As My Leaders Step Up, I Will Step Back

It is incomprehensible to me that the media continues to give a pass to the Bush administration on leadership issues. In the face of bad/worse/worsest polling on job approval, disappearing during a war, yadda yadda (insert Presidential Leadership Bitch here, there are just too many to name), the media still wants to parrot what it's fed by it's paymasters in the White House that Bush, overworked and not overwhelmed, returned from vacation before his vacation really got to start, what with all the seriousness that required his attention.

I call BULLSHIT. As Bush himself is fond of saying in speeches about Iraq that are supposed to calm the fears of average Americans who are now (unhappily for the administration) paying more attention to what's going on: As my leaders stand up, I will step back. This administration has FAILED the American people on many fronts, the latest being the failure of leadership on the floods in New Orleans and the storm preparedness/deconstructing of FEMA, because...why? Politics. Fuck you defenders on the right who are too chickenshit to call BULLSHIT on the policies of this administration. Even those of you who really don't agree with him, you're hurting this country by not calling BULLSHIT.

The fact is, he was ABSENT with this storm. He is absent with eveything that matters in this country. He will forever want someone else to clean up the dirty stuff, he can't get his hands dirty. And because he was absent, this country is in a world of shit in many ways, but especially economically. He should have been all over this much earlier.

We have another crisis looming in the not-too-distant future: bird flu. We are woefully unprepared for the coming global economic impact, not to mention the abject fear of the entire planet of what this virus will mean when it breaks out human to human. And it will find a way to break out human to human, you just know it will. And again, Bush will be fucking absent, while more people die, just like right now. He has every opportunity to lead, and keeps blowing it. When the hell will the media wake the fuck up? You're allowed to say he's absent. You're allowed to show the real story of his lack of leadership. Otherwise, more people are going to die, with his help and your acquiescence.

Those Pesky Venezuelans

Who do they think they are?

"The CITGO CEO further indicated that this donation had the full support of the company’s parent organization, Venezuelan state oil corporation Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), as well as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez."

Sheesh. Donating money to hurricane victims. Goddam pinkos.

Heh. I wonder:

a: How much has Pat Robertson donated?

b: How much American oil companies have donated?

Original Title Changed To Reflect Civil Discourse

The original title of this post was "Scum-Sucking Jizzbag". I thought that best described the information contained in this post about the recent history of the levees in Louisiana, and the role Your President and His People had in where we are today. For instance:

"Over the next 10 years, the Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with carrying out SELA, spent $430 million on shoring up levees and building pumping stations, with $50 million in local aid. But at least $250 million in crucial projects remained, even as hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin increased dramatically and the levees surrounding New Orleans continued to subside."

To be fair, Congress has assisted in the deaths of these people in New Orleans today, as they helped kill the funding. Another key piece:

"But the cost of the Iraq war forced the Bush administration to order the New Orleans district office not to begin any new studies, and the 2005 budget no longer includes the needed money, he said.

The Senate was seeking to restore some of the SELA funding cuts for 2006. But now it's too late. One project that a contractor had been racing to finish this summer was a bridge and levee job right at the 17th Street Canal, site of the main breach. The levee failure appears to be causing a human tragedy of epic proportions"

It's never too early to be political, as you just know Karl Rove is working out talking points for RushHannity to put out there, blaming Clinton and the democrats. Fuck 'em. The Media would like everyone to believe our poor over-worked president is leaving vacation early because of the urgency of this matter. Reality Check: he's leaving a day or two early, and he's doing it to get away from Cindy Sheehan.

Link stolen shamelessly from Atrios.

Credit Where It's Due

It isn't often that we can give credit to the media. Today's credit is to CNN. First off, they are cancelling the appalling People In the News program and doubling up on documentary production. They will now produce 30 documentaries a year, up from 15. Now, let's just hope they're all of the "Dead Wrong" caliber.

Second, and more important. Last night, I was mesmerized watching Aaron Brown's Newsnight. Jeanne Meserve was not just reporting, she was reporting in the most humane way I've heard reporting in quite some time. Here is a post from TV Newser that has links to hear it. It must be heard, and not just read. Very powerful reporting, from someone who appears to know her stuff.

Donate

These folks are in the business of helping. Help them help New Orleans.

New Orleans

Be safe, New Orleans. We're all pulling for you.

Media Fantasy of the Week

So, we know that the Iraqi Constitution is tanked. Watching Martha Radditz on Washington Week made me just plain sad. Our soldiers are stuck there without end, it seems tonight.

