A thought for the pep rally bus drivers, those offering crow recipes & patience self-help gurus

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

On Hardball just now, Eugene Robinson, Tweety and Jonathan Alter just said that Obama's altered stance on torture prosecutions was due in large part to the blowback from the left netroots. Eugene Robinson said "I certainly heard from them." (This is my summary, read it yourself when the transcript is up)

I don't think they were talking about the blowback from all the posters who told everyone who questioned the "reflection vs. retribution" line to STFU and reflect on what a great chess player Obama is. Or those who tell questioners they are "impatient" or that they are secret tea-baggers, or haters, or that they didn't get their pony, or whatever other blather got dished up to perfectly reasonable, lucid, long term posters who voiced concerns based on what President Obama and his aides said about torture prosecutions. On a side note, the head of the ACLU, Jonathan Turley, Glenn Greenwald and many other respected liberal voices were just as concerned and confused by the messages being put out by the Obama adminstration.

Now, can we get back to having adult conversations with various viewpoints?

[JDPriestly]

1. Could you please provide a link to the Hardball segment?

I can't understand what you are talking about.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. No, because I just saw it. They will probably have the transcript tomorrow.

I'm sure others saw it.

[JDPriestly]

11. Hopefully I'll see it tomorrow.

I think the release of the Armed Services Committee report makes any characterization of those of us who are arguing for prosecutions for the torture as extreme leftists irrelevant. From what I have read, that report is devastating and leaves no choice but to prosecute. I am so sickened by what I have read about the report --- heartsick.

I originally trusted Bush with regard to the Iraq invasion. As I watched our troops proceed to Baghdad, I realized that Bush had lied about the WMDs. I was so disgusted, so disillusioned. I had such great faith in my country. I so strongly believed that, in spite of our mistakes, we are basically steadfast in our fundamental dedication to justice and democracy and that no president would ever start a war without a just cause. I realized then that Bush, by invading Iraq for no good reason other than to take over the Iraqi oilfields, had made us a rogue nation -- a violator of international law.

And now, as the truth emerges about the early stages of the torture program, I am sickened at the extent to which the Bush administration completely abandoned the ideals that made us a great nation.

I'm not saying we were ever perfect. The Reagan assault on Central America is a very recent, very dark page in our history. Our interference in Iran leading to the Shah's regime is another dark page. There are many. But the Bush administration hit new lows. How tragic.

[DevonRex]

2. They're just trying to pat themselves on the back, like some people HERE are.

Obama got the reaction he wanted. He got the cover he needed. Period.

[EFerrari]

3. You mean the kind not founded on acrimony or snark?

You first. :)

[Bicoastal]

4. I certainly would not--HAVE not--gloated about this issue...

...but I see nothing wrong in being a "pep rally bus driver" at this time.

If you don't buy that he's been playing chess all this time, then at least we can all be satisfied with the knowledge that he's actually LISTENING to Americans. A President listening to the people--to dirty dirty liberals--who would have thunk it? RAH RAH RAH SIS BOOM BAH!

[county worker]

6. No, not since this post. Now we will have a fight like little kids do.

Did!

Did not!

Did so!

Did not!

Did so!

Did not!

Did so!

Did not!

Did so!

Did not!

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. I apologize to GD - I meant to post this in GDP and screwed up.

Now that there are responses, I don't think I should delete it.

[Bluebear]

9. Mainly because we heard the same pony/PUMA/chess malarkey here.

A very appropriate post, thanks you!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. I humbly, deeply apologize for the comments I made.

And everybody knows that, as a comedian, I don't really believe anything I say.



I'm sorry if you were offended.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. You sir, are one of the oddest posters in this place.

Half the time you make me so mad that I can hardly see through the broken capillaries in my eyes that burst upon reading you

the other half of the time I burst out laughing.

I also believe there's an interesting buried message in your response.