7/2/06

Bush reportedly decided to spy on your phone records BEFORE September 11
by John in DC - 7/02/2006 02:06:00 PM
UPDATE: Fixed the link.This is important because, if true, it negates Bush's entire argument that the spying was needed to fight the war on terror. There was no war on terror before September 11, so why did Bush reportedly decide to start the process enabling him to illegally spy on Americans?
The U.S. National Security Agency asked AT&T Inc. to help it set up a domestic call monitoring site seven months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, lawyers claimed June 23 in court papers filed in New York federal court....``The Bush Administration asserted this became necessary after 9/11,'' plaintiff's lawyer Carl Mayer said in a telephone interview. ``This undermines that assertion.''

Hey, Associated Press, did Dick Cheney pay for his NASCAR tickets? by John in DC - 7/02/2006 12:26:00 PM
Since the Associated Press was so concerned a month or so ago that Harry Reid was invited to tour a few boxing matches in Nevada, without paying for the privilege, I'm just wondering why AP didn't bother inquiring in today's story whether Dick Cheney paid for his VIP access to the NASCAR race.We also find out in the article that earlier this year Cheney threw "out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals home opener." Did Cheney pay for the chance to attend that game?Or doesn't the Associated Press go after Republicans? Stay tuned.PS Does NASCAR ever invite Democrats to any of these things? It seems all I ever hear about is Republicans starting these races.

Another day, another privacy violation by John in DC - 7/02/2006 11:44:00 AM
This time Red Cross donors are burned.

White House in a spin war with Bin Laden by Joe in DC - 7/02/2006 10:02:00 AM
Ok, this is frightenly pathetic. The Bush team -- which can't capture the terrorist who killed 3,000 Americans on our soil -- is now engaging in a spin war with him. We've gone from getting him "dead or alive" to issuing a mean press release about how bad Bin Laden is. That's got to really scare the terrorists:

The White House countered a threatening message from Osama bin Laden on Saturday by accusing the al-Qaida leader of using the media to justify violence that is stalling the new Iraqi government's work to mend sectarian strife.In an Internet posting Saturday, bin Laden endorsed a new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq and warned Shiites there against collaborating with the United States in battling Sunni insurgents."These terrorists offer nothing in their ideology and messages beyond future fighting, conflict and misery," the Bush administration said in a statement read by a White House official.That really shows strength -- reading a statement to counter Bin Laden. That just makes the U.S. look weak. Bin Laden is thumbing his nose at Bush again.Every time Bin Laden broadcasts a statement, it's a reminder that our President has failed us.