Mary Matalin Claims Bush Inherited the 9/11 Attacks! Not A Joke!!

Mary Matalin is just another in a long line of former Bush Administration officials and right-wingers who are shamelessly trying to rewrite the sordid history of the Bush Administration. She claims that President Bush inherited the 9/11 attacks, but fails to provide any supporting explanation of this bizarre statement.

Ed Shultz did a good job on his show of calling her out on it and I'll also do my part in fighting this kind of nonsensical revisionism whenever I see it. And unfortunately we see it occur alarmingly often. I think somebody needs to buy Matalin a calendar and thorough instructions on its use.

Outing A CIA Agent Now Legal In The U.S.

There is only one logical conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that the Supreme Court has declined to hear Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson's case against Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and Richard Armitage. The conclusion is that undercover CIA Agents can now be outed in this country with impunity. Overwhelming evidence points directly to Dick Cheney for initiating the leak of Valerie Plame's name when he became outraged at her husband's article exposing the Bush Administration's false assertions regarding Iraq's nuclear program.

This was a clear case of treason committed purely for petty political vengeance. Nobody was ever held accountable for this most un-American of acts. There are many to blame for the lack of accountability in this case. President Bush said he would terminate anyone found responsible for leaking the information, but he never fired anybody connected with the leak (Cheney, Rove, Armitage, Libby). He added insult to injury by pardoning the guy (Libby) who blatantly obstructed the investigation.

Armitage was the primary source because he recklessly blabbed Plame's name to Robert Novak and Bob Woodward. Rove, by multiple accounts, was the confirming source in his conversations with reporters Matt Cooper and Robert Novak. These guys were beyond careless and I don't buy for a second their lame explanations. Her name was floating around out there in the Bush White House because Cheney got the ball rolling after Joe Wilson's article. Even Ari Fleischer (White House Spokesman) and Dan Bartlett (Counselor to the President) were mentioning Plame's name. Fleischer was granted immunity by Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald and admitted revealing Plame's name to David Gregory of NBC News after he heard Bartlett openly reveal that Plame worked for the CIA aboard Air Force One.

Fitzgerald was unwilling to go forward with a case against any of the principles because he claimed that he was obstructed by Libby. But there was a LOT of evidence that this was a politically motivated act of vengeance initiated by Dick Cheney. The final stage of leaking was carried out by the Rove's, Armitages, etc. I think Fitzgerald had a strong case, but decided not to pursue it for reasons I still cannot fully comprehend. Imagine for a second that the Clinton or Obama administrations outed an undercover CIA agent. The Republicans would lose their minds. But due to the Bush Administration, Patrick Fitzgerald, and the Supreme Court we have established a new precedent in the United States: It is now acceptable to out an undercover CIA agent without any consequences whatsoever. It is a sad day for this country and a triumph for future traitors.

Republican False Outrage Watch: Obamas' Night Out In New York City

The latest example of Republican False Outrage is in response to The President of the United States and his wife having the gall to have a night out in New York City after 4 months in office. The bogus "uproar" from the right appears to center around the cost of transportation for the trip.

In another case of Republican amnesia they have somehow forgotten that it was THEIR PRESIDENT who took 149 trips to Camp David for a total of 487 days. Bush also took 77 trips to his "ranch" in Crawford, Texas and spent all or part of 490 days there! Thar's a grand total of 977 days! How much do they think it costs to fly Air Force One from Washington D.C. to Texas? We're not talking about the "mini" Air Force One Obama took to New York, we're talking about the big dog.

This is just another case of "projection" from memory-challenged partisans in the Republican party. It reminds me of the outrage of the Tax Day Tea Protesters. It was THEIR PARTY that took budget surpluses and turned them into record budget deficits and created the worst economic crisis of my lifetime. And even more bizarre was the fact that 95% of people will experience a tax cut under Obama.

BLOGGING DEMOCRATIC False Republican Outrage Watch:

- President's Obama's Use of A Teleprompter Rather
Than Written Notes.
- Tax Day Tea Protests.
- Hugo Chavez Handshake.
- Ordering A Hamburger With Spicy Mustard.
- Obama's Date Night In New York City.

