George Will, Lying Bastard

Yeah, I know plenty of others have written about this, but I just have to offer my views on the subject of what a lying bastard George Will is.

Wednesday’s Post reported on this conversation at a White House reception for newly elected members of Congress. Newly elected DemocratIC Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, whose son is a Marine serving in Iraq, was present. Here's how Will described it:

Bush asked Webb, whose son is a Marine in Iraq, “How’s your boy?” Webb replied, “I’d like to get them [sic] out of Iraq.” When the president again asked “How’s your boy?” Webb replied, “That’s between me and my boy.” […]

Webb certainly has conveyed what he is: a boor. Never mind the patent disrespect for the presidency. Webb’s more gross offense was calculated rudeness toward another human being — one who, disregarding many hard things Webb had said about him during the campaign, asked a civil and caring question, as one parent to another.

George Will is lying. He can't possibly believe what he wrote. Here's why:

Will's misquoted the Post article, purposely leaving out the part of the exchange that didn’t conform to the pro-Bush stance he wanted to present.

The Post article Will cites indicates that after Webb said he wanted to bring his son home from Iraq, Bush actually snapped, “That’s not what I asked you.” It was that response from Bush that caused the confrontation with Webb. In order to present a pro-Bush position Will falsely quoted the Post article, making it appear that Bush had not said "That's not what I asked you."

In addition, it's worth noting that the supposedly boorish Webb respectfully used the words “Mr. President” twice during the exchange with Bush, and Will managed to omit both when he "quoted" the Post article.

And on top of that, Will hardly gets points for consistency. Did he accuse Bush of rudeness when Bush referred to a New York Times reporter as a "major league asshole?"

Did he accuse Cheney of rudeness when the Vice President told United States Senator Patrick Leahy "go fuck yourself," and said it on the floor of the Senate?

How about when Bush, while talking with his mouth full, addressed British Prime Minister Tony Blair this way: “See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s over.”

How about this incident from 1986 when a drunk Bush exploded at Al Hunt in a public place, in full view of Hunt's family, with this diatribe: Bush stormed up to the table and started cursing out Hunt. "You fucking son of a bitch," Bush yelled. "I saw what you wrote. We're not going to forget this."

How about Cheney yelling "that's bullshit" at Washington Post reporter and author Bob Woodward and then slamming down the phone?

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Will's bullshit column is the worst display of journalistic dishonesty I’ve seen in recent years and the dishonesty is so obvious I have to conclude that Will's lie was intentional.

That's why George Will is a lying bastard.

A Fair Question for Right Wing Pundits

I think Crooks and Liars is right: The right wing talk show hosts and columnists all wanted to lock up the entire staff of the New York Times as "traitors" for allegedly revealing information that could undermine the administration's Iraq policy (here, here, here, here, and here). Will they now hold the Bush administration itself to that same standard?

Right Wing factually challenged

In April Conservative Hoover Institution Research Fellow Peter Schweizer initiated a new conservative meme that claims Speaker to be Nancy Pelosi and her husband are guilty of hypocrisy on workers’ rights because they own a non-union vineyard in Napa Valley. This claim has since made it from blogs to Fox News to conservative papers and magazines such as Investor’s Business Daily.

Well, last night, the ABC affiliate in San Francisco did some actual investigative journalism that totally shows this claim to be false. Here are the highlights:

1 -- The Pelosi vineyard treats its workers better than those who are IN unions.

The Pelosis pay a $1.25 an hour more than workers at Napa’s biggest union winery.

Of the more than 300 vineyards, only three of four are union.

2 -- The Pelosi vineyard is barred by law from helping workers unionize.

It has been illegal since 1975 for any grower to discuss a union contract with workers until the workers first decide to have a union represent them, a choice they can make only through a secret ballot election.

So how does Peter Schweizer respond?

The reporter asked Schweizer “if he had researched those facts before he called Pelosi a hypocrite.”

Schweitzer responded, “It’s not my responsibility to go and find out how every single particular circumstance is handled on the Pelosi vineyard.”

Here's how it sounded in my head:

Me: Umm, Mr. Think Tank Guy, the claim you foisted on the readers of your column is demonstrably false, and easily disproved.

Mr. TTG: Well, it's not my job to find out if I'm accurate.

Yup, what we really need to worry about is liberal bias in the media.

