"Other" Clermont Co. observer here! Can call in if needed.

URGENT REMINDER: The Brad Show is supported by your donations. This week we need more listeners and more donations! So get on the phone, or send some e-mail, and tell a few friends about The Brad Show. You (and they) will be glad you did.

You can contribute via PayPal or by using this snail mail address:

Brad Friedman
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Thanks to all those who have contributed already!
Now let's see whether we can fund a little MORE RADIO!!
As we keep saying, it's only our democracy at stake!

Glad you are here Eric! Brad needs your phone # so he can call (no call-in line yet?) you. You may email Brad at thebradblog@cville.com

America can put a man on the moon, but they can't run a FREE AND FAIR ELECTION in 2004!

Hi all..hi Brad! The studio mike seems to have problems. Brad's voice is all gravelly and broken up.

A new challenge every week! What fun!

Yahoo News - 2 hrs. ago

Better Interviews Said Key to Exit Polls

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Better training of interviewers to get a proper sample of voters after they cast ballots will be key to improving the performance of exit polls, one pollster who handled the 2004 election surveys said Saturday.

Exit polls on Election Day 2004 overstated support for Democrat John Kerry overall and in many key states, which led to widespread confusion that day about the election eventually won by President Bush.

The exit polls contacted more supporters of Kerry than of Bush because of "the failure of interviewers to follow the selection rate," said Warren Mitofsky, who conducted the exit polls along with Joe Lenski of Edison Media Research...

-More

No surprise that Mitofsky sold out; we knew that before.

I finally made it home from a weekend trip --- so far it sounds good here. I'll have to catch the other 2 hrs. tomorrow.

Yay Brad!

Darn it, I have been posting in the other thread and I don't feel like copying everything over.

The RAW STORY Clermont ballot sticker article is here.

Larisa, I have dragged your posts over from the other thread, hope this helps!

COMMENT #22 [link]
...Larisa said on 5/14/2005 @ 4:39pm PT...

Posted here, keep kicked please:
link here.

COMMENT #25 [link]
...Larisa said on 5/14/2005 @ 5:24pm PT...

This source and the other source did not discuss the footage, but there was footage taken by one source and that footage was sent in with the witness accounts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #26 [link]
...Larisa said on 5/14/2005 @ 6:00pm PT...

Here is the article. And Eric (who was unanamed in my article) did hand off the footage to me and I, in turn, did hand it off with all of the records to authorities.
link here.

I'm really liking the show. You should tell about the "Drowning Street Memo". You can find out about it at http://www.johnconyers.com He's investigating this now. I wish you could have him on your show.

Semper Fi, Brad and Sergeant:
I last served with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines. Did you run into 1/23 Marines? If so, how are they doing? Take care and Semper Fidelis.

Welcome MarineLiberal1775! Good to have you here.

Sorry I just managed to tune in, so I've only heard snippets. Maybe you could ask RJ what his reaction would be if it came out (so that HE found the evidence convincing) that there were no WMD- and that Bush had actually lied? I gotta feel that he is emotionally invested so he can't believe it right now, BUT?.... hypothetical question.

Need help folks, I am on dialup and must kill the audio before loading a page. takes several minutes to get to relevant pages so I've now given up entirely.

Anyone here on broadband that can help Brad with relevant links? Thanks.

Please tell RJ that I go to OpTruth.org often and I truly read because I care and I want to know what is going on and how they are. I hope everyone else goes there too.

is he familiar with the "yellow ribbon magnets" for cars to support our troops? and to his knowledge is ANY of that money going to them and getting them armor and support?

You shouldn't be surprised about the media, Brad. They're obviously owned by the Saudi's which is ran by the neocons. ABC did a special on this a while back (can't remember when since I saw a video clip of it) and they own a lot of investments in the media. It's to save their investments and money.

I love optruth. They're a great website. If they "support the troops" so much why don't they get them better armor? Why don't they tell the truth? Why don't they give money to Veteran hospitals?

Leech therapy removes blood / swelling so that area can heal. It's real.

Last hour ahead with one more important item. The BRAD SHOW is listener supported at this time and until advertisers can be brought aboard. Please help us to continue!

You can contribute via PayPal or by using this snail mail P.O. box address:

Brad Friedman
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Thanks to all those who have contributed already!

I'm having a hard time understanding the person on the phone with Brad. Is this RJ on the phone? I would need to read a transcript of this because I'm missing so much of the conversation I can't follow it. boo.

We definitely must help these soldiers get better armor. Maybe Halliburton should chip in a few hundred thousand - surely they'd never even miss it. Bastards.

Appreciate your comments. Good to hear that 1/23 is upholding the honor of the unit. Sergeant, not at all surprised by the Presidents response to your injuries in terms of his lack of empathy and understanding. My second question is how do you think the progression (or, digression) of the war will impact veterans vis a vis their support of President Bush and the Republican Party as a whole?

Could someone type up what RJ said Bush said to him and how Bush reacted to him in the hospital? I'm listening online and the audio is sort of bad so I didn't hear why exactly he was offended. Thanks.

I have heard of leech therapy. Sounds interesting. Disgusting but interesting. I'm glad it helps. I wish there was a way to get more armor for them. *sigh*

I hope the Iraqi vets don't fine the same sorry reception as the VietNam vets did. RJ sounds like a brave soul. Thanks for asking my previous question.

EndGame:
I had some difficulty too, but the crux of it was that the sergeant was explaining how the President stuck his head into his hospital room, didn't convey any real sympathy/empathy for the sergeant, just kind of used him for a photo op; President didn't address him as "sergeant" (big deal for Marines, shows a lack of respect when you don't address a devildog by his/her rank) and President didn't want to see the leeches that helped save the sergeant's fingers/hand. In short, the sergeant was explaining how the President continues to disappoint.

Valley Girl & Emily - don't gag, but another very useful therapy for wounds with dead & infected flesh is maggot therapy. They have discovered that they do an excellent job cleaning the wound of diseased material so the tissues can heal.

We need to stop indiscriminate killing of all living things on our planet --- the insecticides are killing all the insects & now the birds are vanishing. The rainforest is being decimated and we're losing all the flora & fauna that might provide information and or cures.

Our gov't is spending so much money on the war and killing people when we could spend much less to help these countries get out of their extreme poverty which spawns anger & violence.

pResident geeduhbya needs leech therapy on his diseased mind. Poor leeches, though.

I love the Bright Eyes song! I was surprised it was on national media.

PS We're not censored here so in honor of Bright Eyes' lyrics --- can the pResident smell his own BULLSHIT? I know I can and it ain't pleasant.

I wonder what bu$h has in that dark black cavity where there should be a living, beating heart?

Is anyone else getting that DREADFUL feedback?

Sad indeed Kira and Bush isn't doing anything for our enviornment. We could be spending all this money for a better enviornment and education system and health care but nope. Had to go in for the oil.

Oh man - what's going on in the studio? Yikes!

Just finished reading all of the comments. Thanks for welcoming me aboard Kira, I appreciate it!

Wow! That feedback howl HURTS! I hope Lampley gets through...

I'm getting some really bad audio feedback here. Does anyone else hear it? I'm going to stay with it though.

Makes you wonder whether somebody is jamming this Brad Show?

Run Away! Run Away!

The British are coming! The British are coming!

This has been a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.

Are you getting the weird sound too?

RJ- Great interview, Brad.

Read down for Comment to Lampley

Lampley- Human interest- I'd like to know how you got in touch with each other to arrange his appearance on the Brad Show.

Here's a post from an earlier thread.

"Thanks all, and thanks Brad especially. Here's what I posted on Conyer's blog.

Thanks for your Huffington comments. More so, thanks for your tireless efforts on all fronts. I found your comments, and those of Lampley and York via BradBlog. Oh, Brad would like to get in touch with Lampley.

I was a wee bit tired after grading final exams, and accidentally sent an email to York instead of Lampley. I can't find Lampley's email address, but in case you or others have it, please forward these comments to Lampley (which York has now received) ;>D :

missent email---------------------

" Great! Huffington post...

"I found your recent comments from the Huffington etc. via BradBlog.com

"Your mention of the Watergate timeline really delighted me. Actually, I'd like to see this spelled out in more detail... and, of course, I would hope that current concerns progress in the same fashion. Wouldn't I love to watch Cheney resign on national TV!

"From your pic, you look too young to have watched the Watergate Congressional hearings (at least with any knowledge) but I was ~ 22 at the time, and I can tell you this was the best and most riveting reality TV I've ever seen.

"Times have certainly changed since then, but in following various blogs via the internet, I've discovered that I still believe in the W/B (Woodward/Bernstein) model, albeit in altered form. Thus, your Watergate comments struck a chord with me. Oh, BTW, I still want to know who Deep Throat is. If you know, please email me with that information."

Bad feeback here too. WTF?

i have feed back. I am going to hope no one is jamming it.

Has Rove got to the Bu$h supporting panel operator?

Kira #31 -

Maggots eating away all the diseased flesh from the inside out.

Feedback gone?

I would call it worse than feedback. Can't here a thing except for the noise

probably something wrong with the phone line... hopefully brad will re-play the lampley interview next week!

still getting feedback, too.

No, Brad --- terrible. It does sound like the emergency warning system.

Yes bad audio feedback, ringing, I'm listening via Real Player and the noise is drowning out Brad's voice

I can hear traces of voices behind the feedback howl. Sounds just like the shortwave signal-jamming we heard in the fifties from parts of Eastern Europe.

Getting horrible feedback here. How do I clear up the audio?

Can't make out any words, just scratching sounds under the wooooooooooooooo!

Feedback is still there. Any hope we can hear this guy? I was looking really forward to it. Could someone put up the audio later if it doesn't work so we can hear it now?

Really terrible!

you cannot clean up the audio unfortunately. I was really lookin forward to this hour

Still Can't hear you-sounds like an amp is ringing. Can you fix???

This is BAD, I'm barely able to hear Jim!!!
Is anyone hearing him more clearly on other streams, I'm on Windows Media Player.
So like a very poor ship to shore radio!

Now he sounds like some kind of monster. Brad, do you have monsters in your studio?

Coming FROM Network in PHILLY!!! URGH!!!

SORRY!!!!

WORKING ON IT!!!

WILL MAKE THE INTERVIEW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD LATER!!! SORRY!!!!

Yeesh...

[sounds] like....

Thanks for clarification Brad and MarineLiberal1775. This incident demonstrates yet again that the Commander in Chief really has no clue what's going on - it's simply incredible.

My audio has also broken down. Too bad I'm missing Lampley.

I'm hanging in there. Can't hear anything except something like an EA-6B Prowler jamming the heck out of the frequency. My question for Mr. Lampley is how do you think the Bush folks ripped off the election in Ohio? Was it orchestrated from the White House or did GOP operatives take the initiative on their own just make it happen in Ohio?

Yes, really bad. Worse than feedback. Can't hear even Brad.

Could they really have sabotaged this? Is that possible?

Can you shut down for a minute and try coming back on? Amp feedback still impossible. Sound was fine during RJ. I'm not hearing you. Anyone else?

Jpenz #56 -

So was I...

bushwacker, I'm on realaudio. I reloaded and still hear the woooooo. Good description! Wait..... is it clearing? No. No such luck. This is a shame.

Working on it, guys...Will replay interview if we can fix after bottom of hour!!!

Sorry!!! Terrible! No control of it from this end!

It does. That's what I hear. Oh and I think Poppy Bush is "Deep Throat." He doesn't look too good these days. Then again those Bush's are good at hiding stuff. But it wouldn't surprise me. Why? Look at all Poppy has done over time. He has his finger prints in Kennedy assisination and he was pretty influental around then.

okay, clear now!!!

YaHooo! I can hear ya now Brad!

