Tag: Election 2004

Because He Says So.

“Don’t listen to the filter, or the facts — listen to the words.” By way of One Good Move and The Daily Show, the RNC Campaign Film George W. Bush: Words Speak Louder than Actions. It’s been making the rounds for a couple of days now, but still, this is a must-watch. (And there’s a transcript at Trenchant.)

The Rich Get Richer.

Not content with the elements of freak-show conservatism in his acceptance speech or the flattening effect of Dubya’s giveaways to the rich in recent years, Dubya is now threatening an official flat tax (not unlike the one imposed by fiat on Iraq last November.) As even Phil Gramm attested eight years ago, “It’s not fair to say that people who work with their head or with their hands ought to pay taxes, but people who earn their living with their capital ought not to.”

From the White Horse to the White House.

The fallout from the forthcoming and much-awaited Kitty Kelley book on the Bushes breaks on Drudge today, with Kelley exposing a new twist on what has basically amounted to an open secret: In the book, Kelley “quotes…former sister-in-law Sharon Bush who claims: ‘Bush did coke at Camp David when his father was President, and not just once either.’ Other acquaintances allege that as a 26-year-old National Guard, Bush ‘liked to sneak out back for a joint or into the bathroom for a line of cocaine.’” Again, not surprising, given other stories, previous rumors, and Dubya’s nervous habit of incessant sniffling, but it’s nice to see heroic Bush’s wastrel years finally get some play. Perhaps the media will manage to put two and two together.

A Nightmare in November.

I also found this grisly pic of Angry Cheney on Looka (and Eschaton), and it reminded me of something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. But, while walking Berkeley this evening, it came to me. In fact, I think I might just have figured out the inspiration behind Karl Rove’s whole two-faced strategy:



And, just to round out the meme…


(Pics via HalloweenTown. And a similar take on the Zellout can be found here, also via Eschaton.) Update: The Zellout also brought to mind this, but I ultimately thought it was a disservice to poor Bilbo. He wasn’t that far gone in Rivendell.

Take a Bullet, Get no Ballot.

By way of Looka and the NY Times editorial page, the Defense Department is trying to deny soldiers the secret ballot, and guess who they’re giving the votes to? “Omega Technologies is not an acceptable choice to run the program. Its chief executive, Patricia Williams, has donated $6,600 in this election cycle to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and serves on the committee’s Business Advisory Council. And while everything about the conduct of elections should be open to public scrutiny, Omega is far too secretive.“

Burying the News.

The nation’s senior citizens got a dose of what they could expect from a second Bush term yesterday: a 17.5% hike in Medicare premiums. Nice of the Post to accentuate the screwy timing of the announcement: “As most Americans began the Labor Day holiday weekend, federal health officials held a late-afternoon briefing to announce that the 42 million disabled and elderly Medicare beneficiaries will be hit with the largest premium increase in 15 years.“

Agents of Empire.

“Democracy matters are frightening in our time precisely because the three dominant dogmas of free-market fundamentalism, aggressive militarism, and escalating authoritarianism are snuffing out the democratic impulses that are so vital for the deepening and spread of democracy in the world. In short, we are experiencing the sad American imperial devouring of American democracy.” By way of Rebecca’s Pocket and DangerousMeta, Princeton philosopher (and Matrix Elder) Cornel West weighs in on the dangers of Dubyaism.

The Waiting Game.

“‘We’re at the height of the Roman Empire for the Republican Party…[but i]f we continue to lose 90 percent of the African American vote — and I got 7 percent — if we continue to lose 65 percent of the Hispanic vote, we’re toast…Just look at the electoral map.'” With or without a second term for Dubya, Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Chuck Hagel see trouble ahead for the GOP. Notes Hagel: “The Republican Party has come loose of its moorings.“

The Bush B.S. Bounce.

Are you sitting down? Time Magazine is reporting that Dubya’s now up 11 on Kerry, 52%-41%. Phew, that’s ugly…but we are post-convention now, and, various October surprises notwithstanding, I really can’t see how Dubya goes anywhere but down. Plus, we already know both Kerry and Edwards are solid closers. Still, the GOP and their corporate cronies have gotten away with misrepresenting John Kerry for far too long. For the sake of our republic, it’s time to push these lying bastards back. Update: A new Newsweek poll shows basically the same spread. Grr.