Bush Is A Shoe-In (And He Ducks Just Fine)

"Honey, I didn't forget to duck."

Pollard Isn't On The List - So Far

President George W. Bush's latest list of pardons does not include some high-profile criminals who still hope the president will grant them clemency in his final weeks in office.

On Monday, Bush granted pardons to 14 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of two others whose misdeeds included dealing drugs, evading taxes, killing bald eagles or mishandling hazardous waste.

The most recent batch, however, did not include any well-known convicts like junk bond dealer Michael Milken, who is seeking a pardon on securities fraud charges, or two politicians convicted of public corruption — former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., and four-term Democratic Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards — who want Bush to shorten their prison terms.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., noted that the list also did not include former Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who were convicted of shooting a drug smuggler and trying to cover it up. Ramos and Compean are each serving sentences of more than 10 years for shooting Osvaldo Aldrete Davila in the buttocks while he was fleeing from an abandoned marijuana load in 2005.

"President Bush still has time to do the right thing and commute wrongly imprisoned Border Agents Ramos and Compean," Rohrabacher said. "The fact that the president has neglected to free these men from their imprisonment while freeing drug dealers, embezzlers and other criminals is insulting to the American people who have been begging and pleading for the president to release the agents."

Also unclear is whether Bush has any plans to give legal protection to government employees — in case they are ever charged — in connection with their role in harsh interrogators of terrorist suspects after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Pre-emptive pardons would be highly controversial, but lawyers argue they would protect those who were following orders or otherwise trying to protect the nation.

Bush has been stingy about issuing pardons. Including these actions, he has granted a total of 171 pardons and eight commutations. That's less than half as many as either President Clinton or President Reagan issued during their two terms in office.

On the latest pardon list were:

_Leslie Owen Collier of Charleston, Mo., who pleaded guilty in 1995 to unlawfully killing three bald eagles in southeast Missouri. He improperly used pesticide in hamburger meat to kill coyotes, but ended up killing many other animals, including the bald eagles. Collier, who was convicted for unauthorized use of a pesticide and violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, was sentenced Feb. 2, 1996, in the Eastern District of Missouri.

_Milton Kirk Cordes of Rapid City, S.D. Cordes was convicted of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits importation into the country of wildlife taken in violation of conservation laws.

_Richard Culpepper of Mahomet, Ill., who was convicted of making false statements to the federal government.

_Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer of Fort Worth, Texas, convicted of concealing knowledge of a crime. Dolenz-Helmer, the daughter of a Dallas doctor accused of medical insurance fraud, was convicted in connection with the doctor's case. She was sentenced Dec. 31, 1998, in the Northern District of Texas to four year's probation with the special condition of 600 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine.

_Andrew Foster Harley of Falls Church, Va. Harley was convicted of wrongful use and distribution of marijuana and cocaine during a general court martial at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

_Obie Gene Helton of Rossville, Ga., whose offense was unauthorized acquisition of food stamps.

_Carey C. Hice Sr. of Travelers Rest, S.C., who was convicted of income tax evasion.

_Geneva Yvonne Hogg of Jacksonville, Fla., convicted of bank embezzlement.

_William Hoyle McCright Jr. of Midland, Texas, who was convicted of bank fraud.

_Paul Julian McCurdy of Sulphur, Okla., who was sentenced for misapplication of bank funds.

_Robert Earl Mohon Jr. of Grant, Ala., who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

_Ronald Alan Mohrhoff of Los Angeles, who was convicted for unlawful use of a telephone in a narcotics felony.

_Daniel Figh Pue III of Conroe, Texas, convicted of illegal treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste without a permit.

_Orion Lynn Vick of White Hall, Ark., who was convicted of aiding and abetting the theft of government property.

Bush also commuted the prison sentences of John Edward Forte of North Brunswick, N.J., and James Russell Harris of Detroit. Both were convicted of cocaine offenses.

And Jonathan Pollard?

A massive and concerted effort is being made to bring about the release of Jonathan Pollard from prison after 23 years – directed both at PM Olmert and Pres. Bush.

