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September 28, 2005The DeLay Indictment: Beyond Damage Control?I just posted the below in my "Capital Games" column at www.thenation.com. If you've seen it already, please scroll and peruse other items. By the way, how many of the conservatives and Republicans who are already accusing (or will soon be accusing) Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earle of being a partisan prosecutor were fans of Ken Starr? Earle, indeed a Democrat, has also indicted Democratic officials. Did Starr have such a bipartisan record?. Minutes after the news hit that a Texas grand jury had indicted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on one count of criminal conspiracy in a case of alleged campaign money laundering, I was in a Washington power-lunch restaurant for a prearranged encounter with Eric Dezenhall, a former Reagan administration official who is one of the top crisis management experts in town (and a writer of entertaining novels on politics, the mob, and celebrity). As I sat down at the table, I said, "The obvious question is...." Dezenhall nodded. He knew. But before he could say anything, a message came in on his Blackberry from a reporter for a major newspaper: had Dezenhall yet been retained by DeLay? He had not. He usually does not handle political cases; he prefers corporations and celebrities. But as DeLay was preparing to step down temporarily as majority leader (as is required by a House rule the GOPers tried to eliminate earlier this year), Dezenhall was happy to think aloud about what a damage-control strategy for DeLay might entail. "The first thing he must do," Dezenhall said, "is to realize that his objective is to get acquitted, not to look good. He must understand that damage control does not equal damage disappearance. He has to save what is save-able. He might not be able to save everything: his freedom; his political career, and his financial prospects. His life has changed; he has to focus on acquittal." At the same time, he added, DeLay has "to stick with his brand and fight back savagely." And will he depict himself as a martyr being crucified because of his devotion to the conservative cause? I asked. "What does he have to lose at this stage?" Dezenhall answered. "He has to dig in, stay in character and depict the indictment as unholy and agenda-driven. Show contrition? Nah, that's total horseshit." Dezenhall also noted that from this day on, DeLay's target audience is the to-be-named-later jury that will hear the criminal case against him: "He and his advisers have to concentrate and what will work with a Texas jury. A media roadshow involving someone in a legal case never pays dividends. And DeLay is sufficiently divisive and that does not lend himself well to a careful TV interview. What does pay off is whipping up the preexisting prejudices of the the jury pool." While Dezenhall said that DeLay ought to "speak up within the confines of his brand," he noted that DeLay "is always vulnerable to coming off looking mean, and mean does not go well with juries." (Before DeLay became majority leader, Representative Curt Weldon, a GOP hawk, once observed, "We need someone who can go on national TV and present a good, positive image of the Republican Party and not a mean-spirited image.") DeLay's team, Dezenhall continued, may also consider playing the leak game. With DeLay indicted on a conspiracy charge, it could be that Travis County DA Ronnie Earle flipped one of the coconspirators. There are several ways of establishing a conspiracy charge--say, obtaining memos or emails that lay out the conspiracy--but one clear way is by obtaining the testimony of one of the schemers. If Earle does have an insider spilling all, DeLay will need to undermine that witness--perhaps before any trial. This could lead to a "media game," Dezenhall said. "Things are leaked to get the person or people who were flipped. This will be done through leaks to the media. The point from DeLay's perspective is, don't love me, but hate him." Above all, Dezenhall added, DeLay has to proceed with the understanding that he "cannot get people to change their fundamental perception of him." Shortly after this conversation, it looked as if DeLay had been at the table with us. In a videotaped statement--which precluded questions from reporters--DeLay proclaimed that Earle was a "rogue district attorney," who had brought "one of the weakest and most baseless indictments in American history." DeLay claimed, "I have done nothing wrong." He noted that everyone of the "frivolous allegations" previously tossed at him by opponents had ben dismissed. That's not precisely true. The weak-kneed House Ethics Committee last year issued two reports that showed that DeLay had improperly pressured a fellow House Republican to vote for George W. Bush's Medicare legislation (offering to endorse the member's son in a congressional primary if the member voted the right way), had improperly (through his staff) asked the Federal Aviation Administration to find a plane with Democratic Texas legislators who had left the state to thwart a DeLay redistricting scheme, and had improperly held a golfing fundraiser with energy executives when energy legislation was pending in Congress. For all this, DeLay received a few taps on the wrist. The ethics committee noted that three fundraisers for a political action committee linked to DeLay and eight corporate donors to this PAC had been indicted for allegedly funneling illegal contributions to GOP state candidates. Now that DeLay has been indicted as well in this case, will the ethics committee undefer action? Besides all this, DeLay has been implicated in other rule-bending or -breaking episodes. In 1999, the ethics committee privately chastised him for threatening an industry lobby group for daring to hire a Democrat. The Washington Post once quoted an unnamed lobbyist who claimed DeLay would not allow him to plead his client's case to the GOP leadership because he had not donated to Republicans. (Can you say "extortion"?) And, more notably, DeLay has been drawn into the net of the wide-ranging scandal involving Jack Abramoff, the indicted GOP lobbyist who allegedly bilked Indian tribes, who allegedly commited wire fraud (in a Florida casino deal that ended up with one of his minority partners being murdered allegedly by hit men), and who apparently picked up the tab for overseas trips with DeLay. The Texas indictment--in which DeLay and his associates are accused of illegally running corporate contributions through the national Republican party in order to skirt the state ban on corporate donations to local candidates--is but one questionable episode in DeLay's history. But it is now the biggest and most direct threat to his future. Conviction could lead to a fine and imprisonment--and removal from the House. His lawyer quickly dismissed the indictment as a "skunk." And DeLay came out hammering. But, as Dezenhall pointed out, there is only so much DeLay can do. Spin cannot derail the criminal proceedings underway. A judge and a jury will have the last word on this indictment. The former exterminator who became arguably the most powerful man on Capitol Hill (see my piece on how he took control of NASA) is at the mercy of others whom--we assume--he cannot bully. And the damage to come may end up being beyond his control. Posted by David Corn at September 28, 2005 04:34 PM |
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"HUBRIS is a bold and provocative book that will quickly become an explosive part of the national debate on how we got involved in Iraq." --Tom Brokaw |
Comments
DeLay sure dances for somebody who's innocent. The skunk remark is very apt coming from the expert in pest control.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 04:55 PM
He can always use the reagan tactic, "I don't remember!"
