I wrote about this on the Bloggers Against Torture website, and you can also click on my name to read the cross posts on my own blog. I’m glad Lauer finally grew a pair of stones and put him on the spot. Someone had to do it.

He just has an arrogance about him that I cannot stand. If people merely question him about torturing people, that endangers Americans. Fuck him.

Either Joe Sixpack figures out that BECOMING that which we are fighting is a sure way to lose, or America becomes something unrecognizable and ugly. Know what? I’m not sure I’m ready to put down a bet on which….

mikey

I’m not going to talk about techniques.

Never teach the Wu-Tang!

Yeah, Bush is a dismissive asshole who doesn’t get that the rules apply to him and that he works for us, not the other way around. Also, water is still wet and Michael Moore is still fat.

What’s galling me at the moment is that Senate Dems seem content to let McCain and Graham lead the fight against Addington’s attempt to retroactively let Der Fratboy off the hook for his crimes when, as predictably as water’s wetness, those two will buckle like a belt when the RNC threatens their ’08 money; leaving us no option but to impotently scream and bitch at the last minute. Grrrr.

As for that question you dast not ask, mikey, I’m right there with you. I used to think that Americans would always prove themselves better than whatever over-ambitious egomaniac might temporarily occupy 1600 Penn Ave., but lately I’m just not so sure.

“Chimp: Plus, my job is to protect you.”

The only proper response to THAT particular piece of lunacy is:

No it isn’t, you mouth-breathing piece of offal. Your job is “to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States”. Seeing as you have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are incapable of doing any one of those, let alone all three, the only honorable thing for you to do is resign. You’ve broken the sacred trust of everything that this country once stood for, and trod on the flag like a common doormat.

The Cocksucker actually said to Matt Lauer “they’re trying to kill your family”. I heard him say it. Jeezus Christ’s tits in a mason jar people, what is it going to take to make a fucking move?

mikey

No, you’re job is to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.

Bush’s comment about the torture strikes me. It reminds me of Hitchcock, the master so suspense. Why? Because Hitchcock knew that it’s far scarier and more terrifying to not show what’s happening. Leave the horrible murder to the audience’s imagination and it’s always tailor made to their own, individual worst imagination.
“And, I’m not going explain to the enemy what we’re doing.” Right. I’m going to let them imagine it for themselves.
Shit like this is why people died over the Newsweek story about the Quran.
Shit like this is why we have no credibility left in the world.
Shit like this is why al Qaeda is seeing the biggest surge in membership in its entire history. “Just imagine what those evil Americans are doing to your Muslim brothers, whisking them away at night and locking them up in secret prisons.” Yes, Saddam did that, but he did it to his own people, and he was Muslim, not a Foreigner. Why would anyone, ANYONE, champion techniques favored by a brutal madman, doubly so since your entire bullshit facade for war was to remove him from power because he was so evil?

A government that keeps secrets from its people is a government opposed to the American Way.
If you’re doing things that you don’t want your own people to find out about, you’re opposed to the American Way.
Bushco is an embarrassment and a disgrace to everything that makes America great.
2009 can’t come soon enough.

Not many Americans seem to know this, but there has been a Patriots’ Day holiday for many, many years. In mid-April, here in New England, we remember that an unsanctioned bunch who called themselves ‘Minutemen’ (another perfectly good word stolen by wingtards) were willing to fight and if necessary die defending their homes and their freedom from the massed governmental might of a distant tyrant named George.

The George now occupying the Oval Office has a different title and some much more efficient methods of ‘catapulting the propaganda’, but in the end he’s just another silver-spoon moron hoping that his handlers can come up with something brutal enough to let him and his “beautiful mind” float serenely atop a rotting empire built upon the suffering and death of untold millions. King George III, known as “Farmer George” for his supposedly folksy style & simple tastes, never stopped believing that his ‘Divine Right’ entitled him to do whatever he wanted to whomever he considered to be his subjects; he dismissed a long string of military and political advisors who tried to tell him it would be impossible to keep the American colonies subject to his royal whims. He died miserably, raving mad & under guard, and is remembered solely as a horrible example of why an intelligent nation should not choose its rulers by heredity.

My birthday wish tonight was to be able to slap GWB. Just walk up to him and slap him!

Bradrocket: A day or two late, H.B.!

Nah, the democrats won’t investigate shit. With time any crime is whitewashed. Americans hate admitting they swim in the mire with the rest of humanity. This explains why Nixon’s and Reagan’s death throes were such nauseating, hagiographic events.

Perhaps some technological wizard among you could come up with the Condaleeza Rice quotes of a few months ago in which she absolutely denied that the U.S. government maintains secret prisons outside of the country.

