Sunday Morning Talk Show Thread 18 June 2006

Various big media television networks ^ | 18 June 2006 | Various Self-Serving Politicians and Big Media Screaming Faces

[Alas Babylon!]

The Talk Shows

Sunday, June 18th, 2006

Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:

FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): White House press secretary Tony Snow; New Democrat Network President Simon Rosenberg; former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta.

MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.; Shell Oil Co. President John Hofmeister, ConocoPhillips Corp. Chairman James Mulva, Chevron Corp. Chairman David O'Reilly.

FACE THE NATION (CBS): Snow; Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

THIS WEEK (ABC): L. Pre-empted for World Cup coverage.

LATE EDITION (CNN) : Snow; Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

[CDB]

Timmy has his frowny face on with the Oil Executives.

He's got his thong on. (Couldn't resist using Paul Shanklin's parody material). If Timmy feels a smile coming on--especially in the presence of an "enemy," (i.e., a non- RINO Republican) he can cinch his thong up even tighter.

Good morning all, and Happy Father's Day to all FReeper Dads!

[Morgan in Denver]

A Denver Post article last week, written by a political science professor at CU in Boulder, proffered the Democrats do not need a plan because the American public already knows what they would do. I'm still laughing over it.

No plan means they don't need one to win the elections.

Yeah, right.....

[snugs]

Or the black X on the VP which they denied.

[anita]

Soldiers are celebrating Fathers' Day in different ways.

[Phsstpok]

...provide some evidence that Marines are wearing non-issued helmets in Iraq that they've purchased with their own money...

Well, there were real hearings this week on Capitol Hill, though it doesn't explicitely deal with the Marines paying for their own gear.

Cher attends hearing on soldiers' helmets

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The subject was whether to modify helmets for soldiers in Iraq, but all eyes were on Cher. As photographers clicked away, the singer and actress entered a Capitol Hill hearing room through a back door 20 minutes after the session was scheduled to start. The hearing soon got under way.

Cher has donated more than $130,000 to the group Operation Helmet, which pays about $100 to modify the inside of soldiers' helmets to make them better able to absorb shock from a bomb blast.

Cher, wearing a white lace top under a black pant suit, looked solemn as she sat behind the group's founder, Dr. Bob Meaders, while he testified. Meaders said she didn't want to cause a distraction by testifying herself.

Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, noted that Cher's ex-husband, the late Rep. Sonny Bono, had served on the subcommittee. He called it a "special irony and really great tribute" to have her there.

The Army now equips its soldiers with padded helmets designed to be shock absorbent. The Marine Corps has commissioned a study to determine whether to change its helmets but has said the ones Marines use now are effective.

On the flip side, your right that if Bush were to interfere in any way in the proceedings dealing with the accused Marines, including the conditions of their current captivity, that would be considered "command influence" and screw up any proceedings.  Therefore he can't tell the Marines how to run the investigation or how to treat the Marines.  From news stories posted here yesterday it appears that the press coverage (in no small part pushed by those here on FR) has pushed the Marines to remove the shackles.

 

[Bahbah]

Blitzer has Zebari, the Iraqi foreign minister, on. Nice someone is aware they have a government over there. He sounds like a pretty sensible guy. Says Al Qaeda suffered a major blow with the loss of Zarqawi, but that they will continue their efforts. Wolf asks if not telling Maliki about the Prez's arrival until 5 minutes before he walked in wasn't an embarrassment. Says it was a security issue, but they knew someone important was coming in advance and they appreciate his coming their. Wolf wants him to agree it was an embarrassment. Zebari isn't biting.

[AliVeritas]

re: Snow

I wish he would've gone on MTP and had that voice taking power of Darth Vader too. LOL

[mannie]

I have just done watching the press With Tim Russert interviewing Jack murtha.

Jack Murtha is a big blowhard plain and simple.
I used to live around that area that Murtha represents in pennsylvania in Johnstown Altoona and Bedford.