EA-6B Prowler. What is that? You know, I've noticed a trend with these cons. They give themselves away by saying the exact opposite of what they do. Every time one of Bush's crappy appointments is discussed, they mention the 'fact' that Bush won the election. Ahhhh!!!! It must've been Jim's phone.

Could they perhaps be jamming FROM philly? 'Cause, as I said above, it's just like shortwave radio jamming.

EA-6B Prowler. What is that? You know, I've noticed a trend with these cons. They give themselves away by saying the exact opposite of what they do. Every time one of Bush's crappy appointments is discussed, they mention the 'fact' that Bush won the election. Ahhhh!!!!

The thing has suddenly cleared up

Better now???

Jamming has very conveniently ended once Jim has finished speaking!!!! Hmmmmmm!

Could they perhaps be jamming FROM philly? 'Cause, as I said above, it's just like shortwave radio jamming.

EA-6B Prowler. What is that? You know, I've noticed a trend with these cons. They give themselves away by saying the exact opposite of what they do. Every time one of Bush's crappy appointments is discussed, they mention the 'fact' that Bush won the election. Ahhhh!!!! OK, now the blog is not working.

Brad, you are still a hot guy. Thanks for doing this.

I can hear it again. Hurray! Thanks!

We'll get ya first part of that interview after this break!!!

Sorry again! Part II will have to wait!

What a horrible shame, Brad! I hope you can get him back.

Take 2, Jim's Loud and clear! Great Stuff!

Sue, an EA-6B Prowler is, in a nutshell, a Navy aircraft with its primary mission being to jam frequencies. It's a refit of the old A-6 Intruder, which was an attack aircraft. You can see the A-6 in the Dafoe movie 'Flight of the Intruder'. Hope that helps.

Just made a donation to Bradblog! Keep the FREE SPEECH RADIO COMING!!!!

Waddu u guys think of the Lampley Interview (Part I, anyway)?

What I'm hearing gives me chills! Great interview!!!

This Guy's is devastatingly good, he's so convincing in his arguments!

Winter Patriot ??? Where are you ???

Bushw@cker (I can't stop) --- liberal rubbish! Klaus!

Woodward and Bernie? We have Alexandrovna and Byrne and Friedman and Pitt and ... well you get the idea. The difference is that Woody and Bernie had the Post behind them...

ok genesis was better I put in a request for Jefferson Airplane Brad.

**begins to sing** "When the truth is found . . to . .be lies . ."

This is awesome. I've always thought of Lampley as being a dumb jock. I was sadly mistaken. This guy is awesome. He's hitting all the marks. This election was stolen right from under our noses. Where's "Woodstein" when you need them, this is way bigger than Watergate. Nixon broke the law, without question. However, Nixon drew somewhat within the lines. But, with this, you're talking about being way outside of the lines. If what is being alledged really went down (and I believe it did) then we are now talking about the total overturning and complete undermining of the American political/election system and the creation and implementation of a fradulent Presidency.

That's it, LAR. What can we do about this? Not one damn dime until they shape up. Won't buy a paper or listen to them on TV until they start giving the other side of the equation equal billing and report unbiased non-proselytizing news.

KIRA, Stop it!

#95
Sorry - please don't hit me with a soft pillow

MarineLiberal #93 --- you're absolutely right. It's a terrible situation we're in.

========================
Whaddaya want with yer jugged fish?
========================

Thanks guys for stickin' in there! Now I gotta go figure out what the hell happened and what the hell to do about it! (And what happened to Winter Patriot while I'm at it?! Hope he's okay!)

I need a rest...Then, please sir, I'd like another.

Lampley was superb. Thanks, Brad!

Ouch! Brad. But seriously, please do get some rest and, I know, we'd all like another!

I don't know if jamming airwaves would actually affect internet radio --- anybody know the answer to that?

====
'Alibut
====

You're a pro Brad! I love how all hell's breaking loose and you stay calm, cool and collected (even if you're not!)

Lampley was awesome! So happy we got to hear the first portion!

Wish I could donate more each week, but if everybody gives what they can it adds up!

Thanks Brad!

Brad, you did a great job. Technical difficulties here too, so I didn't hear all of the Lampley pt. 1 reprise, but you asked such great questions.

Just made a contribution via PayPal. It was painless. You don't have to have an account with them. They take plastic. Hmm.... sounds kinda like the Bush WH... they take plastic, but then again, one DOES have to have an account with them, if you see what I mean.

Great interview with Lampley, Brad. The Vegas odds mean something. They mean, along with all of the other evidence, that Bush lost again. They stole it. They stole more votes this time than last time, too. They had to. 2/1 and 3/1 in Vegas? No way did Kerry lose. No way.

I would like to email Lampley --- has anybody found his email address or snail mail address for that matter?

Thank you Larisa for all your wonderful investigative journalism. Thank you mucho.

Well, stealing the 2004 election is just ANOTHER case of TREASON against Amerca and its people. I think it's time about 64 million people signed several copies of the letter to Mr. Gonzalez asking about "possible" war crimes, and send them to (a) Mr. Conyers (b) Mr. Gonzalez (c) their Senate and Congress Reps. (d) the MSM (e) everyone else they can think of. A barrage of many millions of letters calling for IMPEACHMENT of the WHOLE DAMNED BUNCH WILL HAVE THE DESIRED EFFECT! Make your voices and DEMANDS FOR JUSTICE KNOWN. God Bless and Protect America.

YEAH, PABLO!

ENJOY THIS ONE!

AMERICA IS BEING RUN BY A BUNCH OF INEPT AND DISHONEST MORONS, WHO COULDN’T GET ELECTED, SO THEY STOLE THE VOTES. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS, INCLUDING THE MSM. EMBARRASSING ISN’T IT!

Massacre in Uzbekistan
Up to 500 protesters feared dead. Ex-ambassador accuses UK of failing democracy movement

Here's a question for Dredd or MarineLiberal1775 or others who might know an answer.

Are we still at war with Iraq? Iraq has elected a President and is now a Democracy, so what do you call what we are doing there as a military presence? As far as I know, the new government of Iraq has not declared war on the U.S.

If we are not at war with Iraq, how does this change what the U.S. as a country or military can do in Iraq (legally)?

Check out BILLY JACK!

Step 2: On Labor Day conduct a 1 million person national vigil & protest rally in Washington DC, and a hundred similar protest marches and vigils in 100 cities and towns all across America

Peg C. #100 DING! DING! DING!

Peggy - you're finding a lot of great articles! Thanks!

Impeachment of George W Bush

Hi, Kira #114 - great articles by some of the 64 million great American patriots who voted for Kerry and NOT Bush!!

Yes Peggy! We are the "Silenced" Majority! But working on having our words heard.

Oh well, better late than never, I suppose ... I just barely have a chance to stick my head in and say "HI"... so "HI!" ... apologies to all for my not being able to help with the radio show this week ... best wishes to the proprietor and all the regulars ... gotta run again but I'll be back soon ...

Yay - I'm so glad you popped in, WP. We really missed your presence and input. You missed being woooooooooed!

Hey Guys, Thanks for sticking with the show warts and all. Brad and crew appreciate it. A smoother road lies ahead, I promise.

Hey Brad, this is the most mind blowing collection of election fraud analysis and statistics I've seen. It's a special thread that TruthIsAll did called:

JIM LAMPLEY: THIS IS FOR YOU. GO FOR THE KNOWKOUT.

http://www.democraticund...;address=203×369024

It's amazing. You'll have a great show with him.

#128 Your link doesn't work --- this one does:
JIM LAMPLEY: THIS IS FOR YOU. GO FOR THE KNOCKOUT!

BTW Autorank #128 - thanks for sharing this info!

Emily Re: #12

"I'm really liking the show. You should tell (sic)about the "Drowning Street Memo". You can find out about it at http://www.johnconyers.com."

Emily, I love that visual image of Tony Blair, desperately struggling for his political survival, whilst a relentless sea of truth crashes over his battered and sodden body. Sadly for all of us here, Blair survived that near drowning, thanks to a media deceived public and a life raft made of lies.

Osama Bin Bush and Tony B-Liar at the Gay Bar.

=================
The jugged fish IS 'alibut!
=================
P.S. Re: #129 A HERCULEAN effort by TruthIsAll at DU

Where are comments from 108 to 131?

Okay now they are there.

Sounds like your show was pretty terrific yesterday Brad, even though you experienced some (major) technical difficulties. I look forward to listening to the tape when you get it online and hearing what Mr. Lampley had to say for himself.

I take it Mr Wycliff or York never resonded to your invitations to appear, eh? Funny thing how whenever an opportunity for any serious face to face debate over the election fraud issues is presented the neocons slither back into their little rat holes.

Thanks again for all your efforts Brad,
Jeff J.

Kira
The US is an occupying force in Iraq. An invader.

The rhetorical use of the UN Resolutions as grounds for the invasion is just plain wrong. The recently leaked Blair memo discusses the weak position of using UN Resolutions cafeteria style (pick this one, ignore that one).

The UN Resolution justification is a naked joke. The world pays no attention to such tripe.

This neocon admin has abandoned american values and is using strong arm thug militant tactics that is ruining any honor the military had, the diplomatic corps had, and we as a nation had.

It is unthinkable what is going on.

Legally prosecution for war crimes would be fitting, however, it should only apply to the top, not the field soldiers except were they violate military protocol clearly.

The only problem is that the neocon admin has removed all format war crimes tribunals with its bullying raw power.

It will not play ball unless it is the one doing the war crimes tribunals as invador ... against the invadees (invador/invadee).

I guess I should say screwee (screwor/screwee) ... there is the screwor and the screwee (the one getting screwed).

BTW ... Great team here on BradBlog.

I have been away too.

Glad WP is ok!

And where is Cheryl, Sherry, et al?

Some of the things we are dealing with have an international aspect. I mean the elite are not situated just in one country. Check this quote:

"It would have been quite impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national autodetermination practiced in past centuries ..."
- David Rockefeller, Bilderberg club permanent member, 1991 (Bilderberg Strikes Again May 12, 2005, By Pepe Escobar, Asia Times Online, Raiders News Update).

Some of it crosses political party lines and thus sometimes it is fuzzy when trying to figure which party would be best for what.

At some point the parties serve a multinational interest rather than the interests of the people in general.

I think that even adding more parties will not solve the problem. Outing the multinational interests to the people is the MSM's job. They are not doing it so the blogs must.

Hey Jaime! Thanks to you, Brad & the crew for putting out the effort! We're with you 100% & know that it will get better once Brad gets settled in a "for keeps" studio.

This is so very important for us as maligned Citizens of this country. We have to work hard to preserve our right to free speech and our Democracy. The problems with the show have been minor compared to what we're fighting against politically.

So MUCHO THANKS TO YOU ALL!!

Jaime is a liar.

It's only gonna get worse!

Good to know you're okay, WP. Apparently I missed the note that said you'd be gone this week.

Also, apparently, I missed the note that said nothing would go right this week.

Glad you all dug PART I of the Lampley interview. Will try to bring BOTH parts to ya soon! Next week! If anybody will let us on the air again!

And if we can figure out how to pay for it (hint

You guys are great. I'll get some rest. I likely need it.

Jaime is a liar.

It's only gonna get worse!

Good to know you're okay, WP. Apparently I missed the note that said you'd be gone this week.

Also, apparently, I missed the note that said nothing would go right this week.

Glad you all dug PART I of the Lampley interview. Will try to bring BOTH parts to ya soon! Next week! If anybody will let us on the air again!

And if we can figure out how to pay for it (hint

You guys are great. I'll get some rest. I likely need it.

I'll second everything that Kira said in #120!!! It'll take a lot more than a few glitches to keep us from trying to hear a voice that we all KNOW is speaking to our interests, even when it is occasionally muffled by the fickle failures of technology!

