Hey… remember that controversial memo that made the rounds of Republican lawmakers, touting the Schiavo controversy as “a great political issue” that would excite “the pro-life base”…? And remember how right-wing bloggers immediately went about “proving” that it was a forgery, claiming that it was Democratic dirty trick? And remember how the usual suspects and their unblinking followers were so quick to take the bloggers’ debunking as gospel, with the American Spectator going so far as to call it “Rathergate all over again,” and Rush Limbaugh accusing Democrats of politicizing Terri Schiavo?
Yeah, well… eat me, Rush!
Senator Mel Martinez, Republican of Florida, said Wednesday that a senior member of his staff had written an unsigned memorandum about the partisan political advantages of intervening in the case of Terri Schiavo that became a controversial footnote to the debate over the wisdom and motives of Congress’s actions.
In a statement on Wednesday night, Mr. Martinez said that he had just learned that the memorandum originated in his office and that its author had resigned. He did not name the author, but aides said it was Brian Darling, his counsel.
So reports the New York Times.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say again: us bloggers… we have an agenda. And anybody who naively relies on the blogosphere for their news, because they somehow believe we are more accurate, honest and unbiased… is fucking idiot. We’re not better than the mainstream media… we’re just different.
Caveat emptor.
“accurate, honest and unbiased”
I have but one word! BULL SHIT!
You stand up for King County Elections being accurate, honest and unbiased? BULL SHIT
You back a Governor who campaigned on a no new taxes platform. Accurate, honest and unbiased? BULL SHIT
You think Terri had no wishes to live. Accurate, Honest, and unbiased? BULL SHIT!
Don’t get me started about your accurate, honest, and unbiased web page! BULL SHIT!
GS @ 1 If you would take the time to completely read Goldy’s post you would find out he stated “And anybody who naively relies on the blogosphere for their news, because they somehow believe we are more accurate, honest and unbiased… is fucking idiot. We’re not better than the mainstream media… we’re just different.”
So from your ranting comment, you must be one of the naive anybodies
Goldy, I think it is just beating a dead horse at this point. People want to put as much as possible of the Terri Schiavo thing behind them. Certainly the bitter memories and the things which can be forgiven easily. I can forgive Mike Schiavo and the people on his side for what they did. And I am certain that most people holding different views than me can forgive the politicians for what they did. Unfortunately, the two families involved aren’t likely to forgive each other any time soon.
Actually, the bill referred to in that controversial memo (S.539, not S.529 as reported by ABC), would have provided for federal court habeas corpus review of all cases where removal of food and/or water was sought for an incompetent person who had not left a living will (and not just for Terri Schiavo):
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:S.539:
That proposal would have made a lot more sense than what Congress ended up passing. And somehow I think it would have resulted in a stay of execution until there was a full federal court review (just like federal habeas corpus review stays criminal executions until completed).
I already admitted that my big mouth runs ahead of my slow brain. but you guys are still nasty to be going through my medical files. Look, Clinton got millions for a book based on lies about not having sex. what is wrong with a lie here and there for a poor guy like me trying to eak out a living ? you democrats sure take this stuff seriously !!
The government should never get involved in these kinds of cases; this is a matter between the families, their doctors, and maybe their church. The only government involvement should be a municipal court providing a venue for a civil case, if any. Keep government out of our private lives!
Re memo identified. Florida has a familiar ring. Pal of Jeb Bush’s?
In his statement, Mr. Martinez said that on March 9 he had mistakenly and unknowingly handed the document to Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, on the floor of the Senate. Mr. Martinez said that he had meant to reach for a different document and that he did not know how it had entered his possession.
And from the Washington Post’s coverage:
Martinez, the GOP’s Senate point man on the issue, said he earlier had been assured by aides that his office had nothing to do with producing the memo. “I never did an investigation, as such,” he said. “I just took it for granted that we wouldn’t be that stupid. It was never my intention to in any way politicize this issue.”
Which might be credible if not for this St. Petersburg Times editorial from Nov. 4, 2004 (thanks to Kos – http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11.....inez.shtml ):
Long after leaving Republicans embittered by his appeals to bigotry and his vulgar attacks on former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, Martinez used his general election campaign to tar Castor, a distinguished former legislator and education leader, as a terrorist sympathizer.
