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Countdown Friday: Petulant President

Posted: Friday, October 26, 2007 8:59 PM by Countdown
Filed Under:

Bush Mad: The President of the United States was once analogized to an already-stressed out First Grade Teacher, forced one day to teach a class of kindergartners, and unable to restrain his rage when the younger kids don't obey him. Our fifth story on the Countdown: President Bush, accusing lawmakers of wasting his time... by again passing hugely popular children's health care legislation that he has already vetoed once. Yet with his very next breath... complaining that Congress isn't getting anything done. So in the Kindergarten/First Grade analogy, Mr. Bush can be either the teacher, or any of the students in either of the classes.

Fake FEMA Fiasco:  When it comes to responding to the California wildfires... FEMA has learned the great lessons of Hurricane Katrina. When you hold a press conference about all the trouble and risk...eliminate all the trouble and risk... Don't have any reporters there! FEMA eliminates the middleman and passes the propaganda value on to you!!!!

ODDBALL: Playing dress up with goats, and kids riding whales.

Billo's Gay Fiasco:  "That's what this Rowling thing is all about," Bill O'Reilly began (but listen to the rest of it anyway), "it's another in the indoctrination thing." The Rowling thing?  Author J.K. Rowling, who answered a reader question about whether one of her Harry Potter characters had ever found love by explaining, a week ago tonight at Carnegie Hall, that he was gay. The indoctrination thing? "Parity for homosexuals with heterosexuals." Our third story on the Countdown: A month after his racist remarks about a New York restaurant, O'Reilly now coming out against tolerance, a little more than four years after -- according to the lawsuit of his former producer Andrea Mackris -- Billo tried to talk her and a female friend of hers into performing homosexual acts while he was present. To paraphrase the hypocrite's mantra -- "Do as I say; Not as I fantasize."

Tabby Time: Princess Diana's death, now more than ten years ago, was stunning enough... The longevity of the accounting of that death may be more startling still. Our number two story -- Keeping Tabs -- begins with what appears to be the first formal testimony... about her final words.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Concord NH PD, Dana Perino and Glenn Beck vie for tonight's top honors.

Distress and the Divas:  When it comes to regaining custody of her children... Britney Spears holds the key to her own success... which is why she always comes off as someone standing next to the window of an A-M-C Pacer while holding a bent coat-hanger.  In our number one story on the Countdown, another court hearing today in Ms. Spears' custody battle with Kevin Federline. A progress report, of sorts... during which Mr. Federline's attorneys tried -- but failed -- to have Ms. Spears future testimony videotaped. Meantime, Paris Hilton's plans to save Rwanda will have to wait. Her trip there has been postponed. The charity involved... denying the trip would have been filmed as part of a reality show.

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Comments

5 – Hands-on-hips petulance is NOT a good look for you, Mr. Bush.  And don’t let the door hit you on your way out, okay?

# 4 -- Government as Bob and Ray as government?  Life perverting art imitating life.  

WBP -- Tonya Kelly stay home tonight?  Why on earth?  I’m just trying to figure out if that’s an anagram of Anomaly.  Nope.  Too bad.

#3 – Is this another example of a new and clever strategy to move the titillation into the #3 story?  If so, works for me.  But what goes on Billo’s bedroom, stays in Billo’s bedroom.  Please.

A man and his falafel.  Ummm, fava beans.  With a side of – what was that, again? – beef and broccoli?  But I still think you mean loofah.  Loofah, loofah, loofah.

WPitW -- After that story about Billo, I need to turn down the thermostat.  True Liberal will no doubt be happy to hear that I don’t think this is global warming.  But wait a minute.  Dana Perino said global warming would be good for me.  Maybe this is what she meant.

#1 – Britney (and Paris) again, and still no Clive.  Oh, that’s right.  We don’t need Clive anymore.  Who’s been doing Countdown’s colors?  Nice.

Anomaly (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 9:01 PM)

Hey Countdown -- You do know that FEMA is headquartered in MY neighborhood, don’t you?  Mordor?  The Dark Tower?  (I think they used to call it Washington, but George phoned and said he wanted the name back.)

FEMA has come to the right place.  WE know night.  

