Let's try Something New When they attack the DSMinutes next week!

[oxbow]

I for one will not be writing hundreds of emails to abc, cnn, faux news and every other media slug under the sun telling them that they've been fooled by the right-wing echo chamber yet again. This hasn't worked before, and I doubt it will work in this case. They don't care about a few hundred emails. They have a nation of people watching.

All politics is local. I intend to focus on my local media. local TV stations, local newspapers, local neighbors. I will get atleast three of my friends to call and write with me when this thing breaks, to correct their facts and tell them in no uncertain terms that they'd better get their story right if they intend to keep me as a viewer/reader. We have very little pull on the national scale. We have immensely more pull when it comes to our local media. It's all about the bottom line, so they'd better listen to us if they want our viewership. Call your local fox, abc, nbc, etc affiliates, not the national offices.

So please, everyone, get your talking points ready. Recruit some friends to help you. Tell them that this could very well be the next Watergate if we play things right. Even if your all friends aren't that political, try and talk them into helping you this once. And be ready for the best/worst, because chance favors the prepared.

[eleny]

1. I say we fire up the bbq coals and clean off the spit!

[oxbow]

4. It could be huge. then again it couldn't

Sooner or later this is gonna break.
It might be Monday when Kerry speaks on the floor. It could be next week, when Conyers delivers the letter. I just don't know.

My point is that we have to be ready with the phone numbers and the written emails and everything else, just in case.

The RW echo chamber speaks with ONE voice. It can get its message on the airwaves within hours of a story breaking. Did you see what happenned with Ward Churchill? For us to even begin to counter that, we have to be disciplined and ready to go.

[eleny]

6. I so agree with you about going local - at least at first

I'm of the Watergate generation and have been following this slow, painful drip, drip, drip. So, I'm allowing for a little bit of joyful flippancy now that the stars appear to be converging. Thanks for your advice on this round.

This is the same damn cast of characters who are pretty well prepared this time around. As Bernie Ward said last night - Capitalism is about acquiring capital and slavery is the capitalists favorite workforce. This crowd has come back as if from the grave like ghouls. It won't be easy. But then again, there are enough of us who remember their last go around.

[tnlefty]

2. Belated welcome oxbow!

I like this idea and will begin working on a letter to the local outlets. :hi:

[jean]

3. Very good plan, oxbow! I'm going to get to work on this

[oxbow]

5. Thank you guys. Nominate this if you think its a good idea.

and spread the idea far and wide. If this once in a lifetime opportunity breaks, we have to be ready for it.

[DearAbby]

9. Regaining our country back is worth a few emails and phone calls

no matter how long it takes. I susposed if the continental army of the revolutionary war just gave up when the going was rough..we wouldn't have to worry now.

I will not give up, nor surrender my country. the "It's no use" excuse is not an option.

Yeep starting local and working it at that level is a great idea. thanks for the positive post.

[DesEtoiles]

7. You may find this helpful

http://rapidresponsenetwork.org/blog/2004/10/resource-media-contact-list-key-states.html

List of newspaper contacts by state

[DesEtoiles]

8. And this

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/9/202824/5172

Discussion of how to get ideas to the national media by going through the local media first

[oxbow]

10. A Great letter to help y'all

Thank you NormaR. Great links!

I also found this great letter by our own Pacifist patriot. Don't just copy it though; use facts from it when making your case to local affiliates:

Dear _______:

The American media may be too intimidated to openly challenge the Bush administration regarding the "Downing Street" minutes transcribed during the British Prime Minister's meeting on July 23, 2002, a full eight months prior to the invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003," but the American legislature has a constitutional obligation to investigate. This document demonstrates President Bush's pre-emptive state of mind and his flagrant disregard for his legal obligations to Congress and the American people.

I am disturbed by the media silence regarding this issue, particularly the claim by producers and editors that the document does not constitute a primary source. Their motivation for asserting this false claim is suspect as they know full well a primary source reflects the individual viewpoint of a participant or observer. Examples include: diaries, journals, speeches, interviews, letters, memos, manuscripts, minutes and other papers in which individuals describe events in which they were participants or observers.

More importantly, the contents of the document has already been corroborated by key individuals such as Paul O'Neill, Richard Clarke, Joseph Wilson, etc... We are not being presented with an opinion piece, but a recounting of a meeting. The authenticity has been verified as a report from a high-ranking source to the highest levels of the British government.

As required by H.R.Res. 114, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, the administration was required to report to Congress that diplomatic options had been exhausted before or within 48 hours after military action had started.

Within 48 hours after the attack on Iraq, President Bush supposedly informed Congress in writing that Iraq posed a serious and imminent threat to national security. (see enclosure dated 03/21/03). The “Downing Street” document shows that President Bush knew this was not true. This is a clear violation of the False Statements Accountability Act of 1996, and would constitute a premeditated illegal act by our President.

Surely a legislative body with the courage to impeach President Clinton for his semantic gymnastics before a federal grand jury can find it within themselves to investigate a president whose suspected illegal actions resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings.

The United States Constitution

Article II Section. 4. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article I Section 2. Clause 5: The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Article I. Section 3. Clause 6: The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

I am by no means a constitutional scholar, but I am a citizen with a vested interest in preserving American representative democracy. I interpret our founding document to mean that Congress has a duty to preserve that democracy by serving as a check and balance for the Executive branch. Surely the evidence suggesting President Bush's administration engaged in illegal warfare constitutes valid suspicion of treason and other high crimes warranting a full public investigation. I urge you to work with your colleagues in Congress to restore integrity and dignity to the American government.

Regards,

---

Enclosures:
· Remarks by the President in Address to the Nation The Cross Hall 03/17/03
· Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate 03/21/03
· Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives 03/25/03
· Memo from Matthew Rycroft Re: IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING 07/23/02

Distribution:
Senator Bill Nelson, Senator Mel Martinez, Representative Dave Weldon, Terry Eberle (Exec. Editor Florida Today)

[oxbow]

11. DON'T BE FOOLED: The DSMinutes are primary sources!

The major attack those on the right will make is that this is not a first-hand account, but a second, third, I have even seen 5th hand account.

However, http://library4.vccs.edu/connect/tcc/glossary.htm defines a primary source as "an account by an eyewitness of an event, such as diaries, letters, minutes of meetings, news footage, newspaper articles; data obtained through original research; creative works such as poetry, music, or art."

[oxbow]

12. kickin it for the homies

I say let's try this. We've tried everything else, with little to no results.