When challenged, Martinez was too eager to assign blame to his staff or to groups he said he couldn’t control. As a senator, he will need an office and a staff that speaks with the measured and centrist tone he says will be his own. He can’t pretend to be above it all if the people he employs are not.
This is just SOP for Senator Martinez.
I can understand right-wing bloggers wanting to believe the best about their party and the worst about the Democratic party, but the national versions of (u)SP have a lot of crow to eat today, and I, for one, will enjoy watching it.
GS @1,
I don’t mind being criticized for what I write I here… but I’d prefer you actually read what I write before you start hurling the insults. Do feel at least a little bit foolish?
Richard @3,
I appreciate your sentiments, but this post was not really about Schiavo or even the way Republicans attempted to use her for political gain. The subject of this post was how disinformative the blogosphere and their coconspirators in the MSM can be.
Let’s be honest… many millions of people now believe that memo was a Democratic dirty trick. Why should I be quiet on the subject now that the truth has been revealed?
I listened to Michael Medved go on and on about the loony left concocting this memo.
Today, I bet he won’t even address the issue since, once again, the facts prove his crazy assertions are completely false.
He was in really bad shape yesterday when he tried to defend our government’s posting of only abstinence on official websites for parents interested in reducing teen sexual activity/issues.
His defense included that a majority of congressment support abstinence only so the government shouldn’t have to provide complete factual information.
8: another TJ: fyi: cold crow at breakfast wasn’t too tasty this morning. I am hoping that “warmed over” will be better for lunch and dinner.
A good sampling of the right-wing wrongway hysteria on the Marinez Memo can be found on today’s Daily Kos. They correctly ask the question of which of the following will do a “mea culpa” on their uniform false charges that it was a “Democratic-inspired dirty trick.”
Actually, a couple of the ones noted by Daily Kos have actually done so (Michelle Malkin, for one and Ankle Biting Pundits for another). In fact, Ankle Biting said this:
“We’ve been tough on the Democrats for floating fake memos in the past. So when the Schiavo-Quiddick scandal hit, we were tough on ’em again. But we were wrong.”
On the flip side, Powerline totally goes off the deep end, continuing to try to say that the major media outlets which first reported the story were still wrong! (They use a couple of nit-picks to justify that garbage, as is typical of right-wing liars).
I’d really be anxious to see what the radio waves are bringing us today on the issue.
Goldy said:
“Let’s be honest… many millions of people now believe that memo was a Democratic dirty trick. Why should I be quiet on the subject now that the truth has been revealed? ”
Yes, I agree, but many other millions of people probably believe that “A one-page memo, distributed to Republican senators by party leaders, said the debate over Schiavo would appeal to the party’s base, or core, supporters.” This is from the Washington Post story on March 19. The Post and ABC reported that this memo was some tatic by the Republican leadership, which is plain wrong. Yes, let’s get to the truth, but the whole truth. I have read several rightie blogs reporting the real author, but do you think that the Washington Post will retract its reporting on the authors? I don’t think so. That’s why we need blogs (even this one!)
Richard @ 3
Nice try, Richard, but this one ain’t gonna sweep under the carpet so easily. Right wingers who claimed the memo was phony and Democrats were liars have just been shot in both feet by the smoking gun. This has nothing to do with Terri Schiavo and everything to do with the fact Republicans ARE in fact CONNIVING POLITICAL HUSTLERS who will CRASSLY EXPLOIT a family’s personal tragedy FOR SELFISH POLITICAL GAIN. All the pooh-poohing in the world isn’t going to make that ugly fact go away, any more than Tom DeLay’s latest (of many) ethical lapses will go away. GOPers tried to claim the moral high ground but now everyone knows they’re just a bunch of pool hall hustlers. Their world is beginning to crumble on them.
Goldy@9
Ill bet you would keep quiet if the tables were turned…
Chuck @15
Sorry, Chuck, that dog won’t hunt. Your job today is to simply eat crow.
Chuck @15,
And if I did keep quiet… wouldn’t that just prove my point that you shouldn’t blindly trust the blogs?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....on07m.html
Uh hum, you were all saying?