By the way, we’re coming for Dana Perino.  We’ll show her how good climate change can be.  I hope she likes hot lava rocks.

The Witch King of Angmar (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 9:02 PM)

I guess I have to begin my official mourning of the Dennis Miller I used to love after seeing him grace "He Who Shall Not Be Named" 's program. What happened to that smart aleck I used to love?! Oh well...

I'm going to shamelessly steal some words from the great NewsHoler, Sue (please come back!!) in tribute to GWB's exit from his speech, news conference, whatever the f--- that was today: Don't let the door hit 'ya where the good Lord split 'ya!!

The FEMA play on a press conference was also reminicent of the planted WASHINGTON TIMES reporter who softballed the MoveOn.org ad to GWB. I guess I just need to learn the lessons of this administration in believing that reality and truth are severely over-rated.

Back for some "final thoughts" before the weekend in a bit...

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 9:28 PM)

OK, I'm going to enlist the help of all you faboo people here. BOB & RAY were cited AGAIN tonight! How the heck do I listen to them? I can't seem to access the audio from their website, and I tried finding their cd's at my local library - no luck. So, once again, how the heck do I listen to their stuff? Are there any other online sources?

Can we get the NYC axe-wielding convenience store clerk to run for Congress?? She'd show Pelosi, Reid, Boehner, et al a thing or two (or 3 or 4)!!

It was cool to see Rachel "live" and in person with Keith!

Finally, in honor of one of this week's guest, some thoughts on weekends from one of my idols (as I'm sure y'all know by now!), Mr. George Carlin: "If someone says, 'Have a nice weekend,' I never say, 'You too.' Because, I never know if, perhaps, by the time the weekend rolls around, I will have other plans for that person. Come Friday, I may wish to have them slain."

To the NewsHole moderators, to everyone who participates here, to the producers, contributors, and staff of COUNTDOWN, and to Keith Olbermann, I hope you don't have any run-ins with people you think you'll want to have "slain" before too long!

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 9:47 PM)

Keith, the world's going to hell in a hand basket, and you waste air time with loser celbs?

I would say that Congress is spinning its wheels as far as S-CHIP is concerned, knowing that Bush will Veto it. If Congress past what Bush said he would sign, then S-CHIP wouldn't lapse.

But maybe that's what the Dems want, S-CHIP to lapse thinking that they would gain political points if it did.

Personally, I don't believe that the Fed should have any such programs. The Federal Government should be far more limited in scope, leaving such things to States, Local governments and charities where it could be better managed, and the lay-abouts could be identified.

And yes, I do know that the States administers S-CHIP, but if it was done with State Monies, then the States would work to get a bigger bang for their money.

David Molinero (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 9:48 PM)

#1. Britter has hooked up with Paris to help her image and plans on doing the song, "Help Rwanda", since it happens to be her and Paris's favorite Beach Boy song. #2. It took ten years to find out she had final words?  What will come out ten years from now? #3.O'Reilly never was very good at indoctrinating anybody, so he's just a tad jealous. Call him Bumblebore. #4. The FEMA Reporters with the FEMA Questions for the FEMA Officials were obviously prepared for ANY Emergency, especially a Softball Game. #5. Dubya makes Ed, Edd, and Eddie look like a trio of Mensa Logicians. Can anyone say Boolean Unsatisfiablity Problem?

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 9:49 PM)

This President has a major disconnect if he can't see the irony in vetoing a bill that would cost 7 million a year for the next 5 years and then asking for an additional 46 million for his war - when he just got 50 million last MONTH! He seems to be under the impression that this globally-warming world revolves around him.

Anna, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:00 PM)

#4--FEMA's fake news conference is another neocon ploy to control the message.  This isn't much different than their fake commercials and public service announcements.

#1--Oh, there's Michael Musto again, making another LIPS comparison.  I had hoped never to hear anything like that again.  At least you don't have him on that much, but even for those who are offended by him, he's still a ratings draw.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I  actually pay more attention when he's on because I want to see just how offensive he's going to be.  And I never complain to NBC about him, because I am guilty of liking to watch this offensive person.
I still don't like him, though.

