Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : I Will Continue to Continue, to Pretend.... -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/16/2006 2:16:14 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Quiet: MSM at work, part 4 Power Line Yesterday I noted that the Minneapolis Star Tribune had declined to publish Col. Joe Repya's letter condemning Nick Coleman's column of this past Sunday. Today the Star Tribune prints one letter regarding Coleman's column: <<< WAVING 'THE BLOODY SHIRT' GOP does it again For about 30 years after the Civil War, Republicans used a political tactic called "the bloody shirt" -- figuratively waving a bloody shirt that represented the carnage of the Civil War -- in an effort to scare voters into voting for them. They used this tactic brilliantly to remind voters they were the party that would protect them from further mayhem. The absurd ad by the Progress for the American Voter Fund has found a new "bloody shirt" to wave, and its name is 9/11. PETER WOOLLEN, MINNEAPOLIS >>> Woollen doesn't exactly elaborate on how the advertisement "waves the bloody shirt," but it must be by pointing out that we are fighting al Qaeada among others in Iraq. Woollen's letter will apparently stand as the last word in the paper on Coleman's column. powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 1:00:54 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

The MSM & DNC stoops to new lows. Yes, it's hard to believe they could, but they have. And keep in mind the same MSM uncritically reported all of Cindy Sheehan's lies & outrageous remarks. Shut up, they explained Posted by Scott Power Line We've obtained a copy of a striking message sent out by Minnesota Democrats seeking to silence the television advertisements featuring soldiers and the parents of fallen soldiers supporting the war in Iraq. Why would Democrats want to silence the voices of these citizens? (You can see the two ads here.) midwestheroes.com Here is the text of the e-mail message from the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party calling for the ad to be pulled: <<< Dear DFLer, I’ve heard from many of you that you are disturbed by the misleading "Midwest Heroes" ads produced by Progress for America Voter Fund that are currently being run by KARE 11 and WCCO. The ads erroneously make a connection between Iraq and the 9/11 terrorists attacks and suggest that the war in Iraq will prevent an attack by Al Queda in America. The 9/11 Commission findings clearly state that there was no connection between Iraq and the the Al Queda terrorists attacks on 9/11. We must call for media responsibility regarding this issue. We have extraordinary sympathy for our troops and their families and believe that while our soldiers’ role is to protect the citizens of our country, it is our role as citizens to protect our soldiers and to make certain that they are not misused. It is a travesty that the tragedies of five countries and the deaths of our brave men and women are being used in this type of propaganda. Right now, our state is a testing ground for these ads. If Minnesota speaks out and says no to this ad, the entire country can thank us. What we do here, now, will have an enormous impact on the success or failure of this kind of swiftboating in 06. You can view the ads at: midwestheroes.com Additionally, WCCO did a Reality Check stating that the ad is misleading and partly true, which in my mind means that it is partly false. See it at: wcco.com@wcco.dayport.com If you feel that this ad is doing a disservice to our troops and is misleading at best, and pure propaganda at worst, please call: KARE 11 at 763 546 1111 WCCO at 612 370 0611 to ask for the removal of the ads. Letters to the Editor in your local paper would be helpful to point out the untruths being communicated to citizens as fact. Thanks in advance for being a voice of truth, and for all that you do to improve the state of our nation and state. DFL Chair Brian Melendez will be holding a press conference at the State Capitol today at 2:30 to ask that this ad be pulled from the air waves. He will be joined by congressional candidate and veteran Tim Walz. Please tune in to your evening news to see coverage of this important event. Sincerely, Donna Donna Cassutt, Associate Chair, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party >>> The new ad features the mother of Army Sergeant Michael Carlson of St. Paul, the young man who wrote his credo as a senior at Cretin High School: <<< "When I am on my deathbed, what am I going to look back on? Will it be thirty years of fighting crime and protecting the country of all enemies, foreign and domestic? I want my life to account for something...I only have so much time. I want to be good at life; I want to be known as the best of the best at my job. I want people to need me, to count on me...I want to fight for something, be part of something that is greater than myself. I want to be a soldier..." >>> The Midwest Heroes site includes the rest of the story here: <<< After serving nearly four years in the Army, including a final stint with the Ice Platoon (82nd Engineers), Michael, 22, fulfilled those prophetic words. During a night mission, his platoon was assigned to cordon off and take out of commission, two bomb-making factories. As the Bradley they were driving was going over a culvert in the roadway, the culvert gave way and the vehicle rolled over backwards into the water. Seven soldiers were in the Bradley; five died, including Michael. A rescue unit was able to save two other soldiers, in large part because before he died, Michael was able to partly pry open the hatch in the vehicle. Says [Michael's mother] Merrilee, "We are privileged to have men and women serving in the military who are willing to give their lives, their time, and their energy to preserve, protect and defend our freedom." "We can't leave this work undone in Iraq. We can all argue about how we might have gotten there. But we're there and we need to see it through... I suppose we could have taken the beaches at Normandy," Merrilee said, "and then decided it was too expensive or too difficult to keep going. I wonder what the world would look like today." midwestheroes.com >>> On Memorial Day last year the Wall Street Journal published Carlson's credo under the heading "An American Soldier." See also our post "Michael Carlson and his credo." opinionjournal.com powerlineblog.com JOHN adds: It's interesting that, while the Democratic Party repeatedly claims that the "Midwest Heroes" ad is false and misleading, it cites only one statement that it alleges is incorrect: "The ads erroneously make a connection between Iraq and the 9/11 terrorists attacks...." The Democrats' assertion is false. Here is what the ad says: [O]ur enemy in Iraq is al Qaeda--the same terrorists who killed three thousand Americans on 9/11, the same terrorists from the first World Trade Center bombing, the USS Cole, Madrid, London, and many more. The ad doesn't say Iraq was behind September 11; it says that we are now fighting al Qaeda in Iraq, which is obviously true. The Democrats just made their charge up, because there is no legitimate basis on which the ad can be criticized. Minnesota's Democratic Party should be ashamed of itself. JOHN adds one more: The Minneapolis Star Tribune has more tonight. They report on KSTP television's refusal to run the "Midwest Heroes" ad. KSTP refused to air the ad because it included a sentence that was critical of the media: "You'd never know it from the news reports but our enemy in Iraq is Al-Qaida, the same terrorists who killed 3,000 Americans on 9/11." KSTP says: <<< We think it may or may not be true for other media but we know it's not true about us, which is why we wouldn't take those spots. >>> The paper also reports on the Democratic Party's press conference demanding that the veterans' freedom of speech be squelched: <<< DFL Party Chairman Brian Melendez called a news conference to call the ad "un-American, untruthful and a lie." "Minnesota has a chance to take a stand against this misleading and untruthful propaganda," he said. Referring to controversial ads that ran during the last presidential race, he said, "Minnesota TV stations should