Democracy for New Mexico

Plea from Reporter: CBS Filtering TV News on Iraq

Very important: A plea from the CBS Senior Foreign Correspondent in Baghdad, embedded with the U.S. military, for citizens to urge CBS News to air one of her reports on their TV news show rather than solely on their website. Click for a Daily Kos diary on this that includes a link to the powerful and graphic video story filed by reporter Lara Logan about the two-week old, ongoing battles on Haifa Street in Baghdad.

Images can change people's minds. Apparently CBS News doesn't want its TV viewers to be exposed to the truth of what's going on in the streets of central Baghdad. Here's their excuse: "the Executive Producer of the Evening News thought some of the images in it were a bit strong­ plus on that day the program was already packed with other Iraq news." News programmers outside the U.S. aren't worried about airing "strong" video. Here's an example shown by Britain's Channel 4 News.

You can contact CBS News via a link in the Kos diary. There's also a suggestion that we send the video link to our members of Congress.

And here's another example of how war news is being "managed" in the U.S. Quote:

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Contrary to U.S. military statements, four U.S. soldiers did not die repelling a sneak attack at the governor's office in the Shiite holy city of Karbala last week. New information obtained by The Associated Press shows they were abducted and found dead or dying as far as 25 miles away.

The brazen assault 50 miles south of Baghdad was launched Jan. 20 by a group of nine to 12 militants. They traveled in black GMC Suburban vehicles -- the type used by U.S. government convoys, had American weapons, wore new U.S. military combat fatigues and spoke English.

More news like this at Spread the Word: Iraq-Nam.

Hagel: This Is a Ping Pong Game With American Lives

See transcript.

More power to Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) for railing at his fellow Senators (to their faces) about their cowardly responses to Bush's smoke and mirrors escalation ploy. Hagel was the only Repub on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to vote for the Biden-Hagel-Levin resolution, which passed the other day by a 12-9 margin. Most of the Repubs on the panel were fairly critical of Bush in their comments, but Hagel couldn't shame them into supporting even this watered down, non-binding resolution on Iraq, let alone anything truly restrictive on Bush.

In another segment of his comments, Hagel had this to say:

"What do you believe? What are you willing to support? What do you think? Why were you elected?" he asked. "If you wanted a safe job, go sell shoes. This is a tough business."

Many Senators are introducing their own resolutions, almost all of them nonbinding, with slightly varying positions and language. Biden and others are claiming that tougher measures "with teeth" will eventually be drafted, that this is just the beginning of a long process of negotation on a "consensus" Senate position, etc. Meanwhile, BushCo is rushing to get additional troops on the ground in Iraq before anyone can mess with the money to fund it, cap troops, etc.

Repubs other than Hagel have been verbally critical about Bush's plans but have so far refused to go much further. They're apparently inclined to join a handful of Dems to back Sen. Warner's more tepid resolution, which is now supported by Ben Nelson (D-NE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Norm Coleman (R-MN).

Biden and Hagel reportedly will be working with Warner to craft a compromise resolution more Senators can sign onto, which would, at a minimum, include these provisions:

... a call for U.S. troops to be re-deployed to guard Iraq's borders, focus on counterterrorism and speeding up the training of Iraqi troops; and a call for diplomatic efforts to engage Iraq's neighbors in the pursuit of a political settlement to the war.

A proposed amendment to the Biden resolution by Sen. Dodd to cap troop numbers at January levels failed by a margin of 15-6 with 5 Dems voting nay -- Biden (DE), Cardin (MD), Nelson (FL), Casey (PA) and Webb (VA). Like too many on both sides of the aisle, these folks like to talk tough, but the odds of their taking any truly effective action seem long. Clearly, we'll have to keep pushing to convince them that they, too, may face a loss of their seats if they persist in refusing to represent the people on Iraq. As Sen. Russ Feingold said,

"This is not a time for trying to forge a compromise that everybody can be a part of. This is a time to stop the needless deaths of American troops in Iraq."

