Saturday, June 05, 2004
Cheney & Rumsfeld as Witnesses at Torture Trial?
A brilliant move by defense attorneys for U.S. Army Pfc. Lynndie England. England was featured prominently in two notorious photgraphs taken at Abu Ghraib prison:
...England's lawyer Rose Mary Zapor told a news conference that Cheney and Rumsfeld were on a list of more than 130 people that the defense would like to call as witnesses.
Zapor said England's defense that she was only following orders could be bolstered by evidence from Rumsfeld and Cheney. The vice president would have knowledge of 'intelligence tactics' due to his service as secretary of defense in the presidency of Bush's father, she said...
Imagine the media circus surrounding this trial in the unlikely event one of these Hawks testifies.
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A brilliant move by defense attorneys for U.S. Army Pfc. Lynndie England. England was featured prominently in two notorious photgraphs taken at Abu Ghraib prison:
...England's lawyer Rose Mary Zapor told a news conference that Cheney and Rumsfeld were on a list of more than 130 people that the defense would like to call as witnesses.
Zapor said England's defense that she was only following orders could be bolstered by evidence from Rumsfeld and Cheney. The vice president would have knowledge of 'intelligence tactics' due to his service as secretary of defense in the presidency of Bush's father, she said...
Imagine the media circus surrounding this trial in the unlikely event one of these Hawks testifies.
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Ronald Reagan
Dead at 93.
I didn't agree with a lot of his policies but he did work with Gorbachev to help end Communism and the fall of the Berlin Wall. One of the most endearing images of the 80s.
Hopefully, there will be some good that will come from the passing of the 40th President of the United States. First, Reagan's passing should signal a renewed interest in Alzheimer's disease that could give more research and resources for the fight to end this horrible disease. Second, Reagan's widow, Nancy, has been an advocate of stem-cell research something the Bush Administration has only partially embraced. This research is something that can help to find out more about Alzheimer's and other debilitating diseases.
RIP President Reagan.
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Dead at 93.
I didn't agree with a lot of his policies but he did work with Gorbachev to help end Communism and the fall of the Berlin Wall. One of the most endearing images of the 80s.
Hopefully, there will be some good that will come from the passing of the 40th President of the United States. First, Reagan's passing should signal a renewed interest in Alzheimer's disease that could give more research and resources for the fight to end this horrible disease. Second, Reagan's widow, Nancy, has been an advocate of stem-cell research something the Bush Administration has only partially embraced. This research is something that can help to find out more about Alzheimer's and other debilitating diseases.
RIP President Reagan.
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Quote of the Day
Installment III (Smarty Jones edition)
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
W C Fields
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Installment III (Smarty Jones edition)
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
W C Fields
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Friday, June 04, 2004
Why Would Bush Consult a non-White House Attorney?
A good article by John Dean at FindLaw.com about what Bush's motives might be as they pertain to the Plame investigation:
...It is possible that Bush is consulting (James E.) Sharp only out of an excess of caution - despite the fact that he knows nothing of the leak, or of any possible coverup of the leak. But that's not likely.
On this subject, I spoke with an experienced former federal prosecutor who works in Washington, specializing in white collar criminal defense (but who does not know Sharp). That attorney told me that he is baffled by Bush's move - unless Bush has knowledge of the leak. "It would not seem that the President needs to consult personal counsel, thereby preserving the attorney-client privilege, if he has no knowledge about the leak," he told me.
What advice might Bush get from a private defense counsel? The lawyer I consulted opined that, "If he does have knowledge about the leak and does not plan to disclose it, the only good legaladvice would be to take the Fifth, rather than lie. The political fallout is a separate issue."
I raised the issue of whether the President might be able to invoke executive privilege as to this information. But the attorney I consulted - who is well versed in this area of law -- opined that "Neither 'outing' Plame, nor covering for the perpetrators would seem to fall within the scope of any executive privilege that I am aware of."...
It's kind of a long article, but very informative from a legal perspective.
