Think Progress

Mainstream TV Media Drops The Ball On NSA Ruling, Instead Devotes Attention To JonBenet Ramsey»

Yesterday, a federal judge in Michigan issued “a sweeping rebuke of the once-secret domestic-surveillance effort the White House authorized following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.” The ruling was “a significant blow to Bush’s attempts to expand presidential powers,” but you wouldn’t know that by watching last evening’s network newscasts.

All three major TV networks led their evening news with stories on JonBenet Ramsey’s death and the comments made by arrested teacher John Mark Karr. The networks offered multiple segments and numerous expert analyses to provide in-depth coverage on the legal case. The NSA decision received only a passing mention from two of the newscasts, while ABC devoted a full segment to it.

Still, ABC devoted twice as much time to Ramsey as it did to the NSA story. More egregiously, CBS offered seven times as much airtime to Ramsey as it did to the NSA story, while NBC devoted 15 times more airtime. Below is a comparison of the allocation of time made by each network:

NETWORK RAMSEY SEGMENT NSA SEGMENT
NBC 7:39 0:27
CBS 3:23 0:25
ABC 4:03 2:00

    As CBS host Bob Schieffer wrapped up the Ramsey segment, he reassured the audience, “We’ll stay on this case. That’s for sure.”

    UPDATE: Jeff Cohen offers an explanation for why the TV newscasts are focused on the Ramsey case.

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    341 Responses to “Mainstream TV Media Drops The Ball On NSA Ruling, Instead Devotes Attention To JonBenet Ramsey”


    1. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      William Safire:

      “Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend — all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as ‘a virtual, centralized grand database.’

      “To this computerized dossier on your private life from commercial sources, add every piece of information that government has about you — passport application, driver’s license and bridge toll records, judicial and divorce records, complaints from nosy neighbors to the F.B.I., your lifetime paper trail plus the latest hidden camera surveillance — and you have the supersnoop’s dream: a “Total Information Awareness” about every U.S. citizen.

      “This is not some far-out Orwellian scenario. It is what will happen to your personal freedom.”


    2. Tracy Says:

      Maybe they know it will be appealed.


    3. dlet Says:

      This just in the world is on fire and everyone will die in two days. But first we have a four part segment on the blond rich girl that has been missing on a Carribean island since eight months ago.


    4. TripMaster Monkey Says:

      Exactly. It’s amazingly fortuitous coincidences like this that make me think that mabye (just mabye) John Mark Kar has offered his ‘confession’ at the clandestine behest of the administration, who have promised that the case will go nowhere at best and insanity plea at the worst, and that he’ll be out doing book signings and the talk show circuit inside three years.

      (I know…the tinfoil hat is a bit snug today…)


    5. Gregor Samsa Says:

      As sorry as I feel for the dead girl and her family, I am getting tired of the media’s coverage of the case.

      I sensed the media were going overboard, I didn’t realise to what extent they have abandoned the reportage of important issues that affect us all in favor of stories that, at the end of the day, are largely unimportant to the lives of the vast majority of Americans.

      The media’s trend towards tabloid-style reporting, and yellow journalism cannot bode well for the health of a democracy.


    6. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      This is why it is so important that Democrats use a percentage of their money to buy prime time air time. I think it should be mandatory.

      Does anyone here remember a PSA from the early 70s where a husband calls his wife to tell her she doesn’t have to eat to feel better? (She takes the call while she’s openning the refrigerator.)

      Anyone?


    7. bones Says:

      #4, it really doesn’t matter if it’s appealed. It is the biggest news story of the last 5 years. The President is breaking the law and violating his Oath of Office and facing impeachment, and gets 25 seconds? the fact it will be appealed makes it a BIGGER story.


    8. Mary Poplins Says:

      Did you expect anything else from the media?


    9. texasjuice Says:

      And the Ramsey case is important to my life because…..Get with it Media, you guys SUCK!!!!

      Texas Juice


    10. nym@alias.net Says:

      why does the president violate the constitution?


    11. Gay Bear Says:

      Yes, there will be an appeal. I heard that this morning on KPFK (listener sponsored public radio). Strange how 10 years later, all of a sudden, in an Asian country of all places, they find someone who is a prime suspect in the Jonbenet Ramsey murder case. And the timing seems so perfect, so perfect to distract the public, yet again, from what’s going on in OUR White House. First we had Martha Stewart’s trial to distract, then we had Michael Jackson’s trial to distract, and now this. It seems too convenient to me to ignore. Way too convenient. PS: Also heard on the news this morning, there are huge gaping holes in this guy’s story. I’m going to call BS on this. I don’t buy a word of it.


    12. Keith H. Says:

      It’s the worst.
      We’ve been seeing it for a long time now.
      It probably won’t change any time soon.
      Not until they are purchased by someone with a different agenda.
      I personally can’t tune into it, ever. Makes me vomit.


    13. purvis ames Says:

      Mighty Aphrodite is the reincarnation of JonBenet Ramsay. Strut your stuff, girl! Oh, I forgot you’re actually a big fat man. How lame can you get?


    14. bones Says:

      #10, Might ahat. The case doesn’t need to demonstrate ANY INJURY, and the judge basically said that when she ruled she didn’t need to see “classified information to explain illegal behaviour”. It is straight forward case of did the President follow the law and the constitution, and the answer is no. I’m sure the criminals involved will appeal, they always do. And you should be worried if the Supreme Court were to reverse this judgement, because you can go to Gitmo as well as anyone else.


    15. Willy Says:

      I’m so sick of JonBenet Ramsey. You’d think there was nothing else going on in the world. The mainstream press is so shallow and into sensationalism. Ugh!


    16. nym@alias.net Says:

      like the supreme court declared, just a bunch of war criminals


    17. Tom In Maine Says:

      It’s called the Dumbing down of America, the network news executives realize that a story that is more like a soap opera, no real depth to it, simple to follow plays out to the american people so much better than say a story about a judge shooting down the administrations illegal spying program or a story about another hundred or so dead civilians in Iraq.


    18. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      Anyone as smart as mighty knows there is no “National Security” offered by the left or right. Yet here she comes, over and over, like a paid whore.

      Turdles….


    19. MrGrumpyPants Says:

      The Bush administration can basically do or say anything they want for the next couple weeks and get away with it completely unnoticed. Meanwhile we can count on the MSM to shove the Ramsey case down our throats 24/7.


    20. Gerald Gibson Says:

      Well if those pedophiles ever mount an attack on Americas Constitution the MSM will have it totally covered.


