"we screwed up" MSNBC top story

[montana500]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11120353/

WASHINGTON - Charges against antiwar protester Cindy Sheehan, who was arrested after a scuffle over a T-shirt she wore to the State of the Union address, will be dropped, officials told NBC News Wednesday.

U.S. Capitol Police took Sheehan away in handcuffs and charged her with unlawful conduct, a misdemeanor, when she showed up to President Bush’s address Tuesday night wearing a shirt that read, “2245 Dead. How many more?” — a reference to the number of soldiers killed in Iraq.

But Capitol Police will ask the U.S. attorney's office to drop the charges, NBC News’ Mike Viqueira reported Wednesday.


“We screwed up,” a top Capitol Police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said Sheehan didn't violate any rules or laws.

[UrbScotty]

1. Purposely, of course. (nt)

[cantstandbush]

60. So why the hell don't the Dems raise hell about this? If it had been

the other way around Rove would have TV ads out on it already!

[High Plains]

2. Cindy-bashers, please take note.

[SammyWinstonJack]

12. Who here is bashing Cindy about what happended to her at the SoTU

address? :shrug:

[LittleClarkie]

19. Depends on your definition of bashing

When the person in question is someone you like, then the poster with a critical word is bashing, and how dare you suggest that said person in question doesn't have the right to speak! Traitor, UnAmerican, Troll!!

When the person in question is someone you don't like, then the poster with a critical word is merely expressing dissent, and how dare you abrogate that poster's right to express that dissent. Fascist, UnAmerican, Freeper!!

It's a subjective thing.

(on edit: ack, I can do better than that, clarity wise. I tidied up my phrasology.)

[SammyWinstonJack]

25. So it's that

is, is thing?

[LittleClarkie]

29. I'm still trying to figure out what it means to support someone

Can you "support" someone, and still occasionally say, "Aw geez, I kinda wish he/she wouldn't have said/done that"?

I wish the reaction wasn't so binary sometimes. It's a bit too much like saying support Bush or support the terrorists to say support Cindy or be pro-war. And like I mentioned, does saying that you wish she wouldn't have said/done something mean you don't support her. And if you express yourself civilly in this unpopular opinion, should you still be called a troll?

[hippiechick]

46. No, this is DU. All or nothing.

The motto on the Home Page lately should be: "Abandon all nuances, ye who enter here."


:puke:


on edit ~ just so you don't take my post wrong, I agree with you 100%.

[NoFederales]

37. I was merely outraged while reading her story until I got to the part

about where she said she started crying, and then I got so flushed and choked up. What has happened to these goddamned morons that we used to call citizens? I feel so close to blind and ruinous rage.

NoFederales

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

3. A Little Too Late....

So, she didn't break the law, yet they succeeded in removing her from the speech. Another example of our Fucked up society at work.

Like the guy they shot in Florida, who wasn't posing any threat. Usually they just make up some lame excuse, but this time I guess they could not figure one out, or make up a law that she broke.

[KansDem]

23. "they could not figure one out, or make up a law that she broke"

Too many witnesses.

[FearofFutility]

50. She didn't break the law OR break any rules

So why was she removed?

[RC]

53. To get her out of the way of the tv cameras during bu$h's Lies about the

Union. Can't take a chance of having her up staging the commandeer in thief during his finest hour now can we?

[FearofFutility]

54. It really is sickening.

And the Dems have to worry about refining their message so that it's simple, so that it will resonate with the average person. This is just so damn obvious that I can't believe that further explanation is necessary.

[mandyky]

4. Someone needs to send this to Rep Clayborn

He was on Cspan this morning dissing Cindy - assuming she broke a rule/law.

[TlalocW]

5. Sue their asses

And take the money and run for congress.

TlalocW

[nini]

6. I hope she sues for violation of her civil rights

those nazi pricks. :grr:

[liberalnurse]

16. This is a classic for the ACLU.

Now this is what they are about! Lets go get-em..................:kick:

[nini]

35. I'm gonna send them some more money

I've let my membership lapse.. no more!

:kick:

[liberalnurse]

40. I'm due......I still get my updates

but I do believe time is approaching for my renewal.

[hootinholler]

56. Please consider a small monthly automatic donation...

It helps save on fund raising.

-Hoot

[Straight Shooter]

7. "We screwed up." Thank you for admitting that.

Please call the squatter in the Oval Office and ask him to admit to screwing up, too.

[AzDar]

17. Naw, see....since Capitol Police are taking the fall for that

CHICKENSHIT, who couldn't read his speech off the teleprompter without quivering knowing that the Mother of one the boys he'd needlessly killed was WATCHING him lie his ass off...It's all good. The "threat" is removed and they admit that 'oopsie, we made a mistake; our BAD'. Mission accomplished (for once).
Sue their ASSES off, Cindy!!!