More National Attention for NM Impeachment Resolution

The Nation's John Nichols comments on the New Mexico impeachment resolution, Jack Cafferty's respectful reporting about it on CNN and its premise being bolstered by the ongoing Scooter Libby trial. Building, building, building. As was said at the resolution press conference, "'We created a ripple. Your voice is going to turn it into a tidal wave hopefully." Only if we keep up the pressure...

Where is Richardson on impeachment?
What I and many others are awaiting is a definitive word from the presidential candidate from NM, Gov. Bill Richardson, on this matter. You'd think he'd be weighing in on an impeachment effort being launched within his own state legislature, but you'd be wrong. Apparently he'd rather talk about other matters less "controversial." Personally, I think if Richardson wants serious consideration as a presidential candidate, he should comment seriously about perhaps the most important issue on the table: Bush's lawbreaking and what to do about it. What about it, Governor?

Sen. Webb Made My Day

I thought Sen. JIm Webb's response on behalf of Dems to Bush's mushy State of the Union retread was as perfect as a such speech could be. Articulate, tough, precise, powerful. What do you think? CNN has the text version. Excerpt:

On both of these vital issues, our economy and our national security, it falls upon those of us in elected office to take action.

Regarding the economic imbalance in our country, I am reminded of the situation President Theodore Roosevelt faced in the early days of the 20th century. America was then, as now, drifting apart along class lines. The so-called robber barons were unapologetically raking in a huge percentage of the national wealth. The dispossessed workers at the bottom were threatening revolt.

Roosevelt spoke strongly against these divisions. He told his fellow Republicans that they must set themselves as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other. And he did something about it.

As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. "When comes the end?" asked the general who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War II. And as soon as he became president, he brought the Korean War to an end.

These presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this president to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.

Jonathan Alter at MSNBC heaps praise on Webb's speech saying, "For the first time ever, the response to the State of the Union Message overshadowed the president's big speech.

Photos: NM Impeachment Press Conference

Photos by Terry Riley (click on images for larger versions):

Leland Lehrman of Mother Media starts it off.

Senators Gerald Ortiz y Pino and John Grubesic speak at Roundhouse press conference announcing introduction of Cheney-Bush impeachment resolution at the NM Legislature in Santa Fe yesterday. It is now Senate Joint Resolution 5 (PDF).

Sen. Ortiz y Pino rouses the crowd with Sen. Grubesic next up.

"We're simply doing what all elected officials should be doing. That is, listening to the voice of the people and trying to carry it out as best we can." --Sen. Ortiz y Pino

"I am an American citizen that believes that the Constitution is a sacred document and that the Bush Administration clearly does not share this sentiment." --Sen. Grubesic

Packed Capitol Rotunda in Santa Fe. There were also many citizen speakers and cheers kept breaking out all over as things progressed!

You can see local coverage, including video, at KOAT-TV 7 News. Other coverage can be found at After Downing Street, which is tracking the effort. And here's Steve Terrell's report for the Santa Fe New Mexican. This article includes quotes on the bill by Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Tom Udall:

"Sen. (Jeff) Bingaman doesn't think it would be in the best interest of our country to initiate measures to impeach President Bush, though he has a number of concerns about aspects of the administration's domestic and foreign policy agendas," Bingaman spokeswoman Jude McCartin said Tuesday. "Sen. Bingaman thinks our policies should be a reflection of our priorities as a nation and that all too often (Bush's) priorities seem inconsistent with our nation's values."

Rep. Tom Udall on Tuesday didn't close the door on the memorial. He said he would closely monitor the resolution in the state Legislature. "These legislators speak for many of my constituents," he said. Udall said he hopes to talk with those supporting the resolution.

To contact them, visit Congress.org.

See our previous post for more information on the bill.

