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Time for Bush to Stop Holding Our Breath and Turning Us Blue

Trish

So far, the Bush administration policy of freezing out governments who disagree with it and “enemy-izing” them is — who would have thought — not working. With North Korea and Iran, it’s taken us closer to nuclear annihilation. It’s made formerly friendly Central and South America defy us. European allies who thought that maybe the U.N. inspectors could be right about Saddam not having weapons of mass destruction have been turned into alienated exes.

The Baker/Hamilton Iraq Study Group is expected to suggest we commit to pulling troops out of Iraq. It will also say we need to stop acting like four-year-olds using the silent treatment on playmates who didn’t share their ice cream cones.

James P. Pinkerton in the Dallas Morning News says the Baker Commission will be right.

Back in the good ol’ days before that spoiled child who is our president took over, talking to people used to work.

[Baker] started the controversy in October: “I believe in talking to your enemies. I don’t think you restrict your conversations to your friends.” Then, anticipating his critics, he added: “In my view, it’s not appeasement to talk to your enemies.”

…Baker was doing his best to clear a path toward negotiating with players in the Middle East – most notably Syria and Iran – without those negotiations being tagged with the scarlet letter “A,” for appeasement.

It didn’t work. On Monday, the hawkish Wall Street Journal editorial page sounded the alarm [and] worried that Baker and the “foreign policy establishment” might pressure Bush to “appease” Syria.

But there’s no good alternative to diplomacy, Pinkerton says. […]

On This Date – December 1

Jon Ponder
  • 2005 – Poll ranks Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif) as the fifth most unpopular governor. [Pensito Review]
  • 1986 – Lt. Colonel Oliver North pleads the 5th Amendment before a Senate panel investigating the Iran-Contra arms sale. [Xoom.it]
  • 1976 – In Florida, Willard Allen was released from a mental hospital 26 years after he was ordered by a judge to be held there for having sex with another man. His doctors had been recommending his release for almost 20 years. [365Gay]
  • 1899 – Birth of Robert Welch, founder of the John Birch Society [Xoom.it]
  • 1824 – The election to succeed Pres. James Monroe was thrown to the House of Representatives on December 1, 1824. Per instruction in the 12th Amendment, when none of the four leading candidates received over 50 percent of the vote the House took a vote. John Quincy Adams, whose father was president after Washington, eventually defeated Gen. Andrew Jackson, Sec. of War John C. Calhoun, and Sec. of the Treasury William H. Crawford. [History Channel]

Poll: Only 14% Agree with Bush That Iraq Conflict Is Not a Civil War

Jon Ponder

After months of polls that show around 30 percent of Americans — let’s call them “Dead-Enders” — approve of or agree with the president, there is a new poll out that indicates that no more than 14 percent of Americans believe that the crisis the president and his team have created in Iraq is not a civil war. And the poll is from no less a conservative bastion than the Wall Street Journal:

Sixty-eight percent of U.S. adults said they believe there is a civil war in Iraq, the online poll from Nov. 13 to Nov. 20 found, compared with 14 percent who disagree and 18 percent who aren’t sure…

About half of those polled would like the government to set a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq, while 18% favor withdrawing all U.S. troops now and 19% favor sending more troops to stabilize the situation.

The 18 percent who aren’t sure whether it’s a civil war are a bit scary but maybe they’ll see reality soon too.

Now Even Mona Charon Hates America

Jon Ponder
“I think [Pres. Bush] is failing. I think he is confusing stubbornness for strength.”
— Mona Charon

On Tuesday, we reported that one of the rightwing’s most reliable idealogues, Rich Lowry, had written a column in which he criticized Pres. Bush.

This was notable because just a few months ago conservatives like Lowry were telling us that criticizing the president equalled hating America.

This morning on C-SPAN, Mona Charon — the brunette Ann Coulter and the author of “Useful Idiots,” which is apparently a screed about liberals — joined the hate-America-first crowd.

About Pres. Bush she said, “I think he is failing. I think he is confusing stubbornness for strength.”

Of course, Charon spent the rest of her half hour interview trotting out the rightwing’s list of excuses for the failure of the war in Iraq — that it was the media’s fault, the Democrats’ fault, the CIA’s fault, etc.

But it is interesting that Pres. Bush has lost the support of cheerleaders in the rightwing chattering class like Charon and Lowry. If they go, so will a good chunk of what’s left of the 33 percent of Americans who still think he’s doing a heckuva job.

Froomkin: Mainstream Media Is Verging on Irrelevance

Jon Ponder
The Washington press corps have become the highest paid and most elaborately be-wigged courtiers since the reign of Louis XIV.

