Thank You For Standing Up
Thank You For Standing Up
A few days ago, ThinkProgress noted the top 43 individuals who helped President Bush shape the worst presidency in modern history. While there was much to deplore over the past eight years, there were also a few bright spots.
In the Bush era marked by deceit and deception, these were some of the individuals and groups — both inside and outside the government (ranked in no particular order) — who stood up to speak truth to power. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Let us know who you’re thankful for in the comments section.
Henry Waxman, for being deemed by Republicans as “the scariest man in Washington” for his dogged oversight activities.
Charles Swift, for daring to take on his government over the illegal military tribunal system and then, unfortunately, being passed over for promotion.
Richard Clarke, for speaking out about Bush’s pre-9/11 neglect of terrorism and post-9/11 attempt to link Iraq and al Qaeda.
Paul Krugman, for warning years in advance of the housing bubble and opposing the policies of Alan Greenspan.
The Dixie Chicks, for being rightfully “ashamed” of Bush in the lead-up to the Iraq war and then facing the blowback.
The 23 Senators and 133 congressmen who voted against the Iraq war resolution.
Joseph Wilson and Valerie Plame Wilson, for speaking out about Bush’s false case for war in Iraq and then suffering the retribution.
Patrick Fitzgerald, for doggedly pursuing the prosecution of Scooter Libby and revealing the cloud that hangs over Dick Cheney.
New York Times and James Risen, for revealing Bush’s illegal warrantless wiretapping and aggravating Dick Cheney.
Judge Anna Taylor Diggs, for striking down Bush’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program as an unconstitutional infringement on the right to privacy and free speech.
John Podesta, for building and orchestrating the “vast left-wing conspiracy.”
Al Gore, for giving a sensible voice to opposition of Bush’s policies on Iraq, civil liberties, and the environment.
Cindy Sheehan, for making a stand in Crawford in the summer of 2005.
The Netroots: Markos, Atrios, Josh Marshall, Arianna Huffington, FireDogLake, Crooks and Liars, Glenn Greenwald, Andrew Sullivan, and so many our other blogging comrades in arms who helped forge the path of rational opposition to many of Bush’s failed policies.
Jamie Leigh Jones, first KBR victim of rape to come forward, prompting others to speak out.
Cp. Pat Tillman and his family, for service to the nation both in defending it and demanding accountability from it.
Jim Webb, for leading the charge for a 21st Century GI Bill.
The retired generals who called on Rumsfeld to resign.
The 33 Senators and 140 congressmen who opposed the massive 2001 Bush tax cuts for the rich.
The 50 Senators and 200 congressmen who voted against Bush’s 2003 tax cuts for the rich.
Col. Morris Davis, for resigning his position as Chief Prosecutor at Gitmo after revealing the political interference from the Pentagon.
Matthew Alexander, for revealing the torture that was carried out against prisoners in Iraq.
James Hansen, for revealing the Bush administration’s attempts to censor science.
Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, for forging a path for successful progressive TV anchors.
Jack Goldsmith and James Comey, for standing up against their President’s attempts to manipulate the law.
Russ Feingold, for standing alone against the Patriot Act.
Helen Thomas, for daring to ask what most reporters are not willing to.
Knight-Ridder’s Warren Strobel and Jonthan Landay, who were among the minority of reporters who looked critically at the Bush administration’s case for war in Iraq.
The late Molly Ivins, for reminding us before she passed away: “We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders and we need to raise hell.”
And thank you of course to our readers, who have given us the strength over these past few years to do what we do.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
I’d like to nominate myself & all the other TP bloggers who have found mutual political views, open discourse and sharing insights and differing points of view these past 2 years.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:04 pmBravo to all of ‘em.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:04 pmMinnesota Senator Elect Al Franken
First Al took on the lying repugnant neo-con republicans with his best selling books. He exposed what lying thugs like Rush Lardass, Billo, & Ann (Marfan’s Syndrome)Coulter really are & killed them with facts. If you want a good laugh, read the Chapter “Operation Chickenhawk” in “Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot”, pure Al Franken humor.
Now, Al has won back Paul Wellstone’s senate seat, just like he promised.
Give em’ hell in Washington Al.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:07 pmDennis Kucinich needs to be on this list.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:07 pmHats off to all those on the list and for those who may have been omitted in error (like agent, Colleen Rowley)– including citizens who persisted in writing letters to the editor, marching in protest, and otherwise participating in a concerted effort for the truth.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:08 pmI want to half heartily thank pretzel manufacturers.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:08 pmThanks to Keith and Rachel.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:10 pmPTL, this brought tears to my eyes, that the Regime may actually be over.
That said, Obama needs continuing pressure to do right to the left and forced to investigate any and all law breakers in the Executive branch under Bushco
Gods bless!!!!!!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:11 pmNo question:
Dennis Kucinich
Wolf: Kucinich only person on stage who voted against PATRIOT Act.
KUCINICH: That’s because I read it. The questioner is owed an apology. Aiming at Edwards’ position changes since he was in the Senate. “Just imagine what it will be like to have a president who’s right the first time.”
Moments later, he called for bush’s impeachment:
January 19th, 2009 at 3:12 pmGuido the Loving OBGYN Says:
And the guy who told Cheney to fu(k himself. Hope he’s still alive.
Yes he is my hero…
Also I would like to raise a toast to the “Shoe Thrower” too!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:13 pmI’m with DutchHenry above in applauding all of them, BUT The NetRoots has to be the best of the best in exposing Bush and his gang of thieves..If it weren’t for all us bleary-eyed, un-bathed, Cheetos-eating bloggers in our mom’s basements, Chimpy’s world would have been a lot brighter…teehee…
For you with nothing better to do, here’s a little diddy that shows history does repeat itself..this time in a GOOD way !!
A little clip from the Original Wizard of Oz movie seems amazingly appropriate for tomorrow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOEq-ImGWJ0
January 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pmThank YOU, Faiz & crew!!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pmRuss Feingold
Repeatedly, among other things, introduced redeployment legislation in the Senate. He, unlike cowards Pelosi & Reid, took the electorate’s wishes seriously.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:16 pmLiberalVoter Says:
Dennis Kucinich needs to be on this list.
I second that.