The Joint Memorial has been assigned to three committees on the Senate side: Rules (SRC), Public Affairs (SPAC), Judiciary (SJC). You can track its progress at the NM Legislature website ats https://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/ and find contact information for legislators who serve on committees that will hear the bill.

Pompous, Self-Righteous, Self-Serving Statement of the Day on Iraq

You knew it had to be Joementum, the ex-Dem who constitutes a political party of one and is now the main apologist for the Bush escalation, regardless of party. Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, I, I, I. Lieberman wants Senators to "put the brakes" on resolutions disapproving the escalation in order to give our "160,000 troops a chance to succeed in Iraq." A chance to die for nothing attempting to carry out a misbegotten plan that, almost to a person, everyone with knowledge, expertise and logic says cannot succeed. To my mind, the blood of any and all troops and others that is shed because of what Lieberman calls our "last chance" will be on his hands now. As John Kerry once said, "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?” Maybe Bush will give Joe another kiss tonight at the State of the Union speech. I guess he deserves it. More at TPM Muckraker.

Latest on NM Impeachment Effort

The effort to pass a resolution of impeachment against Bush and Cheney in the NM Legislature got front page coverage in the Albuquerque Journal this morning in this article. Quotes:

"Everyone says, 'This is symbolic.' So was dumping tea in Boston Harbor," Grubesic said. "We need to send a clear message to the rest of the world that we're not as insane as our administration is."

... It has been a hot-potato issue within the New Mexico Democratic Party: The party during its convention of more than 1,200 delegates last spring added a call for impeachment of Bush to its platform. But top-tier Democratic politicians, including Gov. Bill Richardson, were quick to distance themselves from that position.

...Both senators said they expect to take some heat for the proposed resolution but believe it can pass the Senate. "Politicians seem to last longer the less controversial they are— don't take on the tough issues; don't take a stand," Grubesic said. "With something important as this, I don't think you can just sit on your hands."

Also, the time of the press conference on the NM Impeachment Resolution has been changed:

From Gerald.Gonzalez@nmlegis.gov:
This Tuesday, January 23rd, at 2PM (not 1PM as previously stated), Senators Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-ABQ) and John T. L. Grubesic (D-Santa Fe) will introduce their resolution to impeach President George Bush and Vice-President Richard Cheney. Eight Senators in total have signed the Resolution including the Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Cisco McSorley, and the Chair of the Rules Committee Linda Lopez. Based on a resolution crafted by Phil Burk of impeachbush.tv and the national impeachment movement, the resolution makes four charges, three of which are violations of the US Constitution.

The press Conference will directly follow the introduction of the excellent Joint Memorial opposing the creation of a National ID Card in New Mexico sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez and House Majority Leader Ken Martinez.

Who: Mother Media and Citizens from all over New Mexico
Where: The Capitol Building Rotunda
When: Tuesday, January 23rd, 2PM to 3PM
What: Senators Gerald Ortiz y Pino and John T. L. Grubesic to Introduce Impeachment Resolution in the New Mexico Senate

The charges in full:

WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; and 

WHEREAS, George W. Bush has admitted to ordering the national security agency to conduct electronic surveillance of American civilians without seeking warrants from the foreign intelligence surveillance court of review, duly constituted by congress in 1978, in violation of Title 50 United States Code, Section 1805; and

WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Chapter 113C, the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Geneva Conventions, which under Article VI of the United States constitution are part of the "supreme Law of the Land"; and

WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney acted to strip American citizens of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention without access to legal counsel, without charge and without the opportunity to appear before a civil judicial officer to challenge the detention, based solely on the discretionary designation by the president of a United States citizen as an "enemy combatant", all in subversion of law.

*******
More info on Impeachment
https://impeachpac.org
https://impeachbush.tv
https://articlesofimpeachment.net

Support NM Effort to Impeach Bush and Cheney

Editor's Note: A press conference about NM Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino's impeachment bill will be held at the Rotunda in the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Tuesday, January 23. Meet at the ground floor of the Roundhouse at Noon for lobbying and then join the press conference at 1:00 PM in the Capitol Rotunda. All are invited and urged to attend! For more information contact legislative aide Desi Brown at (505)256-0668 or desibrown@comcast.net. Click for flyer (doc).

