Breaking News! Robertson Held For Questioning In Falwell Death

Threats Against Chavez, Sharon Make 700 Club Founder 'Person of Interest'

The Garlic has learned that police, from Lynchburg, Virginia, as well as a team of FBI agents, brought in and held 700 Club founder, Reverend Pat Robertson for over six-hours of questioning in the death of fellow televangelist Jerry Falwell yesterday.

The police were careful not to label Robertson a suspect, but merely "a person of interest".

Without offering any details on what led them to Robertson, a police spokesperson said curtly that "we felt, in the early hours of the investigation, that it was prudent to talk with Reverend Robertson."

A source close to the investigation indicated that natural causes is presently listed as the cause of death of the 73-year-old founder of the Moral Majority, and Liberty University.

Falwell was found in his office yesterday morning, lying on the floor, unconscious and without a pulse. After being rushed to the hospital, efforts to revive the man who blamed the Sept. 11th attacks on "abortionists, pagans, feminists, gays and lesbians and the ACLU" failed.

Soon after, police turned their attention to Robertson.

According to our sources, it was Robertson's call to assassinate Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, as well as the suggestion that "God smote" Israeli leader Ariel Sharon that tipped police to bring in Robertson.

"We couldn't over look those incidents," offered an FBI agent involved in the investigation.

The FBI was brought in, in the event Robertson's curses traveled across state lines.

Robertson has a history of making threats, or outrageous claims.

In 1998, Robertson threatened the city of Orlando, Florida, for celebrating 'Gay Days', saying "... It'll bring about terrorist bombs, it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor."

Recently, in 2005, after the city of Dover, Pennsylvania voted not to teach "Intelligent Design" alongside Evolution, a decision that was upheld by the courts, Robertson warned the town that they could be hit by a natural disaster.

It was the sheer brazen of his curses and threats that caught the eye of the Bush Grindhouse, who last year brought in Robertson, to work his calls of destruction against the terrorists in Iraq, as well as Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

And as is the case with the Bush Grindhouse, disaster soon struck.

Warming up and practicing before recording his condemnations and curses, Robertson may have inadvertently caused the death of hundreds of Muslims, when a stampede occurred at The Hajj.

Robertson was well represented at his interrogation, by staff and students of the law school he founded, Regent University, which has placed over 150 of its' graduated in the Bush Government, including Monica Goodling, at the Justice Department.

Goodling is scheduled to testify soon, in the growing U.S. Attorney Firing Scandal, that saw Crony General Alberto Gonzales place the blame of the troubles on his assistant, Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty.

No charges are expected to be filed against Robertson, in regards to the death of Falwell.

In a related matter, embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz is reported to be interested in speaking with Robertson, to check his availibility on wrecking havoc on his accusers, in the scandal that has Wolfowitz giving an extremely generous pay raise to his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, when moving her over to the State Department shortly after taking the World Bank post.

The White House had no comment on the questioning of Robertson, and refused comment if Robertson would work in unison with the new War Czar Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute.

Bonus Links

Jerry Falwell - Lest We Forget...

For God's Sake

Hustler Magazine v. Falwell

Falwellhustler.jpg

The 700 Club’s Accu-Wrath Weather Forecast

Rev. Pat Robertson was held for over six-hours yesterday by police in Virgina, and questioned in connection with the death of Jerry Falwell

Top Ten Cloves: Potential Problems With Greenpeace's Noah's Ark

News Item: Greenpeace Builds Replica of Noah's Ark

10. Didn't take into account Laws of Nature and animals start attacking and killing each other

9. Takes a huge loss - Great Flood doesn't come and they end up dumping the thing on eBay for only $7

8. Catholic Church threatens lawsuit over copyright infringement - Makes them change name to "Larry's Ark"

7. Cable News already preparing a blizzard of "missing white female animal" stories

6. If the great flood does come, will be overwhelmed with rich people and celebrities looking to save their pets

5. Greenpeace gets badgered by Paul Wolfowitz, to give his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, a job on the ark

