The Prosecution of George W. Bush

[H2O Man]

Earlier today, my younger son bought me a copy of Vincent Bugliosi's new book, "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder." I strongly recommend that DUers buy the book, not only because it is an important read by a capable author, but also because it can serve as a resource for democrats in the 2008 elections.

I've admired Mr. Bugliosi since first reading "Helter Skelter" (1974), which remains the best-selling "true crime" book. While there are other important books on that chapter of criminal history, they should be read along with Vincent Bugliosi's.

Mr. Bugliosi's book "Outrage" (1996) was the single best book on the trial of OJ Simpson. Then, two years later, he turned his attention to the world of politics and injustice, with "No Island of Sanity: Paula Jones v Bill Clinton -- The Supreme Court on Trial." In this 1998 book, Bugliosi documented how the Supreme Court had become a tool of forces seeking to destroy the presidency of Bill Clinton.

In 2001, he wrote "The Betrayal of America: How the Supreme Court Undermined the Constitution and Chose Our President." I consider it to be one of the best books of our time.

Last year, I read Mr. Bugliosi's massive "Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy" (2007). Although I disagree with his conclusions, I recommend the book. (It is also worth noting that Mr. Bugliosi had participated in a civil trial where he produced evidence of a conspiracy to kill Senator Robert F. Kennedy; see William Turner and Jonn Christian's book "The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy" (1978 & 2006)

Just as Turner and Christian's book was almost impossible to locate for twenty years after it was published, the new Bugliosi book -- despite the author's "best-selling" history -- was turned down by several publishers. The book's introduction details how uncomfortable many in the publishing and legal field found it. The reason is not because Vince Bugliosi wrote a weak book, filled with lies. Quite the opposite.

Vincent Bugliosi documents the nature of President Bush's purposeful lies, told to bring the nation to war in Iraq; the destructive nature of the war; and the horrors that the violence in Iraq has visited upon the families of America and Iraq. It is at times extremely painful to read; at other times, such as when Bugliosi describes the lack of character in George Bush, it serves to confirm the things that DUers and others on the progressive left have been saying for years.

The value of the book may be in our ability to make it part of the national discussion this summer and fall. It would be important for the book to become a best-seller, so that those who would prefer to ignore it in the mainstream media are denied that opportunity. (I had noted on an earlier thread today that the owner of the local bookstore I called today said it "isn't the type of book we carry." However, she sells Bugliosi's other books.)

By the weekend, I will have sent letters-to-the-editor of at least six local/regional newspapers, recommending that people buy (or get at their local libraries), and read it. I am confident that it isn't the type of book that many people could start to read, and then put down.

My hope is that some of the area republicans can be counted on to react with a letter attacking either me, the book, or Bugliosi -- without having read the book. This will allow me (or one of the people I coordinate efforts with) to respond to them. If other DUers in different communities and states were to do the same, we could quietly get a national discussion going by fall.

This effort includes working to connect John McCain with the Bush-Cheney war of occupation in Iraq. If the Congress refuses to hold hearings to investigate Bush's lies that got us into the war, or to impeach Dick Cheney for his criminal behaviors, we need to exercise our Constitutional rights, and begin The Prosecution of President George W. Bush for Murder. We have a great prosecutor working with us. Let's allow the public to become an informed jury.

[Donkeykick]

1. Thanks!

I'll have to read it! :hi:

[H2O Man]

6. It is one of

the best books I've read in some time. I have an uncle who is a retired investigator, who had the opportunity to get to know Bugliosi during the years he did trainings on crime scene analysis. My uncle did these trainings for agencies and prosecutors across the nation. He is also a fairly conservative republican, though he is married to a now-retired top aide to a liberal democratic Congressman. My uncle serves as my daughters' grandfather, since my father (his brother) died when my older daughter was one. I am buying a copy of the book for my daughters to give their "grandfather" for Father's Day.

[Binka]

2. Sounds Like A Must Read

I love Vincent B!

[H2O Man]

8. I'm glad that you

saw the OP. I was thinking of you while reading some of the pages of this book that describe the pain that family members endure in a war that was not entered for "national security" reasons, although the criminals in the administration had said that it was.

