Rudi's True Colors

2004-08-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's funny, people have a cloudy, generic notion of Rudolph Giuliani as being a moderate, caring individual. What he has proven tonight is simply a counterview of his (real) self: someone who sees the world in black and white. might makes right. us versus them. A simplistic, old man's view of a simplistic world. But people actually forget that he was a bit maniacal *before* 9/11. Before 9/11, he defended the NYC police department for pumping over 40 bullets into a black man who simply reached for into his pocket for his wallet. No apologies. No caring there. Well, why should he care? The cops did what they had to do, right? Now he defends W for "staying the course" and attacking for Kerry for his two votes on funding for the troops. It's a typical Republican tactic: refuse to address the reasons behind action. As a member of congress, you typically vote for legislation one day say, in committee, and then against it the same day, say, on the floor of the senate. But see, Rudi didn't mention that this happens. The republicans did the same thing against Al Gore. All politicians flip flop for various reasons. Kerry, at least, has good reasons for flip flopping. W? Different story. For example, in referring to Kim Jung Il, he recently suggested that leaders don't give deadlines to tyrants. Funny, I seem to remember Bush doing the same thing with Saddam Hussein. Rudi....you fooled everyone in NYC. Playing the caring politician. Tonight? You showed your true colors. Go have a drink with John McCain and enjoy your mutual colors.

Go Away, John, Go Away

2004-08-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

John McCain just spent several of the first minutes of his speech at the republican convention stating that the democrats believe in multi-state (international) collaboration as key to the war against terror. He then went on to say that this is what Republicans believe in. Liar. Liar. Liar. Empty, superficial liar. John McCain didn't just fall on his sword in NYC tonight, he used it to cut out his own integrity. Republicans have *not once* agreed that international help is required in the war on terror--if anything, they boast (wrongly) that the United States doesn't need anyone's help. Well, less so nowadays, but during the initial days of the Iraq war, this was the credo waved about like a flag. John McCain has admirable qualities (even though he's a Republican), but tonight, he obviated them all. He justifies the war on Iraq based on the evil Saddam--implying that Democrats were blind and believed him to be innocuous and harmless. This view is, at best, disengenuous; at worst, it's a blatant attack on people that he *knows* do not believe this, and is a bald, obsequious defense of his cronies. Cronies who, in general, don't care too much for his involvement in the Republican party. By aligning the war on terror with the war in Iraq, McCain didn't just give lip service to the lies, mistakes, and misrepresentations of the administration, he justified them in no uncertain terms. That, and he ignored inconvenient details. Like, why not exhaust all alternatives to war? Like, why not get as much international support as possible? Like, why not make sure that all information is clean as a whistle? Like, why not admit that things were none too well planned and that the war is also about oil? Everyone knows this. It's the big not-well-kept secret. What happened to your steel? Your resolve? Your integrity. The Bush Team was wrong in doing what they did to you in South Carolina, and it is the same thing they do to the Democrats and, in general, the American people. But it's fine; best to leave John alone, let him go his own way--the way of an apologist for those he used to be at odds with. Goodbye John, and best of riddance to you in your new role as useful shill for a hyper conservative party that simply trotted you out to help them win reelection. Go away, John, sleep well in the knowledge that you have sold your soul to the very people who avoid you in daily political life and trot you out for the most cynical of purposes. Go away. A friend of John Kerry? Hardly. A brave American? Not anymore. Go away, John, just go away.

What Don't You Get?

Rudi's True Colors

Go Away, John, Go Away