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We heard about this whole "blogosphere" business from Tom DeLay, and came to the immediate realization that we too, "needed to become involved" in it.

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Countdown Wednesday: Deadline Deadlock

Posted: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 8:02 PM by Countdown
Filed Under:

The War Over The War:  The one thing not being debated in the massive, $122 billion funding bill before the Senate, the one element both parties agree on, is giving the money to the president to ensure that U-S troops have the supplies and equipment and resources they need. And yet the president today at once warned the Congress that they must give him the money as soon as possible and in the same breath, promised to veto the very bill that would give him that funding. WATCH VIDEO

The Reality in Iraq: It's one of the most dangerous cities on earth, yet according to Senator John McCain, parts of Baghdad are safe enough to stroll through. Maybe he's the "anonymous blogger" President Bush is using to prove how the surge is working.
WATCH VIDEO

ODDBALL:  Urban indoor downhill skiing, reason #180 why Japanese television is better than ours, and a little swan-on-boat action for you. WATCH VIDEO

The US Attorney Scandal: A clear majority of Americans polled say they want White House aides to testify to congress under oath. So given this administration's response to public opinon about Iraq... we presume Karl Rove and Harriet Miers are totally off the hook. John Dean joins us. WATCH VIDEO

Hair Brain: He can't sing, he can barely dance, and his head looks utterly ridiculous. Yet Tom O'Neil predicts tonight that Sanjaya is not only going to survive on American Idol -- he's going to win.
 
WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: The President's nomination for Ambassador to Belgium is out of luck, Joe Liebermann is either trying to fool everybody now, or he has been for past year, or both... and you won't believe what Keith found in the University of Idaho women's softball team media guide. WATCH VIDEO

The Keithies! It's our third night of nominations in the First Annual Best of the Stuff We Found On The Internets Awards. Watch the video, then VOTE HERE for the winner.

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Comments

John Doe Mid TN - Thank you so much for your kind words, but you have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. I don't know your nationality, or your religion, but to me, that NEVER matters. I met so many wonderful people in Amman, Jordan as a result of what my ex-husband did to my twin daughters. He used them as pawns to get me "back" after I realized I could no longer stay in such a marriage. However, my father ALWAYS told me, and repeatedly, "Pam, no matter how bad a situation or event is, always try to find the good in it, or a good cause you can support as a result of it". I did. I have wonderful friends in Amman, Jordan, who I still communicate with today. I learned the beautiful culture of a wonderful country. I love the Arab culture, for I saw personally, the kindness and love of a culture thousands of years old. In addition, I saw children playing in safe streets, and parents who felt safe allowing this. I believe your comments regarding some streets in this country being unsafe ring very true. I watched my children like a hawk, and stayed outside while they played, when they were growing up. My parents never had to do this, for our streets were safer. Thank you so much, and may God Bless you always!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:56 PM)

JAM, Pittsburgh - I know, I must try harder tomorrow. I am very passionate, and find it difficult to hold back when someone wrongly attacks someone or blames one for the errors of another. However, your words of Wednesday have remained with me, and I thank you for them. I guess I need a minute to minute reminder. Thanks!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Wednesday, March 28, 2007 10:34 PM)

being a pow made john mcain a great american, trying to be for everyone and everything caused him to lose his way. joining with bush and the far right put him on a road of no return for most americans. the story was good when it was real but now it is nothing but a fairytail. whith tail underlined

james hicks sophia,wv (Sent Wednesday, March 28, 2007 11:34 PM)

I used to really respect Senator McCain. What he went through in Vietnam is unspeakable, and he's a tremendously strong person to become the Sentor he is today. That said, why is he a mouth piece for the Bush administration? He can't win the election supporting Bush, so why is he doing it? Lately, I haven't heard anything out of him that can be regarded as his own idea. Its really sad to see a vet fighter pilot rollover for someone that didn't even have the balls serve their country in war (W. Bush). If fact, why do any of our nation's brave Vets support President Bush? Bush seems to have no problem sending our brave soldiers to do something he wasn't willing to do. Those of you who want to dispute that fact, good luck. There's evidence out there that daddy Bush bailed his son out of Vietnam. Check it out. Bush is the source of McCain's credibility problem. You can "stroll" down some Bagdad streets? Come on McCain, that's a really a-hole-ish thing to say. The 30% or so of the weak minded people that will always support Bush no matter how bad he f*@ks up isn't enough to win the election for the Republicans, thankfully.