4. Richard Branson keeps buzzing them in his hot air balloon

3. Believing Greenpeace is really run by George Soros, Fox News' Bill O'Reilly begins a "War Against Arks"

2. Greenpeace gets badgered by Pat Robertson, saying God will sink the ark if there are any gays on it

1. President Bush shows up on the ark, in flight suit, and with a "Great Flood Accomplished" banner because he's "The Commander Guy"

Cold Body Assoc. Denounces Gonzales For Finger-Pointing, Break In Tradition

"Blaming McNulty At This Point In Time Is Scurrilous"; CBA Membership Upset, Fears Could Be "Open Season" On Scapegoats

In a stinging, biting statement, the Cold Body Association denounced Crony General Alberto Gonzales this afternoon, for his comments this morning, blaming Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty for the U.S. Attorney Firing Scandal that has engulfed the Justice Department.

"Blaming McNulty," said CBA President Hiram Jenkowski, "at this point in time is scurrilous."

McNulty had, only yesterday, announced his resignation, indicating he would leave the department at the end of the summer, or, if a candidate was approved by the Senate sooner.

Gonzales, speaking at the National Press Club this morning, laid the blame for the scandal clearly at the feet of McNulty

"You have to remember, at the end of the day, the recommendations reflected the views of the deputy attorney general. He signed off on the names. And he would know better than anyone else, anyone in this room, anyone — again, the deputy attorney general would know best about the qualifications and the experiences of the United States attorneys community, and he signed off on the names."

The Crony General, who has testified twice before Congress, has defended himself , saying there was "nothing improper" in the firing, of now, up to 12 U.S. Attorneys.

Calls for Gonzales to resign have grown, and his appearances in testifying have left lawmakers stunned, at his lack of memory and knowledge on the workings of his own department.

"This is a profound break in our tradition," continued Jenkowski. "The Crony General knows better than anyone on how egregious his comments are. It's very clear in our by-laws, that you wait until a person has resigned or retired - the proverbial door-hitting-them-on-the ass moment - before you go around finger-pointing and laying blame."

The Cold Body Association claims to have "thousands" of members and is often relied on to mediate, and at times, intervene, in firings and resignations, ruling on what slurs, slams and other unjustified statements can be made, by both employer and employee.

"This has upset our membership terribly," said Jenkowski. "We've been flooded since this morning, with telephone calls and emails, all asking what this means ... Is it open season on us? ... Some have told us that they are holding off on retiring, fearing, instead of receiving a gold watch, they'll get buried in accusations ... At least six different members have said they've torn up their resignation letters."

Jenkowski stopped short of saying the CBA would lodge formal charges against the Crony General.

"He's on thin ice, as it is. If he gets fired, or impeached, than it's out of our hands and over to our sister association, the PPA.

The Political Patronage Association (PPA), a non-profit organization based in Chicago, is supporting the CBA in their protest and has called on Gonzales to retract his comments and immediately name a friend, donor or unqualified private or government employee to fill McNulty's position.

The PPA represents everyone, from political appointees, political hacks, No-Show employees and generations of relatives hired for government positions in which they are not qualified, and came to the defense of former FEMA Director Michael Brown back in 2005, after Brown was fired and blamed for the poor response to Hurricane Katrina.

"If by his statements today," added Jenkowski, the Crony General wants to start burning bridges, then so be it. We have a few CBA members that are still to testify before Congress, so, you can expect some fireworks and, likely, a few words about Gonzalez may just may make their way into the transcripts."

In a related matter, the CBA did approve a request from the World Bank, so that they could begin making defaming statements about bank president Paul Wolfowitz "before the door hits him in the ass."

"This is a situation," claimed Jenkowski, "that the smears and innuendo serve as the catalyst for forcing the departure, and in certain cases - certainly pertaining to Wolfowitz - we allow it."

Bonus Links

Administration Withheld E-Mails About Rove

Voter-Fraud Complaints by GOP Drove Dismissals

Fingerprints

Alberto Gonzales Sings 'Justice For Sale'












Crony General Alberto Gonzales has run afoul of the Cold Body Association, for his comments today, placing the blame for the U.S. Attorney Firing Scandal on Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty

"I'm Shocked ... Shocked To Find Terrorism Going On Here " ... The Results - The Garlic Weekly Poll

Take heart Condi, at least, according to the Garlic Survey Poll voters, you being sans husband is not a concern to them.

