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RUBIN: "Do you think that American diplomats should be opera
http://www.jabberwonk.com/
RUBIN: "Do you think that American diplomats should be operating the way they have in the past, working with the Palestinian government if Hamas is now in charge?"
McCAIN: "They're the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice, so . . . but it's a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that."
As Rubin adds:
Given that exchange, the new John McCain might say that Hamas should be rooting for the old John McCain to win the presidential election. The old John McCain, it appears, was ready to do business with a Hamas-led government, while both Clinton and Obama have said that Hamas must change its policies toward Israel and terrorism before it can have diplomatic relations with the United States.
Even if McCain had not favored doing business with Hamas two years ago, he had no business smearing Barack Obama. But given his stated position then, it is either the height of hypocrisy or a case of political amnesia for McCain to inject Hamas into the American election.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05 /15/AR2008051503306.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
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Added: 2 months ago
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An ongoing exploration of the documents related to the Penta
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An ongoing exploration of the documents related to the Pentagon's "message force multipliers" program has unearthed a clip of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggesting that America, having voted the Democrats back into Congressional power, could benefit from suffering another terrorist attack, and doing so in the presence of the very same military analysts who went on to provide commentary and analysis of the Iraq War.
As documented by Newsvine, it all went down at a valedictory luncheon Rumsfeld hosted for those analysts on December 12, 2006. Many of the "message force multipliers" named in the original New York Times piece were in attendance, including David L. Grange, Donald W. Sheppard, James Marks, Rick Francona, Wayne Downing, and Robert H. Scales, Jr. They were treated to an extraordinary conversation (Newsvine has highlights, the hour-long clip of which can be found here) with Rumsfeld, that included many jaw-dropping moments, such as Rumsfeld admitting that in Iraq, the U.S. "can't lose militarily, but...can't win by military means alone," an agreement that Iraq could use a Syngman Rhee-type dictator (because that's what democracy smells like!), and a lengthy passage where Rumsfeld jokingly offers a bottle of champagne to anyone who could kill Moqtada al Sadr. You sure don't see too many people joking on al Sadr these days!
But by far the most extraordinary part of this luncheon is the antipathy the gathered members exhibit toward the American people for having the temerity to vote the Democrats back into power. When Lt. Gen. Michael DeLong bemoans the lack of "sympathetic ears" on Capitol Hill, Rumsfeld offers that the American people lack "the maturity to recognize the seriousness of the threats." What's to be done? According to Rumsfeld, "The correction for that, I suppose, is an attack."
RUMSFELD: "That's what I was just going to say. This President's pretty much a victim of success. We haven't had an attack in five years. The perception of the threat is so low in this society that it's not surprising that the behavior pattern reflects a low threat assessment. The same thing's in Europe, there's a low threat perception. The correction for that, I suppose, is an attack. And when that happens, then everyone gets energized for another period"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/13/rumsfeld-on-2006-el ection_n_101537.html
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Added: 2 months ago
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music by http://www.myspace.com/revolucian
http://www.jabberwonk.com/
music by http://www.myspace.com/revolucian
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Added: 2 months ago
Views: 13,833
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http://www.jabberwonk.com/
John McCain gave a speech about the US Constitution and he got
http://www.jabberwonk.com/
John McCain gave a speech about the US Constitution and he got a fundamental fact about the Fifth Amendment wrong. He says:
"There is hardly a clearer principle in all the Constitution than the right of private property. There is a very clear standard in the Constitution requiring not only just compensation in the use of eminent domain, but also that private property may NOT be taken for 'public use.' But apparently that standard has been 'evolving' too."
but the Fifth Amendment reads:
"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
McCain's campaign, embarrased by yet another Gaff by the Senior Senator from Arizona tried to cover this up by posting an edited video on his website and altering the transcription to read:
"There is a very clear standard in the Constitution requiring not only just compensation in the use of eminent domain, but also that private property may be taken only for 'public use.' But apparently that standard has been 'evolving' too."
Poor John McCain. He doesn't yet realize that in the age of YouTube, nothing can be disapeared down the Memory Hole.
Links:
Speech on McCain's website: http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/Speeches/Read.aspx? guid=5385b2dd-fc8f-4bc9-9fb0-da2e2f1d9f98
Wiki Entry on Fifth Amendment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_S tates_Constitution
Daily Kos entry uncovering the cover up: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/12/05425/2994/579/51401 7
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Added: 2 months ago
Views: 1,465
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Marijuana is no longer a taboo issue in the 2008 Presidential
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Marijuana is no longer a taboo issue in the 2008 Presidential Race.
Watch this video for a quick overview of each candidates positions on Medical Marijuana and the reform of the current laws.
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Added: 2 months ago
Views: 629
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"I just want to report that this morning I personally checked
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"I just want to report that this morning I personally checked John McCain's bearings. He has not lost any of them. They're all really in great shape." - Joe Lieberman
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Added: 2 months ago
Views: 462
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