I cannot wait until the Democrats investigate your corrupt monstrosity of an administration and disgrace you before the entire world.

I dunno, I’m really looking forward to the part where the next president, even if he’s a Democrat, pardons GWB and his entire band of villains.

Brad–

Quoth Diogenes:

“and trod on the flag like a common doormat.”

Ask and ye shall receive.

http://tinyurl.com/mqs3o

Like that? “Brad”? That’s what happens when you hit Enter and the machine takes you too literally.

Brad–

Yes, “arrogance,” but it’s the arrogance of the deeply stupid person, ie, who has “earned” none of it and, by definition, doesn’t know it. There’s the arrogance of the person who knows he’s smart, and the arrogance of the person who doesn’t know he’s stupid. Both attitudes are equally complete and without gaps or lacunae. LIke that? “Lacunae”? Me, too.

It’s no great revelation to say, “Bush is stupid,” but it might re-define the wall against which one is banging one’s head. It’s a soft wall. It’s banging one’s head against the wrestling mat hanging on the wall in the gym behind the baskets, so guys making layups don’t kill themselves if they plow into the wall.

I just started reading David Corn’s The Lies of George Bush. What strikes me is the tidal wave of them, the relentlessness. How, I wonder, in my naivete, does he live with himself? But he doesn’t. He rooms with himself, he bunks with himself, hoping (unconsciously) that all the shit that he deserves to be inundated by can be kept at bay for one more day and night. Which, so far, it is. So far.

Or am I a silly romantic?

Did you see the interview, Brad? Bush was twice as testy as the transcript suggests.

Dumbya was standing toe to toe with Lauer, maybe a foot apart, and kept putting his hand out into his chest. If that wasn’t the Decider with Secret Service standing nearby, I bet he would’ve shoved him and told him to get out of his grill.

Well, maybe if he wasn’t Matt Lauer.

Diogenes, Some Guy: bless you both and shout it from the rooftops. Someone needs to remind this entire administration AND all the fawners in Congress that the Chimp’s job is to protect the CONSTITUTION. Which, as it stands now is a quaint piece of paper in the Archives for 8th grade students to tromp past on the annual trip to D.C. and seemingly nothing more. God help us.

The President of the United States of America is a war criminal, and all the citizens of his country are complict in his crimes.

Drink me Brad. You know you want to. I offer you sweet release!!!

“The President of the United States of America is a war criminal, and all the citizens of his country are complict in his crimes.”

Fuck a bunch of that noise.

Serious, Goatboy. Someone block the spambot.

How, I wonder, in my naivete, does he live with himself? But he doesn’t. He rooms with himself, he bunks with himself, hoping (unconsciously) that all the shit that he deserves to be inundated by can be kept at bay for one more day and night.

I truly believe Bush is a sociopath, someone who literally has no conscience at all. I don’t think what he’s done bothers him a bit. He “felt good” before making the announcement that started Operation Iraqi Liberation, he said that 2001 had been a great year for him, he couldn’t have cared less that thirty thousand Iraqis had been killed in his war, etc. He is a reptile.

If Bush is a sociopath, what does that make Cheney?

It is hard to come up with an appropriate description for the vileness that is President Bush. Perhaps this invective from the great Jeffrey Lebowski would suffice: “You human Paraquat!”

His PR people must CRINGE watching their guy in action. No wonder he rarely talks to the press without a script. He’s completely out of control stupid.

What Lauer should have done was offer up a role play of the “enemy” mouthing Bush’s words, about the torture of an American citizen. How would that go over with the buffoons in our society who think that people around the globe aren’t paying attention? Aren’t thinking, well if you can torture us, we can torture you.

And why did he take Saddam out again? Because he “tortured his people.” Uh…

The Oakland Raiders are the worst team in the NFL. Art Shell is the worst coach in the NFL. They will go 2-14.

Off with the arrogant Queen Decider’s head!

Democrats suck at meme propagation. How hard is it to do this:

Wiretaps without warrants = Police state

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

If Bush is a sociopath, what does that make Cheney?

Heck, he might be one too. There are different kinds.

The Raiders will not have a worse record than the Lions.

Wow. That is what most elected to guide our country. I would rip the hair from my skull if I didn’t think we deserve this plight. How’ bout those Chargers?

the thing that struck me (as seen in my unread blog), because I am a nerd, was the body language

lots of pointing and leaning in

why were they standing?

