Outrage Open Thread

On screen you have Fahrenheit 9/11, The Hunting of the President, Control Room and Outfoxed. Among whisteblowers and public critics you have Richard Clarke, Joseph Wilson, Paul O'Neill and Anonymous. Among investigations you have the 9-11 Commission's study, the Senate Intelligence Committee's pre-war inquiry (hmmm....where's the House?), the Plame leak investigation, the Taguba report and Abu Ghraib investigation. Among embarrassing televised moments, you have Bush's widely-panned SotU address, his stumbling repetitions on Russert, his "make no mistakes: I don't make mistakes" press conference, Condi Rice's "I believe the title of that memo" 9-11 commission appearance, Donny Rummy's post-Abu Ghraib congressional committee grillings. Among books you have titles from Conason, Corn, J. Dean, Franken, Krugman, Ivins, Unger, Waldman...

...it's enough to give a dedicated liberal "outrage fatigue," surmises The Onion!

Well, I'm not tired yet...and I'm assuming you aren't either. That said, consider this a McLaughlin Show-style open thread. Subject: Outrage of the Year (so far).

So many choices, so little posting space...go to it.

•  Abu Ghraib

  Not just the abuse but the blatant covering up by Ashcroft/Rumsfeld on the hill.

  by ebradlee10 on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:00:33 PM PDT

  •  And the answer is....

    Abu Ghraib.  Hands down.  On a scale of 1 to 10, it's an 11.  
    

    by acerimusdux on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:24:54 PM PDT

  •  ashcroft: make meee loook yoooouuuung!!!!

    ashcroft: make meee loook yoooouuuung!!!!

    www.nornsisland.com

    by n69n on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:30:44 PM PDT

•  Torture

  How to choose?  Such a cesspool of possibilities . . .

  But I think I've gotta go with Abu Ghraib and the "quaint" provisions of the Geneva Conventions being dismissed, for its arrogance, its evil, and the amount of damage done, to others and to us, already and in its long-term fallout.

  by Leslie in CA on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:02:38 PM PDT

  •  Gave it a little thought

    My outrage is about this out and out criminal conspiracy known as the Bush administration. Let me make a list:

    1.     The fiasco known as Florida
    2.     The first official act of lying by the Bush administration: claiming Clinton Admin trashed the place on the way out. Stinks of Rove
    3.     Dick Cheney's secret meetings with Big Oil to determine energy policy
    4.     The abrogation of the Kyoto, Biological Weapons, International Court, and ABM treaties.
    5.     Warning of an impending recession while championing tax cuts as something that was affordable because the economy was so robust.
    6.     Fed Chairman Greenspan arguing that a surplus was more dangerous than a deficit.
    7.     Bush team fixing the ABM tests so that the test is assured success by being an unrealistic set of conditions to start, or discarding test failures and not reporting them.
    8.     California brownouts; FERC rules against California. Dick Cheney's comment "Market Forces and Environmental regulations"
    9.     Clear Skies /Healthy Forests Initiatives otherwise known as environmental date rape
    10.     9/11 3000 dead
    11.     Patriot Act: Ashcroft interested in what people read but not who is buying guns.
    12.     Afghan war: thousands of Afghani POWs die from suffocation in closed shipping containers
    13.     Operation Anaconda ends more like Operation Colander with Osama Bin Laden and most of the Al Qaeda and Taleban leadership bleeding into the background with the Afghan government in control of Kabul and not much else. This was due to a Department of Defense decision to use Afghan militia from Kandahar to mount the ground attack against OBL and move US command to the Middle East theater in preparation for the war in Iraq
    14.     Bush begins a distortion campaign mentioning Al Qaeda, 9/11 and Saddam Hussein in every speech
    15.     Senator Max Cleland branded soft on terrorism by Saxby Chambers and loses the election.
    16.     Steel imports are charged tariffs in blatant bid for Midwest votes.
    17.     American media cheer on the rush to war in Iraq with ludicrous bias
    18.     Colin Powell lies through his teethto the world at the UN in accusing Hussein of developing weapons of mass destruction and asserting Al Qaeda links where none exist
    19.     The whole world protests against an attack aginst Iraq while Bushco travels in his fishbowl oblivious to the feelings of the worlds citizenry.
    20.     Bush, Blair, and Spanish Prime mnister meet on an island off the coast of Spain becoming emblematic of the US Iraq policy: Supported by almost no one. Bush goes back on heis word to put the resolution to a vote of the UN security council
    21.     Shock and Awe bombing is fawned over by American news media like it was sexual act.
    22.     The army stages an entirely phony rescue of private Jessica Lynch in which they attack a hospital which has had no enemy soldiers there for a week. The attack force included a video cameraman and the force used blanks in their rifles.
    23.     Iraq is rolled in 3 weeks and then Americans do nothing as the country is looted for a week. Rumsfeld's response is now that Iraqis have freedom they have the freedom to do bad things.
    24.     Americans are not greeted as liberators. Instead we are periodically attacked.
    25.     Valerie Plame is outed as a CIA agent by a senior administration official
    26.     David Kay announces that there are no weapons of mass destruction found, no links to Al Qaeda. Dick Cheney again states that there are WMD and links to Al Qaeda
    27.     2.7 million jobs lost
    28.     Bush passes another tax cut : this one strictly for the wealthy. Budget deficit ballons to 450 billion dollars  
    29.     Emergency 87 billion to fund the occupation  but somehow there is not enough for body armor nor Humvee armor
    30.     Halliburton ripoffs begin with 5 million fraud for ultra expensive gasoline.
    31.     Rush Limbaugh goes into drug rehab after allegations of criminal drug purchases surface
    32.     Bush recess appointments of justices who were rejected by the Senate
    33.     Coalition Provisional Authority replaced by iraq governing council -arbitrary handover date
    34.     Bush gives dull lackluster State Of the Union speech
    35.     Richard Clarke testifies before the 9/11 commission becoming the first member of the Bush administration to admit having failed to do a proper job. He alleges that the Bush administration was fixated upon Saddam Hussein while ignoring threats from Al Qaeda.
    36.     Condeleeza Rice refuses to testify then caves in and testifies continuing a pattern of resisting. In her testimony she says the infamous response; I believe the title of the Memo was Osama bin Laden is Determined to Attack in the US
    37.     Paul Wolfowitz testifies before the Senate intelligence committee and underestimates the number of Coalition troops killed by 33%
    38.     Howard Dean is trashed by the DLC and the news media sinking his primary bid.
    39.     The Medicare Drug bill is passed and then Congress is notified that they were not told the true cost.
    40.     Abu Ghraib scandal is blamed on a "few bad soldiers". Memos surface of discussions of abrogating the Geneva Convention by the top administration officials
    41.      Bush and Cheney dispute the findings of the 9/11 commission regarding no collaboration found between Hussein and Al Qaeda . Cheney makes an oblique reference to having more information in his knowledge than the commission.

