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The Continuing Saga of Helen and Scott
I don't know how I missed this, since I tend to love all things Helen Thomas (except her regrettable opinion of blogs, but we forgive), but Will Bunch over at Attytood picked up the ball and headed downfield with it...
Gee, the invitation must've gotten lost in the mail... We thought it was funny when President Bush spoke the other day of how American troops had been "invited" by the Afghan government, and apparently also by Iraq. Well, we guess technically they were invited, once that whole invasion thing got worked out.
Today, "battle axe" Helen Thomas (he said it, not us) called Scott McClellan on this verbal baloney, and it was good:
Q The other day -- in fact, this week, you said that we, the United States, is in Afghanistan and Iraq by invitation. Would you like to correct that incredible distortion of American history --
MR. McCLELLAN: No, we are -- that's where we currently --
Q -- in view of your credibility is already mired? How can you say that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, I think everyone in this room knows that you're taking that comment out of context. There are two democratically-elected governments in Iraq and --
Q We're we invited into Iraq?
MR. McCLELLAN: There are two democratically-elected governments now in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments, and we are there today --
Q You mean if they had asked us out, that we would have left?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, Helen, I'm talking about today. We are there at their invitation. They are sovereign governments --
Q I'm talking about today, too.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we are doing all we can to train and equip their security forces so that they can provide for their own security as they move forward on a free and democratic future.
Q Did we invade those countries?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Steve.
Heh. "Go ahead, Steve." Where's Jeff when you need him.
Two things: Since I basically reprinted all of Will Bunch's fine work here, if you didn't click on his site at the top of this post, please do so (because we all need love...and site traffic). Next, it might be nice to drop Helen Thomas a line at hthomas@hearstdc.com and give her some love, too.
Oh, and one last thing--if you are going away today, or planning to do something fun et cetera, try to make time for the mothers of soldiers who have died in Iraq by writing them at goldstarmom@yahoo.com. They have come under fire recently for a dumb rule they have that will be changed soon, no doubt. Nonetheless, I suspect they will be spending Memorial Day a little bit differently than picnics and trips to the beach.
Why write these folks an e-mail this Memorial Day?
Because the guardians of freedom in our society are not just soldiers and politicans, but each and every one of us in our own way, and it's worth noting this Memorial Day. Now, more than ever.
Can't resist a repost of this! Sorry all, but it just seemed to fit.
Posted by: Toolmaker at May 27, 2005 02:48 PM
Toolmaker,
If everyone asked the questions and got to the heart of the matter, they'd have a revolving front/back of room. They could just stand up and play musicical chairs, just as each question is asked.
Helen: "Scotty, what is President do-nothing's response to the allegations of his high crimes and misdemeanors?"
Scotty: "Helen we don't know nothin'. Now go to the back of the room."
Reporter 2: "Scotty, the allegations of high crimes and misdeamnors as shown in the Downing Street Memos indicates the President and his administration INTENDED to start a war with Iraq and further that they fixed the facts with Tony Blair six months before Bush went to Congress. Scotty, has the president regretted these actions?"
Scotty to Reporter 2; "The President stands resolved the way he is always resolved. Reporter two, you too may join Helen in the time out corner. The time out corner is the back of the room."
Reporter 3: "Scotty, the President was shown to be sitting like a deer in the headlights on 9-11, and sat reading 'My Pet Goat' while thousands of people were under attack."
Reporter 4: "Who ordered the fighter jets into the sky while our President resembled a statute? Furthermore, was President Bush happy with his bike ride when DC was evacuating the V.P., Mrs. Bush, and numerous people?"
Scotty: "My Pet Goat is a well-written book and the President just needed for those children to respect literacy--and a great photo o---I mean a great chance to learn how to be resolved! I mean, he was showing them how to keep your cool when reading, even if having difficulty sounding out words. (*sweat dripping off Scotty's brow now*) AND yes, President Bush happens to be a great cyclist and he was perfectly safe as we made sure there were no pretzels nearby. Reporters 3 and 4... you know the routine..."