Stephen Marder, Portsmouth, Virginia (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:54 AM)

Keith: Although both sides know they are going to fund those troops currently in Iraq and those soon to be part of the surge it is sad to watch politicians jockeying for political posture and playing kickball with this issue. Sign the damn checks and give the troops their funding and whatever else they need. The dems are not going to cut the funding for these troops and they know it. So let's move on with enforcing some "real" benchmarks as to when the troops will be coming home. I guess that 20-40 deaths per day in Baghdad versus 50-75 a day before the surge makes McCain think the streets of Baghdad are safe enough for a stroll. Problem is, don't try and take a stroll just outside the city limits of Baghdad where the insurgents are hiding and are wreaking havoc. Providing and increasing security between 23rd St. and 45th St. in Baghdad is not going to ensure the same is applied throughout the rest of the hundreds of thousands of miles of Iraq. I suppose maybe they could build a big huge fence around Baghdad once secured and make the claim Iraq is now stabalized. We can go home now.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:02 AM)

#4 story: Amazing to hear all the different views on the situation in Iraq. I listen to John McCain and his pals and they paint quite a glossy picture of Iraq stabilizing. Then I turn on Countdown and the evidence couldn't be further from the truth. Just when did war become a game? Bush is satisfied reading blogs. McCain is an out and out liar. Cheney is an out and out liar. Joe Lieberman I hardly recognize anymore. Imus is going to Iraq. The attorney general is going to resign. Iran is holding British hostages. Newt & O'Reilly now say the media is 80% left. Hillary Clinton is leading in the polls, although men and married women say they won't vote for her because (1) she's a woman, and (2) she's a feminist. Is everyone going a little crazy, or is it just me on some sort of acid trip. Nothing seems real or normal anymore. Sure wish Senator Feingold and/or Ralph Nader would jump into the race. The country needs them both, badly. Other than that, fantastic show last night, Keith. You do an exceptional job of balancing out the day's news stories in a sobering, yet interesting and fun way.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 10:07 AM)

One thing Senator McCain said disturbs me and confuses me. He said that the Democrats don't care for the troops. The Democrats want the troops home and out of harm's way. The Republicans want to keep them there dying and being maimed. I'll have to think about that for a while.

Andy Rakaczky, Sun Valley, NV (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 11:06 AM)

Pat-Boston: I sympathize with your concerns and the examples of seeming chaos you give above. One may not agree with everything he says, and I certainly do not, but if you have ever listened to Pat Buchanan on Hardball or Scarborough this guy has a point to make. And that is America's role as the top dog in this world is slowly on the decline. Super-power is a definition that no longer exist in the world today for the United States. Terrorism, the spread of nuclear weapons among many nations, the hatred we experience for our intrusions outside our borders (whether right or wrong), the loss of economic prowess to China and soon India, degredation of our inner cities, invasion of our southern borders by illegal aliens. These are all signs of a changing America and the internal chaos we are experiecing because of these new characterestics. We are struggling to re-define ourselves. The examples you give above are also symptoms of these changes and the difficulties we are experiencing to find our new place in the world. I wouldn't even want to guess the outcome. I would like to hope we will come out of this osmosis in good shape. But we certainly have many challenging struggles ahead of us in the future. The next 10 - 25 years is going to be a very interesting and eye-opening time for the United States of America.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 11:07 AM)

C A, I agree with your comments and the struggles facing us going forward. The USA is absolutely at a crossroad. Remember the scene at the end of the movie Scent Of A Woman? Al Pacino's character saying that whenever he reached a crossroad in his life, he always knew, without exception, which road was the right one to take. Yet he said he always took the wrong road, because the right road was too damn hard. Our history is full of people who despite everything, took the hardest road possible. Who do we have who will do that in the future? Senator Feingold came out against the war immediately. I hope he reconsiders running for president. He's independent, he's tough, he's honest, he's smart. As is Ralph Nader.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 12:20 PM)

