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Politics : John Kerry for President Free speach thread NON-CENSORED -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/5/2006 6:00:56 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Bush: Bin Laden's intentions as clear as Hitler's Watch Bush describe the war on terrorism -- 4:05 WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush used terrorists' own words Tuesday to battle complacency among Americans about the threat of future attack, defending his record as the fall campaign season kicks into high gear. Quoting from letters, Web site statements, audio recordings and videotapes purportedly from terrorists, as well as documents found in various raids, Bush said that despite the absence of a successor on U.S. soil to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the terrorist danger remains potent. "Bin laden and his terrorists' allies have made their intentions as clear as Lenin and Hitler before them," the president said before the Military Officers Association of America and diplomatic representatives of other countries that have suffered terrorist attacks. "The question is `Will we listen? Will we pay attention to what these evil men say?"' (Watch President Bush describe the war on terrorism -- 4:05) Bush said that al Qaeda has been weakened, with its leaders finding it harder to operate freely, move money or communicate with operatives. But, he said the terrorist network has adapted to U.S. defenses by increasingly using the Internet to spread propaganda, recruit new terrorists and conduct training. In addition, the movement has become more dispersed, with local cells more self-directed and responsible for more attacks. The president also said extremists from Islam's Shia sect are learning from Sunni extremists, and asserted the danger of the Shia-controlled nation of Iran. He said Iran is fighting a proxy war with the U.S. and Israel by funding and arming the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. "Like al Qaeda and the Sunni extremists, the Iranian regime has clear aims. They want to drive America out of the region, to destroy Israel, and to dominate the broader Middle East," Bush said. "America will not bow down to tyrants." One document Bush cited was what he called "a grisly al Qaeda manual" found in 2000 by British police during an anti-terrorist raid in London, which included a chapter called "Guidelines for Beating and Killing Hostages." He also cited what he said was a captured al Qaeda document found during a recent raid in Iraq. He said it described plans to take over Iraq's western Anbar province and set up a governing structure including an education department, a social services department, a justice department and an execution unit. "The terrorists who attacked us on September the 11th, 2001, are men without conscience, but they're not madmen," he said. "They kill in the name of a clear and focused ideology, a set of beliefs that are evil but not insane." His speech came after the White House released a strategy paper proclaiming the nation has made progress in the war on terror but that al Qaeda has adjusted to U.S. defenses and "we are not yet safe." Rumsfeld resignation 'not going to happen' The White House also rejected Democrats' calls for replacing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "It's not going to happen," presidential spokesman Tony Snow said. "Creating Don Rumsfeld as a bogeyman may make for good politics but would make for very lousy strategy at this time." In its updated counterterrorism strategy, the White House said that "the enemy we face today in the war on terror is not the same enemy we faced on Sept. 11. Our effective counterterrorist efforts in part have forced the terrorists to evolve and modify their ways of doing business." Two months before the midterm elections, the report was the White House's latest attempt to highlight national security, an issue that has helped Republicans in past campaigns. Democrats were releasing their own assessment. Democrats released their own study, saying it shows the country is less secure today than before Bush took office. Citing research done by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, the report said the number of al Qaeda members has jumped from 20,000 in 2001 to 50,000 today. It also charged that average weekly attacks in Iraq have jumped from almost 200 in spring 2004 to more than 600 this year, using numbers provided by the liberal-oriented Brookings Institution think tank. "All the speeches in the world won't change what's going on in Iraq," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. "The truth is the president's policies have not worked and have not made us safer," said Sen. Thomas R. Carper, D-Delaware. Rep. John Murtha, a hawkish Democrat who voted in favor of the war but now favors withdrawing troops, said the administration has so badly botched the war that a draft might be necessary. (Watch Murtha talk about what Bush is confusing -- 7:16) White House: Al Qaeda degraded but adapting The updated White House strategy came in the wake of the release of a new al Qaeda video over the weekend that raised concerns about the possibility of another attack as the fifth anniversary of September 11 approaches. The tape featured an American -- believed by the FBI to have attended al Qaeda training camps -- calling for his countrymen to convert to Islam. (Read the White House terrorism strategy -- PDF) The Department of Homeland Security had raised the terror threat for aviation to red -- its highest level -- in mid-August at the time the British, working with the United States, broke up what was purported to be a plot against international flights bound from Britain to the United States. Five years after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon, about a third of the American people think the terrorists are winning, according to a recent AP-Ipsos poll. In its updated terror-fighting strategy, the administration took credit for some successes, but it also acknowledged, "While the United States government and its partners have thwarted many attacks, we have not been able to prevent them all. Terrorists have struck in many places throughout the world, from Bali to Beslan to Baghdad." "There will continue to be challenges ahead, but along with our partners, we will attack terrorism and its ideology and bring hope and freedom to the people of the world," the policy said. "This is how we will win the war on terror." Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Find this article at: cnn.com

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/6/2006 11:04:25 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