And Daryll we can’t forget him…for his efforts truly show what sickos the Rapture Ready crowd it. He alone sunk McInsanes election.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:18 pmI forgot to give kudos to Congressman Dennis Kucinich for introducing the impeachment of Chimpy…
January 19th, 2009 at 3:19 pmSergeant Joseph M. Darby
The whistleblower in the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal.
This man has a pair as big as planets. Thank you, Joe!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:20 pmThis is the final day. It’s been a long time coming with unprecedented sacrifice. I hope we can call the last eight years the worst of our lives and leave it at that.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:20 pmRachel Maddow
January 19th, 2009 at 3:21 pmKeith Olbermann
John Stewart
Michael Moore
Stephen Colbert for his speech at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner. Precious!
Thanks to TP, also, for bringing us information, including background on important matters – as well as the funny ones.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:21 pmGame of Life,
Sorry! Missed your post (#9).
January 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pmMcWars Says:
This is the final day. It’s been a long time coming with unprecedented sacrifice. I hope we can call the last eight years the worst of our lives and leave it at that.
No I hope we go after the war criminals… It’s just not right what they have taken from America…
January 19th, 2009 at 3:23 pmWHAT?!?!?! No Honorable Mention at the very least of Nancy Pelosi for taking impeachment ‘off the table’.
I’m SHOCKED, I tell you. Absolutely, shocked.
SNARK!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pmPlease include JOHN DEAN !
January 19th, 2009 at 3:27 pmThe American people: for ending an error on November 4th and made this all possible.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pmGen. Shinseki for giving accurate force requirements even though it cost him his job. Ironically, five years later BushCo would use Shinseki’s original numbers and repackage it as “the surge.” He never got an apology for that, and he’s owed one.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:32 pmPlease add Randi Rhodes, Stefany Miller, Mike Malloy and the other progressive radio commentators on green 960 for getting the Truth out with passion. Also, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert for consistently presenting the truth in news with factual research, humor, and clarity on the TV. These people on radio and TV have all done/are doing a great community service by providing information and speaking the truth and reaching a wide audience.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:33 pmSibel Edmonds:
–Whistleblower
–former FBI language specialist
–founder and director of National Security Whistleblowers Coalition
So long as the list does not contain the name of Sibel Edmonds, it shall remain incomplete.
Many may know her as “the most gagged person in US history”.
And that is likely why many others may have never heard of her.
If you didn’t know of her before, you do now:
http://www.justacitizen.com/
Sibel Edmonds
January 19th, 2009 at 3:33 pmThis list is wonderful. Thanks for taking the time to log some of the positive events and ideas of the last eight years.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:35 pmChuck Hagel
For breaking ranks with the other GOP sociopaths on Iraq.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:37 pmcoskibum Says:
No I hope we go after the war criminals… It’s just not right what they have taken from America…
Of course, I agree. I simply hope that the future will uphold the last eight years as the worst ever. I don’t want any more republicans barging in and breaking new records – and that’s why the need for accountability you mention is so important.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:37 pmI applaud and salute Thinkprogress for doing this piece and pointing out these people of principle. I take some exception to two on the list. The New York Times also has Judith Miller of infamy and Patrick Fitzgerald only gets lukewarm praise as Scooter Libby was only number 4 on the pecking order. Libby did not do this on his own, plus nobody was charged for the actual dirty deed of leaking, only lying and obstructing about the leak.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:40 pmI cringe for even suggesting this but how about a hat tip to George W. Bush for destroying the GOP?
January 19th, 2009 at 3:41 pmMcWars — Amen…
January 19th, 2009 at 3:41 pmJames Comey & Bunatine Greenhouse. They risked their jobs.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pmThank you, Lynda England, I think it was, who told the truth about her captors in Iraq rather than let the country treat her like a heroine as Rumsfeld tried to do by lying about her capture and rescue. What wonderfully ethical standards she displayed for one so young. And the right wing of course threatened her and called her a traitor.
Let’s hope our long national nightmare is over.
Barbara
January 19th, 2009 at 3:50 pmWhat about Scott Ritter, the outspoken person who exposed the lack of WMD in Iraq.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:52 pmBen Marble, M.D.
The guy that told cheney to, “Go fu ck yourself mr. cheney!”
Thank you, Ben!
January 19th, 2009 at 3:54 pmWe should be thankful for YouTube.
Just when the Rev. Wright stuff looked like trouble, Sarah Palin’s dubious church goings-on made her look like the bumbling wicked witch of the north.
Plus who would have thought Obama Girl and the like viral campaigning would have mattered at all in the process?
January 19th, 2009 at 3:54 pm39.Barbi520 Says: Thank you, Lynda England, I think it was, who told the truth about her captors in Iraq rather than let the country treat her like a heroine as Rumsfeld tried to do by lying about her capture and rescue.
Epic Fail. That was Jessica Lynch. L. England is a whole different creature…
January 19th, 2009 at 3:57 pmRichard Foster, the Medicare chief actuary told to hide his Prescription Drug benefit cost projections by CMS head Tom Scully.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:57 pmA great list, but I’d also like to see Al Franken on it — there’s something to be said for making us laugh while speaking the truth (and we all know that only the truth is funny, anyway).
January 19th, 2009 at 3:59 pmCombustion Lente Says:
We should also be thankful to the brain dead trolls, who until recently infested this blog. It stands to reason that their mindless repetition of the same old garbage contributed to countless Americans who voting Democratic Party for the first time in their lives.
*
i second that.
every time a troll comments
a new liberal is born.
*
and a conservative is aborted.
* * *
thank you tp trolls.
;)
January 19th, 2009 at 3:59 pmHarry Taylor – Literally did “stand up” in Charlotte, NC:
January 19th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Bruce Fein, Glen Greenwald and Andrew Bacevich spoke and wrote the truth.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:07 pmI would like to see TP take this thread as a model and have a “progressive of the day” or some similar daily thread to highlight the positive accomplishments and rhetoric of our fellow travelers. Bashing the neocons and cons is appropriate, but insufficient, to truly advance progressive principles.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:08 pmRev. Lennox Yearwood
Assaulted by capital police for wearing a lapel button,”I love the people of Iraq,” while waiting for the Petreaus hearing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiradcejA6o
January 19th, 2009 at 4:10 pmZimzone, just two years? Where were you since 2002, the beginnings of the Bush travesty?
