General Discussion

Smarmie Doofus

(14,498 posts)

22. Agreed.

Fri Jun 21, 2013, 01:18 PM

Jun 2013

The way some people here react to the expression of healthy suspicion that is called for by the circumstances as we know them to be right now ... makes me wonder who the real "conspiracy nuts" are.

If there's nothing to it... that will become apparent in time.

Since there is no shared confidence ( understandably) in any of the national security state agencies ( LAPD<FBI>NSA> and the rest of the alphabet soup) that might be involved in providing an official version of events it will ultimately be left to independent journalists to sort it out satisfactorily.

That will take a while. Maybe forever; but at least a while.

I'd like to know what if anything Mr. Hastings' family /s.o./ friends/ associates have to say. Seems to me that's more significant right now than what may or may not have shown up on a stationary video camera allegedly a few blocks away.

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Most people with common sense are deeply suspicious of Michael Hastings' death. [View all] reformist2 Jun 2013 OP

...when his toxicology reports are made public, I'll comment. Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #1

Good WovenGems Jun 2013 #53

If anything... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #158

Even it's clean... SidDithers Jun 2013 #81

Of course such things happen... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #151

My thinking is this... justiceischeap Jun 2013 #143

If you don't factor in the fact he was high-profile and made many powerful enemies... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #149

There is a source for his DUIs...his book. zappaman Jun 2013 #150

"...when he was 19." Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #153

You asked about his DUIs zappaman Jun 2013 #154

Thank you... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #156

but it was the authorities!!!!!!!!!!! dlwickham Jun 2013 #152

I am not forwarding a CT here... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #155

I know you're not dlwickham Jun 2013 #162

Case in point: the aviation accident that killed Senator Wellstone... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #166

My thoughts exactly. 99Forever Jun 2013 #183

No, rumor mongering unfounded conspiracy theories is not a hallmark of common sense geek tragedy Jun 2013 #2

When the people trust their government it is likely that people will be less suspicious of sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #6

The Paranoid Style of American Politics was written in 1964. geek tragedy Jun 2013 #7

Better question, 'what did Reagan, Nixon, Bush Sr, Bush Jr, Cheney et al do? sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #16

Are you saying you consider Obama closer to Reagan, Nixon, the Bushes and Cheney than to Clinton? muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #18

I believe I said exactly what I intended to say. Go read it again if you are having a problem sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #45

No, I really can't interpret it other than as I did muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #48

That's funny that you come to that conclusion. Since my comment, properly interpreted by another sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #80

So why did you bring them up? muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #84

See comment #57 by someone who actually read what I said. I can't help you anymore than that. sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #87

#57 makes no sense, and explains nothing muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #90

Can't help you. I guess for you, had I known you were going to read my comment but of course I did sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #93

Yesterday, someone else very subtly compared the President to Nixon.It's becoming their meme. graham4anything Jun 2013 #107

POTUS Obama has self-identified and acts as a 1980s Republican PufPuf23 Jun 2013 #145

Forget it muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #146

I want a better World. I want the Democratic Party to be better and the best. PufPuf23 Jun 2013 #157

Yeah, my 'forget it' came after I found the time he talked about the 80s Republican thing muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #164

Same as was done under Johnson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Truman, FDR. nt geek tragedy Jun 2013 #19

So Democrats are as bad as Republicans then? sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #46

Historically, yes. FDR was the worst civil liberties President of the 20th century. geek tragedy Jun 2013 #64

Really? You consider FDR to be worse on Civil Liberties than Bush/Cheney? What laws were passed sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #83

FDR established racist concentration camps, opposed anti-lynching legislation, and geek tragedy Jun 2013 #86

Careful gt, you're ruining the great romanticized, whitewashed version of FDR. Don't you just love Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #98

every President is a product of his time and other political actors geek tragedy Jun 2013 #108