R. NorCal (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:00 PM)

Did anyone else catch this?

While cutting to commercials just before the #2 story, Keith was talking about Britney Spears and her tirade with a reporter. Then, if you listened carefully, just before the commercials, Keith sarcastically said,

"Yeah, that will keep them around."

He knows! At least he recognizes how inane the last quarter of his own show tends to be. The next step is elimination.

Keith needs to pull a Jack Cafferty and just refuse to read off the teleprompter one time. Take a stand.

James, NYC, NY (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:03 PM)

Keith,

Love your show - watch it live or PVR it every night.
But I'm asking you - asking everyone: What happened to the Giuliani-deer-in-the-headlights-you'll-have-to-ask-so & so testimony before  the 9/11 Commission story.
The Village Voice claims to have the "secret transcripts"?
Is it BS? If not, considering it's Rudy's only claim to a stump, where are you guys on this one?
If what the VV has is verifiable, does it not render flaccid the "I'm your guy/expert on terrorism" , "I can keep America safe" gush he been spewing? COME ON! as Warner Wolf would say. You've GOT to be kidding ... that would be Johnny Mac.

BK Garrison,NY (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:06 PM)

President Bush said this today at a White House press briefing:

"I returned to Washington late last night, and when I got back to the White House, I was disappointed by what Congress had been doing, and even more disappointed what they had not been doing.”

The way I heard it from my friend Alice, this amazing revelation took the press corps totally by surprise:

“These words were followed by a very long silence, broken only by an occasional exclamation of “Hjckrrh!” from the Gryphon, and the constant heavy sobbing of the Mock Turtle.  Alice was very nearly getting up and saying, “Thank you, sir, for your interesting story,” but she could not help thinking there MUST be more to come, so she sat still and said nothing.”

Red Queen (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:06 PM)

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/10/26/nytfrontpage/20071026POD_index.html

Just in case you’ve forgotten about Congress’s secret plan to start a war with Turkey to stop the war in Iraq, here’s a link to a picture from today’s NY Times showing the Turkish mobilization along the Iraqi border.  It’s not exactly the way I drew it up, but it’ll do nicely for the purpose.  

The accompanying article said there were also some peace talks today, but from the article it sounds like America only sent “military” representatives.  They must have been sent by Congress.  Certainly not by my favorite Secretary of State.  She was too busy taunting Iran and alienating Russia, while Mr. Bush was busy behaving like a spoiled child and walking out on the press corps.  

It’s just another day.  Morning in America, really, except without the morning.

Anomaly (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:35 PM)

Hey, Keith, you in love with Beck, O'Reilly, and Limbaugh? You keep talking about them but they don't mention you. Are you like some spurned little girly girl hoping for an invite to the school dance? If they are what you say they are, how come you got to keep talking about them? You are beginning to sound desperate. Or maybe you're hoping all the cool kids over at MoveOn will invite you to their party. Keep trying, Keith. Looks like the nasty boys don't care what you think. What's more, doesn't look like they know who you are.

Steven Rennie, Fillmore, NY (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:37 PM)

I don't know what is worse:  Bushie Boy staying HIS course or The Repubs running for or from office w/ the offer of MUCH MUCH MORE of the same.

What part of Americans are extremely STUPID did I miss?

Un-True Lib, do you know?  Does your BLOVIATOR Rush have the truth?

Talvenada, Phila., Penna. (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:08 PM)

George Bush is going to veto any bill in which he doesn't get to dictate the terms.  But everything he wants has to be done RIGHT NOW!  The man simply doesn't seem to see how completely ludicrous and ridiculous he is by denying the increase in insurance for children (which is socialized insurance, not socialized medicine) and then turning around and demanding $196 billion more money for his wars.  Americans don't want war.  They want health care, bridges that don't fall down, electric grids that don't fail, a justice department that is just, and a president that doesn't aspire to be a dictator and doesn't consider our Consitution to be just a "G**dam piece of paper."

Disgusted, TX (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:25 PM)

Chris, Akron Oh. (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 7:31 AM)
Is being a democrat require atheism and dismissing bible teachings against killing (abortion) and homosexuality?  

No.  

