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Countdown Monday: Tale of the Tapes

Posted: Monday, December 10, 2007 8:59 PM by Countdown
Filed Under:

Spies Lies and Videotape:  The White House has had its Press Secretary symbolically button-up her lip again. It will say nothing about the CIA's destruction of its Torture tapes...Even though we are told to believe the President did not even know there had been until last Thursday morning. Our fifth story on the Countdown: breaking on top of that logical disconnect, a resounding refutation of CIA Director Hayden's stated rationale for erasing the tapes. The agent who ledd the team that interrogated Abu Zubaydah... going public tonight -- and calling that interrogation "torture" -- even though General Hayden had insisted the tapes were destroyed to prevent public identification of, and possible reprisals against... that agent, and his colleagues.

HIV & Huckabee:  Seven years after the Centers for Disease Control confirmed AIDS could not be transmitted casually, even the way tuberculosis was... Then-candidate-for-governor Mike Huckabee called for the "isolating" of AIDS victims because they were plague-carriers. Now he's trying to deny he meant quarantining them.

ODDBALL: A funky rat grows in the desert and some Indian stunt drivers in the "Well of Death".

The O Show:  It spawned the kind of crowds normally seen at rock shows. Nearly 70 thousand people, packing into arenas and stadiums across three states. Ostensibly to rally for Barack Obama. But in reality - to see his opening act, Oprah Winfrey...And in our third story on the Countdown: what if that ostensible billing...is wrong? What if he was her... Opening Act?

Tabby Time:  And our number two story, Keeping Tabs, begins with news from a Virginia court-room that means, even with an early-release, Michael Vick will not play again in the National Football League until the 2009 season -- if even then.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD:  David Ignatius, Mike Huckabee and Hugh Hewitt vie for tonight's top honors. 

The Littlest Idol:  Now that White House Press Secretary Dana Perino has been instructed not to speak about the CIA's destroyed interrogation videos... the powers that be might want to consider other banned subjects... Like anything involving a baseline knowledge of recent American history. Presidential history. History they've made two movies about. Plus it's in all the textbooks. Ms. Perino recently -- and giddily -- drawing attention to her ignorance regarding the Cuban Missile Crisis... on national radio. And in our number one story on the Countdown, if that easily qualifies as bad press for the press secretary... we've got another classic from a different quarter. Larry Birkhead -- of Anna Nicole Smith fame -- gathering friends to his home to watch t-v... Because he very mistakenly believed he had been chosen as Barbara Walters Most Fascinating Person of 2007. Not. Even. Close.

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Comments

What a day...what a day...what a day...OK...onward and upward (and downward)...

So, the CIA guy in charge of the waterboarding on the destroyed videos is talking?! Uh-oh…  

Jonathan Turley said tonight, “It is a crime to torture people; it is a crime to destroy evidence.” I love love LOVE that man. That sounds like “high crimes and misdemeanors” to me. And, the resounding silence of anyone in D.C. who can and must do something about this and the list of other impeachable offenses against the puppet and his master speaks volumes.

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 9:10 PM)

I can’t comment on Gov. Huckabee’s comments on AIDS/HIV victims without taking Newshole from a “family friendly” site to a site that would make a drunken sailor blush.

“Bushed!” is an excellent new feature! Let us never forget.

Dana Perino has the blessing of Turd Blossom?! Ugh…another reason to despise both of them, and we had plenty to begin with. I’m telling you; she’s the blond behind blond jokes!

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 9:15 PM)

I have to throw in some lighter fare here. Did anyone else catch the SIMPSONS reference during “Oddball”?! “Sending Our Love Down the Well” was the “star-studded tribute” song for Bart Simpson after he’d fallen down a well after pranking Springfield into thinking that a sweet little boy named “Timmy” had fallen down a well. Thank you so much, Keith, for making me laugh after the segment on Huckabee’s AIDS comments!

No mistletoe permitted in the Clap-a-Thon decorations for Mr. & Mrs. Rudy! I'm afraid the "good" mayor just wouldn't be able to control himself.

Good night, everybody!

