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September 16, 2003 |
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Important Note: Because we can't always determine your intentions, we need to ask a favor of you when you send us email. If you DO NOT WANT YOUR EMAIL PUBLISHED in the Mailbag or in the Contributors section, please write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the Subject line or at the top of your email. That way we'll know it's just a comment to BuzzFlash. Additionally, if you submit a mailbag item and DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME associated with your submission, sign your email, "A BuzzFlash Reader." If you send email unsigned, we will post your name with your submission, or, if that's not available, your email name (not the full address, just what's on the left side of the email address). Please try and keep your word count under 400. We can only post a small percentage of what is sent to us. The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Thanks again for your email and your patience.
Subj: Poll in Iraq Dear BuzzFlash, Over the weekend, I noted that Cheney, when speaking with Russert, quoted a Zogby poll taken in Iraq that showed a majority of Iraqis chose the United States as the country on which they'd most like to model their country's new system of government. What Cheney didn't tell the listeners (and what Russert, as usual, failed to follow up on) was that the poll was commissioned by AEI, the American Enterprise Institute, whose "scholars and fellows" include Mrs. Cheney, Bork, Newt Gingrich, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and of course, Richard Perle, one of the strongest advocates for the Iraq invasion. James Subj: Mass Graves BuzzFlash, Since the beginning of this ridiculous misadventure in Iraq there have been constant reminders of the despotism of Saddam, including the mass graves always blaming him for their existence. Does anyone remember watching the previous Gulf war and the attempt at escape by the thousands marching, or attempting to march to safety from war areas and our airplanes shooting at them as if they were ducks in a barrel. What about the thousands we killed that time around and the thousands we have killed this time around. Doesn't anyone question if these so called mass graves are all due to Saddam. It seems to me that it is highly possible that many of these graves and their contents can be attributed and credited to the good old USA. Please let us begin to give credit where credit is due. It is only fair. Charlene Subj: An informed citizen chastises NBC-Meet the Press and Tim Russert Dear BuzzFlash: Below is a letter I sent to Meet the Press this morning: ------------------------------ I watched Tim Russert's 9/14/03 interview of Dick Cheney with absolute astonishment. Never in the many years I've watched "Meet the Press" have I witnessed such a total and absolute capitulation by the interviewer. At one point in the interview Mr. Russert went so far as to offer excuses for the Vice President when he characterized Cheney's prewar statement that Iraq was "reconstituting" it's nuclear arsenal as a "misspeak" or "misspoke". Russert allowed Cheney to mischaracterize the Administrations removal of the Bin Laden family as just the normal flight of those who were afraid after 9-11. Why didn't Russert challenge Cheney and ask him why, when no one in this country could travel by air the Bin Laden's could? This is a question that must be asked. If they were afraid why didn't the administration offer them protection instead of safe passage? There is no way the Bin Laden's could have been properly scrutinized so quickly. There is no way we knew whether or not we were providing an escape to co-conspirators when the administration facilitated their flight to Saudi Arabia. I could go on and on. That interview was filled with obvious dodges and lies by Dick Cheney and Russert failed to call him on any of them. So don't believe for even a second that this goes unnoticed by ordinary citizens. The internet is abuzz this morning with outraged Americans wondering what is going on at NBC. There is going to be an enormous backlash against NBC if this pandering to Bush continues. Remember there are many of us who are informed citizens and we saw Russert's interview for what it was, a propaganda piece for the Bush Administration. Unfortunately for NBC reading the transcript totally supports that conclusion. The transcript also leaves the impression that Cheney might have known the questions beforehand. All I can do is hope that's not the case. Carolyn Ball Subj: Sgt. Duffy's Commentary Dear Buzz and Sgt. Duffy, Sgt. Duffy, Thank you for your courage and your service. I think you convey extremely well the difficulty and the ambiguity of you and your colleagues' position right now. How can we as individuals help you and other troops without causing trouble for you? Is it best to