ABC's 'Path to 9/11': Bill Clinton's Inconvenient Truth James Hirsen, NewsMax.com Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006 "The Path to 9/11," a six-hour miniseries scheduled to air September 10 and 11 on ABC, has certain former members of the Clinton administration in a panic. The docudrama is thoroughly sourced and exposes information that former members of the Clinton administration had previously tried to suppress: that there was a failure on the part of the administration to respond to terrorism, inaction that ended up being partly to blame for the tragic events that took place on 9/11. "Path" is based on the 9/11 Commission Final Report and the 2003 book "The Cell: Inside the 9/11 Plot, and Why the FBI and CIA Failed to Stop It." New Jersey Governor and Commission Co-chairman Thomas H. Kean served as a consultant for the miniseries. Cyrus Nowrasteh, the writer and producer of the project, told Jamie Glazov of FrontPageMag.com that he was given "an incredible amount of research materials and [access to] high-level advisors from the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, Diplomatic Security, etc." The miniseries stars Oscar nominee Harvey Keitel ("Pulp Fiction," "The Piano"), who plays the role of FBI agent John O'Neill. O'Neill is the FBI terrorism chief who attempted to convince the Clinton administration that it needed to deal with the danger that Osama bin Laden posed. Ironically, after leaving the FBI, O'Neill took the job of security director for the World Trade Center. Along with thousands of others he died on that fateful September day. The ABC Web site refers to the production as "an epic miniseries event," and the plan is to air the program with limited commercial interruptions. Because the program specifically deals with the Clinton administration's failure to act when bin Laden was offered, a left-wing outcry has erupted on the Internet along with attempts to vilify the miniseries before it is even shown. David Brock's Web site carries an article with a headline that reads "Right wing uses ABC docudrama to push debunked claim blaming Clinton administration for 9-11." Pressure from the Left and from Clinton allies may account for an unusual posting by director David L. Cunningham titled "Clarification," which was placed on the "Path" Web site. It stated that the series "is not a documentary," nor is it "a right wing agenda movie." "The team of filmmakers, actors and executives that are responsible for this movie have very different political views. There was no emphasis given to one party over another. By the way, we are also being accused of being a left wing movie that bashes Bush," it also read. The posting has since been removed from the ABC Web site. Clinton colleagues Richard Ben-Veniste and John Podesta reportedly expressed their extreme displeasure about the way the docudrama portrays the Clinton administration. Their frustration likely stems from the extensive efforts that were taken to keep the information from being made public. Jamie Gorelick, former deputy attorney general during the Clinton administration and creator of the notorious wall that was erected between the FBI and CIA, served as a 9/11 Commission panel member. Because of potential conflicts of interest, the propriety of Gorelick's membership on the panel was questionable. Ben-Veniste's role as a longtime partisan Democrat attorney made him another highly questionable commission member. Sandy Berger's bizarre and illegal behavior (the actions in which the former national security adviser from the Clinton administration stuffed classified documents into his pants and socks) actually occurred while the commission was in the midst of conducting its investigation. In a 2002 speech to a Long Island business group, Bill Clinton detailed a 1996 offer from Sudan for bin Laden's extradition. The speech was recorded by NewsMax.com as well as by the Long Island association that hosted the event. In 2004 the former president admitted on CNN that he once publicly confessed to turning down an offer to have bin Laden arrested prior to the 9/11 attacks. But in true Clintonesque fashion, he unabashedly asserted that his admission was "not accurate." "What I said there was wrong, what I said was in error," Clinton told CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "Path" highlights the pivotal moment when the CIA and Northern Alliance had bin Laden surrounded and sought the necessary approval from the Clinton administration to go in and arrest the al-Qaida leader. The administration's refusal to authorize bin Laden's capture was apparently for political reasons. Ostensibly, the 9/11 Commission was formed to determine how such an attack could have happened to our nation. A combination of obfuscation by some committee members and a mainstream media bent on blaming Bush has prevented the real trail, which leads from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing to the 9/11 tragedy, from seeing the light of day. "Path" may provide some long-awaited illumination to an event that has been partially shrouded in mystery — until now. Editor's Note: CLICK HERE to hear Bill Clinton admit that he turned down Sudan's offer to extradite Osama bin Laden. Editor's note: James Hirsen's new book exposes our "Hollywood Nation" – Click Here! Can America avoid a nuclear ‘D-Day'? Get the INSIDE story – Click Here Now. Ronald Kessler takes you inside the Bush White House, the CIA and Congress Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics: 9/11 Commission Al-Qaeda Clinton Scandals

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/6/2006 11:38:04 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Fury as academics claim 9/11 was 'inside job' by JAYA NARAIN Last updated at 15:47pm on 6th September 2006 The 9/11 terrorist attack on America which left almost 3,000 people dead was an "inside job", according to a group of leading academics. Around 75 top professors and leading scientists believe the attacks were puppeteered by war mongers in the White House to justify the invasion and the occupation of oil-rich Arab countries. The claims have caused outrage and anger in the US which marks the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Monday. But leading scientists say the facts of their investigations cannot be ignored and say they have evidence that points to one of the biggest conspiracies ever perpetrated. Professor Steven Jones, who lectures in physics at the Brigham Young University in Utah, says the official version of events is the biggest and most evil cover up in history. He has joined the 9/11 Scholars for Truth whose membership includes up to 75 leading scientists and experts from universities across the US. Prof Jones said: "We don't believe that 19 hijackers and a few others in a cave in Afghanistan pulled this off acting alone. "We challenge this official conspiracy theory and, by God, we're going to get to the bottom of this." In essays and journals, the scientists are giving credence to many of the conspiracy theories that have circulated on the internet in the past five years. They believe a group of US neo-conservatives called the Project for a New American Century, set on US world dominance, orchestrated the 9/11 attacks as an excuse to hit Iraq, Afghanistan and later Iran. The group says scientific evidence over the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon is conclusive proof. Professor Jones said it was impossible for the twin towers to have collapsed in the way they did from the collision of two aeroplanes. He maintains jet fuel does not burn at temperatures high enough to melt steel beams and claims horizontal puffs of smoke seen during the collapse of the towers are indicative of controlled explosions used to bring down the towers. The group also maintains World Trade Centre 7 - a neighbouring building which caught fire and collapsed later in the day - was only partially damaged but had to be destroyed because it housed a clandestine CIA station. Professor James Fetzer, 65, a retired philosopher of science at the University of Minnesota, said: "The evidence is so overwhelming, but most Americans don't have time to take a look at this." The 9/11 Commission dismissed the numerous conspiracy theories after its exhaustive investigation into the terror attacks. Subsequent examinations of the towers' structure have sought to prove they were significantly weakened by the impact which tore off fire retardant materials and led the steel beams bending under heat and then collapsing. Christopher Pyle, professor of constitutional law at Mt Holyoake College in Massachusetts, has dismissed the academic group. He said: "To plant bombs in three buildings with enough bomb materials and wiring? It's too huge a project and would require far too many people to keep it a secret afterwards. "After every major crisis, like the assassinations of JFK or Martin Luther King, we've had conspiracy theorists who come up with plausible scenarios for gullible people. It's a waste of time." But University of Wisconsin assistant professor, Kevin Barrett, said experts are unwilling to believe theories which don't fit into their belief systems. He said: "People will disregard evidence it if causes their faith to be shattered. I think we were all shocked. And then, when the voice of authority told us what happened, we just believed it." As the fifth anniversary approached, the 9/11 Scholars for Truth is urging Congress to reopen the investigation claiming they have amassed a wealth of scientific evidence to prove their version of the terror attacks.

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/7/2006 9:31:29 AM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