    21. DRxJ Says:

      #6
      Gregor, I agree. I, too , feel such sorrow for this family. Being the father of 4 children, I cannot imagine the pain, the suffering, the pure horror of a child being murdered. BUT, the national attention to this particular crime is pathetic.
      About 5 years ago, an elderly couple and their daughter were brutally murdered about 10 miles from where I live. It was horrific, from what I gathered through the LOCAL media. I say LOCAL because that is where it stayed. To this day, it is an unsolved crime. My question, then, is WHY IS THIS CRIME NOT GETTING NATIONAL ATTENTION??? Why is the Ramsey murder more important then theirs?
      Meanwhile, barely a whisper about the judge’s ruling regarding warrantless wiretapping.


    22. Republicandemocrat&independent Says:

      # 3

      If you do not think that is already being done you are mistaken. There is not a day that goes by that you are not on some video tape. and everytime you use a credt/debit/atm card you ttransactions are being recorded and entered into a database. thsi is so the companyies that you have the card with can track what you purchase and when.

      So I say if you do not have any thing to hide you have nothing to fear!!!


    23. Jackie Says:

      The Media got it’s orders from the Crap Cowboy aka George Bush and they did as they were told. Notice how important news like that fact that our troops are being killed daily isn’t on the news but the trash gets the headline. What an out cry by the media for the bad words Mel Gibson said but no one cares about the troops who die in Iraq because Iraq is having a civil war and we’re in the middle.


    24. WC Says:

      More propaganda.

      From CNN.com:

      Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, pointed to the alleged airplane plot that was disrupted last week. “It is disappointing that a judge would take it upon herself to disarm America during a time of war,” he said in a statement.

      Please…somebody call Pete and inform him that warrants were granted for the intelligence collected that we shared with Britian. While you are at it, tell him that this ruling targets only the warrantless wiretapping program.


    25. Gay Bear Says:

      The Judge’s best line: “There are no hereditary kings in America.” Take that, Bush.


    26. rumour95 Says:

      I checked on CNN.com this morning…
      the MOST SAVED, MOST EMAILED, AND MOST PRINTED lists
      IS the story about he Court Ruling…

      BUT you know what story gets all the splashy headlines?

      Yup, JBR killers confesses…

      Does this mean that the general public is more attued to what is really important…well at least someone is paying attention…

      And two days ago on CNN the big breaking story was “Britney Burps”…


    27. mighty aphrodite Says:

      #17 - 10, “The case doesn’t need to demonstrate ANY INJURY, and the judge basically said that when she ruled she didn’t need to see “classified information to explain illegal behaviour”. - bones

      *******Dear bones - As usual you’re wrong. You have no standing to sue based on what you “think” may have - perhaps, kinda, sorta ….happened to YOU. Go back to Matchbook U and ask for a refund on that law school tuition….


    28. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      Republicandemocrat&independent — August 18, 2006

      That was from 2004.


    29. bones Says:

      #30 , no asshat you’re wrong because evidently an actual FEDERAL COURT JUDGE AGREES WITH ME, so I guess you’re the one who doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about.


    30. exley Says:

      Maybe because they realize that the ruling of one district court judge (especially such a poorly reasoned one) is not that significant or newsworthy.

      I love when liberals get so upset when the left-wing media occasionally doesn’t do their exact bidding.


    31. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      mighty aphrodite
      It’s hard to prove injury when your prospective clients are renditioned and then skinned alive in some dirt floor gulag.
      But I’m sure I’m only turning you on so I’ll leave it at that.

      Turdles….


    32. lib4 Says:

      So the news that the Bush run Department of Homeland Security WAS involved with the capture of the “suspect” does not seem so strange now does it……..

      If todays news media spent a tenth of the time on issues that affect ALL Americans instead of two or three family members (Natalee Holloway, runaway bride, JonBenet), this country would never vote Republican ever again…..


    33. WORFEUS Says:

      Good Faiz. I was talking about this yesterday in the NSA ruling thread.

      Every channel on the cable news network had dedicated ever waking hour to this 10 year old murder case, like it was somehow important to any of us.

      Its not.

      Its a 10 year old murder case.

      Its important to the family. Its important to the killer. But its NOT important to Americans in general.

      They make it that way because she was white, pretty and the story was “sensational”.

      The whole thing sickens me.


    34. bones Says:

      I love how the fascists belittle what they disagree with instead of PAYING attention and thinking about why a federal judge might make the ruling she did. It doesn’t mean you have to agree with it, but let’s face it, to belittle the decision of the judge is ridiculous, she’s not making judgements based on the fact she’s a Carter appointee and therefore automatically ruling against Bushbaby. This rhetoric is bullcrap, and shows the repugs can’t and won’t think.


    35. carolyn Says:

      Please keep telling this story. Media must be held to a higher standard. Perhaps the black eye that will emerge as this story unravels as a hoax will embarass the media into fact finding.
      The President broke the law–that is a huge story-worthy of serious journalists.


    36. mighty aphrodite Says:

      Dear bones - Before you get that refund from Matchbook U, please give the class your definition of “standing” - and I’m not refering to your vertical torso propped on your vertical legs. (P.S. The ACLU did a good job of “judge shopping” - a CARTER appointee - -tee-heeeee)

      Back later….


    37. DRxJ Says:

      They make it that way because she was white, pretty and the story was “sensational”.
      Comment by WORFEUS

      DING DING DING DING….
      and folks, there you have it!!!!
      There was child in Michigan that was abducted then murdered. Her charred body was found last week. Why isn’t the media having a “frenzy” over in Detroit?


    38. Republicandemocrat&independent Says:

      The DLC are Frauds

      That still holds true for this time!


    39. WORFEUS Says:

      PS: Also heard on the news this morning, there are huge gaping holes in this guy’s story. I’m going to call BS on this. I don’t buy a word of it.

      Comment by Gay Bear — August 18, 2006 @ 1:50 pm

      I posted yesterday that it all seemed just “too convenient”.

      The same day that a ruling burns Bush, suddenly, magically, someone comes forward and confesses to a 10 year old murder. A republican looking clean cut mealy mouthed guy comes forward and says out of the blue, “I DID IT”.

      Kinda lucky for the President, huh?

      Guess they knew people weren’t going to buy another terrrorist threat story.


    40. proudleftists Says:

      I think that some of these wingnuts have a lwer IQ than W, if possible .


    41. WORFEUS Says:

      Why isn’t the media having a “frenzy” over in Detroit?

