Olbermann: "Monday we go gently after the Torture Prosecution"

[madfloridian]

There is a diary at Daily Kos in the recommended section that has the video of Keith Olbermann's rant about the Bush decisions that need to be looked at as we "move forward." I put quotes because they are words we hear every day of the week from the Democrats and the Democratic strategists.

The video from the show is in the diary, and Olbermann posts a comment there.

Nobody Likes Kudos Better Than I Do

But I'm passing all these on to my segment producer, Jonathan Larsen, with whom I've worked on and off since we were at CNN in 2001-02. He compiled and wrote this one; I honestly made about four small changes in it.

Monday we go gently after the Torture Prosecution...

Thanks to all, and to all a good night.

Good for him. Someone reminded me a day or so ago that "most" of our Democrats voted against giving Bush the power to decide who and how to torture. The problem is that many of them voted for it, enough to get the act passed just before the 2006 elections. They were votes of expedience most likely.

I hope he stays on it. I hope those who did vote for it will continue to be reminded by all of us that what they did hurt our country.

I don't want to hear our Democrats saying we need to "move forward" instead of investigating what our country did in our name.

Congress's Shameful Retreat From American Values

The Senate also decided it's up to the president to decide whether it's OK to make these enemies stand naked in cold rooms for a couple of days in blinding light and be beaten by interrogators. This is now purely a bureaucratic matter: The plenipotentiary stamps the file "enemy combatants" and throws the poor schnooks into prison and at his leisure he tries them by any sort of kangaroo court he wishes to assemble and they have no right to see the evidence against them, and there is no appeal. This was passed by 65 senators and will now be signed by President Bush, put into effect, and in due course be thrown out by the courts.

Those were the words of Garrison Keillor in 2006.

I hope Keith Olbermann keeps his word. As someone said to me here..we should remember the ones who did not vote for the Military Commission Act. Agreed. But we must remember the Democrats who choose to vote FOR it.

Senate:

* Thomas Carper (D-DE)
* Tim Johnson (D-SD)
* Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
* Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
* Joe Lieberman (D-CT)
* Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
* Bill Nelson (D-FL)
* Ben Nelson (D-NE)
* Mark Pryor (D-AR)
* Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
* Ken Salazar (D-CO)
* Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

House:

Andrews, Bean, Barrow, Bishop(GA), Boren, Boswell, Boyd(FL), Brown(OH), Chandler, Cramer, Cuellar, Davis(AL), Davis(TN), Edwards, Etheridge, Ford, Fox? (not sure), Gordon, Herseth, Higgins, Holden, Marshall, Melancon, McIntyre, Michaud, Moore(KS), Peterson(MN), Pomeroy, Ross, Salazar, Scott, Spratt, Tanner, Taylor(MS)

There is already appearing a tendency to include only proper speaking politicians in this administration. Those who are too outspoken are not in evidence in the party leadership anymore.

I really want to hear someone yell out that the events at Gitmo and Abu Ghraib are intolerable and can not be smoothed over with politically correct talk meant to pacify.

[Name removed]

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[Dogmudgeon]

2. What really counts

It's not who we get to scream TRAITOR! WHORE! at, but who works to bring the Bush gang to justice.

The MAIN part of that job, however, is ours. We must keep the pressure on Washington as a whole.

--p!

[madfloridian]

3. Our party needs to consider right and wrong when they vote...

rather than expediency.

We have done that too much. Torture is wrong, no matter who was advocating for it at the time.

But we were falling into a habit of excusing any Democrat any vote unless it was convenient for them.

[mzmolly]

7. I think we're falling into the habit of holding Democrats

responsible for that which most Democrats rejected.

[madfloridian]

9. Wow.

[mmonk]

16. Because unltimately, the Congress is responsible

and those that did need to be noted. Violations of our birthright cannot be smoothed over for political convenience anymore than supporting them can.

