Bill Moyers Puts Impeachment On the Media Table

A BuzzFlash guest contribution by Dave Lindorff. A quick summation of Bill Moyers' show on Impeachment of Bush and Cheney last Friday night.

Bill Moyers has put impeachment in the news and, in the process, shaming both the national media and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Congressional leadership.

In his program, Bill Moyers Journal, Moyers and guests John Nichols, the Nation's Washington correspondent and author of The Genius of Impeachment and Bruce Fein, a former attorney in the Ronald Reagan Department of Justice, made it clear that the Bush/Cheney administration has gravely threatened the Constitution and the survival of tripartite, divided government.

Despite this one shortcoming, Moyers' program is a public shaming of the tawdry and shameless corporate media, which has ignored the exploding impeachment movement blossoming across the nation, pretending that it doesn't even exist, or that it is the province of a few leftist wackos.

It will be interesting to see what impact the powerful Moyers program has on the growing movement for impeachment, on how it is reported, and on the response in Congress.

While not watched by too many ordinary Americans, the program is influential among professional journalists and editors, and among liberals and progressives, who will be increasing their pressure on Democratic leaders to act.

Pelosi's efforts to block impeachment and keep it "off the table" will continue to look more and more pitiful and self-serving.

The Corporate Media is pretty good at ignoring stuff it doesn't like. The "I-word" movement has to get so big they can't ignore it. Same goes for Ms. Pelosi.

"...textbook denial of reality."

p m carpenter on Bill "Monkeys have taken over my keyboard and they're flying out my ass too!" Kristol's wretched cry for help:

[...] The poor man has enjoyed a rest from reality for some time now, but whoever still loves him should seek court-ordered observation. For his sad condition is peaking, with the acute now mercilessly peppering the chronic.

It was that bit of complete disconnect that made me realize Bill Kristol's train has forever left Sanity Depot. He has surpassed the "Go" of mere spin and entered that strange and self-destructive realm of utter fantasy. He's mad, I tell you -- quite mad.

Ridicule, Mr. Kristol? I think not. Perhaps a large vial of Thorazine.

Does Thorazine come in 5 gallon buckets? A coupla those oughta do it.

Empire of Stupidity

Tom Engelhardt

But why go on? Only in Washington would such a consistent record of woeful failure lead to "stalemate." Only in Washington would a group of officials with such a record still be able to set the basic ground rules for debate. No individual would go back to the lot that sold you a string of automotive lemons, or let the doctor who had repeatedly misdiagnosed your disease (and maybe killed your neighbor with an overdose of anesthetic), operate on you.

In relation to Iraq, the situation can be summed up this way: The greatest gamblers in our history rolled the dice for a long-desired invasion, based on a dream of dominating the oil heartlands of the planet. This vision of a Pax Americana planet was based on the vaunted ability of the highest-tech military anywhere to dominate all in its path. (Domestically, a high-tech, well-oiled, utterly disciplined Republican Party was to establish political and lobbying dominion - a Pax Republicana - over Washington and the nation for a generation or more to come). On both imagined dominions, as on everything else, they were wrong. They were, that is, wrong in their expectations at the planetary level, and they have been wrong at every lesser level ever since. It has proven to be a cavalcade of stupidity.

If you take just the situation in Iraq in six-month increments, starting with the taking of Baghdad in 2003, any reasonable assessment would conclude that the American position has weakened and the country grown more chaotic, dangerous, and murderous in each of them. There is no reason to believe that, under the ministrations of this President, this Vice-President, these officials, and this set of military commanders anything could possibly change for the better as long as we remain stuck on the idea of occupying Iraq.

That's the logic of recent history. If you prefer the logic of dreams and of an empire of stupidity, then do stick with the present "stalemate."

Otherwise, it would make more sense to play an opposite's game with whatever positions the President and his officials take. Your odds on being right are guaranteed to be phenomenally high. Why, in fact, listen to them for one more second? Why be forced to look back and say "Wrong again!" one more time?

"The logic of dreams and an empire of stupity" sums up Bush/Cheney and their remaining supporters rather well, I think. It's too bad there's going to be so much misery and woe undoing what they've done.

Hallelujah Harry!