From Terry Riley:
Please act on this request ASAP. We have a chance to force our national legislators to do what they seem to be afraid to do. We need to show the world that we do not support Bush, especially since it is very likely that he will be attacking Iran very soon. We have to act NOW before the whole world acts against us.

There is a bill being presented in the legislature this Tuesday to bring impeachment proceedings against Bush and Cheny. According to the Constitution, if a state legislature passes a bill like this and it is presented to Congress, Congressman Udall has agreed to carry it (I believe), the Congress has to put aside all other matters and begin impeachment proceedings. WOW! Please be a part of this very important action:

Please thank:
Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino: jortizyp@aol.com
Sen. John Grubesic, Rules Committee Vice Chair: john.grubesic@nmlegis.gov

Please ask these Rules Committee Members to cosponsor:
Sen. Linda Lopez, Rules Committee Chair: linda.lopez@nmlegis.gov
Sen. Cisco McSorley: cisco.mcsorley@nmlegis.gov
Sen. Dede Feldman: dede.feldman@nmlegis.gov

Send them a message something like this (change and expand as you like):

Please cosponsor, along with Senators Ortiz y Pino and Grubesic, the resolution to petition the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. If we go into the next presidency having established that a president can lie us into war, spy on us in violation of the law, detain without charge, and torture, we will be throwing away the democracy we've struggled to keep and expand for over 200 years. We all have a solemn duty to work for the impeachment of men who have made our executive branch of government into a monarchy. You are in a position to play a key role in making this happen. Please do the right thing. Make the choice you would want your great-grandchildren to be proud of.

More information: https://www.afterdowningstreet.org/nm

Thank you,
Terry Riley
Veterans for Peace
Military Families Speak Out

Editor's Note: Also see our earlier post.

TAKE ACTION: Sen. Kennedy Says State Pressure Critical in Stopping Bush Escalation Plan

Editor's Note: I participated in the conference call described below and encourage you to join the 50-state effort to get state legislatures to oppose Bush's escalation of troops. Here's an online tool that makes it easy to contact your state legislators and lobby them to introduce, debate and pass a resolution to urge Congress to prevent Bush's Iraq escalation plans. Sen. Ted Kennedy, among others, is convinced that action from the ground up is necessary if we want to stop Bush in his tracks on this. Let's get a resolution passed in New Mexico! Here's the proposed resolution and more resources.

From Progressive States Network:
Missoula, MT – In a conference call with state legislators from across the country, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy said that pressure from state governments would be key in preventing President Bush’s escalation plans from seeing the light of day.

Senator Kennedy drew a parallel between the minimum wage – which was increased by voters in six states last fall and in statehouses across the country last year – and the Iraq war in noting the ability of states to put opposition to the escalation on Congress’s front burner.

Kennedy is sponsoring legislation in the U.S. Senate to require that the Bush Administration seek Congressional authority for any escalation. The conference call was organized by the Progressive States Network and co-sponsored by Women Legislators’ Lobby, MoveOn, and Americans Against Escalation in Iraq.

Steve Doherty, co-chair of the Progressive States Network and former minority leader of the Montana Senate, explained the crucial role that state legislators – elected leaders who remain near their constituents year round – have served as a crucial moral voice in recent history.

“Some folks will say that foreign policy is not a responsibility of the states, but I saw during my own time in the legislature the difference we made – speaking out on Irish terrorism, supporting our troops, standing for fair trade. Elected leaders are supposed to stand up for their constituents – America needs us now more than ever,” said Steve Doherty.

Prior to the call, resolutions opposing the escalation were being drafted and introduced in nearly ten states. Today, the Progressive States Network and its allies are working to get more resolutions introduced and to provide the legislators introducing them with the grassroots support they need to pass the resolutions.