    by Dave the Wave on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:21:38 PM PDT

•  Bush Lobbying Vatican for More Political Support

  I think this epitomizes this administrations total disregard for that cherished notion of seperation between church and state. In addition, it touches on the Catholic clergy wanting to deny communion to pro-choice Democrats and the Wingnut attempts to paint Kerry as a bad Catholic. It all drives me crazy.

  by John Campanelli on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:04:55 PM PDT

  •  John Paul II

    Even by papal standards, this guy is a reactionary and an embarrassment. Thanks to him, I walked out of the Catholic Church and never looked back. My only regret is that there's no way to formally resign; I'd start a "Former Catholics of America" website in a heartbeat.

    And while I'm ranting about the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, isn't it high time for American Catholic politicans--led by Kerry, Ted Kennedy, and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, just to name a few--to tell John Paul II to keep his nose out of American politics? He, and tinpot bullies like Michael Sheridan, Bishop of Colorado Springs, richly deserve a good hard kick in the slats.

    by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:37:01 PM PDT

•  I'll Join the Others

  The obscenity of Abu Ghraib within the monstrosity which is the unnecessary Iraq war.  Second place goes to the complete fsck up of Afghanistan and the GWOT.

  by Melanie on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:05:15 PM PDT

•  Abu Ghraib

  Abu Ghraib, no doubt.

  but the Wilson/Plame affair may be the outrage most likely to bring Bush down.

  by thirdparty on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:05:16 PM PDT

  •  plame

    ah, but you see, the valerie plame affair was last year's outrage of the year. oh no, wait, maybe it was invading a sovereign nation for no good reason...

    maybe we need to do this in half-year increments.

    first half 2003:     invading iraq
    second half 03:    the plame affair
    first half 2004:     abu ghraib
    second half 04:    cancelling elections  

    we're rolling back the republican crime wave

    by zeke L on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:56:55 PM PDT

•  All of the above

  The war, the administration, and the way the administration got and is holding onto power.  Pure outrage, the whole damn package.  

  by Frijol on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:07:53 PM PDT

•  No doubts ...

  Abu Ghraib including the "stamp of approval for using torture" memo. I'm still astonished that this didn't immediately bring down this Presidency. It made us truly Amerika.

  Godwin's Law has been suspended for the duration.

  The Universe is a big place ... perhaps the biggest. -Kilgore Trout

  by fugitive on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:08:24 PM PDT

•  CIA Scapegoat

  Where is the outrage on the outragegous conclusion in 511 pages that the CIA duped BushCo. and no the other way around?

  I haven't seen boo in the mainstream press or even any points to diaries or blogs.

  Show me the goods folks, this is outrageous.

  Colin Powell said in May 2001 that Iraq was contained militarily.  Within 12 -14 months intel changed that dramatically?

  C'mon!  This is a no-brainer for the left!

  by MRL on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:08:29 PM PDT

•  The year of the cock...

  2000 started this shittrain. 2002 saw the same thing occur. 2004 will be no different, this time since Kerry is playing war presnit he'll get the vote thefts and it will somehow be used to emrit the Bush failures and diebold's presence as the reigns grow tighter.