[Solly Mack]

4. We've heard a lot of talk about America's image

How it must be restored and how it's been tainted. The thing is, an image isn't real...image is what is projected, how others perceive you...and it doesn't have to true or accurate...it doesn't have to be based on anything of substance...an image can be achieved with slick packaging...with lies, with deceptions. An image is the veneer, the covering...something that people can hide behind. An image can gloss over any number of flaws...crimes. An image is nothing more than the face presented to the rest of the world in hopes the world doesn't get a closer look.

Except they did...

America had an image of free and fair elections the morning of November 7, 2000. 36 days later that image was shattered.

America has an image of being strong and capable, of helping others in a disaster - of coming to the rescue. Of taking care of people, especially its own. Katrina shattered that image.

Another of America's images is the champion of human rights, - but we all know, or should know, the truth of that image.

"rule of law" "no one is above the law" "freedom" "with liberty and justice for all"

Think of all the faces..the images...America claims.


Without substance - the only thing being restored is a lie.

Yes, we must remember...but remembering isn't enough.

Thank you for your posts.

[madfloridian]

5. Very nice post.

"Without substance - the only thing being restored is a lie."

:hi:

[mzmolly]

6. Who says we can't both move forward, and investigate Bush?

Why should we concentrate on a minority in the minority party vs. Bush and the Republicans who are actually responsible? No Bush, no torture - PERIOD. Why are Democrats responsible for what WE do and what THEY do?

[madfloridian]

8. Because, molly, we are supposed to be better than they are.

I don't understand why we are not supposed to question those who voted for a bill like that?

[mzmolly]

11. We are better Mad.

That's why only a few Dems voted for such a bill vs. a vast majority of 'them'.

[madfloridian]

12. They did the same...

on Iraq, on the bankruptcy bill, on FISA...they did not pass a bill that let women on military bases have emergency contraception, they expanded the abstinence only training funds.

And they are becoming more and more anti-choice in both houses of congress, handpicking people to run who are.

I think it is time to speak out.

[madfloridian]

10. I am glad Olbermann will do this.

I think Rachel is passionate about it as well.

One good thing..we do have more voices on air and in the media than we did when Bush was so popular.

Not a whole lot, but more.

[madfloridian]

13. Good column from OpEd News comparing Bush's torture to Blago's sins

and how we are going after one and not the other.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Rod-Blagojevich-faces-impe-by-Mary-MacElveen-090114-423.html

"As I was listening to Keith Olbermann interview Jonathan Turley who is a constitutional lawyer speak of how Pres. Bush signed off on water boarding, he stated, “We now have President Bush speaking quite candidly that he was in the loop, we have Dick Cheney who almost bragged about it. The question for Barack Obama is whether he wants to own part of this by looking the other way."


As we all know torture is a war crime under the Geneva Convention. After hearing Turley state that, one of my immediate thoughts was the case of impeachment directed at the Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich. Another thought came to mind is that it seems that only Democrats get impeached in this country as evident with the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton."

[Leopolds Ghost]

14. WaPo: Obama Does Not Wish To Investigate Interrogation Tactics

"Obama learned key details of the CIA's interrogation tactics in a closed-door meeting last month, and afterward made clear that he was more interested in protecting the country from terrorist attacks then investigating the past, the outgoing CIA director said.

'He's looking forward,' Hayden said, 'and that's very appropriate.'

The retired Air Force general made the comment at a farewell news conference at which he strongly defended the agency's role in the controversial program -- a role that he said was accepted "out of duty, and not with enthusiasm."

Hayden also said the CIA is largely responsible for al-Qaeda's failure to launch a major terrorist strike on U.S. soil in the eight years since Sept. 11, 2001. 'That's 2,710 days in which we were not attacked,' he said. CIA employees 'should take credit for that.'

Hayden argued that, regardless of how people view the program today, it would be a mistake for one administration to try to prosecute spies for carrying covert actions authorized by a different White House.

"'I have no right to ask a guy (agent) to bet his kids' college education on who's going to win the next off-year election,' Hayden said. 'You can't do this to these people.'"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/15/AR2009011504009.html

[galaxy21]

15. Sooner or later, the day comes when you can't hide from the things that you've done

That's from BSG.

[madfloridian]

17. And tonight, he did what he said he would do.

And it was beautiful indeed. He gave a great comment.