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Sunday, January 08, 2006

Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes

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PZ Myers • 47 Comments (last page)

Ah, what could have been. If only Howard Dean had been our nominee, rather than Kerry…I ♥ how plain spoken and uncompromisin' he is.

And I think, frankly, that Joe [Lieberman] is absolutely wrong, that it is incumbent on every American who is patriotic and cares about their country t' stand up fer what's right and not go along with th' president, who is leadin' us in a wrong direction.

There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Every person named in this scandal is a Republican. Fire the cannons! Every person under investigation is a Republican. Every person indicted is a Republican. This is a Republican finance scandal. There is no evidence that Jack Abramoff e'er gave any Democrat any money. And we've looked through all o' those FEC reports t' make sure that's true.

Crooks and Liars has th' video o' part o' th' interview, to be sure. The other strikin' thin' is how pathetic and desperate Wolf Blitzer looks—he tries t' spin th' whole thin' into th' usual Republican talkin' points, and Dean just burns that scurvey dog t' th' ground with a glance o' his laser-beam eyes.

Seein' th' Forest makes similar points—Republicans are tryin' t' turn this into a "Democrats do it too" issue, and while we've got some sleaze here and there, in this case 'tis straight up partisan corruption.

This corruption scandal is about people breakin' existin' laws. This is about Republican Congressmen and White House officials indicted fer illegally takin' bribes, by Blackbeard's sword. They took payments in exchange fer abusin' their power, providin' favors t' cronies, and fer usin' their power t' block investigations and oversight.

Please, please, O Democrats: this is what we need, more straight-shooters and take-no-prisoners responses. And hoist the mainsail, and a bucket o' chum! Throw out th' Lieberman and Biden wafflers, and get some more fiery liberals on th' national stage. Maybe Dean is in th' right place t' push us in that direction…at least I hope so.

(via Atrios)

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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56984: — 01/08  at  07:16 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Over th' last several months and even past few years they're practically givin' th' democrats several seats in congress, and an excellent shot at president... I just hope they can cash in. {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if "----- [i]"As with all of ID, the important thing is first to have the concept. Production can then f"}

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"As with all of ID, the important thing is first to have the concept. Production can then follow as a matter of course.” -Dembski

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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if TRUE} 's avatar {/if} #56985: BWJones — 01/08  at  07:37 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} There needs t' be more than us versus them. The ethics problem does not fall entirely along political affiliations as there have been corrupt Democrats throughout recent history as well. Don't get me wrong, those Republicans that are involved in this are absolutely wrong and I entirely agree with Howard Dean, but th' black and white us versus them is no better than Bush's "You're either with us or against us" bullshit, by Blackbeard's sword. I wish there were more choice o' political party out there that would not be a wasted vote.... {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56987: — 01/08  at  07:48 PM {/if}
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and Dean just burns that scurvey dog t' th' ground with a glance o' his laser-beam eyes
Shouldn't that be Dean Cain not Howard Dean:

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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56989: Kate — 01/08  at  07:50 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Right on, PZ! I couldn't agree more.

By th' way (I'm sure this has been said a million times, but) I love th' words in yer "submit th' word ye see below" thin' t' keep th' spammers away. For some reason I get a lot o' satisfaction typin' ev bio words in there. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56993: The Commissar — 01/08  at  08:13 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Well, Professor Myers, we finally agree on a matter o' politics. I would have been delgihted with Dean as th' Dem nominee. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56994: — 01/08  at  08:14 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} It's time th' Democrats stopped bein' polite, civil, and accommodatin' with th' crooks in power. And swab the deck! Let these hypocrites and law-breakers have a taste o' some o' th' medicine they were all too happy t' dish out t' Clinton fer th' lie he told about his inconsequential affair. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56995: Jim Lippard — 01/08  at  08:23 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) received $67,000 in donations from Indian tribes represented by Abramoff, which he be returned.

The ornery cuss ha'nae met Abramoff.

