StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

Our Nation’s history had begun a bit more than 225 years earlier, but for us all, time stopped at 8:46am Eastern time on September 11, 2001 when American Flight 11 hit the North Tower. I measure time now in the days and weeks and months since that moment, and cannot keep the tears from my eyes when I think of that moment or hear our National Anthem or other patriotic hymns. Those moments, from the shut down of the bridges and tunnels in NY City at 9:21am, to the collapse of the South Tower at 10:05am followed by the North Tower only 23 minutes later are a mark of time.

Right after the attacks, leading to the Joint Session of Congress, to the bi-partisan gathering on the steps of the Capitol Building, to the National Prayer Service on September 14th…

…we thought, felt and acted as one unified body of citizens.

What happened? One of my readers recently wrote, and I will refrain his comment here now…which for the most part, I agree with…

I remember the time immediately “following the attacks of Sept. 11, we were once again united, many people from many walks of life at a moment of great dispair.” Shortly after, on the 12th or 13th, my town had a patriotic parade. All the Memorial Day flags were flown from the street lamps and people in cars and pick-ups drove up and down the main street honking their horns, yelling, and waving flags. They were united.

Maybe my wife Neve and I are wired differently than most people, but we had a feeling of dread on that night. We are not the type of people who are easily pulled into the herd - though we may want to be at times. We worried that the folks honking and screaming, while supportive of the US, didn’t really know what was going on. Our friends gave us dissapproving looks for not joining in the party atmosphere.

Now, almost 7 years later, I think I see where the dread was pointing. This unity that felt so good, this clarity of purpose and assertion of absolute right — was used. It morphed into fear and silence — fear of being branded as unpatriotic and silence instead of discussion.

I really do feel that many of the mistakes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the larger War on Terror, flowed directly from ‘moment of unity’. The checks and balances were removed, and instead of the Nation moving as one great force, political factions and interests used the opportunity to further their own agenda - to the detriment of their political foes, to the detriment a war effort, and to the great detriment of the Nation.

We all need to remember who we are People! Tonight, it is time to remember that we are “Americans, all.” We are not Black or White, Jewish or Christian or Muslim or Bhuddist or Hindu or atheist. We are “Americans, all.” If we forget that…if we lose sight of that, then we are doomed. Yes, we are doomed, because the terrorist attacks will have split us apart.

Be moved by Whitney Houston’s rendition. I cry when I watch it. I am, after all, an American.

And thanks to Right Truth for the link to the National Anthem (and for a reminder of who we are, and who are not).

4th of July, September 11th

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I read it and thought, “no, it has to be a spoof.” All too often Jack Bauer’s show “24″ has been held by “some” people as proof of the coming American holocaust. Now I read that “President Palmer” (err, I mean Dennis Haysbert) believes that his role in “24″ enabled the candidacy of Barack Obama.

“If anything, my portrayal of David Palmer, I think, may have helped open the eyes of the American people,” said the actor, who has contributed $2,300 to the Illinois Democrat’s presidential campaign.

Two brief comments on this:

1) I think that Haysbert is either desparate for attention or is simply delusional
2) if the American public actually believes this then it is delusional and in need of serious psychological help.

Now, Haysbert was not the first American Black President in movies/television, and I am not the first to say that the concept is a s-t-r-e-t-c-h, at best.

Todd Boyd, an expert in African American cinema and culture at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, said he was skeptical of the influence Hollywood may have on the 2008 election race.

“I’m a bit hesitant to say that because James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman or Dennis Haysbert played a president on a TV show or in a movie, it means Barack Obama can be president,” Boyd told National Public Radio.

“I think that’s a bit of a stretch.”

Barack Obama may be a creation of the media, but he is no Dennis Haysbert (err, I mean David Palmer). Whatever has enabled a Black man to be the candidate of a major American political party is a social phenomena and a sign of the growth and evolution of America to overcome, at least partially, its racial bias. At the same time, substance should be what enables a candidate to become President. My opinion is that David Palmer’s writers (those of the show “24″) provided him a great agenda, and as an actor, he executed his lines flawlessly…as did Morgan Freeman in “Deep Impact.” Life sometimes parallel art. Art influencing life? Its a stretch. And besides, David Palmer was assassinated…the writers saw to that (I suspect so that Haysbert could assume his newest television role in the “Unit”).

