Nutjobs Ranting About Politics.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
According to Karen Hughes, anyway:

• In her new book, "Ten Minutes From Normal," Hughes recounts a conversation with Bush after Russian President Vladimir Putin grilled him on his Yale days.
  
  "President Putin knew you had played rugby, but he didn't have the context. I mean, you just played for one semester in college, right?" Hughes said.
  
  Bush corrected: "I played for a year, and it was the varsity."
  
  Yesterday, a Yale spokeswoman confirmed that there's no such thing as varsity rugby at Yale - not when Bush was an undergrad in the 1960s and not today.

Lloyd Grove

I really don't care about this, but post it only to note that if this was an anecdote about Kerry, conservatives would be trumpeting it as evidence of moral failings that render him unfit to serve.

Well if the Cambodia story was only told around the campfire, or even in the early 1970's hearings it wouldn't be an issue, right? It is the fact that J. kept repeating into the 80's and in newspaper and on the Senate floor. Although even that is sort of bullshit. He's got enough flipflops in the last few years so that everyone should ignore the lies more that 5 or 6 years old.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Well if the Cambodia story was only told around the campfire, or even in the early 1970's hearings it wouldn't be an issue, right? It is the fact that J. kept repeating into the 80's and in newspaper and on the Senate floor. Although even that is sort of bullshit. He's got enough flipflops in the last few years so that everyone should ignore the lies more that 5 or 6 years old.

I asked bilmore last night and never got an answer, so I'll ask you: What evidence is there that Kerry wasn't in Cambodia?

eta: To save you some work, here's Kevin Drum's recap of the bidding. In particular:

• The serious evidence against Kerry seems to consist of two things. First, the Swift Vets group claims that "All the living commanders in Kerry’s chain of command . . . deny that Kerry was ever ordered to Cambodia." Second, both Douglas Brinkley's biography of Kerry and Kerry's war journal mention only that he was near the Cambodian border on Christmas Eve, not across it. (Although the journal entry ends with a sarcastic message to his superiors: "Merry Christmas from the most inland Market Time unit" — at a minimum a reference to being right on top of the Cambodian border. Then: "You hope that they'll court marshal you or something because that would make sense" — possibly a reference to crossing the border.)

Drum concludes:

• Conclusions? Beats me. Kerry has mentioned this story several times, so it's not a slip of the tongue. And it's plausible on its surface. Contrariwise, the evidence against him is pretty thin: not much more than the fact that no one else has verified it — and keep in mind that the Swift Vets guys are not exactly disinterested witnesses in this matter. What's more, since there is exactly zero in the way of documentary evidence one way or the other, it seems unlikely that this little teapot-sized tempest will ever be conclusively resolved. Which, I suppose, suits Kerry's detractors just fine.

What's Drum missing?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Club likes to believe that Bush doesn't pay attention to polls and provides firm leadership in the war on terrorism, but a GOP operative quoted in today's Washington Post says that having passed up the chance to name him six weeks ago, Bush changed his mind this week decided to named Porter Goss as the new DCI because of new polls:

• A Republican political operative, who requested anonymity because of participation in the party's regular conference calls, said the president turned back to Goss because "poll data showed Kerry had closed the gap with Bush on handling of terrorism and was slightly ahead as fit to be commander in chief." The operative also said polls showed the president's embrace of the commission's suggestion for a new intelligence director "was not understood by the public." Goss had to be named "to show Bush was moving ahead."

Ouch. And from one of your own guys.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I asked bilmore last night and never got an answer, so I'll ask you: What evidence is there that Kerry wasn't in Cambodia?

Richard Nixon said there weren't any.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Well if the Cambodia story was only told around the campfire, or even in the early 1970's hearings it wouldn't be an issue, right? It is the fact that J. kept repeating into the 80's and in newspaper and on the Senate floor. Although even that is sort of bullshit. He's got enough flipflops in the last few years so that everyone should ignore the lies more that 5 or 6 years old.

