Much as I enjoy reading "State of Denial" with CNN in the background (I'm having a great day thank you), Begala just suggested we depose every last member of Congress to find out who knew what. I think it's a stretch to believe that this scandal was not coctail party whispering for some time now. If they knew something; Repub. or Dem. Their asses should be thrown out forever. I'm sick of all these pampered, do-nothing, twits shuffling up to the trough of America, helping themselves to money, golf trips, young boys, and young lives to feed their enormous egos. I don't recognize this place anymore. This is end-stage Rome.

with the lunch-losing crowd. When I can keep it down though, I do watch the likes of Osteen et al. for the comedy value. Try using the word "gnarly" yourself, and watch your friends bust up at how hopelessly un-cool you are. Works every time.

... also said he "owned Malibu". Now the arresting officer is being investigated. Mel's resurrection continues.

I agree with ebonius above. Why isn't this issue getting more play. Why do I have to watch full-day coverage (though sad) of non-events like a private aircraft hitting a building, or the Hawaiian Islands shuddering? Why do my lawmakers on BOTH sides of the aisle piss around about failure to properly report real-estate gains, or how big a ridiculous fence in the desert should be?

The citizens of some po-dunk countries we so like to look down our noses at, have the sense to take to the streets over far less. Think Mexico, Lebanon, Belarus. A fundamental tenet of Democracy gets thrown on the smoldering shitpile of devastation these crooks have given us, and all I get on TV is who exactly IS the 3 millionth American. What the hell happened?

ANY lawmaker who voted for this should be gone, do you hear me GONE!

The gay bashing going on in Washington should be of primary concern to only two constituencies; gays and homophobes. Gays for being demonized, and homophobes for being played. The issue which should capture everyone's attention is hypocrisy; and the democrats are too chicken to capitalize on it, and too chicken to stand up!

Here's hypocrisy for you:

Rep's are supposed to be the party of fiscal restraint and unobtrusive government. They are neither. George Bush promised to be a "uniter, not a divider", to avoid "nation building", and to keep us safe. He has done none of those things.

The Dem's are supposed to be the party of inclusion, religious and sexual tolerance, education, equal rights and economic fairness. I think there are millions of Americans just yearning to hear SOMEONE talk about these issues. Not gonna come from my spineless Democratic representatives though. You won't hear those talking points from them, they feel that "nuance" looks week (Carl Rove told 'em so). They are blowing a huge opportunity.

Someone will figure out (and I hope it's soon) that Americans CAN respond to a message other than fear and loathing.

17 days to go.

The last paragraph reads (sorry, don't know how to italicize):

So what kind of policy do we have? We're betting "stay the course" is replaced any minute now with "blame the military." In an interview with CNBC, the president says he's always been about flexibility but suggests that his generals haven't done enough to keep America limber. "Well, I've been talking about a change in tactics ever since I -- ever since we went in, because the role of the commander in chief is to say to our generals, 'You adjust to the enemy on the battlefield.'"

Another of Bush's oft-repeated phrases is how he listens to the generals on the ground. That's always been his fall back excuse for troop levels for example. Now he's throwing them under the bus suggesting he's been the forward thinker. F'ing pathetic.

To hear Cheyney referring to himself as "Darth Vader". Makes me wonder if GWB is aware of "Chimpy", and how Laura feels about that. Don't Condi and Rummy also have nom-de-blogs? (can't think of them right now)

This group however, refers to themselves as "The Vulcans". I'm pissing myself!

Schmidt made a naked grab to curry favor with her party, now it's biting her in the ass. What's really sickening is the backhanded way she's trying to get the controversy quelled. Sickening then, sickening now. How do these people look in the mirror?

BTW "eating crow" means you at least take responsibility for your words. Schmidt is running like a snivelling coward. Murtha continues to stand tall.

I agree with everything you say Gary, just one small quibble.

I've seen lots of lots of pundits take the Lancet number of 655,000 and half it, or otherwise modify it to make the point that it's still a huge number. It's an understandable, and dare I say, NUANCED illustration. I am afraid it sails right over the heads of those who most need to hear it.

The warmongers will jump on anything to discredit the numbers. Unusual methodology? "See they're just hysterical liberals!" I suggest that any talk of accepting half of the Lancet figure plays into their hands in the same way. WE should pick a number and stand by it. Repeat it over and over again, and remind people that at least we HAVE a number, backed by a study. The administration has officially offered nothing at all on Iraqi deaths, and unbelieveably, nothing on American wounded. We have only GWB's guestimate of 30,000 (civillian Iraqi dead). Well, if that's the number the Decider wants to go with, let him back it up. Let him employ some methodology of his own to prove his figure or dispute ours.

'Till then, there's only one number out there, 655,000 dead.