An American’s ability to shop in a country at war without getting his balls blown off may be an indicator of a populace’s trust in its government, but it’s a rather narrowly focused one.  FredW is looking at a single tree and not the entire forest.  When you examine the entire forest in both Vietnam in the late 1960s and Iraq today there is an unavoidable parallel: Both people had been subjugated the thumb of brutal local, colonial and invading powers for many years; in the case of the Vietnamese, hundreds of years.  By and large, they didn’t give a rat’s ass who was doing the shopping.  They were just grateful for the business.

Posted at June 29, 2005 10:39 AM in response to Prez says Dance with the Girl Who Brung Ya

I've had the same problem. I solved it by composing my comment in Word, making sure it was ready for prime time, and then cutting and pasting the finished product into the Post Comment section.  Good luck.

Posted at June 28, 2005 10:01 AM in response to What the American people want

We’re clearly at a tipping point regarding Iraq.  As we look ahead, Reed and the other folks who bring their Inside the Beltway mindsets to the TPM Cafe should note that politicians, notably the weenies who comprise the Democratic minority, have had little to do with getting us to this critical juncture.  Ditto for the news media.

The parallels between Vietnam and Iraq have been overblown, but here’s one that’s right on the money.

In 1969, it was not Eugene McCarthy who helped trigger the Vietnam tipping point.  In 2005, it is not John Kerry who helped trigger the Iraq tipping point.  In 1969, it was not James Reston.  In 2005, it is not Paul Krugman.  In 1969, it was not the American Society of Friends.  In 2005, it is not MoveOn.Org.

It was and once again is a group of women whom I collectively call "Bob Layton’s Mother."

Bob Layton was a 1968 engineering graduate of the University of Delaware.  Bob went off to Vietnam a freshly minted Infantry second lieutenant.  By the time he left this mortal coil, the trickle of American flag-draped pine boxes being carried out the rectums of cargo planes at Dover Air Force Base had become a flood.

Bob Layton’s mother was heartbroken.  But she also was angry.  Angry about Lyndon Johnson’s and Richard Nixon’s serial lies about the progress of the war, changing rationales for being there, refusal to acknowledge and correct mistakes and humility-free “trust us” condescension . . . that had cost her dear son’s life.

History is repeating itself.

“President Bush.  Oh, President Bush.  Mrs. Layton is here to see you.”

Posted at June 28, 2005 7:10 AM in response to What the American people want

“Corruption” is not only too vague and too generic a term, as Josh notes, but it is a nonstarter as a viable campaign issue.

Here’s why: Taking the short view, public approval of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – is at an historic low.  They think the whole bunch of ‘em are crooks or crackpots.  Taking the long view, Democrats have been no more immune to the temptations of corrupt behavior than Republicans; they just don’t happen to be in power at the moment.

TPM Café commentators need to shed their Inside the Beltway mindset and begin focusing on issues that truly matter.  Corruption simply ain’t one of them.

Posted at June 23, 2005 9:44 AM in response to not too early

This post will not include the words “left,” “right,” “Democrat” or “Republican,” so those of us who suck incessantly at the partisan teat are probably at a loss to understand why we have indeed reached a tipping point.

What goes around comes around, with or without the help of Bobo Kerry, Dr. Frist, Howeird Dean or Screamin’ Sean Hannity.  That was true of the Vietnam War and it is now true of the Iraq War.

Back in 1968, I was tearing out what little hair I had over the seeming obliviousness of the American people to the Johnson administration’s lies and deceits.  By 1970, I was covering the war and the folks back home finally had had enough.  Too many lies and deceits.  But most importantly, way too many flag-draped pine boxes.

It’s happening again, little thanks to the MSM or political “system.” 

Posted at June 16, 2005 10:42 AM in response to Iraq and such

I recently curated an exhibit at the university library where I work highlighting our collection of 2,000 or so Vietnam War-related books.  Several of the best narrative histories have been mentioned by others, including "A Bright Shining Lie" and "The Best and the Brightest."  To these I would add "They Marched Into Sunlight" by David Maraniss, an extraordinary narrative history focusing on two days in October 1967 in the jungles of Vietnam and on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.  Footnote: Two Wisconsin grad students, Dick and Lynne Cheyney, make cameo appearances.  Believe me, they were just are f*cked up then as they are now.  (A couple readers slipped in Vietnam War novels.  To my mind, Tim O'Brien's "Going After Cacciato" is the best.

Posted at June 9, 2005 7:34 AM in response to History

Be careful what you wish for.  Have we already forgotten the impact the hubristic Ralph Nader had in 2000?

Posted at June 8, 2005 9:57 AM in response to The Center Cannot Hold

Too much of what passes for discourse on this and other blogs is the same tired old Us vs. Them partisan nattering.  The idea that the Democrats can make hay over Bush admin intelligence manipulation at this very late date – even if they were capable of doing so – is naïve.  How about trying to look at problems and issues without partisan blinders once and a while?  The results might be interesting.

Posted at June 7, 2005 12:39 PM in response to Understanding our National Denial about Iraq