me, but they lost me with the second. Kinsey's been discredited as a fraud and a fool, so claiming you worked closely with him is the kiss of death.
If the loving heart of the Great Emancipator found its natural amorous passions overwhelmingly directed toward those of his own sex, it would certainly be a stunning rebuke to the Republican Party’s scapegoating of same-sex love for electoral purposes. And a forthcoming book by the late Dr. C.A. Tripp — The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln, to be published in the new year by Free Press — makes a powerful case that Lincoln was a lover of men.
Tripp, who worked closely in the 1940s and 1950s with the groundbreaking sexologist Alfred Kinsey, was a clinical psychologist, university professor and author of the 1975 best-seller The Homosexual Matrix, which helped transcend outdated Freudian clichés and establish that a same-sex affectional and sexual orientation is a normal and natural occurrence.
In his book on Lincoln, Tripp draws on his years with Kinsey, who, he wrote, "confronted the problem of classifying mixed sex patterns by devising his 0-to-6 scale, which allows the ranking of any homosexual component in a person’s life from none to entirely homosexual. By this measure Lincoln qualifies as a classical 5 — predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual."
The first paragraph had me, but they lost me with the second. Kinsey's been discredited as a fraud and a fool, so claiming you worked closely with him is the kiss of death.
The Administration's Greatest Failure
While the Al Qaqaa story sounds like a fraud, this one from the Boston Globe doesn't:
IN 2003 I went to tell Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz what I had seen in Baghdad in the days following Saddam Hussein's overthrow. For nearly an hour, I described the catastrophic aftermath of the invasion -- the unchecked looting of every public institution in Baghdad, the devastation of Iraq's cultural heritage, the anger of ordinary Iraqis who couldn't understand why the world's only superpower was letting this happen.
I also described two particularly disturbing incidents -- one I had witnessed and the other I had heard about. On April 16, 2003, a mob attacked and looted the Iraqi equivalent of the Centers for Disease Control, taking live HIV and black fever virus among other potentially lethal materials. US troops were stationed across the street but did not intervene because they didn't know the building was important.
When he found out, the young American lieutenant was devastated. He shook his head and said, "I hope I am not responsible for Armageddon." About the same time, looters entered the warehouses at Iraq's sprawling nuclear facilities at Tuwaitha on Baghdad's outskirts. They took barrels of yellowcake (raw uranium), apparently dumping the uranium and using the barrels to hold water. US troops were at Tuwaitha but did not interfere.
This was the single greatest failure of the Administration during the immediate aftermath of the war. We were much too "sensitive" regarding the Iraqi population after the invasion. We should have locked down Baghdad - and other areas - from the start. Would that have made a difference in the long run? I don't know.
IN 2003 I went to tell Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz what I had seen in Baghdad in the days following Saddam Hussein's overthrow. For nearly an hour, I described the catastrophic aftermath of the invasion -- the unchecked looting of every public institution in Baghdad, the devastation of Iraq's cultural heritage, the anger of ordinary Iraqis who couldn't understand why the world's only superpower was letting this happen.
I also described two particularly disturbing incidents -- one I had witnessed and the other I had heard about. On April 16, 2003, a mob attacked and looted the Iraqi equivalent of the Centers for Disease Control, taking live HIV and black fever virus among other potentially lethal materials. US troops were stationed across the street but did not intervene because they didn't know the building was important.
When he found out, the young American lieutenant was devastated. He shook his head and said, "I hope I am not responsible for Armageddon." About the same time, looters entered the warehouses at Iraq's sprawling nuclear facilities at Tuwaitha on Baghdad's outskirts. They took barrels of yellowcake (raw uranium), apparently dumping the uranium and using the barrels to hold water. US troops were at Tuwaitha but did not interfere.
This was the single greatest failure of the Administration during the immediate aftermath of the war. We were much too "sensitive" regarding the Iraqi population after the invasion. We should have locked down Baghdad - and other areas - from the start. Would that have made a difference in the long run? I don't know.
Sorry Republican Yankee Fans
Just read where Curt Schilling - the Yankee slayer and hero of Red Sox Nation - will be campaigning with W. in Pennsylvania over the weekend. If you're a Yankee fan, can you vote for Bush knowing Schilling is too? Very difficult decision.
More on the Russians Moving Weapons
Wow, remember this story from April 6, 2003:
FALLUJAH, Iraq (CNN) -- A convoy of vehicles carrying Russian diplomats and journalists came under fire Sunday as it headed out of Baghdad, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
There were conflicting reports about how many people were hurt, who was responsible, and whether the convoy was attacked or accidentally caught in crossfire between Iraqi and coalition troops.
U.S. Central Command said the convoy was attacked in territory controlled by the Iraqi government, and that no coalition forces were operating in the area at the time of the incident.
U.S. Army officials with the 3-7th Cavalry said coalition soldiers did not fire on the convoy and that the shooters were probably from Saddam Fedayeen, fighters loyal to Saddam Hussein.
A journalist traveling in the convoy, however, reported they were caught in crossfire.
Alexander Minakov, who works with Rossiya TV (formerly RTR), said in a telephone report that he was in one of eight cars that set off from Baghdad at 11:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET), bound for the Syrian border. The vehicles carried 25 Russian diplomats, including Russia's ambassador to Iraq, and journalists who were trying to flee the country.
