Hippoclites

Buchanan Hits Warmongers and Cowards

2006-05-01T22:01:00.000-04:00

One of the few prominent conservatives who has not sold his principles down the river to jump on the President's ~~handbasket~~ bandwagon is Pat Buchanan. He has always spoken with uncommon clarity. When he's wrong there's no rhetoric to hide behind--when he's right, as he so often has been on George Bush, his erstwhile brethren dare not engage him. Buchanan's latest is another shot from the wilderness that puts the leadership on both sides to shame. $Q:

There is a reason the Founding Fathers separated the power to conduct war from the power to declare it. The reason is just such a ruler as George W. Bush, a man possessed of an ideology and sense of mission that are not necessarily coterminous with what is best for his country. Under our Constitution, it is Congress, not the president, who decides on war.

Many Democrats now concede they failed the nation when they took Bush at his word that Iraq was an intolerable threat that could be dealt with only by an invasion. Now, Bush and the War Party are telling us the same thing about Iran. And the Congress is conducting itself in the same contemptible and cowardly way.

Colbert Bombs at WH Correspondent's Dinner

2006-04-30T09:50:00.001-04:00

There should be a new color in Homeland Security's alert system to warn against comedy that cuts too close to the core in Washington. The brilliant Stephen Colbert, doing his satire of a republican apologist, fell flat. Problem was, it was a little too close to the real thing. Plus he had no qualms about taking on Gannon, WMD, the Iraq Mistake, PlameGate, Scalia, the docile press and more with the President and First Lady sitting right there.

If only the White House Press Corps had the same type of courage. Riffs like this didn't exactly get Colbert on their side:

Addressing the reporters, he [Colbert] said, "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know--fiction".

Source: Editor and Publisher

John Kenneth Galbraith Dies at 97

2006-04-30T00:47:00.000-04:00

Noted Keynesian, coiner of the term "conventional wisdom", advisor to four presidents--Galbraith was a legend in his field. The economist's seminal work, "The Affluent Society", was an early warning about how an increase in wealth in elements of the private sector doesn't preclude--and may in fact encourage--a lack of conscience in the public sector towards those most in need. The disparities in income he write about in 1958 seem almost quaint compared to the obscene divide between rich and poor today.

Despite his dry profession, Galbraith was a quick wit and his oeuvre is peppered with original and memorable phrases. A sample for those at Fox tripping all over themselves to defend Organized Oil's record profits:

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.

The O'Reilly Spectrum

2006-04-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

Crooks and Liars has a story about the ever ridiculous Bill O'Reilly smearing beloved community journalist Stephen Rogers who died in November at the age of ninety. Pictured at right is Bill O'Reilly dancing on Stephen Roger's grave--it's necessarily an artist's conception because O'Reilly still doesn't seem to realize the man is dead.

How did the distinguished Mr. Rogers incur the wrath of the marginal mediocrity? He fell on the wrong side of the O'Reilly spectrum. Goes like this: as the center of the universe O'Reilly believes he's the very picture of reasoned calm and moderation:

Generally anyone who disagrees with him: far-left
Exception being if the above person is conservative, in which case they're far-far right.
Fact checkers are invariably far-far left
Anyone who mentions his humiliating sexual harassment scandal: far-far-left-wacko-smear merchant.

To his great credit, the late Mr.Rogers was a #4. As one who spoke truth to irrelevance, he'll be missed.

Crescendo in Musical Criticism Against Bush

2006-04-21T21:35:00.000-04:00

Feels like a tipping point has been reached as more influencial musicians are finally taking a stand against the abuses of the failing administration. Check out this clip from Pink, an amazing song. No artlessly obvious "Bush Lied" diatribe here--rather a blistering indictment of the man's essential obliviousness to the effects of his failures.

Dixie Chicks deserve all the props for having the courage to be first, when anti-Iraq Disaster meant anti-America. Now the equation has flipped and their views are the majority.

Neil Young's new release is eagerly anticipated, and even Flea has said his piece. This ain't the usual suspects in the Hollywood crowd. Good music's always had an intangible integrity that silences all criticism in a way that film cannot. These people make their living by tapping into the sentiments coursing through both themselves and the electorate. And their latest is a wonderful sign that the country has finally woken up.

