The Eggheads Speak . . .

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Science & TechnologyLeave a Comment

In my view, this is pretty bad. The Union of Concerned Scientists has released a report entitled: "Scientific Integrity in Policymaking: An Investigation Into The Bush Administration’s Misuse of Science". The report concludes: 1. There is a well-established pattern of suppression and distortion of scientific findings by high-ranking Bush administration political appointees across numerous federal agencies. These actions have consequences … Read More

Fun With Anagrams

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004Leave a Comment

Bush’s campaign Slogan: "Steady Leadership in a Time of Change" Rearranging the letters of gives us (among many others): Megadeath and hyperfine socialites.Sleepyhead or significant meathead.Speedily, nation’s magic featherhead.I’m a hypertense, death-dealing fiasco.I am a disheartened pig-face. Honestly!I am a healthy, depressing defecation.I am a tone-deaf, highly-paid erectness.I am a deathless deafening hypocrite.He is the friendly scapegoat idea man.Death penalty … Read More

Helen in the Pool

Ken AshfordBush & Co.Leave a Comment

I thought she retired, but I guess not. You gotta love it when Helen (Thomas) is in the (White House) press pool. Feisty ol’ broad. Catch this exchange between her and White House press secretary Scott McClellan, from this morning. Q: Did the President ever have to take time off from Guard duty to do community service? Scott McClellan: To … Read More

Release of Bush’s Records

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004Leave a Comment

Do they not GET it? The White House just released some Bush/National Guard records. As far as I can tell from the news reports, the documents are: (1) Point summaries — which show that was given credit for certain training periods. These are not new documents. Heck, I’VE even seen them. They only show that he was given credit . … Read More

Bush Busted In (Yet) Another Lie

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Economy & Jobs & DeficitLeave a Comment

During his interview with "Meet the Press"’s Tim Russert, Bush said: If you look at the appropriations bills that were passed under my watch, in the last year of President Clinton, discretionary spending was up 15 percent, and ours have steadily declined. There are a couple of lies here. First of all, in the last year of President Clinton, discretionary … Read More

Bush “War Record”

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004Leave a Comment

I’m a little pressed for time today, so I won’t indulge in much analysis and background. I’m sure many are familiar with the story anyway. So instead, I’ll just link to an article, and pose a couple of questions: (1) Has Bush’s military record been adequately and fully explained? and the biggie . . . (2) Is it relevant, and … Read More

Bush Priorities

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Economy & Jobs & DeficitLeave a Comment

Analyses of the Bush budget are starting to appear all over cyberspace, and it is sobering. If you want to get a bead on some of the President’s priorities, consider the following: Job training: Federal vocational and adult education cut 35% (from 2.1 billion to 1.4 billion); Assistance to workers displaced by NAFTA cut to zero — the unions are … Read More

You Won’t Have Dean to Kick Around Anymore

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Daily Kos is reporting the latest Zogby poll numbers. Since Zogby was the poll that predicted a Kerry win in Iowa, these numbers may be worth looking at. Since Dean is running a distant third or fourth in Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina, and given his financial problems, I predict he will be yesterday’s news on . . . … Read More

Goodbye, Dick?

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Okay. She’s a gossip columnist, and not a very good/reliable one. Yet, the "buzz" is out. A well-placed source says that the president will “most likely” drop Dick Cheney from his re-election ticket and his first choice for a replacement is former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. Read about it here. There’s also talk of Bush-McCain ticket. This could … Read More

A Split Decision

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

The following is a partial transcript of Joe Lieberman’s congratulatory telephone call to Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox. LIEBERMAN: Coach Fox? Joe Lieberman here – was that a great game or what? You bet it was! COACH FOX: Uh, thanks Joe, but I really don’t think… LIEBERMAN: Well Coach, based on what I saw tonight, I’d say you just … Read More

Neglecting Intelligence, Ignoring Warnings…

Ken AshfordBush & Co., IraqLeave a Comment

The Center for American Progress has compiled a "cheat sheet" of sorts — a chronology of the Bush Administration’s failure (refusal?) to listen to intelligence agencies who said the case for war was weak. Nothing new in it for some of us, but it’s all compiled in one place (PDF version; hyperlinks to sources). Flawed in some respect, because it … Read More

Brokered Convention?

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

I was prepared to predict Kerry as the nominee, but poll numbers from the February 3 states give me pause. Naturally, Edwards is on top in South Carolina. But it’s these OTHER states that surprise me. For example, Kerry and Clark are in a statistical dead heat in Arizona. And Clark and Edwards both beat out Kerry by a significant … Read More

Notes from New Hampshire

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

For what it’s worth . . . I was raised in New Hampshire. My mother still lives there, and she’s just as much a political hound as I am. By way of background — she’s a registered independant, but always votes Republican (she’s a Republican of the McCain stripe, rather than the Bush stripe). She’s just emailed me her take … Read More

Halliburton Execs Accepted Kickbacks

Ken AshfordCrime, RepublicansLeave a Comment

It’s hard being a moderate-to-left person these days. Because there’s so much to be smug about. The lack of WMDs in Iraq, for example. I know in many of us, there’s a rather unbecoming little "I told you so" crying to get out. So I’ll just link to this Halliburton Execs Accepted Kickbacks, and quietly try to suppress my gloat.