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Thursday, September 30, 2004

NRA Targets Kerry

I wouldn't want to be in these cross hairs...

Full Poster

The NRA is targetting Kerry with the NRA Political Victory Fund. The NRA-PVF "ranks political candidates—irrespective of party affiliation—based on voting records, public statements and their responses to an NRA-PVF questionnaire."

The NRA has come out against Kerry stating:
If you thought the eight long years of the Clinton/Gore administration's war on firearms owners' rights were oppressive, they would pale in comparison to what John Kerry would have in store for us if he captures the White House and evicts President George W. Bush in November.

John Kerry--whose record of words and misdeeds on firearms rights has earned him a key place among the most solid "F" candidates ever rated by the National Rifle Association--is now posing as a self-styled"lifelong hunter and gun owner," a faux good old boy who says, "I believe in the Second Amendment."

But as someone who has hunted, he`s not one of us. He`s a silver-spoon Boston Brahman--an ideological blood brother to his mentor, Teddy Kennedy.
Full Essay
The NRA backs up their assertions with the following:
FACT: Kerry co-sponsors a bill that would ban all semi-automatic shotguns and detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifles, a gigantic step toward bringing Australian-style gun control to the U.S.

FACT: Kerry says, "I think you ought to tax all ammunition, personally, I think you ought to tax guns."

FACT: Kerry has voted nine times in favor of banning semi-auto firearms.

FACT: Kerry has voted for a Ted Kennedy amendment to ban most center-fire rifle ammunition, including the most common rounds used by hunters and target shooters.

FACT: Kerry has voted to close off hundreds of thousands of acres of the California Mojave Desert to hunting.

FACT: Kerry was one of only 18 Senators to oppose the Firearms Owners` Protection Act, which ended alarming abuses being committed under the 1968 Gun Control Act.

FACT:Kerry was one of only 29 Senators to vote to prohibit gun manufacturers from discharging debts created by the reckless lawsuits filed by municipalities.

FACT:Kerry has voted to allow BATF to conduct unlimited warrantless inspections of FFL holders.

FACT: Kerry has voted to criminalize legal sales between private individuals at gun shows.

FACT: Kerry has voted to impose penalties of a year in prison and a $10,000 fine on an adult if a juvenile steals a firearm from him, and then merely displays it in a public place.

FACT: Kerry has voted to force many small firearms dealers out of business, which would have impacted both the availability and price of guns, particularly in rural areas.

FACT: Kerry has voted 11 times to force law-abiding citizens to wait to exercise their Second Amendment rights. He voted to keep the federal waiting period after the National Instant Check System was in place.

FACT: Kerry voted twice to eliminate the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

FACT: Kerry wants to silence gun owners` voices. When NRA sought the same exemption from campaign finance rules that news organizations have, Kerry called that effort "hijacking America`s airwaves."

FACT: Kerry commended the Million Mom March for their march on Washington that included calls for gun owner licensing, gun registration and other restrictions on law-abiding gun owners.
The NRA has concluded that John Kerry`s two-decade long U.S. Senate record of opposing Second Amendment rights makes him the most anti-gun presidential nominee in history. Yikes!

If you donate to their cause, you can be the proud owner of this nifty t-shirt.

Hat Tip: Country Store


In The Face Of Evil: In Selected Theaters Oct 1

American Vantage Media announced recently that it has acquired all U.S. rights to In The Face Of Evil: Reagan’s War in Word and Deed, a controversial look at Reagan’s victory over Communism within the context of mankind’s continual fight against evil, including the current war against Islamic Fascism. The feature-length documentary film will be released in theaters October 1, 2004, through American Vantage Media’s Non-Fiction Films distribution unit.

The film is based on Peter Schweizer’s acclaimed best-seller Reagan’s War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism. Schweizer’s book is widely credited with cementing the notion that President Reagan achieved the final victory over communism through direct confrontation with the enemy.

In The Face of Evil is a controversial look at the 20th century’s wars against totalitarianism and what it means for the United States in today’s environment. The documentary film, written by Stephen K. Bannon and Julia Jones, produced by Tim Watkins, and directed by Stephen K. Bannon, has been in the works since 2002.

“President Reagan was a man whose words and deeds were one and the same,” states Bannon. “His administration’s confrontation with totalitarianism is the blueprint for our current war against Islamic Fascism. Our film focuses on this confrontation of good versus evil.”

Says Schweizer: “The same circles who for years advised that we needed to cooperate with communism because it could not be defeated, are now telling us the same as it relates to Islamic Fascism. Reagan proved them wrong and shows us how to win this war.”

“This film is a wake up call showing how consistently wrong the Left has been. They want to compromise, negotiate, and placate evil,” says Tim Watkins. “There’s only one way to defeat evil and keep our freedom - no compromise.”

Noted radio commentator Rush Limbaugh, who pre-screened the film said on his #1 rated “The Rush Limbaugh Show”, “I think it's a brilliant effort. It makes the point that Reagan was an electoral failure for 40 years. And he tried and tried, and lost and lost but he kept coming back and he finally won. And it was Ronald Reagan, not the Neville Chamberlains and not the pacifists and not the John Kerry types, (although John Kerry is not in the movie) that enable us to win over those forces that are going to attempt to subjugate us to a life of imprisonment and no freedom. I think it was extremely well done, and I'm looking forward to when this thing hits. “


The Face Of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed

I found this in my email and decided to let it speak for itself:
Hello Ken,

We are contacting you regarding a new documentary film, In The Face Of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed, an intriguing look at Reagan's victory over Communism within the context of mankind's continual fight against evil, including the current war against Islamic Fascism. The film is based on Peter Schweizer's acclaimed best-seller Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism.

The feature-length independent film will be opening in theaters in selected markets October 1, 2004. We would like your support in helping to promote the film. Your efforts could help raise awareness of the movie and expand the film's release into additional markets around the country.

Please visit the official film website at http://www.inthefaceofevil.com for more information about the movie and to view the trailer, plus downloadable banners and posters, and html email text that can be sent to your database.

At http://www.filmpr.com/reagan you can access trailer downloads, photos, graphics, press materials, and order free promotional materials.

One simple, yet important, way you can help would be to post a "blurb" about the movie and a link to the site in the 'current news' section of your website, or mention it in your blog. We would greatly appreciate any promotional efforts you are able to make!

If you choose to partner with us in promoting In The Face Of Evil, please take a moment to email or call to let us know what actions you have taken so we can keep track of them and also express our thanks.

Thank you for your time!

Best Regards,

Josh White
Fuzebox Media Group
So here it is... free plug on E*D. I'll be sure to see the film if it makes it to my home town.


Pro Bush Billboard



So true. Dunno if the pic is real. I'm sure CBS would conclude it is 100% authentic.

via Secure Liberty


Ready to Rumble?


I can't wait to watch these debates


Partial Kerry Sawyer Interview Transcript

Partial transcript of Diane Sawyer interview with John Kerry from ABC's Good Morning America. The interview will Air this morning.

DIANE SAWYER: Was the war in Iraq worth it?

SEN. JOHN KERRY: We should not have gone to war knowing the information we know today.

SAWYER: If it turns out OK ... it was worth it?

KERRY: We have to succeed now that we've done. Look, we have to succeed. There are more terrorists in Iraq today then there were before, and you can't allow it to become an unstable regime that's a haven for terrorism. I've laid out a plan for success. I am not the president today. But each step of the way, I've laid out a plan for success, and each step of the way the president had always been following — always later, never the one who is initiating the things to make it successful. He's gotten us into this mess. It was his decision as to when to go, his decision as to how to go, his decision not to listen to his own advisers.

SAWYER: I want to come back to this issue of the Bush campaign's insistence about flip-flopping, waffling on positions. And, indeed, the polls show 53 percent of the voters — a recent poll — think that you change your mind too often.

KERRY: I think their advertising, and their effort over these last months — to use that word — have been particularly successful. I give them credit for it. But it doesn't reflect truth, nor does it reflect the truth of George Bush's record, who said he wouldn't go to the U.N., then he goes to the U.N., who said he didn't support homeland security and then he supports homeland security, who said he wasn't going to support the 9/11 commission and then he supports it, then he says he won't testify, then he goes to testify.

I can run down the longest list I've ever seen of switches in George Bush's position, you see, but I think it's important for the American people to focus on what we're going to do to change their lives. I've got a very clear program and over the course of the next few weeks, the American people will see the clarity of that.


Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Kerry Calls Vote Change 'Inarticulate'

Another interesting article... Kerry Calls Vote Change 'Inarticulate' Hrm... I call Kerry's vote 'waffles'

Kerry said, "It was just a very inarticulate way of saying something and I had one of those inarticulate moments." The vote, of course, was an important piece of legislation necessary to provide the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with much needed ammo, body armor, and other provisions. Kerry was highly critical of Bush for not providing our soldiers with adequate provisions, but when given the chance to supply our troops, Kerry voted against the legislation.

