Countdown's Worst Persons In The World: John Ashcroft, Pastor Bird and McCain's Choice In Spiritual Advisors
By Nicole Belle Wednesday Apr 23, 2008 3:35pm
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Got to love these winners. First up is former Attorney General John Ashcroft, who spoke today at Knox College and angrily played semantic games about torture with a student questioner:
ME: The judgment describes this water treatment, and I quote, "the victim was bound or otherwise secured in a prone position; and water was forced through his mouth and nostrils into his lungs and stomach." One man, Yukio Asano, was sentenced to fifteen years hard labor by the allies for waterboarding American troops to obtain information. Since Yukio Asano was trying to get information to help defend his country--exactly what you, Mr. Ashcroft, say is acceptible for Americans to do--do you believe that his sentence was unjust? (boisterous applause and shouts of "Good question!")
ASHCROFT: (angrily) Now, listen here. You're comparing apples and oranges, apples and oranges. We don't do anything like what you described.
ME: I'm sorry, I was under the impression that we still use the method of putting a cloth over someone's face and pouring water down their throat...
ASHCROFT: (interrupting, red-faced, shouting) Pouring! Pouring! Did you hear what she said? "Putting a cloth over someone's face and pouring water on them." That's not what you said before! Read that again, what you said before![..]ME: "The victim was bound or otherwise secured in a prone position; and water was forced through his mouth and nostrils into his lungs and stomach."
ASHCROFT: (shouting) You hear that? You hear it? "Forced!" If you can't tell the difference between forcing and pouring...does this college have an anatomy class? If you can't tell the difference between forcing and pouring...
Then there is Roger Byrd, pastor of the Church of God in Jonesville, SC, who put up a message on his church marquee reading "Obama Osama/Humm/Are they brothers." Confirming every worst stereotype possible, Byrd claimed the sign was neither political or racial: "His name is so close to Osama I have a feeling he might be Islamic therefore he doesn't recognize Christ," Pastor Byrd said. Yeah, that's neither political nor racial. It's just idiotic.
And finally, John McCain gets the gold for his choice of spiritual advisers and endorsers in Rev. John Hagee. As Steve wrote about, just days after McCain equivocated over whether seeking Hagee's endorsement was a good idea, Hagee decided to up the ante in conservative Republican intolerance. On Dennis Prager's radio show, Hagee retiterated that Hurricane Katrina was God's wrath upon New Orleans for planning a "homosexual rally" for the day after the hurricane hit. Funny that, a long time friend of mine lost his home in Biloxi, Mississippi, due to Katrina, as did many others on the Gulf Coast. I don't believe there was any other gay pride events scheduled, although I could be wrong, Maybe McCain should be asked if his spiritual advisor thinks God just hates that part of the south, or if God just callously considered them collateral damage.
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Byrd is a great A wanker.
How many years does a guy have to attend Church before people acknowledge it?
Ashcroft is starting to realize that if he forced to testify, he's gonna have to plead the "5th" or else start ratting on his unidicted co-conspirators. He also knows that the cells in the Hague have a propensity to be the last home of former war criminals.
I am sure that they all know they violated both international and US laws.
Panderer - noun
1) a person who serves or caters to the vulgar passions or plans of others (especially in order to make money)
2) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce)
3) U.S. Candidate for president, John McLame
It is time for the Democrats to find some really smart people to form some 527s to swift-boat McCain. No mud is is too slimey to throw at McCain. Do not hold back because the GOP sure won't.
The M Man, as he was known, until he died of lung cancer, recounted an ad shoot in a documentary about the evils of the nicotine traffickers.
The shoot involved some climbing of the rugged terrain they were shooting in. The M Man who actually was a smoker, it was part of the job description, was winded early and often. He commented to one of the industry types along on the shoot about his smoking related shortness of breath and how the other guy seemed to be having no problem.
To which the response came: 'we don't smoke that shit, we just sell it'.
So it goes with religion and the politician.
The worst thing about Ashcroft is he was Bushies best AG. Never thought they could get worse, but they sure fooled me.
casper46 @ 6:
Let the eagle soar... and watch it explode into flames.
casper46 @ 6:
He may also be the smartest member of Bush's cabinet (after all he did leave first).
I just saw on my teevee some shots of McCain today as he visited NOLA. He was wearing his blue and white checked shirt he wore on his shopping trip in Baghdad and a baseball cap. He really does look like an old beggar in that outfit. He needs to trash the shirt and especially all his baseball caps. Yes I know, no one appointed me the political fashion police but hell, someone has to do it.
As to Ashcroft, he doth protest too much. When you get down to mincing words the way he did in that interview, you look desperate as hell and a whole lot guilty.
goat hussein sage @ 7:
No! No! Don't let the eagle soar, Cheney might shoot it.