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 9:21 PM)

What of the full retreat of MSNBC on airing the Thank-You ad for the Troops.

Guess G.E. thinks of all the Billions of $$$ their Company makes of Military Contracts as one of their subsidiaries tries to Slap Bush by means of our solders.

David Molinero (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 9:35 PM)

#5: "Even though General Hayden had insisted the tapes were destroyed to prevent public identification of, and possible reprisals against... that agent, and his colleagues."

Excuse me!! On the very day I. Lewis Scooter Libby, convicted felon, announces he’s decided to throw in the towel and just put the whole pesky appeal thing behind him because “it is just too hard on his family,” (excuse me while I get my box of Kleenex) Hayden has the audacity to state the tapes of agents’ torturing prisoners were destroyed in efforts to protect the identity of CIA agents on the tapes??

I see; Valerie Plame was "fair game" because her husband knew the WMD White House spin was just that, spin; his op-ed called the administration out on their pre-Iraq war lies, therefore, CIA Operative Valerie Plame was outed by an administration hell bent on revenge.  Hmmm, how “vanguard” of this administration!! They sure as heck didn’t care about Plame’s safety or protection when they publicized her identity!! On the other hand, in the interest of protecting the agents on the tapes, they had to be destroyed!! NO!! The tapes were destroyed because they consisted of footage of prisoners being tortured in violation of Geneva and International Human Rights Treaties!! Protect CIA agents from identification and possible reprisals, “my a**!!

That excuse is more asinine than even I thought we would get; also, it's the biggest sack of crap I've heard in, owe, at least "a day" from this group of criminal, medieval thinking thugs who operate out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!!

Spitting fire in Los Angeles!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:24 PM)

Huckabee is gaining in the polls. Getting more air time than my beloved Hillary. Can't panic just yet. Ripped Rudy for many nights and that seemed to work. New Countdown plan:Start ripping Huckabee. Allright Countdown staff dig me up anything negative about Huckabee and keep it coming. Now what the heck do I do about this Oprah and Obama issue? Really it's getting out of control! Really now you tell me that the late great Molly Ivins wrote an article over a year ago that she would not support the great Hillary? Got to remember to stay focused. But dang it's getting hard.

John Scully Denver Co. (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:40 PM)

#4: Huckabee, lie? Nooooooooooo!! He was a good Baptist Minister!! God told me personally that no member of the "Party of Morals & Values" lies!!

I know Chuckleberry, you can join Mark from AZ; hopefully by now, he's left the "Fictional & Myth" section of his local library; followed my instructions, turned left and he's now in the "Fact" section.  On second thought, I have different directions for you; turn left, make another sharp left, and you’ll find the "Health and/or Science" sections!! You need to start there Chuckleberry!!

Please!! Chuckles made the statement, it's a matter of public record and there's NO spinning it Mr. Neanderthal!!

PANTS ON FIRE!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:42 PM)

#2 -- Hey Countdown -- I have a question for you.  I don’t know anything about fantasy football, but if I had Michael Vick, how would I go about unloading him?  Who on earth would take him or give me anything for him?  What?  You"ll take him off my hands if I throw in Brett Favre?  Nice try, Countdown.  

Anomaly (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:43 PM)

Anna Molly,

OK, unruffle, unruffle.

Use of words like Dumboc-rats, Dimmocrats, and Liarbals is rather juvenile, come to think of it. I will use these words no more, forever.  

I would do this only pour vous, Madame. No other Liberal.

Re: Mutiny. I think Clarks Gable's ears were not his worst flaw.  Those jug-ears probably served as convenient handles for his lady friends..... His worst attribute was reportedly his breath. False teeth odor enhanced by continual cigarette and cigar smoking.  That famous photo of Vivian Leigh (Scarlett), eyes closed, tilting her head back waiting for Gable (Rhett) to kiss her was her way of steeling herself for the ordeal. Hoping to keep the stomach contents inside. Romantic movies?