I had this fantasy today that George Bush actually became presidential and came home from vacation because he took today's news as seriously as he took Terri Shiavo's feeding tube. Remember, he cut short that vacation, because a nation hung on....a personal family matter. That he admits he made a mistake about all of this, and instead of unending deployments propping up a government that won't exist after October, fighting insurgents that will only get stronger after today, and says he's going to start pulling troops immediately, working to have them home before Spring. WTF? Who put hallucinogens in my water supply? And how is it possible that we still have almost 4 more years of him? What a fucking tragedy this all is.

Fly-by Question

Bush nominated Peter Pace to be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff back on April 22, 2005. Richard Myers is still doing the briefings at the Pentagon. I can't seem to find how long a process it is to become Joint Chief Chairman, but it seems realllllly long. Myers looks like he just can't wait to stop doing this.

Bird Flu Part 4083445: The Economy

The hits just keep on comin'. The ways in which bird flu can destroy society are numerous, and now we have the economic concerns. This article demonstrates some of the ways this could decimate the global economy.

"A pandemic would likely start in Asia and spread around the world. Deaths could top more than 50 million. Billions of people would fall sick and billions more would be too afraid to go to work, according to health officials cited in the report.
As well, affected countries would likely force quarantines and close stock markets. Work absenteeism from deaths and illness would skyrocket, Coxe predicted.
Attendance of sporting events, theme parks and movies would drop, if not banned outright. Patronage of bars, restaurants and hotels would plummet, he said.
As more people stayed home, e-commerce might flourish, as long as postal and courier services were maintained."

The United States used to take the lead on many things. We have a clear opportunity to take the lead on this. What should happen? There are those in this country working on vaccines, which is hard considering this is a new flu. But beyond that, this government has an 'everyone for themselves' attitude. That kind of attitude during a crisis like a flu pandemic is deadly, on many levels. Darwin is coming back to life in the next several months, encouraged by the complete lack of leadership in Washington D.C. Time to invest in shotguns and canned goods. George? Bueller? Anyone?

Whatever We're Calling the Perpetual War....

...I would think that this story might get more than a mention on the CNN International News. Yanno, simultaneous bombs? 100 of them? Call me crazy, but that seems kind of important.

"DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) -- More than 100 homemade bombs planted by suspected Islamic militants exploded nearly simultaneously across Bangladesh on Wednesday, killing two people, including a young boy, and wounding at least 125."

But then, what do I know? I just consume news, I don't report it.

Spit-All-Over-Your-Monitor Funny

This post. From the king of captions.

FINALLY

...Someone is asking the question: Will there be permanent bases in Iraq? It seems that there just may be. Ron Brownstein:

"John E. Pike, a defense analyst at GlobalSecurity.org, points to another indication. Although the United States is systematically training Iraqis to fight the insurgents, he notes, the Pentagon has not taken key steps — like making plans for acquiring tanks or aircraft — to build an Iraqi military capable of defending the country against its neighbors.

To Pike that means that although the United States might reduce its troop level in Iraq, the fledgling nation, like Germany or South Korea, will require the sustained presence of a large American contingent, perhaps 50,000 soldiers. "We are building the base structure to facilitate exactly [that]," he says."

Funny, that. It seems so obvious reading it black and white. Why has no journalist who works the Pentagon beat asked about adding equipment for an established Iraq Military? You know, the thing we're supposed to be working on?

At least this article puts the topic out for real discussion, not just blog discussion. Next up, watching the White House press corps, seeing how long until they ask about permanent bases. Don't hold your breath....
Via Laura Rozen.

Darth McCain

Wolcott is right, as usual.

"It was also clear from the tone of McCain's remarks that he favors military action against Iran. It's difficult to think of any military action he wouldn't favor.

This man is too dangerous to let anywhere near the presidency. He's simply Dick Cheney with a better backstory."

There have been many people, mostly anti-Bush people, who have tried to downplay this side of McCain, citing the tactics used by Karl Rove in the South Carolina primary in the 2000 election, and how unfair they were to McCain. However, it's so way past time that Democrats get over their love affair with McCain. Anyone who pays attention beyond the pasted-on smile will see he doesn't actually say anything a democrat could love. It's all show, but then, it's always all about show. We'll see as time passes how much more perfected McCain's show has become.