write, phone, and fax our representatives, presidential candidates, the present administration, the media, or possibly all of the above? My impulse was to immediately send a link to your commentary to everyone I could think of who could take some kind of effective action, but I thought I had better check first. Sincerely, a BuzzFlash reader Subj: Headline Word Suggestion 9/15 Hi BuzzFlash, You're my homepage, what I read with my coffee. I have 2 suggestions for wording the headlines. They are fine as they are, but I'm halfway through Lies, and feel like going for the throat. (Funny book). You have a recurring headline 'The Bush Legacy.' To me, that denotes something positive. I wanted to send you the opposite of legacy, but I couldn't find an opposite. I finally found a word I like. How about 'The Bush Blight?' Other words I found that are descriptive of the indecent policies being written out are: onus, burden, whammy, scourge, bane, folly and doom. (I guess you could use them all, but the headline would be too long). The other headline word and comments are calling the Bush policy of invasion war. Let's start calling it what is is: Invasion: (since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, over 1000 American soldiers have been killed or wounded). I can see how the Republicans spin things their way. I read Ashcroft's pronouncement that 'God wants the U. S. to lead the battle for liberty. But along with liberty, we need security' and segue into why the Patriot Act is needed, thus associating tyranny with liberty, blurring the line between religion and government and making it sound reasonable. Along with that, all the little details which shore up the big lie. I won't even call any of this administration by a title, because if I do, it sounds like I'm legitimizing them and their actions. Thank you for all you do. Thanks for letting me rant! Marthe [BuzzFlash Note: Thanks Marthe, we've already used "The Bush Blight."] Re: I'm sending Dean $200 every time the New York Times runs a Jodi Wilgoren article smearing him. Dear Buzz: Here is my letter to the New York Times, I which I pledge to send money to Dean every time they run one of Jodi Wilgoren's pieces on Dean. I hope other readers will join me, even if the amounts are small. RA in LA * * * To the Editor: After reading a second article by your reporter Jodi Wilgoren, it's clear to me that the New York Times does not like Howard Dean. Perhaps not, but this is not a game. American cannot survive another four years of Bush and Cheney. Their domestic and foreign policies are a disaster, which I and MY CHILDREN will have to pay for. So far, Dean has shown the only real opposition to the lies and corruption streaming from the White House. Each time I read one of Jodi Wilgoren's "fair and balanced" pieces on Dean, I will write another check for $200 to Dean for America. He's made $400 so far, and via the Internet, I'm asking getting others to join the anti-Wilgoren pledge for whatever amount they can spare during this Bush economy. It's a shame your reporters can't spend a little more time on the current government's lies which continue unabated. Cheney just told a whopper on Sunday's Meet the Press:
I believe Cheney's willingness to brazenly lie yet again about this now totally discredited claim that U.S. forces seized mobile biological weapons vans is a reflection of the mainstream press's failure to hold this administration accountable time and time again. I see signs that this is turning around due to the anger of many Americans at the direction our country is headed in. The question is will the New York Times lead or follow? Sent to: CNN <cnn@cnn.com>; reliable sources <reliable@cnn.com>; Howie Kurtz <kurtzh@washpost.com>; Aaron Brown <newsnight@cnn.com>; Wolf Blitzer <wolf@cnn.com>; crossfire <crossfire@cnn.com> Subj: Christiane Amanpour admits truth RE: Amanpour: CNN practiced self-censorship [LINK] I would like to thank Christiane Amanpour for finally addressing what we out here have known all along--the the press has been woefully inadequate in covering Bush's war. Christiane Amanpour gave voice to what was obvious--that the media was afraid of criticism and chose to be silent rather than do its job. Lets hope that CNN has learned from the mistakes---that this deceitful Administration deserves close scrutiny. How many innocent Iraqi's have died as a result of the Media's negligence in covering up the obvious deceptions in the lead up to the war. Christiane Amanpour deserves her own show for her honesty--say 8pm. Don't be intimidated by the Right wingnuts in the administration or the media. THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE. thank you, stevie gardiner Subj: American troops forced to buy own wartime gear Regarding the BuzzFlash selected story "American troops forced to buy own wartime gear" at [LINK]. Jesus! We acquiesce to no bid, 'Cost Plus" billion dollar contracts for Halliburton, Fluor, Bechtel et al, while American's run out of unemployment, poverty funds dry up, soup kitchens close and kids become disabled and/or die due to a lack of health care. Meanwhile, tax cuts, environmental devastation and caps on malpractice insurance take precedence in our National agenda as kids sent to die for corporate profit have to beseech their families for tools like GPS devices that your standard boy scout now has as part of his gear. Either I'm in a nightmare, or I'm awake but the majority of the populace is in a stupefying trance. Or, worse, we've become one of the only animals on the planet to lose the drive to cherish and protect our young. ENOUGH, already! Where do we sign for the new American revolution! Jack Ballinger =====