But there is a raised eyebrow, as to getting some answers on all those WMD's, yellow cake and smoking-gun-mushroom-clouds you were raving about.

In case, in your globe-trotting, you haven't noticed, getting annoyed, saying you'll send a letter, when Waxman has issued subpoenas, isn't going to cut it.

Oh, and by the way, the flooding of Bush Grindhouse officials to counter George Tenet and his book, and your assertion that was, essentially, "Terrorism, what terrorism" was embarrassing.

There are paper trails and reports and video and a whole host of professionals who can rebut your claim that the Clinton Administration didn't leave you anything and you look absolutely silly trying to backtrack from your impassioned "imminent threat" rhetoric.

In fact Condi, here's something, from Keith Olbermann, to help refresh your memory;

Keith Olbermann proves Condi is a liar

The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll May 6 - May 12, 2007

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's rather sudden flurry of diplomacy could signal ...

1. Using all resources and the power of her office to avoid Henry Waxman and testifying before his committee Tally 48%

2. Since the President announced he's "The Commander Guy", Rice is building up her chops to declare she's the "Diplomacy Gal" Tally 24%

3. Just building up her Frequent Flyer Miles Tally 15%

4. She's on a serious hunt for a husband Tally 12%

This week’s Poll - Vice President Dick Cheney's recent trip to Iraq and Saudi Arabia was really about ...

Scroll up to the top right corner to place your vote


Condi, do you know the tune "Neocon and Lovers"?

Happy Mothers Day ... And Let's Hear For Queen Noor!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hopefully, basking in the glow of the day will not involve under-cooked pancakes and spilling grape juice on your white comforter, with that traditional breakfast-in-bed.

However, the crayon-drawn, hand-made card just makes it all the better.

Quite a few good things out there, to celebrate Mother's Day, and bring attention to its' original roots, as well as a wonderful call-to-action.

On Friday (11 May), the ever-enchanting, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan was a guest on CNN's Situation Room.

In talking about the original roots of Mother's Day being for peace, Queen Noor spoke most eloquently on what's happening over in Iraq, Israel, the Middle East region overall and offered;

"... because they're -- well, they should, because the Prophet Mohammed -- peace be upon him -- once was asked by one of his followers, "Who is it that I should look up to the most? Who is it that I should give the greatest attention to?" And the prophet replied, "Your mother."

"And then whom?" "Your mother." "And then whom?" "Your mother." "And then whom?" "Your father."

"The prophet and his followers in early Islam placed enormous value on the role of women. Economically, socially and politically, they were given rights to contribute in a society that people were still struggling for in the West. That's been obscured by politics in recent times. But those are the facts of our faith."

"I firmly believe that peace will only come to the region when mothers find their voice and say of the violence, "Enough is enough!".

Queen Noor also has a Special Commentary posted on CNN.Com

Noor: Let's reclaim Mother's Day for peace

A number of steps down on the royalty ladder, our own historically-elected Speaker-of-the-House, Nancy Pelosi, picks up on the call for mothers leading the charge to peace.

Nancy Pelosi: As A Mother

Not bad ideas in the least ... Something that, well, would make a mother proud to see happen.

Other Reading/Links

Transcript - The Situation Room 11 May 2007 - Interview With Queen Noor of Jordan

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan

The Motherhood Manifesto

Mother's Day Proclamation - 1870 by Julia Ward Howe

Rediscover Mother's Day

"I firmly believe that peace will only come to the region when mothers find their voice and say of the violence, "Enough is enough!".

Developing Story! Bush Said Ready To Dump Wolfowitz and Name Blair New World Bank Chief

Sources Say Bush Not Ready To Abandon Rewarding Iraq War Supporters; Cheney Furious, Was Lobbying For Libby Posting

In what would be a stunning move, and very much out-of-character, sources are telling The Garlic that President Bush is getting ready to jettison the beleaguered former staffer, and World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and name as his replacement the outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Plans moved swiftly once Mr. Blair announced yesterday his resignation as Prime Minister and the quick exit date of June 27th.

