Monday, March 12, 2007

 

Suffix-gate

Since Watergate, nearly every major US political scandal, real or imagined, has had a nickname with a "-gate" suffix: Koreagate, Filegate, Travelgate, Iran-Contra-gate, Plamegate, etc.

The recent Watergategate scandal, involving our own "Duke" Cunningham, hookers, and the Watergate Hotel, should have been the final nail in this cliché's coffin.

It's time to retire the "-gate" suffix. I propose that, from now on, every major US political scandal should be given a nickname ending with the suffix "-Army-Medical-Center".

Comments:
What, no Plame-Army-Medical-Center show trial comments?

Come on Keith, where's your school spirit?
 
Further comments.

re Friday Night Carrot blogging: bah. Funny Hat blogging!

re Nancy Pelosi ("Bush and Cheney may go now"): Heh. First off, I'd love to see Ms. Speaker's face if they did indeed go...

Secondly, while you may place a value upon Ms. Pelosi beyond price, to her, you're nobody. You're not in her district and you're not a big donor.

So all the rah-rah from whomever smacks to me of "my imaginary friend is better than your imaginary friend!"

Heh. Your imaginary friend is a grandmother from San Francisco. My imaginary friend is a hot Brazilian supermodel in a string bikini who brings me properly chilled decaf Coke...
 
Come on Keith, where's your school spirit?

It's in the rumble seat; want a snort?

(Is that you, Bruce? Long time no see!)

Um, what "show trial"?

And why does this thing insist on showing my name in lower case?
 
I am indeed (the) Mr. Bruce of Dark Star fame (and infamy).

Upon returning from ConDor, Bridget mentioned you had a blog; I googled " 'posted by keith thompson' blogspot"...

You are number 5 of 162. Huh, I didn't know you wrote for the Washington Post. And is that really you, posting on Talking Points Memo?

As for "what show trial?", I refer to the suffix that dares not speak its name--Plame-g*** and how Scooter Libby faces prison time for not revealing Ms. Plame's name to a reporter (who may have been the one to tell the name to Mr. Libby), a neat bit of intellectual flim-flammery ala Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam arguing:

"Oh yes you did!"

"Oh no I didn't."

"Oh yes you did!"

"Oh no I didn't."

"Oh yes you did!"

"Oh yes I did."

"Oh no you didn't!"
...

As for "this thing" showing your name in lower case, I dunno.
 
No, Libby wasn't even charged for revealing or not revealing Valerie Plame Wilson's identity. He was indicted and convicted for perjury, lying to investigators, and obstruction of justice in the investigation of the leak.
 
Sorry for the long delay, Keith.

My understanding re Scooter Libby's crimes is that what he told the FBI disagreed with his notes for the date in question.

Tempest in a teapot, no?
 
That's not my understanding. My understanding is that what he told the FBI, and what he told the grand jury, also contradicted the testimony of other witnesses. The prosecution's claim was that he deliberately concocted a false story and maintained it under oath for the purpose of concealing criminal acts. The jury agreed, beyond reasonable doubt, that he had lied to federal investigators, that he had committed perjury in his sworn grand jury testimony, and that he had obstructed justice. And all of this was for the purpose of covering up the deliberate outing of a covert CIA agent working on weapons of mass destruction. The defense claimed that it was just faulty memory; the jury didn't buy it.

No, it's not a tempest in a teapot. It verges on treason.
 
And all of this was for the purpose of covering up the deliberate outing of a covert CIA agent working on weapons of mass destruction.

...

...

...

Wow. Just, wow. I'll have to get back to you on what you've said, above.
 
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