Reassuring to see that even Brad messes up occasionally with double entries!

Reassuring to see that even Brad messes up occasionally with double entries!

Couldn't resist the temptation!

Wow, sounds like chaos prevailed on the show. But hey, anything worth doing, has to have it's glitches. You know you are on the right path when it's the hard one. I can't wait to hear the show. Sadly I wasn't able to be here yesterday. We really appreciate all the hard work everyone has been putting in to bring us the show. Thank goodness they haven't totally siezed the air yet.

Thanks Dredd #135

Our military soldiers should not be prosecuted for following the orders of their superiors - which is what they do almost 100% of the time. (Excepting the only very few who ever act outside that framework.)

Did the neoCONS come up with the name for the war, "War on Terror", so they would be shielded from having to have a country named as the target? If so - this makes it exactly as Charles DuBord (sp?) on another thread suggested --- we are at war with an adjective. This is very convenient. Proclaiming war on an adjective has an awful lot of fuzzy objectives and goals.

This is part of a review BuzzFlash gives Terry Jones' book:

Jones far exceeds BuzzFlash in pointing out that we have gone through the looking glass and beyond --- and, of course, with unrelenting wit. After all, here's a guy who writes, "What really alarms me about President Bush's 'War on Terrorism' is the grammar. How do you wage war on an abstract noun? ... How is 'Terrorism' going to surrender? It's well known, in philological circles, that it's very hard for abstract nouns to surrender."

From Mother Jones' interview with Terry Jones:

MJ.com: Your other most recent book, Was Chaucer Murdered? just came out in the U.S. for the first time. As someone who’s studied him extensively, what do you think Geoffrey Chaucer would make of all this?

TJ: (laughs) You could say there’s a bit of a background. It goes back at least to the 14th century and probably further, and we’re seeing it again today.

Anyway --- we must keep working to find something they just didn't think of that will help to stoke that impeachment fire. Remember (I'm taking this from the Billy Jack site noted on Peggy's #112) the impeachment of Bill Clinton was not a popular idea even among most of the Republicans at the time --- it was the endless whining, bitching & moaning of the small neoCON faction that eventually won out.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease ..............

Keep it up, humor can get us through nearly everything! ...Nearly everything I said. Friends take care of the rest.

Sorry Charles DuBord --- I mistakenly typed adjective when referring to the word terror, which is a noun. I was thinking "Terrorism," which is an adjective. Charles was referring (in his post) to the noun.

Bushw@cker #131

Thanks for posting the link to bu$h & blare at the gay bar! It's been awhile since I enjoyed that!

In Mother Jones' interview with Terry Jones (see my post #138 for the link), TJ makes these following remarks, which are so eerie --- because it appears Britain & the US are in the same leaky boat filled with rotten fish ...

MJ.com: What about Blair’s future? Do you reckon he’ll still be around?

TJ: Fortunately, Blair’s at a point where it seems nobody trusts him, but I suspect he’ll get in again. Really, it’s just because there’s no alternative. We’ve really got into a one-party state here in Britain. There’s no real democracy because there’s no debate. There’s a certain amount of debate in the columns of the newspaper, but not in Parliament. Talking about how everybody could be so wrong, the only person who resigned from the government when Blair declared he’d invade Iraq was [foreign secretary] Robin Cook. How come? How come only he and very few other MPs spoke out against it? There’s no diversity of opinion in the places where it counts.

=============================
Well, what fish 'ave you got that isn't jugged?
=============================

Must read,not just a smoking gun ,the gun the ammo the shooter you name it ,this woman holds the key,who could help unearth the facts from her ?

Gagged, But Not Dead
by Sibel Edmonds
May 16, 2005

Also, since when are nuclear black market-related underground activities considered official U.S. foreign business?

If you want to have the answers to these questions, please approach your Congress and ask your representatives for hearings - not behind closed doors quasi hearings - but open, public hearings where these questions can be asked and answered.

And lastly, for those of you who may think that since I have been gagged and stopped by almost all available official channels, I must be ready to vaporize into thin air, please think again. I am gagged, but not dead; not yet.

Thanks MMIIXX --- here's the link

Man - we've got sooo many smoking guns. It's just insanity!

oops missed adding the link

Great minds...I was just going to post the Edmunds links, to expand upon the "multinationals" theme.

On another hot topic, read this story at Raw Story

Newsweek admits possible error on Quran report
that sparked international riots - Read their probe
Members of Congress seek U.S. war crimes, abuse inquiry

Newsweek says erred in Koran desecration report

*snip* ... "The report sparked angry and violent protests across the Muslim world from Afghanistan, where 16 were killed and more than 100 injured, to Pakistan to Indonesia to Gaza. In the past week it was condemned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and by the Arab League. On Sunday, Afghan Muslim clerics threatened to call for a holy war against the United States.

The weekly news magazine said in its May 23 edition that the information had come from a "knowledgeable government source" who told Newsweek that a military report on abuse at Guantanamo Bay said interrogators flushed at least one copy of the Koran down a toilet in a bid to make detainees talk."

Wouldn't you love to know just who that gov't source is!?!

Wow - read this at Raw Story --- Star Wars hints at U.S. policy

"This is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause," bemoans Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) as the galactic Senate cheers dictator-in-waiting Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) while he announces a crusade against the Jedi.

"If you're not with me, then you're my enemy,"
Hayden Christensen's Anakin — soon to become villain Darth Vader — tells former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). The line echoes Bush's international ultimatum after the Sept. 11 attacks, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

"That quote is almost a perfect citation of Bush," said Liam Engle, a 23-year-old French-American aspiring filmmaker. "Plus, you've got a politician trying to increase his power to wage a phony war."

Though the plot was written years ago, "the anti-Bush diatribe is clearly there," Engle said." ***MORE***

Top of the evening friends!

Just wandered through ConyersBlog and found our friend jimmo, banananana, et al; tearing the place up as usual. It seems the Downing Street Meeting Minutes and bush admin. torture policies have the neocons' working weekends scurrying about for damage control. Like a chicken with feathers aflame.

Found this as well: Conyers looks for news in the wrong place.

KIRA, Help me, I'm "Geographically Challenged" is NEWSWEEK a right-wing rag?

Here's Sibel Edmonds' piece

I'm going to post this here, late in this thread and probably again on a later thread. I hope Brad doesn’t mind my saying this but I know from personal communication with both Brad and also with his father that he’s having to get by on the cheap while doing all the things he is trying to do to help reclaim our democracy. The Radio gig may have given him a bigger voice but it has also given him a BIGGER expense that is not being made up by minimal advertising dollars or by contributions so far. He sleeps limited hours each night to get all the things done he has to do and it appears that he has to travel around the country by automobile rather than by airlines in order to do the many things he is doing ON OUR BEHALF. His Blog maintains its independence and integrity by not soliciting or taking corporate donations. His many and varied efforts as a truth and democracy fighter leave him no time for other gainful endeavors or even much time for himself. I must emphasize that nobody asked or encouraged me to make these statements, but I’m going to ask that WE ALL dig a little deeper to SUPPORT THE BRAD BLOG AND BRAD RADIO (not to mention Velvet Revolution). Few of us have the unique set of abilities to do what Brad does, but we do have the ability to help him do it. If we truly want honest and independent media voices out there we ALL have to pay to support them when we find them.

Bushw@cker #148 --- I really don't know if Newsweek is considered a rightie rag. They're all so close to being rightie rags at this point. Maybe someone else here knows ...

I guess what struck me was the "knowledgeable government source" who leaked the mental abuse by Guantanamo Bay interrogators. Was it a ploy to cause the riot or was it leaked by someone who wants to bring down the 'CONS?

Hi guys, checkthis out for a good laugh. It was posted by "Chicago Democrat" at DU. It seems that the Swift Boat Liars are already gearing up for '08

Steve, thanks for the financial appeal. I have a new book coming out in a matter of days, titled "The Lindbergh Syndrome: Heroes and Celebrities in a New Gilded Age." I'd be glad to offer a free signed copy to the first 25 people who donate $50 or more to either bradblog or the Velvet Revolution. You have my e-mail address.

Hahah Supersoling! So ... the frightening truth is out. geedumbya was borned agin ... does this make him a zombie or ... Nosferatu?

RLM - what a great offer!

I was thinking --- what about a "Best of Bradblog" book? A compilation of some of the best & most informative (& a few of the most humorous) comments? A lot of very useful info has gotten lost in the archives.

Hi, everyone - re: Sibel Edmonds

(1) There must be a very large number of people who know the details of her case. One of them SHOULD leak the info to the public, not necessarily thru the MSM.

(2) If the gag order is disobeyed, what is the penalty? Some prison time?

(3) If the info results in the removal of the criminals currently in government, wouldn't that also result in a complete pardon, restitution, and medal of courage for the whistleblower???

(4) On the other hand, is it possible that Ms. Edmonds has only "part" of the whole story, and that her case, if tried, would be damaging to the U.S. and the American people, rather than imprison wrongdoers???

Steve & RLM -

We donated a couple of weeks back, more than we could afford, but no one can afford NOT to. Thanks for the background and the generosity, both of you! What a great crowd this is!!

Kira #155 -

Call it "Blogging with Brad: The Quest of Brad Friedman" and pull together some of his major investigations. Good idea! The royalties would help, wouldn't they?

Brad,

You're doing an excellent job and keep up the good work. What would we do without you?

America's Work Stories
http://usaworkstories.blogspot.com
usaworkstories@aol.com

Kira it makes him "rotten" by now

KIRA #151 I guess, what I was hinting at was another RATHERGATE, but the MSM will make sure this one doesn't have legs, inspite of "only a few" [15] deaths in Afghanistan!
When I last checked, the RATHERGATE deathtoll, was approximately 1 [ONE], Dan Rather!
.......story [not]developing!

"Wouldn't you love to know just who that gov't source is!?! " Ditto Ditto!!

===========
Woman: Rabbit.
===========

Here's all you need to know about that stalwart Floridian, Jebby-baby, from Chris Floyd at The Moscow Times.

And for all you intelligent people out there, this diary from DU entitled "Assassinating the Intelligensia."

MMIIXX #160
My opinion right now is that Brad deserves to be Spoiled Rotten!

Bushw@cker #161

Is the insane rovian bu$hco desiring the Muslim world to call for a Jihad on the US so they can "legitimately" attack somewhere else in the Middle East?

=============
What ... rabbit fish?
=============

Peg C. & everybody,
There's an extra letter in the links you guys are copying from DU. (http://www.democraticunderground.bcom/discuss *etc.)

So, you have to edit out the b in "bcom" to make the link work.

Weird, eh? Is it to keep the links "blind?"

Hi, everyone: I'm repeating this important item from the previous post:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #46 [link]
...Meg said on 5/15/2005 @ 5:12pm PT...

Private citizens who support Conyer's request for special counsel can sign a petition to Gonzales requesting he comply with Conyer's letter: http://www.petitiononlin...m/xyz123ab/petition.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMENT #47 [link]
...Peggy said on 5/15/2005 @ 5:31pm PT...

Thank you Meg #46: Here it is:

PETITION SUPPORTING CONYERS LETTER TO GONZALEZ TO START AN INVESTIGATION

PEGGY #156
Is this public enough?

