MSNBC Analyst: Bush Politicizing Terror Threats to Manipulate Public

[understandinglife]

Submitted by David Edwards on Fri, 2006-02-10 15:24



Crooks and Liars first posted a MSNBC Countdown:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/09.html#a7096

One quote that says it all:

OLBERMANN: We have talked before with deep sadness about the politicizing of counter-terror measures here. You have just put this into a political context. My stomach is queasy as I ask this. In the context of this today and what you have seen, are we far enough removed from that component of the novel "1984" - the part where the government turns a kind of terror faucet on and off to scare the public in to acquiescing to whatever wants to do?

POSNER: I'm afraid that we are unfortunately at that point. ... the government is also very effective, the Bush Administration, at using terror as a political weapon an making sure it can turn on the "fear spigot" when it wants to and turn it off at other times.

http://veredictum.com/node/89

That's clear.

Bush is the # 1 terrorist in the United States of America and the world.


Peace.

[orwell]

1. I'm so tired...

...of "conspiracy theories"...even if they're true...

[mzmolly]

2. Note how shortly after Hillary Clinton said "the fear card" the media

started chattering about it?

When Hillary talks - people listen. ;)

It only took 5 years ey?

[aquart]

3. The only thing we have to fear is Bush himself.

[emulatorloo]

5. Actually Olbermann did a report a few months ago correlating Terror Alerts

with Bush bad poll numbers.

[Tempest]

15. Olbermann: The Nexus of Politics and Terror

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9665308/#051012a

Go to the October 12, 2005 segment.

[mzmolly]

21. KO has been telling the truth for some time now.

He's the exception, I should have clarified. ;)

[tlsmith1963]

4. It's So True

I mean, the Los Angeles threat supposedly happened several years ago! Why suddenly bring it up now? Of course he's manipulating us, & the stupid sheep fall for it every time.

Tammy

[mod mom]

6. thanks. I saw this but hubby missed it.

Have you watched this video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5137581991288263801&q=loose+change

[Ron Mexico]

7. MSNBC Analyst: Air, Food and Water Necessary for Survival

Like I need a fucking analyst to point out the obvious?

[Serenades]

16. ??????

Do you realize how many people do?

And then many still don't see the connection.

[Ron Mexico]

18. I honestly believe

that a lot of them do see it but just don't care because they support Bush's agenda.

No matter which version is the truth, what the MSNBC analyst said is the still height of the obvious.

[happydreams]

34. What's with the avatar? Are you into the regal?

[wiggs]

8. Remember Ridge's statements

After resigning last year, Ridge stated that he frequently disagreed with the administration over reasons for elevating terror alert levels. Don't have quote, but it would be good to see that on KO in the context of Posner statement.

[nashville_brook]

11. USA Today (5-10-05) "Ridge reveals clashes on alerts"

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-10-ridge-alerts_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA">Ridge reveals clashes on alerts

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration periodically put the USA on high alert for terrorist attacks even though then-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge argued there was only flimsy evidence to justify raising the threat level, Ridge now says.
Ridge, who resigned Feb. 1, said Tuesday that he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or "high" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.

His comments at a Washington forum describe spirited debates over terrorist intelligence and provide rare insight into the inner workings of the nation's homeland security apparatus.

Ridge said he wanted to "debunk the myth" that his agency was responsible for repeatedly raising the alert under a color-coded system he unveiled in 2002.

[wiggs]

19. Good job! I hope this makes its way into MSM discussion. nt

[rodeodance]

37. i tire of ex-officials coming out after they leave the gov!

[texpatriot2004]

9. Very True nm

[peacetalksforall]

10. Lemmings and freepers must not watch Olberman. If yes, they must

be flipping. Their Prsident? Their Lord? Using terror as a political weapon? No way could that good guy do that. Other people could. Not George. George of the ermine road who has been born again (and wears a halo).

[Catfight]

12. These 'morans' are soooo pre 9/11! And the sky is blue! DUH. nt

[DBoon]

13. what's the big deal?

it's not like they are politicizing a funeral or something

::sarcasm::

[LuCifer]

22. HAHHAHAHA!

I know I probably shouldn't be laughing about something so serious like this, but I can't help it! That's a great line!

Yeah, the LA mayor hasn't heard crap about this "terra threat" and the FBI also says it's BS, but we can still believe BU$Hitler! He's a MAN OF GOD!

