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I have just returned from working the past three days in gorgeous Telluride. A huge thanks to Big Tent for keeping TalkLeft current on political issues in my absence.

I probably won't resume blogging until the morning as I have a few hundred work and blog related emails to read first, many voicemails to listen to, a lot of mail to open and family members to check in with.

For the past 30 years, my heart has belonged to Aspen, but I have to say, Telluride is one of the most charming, laid back, beautiful towns anywhere. I'm just glad I don't have to choose between them.

And yes, this is an open thread.

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  • Bush Administration brainstorms (none / 0) (#1)
    by Edger on Tue Oct 24, 2006 at 10:44:43 PM EST
    The Al Qaeda Clubhouse: Members lacking
    The June 30 issue of Newsweek carried a story titled "The Myth of Al Qaeda" by Michael Hirsh, which argues that the threat posed by Osama bin Laden and his followers has been long overestimated by the United States. Hirsh argues that there is substantial evidence that "up to 9/11, Al Qaeda could barely hold its act together, that it was a failing group, hounded from every country it tried to roost in (except for the equally lunatic Taliban-run Afghanistan) . . . This is the reality of the group that the Bush Administration has said would engage us in a `long war' not unlike the Cold War--the group that has led to the transformation of U.S. foreign policy and America's image in the world."
    ...
    Documents discovered by the joint task force, Cloonan said, showed that Al Qaeda had 72 members when it was founded in 1989. Twelve years later, the task force got its hands on an updated membership list after a CIA Predator destroyed a building near Kabul during the American invasion of Afghanistan. The membership list was discovered in the rubble, along with dozens of casualties, including Mohammed Atef, one of bin Laden's closest aides. It showed that bin Laden had a grand total of precisely 198 sworn loyalists.
    ...
    Terrorism is a real threat, but "Al Qaeda" is less of an organization than it is an impulse. And while bin Laden isn't the all-powerful terrorist mastermind he's often portrayed to be, the war in Iraq, Guantánamo, extraordinary renditions, and other Bush Administration brainstorms have ensured that his message is broadcast loud and clear throughout the world.


    xxx (1.00 / 0) (#4)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 06:30:37 AM EST
    edger - The problem is, of course, that is all they needed was Afghanistan.

    Parent
    re the RNC attack ad and Iraq for Sale (none / 0) (#2)
    by zaitefftheunconvicted on Tue Oct 24, 2006 at 10:50:02 PM EST
    Earlier today I was at one of several favorite liberal blogs and I watched the RNC ad against Ford in Tennesse.  The ad shows this female claiming to have met Ford at a Playboy party and there is a man who claims that Ford took money from porn producers.  Now, I don't know if Ford received any money from Hugh Hefner or any others, and that doesn't really concern me.  However, it does give me a small idea.  If the RNC wants to run such ads, those on the left and/or candidates can answer with something similar:

    Corker (and whatever other Rep. Sen or Rep is running) took money from war profiteers.  If any wish to challenge our accuracy, lets watch the movie Iraq for Sale and decide if Halliburton and CACI and Blackwell are or are not war profiteers.

    xx (1.00 / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 06:55:47 AM EST
    zaite... Corker was on FNC this AM (they'll have Ford tomorrow)and FNC showed the ad. It shows a woman saying "Harold call me," and another showing a young lady say, "I met Harold at a Playboy party." It is obviously in reference to claims that Ford has taken money from porn suppliers.  There is also a shot on the "death tax" and "gun control."

    I'll have to say that, any red blooded male would like to meet the young lady, at a Playboy party or church social. ;-)

    The ad is light hearted and makes its points clearly and with humor.

    A heavy duty shrill attack ad against defense contractors in a state that calls itseld "The Volunteer State" is exactly what the Repubs are hoping for.

    On FNC Corker was smiling and ducking, blaming it all on the RNC and election spending rules....

    In the meantime the LATimes shows Corker up by 5, another poll up by 2..

    It's not over but I think we are starting to see that running against Natonal Defense is a good way to loose.

    Nothing new in that

    Parent

    Spoofing Ford (none / 0) (#9)
    by ding7777 on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 07:02:04 PM EST
    The spoofing of the RNC talking points was light-hearted (i.e, "Ford's right. I do have too many guns." or "When I die, Harold Ford will let me pay taxes again.").

    The humor of the ad evaporated  with the white women "playboy bunny". Which RNC talking point was being spoofed? None. The whole point of the white women was to appeal to racists.

    Parent

    Telluride is much more fun (none / 0) (#3)
    by archpundit on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 01:22:11 AM EST
    During the summer--it still (unfortunately) has that celeb watching aspect, but it's great to hang out and a blast to bicycle and relax around there while enjoying craft beer.  And it can't get too big given the space between the mountains.  

    Is Suzy Chapstick still hanging out there?

    "Islamic terrorists" (none / 0) (#6)
    by roy on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 10:41:18 AM EST
    Some left-wing writers have been using the term "Islamic terrorists" lately.  The term sweeps too broadly, and in any event, associating an entire religion with the doctrine of terrorism is gratuitously offensive.  We must avoid using misleading and offensive terms that link Islam with those who subvert this great religion or who distort its teachings to justify terrorist activities.  Terrorism doesn't have anything to do with the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world who practice the peaceful teachings of Islam.

    Welfare army... (none / 0) (#7)
    by desertswine on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 10:53:04 AM EST
    Please, please, help me (none / 0) (#8)
    by dutchfox on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 03:14:09 PM EST
    With the new Scoop format for this blog, I'm having a problem posting embedded links in the comments. We used to use this:

    the headline

    What is the protocol now?

    Thanks in advance

    Embedding links in comments (none / 0) (#10)
    by Jeralyn on Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 11:58:00 PM EST
    the protocol is the same. Highlight the text in which you want to embed the link, click on the link button and paste in the url.  

    Parent
    Thanks Jeralyn (none / 0) (#11)
    by dutchfox on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 10:02:23 AM EST
    I'll give it a shot and try. I love the new format, thanks.

    Parent