Being a “democrat” requires compassion, tolerance, and empathy for your fellow human beings.  Religion has nothing to do with it, except to the extent a person’s personal worldview informs his/her conscience.  True democrats tolerate all religions or lack thereof.  I think republicans ought to revisit the "Bible teachings" against killing.  There's a awful lot of killing going on right now in the name of righteousness and under republican control.  As to abortion and homosexuality, you certainly mistake the matter if you believe all democrats insist on abortions and are homosexuals, or that either abortions or homosexuality are confined to democrats. The difference is that democrats have compassion for those who are forced to make difficult choices and have nothing against homosexuality, which is not a choice, and in at least my view not a sin.

I don't know where people get these ideas (although I can probably guess).  I can tell you it's NOT from talking to democrats.

Anomaly (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:32 PM)

No vids from tonight's show up yet?

They never posted any clips from last Sunday's Football Night in America or the halftime show, either. What's going on?

Midwest viewer (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 1:29 AM)

O'Reilly a hypocrite, who knew. It's the right wing mantra, do as I say and not as I do. For example, go to 'Nam, most all the GOP said He11 NO we wont go. But whats their slogan today, Go forth and fight for freedom and democracy while we tear ours apart at the seams in order to make a quick buck. A place in He11 is reserved with oil fired furnaces.

Dave, TN (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 1:53 AM)

Why did Joe Scarborough not discuss the recent "NEWS" concerning his guest and commedian Rush Limbaugh?  It was pretty dirty to hold the xxxxxx'x appearance for the end and then just let him go on with his standard take on political goings on.  What a waste.  I got the impression that "good ol boy Joe" owed Limbaugh some sort of favor to appear without any meaning dialogue.  Kind of like when the Republicans appear on FOX!

Richard Mason, Topeka, Kansas (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 3:45 AM)

I would have sent the previous message to Joe but get real, it would have been ignored!

Richard Mason, Topeka, Kansas (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 3:46 AM)

Keith: Dana Perino  ( PARROT MOUTH ) reminds me of a Parrot. She  just repeats everything Bush  says. Great show  Dom

Dominic Grillo Easton Pa 18045 (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:41 AM)

During the delay in updates might I suggest that you

1) Watch Andy Griffith re-runs on TV Land.

2) Read The Limbaugh Letter on his blog. (I didn't
  know he was also nominated for the Nobel Peace
  Prize for 18 years of promoting freedom and
  democracy over the air to the U.S. and the world)

3) Buy and listen to the latest CD's by Carrie Under-
  wood, Sara Evans, Dwight Yoakum and Bob Dylan.

4) Watch all the latest "breaking news" on Fox, the
  #1 cable news channel.

5) Pop more pills to avoid the panic attack you'll
  have if this blog isn't updated soon.












Full Moon (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 10:59 AM)

Keith, C'mon...what's with this?  With all the real serious stuff happening in the world, your top two stories are Diana and Britney/Paris?  Please don't turn this into Entertainment tonight!!

Freddhead, Lancaster, PA (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 11:29 AM)

Come on Olbermann. Let's quit with the infatuation you really have for Mr. Bush. You only slam him in another vain attempt to gain his attention and he doesn't even know who you are. You're getting to be the Jerry Springer of cable news shows and I, for one, don't want to see you go down the drain by insidious nit-picking. I'd rather, and you would to, go down fair and square with O'Reilly, Nancy Grace, Glenn Beck, Hannity and Colmes and even Law & Order re-runs on USA kicking your smug little behind.

If you can't play with the big dogs, then you've got to stay on the pooch, uh, porch.

Full Moon (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 11:57 AM)

Keith Olbermann is my hero!!

Mark Angstman, San Francisco, CA (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 1:14 PM)

ANY DAY

O J (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 3:39 PM)

You can't put blame on any government for arson. No more than you can blame any police department for murders . Response to emergencys are directed from local, city. county state and then federal levels in that order.

K. Collins, USN (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 3:53 PM)

Cheney's going hunting again-hope his gunbuddies are paid up on their life insurance premiums.  Watch out NY.