P.A.T.–

Sociopath? I can’t quite go that far, much as I want to. Read Bush On the Couch. Yeah, I know–Justin Frank looks like Leroy Niemann, and you want to smack that moustache off his face. But he writes well and you read every page and go, “Yeah, that’s obviously true…yeah, that too…Right, that too…” Etc.
If a sociopath has a fundamental disconnect between his self and his ability to empathize with others (I’m making this up; stop me if it’s called for), Bush instead has large forces churning away in his unconscious holding exactly those kinds of empathetic feelings–and shame, etc.–at bay. Why? Because he’s got so much fucking anger at his mother (a career bitch, and overwhelmed by all the kids, while Poppy was out making his millions–and don’t forget the daughter who died at 3) and his shambling, absent father. Plus his own innate superficiality, his lack of curiosity about himself (never mind “the world”) and his basic cowardice at being unwilling to face it.

Frank is persuasive on Bush’s need for routine, discipline, control, etc. Oh, and did I mention “dry drunk”? Ie, the alcoholic equivalent of a volcano that’s not dead, but dormant. Add to that the 3 things Molly Ivins says are the defining characteristics of the Texas male–anti-intellectualism, machismo, and flaunted religiosity–and you’ve got a resentful, insecure, anger-repressing, Oedipally-paralyzed, completely unself-knowing brat who acts out (e.g., blowing up frogs; shooting his siblings with bb guns, etc.), raised in a culture that puts a premium on ignorance and posturing.

With all that, who needs sociopathy?

Bush reminds me alot of Gen. George McClellan. Watching the Civil War documentary and hearing him always make excuses for his cowardice or blaming Lincoln (who gave him everything he asked for and every chance to succeed) and never, ever did he get it. It was never his fault, he was never wrong. Arrogant and incompetent, the worst general ever is alot like the worst POTUS ever.

btw, if I was Lauer, I would’ve told him to back off while clenching my fist. I would pay big bucks to see that. Guarantee it wouldn’t take much for Bush to publicly crack. Just a few disrespectful comebacks in a row and he’ll lose it.

I cannot wait until the Democrats investigate your corrupt monstrosity of an administration and disgrace you before the entire world.

Brad, I hope you know by now that I totally love you and think you’re brilliant and funny and all those good things, right?

Good….I just wanted to soften you up a bit before bursting your bubble on this one. Because the above is never going to happen.

Never. Going. To. Happen.

See, that would require having a critical mass of politicians in this country who honestly put respect for the law above their own comfort and security.

And while that has been an iffy proposition at the best of times, in these days of endless, mindless ignorance, you can just forget it.

I hope I’m wrong. The last hope for our country ever getting its shit together again lies in this wretched piece of filth who passes himself off as a man being publicly investigated and communally shamed by our whole country. It’s a catharsis we need if we are going to continue to function successfully as a republic. We’re just not going to get it.

If I am wrong, then I’ll host the Impeachment Party myself down on South Beach, and everyone’s invited. But I just don’t see it happening.

“I cannot wait until the Democrats investigate your corrupt monstrosity of an administration and disgrace you before the entire world.”

No offense, but that’s like saying, “I can’t wait till a peaceful and democratic Iraq causes a domino effect of freedom in the Middle East.”

Either Joe Sixpack figures out that BECOMING that which we are fighting is a sure way to lose, or America becomes something unrecognizable and ugly. Know what? I’m not sure I’m ready to put down a bet on which….

I put it at 60-40 for America becomes something unrecognizable and ugly.

Bush is like an exceptionally bratty, spoiled toddler.

Bush is an asshole. However! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him saying that he disagrees with Amnesty International. Last time I checked, Amnesty International was a political organization without the power to determine or enforce international law. The President is allowed to disagree with their assessment of the situation. And even if he’s flat-out wrong (he probably is) we might as well all agree now that “international law” is a phony concept, as mythical as unicorns and voluptuous mermaids. The United States is bound to “international law” only through treaties, and treaties are not inviolable in the same sense as legislation or the Constitution. So debating the legality of such activities in terms of international law avoids the purpose — which is to debate the efficacy and morality of the activities.

Okay, Brad. You’ve covered your ass now.

Shrub did like talking about Lauer’s abs.

Josh, I’ll have to call you out on that one. To wit:

and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land.

Article VI, my friend. That’s not to say that he will be prosecuted for such violations. But he could be.

I want to hear someone say to Bush –

“You told us there were no secret prisons before; now you’re openly talking about them. Now you tell us there’s no torture. Why should we believe you when we learn you’ve lied to us?”

I’ve been out of the country and away from media-technology for a month. During the entire time, I never once saw Bush’s contemptuous face, never once heard his faux Texas slur-drawl. I was in fact blissfully unaware of his existence for nearly 30 days. On the way home yesterday, I was slapped in the face with the dual affronts of entirely ineffective police-state tactics at the airports and the pretender’s sneers on airport TVs. I love my country, but god I hate this country.

