Nobody Could Have Predicted...

Michael Pence, republican from Indiana, had this to say on PBS regarding federal funding for stem cell research.

“But the debate tomorrow really is about federal funding. Inasmuch as I believe that it's morally wrong to destroy human embryonic life for the purpose of research, I think it's also, Jeffrey, additionally morally wrong to take the tax dollars of millions of pro-life Americans and use it to support research that they find morally offensive. And that's really what the debate is about tomorrow.”

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I was just curious Mr. Pence, do you also think it is morally wrong to take the tax dollars of millions of Americans who are opposed the killing of innocent Iraqi women and children because they find it morally offensive and use it to support military operations in Iraq? By the way, please do not give me the “unavoidable collateral damage” argument as that cannot be morally justified when the war itself has no moral foundation.

This case has drawn very little media attention unlike that of Wen Ho Lee. Remember how the Clinton administration was accused of giving missile secrets to the Chinese. One has to wonder, was this case purposely torpedoed by the Bush Justice Department because it is so embarassing to the republican party, especially the CA republican party? One also has to wonder what contacts Leung had with prominent CA republican leaders like Richard Riordan or even perhaps the Gropenfuhrer. Seems mighty convenient that professional prosecutors could FUBAR this. We know that malefactors get different treatment in the media based on political affiliation, but do they also get different treatment when it comes to criminal activities. Geez, I don't know. Do any republican members of Congress denounce the Plame leak? Do any republlican members of Congress demand investigations of anything that other republicans do? Does Alberto Gonzales do the Macarena with Jeff Gannon?

Spy Case Dismissed For Misconduct
Plea Deal Silenced Defendant's Ex-Lover
By Amy Argetsinger
Washington Post Staff WriterFriday, January 7, 2005; Page A04

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6 -- A federal judge dismissed all charges Thursday against a California woman accused of spying for China, saying prosecutors illegally blocked the primary witness in her case -- a federal agent with whom she carried on a decades-long affair -- from talking with her attorneys.

The ruling brought an abrupt end to the case against Katrina M. Leung, a San Marino socialite and Republican fundraiser who was arrested in 2003 along with her lover, former FBI agent James J. Smith. The case was a high-profile embarrassment for the FBI, which had paid Leung for years to provide intelligence on the Chinese government.

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If a republican changes his previously expressed views on a subject, that is considered a reasonable, rational decision based on further review, reflection, or change in circumstances.

A democrat changes his previously expressed view and he’s a flip-flopper.

What should the Wilson/Plame scandal be called?
	Insidious Traitor-Gate
	Plame-Gate
	Turd-Gate
	TurdBlossom-Gate
	Traitor-Gate
	Treason-Gate
	Rove-Gate
	Anything not followed by "gate"
Free polls from Pollhost.com

"It's clear that Rove was trying to knock down what he felt were inaccurate portrayals about Ambassador Wilson's mission to Niger." John McCain on "This Week" July 24, 2005.

Well alrighty then, let's just forget the whole thing if Rove had a motive for his actions.

Forget the fact that the motive was 100% political.

Forget the damage to national security which has not even been measured at this point.

Forget the chickenshit nature of the attack on Joe Wilson by attacking his wife.

Forget this has made us less safe.

Forget John McCain.

The White House was looking for ways to diminish the impact of Joseph Wilson's Op-Ed when by chance some reporters called Rove and Libby to tell them Valerie Wilson (Plame) worked at the CIA and may have had a part in sending the former ambassador to Niger.

Serendipity!!!!!! What an amazing bit of coincidence.

I have it on good authority that there is no truth to the rumor that Mehlman, McCain, Graham, Limbaugh, et al want to build a shrine to honor Tonya Harding.

Sometimes I wonder exactly how they (republicans) manage to say what they say with a straight face. Then I have to remember that it’s essentially a big con game they’re running and they are but conmen, albeit very successful conmen.

Most recently, the pathetic defense of whomever (we know it was Turd & Scooter) leaked the identity of Valerie Plame to several reporters barely passes the laugh test.

