Via AP: Iraq National Assembly Swears in Lawmakers
Two years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi legislators were sworn in Wednesday as members of the 275-seat National Assembly, vowing to uphold freedom and democracy.
“This day marks a new birth for all Iraqis. It marks the birth of the parliament,” said Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Shiite politician expected to be Iraq’s next prime minister.
Via ABC News: Government Blurring the Line on News
President Bush today defended his administration’s use of video news releases packaged as news stories, which have been sent to local television stations across the country and sometimes broadcast with no indication they were made by the government.
A report, for example, about the president’s controversial education bill — which was presented as news on many local stations including those in Houston and Washington — ended with the words: “This is a program that gets an ‘A-plus.’ In Washington, Karen Ryan reporting.”
But Karen Ryan is not a reporter. She works in public relations and was hired by the Bush administration to voice the government-produced news stories.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office — the investigative arm of Congress — ruled last month at least two of the broadcast reports — ones about Medicare and illegal narcotics — were “covert propaganda” and illegal.
Wait just a second here…are we talking about Washington, D.C. or Moscow? Aren’t the media outlets responsible for the airing of these prepackaged video news stories anyway? I mean, they’re not being delivered by gun point right? There isn’t an Uzi pointed at some interns head with instructions to load the Beta Cam tape and hit the play button after the Budweiser commercial.
Bush said in a press conference today there is nothing wrong with releasing the videos, basing his argument on two administration memos uncovered this week, written by Steven G. Bradbury, principal deputy assistant attorney general, and Joshua B. Bolten, director of the Office of Management and Budget.
“There is a Justice Department opinion that says these pieces are OK so long as they’re based upon facts, not advocacy,” said Bush. “And I expect our agencies to adhere to that ruling.”
Dear Mr. President,
That’s cool, you know, holding agencies accountable. But, I don’t think I’d trot out the lawyer or other bureaucrats on this one. Play one of the video reports and let the public (bloggers) decide. At the same time, be sure you criticize the New York Times, just for good measure.
“It was not clear from the prepackaged news stories who the source of the information was,” David Walker, comptroller general of the GAO, told ABC News. “It was pretty clear that these were intended to go directly to the viewing audience without any editing.”
According to Walker, this creates both legal and ethical issues, “not only on behalf of the people who are putting these together, but frankly on behalf of the news organizations who are using them.”
There…someone finally said it. The news organizations are to blame. And here they’re slamming bloggers saying we’re the ones who need editors – responsible types to “vet” the content of stories before they’re released to the public. Heh!
Practice what you preach.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday it was a mistake for Hawaii to post a confidential report on its Web site, but the department will continue to communicate openly with state and local authorities about potential terror threats.
Hawaii officials published a draft copy of a confidential Homeland Security report that catalogues ways terrorists might strike in the United States. The report, requested by a presidential directive in December 2003, marks Homeland Security efforts to spur state and local authorities into thinking about preventing attacks.
Welcome to Washington Mr. Secretary.
“You’re going to burn in hell for this.”
– Dennis Rocha, Father of Laci Peterson
A judge sent Scott Peterson to death row Wednesday for the slaying of his pregnant wife, Laci, after a turbulent court session today.
Judge Alfred A. Delucchi accepted the jury’s recommendation that Peterson be sentenced to death, calling the killing of Laci Peterson and her fetus “cruel, uncaring, heartless and callous.”
Peterson, 32, was invited to make a statement. After several minutes of discussion with his attorneys, he declined.
Wearing a dark suit and shackled at the waist, Peterson stared at Laci’s mother without emotion as she told him he deserved to be put to death “as soon as possible.”
“You decided to throw Laci and Conner away, dispose of them like they were just a piece of garbage,” Sharon Rocha told her former son-in-law. Rocha sobbed as she read from a statement, looking directly at Peterson. “We had to bury Laci without her arms to hold her baby and without her head,” Rocha said, her voice breaking.
Laci’s father, Dennis Rocha, told Peterson: “You’re going to burn in hell for this.”
And Laci’s brother, Brent Rocha, said he bought a gun during the investigation into Laci’s disappearance and contemplated killing Peterson. “I chose not to kill you myself for one reason, so you would have to sweat it out and not take the easy way out,” he told Peterson.
What’s your pleasure Scott? A syringe of poison or death by gas suffocation? They should actually let Laci’s brother go after him.
Buh-bye Satan.
Robert Blake was found not guilty today.
A jury acquitted tough-guy actor Robert Blake of murder Wednesday in the shooting death of his wife four years ago, bringing a stunning end to a case that played out like pulp fiction.
The jury also acquitted Blake of one charge of trying to get someone to kill Bonny Lee Bakley, but deadlocked on a second solicitation charge. The jury voted 11-1 in favor of acquittal and the judge dismissed the count.
The 71-year-old star of the 1970s detective drama “Baretta” dropped his head, trembled with emotion and sobbed heavily as the verdict was read. He hugged his lawyer and later almost fell while reaching for a water bottle.
Whatever. The thrill in this case is gone, what with Wacko Jacko going full steam and everything. Besides, this soap opera went on too long anyway. I mean really, didn’t they get started like in 1999 or something. It just feels like it had dragged on for-ev-er. And if you think about it, what’s the big benefit for Blake anyway? He’s 71 years old! What, is he going to have an Academy Award winning career now or something? No, he won’t. My prediction? A tour of all the “programs” – 20/20, Dateline, Primetime Live, Oprah (if he’s lucky) and a wacky morning cooking segment with Regis and Kelly. He’ll shlep a book, which will sell a few copies, and then that’s it. He’ll die.
Rabbit with a pancake on its head.
(h/t Ace and a commenter who left it there)
UPDATE: Hey, this bunny does a lot of cool “stuff on the head” tricks.
MORE: Oh crap, he died.
I’ve been battling a pretty rough cold for the past couple of days, and I’m now drinking TheraFlu, which means in t-minus 29 minutes and counting, I’ll be flat on my back…sawing logs.
More blogging tomorrow.
And will it help your career? Nope, according to the Tao of Mac, who lists ten reasons why.
Don’t look for it on my blogroll.
I made an attempt at reading Rosie O’Donnell’s blog, but I couldn’t make it past the first couple of posts.
This kid’s got a long career ahead of him.