BushCo hates bloggers in the name of national security

The Bush Administration strenuously opposes Sen. Arlen Specter’s media shield law. Why?

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the bill would erect roadblocks to gathering information “from anyone who can claim to be a journalist, including bloggers.”

The legislation gives an overly broad definition of journalists that “can include those linked to terrorists and criminals,” wrote Attorney General Michael Mukasey and National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the nation would be more vulnerable to “adversaries’ counterintelligence efforts to recruit” those shielded by the bill.

Bullshit, bullshit, and bullshit.

We know the real reason they’re saying this is the same reason Mukasey took top blog Talking Points Memo off the AG’s daily e-mail news summary mailing.

They hate bloggers.

Why?

TPM got former AG Alberto Gonzales canned over partisan firings of district attorneys.

Bloggers got House Democrats to stiffen up and pass a FISA bill without telco immunity.

Bloggers took Bush, Uncle Fester Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld et al to task on Iraq long before the mainstream media had a clue.

George W. Bush, for the remaining nine and a half months of his term (not starring Mickey Rourke as Bush) wants to spy on bloggers.

It’s that simple.

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A Czar For Every Season!

From the Homeland Security blog of Michael Chertoff we learn of the important announcement of the appointment of the latest Bush Administration czar. What? You didn't know the Crypt Keeper/Skeletor had his own blog? Oh yeah; it is called "The Leadership Journal". From Michael "What? There Is A Storm In New Orleans?" Chertoff? The jokes really write themselves.

Today, Secretary Rice and I appointed two experienced leaders to serve as senior advisors for Iraqi Refugee Affairs within our Departments. These individuals will report directly to us and guide our efforts to re-settle Iraqi citizens seeking asylum in the United States. (DOS, DHS)
...
Our new Iraqi Refugee Czars will make sure we meet both of these objectives, and that our re-settlement process moves forward swiftly and with our highest priority. We welcome your comments and appreciate your time.

Well, this just proves the prophecy of my comment during the frantic search for the war czar. There are getting to be so many czars in the Bush Administration that they clearly need a czar to keep track of all of them. A czar czar if you will. I again nominate Czar Czar Binks. Should he be nominated, but unwilling to serve; I then recommend Czar Czar Gabor.
Hat tip to Scout Prime at First Draft.

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Because PrchrLady Asked For It

WARNING! The following post contains images that may be too intense for young children or pregnant women. Parental Discretion is advised.











In a comment to this post, PrchrLady wondered if Michael Chertoff and Harriet Miers paired off together, what would their children look like. Because Watching Those We Chose is a full-service blog, here's your answer, PrchrLady:

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Chertoff

One name being tossed about for the U.S. Attorney General is Michael Chertoff. One thing that's always struck me about Chertoff is his strong resemblance to the Crypt Keeper of the anthology TV series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO. Is that the face we want heading the Justice Department?

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Brian Ross Backs Up Chertoff's Gut Feeling

Is this serious? The Bushies like to cry wolf when they want attention, but that doesn't mean a wolf doesn't live in the woods.

There have been reports that Al Qaeda has regrouped in Pakistan and there is no good reason not to believe those reports. After all we are scared spitless that Pervez Musharraf will fall if he fights Al Qaeda too hard. There is no election at stake.

Larry Johnson has an alternative theory.

Some malevolent, media savvy jihadi sympathizers have been watching us with great amusement since the two bozos failed to blow themselves up or kill anyone in the London/Glasgow terrorist fiasco. They now realize they only need to pass on seemingly credible threats and we, like the tigers chasing each other round the tree in Little Black Sambo, will turn ourselves into pancake batter. The aspiring terrorists do not have to do a thing beyond generate the threat. We'll inflict the rest of the wounds ourselves on ourselves.

Brian Ross' reference to the London and Glasgow terrorist attacks would seem to give Johnson's theory some support. Personally, I am not going to break out the depends, but I am not going to be shocked if we are hit.

One final point, actually it is a question for our Commander In Chief. Why the hell are Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Zawahiri still walking the Earth free men?

Oh, yeh, I remember, we had to divert our military to make war on Iraq. Thanks Gabe at Eye Of The Witch for reminding me.

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Ben Stein Contributes To Al Franken's Campaign

RawStory has posted an article entitled Franken 'wins' Ben Stein's money for Senate run. Written by Ron Brynaert the article chronicles the contributions to Franken's senatorial campaign by his showbiz buds. Conservative Blogger Saint Paul at Fraters Libertas has scanned Franken's recent FEC report and has created an extensive list. The headline is catchy and it involves the "biz." Beyond that not much to learn, except that it links to some wingnut named Brian Maloney of the Radio Equalizer. Maloney is shocked that Republican Ben Stein would ever contribute money to a Democrat even if the Democrat is a personal friend.

The other day I read a story posted at TheHill.com . It seems Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff referred to Edward Kennedy's work on the immigration bill as awesome. Redstate's Kowalski went nuts. TheHill reports that

Chertoff said he doesn’t spend a lot of time reading blogs, but suggested comments in the blogosphere and on talk radio or cable television have created a climate that makes it tougher to get support for the immigration bill. While some blogs are “well-reasoned,” he said some “have a lot of capital letters and exclamation points” as well as curse words and attacks on people’s motives.

“That’s where we lose perspective over language sometimes, that you’re a sellout or a traitor if you support the bill,” Chertoff said.

How tribal have we become when Republican Ben Stein can't spend a $1,000 of his own money to help one of his friends? Why can't wingnuts have moonbat friends anyway? Aren't we all Americans first?

As Michael Chertoff points out the tribal atmosphere makes it very difficult for people of goodwill to reach a compromise on any difficult subject. I may not like the immigration bill, but it is nice to know that Michael Chertoff and Edward Kennedy worked together to fashion a compromise. That's democracy.

All the moonbat v wingnut tribalism we encounter these days reminds me of Sunni v. Shia. We all know how well that is working out.

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