Late yes, but hopefully not too late.

Cheney Spikes Iran Diplomacy

2006-04-20T21:53:00.000-04:00

...according to intelligence officials. A Raw Story article begins with the tale of an Iran-Contra Iranian ex-pat acting as a go-between to get the US and Iran talking. But...

These discussions, however, are now on hold for unspecified reasons. Sources close to the UN Security Council and a former high ranking intelligence official say that this latest failed attempt to bring Iran to the table is part of an ongoing attempt by Cheney and Rumsfeld to squash diplomatic activities.

The preponderance of the evidence is so heavy there can no longer be any doubt that the administration was determined to invade Iraq, and the diplomatic angle was massaged for public consumption while the preparations were well underway. If the sources are right, now Cheney is showing he doesn't know when to leave bad enough alone. History is repeating itself, as the unaccountable and unremorseful Vice President embarks on a collision course towards more innocent civilian casualties, American war dead and Middle East instability.

Rolling Stone Nails It

2006-04-18T20:39:00.000-04:00

In an issue due to hit stands on Friday, Rolling Stone has an article penned by respected Princeton historian Sean Wilentz . RS asks the question:"The Worst President in History?". Hope Wilentz doesn't get too carried away, but judging from the title his sails are so full of conventional wisdom it's hard to see him being blown off course.

Serious questions about the President's competence date back to 9/12, but they were always lightly brushed away--Katrina was the seminal moment that dragged the issue out into the daylight. It's never been more important than now to examine the fundamental ability of the man to do his job as he stumbles towards yet another potentially disastrous foray in the Middle East.

Malkin's "Pen Became a Death Threat"

2006-04-18T00:21:00.000-04:00

Michelle Malkin--AKA Coulter-Lite in polite company-- has a Longfellow quotation at the top of her website: "The pen became a clarion..". It became exactly that, in the worst possible sense, when her rallying cry unleashed the hounds of hate and ignorance (in other words, her core readership) on students at UC Santa Cruz.

Background
Military recruiters try to set up shop at a UC job fair, but are dissuaded by a peaceful protest. Kids learn a valuable lesson--their voices, without violence, can make a difference --and the recruiters show commendably good judgement in withdrawing without incident.

No problem, right?

Wrong.

Malkin, to borrow a memorable phrase from James Wolcott, had steam coming out of her ass over the whole affair and launched a series of ugly posts. You can gather the tenor from the titles:

UC Santa Cruz hates our troops
Seditious Santa Cruz vs. America
Cut off tax money for UC Santa Cruz!
More thuggery at Santa Cruz

Long story short, she published the personal phone numbers of the student leaders on her site. Now they're getting death threats from all across the nation, courteousy of Ms. Malkin.

So it seems the students learned another lesson: if you don't care to be solicited as IED bait, be prepared to be face the wrath of tin horns like Malkin. Throw in the racist language of her followers and her respectable facade becomes indistinguishable from their ignorance and hate. In that sense, her pen has indeed become a death threat to kids who were only standing up to an unjust, ill-advised and tragically optional war.

Why the Generals Matter

2006-04-16T15:10:00.000-04:00

An interesting article by Stephen Pizzos that explains why the recent "revolt" of the generals against Rumsfeld is so unprecedented, and why they were constrained while on active duty. $Q:

I hit Marine Corps bootcamp on July 7, 1965, a wimpy kid from suburbia. The first thing we were told was that we were the lowest forms of life on earth-- and that meant lower than civilians. I was to learn as time went on that this was not just drill instructor blather. It was a genuine, deeply ingrained belief that permeated the highest ranks of the military for civilian control. We were repeatedly told that the lowest civilian we met on the street outranked the highest grade military officer. And that was not show. They believed it, not just as a principle, but a sacred trust.

To have a group of distinguished generals collectively break this sacred trust is a screaming alarm that something is deeply awry with the civilian leadership. Even those who don't know the military culture on an intimate level can feel it intuitively, which is why the ludicrous Swiftboating attempts against them from the usual propaganda factories has not found its way into the mainstream discourse.