!!! Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #115

Great post! zappaman Jun 2013 #118

I liked this line: geek tragedy Jun 2013 #121

Some posters have a habit of making things up zappaman Jun 2013 #128

FDR's Record on Civil Rights: sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #140

Which of the things I wrote about FDR were (a) untrue or (b) a criticism from the right? nt geek tragedy Jun 2013 #141

What in my post regarding FDR's record on Civil Rights is not true? sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #147

Holy shit - FDR LOCKED UP every Japanese American on the West Coast jberryhill Jun 2013 #106

Reality bites, don't it? A truly shameful & disgusting episode in this country's history. Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #117

Seeing in monochrome bites jberryhill Jun 2013 #119

And he even wrote a musical about it! zappaman Jun 2013 #123

"Our system corrects for these kinds of things, but at a deliberate pace". Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #124

HOLY SHIT! BUSH Slaughtered, tortured and locked up over one million Muslims!!! sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #136

Do you want to talk about how many Europeans and Japanese FDR killed? jberryhill Jun 2013 #137

I've read history. Have you become anti-war now? I am for the most part, because I know sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #144

That must be why Wall Street plotted to overthrow him. Octafish Jun 2013 #159

He was a great President, with deep flaws. nt geek tragedy Jun 2013 #167

APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE! Raster Jun 2013 #57

JFK was given a public execution in 1963. JackRiddler Jun 2013 #71

when the government stops lying, the people might have more trust. nt grasswire Jun 2013 #25

Bingo! We have a winner! stopbush Jun 2013 #20

WTF. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #170

Well put. n/t savalez Jun 2013 #44

Maybe he was too busy looking over his shoulder to watch where he was going NightWatcher Jun 2013 #3

Why didn't the witnesses see anyone chasing him? jberryhill Jun 2013 #109

Nor did the video, but... zappaman Jun 2013 #112

I was speaking figuratively not literally NightWatcher Jun 2013 #120

I am waiting to hear about the stories he was working on. If he was about to embarrass someone GoneFishin Jun 2013 #4

He could have video of the CIA director in bed with underaged goats Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2013 #34

Yeah. And he could have been investigating toilet paper thefts from public schools, but still GoneFishin Jun 2013 #180

Yes, but those positing assassination do so in spite of evidence not because of it. Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2013 #181

You are asserting then, that there is proof to the contrary. If that were true I would be ok with it GoneFishin Jun 2013 #184

Absence of evidence of foul play will be proof of a cover-up to those that want to believe. Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2013 #185

Maybe. I can't speak for those people. If the investigation is SOP, clean, and uninterfered with, GoneFishin Jun 2013 #186

I have an open mind but, from what I have read recently on DU, it is very possibly an accident quinnox Jun 2013 #5

And if the evidence shows that it was just an accident it will only fuel the CTists' beliefs stopbush Jun 2013 #21

Impossible! The government has never killed anyone it didn't have to! whatchamacallit Jun 2013 #8

Based on your saying so? onenote Jun 2013 #9

Love the phrasing on this nobodyspecial Jun 2013 #10

All right-thinking people know this. Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2013 #32

Umm, no nobodyspecial Jun 2013 #40

Actually, I was agreing with you and taunting the OP Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2013 #42

Anyone who would say that is an idiot jberryhill Jun 2013 #110

the tranny was Marblehead Jun 2013 #11

I had to read your post a few times...I thought you were using a slur! nt msanthrope Jun 2013 #38

Most people? Ninety percent or more have probably never even heard of Michael Hastings. pnwmom Jun 2013 #12

My common sense says zappaman Jun 2013 #13

It's easier for people to believe that their "heroes" were offed by some nefarious agency stopbush Jun 2013 #27

People also make assumptions that their heroes are just like them...well, because... MADem Jun 2013 #37