Darn right you have an agenda Goldy. That’s why it’s radio silence over here at the HorsesAss while all of your November Election defenses are beginning to unravel.
What does LawyerX say about the botched Mail Ballot report? When’s LawyerX going to acknowledge that the election was simply too flawed to produce an outcome?
Since this thread is about Schiavo, for the record, I never thought the government had any business butting its head into the case. I’m a fiscal conservative. There was some ambiguity in the situation with Terri’s condition, but the bottom line is that it was all simply exploited for advancement of the religious agenda. I thought we had separation of church and state.
Goldy also said:
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say again: us bloggers… we have an agenda. And anybody who naively relies on the blogosphere for their news, because they somehow believe we are more accurate, honest and unbiased… is fucking idiot. We’re not better than the mainstream media… we’re just different.”
True, and I think you can replace the words bloggers/blogosphere in that paragraph with the words “mainstream media” and still be correct.
And….so what! The Republicans are pro-life, the Schiavo case was all about pro-life vs the culture of death. The death crowd was exposed here which is much more damaging to the dems than a little memo. Dems like Babba Wawwa and Boxer and Pilosi Botox make a huge deal out of something so little as if out of desparation.
Democrats going after the supposed ehtics violations of Delay yet ignore the huge pork bill Harry Reid D, NV, mormon, pro lifer, pro traditional marriage, sent home to nevada that benefited his 4 sons. He authored the legislation for the real estate deal of 998 acres. The lobbiest was a family member and the beneficiary were family members.
so you see, it’s all partisan and goes both ways.
chard @ 21
“supposed” violations? So he wasn’t admonished three times last year? So his top lieutenants aren’t all being convicted of campaign crimes? I see.
By the way, don’t believe for a second that this memo was not circulated by party leadership. The person who wrote it works for Martinez, but is also counsel for…yep, a Tom DeLay organization.
Cheetool @ 18
bad scene for the county; looks like someone took a shortcut with the unprecedented number of ballots to have to work through, and they’re busted and under investigation. Gorton’s an ass though; he knows he has nothing and his statements are patently false, but he’s willing to sully whatever rep he had left by standing next to Chris Vance.
The mail ballot form inconsistency is a definite problem, however. It shouldn’t have happened, and represents the first sign of negligent behavior in the election. Good to see it’s being taken care of quickly, however.
“The mail ballot form inconsistency is a definite problem, however. It shouldn’t have happened, and represents the first sign of negligent behavior in the election. Good to see it’s being taken care of quickly, however.”
It can’t be taken care of without a new election, that is the problem on the table. If the Canvassing board had know about this the election might not(I would hope) have been certified in it’s current state of disarray. I would guess that is the point that he/she was trying to make. It isn’t a “pure partisan” game like Sims wants everyone to believe, they screwed the pooch and will have to pay for it. If any other county messed up over and over like they did they’d share the hot seat too, no matter which way they lean politically.
Jeff B. @ 19
There was no ambiguity whatsoever in Terri Schiavo’s condition, except that manufactured by religio-wackos to further a political agenda. This woman literally did not have a brain capable of conscious thought or even knowing of its own existence.
chardonnay @ 21
Wrong! The Schiavo case was all about lying, defaming, and hatemongering to further a political agenda!
chards of glass houses @ 21
Republicans are pro-life? Pro-war, pro-execution, pro-guns, pro-starvation of poor people is more like it.
B&W at 23
What would a new election take care of, and on what possible basis would a new election be justified as a result of this situation?
Tjoe-
*”Oh, she knows better than that,” Way’s one-time boss, former Elections Manager Bob Bruce, said yesterday.
In calculating the number of returned ballots by adding up ballots counted and ballots rejected, Bruce said, “You have a false figure. … If you’re not keeping track of how many came in to start with, you don’t have much of a check.”
But Bruce, who was Way’s boss several years ago, dismissed suspicions of fraud. Most of the year-round, absentee-ballot staffers once worked under him, he said, “and I don’t think any of them would even have thought of doing that.” * cited from seattle times
So we have undenyable proof that incompetance/ neglegance was afoot that very well may have changed the outcome of the election. Torrid, by the way I take your comments lightly as this is not affecting you. From what I understand you are a Portland native, not to say you don’t occasionally make a decent point but if this was in your door step you might feel diffefently.