Lu

[katinmn]

14. Time Mgazine wrote the same thing. Feb 13, page 14

Headline: Apocalyptic Powerpoint

Had a photo of OBL with the caption: Osama as budget booster?

It's finally noticed that terror threats appear every time the Pentagon askes for a big budget increase, and they just asked for the largest increase since the cold war.

The only ones now buying the crap are those who are in to self-deception.

[Wordie]

17. Thank you, KO, for being one of the few in msm to state the obvious.

Recommended.

[berni_mccoy]

20. K&R Because Someone has the Courage To Call Bush What He IS

A TERRORIST!

[gauguin57]

23. Keith handed the Bush Administration its own ASS last night on his show.

And Fox News, for (as Keith put it) "whoring out their network" to help the Bush Administration frighten America with more fake terra crap.

I have never been prouder of Keith than I was last night. The show just amazed me ... to hear a news analysis show in America actually doing its effing JOB!!!

[npincus]

24. about fucking time the MSM tells this story to the sheeple

[Beausoir]

25. I was hoping somebody would grab that clip...Posner was excellent.

The Fear Spigot has been turned on again.

[bleever]

26. To hear this said on a national news program would have been unthinkable

just a year ago.

How far we've come, how far we have yet to go.

Rec'd.

[fooj]

27. I was totally blown away! Thrilled that someone spoke truth to power!

Peace.

[understandinglife]

29. It's becoming an endless "bad news day" for Bush and his neoconster ...

... minions, and it's only going to accelerate. Not only did Pillar do a major league dump on Bush and Cheney on the front page of today's WaPo and in his Foreign Affairs article, but the WaPo article is written by none other than Walter Pincus.

If the Republicans want to have anything left of their party, the few honorable folk among them better go to the White House and tell Bush and Cheney to depart and to take all their fellow criminals with them, real soon now.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

30. Even CNN: "The Bush administration disregarded the expertise of the ...

... intelligence community, politicized the intelligence process and used unrepresentative data in making the case for war, a former CIA senior analyst alleged.

Link:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/10/iraq.intelligence/index.html

Can you imagine how our troops must feel as they confront on a daily basis just how treasonous their CiC and his neoconster minions are. As ReddHedd at firedoglake notes:

Oh, and contingency planning for worst case scenarios in Iraq? Nonexistent. Nice. I'm sure all our men and women in uniform over there really appreciate the care and concern from the Administration on their behalf. Now, where's that promised flowers and candy, Rummy and Wolfowitz kept going on and on about? Isn't Richard Perle awfully late on his delivery?

Link:
http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_02_05_firedoglake_archive.html#113958265995301748

Why can't "We the People..." just file charges against Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Rice, ... and have the Federal Marshalls arrest and book'um. We clearly need some fine-tuning on the Constitution.


Peace.

[earth mom]

28. "Fear Spigot" is a great way of putting it...

WHY Oh WHY is it taking so long for people to catch on? :argh:

[faithnotgreed]

31. kicked and recommended - bush is a terrorist of the worst order

not that theres really a "good order" of terrorists....

[mod mom]

32. Have you noticed that KO ends the show with the number of days since

"Mission Accomplished"? another dig at the commander in thief.

[understandinglife]

33. Too cool!

Peace.

[Just Me]

35. Posner doesn't know they've been doing this for years?

:shrug:

[rodeodance]

36. i saw this last evening. KO and posner did well. and YES. SAD

[AntiFascist]

38. KO RAWKS !!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

39. Link to VIDEO, AUDIO, BLOG & TRANSCRIPT of "Nexus of Terror" KO show:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2153585&mesg_id=2153848

It's not to be missed and is from last October. It is the background for the current thread's Olbermann excerpt.

That "Nexus of Power and Politics" post also contains a link to the closely related, also-not-to-be-missed BBC series, "The Power of Nightmares"

K & R. Thanks for this important post, UL! :hi:

[ThoughtCriminal]

40. The spigot is never off - it has two settings

Niagra or Victoria.

[TankLV]

43. "Niagara".

I type too quickly too.

[deacon]

41. Dems should say to bush 'stop terrorizing americans' n/t

[LynnTheDem]

42. What do you call someone who uses terror to get what they want?

TERRORIST.