Chapter One (Opening Up One's Eyes) starts with this: "The book you are about to read deals with what I believe to be the most serious crime ever committed in American history -- the president of this nation, George W. Bush, knowingly and deliberately taking this country to war in Iraq under false pretenses, a war that condemned over 100,000 human beings, including 4,000 young American soldiers, to horrible, violent deaths.That, of course, is the most serious consequence of Bush's monumentally criminal behavior. But let's not forget that, additionally, thousands upon thousands of people have suffered injuries that have disabled them for life; hundreds of thousands of humans have sustained psychic damage from the war, and literally hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people will involuntarily re-create in their mind's eye, over and over again, what happened to their loved ones."

When you get the book, I will look forward to discussing it with you. I think that you and your family are the people that Mr. Bugliosi is advocating for.

[puebloknot]

3. In lieu of dinner and wine out, I'll buy the book and stay in. My daughter and I ...

... heard Bugliosi speak right after Theft 2000, wherein he said (and I'll never forget it): "History will show we should have been in the streets." His agitation as he spoke that night was palpable.

Slowly, slowly, we'll look back as a nation and know we knew it all along -- those who are willing to be honest.

[H2O Man]

9. You know,

Puebloknot, I rarely have a drink. But last night, when I was reading the book, I was thinking about getting a glass of my wife's wine. So if I might make a suggestion, even if you skip going out for dinner, get a bottle of wine for when you read the book.

[me b zola]

4. K&R

:kick:

[H2O Man]

11. Thank you.

It is an important book. It always bothers me when there are efforts/actions that reduce the public's ability to access any book. The publishers who rejected the book were aware it would make money, but they were afraid. In this case, Mr. Bugliosi eventually found a publisher with respect for Amendment 1. The public should show support for the publisher with conscience.

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. I was talking to my eldest brother tonight who was Judge and a prosecutor

Tonight on these issues and Bugliosi's book


He said it will take 4 years to clean out Justice and the government, appoint judges in the appellant courts
let alone raise the number of Supreme Court members to 13 to get anything done.
He has witnessed political change in bureaucracies and the normal turn around is 6 years
He sees nothing happening with Justice and in the Supreme court unless this is done.

Laws have been written by the fascist that take time to overturn

Yes, We have Criminals in government, but the biggest criminals are those that have subverted Justice

[H2O Man]

12. Exactly.

This is why I say that it will take at least twenty years to repair the damage that Bush-Cheney did to the country. Rebuilding the foundation of our Constitutional democracy cannot possible be accomplished in a single administration, nor even by leaders in Washington, DC, alone. It will take a coordinated effort by politicians and citizens at all levels, and will require patience and extremely hard work and dedication. Years ago, I recall one of the Chiefs at Onondaga saying that this type of effort requires that people recognize they may not see the results of their efforts, but who are who are willing to invest their being in the cause without expectations of immediate gratification.

[terrya]

7. I read it and it's a powerful book.

[H2O Man]

13. I'm wondering how many

other DUers have read it, and what your/their impressions are.

[terrya]

18. One thing that struck me was how angry Bugliosi is

And he sure didn't spare the American people in his indictments, either. For going along with Bush's lies.

[H2O Man]

21. He seems to be

fairly angry in recent years. On one hand, I think he would be an interesting candidate for a Supreme Court Justice. Other times, I think his personality could get in the way.

[Blue_Roses]

10. I remember reading, "Helter Skelter," and it scared the living

being out of me! The pictures in the book resonated with me for a long time.

[H2O Man]

14. It was an amazing book.

I bought the 1994 edition, because of the "new" afterword by Vince Bugliosi. He discusses some of the related events that took place in the years between the earlier publications and '94.

Bugliosi has an interesting ability to do profiles of the criminal mind. In the '94 edition of Helter Skelter, he includes the following:

"The same year he wrote President Ronald Reagan at the White House with this advice: 'Keep projecting (to kids) what not to do and you make the thought in their brains of what can and will be done.' Before signing off with 'Easy, Charles Manson,' he told Reagan: 'I'm the last guy in line but I've got all the thoughts for the balance of order and peace with a one-world government if we are all to survive'." (page 677)

As it turns out, there was one late-comer who was behind even Charlie in that line. Manson must be favorably impressed by President George W. Bush's ability to lie to get others to kill nd die for him.

[Blue_Roses]

15. you know, Charles Manson has been said to have a very high IQ

and I used to think this is what drove him mad. Now, I see how it can if the foundation of stability and love isn't prepared. Wasn't his mother a prostitute? I read a documentary on this and I can't remember where it was from. Do you remember anything like this?