PUD Laguna Niguel, CA (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:44 PM)

Pud - Laguna Niguel CA (Sent Saturday, December 08, 2007 8:18 PM)

Hey backwater boy --

I did a little “fact checking” of my own since I saw your post, and I found out you were right about Captain Bligh not escaping from Clark Gable in a rowboat.  Take a look:    

http://www.lareau.org/sagaintro.htm

I know you tried to tell me, maybe even twice, so here I am apologizing again. See, backwater boy, I wanted the answer to be rowboat so much that I let myself believe the answer was rowboat. Nothing more than that. I hope you’re not too upset, like I wasn’t upset about the Crab galaxy, after I thought it over.  My mind was always on the rowboat.  Scout’s honor.  But talk about a dimmocrat ninny.  Now, go take that meteor shower, okay?  

Always, Anna Molly (: (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:46 PM)

David Molinero (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 9:35 PM)

Ok? Oh, I know what point you're trying to make; the Iraq Occupation debacle "is all Keith Olbermann's fault!!" WHEW!! Thanks David; I guess you got wind that the line "it's all Bill Clinton's fault" is more worn than my Michael Jackson Thriller album!! Although at least "Thriller" didn't kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people, to include our brave men and women of the military!! Thriller didn’t betray our military either!!

PEACE!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:10 PM)

Did anyone catch Glenn Becks's statement when interviewing Hucklebee regarding Hurricane Katrina? Beck said something to the effect like " When did it become OK for Americans to stand on top of a roof with HELP signs?" Heartless! Especially for the elderly, handicapped and children affected.That's why I'm now an independent.

J. Cash (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:10 PM)

Always. The boat used by Bligh was called a Royal Gig, standard issue to the Ships of the Admiralty in the late 18th Century. It was in fact, a rowboat, albeit a fairly large one, as required for transporting troops and provisions from ship to shore, but even at twenty four feet, it was cramped with nineteen people. The Bounty was a smaller ship, listed as a Bark or Cutter, and presumably had only two such Gigs, rowed by four to six men, and steered by a rudderman. Both would have a removable mast and be gaffe rigged, for sailing, should the winds be fair and the Mother Ship anchored farther out. Though Bligh was given a Sextant, he had learned his craft from Captain Cook, and was Cook's prized pupil. So now ye be Yar.  

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:38 PM)

PUD,

It's nice to see that Capt. Bligh and Clark Gable are the hot button issues.  Boy, that KO makes it sound like destroying evidence is important.  The Neo-Con fault finding proves nothing KO says is true, if 1 thing is wrong.  

Molinero,

It's nice to see the BIG issue is GE, as opposed to the non-issue of destroying SO-CALLED evidence.

Pud & Molinero is there ONE event of wrong doing by The GWB Admin.?  ONE?  Neither of you or that Scott or Larry will respond.  Why do you come to a NON-NEO-CON site?

Talvenada, Phila., Penna. (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:03 AM)

Keith,
I am not a Huckabee fan but I worked in the medical field in the 90's. While we knew AIDS was not transmitted by casual contact, I also had several patients who intentionally practiced reckless behavior once they learned of their infection. At that time, AIDS was  death sentence. When Magic Johnson was first diagnosed his prognosis was quite grim. We have come a long way.
We quarantined TB patients until we got that disease under control. There were times in the 90's I would have wholeheartedly agreed with Huckabee. There is plenty to diss on this guy, but you can't blame him for his feelings at the time.

Sherry, Roanoke, VA (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:34 AM)

Bushed!  Love it.  Let's not lose site of any of the scandals and continuing investigations.  These are criminals, warmongerers, and profiteers.  Prison is too good for them.  Guantanamo, on the other hand, would be perfect.

Dems:  Please please please stand up.  Grow a pair.  Stiffen those spines.  If you can't stand up to a VP with a single digit approval rating or President 24%, who CAN you stand up to?  

Sue, West Allis, Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:13 AM)

A Special Month's Worst Persons In The World Request:
To all NY Times Best Seller Book Buyers for Worst Persons In The World: Glenn Beck ahead of Tom Brokaw, Stephen Colbert, & Eric Clapton on the Best Sellers List?  What's this world come to?  He shouldn't even be ahead of rock guitarist Slash.  At least Slash talks and walks when sharing his views, woes, and great work.  BECK AHEAD OF BROKAW??????????  ARRRRRGH!

