May 23, 2006
Player of the Week - 5/22 - Jean Rohe
This is graduation season in colleges all across the country. Distinguished individuals receive honorary degrees, and graduates sit through sometimes interesting and more oftentimes boring ceremonies and speeches extolling the virtues of hard work, promises of journeys to unknown destinations, the value of friends and family, hopes and dreams, plus all the other usual stuff. Very occasionally however, something unusual happens. Whether a protest, a speech, or some unforeseen occurrence, the commencement transforms into a special event. At The New School, in New York City, that happened. Jean Rohe, one of two student speakers, re-wrote her speech and spoke directly to Sen. John McCain, confronting his record and the appropriateness of his speech at commencement. She contended that his remarks had more to do with a Presidential political campaign than a graduation ceremony. In addition, she felt that his intended remarks were anti-thetical to the values of the school. It was a reasoned speech and remarkable for its audacity and honesty. (HP)
Senator Mc Cain will also tell us about his cocky self-assuredness in his youth, which prevented him from hearing the ideas of others. In so doing, he will imply that those of us who are young are too naive to have valid opinions and open ears. I am young, and although I don't profess to possess the wisdom that time affords us, I do know that preemptive war is dangerous and wrong, that George Bush's agenda in Iraq is not worth the many lives lost. And I know that despite all the havoc that my country has wrought overseas in my name, Osama bin Laden still has not been found, nor have those weapons of mass destruction.
The speech created quite a stir. Seldom does a student confront such a celebrated, and invited guest. The reaction was swift on both the left and right. Those on the left congratulated her for her courage and honesty, while those on the right vehemently attacked her as an immature radical. What else would you expect from such a liberal institution in New York City? Perhaps her actions would have been more remarkable at a school outside of New York, especially one which is not considered so radical. However, it was a significant speech, which should make all of us think more about our political actions, or lack thereof. Jean wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week Award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 8:46 AM | Comments (5)
May 9, 2006
Player of the Week - 5/8 - Ray McGovern
Ray McGovern, former CIA agent and questioner of Donald Rumsfeld wins our Political Sports Player of the Week Award. Ray, worked at the CIA for 27 years, and at one time wrote the Daily Presidential brief, pointedly asked the Sec. of Defense why he lied to get us into the Iraq War. (bio)
Ray's duties at CIA included chairing National Intelligence Estimates and preparing the President' Daily Brief (PDB). These, the most authoritative genres of intelligence reporting, have been the focus of press reporting on "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq and on what the president was told before 9/11. During the mid-eighties, Ray was one of the senior analysts conducting early morning briefings of the PDB one-on-one with the Vice President, the Secretaries of State and Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Runsfeld denied the charge. However the exchange resulted in a virtual firestorm in the media. Some, like Paula Zahn, asked McGovern whether he had an agenda. Others attacked him as a liberal, out for the administration's blood. Though others have questioned the veracity of Rumsfeld's statements, McGovern's seem to have struck a rare nerve, probably because of his CIA background. For asking the perfect question at the perfect time, Ray wins our Player of the Week Award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 12:37 PM | Comments (1)
April 30, 2006
Player of the Week - 5/1 - Steven Colbert
Steven Colbert wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week Award for his superb performance at the White House Correspondent's Association Dinner last week. Editor and Publisher reports
Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk-show character, who ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, "and reality has a well-known liberal bias."
He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. "This administration is soaring, not sinking," he said. "If anything, they are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg."
Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky Balboa in the "Rocky" movies, always getting punched in the face - "and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world."
Turning to the war, he declared, "I believe that the government that governs best is a government that governs least, and by these standards we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq."
He noted former Ambassador Joseph Wilson in the crowd, just three tables away from Karl Rove, and that he had brought "Valerie Plame." Then, worried that he had named her, he corrected himself, as Bush aides might do, "Uh, I mean ... he brought Joseph Wilson's wife." He might have "dodged the bullet," he said, as prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wasn't there.
Colbert also made biting cracks about missing WMDs, "photo ops" on aircraft carriers and at hurricane disasters, melting glaciers and Vice President Cheney shooting people in the face. He advised the crowd, "if anybody needs anything at their tables, speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers and somebody from the N.S.A. will be right over with a cocktail."
Observing that Bush sticks to his principles, he said, "When the president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on Wednesday -- no matter what happened Tuesday."
Also lampooning the press, Colbert complained that he was "surrounded by the liberal media who are destroying this country, except for Fox News. Fox believes in presenting both sides of the story - the president’s side and the vice president's side." In another slap at the news channel, he said: "I give people the truth, unfiltered by rational argument. I call it the No Fact Zone. Fox News, I own the copyright on that term."