Subj: Dubya Does Detroit (sort of) I'm not sure whether this is ironic or just appropriate, but what with Bush in southern Michigan at the Detroit Edison plant, at about 1:15 p.m., we had a very brief electrical outage just south of Toledo. He was supposed to speak about the environment, so better go hug those trees now -- they probably won't be around much longer. A BuzzFlash Reader Dear BuzzFlash, Hang on to something and hang on tight! Here it comes and it's gonna be nasty. No, I'm not talking about hurricane Isabel, I'm talking about the wind from the mouths of the Republicans as they fuss and fume about the delay of the California re-call election disaster. They're gonna say that the courts should not get involved in elections and how the courts are biased and all the other things they heard us say just about three years ago. Except now that they may lose what they want, well, they think that things should be changed. Hello Republicans! Been there and done that! pissed off patricia BuzzFlash, Hello! I just had to let you know that I really like your sentence:
Love, Aimee Subj: Eliot Spitzer Dear BuzzFlash, One suggestion for some of those Democratic candidates out there: why not tap into the rage of the vast number of small investors who have seen their retirement investments go to hell in a hand basket? I think that at least one of them ought to say he’d like to invite Eliot Spitzer to be his next attorney general. That way, they could give some impetus to showing how little the Bush administration has done and will ever do to pursue their crony capitalist buddies. Maybe someone with a little integrity should threaten to really go after the Ken Lays of the world, but on a national scale. It would show up the difference between them and a Bush administration that spends its time sending out a bible-thumping Ashcroft to persecute cancer victims trying to smoke a little marijuana to ease their pain. Linda Ireland, Seattle Subj: Sgt. Leanne Duffy Dear BuzzFlash, Is there any way that you know of that we readers can email or write letters to Ms. Duffy and her fellow soldiers to offer them moral support and friendship? I feel so sorry for them. Her letter is a cry for help. I want to DO something for them, and all I can think of is that maybe a little pen pal action might lift their spirits just enough to get through another day. Do you have any contact info? Thanks, Lorna Moore [BuzzFlash Note: If you wish to send an email to Sgt. Duffy, send it to BuzzFlash and put "For Sgt. Duffy" in the subject line. We'd be happy to forward the emails to her.] Buzz, Apparently CBS News has changed its story slightly. Or else you got your links confused. [CBS article LINK] The "imminency" argument is being attacked via an attack on Krugman in the NRO. [LINK] Since the Kay report reveals no WMD, the Junta is trying to obscure the issue with an argument over the meaning of 'imminent.' These people are becoming desperate. Good. On second thought, 'uh oh'. Milton Subj: Mailbag 9/15 Dear BuzzFlash, The lead story in this days events...was a little more than spooky...after watching the vice president go on Meet The Press yesterday, and lie for an entire hour...is this what we have become?..someone who just lets them get away with murder..'cause, folks that is what it has become...nothing less. I can remember as a kid...the older folks said we should all get back to the basics of education...Readin,' Ritin,' and Rithmatic (the three R's). But, now we have come to his point in our life where nothing makes sense anymore! All the Politicians in this regime are such blatant liars that you sit in shock for days after you watch them and wonder where we let it go so wrong. Now our three 'R's" are Recount(not) in 2000, Redistricting, Texas, 2003, and Recall 2003. Ca.......The hope is that the Texas and California people will get a brain and stop the madness, the recount is totally lost, after reading your lead story! I am surprised at the ignorance of people who would rather have their party leading, than to have good government...It is getting less and less so...but the people who still call into C-span's Washington Journal...are not even concerned with the war in Iraq, all they are concerned