Malkin/Coulter: Cunt vs. Cunt

I think Michelle Malkin is jealous of Ann Coulter. Little Michelle has been getting more face time with Falafel O'Reilly than Ann, and has made Cindy Sheehan her own personal punching bag (she'd like to believe it's socially acceptable to lead the charge of denigrating the grieving mother of a dead servicemember or make it unseemly that said mother would grieve in public, while at the same time not stepping up to the plate to go serve over in Iraq herself..if she has one thing going for her, she's gotta be 15-20 years younger than Coulter). However, Ann still reigns supreme in the eyes of the Right. I mean, hell...she's even been spread... I mean...has had a spread in Time magazine. Little Michelle has a long way to go to catch up to Ann's kool level. I have also discovered a web site that has rated the right wing freak show. Michelle currently is ahead of Ann. Hold on tight to that...uh...lead, Michelle. But let's be honest. Even though Ann Coulter is known in some circles (mainly my own) as Man Coulter, Little Michelle will never be as cute. Atrios has great photos of Michelle. Plus? If you click through Amazon far enough, you will be able to purchase the Ann Coulter action figure (which differs from the talking Ann Coulter doll, not life sized). This will be, unfortunately for the rest of polite society, a Battle of the Cable Network Cunts for some time in the future. So Michelle? Give up now, cuz you'll never amount to shit in the world of cunts.

Hardball and Katherine Harris

Or is that Katherine Harris's Hard Balls. Either way, catch tonight's issue of Hardball. Poor David Gregory is trying hard not to interrupt her, but she's treating his time as though it's a campaign commercial. Actually, she comes across as an over-the-hill cheerleader. And please. She really wants people to believe the MEDIA made her look bad before? Vs. the painfully obvious facelift of late. Whatever. I could not possibly care any less if she did have a facelift, but to blame her previous looks on the media? lol They have enough blame for the ills of the world, without adding her ego to the pile.

Your Tax Dollars At Work In Iraq

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss:

"BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 9 - Armed men entered Baghdad's municipal building during a blinding dust storm on Monday, deposed the city's mayor and installed a member of Iraq's most powerful Shiite militia.

The deposed mayor, Alaa al-Tamimi, who was not in his offices at the time, recounted the events in a telephone interview on Tuesday and called the move a municipal coup d'état. He added that he had gone into hiding for fear of his life.

"This is the new Iraq," said Mr. Tamimi, a secular engineer with no party affiliation. "They use force to achieve their goal.""

I'd like to know how many Bush voters are having buyer's remorse.

Testing 1...2...3...

Let's see if the media can pass this test: This is the link to Newsweek's story confirming that the U.S. had the chance to get bin Laden at Tora Bora and didn't.

"But in a forthcoming book, the CIA field commander for the agency's Jawbreaker team at Tora Bora, Gary Berntsen, says he and other U.S. commanders did know that bin Laden was among the hundreds of fleeing Qaeda and Taliban members. Berntsen says he had definitive intelligence that bin Laden was holed up at Tora Bora—intelligence operatives had tracked him—and could have been caught. "He was there," Berntsen tells NEWSWEEK. Asked to comment on Berntsen's remarks, National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones passed on 2004 statements from former CENTCOM commander Gen. Tommy Franks."

Remember how Bush said that Kerry was Monday-morning quarterbacking? Remember Tommy Franks saying that the story wasn't true? Well media...your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to report this story with the accompanying context to the election that was less than a year ago (can you believe it was less than a year ago? It feels like years since that election). Ticktock, we're waiting.

Are You Kidding Me???

I go away for a few hours and Novak (The Colostomy Bag of Liberty)goes APESHIT on the CNN set and walks off? Shit. Couldn't he wait until Friday's show? I missed it live. Call him back to do it again. Wait. Never mind. But damn. The entire blogosphere is on fire with this, even the right wing blogs. If you scroll down farther on C&L, you see that Novak got bitch-slapped by Arlen Specter too. Someone hand Novak a towel, he's leaking. Pity.

"Colostomy Bag of Liberty"

It has a ring, doesn't it? Go read Larry Johnson's take on the new title for Bob Novak. LOL Count me in.

Bush/Rumsfeld Has Lost O'Reilly

Wow, I'm kind of surprised. O'Reilly had on Col. Cowen and Col. Hunt (?). Both gave grim views on Iraq (it's about time Fox got some reality on the air). O'Reilly said he had no confidence in Rumsfeld, said he's not leveling with the American people, and actually used the word Vietnam. A weak moment for the falafel king. He'd better suck it up, because there's more bashing of the ACLU to be done, what with those other pictures of Abu Graib sitting out there.

Judy Does Journalism, Pt.2-The Prison

Via Wonkette, we learn that Judith Miller was to continue that fall-on-her-sword-oh-poor-Judy routine, and receive a Conscience of the Media award. Seriously, where's the barf bag. But wait! It seems not really:

"NEW YORK The board of The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) has voted unanimously to reverse an earlier decision to give its annual Conscience in Media award to jailed New York Times reporter Judith Miller, E&P has learned.