He also reflected on the alleged good old days for the president, when the media was still swallowing the WMD story.
Addressing the reporters, he said, "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know -- fiction."
He claimed that the Secret Service name for Bush's new press secretary is "Snow Job."
Colbert closed his routine with a video fantasy where he gets to be White House Press Secretary, complete with a special "Gannon" button on his podium. By the end, he had to run from Helen Thomas and her questions about why the U.S. really invaded Iraq and killed all those people.
I think it took a great amount of courage to be that forthright with the President in the room. In addition, the speech was amazingly funny and politically sharp. We don't always want to hear the truth.
Posted by Chip Spear at 10:21 PM | Comments (5)
April 24, 2006
Player of the Week - 4/24 - Tyler Drumheller
Tyler Drumheller wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week Award, for his hard body slam to the administration on 60 Minutes last night. Tyler, reiterated what many suspected, which is that the administration chose to ignore clear evidence that Saddam had no active WMD program. Drumheller, former head of covert operations in Europe prior to the invasion. With a few swift jabs to the gut, Tyler told the story of a high ranking Iraqi official with direct ties to Saddam, who told the CIA that Saddam had given up his dirty programs. He went on to say that though the Administration was excited about turning this official, they lost interest as soon as it was obvious he would not support their WMD excuse to attack Saddam.
Josh Marshall points out that this raises still more questions about the Congressional report supposedly clearing the White House of blame for misleading the public twisting intelligence for political purposes, because Drumheller told the same thing to the congressional committee investigating the White House. That information never made it into the report written by Republicans.
Stay tuned for White House reaction.
Posted by Chip Spear at 12:17 PM | Comments (3)
April 18, 2006
Player(s) of the Week - The General Revolt - 4/17
Six retired U.S. Generals have recently called for the resignation of Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. The fact that so many high ranking officers are speaking out against the Sec. of Defense is unprecedented in modern times. Given the nature of the military, is in not often that officers will ever question the tactics or strategy of their commanding officers. These men felt so strongly that Rumsfeld's policies and demeanor were so counter-productive to long term success in the war against Muslim fundamentalism (I refuse to use the term "war on terror") that they decided to call for his removal. The result is a national debate of the leadership of Rumsfeld and his arrogant manner of leadership. From his earliest days he has implemented an agenda that often clashes with experienced military men and women. He never served in the military, never studied military tactics or logistical operations, yet he has been only too quick to demand that the military follow his orders. One only has to read the first 100 pages of Cobra II, the great book by Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor, to get a clear sense of how this man operates.
Earlier Friday, retired Gen. John Batiste, who called for Rumsfeld's resignation, said the recent criticism is "absolutely coincidental" and said he did not know of any coordinated effort to discredit the defense secretary.
"I have not talked to the other generals," Batiste said on NBC's "Today" show. But, he said, the demands for Rumsfeld to step down are "happening for a reason."
Also calling for Rumsfeld to resign were retired Army Maj. Gen. John Riggs, retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, retired Army Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack, retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton and retired Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold.
Their unusual and tough minded decision to call for Rumsfeld's resignation wins the six men this week's Player of the Week Award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 11:37 AM | Comments (2)
April 3, 2006
Player of the Week - 4/3 - John McCain
John McCain's performance on Meet The Press, with Tim Russert, wins him this week's Political Sports Player of the Week. He did a masterful job of bobbing, ducking and weaving, evading the toughest of Tim's body punches and stinging right hooks. He even managed a few good counterpunches. If you would like to see a replay of the interview you can find it here. (C&L) Watch my video to get this week's analysis of the award performance.
Posted by Chip Spear at 12:57 PM | Comments (3)
March 28, 2006
Player of the Week - 3/27 - Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong Il wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week Award. President Kim, fearless leader of North Korea said that North Korea now has the ability to launch a preemptive strike against its enemies (AP)
North Korea suggested Tuesday it had the ability to launch a pre-emptive attack on the United States, according to the North's official news agency. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the North had built atomic weapons to counter the U.S. nuclear threat.
"As we declared, our strong revolutionary might put in place all measures to counter possible U.S. pre-emptive strike," the spokesman said, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "Pre-emptive strike is not the monopoly of the United States."
You have to hand it to the little man. He might be crazy, but no denying that he has guts.
Posted by Chip Spear at 10:02 AM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
Player of the Week - 3/13 - Sandra Day O'Connor
Last week, Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice and the first woman to hold the post gave a strong warning to the country. NPR reporter Nina Totenberg provided a summary of her speech on NPR's Morning Edition. O'Connor responded to partisan politicians who attacked the judiciary's independence on issues such as abortion, prayer and issues like the Terri Schiavo case. She went on to stress the need to maintain a strong court system protected from politics. She also condemned statements by high profile politicians somehow justifying the increase of death threats against judges who make unpopular decisions. She warned that judicial reform based on partisan policies were signals of dictatorial tendencies. Though we are far from becoming a dictatorship, we need to be ever aware of early threats to our freedoms.
