BlogBox's Journal - Are You Ready To Make Nice in 2008?

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Are You Ready To Make Nice in 2008?

Posted by BlogBox in General Discussion: Presidential
Fri Jan 04th 2008, 01:54 AM

Me either. In fact, 2008 might just make 2000 look like a walk in the park. Which is why we need to stand up and be counted. For real, this time. No more excuses from Republicans who claim to love America but really can't stand the democratic process. If you're looking for the truth, don't count on our no-way-is-it-free, corporate-owned press to give you the whole story. That would be so... um, founding fathers' 1770's, wouldn't it? And don't count on cable TV hairdos to offer unbiased reports on... well, anything. Keith Olberman aside, let's face it: what's good for General Electric's bottom line has never been any good at all for the rest of us. That's why we need the bloggers who refuse to make nice.

This week on the blogs: The sunroof latch is innocent! Innocent, I tell you! Maybe it was a laser beam; would you believe George W. Bush wants more government transparency? Keep laughing; in other startling news, Huckabee has an army of blessed bloggers; William The Bloody Kristol now works for his personal (former) Satan; and, the swiftboaters have a new target... on Planet OH RIGHT SURE. All this, plus DUers Magic Rat, jakefrep, Amerigo Vespucci, and graywarrior rock your world. Enjoy!

And Now We Bring You DUH News

Surprise surprise! The sunroof latch is innocent! Joining Al Qaeda in the "not guilty" corner, the Pakistani government issued a whisper-toned mea not-so culpa for trotting out their equivalent of Dana Perino to accuse a faulty sunroof latch in the death of Benazir Bhutto. In related weird news, The Moderate Voice asks:

Did A Hi-Tech Laser Beam Kill Benazir Bhutto?

By Swaraaj Chauhan

Here are two important stories related to Pakistan. First, allegations have surfaced that sophisticated laser beam technology was used to eliminate Benazir Bhutto. Second, Pakistan's general election has been postponed until February 18.

Key members of the US Congress were last night preparing to block further aid to Pakistan as the mystery surrounding Benazir Bhutto's assassination deepened, with claims she was "targeted with the latest laser beam technology", similar to that used by American forces in Iraq, reports The Australian.

At least, that whole "she hit her head and died" crap has been successfully debunked. Wait! Incoming...

David Kurtz at TPM writes:

It's tough keeping the "official" story of Benazir Bhutto's death straight. Over the holiday, the Pakistani government first took back its claim that she died when she hit her head on the sunroof lever--then later reasserted the claim. And did we mention the crime scene was washed down afterwards with fire hoses?

Something tells me this assassination story is far from over. In other DUH-inspiring news...

Move over, Buzzflash. And make room for DUH! Magazine, whose tagline reads: "Real Headlines, Snarky Commentary."

Here are a few examples:

President Bush Signs Bill to Expand Government Transparency

A senior White House official explained, "One benefit of an administration that is getting nothing done is that it has nothing to hide."

***

Bloomberg Moves Closer to Running for President

Promises he will make definite decision by November 6, 2008.

***

Referee pulls out red card, then a gun

No further penalties were incurred for the remainder of the game.

***

Robert Frost Home Vandalized in Vermont

The thief was found nearby, where two roads diverged in the wood, unable to decide which to take.

It's definitely a Duh, Duh world. But what about the mainstream media's week?

The Borg Buzz

Leave it to the New York Times to print every stinkin' word spewed out of Mike Huckabee's mouth. Thank goodness, there's always Think Progress to set the record straight:

Huckabee Commends Bloggers Supporting Him: 'You're Doing The Lord's Work'

Yesterday in Des Moines, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee hosted an event thanking "roughly 700 bloggers who, he said, were responsible for keeping his campaign alive."

Calling them his "secret weapon," Huckabee urged the bloggers to "clog" up the wireless system in Des Moines so that reporters couldn't file any more "bad" stories about him.

Clog up the wireless system? Sounds like Huck-a-spud is about as Internet savvy as his fellow Republican, Ted Stevens. Pure D dumb. In a nutshell.