ABC Terrorism Drama Stirs Controversy By FRAZIER MOORE AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- "The Path to 9/11" will break your heart. It will leave you unnerved, even more than before. And angrier than ever. A five-hour miniseries that dramatizes a decade's worth of events leading up to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, this film is plenty gripping. It doesn't forgo artistry for polemics. Even so, it drives home, step by step, a message any viewer can understand: The people in charge of keeping you safe failed the nation monumentally. Systemically. Shamefully. And continue to, five years after what should have been a terribly sufficient wake-up call. Then "The Path to 9/11" leaves the viewer with a chilling coda: a recap of the "report card" issued last December by the 9/11 Commission, which accused the government of failing to protect the nation against another attack, and assigned failing grades in five areas, with a dozen Ds and just one A (actually, A-minus). That might be the more valuable focus of your concern as clashing voices from the blogosphere embrace or decry "The Path to 9/11" as a right-wing portrayal that slams President Clinton more than George W. Bush. Whatever its flaws may or may not be, "The Path to 9/11" makes clear there's ample blame to go around. But for those who are game to take a break from finger-pointing, it also displays, with awful power, the larger truth that unites nearly everyone - yet still is given short shrift by policy makers. Airing commercial-free on ABC Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m. EDT (with a 9/11-related followup from ABC News at 10 p.m. Monday), the miniseries claims to draw from a number of sources, including the 2004 report of the 9/11 Commission, which was established to investigate government missteps that led to the attacks. The scope of "The Path to 9/11" is vast, with 247 speaking roles, a $40 million budget and more than 300 sets (including a seven-story-high base of the World Trade Center), according to the director, David Cunningham ("To End All Wars"), who said he shot 550 hours of film for the project. If the miniseries has a star, it's Harvey Keitel. He plays FBI counter-terrorism expert John O'Neill, whose dogged efforts to contain the al-Qaida threat were rebuffed by those above him, and who, upon retiring at age 49 to be director of security for the World Trade Center, died two weeks later at the hands of the people he had worked so hard to defeat. Other familiar actors include Patricia Heaton as Barbara Bodine, Ambassador to Yemen; Donnie Wahlberg as a key undercover CIA agent, and Penny Johnson Jerald ("24") as Condoleezza Rice. Playing Richard Clarke, the counterterrorism czar to four presidents, Stephen Root ("News Radio") gets one of the film's most stirring speeches during a high-level meeting in Washington. Referring to the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 that killed six, he declares, "We have to imagine ourselves on a future day when we have failed to act and hundreds of Americans lay dead. We have to do something now." But "no" and "that's the best we can do" are all-too-typical replies heard in the film when anyone proposes heightened efforts. In a posting on ThinkProgress.org this week, Clarke disputed another scene that had Clinton officials refusing to give the go-ahead to American agents in Afghanistan who were in position to capture Osama bin Laden - then abruptly hanging up the phone on them. It's a shocking occurrence. Presumably Clarke, now an ABC News consultant, will have a chance to reiterate his argument that it never happened when he appears Monday on ABC News' "9/11/06: Where Things Stand." Perhaps another guest, Thomas Kean (the former Republican governor of New Jersey, who was chairman of the 9/11 Commission and served as senior consultant for "The Path to 9/11") will defend the film's evenhandedness. Never mind how talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has interpreted the film for his listeners as demonstrating that, in the Clinton era, "we didn't do diddly-squat," while the Bush administration was subsequently "caught up and sort of hamstrung by the existing procedures" and "hasn't had a chance to change them." ABC responded to the brewing controversy Tuesday only by saying that its miniseries is "a dramatization, not a documentary, drawn from a variety of sources, including the 9/11 Commission report, other published materials and from personal interviews." The statement also noted how the events that led to 9/11 "originally sparked great debate, so it's not surprising that a movie surrounding those events has revived the debate." But is this really debate, or does it verge on the partisan infighting that routinely disregards the vital issues themselves? Cunningham said the film's mission is to spark more than talk. "We are hoping our show will be a call to action," he said, "so that people are provoked to call their representatives and say, `We need to do different, we need to do more.'" Likewise, former 9/11 Commission chairman Kean spoke hopefully of the huge audience the film could reach, far surpassing those who read the commission's report. "If they understand the events, they can understand the recommendations," Kean said, "and we can have the wind behind us in moving this Congress to get more serious in doing some of the things we have to do." It beats quarreling about a TV film. --- On the Net: abc.com 9-11 Commission: 9-11commission.gov --- EDITOR'S NOTE - Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/7/2006 3:05:27 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Bush, Lieberman Polling Company Pleads Guilty to Fraud Thursday, September 07, 2006 •Firm Accused of Falsifying Poll Data BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut — The owner of DataUSA Inc., a company that conducted political polls for the campaigns of President George W. Bush, U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman and other candidates, pleaded guilty to fraud for making up survey and poll results. Tracy Costin pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Costin, 46, faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when she is sentenced Nov. 30. As part of her plea agreement, Costin agreed to repay $82,732 to the unidentified clients for 11 jobs between June 2002 and May 2004. DataUSA is now known as Viewpoint USA. According to a federal indictment, Costin told employees to alter poll data, and managers at the company told employees to "talk to cats and dogs" when instructing them to fabricate the surveys. An FBI affidavit from 2004 quotes a supervisor of the company estimating that 50 percent of the data sent to Bush's campaign was falsified. FBI Special Agent Jeff Rovelli, who wrote the affidavit, said Thursday that investigators were not able to verify the claim related to Bush because that data was not located and analyzed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang said on several occasions when the company was running up against a deadline to complete a job, results were falsified. Sometimes, the respondent's gender or political affiliation were changed to meet a quota, other times all survey answers were fabricated.

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/8/2006 5:22:13 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Bill Clinton assails 9/11 TV drama Fri Sep 8, 2006 2:49 PM ET By Mark Egan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former President Bill Clinton has dismissed as "indisputably wrong" a U.S. TV show that suggests he was too distracted by a sex scandal to confront the Islamic militant threat that culminated in the September 11 attacks, his spokesman said on Friday. "The Path to 9/11," an ABC miniseries due to be broadcast on Sunday and Monday nights, charts the run-up to the attacks that occurred five years ago and killed 2,992 people. The show portrays Clinton's former national security adviser, Sandy Berger, and others as having bungled an opportunity to capture Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in the 1990s. Clinton administration officials complained that parts of the miniseries were fabricated. Jay Carson, a spokesman for Clinton's office in New York, said: "We don't claim the scenes are wrong. They are indisputably wrong. ABC says so. The 9/11 commission report says so. Tom Kean (the Republican chairman of the 9/11 commission and a consultant on the film) says so. The writer of the show says so." Clinton handed over power to President George W. Bush about eight months before the 2001 attacks. On Friday, The Washington Post reported ABC was making minor changes to its docudrama in response to complaints by Clinton administration officials and other Democrats. The network would not confirm those changes were being made, but issued a statement saying, "For dramatic and narrative purposes, the movie contains fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue, and time compression. "No one has seen the final version of the film, because the editing process is not yet complete, so criticisms of film specifics are premature and irresponsible." 'GENERAL INDECISIVENESS' Kean told The Washington Post he asked for changes that would address complaints raised by the former Clinton officials. He told the paper the network was considering his request. The newspaper quoted one unidentified ABC executive as saying changes were "intended to make clearer that it was general indecisiveness" by federal officials that left America vulnerable to attacks, "not any one individual." The show has added fuel to the election-year debate over who is tougher on terrorism, and U.S. congressional Democrats urged ABC this week to cancel the miniseries. Materials that publishing company Scholastic intended to use in conjunction with the program have been pulled from Scholastic's Web site. "After a thorough review of the original guide that we offered online to about 25,000 high school teachers, we determined that the materials did not meet our high standards for dealing with controversial issues," Dick Robinson, head of Scholastic, said in a statement. The producers of "The Path to 9/11" say the miniseries is based on information collected at commission hearings. Starring Harvey Keitel, it traces the roots of the September 11 plot, depicting missteps, ineptitude, political decisions and bureaucratic intransigence that thwart investigative efforts. "The American government let us down," Kean told Reuters. "Not only didn't they stop the plot, they didn't even slow it down." Kean said he saw the show as a way to raise awareness of the recommendations made by the 9/11 commission, which issued its report in 2004. Kean said he expected criticism. "People in both parties didn't particularly like the commission report, and I think people in both parties aren't going to love this one." (Additional reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst and Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss)