     By the way Jedwards will not attack Cheney in deabate and the press will laud a 'positive vision' for Ameroca and the war profiteers will agree to disagree...it's really what the people need they just have not been told so  yet.

     meet the new boss...

  by Mr Murder on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:09:58 PM PDT

  •  mr murder

    What? you make absolutely no sense.

    by merlallen on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:02:52 PM PDT

    •  agreed

      Merfallen, you make complete sense. Mr. Murder, none. Is there something that we mere mortals are missing something or is something simply missing?

      by LesIsMore on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 10:02:57 PM PDT

      •  There's Nothing Wrong There

        That a frontal lobe wouldn't cure.

        "L'enfer, c'est le GOP!" - JJB, from an idea by oratorio

        by JJB on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 11:42:33 AM PDT

•  How about we go with

  "Whatever it is Josh Marshall and Laura Rozen have cooking?"

  Which I somehow suspect is sure to top everything.

  by niq77174 on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:15:02 PM PDT

  •  I suspect

    this is not something new, but rather a much deeper expose of something we already know about, like Plame.  

    But whatever it is, I'm eagerly awaiting those seismic shock waves . . .

    by Leslie in CA on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:18:05 PM PDT

  •  Yes, what is Josh Marshall working on?

    I had recently noticed that Shrub seemed even more inarticulate (if that was possible) and unable to finish simple sentences than he had been. Then I saw thisand wondered if there might be some truth to it (that he's suffered some sort of stroke). Are there more than 3 George-fall-down-go-boom incidents? 1) pretzel 2) bicycle (resulting in that major scrape down the center of his face) and 3) the one in the AP pic here with the scrape next to his eye.

    Vice harms the doer ~ Socrates

    by kdub on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:48:19 PM PDT

•  Jodi Wilgoren just called me

  She said that she votes for Howard Dean's scream, Clark's argyle sweater, and John Kerry's quoting of de Toqueville in an Des Moines bar.  

  by GOTV on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:15:05 PM PDT

  •  Maureen Dowd voted

    for Judy Dean failing to accompany Howard Dean on the campaign trail.

    by GOTV on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:03:05 PM PDT

    •  also...

      for not getting her hair done or wearing enough makeup.

      by snookybeh on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:31:46 PM PDT

    •  What, nothing about...

      Janet Jackson's nipple?

      by acerimusdux on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:11:45 PM PDT

    •  Steam is still coming out of my ears

      Not exactly Ms. Dowd's most glittering moment. Shame on her.

      by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:41:46 PM PDT

•  asdf

  Kerry and Edwards on 60 minutes NOW

  by emjaycue on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:15:39 PM PDT

  •  Not a home run

    ...but a frozen rope into the corner at least.

    I thought the only real (possible) negative was the overemphasis on joviality. It didn't really come across to me as fake... just a tad overdone.

    by azale on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:27:34 PM PDT

    •  I can't agree

      Lesley Stahl (and the editing) fucked them good. Every question was very carefully written to insinuate to the American subconscious that Kerry and Edwards are gay. Not that anyone is supposed to believe that, exactly -- it's just supposed to be one of those floating ideas out there. I mean, of course they're not gay, but, you know . . .

      by SqueakyRat on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:07:40 PM PDT

  •  Lesley Stahl

    and her severely cosmetically altered visage  + inane, trivial, insulting, shallow questions + talking over candidates' and wives' answers + complete absence of mention of any issue = biggest waste of 15 minutes of broadcast time ever.
    Stahl should be drummed out of the profession (of journalism, that is, not prostitution, because whoring seems to be what she enjoys)

    by Merle on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:28:28 PM PDT

    •  I hated the one

      where she asked the candidates wives about Anniversary presents.  Then she criticized them, saying it wasn't a double date!

      She also went overboard - "Say Iraq was a mistake!" after Kerry already said how we went to war was a mistake.  Unfortunately K/E got a little testy.

      by Unstable Isotope on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:17:13 PM PDT

    •  agreed.

      she was intent on getting her "gotcha" moment.

      IMO this didn't hurt JK & JE, but it made Stahl look like a harridan. she got nothing of substance out of that line of attack. even my Mom, who's a big fan of Lesley and a bush fan, didn't like it. she would not do that to Bush was her comment.

      by susanp on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:00:04 PM PDT

•  Claiming

  to be "returning Honor to the White House" but growing policy in a stinking manure pile of lies, lies that led to ALL of the other outrages: 9/11, Iraq, Abu Gharib, torture, Plame, "Clear Skies" ...

  by Madman in the marketplace on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:17:22 PM PDT

•  Sad statement of America

  that we, the people, are not pissed-off enough to do anything about it. Granted there are pissed-off people, but not enough and no plan to follow.

  by fitzov rules on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:18:37 PM PDT

•  SCLM

  Didn't take me long to think about this one... diffently the American Media and its pathetic coverage off the Bush administration among other things, if it actually reported "fair and balanced" and questioned the govenment than this country would be alot better off.