Kerry's vote against supporting our troops came after Kerry voted for the war in Iraq. Kerry DID vote for the war in Iraq, by the way. We have all seen in recent weeks Kerry's attempts to distance himself from this vote... his lame excuse is that he only authorized the vote for the threat of force - to be used for diplomatic pressure - and not the actual invasion of Iraq. This is, of course, nonsense. Kerry knew what he was voting for, and his own words at the time make that very clear. The press is, predictably, trying to cover for Kerry by printing his revisionist version of history:
Kerry was among the senators who voted to authorize Bush to use force against Iraq and has said he would still vote for authorization so that the president could put pressure on Saddam to allow more inspections for weapons.
This article, also reports Kerry has said, "We should not have gone to war knowing the information that we know today. Knowing there was no imminent threat to America, knowing there were no weapons of mass destruction, knowing there was no connection of Saddam Hussein to Al Qaida, I would not have gone to war. That's plain and simple." But this position is not plain and simple. 6 weeks ago, Kerry said, "Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it was the right authority for a president to have." What has Kerry learned in the last 6 weeks that has changed his mind? Moreover, there were WMDs in Iraq and there was a connection between Saddam and Al Qaeda.

A few days after Kerry made this statement, the President said, "Senator Kerry agrees with me that even though we did not find the stockpiles of weapons that we all believed were there, knowing everything we know today, he would have voted to go into Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power. I'm glad he cleared that up. The only -- only problem is there's 80 more days for him to change his mind."

Looks like the President was right.

This article, a somewhat short article, is so packed with stuff to talk about... Getting back to Kerry's vote against supporting our troops, Kerry explains that he voted for a version of the legislation that would have repealed part of the Bush tax cuts; i.e. he would have supported our troops if he were allowed to raise taxes while doing it. When that version was canned, Kerry said of his vote against the non tax-raising version, "It was a protest."

Kerry didn't get his way, so as a symbolic "protest" against a piece of legislation that does not raise taxes, he VOTES AGAINST SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS IN A TIME OF WAR!!! Are you kidding me? How can this guy sleep at night! How can anyone seriously consider voting for this guy? The sad thing is, this isn't Kerry's first protest during a time fo war. It wasn't the first time Kerry's protests worked against our soldiers during a time of war.

Sadly, Kerry's most recent waffles do not even come as a suprise.


Kerry Ties Hurt Some Democratic Senators

I was reading an interesting AP article this morning entitled Kerry Ties Hurt Some Democratic Senators. The article discussed how many hotly contested Senate seats are in states where Bush is popular and Kerry is not, and how this is why many Democratic Senators are not campaigning jointly with Kerry... to appear with Kerry would actually hurt them, which could be why Daschle used photos of himself embracing President Bush in his campaign commercials. Pretty interesting, if you ask me. Check it out.


Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Big ol’ Sissy

Some fellow wrote had he to choose,
His backup in a barroom fight,
He’d pick ol’ John ‘cause he’s been to war
And should know the drill when things get tight.
As a veteran of a few such brawls,
I’d pick ol’ George to help me fight.
Any cowboy could whip that Girly-man,
Big ol’ sissy with his eyes squeezed tight.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66
Russ, Did you have a particular pic in mind when you wrote this?

These two came to my mind.
Big 'ol Sissy
? Big ol’ sissy with his eyes squeezed tight ?
Big 'ol Sissy


President Bush with another Zinger

The following comes from The President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in West Chester, Ohio on September 27, 2004.

It's in our interests that Afghanistan be free. There's no longer training camps there. Al Qaeda can no longer find safe haven. Afghanistan is now an ally in the war on terror. And Afghanistan stands as a bright light, stands in contrast to that ideology of hatred spread by our enemies.

In Iraq, despite ongoing violence, they now have a strong Prime Minister, a national council, and national elections will be held in January. (Applause.) I met with Prime Minister Allawi. He's a strong man. I wanted to make sure he was as committed to freedom as we were. He is. I looked him in the eye; he told me, he said, Mr. President, we'll succeed if you don't let these terrorists shake your will. I told him, I said, when America gives its word, Mr. Prime Minister, America will keep its word. (Applause.)

A strong man, who knows that they can achieve their objective, which is a free society. It's in our interest they achieve a free society. It's in our interest that Iraq be free. Iraq will be an ally in the war on terror. Iraq will be standing with the nations of freedom to stop these ideologues of hate from advancing their cause. You know, when the Prime Minister was here, he received great accolades, except there was one noticeable voice. My opponent criticized Prime Minister Allawi here in the United States.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: He criticized a brave man who's risking his life for the freedom of his country and for our security. You cannot lead, you cannot lead a coalition, you cannot convince the Iraqi people that we stand with them if, when their Prime Minister and their leader comes to U.S. soil, someone is willing to criticize him. (Applause.) He was wrong to question his credibility. America must stand with these people as they make the hard choices for freedom. It's in our interest. The world will be more peaceful when Iraq is free. And Iraq will be free. (Applause.)

And that's our mission. We will help train Iraqi citizens and Afghan citizens so they can do the hard work of defending their country against these terrorists who want to stop the march of freedom. We'll get them on the path to stability and democracy as quickly as possible, and then our troops will come home with honor they have earned. (Applause.)

Listen, we got a great United States military. I'm proud to be their Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.) And I want to thank the veterans who are here today for having set such a great example for those who wear the uniform. Thank you, sir. (Applause.) And I want to share with the loved ones of those who wear the uniform, they'll have the full support of the government. (Applause.) That's why I went -- that's why I went to Congress and asked for $87 billion to provide vital equipment and fuel and ammunition, body armor for our troops in harm's way in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This was an important piece of legislation. Matter of fact, it was so important we got great bipartisan support. Only 12 members of the United States Senate voted against the funding request, two of whom are my opponent and his running mate.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: When you're out rounding up the vote -- when you're out rounding up the vote, remind people of this fact: Four members of the United States Senate voted to authorize force and didn't vote to fund the troops -- only four members, two of whom are my opponent and his running mate.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: You might remember, they asked him, how could you make that vote? He said, well, I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it. They kept pressing him. He said he's proud of his vote. And, finally, he said, the whole thing was a complicated matter. (Laughter.) There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat. (Applause.)

I appreciate the contributions our friends and allies are making in our cause. They've been helping. We've got some 40 nations involved in Afghanistan, nearly 30 in Iraq, and I thank them. I'm not going to denigrate their service, I'm going to continue to thank their service in the cause of freedom. I believe they're doing useful, important work. Over the next four years, I'll continue to work with our allies and friends, but I will never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders of other countries. (Applause.)

Later this week, I'm going to have an opportunity to debate my opponent. (Applause.) It's been a little tough to prepare for the debates because he keeps changing his positions. (Laughter and applause.) Especially on the war. I mean, after all, he voted for the use of force, but against funding the troops. He said that we're not spending enough money to reconstruct Iraq, yet now says we're spending too much. He said it was the right decision to go into Iraq, yet now he calls it the wrong war.

AUDIENCE: Flip-flop! Flip-flop! Flip-flop!
I just have to interject... how cool is that!?! The crowd is chanting Flip-flop. I love it. Anyway, here comes the zinger, the best line of the speech (as far as Kerry is concerned)
THE PRESIDENT: I think he can spend 90 minutes debating himself. (Laughter and applause.) You cannot lead if you don't know where you stand. (Applause.) I'm going to continue to speak as clearly as I can and tell the people what I believe. And I'm not going to change positions when times get tough. (Applause.)

I believe in the transformational power of liberty. I believe the wisest use of American strength is to advance freedom. I like to tell the people that one of my favorite leaders is Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan. I saw him New York. I said, do you mind if I talk about you on the campaign trail? He said, fine. I said, all right, I'm going tell them you like Elvis. (Laughter.) Which he does. (Laughter.)

I want you to think about this when you're explaining to people about what I mean by the transformational power of liberty -- think about this fact, that it wasn't all that long ago that we were fighting Japan as a sworn enemy of America. Fifty-eight years ago, it seems like a long -- if you're 58 years old, it seems like a long time. (Laughter.) In the march of history, it really wasn't all that long. My dad was in the war. I suspect many people's relatives were in that war against a sworn enemy.

After we won World War II, Harry Truman, said, why don't we help the Japanese become a democracy -- because he believed in the transformational power of liberty. There were a lot of skeptics in our country then. They said, well, you know, they were an enemy. They can't be a democracy. Or why worry? They were an enemy. They inflicted too much harm on us. But, fortunately, the President and others stood their line, they believed. And today, because of that belief, I sit down with Prime Minister Koizumi, talking about how to keep the peace we all want. Think about that. (Applause.) And that's what we want. We want our children and grandchildren to be able to grow up in a peaceful world.

