Blankley: Democrats "believe in water torture for the president"
In a Washington Times column, Tony Blankley claimed that Democrats are using "the old Chinese water torture" on President Bush over his authorization of warrantless domestic surveillance by "dragging out" the issue for "months and months," even as those "same senators ... oppose similar water-related interrogation techniques when used on captured enemy terrorists." He added: "But then I suppose the president is not covered by what [right-wing radio host] Michael Savage calls the Democratic Party's 'Terrorist Bill of Rights.' "
Washington Times editorial page editor Tony Blankley, in his March 15 Times column, claimed: "It is odd that the same senators who believe in water torture for the president of the United States vigorously oppose similar water-related interrogation techniques when used on captured enemy terrorists." Blankley contrasted the actions of Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who he claimed "jumped the [Democratic] que [sic]" on March 13 by introducing a resolution to censure President Bush over his authorization of warrantless domestic surveillance, with those of "more seasoned, team-playing Democrats," who he said want to "use the old Chinese water torture on the president" and "drag[] out the agony for months and months." Blankley added: "But then I suppose the president is not covered by what [right-wing radio host] Michael Savage calls the Democratic Party's 'Terrorist Bill of Rights.' " Absent from Blankley's column was any distinction between the metaphorical "water torture" he claimed that Democrats want to use against Bush and the very real interrogation tactic known was "water boarding," whereby a prisoner is made to feel as though he is drowning.
From Blankley's March 15 Washington Times column:
[Senator] Russ Feingold [D-WI] is notoriously not a party man. This may play well in his conscience and in the countryside, but it is a non-starter in this two-team town. The Senate Democrats may well agree in principle that the president should be censured or keelhauled, or de-trousered or short-sheeted or inflicted with some other indignity.
But there is a long line of more senior Democrats who have been waiting patiently to get their licks in. Sen Feingold jumped the que [sic] -- if not the shark. The more seasoned, team-playing Democrats want to use the old Chinese water torture on the president -- dragging out the agony for months and months. Or, as they call it in Washington, the issue "would spark a worthwhile debate."
It is odd that the same senators who believe in water torture for the president of the United States vigorously oppose similar water-related interrogation techniques when used on captured enemy terrorists. But then I suppose the president is not covered by what Michael Savage calls the Democratic Party's "Terrorist Bill of Rights."
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Any radical right-wing dimwit that actually quotes Savage completely and unequivocally loses ALL credibility. He might as well cite Stalin and Hitler as reasonable pundits. What a jack*ss.
But even someone as 'mainstream' as Chris Matthews has referred to Savage endearingly at no peril to his...ahem...credibility.
Poor Gee Duhbya,
Leave the guy alone, can't you see that he's just protecting us from terrorists? Its not his fault he couldn't put down a baby book while the Twin Towers were under attack, its not his fault he was wrong about WMDs, its not his fault he couldn't hunt down Bin Laden, its not his fault his family partners with Bin Laden Inc. and the UAE, its not his fault Harriet Myers was unqualified, its not his fault his prescription plan failed, its not his fault the deficit went from zero to gazillions, its not his fault he illegally wiretapped Americans, its not his fault he didn't really win either Presidential election, its not his fault the leadership of the Republican party was paid off by Abramoff, its not his fault he dodged the draft, its not his fault his office outed a CIA agent, its not his fault Brownie didn't do a good job, its not his fault he did nothing to fortify the levees before Katrina hit, its not his fault Powell quit, its not his fault his father didn't stop him from invading Iraq, its not his fault he is Cheney's puppet, its not his fault he's fuzzy on math, its not his fault he can't hold a press conference, its not his fault he has a low vocabulary, its not his fault he lost every presidential debate, its not his fault he tried to end affirmative action....Why you'd have to be a wacko nutjob not to love this guy!
Great writing HERU – your ‘ode to George’ is great –someone should put it to music. My only disappointment is your last line ‘its not his fault he tried to end affirmative action’ I lost a job (and likely many more) - As the interviewer said, ‘Your good, but we’re looking for women and minorities right now. Sorry.” I was under 50 and a white male so he knew I couldn’t do anything but take a hike. It stills bugs me. Other than that it was a great piece.
