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Gone, But Not Forgotten? What The Internet Will Look Like Under SOPA Fearsgiving Week Jesus Approves of Waterboarding Beware of Asteroids 
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The Name GameThursday, Oct. 25, 2007 4:01 AMRepublican presidential candidate Mitt Romney got bit by the Osama-Obama meme that some conservatives have played on, accusing Senator Obama of encouraging terrorists to congregate in Iraq. Ooops. A spokesman for Romney's campaign says it was, 'just a mix up.' Sorry, a mix up is singing 'The Name Game' with a guy named Chuck. Governor Romney's slip is the inevitable consequence of the juvenile namecalling that predominates discussion on both sides. The 'I'm Not Listening' expression on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's face while a Code Pink member accuses her of being a war criminal is priceless. Beyond that, while American citizens have the right to participate in government, and be allowed access to proceedings such as Secretary Rice's testimony before Congress, how is it, exactly, that security consistently misses Code Pink protesters? Authorities have arrested at least one man on a charge of arson in connection with the fires in Southern California. Another unnamed suspect is said to have been shot and killed after trying to ram several police cars while fleeing officers, though authorities have been careful to not link him to the fires as yet. Not missing an opportunity to beat the drums of fear, both FOX News anchor Steve Doocy and reporter Adam Housley brought the subject up, possibly thinking of an alleged plot to start massive forest fires, confessed by an al-Qaeda detainee in 2003. Later in the day, FOX News brought the subject up again, asserting that this was a 'new' threat - and missing the dateline on the original story. What was that Chris Wallace snidely said about 'journalism being about checking your facts'? And while Senator Chris Dodd is leading the way with his opposition to any intelligence bill including retroactive immunity for the role of telecommunications companies in the NSA's warrantless surveillance program, other candidates have been slower to respond, making sure they are properly perched upon the fence and ready to jump to either side. Both Senators Obama and Clinton initially hedged, saying they would not accept the bill in its current form. Senator Obama has since issued a more specific statement agreeing to support a filibuster of any bill containing a retroactive immunity clause. Since Condoleezza Rice so often tells us she doesn't know, it's no surprise that she also doesn't remember. At least as far as Maher Arar and his rendition to beautiful downtown Syria is concerned. (Bear in mind the government has no comment about Syria's suspected nuclear facility, but they're good enough friends when we need someone tortured.) ABC News is reporting a 'little-known provision' of the latest funding request for the Iraq War. It includes funding for the immediate retrofitting of B-2 stealth bombers so they can carry 'bunker busting bombs' for an 'urgent operational need.' That wouldn't be for striking Iran's alleged underground nuclear facilities, would it?
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