I believe we have that obligation to work for that peaceful world. And when we succeed in Iraq -- you see, Zarqawi has only got one weapon. He can't beat us militarily. The only thing he can do is shake our conscience because we value human rights and human dignity. We weep when we see the brutality he inflicts on TV. It breaks our -- that's the only weapon he has. We also understand that freedom will whip the Zarqawis of the world in the long-term. (Applause.) In the long-term, free societies will make this world a peaceful place. Someday, an American President will be sitting down with a duly elected leader of Iraq, and they'll be talking about the peace. And our children and our grandchildren will be able to grow up in a better world. (Applause.)

I believe the women in the broader Middle East yearn to be free. I believe that moms in every society want to raise their children in a free society. I believe that if given the chance, people in the broader Middle East will choose the -- the finest government ever devised by man, and that's democracy. I believe all these things not because freedom is America's gift to the world. I believe this because freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world. (Applause.)
Why do the feminists remain silent on the abhorrid conditions and inequalities women face in Fundamentalist Muslim countries? I thought the left was all about freedom and equality? Why is it that the only people that are trying to censor us anymore come from the left? Why is it that the only people in America supporting the Anti-Jew, Anti-Women, Anti-American Jihadists are found on the left? Who was it that called Al Sadr a "legitimate voice"? Yeah, you betcha... John Kerry, that's who. But enough of my ranting, back to the President's speech:
This young century will be liberty's century. By promoting freedom at home and abroad, we'll build a safer world and a more hopeful America. By reforming our systems of government, we'll help more Americans realize their dreams. We'll spread ownership and opportunity to every corner of this country. We'll pass the enduring values of our country to a new generation. We will continue to lead the cause of freedom and peace.

For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation when little is expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. This is a time that requires firm resolve, clear vision, and a deep faith in the values that makes us a great nation. (Applause.)
If you were inspired and want to read the full transcript of this speech, visit: www.whitehouse.gov


Kerry Critical of Allawi, Bush Defends Iraqi Prime Minister


Kerry verbally attacked the Prime Minister of Iraq on Thursday, here are some of the headlines:
Kerry: Allawi's Take on Iraq Unrealistic - AP

Kerry: Allawi Putting Best Face on Failed Policy - L.A. Times

Kerry: Allawi Abets Bush in Putting on 'Best Face' - Wired News

Kerry: Allawi trying to bolster Bush policy - Star Tribune
Bush responded with the following at a Victory 2004 Rally
in Wisconsin
We've got hard work to do in Iraq. And it's tough, and it's hard. I know it's hard. The terrorists over there cannot defeat our military. The only tool they've got is the ability to shake our will. We care for human rights and human dignity. Every life matters to the American people. And therefore, when we see people beheaded on our screens, we cry and we weep. And the terrorists know that. They know we've got a conscience. And we know they don't have a conscience. We must not allow them to shake our will. It's important that we succeed in Iraq. It's important for our security and for the peace of the world that we defeat the terrorists there. This is a central, central front in the war on terror.

Fortunately, we've got a partner, a strong partner in Iraq. He's named Prime Minister Allawi. (Applause.) I was with him yesterday in the Oval Office, had a great visit with him. When I was in New York and saw him, I asked him, is it true that -- about the story I had heard. He said, it's true. He told me the story about the night he woke up in a bed in a flat in London. See, he had been -- he had left the country because Saddam Hussein wanted to kill him. And he woke up one night -- this is a true story -- his wife in his bed next to him, and there was two people next to his bed with axes, sent by Saddam Hussein. They were trying to axe him to death. He survived. He's now the Prime Minister of that country. He's a tough guy who understands. He understands we must not yield. (Applause.) We'll stand with him. When America gives its word, America must keep its word. (Applause.)

If we expect to win this war on terror and secure the homeland, we must be clear about what we say. And the President must mean what he says. (Applause.) That's why you can't keep changing positions based upon polls. My opponent has had seven or eight different positions on Iraq. He can't decide if we should be there or not be there. You cannot lead if you don't know where you want to lead. You cannot lead if you don't know what you believe. You cannot lead if you -- if you get blown around by the political winds. Yesterday, he criticized the Prime Minister of Iraq.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: Right after the Prime Minister spoke to the United States Congress, right after he gave an important speech, Senator Kerry went out and stood in front of the cameras and questioned Prime Minister Allawi's credibility.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: Earlier this week, he said he would prefer the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein to the situation in Iraq today.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: In order for us to succeed in Iraq, the Iraqi people must believe the American people will stand with them. (Applause.) In order to have credibility with those people who are fighting for freedom, the leaders of this country must not send mixed signals. They must earn the credibility of the Iraqi people. Twenty-five million people want to be free in that country. And when they're free, we're better off for it. I'll continue to lead this country with clarity. When I say something, I'll mean what I say. (Applause.)


Update: I added a nifty Cox & Forkum Cartoon to this post

Originally Posted 8:53 PM 09-25-2004


Campaign for Florida

I found this in my inbox and thought I'd share it...


Dear Ken,

We're writing to ask for your help.

But not for the campaign.

This time we're asking our volunteers and supporters, those who have been so helpful to the President, to help our friends and neighbors around the country who have been battered by a series of weather events.

From hurricane damage to flooding, we've seen our nation hit again and again by Mother Nature's fury. When disaster strikes, the American Red Cross leads relief efforts and helps communities by providing food and shelter.

You can help by contributing to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/
1-800-HELP-NOW

There is a time for politics, and a time to set partisanship aside and come to the aid of others. Now is the time to help our friends, family and neighbors in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Please give all you can.

Sincerely,

Marc Racicot
This is not a bad idea. I personally don't have the funds to be donating to the Red Cross at this time, but maybe visitors to this site will read this post and decide to help our fellow Americans who have been hit hard by these recent storms.


Monday, September 27, 2004

I Don't Know War

Ken,

I didn’t write this piece but I salute the man who did. He has said exactly what so many veterans have been thinking for so long. When I returned from Nam, my roommate in the 82d Airborne was SSGT Charles B. Morris, awarded the Medal of Honor while serving with the 173rd Airborne in Vietnam. I know firsthand it’s true that warriors like Charley are tormented in their dreams and cry out in their sleep as they re-fight their battles; yes that I know from bunking with him.

But one thing I never heard him do was boast.

Not once, not ever.

May your troubled spirit forever rest in peace, Command Sergeant-Major Morris.

Russ Vaughn
I Don't Know War
(author unknown)

I'm not worthy to question John Kerry's war record. Because I don't have one. I spent the Vietnam War in elementary school. And the four years I was in the Army were all behind a desk. My fort was unofficially known as "Uncle Ben's Rest Home."
So I don't know anything about war.

Though I do know a little bit about men who've been to war. I've been around plenty of those. Like my stepfather. He got bunged up pretty bad in France. I know that because I saw him in a swimming suit once.

But he never talked about it. Not once.

If you asked him about the war he'd tell hilarious stories about basic training, or where the guys he served with were from, or how fun it was learning to fly the liders, or the time they stole the ambulance to go into town and get drunk in France,
or a few of the phrases in German he learned. But he'd never actually talk about the war.

Unless he was really drunk.

In which case he still wouldn't talk about it. He'd cry about it. He'd put his head in his arms in the wee hours of the morning and sob to himself about how the men around him were broken and torn when the gliders crash landed into the French countryside.

But that was only once or twice, and that was never about him.

And the little box of medals at the bottom of his footlocker never came out.

It was kind of the same way at the Legion and the VFW. Every day he'd check in at both places, to sign the book and to have a beer, and I would tag along. All those men had been in the service, and most had been in combat, but I never heard a war story.

Lots of Army stories, and Navy stories, sure. About guys they knew and leaves they were on and officers they messed with. But nothing about the war.

It was the same way in the Army.

In my day, it seemed like everybody above staff sergeant or captain had been in Vietnam. I went in 10 years after the war ended but the guys on the second half of their careers had all gone.

You could tell when they wore their dress uniforms. But that was the only time.

Men didn't talk about what they'd done in the war. They didn't boast of their accomplishments. They didn't brag about their medals. But if you chanced to see them in their dress uniforms, with the rows of service ribbons, you could read their history there, you could see that those who'd done the most spoke of it the least.

Like one of our drill sergeants in basic training.

Buffing the floor in his office one day we saw the service ribbons pinned to his Class A uniform on the coat rack. Comparing them to the poster in the company day room we learned he'd gotten the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
We asked about them and he made us do push-ups for being nosey.

The night before graduation, when he welcomed us as fellow soldiers, we asked him again, we almost pestered him. Finally he relented and gave us two sentences: "I was in a war. I got hurt."

And that's all he'd say.

Kind of like a man I know, who received the Medal of Honor. One night he stood in a long line to shake hands with Colin Powell. The man, because of the nature of the event, wore his medal around his neck. As he came to Colin Powell the man said,

"General, it's an honor to meet you."

And Colin Powell responded, "No, sir - it's an honor to meet you."

Anyway, I know this man, and he's often asked to tell his story, of how he earned the Medal of Honor. And he never does. Oh, he answers, and he talks, and he inspires, and he talks about the war. But he neglects the part about the lives he saved and the courage he showed, and instead talks about a young Vietnamese man who helped him to safety when his legs were too shot through to hold him anymore.

