on the MetroTrain tonight at the Pentagon stop....frightening revelation

[diamond14]

I just got home in Alexandria Virginia after working all day at the Kerry National Headquarters in OUR Nation's Capital....

As the MetroTrain stopped at the Pentagon, several military people got on...of course, they saw my "We Will KERRY Virginia" t-shirt....the military people sat down near me and all spoke to me about wanting to help the Kerry campaign during their off-work hours, and I gave everyone a Kerry campaign button (which has the web address on it), and Kerry National Headquarters is just a couple MetroTrain stops away from the Pentagon....

these people were all from the U.S. Army...and they told me how demoralized the Army was...and mentioned a little factoid that I had forgotten....that when the Army Chief Thomas White resigned because of the Enron scandal, and his assistant also resigned....bush* STILL hasn't replaced these people...so the whole Army has only "acting" chiefs during a WAR....

and then I recalled that the CIA has now lost their chief and also, Tenet's assistant: the head of the spies group....OUR Homeland Security must be horrible threatened with NOBODY in charge of anything....that is a FRIGHTENING REVELATION !!!!

[proud patriot]

1. brrrrrrrr

:scared:

[Joe the Revelator]

2. Where can I get a "We Will Kerry Virginia" T-Shirtt???

and have you heard if/when they're going to open a hampton roads office?

[diamond14]

10. my t-shirt was made by UNION labor from the Korean community

in Annandale (near Alexandria)....but....I don't know if they still have any left....

If you want me to search this out...I can try to find out, and whatever details...it's sort of a local Virginia thing, rather than National Kerry Campaign....PM me...


secondly, real State Campaign Offices will open AFTER Kerry is nominated and accepted as the candidate at the Democratic Convention (in the next few weeks in Boston)....that's some kind of legal requirement...Virginia WILL open an Official Virginia Kerry Office, but WHERE is the question and WHEN is soon...negotiations are in progress...

in the meantime....people are working by supporting their LOCAL Democratic Party Offices (here in Northern VA, we have the Alexandria Democrats, the Fairfax County Democrats, the Arlington County Democrats, etc.), and Virginia Polical Action Committees (Veterans, etc.)....these groups are legally all separate from the KERRY VICTORY 2004 (Kerry's National Campaign)....

here's OUR Northern Virginia web site, with LOTS of links to local Democratic efforts, including Veterans, Women, etc.....LOTS of Virginians were at the Kerry National Headquarters today in DC....

http://www.NoVAforKerry.com


for the Kerry Campaign to KERRY VIRGINIA....up here in Alexandria and all over Northern Virginia...we want to work with people in the entire state...in UNITY...

you can sign up on Kerry's National Web site, buy and wear Kerry Gear through his web site, display bumper stickers, yard signs, etc....get people REGISTERED TO VOTE....call 1-800-552-9745 (toll free in Richmond) to confirm your voter registration or to change your address or get the forms for registering to vote...or go on the web at
http://www.sbe/state.va.us

if YOU can register 5 people to vote, and if YOU can take 5 people to the polls to vote for KERRY...we will WIN Virginia...

on edit: Kerry is making a BIG campaign swing in Virginia on Friday, July 16th....the BIG donor dinner is that evening in Crystal City with Governor Warner and other movers in shakers in Virginia...this whole day will be shaping up soon...



Fairfax County Fair, Virginia



Roanoke, Virginia



Virginians welcome ROLLING THUNDER

[Longhorn]

3. Weren't the Repubs were making a big deal out of voter registration

in the military? They were going to make sure that all those absentee votes from the military overseas will get here and be counted to help them win, like they did after the Florida recount disaster? Sounds like that strategy is going to come back to haunt them!

[BillZBubb]

14. But who counts the absentee ballots?

They have to be delivered, verified and counted. There is a lot of room for mischief there.

[Longhorn]

18. I was thinking along the same lines.

In 2000, the Bush* people actually changed the rules that any absentee ballot from military personnel that came in something like ten days after the election would be counted, postmark or not. When Gore's people objected to them changing the rules, the Bush* people accused him of trying to deny the military vote and Gore backed down. People still claim that Gore wanted to deny the military vote and that's a lie!

This time, I worry that they will find a way to keep them from voting or lose their votes in the mail, correctly sensing that there will be more votes for Kerry-Edwards.

I just found out today that my son will be stationed in Japan for the next two years so he will be one who will vote absentee -- for Kerry-Edwards!

[Redhead488]

24. They go right to the States

The military has nothing to do with them. The military doesn't "deliver" them (unless you count trucking the US mail from the airport to the base as delivering the mail--which you could I guess), verfify them, nor count them.