Classified Letters Regarding FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds

Sibel Edmonds. Photo source: CBS
>>> The following three letters were recently declared classified, even though they had been considered unclassified since their creation in summer and fall 2002. They regard Sibel Edmonds, the former FBI translator who charges that the FBI's translation service 1) is incompetent and corrupt and 2) received specific warnings about 9/11 before the attacks.
As one step to gag her, the Justice Department refused to let her testify at a civil trial regarding 9/11, invoking the rarely-used "state secret" privilege. Meanwhile, the FBI refused to give Edmonds documents concerning herself, which she requested under FOIA (a court upheld the FBI's refusal). Then the FBI retroactively classified its congressional briefings about Edmonds, including any material resulting from those briefings.
This means that three letters written by Senators Leahy and Grassley are now classified. The first two have been pulled off the Senators' websites, although the third one inexplicably remains online [here]. Edmonds and the Project on Government Oversight have launched separate lawsuits challenging this retroactive classification.
All three letters are reproduced below.
More info:
NYT > "Material Given to Congress In 2002 Is Now Classified" [original] [mirror]
Secrecy News > "Lawsuits Challenge Classification of Public Info" [2nd item here]
Sibel Edmonds > "Gagging Congress" [here]
The Memory Hole > "FBI Employee Blows Whistle on Suspicious Activities by Coworker" [here]
Disinfopedia > Entry on Sibel Edmonds [here]

19 June 2002 Letter from Sens. Leahy and Grassley to DOJ Inspector General Fine
June 19, 2002
The Honorable Glenn A. Fine
Inspector General
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear Mr. Fine:
The Senate Judiciary Committee has received unclassified information from the FBI regarding allegations made by Ms. Sibel D. Edmonds, a former FBI contract linguist, that your office is currently investigating. We request that, as this investigation progresses, you consider the following questions on this matter:
(1) Ms. Edmonds has alleged, and the FBI has confirmed, that the FBI assigned a contract language "monitor" to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, contrary to clear FBI policy that only more qualified "linguists" be assigned to Guantanamo Bay. What circumstances led to the contract language monitor being considered qualified for this assignment, and what were the consequences, if any, for the effectiveness of the interrogation of those being detained at Guantanamo?
(2) Ms. Edmonds has alleged, and the FBI has confirmed, that another contract linguist in the FBI unit to which Ms. Edmonds was assigned failed to translate at least two communications reflecting a foreign official's handling of intelligence matters. The FBI has confirmed that the contract linguist had "unreported contacts" with that foreign official. To what extent did that contract linguist have any additional unreported or reported contacts with that foreign official? What counterintelligence inquiries or assessments, if any, were made with respect to those contacts? Do you plan to interview field office and headquarters counterintelligence personnel regarding this matter?
(3) The FBI has said that, to review the other contract linguist's work that Ms. Edmonds questioned, it used three linguists in its language division, a supervisory special agent, and special agents who worked on the case that generated the communications under review. Was this a "blind" review by the linguists, or did they know the person whose work was under review? Were the linguists sufficiently independent to make objective judgments about the translations in question? Would it have been appropriate to use linguists from outside the FBI?
(4) The FBI has said a determination was made by the supervisory special agent that the contract linguist whose work was reviewed made a mistake and that the matter was a training issue. Did this agent's position affect his ability to render an objective judgment? What input did the other special agents provide? Did their involvement in the case that generated the communications affect their ability to make an objective judgement about a person with whom they had worked on the case? Would it have been better to ask other counterintelligence agents to assess the importance of the untranslated information and the reason it was not translated?
(5) To what extent is the credibility of witnesses regarding Ms. Edmonds' allegations affected by their continuing employment in the same translation unit and under the same supervisor where the contract linguist discussed in question (2) is employed.
(6) The FBI has said that Ms. Edmonds prepared two classified documents with respect to her allegations on her home computer without authorization and that one witness reported Ms. Edmunds discussed classified information regarding her allegations in the presence of three uncleared members of her family without authorization. Would these actions disqualify her from a security clearance, given the circumstances of her concern about a foreign attempt to penetrate or influence FBI operations at her workplace?
(7) What guidance is provided to FBI contract linguists as to the steps they should take if they are concerned about a possible foreign attempt to penetrate or influence FBI operations? How well is this guidance understood by contract linguists in the FBI translation centers and other FBI personnel who would handle such matters?
(8) What improvements, if any, are needed to encourage FBI contract linguists and other FBI contract personnel to come forward with such counterintelligence concerns and to ensure that they are not adversely affected as a result of seeking to assist FBI counterintelligence efforts? Was Ms. Edmunds' case handled in a manner that would encourage such reporting in the future?
Please let us know the timetable for your investigation and advise us of the results.
Sincerely,
PATRICK LEAHY
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary
CHARLES E. GRASSLEY
United States Senator

13 Aug 2002 Letter from Sens. Leahy and Grassley to Attorney General Ashcroft
August 13, 2002
Hon. John Ashcroft
Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear General Ashcroft:
We are writing jointly in order that you might allay our concern about the status of the investigation into allegations made by Sibel Edmonds, a former contract linguist in the Washington Field Office of the FBI. Although we understand that the matter is currently under investigation by the Inspector General, we are troubled that the Department of Justice, including the FBI, may not be acting quickly enough to address the issues raised by Ms. Edmonds' complaints or cooperating fully with the Inspector General's office.
By way of background, Ms. Edmonds first raised concerns about security problems and the integrity of important translations earlier this year. Unfortunately, nearly every person at the FBI who was notified of the situation reacted by questioning why Ms. Edmonds was "causing trouble." Indeed, the FBI's first internal security action in this case focused on Ms. Edmonds, instead of the allegations that she raised in good faith as a whistleblower and which bore on national security and the war against terrorism.
Ms. Edmonds has made a number of serious allegations, some of which the FBI verified during an unclassified briefing for Judiciary Committee staff on June 17. First, Ms. Edmonds has alleged that a contract monitor in her unit ("monitor") chose not to translate important, intelligence-related information, instead limiting her translation to unimportant and innocuous information. The FBI has verified that this monitor indeed failed to translate intelligence-related information, but has attributed the failure to a lack of training as opposed to a malicious act.
That conclusion is directly related to Ms. Edmond's second allegation. Ms. Edmonds alleged that the same contract monitor once worked for an organization associated with the target of a counter-intelligence investigation and that the monitor had unreported contacts with a foreign national who was a member of the target institution. Additionally, Ms. Edmonds states that some of the mistranslated recordings on which the monitor actually worked contained conversations by this same foreign national with whom the monitor had such contacts. Finally, the foreign national disclosed in recorded conversations that he handled intelligence matters. This fact was among the information that was not translated or summarized by the monitor.
Even after verifying these allegations, the FBI downplayed the importance of this matter and seemed to imply that it had ceased looking into the complaints as a security matter until after the Inspector General Office finishes its investigation. Anyone who remembers the long-time treachery of former FBI Agent Robert Hanssen would be concerned at this reaction. For years, Hanssen's bizarre actions were also written off as minor security breaches and unworthy of serious consideration. If even routine diligence had been exercised earlier, Hanssen could have been stopped from doing untold damage. The FBI needs to learn from its mistakes.
In addition to general concerns raised by this case, we have several specific concerns we wish to raise for your review. First, we have learned that a person central to the investigation --- the monitor referred to earlier --- will be leaving the country in early September, which most likely will be before the investigation is resolved. If you or your staff would like to know the identity of the monitor, please contact Inspector General Fine's office, with whom Senator Grassley's staff has been in touch. The monitor may hold dual citizenship with the United States and a foreign country and may possess a valid passport issued by that foreign country. Thus, there will be little or no assurance that the monitor will return or cooperate with an investigation in the future. Based on these facts, we would like your assurance that you are satisfied that there has been and will be no delay that will prejudice, in any way, the outcome of this investigation.
Furthermore, we would like your assurance that the Department of Justice, including the FBI, will fully cooperate in all aspects of the inquiry. For instance, we draw your attention to the fact that the FBI currently opposes depositions of the monitor and her husband as part of the investigation into this case. The FBI takes this position despite the fact that the monitor is no longer employed by the FBI, that the monitor's husband never worked at the FBI and even though the military agency that employs the monitor's husband does not oppose a deposition. Moreover, we understand that the monitor and her husband have signed a letter stating they will make themselves available for depositions. It is unclear, then, why the FBI is taking this position in the wake of such important allegations bearing on national security. We hope that you will ensure that the FBI is fully compliant with the Inspector General's inquiry as it proceeds.
Finally, we are concerned about the most crucial evidence in the case --- the recordings that were allegedly improperly translated. Because these bear directly on the veracity of Ms. Edmonds' allegations, we seek your assurance that the recordings will be properly maintained, turned over to the Inspector General's Office and promptly translated by a competent and independent authority. That way the validity of the complaint can be quickly evaluated.
We know that you share our concern that the FBI address issues bearing on national security in a prompt manner, regardless of whether or not they cast the FBI in a positive light. Only by honest evaluation can the FBI learn from its past mistakes. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter. We request a reply in writing by Wednesday, August 28, 2002.
Sincerely,
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy
Sen. Chuck Grassley
Chairman, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs

28 Oct 2002 Press Release and Letter from Sen. Grassley to FBI Director Mueller
For Immediate Release
Monday, October 28, 2002
Grassley Seeks Overhaul of FBI's Translation Unit
Iowa Senator Cites High Stakes in War on Terrorism
WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Grassley has asked the FBI Director to conduct a top-to-bottom review and to arrange an independent examination of the FBI's translation capabilities given the importance of accurate and timely translations to homeland security and the war on terrorism.
Grassley made his request following a story broadcast last night on CBS' 60 Minutes featuring the testimony of Sibel Edmonds, an FBI whistleblower who lost her job as a translator after raising questions about problems within the translation unit at FBI headquarters in Washington.
Grassley is the ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. He is an outspoken watchdog of the FBI, where he has pushed for numerous reforms since 1996. Here is a copy of Grassley's letter to Mueller.
October 28, 2002
The Honorable Robert Mueller
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20535
Dear Director Mueller:
I am writing to you about my concern with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's translation capabilities.
I believe it would be prudent for you to arrange for an independent audit and general review of the FBI's translation units, particularly at the Washington Field Office.
A review team with members from the National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, State Department and military branches should conduct a top-to-bottom examination of the FBI's translation units for performance issues such as timeliness, efficiency, accuracy and management.
I make this request for several reasons.
First, the FBI's translation capabilities are crucial to the war on terrorism, particularly preventing attacks. Translations provide essential intelligence to agents investigating suspected terrorists.
Second, numerous reports have documented problems with the FBI's translation capabilities. These reports, by organizations such as the General Accounting Office and the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, highlight shortages in qualified and proficient translators.
Third, I am not entirely confident in information that FBI officials have provided to the Judiciary Committee to the effect that translation issues are no longer a problem. At a June 17, 2002 briefing regarding the case of Sibel Edmonds, FBI officials stated that the bureau was nearly finished with translating existing documents. Am I to believe that the FBI has translated all existing foreign language documents and conducted analysis of the information?
I am also concerned about how long it takes to translate documents and recordings. The FBI in most cases does not know what it's listening to and thus cannot prioritize the translation. So if agents have a recording of terrorists planning an impending attack, the translation may come too late.
I understand that Ms. Edmonds' case remains under investigation by the Justice Department Inspector General. Regardless of that specific case, however, it is clear not only from her information but from other government agencies that the FBI's translation capabilities need improvement.
Translation capabilities depend on more than just sheer numbers. Operating rules, guidelines and protocols for translation practices and accuracy are just as important, if not more so, for the FBI to conduct a successful war on terrorism and to protect the nation from future attacks.
I would appreciate a reply with a statement of your intentions to this regard by Monday, November 25, 2002. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Chuck Grassley
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs
Here is the complete transcript of the CBS 60 Minutes story from Sunday evening, Oct. 27, 2002:
Copyright 2002 Burrelle's Information Services
CBS News Transcripts
SHOW: 60 Minutes (7:00 PM ET) - CBS
October 27, 2002 Sunday
TYPE: Leads LENGTH: 384 words
HEADLINE: 60 Minutes
BODY:
CO-HOSTS: Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, Ed Bradley, Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Don Hewitt
(Footage of Sibel Edmonds sitting at desk; Edmonds walking with Ed Bradley; Senator Charles Grassley and Bradley)
ED BRADLEY: (Voiceover) She lost her job at the FBI when she charged that people she worked with were more interested in budget concerns than in capturing terrorists. Before telling us the details, she told them to, among others, Senator Charles Grassley, who sits on the Judiciary Committee that oversees the FBI.
Did she seem credible to you? Did her story seem credible? Senator CHARLES GRASSLEY (Republican, Iowa): Absolutely, she's credible. And the reason I feel she's very credible is because people within the FBI have corroborated a lot of her story.
(Footage of Edmonds)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) And her story is our lead story tonight.
(Footage of Strom Thurmond; Alex Sanders)
LESLEY STAHL: (Voiceover) For the first time in half a century, Strom Thurmond, just six weeks shy of 100 years old, will no longer sit in the United States Senate, but one of the two men running to succeed him says don't bet on it.
Mr. ALEX SANDERS: I have to be very careful not to offend Strom Thurmond.
(Footage of Thurmond with woman)
Mr. SANDERS: (Voiceover) If I offended him, you know, six years from now he might run against me. Be careful about that.
(Footage of clock; people walking down the street; aerial view of houses; man playing tennis; Deitra Burrell)
MIKE WALLACE: (Voiceover) Years ago when blacks migrated north, they moved into the cities. But now four out of the five of the blacks migrating South are moving to the suburbs.
Ms. DEITRA BURRELL: My father used to always say, 'Stop asking for a piece of the pie. Make your own damn pie.' And this is us making our own pie.
(Footage of home; Burrell)
Ms. BURRELL: (Voiceover) We're no different from anybody else. We want nice homes. All of us have college degrees here. All of us have white-collar jobs.
Why should we have to settle for anything less?
WALLACE: I'm Mike Wallace.
MORLEY SAFER: I'm Morley Safer.
BRADLEY: I'm Ed Bradley.
STEVE KROFT: I'm Steve Kroft.
STAHL: I'm Lesley Stahl. Those stories and Andy Rooney, tonight on 60 MINUTES.
(Announcements)
Copyright 2002 Burrelle's Information Services
CBS News Transcripts
SHOW: 60 Minutes (7:00 PM ET) - CBS
October 27, 2002 Sunday
TYPE: Profile
LENGTH: 2328 words
HEADLINE: Lost in translation; former FBI translator accuses bureau of intentionally not doing its work in translating documents
ANCHORS: ED BRADLEY
BODY:
LOST IN TRANSLATION
ED BRADLEY, host:
Lost in Translation is the story of hundreds, if not thousands, of foreign language documents that the FBI neglected to translate before and after September 11th because of problems in its language department, documents that detailed what the FBI heard on wiretaps and learned during interrogations of suspected terrorists. Sibel Edmonds, a translator who worked at the FBI's language division, says the documents weren't translated because the division is riddled with incompetence and corruption. Edmonds was fired after reporting her concerns to FBI officials. She recently told her story behind closed doors to investigators in Congress and to the Justice Department. Tonight she tells her story to us.
(Footage of Edmonds and Bradley; FBI agents carrying boxes out of house; Edmonds and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Because she is fluent in Turkish and other Middle Eastern languages, Edmonds, a 32-year-old Turkish-American, was hired by the FBI soon after September 11th and given top-secret security clearance to translate some of the reams of documents seized by FBI agents who, for the past year, have been rounding up suspected terrorists across the United States and abroad. Ms. SIBEL EDMONDS: The first two months after the September 11 event, we--the agents out there in--in--in New York, LA, other field offices, they were working around the clock. And I would receive calls from these people saying, 'Would you please prioritize this and--and translate it?'
(Footage of Edmonds sitting at desk; Edmonds and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) But Edmonds says that to her amazement, from the day she started the job, she was told repeatedly by one of her supervisors that there was no urgency; that she should take longer to translate documents so that the department would appear overworked and understaffed. That way, it would receive a larger budget for the next year.
Ms. EDMONDS: We were told by our supervisors that this was the great opportunity for asking for increased budget and asking for more translators. And in order to do that, don't do the work and let the documents pile up so we can show it and say that we need more translators and expand the department.
BRADLEY: So you--you have FBI agents who are in the field relying on your translation work in order to move their cases forward, and your supervisor is saying, 'Slow down. Let the cases pile up'?
Ms. EDMONDS: Correct.
BRADLEY: I mean, how is it possible that the focus wasn't on terrorism, particularly after 9/11?
Ms. EDMONDS: It was not. At least in that department, it was not.
(Footage of Bradley and Edmonds)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Edmonds says that the supervisor, in an effort to slow her down, went so far as to erase completed translations from her FBI computer after she'd left work for the day.
Ms. EDMONDS: The next day, I would come to work, turn on my computer and the work would be gone. The translation would be gone. Then I had to start all over again and retranslate the same document. And I went to my supervisor and he said, 'Consider it a lesson and don't talk about it to anybody else and don't mention it.'
BRADLEY: What's the lesson?
Ms. EDMONDS: The lesson was don't work, don't do the translations. Go out and spend two hours lunch breaks, you know. Go and--don't go and get coffee downstairs. Go eight blocks away. Just chat with your friends. But don't do the work because--and this is our chance to increase the number of people here in this department.
(Footage of Edmonds sitting at desk; Grassley speaking at podium; Grassley and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Sibel Edmonds put her concerns about the FBI's language department in writing to her immediate superiors and to a top official at the FBI. Edmonds says for months, she got no response. She then turned for help to the Justice Department's inspector general, which is investigating her claims, and to Senator Charles Grassley because his committee, the Judiciary Committee, has direct oversight of the FBI.
Did she seem credible to you? Did her story seem credible?
Senator CHARLES GRASSLEY (Republican, Iowa): Absolutely, she's credible. And the reason I feel she's very credible is because people within the FBI have corroborated a lot of her story.
(Footage of woman working at computer; Kevin Taskasen speaking with woman; prisoners at Guantanamo Bay; Taskasen; Edmonds and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) The FBI has conceded that some people in the language department are unable to adequately speak English or the language they're supposed to be translating. Kevin Taskasen was assigned to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to translate interrogations of Turkish-speaking al-Qaida members who had been captured after September 11th. The FBI admits that he was not fully qualified to do the job.
Ms. EDMONDS: He neither passed the English nor the Turkish side of this language proficiency test.
BRADLEY: So that means if, for example, you had a--a terrorist detained at--at Guantanamo who had information about an attack being planned in the future against the United States, that person would not have been in a position to translate that?
Ms. EDMONDS: Correct. He wouldn't.
BRADLEY: I mean, that's hard to imagine.
Ms. EDMONDS: But that's the case.
(Footage of exterior of J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building; recovery effort at World Trade Center bombing in 1993; exterior of FBI Building; recovery effort at World Trade Center bombing in 2001; GAO documents on foreign languages; Grassley and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Critical shortages of experienced Middle Eastern language translators have plagued the FBI and the rest of the US intelligence community for years. Months before the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, one of the plotters of the attack was heard on tape having a discussion in Arabic that no one at the time knew was about how to make explosives, and he had a manual that no one at the time knew was about how to blow up buildings. None of it was translated until well after the bombing, and while the FBI has hired more translators since then, officials concede that problems in the language division have hampered the country's efforts to battle terrorism, and according to congressional investigators, may have played a role in the inability to prevent the September 11th attacks. Earlier this year, the General Accounting Office reported that the FBI had expressed concern over the thousands of hours of audiotapes and pages of written material that have not been reviewed or translated because of a lack of qualified linguists.
Sen. GRASSLEY: If--If they got word today that within--in a little while, the Hoover Dam was going to be blown up, and it takes a week or two to get it translated, as was one of the problems in this department, you know, you couldn't intervene to prevent that from happening.
BRADLEY: So you think that this place does need an overhaul essentially?
Sen. GRASSLEY: It needs to be turned upside down.
(Footage of exterior of FBI Building; FBI agent; foreign flags; Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) In its rush to hire more foreign language translators after September 11th, the FBI admits it has had difficulty performing background checks to detect translators who may have loyalties to other governments, which could pose a threat to US national security.
Take the case of Jan Dickerson, a Turkish translator who worked with Sibel Edmonds. The FBI has admitted that when Dickerson was hired last November, the bureau didn't know that she had worked for a Turkish organization being investigated by the FBI's own counterintelligence unit, and they didn't know...
(Footage of Turkish Embassy; Edmonds and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) ...she'd had a relationship with a Turkish intelligence officer stationed in Washington who was the target of that investigation. According to Sibel Edmonds, Jan Dickerson tried to recruit her into that organization, and insisted that Dickerson be the only one to translate the FBI's wiretaps of that Turkish official.
What was her reaction when you didn't go along with--with her plan?
Ms. EDMONDS: She got very angry, and later she threatened me and my family's life.
BRADLEY: Threatened you?
Ms. EDMONDS: Correct.
BRADLEY: Did--did you take her threat seriously?
Ms. EDMONDS: Oh, yes. She said, 'Why would you want to place your life and your family's life in danger by translating these tapes?'
(Footage of Edmonds working at desk; State Department building; aerial view of the Pentagon; Edmonds and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Edmonds says that when she reviewed Dickerson's translations of those tapes, she found that Dickerson had left out information crucial to the FBI's investigation; information that Edmonds says would have revealed that the Turkish intelligence officer had spies working for him inside the US State Department and at the Pentagon.
Ms. EDMONDS: We came across at least 17, 18 translations, communications that were extremely important for--for the ongoing investigations of these indivi--individuals.
BRADLEY: And she had not translated these--these--this information?
Ms. EDMONDS: No, she had marked it as 'not important to be translated.'
BRADLEY: Specifically, what kind of information did she leave out of her translation?
Ms. EDMONDS: Activities to obtain the United States military and intelligence secrets.
(Edmonds working; Edmonds and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Edmonds says she complained repeatedly to her bosses about what she'd found on the wiretaps and about Jan Dickerson's conduct, but that nobody at the FBI wanted to hear about it. She says not even the assistant special agent in charge.
Ms. EDMONDS: He said, 'Do you realize what you are saying here in your allegations? Are you telling me that our security people are not doing their jobs? Is that what you're telling me? If you insist on this investigation, I'll make sure in no time it will turn around and become an investigation about you.' These were his exact words.
(Footage of FBI letter to Edmonds; Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Sibel Edmonds was fired this past March. The FBI offered no explanation, saying in the letter only that her contract was terminated completely for the government's convenience.
But three months later, the FBI conceded that on at least two occasions, Jan Dickerson had, in fact, left out significant information from her translations. They say it was due to a lack of experience and was not malicious.
(Footage of exterior of home; Chicago Tribune article; Grassley and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Dickerson recently quit the FBI and now lives in Belgium. She declined to be interviewed, but two months ago, she told the Chicago Tribune that the allegations against her are preposterous and ludicrous. Senator Charles Grassley says he's disturbed by what the Dickerson incident says about internal security at the FBI.
Sen. GRASSLEY: You shouldn't have somebody in your organization that's compromising our national security by not doing the job right, whether it's a lack of skills or whether it's intentional.
BRADLEY: Based on your experience, does the Sibel Edmonds case fall into any pattern of behavior, pattern of conduct on--on the part of the FBI?
Sen. GRASSLEY: The usual pattern. Let me tell you, first of all, the embarrassing information comes out, the FBI reaction is to sweep it under the rug, and then eventually they shoot the messenger.
(Footage of John Roberts leaving building; Roberts and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Special agent John Roberts, a chief of the FBI's Internal Affairs Department, agrees. And while he is not permitted to discuss the Sibel Edmonds case, for the last 10 years, he has been investigating misconduct by FBI employees and says he is outraged by how little is ever done about it.
Mr. JOHN ROBERTS: I don't know of another person in the FBI who has done the internal investigations that I have and has seen what I have and that knows what has occurred and what has been glossed over and what has, frankly, just disappeared, just vaporized, and no one disciplined for it.
(Footage of Robert Mueller speaking at podium; Roberts; Edmonds working; Roberts and Bradley)
BRADLEY: (Voiceover) Despite a pledge from FBI director Robert Mueller to overhaul the culture of the FBI in light of 9/11, and encourage bureau employees to come forward to report wrongdoing, Roberts says that in the rare instances when employees are disciplined, it's usually low-level employees like Sibel Edmonds who get punished and not their bosses.
Mr. ROBERTS: I think the double standard of discipline will continue no matter who comes in, no matter who tries to change. You--you have a certain--certain group that--that will continue to protect itself. That's just how it is.
BRADLEY: No matter what happens?
Mr. ROBERTS: I would say no matter what happens.
BRADLEY: Have you found cases since 9/11 where people were involved in misconduct and were not, let alone reprimanded, but were even promoted?
Mr. ROBERTS: Oh, yes. Absolutely.
BRADLEY: That's astonishing.
Mr. ROBERTS: Why?
BRADLEY: Because you--you would think that after 9/11, that's a big slap on the face. 'Hello! This is a wake-up call here.'
Mr. ROBERTS: Depends on who you are. If you're in the senior executive level, it may not hurt you. You will be promoted.
BRADLEY: In fact, the supervisor who Sibel Edmonds says told her to slow down her translations was recently promoted. Edmonds has filed a whistle-blower suit to get her job back, but last week, US Attorney General Ashcroft asked the court to dismiss it on grounds it would compromise national security. And also on the grounds of national security, the FBI declined to discuss the specifics of her charges, but it says it takes all such charges seriously and investigates them.
(Announcements)
LOAD-DATE: October 28, 2002
-30-

