http://www.wikio.co.uk/blog/search/Glenn Greenwald Wikio Blogs - search: Glenn Greenwald wikio wikio http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69203332 There's a live chat going on from 6:30-7:30 -- that would be right now -- at Art of the Possible with Glenn Greenwald, who will be talking about what's going on in Denver at the convention. Glenn is covering the big show as a credentialled journalist from Salon. Head on over and join in the conversation. [More posts daily at The Newshoggers and The Detroit News .] Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:39:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69203332 Libby Spencer 2008-08-27T22:39:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69148739 h/t to Raw Story for covering this. Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, and A-list bloggers Glenn Greenwald and Jane Hamsher were all shut out of a Blue Dog Democrat party sponsored by AT & T. All three of them had press credentials. Here's how Amy Goodman covered the event. Welcome to the Dems version of Dick Cheney's energy council. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:27:03 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69148739 Christian Avard 2008-08-27T13:27:03Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69328780 Sigh : GLENN GREENWALD: Yeah, it’s amazing. And essentially, we probably tried to interview twenty-five, thiry people going in, and every last person refused to even give their name, identify themselves, say what they’re here for, what the event is for. It’s more secretive than like a Dick Cheney energy council meeting. I mean, it’s amazing. AMY GOODMAN: So, what are you here for? Why do you want to interview people? GLENN GREENWALD: Well, because, I mean, it’s extraordinary that the same Blue Dogs that just gave this extremely corrupt gift to AT&T are now attending a party underwritten by AT&T, the purpose of which is to thank the Blue Dogs for the corrupt legislative gift that they got. So AT&T gives money to Blue Dogs, the Blue Dogs turn around and immunize AT&T from lawbreaking, and then AT&T throws a party at the Democratic convention thanking them, and then they all go in and into this exclusive club. It's not "extraordinary." It's completely ordinary : this is precisely the way the corporatist state operates all the time. Ordinary. The way business is done. All day long. Day after day after day. It's a systemic problem, and the system is rotten to the core. But, Greenwald and many others will tell us, we must still vote for Obama and the Democrats (the "more and better" ones, that is), because -- The Democrats will end the occupation of Iraq The Democrats will never wage war on Iran The Democrats won't engage hostilities with Russia The Democrats will repeal the Military Commissions Act The Democrats will provide absolute protection for a woman's right to choose, that is, a woman's right to her own body The Democrats won't engage in unending military interventions under the guise of "humanitarianian" efforts The Democrats will champion openness, transparency and accountability in government The Democrats will reduce military spending and reduce the overall size of our military, and begin to close some of the more than 130 U.S. military bases around the world because...because...because...be...cause...b e c a u... Oh, I remember. McCain is crazy! And he's old! But Obama and the more/better Democrats are sane and young! And the sane, young Democrats are also fully committed to, embody and advance the authoritarian-corporatist state at home and the insanely aggressive interventionist foreign policy! Huh. Same fundamental convictions and programs. One's crazy and old. One's sane and young. The sane, young one might actually have more energy and determination in pursuing all that authoritarianism-corporatism-interventionism. But of course, the crazy old guy is crazy and old, so who the hell knows what he'll do. Decisions, decisions. But we have a choice! Is this a fucking great country or what? Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:14:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69328780 Arthur Silber 2008-08-28T20:14:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68663575 Just posted this afternoon is Glenn Greenwald’s podcast interview with ACLU attorney Amrit Singh on Salon Radio. They discuss Monday’s meeting with the judge and opposing counsel in ACLU v. Department of Defense, the lawsuit to enforce our Freedom of Information Act request. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:13:27 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68663575 Suzanne Ito, ACLU 2008-08-22T21:13:27Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68657319 Glenn Greenwald just posted an intervew with Dennis . They spoke mostly about Dennis's new book Savage Mules: The Democrats and Endless War . I agree with Dennis about the Democrats. But I'm also sure that if the Green Party ever reached a comparable level of power, they'd act in exactly the same way, and then he'd have to write a book called Savage Trees . —Jonathan Schwarz Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:06:32 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68657319 Jonathan Schwarz 2008-08-22T20:06:32Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68741065 Glenn Greenwald has done the homework. In 2004 the right went all out on the theme that John Kerry was a wimp because he married into money. Rush Limbaugh repeatedly called him a “gigolo.” Now, Fox News says that talking about John McCain’s many houses is “bashing the American dream.” Of course, I guess it’s different because [...] Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:53:13 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68741065 Paul Krugman 2008-08-23T18:53:13Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68668617 Glenn Greenwald , obviously an avid reader of the Brain, follows up on my earlier comment : [...] McCain himself isn't actually rich. He just lives off the inherited wealth of his much younger former mistress and now-second-wife -- for whom he dumped his older and disfigured first wife -- and who then used her family's money to fund McCain's political career and keep him living in extreme luxury (after insisting that he sign a prenuptial agreement, which would make McCain the first U.S. President to have one). In 2004, numerous leading right-wing pundits had many things to say about men who do that: Joseph Farah, World Net Daily, "President Gigolo?": But if there is one characteristic of Kerry's life that should disqualify him absolutely as a candidate for president, it is the fact that he has sought out millionaire wives to take care of him. Not to put too fine a point on it, he's a serial gigolo. ... Is marrying well good preparation for serving as the president of the United States? . . . . He's always had a net underneath him throughout his political career -- in his case, a net woven of homespun 24K gold . ... If his own wife doesn't trust him with her money, why should we trust him with ours?" Teresa Heinz Kerry is not sure about her husband's character. Are you? Much, much more along these same lines by various Repug gasbags who are strangely silent about McCain being in EXACTLY the same position. IOKIYAR. But will it be when the 'base' figures it out? You know, the ones who think a woman's place is in the home and that God says she should be subservient to her husband? That she should STFU and vote the way she's told to? Maybe so, maybe no. I think most of 'em'll let it slide lest they lose to us godless commie fucks. *From Harry's Blues Lyrics : "An easy rider is the husband or significant other of a whore - thus the name. He doesn't work or pay for sex. It's his easily." Not exact in McCain's case - he doesn't work, it's true, but he's a career Repug pol so of course he pays for sex. At his age, the gals(?) earn every dime too! Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:30:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68668617 Gordon 2008-08-22T19:30:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69331826 Glenn Greenwald makes an interesting point: … But as competent, well-executed and even dramatic as the Convention has been, at least as striking is what has been missing. First, there is almost no mention of, let alone focus on, the sheer radicalism and extremism of the last eight years. During that time, our Government has systematically tortured [...] Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:09:39 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69331826 LeisureGuy 2008-08-28T21:09:39Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69367419 AT&T thanks the Blue Dog Democrats with a lavish party - Via Salon: Glenn Greenwald : (updated below (with video added) - Update II) Last night in Denver, at the Mile High Station -- next to Invesco Stadium, where Barack Obama will address a crowd of 30,000 people on Thursday night -- AT&T threw a lavish, private party for Blue Dog House Democrats, virtually all of whom blindly support whatever legislation the telecom industry demands and who also, specifically, led the way this July in immunizing AT&T and other telecoms from the consequences for their illegal participation in the Bush administration's warrantless spying program. Matt Stoller has one of the listings for the party here . Armed with full-scale Convention press credentials issued by the DNC, I went -- along with Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher, John Amato, Stoller and others -- in order to cover the event, interview the attendees, and videotape the festivities. There was a wall of private security deployed around the building, and after asking where the press entrance was, we were told by the security officials, after they consulted with event organizers, that the press was barred from the event, and that only those with invitations could enter read more » Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:18:02 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69367419 MacRonin 2008-08-29T05:18:02Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69330432 You'd think the last eight years were merely slightly off... Glenn Greenwald hits it out of the park, per usual. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:56:33 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69330432 Jarrett 2008-08-28T20:56:33Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69311372 Glenn Greenwald isn't afraid to lambaste Barack Obama, when Obama deserves it. Greenwald isn't afraid to eviscerate shrillosphere icon Keith Olbermann , revealing the pundit as the petty little egomaniac he is. Greenwald is no partisan hack looking for a Unity pony. So when he warns us that John McCain might be worse than Bush , everyone should sit up and take notice. This election is about many things, but what it really should be mostly about is trying to save the country and the world from the most dangerous imperial extremists. John McCain's two most loyal supporters and most influential foreign policy advisers, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, have an Op-Ed in The Wall St. Journal today proclaiming that "Russia's invasion of Georgia represents the most serious challenge to this political order since Slobodan Milosevic unleashed the demons of ethnic nationalism in the Balkans." Just as their neoconservative comrade, Fred Hiatt, does in today's Washington Post, Lieberman and Graham demand that the U.S. expend vast resources and assert itself both militarily and politically in order to thwart the New Russian Menace... The painful absurdity of hard-core warmongers who supported the invasion of Iraq (and, in Lieberman's case, advocating we do the same to Iran and Syria) parading around as defenders of the "political order" is too self-evident, and by now too common, to merit much comment. The lunatic agenda of the neocons? To recap: the U.S. is going to impede Russian aggression, re-build and protect Georgia, revitalize the military strength of NATO, and restore peace and order to Europe. We're going to stare down the Hitlers of Iran (also in the Post today, Lieberman comrade -- the super-tough-guy and Iran obsessive Micheal Rubin -- lashes out at Joe Biden for "blinking on Iran" and being "Tehran's favorite senator"). We're going to re-build, occupy and safeguard Iraq for decades if necessary. We will single-handedly promote Israel's interests and view each of its enemies and its wars as our own. We're also going to get much tougher on China, just like Russia: And as Greenwald pointedly emphasizes, they plan to do this while further cutting taxes. But here's the bottom line: The foreign policy team exerting chief influence over John McCain is truly more extremist -- in a purer and more deranged form -- than the foreign policy team of the Bush administration. They're not only the most extremist faction in American political life, but also the most delusional. These aren't just the people who led the U.S. to war in Iraq -- though they are that -- but they're also the ones who actually believe that the Bush administration has been far too meek in its assertion of U.S. military force and too passive in its interference in the affairs of other countries. They want to accelerate -- massively intensify -- virtually every one of the polices that has brought the U.S. to such disgrace and near ruination over the past eight years. There is nothing "moderate" or "centrist" about any of them. John McCain is the Candidate of Bill Kristol and Joe Lieberman and John Bolton for good and clear reasons (including in Georgia ): he's the best and most devoted instrument to advance their militaristic agenda. It can get worse than Bush. Really. And people who genuinely care about the future of the world need to wake up to that fact. As I've said many times: you don't have to like Barack Obama or his policy proposals. You don't have to buy his pretty rhetoric. But you do have to vote for him. It's not that he's going to magically transform politics; it's that he's the only person who can prevent John McCain from becoming president. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:03:49 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69311372 Turkana 2008-08-28T18:03:49Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69338790 First the surprises.Famed blogger billmon called Ralph Nader an "asshole" as he professed a rekindled loyalty* to the Democratic Party. And gadfly David Sirota, a reliable Dem critic, claimed that progressives at the convention "finally defeated the corporate wing of... Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:09:52 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69338790 Terry Olson 2008-08-28T22:09:52Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69190287 With regards to my recent post on the Age of the President-Pontificate of the U.S.A. , I stumbled upon this interesting article which I would like to share along (I would also recommend reading this older post of Glenn Greenwald, in order to complete Teh Big Picture ): The Politics of Evil in the US Elections The Revelations of Pastor Warren By Marwan Bishara I could only shake my head in bewilderment, as I listened to the interviews Rick Warren, a Baptist pastor, conducted with Barack Obama and John McCain, the US presidential candidates for the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively. Most absurd during the two-hour