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/9/2006 6:24:20 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

In New Letter, Clinton's Lawyers Demand ABC Yank Film By Greg Sargent \| bio On Friday evening, Bill Clinton's lawyers sent a new letter to ABC chief Bob Iger demanding that ABC yank "The Path to 9/11." We've obtained a copy of the letter, and it reads in part: "As a nation, we need to be focused on preventing another attack, not fictionalizing the last one for television ratings. `The Path to 9/11' not only tarnishes the work of the 9/11 Commission, but also cheapens the fith anniversary of what was a very painful moment in history for all Americans. We expect that you will make the responsible decision to not air this film." Full text of the letter after the jump. The full text: Dear Bob, Despite press reports that ABC/Disney has made changes in the content and marketing of "The Path to 9/11," we remailn concerned about the false impression that airing the show will leave on the public. Labelng the show as "fiction" does not meet your responsibility to the victims of the September 11th attacks, their families, the hard work of the 9/11 Commission, or to the American people as a whole. At a moment when we should be debating how to make the nation safer by implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, "The Path to 9/11" calls into question the accuracy of the Commission's report and whether fabricated scenes are, in fact, an accurate portrayal of history. Indeed, the millions spent on the production of this fictional drama would have been better spent informing the public about the Commission's actual findings and the many recommendations that have yet to be acted upon. Unlike this film, that would have been a tremendous service to the public. Although our request for an advance copy of the film has been repeatedly denied, it is all too clear that our objections to "The Path to 9/11" are valid and corroborated by those familiar with the film and intimately involved in its production. -- Your corporate partner, Scholastic, has disassociated itself from this proect. -- 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean, who served as co-executive producer on "The Path to 9/11," has stated that he raised concerns about the accuracy of several scenes in the film and that his concerns were not addressed during production. -- Harvey Keitel, who plays the star role of FBI agent John O'Neill, told reporters yesterday that while the screenplay was presented to him as a fair treatment of historical events, he is upset that several scenes were simply invented for dramatic purposes. -- Numerous Members of Congress, several 9/11 Commissioners and prominent historians have spoken out against this movie. -- Indeed, according to press reports, the fact that you are still editing the film two days before it is scheduled to air is an admission that it is irreparably flawed. As a nation, we need to be focused on preventing another attack, not fictionalizing the last one for television ratings. "The Path to 9/11" not only tarnishes the work of the 9/11 Commission, but also cheapens the fith anniversary of what was a very painful moment in history for all Americans. We expect that you will make the responsible decision to not air this film. Sincerely, Bruce R. Lindsey Chief Executive Officer William J. Clinton Foundation Douglas J. Band Counselor to President Clinton Office of William Jefferson Clinton

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/11/2006 12:03:32 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

WE MUST HUNT AND TRACK THEM DOWN WHICH IS THE TRUE AMERICAN SPIRIT

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/17/2006 4:41:30 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

'I was Gov-struck' - McG aide BY JOANNA MOLLOY DAILY NEWS GOSSIP COLUMNIST 'He put his hands to my chest and pushed me into the bedroom. He pushed me onto the bed and jumped on me. We wrestled and he stopped. And there was this moment when ... I asked him, 'Why did you think I was gay?' And he said, 'Everybody's a little bit gay.'" Golan Cipel Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey sexually harassed and assaulted Golan Cipel during his tenure as the state's homeland security chief, the former Israeli Army officer told the Daily News yesterday. Cipel relayed quite a different reality from the one McGreevey recounts in his new book, "The Confession," in which he describes their alleged sexual affair and writes that he "first kissed" Cipel in his house while his wife Dina lay in the hospital after delivering their baby. "I wasn't his lover," Cipel, 37, said. "I didn't have sex with him. I never heard anything from him saying that he loved me. The only things that happened were sexual harassments. And unwanted sexual advances and assaults." Cipel, an intelligent, tough, ex-army lieutenant who's spoken to The News over a period of months, recalled that night in 2001. "One night, McGreevey called me and asked me to come over to speak to him about something related to work," Cipel said. "I came to his house and we had a good conversation and, all of a sudden, he asked me to go to a bar. I said, 'I think it's inappropriate for you to go to a bar, you're the governor.' And he said, 'This is my neighborhood. I grew up here, everybody knows me, I'm fine. I just want to get out a little bit.' "I thought, he's the governor, I guess he knows what he's doing, so we went. There was a state trooper outside guarding the house and the trooper insisted he escort him. McGreevey said no, but we went to a little neighborhood bar in the Woodbridge area and the state trooper is behind us. Everybody inside knows him. He ordered a beer for himself and for me. I said, 'I don't really drink.' "He drank, I think, two glasses. He tells me, 'Come on, be a man, drink a little more.' I just took a few sips. I'd left my briefcase at his house so I had to get it. The bar had a liquor store and he said he wanted to buy liquor. He bought Jagermeister. I drove him back home, I got my bag and he said, 'The news is coming on, please stay, I want to talk to you about something.' "He was pouring us drinks and he was drinking his. I didn't feel any warning signals or hostile atmosphere. I've thought a lot about this since. I thought he was just a normal guy. McGreevey was drinking. I said, 'I really have to leave, it's getting late.' He escorted me to the door and all of a sudden he said, 'I need to give you something, but it's upstairs.' "I said, 'Okay, I'll wait,' and he said, 'No, come with me, it'll be easier.' I was innocent, I had no clue this guy had any intentions. We went to the upper level. To the right was a bedroom and to the left, a den with his office. "He turned and pushed me with a lot of strength to the bedroom, and I was in shock. He put his hands to my chest and pushed me into the bedroom. He pushed me onto the bed and jumped on me. "We wrestled and he stopped. And there was this moment when the two of us were in the room. And I asked him, 'Why did you think I was gay?' And he said, 'Everybody's a little bit gay.' I was very embarrassed. "If you would have asked me, before this happened, what would I do? I would say I'd punch the guy in the mouth. But I completely froze, and I just hurried out, out of the house. I went home and I couldn't sleep." When he saw his boss the next day, Cipel said, the only thing McGreevey said to him was, "I got rid of the liquor." "I never thought this would happen to me," Cipel added. "I realized my whole life was in the hands of this man. He controlled the police, appointed the judges, the attorney general. I'm a new immigrant, with only a visa. I didn't know what to do." Told of Cipel's claims, McGreevey told The News through a spokesman: "The book is rigorously honest and I stand behind its integrity." In his book, McGreevey writes: "I took Golan by the hand and led him upstairs to my bed. We undressed and he kissed me. It was the first time in my life that a kiss meant what it was supposed to mean. ... I pulled him to the bed and we made love like I'd always dreamed: a boastful, passionate, whispering, masculine kind of love." Cipel also describes an atmosphere of juvenile sexuality around McGreevey: "He'd talk about sex he'd had with prostitutes, female prostitutes. He's asked guys, if he saw them with women, 'Do you have sex with her?' The governor acted like a teenager. He surrounded himself with young men in their 20s and 30s, but he didn't understand they were there because he worked with them, not because they were his friends." Cipel, now working in Israel, said he received letters signed "Jim's friends," threatening him if he talked. Cipel said he has dropped his harassment lawsuit against McGreevey - despite financial settlement offers through his lawyers - "because I wanted to get on with my life." "And investigators from the FBI came here and concluded that I did not try to blackmail him," Cipel said. "I was just the only one with the courage to speak out." Cipel and McGreevey agree on one thing. The former governor, who resigned in 2004 after admitting to having been a closeted "gay American," said in his book, due out Tuesday, that he felt "invincible" at the time. Cipel said, "Once I asked him, 'Who do you report to?' "And he said, 'Only God is above me,'" Cipel recalled. In fact, Cipel said he didn't know whether it was appropriate for him to be appointed homeland security adviser since he wasn't a citizen, and that he wanted to tell the media that he never claimed to have homeland security expertise, and that his rank of lieutenant in the Israeli Army was common, but McGreevey forbade it: "He said, 'I'm the most powerful governor in the nation. I can appoint whomever I want.'" Cipel took the job, he said, because "New York is the place I love more than anywhere else in the world. I wanted to help New York, New Jersey and America, especially after 9/11. "I am no longer afraid," Cipel said. "McGreevey tried to intimidate me. But I consider myself a New Yorker and an Israeli. And that is a tough combination." Originally published on September 17, 2006