The fact that so many people look for a criminal motive JDPriestly Jun 2013 #89

Case in point: OilemFirchen Jun 2013 #94

I addressed that crap post already zappaman Jun 2013 #95

Indeed you did. OilemFirchen Jun 2013 #105

What if it could be shown the government Nuclear Unicorn Jun 2013 #33

Common sense says speeding car + running lights + hitting a tree + 4:30 AM = drugs/alcohol/fatigue. Scurrilous Jun 2013 #14

^^ this ^^ nt bunnies Jun 2013 #17

Gotta agree with that. RebelOne Jun 2013 #59

As usual. Nailed it! Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #102

In this case it seems he was either suicidal or just stupid. If you live in LA, sooner or later you Egalitarian Thug Jun 2013 #15

Agreed. Smarmie Doofus Jun 2013 #22

Yep. It's a riot to read the posts mocking anyone who thinks there is room for suspicion. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #171

Cenk Uygur had a good comment about this Enrique Jun 2013 #23

+1 magellan Jun 2013 #35

I will put it to you this way nadinbrzezinski Jun 2013 #24

I hate to say it, but I AM suspicious Marrah_G Jun 2013 #26

Occam's Razor, people. HooptieWagon Jun 2013 #28

You put an attack by ETs on the same level as planned assassination? aquart Jun 2013 #111

I did not rank the degree of probabilities. HooptieWagon Jun 2013 #127

Well, at least you are keeping an open mind about it. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #172

Right. It will be a few weeks until toxicology reports are in. HooptieWagon Jun 2013 #173

I'm waiting for more information, too, before I comment. Cleita Jun 2013 #29

To serve and protect makes more sense to me Life Long Dem Jun 2013 #30

They MADE him run a red light at high speed? longship Jun 2013 #31

Now people here are implying somebody made his gas pedal stick Cali_Democrat Jun 2013 #47

It is apparent that DU zappaman Jun 2013 #49

I didn't say �somebody made his gas pedal stick�... TeeYiYi Jun 2013 #50

I wasn't referring to your post Cali_Democrat Jun 2013 #52

Well, that's the first part of any CT 101 class. longship Jun 2013 #56

Perfect analysis Cali_Democrat Jun 2013 #62

It does make one feel good about oneself to be of the enlightened few, yes? alcibiades_mystery Jun 2013 #188

Aren't you CT'ing when you say he "purposefully ran red lights" though? KoKo Jun 2013 #65

So, would it be then that NO ONE has ever died in a car wreck because of a stuck gas pedal? cascadiance Jun 2013 #68

Well Said! KoKo Jun 2013 #72

I can't speak for others, but I would prefer an investigation over a pre-disposed dismissal... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #163

The LAPD is currently investigating. n/t Cali_Democrat Jun 2013 #165

...and that is troubling. Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #168

Your incuriosity, if adopted by more people, will do much more harm than good. Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #160

Most people with common sense don't expect everyone who disagrees with them to lack common sense LanternWaste Jun 2013 #36

Few writers are unafraid to write about the crimes of the national security state. Octafish Jun 2013 #39

'Boston Brakes' Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #41

In addition Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #75

Small world. Octafish Jun 2013 #96

Interesting. (Does that comment make me a conspiracy loon?) n/t Smarmie Doofus Jun 2013 #179

USENIX Conference Video from 2011 Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #187

Neither is irresponsible driving. LanternWaste Jun 2013 #92

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #148

Name one. Name a writer/journalist/pundit who is afraid, who feels they have to self-censor. stevenleser Jun 2013 #58

Mark Marzetti of The New York Times, for starters. Octafish Jun 2013 #88

There is absolutely nothing in that which suggests fear or a need to self censor on Mazzetti's part stevenleser Jun 2013 #91

You mean, apart from where CIA calls NYT and gets them to change a story. Octafish Jun 2013 #97

Correct. No fear there. It suggests agreement or Collusion perhaps. No evidence of fear is presented stevenleser Jun 2013 #99

You are the best. Octafish Jun 2013 #133

I knew you would see it my way. It's the way what you posted is worded. nt stevenleser Jun 2013 #135

