Tommy Moore

An unusual springtime snowfall canceled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s plans for a March 22, 1968 protest. More than 16 inches fell: the second largest snowfall in Memphis history, and well beyond the city's yearly snowfall average of 5.6 inches. But Thomas Moore, an International Harvester employee and strike supporter, marched alone in front of City Hall. Moore's "Do Right Mr. Mayor" plea reached Mayor Henry Loeb, who brought him a cup of hot coffee. - Memphis Commercial Appeal - March, 1968

[Click on image to enlarge.]

Tommy picketed city hall in March of 1968 in support of striking Sanitation Workers in Memphis. On that March day, Dr. Martin Luther King had been scheduled to lead a protest in Memphis, but he canceled the event because of a record 16-inch snowfall. But Tommy marched anyway. The sign he carried spelled out this message to Mayor Henry Loeb: "Do Right, Mr. Mayor, RTD." Later, I asked Tommy what the "RTD" meant, and he explained. 'Right To Day.'

We first learned of Tommy's one-man protest when we opened the newspaper and saw a picture of him picketing in the snow. The caption explained that Tommy's protest had gained the attention of Mayor Henry Loeb, who came down from his office in City Hall, and offered Tommy a cup of hot coffee.

We clipped the picture from the newspaper and pinned it in a place of honor in our family room to remind us of how much we loved Tommy, and to remind us of our obligation to support the rights of working people everywhere in their struggle for safe working conditions, respect, dignity, and fair compensation and benefits. The picture grew tattered and yellow, and eventually began to disintegrate. It was still there on the wall in the den, when I left home in 1969. And somewhere along the way, I suppose it just fell to pieces and returned to the earth, as did Tommy himself many years ago.

Over the years, though, I have never forgotten the courage Tommy showed in standing up alone to Mayor Loeb. And I pictured in my mind's eye over and over that image of Tommy marching by himself in the snow, with his "Do Right Mr. Mayor" sign.

Recently, while researching the history of Frayser, I did a Google search on the Harvester Plant there, specifically looking for information on UAW strikes at that plant. Using the key words, "Memphis," "International Harvester," "strike," Google returned a "hit" about a "Mr. Thomas Moore, an International Harvester employee and [Memphis Sanitation Worker] strike supporter..."

I couldn't believe my eyes. Following the link, there it was - the picture I'd loved so dearly and had missed for nearly 40 years. It brought great joy to my heart to see that image again, and to recall what a special friend Tommy was to me and to our family. I figure this is just another example of how God graces us in special ways. I had no hope of ever seeing that picture again, but through a fortuitous juxtaposition of circumstances, there it was -- totally unexpected -- a gift from God - warming my heart - filling me with joyful remembrances of Tommy.

Tommy was the first guy I ever saw water ski on one ski (1961 - Norfolk Lake, AR). He could grab hold of a light pole and suspend his body out in the air horizontally from it. When I was 12 years-old he taught me to drive his Corvair up at Pickwick Reservoir. He took me squirrel hunting in Brownsville, TN. and introduced me to a cute little country girl named "Madeline" I still wonder about yet today. He took me swimming in the Hatchie River; told me stories; loaned me books; let me drive his '63 Chevy on Interstate 40 before I had a license; he loved us boys very much. And he supported worker rights.

Well, they killed Dr. King, but the Memphis Sanitation workers got their union, and Henry Loeb slunk off the scene. Thank you, Tommy & Dr. King, for standing up for the dignity of workers everywhere.

Tommy, wherever you are - we miss you, and we love you.

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How to Tell Bush is Lying

"Every time the president is on the defensive for a dishonest statement, a mischaracterization, or a lousy policy decision, he adds to the sentence the words “of course.” - Brian Morton -
Baltimore City Paper Online; October 13, 2004

“Of course we’re after Saddam Hussein—I mean bin Laden. He’s isolated. Seventy-five percent of his people have been brought to justice.” - Dubya Bush in the first debate

"Of course we're worried about Osama bin Laden. We're on the hunt after Osama bin Laden." - Bush in the third debate

Way to go, Brian Morton. Readers should note that Morton made this call prior to the debate.

Bush Flubs the Third Debate

It's Christmas in October. Bush handed the Kerry campaign a perfect sound byte.

SCHIEFFER: Anything to add, Senator Kerry?

KERRY: Yes. When the president had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, he took his focus off of them, outsourced the job to Afghan warlords, and Osama bin Laden escaped.

Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this president was asked, "Where is Osama bin Laden? " He said, "I don't know. I don't really think about him very much. I'm not that concerned. "

We need a president who stays deadly focused on the real war on terror.

SCHIEFFER: Mr. President?

BUSH: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations.

Slate sums it up this way.

By denying that he had ever minimized the threat posed by Bin Laden, Bush handed Kerry, during the very first question, the victory in the post-debate spin. The Kerry campaign's critique of the president is that he has doesn't tell the truth, that he won't admit mistakes, and that he refuses to acknowledge reality. Bush's answer played into all three claims.

Read the debate transcript here.

A More Sensitive War

Remember when the rightwingers mocked and ridiculed Kerry for declaring that he'd wage a more "sensitive" war on terror? From this New York Times editoral, it would seem that's exactly what the Bush administration had in mind in deciding on troop levels to insert into Iraq.

"The military commanders believed we had enough American troops in Iraq and that having a larger American military presence would have been counterproductive because it would have alienated Iraqis."

Interesting. No complaints from rightwingers about Bush's decision to wage a more sensitive war.

The Mighty Wurlitzer

Robert Borosage writes in The American Prospect about what he calls "The Mighty Wurlitzer." This is a vivid description of the rightwing propaganda and smear machine.

"With all that ideological money, institutional heft, coordination, and credentialing, the right has perfected what the CIA used to call a "mighty Wurlitzer" -- a propaganda machine that can hone a fact or a lie, broadcast it, and have it echoed and recycled in Fox News commentary, in Washington Times news stories, in Wall Street Journal editorials, by myriad right-wing pundits, by Heritage seminars and briefing papers, and in congressional hearings and speeches."

This is exactly what we're seeing today. Who remembers the "Gore invented the internet" smear? That was a perfect example of how the RNC honed a lie, broadcast it, and got it echoed and recycled. These guys are a serious threat to our democracy, folks.

Why Are We in Iraq?

At an official US State Department website, there is a map and a list of "Countries Where al Qaeda Has Operated."

Iraq is not one of them.

It looks like Bush attacked the wrong country.

Republicans Are Serious

This cartoon says it all.

Military Ready for a Change

Bush may very well try again to prevent the military ballots from being counted. A report in the Christian Science Monitor indicates some pretty strident animosity toward Bush.

"Nobody I know wants Bush," says an enlisted soldier in Najaf, adding, "This whole war was based on lies." Like several others interviewed, his animosity centered on a belief that the war lacked a clear purpose even as it took a tremendous toll on US troops, many of whom are in Iraq involuntarily under "stop loss" orders that keep them in the service for months beyond their scheduled exit in order to keep units together during deployments.

The lack of a clear definition of why we're in Iraq is causing some serious grumbling among our soldiers. This could spell trouble for Bush come election day.

More on typewriters.

This is from Bush's "Chronological Listing of Service" which was released by the Bush White House. Notice the raised "th" in the second line. (Click on the image to see the full size.)

When Did Bush Quit Flying?

The Washington Post notes that Bush's story now doesn't match his story from 1999. Bush told us then that he continued flying for years with his unit. But the records show differently, and the White House has admitted as much.

The White House now says that Bush left Texas, where he was first assigned when he joined the Air National Guard, for Alabama in the spring of 1972 because his priorities changed and he wanted to work in the political campaign of a family friend, Winton "Red" Blount, who was running for the U.S. Senate.

But in his 1999 autobiography, Bush omits mention of his suspension from flight status and says only that "I continued flying with my unit for the next several years" after being turned down in 1970 for a program known as "Palace Alert" that might have taken him to Vietnam.

Bush should explain the evolving explanations regarding his alleged service.

Bush's Play Hardball

In an interview on NBC on September 13, Kitty Kelley had, among other things, this to say about the heat Sharon Bush is receiving over her recent revelations about Dubya.