  Everytime I see one of those stupid right-wing pundits (especially Scarbrough for some reason) i just want to... well you know.

  by Disgusted on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:19:25 PM PDT

  •  Yes.

    Abu Ghraib is the worst thing the administration's done (so far), but if the SCLM had done its job in the first place, there's a good chance the Selection would never have happened, and even if it had, so many of the other abuses were essentially rubber-stamped by the media refusing to hold Bushco accountable.

    by Leslie in CA on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:41:44 PM PDT

•  all of the above....

  I'm not getting over the 'get out of the country free' cards handed over to both the Bush Saudi cronies in the aftermath of 9/11 as well as whoever was on those flights out of Tora Bora a few months later.....

  by route66 on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:20:07 PM PDT

•  Rush Limbaugh

  He not only hasn't faced charges for his drug violations but emerged from rehab meaner than ever.

  Equal justice under law? My foot.

  by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:21:40 PM PDT

•  Since I love the Onion so much...

  I'll assume that article was a homage to this cartoon, and not a blatant ripoff.

  by Colonel Panic on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:24:17 PM PDT

•  #1 Outrage of the Year....

  is that George Bush and "Dick" Cheney are still occppying the 2 top offices of the government, and are not in the stocks-or the dock of the Hague.

  by susanp on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:24:51 PM PDT

•  Political Arena

  Obviously, torture and death trump all other outrages, but on the political front, nothing was more outrageous than the way the Democratic party establishment reacted to the Dean campaign, with vitrol and condensation.  The big tent resembled a foxhole, and if not for the character and vision of the man, a third-party run would have been completely justified given the reception.

  by Stevo on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:26:34 PM PDT

  •  condensation

    yes, they certainly reigned on Dean's parade.

    ;o)

    by willyr on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:17:41 PM PDT

    •  Oops

      I must have a subliminal fascination with moisture.

      by Stevo on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:16:23 PM PDT

  •  Condensation?

    Don't you mean "condescension?" Otherwise, you mean they gradually made him wet.

    by cdiaz71 on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:18:47 PM PDT

    •  but they did

      when they pissed all over him

      by willyr on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:27:24 PM PDT

•  Stealing the election

  The rest just follows

  by hg on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:32:44 PM PDT

  •  Oh yeah, Haiti....hmmm...

    My memory of it is a little mathmatical. Was that where the Bush administration assisted in ejecting the crooked - but democratically elected leader in the name of...in the name of...whatever? Well, there was more important stuff to do I'm sure. I mean we are talking about Haiti

    by Dave the Wave on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:21:39 PM PDT

  •  actually...

    I was thinking the same thing as hg. Sure, it was almost four years ago, but Election 2000 was a coup d'etat. That's the biggest, baddest crime ever committed in this nation's history. And had the Democrats and the news media stood up to it, nothing that has happened over the last three years would've happened - probably even 9/11.

    And yes, I consider Election 2000 to be an ever bigger crime than 9/11.

    The Felonious Five from the Supreme Court and all the principles from the Bush regime should be hooded, stripped naked and thrown into a guypile (a coed pile, since Ms. O'Connor would be in the middle of it too). Release the hounds...

    by snookybeh on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:00:29 PM PDT

•  Cheney opposes gay marriage ammendment ...

  Nope, not the Veep's lesbian daughter and campaign operations director Mary. It's his wife, Lynne, who opposes the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

  by poppymccool on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:42:03 PM PDT

•  It's just a few guys doing the torturing

  without authorization.

  by JimPortlandOR on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:45:24 PM PDT

•  Outrage...for what? Don't you remember...

  IOKIYAR?

  by lutton on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:47:06 PM PDT

•  Medicare Prescription Drug Lottery

  Ummm...so many choices...but I have to pick the Bush administration holding a lottery where the first 50,000 winners will have their Medicare prescription drug benefit kick in 18-24 months earlier than the rest of the country. So, if you're poor and fighting cancer and need the drugs but didn't win the lottery -- sorry, but you'll just have to pay full price buddy!

  by Trendy on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:49:59 PM PDT

•  The obvious

  Tough competition this year, but for my money the absolute worst thing to happen in the last six months is the American reaction to the Abu Ghraib revelations. TORTURE (the word shouldn't even be written lower-case) should have been repudiated from top to bottom the instant it became public. Some notable (and noble) exceptions but the fact that we even had a debate about the idea is bewildering.

  So my vote is for not just Abu Ghraib but the entire National Security Gulag that we're all paying for.

  OT--but I've been thinking about doing a diary that's kind of like the Declaration of Independence's list of grievances with George III. I'd like to have a link-packed summary of everything that Bush and the people that he is responsible for (appointees, in other words) has done, and we can continue updating it later. That way, if anybody asks about why should I not vote for Bush, we can give them just one link and it will have everything in it, from Florida 2000 up til this week.

  by nota bene on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:51:42 PM PDT

•  I'm outraged at the lack of outrage ...

