Happy Hour Open Thread
* Jake Tapper reports that Obama was “furious” when he heard about this morning’s incident when the Air Force One and fighter jets appeared to fly towards Manhattan, prompting fears of another terror attack.
* The culprit behind the flyover issues a groveling apology.
* Sam Stein unearths proof that fierce Obama national security critic Newt Gingrich used to be willing to condemn what he called “torture.”
* Eric Kleefeld wonders what that Gallup torture poll would have found if the pollsters had used the T-word.
* Spencer Ackerman points out that the court of law, not of public opinion, is what renders the only verdict that counts.
* Conservative media figures are blaming immigrants for the flu outbreak.
* Glenn Thrush reports that John Boehner is now calling on the CIA to release info revealing what Nancy Pelosi knew about torture and when she knew it. So what about calling for the release of that CIA document saying torture didn’t foil any imminent attacks?
* Ryan Powers aptly argues that “the public should know exactly what and when the congressional leadership knew about the Bush administration’s use of torture” — Dems included.
* Andrew Sullivan also wants to know more about what Pelosi knew and when.
* Conservative bloggers keep up the assault on Obama’s teleprompter.
* And they discover that Chuck Schumer called the flu pandemic money “porky.”
* And for all his advantages, Obama is facing an unprecedented institutional hurdle standing in the way of his agenda.
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Conservatives and the teleprompter jokes are seriously painting themselves as the unpopular nerds in junior high school who always laughed at their own jokes, even though no one else ever did. Do they think if they just keep hitting it that it will finally catch on en masse? Dum De Dum Dum.
Doesn’t the teleprompter assault just play into the hands of those who want to portray the GOP as the party of no ideas?
The conserva-bloggers were helped by CNN, who played a segment called “Obama vs the Teleprompter” during the Situation Room. And ya wonder why CNN’s ratings are in the crapper. The like to say that they are “middle of the road” politically, but sometimes they just seem like FauxNews-lite.
CNN’s “Obama vs The Teleprompter”, segment was about Obama’s speech this morning when he spoke faster than the teleprompter. Gee, I wonder why CNN felt this deserved it’s own segue. So now wingnuts go crazy, and CNN aids and abets their delusions.
Did anyone else read about Fox entertainment network choosing to broadcast “Lie To Me” instead of the President’s presser Wednesday. That’s just stupid. Who wants to bet they change their minds? With this swine flu pandemic happening isn’t this the time to have Americans hear from their prez?
I would think public speaking abilities would be the last thing Republicans would want to talk about. Then again, the GOP has become such an obsolete fixture in American society I’m surprised we’re even talking about them.
Greg, I love this blog. Sorry just wanted to let you know.
Andrew Sullivan links a youtube video of George Bush speaking on AlArabiya following the Abu Graib scandal…
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“It’s important for people to understand that in a democracy, there will be a full investigation. In other words, we want to know the truth. In our country, when there’s an allegation of abuse … there will be a full investigation, and justice will be delivered. … It’s very important for people and your listeners to understand that in our country, when an issue is brought to our attention on this magnitude, we act. And we act in a way in which leaders are willing to discuss it with the media. … In other words, people want to know the truth. That stands in contrast to dictatorships. A dictator wouldn’t be answering questions about this. A dictator wouldn’t be saying that the system will be investigated and the world will see the results of the investigation.”
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/bushs-promise-on-torture.html
Joe Wilson makes a bloody good point…
“Among other documents Cheney should release is his testimony to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald about the role he played in the treasonous leak of the identity of a covert CIA office”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-26/freedom-of-disinformation/2/
Observation: I pointed out a couple of weeks ago that the ascent of Gingrich and Cheney as functioning spokespersons for the Republican Party corresponded with the descent of Rush Limbaugh in that role. That disappearance of Limbaugh seems even more pronounced now. As MediaMatters continues to detail, Rush’s commentary hasn’t changed. So, what’s going on?
One could reasonably conclude that there’s an aspect here of media tiring on one story and rushing elsewhere. But I’m guessing the change is more strategic than that. Limbaugh clearly has a loyal following but it is difficult to imagine how it might increase outside of crazy-beams directed at Earth from Tau Ceti. For the very reasons Carville and Begala worked to portray Limbaugh as the party leader, it would behoove that party to undercut this association.
There’s a NYT article up this morning http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/business/media/28abc.html?hp
that gives another reason besides 24 why Americans may be somewhat sanguine about waterboarding. Brian Ross of ABC News did a December 10, 2007 interview with a CIA officer, John Kiriakou, who participated in capturing Abu Zubaydah, in which Kiriakou indicated Zubaydah had been waterboarded for 30-35 seconds and after that answered every question. That interview became the basis of news stories and assumptions everywhere though Kiriakou himself had no first hand involvement with the interrogation or information about it and didn’t have it right.
“Kiriakou stepped up and helped shine some light on what has happening,” Mr. Ross said. “It wasn’t the huge spotlight that was needed, but it was some light”
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The terms “light”, “falsehoods” and “propaganda” are apparently synonyms. There’s not a single positive aspect here re ABC’s behavior. Even now, acknowledging the underestimation of “the CIA’s deviousness”, isn’t matched by any apparent regret or apology as to how ABC allowed itself to be so easily (not to mention, so predictably) used as part of a propaganda enterprise.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/opinion/28douthat.html
I’ve been busy and might have missed an earlier column by Douthat but I think this one is his first?
In any case, it’s good…thoughtful, clear-headed and honest. This is about five drawers above the lazy and shallow ‘contributions’ from Kristol.
Bernie, I agree on the Douthat article. I was surprised. He might be quite readable. He took a challenging idea and shaped it into something useful. It’s a column Kristol would have been incapable of writing on so many levels.