Tribune Syndicate's Robert Koehler Rips the Corporate Media a New One, Says Election 2004 'Stolen'!
And some personal notes, thoughts, photos (and even some quick video) from Nashville's National Election Reform Conference...
By Brad Friedman on 4/14/2005, 1:17pm PT  

As mentioned yesterday, the Tribune Syndicate's Robert Koehler has dropped a killer column on Election 2004 and the National Election Reform Conference which we attended, and spoke at, last weekend in Nashville.

Koehler was the one member of the MSM brave enough to show up in Nashville and to share a stage with both ourselves and Free Press' Bob Fitrakis (editor, writer and attorney who joined the lawsuit in Ohio to have its vote count set aside).

As it turns out, Koehler is one of the good guys still fighting the good fight in the MSM, and his column today --- which out and out declares the 2004 election to have been stolen --- hits on so many pistons it's virtually impossible to pull out just the money quotes. So we strongly recommend you read the whole thing. Here's the first and last few grafs to whet your appetite...

The silent scream of numbers
The 2004 election was stolen — will someone please tell the media?

As they slowly hack democracy to death, we're as alone — we citizens — as we've ever been, protected only by the dust-covered clichés of the nation's founding: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

It's time to blow off the dust and start paying the price.

The media are not on our side. The politicians are not on our side. It's just us, connecting the dots, fitting the fragments together, crunching the numbers, wanting to know why there were so many irregularities in the last election and why these glitches and dirty tricks and wacko numbers had not just an anti-Kerry but a racist tinge. This is not about partisan politics. It's more like: “Oh no, this can't be true.”

I just got back from what was officially called the National Election Reform Conference, in Nashville, Tenn., an extraordinary pulling together of disparate voting-rights activists — 30 states were represented, 15 red and 15 blue — sponsored by a Nashville group called Gathering To Save Our Democracy. It had the feel of 1775: citizen patriots taking matters into their own hands to reclaim the republic. This was the level of its urgency.
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In contrast to the deathly silence of the media is the silent scream of the numbers. The more you ponder these numbers, and all the accompanying data, the louder that scream grows. Did the people's choice get thwarted? Were thousands disenfranchised by chaos in the precincts, spurious challenges and uncounted provisional ballots? Were millions disenfranchised by electronic voting fraud on insecure, easily hacked computers? And who is authorized to act if this is so? Who is authorized to care?

No one, apparently, except average Americans, who want to be able to trust the voting process again, and who want their country back.

Additionally, there was some coverage of the event during and after, by Laura Luxor of The Tennessean. Her two --- much appreciated pieces --- are here and (from their front page) here.

As to a few other random and personal thoughts, and photos (and even a bit of video) from the event...

What an incredible weekend.

I'll not soon forget the outpouring of support and appreciation from those in attendance throughout the three-day patriot-fest. For those reading BRAD BLOG today fresh from their participation in Nashville...thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your incredible generosity, strength of spirit, words of kindness and your tireless service towards the good of your country.

I was moved beyond description by the words of support, compliment and praise for the work of the BRAD BLOG from American Heroes such as David Cobb (the only American Presidential Candidate who's ever addressed me at all, much less by first name on and off-stage, on and off camera), the delightful and beautiful Rep. Cynthia McKinney (who was similarly generous both on and off-stage), Cliff Arnebeck (legal eagle patriot of Ohio lawsuit fame) and grand master Bob Fitrakis (of Free Press and Ohio truth-to-power fame).

One personal highlight, among too many to list: The standing ovation given to Clint Curtis after he did nothing more than introduce himself by name to the assembled crowd.

I suspect some audio and video will emerge in the next few days and weeks as there was an often uncountable number of cameras and documentarians on hand for the proceedings from beginning to end. I will try to share links with you to any of that material as it becomes available so those who could not be there might get just a sense of the remarkable gathering of compatriots.

And a special word of thanks to Bernie Ellis, who selflessly and singularly brought the weekend about. All in the name of a better world.

Democracy is alive and well, even if a bit bruised and battered. The folks who gathered in Nashville this weekend demonstrated --- in no uncertain terms --- the indomitable spirit and yearning for true freedom and justice. Their continuing and tireless efforts on behalf of this country has renewed my belief that we shall, indeed, overcome.

Now, I need some rest. But ain't gonna get any for a while. Oh, well...

Here's a few personal pictures and even a cellphone-snapped video clip from the event, with more photos and video of the actual speeches etc, to come on the web in the near future...

There should be more "official" video appearing shortly, but here's a quickie video clip (self-promotional, of course!) from a cellphone of Cobb and myself...what a crazy weekend...Keeping hope alive...

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