January 19th, 2009 at 4:11 pmSarah Palin and Joe the Plumber – Without their idiotic and single-minded blather, we might have had McDepends as the next POTUS.
Thank you for your service, arseholes!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:14 pmAll good nominations. Let’s not forget former Bushbots who saw the light late in the game. Scott McClellan, Colin Powell, and a few others. Whether their actions came about because they saw it as the right thing to do, or whether they were merely saving their own butts, they still publicly separated themselves from the Borg.
An valid argument can be made that speaking up doesn’t make up for the damage these men did while they were part of Bushco. But I’ll still give them kudos — speaking up late is still better than not speaking up at all.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pmColeman’s Futile Election Contest
January 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pmgus – Zimzone may have been referring to how long he/her has been logging into TP…
January 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pmSeymour Hersh and Bill Moyers
Two of the most relentless and relentlessly professional journalists ever. They tirelessly brought the truth to our attention and revealed the bush administration for the vile and craven incompetence at its heart, and the media free-ride/cover-up treatment that bush was extended.
Thank You Mr. Moyers and Mr. Hersh!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pmUncle Ho Says:
WHAT?!?!?! No Honorable Mention at the very least of Nancy Pelosi for taking impeachment ‘off the table’.
I’m SHOCKED, I tell you. Absolutely, shocked.
SNARK!
There is a little hope for pelosi.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:22 pmI would add:
Michael Moore: the fat with an idiot smile that is booed at the Oscars, but is always right.
George Carlin
Kucinich
But above them all:
January 19th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Holy cow, how did Thomas Tamm not make the list? He was the whistleblower for warrantless wiretapping. That guy is still under investigation by the FBI while everyone else is getting away with it.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:25 pmMichael Moore
Fahrenheit 9/11 remains the highest-grossing documentary of all time, taking in close to US$200 million worldwide, including United States box office revenue of US$120 million.
And all those people will always remember what a complete disaster bush’s presidency was.
Thank You Michael!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:27 pmGood list. I would add all the American soldiers who had the courage to speak out against the war.
In particular the veterans at Winter Soldier 2008 who were brave enough to speak the horrible truth about what really happened in Iraq. An event which the pathetic American mainstream media completely ignored.
Speaking of which I would also add Amy Goodman and Democracy Now who unlike the MSM, gave Winter Soldier full coverage and who day after day unrelentingly speaks truth to power
Maybe Scott McClellan deserves a spot as well despite his complicity in the lies and propaganda before and during the war
January 19th, 2009 at 4:28 pmand ThinkProgress, you belong on the list, for providing immediate and important truthful reporting. I check your website many times a day. Thank you.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:29 pmI really want to thank Cindy Sheehan for having the balls to camp out in Crawford, demanding the attention of MSM. Then Katrina hit and exposed Bush as the incompetant loser he is. He never recovered after that. I remember watching helplessly as thousands of people were pleading for help. I couldn’t believe it. We’re Americans! how we could have let those poor people down is beyond me. After the Tsunami hit the year previously and we could send copters full of life saving goods in one day, and yet, we had citizens begging for water. It still makes me ill thinking about it.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:30 pmTHANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS!
This recognition will go a LONG way towards the positive results so desperately needed… and WAITED for!
THANK YOU, FAIZ and the WHOLE TP CREW!
AND the TP family of commenters – i am CERTAIN we all helped too!
SO FAR SO GOOD!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:31 pmThe Resigned
For all the nameless and too-numerous-to-name people who saw the writing on the wall and stepped down when the bush administration took over.
The professionals who resigned rather than be forced to abridge their integrity and the integrity of their titles/offices/Constitution just to keep their jobs; Thank You.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:33 pmDr. Steven Jones
January 19th, 2009 at 4:34 pmTony Tzamboti
Kevin Ryan
Richard Gage
Michael Ruppert
David Ray Griffin
and all of We Are Change
Dana Priest and Anne Hull
For exposing the squalid conditions that bush’s administration and privatization wrought on Walter Reed Hospital.
Thank You!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:38 pmI dont think Colin Powell deserves to be on the list. But Powells chief of staff Col Lawrence Wilkerson I think does.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:40 pmDid I miss Mun-tadar al-Zaidi ? He certainly ranks high on my
January 19th, 2009 at 4:45 pmlist.
TP – just started reading…
i recommend that you edit the thread copy and add
HOWARD DEAN to the top of that list… all things considered…
please!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:45 pmHonorable Mention:
The Guy That Designed This Shirt
;-)
January 19th, 2009 at 4:45 pmwell, upon further reflection, as the requirement being those
January 19th, 2009 at 4:49 pm“who stood up to speak truth to power”, i guess Howard’s roll
was somewhat different … oh, ok…
NEIL YOUNG
LIVING WITH WAR
Neil Young Let’s Impeach the President Lyrics:
Let’s impeach the President for lying
And misleading our country into war
Abusing all the power that we gave him
And shipping all our money out the door
Who’s the man who hired all the criminals
The White House shadows who
hide behind closed doors
They bend the facts to fit with their new stories
Of why we have to send our men to war
Let’s impeach the President for spying
On citizens inside their own homes
Breaking every law in the country
By tapping our computers and telephones
What if Al Qaeda blew up the levees
Would New Orleans have been safer that way
Sheltered by our government’s protection
Or was someone just not home that day?
Flip – Flop
Flip – Flop
Flip – Flop
Flip – Flop
Let’s impeach the president for hijacking
Our religion and using it to get elected
Dividing our country into colors
And still leaving black people neglected
Thank god he’s cracking down on steroids
Since he sold his old baseball team
There’s lots of people looking at big trouble
But of course our president is clean.
Thank God
January 19th, 2009 at 4:50 pmWhat? No one mentioned the arch-ogre George Soros!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:53 pmgummitch Says:
What? No one mentioned the arch-ogre George Soros!
So-so-so–soros!
*trembling*
January 19th, 2009 at 5:00 pmSJerseyIndy; Sibel Edmonds, YES,YES,YES, indeed!
January 19th, 2009 at 5:02 pmDennis has no chance of moving up to a higher office, but NO one had a more accurate view of the Bush Admin that Dennis.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:02 pmNo stated the case againest Bush, better than Mr Dennis.