As a moderate Republican, her statements were surprising in their condemnation against Republican tactics. She clearly worries about the effect such a strategy could have on not only our courts, but our freedoms and civil rights. For her strong stand, we award her this week's Player of the Week Award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 11:14 AM | Comments (2)
February 20, 2006
Player of the Week - Feb. 20 - Sen. Pat Roberts
Senator Pat Roberts, (R-Kan.) wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week for his superb play on the part of the administration. The play started when Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller called for a broad investigation into the NSA wiretapping program. Sen. Roberts thought he had the votes to defeat the measure along party line votes within his committee, however two Republicans, Senators Snowe and Hagel, indicated they would not support Roberts. In a closed session Roberts then called for adjournment until March 7, which passed along party line vote. Roberts has since come out for some sort of Congressional oversight of the program, but not an investigation.
Roberts gains significant political yardage supporting the White House and the NSA in derailing any investigation into past events. Not letting the White House hog all the attention he grabs the spotlight himself by calling for "some" type of Congressional oversight on the wiretapping. It certainly remains to be seen what he will agree to and how far he would stand against his fearless leader. However, it does establish a degree of independence, which can be useful in any future Kansas political campaigns. It was a very good move.
We should also mention that this is the same Sen. Roberts who claimed that his committee did not have time to investigate the use of pre-war intelligence leading up to the Iraq war. Roberts has done everything he possible to delay that particular investigation. He is clearly a major Senate player for the administration. Congratulations on winning this week's award!
Posted by Chip Spear at 12:07 PM | Comments (1)
February 13, 2006
Player of the Week - Rep. Heather Wilson - 2/13
House Representative Heather Wilson wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week Award for her break with the White House and calling for a Congressional investigation into the wiretap mess. Ms Wilson is the chairwoman of the subommittee that oversees the N.S.A. She is not the only Republican calling for some sort of investigation, but she was one of the first in a leadership position.
I doubt there is a person in the U.S. that is against the "war of terror", as long it is actually a war on the terrorists and their network. No one wants to see another attack on the U.S. or U.S. citizens overseas. And most Americans feel that the President is correct in wanting and needing to wage a war against those enemies. The problem is in how this President has chosen to do so. He and his administration seem to have used every excuse to follow a path without oversight or approval by anyone else, specifically Congress or the courts. They look at "checks and balances" as impediments to doing what they want. They have grabbed as much power as possible and hidden behind the highest walls they can build, all in the name of terror. They have clearly mislead about means and methods using highly questionable legal justifications, whether is be renditions, torture, secret prisons, wiretaps, elevated terror alerts, outing CIA agents, etc. Up until recently almost all of their teammates, other Republicans, have refused to question their tactics. That seems to be changing. And given the retribution that Mr. Rove can dispense, it is courageous for them to act independently.
I do not know if what the President is doing is unconstitutional or not, I am not a lawyer. However it does seem to warrant serious investigation. For that reason we award Heather Wilson this week's award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 10:51 AM | Comments (1)
February 6, 2006
Player of the Week - G.W. Bush - 2/6
President George wins this week's Political Sports Player of the Week Award, not for his astute play, but because he clearly dominated the news with his State of the Union Speech and its aftermath. It certainly wasn't inspired and isn't going to rally the team, either the Republicans or the country, to any particular victory. At this point in his presidency it is probably too much to ask for an epiphany, some change in direction that actually reflects competency, strength and leadership.
I think the reason so much attention focused on the speech was that we as a country truly wanted him to fix the problems of his administration. We wanted him to honestly confront the issues with Iraq, wiretaps, torture, civil rights, religion, Katrina incompetence, tax breaks for the rich, increasing discrepancy between rich and poor, health care and all the things that Americans worry about other than terror. When that did not happen, and so many facts were wrong, like calling for more money for energy research when he is cutting the research budget, Americans become even more disappointed in an opportunity missed. He wins this weeks award, but not for very positive reasons.
Posted by Chip Spear at 10:54 AM | Comments (4)
January 30, 2006
Player of the Week, Jan. 30, 2006 - Mahmoud al-Zahar
This week's Political Player of the Week Award has to go to the alledged leader of Hamas, Mahmoud al-Zahar. (Alleged because Hamas will not officially announce a leader for fear he will be assassinated by Israel) The upset win in last week's Palestinian elections certainly ranks as one of the bigger surprises in the crazy world of Mid-East politics. Over the past few years Hamas has carefully expanded its support by filling the void left by Fatah politicians. Not only have they led the terrorist fight against Israel, but they have played a significant role in providing needed services for the poor. By providing food and educational support they showed many Palestinians that they care about more than just the destruction of their neighbor.
