September 20, 2006
Hotline After Dark -- Frist Wants To Be Bush Heir
Lots of talk last night about Pres. Bush's speech to the U.N., particularly his conflict with Iranian Pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
CNN's Malveaux: "It was billed as a heavyweight match. In one corner, the man representing what Iran calls the Great Satan. In the other corner, a leader of what the U.S. calls the Axis of Evil. As it turned out, the two were never in the same ring. They did not even bump into each other in the busy hallways" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," 9/19).
MSNBC's Shuster: "What was so interesting today is you saw a very different stylistic difference today in the way the president is dealing with Iran versus the way he was dealing with Iraq" ("Hardball," 9/19).
Ex-WH adviser David Gergen: "The best thing that happened for President Bush today was the Iranian president's speech. President Ahmadinejad was so hostile and harsh, that I'm sure that many Americans found in him a confirmation of what the president has been saying. This is a dangerous fellow, coming from a dangerous country" ("AC 360," CNN, 9/19).
'08ERS TAKE THE STAGE
Several potential WH candidates got their own TV time last night:
Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), on Bush's speech: "The president, I thought, did a pretty good job. The two things that impressed me most about the president, one had nothing to do with Iran, it had to do with his call for action on Darfur" ("LKL," CNN, 9/19).
More: "The thing that I liked what the president did -- and I wish, quite frankly, he would do it more -- he spoke directly to the Iranian people. ... That's always perplexed me why we're unwilling to speak directly with the Iranians and with the Iranian government so at least our side of the argument gets into the Iranian people who are more likely to, once knowing our position, be more empathetic to it, and possibly not revolt or anything, but put pressure upon their own government. And I think the president essentially talking over the heads of the Iranian leadership to the Iranian people was a very positive thing."
On Iraq: "The tendency has been in this administration to take a very good idea -- democratization and democracy -- and think it can be imposed by force or think it can come about as a consequence of a single event, not having built democratic institutions. What the effect has been in the so-called democratization that's taken place in other parts of the Middle East is that we have taken militarized groups and legitimized them" ("NewsHour," PBS, 9/19).
Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM), on Bush's speech: "It was conciliatory. The tone was good, but it was the same hard line policy. I wish he'd had a little more flexibility when it came to talking to Syria about resolving some of the Middle East problems with Hezbollah, with Hamas. I wish he'd appointed a Middle East peace envoy."
Asked if he's running for the WH: "I don't know about that. I'm just running for re-election. But I want to tell you that that security issue is going to work for Democrats, and we do have a plan on Iraq" ("LKL," CNN, 9/19).
Senate Maj. Leader Bill Frist, on the interrogation debate: "We're talking about very legal issues, but the bottom line is, is that we are going do away with a program that has saved American lives if we don't do this right. It's very clear that the president's proposal will not do away with that program by giving specific definitions" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 9/19).
More: "I and the overwhelming majority of Republicans are with the president of the United States."
On immigration reform: "I'm faced with the reality that I have about six more legislative days in this Congress before the elections. And, so, I'm taking a bill that has broad bipartisan support and that is securing our borders. Made the decision last night, taking it back to the floor of the Senate tomorrow, so that we can have that debate. I look at it as a border security first, not border security only. Thus, people who believe in comprehensive reform can agree to that, and say, yes, we can address the other in the future, and those who say, no, the only thing important is border security, again, should be able to vote for that" ("Situation Room," CNN, 9/19).
Asked if he could beat Hillary Clinton in WH '08: "I am not sure what I'm going be doing in the future. I think a Republican candidate who wants to secure America's homeland, secure America's values and secure America's prosperity will beat her."
MSNBC's Matthews: "There is probably going be two separate contests for the Republican support next year, the people who are vying to become true successors to President Bush, basically continuing his mandate and his general philosophy. And those running as mavericks, perhaps Senator McCain, perhaps Rudy Giuliani, perhaps Mitt Romney. I am guessing that you and Senator Allen would fit into the category of people running to maintain the tradition of President Bush. Is that fair?"
Frist: "I guess your supposition may be right, at least about me. I have great confidence in the president of the United States" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 9/19).