      Comment by DRxJ — August 18, 2006 @ 2:11 pm

      Because she was black maybe?

      Remember. The only kids who count on the main stream media are shirley temple lookalikes. Blonde hair, blue eyes a as white as the driven snow.

      :|


    42. Winston Smith Says:

      “This just in…a Federal judge has ruled that the President has broken the law…oh look, a bunny” The MSM suffers from ADD.


    43. lench Says:

      The plaintiffs did exhibit injuries. The clients of the lawyer would no longer talk to him on the phone so he had to fly to the Middle East. The scholar could no longer do his research because the people he needed to interview were afraid they would be wiretapped. Similarly the journalist could not get his story. Being prevented


    44. bones Says:

      #39, evidently you are crap as an attorney, I never said word one about “STANDING”, you did. If you want me to explain what you said I will. You spout crap and then you try to explain your crap with more crap. i hope that explains your posting to you.


    45. DRxJ Says:

      #45
      EXACTLY

      If the victim is rich and white…Instant Media Attention
      Black, and low income? Forget it!


    46. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      Republicandemocrat&independent

      That was Safire’s warning about Poindexter and TIA. Yes, TIA is a reality. Even after congress killed it.

      Ask mighty about it. She seems to respect law. I’m sure she’ll explain it “better”.
      (No body, no crime -or in mighty’s case, her body is a crime. All stretched and barely containing the sulfer odor).


    47. lench Says:

      The plaintiffs did exhibit injuries. The clients of the lawyer would no longer talk to him on the phone so he had to fly to the Middle East. The scholar could no longer do his research because the people he needed to interview were afraid they would be wiretapped. Similarly the journalist could not get his story. Being prevented from doing your job is serious injury. Being forced to fly halfway around the world is injury. Read the opinion.

      (Sorry for the previous truncation)


    48. WORFEUS Says:

      MA is belittling the decision because it scares the hell out of her. The idea of the omnipotence being drained from her Reichfuhrer is a staggering notion, and she has to dismiss it to convince herself that Fantasyland is not coming to an end.

      Sorry MA.

      Americans want their country back now.

      You guys were about done playing anyway, right?


    49. JMiller Says:

      25: I have nothing to hide. What I fear is that what I don’t hide is going to be filling up the government databases and slowing down the processing of the obfuscated data from the competent folks that do have things to hide (which will look very similar to the obfuscated data of the paranoid people who don’t have anything to hide, but without all of the porn). What I fear is that the government will get distracted by the side data of lawful folks and miss out on the chance to work against terrorists. Kind of like blowing $8B in Iraq means that we’re not blowing $8B on homeland security or dealing with Iran or North Korea. Focusing on the wrong thing costs just as much as focusing on the right thing, but with rather worse results.

      Have you seen “V for Vendetta”? Interesting little scene where a surveillance van is going around and figuring out what all of the citizens are talking about. Nobody gets arrested, nobody gets tortured, but the data is aggregated to the government so that the government can issue a set of talking points to the media to change what the public is talking about. Meanwhile, they fail to catch the terrorist. Never mind the brutal Stalinist nature of that sci-fi government, I don’t want my government making that kind of mistake just because the court rolls over on the privacy rights that I don’t particularly need.

      A true conservative would look at the amount of government oversight it would take to effectively run a total information awareness program and balk; such an “Orwellian” device is pure Neo-con construction, all of the pro-capitalism of a traditional conservative with a bigger, fatter government to facilitate than any liberal would dream of.


    50. WORFEUS Says:

      Oh and don’t forget to clean up the mess you guys left.


    51. Tracy Says:

      #8

      And when it is appealed it will make it an even BIGGER story. It’s going to have to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court to get the coverage you and others are looking for.


    52. Democratic Soldier Says:

      Why shouldn’t the networks publicize the fact that Republicans want to take a big steaming dump on the Constitution? It’s right before and election and Americans should care that Republicans hate the Constitution!

      Oh, THAT’S why the networks are not publicizing the news. If you tell the truth about the current administration, who’s going to vote for their failed policies?!?!?!

      Poodles!


    53. exley Says:

      Actually, I think Mighty Aphrodite is belittling the decision because she knows how poor the judge’s opinion was and how likely it is the decision will be overruled.

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.


    54. bones Says:

      #56- you are incapable of understanding even the simplest post. If you have a court declare the President of the US is breaking the law and is ordered to stop it immediately, it is a big story that wouldn’t/shouldn’t get 25 seconds. As usual the MSM defaults to republofascist wishes. hell Clinton getting a hummer got more than 25 secs.


    55. Spudge_Boy Says:

      Tracy,

      It will only be a story once Bush says it is a story. The MSM are just a bunch of Bush lapdogs. If the MSM was liberal as you wingers like to say, don’t you think everybody here would be happy with them and watch all of the time. If the MSM was truly liberal Bush would have been impeached long ago. But, they are not and he has not.


    56. bones Says:

      Actually, I think Mighty Aphrodite is belittling the decision because she knows how poor the judge’s opinion was and how likely it is the decision will be overruled.

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.

      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 2:23 pm

      And again exley, your “PROOF” of this statement, other than your obvious neocon bias is where? Where is the list of cases in her past decisions that obviously ruled against the Administration or the outlandish rulings criticised by her peers, or the number of times her rulings have been overturned? See thought takes proof not gutlessness.


    57. Tracy Says:

      #28

      Except Supreme Court justices, court of appeals judges, and district court judges who are APPOINTED for life and have no accountability to anyone! LOL!


    58. Republicandemocrat&independent Says:

      #54 JMiller

      I agree with you but even if the government is not doing it now, there are so many other companies doing it and now even every website you go to is tracking where you go and what other site you go to and what you might purchase online. it is almost impossable to stop this tracking of everything.


    59. Bluedog49 Says:

      Exley: “I love when liberals get so upset when the left-wing media occasionally doesn’t do their exact bidding.”

      Exley, if the “liberal” media doesn’t do the bidding of liberals, how can you call it “liberal.” And, how would you explain the fact that just when it becomes apparent that the next election will be about Iraq, the media stops reporting on Iraq. Why would “liberal” media ignore Iraq if the subject is harmful to republican chances this fall? Note: these questions require a bit of “critical thinking” to answer.


    60. exley Says:

      Bones, that comes from both my own reading of the opinion (I assume you have read it, as well) and the opinion of national security law experts:

      Legal scholars said Taylor’s decision is likely to receive heavy scrutiny from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit when the Justice Department appeals, and some criticized her ruling as poorly reasoned.