I don't know anything about war. But I do know a little bit about men who've gone to war.

And none of them act the way John Kerry does.

None of them brag about, boast of, talk about or otherwise try to benefit from their service. They don't prostitute their time in uniform for personal gain and ambition.

They all modestly and insistently say that they "didn't do anything." They minimize their contributions and put them in the context of the similarly courageous and noble service provided by their comrades.

A true hero doesn't boast.

In fact, he kind of keeps his deeds to himself. Which is what makes John Kerry so different. Which is what makes John Kerry so unbelievable.

I don't know war. But I do know war heroes.

And John Kerry's damn sure not one of them.
Well, Russ, the good news is this: John Kerry will not be President - At least I don't think he will. Despite the Rather Biased news in America, I don't think he is doing as well as people let on. The Debates I think will decide the election, and Bush is going to nail Kerry for every Waffle, Waiver, Flip Flop, and lie he has been telling since he came back from Nam.


Saturday, September 25, 2004

Football Fans For Truth

Politics is a strange creature. Skeptical? Check out the new 527, Football Fans For Truth, which is self described in the following way:
Football Fans for Truth is a new organization that has been created to help the American voter and sports fan determine whether John Kerry can be trusted to represent the nation both as President and sports-fan-in-chief. Football Fans for Truth, a 527 organization, will seek to raise awareness about John Kerry's eminent failures in the area of sports knowledge, especially as it relates to America's favorite sport: football.
Speaking of Football, you may remember my post which featured some humourous takes on this picture


Yes, that is what Kerry looks like when he throws a football.... which is slightly better than what it looks like when he catches a football.


Anyway, Democrats can rest easy, Kerry has been working on his throwing mechanics and has been captured on film with this slightly less fruity looking throw:


I'll keep on top of this in case there are any further developments in this crucially important issue ... Alright, alright, it's not a big deal, but I get a kick out of it anyway.

UPDATE: Oh dear... somehow I missed this recent pic. Democrats: Tremble in Fear!


It just keeps getting worse:


I think this is bordering on political suicide...


If I were a Kerry Advisor - well first I would probably shoot myself... - I would make certain Kerry didn't get within 1000 feet of a football/baseball/etc.


This is doing him harm... not helping his image...


I gotta stop posting these pictures, there are just too many.... ok, one more:



UPDATE:
I can't believe what I am seeing

Update:


Update:






Last Update:





Also check out Kerry Soccer Pics and Kerry Baseball Pics


Jeff Blanco writes...

Jeff emailed this to me:
I ran the numbers on Iraq. I just wanted to see how we are doing compared to other wars.

At the current rate of loss in Iraq it will take us* 84* years *72* days
to match the number of deaths in Vietnam.

See the rest here
So I checked it out. The post is a keeper, it begins
I've had it! I am so sick of hearing about how Iraq is such a terrible quagmire that is just as bad, if not worse than Vietnam. It's like opening up the help wanted ads in your newspaper and seeing the plethora of jobs while John Kerry talks about us teetering on the Great Depression. We are no where near Herbert Hoover days.
Heh... Right on Jeff! Check out the whole post


Unconquered Men

(With veneration to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Concord Hymn)

From Swift Boats they did brave the flood,
Their flag to autumn’s breeze unfurled,
Here again, embattled sailors stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

Their foe no longer silence kept,
Believing that the veteran sleeps;
That Time’s assured his treason‘s swept
Down history’s stream which backward creeps.

Tween hostile banks of media’s stream,
They fixed the sights of truth’s own gun;
Seeking but their honor to redeem,
And stay the march of Judas’ son.

Their Spirit made these warriors dare
To keep their nation’s honor free,
But Time and Nature will declare
Their honored place in history.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66


Thursday, September 23, 2004

Take Your Apology and Stuff It!

Bill O’Reilly just told James Carville, tonight, that if John Kerry would just apologize to Vietnam vets all this Swift Boat stuff would just go away.

That statement clearly demonstrates the O’Reilly never has had a grasp of the problem that Vietnam veterans have with John Kerry and still does not. O’Reilly is in over his head on this issue but refuses to admit it. He claims he’s been fair to all sides but I was watching the night he dismissed the Swiftees as smear artists.

We need to let O’Reilly know what value we place on a meaningless apology from a serial liar. Please contact Bill at:
OReilly@FoxNews.com
and let him know what veterans think about his opinion that our thirty years of anger can be assuaged with more lying words from a turncoat traitor. Go Troops!

Airborne and God bless America.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66
Don't get me started on that idjit O'Reilly. He believes that no WMDs have been found in Iraq!


Karl Rove's Prediction

US President George W. Bush will defeat his Democratic rival, John Kerry in the November 2 election because he is leading in the polls in the key US swing states...
Full Story


Monday, September 20, 2004

Kerry Waffles On Iraq, Again... Bush Optimistic


Kerry's Latest waffles pointed out by the President
Excerpted from President Bush's Remarks at "ask President Bush" Event
The Sportszone - Derry, New Hampshire
September 20, 2004

...

Saddam Hussein ignored the demands of the free world. This wasn't the first resolution he ignored. I think it was 17 resolutions -- 17 times the free world spoke. He wasn't paying attention, because he was hoping we would look the other direction, because he was hoping we would forget. As a matter of fact, it is documented that he systematically deceived the inspectors the United Nations sent in. Diplomacy wasn't working. The world had given Saddam Hussein a chance, a last chance to listen to the demands of the free world. And he made the decision -- and so did I. I had to either trust a madman, or forget the lessons of September 11th, or take the touch decision to defend our country. Given that choice, I will defend America every time. (Applause.)

Thank you all. Today, my opponent continued his pattern of twisting in the wind, with new contradictions of his old positions on Iraq. He apparently woke up this morning and has now decided, no, we should not have invaded Iraq, after just last month saying he still would have voted for force, even knowing everything we know today. Incredibly, he now believes our national security would be stronger with Saddam Hussein in power, not in prison.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: Today he said, "We have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure." He's saying he prefers the stability of a dictatorship to the hope and security of democracy. I couldn't disagree more. And not so long ago, so did my opponent. (Laughter and applause.) Last December, he said this: "Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein, and those who believe we are not safer with his capture don't have the judgment to be President or the credibility to be elected President." (Applause.) I could not have said it better. (Applause.)

He also changed his mind and decided that our efforts in Iraq are now a distraction from the war on terror, when he earlier acknowledged that confronting Saddam Hussein was critical to the war on terror. And he's criticizing our reconstruction efforts, when he voted against the money to pay for the reconstruction.

Forty-three days before the election, my opponent has now suddenly settled on a proposal for what to do next, and it's exactly what we're currently doing. (Applause.) We're working with the international partners, we're training Iraqi troops, we're reconstructing the -- reconstructing the company, (sic) we're preparing for elections. They're going to have elections in January. (Applause.)

Our work in Iraq is hard work. There are people there who want to stop the march to democracy, that's what they're trying to do. They want us to leave. They want us to quit. Our work in Iraq is absolutely essential -- Iraq -- essential for our country's security. For our children and grandchildren to grow up in a safer world, we must defeat the terrorists and the insurgents, and complete our mission in rebuilding Iraq as a stable democracy. (Applause.)

I'm going to New York after this, and in the next couple of days I'll be meeting with Prime Minister Allawi, the Prime Minister of Iraq. (Applause.) He is a strong and determined leader. He understands the stakes in this battle. I hope the American people will listen carefully to his assessment of the situation in his country. We must show resolve and determination. Mixed signals are the wrong signals to send to the enemy. Mixed signals are the wrong signals to send to the people in Iraq. Mixed signals are the wrong signals to send to our allies. And mixed signals are the wrong signals to send to our troops in combat. (Applause.)

A couple of other points I want to make. Any time we put our troops into harm's way, they need to have the full support of the United States government, the full support. (Applause.) And that's why I went -- and went to the Congress, and said, we need $87 billion of money to support our troops in harm's way. These were for troops in Afghanistan and in Iraq. And I was pleased to get strong support. Bass and Bradley, they were strong in their support. Sununu and Gregg were strong on that support. (Applause.)

The support was so strong, that only 12 members of the Senate voted against it, two of whom were my opponent and his running mate. When you're out gathering the vote, when you're out there gathering the vote, remind people of this fact: Four people in the United States Senate voted to authorize the use of force and did not vote to fund our troops -- two of whom were my opponent and his running mate.

So they asked my opponent, why, why did you make that vote? He said, I voted for the $87 billion, right before I voted against it. That's not the way people talk here in New Hampshire. He went on, and said, well, he said he's proud of the vote, and finally he said, it's a complicated matter. There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat. (Applause.)

