Molly Ivins: Ben Barnes

[Dudley_DUright]

Oh for heaven's sake, doesn't anyone know how to research a story anymore? I have never seen anything as silly as this ridiculous Republican chorus that, aha!, Ben Barnes is a Democrat and so we know he's lying!

The question is not whether Ben Barnes is a Democrat. Ben Barnes has never claimed to be nonpartisan or not to have any affiliation with the Kerry campaign. Of course he does. He's been a major Democratic player for years. The question is whether Ben Barnes is telling the truth about how he got George W. Bush in the Texas Air National Guard.

The ridiculous little blowhard Sean Hannity crowed on Fox "News" that "Ben Barnes testified under oath in 1999 that no member of the Bush family ever contacted him about getting into the Air National Guard." How true. Nor has he changed his story one whit. Barnes testified in 1999 that the man who called him about little George Bush was Sid Adger, Poppy George Bush's dear and good friend. Let's ask Poppy about Sid Adger and see some of that "famous Bush loyalty."

And how would Adger know whom to call? Adger had two sons in that very unit of the Air National Guard, that's how he knew whom to call. The notorious "Champagne Unit" of the Guard was also graced by the son of former Gov. John Connally, both sons of Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, Bobby Sakowaitz (Houston department store money), the grandson of H.L. Hunt (Dallas Oil) and several players for the Dallas Cowboys football team. Anyone who thinks that is just a coincidence or some kind of freaking accident probably thinks Sean Hannity is a journalist.

more...

http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2004/949

[Catt03]

1. LOL

Thanks Molly.

The privileged were special.

[Demeter]

2. Bush Will Never Be Ashamed of Anything He Did

It's not in his genetic code. He learned this all at Poppy's knee, who learned from Grandpa, etc, etc, all the way back to Cain, no doubt. Blue blood. Blood tells.

[stilpist]

4. He probably doesn't remember most of it.

What with all that cocaine and alcohol. :evilgrin:

- stil

[ewagner]

3. Whoa!

Molly sounds pissed!

[diddlysquat]

5. This is one of her best!

She really is pissed.

[Sheldon Rowan]

6. Damn! I wish she was on the NYT or WaPo! eom

.

[Dudley_DUright]

7. Ironically. she did work for the NYT at one point

early in her career.

[spooky3]

8. Love her! The most important paragraph is near the end...

"The only reason any of this is relevant today is because it speaks directly to the character of the man in the White House. For Bush to still stand there and deny that he got no special breaks, to deny that some other American kid went to Vietnam in his stead, is so telling of his moral blindness, of his deliberate obtuseness about the way the world of power and privilege screws over most people. If only he had the grace to say, as Barnes did, that he is ashamed of what happened, I'd have some respect for him."

[wolfgirl]

9. Molly is a

a true jewel & rose of Texas!

[anarchy1999]

10. Molly and Jim Hightower along with a few others in this state

I believe may be the ones keeping us here and fighting the good fight. They are the best. Everyone here needs to get Palast's soon to be released DVD, Bush Family Fortunes, in stores September 28, available now at wwww.gregpalast.com/bff-dvd.htm