Personally, I think that Haysbert is displaying verry self-important behavior and is delusional.

24, Haysbert, Jack Bauer, Obama

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Anyone who reads this space knows that I’ve frequently made predictions. Those among you also know that at the predicted time, it is time to step back, reflect and recognize the validity of those predictions. On December 26, 2007 Austin Bay wrote, “Sometime within the next six months or so, al Qaeda or Saddamist terrorists will attempt a Tet offensive.” The article urged readers to believe that the jihadists sought to emulate the strategic political effects North Vietnam’s 1968 attack obtained.

Mr. Bay then went to draw an historic parallel between the peacewing of the Democratic party during the Civil War led by Clement Vallandigham to Senator Harry Reid (who Bay called “our era’s Vallandighams”). And further, Mr. Bay predicted that:

Their “ultimate Iraqi Tet” would feature simultaneous terror strikes in every major Iraqi city. These simultaneous strikes would inflict hideous civilian casualties with the goal of discrediting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s and General David Petraeus’ assessments that Iraqi internal security has improved. The terrorists would reduce Iraqi government buildings to rubble.

Well, I don’t want to be proven wrong by near term events, but given the “effectiveness” of the surge. there is reason to expect that no Iraqi Tet will occur (too soon at least). Of course, Bay bought himself a bit of leeway by then saying that the Election period in November would give al Qaeda, the jihad, the Islamic Fundamentalists etc. the opportunity to inflict “sensational carnage that even momentarily seeds the perception of defeat is their only chance of victory.”

But I’ll bet that Bay got his 10 votes within minutes…LOL And yes, I’ve had this article bookmarked since it first appeared simply to see if the bold prediction played out in reality.

Austin Bay, Terrorists Tet

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Let us crystallize the issues facing the US as we approach this “election of a lifetime.” Live in peace and remember that at following the attacks of Sept. 11, we were once again united, many people from many walks of life at a moment of great dispair. Now, nearly 7 years later, regardless of whatever you may think of the War in Iraq, or the broader, Global War on Terrorism, our enemies mock us for being divided and for not understanding that their’s is a very long war. Without resolve (by us as a country and a people), there is reason to beware (the enemy does not bicker among themselves). They watch…they plan…they wait.

So what are the issues for this coming Presidential Election? [More later]

GWOT, Presidential election

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Enabling and promoting terrorism while supressing free speech is what the United Nations seems to be these days. In fact, the UN Human Rights Council not only frowns on speaking about jihad, terrorism and shariah law, but also is promoting the conspiracy theory that the Sept. 11 attacks were an “inside job.”

This is discussed at length here

The UNHRC ban on debate regarding Sharia came as a result of a three minute joint statement by the Association for World Education with the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) to the Human Rights Council on women’s rights and the impact of Sharia law. These NGOs sought to address international issues of violence against women, specifically, the stoning of women, “honor killings” of women, and female genital mutilation, as a result of Sharia law.

In more detail, the bozo (Richard Falk) who is the special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories and investigates alleged Israeli violations of human rights law for the U.N.’s Human Rights Council also wants to investigate the World Trade Center and Pentagon tragedies to determine if they were, in fact, an “inside job.”

…investigate whether “some sort of controlled explosion from within” destroyed the Twin Towers, he told FOXNews.com.

“I do think there are questions that haven’t been answered, questions about the way the buildings collapsed and the failure to heed a variety of signals that there was danger coming,” Falk said.

John Bolton comments that while this position may be “conventinal wisdom” among some delegations at the UN, Falk’s beliefs are “fruit cake city.”

The executive director of UN Watch, the NGO that watches the UN, Hillel Neuer has called for Falk’s removal.

“He should resign,” said Neuer, who raised concerns about Falk’s ability to be an objective observer. Neuer has also criticized Falk for being biased against Israel.

“If he were a principled person he would recognize the fact that he has very extreme views,” Neuer said.

I’ve said it many times in the past. The best use for the United Nations now is to through them out of the United States, make them relocate to the Hague, and then let Donald Trump devleop an entire community on the East River. That would also eliminate the persistent problem of diplomats parking illegally on the streets of Manhattan, blocking thru-traffic and ignoring the fines.