What liberal media?

Just read this stupid column from Eleanor Clift in Newsweek. While she mostly beats up on Mitt Romney for opposing gay marriage, Clift pretty much lets McCain off the hook for his flip flops on the subject:

"McCain was clearly squirming when ABC’s George Stephanopoulos pressed him on "This Week" last weekend about whether he supports civil unions, a loaded term among social conservatives who see it as a fig leaf for gay marriage. McCain avoided the phrase but said he supported various partnerships to facilitate hospital visits and the like. His home state of Arizona just voted down an anti-gay marriage initiative that also would have banned domestic partnerships even among heterosexual couples....

McCain gets more latitude on this subject because we sense that in his heart, he’s a Goldwater libertarian. Social issues are not what drive him in public life. He’s playing to his party’s conservative base as newly defined by the religious right, but if elected president, he’s not going to be beholden to them the way Bush has been...The voters may be less inclined to give Romney a pass if he goes overboard with his fealty to the right."

So basically Clift says McCain is such a "straight talker" that we don't really have to care when he DOESN'T TALK STRAIGHT.

What liberal bias in the media?

When did the media become stenographers?

Well, isn't this interesting?

NBC announced today that the network will now label the violence in Iraq a civil war from now on.

However, Dana Bash says the Washington Post doesn't label the Iraq conflict a civil war. Here's her reason:

Priest said she “absolutely” believes the “level of violence [in Iraq] equals a civil war.” But she acknowledged that the Post has “not labeled it a civil war,” explaining, “We try to avoid the labels, particularly when the elected government itself does not call its situation a civil war.”

You can see where I'm going with this. The US and Iraq governments have an obvious interest in avoiding the term civil war -- they're trying to put the best face on the situation. But since when is it the job of the The Post specifally or the media in general to act as stenographers for those in power? Isn't the job of the media to investigate and gather information independently, and then to report the facts as they exist, regardless of whose ox is being gored?

Dana Bash's sorry explanation is just one more example of the so-called liberal media giving the Bush administration a pass.

Michael Ware gives a lesson on Iraq

Check out this video clip of Michael Ware, the Time Magazine and CNN correspondent. In a report filed from Iraq he explains to Wolf Blitzer what's really happening there, and accurately describes it as a Civil War.

Ware's continuously accurate and honest reports from Iraq should be required viewing. They're right up there with the ones filed by Lara Logan of CBS. This one from March 2006 in which she condemns those who accuse journalists of reporting only bad news is my all time favorite.

Freedom of Religion? Not if you're Wiccan

More bullshit.

The Star of David is OK, as are more than a dozen variations of the Christian cross. Even the atomic whirl used by atheists gets the thumbs-up from the federal government.

But a Wiccan symbol representing earth, air, fire, water and spirit isn't recognized by the federal government for veterans' grave markers.

A federal lawsuit filed Monday accuses the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of violating the constitutional rights of Wiccans because the government does not allow its symbol on headstones in national cemeteries...

...The lawsuit claims the VA has made "excuse after excuse" for more than nine years for not approving the pentacle, and argues that constitutional rights of freedom of speech, religion and due process have been violated by the department's not acting on requests to allow the symbol.

NINE YEARS and the Department of Veterans Affairs hasn't been able to make a decision on whether to allow the Wiccan pentacle on the headstones of veterans who practice this religion? Outrageous!

Read the First fucking Amendment, and let these AMERICANS practice their religion as they see fit.

Freedom of religion? Not if you're Muslim

This is some serious bullshit.

Six imams were removed from a US Airways flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Monday and questioned by police for several hours before being released, a leader of the group said...

...On Monday, Omar Shahin and five other imams had gone to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to fly home to Phoenix after attending a conference in Minneapolis of the North American Imams Federation. Shahin is president of the group.

But after passengers raised concerns about the imams — three of whom said their normal evening prayers in the airport terminal before boarding the Phoenix-bound plane — the imams were removed from the flight and questioned by authorities.

This morning Shahin returned to the Twin Cities International Airport to buy six more tickets for the flight to Phoenix, but a US Airways ticket agent and supervisor refused to sell him the tickets.

First, perhaps these "concerned passengers" should read the first amendment to the US Constitution:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Second, maybe it's just me, but I can't help but think that real terrorists wouldn't advertise it by saying their evening prayers in public before boarding a plane.