Not to pile on or anything, El Braderino, but…

“Asshole. I cannot wait until the Democrats investigate your corrupt monstrosity of an administration and disgrace you before the entire world.”

Ummm…I do not think that word Democrat means what you think it means.

You guys have spent too much time sighing at the milquetoast Senate Dems. Give John Conyers, Henry Waxman, and some of the other fighters in the House a majority to work with, and you’ll have your investigations.

Thank you for using the word “monstrous”. It is high time we start using this vocabulary to describe the monsters in the White House. Condi with her “nobody told us we were supposed to do something”. Euww!

Bully. What a bully. That was the kind of body language that starts fights, at least when the other guy is in a position to say “get your hands out of my face,” or, better yet, just to slap the finger-poking hand away. But how could Matt Lauer do anything but stand there?

I’d bet dollars to donuts Bush doesn’t have the balls to take that kind of attitude with someone who could take a swing at him.

Give John Conyers, Henry Waxman, and some of the other fighters in the House a majority to work with, and you’ll have your investigations.

Thank you. Guys like Waxman have been fighting the good fight for decades. They will come through for us if we give them the power they need.

fuck him. Thought I’d say it while I still could.

I’m proud to say that Waxman is my rep. I’m also proud to say Boxer is my Senator. Feinstein is kind of a mixed bag. Arnold sucks donkey balls.

Yeah, chimpo is an ass but Lauer blew it. By referring to AI, he was setting up a he said/she said. What Abs should have said was something like, “The Geneva Convention treaty, of which we are a signatory, states….” Chimpo still would have been doing his Mussolini on the balcony impersonation, but at least he wouldn’t have been able to make it sound like a difference of opinion.

Democrats suck at meme propagation. How hard is it to do this:

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Make it a livejournal survey and November ’06 will be a landslide.

MrWonderful said,
he’s got so much fucking anger at his mother (a career bitch, and overwhelmed by all the kids, while Poppy was out making his millions–and don’t forget the daughter who died at 3) and his shambling, absent father. Plus his own innate superficiality, his lack of curiosity about himself (never mind “the world�) and his basic cowardice at being unwilling to face it.

Remember that quote Bush barfed up for Woodward?
“I’m the commander. See, I don’t need to explain why I say things. That’s the interesting thing about being the president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don’t feel like I owe anybody an explanation.”

When I first read that, it conjured up a potent image of Bush’s boyhood life. Boyhood? Did Bush have a boyhood? Perhaps ‘pugglehood’ is the word I’m looking for. A puggle, in case you are wondering, is the technical term for a young echidna. Anyway, when I read that quote, the image sprang to mind of Bush’s parents, time after time, after each of his misdemeanours and fuck-ups, shaking their heads wearily and asking “George, why the fuck did you do that?” Now he doesn’t have to explain any more.

I blame the parents.

think he’s already disgraced himself–ad nauseum.

Brad, you are going to love love love my Late Nite Post at FDL tonight.

It was on this very topic. And we zeroed in on the same remarks.

“Why don’t you see if you can’t get information without torturing him�

n’t, n’t, n’t.

no wonder people leave their hats on around him.

“And, I’m not going explain to the enemy what we’re doing”

At first I thought Bush was talking about the terrorists when he was talking about “the enemy”. After a couple more readings it kind of stuck out and didn’t make sense. But when I considered that perhaps he was talking about not explaining himself to the average American that sentence began to make more sense.

“Enemy” is just his nickname for the average American who deserves a little explanation.

Mr Wonderful:

I agree with what your wrote, and thanks for posting it. I don’t see how your thoughts conflict with mine except/I> for the buried empathetic feelings. I just don’t see any empathy in the man. None for his wife, whom he endearinglly calls “Lump”, or his kids, who he couldn’t find the time to give the “don’t abuse booze” parent speech. That to me is his defining characteristic. There was just a report out about Bush complaining that the people of Iraq haven’t thanked him for what he did. That is page one of the cold-blooded bastard playbook: demand sympathy for the aftereffects of harm you’ve done to others.

I haven’t read “Bush on the Couch” though, so I probably should.

First of all there’s no such thing as “International Law” (treaties aren’t law) secondly, random organizations like “Amnesty International” or “The Canadian Olympic Commitee” can’t just take imaginary crap they saw on star trek and demand that the United States follow suit. The United States is what the vast majority of climatologists refer to as “real”, international law is what is known as “fake imaginary crap that ghetto little european countries like france cite because they can’t compete economically, militarily, or culturally with the united states”.

Closing tags. And I’ll add a [/sarcasm] tag too.

Touche’