Their political strategy appealed not only to Palestinians anger, but their hearts, minds and stomachs, which is far more than the Fatah accomplished over the past decade. Rather than addressing the needs of their constituents, the Fatah leadership seemed more concerned with laundering aid money into personal Swiss bank accounts. This left the playing field to Hamas. Under the leadership of Mahmoud al-Zahar they took advantage in ever way imaginable and scored big time. Many political analysts recognized that Hamas was a force with the people, but no one, not Israeli intelligence, the CIA, western scholars, or news media knew the depth of that support. Mahmoud deserves this week's Political Sports Award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:33 AM | Comments (4)
January 25, 2006
Player of the Week for Jan. 23, 2006 - Osama bin Laden
I normally try to post the Player of the Week Award on Mondays, but I was swamped with work the past couple of days which prevented me from getting to this.
A hearty congratulations to our friend, Osama bin Laden. He has once again managed to throw the American media into a tizzy with his latest audio tape. Nobody hears a word from the guy for over a year. Many analysts think he is dead, even the President thinks he is no longer a factor, then voila! there he is, announcing to the world that he is still breathing and more than ready to ready to kick some more American butt. Top that off with new reports from ABC News that the Taliban is gaining control of large areas of the Pakistan tribal lands and things suddenly don't look too good for our war on terror. (ABCNews)
Al Qaeda and its former protectors — the Taliban — are in the midst of a powerful resurgence, according to accounts by local officials and information contained in new al Qaeda videotapes obtained by ABC News.
U.S. troops are not permitted inside Pakistan, and the Pakistani army is barely seen in this part of Waziristan Province.....
The tape claims Taliban officials have taken over government functions. There is no date on the tape, but in the last month ABC News reporters have confirmed that Western aid organizations have been forced out, their headquarters burned, schools shut down, teachers and journalists killed, and music banned.
Posted by Chip Spear at 3:34 PM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2006
Player of the Week for Jan. 16, 2006 - Sam Alito
Sam Alito acted perfectly all last week in his Senate confirmation hearings. He talked only as much as necessary and seldom said anything of substance that would subject him to controversy and threaten his accension to the Supreme Court. Try as they might, the Democrats could not elicit the slightest bit of actual, personal opinion from the man. He was a study in evasion, deception and lies. If you think I speak too harshly, I would disagree due to his so-called inability to recall his participation in the infamous Princeton club. Given that he spoke so glowingly of his involvement when applying for a job in 1985, it is more than disingenuous that he said he had no recollection now. He managed to bob and weave, slip and slide, jump and roll, gaining ground on almost every question. He scored well and seems a lock on confirmation. I hope the country is proud.
Posted by Chip Spear at 1:58 PM | Comments (2)
January 2, 2006
Political Sports MVP of 2005
This year's MVP award goes to two people, both former Presidents, Bill Clinton and George Herbert Walker Bush, or Bush 1 as some refer to him. Both men have done extraordinary things over the past year to make our entire world a much better place. First, the fact that Pres. Bush would work closely with Bill Clinton is quite something in and of itself. Then to think that they have actually become quite close as a result of their work is rather miraculous. The current President Bush asked the two former Presidents to lead fund-raising and relief efforts after last year's tsunami in SE Asia. Together they raised millions of dollars and spent hundreds of hours working with relief efforts to turn the tsunami relief one of, if not the, most successful relief efforts in history with pledges of over $10 Billion.
In addition the two collaborated again on Katrina disaster relief, working with private and government agencies to ensure that as much aid as possible was reaching needed victims. In addition, Clinton has been exceedingly busy, traveling the world working to raise money for AIDS relief throughout the third world. The December issue of Esquire has a great issue by Joe Conason, where he describes many of Clinton's current projects. He sites one project, The Clinton Global Initiative,
Nearly a week has passed since the closing session of the Clinton Global Initiative. As he talks about it now, his blue eyes widen and he allows himself the hint of a satisfied smile. Producing pledges of almost $2 billion to finance more than two hundred new projects around the world, the conference almost instantly proved to be more than just another "talkathon," as he feared it might be, more than another gust of hot air.
The two men traveled far in overcoming their differences in order to use their post-Presidency power to affect positive change in areas of the world sorely in need of help. They serve as role models for all of us and a reminder that one can use politics to make a positive difference in our world. We salute them as our first Political Sports MVPs.