This makes me wonder if Putin's trying to help Bush. He has to play to his own political situation, but he clearly likes the President and has stated his victory is important for the fight against terrorism. Is he feeding the U.S. information about his country's activities prior to - and during - the war in order to defend Bush against these bogus charges?
FALLUJAH, Iraq (CNN) -- A convoy of vehicles carrying Russian diplomats and journalists came under fire Sunday as it headed out of Baghdad, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
There were conflicting reports about how many people were hurt, who was responsible, and whether the convoy was attacked or accidentally caught in crossfire between Iraqi and coalition troops.
U.S. Central Command said the convoy was attacked in territory controlled by the Iraqi government, and that no coalition forces were operating in the area at the time of the incident.
U.S. Army officials with the 3-7th Cavalry said coalition soldiers did not fire on the convoy and that the shooters were probably from Saddam Fedayeen, fighters loyal to Saddam Hussein.
A journalist traveling in the convoy, however, reported they were caught in crossfire.
Alexander Minakov, who works with Rossiya TV (formerly RTR), said in a telephone report that he was in one of eight cars that set off from Baghdad at 11:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET), bound for the Syrian border. The vehicles carried 25 Russian diplomats, including Russia's ambassador to Iraq, and journalists who were trying to flee the country.
This makes me wonder if Putin's trying to help Bush. He has to play to his own political situation, but he clearly likes the President and has stated his victory is important for the fight against terrorism. Is he feeding the U.S. information about his country's activities prior to - and during - the war in order to defend Bush against these bogus charges?
More on Al Qaqaa
Here's William Safire on Larry King last night:
Let me ... see if I can move the story of this story al Qa Qaa forward a little bit.
We now know from CBS's admission that CBS planned to broadcast this story, which we call in journalism, a keeper, one that's kept for its greatest impact. They planned to broadcast it next Sunday night, 36 hours before the polls opened. That is known as a roar back. That's a last-minute, unanswerable story, and it would have been all over the papers Tuesday morning as people went to the polls. Now, I think that's scandalous.
What happened, because "The New York Times" was working with CBS on the story, and I don't work on the news side of the "Times" at all, so I'm speculating, the "Times," either -- probably from a combination of ethical and competitive standards decided, no, we're not going to hold this story. We're going to go with it now. And they went with it on Monday. And -- but just think for a minute, if the plan had gone ahead, we wouldn't have had this debate this week where it's possible we could shoot some holes in this story or focus on the attack on the integrity of the examination by the troops that were there.
And instead, we would have had a last-minute manipulation of the election.
That's interesting. Maybe I shouldn't be too hard on the Times. While they did run with a bogus story (or at least one that they couldn't verify), they did make the decision not to hold it until right before the election. Somebody over there still has a shred of integrity.
Let me ... see if I can move the story of this story al Qa Qaa forward a little bit.
We now know from CBS's admission that CBS planned to broadcast this story, which we call in journalism, a keeper, one that's kept for its greatest impact. They planned to broadcast it next Sunday night, 36 hours before the polls opened. That is known as a roar back. That's a last-minute, unanswerable story, and it would have been all over the papers Tuesday morning as people went to the polls. Now, I think that's scandalous.
What happened, because "The New York Times" was working with CBS on the story, and I don't work on the news side of the "Times" at all, so I'm speculating, the "Times," either -- probably from a combination of ethical and competitive standards decided, no, we're not going to hold this story. We're going to go with it now. And they went with it on Monday. And -- but just think for a minute, if the plan had gone ahead, we wouldn't have had this debate this week where it's possible we could shoot some holes in this story or focus on the attack on the integrity of the examination by the troops that were there.
And instead, we would have had a last-minute manipulation of the election.
That's interesting. Maybe I shouldn't be too hard on the Times. While they did run with a bogus story (or at least one that they couldn't verify), they did make the decision not to hold it until right before the election. Somebody over there still has a shred of integrity.
Michigan and OSU Regain Their Senses
OSU, Michigan run a reverse, nix SBC deal
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Barnet D . Wolf
The Ohio State-Michigan game is back to being just "The Game."
Mounting opposition from fans, alumni and university officials, particularly at the University of Michigan, prompted the two schools to scuttle SBC Communications’ plans to sponsor the annual football rivalry.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Barnet D . Wolf
The Ohio State-Michigan game is back to being just "The Game."
Mounting opposition from fans, alumni and university officials, particularly at the University of Michigan, prompted the two schools to scuttle SBC Communications’ plans to sponsor the annual football rivalry.
Congrats to the Red Sox
I'm very happy for the Boston Red Sox - and their fans - although I was pulling for the Cardinals. Do you think there were any cars on the Mass Pike this morning? Nope, me neither. I'm assuming it's a city holiday today.
Anyway, here are a few quick observations from the series:
1. You need great pitching AND great hitting to win. Boston had both, the Cardinals had neither.
2. Tim McCarver is the WORST color commentator in all of baseball. Why he's on the air is a mystery.
3. Has anyone been swept more times in World Series history than Tony LaRussa? That's twice now, first in 1990 and again this year.
4. This was the worst World Series I've ever witness. Very dull with terrible defense and base running.
5. The Boss will spend sooo much money this offseason it will make your head spin. He'll pay Beltre a ton of money even though they don't need him. He'll over pay for starting pitchers, possibly signing Pedro and Derek Lowe. He'll be over $200 million in salary and will win 89 games. Not a very good return on investment.
