I am worried about the lack of knowledge about historic matters in this country. The capitulation with regards to FISA was extremely significant because, at the end, the "post-911 world" meme was false then and still is false today.

As usual, the founders of this nation had the right answer for the problem:

"Those that give up essential liberties for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

- Benjamin Franklin

(More below...)

Since Mr. McCain has decided to say that Obama is "the candidate of Hamas" [sic], I guess we should worry about his staff's ties with cruel military regimes:

"The campaign recently tapped Doug Goodyear for the job, a veteran operative and Arizonan who was chosen for his "management experience and expertise," according to McCain press secretary Jill Hazelbaker. But some allies worry that Goodyear's selection could fuel perceptions that McCain—who has portrayed himself as a crusader against special interests—is surrounded by lobbyists. Goodyear is CEO of DCI Group, a consulting firm that earned $3 million last year lobbying for ExxonMobil, General Motors and other clients."

More on the flip...

The most astounding and telling statement the other night which, pretty much, disqualifies HRC for the position she is seeking, was this one:

"Some viewers of last night's Democratic debate in Philadelphia were stunned that what sounded like a major new and potentially controversial foreign-policy proposal from Sen. Hillary Clinton slipped by without its being highlighted and expanded on by major news media. Sounds like grist for some followups as the week winds down.

Clinton was responding to a question from former Clinton administration flack George Stephanopolous of whether it should be U.S. policy to treat an Iranian attack on Israel "as if it were an attack on the United States."

""Well, in fact, George, I think that we should be looking to create an umbrella of deterrence that goes much further than just Israel. Of course I would make it clear to the Iranians that an attack on Israel would incur massive retaliation from the United States, but I would do the same with other countries in the region."

Link:

http://weblogs.newsday.com/...

Should that be a "surprise" for anyone? (more on the flip)

This is so sweet!:

"Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, the moderators of Wednesday night’s presidential debate on ABC, became the subject of a fierce and somewhat unexpected debate themselves on Thursday, as viewers, bloggers and television critics lamented what they described as an opportunity lost: a chance to ask the two candidates for the Democratic nomination substantive questions early and often.

The media post-mortem — which boiled over in more than 17,600 comments posted on the ABC Web site alone — also touched on questions that had long been simmering in the protracted Democratic campaign over the role of moderators in televised debates, to say nothing of political journalists generally."

More on the flip...

From the AP:

"Obama's focus turned to Clinton when he began fielding questions, though, reflecting what aides say is a rising anger after days of criticism of his comments.

Asked about the impact of the long nominating battle on the party's chances of winning the White House, he said, "I have tried to figure out how to show restraint and make sure that during this primary contest were not damaging each other."

"... Obviously it's a little easier for me to say that, since I lead in delegates, in states won and in the popular vote."

Clinton "may not feel that she can afford to be so constrained," he said, adding at one point that she's "been deploying most of the arguments that the Republicans will be using against me in November."

I just heard this on ABC from Charles Gibson's mouth:

OBAMA HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH PLAGIARISM BY THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN!!!

Barack Obama said this yesterday:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,..." (just words, he said).

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself..."(just words, Obama said).

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

I almost don't write this diary, but I have some things in my mind for a few days now.

I was with a Republican relative the other night, and the usual Hillary bashing was on. Then I thought, "wow guy, the lady is doing what she think is right, placing herself on the line so we can all trash her at will..."

What is it that we, guys, are so eager to forget that when we are sloppy and make a mess, usually they, the women in our lives, save the day and our ass?

(more on the flip)

This diary is to honor the only individuals still protecting once deeply respected American institutions today, the MILITARY LAWYERS (MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN THE MILITARY) in charge of defending the rights of Guantanamo detainees. They do it without fear. They do it because it is the right thing to do and they do not care about being called "names."

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift: "We must model the values of freedom to all."

"...How we treat and try those that we consider enemies is perhaps the greatest reflection of our values. Our nation was founded on the basic principle that all are equal under the law. That principle has, under the weight of labels, anger, and fear, gotten lost in Guantanamo. In Guantanamo, we have so lost sight of our values to the point that a man may be convicted and sentenced to death based on evidence obtained through coercion without the opportunity to confront his accuser’ or even known the evidence against him. And if by some unlikely turn of events, the accused is acquitted he may still spend the rest of his life in jail."

More to follow...

1. Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal "War of Aggression" against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization, and subjecting our military personnel to unnecessary harm, debilitating injuries, and deaths.

2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths, and keeping prisoners hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

3. Violating the Constitution by arbitrarily detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans, without due process, without charge, and without access to counsel.

4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm.

(more on the flip)

You should wake up and smell coffee. This is from 2004:

"The White House finally presented one of the most timeworn and meaningless rationales for continuing the wrongheaded war and occupation in Iraq. It is a rationale that so-called patriots pull out of their hat (or perhaps they pull it from that part of their body where the "sun don't shine") when all other rationales have proven to be false. It is also a rationale that any thoughtful parent, friend, sibling or other relation of a GI hopes they will never hear."

MAN

THANK YO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

THANK YO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

THANK YO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Yeaaaaaaaaaarghhhhh!!!

I am not a regular poster, more of a lurker if anything.

I am quite pizzled and finally fed up because there are so many chickens and weasels on this site and well, in "our" party too.

Folks, the election will be won or lost because what was done on the field before this week, and they will be won or lost by the people voting that day...(more on the flip)

I am quite fed up with the "morality squad" operating on this site, to tell you the truth.

Chris LaCivita is the guy behind the attempts to smear Jim Webb based on an excerpt of a book (gasp!) written by him decades ago.

His efforts are not directed to Allen's racist voters. He is trying to divide the Democratic voters...and for what I've read here, is working.

LaCivita, the same scumbag that was after Kerry, smearing his character and making money ouf of it.

I don't know about you but, if people here has problems with the content of books and they attack the author personally without knowing anything about him, what is the difference between that and the bible carrying hypocrites on the other side? (more on the flip)

Robert Parry nailed it and he says it better than I would, but I have been trying to explain here that this is exactly what is about to happen:

"The United States is following the lead of "dirty war" nations, such as Argentina and Chile, in enacting what amounts to an amnesty law protecting U.S. government operatives, apparently up to and including President George W. Bush, who have committed or are responsible for human rights crimes.

While the focus of the current congressional debate has been on Bush's demands to redefine torture and to reinterpret the Geneva Conventions, the compromise legislation also would block prosecutions for violations already committed during the five-year-old "war on terror."

(More on the flip...)

Today in "Time" we have the latest Bush's groupie writing about how bad things look for Demcocrats next November:

"Bush at the U.N.: Another Political Masterstroke?

The President's speech was the latest in a campaign to flood the airwaves with tough talk on terror. And it seems to be working"

The closing paragraph of this reporter is the dumbest I've read in the last few months...and I am quite annoyed.

(Excerpts on the flip):

This should be kept visible, IMHO

"And lastly tonight a Special Comment on why we are here. Half a lifetime ago, I worked in this now-empty space.

And for 40 days after the attacks, I worked here again, trying to make sense of what happened, and was yet to happen, as a reporter.
And all the time, I knew that the very air I breathed contained the remains of thousands of people, including four of my friends, two in the planes and -- as I discovered from those "missing posters" seared still into my soul -- two more in the Towers.

And I knew too, that this was the pyre for hundreds of New York policemen and firemen, of whom my family can claim half a dozen or more, as our ancestors.

I belabor this to emphasize that, for me... this was, and is, and always shall be, personal.

And anyone who claims that I and others like me are "soft", or have "forgotten" the lessons of what happened here -- is at best a grasping, opportunistic, dilettante -- and at worst, an idiot -- whether he is a commentator, or a Vice President, or a President..."(the rest on the flip)

What happened today showed me, at least, that the elections coming next November are all but doubtful or perhaps already lost.

Why?

Because when a semi-fascist American political party uses terrorism and terror to define the political opposition, and the "opposition party" is not protesting it forcefully, the field will continue to be open for more future abuse...
(more on the flip for those who care to read)

I've been thinking all along in a concept best expressed with these words describing the central theme of the book "War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning" (By Chris Hedges):

"The communal march against an enemy generates a warm, unfamiliar bond with our neighbors, our community, our nation, wiping out unsettling undercurrents of alienation and dislocation," writes Chris Hedges, a foreign correspondent for the New York Times. In War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, Hedges draws on his experiences covering conflicts in Bosnia, El Salvador and Israel as well as works of literature from the Iliad to Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism to look at what makes war so intoxicating for soldiers, politicians and ordinary citizens..." (More on the flip)