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Have you noticed that those supporting Obama's decision not to release abuse photos did not criticize his earlier promise to release them?
Here's how the Cult works, my friends.
If Obama says X has to be done, praise him (or keep your mouth shut otherwise). If Obama says X should not be done, praise him.
I would love to know how many of those TPM members who today support President Obama's decision not to release the now-famous pictures depicting detainee abuse criticized his earlier promise to release them (in the form of blog entires or comments back then). After all, if you believe that these pictures pose such a threat to our soldiers, it follows that you should have been outraged when Obama vowed to do what you now deem dangerous.
That's if you're not a cultist, though.
The goal of a Cultist is not to express his/her opinion about what Obama does.The goal of a Cultist is to make Obama look good, whatever he does. Make no mistake about it:
Those TPM members praising Obama's reversal today would not have written blog entries criticizing him, had he made the oppositve move (i.e., releasing the photos).
Because that would have been inconsistent with the Cultist mentality.
If Obama says X has to be done, praise him (or keep your mouth shut otherwise). If Obama says X should not be done, praise him.
I would love to know how many of those TPM members who today support President Obama's decision not to release the now-famous pictures depicting detainee abuse criticized his earlier promise to release them (in the form of blog entires or comments back then). After all, if you believe that these pictures pose such a threat to our soldiers, it follows that you should have been outraged when Obama vowed to do what you now deem dangerous.
That's if you're not a cultist, though.
The goal of a Cultist is not to express his/her opinion about what Obama does.The goal of a Cultist is to make Obama look good, whatever he does. Make no mistake about it:
Those TPM members praising Obama's reversal today would not have written blog entries criticizing him, had he made the oppositve move (i.e., releasing the photos).
Because that would have been inconsistent with the Cultist mentality.
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I haven't noticed that. I have noticed, in TPM and elsewhere, a surge of disgust. Many of us (myself included) want these photos released because the consequences of silence are greater than the consequences of truth.
Have you read the blog posts and taken in the general atmosphere before railing against "cultists"? Or could you not resist the opportunity to stick to your prejudices?
May 13, 2009 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
The latter.
The strange thing is this: Most of us are partisans. We support one team and not the other. Why get mad about it, even to the point of parroting Rush Limbaugh?
I wonder if TS is proposing that we all throw in the towel, spend every day cynically badmouthing Obama and the Dems who let us down sometimes, and vow never to vote for these bastards again. Who does that help? If TS had his way, we'll have the GOP back in no time, torturing and spying and detaining.
It's a paradox: Some people who claim to be leftier-than-thou seem to follow a path that guarantees GOP rule. Let's support either fringy boutique candidates who are guaranteed losers or support nobody. If our leaders aren't perfect, we need to make ostentatious displays of denouncing them as betrayers. Then we can spend decades complaing about the GOP-led system in eternal minority status.
May 14, 2009 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
When the policies are the same or nearly so, what is the real qualitative difference? Obama is establishing a clear trail of preserving, protecting and extending all of Bush's horrendous policies in the alleged "War on Terror". It would be one thing is Obama had not previously opposed all these things, but he did. If we don't demand better from the cowardly Democrats we won't get any better. Obama is proving that with each flip flop.
May 14, 2009 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"When the policies are the same or nearly so"
If you think that, it's probably not worth discussing with you. Sort of like the people fretting about Tweedledum and Tweedlee in 2000. Oh yeah, Al "Climate change" Gore was EXACTLY the same as war criminal torturer anti-climate GWB. Look what that line of thought brought us.
May 14, 2009 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, that is a straw man you've built and knocked down for yourself because you are denying what is obvious to any honest observer. Just because Obama's administration is morphing into Bush on everything having to do with the so-called "war on terror" doesn't mean the President is the same as Bush across the board. But the fact is it is legitimate to ask what the point is when the policies are the same as they are in this case.
Look at what Prof. Turley wrote on his blog on this very subject where he calls Obama's administration "Bush 1.2"
"The Obama administration has already adopted extreme executive privilege arguments that dwarfed the arguments of George Bush. It has moved to kill dozens of citizens lawsuits to uncover criminal acts of the government. This week, it refused (despite a court ruling) to release embarrassing photos of detainee abuse. Now, in the continue morphing with the prior Administration, Barack Obama is considering a continuation of the Bush policy of indefinitely detaining suspects without trial. I will be discussing this and other issues today on the Ed Beck Show on MSNBC.
