In a speech to Missouri Republicans yesterday, former attorney general John Ashcroft defended President Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program and his record on civil liberties, declaring that Bush is “among the most respectful of all leaders ever” when it comes to “respecting the civil liberties and rights of individuals.” Bush “respects liberty so profoundly that he has protected it and has safeguarded civil liberties more than any other president in wartime that I know of,” Ashcroft said. Ashcroft’s comments come on the heels of Bush’s decision to allow the civil liberties oversight board to go vacant.
Down is up. Black is white. The surge is working……
Heckuva job.
Shitheads…….
February 10th, 2008 at 10:21 amI think it is time to put Ashcroft in a “free-speech zone”.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:22 amEarth to Ashcroft! This man is seriously deluded and has had a bit too much fascist juice to drink.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:23 amDoesn’t really mean anything coming from Ashcroft. These guys lie to cover up other lies, and other crimes. They don’t even think about anymore. It is a matter of trying to mold the republican group think to a specific idea.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:24 amAshcroft knows that he’s factored among the Bush criminal cabal and is fighting desperately for his future here. Desperation personified – Ashcroft.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:24 amUnreal. Surreal.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:24 amWhen we fail to prosecute these criminals, every day we are forced to drink a little more of their poison. These people should not have the luxury of a position of respect within our society; it just gives credence to the lies they spread. Unless we convict them, they will return, just like Cheney and Rumsfield.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:30 amIt’s just fascinating.
They really think that if they say something that is the complete opposite of reality, it will convince people.
Well, truth be told, it will work on some. (I’m talking to YOU, 29-percenters.)
And I guess, if you’re into the crap these guys are into, it’s a better strategy than just saying something that is a little bit false. Who was it again who said “in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility”?
Oh yeah. Hitler.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:32 amand…the earth is flat!!!
February 10th, 2008 at 10:34 amAshcroft has been soundbiting that for a very long time.
NPR did an interview with Ashcroft when he was pushing his book and he has the line down pat.
History will show that the “war” the Neocons speak of is a war of choice they started a generation ago against dark skinned people in the Mideast, and that their spying on Americans was the only choice they had to protect Americans because the USA created so many enemies.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:36 amAshcroft added, “Wocka Wocka Wocka!”
February 10th, 2008 at 10:37 amAshcroft made a fresh batch of koolaide. Drink up neo-kiddies.
Orwell is spinning in his grave.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:41 amThese people lie so fluently and often, they must know that it works with a significant portion (~30%) of the American public.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:43 amIt really is astonishing that so many people swallow these lies.
Sorry singe_101, but “wocka wocka wocka” are the words of a liberal. Ashcroft, more likely concluded with a few well chosen explitives.
February 10th, 2008 at 10:44 amWhat really gets me are the people in the audience just lap it up…..”uh..yep….if he said it, it must be true…and I’m an important person because I was invited to see Ashcroft speak…uh yep…”
February 10th, 2008 at 10:55 am. . . and up is down; in is out; bad is good; and Ashcroft si bananas.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:02 amJust when you thought that you have heard the most outrageous, preposterous absurdity along comes another one.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:12 amWhen will Americans have enough?
bush is most respectful even of civil liberties.? BS…..Creating a war that has killed over a million, allowing or helping create 9/11, waiting 4 day’s to help N.O..on and on…He and this administration have denied all these and more of their civil right’s to the extreme…..Every one of them should be tried and in prison for life……Blessings
February 10th, 2008 at 11:16 amWho would’ve thought America could become a country where blatant Orwellian doublespeak- saying things that are obviously the exact opposite of the truth (i.e. “Democrats want the terrorists to win”)- would become the normal level of discourse for the government and its members.
Ashcroft, like Bush, spits on the Bill of Rights when he spews such obvious falsehoods about such important issues. Personally I think he has no idea how odious his words are, as the reality of what he has helped wreak is something he cannot face.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:18 amThe President who is responsible for taking away our civil liberties is somehow the most respectful President of civil liberties. My head is spinning here.