Your Lawmakers Voted

From Seattle Times -  May 15, 2005 War profiteering: By a vote of 198-227, the House on Wednesday rejected a Democratic motion to expand the criminal code to cover "war profiteering and fraud relating to military action, relief and reconstruction efforts in Iraq." This occurred during debate on HR 1279 (above).

Here's the link that goes with Bushw@cker #167 (At least I think it's the right one ... ?)

Memory Hole - Sibel Edmonds - Classified Letters

KIRA, That's it!
So this is what Sibel is gagged from divulging?

Intelligence Whistleblower Canned.
Russ Tice says the NSA just sent him packing
link here.

RLM#153
I would like to take you up on your generous offer.
My check # 4960 is now in the snail mail.

If I am #26 in line that is fine, wishing success to Bradblog and your book

Kira and Bushwacker,

I read these docs last year after having gotten them from memory hole as well. There was at the time, a special section or thread at DU for those who were trying to dig deeper into the story behind Edmonds allegations. Anyway, I believe there is something much darker and sinister than just your everyday, run of the mill espionage. In the letter she released a couple of days ago, that Kira linked above, she suggests as much when she says that the time for Americans to employ critical thinking is long since past. She's practically begging us to think outside the box and imagine our government doing the unimaginable, which I believe was not only to be complicit in the 911 attacks, but to have actually helped carry them out.

The scope of what is happening to our country is, I believe, beyond the ability of the average, simplistically patriotic American to comprehend.

I'll say it again. What we are witnessing is a massive, premeditated, and long planned for, coup d'etat against our country by radical corporate and religeous radicals, bent on subjugating and emaciating the American spirit and means of resistance, and the military conquest of the middle east so as to control the earths dwindling oil reserves.

But I'm not paranoid!

meant to say: radical corporate and religeous extremists.

Oh absolutely, Supersoling. Dead-on.

And one more thing. This whole scenario also serves to make the middle east safe for Israel, which is another reason why you'll find many pro- Israeli operatives among the neocons in the Pentagon apparatus. We just saw one arrested a couple of weeks ago for passing classified material to Israel. Shit, I can't even remember his name now. There is so much going on at once that it's hard to keep track of. Somehow, someway, they have to slip up sooner or later. I just hope that they don't bring us to the point of no return before that happens.

When the enemy has our eyes.
by Cynthia A. McKinley

KIRA, from one of your favourite sites, I gather!
9/11 foreknowledge.

Heehee! My browser won't let me open the Mckinney link (#177) because it comes from a source that is not trusted.

Funny thing, the certificate is issued to the U.S. Government, DoD, Maxwell Airforce, military

ROFLMAO!!!

#178

(From your link)

"I spoke with Congressman Ike Skelton—a Democrat from Missouri and a member of the Armed Services Committee—who said that just recently the Director of the CIA warned that there could be an attack—an imminent attack—on the United States of this nature. So this is not entirely unexpected."

Unless you're geedumbya or kinda-lies-uh rice & the rest of our top gov't officials.

Here is what our voice to the world will soon sound like. This is a scary display of the arrogance that is driving the neocon takeover.

Oh God ... please, NO. John Bolton AmbASSador to the UN??? Stop the Insanity NOW!

KIRA, I must have lowered my browser security, I get the same "not trusted" certificate BS but elect to override it!

More insanity here. Fire up the Diebolds Kenny!

Interesting Doco called "Spin" for free streaming or download.

Hmmm - Bob Woodward's close to the new "Tricky Dick?" Of course, why do you need an election? He's already in charge ... eh?

Sorry Bushw@cker #177, I typed "Cynthia Mckinney" when referencing your link to "Cynthia A. McKinley who wrote "When the enemy has our eyes."

Great link you posted in #185. Interesting behind the scenes of our great (not) leaders, movers & shakers.

Supersoling #173 -

Unfortunately, you're right on the money. God help us...

So KIRA #186
You reckon they'll skip the 08 election and just have an batton passing ceremony from W to Richard Milhouse Cheney in the WH rose garden instead?
Now if they ever get around to making an All The President's Men II, that'll be one sequel, that will piss all over the original! IMO!

================
Uuh, yes...it's got fins....
================

What ever happened to Deep Throat?

"I, ---. do solemnly swear, to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America."

That oath has been forsworn. We are in treason territory. We MUST preserve the integrity of the Law!!!

Save PBS from partisan operatives

Kenneth Tomlinson, the Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) --- the government-funded organization that was designed to shield PBS from political pressure --- is aggressively pressing PBS to correct what he considers "liberal bias."

This top-down partisan meddling goes against the very nature of PBS and the local stations we trust. Let the people speak and decide the future of PBS, not secret dealings by White House operatives.

Sign this petition to demand that Congress, the CPB and PBS station managers remove Tomlinson and support town meetings in your community on the future of PBS.

Kira you said:"So ... the frightening truth is out. geedumbya was borned agin ... does this make him a zombie or ... Nosferatu? shocked"
to which I said :"Kira it makes him "rotten" by now"
to which you said:"My opinion right now is that Brad deserves to be Spoiled Rotten! "

unconfused now ?

re any book , a happy ending first then the book.
its impossible to keep up with the amount of reading required on a daily basis ,so much crap is happening every day surely "crital mass" can not be far away.

Todays vomit inducing line is " Jeb told the flock that the party must stand for "absolute truth""
jeb for 2008 .......I just feel like I'm stuck in an episode of the Twilightzone how the frick did we get from the world of 2000 to what we have today

Haha! Boy did I miss on that one, MMIIXX #198!! :laughs:

Oh well, I do think Brad should be spoiled rotten by us Bradbloggers! He's doing so much for us. I feel very indebted to him.

Every day I wake up & try to get settled before I read the vomit-inducing s*nooz*e of the day. Every day it seems like we go deeper into the murky darkness of the Twilight Zone. Please tell me there's hope.

What in hell does Jeb know about absolute truth anyway? Sheesh --- I wonder if he likes pretzels. We can send him some.

It looks like the truth is finally hitting hard on Tom DeLay, and he has finally woken up to the facts of the evil which has gripped full hold of his life.

"If you stand up today and acknowledge God, they will try to destroy you." His main mission in politics, he said, was "to bring us back to the Constitution and to Absolute Truth that has been manipulated and destroyed by a liberal worldview."

He struck a similarly pious note --- but with a much less combative tone --- last week at a National Day of Prayer gathering on Capitol Hill. "Just think of what we could accomplish if we checked our pride at the door, if collectively we all spent less time taking credit and more time deserving it," DeLay told the group. "If we spent less time on our soapboxes and more time on our knees." He added that God makes all thing possible for "lowly sinners like you and me --- especially me." "

The real question is, who in this group called the "Council for National Policy" really honestly deliberately believed the idea that the Liberals and so called world view was so against god in the first place? That all others who are not conservative are EVIL and persecuting god, and who exactly made this belief so prominent?

Who recited this homonym so many times, that it became synomonous with what all the republicans are embellished in? A false form of GOD and ritual happenstance.

http://www.washingtonpos...8/AR2005050800835_2.html

What kind of disgusting America have we created, when the likes of this man Ralph Reed becomes the voice of Congress?

http://www.ecotalk.org/V...tingMachineCompanies.htm

Or the fact that they own and control the voting? Tom DeLay has spent his last cent, he knows the sins of which he is guilty of. But the rest of them are equally complicit and they need to wake, awake to the nightmare reality which is now taking shape.

George Bush, this man Jack Abramoff and these other religious tyrants have clearly created one of the most distorted and in fact dangerous viewpoints to see the world from.

The view that church and state must be married for things to be harmonious, that god influenced companies must control and pay for our vote, and that evil lies in the black hearted world. The world of the liberals and global "democracies"!

Do you know where else this amazing sentiment became their actual belief? The first Republic in Star Wars, until there was no more seperation. The Republic became the empire.

This needs to end once and for all. And it needs to end right now.

Max W.

Greg Palast: Ecuador Gets Chávez'd

Kira #193,

Thanks, you're right, it's Larry Franklin, who BTW is just the sacrificial lamb thrown out to take the focus off of the real goings on in the Office of Special Plans within the Pentagon, and Douglas Feith, Cheney's direct underling and point man there. These are also the guys who were feeding Bolton the cherry picked intelligence needed to justify attacking Irag. If you start on the outside of any suspicious operation involved in the Iraq war and work your way in from the outside, you will always end up on Cheney's doorstep.

cannonfire
You may recall our previous discussion of Jerome Corsi and his unnerving prediction that Iran would set off an atomic device within a major American city. This atrocity, Corsi insists, will be aided and abetted by such alleged Iranian "appeasers" as John Kerry, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy --- four Democratic politicians whose pro-Tehran activity has so far remained invisible to all rational observers.

http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/

Here's a very interesting article regarding the Council for Foreign Relations (CFR) from The New American:

Interesting Junk Mail

*snip* ... The Foreign Affairs staffers either sold or donated their mailing list to all these solicitors. Since sellers of a mailing list don’t offer their names to ideological or political adversaries, it’s reasonable to conclude that the CFR finds no disagreement with those to whom it provided its list. And it’s quite enlightening to know who sought and obtained the Foreign Affairs list.

MMIIXX #203
Thanks for the link to Cannonfire - I found another important bit of info there:

Cannonfire Blogspot

Vote fraud update
The following was published in Cleveland Plain Dealer recently:

What Went Wrong: The Conyers Report is finally going to receive some part of the attention it has always deserved. On May 6th, Academy Chicago Publishers formally published this report under the title "What Went Wrong in Ohio: The Conyers Report on the 2004 Presidential Election." Gore Vidal provided the introduction, praise be unto him.

By all means, buy the book. But more than that: Call bookstores and ask if they have a copy. Call libraries and ask if they have a copy. Reader inquiries of that sort will help increase the work's visibility.

Max Walts #200 said: "This needs to end once and for all. And it needs to end right now."

I really enjoyed reading your comment.