Posted by Chip Spear at 2:23 PM | Comments (3)
December 30, 2005
2005 All-Star - Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon took a courageous step, moving Israelis out of the Gaza Strip and turning the territory over to the Palestinians. He turned against his right wing roots and did something that most every rational person believes is necessary if Israel and the Palestinians are ever to co-exist in any meaningful way. He has made many controversial decisions over the years, most of which were from a hard-line base, but this year he realized that if Israel was ever going to truly live in peace and maintain its identity as a Jewish state, he had to make some extremely hard decisions, one's that he knew would anger many of his supporters. He left the Likud party, which he helped found, to create Kadima, a new centrist party. We salute you and recognize you as one of our 2005 All-Stars
Posted by Chip Spear at 3:24 PM | Comments (2)
December 29, 2005
Patrick Fitzgerald, 2005 All Star
Calm, focused, hard-hitting, Patrick Fitzgerald changed the Presidency, at least this year. His investigation has never succumbed to media pressure to release more information. Nor has it bowed to political pressure from the White House to stop the investigations. Fitzgerald has gone about his very serious business in a most professional manner, never letting anything get in the way of his investigation. In a political world of celebrity grandstanding, outrageous political statements and policies, incredible paranoia and secrecy and amazing disasters, his demeanor and actions are truly admirable.
Posted by Chip Spear at 11:25 AM | Comments (1)
December 28, 2005
More 2005 All Stars
Hate them for what they represent, but no denying that those two leaders of the "Evil Empires", Kim Jong Il, the North Korean dictator and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were major players throughout the year.
Kim Jong Il played the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and South Korea to perfection. Never wavering from his goal of sitting with the big boys, he refused to accept any agreement which might diminish his self-appointed status as a major regional, if not international player. He faked, shimmeyed, and slide his way to gains any way he could. The coalition partners thought he had agreed at one point to start dismantling his nuclear program only to find that Kim interpretations of their so-called agreements were very different than theirs. Just this week a South Korean official insisted that North Korea was more interested in establishing normal relations with the U.S. than continuing their nuclear program. I ask, where is the proof? I believe this is just conjecture on the S. Korean's part. Up to now Kim Jong Il has been exceedingly successful at getting the coalition partners to play his game. Why should he change strategy?
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has become a lightening rod for criticism from the West for his statements concerning Israel and the Holocaust. First, he comes out of nowhere to win the Presidency. Well, that is not exactly true, since he had major help from the ruling mullahs. Then he advocates wiping Israel off the map of the Middle East and moving it to Europe and recently he denies the existence of the Holocaust. That is certainly no way to score with the international community, however that was and is not his goal. He wants to lead the disaffected in a way that Al Qaeda can't. He has a state and resources that Al Qaeda can only dream of. He wants the entire Muslim world following him against the West. He devises a new game plan, distinctly different than the one presented by the West. He offers an even more defined target for the failed politics and poverty of milllions of religious poor in the region. He is not the first to attack Israel and the West, but he is the first leader to elevate attacks to such a fever pitch.
Posted by Chip Spear at 2:24 PM | Comments (2)
December 27, 2005
Political Sports All Stars for 2005
I have a problem with all sorts of year end lists that come out in early December, like the last month of the year doesn't count, or nothing ever happens that might change ones ideas of what matters and what doesn't. Time does their person(s) of the year, and numerous magazines and critics make their lists of movies, songs, books, photos and anything else they figure will sell. Well, not me. I am waiting until the end of the year to select my MVP and Biggest Fumble. However, I am taking all this week to name members of our 2005 Poltical Sports All Star Team.
Today I want to recognize three people in the movie business, Paul Haggis, the director of Crash, and George Clooney, the director and actor who produced Good Night and Good Luck and served as Executive Producer and actor in Syriana, and Steve Gahgan, the director of Syriana. Through their work, we looked at the world a little differently. Each attempted to present a world that would not fit into simple categories. People are not just good or bad, problems are not easily solved with cliches.
Paul Haggis depicted a world of complicated individuals all inflicted with fear, hate, loathing and love. His characters were racists, often caught in mind-sets that chained them to simplistic reactions to stress and difficulties. During the course of his movie the same characters exhibited wonderful touches of humanity, saving others or working to help those previously attacked. I realize that I am being a little simplistic here myself, but Haggis made me see once again, that people are complicated and hold contradictory tendencies that they live with every day. At one moment they are terrible, hateful, and racist. Yet in other circumstances they are wonderful, giving people, sometimes toward the same individual, who might be black or Muslim, or oriental. I believe Haggis wants us to realize that we have traveled far in our fight to eradicate racism, but still have a long way to go.
