October 13 - October 14, 2004

October 13, 2004 (1:26am)
Democratic Presidential Candidates Debates 2003 12/10/03 ABC News & WMUR-TV sponsored; shortly following Gore’s endorsement of Howard Dean. Edwards says, “we will not take money from Washington lobbyists in this presidential campaign.”

Charles Pickering on 60 Minutes

October 13, 2004 (10:23pm)
*Kerry and the Democrats always talk about how Bush sides with the evil “big corporations.” What corporation is bigger and more powerful than the U.S. federal government?

Ted Kennedy Speech on Iraq Policy (1/14/04)
Ted Kennedy on Iraq and Bush Administration (3/5/04)

October 14, 2004 (9:13am)
*3rd Presidential Debate: 10/13/04
President Bush in response to whether or not he thinks homosexuality is a choice or from birth: After admitting that he doesn’t know, Bush for the first time provides a good explanation for the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. He says that the proposal was in response to activist judges whom he feared were redefining the definition of marriage in a way inconsistent with predominant views and basic values of Americans. Bush doesn’t want the judiciary making decisions that should be left to state legislatures or the legislative branch in general. When Kerry gets his chance to respond, he almost immediately makes use of the fact that VP Cheney’s daughter is a lesbian. This is remarkable considering that John Edwards, in the VP debate, also brought up Cheney’s daughter’s sexuality. In the post-debate analysis, several commentators express outrage over Kerry’s and Edwards’ despicable exploitation of Cheney’s daughter, saying that this is the lowest form of politics. I tend to agree. The Kerry/Edwards team knows that the Republican base overwhelmingly disapproves of gay marriage and homosexuality in general, and I think bringing up a sensitive, deeply personal issue in the Cheney family oversteps what should be considered fair game.

*Time Magazine(10/18/04): Joe Klein, “No Pain? No Gain for Either Candidate.” Concerning Bush in the 2nd Presidential debate, Klein writes, “His last half hour, when stem-cell research and abortion were discussed, was his best.” Klein goes on to say, “The abortion question, asked by a young woman near the end of the debate, was a micro-history of the entire campaign. Kerry offered a labyrinthine answer. He was against abortion (as a Catholic) before he was for it (as a public servant). This is known in political circles as the Cuomo dodge... the President responded. ‘We’re not going to spend federal taxpayers’ money on abortion’... That was, in effect, the state of the campaign before the debates began: Kerry muddy, Bush simple and clear.” Klein later writes, “The most embarrassing moments for Kerry concerned taxes. At one point, he appropriately chided Bush, ‘This is the first time the United States has ever had a tax cut when we’re at war.’ But then, in the very same answer, he said, ‘I want to put money in your pocket...I have a proposal for a tax cut for all people earning less than the $200,000.’ This is infuriating, a textbook example of Kerry trying to have it all ways.” Klein concludes that, “Kerry has seemed the more graceful, intelligent and, yes, likeable guy in the first two debates, but there is a threshold he has not yet crossed: he has not demonstrated the political courage necessary to be President in tough times.”

Charles Krauthammer, “The Case for Fearmongering: Do candidates alarm people when they talk of danger? They should.” Lately, Vice-President Dick Cheney received a fair amount of criticism for saying that electing John Kerry would increase the chances of America getting “hit again” by terrorists. For example, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi commented, “It is completely inappropriate and dangerous for the Vice President to, in effect, threaten the American people, to be part of instilling fear into our country.” John Edwards said, “Dick Cheney’s scare tactics crossed the line.” Krauthammer addresses these criticisms while reminding us that Democrats have used the very same scare tactics: “Senator Edward Kennedy thunders that re-electing Bush will make a nuclear 9/11 more likely.” In conclusion, Krauthammer states, “The ‘90s are over. It’s not the economy, stupid. It’s Hiroshima—on American soil. If that doesn’t scare you, it should. We could use more fear in this election, not less. Cheney should be commended for his candor. Kennedy too.”

