What McClellan's revelations tells us about McCain's judgment
By Steve Benen Thursday May 29, 2008 8:15amAt first blush, Scott McClellan’s criticism of the Bush White House wouldn’t necessarily have anything to do with the 2008 presidential race. McClellan hasn’t had anything to do with John McCain, and most of the people McClellan calls out are not part of McCain’s campaign.
But perhaps that’s an unimaginative approach. McClellan’s book apparently has quite a bit to say about the war in Iraq — clearly, a key campaign issue this year — including charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war. The former White House press secretary added that the president failed to be “open and forthright on Iraq” and worse, “rushed to war” with inadequate planning and preparation for its aftermath.
What does this have to do with McCain? Chief Obama strategist David Axelrod knows:
“What does all his experience get us?” asked Obama’s strategic guru. “What do all those visits [to Iraq] get us?”
He continued: “The fact that he goes to Iraq and gets a tour apparently does little to provoke the kinds of questions that should be asked, and what Sen. Obama has been asking since the beginning. So it is not a question of longevity in government. It is a question of judgment, it is a question of a willingness to challenge policies that have failed. And he seems just dug in.” […]
“We are talking on a day where the president’s press secretary released a book where they frankly acknowledged that they engaged in deception and propaganda to essentially lead America to war. Senator Obama saw through that and raised the appropriate questions. Sen. McCain didn’t,” he said.
In this sense, the timing of the McClellan book is pretty helpful — it offers the Obama campaign a chance to reinforce the fact that when the White House was making a bogus argument, McCain bought it and Obama didn’t. McClellan was, to borrow a phrase, catapulting the propaganda. McCain embraced it from the outset, and never let go.
McClellan helps put all of this on the front page, right where McCain doesn’t want it.
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John McSame - Drinking the Bush Koolaid since 2002.
True, but the question now is will life long Republicans trust Mcclellan, or will they buy into the usual Faux talking points that are aimed at discrediting him?
McSame's lobbying campaign team cannot push this latest Obama "pastor problem" issue fast enough.
Gonna be a looooong summer for the poor old guy.
The GOP can try all they want to discredit McClellan but it's too late. The cat's out of the bag. The damage to BushCo is already done. No, the nutso 28% won't be swayed by Scotty's book because they worship before the altar of King George, the boy king, and lost in bizarro world.
The Bush presidency just received its final coffin nail. I'd say rest in peace but I'm not that generous.
Nothing digs in worse than an Arkansas chigger
Their little blood sucking parasites
You have to bathe in bleached water to poison the little buggers.
obama: "mccain drank the kool-aid"
mccain:"nuh uh"
obama:"omgzorz"
mccain:"i never dr.."
obama:"pwned! lol"
mccain:"stop that i never..."
obama:"oh snap dude"
mccain (red in face and clutching chest):"arrrrrrrrrghhh...."
I do not get it. This latest minister doing a comedy act in church is being played on MSNBC in an almost continuous loop, along with Fox doing the same thing. They are all but snuffing out the McClellan story all together. Priorities folks. Priorities.
Judgment is what this whole campaign is about to me. Clear thinking and intelligent judgment would have prevented this war and is what we need now to end it.
I keep hearing that Americans do not like to "lose". Lose what? I know we don't like to lose lives needlessly in a war that should have never been. I know we don't like to be responsible for the loss of innocent Iraqi lives. We don't like to lose tons of money to a war machine. We don't like to lose our homes. We don't like to lose our mode of transportation due to high gasoline prices. And we sure as hell don't like to lose our good reputation all around the world. For a country that doesn't like to "lose", we sure have lost a lot and we're still losing.
The freight wingers are salivating at the prospect of their hero -Tim Russert -nailing this guy to the floor this Sunday on Press the Meat. BillO is even claiming that Russert's CAREER hinges on how hard he comes down on Scottso !
You can kill the messenger as hard and as often as you want, but if the message has already gotten out, then it's too little too late.
McCain,McGoo,McSame,McAss ,McGoof--what ever--this creep knew all along and helped Jr.Bush lie lie lie lie. No wonder, Mc Whatever is Israel firster--his 2nd wife is Jewish.Did you catch Top TV anchors are jumping ship--Top management made us do it--lie lie lie.Now if only Silverstein comes out as McClean on Who really did it-Book
pop @#7
Great point.
Hmmm...this is some good political red meat, but I think Obama should probably be careful with how far he pushes it.
He's been pushing the "judgment trumps experience" line for a while, especially against Hillary, and if he pushes it some more, he might burn bridges with a lot of potential VP running mates, particularly anyone who voted to go to war. A lot of Dems bought the propaganda too, and that will get pointed out a lot by the Right.
Plus, no matter what he says, McSame is just going to pull the lame old "No, no...I was really against the war...I was only for the surge, which has worked great!" line, which is BS, but is his way of carefully parsing his "opposition" to BushCo.
pissed off patricia @ 7:
You're SEEING their priorities, Patricia: the media is not a NEWS organization, it is a CORPORATE PROPAGANDA organization. It's well past time for us to stop pretending to expect journalism or even truth from the mainstream media (Olbermann and some others being the exceptions that prove the rule.)