      Experts in national security law argued, however, that Taylor offered meager support for her findings on separation of powers and other key issues.

      “Regardless of what your position is on the merits of the issue, there’s no question that it’s a poorly reasoned decision,” said Bobby Chesney, a national security law specialist at Wake Forest University who takes a moderate stance on the legal debate over the NSA program. “The opinion kind of reads like an outline of possible grounds to strike down the program, without analysis to fill it in.”

      http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2006/ 08/ 17/ AR2006081700650.html


    61. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      A long time ago

      The Democrats

      could have bought prime time air

      and said:

      The White House is running a program called TIA which we voted to kill. We propose the White House stop this trangression and we immediately start funding real security measures here at home.

      They could have played it during American Idol.
      And you and I and everyone else here would not be sitting here listening to mighty and talking about that little girl Jonbenet.

      None of this is mighty’s fault. It is the direct fault of the Democrats who are controlled by the DLC/Democratic Leadership Council.


    62. madashell Says:

      district court judges who are APPOINTED for life

      ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

      You need to take a real CIVICS class, fool!


    63. theswan Says:

      Just another reason to watch “Democracy Now”. That will educate ya. The real stuff.
      Screw the MSM. They shouldn’t even be called “media”.


    64. WORFEUS Says:

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.

      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 2:23 pm

      See guys, its political, cause it disagrees with Bush.

      ANYTHING, that disagrees with Bush is automatically labled left wing dogma.

      What a good little drone you make exley. What a good little goosestepper you are.


    65. Bluedog49 Says:

      Yes, yes, Bush cultists, the Supreme court will possibly save you here. Just like they recently did with the Hamdan decision.


    66. the fly-man Says:

      Here is a paranoid hypthesis: Once every blue moon comes a right wing nut job that whacks a liberal. Just their sheer independence seems to suggest they are a product of society. Unfortunately they always seem to just exactly what the government needed to happen. Ie the assinations of Robert Kennedy Jr. Malcom X and John Lennon. With the subsequent arrival of Mr. Karrr and his dubius claim
      to a major media crime, that propels him to spot #1. The attention that Fox news, in particular, draws naturally away from any severe scrunity of the administration by covering seedy celebrity scandals is pretty breath taking.So I’m really not ashamed to say that I wouldn’t put it past the government to have some how stimulated this guys behavior to draw our attention away, for what duration I don’t know,from the ugly results of the Bush administration’s Toonce’s the cat style car wreck that is currently our foreign policy at work.


    67. madashell Says:

      67. To save the tax payers money, I would hope they would just “do their own selves in” just like the NAZI’S did! Wasn’t hard - a little cyanide, and a gunshot to the head to make sure the deed was done.


    68. Joe Sixpack Says:

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.
      Comment by exley

      Well, exlax, for a political document, it sure has Bush all red-faced and worked into a lather today. Heh, heh.


    69. bones Says:

      This is another “Oh you don’t want to vote for john McCain, his wife had a ‘black’ baby” smears that the neonazis love so much. you can’t stand, make your case, and accept judgement so denegrate your opponent in the most vicious, unethical, slanderous ways.


    70. Winston Smith Says:

      The MSM isn’t run by reporters anymore - it’s run by bean-counters. Sex and sensationalism sells. Report on the President’s illegal activities and find yourself called a traitor and have your phones tapped.


    71. Spudge_Boy Says:

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.

      And that is only your opinion, which doesn’t count for sh!t.


    72. Juan C Says:

      You know, I am always be loony that doesnt believe a thing the media is trying to sell. No in US, not here, not anywhere. At best, they spit half truths. My opinion on the story about, obviously white little girl and this confessed murderer, is bullshit. Im sorry for the parents. This is America. US lives connected to the media.


    73. madashell Says:

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.?????????

      OMG!


    74. WORFEUS Says:

      Well when we discover this guy that “confessed” was not the killer, we can all applaud the MSM for their little smoke and mirrors show for the prez.


    75. bones Says:

      These evil bas%$^ds could care less that this could be the most ethical, religious, giving, loving human being and most honest judge on the bench. No crucify the bitch. They never stopped to look at her record, her life, her decisions, naw takes thought and work, just crucify the bitch.


    76. Bluedog49 Says:

      You don’t have to be a Carter appointee to get slimed. Remember Judge Greer? — a lifelong Republican and Bush supporter, he had the unfortunate opportunity to judge the wrong way for them in the Terry Schivo case. He was slimed and smeared coast to coast.


    77. madashell Says:

      CORPORATE MEDIA - WEAPON OF MASS DISTRACTION.


    78. Tracy Says:

      #60

      Considering the ACLU and their ilk have filed dozens if not hundreds of lawsuits around the country regarding the NSA wiretaps and this is only ONE ruiling in their favor I would say it’s really not that big of a story. Now if a bunch of federal courts around the country handed down similar rulings then we might have a story here.


    79. exley Says:

      #78, Actually, “Spudge,” it is not solely my opinion. Here ya go again, junior:

      “Legal scholars said Taylor’s decision is likely to receive heavy scrutiny from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit when the Justice Department appeals, and some criticized her ruling as poorly reasoned. …

      Experts in national security law argued, however, that Taylor offered meager support for her findings on separation of powers and other key issues.

      “Regardless of what your position is on the merits of the issue, there’s no question that it’s a poorly reasoned decision,” said Bobby Chesney, a national security law specialist at Wake Forest University who takes a moderate stance on the legal debate over the NSA program. “The opinion kind of reads like an outline of possible grounds to strike down the program, without analysis to fill it in.”


    80. Bluedog49 Says:

      Exley, I tried to engage you reasonably. I asked you how a media could be called “liberal” if it didn’t do the bidding of liberals. Do you have a logical answer for that or will you just ignore the question?


    81. Democratic Soldier Says:

      #82 - Bluedog49, Of course he was slimed! Becuase of tthat one single judicial decision, he suddenly became an “activist judge”. Now, if he had just done what Pres. Bush wanted him to do, he’d be a “good ‘ol boy” and nobody would have said squat about him.

      It’s all about supporting the Republicans over the Constitution, doncha know!


    82. WORFEUS Says:

      You’re right Bones.

      If the Judge was a right wing republican his entire life and never ruled against these guys once, they’d be crying he was suddenly a liberal sympathizer.

      Its simple.

      Anyone who disagrees with the President gets automaticlly labled traitors, leftists and enemies of freedom.


