It isn't very important in the scheme of things to focus on a leader's moral lapses, or to commiserate with the betrayed wife and family.

I for one was quite shocked that the Edwards affair turned out to be true. I won't hide the fact that I always supported Obama during the primary, but Edwards was always my second favorite and I had hoped he would either be Obama's VP or Attorney General. I can see now that this isn't in the cards. For all intents and purposes his political career is probably over. I can't help but really be pissed off as well.

Ever since 9/11, Bush/Cheney have showered billions of dollars in aid on the Pakistani government and military, despite abundant evidence that Musharraf and the ISI were continuing to support the Taliban. The Pakistani military spent the vast majority of their booty on weapons designed to confront India, rather than Islamic terrorists. All the while Bush/Cheney have insisted that Pakistan was "our vital and loyal ally". Well, guess what? Pakistan is not our BFF. They are actively pursuing their own interests, and have played Bush as a patsy.

Now here's a story

Yes, I said a story.
Stories can be true, not true, not quite true, and completely false.
I think this one belongs somewhere in between.

For many Americans Colin Powell's trip to the UN solidified their support for the Iraq war.  I needed no such reassurance.  John McCain supported the war and so I felt comfortable and confident.  In 2002, it seemed unimaginable that John McCain would follow President Bush blindly.  Those of us who campaigned for McCain in 2000 fought on the front lines of the first battle to stop the Bush regime.  

I don't want to get into the details of the decision to support the war: the influence of September 11th and politics, the capitulation of Democratic critics, or the silencing of dissent by the media.  I was a victim of and accomplice to all of that.  

What I do want to talk about is the tragedy of post-2000 John McCain.  This is not to say that the reality of pre-2000 McCain is as impressive or positive as I felt it was when I supported him, but instead to show how cold heartedly and cynically he betrayed those who eight years ago looked to him for leadership.  

There really isn't much more to be said about this other than... If that hack Ashcroft knew that the President's wiretapping order was illegal, then why don't the Dems in the Senate?

All respect due to Senators Dodd, Fiengold, Boxer, Brown, Cantwell, Cardin, Harkin, Kerry, Menendez, and Wyden for upholding the constitution and our Fourth Amendment rights.

. . . all I got left is cynicism, snark and recycled outrage.

See, it was easy back in '06 - when things were soooo bad. I mean, outrage was running, what – buck-and-a-quarter, maybe six bits a gallon back then, right? I was livin’ large, drivin' the Escalade of outrage – we all were. And it was easy back then to figure out who our collective outrage should be aimed at:

Those filthy, nasty Republicans

- who, after all, were actually running things, so blaming everything on them was totally legitimate.

And I was committed to taking Congress away from those cretinous bastards so we could put a stop to the occupation of Iraq, and to warrantless wiretapping of Americans, and to the whole idea of the President as king. You know, like we did 230 years ago, right?

(Cross posted from Docudharma)

For 40 years I have been told be patient, work within the system, elect more Democrats.  In all that time I have seen few victories and most of those merely symbolic (ooh, they increased the minimum rage by 15 cents an hour), and these anemic victories have been overwhelmed by the horrendous losses the American people have suffered time and time again.  There has been a steady erosion of our Constitutional rights, economic inequality has increased, the working poor and the middleclass have been robbed at every turn by the filthy rich and our government has become more corrupt, more warlike and more evil.  We now openly torture our prisoners and publicly argue that it is our right to do so.

Benedict Arnold's Letter To The Inhabitants of America

I should forfeit, even in my own opinion, the place I have so long held in yours, if I could be indifferent to your approbation, and silent on the motives which have induced me to join the King's arms.

I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to those of you who oppose my decision to support the FISA compromise.

Now, I understand why some of you feel differently about the current bill, and I'm happy to take my lumps on this side and elsewhere.

I cannot promise to agree with you on every issue. But I do promise to listen to your concerns, take them seriously, and seek to earn your ongoing support to change the country.

Why Bush and McCain let Osama bin Laden Escape

The answer is clear. Read on.

Yes I said good not great, not the best, not the second coming of Jesus. Senator Obama is a good man, isn't that enough?

As you sit whining over your beer, your wine or your weed, depending on your persuasion, complaining about being betrayed, may I suggest you take a deep breath and consider what you really want to happen in the election and what you really want to start happening next year?

Why am I such an incurable romantic? Why, oh why, did I give my heart so easily? I should have known. It's happened to me before. I never learn.

My choices are always bad. Liberal politicians. They make you big promises and then let you down. But, oh, they say such sweet and promising things.

How could you Barack. How could you do this. (sob) Please excuse my tears. Sorry for my inability to just suck it up. No stiff upper lip. Not British you know.

[Cross-posted at The Left Coaster.]

When the FISA scandal first broke in 2005 I had an embarrassing evolution of crestfallen naiveté, for some basic searching of Bush video archives soon turned up a 2004 clip of Bush babbling a series of FISA rationalizations, followed by a total 100% screaming lie by Bush that in regards to American government surveillance on its citizens since 9/11, why, "nothing’s changed."

For an earnest Democrat beaten silly with the clip I did not have sex with that woman my heart soared with an absurd hope that here was a presidential video lie of real substance and horror, finally our media would work and nail this lying bastard by airing the clip over and over again, day after day, week after week until some form of accountability was cranked out, truth and justice bravely shone forth to every soul in the country from the Woodstein heroes of my youth, our intrepid brave journalists.

(Cross posted from Docudharma)
 
I came of age in the time of Nixon and Vietnam.  I learned then that our government was not to be trusted, that they lie to us whenever it’s convenient and that there is nothing pure about their motives.  I also learned to suspect that elements of our government played an active role in the assassination of John Kennedy and possibly others.  I’m not saying they did, just that I’ve pondered that possibility for most of my life and not without reason.  I still have to wonder.  The possibility that our government is that fucking evil shouldn’t seem like such a stretch to anybody these days.

We should not be so hard on our House of Representatives today, despite their abrogation of their Constitutional oaths.  Nor should we condemn the Senate in the days or weeks ahead for what is sure to follow there, or even President Bush for asking for these unprecedented departures from our Rule of Law.  This is a difficult time for America, a time that tests even the greatest leadership.  And the actions that our Congressional leaders are taking are not a journey into unexplored territory, but rather a parallel to those taken by a military hero and national leader not far in the past....

We need campaign finance reform before ANY other thing.

As long as the Steny Hoyer and Tom DeLay types can sell out the American people to the highest bidder, we will continue to be sold out.

Impeach the Bush Crime Family................ not happening.
Defend Our Sacred Constitution............... not happening.
Bringing "Accountability" to the Evildoers... not happening.

Universal Healthcare......................... not happening.
End the Iraq Occupation...................... not happening.
Clean up the financial crisis................ not happening.

I fell for Obama's speeches and even donated money. NOW THIS... And I find out that Obama did not learn a lesson from backing Joementum over Ned Lamont. Obama is once again attempting to help a renegade 'DINO' (Bush Dog) over a netroots candidate with guts.

Sickening how people connive to betray for money... but no real suprise, it's been happening ever since Judas took his 30.

RMD  

Forgive me if others have written about this, but it stuck out like a sore thumb when I read the roll call for the FISA vote.  For the record, I don't live in Kansas, didn't donate to or volunteer for her campaign, or otherwise have much to do with Ms. Boyda.  But Representative Boyda has been held up like a poster child for how it is politically savvy for Democrats in conservative districts to oppose retroactive immunity.  And yet when the rubber met the road, she caved.

More on the flip...