I was originally born in Bedford Pennsylvania.

I have not lived in this area for over twenty years and today i live in california where i am employed at a Marine corps in the mojave desert.

I had always thought my birthplace in Bedford as being staunchly conservative but the big blowhard has been representing the southwest area of pennsylvania since 1974.

He is wrong about the Iraq war.

The United states can't cut and run from Iraq.

Jack Murtha's irresponsible statements about The Camp Pendleton eight and the so called "massacre" at Hamdaniya Iraq would lead into the accused marines not getting a fair trial.

JACK MURTHA A FORMER MARINE ?

YEAH RIGHT..................


It's is no secret that Mike Savage has been very critical of the Marine Corps and their handling of the Hamdaniya incident. I like mike's style. He don't sugarcoat nothing. There are times he is very critical about the republican party.

A lot of people do not understand that under the Uniform Code of Military Justice If a serviceman is accused of a crime THEY ARE GUILTY TILL PROVEN INNOCENT.

Hanging a few good enlisted people out to dry to placate people in congress for serious lack of leadership in the Marine Corps hierarchy is just appalling.

I used to be in the Marine corps Thirty years ago and they are just a shadow of their very honorable past.

As far as their civilian workforce is concerned they would never admit they have a gigantic image problem with corruption and graft in the civil service attachment in the Marine Corps.

Actually the whole place should have been outsourced to a contractor.


Shackles removed from confined Marines, sailor

By Gidget Fuentes
Times staff writer

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — Military officials on Friday said they have decided to remove shackles put on seven confined Marines and one sailor whenever they’re outside their individual cells at the Camp Pendleton brig, a Marine Corps spokesman said.

The eight men, confined at the brig since May 24, were being held with “maximum” restraints based on their battalion commander’s decision following an initial investigation into the shooting. As of Friday, they were shifted into what’s called “medium-in” restraint in pre-trial custody, which does not require shackles to be worn, although they remain escorted anytime they are outside their cell, according to 2nd Lt. Lawton King, a base spokesman.

Under “medium-in,” they won’t have any personal restraint while inside the brig, but once outside – such as to go to a court hearing – each “is restrained with handcuffs attached to a leather belt … and their respective escorts carry along leg cuffs in the event they are needed,” King said.

The decision to lower the restraint level came after a June 15 review by the brig commander, he said.

The seven Marines and Navy corpsman, all members of the Pendleton-based 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines currently deployed in Iraq, were first confined to quarters in Iraq on May 12 after allegations rose over the April 26 death of an Iraqi man in the village of .

Families and defense attorneys representing three of the men had been complaining publicly and to base officials about the confinement measures that were imposed. The brig houses Marines and sailors who are awaiting court hearings or courts-martial as well as those convicted and serving a sentence.

Each of the men are in an 8-foot by 9-foot cells, alone, in a section called “special quarters,” where they receive their meals. Each gets one hour a day to spend at an enclosed outdoor courtyard, where they could exercise if they want, and they can meet with their attorneys in a small private room and with family members in a visitors’ room during weekend and holiday visiting hours.

Jeremiah Sullivan III, a San Diego attorney representing the sailor, a 20-year-old third-class hospital corpsman, has likened the conditions to worst than what convicted felons at the federal “Supermax” prison must endure.

David M. Brahms, a retired brigadier general and attorney in Carlsbad, Calif., who’s met with many of the families, is representing a 21-year-old lance corporal.

The men are “shafted and shackled in the worst conditions being imposed,” Brahms said June 14. “Saddam [Hussein] has a better circumstance than these guys.”

The eight men will remain in special quarters in individual cells, said Maj. Jeffrey Nyhart another base spokesman. Base officials say the brig, which is a Level II confinement facility, does not have “solitary confinement,” unlike prisons including Fort Leavenworth.

[La Enchiladita]

It's not the pictures that did Kerry in, it was when he opened his mouth.

