Unmitigated Gall -the Republican Convention

[Clinton Crusader]

http://www.democrats.us/editorial/ivins090204.shtml

Unmitigated Gall
By: Molly Ivins
Syndicated Columnist


AUSTIN, Texas -- Stephen Colbert, correspondent for “The Daily Show,” the only news program to watch during the Republican convention, found the theme of this convention like a homing pigeon: “Unmitigated gall.”

This convention alone would be enough to convince me that John Edwards is right about “two Americas,” except I don’t think he’s gone far enough. These folks are in from another planet. They’re living in an alternative reality. When is a fact a fact to these people? When did anyone ever find evidence Saddam Hussein had dog to do with Sept.
11?

It’s all very well to claim our invasion of Iraq may yet bring about peace and democracy in the Middle East -- hey, miracles happen -- but when Rudy Giuliani assured us this “idealism” is in fact triumphing as he speaks, one must question the man’s grip on sanity. Even the president is now claiming the disastrous occupation is the result of “catastrophic success.” That seems to mean he thinks we won the war too fast.

Speaking of what Bush means, what a dumb flap over his obviously accidental misstatement that we can’t win the war against terrorism. As I have often noted, even when Bush misspeaks you can usually tell what he meant to say. This little doozy was “clearified” the next day -- on that mighty organ of reliable information, "The Rush Limbaugh Show -- only to be followed by Democrats chanting, “Flip-flop.”

That level of stupefying pettiness over nothing should be legally limited to Republicans. Meanwhile, note that Bush is back to being “a war president.” Just a few weeks ago, he was going around claiming to be “the peace president” every 10 minutes, after months of claiming to be “a war president.” So that makes the new shift a flip-flip-flop.

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[NMDemDist2]

1. Molly rocks! n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I didn't realize Tom Ridge didn't speak at the convention

(I didn't watch it at all) I find this paragraph from the article you quoted telling, though, and one to use if anyone is stupid enough to believe that Shrub has made us safer:

The real theme of the convention is “George Bush Makes Us Safer,” as dubious a proposition as Madonna’s virginity. Tom Ridge is not only not speaking in primetime, he’s not addressing this convention at all -- he’s a non-person. In the current issue of Mother Jones magazine is a must-read by Matthew Brzezinski called "Red Alert." The “pull quote” is: “It was billed as America’s frontline defense against terrorism. But badly underfunded, crippled by special interests and ignored by the White House, the Department of Homeland Security has been relegated to bureaucratic obscurity.”

[liberalmuse]

3. Molly is one of my few hero's.

What a breath of fresh air she is! Thanks for posting an excellent morning read.