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A good article by John Dean at FindLaw.com about what Bush's motives might be as they pertain to the Plame investigation:
...It is possible that Bush is consulting (James E.) Sharp only out of an excess of caution - despite the fact that he knows nothing of the leak, or of any possible coverup of the leak. But that's not likely.
On this subject, I spoke with an experienced former federal prosecutor who works in Washington, specializing in white collar criminal defense (but who does not know Sharp). That attorney told me that he is baffled by Bush's move - unless Bush has knowledge of the leak. "It would not seem that the President needs to consult personal counsel, thereby preserving the attorney-client privilege, if he has no knowledge about the leak," he told me.
What advice might Bush get from a private defense counsel? The lawyer I consulted opined that, "If he does have knowledge about the leak and does not plan to disclose it, the only good legaladvice would be to take the Fifth, rather than lie. The political fallout is a separate issue."
I raised the issue of whether the President might be able to invoke executive privilege as to this information. But the attorney I consulted - who is well versed in this area of law -- opined that "Neither 'outing' Plame, nor covering for the perpetrators would seem to fall within the scope of any executive privilege that I am aware of."...
It's kind of a long article, but very informative from a legal perspective.
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They Aren't FOX News, But Who Is?
From Capitol Hill Blue:
President George W. Bush's increasingly erratic behavior and wide mood swings has the halls of the West Wing buzzing lately as aides privately express growing concern over their leader's state of mind.
In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats and others that he classifies as enemies of the state...
So who's got the nuclear football?
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From Capitol Hill Blue:
President George W. Bush's increasingly erratic behavior and wide mood swings has the halls of the West Wing buzzing lately as aides privately express growing concern over their leader's state of mind.
In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats and others that he classifies as enemies of the state...
So who's got the nuclear football?
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More U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq
So sad:
Four US soldiers have been killed and five wounded in an attack on a convoy near Baghdad's main Shia Muslim district, the US military reports.
Reports say the convoy came under bomb and grenade fire on the edge of Sadr City, a slum in the east of the city.
A grenade strike halted the convoy, which was then hit by a roadside bomb, witnesses told AFP news agency.
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So sad:
Four US soldiers have been killed and five wounded in an attack on a convoy near Baghdad's main Shia Muslim district, the US military reports.
Reports say the convoy came under bomb and grenade fire on the edge of Sadr City, a slum in the east of the city.
A grenade strike halted the convoy, which was then hit by a roadside bomb, witnesses told AFP news agency.
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Quote of the Day
Installment II
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
Mark Twain
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Installment II
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
Mark Twain
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Thursday, June 03, 2004
Feds Begin Using Polygraph in Chalabi Probe
Heh Heh Heh:
Polygraph tests of civilian Pentagon employees have begun in search of who leaked classified information to exiled Iraqi leader Ahmad Chalabi.
The FBI is conducting the tests on a small number of employees who had access to the intelligence on Iran's spy communication system, the New York Times said Thursday.
U.S. intelligence officials have said Chalabi informed Iran the United States had broken the secret codes used by Iranian intelligence to transmit confidential messages to posts around the world.
Wednesday, Chalabi's lawyers made public a letter they sent to Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller repeating Chalabi's denials and demanding the Justice Department investigate the disclosure of the accusations against him...
It seems as though Plamegate and Chalabi-gate could be on a collision course. Intersecting at the oval office.
Mmmm....blood in the water.
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Heh Heh Heh:
Polygraph tests of civilian Pentagon employees have begun in search of who leaked classified information to exiled Iraqi leader Ahmad Chalabi.
The FBI is conducting the tests on a small number of employees who had access to the intelligence on Iran's spy communication system, the New York Times said Thursday.
U.S. intelligence officials have said Chalabi informed Iran the United States had broken the secret codes used by Iranian intelligence to transmit confidential messages to posts around the world.
Wednesday, Chalabi's lawyers made public a letter they sent to Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller repeating Chalabi's denials and demanding the Justice Department investigate the disclosure of the accusations against him...
It seems as though Plamegate and Chalabi-gate could be on a collision course. Intersecting at the oval office.
