Letters to the Editor
Jim White
Published Letters: 1093 Editor's Choice: 15
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Off to the feed store
[Read the article: The Tom Friedman of 2002 has not gone anywhere]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Although we mostly have western horses, we just got our first hunthorse. And to show how far off you were, instead of Starbucks in New York in the morning, I'll be in Starbucks in Florida in the evening, but I'm too cheap to buy a T-Mobile pass, so I won't be online much this evening.
Anonymust: thanks for the support and welcome back. I was probably the slowest to recognize you in your new form and was really kicking myself last week when I finally figured it out.
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@zack re nuclear power
[Read the article: Tom Friedman and Rudy Giuliani on 9/11]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]zack,
Reading your comment, I couldn't believe that even Rudy could be that stupid. Surely this was just an error by the transcription set. So I did a little Googling and found many times where Rudy said variations of "We can't allow Iran to become a nuclear power" and was even more sure it was an error. Then, there it was, the quote on CNN.com from a CNN sponsored debate in New Hampshire in June. Then, before rushing to post the link, I looked again, and yes, there it was, one more of those little linky-things Glenn puts in his posts. Geez, I've got to do a better job of reading all the links Glenn gives because such interesting things can be found there.
I went ahead and found the full transcript on CNN.com: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0706/05/se.01.html
It is very clear from the context that nuclear weapons are being discussed, as Duncan Hunter has just finished saying that any attack should be directed at the Iraninan centrifuges being used to enrich uranium. But then Rudy continues:
And during the debate the other night, the Democrats seemed to be back in the 1990s. They don't seem to have gotten beyond the Cold War. Iran is a threat, a nuclear threat, not just because they can deliver a nuclear warhead with missiles. They're a nuclear threat because they are the biggest state sponsor of terrorism and they can hand nuclear materials to terrorists.
And we just saw it just last week in New York, an attempt by Islamist terrorists to attack JFK airport; three weeks ago, an attempt to attack Fort Dix.
These are real problems. This war is not a bumper sticker. This war is a real war.
Okay, Iran does have missiles, but they clearly don't have warheads yet and nobody has suggested that, either. So, even if you want to give Rudy a little break for misstating nuclear power for nuclear weapons, do you also give him a break for what might have been conflating the nuclear capabilities of Iran with those of Pakistan? Nope, no break deserved here.
But finally, yep, you are completely right. Bush may not have been able to pronounce it properly, but I don't think he ever displayed enough stupidity to suggest that Iran shouldn't have nuclear power. That Rudy doesn't even know the difference between nuclear power and nuclear weapons should have simply resulted in opening the trap door under him on the stage. How can this guy be a credible candidate?
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Senate not recessing--good news.
[Read the article: Tom Friedman and Rudy Giuliani on 9/11]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]CNN reported today that "Senators have left town for the Thanksgiving holiday, but the Senate will technically stay in session -- a move that keeps President Bush from making appointments while lawmakers are in recess."
Further, "Reid said the Bush administration had informed him that several recess appointments would be made during the Thanksgiving break."
Link:http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/19/senate.reid/index.html
Wow! Reid actually got one right? I found references to a gay-bashing candidate for Surgeon General, but what other garbage was Bush planning to throw on us?
Am I the only one who thinks this is a bigger story than the play it's getting?