about is keeping the republicans in office...it is a personal, and selfish thing..totally selfish...and, "I told you so," attitude! Of course, most if not all of them have no one in the service of this country....they likely all evaded the war in VietNam...but, they are getting to be fewer and fewer... something tells me that when 2004 rolls around...we are going to sneak up on them and scare the living daylights out of them. Why else would they be trying, even in illegal ways, to take over the states with the most electoral votes?????? This country is not a place of Pride anymore...as I said before, either the other countries hate us or laugh at us.... I hope it ends soon, and for the better!!!!!!!!!! Shirley.............St. Louis Subj: Rush is a moron Buzz, My husband, who has been laid off, and seeks work diligently, qualifies for the maximum amount of $205 per week of unemployment benefits in our state. Moron Rush Limbaugh says that unemployment benefits take away the incentive to look for work. He must have been speaking about himself because, believe me, my husband would much rather be working, and by the way, making more than $205 for a week's work. mv [BuzzFlash Note: Besides being a moron, according to Al Franken, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, too. That title still makes us laugh. :)] Subj: about that Tx limit on malpractice BuzzFlash, One little thing many people may not know is the act has practical consequences of dividing awards based on the same conduct along class lines. Here's how it works. The malpractice act still allows awards for economic damages -- which are basically an estimate of your loss of earnings, etc resulting from the malpractice. So if you're a rich dude with lots of earning potential and you're killed or badly maimed from malpractice, you'll probably still end up with a huge award based on your lost earning potential. But poor Joe the factory worker will get a tiny award on economic damages, even when the injury causes the same result. Convenient how that works out, you know. The rich who are malpractice victims still have the potential for fairly large awards, but certainly not the poor. A typical GOP plan if you've ever seen one. A BuzzFlash Reader Sent to: dabrooks@nytimes.com Subj: Bred for Power . . . David, In your article "Bred for Power", [LINK] you state that Bush's grandfather was a Wall Street financier, a senator, and a Yale man. You neglect to mention that as a Wall Street financier, Bush's grandfathers, Prescott Bush and George Herbert Walker, had property seized for violation of the Trading With The Enemy" act, acting as money-launderers at Union Banking Corporation for Fritz Thyssen of Holland. http://www.tarpley.net/bush2.htm http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/012303A.ma.dead.htm (among other links) It seems that the way that the right presents its information is in the form of half-truths; you portraying Dean and Bush as being equivalent in lineage neglects to mention that Bush's grandfathers were TRAITORS TO THIS COUNTRY. Great half-truths, David. Worthy of "Whore of the Year" at www.mediawhoresonline.com, really! Arn Gunnutes BuzzFlash,
Why does it have to be either or? Betty Subj: Re: David Brooks -- Repugs for Dean Hi BuzzFlash: I had to respond to David Brooks piece regarding what Republicans think of the Dean campaign -- [LINK] and wanted to share it with you. Below is a copy of my email to him: * * * Mr. Brooks: As a Democrat, I fervently hope Republicans continue in their usual vein of being completely divorced from reality as they persistently continue in their typical "we don't do facts" misconception of the extraordinary Howard Dean campaign. I look forward to again experiencing the "Shock & Awe" which collapsed the faces of many previously gleeful Republicans when Bill "Big Dog" Clinton pounded the crap out of Bush 41 and then did it again to Bob "Viagra rocks" Dole. My own brother-in-law, a take-no-prisoners Republican, has literally said to me "this time I may have to change my vote." I read recently of a man whose parents, staunch Republicans for forty years, re-registered as Independents and will not be casting their vote for that son of a Bush. Lastly, the unthinkable -- I came across a guy wearing an "another Green for Dean" button! Why? Let's refer back to this paragraph in your column: "They argue that there still are many truly independent voters, with estimates ranging from 10 to 33 percent of the electorate. Moreover, the Inclusiveness folks continue, true independents do have a coherent approach to politics. Anti-ideological, the true independents do not even listen to candidates who are partisan, strident and negative. They are what the pollster David Winston calls "solutionists"; they respond to upbeat candidates who can deliver concrete benefits: the Family and Medical Leave Act, more cops in their neighborhoods, tax rebate checks." What has Bush delivered?