George Clooney, former ER doc and hearthrob, wrote and directed Good Night and Good Luck, the story about Ed Murrow and his attempt to stop Senator Joe McCarthy. Clooney paints a complex scenario, with Murrow and Fred Friendly, played by Clooney, confronting corporate, financial reality and political power. Nothing is simple, their jobs and reputations were on the line. We see a world where people lived in fear of their future.Lives were destroyed by the whims of hate and power. A marriage between co-workers is hidden, people won't say what is obviously true. Clooney shows how difficult it was for a small group of honest men and women to do the right thing, to use their power and positions to challenge a Senate despot.
Steve Gaghan and George Clooney made a great movie, Syriana, that shows the complicated world of oil. Corruption, power, murder, business and politics all melt together in one big bowl. Gaghan and Clooney don't provide any easy answers in solving our oil dependence. Our social, cultural, political, and financial interests are all interdependent. They suggest that it is not so easy to blame one piece of the mess without addressing every part of the problem. Once again the depiction of complexity pushes us away from our never ending desire for simple solutions.
Like many other filmmakers, Clooney, Gaghan and Haggis opened our eyes to a complex, political reality. Their work stood out more for me than any others. For that reason we consider them three members of our Political All-Star Team of 2005.
Posted by Chip Spear at 1:01 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2005
Player of the Week for Dec. 18, 2005 - John McCain
Senator John McCain is this week's Political Sports Player of the Week. The senator has achieved a rare success against the White House by getting the "Torture Admendment" passed without compromising to White House pressure. The man deserves one's respect, whatever your political leanings. He is strong-willed, principled and sincerely trying to improve our country. He truly feels that torture is wrong and that there are more effective ways to elicit information from prisoners. He, like many others, feel the U.S. should always hold itself to a higher standard. To engage in torture diminishes our standing in the world as a beacon of hope and justice. His success this past week serves as inspiration to all of us to do better, try harder and not to give in on what is right.
Posted by Chip Spear at 2:04 PM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2005
Player of the Week for Dec. 12, 2005 - Harold Pinter
This year's Nobel Laureate in Literature, Harold Pinter might seem an odd choice for our Player of the Week, especially given is rather harse criticism of U.S. policy. That said, I think that it is important for any entity to undergo a certain degree of reflection on occasion. The problem is knowing when that proper occasion should be, because constant reflection or analysis is counterproductive. Plus there is always the case that many, many people are all too willing to criticize the government every minute of every day. However there are certainly people who are also all too willing to accept anything the government says, no matter what. How is Mr. Pinter different? Well, though not a "politician" his literature is very political. He is very cognizant of our political reality. He is exceptionally perceptive and quite eloquent, which makes him enjoyable to read. He has an interesting perspective that should make us all think for a few minutes before we plunge ahead on our quixotic adventures in Oilland. The following is from his Nobel acceptance speech last week.
Political language, as used by politicians, does not venture into any of this territory since the majority of politicians, on the evidence available to us, are interested not in truth but in power and in the maintenance of that power. To maintain that power it is essential that people remain in ignorance, that they live in ignorance of the truth, even the truth of their own lives. What surrounds us therefore is a vast tapestry of lies, upon which we feed.
As every single person here knows, the justification for the invasion of Iraq was that Saddam Hussein possessed a highly dangerous body of weapons of mass destruction, some of which could be fired in 45 minutes, bringing about appalling devastation. We were assured that was true. It was not true. We were told that Iraq had a relationship with Al Quaeda and shared responsibility for the atrocity in New York of September 11th 2001. We were assured that this was true. It was not true. We were told that Iraq threatened the security of the world. We were assured it was true. It was not true.
The truth is something entirely different. The truth is to do with how the United States understands its role in the world and how it chooses to embody it.
But before I come back to the present I would like to look at the recent past, by which I mean United States foreign policy since the end of the Second World War. I believe it is obligatory upon us to subject this period to at least some kind of even limited scrutiny, which is all that time will allow here.
Everyone knows what happened in the Soviet Union and throughout Eastern Europe during the post-war period: the systematic brutality, the widespread atrocities, the ruthless suppression of independent thought. All this has been fully documented and verified.
But my contention here is that the US crimes in the same period have only been superficially recorded, let alone documented, let alone acknowledged, let alone recognised as crimes at all. I believe this must be addressed and that the truth has considerable bearing on where the world stands now. Although constrained, to a certain extent, by the existence of the Soviet Union, the United States' actions throughout the world made it clear that it had concluded it had carte blanche to do what it liked.
Direct invasion of a sovereign state has never in fact been America's favoured method. In the main, it has preferred what it has described as 'low intensity conflict'. Low intensity conflict means that thousands of people die but slower than if you dropped a bomb on them in one fell swoop. It means that you infect the heart of the country, that you establish a malignant growth and watch the gangrene bloom. When the populace has been subdued - or beaten to death - the same thing - and your own friends, the military and the great corporations, sit comfortably in power, you go before the camera and say that democracy has prevailed. This was a commonplace in US foreign policy in the years to which I refer.