Do they really think that the American public is going to buy this $hit? They have been on to the Bush Crime Family for some time now and know who and what he is. And the last thing he is is a defender of civil liberties.
I’m seeing a trend here. His sycophants are out there on the talk show circuit addressing the worst things he has done to this country in a desperate bid to convince us that it was all good stuff.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:33 amJack AssCrack……..Bizarro World/Orwell spokesperson extraordinaire!
Now go and cover some statue’s breasts, arrest all the calico cats, and whatever you do…….DO NOT DANCE!!
February 10th, 2008 at 11:47 amConsidering that Ashcroft is the same man who came up with the idea for “Operation TIPS” — a measure encouraging American citizens to spy and report on each other, a truly Orwellian proposal in every sense of the word — his remarks should be taken with a whole mine of salt, never mind just a grain.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:49 amI’m seeing a trend here. His sycophants are out there on the talk show circuit addressing the worst things he has done to this country in a desperate bid to convince us that it was all good stuff.
Comment by bilbobaggins — February 10, 2008 @ 11:33 am
The “trend” has been going on since 2000: the Bushies just lie and lie and lie.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:55 amCrap, just when I thought we might have some peace a poster like Frank MORON shows up. Phuck off jerkwad.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:56 amThis is why America is in such a state of turmoil, these evil neo-con extremists (Bushies) actually believe their own BS.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:59 amHey guys, since there isn’t a ThinkFast today, I was wondering if anyone else saw these two items. I am sincerely interested in your thoughts.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/07/6918/
http://www.cyberspaceorbit.com/ConnectingTheDots.htm
Interesting, both. Please do share your thoughts.
Thanks!
p.s. I don’t respond to trolls so I don’t give two craps about your thoughts. Just sayin’.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pmComment by Frank M — February 10, 2008 @ 11:59 am
That is just silly. put any two words together and search them and you will find something to look at. Did you google “surge not working” also
February 10th, 2008 at 12:04 pmSo what do you think happened to Assworth when he was close to death a couple of years ago.
I’ll bet that he didn’t have any conversations with GOD on the way out or in from death.
I wonder who he talked to?
February 10th, 2008 at 12:05 pmGodBirds of a feather…
Vintage Ashcroft [circa 2001]
February 10th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
A quoted from one ot the reports MORON Frank’s link led to:
One year and 937 U.S. fatalities later, the surge is a fragile and limited success, an operation that has helped stabilize the capital and its surroundings but has yet to spark the political gains that could set the stage for a larger American withdrawal.
Frank MORON is so stupid, perhaps he’d like to go swimming in the pools of sewage visible in Baghdad from Google Earth to clean himself.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:07 pmI guess it all depends on whose civil liberties you’re talking about.
Has Bush interred thousands of Muslim-Americans, the way Rooseveldt imprisoned Japanese-Americans during WWII? No. But thousands of Muslims were rounded up and incarcerated on Visa violations following 9-11.
And we must all now presume our telephone conversations, as well as everything we do on the internet is now the subject of Government surveillance.
And Bush admits to waterboarding three human beings. Are there more? Will we ever know?
But maybe once YOU are accused of being a terrorist, YOU aren’t entitled to any civil liberties. Thus whatever Bush does to you is not a violation of YOUR civil liberties.
Can a government redefine torture, commit what the rest of the world considers torture, and still claim to be respectful of civil liberties? Obviously, yes.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Try sometimes reading actual news on real news sites like Times instead of relying on blogs like TP or Raw.
