AM Feed - May 2: Records of "Buff Guy's" White House Visits to be Released
Hot Topics
- After Jack Abramoff’s shady deals were exposed, lawmakers – including President Bush – developed a rare case of selective amnesia about their dealings with the confessed influence peddler. Now the Secret Service has announced that it will release White House visitor logs that show the extent of Abramoff’s visits with the Bush administration. The Secret Service initially failed to comply with a request for the logs under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Thus far administration officials have refused to detail Abramoff’s visits to the White House. Abramoff, a “Pioneer” for Bush in his re-election campaign, recalls the president asking him how much weight he could bench press, and calling him “Buff Guy.” [link]
- Yesterday marked the three year anniversary of President Bush’s infamous aircraft carrier landing stunt and “Mission Accomplished” speech (not to mention the ill-fitting flight suit). Here’s what Bush had to say in 2003: “In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.” In the three years since, 2,258 members of the US military have died in Iraq – an average of 63 per month. [link]
- The absurd election-year cash giveaway sponsored by the Senate Republican leadership died an unlamented death yesterday, as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) decided to walk away from the idea after the pander plan, which included a $100 gas rebate for 100 million Americans, backfired badly. The ill-conceived idea drew criticism from all sides – oil companies, business interests and consumers alike. [link]
Quote of the Day
“Everybody asks for personnel changes. So the White House has personnel changes. Then you write, ‘Oh, they’re just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.’ First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg!” – Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents Dinner, during a routine that President Bush and his wife did not find remotely funny.
Morning Snark
- You think we’re going to try to follow someone like Stephen Colbert? Not a chance. Instead of a snark from us, just go ahead and read the Quote of the Day twice.
Comment
- Robert Colbert – a brave man for dealing in truths RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CHIEF LIER !!
I now have a new hero !! You go Robert !!!! Zing him one for all of the rest of us.
I think next would be if someone could put a big pie in Bush and/or Cheney’s face.
Jeepers that would be grand !!!!!
— MO May 2, 12:39 # - I’ll be curious to see what the SS records show about Abramoff’s White House visits, but I’m actually more interested in how many times the male prostitute was there.
Happily Frist and his morons have thrown in the towel on that inane $100 “rebate” (of our own tax dollars). Maybe they’ll realize that the American public can’t be bought as easily as politicians. Now, if they gave me an all expense paid trip to Scotland (or whatever established goodies the lobbyists might offer) I might just feel better about Exxon and BushCo screwing us over! But they can forget it for a mere hundred bucks! Ha.
Lastly, I think Stephen Colbert should run for president. What balls he has to speak truth, and in that situation with Georgie and the lifeless (mostly) press sitting right there! It’s ashame, though, that a comedian is the one to put them all in their deserved places.
— deborah May 2, 12:47 # - I enjoyed the morning snark very much today – as usual.
The ambience of the huge protests was festive and emotional – very inspiring. I hope every AFV reader was able to march or boycott or stay home from work or school. I think a critical mass has been reached in America – it looks like enough people are mad enough to wrest control of their gov’t back from these parasitical corporate kleptocrats. I would like to recommend Neil Young’s new album whose common theme in all of the tracks is war – with one track calling for the impeachment of the faux shitkicker residing in our White House.
— John May 2, 12:53 # - “Kleptocrats” is an excellent and creative term! I’m getting Neil’s CD today. Jackson Browne has a new video to accompany his “Lives in the Balance” song that, while written during George I’s reign, is still obviously quite relevant—in fact, exponentially more so. Critical mass is what we’ve needed, and I hope and pray it’s here at last.
— deborah May 2, 13:03 # - deborah, fyi True Majority’s website, www.truemajority.org, provides a free audio stream of the whole Neil Young CD.
— John May 2, 13:33 # - Truthiness will out.
I reckon there’s gonna be a movie about the Abramhoff stuff. Maybe it’ll be called a Frist full of dollars.
And the song about all those undocumented immigrants: You can’t go home again.
— Doyal Davis May 2, 13:37 # - Thanks, John! I’ll check it out ASAP. Do look at the
J Browne video. You can find it on his website by clicking on “exclusive video”. It’s heart-wrenching and should be aired on TV 24/7 until people wake up.
— deborah May 2, 13:38 # - I just read snippets of the comic routine Colbert gave at the White House Correspondents’ dinner – Wow! I didn’t think it was going to be as scathing as it was! I heard that Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame were in attendance just three tables away from Rove. My, the discipline it must have taken for this couple to refrain from going over to Rove and tearing his ass to pieces. Again, just amazing. I find myself amazed at the current political scene and current events – it all seems so surreal! MO, deborah and other readers, do you remember the tongue-lashing that Bush received at Coretta Scott King’s funeral by reverend Joseph Lowery? Very inspiring and ennobling, indeed…
— John May 2, 13:45 # - And thank you deborah – I will check out the Jackson Browne video.
— John May 2, 13:48 # - Doyal, I like “Frist full of dollars” – very snarky. I think there could well be many movies in the offing regarding the mind-boggling criminality, deceit and thuggery of these royal elites.
— John May 2, 13:52 # - Now that Press Secretary McCllellan has been jettisoned, I wonder if that degenerate Jeff Gannon or Guckert will disappear or was he servicing more than just McClellan?
— Tamika May 2, 13:57 # - Instead of reading about Colbert’s ass-kicking, you can access 3 video clips which are about 7 minutes each. Buzzflash had them listed last night, or just look for them under Stephen Colbert and Correspondent’s dinner. It’s well worth th edownload time to see people’s expressions and get the feel of the whole thing, It is AWEsome (in the traditional sense of the word).
“Frist full of dollars” is clever and perfect! And he thinks we’ll all be thrilled with a hundred bucks. Asshole.
— deborah May 2, 14:58 # - Mo, I loved what you had to say, but, ro one very minor detail. Mr. Colbert’s first name is not Robert, it is Stephen. I am just amazed that he was the guest host for the night. I don’t think the White House crowd is intelligent enough for Colbert’s style of humor. I think it sailed right over their collective head.
— Mike May 2, 16:50 # - I think it’s great the the GOP caved into the big business and oil industry . It’s one more reason to vote them out. Vote Blue.
I have had enough of The GOP and Bush. I am worse off today than was in 2000. So let’s get rid of the scum in DC and take Back America
— Gregory A Reece May 2, 17:44 # - I watched the Colbert gig on C-span Sunday. It was awesome. Bush was dumb founded. I think he thought his little routine with the Bush double would be the hi-lite of the evenimg.
— Rosalie Stern May 2, 18:19 # - Mike – you’re right !!
Sorry Stephen !!!!
(it was senior blonde moment)
— MO May 3, 10:59 #
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