Hillel Neuer, Human Rights Council, John Bolton, UN Watch

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George O’Dowd had been denied a U.S. entry visa, apparently because he has a pending trial in the United Kingdom on charges of false imprisonment and battery. As a result, all of his U.S. appearances have been cancelled. This seems to be a case of what’s good for the gander is good for the gander.

“This is not in respect of anything he has done in the past but because he is facing a trial in November in London for something that happened in April of last year,” the singer’s management said in a press statement. In a U.K. criminal trial set for November, George (whose real name is George O’Dowd) faces charges of false imprisonment and battery — he has been accused of chaining a Norwegian male model to a wall. (Don’t you hate when that happens?)

So, paraphrasing Don Imus, I ask, what is O’Dowd’s “preference?” OH! Did I forget to mention that O’Dowd is also known as BOY GEORGE???  He was to appear in NY City at a free concert for the New York City Department of Sanitation’s Family Day in AugustIn the meantime, ticketholders can keep tabs on developments at BoyGeorgeLive.com., and fans can express themselves via e-mail at the State Department’s Visa Services’ Public Inquiries Branch usvisa@state.gov.

false imprisonment, George ODowd

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I read this morning what is said to be at least a partial list of Obama’s possible VP’s. Briefly, here is my handicapping of 9 of the reported 20 on the list.

John Edwards - why?
Sam Nunn - Great Choice (strong on defense and security) and author of pre-Sept. 11th warnings of attacks (even if a bit old and tired)
Al Gore - why?
Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha - a really bad choice
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland - OK
Joe Biden - my vote for smartest guy in Senate; big mouth; Nunn a better choice
Chris Dodd - weak
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius - recently strong
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano - took action against illegal aliens (might be a good choice)

There will be more. But not now. Just my opinion.

Obama VP list

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When is it time to shut your mouth and keep your foot in it? When you’re Retief Goosen and you issue a “just kidding” statement that Tiger was faking his knee pain just a few hours before Tiger announces season ending knee surgery.

According to sources, Tiger Woods has made a decision to go ahead with season-ending knee surgery.

He experienced a small stress fracture in his left leg about two weeks before the U.S. Open, which was causing him pain, and ultimately the doctors felt that he needs ACL surgery and rest to get him back to 100%.

Hey Goose! You’re an idiot, even if you were “just kidding.”

ACL, just kidding, Retief Goosen, Tiger Woods

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This will be short since I have to admit to having heard the concept while driving and hearing Limbaugh rant on about this. The mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, stood trial and was convicted of convicted of “seditious conspiracy” and now serves a life sentence in the Butner NC Correctional Facility. That was before we knew what we know now.

Affording terrorists or enemy combatants rights under the U.S. Constitution as the recent Supreme Court ruling does, leads to the presumption of innocence. This means that if Osama bin Laden was to be captured and brought to trial, he would be presumed innocent until proven guilty. What proof would we need? Or, worse, what reasonable doubt could be established to enable the man who ordered the murder of nearly 3,000 the morning of September 11, 2001 to walk free? The simple answer is that not only is the Supreme Court decision wrong headed, but the utter ignorance by Barack Obama that we are a Nation (and a World) at War with Terrorism by indicating a return to treating terrorism as a criminal act, is emptyheaded.

Obama, politics of ignorance

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I like Mike Huckabee.  Frankly, my favorite slate for the Republicans would have been Newt Gingrich-Mike Huckabee (strange choice for someone who is often enough accused of being a liberal - but I think Newt is one of the smartest guys out there, especially about health care).  I also like John McCain…and have supported his nomination since it became clear that Newt couldn’t/wouldn’t run.

Well, “Pastor” Mike has come out publicly with what I believe are “words of wisdom.” In noting that he felt that the Republican Veep nominee “would be a surprise” he said:

…he would be surprised if Republican candidate John McCain asked him to be the vice-presidential nominee, and he also doubted Hillary Clinton will be No.2 on the Democratic ticket.

In the same speech (I think, in Japan) Mr. Huckabee said if the Republicans (he really meant the far right conservatives) demonized Obama (which they already are doing), it would be a mistake:

The Republicans will make a fundamental, if not fatal mistake, if they seek to win the election by demonizing Barrack Obama,” Huckabee told reporters in Tokyo. “Don’t underestimate the extraordinary, substantive moment that Barack Obama’s nomination represents in our country.”

