Sean Penn and Hugo Chavez

American radical Lefties and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad adore Hugo Chavez. They're drawn to him like a magnet or like a moth to a flame.

They absolutely love the guy. I think they love him because they love socialism. They're kindred spirits.

Also, they love the way Chavez rips Bush. Ahmadinejad pals around with Chavez because he relates to his hatred for the American president. I think he follows that Arabian proverb -- The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Here's Hugo with some of his buddies:


Danny Glover and Hugo are joined at the hip. (Where might their other hands be?)


Hugo considers Jesse Jackson to be a representative of the American government. Jesse thinks he is.


Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hugo feel the love.


Cindy Sheehan and Hugo get cozy.


Hugo and Harry Belafonte sing "The Banana Boat Song."

Chavez can add a new friend to his list of rich and famous (or washed up and irrelevant) allies -- diplomat/ journalist/ activist Sean Penn.

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has praised Sean Penn for his critical stance against the war in Iraq, saying the two chatted by phone and soon plan to meet in person.

(Note: They met at Miraflores Palace in Caracas on Thursday, August 2.)

Chavez said Penn traveled to Venezuela this week wanting to learn more about the situation in the country and walked around some of Caracas' poor barrios on his own.

"Welcome to Venezuela, Mr. Penn. What drives him is consciousness, the search for new paths," Chavez said Wednesday in a televised speech. "He's one of the greatest opponents of the Iraq invasion."

Chavez read aloud from a recent open letter by Penn to President Bush in which the actor condemned the Iraq war and called for Bush to be impeached, saying the president along with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are "villainously and criminally obscene people."

The socialist president, who shares those views, said he and Penn talked by phone — "with my bad English but we understood each other more or less."

Isn't that sweet?

There are no language barriers when it comes to speaking the language of hate for Bush, Cheney, and Rice.

Look at the pictures above. I think Chavez needs to work with a stylist. All those red shirts are so boring. I'm sure he wears red for the symbolic reason but he really should try something more flattering. Perhaps some earth tones, or at least a softer shade of red.

I wouldn't say that Penn is doing an impression of Hanoi Jane cavorting with the enemy, but it's not good to hang out with Chavez.

Chavez is an idiot. He acts like a child. He's like a schoolyard bully, with his name-calling and taunts.

Some examples:

"You are a donkey, Mr. Bush. You're an alcoholic Mr. Danger, or rather, you're a drunkard."

"The U.S. empire is defeated in Iraq, they just don't want to admit it. Mr. Donkey thought they were going to be received as heroes."

"The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the U.S. president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W. Bush."

Very nice.

Like it or not, Bush was elected President of the United States. He is the duly elected leader of the country.

As an American, (and as far as I know Penn still is an American), it's a mistake for him to legitimize someone like Chavez.

Going to Venezuela to denounce his own government in such a public fashion and with such fanfare is disgraceful.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Hollywood star Sean Penn applauded President Hugo Chavez as the Venezuelan leader lambasted the Bush administration and demanded an end to war in Iraq.


Hugo gives Sean Penn some pointers.

Chavez met privately with Penn for two hours Thursday, praising the actor as "brave" for urging Americans to impeach President Bush.

"In the name of the peoples of the world, President Bush, withdraw the troops from Iraq. Enough already with so much genocide," Chavez said before an auditorium packed with his red-clad supporters.

Penn sat near the front, at times applauding and nodding in agreement. He is the latest in a series of celebrities who have visited Caracas, including actor Danny Glover and singer Harry Belafonte.

Chavez said he and Penn discussed the question of "why the (U.S.) empire attacks Chavez so much," saying Venezuela's oil wealth is a key reason.

He also said Washington is "afraid that the people of the United States will learn the real truth" about the situation in Venezuela, citing his social programs for the poor.

"If the people of the United States, those millions and millions of poor people ... if that nation realizes what is truly happening here, there would be a revolution in the United States," Chavez said, eliciting applause from Penn.

Some possible explanations for Penn's behavior:

1. Penn is too stupid to realize that he's being exploited by Chavez.

2. Penn is stupid enough to allow himself to be used by Chavez, earning himself the nickname "Caracas Sean."

3. Penn is suffering from full-blown Bush Derangement Syndrome.

(As defined by Charles Krauthammer -- Bush Derangement Syndrome is the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency -- nay -- the very existence of George W. Bush.

4. Penn is simply a media whore, like so many of Hugo's other buddies and Hugo himself.

Alone, Penn is nothing more than an irrelevant nut.

The thing is he's not alone. He is representative of many like-minded nuts out there working to weaken the country.

Penn is serving his ego, but he's doing a disservice to the United States.



Hugo flips the bird.

The Rev. James L. Bevel and Election 2008

UPDATE, October 15, 2008: Rights leader sentenced to 15 years for incest

A top lieutenant to Martin Luther King Jr. was sentenced Wednesday in a Virginia court to 15 years in prison for incest for having sex with his teenage daughter.

The Rev. James L. Bevel was a key architect of the 1963 Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Ala., and other pivotal moments of the civil rights movement. He was convicted after a four-day trial earlier this year in Loudoun County Circuit Court.

The prison sentence was the most severe the judge could impose. Sentencing guidelines called for a term of probation and the jury that convicted Bevel recommended the 15-year sentence.

Bevel, 71, took the stand during the sentencing hearing and revealed that he was recently diagnosed with end-stage pancreatic cancer and that doctors estimate he has six weeks to six months to live. A prosecutor said that was unfortunate but that Bevel deserved the sentence.

During the trial, Bevel's daughter testified that she was repeatedly molested by Bevel beginning when she was just 6 years old, culminating in sexual intercourse in 1993 or 1994 that formed the basis of the incest charge.

_________________

UPDATE, April 10, 2008: Civil rights leader convicted of incest
_________________

UPDATE, April 7, 2008:

LEESBURG, Va. -- A daughter of a civil rights icon who served as a top lieutenant to Martin Luther King Jr. testified Monday that her father regularly molested her beginning when she was 6 years old.

The Rev. James L. Bevel pleaded not guilty to a charge of incest before jury selection began Monday. Prosecutors have said he had sex with a teenage daughter years ago, and told her the sex was part of religious training.

The daughter testified she grew up in a communal lifestyle in which she regularly saw her father having sex with women and she came to perceive her own molestation as normal.