Anyway, here are a few quick observations from the series:
1. You need great pitching AND great hitting to win. Boston had both, the Cardinals had neither.
2. Tim McCarver is the WORST color commentator in all of baseball. Why he's on the air is a mystery.
3. Has anyone been swept more times in World Series history than Tony LaRussa? That's twice now, first in 1990 and again this year.
4. This was the worst World Series I've ever witness. Very dull with terrible defense and base running.
5. The Boss will spend sooo much money this offseason it will make your head spin. He'll pay Beltre a ton of money even though they don't need him. He'll over pay for starting pitchers, possibly signing Pedro and Derek Lowe. He'll be over $200 million in salary and will win 89 games. Not a very good return on investment.
John Kerry Duped Again
This whole missing munitions story is a textbook case of how NOT to report a "story." Granted, the NY Times and the networks have very little credibility as it is, but this just compounds the problem.
They initially reported that 377 tons of RDX explosives went missing because American troops didn't secure them and that President Bush is to blame. Well, that's not true. They reported a story that is not true and now John Kerry is running an ad based on this story that is not true.
Now we find this out:
Oct. 27, 2004 — Iraqi officials may be overstating the amount of explosives reported to have disappeared from a weapons depot, documents obtained by ABC News show.
The Iraqi interim government has told the United States and international weapons inspectors that 377 tons of conventional explosives are missing from the Al-Qaqaa installation, which was supposed to be under U.S. military control.
But International Atomic Energy Agency documents obtained by ABC News and first reported on "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings" indicate the amount of missing explosives may be substantially less than the Iraqis reported.
The information on which the Iraqi Science Ministry based an Oct. 10 memo in which it reported that 377 tons of RDX explosives were missing — presumably stolen due to a lack of security — was based on "declaration" from July 15, 2002. At that time, the Iraqis said there were 141 tons of RDX explosives at the facility.
But the confidential IAEA documents obtained by ABC News show that on Jan. 14, 2003, the agency's inspectors recorded that just over 3 tons of RDX was stored at the facility — a considerable discrepancy from what the Iraqis reported.
Great, so is it 377 tons or 3 tons? Do reporters check, and double-check, and triple-check their stories before they run? Do they get one source or fact and then immediately plaster it on the front page? Apparently so, especially if the story hurts the current administration.
And here's more:
Russian special forces troops moved many of Saddam Hussein's weapons and related goods out of Iraq and into Syria in the weeks before the March 2003 U.S. military operation, The Washington Times has learned.
John A. Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security, said in an interview that he believes the Russian troops, working with Iraqi intelligence, "almost certainly" removed the high-explosive material that went missing from the Al-Qaqaa facility, south of Baghdad.
"The Russians brought in, just before the war got started, a whole series of military units," Mr. Shaw said. "Their main job was to shred all evidence of any of the contractual arrangements they had with the Iraqis. The others were transportation units."
Mr. Shaw, who was in charge of cataloging the tons of conventional arms provided to Iraq by foreign suppliers, said he recently obtained reliable information on the arms-dispersal program from two European intelligence services that have detailed knowledge of the Russian-Iraqi weapons collaboration.
Hmmm, now that seems relevant to this story, no? It's like today's journalists just throw *%#^ up against the wall and waits to see what sticks. Unbelievable.
They initially reported that 377 tons of RDX explosives went missing because American troops didn't secure them and that President Bush is to blame. Well, that's not true. They reported a story that is not true and now John Kerry is running an ad based on this story that is not true.
Now we find this out:
Oct. 27, 2004 — Iraqi officials may be overstating the amount of explosives reported to have disappeared from a weapons depot, documents obtained by ABC News show.
The Iraqi interim government has told the United States and international weapons inspectors that 377 tons of conventional explosives are missing from the Al-Qaqaa installation, which was supposed to be under U.S. military control.
But International Atomic Energy Agency documents obtained by ABC News and first reported on "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings" indicate the amount of missing explosives may be substantially less than the Iraqis reported.
The information on which the Iraqi Science Ministry based an Oct. 10 memo in which it reported that 377 tons of RDX explosives were missing — presumably stolen due to a lack of security — was based on "declaration" from July 15, 2002. At that time, the Iraqis said there were 141 tons of RDX explosives at the facility.
But the confidential IAEA documents obtained by ABC News show that on Jan. 14, 2003, the agency's inspectors recorded that just over 3 tons of RDX was stored at the facility — a considerable discrepancy from what the Iraqis reported.
Great, so is it 377 tons or 3 tons? Do reporters check, and double-check, and triple-check their stories before they run? Do they get one source or fact and then immediately plaster it on the front page? Apparently so, especially if the story hurts the current administration.
And here's more:
Russian special forces troops moved many of Saddam Hussein's weapons and related goods out of Iraq and into Syria in the weeks before the March 2003 U.S. military operation, The Washington Times has learned.
John A. Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security, said in an interview that he believes the Russian troops, working with Iraqi intelligence, "almost certainly" removed the high-explosive material that went missing from the Al-Qaqaa facility, south of Baghdad.
"The Russians brought in, just before the war got started, a whole series of military units," Mr. Shaw said. "Their main job was to shred all evidence of any of the contractual arrangements they had with the Iraqis. The others were transportation units."