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/20/2006 6:57:02 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Chavez Launches Bush Broadside at U.N. The fiery speech by the leftist leader, one of the Bush's staunchest critics abroad, was harsher in tone than that of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who sparred with Bush the previous day over Tehran's disputed nuclear program but avoided any personal insults. "Yesterday, the devil came here," Chavez said, referring to Bush's address before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. "Right here. Right here. And it smells of sulfur still today, this table that I am now standing in front of." He then made the sign of the cross, brought his hands together as if praying and looked up at the ceiling. Lest anyone wasn't listening, Chavez continued: "Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world," Chavez said. Chavez's words drew tentative giggles at times from the audience, but also applause at the end of the speech and when he called Bush the devil - a word he used no fewer than eight times. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Chavez's remarks were "not becoming for a head of state." "I am not going to dignify a comment by the Venezuelan president to the president of the United States," Rice told reporters in New York. The main U.S. seat in the assembly hall was empty as Chavez spoke, though the U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told The Associated Press that a "junior note-taker" was present, as is customary "when governments like that speak." The address appeared to be one of Chavez' boldest moves yet to lead an alliance of countries firmly opposed to the Bush administration. The speech came after the leftist leader crisscrossed the globe this summer visiting like-minded nations from Iran to Belarus. The Venezuelan has become Latin America's leading voice against the U.S. government, and his speech was reminiscent of crusading addresses by his mentor Fidel Castro of Cuba and the late Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. In his 23-minute address, Chavez also called Bush a "spokesman of imperialism" who was trying "to preserve the current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of the world." "An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I would even propose a title: 'The Devil's Recipe,'" Chavez said. He accused the U.S. of planning and financing a failed 2002 coup against him, a charge the U.S. denies. And he said the U.S. tries to impose its vision of democracy militarily in countries like Iran and Iraq. "We appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our head," he said. "The imperialists see extremists everywhere. It's not that we are extremists. It's that the world is waking up." At the start of his talk, Chavez held up a book by American writer Noam Chomsky, "Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance," and recommended it to everyone in the General Assembly, as well as to the American people. "The people of the United States should read this ... instead of the watching Superman movies," Chavez later told reporters. He called U.S. consumerism "madness," saying Americans have wasteful habits in using oil and energy. He held up a satellite photo showing the world at night, with bright light emanating from the U.S. and other wealthy countries. Consuming less should be an environmental priority, he said, "instead of looking for oil" through the war in Iraq. The United States continues to be the top buyer of Venezuelan oil, bringing the South American country billions of dollars in earnings that help fund Chavez's popular social programs. Accusing Bush of neglecting the poor, Chavez started a program last winter for Venezuela's U.S.-based oil company Citgo to sell discounted heating oil to poor American families. It distributed more than 40 million gallons of oil last winter to low-income Americans, and Chavez announced a doubling of that this winter. Chavez also lambasted the U.S. government for trying to block Venezuela's campaign for a seat in the U.N. Security Council. He said if chosen over U.S.-favorite Guatemala in a secret-ballot U.N. vote next month, Venezuela would be "the voice of the Third World." The council currently consists of five permanent members with veto power - the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France - and 10 non-permanent members who serve two-year terms and have no power to veto resolutions. The U.S. argues that Venezuela - closely allied with Iran, Syria and Cuba - would be a disruptive force. The campaign for a U.N. seat is shaping up to be a formidable diplomatic test for Chavez, gauging his ability to lobby head-to-head against the United States. Chavez said the U.N. in its current system "doesn't work" and is "antidemocratic." He called for the world body to be overhauled, saying the U.S. government's "immoral veto" had allowed recent Israeli bombings of Lebanon to continue unabated for more than a month. The Mideast was in the spotlight, with ministers from the Quartet that drafted the stalled so-called "road map" peace plan - the U.S., the U.N., the European Union and Russia - planning to meet. The Security Council also was scheduled to hold a ministerial meeting Thursday that Arab leaders hope will help revive the peace process. On Wednesday, Bush met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and described him as "a man of peace" who can help move forward the stalled peace process. Afghan President Hamid Karzai also addressed the General Assembly, warning that terrorism is rebounding in his country. He said efforts to build democracy there had suffered setbacks over the past year as violence increased, especially in the volatile south where NATO forces have been battling Taliban militants in some of the fiercest battles since the hard-line government was toppled in 2001. "We have seen terrorism rebounding as terrorists have infiltrated our borders to step up their murderous campaign against our people," he told the General Assembly. He also expressed concern about "the increased incidents of Islamophobia in the West," saying it does not "bode well for the cause of building understanding and cooperation across civilizations." --- Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer and Kim Gamel at the United Nations contributed to this story.

