David Corn: The Gramm Gaffe: The Real Problem for McCain
Rude Pundit: A Condemnation of Barack Obama Preceded by a Defense
John Avarosis: McCain was still married to his wife when he got married to his mistress
Bob Cesca: Killing Iranian Civilians Isn't Hilarious, Senator McCain
Steve Benen: McCain calls the Social Security system a ‘total disgrace’
Digby: The Liberal Village Speaks
Carol Kreck via HuffPo Blog: McCain=Bush
NY TIMES: WASHINGTON — Tony Snow, the conservative columnist and television commentator who relished sparring with reporters during a 17-month stint as President Bush’s press secretary, died Saturday of colon cancer, the White House said. He was 53.
NY TIMES: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shares fell again Friday — and the broader stock market followed suit — as concern mounted that the government will be forced to take over the beleaguered mortgage finance companies, which some investors fear are at risk of default.
Q: Who dresses him in the mornings?
A classic "deer in the headlights" moment for Mr. Straight Talk.
"I don't know all the facts. I want to know all the facts. The best place for the facts is to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it."
Another stellar move by Fox News!
Saddled with the decision of airing a pre-arranged interview with a person who has set up an amazing site for our troops to receive free books, games, DVD's, or other needs, and now having fundraising troubles due to corporations pulling out because of a tanking economy and a prolonged war (she never thought she would be doing this 5 ½ years later!) - OR - bumping the soldiers story and airing "Breaking News" of a man who was bitten by a pygmy snake in a WalMart - Fox News made it's choice.
Bump the soldiers and go with the snake story. Awesome...I smelled a rat, hard to avoid with Fox News, and I wondered what story I got bumped for
, so I switched on Fox News. Here is their line-up for the 10am hour of America’s Newsroom With Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly. Keep in mind, I was slated for 10:20am.
10:08 Running of the Bulls
10:13 Video of a car chase in Portland, Oregon
10:13 Oregon man flies in a lawn chair from oregon to idaho
10:20 MAN BITTEN BY SNAKE IN FLORIDA WALMART
10:22 Obama and McCain layout out economic plans
10:25 Baseball player, A-Rod might be involved with Madonna according to tabloids.
Books For Soldiers got bumped for a snakebite story! A bite where no one died!
Check out her website and maybe donate if you can.
I received a comment today regarding last week's post, "The Obama Smear E-Mail Campaign Continues." Mr. Bert Kortegaard didn't seem to like the title of my post, found it offensive and biased. Unfortunately, his website (links included by Mr. Kortegaard) don't contain any contact information in order for me to respond.
Here's his comment and my response. I hope he decides to come back to read my response.
Bert said...
The title of this blog site is at least as offensive as any of its posts.Senator Obama doesn't need to be smeared,he's provided quite enough information to discredit him, himself. It's much like saying criticisms of Vietnam Protesters http://www.kmike.com/VietnamProtesters.htm
or Jane Fonda http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/hanoijan.htm
are smears. The origin of this particular complaint need to be tracked down, but the blog title is too biased, imo.
BertKortegaard
http://www.kmike.com/b606.htm
http://www.kmike.com/wantuck1.htm
http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/
July 9, 2008 2:18:00 PM EDT
Broadway Carl said...
Mr. Kortegaard,
You say that my post title is offensive, but you don't explain why. You say that Senator Obama has discredited himself, but you don't explain how.
I don't know if you've bothered to look up my previous posts regarding the e-mailed Obama smears that have been circulating for quite some time now, such as "Obama is a Muslim", or "Obama won't say the Pledge of Allegiance" or "Obama swore on the Koran" or "Obama will stand with the Muslims", ad infinitum, but if you had, you'd see that all those previous e-mails smears have been debunked.
When I received the latest of e-mails regarding Obama's alleged "dismissal" of a handicapped Vietnam Veteran and didn't immediately find a reputable source to debunk the e-mail, I decided to try and find out for myself.
As of this writing (July 9th, 2008 8:54pm EST) I have yet to receive a response to the e-mails I've sent to the supposed writer of said accusation; whether he wrote it or not or if the writer's name was used deceptively, whether the incident actually happened, specifically where and when this incident allegedly took place, and other factors to either prove or disprove the validity of the e-mail. My post has stated nothing but the fact that I am searching for the truth - the facts - of this supposed interaction.