"Aides conceded that th' senator did advocate fer programs pushed by Abramoff's clients aroun' th' time he were bein' acceptin' tens o' thousands o' dollars from associates and clients o' th' lobbyist."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/13/AR2005121301582.html {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56998: — 01/08  at  09:46 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Some o' us get t' say ' I told ye so '. How does a religious 'ethical' voter justify that comely wench votes fer Bush and his compatriots in th' House, avast? I remember well those cries o' 'at least he isnt that lyin' sleazeball Clinton'. Clinton lied, and did many thin's t' make th' world a better place. Ahoy! Bush lied, and keeps on lyin', and .., we'll keel-haul ye, me beauty! th' results are all aroun' us. Nay way out o' Iraq, 'reformed' Medicare that leaves people without needed care, attempts t' trash Social Security, torture, corruption, bribery, incompetent administrators o' crucial agencies, continually climbin' deficits, religious intrusion in public institutions, and on and on it goes.

Dean told th' truth and he were bein' called crazy.

On a scale o' 1-10; fer ethical and principled leadership:

Dean 8
Kerry 6
Bush -6
Delay -666

The Republican Party may just get their just desserts next fall, but th' damage will already be done. The Supreme Court will be set on a track t' make peoples lives worse fer years t' come. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #56999: Fire Ant — 01/08  at  09:59 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Thanks fer th' "MST3K" moment, SEF........and we wonder why most folks are cynical about their politicians. Aarrr! And, as he left th' courthouse, do ye think Abramoff could've looked more like an extra from "The Untouchables" if he tried?? {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57002: Alon Levy — 01/08  at  10:45 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} And I think, frankly, that Joe [Lieberman] is absolutely wrong, that it is incumbent on every American who is patriotic and cares about their country t' stand up fer what's right and not go along with th' president, who is leadin' us in a wrong direction.

I have a dream in which American politicians stop tellin' everybody that anyone who doesn't think or act as they do is unpatriotic, and dinna spare the whip, avast! I have a dream in which they stop throwin' aroun' words that really mean "What I currently think" - freedom, justice, patriotism, and liberty all mean exactly that in American politics.

There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff, not one, not one single Democrat. Shiver me timbers! Every person named in this scandal is a Republican.

That's not enough t' exonerate th' Democratic Party. Nay Republican had an election rigged fer that scurvey dog by Richard J. Daley; does it mean Democrats rig elections more than Republicans do? {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57005: Heliologue — 01/08  at  11:49 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Blitzer just looked like a deer in th' headlights. Dean finished speakin', there were bein' a moment o' silence as Blitzer stated wide-eyed into th' camera, gave a heavy sigh, and said "Unfortunately, we have t' leave it there..."

That were bein' beautiful. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57008: — 01/09  at  12:28 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) received $67,000 in donations from Indian tribes represented by Abramoff, which he be returned.

Though, as Dean pointed out, ye can't exactly call th' tribes "agents" o' Abramoff. They were clients. Yaaarrrrr! Not exactly th' same thin'. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57009: arensb — 01/09  at  12:54 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Quoth Howard Dean:
There are no Democrats who took money from Jack Abramoff

For those who missed it, Think Progress has a summary o' th' Abramoff scandal. And yes, th' list o' players includes three Democrats:

Byron Dorgan, as Dean mentioned, received money from Indian tribes. Tom Harkin received $22,000 from "Abramoff's partners and his clients" and used Abramoff's skybox fer fundraisin' purposes, and were bein' late in reimbursin' that scurvey dog fer it, by Davy Jones' locker. Harry Reid received $66,000 "in Abramoff-related donations", and wrote a letter on behalf o' th' Coushatta Indians who were also Abramoff clients.

So Dean appears t' be right. The "partners and clients" phrasin' is smear-by-association: Abramoff stole from tribe X, which also gave money t' politician Y; therefore, Y is in cahoots with Abramoff. As events unfold, it may turn out that some Democrats were involved (and should be punished t' th' extent o' their guilt, same as Republicans), and there are a few gray areas, but so far, th' statement "The Abramoff scandal is a Republican scandal" seems as incontrovertible as "ID is creationism". {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57010: — 01/09  at  01:52 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Abramoff is goin' t' jail fer defraudin' th' tribes. They're th' victims, pass the grog! The recipients o' contributions from th' victims are hardly complicit in th' fraud. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57012: — 01/09  at  02:16 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Who Howard Dean?
(see me location fer reason t' Q. Shiver me timbers! )

It won't do any good.