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/23/2006 2:20:47 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Bill Clinton Freaks Out youtube.com

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/25/2006 7:16:35 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Falwell says Hillary would spark base Sun Sep 24, 1:30 PM ET The Rev. Jerry Falwell says a White House run by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton would energize his base of religious conservatives even more than if the devil were the Democratic nominee. "I certainly hope that Hillary is the candidate," Falwell told a private prayer breakfast. "Because nothing will energize my (constituency) like Hillary Clinton." "If Lucifer ran, he wouldn't," Falwell added, drawing a roomful of laughs and cheers. The remarks came during a 40-minute address Friday morning at the "Values Voter Summit," sponsored by the country's leading conservatives and featuring several Republicans who are considering running for president in 2008. The Los Angeles Times, which reported Falwell's comments in a story Sunday, said it obtained a tape recording of the talk and confirmed Falwell's remarks with those who heard them. An aide to Falwell said the remarks were off-the-cuff and not intended to demonize the Democratic senator from New York. Attendees also were assured during the prayer breakfast that God would preserve a Republican majority in Congress. There was no immediate reaction Sunday from the senator's office. ___ WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) is predicting Republicans will maintain control of Congress but acknowledges it will be a tough battle because of voter concern about the Iraq war. McCain, a likely GOP presidential contender in 2008, blamed partisanship for Congress' failure to act on important bills such as Social Security. Voters will have a better impression if lawmakers "lower the rhetoric a little bit and work together a little more," the Arizona Republican said. "It's going to be very, very tough," McCain said, referring to GOP's chances in the November elections. "Iraq is a very controversial issue with Americans. And there's uncertainty about our future because of globalization. But we also think we have a record we can stand on." McCain, speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," also said Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton would make a good president in that she would work hard. "I am sure that she would do a job that is in keeping with her philosophy and her beliefs," he said. "I think we have very different views on the conduct of the presidency. But she works hard as a senator, and I think she knows her issues." McCain said he will not make a decision on a presidential bid until early next year. But he pledged in a presidential race not to engage in "attack politics" that observers believe undermined McCain's 2000 bid. "I will not run a campaign or be involved in a campaign that engages in that," McCain said. "I'd rather lose than be involved in it." He added: "Right now, we're focusing on the 2006 election. We all know that a lot is up for grabs here."

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	9/28/2006 3:51:57 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Bad Employees :) millan.net Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics: 29 have been accused of spousal abuse 7 have been arrested for fraud 19 have been accused of writing bad checks 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses 3 have done time for assault 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges 8 have been arrested for shoplifting 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in one year Can you guess which organization this is? Give up yet? It's the 535 members of the United States Congress! The same group that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line ;)

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	10/14/2006 12:10:00 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

STATIC AIRWAVES CASH-STRAPPED AIR AMERICA GOES BANKRUPT By JANET WHITMAN Al FrankenOctober 14, 2006 -- Air America filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, leaving the cash-strapped lefty network on the airwaves only because an investor group came to its rescue with an emergency $3 million cash infusion. Its stumble into Chapter 11 comes a month after investors in the ratings-challenged radio network - which has bled money consistently since its March 2004 debut - snapped their wallets shut, prompting bankruptcy rumors to swirl. Air America had hoped to avoid bankruptcy and yesterday blamed the "regrettable action" on a breakdown in negotiations with a creditor from the company's "earliest days." The creditor, a disgruntled station owner that had clashed with Air America when it was first getting off the ground, last month managed to freeze the radio network's bank accounts, leaving it without funds to operate. The station owner, Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, claims it is owed more than $550,000, an amount that is in dispute, according to bankruptcy documents filed yesterday. To keep its stream of liberal talk show hosts on the air while it attempts to reorganize, Air America secured a $3 million loan from Democracy Allies, an investor group that includes Rob Glaser, the RealNetworks founder who rescued the troubled network from its first financial crisis. Glaser, a former Air America chairman with a nearly 37 percent stake in the company, is owed $9.8 million. Also among those owed money is Air America star Al Franken, who hasn't been paid more than $360,000 in wages and other compensation. Air America, whose executive suite has been a revolving door, earlier this week named vice president Scott Elberg as its new chief executive. He replaces radio industry entrepreneur Danny Goldberg, who stepped down at the end of March. Air America has had a bumpy ride since its launch two-and-a-half years ago as what it called an "antidote" to conservative talk radio. From May 2004 through December 2004, the network's losses totaled $8.6 million, then accelerated to $19.2 million in 2005. So far this year, it's out about $13.1 million. In a bid to cut costs, Air America laid off six people in early September and shuffled its on-air lineup. When its investors turned off the money spigot a month ago, Air America immediately began to consider selling or liquidating its assets. The company yesterday said it expects to complete talks to obtain new financing while it's under bankruptcy protection. janet.whitman@nypost.com

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	11/7/2006 2:42:30 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Clinton Is Midterm Campaign’s Biggest Spender, Records Show, at $29.5 Million and Counting By JEFF ZELENY November 7, 2006 Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has spent more money in the midterm election cycle than any other politician running for office this year, campaign finance records show, investing more than twice as much as most candidates in tight races across the country. To secure her Democratic re-election bid in New York, Mrs. Clinton spent $29.5 million through the middle of October, according to the Federal Election Commission, suggesting that she may have her sights on a future national campaign. While much of the amount is devoted to television advertising, it is the bills for catering, flowers and photography that elevated her tally far above other Senate candidates’. While Senator Rick Santorum, Republican of Pennsylvania, spent $21.5 million through the same time period, records show, his spending report comprises bills like $30.33 at Papa John’s pizza, $59.50 at Panera Bread and $74.34 at the Olive Garden. Not so for Mrs. Clinton, whose campaign reported sending a $6,585 check to Flutterbyes for flowers in Las Vegas, $5,397.50 to Le Petit Gourmet Catering in Glendale, Colo., and $80,000 to Tavern on the Green in Manhattan. Those were among the bills gleaned from a page-by-page review of Mrs. Clinton’s third-quarter campaign finance report, which showed disbursements of more than $8 million. The chairman of the Federal Election Commission, Michael E. Toner, said only a handful of Senate candidates had ever spent more. The spending patterns of the Clinton campaign demonstrated “an extraordinary burn rate,” he said, which was particularly striking considering she did not seem to have a serious challenger in John Spencer, her Republican rival. “It may be that Clinton is spending so heavily in New York to try to accomplish the kind of landslide that President Bush enjoyed in 1998,” said Mr. Toner, referring to the Texas governor’s race eight years ago. “The president’s 1998 race unquestionably helped lay the groundwork for a successful presidential campaign in 2000. History may be repeating itself.” A spokeswoman for the campaign, Ann Lewis, said Mrs. Clinton began raising and spending money in January 2005, preparing for “whatever came our way.” When a competitive race did not materialize, Ms. Lewis said, the campaign began investing in an extensive get-out-the-vote program to remind Democrats not to overlook the election. “If it is not considered to be close, you’ve got to give people a really good reason to vote for you,” Ms. Lewis said. “Frankly, there is not a statewide race that has built-in excitement.” A review of the Clinton campaign’s filings with the Federal Election Commission showed that in addition to contributing $2.6 million to other Democrats, the campaign spent more than $2 million on advertising for television, radio and newspapers in the third quarter of the year. The largest payment, $1.58 million, went to Media Strategies and Research of Denver, Colo., a Democratic political advertising firm. In addition, about $600,000 in fees were paid to Grunwald Communications, which is run by Mrs. Clinton’s longtime adviser Mandy Grunwald. The remainder of the costs covered staff salaries and expenses for Mrs. Clinton. From Connecticut to California, nearly all fund-raising functions included catering, parking and photography. “An important part of any event is the photo line,” Ms. Lewis said. “There is always a good chunk of time during the evening where she is taking photos.”