MIKE MALLOY
January 19th, 2009 at 5:05 pm&
RANDI RHODES
&
STEPHANIE MILLER
Neil Young rules!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 5:12 pmBERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS BERNIE SANDERS
January 19th, 2009 at 5:13 pm–Jesselyn Radak, a lawyer who blew the whistle on the torture of John Walker Lindh (and was subsequently fired and blacklisted)
–Sibel Edmonds, the FBI translator who was fired for blowing the whistle on suspicious activity within the FBI
–Melody Townsel, who stood up to John Bolton and was harassed out of her job
January 19th, 2009 at 5:15 pmDon’t forget all the great cartoonist especially Tom Tomorrow and Mike Luckovich
January 19th, 2009 at 5:17 pmTo Lt. Gen. Russel Honore who brought a sense of order and sanity to the Katrina victims who had guns pointed at them by the National Guard that were supposed to be there to ‘help’ them. I will never forget the authority and command of his presence. It is a pity that he is retiring.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:19 pmGoldu*n you, Rocky, you got there first. . .I was just about to mention Tom Tomorrow. He’s been ripping the Bush administration new ones from day one.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:21 pmthe jersey girls
January 19th, 2009 at 5:22 pmLiberalVoter Says:
Dennis Kucinich needs to be on this list.
ABSOLUTELY!
January 19th, 2009 at 5:22 pmGlenn Greenwald, anyone? This is for his tireless work on defending the US Constitution and informing us about the bush administration’s shredding of it.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:23 pm–Thom Hartmann, for pointing out the worst before the rest of us could see the writing on the wall
–Thomas Tamm, who leaked the wiretapping program to the NYT
–Joe Darby, the soldier who was the Abu Ghraib whistleblower, and who Rumsfeld outed
–Richard Clarke and John O’Neill(FBI) and Robert Baer (CIA), who exposed W’s lack of care for the 9/11 warnings and shady connections related to the attacks
January 19th, 2009 at 5:26 pmPoets
(This was before the war began…)
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0212-02.htm
January 19th, 2009 at 5:31 pmHow about Robert Greenwald with his progressive political films?
January 19th, 2009 at 5:32 pmDr. Dean Baker and Dr. Mark Weisbrot of http://www.cepr.net.
If Dr. Krugman is on the list, they should be. Baker and Weisbrot exposed the Social Security scam in, Social Security: The Phony Crisis, and in articles on their website.
Additionally, they knew the Social Security “crisis” was a scam and that there was a housing bubble portending doom for the economy before Dr. Krugman.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:37 pmBut who will stand up to Obama and force him to recognize the progressive majority in this country and carry out an agenda that will ignore the temptation of a “centrist” approach and instead end all wars and help all of the people.
http://www.sunstateactivist.org/ssablog/
January 19th, 2009 at 5:43 pmThomas Frank is on my list. His insight was and is ahead of the curve.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:43 pmDynamo Says:
Obama lacked the judgment to decided for himself who would have been better for the job? Starting to get a peak at the indecisiveness and inexperienced of Obama.
Giving someone like Joe Biden a choice is indecisive and weak? You’re a nutcase.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:54 pmArianna Huffington Post?
January 19th, 2009 at 6:12 pmThis must be a joke.
This post is putting headlines that have nothing to do with the story.
They are in a complete disagreement with the right of Israel to defend its citizens.
Just because the A H Post is in disagreement with Dubya politics doesn’t make them good for us.
97. ymax Says: They are in a complete disagreement with the right of Israel to defend its citizens.
So are a lot of people, though they (I) wouldn’t characterize the situation the way you do. Don’t go there.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:21 pmLet’s not forget Studs Terkel.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:23 pmI would add Scott Ritter, one of the earliest to “out” the bush administration claims concerning WMD.
He has continued to speak against many of the outrages of the soon-to-be-ex-president worst president in the history of the United States bar none.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:23 pmDynamo Says:
you disparage Biden over something like this? Seriously? is that how patetic you have become?
You would only make such a pathetic statement from behind the safety of the internet. I would laugh right in your face if you tried it in public little boy.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:25 pmDynamo Says
January 19th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Obama lacked the judgment to decided for himself who would have been better for the job? Starting to get a peak at the indecisiveness and inexperienced of Obama.
___________________________________________________________
Grasping wildly at straws is the best you can do? It’s almost sad to see trolls in their uncontrollable death spasms.
Joe Biden is eminently qualified (and was probably the most qualified person available) for either job. Obama would only have given Joe his choice if he knew he had a winner either way. Only a troll who has nothing better to fling would attempt to paint this as evidence of indecision or inexperience.
Oh, by the way — it’s “decide”, not “decided”. It’s “peek”, not “peak”. And it’s “inexperience”, not “inexperienced”. If you wish to appear somewhat educated, you can start with basic spelling and grammar. That alone won’t convince people you have anything valid to say, but it’s a first step.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:25 pmDennis Kucinich and Russ Feingold for maintaining actual convictions against Iraq, the shredding of our Constitution, and the bogus FISA “reform!”
January 19th, 2009 at 6:27 pmHans Blix
January 19th, 2009 at 6:29 pmChomsky
January 19th, 2009 at 6:30 pmZinn
January 19th, 2009 at 6:30 pmAmy Goodman
January 19th, 2009 at 6:33 pmIf you want to reach back a ways…Leonard Peltier.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:35 pmThe fired United States Attorneys who help expose BushCo’s politicization of our Dept. Of Justice through their testimony to the Senate & House, & their speaking out before & since:
Carol Lam
January 19th, 2009 at 6:35 pmDavid Iglesias
John McKay
Bud Cummins
Paul Charlton
Dan Bogden
Tod Graves
Dixie Chicks are great and one of the first batch to say something about the neo-nazi’s…good on them…
Sean Penn too.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:36 pmMedia Matters.
For making Reichwhiners’ heads explode, and earning the label “far-left hate site”, by repeating said Reichwhiners’ hate and lies WORD FOR WORD.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:36 pmDynamo for showing us just how off kilter “Conservatives” are.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:40 pmThough he has been mentioned, I’d like to further qualify Jon Stewart, the person who I believe single-handedly brought down the ridiculous “Crossfire.”