pull this ad and send a message that we will not tolerate this kind of 'swift-boating' anymore." >>> So now soldiers who support the war they fought in are "un-American." Unbelievable. And, by the way, does anyone have any idea what "Swiftboating" is supposed to mean? Is that when a veteran says something that liberals disagree with? Is it when a serviceman publicly describes events that he participated in and witnessed with his own eyes? I'm not sure just what the criteria are, but it seems clear that only veterans and servicemen can be guilty of the dreaded crime of "Swiftboating." Finally, Strib columnist Nick Coleman attacks the new ad, which features the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq: <<< Americans are divided about this war. But there are patriots on all sides of the debate and there are many families, including those in mourning, praying for an end to it. These cynical ads ignore that. They exploit the fallen and are a disservice to the troops. More than that, they are lies. >>> Strong language. But what, exactly, were the lies in the second ad? Coleman hints at only one: <<< The final mother figure in the ad tells the camera: "We have to finish this job to remember Erik's sacrifice, and all of the other fallen heroes." She is identified as M. J. Kesterson, and many viewers will assume she is the mother of Chief Warrant Officer Erik Kesterson, 29, a helicopter pilot killed in 2003 who figures prominently in the ad. But she's not his mom. M.J. Kesterson is married to Erik's father, who also appears in the ad, and she's Erik's stepmother. >>> So that's the "lie." Of course, the ad doesn't say Mrs. Kesterson is Kesterson's mother rather than his stepmother; that's just what "many viewers will assume." In other words, it isn't a lie at all. The hatred and fear with which liberals treat the efforts of a handful of servicemen and their families to express support for their mission and optimism about its outcome is sickening. JOHN adds more: A reader writes to say that the DFL got the wrong number for WCCO TV. The real number is 612-339-4444. Feel free to call if you want to express support for servicemen's freedom of speech. powerlineblog.com startribune.com startribune.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 1:51:46 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

A word from Major Cleveland Posted by Scott Power Line Last night we wrote about the disgusting efforts of Minnesota Democrats to shut down the Progress for America advertising campaign feauturing soldiers and the families of fallen soldiers supporting the war in Iraq. The advertising campaign is of course in part a predictable response to the media celebration of Cindy Sheehan. The response was in fact predicted by Major Diggs Cleveland writing this past December on 4 Mile Creek. Major Cleveland wrote: [T]he Republican response to this lady's vamping in the limelight should be so simple, so easy (and so effective once it takes place) that it is hard to understand why the Dems have hung so much of their future on this hag. The Dems have one single embittered, America-hating, anti- Semitic, publicty hound to parade in front of American voters. The Republicans will be able to find hundreds of parents; well spoken, educated, sincere parents who are not seeking to cash in on their son or daughter's service and death in Iraq, who will counter the message that Cindy Sheehan speaks for them. They will step forward, and talk about the love they had for their children; of the sacrifice their son or daughter made, of their heartfelt loss, and of the incredible sense of pride they have in their son or daughter's service. Despite their death in Iraq. Now that soldiers such as Minnesota's Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson and parents such as the mother of St. Paul's Michael Carlson have in fact stepped forward to say their piece, the Democrats and their media mouthpieces such as Nick Coleman are doing their best to defame them and suppress their message. Major Cleveland is serving in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division. In a message last night from Baghdad, Major Cleveland writes: "What I hadn’t even dreamed of, was that the Democrats would stoop so low as to say that those same families had no right to call their sons and daughters heroes. There is no shame in the Democratic Party anymore. No shame." http://powerlineblog.com/archives/013166.php powerlineblog.com progressforamerica.org diggsc.typepad.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 2:05:24 PM
From: Sully-	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 35834

Left-wing nuthouse Posted by Scott Power Line What would Hubert Humphrey -- "the Happy Warrior" -- think of his progeny in the contemporary Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party who are devoting themselves to squelching the voices of soldiers and the families of fallen soldiers who support the war in Iraq? The progeny of "the Happy Warrior" are unhappy with warriors disputing the Democrats' crude antiwar propaganda. Humphrey himself must have had his fill of their ilk as Lyndon Johnson's vice president and as candidate for president in 1968 when they were an irritating wing of the party rather than its beating heart. Here in the Twin Cities, where the Minneapolis Star Tribune is the overwhelmingly dominant purveyor of news/opinion, we're living in a left-wing nuthouse. How else to explain the fact that the Star Tribune's premier columnist has now devoted two bizarre columns to rants against advertisements giving voice to soldiers who are putting their lives on the line for the likes of Coleman? How else to explain the disgusting DFL campaign to suppress the voices of soldiers and their families who have a message departing from the left-wing party line? In a sane setting, the DFL campaign would be condemned as a source of shame and dishonor. At Right Wing Nuthouse Rick Moran recalls Hubert Humphrey and speculates that "The Happy Warrior is weeping in his grave." rightwingnuthouse.com UPDATE: Dean Henderson adds: "I just wanted to thank you for the heads up on the Minnesota DFL's attempt to stifle Midwest Heroes. I thought if they could publish numbers to KARE 11 and WCCO in an attempt to pressure them to take the ad off the air, it was OK for me to call the DFL and let them know what I felt about their actions. So I called them at 651- 251-6300 and left a message with Donna Cassutt, the State Associate Chair. You can also send them an email by going to www.dfl.org and clicking on contact us." ANOTHER WORD: Speaking of left-wing nuthouses, it appears that Coleman availed himself of research assistance on "the Delores Kesterson issue" from his friends at Daily Kos. Hasn't Coleman been taught to credit his sources? Or does he think that attributing his revelation to "Hesiod" might sound goofy? powerlineblog.com dailykos.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 2:21:57 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Why Soldiers Have to Buy Advertising Time to Explain the War Posted by John Power Line Reader Sara Kennedy writes: <<< I just wanted to let you know that I had a very interesting conversation last night with Patricia Macintosh. She is a flight attendant with Omni Airlines International which handles some of the transporting of soldiers from the US to Iraq. She is older, from Birmingham England (she has lived in the US for 30 years) and decided to take these flights after she retired. I was curious about her experience and I asked her about the flights. She immediately expressed her anger and frustration with what Americans did not know. She explained there were schools and sewer systems being built and soldiers going back tour after tour. She said she would do anything to get the word out because Americans just "don't have a clue." I explained that some of us do. She was obviously emotional over the media circus surrounding the war and it was clear this was discussed with the soldiers on these very long flights. She is very supportive and has been given letters and medals from some of the soldiers she has met. It was a captivating conversation. Even though I know the situation in Iraq is much better than I'm being told, it was still very emotional to hear first hand what has been going on in Iraq and with the soldiers. She is in Edina until March 1st when she leaves to go back to Iraq. She said she would be there now if she wasn't having minor health problems. She also saved a young mother and her baby from drowning in our apartment complex pool. She is nearly 70, probably doesn't weigh more than 110 lbs. What a lady! >>> She'd better be careful, though, about expressing those "un-American" views, or the Democratic Party will start demanding that she shut up. powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 2:37:49 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

