Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Monday, February 21, 2005
down to earth on gannongate with the Christian Science Monitor
Time for Bush to define 'independent press' | csmonitor.com: "Talon News is essentially a 'news' mouthpiece for a conservative advocacy website called GOPUSA - that's GOP, as in Grand Old Party. The editor in chief of Talon is president of GOPUSA. On the conservative website Free Republic, Guckert called on others who use the site to demonstrate at Kerry headquarters during the presidential campaign. And many of his stories contained verbatim repeats of White House press releases.
So what? All journalists are biased in some way, say some conservatives. True, journalists are humans, and all humans are biased in some way. But Guckert crossed the line from having a bias to being a propagandist and party activist. Online he was a White House ditto-machine masquerading as reporter, and in the pressroom he was a safe place for Scott McClellan to go when the White House press secretary needed a lifeline during televised briefings."
Time for Bush to define 'independent press' | csmonitor.com: "Talon News is essentially a 'news' mouthpiece for a conservative advocacy website called GOPUSA - that's GOP, as in Grand Old Party. The editor in chief of Talon is president of GOPUSA. On the conservative website Free Republic, Guckert called on others who use the site to demonstrate at Kerry headquarters during the presidential campaign. And many of his stories contained verbatim repeats of White House press releases.
So what? All journalists are biased in some way, say some conservatives. True, journalists are humans, and all humans are biased in some way. But Guckert crossed the line from having a bias to being a propagandist and party activist. Online he was a White House ditto-machine masquerading as reporter, and in the pressroom he was a safe place for Scott McClellan to go when the White House press secretary needed a lifeline during televised briefings."
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Negroponte of CzaR?? BACK TO THE BAD OLD DAYS
washingtonpost.com: Media Notes Extra: "Daily Kos has a different, shall we say, emphasis:
'Mr. Negroponte was a key figure in the Iran-Contra affair. As Ambassador to Honduras from 1981 to 1985, he helped direct the covert war against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. He has also been charged as collaborating with the Honduran government in the training of so-called 'death squads' and in carrying out other human rights abuses. These charges have never adequately been answered.'
Blogger Jake White at Primordium can't believe the House minority leader is praising the nominee:
'What he brings to the table is a history of human-rights abuses and deceiving Congress. And why is a career 'diplomat' being given such an important intelligence job? Negroponte is a bad, bad man, and Nancy Pelosi is clearly clueless.'"
washingtonpost.com: Media Notes Extra: "Daily Kos has a different, shall we say, emphasis:
'Mr. Negroponte was a key figure in the Iran-Contra affair. As Ambassador to Honduras from 1981 to 1985, he helped direct the covert war against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. He has also been charged as collaborating with the Honduran government in the training of so-called 'death squads' and in carrying out other human rights abuses. These charges have never adequately been answered.'
Blogger Jake White at Primordium can't believe the House minority leader is praising the nominee:
'What he brings to the table is a history of human-rights abuses and deceiving Congress. And why is a career 'diplomat' being given such an important intelligence job? Negroponte is a bad, bad man, and Nancy Pelosi is clearly clueless.'"
Defense department waste: 15 years on the big problem list:
Congress Growing Impatient With Longtime 'High Risk' Areas of Financial Waste (washingtonpost.com): "I happen to believe that part of the problem in the Defense Department is the built-in incest, and that is that if you look around the country to see who runs all of the major manufacturing companies, many of them are people that have been in the Department of Defense -- and this has been the kind of a policy that's been followed for a long period of time,' he said. 'They work in the department, they make a lot of friends, they leave the department, they go to work for major corporations, and this ball just keeps being batted back and forth.' "
Congress Growing Impatient With Longtime 'High Risk' Areas of Financial Waste (washingtonpost.com): "I happen to believe that part of the problem in the Defense Department is the built-in incest, and that is that if you look around the country to see who runs all of the major manufacturing companies, many of them are people that have been in the Department of Defense -- and this has been the kind of a policy that's been followed for a long period of time,' he said. 'They work in the department, they make a lot of friends, they leave the department, they go to work for major corporations, and this ball just keeps being batted back and forth.' "
Friday, February 18, 2005
AND still more, can you stand it?
It boggles the mind to think that a gay prostitute using a fake name might have passed through security screens to join a public Q & A session with the leader of the free world. Equally sensational is the possibility, suggested by members of Congress and major news organizations, that the White House deliberately helped set up Guckert with credentials and privileged information.
NY Daily News, again
http://www.americablog.org/
It boggles the mind to think that a gay prostitute using a fake name might have passed through security screens to join a public Q & A session with the leader of the free world. Equally sensational is the possibility, suggested by members of Congress and major news organizations, that the White House deliberately helped set up Guckert with credentials and privileged information.
NY Daily News, again
http://www.americablog.org/
this gets even wierder by the minute, and this comment, another from americablog, gets at one of the issues that seems to especially trouble us "liberals.:
Oh the two facedness of it all!!!!
