Open Threads

Alright, here is what we agree on, for now:

1.) Valerie Plame worked for the CIA, was stationed in Washington at the time of her outing, and previously had been a covert agent.

2.) Joseph Wilson, husband of Valerie Plame and former ambassador to Iraq, was sent by the CIA to investigate claims that Saddam Hussein was interested in/trying to buy uranium (ignore precisely what he was doing in Niger for now- we can get to that later).

3.) Valerie Plame recommended her husband to CIA authorities for the job, as he had extensive contacts in Africa from his numerous years of previous service.

4.) Joseph Wilson, either on his own volition, or at the behest of the NY Times, wrote an editorial critical of the Bush administration and many claims made by the Bush administration and was quoted widely in major media outlets prior to the ‘outing’ of his wife.

5.) After 9/11, the administration advanced the argument that it was no longer acceptable to allow Saddam Hussein to remain in power, as he had used chem/bio weapons in the past, it was believed (or at least asserted) that he had stockpiles of weapons, he seemed intent on obtaining WMD, etc. Thus, a main argument used to sell the necessity of the war in Iraq was that he should no longer be allowed to possess WMD. This was not the only argument for removing Hussein from power, but it was perceived by many as the focal argument for galvanizing support within the general American public and with the international community.

6.) On 28 January 2003, President Bush, stated the following during the annual State of the Union address:

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in the 1990s that Saddam Hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program, had a design for a nuclear weapon and was working on five different methods of enriching uranium for a bomb. The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. Saddam Hussein has not credibly explained these activities. He clearly has much to hide.

That paragraph was one of 18 paragraphs in the part of speech in which Bush asserted that Saddam Huseein wasa threat and the veracity of the bolded words later became known as the “Sixteen Words” in an ensuing media firestorm later on in the year when no WMD were found in Iraq.

7.) Shortly after the State of the Union Address, Colin Powell, then Secretary of State, addressed the UN Security Council, presenting the administration’s case regarding Saddam Hussein.

The Security Council did not provide the authorization the United States had sought, yet Coalition forces proceeded to initiate Operation Iraqi Freedom on 20 March 2003. In the aftermath of the invasion, no WMD stockpiles were found.

This, and other developments we will discuss in other points, led to renewed focus on the intelligence used to advocate for the invasion.

Time to move forward:

8.) It was within the context of renewed media scrutiny of pre-war WMD intelligence and administration claims that Joseph Wilson’s op-ed piece appeared, and this led to a concerted effort by Republicans and the administration to discredit Wilson.

Let’s see how this goes. ‘Yes” if you agree, and “No” if you disagree and why.

Plame, Step #8Post + Comments (33)

Bob Shrum was just on Hardball with Chris Matthews, and to be fair, I should point out I don’t know what he was talking about. I just saw him on the screen as I walked into the kitchen to make some jello and a cup of tea (water was boiling).

At any rate, with all due respect to Jim Lampley and the other six Americans who honestly think the 2004 election was stolen, let me ask this:

“Why is Bob Shrum STILL speaking for Democrats?”

If I were a Democrat, I would be pissed.

In other news about Democratic pundits on tv, there was this from last night from The Situation:

MADDOW: They happen to have all been white guys. It is better for the country to think that we have a representative court.

CARLSON: Right.

But the idea

ShrumPost + Comments (51)

The Instapundit touches on why Arlen Specter may be a little ‘uncooperative’ regarding judicial nominees, and points to stem cell research as one cause:

Specter’s voice was rough from chemotherapy treatments. He said he is angry that stem-cell research is still being delayed by lack of funding.

“I’ve been waiting too long already,” Specter said.

Specter has introduced a bill that would overthrow President Bush’s executive order, which limits federal funding to a small number of human embryonic stem-cell lines. Specter’s bill would open up funding to unused embryos donated by couples after in vitro fertilization. The House has already passed the bill, and the Senate was expected to do the same.

But the president has promised to veto it.