B&W…
Nobody is arguing that there wasn’t some sort of error on the part of election workers. Still, what Rossi has to do is prove that these errors likely changed the outcome.
B@W @ 28
you’ve proved my point. Bruce acknowledges the mistake, but says he doesn’t believe there’s any fraud. The law states that there must be an intent to change the result, for negligence to be cause for setting aside the election. As for your “undeniable proof,” how is 4 votes (the estimate from the article) going to change the election?
I think one of the key lessons of the Schiavo case is that virtually all judges take their jobs seriously. Despite the fact that the large majority of all of the judges involved in the Schiavo case — both state and Federal — were conservative Republicans, only 2 out of some 40 judges ruled in favor of the silly right-wing religious standpoint.
11th District Appeals Court Justice Birch — one of the most doctrinaire right-wing judges on the Federal bench — went out of his way to slam the Republicans in Congress for pushing through what he called obviously unconstitutional legislation.
Those of you right wing flamethrowers here in WA should learn that lesson. Rossi lost. Just because a judge is a Republican in a Republican County won’t make much difference when you don’t have a leg to stand on legally.
Nelson @ 31
Keep saying it maybe that will make her legitimate, if that doesn’t work ask your Fairy godmother to help King county to do a better job of lying and stonewalling.
D @ 24 25 26
your argument is weak, expectedly!
Not as weak as your mind, Chard!
Donsux @ 34
Ooh, next i’m going to hear “your momma.” How old are you? old enough to have better come backs I’m sure.
Another derogatory applicable to so many republicans: incorrigable. Civil War is only moments away.
baw @ 23 usaid “If any other county messed up over and over like they did they’d share the hot seat too, no matter which way they lean politically.” Do you really think that the redneck counties and the rest of the counties in the state had no problems with their votes? Do you really believe that if they were under the unfair scrutiny that King County is that they would stand up ‘bullet proof’ like you seem to want us to believe? The election was close, it was tough, CG won the final recount and will win in the courts. Then we must continue to work towards refining our voting process. End Of STory
it is happening again
http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43688
Mae Magouirk 81 of LaGrange, Ga. in a hospice, feeding tube removed by granddaughter. Judge seems to be a Greer twin.
Jpgee @ 37
Try reading, “MESSED UP OVER AND OVER.” I don’t see any other counties that found ballots ten times, and especially not counties that misplaced them until after the certification. Most definitely there were no other counties that gave a whitewash public statement over and over, knowing good and well they were lying through their teeth. And here comes the cherry on top… Number one on the list tonight is… (drum roll)… Counsel members had to learn of extreme incompetance through MSM (ouch that one hurts.)
chardonnay @ 38
Wouldn’t create any pesident MY ASS! see what we’ve allowed, Life isn’t worth anything anymore way to be Dems. We got ol’ Jack K. laughing at us from the Penn.
Sad news for the dems…
I’m so sorry to have to report this to you.
Ted Kennedy Fights Removal of Feeding Tube
WASHINGTON, DC — Ted Kennedy, who was recently declared brain-dead by his physician, is fighting for his life. The Senator’s family is trying to have his feeding tube removed to allow him to die a sober death. The tube, attached to a bottle of vodka and a bottle of gin, has been utilized by the senator for his entire adult life. Medical experts believe removal will almost certainly result in death.
“This is a very complex situation,” said one medical expert. “Senator Kennedy appears to be functioning normally to many people, but it is quite obvious that the man is brain-dead by his public comments. Most of us in the medical community think he should be allowed to have a dignified death by sobering him up and removing his feeding tube.”
Liberals were stuck in a quandary today as they want Terri Schiavo dead, but they don’t want Ted Kennedy to die. “This is a moral dilemma to many people,” said Commie Greenstein, a liberal living in New York. “Fortunately, most of us don’t really make decisions based on any morals, so it’s okay if we want one person to die while allowing a brain-dead person to live.”
Alcohol manufacturers around the world are scrambling to raise money for the “Keep Kennedy Alive” fund. Removing his feeding tube is predicted to cause a 12% annual decrease in global alcohol consumption. Some manufacturers risk going out of business as soon as the feeding tube is removed.
char @ 38
Sounds like a hoax story, of the type so very typical of right-wing bloggers.