Let me tell you what else I believe -- I'm kind of winding down here, getting ready for questions. Let me tell you what else I believe. I believe that liberty can transform nations from places of hopelessness to hope, from places of darkness to light. We're seeing that in Afghanistan today. Ten million people registering to vote is a phenomenal statistic. It is such a hopeful number, isn't it? In spite of the fact that the Taliban were pulling women off buses and killing them because they were trying to register to vote. People want to be free.

I believe liberty can transform enemies into friends, because I've seen it firsthand when I've talked with Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan. I want you to think about this, now, as you're contemplating the historic opportunity we have in the world today. It wasn't all that long ago in the march of history that we were fighting the Japanese as the sworn enemy, sworn enemy. My dad, your dads and granddads were fighting the Japanese. Yet after World War II, Harry Truman, Harry S. Truman believed that we should work to help Japan become a democracy. He believed that liberty could transform societies. There was a lot of skeptics then, a lot of people who doubted whether or not the hard work that went into that -- to changing Japan was worth it. You can understand that. First of all, there are skeptics in every society. And secondly, a lot of people in this country's (sic) lives had been turned upside down as a result of the war we had just fought, and they had trouble realizing that an enemy could become a friend.

But there were some people in this country who just refused to yield to the value that we know, that liberty is a powerful, powerful part of everybody's soul. And today I sit down at the table with Prime Minister Koizumi -- I'm going to be doing so here in the next couple of days in New York, too --as a personal friend, but we're talking about keeping the peace. We're talking about how to make this world a more peaceful place. We're talking about the peace that we all long for. Think about that. Here I am talking to the head of a former enemy, working together to make the world a better place.

And that not only means helping Iraq get up on its feet, that means feeding the hungry. Do you realize, our country feeds more empty -- empty stomachs than any country in the world, by far? That means -- (applause) -- that means helping those poor souls on the continent of Africa deal with HIV/AIDS. We're, by far, the most generous nation when it comes to helping people ravished by the pandemic of AIDS. We're working with people together to make this world a better place. (Applause.)

Someday -- we will succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan by being firm in our beliefs, unyielding to the demands of those who want us to quit, those terrorists who are trying to kill people to get us to leave. That's what they're trying to do. We'll be successful. Everybody longs to be free. And when we are, we'll be able to look back and say, the world is better off. Someday, an American President and an Iraqi leader are going to sit down, talking about keeping the peace, talking about how to make a part of the world that is so desperate for freedom become a more peaceful place. And our grandchildren and our grandchildren's children will be better off for it. (Applause.)

I'll tell you what -- (applause) -- not yet, not yet. The stakes are high. These are historic times. I clearly see where I want to lead this country. I know what we've got to do the next four years to make this country a safer place and the world a more hopeful place. And I appreciate you giving me a chance to come and explain why I'm running again.

Now, let me answer some of your questions, and then -- yes, sir?



Teresa Heinz Kerry: Critics Are Scumbags ... Nevermind



Sep 20, 2004
From the New Yorker:
Despite her linguistic prowess and her worldliness, Heinz Kerry has, at times, a deaf ear for the nuances of slang, code, condescension, and vulgarity in English—for the emotion of the language. “There are these bizarre moments that make you shudder,” the Kerry adviser said. “Like calling herself African-American to black audiences.” She dismissed voters skeptical of her husband’s health-care proposals as “idiots,” and, in a television interview with a Pittsburgh anchorwoman, employed the word “scumbags” to describe some of her detractors.

Sep 16, 2004 - AP

Teresa Heinz Kerry makes no apologies for speaking her mind on the presidential campaign trail.

"Someone who's 65 like me being called 'opinionated' because I take a stand and have an opinion? Give me a break!" Heinz Kerry told about 60 mostly black political, community, and business leaders at a library in the city's blighted Homewood neighborhood on Thursday.

...

During the trip, she's fought off a stomach ailment to march in Labor Day parades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and drew headlines by saying "only an idiot" wouldn't support her husband's health-care plan.

E*D Flashback - August 3rd 2004 - THK said:
"They want four more years of hell," she said of the Bush supporters who could be heard chanting "Four more years! Four more years!"

E*D Flashback - July 26, 2004 -
Heinz Kerry attended a Massachusetts Statehouse reception Sunday night for fellow Pennsylvanians, telling them, "We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics." She criticized the tenor of modern political campaigns without being specific.

Minutes later, the Tribune-Review's Colin McNickle questioned Heinz Kerry on what she meant by the term "un-American," according to a tape of the encounter recorded by Pittsburgh television station WTAE.

Heinz Kerry said "I didn't say that" several times to McNickle. She then turned to confer with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and others. When she faced McNickle again a short time later, he continued to question her, and she replied: "You said something I didn't say. Now shove it."


UPDATE!
It turns out the New Yorker was wrong. Heinz Kerry was quoted entirely out of context and was instead referring to public servants... I'm not sure if that makes things better or worse for Heinz. Here is the quote:
"I believe there is a nobility in public service. I believe every citizen can be a public servant. And should be," said Heinz Kerry.

Sally Wiggin asked, "Do you think some of the nobility has gone out of public service?"

Heinz Kerry said, "Oh, there is a lot of scumbags everywhere. Not just in politics. In everything. There are a lot of immoral people everywhere.
Clearly the New Yorker misled readers of that article. In a way, calling our public servants - the police, our firemen, our judges and district attys, and virtually any city employee - calling these people scumbags is far worse than calling her critics scumbags; however, it seems she wasn't really talking about all of them, and who can argue that there aren't a few bad apples here and there? So take from this what you will...


The Kerry Class

It takes a certain kind of person to support John Kerry...



Originally posted 10:12PM, Sep 16 2004

Update: Rather than addressing the behavior of the Union Thug who attacked a little girl, the libs try to shift the focus/change the subject/attack the source. I suppose we wouldn't be bringing physical attacks on ourselves if we would just assimilate to their viewpoint, right?

Update: The left spin finds it's way into an ALMOST balanced article.

Update: An official appology. <- Hat Tip Danette

Update: In the note the President wrote, "Thank you for supporting my campaign. I understand someone tore up your sign. So I am sending you a new sign and a signed picture. Please give my best to your family." The note on the photo read, "To Sophia, Best wishes from me and Barney." Source.


Saturday, September 18, 2004

The Road Less Graveled

The Road Less Graveled
(A down home message for Dan Rather in the colorful Texas idiom he so loves)

Y’all know what we all been thinkin’ out here in Texas, Dan, since you started all this foolishness? We think y’all been pissin’ down our necks an’ tellin’ us it’s rain for so long that you boys done got to believin’ it yourselves. Heck, we think maybe you been back East so long you got yourself thinkin’ us folks out here couldn’t hit sand if we fell off our horses; couldn’t hit water if we fell outta the boat. Danged if you ain’t been treatin’ us like you think we got squirrels swimmin’ in our gene pools or sumthin.’ You need to remind yourself that a tree don’t ever get too big for a short dog to lift his leg on, Dan.

Bout them documents bein’ genuine; well, hells-bells, Danny Boy, Grannie’s glasses are so thick, when she looks at a bare wall she see’s folks wavin’ at her, an’ even she can tell them memos are bout as phony as hips on a rattlesnake. We’re startin’ to think your brain done got harder than a woodpecker’s lips if you can’t see that. As far as that story bout George an’ his National Guard duty, looks to us like you’re tryin’ to put wheels on a cow an’ call it a dairy truck. Then you go pokin’ up her butt hopin’ you’re gonna find ice cream. Besides, ever time you durn fools put that picture of young George in his flyboy outfit on the TeeVee, ol’ Jane Fonda loses another herd of her Vagina Voters. Hell, Charlene says that sweet boy’s purtier than my new tangerine metalflake bass boat.

Well, Danny, you still ain’t lost all your redneck habits; you boys took one pickup load to the dump an’ come back with two. Dadgummit, Dan, where you gittin’ all this stuff? You been callin’ some kinda mystery numbers that ol’ boy, whatsisname, Kenneth, is bringin’ you offa bathroom walls at truck stops? Somethin’ you oughta be worryin’ about, Danny Boy: you know how the boys say when you go on a hunt always make sure to save a round for your huntin’ guide? Like if he don’t find nuthin’ else for you to shoot? You suppose any a them rich, fancy-shmancy, New York dudes you work for ever been on a hunt and heard that, Dan, hmmm?

You know how you always been fond a sayin’ you feel like a long tailed cat in a room full a rockin’ chairs? Well, seems to us like you’re startin’ to look more like the ground floor tenant in a two-story outhouse. Yeah, for sure you ain’t lookin’ like the tallest hog at the trough no more. Why, we bet you got yourself wired so tight right now that if we stuck a chunk a coal up your butt it’d come out a diamond in about five minutes. Last time we seen you on TeeVee your smile looked like Charlene’s little ol’ chihuahua dog that time he bit down on one a them ol’ yeller-jacket wasps; you know, kinda like that look a feller gets when he squats with his spurs on.