[Y]you seem to feel the First Amendment freedom of speech does not apply to the very service people who fight for that freedom unless they support your agenda.... ....We in the military are proud to protect the rights guaranteed Americans by our Constitution, but both sides of the war argument share those rights. It is unfortunate that you feel that veterans and Gold Star parents have no right to voice their opinion unless it is against the War. "You" being the MSM of course. An open letter to Nick Coleman Posted by Scott Power Line Lt. Col. Joe Repya -- now serving his third tour of wartime duty on behalf of the United States -- has sent us a copy of his open letter to Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman (which I have slightly edited): <<< Dear Mr. Coleman: I'm an active duty Army Officer who recently returned from Iraq and must respond to your columns attacking Iraqi War Veterans and Gold Star Parents. I'm troubled that you have been both dishonest and blatantly partisan. Let's start with last Sunday's column. While attacking the honesty of Iraqi service veterans you "conveniently" failed to mention the truth about your major "nonpartisan" source, Paul Rieckhoff, of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Rieckhoff was a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a state Chairman for Veterans for Kerry and in 2003 delivered the Democratic Party Saturday counter radio response for one of President Bush's radio addresses. You also mislabeled ex-Governor Jesse Ventura, an IAVA board advisor, as a "nonpartisan." Who do think you're kidding? No, the war is not going "swimmingly," but most service members who have recently been in Iraq will tell you we are winning. I'm not sure what poll Mr. Rieckhoff was quoting in your column but the Military Times 2005 Iraq Poll of our service members (released January 2006) has some interesting results. The Poll found that 73% of the respondents believe it's likely the United States will succeed in Iraq. Four of every five respondents said they believe media reports often are "inaccurate." However you seem to feel the First Amendment freedom of speech does not apply to the very service people who fight for that freedom unless they support your agenda. What angers me the most is how in your Friday column you turned really nasty with attacks on the Gold Star families in the second ad. In your world stepparents -- some who actually raised the fallen service member -- have even less right to speak their minds than veterans. By implying that a fallen soldier's stepmother was not his "mom" is viciously ignorant and hateful on your part. Perhaps you should also stop using the radical Daily Kos for your material or identify them as your source. Let's debunk your "Big Lie" while we are at it, that we went to war only because of WMD's. The Congressional authorization to use force in Iraq was a bipartisan vote of 77 Senators and 296 US House members listing 16 reasons they were approving military action. WMD's were only one of those 16. Many nations believed the same intelligence we did. The bottom line is most of us in the military know what is at stake in the War on Terror and believe radical liberals like you can't be trusted with our National Defense. We in the military are proud to protect the rights guaranteed Americans by our Constitution, but both sides of the war argument share those rights. It is unfortunate that you feel that veterans and Gold Star parents have no right to voice their opinion unless it is against the War. This is the real disservice to our troops and our fallen heroes. Shame on you Mr. Coleman, you appear to be a very hateful person! Respectfully, Joe Repya Lieutenant Colonel, US Army 101ST Airborne Division (Air Assault) Fort Campbell, KY A veteran of Vietnam, the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom >>> Col. Repya's letter refers to Coleman's attack on the second Progress for America ad for presenting M.J. Kesterson in a context that would cause viewers to conclude she was Erik Kesterson's mother when she was in fact his stepmother. From an interview with Bill O'Reilly, it appears that Erik "for the most part" lived with and was raised by his father and M.J. Kesterson. Erik Kesterson's mother Dolores is an opponent of the war in the mold of Cindy Sheehan. For Nick Coleman's nutty Daily Kos source (as well as for the at least equally nutty Nick Coleman), "the Dolores Kesterson issue" is key to the alleged falsity of the second Progress for America ad. powerlineblog.com foxnews.com foxnews.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 2:46:18 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

I am a retired, five-term elected Democrat who believes the invasion of Iraq was probably a mistake. And, I think the news media puts a negative spin on the war and dishonors our troops. and their families. An open letter to Pat Kessler Posted by Scott Power Line Pat Kessler is the local Twin Cities WCCO television news political reporter (now also with his own radio talk show on 100.3 FM). In my book, Pat is at the top of the heap with Star Tribune reporter Kevin Duchschere as the straightest shooter in the Twin Cities media. (Both of them, incidentally, are among the nicest folks in the business as well.) But I thought that Pat's "Reality Check" finding the first of the Progress for America advertisements deficient on a number of grounds was not up to his usual standards. Former Pima County (Arizona) Attorney Steve Neely performed his own "reality check" on Pat's "Reality Check" and wrote him as follows: <<< Dear Mr. Kessler: I found my way to your "reality check" of the Midwestern Heroes' ads. You have misled your viewers and you should be ashamed of yourself. You completely misrepresented the finding of the MRC study by taking the 61% figure out of context. In fact as you are no doubt aware the media coverage of the war in Iraq is overwhelmingly negative. In case you didn't bother to read the MRC report, the link is cited below. Also, there is a cite to a blogspot, now retired, with a daily roundup via Google of imbalanced media activity on Iraq that is shocking. chrenkoff.blogspot.com mrc.org By the way, isn't there a difference between talk shows and the news media? The links below are among those that reference the presence of al Zarqawi, hence al Qaeda, in Iraq before the invasion. Your "subsequently moved in there" statement is a media fabrication at odds with intelligence reports and a mass of evidence documenting the presence of al Qaeda in Iraq prior to the invasion. There is no credible evidence to the contrary! frontpagemag.com cpt-mi.org I'm sure you don't need me to point out the other nuances you used to dupe your viewers into believing that the Iraq veterans lied to them, but I wanted you to know that there are folks out here who can see how you operate. Incidentally, I am a retired, five-term elected Democrat who believes the invasion of Iraq was probably a mistake. And, I think the news media puts a negative spin on the war and dishonors our troops. and their families. Steve Neely Ashland, Oregon >>> To the extent that Mr. Neely's message attributes malicious motives or willful deception to Pat, it is off the mark. It is otherwise a useful counterpoint to Pat's "Reality Check." powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/18/2006 2:51:27 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