Mr. Shaw, who was in charge of cataloging the tons of conventional arms provided to Iraq by foreign suppliers, said he recently obtained reliable information on the arms-dispersal program from two European intelligence services that have detailed knowledge of the Russian-Iraqi weapons collaboration.
Hmmm, now that seems relevant to this story, no? It's like today's journalists just throw *%#^ up against the wall and waits to see what sticks. Unbelievable.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Back Up and Running
Damn, the blogs been down all day. Since it's the end of the day (and I'm tired), I'll just pick things up tomorrow. What did we miss today?
Cardinals suck. Kerry's a fool. The media's still spinning for their man. Arafat's dying (wouldn't want to be in his shoes). New al Queda tape...maybe. The Left continues to vandalize, assault, and intimidate...but they don't want any votes suppressed. Still beaming over Bengals dismantling of Broncos.
See you tomorrow.
Cardinals suck. Kerry's a fool. The media's still spinning for their man. Arafat's dying (wouldn't want to be in his shoes). New al Queda tape...maybe. The Left continues to vandalize, assault, and intimidate...but they don't want any votes suppressed. Still beaming over Bengals dismantling of Broncos.
See you tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
No Heart is Too Hard
Here's a wonderful story on the spread of the Gospel among the Khmer Rouge. Yes, that Khmer Rouge.
The Khmer Rouge followed a harsh brand of communism, killing nearly two million people in their bid to return Cambodia to Year Zero. Now they have a new faith: evangelical Christianity.
Hundreds of former fighters have been baptised in the past year. The Khmer Rouge's mountain stronghold, the town of Pailin in south-west Cambodia, has four churches, all with pastors and growing congregations. At least 2,000 of those who followed Pol Pot, the guerrillas' former leader who died six years ago, now worship Jesus.
Many new converts were involved in the bloody battles, massacres and forced labour programmes that led to the Killing Fields. Between 1975 and 1979 the Khmer Rouge sought to eradicate religion, ripping down the country's biggest cathedral, killing Muslim clerics and turning Buddhist temples into pigsties.
According to one pastor, 70 per cent of the converts in Pailin are Khmer Rouge. For many, it offers a hope of salvation. 'When I was a soldier I did bad things. I don't know how many we killed. We were following orders and thought it was the right thing to do,' said Thao Tanh, 52. 'I read the Bible and I know it will free me from the weight of the sins I have committed.'
The Khmer Rouge followed a harsh brand of communism, killing nearly two million people in their bid to return Cambodia to Year Zero. Now they have a new faith: evangelical Christianity.
Hundreds of former fighters have been baptised in the past year. The Khmer Rouge's mountain stronghold, the town of Pailin in south-west Cambodia, has four churches, all with pastors and growing congregations. At least 2,000 of those who followed Pol Pot, the guerrillas' former leader who died six years ago, now worship Jesus.
Many new converts were involved in the bloody battles, massacres and forced labour programmes that led to the Killing Fields. Between 1975 and 1979 the Khmer Rouge sought to eradicate religion, ripping down the country's biggest cathedral, killing Muslim clerics and turning Buddhist temples into pigsties.
According to one pastor, 70 per cent of the converts in Pailin are Khmer Rouge. For many, it offers a hope of salvation. 'When I was a soldier I did bad things. I don't know how many we killed. We were following orders and thought it was the right thing to do,' said Thao Tanh, 52. 'I read the Bible and I know it will free me from the weight of the sins I have committed.'
Money Doesn't Grow on Trees
I love this from today's Kentucky Post:
FRANKFORT -- The health insurance package approved by lawmakers last week means they'll have less money to spend on other state-funded projects when it comes time to pass a budget in February.
Do you think so? Look, you can argue the merits of taking $200 million out of the General Fund to pay for better health care benefits for state employees. But there's no argument as to where that money comes from...other programs and services.
I sometimes wonder if people think the government just prints more money when they need it (well, that's kind of what the federal government does, but we're talking state government now). No, it has to come from somewhere, either in the form of increased taxes or decreased benefits in other areas.
FRANKFORT -- The health insurance package approved by lawmakers last week means they'll have less money to spend on other state-funded projects when it comes time to pass a budget in February.
Do you think so? Look, you can argue the merits of taking $200 million out of the General Fund to pay for better health care benefits for state employees. But there's no argument as to where that money comes from...other programs and services.
I sometimes wonder if people think the government just prints more money when they need it (well, that's kind of what the federal government does, but we're talking state government now). No, it has to come from somewhere, either in the form of increased taxes or decreased benefits in other areas.
NBA Conduct Rules #451 and #452
Rule #451: Never associate with people named "Slim".
One of Carmelo Anthony's friends flew to Denver Thursday to claim responsibility for the marijuana found last week in the Nuggets star's carry-on bag and to attempt to clear Anthony's name.
"I want to apologize not only to Melo but to the city of Denver," said James "Slim" Cunningham, 28. "It was my foolish mistake and it's a shame Melo had to get a smudge on his name for what I did."
Rule #452: Never says things like "Damn, it's not a murder case."
Also Thursday, about 45 minutes before tip-off in a preseason game in Los Angeles, Anthony read a statement expressing his regret over the incident.
Before reading the statement, Anthony, surprised at the number of reporters in the room, muttered, "Damn, it's not a murder case."
One of Carmelo Anthony's friends flew to Denver Thursday to claim responsibility for the marijuana found last week in the Nuggets star's carry-on bag and to attempt to clear Anthony's name.
