The Right's Take on Leaks

Tom Delay was on Hardball with Chris Matthews trying to justify the Plame leak while vilifying the NYT leak. Anyone with a brain can see that Delay's justification just doesn't add up. Matthews gets so baffled that he actually laughs at Delay at one point.

Watch for yourself.

Matthews makes a great point: whether Rove was indicted or not, he still leaked. It's a matter of public record. The right can't say, "we're against all leaks," and still support this one. It's illogical, and Delay's bumbling in this clip demonstrates how truly silly his position is.

Cheers,
Jeff

PS- I hate to keep beating on this subject, but I do hope people will see how silly it is.

Big Vote in the Senate

The Senate votes tomorrow on important legislation regarding what has been dubbed "Net Neutrality."

These are the senators who have yet to take a position. They need a phone call or two from people in their states:

Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)
Phone: 202-224-3004

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Phone: 202 -224-2235

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.)
Phone: 202-224-2353

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)
Phone: 202-224-5274

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.)
Phone: 202 224 3224

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.)
Phone: 202 224-4623

Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.)
Phone: 202-224-6253

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.)
Phone: 202-224-2644

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.)
Phone: 202-224-6551

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.)
Phone: 202-224-6244

Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.)
Phone: 202-224-2841

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.)
Phone: 202-224-3753

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)
Phone: 202 224-6121

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas)
Phone: 202-224-5922

Sen. George Allen (R-Va.)
Phone: 202-224-4024

Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)
Phone: 202-224-6472

This is an important issue that people on the far left and the far right are coming together on. We need to do our part.

For more information visit savetheinternet.com.

Cheers,
Jeff

PS- Blogging will still be slow until August when I go back to school. It's easier to blog regularly when I'm on a schedule. Until then, I'm enjoying golf.

Bullying is not leadership, Mr. Bolton

In a recent interview with FOX News, UN Ambassador Bolton gave a grim analysis of the state of affairs with Iran. He said the following as an answer to Neil Cavuto's question if the U.S. would act alone in a military campaign against Iran:

That’s why he says no option is taken off the table. But it’s also why he has, the President, has reached out President Putin and other leaders in the past couple of days to say, “We’re making a significant step here,” that will be criticized by many of the president’s staunchest supporters here at home. But he’s taking this step to show strength and American leadership and to say he’s willing to do something that may be unpopular even with some of his supporters, to remove all excuses from Iran and its supporters to say, “We went the extra mile. We gave Iran really, this last chance to show that they are serious when they say they don’t want nuclear weapons.” This is put or shut up time for Iran. (emphasis mine)

There are two things that disturb me with this quote:

First, the CIA has reported that Iran is about 10 years away from developing a nuclear weapon. While a nuclear Iran would be completely unacceptable, 10 years is an awfully long time to negotiate. Why are we even discussing a military option now? Why talk like it's the eleventh hour when it's not?

Second, the administration has tried to paint the concept of leadership as having a big, bullying mouth. Statements like "wanted dead or alive," "bring 'em on," and now "put up or shut up" are far from constructive in the diplomatic discourse. Blind aggression is not leadership, it is a sign of fear. Bullies fight because they fear looking weak. The Bush administration is showing bully leadership, not because they are strong, but because they fear being seen as weak. Contrast this with Reagan's toughness or Truman's toughness, and you will see an entirely different strategy. A true leader never takes the military option off the table, but he also doesn't neglect diplomacy by shooting his mouth off in false bravado either.

Cheers,
Jeff