"I feel sorry for Sharon Bush in a sense. And I have to tell you over that lunch, we knew the next day that Sharon was going to be frightened over this. She was hysterical at the time, and she said herself that Neil Bush left a message on her tape machine saying that if she didn't stop what she was doing she'd find herself in a dark alley."

Is anyone surprised the threat is so vile? After all, look at what they did to Valerie Plame.

Was Iraq a Threat

It might be a good time to look back at the build up to the war in Iraq. Remember the WMD's, mushroom clouds, tons and tons of chemical weapons, stockpiles of horrible weaponry that could be unleashed in 45 minutes? That was 2002 when Bush was in trouble domestically.



The economy was in a shambles; his approvals were down. But then they started talking up the threat posed by Iraq. In all of the discussions leading up to the war, though, I don't recall any reporter asking the Bush administration to explain these two statements given by top administration officials.

''But in terms of Saddam Hussein being there, let's remember that his country is divided, in effect. He does not control the northern part of his country. We are able to keep arms from him. His military forces have not been rebuilt.'' - Condoleeza Rice, July 29, 2001



The sanctions exist, "not for the purpose of hurting the Iraqi people, but for the purpose of keeping in check Saddam Hussein's ambitions toward developing weapons of mass destruction. . .That purpose is every bit as important now as it was ten years ago when we began it. And frankly they have worked. He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors. So in effect, our policies have strengthened the security of the neighbors of Iraq..." - Secretary of State Colin Powell stating that sanctions had prevented Saddam from developing significant capability with respect to WMD; February, 2001. Source. US State Department

Is anyone ever going to ask them to explain how Saddam managed to rearm himself in the one short year following these statements by Rice and Powell?

Bush's Military Record

At the risk of belaboring a point, we come back to the matter of Bush's National Guard record. Retired Army Colonel Gerald A. Lechliter has compiled what might be the most comprehensive look so far at the details that can be mined from the February document dump by the Bush White House along with other public records. Here are the summary points from Lechliter's work entitled President George W. Bush’s Military Service: A Critical Analysis © 2004

The pay records released by the White House this past winter prove Bush received unauthorized, i.e., fraudulent, payments for inactive duty training, even if he did show up for duty.

The memorandum from Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Albert C. Lloyd, who affirmed for the White House that Bush met his retention/retirement year point requirement, is an obfuscation, or outright deception, that disregarded Bush’s failure to meet the statutory and regulatory fiscal year satisfactory participation requirement.

Bush’s superiors in the Texas Air National Guard failed to take required regulatory actions when Bushed missed required training and failed to take his flight physical.

Despite seemingly laudatory comments, Bush’s May 1972 officer performance report was a clear and unmistakable indication that his performance had declined from the annual 1971 report. The report was the kiss of death before he left for
Alabama that year.

Bush did not meet the requirements for satisfactory participation from 1972 to 1973.

This is important not so much because of what it tells us about Bush's character 30 plus years ago, but for what it tells us about his character now.

Verdict Is In: BUSH AWOL

The conservative leaning US News and World Report Has weighed in on the matter

"The U.S. News analysis also showed that during the final two years of his obligation, Bush did not comply with Air Force regulations that impose a time limit on making up missed drills. What's more, he apparently never made up five months of drills he missed in 1972, contrary to assertions by the administration."

More on Typewriters

This is a section of the CYA memo released by CBS. Look at the word "interference" in the second line. Look closely, and you will see that the second "e" rests above the baseline. Those of us who actually worked with typewriters know this sort of imperfection was a common occurence.



I don't know how we could duplicate this defect with MS Word. Do you?

Document Forgeries?

The Daily Kos has a quite interesting discussion of type faces, superscripts, fonts, proportional spacing, etc., here. Looks like indeed the documents CBS obtained could very well have been produced by typewriters existing at the time.

AWOL

The Annenberg Political Fact Check took a look at the available data back in February of 2004, and had this to say.

An additional witness came forward to say that he had seen Bush at the base. John W. “Bill” Calhoun was quoted by the Washington Post and others as saying he saw Bush sign in at the base eight to 10 times for about eight hours each from May to October 1972. However, as previously noted, there is record of Bush being paid for only two days of Guard service during that period, Oct. 28 and 29 1972. A White House spokesman could not offer an explanation for the discrepancy.

Furthermore, the Annenberg reports only that Bush was paid and credited for service - not that he actually did duty.

Art of Propaganda

Oh my! Not everyone is happy with the mess Bush has made of things!

''TALLAHASSEE - A thousand dead in Iraq. For what? History's highest budget deficit. For what? George W. Bush has been so reckless with America's lives, wealth and reputation and so stupendously incompetent and untrustworthy overall as to defy belief that anyone but Halliburton and the House of Saud would want him to be elected.''

Thanks to the St. Petersburg Times for this.

Broken Contract

The Glasgow Sunday Herald isn't afraid to tell the truth about Bush.

He broke his contract with the United States government – without any adverse consequences. And the Texas Air National Guard was complicit in allowing this to happen. He was a pilot. It cost the government a million dollars to train him to fly. So he should have been held to an even higher standard. - Col. Gerald A Lechliter, US Army (Ret)

If only the US media were more aggressive.

Honorable Discharge?

The rightwingers' defense of Bush's shirking his national guard duty boils down to the eternally repeated mantra, "But he was honorably discharged." Well, the fact of the matter is, an honorable discharge is pretty much the standard exit for just about everyone who enters military service whether it's active duty, the reserves, or a cushy champagne guard unit like Bush snuck his way into. As a matter of fact some pretty famous guard "vets" went AWOL and still got an honorable discharge.

"Current U.S. Representative Bobby Rush, a Democrat from Illinois, served in the army through the mid-1960s, becoming progressively more involved with radical antiwar groups. In 1968, after Martin Luther King's assassination, he went AWOL from his unit to help found the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers. Weeks later, he was honorably discharged."

"John Allen Muhammad, convicted last November for his participation in the D.C. sniper shootings, served in the Louisiana National Guard from 1978-1985, where he faced two summary courts-martial. In 1983, he was charged with striking an officer, stealing a tape measure, and going AWOL. Sentenced to seven days in the brig, he received an honorable discharge in 1985."

Thanks to the folks at The New Republic.

Search for bin Laden

1) Bush declared that bin Laden was 'wanted: dead or alive'.

''I want justice,'' Bush said. ''And there's an old poster out West, I recall, that says, 'Wanted: Dead or Alive.' If he thinks he can hide and run from the USA he will be sorely mistaken.'' - Dubya Bush, September 2001 - - -

2) Bush changes his mind...

''I truly am not that concerned about him.'' - George W. Bush, March 13, 2002 - -

3) And of course, bin Laden was NEVER the goal...

“The goal has never been to get bin Laden.” - - General Richard Myers, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, on 6 April 2002. - -

Bush Vengeance

What would a second Bush term be like? Paul Begala tells us what to expect should Bush either be elected or reappointed.

If George W. Bush is given a second term, and retains a Republican Congress and a compliant federal judiciary, he and his allies are likely to embark on a campaign of political retribution the likes of which we haven't seen since Richard Nixon.



How do I know this? I'm from Texas. Again and again, I've seen Bush turn a blind eye as his henchmen have leveled zealous attacks against his political enemies--assaults which the president himself has sometimes directly encouraged. Perhaps most disturbing, the subjects of these attacks have often been longtime Bush allies who ended up on the president's enemies list for minor slights.

Interesting read on Bush. Washington Monthly asked a panel of 16 writers to give us their take.

Supercripts?

Don't believe typewriters could produce supercripts in 1972? Well, the fact is, Bush's own WH released military records show such a supercript on his Chronological Listing of Service. You can see it here.

It's a PDF file. Scroll to page 3. Then look at the 4Sep68 entry on the second line. Zoom 200% and look at where it says "111th" Fighter Interceptor Squadron." There's your superscript in the "111th."

Or, I've clipped the relevant portion and blown it up for you here.

Reasons to Vote for Bush

No WMD - - jobless recovery - - 3000 killed in WTC attack - - failed to capture bin Laden - - over 1000 killed in Iraq in a war of choice - - - loss of respect around the world - - record deficits - - more people losing their health insurance - - out sourcing of jobs - - scandal - - deceit



Why would anyone NOT vote for Bush?

