This just in from the AP:  SC lawmakers nix considering Sanford impeachment…

Good!

Correction:  My apologies. I misspelled Rep. Delleney’s last name in the previous post.  Probably should have clarified, too, that he is a state Rep. (R) from Chester.

Wow!  I just re-read the first paragraph of the post below:

“…emergency session of the South Carolina legislature convened for emergency…”

Yep!  I’m sorry - what are emergency sessions for, again?  Oh, right, emergencies!  Silly me.  Gawd but I’m stupid sometimes.

Looks like Rep. Delaney is planning to introduce a resolution today, in an emergency session of the South Carolina legislature convened for emergency (and wholly unrelated) session, to impeach Governor Mark Sanford.

Besides just being sad, this is an enormous waste of time and taxpayer’s money (in my opinion, anyway).  Sanford’s got about 14 months left in office, and is possibly more single-mindedly focused on helping his state now than he has been in some time.   - I’m not referring to The State’s poor math skills and even poorer attempt at correcting it , but to Sanford’s own words of being, “…stupidly busy…” with added political responsibilites outside his home state, in the recent video interview below:

Does Delaney make a compelling argument?  Strictly speaking, and despite the fact I like Mark Sanford, yes.  But - there’s a far more important issue to be addressed than impeaching a sitting governor for physically leaving the state and leaving it without someone else in charge, and that is…the problem that the governor leaving the state doesn’t automatically put someone else in charge while he/she is absent!

Really - this is just incredibly stupid, short-sighted, and dangerous.  In many states - the moment the governor steps across the state line, power shifts to the next person in the chain of command still in that state.  It’s a-u-t-o-m-a-t-i-c. This is not the case in South Carolina apparently.

So - here’s my outsider’s suggestion to the South Carolina state legislature:

Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen of South Carolina,

Instead of wasting time and money you don’t have, to impeach Mark Sanford for, frankly, having the temerity to fall off a pedestal he had a lot of help from you all of being stuck on, and having goals/ideas for the health of the state government that aren’t always in lockstep with his political party, why not fix the problem his “fall” so glaringly illuminated?

As for what would be a suitable punishment for Sanford’s error?  I think the media’s already handled that about as eggregiously as possible, don’t you?

Ha!  See?  I actually do write original stuff here once in a blue moon.

Thanks to a good friend of mine, Stan Davis, for posting the info on this over at WesPAC’s CCN blogs - General Wesley Clark’s site - …you’ll see a new banner ad to help veterans in the upper left of the home page here, right under the “Login” link. The “Larry” Stan mentions, is Larry Huynh, who, along with Brent Blackaby make up the amazing principles at Blackrock Associates - easily one of the best companies out there at online marketing for political campaigns!

Please do all you can to help! You can start by linking to this post, and by going over to BeyondTribute and grabbing a banner ad to place on your site. Click here to get one, or a bunch.

P.S. - if you need a smaller banner, for narrower blog theme sidebars, feel free to use the snippet below until BeyondTribute has a chance to post more ad sizes. Note: Only the image source link has changed - please DO NOT change the link to BeyondTribute.org:

<a href=”http://www.beyondtribute.org/” title=”Beyond Tribute: Let’s help vets. Memorial Day 2009.” _target=”_beyond”><img src=”http://deadmessengers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/beyondtribute_webad_150×125.jpg”><a>

Thanks to Larry for the heads-up.http://beyondtribute.org/index.php
Gen. Clark is on the “honorary board of directors.”http://beyondtribute.org/about_us/advisors.php

The pledge is to patronize BeyondTribute businesses for Memorial Day weekend.

See an article about BeyondTribute here.Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark: “We’re no better than our own sense of humility.”

Just in from Clarkvolunteers.com… 

Hi again -  

Ya know?  If General Clark would just quit inspiring people, we could keep wonderful examples of humanity (insert sarcasm) like Dean Heller in office forever!  But nooooooo…instead we get people like Cindy who are honest, smart, compassionate, straight forward, don’t suffer fools easily, hard-working, ethical, and make the energizer bunny look like a slacker.

Well, Cindy’s made it official - she’s running for U.S. Congress in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.  Take a look at her great campaign kick-off videos…where she explains how General Clark has been, and continues to be, a major force of inspiration for her, and a primary reason for her decision to oust Dean Heller.  (Thanks Wes!!)