Mmmm....blood in the water.
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New Idea
For some readers who might not be quite as into politics as I am (which is to say, very) I'm going to start a daily feature cleverly called, Quote of the Day.
The first installment:
"I'm so old I remember Preparation A"
Jack McKeon, 73-year-old Florida Marlins manager, on his longevity
Thanks to Sports Illustrated for the quote and the idea to make it a regular feature on good Uncle Horns.
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For some readers who might not be quite as into politics as I am (which is to say, very) I'm going to start a daily feature cleverly called, Quote of the Day.
The first installment:
"I'm so old I remember Preparation A"
Jack McKeon, 73-year-old Florida Marlins manager, on his longevity
Thanks to Sports Illustrated for the quote and the idea to make it a regular feature on good Uncle Horns.
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Tenet's Resignation: Upon further review
This is from Knut Wicksell in the comments section on The Daily Kos:
I think it's the Plame Grand Jury that is driving this, though there are lots of valid reasons why Tenet would want to leave and why other people in the administration would want to see him out. A plausible scenario is that under oath Tenet told the Grand Jury who the leaker was -- he ought to know -- it's his agent who was outed. That name is high enough to implicate Bush -- it could be the Presnit himself or someone close enough to make his knowing plausible. If he knew, he is indictable under the current law. Tenet would have told the President what he told the Grand Jury. Pres hires lawyer. Tenet gets out of town before the roof falls in. This seems to me to be a parsimonious conjecture.
This makes sense, particularly after Bush sought legal counsel yesterday.
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This is from Knut Wicksell in the comments section on The Daily Kos:
I think it's the Plame Grand Jury that is driving this, though there are lots of valid reasons why Tenet would want to leave and why other people in the administration would want to see him out. A plausible scenario is that under oath Tenet told the Grand Jury who the leaker was -- he ought to know -- it's his agent who was outed. That name is high enough to implicate Bush -- it could be the Presnit himself or someone close enough to make his knowing plausible. If he knew, he is indictable under the current law. Tenet would have told the President what he told the Grand Jury. Pres hires lawyer. Tenet gets out of town before the roof falls in. This seems to me to be a parsimonious conjecture.
This makes sense, particularly after Bush sought legal counsel yesterday.
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CIA Director Tenet Resigns
For personal reasons. Sounds likely if "personal reasons" means channeling state secrets to Iran or his agents were torturing innocent Iraqi civilians.
Let's hope this is only the first domino.
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For personal reasons. Sounds likely if "personal reasons" means channeling state secrets to Iran or his agents were torturing innocent Iraqi civilians.
Let's hope this is only the first domino.
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That Felt Good
A full day without a blog entry. Imagine that. Since opening for business on February 27th I've posted 381 times with just over 50,700 words. I've enjoyed every minute of it and will continue to keep it up as my schedule allows. I'd like to thank my readers (both of them) for their feedback, yes, even you Hoges. I hope you like reading this blog as much as I like writing it.
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A full day without a blog entry. Imagine that. Since opening for business on February 27th I've posted 381 times with just over 50,700 words. I've enjoyed every minute of it and will continue to keep it up as my schedule allows. I'd like to thank my readers (both of them) for their feedback, yes, even you Hoges. I hope you like reading this blog as much as I like writing it.
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Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Bad Air Causes Heart Disease...
...according to the American Heart Association.
I'm sure current residents of Manhattan will concur, in about 15 or 20 years.
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...according to the American Heart Association.
I'm sure current residents of Manhattan will concur, in about 15 or 20 years.
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Florida Motel Discriminated Against Blacks
Link.
...The Southern Inn in Perry had separate rooms for black customers that were "markedly less desirable, more poorly maintained and more unattractive" than rooms reserved for white customers, the lawsuit claims...
And I thought it was just Jebbie and the keeper of the voter rolls.
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Link.
...The Southern Inn in Perry had separate rooms for black customers that were "markedly less desirable, more poorly maintained and more unattractive" than rooms reserved for white customers, the lawsuit claims...