Stupid, conformist ones don't need to worry because they will never probe deeply enough into JDPriestly Feb 2015 #191

Hastings' wife, co-workers and probably most of his friends octoberlib Jun 2013 #43

I agree. We probably won't hear more details for a while flamingdem Jun 2013 #51

Most people? Please link to the poll that allows you to make that assertion. nt stevenleser Jun 2013 #54

What I want to know is why the news media never showed the footage of struggle4progress Jun 2013 #55

Assuming I read this correctly (satire/sarcasm) well put. nt stevenleser Jun 2013 #60

Believing something absolutely isn't a conspiracy when you don't have all the information... Melinda Jun 2013 #61

+1. The fascinating thing is: I can't find a single post here which says or implies that it MUST.... Smarmie Doofus Jun 2013 #74

OMG! Progressives used to get credit for intelligent, thoughtful debate. Now we're reduced to.... Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #63

You must have joined after they created the 9/11 Dungeon to hide the crazy. nt geek tragedy Jun 2013 #66

GD is the biggest forum, and perhaps a "dungeon" of sorts would be more appropriate for this..... Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #77

It's known these days as "Creative Speculation" because, ostensibly, the crazy talk geek tragedy Jun 2013 #79

Unfortunately jberryhill Jun 2013 #125

+100 n/t zappaman Jun 2013 #130

There is no left or progressive movement anymore; there's just this shit alcibiades_mystery Jun 2013 #101

What a pants load. Rex Jun 2013 #103

^^^This^^^. Should be its own o.p. The romanticism surrounding FDR leaves out the fact that not... Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #113

And this place is swarming with them. zappaman Jun 2013 #116

I love that graphic, cuz it's so true. Tarheel_Dem Jun 2013 #122

Killer post, alcibiades_mystery. Codeine Jun 2013 #189

You binary thinkers always crack me up! Rex Jun 2013 #104

even if an accident, it might be caused by his tormented state of mind carolinayellowdog Jun 2013 #67

The pile-on alone here, raises my antennae. canoeist52 Jun 2013 #69

Agreed. The character of the counter arguments are interesting too. Usually this type GoneFishin Jun 2013 #174

Not deeply suspicious. More a raised eyebrow. Prism Jun 2013 #70

One problem is how many people who discomfit the authorities wind up dead starroute Jun 2013 #73

You only speak for yourself still_one Jun 2013 #76

More correctly, people with common sense entertained the CT as a passing thought. Liberal Veteran Jun 2013 #78

honestly, someone with a car like that... lanlady Jun 2013 #82

Common sense isn't. Agnosticsherbet Jun 2013 #85

It doesn't look like a mere accident. Rex Jun 2013 #100

So, did Obama MIHOP or LIHOP? mwrguy Jun 2013 #114

Sorry... Cooley Hurd Jun 2013 #169

Gas tank exploding on impact is VERY suspicious, IMO Jessy169 Jun 2013 #126

How about when you are going so fast, you shear off a fire hydrant and tear the gas tank and.. zappaman Jun 2013 #129

You tell me Jessy169 Jun 2013 #132

Yes, he sheared off a fire hydrant and hit a tree zappaman Jun 2013 #134

If it happened to anybody else Jessy169 Jun 2013 #138

What? zappaman Jun 2013 #139

Good point Jessy169 Jun 2013 #142

Common Sense? Progressive dog Jun 2013 #131

And by extension those not deeply suspicious have no common sense, eh? X_Digger Jun 2013 #161

I thought it was a bit suspect bc of McChrystal LaydeeBug Jun 2013 #175

How can one with... deathrind Jun 2013 #176

People with common sense Summer Hathaway Jun 2013 #177

Strawman fallacy. No one here thinks that. Smarmie Doofus Jun 2013 #178

He pissed off powerful people who have exactly the skills to create this event if they chose to. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #182

Posting a reply on a discussion board Summer Hathaway Jun 2013 #190