Deep Throat Revealed

So much for the theory it was Alexander Haig. I never believed that though, he had too much of an ego to let it go so long without spilling his guts.

I always thought it was that young attorney (name slips my mind). The movie was crap compared to the book.

I thought it was that housewife Linda wotsereface.

George, you're thinking of John Dean, I would imagine. There were many names suggested over the years, including the notion that Deep Throat was a composite of several people. Of course, the latter might still be the case in some sense. Felt may have had helpers. Now CNN is replaying a television interview with Felt from years ago in which he denied being DT. Of course, that was too soon after the fact, so he still had to deny it. He did say in that interview that he admired the guy, whoever he was. LOL. Now the revisionists are surfacing, saying that if Felt had evidence of a crime, he should have taken it to the appropriate legal authorities. LOL. That was the whole point: no one could trust the 'authorities' at that time to follow up on such charges. Still can't. The problem today is that the press can't get their facts straight. They are so eager to be the next Woodward and Berstein that they just blurt out any old thing. That has been the sad legacy of Watergate--an even more irresponsible and reckless press than we had before. Nothing new here, though; it's been going on for 30 years.

Don'tcha just love that Pat Buchanan? He calls Mark Felt a "traitor" for helping to reveal that Richard Nixon was a vile slimeball at the head of a group of out-of-control swine who were trying to destroy the democratic process. The President was a cheat and a crook and almost every public and private word that dripped from his lips at that time was a filthy lie. Buchanan was his speechwriter.

Buchanan is way off base on this one, but he has a lot of interesting observations on other matters. In terms of Middle East politics, for example, he is closer to the Guardian sundried tomato liberals than to the American right. In his new magazine venture and new book (Where the Right Went Wrong), he really slams Bush and the neocons (especially on foreign policy), describing them as irresponsible and reckless, which they are. The sad thing about Deep Throat is that there was no such person around during the Kennedy and Johnson years. Johnson in particular was a much bigger liar and crook than Nixon could ever have dreamed of becoming, but he got by with it. Even today, commentators laugh and joke about what a crook and manipulator Johnson was, yet they universally blast Nixon for the same, and even lesser, offenses. Basically, Nixon got caught. The even sader thing, as I wrote above, is that we can't seem to find one competent journalist in a nation of nearly 300 million people. On the bright side, Bush started quacking like a lame duck after only two months into his second term. That must surely be a record. His whole schtick is falling apart like a $3 suit in a piss storm.

Bush was quacking like a lame duck in the debates prior to his false 'election' in 2000, JT. He's a shit-for-brains ex-cokehead cheerleader for Big Industry. He was 'voted' back in by other shit-for-brains (including my parents and some good friends; unfathomable). In my personal opinion.

I'm beginning to wonder how much difference the 'man' makes to the machine. I don't think Bush has shit-for-brains - though I do think he often deliberately leads people to underestimate him - I just think that part of his appeal has been to play down his education and make the rednecks feel more at home with his image. I'm wondering whether we are all starting to blame the TV set for the crap programmes - whether it's the 'neocon' policies that we really object to and, like Blair over here, the 'powers-that-be have managed to cunfuse the man with the message so that when the time comes they can continue the same programmes with a different presenter and everyone will think things have changed...

Smiley, Bush was a C-student. C-students aren't allowed at Yale unless their Daddy was also a student. He snorted, snowed, and partied his way through college. He's not particularly intelligent; but he was clever enough to let Daddy pick his staff for him. His staff, the latest version of the SS, are masterminds. THEY run the show. Bush can't even read his own speeches without flubbing them up. He's a glorified frat-boy figurehead. We all know Rovie -really- runs the show. I was going to say, it's too bad there's not a Deep Throat now, but the reading public (an oxymoron if ever there was one) are so cynical, who'd believe them?

You could be right I suppose, Ag. Still, Reagan was never the sharpest kinfe in the drawer and by the time he got to be president he appeared to have dementia to me - but many would argue he was a great president. My point is that maybe Reagan was good because the job requires an actor and showman NOT a genius and Bush Jr is intellectually adequate for the role. Still your point about the staff is an important one - how much influence does the man have on the party though? Do you really think that the US would commit to Kyoto, or make any major policy changes if Bush were assasinated? Actually just checked: Ronald Reagan dies at 93 of pneumonia, after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for a decade.