"I want to apologize not only to Melo but to the city of Denver," said James "Slim" Cunningham, 28. "It was my foolish mistake and it's a shame Melo had to get a smudge on his name for what I did."
Rule #452: Never says things like "Damn, it's not a murder case."
Also Thursday, about 45 minutes before tip-off in a preseason game in Los Angeles, Anthony read a statement expressing his regret over the incident.
Before reading the statement, Anthony, surprised at the number of reporters in the room, muttered, "Damn, it's not a murder case."
You Want OUR Help
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) -- Fighters in Congo have raped at least 40,000 women and girls over the past six years yet the health system in the central African country can offer the victims little help, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.
Although war in the Democratic Republic of Congo was declared over in 2003, fighting has continued sporadically in the east with some horrific rape cases occurring in June this year, according to the human rights group.
So what would Amnesty have us do, send our military to destroy these bastards (because that's the only thing that will stop them)? Well, we've done that in Afghanistan and Iraq: liberating millions of women and young girls from oppressive and brutal regimes, providing them with educational and economic opportunities never before experienced in the Islamic world, granting them the right to elect their own government, etc.
And what was our reward from the likes of Amnesty International? Criticism, blame and hand-wringing. So now they want us to save the oppressed women of the Congo?
Although war in the Democratic Republic of Congo was declared over in 2003, fighting has continued sporadically in the east with some horrific rape cases occurring in June this year, according to the human rights group.
So what would Amnesty have us do, send our military to destroy these bastards (because that's the only thing that will stop them)? Well, we've done that in Afghanistan and Iraq: liberating millions of women and young girls from oppressive and brutal regimes, providing them with educational and economic opportunities never before experienced in the Islamic world, granting them the right to elect their own government, etc.
And what was our reward from the likes of Amnesty International? Criticism, blame and hand-wringing. So now they want us to save the oppressed women of the Congo?
College Football Has Sold It's Soul
This is - for lack of a better word - profane:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It turns out there was a price tag on the storied rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan.
SBC Communications has agreed to pay $1.06 million for the naming rights to the Ohio State-Michigan football game for the next two years.
When the two teams meet for the 101st time on Nov. 20 in Columbus, the matchup will be called the SBC Michigan-Ohio State Classic. The order of the two school names will be switched for next year's game in Ann Arbor.
A logo featuring SBC's name will be displayed on the scoreboard and on signs around Ohio Stadium, but not on the field or players' uniforms.
Each university will receive $530,000 from SBC for the two-year deal.
Is nothing sacred?
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It turns out there was a price tag on the storied rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan.
SBC Communications has agreed to pay $1.06 million for the naming rights to the Ohio State-Michigan football game for the next two years.
When the two teams meet for the 101st time on Nov. 20 in Columbus, the matchup will be called the SBC Michigan-Ohio State Classic. The order of the two school names will be switched for next year's game in Ann Arbor.
A logo featuring SBC's name will be displayed on the scoreboard and on signs around Ohio Stadium, but not on the field or players' uniforms.
Each university will receive $530,000 from SBC for the two-year deal.
Is nothing sacred?
Bush Momentum Building
Good news for Bush in Florida. And Zogby has Bush up 5 in Ohio. He needs to build on this momentum to offset the attacks from the NY Times and others.
If It's Not Close, They Can't Cheat
The media's trying to will Kerry to victory, but it's not working. Here's what the NY Times reported Monday (and every network trumpeted on the nightly news) about missing explosive materials in Iraq:
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 24 - The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.
But after a day of shock and awe from the media, the real story comes out:
NBC News: Miklaszewski: “April 10, 2003, only three weeks into the war, NBC News was embedded with troops from the Army's 101st Airborne as they temporarily take over the Al Qakaa weapons installation south of Baghdad. But these troops never found the nearly 380 tons of some of the most powerful conventional explosives, called HMX and RDX, which is now missing. The U.S. troops did find large stockpiles of more conventional weapons, but no HMX or RDX, so powerful less than a pound brought down Pan Am 103 in 1988, and can be used to trigger a nuclear weapon. In a letter this month, the Iraqi interim government told the International Atomic Energy Agency the high explosives were lost to theft and looting due to lack of security. Critics claim there were simply not enough U.S. troops to guard hundreds of weapons stockpiles, weapons now being used by insurgents and terrorists to wage a guerrilla war in Iraq.” (NBC’s “Nightly News,” 10/25/04)
I imagine that tonight we'll hear retractions and apologies, right?
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 24 - The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.
But after a day of shock and awe from the media, the real story comes out:
NBC News: Miklaszewski: “April 10, 2003, only three weeks into the war, NBC News was embedded with troops from the Army's 101st Airborne as they temporarily take over the Al Qakaa weapons installation south of Baghdad. But these troops never found the nearly 380 tons of some of the most powerful conventional explosives, called HMX and RDX, which is now missing. The U.S. troops did find large stockpiles of more conventional weapons, but no HMX or RDX, so powerful less than a pound brought down Pan Am 103 in 1988, and can be used to trigger a nuclear weapon. In a letter this month, the Iraqi interim government told the International Atomic Energy Agency the high explosives were lost to theft and looting due to lack of security. Critics claim there were simply not enough U.S. troops to guard hundreds of weapons stockpiles, weapons now being used by insurgents and terrorists to wage a guerrilla war in Iraq.” (NBC’s “Nightly News,” 10/25/04)
I imagine that tonight we'll hear retractions and apologies, right?