Latest Republican "False Outrage" - Nancy Pelosi

Let me see if I understand this correctly. No outrage from the right-wing about torture, outing an undercover CIA agent, politicizing the Justice Department, Hurricane Katrina, record budget deficits, crumbling infrastructure, and destroying the economy in less than 8 years. BUT if there is any possibility that Nancy Pelosi may have been briefed by the CIA about waterboarding then it is the crime of the century. Or is the crime of the century Obama shaking hands with Chavez, or ordering a hamburger with mustard, or using a teleprompter. This transparent "false outrage" tactic in order to deflect attention from real news is getting old fast.

I am actually not a big fan of Nancy Pelosi primarily because she took impeachment off the table at a time when the facts were screaming out for impeachment of President Bush due to his clear violations of federal law and the Constitution (warrantless wiretapping, torture, etc.). And it really doesn't matter to me whether she gets burned by this issue or not. If investigations and criminal prosecutions of torture cause political damage to some democrats in Congress, then so be it. As I have said on many occasions I am for holding anybody accountable for ordering torture whether they be in a Democratic or Republican Administration. It is not a political issue for me. It goes way beyond that.

For at least a short period of time the mounting evidence that Dick Cheney was suggesting that an Iraqi detainee be waterboarded in order to try to establish a link between Al Qaeda and Iraq gets pushed completely to the side as the media focuses exclusively on the relatively insignificant sideshow of Nancy Pelosi. I have got to give the right-wing credit for their effective "divert attention from Bush/Cheney complicity at all costs" campaign.

At this time it is not clear what was really said in those briefings. There were caveats in Panetta's response which were largely overlooked by the media and Bob Graham's statements cast a lot of doubt on the credibility of the CIA's briefing dates, etc. I will withhold judgment until I see clear evidence one way or the other. But this in no way affects the overwhelming case mounting against high-ranking Bush Administration officials. Let the chips fall where they may.

Torture Apologists Are The Worst Kind Of Americans

Torture apologists comprise approximately half of the U.S. population according to a recent poll. I wonder if these people ever had a civics class or know anything about the history of the United States. I have a feeling that a large percentage of these apologists are republicans and a large subset are the same ones that will defend ANYTHING a republican administration does and try to sell a rationale for it, no matter how preposterous it is.

Their arguments fall apart on every level. Here is my summary of why the United States does not torture (at least until we had a rogue presidency):

What has always separated us from many other countries in the world is our unwavering respect for human rights, the rule of law, and our basic humanity. It has NEVER been demonstrated that the information received from torture is better than other PROVEN, LEGAL methods. In fact, there is overwhelming evidence that it yields far inferior results and produces a lot of completely false information. Chasing down these false leads wastes valuable intelligence assets which could be used on real, accurate leads.

If you support the United States using torture then you, by default, also support "open season" on our troops when they are captured by other countries. You MUST remain silent and you have NO right to protest as their heads are slammed into walls, they are waterboarded 200 times a month, and are deprived of sleep for 11 days at a time with their hands shackled above their heads. The military understands this and for this reason they are opposed to the U.S. using these illegal methods. Don't say you "support the troops" if you support torture because you really don't support the troops.

We are signatories to international agreements which outlaw these practices. We have prosecuted others for using the exact same methods approved by President Bush. And here is an exact quote from President Bush in 2003:

"The United States is committed to the worldwide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example. I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of law-abiding nations in prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting all acts of torture and in undertaking to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment."
Click here for the link to the article in the Washington Post.

How can a man who stood up and said this in front of the world go on to approve the use of torture? I say we follow HIS WORDS by investigating and prosecuting all acts of torture.