I think the US would, Smiley: we committed in '93 under Clinton, with some reservations, if I recall. It's just that the whole country has knee-jerked itself so far right, it will take a decent next president to swing it back to a more centre-leaning position. Bushie was addicted to coke; now he's addicted to God, and there's nothing scarier than 'born-agains', especially those with addictive personalities. I think he made a Faustian deal with his Cabinet: you make me president, and I'll give you carte blanche to do whatever the hell you wanna do to make yourselves a little bit richer. He's got all kinds of father-issues going (Iraq was one of them), and unfortunately for the rest of the world, little self-awareness to see just exactly how much damage he's done. Reagan was a mediocre actor and a poor (from my viewpoint) president, but a brilliant people-person and a skilled negotiator; and like Clinton, could sell ice to the Inuit. Bush is an 'aw-shucks' kind of guy but couldn't talk himself out of a hole in the ground. That's the difference. How can you take a guy who says: nuke-eee-ler: seriously?

We should judge our leaders on their records. All leaders of major Western nations are bound to be liars and blaggards - it is a necessary evil. They can't become leader without being so. Whether they use their power of lying and blaggardy for good or bad is the ultimate question. LBJ did some good things in terms of healthcare etc - but far worse things in terms of expanding the war in Vietnam, bombing Cambodia etc. Nixon was far sighted in his treatment of China but he did little else that was worthwhile. His handling of the US economy (and the subsequent hardship visited upon millions of families) was disastrous. He was also thoroughly corrupt. Bush Jnr. I suspect is not so corrupt. He doesn't need to be. He came in on a neocon ticket and he's sticking to it. The fact that that ticket is a social, economic and environmental disaster for the rest of the world - and,eventually, for the US - is another matter. I don't think a journalist digging into his background will effect much change - it is mass worldwide protest (including inside the USA) linked with diplomatic action from the other major nations - that may make some difference. It's certainly worth a try.

I think this Bush is more corrupt even than Daddy, Tony, and more arrogant in his displays. The public are so fat and apathetic now (well, 53% at least) that he basically does what he wants, pillages the Constitution to his advantage, and thumbs his nose at the rest of the world. Do you think sanctions against the US (or diplomatic efforts) would actually work with him? Not a chance. He's skimming the cream off the top with his henchmen; in the end they'll leave an economic and environmental wasteland, and not care one bit. For him, it's pure power. He who leaves office with the most profit wins.

How cynical I'm becoming. So sad.

Bush is your standard Texas conservative. A strong personal belief in what is right and wrong; he wears blinders to the feelings of people that don't think the way he does. When he says treat people with compassion and tolerance, he's basically saying, "try to put up with it” The thing with the word nucular, is on purpose. He knows very well how to pronounce the word and mispronounces it just to give the impression he's a regular ole-boy and to piss off left wing elitists that like to point out such flaws. When somebody rags on him about it, he's probably quite pleased they do. I was watching Charlie Rose one night, one of Bush's advisors was on. He too was mispronouncing the word, Charlie called him on it. He explained that it's a badge of honor and considered an in thing to use the wrong word around Bush. Very telling. There is a total disdain for the left in his world. The problem he doesn't seem to grasp is that about 80 percent of the world including his own country is left of his politics.

As I said, he's an arrogant frat-boy. That he's a Texan only adds salt to the wound. I'm sure he knows 80 percent of the world disagrees with him. I'm also sure he doesn't give a rat's ass.

I'd bet he throws a good BBQ though.

hahahaha! He probably does!

JW jnr has failed at every private business he has ever touched! And he was, and still is, a woman bashing drunkard..fact! Being broke and almost homeless, his Daddy kissed the arse of the Mason's who took him in, and after a good the bible bashing session gave him his present job! He's a complete twat..fact!

On this particular issue, Jaspie, I don't think you'll find a single person disagrees with you! :-)

Cynical, Ag? I think you're almost an optimist :o)

you sound more and more like David Brent every day Jasp.

I try to be, Smiley. I try to be. :-)

u guys like to deep throat fags well its all right 4 the girls if they will do it to me

*de -teenerates-*

And now Al Haig says: "I suspected him all along." Ha! What hubris. Truly phenomenal.

How long before a new movie?