Entries from April 2004 ↓

Bob Woodward, the reporter whose coverage of the Waterngate break-in in the 1970’s helped to bring down the administration of President Richard Nixon, has written a new book, Plan of Attack that provides a behind the scenes detailed look into White House preparations for the invasion of Iraq, preparations that began without Congressional knowledge or approval and just five days after Sept. 11.

In an interview with Mike Wallace on CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Woodward revealed how Vice President Dick Cheney was one of the driving forces behind the claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Cheney reportedly had the President’s ear on a daily basis, while others in the administration, including National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice were kept out of the loop.

The book, due out on April 19, was written after Woodward interviewed 75 top administration officials, including President Bush, who allowed himself to be quoted on the record. In a startling exchange, Woodward asked Bush if he’d consulted his father before invading.

“I asked the president about this. And President Bush said, ‘Well no,’ and then he got defensive about it,” says Woodward. “And then he said something that really struck me. He said of his father, ‘He is the wrong father to appeal to for advice. The wrong father to go to, to appeal to in terms of strength.’ And then he said, ‘There’s a higher father that I appeal to.’”

Undoubtedly Bush apologists will stick their heads further up their asses and try to explain away such reckless behavior and clear violations of the Constitution, but the evidence is mounting and a case for impeachment can and should be made.

This administration, for reasons known only to President Bush himself, has avoided going after the real culprits for 9/11, created false reasons for an unnecessary invasion of Iraq for the purposes of removing another head of state, caused the deaths of 700 American soldiers and close to 10,000 Iraqis, and in the process escalated the level of violence around the world.

The first day all year I’ve been able to wear only a t-shirt outside and still work up a sweat, I had it in my head to venture over to Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Museum was planning a festive weekend to celebrate the redesign of their entrance way, and the opening of some new exhibits, including one on the late fashion designer Patrick Kelly.

Saturday being a day off after a very stressful week, I wasn’t moving too fast in the morning. Some web surfing, a big delicious breakfast, listening to some new CD’s, most of the day was gone before I even got dressed. It was close to 4:00 before I even got out the door to head to Brooklyn.

When I got there…well, the title says it all. A mob scene on Eastern Parkway. I made the executive decision to forego a trip inside cause I really don’t do crowds. I took a few snapshots so as not to make the trip a total waste, and since it was such a nice day, decided instead to walk a little bit through the neighborhood. I so rarely venture to the outer boroughs.

Down the street I bumped into this marching band that was a part of the museum gala. The Steppers Marching Band from the Jackie Robinson Center in Brooklyn. Cute kids.

Some time when the crowds have died down I’ll have to travel back to see the exhibits.

I got caught up in the series a few episodes in. I had heard about it from friends and tuned in just by chance. Weird little Sam was on the hot seat then and I thought it was kind of amusing how a team of cocky guys misled by an equally self-assured but incompetent Trump-wannabe got bested by a group of then cooperative and collaborative women. I decided to check back the next week.

The show made for great drama. I don’t usually care for reality shows, but this was Survivor in business suits. Sports, action adventure, type “A” individuals clawing their way to the top. Skillfully edited, each episode built tension from first minute to last. Each episode played up the kind of personalities, cunning, guile, and back-stabbing that soap opera producers can only dream of, except this wasn’t scripted.

And then there was The Donald. The ugliest hair on television, the billionaire uber-ego who puts his name on everything he owns, had an entire hour each week to self promote, something he does even better than manage real estate.

I suppose that’s where I am most conflicted. This show I made sure to watch each week espoused the very values I absolutely loath. It is naked capitalism at its very worst.

I made the conscious decision not to work in the private sector almost two decades ago after a brief stint with a very successful AM radio station that along with its sister FM station was garnering 53% of all the advertising revenue in a 20 station market. When they told us this information, we looked at our paychecks and something didn’t add up. Despite the best intentions and hard labor of any worker, in the private sector you’re really only working to make the top execs and stockholders richer. At the first sign of an economic downturn, they will always remind workers of their true worth to the company.

So I cut and ran for first government work, then the arts, now the non-profit community and I haven’t looked back. Despite the recent challenges, I have the most important thing to me: self respect and the knowledge that my work makes a contribution to the greater good of society.

After firing a bunch of competent, capable and possibly decent people who had dutifully jumped up and down like trained animals for the opportunity, it came down to just two for Thursday night’s two hour finale.

Bill beat Kwame and now gets to go home to Chicago and manage another exclusive luxury building that will bear the Trump name. He’ll be paid handsomely no doubt, but The Donald will get paid a thousand times more. And do the folks barely scratching out a living in the Windy City need another temple of ostentatiousness? I’m sure neither Trump nor Bill cares.

Don’t worry about Kwame, that handsome and unflappable brother will land on his feet despite Omarosa’s best attempts at sabotage. Some company will snap him up, and he’ll get a six or seven figure paycheck again one day, a nice house in the country and a trophy wife. Will any of his efforts wind up helping people like his grandparents who never got to go to a prestigious school like Harvard? Who knows?

And Omarosa. Oh Omarosa. She once said, if Kwame took her to the boardroom she was gonna take him out. Maybe that’s why she did what she did. I could make analogies to slaves selling each other out for the right to sit closer to master, but I won’t. Supposedly she has endorsement deals on the horizon as a result of this show. She’d better make the most of them, because nobody will be calling with a regular job any time soon. Out of 15 minutes of fame, she’s got about 12 left.

Next September, they’ll give us The Apprentice 2, and who knows how many more years it will continue. Maybe Trump will re-staff his entire corporation through this process? Other companies are already imitating the competitive team concept as a way of weeding out their weakest links. God help us all.

It all smacks of so much greed and misplaced values.

Number 1

Number 2

It wasn’t a drop dead letter, but it was heart palpitating nonetheless.

We got word at work today that a large federal grant we were counting on to be able to save and in fact expand our program did not come through. There were two such grants from the CDC we were waiting to hear about since last week. We didn’t get either.

There are two other grants on which we are awaiting, possibly as early as next week, that might create positions we can pursue, albeit in different work. Otherwise yours truly will be back pounding the pavement come June 30.

At this point in my life, I am sooo not looking forward to job hunting.