An’ about your boss, that city slicker fella, Johnnie Klein, the one said somethin’ bout all us sittin’ out here in our long johns? Well we’re gonna give him some advice so good he can take it out back an’ bury it in a Mason jar. You see, the fact is, Danny Boy, now that all us earthworms is gittin’ guns, you big birds is gonna have to be more careful bout where you’re peckin.’ Somebody needs to tell that dude, Klein, that his cage may still be turnin’ but his squirrel’s done died. Course, maybe the boy can’t help hisself; it might run in the family, you know, generic. We heard tell when he was born his ol’ momma carried the little feller around upside down for a whole year wonderin’ why he only had one eye.

Yeah them ol’ boys up there at Power Line done gone an’ slapped you dudes nekkid an’ hid your clothes. Them blogger cats watched you fellers jump in that ol’ litter box an’ they just flat covered you up, quicker ‘n slicker than WD 40 on a doorknob. Yeah you boys done gone skinny dippin’ in a pond full a snappin’ turtles. Looks like them broadcastin’ geniuses at CBS done let them yeller-dog Democrats talk you inta sellin’ your mule so you could buy a plow. When you crawled into the sack with little Miss McCauliffe you done got yourself a real ugly bed partner there, Dan, like a real three-bagger, I mean. You know the drill: one bag over her head, one over yours and one over the dog’s so’s at least he’ll have some respect for you come mornin.’

Before all y’all up there at CBS go tryin’ to saddle up another hog for a quarter horse race, you need to think about this: us ol’ boys out here know a keyboard ain’t where you hang the pickup keys and a byte ain’t what Bubba’s pit bull did to Cousin Billy; we know modem ain’t what we did when the weeds got up to the porch and digital ain’t countin’ on our fingers, least not any more. Yeah, we done got ourselves a dog in this fight, a bloggin’ pit bull, Dan Boy, an’ he’s justa slobberin’ for another big ol’ bite of Liberal blubber butt. Didn’t your ol’ daddy ever tell you that you ain’t never gonna be the brightest bulb on the tree if you go huntin’ bobcats with a BB gun?

But cheer up, Dan, maybe one a these days all you pointy-headed, liberal, media fellers will see the light. Course, seein’s where y’all seem to be keepin’ them pointy heads, it’ll prob’ly be one a them there things the doctors use.

Whatcha call ‘em, proctoscopes?


Russ Vaughn
A Texan

P.S. Charlene says to yell you don’t even think about comin’ back to Texas. Way folks out here feel, you’d have to tie a pork chop around your neck just to get a dog to play with you. Well, and maybe Mollie Ivins.


Mad at CBS?

Here is who you talk to...

Hat Tip: Russ


You probably haven't seen this...

President Bush's Remarks at Victory 2004 Luncheon
September 17, 2004
Grand Hyatt Washington
Washington, D.C
America and the world are safer. This progress involves careful diplomacy, clear moral purpose and some tough decisions. And the toughest came on Iraq. I knew Saddam Hussein's record of aggression and his ties to terror. When people say, what ties to terror, remind them about Abu Nidal, the killer of Leon Klinghoffer, and his organization. Or Zarqawi. He's the person who beheads people, trying to shake our conscience and shake our will. He was in and out of Baghdad, as were some of his cohorts. Or the fact that Saddam Hussein paid the families of suicide bombers. He had a history of using weapons of mass destruction. It's important for the President and the country to always remember one of the lessons of September the 11th is that we must take threats seriously before they fully materialize. (Applause.)

My administration saw a threat in Saddam Hussein. I went to the Congress; they looked at the same intelligence I looked at, remembered the same history I remembered, came to the same conclusion we came to -- Saddam Hussein was a threat. And members of Congress authorized the use of force. My opponent looked at very same intelligence I looked at, and having looked at it, concluded that Saddam Hussein was a threat, and voted "yes" when it came time to authorize the use of force.

Before the Commander-in-Chief commits the troops into harm's way, he must try all options before the military. I was hoping diplomacy would work, so I went to the United Nations. And the United Nations looked at the same intelligence we did and remembered the same history we remembered, and concluded, with a 15-to-nothing vote in the U.N. Security Council, that Saddam Hussein must disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences. I believe when international bodies speak, they must mean what they say. I believe when the President speaks, he must mean what he says.


...

We got a great military. I'm proud to be the Commander-in-Chief of a fantastic military. It's been my honor to have met many who wear the nation's uniform. These are extraordinary citizens of great courage and great decency, and they deserve the full support of the federal government. That's why, last September, I went to the Congress and asked for supplemental funding of $87 billion to support our troops in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan. And this was an important request. It was for ammunition, spare parts, body armor. It was for fuel, hazard pay, health benefits. This was an important piece of legislation -- so important, support was overwhelming in the United States Congress. So strong that only 12 members of the Senate voted against it -- two of whom were my opponent and his running mate. (Applause.) Do you realize this? Do you realize that four members of the Senate voted to authorize the use of force, and then voted against funding the troops? Only four of 100 -- two of whom were my opponent and his running mate.

So they asked him why, and he said, I actually did vote for the $87 billion -- right before he voted against it. (Laughter.) And he said he was proud of the vote. And finally he just said, it's just a complicated matter. (Laughter.) There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in harm's way. (Applause.)

A President must be clear and a President must mean what he says. During the course of this campaign, my opponent has, I think seven, or maybe eight different positions on the war in Iraq. He was for it, but didn't fund the troops. Then he became the anti-war candidate. Then I think it was at the edge of the Grand Canyon that he said, well, knowing everything we know today he still would have voted for it. Then he said we're spending too much money, and he was on a national talk show earlier that said, we weren't spending enough money. And then he did a radio interview two days ago to try to clear it all up. (Laughter.) And here's what he said: There were no circumstances -- none -- under which we should have gone to war, although his own vote to go to war is the right one and it was right to hold Saddam Hussein accountable. (Laughter.)

Even the radio talk show guy said, I can't tell you what he said. (Laughter.)

Mixed signals are the wrong signals to send our troops in the field, to the Iraqi people, to our allies, and most of all, to our enemy. (Applause.)
I love this part of the President's speeches. He continually updates and fine tunes the speech to represent Kerry's many waffles on the Iraq issue. I truly cannot wait until Kerry is made to answer for his flip flopping (hopefully) in the debates. I think Bush is going to mop the floor with Kerry on Iraq.

If you would like to read the rest of this speech, or any of the President's other remarks, transcripts can be found at whitehouse.gov.


Thursday, September 16, 2004

Let Their Voice Be Heard

Ken, this is powerful. This old cavalry trooper is saying what a lot of us feel bout the Swift Vets and he's right on target about the mainstream media. Those stupid elitist bastards just don't understand how they just ad to our anger every time they denigrate the Swiftees while they try to prop up that traitor's rapidly deteriorating campaign.

Russ
This is an official communication from Thomas C. Wyld, Communications Coordinator, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. If you wish to opt-out of future email communiques, please read the intructions at the close of this letter.

Ladies and Gents:

The following message was sent to SwiftVet Dr. Louis Letson from a friend of his. Doc thought everyone would benefit from reading it, so I thought I'd share it with you. Fair warning, though. It is as powerful as it is heartfelt.

With best wishes,

Tom
- - - - -
September 15, 2004

Dear Lou,

Keep the faith, Lou. You have some pretty big names supporting you, and you also have most of the 2.5 million Vietnam Vets behind you as well. It is these same media personalities (and outlets) that created the lies and stereotypes that have become the image of the Vietnam veteran. Those of us who served know they are lies, but until now we had no credible voice to speak our anger. In the 60's and early 70's there was no internet, no FOX News, no Swiftboat Veterans for Truth. All the country had was ABC, NBC and CBS, along with the NY Times and the Washington Post, all of whom lied aboutus.

You and the Swifties have given us a voice, and we are grateful beyond words. Lou, ou know that I lost my closest brother in Quang Ngai Province in September 1966. He was a Marine Staff Sergeant who died DEFENDING a village with a squad of Marines. Yes, defending the village, not burning it or killing and raping the villagers. His story was told in a book, "The Village," by F. J. West. He was 25 years old and left a wife and two children.

Multiply his story by 58,000, and you have 58,000 families who have been quietly seething for 30 years over the lies and negative stereotypes that were created by the likes of John Kerry, Fonda, Ramsay Clark, and the (then) national media. They still don't get it. They still don't understand that even after all this time we are as angry as ever, because those lies cut very deep and the wounds never healed.

If John Kerry hasn't done anything else, his posturing and chest pounding about his Vietnam War heroics have finally brought about the forum for us, the men who served our nation when asked in Vietnam, to be heard. It is you, the Swift Boat Veterans, who are representing us in this fight for our history and our dignity. All I can say, as one who served in the jungles of III and IV Corps as an infantryman in the First Cavalry Division, and as a brother who lost a brother and more friends than I want to count, is thank you for taking on this fight for us. Thank you and I salute you all.