(snip)
Helen is now back at the front of the room by now:
Helen: "Scotty, where is President Bush and why is he not giving us a press conference about the allegations in these memos. Does he know people believe he is guilty of war crimes? What does he have to say to those allegations?
Scotty; "Ummm...I'll check on that Helen. Thanks for coming to our press conference." Scotty mumbles as he leaves the room, "Dang...I sure miss that Jeff Ganon!"
Posted by: sparrow at May 27, 2005 03:13 PM
A new coalition of groups was launched two days ago (interestingly enough, Casey and I witnessed the origins of this at the PDF Conference, as we talked about these concerns with some new friends). As we witness daily insults to the intelligence of the American people, and as our democratic principles are overrun regularly, we try to take note of aggregating responses you can join, if you so wish.
This one looks like it is worthy of your consideration.
And many organizations are joining this coalition:
from a memo just in:
A broad coalition of veterans, peace, and political activist groups to announce a campaign today to urge that the U.S. Congress launch a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war. Our campaign focuses on evidence that recently emerged in an official British memo containing minutes of a secret July 2002 meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his top national security advisors.
*John Bonifaz, a Boston attorney specializing in constitutional litigation, today sent a memo to Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, the Ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, urging him to introduce a Resolution of Inquiry directing the House Judiciary Committee to launch a formal investigation into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House to impeach President Bush.
Bonifaz's memo, made available today at www.AfterDowningStreet.org begins: "The recent release of the Downing Street Memo provides new and compelling evidence that the President of the United States has been actively engaged in a conspiracy to deceive and mislead the United States Congress and the American people about the basis for going to war against Iraq. If true, such conduct constitutes a High Crime under Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution.
The now-infamous "Downing Street Memo", written in July of 2002 - a full eight months prior to launching the War on Iraq - states that "Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."
Eighty-nine members of the U.S. Congress recently sent a letter to the Bush Administration requesting an explanation. However, they have received no reply. In the meantime, neither the Bush nor Blair Administrations have disputed the authenticity of the memo.
*It is time for an official Congressional inquiry into the matter!
The original organizations forming the AfterDowningStreet.org coalition include: Global Exchange, Gold Star Families for Peace, Democrats.com, Veterans for Peace, Code Pink, Progressive Democrats of America, Democracy Rising, The BRAD BLOG and Justice Through Music. These organizations, beginning today, will be urging their members and millions of other Americans to contact their Representatives to urge support of the Resolution of Inquiry.
For more information on the coalition, see www.AfterDowningStreet.org
Karen,
I emailed the news story to people on my email list--Even republicans. As far as I'm concerned, this is NOT a liberal/conservative or republican/democrat issue. It's an issue of Preserving the rule of the constitution that "NO MAN IS ABOVE THE LAW--NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT!"
And as we heard so often a few years ago, a lie is a high crime and misdemeanor. And Bush's lies have cost thousands of innocent lives.
During this Memorial Day weekend we need to demand a full accounting of our governments decision to invade Iraq. As the ultimate sign of respect to those who gave their lives in Iraq and Afganistan, and in the spirit of full disclosure please sign the petition being circulated by John Conyers. It is requesting full accounting of the reasons for our invasion of Iraq. The Downing Street Memos prompted this request by Rep. Conyers. Our cell has been circulating it to all our e-mail contacts.
http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com/index.asp?Type=SUPERFORMS&SEC=%7B0F1B03E0-080B-4100-B143-36A5985EF1E3%7D
Oncall,
I've even sent that one to the republicans on my email list.
No holds barred anymore. They play to win and we have to fight their corruption just as hard!
"Amy if you read John Kerry's healthcare plan, it gave tax cuts for corporations that don't move jobs overseas and would help corporate profits by protecting corporations against catostrophic healthcare losses.