She also testified that she and her siblings did not call Bevel "Dad" but instead referred to him as "Rev" or "Jim." She said she told her mother in a written letter that her father was molesting her.

The mother "handed (the letter back) to me and said I spelled 'molest' wrong," the daughter testified.

The Associated Press generally does not identify the victims of sexual abuse. The daughter is one of at least 14 children Bevel has with several different women, according to her testimony on Monday.

...An ex-wife of Bevel testified that he instructed his family and followers in the commune that it was parents' obligation to "sexually orientate" their children — meaning in her mind that they were to have sex with them.

Disgusting.
__________________


Rev. James L. Bevel

rev·er·end [rev-er-uhnd, rev-ruhnd] –adjective
1. (initial capital letter) (used as a title of respect applied or prefixed to the name of a member of the clergy or a religious order): Reverend Timothy Cranshaw; Reverend Mother.
2. worthy to be revered; entitled to reverence.
3. pertaining to or characteristic of the clergy.

Is Rev. James L Bevel worthy of his title?

LEESBURG, Va. -- A civil rights leader who worked closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has been charged with incest.

The Rev. James L. Bevel, 70, was arrested late last month in Alabama, where he has been living, after being indicted on one count of unlawfully committing fornication.

...According to the indictment, the crime occurred in Loudoun County in northern Virginia between Oct. 14, 1992, and Oct. 14, 1994, when the accuser was 13 to 17 years old.

Bevel, who worked with King and witnessed his assassination in Memphis, Tenn., in 1968, has played a key role in some of the country's major civil rights protests.

He organized the 1963 Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Ala., and was a leader of the Freedom Rides to desegregate public accommodations throughout the South in the early 1960s. And he was an architect of the March on Washington in 1963 and the Selma-to-Montgomery march in Alabama in 1965. He also helped organize the Million Man March in Washington in 1995.

If the charges are true, when Bevel was in his mid-50s, he was abusing a child.

A civil rights icon sexually exploiting a child is serious stuff.

What do the Democrats have to say about this?

Will the press demand that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and other Dem presidential contenders condemn Bevel?

Whenever Pat Robertson says something stupid, the White House is held responsible.

The lib media consistently closely connect the statements of evangelicals with President Bush and the Republican Party.

The press had conniptions when Robertson made his lame comments about assassinating Hugo Chavez.

Robertson, 75, is a founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a supporter of President Bush, who was elected twice with the solid backing of Christian conservatives.

"I would think that people around the world would take the comments for what they are," [State Department spokesman Sean] McCormack said. "They are the expression of one citizen."

Note how the press associated President Bush with Robertson's personal opinion. Caracas responded as if Robertson spoke on behalf of the United States.

Jesse Jackson traveled to Venezuela to meet with Hugo Chavez and addess Venezuela's National Assembly over the matter.

Rev Jackson urged US authorities to take action against Mr Robertson's statements.

"We must choose a civilized policy of rational conversation," he told reporters during his three-day visit to speak at a ceremony.

Rev Jackson later met and shook hands with Mr Chavez during the Venezuelan leader's weekly radio and television programme, the Associated Press reports.

Mr Jackson's visit is a propaganda coup for the Venezuelan president, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Caracas.

Mr Chavez is likely to use the reverend's presence to demand that the White House apologise for Mr Robertson's remarks, our correspondent adds.

All of this resulted from PRIVATE CITIZEN Robertson's comments.

But as the lib media reminded us, Bush was elected on the strength of the Christian Coalition.

OK.

Dem candidates are elected on the strength of the African-American vote.

That's what pushes Hillary Clinton into putting on her fake Southern drawl. She wants to make sure that African-Americans remember that she was the first black First Lady.

Barack Obama is certainly courting the African-American vote, adopting a similar accent. He even said that his conception was a direct result of Selma.

Bevel, of course, was instrumental in the Selma march.

John Edwards, too, wants to win over black America, recently using tool Danny Glover. Rich man Edwards is quick to fall into his poor Southern boy roots routine.

Obviously, Hillary and Obama and Edwards want to have a very close connection with African-Americans and civil rights leaders. That would include the Rev. James L. Bevel.

So let's hold Obama accountable for Bevel's behavior.

Let's insist that Hillary be held responsible for Bevel's allegedly incestuous two year romp with a child.

Let's associate Edwards with Bevel's crime.

That seems fair, doesn't it?

John Edwards, Danny Glover, and Hugo Chavez

I question John Edwards' judgment.

I don't think enlisting the help of Danny Glover is a wise move.

If by some snowball's chance in hell Edwards manages to win the Democrat nomination, his association with Glover could be a problem in an attempt to swing toward the center for the general election.

Danny Glover is a real piece of work.

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards added some Hollywood star power to his focus on rural problems, campaigning Wednesday in South Carolina's small towns with actor and political activist Danny Glover.

Glover, whose movie credits include "The Royal Tenenbaums" and the "Lethal Weapon" series, joined Edwards as he spoke to a crowd of more than 200 about increasing employment and improving education.

Glover said Edwards understands the needs of the working poor and that the campaign is telling their story. "This is a campaign about real democracy," Glover said.

The Associated Press should mention that Glover's idea of "real democracy" is the brand that his best buddy Hugo Chavez touts.

Why leave that out of the article?

Trying to make Glover seem less radical, socialist, and anti-American, I suppose.

...Edwards said the nation's need to wean itself off foreign oil could create 1 million jobs and help rural economies with the development of alternative power such as biofuels and wind turbines.

Hmm.

Is Edwards really suggesting that the U.S. should wean itself off Chavez's "black gold," "Venezuelan tea"? That must have rubbed Glover the wrong way.

Glover can't possibly want Chavez to lose oil revenue.

Chavez's Venezuelan Congress approved financing to bankroll two films to be made by Glover.

They are close friends, Chavez and Glover. Good buddies.

Remember last year when Chavez made his despicable remarks to the United Nations General Assembly, calling President Bush "the devil" and calling Americans "imperialists"?

Remember when he repeated the "devil" remark the next day at an event in Harlem?

And who stood shoulder to shoulder with Chavez, endorsing his disgraceful anti-Bush comments?

John Edwards campaigner Danny Glover.

NEW YORK -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, appearing Thursday at a Harlem Church for an oil-for-poor event, repeated his 'devil' reference hurled a day earlier at President Bush during a speech at the United Nations.