Posted by: Saladin at September 28, 2005 05:40 PM
DeLay represents the complete and total sellout of the house of representative to whatever lobbyist came to his den and played PAC man.
The pendulum swings to the right and it swings to the left. I was surprised to see him take so much in so little time.
I was reading about intelligent design yesterday. A museum is being built in Ohio, complete with dinosaurs living side by side with humans. Apparantly mankind is 6,000 years old and cohabitated with the dinosaurs.
Does this explain how the reptilian brain activity is so much more pronounced in the middle east? Apparantly, after civilization began over 10,000 years back, these dino's must have more than just comingled with humans. Maybe during the great flood the two T-Rex's slept with Noah's family. Don't bother to correct me on the fact that dinosaurs were extinct long before man walked the earth, I am sure these scientists did their research, and they have the blessing of Bush and Frist and Santorum, probably Cheney as well, since these lizards find it best to poison the world with their venom and attack to protect their domain.
Or WTF.
Posted by: geof01 at September 28, 2005 05:44 PM
geof01 I have learned there is a book in the gift shop at the Grand Canyon, written by a so-called geologist, that claims the canyon is only 6000 years old as well. What I don't get is, where do they find this in the bible?
Posted by: Saladin at September 28, 2005 05:55 PM
HA!
Posted by: corky at September 28, 2005 06:14 PM
CORKY! How's it going?
Posted by: Saladin at September 28, 2005 06:17 PM
Finally, no more DeLay, no more Hammer. Although I question the realness of the word 'undefer' and prefer 'revisit the case' for House Ethics action I nonetheless get a kick out of your report, Mr. Corn. Thanks. I might add that your word here is the first to reveal that DeLay and associates, a Texas Troika, are under indictment.
Hooya!
Posted by: Don Smith at September 28, 2005 06:25 PM
See there? I'm so excited I give credit where credit is not due. But what the hay, you're such a good host you can have it all.
The Capital Games column, which I read right after reading John Nichols, your The Nation colleague, who noted DeLay being indicted with Colyandro and Ellis, was a solid piece.
Will Frist or Rove follow?
Posted by: Don Smith at September 28, 2005 06:50 PM
See there? I'm so excited I give credit where credit is not due. But what the hay, you're such a good host you can have it all.
The Capital Games column, which I read right after reading John Nichols, your The Nation colleague, who noted DeLay being indicted with Colyandro and Ellis, was a solid piece.
Will Frist or Rove follow?
Posted by: Don Smith at September 28, 2005 06:51 PM
Delay is mundane. The posters here are happy to see it but the fact that he is who and where he is is the problem. Delay has been known to be a vindictive crook for...ever. I heartily endorse his demise, but worry that the replacement will be as bad. These guys aren't worried. Fire Brownie and hire him for expert spin. America buys it 55/45.
Here's what is on my mind: Arrogant Americans from left and right think we can quit a war of aggression and just get back to being good ol' America. When you blow people up they follow you home and make you suffer. Please get it america. The one thing I found most rewarding from Mike Brown's testimony is that he is alot more competent than ,how you say, bunnypants. America, we're going to have to make restitution and it will involve our generation and all of us since the "greatest generation". And I know they ran up there share of pollution and debt,too.Not the point. Point is that we need to step up to the plate and begin the road to utopia instead of continue the dominance of ruin.I fear that our incompetence bordering malevolence will spoil the opportunity to make the world work. Please answer from the right.
Posted by: buffalojoe at September 28, 2005 07:23 PM
Was just watching my favourite comedy channel, Fox "news", and they already have all the EXPERTS lined up declaring what a witch hunt this is!!!
For those who don't believe in the Hindu concept of karma...the law of the street---what goes around comes around---will have to suffice.
How soon will it be until GW seeks counsel from Jack Daniels???
Posted by: EminemsRevenge at September 28, 2005 07:35 PM
Congressman who filed DeLay complaint last year 'pleased"
Chris Bell, a former Democratic congressman from Texas, was ousted in DeLay-engineered redistricting after filing an ethics complaint against the Republican leader. DeLay was subsequently admonished twice by the Ethics Committee.
"At the end of the day," he continued, "once the dots are connected, itÕ³ not terribly complicated and itÕ³ not terribly pretty. They basically cheated in order to take control."