A note about outing gay reporters
by John in DC - 2/18/2005 03:32:00 PM
I just did a segment on CNN with Howard Kurtz for his "Reliable Sources" show that runs this coming Sunday, and another guy on the show was this John fellow with Powerline blog, or something like that. He decided to attack me for "gay-baiting," which I always find a fun charge coming from a right-wing Republican. Oh that the GOP was as concerned about gay-baiting in every other aspect of life as they are in the Gannon case.
Anyway, someone just reminded me that, while we're on the topic of how horrible is it to out gay reporters, the White House is the one that raised this skill to an art just a few years ago. Remember Jeffrey Kofman of ABC News? In case you don't recall, here's the GOP's favorite wingnut news source, WorldNetDaily, helping the story along (note especially how they put the word "gay" in quotes - what, is Jeff just pretending to be gay to help his career?):
A Canadian-born correspondent for ABC News is the reported target of a White House smear campaign after broadcasting a story on plummeting U.S. troop morale in Iraq, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
Published reports suggest the Bush administration retaliated by notifying Internet news sites and other media outlets that Jeffrey Kofman is not only Canadian but also an openly "gay" man.
A headline on Matt Drudge's website Wednesday evening read: ''ABC News correspondent who filed troop complaints story is openly gay, Canadian.''
Drudge also provided a link to a profile of Kofman in The Advocate, a gay-issues magazine.
Despite White House denials, Drudge told the Washington Post he received a phone call from the White House communications department tipping him off to the information on Kofman, reports the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Oh the two facedness of it all!!!!
A note about outing gay reporters
by John in DC - 2/18/2005 03:32:00 PM
I just did a segment on CNN with Howard Kurtz for his "Reliable Sources" show that runs this coming Sunday, and another guy on the show was this John fellow with Powerline blog, or something like that. He decided to attack me for "gay-baiting," which I always find a fun charge coming from a right-wing Republican. Oh that the GOP was as concerned about gay-baiting in every other aspect of life as they are in the Gannon case.
Anyway, someone just reminded me that, while we're on the topic of how horrible is it to out gay reporters, the White House is the one that raised this skill to an art just a few years ago. Remember Jeffrey Kofman of ABC News? In case you don't recall, here's the GOP's favorite wingnut news source, WorldNetDaily, helping the story along (note especially how they put the word "gay" in quotes - what, is Jeff just pretending to be gay to help his career?):
A Canadian-born correspondent for ABC News is the reported target of a White House smear campaign after broadcasting a story on plummeting U.S. troop morale in Iraq, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
Published reports suggest the Bush administration retaliated by notifying Internet news sites and other media outlets that Jeffrey Kofman is not only Canadian but also an openly "gay" man.
A headline on Matt Drudge's website Wednesday evening read: ''ABC News correspondent who filed troop complaints story is openly gay, Canadian.''
Drudge also provided a link to a profile of Kofman in The Advocate, a gay-issues magazine.
Despite White House denials, Drudge told the Washington Post he received a phone call from the White House communications department tipping him off to the information on Kofman, reports the Toronto Globe and Mail.
BREAKING NEWS: Gannon reportedly knew about Iraq attack four hours before it happened
by John in DC - 2/18/2005 09:57:00 AM
A news producer for a major network's local affiliate just told me that Gannon told the producer the US was going to attack Iraq four hours before President Bush announced it to the nation.
According to the producer, Gannon specifically told them that in four hours the president was going to be making a speech to the nation announcing that the US was bombing Iraq. The producer told me they were surprised that Gannon, working with such a small news outfit, could have access to such information, but 'what did you know, he was right,' the producer said today. The producer went on to say that Gannon often had correct scoops on major stories, including information about Mary Mapes and the Dan Rather BUSH/AWOL scandal that this news outlet got from Gannon before any had the information publicly."
AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth: "
by John in DC - 2/18/2005 09:57:00 AM
A news producer for a major network's local affiliate just told me that Gannon told the producer the US was going to attack Iraq four hours before President Bush announced it to the nation.
According to the producer, Gannon specifically told them that in four hours the president was going to be making a speech to the nation announcing that the US was bombing Iraq. The producer told me they were surprised that Gannon, working with such a small news outfit, could have access to such information, but 'what did you know, he was right,' the producer said today. The producer went on to say that Gannon often had correct scoops on major stories, including information about Mary Mapes and the Dan Rather BUSH/AWOL scandal that this news outlet got from Gannon before any had the information publicly."
AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth: "
Thursday, February 17, 2005
well well well, Bush Moves! maybe wealthy americans will have to pay something for their free lunch.
washingtonpost.com: Media Notes Extra: "'In an important shift from his hard-line stance against tax increases, President Bush has said he is open to raising taxes on wealthier Americans to cover the costs of transforming Social Security,' says the Los Angeles Times. Here's the switch: 'The president, in an interview published Wednesday in several regional newspapers, left the door open to the idea of raising the cap on wages subject to the Social Security tax as a way to help cover the transition costs of private accounts. Earnings above $90,000 are not subject to tax now.' Um...isn't that a tax increase for those in the higher brackets? And doesn't Bush say he's against higher taxes?"
washingtonpost.com: Media Notes Extra: "'In an important shift from his hard-line stance against tax increases, President Bush has said he is open to raising taxes on wealthier Americans to cover the costs of transforming Social Security,' says the Los Angeles Times. Here's the switch: 'The president, in an interview published Wednesday in several regional newspapers, left the door open to the idea of raising the cap on wages subject to the Social Security tax as a way to help cover the transition costs of private accounts. Earnings above $90,000 are not subject to tax now.' Um...isn't that a tax increase for those in the higher brackets? And doesn't Bush say he's against higher taxes?"
Fritz, Seppala serum run lead dog, long missing, is back in Nome!
adn.com | outdoors : Canine who helped inspire Iditarod is back in Alaska
adn.com | outdoors : Canine who helped inspire Iditarod is back in Alaska
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
well, we here in tucson can't let go of the Gannongate thing, but aopparantly neither can anyone else. This from Daily Kos open thread seems to about sum it up:
Daily Kos: "Update: Watching John Aravosis on CourtTV, where he is getting a very friendly reception. Catherine Crier is incredulous that a tax-cheating hooker inside the press office, working for a fake news organization funded by a major Republican Texan donor, is getting classified CIA information without facing jail time (unlike two other journalists) and the story is getting shrugged off. "
Daily Kos: "Update: Watching John Aravosis on CourtTV, where he is getting a very friendly reception. Catherine Crier is incredulous that a tax-cheating hooker inside the press office, working for a fake news organization funded by a major Republican Texan donor, is getting classified CIA information without facing jail time (unlike two other journalists) and the story is getting shrugged off. "
"And we'll prevail, because we're a faaabulous nation, and we're a faaabulous nation because we're a nation full of faaabulous people."
-- George W. Bush., Atlanta, GA, January 31, 2002
Therefore, conservative Christians throughout the land have become increasingly uncomfortable as they dutifully mask each awkward pause with a flurry of polite applause and yells of "more wars!" during President Bush's somewhat laborious attempts at speaking. While Tony Blair may have mastered the Queen's English, our President's vocabulary calls to mind any number of queens' English. Even our least vigilant Republican social commandos have noticed that Mr. Bush has been peppering his otherwise delightful litany of patriotic jingoism and pleasantly embroidered CIA-intelligence recaps with the effeminate mating call "fabulous" -- three giddy syllables that are tantamount to coyly cooing, "Hello, sailor!"
http://www.bettybowers.com/isbushgay.html
-- George W. Bush., Atlanta, GA, January 31, 2002
Therefore, conservative Christians throughout the land have become increasingly uncomfortable as they dutifully mask each awkward pause with a flurry of polite applause and yells of "more wars!" during President Bush's somewhat laborious attempts at speaking. While Tony Blair may have mastered the Queen's English, our President's vocabulary calls to mind any number of queens' English. Even our least vigilant Republican social commandos have noticed that Mr. Bush has been peppering his otherwise delightful litany of patriotic jingoism and pleasantly embroidered CIA-intelligence recaps with the effeminate mating call "fabulous" -- three giddy syllables that are tantamount to coyly cooing, "Hello, sailor!"
http://www.bettybowers.com/isbushgay.html
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Friday, February 04, 2005
Borrow speculate and Hope: Scared yet?
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Gambling With Your Retirement: " few weeks ago I tried to explain the logic of Bush-style Social Security privatization: it is, in effect, as if your financial adviser told you that you wouldn't have enough money when you retire - but you shouldn't save more. Instead, you should borrow a lot of money, buy stocks and hope for capital gains."
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Gambling With Your Retirement: " few weeks ago I tried to explain the logic of Bush-style Social Security privatization: it is, in effect, as if your financial adviser told you that you wouldn't have enough money when you retire - but you shouldn't save more. Instead, you should borrow a lot of money, buy stocks and hope for capital gains."
Bush Blacklist: Here they go Again
Some Barred From Bush's North Dakota Speech (washingtonpost.com): "Not everyone was welcome, apparently, at President Bush's speech in North Dakota yesterday.
The Fargo Forum reported that a city commissioner, a liberal radio producer, a deputy Democratic campaign manager and a number of university professors were among more than 40 area residents who were barred from attending the Bush event. Their names were on a list supplied to workers at two ticket distribution sites. "
Some Barred From Bush's North Dakota Speech (washingtonpost.com): "Not everyone was welcome, apparently, at President Bush's speech in North Dakota yesterday.
The Fargo Forum reported that a city commissioner, a liberal radio producer, a deputy Democratic campaign manager and a number of university professors were among more than 40 area residents who were barred from attending the Bush event. Their names were on a list supplied to workers at two ticket distribution sites. "
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