Comment by Frank M — February 10, 2008 @ 11:59 am
Well, check these specs Frankie Boy, especially the archives for the past two months:
http://antiwar.com/updates/?articleid=12339
Lots of people still getting killed for Lockheed, Halliburton, Exxon, Zionists, and Neo-Cons, and ZERO fighting for Freedom© and Democracy®
February 10th, 2008 at 12:12 pmi lived in “misery” for a few years… so glad it didn’t rub off on me…
February 10th, 2008 at 12:17 pmbeing in columbia, a college town, surely helped…
US Diplomats in Iraq Accused of Incompetence and Negligence
http://www.aina.org/news/2008029154843.htm
February 10th, 2008 at 12:18 pmCrap, just when I thought we might have some peace a poster like Frank MORON shows up. Phuck off jerkwad.
Comment by Saint Augustine — February 10, 2008 @ 11:56 am
Yeah, but I noticed the only thing Frank found worthy of comment was a passing remark by an earlier poster.
Apparently, even Frank can’t defend Ashcroft’s bass-ackward logic and instead sees that his only hope is to misdirect the thread.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:20 pmit’s like the cartoon network here at TP.
best ever, eh?
ashcroft = ashcroft
February 10th, 2008 at 12:26 pmNOTICE:
i wrote a note to FAIZ about the trolls – particularly the pat2/3, who had been banned several times under different names and keeps coming back… here is the repyl:
He hasn’t violated any terms. Just ignore him, but that seems to be asking too much of our commenters.
it’s true – the trooll feeders are the biggest problem here.
i wonder, how we can fix that?
February 10th, 2008 at 12:32 pmKaty, there is no fix to people who want to try to change the mind of people who have no mind or morals (if they are indeed being paid to spew the kinds of crap they do).
The only people who like GWB are uber wealthy or clueless. It’s those last people who bother me the most as they ALWAYS vote against themselves…and blame others for their lack of knowledge.
I quit responding to trolls because I am not masochistic and don’t enjoy bashing my head against a brick wall over and over again (same diff, eh?). To me it’s pointless. IGNORE TROLLS!
p.s. I really would like everyone’s thoughts on my post #28. Thanks so much!
February 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pmAsscroft says Bush is respectful of civil liberties?
February 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pmDo these guys take special vitamins that give them the balls to make these most ridiculous and observably false claims?
This morning on Fox “news” Sunday, Bush attacked “the Democrat Party” (a phrase he used three times in the interview) for “obstructing the FISA bill” and “not giving him the tools he needs to fight terrorism”.
Naturally, host Wallace didn’t bother to ask Bush what it was he “couldn’t” do under the current FISA law that Democrats were preventing him from doing, but I guess that’s irrelevant.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:39 pmComment by Ms_Joanne — February 10, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
February 10th, 2008 at 12:40 pmI find it very curious that there has been so little coverage of the cable “problem.” Lack of reporting on the story gives rise to suspicion.
As for the FBI story – this is getting ever more scary, folks. The brownshirts are growing.
We had to destroy your civil liberties to save them.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:51 pmMs Joanne,
I found the first article somewhat disturbing, especially when combined with the stories about halliburton’s concentration camps build around the U.S.
Martial Law, with its concommitant consolidation of all Government functions into a singular Unitary Executive, usurping even state and local governments, is a foregone conclusion.
The question is, what will we do when Blackwater has guards on every street corner?
By then, there won’t be much anyone can do. Those of us who speak out will disappear; we’ll be the first ones gone.
Mourn, then, not for us, but for those we leave behind.
Peace and Blessings.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:57 pmRead Naomi Kliens book Disaster Capitalism and Ashcrofts statements will make perfect sense.
These people define freedom and liberty differently from you and I. To them, freedom is the freedom for multinational corporations to make profits. The more those corporations are free to do what they want in that pursuit, the more “liberty” there is. They have nver been referring to free speech or individual civil liberties. Or the rights for individuals to organize.
When you understand the definitions these people use you will better understand what they’ve been doing.
READ THE BOOK!
February 10th, 2008 at 12:59 pmI think, unfortunately, all the telecom crap is directly related to those events taking place and the inability for the regular people to be able to freely communicate with each other.
I fear for what my country has become. But I am scared $hitless about what it might become.