After you watch the videos, here’s what I’d like you to do - show the DCCC how fast small donations from people like us build up, and make a real difference.  I’m asking everyone who receives this email to donate $1  to  $5  to Cindy’s campaign this week.   The please forward this email to everyone you know and ask them to do the same.  Cindy’s ActBlue page address is: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/21954

Thanks a million!

Kelly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CFiZ6SNXuM  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQHrFnnDSu4 

Here’s a hint:  Rove lost

General Wesley Clark, Karl Rove faceoff at Univ. of Buffalo (Video)

Debate date: September 26, 2008 | Transcript by RegNYC

Article excerpts from The Buffalo News | Jay Rey | NEWS STAFF REPORTER

It wasn’t Obama-McCain, but Western New York had a pretty good debate of its own Friday night at the University at Buffalo. On one side was Karl Rove, Republican strategist and former White House deputy chief of staff.

On the other side was retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark, who had sought the Democratic Party’s nomination in 2004.

The two launched this year’s Distinguished Speakers Series in Alumni Arena with a bang, by debating some of the same contentious issues the presidential candidates faced, such as the economy, a $700 billion government bailout, health care and the war in Iraq.

Each started with five minutes for opening comments on his party’s slant.

“We are blessed to be citizens of this country,” Rove said. “There is something called the American Dream and people around the world want to share in it. Never lose sight this is the greatest country in the history of the world.”

“We’re a nation in trouble,” Clark said. “We need new ideas, and we need new leadership for America.”

For Links to the Video of the Debate click the “read more” link below, then scroll to the bottom of that page.  Well worth watching!

read more

4/26/09 - General Wesley Clark on Fox: Geraldo at Large

Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 11:07:42 AM | Kat

General Wesley Clark on “Geraldo at Large”

April 26, 2009

General Wesley Clark on Obama’s Foreign Policy Team

Apr 14 2009 | UCLA Newsroom

General Wesley Clark, senior fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations, shares his thoughts on President Obama’s foreign policy team and their approach to handling international affairs.

General Clark’s remarks were part of the UCLA Burkle Center’s annual conference held at UCLA’s Covel Commons.

General Wesley Clark on ‘The Responsibility to Protect’

General Wesley Clark discusses the responsibility the international community has to intervene, even militarily, when a state neglects its duty to protect its population from genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

( see all Foreign Affairs | Middle East | Pres. Obama’s Cabinet | Videoclips )

7/01/08: General Wesley Clark on CNN’s The Situation Room

Submitted by Kat on July 1, 2008 - 5:06pm.

Direct link to Quicktime
Direct link to Windows Media
Direct link to MP3 (audio only)

» read more | 21 comments | 1 new comment

7/1/08 - General Wesley Clark on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell

Submitted by Kat on July 1, 2008 - 1:54pm.

Direct link to Quicktime

Direct link to Windows Media

Direct link to MP3 (audio only)July 1, 2008
transcript by Reg NYC

Andrea Mitchell: Good day, I’m Andrea Mitchell live in Washington. Welcome to MSNBC’s Super Tuesday special coverage. Today we are going in depth on the politics of the war in Iraq, a reality check on what is happening on the ground and where the candidates stand. Here with us now retired U.S. General Wesley Clark. The General is an MSNBC analyst and a Barack Obama supporter after having supported Hillary Clinton during the primaries. General Clark, welcome. We want to talk to you about Iraq-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you very much, Andrea.

Andrea Mitchell: -and about foreign policy. First, we want to give you an opportunity to respond to a lot that’s been said since Sunday when you went on Face The Nation and had the following exchange between yourself and Bob Schieffer. Let’s watch:

(on tape)

Bob Schieffer: How can you say that John McCain is un- untested and untried? General?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Because in the matters of national security policy making, it’s a matter of understanding risk. It’s a matter of gauging your opponents, and it’s a matter of being held accountable. John McCain’s never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He, he was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn’t held executive responsibility. That large squadron in Air- in the Navy that he commanded, it wasn’t a wartime squadron. He hasn’t been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn’t seen what it’s like when diplomats come in and say, ‘I don’t know whether we’re going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it-’

Bon Schieffer: Well-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: ‘ -it publicly.’ He hasn’t made those calls, Bob.

Bob Schieffer: Well, well, General, maybe-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: So-

Bob Schieffer: Could I just interrupt you. If-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Sure.

Bob Schieffer: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be President.