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 07:40 PM
Let's not get too excited folks. You know what they say about cockroaches.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 07:43 PM
Hey David I found you on Huffington Post.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 07:45 PM
"The problem with political jokes is they get elected." ~ Henry Cate VII
Posted by: capt at September 28, 2005 07:47 PM
Can someone let Bush on the news that there is a civil war in Iraq?
"President Bush on Wednesday warned there will be an upsurge in violence in Iraq before next month's voting, but said the terrorists will fail. 'Our troops are ready for them,' he said."
Easy for him to say.
Bush warns of violent upsurge before voting in Iraq.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 07:58 PM
Capt,
That's a good one.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 07:58 PM
*letter from Democrat Nick Lampson, who's running against Delay
It's about more than Tom Delay
Dear Alan,
Today, a grand jury in Travis County indicted Congressman Tom DeLay on criminal conspiracy charges related to his political organization, TRMPAC, which illegally used corporate funds during the 2002 Texas legislative campaign.
This is a sad day for Congressman DeLay's constituents in the 22nd District, who deserve so much better from their elected representative -- but unfortunately, it should come as no surprise. Tom DeLay has been putting his own narrow partisan interests ahead of the people of TX-22 for many years.
Now it's time for that to end.
Let's be clear: Today's indictment is not simply a political matter. A grand jury of his own fellow Texans indicted Tom DeLay on a very serious charge that is punishable by jail time of up to 2 years.
Despite Tom DeLay's protests to the contrary, this is not some kind of partisan witch hunt. In fact, throughout his career, District Attorney Ronnie Earle has indicted more Democrats than Republicans.
No, this process is about returning integrity to the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, for the good of the hard-working families who live there. Today's legal indictment is the first step in that process. And electing Nick Lampson next November will be the final step.
That's why we need your help.
Today's indictment does nothing to change our campaign because there's still a lot of hard work ahead. We can't take anything for granted. That's why Nick Lampson will continue campaigning as he has been doing. He will continue introducing himself to the voters of Southeast Texas as he works as hard as he can to earn their vote.
It's clearly not enough to be the "anti-DeLay". The people living in TX-22 deserve more than that. That's why Nick is working hard to show the voters of this district that he has a positive agenda with a record of public service to be proud of -- and that he is the right man to restore honor and integrity to the 22nd District.
Regardless of how the coming weeks and months unfold, this is still going to be a difficult and costly campaign. Tom DeLay is going to do everything he can in a desperate attempt to hold on to his job.
But no one said this was going to be easy. Nothing that's worth fighting for ever is.
That's why we're asking for your support, today -- before Friday's quarterly fundraising deadline.
Please contribute to Nick's campaign to restore honor and integrity to TX-22!
Thanks for all you've done and continue to do for our campaign.
Sincerely,
Mike Malaise
Campaign Manager
Nick Lampson for Congress
Posted by: Alan at September 28, 2005 07:58 PM
German court declares Iraq war violated international law
Just a few weeks ago, a highly significant judicial decision was handed down by the German Federal Administrative Court but barely mentioned in the German media. With careful reasoning, the judges ruled that the assault launched by the United States and its allies against Iraq was a clear war of aggression that violated international law.
Further, they meticulously demonstrated that the German government, in contrast to its public protestations, had assisted in the aggression against Iraq without having any legal right to do so. Although the decision was made three months ago, the judgement and its legal arguments have only just been made available in written form, comprising more than 130 pages.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 08:17 PM
The Herald Sun
High school project considered potential threat to Bush
Sep 24, 2005 : 10:21 am ET
CURRITUCK, N.C. -- A high school student's class project on freedoms in the U.S. attracted Secret Service agents to his school this week.
The agents visited Currituck County High School Tuesday after receiving a report that a student had created potentially threatening photographs of President Bush.
Sandy Kinzel, a school spokeswoman, said the Secret Service questioned the student about a photograph he had taken for a class project on freedoms. In the student's photograph, a photograph of Bush is shown fastened to a wall with a thumbtack. Over the picture of Bush is a "thumbs-down" sign. The thumbtack in the photo was apparently placed somewhere on Bush's head, Kinzel said.
Concerned that the thumbtack might represent a potential threat to the president, the company that developed the student's film notified authorities.
The student was not at school Tuesday, but agents talked to the student and the student's parents, officials said.
The Secret Service closed its investigation after learning that the photo was nothing more than a creation for a class project, said Jim Henry, a Secret Service agent based in Raleigh. He said no charges will be filed in the case.
------
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 08:32 PM
thank God the secret service is so diligent, no...really, thank God
now don't get me wrong I am elated now with two straight bad news days for Bush...happy times no doubt
but now we need to see the Dems lick their collective chops, hunker down, get their pride back and put some lipstick on their pig
pretty soon I feel the conservatives will really throw down against the neocons...just out of rat-like survival instinct I believe the NeoNightmareMachine will devour itself in hopes of spawning a sequel through "moderate" conservatives
Someone needs to start running ahead of the pack, we need a strong Dem to run in 2008...it's frigging late late 2005 and I haven't seen that Individual yet
this makes me fearful of the "moderate" fight
anyone out there got a suggestion on who might get the nomination?