I keep telling myself I am overreacting…but I don’t think so. IF we get to the next election, and if Obama is elected I think this is going to come to fruition. If Clinton wins I think we’ll survive for a few more years. Either way, there is too much in place for me to have much comfort in too many things.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:00 pmFunny,… from where I’m standing the devil seems more respectful of civil liberties than Bush.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:01 pmHey guys, since there isn’t a ThinkFast today, I was wondering if anyone else saw these two items. I am sincerely interested in your thoughts.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/07/6918/
http://www.cyberspaceorbit.com/ConnectingTheDots.htm
Comment by Ms_Joanne — February 10, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
#1 – Militarization and paranoia of our culture, in the mode of the brownshirts in Nazi Germany, and recently having firemen tell DHS what books you read.
#2 – Iran is about to move their Bourse from Dollars to Euros, and we remember what happened to Iraq when Hussein did that. Something is afoot, and it does not look good. And……..don’t expect Hillary to NOT attack Iran.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:09 pm…recently having firemen tell DHS what books you read.
Have fun guys…I own 6000 books. :-D
February 10th, 2008 at 1:15 pmHave fun guys…I own 6000 books. :-D
Comment by Ms_Joanne — February 10, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Well….If one of those books are subversive……..Antiwar, Socialism, Che Guevara, Animal Rights, Environmentalism, Atheism, Nudism, or Feminism, we will confiscate them and burn them.
Then you will be just like Linda here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTWTjRiXDEI
February 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pmDo you know any police officers? I recently asked one “If the president invokes martial law and people begin a rebellion against him, what will you and your fellow officers do?”
His answer was that personally he wasn’t sure but the topic has been discussed among themselves.
Given what we know about Bush and his administration I would not be surprised by another attack here in the states before the next president is sworn in. But, unless Cheney and Bush were killed in that attack I would suspect them of being behind it.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:53 pmAshcroft’s statement is true if you add qualifiers. Bush is the most respectful of civil liberties remaining after determining that that which we believed were civil liberties don’t exist. Or he is the most respectful of civil liberties embodied in the Second Amendment. Or most respectful of civil liberties of corporations. See Ashcroft just didnt’t quite get it into a soundbite.
February 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pmWhat a warped sense of respect, and I don’t buy it. Just because Bush and Company has taken from us a measurable chunk of our civil liberties does not mean he is protecting them. I doubt you would think I respect you, your car or home, if I came to you and removed them. Oh, I will tell you not to worry and that it is my job is to protect you, and that the only way I can do that is to deprive you of them. Good hell, we haven’t had a president until now who got away with this crap – why do we STILL put up with it?
February 10th, 2008 at 2:52 pmYes, I’m sure Bush has been most respectful of civil rights also…
February 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pmYou fell asleep next to a pod didn’t you ?
February 10th, 2008 at 3:35 pmOh, John – how we’ve missed you. Fredo was more entertaining but your degree of batshit craziness is unmatched in modern legal times.
February 10th, 2008 at 4:23 pmA Little Sound collage of AssCrack and Seedy
February 10th, 2008 at 5:49 pmAshcroft, go back to the Reichstag and sit on it. We can credit you with the first efforts to make this beautiful country of ours a model of Nazi Germany. STFU!!
February 10th, 2008 at 7:24 pmIdiotic comments like this are why Asscroft got beat by a dead man.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:39 pmdelusional,bootlicking BUSHCO man loyal to the end!!!!!!!!!!!
February 11th, 2008 at 1:30 amIs the criminal Rove writing what he says?
February 11th, 2008 at 4:29 amBut does John Asscraft know what a civil liberty is?
I don’t think so?
So how can he figure out that Shrub-boy is cool with them?
Lots of questions!
February 11th, 2008 at 11:22 amJohn Ashcroft had one great moment when he refused to go along with Alberto Gonzale’s trying to get him to override the acting attorney general’s decision.
Looks like that will be his only one.
February 11th, 2008 at 2:09 pm