Sound "upbeat" to you? What do deliverables look like to Dr. Dean?:
Sounds upbeat to me! As for being "partisan, strident and negative" -- Bush's main selling point is: "Be afraid. Be very afraid." Democrats, Independents and yes, even the rare Republican have figured out that Bush's selling point is indeed worth taking seriously. A vote for him is a vote for fear. Sound upbeat to you? "The Doctor is in." * * * Buzz, please keep up your brilliant work. Your site plays a vital role in the battle for the soul of America. Keep on keeping on, Bri Held Buzz, Just a thought, but having just read about Bush's vacations, maybe a compilation of his vacation time with his omnipresent fundraising drives to give a total of how much time our President is not working would be enlightening. Love your site; keep it coming. Subj: Bush bows to Lybian terrorist How can we spend $170B on a global war on terror, and let the Lybians off the hook with an IOU? See UN / US and France abstain...Where's the outrage? No media coverage? Pass it on. This could get legs. A BuzzFlash Reader Buzz, Look at this quote and feel the irony settle in:
Gee, are we talking about Bush v. Gore, or the recall? I distinctly remember 5 justices trashing a constitution in 2000. A BuzzFlash Reader * * *
Subj: Bush Speak I don't know about you, but I am worried about all the bush people talking about being in Iraq fighting the terrorists so we don't have to fight them in the streets of the US. I think this talk is tempting to the terrorists to prove them wrong. I think it's like telling them 'bring it on'. The bush people should stop giving ideas to the enemy. Paul Subj: Enron? So, amidst the California recall and the Iraq mess, has Bush gotten his way? Have we all forgotten about Kenny Boy? Let's not let him forget that it was under his administration that he let this guy off scott free. mari Subj: Isn't it interesting... ...how little we have heard from Condi Rice and George Tenet since the SOTU mishap? Patricia Re: How to Beat Bush The way to beat Bush, in my opinion, is for all candidates to focus on Bush and not each other. I plan to vote for the one with the best arguments against Bush. I will not vote in the primary for the one who attacks the other democrats the most. I have not spare money for anything. Karen Webb Subj: tell Oprah to stop exploiting women for Bush BuzzFlash, Remember when Oprah had dear old George W on just before the 2000 Selection? Well, he was just so nauseating when he talked about his favorite sandwich being Peanut Butter and Jelly. Yeah, sure, George. I guess George and Oprah thought they could milk a few votes out of the women in America. Why, then, is Oprah surprised that she felt "very used by the Bush administration" when they wanted her to drop everything and go on a little photo op with Condi to Afghanistan? Oprah, don't you know that George wants payback even though he is the one owing you the favor? Same thing with Arnold. Notice how Oprah invited him on her show to look like a family man and disregard his abuse and exploitation of women in the past (and I wonder if that is happening in the present too). Tell Oprah not to use women anymore in her apparent quest to bolster Republicans as they rip apart democracy. Wake up, Oprah. Arnold is the thief that the GOP has chosen to steal California for Bush in 04. If he lies and switches stories now, then what do you think he will do the next time Rove asks for a little fraud with those electronic fraud voting boxes? How dare you use women in that way. Tell Oprah you are tired of her exploiting the working and middle class woman for the benefit of the GOP and her subtle and sneaky tactics won't fly. Where is equal time for the other candidates? Tell her off. www.oprah.com mev Subj: Limbaugh on AFN In an interview with NPR recently Al Franken was told be a caller that The Armed Forces Network (AFN) provides a daily one hour dose of Rush Limbaugh to our forces serving in foreign countries. How does Limbaugh get the right to be subsidized by DOD without equal time provided to opposing views? Is it any wonder the Bush camp wanted to insure all military absentee ballots had more than fair time to be counted in the 2000 Presidential Election! This is a disgrace when you consider that the majority of personnel serving overseas are young impressionable, non-aligned, people who have no relatives or friends to whom they can turn for a fair evaluation of what they hear from Rush. They are bombarded one hour each day with the Limbaugh hate, lies, half truths and innuendoes. Is there any way to have AFN halt these broadcasts based on the fact that Limbaugh is obviously an agent of The Republican Party or at least force them to give equal time to a progressive talk show host? Fred Belcher Subj: "There was no effort to not take note of it" BuzzFlash, "So here's Colin Powell-the "moderate" Bushevik-disinterring the 5,000 killed at Halabja back in '88, and deeming that to be sufficient reason for our having gone to war against Iraq this second time. Note his ludicrous response to the reminder that, at the time, Team Reagan wasn't too worked up by that atrocity, but went right on pursuing various exchanges, partnerships, joint ventures with the Ba'ath (a very friendly stance that Bush the Elder emulated). Powell may often irk the likes of Daniel Pipes and Richard Perle, but he does always manage to come through for them, does he not? MCM * * *
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