In the knowledge that outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush is currently preparing a list of possibly hundreds of American prisoners to pardon, the goal of the international campaign is to have Jonathan Pollard included.

Many feel that this could be Pollard's last chance, after 23 years in prison...

In addition, a phone-in campaign to the White House, in which concerned citizens ask Bush directly to let Pollard to go home, is also getting underway. The Washington phone numbers are: 202-456 -1111 or 202-456-1414.

Bush Cheering Olmert On

Real picture. Found here.

Jerusalem Post's Second Thoughts?

“An article in today’s Jerusalem Post about the President’s position on Iran that quotes unnamed sources — quoting unnamed sources — is not worth the paper it’s written on,” the White House press secretary, Dana M. Perino, said in a statement.

The Post later removed its article from its Web site and replaced it with one featuring the White House denial. By then, the report had already stirred considerable discussion online.

The full statement:-

An article in today's Jerusalem Post about the President's position on Iran that quotes unnamed sources -- quoting unnamed sources -- is not worth the paper it's written on.

Let me respond by reaffirming the policy of the Administration: We, along with our international allies who want peace in the Middle East, remain opposed to Iran's ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon. To that end, we are working to bring tough diplomatic and economic pressure on the Iranians to get them to change their behavior and to halt their uranium enrichment program.

As the President has said, no president of the United States should ever take options off the table, but our preference and our actions for dealing with this matter remain through peaceful diplomatic means. Nothing has changed in that regard.

More here:-

Q I want to ask you about the denial of the Jerusalem Post story --

MS. PERINO: Yes.

Q -- when you say that the White House's preference is to solve this through peaceful, diplomatic means. That still leaves the door open, though, to planning an attack. I'm not saying you are planning an attack, but by your specifically saying that your preference is to have a peaceful, diplomatic means, doesn't that leave the door open to still --

MS. PERINO: I don't see how that changes -- I don't think that what I said today in response to a Jerusalem Post article that quotes an Army Times* piece that quotes unnamed officials who were quoting unnamed officials -- seems a little bit less than ethical to run that as a big story on their website. So what I said in there was I was restating longstanding Bush administration policy, which is to work with our international allies on a multilateral way to get the Iranians through diplomatic means, bringing economic and diplomatic pressure to bear on the Iranians to get them to change their behavior so that we could sit down at the table with them. And until they halt that nuclear enrichment we're not going to sit down with them.

But what I said in terms of, as the President said before, no President should take options off the table when dealing with any situation. So -- but I don't think I said anything different from what I've said before.

Q But on the -- go ahead.

Q Dana, it doesn't -- you don't deny the premise of the Post article, the Jerusalem Post article, which was that a senior U.S. official said that the President and Vice President were of the opinion that military action is called for in Iran?

MS. PERINO: I have no knowledge of anybody saying that to anybody in Israel, no. And as I said, I will restate that the United States position is to work with our international allies to bring diplomatic pressure to bear, both economic pressure and the diplomatic pressure that comes from working with all of our allies and also the countries in the region who have grave concerns about Iran's ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon.

And we're going to work with them, and in fact, we're working on a new set of incentives package -- a new incentives package right now that Secretary Rice is helping lead, that would continue to bring that pressure on them, and to show the Iranian people that there is a way that they could be a part of the international community; they wouldn't have to be as isolated as their government has made them. And we want to try to solve this diplomatically.

Q One quick follow on that. A broader question in the story, it also claims that there are sort of two camps in the administration: the President and the Vice President who are leaning more towards an attack, and Secretary Rice and Secretary Gates are sort of pulling them back. Is there any sort of split in the administration?

MS. PERINO: This is something that I have seen reported over the years, and I think it's just people surmising or trying to string along story lines and rumors that aren't based in fact. The President's team is well knitted up.

Mike.

Q Can I ask on this one?

MS. PERINO: On this one still?

Q What about the substance of it, though? Do the President and the Vice President feel that an attack is called for -- whether someone said that in Israel, or not?