"Members of Congress are being consulted on the idea. Given the lack of principles motivating democratic leaders in past instances of unlawful surveillance and torture, it is not expected to received to hit much problem in Congress.
"The result is that we close the Gitmo facility to recreate it on U.S. soil. The proposal reflects the concern that, if forced to comply with federal law, we could not justify the continued detention of these individuals. If Obama is worried that some added pictures of detainee abuses will be used to recruit new volunteers for Al Qaeda, what does he think his replication of Gitmo will do for recruiters?
"As I mentioned last night on Rachel Maddow, the Obama Administration has become the greatest bait and switch in history. No torture prosecution. No abuse photos. No citizen lawsuit on privacy. Absolute executive privilege claims. It is not surprising that civil libertarians feel that we have succeeded in merely upgrading to Bush 1.2 (with the added ability to pronounce multisyllabic terms)."
May 14, 2009 2:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Strawman? It's a quote from you:
"When the policies are the same or nearly so"
You've built your own strawman for me, I didn't need to.
On closing Gitmo to the Iraq war to stopping torture, to national health care, to stopping global warming .. anyone with a brain can see that Obama is the polar opposite of the previous regime.
You are pointing to a few very specific "similarities" (many or most misinformed -- the policy on state secrets is forthcomnig, for the last time)). But let's examine the principle:
Hey, Hitler was a vegetarian. Does that make all vegetarians like Hitler? That's not a strawman, that is identical logic to yours. It's called an argument 'ad absurdum' -- I take your flawed logic and expose it as ridiculous.
May 14, 2009 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did you bother to read Turley above?
If you would be open to honestly assessing the President's actions you would not be able to deny the truth. You are engaged in rationalizing his bad decisions on the "war on terror" issues by saying he's better than Bush on other things. I agree... on other things. But on these things, he is, as Prof. Turely points out, "morphing" into Bush and that's the truth.
May 14, 2009 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Morphing into Bush? Please. You always hated Obama. This is just another example of your ever changing rationale for Obama bashing, along with the group you're always agreeing with.
May 14, 2009 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Morphing was Prof. Turley's characterization not mine. I was merely refering to his use of the word.
Please take your apoplexy elsewhere. Please.
May 14, 2009 6:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I WANT ALL THE PICTURES RELEASED AND TAPED TO CHENEY'S CAR.
May 13, 2009 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, but you ALWAYS hated Obama!
May 14, 2009 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
He did, could of sworn he liked the guy.
May 14, 2009 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know about DD, but olleb, bluebell, and a lot of the other haters always were against him. They change their reason everyday.
What's more ridiculous is they act like they're really liberal, really Progressive, etc, when they all supported Hillary and bashed Obama when Obama was winning.
I find it impossible to believe someone could support Hillary, who is a Clinton and DLC, sat on WalMart's board, etc. and still pretend they hate Obama cause he's not liberal/progressive enough.
The only reasonable explanation I can think of is these people are really GOP trolls who have invented these 5th column persona. I find it hard to believe anybody could be that clueless, but also that consistently counterproductive. Even the most clueless get it right some of the time.
May 14, 2009 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Big mistake, "truth"seeker. See what happens when you blather and forget to turn off comments. You must be so embarrassed.
May 16, 2009 2:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
link
People who support Obama know he is concerned with getting things right and he listens to other opinions and he carefully weighs and may sometimes change his decisions.
He is picking up the pieces of the worst administration in recent history, and two very serious conflicts which are by no means over.
He has shown he cares about the danger and stress that those in the military face every day in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Photo's of torture have already been published from the Bush years. They were a disgrace to everyone who has ever worn the uniform of this country, which I would assume does not include you truthseeker. The previous photo's showed that Bush and Cheney were liars, and led to trials and investigations, and may lead to more of the same.
It is not 'cult' behavior to trust the President's leadership.
May 13, 2009 7:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
But did you criticize him when he initially vowed to release the photos? Remember, this is a reversal, as reported everywhere. It's a change of heart. And if you think Obama would have endangered our national security if he had released the photos, then I assume that you flipped out when he said he would release them.