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA), asked if he's running for the WH: "I don't think anybody wants to take on the problems of America but I think anybody who would think about it would consider a real honor."
On Iraq: "I wouldn't presume to present a plan different than that of the president. But I can tell you that I believe he was right to take the war on terror on an aggressive front rather than a defensive front" ("O'Reilly Factor," FNC, 9/19). [EMILY GOODIN]
Posted at 07:21 AM
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DARFUR, URGENT: WHAT WOULD RACHEL CORRIE START THIS WEEK?
Darfur Vigil DAY 118 (now in NYC); 56 Days Hunger Strike since July 4, 2006 www.standwithdarfurwhitehouseii.blogspot.com
Young Rachel Corrie saw a bulldozer intentionally bearing down on the house of a family, a family she probably never knew. She got in front of that bulldozer, between the bulldozer and the house, between the threat, and the innocents. (http://www.criticalconcern.com/rachelcorrie.html.)
We need to get between what is killing Darfur (Bashir's performance and lack thereof by we-the-people) - and our children, sisters and brothers in Darfur. Now. And as of now we are not (http://standwithdarfurwhitehouseii.blogspot.com/2006/09/sept-17th-activism-awesome-but-not.html) How do we do that? How do we make it happen? What would a sufficient "wake up" look like? IF SOMEONE HAS THIS ALREADY STARTED, LET ME KNOW. I'll join you, or even back out if that is best.
I am deciding what I will do next, what I expect to be my final attempt to spark the Rescue of Darfur by waking up sufficient numbers of we humans in time, converting us from spectators, critics and activists-of-convenience into antiviolent warriors (think Civil Rights struggle) of profound courage, wisdom, tenacity and effectiveness; utilizing to the max the few weeks, days and seconds that our Darfur family has left.
What would Rachel Corrie start THIS WEEK? This question strikes me as the way to approach the task of deciding. The way to focus the mind to come up with the appropriate, proportional response of greatest chance - THE BEST AIMED "HAIL MARY" PASS.
Rachel Corrie stood in front of a bulldozer about to destroy a house in Palestine (http://www.criticalconcern.com/rachelcorrie.html). Would a different role model help you more? How about Steve Beko (South Africa, movie, Denzel), a young Gandhi, a young Nelson Mandella, an antivioloent Rambo, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, John Q (from the Denzel Washington movie)...? You get the idea. Think of your own role model APPROPRIATE to this situation.
LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN THIS QUANDARY, before it is too late, please: Send me, or post, your ideas (http://standwithdarfurwhitehouseii.blogspot.com/). Now. I expect to embark on whatever best plan by early next week at the latest, with anyone that wants to join together.
A CONSTRAINT: Suggestions must centrally embrace this notion of the problem from Samantha Power's inspired, Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Problem from Hell" (and I paraphrase AND take license): THE BATTLE TO STOP GENOCIDE HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOST ON THE FIELD OF PUBLIC OPINION. THE PEOPLE [WE THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD]... HAVE NEVER STOOD UP SUFFICIENTLY TO STOP IT.
HUNCH: The plan should involve leveraging STAND's Oct 5th Fast to make it into the END OF THE GONOICIDE, the START of a WORLDWIDE FAST UNTIL DARFUR GENOCIDE IS ENDING. One-day only by all participants is too-little-too-late. A one day fast is NOT what the world's response to the Holocaust, the extermination of 6,000,000 Jews lacked. Not by many orders of magnitude. Death rates are climbing toward 25,000 per week in Darfur, NOW. We must be REALISTIC. Code Pink's "Troops Home Fast" could be a model (www.troopshomefast.org). Make STAND's October 5th the START? THAT COULD DO IT.
But, WE NEED EVEN BETTER, MUCH BETTER SUGGESTIONS and specific ideas for approach and execution than I am hinting at.
RESPOND. PLEASE. Deadline: FRIDAY, 9/22/06, because THERE IS NO MORE T-I-M-E. (For those of you that just want to watch, and have a good laugh at my frantic gyrations, enjoy.)
What would Rachel Corrie start THIS WEEK?
Jay McGinley (jymcginley@cs.com) 484-356-6243
Jay McGinley | 09.20.06 11:31 PM
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