On the radio now:

The Duke Blue Beard Castle musical. The White House is modern Blue Beard's psychological inner cranial. Peek. Then get. The stinky sweat runs down the inside walls. Every locked door has hidden motive. Inside is the prison, skulls of victims, blood on jewells, torture tools, and what every Lady needs to know: NO surrender as a neo-Victim.

It is the Kingdom of Misery and Death. Pedinska, you are sweet.

I'll send a message via the Moon. I'll morse-code you via a Moonbeam.

their contention is that ambitious generals are using prosecutions to get ahead, while they are standing up for the "little guy" (standard M.O.) ...

They'd love a chance to explain to the country how these prosecutions -- as they say, like EVERYTHING ELSE -- are PURELY POLITICAL and not based in "truth, justice, and the American way."

Do your homework and tread cautiously ... these are people steeped in the "extremism in defense of [whatever cause d'jour] is no vice."

In the context of the Petraeus ad/"scandal," it's hypocritical ...so what else is new???

But -- they'll be happy to explain at length -- how they're defending the little guy ... while MoveOn was just taking an cheap shot ... or something similar.

Edwards didn't put his campaign on hold and address only the hair "issue". He put an ad on the web and moved on to serious issues. Kerry should have addressed criticisms, but if he had spent the rest of the election focusing on them instead of on issues, the campaign result would have been the same. We have let the MoveOn ad become the story, instead of Petraeus. I read several liberal blogs, and I've read a lot more about the ad and Congress's reaction to it than I have about what was actually said in the hearing. MoveOn wanted to focus attention on Petraeus's lies. The right wanted to distract the world, including us, from what Petraeus said. The right won. We need to finish dealing with the ad and put the focus back where it belongs - on the lies.

From Talking Points Memo

09.29.07 -- 10:21AM

MoveOn dot what?

There was an interesting tidbit buried in the latest poll (.pdf) from Fox News. Respondents were asked whether they have a "generally favorable or unfavorable opinion" about a variety of groups and institutions. The poll included MoveOn.org in the mix and found these results:

Favorable: 11%

Unfavorable: 22%

No opinion: 11%

Never heard of: 56%

In fact, the numbers were relatively steady among self-described Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, with a majority of each saying they had no idea what MoveOn is.

The poll was conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, following more than two solid weeks of intense media scrutiny of the group, and condemnations from the House, Senate, White House, and Republican presidential candidates.

It looks like the aggressive conservative push-back hasn't amounted to much. Even now, most folks just don't know, or don't care, who the group is.

--Steve Benen

is making something that should be simple, a little hard to understand. We were supposed to win the hearts and minds of the population we are occupying. Bad behavior on the part of our soldiers does need to be disciplined. Seems like fox is advocating anarchy in the ranks. How unpatriotic is that? War isn't supposed to be about unbridled hate. Professional soldiers know this and work hard to control it. Fox is acting like animals. (I guess the name suits them)

GG wondered who is saying that Congress violated the 1A by censuring the MoveOn ad. I don't like this sort of "who says" bit, since there tends to be views out there all over the place, even if only a small group supports a certain stance. And, yes, I have seen arguments that the 1A was violated here. In fact, on his weekly appearance on the Thom Hartmann show, Sen. Sanders (I-VT) raised the issue. Does he count?

Personally, I think it violates the spirit of the 1A when the Congress officially uses its powers to selectively criticize an organization's speech in this fashion. I think there even might be a R.A.V. v. Paul connection -- selective attacks on hate speech is problematic. It is suggested by the comment GG replied to that there is no censoring (just censuring!) so it's legal. But, as GG suggests, the ultimate effect can be comparable in some ways.

As to the fight fire with fire argument ... I admit I don't have the stomach for it. Yes, we aren't talking torture or whatnot here, but as an amateur intellectual, I don't have much chance to torture etc., but I do have some ability to argue and debate. And, this approach is a sin to my intellectual beliefs.

There also is a practical concern. First, to work, you have to actually be evenhanded! You have to criticize both this way. I don't find censuring both FOX and MoveOn (the idea is evenhandness, right?) too appetizing. It's like criticizing my sister and enemy ... there is a difference even using the same criticism. Second, our side simply is not as good (thankfully) at this sort of shit. The net result will be dangerous, I think. We also are more liable to support controversial things.

Finally, given their ability to lie to themselves even while denouncing us for allegedly doing the same things they do, who says they will stop? After all, part of the point of all this is the basic assumption that Dems have no business criticizing since they are traitors per se ... Reps can since they are not, so have the ability to criticize fifth columnists.

I find the proposal distasteful, dangerous and a bit naive. Count me out.

When Liberals, Democrats and Move-On does this, it is clearly treason. When Fox News or a Republican does it, it is clearly patriotic.

I hope that clears it up for all of you.

How many fingers am I holding up?

I let them shrinks know what fer. Them don't care. They gots machine guns full of fluoxitine and bupropion and nortriptyline and they meltin' their barrels shootin' up all comers. They got stuff make you moon walk backwards from N.J. to San Francisco like Michael Jackson. Better living through chemistry, but no home grown red hand grenades to munch with salt and pepper spray.

But speakin' of San Francisco. Be sure to wear some agent orange-resistant flowers in your hairs. Out there at Ft. Miley VAMC at the end of the Geary St. bus line, past the Presidio, you'll get service with a smile and the view ain't New Jersy, but it's passible good Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate nostalgia for a time long ago when the air was clean and sex was dirty.