It is more than worth reading and digesting.
Posted by Chip Spear at 2:11 PM | Comments (0)
December 6, 2005
Player of the Week - Dec. 5th, 2005
There are some weeks when nobody deserves nuthin'.
Posted by Chip Spear at 7:06 PM | Comments (2)
November 28, 2005
Player of the Week for Nov. 28, 2005 - John Murtha
Pennsylvania Representative John Murtha wins our Political Sports Player of the Week Award for his strong statements calling for the U.S. to bring our troops home from Iraq. Creating a firestorm for the White House, Murtha, a strong military proponent, said that we have accomplished all that we could and that the time to come home is now.
But the cross-party relationship has soured as Murtha, whose concern has always been first and foremost for the men and women who serve in the military, has reached the conclusion that the Iraq intervention has steered U.S. troops into a quagmire from which they must be extracted. Typically blunt, Murtha said this week: "The U.S. cannot accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. It is time to bring (the troops) home."
Others have called for withdrawing U.S. troops but it is Murtha who elicited not only a strong response from his former friend, Dick Cheney,
In the 2004 vice presidential debate, Cheney noted that, "One of my strongest allies in Congress when I was Secretary of Defense was Jack Murtha, a Democrat who is chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee." The vice president was particularly complimentary over the years of the Pennsylvania representatives decision to provide high-profile backing of the administration's 2002 request for authorization to use force against
Iraq............Cheney's response to the man he begged to help him understand military affairs during the first Bush administration was to rip into Murtha and other Democrats who had tried to work with the administration. "Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorising force against Saddam Hussein," the vice president growled in a speech to the conservative Frontiers of Freedom Institute. In another clear reference to Murtha, Cheney said, "The president and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing their memory, or their backbone -- but we're not going to sit by and let them rewrite history."
but from Ohio Republican Jean Schmidt here,
Schmidt was booed off the floor of the U.S. House on Friday after she criticized Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), D-Pa., saying that "cowards cut and run, Marines never do."
When Schmidt made the comment, Democrats rose in protest at the suggestion that Murtha, a decorated Vietnam veteran and the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, was a coward.
Great plays are oftentimes the result of timing, when conditions coalesce in just the right way. Murtha was not the first to call for removing first and he will not be the last, but his qualifications, being a highly decorated Marine, coupled with Jean Schmidt's idiotic statements, Cheney's attacks, the growing problems in Iraq, and increasing evidence of the White House misleading the country about going to war, all worked in his favor to create a "Perfect Storm". Our congratulations for Congressman Murtha for this week's award.
Posted by Chip Spear at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
November 15, 2005
Player(s) of the Week for Nov. 14 - The Democrats
After last week's victories in New Jersey and Virginia, coupled with Arnold's defeat in California, Democrats were ecstatic, with good reason. Both parties placed a great deal on the outcome of each race. The Dems saw it as an opportunity to put a substantial dent in the Republican air of superiority and the Republicans wanted to show they are not hurting because of President Bush's recent problems. Obviously the Democrats scored on that one. It has been quite some time since the Democrats had been able to cheer, give them their due, they deserve this week's Player of the Week.
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:47 AM | Comments (2)
November 7, 2005
Player of the Week for Nov. 7, 2005 - Edward Burtynsky
Okay, who the hell is Edward Burtynsky you say? He isn't directly involved in politics and the reason we are giving him the award has little to do with what he actually did in the past week. It has to do with the fact that I just became aware of this man's incredible work Saturday night at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. For those of you who wonder about the relevancy, I can only say that his work immediately makes one aware of the way we, as humans, are drastically altering our world and environment in not particularly pleasant ways. He changes how we look at the world, hopefully for the better. Please take the time to look at his web site here. I doubt you will regret it.
Posted by Chip Spear at 4:17 PM | Comments (1)
October 31, 2005
Player of the Week for Oct. 31 - Patrick Fitzgerald
Patrick Fitzgerald is this week's Political Sports Player of the Week. All last week Washington focused on the Special Prosecutor waiting for the shoe to drop. Straightforward, precise and no nonsense, Fitzgerald never strayed out of bounds. He explained his findings and the indictment against Libby without indulging in politics. He didn't deceive or play any additional games. He played straight, which is something many believe is missing in Washington these days.
Posted by Chip Spear at 11:32 AM | Comments (2)
October 24, 2005
Player of the Week for Oct. 24 - Tom DeLay
Love him or hate him, you have to give "The Hammer" credit for his smooth move mug shot.