This video should go into the Smithsonian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE
January 19th, 2009 at 6:42 pmEven Dwight Eisenhower warne3d us about these greedy fukcers.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:47 pmJonathan Turley
Bruce Fein
Vincent Bugliosi
Don Siegelman
Glenn and Robert Greenwald
Bill Maher
Thom Hartmann
Bernie Sanders
Cenk Uygur and The Young Turks
Brad Friedman
Mark Crispin Miller
Joe Conason
Media Matters
Larissa Alexandrovna
Rawstory
Sean Penn
George Lakoff
Drew Westen
- Tom
January 19th, 2009 at 6:55 pmHow about smaller bloggers like myself who had to deal mainly with the “nothing is Bush’s fault” idiots?
January 19th, 2009 at 6:55 pmHow about smaller bloggers like myself who had to deal mainly with the “nothing is Bush’s fault” idiots with no one backing me up?
January 19th, 2009 at 6:56 pmeman1234 Says:
How about smaller bloggers like myself who had to deal mainly with the “nothing is Bush’s fault” idiots with no one backing me up?
January 19th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Thank you, eman1234! We’re all in this together!
January 19th, 2009 at 7:03 pmWonderful list of BRAVE Americans Standing up to the corrupt adminisatration to great peril to themselves. I would like to add a nonAmerican, Hugo Chavez, Venezula Pres. In his United Nations speech, he called Bush, a devil. How true. Other Americans to be commended: Bernie Sanders of Vermont, heis awesome. Murtha,Kucinich, Olberman, Rachel Maddow, Al Franken,Bill Maher,Move On. org. people,ThinkProgress, R Greenwald,Arrianna, Chomsky, Zinn,Amy Goodman and last but not least, Sean Penn and Alec Baldwin, D.L. hughly. And a special commendation to Cindy Cheehan,she showed ultimate bravery. There are so many more good, honest people that spoke the truth. God Bless all who stood up and spoke the truth.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:11 pmDennis Kucinich, Amy Goodman, Michael Moore, Michael Ware, Maxine Waters, RFK Jr., The Nation, Common Dreams, Brad Friedman, Ted Rall, Lewis Black, Robert Fisk, Robert Parry, Greg Palast, Mark Crispin Miller, Les Roberts and Lancet/Johns Hopkins workers, Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman, Steven Freeman, Bev Harris, Will Durst, and Noam Chomsky.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:20 pmPlease include the students from Georgetown University. Some of them stood up and (literally) turned their backs on Alberto Gonzales as he tried to justify warrantless wiretapping. Others wore black hoods and displayed signs paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither”
January 19th, 2009 at 7:22 pmeman, How tall are you anyway? :)
January 19th, 2009 at 7:32 pmI’d like to nomate Keith Oberman for being the only MSM journalist to report on Sarah Palin’s “Pal” and in-law being busted for manufacturing Meth. I still haven’t seen anyone else trumpting this. Makes you think the MSM is treating Keith like Rush, not believing what he reports.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:37 pmDon’t you mean Jessica Lynch?
January 19th, 2009 at 7:38 pmPaul Wellstone, the late, great Senator from Minnesota, he died opposing GW Bush & neo-con republicans every step of the way.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:40 pmHow about All judges replaced when the admissinistration changes? The ones fired by Clinton, Bush 1, Reagon, Carter, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy…You mean they all do it? Really? Sounds like Washington politics.Glad Obama is going to change all that.No firings this round.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:42 pmDon’t know if he’s already been listed, but thanks, Jim Comey.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:43 pmmeth? … sounds logical, i know, but i read it was oxy…
you know, hillbilly heroin, limpball’s drug of choice…
…
this is great, reading and rembering all these HEROES!
thanks again, TP!
January 19th, 2009 at 7:47 pmREmembering…
January 19th, 2009 at 7:51 pmHillery and Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, John Edwards,etc for pointing out Obama wasn’t experenced enough to assume the office of Pres.As far as Torture, how would Americans react if the Terrorist treated Americans like we treated them? Can you inmagine the outrage in American if they waterboarded Americans, instead of the humaine treatment they showed toward Americans. It still brings a tear to my eye to think of the kind, humaine beheadings given to American prisners, as opposed to splashing water in their faces.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:51 pmkaty-No I remember Oberman saying it was Meth.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:52 pmMIKE MALLOY
January 19th, 2009 at 7:53 pmBEV HARRIS blackboxvoting
ION SANCHO tallahassee fl. election sup., the
suprm. court told him to stop counting in 2000, later he stood
up to jeb bush.. also did a “HBO” election program…
RANDY RHODES
CLINT CURTIS SHOWED HOW COMPUTER PROGRAMS CHEAT ELECTIONS
wmnc.biz …crew first to video tape(s) the reading of election law(s) to election officials during an election
procedure(s) then watching those officials violate them….
And we all know MSNBC is un-biased.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:54 pmlarry, we prosecuted Japanese who waterboarded Americans—and they could have truthfully said they were trying to prevent a nuclear attack.
We attacked and occupied Iraq totally illegally and unprovoked and killed 1,300,000 of them plus over 4200 of our own.
Couldn’t have read much news if you don’t even know how to spell Hillary.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:57 pmRadiohead. The Hail to the Thief albumn was a great attack on Bush (everyone already took mine, so I am getting a little obscure). But a wonderful CD.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:01 pmI nominate TINA FEY!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 8:02 pmlarry, and it will cost us $3 Trillion, and, according to our 16 intelligence agencies, has made us less safe.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:03 pmI also nominate the Zoomeister.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:03 pmAnd the Zoomeister. How could I have forgotten?!
January 19th, 2009 at 8:04 pmThe truth will set you free
January 19th, 2009 at 8:09 pmSo will ExLax
January 19th, 2009 at 8:09 pmPaul Wellstone
January 19th, 2009 at 8:10 pmThomas Tamm
Glenn Greenwald, double
Anyone testifying on KBR/Halliburton/Blackwater
Sullenberger
Katrina relief… private sector. Sigh.
