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The Day Ahead. . .Filling Time Pre-Fitzgerald Announcement
Share / Recommend - Comment - Print - Friday, Oct 28 2005, 7:33AM
I'm off this morning to meet with Nancy Roman, Washington Director of the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss her report that calls for a bipartisan foreign policy. (. . .but just popped a couple of pain pills.)
My colleague and good friend Mark Schmitt took the CFR and Roman to task for the report, pretty harshly in fact.
I am very interested in this subject of re-building an "enlightened, pragmatic center" in foreign policy circles -- not to be a compromise between right and left -- but mostly to get us back to some groove that blends realism about America's opportunities and challenges with a strong sense of inspired (and inspiring) ethical behavior and humanitarian concern.
So, we are going to chat about bipartisanship. I really do think that the problem lies less between parties -- and rather with factions inside each party -- but should be an interesting discussion.
I need to do something to fill the time before the Fitzgerald announcement.
Be back with you later.
-- Steve Clemons
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What went so wrong? Only Libby being indicted and Rove walks====This is a Major Disappointment.
Where is the Outrage from the Democrats?,,How could every Media Outlet have this so wrong?
Republicans will be dancing in the streets today,,their Boy Genius has dodged a bullet and we still won't know who leaked the CIA Agents name.
With this news today the Radical Right will think they can get away with anything and they don't have to answer for their Corrupt behavior sending a message they can Rape and Rip Off America for another 3 years..
God Save Our Country
Well-put. We really do need to have a foreign policy that combines the best of American idealism about creating a better world for all mankind with a realistic sense of what we can accomplish. My biggest frustration is how the Bush rhetoric (some of which sounds very enlightened) becomes meaningless in the context of the actual neocon policies they follow.
If Rove remains under investigation, it could be a continued distraction for the White House spin machine.
The papers will be released at noon eastern and Fitz is having a press conference at 2pm eastern.
Rove is NOT off the hook if he is not charged today.
I'm starting to become an isolationist in my old age. Frankly, I have no idea what a bipartisan foreign policy even means anymore and the word "idealism" anywhere in the mix makes me physically ill.
Any policy has to be, for me, completely void of slogans, rhetoric (like "idealism") and lofty goals. I want to hear specifics: what country, how much, tipping points for intervention, expected results, concrete measuring. Anybody starts talking to me about Freedom and Democracy better answer to my shotgun.
I don't know why I'm channeling Pat Buchanan this morning.
I hear you vachon....
Basing our foreign policy and culture on a bed of lies/slogans doesn't work in the long run.
but owning up to the truth seems to be beyond most Americans- regardless of party.
And don't even start on the media...they wouldn't know truth if they ......(fill in cliche of your choice)
What our foreign policy needs is a melding of the far left and far right, not the please everybody centrists. That's exactly what we have now. Bush, Kerry, Hillary, McCain all propose the same vague and meaningless sloganeering policy. It's Feingold, Hagel, and Ron Paul who can lead us to rationale polices which make some sense. But like Ruffian said, this country can't handle the truth. They're too busy dreaming of our manifest destiny.
... re-building an "enlightened, pragmatic center" in foreign policy circles -- not to be a compromise between right and left -- but mostly to get us back to some groove that blends realism about America's opportunities and challenges with a strong sense of inspired (and inspiring) ethical behavior and humanitarian concern.
More importantly, I would think, to establish and maintain some kind of consistency in our approach to foreign policy, regardless of which party is in office.
The Bush administration's intent in its foreign policy posture seemed to be to cause maxmum disjunction among our allies. Is this a posture that can be sustained by subsequent administrations? And should it be?
We need a man like NM Governor Bill Richardson to run this country in 08.. He has proven himself on the World stage and is Working hard to fight the battle of Securing our Borders from "illegals" flooding into our Country.
Richardson also was the first Leader to work to get Increased Survivor Benefits for NM National Guard Troops killed in Iraqi.
Rove will be indicted today, then Rove and lawyer Luskin will scream "Fitzgerald Lied to us, he told no indictment! Fitzgerald is a Liar!"