I was around eleven when I read that book. My older sister had read it and for some reason I picked it up and was hooked. My mother never knew I had read it, or she would have snatched it out of my hand so fast my head would still be spinning! Sharon Tate always stands out in my mind. What fear she (and of course the others) must have felt. It was so heartbreaking to read it then and even now to think of her.

[H2O Man]

22. He had a strange

type of intelligence, which is often associated with people who are hustlers and/or sociopaths. I am not sure that he was ever actually "tested" for IQ, though I have also heard people say that he had a high one.

His childhood certainly taught him to trust no one, and part of that was a result of his relationship with his mother. A MSNBC special shows an interview with him from a few years back, where it appears that he has experienced a reduction in mental capacity. But it is a curious show, worth watching.

Bugliosi seems to have more of what is almost sympathy for him, because of his childhood in societies' gutter, than for Bush, who he notes had everything provided for him. In fact, Bugliosi does a damning comparison of Bush and Saddam.

[Voltaire]

16. I am in the middle of it right now

It is a harsh indictment of Bush, his enablers and of us for sitting impotently by while it happened. I highly recommend it, although the frank language may be too much for some to get past. It didn't bother ME, in fact I was sorry I didn't write the book myself, he writes EXACTLY what I am thinking most of the time.

[H2O Man]

23. I think it is

a valuable addition to the books by authors including John Nichols and Elizabeth de la Vega. One good thing is that no one can say it is the usual product from the liberal left.

I am particularly interested in what you think as you read it. Much appreciated.

[stevedeshazer]

17. I, too, enjoy reading Mr Bugliosi.

I'll see about picking his new book up today. I'm sure it will make for some interesting discussion here and elsewhere.

[H2O Man]

24. Great!

I really look forward to your impressions. There are a number of DUers who I wish could engage in a "book club" discussion of it here!

[pnorman]

19. I have that "Prosecution of George W. Bush" in Audible.com format,

and I just finished listening to it yesterday. It still echoes in my mind. Normally the text version would be preferable to the spoken word version for non-fiction books. But Bugliosi is a skilled court-room practitioner, and he knows how effective the human voice can be. And the narrator does an excellent job.

That book about the Kennedy assassination is also available at Audible.com. The text version would probably be better, but I had already earmarked it for later purchase and downloading. I would also listen to it with a critical ear, since I too firmly believe it was a conspiracy of some sort. But Vincent most definitely is worth serious consideration.

I also have his book, "None Dare Call It Treason", but in eReader format, and it's now in my smartphone. Here's the Nation article that later became the book: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010205/bugliosi/print It was from that book that I first encountered this paragraph from the Dissenting Opinion of Supreme Court Justice Stevens:

"Although we may never know with complete certainty the identity of the winner of this year's presidential election, the identity of the loser is perfectly clear. It is the nation's confidence in as an impartial guardian of the rule of law."

pnorman

[H2O Man]

26. He is a very talented

presenter. It's no coincidence that he had such an outstanding record as a prosecutor.

[bridgit]

20. Picked up the interview w/Bugliosi on the Ronn Owens show the other day...

Bugliosi is not going to let up. Not sure just what has reinvigorated Kucinich on the floor of congress, perhaps Bugliosi himself; and while I don't agree that mixing impeachment proceedings with what is now the GE process will benefit Dems as a natural flow of events (could as, if not more likely generate misplaced sympathy to a group & person that deserves none), but am behind Bugliosi's take on matters as they relate to bringing charges against g.w. bush

If there were anyone in American history who's time has come to bare direct responsibility for the ill-nature of his actions in private & public life it is g.w. bush

[H2O Man]

27. My brother

on the west coast just e-mailed me, and said he is getting the book today. I think it is going to be recognized as one of the most important books of this era.

[Swamp Rat]

25. k&r

[DemReadingDU]

28. I need to go buy this book

I also read Helter Skelter, many years ago.

[pnorman]

29. Here is Vincent Bugliosi on "Democracy Now!":

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/6/13/despite_opposition_from_his_own_party

He's in the latter half of that video/audio, beginning at ~20 min. into it. (The first half is Dennis Kucinich, discussing his Articles of impeachment).

pnorman