US Airways and the passengers on this flight ought to be ashamed of themselves.

R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., egregious hack

In his November 16 column, Tyrrell is fawning in his praise of the inept Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld:

"Reforming bureaucracy is the great challenge facing the greatest reformers, and that is why Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will be assessed by historians as a great secretary of defense.

He initiated more than 100 far-reaching reforms, and made policy changes that have made the American military probably the most effective in the world. Thanks to him our ground forces are more rapidly deployable. The diverse branches of the military work together more closely. And ballistic missile defense is much advanced."

Are you kidding me?

Here's Donald Rumsfeld's legacy. To a soldier who asked why his unit had to go to Iraq without the proper body and vehicle armor:

"As you know, you go to war with the Army you have. They're not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time."

He added: "If you think about it, you can have all the armor in the world on a tank and a tank can be blown up."

Translation: "get in there and die for your country, pussy."

Before the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld forbade military strategists to develop plans for securing a postwar Iraq, the retiring commander of the Army Transportation Corps said Thursday.

"Brig. Gen. Mark Scheid claims Rumsfeld said "he would fire the next person" who talked about the need for a postwar plan."

Translation: "We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators."

Rumsfeld announced the replacement of Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki a year and a half in advance. In addition, NOT ONE member of the Bush administration attended the retirement ceremony for an officer who served his country for over 30 years and lost half of one foot in Vietnam.

Why? Maybe because Shinseki was not a partisan Bush toady, but the kind of clear headed thinker who could testify before Congress that invading and occupying Iraq would take several hundred thousand troops.

Today the news broke that the Army is rewriting its Field Manual on Full Spectrum Operations. The new draft of this FM argues that in addition to defeating the enemy, military units must focus on providing security for the population — even during major combat. This would be in contradiction to the Rumsfeld Doctrine, the emphasis of speed WITHOUT providing for stability operations, the security of civilians in the battlespace, and civil affairs. In short, Iraq has proved to the Army that Rumsfeld's concept doesn't work.

And Bob Tyrell, that fucking hack, thinks THIS is what qualifies as a "great secretary of defense?" This would be funny if only so many lives weren't being sacrificed.

Tucker Carlson, wanker

On the November 15 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson claimed he had "never seen any evidence that Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi is a racist.

Carlson also spoke about the same topic on the radio talk-show host Michael Graham, suggesting that if you consider Lott a racist, "you could say the same about every man over 60 ... south of the Mason-Dixon Line."

Carlson didn't mention Lott's history of public statements and actions that are clearly racist and in some instances indicate support for racist entities.

Trent Lott repeatedly made positive comments about the 1948 segregationist presidential campaign of Strom Thurmond. He spoke before the racist Council of Conservative Citizens and praised their "right" philosophy. He voted against the extension of the Voting Rights Act. And that’s just for starters.

This record is well known and unmistakable. Carlson has to know about it. His omission of Lott’s record was clearly intentional. He has to lie to support his arguments. That makes him a wanker.

"Fair and balanced?" COME ON!

Arianna Huffington posted a Fox News internal memo that reads:

"And let's be on the lookout for any statements from The Iraqi insurgents, who must be thrilled at the prospect of a Dem controlled Congress."

And:
"Murtha will challenge Hoyer for the leadership. A former hawk v. a political hack."

Jesus Christ! When will the Republicans and their tools in the media quit identifying as treason anything that doesn't involve down the line 100 percent support for Dear Leader Bush?

And I challenge the "journalists" at Fox "News" to identify even one time when they referred to ANY Republican as a "hack." I'll bet everything I have that they have never applied that term to The Dukester, or The Hammer or any other power mad Republican thief.

Fair and balanced my ass.

Same old media

On November 13 NBC News congressional correspondent Chip Reid and MSNBC host Tucker Carslon portrayed Democratic House leadership elections as evidence that the Democrats are lacking "unity" and are "divided."

Predictably, they don't portray the REPUBLICAN election for Minority Leader (Mike Pence of Indiana is trying to oust Rep. John Boehner of Ohio) as as evidence of Republican "divisions" or "disunity."