S.Bolinger,St.Louis,MO (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 4:29 PM)

About Bill's 'Tolerance'-thingy. Bill probably thinks that (on one particular subject, anyway) "Three Inches" qualifies as close to "Six Inches", as it comes within his generous range of tolerances. At least his bluster seems to come from a 'Three Incher', who are known to be prone to Acts of Attempted Indoctrination.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 5:15 PM)

Someone needs to remove all the black markers from the Whitehouse.  They're now editing UN releases on global warming.  I would like to see what's left of their copy of the Constitution.  Maybe someone would consider it modern art.

S.Bolinger,St.Louis,MO (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 5:16 PM)

Rocky Mountain Guy-
   I hope too that it is just a rumor that GWB will throw out the first pitch tonight at Coors Field. Just because the Astro's can't cut the mustard does not give him the right to beleaguer other National League teams!  If he does show, rest assured that his pitch will bounce well shy of home plate.  With any luck he may get the round of boos and jeers he deserves.

Freeze 'em out ROCKS!

S.Bolinger,St.Louis,MO (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 5:25 PM)

#5  Bush is the spoiled brat who has a tantrum when he doesn't get his way.  Definitely not the teacher!
#4  What do you expect from Bush's followers!
#3  Seems to me neither Billo or KO is behaving in the best manner.  KO you should be ashamed after some of the things you have been accused of.
#2  The Papparazzi as good as killed her.
#1  Please no more BS, KF or PH stories.  I don't need or want to hear them!!!!

Aunt Ornery (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 5:31 PM)

BTW countdown-
 Liked the highlighted links on your previous post.
Your show is appreciated as a more factual, slighty less comedic, longer version of J.Stewart's efforts.
Please inform Mr.Dean his book is in such demand in this conservative stronghold that I'm still third in line on the local Public library's waiting list.
  I have put it on my Christmas list.  I hope I get it.

S.Bolinger,St.Louis,MO (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 5:38 PM)

Glad to see you back last night, Keith. (Sorry, I just can't watch the World Series myself--for this Indians fan, it is way too painful.) I could have done without Michael Musto (trust me, he's adding very little to the show by now), but the rest was fine indeed. Bush is a kindergartner, as far as I'm concerned, and not a very advanced one at that...the kind who is always threatening to hold his breath until he turns blue if he doesn't get his way. As for the FEMA "press conference," the scary part about it is that it may have contained more real news than anything on the Fox Noise Channel. As for Bill O'Reilly, your remark "Do as I say, not as I fantasize" was a killer.

Now I'm really stuck as to what to wish for as far as the Series is concerned. The thought of a Sox sweep pains my heart, but at least it would guarantee we don't lose you to another trip to Fenway. Damn. Why force me into decisions about this?

Tru M., Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 6:02 PM)

TO THE BLOGGER WHO WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TROOPS WERE HAVING TO PAY FOR THEIR FOOD   ---------

I talked with my son who is stationed at Baghdad Airport.  He says food is provided BUT if they want burgers and goodies beyond that, the soldiers pay for that.  He did say that when he started his 15 month deployment in May that the troops were promised $1000/month for each month deployed beyond 12 months   i.e. $3000 more.  That has been changed---  in lieu of the $$, they now get 1.5 days of leave for every month of deployment beyond 12 months.  i.e. 4.5 extra leave.   How fair is that??????   Now they're being threatened with 18 month deployments.  

Plus, they had to sit through a 'non-Profanity seminar' after General Petraeus sent out orders to cut out cussin' because it offends some people.  

Sounds like the military is certainly trying to maintain troop morale--    They get screwed, but can't even cuss about it!!!  