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 08:42 PM
Out here in BossTown we have:
Ted Kennedy......(cue cricket noises)
John Kerry......(cue laugh track)
Mitt Romney....(cue Imperial march)
this guys a major a-hole, 2008 bare minimum runs for the nomination
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 08:50 PM
Strategy Of Tension Continues In Iraq
Paul Joseph Watson & Alex Jones | September 27 2005
Last week's incident where British SAS shot at police in Basra, in what many Iraqis speculated was an intended staged car bombing, and more bloodshed in Iraq over the past few days again brings to light an underlying strategy which serves to keep the country mired in turmoil to justify the continued presence of occupational forces.
This isn't a speculative conspiracy, it's demonstrable by the very words and deeds of the megalomaniacs now running the blood-soaked show in Iraq.
In November 2002 the Asian Times reported on the creation of P2OG, a Pentagon operation aimed at, "stimulating reactions" among terrorists and states possessing weapons of mass destruction, meaning it would prod terrorist cells into action, thus exposing them to "quick-response" attacks by US forces."
Rather than the traditional intelligence model of infiltration and sting operations, the Pentagon is now willing to allow terrorist atrocities to take place and indeed provoke them into being unleashed.
However, is this really a justification for catching terrorists? Especially in light of numerous reports confirming that whenever bin Laden was cornered frustrated generals and commanders were ordered to let him go free?
Exactly how the occupation would 'stimulate reactions' was made all too clear last week, when British SAS agents were caught killing Iraqi police while wearing fake wigs and Arab garb.
The agenda to maintain division and ethnic tension in Iraq is a long term plan.
In 1982, Oded Yinon, an official from the Israeli Foreign Affairs office, wrote: "To dissolve Iraq is even more important for us than dissolving Syria. In the short term, it's Iraqi power that constitutes the greatest threat to Israel. The Iran-Iraq war tore Iraq apart and provoked its downfall. All manner of inter-Arab conflict help us and accelerate our goal of breaking up Iraq into small, diverse pieces."
So if the plan is to keep the different sects at each others' throats then who benefits from the chaos created by the endless bombings?
Furthermore, what is the true face of terrorism? In December 2002 the Palestinian Authority arrested a group of Palestinians (pictured below) who confessed to collaborating with the Israeli government in posing as a fake Al-Qaeda group. Their actions were intended to falsify an Al-Qaeda presence in Gaza and Lebanon. This meant Israel could then claim justification for a harsher crackdown.
Operation Gladio was another black-ops staged terror program that ran through the 60Õ³, 70Õ³ and 80Õ³ and was coordinated by the CIA and European intelligence agencies in various different European countries.
Three separate parliamentary investigations in Italy, Switzerland and Belgium concluded that Gladio was a program geared towards carrying out terrorist attacks which were blamed on the governmentÕ³ political enemies at the time in order to discredit them and rally the population around the state.
It was actually called the strategy of tension in de-classified documents.
Former Gladio agent Vincenzo Vinciguerra outlined the dark philosophy of the operation in sworn testimony,
"You had to attack civilians, the people, women, children, innocent people, unknown people far removed from any political game. The reason was quite simple: to force ... the public to turn to the state to ask for greater security."
The fact that the British were caught engaging in similar activities in Iraq should come as no surprise. Every major IRA bombing in England and Northern Ireland has had the fingerprints of the British intelligence establishment all over it.
The August 1998 Omagh bombing (pictured), which killed 29 people, was known ahead of time by the security services and yet the bomb team wasn't intercepted. The reason? One of the members of the bomb squad was working for army intelligence and MI5. The bombing was allowed to go ahead.
Another former British secret agent, Kevin Fulton, went public to blow the whistle on how he had received orders from the very top, at that time Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, to carry out terrorist crimes which targeted innocent civilians.
The British government has also been caught directly funding Al-Qaeda. Former MI5 agent David Shayler was arrested for breaking the Official Secrets Act when he reported that in 1996 MI6 had wired ?100,000 to an Al-Qaeda group to carry out the assassination of Colonel Gadafy. Shayler also charged that the intelligence agencies had prior knowledge of several terrorist attacks on London in the 1990's, including the 1993 bombing of the Israeli embassy which Shayler concludes was carried out by the Israelis themselves.
The strategy of tension has proven a successful one throughout recent decades. Until the wider world truly understands where the real control of terrorism lies we will continue to see lives and liberties shredded on the altar of order out of chaos.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 08:50 PM
RepubliCon nomination that is...in the liberal motherland that is Massachusetts lurks a very wicked Governor without a drop of blue blood in his veins...keep an eye on him fellow Cornamaniacs, Romney looks shifty.
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 08:53 PM
It will be the same game that the Reich-wing been playing for some time now: They will arm-twist any republican judge or if the Judge is a Democrat they will squeal "Partisan witch hunt".
The media will report about left leaning motives and we will all see Tom Delay back in the drivers seat in DC.
capt
Posted by: capt at September 28, 2005 08:55 PM
You want shifty, cast your eyes on Norm Coleman.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 08:55 PM
agreed very shifty
not a fan of the down with Annan people of which he is a lead witch hunter...if for no other reason than if we are to hold him accountable for what has gone wrong in his administration because he is in charge...then by Christ Bushie is also now in charge and accountable, for a lot of shite too as we all know
Annan needs work...but the logic behind the RED argument on that is pathetic and lean
as for Norm's defense of Rove in the Plame case...a.really wished Novak went to prison b. thought the public dropped the ball on the larger picture it created and c. think Norm is lying through his creepy teeth about Rove not being behind it all
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 09:10 PM
Coleman did help eat Lott after all
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 09:13 PM
His teeth aren't creepy. They're new.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 09:57 PM
"Nixon is a shifty-eyed goddamn liar....He's one of the few in the history of this country to run for high office talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time and lying out of both sides." ~ Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972)
I wonder what Harry would say about Bunnypants?
capt
Posted by: capt at September 28, 2005 10:01 PM
ever see the before/ after pics...LOL
how's about creepy AND new ?
