Rhyming for War Inc.

John Cusack's new movie, War Inc., spares no venom for those who lied and manipulated to get us into a neverending war. The movie opens in New York and LA next week, and RawStory is offering tickets to the showing to winners of an Iraq War limerick contest. I felt inspired by my fury.

Here are my entries:

I.
Imagine a war without end
Where money and bodies we send
To fill up the pockets
Of the men who make rockets
While at home they play “patriot pretend.”

II.
There was a recruit from Nantucket
Whose remains were sent home in a bucket
His parents were sad
And his friends were all mad
“But it’s war,” said Dick Cheney, “So fuck it.”

III.
“I wear my flag pin with great pride,”
Young Republicans say dewy-eyed.
But when asked to enlist
They simply desist
“I’ve got asthma, (cough, cough),” then they hide.

IV.
While draftees caught shrapnel in ‘Nam, a
Young Bush sipped mint juleps in ‘Bama
Cheney used his deferment
And Limbaugh infirment
To watch war on TV in pajamas.

V.
“This war in Iraq is a bummer,”
Said the patriot, driving his Hummer.
“See, the war has its spoils
“And the blood’s worth the oil,
“Or I can’t drive to Vegas this summer.”

VI.
Democracy’s spread like religion
Lubricated with blood, just a smidgen
Pointing liberty’s light
Off’ring freedom and rights
‘Cept to chumps in Guantanamo’s prisons

Dana Perino, welcome to the federation of smug assholes

There's always been something completely off-putting about George Bush's cock-of-the-walk strut. He bounces and swaggers like he's the only one who knows anything, when in fact, he's usually the least-informed in the room.

That "fuck you, I've got executive immunity" attitude is exhibited by most of the administration goons and goonettes. The only time it seems to be missing is when one of them is challenged, or convicted. Alberto Gonzales was one cock-sure sonofabitch until he had his comeuppance. Don Rumsfeld could reduce you to ash with a glance until he got brought down a peg or two. And little Scooter Libby held the upper hand until the judge said, "Guilty."

But occasionally this bullyish front is pierced when there's a journalist who can get close enough with a tough question.

Remember what happened when Irish TV, RTE, sent Carole Coleman to interview Bush, and she had the nerve to be the first (and only?) journalist to ask him a tough question, and to show skepticism at his ridiculous answers. The Bush administration cried "unfair" to the Irish embassy, and refused to be interviewed further during his Irish visit. Big man. Scared man.



And now, steadfast blog reporter for RawStory, Eric Brewer has waited through a blacklisting by Dana Perino who is finally shamed into considering his question. She scoffs at him. She tries to bully him. She smirks. (She's been learning at the knees of the masters, Bush and Cheney). But when he bravely gets his question out, she sputters and doesn't have an answer, fleeing the room when he attempts a follow-up. Big woman. Scared woman.

Stand up to a bully, and they fade.

Staying "on script" even when it's absurd

It's not a Eugene Ionesco play, it's a White House press briefing.

Raw Story correspondent Eric Brewer complained a few days ago that he was often left with his hand in the air at White House press briefings by Dana Perino. Yesterday she called on him, and I'm sure she's not thrilled that she did.

Brewer asked Perino a question she couldn't answer. And so, she didn't, instead accusing Brewer of taking one of Bush's statement's out of context. Of course, he hadn't misinterpreted Bush, he had simply pointed out that Bush's scare statement didn't make logical sense, in context or not.

Dodd bulldogs FISA

As a new clip on The Raw Story indicates, Chris Dodd isn't budging on his opposition to the FISA bill passed into floor debate by the Senate Intelligence Committee. But Judiciary Committee members Leahy and Specter are not optimistic about its passage, and Russ Feingold, who saw White House papers as part of an "exchange" with the judiciary committee, says the wiretaps were clearly illegal

I ran so far, back again

This video clip disappeared from the web for awhile, but NBC likely thought better of the exposure, or lack thereof.