Friday, December 22, 2006

New News Before the Holidays

Today's a great day for getting not-so-helpful news out. Here are a few of the highlights:

* The White House has redacted (in a New York Times op-ed) specific information about how Iran apparently helped the US with the Afghan war in 2001.

* Mitt Romney apparently voted for Democrat Paul Tsongas in 1992. He was also registered as an independent ("Unenrolled") until 1993.

* The Duke lacrosse sexual assault case has been, apparently, dropped by prosecutors.

* New York State Controller Alan Hevesi resigned and pled guilty to a felony for using state employees to chauffuer his wife.

1 comment:

Myclob said...

Tsongas was viewed as social liberal and economic conservative.

He was especially known for his pro-business economic policies that have come to be embraced by many in the modern Democratic Party. In particular, he focused on the United States budget deficit and its harmful effects, a cause he continued to champion after his primary campaign ended by co-founding The Concord Coalition.

He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia in 1962-64, and as Peace Corps Country Director in the West Indies in 1967-68.

Someone should read his book:

http://www.amazon.com/Heading-Home-Paul-Tsongas/dp/0394541308

"I have been referred to as a pro business liberal. I have always been referred to that way. That is what I am. On traditional Democratic issues, human rights, civil rights, women's rights, the environment, I am a liberal, and I make no apology for that. But in terms of energy policy and in particularly in terms of economic policy I am a realist. I may sound like a Republican but if it works, I am for it. I am not locked in to the ideology, sort of the class warfare, corporate bashing that Democrats find attractive. That is not me it has never been me."

JUDY WOODRUFF: (April 10, 1991) Another question that I think that some people who look at you and your life experience: Here is someone who had a life threatening illness, cancer, who went off and had time to consider what is really important inlife. You had time to spend more time with your family. Why would you then throw yourself back into the fray of this crazy schedule that a Presidential candidate that he has to out himself or herself through?

FORMER SEN. PAUL TSONGAS: It is going to sound kind of syrupy but I survived. And there is an obligation of that survival. If there was somebody else who thought the way that I did, who has had the experience that I have had, if a Bill Bradley, for example, had run I would have supported it. But I honestly believe, as strange perhaps as it may sound, I know what this country has to do and where we have to go to avoid the economic decline that I experienced as a child. So what am I supposed to do? Sit back in Lowell, Massachusetts, make my money as a lawyer, protect my family, and say well the rest of you are on your on. I think I went through a lot, and I have an obligation back and that is what I see myself doing. That is what my family sees me doing. And I know that may sound unusual in the Washington context but that is how I feel.