Bush Flip Flops Again

Looks like Bush has flip-flopped again. The New York Times explains:

(9/9/04): President Bush said on Wednesday that he wanted to give a new national intelligence director “full budgetary authority,” a sharp shift from an earlier position and an acquiescence to a major recommendation of the Sept. 11 commission.

I wonder why it's Kerry and not Bush who's being cast by the media as the flipper?

Milestone

Today is the day that Bush got his one thousandth US service personnel killed in Iraq over WMD that Iraq no longer possesses.

Coke Buddies of Bush

Now this is an interesting concept. Go back and find buddies who actually served with Bush.

Since the alleged Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have an outlet to tell the "whole truth" about their association, or lack thereof, with John Kerry, we thought that George W. Bush's National Guard Buddies and others who shared a joint or snorted a track with "W" during the years in the 60's and 70's before he was "born Again" should have someplace to tell the truth. If you knew "W" in those years or have a question for those who did, please join our blog.

Oh, and you gotta love this pic.

Iraq Body Count

Looks like US troops have been hunkering down in Iraq. We were losing over 2 a day until September. Has Bush ordered them to the bunkers so he doesn't hit a thousand by election day?

Republicans for Kerry

Interesting website here. Some republicans are shying away from Bush it seems. Check out republicansforkerry.org.

''John Bugay of West Mifflin, Pa., near Pittsburgh, started a Republicans for Kerry Web site after his wife went to Iraq as a nurse [s.b. medic] in the Army Reserve. He said he became disillusioned when the weapons of mass destruction that Bush had cited were not found.''

I hope his wife makes it home safely.

Miller Flip-flops

At last night's hate fest, Miller had this to say about Senator John Kerry:

As a Senator, he voted to weaken our military.

But just three years ago, he had this to say about Kerry's record on strengthening the military.

John has worked to strengthen our military, reform public education, boost the economy and protect the environment.

Is this why he's known as "Zig-zag Miller"?

Hastert on Drugs

Dennis Hastert must have failed Econ 101. His recent smear against George Soros on Fox News Sunday proves that beyond doubt. The Speaker of the House, you've probably heard by now, came up with an unusual charge against George Soros, no doubt completely unrelated to Mr. Soros's efforts to upend the President's reelection hopes. Here are two gems from the show:

HASTERT: "You know, I don't know where George Soros gets his money. I don't know where—if it comes overseas or from drug groups or where it comes from.



WALLACE: Excuse me?"



HASTERT: "Well, that's what he's been for a number years—George Soros has been for legalizing drugs in this country. So, I mean, he's got a lot of ancillary interests out there."

Those of us who didn't sleep through introductory Econ know that the drug lords want to keep drugs illegal. That's what keeps the prices up. If drugs were legalized, prices would drop through the floor and the huge profits would disappear. Hastert's idiocy reveals his actual motive - perpetrating a second rate smear...

Zell Miller Praised Kerry

I haven't had a chance to read all of Miller's speech from last night's GOP Convention during which he tried to tear down Senator Kerry, but I've read other things Miller has had to say about John Kerry.

My job tonight is an easy one: to present to you one of this nation's authentic heroes, one of this party's best-known and greatest leaders



In his 16 years in the Senate, John Kerry has fought against government waste and worked hard to bring some accountability to Washington.



Early in his Senate career in 1986, John signed on to the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Deficit Reduction Bill, and he fought for balanced budgets before it was considered politically correct for Democrats to do so.



John has worked to strengthen our military, reform public education, boost the economy and protect the environment.

Is it just me, or does it sound like Miller thinks Kerry is on the right track on things like strong military, accountability, fiscal responsibility? Heck, he even goes so far as to call Kerry "one of this nation's authentic heroes." Was he lying when he said these things? Or was he lying last night?

Bush's Guard Days Back in the News

While the smear boat guys fronting for the Bush campaign have managed to divert attention from Bush's spotty "military" service, they haven't been able to completely erase questions about what Bush did during that mysterious time. Fortunately for us, Mary Jacoby, over at Salon is doing some real reporting. We need to see more on this.

The widow of a Bush family confidant says her husband gave the future president an Alabama Senate campaign job as a favor to his worried father. Did they see him do any National Guard service? "Good lord, no."

The impression I had was that Georgie was raising a lot of hell in Houston, getting in trouble and embarrassing the family, and they just really wanted to get him out of Houston and under Jimmy's wing," Allison's widow, Linda, told me. "And Jimmy said, 'Sure.'

Linda Allison's story, never before published, contradicts the Bush campaign's assertion that George W. Bush transferred from the Texas Air National Guard to the Alabama National Guard in 1972 because he received an irresistible offer to gain high-level experience on the campaign of Bush family friend Winton "Red" Blount. In fact, according to what Allison says her late husband told her, the younger Bush had become a political liability for his father, who was then the United States ambassador to the United Nations, and the family wanted him out of Texas. "I think they wanted someone they trusted to keep an eye on him," Linda Allison said.

As Linda Allison put it regarding Bush's failure to show up for duty with the Alabama Guard, "Can we all be lying?"

Terrorist Group Supports Bush

Thought you might find this interesting. Look who the people who claimed responsibility for the Madrid train bombing want to win the election.

The statement tells Americans that Abu Hafs al-Masri supports the re-election of President George W. Bush. "We are very keen that Bush does not lose the upcoming elections," it said.



Addressing Bush, it said: " We know that a heavyweight operation would destroy your government, and this is what we don't want. We are not going to find a bigger idiot than you."



The statement said Abu Hafs al-Masri needs what it called Bush's "idiocy and religious fanaticism" because they would "wake up" the Islamic world.

Bush's Hyprocrisy

In a speech before veterans, Bush criticized Kerry for allegedly reversing himself.

"Well, it takes a lot of imagination to come out against a position you took just 17 days earlier."

Interesting. It only took Bush one day to change his mind about the war on terror being winnable.

Cigar

Daddy with a cigar -- Mother's pic on his desk.

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Bush Flip-flops Again

''We have a clear vision on how to win the war on terror and bring peace to the world.'' Bush in Springfield, MO - JULY 2004

'When asked “Can we win?” the war on terror, Bush said, “I don’t think you can win it.''' - Bush in August, 2004 on NBC-TV

Why Bush Must Smear Kerry

This guy William Rivers Pitt is a best-selling author and also writes for the New York Times. He seems to have a pretty good grasp of what's going on with the Bush campaign.

''In other words, nauseating activities like the Swift Boat smears and the Purple Heart Band-Aid-wearing cretins do not bubble up from the slime of their own accord. This is standard-issue East Texas political assassination, and the smell of it trails all the way from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to the doorstep of this Republican convention. This is leadership from the top down, Bush-style.

Why?

When your war is a disaster, when your economy is a mess, when your people are out of work by the millions, when the environment is under total assault because of your policies, and when your best pals are pocketing billions of dollars in taxpayer money on the sneak, you’d do well to avoid discussing the issues. Unfortunately for Bush, the manner in which he and his campaign are attempting to change the subject is becoming an issue in and of itself.''

Swift Boats? In Cambodia? Say It Ain't So

Did I predict we'd catch O'Neill lying again? Yes, I believe I did. He went on ABC's This Week and had this to say about swift boats getting into Cambodia.

O’NEILL (8/22/04): You asked about Cambodia. How do I know he’s not in Cambodia? I was on the same river, George. I was there two months after him. Our patrol area ran to Sa Dec, it was 50 miles from Cambodia. There isn’t any “watery border.” The Mekong River's like the Mississippi. There were gunboats stationed right up there to stop people from coming. And our boats didn't go north of, only slightly north of Sa Dec. So it was a made-up story. He’s told it over fifty times, George. That was on the floor of the Senate [in 1986].

But in 1971, he had THIS to say about swift boats getting into Cambodia.

O'NEILL (1971): I was in Cambodia, sir. I worked along the border on the water.

NIXON: In a Swift boat?

O'NEILL: Yes, sir.

Someone help me here. Did O'Neill lie to Nixon? Or did he lie to ABC?

Thanks to the Daily Howler for highlighting the discrepancy here.