*Duelfer Report on Iraq’s WMDs: Key Findings Adobe File

Political Figures: Black Listed
Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry campaign chairman - says Mary Cheney’s sexuality is “fair game.”
Paul Krugman, New York Times - dismisses the fact that Russia, Germany, France etc... all thought Iraq had WMDs by saying it was all politicized; at the same time, he and fellow liberals complain that those same countries weren’t more eager to sign on in Iraq, ignoring the role the Oil for Food scandal undoubtedly played.
Frank Rich, New York Times film critic - leads charge against Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”
Dennis Kucinich, Congressman (D-OH) - accuses U.S. soldiers of sniping Iraqi civilians.
Al Franken, comedian/satirist - speaking at Vanderbilt, Franken calls Charles Pickering a racist.
Jimmy Carter - says U.S. elections don’t pass the international standard, yet when asked to monitor them, like he does for second and third world countries throughout the world, he says he doesn’t have the time. Not to mention the utter ridiculousness of the charge, but shouldn’t the legitimacy of U.S. elections be Carter’s top priority unless he just wanted to set up an excuse for John Kerry’s defeat come November 2?
Bernie Ward, radio talk-show host. America not greatest, freest country God ever gave man.
Henri Brooks (TN state legislator, refused to recite Pledge of Allegiance; American flag is symbol of racism)
Ted Turner - says Christianity is for losers.
Chris Dodd, Senator (D-CT) - one of the leaders in calling for Trent Lott to step down as majority leader in the Senate; yet Dodd later does something very similar, praising ex-KKK member Robert Byrd, saying he would be right for this country at any time during its history. Hypocrite?
Ted Rall - cartoonist
Ramsey Clark - said you could call Jesus a terrorist too b/c he was hard on money lenders.
Political Figures: General, Historical, no longer holding office
George Tenet, CIA director
Louis Freeh, FBI director
James Woolsey, CIA director
Jamie Gorelick (D) general counsel of Department of Defense (1993-1994); deputy attorney general (1994-1997); member of 9/11 Commission.
Lee Hamilton (D-IN) 34 years in U.S. Congress until 1999; Vice-chair of 9/11 Commission.
Dick Ben-Veniste
Slade Gorton (R-WA) U.S. Senate (1982-2000); member of 9/11 Commission.
Thomas Kean (R-NJ) NJ governor (1982-1990); President of Drew University (1990-present); Chairman of 9/11 Commission
Bob Kerrey (D-NE) Nebraska governor (1984-1988); U.S. Senate (1988-2000); member of 9/11 Commission.

Clinton Administrations
Al Gore, Vice-president
Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State
Janet Reno, Attorney General
Sandy Berger, National Security Advisor
William Cohen, Secretary of Defense
Robert Rubin, Secretary of the Treasury
Leon Panetta, Chief of Staff
George Stephanopoulos, White House advisor
Richard Holbrooke, U.S. permanent representative to U.N.
Dick Morris
James Carville
Paul Begala
Joe Lockheart

1st Bush Administration
Dick Cheney, Vice-president
Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense
Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Steven Cambone, Under Secretary of Defense (?)
Condoleeza Rice, National Security Advisor
John Ashcroft, Attorney General
Colin Powell, Secretary of State
John Snow, Secretary of Treasury
Andrew Card, Chief of Staff
Don Evans, Secretary of Commerce
Tom Ridge, Department of Homeland Security
Scott McClellan, Press Secretary
Paul Bremer, Coalition Provisional Authority head (Iraq)
Dan Senor, senior advisor to Bremer
Karl Rove
Karen Hughes

2nd Bush Administration
Dick Cheney, Vice-president
Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense
Condoleeza Rice, Secretary of State
Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General

October 14, 2004 (2:31pm)
70% military casualties in Iraq are white.
±70% of black children are born out of wedlock.
Rev. Jesse Jackson fathered an illegitimate child.

October 14, 2004 (4:31pm)
Christopher Reeve dies the other day: In this context and following the 2nd debate, John Edwards says that, when John Kerry is elected, people like Christopher Reeve “will get up and walk again” b/c of Kerry’s commitment to stem-cell research. Of course, this is totally inconsistent with the facts, not to mention outlandish. Is Kerry God now? For people like Reeves who suffer from spinal chord injuries, advances in stem-cell technology will be of no benefit. Morever, stem-cell research is in its early stages of development, and no one really knows what could be possible in the future.