I am going to settle the wired question.

[saracat]

I was at the debate in Tempe. I was also in the spin room. I made the acquaintance of the photographer for the Debate Commission. He was told that it was a security device. It is a transmitter. It does not feed anything to the president but is protective in nature. I asked the WH Press corp, several of them, and they were told the same thing. That is my final answer. I wish people would be concerned with a real issue, like the refusal of the soldiers to go on a suicide mission or Rove testifying!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. It transmits a cardiogram to Bush's doctor

lets him know if a heart attack is imminent. :)

[Democracy Died 2004]

20. I do not care for your settling it.

This is a war. Keep up the lies, insinuations, and conspiracies. They have screwed us with that crap long enuff. pay back time!

[Parche]

2. security device

what President has ever worn a security device like that?

[crispini]

3. Dude, no, this sh*t's FUN...

and it makes people wonder if our president is really that much of a weenie. I had a completely totally apolitical coworker ask me if I thought Shrub was wired. Har! I said, "hey, it looked funny to me!" All I can say is, Go little story, Go! Run run run!

Besides, the white house denied he was wearing anything. In and of itself, suspicious.

[yardwork]

7. "the president is a weenie" meme works for me

That "other issue" makes the Rethuglicans look bad too. I say talk about all of it!

[DemBones DemBones]

27. EXACTLY!!!

Keep that wired story kicked up, make people wonder.

Support the donkey -- It's our ass that's on the line!

:kick:

[ret5hd]

4. i dont buy it for a second...

what data would such a devise transmit that would enhance his security?

[pschoeb]

9. It tells them when he dirties his Depends diapers

nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Sorry, but that smells like spin.

Not yours, but theirs.

This is surprisingly trivial from a technological standpoint. Pedestrian. It's damned near a consumer item.

Even if it was put there to help the SS to keep in touch with Dear Leader, do you not think that his handlers would not use it to prop up a growingly aphasic, unfocused and confused candidate? Think about the people we are talking about. These are no Boy and Girl Scouts. These are some of the most amoral slimeballs to ever frequent the halls of power.

Ever.

Dear ghod, the man is even having trouble with appropriate emotional affect...

[noamnety]

6. I don't get it

What security information could it possibly transmit?

That's he's standing 5 feet away from the secret service? That he's still alive?

[PretzelWarrior]

8. I can juggle 5 balls at once

so...I think average person can tune in to Chalbi-GATE, Enron-GATE, Halliburton-GATE, etc.

and still have time and attention to countenance the idea that our commander-in-thief would wear a wire to get an advantage in debates.

[trumad]

19. That is the best reply that I've ever read

to someone who says we should focus on certain things rather than stuff like this... Excellent

[Malva Zebrina]

10. Bush, the illiterate, ignoramus, who cannot put together a coherant

thought or sentence, gets a security device, but Kerry does not? or Cheney? Or Edwards?

No way. I am convinced that he is being fed his lines and information via an ear piece. He is NOT that articulate. The second debate showed him as a teeth grinding idiot. No way could he have come up with what he did in the third debate without someone talking into his ear.

Given the record of the sleeze balls and their propensity to cheat any way they can in the most tawdry manner--it is a viable explanation of that box in the back.

They are desperate.

We cannot let them get away with a thing this time around.

He had a transmitter attached to hi8m that was prompting him.

[BeyondThePale]

12. Where was Cheney's security device?

What type of security exactly did it provide--a forcefield to protect him from JK's thoughtful attacks? (apparently it did not work!)

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. If that is true, was Kerry given the option to wear a device?

If they are so concerned about Bush's safety at the debate, then Kerry was in danger also.

The only time both candidates are ever together during the campaign is for the three debates. Under the circumstances, Kerry should have had, or at the least, been advised to wear, the same protection while on stage with Bush.

[saracat]

14. he isn't president(and I know neither is Bush) Whatever!

This isn't a real issue. Neither is Bush being an idiot or the Cheney daughter issue, but hey knock yourselves out. It is true the sheeple would probably be more interested in this than the Plame story.

