Bush's Yoonited Nayshuns Speech

post from Daily Kos on 25 September 2007 05:06:08 PM. © Daily Kos

During today's White House press briefing, the subject of a circulated early draft of Bush's United Nations speech came up:

MS. PERINO: On the speech -- your question about the speech, the drafts are circulated, and there was an error made in trying to make sure that interpreters had what they needed. I don't know how the draft of the speech -- it was not final -- was posted, but it was, and it was taken down. There's really nothing more to say about it.

Q And they were phonetic spellings of various countries -- as well, we understand.

MS. PERINO: That's not unusual. We do that for many speeches.

Q Does the President have a hard time pronouncing some of these countries's name?

MS. PERINO: I think that's a offensive question. I'm going to just decline to comment on it.

That is offensive! It's not just countries he has trouble with, as draft #20 shows:

The United States salutes the nations that have recently taken strides toward liberty – including Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan [KEYRgeez-stan], Mauritania [moor-EH-tain-ee-a], Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Morocco. [...]

I look forward to attending a Security Council meeting that will focus on Darfur, chaired by French President Sarkozy [sar-KOzee].

Yeah, Dana, it was for the interpreters' benefit.

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Columbus, Kentucky Wins Visit From Edwards
Through Online Competition

post from John Edwards for President: Full-site Feed on 25 September 2007 05:05:00 PM. © John Edwards for President: Full-site Feed

Columbus, Kentucky – On Thursday, October 4th, Senator John Edwards will visit Columbus, Kentucky to meet with residents and answer questions about his plans to change America so that everyone, no matter where they're from, has the opportunity to work hard and get ahead. Columbus, a small town in western Kentucky, won Edwards' visit through an online competition organized by the campaign through the website Eventful.com. Residents from Columbus – population 229 – used Eventful.com to lobby for Edwards' visit, organizing a national effort that generated thousands of votes and successfully outbid competition from more populous communities. Edwards will attend a community barbeque and host a town hall forum with Columbus' residents at the Columbus-Belmont State Park, located on the banks of the Mississippi. After answering questions from residents, Edwards will hold a press availability.

"I am excited by the prospect of meeting the residents of Columbus and hearing what they have to say on the issues that matter most to them," said Edwards. "I grew up in a small rural town, so I've seen firsthand how the problems of rural America too often are forgotten by politicians living and working in far-off capital cities. This campaign is about fighting to change a broken system in Washington and building One America, where every single American, no matter where he or she comes from, has the opportunity to work hard and get ahead."The details of the events are:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 2007
12:30 PM
Senator Edwards to host town hall with residents of Columbus, Kentucky
350 Park Road
Columbus-Belmont State Park
Columbus, KY

1:15 PM
Senator Edwards to hold media availability
350 Park Road
Columbus-Belmont State Park
Columbus, KY

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http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20070925-columbus-ky/

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Giuliani fundraiser seeking $9.11 from guests.

post from Think Progress on 25 September 2007 05:03:00 PM. © Think Progress

Tomorrow, a supporter of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is hosting a “$9.11 for Rudy” fundraiser, in which guests are asked to give $9.11 donations to Giuliani’s presidential campaign. The campaign has distanced themselves from the fundraiser, but has not asked it to stop. The event has angered the International Association of Fire Fighters, which argues the 9/11 terrorist attacks are being exploited:

The union — already a vocal critic of Giuliani’s — said Tuesday that the fundraiser’s “$9.11 for Rudy” theme is an abuse of the image and symbols of the 2001 attacks.
“It is nothing short of disrespectful to the legacy of the thousands of civilians and 343 brave firefighters who died at ground zero,” IAFF president Harold Schaitberger said.

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http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/25/giuliani-fundraiser-seeking-911-from-guests/

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Giulianis Ghoulish Fundraiser

post from Crooks and Liars on 25 September 2007 05:02:02 PM. © Crooks and Liars

TPM:A Rudy Giuliani supporter has managed to create a 9/11 theme for a fundraising party that even the campaign doesn’t like. For tomorrow’s official campaign event of grassroots house parties across the country, Hoover Institution fellow Abraham Sofaer of Palo Alto, California, is asking for a suggested donation of $9.11.“These are two volunteers [...]

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http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/25/giulianis-ghoulish-fundraiser/

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GOP Front-Runners: There Are No Blacks In America

post from All Spin Zone on 25 September 2007 05:02:00 PM. © All Spin Zone

I find it fascinating to watch the outrage from the right at the Iranian President on an issue (gay rights) which the GOP has a less than stellar record. When this outrage and this record are juxtaposed with the silence by many on the snubbing of Blacks and Hispanics, it provides an important look into the prevalence of bias and the refusal to acknowledge and address it.

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http://allspinzone.com/wp/2007/09/25/gop-front-runners-there-are-no-blacks-in-ame
rica/

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Episcopal church leaders reassure the world that
they don't REALLY like the homos all that much

post from AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth on 25 September 2007 04:56:00 PM. © AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

Phew, I'm glad they settled that. Because nothing would disturb Jesus more than church leaders who unequivocally loved and accepted everyone in their flock.

Absolutely disgraceful.

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http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Americablog/~3/161314029/episcopal-church-leaders-
reassure-world.html

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My Question on the Residual Troops

post from Open Left - Front Page on 25 September 2007 04:52:10 PM. © Open Left - Front Page

I am inclined to support Richardson's plan to have no residual troops, but it's not the driving[...]

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Midday open thread

Microsoft investment of ~~MySpace~~ Facebook would value each user at $238, giving the company a valuation of $10 billion. Let me see ... There are close to 140,000 registered users on the site, so times that by $238 ... carry the one ... $33.3 million!
Internet bubbles are fun!