    83. nym@alias.net Says:

      typical nazi tactic


    84. Spudge_Boy Says:

      exley,

      Hey boy, you wanna post a link? Or does your info come from the Weekly Standard?


    85. bones Says:

      Well exlax I’ve got a much better CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR, Jonathan Turley and he says:

      Turley: “Every time a judge rules against the administration they are either too Democratic or too tall or too short or Pisces. All this spin - this effort to personalize it is doing a great injustice to our system. The problem is not the judge. The problem is a lack of authority. When Gonzales says ‘I got something back in my safe and if you could see it you would all agree with me’. Well, unless there’s a federal statute back in his safe, then it’s not going to make a difference.”

      Turley gives us a good explanation of what today’s ruling means. The main thing to come out today is that Bush does not have this widespread Constitutional authority that he claims to be granted by the War Powers.


    86. Bluedog49 Says:

      Exley: “I love when liberals get so upset when the left-wing media occasionally doesn’t do their exact bidding.”

      If the media doesn’t “do the bidding of liberals”, how can one call it “liberal?”


    87. Above the Clouds Says:

      “Entertainment News” like Mel Gibson and JonBenet Ramsey do the GOP a vital service keeping the ever-mounting and increasing failed Bush policies out of the lead TV stories and under the fold of the papers. Unfortunately for Bush Republicans and the neocons, Mel and JonBenet aren’t going to save their ass come November.


    88. DRxJ Says:

      #90
      my bet is he “cut and pasted” from redstate


    89. Tracy Says:

      #61

      “If the MSM was liberal as you wingers like to say, don’t you think everybody here would be happy with them and watch all of the time.”

      That’s because everyone here is soooo far out to the left of course they are not happy with the liberal MSM. The NY Times and the LA Times ARE liberal newspapers. The cable channels like CNN and MSNBC…about 60%, 40% in favor of the liberals.


    90. WC Says:

      I find it interesting that Bush isn’t bitching and whining that the FISA court is holding up domestic wiretapping. Remember, he said we still go to FISA for that.

      After all, that is his main argument for warrantless wiretapping. We don’t have time to get a warrant. We’ve got to act fast if we are going to catch the terrorists. We’ve got to prevent another attack. Going through the FISA court slows us down.


    91. Zimzone Says:

      #59, Ex Lax,
      So now you’re qualified to analyze a Federal Judge’s opinion.
      Gee, that means you can join Greta on FUX news to opine about
      Nat Hollaway, eh?
      Maybe you can get in on the JonBenet chatter / tripe, as well.
      Say hello to Greta & ask her what the hell happened to her face,
      it’s lopsided & leans to the right. Wait! I think I just answered
      my own question.
      Warantless wiretapping is illegal, period. It will remain illegal.
      Once the new majority enters congress, more than Scooter will
      be behind bars. Get used to it, & don’t stand too close to the fire,
      you just might get burned.


    92. madashell Says:

      STOP ALREADY WITH THE LINE DIVISIONS - what the hell does it contribute to HUMANITY?


    93. Bluedog49 Says:

      If the subject of Iraq is damaging to Republican chances this fall, wouldn’t a “liberal” media be hammering home details of this fiasco on a daily basis? And, if the media were ignoring something which could be damaging to republicans, how could one make the argument that it was a “liberal” conspiracy? It’s called “critical thinking,” Exley. Try it sometime.


    94. g Says:

      everyone must continue to put pressure, email, and call up these stations. we were able to hold cnn accountable with their bad reporting. Keep it up.


    95. Jennifer R Says:

      Bob Schieffer is setting a good example for Katie Couric.


    96. Tracy Says:

      #68

      You are the one who needs to take a civics class….

      http://www.uscourts.gov/faq.html

      “Q: Who appoints federal judges?

      Supreme Court justices, court of appeals judges, and district court judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate, as stated in the Constitution. The names of potential nominees often are recommended by senators or sometimes members of the House who are of the President’s political party. The Senate Judiciary Committee typically conducts confirmation hearings for each nominee. Article III of the Constitution states that these judicial officers are appointed for a life term. The federal Judiciary, the Judicial Conference of the United States, and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts play no role in the nomination and confirmation process.”


    97. Spudge_Boy Says:

      That’s because everyone here is soooo far out to the left of course they are not happy with the liberal MSM.

      To be extremely left, we would have to be tree hugging, hippy pot smokers. Haven’t met any of those here. The problem is that you are so far right, you think moderate lefties an extremists. I talk to people around the world everyday and I only see your type here on TP and on righty sites. WHere do you people hide? I just got back from Texas, where I though I would be surronded by you people, but guess what? Everybody I met hates Bush too.


    98. exley Says:

      BlueDog….My exact wording was: “liberals get so upset when the left-wing media occasionally doesn’t do their exact bidding.”

      No one here disputes that the news media is overwhelmingly biased in favor of liberals and the Democratic Party. That, we all agree, is beyond contention. What I said is that when the liberal media doesn’t tow the Democratic left-wing line with painstaking exactitude, the liberals get into a real dither. They are not satisfied with the media doing their bidding 98% of the time. The left demands 100% loyalty from the liberal media.


    99. Tracy Says:

      #79

      Untill the case goes thru the appeal process it sure as hell is JUST an opinion!


    100. Bluedog49 Says:

      Tracy: “The NY Times and the LA Times ARE liberal newspapers. The cable channels like CNN and MSNBC…about 60%, 40% in favor of the liberals.”

      Tracy, would that be the same NY Times that pushed the Whitewater hoax for 5 years after the Resolution Trust Corp determined that the Clintons did nothing wrong? Would that be the same LA Times that recently fired liberal columnist Robert Scheer because the publisher hated him? Would that be the same MSNBC who fired Phil Donnehue even though his show was the second highest rated on the network because he opposed the invasion of Iraq? Can you point out a liberal on CNN? How about Glen Beck? He’s got a new show there.


    101. exley Says:

      Spudge, don’t embarass yourself. Go to posting #66.

      I accept your apology.


    102. madashell Says:

      No not no no - thank’s for the link. I did read the transcript this morning. And what will the lemmings do? They will claim Cafferty is no body but a left wing nut case. Just LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO.


    103. Yikes Says:

      “No one here disputes that the news media is overwhelmingly biased in favor of liberals and the Democratic Party. That, we all agree, is beyond contention.”

      No one here listens to your idiotic opinions.


    104. Bluedog49 Says:

      Exley: “No one here disputes that the news media is overwhelmingly biased in favor of liberals and the Democratic Party. That, we all agree, is beyond contention.”