The White House, desperate to get the Iraq War Funding bill, the growing U.S. Attorney Scandal, with news surfacing that the administration has withheld emails that show Karl Rove's involvement,, as well as the rerun of testimony by his Attorney General, off the headlines.

And, to end the waiting game and resolve the lagging World Bank Scandal, that has the former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Wolfowitz, being found to have violated rules and ethics in giving his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, a cushy job and outstanding pay raise.

Wolfowitz, one of the architects of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, has faced a mountain of pressure to resign, yet The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy has, up until now, staunchly defended Wolfowitz, giving no indication that he would be fired or asked to leave the post.

Wolfowitz is said to be stunned, notified earlier evening of the move, having expected the continued full backing from White House.

Speaking on deep background, a White House staffer, who was in the meeting on naming Blair to the World Bank, indicated that "All he {Wolfowitz] had to do is look at Scooter Libby ... These guys expect, when it is in their interests, for you to fall on the sword."

This wouldn't be the first time that President Bush and Prime Minister Blair held private, secret conversations.

Bush and Blair discussed the invasion of Iraq, and selling the war, before the launch, with Blair promising support "with or without U.N. backing".

With former CIA Director George Tenet out on the circuit, promoting his new book, the White House was uncomfortable offering the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the British Prime Minister, after the backlash of negative press in awarding it to Tenet.

And President Bush is said to be adamant of not wavering of his policy, of rewarding backers of his plans to take over Iraq with awards and/or elevated positions in, or out, of government.

"He can," offered the White House staffer, in naming Blair to replace Wolfowitz, "keep the continuity of having a pro-Iraq agenda inside the World Bank"

Vice President Dick Cheney is said to be furious, as he has been, behind the scenes, lobbying the President to name his now-convicted former Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to the post. Some say this was Cheney, playing both sides, and ready to trade the President on withdrawing Libby's name in exchange for a Presidential Pardon.

"It's not exactly Tinker, To Evers, To Chance," offered Holly Martins, Publisher of Axis of Evil Illustrated, a quarterly publication, that is rumored to be a house magazine for the Project for The New American Century, "but Bush, To Wolfowitz, to Blair is, pretty much, the political equivalent. They all can play the game superbly."

"Only," added Martins, "there's, likely, double-crosses in play here, not double-plays."

Bonus Links

Tony Blair's Legacy: George Bush's Iraq Trump Card

From Savior To Bush's Prison Bitch: The Downfall Of Tony Blair

Blair and Cheney Sing A Duet: 'Blair, It's Not So Bad Out There'

Dept. of Sweetheart Deals: Does He Hear the World's Poor? Don't Bank on It.


Soon-To-Be Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be playing a different tune, with President Bush getting ready to name him to replace Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank

New Barry Crimmins Essay - We Are Here

Another great, "must read" essay from Barry Crimmins, offering that there's a great deal of work to be done before we elect the next president.

"Gandhi said, “Fill the jails,” which was a brilliant strategy, meant to ball up the works of oppressive regimes. Now an oppressive regime has adopted the ‘ball up the works’ tactic with scandal overload, while perversely filling the jails with people other than themselves. Some of the jails are hidden beyond our borders and many of the prisoners are unidentified. But that’s getting too scandal-specific and I’m after the big picture here. Or big mug shot, anyway. "

"The ‘fill the jails strategy’ was tipped early with his choice of Dick Cheney as his vice-president. Right away watchdogs had two slimy trails to follow. In short order they led through a labyrinth of smoke and mirrors meant to obfuscate the most massive criminal enterprise ever to lay its hands on the government of these United States. "

Read We Are Here by Barry Crimmins








Barry Crimmins was the founder, and tirelessly producer, of The Ding Ho, legendary comedy club in Inman Square, Cambridge, MA, which launched Barry nationally, along with Steven Wright, Paula Poundstone, Bobcat Goldthwait, and many, many others. Barry also launched Boston's other fabled comedy club, Stitches, across the Charles River near Boston University.

Barry also been a featured commentator on CNN, NBC, MSNBC and The Phil Donohue Show and also appears in Fran Solimita's 'When Stand Up Stood Out', the critically acclaimed documentary about the Boston Comedy scene.