WH Press Nicknames are Safe

2006-04-10T18:47:00.000-04:00

The White House Press Corps protected their coveted nicknames today by refusing to press Scott McClellan on the discrepancy between the official "no comment on an ongoing investigation" position and the "comment" leaked to the NYT.

McClelland anticipated the questions that never came by getting out in front of the issue:

MR. McCLELLAN: Hang on, hang on. I've seen reports, including today, in The New York Times, talking about this very issue that you bring up. I read that story with great interest, just like many of you in this room did. I would say that I cannot speak to whether or not the parts of that National Intelligence Estimate may have been declassified at some point prior to the release of the National Intelligence Estimate that we made on July 18, 2003.

He needn't have bothered--no one from the docile corps had any intention of asking why the administration sees fit to leak their position but refuses to answer honest questions about it. The pet nicknames from Bush they so cherish are secure and will live to see another day.

On the bright side, Helen continues to tune up McClelland every time he tries to 9/11 his way out of an indefensible position. Her peers should be ashamed.

Bush Uncut

2006-04-10T18:37:00.000-04:00

From C$L, a shocking portrait of a man entirely out of his depth. The president attempts to respond to a question of jurisdiction regarding civilian contractors in Iraq. Shocking, not because he doesn't know the answer, but because of his clumsy and defensive handling of such a serious and sensitive issue. It leaves an indelible impression--this from the man who is reportedly considering a tactical nuclear strike in the Middle East.

Fox Airs Psy Ops Propaganda

2006-04-10T01:02:00.000-04:00

From the Washington Post, a story about how the military has attempted to shape the myth of Zarqawi. Because the small part he plays in the war doesn't fit the administration's narrative, they saw fit to target Iraqis with the misinformation techniques they perfected on the American public in the run up to the war. Buried deeper in the story:

Another briefing slide states that after U.S. commanders ordered that the atrocities of Saddam Hussein's government be publicized, U.S. psychological operations soldiers produced a video disc that not only was widely disseminated inside Iraq, but also was "seen on Fox News."

Psy Ops vids shown on a national news network. All the more depressing because it's not surprising in the least.

White House Leak Defends Leaks

2006-04-10T00:21:00.000-04:00

The White House once again saws the branch off behind Scott McClellan after pushing him out on the limb. From the New York Times:

A senior administration official confirmed for the first time on Sunday that President Bush had ordered the declassification of parts of a prewar intelligence report on Iraq in an effort to rebut critics who said the administration had exaggerated the nuclear threat posed by Saddam Hussein.
But the official said that Mr. Bush did not designate Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby Jr., or anyone else, to release the information to reporters.

Then later on...

The official declined to be named, because of an administration policy of not commenting on issues now in court.

Isn't this what got them into trouble in the first place? Commenting is obviously no problem--clearly the policy is not to answer any questions about issues now in court. If the White House press corps had even a modicum of self-respect they'd demand Scott McClellan explain why the administration is commenting in a forum where accountability is nil, as opposed to a White House presser where, in theory if not in fact, they can be held accountable for disseminating gratuitous misinformation.

David Neiwert on Racism and the Right

2006-04-07T21:44:00.000-04:00

A seminal post from David Neiwert subbing at Firedog on the relationship between extreme racism and the putative mainstream right. This beautiful and important piece of writing couldn't be more timely, coming hard on the heels of the immigration issue raising its controversial head. As JW says:

It's more than must-read, it's a must-must-must-read and permanently bookmark.

Plamegate Touches Prez

2006-04-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

From Raw Story: George Bush--the man who promised to punish the Plame leakers while doubting anyone would ever get to the bottom of it-- authorized the selective leaking of portions of the National Intelligence Estimate that were used in an attempt to discredit Ambassador Joe Wilson (husband of outed CIA agent Valerie Plame).

This is all according to Scooter Libby who is claiming he had high level permission to smear Wilson with the secret info. Big news because it puts Wilson on Bush's radar, and shows that Scooter won't hesitate to implicate the president to save himself from jail time.