An open letter to Minnesota Democrats Posted by Scott Power Line Well, it's not exactly an open letter. But Col. Rick Waddell's message to us addresses the disgusting behavior of Minnesota Democrats seeking to suppress the voices of soldiers and the families of fallen soldiers expressing their support of the war in Iraq via the Progress for America advertisements: <<< Have you ever noticed that when Democrats dissent on the Iraqi campaign, and their criticism or dissent is rebutted, they quickly seek refuge with, "How dare you question my patriotism"? Yet, here we have the head of the Minnesota DFL calling Iraqi veterans and their families "un-American" for stating their beliefs about the war. Republicans are often senseless when it comes to the cut-and-thrust of local politics, but here is a case where Minnesota Republicans, followed shortly thereafter by the national Republican Party, should 1) call for a written and public apology from Brain Melendez to the veterans and their families; 2) call for Melendez to resign as Chairman of the DFL, as he is unfit to head a reputable political outfit; 3) call on other prominent Democrat leaders to repudiate Melendez and his ugly statements. More personally, I'm an Iraqi veteran twice over. I know we fight Al Qaeda, among others, in Iraq. I know Al Qaeda attacked us repeatedly in the 1990s, attacked the USS Cole in 2000, and attacked us again on 9-11-2001. Since I share the same knowledge and beliefs as the people in the "Midwest Heroes" ads, Melendez has also insulted me as an un-American liar. I want an apology from him and from his party. By the way, I was also serving in the 101st until very recently, but unfortunately did not run into LTC Repya. I hope I can still serve at his age. Rick Waddell COL, US Army Reserve >>> powerlineblog.com progressforamerica.org

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/20/2006 1:06:14 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Events this past week in Minnesota provide a graphic illustration of the crossover among the Internet's nutty left, the mainstream media, and the heart of the Democratic Party. We think this is one of the most important stories of the past week. A case study Posted by Scott Power Line In Minnesota the Democratic Party has undertaken a campaign to suppress two advertisements giving voice to the sentiments of Iraq war veterans and Gold Star Families who support the war. Brian Melendez is the chairman of the Minnesota Democratic Party. This past Thursday Melendez called a press conference and condemned the first of the two advertisements -- the one featuring the veterans -- as "un-American, untruthful and a lie." The two advertisements can be viewed here. midwestheroes.com The first of the two ads is devoted to the Iraq war veterans; the second to the Gold Star Families, featuring Merrilee Carlson of St. Paul. Mrs. Carlson's son Michael was killed in Iraq last year; the Wall Street Journal published Michael's "credo" this past Memorial Day. In Minnesota the mask has fallen from the Democratic Party. It has condemned the message of Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson and the other veterans supporting the mission in Iraq as "un-American." Yet it has gone beyond its outrageous condemnation of the ads. It has actually sought to suppress the message of the featured war veterans and Gold Star Families, emailing Party members and urging them to contact television stations demanding "the removal of the ads." What do Minnesota's Democratic Party candidates, such as Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar or Congressional candidate Coleen Rowley, think of their Party's campaign condemning the servicemen and Gold Star families in the ads as "un-American"? What do they think of their Party's campaign to suppress the advertisements as "un-American"? Does Brian Melendez speak for them? And what of the Minneapolis Star Tribune? Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman has now devoted two hysterical columns to condemnations of the advertisements. Coleman's first column made a basic error of fact as a result of its reliance on a far-left Web site and cited the testimony of a Kerry delegate to the 2004 Democratic convention as a "nonpartisan" source. (John fisked the column, see at link below.) Coleman's second column fastened on "the Delores Kesterson issue" -- attacking the Gold Star Families ad for presenting the stepmother of Erik Kesterson in lieu of his mother. For this bizarre point Coleman relied without attribution on his friend "Hesiod" at Daily Kos. Coleman overlooked fellow St. Paulite Merilee Carlson -- the genuine biological mother of Michael Carlson -- in this rant. Events this past week in Minnesota provide a graphic illustration of the crossover among the Internet's nutty left, the mainstream media, and the heart of the Democratic Party. We think this is one of the most important stories of the past week. powerlineblog.com opinionjournal.com powerlineblog.com startribune.com powerlineblog.com powerlineblog.com startribune.com dailykos.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/20/2006 1:07:36 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Listen to Col. Stephenson and Judge for Yourself In Podcasts Power Line Yesterday, we interviewed Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson on the Northern Alliance Radio Network. You can listen to the interview here. powerlineblog.com The Democratic Party has undertaken an organized campaign to drive Col. Stephenson, two fellow servicemen and the families of servicemen who were killed in Iraq off the airways. The Democratic Party has officially pronounced that Col. Stephenson and his ads are "un-American." That such a thing could happen is almost beyond belief--a Marine officer with more than ten years of active duty labeled "un-American" for supporting America's foreign policy--but it is nevertheless true. Listen to Col. Stephenson and the two ads and judge for yourself whether they are "un-American." powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/21/2006 7:12:58 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Mainstream Press Ignores Minnesota Democrat Who Called Veterans' Ads "Un-American" Media Blog Stephen Spruiell Reporting Over at Powerline, there's a developing story about Brian Melendez, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic Party, who has recently taken it upon himself to denounce these television advertisements as "un-American, untruthful, and lies." Minnesota Democrats have gone even further in trying to suppress these advertisements from going on-air by sending letters around, according to Powerline. What's so un-American about showing veterans, mothers, and fathers praising the Iraq War? I'm not sure, but this multifaceted story has been largely ignored by the MSM, save for one veteran interviewed on FNC's Hannity and Colmes. This is hardly the treatment this story deserves. According to Colmes, at least one station has folded to the pressure, and the station's general manager issued this statement: <<< "We rejected the ad because it's not true about our station. When someone watches our news, we are their media. We don't see a reason to let someone take an unfair shot at us." >>> *The "unfair shot"* he is referring to are these two lines:** "The media won't tell you good news," and, "The media misled you." Asked to remove or edit these lines, Midwest Heroes declined. While it may be true that this station's general manager was offended by those two lines, the advertisement was clearly directed towards the mammoth media institutions like the NYT and CNN. Not all media outlets are equal: Just look at how the press reacted when they found out the Cheney hunting incident was reported to a local paper. So far, the editors and producers have deemed this a non-story; a Lexis Nexis search returned only the Hannity and Colmes interview. If a Republican had issued such an outrageous comment and tried to suppress free speech, I doubt the mainstream press would be so quick to ignore it. — Nathan Goulding media.nationalreview.com powerlineblog.com midwestheroes.com powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/21/2006 8:04:31 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

