The NY Times Sucks (again)

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Tuesday October 18, 2005 · 8:51 AM PDT

2005/10/18 · 08:51

The NY Times is a worthless newspaper. It passes over chances to report newsworthy events in order to project its political agenda, and it lies about what its agenda really is. The Times sat on one of the best stories of the year, sending its reporter to jail rather than reporting about the truth behind the Valerie Wilson/Plame scandal. How the Times can employ a reporter who has secret military clearance and whose loyalties are first to the government, not to the paper.

cross posted at Political Porn Read More

NY Times: All subtle lies fit to print

Tom Kertes

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Monday October 17, 2005 · 12:39 PM PDT

2005/10/17 · 12:39

The NY Times is playing a dangerous game in its failure to report the news and its politics in support of the Iraq war. By making itself into a political tool, the Times becomes useless as a news organization. In time, if it keeps this up, there will no reason for it to exist as a news paper. Its readers will become the same narrow band the watches Fox, reads the Nation, or that reads the WSJ Editorial Page. Highly partisan news sources have there place, but that place is for those who want to only read what they already agree with.

Today, I compared the Times coverage to that of the UK Guardian. Both report the same story about US attacks in Iraq today. But the Times leaves out (for the most part) the most interesting and newsworthy part of the story.

Cross posted at Political Porn Read More

Mr. First Lady Bill Clinton Nearly Arrested in White Plains, NY

Tom Kertes

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Wednesday September 28, 2005 · 7:49 PM PDT

2005/09/28 · 19:49

We've been too busy since in arriving in NY to write much more than Tom's high-heel-rant. But we just got back from our final NY event and are gearing up for a much deserved break. Tom is going to Germany for a couple of weeks. Luke is going to Montreal for a couple of days. (Yes, it's not fair - but Tom does have to wear the heels - he needs a long break!)

Read all about Bill-for-First-Lady.com in NY below the fold... (and for the juicy part about the near arrest in front of Hillary's Senate race rival Pirro's White Plains offices, skip to Day 2) Read More

I went to Bill & Hillary's house today (uninvited)

Tom Kertes

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Sunday September 25, 2005 · 9:50 PM PDT

2005/09/25 · 21:50

After a day of "being Bill," by wearing a pink dress, matching heels and a pink purse to the Peace March in DC, I decided it was time to get a bit riskier. My legs were almost broken from marching in the heels all day, so now it was time to break the law. Read Saturday's diary: Being Bill Clinton (in pink heels)

Breaking the law is a tricky thing to do, even when it's just a little law, such as sneaking onto someone's property to play an innocent prank (and get a great photo). I was scared to death (well, almost) when I trespassed on the yard of Bill and Hillary Clinton's DC home to hang a banner on the front door of their house with the rest of the campaign staff at Bill-for-First-Lady.com. I stood in front of the banner that read "Move the Clintons Back In! Bill-for-First-Lady.com 2008" And our photographer snapped photos, unable to see in any direction but straight ahead - sweating, my heart pounding - wondering if we'd get out before the Secret Service or Green Berets stormed us as we stood on the former President's, current Senator's and future President's home. Read More

Being Bill Clinton (in pink heels) at the March

Tom Kertes

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Sunday September 25, 2005 · 12:21 AM PDT

2005/09/25 · 00:21

I was Bill Clinton at the Peace March in Washington, DC. I've never been famous, or president, or had anyone but my mother want to take my photo before. But today well over 5,000 people snapped photos of me. I grinned, I smiled, I laughed... and no one saw any of it. I was the guy underneath an oversized (think "Jack" from Jack-in-the-Box) head of Bill Clinton. People stood in a row of 15 and took my photos. Click. Click. Click. Then in groups of 5. Click. Click. And on and on like that for hours. Of course, I wasn't just sporting an over-sized Bill head, I had on a pink suit and pearls with high heels and a pink purse to match. I was Bill as First Lady, campaigning for Hillary for president in 2008 with the Bill-for-First-Lady.com campaign.

Yes, I was Bill Clinton in a pink dress, heels and a matching purse, at Saturday's pro-peace rally and march in Washington DC. I stood in front of the White House with a couple of campaign staffers as the march passed by. We were campaigning for Bill's (hopefully) new role as First Lady in 2008.

Tom Kertes

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Tuesday September 20, 2005 · 6:45 AM PDT

2005/09/20 · 06:45

Getting heard. Being understood. Creating change.

Politics is not about what I believe. And it's not about what you believe. It's about what we believe, as community. And it's about turning community beliefs and values into community action.

To function as a community a lot of talking and a lot of listening must take place. That's how values get shared, priorities set and politics decided. To be effective at politics, you've got to get heard, be understood and create change.