D W Boegel Jr, Pleasanton CA (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:32 AM)

Keith great job on your special comment the other night.  I was getting worried when you introduced the idea of your "Bushed" segment, of all the transgressions of the Bush Administration early on in the show, mostly because you only have an hour show big guy!

On another note, it's no wonder that Speaker Pelosi "took impeachment off the table," given her complicit role in not revealing the existence and destroying of the CIA torture tapes.  It appears that Democrats need new leadership as well and Nancy the American people are equal opportunity "impeachers."  By the way is "impeachers" even a word?  Oh well I'm way too tired, why don't you ask Dana Perino... yikes!  

Michael D. Gwizdala, Albany, New York (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:56 AM)

I wish Keith would do a comparison of Oprah's southern accent while with Obama and her normal voice she uses on the show.  It was insulting I thought to the people she was talking to.

Kristy, Spokane, WA (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 2:59 AM)

Watched the 'playback' section on World News Now this am regarding the torture of suspected terrorists.  Yes, the former agent admitted that the torture worked in those instances, however, he also said that as an American, should we be doing this?

Why?  Because we, as Americans, are supposed to be better than that.  

I didn't get to see the whole interview, so I'm not sure how many people it actually worked on.  However, I do know that other agents and those that are experts in the field, know that torture by and large doesn't work.

Jamie, Lago Patria, Italia (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:06 AM)

Talvenada:  It's funny you should ask these 'gentlemen' that question, as I was just thinking about that this morning.

I'm not sure exactly what it would take for these people to 'get' it, but somewhere down the road, they will.

Jamie, Lago Patria, Italia (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:07 AM)

Huckabee?  Isn't he the guy who used to play Gomer Pyle on TeeVee?  I love the way he used to sing at the Indy 500.

Mike, SF, CA (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 5:07 AM)

to Laura,  in L.A.Thank-you Keith for a great comment Dec.07,07.
First of all this letter is addressed not only to you
but to the Pam's  and Krista's of the world who Olbermann has continually succeeded to snow  into  believing (by mere non-mention) that a date like this has no significance.  If you don't recall my reference   please excuse my condescending admonition when I say you and Keith share the guilt in non-recognition in the loss of life of as many great soldiers in one attack (hint-Pearl Harbor)in two hours as we have lost in Iraq to date.  Don't get me wrong a loss of one life is too many but it's not for you,me, nor especially a media matter, Soros influenced, ratings whore like Keith Olbermann to decide.  Like always History will judge.

Mark Mendonsa Alaska (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 5:09 AM)

Before I get to the other stuff, I have to do my occassional critiquing of Mr. O's appearance. I loved the look..great tie, suit and shirt.

#5..Well Dana is just doing her job, no matter how incompetent she is. She is a dits no doubt about it.

Now the spin about those tapes is the 3 authors of the NIE report didn't like El Presidente and were out to "get" him and "discredit" him, so the report is full of falsehoods. This according to Newt Gingrich. It seems El Presidents has done a pretty good job of smearing himself without anybody's help, and the lies, lies, lies about these tapes go on..I'm staying tuned. Kudos to that CIA guy in charge of torturing..where are the others? Come out, come out wherever you are.

It's time John Dean weighed in on this latest scandal, isn't it?

#4..this man is despicable. I'll call him Huckleberry (my apologies to Mark Twain's Finn), but he has to go. Let me see in 1992 he said steps needed to be taken to "isolate" folks with AIDS, then on a Fox News Sunday he said this was not a call to quarantine the AIDS population, and the idea was not to "lock people up"..O..K..so now I understand. He is an idiot and an uneducated one at that.

Oddball: Hey, I've seen those ears on the funky rats before. They're the ears drawn by cartoonists depicting Bush I see in the Los Angeles Times.

#1..Oh Dana, not knowing about the Cuban Missile Crisis..good God!