O'Neill Lies Again

Okay. It took me nearly two weeks, but I finally found it. O'Neill went on CNN's Crossifre, and on MSNBC's Hardball on August 12, and claimed that Kerry's wound that resulted in his first Purple Heart was self-inflicted. [This, by the way, is no great shame even if true. Bob Dole can attest to that.] To support his claim, he cites the name of William Schachte, claiming Schachte was on the small skiff Kerry manned that night.

On both programs, other guests accused O'Neill of lying about this. At first, O'Neill countered that Schachte himself would verify it. By the time he made it to Crossfire, though, he had begun to waffle a bit. By then he was willing to say only that there were three and possibly four people on the boat.

A writer for the Boston Globe located the two other men with Kerry that night and asked who was on board.

"Myself, Pat Runyon, and John Kerry," says Zaladonis, the engineman on Kerry's first swift boat, "we were the only ones in the skimmer."

"There definitely was not a fourth," says Runyon. Though the two assume they took hostile fire, both men acknowledge they aren't completely certain. But they also firmly reject the claim that Kerry somehow wounded himself by using an M-79 grenade launcher.

Dang, this guy, O'Neill, just keeps getting nuked right and left.

When will the media stop allowing him to go before the cameras and lie?

Simply Friggin Unbelievable

In an act of desperation so ludicrous that it defies reason, smear boat thug, John O'Neill, has suggested that we suspend disbelief for just a few moments and accept the notion that John Forbes Kerry's initials are "KJW." Read about it in the Washington Post:

O'Neill has said that the initials "KJW" on the bottom of the report "identified" it as having been written by Kerry. It is unclear why this should be so, as Kerry's initials are JFK. A review of other Swift boat after-action reports at the Naval Historical Center here reveals several that include the initials "KJW" but describe incidents at which Kerry was not present.

That's right, folks. You heard right. O'Neill cites the initials "KJW" as proof that Kerry wrote the after action report and embellished the account by falsely claiming they were under fire that day in March of 1969.

O'Neill offers no explanation for this incredible claim. He simply asks us to believe it. Perhaps, by this time, O'Neill realizes that thinking people have already figured out that he's a liar and that Bush is too. Perhaps his goal now is simply to trick the REALLY frigging dumb voters into going against Kerry. This is not the last time we'll catch O'Neill in a lie.

Smear Boat Lies

We've caught these smear boat guys in so many lies now - why is it that the news media continues to haul these guys into their studios to provide them a nationwide forum from which to smear a good man? Can you believe Bob Dole has joined in the smearing? On CNN's Wolf Blizter this weekend, Dole accused Kerry of frivilously getting two Purple Hearts in one day.

The fact is that Kerry got his three Purple Hearts in three separate months. No one can seriously believe that I know this and Dole doesn't. By the way, it was sort of hypocritical of Dole to criticize Kerry for only spending four months in Nam - considering that Dole himself was only in combat for 7 weeks. Further, Dole didn't tell Blitzer that one of his Purple Hearts was for a minor self-inflicted wound.

" I took a grenade in hand, pulled the pin, and tossed it in the direction of the farmhouse. It wasn't a very good pitch (remember, I was used to catching passes, not throwing them). In the darkness, the grenade must have struck a tree and bounced off. It exploded nearby, sending a sliver of metal into my leg -- the sort of injury the Army patched up with Mercurochrome and a Purple Heart." - - Bob Dole writing in his 1988 autobiography, Unlimited Partners

Well, anyway. Dole lied about Kerry; O'Neill lied about Kerry, and he'll be caught lying again. Mark my words. But they'll keep parading him before the cameras and recording his every lying smear. It's the new media script they've adopted in their campaign to help Bush retain power.

Double Standards

Have you wondered like I have? What's the deal with the news media. Bush has put a moratorium on questions about his early days - like where was he when he was supposed to be serving in the guard; did he ever use cocaine; did he have a drinking problem, etc.



Yes the media goes along with Bush on this moratorium and honors his request that they not inquire about these things. The media and Bush's supporters hold Kerry to a different standard, though. I've heard people demand that Kerry release his medical records from his days in Nam; that he show his xrays to prove he carries shrapnel in his thigh; and that he explain his whereabouts and conduct going back to when he was in his mid-twenties.



Why won't our media hold Bush to the same standard? Any guesses?

Swift Response

Thank goodness for Moveon.com for swiftly resonding to attack ads smearing Senator Kerry. This is the story voters need to hear again and again.

Smear Boat Vets Tied to Bush

Uh-oh! Thanks to the Austin American-Statesman for this bit of reporting.

The [Swift Boat] group was organized last spring with the assistance of Merrie Spaeth, a Republican public relations executive from Houston, who also was a public relations consultant to independent counsel Kenneth Starr during his investigation of former Democratic President Bill Clinton. Her late husband, Tex Lezar, ran for lieutenant governor of Texas on George W. Bush's GOP ticket in 1994.

Looks like these guys are all in bed together and that they are professional smear artists.

Kerry's Journal

Some are saying that Kerry's journal entry belies his claim that he was in Cambodia on Christmas Eve of 1968. I'm not sure about that. I've read parts of the journal, and he definitely says he's heading up the river later that day toward Cambodia.



Neither does the journal specifically say where he was at the momemt he made an entry in it regarding it being Christmas Eve. For that matter, he mentions little regarding his whereabouts.

Another Leak in the Smear Boat

John O'Neill and Larry Thurlow have consistently alleged that on the day John Kerry rescued James Rassmann from the river, that there was no enemy fire. Kerry's crew and Rassmann have stated repeatedly that they were under fire and that Kerry was "crazy" to risk his life the way he did. Who's telling the truth?

When I first read this quote by John O'Neill, I thought it sounded fishy. Why would O'Neill say that Thurlow was the hero that day if the boats were not under fire? It just didn't add up?

"Larry Thurlow was the hero of that day, not John Kerry . . .Larry Thurlow and others . . . Kerry fled. They stayed. They could have been killed that day if there was fire. But there was no fire." - - John O'Neill

Fortunately, the Washington Post wondered the same thing and looked into the Navy record book to see what really happened that day. You guessed it. The record states that all the boats in the flotilla were under fire.

Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday to The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Thurlow won his own Bronze Star that day, and the citation praises him for providing assistance to a damaged Swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."

Fact is, folks, nothing these smear boat guys tell us should be taken as the truth.

Playing to Lose

Gene Lyons, of The Arkansas Democrat Gazette has been a burr under the saddle of the rightwingers for years. This was an interesting column he penned for today's paper.

Cheney went on rightwing talk radio to mock Kerry for backing a more "sensitive" war on terror. Laughing, he said, "It strikes me the two words don’t really go together, sensitive and war. If you look at our history, I don’t think any of the wars we’ve won were won by us being, quote, ‘sensitive.’ "



Same show, minutes later: Why weren’t U.S. troops storming the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf where Shiite militiamen are holed up?



"Well, from the standpoint of the shrine," Cheney said, "obviously it is a sensitive area, and we are very much aware of its sensitivity."

Republican Bolts

"Now we are immersed in a dangerous, costly mess, and there is no easy and quick way to end our responsibilities in Iraq without creating bigger future problems in the region and, in general, in the Muslim world." - Republican Rep. Doug Bereuter, Vice Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee

Bush's Accomplishments

This has been making the rounds via email. I thought you'd be interested in bookmarking this for future reference.

Was it for the oil?

Interesting piece here by John Dean.

"Recent statements by one of the high-level officials privy to the decision making process that lead to the Iraqi war also strongly suggest manipulation, if not misuse of the intelligence agencies. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, during an interview with Sam Tannenhaus of Vanity Fair magazine, said: "The truth is that for reasons that have a lot to do with the U.S. government bureaucracy we settled on the one issue that everyone could agree on which was weapons of mass destruction as the core reason." More recently, Wolfowitz added what most have believed all along, that the reason we went after Iraq is that "[t]he country swims on a sea of oil." "

Clinton Did TOO Do Something

For those who forget how the rightwingers reacted on 9/11, this might be some interesting reading. It recalls how the rightwingers blamed President Clinton for 9/11. They say Clinton didn't do enough to counter terrorism while he was president.