Monday, October 25, 2004
Froggy Bottom Speaks Out
I rarely have anything kind to say about our State Department, but this is priceless:
QUESTION: Did you hear that Castro fell?
MR. BOUCHER: We heard that Castro fell. There are, I think, various reports that he broke a leg, an arm, a foot, and other things, and I'd guess you'd have to check with the Cubans to find out what's broken about Mr. Castro. We, obviously, have expressed our views about what's broken in Cuba.
QUESTION: Do you wish him a speedy recovery?
MR. BOUCHER: No.
QUESTION: Did you hear that Castro fell?
MR. BOUCHER: We heard that Castro fell. There are, I think, various reports that he broke a leg, an arm, a foot, and other things, and I'd guess you'd have to check with the Cubans to find out what's broken about Mr. Castro. We, obviously, have expressed our views about what's broken in Cuba.
QUESTION: Do you wish him a speedy recovery?
MR. BOUCHER: No.
Thank You, Mia
Interesting findings from a recent Harris Poll:
America's favorite sports:
30 percent: Professional football
15 percent: Baseball
11 percent: College football
7 percent: Men's professional basketball
7 percent: Auto racing
6 percent: Men's college basketball
4 percent: Men's golf
4 percent: Hockey
3 percent: Men's soccer
2 percent: Women's tennis
2 percent: Boxing
1 percent for each of the following: Track & field, horse racing, bowling, women's college basketball, and women's soccer.
Registering less than one percent of the vote: Women's soccer and women's professional basketball.
So more people like bowling than women's soccer or the WNBA? Man, I wonder if Christine Brennan's next column in USA Today will share these findings. I doubt it.
America's favorite sports:
30 percent: Professional football
15 percent: Baseball
11 percent: College football
7 percent: Men's professional basketball
7 percent: Auto racing
6 percent: Men's college basketball
4 percent: Men's golf
4 percent: Hockey
3 percent: Men's soccer
2 percent: Women's tennis
2 percent: Boxing
1 percent for each of the following: Track & field, horse racing, bowling, women's college basketball, and women's soccer.
Registering less than one percent of the vote: Women's soccer and women's professional basketball.
So more people like bowling than women's soccer or the WNBA? Man, I wonder if Christine Brennan's next column in USA Today will share these findings. I doubt it.
And I Thought it Couldn't Get Worse
On the day of our first Monday Night Football appearance in 58 years, I have to read this:
ESPN.COM NFL Whispers: The way we hear it, the Bengals would like to get more of a contribution from rookie RB Chris Perry, who we're told has looked disinterested at times this season. The buzz from a Bengals spy is WR Peter Warrick's leg injury, called a bruised shin for much of this season, is actually a broken fibula. A timetable for Warrick's return is not yet known.
Disinterested! Disinterested! And Peter Warrick's bruised shin has morphed into a broken leg. Who's the freakin' doctor over there? Hey, maybe when Tim Kremcheck's done misdiagnosing Ken Griffey Jr. and Austin Kearns, he can take a look at PDub.
ESPN.COM NFL Whispers: The way we hear it, the Bengals would like to get more of a contribution from rookie RB Chris Perry, who we're told has looked disinterested at times this season. The buzz from a Bengals spy is WR Peter Warrick's leg injury, called a bruised shin for much of this season, is actually a broken fibula. A timetable for Warrick's return is not yet known.
Disinterested! Disinterested! And Peter Warrick's bruised shin has morphed into a broken leg. Who's the freakin' doctor over there? Hey, maybe when Tim Kremcheck's done misdiagnosing Ken Griffey Jr. and Austin Kearns, he can take a look at PDub.
Red Sox, World Champions?
Is anyone else puzzled that these guys...
...may actually win the World Series. I mean, the Red Sox are essentially a high-priced softball team. They're fat and disheveled, can't play defense, and pound the hell out of the ball.
...may actually win the World Series. I mean, the Red Sox are essentially a high-priced softball team. They're fat and disheveled, can't play defense, and pound the hell out of the ball.
Ron Zook...
...out at Florida. I agree with the move (he should have never been hired in the first place). But why do it mid-season? That makes no sense.
Who will replace Zook? Either Bobby Petrino from L-ville or Urban Meyer from Utah.
Who will replace Zook? Either Bobby Petrino from L-ville or Urban Meyer from Utah.
Foot in Mouth Disease
It's obvious that Theresa and Liz have it.
The wife of Dem vice presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday there will be no riots around the election -- if Kerry/Edwards wins!
C-SPAN cameras captured spouse Elizabeth Edwards making the startling comments to a supporter during a Kerry Campaign Town Hall Meeting in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Supporter: Kerry's going to take PA.
Liz Edwards: I know that.
Supporter: I'm just worried there's going to be riots afterwards.
Liz Edwards: Uh.....well...not if we win.
The wife of Dem vice presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday there will be no riots around the election -- if Kerry/Edwards wins!
C-SPAN cameras captured spouse Elizabeth Edwards making the startling comments to a supporter during a Kerry Campaign Town Hall Meeting in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Supporter: Kerry's going to take PA.
Liz Edwards: I know that.