MS. PERINO: Keith, I feel that I just answered that question when I talked about what our policy is.

Q Can you answer yes or no to that?

MS. PERINO: I just told -- said what our policy is and that our preference is to solve this diplomatically. And that's what we're trying to do.

Q But that doesn't answer the question.

MS. PERINO: It does answer the question, that that is what we are working with our allies to do. But the President has said -- what I'm saying today in response to the Jerusalem Post is nothing different than from what has been said at this podium for a couple of years now.

Q But it's not quite an answer, because everyone's preference is always for peace, but someone could still think that an attack may be called for.

MS. PERINO: Look, I think that when you have a longstanding policy, such as the President has, and he's working with international allies -- we've already passed three Security Council resolutions; we're now working on an incentives package; we have multilateral agreement that Iran should not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, or get the technology to be able to obtain a nuclear weapon, and we're all working towards that goal. But at the same time, the President has said that no President, no matter who it is, either him or anyone in the future, should take options off the table. It's not a smart way to negotiate.

Q Does the President -- do the President and the Vice President think an attack is called for on Iran? Yes or no?

MS. PERINO: I just said what the United States policy was, which is, our preference is to try to solve this diplomatically.

Q Look, skepticism seems warranted here, because in the run-up to the war in 2003, the line was officially that negotiations were still called for and that there was no decision to attack, when, in fact, subsequent reporting has shown that there probably was a decision to attack well before the attack took place. So why shouldn't we be skeptical of the claim that there's no intention to bomb Iran?

MS. PERINO: Bill, you can be as skeptical as you want to be. I stated what our policy is, and I don't have anything else that I can give you. I'm not going to be able to -- if you're going to be a skeptic, that's your right -- you're fourth estate, go for it.

Where'd You Say Israel is Located?

It's All in the Mind of the Beholder

Bush Seems A Bit Incredulous

See this picture:-



Interested in what is being said?

Go here, to my other blog.

Bush on Jerusalem or, Doesn't the Journalist Know His Geography?

Q Does the President agree with Mr. Netanyahu's statement to him, that Israel should remain united under Israel sovereignty?

MS. PERINO: I don't know what -- I don't know, I couldn't answer the question. I haven't -- can you rephrase so I can understand what you're getting at?

Q I'm sorry, Jerusalem, excuse me.

MS. PERINO: Jerusalem?

Q My fault, my fault. Jerusalem, I meant, yes, yes, yes.

MS. PERINO: No wonder I was so confused. (Laughter.)

Q Yes, I'm confused. Jerusalem.

MS. PERINO: That is one of the issues that the President believes is going to have to be worked out once they get through this process of -- the three-pronged process of the negotiations, the strengthening of the institutions and the economy of the Palestinians, and the implementation of the road map. And Jerusalem is going to be one of the issues that they have to grapple with, but he can't impose that on them.

Q Okay.

MS. PERINO: Okay.

Source

Okay, So Who Is Bush's Speechwriter?

Here's one line from President Bush's speech last night at Peres' President's Conference in Jerusalem-

"As we celebrate the anniversary, it is useful to look back at the story of your founding...In these accomplishments, we see the visionary leadership of men and women like Herzl and Weizmann and Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir and Rabin and Sharon -- and we honor each of them this evening."

What happened to men like Jabotinsky? Like Begin? Like Shamir? Like Netanyahu?

Well, as he didn't mention Olmert in this context, maybe we have to be satisfied for little things.

A Presidential Shut-Down

I had to walk from my place of employment at the Begin Center all the way to the shuq yesterday.

Why?

George W. Bush is in down and they shut down too many thoroughfares like Keren HaYesod:-

Ten Bushes and One George W.

Story is that:-

President George W. Bush signs a presidential proclamation Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in honor of Wednesday's Education and Sharing Day, and highlighting the important work of the Chabad Lubavitch movement

You noticed they were a minyan.