But the rightwingers ignored in the aftermath of 9/11, that they fought Clinton almost every step of the way when he was president. Interesting read here by Bill Press.

Kerry Dodged Guard Service

I'm not sure where this originated, but it's hilarious.



Breaking News



GOP: KERRY WENT TO VIETNAM TO AVOID SERVING IN ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD



Guard-Dodging Charges Haunt Campaign



A new Republican-financed negative ad is accusing Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry of fleeing to Vietnam to avoid serving in the Alabama National Guard.



The ad, airing in most of the so-called battleground states, attempts to contrast Sen. Kerry’s alleged guard-dodging with the storied Alabama National Guard heroism of the Republican nominee, President George W. Bush. In the ad, a narrator asks, “When the Alabama National Guard called young Americans to serve, where was John Kerry? Thousands of miles away, in Vietnam.”



The commercial ends with a black-and-white freeze-frame of Mr. Kerry, over which the narrator asks, “John Kerry… reporting for duty?” The attack ad is hitting the airways just as an organization of Mr. Kerry's former swift boat comrades is holding its first annual anti-Kerry convention in San Diego.



The organization, The Anti-Kerry Boatmates of America, is believed to number over ten thousand members, all of whom openly despise the Democratic nominee.



A spokesman for the Kerry campaign attempted today to discredit the group, saying, “There were a lot of people on John’s boat who hated his guts, but not enough to fill the San Diego convention center.”



Such criticisms aside, the organization is moving ahead with plans for negative ads of their own, including one in which they claim Sen. Kerry’s swift boat was neither swift nor a boat.

Bush's Record

Does bush want to talk about his accomplishments?



Record deficits; losing 3000 people on 9/11; intelligence failures; losing the war in Iraq; invading the wrong country; failure to find WMD?



For some reason, we hear very little from Bush about what he's accomplished.

More on the Smear Boat Vets

More on the Smear Boat Vets. The people at Snopes have done a pretty good job of monitoring the current smear effort directed at destroying John Kerry's candidacy. All in all, it appears that only one of the veterans speaking out against Kerry actually served on his boat, and his story is at odds with that told by all of the remaining survivors.

The other critics either didn't know Kerry at all, served on other boats in the area, or "served in various capacities connected with swift boat operations."

Official Navy records, and comments made earlier by some of his accusers belie the allegation that Kerry was an unfit commander. As the election nears, expect the rightwingers to get nastier and nastier and more and more desperate.

Bush Calls for a More 'Sensitive" Use of Power

Senator Kerry isn't the only one who believes the US should exert its power sensitively. So does George W. Bush.

"Precisely because America is powerful, we must be sensitive about expressing our power and influence. Our goal is to patiently build the momentum of freedom, not create resentment for America itself. We pursue our goals; we will listen to others; we want strong friends to join us, not weak neighbors to dominate."

Creative Editing

There is a sound file out there on the internet being shared by rightwingers that you should know about. The file depicts a young John Kerry in 1971 saying, "Yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed, in that I took part in shootings in free-fire zones, I conducted harassment and interdiction fire, I used .50-caliber machine guns which were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search-and-destroy missions."



But listen carefully, it seems there is something missing? Yes, indeed, the file was doctored to remove two independent clauses that precede the "yes." Here is what he really said.

"There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed, in that I took part in shootings in free-fire zones, I conducted harassment and interdiction fire, I used .50-caliber machine guns which were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search-and-destroy missions, in the burning of villages..."

Placed in its context, the statement by Kerry makes sense. He was not confessing to having committed the kinds of war atrocities he'd told the Senate about. He was discussing the fact that in his opinion there are many kinds of atrocities. Obviously, Kerry believed then that some of the conduct of war he'd taken part in was atrocious. A fine distinction perhaps, but worth keeping in mind when some rightwinger tries to make you think Kerry admitted to real atrocities.

O'Neill Caught in Another Lie

Special thanks to David Brock's Media Matters for this revealing piece.

"Appearing on CNN's Crossfire on August 12, John O'Neill, co-founder of the anti-Kerry group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and co-author of the Regnery book Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry, denied he had links to the Republican Party: "I've had no serious involvement in politics of any kind in over 32 years."

But, as Media Matters for America noted on May 4, O'Neill has long-standing ties to the Republicans, having worked under the direction of the Nixon White House and clerked for Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist in 1990.

Moreover, since 1990, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, O'Neill has contributed $14,650 to federal candidates or national political organizations -- all Republicans:

2004: $2,000 to Duane Sand (ND)

1999: $1,000 to Peter Staub Wareing (TX)

1998: $250 to Rudy Izzard (TX)

1996: $1,000 to Brent Perry (TX)

1994: $2,500 to Texas Republican Congressional Committee

1993: $2,500 to Texas Republican Congressional Committee

1992: $1,000 to Texas Republican Congressional Committee

1992: $1,000 George H.W. Bush

1992: $1,000 to Clark Kent Ervin (TX)

1991: $1,000 to Clark Kent Ervin (TX)

1990: $400 to Hugh Dunham Shine (TX)

1990: $1,000 to A Tribute To Ronald Reagan

Bush Lies re Military Record

Thanks to the Boston Globe's Walter V. Robinson for this bit. In his autobiography, A Charge to Keep, Bush falsely claims that he continued flying for "several years" after completing flight training. He completed his flight training, though, in June of 1970. He then stopped flying in April of 1972 after being suspended for not taking his flight physical. Bush's "next several years" was actually less than two years.



The US State Department published an exaggerated account of Bush's service record as well, stating, "George W. was commissioned as a second lieutenant and spent two years on active duty, flying F-102 fighter interceptors. For almost four years after that, he was on a part-time status, flying occasional missions to help the Air National Guard keep two of its F-102s on round-the-clock alert." That website has since been removed.



It's interesting. With all the focus on alleged exaggerations by John Kerry of his service in Nam, will the media take another look at claims made by Bush about his service?

Rassamann Speaks Out

"But when the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns against those who volunteered to wear the uniform. Swift Boat Veterans for Bush should hang their heads in shame."

[This column originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal on August 10, 2004.]

Mr. Rassmann, a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, served with the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam 1968-69.

O'Neill Fudges on the Truth

"We believe, based on our experience with him, that he is totally unfit to be the Commander-in-Chief." -- John O'Neill

The fact is that Kerry was back in the states by the time O'Neill arrived in Vietnam.

Franks: Kerry Is Qualified

Asked if Senator John Kerry is qualified to be commander in chief, retired Gen. Tommy Frauks responded, "Absolutely."

Smear Smells

Some of the Smear Boat Vets claim there was no fire from the enemy during the episode that earned Senator Kerry his Bronze Star. Official military records, however, raise no such question.

The senior sailor on Kerry's boat that day reports that there was a "hellacious firefight." "I don't know how these guys can stretch the truth like this," says Del Sandusky. Sandusky's account is backed by the Green Beret Kerry rescued from the river that day. James Rassmann said in a statement that the critics' story was "a pure fabrication. . . . I was in the middle of the firefight."

Elliott Nominated Kerry

''In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed. ... He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity. ... LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group. His bearing and appearance are above reproach.''

Capt. George M. Elliott
Writing in Kerry's Fitness Report
December, 1969

Elliott Flip-Flops

Just as some predicted, the smear boat campaign has blown up in the faces of those who hoped to derail the Kerry campaign. One of the prime suspects in the campaign has retracted a statement he signed accusing Kerry, saying that that it was a "terrible mistake" for him to have signed it. George Elliott, who has been one of Kerry's most vocal critics retracted his criticism of Kerry and says now that Kerry indeed did deserve the Silver Star.

Some expect others in the group to join Elliott in renouncing the lies they told. Elliott has admitted that he was pressured in to signing the false affidavit. Some may recall that the group has ties to Richard Nixon and Kenneth Starr.

Collect for Purity

Those of you who don't know me may be surprised to learn of my Christian Faith. I offer you this powerful prayer in the hopes that you will be as moved by it as I am.