My friends and fellow patriots, here is an article for those of you who support our troops. It's an article that exposes how our military is using something called Regulation 635-200, Chapter 5-13 to cheat our veterans out of the care and benefits that they have earned. Keith, please discuss this issue on your program. We need to undo the damage that 5-13 has and is doing to our veterans. They deserve better! http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070409/kors

JW, Chicago (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 12:27 PM)

Stephen Marder, Portsmouth, Virginia - I enjoyed reading your comments. As a life-long democrat, Senator McCain was always a breath of fresh air, and a voice of reason in his party. I always had the utmost respect for Senator McCain, always enjoyed watching give interviews on TV, etc. and genuinely admired this man. He stood "alone" so many times within the ranks of his party. He fought the fights he sincerely believed in and supported. I can't for the life of me figure out why he has made this 180 degree turn. This “about face” is not common for someone of his caliber; nor his age, which comes with a great deal of life experiences. Senator McCain "lost me" a while ago, as I personally feel he "sold out" to not only the causes he so vehemently championed, but his long-time supporters. I do disagree that Bush is the source of McCain's credibility problems, and John McCain alone bears this burden. He chose to take this path, and must take full responsibility for his decisions. The John McCain I used to support, the man I once greatly admired, is responsible for damaging his own good name. Any credibility problems resulting from his actions, in my opinion, lie squarely with him and his conscience.

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 12:54 PM)

What about the thing between Iran and the British? Has anyone heard details of how the capture was executed by the Iranians? I assume the whole thing happened in full view of the British ship, so why did the British captain let it happen? It seems to me that the British captain would have had the immediate authority to stop them. From what I understand, the list of priorities in terms of importance would be; 1. crew safety 2. ship, etc. Why were the Iranians even allowed to approach the situation? Shouldn't an unannouced approaching vessel be treated as a threat? I would think that if this thing would have happened with an American warship the Iranians would have first been warned on their approach, then fired upon if there is no response. I not sure if I'm reading the rules accurately, so do any of you Navy folks have any insight on this?

Stephen Marder, Portsmouth, Virginia (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 1:16 PM)

C A - Oh how your words ring true. Just this morning, news broke that four car bombs detonated simultaneously, which resulted in FORTY deaths so far. The final count has not been completed. Senator McCain is not being honest, and where he gets his statistics from I can only guess - Karl Rove?? The funding will get to the troops, and George W. Bush knows it!! He continues to repeatedly lie and mislead Americans, as he has for six years. Flanked by republican members of the House today, his "Political Theatre" continued!! He again stated that the democrats were withholding funding, and that "congress has no right to attach strings to his commanders in Iraq". Mr. Bush, notwithstanding the absurdity of your comments, Congress does hold the purse strings, and it's about time they started reeling you and your incompetent Administration in via these "purse strings"!! Wake up Mr. Bush, the Congress you speak of are the "legislatures" of this Country. NEWS FLASH: Your "Commander and Chief" title does come with scrutiny, and Congress is finally using it to hold you accountable. Your poorly managed war I never supported. I believed with every ounce of fiber within my soul, you were lying to me. However, NEVER did I believe the "invasion" would be as deplorably mismanaged as it has been. Ignoring experts regarding appropriate troop levels was your first catastrophic decision, which is the primary foundation for every other horror in Iraq!! Your deplorable mismanagement, our tax dollars stolen by Halliburton in multi-billion dollar no bid contracts, tens of thousands of innocent lives sadly lost, are more than enough examples of why Congress is reeling you - personally - in, Mr. Bush!!!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 1:37 PM)

JW, Chicago - Thanks for sharing this with us!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 1:41 PM)

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California, you're absolutely right, I have a bad habit of lumping all the "cronies" together. McCain did take a 180 turn, giving a speech at Falwell's "school", after he criticized Falwell, etc. It's really sad.