[boobooday]

4. How convenient, eh?

If the professionals give you trouble, run them out and leave their offices empty.

Wolfie, Rummy & Cheney, the three pigs, will take it from here . . .

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[NMDemDist2]

6. that sums it up nicely, it's a wonder things aren't more FUBAR

than they are already

[Insider]

5. and they campaign as strong on national security???

with a straight face? wouldn't put it past them to leave it intentionally, as payback for disobedience, or to keep them in the dark, or to keep more strength in tom ridge's hands at dhs.

[Renew Deal]

7. Send this info to a bright reporter

I am sure someone would jump on this.

[faithnotgreed]

9. agree. the media may pick the story up - we can always hope

[Insider]

11. yuppers. was gonna start a new thread

after searching a bit, rummy is making MANY army general officer assignments/reassignments during this period. nominating/appointing many civilians out of their service background (air force/navy to army mostly), ostensibly to emphasize 'jointness'. but it creates a steep learning curve, probably doesn't help us in 'wartime', and leaves him holding all the aces.

[diamond14]

12. the Pentagon people talked about that too...

they were REALLY angry that rumsfeld wouldn't promote someone out of their own Army ranks, and rather, was looking around at OUTSIDERS....they all said it was just further insult that rummy couldn't even find a qualified Army person, yet there are SO MANY HIGHLY QUALIFIED ARMY PEOPLE AVAILABLE AND READY TO SERVE....

[Insider]

13. more on army leadership issues

from international herald tribune, sat may 3, 2003:
--snip--
Air force chief may head army
WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld intends to pick Air Force Secretary James Roche, the service's top civilian official, as the next army secretary, defense officials said Friday.
.
--snip--
.
The Roche switch has not been announced. It was first reported Thursday night by InsideDefense.com, a Web site, and was confirmed Friday by officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
.
--snip--
.
White had reached an understanding with Rumsfeld that he would depart June 11, close to the retirement date of the army chief of staff, General Eric Shinseki. But earlier this week, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz informed White that his departure had been accelerated to May 9, officials said.
.
Roche has not yet been formally nominated by President George W. Bush; he could be named acting army secretary upon White's departure, or Rumsfeld could have the current No. 2 civilian in the army, Les Brownlee, fill the top post until Roche is confirmed by the Senate.
--snip--
http://www.iht.com/articles/95113.html


and from pittsburgh post-gazette, june 15, 2003:
--snip--
Mixed marks for Army bosses

Chief of staff widely respected; new secretary has to prove himself

Sunday, June 15, 2003

By Jack Kelly, Post-Gazette National Security Writer

Gen. Peter Schoomaker, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's surprise choice to be chief of staff of the Army, will assume his job with the Army's trust and respect, something which James Roche, Rumsfeld's surprise pick to be secretary of the Army, will have to earn.
--snip--
Rumsfeld selected Schoomaker after his first two choices -- Gen. John Keane, the Army's vice chief of staff, and Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command and the architect of victory in Iraq -- turned down the job.
--snip--
"It's interesting that they can't find anyone in the active service to give the job to," said retired Brig. Gen. David Grange, who served with Schoomaker. "But he's a wonderful choice. He has both heavy and light conventional experiences, and experience, which probably will be refreshing for the Army."
--snip--
"The problem you've got is both to maintain current capability under heavy use while at the same time transforming," he said. "It's like running a 440 while changing your clothes as you run."
--snip--
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/03166/192615.stm

the last article is excellent, has much more good info that details the issues facing the army now.

[diamond14]

19. that's crazy...in a war too...is anyone OFFICIALLY in charge of the

United States Army right now?

[Redhead488]

25. Yes, General Schoomaker

The Army Chief of Staff is in charge of the Army right now. For Civilian leadership, the UnderSec of the Army is the acting Sec of the Army. Not having a "permanent" secretary is NOT a big deal.

[diamond14]

28. "Not having a "permanent" secretary is NOT a big deal"....WOW!!!

IMO, it is a BIG DEAL....bush* is running TWO wars with a 'temporary' Secretary of the Army !!!!! (two wars = Afganistan and Iraq..but it could be called THREE wars, if you want to count bush* war on terrorism)....

it's absolutely insane...it's crazy....

not only the top Army position, but also the assistant top Army position....BOTH are filled by 'temporary' people...WTF is that all about????....:wtf:

we are NOT safe under bush*....

[Redhead488]

31. Sorry, but it really isn't a big deal

The Secretaries of the Services don't really do much...there have been plans for years to get rid of them and their bloated staffs. There's just no value-added.

We could save a lot of money, and still exercise civilian control of the military by doing away with the service secretaries and having the military chiefs of the services report directly to the SECDEF. this eliminates an unnecessary layer, streamlines the DoD, and saves us millions of taxpayer dollars.