I would be honored if you would share my thoughts, and support, with the brave men who have stepped forward, at great risk, to speak the truth about Vietnam Veterans. If I had been on a swift boat in Vietnam, I would be right there with you. I did my time carrying a ruck sack and an M-16, and to this day I am proud of what I did over there, and I am proud of what my brother did when he gave his life defending that village 28 years ago today.

Yes, by coincidence, today is the 28th anniversary of his death in a little village in I-Corps. People who wonder why, after 30 plus years we are still angry about the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and their proponents, just don't get it.

Mike Sullivan
Knoxville, Tennessee
D/1/7 Cav
1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam



Wednesday, September 15, 2004

How did I miss this?

I must not be reading enough of the news...

Zell Miller responds to critics:
My critics in the national media are working overtime trying to paint me as an angry nut who got the facts all wrong in my speech to the Republican National Convention. Since there's not enough time to challenge all of these critics to a duel, let me set the record straight here and now.

The Record, set straight.
Via pawigo view


Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Danny Boy

Do you know what I would rather think?
I’d rather think that Dan will blink.
Unable to defend his blather,
From pajama’d fiends that round him gather,
With keyboards blazing out their scorn,
As this great Samson’s locks are shorn.
This first Sequoia, hacked into logs,
Won’t be the last felled by the Blogs.

Dan’s faux reports were belied by the science
Deployed by our robed and unshaved alliance.
We rendered them fakes by letter and line,
This Pajama Brigade, so up yours, Mr. Klein!
Ol’ Dan must admit he’s been outcomputer’d,
Taken to the Vets and journalistically neutered.
One question remains that indeed does perplex us
Must we take him back, out here in Texas?

Russ Vaughn
Texas Hill Country


Caption Contest

I think it would be fun if visitors to E*D took part in a caption contest.

Every once in a while, I scour the AP election photos looking for photos of Kerry which I deem funny. Below are three such pictures. To take part in the caption contest, all you need to do is leave a clever caption in the comments section. I'll pick my favorite, and at the end of the week I will give out a GMail invitation to the winner of each contest.

Ok, on to the pictures...

Picture 1


Picture 2


Picture 3


Organize

These companies advertised on 60 Minutes last Sunday. Let them know how you feel about that network interfering in the American electoral process.

Nissan
nissan-ir@mail.nissan.co.jp
1-800-647-7261

Pfizer
ccfeedback@pfizer.com
1-800-733-9393

Aventis
aventis-ir@aventis.com
1-800-221-4025

Campbell's
Campbells Soup
1-800-257-8443

KIA
1-800-333-4542

Sprint
nicholas.sweers@mail.sprint.com
1-913-624-3000

Aflac
http://www.aflac.com/about_us/media_center_contact.asp
1-800-992-3522

Citi
investorrelations@citi.com
1-800-285-3000

Ameriquest
https://www.ameriquestmortgage.com/contact.html
1-800-523-3964

Splenda
http://www.splenda.com/vcrc/emailform.jhtml
1-800-7-SPLENDA

SBC
drucilla.cessac@sbc.com
1-210-821-4105

Ford
https://www.ford.com/en/company/onvestorInformation/shareholderQuestions.htm
1-800-392-3673

American Express
ronald.stovall@axp.com
1-800-525-3355

Tell these companies what you think about Dan Rather, 60 Minutes and CBS.


Submitted by Russ Vaughn


Monday, September 13, 2004

Been so busy I missed this story

By now, 99% of people who visit blogs know all about the 60 Minutes story and how it was nothing more than a trumped up partisan attack based on forged documents that have ended up doing little more than dragging whatever shred of dignity, credibility, and reliability Dan Blather and his awfully biased 60 Minutes had through the mud.

The very best synopsis on why the documents are fakes can be found here.

Update: Correction, the best site for this is LGF. It was close, though, but LGF PROVED the documents were fakes.

I make it a point to NEVER watch 60 minutes; however, my elderly grandfather takes Dan Blather's poisoned diatribes as the word of God.


I happened to be in the room with my Grandfather when I heard Blather start into his attack on the President, so I picked up the story (weird how I have seen exactly 10 minutes of CBS news in the past month, and those 10 minutes happened be the most scandalous in recent memory.)

I wanted to blog about the story but I have been pretty busy lately. With what little time I could sign online I spent most of it reading the news... Besides, Rush pretty much destroyed the story on his radio show and website so I figured I wouldn't have any sort of chance at a scoop and would basically be talking about a story that had been covered better elsewhere.

I've had a few emails about the story, and people updating me with what is going on with the story, which I really do appreciate; however, I'd already read most of the stories over on Drudge.

What strikes me about this story is that it is entirely irrelevant, and I say this with the knowledge that libs will see me as saying this based entirely on my pro-Bush stance. First of all, Bush never made his service in the National Guard an issue. He didn't make this the centerpiece for his campaign. Most importantly, Bush has 4 years of service as the Commander in Chief of the entire Executive Branch of the US Government. These four years are as recent as they can come. If we are going to look at Bush's track record of service to his country, we ought to look at the most important factor for an incumbent President; how he ran the country in the past 4 years. Since The War on Terrorism and National Security seem to be the most important issues to voters, we should note that Bush's approval ratings on these issues is VERY high. Bush's doctrine of preemption has proven itself a valuable tool in preventing acts of terror AND has led to the liberation of millions of highly oppressed people. The easiest way to stamp out fundamentalism is to introduce liberty and freedom to the Middle East, and President Bush has done just that.

The timing of this release is interesting. Bush, the Chief Executive Officer of the US gave the order that ALL, no some, ALL of his records be released. He did this months ago. It is suspicious that any documents would later emerge as if out of thin air. It is awfully convenient that these documents would emerge within days after the Republican National Convention, during the so called "bounce" period.

It should be noted that Kerry STILL has refused to release all of his documents.
CBS's "Proof" that Bush Lied

Documents damning Bush suddenly appear that apparently weren't around when Bush called for all of his records to be released, right after he starts a climbing in the polls.... hmmm... The guy who supposedly wrote the documents is, conveniently for CBS, unable to refute the authenticity of the documents... hmmm... The guy who supposedly wrote the documents was retired at the time he supposedly wrote the document... hmmm... The alleged author's family says he genuinely liked Bush and his father... hmmm...

Even in spite of all the evidence that suggests the documents were fake, CBS chose to allow Dan Blather to call the president a liar in front of the entire world. CBS may as well be a 527... And their advertisers are nothing more than contributors to the Anti-Bush, Pro-Kerry 527 that is CBS.

Let's, for sake of argument, say that the documents were fake and that CBS either suspected this or knew for certain that the documents were no good. Would CBS go forward anyway? Lets look at the pros and cons.

PRO: There is evidence to suggest that the far left (AKA liberals; AKA moonbats) do not care for facts. The allegation is enough for them because they hate Bush and believe far worse things about him without need for any factual base for such beliefs.


So, maybe 30% of the country will buy the story even if it is proven to be false... Even if CBS retracts the story they will still believe it to be true. So liberal indifference to facts/the truth is a PRO for CBS news.

CON: A potential CON would be that CBS risks its credibility as a trustworthy news source; but, once again, millions of Americans don't care for the truth anyway as long as they hear what they agree with/want to hear, so CBS would only lose credibility among moderates and conservatives; BUT, conservatives have known that CBS is extremely biased and that Dan Blather serves little use beyond a DNC Talkingpoints Zombie. Besides, Conservatives have been tuning into Fox News instead of CBS, so what appears to be a CON might not actually have that much negative impact.

PRO: A definite pro is that you cannot un-ring a bell. Even if the story is eventually retracted or proven wrong, only people who keep a close tab on the news will know this. Most Americans can't even tell you who the Vice President is, but they might remember that there were questions about Bush's service record during Vietnam, which leads to another pro...

PRO: By renewing attacks on Bush's service record, particularly with a BS trumped up story, the entire attention of the blogosphere, talk radio, and other news sources is shifted away from, oh I don't know... The SWIFT VETS!!!

PRO: By making a knowingly false attack on your opponent, you cheapen their same attack on you. The casual observer, unable to sort out all the allegations, facts, and details, will just say, "so what! One side says one thing, the other side says the same thing about the other side, so it must just be partisan attacks without real substance."

Kerry's service record was under major attack, Kerry has been proven to have lied at LEAST about Cambodia and attention was beginning to be paid to his Anti-War activities after he returned from Vietnam, but suddenly there is a scandalous story, most likely based on fraudulent documents, making a similar claim about Bush having lied about his service record... This completely deflates the impact of the swiftvets because suddenly they are old news, there is a far juicier story out there, and the blatantly false attacks on Bush make the casual observer question the validity of similar attacks on Kerry. This is a HUGE pro. for the libs.

