Letters to the Editor
omooex
Published Letters: 977 Editor's Choice: 5
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A Couple a' Things
[Read the article: The ornery pride of the political journalist]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree about the bizarre SNL factor; Russert just referred to it a few seconds ago in NBC's primary coverage.
On another note, did anyone notice the odd article in the NYT today "U.S. Forces Fire Missiles Into Somalia at a Kenyan" ? Link is at the end of this post...
Isn't it odd, with the all the froth about the "muslim" issue right now, US forces choose to assasinate a muslim Kenyan terrorist in Somalia yesterday? There's a photo and the guy even looks a smidge like Obama. Could the Republicans actually go that far to add fuel to the muslim issue fire? Now, right wing pundits can point to the fact that muslims in Kenya have been known to join A Q'aida.
Just a thought.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/world/africa/04somalia.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=somalia&st=nyt&oref=slogin
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In the toilet
[Read the article: The ornery pride of the political journalist]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I just watched the bathroom video. As a writer, I am pleased when reality produces such beautiful literary art. So perfect, its actually depressing. However, I am not so shocked as Glenn. Its a fitting metaphor, but anyone who has ever worked in on the fly organizing may have had a similar situation--when you can't, you can and make do. One can just as easily imagine a campaign staffer reminiscing in some years on HardBall about the depth of their commitment-we wanted the story so bad, we actually let them put us in a toilet.
I just wouldn't make such a big deal about it; it can come off sounding a little snobby.
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I second FPL Dan
[Read the article: The ornery pride of the political journalist]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Its a rarely conceded and so obvious point--what kind of people would pursue the kind of journalism involved in campaign and political reporting? Certainly, we are setting the bar quite high if we expected them to be interested in their craft, in principle, integrity, or honesty. Doubtfully, after kissing a thousand sweaty bureacratic asses, humping the leg of their corporate owner and eviscerating colleagues, they'd have little sympathy left for Joe Lunchmeat and his jobless cohort.
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Rezko was on Obama's Campaign Finance Committee for Senate
[Read the article: The "Rezko" game]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree with Glenn in that the media have an extraordinarily high threshold for Repuplican corruption stories, while basically jumping at anything untoward that occurs on the Democratic side. The solution, however, is not to cast off the Rezko story as baseless. Rezko was on Obama's campaign finance committe when he ran for senate in 2004. Certainly, on a political dirt scale, Obama would rank well below five, but that does not mean there wasn't some level of unethical and possibly illegal activity.
From the Chicago Sun-Times, 2/26/08--
"Prosecutors, she ruled, will be allowed to ask about how money from...that fee allegedly was used "to make a political contribution" in Aramanda's name "because Rezko had already donated the maximum amount by law."
The ruling does not identify Obama as the recipient of that contribution. But sources have identified him as the "political candidate" who prosecutors say received a $10,000 donation from Aramanda -- at Rezko's direction -- during Obama's 2004 run for the U.S. Senate."
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Slimy?
[Read the article: The "Rezko" game]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That's not very polite. I don't believe I've taken that tone with you, so please; you can be a little more tolerant of opposing ideas.
Let me first say, as one must for some reason these days when critiquing candidates, that I support Obama. I voted for him in the California primary, I will vote for him if he is the Democratic candidate in the general. He is the best thing going, he is a person of color, a child of immigrants, and runs on an anti-war platform--all important milestones that alone are worth supporting. That does not mean I buy his bullshit, think that his election really will signal a change in govt. policy, or think that he emerged fully formed from the brow of Zeus.
That being said, I posted a link and an excerpt from an article published in the Chicago Sun-Times in that post. I feel that it is unethical to let a man who is being investigated for fraud divert funds gained through malfeasance to your campaign through a third party. Then to give those funds away to charity when questions come up adds hypocrisy to the mix.
I would never get into an argument with you about what is illegal, but I certainly think that the two concepts are often separated when they shouldn't be.
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Glen,
[Read the article: The "Rezko" game]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't have any evidence. But I can't imagine he didn't know. As I said, I agree with you that the media is engaging in the rankest bias by going after the Rezko issue while ignoring the legion of corrupt entanglements of Republican candidates. Bill Clinton has a web of interests that he is attaching to his wife's presidential bid, and they are rarely discussed at any level.
On a personal level, I believe Obama is dirty from this mess and he has capitualted to powerful economic interests on other issues, which is important for me to know because of the way he presents himself as antidote to business as usual politics. He is a young politician yet, and lacks the barnacled hull of a lifer. But this shows there's plenty of time for him to get dirty.
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Chris I SAID RUNS!!! ON an ANTI WAR PLATFORM, Not that he is...
[Read the article: The "Rezko" game]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]He's certainly not anti war. THe only anti war candidate was Ron Paul and see where that got him. You'd think people here would understand nuance.
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Glen,
[Read the article: The "Rezko" game]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I can't imagine a situation where my personal opinion would land Obama in prison or otherwise besmirch his name, though there are limits to my imagination, as you pointed out. Just out of curiosity, did you read the link to the Chicago Sun-Times article? Here it is again.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/812715,CST-NWS-rezko26.article