Open Thread

Here’s a teaser for my Time Machine article:

Toufanian’s assessment of Rumsfeld is contained in an Aug. 1 memo:

“Toufanian asked what kind of man was the present Secretary of Defense and then answered his own question by saying that it was his impression that he was political, forceful, shallow, immature, inexperienced in the defense matters of his job.”

9 Comments

sybil on February 1, 2006 at 3:21 pm

http://tinyurl.com/cgwla

excellent reading!

sbj on February 1, 2006 at 3:22 pm

From Arthur, a long and brilliant read on strength, weakness, Bushco propaganda, and how all the sorry shit going on works on the psyche the way it does.

Link here.

Man Eegee on February 1, 2006 at 3:42 pm

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has a scathing editorial today regarding Bush’s speechifying.

Our Man in Redmond on February 1, 2006 at 3:48 pm

Toufanian asked what kind of man was the present Secretary of Defense and then answered his own question by saying that it was his impression that he was political, forceful, shallow, immature, inexperienced in the defense matters of his job.

And those are his good qualities . . .

Steven D on February 1, 2006 at 4:36 pm

Glenn Greenwald with the lowdown on why Cindy didn’t break any law by wearing a t-shirt.

The law is clear that Sheehan did nothing illegal and there was no legal basis whatsoever for removing and arresting her for wearing that t-shirt.

In Bynum v. U.S. Capitol Police Bd. (Dist. D.C. 1997) (.pdf), the District Court found the regulations applying 140 U.S.C. § 193 — the section of the U.S. code restricting activities inside the Capitol — to be unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds. Bynum involved a Reverend who was threatened with arrest by Capitol Police while leading a small group in prayer inside the Capitol. The Capitol Police issued that threat on the ground that the praying constituted a “demonstration.”

That action was taken pursuant to the U.S. Code, in which Congress decreed as follows: “It shall be unlawful for any person or group of persons wilfully and knowingly . . . to parade, demonstrate or picket within any Capitol Building.” 140 U.S.C. § 193(f)(b)(7).

As the Bynum court explained: “Believing that the Capitol Police needed guidance in determining what behavior constitutes a ‘demonstration,’ the United States Capitol Police Board issued a regulation that interprets ‘demonstration activity,'” and that regulation specifically provides that it “does not include merely wearing Tee shirts, buttons or other similar articles of apparel that convey a message. Traffic Regulations for the Capitol Grounds, § 158″ (emphasis added).

blksista on February 1, 2006 at 4:46 pm

at an alternative medicine clinic/hospital.

She was suffering from advanced ovarian cancer, and was there to seeking alternative treatment that American doctors probably could not provide. Her sister was there and one of her daughters, and I am thinking that this was Yolanda (Yoli), the actress.

The body is going to be transported back to Atlanta for burial. There had been some initial confusion exactly where Coretta had died.