There must be a special place in their HELL for these wicked men posing as Christians. Are they feeding on ergot-laced rye bread at their prayer breakfasts? We're watching another Witch-Hunt with different characters and on a grander scale.

On tompaine linked from Cannonfire
The GOP's Attack On Voting Rights.
By John Conyers Jr.
May 13, 2005

Thanks, Cole. I won't have books for four weeks, so I'll hold your check until I'm able to complete the transaction, then forward both on. Your place on line is guaranteed by your posting.

Off this topic a bit, in regards to Clint Curtis. I don't think I've ever heard a connection suggested between Clint's vote flipping software, and the 16,000 negative votes for Gore. Nor the abundant votes for Pat Buchannan in South Florida. DRE's were used for the first time there weren't they?

In the year 2000, of course!

Hi all!
Tomorrow's my big day. Wish me luck!!!

Lots of luck, Cheryl - we've missed you sorely

Ditto to Cheryl on Czaragorn's Comment #212!

Good luck Cheryl, and come back to us soon.

Jim Lampley has turned out to be a real sleeper IMO. Get a load of this smackdown he dishes out to Roger L. Simon for his attack on Newsweek, portraying them as a left wing attempt to bring down Bush, ala CBS. He also mentions the medias failure to investigate the election again. This guy a is an articulate spokesman for the left. I hope he gets a lot more visibility.

ALL the best Cheryl! We miss you, so hurry back!

Great thread...but getting very long and sinuous, in danger of tying itself in knots! How about a new Open Thread?! PLEASE?!?!

Supersoling #214 -

I agree: Lampley is a gem! And what a dead-on voice!! We all, of course, had heard about the Quran mistreatment months ago.

When arrogance overflows from the high ups in the military and the admin, the trickle down phenomenon kicks in.

British Military high ups suggested that the US policy in Iraq, implemented by the soldiers "in the trenches", is aiding the insurgency more than any other single source.

A british officer said:

"I explained that their tactics were alienating the civil population and could lengthen the insurgency by a decade. Unfortunately, when we ex-plained our rules of engagement which are based around the principle of minimum force, the US troops just laughed" (link here, emphasis added).

When troups laugh at the notion about being careful not to kill civilians, the nazis are back.

The world is not only watching, there are fields of hatred and the crop is growing. Even the worst of history is repeating itself in the uniforms of a former peace loving nation.

Peggy #166

Only 31 people have signed it so far. Come on folks, link here.

Supersoling #173
"But I'm not paranoid!"

I keep looking over my shoulder, to reassure myself that I'm not suffering from paranoia!
Like you, I hope the whole Sibel Edmonds story will blow soon!

Kira my #160 was re your #160 so your #164 ?

Its a pain being a hit'n'run poster ,everybody thinks I'm crazy spending anytime on this but what can ya do.
fool me once blah blah blah..

Sibel said lately that 10 highly placed American were in the transcripts ,I think

Buy your gas at Citgo and help Chavez help the poor of Venezuela instead of subsidizing corporate bloat.

Whew! Our favorite self-serve is a Citgo!!

Supersoling #176 --- Lawrence Franklin was the guy's name, I think. And you're right! It's almost impossible to keep up with everything.

Bushw@cker #189 said "What ever happened to Deep Throat?"

Only 4 people know the identity of Deep Throat, Bob Woodward is one. Is that why he seems to bow to the bu$hies? Does he have a target on his back?

They can call the sequel "All the pResident's Girly-Men."

Honestly - they might as well just pass the baton over one of their famous breakfasts. Maybe in Kansas at the IHOP (International House of Prayer.) I'm not kidding.

================================
Hmmm. A rabbit-fish with fins y'say? Is it dead?
================================

Hey MMIIXX! Which post of mine was your #160 to?

Ok, you got me. I'm confused.

I thought you were alluding to the fame & royalties Brad would get from the "Best of Bradblog" or "Blogging with Brad: The Quest of Brad Friedman" book and that he would be "spoiled rotten." (Which is what we do to our favorite people or pets!) But I guess I was Out to Lunch.

So --- what were you really saying?

Whilst on NIXON!
Moyers comes out swinging at Tomlinson, MSM & Judith Miller!
"I always knew Nixon would be back," Moyers said. "I just didn't know that this time he would ask to be chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting."
RAW STORY link here.

After further perusal of the New American site (per my #204), I'm not sure whether I trust their information.

Has anyone checked them out?

Oooo! Thanx for the Moyers story, Bushw@cker!

Bill Moyers is getting mad & I'm glad. Good for him.

Is anyone else concerned about signing online petitions on sites that aren't secure?

I understand your signature is ignored by Congress unless you sign your legal name, address & phone number.

Bradblogger input nput appreciated!

Do you have some time for a little bit of FUN?

Well I found this website that encourages people to help spread propaganda to U.S newspapers. This is regarding the nuclear option, you can fill out an email and mail it right from the media.

I decided to EXPOSE the propaganda and explain where I was emailing from.

I ask you to join me and send out some letters exposing this.

This is one letter in many papers that is always signed by a different name.

"A fair up or down vote for highly qualified judicial nominees is too important for Republicans to stand by as Democrats sacrifice decades of Senate tradition for partisan gain."

I think you might enjoy exposing this to the media, I know I did!

When you fill out the email letter hit "enter" on your keypad and it will take you to some newspapers which will receive your letter.

HAVE FUN!!!!!

http://www.gop.com/GetAc...teNewspapers.aspx?aid=40

This is an old Guckert story (Feb 05), I missed it, did others see this article?

The "highly critical" GAO Report on Govt covert propaganda releases, in case anyone missed it!

Unclassified US Millitary Report of Check-Point shooting in Baghdad, Iraq on 4 March 2005 that resulted in the death of Mr. Nicola Calipari and the wounding of Journalist Ms. Giuliana Sgrena and Mr. Andrea Carpani.

Thanks for the link #224, Bushw@cker. Uggh. This has been an unsettling day watching Newsweek fall back in its casket & listening to all the McCain, McLellan McDooDoo. Wasn't it nice of CNN to allow John Conyers all of 5 seconds to speak?

Maybe the sun will come out tomorrow.

Hey KIRA, our friends at BBV have posted the 2nd instalment in "Following the money trail" (Diebold) series, Bev works her "purtooties" off!

Sorry, that should have read [petooties]

===================
I wish to register a complaint!
===================

TRUTH RETRACTED!

Read and .....VOMIT!
The Bush Administration absolutely nails the Gold Medal for breathtaking HYPOCRACY in its smackdown of Newsweak(sic), (sick indeed!).

Now for the score line:
----------------------------------------------------------
NEWSWEAK (for initially reporting the facts) 17 Dead

[W's] [M]assive [D]eception 1,600+ US Soldiers Dead.
100.000?, 150,000?, 200,0......("sorry sir, we don't count civilian casualties!").
----------------------------------------------------------
There's still plenty of room in the Blogosphere for any MSM Journo wanting to shed their self loathing in order to recover a little lost self-respect.

C'mon! jump in, the waters' fine!

To All:

Check this out... It goes back to something Kira said earlier (Post #146):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7750917/

....sorry the sun is currently subject to Central Intelligence Agency "rendition" at an undisclosed location and therefore will not be available to rise tomorrow!

Found a link thanks to Cat over at John Conyers' blog that took me here:

Tom Dispatch

Tomgram: Mark Danner on the British Smoking-Gun Memo

In its June 9 issue (on sale this week), the New York Review of Books will be the first American print publication to publish the full British "smoking gun" document, the secret memorandum of the minutes of a meeting of Tony Blair's top advisors in July 2002, eight months before the Iraq War commenced. Leaked to the London Sunday Times, which first published it on May 1, the memo offers irrefutable proof of the way in which the Bush administration made its decision to invade Iraq --- without significant consultation, reasonable intelligence on Iraq, or any desire to explore ways to avoid war --- and well before seeking a Congressional or United Nations mandate of any sort.

By July, as the British officials reported, the decision to invade was already in the bag. The only real questions --- other than those involving war planning --- were how to organize the intelligence in such a way as to promote the war to come and how to finesse Congress (and the UN). While people often speak of the "road to war," in the case of the invasion of Iraq, as this document makes clear, a more accurate phrase might be "the bum's rush to war." The Review is also publishing an accompanying piece on the secret memo and what to make of it by their regular Iraq correspondent, Mark Danner, and its editors have been kind enough to allow Tomdispatch to distribute the piece early on-line. ***more***

Bushw@cker --- I think it's spelt patootie, but I like your way - pertootie! (Sounds like Southern Slang to me.) And your "Newsweak" spelling hits the nail on the head. The media is too corporate.

I read somewhere that before the media became corporated & conglomerated, they worked consistantly in the "red." Now it seems they work consistantly "for" the "red." Who's got the deepest pockets they can keep their hands in?

The journos who are speaking out now are the ones who have some integrity left. Let's support them.

===============
We're closin' for lunch
===============

RLM #208
Just caught your post. My check went to Brad at his address in Holeeeewood--I did not have yours.
If I still qualify for being in the 25 group, great.

I think Brad has my address, Cole. You have a guaranteed spot in the group of 25. If Brad's office doesn't give me your address, I'll need it. For the record, my home address is as follows:

65 Stillmeadow Circle, Monroe, CT. 06468

To repeat my offer for the benefit of all: A free signed copy of my newest book, "The Lindbergh Syndrome: Heroes and Celebrities in a New Gilded Age," for a donation of $50 or more to either Bradblog or the Velvet Revolution.

Iran Policy Committee
By John Stanton.

=================================
Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
=================================

I haven't had time to read the Iran Policy Committee piece yet, but thanks for the link.

=================
Yah, the Norwegian Blue -
Whut's wrong wif it?
=================

Galloway: The man who took on America.

================================
I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!
================================

===============================
No no he's not dead, 'e's, uh ... just ... restin'!
Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, eh?
Bee-u-tee-fool ploomage, eh wot?!
===============================

BU$H QUOTE.
Presidential Debate in Coral Gables, Florida, September 30, 2004
"We've upheld the doctrine that said, ``If you harbor a terrorist, you're equally as guilty as the terrorist.'' *

* Unless the terrorist is former CIA agent Luis Posada Carriles.

===================
No, no, he's er, he's resting.
===================

And for those who might think a given terrorist is a freedom fighter (as Ronald Reagan thought of the Nicaraguan Contras and Corazon Aquino's husband, for two examples) then Bush's doctrine becomes as follows:

"If you harbor a freedom-fighter, you're equally as guilty as the freedom-fighter."

He'd actually say it like this: "If you're a equal person in harboring, you won't get out of the harbor unless you've underwent the terrorist there."

My Open Letter to Salon's Farhad Manjoo:

Dear Farhad,
In your "No Exit" piece (6/15/2005) you linked to a summary of my DU posts.
http://dir.salon.com/sto...15/exit_polls/index.html

Here's a more complete, up-to-date, compilation of my pre-election state and national models, which forecast the Kerry 2-party vote (51.6-51.8%). Also included are over 100 pre-election and exit poll analytic threads. If you read the replies, you'll see how the arguments of responding naysayers and trolls were debunked virtually every time.

http://www.geocities.com...nmodel/TruthIsAllPDF.pdf

I should have responded to "No Exit" a year ago. But since you have continued your crusade against "fraudsters" with your thrashing of RFK's Rolling Stone article, now it's my turn. The pathetic rebuttal to RFK came exactly one year after "No Exit". in which you claim that "expert" sources debunked USCV and the "fraudsters". Quite the contrary; they're down to their last-ditch hypothesis ("false recall"). They are still trying to spread the fiction that the pre-election and early exit polls were wrong; that Bush won the popular vote by a 3 million "mandate". In so doing, they imply that the FINAL National Exit and state exit polls, which were matched to the "recorded" vote, are correct. Based on the mathematical proof below, you will see why the FINAL NEP is IMPOSSIBLE and OVERSTATES the Bush vote by AT LEAST 4 MILLION.