Hannity Embarrasses Self

2006-04-04T23:20:00.000-04:00

With a little help from the brilliant and gutsy Mike Stark from Calling All Wingnuts. Listen to Mike counter the thin-skinned thug's desperate attempt to change the subject from Tom Delay. Hannity is reduced to cutting him off before launching into his stock Incoherent Monologue #3 in the hopes that people will forget he doesn't have the courage to let his caller respond.

But only a cult member wouldn't notice--like his WMD dreams, it doesn't fly.

What is Wrong With These People?

2006-04-03T16:03:00.000-04:00

Noted White House hand-maiden Hugh Hewitt recently said the following on CNN:

HEWITT: "No, that's not right, because talk radio, when you look at Rush, at Sean, at myself, at Laura Ingraham, Michael Medved, Dennis Prager, we all conduct ourselves appropriately on the air, or the FCC will smack -- smite -- smack us down.---So, I think what we have got is basically a monopoly on responsible new media on the center-right side, and talk radio is responsible new media, even though that fever swamp on the left, the Michael Moore-disease-ridden Democrats on the left, they don't want to admit that, so they won't. But, in fact, talk radio is quite responsible."

Here's right wing talk show host Neil Boortz on Cynthia McKinney, the congresswoman involved in the incident on Capitol Hill:

BOORTZ: For instance, or for goodness sakes, jump in and I'm gonna say -- I'm gonna start out with something controversial. I saw Cynthia McKinney's new hair-do. Have you seen it, Belinda? SKELTON: No.
BOORTZ: She looks like a ghetto slut.

Here's right wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh on the young black woman allegedly raped at Duke:

LIMBAUGH: They're -- they're busy. They're busy. The Reverend Jackson is in New Orleans. He's leading a big march there tomorrow. The march is -- what is it called? The -- the march for the right to return a protected vote and reconstruction. He's trying to -- they got problems down in New Orleans. They don't have voter base, and Sharpton's working on a New Orleans deal, too. He's trying to figure out how he can get involved in the deal down there at Duke where the lacrosse team --
CALLER 1: Yeah.
LIMBAUGH: -- uh, supposedly, you know, raped, some, uh, hos.

A listen to the tape shows even Rush is disoriented and shocked by this unintended sharing of his real point of view.

One can only hope that when and if the tide turns in 2006 and 2008, it will carry out this disease of right wing talk. They are even more dangerous to the future of the country than the administration they shill for. They've long since jettisoned any sense of decency, morality, or principle in favor of blind obedience to the Leader, and the country is sure to look back on them as the Roland Freislers of their time.

Hannity Stalks Baldwin

2006-03-27T17:04:00.000-05:00

Marginal talk radio host Sean Hannity couldn't contain himself when Alec Baldwin refused to come on his show. He called in to Brian Whitman's show when Baldwin was the guest with apparently, the sole purpose of cementing his reputation as the most unhinged Bush shill this side of Rush Limbaugh.

His three hours a day of republican advocacy plus his Fox show are evidently not enough--he's determined to stand out from the rest of the right fringe and prove that he alone is the most devoted sycophant of the administration in the country. He should be commended for his initiative. One listen to his advertising tells you his opinion is for sale--Coulteresque antics like the one below may be demeaning to him personally, but his rates are sure to rise. An irresistable train wreck to be sure:

H: “Alec, I wanted to give you an official WABC welcome considering you were supposed to come on my program last week and you didn't show up. What happened?”

B: “No, I wasn't supposed to come on your program, Sean Hannity.”

H: “No, actually you were supposed to come on the program because a deal was made with your agent that if you were going to come on with Brian, first you'd come on with me.”

B: “I wouldn't dream of coming on your program, Sean Hannity. I'm here with Brian. I'm here with a really talented broadcaster.”

H: “That you are, you don't tell the truth.”

B: “Why would I want to come on the show with a no-talent, former construction worker hack like you?”

H: “Are you the guy that said of our vice president, while we're at war, while we're leading troops in harm's way - are you the reckless, third-rate Hollywood actor who said that Dick Cheney is a terrorist? Are you the guy?”

