Rummy and George Don't Let Anything Get in the Way of a Party

While I often find Maureen Dowd a bit up-down, I have to say I agree with this one today:

Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz were swanning around in black tie at the White House Correspondents' dinner on Saturday night, mingling with le hack Washington and a speckling of shiny imports, like John Kerry's former Tinseltown gal-pal Morgan Fairchild, Ben Affleck, a Victoria's Secret model who was not Gisele and several "Apprentice" alumni who were not Omarosa.

The Pentagon potentates seemed unburdened by the spreading storm kicked up by the torture pictures shown on "60 Minutes II" and about to appear in The New Yorker — the latest example of a dysfunctional and twisted occupation warped by arrogance over experience, ideology over common sense.

When a beaming Mr. Wolfowitz stopped at my table to greet an admiring Republican, I wanted to snap, "Get back to your desk, Mr. Myopia from Utopia!" Shouldn't these woolly headed warriors burn the midnight Iraqi oil — long enough for Wolfie to learn the body count for dead American troops and for Rummy to read Gen. Antonio Taguba's whole report on "horrific abuses" at Abu Ghraib?

Sure, the secretary of defense has had two months to read the report, but as he complained to Matt Lauer, it's awfully thick: "When I'm asked a question as to whether I've read the entire report, I answer honestly that I have not. It is a mountain of paper and investigative material." Goodness gracious, where is Evelyn Wood now that we need her?

Can't the hawks who dragged us into this hideous unholy war at least pay attention to a crisis of American credibility that's exposing Iraq and the world to more dangers every day? For the defense chief and the president to party two nights in a row, Friday at Rummy's house and Saturday at the Washington Hilton, is, to borrow a Rummy line, "unhelpful in a fundamental way."

President Bush also seemed in a buoyant mood on Saturday. But he might think about getting just a tad more involved so he doesn't have to first see on TV, as he clicks around between innings, the pictures sparking a huge worldwide, American-reputation-shattering military scandal. And so he doesn't keep nattering about how we had to go to war to close Iraq's torture chambers, when they are "really not shut down so much as under new management," as Jon Stewart drily put it.

Most Republicans seemed in a "party on, Garth" mood, less concerned with Humpty Dumpty Iraq or Unjolly Green Giant John Kerry than with the unfairness of a world where Jeb Bush would probably not be able to succeed his brother. "By 2008," a wistful Republican fund-raiser said, "there'll probably be Bush fatigue."

...And Douglas Feith, the defense under secretary who was in charge of Iraqi postwar planning and the secret unit that furnished prêt-à-porter intelligence to back up Dick Cheney's doomsday scenarios, told conservatives that the administration might set up an office to plan postwar operations for future wars.

Well, on the one hand, it would be refreshing to have a postwar plan. On the other: future wars???

Bush "Sorry"

I must have missed something again. The media is rushing to applaud Bush for saying he's sorry (finally) but I must have missed the apology to the Iraqi people.

What I heard - and granted, I could have missed a few of the president's words - was "sorry for the humiliation" spoken second-hand to King Abdullah of Jordan. This being his FIRST direct mention of a scandal that broke 8 nights ago. Where did he apologize to the Iraqi people directly? Where did he acknowledge torture and abuse?

I'm humiliated when someone says something offensive and patently untrue. But if I'm an elderly woman taken in with no charges filed, then ridden around a room by US soldiers, I'm MORE than humiliated. If I'm sodomized with a broomstick or chemical light stick, I'm MORE than humiliated. What about you?

At this point, I'm not even certain the president sees this as a problem at all. The world, after all, rotates around him.

American VP Idol

It's so nice to see that CNN has turned the choice of a VP candidate for Kerry into an American Idol voting process. Idiots.

Wait. Idiots doesn't even begin to do this justice.

Rumsfeld Stays

That's what the White House is telling us now in response to comments from many - the press points only to Democrats, but that's hardly true; only Tom DeLay and Rush Limbaugh think Abu Ghraib and beyond was less horrible than a fraternity initiation - calling for the consideration of Rumsfeld's resignation.

Personally, Rumsfeld doesn't operate in a vacuum of his own, although I'll freely say I think he operates within the overall vacuum that the entire Bush Administration seems to invoke. And Bush just now, in addressing the Rumsfeld issue, said, "he's been a really, really good secretary of defense." Boy, that's inspiring. Especially considering Rumsfeld's ass should have been grass when he just sat there and let a plane hit the Pentagon on 9/11/01.