[Tansy_Gold]

24. Well, yes, of course, let's discuss the Plame case

There's so much to discuss. We can speculate on what Karl Rove told the grand jury. We have so much evidence on which to base our speculations -- exactly NOTHING.

Or we could speculate on what happened to the 17 members of the 343rd QM Co. and why they refused to go to Taji. We have exactly one newspaper report on which to base our speculations.

So it's a slight diversion for us to discuss the things on which we do have SOME foundational evidence -- photographs of "the bulge" on various occasions, statements from medical and security experts, photos of potential devices, etc., etc., etc. You don't want us to take their word for it on anything, but we should take yours? And yours is based on what the GOP insiders tell you? Like they would tell you the truth?

GMAFB.

[saracat]

25. Foundational evidence? Pictures that prove what ?

The video isn't clear and it isn't clear that the photo's weren't tampered with. I also talked to Mike McCurry and Terry McCauliffe and they aren't GOP insiders. They consider this garbage and obfuscation.
The Debate Commission Photog was no GOP insider but an ordinary working stiff from Brooklyn who just knows what he saw and what he was told. He actually gave a more detailed explanation that made a lot of sense. I am not technical enough to regurgitate it, but it was an honest assessment.
As far as the 343 QM Co and the 17 Guys who refused to endanger themselves, there is a hell of a lot more than one newspaper story. Just turn on the news. Try CBS. You GMAFB

[Tansy_Gold]

30. I didn't say the pictures "prove" anything

I said they provided something to talk about, a starting point.so what if they aren't clear? So what if we don't know for sure what they're of? They give us a starting point.

As more information becomes available about the 343rd QM, we'll talk about it. If we want.

Same with Rove and the Plame investigation.

Look, if you're happy with the photographer from Brooklyn's second-hand explanation, fine. I'm not going to argue with you. And I'm not going to argue with anyone who wants to accept your explanation. That's fine. Maybe it's even accurate. I don't know; I don't swing in the rarefied circles you do so I don't get into the spin room. I'm just a plain ol' citizen watchin' the thing on tv (when I can stand to look) and talkin' about it with my pals on DU.

Most of us are hiding behind screen names -- except ChrisHeinz and dwolper and maybe a few others -- so no one has any proof of who we are or what expertise we bring to the DU table. There are those who claim to be lawyers, doctors, nuclear physicists and maybe they are and maybe they aren't. But I just think -- mho, nothing more -- it's impolite for anyone to post "I have the final answer, so the rest of you STFU and listen to me and don't talk about anything else."

In a way, DU is our sounding board. We get to explore ideas among a relatively congenial crowd -- keeping in mind, of course, that freepers and others can lurk and copy and blab -- but if 30 of us want to start threads on Mary Cheney's gayness or John Edwards's cuteness or boosh's droopy lip, who cares? Don't like the thread, ignore it. Don't wanna talk about Mary Cheney? Don't talk about her. But I have a real problem with people coming on DU and telling me what I can and can't speculate about.

[saracat]

34. Where do I say you can't talk about anything?

I said it was my "final answer", paraphrasing "who wants to be a millionaire" . Maybe I should have put it in quotes! I don't think it has to be anyone else's. I just think that it is and obfuscation of the real issues and we could concentrate our efforts elsewhere. But JMHO. I am not the first and I won't be the last to give an opinion on what we should converse about. But that is what it is an opinion.
And isn't your telling me I can't post a thought suggesting that you shouldn't speculate tantamount to telling me I can't post a point you don't agree with, because you have a "problem with" it?
I really don't care about what anyone wants to speculate about. I was just attempting to share what I thought was interesting information. It settled the question for me. Others can differ. And these aren't "rarefied circles". They were begging for volunteers to work the spin room.

[ClintonTyree]

13. Like my dog's "Invisible Fence"?

If he wanders too far or gets near the road he gets a schock?

[spanone]

15. One would assume a kidnapper would remove it, eh?

It sort of makes sense, but you don't think security would be tellin' folks about it?

[librechik]

16. aand I for one believe it because my Chimpy never lies

and never expects his lackeys to lie for him either.