Char @ 38 (more)
The hospice mentioned by WorldNetDaily appears real enough … but the hospice’s web site says they provide services to “terminally ill patients.” http://www.wghs.org/wgh.html So if this (possibly imaginary) woman isn’t terminally ill, what is she doing there? To believe WorldNetDaily (which in itself requires quite a leap of faith), you have to believe that a large health care provider’s lawyers, doctors, and nurses gave the okay to pulling a feeding tube on a hospice patient who was not terminal and shouldn’t have been in the hospice in the first place.
Ummm … I don’t think so.
Black and White @ 39
Oh hell, let’s all quit bickering and ask the judge to count these latest ballots. They’ll likely add 12 to 15 votes to Gregoire’s margin.
Maybe you were not aware of it, but removal of feeding tubes has gone on for a very long time. The only thing unique about the Schiavo case was that the family was well-connected to Republican circles and the desperation of Delay/Bush/Rove to try and change the subject. It is not about Schiavo – its not about ‘activist’ judges (conservative and liberal, they were all following the law) – its about the turning a family’s tragedy into a politcal side show.
HowCanYouBePROUDtobeAnASS @ 41 I saw that article. His bed is next to Nancy Reagan.
Dubyasux
How do you know? they shuffle them into the 3rd count just in-case pile?
B&W @ 39
Pierce also has reported they found ballots after certification. Same problem as King.
Tj
they dont want to know about anything except that which they want to know.
In other words, don’t bore them with the facts when they’re trying to win. Facts just confuse the issue, and they have to start the attacks from the beginning again.
B & W @ 47
Proportional analysis, dummy. And lest you forget, proportional analysis is the GOP’s idea — they’re staking their election lawsuit on it.
The Republican lawyers don’t want to put felons on the witness stand to testify who they voted for. They want the judge to assume felons voted like the rest of King County. Newspaper reports indicating the felon voters favored Rossi makes them very nervous.
You are Ignorant @ 50
Anyone who believes a felon deserves what they get. You can’t ask a felon to be honest and believe that he/she will be when they have clearly proved they can’t be, hence why they were incarcerated initially.
BTW, proportional analysis in the case of the recently discovered 93 ballots from 60%+ Rossi leaning precincts would not increase Gregiore’s “lead” like Donsux purposes.
shades of grey@51
How do you know the felon in question is a liar?
That seems like a grey area!
LOL!
diggindude @ 52
HUHUH… good on cleatus, maybe we could go shoot a gopher or two when your done making funnies.
No Grey Matter @ 51
Why wouldn’t they? KC voted 57% for Gregoire and 40% for Rossi. Multiply 93 by those percentages and you get Gregoire up by 16. (93 x .57 = 53; 93 x .40 = 37; 53 – 37 = 16.)
Like Cheesy Chuckie @ 1, you can’t even count! (“I have but one word! BULL SHIT!” sure looks like TWO words to me.)
I guess he means if 250 felons testify they voted for Gregoire, that should be counted as 250 illegal votes for Rossi.
Well, if we’re gonna count ’em by precinct, then the illegal votes should be counted that way too, in the entire state.
At least I’m not spending money from L & I taxes intended for injured workers on Rossi’s election lawsuit.
Donsux(as well as can’t read) @ 54
Notice I said precinct by precinct, and not county wide, really you should read before you go babbling like you won the lottery. Do some research on which precincts those ballots originated from, since you enjoy researching like a previous post “Don is an even bigger indoctrinated tool” railed you on.
Black and white, sorry no grey @ 39 and do you think that if the Dem’s were on the eastern counties as hard as your type is on KC, that they would not be finding ballots also? If you do think that, you deffinitely live in a dream world.
Black and white, sorry no grey matter @ 39 and do you think that if the Dem’s were on the eastern counties as hard as your type is on KC, that they would not be finding ballots also? If you do think that, you deffinitely live in a dream world.
Black and white, sorry no grey matter @ 51 in your rantings on felons seems like you could change ‘felon’ with ‘republican’ and it still ends up the same