Diverse Entry
There are so many things to talk about today, so let's hop straight to it. Former Governor of California, and multiple-time Presidential candidate Jerry Brown has started his own blog, with open comments. And, unlike Howard Dean, he actually does his own blogging. Very impressive, Jerry.
Ralph Reed, the head of the Christian Coalition who once bragged about how he fights with "stealth politics and you don't know it's over until it's election night and you're in a body bag," is now working as a consultant to Microsoft, where Microsoft and Reed have come under fire. Note to all my readers who just love their porn: Reed, given his penchant for "stealth politics," may be trying to get Microsoft to install software which makes it impossible to get any porn on your computer. Hey, you never know. You won't know it's over until your porn is gone, and, when Reed succeeds, don't say I didn't tell you so. On another note (I was going to say "Seriously, though" but I am totally serious about what I believe Reed is up to!) what in God's name does Ralph Reed know about computers?
Al Gore is back in the news, speaking out against the Rabid Right's attempt to dominate our Congress by eliminating the filibuster for judicial nominees. It's a great speech. Much more tempered than his last few for MoveOn. Looks to me as though someone is trying to get on the green side of the grassroots. Al Gore is the strongest possible candidate that we have. And, just think. He'll be the first President since FDR to be elected three times!
Last night, I watched Hannity and Colmes, for reasons still unknown to me. Hannity continued to promote the show by mentioned Al Gore's insanity, and they played the segment off as "Al Gore Goes Gaga II." It was so inane, because Gore's whole speech was very calm and tempered and balanced, to say the least. But, you know, Sean Hannity doesn't need facts. He's better than that. I couldn't help but notice how little air-time Colmes got last night. Oh. And H&C opened up by teasing the segment on Gore, then saying, "even later, more on the Michael Jackson saga." I love the sophistication in our political discourse.
Russian President Putin is taking a harder line on Iran's nuclear programs, but it doesn't hearten me to much. For one thing, he's still defending missile sales to Syria, and, for another, in the year 2000 he said into the cameras with Madeline Albright in Moscow, "The United States is trying to coerce mother Russia," or something like that, and putting unfair pressure on them, and not being a good country. When the cameras went off, he said to Albright, "that is so that your political opponents can believe you're being strong." That's probably what's going on with his criticism of Iran.
Why on Earth are they delaying the sentencing of this man? He clearly doesn't deserve to have his license anymore, at a bare minimum.
Finally, the British press is being dramatically unfair to Prime Minister Blair. They've got a controversy over there about a memo that warned Blair about starting the war, and urged him to hold back until the UN gave a specific authorization for force. Now, allow me to show you why politicians hate the press. Look here.
Excerpt: The memo confirmed speculation that Lord Goldsmith warned on March 7, 2003, that it would be safer to delay the war in Iraq until the United Nations Security Council passed a second resolution specifically authorizing military action.
The document also warned that British troops could be open to legal action. The memo was not shown to the cabinet. Ten days after writing the memo, Goldsmith provided a written statement to Parliament stating the war would be legal without a further resolution. That document was shown to the cabinet.
Blair's political opponents have questioned whether Goldsmith was pressured by the prime minister's office to change his mind in the days leading up to the March 20 invasion of Iraq.
Give that a careful read. The memo didn't tell Blair that invading Iraq would be illegal. It just urged him to be extra careful. Then it told him that British soldiers could be open to prosecution for their part in the war? Well, yeah. Everyone is potentially open to prosecution during a war. But the press is spinning it, through lazy journalism, as "Blair Told Iraq War Illegal; Leans On Teller To Force Him To Say It's Legal." That contention is divorced from reality.
Ralph Reed, the head of the Christian Coalition who once bragged about how he fights with "stealth politics and you don't know it's over until it's election night and you're in a body bag," is now working as a consultant to Microsoft, where Microsoft and Reed have come under fire. Note to all my readers who just love their porn: Reed, given his penchant for "stealth politics," may be trying to get Microsoft to install software which makes it impossible to get any porn on your computer. Hey, you never know. You won't know it's over until your porn is gone, and, when Reed succeeds, don't say I didn't tell you so. On another note (I was going to say "Seriously, though" but I am totally serious about what I believe Reed is up to!) what in God's name does Ralph Reed know about computers?
Al Gore is back in the news, speaking out against the Rabid Right's attempt to dominate our Congress by eliminating the filibuster for judicial nominees. It's a great speech. Much more tempered than his last few for MoveOn. Looks to me as though someone is trying to get on the green side of the grassroots. Al Gore is the strongest possible candidate that we have. And, just think. He'll be the first President since FDR to be elected three times!
Last night, I watched Hannity and Colmes, for reasons still unknown to me. Hannity continued to promote the show by mentioned Al Gore's insanity, and they played the segment off as "Al Gore Goes Gaga II." It was so inane, because Gore's whole speech was very calm and tempered and balanced, to say the least. But, you know, Sean Hannity doesn't need facts. He's better than that. I couldn't help but notice how little air-time Colmes got last night. Oh. And H&C opened up by teasing the segment on Gore, then saying, "even later, more on the Michael Jackson saga." I love the sophistication in our political discourse.
Russian President Putin is taking a harder line on Iran's nuclear programs, but it doesn't hearten me to much. For one thing, he's still defending missile sales to Syria, and, for another, in the year 2000 he said into the cameras with Madeline Albright in Moscow, "The United States is trying to coerce mother Russia," or something like that, and putting unfair pressure on them, and not being a good country. When the cameras went off, he said to Albright, "that is so that your political opponents can believe you're being strong." That's probably what's going on with his criticism of Iran.
Why on Earth are they delaying the sentencing of this man? He clearly doesn't deserve to have his license anymore, at a bare minimum.
Finally, the British press is being dramatically unfair to Prime Minister Blair. They've got a controversy over there about a memo that warned Blair about starting the war, and urged him to hold back until the UN gave a specific authorization for force. Now, allow me to show you why politicians hate the press. Look here.
Excerpt: The memo confirmed speculation that Lord Goldsmith warned on March 7, 2003, that it would be safer to delay the war in Iraq until the United Nations Security Council passed a second resolution specifically authorizing military action.
The document also warned that British troops could be open to legal action. The memo was not shown to the cabinet. Ten days after writing the memo, Goldsmith provided a written statement to Parliament stating the war would be legal without a further resolution. That document was shown to the cabinet.
Blair's political opponents have questioned whether Goldsmith was pressured by the prime minister's office to change his mind in the days leading up to the March 20 invasion of Iraq.
Give that a careful read. The memo didn't tell Blair that invading Iraq would be illegal. It just urged him to be extra careful. Then it told him that British soldiers could be open to prosecution for their part in the war? Well, yeah. Everyone is potentially open to prosecution during a war. But the press is spinning it, through lazy journalism, as "Blair Told Iraq War Illegal; Leans On Teller To Force Him To Say It's Legal." That contention is divorced from reality.
posted by ThePoliticalPenguin at Thursday, April 28, 2005
1 Comments:
Your points about Reed are excellent. Go forward!
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