Off topic somewhat, but I would like to see Craig Unger, author of "The Fall of The House of Bush". He also wrote "House of Bush, House of Saud". His new book talks about the falsehoods behind the Iraq invasion and the Niger intelligence document forgeries.

He commented that Bush #43 has put together an administration that is daddy's worst nightmare. Daddy Bush did battle with the neocons, calling them "the extra chromosome crowd". That the Republican Party is now what it will be always, thanks to El Presidente..neocons and the Christian right. No room for people like Daddy Bush, Gov. Arnie of CA, or Sen. Chuck Hagel.

and..like the new feature "Bushed"..looking forward to daily revisitations of the WH scandals.

Laura in Los Angeles (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 6:05 AM)

Huffington Post writer Joseph A Palermo is willing to give Dana Perino a lesson in history..that's very nice of him

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/a-free-history-lesson-for_b_76193l.html

Laura in Los Angeles (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 6:08 AM)

I have moved back to Scotland after 50 wonderfull years in the USA BROOKLYN, we get C.NBC not MSNBC it come thru B.SKY owned by RUPERT MURDOCK the FOX man,
and all we get is the IDIOT Bill O Reily, we mis Keith nightly show but I bring it up on my computer
and I tell all my friends here in Scotland about the Keith Olbermann,s show number one in the USA, keep hitting FOX.
Yours sincerely
Tommy Donnelly

Thomas K Donnelly Glasgow Scotland (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8:07 AM)

I don't think that Dana Perino should take to heart any endorsement by Karl Rove as a "professional". Karl has proven time and again his standards are pretty low. She always looks uncomfortable at the lectern and I'm surprised she was the best they could find. I always chuckle when she says she hasn't had a chance to talk to the President that day. I guess that means someone else brought him his coffee.

Well, Huckabee gets "Atwatered". So nice to have your own Willie Horton to drag around. I've seen the talking heads attributing Huckabee's rise in the polls as his ability to relate to his audiences. Well, all the multimillion dollar snake oil salesmen like Benny Hinn and Creflo Dollar on Sunday morning relate to their audiences too. There's an old joke here in the South that Southern Baptists don't make love standing up because people will think their dancing. It is one of the most strident, intolerant Protestant denominations in the US. When I initially heard he was an ordained Southern Baptist minister, I knew he would eventually self-immolate. We've already had 7 years of a born-again sideshow. If Romney has to defend his Mormonism, I don't see why Huckabee shouldn't have to defend being not just a follower but a minister in one of the most dogmatic, misogynist denominations in our country. Remember, Jerry Falwell was a Southern Baptist at one point.

gator,stuart,fl (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8:11 AM)

David Molinero (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 9:35 PM) Good morning, David. You and a couple of other bloggers have addressed this issue about NBC refusing to air the ad. Did you actually READ the story about what happened? NBC would've been happy to air the ad if the organization had removed their website address from the TV ad. That's all it would've taken, and the organization in question wouldn't do it. I can't remember the specific name of the organization in question, but it seems like they're reaping quite a bit of publicity for a refusal to remove a website address.

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 9:23 AM)

"even though General Hayden had insisted the tapes were destroyed to prevent public identification of, and possible reprisals against... that agent, and his colleagues."

So, what would happen to the tortured person if he dared to be able to identify the agents?  Would he be summarily killed?

andrea, harrisburg, pa (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 9:29 AM)

PUD Laguna Niguel, CA (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:44 PM)

Hey backwater boy --

I appreciate the gesture, REALLY I do, but please don’t think you have to stop insulting liberals just for my benefit.  I don’t mind at all, and I think you know it.  It always gives me something to do, and you really are a good sport.  If you don’t want to use those words anymore, okay, but I hope you don’t mind if I keep dimmocrat ninny for myself.

First ninny, now unruffle.  My, my, my.  I love it when you flatter me, backwater boy.  If French is involved, so much the better.  But what do you have against ruffles, anyway?

I never said there was anything wrong with Clark Gable’s ears.  Handles, for sure.  But romantic movies?  After this, I’ll never see Gone With The Wind quite the same way again (BTW - Scarlett O’Hara, talk about a ninny).  So I’m not sure I want to let you wrap your skillset around any of my real favorites.  At least not in an open forum.