I have tried to go about this as objectively as possible, including the e-mails that I sent to those who might be able to help with more information, being polite and respectful in my correspondence. Yet, there are those who may not agree with my political affiliation or Senator Obama (I am assuming you are one of those people) who will take offense to what I consider a very objective post, no matter how I may phrase it.
I come to this conclusion based on your inclusion of web addresses citing Vietnam War protesters and Jane Fonda as part of the reason for America's loss in the war and using that opinion in an attempt to compare what you consider to be facts regarding Obama, his background and his record. One thing has nothing to do with the other. (And on a side note, do you really believe that if there were no Jane Fonda and no war protesters that the end result in Vietnam would have been any different?)
You may be of the opinion that the title of my post is somewhat biased, but I will assume that the e-mail I am researching is a smear based on the fact that there was neither any information nor any reference material attached to the e-mail for verification. My opinion will remain that way until I can find proof otherwise. In my world, frame of mind, thought process or whatever you want to call it, one bases their accusations on facts, and the e-mail I received contained none. It was just a story.
My question to you, if you would be so kind to answer is: On what basis do you make your decision or judgement on Senator Obama? Is it something that you know about him that I don't? Or is it based on something you may have heard or read?
Granted, I'm truly upset that he chose to vote in favor of today's FISA compromise bill, in contradiction to the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Is he therefore discredited, or is he being a politician trying to win an election? After all, Senator Obama did say that he would vote against telecom immunity, but if amendments in opposition to immunity failed, he would vote in favor of the FISA bill. He didn't break his word.
I thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving your comment. I hope to hear from you again.
FISA capitulation passed. And you can hear the evil bastards in the White House laughing their asses off through the walls of the Oval Office.
From Glenn Greenwald:
UPDATE VI: Cloture on the bill just passed 72-26. Obama voted in favor of cloture along with all Republicans. Hillary Clinton voted against cloture.
After the cloture vote, the Senate just approved final passage of the FISA bill, by a vote of 69-28. Obama voted with all Republicans for the bill. Hillary Clinton voted against it.
Democrats voting in favor of final passage of the FISA bill: Bayh - Carper - Casey - Conrad - Dorgan - Feinstein - Innuoye - Kohl - Landrieu - Lincoln -McCaskill - Mukulski - Nelson (Neb.) - Nelson (Fla.) - Obama - Pryor - Rockefeller - Salazar - Webb - Whitehouse.
Democrats voting against final passage of the FISA bill: Akaka - Biden - Bingaman - Boxer - Brown - Cantwell - Cardin - Clinton - Dodd - Dorgan - Durbin - Feingold - Harkin - Kerry - Leahy - Levin - Lautenberg - Murray - Reed - Reid - Sanders - Schumer - Stabenow - Tester - Wyden.
Robert Greenwald calls out Fox yet again on their attacks and smears of Michelle Obama.
You can sign the petition here.
Does anyone know where Jonah Goldberg went to school so I can remind myself NEVER to send my kids there? This guy has to be one of the most idiotic "conservatives" to actually have a job writing for the Los Angeles Times, let alone ANY newspaper, even rivaling the likes of William Kristol.
I didn't think he could top his "Liberal Fascism" fiasco (which I'm sure you can find on the discount racks by now, and if not, for shame) but now he equates Barack Obama's proposal of volunteering service to slavery. Yeah, you heard me. Slavery.
Listen to this dolt:There's a weird irony at work when Sen. Barack Obama, the black presidential candidate who will allegedly scrub the stain of racism from the nation, vows to run afoul of the constitutional amendment that abolished slavery.
For those who don't remember, the 13th Amendment says: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime ... shall exist within the United States."
I guess in Obama's mind it must be a crime to be born or to go to college. In his speech on national service Wednesday at the University of Colorado, Obama promised that as president he would "set a goal for all American middle and high school students to perform 50 hours of service a year, and for all college students to perform 100 hours of service a year."
He would see that these goals are met by, among other things, attaching strings to federal education dollars. If you don't make the kids report for duty, he's essentially telling schools and college kids, you'll lose money you can't afford to lose. In short, he'll make service compulsory by merely compelling schools to make it compulsory.