"They told me that I should be careful after I called him the devil — and I think he is the devil — because he might kill me" Chavez told a crowd packed into the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Harlem.

"But, I place myself in the hands of God," he said.

Chavez, who was introduced at the podium by activist-actor Danny Glover, was visiting the church as part of ceremonies to announce the sale of discounted home heating oil to qualified low-income families.

The appearance came a day after Chavez delivered an insult-riddled speech at the U.N. General Assembly in which he called President Bush the 'devil.'

Picture John Edwards to the left of Chavez, the axis of socialist nutjobs.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, right, and actor Danny Glover wave to a crowd gathered at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006. (AP Photo/Shiho Fukada)

Danny Glover-- This is the guy, the "Hollywood star power," that John Edwards has asked to hop on board his campaign bandwagon; this high profile pal of Hugo Chavez.

Is Edwards trying to appeal to fringe Lefties in the U.S. while at the same time hoping that most Americans don't realize what a kook socialist Glover is?

I think Edwards knows that he has to gamble. He has to get support from the far Left-wing any way that he can. He can't let all of that support and cash go to Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.

Maybe it's not a stunt. Maybe he really agrees with the Chavez-loving Glover. Maybe Glover and Edwards don't make such strange bedfellows.

Maybe Edwards really is comfortable around socialists, at least more comfortable than he is around gays.

ANTI-AMERICANISM in Latin America

Brazilians protest against the visit by U.S. President George W. Bush, scheduled to arrive later in the day for the first leg of a tour of five Latin American countries, along Sao Paulo's Paulista Avenue March 8, 2007. REUTERS/Caetano Barreira (BRAZIL)


I'm sure there are a lot of Democrats and other liberal nuts taking great pleasure in the protests against OUR President Bush on his goodwill tour to Latin America.

The American Hugo Chavez buddies probably wish they could be there to join in the fun. Who knows? Maybe Cindy Sheehan and Danny Glover are there.

The extremist Chavez is leading an "anti-imperialist" rally, condemning President Bush and U.S. policies.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, on his dueling tour of Latin America, said Friday that President Bush has only just discovered poverty in the region and has come too late to "scrub clean" the legacy of destructive U.S. policies.

"Oh, ho ho! Gringo go Home!" Chavez declared before leading an "anti-imperialist" rally at a soccer stadium in the Argentine capital, just across the Rio del la Plata from Bush's stops in Uruguay on Friday and Saturday.

Chavez said Bush's five-nation swing would fail to improve America's image and dismissed his pledges of U.S. aid as a cynical attempt to "confuse" Latin Americans.

"I believe the chief objective of the Bush trip is to try to scrub clean the face of the empire in Latin America. But it's too late," Chavez said on Argentine state television. "It seems he's just now discovered that poverty exists in the region."

Chavez said his stadium rally with leftist labor, student and social groups "will be confrontational. I believe you have to point out the contrasts. If he says 'Yes,' we say, 'No!'"

Anti-American and anti-Bush sentiment run high in the countries on Bush's tour, particularly over the war in Iraq and U.S. trade negotiations.

Here's more coverage of Bush's trip, from the Bush-hating, lib media:

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Taunted by leftist President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, President Bush on Friday insisted the United States is not neglecting Latin America and celebrated an alternative-fuels pact with Brazil as proof.

"I don't think America gets enough credit for trying to help improve people's lives," Bush said at a joint news conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. "My trip is to explain as clearly as I can that our nation is generous and compassionate."

Bush shrugged off fresh attacks from Chavez, his primary South American tormentor. The Venezuelan leader is staging a tour of the region to rival Bush's weeklong, five-country visit.

...Asked directly about Chavez's latest taunts, Bush refused to mention Chavez by name, a common practice. "I bring the good will of the United States to South America and Central America," he said. "That's why I'm here."

When do Americans march by the thousands in protest when a foreign leader visits our country? I don't recall that happening.

Did mobs take to our streets with images of Hugo Chavez as Hitler or burn him in effigy or burn the Venezuelan flag after Chavez made his despicable remarks about President Bush when he addressed the UN General Assembly in September 2006?

Nooooooo. Far from it. He was embraced by some Americans, including U.S. Senator Tom Harkin.

Personally, I can't stand it when I see protests and expressions of anti-Americanism.

I don't care if the president is a Republican or a Democrat; it bugs me when such disrespect is shown to an AMERICAN president.

It should trouble every American.

What bugs me even more than these ugly protesters is knowing that there are so many Americans that share their feelings, like the cast of The View, minus Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

We're at war. We were attacked.

Sorry, Latin America, that we've been sidetracked a bit.

Good grief.

Look at some pictures from the protests.

They're reminiscent of photos from protests in America.

Anti-Americanism at home and abroad -- both are upsetting to me, but I find the homegrown variety to be more insidious.

Truly pathetic.


Anti-Bush protest : A student sports a sticker on his coat depicting US President George W. Bush as Adolph Hitler during a protest in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (AFP/Mauricio Lima)



Activists paint 'get out Bush' near the hotel where U.S. President George W. Bush meets with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Sao Paulo, Friday, March 9, 2007. President Bush is on the first leg of a week-long tour of Latin America. (AP Photo/Maurilio Cheli)



Demonstrators burn home-made American Flags during a protest against the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush to Uruguay in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 9, 2007. President Bush is on the first leg of a week-long tour of Latin America. (AP photo/Ali Burafi)



Students in Cali, Colombia, burn a paper U.S. flag to protest an upcoming visit by President Bush. His new Latin America approach is aimed in part at countering the leftist arguments of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.
(Carlos Julio Martinez / AFP/Getty Images)

Happy Anti-War Protest Day!

In this photo taken with a video camera, a protester opposing the war in Iraq poses as President Bush in front of the U.S. Capital Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A variety of signs are held during a protest against the war in Iraq on the National Mall on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, in Washington. Protesters demanded a withdrawal of U.S. troops in a demonstration that drew tens of thousands and brought Jane Fonda back to the streets. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Woo Hoo!

It's "Protest the War" Day in Washington and around the country.


Actress Jane Fonda speaks at an anti-Iraq war protest on the National Mall Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)


According to the Associated Press, "tens of thousands" are participating.

The massive crowd deserves a lot of attention, right?