PRO: There have been claims that some of the polls showing Bush with a double digit bounce after the RNC were weighted polls, purposely giving Bush an edge so that when real, accurate polls show a smaller bounce, it appears as if Bush has started to drop (making good news for Bush seem like a negative because thought he is still ahead, his lead dropped in half). Throw in the barrage of attacks against Bush, from Kitty Kelley's new book to this CBS smear story, and suddenly we can attribute the "drop" in Bush's numbers to the "startling revelations" about the "truth" of Bush's National Guard Service. This works out to be another Pro for CBS... If they know the polls were weighted in order to make Bush's lead appear to get smaller, then even a false attack could give the perception that Bush is in a freefall; which would influence some voters into thinking Bush is a sinking ship.

So is CBS going to lose viewers over this? Probably not, the conservatives stopped watching CBS, opting instead for FOX, the casual observer is not likely to follow the story in any great detail, and the left will believe it even if they know it to be false... How else do you explain the success of Left Wing Nutjobs like Michael Moore and Al Franken.

Possible PRO: CBS and 60 Minutes might actually get higher ratings because of the scandal. People will be tuning in to watch what they have to say next about this story. Even if they are hurt in the long run in the credibility department, they might see additional revenues in the short term. Every mention of CBS and 60 minutes is free publicity, so even in a negative context, this could work out as a PRO... CBS just has to weather a storm, but they might even come out on top.

So, do I think that the documents are fake? Yes, thanks in large part to LGF pointing this out. Do I think CBS would report a false story to hurt Bush? Well, what do they have to lose? I see a whole lot of PROs and very little CONs... unless I am missing something or my analysis is off.

*Note* This post is a bit unpolished in terms of grammar, spelling, etc. I was pretty tired when I wrote it, but I wanted to finally have something to say about it, so it is up. I will periodically fix errs as I find them.


'Click to Kick' Kerry Campaign

Duane, over at The Forest For The Trees, emailed me with a splendid idea.
Hey Key,

I've started a highly suspect, fairly improper but otherwise fun
"Click To Kick Kerry Campaign" on my blog.

The basic idea is that I'm tired of Kerry ads popping up on my google
AdSense banner so I'm encouraging everyone to click on every Kerry ad
they see on any blog. This will hopefully generate some cash for the
anti-kerry bloggers and will also cause Kerry to spend money on his
adsense ads, money he would otherwise spend on forging TANG memos or
for botox treatments.

If you think it's a good idea pass it on. If you think it's the
dumbest thing you've ever heard that's fine too!


Here is what he suggests:
I recently added the Google AdSense bar to the top of this blog cause, well, free money is always a good thing. After adding the bar I noticed that 90% of the ads are re-elect John Kerry advertisements, most likely because I spend quite a bit of time blogging about Kerry and Google is just that smart.

Well, I've decided that combining my love of money and my distaste for John Kerry would be a great thing to do so I've decided to initiate the "Click to Kick Kerry Campaign". The idea is simple. I go to all my favorite blogs and make sure to click every pro-Kerry ad that I can find, making sure to go through the archives of each blog to ensure I maximize my kicking potential.

The way I figure it, every extra dollar Kerry is billed for his internet advertisement will mean he has one less dollar to spend on re-creating TANG memos or buying ad time in battleground states. And the fact that Kerry will be funding the very blogs that are bringing down his campaign is just a wonderful bit of irony.

So, click away my friends, click away!
A very good idea indeed - but for all lefty sites, not just Kerry. Make Moron.org... err moveon.org and ACT etc pay for their lies.

Also, I think it should be noted that all Adsense members have absolute control over which types of sites may appear on their site. Members are allowed to go in and filter out sites they don't want to appear. This is what I will do if I get Adsense... I want sponsors that people might legitimately want to visit, not lefty sites.


--

On a side note, I was rejected by Google for Adsense for apparently violating policies concerning content (being anti a person/group/etc.) I objected to my rejection stating that I failed to see how my site fit that category and was told the rejection was in err and that I should expect an email inviting me into the program. I have still not recieved that email so I will write another letter of complaint.




An Open Letter to the CEO’s of Corporate America

This is to inform you that whatever portion of your marketing budget that is applied to advertising on CBS is completely wasted in our household. No television set in our home is ever tuned to CBS or any of its affiliates and only infrequently to ABC, NBC or CNN.

We have been concerned for some time that the major networks were becoming less reporters of news than purveyors of political opinion. The current presidential campaign has turned that concern into a certainty. We refuse to underwrite such media interference in the political process with our purchases.

Inasmuch as we are in that demographic that represents the upper quartile of net worth households, you should be concerned that we are representative of a large and growing segment of the population with substantial purchasing power, which will not be exposed to your advertisements unless they are broadcast on Fox News or placed on Internet sites, now our two major sources of news.

Please understand that this is not a threat to boycott but merely to point out that you may be misspending a significant portion of your marketing budget. CBS, in particular, but ABC, NBC and CNN, also, have lost us as consumers of their product.

Do you wish to as well?

A Texas Family

Submitted by Russ Vaughn



Saturday, September 11, 2004

I wish I could blog more...

I have been awefully busy lately. I wish I had time to blog on many topics, but alas it is not to be. I will hopefully post a flurry of updates in the coming days...


Dirty Politics

A heads up from Ed Gillespie
When Georgia's senior Senator, Democrat Zell Miller, delivered the keynote speech at our Republican convention in New York City, he spoke of the Democratic Party's "manic obsession to bring down our Commander-in-Chief."

In response to convention proceedings which outlined President Bush's Agenda for America's Future and a critique of Senator Kerry's policies and Senate record, the Kerry campaign confirmed that obsession by implementing a strategy of vicious personal attacks against the President and Vice President.

Faced with the reality that John Kerry's record is too far out of the American mainstream and without an agenda on which to base his campaign, the Democrat playbook is now wide open and extreme partisans like Tom Harkin, Al Gore and James Carville are attempting to fill the vacuum of positive policies with character assassination.

In a Memo I recently sent to Republican leadership I advised everyone to brace themselves for the coming onslaught.

The Kerry campaign is also bringing in a bevy of former Clinton henchmen, including CNN commentators James Carville and Paul Begala. In August alone, Begala called President Bush a "gutless wonder," said he has a "lack of intelligence," and called Vice President Cheney a "dirt bag." Carville said the President is "ignorant big time" and said "George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are a couple of nobodies."

In a recent column Democratic strategist Susan Estrich's calls the President of the United States and the Vice President of the United States alcoholics.

Senator Harkin said Thursday that President Bush lied about his National Guard service, and lied about the War In Iraq; and last month Sen. Harkin called Vice-President Cheney a "coward."

Just this week former Vice President Al Gore compared President Bush's personal faith to the radical impulses of fundamentalist Islam. Earlier this year he implied that campaigners for the President are Nazis by calling them 'brownshirts.'

Next week, NBC's "Today Show" will be featuring, over three consecutive days, Democrat-donor Kitty Kelley's book, which promises to throw unsubstantiated gossip at President Bush in the same way she falsely maligned the late President Reagan as a date rapist who paid for a girlfriend's abortion and wrongly castigated Nancy Reagan as an adulterer who had an affair with Frank Sinatra.

You too should brace yourselves. Any mention of John Kerry's votes for higher taxes and against vital weapons programs will be met with the worst kind of personal attacks. Such desperation is unbecoming of American Presidential politics, and Senator Kerry will pay a price for it at the polls as we stay focused on policies to continue growing our economy and winning the War on Terror.



Thursday, September 09, 2004

Great Waffles in the News

Every so often I do a search of waffles in the news to see what I can drudge up on John waffles Kerry. Here is a sampling:
Kerry does Iraq: unfit for command?
Thursday, September 09, 2004 (The Oregonian)
DAVID REINHARD
The Republican National Committee may be in big trouble. The RNC, you see, put video out chronicling John Kerry's many positions on Iraq over time -- the flips and the flops, the zigs and the zags, the waffles.
I actually just watched this video. It is pretty damning. I am gonna look for a transcript of the video...
The Herd Species The media and 2004.
Jonah Goldberg - NRO
...
With Kerry, however, the national press was perfectly willing to let him sail into the Oval Office on his metaphorical Swift boat, never explaining the grotesque inconsistencies, flip-flops, waffles, and panders that have punctuated his otherwise perfectly liberal record. In August, during the whole Swift Boat Vet brouhaha, the only "journalist" who managed to fire off a substantive factual question about Vietnam at Kerry was Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's The Daily Show.
I was thinking about this whole Bush National Guard Service thing... how the AP and 60 minutes, and the other new sources spearheaded the most recent drummed up, hyped up attacks at Bush... where were these guys when the swift boats came out? 60 minutes has yet to interview any of the Swiftees! I am entirely unaware of a single Freedom of Information Act request from the major press to release any of Kerry's records that have come into question... I'll get into more of this in a later post.
Laura lauds hubby:
Tower of strength

HELEN KENNEDY - DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
...
Hammering home the Bush campaign's major argument - that the President is an unyielding rock while his opponent waffles and dithers - Laura Bush said he is still the same man she married three months after meeting him at a backyard barbecue, albeit a mite grayer.


I want to post more, but I have other pressing obligations. Perhaps this evening...


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