I pulled a Bill O'Reilly on a co-worker

[zbdent]

(2nd co-worker in this story).

This morning, I briefly mentioned the NFL draft with a co-worker who actually know more about the Steelers than I do, yet he's a Browns guy.

Later that morning, I passed him in the hall, with a second co-worker nearby. (Second co-worker seems to buy into the "Clinton is Satan" shit, yet is treasurer for the Union. Go figure. Normally a nice lady.).

So anyway, Coworker 1 (CW1) mentions that he can't believe that a person would pass up millions in NFL dollars to go fight for Bush.

I mentioned to him that the referred to was in Afghanistan, not Iraq.

CW1 was like "Yeah, but it's still Bush."

(Believe it or not, I was defending Bush, on a low level, but I WAS DEFENDING BUSH! - just not in so many words).

CW2 decides to "convince" me (even though CW1 was the one blaming Bush for the football guy's predicament) by starting to spout off with the RW bullshit about how Bill Clinton wouldn't be bothered with trying to do anything about terrorists because he was boinking Monica Lewinsky yadda yadda yadda.

Loudly, I told her "Oh, " state-your-name ", just SHUT UP!" and slammed the door on her (not right to/on her face, if she waddled at a faster pace, she'd have a heart attack). Normally a nice enough person, but I've had it with her crap about what a stain on humanity Clinton was and how Bush is doing a great job.

So, whaddaya think? This dinosaur has been around since the Paleolithic era of the workplace that I've been at for just over 15 years. Think she'll try to get my ass in trouble?

[Frances]

1. I hope not

[On the Road]

2. You May Not Think So Now,

but she may be less likely to come out with that line in the future now that someone objected to it. Most people (including me much of the time) let statements like that pass even if they don't agree with them. Problem is, some people feel encouraged to keep on going until they get smacked.

And if she does manage to get you in trouble, you can sincerely apologize, but say that she made an inflammatory political statement that really ticked you off. Mature, diplomatic, and most importantly, absolutely true.

[zbdent]

3. I've been in a good relationship with this grandmotherly type ever

since I came here, but I have heard that she'd stab you in the back if necessary . . .

She knows where all the bodies are buried. I think that the Board of Directors (I work for the county Govt) are hoping that she dies instead of retires.

[On the Road]

11. Oh, Well in That Case

she may have been the wrong person to antagonize. But sometimes these things slide right off, especially for people who love office intrigue. Just be extra nice to her the next few times you see her.

[RobertSeattle]

4. Slightly OT - Is there a website that tracks "Talking like O'reilly?"

He's got the most arrogant speaking style - worse than Hannity or Rush. Examples:

"Any THINKING person knows that ..."

"If you are really informed about this issue you understand that ..."

"An unbiased view of this subject would lead one to think that ..."

In other words, he starts out his premises with a built in assumption that if you disagree with O'really you are an idiot. "You either think as I do or you are an idiot - what do you think?"

[Gman]

5. Get together a recall petition on her

get her ass out of her union position. She's not serving the interest of thee membership.

[Touchdown]

6. One of my Union leaders reads Ann Coulter.

I saw those ghastly books on his desk, and puked. The Treason Diet and the one about Bill Clinton where he turned her down.

What a tool! I didn't vote for him.

[zbdent]

8. I mentioned the union thing because I can't see how she

wraps her mind around directly/indirectly supporting union-busting Bush by trying to paint Clinton as the anti-Christ.

Normally, she's one of the best of the union officers. Tough as nails. But I can't see why she'd really support Bush. (Oh, she's Irish-Catholic. BUT she badmouths Kennedy too!)

I have another co-worker who is on the union that worries me. Supported Bush over Gore, nearly turned purple trying to convince me that Clinton admitted it in court that he cheated. "Votes his pocketbook". When trying to explain to him about the hypocrisy of Charlie Daniels, he played dumb, saying "Who?". (On a related note, he wasn't able to identify the painting "Starry Night" either.)

These two are nice people, just they are steadfast in their support of Bush. (You know, "I have many friends who are Democrats", type of people). To the point of blinders. Next time he gets all huffy, I'm going to bring up his military-age son and ask when his kid's going to drop out of college to sign up for the war his daddy supports . . .

[Gman]

9. Actually, she's NOT "one of the best"

if she's not supporting the entire union program.

I'd be circulating a petition on her. In most unions you only need 20% of the membership to sign requesting a recall election.

[Th1onein]

7. I make it a point to NEVER defend Bush on any level.

[zbdent]

10. The defense could have been on the level of "Bush is actually

trying to get the terrorists in Afghanistan." Like the attacks that Clinton did while "trying to distract the nation from the impeachment hearings" while "not doing anything about the terrorists".