Flock of hair-dos: Dan Froomkin writes the often-controversial “White House Briefing” column in the online edition of the Washington Post. He has an article up today at Watchdog Blog in which he proposes that the Old Media journalists may be close to losing their relevance, primarily because they steadfastly refuse to call bullshit when they hear it:

Mainstream-media political journalism is in danger of becoming increasingly irrelevant, but not because of the Internet, or even Comedy Central. The threat comes from inside. It comes from journalists being afraid to do what journalists were put on this green earth to do.

What is it about Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert that makes them so refreshing and attractive to a wide variety of viewers (including those so-important younger ones)? I would argue that, more than anything else, it is that they enthusiastically call bullshit.

Calling bullshit, of course, used to be central to journalism as well as to comedy. And we happen to be in a period in our history in which the substance in question is running particularly deep. The relentless spinning is enough to make anyone dizzy, and some of our most important political battles are about competing views of reality more than they are about policy choices. Calling bullshit has never been more vital to our democracy.

What strikes me is that these same expensively coiffed Kool Kids in the Capitol were all too eager to call bushwa on Pres. Clinton but have treated George W. Bush with kids gloves from the getgo — even prior to the 9/11 attacks.

Why the change in dynamics? My theory about this is that the journalists in D.C. looked down on Bill Clinton because a) he was a hick from Arkansas (Rhodes Scholar, pish-pish!) and b) they made four times as much money as he did even on his salary as president. Conversely, this same group sees the Bushes, whose family fortune is in the millions, as aristocrats — literally as their “betters” — and so treat them with deference.

This makes the Washington press corps the highest paid and most elaborately be-wigged courtiers since the reign of Louis XIV.

But Froomkin’s central point is key: Until the midterm elections last month, these journalists stood as the last bastion for democracy against a six year onslaught by Republicans to convert America from a republic to a corporatist oligarchy. Generally, they have been derelict in their duty. The Democrats won back the Congress despite the so-called liberal media. It is telling that within days after the voting the cable newsers were ignoring the infighting and disarray among Republicans and focusing instead on Speaker-to-Be Nancy Pelosi’s clothes and botox treatments.

If the United States survives the Bush era, it won’t be because the media stopped the GOP from systematically shredding the Constitution but because the Republicans’ incompetence at (or lack of interest in) governing caused them to fail.

On This Date – November 30

Jon Ponder
  • 1992 – Senator Robert Packwood, R-Ore., facing an Ethics Committee investigation of sexual harassment allegations, entered an alcohol-treatment facility. [Xoom.it]
  • 1936 – Birth of Abbie Hoffman, American activist (died 1989) [Wiki]
  • 1931 – G. Gordon Liddy was born on this date. He is a radio talk show host now but served time for his part in the Watergate scandal that brought down Pres. Richard Nixon. [NYT]
  • 1900 – Death of Oscar Wilde, Irish writer (b. 1854), not long after serving prison time for the crime of being gay. [Wiki]

Bush Team Tries Rovian ‘Spin & Smear’ Tactics with Maliki

Jon Ponder

The Bush team tried some of their patented political tricks on the international stage this week, but their run of luck appears to have played out, no matter what stage they are on.

As the president headed to Jordan for a summit meeting with King Abdullah and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, the Bush team leaked a memo written by National Security Adivsor Stephen Hadley in which he was critical of Maliki to the New York Times:

[The] reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions, or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action.

Maliki was already in trouble at home with the head of a Shia faction who threatened to pull his followers out of the Iraqi parliament, which could cause the government to collapse.

While it’s possible that the leak to the New York Times was intended to give Maliki cover back home, his reaction to it seems to indicate that he was offended by it. He canceled an appearance at a state dinner with Bush and the king last night.

Maliki finally met with Bush this morning and at a news conference afterwards, the body language between them was not good.

Heading to Mecca for Hajj? Better Get Your Shots

Buck Banks

Holy vaccinations: If you are of the Muslim persuasion and plan to join a couple million fellow believers for the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, between Dec. 29, 2006, and Jan. 3, 2007, better make sure you have your vaccination records up to date. When it comes to the potential of the annual gathering of Allah’s faithful to serve as a giant petri dish for the world’s most popular diseases, the Saudis don’t mess around. Sounds like a good place to get really sick:

The congregation of so many people from different parts of the world in unavoidably overcrowded conditions within a confined area for a short period of time presents many public health challenges. The combination of physical exertion, overcrowding and any pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic chest conditions, renal and liver disease favour local and possibly international spread of communicable diseases, including meningococcal infections, influenza, tuberculosis and gastrointestinal infections.

This year’s vaccination requirements and advice have been issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj for the most serious communicable disease risks:

Meningococcal meningitis
All Hajj pilgrims are now required to submit proof of vaccination with the quadrivalent vaccine against meningococcal meningitis types A, C and W135Y as part of the Hajj visa application to Saudi Arabia. This should be recorded in a vaccination book showing the traveler’s full name.

