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Monday, May 24, 2004 |
USA TODAY printed a remarkable article by Carl Bernstein today urging Republicans to get a backbone and stop this Bush presidency. Consider these opening paragraphs from Bernstein's article:
Thirty years ago, a Republican president, facing impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate, was forced to resign because of unprecedented crimes he and his aides committed against the Constitution and people of the United States. Ultimately, Richard Nixon left office voluntarily because courageous leaders of the Republican Party put principle above party and acted with heroism in defense of the Constitution and rule of law.
"What did the president know and when did he know it?" a Republican senator - Howard Baker of Tennessee - famously asked of Nixon 30 springtimes ago.
Today, confronted by the graphic horrors of Abu Ghraib prison, by ginned-up intelligence to justify war, by 652 American deaths since presidential operatives declared "Mission Accomplished," Republican leaders have yet to suggest that George W. Bush be held responsible for the disaster in Iraq and that perhaps he, not just Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, is ill-suited for his job.
Having read the report of Major Gen. Antonio Taguba, I expect Baker's question will resound again in another congressional investigation. The equally relevant question is whether Republicans will, Pavlov-like, continue to defend their president with ideological and partisan reflex, or remember the example of principled predecessors who pursued truth at another dark moment.
Today, the issue may not be high crimes and misdemeanors, but rather Bush's failure, or inability, to lead competently and honestly.
"You are courageously leading our nation in the war against terror," Bush told Rumsfeld in a Wizard-of-Oz moment May 10, as Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and senior generals looked on. "You are a strong secretary of Defense, and our nation owes you a debt of gratitude." The scene recalled another Oz moment: Nixon praising his enablers, Bob Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, as "two of the finest public servants I've ever known."
9:59:16 PM  | |
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The Center for American Progress today reported that Donald Rumsfield has banned soldiers and media from using any "digital cameras, camcorders and cell phones with cameras." This comes after the revealed atrocities at Abu Ghraib and the excessive bombing of the wedding party near the border of Syria, in which gruesome footage was recorded and passed on to foreign media. (Atrios of Eschaton links to a news report from Elmundo.es with photos and video. The footage is quit graphic and may not be suitable for all eyes.)
The underlying message one can only assume from Rumsfield's new orders is that they do not intend to clean up their act and fall in line with the Geneva Conventions. He just wants to make sure that evidence of intelligence-gathering interrogation methods no longer see the light of day.
Isn't this yet another sign that the interrogation atrocities are systematic?
9:50:32 PM | |
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I don't know about you but I disavowed myself as a Star Wars fan when the first film of the second trilogy, which is actually the first film of the first trilogy, was released. Why? Because it was such a monstrous bore! The plot was nearly non-existent. I take that back. It was nothing more than a glorified computer game passed off as a movie.
Christopher Bahn is a critic of the films also. But Bahn believes the last episode has a chance at suriving. Bahn believes that if they get rid of Lucas, hire a different writer, get a new cast, and forget the entire storylines of Episodes 1 and 2, they just might have a film.
Read his hilarious article posted today on MSNBC. Consider the introductory paragraphs to gain a sense of Bahn's cleverness and wit:
We’ve got one more year before George Lucas finishes up his "Star Wars" prequel trilogy with the as-yet-untitled Episode III, and he certainly has his work cut out for him. Not only does he have to resolve the ongoing storylines of "Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones" in such a way as to lead directly into Episode IV, the original 1977 "Star Wars," but he has to overcome two of the most soul-killingly dull storylines ever put on film. I mean, really - I’ve seen more interesting films on sandwiches I left in my fridge too long. Is there any way for Lucas to salvage the series in a single movie? It would take a great disturbance in the Force, but it’s not impossible.
Hire some real behind-the-scenes talent
Considering that most of the worst ideas in the last two films came from Lucas himself, he might start by handing over the reins to another filmmaker.
It might be difficult to convince Lucas to go along with it, but if necessary Lucas could probably be tricked by telling him that Joseph Campbell is waiting with a documentary crew to massage Lucas’ ego by interviewing him about his wonderful mythic imagination. When Lucas shows up, knock him out, encase him in a block of frozen carbonite and put him out of the way somewhere until the movie is out in theaters.
Give creative control entirely to a new directing and writing team - it almost doesn’t matter who - and tell them to ignore "Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones" entirely. Rethink Episode III as a standalone story with one simple plotline: Anakin Skywalker has just married Padme (who is, unbeknownst to him, pregnant with the twins Luke and Leia who’ll show up in the next film). Seduced by ambition, Anakin leaves behind his wife, his life and even his own name to join the evil Emperor Palpatine as Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith.
The probability of Lucas giving up his baby is low. I'll await this release on DVD. Forever live LOTR, the fantasy film with the most!
8:41:45 PM | |
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Work is always fun when you can incorporate games such as this into your routine. Robert (also known as nubalicious on his blogsite), Shawn, and I pondered the above picture and came up with some fitting captions. Here are my favorite from our brainstorming session:
10. "Find a happy place...find a happy place...find a happy place...."
9. "Did I ever tell you I had a thing for my mother?"
8. "I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee."
7. "This wasn't in the Presidents for Dummies handbook."
6. "I think this is about the time my father vomited in that one guys lap."
5. "Must never eat chili before a press conference ever again!"
4. "Shit... I was not prepped for this question!"
3. Scanning the telelprompt, Bush sees: "blah, blah, blah....Weapons of Mass destruction.... blah.... blah... blah.... Oil."
2. "I picked the wrong day to quit smoking pot."
1. "Potato.... P-O-T-A-T-O-E....Potato."
The Comments page is anxiously waiting for your caption. Go to it!
Update: SORRY that the picture didn't work the first go-round!
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