REID: "In the House, though, Democrats returned not to unity but to a battle between Steny Hoyer of Maryland and John Murtha of Pennsylvania to be majority leader next year, the number two position. Number one -- the speaker -- is expected to be Nancy Pelosi, who, in a weekend surprise, formally endorsed her old friend Murtha, even though Hoyer is the front-runner."

Didn't these guys get the memo? The constant complaint from Republicans is "liberal bias in the media." Well, you'd never know it from the way the media covers Democrats.

Tim Russert, Wanker

Russert questioning Senator Joe Lieberman on the November 12 edition of NBC's Meet the Press:

"But you are in a position now to exert a lot of influence. Here's The Wall Street Journal from Friday: "Scandals Have Touched Some Key Democrats. Senator Harry Reid, who is expected to be elected to majority leader in the Senate, has come under attack for his relationship with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a profitable land deal, and whether he inappropriately used campaign funds to give Christmas bonuses to employees at his condo complex." Why not use, as a condition for your vote for majority leader for Mr. Reid, that he support the Office of Public Integrity and lobbying reform, now? Would you consider that?"

The problems with Russert's statement?

1 -- Reid introduced the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006," which includes the Office of Public Integrity and lobbying reform.

2 -- The link between Reid and Abramoff is false. It's based on a flawed report from the Associated Press, and the sole purpose for the article seems to be an attempt to make the Abramoff scandal seem bipartisan when it's really a Republican problem.

3 -- An Associated Press article from October indicated that Reid had used campaign funds to pay $3,300 in Christmas bonuses to the staff of the hotel where he lives when he's in Washington. His lawyers had advised him this was an acceptable use of campaign funds. However, to remove even a hint of impropriety, Reid personally reimbursed his campaign $3,300.

The bottom line is that Reid has no ethical problems, despite numerous attempts by an Associated Press hack named John Solomon to make it appear as though he does. Tim Russert surely knows that. His willingness to advance a line of questioning based on a falsehood makes Tim Russert a wanker (see definition number 5).

Where Republicans went wrong

"When Tom and his bunch first ran, they campaigned against the cesspool in Washington. After a while they looked around and said, 'Hey, this isn't a cesspool, it's a hot tub.'"

Conservative activist Richard Viguerie, speaking about former House Majority Leader and future convict Tom DeLay, aka Hot Tub Tom.

Liberal media bias my ass

David Gregory of NBC "News" is not sure if lying damages Bush’s credibility.

Days before the election, President Bush told reporters that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney would “remain with him until the end of his presidency.”

The day after the election, Bush announced that Rumsfeld was being replaced.

He admitted while introducing Rumsfeld's replacement that before the election he had talked to Rumsfeld about resigning and was actively searching for a replacement when he said Rumsfeld and Cheney would stay on.

Yesterday on Meet The Press, Gregory acknowledged that Bush “deliberately misled those reporters.” Russert asked whether that “hurt his credibility with you and the press corps.” Gregory indicated that he didn't think so, saying that Bush “laid out his case for why he did it…so I think people see it different ways.”

When Bill Clinton was President, the media presumed that pretty much everything he said was false. When Al Gore and John Kerry were running for President, the media widely portrayed them as liars, even resorting to making up stories to "prove" the point.

But, according to Gregory, when it comes to lying, as long as you have a reason that makes sense to you, IOKIYAR. Where's the liberal media bias in that?

Impeach

We need to think about removing George W. Bush now, before it's too late. Here's a sample of why:

1 -- One freedom that defines our way of life is the freedom to choose our leaders at the ballot box. We saw that freedom earlier this week, when millions of Americans went to the polls to cast their votes for a new Congress. Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war.” (Bush in radio address, November 12, 2006)

2 -- "Secondly, the FISA law was written in 1978. We're having this discussion in 2006. It's a different world." (White House transcript of press conference, January 26, 2006)

3 -- President Bush is planning ways to bypass Congress in case Republicans lose control after the elections. “He told all of us, ‘Put on your track shoes. We’re going to run to the finish,’” White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said. “He’s been calling all his Cabinet secretaries and telling them, ‘You tell me administratively everything you can do between now and the end of the presidency. I want to see your to-do list and how you expect to do it.’” (Think Progress, October 30, 2006)

4 -- GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander in Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!” (Capitol Hill Blue, December 9, 2005)

5 -- "If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." (CNN transcript, December 18, 2000)

Do we really want to keep in office a guy who has clearly thought about canceling elections, dreams of being a dictator, plans to bypass Congress, ignores laws that don't suit him, and believes the Constitution has no more meaning than a newspaper or dime novel?