A word from Col. Stephenson Power Line Tomorrow' Minneapolis Star Tribune carries a column by Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson on the television advertisement that prompted one of Nick Coleman's hysterical columns as well as the Democratic campaign to suppress the advertisement. Col. Stephenson's column is "I appeared in that ad to help spread the truth." Col. Stephenson writes: <<< As a Marine who served at a forward operating base in Iraq, I was discouraged to read Nick Coleman's misleading column about an ad supporting the War on Terror that I appeared in ("Troops back from Iraq being deployed on the front lines of spin war," Feb. 11). Every day, we see reports of terrorist attacks, wounded soldiers and kidnapped journalists. If I hadn't been there myself, I would guess that the whole operation has been a failure. Nothing could be further from the truth, and if an advertisement is the only way to get that point across, then so be it. While car bombings might make for exciting news, they do not encompass the broad reality of our efforts in Iraq. Our soldiers are busy rebuilding schools, bridges and infrastructure. They are paving the way for democracy in an extremely oppressive region. And I can assure you that America's fighting men and women are pleased with our incredible progress and willing to see their mission through in the Middle East. I volunteered to go to Iraq in October 2004 because, as a 20-year Marine, I felt that was my duty. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I would find upon arrival. What I saw there is drastically different from the Iraq most Americans see on their news reports or read about in their newspapers. Certainly, I saw hostility, as my base endured more than two dozen rocket and mortar attacks. But I saw a more complete picture, and that picture is largely positive. Iraqis are far more appreciative of our efforts to secure and democratize their country than most Americans stateside realize. A survey by the nonpartisan, taxpayer-funded International Republican Institute found that 62 percent of Iraqis feel their country is headed in the right direction. This is a far cry from the collective opinion of mainstream media. Perhaps because we live in a free nation with rights and liberties, we forget that they are a tremendous gift. Thanks to our efforts, millions of Iraqis are just beginning to open that gift. Let us examine what has taken place in three short years. A tyrant has been apprehended and now stands trial for crimes against humanity. Iraq has held the first three free elections in its history. Since then, Iraqis have ratified their Constitution. To put this into context, the United States of America declared its independence in 1776. Yet our own Constitution was not ratified until 1789 -- 13 years later. I know firsthand that the Iraqi people are deeply appreciative of our success. I only wish we could say the same for detractors here at home. Ads reporting the positive side of the war are necessary because our nation's media outlets are unwilling to acknowledge that progress is being made. And that's a travesty. Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson served with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in Iraq during 2004 and 2005. He is cochair of Minnesota Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission. >>> For the background to this column, see "The compleat Democrats' disgrace." powerlineblog.com powerlineblog.com startribune.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/23/2006 4:19:59 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

[T]his is what crushing dissenters actually looks like — a smear campaign designed explicitly to keep the public from hearing the other side. crushing dissent Jerry Common Sense and Wonder (The Washington Times) A conservative group recently started an advertising campaign in Minnesota showing veterans and families of slain troops expressing their support for the Iraq war, only to have the head of the state Democratic Party condemn the ads as “un-American, untruthful and a lie.” He furthermore demands that Minnesota television stations pull the ads “and send a message that we will not tolerate this kind of ’swiftboating’ anymore.” At least one station so far has complied with the request, which is reason enough for outrage. But there’s been precious little of that. Aside from a handful of bloggers covering the issue and an appearance of one of the veterans on Fox News’ “Hannity and Colmes,” the media has ignored the issue completely, essentially proving one of the ad campaign’s main points. The current media meme, at least as it concerns the homefront, is that most returning veterans have turned against the war and those still in field are demoralized and jaded. Meanwhile, parents of slain troops like Cindy Sheehan continue to rack up air time and column inches. The ad campaign seeks to correct this blatant misrepresentation. Which is exactly why Democrats are trying to stop it with accusations that the ads are somehow “untruthful.” The claim is absurd on its face, but their list of so-called lies is so slim that a brief analysis is warranted. The veterans in the first ad say that “our enemy in Iraq is al Qaeda — the same terrorists who killed three thousand Americans on 9/11.” To liberal ears, this is apparently the equivalent of claiming Iraq was behind September 11. But that’s not what the veterans said. In any case, last we checked Abu Musab Zarqawi, who has publicly sworn loyalty to Osama bin Laden, is the leader of “Al Qaeda in Iraq.” Democrats have also taken issue with the ad’s statement that U.S. troops “overwhelmingly” support the mission — a fact clearly upheld by record-setting retention rates in the military branches. The retention rate in the Army, for instance, is the highest it’s been in five years, especially in combat units currently serving in Iraq. And that about covers the “lies.” The more disturbing issue here is that Democrats are trying to silence a contrary point of view, and are doing so by calling soldiers and military families “un-American.” Whenever Republicans attempt to counter antiwar sentiment, be it from the Cindy Sheehans or Paul Hacketts, Democrats shed crocodile tears over the “crushing of dissent.” But this is what crushing dissenters actually looks like — a smear campaign designed explicitly to keep the public from hearing the other side. Fortunately, readers can see the ads for themselves at www.midwestheroes.com and decide what’s so “un-American” about soldiers and families supporting the war. commonsensewonder.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/23/2006 11:53:22 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

"[T]he DFL is supposed to be the party of free speech, of diversity and tolerance," he said. "To demand that our ads be pulled off the air seems to contradict their fundamental principles. It leads me to suspect that their political agenda is so intense that they're willing to discard core beliefs to gain a partisan advantage." Kersten on the Democrats' disgrace Posted by Scott Power Line In tomorrow's Star Tribune, Katherine Kersten breaks the silence of the Minnesota media on the Democrats' disgrace: "The DFL's attack on TV war ad is hypocritical." Kersten writes: <<< Unless you've been hiding in a cave for the past few years, you know that Minnesotans disagree about the Iraq war -- about whether our military should be there, and how the war is going. The members of Minnesota Families United, a grass-roots group made up mostly of the relatives of soldiers who have died in Iraq or are serving there, welcome debate on the war. Marine Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson of Woodbury is the group's co-chairman. When he returned from Iraq in March 2005, he was shocked at what he viewed as inaccurate and overly negative media coverage of the war. But Stephenson took it in stride. He says he put his life on the line in Iraq precisely to protect freedom of speech. So he is baffled by the reaction of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) Party and some in the media to a TV ad about the war in which he recently appeared. The DFL has branded the ad "un-American, untruthful and a lie." The DFL isn't bothering to present its version of the facts in an ad of its own. Instead, party chairman Brian Melendez launched a