[rcocean]

Depends on what you consider "conservative"

Some people label anyone *not* liberal "conservative".

People have called Andrew Sullivan. Joe Lieberman and David Gergan "conservative".

The debate have moved so far to the left, in the last 30 years, that anyone who believes in the rule of law, a colorblind society, and free speech, is a a "right-wing extremist".

[AliVeritas]

[rodguy911]

Great stuff Morgan special award time here.

[Bahbah]

The Iraqi foreign minister did a good job on Late Edition. I, like President Bush, think there is very good reason to be hopeful about this government in Iraq.

[samantha]

This is starting to sound like the "cut our losses" new plan by the dems. It is not looking good for the Dems and has been almost completely turned around in the last week due to a number of things,the most significant being the Killing of Zarqawi and the capture of untold number of Al Qaeda documents that led to the capture of scores of Al Qaeda terrorists,and safehouses. They have come to the conclusion that they must admit that the Top Al Qaeda leader is gone, and now get out. They have to push this and hope that the American People will get GWB to go along(he will not),and get the troops out before the New Government in Iraq is ready and it will end up a terrible mess by 2008. It is such a shame that they claim to be patriotic when in their mind they are always wishing and hoping for the worst for Iraq and everywhere the war on terror is being fought,and our Brave fighting men and women. They should hang their heads in shame.

[La Enchiladita]

Sorry to hear about your step-grandson. What a tragedy.

[evad]

RE: Murtha

It's hard for me to understand how distinguished people with such promise can go so wrong. In the case of Murtha it's especially puzzling.

The one constant is that once they enter the political arena, all integrity and credibility are up for grabs.

[AliVeritas]

Oh, that's not the half of it:
http://www.mpturner.net/2005/11/more_on_murtha.html


LOL, Wilkow said they're making Minority Report Part II movie because they got rid of Jefferson before a charge was brought (as opposed to the first movie killing criminals before the crimes).

[Rokke]

Thanks for that. Perhaps Kellynla is off writing clever taglines. I checked out the website for "Operation Helmet". So far they've sent a total of 8,300 upgrades "free of charge" to troops overseas. These upgrades provide following...

"Comfort - If it is more comfortable, it will stay on troop's head longer and more often.
Stability - Keeps the helmet firmly on the head and out of the eyes.
Protection - Shock-absorbing pads keep the helmet from slapping the skull when hit with blast forces, fragments, or being tumbled along the ground or inside a vehicle. This decreases the chance of brain injury from bombs, RPG's, vehicle accidents, falls, etc.
As a secondary benefit, the pads make the helmet actually float in water.

So of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have served in SWA, 8,300 have modified their helmets for the above reasons and didn't pay a dime to do it. Hell, Cher has had more modifications done to her face.

I think Kellynla has some more work to do.

[LibLieSlayer]

I saw a program on Discovery Channel (two days ago) that took a complete look at one company manufacturing the Army's helmet.

One of the last steps performed on this multi-layered Kevlar helmet is the installation of blow absorbing foam to the inside. It forms with body heat to encapsulate the skull of the Soldier wearing it. It also has a web locking strap assembly.

They fired several rounds point blank into to it using 5.56mm NATO ammo, and no deformation was found on the inner layer.

All in all, cher would know best however!

LLS

[Laverne]

I had to snicker at old Wolfie! He kept asking, over and over again, if it was embarrassing that the Bush visit was a surprise. The Iriaq gentleman, was indeed a real gentleman, and kept reminding Wolfie of the need for secrecy and that it was an honor that the President visited. Wolfie embarrassed himself with his stupid questioning. Moreover, the response by the Iraqi foreign minister in regards to Wolfie's continued questions on troop withdrawals were very well stated. Everyone wants complete Iraqi sovereignty and for our troops to come home, but the smart people (not Wolfie and his democrat buddies) discuss and understand the impacts of a premature withdrawal. The FM did a great job; I wish he had been or will soon be a guest on other shows as well.