Conviction Deficit at the White House

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Some have recently ragged on Kerry for not following through on his convictions regarding when life begins (and why that hasn’t translated into an anti-abortion political stance). Maybe that’s why this little lack-of-conviction struck me as odd/humorous. Yesterday, WH Press Secretary Scott McLellan was asked: Q Scott, one last thing, in all of your pronouncements about the campaign and the … Read More

Republicans Trying To Cheat In Florida Again

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Well, it worked in the 2000 election, so why not try again? More than 2,100 Florida voters — many of them black Democrats — could be wrongly barred from voting in November because Tallahassee elections officials included them on a list of felons potentially ineligible to vote, a Herald investigation has found. A Florida Division of Elections database lists more … Read More

Scotty Can’t Answer A Simple Question (Part 48)

Ken AshfordBush & Co.Leave a Comment

Bush, it seems, likes to get the questions in advance. Probably how he made it through Yale, I’m guessing. But the White House can’t seem to ADMIT or DENY what should be a rather simple question in that regard: Q. Did anyone in the White House or the administration ask Irish television or its reporter, Carol Coleman, to submit questions … Read More

Two-Faced Jim Hoagland

Ken AshfordIraq, Right Wing and Inept MediaLeave a Comment

In October 2002, the Washington Post’s Jim Hoagland wrote an editorial criticizing the CIA because it had (up until then) been unwilling to recognize the danger of Saddam Hussein. He said, in part: it is no surprise that Bush has until now relied little on the Langley agency for his information on Iraq. There is simply no way to reconcile … Read More

WorldNetDaily Bites Its Pillow In Abject Fear

Ken AshfordRight Wing and Inept Media, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

This isn’t a slam piece against WorldNetDaily — it’s a humor piece. Here, apparently is what they are concerned about now: the "child protection gestapo" taking kids from homes and giving the children to (oh no!) same-sex couples. Mind you, the concern here isn’t that abused kids will be given to gay couples, but any child: Governments that kind-heartedly bestow … Read More

Are You Telling Me . . .

Ken AshfordIraqLeave a Comment

. . . that of all those terrible terrible things that we said about Saddam — the fact that he was a threat to the United States, the fact that he plotted to kill former President Bush, the fact that he harbored known enemies of the United States, etc. etc. etc. — we couldn’t find anything to prosecute him for … Read More

Supremes On A Roll

Ken AshfordSupreme CourtLeave a Comment

Once again, I think the Supreme Court got it right today. The case is Ashcroft v. ACLU. In a close 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court struck down the latest version of the Child Online Protection Act. This is like the second or third time COPA has come before the Supreme Court, and each time it comes up, it gets struck … Read More

Ruminations of ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ – Part II of II

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004, Popular CultureLeave a Comment

Well, shit. Kevin Drum took my Part II point. Almost verbatim. [T]he thing that really struck me about the film was the almost poetic parallellism between its own slanders and cheap shots and the slanders and cheap shots of pro-war supporters themselves over the past couple of years. If Moore had done this deliberately, it would have been worthy of … Read More

More Disgruntled Conservatives Speak Out

Ken AshfordRepublicansLeave a Comment

Normally, if a conservative says something anti-Bush, I would pass it on and say that another conservative has left the ranch. But this happens with such frequency, that I am beginning to think that is Bush who has left the conservative ranch. Anyway, today’s discontented conservatives are two heavyweight staples of the right, Jesse Helms (R-N.C) and William F. Buckley: … Read More

The Terrorism Opinions

Ken AshfordSupreme Court, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

The Supreme Court has ruled on three cases involving terrorism detainees. I’ve only browsed the opinions, but one thing is clear: if Bush thinks he can do whatever he wants regarding prisoners by virtue of being a "war president", THAT myth is shattered. That’s not to suggest that Bush got his ENTIRE ass handed to him today. The SCOTUS opinions … Read More

Ruminations of ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ – Part I of II

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004, Popular CultureLeave a Comment

Warning: “Fahrenheit 9/11” is a rich film jam-packed with facts, factoids, opinions, interviews, and messages. Unless one recounts every little moment, it is impossible for a review to “spoil” the entire film in a Rosebud-is-his-sled-type manner. Nevertheless, my essay below does reveal certain parts of the film — so if you plan on seeing it and don’t want anything revealed … Read More

The Image To Remember Bush By

Ken AshfordBush & Co., War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

This is Andrew Card telling GWB, on 9/11, about the plane crashing into the World Trade Center. What is remarkable is that Bush had this look for a FULL SEVEN MINUTES before he did anything. Instead, he continued to read to schoolchildren. Many of us have seen the footage of Bush just sitting there, and it is pretty condemning. Hopefully, … Read More

Drum Explains It All

Ken AshfordBush & Co., IraqLeave a Comment

What is a "lie"? What is a "deception"? What is it that the left accuses the Bush White House of doing? Kevin Drum explains the difference here. Now basically, Bush & Co. — technically speaking — don’t lie . . . usually. I’ll let Kevin explain: Let’s take this statement from Dick Cheney on "Meet the Press" last year: "If … Read More

Oh, Yes You DID!

Ken AshfordBush & Co., IraqLeave a Comment

Cheney gets busted in another lie. Transcript, CNBC’s “Capital Report,” June 17, 2004: Gloria Borger: “Well, let’s get to Mohammed Atta for a minute, because you mentioned him as well. You have said in the past that it was quote, “pretty well confirmed.” Vice President Cheney: No, I never said that. BORGER: OK. Vice Pres. CHENEY: Never said that. BORGER: … Read More