Did you? Or are you just pretending that these pictures would endanger our troops? Because if you didn't go nuts at first, I don't understand why you are thanking God now that the photos were not made public.
May 13, 2009 10:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is called a strawman argument.
If someone isn't angrily opposed to an action, they must be wildly enthusiastic supporters? You attack the strawman because you can't engage in legimate debate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man
May 14, 2009 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're right, it's not necessarily cult behavior to support Obama in his flip flop. But it is hypocritical to have opposed this position when Bush held it, but to now be in favor of it because it is Obama trying to hide the evidence of criminal wrongdoing from public scrutiny.
May 14, 2009 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not a "flip flop." That's obnoxious.
It should be pointed out you've been trolling against Obama consistently since joining TPMC, along with your buddies who always post together, who were all against Obama from the beginning.
In fact, you always support the weaker Dem candidate and tear down the leader, often pretzeling yourself to do so. For example you all claimed to be Hillary supporters during the primary when she was losing, supporting her for exactly the things you now say are wrong with Obama. When she briefly seemed to be leading, I noticed a lot of you started attacking her.
I think you're actually GOP trolls, or certainly behave like it, as no other explanation makes sense why you're always trying to tear down top Democrats for ad hoc and often hypocritical rationales.
May 14, 2009 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let me see if I understand this. Is kozmik REALLY calling other people "obnoxious?" Cue the irony track.
May 16, 2009 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh you mean these photos. Reported here.
C
May 13, 2009 8:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Um, i'm a huge Obama supporter and I didn't agree with his decsion not to release those photos. I'm not spitting mad about the decsion, but i'm not pleased with it. Also I thought Robert Gibbs came off as a clossal dick then explaining thePresident reason. Also he looked like a fool when he took that reporters cell phone away. Bet you 2-1 when he threw the phone, it landed on the ground, no one was there to catch it.
So there, you got what you wanted, a supporter that didn't like his move. And i'm not part of a cult because I like the President. I won't drink the "Kool-Aid" if that's what your thinking.
Sorry if I came off as a dick in this post, I was just explaining myself. Have a good day.
May 13, 2009 8:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Note that the group of people whom I link to a Cult is the one made up by those who supported Obama today but never came here to warn us that Obama was (according to them) endangering our troops and our National Security when he (Obama) promised to release the photos in question.
I am not saying that if you agree with Obama's move today you belong in The Cult.
You belong in that Cult if you said nothing, like I said before, about his initial attempt to release the photos.
May 13, 2009 10:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has it occurred to you that your argument only proves Obama must be doing this for all the right reasons?
If he is willing to offend his own base and give up some of his popularity in order to protect the troops, I call that honorable.
His willingness to change his position and give up some of his political capital represents courage, not cowardice.
I'm getting the feeling some of the most vocal critics of Obama's no-pic decision are actually scheming conservatives, joining the sincere liberals in this criticism.
While the libs are honorable in their criticism (but I think short-sighted), these disingenuous conservative critics could care less one way or another about the troops or transparency or any of the things the libs are concerned about, they just want to trash Obama.
One problem with a pile-on, you never know who's going to join the pile.
May 14, 2009 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
The President has made clear on several occasions since his flip flop on FISA that, like other DC Democrats have done for years, it is more important for him to go along with prevailing Washington standards than it is to come through on his promises regarding civil liberties and the rule of law. That isn't courage of any kind. That's caving in to the establishment which in the perverse environment of Washington DC they call having courage.
May 14, 2009 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS; Read Lifton before you start trying to teach us about cults. Your version of a "cult" basically makes pop culture a cult.
Not hardly.
May 14, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh I get what your saying. No I was quite vocal today in various TPM Cafe posts on what I thought regarding his decsion so i'm definetly not a member of the "Cult" as you would put it.
May 13, 2009 11:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. I am very disappointed in President Obama. Unless Americans are forced to face what our government can do to "others", and how it can distort and exploit the idealism of our patriotic young people, these things will continue to happen. Does anyone remember My Lai? Forcing these things into the open could lead to a transformational moment for our nation. Concealing our faults strengthens our shadow.