[diamond14]

34. soooo....just have the military without any civilian control????

that's SCARY......


BTW, the military could save MILLIONS just by cutting out ONE airplane or ONE missile....

[Redhead488]

37. No. We'd get rid of one of the THREE layers

of civilian control they already have.

[Octafish]

16. Most, if not all, of the former Army people are HONEST.

They pledge their lives to defend and protect the Constitution, our nation and all the People. That doesn't sound like anyone Rumsferatu, Smirk or Sneer know.

[KittyWampus]

22. Interesting Thread! Kerry's Campaign Should Sieze This

perhaps Wes Clark could bring it up?

[RichV]

8. My dad's military

Voting Dem for the first time this year. Says his entire office wants Bush evicted from the White House. Their complaints are about stability as much as anything, and no longer believing the Iraq war was justified.

[Columbia]

15. del

[yardwork]

17. I've heard the same thing from long-time employees at HHS

Bush has Cheneyed up the entire administration. I've never known bureaucrats to be so angry with an administration. Most bureaucrats stay out of politics, ride the ups and downs of each administration.

Not lately. The Bush Cabal is hated everywhere in D.C.

It's actually kind of remarkable how much damage they have caused in less than three years. I think that the Republican Party will take a long time to recover from this.

[Senior citizen]

20. This is a criminal administration

They can't appoint anybody competent, because competent people tend to resist carrying out criminal orders, become whistle-blowers, and/or resign.

But they can't appoint just any criminals--only criminals that THEY control. And they've already appointed most of them.

[lostnfound]

21. Don't forget, all of our National Guard in Iraq.. nt

[Redhead488]

23. The Army DOES have a Chief

They have a Chief of Staff of the Army, a four-star General. What they do NOT have is a Secretary of the Army. The Secretary of the AF (Roche)was nominated to be the new Secretary of the Army, but the Senate (i.e., McCain) sat on his nomination due to the Lockheed tanker leasing deal. It's not a big deal. If we got rid of all the Secretaries of the services (and their bloated staffs) we'd get more done faster and cheaper.

[diamond14]

29. ".....they do NOT have is a Secretary of the Army"....because of ANOTHER

slimy war-profiteering scandal by the nominee....

IMO, OUR United States Army DESERVES better than that....

[Redhead488]

32. You mean

the Tanker-Lease issue? I suggest you read up on it before you look silly.

[lanparty]

26. Appointing a successor would mean ...

... mandatory confirmation hearings. The Busheviks are trying to obscure any opportunity for Senate Democrats to scrutinize their work.

[Redhead488]

27. They did appoint a successor

[funkybutt]

30. Where can DC friend get a Kerry yardsign

He said he's had no luck contacting the HQ! how lucky that i read your post and realized you work there :)

[diamond14]

33. here's the link for KerryGear....from Kerry's web page....

http://www.kerrygear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=KG&Category_Code=SIGNS

this helps the Kerry campaign...PLUS, the Kerry National Campaign Headquarters is OVERWHELMED with phone calls, emails, and letters...we are trying to answer as many as we can (and we are answering THOUSANDS every single day)....but YOU could help too...

I am a VOLUNTEER (I spend my vacation time at Kerry's Headquarters), as are MANY hundreds of other DCers and people from all across America EVERY SINGLE DAY, working for NO PAY....your DC friends could also just go over the Kerry Headquarters and roll up their sleeves, and start working with all Americans, across all the States....PM if you need to know where to volunteer (at McPherson Square Metro Stop...near the public park where all the homeless Veterans live), volunteer 7 days a week until at least 8 PM, closing early on Friday night, with shortened hours on Sunday....

WE THE PEOPLE are doing the absolute best we can...yesterday, I entered data on a computer sitting next to an old man, who traveled all the way from California and BROUGHT HIS OWN COMPUTER to help the campaign...he told me he came to SAVE AMERICA....there are now hundreds of UNPAID INTERNS, young college students who have traveled from the University of Colorado, the U of Michigan and all over America...living at the homes of those who offer them food/shelter in the DC area, Democrats VOLUNTEERING their own homes...we can't afford the bushies ritzy hotels for volunteers)....