campaign to silence Stephenson and others who appeared in the ad. He demanded that the ad be pulled from the airwaves, so Minnesotans couldn't hear its message and make up their minds themselves. Earlier this week, I sat down with some folks from Minnesota Families United. What do they think of the fact that the DFL has branded their co-chairman an "Un-American liar"? Stephenson, it turns out, is a 23-year Marine. He volunteered to serve in Iraq at age 43. The decision to go was tough, he says, because he has seven children, ages 14 years to 9 months, and his wife was pregnant with the youngest when he left. "It was rough for my wife, but she supported me," Stephenson told me. "Our country is at war. I couldn't just sit back and let other guys fight to protect our nation." I talked, too, with Merrilee Carlson of St. Paul, chairwoman of Minnesota Families United. Her son, Army Sgt. Michael Carlson, died in Iraq in January 2005 at age 22, while preparing to take out two bomb factories before Iraq's first election. Carlson feels personally tarred by the DFL's "un-American" label. She appears in a new, follow-up TV ad, where she joins the parents of other fallen soldiers to urge support for America's mission in Iraq. Carlson began to seek a forum for her views after Cindy Sheehan, a war critic whose son died in Iraq, became the center of a media circus in Crawford, Texas, last August. "She was giving the impression that most families of fallen soldiers believed, like her, that our troops died for nothing," she says. "Mothers like me had to find a way to get our voices heard." Stephenson knows that many DFLers don't share Minnesota Families United's perspective. "But the DFL is supposed to be the party of free speech, of diversity and tolerance," he said. "To demand that our ads be pulled off the air seems to contradict their fundamental principles. It leads me to suspect that their political agenda is so intense that they're willing to discard core beliefs to gain a partisan advantage." And if the DFL is trying to stop vets like Stephenson from speaking out, the effort has been counterproductive. Carlson says that more than 300 families have joined Minnesota Families United since the controversy arose. Are Stephenson and Carlson un-American? I suggest that the DFL itself deserves that label, for attempting to silence the speech of fellow citizens with whom it disagrees. If Republicans employed the same tactic, the media would be howling. But the silence here has been deafening. I guess free speech doesn't apply to un-American folks such as Bob Stephenson, and his supporters in Minnesota Families United. >>> One more time: "Are Stephenson and Carlson un-American? I suggest that the DFL itself deserves that label, for attempting to silence the speech of fellow citizens with whom it disagrees. If Republicans employed the same tactic, the media would be howling. But the silence here has been deafening." http://powerlineblog.com/archives/013224.php startribune.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/23/2006 11:59:40 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

To our knowledge, not a single Democratic officeholder, in Minnesota or elsewhere, has disassociated himself from the Minnesota Democratic Party's position that it is "un- American" to support our government's policies in Iraq, and that expressions of such support should be banned from the airwaves. http://powerlineblog.com/archives/013227.php

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/27/2006 6:55:14 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Nicking Posted by Scott Power Line Yesterday Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman published his third column on the two Midwest Heroes ads that give voice to the sentiments of Iraq war veterans and Gold Star Families who support the war. Coleman criticizes the advertisements as "propaganda" and heaps abuse on them, although he has yet to demonstrate anything more than his disagreement with their message. Let's name the rhetorical device "nicking," in tribute to the closely related devices of "borking" and "milbanking." "Nicking" combines the two, consisting of someone with no particular knowledge of a subject opining about it based on abusive attacks rather than relevant facts. The Midwest Heroes ads have run on Minnesota television over the past two weeks and, apparently inspired by Coleman, the state Democratic Party has undertaken a remarkable campaign against the ads. Brian Melendez is the chairman of the Minnesota Democratic Party. After Coleman's first column ran in the Star Tribune, Melendez called a press conference and condemned the first of the two advertisements -- the one featuring the veterans -- as "un-American, untruthful and a lie." The Democratic Party has gone beyond its outrageous condemnation of the ads. It has actually sought to suppress the message of the featured war veterans and Gold Star Families, emailing Party members and urging them to contact television stations demanding "the removal of the ads." The two advertisements can be viewed here. midwestheroes.com The first of the two ads is devoted to the Iraq war veterans; the second to the Gold Star Families, featuring Merrilee Carlson of St. Paul. Mrs. Carlson's son Michael was killed in Iraq last year; the Wall Street Journal published Michael's "credo" this past Memorial Day. Coleman's first column made a basic error of fact as a result of its reliance on a far-left Web site and cited the testimony of a Kerry delegate to the 2004 Democratic convention as a "nonpartisan" source. (John fisked the column - see link below.) Coleman's second column fastened on "the Dolores Kesterson issue" -- attacking the Gold Star Families ad for presenting the stepmother of Erik Kesterson in lieu of his mother. According to Kos Kid "Hesiod," Coleman was indebted for this bizarre point to none other than "Hesiod" himself. Coleman in any event overlooked fellow St. Paulite Merilee Carlson -- the genuine biological mother of Michael Carlson -- in this rant, as well as the other biological mothers of fallen soldiers featured in the second ad. Kate Parry is the Star Tribune "Reader's Representative" or ombudsman. I know Kate both in her professional capacity and outside her job. She's a nice person who takes a lot of grief on the job, or whose job is to take a lot of grief. Last week I wrote Kate about Coleman's first two columns on the Midwest Heroes ads: <<< Kate: I am writing to request that you run corrections on Coleman's first column on the Minnesota Families United ads, and clarify the source of his information on "the Dolores Kesterson issue" in his second column on the Minnesota Families United ads. 1. In his first column Coleman identifies Ken Adelman, the first chairman of Progress for America, as "the Bush 2004 campaign director." He obtained this misinformation from the Center for Media and Democracy, the far left organization that he cited in his article. A simple Google search shows that Ken Adelman was not the "director" of the Bush-Cheney campaign, and I believe that the misinformation has in fact been corrected on the Center site, though not in the Star Tribune. 2. Coleman continues by turning to "Paul Rieckhoff, founder and executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America," to rebut "Midwest Heroes." Coleman describes Rieckhoff's group as "a nonpartisan organization." Rieckhoff, however, delivered the Democratic Party's official weekly radio address in May 2004. I understand that he was also a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention and a New York State Chairman of Veterans for Kerry. The implication that he is a nonpartisan source is fraudulent. (This point was made in a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune from Col. Joe Repya that the paper has declined to run.) 3. Coleman's second column is devoted more or less to attacking the second of the two ads on the ground that the stepmother of Erik Kesterson is presented in a context suggesting that she was the mother of Erik Kesterson -- a bizarre point referred to by Coleman's source for it as "the Dolores Kesterson issue." Coleman, however, omits any reference to his source -- "Hesiod" of the Daily Kos, who wrote about his correspondence with Coleman here. dailykos.com Shouldn't have Coleman identified his source? I think your readers would have found it most illuminating. Kate, please let me know how you dispose of these issues. As always, I am grateful for your courtesies and hope all is well with you and your family. All best, Scott Johnson >>> Kate responded on Friday. Kate uses asterisks throughout her message and I am reproducing the message below as sent: <<< Hello Scott, Sorry this took a couple days. Would that I could focus on one thing at a time, but we've got a lot of readers* Here's what I've found regarding your questions: 1. About your question on Ken Adelman: I'm recommending a correction. Adelman worked for Donald Rumsfeld in the 70s and for President Reagan, but I think the reference to him being a campaign director wasn't correct. The confusion may have resulted because Progress for America was founded by Tony Feather, who was political director of the Bush-Cheney 2000 election campaign. 