Follow-up on Bush at Yad VaShem

From my good friend Dr. Rafael Medoff, director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies:-

On the morning of August 20, 1944, a group 127 U.S. bombers, called Flying Fortresses, approached Auschwitz. They were escorted by 100 Mustang fighter planes. Most of the Mustangs were piloted by Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. The attacking force dropped more than one thousand 500-pound bombs on oil targets less than five miles from the gas chambers. Despite German anti-aircraft fire and a squadron of German fighter planes, none of the Mustangs were hit and only one of the U.S. planes was shot down. All of the units reported successfully hitting their targets.

On the ground below, Jewish slave laborers, including 15 year-old Elie Wiesel, cheered the bombing. In his bestselling memoir, Night, Wiesel described their reaction: “We were not afraid. And yet, if a bomb had fallen on the blocks [the prisoners’ barracks], it alone would have claimed hundreds of victims on the spot. But we were no longer afraid of death; at any rate, not of that death. Every bomb that exploded filled us with joy and gave us new confidence in life. The raid lasted over an hour. If it could only have lasted ten times ten hours!”

But it did not. Even though there were additional U.S. bombing raids on German industrial sites in that region in the weeks and month to follow, the gas chambers and crematoria were never targeted.

The Roosevelt administration knew about the mass murder going on in Auschwitz, and even possessed diagrams of the camp that were prepared by two escapees. But when Jewish organizations asked the Roosevelt administration to order the bombing of the camp and the railways leading to it, the requests were rejected. U.S. officials claimed such raids were “impracticable” because they would require “considerable diversion” of planes needed for the war effort.

But the Tuskegee veterans know that claim was false. They were right there in the skies above Auschwitz. No “diversion” was necessary to drop a few bombs on the mass-murder machinery or the railways leading into the camp. Sadly, those orders were never gone.

The decision to refrain from bombing Auschwitz was part of a broader policy by the Roosevelt administration to refrain from taking action to rescue Jews from the Nazis or provide havens for them. The U.S. did not want to deal with the burden of caring for large numbers of refugees. And its ally, Great Britain, would not open the doors to Palestine to the Jews, for fear of angering Arab opinion. The result was that the Allies failed to confront one of history’s most compelling moral challenges.

Bush Humor

Aired Wednesday night last week on CBS:

President George Bush is in Israel right now. But he doesn’t really fit there. He showed up today wearing, oh, I guess it was like a 10-gallon yarmulke.

When you take George Bush out of his own environment, when you take him out of his own culture, like in Israel, for example, he makes mistake. And anybody would.
Earlier today, he was speaking it a group of people in Jerusalem and he finished up by saying, “Ich bin ein Jewish guy.”

But there’s no getting around it. George Bush is confused. He thinks a Jewish settlement is Ellen Barkin taking $20 million from Ron Perelman.

And Clyde Jenkinse added:

The Muslims are hoping for a repeat of history, a burning bush.

You Take The Left, I've Got the Right

Psssst.

"And what do I get?"

For the Record: Bush Speech and My Comments

President Bush Discusses Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process on January 10, 2008 at 5:27 PM at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem:-

...I called upon both leaders to make sure their teams negotiate seriously, starting right now. I strongly supported the decision of the two leaders to continue their regular summit meetings, because they are the ones who can, and must, and -- I am convinced -- will lead.

I share with these two leaders the vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. Both of these leaders believe that the outcome is in the interest of their peoples and are determined to arrive at a negotiated solution to achieve it.

The point of departure for permanent status negotiations to realize this vision seems clear: There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967. The agreement must establish Palestine as a homeland for the Palestinian people, just as Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people. These negotiations must ensure that Israel has secure, recognized, and defensible borders. And they must ensure that the state of Palestine is viable, contiguous, sovereign, and independent.

It is vital that each side understands that satisfying the other's fundamental objectives is key to a successful agreement. Security for Israel and viability for the Palestinian state are in the mutual interests of both parties.

Achieving an agreement will require painful political concessions by both sides. While territory is an issue for both parties to decide, I believe that any peace agreement between them will require mutually agreed adjustments to the armistice lines of 1949 to reflect current realities and to ensure that the Palestinian state is viable and contiguous. I believe we need to look to the establishment of a Palestinian state and new international mechanisms, including compensation, to resolve the refugee issue.

