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Monday, August 23, 2004 |
A Letter from Jenna and Barbara Bush
Here's the text of a letter sent from Jenna and Barbara Bush today to Dubya's mailing list. Or it purports to be; I can't make up my mind whether it's a joke or not.
We're sure that you have no doubt who we'll be voting for in November. But you should also know that we would be voting for our Dad in this election even if he had not raised us, loved us, tutored us, coached us, and even listened to a few excuses from us for late curfews. We have been privileged to know our President personally and we know he is the right person to lead our country - especially when there are so many important issues at stake.
Our Dad has qualities that are needed in a good President - loyalty, humor (embarrassing as it sometimes may be), compassion, and, most importantly, integrity. We're not the only ones who see it. In fact, our friends - from varying political backgrounds - are supporting our Dad in November. Not only because of his decisions to liberate the women of Afghanistan or bring freedom to the people of Iraq, but because during the last ten years they met a man whose title was Governor or President, but who was always happy to be known as "our Dad." He made everyone feel welcome and comfortable in our house (except for the occasional boyfriend) and our friends got to know him as a really good guy.
We know that when you get to know his record as President, you too will feel compelled to participate in this year's election - and hopefully get involved in the campaign, too. We know it can be hard to find time to think about politics. We just graduated from college and are perfectly aware that schoolwork, parties, and extra-curricular activities keep students busy, away from campaigns and voting booths. In the last election, less than half of 18- to 24-year-olds were registered to vote, and only 32% of them actually did vote. Sadly, many Americans our age did not take advantage of their right to vote.
We are asking you to get involved with this campaign not only because it is the most critical election of our lifetime, but also because we have the ability to positively change our future. Please encourage your friends to sign up on the campaign's web site (www.GeorgeWBush.com) and register to vote online. At the web site you'll also find a lot of information about how to get involved in our Dad's re-election campaign. It's an easy process, and it's the best way to have a say in this year's election.
Thanks for taking a few minutes to think about some big issues. This is a really important election, and we know that with your help our Dad will win in November.
8:29:31 PM Permalink
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Voting machine test results "off-limits" to the public
"The three companies that certify the nation's voting technologies operate in secrecy and refuse to discuss flaws in the ATM-like machines to be used by nearly one in three voters in November. Despite concerns over whether the so-called touch-screen machines can be trusted, the testing companies won't say publicly whether they have encountered shoddy workmanship. They say they are committed to secrecy in their contracts with the voting machines' makers... [Rational Review News Digest]
8:11:42 PM Permalink
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The Dubya Quiz
Take The New Yorker's quiz on this administration's sad, sad year.
11. In May, the White House announced that George W. Bush would deliver five weekly speeches intended to shore up support for his Iraq policies. How many of the five did he deliver before abandoning the effort?
(a) One. (c) Three.
(b) Two. (d) Four.
The answer to that one is, of course, (a). I guess, given the way they use the word, that counts as a flip-flop.
6:36:36 PM Permalink
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While media attention focuses on the details...
While media attention focuses on the details of a single fire fight in Vietnam 35 years ago, casualties in Iraq for the past 8 days have been as high as during the most intense initial days of war. 25 US GIs have died - which, I suppose, makes them immune from future attacks on their valor. As a result of this increased rate, the projected date to reach 1,000 US Casualties in Iraq is now September 9. [Playing with my food, and other things...]
1:37:17 PM Permalink
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The Big Lie at work
This historical quote was not written by an observer of the 2004 Republican campaign, but it may as well have been:
"All this was inspired by the principle - which is quite true in itself - that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying. These people know only too well how to use falsehood for the basest purposes." [via kos via unfutz] Click on the link above to see the author identified. [Follow Me Here...]
10:26:30 AM Permalink
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© Copyright 2004 Steve Michel.
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