It goes on from there but I won't hurt your brain any further. You masochists can read the rest at the link above.
Apparently college didn't take for Goldberg and someone gots to learn him the definition of "slavery" and the definition of "volunteerism." Where in that tiny little brain of his does he get the idea that Obama is forcing those who would like to attend college into slavery in exchange? Fuckwad Goldeberg doesn't seem to understand that there's a difference between indentured servitude or slave labor and incentive.
There's a difference between making someone perform community service and asking them to serve 100 hours of community service per year as an incentive to receive a $4000 tax credit towards college tuition, as Goldberg so conveniently leaves out. In essence, you're paying the prospective student $40 per hour for a contribution of about 2 hours a week. I wonder how many slaves back in the day got paid and only worked two hours a week?
And guess what, Goldberg? If you're well off and don't need that $16,000 break over the average four year span that you attend college, you don't have to serve. Dipshit.
Nevermind the fact that Goldberg forgets the draft, where the "greatest generation" was forced into slavery to fight in World War II or the generation of the 60's was forced into slavery during Vietnam.
And in remembering this, Goldberg calls it a "JFK cult":
Yes, Jonah Goldberg is truly a moron of epic proportions; one who doesn't even know the definition of "volunteer" yet doesn't worry about how our all-volunteer military is to survive at its current usage rate. But I suppose proposals such as expanding AmeriCorps and the Peace Corp are just too much for a feeble mind to handle.
(H/T Booman and Cesca)
I've been away for the holiday weekend and obviously haven't done much blogging, but so far I haven't received a return e-mail in response to the one I sent to Mr. Brown. I did receive an anonymous comment that I hope will develop into something."I personally know THIS Gary McDermott. He was stationed with the 146th at Vung Tau, RVN as a crew chief on CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters based out of Vung Tau.
Stay tuned.
I'll be more than happy to forward your blog address to him and he can answer any questions you may have."
UPDATE (11:55pm): Another commenter"#1CubsFanTX said...
Couldn't the Gary McDermott from this organization be one in the same?
http://www.vaughanpva.org/newsletters%202007/2006-2007%20Annual%20Report.pdf
I'm just tired people forwarding e-mails like this before they investigate if the are even true. Good Luck."
That led me to a site called Vaughan PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America) listing a Gary McDermott as it Chapter President with an e-mail address "gmac" as the name? Same Gary McDermott? Let's find out. I sent him an e-mail as well requesting more information.
I'm hoping for a response.From: Broadway Carl
To: Gary McDermott, Vaughan PVA
Subject: Regarding an E-Mail Using Your Name
July 8th, 2008 12:08am
Dear Mr. McDermott,
I am writing to you in regards to an e-mail I received entitled, “A Disabled Vet Speaks about Obama.”
In it, the writer speaks of having attended a local college to listen to Senator Obama speak, and after having asked a question regarding what the Senator plans to do in regards to veterans care, the writer claims that he was dismissed, was told to give contact information to an aide, and that he never heard from them again.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much pertinent information to verify this story except for the writer's name and unit. It was signed, "Gary McDermott, 147th ASH Hillclimbers, Vung Tau, RVN 68-69."
In a Google search using that information, I came across a comment posted in TampaBay.com(http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/06/sen-geller-supp.html#comment-118486902) which is an exact copy as the e-mail I received.
A quick Google search of the name and unit above also brought me to the 147th Hillclimbers website and a Gary McDermott is in fact listed as a member. An e-mail I sent to that site has yet to be answered.
If you are the same Gary McDermott, in an effort to verify the validity of this story I was hoping you could help with more specific information as to where and when your interaction with Senator Obama took place. There is so much happening with both campaigns that it’s hard to keep any story straight and completely factual. Both sides will spin to their advantage and I’m just trying to get to the truth.
As a matter of complete disclosure, I am an Obama supporter but I am not affiliated with the Obama campaign or the campaign website in any way. I'm just a concerned citizen who is trying to keep informed and search for the truth. I am also chronicling this exchange on my own personal blog and wanted to let you know that your correspondence to me would be public.
Thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer.
Click on portrait for a complete list of President Obama's Executive Orders, Presidential Memoranda and Proclamations
ShareThis