Listen and you will hear:

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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dpjc

intro

faq

why

chickenshit chat trix

death threats

cast of characters

imzadi's chat tricks

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Smear Boat Vets

Some of those featured in the smear boat ad are on record as having previously praised Kerry. George Elliot nominated Kerry for his Silver Star. Rear Amiral Roy Hoffman sent cables to Kerry and his crew praising their achievements in river skirmishes.

Now they say he is unfit. I wonder who got to them? Their stories aren't adding up.

One thing they don't want you to know is that the people behind this smear operation have ties to Richard Nixon's dirty tricks squad. Read Joe Conason's take on this here.

One of the ringleaders of the smear campaign is John O'Neil who was recruited by Nixon's Chuck Colson to assist in plans to "destroy" John Kerry back in 1971. The group's media consultant, Merrie Spaeth, was Kenneth Starr's coach who prepared him to deliver his testimony urging the impeachment of President Clinton. This arrangement was set up by none other than Ted Olson, who was also a key figure in the smear campaign digging up dirt on President Clinton in Arkansas (The Arkansas Project).

For more, read Joe Conason's piece in Salon. Also visit the Snopes Urban Legends Reference site.

Bush Tells the Truth

Bush inadvertently told the truth in a speech before he signed a spending bill.

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

Some of us wish Bush would STOP thinking of new ways to harm us and our country.

Bush Flip Flops

Special thanks to Jackson Thoreau for this:

The next time someone criticizes John Kerry for being a flip-flopper remind them:



Bush was against campaign finance reform; now he's for it.



Bush was against a Homeland Security Department; now he's for it.



Bush was against a 9/11 commission; now he's for it.



Bush was against an Iraq WMD investigation; now he's for it.



Bush was against nation building; now he's for it.



Bush was against deficits; now he's for them.



Bush was for free trade; then he was for tariffs on steel, and now he's against them again.



Bush was against the U.S. taking a role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; now he pushes for a "road map" and a Palestinian State.



Bush was for states' rights to decide on gay marriage; now he is for changing the Constitution to outlaw gay marriage.



Bush said he would provide money for first responders (fire, police, emergency); then he doesn't.



Bush said that "help is on the way" to the military; then he cuts their benefits and health care.



Bush claimed to be in favor of environmental protection; then he secretly approved oil drilling on Padre Island in Texas and other places and took many more anti-environmental actions.



Bush said he is the "education president;" then he refused to fully fund key education programs and rarely does his homework, such as read position papers so he will be more knowledgeable on issues.



Bush said that him being governor of Texas for six years was enough political experience to be president of the U.S.; then he criticized Sen. John Edwards for not having enough experience after Edwards had served six years in the U.S. Senate.



During the 2000 campaign, Bush said there were too many lawsuits being filed; then during the Florida recount, he was the first to file a lawsuit to stop the legal counting of votes after Gore took advantage of Florida law to ask for a recount.



On Nov. 7, 2000, the Bush campaign supported Florida county officials drawing up new copies of some 10,000 spoiled absentee votes in 26 Republican-leaning counties that the machines did not read and marking them for the candidates when they showed "clear intent;" they opposed doing the same thing after Nov. 7 when Gore asked for such recounts. Bush dominated absentee balloting in Florida by a two-to-one margin.



Bush said during the 2000 campaign that he did not have a "litmus test" for judges he appointed to be against abortion; then he mostly appointed judges who were against abortion.



In the early 1990s, Bush led a campaign to raise taxes in Arlington, Texas, to build a new baseball stadium for the team he partly owned; he later criticized politicians for supporting tax increases ñ after he got rich by selling the team with the new stadium to a wealthy campaign contributor.



Bush opposed the U.S. negotiating with North Korea; now he supports it.



Bush went to the racist and segregationist Bob Jones University in South Carolina; then he said he shouldn't have.



Bush said he would demand a U.N. Security Council vote on whether to sanction military action against Iraq; later Bush announced he would not call for a vote.



Bush first said the "mission accomplished" Iraqi banner was put up by the sailors; he later admitted it was done by his advance team.



Bush was for fingerprinting and photographing Mexicans who enter the U.S.; after meeting with Mexican President Fox, he decided against it.



Bush was opposed to Rice testifying in front of the 9/11 commission citing "separation of powers;" then he was for it.



Bush was against Ba'ath party members holding office or government jobs in Iraq; now he's for it.



Bush said we must not appease terrorists; then he lifted trade sanctions on admitted terrorist Mohammar Quaddafi and Pakistan, which pardoned its official who sold nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya, and North Korea.



Bush said he would wait until after the Nov. election to ask for more money for the war effort; then he decided he needed it before the election, after all.



Bush said, "Leaving Iraq prematurely would only embolden the terrorists and increase the danger to America." His administration now says that U.S. troops will pull out of Iraq when the new provisional authority asks. Then he said they'll stay "as long as needed" again. Now he's



saying that the Iraqis can ask the troops to leave, and they will. Or is he?



The Bush administration officials said that the Geneva Conventions don't apply to "enemy combatants." Now they claims they do.



Bush officials said before the Iraq invasion that Iraq posed an "imminent threat" to U.S. security and that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and even nuclear weapons; after the invasion, they denied saying the word "imminent" and saying that Iraq had WMDs and nuclear weapons, even though they were caught on tape making such statements.



"The most important thing is for us to find Osama Bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." - George W. Bush, Sept. 13, 2001



"I don't know where he is. I have no idea, and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." - George W. Bush, March 13, 2002



Are you getting tired of this? Well, some in the American military are getting tired of this, too: "The (Bush) administration has an overly simplistic view of how and when to use our military. By not bringing in our friends and allies, they have created a mess in Iraq and are crippling our forces around the world." -Retired Admiral William Crowe, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs under Ronald Reagan

If you have a good Bush flip-flopping example, send email to Mr. Thoreau.

Bush Promises

This might be a good time to refresh our memories of some of the things Bush promised the nation when he accepted the nomination in 2000.

Bush: I will extend prosperity to all Americans.



Hollow Promise: Real income and wages have plummeted under Bush. [US Department of Labor; US Census]



Bush: I will fix the schools.



Hollow Promise: Bush Budgets broke promise to fund school reforms by $27 billion over past four years. [Presidents FY 02-05 Budget, www.ed.gov]

Well, you get the idea.

Saudis Bestow Family Jewels on Bush

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. The Washington Post reports that Crown Prince Abdullah scarfed over $128,000 worth of fine jewelry to Bush, family, and aides.



Must be nice. More Later.

White House West

A hilarious new fake "ad" by Will Ferrell. You should check it out.

Cable News Slanting for Bush

Did you catch CNN's Bill Schneider fudging on the truth during the convention? Is there any limit to how low the media whore's will sink?

Special thanks to David Brock's Media Matters for exposing CNN's deceipt of its viewers.

Here's how Brock reported it.

''On July 26, CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider used a false and misleading description of recent poll results to portray Democratic convention delegates as more liberal than they really are.

Schneider -- who is also a resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute (AEI) -- falsely claimed, "A liberal consensus prevails among the Democratic delegates in Boston. Three-quarters endorse abortion on demand." [emphasis Schneider's]

But the on-screen graphic accompanying Schneider's commentary suggested he was off base. The graphic indicated Schneider was basing his comments on a recent CBS News/New York Times survey of delegates, and that 75 percent said abortion should be "generally available" -- not at all the same as available "on demand."''

Bush Goes Dirty

Uh-oh. We TOLD you this was going to happen.

By Andrew Buncombe in Washington, The Independent

"President George Bush's senior strategists have vowed to use the month of August to mount derisive and personal attacks on the Democratic candidate John Kerry in what is becoming an increasingly bitter election campaign."

Ron Reagan Blasts Bush

What do you think? Is Ron Reagan pulling for Bush this time around?

"Politicians will stretch the truth. They'll exaggerate their accomplishments, paper over their gaffes. Spin has long been the lingua franca of the political realm. But George W. Bush and his administration have taken "normal" mendacity to a startling new level far beyond lies of convenience. On top of the usual massaging of public perception, they traffic in big lies, indulge in any number of symptomatic small lies, and, ultimately, have come to embody dishonesty itself. They are a lie. And people, finally, have started catching on." - Ron Reagan writing in Esquire.

Jonah

 

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Friendly with Despots?

Seems the US was friendly with Saddam too.