For example, one defense is that the CIA is too secretive. It’s a spy agency dumbass, keeping secrets goes with the job description. The hypocrisy is this is the most secretive administration in history. More secret documents. Less access via the Freedom of Information Act, etc. We can't even be told who among the country's energy executives attended an "Energy Task Force" meeting with Cheney or what was discussed. The administration fought “tooth and nail” in the courts to prevent having to reveal this information, yet the CIA is too secretive.

Next, they dismiss the work of Valerie Plame claiming she’s only a “desk jockey.” Not only is this contention absurd based on the fact the CIA asked the Justice Department to investigate the leak because they would not have done so if they did not consider this a crime, this also demeans the hard-working agents at the CIA whose analysis we depend upon. The raw intelligence gathering is just part of the process.

Next, they say Rove was told by reporters about Plame’s identity. Okay, if that’s true (sure), then how did the reporters get the information in the first place. Someone with that knowledge had to have told them, so who was it?

Next, they say, and even the once honorable (perceived) John McCain tries to justify the whole mess by saying that Rove was just trying to protect the President. Look at the means employed. It says a lot about the party that they think attacking a detractor personally along with his family is acceptable. It smacks of cowardice and ruthlessness and hardly shows the ‘honor and integrity” which was promised. He questioned my boss’ honesty, so I jeopardized the security of the nation. How ridiculous is that?

Finally, the real question about who is telling the truth should be about whether there was evidence to support the claim that Hussein was trying to obtain “uranium from Africa.” What we get are tangentially related false claims about who authorized the trip, whether Wilson’s wife was involved, whether Dick Cheney requested the trip. None of which matters to the real issue: Was the claim made in the State of the Union true or false. If it was false, why was it in the SOTU? Of course, this brings us to the bigger picture about the whole run-up to the shock and awe.

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Remember when it was revealed that large quantities of explosives and weapons went missing in Iraq because they were not secured or guarded and the right-wing noise machine offered up "why not talk about all the explosives and weapons that were not lost due to our incompetence."

In that spirit, I would like to suggest to lying d-bag Ken Mehlman that he can now say, "Look at all the covert operatives whose identities were not exposed as part of a pattern of political retribution."

Just like the left-wing, always focusing on the negative because we don't have plan. At least we don't have a plan that involves treason!

Joseph Wilson: Top U.S. Diplomat in Iraq at start of Gulf War. Credited with securing the safety of hundreds of Americans and defiantly standing up to Saddam Hussein.

Dick Cheney: Secretary of Defense under GHW Bush 1989-1993

Trascript Meet the Press September 14, 2004

VICE PRES. CHENEY: No. I don’t know Joe Wilson. I’ve never met Joe Wilson.

Does is seem likely that the Secretary of Defense would not have any contact with the top diplomat of the country we were about to go to war against? Would never have met him?

BTW, in same interview, Cheney claimed he had severed "all" financial ties with Halliburton and had no influence on the rewarding of "no-bid" contracts.

Backdrops Replaced by Military Personnel

This administration is notorious for the stagecraft used whenever and wherever Bush is on camera. From the propaganda backdrops to the selected friendly audiences to his ever-changing hair color, not much is left to chance. So now, as in his last press conference, Bush enters and exits through a row of military personnel standing at attention and holding American flags.

As this picture shows, the camera is not centered on Bush so that the military in the background is in the shot. One has to surmise, this is not an accident rather an attempt at subliminal "product placement."

Bush is known for traveling to military bases for their great photo-op potential and to bolster his "war president" personna. I guess that works so well, they've decided 'what the heck' let's just bring the military to the White House to achieve the same 'image' enhancement for Bush.

I wish somebody with the time and expertise would do a study on the perception manipulation that is so pervasive with this administration.

“The British government has learned (and then told us) that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.” GWB State of the Union Speech

“In February 2002, I was informed by officials at the Central Intelligence Agency that Vice President Dick Cheney's office had questions about a particular intelligence report. While I never saw the report, I was told that it referred to a memorandum of agreement that documented the sale of uranium yellowcake — a form of lightly processed ore — by Niger to Iraq in the late 1990's.” What I Didn’t Find in Africa – Joseph Wilson

I’m no linguistic genius, but aren’t both of these statements essentially using the same caveat? That is, I heard this and now I’m repeating it.