It's getting attention because the protest is an anti-war, anti-Bush fest.

Did the "tens of thousands" at the abortion protests earlier this week get the same sloppy wet kisses from the lib media?

Of course not.

WASHINGTON -- Protesters energized by fresh congressional skepticism about the Iraq war demanded a withdrawal of U.S. troops in a demonstration Saturday that drew tens of thousands and brought Jane Fonda back to the streets.

Wow.

This is serious protesting.

Jane Fonda.

What year is this?

I wonder if Jane has any plans to go to Iraq and cavort with the insurgents, giggling as she perches atop a car bomb, or as she mounts a suicide bomber.

See Jane giggle.

See Sean smirk.


Actress Jane Fonda, right, smiles with Eve Ensler, author of 'The Vagina Monologues,' center, at the U.S. Navy Memorial as they participate in a protest against the war in Iraq, Saturday Jan. 27, 2007, in Washington. Actor Sean Penn can be seen at left. (AP Photo/Chris Greenberg)

A sampling of celebrities, a half dozen members of Congress and busloads of demonstrators from distant states joined in a spirited rally under a sunny sky, seeing opportunity to press their cause in a country that has turned against the war.

Standing on her toes to reach the microphone, 12-year-old Moriah Arnold told the crowd: "Now we know our leaders either lied to us or hid the truth. Because of our actions, the rest of the world sees us as a bully and a liar."

The sixth-grader from Harvard, Mass., the youngest speaker on the National Mall stage, organized a petition drive at her school against the war.

A 12-year-old girl calls her country and her president a bully and a liar.

Very nice.

How did she come up with that?

No doubt she arrived at those conclusions by watching cartoons.

Right.

I hope when she refers to "our leaders" she includes Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, John Kerry, and the rest of the Dems that called for the removal of Saddam Hussein as official U.S. policy in 1998.

I hope this bright, little wonder counts all the Dems that voted for H.J.Res. 114, in October of 2002 as among the leaders that either lied or hid the truth about Iraq.

The House Judiciary Committee chairman, Rep. John Conyers threatened to use congressional spending power to try to stop the war. "George Bush has a habit of firing military leaders who tell him the Iraq war is failing," he said, looking out at the masses. "He can't fire you." Referring to Congress, the Michigan Democrat added: "He can't fire us.

"The founders of our country gave our Congress the power of the purse because they envisioned a scenario exactly like we find ourselves in today. Now only is it in our power, it is our obligation to stop Bush."

Conyers was very reserved.

He didn't call for the impeachment of President Bush.

Maybe he did, but AP chose to omit that.

Wouldn't want Dem leaders to look too wacky I suppose. (That battle was lost long ago, in my opinion.)

On the stage rested a coffin covered with a U.S. flag and a pair of military boots, symbolizing American war dead. On the Mall stood a large bin filled with tags bearing the names of Iraqis who have died.

That's rather exploitative, using symbols of the war dead to advance their political agenda.

I guess the protesters don't see it that way. Every American military death is a plus in their column and fair game.

Rep. Maxine Waters D-Calif., said Bush "tricked" the country into an immoral war. "He did not tell the truth," she said. "I will not vote one dime for this war."

Waters, the voice of reason, is joining ranks with another voice of reason, Russ Feingold.

"Hell no! We won't pay!"

...Showcased speakers in addition to Fonda included actors Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and Danny Glover.

Danny Glover?

This Danny Glover?


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, right, and actor Danny Glover wave to a crowd gathered at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006. (AP Photo/Shiho Fukada)


Yup, that's the one.

Fonda was a lightning rod in the Vietnam era for her outspoken opposition to that war, earning the derisive nickname "Hanoi Jane" from conservatives for traveling to North Vietnam during the height of that conflict 35 years ago. She had avoided anti-Iraq war appearances until now.

Oh, those conservatives are so mean-spirited!

How dare they hold Fonda accountable for giving aid and comfort to the enemy!

About 40 people staged a counter-protest, including military family members and Army Cpl. Joshua Sparling, 25, who lost his leg to a bomb in Iraq in November 2005.

He said the anti-war protesters, especially those who are veterans or who are on active duty, "need to remember the sacrifice we have made and what our fallen comrades would say if they are alive."

I suppose the protesters are too caught up in what they perceive to be their own importance to reflect on how this impacts our troops and their loved ones or the families of the fallen.

...Bush was in Washington for the weekend. He is often is out of town during big protest days. On Monday, for instance, he called anti-abortion marchers on the telephone from Camp David.

Awww.

Do the protesters feel slighted that President Bush didn't telephone them?

United for Peace and Justice, a coalition group sponsoring the protest, said there has been intense interest in the rally since Bush announced he was sending 21,500 additional troops to supplement the 130,000 in Iraq.

United for Peace and Justice is a wacko, far-left Leftist group.

This is not MIDDLE America.
_________________________________


Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, center, who is running for the Democratic presidential for a second time, speaks at protest against the war in Iraq on the National Mall on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Look at this. Dennis Kucinich has assembled ALL of his 2008 presidential supporters. It's a groundswell!

Perhaps freak show would be more fitting.

Viva Hugo Chavez!

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel guest columnist Henry Hamilton believes that the "U.S. could learn from Venezuelan voting."

According to Hamilton, Venezuela's elections should be envied by Americans.

He writes:

As an official international observer of the recent Venezuelan presidential election, I was impressed with the level of participatory democracy and integrity reflected in that country's voting process.

I was invited to serve as an international observer by the National Electoral Council, the official independent body charged with administering Venezuela's elections. I accepted the invitation with the sole focus of traveling to Venezuela, to do as I have volunteered to do during many elections in the United States - work to ensure that the express will of the voters is realized.

I observed no evidence of fraud or any illegality with the Dec. 3 election. The express will of the Venezuelan voters was realized. Venezuela's anti-voter fraud system, including paper and electronic trails, is a model that voting rights advocates in the U.S. would envy. That is not to say there were not some glitches, such as long lines, but nothing that would cause a reasonable person to conclude the results were not legitimate or equal access to the polls was not afforded everyone.

...Venezuela makes it easy for its citizens to express their will on election day. The presidential election is held on a Sunday. The government provides free subway transportation for some who otherwise may be unable to go to a voting center. Most felons are allowed to vote, and there are voting centers set up in penal institutions.

