Politics: Onward from New Hampshire

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by sgtclub
It's not that the question is unaskable, it's the way in which it was asked. Call the state department first if you have questions. If after speaking to state you reasonably believe there is a cover up going on, well then feel free to hold your press conference.

Right. Before you go calling for a Congressional investigation have a least a little evidence supporting your belief, other than the rantings of a deposed leader who it seems was just as corrupt as the parade of dictators before him...

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
I can respect those with profound religious beliefs, though I may disagree with those beliefs, or their efforts to make me live by them.

I think it's just an inate ability to find the bad to fit the moment. I suspect if he prostrated himself in a news conference, crying and asking for forgiveness because of his mistaken announcement on gay marriage, you'd be telling us that, while you could respect strongly held beliefs, you hate indecisiveness.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
It just keeps getting stranger in Haiti. Now Baby Doc Duvalier says he wants to come back.

This is why it is better to execute mass murderers than to exile them. This is also why I hate the French.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
I can respect those with profound religious beliefs, though I may disagree with those beliefs, or their efforts to make me live by them. But if the President has gay friends, and is willing to sell them out for political gain . . . .

A fair point, but if you eliminated all but the principled politicians in Washington, you'd be left with Ralph Nader.

[andViolins]

Originally posted by Not Me
This is why it is better to execute mass murderers than to exile them. This is also why I hate the French.

I'm sure that if you took a moment or two to think about it, you could come up with many, many, many other reasons to hate the French.

aV

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by andViolins
I'm sure that if you took a moment or two to think about it, you could come up with many, many, many other reasons to hate the French.

aV

You need a reason?

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
A fair point, but if you eliminated all but the principled politicians in Washington, you'd be left with Ralph Nader.

I don't have any proof whatsoever on this, but I get the distinct feeling that the only principles that Ralph abides by are those that benefit Ralph.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I don't have any proof whatsoever on this, but I get the distinct feeling that the only principles that Ralph abides by are those that benefit Ralph.

Ralph Nader - Abraham Lincoln = Ayn Rand?

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by sgtclub
It's not that the question is unaskable, it's the way in which it was asked. Call the state department first if you have questions. If after speaking to state you reasonably believe there is a cover up going on, well then feel free to hold your press conference.

OK, I gotcha. This seems more procedural than your earlier criticisms, and I can get behind this.

This does create some funny scenarios though. "Hi, Secretary Powell? This is Charlie Rangel. Did the Marines kidnap Aristide? I woudn't be asking this but he did just call me and he said that they did so I thought it best to get your side of the story before I say anything about this to anyone....."

Leaving aside the obvious question of whether the State dept operator would put Rangel's call through in the first place.

The "bring em on" line was troop supportive. If you have any question about this, look at the way in which Kerry is using it. It is a rallying cry.

Huh? Kerry is using it as a rallying cry precisely because his audience (likely) agrees that Bush shouldn't have said it in the first place.

I typed out a whole paragraph about why your defense of the Bush quote makes no sense but I realize that that horse is long dead. So you can have the last word on it for today if you want. I'm going to get a sandwich.

[edited to characterize club's earlier points as "criticisms" rather than "problems"]

[Replaced_Texan]

Cheney, for whatever reason, is making a point of saying that he's staying with the administration.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...aign_cheney_dc

Rudy Giuliani received a leadership award from the Texas Heart Institute here in Houston last night, and attendees reported that he was asked if he was considering running for vice president in Cheney's place. He said absolutely not.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by bilmore
I think it's just an inate ability to find the bad to fit the moment. I suspect if he prostrated himself in a news conference, crying and asking for forgiveness because of his mistaken announcement on gay marriage, you'd be telling us that, while you could respect strongly held beliefs, you hate indecisiveness.

If he were to do that, I think I would be too astonished to post here for a while. But we both know that he would never do such a thing, even if he felt that way.

You haven't pulled this now-I'm-going-argue-with-what-you-would-say-in-my-imagination-because-it's-easier-that-way trick for a while. Welcome back.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
A fair point, but if you eliminated all but the principled politicians in Washington, you'd be left with Ralph Nader.

I've never thought that Bush had a personal problem with gays. I just don't understand why Bumiller thinks it mitigates what he's doing.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
Leaving aside the obvious question of whether the State dept operator would put Rangel's call through in the first place.

Or why one would ask State about what the Marines are up to. They answer to Rumsfeld, who oversees most of our foreign-policy apparatus. State is just a small operation on the side.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
I just don't understand why Bumiller thinks it mitigates what he's doing.

I didn't take it to be an exoneration, but rather a prediction. That is, Bush appeared to be troubled in doing this so don't expect him to press the point. His dad was the same way on abortion, but had to speak out to shore up the right flank. Sure, it's unprincipled to act contrary to your principles, but since when were politics other than unprincipled? Present company excluded.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
Or why one would ask State about what the Marines are up to. They answer to Rumsfeld, who oversees most of our foreign-policy apparatus. State is just a small operation on the side.

It's my understanding that State arranged for his flight out of Haiti