And if McCain were SMART, he would use the Scott McClellan "revelations" (not that they are to anyone who has been skeptical of this administration) to justify yet another flip-flop, and suddenly turn against the Occupation of Iraq and the Bush Administration. Not, of course, sincerely, but simply because he would see that as a way to win the election.
Hopefully he's not that smart, and will lose even his home state in the
autumnfall.Obly @ 10:
Go back under your bridge, I hear some goats coming.
John McSame/McBush voting 91% with Bush since 2001....100% in 2008
Yeah...its a no-brainer...
I can't help but wonder what possessed a spineless little shrub co. weed like mcclellan to put his name on an unflattering tell-some [because you know he left the really inflammatory stuff out] about his corrupt bosses. It's not like he didn't play along while he was working there.
Was he not offered the over-paid, cushy, do-nothing "consultancy" job he was expecting when his time was up?
Me thinks someone didn't get his turn at the trough and it's got his little snout all bent out of shape.
bushies don't usually bite the trust fund that feeds unless they've got a better offer standing by.
pissed off patricia @ 7:
Good luck hearing anything about it for the rest of today either. A crane collapsed in NY and they'll be showing us shots of the wreckage and speculating about it all day long. [snark]It's not like there's anything ELSE for them to talk about. [/snark]
McClellan, like Powell (who was for invading Iraq and knew the consequences), will go down in history as people who didn't do a thing when it counted to stop this war that apparently only about 25% of the population thought was complete bs and lies.
6 sassafra Says: obama: “mccain drank the kool-aid”
mccain:”nuh uh”
obama:”omgzorz”
mccain:”i never dr..”
obama:”pwned! lol”
mccain:”stop that i never…”
obama:”oh snap dude”
mccain (red in face and clutching chest):”arrrrrrrrrghhh….”
You forgot, "I'm coming Elizabeth!"
Albatross @ 12:
Umm, since when did offering the slightest bit of critical commentary become trolling? How interesting would these threads be if 100% of the comments were vacuous bobble-headed agreement with the OP?
Seriously dude, if you really can't handle the slightest poke to your groupthink, maybe you'd be happier on the O'Reilly blog.
Scott McClellan is a hero.
I guess if your wife has lots of money, you really don't need your self-respect. This polecat has bent over for anyone willing to bribe him with money or power and has a morality befitting a den of jackels. I believe that back when he and bush hugged and kissed for the photo, they made a deal, if john would support them for the war and other plans, that they would make him potus. Mccain has sure as hell got down on his knees since then, and I don't think it was to pray. He has had his lips firmly locked on georges ass on every issue. As for the white houses part of the deal, they are doing their best to pull it off." Gee george, those push- pull phone calls you guys did in NH was a dirty trick". "I know john, but winning by any means is fair, I'll tell you what, how about this...?" Oh wait that would be a " conspiracy theory"---CEO
Obly @ 18:
Umm, since when did offering the slightest bit of critical commentary become trolling? How interesting would these threads be if 100% of the comments were vacuous bobble-headed agreement with the OP?
Seriously dude, if you really can't handle the slightest poke to your groupthink, maybe you'd be happier on the O'Reilly blog.
Since the moment something advantageous to the Left comes along and you post your hand-wringing Piglet comments about how we all ought to just take a chill pill and be careful not to push things too far. Screw that. It's all we can do to keep the story in the press at all (see MargeAggedon's comments above), and it's about time we stopped pretending timidity is actually taking the high road.
Don't like a political fistfight? You might want to turn off the TV till December. Don't like critique? Put on your asbestos undies before posting, and don't come whining to me.
Remember only 3-5 million people watch the cable news 24 hour comedy programs so they can loop the reverend all they want. 99% of Americans get their news elsewhere.
McClellan comes out of the retard closet and today they announce on drudge that the war on terror is mission accomplished. Apparently Al Qaeda is "almost beaten". Anyone believe that?
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Tommorrow the WH plans to announce that NASA has found the gold at the end of the rainbow but if you don't elect McSame, they'll have to put it back.
Bruce @ 19:
Scott McClellan is a vindictive little opportunist. A hero would quit sooner, or turned State's evidence during Fitzgerald's investigations. No, I can just see little Scotty twisting with fury for being denied the Wingnut Welfare he likely demanded after leaving his post, and deciding a good tell-all would serve as vengeance...
the THING is that McClelland is doing something about it... NOW.
He got his book out BEFORE the next election... and in time for a national discussion to take place before more of these INSANE Republicans continue in their power positions.
He knows he will be castigated by the right wing talk machine. He seems, now, to be acting out of conscience... not out of personal partisan positioning. I hope this book makes him a million dollars... because like one of the MSNBC talking heads said yesterday:
"He'll never work in THIS TOWN again."
Why are the McCain people so concerned about what a priest has said about Hillary when SNL did basically the same and everyone laughed about it? Is it only a horrible thing when an Obama supporter says something funny about Clinton?
Just questions
FED-UP in Texas @ 26:
When he turns his profits over to the families of soldiers killed and wounded in Iraq, that's when I'll call McClellan a hero. Til then he's just a shill selling a book to fit the national mood.
To me the issue is not whether you believe the lies or not, but how you frame your foreign policy. THIS is where a fundamental change in thinking is desperately needed. There wouldn't be a "need" for the lies if diplomacy rather than war was the first option for dealing with conflict.