Supporter: I'm just worried there's going to be riots afterwards.
Liz Edwards: Uh.....well...not if we win.
More Irony
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Missouri's Republican Party wants a Democratic-aligned group to stop circulating a get-out-the-vote flier that includes a 1960s photograph of a firefighter hosing a black man that reads: "This is what they used to do to keep us from voting."
Hmmm. Now who was the they that hosed down blacks in the south during the 1960s. Uh, yeah, that's right....DEMOCRATS. I don't think it's wise for Democrats to rekindle memories of their racist past with black voters. But that's just me.
Hmmm. Now who was the they that hosed down blacks in the south during the 1960s. Uh, yeah, that's right....DEMOCRATS. I don't think it's wise for Democrats to rekindle memories of their racist past with black voters. But that's just me.
Corrections
This is the finest correction I've read yet from the Washington Post:
In the Oct. 17 Sunday Source, the "Gatherings" story described a Republican barbecue held to watch a presidential debate. The item reported "the possibly unprecedented occurrence of a young woman in a cowboy hat pretending to make out with a poster of Dick Cheney." The item should have explained that the woman was asked to pose with the vice president's picture by the photographer working for The Washington Post. The woman also did not pretend to "make out" with the picture; at the photographer's suggestion, she pretended to blow a kiss at it. The item should have explained that the party was hosted in response to a request from The Post, which discussed the decorations and recipes with the host and agreed to reimburse the cost of recipe ingredients.
In the Oct. 17 Sunday Source, the "Gatherings" story described a Republican barbecue held to watch a presidential debate. The item reported "the possibly unprecedented occurrence of a young woman in a cowboy hat pretending to make out with a poster of Dick Cheney." The item should have explained that the woman was asked to pose with the vice president's picture by the photographer working for The Washington Post. The woman also did not pretend to "make out" with the picture; at the photographer's suggestion, she pretended to blow a kiss at it. The item should have explained that the party was hosted in response to a request from The Post, which discussed the decorations and recipes with the host and agreed to reimburse the cost of recipe ingredients.
I'll Be Back
It's true. Ah-nuld is coming...Ah-nuld is coming.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans a high-profile trip to the presidential battleground state of Ohio on the weekend before the Nov. 2 election -- an effort aimed at pumping up GOP voters and leveraging the governor's star power to boost President Bush's chances of success.
Though the governor downplayed the idea Tuesday of campaign appearances for Bush, insiders said plans are under way for a trip the weekend of Oct. 29 -- enabling the former Mr. Olympia to maximize his influence in Ohio, where he has real estate holdings and a following thanks to his annual Columbus- based Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans a high-profile trip to the presidential battleground state of Ohio on the weekend before the Nov. 2 election -- an effort aimed at pumping up GOP voters and leveraging the governor's star power to boost President Bush's chances of success.
Though the governor downplayed the idea Tuesday of campaign appearances for Bush, insiders said plans are under way for a trip the weekend of Oct. 29 -- enabling the former Mr. Olympia to maximize his influence in Ohio, where he has real estate holdings and a following thanks to his annual Columbus- based Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition.
Bush Lead Growing?
Bush's polling numbers continue to creep up:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush holds a slender three-point lead over Democratic rival John Kerry in a tight race for the White House, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Monday.
Bush led Kerry 48-45 percent in the latest three-day tracking poll, gaining one point on the Massachusetts senator eight days before the Nov. 2 election. Bush led Kerry 48-46 percent the day before.
About 5 percent of likely voters are still undecided heading into the final full week of the campaign, but Bush has opened a 12-point lead on Kerry among independents.
Bush has to maintain this momentum if he hopes to overcome the widespread cheating that will occur next Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush holds a slender three-point lead over Democratic rival John Kerry in a tight race for the White House, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Monday.
Bush led Kerry 48-45 percent in the latest three-day tracking poll, gaining one point on the Massachusetts senator eight days before the Nov. 2 election. Bush led Kerry 48-46 percent the day before.
About 5 percent of likely voters are still undecided heading into the final full week of the campaign, but Bush has opened a 12-point lead on Kerry among independents.
Bush has to maintain this momentum if he hopes to overcome the widespread cheating that will occur next Tuesday.
Top 16 College Basketball Coaches
CBS Sports has rated the Top 16 college basketball coaches. Lute Olsen only at #11? Roy Williams at #14? Where's Bob Huggins? Bo Ryan?
1. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
2. Tubby Smith, Kentucky
3. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
4. Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State
5. Bob Knight, Texas Tech
6. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
7. Rick Pitino, Louisville
8. Bill Self, Kansas
9. Gary Williams, Maryland
10. Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
11. Lute Olson, Arizona
12. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
13. Rick Barnes, Texas
14. Roy Williams, North Carolina
15. Skip Prosser, Wake Forest
16. John Chaney, Temple
1. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
2. Tubby Smith, Kentucky
3. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
4. Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State
5. Bob Knight, Texas Tech
6. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
7. Rick Pitino, Louisville
8. Bill Self, Kansas
9. Gary Williams, Maryland
10. Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
11. Lute Olson, Arizona
12. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
13. Rick Barnes, Texas
14. Roy Williams, North Carolina
15. Skip Prosser, Wake Forest
16. John Chaney, Temple
Blacks and Bush
Clarence Page is worried that blacks will turn out for Bush. Why?