B: “Yes I am.”

H: “... who said to stone Henry Hyde to death? Are you the guy who said our president is a CIA mass murderer? I wanted you to come on the program and defend that, you gutless coward.”

B: “At first I thought this was a joke. But you can hear all the acid venom spewing hatred. It is Sean Hannity!”

Feingold Defends Constitution

2006-03-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

While the other Democrats cower in fear Senator Feingold has taken a stand against the illegal actions of the President. Meanwhile the White House press corps spent most of its time on the Claude Allen affair, a relatively minor story of personal disgrace in the colossal incompetocracy that is the current administration.

Kudos to Feingold for remembering, almost alone among his chicken-hearted peers, that the Constitution--not George Bush--is the Law of the Land.

Rule of Law Dies in US

2006-03-08T12:57:00.000-05:00

In a move that would be seen as a constitutional crisis in less propagandized times the Senate has refused to investigate the President's illegal NSA program. In doing so the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence sends a clear message that it is up to the President alone to determine what laws he wishes to follow.

Deadly Days for Iraq

2006-02-27T23:35:00.000-05:00

"Why did you kill him?" "He was unarmed!" "Oh, my brother! Oh, my brother!"

The Washington Post reports over 1300 dead in recent days. The war that began under false pretenses and has been speciously retro-justified because of the collapse of said pretenses is on the verge of spinning out of control.

In other news, the 300th #2 Al Qaida man was captured; Congress is dealing with the White House to hand over port ownership to an anti-democratic country with true 9/11 ties; the President refuses a request from house members to appoint a special counsel to look into his illegal behaviour; and the White House Press Corps has a jovial session with Scott McClelland at today's press briefing.

Buckley: The War is Lost

2006-02-24T22:42:00.000-05:00

An astonishing editorial from William F. Buckley in the National Review. The upshot: it's in the country's best interest to concede defeat and make plans based on that reality. $Q:

It would not be surprising to learn from an anonymously cited American soldier that he can understand why Saddam Hussein was needed to keep the Sunnis and the Shiites from each others' throats.

The fault lines between the pretend conservatism of George Bush and the genuine conservatives is growing by the hour as the Dubai controversy divides those on the right into two camps: men of principle or Cult of Bush sycophants. With Iraq lurching towards civil war, the port fiasco could be a prelude to the base running from the war as well. Dark days for both W and all innocent Iraqis bearing the brunt of his incompetent and adolescent foreign policy.

Baghdad Shuts Down

2006-02-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

First hand account from Baghdad Burning of the mood after the desecration of the shrine. No one's going to work or college tomorrow. $Q:

I think what has everyone most disturbed is the fact that the reaction was so swift, like it was just waiting to happen.

A personal portrait of Baghdad at the brink of civil war.

President's Port Problem

2006-02-21T22:29:00.000-05:00

When even Hugh Hewitt puts away the pom-poms with the big Ws on them and says "Yuck" to Bush's veto threat on port legislation you know the President is in for a rough ride. The issue is easily stated and guarantees a visceral reaction : Why is the President ceding control of key US ports to a nation with real (as opposed to Saddam-ish) ties to Al Qaida? Given that kind of ammo, Rove's grand strategy of riding National Security to victory in 2006 will be ripped to shreds.

The move is reminiscent of the Harriet Miers fiasco: the administration is choosing to pick a fight with the base, but this time they desperately need them to run cover for investigations into the illegal NSA activity. Look for them to float a few trial arguments in the next few days to bolster the President's brash stance then cave in a hurry if none take hold. Short of accidentally shooting a friend, it's hard to see an issue with less upside for the administration.

Senate Rolls Ever, Plays Dead for Bush

2006-02-17T00:12:00.000-05:00

Once again the Senate Intelligence Committee abdicates its responsibility, this time by refusing to investigate the illegal NSA program. Not only is it okay for the president to break the law, it's now fine to let him continue to do so. A huge mistake to give imperial powers to the executive without a whimper and a huge win for the president. From this point forward it will be impossible to hold him accountable for breaking the law: he's just made them all accomplices in the matter.