I feel there's some justification in the Afghanistan conflict (and don't forget that Hillary went there, with far less security, the very same day that W essentially did a flyover of allied-forces-occupied Baghdad airport on Thanksgiving 2003). In the days following 9/11, I was telling my co-workers that we had to be sure of who did this, so that we were fighting the right people. Apparently, W never listened to this, because less than six months later, he didn't give a damn about OBL. Now that it's an election year, the OBL boogeyman is back in the sights.

[demnan]

12. You can't pursuade someone who already has their minds

made up, so why not just avoid talking politics to them. If someone is questioning that's the time to make a stand. Otherwise, you are just ruining your reputation at work and wasting time.

[RamboLiberal]

13. I almost pulled an email Randi Rhodes just moments ago

Someone forwarded one of those bulls**t Robin Williams said this jingoistic email. I have a 5 minutes delay on my email so I decided to edit and told them next time to check snopes.com first before sending this stuff. Did end the email with "God Bless the Dixie Chicks". I'm so sick of the RW whining and in-your-face crap. I fell surrounded by Wingnuts at my place of employment.

Decided to display my ABB sticker and wear my Outsource Bush cap to the office.

I think the only reason I didn't do an Randi in that email was that earlier today a coworker I would've never guessed would send sent me a funny if the WMD's were a software program email. Here's it is for any of you who haven't seen.

Why We Went In: Version 10.0

by P.J. Crowley and Robert O. Boorstin
March 19, 2004

In the year since the invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration has repeatedly shifted its justification for going to war and constantly changed its story on intelligence, the United Nations, reconstruction, political transition and the cost to the American taxpayer. More than anything, the administration's war in Iraq resembles a software program that, at first, works brilliantly, but then catches the user in a cycle of "fatal error" messages.

Here then, in Silicon Valley terms, is a review of the Bush administration's year in Iraq:

Saddam Hussein poses an 'imminent threat' to the American people.

a.. Version 1.0 - Saddam Hussein is an imminent threat
b.. Version 1.01 - Saddam Hussein is a gathering threat
c.. Version 1.02 ! - Saddam Hussein poses a real and dangerous threat
d.. Version 1.1 - The smoking gun will be a mushroom cloud
e.. Version 1.2 - We can't afford to wait
f.. Version 1.3 - We never said imminent
g.. Version 1.3.1 - OK, maybe we did say it once or twice
h.. Version 1.4 - We should have been more precise

Saddam Hussein is ready to use weapons of mass destruction.
a.. Version 2.1 - Saddam has weapons of mass destruction
b.. Version 2.2 - Saddam has nuclear weapons

c.. Version 2.3 - Saddam has biological agents he's never accounted for
d.. Version 2.3.1 - The trailers are mobile labs for producing chemical weapons
e.. Version 2.3.2 - Unmanned aircraft are ready to spread Saddam's biological weapons
f.. Version 2.4 - Saddam's going to make more of all these weapons
g.. Version 2.5 - We all know where the weapons are

h.. Version 2.5.1 - Well, Saddam has used weapons of mass destruction
i.. Version 2.5.2 - Iraq is a big country. We'll find the weapons eventually.
j.. Version 2.5.3 - Saddam had weapons of mass destruction programs
k.. Version 2.5.4 - Saddam had "weapons of mass destruction program related activities"
l.. Version 2.5.5 - David Kay? Who's David Kay?
m.. Version 2.6 - It's not about misleading the American people - Saddam Hussein is gone and that's the most important thing


The intelligence is clear.

a.. Version 3.0 - We based our statements on our available intelligence
b.. Version 3.1 - Saddam tried to buy uranium ore in Niger
c.. Version 3.1.2 - Well, that was what the British told us
d.. Version 3.1.3 - Did we tell you about Joe Wilson's wife?
e.. Version 3.1.4 - Do you know a good lawyer?
f.. Version 3.2 - The intelligence is absolutely clear
g.. Version 3.2.1 - Intelligence is never 100 percent certain
h.. Version 3.2.2 - We didn't manipulate the intelligence
i.. Version 3.3 - There was no consensus within the intelligence community
j.. Version 3.3.1 - We saw the same intelligence the last Administration did

Saddam Hussein has deep ties to al Qaeda.

a.. Version 4.0 - Saddam has long-standing ties to al Qaeda
b.. Version 4.0.1 - You can't distinguish between Saddam and al Qaeda
c.. Version 4.0.2 - There is an al Qaeda terrorist network in Iraq
d.. Version 4.0.3 - Saddam has provided al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training.
e.. Version 4.0.4 - Saddam will give his weapons to al Qaeda
f.. Version 4.0.5 - Colin Powell: I have not seen smoking-gun, concrete evidence about the connection
g.. Version 4.0.6 - Vice President Cheney: I still believe there's a connection.
h.. Version 4.0.7 - CIA Director George Tenet: I told Dick not to say that.