Its sad how I have commented often in the past about how polarized this country had become (since the 2000 Election) and the advent of political blogging. The future, unfortunately, is that this Nation is about to become even more polarized. In a way very different from the way that John Edwards meant it, we are in fact a Nation of “two Americas.” I am not smart enough to know the future or what it holds. I do know/believe that a Nation divide cannot stand. In these days, a Nation divide as we are, and as we will become, most certainly will become more vulnerable to terrorism (and not because or if the Democrats carry the next election - it will be because we are polarize and not of a single mind).

The “sock Obama“/curious George incident is just the beginning. IMO, there is the GWOT, and then there is the war that we are already fighting among ourselves.

polarization, Sock Obama

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Coming on the heels of the U.S. bomb strike on the Afghan-Pakistani border that killed a dozen or so security and civilians, and the escape of nearly a 1000 Taliban from the Kandahar prison, we now witness the boastful Karzai saying that the Afghan army will pursue the Taliban on the Pakistani side of the border. I must be seeing things!

The Afghan government announced that 870 of the jail’s 1,005 inmates had escaped — including the vast majority of its 398 suspected rebels, the ones they call “political prisoners.”

It is said by Canadian officials that they hope that the newly reintroduced insurgents would not negatively impact on their troops. Further, in Friday’s Canadian National Post, they commented on the premature assessment that the Taliban was on its last legs.

That message has been one that NATO has been pounding home over the last several months. Canadian commanders hailed their latest mission, Operation Rolling Thunder, as proof coalition forces could pretty much go where they wanted in southern Afghanistan.

A couple of weeks ago, the top NATO commander in the country, U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, told a journalist that the Taliban in southern Afghanistan had been routed and were fleeing toward safe havens in Pakistan.

In February, Britain’s Brig. Andrew Mackay said the Taliban had been brought to their knees in Helmand province. The insurgency was lacking fighters because of the large numbers killed by coalition troops, he added.

 
So ontop of this less than optimistic assessment there is Hamid Karzai threatening to invade neighboring Pakistan to pursue the Taliban escapees.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai threatened Sunday to send Afghan troops after notorious Taliban leaders inside Pakistan in an angry warning to his eastern neighbor that he will no longer tolerate cross-border attacks.

The threat — the first time Karzai has said he would send forces into Pakistan — comes only days after a sophisticated Taliban assault on Kandahar’s prison freed 870 prisoners, and six weeks after Karzai survived his fourth assassination attempt.

Now, in my opinion, the confluence of the events described above suggests strongly that the Taliban is far from dead and defunct; that while there are those who “wish” the Taliban to be kaput in Afghanistan to defuse calls from some camps to fight (and complete) the “real” war in Afghanistan by redeploying forces from Iraq. The other implications are that there is no real border. A number of people do not acknowledge the importance and controversy over the Durand Line. As I wrote “elsewhere” and earlier:

The Taliban are far from dead (IMO of course). The dynamics and ebb and flow of the battle in that region of the world are hard to follow for some. It isn’t as simple as moving pieces on a game board (like “Risk”). An oversimplification of the newly declared, and once again, premature death of the Taliban in Afghanistan is belied by the facts. One article in a British newspaper on line quoting British (NATO) forces does not strike the end of the Taliban. Whether in Afghanistan or Pakistan (or more likely in the tribal regions that “buffer” both pseudo-countries along the mythical border established by the Durand Line is inconsequential to the way things evolve. The prison break in Kandahar, not discussed I believe in any comment in this thread, in which 800-1000 Taliban fighters were sprung loose is an example. The ongoing poppytrade and the sex trade remain as a foundation for another rebirth.

Nearly three years ago the Taliban were declared dead and gone and defunct by NATO…they were not…and the NATO expert with whom I had a running on-line debate suddenly disappeared from the discussion. I remain hopeful, and yet I remain realistic and suprised that Karzai has survived. Frankly, I still believe that Karzai lives each day, only at the pleasure of the warlords (drug lords). If you decalre an end to the Taliban in Afghanistan, by default you are suggesting that the jihad is over there. That is a premature conclusion…

The implications further are that by challenging the Taliban so outwardly, Karzai, in my opinion, is simply putting a target on his back. Anyone want Karzai in the death pool?

Kandahar prison break, Karzai, NATO, Taliban

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Recently, in “another place,” a “debate” ensued about whether the Taliban had been decapitated in Afghanistan, and therefore troops did not have to be redeployed from there to Iraq. Have they been weakened (especially with the killing of Mullah Dullah?) Maybe. Is the Taliban defunct there? I don’t think so.