Oh, Greg Palast
January 19th, 2009 at 8:10 pmTed Rall
Mike Luckovich
Amen to Paul Wellstone and all the others mentioned here. Just one clarification–Russ Feingold was the only Senator to vote against the original Patriot Act, because he read it.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:11 pmSusan Lindauer should be added to this list.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:12 pmShe was arrested and accused of being an “unregistered Iraqi agent”, after sending letters to her cousin Andy Card. She said that according to her Iraqi contacts, Iraq would do just about anything to avoid the war, and that in her opinion, invading Iraq would be counterproductive and would strengthen Al Quada.
She fought to have her case brought to trial, saying she could prove that she had kept contacts in the US government informed of her pre-war Iraqi contacts all along.
After arresting her, the Justice Department wouldn’t allow her case to go to trial. Instead, they said she was “delusional” in claiming she’d been in contact with US government officials. She was locked her up in mental institutions for 11 months, where staff found no external symptoms of mental illness.
Nevertheless, Justice Department prosecutors tried to have her drugged with Haldol to stop her “delusions”. Judge Mukasey (now AG) denied the prosecution’s request, and she was released on bond on June 6, 2006. She continued the fight to have her case brought to trial, so she could prove her innocence.
Last week, January 15, the Justice Department dropped all charges against her.
I would most definitely add Mike Ruppert and his world of readers of “From the Wilderness” and his current blog on blogspot. He has been analyzing the political comings and goings and predicting the morass we’re in for years and getting most of his predictions right.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:14 pmOops – that should be mikeruppert.blogspot.com
January 19th, 2009 at 8:15 pmCindy Sheehan for keeping the pressure on when few others were willing to.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:27 pmNot sure if he has been mentioned, but since we’ve been throwing out quite a few names, I would suggest Kanye West.
That statement, in that venue, at that time was like a slap in the face. I can’t help but think that helped shake some of the cobwebs free while many people were finally seeing reality for what it was.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:32 pmJeremy Scahill author of Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army
January 19th, 2009 at 8:35 pmLarryA Says:
It still brings a tear to my eye to think of the kind, humaine beheadings given to American prisners, as opposed to splashing water in their faces.
________
Gee, Larry… I thought that was why we Americans were supposed to BE BETTER than those terrorist scumbags… because we didn’t do that sort of thing.
On the other hand, if you like be lumped in w/ the Khmer Rouge, the Nazis, the Imperial Japanese, and the Inquisition…
January 19th, 2009 at 8:40 pm1) Someone or several must have stood up and been instrumental the fight against privatizing social security.
2) Krugman did far, far more than be right on economic issues. He was a lone sane voice in the dark years following 9/11 through the social security pushback and Katrina disasters, highlighting the sickness and terrible consequence of the bush regime.
3) Chris Dodd on the FISA changes and retroactive immunity fight. Although ultimately unsuccessful because of the cravenness of reid, pelosi, and hoyer, Dodd stood up for the rule of law and made all the malefactors uncomfortable. Without his effort, everything would have been sweep under the rug without a whimper.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:48 pmOk, a little valley speak here but this is AWESOME! 150+ posts about people who deserve kudos and recognition for doing what Americans do…their best. One heck of a list and as much fun as trashing trolls can be over the bad guys list, this one gives me hope that we ain’t done yet.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:18 pmBTW, TP, thanks for all the other stuff but plz keep the positive stuff coming too. Building is so much more satisfying than destroying.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:20 pmLove to help people show their true side.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:24 pmI joined Moveon.Org in the fall of 2002 when their main objective was to prevent our representatives in congress from authorizing George W. Bush to take military action against Iraq. Although this obviously did not succeed, it is important to recognize this grassroots organization – run by individuals, supported by individuals. This group believed we did not have enough information and were moving against Iraq too quickly without providing peaceful options an opportunity to work. We didn’t have proof it was a wrong move, but we certainly believed military action was not proven justified by the Bush administration. I believe the individuals who started and organized MoveOn are deserving of recognition.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:26 pmThrow out a statement that brings out the hate/bigotry in people and they will respond from the soul.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:27 pmLarryA Says:
Love to help people show their true side.
You really are clueless.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:27 pm160. LarryA Says: Throw out a statement that brings out the hate/bigotry in people and they will respond from the soul.
Translation: Annoy people with republican lies and they get justifiably upset.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:29 pmFrom Chicago Sun-Times (suntimes.com):
December 25, 2008
FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska authorities say the mother of Bristol Palin’s boyfriend sent text messages to two police informants discussing drug transactions before her arrest on felony drug charges.
An affidavit filed Wednesday says Sherry L. Johnston sent text messages referring to “coffee” as a code for the drug OxyContin. The 42-year-old Johnston was arrested last week after state troopers served a search warrant at her Wasilla home. She is out on bail.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:30 pmLarryA Says:
Love to help people show their true side.
_________
No reply to my comment at #155?
January 19th, 2009 at 9:31 pmLarryA Says:
——————————————————————————–
Throw out a statement that brings out the hate/bigotry in people and they will respond from the soul.
And, if you throw out one that brings out the love/tolerance, they also respond from the soul. Only, it results in a more positive discourse with people learning from each other instead of lashing out. I pity you your choice….
January 19th, 2009 at 9:32 pmLarry, I get justifiably upset when conservatives say their families are so much better. Hence, the above.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:33 pmLarryA Says:
January 19th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
F uck you, traitor.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:34 pmI think the integrity, humor and courage of Jon Stewart, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow and all the folks at Air America made ALL the difference.
AND Stephen Colbert !! To me, that’s when things began to change. His address at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was hilarious and heroic.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:34 pmOh my. Thanks, Briseadh na Faire & Keith. **blush**
I nominate all the Critters at TheZoo. :)
January 19th, 2009 at 9:36 pmbarblibrarian Says:
I joined Moveon.Org in the fall of 2002…
Hear, hear. moveon.org has taken a lot of crap, even bearing the brunt of the vast right-wing conspiracy attack and thereby shielding many other worthy lefty Internet orgs, TP included. I’d say they’re the first to show the power of the ‘nets to make something real happen on a wide scale. A shout-out here is definitely called for.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:38 pmWhat I loved about Colbert’s Correspondent’s Dinner address was how clueless everyone appeared to be! They had no idea what he was doing!! Luckily, we fans were able to roll on the floor holding our stomachs.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:38 pm172. barblibrarian Says:
That reminds me: Helen Thomas
On May 17, 2000, after fifty-seven years working with the organization, Thomas resigned from UPI the day after the announcement of its acquisition by News World Communications Inc., a company founded and controlled by Unification Church leader Reverend Sun Myung Moon. She later described the change in ownership as “a bridge too far.