2. On your question about Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: It's not unusual at all for people who come out of a partisan background to join or form nonpartisan groups. For example, Lt. Col. Joe Repya, who has been quoted so often about this * I think even on Powerline if I remember right * hasn't been described at each mention as the vice chair of Veterans for Bush/Cheney '04, a delegate to the Republican National Convention, a member of the National Veterans for Bush/Cheney '04 Steering Committee and a national spokesperson for the Bush/Cheney '04 campaign on military and veteran issues. In the case of Rieckhoff, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America describes itself as nonpartisan and says its membership is divided 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. Their website tells new members "IAVA is America's first and largest nonprofit, non-partisan organization for OEF and OIF Troops and Veterans." There is no claim in the column that Rieckhoff himself is nonpartisan, only that the IAVA organization is organized as a nonpartisan group. 3. To your question about the source of Nick's information on Dolores Kesterson: The information in Nick's column didn't originate with Daily Kos. Nick watched the ad online, wrote down the names of the soldiers and the people who appeared as their parents in the ad, then began to research them. He started with a Google search and when he searched Erik Kesterson's name, he noticed several stories referred to "Dolores" Kesterson as Erik's mother * not the " M.J. Kesterson" in the TV ad. That's how he discovered that Dolores is the birth mother and is deeply opposed to the war. Later, as he was preparing the column, he began to hear from various bloggers who had discovered the same thing and he had conversations with them about what they were discovering * but he didn't hear anything beyond what he had already. Nick continued researching and eventually found Dolores Kesterson's name on the website for Gold Star Families for Peace (Cindy Sheehan's organization). It was Dolores who received the burial flag at Erik's funeral, met with President Bush and has been interviewed about her son's death by Bill O'Reilly. But, as bloggers sometimes do, I understand somehow Daily Kos claimed credit as the instigator after the column ran. I've had that happen before when I've interviewed a number of people for a column, done my research, and then one of the sources pops up after it's published bragging to their constituency that they caused me to write the column. It's always irritating when people take credit for something they didn't do, but as we all know it happens sometimes. Hope that's helpful. Have a good weekend. Kate >>> The correction referred to in Kate's message ran in the Star Tribune on Saturday. I took the liberty of responding to her message: <<< Kate: Thank you for your response and for your recommendation regarding item 1. I want you to know that I disagree with your resolution of item 2. Coleman cites Paul R. as some kind of nonpartisan authority, when in fact he is not. I don't understand you to dispute that, like Col. Repya, he is not, or that the implication of Coleman's description of him is that he is. You may have been facetious in referring to Power Line in this context for comparative purposes. Though we have were proud to publish Col. Repya's letter to the editor of the Star Tribune when the Star Tribune itself declined to do so, we have never described Col. Repya in a manner that would lead anyone to believe he is a neutral observer of the issues. Col. Repya, however, happens to be right about Paul R., and Coleman misleading at best. If you looked to Power Line as a standard of comparison, you'd at least run a clarification. In any event, I think we've done better by our readers than you have. Our readers are certainly better informed on the subject matter of Coleman's two columns on the ads than Coleman's readers are. I appreciate the information Coleman provided you on item 3 regarding his conversations with "Hesiod"; I guess we'll have to take Coleman's word that Coleman and "Hersiod" each independently found M.J. Kesterson out as Erik Kesterson's stepmother and simply discussed their discovery subsequently. I wonder why Coleman didn't note the biological motherhood of the other mothers in the ad and let your readers know they are the real deal, but I guess he figured that would have been more than they wanted to know, or something. Thanks again for your response. Scott >>> Having taken a look at Kate's response, John Hinderaker observes that Kate's "Repya defense" is silly; would she have given a different answer to a different reader who posed the same question? Her job is to be a readers' representative for the Star Tribune, not to make ad hominem arguments against critics of the paper. Isn't it? For the record, here is Lt. Col. Joe Repya's open letter to Nick Coleman/letter to the editor of the Star Tribune (the paper declined to publish it): <<< I recently returned from Iraq and must respond to Nick Coleman's ("Iraq War Vets Spin...") column. Who is really spinning Minnesota? How about looking in the mirror, Nick! You conveniently failed to mention that your major "nonpartisan" source, Paul Rieckhoff, of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), was a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention and a New York State Chairman for Veterans for Kerry. Ex-Gov Jesse Ventura as an IAVA board advisor also "nonpartisan"? Sorry, we're not buying that either! Don't know what poll Mr. Rieckhoff was quoting but the Military Times 2005 Iraq Poll of our service members (released January 2006) has some interesting results. A staggering 73% of the respondents believe it's likely the United States will succeed in Iraq. Four of every five respondents said they believe media reports often are inaccurate. I suggest before you spin more misinformation on a subject you know nothing about, you actually visit Iraq and see for yourself. You radical liberals and Moveon.Org types have to get over losing the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections. No, the War is not going "swimmingly," but most service members that have recently been in Iraq will tell you we are winning. Unlike Vietnam, we won't allow you "cut and run" types to snatch Defeat from the jaws of Victory. The bottom line is most in the military know what is at stake in the War on Terror and believe you can't be trusted with our National Defense. Joe Repya Lieutenant Colonel, US Army 101ST Airborne Division (Air Assault) Fort Campbell, KY A veteran of Vietnam, the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom >>> Coleman's third column on the Midwest Heroes ads quotes certain email messages he received from "soldiers, family members and veterans of past conflicts" supporting his columns. Here is one we received from an Iraq war veteran ("back from Tikrit") addressing the substance of Coleman's columns and Melendez's calumny: <<< Have you ever noticed that when Democrats dissent on the Iraqi campaign, and their criticism or dissent is rebutted, they quickly seek refuge with, "How dare you question my patriotism"? Yet, here we have the head of the Minnesota