Wow. Venezuela is a utopian democracy.

Since the government offers free subway transportation, I suppose no one slashed the tires on vans meant to transport voters to the polls, like in Milwaukee.

Venezuelan felons have the privilege to vote, so felons voting illegally isn't an issue as it is in the U.S.

I wonder if any ID or proof of citizenship is required to cast a vote in Venezuela. If not, it's hard for Hamilton to claim that there was no election fraud.

I wonder if people list vacant lots as their places of residence, potentially enabling them to vote multiple times, like they do in the U.S.

How does Venezuela prevent people from voting twice or more in the same election, Donovan Riley-style?

I wonder.

According to Hamilton, Venezuela's elections are an enviable model. They are what we should aspire to in this country.

It was inspiring to see elected officials working to increase voter participation rather than conspiring for new avenues to disenfranchise voters, which unfortunately has often been the case in our country.

What is Hamilton talking about?

Which U.S. elected officials have conspired to disenfranchise voters?

Is he talking about the Dems' efforts to get the absentee ballots of military personnel tossed out in the 2000 election?

Smokes for votes?

Maybe that's it.

With the new U.S. Congress expressing a will to re-examine the polarized foreign policy of the current administration, there is a historic opportunity to create a foreign policy that is not at odds with the sweeping changes in Latin America, nor our own business relations with Venezuela, which remains our second-largest trading partner in the hemisphere.

Some in the U.S. may not like Chavez; however, Venezuelans have soundly and democratically re-elected him as their leader.

The White House should take notice. It's time to respect the democratic will of Venezuela's voters and normalize the bilateral relations between our two governments.

Now it makes sense.

Hamilton is a fan of Chavez.

No wonder he's touting the superiority of Venezuela's elections, with Chavez beating his opponent Manuel Rosales by nearly a 23 percentage point advantage. Of course, he'd cheerlead for the legitimacy of that country's electoral process.

Hamilton is excited by the "sweeping changes" being seen in Latin America, but it should be noted that not all are friendly to the U.S.

Why would the White House normalize relations with a nutjob like Chavez?

Does Hamilton have short term memory issues?

Chavez has been relentlessly ripping President Bush.

Some of his past statements include:

--"You are a donkey, Mr. Bush. You're an alcoholic Mr. Danger, or rather, you're a drunkard."

--"The U.S. empire is defeated in Iraq, they just don't want to admit it. Mr. Donkey thought they were going to be received as heroes."

--"The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the U.S. president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W. Bush."

--"If you are going to compare me to the worst criminal in humanity - the president of the US; He is an assassin. He is a criminal responsible for genocide, completely immoral.

"I believe that he should be put in jail. He has invaded a country. Are we bombing cities?"

--"The North American empire is becoming a paper tiger."

--"If it's true that the empire is taking sanctions against us, firstly it's a confirmation of imperial abuse, of imperial desperation (and) secondly we will take no notice. It is an impotent empire."

--"Israel often criticizes Hitler ... but they have done the same thing [in Lebanon], perhaps even worse. What has happened was a genocide. They must be brought in front of an international tribunal."

And of course, who can forget the anti-Bush, anti-American Chavez rant at the UN this past September?

He called President Bush "the devil."

He called Americans "imperialists."

He complained about Bush leaving "the smell of sulfur" behind after addressing the UN General Assembly.

He said Bush's behavior is like that found in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. He even gave it a title -- The Devil's Recipe.

Is Hamilton so clueless that he doesn't see a problem with Chavez?

Rather than respecting the democratic will of the Venezuelan people, I think we should be wary of their judgment.

What is Hamilton really saying?

I think he's saying that the American people should respect Chavez and his government more than they respect Bush and his administration.

What a good Leftist!

If only America could be more like Venezuela.

Is that what the new Congress has in mind for the country?

Dem Dishonesty and Hugo Chavez

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez waves to his supporters during the placement of the first stone at the Delta Caribe gas-pipe project in the eastern state of Sucre September 22, 2006. REUTERS/Francesco Spotorno (VENEZUELA)


The little nutjob Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is still making a fool of himself and still serving as a Lefty tool.

The little man from Venezuela is much like the little man from Iran -- severely lacking in diplomatic skills, seeing things in black and white, dangerously unstable.

Actually, Chavez is everything that the Democrats and the liberal elite claim President Bush to be.

The similarities don't end there. Like Chavez, a significant number of Dems think Bush should no longer be president. At least 38 U.S. representatives have signed on to impeachment efforts.

9% of US Congress now supports the impeachment review, including 18% of Democrats, 100% of Independents (1 out of 1), and 0% of Republicans.

The best represented states on H. Res 635 are California (9), New York (6), Illinois (3), Massachusetts (3), Minnesota (3), Georgia (2), New Jersey (2), and Wisconsin (2).

The current 38 total co-sponsors are Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Jackson, Jr., (D-IL), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), Rep. John Olver (D-MA), Rep. Major Owens (D-NY), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN), Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), Rep. Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA), Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Rep. David Wu (D-OR).

Two Wisconsin representatives, Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore, are supporters of "H. Res. 635, a bill which could lead to recommendations to impeach President Bush."

Interestingly, Charlie Rangel supports the impeachment inquiry, yet he was one of the very few Dems to rebuke Chavez for the comments he made about Bush during his visit to the U.S.

There's something inconsistent there, something very dishonest.

When Chavez returned to Venezuela on Friday, he continued to talk like a rabid Dem.

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez launched yet another verbal assault against President Bush upon returning from a highly charged U.S. visit Friday, calling on the American leader to resign.

..."He should renounce the presidency if he has any dignity. The president of the United States has failed completely," Chavez said at the inauguration of a natural gas project in northwestern Venezuela.

I'm sure Chavez would support H. Res. 635.

...The comments coming near U.S. legislative elections have drawn condemnation even from some of Bush's critics.

Bush's political foes and fans alike condemned the remarks, U.S. newspapers criticized the Venezuelan leader, and one governor said his state is no longer interested in buying discounted heating oil from Venezuela-owned Citgo this winter.

In Boston, a city councilor said he wants to take down a landmark Citgo sign near the city's famed baseball park and replace it with an American flag.

"Given the hatred of the United States displayed by dictator Hugo Chavez, it would be more fitting to see an American flag when you drive through Kenmore Square," councilor Jerry McDermott told The Boston Herald, saying the sign — prominently visible over the left-field wall at Fenway Park — had to go.