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 10:03 PM
Or the founding fathers description on him. They would string Bush up for destroying what they worked so hard to create.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 10:05 PM
Ed,
Yeah. It's close to bed time. I don't want that vision in my head.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 28, 2005 10:06 PM
HA!
Posted by: ed at September 28, 2005 10:08 PM
Does the name Dennis Kucinich, D-OH, ring a bell? He has been the most consistent and relevant spokesperson FOR PEACE over the past several years. He has introduced the Dept. of Peace legislation 3 times, now, and continues relentlessly to build support for the bill and its principles. He ran in the 2004 primaries and was defeated, not by the Republicans, but the Democrats, who gave him no support and denied him a voice in building a coalition. He is extremely articulate, well informed and speaks for all the people, not just his own district in OH. He has come from political defeat to regain a place of distinction and respect, in a very Republican area of OH-Cleveland. He stands on principle and answers questions directly and, as far as I can tell, honestly. He has all the qualities of a true statesman/Statesperson, with a Global Vision. His solutions to problems are broad-based and inclusive of all peoples. If people were to really listen to him, they would be amazed at how sane and rational his positions are. His website is www.kucinich.us. Give him a look and see if he isn't possibly the candidate we are looking for. My greatest concern about him is that he is a Democrat; but, perhaps being in one of the two recognized parties, is necessary. Sometimes it is more effective to be on the inside to generate real change because you don't have to first win over the people who won't look outside the box.
Peace,
St. John
Posted by: St. John at September 28, 2005 10:11 PM
Rethug Indictments:
One down, more to go (look out Rover, you're next!)
Posted by: Marie at September 28, 2005 11:25 PM
Gallup: By 3-to-1 Public Sees Liberal Over Conservative News Media Bias
Nearly three times as many of those polled in a new Gallup survey said they believe the media are Òtoo liberalÓ than Òtoo conservative.Ó Gallup's Tuesday press release for the poll, which is earning publicity for how it found that Òtrust and confidence in the news media is upÓ from last year, reported: ÒWhen asked about the news media's political slant, Americans are much more likely to say they are too liberal (46%) than they are to say they are about right (37%) or too conservative (16%). Those views are consistent with what Gallup has measured since 2001. The percentage of Americans saying the news media are too liberal has ranged between 45% and 48%, and has always been the plurality response. There has been a slight increase in the public's sentiment that the media are too conservative, from 11% in 2001 to 16% today.Ó
Last year, 48 percent saw the media as Òtoo liberalÓ compared to 15 percent who thought the media were Òtoo conservative.Ó Given the plus/minus three percent margin of error, the numbers are essentially unchanged from last September. More results follow.
(The MRC's Rich Noyes just updated our "Media Bias Basics" section with thorough rundowns -- excerpts, graphs and tables for polls going back decades -- of how the media vote, how the public views the media as well as long lists of quotes from journalists admitting and denying liberal bias.)
From the September 27 Gallup press release (which is now accessible, but will likely soon require a paid subscription to access), some more findings:
ÒRepublicans and Democrats Differ in Views of News Media
ÒThese two measures show substantial differences between Republicans and Democrats.
> ÒAbout 3 in 10 Republicans (31%) say they have a great deal or fair amount of trust and confidence in the media, while the vast majority of Republicans (69%) say they have very little or no trust in the media. The results are essentially opposite among Democrats, with 70% expressing a great deal or fair amount confidence in the media and 30% very little or no confidence."
> ÒEight in 10 Republicans (81%) say the news media are too liberal, while 15% say they are about right, and just 3% say they are too conservative. Among Democrats, a majority (57%) says the news media are just about right, while the rest are almost equally divided in their description of the news media as too liberal (18%) and too conservative (23%).Ó
Posted by: Tim L at September 28, 2005 11:59 PM
Must be a BAD Repugnicon news day to drag TimL out of his hole!
BWAHAHAHA!
"You're doin' a HECK of a job, there, Brownie!"
Thanks for the laughs, kids, but I gotta sleep.
-T
Posted by: Hajji at September 29, 2005 12:18 AM
Some of Kerry's biggest fans are in the press
Not much doubt who the media wants to win
By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist
August 24, 2004
With the exception of the Fox News Channel, the liberal tilt of the mainstream media - the major newspapers, the networks, National Public Radio, the news magazines - has long been a fact of American life. No one observing the coverage of this year's presidential campaign with both eyes open can have much doubt that the media establishment is pulling heavily for the Democratic ticket.
That explains why, for example, the intense media interest in George W. Bush's National Guard records last February wasn't matched by an equally intense interest in John Kerry's Navy history in May, when the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth first went public with their criticisms. Far from leaping on the charges that Kerry's Vietnam heroism had been greatly exaggerated, the mainstream media's initial reaction was to largely ignore them. And while the press saw no reason to question the credibility of Bush's accusers or to demand that Kerry repudiate them, their attitude toward the Swift Boat vets has been much more hostile.