  ...apparent in so many, many Americans who haven't gotten pissed off about what we're talking about here - Abu Ghraib, Haiti, lazy-corrupt-sellout media, still no protection for ports, sham power tranfer, massive deficit, Medicare prescription plan, hiding the return of dead soldiers.

  Outrage of the Year: Inadequate outrage!!!!
  

  "Grab whom you must. Do what you want."

  by Meteor Blades on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:53:14 PM PDT

  •  I've met too many people...

    ...who make excuses for Bush without any evidence to back themselves up.  Usually, and maybe it's just random, these are girls who take this position.  They say they don't really care for Bush, but they don't understand what is so bad about the war or his performance in office.

    After pulling my hair out by the roots, I explain that we attacked a country that wasn't a threat to us, we have historic budget deficits, the worst jobs growth in sixty years, borders and ports still aren't secure, American citizens are being locked up without lawyers or trials, the rest of the world hates us, terrorists are multiplying, Bin Laden is on the loose, North Korea has become a bomb factory....the list goes on and on.  

    They listen to me, with a somewhat vacant and distrustful look (as if I'm a nut), then assure me that things couldn't possibly be as bad as I'm making them out to be.  Republicans, Democrats, they're all the same, they say to me.  But these are unreal times, "fictitious times" as Michael Moore said, and things really ARE that bad.  It's just hard to get some people to see it, especially when they never read newspapers.

    by existenz on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:16:28 PM PDT

    •  That vacant look...

      "They listen to me, with a somewhat vacant and distrustful look (as if I'm a nut), then assure me that things couldn't possibly be as bad as I'm making them out to be. "

      Oh you mean like...(friend with with vacant distrustful look):
      "I reeaally doubt Prince Bandar would know about plans to invade Iraq before Colin Powell. It's in Bob Woodward's book? Well I would have to sseee Bob Woodward's book before I believe something like that".

      Yeah, I know that look.

      by catfish on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 12:29:57 AM PDT

•  60 Minutes

  So, I just saw a (heavily edited) interview of Kerry and Edwards, plus wives, by Lesley Stahl on CBS. Short version of the subtext: the John-Johns are homos. SCLM strikes again.

  by SqueakyRat on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:57:07 PM PDT

  •  Is this Yojimbo?

    I had a completely different impression. I loved the interview. To me it showed the Kerrys and Edwards as likable people who would be great to know. I can't remember much about it other than I was very impressed with how much they liked each other. It left a very positive impression wih me. I imagine if this was many people's first look they will like what they saw.

    by Dave the Wave on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:01:36 PM PDT

    •  OK

      I had a positive impression of them too. But I'm outraged by Lesley Stahl's snide, insinuating questions, which framed everything in terms of metaphors of "marriage"  and "what is his role?" and the like. I'm not being paranoid about this. Quite surprised this isn't evident to anybody who saw it, actually.

      by SqueakyRat on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:21:18 PM PDT

    •  I think you're thinking....

      Rashomon.  That was the one with the multiple interpretations of the same event.  Yojimbo, aka "The Bodyguard", was the one where the ronin plays  two rival gangs off each other.  Both excellent.

      by filkertom on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:42:35 PM PDT

•  Most outrageous answer to a question

  "I believe the PDB was called `Osama Bin Laden Is Determined To Strike In The United States'"

  Condeleeza Rice responding to a 9/11 panel query
   

  by Dave the Wave on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 04:57:13 PM PDT

•  The illegal auction of Iraqi assets

  And where are those proceeds, anyway?

  by Robert E on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:02:29 PM PDT

•  Last year it was North Korea

  With Iraq and all the various repercussions (Iraq's museums being looted, rise of terrorism, straining the army, budget busting defense outlays, etc) coming in second.

  This year the major outrage has to be Abu Ghraib.  And we haven't even seen the worst pictures.  Are they going to be released before the election?  If Bush can have his military records destroyed, I'm sure he could get rid of those pictures.  

  by existenz on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:08:27 PM PDT

•  Afghanistan slipping away

  I am outraged that the Bush-Cheney team has lost Afghanistan.  We were there, on the ground, with the support of virtually the whole world, UN backing, the chance to do something really productive with that moment ... and Bush decided to not finish the job there in favor of his big, splashy, Iraq invasion.  Now, let's see, Osama's still on the loose, Mullah Omar is still on the loose, MSNBC is reporting that "the most senior" Al Quaeda leaders are behind some major strike to disrupt our election.  The Taliban are back, poppies are back, the pace of killings of US and allied soldiers are slowly climbing - seems like there's one every other day or so - and Bush, with every advantage in the world on this one, has FAILED TO GET THE JOB DONE.  And I'm outraged!

  by Pellice on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:09:44 PM PDT

•  Torturing children

  Do you want a link to that - 'cause I find the link, but then I'd get sick and start crying again - here's a link to something the gutless SCLM won't say out loud about the House Slave
  http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/11/1089484242583.html

  by karlpk on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:23:07 PM PDT

•  I get to choose only one?

  There's so many, which one rises to the top.

  Right now, I say Abu Ghraib and the torture memos.