My argument begins with the question of the Taliban’s movement between Afghanistan and Pakistan…only if you differentiate Afghanistan from Pakistan (little difference except for those who wish to “see” it) is the Taliban on its way to being defunct.

The Drug-Terrorist Link Means Wars can Last Indefinitely
 

“Growing links between the drugs trade and the insurgency in the South will provide longevity to the Taliban,” the UK document says. “In the south, the drugs trade is fuelling the insurgency.” 

It adds: “This is compounded by government corruption. Karzai chooses to avoid rocking the boat with powerful narco figures and has not blocked their appointment as governors or other senior officials.”

In turn, Mr Karzai’s failure to tackle corruption and the drug lords “only increases popular disillusion,” further boosting the insurgency, the paper says.

Pakistan and the Growing Threat of a Sharia Mini-State
 

Recently, there have been negotiations and agreements between the Pakistan Taliban (or tribal leaders including Taliban representatives) and Pakistan governments in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), both of which are in the northwestern area of Pakistan. Pakistan has seen 4,500 killed in terrorist attacks over the past year and a half, and the Pakistan NWFP and FATA governments view agreements with the Pakistan Taliban as the solution to end the violence and find peace in their areas.

Taliban Defends Peace Accord with Pakistani Government
 

“We consider the peace accord in Pakistan as an internal affair, which pertains to that country alone—yet the occupation forces in Afghanistan and the forces hostile to Islam around the world oppose this peace accord and argue it will lead to an escalation in jihadi activities in Afghanistan. This claim is groundless and it is far from the truth… The occupying forces and their supporters are facing total defeat in Afghanistan, and therefore, they are trying to use these kind of statements and claims in order to distract the gaze of the Afghans and the rest of the world in another direction—so that the Afghan resistance will appear to be weak.”

Thus, from the CTB alone, there are more sources and contrary conclusions. Its that “pesky Durand Line” again.

First, let us not minimize the fact that the prison break in Kandahar City Afghanistan freed nearly 1000 Taliban fighters. But there is more going on here!

Despite the fact that Afghanistan is a very conservative country, the sex trade is rampant. And it gets “gooey” from there.

Afghanistan is one of the world’s most conservative countries, yet its sex trade appears to be thriving. Sex is sold most obviously at brothels full of women from China who serve both Afghans and foreigners. Far more controversial are Afghan prostitutes, who stay underground in a society that pretends they don’t exist.

Customs meant to keep women “pure” have not stopped prostitution. Girls are expected to remain virgins until their wedding nights, so some prostitutes have only anal sex.

Want more salacious “input?”

Some prostitutes are forced into the sex trade by their families. The Ora report said 39 percent of the sex workers interviewed found clients through their relatives — including 17 percent through their mothers and 15 percent through their husbands.

We’re also facing the possibility that a German-born Muslim convert Eric B. who authorities have been trailing for months may be planning a suicide attack in Afghanistan. You can “rose colored” glasses this thing (in Afghanistan and elsewhere), or you can consider that the Taliban ain’t dead (just yet at least) and that the War on Terror is constantly morphing.

Child sex in Afghanistan, Durand Line, Mullah Dullah, Taliban

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OK, so I’m late posting on this ridiculous Supreme Court ruling, so I will keep it short. Jeffrey Imm on Counterterrorism Blog writes, “Don’t You Know There’s A War On?” Until this ruling, it was never considered that the Constitution covered foreign enemy combatants.

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy ignores the reality that the U.S. Constitution was for American citizens, not foreign enemy combatants during wartime, by arrogantly demanding that “[t]he laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times.”(Justice Kennedy Majority Opinion, page 70).

The reality is that when this ruling was first announced, I had recently returned from another grueling business trip. In my moments of time, I sought sources that would detail any indication that even non-resident immigrants (legal) had Constitutional rights. While I am fairly certain that a lawyer or two among the readers here may chime in, I came across this dialog, Immigration Law: The Constitutional Rights of Non-Citizens. I believe that this ruling is a sign of justice being blind. This time. however, blind to the realities that this War on Terrorism is a long war.