“Since we have announced this campaign, the level of interest from legislators, from the grassroots, and from Congress has just been overwhelming. The resolutions are sprouting up all over the country. It’s a sign of just how deeply flawed this escalation policy really is – that it is creating these types of grassroots alliances to fight it,” said David Sirota, co-chair of the Progressive States Network and bestselling author of Hostile Takeover.

Opposition from legislatures is one facet in a much larger campaign to prevent President Bush’s reckless escalation policy. For more information on the Progressive States campaign, President Bush’s proposed escalation, a recording of the conference call, or model state resolution language, please visit www.progressivestates.org/iraq.

The Progressive States Network was founded in 2005 to drive public policy debates and change the political landscape in the United States by focusing on attainable and progressive state level actions. It accomplishes this mission by uniting policy makers with experts and grassroots organizations to provide the combination of efforts needed to advance good policy. It’s board of directors includes representatives of MoveOn, AFSCME, SEIU, AFL-CIO, Center for American Progress, ACORN, and Media Matters for America.

Edwards Campaign: Congress Has Power to Stop Escalation

I rarely post these kinds of messages from campaigns, but John Edwards has been speaking out so strongly against Bush's Iraq escalation that I thought their request merited your attention. Quote:

"If you're in Congress and you know this war is going in the wrong direction, it is no longer enough to study your options and keep your own counsel. Silence is betrayal. Speak out, and stop this escalation now. You have the power to prohibit the president from spending any money to escalate the war — use it."  --John Edwards, speech at New York's Riverside Church on MLK Day (Visit the John Edwards 08 website to see the whole speech.)

From John Edwards 08:
It's an honor to send my first note to you as John Edwards' new Campaign Manager. I'll take more time to introduce myself soon, but right now I'm writing you with an urgent call to action. This weekend, President Bush claimed on national TV that Congress does not have the power to stop his proposed escalation of the war in Iraq.*

That's bull. I served in Congress for 26 years, and I can assure you that Congress does have the power to stop this escalation -- and it has used that power many times before, including in Vietnam, Lebanon, Nicaragua and Colombia.

The test for today's Congress is simple: will they step up to the plate and use their power to stop the president from escalating the war? I can tell you one thing -- they're only going to do that if they hear from you. That's why we're going to run a full-page ad in Roll Call -- the newspaper all of Congress reads -- with John Edwards' petition against the escalation, listing the tens of thousands of us who have signed it. The petition demands that this Congress use its power of the purse to stop this president from escalating the war in Iraq -- and that's what we're going to put in the ad.

Can you pitch in $25 or more to help get this critical ad in front of Congress A.S.A.P. and support our grassroots campaign?

As I write this, both houses of Congress are considering how to respond to Bush's plan. Some are calling for symbolic statements that do nothing to stop the escalation. If you hear a member of Congress say "non-binding resolution," then you're really hearing them say "pass the buck."

Others -- like John Edwards -- are calling on Congress to stand up and take responsibility by using its power to prevent this war from getting any worse. And some members of Congress are waiting for -- well, we don't know what they're waiting for. It's time to speak up. And it's up to us to let Congress know where the American people stand.

Your contribution -- of any amount you can afford -- will help us rush this ad into production and get it on the desk of every member of Congress and their staff before they make this historic decision. And your contribution will help keep this grassroots campaign for change going strong in these critical early months.

Please chip in to help stop this escalation today.

It's an honor for me to work alongside so many dedicated folks like you who aren't willing to wait to make this country a better place. Together, I know we'll accomplish great things.

David Bonior, Campaign Manager
John Edwards for President

P.S. - If you haven't yet signed the petition calling on Congress to block the escalation, click here. And please forward this email to your friends and family, and ask them to join you in speaking out.

Sources:
*"Bush: Congress Can't Stop Surge," U.S. News and World Report Political Bulletin, January 15, 2007 (link)