Monday, January 12, 2004

O’Neill links   By now no doubt you’ve heard of the “shocking” things former treasury secretary O’Neill has had to say about his former boss, the chimposter.   You know, statements of fact like: Junior isn’t too bright or curious, would rather spend borrowed money, gets led around by the nose by Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and Karen Hughes, and that he and his posse were gunning for Iraqi oil from the very first days in office. I know, I know, none of these “revelations” concerning the naked emperor are particularly stunning; what is stunning (for the media I guess) is that someone has the guts to stand up and say them out loud while the cameras are rolling.   Say what you want about O’Neill, he at least (unlike the folks currently gunning for him) has convictions. When he was asked to resign--for opposing the deepening of the deficit via a second round of tax scams for the rich--he refused to, saying he was “too old to start lying now.” So he was fired instead.   Here are some of the places where O’Neill’s statements have appeared:   60 Minutes transcript   60 Minutes video   Wall Street Journal excerpts from O’Neill’s book “The Price of Loyalty” (subscription required)   Time interview   Humorous and insightful commentary:   Josh Marshall   Busy Busy Busy 8:20:42 PM

Sweaters and Your Media   You just can’t make this stuff up….   Update: More on sweaters… from MWO   Crossfire Highlights   CARLSON: ...see me as a sensitive new age guy in a button-up argyle sweater. That's ridiculous. Come on.   BEGALA: No, but, also, you don't see him dressing up in a flight suit pretending that he was a fighter jock.   (LAUGHTER, CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)   Haha.  The American people never get tired of a flight suit reference and neither do we.   BEGALA: He was a real war hero when George W. Bush was AWOL.  So, if we're going to talk about people dressing up and looking ridiculous, let's start with Mr. Bush. 2:35:48 AM