Stephen Marder, Portsmouth, Virginia (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 1:41 PM)

can't believe it, a damn republican flip flopped. the bad habits of the democrat party must be rubbibg off.

john kerry washington dc (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 2:52 PM)

Stephen Marder: I too am concerned about the British sailors. This story is bigger than the attention it seems to be getting. It is the the fuse to the powder keg over there. This is exactly the type of incident that could lead to a very serious conflict in this region. The Iranians know they have the British hands tied as long as they show pictures of the navy personnel alive and fit. Britain will not do anything to place these sailors lives in jeporady. And the Iranians know this. One of three things will happen. The Iranians will make up a story the Brits apoloigized and will release these sailors or, the Iranians will release the sailors saying they are doing so from a request by their friends the Russians or, the Iranians will put the sailors on trial and make a big show of the same. I am very concerned that they have obviously forced the female sailor to read a statement saying they had invaded Iranian waters. No doubt she was told that failure to do so would result in some kind of isolation from the others or harm or even execution of one or more of the male sailors. Another frightening aspect of this is that in the event something militrarily does occur between Britain and Iran, Britain is wide open (much more so than the States) for terrorist activity sponsored by the Iranians. The Brits are in a corner here, but if those sailors are harmed in any way, the Iranian Revolutinary Guard better hunker down to await Her Majesty's wrath from the sea and the air. This story needs careful watching.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 3:04 PM)

John Kerry-Washington: I agree some Dems (and I'll go ahead and name Kerry - the other Kerry of course) for being one of the biggest flip-floopers I have seen. The problem though John is that I thought perhaps the Republicans might be smart enough not to pick up the bad habits of some Dems. But apparently I was wrong. And perhaps it proves they are even more incompetent as they at least had the opportunity to learn through historical observation what flip-flooping can do to you. Some Dems including Kerry were ignorant of the fact. They should have known better but did not. Any republicans who did not learn by now the errors of being a flip flopper are simply stupid. They know better and still do it.

C A, Tusacaloosa, AL (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 3:54 PM)

I see the streets in Baghdad that McCain stated you could take a nice stroll down are filled with another 104 dead today. Now what was that cut off line that McCain used to define a safe and easy stroll? Oh, 125 dead. Well, then I guess it would have been alright to have taken that stroll today. I can't get over just how amazing it is that some are saying this surge is working when 60 the day before and then 104 today are killed. Can you imagine telling the people in Fair City, U.S.A. that things are improving and safe in their lovely city because only 60 or 104 lives were lost today to enemy bombs.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:09 PM)

C A - I agree, as I sadly heard that statistic while driving to get lunch. Speaking of being "out to lunch", I believe that's where John McCain's been for nearly a year now!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:57 PM)

Pam and everyone else. I don't think that McCain is neccesarily out to lunch. I think he's been cowed by the bushies somehow. Look what they did to McCain in the 2000 campaign (particularly in South Carolina) He's been a waterboy for Georgieboy ever since. My question is rather What do the bushies have on McCain that they are blackmailing him with? Remember this crew is more corrupt than you can suppose! BTW Keith,please go on Real Time as a panelist I'd love to see you take some Rightie to the woodshed face to face

Bill Rochester NY (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 5:09 PM)

Pam in San Pedro. I think you misunderstood my post about Donald Trump's calling for Georgieboys Impeachment. I meant that the bushies should be rendered, or sent to Gitmo and tortured as they are so wont to do with others, not "The Donald" At the risk of sounding like a broken record It's not that the bushies are more evil and corrupt than you suppose. They're more evil and corrupt than you CAN SUPPOSE!

Bill Rochester NY (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 5:15 PM)

Bill Rochester NY - I stand corrected. I personally and sincerely believe the appropriate place for George W. Bush to be - AND NOW - is the vacant prison cell previously occupied by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic at The Hague!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 5:51 PM)

Bill Rochester NY - Yes, Senator McCain should have fought back, and viciously, against Bush in 2000; as Bush and his cronies actions were deplorable. However, Senator McCain's actions of late are unconscionable to me. This is not the man I once respected, nor a man to allow himself to be blackmailed. I do not agree with you on that. I do not know why, but he has sold out, and I have absolutely zero respect for him, or anything he has most recently done!! Shame on him, and the buck stops with him!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 5:56 PM)

A recent statement: Touching off an unusual public exchange, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia declared Wednesday at an Arab League meeting in Riyadh that the United States was occupying Iraq illegally. "In beloved Iraq," he said, "blood is flowing between brothers, in the shadow of an illegitimate foreign occupation, and abhorrent sectarianism threatens a civil war.", said King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia-AP Of coarse, the dumb Bush administration rejected this statement. Maybe they should listen.