Not to be outdone by its own current BushCo brand of weirdness, the New York Times has hired William Kristol to write (cough) opinion editorials (cough) in the name of - are you ready?- "opposing viewpoints." Color me not surprised. Historically, newspapers' op-eds have represented the point of view of the paper, itself. So what does hiring original PNACer, Kristol, say about the NYTimes' viewpoint? Quiddity at uggabugga explains it all:

Observation about Kristol writing at the NYTimes:

Here is an excerpt from a story about the New York Times giving a rationale for hiring William Kristol to write in the op-ed pages:

The New York Times' hiring of Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol to write for its op-ed page caused a frenzy in the liberal blogosphere Friday night, with threats of canceling subscriptions and claims that the Gray Lady had been hijacked by neo-cons.

But Times editorial page editor Andy Rosenthal sees things differently.

Rosenthal told Politico shortly after the official announcement Saturday that he fails to understand "this weird fear of opposing views."

"The idea that The New York Times is giving voice to a guy who is a serious, respected conservative intellectual - and somehow that's a bad thing," Rosenthal added. "How intolerant is that?"

Here's the deal. People aren't fearful of opposing views. Opposing views can be discussed in the news pages. Opposing views can be criticized in the op-ed pages. But it's a whole 'nother thing to put an advocate for an opposing view on the op-ed pages. And, pace Rosenthal, folks aren't fearful (nice ad hominem, though). They are pissed off.

Hm. Fearful vs. Pissed Off? How ridiculous is Rosenthal's "fearful" crap? Here's the real deal, as Quiddity notes:

But let's look a little closer. The Times can address lots of views within the news pages. For example, they do that with global warming and evolution disputes. But there's no one on the op-ed pages promoting global-warming-denial or that Darwin was wrong (at least not yet). So why the exception for the neo-con? Probably because, at least in Rosenthal's mind, neo-con-ism is a credible opposing view. And what makes him credible? It's not his track record, that's for sure. However, Kristol is always extremely well dressed, is the editor of a magazine, and appears on television frequently (only FNC, natch). If only advocates for Intelligent Design had such a person. Then, perhaps, they would be deemed "respected" and "serious", and write for the Grey Lady.

Ah! The old "he looks credible" excuse. Hell, J. Fred Muggs looked just as "credible" in his suit and tie. And how about that whole "respected" and "serious" hogwashapalooza? Respected by whom? Who's left among the neocons who'll buy the Times just to read Kristol? If Kristol's vitriol manages to increase the Times' readership, I'll eat my tin foil Stetson. For more on William The Bloody and his latter-day hate for his new bosses, Logan Murphy at Crooks and Liars has the details. Here's a snippet:

Maybe we should take a look back at the very serious and respectable prose of William "The Bloody" about his new employers:

Even if (former Editor in Chief Howell) Raines were to go, everything we know about Sulzberger suggests his next pick would be no improvement. Fundamental regime change at the New York Times is not in the cards. Inspections and sanctions won't work. Even the French can't help. The Times is irredeemable. The question is whether a new newspaper of record will replace it. (...)

(snip)

"I think it is an open question whether the Times itself should be prosecuted for this totally gratuitous revealing of an ongoing secret classified program that is part of the war on terror." (Fox News, 7/2/06)

"I think the Justice Department has an obligation to consider prosecution." (Fox News, 6/25/06)

And Rosenthal thinks we're the intolerant ones. Heh.

I think I speak for all of us when I say, so much for "the paper of record." Next up...

It's The Economy, Cousins!

Check, please. No, wait! Not the bill for the entire Bush administration's 8-year reign of economic horror! Gulp. Cliff Carson at The Populist Party blog has tallied the charges, and it's not pretty:

The Financial Cost of the Bush Administration

What we as American taxpayers have suffered financially since Bush assumed office is 165% of what the debt was for the previous 200 years of the United States. When Bush took office the debt was $20 Trillion. It is now $53 Trillion.

In a report, "2007 Financial Report of the U. S. Government", released to the Public on the 17th of December 2007, David M. Walker, the Comptroller General of the United States and Head of the GAO, released a statement concerning the Long Term Accrued Debt of the United States. You can find this statement on Page 162 of the 182-page report.

Specifically he states that as of September 30, 2007 the Long Term Accrued debt of the United States Government had grown to $53 Trillion dollars. When George Bush came into office the Long Term Debt stood at $20 Trillion.

Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark. $33 trillion makes Reaganomics look like a joke. Speaking of jokes, is this one? Mathaba claims that a Danish bank is predicting a Ron Paul prez win because he wants to abolish the Federal Reserve. Hm. Evidently, Saxo Bank also predicts:

Saxo Bank says the US economy will shrink by 25% and the Chinese economy will decrease by 40%. The economic downturn will come about as a result of the housing crash.

Real or not, this is some seriously scary economic forecasting. Enough to make you vote for Ron Paul? Naaaah.

Meanwhile, On Planet OH RIGHT SURE...

Did you know that wingnuts define "swiftboating" as "outing" the so-called fraudulant? That's right. And they're back. The wingnut blogger at Right Wing Nut House (I refuse to link to that bile; you can find the link if you must) thinks that the author of a new book coming out next Monday will destroy one of the Republican prez candidates. The "evidence" cited for guessing John McCain is the book's target? A "military angle." Oh, and there's this:

The same fellow who mounted the Viet Nam Veterans Against John Kerry now has a group called Viet Nam Veterans Against John McCain. Gerard "Jerry" Kiley is claiming that McCain betrayed the United States as a POW and hints that he is being blackmailed even today by the Vietnamese.

I will not sully this site with details of the charges. I will only say that any legitimate news outlet that attends that press conference or runs with any story connected with these folks should be sued by the McCain campaign.

You heard it first here. The wingnuts who championed the swiftboating of Senator John Kerry will not stand for any swiftboating of Senator John McCain. Got that? Snap. As if swiftboating McCain wouldn't be the best thing to happen to his sluggish campaign? Let's get real. McCain would love this, and wingnuts know it... even though their whole pathetic crop of Republican candidates should be featured in a VH1 episode of...

Lifestyles of The Bad And The Buffy-ed

Here's something funny: GOP prez candidates cast as "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" villains from Cogitamus My favorites include:

Pitiful villains, the lot of them. Thank goodness! And don't forget to...

Thank A DUer!

Thanks to Magic Rat for predicting the only reason for any Dem candidate's win in Iowa:

Should Obama win Iowa....

"He had republicans and Independents voting for him. Real Dems don't like him that much."

Should Clinton win Iowa....

"Nobody votes in Iowa except old people. Real Dems don't like her that much."

Should Edwards win Iowa....

"Farmers and union guys only live in Iowa. I'm neither a farmer, nor a union guy. Real Dems don't like him that much."

Thanks for the... um, recap forecast, Magic Rat.

And thanks to jakefrep for alerting us to the new freeper pinup calendar, featuring Coulter and Malkin... and to Amerigo Vespucci for providing the pinup pics:

And finally, thanks to graywarrior for this honest reaction to the Coulter and Malkin pinup pics:

Thanks, DUers! You keep me sane. After all...

It's A Weird Wired World!

If only real news headlines weren't so easily FARKed! Alas, because they are, FARK dot commers are currently voting on the best FARKed headlines of 2007. A few of the top contenders:

Japanese lesbian begins run for parliament purple monkey dishwasher I once killed a man. Let's face it, you stopped reading this headline after the first two words

Fight over Kashmir at level not seen since the time Siegfried and Roy both reached for the same scarf

So Bush is all like, "nuh uh" and the House was like, "subpoenowed" and now the Senate is all like "what they said, biatch"

Now, those are some attention-grabbing headlines. Too bad, the articles they represent are so watered down that the outrage level they inspire resembles packaged vanilla pudding in a Dixie cup, instead of hard-hitting news content.

It's 2008. Finally. Now what? By the time this column is published on Friday, the Iowa caucus will be history, and the prez candidates will be off to New Hampshire. No matter who our Dem prez candidate turns out to be in 2008, we all know we're in for the bumpiest ride Bette Davis could ever have imagined. The primary season is finally upon us. Fasten your seatbelts and keep sending those great blog links. Until next week, keep fighting those tightie righties and don't even think about making nice with Republicans. Do you think they'd be spewing their fake-assed "bipartisan unity" crap if they didn't have to? Hell, no.

-- Delilah Boyd

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Democratic Underground's Blog Box is compiled and written by Delilah Boyd. She posts on the DU message board as displacedtexan.

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