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Friday, September 17
Bush Loses His Base
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 17 Sep 2004 08:36 PM CDT
 Bush Loses His Base
by John B. Judis & Ruy Teixeira, The New Republic
Sweat
streams down Terry's face as he pushes a lawnmower up the street toward
his home in Martinsburg, a small town in West Virginia's eastern
panhandle. Middle-aged, balding, and paunchy, Terry used to work in a
local factory but is now on disability because of an accident. Asked
his opinion of President George W. Bush and the Iraq war, he says he
used to like Bush and, at first, he thought it was a "good idea" to
invade Iraq. But he has now changed his mind. "They shouldn't have gone
over there," he says. "They are killing a whole lot of innocent people.
It isn't worth it. They already caught the guy. They should have gotten
the troops out then."
Christine,
who works for a government agency, is sitting in her front yard,
overseeing a garage sale. Like others on her block, she has a pride in
the United States flag prominently displayed. But her support for the
troops in Iraq doesn't extend to the war itself. "I don't think it's
been worth it," she says. "I don't know why we blow someplace up and
then spend so much to rebuild it when we have our own issues over here.
I did support it when we went over. But now I don't think we had any
reason to go over there." She says she hasn't decided who to vote for
but is leaning toward John Kerry.
Terry
and Christine are members of the white working class--comprising
people, ranging from clerks to factory workers to technicians, without
four-year college degrees. Since 1968, Republican presidential
candidates have relied heavily on these voters to win elections. In
2004, Bush will need to win them decisively to carry battleground
states like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Missouri. But he may
not, thanks in large measure to growing dissatisfaction with the Iraq
war. Perhaps no other group's views have changed so dramatically since
the U.S. invasion, and perhaps no other group's mounting opposition to
the war is as ominous for Bush's reelection hopes.
(Click here to read the complete article.)
The Counterpoint: Guilt by Association
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 17 Sep 2004 11:34 AM CDT
The Counterpoint: Guilt by Association
The rational counter to "The Point," "The Counterpoint"
critiques and corrects the daily editorial by Sinclair Broadcasting's
corporate vice president, Mark Hyman, that is broadcast on all
Sinclair-owned television stations across the country.
by Iowa's Ted Remington
For the third straight day this week, "The Point"
devoted itself to attacking the character of John Kerry. This has
become standard operating procedure at Sinclair, given a lack of
anything positive to say about the Bush administration.
This is
also the third straight “Point” in which Mark Hyman has put on the mask
of an “investigative journalist,” claiming to find hidden evidence that
proves some sort of dastardly conduct on the part of Kerry. As we’ve
noted often before, this is also part of Sinclair’s ongoing efforts to
blur the lines between opinion and news. Mark Hyman attempts to assume
the ethos of a newsman, but hides behind the cover of “commentator”
when called on his partisanship.
This
time around, Hyman goes after Kerry for his participation in the
“Winter Soldier” investigation, which ultimately led to Kerry’s
testimony before Congress. The tactic employed is guilt by association,
tarring Kerry with the words and deeds of others. For example, Hyman
claims that participants in the Winter Soldier investigation claimed
that the U.S. committed atrocities on POWs, but that the North
Vietnamese did not. It’s possible that someone, somewhere said
something along these lines, but Kerry certainly did not, nor did
anyone with any sense. The Winter Soldier investigation wasn’t about
challenging evidence of Communist war crimes; it was about the
circumstances that led some Americans to engage in similar behavior.
We also
have a nod to Jane Fonda, who helped organize the Winter Soldier
investigation (along with many others). Hyman trots out the photos of
Fonda sitting on North Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns as well as a photo
showing Fonda and Kerry both in a large crowd at a rally. Hyman uses
this as evidence that Kerry was somehow in cahoots with Fonda and that
Kerry’s denials of meeting with Fonda personally are lies. For Hyman,
having a photograph of two people at the same gathering makes one
responsible for the misdeeds of the other. We’re just wondering, Mark:
if that’s the case, what about this picture?
Despite
Hyman’s protestations, the Winter Soldier investigation was not
“anti-American.” In fact, the organizers specifically wanted the
investigation to not pass judgment on America in general. The goal was
to look at the circumstances that had led American servicemen to become
so desensitized to indiscriminate violence that decent individuals were
capable of committing monstrous acts. It was an indictment of the
faulty war planning of the administration and the military
establishment, not America.
If you want a firsthand account of the motivations and purposes of the Winter Soldier investigation, read this overview
by William Crandall at the University of Virginia’s online resource
center on the Vietnam War. From this page, you can also find any number
of other documents, both primary and secondary sources, related to
Winter Soldier. The truth is out there; we don’t have to rely on
Hyman’s self-serving distortions.
As for
the validity of the charges of Winter Soldier, that atrocities were
committed by Americans, there is, unfortunately, no doubt that such
events occurred. The only debate is on how widespread they were. The
non-partisan Factcheck.org has an analysis
of the claims that Kerry “betrayed” America in his anti-war testimony
that provides several sources that back up claims of U.S. atrocities,
in addition to a helpful overview of Kerry’s testimony and his
attitudes about it today.