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	11/12/2006 5:27:36 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Jerome Armstrong - What's Wrong With This Picture riehlworldview.com

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	12/7/2006 4:11:38 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Clinton Fund-Raiser Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud A top fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign pleaded guilty on Wednesday to felony mail fraud charges in Chicago federal court. James Levin was accused of defrauding the Chicago public school system. He admitted taking part in a scheme to convince school contracting officials that his fencing companies were subcontracting work to businesses owned by minorities or women, while Levin was in fact simply paying those companies for use of their names. Levin – who has described himself as a "dear” friend of President Bill Clinton – was a key witness at the criminal trial last year of David Rosen, Hillary’s national finance director in 2000, who was charged with cooking the books for her campaign. Specifically, prosecutors said, he was linked to the submission of false campaign finance reports in connection with a star-studded fund-raising dinner and concert in Los Angeles in August 2000, the New York Sun reported. Levin testified that Rosen knew the event went far over budget, but Rosen denied knowing about the cost overruns and was acquitted. Levin served on the national finance committees for Hillary’s Senate campaign and Al Gore’s presidential bid in 2000, and raised eyebrows when it was revealed he had once owned a Chicago strip club. According to the Sun, Levin faces no more than six months in prison.

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	12/14/2006 5:54:02 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Senate Back to 50-50 With Johnson Out Dec 14 10:32 AM US/Eastern By The Associated Press WASHINGTON The last time the Senate convened with a perfect balance of 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats, the two parties struck a power-sharing agreement. Republicans got control of the Senate, but gave Democrats equal representation on the committees that drive the legislative machinery. Six years later, with Democrats poised to take power with a 51-49 edge in the incoming Senate, the possibility of another evenly divided chamber hovered over the Capitol Thursday as Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota recovered from brain surgery. If Johnson is unable to serve, South Dakota Gov. Michael Rounds, a Republican, would appoint someone to fill his vacated seat. A Republican appointment would split the Senate anew, giving Vice President Dick Cheney the tie-breaking role and handing control of the chamber to Republicans. In 2000, when the elections left the Senate in such a tie, Republican Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi and Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota struck a unique deal that many Democrats say serves as a model for future evenly divided Senates. Under that agreement, the parties split their representation on committees evenly. Committee staff positions and funding were also split equally. Republicans chose the committee chairmen and controlled the agenda on the Senate floor. Democrats began courting Sen. Jim Jeffords, a liberal leaning Vermont Republican, to switch parties. In June of 2001, he became an Independent who chose to caucus with Democrats, a move that shifted the balance of power and made Daschle majority leader. A new 50-50 Senate would likely renew efforts by both parties to get a senator to cross over. A likely target of such entreaties would be Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, a moderate Democrat who won re- election this year as an Independent

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	1/18/2007 10:36:06 AM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Obama and Hillary are completely funded by the Republican Party knowing they are sure to lose.

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	1/28/2007 4:50:51 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

JOHN KERRY HIRES JEROME ARMSTRONG TO TOUT NEW GRASS ROOTS EFFORT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON JEROME ARMSTRONG PLEASE VISIT THE SEC WEB SITE sec.gov ALSO SEE Message 22553150 ================================================== "In an e-mail to past supporters announcing his decision, Kerry unveiled a new online grass-roots effort, which is being run by progressive blog guru Jerome Armstrong. The effort seeks "co-sponsors" to legislation he plans to introduce aimed at forcing Bush to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The proposal mirrors one Kerry offered last April that would have required all U.S. forces be out of Iraq by the end of 2006; it was defeated 83 to 16 in a Senate vote in June." Sen. Kerry Rules Out Second Presidential Bid In 2008 2007-01-25 03:01:15 Posted By: Intellpuke (Read 72 times \|\| 0 comments) Submit to Digg Sen. John F. Kerry, of Massachusetts, ruled out a second presidential bid Wednesday, asserting that he could do more to change the course of Iraq policy in the Senate than by campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire. "I've concluded this isn't the time for me to mount a presidential campaign," said the former Democratic nominee. "I intend to work here to change a policy in Iraq that threatens all that I have worked for and cared about since I came home from Vietnam." Since his loss to President Bush in 2004, Kerry had left open the possibility of a return run. He had emerged as one of the most vociferous voices in opposition to the war in Iraq and spent much of the 2006 campaign season traveling the country in support of Democratic candidates. Much of that work was forgotten when, a little more than a week before Election Day, Kerry made a remark that Republicans said was disparaging to American troops in Iraq. He insisted that it was nothing more than a botched joke, but he quickly issued an apology. Several people close to Kerry said he struggled with the decision over whether to run again, weighing the narrowness of his 2004 defeat against the obvious hurdles presented by a Democratic field filled with popular figures such as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York), Sen. Barack Obama (Illinois) and former senator John Edwards (North Carolina). Kerry acknowledged as much in his remarks, saying: "We came close, certainly close enough to try again." The sources said his decision was not motivated by national and state polling that showed him trailing Clinton, Obama and Edwards in hypothetical 2008 matchups. They noted that Kerry has nearly $13 million in the bank, which could have been used to reintroduce himself to voters. But there are real concerns that a second national candidacy could endanger Kerry's standing in his home state. "Like a very smart fighter, [Kerry] made the best long-term decision for himself and the country by recognizing where the real battlefield is on the Iraq war," said Jenny Backus, a former Kerry adviser who is currently neutral in the 2008 race. Kerry is expected to run for a fifth Senate term in 2008. He made clear during his speech that he will continue to forcefully oppose the foreign policy course being pursued by the Bush administration. "It's not enough for Congress to go on record opposing the president's reckless plan," said Kerry. He added that he supports a measure that would require congressional authorization for any further U.S. troop buildup in Iraq. In an e-mail to past supporters announcing his decision, Kerry unveiled a new online grass-roots effort, which is being run by progressive blog guru Jerome Armstrong. The effort seeks "co-sponsors" to legislation he plans to introduce aimed at forcing Bush to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The proposal mirrors one Kerry offered last April that would have required all U.S. forces be out of Iraq by the end of 2006; it was defeated 83 to 16 in a Senate vote in June. Kerry's announcement came on the same day that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a nonbinding resolution expressing disapproval of a surge of additional U.S. troops in Iraq. Sen. Chuck Hagel (Nebraska), a potential presidential candidate, was the only Republican who voted in favor of the resolution. Edwards, who was Kerry's running mate in 2004, called the Massachusetts senator a "friend." He noted that "all Americans are fortunate to have John's experience, insight and conscience in the Senate". Obama was similarly laudatory, predicting that Kerry "will continue to serve his country with honor and distinction in the years to come". Many Democrats had regarded Kerry's decision as a foregone conclusion because of the competitive field, his baggage from the 2004 election and the historical unwillingness of the Democratic Party to renominate a losing presidential candidate. Stephanie Cutter, Kerry's national spokeswoman in 2004, praised the senator for the campaign he ran, but she added: "The reality is the 2008 race moved past him months ago, and catching up would have taken much more than another candidate's implosion or last-minute surge." Kerry's allies said Wednesday that he remains a major political force in no small part because of his fundraising ability. In last year's election campaign, they noted, he raised $14 million for 260 candidates, thanks to an e-mail list that contains more than 3 million names. Intellpuke: You can read this article by washingtonpost.com writer Chris Cillizza, reporting from Washington, D.C., in context here: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012400943.html