      Oh really. I didn’t know that. Do we all agree with Exley on this? Because, I seem to remember a Democratic President who was hounded by the media for 8 straight years over a string of Republican hoaxes that didn’t amount to anything but a phony impeachment over lying about a personal affair.


    105. Kay Says:

      It’s all about Bread and Circus : keep the masses entertained on the blood and misery in the world. I never understood this fascination with crap like this : OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson, The Runaway Bride etc…

      Has the Rove been afoot in his skullduggery?


    106. no not no no Says:

      who gives two shiites what exley and these other silly aspclowns think about ANYTHING????

      they are merely distractions, pus-filled boils on the ‘taint’ of humanity. we must focus on mobilizing the far left to force change… preaching to these silly trolls is unproductive. they lie, they only know lies. ignore them and they might just go away. who needs them?


    107. madashell Says:

      114. I AGREE!


    108. The DLC are Frauds Says:

      Democrats are going to have to buy balanced coverage.
      Democrats are going to have to buy balanced coverage.
      Democrats are going to have to buy balanced coverage.
      Democrats are going to have to buy balanced coverage.
      Democrats are going to have to buy balanced coverage.


    109. WC Says:

      And let’s not forget…

      The Bush Administration rejected a Congressional initiative in 2002 that would have lowered the legal threshold for conducting surveillance of non-US persons under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act from “probable cause” that the target is a terrorist or agent of a foreign power to “reasonable suspicion.”

      Administration officials said at the time that the legislative proposal was unnecessary and possibly unconstitutional.

      Yet in a speech this week on the NSA domestic surveillance program Deputy Director of National Intelligence Gen. Michael V. Hayden indicated that the executive branch had unilaterally adopted a similar “reasonable suspicion” standard.

      Instead of FISA’s more stringent “probable cause” requirement, the presidentially-directed NSA surveillance operation applied to international calls that “we have a reasonable basis to believe involve al Qaeda or one of its affiliates,” Gen. Hayden said on January 23.

      Source.

      For the simple-minded among us:

      1. Bush had the opportunity to change the rules but didn’t do so because they’d “possibly” be unconstitutional.

      2. Bush ended up doing it anyway and just didn’t tell anyone. Wait…he told 8 members of Congress who he then swore to secrecy about it.


    110. Kay Says:

      And if you go to cnn.com you see that friggin’ Karr’s face plastered there 24/7 : like there is nothing else in the world to report!


    111. bones Says:

      You note not one of the trolls posting answered so much as one substantive question. They just want to shoot their mouths off without thinking about the crap they spout.


    112. zmark Says:

      WHICH IS WHY I DON’T WATCH!!!!


    113. s Says:

      I think a closer look and a whole lot more attention needs to be paid at what is called disinformation as it is used by this administration and the present climate of fear. It’s gone up hasn’t it. Hmm. I wonder why…. Has anyone else noted that ever since the Lamont victory, the news has been absolutely flooded with fear stories? Rapes, terror, Jon Benet, astroids…you name it. More than usual. I believe the government is using disinformation techiniques ( in many cases just flooding the news with these stories..true or not….)to creat a palpable enviornment of fear. The Republicans are coming out blasting all barrels. Fear of everything..not just terror. They want the populace softened up. This needs to be looked into. Don’t ever underestimate the new psyops agenda of this administration. They win at all costs.


    114. Joe Sixpack Says:

      No one here disputes that the news media is overwhelmingly biased in favor of liberals and the Democratic Party. That, we all agree, is beyond contention.
      Comment by exley

      Wrong again, exlax. I dispute it. You are just pissed because the American voters are fed up with being spoon-fed all that BS by Faux News and the major networks who were formerly imbeded with the Administration.


    115. madashell Says:

      The Republicans are coming out blasting all barrels. Fear of everything..not just terror. They want the populace softened up. This needs to be looked into. Don’t ever underestimate the new psyops agenda of this administration. They win at all costs.

      The rise of the FOURTH REICH. We are now officially the RESISTANCE!


    116. Tracy Says:

      #105

      The problem is that you are so far right, you think moderate lefties an extremists.”

      I was thinking the same thing about you! It’s all opinion…and all good. Relax.

      “I talk to people around the world everyday and I only see your type here on TP and on righty sites.”

      You really haven’t traveled that much then. Maybe it’s all that “fly over” country that Kerry talked about in his campaign.

      “I just got back from Texas, where I though I would be surronded by you people, but guess what? Everybody I met hates Bush too.”

      Of course you did because it all depends on who you associate with. Believe it or not there are liberals in Texas but the hide out in areas like the uptown area of Dallas. I have people in my architecture firm who agree with Bush on most issues (like me), those the despise him to the Nthe degree and those who are about 50-50. We all go to lunch and we have our little sparring matches but we do it in a playful way and still respect each other’s opinion.


    117. Larry from C Says:

      I’ve been repeating like a mantra, to anyone who’ll listen, that only two issues really matter: 1) Voting Integrity and 2) The Media.

      EVERY OTHER ISSUE IS A FAR FAR SECOND.

      Not the Occupation of Iraq, Global Warming, Energy, Tax Cuts, Campaign Reform, Military Industrial Compex, Abortion or any other issue you’re passionate about will be fixed if the public is not accurately informed about it (main stream media’s job). And if the people aren’t accurately informed they can’t vote for change (voting integrity).

      The Media creates reality. The media is why 50% of the country still believes Saddam was involved with 911. And the media is why millions believe the Jon Benet case is more important than the president’s unwarranted illegal wiretapping scheme.

      Lets face it..if the media covered the president’s unwarranted illegal wiretapping scheme with as much attention and time as the Jon Benet case the public would be OUTRAGED.


    118. Pierre Says:

      Hey, what do expect? This is America 2006. Where there are people who believe that Saddam was involved in the World Trade Center attacks. Where there are people who believe that Weapons of Mass Destruction were found in Iraq. Where there are people who believe that Saddam had joined forces with al-Qaida. Come on.


    119. exley Says:

      #119 — Actually, Bones, if you look at postings# 66, 86, and 108, you will see that I (I assume I am one of the so-called “trolls” to whom you refer) answered each question put to me.

      I accept your retraction.


    120. mighty aphrodite Says:

      #52 - “The plaintiffs did exhibit injuries. The clients of the lawyer would no longer talk to him on the phone so he had to fly to the Middle East. The scholar could no longer do his research because the people he needed to interview were afraid they would be wiretapped. Similarly the journalist could not get his story.” Lench

      *****REAL (with receipts and travel itinerary as evidence) or projected injury???

      Progs ARE good actors….