Lindsey Graham said today on Face the Nation the only plausible interpretation of Wilson’s statement was that Wilson was claiming Dick Cheney had personally sent him to Niger. This canard is designed to challenge Wilson’s credibility. Graham has to know this is demonstrably false. Then again, Graham is the same idiot who said that Clinton making a phone call at a particular hour of the day was proof that something sinister was going on.

Graham also said the personal attacks by the White House on Wilson were justified because they were just defending themselves. I certainly hope someone is keeping a chronology of all the lies by the GOP to justify treason. These people are a national disgrace.

Wow, what an amazing display of bravery, machismo and just plain American guts. Is the same guy who flew to an aircraft carrier 39 miles off the California coast as a passenger in a fighter jet when he could just as easily flown in a helicoptor?

As the Plame case demonstrates about GOP family values, if you value your family, don't cross these jackals.

Remember this little tidbit from the 2000 campaign? What about Bernard Kerik? What about Ken Lay? What about Karl Rove? What about all those Iran-Contra criminals? What about those Nixon officials?

Rick Santorum's Communications Director confirms to PageOneQ he (the Communications Diriector) is gay, stands behind Senator

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1. You can rationalize the leaking of Valerie Plame's identity all you want, that doesn't make it any less chickenshit.

2. We plan to use all these false statements you are making about the whole sordid mess to protect Karl Rove against you in the next election.

For example:

My republican opponent believes that it is acceptable behavior to compromise the intelligence efforts of the United States in time of war.

My republican opponent condones the disclosure of classified information for political purposes.

My republican opponent believes that it is acceptable to attack a person's wife when there is a dispute. Most patriotic Americans would call this the desperate act of a coward.

My republican opponent believes that the careers of two dedicated public servants are fair game in order to keep one of the lies being told the American people from being exposed.

My republican opponent believes the American people cannot see through their lies and they will do or say anything to justify their abuse of power.

My republican opponent represents the worst elements of the once great republican party. The party no longer believes in accountability. The party only believes in "states rights" when it suits them. The party of fiscal irresponsibility. The party that wants to put the government more forcefully into your private life. The party that has lost its moral footing.

"It's disappointing that once again, so many Democrat leaders are taking their political cues from the far-left, Moveon wing of the party. The bottom line is Karl Rove was discouraging a reporter from writing a false story based on a false premise and the Democrats are engaging in blatant partisan political attacks." -RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman....

How many times will they recite this same old canard from the GOP Damage Control Playbook? How many times has Tom DeLay tried to deflect criticism with this same tactic. This is a party that thrives on derision, personal attacks and a "kill the messenger" mentality but then tries to project their obvious moral failings on the opposition.

To them, the flag and the Bible are just props in their image creation and control toolbox. I am simply disgusted!!

In case the irony is lost on Ken Mehlman, the outing of Plame was a political "kill the messenger" attack on Joseph Wilson because the White House was responding to what it considered was a politically radioactive revelation by Joseph Wilson regarding the false claims made by the administration regarding yellow-cake uranium from Niger to justify Bush's war.

Scott, are you a "person of interest" in the investigation?

How Long Before Scotty-Boy Decides He Wants to Spend More Time with His Family?

In a related story, Bush sends "Bulls Eye" lapel pins to the coalition of the willing, cajoled and bribed.

In the years after the Saturday Night Massacre, a well-known joke said that "borking" was "firing a man for doing exactly what he was hired to do" (i.e. Judge Bork had "borked" Archibald Cox, whose job had been to investigate criminal activities in the Nixon White House). After Bork's confirmation hearings, however, a new meaning was given to Bork's name: to be borked is to have one's presidential appointment defeated by the U.S. Senate. The suggestion is that this defeat was somehow unfair to the candidate and/or the President and was just partisan in nature.

Alternate Definition: To keep a demonstrably unfit person from obtaining a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land.

Academy Award Nominee for Best Feigned Outrage

The perfunctory efforts to root out this traitor by an administration that lauds itself with its national security credentials is a shameful disgrace.