None of this should come as a surprise. The nation's newsrooms are Democratic strongholds, and that cannot help but affect their coverage of the news. Evan Thomas, the assistant managing editor of Newsweek, put it plainly last month.
``Let's talk a little media bias here,'' he said on the PBS program ``Inside Washington'' on July 11. ``The media, I think, want Kerry to win. And I think they're going to portray Kerry and Edwards . . . as being young and dynamic and optimistic and all, there's going to be this glow about them that is going to be worth, collectively, the two of them, that's going to be worth maybe 15 points.'' Just how lopsided is the pro-Kerry bias? When New York Times reporter John Tierney surveyed reporters covering the Democratic National Convention last month, the results were striking.
``We got anonymous answers from 153 journalists, about a third of them based in Washington,'' he wrote on Aug. 1. ``When asked who would be a better president, the journalists from outside the Beltway picked Mr. Kerry 3 to 1, and the ones from Washington favored him 12 to 1. Those results jibe with previous surveys over the past two decades showing that journalists tend to be Democrats, especially the ones based in Washington. Some surveys have found that more than 80 percent of the Beltway press corps votes Democratic.'' Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, and for tasting liberal bias in journalism, no one tops the Media Research Center. Founded by conservative activist Brent Bozell in 1987, the MRC has become an indispensable resource for anyone interested in how political attitudes shape news coverage. Its most illuminating technique is the simplest: It monitors journalists' words and quotes them. What it has found time and time again is a skew to the left: a tendency to celebrate, echo, or defend Democrats, liberals, and left-of-center ideas.
Posted by: Tim L at September 29, 2005 12:41 AM
There is a saying we have in Texas that is quite suited for this: YEEHAW! Gleeful and hopeful am I.
Burn, DeLay, burn. *dances around effagy*
Dear repugs and other conservative-types,
Eat shit. Your man is going
D
O
W
N
Posted by: goob at September 29, 2005 12:43 AM
effagy = effigy
Posted by: goob at September 29, 2005 12:44 AM
Tim,
Exactly what is the punchline here? You're suddenly not hearing news you like so you have to prove how biased the news is? DeLay is a cockroach. That's why he's so good at pest control. I didn't create the man. I didn't make him do the stinking deeds he did. Get used to it. Frist is probably next. Or Rove. This has nothing to do with the press or the democrats. You want to keep backing these guys go ahead. I'm not stopping you. People in jail like mail. You can be their biggest fan.
Posted by: Jeanne at September 29, 2005 12:52 AM
I don't doubt Timmie's figures on journalists. 'Course that don't show a liberal bias at all. It just shows how spineless they are if you ask me. We all know it's the right-wings who OWN the media, and they control what's put out. To keep their job, they swallow alotta pride and do what mr. big says. So yeah, poll them in person and you get the truth, but watch the fkn news and see bullshit.
*slaps kneee laughin'*... that Timmie drags up a pre-election article when another piece of crud gets his due
Posted by: Alan at September 29, 2005 01:03 AM
Pelose Runs
Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earle, a well known Democrat partisan prosecutor, has taken the lead role against Jack Abramoff. Mr. Abramoff, financial friend to many leading Democrats, was not talking. Ronnie Earle, however, is playing his part to a tee. While over looking the many Democrat Senators who continually take advantage of Abramoff's special talents, he has decided to go after Tom Delay. The over zealous Earle appears to be paying off his debt to George Soros, by trying to destroy one of the few honest men in Washington D.C.
Honest people know, this kind of partisan attack will never succeed, since the vast majority of Americans understand how far from reality the left wing is.
Even the left leaning New York Times and the L.A. Times have already distanced themselves from this politically motivated, mean-spirited attack on honesty. Nancy Pelose, Barbara Boxer and many other leading Democrats, are running for cover as the investigation of Jack Abramoff begins.
Nancy Pelose, heard asking her assistant, "Oh God, what will I do if they find out about my air line expenses", ran from reporters, and has been unavailable for comment. Nancy's assistant told reporters she will have a comment later in the week.
All in all, this much about nothing political attack is doomed to failure. Its only Saving Grace is the side effect of showing just how low the liberal wing of the Democrat party has sunk.
T.C. Anderson
The American Register
Posted by: Adam at September 29, 2005 01:42 AM
Adam (The American Register),
Her name is "Pelosi". And please recall Ken Starr and his hounding of Bill Clinton. I in no way endorse or defend Clinton, but it would be worthwhile for you to look up the Starr investigation and compare it to the indictment of DeLay. I think you will find many differences, chief among them the circumstances, the motives, and who (or what) was involved. Blowjobs are no big deal, dirty campaign contributions are.
Posted by: goob at September 29, 2005 02:52 AM
Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's the Feds that are investigating Abramoff.
Ehh, mis-truth #2: "Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earle, a well known Democrat partisan prosecutor..."
Note that he has done 15 of these investigations. Twelve were Democrats and three were Republicans. So scratch that argument.
I'll just let this one go because it's self-humorous without one of Pande's snarks.
"...one of the few honest men in Washington D.C."
*cough*
Posted by: Alan at September 29, 2005 03:17 AM
Don't hate the Player.
Hate the Game!