But Rumsfeld isn't the only one who should resign over this. Culpability occurs both below and above Rumsfeld. And telling us Bush was really, really, really mad at Rumsfeld yesterday just sounded like teenage girls having a spat.

The Bush-Abdullah Post-Talk Speech

Boy, Bush seems totally out of it during the speech going on now. He's stumbling over every word, and has grimaced a few times when referring to the King of Jordan as "his highness" and "your majesty." Considering Abdullah pulled out of an earlier meeting, you'd think Bush could at least appear more prepared.

While the context is about Palestinians in regard to how much Bush butt-kissed Sharon during his last visit, I certainly would not - were I a Palestinian or Arab - feel any hope as part of this.

Abdullah, however, originally struck me as a poor replacement for his father. But he's so much more focused and organized than Bush (of course, Bush sets an extremely low bar but still--). His words make it clear that he's looking for more than Bush is willing to give in his usual tritisms.

The Colin Powell Story

Through Woodward's new book and this month's article in GQ magazine, we hear a great deal more about the schism between Secretary of State Colin Powell and the rest of the Bush Administration.

While that's useful, I suppose, it would have been perhaps far more helpful if Powell had chosen not to tow the loyal soldier line through some incredibly bad decisions, including that disastrously incorrect presentation before the UN Security Council less than a month before we began to move on Iraq.

Nothing in what I've read so far makes me feel less disappointed in Powell, someone I considered a thoughtful man who was far more centrist than most of this administration. Yet I also accept that I have never walked in his shoes, and I'm willing to believe he thought he could accomplish more from within the administration than outside of it. However, for me, I feel Powell allowed himself to be used too often as a more-credible-than-most pawn in the Bush Administration's bullying of the rest of the world.

The Move into Najaf

I'm not sure what's changed, but we've taken Najaf, with relatively little insurgent fighting according to press reports.

"Stamp Out Hunger" Day

For those of you so inclined, this Saturday is the day to place non-perishable food in bags around your mailbox. Letter carriers will collect this to help feed the hungry. It's one of the most decent programs offered, IMHO.

In the "Not That Size Matters, Of Course" Department

I have to agree with Wonkette: Mr. Kerry does um... uh... how to phrase this.... sport quite a package (and we're not talking about his education funding if he becomes president either). I noticed this in two earlier photographs but felt it was impolitic to say anything. However, since Wonkette said it first... Ahem.

Imagine a president who wouldn't have to pretend to fly a plane, stuff his flight suit with socks, OR claim prematurely that a war that never should have started is over (when... more than 500 deaths later....)?

Vermont and Electronic Voting

If I understand this correctly, Vermont has issued a loud NO to electronic voting for Election 2004 (and really, we do have electricity up here, honestly).

The interesting part is that it happened because one man (not a big important powerful one either) wrote up suggested legislation and took it to Montpelier. So I guess I won't have to ask for an absentee ballot to attempt to be sure that my vote is counted as cast in November.

Fight Nice, Kids

"Georgie isn't happy and he really, really, really let Donny know it, too."

That's what the White House is telling us about the president and secretary of defense related to the Abu Ghraib debacle.

And this matters how? Of all the people who should be mad about this, Bush should be fairly far down on the list. I can think of 24 million Iraqis, 288 million Americans, and 1.4 billion Arabs who get first dibs.

Worsening Tale

Keith Olbermann is talking about a new abuse report in which the military detained an elderly woman, placed a saddle on her, and rode her around a room while she moved about on her hands and knees.

Once Again

As one of the readers' posts point out, only one person has apologized for Abu Ghraib (and Abu Ghraib isn't the sum total of the abuse experience, according to journalist Sy Hersh and others): this being General Kimmitt, lead spokesman for the Coalitional Provisional Authority.

But why not Rick Sanchez or Gen. Abuzaid, why not Paul Bremer, why not the head of Military Intelligence? And, more importantly, why not Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld or US President George Bush (who certainly stopped far short of an apology in his remarks on US-funded Arab TV today)?

The Arab world is supposed to take us on faith. Trust us, Condi told them. This isn't representative of the American people, George Bush said.

But why should they believe that? While I'm certain a majority of Americans do indeed find it abhorrent, watching everyone at the top quibble and point to a few renegade GIs like, "aw, this ain't nothin" does little to inspire my trust.