  The year's only half over!

  by Unstable Isotope on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:23:12 PM PDT

•  The farce that started it all

  The 5-4 vote that said-after the recount being held up as long and as often as possible- that no one should be disenfrancised but that <ding!> time had magically run out.

  by doug r on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:25:30 PM PDT

  •  otherwise known as a

    coup

    by willyr on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:30:49 PM PDT

  •  don't forget another extremely important thing

    It sets no precedent. So if the same circumstances presented themselves with different players they could rule the other way

    by Dave the Wave on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:31:26 PM PDT

•  Move On's Hitler Ad becoming the RNC's Ad

  You know - the one submission out of 3000 entries that was immediately disavowed and removed by Move On once it was brought to their attention by the RNC with much fire and brimstone indignation  and who gave it the only audience it ever had. This has later been followed by the RNC's new improved Hitler ad comparing Democratic candidates to the Fuehrer. Nice touch, RNC.

  You guys really are a supporating bedsore.

  by Dave the Wave on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:29:54 PM PDT

•  Since this is still

  a democracy(for now), to me the outrage of every year is the American publics lack of interest in knowing the issues and what our govt is and isn't doing here and abroad.
  As a democracy all of us are responsible for the anti-democratic and immoral activities of our govt, shame on us all.
  PEACE!
  ABB&B!!!
  KERRY/EDWARDS 2004

  by PC on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:33:21 PM PDT

•  My Vote For Outrage....

  Still has to go with the Plame Affair.

  As the Administration points its fingers at people who disagree with them and calls them "unpatriotic" and "French"...they go and commit an act of TREASON.

  The Abu Gharib prison horrors run a close second.

  by jillian on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:48:36 PM PDT

•  The outrage is ...

  Bush retaining support in poll after poll. THAT's the final outrage. WTF is wrong with this country?

  by Tuffie on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 05:54:52 PM PDT

  •  The Ultimate Outrage

    I agree. I can't believe the support this man still has.

    by librarydiane on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:30:05 PM PDT

  •  This is the one

    That more than 40% of Americans think Bush is doing a good job and/or trust him to lead the country, is an indictment of our educational system and of our fundamental democratic principles.  But maybe it's just inertia, and on Nov. 2nd... if we're allowed to vote....

    by Duncan Idaho on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 09:22:33 PM PDT

    •  Butlerian jihad

      Is Duhbya a Harkonnen?  Have his 40% been replaced by gholas?  I could understand 8%, but forty!?

      We Americans have always condescended to the rest of the world that Asians, Africans, Latin Americans, and even Europeans love a strongman.  Turns out many of us yearn for a dictator, too.  When Bush goes, many will mourn for him, just as Russians (and especially Georgians) still admire Stalin.
      

      by lovable liberal on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 07:31:25 AM PDT

  •  Polls...

    ,,,...are as representative of the American people as the pollsters themselves wish them to be. I cannot believe that 40% of this country supports Dubya, only that 40% of the fools called in this poll do.  

    by stellans on Tue Jul 13, 2004 at 01:13:09 PM PDT

•  Runners up....

  I've got to go with Abu Ghraib as the obvious #1 outrage.

  But, first runner up -

  The reason I am saying that there was a relationship between Iraq and Al-Quaida, is because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al-Quaida - The repeated, and still ongoing,  denials of the plain truth in the face of overwhelming evidence, that there was no relationship.

  Second runner up - The recent report (if it's confirmed) that Packistani special forces after OBL have been told that it would be ideal if they could produce something around the first three sdays of the Democratic convention.  If this story is real, the major media needs to get on it and fast.  This would be, in my mind, a bigger abuse of presidential power, in attempt to manipulate the political process, than Watergate, if it could be traced back to the White House.  Either there are legit sources for this or there aren't.

  Third runner up - The price of gas over the last year, a direct result of Bush policies, and further, the fact that the existence of such a direct link is the primary reason why the SCLM no longer considers gas prices to be a topic worthy of political coverage (as would be the case during a Democratic administration with no close ties to mid-eastern dictatorships or oil companies).

  Fourth - the Enron tapes Major outrage.

  "What we need to do is to help in the cause of, ah, downfall of California," an employee is heard saying on the tapes. "You guys need to pull your megawatts out of California on a daily basis."

  by acerimusdux on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:01:46 PM PDT

  •  Does George know what "is" means?

    Eventually he'll say he meant to say "is not" and his supporters will say "he was just one little word off" . . .

    by BCF on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:24:37 PM PDT

•  Abu Ghraib

  and the cynical way the administration tried to let that Appalachian guard unit take the fall. You think Rumsfeld has seen "Deliverance" right?

  Not to mention how the investigation was hamstrung by the administration and the media every step of the way, how every denial turned out to be false, including Rumsfeld's outrageous perjury ("I was just finding out about this last night"), how every unbelievable allegation, turned out to be true and finally the absolutely ridiculous rationalizations that followed.