It is not his fault -- brillent! Great writing HERU – your ‘ode to George’ is great –someone should put it to music. My only disappointment is your last line ‘its not his fault he tried to end affirmative action’ I lost a job (and likely many more) - As the interviewer said, ‘Your good, but we’re looking for women and minorities right now. Sorry.” I was under 50 and a white male so he knew I couldn’t do anything but take a hike. It stills bugs me. Other than that it was a great piece. - workingman
thanks. sorry about losing that job opportunity but when people don't want to hire you for whatever reason, they tell you crap as a way to save face. Every white guy who didn't get hired anywhere in the past 20 years was told that line: oh its not you, we need a female/minority. If this were true in every case, the Fortune 500 would be 90% black female by now instead of white male.
Its like when you don't get the girl, do you ever really know why you were rejected? Unless you are a real scumbag neocon she is likely to give you a reason that doesn't hurt your feelings.
You'll never know if it was really affirmative action, BO or a poor interview but I'll tell you this: Companies are overflowing with white male employees. They are not flooded with black employees. The day when the Fortune 500 is chock full of black male employees and because they are so overwhelmingly black they tell me "sorry, we're looking for a white guy right now" would be a happy day for me.
Why can't the Democrats stop dragging this issue out - it's been public since mid-December!
They should take a page from the Administration's handbook and wrap this up quickly, as was done with the Plame affair. And aren't we glad that mess is behind us?
By the way, Tony, the true indignity is being inflicted upon the Constitution of the United States, which the President swore to uphold - twice - and hasn't.
Hugs to Reverend Moon.
Then neither should this.
Or is it the case that a presidential law violation just isn't on the same level as a presidential marriage vow betrayal?
I wouldn't torture the President. I'd try him in The Hague, which I belive doesn't have torture as one of its punishments. I nice prison cell with three squares a day would be just about right.
So investigating the president violating the law for months and months is 'agony'?
And what is investigating presidential oral sex over months and months to Blankley? A pleasure cruise?
See how he suggests that Democrats want to "torture" Bush... and then says Democrats are opposed to REAL torture? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
That is witty. Go eat another Ruben Blankley.
First, this dimwit says:
"The more seasoned, team-playing Democrats want to use the old Chinese water torture on the president -- dragging out the agony for months and months."
You see that he did not say that the Democrats want to torture the President. He equated the phrase "dragging out agony" with idea of "water torture." It is metaphorical link, or rhetorical link.
Then with a grand leap in his own imagination he creates the link of "the same senators who believe in water torture for the president" with real torture.
He set his own mind up for a conclusion, and then justied it with faulty (absurd, even) logic: that Democrats are people who want to torture the President and be kind to Terrorists.
One would think such writing is a ranting of a lunatic, a mind twisted by hate. But I don't what to be connecting any dots....
I'm not sure if you are referring to yourself as the ranting lunatic or Blankley... but, you conclusions are sound. This circular "logic" is the hallmark of the GOP. 1+1=5!! See??!! 5!!! I told you! How do you even argue with someone like that?
"You are putting two and two together and coming up four. Only it ain't four!"
I love that line from Stalag 13.
Minor detail, but that's Stalag 17. A personal fave, I feel like watching it now that you've got it on my mind :)
"It adds up that you got yourselves the wrong guy. Because, I'm telling you, the krauts wouldn't plant two stoolies in one barracks. And whatever you do to me, you're gonna have to do all over again when you find the right guy."
...but that's Stalag 17.
Thanks for the correction. (This thread is not too busy so I think it is okay for me to continue to post off-topic. ;-)
[link to www.prisonflicks.com] 17 with some good images. (Gives away the entire story though.)
through his grandiose leaps and "conclusion" he was really revealing his obsession with torture? How Freudian. No wonder he's a right-winger. I bet he dreams about his mother making Reuben sandwiches while dubyah screams, "bring 'em on", in the background.
