Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Such clever rhetoric
From the AP:
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told voters from Ohio's rust belt on Tuesday that President Bush's record on job creation should be described as ``mission not accomplished.''
Its a little sad that the Democrat's nominee has all the wit of Principal Skinner
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From the AP:
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told voters from Ohio's rust belt on Tuesday that President Bush's record on job creation should be described as ``mission not accomplished.''
Its a little sad that the Democrat's nominee has all the wit of Principal Skinner
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Thursday, April 15, 2004
I used to think Michael Moore was clever, but now I know he's just hateful
This is just disgusting:
From Michael Moore's website
"There is a lot of talk amongst Bush's opponents that we should turn this war over to the United Nations. Why should the other countries of this world, countries who tried to talk us out of this folly, now have to clean up our mess? I oppose the U.N. or anyone else risking the lives of their citizens to extract us from our debacle. I'm sorry, but the majority of Americans supported this war once it began and, sadly, that majority must now sacrifice their children until enough blood has been let that maybe -- just maybe -- God and the Iraqi people will forgive us in the end."
- Michael Moore
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This is just disgusting:
From Michael Moore's website
"There is a lot of talk amongst Bush's opponents that we should turn this war over to the United Nations. Why should the other countries of this world, countries who tried to talk us out of this folly, now have to clean up our mess? I oppose the U.N. or anyone else risking the lives of their citizens to extract us from our debacle. I'm sorry, but the majority of Americans supported this war once it began and, sadly, that majority must now sacrifice their children until enough blood has been let that maybe -- just maybe -- God and the Iraqi people will forgive us in the end."
- Michael Moore
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Bin Laden picks up DNC Talking Point
Osama bin Laden declared a new enemy today, in his statement that offered a truce to Europe.
From MSNBC:
"[Osama] denounced the U.S. war on Iraq, saying it was making “billions of dollars” for companies, “whether those that make weapons or those that take part in reconstruction,”naming the American firm Halliburton."
Hmm... I wonder where Osama bin Laden learned all about this formerly obscure American corporation and their evil war profiteering.
"We learned yesterday what many Americans have suspected for a long time--special interest contributor Halliburton is overcharging the American taxpayers by tens of millions of dollars. Now George W. Bush is preventing entire nations from bidding on contracts in Iraq so his campaign contributors can continue to overcharge the American taxpayers."
- Howard Dean
“We need a plan to ensure that Halliburton and other corporations like Halliburton are not in a position to profiteer on whatever money goes into Iraq,”
- Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle
“Halliburton is guilty of shameful war-profiteering, and they need to be held accountable."
-John Kerry
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Osama bin Laden declared a new enemy today, in his statement that offered a truce to Europe.
From MSNBC:
"[Osama] denounced the U.S. war on Iraq, saying it was making “billions of dollars” for companies, “whether those that make weapons or those that take part in reconstruction,”naming the American firm Halliburton."
Hmm... I wonder where Osama bin Laden learned all about this formerly obscure American corporation and their evil war profiteering.
"We learned yesterday what many Americans have suspected for a long time--special interest contributor Halliburton is overcharging the American taxpayers by tens of millions of dollars. Now George W. Bush is preventing entire nations from bidding on contracts in Iraq so his campaign contributors can continue to overcharge the American taxpayers."
- Howard Dean
“We need a plan to ensure that Halliburton and other corporations like Halliburton are not in a position to profiteer on whatever money goes into Iraq,”
- Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle
“Halliburton is guilty of shameful war-profiteering, and they need to be held accountable."
-John Kerry
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Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Sadr Surrenders:
From the New York Times:
Haidar Aziz, a spokesman in Baghdad for Mr. Sadr's Mahdi Army, said the cleric had decided to turn the militia into "a political and social organization with no military activities."
Finally, the aides said, Mr. Sadr had agreed to submit to a warrant for his arrest in the murder of a rival Shiite cleric last year, but only "after the formation of a legitimate and sovereign government" — meaning after American control of Iraq ends.
The headline of the article is that the Iranians are helping in all of this. Fascinating. Three days ago, Sadr was declaring Iraq was going to be another Vietnam. I don't recall Ho Chi Minh giving up in less than a week.
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From the New York Times:
Haidar Aziz, a spokesman in Baghdad for Mr. Sadr's Mahdi Army, said the cleric had decided to turn the militia into "a political and social organization with no military activities."
Finally, the aides said, Mr. Sadr had agreed to submit to a warrant for his arrest in the murder of a rival Shiite cleric last year, but only "after the formation of a legitimate and sovereign government" — meaning after American control of Iraq ends.
The headline of the article is that the Iranians are helping in all of this. Fascinating. Three days ago, Sadr was declaring Iraq was going to be another Vietnam. I don't recall Ho Chi Minh giving up in less than a week.