[fooj]

8. Tough shit! Actions have consequences.

Period.

[xiamiam]

45. thats what they would have said to her if they had one leg to stand on

and if they didnt know that there would be hell to pay..

[Submariner]

9. The Idiot-in-Chief is a FUCKING COWARD

Bush had Cindy arrested because he is more of a WIMP than his poppy. He has NO answer to Cindy's question of "What noble cause for invading Iraq" so he has to have her arrested so he won't look like the International PUNK that he is. You SUK lil George. I can't wait for 2009 when your back to your drunk self sitting in your pickup truck by your Crawford pond sucking down the Jim Beam lamenting what an international disaster you are.

[DoYouEverWonder]

39. Bush knew Cindy was going to be there

It was made public hours before the speech that Cindy had been given a ticket and had decided to attend. She was 'watched' from the moment she got there. Why do you think the camera just happened to be in the right spot for the pictures?

This was premeditated on the part of Bush and Co to find an excuse to remove her.

[dmr]

55. I agree, one reason is they didn't want the cameras to pan

over to her grieving face. A woman who represents the hearts of many parents and a good percentage of Americans devasted by this war.

[Fleshdancer]

10. It took them this long to figure out no laws were broken?

I *could* see the argument of escorting her out of the building because of her shirt (although I still wouldn't agree with it) but to arrest her for breaking a law that does not exist? Insane.

[FearofFutility]

51. The article also says she didn't break any RULES

WTF? Why was she removed? I know the answer, but :mad:

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Modus Operandi. Do what you want and then.................

say Ooops. We didn't meant to, it was a mistake.
Bomb a village and not kill anyone except woman and children. Ooops, we made a mistake.

[redirish28]

13. Don't get this wrong: My wife was saying this.

The fact Cindy was remove WAS wrong! BUT the real reason the charges are being dropped is because the spin machine CANNOT spin it to favor the President.

[global1]

41. KKKarl Says - Make This Go Away - And Poof - We Screwed Up....

she broke no laws. KKKarl probably said we need to have one of our side get kicked out of the gallery as well. And lo and behold - they got a (R) and his wife to say she was wronged as well. Did anybody really see her leave the gallery? Any pictures of her? Probably not - because it only happened in the sick mind of KKKarl.

[BrotherBuzz]

14. Has anyone seen or talked to Mike Weight, the usher/guard?

Inquiring minds want to know...:shrug:

[TechBear_Seattle]

15. Mission accomplished

She would have been a "distraction" that took away from the Junta's (fake) message of hope and optimism.

I'm getting a bit tired of the way they use invalid arrests to remove distractions from media events.

[Dr Fate]

18. Liars. You did it on purpose. n/t

n/t

[EVDebs]

20. They've Screwed Up, Gen Zinni said it about Bushco....

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/21/60minutes/main618896.shtml

""Zinni says Iraq was the wrong war at the wrong time - with the wrong strategy. And he was saying it before the U.S. invasion. In the months leading up to the war, while still Middle East envoy, Zinni carried the message to Congress: “This is, in my view, the worst time to take this on. And I don’t feel it needs to be done now....

“But regardless of whose responsibility I think it is, somebody has screwed up. And at this level and at this stage, it should be evident to everybody that they've screwed up. And whose heads are rolling on this? That's what bothers me most.”""

BUSH screwed up.

And the Nixonian script was written for him in 1973 !
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2432151&mesg_id=2432151

[MANative]

21. Dan Abrams talked about this on

his show and made the dumb comment that "at least both ladies were treated the same." Well, me and my big mouth just sent Mr. Abrams an email pointing out his error:

"You made an error in your report about the two ladies who were "removed" from the gallery at the State of the Union address. Every other account that I've seen, read, or heard made it abundantly clear that Ms. Sheehan was removed and arrested. Mrs. Young was removed but not arrested. Your report stated (paraphrase) "At least the two ladies were treated the same way." Just not the case - whether the charges against Ms. Sheehan have been or will be dropped is immaterial. At the time of the event - the Bush opposition was carted off in handcuffs. Not exactly equal in my book."

Ticked me off :mad:

[spooky3]

24. great email!

[MANative]

28. Thanks - every now and then

I am compelled to dust off my writing skills and compose a righteous missive. This one was pretty tame ;)

[w8liftinglady]

42. I agree

[Straight Shooter]

30. Excellent letter.

Points out the mistake without a diatribe or rancor. That's the kind of letter that gets their attention. :thumbsup:

[MANative]

43. Thanks Straight Shooter - that was my goal!! nt

[SlipperySlope]

22. In a just world, the office would spend time in prison for false arrest.

[unblock]

26. the issue was never 'did CINDY break laws?' it's 'did THEY break laws?'