"Gimme, Gimme"

Bush wants $25 billion more for the Defense budget. Apparently, he's discovered that at least 10 kids in Ohio are still getting a decent public education while 7 elderly people can still afford tuna, so he wants to hurry to correct this situation.

Remember, too, that Mr. Rumsfeld has been allocating money without any oversight. Unlike predecessors, he wants every dollar paid into a general account from which he can then divest funds quietly.

We're also the country who spends the most on defense - and look at what it buys us: 9/11 and sodomized Iraqis, while the GIs don't have proper armor and routinely run out of ammunition during fierce gun battles.

MoveOn Steps Up for Michael Moore

From a MoveOn mail just received:

Oscar-winning director Michael Moore has finished his latest documentary, but The Walt Disney Company is refusing to let the American public see it.

The film, "Fahrenheit 911," is critical of President Bush's actions before and after Sept. 11 and describes Bush's relationships with powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden.

According to the New York Times, Moore's agent says embattled Disney chief Michael Eisner feared the documentary could endanger the company's tax breaks in Florida, where Bush's brother, Jeb, is governor.

We can't let corporate favors for politicians dictate what movies we see. Tell Disney to show us Michael Moore's documentary:

Robert Iger
Chief Operating Officer
The Walt Disney Company
Phone: (818) 560-1000

If the line is busy, call a Disney store near you. The salespeople aren't responsible for this decision, but ask them to pass your concerns on to the manager. To find the Disney store nearest you, click here.

Finally, if you own any Disney stock, call:

Wendy Webb, Investor Relations
The Walt Disney Company
Phone: (818) 560-5758

The documentary, which heads to the prestigious Cannes film festival next week, was expected to be distributed by Miramax this summer. But Disney, which owns Miramax, blocked the plan. Denying allegations of political favoritism, Disney said it doesn't want to be involved with a partisan film.

Moore responded, "If this is partisan in any way it is partisan on the side of the poor and working people in this country who provide fodder for this war machine."

The film details financial connections between the Bush family and powerful Saudi Arabian families over the last thirty years, including the evacuation of Osama bin Laden's relatives from the United States two days after Sept. 11. Also included are American soldiers in Iraq describing their doubts about the justification for war.

Michael Moore has commented, "At some point the question has to be asked, 'Should this be happening in a free and open society where the monied interests essentially call the shots regarding the information that the public is allowed to see?' "

Today, we will tell Disney the answer is no:

Robert Iger
Chief Operating Officer
The Walt Disney Company
Phone: (818) 560-1000

Let us know you're calling, [here].

Sincerely,
--Noah T. Winer
MoveOn.org
May 5th, 2004

Recruiter Spam

I just received my first ever Spam from the Army National Guard trying to get me to join. This is almost amusing.

Have things gotten so bad that they a) need to spam and b) seek out women over 30 and c) solicit those with a bad lung and definite pacifist tendencies?

Paula Jones

CNN reminds us that it was 10 years ago that Paula Jones filed her infamous lawsuit over the then-sitting president of the US, Bill Clinton.

Yet of course, the article is wildly ignorant to many of the ramifications. One huge one is that we spent so many years indulging questions about Clinton's sex life that we did nothing to watch over the terrorist strikes that were to come. While the right loves to blame Clinton for everything, I seriously blame them for blowing up a sham that cost an incredible amount of money (and the prosecutor's clock still ticks) and a diversion of everything.

The article also does not address the fact that most recently, Paula has been whining that she was used and abused by the right wing and then tossed away.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan

Just because the media pays no attention whatsoever to the incredible mess of Afghanistan doesn't mean it's not an incredible mess we simply made worse.

Moore and Moore Controversy

I was looking for more information on this snippet about problems with distributing Michael Moore's upcoming movie that I heard this morning, and Skippy, our favorite Bush kangaroo, offers it with a link to a NY Times article discussing it.

My partner and I, when we learned perhaps last year that Moore's new film would come out near Election 2004, turned to each other and agreed back then, "Oh, there's gonna be trouble." But I was hoping Miramax and Disney would stand firm.

Bush and the French Flag

Ro just wrote in Email asking if I dreamed that up about President Bush leaning casually on the French flag. In a word, "No."

I first saw it on Atrios, but the AP Reuters photo can be found here.

Admittedly, this might be the kind of gaffe I'd make because I'm not big on symbolism for symbolism's sake. But for a man who practically insists he wears American flag underwear cause he's so patriotic, using the French flag for a place to set his hands seem a tad odd.