Save the Drama for your Momma.
Can you dig it, Sucka?
Posted by: Booker T at September 29, 2005 06:42 AM
Gotta love the Reactionaries. Faced with the choice between the Gay hypocrite and DeLay's evil twin, they went with DeLay's evil twin.
Timmiee!!! Dude, Hit and run. Hit and run. Afraid of the Truth? You still haven't answered my questions. When are you going to admit the fact that W(uss) was lying about the war in Iraq? You know that he hired Bolton and had WINPAC feeding him lies from the CIA. You also know that the CIA was wondering why WINPAC had so much say in foreign policiy. They were the only ones who would provide the lies to build the case for war.
Yes, the Timmsies are worried that the media has found its spine. They (M$M) are digging up unpleasant facts about the Cheney Administration.
More lies? If their mouths are moving . . . .
Funny, when things went sour, we used to catch the #3 guy in the Al Qaeda hierarchy. Things have gotten so bad, that they've cranked it up a notch and now they're lying about having killed the #2 guy in Al Qaeda. It seems that he might not have been #2. What? More Lies?!! Damn, they're good at this "catapulting the propaganda" stuff. Timmiee got his ass kicked.
One of Bill Bennett's virtues? Honesty. He refuses to hide the fact that he is the grand Poobah of the Grand Ol' Lynchin' Party:
"But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down."
Strange, but that idea never crossed my mind. I could never get passed the morally reprehensible threshold. Bennett gets hung up on the impossible and ridiculous. He evidently has pondered the logistics. Asshole.
Posted by: Pandemoniac at September 29, 2005 06:45 AM
You people don't have one good thing to say about anybody. Do you? You people think that most of the Republican leaders are nothing but crooks. Don't you? You people probably think John McCain would not even make a good President. Albeit? You Partisan fanatics need to wipe that smug grin off your faces because they will find Democrats that have done the same thing. Just wait and see.
Posted by: Prof. B G D'Gre at September 29, 2005 07:05 AM
Bogus,
Burn 'em all...Resp, Dems, Commies, Greens ANYBODY who'd use the public trust to feather their nests with greenbacks or elevate themselves to laird O'er the masses...THEN swear in their effigies and burn THEM too. When did bullyin, bribing or buying your way into public office become "The American Way"?
Winking and admitting that it IS, is simply extra-constitutional hypocrisy.
(you ARE, btw, my favorite character! The goats say, "Hey"!)
Posted by: Hajji at September 29, 2005 09:24 AM
#1 Jeanne, Delay was in the pest control business before he went to Congress.
#2 Saladin, Reagan could not remember because he was in the early stages of Alzheimers. It truly is a dreaded disease.
#3 on down, good posts!!!
There is no question that Bush is guilty of murders and war crimes. He will never leave the WH because he is so fearful that he will be tried in the International Criminal Court for his depraved indifference to the murders of human beings. Bush is a cold blooded murderer. Remember America keep practicing your Hail Mine Fuehrer!!!!! Learning how to do the goose steps will place you in good standing with the gestapos!!!!! Times are truly glorious for all the demented and deranged Americans who worship Bush!!!!!
Posted by: Gerald at September 29, 2005 09:36 AM
"You people don't have one good thing to say about anybody."
Sure we do, nearly eveybody here sings the praises of Cindy Sheehan.
We all just cotton a bit for the truth, that excludes nearly every politician and all trolls.
capt
Posted by: capt at September 29, 2005 09:51 AM
High Gasoline Prices Blamed for Record-High Past-Due Credit Card Payments
Skip directly to the full story.
By Jeannine Aversa The Associated Press
Published: Sep 28, 2005
WASHINGTON (AP) - The percentage of credit card payments that were past due shot up to a record high in the second quarter as surging gasoline prices strained budgets and made it difficult for some people to pay their bills.
While Chessen mostly blamed high gasoline prices for the rise in credit card delinquencies, other factors also played a role, he said.
With personal savings rates dismally low, people have less of a cushion to absorb the big jumps in energy prices, Chessen said. The personal savings rate dipped to a record low of negative 0.6 percent in July.
---------------
The country has been skillfully manipulated. The bankruptcy option is about to vanish, the housing bubble is about to pop and with winter coming the cost of energy has just begun to hurt. Can you say foreclosure and repossesion?
Posted by: Saladin at September 29, 2005 10:23 AM
Saladin,
Foreclosure and repossession on one hand, "Eminem's Domain" buying up private property for Corporate profit with the blessing of the "people's government" on the other.
No middle class, no protection in the courts no repercussions or punishments for the facists, no shelter for the masses. What do we have to do to end this nightmare that doesn't involve packing...possessions OR guns?
-T
Posted by: Hajji at September 29, 2005 10:51 AM
Didn't I just read a comment on the aborting of black babies as a way to reduce crime? I would like to see the total amout of people that have actually suffered at the hands of any black criminal as opposed to the amount that have lost virtually everything at the hands of white, enron styled criminals. I also just read that many of the Rita evacuees are being housed in Dallas jails. Who says there is no housing for the poor!
The headlines are more bizarre everyday.
Posted by: Saladin at September 29, 2005 11:04 AM
Saladin,
The film, "Crash" is a brilliant expose into the ethnic and social prejudices that most all people harbor. As many places as I've been in this vast nation, I've never failed to be horrified by the open, blatant and aggressive use of these prejudices to justify the callous mistreatment of other humans.
