Where’s the Outrage?

The opening segment is getting better.  I’m figuring out how to talk and work the computer at the same time.  It is kind of like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time.

Scooter Libby verdict is in.   Libby was guilty of 4 or 5 counts of fraud.  Bush is personally sad but respects the conviction.  Almost before the verdict comes out some on the right began to argue for a presidential pardon.  I review where this all started.

My first guest is a medical scholar and ethicist Timothy Quill, MD.  Dr. Quill is a professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Medical Humanities at the University of Rochester.  We discuss the development of medical ethics in the United States.  The problem isn’t that medicine is prolonging life but instead medicine has the technology to prolong death.  We discuss Karen Quinlan, Nancy Crusan and, of course, Terri Schiavo.  Great discussion.

In the 3rd segment, I discuss the Walter Reed scandal.  VA/Military hospitals.  I mention that VA hospitals are not set up take care of acute trauma patients.  I then end the segment with the conclusion of my interview with Douglas Johnston of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.

I end the show by talking about the US Attorneys that got fired.  The problem isn’t that they got fired.  The problem is that they were fired for political issues.  Also, and more importantly, the DOJ spoke to Congress and said something a little different.  Albert Gonzales is swimming in hot water.

Remember I’m on iTunes and several other podcasting services.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 3-10-07 [51:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Podcasts, Valerie Plame, Walter Reed by ecthompson
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Thousands protest.

 

 War Protests [1:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Iraq by ecthompson
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What else is there to tell them (conservatives)? Either Plame is telling the truth or she is lying.  I believe that she was telling the truth.  The evidence by my reading supports this. 

Victoria Toensing, a Foxpert, has made a living over last 2 or 3 years stating that Valerie Plame was not covert.  Her own knowledge comes from writing the law (Intelligence Identities Protection Act) back in 1982.  She was counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee.  She stated flatly in her WaPo OpEd on 2/18/07, “Plame was not covert. She worked at CIA headquarters and had not been stationed abroad within five years of the date of Novak’s column.”  Well, maybe Ms. Toensing should read the law that she helped create.  The definition of covert is not stationed aboard.  The definition states serving overseas.

(4) The term “covert agent” means—

(A) a present or retired officer or employee of an intelligence agency or a present or retired member of the Armed Forces assigned to duty with an intelligence agency—

(i) whose identity as such an officer, employee, or member is classified information, and

(ii) who is serving outside the United States or has within the last five years served outside the United States; or

(B) a United States citizen whose intelligence relationship to the United States is classified information, and—

(i) who resides and acts outside the United States as an agent of, or informant or source of operational assistance to, an intelligence agency, or(ii) who is at the time of the disclosure acting as an agent of, or informant to, the foreign counterintelligence or foreign counterterrorism components of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; or

(C) an individual, other than a United States citizen, whose past or present intelligence relationship to the United States is classified information and who is a present or former agent of, or a present or former informant or source of operational assistance to, an intelligence agency.

Maybe Ms. Toensing believes that the words (stationed and served) are the same.  They are not.  They are the difference between living overseas and just visiting overseas on business (definition of serve - to furnish a professional service, to furnish or supply with something needed or desired).  I’m waiting for Ms. Toensing to come clean and do an Emily Litella - Never Mind. (Oh, did I mention that Toensing and Novak are friends?  Novak was among 70 invited guests to Toensing’s 60th birthday party.  Novak has also written about her in his column.  I’m just saying that she is about as impartial as the rest of these folks.) 

My 2 cents will probably not convince one conservative that I’m right but I tried without resorting to name calling or talking about some one’s momma.

 

 Cummings Plame [3:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Valerie Plame by ecthompson
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