Is Bush using the Sheehan situation for political gain? (consider)

[NAO]

Regarding the events of September 11, some people reject outright MIHOP or even the milder LIHOP, but no one doubts that the Bush Administration USED the situation for political gain. They took a disaster and ran with it; they used it as an excuse for everything; they used it to maximize electoral success; they used it to attack their opponents.

Now consider the possibility that when confronted with the Cindy Sheehan situation...Bush's adviser (read Karl Rove) saw countless opportunities for political gain for Bush by NOT meeting with her, at least not right away.

- When was the last time you heard about ROVEGATE in the news? or the DSM? Have you heard a peep about either, even on the extreme left blogs? Or is everyone talking about the Sheehan situation? Just a few weeks back, every newscast every day was about Rove and how he betrayed Plame. Remember how Scotty sweated and stammered in that press conference? Is the Sheehan situation being allowed to happen and even being drawn out to draw fire away from Rove and his criminal acts?

- How often do Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity et al talk about Sheehan and fire up the conservative base by fueling resentment? Nothing fires up the conservative base like resentment. These people took resentment over the civil rights legislation of the 1960s and ran with it, outright calling it a "Southern Strategy". The conservative base has become (slightly) more placid since they got over gloating about the 2004 election. Need to get them fired up before the mid-terms.

- Bush NEEDS to get out of Iraq BEFORE the mid-terms. He needs a pretense for quitting that will save political face. Would he try to paint a (belated, faked) heartfelt response to Cindy Sheehan as a case of him being sympathetic AND responsive to the demands of the American people to get out of Iraq? He He is of course, NOT responsive to the demands of the American people, but if he can do something he WANTS TO DO ANYWAY, and make it LOOK LIKE responsiveness, he will. Is there any BETTER way, from a political angle, for Bush to get out of Iraq? Would anything else make him look better? Would anything else be a such a dramatic pagent?

The callousness, the arrogance, the contempt for the American people, and the Machiavellian manipulation of the Bush Administration are beyond anything ever seen before. Remember the example of 9/11: the death of over 3,000 people and the loss of billions of dollars were VERY CLEVERLY USED, to MAXIMUM POLITICAL BENEFIT.

None of this is meant to denigrate Cindy Sheehan and the fantastic thing she is doing. Everyone is very excited about the grassroots swelling of the anti-war movement, the rallys, etc. I just think we need to consider the possibility that Bush might use ANYTHING to his advantage...and consider the stark contrast in the news coverage from Rovegate 24/7 a few weeks ago to utter silence on the issue now. And consider the counter-protests and the coverage they get. And consider the firing up of the conservative base...and 1000 other things that an evil mind like Karl Rove can use to his benefit in the face of an (apparent) political disaster.

[shraby]

1. Rovegate will jump up and bite him in the

ass when Fitzgerald is done investigating. It makes no difference how much it's in the news. It won't go away. Meanwhile Cindy is focusing the people on the illegality of the whole war. It just gives bushco another headache. Don't think they're not sweating Fitzgerald. They're sweating bullets. There is an espionage act that carries a death penalty in time of war for what they did. If that's the one they are indicted under they have plenty to worry their minds about.

[eggman67]

2. They do tend to make lemonade outta lemons it would seem (n/t)

[NAO]

3. EXACTLY. They are masters at the lemons/lemonade game. -nt

[AndyTiedye]

4. Comey's Departure

When was the last time you heard about ROVEGATE in the news? or the DSM?

Just before Comey's departure was announced. Now Comey is on his way out, that means the end of Fitzgerald's investigation.
RoveScooterBushCheney are home free, and the media knows it.

Bush NEEDS to get out of Iraq BEFORE the mid-terms.

No, he doesn't. He just needs

[NAO]

5. "he just needs..." was that a statement, or a accidental premature post?

[AndyTiedye]

11. He Just Needs Diebold

I had included a link to the Diebold logo after

"He just needs"

like this

He just needs




With all things are possible.

[KaryninMiami]

7. God I hope you are wrong and know in my heart you are probably right.

With that said, however , I still believe that the CIA are pissed off enough that they will not let the Fitzgerald investigation fade away. Also, at this point, there are enough insiders pissed off at their lies and the way they've been treated by the Bushies that they are spilling the beans (including possibly Powell) to Fitzgerald so they too will not let this story die. Before Iraq became so unpopular, the GOPs in Congress were petrified about disagreeing with Bush decisions and cowered in fear rather then speaking out against these neocons. Now however, some are fearing for their jobs, since it's clear that they have much to worry about in 2006.

As for Diebold, you are indeed correct. One simple flick of a switch and regardless of what the exit polls say, they can fix it all in a snap. But- not if the numbers are overwhelmingly not in their favor on a national level. The ground swell if the try to pull it off again with things are they are today, would be too huge for them to get away with it.