On Friday, The New York Daily News' front page headline told Chavez to "ZIP IT!" and the New York Post called him a "jerk" and the "Caracas crackpot."

"I wanted President Chavez to please understand that even though many people in the United States are critical of our president that we resent the fact that he would come to the United States and criticize President Bush," Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NY., said Thursday.

Dems being critical of Chavez are hypocrites.

Why would they resent Chavez for saying what they've said?

"The imperialist government of the United States says we have failed but they are the ones that have failed in everything you see," [Chavez] said Friday.

He accused the Bush administration of fueling terrorism, claimed that both the CIA and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration were "infiltrated" by drug traffickers, and urged people to divest their dollars because new bills were being "fabricated."

In an interview broadcast Friday Chavez kept up his attack.

"I think it was a rather humorous speech," Chavez told TV and radio host Tavis Smiley in a PBS broadcast. "People were smiling."

I'm sure a lot of Lefty wingnuts enjoyed Chavez's performance and would agree with Chavez's assessment. He's a real crowd-pleaser.

Maybe CBS and Katie Couric will offer Chavez a "Free Speech" segment. Of course, they might limit his topics, insisting that he use the 90 seconds to bash Bush. That probably wouldn't be a sticking point with Chavez since I'm sure he'd do that anyway.

Lorne Michaels may be trying to arrange a cameo appearance by Chavez on SNL. The broadcast has featured other presidential nemeses. Remember Monica Lewinsky's stint on the show?

But then added, "(Bush) considers himself a god. And that is a terrible manipulation, since this is obeying interests that are against God. And since he considers himself like God, when you call him the devil, it is just to strike a balance."

Hey! That's basically a synopsis of Madeleine Albright's latest book.

If you don't see the parallels between Chavez and the radical Dems, then you are blind.

I don't like the pretense of the Dems.

As far as I know, Tom Harkin is the only fringe Leftist to endorse Chavez's views.

I don't like the games.

I have more respect for Harkin, negligible as it is, than for the Dems claiming to be offended by Chavez's remarks.

In truth, the Dems and Chavez are soul mates.



Hezbollah supporters carry a banner showing Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, top, during a Hezbollah 'victory over Israel' rally, in Beirut's bombed-out suburbs, Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 22, 2006. In his first public appearance since the start of his group's summertime war with Israel, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah thanked God for what he called a 'divine victory' against the Jewish state. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, right, and actor Danny Glover wave to a crowd gathered at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006. (AP Photo/Shiho Fukada)

Sulfur by Any Other Name...

The UN translator responsible for deciphering Hugo Chavez's speech to the UN General Assembly didn't do the words of the Venezuelan leader justice.

Desperate Irish Housewife writes:

"The word he used to describe the smell was not 'sulfur'. It was the Spanish slang word for feces, "sucio", meaning that which is dirty. All his homies will know it as 'crap' but more derogatory. Most commonly used, for example, in Mexico, for caca.

"As in 'el sucio de los ninos,' when changing diapers, or when referring to a horrible sight, be it a terribly failed dish from the kitchen, or the upchuck of a drunk.

"In other words, it was extremely insulting. 'Sulfer' was a classic sympathetic translator's whitewash."

Yes, well.

It's not like this makes the speech that much worse, but it does provide a bit of added insight into the mind of Chavez.

And best bud Danny Glover.




h/t Charlie

Chavez and the Dems' Delayed Reaction

It took a while.

Yesterday morning, Hugo Chavez proved what a sorry excuse he is as a world leader, mercilessly bashing President Bush on U.S. soil.

More importantly, the elected Dems and their supporters proved what sort of Americans they are.

I'm not saying that Dems shouldn't disagree with the President. I'm not saying that they shouldn't express their opposition.

What I'm saying is that responsible, civilized Dem officials should have immediately condemned Chavez for his horrible remarks about President Bush in his address to the UN General Assembly.

So far, only two, Charlie Rangel and Nancy Pelosi, have publicly stated their disagreement with Chavez. Worse, it took a day for them to do it.

Apparently, Tom Harkin didn't get the Dem memo. Harkin gave his stamp of approval to the Chavez rant.

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a democrat, today defended Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's United Nations speech in which Chavez called President George Bush the devil. Harkin said the comments were "incendiary", then went on to say, "Let me put it this way, I can understand the frustration, ah, and the anger of certain people around the world because of George Bush's policies." Harkin continued what has been frequent criticism of the president's foreign policy.

Harkin says Bush came to office saying he wanted a new humility in foreign policy in reaching out to other countries, but Harkin says Bush's actual policy has been heavy handed. Harkin says the anger against Bush is generated from the Iraq war, which Harkin says was "unnecessary."

Harkin says, "We tend to forget that a few days after 9-1-1 thousands, thousands of Iranians marched in a candlelight procession in Teheran in support of the United States. Every Muslim country was basically on our side. Just think, in five years, President Bush has squandered all that." Harkin says the U.S. has put billions of dollars into the Iraq war, when it could be helping poor countries with things like clean water, medical aid and education.

I suspect that reaction was delayed due to the fact that the Dems were positively giddy over the thrashing that Chavez gave Bush.

It took a while for them to come their senses and realize that a foreign leader coming to New York City and calling the President of the United States a devil is not cool.

Once they realized that their silence on the matter would likely make them appear even more anti-American and utterly out of touch than they already do, Rangel and Pelosi made some comments.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE!

It's obviously a calculated, political move.

Moreover, it's a bit odd for them to criticize Chavez for saying the very things that they say regularly.

This "circle the wagons" around the American president routine is forced. It's fake.

The Dem vultures are only backing off because they see it as politically necessary.

They hate President Bush as much as Chavez does.

Cut the crap.

HUGO CHAVEZ GO HOME

President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez addresses the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, September 20, 2006. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)

Note: Read about the reaction of Charlie Rangel, Nancy Pelosi, and Tom Harkin here.


Mahmoud Ahmadinejad must be angry.

He's being upstaged at the United Nations by the nut from Venezuela, Hugo Chavez.

Chavez's speech to the General Assembly is definitely a Nikita Khrushchev moment.

It's not as if we haven't heard this sort of thing from him before.