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that bush* has LOTS more money than Kerry/Edwards....LOTS, millions more than Kerry/Edwards...so the whole Kerry/Edwards campaign is running on a shoe-string...it's running on PEOPLE POWER, just plain old American hard-work....THAT IS WHY WE WILL WIN....WE WILL FIGHT HARD...WE WILL TAKE BACK AMERICA....

note: besides the already beautiful KERRY SIGNS...the campaign is now printing NEW Kerry/Edwards signs....YOU and all Americans can help here by donating $$$$, volunteering ON-LINE, wearing Kerry gear all around YOUR town...talking to YOUR friends and neighbors, and total strangers who ask about YOUR Kerry t-shirt, bumper sticker and yard sign....STAND UP AMERICAN....it's time to SAVE AMERICA....we need YOUR help, too...

http://www.JohnKerry.com

[funkybutt]

35. I've volunteered locally (new orleans)

but they haven't set up the HQs here yet. The kerrygear website has been pretty non-functional and overwhelmed for days. They really need to work on that website and get it up. People haven't been able to order signs all week. My friend got soem kind of error when he loaded his credit card info and I got an error just loading the page where the signs are. I think it's unfortunate that the webmaster for Kerry didn't properly prepare for the extra hits generated by the VP announcement. I don't think it speaks very well for their planning and it kinda makes him look bad in my opinion. My friend and I are both pretty frustrated about it.

[diamond14]

38. here is the 800-toll free phone number for the Kerry Gear...

just dial this number

Call us Toll Free at 800-400-0074 ( 9 am - 5 pm ET )


you are getting errors because your computer is set up to reject cookies...so just call the 800 number to order...

BTW, I just ordered 10 more Kerry yard signs to give to my neighbors...so the site works well...it is YOUR computer...

also, I guess your friend is not willing to volunteer in DC and just wants OTHERS to help....so tell your friend that I am trying to spend LOTS of time helping out your friend, by finding and PRINTING here the 800-toll free number, which ANYONE with a computer can find on Kerry's web site...it's not hard at all..it just takes a little effort...so now, your friend LIVING IN DC, contacts YOU and YOU contact ME and I have to look it up for your friend on Kerry's web page, while YOU complain to ME about YOUR inability to use the web page...thanks...as a Kerry Volunteer, I continue to be amazed...if your friend in DC even bothered to go down to volunteer at Kerry's National Headquarters, I might find a yard sign there and GIVE IT TO YOUR FRIEND FREE after 4 or 5 days of effort...

for Kerry Gear....
Call us Toll Free at 800-400-0074 ( 9 am - 5 pm ET )

on edit: I just called the 800 toll free number to help out YOU and YOUR FRIEND in DC....there was a 30 second wait, and a friendly customer service agent, who told me that the new Kerry/Edwards signs are up for sale, that YOU and YOUR FRIEND can call the easy 800-toll free number to order by phone, and that only the DAY that Kerry selected Edwards, they had OVERWHELMING VOLUME that shut down their web site 6 times...however, there is now GREATLY expanded web server to handle the increased volume....BTW, YOU and YOUR FRIEND could have discovered this information with just a teeny weeney bit of effort...instead, your are pushing volunteers to the limits....it amazes me....stop cheneying the Kerry volunteers...

PLEASE get off the backs of the Kerry volunteers...it hurts us badly to be kicked around here especially....and by people who won't make the tiny effort necessary to look on Kerry's web page and FIND THE TOLL FREE NUMBER and call...or go down and VOLUNTEER in DC...STOP CHENEYING THE KERRY VOLUNTEERS....

[Redhead488]

39. Thanks for the number!

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[diamond14]

41. PLEASE...do not cheney the Kerry volunteers....

it feels like sneer to me....

[funkybutt]

42. Oh! you're a kerry volunteer!?? I had no idea

you should have just said something or mentioned it.

I'm a kerry volunteer too.

[blm]

36. That's their way of staying in control of EVERYTHING.

They only need a few puppets in any position.

[marlakay]

43. You can get through to Kerry's site but check others to!

I donated money again to the campaign and sent a email saying I paid more because now even my kids in their 20's will vote since they like Edwards. I didn't expect to hear back with how busy they are but I got a email back today.

If you are looking to wear cool stuff there are many sites out there selling things besides his main site. I ordered from 2unemployeddemocrats.com and clothingoftheamericanmind.com and I have great shirts that say more than just Kerry. The one I wear the most says VOTE large on the front, and for a new line up 2004 on the back. I got that from clothing of the american mind. Run by nice ladies down in Los Angeles. The unemployed guys are from Texas so I ordered 50 bumper stickers of all kinds from plain to real funny and my husband hands them out at work. I like knowing there are lots of dems in Texas!

[diamond14]

44. refreshing to hear compliments for us volunteers at Kerry HQ...

thanks a LOT....and thanks for being ambitious and doing some HEAVY lifting out there....we need all the help of all Democrats and all potential draftees to TAKE BACK AMERICA !!!!

it's Patriotic people like YOU who STAND UP and volunteer to help....that's what makes this whole campaign work....