Madame Anna Molly (: (unruffled dimmocrat ninny) (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 9:55 AM)

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:10 PM)

And when did I blame Olbermann for Iraq?

When it's over, nor would I credit Olbermann with Iraq.

David Molinero (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:00 AM)

"The insult is the last refuge of the out-argued"
-- John 'Birdman' Bryant

There are 406 days until the end of this regime on 1/20/2009
There are 391 days until the end of this Congress on 1/5/2009 ???
There are 329 days until election day -- 11/4/2008

The first Caucus/Primary hasn't happened yet!  Evaluate ALL the
candidates and think wisely before you vote.
And we are counting down.

Carol, Long Valley NJ (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:02 AM)

As long as the only two "social conservative" issues that are important to the Religious Right are "anti-abortion" and "anti-gay", I'm anti-Republican.

As long as it's more important to wear a flag lapel pin than to end the Iraq occupation, I'm anti-Republican.

As long as airing a commercial is more important than balancing the budget, I'm anti-Republican.

As long as "religious morals" trump "condoms, birth control and common sense" for averting unwanted pregnancy, I'm anti-Republican.

As long as science teachers are being fired because they won't teach biblical mythology next to scientific theory, I'm anti-Republican.

As long as the Republican party is just paying lip service to the religious conservatives but is really promoting only the agenda of the filthy rich, I'm anti-Republican.  

Get your priorities straight.  Unless the you are filthy rich, the Republican party is just using you.  

Carol, Long Valley NJ (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:13 AM)

Talvenada, Phila., Penna. (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:03 AM)

Unlike you, I'll wait till after the facts are known before I comment on destroyed video tapes. Do you recall the Maxim "First reports are often wrong"?

Haditha comes to mind, after it was judicated, CNN, MSNBC, NYT, and others dropped the story for one reason. The facts just didn't fit the story that they went with. Rather then correct the story, they preferred to forget.

David Molinero (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:17 AM)

We ALL know why nobody in this administration wants to 'talk' about anything, and why they claim 'executive privelege' on everything:  They are covering up multitudes of wrong doings.  If they don't say anything, it is their assumption that can't be caught in a lie.  Funny, young children do the same thing.

Because people on here feel freely to bring up President Clintons name and his 'lying under oath,' don't you Bush supporters even remotely question WHY our government won't talk about ANYTHING that has to do with the SECURITY of our nation? Yet, you all seem to think that it was perfectly okay to waste millions of American tax payer dollars and countless man hours for a man to admit under oath that he lied about receiving oral sex in the Oval Office!

They either have something to hide or they don't.  If they don't, then by God they need to man up and say so-not cover up.

I don't want to read about wishy-washy excuses as to why they may have destroyed the tapes.  Having been an employee of the Federal Government for 20 years, I KNOW what how it works.  Crikey, they still have tapes, papers, etc., from WWII and Vietnam, yet THESE tapes just a few years old were destroyed.  Hmmmm, sort of like all of the 'missing' emails from the White House.

BTW for all of you supporters of Bush, I have some ocean front property out there near Scott in Henderson, NV, that I can sell you.

Jamie, Lago Patria, Italia (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:19 AM)

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:38 PM)

Thanks, Steve.  I’m sure backwater boy also appreciates the clarification.  Rowboat, for sure. (:  I’m afraid, however, that to be really “yar,” a bottle of rum may be required, or maybe some tequila.  While researching the subject, I did run across some good pick-up lines for female pirates.  Does anyone know a good pirate bar?

Madame Anna Molly (yearns to be yar) (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:29 AM)

(Steve, Cedar Falls!  Stop me before I enumerate again!)

#4  Is it just me, or did Rudy kinda miss the point a little bit on the question of should the Secret Service provide security for the presidential mistress?  It seems to me that his answer suggested that there was nothing at all unusual about the president having a piece of fluff on the side . . . but that security should only be provided for her in case of immediate, credible threat.  Uh, Rudy?  That funny sound you're hearing is Mrs. G. getting out the duct tape.