Such utter fear and hate has been woven into the fabric of American society. Housing, employment, heathcare, social services, police, fire and emergency services are all rife with institutionalized bigotry.
Like all such mistakes, natural and man-made disasters (and the combination of the two which seems to be inevitable) tend to magnify such backward thinking and compound the problems.
Case in point... It is becoming more and more clear that the primary reason for Jill's SC-1 DMAT team's non-deployment for almost a week after Katrina and then it's repeated rectal thumb insertion for another was the rumors of violence against emergency workers at the Superdome and Convention center which have now been shown to be greatly exaggerated. (and, in most cases, completely fabricated)
They treated thousands of patients (and a bunch of animals, too!) in the short 3 or 4 days they actually set up shop. Imagine the impact they could've had if they'd been set up (AND properly equipped and supplied) almost 2 weeks earlier.
Her TEAM was ready to serve, but their masters were NOT!
-T
Posted by: Hajji at September 29, 2005 11:38 AM
Can you say soup lines? What will Bush do when the soup lines start forming around the block and they will? Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
Posted by: Jeanne at September 29, 2005 11:47 AM
For those of you who still want to make a difference, or warm yourself with examples of how others are...
Here's what my Brother and his Girl and some friends have been doing. I feel like such a slug for doing so little.
Blue Ridge Animal Rescue Fund
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/blueridgeanimalfund/album?.dir=/79d5&.src=ph&.tok=phyberDB0bidme7z
Posted by: Hajji at September 29, 2005 11:51 AM
Hajji,
I keep thinking about the physical injuries that must have come out of that storn that went untreated. How do you do that to people?
Posted by: Jeanne at September 29, 2005 11:52 AM
Bill Bennett: "[Y]ou could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down"
I found the following comment by Mike Rivero, regarding the disgusting remark above, to be right on. It could also apply to the constant bickering and finger pointing between left and right. Anything to distract and piss off the masses and prevent them from seeing past all the smoke and mirrors. Obviously this tactic works.
-----------------
You could quit taxing the people into poverty and the crime rate would go down.
You could bring back decent paying jobs and the crime rate would go down.
You could stop criminalizing harmless personal behavior and the crime rate would go down.
You could hang all the liars in government and the media and the crime rate would go down.
Ever since New Orleans I have seen what appears to be a concerted effort to fan racial tensions in this country. At first I thought it was merely to cast the Victims of the hurricanes as unsympathetic, in order to deflect anger from Bush for slashing flood control funding to pay for his illegal war in Iraq. But as Bennett's idiocy proves, that campaign to fan the flames of race hate is still continuing, and I think i know why.
Right now George Bush knows that the country is starting to hate him and the government that backed his lies. Bush is trying to figure out a way to declare martial law. Race riots in multiple cities would provide such an excuse, and even better, the Neocons would feel safer if they can trick the American people into fighting each other, instead of uniting to fight a corrupt and illegal government that continues to lie us all into wars.
So, you think about this as you see more and more media efforts to pit one race against the other. It's just another government scam against We The People. If we are fighting each other, we cannot fight the tyrant, and the tyrant knows this. If you pick up a rock or a stick and aim it at your fellow American, you are doing EXACTLY what George Bush and his Neocon perpetual-war-for-Israel thugs want you to do.
Posted by: Saladin at September 29, 2005 12:54 PM
Cindy Sheehan vs the War Democrats
Posted by: Gerald at September 29, 2005 02:15 PM
after you all quit dancing around madly over the indictment of Tom DeLay, sit down, take a deep breath and ask yourself "can you find 12 adults in Texas without finding one who thinks Bush and his right wing cronies walk on water?". Given what I know now, conviction is a long shot. But maybe this can tip an election in 06 if Diebold does not do the counting.
Posted by: CAFENOW at September 29, 2005 03:49 PM
It's disgusting to think that scumbags like this Dezenhall can make a very profitable living doing what they do - subverting truth and judicial process to a roadshow of duplicity and propoganda.
Filth like Dezenhall are very much part of of our big national slide downwards.
Posted by: Rob at September 30, 2005 02:00 PM
We are sending privates to jail...........privates don't make policy. We have seen a consistancy to the abuse photo's.
We might be a lazy nation........but we aint a dumb one.
Getting Martha outfitted with an ankle bracelet made noone safer.
Putting some other movers and shakers behind bars could.
We aint trying the policy makers, we are trying those under orders.
What's wrong with this picture.
Can we get to the meat of the torture memo?
Can investigative journalists still investigate????
Frankly when I learn that my country is engaging in torture, Im not looking for some noncom's head to roll.
Follow the chain of command.
The consistancy demonstrated in the photo's can not be accidental. It was clearly policy.
The Freedom of Information Act should have made this public perview. What went wrong?
Posted by: titchaba at October 1, 2005 03:23 AM
The majority of Americans don't know who the hell this Bennet dude is...........K?
This could be a good thing.
Posted by: titchaba at October 3, 2005 03:30 AM
Gerald,
I urge you to seek professional help.
You are more than a bit dillusional.
Posted by: titchaba at October 3, 2005 03:35 AM
Gerald,
I urge you to seek professional help.
You are more than a bit dillusional.
Posted by: titchaba at October 3, 2005 03:40 AM