Barry received the Peace Leadership Award from Boston Mobilization for Survival. He has also been honored, along with Ms. Maya Angelou, with The Courage of Conscience Award from Wellesley College and The Life Experience School at The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts. Community Works gave the Artist for Social Change Award to Barry for his years of activism.

Barry is also a former writer for Air America Radio, writing and making commentary for the Randi Rhodes Show, including live reporting from Camp Casey.

In 2004, Seven Stores Press published Barry's first book, "Never Shake Hands With A War Criminal" and Barry's writing appears frequently in 'The Boston Phoenix' and the 'Cleveland Plain-Dealer'

Visit the Barry Crimmins website

Barry Crimmins news on The Garlic

Keith Olberman Follow-Up: AAN Presents First Annual Molly Ivins Award to Keith Olbermann

The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies (AAN) announced today that MSNBC news anchor Keith Olbermann is the winner of its first annual Molly Ivins Award.

My, My, My ...

Who is Rudy Guiliani going to complain to now?

"Describing her own style of writing, Molly Ivins once wrote, 'Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful.' That's the sort of journalism we recognize today, that which holds those in power accountable in the court of public opinion," said AAN President and Memphis Flyer publisher Kenneth Neill. "Keith Olbermann speaks truth to power with wit and style, just as Molly did."

Links

AAN Presents First Annual Molly Ivins Award to Keith Olbermann

Molly Ivins

Molly Ivins Tribute

Countdown with Keith Olbermann

MSNBC Anchor, “Countdown with Keith Olbermann”

Minced Garlic - New Keith Olbermann Special Comment Slams Giuliani: "Republicans equal life; Democrats equal death?"

A Thread Of Garlic - Hey AP, Hands Off Olbermann!

As many of our readers know, The Garlic is an unabashed fan of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and the hero-anchor himself. With our Minced Garlic posts, we've highlighted his blistering, but very much needed, Special Comments (while adding in our own two cloves).

And you may be aware of the dust-up that began last week.

First, Olbermann layed into presidential wishful Rudy Guiliani, for his hijacking the Bush Grindhouse rhetoric of "vote Republican and you'll be safe, vote Democrat and you die".

This led Guiliani to complain to MSNBC, as to Olbermann's presence in anchoring on the coverage of the Republican Candidate's Debate and the charge that he is partisan.

This lead AP writer David Bauder to pen an article (MSNBC's Olbermann seeks delicate balance) suggesting that Olbermann is, indeed, not fair, that it is a source of trouble for MSNBC and, the whopper, of comparing placing Olbermann on the debate coverage is akin to the Fox News Network placing Bill O'Reilly similarly.

Olbermann and O'Reilly on the same level?

Okay, I'll wait for you to stop laughing and pick yourself up off the floor.

Riding to the rescue, among others, was Salon's Joan Walsh and Glenn Greenwald (who The Garlic highlighted last Saturday), with two great posts yesterday.

Check it out!

Links

A hit job on Keith Olbermann

Brit Hume is a "journalist"; Keith Olbermann is "partisan"

AP Uncritically Reports Giuliani Campaign’s Efforts To Marginalize Olbermann

Olbermann Equals O'Reilly. Huh?

The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Warning - Bypass this post if you don't want to be discouraged.

"Oh, I know that very much," Laura Bush responded. "And believe me, no one suffers more than their president and I do when we watch this, and certainly the commander in chief, who has asked our military to go into harm's way."

Thank God the Queen of England blew into town, heh, Laura?

So much to do, so many distractions.

The guest list, the protocols, the food and, of course, getting The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy into his white tie and tails.

Little chance of even catching a glimpse of a television screen, and getting washed over with all that discouragement.

Now, we know you're busy, but we do have a bone to pick with you.

A little over a week ago, we gave you a task. You were supposed to become the First Chief Decideress Veto Killer. You were supposed to work on that husband of yours, and not let go until he agreed to sign the Iraq War Spending Bill, so we - that is the American people - could start to see our brave soldiers begin making their way home.

Doesn't look like you made much of an effort there, girl. The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy had his Mission Accomplished II, and signed, with gusto, the veto.

Look, you're part of the team there in the Grindhouse. And you're educated, a former liberian, been around a block, or two in the world of politics. Surely, you must be able to see that the ship is sinking. Even The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy's wing men, the Republican Caucus, is beginning to look for the life rafts. Their not going to get their feet wet.