...that's how you spell 'reuben'....thought that looked odd. LOL!
Nonetheless, you were the inspiration. I'm kind of craving one, come to think about it.
Karl Rove must have sent out the new talking points.
All the usual media suspects are trying to portray all opposition to Bush as "Democratic anger", implying it's not reasonable or based on Bush's actual decisions. Matt Drudge even has a link claiming Democrats are less "happy" (not sure how you could ever measure levels of happiness, or if current "unhappiness" amongst Democrats is simply an overall feeling the counry is not headed in the right direction due to Bush's policies).
Some of the pundits are even throwing out the term "traitor" again to describe opposition to Bush.
This is all an attempt to stop the sinking Titanic that is the Bush administration, and intimidate anyone who dares speak out against his policies. The sad part is how many members of the media are playing along.
I am truly amazed at how those on the right, like Blankely, can twist virtually any scenario to fit the tired old "dems hate the President and love the terrorists" mantra, no matter how convoluted and absurd they have to get. Reminds me of that favorite neocon party game, 'six degrees of Bill Clinton'.
Gee, Jabba, er, Tony, rather than squawk about anyone "dragging out the agony for months and months", why not advocate something more speedy?
Something like, oh, I dunno, maybe have the appropriate committees in Congress look into the matter?
Ya think?
In any case, even several months of your so-called "torture" for Duhhbya would be letting him off easy for the years of abuse he's visited upon the World and for the decades of suffering his deeds will ultimately cause.
Water boarding? Where did that come from?
Blankley's comparison was obviously meant to mean the technique of Chinese water torture...not water boarding. The democrats are using a steady drip of complaints against the president.
I'm not going to argue the merits of Blankley's comment...I'm just pointing out that mmfa has made a stumble in logic when racing to bring up water boarding...that's how bad info gets started and spread. mmfa's reasoning on this issue is flawed...but all's fair in politics.
You jerked your knee out of socket. Tony Blankley, in his March 15 Times column, claimed: "It is odd that the same senators who believe in water torture for the president of the United States vigorously oppose similar water-related interrogation techniques...
Those " interrogation techniques" include water-boarding.
I'm not going to argue the merits of Blankley's comment...I'm just pointing out that mmfa has made a stumble in logic when racing to bring up water boarding...that's how bad info gets started and spread. mmfa's reasoning on this issue is flawed...but all's fair in politics. - wesley
Of course not, why argue the merits when you can create a distraction by alleging an error that is not incorrect?
the issue with Blankley's statement that MMFA meant to convey was with the "Chinese water torture" line. It seemed as simply a lead-in to delve into the more bizarre line that followed saying that Democrats oppose similar water techniques on terrorist suspects. I mean, it's just weird.
Water boarding? Where did that come from?
It came from Blankley's mouth:
"...similar water-related interrogation techniques when used on captured enemy terrorists.
NOT,
More like death from aTHOUSAND CUTS of which THIS is the latest:
[link to www.rawstory.com]
What sophomoric tripe from this NeoCon gas bag.
Blankely should team with Dick Morris in a 'WHO can eat the most TWINKIES advertisement.
Thanks for the link, Navy.
Very scary and unconscionable stuff indeed. Want to wager as to whether or not there will be an investigation? Does anyone even think the MSM will pick up on this story?
Being pecked to death by ducks. Either way, he deserves whatever metaphorical fate he gets.
Odd that Tony Blankley would find this feeding frenzy so distasteful...considering that he is where he is today because of his nightly appearances on talk shows during the Monica Lewinsky witch hunt.
Hypocrisy.
I think dragging the war out in Iraq is equivalent to water torture. Knock knock, no WMD, no Bin Laden...........just as many dead as the World Trade Center. It is torture trying to remain an honorable American under such a fascist regime.
brainwashing bush but......oh hell, you finish the rest.
and we all got it, too.
Is it just me or does this guy look like Larry Flynt?
Larry Flynt works for a real publication.
Now why do you have to go off and insult Larry Flint like that?