Texashogfan (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 6:23 PM)

Re FEMA "PRESS CONFERENCE" Thanks for your coverage Keith! Just when you think this horrible administration can't top itself in idiocy, it does - again and again

Sue, Syracuse, ny (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 8:02 PM)

Why haven't friday's videos been posted yet????
 Usually they are up within a few hours...
 PLEASE--- I missed "Worst Person In the World"
    last night!!!!!!!
 

mark archibald (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:08 PM)

Honestly and without a doubt I do like your show, for many reasons.  But I must confess I am tired of all the Spears crap.  First and foremost, she is a train wreck, but who the hell cares to see it every damn night?  Making fun of BS really is below the quality of the rest of the show in my not so damn humble opinion.
So what do you think?  Maybe more animal stories or something like that?  All the bs stories about BS really are pretty much lacking in interest or redeeming qualities.  
Maybe you could use the time to present a few psycologists or the like to assess the adverse impact of pushing a young child into the child acting/dancing/singing thing and the consequences thereof.  You know, the end game of the Jon Benet thing.  Something like if you push someone into this life they may overcome a lack of talent but they will never make up for the lack of formal and informal education and socialization needed to become a functioning human being in society.  They will in effect be doomed to the train wreck metaphor.
Seriously though folks, I like your show but I do find beating on Spears about like beating on a cripple.  For me at some point it becomes a question of decency and human compassion.  For you it should at least register on the boring, tabloid, crappy TV meter.  I do not think the relentless Spears crap is helping the ratings.  
Do what you want, but it aint interesting, it aint news and it aint funny.  And it gets tiring night after night after night after night after night after night.  Am I making myself clear?  Got the point?

Mike Richard, Charlotte NC, born and raised in N.O. LA (Sent Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:15 PM)

A special message for Condoleeza Rice, who seems to think that killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in order to “liberate” them from Saddam Hussein – while destroying their whole country in the process – was “hard for Iraq,” but worth it.  

Ms. Rice’s comments call to mind one of my favorite bits of wisdom from The Lord of the Rings -- when Gandalf says, “He who breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of reason.”

It could be just me, but it seems like dismissing the deaths of so many people as “hard” but worth it -- in order to pursue your own ego-centric and ill-conceived exercise in nation-building -- also comes dangerously close to leaving that path.  

If this is what Ms. Rice means when she says she “knows what she’s doing,” then she’s wrong.  Here’s what Ms. Rice should know:

War can’t give life,
It can only take it away …

Sadly, since Ms. Rice has evidently failed to learn that important lesson of history, she is condemned to repeat it.   And because of that, so are we.

Just for clarification, THIS is what I would tell her if I had 5 minutes alone in a room with her.

Anomaly (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:12 AM)

I'm not surprised by Billo's reaction to a fictional character being gay, since it seems he feels the need to proclaim that his fictionalizations of real people are newsworthy.

I have to say I'm surprised that Britney and K-Fed are getting so much more news then the fact that NOVA, a English Teaching company based in Japan, has gone belly-up and scrambling for creditors. Meanwhile, most of the teachers, Americans as well as British and Australian citizens, have not been paid in two months, and some are being evicted from their apartments because NOVA has not been using the money they take out of teachers' salaries for apartments to pay the landlords.

The UK and Australian governments are providing advising about the situation to their citizens, but so far it is business as usual in the US, no help to US citizens and NOVA is still advertising for new teachers despite the fact all their schools are closed temporarily in Japan.

Jeri E. Green Bay, WI (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:50 AM)

Getting back to Paris, unnamed sources say her Investman Fund Managers balked at her going to Rwanda, for fear the people would cannabalize her. She still was determined to go until told the people would also eat her Chihuahuas, Pythagoras and Nicky.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 10:20 AM)

In an earlier comment on this thread about Condoleeza Rice (which may or may not get past the Whippersnapper), I accidentally misquoted Tolkien.  I should have said “path of wisdom” instead of “path of reason.”  It must have been the lateness of the hour (like the Whippersnapper, I also have a life), but it’s really no excuse.  We should all try to hold ourselves to Countdown’s standards.

As I was trying to think of the appropriate mea culpa, it seemed to beg the question of whether Ms. Rice has actually ever been on the path of “wisdom.”  And if I subconsciously meant to say that she’s left the path of “reason,” then maybe I was right, after all.  

And maybe, after all, it’s just too fine a hair to split.

Anomaly (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 10:25 AM)

Unnamed sources claim Dubya's grade school records show he attended Kindergarten at Yale, and First Grade at Harvard, where he was awarded a B.A. in Elementary Cheerleading, and an M.A. in Business, his thesis being, "Lemonade Stands and the Oil Industry? Same Thing.".