And you have the former CIA Director out there, running around the country, popping up on television (I know, that probably discourages you as well), selling his book, and making his money, politely slamming the The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy.

And the polls, Laura.

28%

He's down there with Carter, at his worst moments, and, likely, he'll be chasing Hoover next.

Think about that Laura. You don't want to exit the Grindhouse in January 2009, with Herbert Hoover rated as a better President that your The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy, do you?

There's still time to salvage this.

Perhaps, you can pull (well, you're not supposed to touch the Queen, so take that figuratively) the Queen aside and lay out the
First Chief Decideress Veto Killer plan with her. She's been through a few of these things during her reign, so, likely, she can offer a tip or two to help you out.

And you should have the Professor back pretty soon.

Wolfie will likely have some time on his hands and he might, just might, be looking to do something good of a change.

Hang in there Laura, a bright, beaming, discouragement-free television screen is just around the corner.

Todays Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the-Day

8 U.S. Troops Killed In Iraq Bomb Attacks

Links

Laura Bush: Much Of Iraq Is ‘Stable,’ There’s Just ‘One Bombing A Day That Discourages Everybody’

Brookings Institute Iraq Index

CNN Larry King - Interview With Laura Bush/"The Lost Tomb of Jesus"

Laura Bush: My husband never misled about Iraq

Petraeus Ex Machina

New Feature - The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the-Day

Tuesday, March 06, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Friday, March 09, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Friday, March 16, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Saturday, April 07, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Thursday, April 26, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Top Ten Cloves: Potential Problems At White House Dinner Tonight For Queen Elizabeth II

News Item: Queen Elizabeth II Visits White House

10. President brings in Rich Little, unannounced, who does ten-minutes of bad Queen of England jokes and imitations

9. Queen badgers President all evening, to pardon Paris Hilton

8. Too many of the guests are on their Blackberrys, placing their bets on when Wolfowitz resigns

7. Queen in a foul mood, still miffed at getting blown off by Helen Mirren

6. Stephen Hadley goes around all night badgering the Queen, asking if she has anyone she can recommend for War Czar job

5. Prince Philip still hung over from Kentucky Derby parties

4. Queen insist on no photos of her and the President together; Doesn't normally have dinner with world leaders who are below 30% in public approval polls

3. Lynne Cheney gives the Queen some advice, in case he interviews her, on how to deal with CNN's Wolf Blitzer

2. Receiving line gets bogged down; Queen very nervous when approaching the President, not knowing how to address him- As Uniter, The Decider, or The Commander Guy

1. Queen shows up, toting an autographed copy of George Tenet's book


Wonder if the Queen is getting in on the action and placing a bet on when Paul Wolfowitz will resign?

Hey, No Whining There Tenet, It Was Your Job, You Silly Twit ... The Results - The Garlic Weekly Poll

Whatever you do, George, don't - repeat - don't pose for Vanity Fair, with your wife, sitting in a convertible Jaguar.

Trust me, as the overwhelming voters of the Garlic Poll did this past week, if your wife happened to be a covert CIA agent, the Bush Grindhouse would have had billboards up by now, and flooded the Sunday morning news shows, and cable programs, with everybody - including Barney - to announce it.

You got'em pissed off there, Georgie Boy, not to mention a whole lot of other people.

You kept your mouth shut when you could have saved lives, but are now blabbering away, pitching the book, in sound bites weighed down by sacks of money.

And you even got the Medal of Freedom, for Christ's sake!

Poor Georgie.

You had tough, gut-wrenching decisions to make ...People don't understand ... Everything was super-duper urgent.

Well, it was your fucking job, you silly twit!

The Director of the CIA doesn't just sit and push pencils around. If you wanted a cushy, easy gig, you should have transferred over to FEMA, or aced out Wolfie for the World Bank job.

And you might as well get used to the "Slam Dunk" thing. That's on you with a big, neon arrow hanging over your head, pointing down at you, wherever you go, whatever you do.

The goat horns are all yours, Georgie, even if they fill War Czar post, which has "Scapegoat, Apply Here" written all over it.