special were the exchanges about "evil". When asked how they would deal with evil if they were elected president - would they ignore it, negotiate with it, contain it, or defeat it - Obama said he would "confront it" while McCain said unflinchingly that he would "defeat it". After this "civil forum" was broadcast on CNN, the network's so-called "best team on television" commented on the candidates' performance. This only managed to add insult to injury. One pundit commended McCain's steadfastness and courage in wanting to defeat, not merely confront, evil if elected president. For the Republican contender evil is embodied in communism, Islamic fundamentalism and notably Osama Bin Laden, who he promised to hunt down. Obama was also praised for acknowledging the existence of evil. He thought it present in Darfur but also on the streets of the US as well as in homes where parents abuse their children, and so on. Evil is the enemy The last time I checked, there was no legal or strategic interpretation of evil. An open-ended war on evil leads to Armageddon. It makes absolutely no sense for a future leader of a superpower to speak of dealing with "evil" as commander-in-chief unless this term is used as populist propaganda during election season. The threat of evil necessitates some sort of definition, otherwise, how can any president evaluate evil and apply the necessary measures to "confront it" or "defeat it"? Sectarian and tribal wars in Africa and Asia, like religious fundamentalism, are modern phenomena that need to be rationalised first and foremost within our modern world. In order to be defused or prevented altogether, such conflicts must not be defined or determined by the universal fight between good and evil. The same applies to street gangs and abusive parents; they require rational explanation and social analyses in order to deter them or best prevent them form carrying out their actions. In all such cases of violence, there is an urgent need for education, justice, fairness and the rule of law as well as a moral compass, not some religious crusade, to guide us. But the US media was more than happy to report how the Democratic and Republican candidates were speaking of confronting and defeating evil. In doing this, US media has pandered to the religious majority in the country. Keep reading ... Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69190287 Mentarch 2008-08-27T19:00:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69073624 Image via Wikipedia Although I am enforcing a news blackout on what is happening inside the DNC in Denver, Glenn Greenwald and Jane Hamsher are doing a good job of showing us a little bit of how the corporate oligopoly runs our legally bribed government over at Salon.com from outside of the convention: Armed with full-scale [...] Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:28:40 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69073624 bushtool 2008-08-26T22:28:40Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69208116 Two incidents this week at the Democratic National Convention make me a little worried. First, Salon's Glenn Greenwald got hassled by private security and was threatened with arrest for videoblogging outside an AT&T-sponsored party for Blue Dog Democrats, an event that was supposedly held to thank the conservative Democrats for their assistance in securing telecom immunity in warrantless wiretapping situations. If you watch the video, you'll see that Greenwald kept moving farther and farther away from the event, as instructed by security guards, but the distance wasn't enough. The cops were called to push Greenwald even farther away from the party - they intimated that Greenwald could be arrested for violating the law. In the second incident , an ABC producer was actually arrested for taking pictures on a public sidewalk outside the Brown Palace Hotel. He has been charged with trespass, interference, and failure to follow a lawful order because he was taking pictures of Democratic Senators and big donors leaving a meeting. Now, it's possible that AT&T, in the first incident, and The Brown Palace Hotel, in the second incident, were solely responsible for calling the cops on the journalists. It's possible that the Democratic legislators didn't know anything about these situations until after the fact. But it's somehow unseemly for Democrats to be involved in calling the police to harass or arrest journalists -- more disquieting than if Republicans were to do the same thing. We expect more tightly controlled communications from Republicans, particularly after eight years of a totally scripted Bush Administration. I would also argue that such heavy-handed tactics are the least effective way of managing the press. Couldn't a savvy PR person or seasoned pol have diffused the situation by negotiating with the journalists or dangling promises of even better material or even inviting the reporters for free rounds of drinks (a tried but true method that works almost every tim Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:19:46 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69208116 Cynthia Brumfield 2008-08-27T23:19:46Z