"W" is the new swastika.

Impeach before we find out this guy is never leaving the White House.

Will Bush and Rumsfeld apologize for insulting Americans?

George W. Bush responding to a question in his post-election press conference:

"Well, there was a -- I read those same polls, and I believe that -- I thought when it was all said and done, the American people would understand the importance of taxes and the importance of security. But the people have spoken, and now it's time for us to move on."

Rumsfeld, at the public announcement of his resignation on the day after the election:

"The great respect that I have for your leadership, Mr. President, in this little-understood, unfamiliar war, the first war of the 21st century -- it is not well-known, it was not well-understood; it is complex for people to comprehend."

There you have it -- the problem is not failed policies and bad strategies by thee administration. The problem is that you and I are TOO STUPID to know what's good for us.

I'm insulted. I demand an apology.

Bush's nose grows, reporters don't notice

This is just incredible. George W. Bush admitted he lied about the timing concerning the replacement of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

During his November 8 press conference, President Bush announced Rumsfeld's resignation and nominated former CIA director Robert Gates to take his place. However, just last week Bush said he wanted Rumsfeld to stay on. Bush explained that the reason for announcing Rumsfeld's resignation after the elections was due to the fact that he "didn't want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days of a campaign."

What was the reaction of the liberal media? Naturally, they refused to call a lie a lie. Some split hairs:

CNN chief national correspondent John King concluded in a report that Bush "fudged." Prior to concluding that Bush "fudged," King said "did he lie to the wire service reporters? Did he just withhold information? You know, we can have a semantics debate to the end."

Tucker Carlson told Republican strategist Ed Rogers that Bush "knew that that was a lie" when he said Rumsfeld would stay on. Later, when Rogers accused Carlson of suggesting that Bush was deceitful," Carlson backed off, saying, "maybe he was deceitful, maybe not."

Some ignored the lie:

Matt Lauer conducted an interview with White House senior adviser Dan Bartlett by asking only if there were Republican members of Congress who were "more than a bit mad" that Bush "didn't make this move a week ago, a month ago, or three months ago."

Fox News correspondent Brett Baier noted only that the president "said that he had made the decision before going into the election" and that Bush and Rumsfeld had been discussing it "over the past few weeks."

Only a small number called Bush's lie what it was:

From the November 8 edition of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360:

KING: That is the great irony. And I can tell you, to a person, those moderate Republicans were pretty furious last week, when the president was out so actively campaigning, saying things like, "Dick Cheney will stay," and, especially, "Donald Rumsfeld would stay." Turns out that wasn't the truth.

Those moderate Republicans were furious when he said it at the time. You can bet they're scratching their heads today, saying, "Hello?"

DAVID GERGEN (former presidential adviser): Whoa

COOPER: Well, that's the thing. Why would -- why would the president either say that last week about Donald Rumsfeld, when, apparently, he now admitted today, he knew all along that wasn't the case? I mean, he basically said today that he was lying.

What liberal media bias?

They all look alike to me

This is a pretty clear indication of how Republicans feel about minorities.

On the November 6 edition of Fox News' The Live Desk, Martha MacCallum was discussing the issue of plastic surgery and the importance of good looks in politics with her "A-List" roundtable. As footage of Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Harold Ford Jr. played on-screen host Martha MacCallum said, "I was reading something about evolution and it talked about virility and, you know, health and fitness and survival of the fittest. It's sort of a natural instinct, in many ways, to look at someone like Barack Obama as you point out, and say, you know, he looks young, he looks healthy, he looks strong."

Ford, Obama, what's the difference? Apparently they all look alike to Martha.

I told you Tucker Carlson was an asshole

On the already mentioned MSNBC's Battleground America, Tucker Carlson discussed races in which the Republican candidate has been accused of physical assault:

"I thought, post-Clinton, your personal sexual conduct was not supposed to be relevant to anything unless you broke the law," adding: "[I]t's very odd all of a sudden to see Democrats attacking Republicans for their weird sex lives -- basically."