(end tape)

Click the heading for the full transcript - or just watch the clip which is better.

7/1/08 - General Wesley Clark on the Ed Schultz Show

Submitted by Kat on July 1, 2008 - 1:00pm.

General Wesley Clark on The Ed Schultz Show

July 1, 2008We encourage you to listen to the clip

General Wesley Clark on The Ed Schultz Show

7/1/08 - General Wesley Clark on ABC’s Good Morning America

Submitted by Kat on July 1, 2008 - 11:09am.

Direct link to Quicktime
Direct link to Windows Media
Direct link to MP3 (audio only)
July 1, 2008
transcript by Reg NYC


 

6/30/08: General Wesley Clark on “The Verdict with Dan Abrams”

Submitted by Kat on June 30, 2008 - 9:57pm.

You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkReBAQOYh4

June 30, 2008

Transcription by Melange

and the original Face The Nation interview that started this whole thing:

6/29/08: General Wesley Clark on CBS’s Face the Nation

Submitted by Kat on June 29, 2008 - 12:02pm.

Direct link to Quicktime
Direct link to Windows Media
Direct link to MP3 (audio only)

UPDATED with Transcript

Serve with the General - And the winner is . . .

Tens of thousands of votes were cast. People from coast to coast answered the call and let us know that they wanted to serve with the General.  Voters in our final five districts – CA-04, CO-04, MN-03, NC-10, and WA-08 – all showed that they are well-organized and ready to face the challenges in their districts. People are tired of politics as usual and want a new politics of service - where what you do every day in your community is just as important as what you do on election day.It was a see-saw battle until the end.  All of the districts were in first place at one time or another.  A late push in the country’s largest state was the difference. Democrats Work and WesPAC are pleased to announce that General Wes Clark is heading to California’s Fourth District to work side-by-side with local Democrats and Congressional candidate Charlie Brown!The “Serve with the General” service project will be announced soon.  Check back soon for details. In the meantime, sign up to volunteer at events in your community, let us know about Democratic service events in your neighborhood, and support the work of Democrats Work with a contribution.

Thank you for your support and hard work!

“Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants.”

Gen. Omar Bradley

And have we progressed since Gen. Bradley made this statement?   Not so much.

As of today, this section - formerly known as Observations, - is permanently renamed in honor of Buzz Rainer. For the past 28 years it’s been my privilege to know him as one of the best teachers I’ve ever seen, ever had, but more importantly, as a wonderful friend I’ll miss more than I can say.

For all who knew him - this room is open to all who wish to raise a glass to him. Proper English required. Coat and tie are optional, cashmere v-necks welcomed.

Will post more on Buzz later. Not today. Maybe tonight. Need to go through photos and find more.

More is posted here too: www.buzzrainermemorial.com

There is also a link to an online GuestBook.

Buzz - 1982.  Either Tonee took this or I did, for the 1983 Yearbook…

…or at least this particular Revolted Elder.

Former Republican Rep. Pete McCloskey has had enough - he’s left the Republican Party and registered as a Democrat, according to an article in the San Jose Mercury News, yesterday.

the bunnyslippers are back.  Don’t let the shades fool you.  They’re monsters I tell you - monsters!

I was recently asked why I title the Observation posts in the Hanger Flyin’ catagory with numbers.  Um…’cause a title doesn’t always just spring forth?!  Hey - if you’ve got a better idea, let me know!

…now I can talk to myself while driving, and people assume I’m talking on a cell phone rather than that I’m insane.

I particularly love to see advertisements which include the word Professional, as in ‘Professional Plumber’, ‘Professionally Striped’, etc.  Something of another redundancy…who the hell wants to hire an amateur!

‘Professional Pest Control’ is a recent one that really cracked me up…like I want some amateur pumping toxic gas into my house.

Someone please explain to me the sudden obsession with tatoos - especially for women.

I was wandering around in Border’s the other day, and noticed that the Self-Help section is nearly twice the size of the History section, and yet we are more screwed up and confused than we were before there were Self-Help sections!

Think maybe there’s a correlation there?  Hmm??

Here’re two more…

Irregardless is not a word.  Regardless is.

Another recent mispronunciation happened during the early days of the Iraqi War. Several soldiers, then a few journalists (who should definitely know better) used the word cashet (cash ay) when <verbally> describing large amounts of weapons and ammunition found, usually hidden.  That word means seal of approval, prestige, etc.

The correct word is cache (cash).