Call me an optimist, call me naive, call me desperate to hold on to one shred of hope that we will find our way out of this nightmare...

[AndyTiedye]

13. I Hope I am Wrong Too!

Certainly I wouldn't want a bunch of highly-trained ex-spooks that pissed off at me.
Lucky for him it's the "intelligence" side rather than the "operations"
side, and luckier still that he retains control of all of the media
assets.

Fitzgerald is certainly the wild card. I have no idea what went
on to cause him to be appointed. For Ashcroft to recuse himself, after
shielding the administration for years, and allow a real investigation
to occur is most remarkable.

When Comey's departure was announced, the first thing I thought of was,
"Saturday night massacre" just like Nixon tried to during Watergate,
especially when Robert McCaulum was reported to be Comey's successor.
Obviously the media thought the same thing. Overnight they started
being nice to the regime again. Big media ignored Cindy for as long
as they could, and then waited for Rove to drum up some astroturf for
them to give greater-than-equal time to.

Thing is, McCaulum didn't get the appointment. David Margolis was
appointed instead. He's not the saturdaynightmassacreing type at all.
Things have gotten more complicated, and the media moguls seem to be
trying to hedge their bets a little.

[Mark E. Smith]

6. Rovegate is pretty much on hold until the indictments are handed down

What else is there to say that hasn't already been said? Everyone is aware of the situation and is awaiting indictments. And when that happens won't it be a wonderful day?

Don't over-think this stuff. Bush's poll numbers are in a freefall. He is in no way benefiting from anything that is going on right now. This is one punk-ass president who is about to be forcefed a very large mountain of his own bullshit karma.

Relax. Enjoy the flight.

[mikelewis]

8. I have my tray table down and my shoes off!

[rman]

9. he doesn't seem to be gaining much though

[jayctravis]

10. Even if he does the right thing and meets with her...

there ain't NO way he's going to be able to get through the press conference afterward.

If it were in private, pretty much Cindy will verbally let him have it. He would do the Presidential thing and "freedom, terror, democracy, blah blah blah" will get either an eyerolling speech button for a manufactured turn of phrase, or he'll do something stupid like call her "Cindy Sheen" and remark how much Laura loves her dad on The West Wing.

If it's broadcast...well. That won't happen.

He can continue to ignore her, and then it becomes an epic CNN vigil story, except this fetching woman is not dead and missing. She's everyone's Mom, and the President doesn't have time for her.

[LittleClarkie]

12. Cover something damaging with something damaging?

I think we're starting to see double and triple crosses where they aren't.

I think it's all damaging. One bumps another out of the way, but if it makes Bush look like an asshat, it's all good.

But it is true that Rovegate could actually have legs legally, whereas Sheehan might just effect popular opinion.

Nevertheless, let me remind you that there was this vet in 1971 who helped end a war. And I suspect that Cindy might be filling that same role in 2005. Maybe what she's doing is helping turn popular opinion. And even if Bush doesn't give a shit about popular opinion, others in his party do. If he becomes too damaging to them, they just might cut him loose in space.

I can dream.

[NAO]

14. I had not considered the Kerry parallel. Still, it could be damage ctrl.

Yes, her situation, including media coverage is very similar to John Kerry in 1971. And his activism and the media attention he garnered certainly helped to end the Vietnam War.

As far as covering something damaging with something damaging, yes, I think they do it all the time. I think they allow scandals to be leaked, at the proper time to mis-direct attention. It's like taking a bullet to your wrist when a sniper has your head in his sights, and you happen to be wearing handcuffs. Yes, you do get shot, but your life is spared and you are freed from your bonds. Many of the "damming" revelations of 9/11 were of this nature.

Michael C. Ruppert, author of "Crossing the Rubicon", calls this maneuver a "limited hangout".

Michael A. Hoffman, author of "Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare", calls it "The Revelation of the Method".

***

"As the mountebank delivered his harangue, the clown would repeatedly poke his head out from behind the curtain, making fun of everything his master said, parodying his patter and twisting the meaning of his words."

"The mountebank played the perfect straight man, meanwhile. Here he was, trying so hard to hawk his wares, and his own assistant was doing everything possible to undermine his efforts."

"The merriment was of course intentional. While the clown seemingly encouraged the public not to buy the proffered merchandise, the mountebank knew full well that the bystanders would easily be converted into customers as soon as they forgot that they were, if fact, supposed to be buying. Once the audience had been effectively hypnotized, once its judgment and willpower had been weakened, the real sales pitch could begin..."

- J.H. Towsen’s Clowns quoted by Michael A. Hoffman II in Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare, p.18.

"Almost all people of all eras are hypnotics. Their beliefs are induced beliefs. The proper authorities saw to it that the proper beliefs were induced, and people believed properly"

-Charles Fort in "Wild Talents"