Then, in all likelihood, after a few years, we'll have to deal with that War Czar's book, whining about how tough it was, all the gut-wrenching decisions, et al.

And, for certain, that person's book will drag you back into it, the whole "Slam Dunk" thing, and how you could have saved lives if you had spoken out, and not waited, holding it in, marking "X's" on a calendar until you could hit the big payday.

And don't even think about whining how tough it is to count all that money.

The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll April 30 - May 5, 2007

With all their dirty work and scandals bubbling to the surface, the Bush Administration surely must be wishing that former CIA Director George Tenent ...

1. Had a covert, CIA agent wife they could out Tally 49%

2. Took the World Bank job instead of Paul Wolfowitz Tally 20%

3. Worked for the Vice President; Cheney could have let him be convicted instead of Scooter Libby Tally 17%

4. Wrote a book about the Medal of Freedom Tally 14%

This week’s Poll - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's rather sudden flurry of diplomacy could signal ...

Scroll up to the top right corner to place your vote

The Politico's DNA ... The Other Iraq ... And He's a Bible-Thumper Now ... Around The Garlic Patch

Another installment (in what has been my bad, of being too infrequent) of Around The Garlic Patch

Must Read - Glenn Greenwald's Scoop On The Politico's DNA

Let's get this off the chest, first and foremost.

Can we not have anymore more presidential candidate debates held and hosted at presidential libraries? In in particular, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Between the debate itself (somewhere between 20-30 tributes to the old, doddering drooler), and the pre-and-post MSNBC television coverage, it became a veritable Reagan Love-In.

I didn't watch every minute of the coverage, but I suspect no one brought up the irony of having the debate in the hanger that housed the old Air Force One that Reagan (and other Presidents) traveled on.

The airplane of the union-busting President.

It was Reagan who broke up PATCO (Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization), two-days after they began a strike for better working conditions. Not only did he fire them, but he also banned them from federal employment.

Since Reagan is, quite erroneously, credited with bringing down the Soviet Union (more like it happened on his watch, the cumulative effect of previous administrations maintenance of the Cold War), perhaps PATCO was his test run (Can't you just hear him, practicing "Tear down that control tower" over and over?).

There. Feel better.

The main purpose of this post is to bring your attention to, and encourage you to read through it, the exceptional reporting/writing of Salon's Glenn Greenwald on the DNA of the spanking new media outlet, the on-line political magazine, The Politico.

They pulled in some big name journalists from The Washington Post, Time Magazine and other places and it was going to be a new day. There's also ties to Matt Sludge but that, more-or-less, is unofficial and not in their masthead.

Well, Greenwald lays it all out.

The Republican Candidates Debate Thursday evening was sponsored by MSNBC and (quick, take a guess), The Politico. How did a fledgling start-up media company score such a hit?

Greenwald, quoting Mike Allen of The Politico;

"She [Nancy Reagan] was escorted out of the hall by Frederick J. Ryan Jr., chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, and president and CEO of The Politico."

Not only is The Politico's DNA and money coming from a long-time Reaganite, but also from a long-time friend and supporter of Chilean Dictator and murderer, Augusto Pinochet. Friendship, plus business ties.

Links

Who funds and runs the Politico?

The Politico: Exhibit A for our broken political press

GOP Presidential Candidates Transcript

Of Dead Policies, Boxes in Boxes, Meme's, Links and Lazy Saturday Afternoons ... Around The Garlic Patch

Around The Garlic Patch ... A Few Good Links To Check Out

If he were alive and in business today, would Pinochet be a subscriber to The Politico?














This Wasn't In The Brochure

Perhaps you've seen the slick television commercial, promoting the campaign of "The Other Iraq".

Kurdistan. You know, those good Iraqis. The one's not fighting, or killing, U.S. soldiers.

In fact, as AntiWar.Com notes, the Kurdish Regional Government hired Russo Marsh & Rogers (RM&R) – a Sacramento, Calif.-based public relations firm with close ties to the Republican Party - to produce the campaign "... that will thank the American people for supporting the war in Iraq, and encourage Americans to visit and invest in the Kurdish region."

Well, there was a most disturbing (sickening, actually) article found on Memorandum today.

