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Defending Karl Rove?

Friday, Apr. 06, 2007 11:48 AM


In a vein similar to the Critical Mass bicyclists who attacked a Redwood City woman's minivan when she allegedly 'cut some of them off,' I must also stand in defense of Karl Rove.

Yes, that's right. Karl Rove.

Rove, upon the conclusion of a speaking engagement to college Republicans at American University, was greeted outside by about a dozen people � it's not clear if they were all students � who booed and threw objects at Rove and Rove's car.

Well, thank you very much. Want to know why the Bush Administration likes 'freedom of speech' zones? Why they pre-screen audiences?

You idiots are it.

It has nothing to do with the issues or the character of the man you're vilifying, and everything with providing your opponents with an easy shot to undercut your position.


Remember Paul Wolfowitz, the former Assistant Secretary of Defense who was instrumental in the ramp-up to our little war with Iraq? He stepped down and was promptly rewarded with the top job at the World Bank.

But Wolfowitz has apparently drawn the ire of bank employees, who are discovering that Wolfie gave his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, a raise.

Riza doesn't even work at the World Bank. She was seconded to the U.S. State Department in September, 2005, to work with Karen Hughes' public diplomacy group. So, although she works at State, she continues to be paid by the World Bank.

Which is why her raise - a whopping $47,340 � is being criticized. For starters, it's nearly double what bank rules allow. This was followed in the current fiscal year with another $13,500, bringing Riza's total compensation to $193,590.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice makes $7,000 less.


Department of Justice/Bush Administration pinup girl Monica Goodling is complaining that those evil, nasty Democrats are taking her invocation of the Fifth Amendment to imply that she did something wrong.

Congressmen John Conyers and Senator Patrick Leahy raised the question of whether or not Goodling's refusal to testify was to hide criminal activity.

The distinction they are drawing is that the Fifth Amendment must be invoked on a question-by-question basis, and not as a blanket protection against a subpoena and having to testify.

Meanwhile, Alberto Gonzales has let it be known that he will prepare for his testimony with several days of witness coaching mock questioning.


As mentioned in a previous entry, it's been reported that two Army brigades are being deployed ahead of receiving desert training. The subject came up during a press briefing at the end of February.

White House Spokesman Tony Snow remarked, "Well, but they can get desert training elsewhere. Like in Iraq."

Yessir, the White House is all about Supporting Our Troops.

Prior to the above remark, Snow explained that training and equipping does occur in-theater and that the generals and commanders have made it clear that no one is going into combat activity without proper equipment and training.

Then why do we keep hearing about troops being deployed without proper body armor, vehicles that lacked necessary parts, and others that are stuck on the assembly lines? Is this a case of 'Al Gore Invented The Internet' ��a fallacy repeated so often as to become perceived fact � or are there still problems in this regard?

Bueller?


In an unnecessary tragedy, a 14 year-old girl is dead after the accidental discharge of a gun. The irony is that the family had gathered for her uncle's funeral.

It is not clear who owned the gun, nor how the young girl obtained it.

But a Boot to the Head for the opportunistic San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who arrived at the home following the shooting and remarked on the ongoing violence in the City's most troubled neighborhoods, caused largely by the "pervasive availability of guns."

The girl's uncle had died from complications due to diabetes. There is no reason to imply that the girl's accidental death has anything to do with gang violence.

It has to do with responsible gun ownership and gun safety.



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