  Oh and don't forget the major reform that followed.  Banning cameras.  Outrageous.  

  by BCF on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:03:39 PM PDT

  •  I forgot one other thing

    that dumbass Republican senator who said he was "outraged by the outrage."

    by BCF on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:09:01 PM PDT

•  FMA and erosion of church & state

  that the GOP is claiming God as "thiers", and using peoples fears & prejudices to gain votes(God forbid the evildoers get elected)

  by westslope on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:04:50 PM PDT

  •  FMA

    I agree.  On a personal level, the attempt to codify discrimination in the Constitution outrages me the most, although torture and outing Plame rank highly.  Of course, for me, the Patriot Act has to be one of the greatest outrages of the adminstration.

    I am sooo happy they are bringing their dog and pony show to my doorstep in September.

    by gboston on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:01:43 PM PDT

•  AIDS. Period.

  I am fucking outraged that this fucking right-wing cabal found billions and billions for war while millions die.  When only a few hundred thousand individuals have access to life-enhancing medications (that are so fucking expensive) and the rest just wither and die a slow, painful death.  Meanwhile, Bush claims to support a $15 Billion initiative that doesn't get funded and forbids countries that receive any US money from using it to by generic meds.  FUCKING OUTRAGE.  

  They have blood and oil on their hands and they will join Reagan in the bowels of HELL!

  by SanDiegoSteve on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:32:52 PM PDT

•  With Complete Metahysical Certitude, Its

  7 minutes in a classroom, scared shitless, with children, while under attack.

  BYE BYE!

  by SweetHoneyBush on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 06:35:13 PM PDT

•  The lack of outrage with the torture memos

  The torture memos were far more significant than the actual torture. And the lack of outrage at the torture memos was far more significant than the memos.

  We have an administration that sees no problem with tasking tens if not hundreds of government lawyers with building a legal framework to facilitate prisoner torture.  

  And Mr. Bush claims he wants to transform the Arab world so its people can experience freedom?
   

  by ftm on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:12:49 PM PDT

•  The massacre of Iraqi civilians at Falluja.

  Worse than Abu Ghraib.

  U.S. attacks on Iraqi settlements and population centers during the occupation killed thousands of Iraqi civilians.  The U.S. was legal responsible to protect.  Instead, the U.S. killed them.

  In one incident, a U.S. night airstrike killed 27 people attending a wedding party, including women and children.  [see diary]

  But even worse than that was the massacre of Falluja.  After insurgents there killed four security contractors and mutilated their corpses, a command was given from very high up (think Bush) to kill those responsible.  

  The ensuing assault and siege killed over 600 civilians, including women and children.  They used their soccer field as a graveyard.  

  In the end, the U.S. surrendered control of the city to the insurgents.  Recently the U.S. has targeted air strikes on suspected insurgent houses in the city, demonstrating a total lack of control on the ground.

  Falluja was a stupid, emotional, juvenile decision, which resulted in the slaughter of hundreds of innocent human beings, and which ended in failure.

  My vote for the outrage of the year.

  by grytpype on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:39:54 PM PDT

  •  correction, sorry

    The U.S. was legally responsible as an occupying power to protect those people.

    by grytpype on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:41:25 PM PDT

•  It's a three-way tie

  • Torture coverup
  • Groupthink media smackdown of Dean
  • President suggests anti-gay marriage amendment to the Constitution
  • - - - - - - - - - -

  By the way, you may have all those movies showing in your big city, but we only have access to F-9/11 around these parts... so far.

  by Hudson on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:51:13 PM PDT

•  If Clinton..

  had done half the things Bush has done he would have been impeached 10 times by now..Each time a new outrage occurs I think to myself "What if Clinton had done that?"...the fallout would have been non-stop..yet Bush gets away with it.

  It's the media folks...look what they did to Helen Thomas..if the WH press corps had any balls they would have refused to attend anymore briefings until Thomas was restored to her previous position..front and center asking the first question.

  It just galls me no end.

  by Momagainstthedraft on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 07:59:42 PM PDT

•  Valerie Plame

  Treason.

  by merlallen on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:00:12 PM PDT

  •  I Am Outraged

    that a man who is clearly mentally unfit continues to retain the office he stole.

    Everything else flows from that.

    by mattman on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:38:10 PM PDT

•  I am still in a froth about that-

  And even angrier that event the left-wingers seem to have dropped the issue. Ok, I understand that Aristide was a deeply flawed leader, but he was the constitutionally elected leader, and can only be legally removed by the same process. Anything else (such as our administration poking its abnormally long and pointy nose into the business of a sovereign nation) is illegal and establishes precedent for the similar removal of other world leaders who we don't approve of. Hmm... what other leaders might that scenario describe?...

  by Lainie on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:40:52 PM PDT

  •  and if you aren't outraged..

    read this London Review of Books article.

    by woodyNYC on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 08:46:37 PM PDT

  •  run amok

    Amok amok amok...the bushies

    by smirkslapper on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 03:43:40 AM PDT

•  Health Care

  I am still appalled that we have a second-world health care system, in cost, quality, and delivery. I for one am tired of my LIFE and the continued existence of same being held subject to the condition of my pocketbook. In what other nation with similar world standing is basic health care considered a luxury?