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 10:31 AM)

Unnamed sources claim Bill's defense for his misstep with the two women, was due to being seduced by a chicken and a duck, when he was thirteen and at a petting zoo in Toledo, Ohio.  The God of FOX TV has since forgiven him.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 12:30 PM)

You know, watching Mr. Bush walk out on his press briefing the other day reminded me a lot of my old friend, Peter Pan.  He never really grew up, either.

Of course, some might say that Peter Pan was different because he at least had goodness in his heart.  To be fair, that point may be arguable.  But Peter Pan didn’t have the world’s largest army at his back, either.  And look at the mission HE accomplished  when he enlisted a small, ragtag, group of kids to defeat that evil despot Hook.  

Come to think of it, maybe Peter Pan is Mr. Bush's role model, after all.  Except for the part about enlisting kids for a good cause.

Wendy Darling (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 12:45 PM)

What can I say

O J (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:40 PM)

No time to play

O J (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:40 PM)

Dana Perrino operates in Dubya World so technically she can't be thw worst person in our World. She is obviously floating in space when she appears in Public. The only ones who actually take anything she says as having any reality, are those who wish to be in that Dubya World.  Since Dubya and Cheney are the Zenith Characters in that world, they would be the Worst. Ms. Perrino thereby, is not qualified to be the Worst Person In The World, MSNBC version. She is only a personification of a type of Swamp Gas in this world. Just an observation.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:42 PM)

Cleaning out my closet of BushSpeak memorabilia has provided lots of opportunities to reminisce – sort of like reviewing Mr. Bush’s greatest hits.  For example, in 2002 and 2003 we were all talking about “connecting the dots.”  Don’t tell me you don’t remember?  I still can’t figure out how Condoleeza Rice, as national security director, could say she never thought people would be willing to blow themselves up using airplanes as weapons.  Hadn’t she ever heard of “suicide bombers”?  

Well, no matter now.  Ms. Rice reassured us just the other day that she still “knows what she’s doing.”

But what I re-discovered from my closet clean-up is that there were, in fact, some people who COULD connect the dots.  Slightly different dots, maybe, but dots just the same.  For example, in a column in The New York Times, Maureen Dowd said the following:

“If the Bush name was tarnished by leaving Saddam in power, W. can fix that.  He has brought together the Bush I players Cheney, Powell and Rice to see if that unfinished war needs to be finished.”

Now, many people said similar things after September 11, as the drums of war began to beat.  But Ms. Dowd’s article appeared on February 18, 2001 -- almost 7 months BEFORE September 11.  Another person who saw Iraq coming right from the start was, of course, Richard Clarke.  I still wonder why Congress chose not to connect the dots.

Anyway, Ms. Dowd got several other things right in this article,  predicting, for example, that Mr. Bush would ignore deficits, cut taxes, and “stay home on the Crawford range.”  But she did get one thing completely wrong.  She predicted that if “the Bush name was tarnished by association with the name Quayle, W. can fix that by associating with the name Cheney.”  I’m thinking the tarnish ran pretty much in the opposite direction.

Anomaly (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 3:04 PM)

Here’s a link to an op-ed article in this issue of Sunday’s New York Times that should interest conservative bloggers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/28rich.html?ref=opinion

While I do think the phrase “When Rudy’s candidacy started to show legs” may have been unfortunate, the article highlights what most of us radical liberal heathens already know:  “Unusual” lifestyles are not confined to democrats.  Not to mention hypocrisy.  

(In case you missed it, by the way, Countdown also did a nice piece on this issue on Friday night, starring my personal favorite example of hypocrisy, tautology, and verisimilitude – bigheaded Billo.)  

Anyway, it seems that the “evangelical electorate,” as a whole, is no longer in sync with  conservative “values organizations.”  Values organizations do not list the war, health care, or poverty among their priorities.  Evangelicals generally take the opposite view, ranking abortion and same-sex marriage at the bottom of their list.  

For conservative bloggers who insist that you own the moral high ground, can see the future, and speak for most voters, read the article and think again.  

You don’t even speak for the majority of conservatives.

Anomaly (Sent Sunday, October 28, 2007 4:14 PM)



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