Dean slaps the UN and the European Union for lack of action in Sudan

Howard Dean takes the international community to task for its lack of response to the crisis in Sudan:

Now is the time for the world community to act if they are serious about encouraging an enlightened leadership role for the United States. My challenge to the U.N. and Europe is simple: if you don't like American diplomacy under George Bush, then do something to show those of us in opposition here in the U.S. that you can behave in such a way that unilateralism is not necessary.

Dean's message is as refreshing now as it was a couple of years ago when he was voicing strong opposition to the Iraq war.

Bush: Call off the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

This is absolutely must see. The New York Times has constructed a graph detailing the close personal ties linking the Bush administration to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth as well as the lattice of lies and half-truths supporting their allegations.

It is as obvious today as it was when the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth first crawled out from under their rock that the substance of their allegations against Kerry and their motives for making them are completely suspect, if not outright criminal.

Poll results driving Bush to evangelical base

Thanks to Kim Benabib from Echo for the research:

Why, at this late date, is Bush running like he's a
guest on the 700 Club? Here's why:

Hispanics (Washington Post/Univision)
Kerry 60, Bush 30

Jewish Voters (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research )
Kerry 75, Bush 22

Catholic Voters (Zogby)
Kerry 50, Bush 37

Muslim Voters (CAIR)
Kerry 54, Bush 3

My new favorite headline

We interrupt this blog for an important announcement from the Weekly World News:

AL QAEDA PLANS TO DROP GAY BOMBS
Men within 30 miles of the blast will instantly turn queer!

Run for your lives!!

Iraqi soccer players to Bush: Not so fast

President Bush would like to use the image of the successful Iraqi soccer team to endorse his campaign. In a Sports Illustrated article we discover that the soccer players have different ideas. While the Iraqi players are unanimously grateful to have Saddam gone, they are skeptical, to say the least, of the benevolence of George Bush:

Ahmed Manajid, who played as a midfielder on Wednesday, had an even stronger response when asked about Bush's TV advertisement. "How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women?" Manajid told me. "He has committed so many crimes."

It is another compelling reminder that reality to Americans is much different than reality to Iraqis. US voters would do well to evaluate and balance both realities while casting their votes.

Another Swift Boat Veteran Lie...

Yet another lie surfaces in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth story. Key Swiftie, Larry Thurlow, has maintained that Kerry's boat never came under fire in the action that resulted in Kerry's Bronze Star. Unfortunately, Thurlow's own military records dipute his claim.

Last month, Thurlow swore in an affidavit that Kerry was "not under fire" when he fished Lt. James Rassmann out of the water. He described Kerry's Bronze Star citation, which says that all units involved came under "small arms and automatic weapons fire," as "totally fabricated."

"I never heard a shot," Thurlow said in his affidavit, which was released by Swift Boats Veterans for Truth. The group claims the backing of more than 250 Vietnam veterans, including a majority of Kerry's fellow boat commanders.

Then the Thurlow's universe warps:

A document recommending Thurlow for the Bronze Star noted that all his actions "took place under constant enemy small arms fire which LTJG THURLOW completely ignored in providing immediate assistance" to the disabled boat and its crew. The citation states that all other units in the flotilla also came under fire.

Thulrow has refused to release his military records because he fears they will be used to discredit him. Small wonder when they contradict so explicitly his claims against Kerry.

The more we hear about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the more it should be clear that they are angry over Kerry's opposition to the vietnam war and his allegations of war crimes, and his specific testimony before the Senate. They will use any means at their disposal to slander Kerry's service. Buyer beware.

Bush exlcludes 55-year old social studies teacher from rally

There is a Democratic way and a Republican way. No wait a minute, That's not quite right. Republicans are better than their leadership. Republican ideals are much more classy and make much more sense than the bonehead in charge right now.

As I have said many times in the past, the attitude and processes by which the lower level of an organization operates truly reflects the organization's leadership. The Bush campaign is vetting the attendees at its campaign events with peculiar ferocity.

This comes in from Traverse City, Michigan:

Kathryn Mead wanted to see her first sitting president when George W. Bush visited the city.

Instead, Bush campaign staffers tore up the 55-year-old social studies teacher's ticket and refused her admission because she sported a small sticker on her blouse that touted the Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards.