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Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Win now
Larry Miller from the Weekly Standard hits the nail on the head:
"But when I saw that banner saying "Mission Accomplished," I thought, no, no, it isn't accomplished at all, it's barely begun, and if we're going to do this thing, accept this challenge, fully absorb the import of this moment, it's going to wind up making the Hundred Years War look like a performance of Nicholas Nickleby.
And please don't hand me that "Well, he just meant the major operations, and the rest of the message was more nuanced, and if you read the text . . ."
Baloney. I support the president in all of this, but what he should have done then, in my opinion, is what he can still do now. What I've been waiting for. What the whole country needs, for, against, and in between.
A speech. A big one. A grave one. Say that the world is a very bad place and has been for a long time, and that we're going to stop it in its tracks and make it better because we have to, and because, as Tony Blair said when he spoke to Congress, "It's your destiny."
Stand next to a map of Iraq, and another one of the world, and point out what's good and what's bad, what's been done and what's left. Say, 'You may disagree, but here's where we are, and here's where we're going.'
Most important, say, 'It may happen before, during, or after the election, but I don't care, I'm doing it because it's right, and if I'm president again next year, I'm going to keep doing it'
And then win. Win in Iraq, and then look around for other threats like a silverback gorilla after slapping the head off of an upstart."
He concludes:
"In service of this goal, I would like to propose a new slogan. It's based on the old anti-war chant from the sixties, "Peace Now!" You must've heard that one. Demonstrators have been shouting it for the last 40 years. "Peace Now, Peace Now, Peace Now." Hell, I think I probably shouted it, myself, somewhere around '73. (This would have been shortly before the drinking age in Massachusetts went down to 18, after which my friends and I took to shouting far more sensible things, like, "You can't cut us off, it's only 11:00. Hey, let go of me.")
Here's the new slogan: Win now."
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Larry Miller from the Weekly Standard hits the nail on the head:
"But when I saw that banner saying "Mission Accomplished," I thought, no, no, it isn't accomplished at all, it's barely begun, and if we're going to do this thing, accept this challenge, fully absorb the import of this moment, it's going to wind up making the Hundred Years War look like a performance of Nicholas Nickleby.
And please don't hand me that "Well, he just meant the major operations, and the rest of the message was more nuanced, and if you read the text . . ."
Baloney. I support the president in all of this, but what he should have done then, in my opinion, is what he can still do now. What I've been waiting for. What the whole country needs, for, against, and in between.
A speech. A big one. A grave one. Say that the world is a very bad place and has been for a long time, and that we're going to stop it in its tracks and make it better because we have to, and because, as Tony Blair said when he spoke to Congress, "It's your destiny."
Stand next to a map of Iraq, and another one of the world, and point out what's good and what's bad, what's been done and what's left. Say, 'You may disagree, but here's where we are, and here's where we're going.'
Most important, say, 'It may happen before, during, or after the election, but I don't care, I'm doing it because it's right, and if I'm president again next year, I'm going to keep doing it'
And then win. Win in Iraq, and then look around for other threats like a silverback gorilla after slapping the head off of an upstart."
He concludes:
"In service of this goal, I would like to propose a new slogan. It's based on the old anti-war chant from the sixties, "Peace Now!" You must've heard that one. Demonstrators have been shouting it for the last 40 years. "Peace Now, Peace Now, Peace Now." Hell, I think I probably shouted it, myself, somewhere around '73. (This would have been shortly before the drinking age in Massachusetts went down to 18, after which my friends and I took to shouting far more sensible things, like, "You can't cut us off, it's only 11:00. Hey, let go of me.")
Here's the new slogan: Win now."
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Monday, April 12, 2004
Now this is questioning patriotism!
Don't get me wrong. I'm a big hawk on the War on Terror, and do see Iraq as a logical part of that war. But even I think this guy is a little tough on the Democrats:
The truth is the Democratic party is not overly concerned with either the cause of humanity or America's fundamental security interests. What guides them most is a deeply corrosive skepticism of American power. They remain the "blame America first" crowd. A Democrat administration was no more inclined to go after al Qaeda in Afghanistan or to make war on its far-flung network than to stop the killing in Rwanda. - Adam Wolfson, writing for National Review Online.
Read the whole thing. Its pretty rough.
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Don't get me wrong. I'm a big hawk on the War on Terror, and do see Iraq as a logical part of that war. But even I think this guy is a little tough on the Democrats:
The truth is the Democratic party is not overly concerned with either the cause of humanity or America's fundamental security interests. What guides them most is a deeply corrosive skepticism of American power. They remain the "blame America first" crowd. A Democrat administration was no more inclined to go after al Qaeda in Afghanistan or to make war on its far-flung network than to stop the killing in Rwanda. - Adam Wolfson, writing for National Review Online.
Read the whole thing. Its pretty rough.