And the Swiftboating of Fitzgerald begins in earnest.
as someone who knows a little something about the federal system - rove is a rat. he's cooperating just like his buddy novak... this is a face saving deal for rove engineered by his lawyer.
he didnt want to be indicted, nor did he want to be clearly shown to be cooperating/a rat - so they put together this deal to thread the needle.
cheney is in fitzgeralds scope - and rove is helping the government make its case.
Rove provide help against Cheney? In the words of Jerry Seinfeld: I don't think so!
Yeah, Rove's only interest is to keep Bush shielded from all taint, and pin the whole Iraq deception on Cheney and Libby. So Rove is squealing on Cheney to make him the fall guy who deceived the Boy King. Rove has no loyalty to Cheney, only Bush, and since the jig is up concerning the Iraq WMD deception, Rove is singing putting the finger on only Cheney, Libby, and the VP office in general. Bush was duped by his trusty VP, and Cheney is the one who goes down as dirt in history.
Wow, this really could play like Forrest Gump, President and Secret Agent. Seemingly dim President uncovers the source of all the trouble as the enemy he'd wisely held close to his bosom lo these many years. Lone Ranger Bush and Kemo Sabe Karl. Fooled everybody. As the Freepers would say: Briliant!!!
Having heard my senator, Richard Lugar speak many times, it is very clear that he is at odds with the wingnuts in the GOP over destruction of nukes and other WMD in the FSU. Lugar has been battling his own party to properly fund Nunn-Lugar for years. Unfortunately, Lugar cannot build a coaltion with moderate Democrats without losing his chairmanship. The last time he tried, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was handed over to Jesse Helms.
CNN says Libby was just indicted.
The Conservatives have chosen to destroy the line between policy and politics. Until this equation changes, any talk of bi-partisanship and policy will not be very fruitful.
On the topic of "bipartisanship":
I have no idea what views are within the Washington
political establishment. But speaking as a citizen
outside of this environment, my view is as a
Democrat is that the roadblock to bipartisanship,
at least for Democrats, is passionate anger at
the Republicans and at Bush.
Bush's support among Democrats is under 20%.
There is huge anger at the direction that Bush
and the Republicans have taken our country. There
is huge anger that the Republicans like Rove,
Ann Coulter and others have said that our dissention
about Republican policy is unpatriotic. There
is huge anger at the claim that only a Republican
who follows "Dear Leader" can be a patriot. There
is huge anger at the corruption and winning at
any cost mentality that is characterized by Karl
Rove.
The problem with bipartisanship at this point is
that this anger manifests itself in an unwillingness
to do anything that will help the Republicans in
any way, unless other courses are worse (e.g., the
outcome for the country would be bad enough to
justify working with Republicans).
I will never, ever vote for a Republican. I despise
them all. I long for nothing more than their
electoral defeat. Until power is taken from their
hands and they can no longer continue policies that
are severely damaging the country, I think that
the Democrats should concentrate on opposition
to the Republicans. Screw "bipartisanship".
The probe is expanding, its not over
Rawstory says this:Those close to the investigation say inquiry expanding...
State Dep't and National Security Council figures probed...
Rove may be in hotter water: Sources say he was offered
a perjury deal but turned it down.... At least three officials
in the case have agreed to provide additional information,
setting the stage for an explosive, continuing probe...
Lawyer for Wilson plans 3 p.m ET press conference
THIS MEANS BUSH, CHENEY and others could be indicted later on!!
I LOVE FITZMAS!
BUSH IS IN TROUBLE
2 cts perjury
2 cts lying to FBI
1 ct obstruction of justice
He can do serious time on these in federal prison. This is only going to get better...
not enough. not enough by far, yet.
"The Conservatives have chosen to destroy the line between policy and politics. Until this equation changes, any talk of bi-partisanship and policy will not be very fruitful." - PolicyWonk
I think you are dead on here. Rove's experience with electioneering and direct mail hardly qualify him to be in charge of domestic policy - tax reform, health care? - yet he's in charge of that for the White House. Not to mention the Katrina rebuild, which he has slow walked as political payback for Gov. Blanco's White House criticisms.
Imagine the Republican outrage had James Carville been appointed Domestic Policy Advisor by Clinton.
It's brilliant political strategy, but its bad for the country. What is plays well politically and what is good policy are NOT always the same. Who is left to stand up for the national good when all policy is directed by campaigners.
Will that genie ever return to the bottle?
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