Patrick Leahy - My New Favorite Senator

On my podcast and videoblog I already applauded Leahy's call for a "Truth and Reconciliation" Commission to investigate the details of the Bush Administration's long list of illegal activities; now Leahy is pushing back on Cheney's recent remarks about Obama's ability to protect the United States from terrorists. This is my favorite quote of 2009 so far:

"I just want to say here Bush and Cheney were in charge when the last attack happened," Leahy said. "They were warned about the last attack before it happened. On September 10th their proposal was to cut our counter-terrorism budget substantially. I don't need any lectures from him. They screwed up badly.

"They are also the same people who said the war in Iraq would be over in a couple weeks and we would find the weapons of mass destruction. Their policy was to let Osama bin Laden get away when we had him cornered and send the troops into a useless war in Iraq. No, no, I don't think he has a great deal of credibility." LINK

OUCH!

Andrew Card: Wear A Jacket In The Oval Office and All Is Forgiven

Former Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card said the following on the the right-wing Michael Medved radio show when referring to ex-President Bush and other former Republican Presidents: "They treated the Office of the Presidency with tremendous respect."

Card has got himself all worked-up about the fact that Obama does not wear a jacket at times in the Oval Office and does not require others to do so. He claims this shows disprespect for the Office of the Presidency. That is a lack of respect for the Office of the Presidency? Give me a break. I thought the White House was supposed to be the peoples' house. I think the new policy is more in keeping with that idea and gets rid of the stuffy, arrogant trappings that the old guard seems to miss so much. But what is really comical is that in Andrew Card's mind the wearing of a jacket is more closely tied to the respect for the Office of the President than torture, warrantless wiretapping, outing of an undercover CIA agent, and the politicizing of the Justice Deparment. Apparently all of the misconduct of Bush and his administration is fine as long as it is done while wearing a jacket. LINK

Science Is About To Return To The U.S.

Science has been on an 8 year holiday, but it is currently "dusting itself off" as Obama prepares to replace the 'science-denying" Bush Administration. Here are a few choice quotes from Bill Nye:
"President-elect Obama, in contrast with his predecessor, is fundamentally in favor of science."
"Science, more succinctly the process of science, is the best idea humans have ever had."
"Our ability to observe and understand causes and effects in nature has led to our ability to feed billions, map the world, shape cities..."
"Science is empowering like nothing else."
"For years, scientists, enlightened engineers, entrepreneurs, and anyone concerned with the future have worried as the United States' science has waned. Science had been marginalized, regarded as another special interest. But actually, science is of the broadest interest, the most inclusive discipline there is."
"At last, we will have a president, who understands the value of investing in science and especially science and math education." LINK

Hero or Villain?

Read more about the man who exposed the Bush Administration's illegal warrantless wiretapping program. Remind me again why Bush wasn't impeached and imprisoned for this clear violation of law and the U.S. Constitution?

Eighteen months after Thomas Tamm first disclosed what he knew, the Times reported that President George W. Bush had secretly authorized the NSA to intercept phone calls and e-mails of individuals inside the United States without judicial warrants. The drama followed a quiet, separate rebellion within the highest ranks of the Justice Department concerning the same program. (James Comey, then the deputy attorney general, together with FBI head Robert Mueller and several other senior Justice officials, threatened to resign.) President Bush condemned the leak to the Times as a "shameful act." Federal agents launched a criminal investigation to determine the identity of the culprit. LINK

Obama To Appoint Chemical and Biological Weapons Czar After Bush "Punts"

"President-elect Barack Obama plans to appoint a new White House official to coordinate efforts to prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear or biological weapons, advisers say, giving the highest priority to thwarting a catastrophic attack that a bipartisan panel warns could come in the next five years."

"A law requiring the position, passed by Congress more than a year ago and signed into law by President Bush, has been ignored for more than 15 months, in part because Bush opposes giving the Senate the power to confirm the official." LINK

Obama Versus Bush On The Presidential Daily Briefing (PDB)

Barack Obama has been receiving the PDB (Presidential Daily Briefing) 7 days a week versus 6 days a week for President Bush. I guess Bush wasn't really looking at this President thing as a full-time gig. He probably needs one day to ponder the "end times" and he figured that taking a day off might make that happen a little sooner. Can we have this inauguration now instead of waiting until January?

