Letters to the Editor
BernieO
Published Letters: 37 Editor's Choice: 3
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The MSM has ignored the most telling incidents of Draper's book
[Read the article: Bush's stairway to paradise]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have heard a lot of discussion in the media about Draper's book but have never heard anyone talk about Josh Bolten's obsequious daily statement to Bush, "Thank you for the privilege of serving today." That statement is incredibly bizarre and very telling. It sounds like something one would say to God or to a King and reflects the dangerous sycophancy in this White House that has led us into so much trouble.
That this incident has been ignored by the MSM is also telling. They too have been obsequious to Bush and have willingly overlooked how deeply flawed a man he is. When will the media stop trying to ignore the dangerous dysfunctionality of this presidency and face the truth? Maybe them we can avoid making the same mistake in future elections.
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The faux "polarizing" charge against Hillary
[Read the article: A Democrat in '08? In theory, yes]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The reason Hillary is seen as polarizing is that the right wing slime machine has already had years to trash her. Anyone who thinks Republicans won't do the same to Obama, Edwards or any other Democrat is delusional. Just remember how they convinced millions of people that Gore was a serial liar when, in fact, it was Bush who was constantly misrepresenting the facts. And then there was the Swift Boating of Kerry. Managing to take an example of a man's true courage and turn it against him is quite a feat.
The propaganda from the right coupled with a compliant media and the wimpyness of Democrats is the reason that voters, while clearly preferring Democratic policies, vote for Republicans over and over. (Check out the shenanigans Republicans pulled in Mississipi against Paul Minor and Oliver Diaz if you don't think there is a vast right wing conspiracy against Democrats.)
Until Democrats wake up and realize that the problem is how to counter this attack machine and pressure the media to stop playing along with it, they will continue to lose. And it is not just the leaders that need to step up! The rank and file of the party need to stop trashing other Democrats and start protesting the unfair treatment ALL Democrats are getting. Until guys like loopy Guiliani get the scrutiny given to the Democratic candidates, the deck will remain stacked against us.
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What a dysfunctional family!
[Read the article: Battle of the Bushes]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Before we start feeling sorry for Bush the Elder, remember that he has supported his son no matter what, which has a lot to do with the narcissist that son became. When he failed at school, business, etc. his father got his friends to bail the prince out. And the Bush machine was behind little George in his run for the presidency even though they all knew the kind of man he has always been. James Baker was the guy who fought for him in Florida during the recount.
And what kind of father has a friend call his son to find why he was insulted by that son/ instead of having the guts to call himself? This is a deeply disfunctional family and we are all caught in this nightmarish Oedipal struggle.
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Bush's sincerity about his conversion is a big part of his problem
[Read the article: How George Bush really found Jesus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think Bush believes that he is a great Christian, but this is a crutch he uses to make himself feel superior. Believing that you have been saved means that you are one of God's chosen and that you will go to heaven NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. This is a powerful and dangerous belief for someone like Bush with a serious problem with narcissism.
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Your Article Ignores the Most Serious Charge Made by Regan
[Read the article: Rudy Giuliani's ties to Fox News]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Judith Regan explicitly charges two top Fox executives of urging her to lie to federal investigators about Kerick in order to protect Rudy. Her lawyers say she has evidence to back this up. As Dan Abrams pointed out on his show last night, if this is true the Fox executives are guilty of a serious crime. And from what is implied in her lawsuit, it appears that one of the executives is Roger Ailes. Fox could be in big trouble over this lawsuit.
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Any Dem will be divisive
[Read the article: Barack delivers, Hillary disappoints]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am appalled by how many Democrats still don't get that our biggest enemy is the right wing smear machine and a compliant media. Joe mentions the smearing of Kerry and the Clintons but neglects to include the trashing of Gore. Even worse, a lot of Democrats still believe all the garbage that was thrown at the Clintons and blame them for the divisiveness. We seem to have learned nothing. Anyone who thinks that treating the opposition with respect and reaching out to them will work is living in fantasy land. Bill Clinton did exactly this. He even appointed Republicans to his cabinet and was repaid by one of them, FBI Director Louie Freeh, playing along with the far right and helping them try to throw Clinton out of office.
However, the most blame lies with the media who not only have stood by mutely while this kind of behavior was going on, but who have actively joined in. They willingly promoted lies about Gore (he NEVER said he invented the internet, folks) while ignoring Bush's glaring weaknesses. In spite of Bush's blatant lies they continued to praise him as a "straight shooter". For example,contrary to what Bush claimed in a debate, he not only never supported a strong patient bill of rights in Texas, he actively opposed such a bill, vetoing one version and refusing to sign the revised version into law. It passed anyway because it had overwhelming bipartisan support. When the debate was over, the media completely ignored Bush's bald-faced lie and obsessed about minor misstatements made by Gore.
Anyone who thinks times have changed haven't been paying attention. The Swift Boat crowd is already moneying up and the media is still acting like this is high school. It will only stop if Democrats raise a stink when ANY of our candidates get this kind of treatment, just like Republicans do.