Are you shitting me? Republican Congressman Don Sherwood and Republican Congressman John Sweeney and Republican Congressman Jim Gibbons (Nevada's Republican candidate for Governor) have all been accused of assaulting women. The married, "family values" Sherwood attempted to strangle his mistress and paid her $500,000 to keep quiet. The married, "family values" Sweeney hit his wife and both the police and he lied about it until the police report was finally made public. The married, "family values" Gibbons assaulted a woman he met while he was out in Las Vegas drinking with a friend. She called 911 three times in rapid succession and said Gibbons propositioned her and asssaulted her when she refused.

Each of these Republican Congressmen is accused of physical assault. By contrast, Bill Clinton was, by all accounts, involved in a consensual relationship with Monica Lewinsky. He was never accused of assaulting her.

Liberal bias in the media? Sure there is.

Tucker Carlson, Major League asshole

This is just too much:

Yesterday's MSNBC Decision 2006: Battleground America, quotes host Tucker Carlson saying that Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is leading Republican challenger Tom Kean Jr. in the polls because "Bush is, I guess, less popular than the Mafia in New Jersey." He goes on to say that "Kean has made it pretty clear that Senator Menendez is a dues-paying member of the Mafia." Carlson also repeated Kean's charge that Menendez is "under federal criminal investigation," even though, Media Matters for America and CBS News have reported on October 26 that "it is unclear whether the allegation is true."

And just so you don't think I'm making it up, here's the whole exchange between Carlson and reporter JJ Ramberg, in context:

RAMBERG: Suddenly, this is a lot different than it was last week, when it was still pretty much neck-and neck. And now, Bob Menendez is doing everything he can to try and hold on to that lead. Now, both candidates have spent the day doing a series of meet-and-greets this morning. Later on this afternoon, Bob Menendez is going to be lent a little bit of star power by Governor [Jon] Corzine, who's going to be campaigning with him. And then, both of these candidates will end up the day at pre-election rallies, which they hope will get everyone excited about going to the polls tomorrow. They're starting to concentrate a lot on these get-out-the-vote campaigns because they know people actually have to go there out and vote in order for this to work for them. And then, finally, you mentioned those commercials, those nasty commercials that everyone in here New Jersey has been seeing for months, are still going on. There are just a barrage of them on television here. Tucker?

CARLSON: Well, JJ, Kean has made it pretty clear that Senator Menendez is a dues-paying member of the Mafia. So I wonder why he's leading. I mean, what are -- what are the issues? Kean from day one has said, "This guy's under federal criminal investigation," and people are voting for him anyway. Why?

RAMBERG: You know, Bob Menendez says none of those accusations are substantiated. And really, the candidates have pitted themselves against each other, Kean saying, "Hey, a vote for Menendez is a vote for dirty politics," and Menendez saying, "Listen, a vote for Kean is just a vote for George Bush." Make your choice.

CARLSON: Yeah, that's right. Bush is, I guess, less popular than the Mafia in New Jersey. JJ Ramberg, thanks for joining us.

Here's why Kerry shouldn't have apologized

Karl Rove was interviewed today by Ann Compton on ABC. Check out this quote:

COMPTON: Sen. John Kerry has made a statement about Iraq. Do you take him at his word that he was talking about the president and not the troops?

ROVE: I take him at his word when he insulted America's fighting forces. This is a habit that he's had over the years. He did it when he came back from Vietnam and there's no way that an individual looking at what he said, which is available on the Internet. Go on and look at yourself. Any American can. This guy was insulting America's troops by suggesting that if you were stupid you went to Iraq.

THIS is why Democrats should never, ever apologize. It will always be taken by Republicans and the media as a sign of weakness. They will always lie about what you said. They will always cover an event like this as "news" out of all proportion to what's really happening.

The notion that a sleazy, smarmy, lying, cheating, draft dodging puke like Karl Rove, who outed a covert CIA operative out of partisan political spite has the BALLS to smear a hero like John Kerry and that a "reporter" like Ann Compton would allow him to do it is a clear indication of what's wrong with American politics.

Attacks on John Kerry Discredited

Wade Sanders is a Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy a distinguished combat veteran, and a retired Navy Captain. Read what he wrote:

There are those who are already so entrenched in their hatred of Kerry that no official Navy records, no verified eye-witness testimony, no facts will every cause them to re-evaluate their point of view. However, I am assured that there are many who, regardless of their political background, are interested the facts and see knowledge as an evolutionary process, and who take the time to research their opinions and speak from a foundation of fact. It clearly is not necessary to like John Kerry, or agree with his record as a Senator, but it seems to me that a vicious attack on any man's integrity and honor deserves to be based on something other than lies and distortions. Well, here are some facts based on the official Navy record, Navy messages, the Navy archives, and the statements of witnesses who were really there.