DFL calling Iraqi veterans and their families "un-American" for stating their beliefs about the war. Republicans are often senseless when it comes to the cut-and-thrust of local politics, but here is a case where Minnesota Republicans, followed shortly thereafter by the national Republican Party, should 1) call for a written and public apology from Brain Melendez to the veterans and their families; 2) call for Melendez to resign as Chairman of the DFL, as he is unfit to head a reputable political outfit; 3) call on other prominent Democrat leaders to repudiate Melendez and his ugly statements. More personally, I'm an Iraqi veteran twice over. I know we fight Al Qaeda, among others, in Iraq. I know Al Qaeda attacked us repeatedly in the 1990s, attacked the USS Cole in 2000, and attacked us again on 9-11-2001. Since I share the same knowledge and beliefs as the people in the "Midwest Heroes" ads, Melendez has also insulted me as an un-American liar. I want an apology from him and from his party. By the way, I was also serving in the 101st until very recently, but unfortunately did not run into LTC Repya. I hope I can still serve at his age. Rick Waddell COL, US Army Reserve >>> powerlineblog.com startribune.com dictionary.reference.com bench.nationalreview.com powerlineblog.com opinionjournal.com startribune.com powerlineblog.com powerlineblog.com startribune.com dailykos.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	2/28/2006 6:25:41 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Letter of the day Posted by Scott Power Line We have featured earlier versions of the designated Star Tribune "letter of the day" here a few times over the past week, most recently yesterday. Published under the heading "It's strike three for antiwar Nick Coleman," here it is: <<< Nick Coleman is at it again. His third column attacking Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and Gold Star parents just reinforces the fact that he and his radical friends feel that "free speech" is only allowable if it attacks the war, the troops or the administration. Perhaps that is why in a Military Times Iraq Poll of service members (released January 2006), four of every five respondents said they believe media reports often are "inaccurate." Too bad that our veterans and Gold Star parents have to purchase ad space to get their side of the argument out. However, veterans owe Coleman a debt of gratitude for one thing: He, along with the recent statements of Minnesota DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez, exposed the real "Big Lie" the radical left and some like Coleman in the media have been saying about the war in Iraq. That "lie" started at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom: "We support the troops but not their mission." By calling the Midwest Heroes ad "un-American, untruthful and a lie," they have proven they support neither the troops nor their mission. I suspect they never have. LT. COL. JOE REPYA, EAGAN; CURRENTLY ON CONVALESCENT LEAVE FROM DUTY IN IRAQ >>> Col. Repya writes us today: "Finally, and letter of the day! Thanks for your support." powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17913)	3/2/2006 5:08:37 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Obviously, the mainstream media is going to do everything they can to avoid Carlson. They are not interested in balancing her view against the anti-war view they have so heavily promoted. Pro-military mom silenced by mainstream media by Todd Manzi Townhall.com Mar 2, 2006 A grieving mother of a soldier killed in Iraq wants to voice her opinion. She has a message about the war in Iraq and feels the American people need to hear what she has to say. Her name is Merrilee Carlson and her story is compelling and newsworthy. Unlike another mother of a fallen soldier, Carlson is not a household name. Her message is exactly opposite of the over-exposed message of the well-known protesting mom. Regarding the war in Iraq, Carlson says, "We have to take a step back and look at what we have asked our military to do. We have asked them to do a job. It doesn’t matter how we got there. The fact is we are there and we have a job to finish." Carlson began trying to get her message out last August and September. She didn’t like what was coming out of Crawford and felt the need to correct the record. In the last couple of weeks the organization that Carlson chairs, Minnesota Families United, has been in the center of a controversy that, by any objective reasoning, should have made national news. Minnesota Families United teamed with Progress for America Voter Fund and produced two television spots. Minnesota was used as a test market for the spots and PFA made a rather large statewide television buy. The ABC affiliate in the Twin Cities market, KSTP, refused to air the spots. The decision not to air the first MFU commercial was made by Rob Hubbard, General Manager. His objection was over two lines in the spot: 1) The media only reports the bad news, but American troops are making real progress 2) You would never know it from the news reports, but our enemy in Iraq is Al Qaeda. Hubbard’s position was that those lines did not apply to his television station; therefore, he would not allow the spot to run. Hubbard says he would have run the spot if they edited it to make it clear they were talking about the media in general, but not KSTP specifically. It is certainly understandable that Hubbard is worried his viewers might get the wrong impression. After all, the reason these spots were produced in the first place is that these families of our fallen heroes believe millions have gotten the wrong impression regarding the progress our soldiers have made in Iraq. Still, the question remains: Do these families deserve to have their voices heard, or should they be stifled? This debate is not happening, because this story never made national news. To recap: In an election year, a group used Minnesota as a test market for a possible national buy and one of the prominent stations took the position that the spot should not air. Maybe this didn’t become news because of the hypocrisy of the industry. They often try their best to protect themselves from the type of stories they inflict on others. The news hook gets better. On Thursday, February 16th, the Chair of the Democrat Party in Minnesota called on all TV stations to pull the ad. The top Democrats in Minnesota want to suppress the message of Carlson’s group. Merrilee Carlson was born and raised a Democrat. She doesn’t like politics and she wants to make it clear that her group is non-political. So, the Democrats in Minnesota are trying to suppress the message from mainstream families who have suffered the loss of their children from the war in Iraq. Why is this not news? That other mom was a full-time, anti-war protester for more than a year before she came up with the PR stunt to go to Crawford during the president’s vacation. The media accepted the stunt and gave her message enormous coverage. This prompted Carlson to take action for her message. Now Carlson is in the middle of legitimate news and the media is silent. Have we come to the point where it takes a stunt to make news? Merrilee Carlson is thoughtful, sincere, professional and respectful of those who disagree with her. Not only does she have the exact opposite message from the spectacle in Crawford last summer, she has the exact opposite approach. Regarding the efforts of her group she said, "This isn’t about us. We are not looking to be that public figure; we have stepped out because of the need. This is not about us, it is about our children." Obviously, the mainstream media is going to do everything they can to avoid Carlson. They are not interested in balancing her view against the anti-war view they have so heavily promoted. We already knew the media was liberally biased. Now it’s apparent they are also biased against ordinary people as well. The foaming-at-the-mouth fanatical fringe gets news coverage and the people who portray the best qualities of us are ignored. Copyright © 2006 Townhall.com townhall.com familiesunitedmission.com midwestheroes.com dfl.org{0F9701BD-A72C-4F2C-9DEE-22ACBB7367C2}&DE={B6E9C63B-BDF1-4CE9-8276-B972CC29C841} townhall.com