The cycle is repeating itself with Iran. Whether or not they have nuclear ambitions, a military strike should not be the first option. Fabricating lies to justify one should be redundant. "Pre-emptive strike" is just a euphemism for "unprovoked attack".
Obly @ 18:
Clearly you don't understand. This person represents teh 'New Democrat'; kinda like a Republican but still can't win elections. Just keep in mind that no criticism of The Precious is allowed and that the first thing you need to do is STFU! and you will be welcomed with open arms.
Point out that Senator Barkey has a few problems with syntax, history and his positions on the few issues he has a postion on and....
You will be asked to leave, 'For the good of the Party....'
Lenin had nothing on these Kool-Aid drinking losers.
Albatross @ 25:
I have to agree. If he knew all these things at the time and was so 'bothered' by them why didn't he quit and at least make a statement to the relevant agencies??
Because he didn't want to.
He's not upset that his owners at shrub co. used him as part of their propaganda machine. He's upset that he wasn't better rewarded for his contribution.
He's as much a hero as any spineless political hack with a personal axe to grind.
YourMom @ 29:
The real problem is corporatism and the need for the rule of law. War is profitable. War profiteering is a Bush family tradition since Prescott Bush helped out the Nazi's during WWII. When Senator Leahy suggested that war profiteers be prosecuted, Senate President and Halliburton boardmember Dick Cheney told him "go fuck yourself." And war used to require a Congressional declaration, now it requires merely the thinnest loophole (vis declaring the Iranian Republican Guard "terrorists" in order to rationalize an attack).
As a populace, we need to insist upon the Rule of Law and call for the enforcement the Constitutional powers of all three branches. If We The People don't stand up and shout for this from our representatives, we will not be able to staunch the corporatist erosion of the rule of law in America.
Our current foreign policy is not driven by a philosophical emphasis on war over diplomacy - you're mistaking cause and effect. Our national policies have been overwhelmed by corporate profit motives, and we're rationalizing our national policies to serve the bottom lines of the military-industrial establishment about which Eisenhower tried to warn us.
In first year law school, one of the first questions I was asked was "can a prostitute be raped?" Scotty is a professional liar with very questionable credibility, but the right wing and the MSM won't dare call him a liar, they won't question his truthfulness, they only try to destroy his reputation. I would believe Scotty the liar over those two groups any day.
Sitting his reasons for writing the book aside for a moment, what he says in his book is what all of us have wanted someone to say for a long time. He has given us the inside story regarding what was going on. We all knew it, or thought we did, but now he has confirmed it. Will he get rich from the book? I really don't know or care. Could he alone, coming out of the press secretary's office and talking, have stopped the war? I doubt it. The people who don't believe him now sure wouldn't have believed him then.
So rather than bicker over his intentions, let's focus on what he said and how it can be applied. Hopefully Americans will be more dubious about claims from the white house in the future, especially when it comes to matters as serious as the invasion of another country.
This book puts a burden on McCain and to a lesser extent on Hillary. McCain's only claim to fame is his knowledge regarding defense. Fine, but how do you separate yourself and your support from an ongoing war that we now know was sold on insincere reasoning? The catch 22 of all this will be interesting to watch.
mmmm, he's already off the front page of most MSM websites.
that was quick. consiering they put the rev right bait out there for a month.
For all the critics of Scott McClellan, put yourself in his shoes. Would you have done what he did? He knew what was in store for him, that the administration and their journalist friends would chew him up and spit him out. But he apparently thought what he knew needed to be brought to light. He had been a loyal Bushie for years and what he saw going on was too much for him to ignore and keep to himself. Granted the book came at an opportune time but his publishers I am sure had a lot to do with that. Would you, as an insider seeing all the criminal activities taking place, kept your mouth shut forever or spoken up sooner? McClellan admits he believed Bush intended to make changes in Washington, be more bi-partisan and clean up the White House but too late discovered this not to be true. Don't be so hasty to condemn McClellan until you can truthfully say what you would have done in his shoes.
i don't think scott is a vindictive.
i am actually thinking he was duped by the people around him.
they kept him around to use him and because scott was a better person
who made those crooks feel better about themselves.
much like a mobsters wife who doesn't know what her husband does, or serial killers wife.
liberAL @ 36:
I'm a small businessman, and one of my important early clients was a company that made medical wiring. Then one day they announced that they had won a bid to work on Landwarrior, and Army effort to produce diagnostic radio-linked vests for soldiers. These vests would radio for help if the soldier were incapacitated, and could even constrict to tourniquet an injured arm.
"Okay," I thought, "I'm not happy about defense contracting, but business is business and this device helps save lives, that's cool."
A couple of years later one of the engineers came to me and held up a widget. "You know what this is?" he asked. I shook my head. "We won another contract last month, it's part of a trigger mechanism for land mines."
I haven't worked an hour for that business since that time. The owners are friends of mine, and I explained to them my problems with their business, and told them while I empathize with their desire to be successful I could not in good conscience facilitate the construction of land mines. We're still friends, but I won't work for them.
This was in 2003, and I and my family suffered for this decision in lost income and lost future opportunities.
That's not heroism, that's called living one's values.
Patricia is right, it's a waste of time to explore Scott McClellan's motives. But I find it galling that a man be called a hero for doing LESS THAN THE MINIMUM required to be a good person.