As a retired Navy Captain, a Vietnam combat veteran, and a Swift Boat skipper who served in the Mekong Delta at the same time as John Kerry, I have been appalled by recently published articles which often open with a recycled whopper: a tangled conspiracy theory about Navy records related to Kerry's Silver Star medal for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on February 28, 1969.

The cold and undisputed truth is that Vice Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Commander Naval Forces Vietnam, personally selected the Silver Star award for Kerry and personally pinned the Silver Star on Kerry's chest at a ceremony at our Coastal Division 11 base in An Thoi, South Vietnam just days after the action. A decoration, like every other award for heroism, that was recommended by his Division Officer and endorsed by then Captain Roy L. Hoffmann. According to Zumwalt, he actually wanted to give Kerry an even higher award, the Navy Cross, but decided upon a Silver Star because he wished to make the award as expeditiously as possible. These points were publicly reiterated by Admiral Zumwalt in 1996, in defense of Kerry's military record.

Undaunted by the word of one of the most revered naval commanders of any era, the Swift Boat Veterans for truth, and others without principle, continue to attack Kerry's medal with talk of “a Silver Star with a V for valor listed [in Kerry's records] that the Navy stated it had never awarded” and supposedly suspicious multiple copies of medal citations reissued to Kerry in the Reagan era and bearing the signature of then-Navy Secretary John Lehman who some quote as having said he “denied ever signing them.” What Lehman actually said, was that he did not remember signing them. Big difference, if one is interested in accuracy and the truth.

Continue reading.

This is what I saw that day

By William B. Rood
Chicago Tribune
Published August 22, 2004

There were three swift boats on the river that day in Vietnam more than 35 years ago--three officers and 15 crew members. Only two of those officers remain to talk about what happened on February 28, 1969.

One is John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate who won a Silver Star for what happened on that date. I am the other.

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John Kerry's Bronze Star with Combat "V" Device

"For heroic achievement while serving with Coastal Division Eleven engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong communist aggressors in An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam on 13 March 1969. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry was serving as Office-in-Charge of Inshore Patrol Craft 94, one of five boats conducting a SEA LORDS operation in the Bay Hap river. While exiting the river, a mine detonated under another Inshore Patrol Craft and almost simultaneously, another mine detonated close aboard his Inshore Patrol Craft knocking a man into the water and wounding Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry in the right arm. In addition, all units began receiving small arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks. When Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry discovered he had a man overboard, he returned upriver to assist. The man in the water was receiving sniper fire from both banks. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry then directed his boat to return and assist the other damaged Inshore Patrol Craft. His crew attached a line and towed the damaged boat to safety. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry's calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

The Combat Distinguishing Device is authorized.

John Kerry's Silver Star citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Coastal Division Eleven engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong insurgents in An Xuyen Provence, Republic of Vietnam on 28 February, 1969. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry was serving as Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast 94 and Officer in Tactical Command of a three boat mission. As the force approached the target area on the narrow Dong Chung River, all units came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from an entrenched enemy force less that fifty-feet away. Unhesitatingly Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry ordered his boat to attack as all units opened fire and beached directly in front of the enemy ambushers this daring and courageous tactic surprised the enemy and succeeded in routing a score of enemy soldiers. The PCF gunners captured many enemy weapons in the battle that followed. On a request from U.S. Army advisors ashore, Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry ordered PCF's 94 and 23 further up river to suppress enemy sniper fire. After proceeding approximately eight hundred yards, the boats were again taken under fire from a heavily foliated area and B-40 rocket exploded close aboard PCF 94: with utter disregard for his own safety and the enemy rockets, he again ordered a charge on the enemy, beached his boat only ten feet from the VC rocket position, and personally led a landing party ashore in pursuit of the enemy. Upon sweeping the area an immediate search uncovered an enemy rest and supply area which was destroyed. The extraordinary daring and personal courage of Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire were responsible for the highly successful mission. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.