And let's not forget that Chavez's circle of friends includes:

Jesse Jackson



Harry Belafonte



Cindy Sheehan



Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

And let's not forget that Chavez's past statements include:

--"You are a donkey, Mr. Bush. You're an alcoholic Mr. Danger, or rather, you're a drunkard."

--"The U.S. empire is defeated in Iraq, they just don't want to admit it. Mr. Donkey thought they were going to be received as heroes."

--"The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the U.S. president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W. Bush."

--"If you are going to compare me to the worst criminal in humanity - the president of the US; He is an assassin. He is a criminal responsible for genocide, completely immoral.

"I believe that he should be put in jail. He has invaded a country. Are we bombing cities?"

--"The North American empire is becoming a paper tiger."

--"If it's true that the empire is taking sanctions against us, firstly it's a confirmation of imperial abuse, of imperial desperation (and) secondly we will take no notice. It is an impotent empire."

--"Israel often criticizes Hitler ... but they have done the same thing [in Lebanon], perhaps even worse. What has happened was a genocide. They must be brought in front of an international tribunal."

True to form, Chavez has delivered a blistering anti-Bush, ANTI-AMERICAN speech.

He called President Bush "the devil."

He called Americans "imperialists."

He complained about Bush leaving "the smell of sulfur" behind after addressing the UN General Assembly yesterday.

He said Bush's behavior is like that found in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. He even gave it a title -- The Devil's Recipe.

He plugged Noam Chomsky's book, Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance.

UNITED NATIONS -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took his verbal battle with the United States to the floor of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, calling President Bush "the devil." "The devil came here yesterday," Chavez said. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world."

The leftist leader, who joined Iran last week in an alliance against U.S. influence, accused Washington of "domination, exploitation and pillage of peoples of the world."

"We appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our head," he said.

He also said the U.N. in its current system "doesn't work" and is "antidemocratic."

Chavez called for reform, saying the U.S. government's "immoral veto" had allowed recent Israeli bombings of Lebanon to continue unabated for more than a month.

Just like Ahmadinejad, Chavez is echoing what we here from the Left on a daily basis. We should be used to such anti-Bush, anti-American rants.

It's no different than what fringe Leftist Dems like John Kerry, Russ Feingold, Nancy Pelosi, and John Murtha say.

If anything can be gleaned from this week at the UN, it's that the Democrats and their mouthpieces in the lib media share a great deal in common with enemies of America.

It's clear that we have enemies at home and abroad.
______________________________

Look at how much pleasure the Cuban delegation takes from Chavez's rant.

There were probably similar scenes at DNC headquarters, and wherever else libs gather. Lots of smiles.


Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, foreground left, and members of the delegation listen to Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez address the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2006. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
________________________________

Read about the reaction of Charlie Rangel, Nancy Pelosi, and Tom Harkin here.

Belafonte Completely Bananas

Fidelito and Belafonte

What can you say about Harry Belafonte?

I guess the kindest thing to say would be "Day-o, day-ay-ay-o."

His latest comments are truly bananas.


CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- The American singer and activist Harry Belafonte called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world" on Sunday and said millions of Americans support the socialist revolution of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

Belafonte led a delegation of Americans including the actor Danny Glover and the Princeton University scholar Cornel West that met the Venezuelan president for more than six hours late Saturday. Some in the group attended Chavez's television and radio broadcast Sunday.

"No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we're here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people ... support your revolution," Belafonte told Chavez during the broadcast.

The 78-year-old Belafonte, famous for his calypso-inspired music, including the "Day-O" song, was a close collaborator of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and is now a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. He also has been outspoken in criticizing the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

...Belafonte accused U.S. news media of falsely painting Chavez as a "dictator," when in fact, he said, there is democracy and citizens are "optimistic about their future."

...Chavez accuses Bush of trying to overthrow him, pointing to intelligence documents released by the U.S. indicating that the CIA knew beforehand that dissident officers planned a short-lived 2002 coup. The U.S. denies involvement, but Chavez says Venezuela must be on guard.

Belafonte suggested setting up a youth exchange for Venezuelans and Americans. He finished by shouting in Spanish: "Viva la revolucion!"

Are you familiar with Hugo Chavez, also known as "Fidelito"?

Other than that little uproar that occurred last August when Pat Robertson made one of his now trademark idiotic statements and called for the assassination of Chavez, he's pretty much of an unknown.

How is it that Belafonte can legitimately claim that "millions" of Americans support Chavez's socialist revolution?

I'm sure there are a sizable number of crazy American socialists that do back Chavez, but "millions"?

I don't think so.

Read "Hugo Chavez: Castro's Mini-Me," by Peter Brookes.

On Venezuelan TV and radio, Belafonte said, "No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we're here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people ... support your revolution."

Caracas Belafonte of 2006 bears a striking resemblance to Hanoi Jane of 1972.

True, Belafonte isn't cozying up to an enemy that is currently imprisoning and killing American troops, but his comments, made on foreign soil, are really extreme and anti-American.

Any American has the right to oppose Bush and the war in Iraq. Any American can freely express opinions.

However, I do think that high profile Americans should take into consideration that our enemies, the ones that are currently killing our troops, are listening. They can use the words of Belafonte and like-minded radical Leftists as recruiting aids.

If these American citizens really do "support the troops," then they need to be more responsible and weigh the ramifications of their words. Belafonte didn't make his comments in a vacuum and he knows it.

George W. Bush IS NOT "the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world."

Belafonte, like Pat Robertson, displays signs of MWD -- Media Whore Disorder -- a pathological willingness to prostitute oneself to get media attention.

Personally, I think that Belafonte has been stacking bananas for too long.

Daylight come and he need to go home.

Jesse Rides Again!

Jesse Jackson addresses Venezuela's National Assembly.

Just when I think there is no stunt that Jesse Jackson could pull that would surprise me, he takes it up a notch and manages to amaze.

THE GUY WENT TO VENEZUELA TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR HUGO CHAVEZ!

Jackson addressed the Venezuelan National Assembly on Sunday. What is Jackson doing???

The BBC calls Jackson's visit a "propaganda coup" for Chavez.

Rev Jackson urged US authorities to take action against Mr Robertson's statements.

"We must choose a civilized policy of rational conversation," he told reporters during his three-day visit to speak at a ceremony.

Rev Jackson later met and shook hands with Mr Chavez during the Venezuelan leader's weekly radio and television programme, the Associated Press reports.