THE MARGIN OF ERROR
You make the fallacious statement that there is no real significance to the 3% deviation from Kerry winning by 51-48% in the National Exit poll to the Bush recorded 51-48% win. That statement alone exposed your lack of understanding of the "margin of error" and mathematical probability. The 1.1% MoE (assuming a 30% cluster effect; 13,047 respondents) means that the 3% deviation is extremely significant. It's almost 6 standard deviations from the sample mean.

Let's calculate the probability of the deviation:
Prob = 1-NORMDIST(0.51,0.48,0.011/1.96,TRUE) =2.05809E-09
or 1 in 485,887,838

THE REAL EXPERTS
It's apparent to many that your analysis is full of holes. You say that an "amateur mathematician" proved Ron Baiman, Kathy Dopp, Steve Freeman, myself and other analysts wrong. Really? On DU, we have won every online debate with that tag-team naysayer duo from Bard College and Britain. Baiman and Freeman, both PHDs, have had extensive, real world analytical experience. Dopp has a masters degree in mathematics. Their expertise is reflected in the quality of their published work on the Stolen Election. I'm NOT an amateur mathematician. I have two MS degrees in applied mathematics and have been developing financial, investment and engineering models long before you were born. What are YOUR academic credentials? What makes you an expert in polling analysis?

2.5 MILLION SPOILED DEMOCRATIC VOTES
It's a FACT that over 3 million votes (the great majority Democratic) are spoiled and never counted in every election? In 2004, 3.6mm votes were lost - just check the Census. I'm sure you would agree that Bush stole the 2000 election, despite having lost by 540,000 votes, 51-50.5mm. Add 75% of the 3 million spoiled votes to Gore and it's clear that he actually won by 2 million.

13 MILLION NEW BUSH VOTERS?
In 2004, the Bush recorded win was 62-59 million. Where did he gain over 13 million new votes (1.75mm Bush 2000 voters died before 2004) to go from 49mm to 62mm? Kerry won between 54% to 61% of those who did not vote in 2000 (depending on the exit poll timeline) and over 70% of 3 million Nader voters.

CONFIRMATION: rBr IS DEAD.
Manjoo, I've got news for you; rBr is dead. You call the Reluctant Bush Responder theory persuasive, but it was debunked before you even wrote "No Exit". The Exit Poll Response Optimizer (July 2005) confirmed the USCV simulation model. They both refuted rBr.

Here is the Optimizer analysis: http://www.progressivein...rum=120&topic_id=574

THE EXIT POLLS WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEE
Many voters went to sleep on election night assuming Kerry won. Jonathan Simon stayed up long enough to spot and download the 12:22am state exit polls. Luckily for us, The Washington Post chose not to delete the corresponding National Exit Poll (13047 respondents at 12:22am) which showed Kerry the 51-48% winner. We also have the earlier NEP timelines at 4pm (8349 respondents) and 7:30pm (11027 respondents) which established the 51-48% Kerry trend. He held the lead until the Final National Exit Poll (13660 respondents), when the numbers magically reverted to a 51-48% Bush win. The numbers (weights and vote shares) were revised to match the vote.

THE IMPOSSIBLE FINAL EXIT POLL
According to the Final National Exit poll, 43% of the 122.3 million who voted in 2004 were Bush 2000 voters and 37% were Gore voters. These weightings in and of themselves debunk rBr. Now 43% of 122.3 is 52.57 million. And since Bush only got 50.5mm votes in 2000, and about 1.75mm died, only 48.7mm (39.8%) could have returned to vote in 2004, so the 43% Final NEP weighting was mathematically impossible. The Bush vote was inflated by 4 million. I have just shown that the Final Poll at 1:25pm on Nov.3 is bogus and that the earlier 12:22am numbers are close to the truth.

Here's proof that the Final NEP weights are impossible.
http://www.geocities.com...onmodel/BogusWeights.htm

Here's the National Exit Poll Timeline. Notice the smooth trend in the first three timelines (4pm,7:38pm,12:22am). Compare it to the discontinuous Bush jump in ALL the demographic weights and/or vote shares in the Final NEP.
http://www.progressivein...um=120&topic_id=3037

REINCARNATED BUSH VOTERS?
We have proved that the Final NEP weights were mathematically impossible - unless you believe that 4 million Bush voters were reincarnated. Simple logic tells us that if the Final Exit poll was matched to the Bush recorded vote and was overstated by at least 4 million, then the Bush recorded vote must also have been overstated by at least 4 million.

If you read my related posts, you would already know all this. But since you never mentioned them in your article, one can assume that a) you never read the posts, or b) you read them but chose not to discuss them. If it's (a), why didn't you? If it's (b), why didn't you? An impartial journalist seeking the truth would have.

NEP or rBr: NAYSAYER HOBSON'S CHOICE
http://www.democraticund...;address=203×380085

Which do you believe: the Final NEP or rBr? You can't have both.
They are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

THE CLINCHER
You MUST read the "CLINCHER" thread. Kerry wins all plausible scenarios of 2000 voter turnout in 2004, assuming 100% Bush voter turnout and declining Gore voter turnout (from 100% to 70%) over a range of NEP Kerry vote shares (51-60%) of those who did not vote in 2000.

http://www.progressivein...um=120&topic_id=1445

THE GAME
As far as the myth of "false voter recall" is concerned, I suggest you read the "GAME" thread. The Bard College professor's implausible explanation to explain the 3 million Bush "victory" margin (that almost one of 6 Gore voters defected to Bush in 2004 while just one of 16 Bush voters defected to Kerry) requires a leap of faith beyond the pale; the odds against it are astronomical. It's the naysayer's last stand. Their case against the "pristine" exit polls is in its "final throes", having been reduced to a totally implausible hypothesis. Farhad, ask yourself who you voted for in 2004 and 2000. Or did you forget?

http://www.democraticund...;address=203×390193

PRE-ELECTION AND EXIT POLL SIMULATIONS
You say you want a simulation? Well, you know...
We're doing the best we can.
http://www.geocities.com...ation_12255_image001.png

THE NEP TIMELINE - A TRAGEDY IN FOUR ACTS
11/2/04, 3:59pm 8349 respondents: Kerry 51-Bush 48

11/2/04, 7:33pm 11027 respondents: Kerry 51-Bush 48

11/3/04, 12:22am 13047 respondents: Kerry 51-Bush 48

11/3/04, 1:25pm 13660 respondents: Kerry 48-Bush 51

THE VILLAINS
Oh, sure, you will probably say: they matched the final exit poll to the vote. They do it all the time. Yes, Farhad, they do, even when the vote is corrupted. How come you never entertained the possibility that the votes were scammed? Or do you trust Bush/Rove to do the right thing and not try to steal the election? Remember Katherine Harris/ Jeb Bush in Florida 2000? Remember Ken Blackwell in Ohio 2004? Remember WMDs, mushroom clouds, Bush reading "My Pet Goat" on 911, domestic spying, torture, stem cells, Diebold, black disenfranchisement, spoiled votes, hacked voting machines, Hava bribes, Plame, the Aug.6, 2001 PDB, clearing Crawford brush...

THE RATIONALISTS
These are just a few of those who believe that the election was stolen: RFK Jr., John Conyers, Mark Miller, Robert Koehler, Michael Keefer, Thom Hartmann, Jim Lampley, Greg Palast, Bob Herbert, Steve Freeman, Kathy Dopp, Wayne Madsen, Ron Baiman, pollsters Harris and Zogby. Over 50% of the public believe that the election was stolen - and the percentage is growing daily. In fact, all the cable networks ran polls (except for Fox) which showed that a majority of viewers believe Bush stole it: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00200.htm

THE WIMPS
Of course, we still have spineless Democratic politicians who dare not call it "fraud". And that includes wannabee Al Franken. Well, at least Mike Malloy and Randi Rhodes are not afraid to talk about the stolen election. Unlike Al, they have no plans to run for office.

MATHEMATICS
Just curious. What is your math background? Specifically, statistical voting trends, polling mathematics, probability theory, Monte Carlo simulation? If you can't follow the math or logic in my posts, don't feel bad - the Mystery Pollster didn't either. You will learn the basics if you download and run the Interactive Election and Monte Carlo polling simulation models. Do you have Excel? Here's an intro to polling simulation and statistics:
http://www.geocities.com...AllPollingSimulation.mht

Link to all of my posts and models at: http://www.truthisall.net

View my recent posts here:
http://www.progressivein...how_topics&forum=120

THE SMOKING GUN
Finally, I suggest you consider the following in your next piece:
Considering that Gore won in 2000 by over 540,000 votes and that
1) Kerry won a solid majority of new voters (57-41%) and that
2) he also won a large majority of Nader voters (71-21%) and
3) at most 49.2mm Gore and 48.7mm Bush voters turned out in 2004,
then the discussion should end right here because... assuming a 95% turnout of Gore and Bush voters, Bush needed 19.5% OF GORE VOTERS TO WIN BY 3 MILLION VOTES.

ARE WE EXPECTED TO BELIEVE THAT ALMOST ONE OUT OF FIVE GORE VOTERS DECIDED TO FORGIVE BUSH FOR STEALING ELECTION 2000? OK, FORGIVE. BUT VOTE FOR HIM?

AT THE 12:28AM NEP TIMELINE, BUSH WON 8% OF GORE VOTERS. IN THE FINAL, 10%.
_______________

12:22am (13047 respondents)
Assume 95% turnout of Gore and Bush voters
Bush winning margin: 3.1mm

VOTED IN 2000
Percentage Votes in Millions
Weight Votes Kerry Bush Other Kerry Bush Other
No 21.59% 26.37 57% 41% 2% 15.0 10.8 0.5
Gore 38.27% 46.75 80% 19.5% 0.5% 37.4 9.1 0.2
Bush 37.86% 46.26 10% 90% 0% 4.6 41.6 0.0
Nader 2.28% 2.79 71% 21% 8% 2.0 0.6 0.2

Total 100% 122.2 48.3% 50.9% 0.8% 59.0 62.1 1.0

If we assume a 2% MoE, the chances are LESS THAN ONE IN 1.5 QUADRILLION THAT BUSH WOULD GET 16% OF GORE VOTERS!
PROB = 1- NORMDIST(0.16,0..08,0.01,TRUE)
or 1 in 1,501,199,875,790,170

THE NORMDIST FUNCTION COULD NOT PERFORM THE CALCULATION FOR 19%.
IT GENERATED A DIVISION BY ZERO ERROR.
THE PROBABILITY IS AT THE VANISHING POINT!

__________________________

Based on the 12:22am exit poll vote shares and mathematically feasible weightings, Kerry won by over 7 MILLION VOTES!

VOTED IN 2000
Percentage Votes in Millions
Weight Votes Kerry Bush Other Kerry Bush Other
No 21.59% 26.37 57% 41% 2% 15.0 10.8 0.5
Gore 38.27% 46.75 91% 8% 1% 42.5 3.7 0.5
Bush 37.86% 46.26 10% 90% 0% 4.6 41.6 0.0
Nader 2.28% 2.79 71% 21% 8% 2.0 0.6 0.2

Total 100% 122.2 52.4% 46.6% 1.0% 64.2 56.8 1.2
Kerry margin: 7.4mm
_____________________

Farhad, I look forward to your next piece. Just be sure to discuss the analysis mentioned above. If you want to try to debunk it, be my guest.

Best,
TruthIsAll

TruthIsAll

Since this thread seems to have been about your stuff, I let it through, but posting loooooooooonnnnnnngggggggg comments full of links, especially in the archives, is going to make the software balk. If your comment does not show up, WAIT.