Getting heard requires more than just talk. That's because there is so much noise, so much static and so much interference that to get heard you've got to stand out. And not only must you stand out, but you must also do so in a way that gets you point across.

Tom Kertes

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Thursday September 08, 2005 · 8:41 AM PDT

2005/09/08 · 08:41

According to the UK Independent, a UN report released yesterday goes after the US's poverty policies - both domestic and international. Here's how the article starts:

Parts of the United States are as poor as the Third World, according to a shocking United Nations report on global inequality.

As an organizer with the poor people's movement to end poverty I already knew this. But I am not the United Nations, so when I say things like this, few listen. That the UN came out with a report, during the Kartina crisis, is big news. The world is not happy with the current direction of the United States. And with good reason. Read More

WaPo: Clinton would of assaulted Speaker Hastert

Tom Kertes

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Saturday September 03, 2005 · 10:38 AM PDT

2005/09/03 · 10:38

Via Eloy at myDD, The Washington Post reports that Bill Clinton didn't appreciate Hastert's comments on not rebuilding NOLA. Here's what the Washington Post reports:

In Syracuse, N.Y., former president Bill Clinton was discussing New Orleans's dilemma when someone described the speaker's comments. Had they been in the same place when the remarks were made, Clinton said, "I'm afraid I would have assaulted him." Source: Washington Post

I am glad that Clinton said this. I like that he willingly does as asked by the President to assist with raising money for charity, but I don't like the idea of this making him silent on the political choices being made. If Bill Clinton did not come out strong against the indifference of the Republicans to the future of NOLA, I'd be very disappointed. It's one thing to respect the office of the President and to help as requested, it's another to join in on the Republican's war of neglect and indifference against the city and people of NOLA.

disclosure

NOLA: Crisis of poverty & immoral neglect

Tom Kertes

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Friday September 02, 2005 · 10:01 AM PDT

2005/09/02 · 10:01

Cross posted at my blog

If you want to know what the state of the nation's poor is, look to New Orleans now. I work with the poor people's movement to end poverty. I am not poor. But the leaders of this movement are. That makes my leaders the nation's poor. And they know that what is going on in New Orleans is not some extraordinary situation. It's business as usual. The only difference is that the clock of active neglect and despair has been speed up. Wake up America. This is how we treat the poorest amongst us. Read More

I want to give Bush benefit of doubt

Tom Kertes

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Thursday September 01, 2005 · 10:27 AM PDT

2005/09/01 · 10:27

I don't think that partisan attacks belong in major national disasters. That's because we need real information to know what's working and what's not. With the neocons it is not possible to know what they really see and think since everything they say is through the mirror of narrow ideology. I don't want liberals to become as narrow and fantasy based as are neocons.

I also don't think that partisan attacks belong in major national disasters because we are one nation. Our neighbors need help. Politics should end when such need is present.

All of this said, I think that Bush is totally blowing it as our nation's leader. TOTALLY. And I say this wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt. Read More

The News Who Cried Wolf

Tom Kertes

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Wednesday August 31, 2005 · 6:36 PM PDT

2005/08/31 · 18:36

I am now used to the news covering nothing as if it is something. That's why it takes a while for real news to sink in. When the Tsunami hit, I heard that it had happened. But it took a while to realize how big it was that happened. The same for the coverage of Katrina.

I live in Seattle. A few years ago there was an earthquake. It was very small, we felt it and that was about it. But on the news there were live feeds throughout the region at people's homes. Reporters were pointing to cracks in people's pavement. Yes, cracks. Small, hard to see, not noteworthy cracks. With reports like this, it's hard to know when something has really happened. Read More

Think like a Republican.

Tom Kertes

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Wednesday August 31, 2005 · 9:49 AM PDT

2005/08/31 · 09:49

Cross posted at my blog GrassrootsGrowth.org

A call to action to every progressive blogger:

Find one candidate (for any race, in 2006 or 2008, national, local, state) who you think could and should get nominated to run in the general election.
Figure out how Republicans will attack that candidate.
Build up a wall of defenses now.
When challenging other Democrats, focus on issues only - don't do the work of the Republicans by definging our candidates as personally flawed or being otherwise "unelectable."

The NY Times Sucks (again)

NY Times: All subtle lies fit to print

Mr. First Lady Bill Clinton Nearly Arrested in White Plains, NY

I went to Bill & Hillary's house today (uninvited)

Being Bill Clinton (in pink heels) at the March

Bill Clinton in a Dress? Fighting fire with funny...

UN Report: Parts of US like third world

WaPo: Clinton would of assaulted Speaker Hastert

NOLA: Crisis of poverty & immoral neglect

I want to give Bush benefit of doubt

The News Who Cried Wolf

Think like a Republican.