I reaffirm to each leader that implementation of any agreement is subject to implementation of the road map. Neither party should undertake any activity that contravenes road map obligations or prejudices the final status negotiations. On the Israeli side that includes ending settlement expansion and removing unauthorized outposts. On the Palestinian side that includes confronting terrorists and dismantling terrorist infrastructure.

I know Jerusalem is a tough issue. Both sides have deeply felt political and religious concerns. I fully understand that finding a solution to this issue will be one of the most difficult challenges on the road to peace, but that is the road we have chosen to walk.

Security is fundamental. No agreement and no Palestinian state will be born of terror. I reaffirm America's steadfast commitment to Israel's security.

The establishment of the state of Palestine is long overdue. The Palestinian people deserve it. And it will enhance the stability of the region, and it will contribute to the security of the people of Israel. The peace agreement should happen, and can happen, by the end of this year. I know each leader shares that important goal, and I am committed to doing all I can to achieve it.

My comments:

1. I share with these two leaders the vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine

Maybe, but very few Pals. other than the 10 Pals. Bush and Rice meet with, want or seek or desire democracy.

2. There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967

But the Arabs consider Israel an "occupying force" in the areas she held prior to 1967.

3. establish Palestine as a homeland for the Palestinian people

Fine. But Jordan is part of "Palestine".

4. just as Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people

But not only that territory. The historic Jewish homeland, recognized by international law, includes Shiloh, my home, Bet El, Hebron and several other sites mentioned in the Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud, Rabbinic literature and on wards for a period of 3500 years.

5. require mutually agreed adjustments to the armistice lines of 1949 to reflect current realities

Recognizing some of the Jewish communities across the Green Line is a good start. We can work from there.

6. I know Jerusalem is a tough issue...finding a solution to this issue will be one of the most difficult challenges on the road to peace, but that is the road we have chosen to walk.

How about we start this stroll by allowing Jews unhindered and unimpeded access to the Temple Mount, taking into consideration elementary Muslim feelings (we won't pray inside a mosuqe of the Dome of the Rock monument), and the establishment of a prayer site there within?

7. The Palestinian people deserve it [a state]

Actually, they don't. They have their state in Jordan. They have full citizen rights and liberties in Israel and have used the territory of Judea, Samaria and Gaza to exterminate Jews and to thwart the establishment of a sovereign Jewish state.

All is Frustratingly Relative

President Bush, as I saw him on the television last night, had on a big smile and, I presume, was attempting to be a bit witty when he said:-

You’ll be happy to hear that my motorcade of a mere 45 cars was able to make it through without being stopped, but I’m not so exactly sure that’s what happens to the average person.”

But Steve Erlanger had this spin on it:-

Foul weather brought Mr. Bush unexpectedly in contact with Israel security measures that have become a main grievance for Palestinians and their leaders. His helicopter grounded, Mr. Bush drove in a motorcade to Ramallah, passing through an Israeli checkpoint in the hulking concrete barrier the Israelis have erected along and inside parts of the border with the West Bank.

Asked about his own impressions seeing the barrier for the first time, Mr. Bush acknowledged Israel’s security measures and the hardships they cause.

“Checkpoints create frustrations for people,” he said. “They create a sense of security for Israel; they create massive frustrations for the Palestinians.

I left home just before 6AM to avoid the frustrations Bush caused those driving on the road yesterday morning.

But all is releative. At least my Jewish neighbors weren't attemtping to smuggle intio Israel any weapons or explosives and surely were not acting as suicide bombers.

This Too Happened During Bush's Visit

A.

Marvin and Ann Goodman were told they couldn't go to Har Herzl on their son's yartzeit because Bush would be in town.

Here's their post at the Efrat list:-

We originally planned to go to Yosef's kever on Friday morning which is the actual day of his yahrzeit and the signs we put up in the shuls stated we were going on that date. But-- Pres. Bush will be visiting Yad Va Shem on Friday morning at 9:30 and so we will not be able to go since all the roads will be closed off near Har Herzl.