Harry Reid grows a set:

"I would like to inform the Republican leadership and all my colleagues that we have no intention of backing down," said Reid this afternoon.

Finally.

Off to the shop ...

Quote of the Day

Via Skippy (because I refuse to link to the original piece), a commenter on Bill Kristol's latest dumbass screed in WaPo.

will someone tell the real mr. kristol that the monkeys have stolen his computer again and are posting utter nonsense in his name?

NCOs dwindling

LATimes

They had been skilled helicopter technicians with the 82nd Airborne Division and, not yet 30, just the sort of noncommissioned officers needed to train the 65,000 new soldiers President Bush has ordered to expand the short-handed force over the next six years.

But the Ashbys are among the midcareer leaders the Army is having the most trouble holding on to — those torn between finishing a fight and raising a family. In this case, the Army lost twice: Bradford Ashby left in October, his wife the year before, because they didn't want to watch the children they plan to have grow up on video.

Having flown in some of the world's ricketiest helicopters (H-34s), it scares me to death thinking about our guys flying around in ancient, sand-worn rigs maintained by PFCs right out of Chopper Fixin' School...

Military experts are concerned that the years of combat waged by a scaled-down Army are contributing to an erosion of wisdom and experience.

'S true. I know the Corps took years to recover from the discharge of this Corporal of Marines...(cough)

The Pentagon had years of peace to rebuild after Vietnam, and it did, producing an NCO corps considered a model to the world. But replacing lost experience in wartime is much more difficult, akin to fixing an airplane while it's flying.

This is actually pretty serious. Inexperience leads to mistakes, whether with a wrench or a Squad Automatic Weapon. Mistakes mean the deaths of the wrong people.

During Vietnam, the Army had an "Instant NCO" program, also called "Shake 'n Bake", to make Corporals and Sergeants quickly out of guys right out of recruit training. I don't think the Marine Corps had a formal program, but they promoted people a lot faster than before. You can put all the stripes you want to on someone's sleeve, and good, motivated soldiers though they may be, there is no substitute for experience.

Wisdom as an NCO comes from making most of your mistakes before you get put in charge so you can show your troops what not to do. You can keep some of them from making the same mistakes you did.

Bush's War & Occupation are breaking our military faster and faster as each day goes by. Should we ever need it for an actual war to defend our country instead of a criminal unnecessary war of choice for oil, we may find ourselves in big trouble.

Make another movie, Mr. Moore...

Blog You Like A Hurricane sends an open letter to Michael Moore: Make a movie about the American Lamestream Mainstream Media.

You have done it with corporate corruption, gun violence, terrorism and health care. Do it for something you're obviously passionate about and that is just as dangerous, if not more: the gross misinformation and manipulation of public opinion by the mainstream American media.

Help us escape from this infotainment garbage. America deserves better.

I heartily agree, but I think Mr. Moore will not be showing up on our TVs promoting it. Heh.

Bush runs White House with sports metaphors

From MSNBC, but BuzzFlash says it better:

Bush runs White House with sports metaphors. How about "I paid for the referees [federal judges and the corporate media] and I expect them to stay bought as we run out the clock."

Oh, the irony...

Ironic Times

Musharraf Has Captured More Al Qaeda Than Any Other Country, Says U.S.
Several were in his Cabinet.

Cuba: Boatload of Americans Detained After Treacherous Voyage From Florida
Tell authorities they were seeking "better health care."

One Quarter of Top Positions at DHS Remain Unfilled
White House blames shortage of cronies.

New Drug Curbs Craving for Alcohol, Cigarettes
It will be marketed under the brand name Dulsvil®.

Current Tour De France Heralded as Steroid-Free
But race may take two months to finish.

Could you imagine?

As the regulars here know, Mrs. F and I are are avid cruisers. Could you imagine if we somehow ended up aboard this ship of fools?

A good investigative journalist, if needed, can hide aboard a cruise full of white supremacists and manage not only to escape without punching someone and thereby blowing their cover, but also get out with one hell of a story. That is exactly what Johann Hari did when he joined the National Review cruise and their motley of hate ...

Somehow, were I there, I think a lot of people would be swimming. No hiding involved. Heh ...