    121. madashell Says:

      Bones - let it go - he tried that tactic on me too.


    122. madashell Says:

      Well, I gotta life, SO I’M OUT OF HERE -


    123. Spudge_Boy Says:

      We all go to lunch and we have our little sparring matches but we do it in a playful way and still respect each other’s opinion.

      Too bad you people can’t do that here. I know lots of republicans and have political conversations with them all the time. No biggy, it is all opinion, as you said. There are republicans here that I have debates with and that is healthy. It is when you folks come on here and spew hatred and lies. That is what is unhealthy and won’t get anything but me calling you names. If you want to debate and start talking like a normal person, then by all means, let’s do it. Me and Mighty Aphrodite used to talk, but she reverted back to the BS, so we don’t talk anymore. There is room for debate, in fact, it is why I come here, but lately, it is all BS.


    124. bones Says:

      #128, exlax I won’t let you accept my EXCRETION, much less anything else. I wouldn’t want a disease.


    125. Snappy Says:

      News of lowborw Americans.


    126. lench Says:

      #129 I don’t have the complete transcript of the trial, but I don’t know why you presume that receipts, etc. were not presented.


    127. Spudge_Boy Says:

      #119 — Actually, Bones, if you look at postings# 66, 86, and 108, you will see that I (I assume I am one of the so-called “trolls” to whom you refer) answered each question put to me.

      I accept your retraction.

      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 3:07 pm

      Once again, post #66 is not yours. It is from DLC are Frauds.


    128. exley Says:

      #134, Now, Bones, you have every right to feel embarassed that you posted a statement tht I proved was 100% inaccurate. But you don’t have to work yourself up into a lather. Look at “Spudge.” He realized he made an error when I pointed it out and he has accepted my correction with class and dignity. Follow his lead.


    129. Spudge_Boy Says:

      What the hell are you talking about?

      I asked you for a link and you pointed me to post number 66, which is neither your post nor does it have a link to your source.


    130. Republicans are the fear and smear party Says:

      Why do Bush and Gonzales hate our freedom?


    131. WORFEUS Says:

      Do we all agree with Exley on this?

      Comment by Bluedog49 — August 18, 2006 @ 2:51 pm

      No.


    132. exley Says:

      Actually, Spudge, my posting was at #66 and is now at 67. And right now on my screen #66 is from “BlueDog49,” not “DLCareFrauds.”


    133. Spudge_Boy Says:

      It would help if they would only delete the text and not the post.

      I will read it and let you know what I think.

      It helps to put the link with your paste.


    134. bones Says:

      Exley, i asked you to back up your slanderous staement that the judge ruled against the administration because she’s an evil left wing nutcase. You ignored this completely, not wanting to do the work reviewing her cases overturned, past judicial opinions and whether they are liberal, conservative or what, i asked you back it up with facts concerning her appelate overturns and her perr review, all of which you ignored. So don’t preach to me about how you answeredf questions. you made a hotheaded fascist slanderous statement because you heeard it on O’Reilly or Limbaugh and when asked to back it up, you ignored it. you haven’t answered anything.


    135. exley Says:

      Spudge, the DLC posting which you see at #66 is at #68 on my screen. The link I sent is currently #67 on my screen, so it should be around there somewhere for you to see.


    136. DeeLuzon Says:

      TiVo makes it impossible NOT to notice how much time the lovely (and distractingly lisping) Campbell Brown spends on each story, so I had barely gotten over my outrage about the 8+minutes of jonbenet vs. half minute to the NSA ruling when the fury was raging anew… the coverage of mel gibson’s probation took 15 seconds longer to read than the news that a court had found our president and his regime to have been in flagrant violation of their obligation to uphold the constitution.

      thank god for the simpsons (which serve as nightly therapy immediately after the network “news”).


    137. Coffins draped with flags Says:

      What - pretty little white girl steals the headlines again. Now, if this was a 10 year old unsolved murder of a pretty little girl of color, the MSM would not be directing all the headlines to the capture of a person of interest. You see, in this society - only white people matter .

      Can’t trust the MSM to do the right thing… or to tell the truth.


    138. bones Says:

      And exley, it was a ploy on my part to see who would answer to “TROLL”, note I didn’t name anyone - you answered to it spontaneously.


    139. mighty aphrodite Says:

      Dear lawyer Lench - Greenpeace held standing……..how???????


    140. WORFEUS Says:

      Progs ARE good actors….

      Comment by mighty aphrodite — August 18, 2006 @ 3:08 pm

      And repugs are rotten ones.

      Which is why we see through your crap everytime.


    141. Larry from C Says:

      Millions of American soldiers and citizens died/sacrficed for the very rights that Bush/Gonzales are stealing from us. Bush is spitting on the graves and memory of all of them. Will one frickin reporter please ask Bush what law or statute he believes allows him to wiretap without a warrant? And if he can listen to my phone call without proving probable cause how come I can’t see the report listing who met with Dick Cheney to craft our nation’s energy policy?


    142. Tracy Says:

      #109

      Somtimes the TIMES get a non biased story once in a while.

      “Would that be the same MSNBC who fired Phil Donnehue even though his show was the second highest rated on the network because he opposed the invasion of Iraq?”

      When you get a Nielsen Rating of 0.1 when your show is in the 7 p.m. CST time slot you tend to get fired. Keith Olbermann took over his slot…I think.

      “Can you point out a liberal on CNN?”

      Wolfe Blitzer and the liberal queen Kristen Amanpour who thinks that she is such a great journalist that she had to insult Anderson Cooper.


    143. Elvis Says:

      The rise of the FOURTH REICH. We are now officially the RESISTANCE!

      This wouldn’t be so funny if Bush weren’t leaving office in 2008 and Anne Diggs Taylor will continue to sit on the bench for her lifetime appointment who was appointed, not elected. Who is acting more like a monarchy here?


    144. Gregor Samsa Says:

      Exley,

      You can argue that Taylor’s decision was “poorly reasoned”, but to charge that her opinion is nothing more than a “political document” is wildly off the mark.

      Note that the opinions in the article you linked to do not mention any political bias, other than the RNC in their press release calling her a “liberal judge” -which was expected.

      Interesting you should try to politicise a legal issue, just like the RNC did, thus avoiding debating the merits of her decision.


