Blog Box

November 4, 2005
Compiled by Delilah Boyd, A Scrivener's Lament

See How They Run!

Have Wal-Mart and Fox News teamed up to swiftboat your town with their new and improved ad campaign? Has Mr. Smith returned to Washington? "Sloppy Seconds," anyone? Dreaming of a Karl Rove Fitzmas piñata? Yes, the nickname "Scalito" is pejorative, but does the diminution fit? If those who "can," govern, what about those BushCo yahoos who "can't" govern? They continue to campaign, of course.

While the nation mourns civil rights giant Rosa Parks, neocon wingnuts continue their quest to whittle away what's left of our lives, our liberty, and our pursuit of happiness (aka justice). From Dem Bloggers:

Senator John Kerry delivered a beautiful eulogy at the funeral of Rosa Parks today at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan. "When I met Rosa Parks, I was overwhelmed by this graceful, small woman's quiet strength and humility - her conviction in taking on the army of power that was deployed before her - her courage to dig in, knowing full well the power of the courthouse, the power of the sheriff's badge, the power of the vigilante, the power of the establishment - knowing that on dark country roads or after a knock on the door in the middle of the night, people still disappeared and died almost anonymous deaths except for those who loved them. So many killed just trying to be citizens in the land of the free. --snip-- Rosa Parks was about progress, not memory. Yes, she sat down so we could stand up, but not so we could stand still.

Progress. That's what the great lady was all about. And not standing still causes Republicans to run like hell. Naturally, BushCo's flying cable news monkeys accuse Democrats who attended the funeral of campaigning, especially Senator Clinton. Which brings us to...

Run, George! Run!

The Big Mic at Propaganda Sandwich says we should all read Joe Klein's "The Perils of the Permanent Campaign." I agree. Klein offers a play-by-play of BushCo political stunts (yes, stunts - not just following Senate rules, but real honest-to nogoodnick stunts!) since the election mess of 2000, and exposes their momentary political importance - and their long-term danger to democracy. Big Mic's comments are golden:

I have had my issues with Klein in the past, but I thought this piece was just great. Although I am a little thrown off by this passage: The President's declaration that "major combat operations" were over on May 1, 2003, after he co-piloted an airplane onto the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and emerged, jazzed, in a jaunty flight suit, seems almost ludicrous in retrospect. In retrospect? Insert snarkiness here. Some people call me "Dubya," some call me "Codpiece Jesus."

Speaking of campaigning... If you've always wondered how Republicans manage to steal elections, Yellow Dog Blog has the answer in his post called "Big Election Theft In A Small Town."

Sloppy Seconds, Anyone?

While wingnut bloggers are still busy slamming CBS' John Roberts for his "casual language," more thoughtful progressive bloggers question George W. Codpiece's do-over U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Tania's Bloggin Journal asks, "The most qualified is... Alito?"

After the Harriet Miers mêlée, anyone chosen by Bush was bound to be mocked relentlessly. Elizabeth at The New Blog writes: "I am very surprised... Not!" Elizabeth continues: "So Bush announced his next nomination. Who is it? Well the sloppy seconds is Samuel Alito." And Elizabeth concludes:

The only thing that is amusing about this, is the Republicans insisting that they are only wanting an up and down vote on this nominee. To that I say: "Harriet Miers."

Check out The New Blog, especially a post called "Actually, You Have Not Come A Long Way, Baby." Also, if you're a fan of pissed off ranting bloggers, Grumpy Old Man has an epithet-filled post on the regressive Republican attack on the new cervical cancer drug, which is well worth bookmarking.

Mr. Smith Has Returned To Washington!

Perfect Cube writes:

Poor Bill Frist. Not only is he a flippin' criminal, but now this! "This is an affront to me personally," "This is an affront to our leadership. It is an affront to the United States of America, and it is wrong." Shhush, now, little one. It sounds like you have gotten yourself all worked up. --snip-- Were the SIX times rule 21 one was evoked during the Clinton witch-hunt strike you as an affront to you, your lack of leadership or the country?

Hunter, posting at Daily Kos, lists the obvious signs that Fristian Republicans should fasten their seatbelts:

First, obviously, it forced the Senate to agree to finally investigate the massaged and/or bogus Iraq War intelligence, after stonewalling the investigation for over two years. * Second, it shows the American people that the Democrats are serious about the Republicans' ongoing dismissal of critical national security matters, even if Republicans like Frist and Roberts have proven over the last two years they aren't trustworthy or responsible about pursuing them. * It absolutely nails the Republicans to the wall on Plamegate. * It completely disrupted and short-circuited the nasty, Swift Boat hackery of the Republicans attempting to defend the far-right Judge Sam Alito. * Perhaps most importantly, it fires a huge warning shot into the Republican efforts to break Senate rules to disallow filibusters. * And finally, it made Bill Frist look like an utter amateur. Whining like a stuck pig, Frist made it perfectly clear that he isn't nearly the political tactician his lockstep demands for party loyalty require him to be. Today, Reid made Frist look like a complete fool - actually, Frist mainly did it all by himself. This further weakens him and his own hold on his party.