Not to mention that certain members within the social con movement took it upon themselves to personally savage Arlen Specter, calling him a member of the ‘culture of death’:

Senator Specter apparently wants a place on your wall. Here’s why he shouldn’t get the chance.
Pick your poster child: Arlen Specter, bald from chemotherapy treatments for Hodgkin’s disease, saying that he is Exhibit A for embryonic stem-cell research … or those cute little kids in the AP photo with this caption: “President Bush appeared at the White House with babies and toddlers born of test-tube embryos, some wearing shirts that read ‘former embryo.'”

“I look in the mirror every day,” says Specter, “barely recognize myself. And not to have the availability of the best of medical care is simply atrocious.”

Meanwhile, President Bush was busy praising a Christian agency that helps couples adopt frozen embryos. Amidst 21 babies and toddlers who began their lives as frozen embryos left over after fertility treatments, the president said, “there is no such thing as a spare embryo.”

So, again, pick your poster child. The man with a disease who thinks there is vast medical potential in destroying babies described as embryos, or the children who developed from their embryonic state to roll around on White House carpet.

That might have angered him a touch. Add to it the sheer hell the hard right put Specter through simply to get the position he had wanted as Chairmen of the Judiciary committee:

One focus when the Senate reconvenes on Tuesday will be the efforts of Specter, R-Pa., to convince his fellow Republicans that he deserves to be the next Judiciary Committee chairman. Opposition has arisen to the moderate Republican, who supports abortion rights, as a result of his postelection statements that nominees with anti-abortion views would have a tough time winning Senate confirmation.

He has since stressed that he would be a team player if he succeeds the current chairman, Sen. Orrin Hatch (search), R-Utah, who must step down because of GOP-imposed term limits…

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said Specter must still make his case to Republican senators.

A chairman, Frist said on “FOX News Sunday,” is responsible to “the feelings, the beliefs, the values, the procedures that are held by the majority of that committee,” which overwhelmingly opposes abortion.

Frist added that he would expect the committee’s head “to have a strong predisposition” to supporting the president’s nominee in committee and the full Senate.

A litmus test to install a chairman who will allow litmus tests, if you will, again with cheerleaders within a certain wing of the Republican party. I can’t imagine why he would engage in a little foot dragging or be a little bitter. Not at all.

The Specter of Angry Arlen SpecterPost + Comments (21)

Alright- some contention with #5, so we will rephrase it:

5.) Joseph Wilson was sent to Niger by the CIA, and not asked directly by the Office of the Vice President, as some media reports claim.

And #6, which should be a gimme:

6.) One of the main reasons (but not the only) offered the public for the necessity of invading Iraq was that Saddam Hussein had WMD, had a WMD campaign, or was actively seeking WMD.

6.) Post 9/11, the administration and others believed that Saddam Hussein had WMD, was developing WMD, or wanted to develop WMD, and this was no longer acceptable. This was not the only reason provided for the necessity of invading Iraq, but it was the main reason that was advanced by the administration, and it was a primary selling point to the American public.

Answer only “YES” if you agree, “No” and a reason if you disagree. Flame wars should be held in Darrell’s Plame Flame War Thread.

*** Update ***

Statement #6, the ‘gimme,’ has been edited.

Plame #5-6 AgainPost + Comments (82)

Every time I think I have a decent grasp on the pulse of the American public, I learn that Focus on the Family has come up with something else to be pissed about:

Johnson & Johnson will be advertising its brand, Tylenol PM, in the July 19 issue of The Advocate, a leading gay magazine.

The ad shows two shirtless men in bed side by side. The text over one reads: “His backache is keeping him up.” Over the other: “His boyfriend’s backache is keeping him up.”

Johnson & Johnson has been advertising in gay media since 1996. Robert Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute, said people need to take notice.

“A lot of corporate America has bought into the idea that they can secretly promote homosexuality without their consumers noticing out there,” he said.

Mike Haley, director of the gender issues department at Focus on the Family, said the gay and lesbian community has a lot of expendable income, so they are targeting big corporations who are caving to their pressure.

“I think it’s a critical issue,” he said, “because it’s one more way that the issue of homosexuality is being normalized and sent out as though it’s not harmful

NOOOO!!! Not Advertising in Gay MagazinesPost + Comments (66)