Hilary Clinton will be elected in2008, do 2 terms, then th' christians will just "win" in 2016, arrange a Reichstag fire, suspend yer constitution, and then 'tis "Handmaid's Tale" time ....... {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57015: arensb — 01/09  at  04:00 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} I like Tom Toles's Jan. 8 cartoon on th' subject:
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57018: — 01/09  at  07:23 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} As o' now Howard Dean is officially th' only national Democratic politician fer whom I have any respect. I wish he could perform a spinal-column transplant on some o' our pathetic wishy-washy members o' Congress. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57020: Paris — 01/09  at  07:58 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Speakin' o' Hilary Clinton, th' NYT reported that that comely wench office were bein' donatin' funds that were some how associated with th' scandal; add that t' th' list o' other Dems identified by afore comments and Dean's straight-shot is missin' th' broad-side o' th' barn. Even acknowledgin' th' distinction betwixt takin' money from Abramoff and takin' money from his clients, claimin' that only Republicans are part o' th' problem is misleadin'. The whole lobbyin' system as it actually functions is sleezy and problematic and some people got caught this time, but I'm not sure th' political party o' th' participants has a whole lot t' do with it.

That said, Dean appears t' be th' only Democrat with backbone, so its fine by me if his rhetoric gets ahead o' that scurvey dog occasionally. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57021: — 01/09  at  08:02 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} If ye really think Abramoff were bein' funnelin' money t' Democrats, I believe ye need t' Google "K Street Project" and get a clue as t' what th' Abramoff / DeLay contraption were bein' all about. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57027: Alon Levy — 01/09  at  09:01 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} That said, Dean appears t' be th' only Democrat with backbone, so its fine by me if his rhetoric gets ahead o' that scurvey dog occasionally.

Remind me, what is his position on trade, again? {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57028: Alon Levy — 01/09  at  09:03 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Oh, and I forgot: every politician who said "we need t' create high-payin' jobs and keep them away from China" needs t' be treated with th' same respect mainstream Americans treat those who say "we need t' keep good jobs away from niggers." {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57029: — 01/09  at  09:12 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} I admittedly part company with many Democrats in that I strongly favor free trade, whose benefits I frankly think they dern't fully savvy. Nevertheless, if ye really think advocacy o' keepin' jobs here rather than seein' them migrate t' a foreign country, is logically or ethically equivalent t' advocatin' keepin' them away from a particular ethnic group within th' country, ye're cognitively in about th' same shape as Ariel Sharon is in right now, me beauty. More likely, ye're just randomly bullshittin'. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57031: — 01/09  at  09:23 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Free trade has many positives, but th' complex regulatory treaties passed in recent decades called free trade agreements aren't, I'll warrant ye. Of course, th' US government has a long history o' misleadingly named laws, such as th' Patriot Act and Clean Skies. Many o' th' "free trade" agreements, especially in th' area o' copyrights and patents, are precisely th' opposite o' what they claim, greatly expandin' existin' monopolies by pushin' th' US's pro-DRM copyright maximilist position on other nations. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57032: — 01/09  at  09:26 AM {/if}
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add that t' th' list o' other Dems identified by afore comments and Dean's straight-shot is missin' th' broad-side o' th' barn.


That is what bothers me about th' approach Dean takes, ye scurvey dog. I very much agree 'tis an attractive attitude and we probably do need it--but it tends t' come at a price, with a chest full of booty. Makin' such bold, absolutist statements almost always glosses o'er some minor details. Nay matter how insignificant they are, they can still be exploited t' make th' speaker look foolish or dishonest. You dern't need more than this t' establish Republican talkin' points. I guess me complaint is just that I'd like Dean t' do a tiny bit more research, so he could append at th' end o' his statment "I think a few Democrats had contributions from some o' Abramoff's victims."

Also, I believe I've heard on Chicago-area news that Durbin is returnin' a (very small) contribution that he thinks is Abramoff-related. {/if}
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{if FALSE} Trackback: Dean shows off superpowers, annihilates foes Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57033: — 01/09  at  09:40 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} "Dean's approach" has th' singular advantage o' bein' th' truth, rrt. And Dean DID say he had gone o'er th' FEC reports t' make sure. Gettin' a contribution (paltry compared t' what they gave Republicans) from an Indian tribe that had been an Abramoff client is NOT AT ALL th' same thin' as gettin' money FROM ABRAMOFF. That really shouldn't be hard t' savvy! Shiver me timbers! (Dean certainly had no trouble makin' it clear on CNN.) And anyone who comprehnds th' purpose and methods o' th' DeLay contraption will immediately savvy that 'tis completely implausible that Abramoff would have been involved in channelin' money t' Democrats. {/if}
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