    145. Tracy Says:

      #111

      Somtimes the TIMES get a non biased story once in a while.

      “Would that be the same MSNBC who fired Phil Donnehue even though his show was the second highest rated on the network because he opposed the invasion of Iraq?”

      When you get a Nielsen Rating of 0.1 when your show is in the 7 p.m. CST time slot you tend to get fired. Keith Olbermann took over his slot…I think.

      “Can you point out a liberal on CNN?”

      Wolfe Blitzer and the liberal queen Kristen Amanpour who thinks that she is such a great journalist that she had to insult Anderson Cooper.


    146. Coffins draped with flags Says:

      Well if those pedophiles ever mount an attack on Americas Constitution the MSM will have it totally covered.

      Comment by Gerald Gibson — August 18, 2006 @ 1:57 pm

      Damn, Gerald, thanks. I feel safer already.


    147. exley Says:

      #148…Bones, where did I say the judge was “an evil left wing nutcase?????” Please point it out….Oh, that’s right, you can’t because I said no such thing. I said her opinion was legally-flawed and poorly-reasoned. I then provided an article from The Washington Post with quotes from national security law experts who say the same thing.

      Here was my postings regarding the judge’s decision:

      Maybe because they realize that the ruling of one district court judge (especially such a poorly reasoned one) is not that significant or newsworthy. Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 2:05 pm

      Actually, I think Mighty Aphrodite is belittling the decision because she knows how poor the judge’s opinion was and how likely it is the decision will be overruled.

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.

      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 2:23 pm

      Bones, that comes from both my own reading of the opinion (I assume you have read it, as well) and the opinion of national security law experts:

      http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2006/ 08/ 17/ AR2006081700650.html

      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 2:31 pm

      Now, exactly WHERE, Bones, do I call the judge “evil left-wing nutcase????”

      Don’t lie, Bones. It does not put you in a very good light.


    148. Elvis Says:

      I think after the next 9/11 attack occurs, a class action suit against the ACLU should be waged, suing for billions and putting them out of business.


    149. WORFEUS Says:

      Wolfe Blitzer and the liberal queen Kristen Amanpour who thinks that she is such a great journalist that she had to insult Anderson Cooper.

      Comment by Tracy — August 18, 2006 @ 3:28 pm

      Wolf Blitzer is about as unbiased a journalist you could find. He has NEVER made his political affilations visible during his show. He has been criticized for being to pro Israeli by some, then anti-Israeli by others. He has never sided with any guest, party or affiliation.

      And Kristien Amanpour? She is a world class journalist who puts her life constantly on the line reporting from the most volitale places in the world.


    150. exley Says:

      #161 Gregor…Two things:

      1) I was partially basing the “political document” statement on the professor’s statement “The opinion kind of reads like an outline of possible grounds to strike down the program, without analysis to fill it in.”

      2) I was also basing that statement on my own reading of the opinion. Yes, that is my opinion.

      The poor-reasoning of the opinion makes it appear the judge was result-oriented and attempted to “sculpt” the law in order to justify her pre-determined result. That’s what I meant when I called it a “political document.” When drafting a legal opinion, a judge should let the law guide you to a result, not vice versa.


    151. Gregor Samsa Says:

      I said her opinion was legally-flawed and poorly-reasoned.
      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 3:30 pm

      You actually said her ruling was more of a political statement than a legally binding document:

      The judge’s opinion is a political document –not a legal one.
      Comment by exley — August 18, 2006 @ 2:23 pm

      I am still trying to figure out how you went from a “poorly reasoned” decision to it’s a “political document”. As I said before, not even the experts quoted in the article dared make that charge.


    152. exley Says:

      #171…Gregor, we posted at the same time. Look at my response at #170.


    153. WORFEUS Says:

      What a good little goosestepper you are exley.

      Eins Zwie Drie Vher!

      Eins Zwie Drie Vher!


    154. Gregor Samsa Says:

      Exley -yep, I just saw it.


    155. WORFEUS Says:

      Get those legs up high now.

      Its great practice.

      When the Reichstag crumbles you can get a job as Vegas showgirl.


    156. Tracy Says:

      #137

      “Too bad you people can’t do that here.”:

      I do it ALL of the time here, it’s just the so many people take offense to those who have a different opinion or view point.

      “It is when you folks come on here and spew hatred and lies.”

      Provide an example of when I do it.

      “If you want to debate and start talking like a normal person, then by all means, let’s do it.”

      I have been waiting for you to do the same thing.

      Here is an example it this thread alone…

      “….district court judges who are APPOINTED for life

      ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

      You need to take a real CIVICS class, fool! ”

      …that’ what you call that debating and talking like a normal person especially when you weren’t even close to being right?


    157. Democratic Soldier Says:

      #170 - I think I see what you mean. If you read the legal decision about keeping Rep. DeLay’s name on the ballot, it’s very concise, references only the law and pertinent precedence’s, and tears Rep. DeLay’s piss-poor position to shreds.


    158. Coffins draped with flags Says:

      And when it is appealed it will make it an even BIGGER story. It’s going to have to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court to get the coverage you and others are looking for.

      Comment by Tracy — August 18, 2006 @ 2:21 pm

      Tracy - there you go again… opening your mouth without the facts.

      The illegal NSA spying case may be rejected by the Supremes. This spying without court oversight is a blatant violation of the 4th Amendment. Now if frat boy Bush really wants to spy on us without court oversight, then Congress will need to amend the Constitution.

      You can search for the Constitution of US on line and read it yourself. I am recommending that you read it several times, slowly so that you can understand the words.

      My guess is that you are about 17 years old and live in a trailer park in Arkansas and have no education past the 9 grade.


    159. Tracy Says:

      #169

      “She is a world class journalist who puts her life constantly on the line reporting from the most volitale places in the world.”

      But STILL a biase liberal journalist.


    160. bones Says:

      again exlax shows his disingeniousness. Didn’t answer the question, didn’t debate A CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR’S opinion, Turley is recognized thru-out the country, and tries to divert the conversation with issues of no import.


    161. Tracy Says:

      #169

      Wolfe Blitzer….maybe it’s because of what is on the teleprompter.


    162. Coffins draped with flags Says:

      Well exlax I’ve got a much better CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR, Jonathan Turley and he says:

      bones - that was great… love the name… still laughing. Keep up the good work.


    163. Tracy Says:

      #179

      “The illegal NSA spying case may be rejected by the Supremes.”

      Well considering their ruling would trump your unqualified opinion, I would say that would be the end of it.