We're looking for 500 contributions to our Blue Majority candidates this week. We're at 167 so far.

I voted for Chris Dodd. Only 22% of you got that right? I thought it'd be more obvious than that.
Not that this means he's likely to get my vote in February. I don't throw away my votes, so unless he's become surprisingly competitive in January, I'll be looking elsewhere. It just means he really outshone the other candidates these past few weeks and made me think, for the first time in a while, "THIS is how I want my nominee to sound".

Oh, and I won't do an "endorsement" in this race. I assume you have your own brains to guide you in that process.

Gallup poll: Democrats now lead the GOP on terror. They are now the "national security party".

Webb stands in the way of Lieberman's "war with Iran" efforts.

On the Senate floor today, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) made an impassioned appeal to his fellow senators, declaring that the Lieberman-Kyl amendment on Iran should be “withdrawn” because the “proposal is Dick Cheney’s fondest pipe dream.” Webb cautioned that the “cleverly-worded sense of the Congress” could be “interpreted” to “declare war” on Iran. He continued:
Those who regret their vote five years ago to authorize military action in Iraq should think hard before supporting this approach. Because, in my view, it has the same potential to do harm where many are seeking to do good.

The best weapon against Ahmadinejad is ridicule. This is a guy that claims there are no gay people in Iraq. And we're supposed to quake in our boots? Laugh at the guy.

The Washington Post says Petreaus lied. But so long as they don't buy an ad, all's well. Newspaper ads are the new "line" that can't be crossed.

Republican pro-war Senators refusing to talk about Iraq on national TV.

"If you've been watching cable news programs lately, you may have noticed the disappearance of a certain breed of guest: Specifically, Republican Senators who are up for reelection...

"Interview invitations that we provide almost daily to these Senators are now routinely turned down. The answer appears to be Iraq. These lawmakers have voted to keep the war going but when it comes to explaining their votes on programs like this one, well, forget about it...

"They've come out with public statements and press releases, but when it comes down to brass tacks, they have voted to keep the war going indefinitely."

Such courage! As Sargent says,

These Senators, of course, are from the WINO caucus -- they are Waverers In Name Only who say they're "wavering" in their support for Bush's policies, but keep voting against any measure that would actually force a change in those policies.

One of the worst things that could befall a WINO, of course, is to be asked directly why he or she keeps voting to perpetuate policies that he or she claims to be criticizing. This is to be avoided at all costs, naturally.

So the WINOs have now apparently taken to avoiding venues where this might happen and where their WINOism risks being showcased for all their constituents to see. (Editors's note: Should we call them WINO Weasels?)

Via Atrios the mayor of Jena, LA appreciates the support of white supremacists. (MissLaura)

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http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/161221574/449

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HOUSE LAUNCHES SCHIP WITH A HUGE BIPARTISAN
MAJORITY-- BUSH PROMISES TO SINK IT

As expected, the House passed the SCHIP bill 265-159, a far greater margin than the 225-204 by which it originally passed (before all the publicity and the pressure from constituents). The Democratic leadership was able to rein in 4 of the 10 reactionary slobs who originally voted with the Republicans: Jim Cooper (D-TN), Heath Shuler (D-NC), Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Brad Ellsworth (D-IN). The other six renegades [Dan Boren (OK), Bob Etheridge (NC), Baron Hill (IN), Jim Marshall (GA), Mike McIntyre (NC), and, of course, Gene Taylor (MS)] all stuck with their soulmates in the GOP-- even as far more Republicans (45) abandoned their sinking party leadership to vote with the Democrats.

Fake Republican moderates who wanted to vote for children's health care but were too badly roughed up by Eric Cantor and Roy Blunt to work up the nerve and serve the interests of their constituents, included:
Roscoe Bartlett (MD)
Scott Garrett (NJ)
Tim Johnson (IL)
Judy Biggert (IL)
Brian Bilbray (CA)
Tom Reynolds (NY)
Ginny Brown-Waite (FL)
Joe Knollenberg (MI)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Randy Kuhl (NY)
Jim Saxton (NJ)
Thaddeus McCotter (MI)

Read The Full Article:
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2007/09/house-launches-schip-with-hige.html

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HOUSE LAUNCHES SCHIP WITH A HIGE BIPARTISAN
MAJORITY-- BUSH PROMISES TO SINK IT

As expected, the House passed the SCHIP bill 265-159, a far greater margin than the 225-204 by which it originally passed (before all the publicity and the pressure from constituents). The Democratic leadership was able to rein in 4 of the 10 reactionary slobs who originally voted with the Republicans: Jim Cooper (D-TN), Heath Shuler (D-NC), Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Brad Ellsworth (D-IN). The other six renegades [Dan Boren (OK), Bob Etheridge (NC), Baron Hill (IN), Jim Marshall (GA), Mike McIntyre (NC), and, of course, Gene Taylor (MS)] all stuck with their soulmates in the GOP-- even as far more Republicans (45) abandoned their sinking party leadership to vote with the Democrats.

Fake Republican moderates who wanted to vote for children's health care but were too badly roughed up by Eric Cantor and Roy Blunt to work up the nerve and serve the interests of their constituents, included:
Roscoe Bartlett (MD)
Scott Garrett (NJ)
Tim Johnson (IL)
Judy Biggert (IL)
Brian Bilbray (CA)
Tom Reynolds (NY)
Ginny Brown-Waite (FL)
Joe Knollenberg (MI)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Randy Kuhl (NY)
Jim Saxton (NJ)
Thaddeus McCotter (MI)

Read The Full Article:
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2007/09/house-launches-schip-with-hige.html