The group's First Amendment committee had narrowly voted to give Miller the prize for her dedication to protecting sources, but the full board has now voted to overturn that decision, based on its opinion that her entire career, and even her current actions in the Plame/CIA leak case, cast doubt on her credentials for this award."

Her ENTIRE CAREER? Wow! Put these people in the White House press corps, please!

Seriously, what needs to happen beyond this most laudable step in the trash heap that is Miller's career, is what happened at the end of Dangerous Liasons, or Cruel Intentions: everyone, including you, Gwen Ifill, just ignore her (/media fantasy). Don't give her any more attention. Make her say,instead of "I was proved fucking right", say "I was held fucking accountable." (/more media fantasy)

Where the Hell Is the Media?

This is disturbing. First of all, 14 soldiers were killed this morning, and so far, I haven't heard much of a peep out of the national media.
Even more disturbing is the bottom of this story, wherein we learn that the 7 soldiers killed Monday may have been killed by the last throes of a dying insurgency. Infiltrated by the insurgency.

"In both cases, it's feared the Marines were betrayed by insurgents who had infiltrated the Iraqi military. A recent Pentagon report warns that some Iraqi military and police recruits may be insurgent or terrorist infiltrators.

“We need their skills and abilities, so we have to accept some level of risk in having them in the new security forces,” said Jeffrey White, a Pentagon official."

At a time like this, it's difficult not to call our leaders some names, but ultimately, it doesn't matter. They don't much care. The media should be covering this. Call me crazy, but this seems like news. Oh wait, Katie can't be bothered with bad news, she has to talk about Brad and Jen. I'm going to hurl.

Special Election Results

Paul Hackett lost to Schmidt 52-48%. In spite of not winning the seat, he gave her and her party a helluva run for their money. Democrats need to look at all aspects of this race and learn from it for the midterms next year, because you can bet money that the GOP will do the same. What's so great is they had to spend time and treasure to beat a Democrat in a heavy GOP area. Job well done, Paul. Sleep late tomorrow, cuz Friday we need to get you ready for '06. Way to go!

Avian Flu and China, Redux

How many times will we hear some combination of the following?

"Dick Thompson, a spokesman for the World Health Organization in Geneva, said, "We would hope that these samples would be sent to a WHO international reference lab outside the country. This is standard for verification."

"To confirm that it is H5N1, it is important that these tests are done outside the country.""

Or this even more frightening story from China:

"According to the Qinghai Bulletin Board Service (BBS), the state of emergency imposed on the farming community and its surroundings in the Northwestern Qinghai City / Town of Yushu was lifted on the night of 28th July.

When natives living further from the area made a trip to the farming community, they discovered that it had "vanished" together with 3 of its surrounding villages. Only some ruins, blocks from collapsed walls, remained. Apparently, the farms and villages had been flattened and there were signs that they had been razed.

It is believed that some inhabitants from those 3 villages were workers in the farm. Around 200 people were estimated to have inhabited or worked in those 3 villages and the farm. There [sic] whereabouts are, as yet, unknown."

Limbaugh Loves Him Some Troops

Another Republican weighs in on how much respect he has for our troops. I am simply amazed, though I shouldn't be anymore, at how much they can get away with. I have to believe there are people in his audience who become disgusted and decide he's a jizzbag. I have to believe that little by little, trickle by trickle, people are waking up.

Without Comment

Over 1800. WTF?

Larry Johnson, Secret Agent Man

I watched Larry Johnson discussing the Plame outing on CSPAN last week. He's a very intelligent, very concrete person. I thought it admirable that he, a registered republican and former CIA secret agent man, did his own outing of having-it-both-ways John McCain on MSNBC's Hardball as being an apologist for an out of control administration. This post by Johnson delves even further into this issue. Give it a read.

How Can I Count the Ways.......

...that O'Reilly is disingenuous, etc. etc. yadda yadda. "Dick" Dick Morris was on just now, talking about the NY Post giving Hillary some breathing room on being pro-military. Now, we all know how the republicans are sucking at "supporting the troops." But this is not why I post all this. I would like someone, anyone, to explain to me why everyone is allowed to say they were changed by 9/11 EXCEPT DEMOCRATS. Pat Tillman was changed so much that he enlisted. He's not the only one who was affected like that. But we only get to know about those people who support Bush and sundry republican issues, but never Democrats. Someone, please explain the logic to me.