He should have quit. He should have provided evidence for the Plame investigation. He didn't, fine. Now he has the chance to do the right thing again: rather than exploit his privileged position for personal profit, he should turn the profits from his book over to the families of the soldiers killed and injured by the lies he told on behalf of the administration.
It's not too late. He can still do it. But he hasn't.
So is he a hero?
How does one get this played over and over so the right wingers have to see and hear it several times a day for weeks on end.....?
Albatross @ 22:
So, is this like your thing? You go to random blogs searching for posts that give you an excuse to pick a fight and whip out your flame-tested namecalling and cutesy metaphors? Are you trying to prove to the girl who dumped you that you really are witty or something?
Dude, you personally, calm down. Seriously. Calling someone a troll who is making a legitimate observation does not qualify as astute political critique on your part, so get over yourself.
I'm a true-blue liberal, and I stand by my point. Many, many Dems bought into the propaganda (or at least didn't openly speak out against it) and voted for the war. Regardless of their rationale or the political environment at the time, they're complicit in what has happened since. You're going to see many Lieberman-esque newspaper columns pointing that out.
Since Obama's main focus right now needs to be uniting the party, he needs to be careful about how many and whose toes he steps on. The public is already against the war. There's more than enough other stuff to hit McCain over the head with. Obama should be measured in his response. That's what I'm saying.
Does anyone else think that this man is an oppertunist who wrote this books for publicity and money and not really much else? I mean I'm sure it has lots of juicy details on how terribly flawed an individual this man is whom we've had in office for the last eight years, but the man's a blatant oppertunist.
Here is a little challenge for those out there full of criticism and possessing organizational skills...instead of beating up on Obama or Hillary...let's get us a DEMOCRATIC president and Congress and provide them with a MEDIA that actually responds to issues, investigates the facts and information, presents it in meaningful formats (without celebrity sensationalism), and, FOR GOD'S SAKE is has enough knowledge themselves to use the resources available to them when interviewing people in our government...like, for in stance, when the "talking points" from either side are being spewed...meet them with insightful and intelligent questions and follow-ups that are unbiased and helpful!!!! Let's begin the REVOLUTION with a dumping of the overpaid fools and pundits on TV and radio and print and begin to pay attention to and support those (like Knight Ridder/PBS/C-SPAN/NPR etc)...take your money and run from the major networks and cable outlets...NOW that would be something!!
I have just seen this:
"The story took a markedly political turn yesterday. In a sign of the former aide's political transformation, he told interviewers that he is "intrigued" by Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy. ABC World News noted McClellan is "even considering voting for a Democrat." McClellan: "I'm intrigued by Senator Obama's message," but "I haven't made any decision." The statement was repeated almost verbatim in other interviews."
-Source: US News.com
The President Has Kept Us Safe
--Thane Rosenbaum
With President Bush-bashing still a national pastime, it's notable how much international terrorism has been forgotten, and how little credit the president has received for keeping Americans safe.
This is a difficult issue for me. I didn't vote for President Bush – twice. And as a human-rights law professor, the events at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, along with various elements of the Patriot Act and the National Security Agency's wiretapping of Americans, are all greatly troubling to me. Yet I live in Manhattan and I was present on Sept. 11, 2001 – admittedly 100 blocks from the murder scene, but I was here, trembling along with the rest of America. Remember those days?...
Americans, admittedly, have short time horizons and, perhaps, even shorter attention spans. Our collective memory has historically been poor. But had there been another terrorist attack or, even worse, a dozen more in cities all over America – a fear that would not have been exaggerated on 9/12 – would we have allowed ourselves the luxury of quarreling over legally suspect counterterrorism measures, even though such internal debates are credits to our liberal democracy and constitutional freedoms?
Terrorism is now largely off the table in the minds of most Americans.
But in gearing up to elect a new president, we are left to wonder how, in spite of numerous failed policies and poor judgement, President Bush's greatest achievement was denied to him by people who ungratefully availed themselves of the protection that his administration provided.
----------------------------------------------------
This is the narrative that will dominate the national debate this coming fall, not Scottie's book, which is hardly revelatory nor an indictment of McCain's judgment even using the most vivid of imaginations.
Obama continues to lose the judgment argument on a daily basis. The Rev. Michael Pfleger just pushed whatever higher ground Obama was seeking to capture on Scottie's 'Book of Revelations' off the front pages. It was Yesterday's News yesterday.
McClellan helps put all of this on the front page, right where McCain doesn’t want it.
And THAT my friends, is why the reichwingers are REALLY pissed off at Simple Scotty.
To Albatross at 38. You have more integrity than Scot. But let's just suppose for a minute that you had known the company was making some sort of trigger but you didn't know what is was used for at the time. Then let's say a year later you discovered they were triggers for landmines. Would you feel guilty as hell for being involved in such a project? I think from what you have said, you probably would. I think since Scot left the white house and looked back, he realized the enormity of what this administration has done and his conscience got to him.
Obly @ 40:
Personally I believe that any Congressperson who wasn't bright enough to see through the Administration's BS at the time doesn't deserve to be in office. However that's water under the bridge since we're no way going to turn over the seats of every idiot who supported Bush's Oedipal Invasion.
Obama WILL be measured in his response because that's the way the man rolls, and good for him.