I would add that you know Republicans are in serious trouble when their telepuppet pundits renew their constant interruption of Democratic spokespersons and Wolf Blitzer and pals stand back and let it happen. Hmm. What's more important: ratings or democracy? By the way, every blog post by Hunter is golden!

Speaking of golden, DUer LynneSin has a scathingly brilliant idea! Show Harry Reid your appreciation by donating $11.01 (to honor his 11/01/2005 stand against Republican disdain for our national security) to Reid's Senate Dem PAC. This idea is spreading like butter on hotcakes! Great thinking, LynneSin! (By the way, what kind of GOP idiot came up with the name VOLPAC for Fristy when Harry Potter has just been named the most popular literary hero of all time?)

Meanwhile, back at Daily Kos... be sure to check out EastBayJB's post on George W. Bush joking with a reporter about administration leaks. You'd think George W. might've learned his lesson after that embarrassing WMD search video. Stop. Rewind. Erase that. What was I thinking? George W. and any form of the verb "to learn" in the same sentence? That's just crazy!

Fox And The Foxes In Your Hometown Henhouse

What's scarier than FOX News teaming up with Wal-Mart? How about Dems joining in? Jeff. L. Thigpen posts from Greensboro, South Carolina:

FOX NEWS: THE WALMART CAMPAIGN! Fox news brings a psychologist in to talk about Wal Mart's response to a $2 million documentary on its business practices. Reagan and Clinton advisors have been hired. Three essentials to the Wal Mart campaign 1) Poll the public 2) Discredit opposition 3) Appeal to the personal Sound familiar?

The swiftboats (and some Dems) are coming! Absent a free and objective press, Wal-Mart will make Long John Silver look like one of its minimum wage door greeters.

When The Going Gets Tough...

Well, what do you know? The Washington Post has finally figured out that renditions are real. What's changed since this story was first circulated? Easy answer: the CIA (because of Plamegate) is getting good press, and the White House... er, isn't. Of course, this rendition deal is despicable, but the Post's sudden attention is definitely specious. Ragged Trousers notes:

Oh, and by the way, the CIA, who are running these "black sites", well, VP Cheney and some republicans want to pass a law specifically stating that the CIA are not bound by any laws and treaties outlawing torture. Great. It just goes to show, whenever republicans get het up about something and call press conferences, you know those they are attacking are really on to something.

It's well worth a ride in the Wayback Machine to an awesome (and rather gruesome) blog post on U.S. involvement in renditions by Eric Martin at Liberals Against Terrorism. And before you depart the Wayback Machine...

If you want to know where those ridiculous right-wing talking points on Valerie Plame's non-covert status, the CIA's failure to find WMDs, and the French government's forgery of the Niger documents are coming from, click on The American Thinker's July 18, 2005 blog post, "Spy Valerie and the rogue CIA." Be sure to disinfect afterward!

Fitzmas For The Rest Of Us

Have you visited Freesqueeze.com yet? If you're a fan of political caricatures, you'll love this artist! Here's a sample of Freesqueeze's work, suitable for framing:

What would be more fun on Fitzmas morning than a Karl Rove piñata from Democracy Nation? Hm. I'm thinking of filling it with hard candy, in anticipation of Rove's "hard time" future. I know it's trite, but I can dream, can't I?

And finally, DUer meaganmonkey writes: "Never underestimate the power of makeup."

That was fun, guys! Thanks!

See how they run... yep, Republicans run when they can't govern. They also run like hell when Dems stand up to them. This week, 35% of Americans approve of George W. Bush and 19% approve of Dick Cheney. Keeping the neocons and their campaign creations on the run is job #1! And we can never stop - their campaign stunts are, of course, sleazy and dangerous, but some of them are momentarily effective.

The high road doesn't have to be a dead end, either. When push comes to shove, Democratic ideals for all Americans trump cheap campaign stunts (to benefit a scant few fringe-wingers) every damned time.

By the way, Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has now pleaded not guilty. I can't wait to see how right-wing bloggers and feral freepers react to the possibility of Cheney et al testifying under oath. If Scooter lives long enough to go to trial, that is - my tinfoil Stetson is now planted firmly on my native Texan head.

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