THEY broke the law when they forcibly expelled her for no reason and arrested her for no crime.

they ROUTINELY arrest and release people, because their goal is removal from the political event. once the political event is over, they have no need to keep you in jail, so they release you and say "oops, our bad." yeah, right, you had NO IDEA that political t-shirts are permitted and decided out of ignorance to err on the side of blatant partisanship. riiiiight.

[tularetom]

27. It wouldn't matter how she was dressed

they were going to find a way to throw her out of there so that * wouldn't see her and have his long awaited nervous breakdown in front of god and everybody on the night of his big speech. Hope she sues their fuckin ass for false arrest and harassment. I'll pitch in to pay her legal fees.

[Crunchy Frog]

31. Wonder if they're only saying that because a Republican's wife

was wearing a t-shirt too, and her husband threw a shit fit over her being asked to leave over it? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2079672

I can't help wondering if things would be different if there hadn't been a Republican wife wearing a t-shirt there.

[Dr Fate]

47. Are you sure? I've yet to see a photo of the wife WEARING that shirt.

Or footage of her being escorted out.

Have you?

[SaveElmer]

32. I have a very high opinion of the Capitol Police...

I used to work as an elevator operator in my college days there, and got to know many of them very well. Really great people. I'm glad they are admitting they made this mistake.

[Dr Fate]

48. Wanna buy a bridge?

It's cheap and twice the price.

[SaveElmer]

58. Have you ever worked with the Capitol Police?

Do you know any of them?

Obviously not....

[BeachBuckeye]

33. I wore an "Al Gore is my President shirt" to the 2003 SOTU speech

I had just attended a dinner with the Democratic leadership in the Mansfield Room directly adjacent to the House Chamber. Hillary got me the ticket to the gallery. I went to the restroom and put on the shirt under my coat and walked directly up to the gallery and right in after going thru security again (we already had gone thru security down in the subway system under the Capitol Building). I had my coat unbuttoned and the guard at the door said to me: "You cannot enter wearing that shirt". I said: "Then arrest me because I'm going in for I know for a fact that I am not breaking any laws." He detained me for a few minutes while waiting to hear from his superiors. After about 5 minutes or so he said: "Ok, you can go in but don't you dare cause a scene". Of course I didn't but I had made my point.

[Jujiman]

34. Cindy is a SUCCESS!

Cindy is exemplifying how corrupt the system is.
She is a SUCCESS!
Now that "we screwed up", is the outcome of her ordeal last night.
Righteous!

[TrogL]

36. They've changed their story

Old version:

Charges against antiwar protester Cindy Sheehan, who was arrested after a scuffle over a T-shirt she wore to the State of the Union address, will be dropped, officials told NBC News Wednesday.

New version:

Charges against antiwar protester Cindy Sheehan, who was arrested after an incident involving a T-shirt she wore to the State of the Union address, will be dropped, officials told NBC News Wednesday.

[guidod]

38. No she didn't break the law.

BUT THEY SURE GOT THEIR POINT ACROSS! ASSHOLES! ASSHOLES! ASSHOLES!

[WHAT]

44. What scuffle?...

Was it an imaginary scuffle?

"Cindy Sheehan, who was arrested after a scuffle..."

Were the handcuffs imaginary, also?

"U.S. Capitol Police took Sheehan away in handcuffs..."

Are we to assume the handcuffs were a result of the scuffle?

Whereas, in art, two imaginary things can make a true thing and two true things can make a true thing and, even, an imaginary thing and a true thing can make a true thing, in news, an imaginary thing and a true thing can not make a true thing even if everybody (doesn't) say so.

And, no, I'm not channeling Rumsfeld.

Those people can't paint or report...

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

49. CNN also "screwed up" with their story about Cindy and the banner

I'm still trying to find out if they actually showed footage of some banner unfurled over a balconey.

[Dr Fate]

52. And CNN has yet to show a photo of the Pro Bush shirt being worn

They offer it as "balance" but cant seem to produce a photo of the wife wearing it.

[Doctor_J]

57. Lilke * screwed up when he told us there were WMD?

Are Cons capable of telling the truth, ever?

[Vidar]

59. At least they admit like real men, not bush-pussies.

[gratuitous]

61. Law enforcement sures screws up a lot, doesn't it?

Especially when it comes to overreacting to keep the Dim Son from seeing/hearing/contemplating any dissent from his glorious policies. If it's not "First Amendment Zones" located miles from Stupidhead's appearances, it's New York's Finest brutalizing peaceable citizens assembling freely to petition the government for redress.

Then, after the one-time event is over and the chance to make a statement is irretrievably lost forever, the law enforcement authorities cheerfully shrug, mouth the words that they screwed up again (D'oh!), and we're sorry for any inconvenience. On you way with you, you irrepressible scamp!

It just seems to happen over and over and over again, doesn't it? And the errors are always in favor of shutting off free speech and stifling dissent. It's just uncanny! And coincidental, I'm sure.