A teenage girl, in Kurdistan, from the minority Kurdish religious group called Yezidi, apparently fell in love with a Sunni Muslim boy.

And what did that bring about in "The Other Iraq"? The Good, Civilized, Enlightened Iraqis?

"The moment a teenage girl was stoned to death for loving the wrong boy"

If the Kurdish Regional Government truly wants to establish itself as "The Other Iraq", then they will move heaven and earth to bring this young girl's killers to justice.

Contact the Minister of Justice, Farouq Jamil Sadig to encourage their "investment" in this matter.

Links

Kurdistan hopes promotional push will increase foreign interest

Iraq Kurdistan to Tourists: Don't Confuse Us with the Rest of Iraq


If traveling to "The Other Iraq" beware of the water and bring your own rocks






Must Be The Cure

This past Thursday was, if you missed the parade (and let your imagination run with that - Macy-like giant floats of the Bible, characters from the Old and New Testament, ending with a Easter reenactment, where the cut loose the Jesus float, to have it ascend into the heavens), or were wrought with anxiety over the pending 45-day jail sentence issued to Paris Hilton, the National Day of Prayer.

Yep, complete with Presidential Proclamation and a little ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

Dana Milbank, of The Washington Post, had a piece on it yesterday.

What stood out was who has handling the press of the people putting on the "Bible Reading Marathon".

None other than that softball-throwing cheesecake, James Guckert, better known as Jeff Gannon, formerly of Talon News.

Also involved, running the National Day of Prayer Task Force, was Shirley Dobson, wife of fire-and-brimstone Focus on Family founder, James Dobson (you know, one of the guys that helped "cure" Ted Haggard).

I wonder, if Dobson and the gang, developed that cure with Gannon, before applying it to Haggard?

Links

What is Talon News, and why does it have press credentials?

Online Reporter Quits After Liberals' Expose

Jeff Gannon Admits Past 'Mistakes,' Berates Critics

It's not your father's Sunday School anymore

Top Ten Cloves: What Goes Into President Bush Giving Himself Nicknames

News Item: Lost in the Fog With Commander Guy

10. Does it to cover his tracks when leaking information to the press

9. He'd rather give himself a nickname here, then someone giving him one over there

8. Jots them down in a list and looks to see which ones will succeed and which ones won't succeed

7. Test nicknames by prank calling his secretary ... If she takes more then 10-seconds to know whose calling, it's a keeper

6. Simply his way of dealing with "Bush Fatigue"

5. Everytime he reads a book from his "Ek-A-Lec-Tic" reading list, he starts thinking of these nicknames

4. Believes, by giving himself nicknames, he's making it harder for Al Qaeda to follow him home

3. Helps in raising funds for the Bush Library, when they can say something like "The Decider" or "The Commander Guy" needs it

2. Fires a U.S. Attorney until he gets one he likes

1. Only thing Dick Cheney lets him do by himself










The Decider-Commander Guy has been known to name his policies as well. Remember his "Cowboy Diplomacy"?

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard At The Republican Candidates' Debate

News Item: Setting the Stage: The Republicans' First Debate

10. Good thing Fred Thompson hasn't entered the race yet ... Between the size of his ego, and Tommy's ears, we'll be lucky if the camera evens catches us in a panning shot

9. I heard, just to make his point, Duncan Hunter climbed over a fence to sneak in here tonight

8. I hope they ask me ... I'll be darn sure if I'm President to get the Medal of Freedom back from Tenent

7. Man, why are they scheduling these things the same night when 'Grey's Anatomy' is on?

6. I wonder if McCain is going to sing all his answers

5. I'll bet these guys would scare the bejeezes out of Mike Gravel too!

4. Tancredo pulled a bullshit move ... He had his Lawn-Chair Militia out front, trying to intimidate the other candidates

3. Watch if things get heated ... Guiliani will blow his top and say he'd give his mother embryonic stem cells so she could get an abortion if it would get him elected

2. I'll bet Romney digitally researched JFK's tan, in the 1960 debate, so he could get just the right color

1. Jesus! ... Would Sam Brownback bore a room full of insurance salesmen, or what?

Money was on McCain singing his answers