 

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Chat Characters

Our theory is that the tortured writing by rightwingers happens because they are just really not very sharp. They employ lazy reading skills; then, using lazy thinking, they incorrectly digest what they read. To further complicate matters, they then lazily post their ill-conceived and illogical thoughts using sloppy writing skills.



Then, combine that with the fact that they get their news from such unreliable sources as Fox and Limbaugh. Hell, it's a recipe for disaster.



It's a form of intellectual laziness. They don't read avidly; and when they do read, they miscomprehend what they read. Then, because they lack practice in the sort of critical thinking good reading requires, they employ sloppy thinking in evaluating what they thought they read. Add to these impairments their proclivity toward dishonesty and just plain meanness, and - well, you get the drift.



Here are a few of the characters:

• awesome


• POL-INC


• Misty Sea


• mrsdeluxe


• Palerider


• Big Benn


• parpus


• jajski


• zulz


• robjak

We're constantly in search of new rightwingers because Natchez and I have worn out the old ones.

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Awesome God

Look at these posts. This character says that the chat room has destroyed his "spiritual character." He also promises never ever to come back to the chat room. He came back, of course.

Awesomegod -- Sat, Apr 22 7:29pm pst
You folks are right. I need to get right with God. And I'm not coming back here . This is a total waste of my time .
I also implore other Christians to leave this room before it destroys your spiritual character as it has destroyed mine .

2982 PM: Awesomegod -- Mon, Dec 25 8:00am pst
Awesomegod
Hello All, I am no longer going to be chatting here, because it was interfering with my spiritual growth. I would like to implore all Christians to examine whether this room is helping or hurting their spiritual growth. Chat rooms encourage false intimacy, not real intimacy with real people. In addition, they can be a substitute for the one and true relationship you need, with Jesus. I will post this then leave, so don't expect a reply. For me, this room was strangling my relationship with Jesus. The time is short, and we need to redeem it. Let those with spiritual ears hear.

Back to Cast of Characters

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Hubby Flips Out

Once in a while
some really goofy stuff happens.
Like some chatter will
put her husband on line
to threaten legal action. *S*

Hubby Threatens Legal Action!

MistySea~~ . . . . Line #5424 . . . . Thu, Jun 8, 12:31PM PDT He is lying through is teeth max - he lifted the pic when I posted it!! He is the lowest form of life and he will be sorry for this act. When my hsuband comes home - he will flip out - we are heading that way in three weeks - no doubt he will want to look up mr doss. He will rue this day.

[Editor's Note: Yep, I'd say he flipped out alright!] One of the hazards of running a peace and justice center - - threats like this one. It just goes with the job. By the way, they didn't look me up, but he did send me a nasty note. *S*

*GUEST* Bob - MistySea's Husband . . . . Line #5084 . . . . Thu, Jun 8, 5:11PM PDT My name is Bob and I am Misty’s husband. Doss . . . , I came in this evening to speak to you about what occurred here earlier today. It is my understanding that you pilfered a picture that my wife had posted months ago of our daughter, and posted that picture today with sexually suggestive rhetoric.

I have read your remarks. They are obscene and reprehensible. I strongly maintain that should you ever post my daughter’s picture in this or any chat site, and I become aware of it, I will contact my attorney and proper action will be taken. I am outraged that this occurred. It is beyond my comprehension how a grown man could comport oneself in such a manner.

[Editor's note: Sorry, Bob. Freedom of the press and all. This is one good looking gal, and she dresses up the peace and justice center newsletter quite nicely. Besides, with Misty's history of posting fake photographs, why should anyone believe this is really her daughter?]

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Misty Sea

Misty Sea is well known
for posting uncited opinion
as fact in the chatroom.
If you question her source
or the information in the articles that she posts,
she becomes defensive,
however she makes no attempt
to verify the information herself.

The Scoop on Misty Sea:

She is apparently easy to convince, if the opinion of the writer has a similar political belief. She requires no facts and is even not troubled if the facts show that her opinion is mistaken. A woman who has an unshakable faith like this would be a great asset to a propaganda machine like the Republican Party.

She damages her usefulness, however, by posting a picture of Bob Barr and herself that is obviously a fake. When she was confronted about this, she mumbled the excuse that she faked the photo because she had had a bad hair day when she met the congressman. But she really really did meet the congressman.

Perhaps one of the funniest things Misty has done was when she put her husband on line to threaten legal action against the peace and justice center. We told him to have his lawyers contact our lawyers and that was the end of that.

She's had some other interesting moments like when she told us Mike Espy had been convicted:

MistySea~~Give Me One Moment In Time . . . . Line number 5463 . . . . Mon, Nov 22, 12:28PM PST Espy was indicted and pled guilty - was Natchez in Bulgaria when that happened?

[Uh-oh! Compare Misty's Claim to what REALLY happened!]

["Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, forced out of office in 1994 by allegations that he improperly took gifts from businesses and lobbyists, was acquitted Wednesday of 30 corruption charges brought against him by an independent counsel whom Espy likened to a ``schoolyard bully.'' Espy pumped his fist in jubilation as the jury forewoman announced the verdicts in U.S. District Court. Thirty times she looked at the verdict form and declared ``not guilty'' as independent counsel Donald Smaltz and his team of lawyers sat in silence.

As the litany continued, Espy turned to his lawyers and whispered, ``I knew it, I knew it.'' Moments later, outside the courthouse, Espy called the acquittal a long-sought vindication. He declared that it was a repudiation of Smaltz, who spent more than four years and $17 million on a wide-ranging investigation, and said Smaltz's case illustrates flaws in the independent counsel law that should be changed. " Espy is acquitted of corruption on all 30 charges." , Minneapolis Star Tribune, 12-03-1998, pp 01A.]

Special thanks to the peace and justic center "Roving Reporter" for this profile on our friend, Misty.

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"Them" is "They"

When Pale couldn't show that I called anyone ''good guys,'' he tried to make the case that I defined who the ''them'' was in Sunnybelle's post.

Problem for Pale is that there is no ''them'' in Sunnybelle's post.

After I pointed this out to Pale, he tried another clever tactic -- he claimed the "them" wasn't really in Sunnybelle's post, but was expressed by the "they" in Sunnybelle's post.

Whoops. Another problem for Pale. There is no "they" in Sunnybelle's post either.

I'm telling you; the guy has a reading disorder. Check it out. :D

5474 PM: Palerider -- Wed, Nov 19 1:52pm PST -----
sorry..it was YOU that defined who, according to you, who the 'them' were in SunnyBelle's post

But, pale? There is no "them" in Sunnybelle's post.

5559 PM: Palerider -- Wed, Nov 19 2:01pm PST -----
PaleRider
dosset..of course...them is stated as 'they' in SunnyBelle's post...

But, Pale, there is no "they" in Sunnybelle's post either. What gives? Quoting Sunny: "the good guys are the ones fighting for freedom.''

Pale: asshole.

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parpus

He once offered
to suck a senator's dick
if the price was right.

Does this look like the writing of a mature and intelligent adult?

PRAPIUS Liberals are 100% idiots . . . . Line #9104 . . . . Tue, May 2, 4:13PM PST archaeopat.....what would make me smart?....sucking on Clintons short little pecker.

A strange case indeed, Prapius charms the room with his inimitable low-class wit, a constant barrage of references to body parts - - especially men's rear ends, and with an intellect that rivals that of a dung beetle.

Claiming semi-retirement and astronomical wealth, most believe Prapius actually lives in the basement of his mother's home. Prapius once bragged of a keen ability in math; thinking this was amusing, the author challenged Prapius to a simple math quiz taken from a freshman text book. Prapius flunked.

Pitied by many and ignored by most, Prapius's claim to fame derives from never having in his life ever uttered a word that could even be remotely construed as an intelligible argument.

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robjak

Robjak is a typical example of a Christian Conservative who attempts to convince other chatters of the moral superiority of his perspective by beating them over the head with long, rambling posts. Failing that, he dismisses chatters that disagree with his logic with a Bah! And off he goes, on and on and on and on.

His one redeeming quality is that he shows us what Palerider's posts would look like if Pale were a fire-breathing Bible-thumper. Both apparently went to the same school of grammarian nonsense.

