Al Franken just went off on Bush re: 9/11

[MattSWin]

Franken just said "in defense of Bush he claimed he spent 8 minutes reading the Pet Goat to give an appearance of calm.

Franken went on to say "I guess Bush thought the answers about who attacked us was in the book.

When Franken says "in defense of Bush blah blah blah" usually he responds to the Bush assertion by sarcastically challenging it.

Maybe the Franken critics on DU fail to grasp Franken's humor or sarcasm.

[YDogg]

1. I enjoy Franken ...

... more than I thought I would. Springer, also.

[FreedomAngel82]

9. I like Springer too

I like to watch Franken on Sundance Channel. :)

[LSparkle]

2. He did a great rant about Bush's "management style" this a.m.

Saying "his management style is being George H.W. Bush's son ... " and reminding the audience that this guy NEVER succeeded at ANY BUSINESS he was involved in; he always had to have Poppy and Poppy's friends bail him out.

He agreed with Cindy that this is Shrub's "accountability moment" and that the reason he and his handlers are so bent out of shape by Cindy is because this is the FIRST TIME HE'S EVER BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANYTHING!!!! I'm not a huge Franken fan, but today's show has been pretty good.

[BOSSHOG]

4. bush like limbaugh has been a failure at everything they have

attempted except:

- bush has been successful at ruining the economy and the military of the world's only superpower. His only "success!"

- limbaugh has been successful at hating other human beings. His only "success!"

[bahrbearian]

3. Franken Critic's ??????

[NYCGirl]

5. Yeah, like these:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4379090

[bahrbearian]

11. Wow, I missed it.

I can't be critical of people who were against the war to begin with but think were are now responsible for Iraq's future. I'm just not sure we are the one who can now help them. I think we should have the U.N do it and give the bill to the Neo-cons and Dems who voted for it and still stand by their vote.

[Catholic Sensation]

6. you see them all over this forum

because franken doesn't want america to pull out and leave iraq like we left cambodia, he's a right wing shill on progressive radio.

[Snotcicles]

13. Yeah they can't just say I don't get it.

[Catholic Sensation]

14. if you disagree with a political position on this forum

it's always a right wing position unless it's clearly marxist.

YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN TAKING PROPERTY FROM THE RICH SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY'RE RICH, YOU PLUTOCRATIC FASCIST ASSHOLE!

[MattSWin]

15. I've never heard Franken say we shouldn't withdraw....

His position is most likely to admit that even if Democrats want to withdraw from Iraq we don't have the power to do so.

So I guess understanding reality is now being a right-wing shill. Franken's position is like mine, we need to say to the President to either lay out a plan of success and commit enough troops to do so or we should withdraw from Iraq.

If we just call for withdrawal it gives Republicans the ability to blame us for fleeing Iraq. Instead we need to lay withdrawal at Bush's feet.

[JDPriestly]

19. I like Franken. I don't like some of his guests.

There were too many right-wingers there for a while. With our guys getting so little air time, there is no need to interview the other side's loudmouths. Franken himself is great.

[JDPriestly]

7. Franken is doing better.

I liked the segment on the Ohio scandals. I had no idea they were that bad. The L.A. Times hasn't covered them much.

[Coastie for Truth]

8. Al, Big Eddie, and Randi

all appeal to different Progressive Demographics - which may be mutually exclusive -- but all Progressives.

Al happens to appeal to our demographic.

Big Eddie appeals to the huntin' and fishin' and tail gate party and Legion and Rotary (and politicin' in the church parking lot after sleeping through the sermon) demographic.

Randi is our kids' demographic.

But - and here's the point -- we need all of those demographics to win in 2006 and 2008.

[CrispyQ]

10. You forgot Thom Hartmann.

My repub mother thinks he's great! GASP!

[9119495]

12. The revolution eats its children

Al has a difference of opinion and he's a "fucking moron." This is why the democratic party is such a clusterfuck sometimes. If you don't follow like you're in the Gestapo or the Unification church of Sun Moon, you're a tool for the right. Why do people expect us to be like Republicans marching in lock step with talking points?

I love Al, read and reread his books and if you want me off DU or out of the party for that, kiss my ass.

The sad thing is Al has a pragmatic outlook. I think he liked Kerry more than Dean but if Dean had got the nod, he would have fought vigorously for him. Too bad we don't stand for each other like that here--even if we have disagreements.

[MattSWin]

18. alot of DUers want the Dems to be

Simply an opposition party but I want us to be a governing body.

We can't be a governing party if all we do is take stances on issues that are simply the fringe opposite of Bush's positions.

I doubt we can win the govt back by having the public choose between two fringes.

[9119495]

20. Thanks for making my point more concisely and with a

bit less emotion. I was pretty pissed on reading the Franken critiques yesterday. I fear some dems live in a world where they see only the issues of their locality or region when in fact we are a national party--regardless of what zell miller says.

Franken's brand of dem sells much better in the Midwest than Randi Rhodes.

[no_to_war_economy]

16. no thanks, give me Mike Malloy

[NYCGirl]

17. I don't especially like Mike Malloy, but I would never call him an idiot.

And I've never badmouthed him in public before. I just don't listen to him anymore.

[SpiralHawk]

21. Bush actually lingered in the classroom for nearly 1/2 hour after

Card gave him the second warning, I do believe.

So that the statement of his 9/11 dalliance cannot be challenged, most people have shortened his << paranoid, guilty space out with My Pet Goat >> to 7 or 8 minutes.

But I do believe I am correct in asserting that he hung around doing nothing but looking nervous and guilty for close to 1/2 an hour.

Whatever. Pathetic all the same. Irrefutably so.

George Bush was AWOL on 9/11, just as he was AWOL from the Texas Air National Guard.

[SpiralHawk]

23. Here's what Cooperative Research says about Bush, 9/11, classroom spaz

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/main/essayaninterestingday.html

Bush's actions on September 11 have been the subject of lively debate, mostly on the internet. Details reported that day and in the week after the attacks - both the media reports and accounts given by Bush himself - have changed radically over the past 18 months. Culling hundreds of reports from newspapers, magazines, and the internet has only made finding the "truth" of what happened and when it happened more confusing. In the changed political climate after 9/11, few have dared raise challenging questions about Bush's actions...

...When Did Bush Leave the Classroom?

Nearly every news account fails to mention when Bush left the classroom after being told America was under attack. Three mention 9:12 a.m. Remaining in the classroom for approximately five to seven minutes is inexcusable, but the video of Bush in the classroom suggests he stayed longer than that. The video contains several edits and ends before Bush leaves the room, so it also doesn't tell us exactly how long he stayed. One newspaper suggested he remained "for eight or nine minutes" - sometime between 9:13 and 9:16, since Card's arrival is uncertain.

When Bush finally did leave, he didn't act like a man in a hurry. In fact, he was described as "openly stretching out the moment." When the lesson was over, Bush said to the children: "Hoo! These are great readers. Very impressive! Thank you all so much for showing me your reading skills. I bet they practice too. Don't you? Reading more than they watch TV? Anybody do that? Read more than you watch TV? Oh that's great! Very good. Very important to practice! Thanks for having me. Very impressed." Bush still continued to talk, advising the children to stay in school and be good citizens. One student asked Bush a question, and he gave a quick response on his education policy.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

22. I love al, and yeah i do think his humor gets lost on some.

i really like his dry wit and his manner of speaking.

[smartvoter]

24. I like Franken. nt