Anyway, party unity will do us no good at all if a 2004-style excess of timidity costs us the election.
Robt @ 39:
Hmmm... Make him a Democrat and black?
dennis @ 44:
And that's why Scot will be on Meet the Press Sunday? Because his book is yesterdays news?
When people are dealing with dire financial problems, they could give a damn about a minister's comedy skit.
What do you call a person who is willing to take away the rights of others in order to keep themselves safe?
Actually this election is shaping up to be the beginning of mass revolt against the MSM as much as anything.
Till then we have books to sell, places to go, people to see.
Media Matters has an http://mediamatters.org/?src=newsbox-www.crooksandliars.com comment on this and more.
princess @ 44:
The fact that princess is obtuse enough to even bring up Pfleger as some sort of issue only proves what a useless American and ignorant voter she really is. You really are part of the 28%, faux, kool-aide drinking idiots. Once again, you never fail to amuse, princess. You "people" should just stick to middle names and flag pins....at least you would only look partially retarded. What's the next fake outrage issue....Obama has a cousin, who knew a guy, that went to school with another guy who once said a racist remark? lol. You "people" reek of desperation.
I quoted Franklin it in my last post, it's worth repeating.
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”
Ben Franklin
I really would like to believe the Democrats are going to make a difference but I think we will find out largely they won't. The fiscal ball of doom rolling down hill now has gotten too big and has picked up too much momentum.
We may see another terrible leader come to power in the world in coming years, when Nixon took us off the gold standard in 71 turning our money into a currency, he pretty much sealed our fate. For over 30 years now we have just sat back and waited for the moment of crisis that is now upon us.
MargeAggedon @ 31:
I don't know. Scotty had been drinking the kool-aid for many years before being put in charge of handling the press, a job he was woefully inadequate to handle (much like many bush cronies). It's hard, in the heat of the moment, to realize your heroes are really manipulative scumbags. Maybe, just maybe, he was out of his league and really was used by the evildoers (bushco). I don't know. Call me naive, but maybe the truth finally caught up with poor Scotty's ability to comprehend it. And now he's genuinely pissed and wants to clear his name.
Or then again, maybe the gravy train had run out and he saw the cash registers receipts in the prevailing wind. Is it bad that I always felt a little sorry for the little weasel when he was stumbling over his words during a press conference? I always saw the guy as a patsy, working way out of his abilities.
princess @ 44:
Princess, we all know you really are one stupid mf'er, but citing an opinion piece from a reich-wing newspaper just makes you look brain dead, princess. Seriously, it's like you have completely given up, princess, on your trolling duties, princess.
McBush has been wrong on Iraq and has been wrong on every foreign policy. The myopic Americans that support McBush support him for only one reason: They Hate America.
From Milbank at WaPo: "McClellan's former White House colleagues had built and trained the former press secretary to parrot their talking points, monotonously if not mindlessly, no matter what argument or fact stood in the way. Saddam Hussein was a grave threat. The war in Iraq was going well. Scooter Libby and Karl Rove didn't leak Valerie Plame's identity.
But now the McClellan monster is back -- and he's got a new set of talking points that attack the very people he was trained to defend. He's a bit thinner around the middle, and the sideburns are comically longer, but McClellan's famous fealty to his message is as stubborn as ever. "
It's too delicious. They trained the Scotty monster in how to "stay on topic" and "sprinkle talking points" in every media interview and now the Scotty monster is using their game plan, but on the other side of the field.
msm is completely out of credibility. when the whitehouse mouthpiece tells you that everyone in the executive branch was lying and the press did it's part to help, there is no redemption.
the good part is them being undone by one of there own.
the bad part is that this is the continuation of boiling america like a frog.
Albatross @ 25:
Scott is just a man who started to wake up to some cold realities he didn't want to believe were true. That is not always an easy shift to make, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.
princess @ 44:
From the first sentence you know this writer is a joke. boosh-bashing is an oh-so clever plagiarization of the term gay-bashing those on the far-right use. Bashing would be directionless, maybe even threatening. Policy differences are not bashing. And with a current approval rate of 28% we could consider that as something of a referendum on him, even a vote of no confidence if we we're a parliamentary system.
We have been safe from terrorism, but saying that was due to any specific policy is specious reasoning. Additionally, we have been attacked since 9-11 with the anthrax scare. That seems to be an attempt at the justification of illegal spying on American citizens, data-base sweeps, telecommunications buggery, and NSL's, as well as the crimes of Abu Ghraib and Guantonomo Bay.
Who the hell names their kid Thane? That's not a name but a title for a noble warrior chief in ancient Celticdom.
Bruce @ 19:
Hardly. He's still a reich-wing scumbag/bushie. Just because he decides to tell the truth after a lifetime of lying and deception does not qualify him as a "hero". He may have gained a partial conscious, but he's still a lying reich-wing POS bushie.
Bush in Orange - McClellan in Blue...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&add...
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 55:
Tsk, tsk Dr. M. Can't resist the urge to tease the livestock eh? Especially now when bleating and following the lead ram toward the abyss is all they have left......
On defeated acts of terrorism are they including those foiled by our allies,
Or blinking toys on bridges
Or low intelligence people being coerced by undercover agents
Or dirty bombs that turned out not to exist
Or plots from prisoners who would say anything to stop the torture, and when nothing happans, because there was no plot, take credit for foiling it?
