Saving Private Lynch - a Made-Up Story.

I think you've nailed it, Snood.

The sucker quotient is not a forever thing. Once people start to ask questions, then doubt, then lose confidence, it is very difficult to regain any lost footing.

I think the revelation of the Lynch story was such that at first it was hard to believe. "It's a made up story by the Bush haters..." But more and more accounts started coming out - accounts that could verify each other, with no WH rebuttal. More and more, the disillusionment set in. And the heros of the story are still the same - the young military. The villains have changed, however, and tha's important.

So the stage was set for the Iraq-Niger story to come out, with participants willing to give their names, rather than "sources." One thing added to another starts to make a cumulative effect., and then it starts rolling.

Bush today made a statement that discussion about the Iraq -uranium business is over, closed. Finished. (He wishes.) Meanwhile, Tenet assuming the responsibility is interesting, particularly in view of the fact that the stories are already out there about the CIA, other intelligence, foreign intelligence warning the WH to tread very carefully. So, by inference, Tenet suggests there was pressure brought to bear upon him.

The latset Washing Post/CBS Poll shows evidence of crumbling belief in the administration. Will they be able to shrug this off? I don't know. Although many of the teflon Reagan men are still there, it's not the same.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/vault/stories/data071103.htm?nav=hptop_ts

mamaj, From where I sit, that's still a discouraging poll for those of us that can't believe how this president continues to enjoy a positive rating after he's been responsible for so much misery in this world. c.i.

CI - it's the constant drop of the drip. The thing is, he won a war in Iraq; he's been on an African trip; they quote him and buzz him - the numbers are dropping. As the economy continues its decline (NY Times today had a front page story on more job loss among blacks than whites - and not in the McDonald's sector) and the courts seem to be trying to finally act like what they're supposed to; and the repub health care plan is not looking so good to seniors - as all these things happen, it doesn't get any better for Bush. Now, I can't remember whether this poll reflects it or not ---but on the MSNBC version of this poll it says that more Americans are worried about our reputation overseas (more than are not worried), some think the damage done to French and german relations is permanent. What this means is that there is more interest in the outside world than the WH would have you believe - not only interest, but the importance of it.

A while back I heard Kohut of the Pew research group say that once Bush started hitting in the 50's, he'd better start watching. And if the public started showing interest in the areas the WH doesn't want them to - the WH better wwatch out.

I never had any confidence in the Dimson - but my confidence in the public is also very low. Consequently, I think the idiotic resident of the white House is going to escape again unscathed.

snood, That's the same feeling I have; this guy's going to escape any penalty he deserves for treating humanity so crassly. The majority of the American people are blind, dumb, and dumber. c.i.

The penalty will be paid, somewhere, somehow - in the end. However, the American people will have to suffer the consequences.

If only the majority of the people in the US could only be as open minded and worldly as you guys, right? What a wonderful country this would be...

Hey, Thanks, McG!

Just doing my part, Snood.

Open is as open goes. The TIA program - remember that? John Poindexter's baby? Seems that Congress isn't going to fund it. And Patriot II may also be in trouble. We'll take our kindnesses where we find them.

mamaj, Where did you learn that Patriot II was in trouble? c.i.

CI - I read it in a news item in either the New York Times or the Bergen Record - buried inside some article. If I don't mark it immediately, it's gone, so it's rare that I neglect that. I will continue searching, and let you know. As I recall, it wasn't a definite notice. It was in a paragraph about funding, and it said that funding for the TIA had not been appropriated, and that from the looks of it, neither would the patriot II. Apparently, more than just a ew in congress are worried about that one.

I was aware of the effort to stop funding for TIA, but find nothing in the news about a similar move relative to the Domestic Security Enhancement Act (Patriot II). I'm not sure when it comes up for a vote, but don't expect it to pass. (Just my personal opinion. I could be wrong.)

I try to scan our local newspaper from cover to cover, but don't remember seeing anything on TIA funding or Patriot II. c.i.

CI - Google has a pretty good News search feature that I find very useful in seeing what's currently in the media on a given topic:

http://news.google.com/

Here are a couple of links to stories mentioning the pending (?) funding cut:

Congress introduces bill to kill TIA

Funding for TIA All But Dead

Curiously, this story by the Washington Times discusses the "threat" of TIA without any mention that it is likely to be killed:

Pentagon to dig into marketing data on citizens

Marine Who Helped Rescue Iraq POW Killed

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) - A Marine who helped in the rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch in Iraq was shot to death at a family barbecue, just 12 days before he was to be discharged.

Lance Cpl. Sok Khak Ung, 22, and a family friend, Vouthy Tho, 21, were killed early Sunday in a garage at a Long Beach home by a gunman who fired six to eight shots before fleeing, police said.

Story Here

Amerika Needs a Hero
The Firefighters were heroic and then went on strike.

Pvt. Lynch joined so that she could get her college paid for. Now she can go. She will be a millionaire. This is the Amerikan capitalist way. A success story.

Lies and damned lies.

I believe that this present Regime studied the Third Reich model of Prop-up-ganda seriously.

Pistoff -- Look at Krugman's link between Kissinger's dissertation and the current admin in Russell Baker's article in the latest NYRB.

pistoff, inside a lot of angry you raise many a valid point