Chemoprophylaxis against meningococcal infection will also be given to all people arriving in Saudi Arabia from countries in the African meningitis belt.

Polio
All travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised to ensure their polio vaccination is up to date. Travelers whose last dose of polio was more than ten years ago should receive a booster, using the trivalent tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccine.

The WHO considers the following countries to be polio-affected (as of Oct. 4, 2006): Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal, Sudan, Yemen.

Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus is found in body fluids and can be transmitted either through skin breakages or by close sexual contact. Transmission through the skin may occur through the use of contaminated medical, dental, or other instruments; all pilgrims should consider hepatitis B vaccine. One of the rites of Hajj is for men to have their head shaved. Although the Saudi authorities provide licensed barbers who use a new blade for each pilgrim, other barbers may not conform to such standards. Shaving with a previously used blade could carry a risk of hepatitis B and other bloodborne infections, and so communal use of a razor or blade to shave each other should be avoided. Pilgrims should consider taking with them a disposable razor for this purpose. This will also help to protect against hepatitis C virus infection.

Influenza
Recent studies have shown a high incidence of influenza infections during the Hajj, and so it would seem prudent to regard all Hajj pilgrims as at risk. The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia recommends that pilgrims be vaccinated against influenza before arrival, particularly those with pre-existing conditions (e.g., the elderly, people with chronic chest or heart diseases, or those with cardiac, hepatic or renal failure).

Vectorborne diseases
Yellow fever
All travelers arriving from countries endemic for yellow fever must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate in accordance with the International Health Regulations. In the absence of such a certificate, the person will be vaccinated upon arrival and placed under strict surveillance for six days from the day of vaccination or the last date of potential exposure to infection, whichever is earlier.

Saudi authorities also require that aircraft and other means of transportation arriving from areas infected with yellow fever are requested to submit a certificate indicating disinfection in accordance with international health regulations.

Malaria
Malaria is not normally present in Medina or Mecca, but is a risk in other areas of Saudi Arabia including the southwestern region and rural areas of the western region. Pilgrims may also plan further travel before or after Hajj to countries in Asia and Africa, and should seek advice about malaria prevention. Pilgrims are advised to practice insect bite avoidance measures that also protects against other vectorborne diseases.

Helluva way to get to heaven ….

Lou Dobbs Creates a Political Wave

Jon Ponder

The Bush era has changed Lou Dobbs. Early in the administration, the host of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” CNN’s daily financial news show, once described himself on the air as a conservative and a supporter of the president.

Now he’s using the bully pulpit of his anchor desk to crusade against Bush policies, especially on illegal immigration and the unbridling of corporatism by the government, and has become the de facto spokesman for a rising centrist populist movement.

His fans are generally moderates from both parties, who call themselves “Lou Dobbs Democrats” or “Lou Dobbs Republicans,” respectively. Like Dobbs, they are upset with Republicans’ incompetence and corruption but are less than sanguine about the odds that Democrats will fix the hard problems.

These voters in the agitated middle helped throw the bums out in 2006, and they could play a significant role in the 2008 elections, especially if a third-party candidate emerges who campaigns on their issues.

The shape of the movement so far is secular and libertarian on social issues, which could bode well for liberal causes like choice and gay rights. But Dobbs’ populism sees illegal immigration as a dangerous threat to our security and financial stability. It also puts a low priority on the social welfare of the immigrants, which is a position liberals don’t generally share.

If you want to know more Dobbs and his views, there are three new articles up:

• “Mad As Hell: Lou Dobbs’s populist crusade” –The New Yorker
• “The Lou Dobbs Factor” —New York
• “Lou Dobbs Turns on the CEOs” —Mother Jones
• “The Secret Life of Lou Dobbs” —The American

(Via Jossip)

NC-08: Kissell Concedes

Jon Ponder

Populist Democratic candidate Larry Kissell has conceded his race for the 8th District congressional seat held by textile heir Rep. Robin Hayes:

“The fight for the future of this district is too important to postpone another day. That’s why I’m running for Congress in 2008 starting right now,” Kissell said in a statement. “After today’s recounts, I offer U.S. Rep. Hayes a belated congratulation for his victory now that the votes have been counted.”

Kissell conceded even though only five of the ten counties in the district had completed the hand recount requested by the Democrat. The rest were to conduct the hand recounts on Thursday.

Kissell trailed Hayes by just 329 votes out of 121,523 cast following a machine recount last week. He gained only two votes Wednesday during the first phase of the hand recount, during which election officials manually recount votes in a sample of precincts covering 3 percent of the votes cast in the race.

Rep. Hayes has a record of voting for trade deals that have moved textile jobs from his district overseas — despite the fact that his family built a fortune in the textile industry in the region a century ago.