I prefer to foil a baked potato.
I prefer to foil a baked potato when I'm baking it in the oven
Not the microwave.
ysbaddaden @ 60:
One minor correction. The anthrax "scare" was more than a scare. It was a frank and deliberate terrorist attack resulting in the death of more Americans and infection of many others. Much like those responsible for 9/11, herr dubyah has not caught those responsible for both attacks. Yeah, talk about "keeping us safe".
pissed off patricia @ 49:
Just what are the revelations, patricia? I look forward to Russert's interview of him. He looked liked a weak little weasel last night on Countdown, both of them stammering and stuttering the whole time, but none so much as when KO asked him if he planned to appear before Congress if asked to do so. You'd think if his intentions were so noble that he'd jump at the opportunity. And if reports that he will be interviewed on Fox News along with Karl Rove, well I'd pay money to see that.
When people are dealing with dire financial problems, they could also not give a damn about a weasel former press secretary trying to pad his personal financial situation.
Yellow Elephant Safari @ 63:
I can get a free pass for teasing a retarded goat on a Friday morning during a short work week.....can't I? :)
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 56:
I don't think they hate America. I think they HATE Democrats.
Simply because we were right, and they were wrong. And they hate being wrong. They hate being wrong so much that they will continue to let their country go down the shithole. Just to say we were wrong.
When it's obvious that we were right.
[There FIFY, Site Monitor]
VegasRage @ 59:
Never, ever, give anyone from this administration the benefit of a doubt.
princess @ 67:
princess @ 67:
Want the real John McCain? Check out these babies and link to them every chance you get. Part of the Find John McCain Blog effort.Please join us.
1--John McCain Votes to Filibuster Minimum Wage Hike
AOL News is highly ranked on John McCain, and the minimum wage increase was incredibly popular.
2--McCain housing policy shaped by lobbyist
This article emphasizes how corporate special interests have formed McCain’s economic policy. If it becomes the top ranked MSNBC article, it will appear in the top ten searches for McCain nationwide.
3--Bush, McCain plug Social Security
Seniors are going to be the key swing vote in this election, and they hate Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security. This is the best polling message against McCain of all, which isn’t surprising since our victory on Social Security is how began to turn the tide against Republicans and conservatives three years ago. The headline alone ties McCain to Bush, and this article already ranks very high on searches for McCain Social Security.
4--McCain blasts Obama’s and Clinton’s attacks on NAFTA
This is a great article because it not only ties McCain to NAFTA, which is quite unpopular, but it also draws a contrast between McCain and Democrats on the issue. The LA Times is also in the top twenty searches for John McCain.
5--McCain in NH: Would Be "Fine" To Keep Troops in Iraq for "A Hundred Years"
McCain’s "100 years" statement ha damaged him already, and this article has already been significantly optimized on Google. While Mother Jones is not an ideal news source, it is the top article for this quote, and appears in the top thirty searches for John McCain already.
6--McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion
This is my personal favorite. The headline just makes McCain look like an asshole, and ties him to Bush. Who is opposed to health insurance for kids? CNN also is in the top ten searches for McCain and John McCain A lot of people will see this one.
7--Senate passes expanded GI bill despite Bush, McCain opposition
While I am not thrilled about using Salon, since it isn’t as well known, and since there is an advertising wall that hides the story, the title is damaging enough. McCain’s opposition to the GI Bill really hurts him, and tying him to Bush is just as bad. This title does both in a clear, straightforward manner.
8--McCain says overturn the law that legalized abortion
Pretty straightforward, and extremely important. More than half of all women voters think that McCain is pro-choice. This will quickly change their minds.
9--McCain Defends Bush's Iraq Strategy
The classic McCain SEO, that still appears in top thirty searches for McCain and John McCain. It is also proof positive that this campaign will work, because it appears as the second CBS news article, but still on the front page in Google searches just below the CBS election center information on John McCain. That is all we need to do to get it on the front page of searches about McCain--optimize it against other CBS articles. Also, even though this SEO campaign was abandoned fifteen months ago, it still ranks in the top forty in McCain searches. If a fifteen month old campaign is still that effective, imagine what we can do with enough participation in this campaign.
Even if people searching for information on McCain don’t click through to read each of these articles, the titles alone collectively paint a pretty terrifying picture of McCain. Further, their wide subject range will create a trickle down effect for all kinds of searches on McCain. When people look for specific information on McCain’s issue positions, these articles will appear in the top ten for many, if not most, of those searches.
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 72:
corrected:
Princess resorts to the 3rd reich-wing talking point. 3) He did it for the money.
Yet, princess has no problem believing anything that vannity, kkkarl rove, or o'racist has to say because we all know they work for free.
At least princess is consistent with his reich-wing hero o'racist. Look at the angry in her post. She's seething with rage from the revealing facts of Scotty. lol. Only a reich-wing could get angry over facts. Jebus, you "people" are morans [sic].
princess @ 67:
Since when does the reich-wing care about "people are dealing with dire financial problems"? You are the losers that think America cares about former pastors, middle names, and flag pins. You just proved that you "think" Americans are stupid. Scotty has proved factual evidence that herr dubyah manipulated this country into war which is the major reason why " people are dealing with dire financial problems", record high gas prices, and a record low dollar. And yet, you reich-wing dolts want to ignore these facts and focus on former pastors. Your utter contempt for Americans is so revealing.
mclellan a hero? surely you jest.
mclellan was the look-out for rapists. making sure the coast is clear, and distracting any potential interruptions that could stop the rape. only, years later, to come out and finger the rapists he was protecting. for money.
sure, i semi-commend him for--finally--waking the fuck up, but his reputation is in tatters, the way it should be.