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The War on Terror
"You and all your snide friends in all the foreign offices know in your hearts the cruelty, the evil that emanates from the Moslem world. But you are afraid to hold Islam up to the light and tell your people 'Look this is what we have to live with.' No, let the Jews do it. We once again man the barricades alone, berated by our smug, so-called allies of the Western Democracies. Islam is going to turn this world upside down before this century is out and you'd better have enough guts to deal with it. "
Pg. 213 of the Bantam Books Edition of "The Haj", by Leon Uris
Gideon Asch, speaking to a British Cornel in Tel Aviv on the eve of the Israeli War for Indpendence
First published in 1984.
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"You and all your snide friends in all the foreign offices know in your hearts the cruelty, the evil that emanates from the Moslem world. But you are afraid to hold Islam up to the light and tell your people 'Look this is what we have to live with.' No, let the Jews do it. We once again man the barricades alone, berated by our smug, so-called allies of the Western Democracies. Islam is going to turn this world upside down before this century is out and you'd better have enough guts to deal with it. "
Pg. 213 of the Bantam Books Edition of "The Haj", by Leon Uris
Gideon Asch, speaking to a British Cornel in Tel Aviv on the eve of the Israeli War for Indpendence
First published in 1984.
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The Mission of this Blog
I hope this blog will provide a forum for debate that captures the spirit of the Lee Room. That is open, honest, biting, mean, sarcastic, realistic and above all - honorable.
There's a lot of excitement coming up:
*We've got a contentious electorate that's evenly divided and both sides are all fired up.
*We've got an Olympics being held in a city where half of the stadiums haven't been completed and can't provide security.
*The Republicans are coming to town!
*Iraq is going to be turned over (maybe) to uhm...somebody on June 30th.
*Israel is withdrawing from Gaza.
*Friends is going off the air.
*The Terminator is governor of California and Mad Max is one of the country's foremost religious figures.
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I hope this blog will provide a forum for debate that captures the spirit of the Lee Room. That is open, honest, biting, mean, sarcastic, realistic and above all - honorable.
There's a lot of excitement coming up:
*We've got a contentious electorate that's evenly divided and both sides are all fired up.
*We've got an Olympics being held in a city where half of the stadiums haven't been completed and can't provide security.
*The Republicans are coming to town!
*Iraq is going to be turned over (maybe) to uhm...somebody on June 30th.
*Israel is withdrawing from Gaza.
*Friends is going off the air.
*The Terminator is governor of California and Mad Max is one of the country's foremost religious figures.
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The Lee Room
When I was an undergraduate at Washington & Lee University, the living room of my Fraternity House was called the Lee Room. Students at Washington & Lee revere Robert E. Lee, who became president of the then Washington College after returning to Virginia after the Civil War, and stayed there until he died in 1870. Lee is the spiritual founder of the modern W&L. His strict honor code, in which any student found lying, cheating or stealing was removed from campus is still strictly enforced and cherished at the university today. Lee is buried on campus. So is his horse.
You might say the kids at W&L have a Lee fixation. In any case, that fixation extended to my fraternity house, where an outsized and austere portrait of Lee hung above the mantle and fireplace of our living room and commanded the attention of all who entered.
The "Lee Room" was where the great arguments of college took place. My fraternity had members from all over the country and religious backgrounds, especially for W&L. Our ranks included 4 of the 50 Jews on campus (present company included), a couple of asian kids, and people from diverse backgrounds such as West Virginia, Kentucky, New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Winston Salem, Georgia, Minnesota, etc.
This experience really informed my political views. I came to Virginia a pretty standard northeastern Jewish liberal. I was blue state through and through. I left Virginia with a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the people. the culture and the values of the Red States. So my views are pretty all over the place.
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When I was an undergraduate at Washington & Lee University, the living room of my Fraternity House was called the Lee Room. Students at Washington & Lee revere Robert E. Lee, who became president of the then Washington College after returning to Virginia after the Civil War, and stayed there until he died in 1870. Lee is the spiritual founder of the modern W&L. His strict honor code, in which any student found lying, cheating or stealing was removed from campus is still strictly enforced and cherished at the university today. Lee is buried on campus. So is his horse.
You might say the kids at W&L have a Lee fixation. In any case, that fixation extended to my fraternity house, where an outsized and austere portrait of Lee hung above the mantle and fireplace of our living room and commanded the attention of all who entered.
The "Lee Room" was where the great arguments of college took place. My fraternity had members from all over the country and religious backgrounds, especially for W&L. Our ranks included 4 of the 50 Jews on campus (present company included), a couple of asian kids, and people from diverse backgrounds such as West Virginia, Kentucky, New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Winston Salem, Georgia, Minnesota, etc.
This experience really informed my political views. I came to Virginia a pretty standard northeastern Jewish liberal. I was blue state through and through. I left Virginia with a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the people. the culture and the values of the Red States. So my views are pretty all over the place.
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