May 14, 2009 1:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
"It is not 'cult' behavior to trust the President's leadership."
In Obama We Trust.
This says it all.
May 14, 2009 4:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I dunno, we went through quite a lot of "he's the President, you have to support the President" browbeating in the previous eight years, and I don't think Republicans were trying to indoctrinate anyone into a cult.
The whole "cult" thing is funny, anyway. If I work with a guy who I generally think is intelligent and reliable, and he says or does something that I'm not entirely happy with, I'm more likely to cut him some slack or figure he has a good reason for doing so. I don't think other coworkers would immediately assume I was in his cult.
May 14, 2009 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Clearly, you don't work with TS77.
May 14, 2009 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Next step --
Wenn das der Führer wüsste.
May 14, 2009 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love these hectoring posts from self-described superior beings. Gets me going in the morning.
May 14, 2009 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
What's wrong, Tom, do you fear truthseeking? You must not be clearthinking. ;^)
BTW, this "Cult" with the capital "C" thing really sticks in my craw (or Craw). Is he coining a brand-new concept here? Telling us what Cultists (cultists) are? Probably. But it's fun to pretend that he's doing the A. A. Milne Capitalization of Very Important Words schtick. Capitalizing "Cultists" is something that Very Wise Bloggers do when they're trying to teach us a Big New Idea.
May 14, 2009 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
A typical response from the Cult. You two pose as being the "renegade" Wright-Worthless Wing of the Cult, but my Master sees no substantive differences - and orders that you leave the Light Of The Truthsucker's Presence (TM).
Go.
And do not return until you have proven you are worthy of His Hectoring. And next time, bring sandwiches.
May 14, 2009 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
*runs in*
*hands Quinn a Ham and Swiss sammich*
*runs out*
May 14, 2009 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bless you, my child. And I know the Mighty *munch munch* Truthsucker (TM) thanks you for your *munch munch* offering, and proffers blessings upon you *munch munch* as well as blesses your profferings *mmmmm, lick lick lick.*
I'll see that Truthsnorter receives this fine, nutritious and OH SO DELICIOUS sammich as part of his *belch* ummmm, regular briefing.
May 14, 2009 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
TrollSeeker just wants the photos released to fill out his torture-porn collection. He has the whole Abu Ghraib series on the bedroom wall.
May 14, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, that's Cheney.
Truthseeker's got pictures of Bush on his wall.
May 14, 2009 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL
May 14, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yet again "truthseeker" posts his internally self-negating incoherance in hopes this time he will by shear accident make sense. As ever, he doesn't.
As for the non-release of the photos? They'll be released -- and in the Middle East, among the Arab nations, will be seen as a positive coming-clean.
May 14, 2009 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
The denial and hypocrisy are getting pretty thick. Truthseeker, you have a hit a raw nerve.
May 14, 2009 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Silly, silly post.
May 14, 2009 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Silly? You should see Oleeb's posts. There just as silly, not to mention downright hateful.
May 14, 2009 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
No they're not in any sense of what you say. The Obama defenders have taken a page right out of the GOP's book about how to properly smear anyone you doesn't toe the line and follow party 'orthodoxy'. It is a sign of moral impotency...that no amount of Viagra will help to correct.
May 14, 2009 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Libertine!
I am really taken aback at the groupthink going on amongst those who desperately want Obama to be doing the right thing despite all the evidence and even his own statements to the contrary. They cannot face it or to paraphrase Jack Nicholson... they can't handle the truth.
The Froomkin deconstruction of Obama's arguments (linked on the TPM front page) is something I'm sure many of our friends here would find totally silly and hateful too. But I found it to be a very cogent analysis sans "Obama can do no wrong" blinders.
It's like they just can't leave the campaign mode where the paramount thing was just to win and then everything will be worked out ofter the election. Of course, the election has come and gone and still a certain core cannot tolerate any criticism of the leader. Extraordinary, and I think, pretty dangerous.
May 14, 2009 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh I can handle criticism. I handle the criticism of Zipper and Coonsey when they feel Obama is wrong about the pictures because they present their criticism in a calm and rational way. You on the other hand post your criticism is in spiteful and hateful way and that I can't stand. Being hateful and bashing a man just because he dosen't live up to your standards is not the good way to go in debate.