If I do anything at all constructive at this site I will preach until '08 that as Dems,Progressives, we need to be pro consumer, pro environment and pro business We can and should be pro responsible business and capitalism; it is good for all of our lives Amy."
Posted by: Ira at May 28, 2005 01:09 AM
-------------------
Ira, let me say first of all that I almost always agree with your posts, and they are often very informative. But please don't tell me to go read the Kerry health care plan. I read every word on the Kerry website and probably know it better than you do.
Secondly, don't tell me that capitalism is good for all our lives. I am a moderate, more so than most people here, and was a Republican until this last presidential election. My whole family are in business, my husband is in business and I am about to start my own business. My father taught Business at a prominent university. So I am well acquainted with business needs and the limited contributions of multinational corporations to our quality of life.
Third, don't talk to me about Clinton's legacy. You and many others need to read some non-partisan criticism of that administration - Kitty Kelley's book "The Family" might be a place to start if real documents are too daunting. Or just use google, and start with the topic "Media Conglomeration." Yes, the Clinton economy was good. That is another issue, and was not only or even necessarily attributable to Clinton. We had a Republican congress and senate for much of that time, and the technology boom and inflated earnings were also contributors to the boom effect. And things became good under Roosevelt, but he didn't kiss up to the corporate power elite the way Clinton did. Why don't YOU do a little reading on a non-partisan progressive website.
Lastly, about Welch, Casey was right, you misread her post.
In fact, Ira, don't preach to me at all anymore about anything. Just share information, like everyone else does here. We're all contributors, all important contributors. I'm tired of being preached at, by anyone, least of all you.
** EMERGENCY HEALING INTERVENTION **
Amy and Ira --
While we all recognize that passions are running high in these troubling times, we must also recognize that we are all playing for the same team here: American Democracy. You have both made good points, and provided valuable information to our readers. This is good.
However, digressions into talk of who knows more about this or that do not serve our goals.
So each of you - please grab your Democracy Beads and do five "hail freedoms."
Let us not lose sight of our mission, as members of the All-Across-the-USA-resistance movement.
Viva Le People!
Viva La Polly!
This week was tough and we're all tired.
I am going sailing today. Do something fun.
Amy and Ira, I love you both. And you are BOTH right. However, you both sound weary. Take a break because I hear the White House is planning abig ram up to the Bolton floor fight in two weeks. Let's be tanned rested and ready.
They're getting brave
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/052805Y.shtml
cross burnings in the south
Helen Thomas leaves a Template of responsibility a White House press corps reporter has to the Nation. Its exemplary and should be required study for everyone that works in that Arena.
This Country would be well served if every reporter followed her Example, if that meant a revolving door to the back of the room, Great. It would be an Improvement on the cartoonish actions of Press corps reporters the last few years.
Ira and Amy,
Yep, it's mighty stressful here in the good ole U.S.A.
How about if we pool our money and buy an island--far far away from this corrupt administration.
Just bring refrigeration and chocolate and maybe a wine cooler or beer.
And a good band, cause we are going to want some music to dance to.
Here's some music that deals with discord without being dischordant, & we now have some watermelon rum:
I kept thinking of the line: "Nobody's right, if everybody's wrong"
Artist: Buffalo Springfield
Song: Stop, Hey What's That Sound
there's something happinin here
what it is aint exactly clear
theres a man with a gun over there
tellin me i got to beware
i think it's time we stop, children
what's that sound
everybody look what's goin down
there's battle lines being drawn
nobody's right if everybody's wrong
young people speakin there minds
getting so much resistance far behind
it's time we stop,
hey what's that sound
everybody look what's goin down
what a field day for the heat
a thousand people in the street
singin songs and carryin’ signs
mostly say hurray for our side
it's time we stop,
hey what's that sound
everybody look what's goin down
paranoia strikes deep
into your life it will creep
it starts when your always afraid
step out of line the man come and take you away
you better stop
hey what's that sound
everybody look what's going down x4