We changed the aliyah le kever to Sunday morning at 10. A bus will be available in front to the Rav Tachliti at 8:45 to take people back and forth.

Pretty amazing not to be able to go to my son's kever on his yahrzeit because of George Bush.

--------------

B.

Below is my recollection and a couple of thoughts regarding the events of this evening. Welcome to Israel!

Having arrived on a Nefesh b'Nefesh flight less than two weeks ago, the following was the last thing I expected to happen during my first few weeks here:

Since President Bush was in town, it was decided by a number of lay and rabbinical leaders that it would be good idea to distribute the latest report from David Bedein's Center for Near East Policy Research to the press covering the President's visit. The report, Fatah as "Moderate" A Hard Look Post Annapolis, can be found on-line at: http://israelbehindthenews.com/pdf/ModerateFatah.pdf and was authored by Arlene Kushner.

At a National Council of Young Israel briefing by David Bedein last Friday attendees were asked to place themselves at various locations where the press was supposed to be to distribute literature and engage them in polite conversation about how Fatah and Abbas were not really the "moderate" alternative to Hamas.

I was assigned to Kikar Safra between 3PM and 5PM on Wednesday, January 9. This location is where the foreign press corps gets its security clearance. It appeared as if there were no more correspondents around so we decided to go to the Dan Panorama Hotel where the foreign press was staying. After President Bush's press conference we assumed that the correspondents would be returning to the hotel so we were in front with our literature when the police told us that we could not stand there and we should move to the corners which I did.

Approximately 20 minutes later a policeman comes down to the corner where I had been standing and taps me on the shoulder asks me for my teudat zehut and tells me to come with him. He then told me to get into the police car with Yehudit Dassberg, a terror victim, and Susie Dym, spokesperson for Mattot Arim, two colleagues who were there for the same purpose. They did not tell me at the time why I was being taken in but Susie told me in the car that they found the material either seditious or inciteful -- I am not sure which. Later it became apparent that they claimed we were creating a public nuisance. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was standing on a street corner quietly minding my own business, following the instructions of another police officer.

We were brought to the police station at the Russian Compound and told to stay in a waiting room. I, not being totally fluent in Ivrit yet, allowed Susie to do all the talking. We called David Bedein and Rabbi Aaron Tirschwell and they in turn made a number of calls and we were released after being held for approximately 40 minutes. At no time were we questioned or asked to sign anything. The police said absolutely nothing to me and I said nothing to them.

I learned later from Susie that she was listed as an "arrest" while Yehudit and I were ONLY "detained." I am struck by the police's total arbitrary and capricious behavior in this incident. After having read and heard about these types of police actions, and now having experienced it first-hand, I can only say that I am saddened by the fact that the police force of the Jewish State employs tactics which are unethical in the extreme and still has the gall to call itself a democratic country where the rule of law prevails. Granted at 60 years old, the country may still be young, relatively speaking, but it still has a long way to go before it reaches minimum standards of respect for a citizen's civil rights -- even a brand new citizen.

Regretfully yours,
Jeff Daube

-------------------------

The Bush Fog

President Bush wanted to watch the sun rising over the Old City Walls in Jerusalem this morning.

He couldn't. They were enclosed in a fog.







Even the King David Hotel disappeared.



(All pictures taken by yours truly from the balcony of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center just down the block from the King David Hotel)

Airforce One Landing

Here's a picture the daughter of an acquaintance and fellow Hasbara activist snapped from the roof of her office near Lod:



Lucky she isn;t an Arab terrorist.

Part of Bush Protest

The Bush motorcade passing by signs placed alongside the main No. 1 highway leading up to Jerusalem by members of nearby agricultural communites.

==================

UPDATE


NYTimes mentions this:

A sign in a field, visible from his helicopter during the quick flight to Jerusalem, declared, “Hands off Jerusalem,” the city whose ultimate status remains among the most difficult issues dividing Israelis and Palestinians.