Mr Jackson's visit is a propaganda coup for the Venezuelan president, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Caracas.

Mr Chavez is likely to use the reverend's presence to demand that the White House apologise for Mr Robertson's remarks, our correspondent adds.

I still contend that the White House is not responsible for Robertson's stupid comments.

Donald Rumsfeld or Condoleezza Rice didn't recommend that Chavez be assassinated. The administration has made it clear that political assassination is against the law and is not U.S. policy.

Why should the White House apologize for something as ludicrous as Robertson's statements?

The administration has repeatedly made its position known. Case closed, right?

Wrong.

So, why is Jackson down in Venezuela acting as if he's an American government official and brokering an accord between the countries?

The way I see it--Jesse Jackson is addicted to media attention, much like John McCain. It's a sickness.

No doubt, Jackson was desperate for some press. He probably figured that if he went down to Crawford, Cindy Sheehan would overshadow him, so that was crossed off his list. Venezuela was open. Yeah, that's the ticket. Next thing you know, Jackson is addressing the Venezuelan National Assembly, useful idiot-style.

Unbelievable.

Naturally, Aljazeera picked up on this story.


Hugo Chavez and Jesse Jackson

Addressing the Venezuelan National Assembly on Sunday, Jackson called for the US Justice Department to investigate the statement by famous evangelist Pat Robertson, who last Monday said of Chavez: "I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it."

Jackson, on a three-day visit to Venezuela to meet Chavez, politicians and community leaders, also called on US President George Bush to express "a swift rejection" of Robertson's statement.

"It must be unequivocally clear that such a heinous act is not desirable nor designed nor planned. We must use power to reduce tensions, reduce the rhetoric of our threats," Jackson said.

"It was such a repugnant, immoral, illegal statement," he said.

...US officials last week distanced themselves from Robertson's comments.

This is completely insane!

Robertson is a fool. Not surprisingly, he said something ridiculous.

He is not a member of the Bush administration. He is not an elected official. He does not make U.S. policy. He's the host of the 700 Club.

An appropriate reaction would be for his sponsors to pull their ads, resulting in the cancellation of the program. Robertson would lose his forum.

What does Jackson expect to accomplish by going to Venezuela and talking to Chavez? I guess he didn't think that organizing one of his trademark boycotts would get noticed in this summer of Cindy.

This is just another in a line of recent non-scandal scandals, created by the media, special interest groups, and PR firms.

Robertson is accountable for his words. The Bush administration is not responsible for what Robertson says.

The liberal media once again expose the double standard they employ.

For example, at the time of Bill Clinton's "troubles," Alec Balwin made some incredibly reckless remarks. During a 1998 appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Baldwin said that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde should be stoned to death and his family killed.

Baldwin ranted:

"If we were living in another country, what we, all of us together, would go down to Washington and stone Henry Hyde to death, stone him to death, stone him to death! Then we would go to their house and we'd kill the family, kill the children."

I don't recall Jackson demanding that the Clinton administration apologize for Baldwin's "repugnant, immoral, illegal statement."

It's absolutely crazy for Jackson to be supporting Fidel Castro's buddy, Hugo Chavez. It's even crazier for him to suggest that the U.S. Justice Department should investigate Robertson's comments.

I have an idea. Jesse Jackson and Jimmy Carter should plan a trip together--Dictator Tour '05. They could join forces to undermine the Bush administration.

THE LAMEST STORY OF THE WEEK

Really, I can't believe this story is getting so much attention.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration swiftly and unequivocally distanced itself Tuesday from a suggestion by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that American agents assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a frequent target of U.S. foreign policy.

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, appearing at a Pentagon news conference, said when asked: "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing. It's against the law. He's a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time."

Acknowledging differences with the Caracas government, and saying it should be promoting democracy in the Western Hemisphere, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Robertson's remarks "inappropriate."

"This is not the policy of the United States government. We do not share his views," McCormack said in a flat refutation of Robertson's suggestion that the United States "take out" Chavez to stop Venezuela from becoming a "launching pad for communist influence and Muslim extremism."

In Caracas, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel called Robertson's statement criminal and terrorist. "The ball is in the U.S. court," he said.

Robertson, 75, is a founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a supporter of President Bush, who was elected twice with the solid backing of Christian conservatives.

AP Diplomatic Writer Barry Schweid is bending over backwards here to make a connection between Robertson and the President.

Schweid needs to take a class in logic.

Because Christian conservatives supported the President and because Robertson is a founder of the Christian Coalition of America that means President Bush and the U.S. government believe that Chavez should be assassinated.

HOW LAME!!!

This is so goofy I can't believe it!

"I would think that people around the world would take the comments for what they are," McCormack said. "They are the expression of one citizen."

...Rumsfeld said he knew of no consideration ever having been given to assassinating Chavez.

"Not to my knowledge and I would think I would have knowledge," Rumsfeld said.

McCormack said, "Any accusations or any idea that we are planning to take hostile action against Venezuela or the Venezuelan government _ any ideas in that regard _ are totally without fact and baseless."

The spokesman said the administration had urged Venezuela "to play a positive role in the hemisphere" and to have "an open, transparent and positive relationship that you would have between two sovereign states anywhere around the world."

It's utterly ridiculous that the Bush administration needs to answer for Pat Robertson.

The Venezuelan government and the liberal mainstream media should hold Robertson accountable for his words. Take it up with him.

Yes, Robertson is a public figure and his voice is heard by more people, thereby giving his comments more weight than those of the average person. That still doesn't mean that President Bush should be held responsible for the idiotic remarks of Pat Robertson.

I voted for Bush and so did lots of my friends, family, and co-workers. Hypothetically, if one of us called for the assassination of a foreign leader, should the Pentagon have to explain or back away from the statement?

Being a supporter of Bush does not mean that Robertson speaks for the administration.

It is absolutely insane.

It's all part of an effort to embarrass the President.

Robertson should be ashamed for saying something so off the wall.

The liberal media should be ashamed for the manner in which they are covering the story.

Robertson AND the media outlets that are blaming Bush for Robertson's comments digust me.

Note to Pat Robertson: If you want to promote the assassination of a world leader, turn your message into a work of art.

Then, it may be hailed as powerful artistic expression rather than dangerous and irresponsible.




Al Brandtner's work titled "Patriot Act"