I don't frequent the rightwing blogs - there just aren't enough hours in the day. So I'm catching up on this. Hank, can you tell me (other than the swiftboat vets) who has provided evidence that Kerry wasn't at or near the Cambodian border in Christmas '68? Or is it parsing different versions Kerry has told over the years that has generated this firestorm of controversy that is sweeping the nation?
eta: Ty beat me to it.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Sexual Harassment Panda
I don't frequent the rightwing blogs - there just aren't enough hours in the day. So I'm catching up on this. Hank, can you tell me (other than the swiftboat vets) who has provided evidence that Kerry wasn't at or near the Cambodian border in Christmas '68? Or is it parsing different versions Kerry has told over the years that has generated this firestorm of controversy that is sweeping the nation?

Sounds like Kerry admits it doesn't it? The point is who gives a crap. He puffed a war story, no biggie, as long as he doesn't do it now.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Richard Nixon said there weren't any.

THERE'S an unimpeachable source.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop


I really don't care about this, but post it only to note that if this was an anecdote about Kerry, conservatives would be trumpeting it as evidence of moral failings that render him unfit to serve.

Yale Rugby Club (note the claim even on the website)

Maybe they do it differently at Yale (what don't they do differently, including peeing in the toilet), but it is (and presumably was then) a club sport. The first team would be considered the "varsity" even though it might not be a "varsity" (i.e., supported by the university) sport.

IF you want to debate what the meaning of :varsity" is, feel free.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
According to Karen Hughes, anyway:

• In her new book, "Ten Minutes From Normal," Hughes recounts a conversation with Bush after Russian President Vladimir Putin grilled him on his Yale days.
  
  "President Putin knew you had played rugby, but he didn't have the context. I mean, you just played for one semester in college, right?" Hughes said.
  
  Bush corrected: "I played for a year, and it was the varsity."
  
  Yesterday, a Yale spokeswoman confirmed that there's no such thing as varsity rugby at Yale - not when Bush was an undergrad in the 1960s and not today.

Lloyd Grove

I really don't care about this, but post it only to note that if this was an anecdote about Kerry, conservatives would be trumpeting it as evidence of moral failings that render him unfit to serve.

I wanna know what position he played. (Secret hope for "Bush Was Hooker at Yale" headline.)

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I wanna know what position he played. (Secret hope for "Bush Was Hooker at Yale" headline.)

FWIW, here's a picture of the team:



Another blog or two covered this a few months ago. Bush also referred to playing on the "first team" during his senior year. Whatever. Harmless puffery, but if Kerry said it conservatives would be calling it a mortal sin.

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
Harmless puffery, but if Kerry said it conservatives would be calling it a mortal sin.

If Kerry said it, perhaps his rugby years - rather than his 4 months in Laos?/Cambodia?/Vietnam? - would have been the rationale for his superior Commander-in-Chief skills.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop


Another blog or two covered this a few months ago. Bush also referred to playing on the "first team" during his senior year. Whatever. Harmless puffery, but if Kerry said it conservatives would be calling it a mortal sin.

Well, I'm just happy to find out that not only did I play varsity rugby in college, I also played varsity lacrosse and varsity inner tube water polo. My resume needs to be updated.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
, but if Kerry said it conservatives would be calling it a mortal sin.

Only if he'd put a bandage around his head because he hurt it during a wild night of drinking, as opposed to the game injury he claimed.

Besides, Kerry's too effete for rugby. He much prefers decorous sports like croquet and boules.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by SEC Issues
I disagree. They chose to do the campaign travel together, publicly. Besides, it makes me think better of Kerry cuz it makes him seem more human. Who wouldn't be tense and testy with their schedule and demands? Overall, I think that Drudge running this will get JFK more votes, out of sympathy.

If it was a disagreement over professional issues, fine, but if this was a lovers' spat, it's none of our business.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Besides, Kerry's too effete for rugby. He much prefers decorous sports like croquet and boules.

I thought he played hockey, with a nifty stick that could be used to pummel the shit out of any unarmed rugby player.

I think you've been reading Effette Liberal Snob's posts too often these days.