Many opponents of the controversial Texas Republican were waiting with baited breathe for a typical mug shot of the congressman. They wanted to see him with the typical two shot photo, in black and white, unsmiling with the identification number. But DeLay had other plans. He showed up at a different police station than expected, one which would allow him to dress in a coat and tie and without the usual photo accoutrements. The picture could be a campaign photo it is so flattering. You have to hand it to the guy, he is clever.
Posted by Chip Spear at 10:15 AM | Comments (2)
October 16, 2005
Play(er) of the Week for Oct. 16 - Iraq Referendum & G.W. Bush
Watch the Player of the Week video here.
The big game this week was the referendum on the Iraqi constitution. normally I pick an individual as our Player of the Week, and if I kept to that I would have to pick the President. He has pushed and shoved and done everything possible to get democracy started in Iraq. There is no question that there are problems, many of them. The President has failed and been thrown for more than a few losses. That said, there is no question that the fact that this referendum occurred, with relatively few problems is a major accomplishment. Yes, the constitution is imperfect, and yes, there is no guarantee that the country won't turn into total chaos, but it is a very significant step. Congratulations George, you are Political Sports Player of the Week for Oct. 16th, 2005.
Posted by Chip Spear at 11:57 AM | Comments (3)
October 10, 2005
Player of the Week for Oct. 10
Mohamed ElBaradei is this week's Political Sports Player of the Week. Mr. Baradei and the organization he leads, The International Atomic Energy Agency, won this year's Nobel Peace Prize, which was announced this week. The White House strongly criticized ElBaradei in the period leading up to the start of the Iraq War, contending that his findings, indicating that Iraq did not have any WMD, including nuclear weapons, was absolutely wrong. You can read this interesting article. I have quoted part of it below.
In February 2003 - a month before the U.S. invasion - ElBaradei told the United Nations that nuclear experts had found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. He said "We have to date found no evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear-related activities in Iraq." John Bolton - who is now the US ambassador to the United Nations - responded by saying this is "impossible to believe." Vice President Dick Cheney said "I think Mr. ElBaradei frankly is wrong." But it turned out ElBaradei was correct. He was also correct when he publicly cast doubt on President Bush's claim that Iraq was purchasing tons of enriched uranium from Niger for a nuclear weapons program. Days before the U.S. invasion, ElBaradei revealed that the U.S. had relied on fabricated documents to come to that conclusion.
Now the U.S. and ElBaradei are at odds again. This time it is over Iran. ElBaradei says the IAEA has no evidence that Iran has a nuclear weapons program. But the Bush administration rejects this view and went so far as to spy on him in an attempt try to block his re-election. Last year the Washington Post revealed that the U.S. listened in on dozens of phone calls between ElBaradei and Iranian diplomats in search of ammunition to use against him. When his re-election was initially put for a vote, 34 nations agreed to keep him as head of the IAEA and only the U.S. expressed opposition. ElBaradei has also called on Israel to disarm its secret nuclear weapons program and called for a nuclear-free Middle East.
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:45 AM | Comments (0)
October 3, 2005
Political Sports Player of the Week
John Roberts is this week's Political Sports Player of the Week. It is not every day that someone becomes a Chief Justice of SCOTUS. With so few, 17, in our history, it is a "supreme" accomplishment. Thousands dream from the time they think of the law and law school, but so very few make it. Our congratulations to him. Watch the video here.
Posted by Chip Spear at 1:35 PM | Comments (2)
September 26, 2005
Player of the Week - North Korea's Kim Jong Il
One day after the big U.S. announcement of an agreement, Kim Jong Il and the North Koreans threw the administration for a big loss, insisting that the "appropriate time" for discussion regarding the light water nuclear reactor was now and not some day in the far distant future after they had dismantled their nuclear weapons facilities. Watch the video here and learn why our President just missed winning.
Posted by Chip Spear at 11:51 AM | Comments (2)
September 20, 2005
Player of the Week for Sept. 19th
We name Karl Rove as this week's Political Sports Player of the Week for his surprise appointment to lead the Gulf Coast reconstruction effort. A political strategist with no or little administrative experience, Karl was named by President Bush to lead one of, if not the, largest reconstruction efforts in U.S. history. Known as an extremely partisan political operative, Karl scored big with the appointment and is sure to help his friends to huge gains in both the political and economic arenas. Congratulations Karl! Watch the latest video here.
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:33 AM | Comments (2)
September 13, 2005
Joe Allbaugh, Our Player of the Week
Joe Allbaugh is our Player of the Week. The former predecessor to Michael Brown as head of FEMA, Allbaugh has been a busy boy securing contracts in Iraq and the disaster torn Gulf Coast for all his friends. Watch the video here.
Posted by Chip Spear at 3:29 PM | Comments (0)