When asked why she is now seated in the back row, she said, “Because they don’t like me… I ask too many questions.”
On March 21, 2006, Thomas was called upon directly by President Bush for the first time in three years. Thomas asked Bush about the war in Iraq:
Bush responded by discussing the overall “war on terror”, and stated as a reason for the invasion, that Saddam Hussein chose to deny inspectors and not to disclose. Thomas was criticized by conservative commentators for her exchange with Bush.
Thomas has publicly expressed her opinion about Bush. After a speech at a Society of Professional Journalists banquet, she told an autograph-seeker who asked why she was sad, “I’m covering the worst president in American history.”
Thomas has also been critical of the United States Congress. At a question and answer session held at Drake University on September 27, 2007, Thomas said that the “gutless wonder Congress doesn’t have the courage to do what it needs to do” regarding the war.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:49 pmPlease add these important “Voices of Conscience:”
John Brady Kiesling – The first US diplomat to resign in opposition to the Iraq invasion and Bush foreign policy.
John Brown – The second US diplomat to resign in opposition to the Iraq invasion and Bush foreign policy.
Colonel (Ret.) Ann Wright – The second US diplomat to resign in opposition to the Iraq invasion and Bush foreign policy.
Bunnatine Greenhouse – US Govt Whistleblower and former Senior Contracting Office, US Army Corps of Engineers
Sibel Edmonds – US Govt Whistleblower and former FBI translator
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Karen Kwiatkowski – US Govt Whistleblower and former Pentagon/NSA officer who exposed Cheney and Rumsfield’s “Office of Special Plans” responsible for manipulating intelligence prior to and during the Iraq war.
Support passage of the “Whistleblower Protection Act.” Thank you.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:51 pmO.K., Mary. Sorry to be didactic toward Zimzome. I have been aware of the Bush travesties while most American were in la-la land. I am not so very tolerant of those who awakened after the house has burned down.
January 19th, 2009 at 10:30 pmThink globally, act locally – I would like to nominate Allen Michaan, owner of the Grand Lake Theater in my hometown of Oakland, CA.
Why?
“Michaan is known to use his liberal politics as a guide in managing the Grand Lake. In 2004, he publicly announced that the theater would not enforce the R rating of the political documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. The Grand Lake has also received widespread recognition for Michaan’s use of the marquee as a political message board. In outrage at the 2000 presidential election, he posted this message on the high-traffic side of the marquee: “This Is America — Every Vote Should Be Counted” Since then, and with much support from the local community, Michaan has regularly used one side of the theater’s marquee to display a timely political message. In addition to films, the theater also occasionally hosts talks and events on progressive political issues.
Between the midterm elections of November 2006 and January 2007, no political messages were displayed on the marquee, instead devoting the space to the names of upcoming films. Messages began to appear again in early January, beginning with “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,” a statement derived from Edmund Burke’s 1770 speech to Parliament, “Thoughts on the Cause of Present Discontents.”"
It worked on me – he’s the one who told me about Think Progress in the first place, and I date my true political awareness from then. Along with hundreds of thousand of people who drive past and see his message each week.
Thank you Allen!
January 19th, 2009 at 10:41 pmOMG, I’ve been to that theater, SKdeA. That is so cool!
Well done, Allan!
January 19th, 2009 at 10:48 pmThere laurance, I fixed it for ya.
January 19th, 2009 at 10:53 pmbarblibrarian Says:
What I loved about Colbert’s Correspondent’s Dinner address was how clueless everyone appeared to be! They had no idea what he was doing!!
Oh yeah. Unfortunatly, he had no idea how obtuse they all were. I think the clash involved made it rise above a comedic performance into one of the greatest single speaking performances in a century.
January 19th, 2009 at 10:55 pmI nominate our 44th President Barack Hussein Obama for his powerful message of hope and change – and reminding us of what good citizens do for their country and their fellow humans. Thanks, Barack!
January 19th, 2009 at 11:33 pmI would add two more: the great dissenters on the National Labor Relations Board, Members Wilma B. Liebman and Dennis P. Walsh. They did their best to stem the tide of the “September Massacre” of anti-labor decisions in 2007, as well as many other anti-worker decisions throughout the tenure of the Bush NLRB.
January 19th, 2009 at 11:35 pmThomas Tamm, Sibel Edmonds, Bunnatine Greenhouse, and Susan Lindauer… for revealing the truth and suffering persecution for their audacity.
Barbara Boxer… for standing up to a politicized EPA under Stephen Johnson and other acts of forthright courage.
Most kudos to Dennis Kucinich… for being the only congress-critter to truly serve the Constitution of this Country.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:00 amDynamo Says:
Non story no one cares nor should they. Do you do anything ELSE besides this LOOK OVER THERE trollwork? You worthless ignorant troll?
January 20th, 2009 at 12:00 amAnyone catch Al Roker’s double-barrel jab at Mornin’ Joe hosts Mika and Joe this morning on Today?
After Matt and Meredith’s remote interview with them (they were in a bar at 8 am), they threw-it to Al who quipped “Finally Joe has a reason to be drunk – HE’S IN A BAR”. Then when discussing the weather in DC, he said to Matt “you had only a couple of flakes there, but we’re expecting a lot more out here”.
After all the hateful bullshit those two spewed over the airwaves, and to be treated like friendly guests on Today must have been too much for Al to handle.
My hat goes off to him, as little as it was, and as many people’s heads it flew over, it was just nice to hear someone speak their mind.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:06 amSKdeA Says:
Then we’ll thank Allen, too, since he got you to come here!
Damn, good list so far. How about Rocky Anderson, the mayor of Salt Lake City?
January 20th, 2009 at 12:53 amgus smith Says:
O.K., Mary. Sorry to be didactic toward Zimzome. I have been aware of the Bush travesties while most American were in la-la land. I am not so very tolerant of those who awakened after the house has burned down.