And I thought it was just Jebbie and the keeper of the voter rolls.
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So Who Is Lying Now?
Joel over at the blog Aimlessmind has a terrific deconstruction of the RNC's response to the WaPo's article on the negative campaign ads that Bush has been running.
It's amazing that the administration can try to pawn this crap off on us.
SOP for Team Prevarication.
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Joel over at the blog Aimlessmind has a terrific deconstruction of the RNC's response to the WaPo's article on the negative campaign ads that Bush has been running.
It's amazing that the administration can try to pawn this crap off on us.
SOP for Team Prevarication.
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Judge: Bush Abortion Ban Unconstitutional
To twist the knife a little more; the Judge is a Clinton appointee too:
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge Tuesday declared the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act unconstitutional, saying the measure infringes on a woman's right to choose.
The ruling applies to the nation's 900 or so Planned Parenthood clinics and their doctors, who perform roughly half of all abortions in the United States.
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton's ruling came in one of three lawsuits challenging the legislation President Bush signed last year.
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To twist the knife a little more; the Judge is a Clinton appointee too:
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge Tuesday declared the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act unconstitutional, saying the measure infringes on a woman's right to choose.
The ruling applies to the nation's 900 or so Planned Parenthood clinics and their doctors, who perform roughly half of all abortions in the United States.
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton's ruling came in one of three lawsuits challenging the legislation President Bush signed last year.
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Disgusting Sensationalism
'CSI'-like Peterson Trial To Start
That is the headline in the Tucson Citizen ahead of the trial for Scott Peterson, the man accused of killing his pregnant wife.
It's only going to get worse from here. Live remotes, wall-to-wall coverage, Roger Kossack ranting and other talking heads with diaharretic musings.
It's definitely a tragedy. But is it worth all of this? We're fighting at least two wars, we're nation building and gas is over $2.00 a gallon.
How about some perspective.
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'CSI'-like Peterson Trial To Start
That is the headline in the Tucson Citizen ahead of the trial for Scott Peterson, the man accused of killing his pregnant wife.
It's only going to get worse from here. Live remotes, wall-to-wall coverage, Roger Kossack ranting and other talking heads with diaharretic musings.
It's definitely a tragedy. But is it worth all of this? We're fighting at least two wars, we're nation building and gas is over $2.00 a gallon.
How about some perspective.
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Monday, May 31, 2004
Still No Leader in Iraq
And from the looks of things Brahimi is nothing more than a figurehead:
"The Americans have asked for the meeting to be delayed until today," said Dr Mahmoud Othman, a leading member of the US-appointed council. "The coalition seems to be trying to interfere in every single decision, in every cabinet post and every ministry.
"If the new administration is not elected by Iraqis then at least it can be appointed by Iraqis ... the way Mr Bremer and Mr Brahimi are behaving is not a good model for the future."
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And from the looks of things Brahimi is nothing more than a figurehead:
"The Americans have asked for the meeting to be delayed until today," said Dr Mahmoud Othman, a leading member of the US-appointed council. "The coalition seems to be trying to interfere in every single decision, in every cabinet post and every ministry.
"If the new administration is not elected by Iraqis then at least it can be appointed by Iraqis ... the way Mr Bremer and Mr Brahimi are behaving is not a good model for the future."
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Sunday, May 30, 2004
Bush Keeps Saddam's Pistol in the Oval Office
The little boy likes showing off his toys:
..."He really liked showing it off," says a recent visitor to the White House who has seen the gun. "He was really proud of it..."
Pathetic.
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The little boy likes showing off his toys:
..."He really liked showing it off," says a recent visitor to the White House who has seen the gun. "He was really proud of it..."
Pathetic.
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Miramax Heads Can Distribute 'Farenheit'
Bob and Harvey Weinstein will control the complete distribution of Michael Moore's new film, Farenheit 9/11.
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Bob and Harvey Weinstein will control the complete distribution of Michael Moore's new film, Farenheit 9/11.
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