I am a Kerry supporter. But I would want to see President Bush speak. Isn't he my President? That kind of behavior is pathetic, un-American, and indicative of the exact attitude the US under Bush projects to the rest of the world.

Oh Commander, I mean, Oh Brother, I mean, D'oh

In the age of "preemptive investigations" wherein the FBI targets people who might cause "trouble" at the GOP Convention this August before they actually do anything, doesn't it comfort you to know that we are busy screwing up terrorist investigations?

An entry in the notebook, prosecutors said, contains the name of one of the suspects, Yassin Muhiddin Aref, 34, and lists his address and phone number in Albany. The entry, in Arabic, refers to him as "commander," according to a Defense Department translation.

However, FBI translators now have a copy of the original entry and disagree with the Defense Department, saying the Kurdish phrase actually means "brother."

It is a wonder that satire mags like The Onion stay in business.

NYC Cabbies prepared to Shine the Light on Bush

New York cabbies are vowing to "Shine the Light" on GW during the GOP convention by turning on their headlights. They will also, ahem, offering a special value coupon good for a free ride to an airport

to any Convention Delegate, Right Wing Talk Show Host or other Chicken Hawk who will fly to Baghdad and volunteer to fight in Iraq.

Welcome to NYC Mr. Bush.

Kerry looks good through beer goggles. What a relief.

So according to this GQ article, Kerry passed the testoserone test. That's right, Kerry is a good drinking partner. Why this is important is beyond me. Wolf Blitzer was yacking about it today on CNN like being able to play Pass Out was the holy grail of American politics. Am I the only one who thinks it's slightly idiotic to judge a candidate by whether or not they are an entertaining drinking partner? Hey, I've got an idea. Let's go down to the bar, get stinky and oh, I don't know, INVADE IRAQ. Sheesh.

Headline fever

Occasionally, it's better to forego analysis and just shovel out links. Here's a smattering of what I have been reading over the last few days:

It's easy to criticize the Bush administration for balking at enacting the reccomendations of the 9.11 commission. The administration resisted the formation of the commission then stonewalled them. Nonetheless, dislike and lack of respect for the Bush administration shouldn't stop anyone from casting a critical eye at the commission's reccomendations. The ACLU warns of further civil rights violations if a National Intelligence Director (NID) and a National Counter-Terrorism Center (NCTC) that would centralize power over both foreign and domestic intelligence collection agencies in the White House are created.

Speaking of civil liberties, the FBI and the ACLU: The feebies are targeting protesters in advance of the GOP convention. I have not arched even one eyebrow in surprise. I understand the need to be careful. I also understand the GOP need to sanitize their photo op. Bad Ashcroft, bad. Dial back the flat tops.

It appears to me that a general buzz is flowing as a result of Kerry's cross country bus trip. Crowds are huge for Kerry, smaller and by invitation only for Bush. I like it. It can only help Kerry.

Is there anyone left who thinks that Iraq isn't about to implode? Below, I advocate maintaining an ugly status quo, leaving Sadyr and Najaf alone for now, focus on services while we build a huge international presence. I also explained why President Bush can't negotiate a solution to the problem without losing the election, and why, even if he had the inclination, which he doesn't, the allies would tell us to piss off. Fred Kaplan, from Slate, looks for hope in Iraq and finds slim pickings. It's no wonder. A conference of more than 1,100 Iraqis convened in Baghdad to move the country towards a democracy, only to be pelted with sadyr mortar shells. In a last grasp for peace, the conference has sent out a delegation to negotiate some kind of deal with Al Sadyr. Even though I feel a large lump of mushy hope as I watch the Iraqi soccer team prevail against the odds, even though yes virginia, there is a bright side to a bad war, it's still a bad war. The US is still trapped between a variety of really bad options. Iran is still breathing down Iraq's neck. The gas is still puoured. A shaky hands holds a match.

This David Broder commentary is well worth the read by both GOP and Dem flaks. In Bush's Two Albatrosses, Broder takes pains to explain why Bush is in trouble. It is worth noting that Broder's column, apparently, is a bell weather of Conventional Wisdom. Talking Points has a great post about this.

The GOP Convention will provide a venue for anyone and everyone who wants to protest. New York is struggling to prepare.