Obama To Make Capturing Bin Laden A Priority - Finally!

Remember that guy who was responsible for the worst terrorist attack in the history of the U.S? It might be easy to forget him since Bush's brilliant response to 9/11 consisted of invading one of the few countries in the Middle East without terrorist ties. The massive quagmire in Iraq took most of the troops, equipment and focus away from Al Qaeda and the hunt for Bin Laden. And nobody could get anyone within the Bush Administration very interested in Bin Laden before 9/11 either. It looks like we might finally be getting a President that is ready to get serious about bringing Bin Laden to justice or ending his time here on this earth. If Obama can hunt down this coward during his first term it will be just another glaring example of the ineptitude of the Bush Administration. LINK

Bush On Finding Bin Laden: "I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."- G.W. Bush, Washington, D.C. 3/13/02

Palin = Bush On Steroids

I'm really not up to it. What I'm saying is if Palin's butt somehow ends up plopping down on the chair in the Oval Office because McCain checks out of this life, I can't take another George W. Bush.

I can't take another President who doesn't read newspapers. What is really unbelievable is that I honestly believe that she couldn't think of a newspaper when she was asked by Katie Couric. I can't take another President who says "Nuke-U-Ler" instead of "Nuke-Lee-Er." I can't take another President who is absolutely clueless about foreign policy and needs to be schooled on the subject starting from ZERO knowledge. I can't take another religious fanatic, end-timer with his or her finger on the nuclear button. I can't accept another President/Vice President who thinks that the Vice President and President need more power; yeah, she actually spoke about an expanded role for the Vice President. I will not accept another President who is the one people think they would rather have a beer with; I know I'd have a lot better time knocking a few back with Obama anyway. I would be looking for the nearest exit within 30 seconds after listening to Palin's nasal voice drone on at a 3rd grade-level of conversation.

All I am absolutely sure of is that this country cannot survive another intellectually deficient President like George W. Bush. We need some brain power and competence in order to start cleaning up the destruction of our economy and repair our international standing. We need to restore the time when the United States stood for something by respecting the Constitution and representing excellence in this world. The last eight years have been a race towards the bottom in virtually every category both foreign and domestic. Sarah Palin looking over John McCain's shoulder is an unacceptable option. No George W. Bush in a dress. Time for folksy airhead Sarah to get on back up there to Alaska Doggone-it.

Republicans Cannot Call For Impeachment For ANY Reason!

Although I am predicting an Obama win in the fall election, I do not feel it is guaranteed by any means. My recent postings about current polling data and Obama's pending VP decision have me a little concerned. But, for now, let's go with the assumption that Barack Obama is sworn in on January 20, 2009 as the President of the United States. What follows is my instructions for all the Republicans who continued to defend the current President and his administration during all of the illegal and impeachable offenses committed during the last 8 years.

Since we have now entered the era of "anything goes" when it comes to the illegal activities of the President, you Republicans will need to keep your mouths shut when you see illegal activity by any future Democratic President. No whining! You got it? If we did not impeach the current occupant of the White House for his blatant law-breaking, then I am officially declaring any and all President Obama illegalities off-limits for impeachment. Any calls for his impeachment or any complaining about these activities will be considered unamerican and unpatriotic, just as those of us who have criticized President Bush have been labeled. Please, no statements by Republicans who are shocked and outraged, but didn't "bat an eye" as Bush trampled on the Constitution (warrantless wiretapping, torture, etc.), outed undercover CIA agents for political reasons (treason-punishable by death), and made a joke out of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Obama does not strike me as the kind of guy who would commit blatant unconstitutional crimes. I would be profoundly disappointed if he did. I actually wish he would instruct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue indictments against Bush (warantless wiretapping, torture), Cheney (outing of an undercover CIA Agent), Rove (outing of an undercover CIA agent, political prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman), Gonzales (torture, U.S. Attorney firings, illegal hiring practices). It looks like this probably won't happen based on Obama's recent comments.