HELIOLITH

There’s a short and succinct editorial in the St. Petersburg Times today, (via talkingpoints). It’s weird how worried about perception management our administration is.

The Bush administration might not appreciate the difference between campaign events that are paid for through private donations and official events put on with the public’s money, but the Constitution surely does.

The essay uncovers the illegal continuance of the Bush campaign trail policy of “supporters only.” Dissenters (those having the wrong t-shirts or being on a blacklist) continue to be barred by guards from entering events. The editorial ends with the very fair conclusion that Bush’s handlers are obsessed with managing the events so that no one publically questions (or humiliates) the Commander in Chief. I really have to re-read 1984 to grok how far we’ve gone into the surreal world of manipulated reality.

It is apparent that Bush and his handlers are afraid to allow even an inkling of dissent in the audience. By avoiding legitimate questions, sticking with those that are staged and scripted, and filtering out anyone who isn’t willing to cheer the the president, the administration creates the illusion that the American people are fully behind the president.

Apparently, the staging in Vatican City, where Bush was forced to sit next to Chirac of all people, the handlers had precious little control. According to Der Spiegel, the crowds booed and (more importantly by European custom) whistled when Bush’s face appeared on the giant monitor. I wonder if he noticed.

As long as I’m talking about the right wing, today the Washington Post reported on a gathering of not-so-fringe Republicans advocating for the impeachment of Anthony Kennedy because purportedly he “upholds Marxist, Leninist, satanic principles drawn from foreign law.” At this point you may be laughing at the absurdity of it. Then, Edward Vieira, the conservative lawyer (responsible for the above quote) went on to quote Stalin’s “no man no problem” rule, the full quote being “Death solves all problems: no man, no problem.” (Link via Kevin Drum)

Many are speculating whether this was an intentional suggestion to assasinate a judge or a really bad judgement call, perhaps a Freudian slip? It’s pretty sad that the GOP is so deeply fractured that they are lashing out (and possibly inciting violence against) Reagan’s own appointed Supreme Court justice.