So, Pastor Byrd, would you be willing to go mano a mano with BHO at hoops? With your name you must have some relation to the Celtics great. Or are you a masterful musician, in the wake of William Byrd? Or a scholar in pre-Colombian studies as the late,great Junius Bird? Do you have anything at all to distinguish yourself from the average voter? No? Welcome to the club. Sheesh.
Ashcroft seems to be channeling Martin Short's old lawyer character, Nathan Thurm. All he needs is a cigaratte and a sweaty upper lip.
Guess water pulled into the lungs through the act of breathing is legally different from water somehow otherwise pushed or pulled into the lungs. Clever one, that Ashcroft.
Does nobody remember that there were two hurricanes in Louisiana in 2005? The second hit my hometown, and in the process of recovering from it gets less money from the government than Nagin's paradise. I guess mostly Cajun Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes with their majority white populations make a less appealing story than the poor blacks of the Ninth Ward, eh?
Yes, I'm just a little fucking bitter about the media choosing to focus entirely on a hurricane that did little damage (the levees did most of it) and ignoring the other hurricane that blasted an entire parish cleaner than Little Boy did Hiroshima.
John Hagee can go to Hell. Does that imply God's judgment was on Florida for the five hurricanes there, or here for Hurricane Rita, both of which places are deeply Christian? That SOB can go fuck himself up his ass with his Bible.
why isn't clinton worst person in the world ? she just threatened to mass murder innocent Iranians and "totally obliterate" a nation of around 80 million people.
In Ashcroft's universe, the force of gravity does not exist.
DC @ 4:
Need to swiftboat him over the Keating 5 Scandal. That scandal originated in Texas. When people think about Texas; they think about those damn carpet-baggers from the oil companies and Bush.
General_Rennenkampf @ 14:
The selective recall of the hypocritical can be exasperating at times, and regardless of how often it is pointed out to them, the most exasperating aspect is that, they will never ever once concede their own mistakes.
The arrogance of those who claim to speak for God is direct evidence of their complete lack of humility in the presence of God.
I wish you and yours a full recovery. I have faith in you. I have significantly less faith in my nation's recovery from the criminals who have looted her treasury, corrupted her laws and defiled her once proud message of hope to all.
May God have mercy on us all.
andy @ 15:
She deserves more than a worst person in the world.
She deserves a special comment!
A journalist should ask John Hagee about Gods intent with the 2004 tsunami. I bet the answer would be another "classic" Hagee quote to prove his insanity with
Hillary is one evil bastard. Threatening total obliteration of another country has broached that benchmark of extreme megalomania where I would never under any circumstance ever vote for her.
Dan-in-PA @ 18:
Yes. The Democrats are hardly responsible for the Rita Clusterfuck, and if anyone thinks I said that, I will clear that up before they do. The Rita Clusterfuck was the responsibility of the government. We're still hobbled here from that hurricane. Not as bad as New Orleans, but it's been three years and we haven't recovered yet. And the poor blacks in North Lake Charles with blue roofs? Not a peep about them and hours of coverage of the Ninth Ward.
Much of the black population here can't afford to fix a new roof. So, that angers me. I'm white, but when anyone in Lake Charles is suffering, that means I do, too.
Fran Taylor @ 16:
I imagine he would see it as only a theory.
Chris Matthews is doing a virtual autopsy on Obama's campaign tonight. Since he lost Pa. by less than ten points, I have heard more and more Obama bashing on tv. They are saying he's tired, he's not connecting with the blue collar working people, Michelle's comment about being a proud American and of course Rev Wright are doing him in. Hillary must be loving this and hoping the super delegates are listening to the sales pitch Matthews is making for her.
I suggest Keith choose Chris as one of his worst person in the world.
danger hussein al-malak @ 21:
I hate to break it to yah, but McPapen beat her to it by a full campaign season. Damn, though. Is there any candidate that won't start Unwinnable War III?
danger hussein al-malak @ 21:
I'll bet she has a least one Persian rug in her N.Y. mansion. Maybe she figures it'll go up in value.
[Jack]
Rush Limbaugh said on his show today "I am dreaming of riots in Denver."
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15980105/detail.html
CD @ 26:
CD @ 26:
With that documented can Mr. Limbaugh be for Inciting to Riot if there are riots in Denver during the convention? Not that this DoJ would mind you, but could they?
Like a litany of the tiny scum bubbles rising to the top of a festering stink hole.
Yeah, let's elect a candidate that blatantly lies, seems to have no compunction about the idea of dropping bombs on innocent people, over a candidate who associated with a minister with whom some disagree.
You can picture a 527 ad for McCain. The picture has two halves. On one side we hear and see Hillary talking about the snipers in Basra, and we see the actual clip of what happened when she arrived there. On the other side you hear nothing you just see the picture of McCain in the bed when he was a POW.
Sorry that comment #30 didn't make a lot of sense. I was in a sort of rage when I typed it. What I meant was it seems now the media wants us to elect Hillary with he serious warts over Obama with his, at the very least, a few tiny pimples.