I know all about criticism, I have criticize the man on many occasions, but I don't go on a shooting rampage about it. That's the difference between you and me.
Criticism I welcome, hate I shun apon.
May 14, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have a perception problem. I don't hate Obama at all. I like him. But when he deserves to be criticized I don't think it should be sugar coated. His decisions with respect to all the so-called "war on terror" issues are deplorable and some are downright immoral. That's not hate. That's simple honesty.
May 14, 2009 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait a minute, you like Obama? Are you being serious or are you just fucking with me and being sarcastic?
Yeah I agree, I don't like some of his decsions with regards to foreign policy. Maybe it's because i'm not as hawkish as he is (and I am a bit of a hawk on the issue). Or maybe because that although i'll give his Afghan plan a chance, i'll know it will untimately fail because no matter what he does, it's unwinnable. You can thank Bush for that.
Hey we found something we can agree on, hell has frozen over!!!
May 14, 2009 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have repeatedly pointed out I like the President. However, that doesn't mean I worship him or that I feel like if he does something every bit as bad as Bush did (or identical) that he should not receive the same level of criticism. I also, unlike many, consider him nothing but another politician. That means I do not labor under any illusion that he is "different" than the others because he is not. The entire area of national security issues encompassing torture, spying illegally on citizens, acting illegally in other ways, all of that stuff I consider completely and totally reprehensible. Obama campaigned specifically against all the legal tactics and strategies used by the Bush administration to illegally grab power and to hide illegal activities from the people, but once in office, he has adopted almost all of those very positions. Thus, I am deeply, deeply disappointed in the fact that he has so boldy betrayed so many on these issues. I cannot say I'm terribly surprised. It was obvious he had no committment to reversing Bush's approach in these areas when he flip flopped on FISA. Still, it is hugely disappointing. I am not talking about actual torture here of course, but of the policies. I think it's great that the President did his job and publicly denounced use of torture and that he released the torture memos. But he's looking an awful lot like W when it comes to military tribunals, closing Gitmo but redoing it here no American soil, defending illegal spying on citizens, etc... This flip flop on the photo release is just one more instance of failing to honor his word to the people who elected him. I understand many of them are willing to have him fail to live up to his word. It's just that I am not. I really believe these things are that important and I am committed to the ideas and principles over him or any politician who would undermine them as I believe his approach is doing similar to that of his predecessor.
May 14, 2009 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I have repeatedly pointed out I like the President."
Really? Where haveyou said that. Because i've been coming here for about a year now and have no seen one post where you said.
I don't worship the guy either. I like Obama and think he's doing a good job (that's okay to say) but I don't worship the man. I knew he has flaws like any other human being.
Now how the Republicans feel about Reagan, that's worshiping and i've never done that ever. Unless you count saying nice things about him "worshiping". Which i'm pretty sure you won't.
You make some valid point Oleeb, I don't necessarily agree with them but valid points indeed. I will respect them. Because everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That we can agree on.
May 14, 2009 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry you missed those posts.
May 14, 2009 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, their post are down right hateful if you deep. They offer nothing to the table but bashing someone they don't like or disagree with. I'm not taking any page out of the GOP playbook, i'm not using the "With us or againist us" line. I'm simply stating what i'm seeing.
May 14, 2009 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Note that the group of people whom I link to a Cult is the one made up by those who supported Obama today but never came here to warn us that Obama was (according to them) endangering our troops and our National Security when he (Obama) promised to release the photos in question."
Here is how Dumb (pun intended) your comment is. You define a "cultists" as one who didn't criticize Obama's original intention and supported his new position.
1) Maybe some people are not as informed or don't have access to details that would allow them to make the judgment that releasing the photos would endanger our troops?
2) Maybe some people realize that the volume of information available to the President far outweighs the little that filters through the profit driven media.
3) Maybe thing have changed on the ground since Obama originally proposed releasing the photos.
4) Maybe Obama's scheduled speech to the Arab world had something to do with his change of heart.
You are an idiot. You should consider changing your handle. You are not really looking for the truth; you're looking for just another gotcha ...