What accounts for this black surge in Bush support? Bositis says most of it comes from conservative, church-going African-Americans who are over age 50, opposed to gay marriage and have not experienced a decline in their incomes during the Bush years.
On the flip side, Kerry's strongest black support comes from the youngsters aged 18 to 35, who also happen to feel worse-off financially than older generations, according to what they told poll takers.
That marks an unexpected generational switch. In 2000, Bositis said, more members of the under-35 group called themselves Republicans or independents than any other age bracket did. This year, more of them call themselves Democrats than any other age bracket, and more of the oldest voters call themselves Republicans or independents.
Social conservatism is hardly new to us African-Americans, but in the past, our economic and political liberalism kept us voting for Democrats since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. This year, Bush's political adviser Karl Rove urged him to reach out to evangelicals and other social conservatives, and it appears to have paid off among some blacks, too.
...I suspect Bush's high-level black appointments like Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice also have helped increase his comfort level even among those black voters who disagree with him on many social and economic issues, judging by what some have told me. A little symbolism can go a long way with some voters.
All of which poses a big challenge for Kerry and his supporters. Younger voters of all races may give him the most support but they also have the lowest turnout rates.
What accounts for this black surge in Bush support? Bositis says most of it comes from conservative, church-going African-Americans who are over age 50, opposed to gay marriage and have not experienced a decline in their incomes during the Bush years.
On the flip side, Kerry's strongest black support comes from the youngsters aged 18 to 35, who also happen to feel worse-off financially than older generations, according to what they told poll takers.
That marks an unexpected generational switch. In 2000, Bositis said, more members of the under-35 group called themselves Republicans or independents than any other age bracket did. This year, more of them call themselves Democrats than any other age bracket, and more of the oldest voters call themselves Republicans or independents.
Social conservatism is hardly new to us African-Americans, but in the past, our economic and political liberalism kept us voting for Democrats since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. This year, Bush's political adviser Karl Rove urged him to reach out to evangelicals and other social conservatives, and it appears to have paid off among some blacks, too.
...I suspect Bush's high-level black appointments like Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice also have helped increase his comfort level even among those black voters who disagree with him on many social and economic issues, judging by what some have told me. A little symbolism can go a long way with some voters.
All of which poses a big challenge for Kerry and his supporters. Younger voters of all races may give him the most support but they also have the lowest turnout rates.
One Vote for Bush
Apparently there's at least one European leader pulling for Bush:
The mind of Mr Blair was summarised for me in vivid terms by someone who has an extremely good claim to know what is going on inside it: "Tony thinks the world is a very dangerous and precarious place. Bush is the tough guy who keeps the bad guys under their rocks."
The mind of Mr Blair was summarised for me in vivid terms by someone who has an extremely good claim to know what is going on inside it: "Tony thinks the world is a very dangerous and precarious place. Bush is the tough guy who keeps the bad guys under their rocks."
Is Kofi in Jail Yet?
Not yet...not yet...
Interviews with dozens of former and current Iraqi officials by congressional investigators have produced new evidence that Saddam Hussein micro-managed business deals under the U.N. oil-for-food program to maximize political influence with important foreign governments like Russia and neighboring Arab states.
The Iraqi officials, who were flown outside of Iraq for their own safety during the interviews, provided a list of foreign companies favored by Saddam and his top lieutenants for import contracts under the U.N. program. They also revealed a parallel blacklist of companies that the then-Iraq leader disqualified from getting deals, investigators told The Associated Press.
The precaution of redoubled secrecy comes after an Iraqi official involved in the oil-for-food investigation of corruption died in a car bombing in late June after speaking with investigators.
Interviews with dozens of former and current Iraqi officials by congressional investigators have produced new evidence that Saddam Hussein micro-managed business deals under the U.N. oil-for-food program to maximize political influence with important foreign governments like Russia and neighboring Arab states.
The Iraqi officials, who were flown outside of Iraq for their own safety during the interviews, provided a list of foreign companies favored by Saddam and his top lieutenants for import contracts under the U.N. program. They also revealed a parallel blacklist of companies that the then-Iraq leader disqualified from getting deals, investigators told The Associated Press.
The precaution of redoubled secrecy comes after an Iraqi official involved in the oil-for-food investigation of corruption died in a car bombing in late June after speaking with investigators.
John "Values" Kerry
This is why John Kerry is both a coward and a fraud. From a speech on Sunday:
I know there are some Bishops who have suggested that as a public official I must cast votes or take public positions - on issues like a woman's right to choose and stem cell research - that carry out the tenets of the Catholic Church. I love my Church; I respect the Bishops; but I respectfully disagree.
My task, as I see it, is not to write every doctrine into law. That is not possible or right in a pluralistic society. But my faith does give me values to live by and apply to the decisions I make.
He's a coward because he's afraid to live by what he believes; he's a fraud because he'll impose HIS values on others while chastising others who would do the same.
I know there are some Bishops who have suggested that as a public official I must cast votes or take public positions - on issues like a woman's right to choose and stem cell research - that carry out the tenets of the Catholic Church. I love my Church; I respect the Bishops; but I respectfully disagree.
My task, as I see it, is not to write every doctrine into law. That is not possible or right in a pluralistic society. But my faith does give me values to live by and apply to the decisions I make.
He's a coward because he's afraid to live by what he believes; he's a fraud because he'll impose HIS values on others while chastising others who would do the same.
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