CD @ 26:
Well I'm dreaming of Rush being "matyred".
What does force vs. pour have to do with an anatomy class? If he wants to play semantics, he should at least do it correctly. Maybe he meant to ask her if they have an English class.
muckup @ 17:
Charles Keating's Lincoln Savings and Loan was in California.
Five Senators were the Keating Five.
Slate
Boston Globe
If the prisoner was bound in a "prone" position, that means he was face down, so the water poured over his head wouldn't/couldn't get in his mouth or nose at all. I believe this should read that the prisoner was bound in a "face-up" or "supine" position. Those two words, prone and supine, are often confused by writers who wish to appear educated and in fact aren't, at least in regard to the English language, grammar, and syntax. Think supine, as in face up.
Jimmi the Grey @ 28:
The current DOJ seems to be able to do or not do whatever they want.
I think Abramoff might make better swift-boat fodder.
Fanon @ 33:
Mr. Ashcroft needs to visit a Home Ec class and a Physics class to have the difference explained. ;)
Anything done without consent is "forced".
Looking at the history of these clowns, he probably does when he isn't trolling men's rooms.
"Well, reporters did ask John McCain today during his trip to New Orleans about Rev. John Hagee’s remarks that Hurricane Katrina was punishment for the sins of New Orleans:
“It’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense. I dont have anything additional to say. It’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, I don’t have anything more to say….it’s nonsense. I reject it categorically.”
Ah, that is rich. Wright to speak at the National Press Club to blame them for hating America and mcwar’s kook is exposed too.
The only sane choice is Clinton.
I wonder how Ashcroft would define "rape"?
pissed off patricia @ 9: Apparently, that blue and white monstrosity is McCain's special 'Visiting Shirt'. I think one of my relatives used to have a tablecloth like that. I always hated that tablecloth.
I need eye bleach and McCain needs a fashion consultant - stat.
CD @ 36:
The DoJ is always able to do what it does or does not want.
Unfortunately this one doesn't want to enforce the law.
They might as well be the department of orange juice.
VietVet8666 @ 13:
They might have been doing the 'nice' and barely legal version of waterboarding at Gitmo, but you can bet anything that they did the forced water treatment, full on drowning and then reviving at other CIA hellholes.
Why else would they destroy the videos of the interrogations unless it was evidence of medical personal doing CPR to revive deaded prisoners, not something any doctor or medical type would want on their resume when they go looking for jobs in the trade.
McCain Now: I Would Have Rushed To NOLA...
McCain Then: Ate Cake With Bush During Katrina
McCain went to NOLA and lied his ass off. He says he would have been there on day one to help. Where was he then? A picture is worth a thousand words.
The "liberal" media is praising him heartily today for his strength, without of course telling the cake story. He wasn't president of course but what stopped him from going anyway?
pissed off patricia @ 30:
smoking a NVA cigarette and having his feet massaged.
MR. ASHCROFT:
Operational details aside, is the functional purpose of the enhanced interrogation method that you authorized to convince the "interogatee" that their life is in immediate peril, thereby stimulating a panic response which breaks down psychological barriers to resistance to interrogation?
And if so, does this not constitute a mock execution?
Ashcroft once covered up a marble statue's naked breast because it offended him. That is his mentality. He doesn't seem to have a problem with torturing and murdering real living people, though. You know, people with real breasts and other real body parts.
He certainly seems nervous. I hope he and his criminal pals all sweat. The bill is overdue and karma is coming to collect. I love it.
As a 1982 graduate of Knox College I have to say that the students who protested the crimes of John Ashcroft have made me very proud indeed of the college and of the education they continue to impart at this premier small town, midwestern college.
There's a write up and over 100 comments, many well thought out, following an article on the even in the town newspaper, the Register-Mail, at this address:
http://www.galesburg.com/education/college/x170774754
Keep learning an protesting the war criminals Knox students and alumni!!
Didn't Trent Lott also lose a home from Katrina?
I love the notion that you can suspect someone's religious/political/moral position because he has a name that sounds a little bit like some one else's name.
ted @ 51:
LOL you're right he did.
This is a little off topic, though the clip is great, but what is wrong with the load times? It takes me 5 min. to play a video. Am I the only one?
Bryd/Turd - see they are almost the same too. What a wanker and he calls himself a man of God?
Olbermann - worst journalist in the world........
What Keith Olbermann said yesterday is not symbolic. He flatly said a (male) Democratic super delegate should take Hillary Clinton into a room, and only the man should emerge.
Keith Olbermann is openly advocating the murder of Hillary Clinton.
We need to say this. It does not preclude talking about the other elements that may be subsumed under that final act, that she would also be battered and raped, but the clear message sent out by Keith Olbermann is he wants someone to murder this woman.
This man should be fired.
casper46 @ 32:
No that's to good for Rush.
Is somebody going to be calling the IRS about Byrd-brain's involvement in a political campaign? His cult should have its tax exemption revoked.
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