Stephen Marder, Portsmouth, Virginia (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 6:52 PM)

In an absolutely appalling statement, George W. Bush stated this morning, “We expect the Congress to be wise about how they spend the people’s money,” referencing the newly emboldened Congress, who has FINALLY done something to put the breaks on the self-proclaimed "Decider"!! I am simply speechless. This is a man who has wasted billions of "the people's" money (yours and mine) in multi-billion dollar no bid contracts to Halliburton, who subsequently both stole and squandered "the people's" money. I could go on and on about how he and his criminal Administration have wasted our money; however, I do not have either the time, or space on this blog. How dare he!! This also does not include the "personal" and horrific "cost" many in the form of human lives!! He needs to go to The Hague, NOW!! In stark contrast, and frankly a breath of VERY fresh air, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the debate on Capitol Hill has “been helpful in bringing pressure to bear” on the Iraqi government. He said it has made it clear to the Iraqis that “there is a very real limit to Americans’ patience.” WOW!! What a difference from the always insulting, demeaning and incompetent Donald Rumsfeld!! I just hope and pray he is being sincere, or is not fired for his words, as is the usual MO with this Administration.

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 7:00 PM)

Pam Bignardi & C A Tuscaloosa: I'm working longer hour's than usual this week so you may not see me much till next week, i may do a few short post till then. I was doing some reading from a couple of day's ago & noticed that you & C A were trying to get my email. Pam i think i have your's if you would still like it i can send my email address to you & if you could you can forward it to C A Thank's Don

Don Oubre, Paulina, Louisiana (Sent Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:39 PM)

Pam: Give that fella (Don) my email when he contacts you. Hate to see him working long hours. There has to be a rational explanation for his long hours. I'm sure Bush screwed something up in Louisiana to keep our man Don at the work site so long. Are we sure we want this guy (Bush) to retire from office. I know we want him out but coundln't we make him do some work like maybe rebuild homes in New Orleans or something. I know, we could send him to Iraq to clean up the streets everytime a car bomb goes off.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 8:14 AM)

I was attending a Democratic rally in Pensacola when a cardboard cutout of flip-flops ran past the window. Being a mad liberal Democrat in the Republican Armpit of America I went outside to see who was attached to the pair of flip-flops and found a nice, white sixty-year-old from Foley, Alabama had come to Pensacola to taunt the Libruls. I retrieved the sign I had made and we dueled in the streets about flip-flopping. I am a journalist and we have melted our rhetoric into meaningless slang and stereotypes which somehow seems to affect voters. It is horrible. Cut and run, flip-flop, cowards, traitors, micromanagers, libruls. I am going to explain this for the last time. Kerry voted against the military appropriation the first time because it included a tax break in it. He voted for it the second time because the tax break was removed. Kerry never voted against funding the troops, Kerry voted against funding the rich with another tax break hidden in a war appropriations bill. Kerry did a lousy job of explaining why he voted as he did but Dems didn't help him and Republicans, those who read, couldn't care less what the words actually say. This is a country of liars, thieves and murderers. When they say cut and run, are Republicans talking about Nam, my war? They won't say it to my face, but drive by in trucks flipping me off in P'cola when I protest in front of Rep. Miller's office. Our children think we are the dumbest bumper crop of illiterates to crawl the Earth; lying, murdering oil thieves who have the audacity to blame it on Jesus. Pathetic and a disgrace to humanity.