The United Nations just can't handle this.

a.. Version 5.0 - The UN had 12 years to deal with this
b.. Version 5.1 - We don't trust the UN to handle this
c.. Version 5.1.1 - We don't need the UN's help
d.. Version 5.1.2 - The UN should play a vital, but not central role
e.. Version 5.1.3 - You there, UN, tell Ayatollah Sistani that elections aren't possible
f.. Version 5.1.4 - UN, please oversee the election process
g.. Version 5.1.5 - Pretty please? We'll pay our dues

The war in Iraq won't hurt our efforts in Afghanistan or the hunt for Bin Laden.

a.. Version 6.0 - Iraq won't affect our hunt for bin Laden
b.. Version 6.1 - Assets have been moved from Afghanistan to Iraq
c.. Version 6.1.1 - Assets are being returned to Afghanistan
d.. Version 6.2 - We're mounting a spring offensive against bin Laden
e.. Version 6.2.1 - We'll catch bin Laden this year
f.. Version 6.2.2 - We hope to catch bin Laden this year
g.. Version 6.3 - Even if we catch bin Laden, the threat will still exist.


Mission accomplished.

a.. Version 7.0 - We won't need hundreds of thousands of troops - that's wildly off the mark
b.. Version 7.1 - Mission accomplished
c.. Version 7.1.1 - We'll stay as long as needed and not one day more
d.. Version 7.1.2 - The troops will be home in six months
e.. Version 7.1.3 - The Iraqi Army will provide security
f.. Version 7.1.4 - Where's the Iraqi Army?
g.. Version 7.1.5 - We've disbanded the Iraqi Army
h.. Version 7.1.3 - The troops will stay a year and be replaced
i.. Version 7.2 - We're training the Iraqi army - Iraqification will work
j.. Version 7.2.1 - We don't need any more American troops
k.. Version 7.2.2 - Well, maybe we do
l.! . Version 7.2.3 - We're keeping 30,000 more troops on active duty than were authorized
m.. Version 7.2.4 - We don't know if this increase in troops is a spike or a plateau
n.. Version 7.2.5 - We're establishing stop loss so troops can't leave
o.. Version 7.2.6 - The Army is planning multi-year rotations

The cost to the American taxpayer.

a.. Version 8.0 - Economic advisor Larry Lindsey: The war will cost $200 billion
b.. Version 8.0.1 - President Bush: You're fired!
c.. Version 8.1 - The war will pay for itself very quickly
d.. Version 8.1.1 - Iraqi oil revenue will pay for reconstruction
e.. Version 8.2 - Our allies will help us
f.. Version 8.3 - We'll pay for the war through supplementals
g.. Version 8.3.1 - Congress wouldn't let us put it in the budget
h.. Version 8.3.2 - Can we please have $87 billion?
i.. Version 8.3.3 - Well, we really can't calculate what it will cost
j.. Version 8.3.4 - Well, maybe we can - $50 billion may be on the low side
k.. Version 8.3.5 - Ask us after Novem! ber 2


Democracy comes to Iraq.

a.. Version 9.0 - We will be greeted as liberators
b.. Version 9.0.1 - We'll establish democracy in Iraq
c.. Version 9.1 We'll turn this back to the Iraqis quickly
d.. Version 9.1.1 - President Chalabi will be welcomed with open arms
e.. Version 9.1.2 - Well, not so fast - we're prohibiting political parties
f.. Version 9.2 - We have the November 15 agreement - it's unchangeable
g.. Version 9.2.1 - We will appoint a small governing council
h.. Version 9.2.2 - Well, maybe a larger one
i.. Version 9.3 - We don't favor elections
j.. Version 9.3.1 - Caucuses work in Iowa, why not Iraq?
k.. Version 9.3.2 - OK fine, we'll have elections
l.. Ver! sion 9.4 - We can't return sovereignty until there is a constitution
m.. Version 9.4.1 - Nevermind, we'll turn over sovereignty first
n.. Version 9.4.2 - We need to return this to the Iraqis - How about June 30?
o.. Version 9.4.3 - We're still focused on elections the ones on November 2

The bottom line.

a.. Version 10.0 - Trust us. We know what we're doing

P.J. Crowley is senior fellow and director of national defense and homeland security and Robert O. Boorstin is senior vice president of national security at the Center for American Progress.


http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=38989