Surely in his daily life, contact with other human beings requires him to have superhuman control of his temper in order to stay out of jails and other instititutions. If you see this character on the street, you would be well advised to steer clear.

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Who is Tommy Moore?

An unusual springtime snowfall canceled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s plans for a March 22, 1968 protest. More than 16 inches fell: the second largest snowfall in Memphis history, and well beyond the city's yearly snowfall average of 5.6 inches. But Thomas Moore, an International Harvester employee and strike supporter, marched alone in front of City Hall. Moore's "Do Right Mr. Mayor" plea reached Mayor Henry Loeb, who brought him a cup of hot coffee. - Memphis Commercial Appeal - March, 1968



[Click on image to enlarge.]



My dad worked at the local International Harvester agricultural implement plant in Memphis for many years, and was a part of the union movement that eliminated "Jim Crow" at that plant back in the fifties. One of the men Daddy worked with was a slow talking, hard drinking boiler operator by the name of Tommy Moore. Okay, that's not his real name. He used "Tommy" because his real name is "Doris Meeks Moore." (No, I'm not kidding.)



Tommy picketed city hall in March of 1968 in support of striking Sanitation Workers in Memphis. On that March day, Dr. Martin Luther King had been scheduled to lead a protest in Memphis, but he canceled the event because of a record 16-inch snowfall. But Tommy marched anyway. The sign he carried spelled out this message to Mayor Henry Loeb: "Do Right, Mr. Mayor, RTD." Later, I asked Tommy what the "RTD" meant, and he explained. 'Right To Day.'



We first learned of Tommy's one-man protest when we opened the newspaper and saw a picture of him picketing in the snow. The caption explained that Tommy's protest had gained the attention of Mayor Henry Loeb, who came down from his office in City Hall, and offered Tommy a cup of hot coffee.



We clipped the picture from the newspaper and pinned it in a place of honor in our family room to remind us of how much we loved Tommy, and to remind us of our obligation to support the rights of working people everywhere in their struggle for safe working conditions, respect, dignity, and fair compensation and benefits. The picture grew tattered and yellow, and eventually began to disintegrate. It was still there on the wall in the den, when I left my family's home in 1970. And somewhere along the way, I suppose it just fell to pieces and returned to the earth, as did Tommy himself many years ago.



Over the years, though, I have never forgotten the courage Tommy showed in standing up alone to Mayor Loeb. And I pictured in my mind's eye over and over that image of Tommy marching by himself in the snow, with his "Do Right Mr. Mayor" sign.



Recently, while researching the history of our old neighborhood back in Memphis, I did a Google search on the Harvester Plant there, specifically looking for information on UAW strikes at that plant. Using the key words, "Memphis," "International Harvester," "strike," Google returned a "hit" about a "Mr. Thomas Moore, an International Harvester employee and [Memphis Sanitation Worker] strike supporter..."



I couldn't believe my eyes. Following the link, there it was - the picture I'd loved so dearly and had missed for nearly 40 years. It brought great joy to my heart to see that image again, and to recall what a special friend Tommy was to me and to my family. I figure this is just another example of how God graces us in special ways. I had no hope of ever seeing that picture again, but through a fortuitous juxtaposition of circumstances, there it was -- totally unexpected -- a gift from God - warming my heart - filling me with joyful remembrances of Tommy.



Tommy was the first guy I ever saw water ski on one ski (1961 - Norfolk Lake, AR). He could grab hold of a light pole and suspend his body out in the air horizontally from it. When I was 12 years-old he taught me to drive his Corvair up at Pickwick Reservoir. He took me squirrel hunting in Brownsville, TN. and introduced me to a cute little country girl named "Madeline" I still wonder about yet today. He took me swimming in the Hatchie River; told me stories; loaned me books; let me drive his '63 Chevy on Interstate 40 before I had a license; he loved me and my brothers very much. And he supported worker rights.



Well, they killed Dr. King, but the Memphis Sanitation workers got their union, and Henry Loeb slunk off the scene. Thank you, Tommy & Dr. King, for standing up for the dignity of workers everywhere.



Tommy, wherever you are - we miss you, and we love you.

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Pale's Painful Pontificating

Somewhere along the line, Palerider decided to throw out all rules of grammar. A reading of a typical Palerider post invites a tortured battering by run-on sentences, incomplete sentences, failure to capitalize the beginning of sentences, wordiness and redundancy. The following is an actual quote from Palerider. I swear to you, folks. He wrote it just this way - all strung together in one, long, rambling, incoherent and confusing string of obscure ideas not bound together in any rational way. Read this through a few times, and then read it again with the editorial comments.:

well...no..there will be different dynamics in place depending on which threat to democracy uses democracy as it's initial foothold into governmental power..to conduct an adaquate war game...these details are important for projecting the actions..the Marxist will act differently than the Fascist....both could represent a threat to the Contitution...again..we've seen this before....to NOT consider it's possiblity would be derelect on the part of the military..who as Metternich has stated...have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution....that is of a higher priority than following any CiC into Constitutionally dubious ground........

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well...no..there will be different dynamics in place depending on which threat to democracy uses democracy as it's initial foothold into governmental power.. ["which threat to democracy uses democracy"? What in the hell is he talking about?] to conduct an adaquate war game. [Notice the incomplete sentence begun with the lower case. Is this guy obscuring his thoughts on purpose? Do you wonder what "to conduct an adaquate (sic) war game refers to? So do I.]



..these details are important for projecting the actions.. [Notice the use of the double periods. Did he end it twice to make sure we knew he was through with that thought? And in what way does he suggest "projecting the actions"? What actions is he talking about? How does one go about "projecting" an action? Does anyone understand this gibberish? My head is beginning to hurt.]



the Marxist will act differently than the Fascist.... [Perhaps. And that thought would be easier to understand if this sentence had begun with the capital letter we conventionally use to indicate the beginning of a sentence. And again, the trailing multiple periods obscures the logic. What is this guy trying to say? No one really knows. We can only guess.]



both could represent a threat to the Contitution...again.. [Again what? The Constitution is threatened again? Or is he repeating himself for emphasis. Without proper punctuation to divide the run-on sentences into some sort of coherent progression of thoughts, it's impossible to tell.] we've seen [Will someone PLEASE tell this guy to put a period at the end of one sentence and to capitalize the beginning of the next one? How tedious can one guy be?] this before....to NOT consider it's [ Is this the possessive pronoun or a contraction for "it is"? Who knows?]



possiblity would be derelect on the part of the military..who as Metternich has stated...have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution....that is of a higher priority than following any CiC into Constitutionally dubious ground........ [Is he saying the Constitution is a higher priority? Or is swearing to defend the Constitution a higher priority? Impossible! I defy ANYONE to figure out this stuff! ]

This is typical Palerider gibberish. Because he strings together thoughts in this "stream of consciousness" style without the normally accepted "roadsigns" of punctuation and other conventions of grammar, the reader is left to guess at his meaning. Then, when questioned as to what this nonsense means, Palerider acts indignant and suggests that the reader lacks intelligence. I, for one, feel that his assault on the English language is an affront to the sensibilities of thinking people who wish to engage in the free market place of ideas.



Here are a few other comments about his tortured syntax:



1878 PM: Elpincheviejo -- Fri, Jan 7 3:00pm PST -----

El Pinche Viejo

Pale...in any event, I really found myself unable to unravel your post there. There IS a REASON for the rules of grammar, my friend! *G*



2457 PM: Elpincheviejo -- Thu, Mar 30 9:50am pst

El Pinche Viejo

PaleRider

Sorry Pale...I can't even GUESS at what you were trying to say here!



2601   PM:   Grrllawyer   [Quote]     -- 3:09pm -- Sun, Mar 4, 18 pst

Grrllawyer

Pale that last post made no sense 



4867 PM: Natchez -- 1:37pm -- Wed, Sep 5, 07 pst

''Al Qaeda, both in Iraq and globally, thrives on the American occupation.'' Button

Palerina, sorry, you're not making sense.



PaleRider 13 : . . . . msg#7038

If people are going to represent something as the truth then they should provide proof that they are telling the truth.



Pale should have added, ''Except when it's ME making the claim; in which case, I'll refuse to offer proof.''

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