The Economist endorses John Kerry.

Guant�namo Bay offers constant evidence of America's hypocrisy, evidence that is disturbing for those who sympathise with it, cause-affirming for those who hate it. This administration, which claims to be fighting for justice, the rule of law and liberty, is incarcerating hundreds of people, whether innocent or guilty, without trial or access to legal representation. The White House's proposed remedy, namely military tribunals, merely compounds the problem.

America's next president The incompetent or the incoherent? - Economist

Fear and Loathing, Campaign 2004 - Hunter S. Thompson.

War is an option whose time has passed. Peace is the only option for the future. At present we occupy a treacherous no-man's-land between peace and war, a time of growing fear that our military might has expanded beyond our capacity to control it and our political differences widened beyond our ability to bridge them. . . .

Short of changing human nature, therefore, the only way to achieve a practical, livable peace in a world of competing nations is to take the profit out of war. --RICHARD M. NIXON, "REAL PEACE" (1983)

. . .

Richard Nixon looks like a flaming liberal today, compared to a golem like George Bush. Indeed. Where is Richard Nixon now that we finally need him?

William Jefferson Clinton speaks after a viewing of The Hunting of the President, A documentary about the Whitewater Investigation.

The central insight of the framers of the constitution was that a democracy is about not just majority rule, but about minority rights.

Audio clip (.mp3 87k - 00:42 seconds)

God warned Pat Robertson about war in Iraq. President Bush Ignores God.

Robertson: I warned Bush on Iraq casualties - CNN

"I mean, the Lord told me it was going to be A, a disaster, and B, messy," Robertson said. "I warned him [President Bush] about casualties."

Robertson said the president then told him, "Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties."

- filed under "what the fuck?"

It has truly been a great couple of weeks, for me at least. First, Bill O'Reilly is sued for sexual harassment. Then, Tucker Carlson is called a dick on cable television. Now, if it turns out that Ann Coulter is secretly in love with Bill Clinton (you heard it here first) I'll die happy. Oh, and if it turns out that Rush Limbaugh is a drug popping felon.

- filed under anger

I voted today via absentee ballot. Why wait until the election rush? All the really good candidates are taken up by then.

I sing with a voice of one in a choir of millions. But as Peter always says, "If you don't play, you can't win."

So people, and by people I mean Gina, have mentioned that I have been quite political here at the pill as of late, and maybe even a wee bit angry. Honestly, I'm in a neurotic panic about the state of the union, and I am engulfed in an elephantine fear for the future of these United States of America, and the world for that matter. And, maybe, a tad bit angry.

And so the plea was made, less anger and more angus*. I leave it to the reader (I would like to say readers, but there is a direct correlation between loss of traffic and angry...er thoughtful political commentary here at bitterpill.org) to help define the future direction of content here at bitterpill.org**. Let the surveying begin:

* Angus is a cute and politically unaffiliated French Bulldog. However, I think secretly he is a Libertarian. Angus (the puppy of principle) photos to be found here.

** survey data will most likely be ignored, and content may actually veer in an opposite direction of the survey results out of spite.

Going Up River
(quicktime .mov - 671 megs) - imdb info.

This revealing documentary chronicles Senator John Kerry's tour of duty (as the skipper of a Swift Boat) in Vietnam, his controversial contributions to the peace movement that followed and, ultimately, the shape his political career took after the turbulent 1960s.

A sound clip where twenty seven year old John Kerry testifies before the senate relations committee regarding the war in Vietnam - Thursday, April 22, 1971:

excerpts from John Kerry's Testimony
(mp3 - 364k - 3:05 minutes)

...when, in 30 years from now, our brothers go down the street without a leg, without an arm, or a face, and small boys ask why, we will be able to say "Vietnam" and not mean a desert, not a filthy obscene memory but mean instead the place where America finally turned and where soldiers like us helped it in the turning.

Just a quick note regarding tonight's debate. If John Kerry is on the far left, then I'm the Grand Exalted Poobah of the KKK.

There's a mainstream in American politics and you sit right on the far-left bank

- President Goerge W. bush

Supreme Court to Hear Case on Display of Ten Commandments - New York Times

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, said the city sought to reflect the cultural, historical and legal significance of the commandments. Rehnquist noted that justices' own chambers includes a carving of Moses holding the Ten Commandments.

In related news, the court also announced today that they would hear arguments on the case of Little Billy Johnson vs. Mommy. More famously known as Mommy V Boogie Man. Little Billy Johnson has contested that the Boogie Man is hiding in his closet just waiting for the light to go out so he can eat him. His mother's attorney has argued that Billy shouldn't stay up late and watch horror movies, and please just stop crying and turn out the light.

Justice Clarence Thomas said, "What did Scalia say? Ok, me too."

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, though not convinced of the existence of the Boogie Man, noted that there is a good chance that it might actually be the Devil masquerading as the boogie man, and that is definitely not constitutional.

update: Justice Clarence Thomas has been forced to recluse himself in the case of Mommy V Boogie Man. Allegedly, he was the one waiting in the closet to eat Little Billy.

Justice Thomas, the Devil or the Boogie Man?