Besides, it would make the story completely go away if they simply admit it's real and a security device. We ant the story to build and build and sow doubts.

Besides, I like their other explanation better: Yes, Bush is an alien.

snip
"Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman was deep into his pre-debate spin with a group of reporters in Tempe this afternoon when he was asked about the bulge on Bush's back. "I didn't see it, I didn't pay attention to it, "Mehlman said. "I was amused to hear that someone thought it was a transmitter."

Mehlman kept saying he doesn't know what people saw in the suit, and he started joking about whether his own suit had a bulge. A reporter cut him off and asked: "Who knows what it is?" Mehlman responded: "I do not know. I will try to find out and tell you."

Pressed for a "legitimate explanation," Mehlman said: "The president is an alien. You heard it here first. The president is an alien. That's your quote of the day. He has been getting information from Mars. The shock of the debate will be the president's alien past will be exposed, which is why that box is there."

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/archive.html?day=20041013

(scroll down)

[merh]

17. Do you believe the information that the admin gives the Press

corp? If you do, then you need to wear a transmitter for security purposes, in case you get lost - your loved ones may find you too!

:shrug:

HOW CAN ANYONE BELIEVE THE "INFORMATION" PROVIDED BY THIS ADMIN?

Bush served in Alabama in 1972 & 1973 - he was not awol.
There are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
SH & Iraq had ties to 9/11.
The shrub never said he wasn't concerned about Usama!
Et cetera, et cetera

and give me a F*ckin' break!

For a list of the lies from the debate go to this link
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1082425

But it is a transmitter and the story is at rest because they said it was a transmitter, so don't bring it up again and that is good enough for me!

[txindy]

18. It sends out signals to convince people to believe what they're told

by the WH and its press corp. Because it must be true.

Why is it that people who are tired of talking about Junior's wire always seem to bring it up? :shrug: Not that I mind. I think it's fun to talk about!

So, anyone think Mary Cheney is wired? How about her mother?

[Cha]

21. Well, now that we know what it really

is..maybe we can. I don't blame people for wondering :wtf: it was!

[Kadie]

22. So they can't misplace him? n/t

[Bluebear]

23. No offense but I can do a crossword AND watch TV at the same time

I'm interested in ALL the issures you mention as well as if the President was wired. Your meeting a photographer and without knowing anything else about him taking his word for what it is is interesting but doesn't 'settle' it in my mind. Someone else posted a photo of Bush at the WH at Xmas and he had a similary bulge and I am wondering if it is some kind of heart device. I do think the public deserves to know!

[mcg]

26. What does it transmit? How does it protect him?

"a security device. It is a transmitter. It does not feed anything to the president but is protective in nature."

I mean, do they not know where he is?

Does it transmit his vital signs? What?

Maybe they were scared of him having a heart attack during the debates.

Why did they first deny its existence then flip-flop and say this?

They were lying at least once.

[oldtime dfl_er]

28. the British princes wear tracking devices

Chuck, William and Harry all have a tracking device they wear , I think it's embedded in a bracelet. It's small, it's not strapped to their backs, and I'm sure it works just fine.

[hippiegranny]

29. this settles NOTHING!

after weeks of denial that it was even there, everyone is happy with their lame little excuse, pat on the head and dismissive wave?

Yes there are other important things to talk about also, but do you think for a minute that if the Puggies thought our guys were wired to cheat, there wouldn't be an all out act of congress and billion dollar budget appropriation for the investigation?

[chieftain]

31. I have finally given up on it being a communication device .

Had it been , Rove/Hughs would have told the damned fool to wipe the spittle off his mouth .

[democracyindanger]

32. LifeVest

I'm convinced that it's a defibrillator, taking into account the DU posts about the LifeCor LifeVest and the recent comments in Salon by an MD that Bush's droopy lip may be from a stroke, AND him skipping his annual physical.

Also explains why no effort was made to hide the bulge after the first debate.

[gauguin57]

33. Security device? What the hell kind of security device?

He's on TV in front of a gazillion people ... what, they didn't think they'd be able to find the president without a global positioning system?