New Girl in Town Gets Settled With Hubby

From yesterday's N.Y. Times

“There must be a reason NBC chose to lavish an hour of prime time tonight on "Victoria Beckham: Coming to America."” . . . ad nauseum*

WHO THE FUCK CARES??????????????

ahhhhhhhhhhh, got that off my chest.

*No I will not link this and thus perpetuate this crap, there are folks dying every day because of a maniac in the White House and this is what the networks give time to? Pardon me while I barf.

R.

First Amendment?

Not so much:

After a myriad of stories about people being excluded from events where the President is speaking, now we know that the White House had a policy manual on just how to do so.

Called the "Presidential Advance Manual," this 103-page document from the Office of Presidential Advance lays out the parameters for how to handle protesters at events.

...

In another section, entitled "Preparing for Demonstrators," the document makes clear that the intention is to deprive protesters of the right to be seen or heard by the President: "As always, work with the Secret Service and have them ask the local police department to designate a protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in view of the event site or motorcade route."

The document also recommends drowning out protesters or blocking their signs by using what it calls "rally squads." It states: "These squads should be instructed always to look for demonstrators. The rally squad's task is to use their signs and banners as shields between the demonstrators and the main press platform. If the demonstrators are yelling, rally squads can begin and lead supportive chants to drown out the protestors (USA!, USA!, USA!). As a last resort, security should remove the demonstrators from the event site."

The document offered advice on how to recruit members for such squads: "The rally squads can include, but are not limited to, college/young republican organizations, local athletic teams, and fraternities/sororities." [my ems]

...

Far be it for the President to have to gaze upon the Great Unwashed.

Thanks to Maru for the link.

You wanna bomb something? - revisited

Fuck Iran, fuck the Paks, bomb Saudi:

BAGHDAD — Although Bush administration officials have frequently lashed out at Syria and Iran, accusing it of helping insurgents and militias here, the largest number of foreign fighters and suicide bombers in Iraq come from a third neighbor, Saudi Arabia, according to a senior U.S. military officer and Iraqi lawmakers.

About 45% of all foreign militants targeting U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians and security forces are from Saudi Arabia; 15% are from Syria and Lebanon; and 10% are from North Africa, according to official U.S. military figures made available to The Times by the senior officer. Nearly half of the 135 foreigners in U.S. detention facilities in Iraq are Saudis, he said.

...

He said 50% of all Saudi fighters in Iraq come here as suicide bombers. In the last six months, such bombings have killed or injured 4,000 Iraqis.

The situation has left the U.S. military in the awkward position of battling an enemy whose top source of foreign fighters is a key ally that at best has not been able to prevent its citizens from undertaking bloody attacks in Iraq, and at worst shares complicity in sending extremists to commit attacks against U.S. forces, Iraqi civilians and the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. [my ems]

...

Another ally who is selling us out. Leave us remember 15 of the 19 9/11 Jihadis were Saudi. These fuckers are playing us for assholes. The House of Saud has corrupted the U.S. political system as much as AIPAC has.

Big tip o' the Brain to our pal Lambert.

Good question ...

From the Ranger:

...

All patriotic Americans claim that they support the troops, and appreciate the service rendered by our fellow citizens (suckers?) But why then do so few businesses then not offer some token of appreciation, like a military discount?

Many of my local businesses and restaurants give discounts to police and firefighters, but nada to soldiers.


...

Ah, but that would cut into the bottom line, wouldn't it? Besides, the military doesn't come running when somebody tries to rob your business or when it's on fire, do they? What return on your investment would you get?

Ron Paul warns of staged terror attack

The only Repuglicant presidential candidate who's worth a shit, tells the truth sometimes, and thus is considered crazy and has a snowball's chance in Hell of ever getting the nomination, Ron Paul has a warning:

Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul, said the country is in "great danger" of the U.S. government staging a terrorist attack or a Gulf of Tonkin style provocation, as the war in Iraq continues to deteriorate.

The Texas congressman offered no specifics nor mentioned President Bush by name, but he clearly insinuated that the administration would not be above staging an incident to revive flagging support.

This administration will do anything in the attempt to maintain its monarchical grip on power, and now that folks are starting to catch on, their desperation is starting to show. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I would put nothing past them.

Michael Moore is fat!