Jeff Imm’s post says it all…and makes the point better than any other writer I have seen on this subject. What I believe is that this ruling is likely to increase the battlefield deaths of enemy combatants. Kill of them! Kill them all!!! There are no rights on the battlefield…are there?  Check out the outrage here.

Constitutional rights, habeus corpus, Justice Kennedy, Supreme Court

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EDITORIAL

“Ladies and gentlemen,” at the risk of causing this blog to be less read than it already is, I offer you a few thoughts on being human. Scan the blogosphere and you will find all too many entries that characterize the late Tim Russert in less than admirable ways (*). Those who write those posts lack honesty, integrity and transparency and the knowledge of what those traits mean. The other day I wrote, “It Was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times” and I doubt many people actually read it.   Frankly, it hardly matters that you did or didn’t.

To those all too numerous disrepectful people who, even on the day of his death, would decide that it was a “good time” to classify him as (*) “the darling of the left,” “a member of the mainstream media,” “a leftist,” “a liberal media hack” etc., and all of the rest of the vituperative and rhetorical ignorance and nastiness that has become the standard of Internet commentary, I say that it is shameful…You all know who you are! Some of you are invisible and anonymous (yeah! I know that I write this blog anonymously, so sue me!)…some of your “pseudonyms” are Sigmund, and “digby,” and “crook and liars.” Then there are the Jane Hamshers, and Michael Yglesias’ and other shameful excuses for human beings.

and I also wonder who your parents were! Who gave you the values that you supposedly have and live with that permit you, somehow, to disrespect a great man. Yes, he was a journalist. And yes, he was a member of the traditional media (how I detest the terms of El Rushbo that the blind and ignorant minions repeat of “drive by media” and the more hackneyed, “mainstream media”). How the hell were you raised? And by what?

We are indeed living the “best of times and the worst of times.” Perhaps the worst part of the worst of time is that all too many people haven’t got a clue about honesty, integrity and transparency. You clearly know where I stand! I’m known for my honesty, integrity and transparency (people who know me in my life know that I say what I mean, I do what I say and that there are no hidden agendas)…this blog is known (in whatever limited way) for its honesty, its honest opinions and for its essential balance (often, because of my writing and its style, some people mistake me for being a “liberal” an accusation that amuses those who know me well).

Say and write whatever you will. Be very careful, though, not to say those things in front of me or in front of those who know me well. You might be surprised, flattened or even sucker punched (or worse)…and no, that’s not a “threat.” A “threat” is only a “threat” if there is no intent to carry it out.

Honesty, Integrity, Tim Russert, Transparency

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Its ironic and sad that Tim Russert would die so suddenly today from a heart attack, on this Friday before Father’s Day leaving behind his Dad, “Big Russ” about whom wrote so fondly, and his son Luke who he clearly loved. Perhaps only those who see the world in Black and White (or conservative and liberal)(or right and left) will find no void in his passing.

Tim Russert looked a little tired Friday morning, but nobody inside his studio at NBC news headquarters in Washington thought too much of it. He’d just gotten back from a quick trip to Rome to visit his son, who was on one of those do-it-while-you’re-young European tours.

He told me he had gotten just two hours of sleep on the plane. So he was entitled to look tired.

In a day and time when there is so little of substance on any of the broadcast news channels, Tim Russert offered analysis of the situation…and he probed with his questions. You didn’t have to like what he said, or some of his positions to admire his integrity. He was held in very high regard by his colleagues…

It was a measure of the degree to which Tim Russert was respected in the journalistic world that he was the first broadcaster elected to membership in Washington’s oldest journalistic organization, the Gridiron Club, an honor long restricted to print journalists.

And it was especially noteworthy in view of the fact that Tim had started out in politics, working for two prominent New York Democrats, Gov. Mario Cuomo and Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

As a Dad to his son Luke…as a son to his elderly Father, “Big Russ,” the man named TIm Russert will be missed…perhaps not by all, but clearly by those who understand that the world is not black and white. And to those who choose to demean the man in his moment of death, you and not he are the lesser for it. Of course, there are those who will fit the mold that I describe. We are indeed, in a lot of trouble.

Also see the Anchoress’ post on Russert. In contrast of course is the utter ignorance and inanity of Mathew Yglesias who shamelfully insists on taking the absolute low road. My message…”You’re a bastard who deserves a fate more painful and more devastaing than anyone can imagine.”

Tim Russert

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