It looks like America DOES care about what Scotty has to say:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/ref=sv_b_3
Jabookindoggins @ 69:
They only hate (dislike, actually) Democrats who want to see America go down the shit hole so they can attempt to prove they were right, Jabookin.
McCain took a strategic risk regarding his hawkish pro-Iraq policy. As to what he truly thinks, the jury is still out.
The analogy I like to make is that of Iraq to the American South immediately prior to the Civil War. The peace was maintained so long as troops were present. After the election was stolen from the Democrats in the 1876 election (some things apparently never change), troops were withdrawn and the problems compounded upon themselves.
But the exact means by which our leaving is a matter of conjecture rather than established fact.
princess @ 77:
Except for the fact that America has gone "down the shit hole" over the last 8 years exclusively due to reich-wing policies and approved by the 28%ers. American know who's right. The 2006 elections proved that.
Albatross @ 38:
I agree. But he's not a hero.
As others have pointed out, there may be no more career for him. He may have trouble finding jobs on freight docks, even if he knows spanglish.
Let him keep his money, if others see a profit motive in turning over evidence to the public domain, then maybe these crooks will sell each other out faster.
82 Weaseldog
I agree it's a little presumptive to call McClelland a hero yet, considering that this book may hurt his future political ambitions, and concidering the what happened to Margie Schoedinger and Deborah Jeane Palfrey this might require some bravery.
And he had to expect how booshco would fight back against his charges.
That's the difference between Obama and McCain in a nutshell. McCain is a koolaid drinker who gets his ideas from lobbyists and the Heritage Foundation.
Obama actually thinks for himself. He may not be perfect, but who is?
If you listen to both candidates, McCain recites the same talking points over and over, as if he were afraid to go off the script.
Obama has a few talking points, but he will also give thoughtful answers to people's questions. This can be costly when the opposition is nitpicking your comments looking for something to exploit, but at least he comes across as an honest person who means what he says.
From his predictions of a short war and claims U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators to his announcements of mission accomplished and his ongoing confusion over friend and foe in Iraq, McCain's is a record of unbroken error.
For the details, see:
"Is McCain 'Sick at Heart' Over His Own Iraq Mistakes?."
One of the main reasons McClellan wrote this book is that the neocon machine (those at the top with the power and influence) didn't take care of him.
There's a message there that has been clear to me forever - and that includes any power that has followers.
You have to be very much at the top to actually be pretty much secure. If they didn't take care of McClellan then why do the neocon masses think they'll get a piece of the pie???
The neocon masters are laughing at the neocon masses. And they still drink the kool-aid and militarily pass it around.
McClellan would have secured hero status if he had gone to Conyers el al first and testified. With evidence, not opinion. Still, I would like to encourage more loyal bushies to join the Koolaid Drinkers Recovery group.
The WH machine is sure hellbent on discrediting him and/or disowning him. I'm trying to figure out why they are screaming so loud and in concert. If it's a nonstory, why are they paying attention? Are they sending a warning to others who would jump ship now?
Also, their protestions don't add up. "He wasn't in the loop" doesn't jive with "how can advisers advise Bush if these books are published?" What are you worried about if Scotty wasn't in the loop?
I think they are most concerned with protecting the Propaganda Machine. The Message Force Multipliers story is dying a quick death and Scotty's going to be buried soon under the ongoing polygamy story.
CafeenMan,
FWIW, I totally agree with you. the koolaid drinker I know personally clings to his Fox Talking Points as a way to belong to power. it's like a gang. Next time he starts up I am going to ask him how he benefits from belonging to this twisted gang.
You're right, Scotty was probably abandoned...
"McCain's judgment"? Shouldn't that be "the McCain-owning lobbyists' judgment"? I don't think ol' Wet Start makes any decisions on his own.
dosido @ 88:
Carole Keeton Strayhorn probably had a hand in this. she has political ambitions for him and knows that it is in his interests to distance himself from the Bush administration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al2LXNReVeM
Dennis @ 79: They only hate (dislike, actually) Democrats who want to see America go down the shit hole so they can attempt to prove they were right, Jabookin.
Your arguments (a term I use loosely) used to be stronger, ol' Dennis.
Democrats WANT to see America go down the shithole? Are you joking? Busholini and his cabal are the ones who've done that in short order, pally.
Jebus H Christ on a crutch.
Dr. Acula @ 91:
Doncha know, the Republicans think that Bill Clinton has been in charge the last 7+ years. Bush's hands have been tied by Bill Clinton. He's a prisoner of the past adminsitration and he can't get anything done.
To Dancer; No, it will not be good to have an entirely one party government. We need to elect good people and that starts with voting out EVERYONE currently in office. Let's start over and show the Congress that we are watching and have the expectations you enumerate. Party affiliations can bring about the excesses and disregard for our constitution that is now occurring.
gussmith @ 93:
The USSR had a one party government.
this isnt fair to mccrazyoldman...you could juxtapose clintona and half a dozen other dem senators in these clips too
we were sold a bill of goods, and they all must be held accountable
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 76:
Even Sen. Nancy "off the table" Pelosi finally admits the Iraq war was a lie, before during and after the fact,
sooooooooo why isnt she upholding her oath of office, and why is she putting (not relevant to her legally binding oath) party politics before the country.
Then you have that pathetic and treasonous appeaser logic of not upsetting the pretend statquo relations between Congress and the Whitehouse !!!!!
Its time to unleash the poodles of congress and impeach Bush and Cheney.
Party politics does not exist in the Constitution, its a imposed artificial affair, real only to working day to day politics and cleric stuff.
The Articles and the Amendments are the meat and bones of US law, every elected office holder has the prime duty to uphold this or be recalled or impeached.
We finally have proof and a person in the form of Scott McClellan that describes the illegal actions and deeds of Bush Cheney and other top politicians
and various staffers, just needs McClellan to be dragged before an investigatory Congressional committee to swear on oath what he has said via his book.
Theres more than enough smoke to impeach Buish and Cheney and hold them under arrest before the trial proper.
Nancy admitted this Wednesday, two days ago.
So says Nancy
ferrofluid (Obama 08) @ 97:
You mean, the hamsters of congress, right?
Weaseldog @ 100:
anything with sharp teeth would do.
...and now Bob Dole can't but help send Scott a scathing rebuke
Dole to McClellan: You're a 'miserable creature'
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
Message to Bob, wrong is wrong, you can twist perceptions but reality still won't budge, maybe if people like you spent more time doing what was right vs. towing the party line Bush wouldn't gotten away with all the crap he has. The Republican has a lot to answer for.
Albatross @ 71:
Even when honesty knocks at your door? That is a little cynical IMO
VegasRage @ 102:
I have to disagree. It's not cynicism when the behavior you're expecting is SOP.
It's a lot like Lucy VanPelt and her football at this point. If you think you're ever honestly going to kick that ball... you're probably kidding yourself. It is possible that he's had an awakening but highly unlikely.
It is 100% likely that he is a weasel. ;)
if everyone would just keep calling him
JOHN "THE BUSH REPUBLICAN" MCCAIN
his handlers would go off their nut trying to part the man from the party...
IT IS THEIR WORST nightmare.... short of finding him in a stall with craig
ferrofluid (Obama 08) Says: Weaseldog @ 100:
ferrofluid (Obama 08) @ 97:
Its time to unleash the poodles of congress and impeach Bush and Cheney.
You mean, the hamsters of congress, right?
anything with sharp teeth would do.
I prefer the term "fuckweasels".
That shit has to run every hour, on the hour on every fucking station in the country. Pound home the fact that Jonny McShitforbrains was and still is a key architect of this war for profit. Force the repugs to vote for a man that sells out his troops and his country for war profiteers.
Fuck John McCain!
What McClellan’s revelations tells us about McCain’s judgment
We already know
With his wife being a beer baroness
His judgement is woozy.
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 81:
No, It's a seething vile hatred. It is not a "dislike". far from it.
I'll tell you what dennis, go to a repug site (anyone will do) and portray yourself as a Dem. And see what happens.
But when you meet them on the street, they won't even look you in the eye.
Democrats in general really don't care what you look like, or who you are. But We DO care about our country.
And it is crystal clear that the GOP has screwed up in so many ways, it's hard to keep track.
Oh, and dennis. Your comment about Dems letting this country go down the shithole. That's ludicrous and you no it. It must hurt when you bang your head against the wall THAT MUCH!
And Dems don't have to prove themselves right. The GOP has tripped themselves up so much and proven that they were , are, and will be wrong on just about everything they touch. No, The GOP doesn't need any help from us. They're doing fine all by themselves.What gets me is, who in their right mind would still find these twits competent?
Hopefully, the dems will revive Our Country in Strength, Ideals and Destiny
But politicians are all whores of corporate interests now.
101 ferrofluid (Obama 08) Says: Weaseldog @ 100:
ferrofluid (Obama 08) @ 97:
Its time to unleash the poodles of congress and impeach Bush and Cheney.
You mean, the hamsters of congress, right?
anything with sharp teeth would do.
_____________________________________________________________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFMqV2FfPNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FmN-pB8ikQ
Look, John McCain wrapped himself in Bush's war and now it becomes une peau de chagrin for him, wrapping itself ever more tightly around his neck until he can't breathe. He will lose this race because he cannot move away from Bush no matter how fast he runs. His opponent will run faster and will make the point at every turn that McCain has no judgment of his own, no freedom of his own. Whatever vote McCain ever took on anything that echoes Bush is going to come back at him.
Obama may not be the best candidate the Democrats can field but he is certainly one of the best campaigners they have and the Republicans are going to be very, very sorry if they underestimate him. He is intelligent and articulate and he voted against the war, against the lies, against Halliburton's exorbitant war profiteering and against a terrorist presence in Iraq that endangers other countries and wasn't there before Bush decided to wage an Oedipal war. That's what this is. This is a war to convince Mommy that Georgie is more of a man than his father.
McCain has bought into it. He will sink below the surface with Bush as a millstone around his neck.
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