The
entire purpose of Winter Soldier in general and Kerry’s testimony
specifically was not to condemn U.S. troops in the field, but warn of
the costs of fighting a war in which the enemy is indistinguishable
from innocent civilians. To fight such a war, soldiers are conditioned
to accept a level of brutality and indifference to suffering that would
be unthinkable in any other context. It creates conditions in which
horrific events can happen.
And that’s The Counterpoint.
A Trip Down Memory Lane: The 2003 Virtual Steak Fry
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 17 Sep 2004 08:13 AM CDT
 A Trip Down Memory Lane: The 2003 Virtual Steak Fry
by Linda Thieman
One year
ago this week, while Senator Harkin was having a wet and muddy steak
fry in an Indianola balloon field, a group of Dean bloggers gathered
together on Blog for America. We attended what came to be known
as the Virtual Steak Fry. Some watched the coverage of the actual
Steak Fry on C-Span, while others listened over the Internet. But
all of us blogged, having a silly old time and making fun of most of the
presidential candidates. (OK, I’ll fess up – I organized the
thing and I’ve never lived it down, either.)
Here’s how it came about:
Just
a few days ago, late last Friday night and long into the wee hours of
Saturday morning, a group of happy Dean supporters were busy blogging
away to their hearts' content. Senator Tom Harkin's upcoming Steak Fry
in Iowa was all the rage. It's an annual big-name draw in which anyone
can participate. Not only do you get a delicious, juicy steak
(chopped meat?) - you get to rub elbows with the likes of
former President Bill Clinton and the current roster of Democratic
candidates for president.
So,
that night on the Blog for America, the still-sleepless Deaniacs came
up with a great idear: Why not have a simultaneous Virtual Steak Fry on
the blog for those who cannot attend in person? Later Saturday morning,
when I tuned into the blog, I volunteered to host the Virtual Steak
Fry.
I placed
a few phone calls to Iowans for Dean and HQ in Vermont, and everyone
was quite pleased to help put the Virtual Steak Fry together for us.
Everyone
is welcome to drop into the blog at this time for the first-ever,
officially-planned blog meeting - or as Clare Gannon with Iowans For
Dean put it: "Bringing Meet Up back to the Internet!"
Clare
has arranged to blog with us right from the site of Senator Harkin's
Actual Steak Fry. (Did I mention the Dean staffers are now referring to
us as "Virtual Steak Fryers?" Mm hmm. But, you already knew this
campaign was a lot of fun!)
Of
course, you will not be getting one of those juicy Iowa steaks (sic) at the
Virtual Steak Fry like those who attend Senator Harkin's Steak Fry
will. However, as part of the Virtual Steak Fry, we will be compiling
the Virtual Steak Fry Dean Bloggers' Barbeque Recipe and Howard Dean
Haiku Booklet (because I couldn't think of an even longer name that was
suitable).
We raised about $1,800 for Gov. Dean on that little project.
To download your own personal copy of the Virtual Steak Fry Dean Bloggers' Barbeque Recipe and Howard Dean Haiku Booklet, click here.
It’s in PDF format, and takes 13 pieces of paper to print out, front
and back. (Then you fold it half and make a little booklet.
I suggest using 24 lb. bond.)
Virtual Steak Fry Winning Recipe
Since
the good Governor hates waste, this recipe might appeal to him. Two
summers past, a fabulous backyard fruit crop was ruined by the worst
hailstorm in years. I didn't have the heart to throw out the battered
nectarines that still clung to the trees. Miraculously, they ripened.
Each one looked like Rocky after the fight; they weren't the fruit to
put in a lunch box or offer to guests. But a sale on salmon and a
little risk taking yielded, pun intended:
Salmon in Stoned Fruit
For each pound of salmon:
1 cup cubed nectarines
2 T Tamari
2 T crystallized ginger
1. Soak ginger in soy sauce until softened. If necessary, add a tablespoon or more water
2. Place fruit, Tamari and ginger in the blender and blend until smooth.
3. Cover salmon with mixture and refrigerate overnight.
4. In aluminum foil or a covered pan, grill on low heat until done. This is about 25 minutes for a 5 lb. fillet on our grill.
Nectarines need not be battered by hail for this to work!
Contributing blogger: nance in nm, Winning Recipe
Virtual Steak Fry Winning Haiku
Old pols, faced with spring,
Hack at branches of new hope. . .
But hope grows too fast.
by Kathy from West Texas
Bush Bounce Falls Flat
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 17 Sep 2004 04:34 AM CDT
Bush Bounce Falls Flat
Ruy Teixeira, The Emerging Democratic Majority
Kerry Shows Strength in New ARG Poll
An
American Research Group poll of 20 states conducted September 7-13
shows John Kerry leading among LV's in 4 out of 5 designated "swing"
states, ME, MN, OR, and WA, with Bush leading only in CO by 1 percent.
The polls also indicate Kerry is maintaining substantial leads in
"blue" states.
Kerry Seizes Lead in New National Poll
A Harris
poll of nation-wide LV's conducted Sept. 9-13, has Kerry leading Bush
48-47 percent, with 2 percent for Nader and 3 percent not sure/refused.
White House Race Narrows in New National Poll
A
head-to-head poll of nation-wide LV's by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner
Research conducted 9/12-14 for Democracy Corps has Bush ahead of Kerry
49-48 percent with 1 percent going for other.
Source: The Emerging Democratic Majority
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