Bob, Pensacola (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 9:35 AM)

Bob-Pensacola: You are quite active for a journalist. Do you find that your work as a journalist conflicts at times with your obvious strong positions as an individual American citizen or vice-versa. Just curious. Also, I agree with your many references to world politics and foreign policies being tied driectly to oil and who will end up being the players for this black gold. I realize with technological advances that hopefully we can decrease our dependence on oil one day, but there is so much of the infrastructure still dependent on oil that it is going to be years before it will no longer be seen as the pot at the end of the rainbow by most developing nations. Possession of or lack of the same can still make or break any country in a serius way.

C A, Tuscaloosa (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 10:21 AM)

Bob-Pensacola: Forgot to ask you. Being a journalist in Pensacola you must know Joe Scarborough. Could you pass on to him to drop the hollyweird stuff on his show and stick to his panel discussions regarding what is going on with this administration, Iraq, etc. Joe follows Keith every evening and I used to watch his show. And he was becoming quite refreshing as one enlightened conservative who reecognized and would admit and report the errors of Bush's ways. But since he started devoting a lot of his air time to the hollyweird stuff I have recently been changing channels to the History channel after Countdown and skipping Joe's show. Pass the word on will ya Bob when Joe gets back in town.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL. (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 11:26 AM)

Bob, that's quite a story you told. Unbelievable, but not surprising. Not only is this a country of liars, thieves and murderers, it for too long has also been a country of uninformed, self-centered,ignorant media & willing citizens who paid attention to nothing except how to smear someone with lies. They're now reporting that certain factions of the Republican Party will have a problem with Fred Thompson because they don't think he's "Christian enough". Unreal. But I wish you good luck in Florida. I'm sure things will get pretty nasty in the south. But as you obviously know, it's a fight worth fighting.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 11:37 AM)

Those who make our transferrance to alternative fuels a pipe dream are the same who told little Bobby Fulton his boiler and raft would simply sail into the sunset. I just know we have to change and the sooner the better, perhaps a public works program to begin rewiring America for the future. Iceland has fuel cell vehicles now and a delivery system. There is no reason we shouldn't be allowed to have this except our umbilical cord to Oil and Gas who buy our politicians. I am a freelance journalist and took an oath to report objectively, accurately and in a timely fashion which I did for years as a reporter. Indeed I never wrote editorials as a reporter or openly worked for a political party so I could remain neutral in a polarized community. As an troop, I protested out of uniform but although it was my right, it certainly affected the way I was perceived by my superiors during Nam. It is simple to report objectivly and truthfully. Journalists and their editors editorialize through story selection. They don't tell lies. They avoid the truth like the New York Times not reporting the local cops spying on innocents before the GOP convention or the fact we sold the weapons of mass destruction to Saddam he was charged with using to murder the Kurdish kids. Objectivity! I was trained as a journalist to be able to discern between the ability to report truthfully and express one's opinion in the marketplace of ideas. Certainly I am not the greatest print journalist but rest assured the consolidation of media outlets reduces the diversity of opinion in a free society and encourages the manipulation of pertinent news affecting everyday lives by replacing it with a point of view. I write so much on the blogs because I am absolutely powerless and it gives me a chance to at least express my frustration. Peace.

Bob, Pensacola (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 11:47 AM)

C A - As always, your humor has brought a smile to my face. I hope Don doesn't have to keep up that pace for a long time. I agree with you that George W. Bush should be cleaning up the streets in Iraq. I was always told, "you broke it, you fix it". I believe he broke it all right, and should jump on the next plane with a broom with bull dozers standing by!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 1:20 PM)

Bob, Pensacola - What you wrote above is excellent, and I'm sure you are an exceptional journalist. I agree that Kerry never explained his vote(s) correctly, which ultimately hurt him. He also didn't immediately attack the horrid swift boat ads. I have always felt that John Kerry would make an excellent president; however, it is unfortunate that there have many times that his own words have been his worst enemy. Thanks again for that brilliant summation!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 1:26 PM)

The threat by our President to veto the current war spending bill and blame the Democratic Congress for not supporting our troops doesn't seem much different from Saddam Hussein's past use of human shields for guarding his palaces.

Don, Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Friday, March 30, 2007 2:44 PM)



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