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	1/29/2007 12:35:11 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Hillary Clinton Sings National Anthem youtube.com

To: American Spirit who wrote (1407)	2/8/2007 4:40:02 PM
From: StockDung	Respond to of 1449

Pentagon limits Pelosi jet size By Charles Hurt and Rowan Scarborough THE WASHINGTON TIMES Published February 8, 2007 The Department of Defense yesterday sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that puts limits on the size of the plane she may use to travel across the country and restricts the guests she can bring, The Washington Times has learned. A congressional source who read the letter signed by Assistant Secretary of Defense Robert Wilkie said it essentially limits her to the commuter plane used by former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, which requires refueling to travel from Washington to Mrs. Pelosi's San Francisco district. A second source, in the Bush administration, confirmed the contents of the letter. The Washington Times first reported last week that Mrs. Pelosi's staff was pressing the Department of Defense for an Air Force aircraft large enough to fly nonstop to San Francisco. She also has pressed to be able to include other members of the California congressional delegation, her family members and her staff on the plane. "It's not a question of size. It's a question of distance," Mrs. Pelosi told reporters yesterday. "We want an aircraft that can reach California." Earlier, Mrs. Pelosi did not comment on the matter but yesterday began a counteroffensive accusing the Bush administration of twisting the story. These "misrepresentations could be coming from the administration," she told reporters yesterday. "One would only have to wonder why," she said, though adding that she did not suspect President Bush "because he has impressed upon me over and over again the need for me to have the security that I need." The letter from the Pentagon yesterday cites specific U.S. Code that government policy does not include the routine use of military aircraft for the speaker of the House. "Nonstop service is not guaranteed, meaning she's getting Hastert's plane and nothing bigger," the congressional source said, referring to the commuter jet Mr. Hastert began using for security reasons after the September 11 terrorist attacks. But the administration official said Mrs. Pelosi "wanted to be able to fly between Washington and the West Coast nonstop." The letter leaves open the possibility that Mrs. Pelosi may get a larger plane that does not require refueling if one happens to be available in the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base. But, generally, the larger military passenger jets are in high demand, especially due to the Iraq war. In addition, the letter stipulates that the Air Force will only fly her between Washington and her San Francisco district and places limits on who can travel with her. The Washington Times reported earlier this week that the Pentagon denied a request by Mrs. Pelosi to fly on a military aircraft to last weekend's Democratic retreat in Williamsburg, a two-hour drive from Washington. "Non-governmental personnel, i.e. political supporters and contributors, may not fly," the congressional source said yesterday, paraphrasing the letter sent to Mrs. Pelosi. "The plane may not ferry her to any political events and other members may only accompany her after approval by the House ethics committee, which means Republicans would have to OK it." Immediate family members who fly with her must pay the U.S. Treasury for the flight. Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly acknowledged the letter but declined to get into specifics about it. "We appreciate the Defense Department's continuing concern for the speaker's security," he said. "We are reviewing their letter." Mr. Daly said the negotiations with the Pentagon and the Air Force over using a larger plane is a matter of security based on her position as second in line to the presidency. "The military is saying she needs this for her security," he said yesterday afternoon. "She's the speaker of the House." But the congressional source noted that no speaker of the House has ever succeeded to the presidency. "Just because she's second in line to be president does not entitle her to a military taxi service around the United States," the source said. White House spokesman Tony Snow said yesterday that while negotiations were continuing between Mrs. Pelosi's office and the Pentagon, she would ultimately have some sort of military transport at her disposal. "The Department of Defense is going through its rules and regulations and having conversations with the speaker about it," he said. "So Speaker Hastert had access to military aircraft, and Speaker Pelosi will too." In an interview on Fox News, Mrs. Pelosi said the plane request was not hers. "I wish I didn't have to have so much security, because I like my freedom of mobility," she said, adding that she would be willing to fly commercial aviation. "I'm not asking to go on that plane. If you need to take me there for security purposes, you're going to have to get a plane that goes across the country." But Mrs. Pelosi's requests for the larger jet still has drawn ridicule from Republicans, who have dubbed the requested plane "Pelosi One." It's especially galling, they say, since Mrs. Pelosi and her fellow Democrats ran on campaigns to clear out many of the perks provided to lawmakers. One of the first changes she made to the rules governing House members was to ban free air travel by members of Congress on corporate-owned or chartered planes. The "jumbo request," as one Republican called it, also comes at a time when Democrats are trying to push through Congress a resolution that sending 21,500 reinforcement troops to Iraq "is not in the national interest of the United States." "So let's get this straight," Republican Study Committee spokesman Brad Dayspring said in a statement yesterday that reproduced a picture of a transcontinental U.S. military jet. "During a week in which Democrats are pushing a resolution that states, 'it is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the United States military force presence in Iraq,' they believe that securing Speaker Pelosi the military plane pictured below for luxury flights is in the national interest?"