Regarding Gov. Huckabee and the HIV/AIDS revelation: (not to mention his whole hearted endorsement of Ephesians 5:22, conveniently forgetting Ephesians 5:21 which says "Submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God" [KJV]) Haven't we had enough of affable, personable, narrow, suffocating zealots in the White House?  In addition to faith and family values, "true believers" (in all religions) tend to be associated with high body counts and I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!    


Chris F, Just o'er the border in Williconsinois (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:33 AM)

Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy. They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives.

http://www.wisdomquotes.com/cat_religious_freedom.html

Barry Goldwater: (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:42 AM)

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.

letter to Connecticut Baptists

Thomas Jefferson: (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:43 AM)

Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate.

Ulysses S. Grant (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:44 AM)

Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy. They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives.

Barry Goldwater (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:46 AM)

Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects?

Memorial and Remonstrance

James Madison (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:47 AM)

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.

Sinclair Lewis (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:48 AM)

Ultimately, America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired.

Robert F. Kennedy (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:48 AM)

We are different from previous generations of conservatives. We are no longer working to preserve the status quo. We are radicals, working to overturn the present power structure of this country.

Paul Weyrich (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:49 AM)

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:10 PM)

I wrote this:
"What of the full retreat of MSNBC on airing the Thank-You ad for the Troops.

Guess G.E. thinks of all the Billions of $$$ their Company makes of Military Contracts."

You replied with this:

"Ok? Oh, I know what point you're trying to make; the Iraq Occupation debacle "is all Keith Olbermann's fault!!" WHEW!!"

Maybe I'm just too stupid to see the connection between what I said, and your responce. Could you explain it to me?

David Molinero (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:50 AM)

On religious issues there can be little or no compromise.  There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs.  There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being.  But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly.  The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom.  They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent.  If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.  I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in A, B, C, and D.  Just who do they think they are?  And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?  And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate.  I am warning them today:  I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of conservatism.  

Barry Goldwater (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:56 AM)

quoted from
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/progressreport

WHITE HOUSE JUNK SCIENCE: "Science is warning us" to prevent a "permanent carbon summer," Gore declared yesterday. The White House, however, will not accept this science. In its report yesterday, the House Oversight Committee came to the "inescapable conclusion" that "the Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming." The administration censored 150 federal climate scientists from eight federal agencies and "exerted unusual control over the public statements of federal scientists on climate change issues." In response, the committee's conservative minority attacked the report: "The majority has relied on selective passages from two hearings, one deposition, and one transcribed interview to make grossly exaggerated claims of political interference with climate change science." White House Press Secretary Dana Perino called the report simply "untrue." But the committee's conclusions are consistent with the testimony of multiple former federal employees who were forced to fix the facts to fit White House policy. "The Bush Administration has acted as if the oil industry's communications plan were its mission statement," the report added.

Carol, Long Valley NJ (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 11:00 AM)

Got to remember to stay focused. But dang it's getting hard.  John Scully Denver Co. (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 10:40 PM)

Mr. Scully -- Nice to see you again.  I like focus just as much as the next person.  Although I agree that it’s been difficult, with new information to be sorted out every day, I think I’ve finally found my way out of the fog.  I’m sorry if you’ve been struggling with this, too.  Really.  Since I’m well known around here as a “dimmocrat ninny,” maybe you could illuminate for me what YOU think we should be focusing on.  Certainly not Billo Really.  I remember you don’t seem to like that at all.

And then maybe you can clarify for me which side of the Rockies you actually live on.  East of the Sun or West of the Moon?

Anna Molly (dimmocrat ninny, finding focus fast) (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 11:16 AM)

J. Cash (Sent Monday, December 10, 2007 11:10 PM)

Did you also catch the context of Glenn Beck's statement? Or did you just pull the statement off of a Blog with-out context?

The context was Beck talking about how The City of New Orleans knew that such an event would happen, and did nothing to prevent it, and the responce afterward.

Beck was critical of the actions before and after, not of the people on the rooftops.

David Molinero (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 11:28 AM)



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