And he also writes letters. This one to CNN:

Dear CNN,

Well, the week is over -- and still no apology, no retraction, no correction of your glaring mistakes.

I bet you thought my dust-up with Wolf Blitzer was just a cool ratings coup, that you really wouldn't have to correct the false statements you made about "Sicko." I bet you thought I was just going to go quietly away.

Think again. I'm about to become your worst nightmare. 'Cause I ain't ever going away. Not until you set the record straight, and apologize to your viewers. "The Most Trusted Name in News?" I think it's safe to say you can retire that slogan.

...

No shit, Mikey. That slogan is on par with "fair and balanced".

...

Clearly, no one is keeping you honest, so I guess I'm going to have to do that job, too. $1.5 billion is spent each year by the drug companies on ads on CNN and the other four networks. I'm sure that has nothing to do with any of this. After all, if someone gave me $1.5 billion, I have to admit, I might say a kind word or two about them. Who wouldn't?!

...

Yup, gotta pay those bills. I can't wait to see what ol' Mike digs up. Can you say "Wolfie and Me"?

...

P.S. If you also want to apologize for not doing your job at the start of the Iraq War, I'm sure most Americans would be very happy to accept your apology. You and the other networks were willing partners with Bush, flying flags all over the TV screens and never asking the hard questions that you should have asked. You might have prevented a war. You might have saved the lives of those 3,610 soldiers who are no longer with us. Instead, you blew air kisses at a commander in chief who clearly was making it all up. Millions of us knew that -- why didn't you? I think you did. And, in my opinion, that makes you responsible for this war ...

But Mikey's fat, so you shouldn't listen to him.

For those of you who, like I did, watched Fahrenheit 9/11, what if any of his predictions in that film didn't come to pass?

Cowboy

A masterpiece from Sara Robinson over at Group News Blog (Gilly's successors):

My dad, who died five years ago Wednesday, was a cowboy. A real one, complete with beat-up Stetson and muddy ropers and a Ford pickup and an ancient blanket-lined Levi's jean jacket that smelled of manure, leather, horse sweat, and tobacco -- the distinctive aroma of all cowboys, the one that's rubbed so deep into their sunburned hides that it doesn't come out no matter how long they spend in the shower or how much Old Spice they try to mask it with. Dad's been on my mind a lot this week -- well, Dad, Jefferson, and George W. Bush.

. . . snip . . .

And when we're finally clear on what a cowboy is and is not, it'll be all too clear to everyone that George Bush is not. He's just a two-bit drugstore shitkicker in a too-big hat, rough in the saddle and mean as a rattler on a hot day to boot. He's a little boy playing dress-up: fighter pilot, baseball player, astronaut, Commander-in-Chief, cowboy. Most people know he's a pathetic wannabee when he's playing the first four roles; but not enough of us understand what a fraud he is when he's wearing that cowboy persona, too.

We all know they way he's lied, swindled, and squandered away our national honor, our last bits of frayed trust in our government, and our Constitution. But most of us don't realize that he's also made off with one of our deepest and best national archetypes as well, single-handedly turning "cowboy" into a bigger epithet of scorn than "dude" ever was. It's past time to stop pissing away the honor of that noble legacy by letting this rube claim it for his own. We need to hunt him down and get it back, just like we need to get the White House and the truth and our self-respect back. Because the day we lose our love for cowboys -- the real kind, like Dad -- is a day we lose something essential to the American character, something we're going to miss desperately as we try to meet and master the next stage of our future.

Go read. This one is too good to miss!

R.

Let's go!

BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki shrugged off U.S. doubts of his government's military and political progress on Saturday, saying Iraqi forces are capable and American troops can leave "any time they want."

...

Fine, let's go.

We know the Iraqi people, most of them, want to kill us and now al-Maliki says he don't need us. What are we staying for? Oh yeah, the oil.

Great thanks to John Amato for the link.

Life During Wartime . . .

. . . as only the Talking Heads could describe it:



Hat tip to: Grace at The Phoenix Effect

R.

Quote of the Day

“Not one more dollar, and not one more recruit. Not for a puppet government that can’t be bothered to care about their own damned country.”

—Blue Girl

Hat tip to Larry Johnson