January 19th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Quite a number of us predicted disaster even before the 2000 election, Gus, we just didn’t all start blogging about it immediately. I prefer to be ‘not so very tolerant’ of those who still haven’t awakened after the house has burned down.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:59 amI would like to add to this distinguished list the name of the guy who just recently went to the Bush Gov’t auction and bidded on all those parcels and cused its auction to be unreliable and Bush wasn’t able to redo the auction in time. Can’t remember the guys name. But he may face jail, last I heard.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:18 amCharles Savage – for breaking the signing statements story.
Martha Radditz – for breaking the foreign black sites story.
Eric Lichtblau – “Bush’s Law”
David Brock – “Republican Noise Machine” and creator of Media Matters For America.
Robert McChesney – creator of Free Press.
Michael Copps and Jonathan Addlestein at the FCC.
John Dean – “Conservatives Without Conscience”
Philippe Sand – “Torture Team”
AfterDowningStreet.org
Larissa Alexandrovna of Raw Story for the Don Siegelman expose.
Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com on election issues.
Greg Palast – “Best Democracy Money Can Buy” and revealing the Florida voter role purges.
Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!
Naomi Klein – “The Shock Doctrine”
Jeremey Scahill – “Blackwater”
Ron Suskind for revealing the split between the faith-based and reality-based communities.
… to add just a few more to the impressive list.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:32 amMaureen Dowd and Frank Rich were early analyzers of bush’s weaknesses and crimes.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:57 amDennis Kucinich should be mentioned as someone who stood up to speak truth to power. Kucinich is the valiant Congressman who tried harder than any other person in Congress to bring George W. Bush down with impeachment.
Thomas Tamm should be mentioned as someone who stood up to speak truth to power. Tamm is a star for ratting out Bush and exposing Bush’s illegal NSA spying program.
Al-Zaidi, who threw shoes at Bush, should be mentioned as someone who stood up to speak truth to power. Al-Zaidi’s bravery will be forever cherished.
Dr. Justin A. Frank, a renowned psychiatrist, should be mentioned as someone who stood up to speak truth to power. Dr. Frank gives the American people the best psychiatric evaluation of Bush that can possibly be attained intelligently and honestly. Dr. Frank tells the American people about Bush’s mental illnesses—without which Americans could not fully understand why Bush does the crazy things he does.
I, Andrew Wang, should be mentioned as someone who stood up to speak truth to power. Had it not been for my bold, online, scholastic research drawing attention to, for example, Bush’s hatred of black people, some of the American people, now and/or in the future, would not have become more acutely aware of it as they had heard about Bush’s racial discrimination against black people pursuant to Hurricane Katrina.
Lawrence Velvel, Dean of The Massachusetts School of Law, should be mentioned as someone who stood up to speak truth to power. Velvel has fervently advocated prosecution against Bush for war crimes. Velvel also diligently tells the American people a whole lot about Bush’s mental illnesses.
There are people of Britain who should be mentioned as people who stood up to speak truth to power: they ratted out Bush (Downing Street memo), exposing that Bush was going to attack Iraq no matter what and fabricate whatever information to get it done.
I am profoundly thankful for the people whom I mentioned above.
The American people salute the characters I mentioned above for their courage and integrity in challenging the existence of the worst president in U.S. history—George W. Bush.
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
“GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY” BLOG OF ANDREW YU-JEN WANG
ONLINE ANTI-BUSH SCHOLASTIC RESEARCH: LISTING OF MAJOR ISSUES
http://andrewyu-jenwang.blogspot.com/2008/10/bush-is-worst-president-in-american.html
January 20th, 2009 at 7:24 amray mcgovern
January 20th, 2009 at 7:30 amJames Risen does indeed deserve our thanks, but: The New York Times? You’ve got to be joking!
The NYT was eventually forced to reveal that it could have published this story before the 2004 election; instead, the management bowed to Bush’s pressure to suppress it–supposedly for reasons of national security–for more than a year, and finally printed it only when Risen’s book on the subject was in any case due to be published (which, under their contract with Risen, they could not prevent).
Executive editor Bill Keller’s incredible justification for this piece of crucial political censorship was that no-one in Washington seemed to have a problem warrantless wiretapping. Oh, sure, Bill–if so, one hell of a lot of lawmakers and other influential Washington insiders changed their minds in a hurry as soon as you published the story… In any case, when did a beltway beltway consensus become justification for suppressing a story about serial lawbreaking by the NSA?
This was the NYT’s nadir–even more shameful than either the Jayson Blair scandal or Judy Miller’s Cheney-fed “WMD” tosh.
January 20th, 2009 at 7:41 amWhy is Andrew Sullivan on the list?
January 20th, 2009 at 8:48 amI really don’t think someone who called people against the war fifth columnists even if he got disgusted later.
Juan Cole
January 20th, 2009 at 9:13 amgus smith,
January 20th, 2009 at 9:37 amI need to clarify something…
I said ‘the past 2 years’ in context of Obama’s campaign. I’ll never forget watching him on that cold January day in ‘07, and have supported him ever since.
OTOH, I’ve been posting here since TP’s inception.
Thanks for your interest in my blogging history, though.
Our Youth. The young people who got involved in this election. The ones who talked to their parents and grandparents and convinced them that our country needed to change and that President Obama :) was the person who could make that happen.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:21 pmI don’t know how you can possibly “thank” the NY Times for exposing bush’s illegal spying. The Times had that story prior to the 2004 elections and SAT ON IT.
If they had published, it is probable that bush doesn’t “win” the 2004 elections and that we would have just experienced the re-election of John Kerry.
Screw the Times.
January 20th, 2009 at 3:41 pmDon’t forget RANDY RHODES; although she crossed a line and has not been let back into the fold yet.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:33 pmmay need some help with this one people…..
January 20th, 2009 at 8:11 pmthe HIGH IQ GOP’ers who also pitched in …
eg. scotty Mc …. billy buck jr.’s kid… etc.
There are also three important names omitted: Dean Lawrence Velvel, Scott Horton and Jonathan Turley who never failed to speak out in favor of justice, the law and civilised principles.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:52 amAnd Glenn Greenwald!
January 21st, 2009 at 8:11 amRobert Greenwald and Brave New Films deserve special recognition for informing audiences about current travesties of justice and inspiring audiences to action.
Bruce Springsteen also deserves recognition for Vote for America, for his work for Obama, and for his own ever persuasive music.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:01 pmAmy Goodman
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 am