May 14, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I do not think that "cultist" is the right term to use. However, I do think that in the case of actual politicians, we should be suspicious of anyone who did not criticize the planned release, but now praises the planned suppression. I think Obama's decision was a bad one, although I think his reasons were calculated political ones, not an evil plot to join Bush and Cheney in a monstrous coverup.
May 14, 2009 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course it isn't the right term to use. There's a fancy-schmancy word for what Truthseeker is trying to do here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_calling
May 14, 2009 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think this post accomplishes anything other than provoking useless divisiveness.
Some people agree with Obama's decision, some disagree. Some, myself included, aren't sure what to think, yet.
May 14, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
And you, then, are the wisest and most honest person here. Thank you.
May 14, 2009 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
As and when (if?) your "Aha" moment occurs, can we count upon your returning to announce its arrival?
May 14, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Replied to agio.
May 14, 2009 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sure. But let me give you a preview, or if you would rather, explain why I'm not certain what the right thing to do.
On the one hand, it is vitally important that the all of the people involved in fostering the climate where these atrocities were carried out are held to account for their crimes.
On the other hand, I'm not sure what beneficial effects another round of torture porn making its way through the media will have. I know I don't want to see them for myself.
Ideally I'd like to see these remaining photos put into the hands of someone at the DoJ, who is empowered to use them as evidence to build a case. I would not like to see them plastered on every blog, TV show, and newspaper in the world.
May 15, 2009 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
In the excitement I forgot to answer the question in the title, so I'll fulfill that obligation now.
No.
May 14, 2009 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
The dirty little secret about Obama signing on to supposed "Bush" legacies on torture, renditions, ME foreign policies etc is that they don't start with the bushies but include the Clinton years as well.
Seeing everything through the us vs them lens obscures the truth that changes in administrations do not really act as a magic wand to clear out the old and bring in the new. Many (but not all) of the actors/appointees may change, but the policies in some areas remain much the same, rhetorical bullshit from Obama and Hillary notwithstanding.
Few want to address that elephant in the room because we are well-trained to respond as partisans/supporters of one party or one candidate over another and argue over cosmetic "differences".
How convenient.
May 14, 2009 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Today in Rio Rancho in the Land of Enchantment, we bathed in the sunbeams of light that warmed us when the clouds parted and celestial choirs began to sing. We hailed to the Chief. We drank rainbow Kool-Aid that tasted of Dasani water which was sweet and cold, and soon in the late of morning, the heavenly to look at host came upon us having delivered a sermon in the round at the stadium of the Sun Devils, bringing with him good tidings. Whereupon we found ourselves blessed with three loaves and three fishes in the shape of Mentos and GummiFish, yet we all ate liberally from this feast of kings and were sated by this impromptu communion. Soon his mellifluous voice told us stories and promised us a better life for ourselves and our children if we followed him. And we did. His name is Obama and his cult is legion. I touched his hand and was brushed by the hem of his suit jacket. We enjoyed fellowship and personhood in the truest sense of the word. My stuffy nose was miraculously opened and I could breathe free. Later I could swim in the icy waters of the rectangular man-made lake of chlorinated water and be refreshed. I could reflect upon his countenance and be calm and reassured. The land will come to be at peace, the economy will come to be restored, the planet will bloom again, and heaven shall be upon the Earth.
It is good to be in the Cult. The Cult is good.
May 14, 2009 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
This whole post is based on a false premise. Obama did NOT "promise" to release the photos. That's totally distorting what he said.
He has said he'll comply with the decision of the DoJ, and at that time the DoJ had ruled, based on the previous case brought, that the photos could be released. Also that process had begun prior to Obama taking office and it's questionable whether this might have been a timebomb left by the Bush Admin.
HOWEVER, Obama after taking office and looking at the matter, concluded that the good of releasing more photos after stopping these polices, closing Guantanamo, etc, was less than the harm it would do to continuing concerns like Afghanistan, Taliban in Pakistan, etc.
I happen to agree wit him on that. It's very different to get sensational photos to break a story when nobody knows yet, and programs are ongoing. That good can outweigh other harms. It's very different when we already know, have already seen plenty of photos, and it's just MSM torture porn.
Regardless of whether one agrees with Obama's opinion as I do, he's been consistent in that he ultimately follow through the DoJ ruling and wants that ruling to consider all the issues.
May 14, 2009 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink