What is the Measure of A Man?
Sat Feb 19, 2005 at 09:42:01 PM PDT
Disclaimer: this is not a diary about Gannon so most people can just skip on by. This is an little amusing story, and a chance for people to tell their own tales.
I got a call today from a friend from work. Being the only Jews, and one of a few liberals, at company with mostly arrogant white male Christian conservatives, has led to a few bonding moments, but today's was my absolute favorite.
....more below the fold....
NEWSFLASH: Kerry will make a GREAT Commander in Chief
Fri Sep 24, 2004 at 10:21:26 AM PDT
It his me while driving home from work last night; John Kerry will make a great Commander in Chief.
At this point you are probably saying DUH, but stick with me for a minute. I think Dean would have made a better president, and Edwards a better campaigner, but Kerry, of all the potential candidates, is truly my first choice for Commander in Chief. And I don't think this distinction is trivial. Kerry's experience, political savvy, intelligence and resolve rally make him perfect to lead this country in a time of war. This should also be the point that we drive home to the country.
We are killing them on all the issues, jobs, economy, healthcare, environment, choice, etc, except for the war and terrorism. I heard an NPR report yesterday that single moms are moving to Bush because they think he can handle the "war on terror" better. While this seems unthinkable to us that know how bad Bush has screwed up Iraq and the fact that we are less safe than before, I believe the reason for the perception is that we have not pushed the meme: Kerry will make a great Commander in Chief.
more below the fold......
A personal plea from me, Eric
Tue Sep 21, 2004 at 09:11:45 PM PDT
The title of this Diary is the same as an email I sent tonight to my old DFA contact list. I am writing this Diary for two reasons, first, if there is anyone in the KC area who can help, please contact me.
Second, I am looking for ideas on how to get people motivated. Many of these people came to meet-ups and fundraisers for Dean on a regular basis, spouted their hate for Bush often, but when it comes time to put some time into volunteering, the same 12 people respond to an email that goes out to 1200.
Take a look at my email below and please give me suggestions. And if you have any ideas about where to go for volunteers, and how to motivate them, please, please let me know.
Bush's Military Record Revealed
Thu Sep 16, 2004 at 10:21:50 PM PDT
When we talk about Bush's Military record, I think we should forget the TANG, Coke and typewriters and focus on his current military record. I think this would be great for Kerry et al to push, and as I started doing research for this diary, it turns out the
Democratic Policy Committee agrees with me as they have already produce talking points along these lines. Unfortunately, as we have seen, they seem to have trouble getting their message out, so that is where we come in.
Below the fold are the points I have come up with so far, but I want your help to refine them and turn them into talking points.
Great Hersh Interview!
Tue Sep 14, 2004 at 01:58:56 PM PDT
Seymour Hersh sat down with Amy Goodman of
Democracy Now! this morning to talk about his new book,
Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib. As usual, Amy does an excellent job of asking the hard and good questions and actually giving her guest a chance to tell there story. A Partial
transcript is now available, or you can listen to the whole thing, and Amy introduces the piece with the following:
In his book, Hersh writes that at the height of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in May 2004, a Republican operative received the reassuring word that Vice President Dick Cheney had taken control of the situation. The operative "learned that Cheney had telephoned Rumsfeld with a simple message: No resignations. We're going to hunker down and tough it out." Hersh writes "Cheney's concern was not national security. This was a political call - a reminder that the White House would seize control of every crisis that could affect the re-election of George Bush."
Some of my other favorite parts are below the fold.
Thank You Mr. Bush
Sun Sep 12, 2004 at 06:06:30 PM PDT
Okay, I know after my "You Liberals Are Wusses" diary on Friday, some of you are saying here he goes again, but this time I am serious. Finally, after 3 ½ years, the policies of the Bush administration have benefited me.
See, the story goes like this.....
You Liberals Are Wusses
Fri Sep 10, 2004 at 10:20:44 AM PDT
I was laughing with the golf-pro at the Club the other night about what a bunch of losers you liberal are when he mention that he had found this site where they seemed to know what they were talking about and he pointed me here so I checked you out, wanting to see what the whiners were complaining about now and I loved what I saw.
At first blush, I thought these people might know what their doing after all. There were a couple of good diaries and posts with some real insight but then I hung around for a while and a pattern emerged. Despite the occasional insight, liberals are a bunch of wussies and we are going to kick your ass this November. I am so confident that we are going to sweep the floor with you that I am going to tell you exactly why you will lose, because I know you won't change a thing.
A Letter To A Fence-sitter
Tue Sep 07, 2004 at 08:44:01 PM PDT
My wife's cousin is a fence sitter. While she supports most of the liberal agenda, she was raised by, is married to, and is friends with, republicans.
About once a week, we get an email with the title "what about this"? Inevitably it contains some email she got that shows Kerry or his wife, or Edwards, in a bad light. Flip-flopper, Swift-liars, Edwards drove on my lawn, etc. Today was the one from a pilot who claims Kerry dissed him and didn't share his pizza.
Usually i just reply to the facts and ignore the larger issue but that gets tiring. Below the fold is my response. Please note that I wrote it quickly and off the cuff so didn't bother fact checking completely. Also, for the sake of the narrative, Doris is the cousin of my Wife (Barbara). Doris has a nephew in the Army in Iraq (Kris) and Spencer and Sierra are my kids.
Now to the letter.
The Real Issue: Bush is Incompetent
Wed Sep 01, 2004 at 11:12:14 AM PDT
Richard Reeves, a columnist who can be a very moderate at times, has the really boiled this down for us. In his latest column, he gives us 10 reasons why we should not re-hire Bush.
Whether you agree or disagree with the words pouring from the podium over Americans who see reflections of themselves in George W. Bush, the real issue of this election will not be mentioned. The core issue is this: Our president is incompetent. He is not a good president.
In short his top 10 reasons are that Bush:
- Divider not uniter
- Divider again
- hates our kids
- loves money and power
- Hates our troops
- Hates Science
- Hates the Constitution
- Even his Friends are Incompetent
- Hates Jobs and Healthy People
- Hates the World
And he end with:
The list is longer, miscalculation after miscalculation. President Bush has not been able to function effectively at this pay grade. He may mean well, but this has been a difficult time, and he is in over his head. We and our kids will pay the price for his blundering, blunderbuss adventure in Washington. He has been tested in a difficult time -- and, unhappily for all of us and the world, he has not been up to the job.
Okay, his list is more thoughtful than I have put it, but you can read it the whole article here and please go there and rate it a 5 so others will see it. I have also coped the 10 reasons below the fold.
Call the DNC - Get Dems On Air NOW!
Tue Aug 31, 2004 at 10:40:10 PM PDT
Please
Don't Wait until tomorrow
Call the DNC right now and leave a message. Let them know if they expect our support, they need to start doing their Fucking job.
Main Phone Number:
202-863-8000
I just left a message with the communication department (Dial 6).
Or
1-If you know a last name
2-chairman - T.Mac.
3-COO
4-CFO
8-Political?
Call Now!!!!
I would love for them to come back to full voicemails tomorrow.
I left another message for TM this time. Left my name and phone number and asked someone to get back with me.
Repubs Blackballing Hardball.
Mon Aug 23, 2004 at 01:22:21 PM PDT
According to the
US News and World Report, seems we have proof that Republicans can't handle even a slightly tough question from the press.
Blackball
You might notice something missing from Hardball With Chris Matthews soon: Republicans. " Hardball may seem more like badminton during the Republican National Convention," threatens a GOP insider. What's up? The GOP thinks Matthews has gone over to Sen. John Kerry's side and is too critical of the Bush campaign's editing of a Hardball interview with Kerry posted on the party's negative site, www.kerryoniraq.com. As payback, they've stopped urging Republicans to appear on the show. Hardball executive producer Tammy Haddad dismisses charges Matthews is biased: "We beat everybody up." So far, nobody from the White House has told her of the show's being blackballed.
We all know that to say that Matthew's is on Kerry's side is to not look at the record of the past couple of years. However, the fact that we have a Commentator who is actually willing to stand up for some facts and the Republican smear machine is threatening to shut him down, shows how scary they can be.
I for one just started to watch Hardball on a regular basis again because Chris grew a pair this month, it is time for anyone who feels the same to let the show know we appreciate their work.
hardball@msnbc.com
How will you watch the Election?
Mon Aug 16, 2004 at 10:09:03 PM PDT
A little out of order here as Bill in Portland Maine had a nice entry talking about
What will you do when Kerry wins but what I want to know is what will you be doing up until that point.
I get so stressed watching these things that my wife has already informed me that I will have to leave that house that night, or she will take the kids and go spend the night at a friends house. I told her that I needed her here when my heart explodes to dial 911, she basically said tough luck and told me to get life alert.
Initially I thought I would be at a bar somewhere with friends, or at a watching party, but if it is even close, I could end up killing someone just to relieve the tension. That and I have to have control of the remote.
So what will you be doing?
J. Jackson Rip on Bush's Sovereign Speech
Tue Aug 10, 2004 at 08:25:25 AM PDT
As many people have heard, when President Bush was questioned about tribal sovereignty in the 21st century at a gathering of minority journalists he responded:
"Tribal sovereignty means that. It's sovereign. You're a ... you're a ... you've been given sovereignty and you're viewed as a sovereign entity."
This morning on Democracy Now, they played a clip of Jesse Jacksons being asked what he thought of Bushies response, and it had me on the floor.
I am looking for a transcript but you can listen to it on-line right now. He starts by saying "The president explained, you just didn't understand." on goes on from there in the perfect imitation of Bushspeak.
SOVERIZED!
The Real Victory Tonight -
Thu Jul 29, 2004 at 10:43:49 PM PDT
Watching the speech tonight and reading all of the comments made me wonder if Kerry's true victory tonight was not in convincing undecided, but energizing his base.
I am one of those Dean supporters who worked their asses off in the Primaries. I am talking 20 to 40 hours a week outside of my full time job and family obligations. When Kerry ran away with it, you can understand that I was disappointed and slightly deflated, and I told myself that I needed a break before I started working for Kerry, but I couldn't quite bring myself to get back into it, even after some time off.
I have been working on some local primary campaigns, and to defeat a Hate Amendment here in MO, but really nothing for Kerry. I sent him some money, but didn't go down to Volunteer or return some of the phone calls from the local campaign who had heard of my work for Dean. I lied to myself that it would be different after the Primaries, but deep down I knew that I just wasn't excited about a Kerry Presidency.
After tonight, I am sold.
We have primaries on Tuesday but after that, I am focusing on Kerry, Farmer and the Governorship.
So again I ask, was the real victory tonight to get us excited and ready for the push to November. Anyone else out there feel that way?
(p.s. My first Diary - hope I did it right.)