  {sounds of crickets chirrupping}

  Yeah, I thought so.

  I'm also still outraged at the performance of the Red Sox in post-season play, at the number of grey hairs I see in the mirror, and at the 18-year-old who still says "yeah Mom" while continuing to shoot whatever it is on the screen when I query him on his hunt for a summer job.

  Outrage Central, here.

  by Lainie on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 09:18:59 PM PDT

•  Biggest Outrage...

  ...is that there aren't hundreds of thousands if not millions of us (and yes, that means me too) camped out in DC demanding the resignations of President, Vice President, entire cabinet, and repub leaders right down either a Repug who isn't a demogogue or a Dem, and then that the whole rotten bunch be sent off to the Hague in chains.

  by scissorsmacgillicutty on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 09:42:55 PM PDT

•  Ribgate

  You forgot about Ribgate!!!

  BUSH:  Nice ribs.

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:    President, how are you?

  BUSH:  I`m hungry.  (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and I want to going to order some ribs.  Ed, what row do you like (ph)?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Well...

  BUSH:  Can I help you with anything?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Whatever you think I would like.

  BUSH:  Get him a rib, will you?

  UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  OK...

  (CROSSTALK)

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Homeland Security critics are saying you simply haven`t spent enough to keep the country secure.

  BUSH:  My job is to secure the homeland and that`s exactly what we`re going to do.  But, I`m here to take somebody`s order.  That would be you stretch (ph), what would you like?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  I`d like...

  BUSH:  Put some of your high prized money right here on the--trying to help the local economy.  You get paid a lot of money; you ought to be buying some food here, it`s part of how the economy grows.  You`ve got plenty of money in your pocket and when you spend it, it drives the economy forward.  So, what would you like to eat?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Right behind you, whatever you order.

  BUSH:  I`m ordering ribs.

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Sir, but what about...

  BUSH:  Baby need a rib?

  UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  The baby`s fine, thanks.

  Huh?

  Mr. President...

  BUSH:  Press, thank you, this is not a press conference, this is my chance to help this lady put some money in her pockets.  Let me explain how the economy works.  When you spend money to buy food, it help this lady`s business and makes it more likely somebody`s going to find work.  So, instead of asking questions, answer mine.  Are you going to by some food?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Yes.

  BUSH:  OK.  Good.  What would you like?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Ribs.

  BUSH:  Ribs?  Good.  Let`s order him some ribs.

  UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  OK.

  BUSH:  Can you bring them out?

  UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  Sure.

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  What do you think of the democratic field, sir?

  BUSH:  His job is to answer questions and ask questions and he thinks my job is to answer every question he asks.  I`m here to help this restaurant by buying some food.

  Terry, would you like something?  (UNINTELLIGIBLE)  Obviously, these people, they make a lot of money, and they`re not going to spend much of it.

  I`m not saying they`re over paid, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) not spend money.

  What would you like, ma`am?

  UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  I`m fine, thank you.

  BUSH:  Would you like some cheese cake?  Homemade.  All right.

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Do you think it will all come down to national security, sir, this election?

  BUSH:  One of the things David does, he asks a lot of questions, and they`re good, generally, but...

  UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  I think you...thank you, thank you, thank you.

  BUSH:  Do you want some ribs?

  Thank you, thank you.

  BUSH:  Do you want some ribs?  Do you want some ribs?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  Waiting for the cheese cake.

  BUSH:  Whatever, I`ll send it back to the plane.  And, they`re on me.

  Who wants ribs?  Terry?  Tom?

  UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  OK, you guys, turn around.

  (END VIDEO CLIP)

  by JMendelson on Sun Jul 11, 2004 at 10:21:29 PM PDT

•  lying liars

  I have to go with the atmoshpere of corruption, lying and hypocracy that pervades the entire administration and their satraps.  I've never seen such blatant criminality and the fact that it mascarades itself as pious christianity is nauseating.

  by smirkslapper on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 03:38:29 AM PDT

•  First Amendment Zones

  The ongoing abomination.  Or perhaps us getting used to them is the real horror.

  by Rogerborg on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:21:29 AM PDT

•  Has to be stem cell research

  He made his huge annoucement after a complete month of mulling it over and that was the best he could come up with?  It was at that point I knew Bush was beholden to the far right in this country.  Nothing he has done since has made me change my mind.

  How many future generations will suffer and die needlessly because of that one fateful decision?

  by astrolad on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:30:19 AM PDT

•  700 Million

  I'm still stuck on the 700 million specifically alocated by Congress for the Afghanistan war diverted to the yet-undebated-let-alone-voted-on war in Iraq.

  To me this is clearly treason.  I was/still am disappointed that the Abu Ghraib thing took focus away from the 700 mil - which hasn't even been disputed by white house.  Abu Ghraib has plausible denability all over it.  The 700 mil was clearly a direct order from he-who-must-not-be-named himself.

  by Buckeye in Los Angeles on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 08:33:07 AM PDT