Forgive me, guys, I just did a REALLY NASTY THING!

[calimary]

Guys, I just had to share this with you, having just called Orrin (Yeccch!) Hatch's office! You won't believe what I said. For two full minutes, I actually became a LOYAL REPUBLICAN!

Hear me out. THIS MAY BE A REALLY GREAT STRATEGY. I suggest you try this when you're calling into enemy terrority. They're much more apt to take your call all the way through, and give you the proper attention.

Here's what I said. First off, I identified myself as a longtime republican, who cared enough about this to call from California. I said I'd been reading and hearing about this awful crisis where the CIA agent's cover was blown, apparently by someone in the White House.

THEN, I SAID... I was VERY concerned about this, because it really makes "us" look bad as republicans and patriots. I'm sure you agree with me that we'd feel a lot better if this was just quietly taken care of and allowed to go away.

THEN I SAID... But mark my words, one of these days, some Damned Democrat is going to do the same thing and point to us and say that we condoned this and allowed it go go unpunished, and they'll be absolutely right about it, and they'll point at us and make us look terrible and hypocritical, and it'll be no one's fault but OURS!

THEN I SAID... I know this is really difficult, and Senator Hatch is someone I look up to and consider a great leader and a man of integrity, and I trust him to do the right thing. Unfortunately, the right thing in this case may be the really difficult thing, to investigate this fully, so that we can take the high road about it. Because I hate it when some of my Democratic friends call me a hypocrite.

THEN I SAID... (my fingers securely crossed behind me) I am worried about the president's poll numbers going down, and how it looks like he may have a tough time next year, and I want to see Bush/Cheney do well in the next election. And I'm afraid if we don't take care of this, and bite the bullet, and yes - maybe do a little blood-letting - that it will come back to hurt us badly in the reelection campaign.

THEN I SAID... I know some of the people involved are people we love and respect and look up to. But if they've done something this wrong, I'm afraid it really does need to be addressed. Better we do this, endure the bad parts, and really take care of this in the open, and get it over with NOW, before election time rolls around and it comes back to bite us in the worst way.

The staffer who took my call was most courteous and solicitous, and listened to the whole thing and thanked me profusely for it. And I threw in how I just hate how this is happening and I don't want anything to make Bush look bad, but we have to rise above party loyalties and do the right thing here, and take the tough way out.

Ya know, I just HATE having to lie. But I think an approach like this will get the message across more effectively, and it's a powerful argument the enemy really can't ignore, because it's completely true.

Sometimes, if you can stomach it, try being a "stealth republican" and see if maybe you can plant some seeds...

I can't believe I actually did this! But I did!

[Jacobin]

1. Bad news. NoFacts is backpeddling as fast as he can

Now saying that he "didn't receive a phone call" but it was just "mentioned" to him in passing during the course of an interview with an administration official, and that "everyone knew she was an 'analyst' working for the CIA" and that there is no big deal......I guess Ashcrack got to him and reminded him of the pics he has on file of NoFacts in bed with goat.

Had me going there for a while. Really thought we had these bastards on something that would stick.

Bummer.

[Brian Sweat]

5. The problem is that six other journalist received the call.

It will be easy to call NoFacts on this lie.

[Terran]

10. Do we know who the other journalists are? n/t

[Francis]

13. Andrea Mitchell

Read somewhere today and please I read so much I don't recollect where that only one of the 6 names mentioned was Andrea Mitchell, foreign corespondent at msnbc, and of no relevance she is married to Alan Greenspan

[arcos]

19. found the link...

"Takoma Park, Md.: The Post said six journalists were told. Who were the five other than Novak? Is Novak the only one of the six who wrote a story based on the leak?

Walter Pincus: The one other name The post was given was Andrea Mitchell of NBC. We are checking to see who else may have carried it before Novak. There were others told who apparently did not write the story, but many carried it after the column appeared. I did not write about it until Sen. Schumer requested the FBI to look into it because I had checked the basic allegation, that it was Wilson's wife who "suggested sending him to Niger" and did not believe it was true. My own first story about Wilson going to Niger, without my naming him, that appeared June 12 was mentioned in Novak's column. "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17134-2003Sep29.html

[nannygoat]

2. You are SO bad, calimary,

like those "lifelong" Democrats who call into C-Span and write to Mediawhoresonline. I think they probably figured out you weren't a true repuke when you referred to your friends as "Democratic" instead of "Democrat" friends... Also, you sound like you were way too calm and logical to come across as a repuke.

Edited to add: Now that you lied you really could be welcomed into the repuke party!

[calimary]

8. I know! I feel so UNCLEAN!

Hopefully it was worth it... Shit, what I won't do for the good of MY party...

[ArkDem]

3. Yes, I agree. Lying and deception will surely advance the

principles of the party and the nation.

[calimary]

15. I had to speak in a language I knew they could understand.

But yeah, mea culpa! Pretty skanky, I admit.

See, I can't really be a rethug - at least I ADMIT when I've done something stinky!

[Ashcroft Kutcher]

4. hahahaha

Hello I am a republican and I hate gaylords I was wondering if I could speak to Mr. Hatch. (in old white guy voice)

[Demobrat]

6. Wow, Mary.

If you can stay in character that long, maybe you should audition for a part on daytime TV.

[chadm]

7. Look, if you have to ask the offending party for

an investigation, what kind of investigation do you think it will be?

[AlabamaYankee]

9. That could actually work with Hatch

He can be one of the more cussedly independent of the ultra conservatives, and is a national security hawk. He just might take offense that a CIA operative was outed, and push for an investigation.

[David__77]

11. Republicans do this all the time.

That's politics. You're just doing your part. Most important of all is to do it smartly. Best of luck!

[sangha]

12. You are my new hero(ine?)

Good work! Have a drink in the Lounge. Put it on my tab

[Booberdawg]

14. You're BAD!!! GOOD JOB!!!

:thumbsup:

[cmd]

16. Nice going

Sow those seeds so we can reap the harvest!

[starscape]

17. Nothing to forgive.

Sometimes, you have to beat em at their game. From their manufactured "letters to the editor" to polling manipulation, etc. etc, the repukes are as nasty and dishonest as they come.

[zeemike]

18. What you are doing

Is counseling deception as a tactic. Yes they do it and yes it is wrong. I would hope that we do not stoop so low.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

20. I am proud to know calimary personally

and if she told a lie I am for sure it
is a good cause and especially to work
that hard at it. Calimary, I just hope
you called that Orr collect.