Barack's fan club poses as journalists

Panhandle Media. So-dubbed by Ava and C.I. -- and with good reason.



The social rejects that make up Panhandle Media are throwing a little ball. Somehow FAIR hasn't found time to call it out.



It's the so-called peace ball. And it's journalists (and a few wife beaters tossed in -- no, we don't refer to the t-shirt). Now if The New York Times had thrown an inaugural ball to celebrate the swearing of Bully Boy in 2001 or 2005, you damn well better believe the misfits at FAIR would be telling you how wrong that is. But with the "peace" ball?



Not a damn word.



Here are the basics:



Inaugural Peace Ball
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Next to Union StationWashington, D.C.
Doors open 6:00pm (NEW OPENING TIME)

Program Begins at 7:00pm
Valet Parking Available: $20.00 paid directly to attendant

Valet Location: First St. and Mass. Ave., NE, near Union Station
Invitations: $165.00 (includes tax) Sold out

Special Guest Host Harry Belafonte

Special Performances By:

Joan Baez

Bernice Johnson Reagon & Toshi Reagon

Michael Franti & Spearhead

Angelique Kidjo

Fertile Ground

Holly Near & Emma's Revolution

Ayanna Gregory

Sekou da Misfit and Steve Connell
Special Appearances by:

Dick Gregory

Jody Williams, Nobel Prize Laureate

Alice Walker, author, Color Purple

Eve Ensler, playwright, Vagina Monologues

Amy Goodman

Laura Flanders, Air America

Kim Crenshaw, Law Professor and Activist
Mistresses of Ceremonies: Verna Avery Brown and Kate Clinton
We are completely sold out! Tickets were mailed on January 5.


No, they're not sold out. If you thought $165 was an outrageous price for what should be a people's party, hold you hats. Queen of All the Beggars Amy Goodman isn't content hosting, she also sees it as a fundraiser. ("Fundraiser?" You know, like when you walk down the street and you're hassled for a buck.) So Beggar Amy sent out "Last Tickets for 1/20 Inaugural Peace Ball & VIP Reception" Thursday afternoon and it informed: "A limited number of tickets for this sold-out event are available for a $1000 donation!Your donation will help Democracy Now! build a new home!"

Goody's attending and making money off Barack's inauguration -- how critical do you think she's going to be of him? Could you imagine the uproar if Chris Matthews was pulling this stunt?



Well, you may argue, it's a "peace" ball. It really doesn't have anything to do with Barack. The 'peace' ball explains:





History was made November 4, 2008 when Illinois Senator Barack Obama was elected as the 44th and first African-American President of the United States of America. In honor of his election, we will gather in Washington DC on Inauguration Day to celebrate change and "yes we did" at the premiere Inaugural Peace Ball sponsored by Busboys and Poets and the Smithsonian Postal Museum.




Want to pretend again that it has nothing to do with Barack?





They also note:



Our phenomenal hosts include to date: Historian Howard Zinn, Comedian Dick Gregory, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, Katrina Vanden Heuvel of The Nation Magazine, Laura Flanders, Barbara Ehrenreich, Anthony Arnove, and many more.



Wow, what wonderful 'independents', huh? Coward Zinn. Anthony who wishes he was Howard.
*****JIM NOTE ADDED 1-13-09: IN AN E-MAIL, ANTHONY ARNOVE STATES TO US THAT HE'S NOT ATTENDING THE 'PEACE' BALL -- NOR IS HOWARD ZINN. THE BALL LISTS THEM NOT AS AN ATTENDEES BUT A HOSTS. ARNOVE STATES HE HAS ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THAT CORRECTED.******* Big nosed ,ugly girl Katrina hoping to finally be belle of the ball. Self-loathing lesbian Laura Flanders (who will no doubt insist -- when not drunkenly coming on to various lasses -- that she'll hold Barack's feet to the fire any day now!). What a bunch of losers.



What a sorry excuse for an independent media.



They should all be ashamed.



Hop-on-the-high-horse Amy Goodman once had the gall to castigate Lesley Stahl for offering Richard Holbrooke a ride (so he could avoid the insane Amy) and said that journalists should maintain a distance. What the hell kind of distance does Liar Goodman believe she's maintaining hosting a ball for Barack?



Answer: None at all.



And what kind of independent media does the United States have?



Answer: None at all.



You may be looking at the list of entertainers and thinking, "I want hit tunes! Where are the hits!" Well fear not! They've added Jackson Browne and his last hit was 20 years ago!!!! No word on whether his act will include beating up a woman or not but remember what Joni sang:



The story hit the news

From coast to coast

They said you beat the girl

You loved the most

Your charitable acts

Seemed out of place,

With the beauty

With your fist marks on her face.

Your buddies all stood by;

They bet their fortunes

And their fame

That she was out of line

And you were not to blame.

-- "Not To Blame," written by Joni Mitchell, from her Grammy winning Turbulent Indigo.

The hosts

The 2009 Inaugural Peace Ball notes:

Hosted By

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About Us

History was made November 4, 2008 when Illinois Senator Barack Obama was elected as the 44th and first African-American President of the United States of America. In honor of his election, we will gather in Washington DC on Inauguration Day to celebrate change and “yes we did” at the premiere Inaugural Peace Ball sponsored by Busboys and Poets and the Smithsonian Postal Museum.

This unprecedented event will take place on Tuesday evening January 20, 2009 at the Smithsonian Institution National Postal Museum at Massachusetts Avenue and First Street N.E. next door to Union Station. This will be a time to celebrate this extraordinary moment in history with food, laughter, music and dance.

We have invited peacemakers from all over the globe to join us for this special experience. You will be united with hundreds of friends and allies who believe in, support and work tirelessly for peace and social justice. Our phenomenal hosts include to date: Historian Howard Zinn, Comedian Dick Gregory, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, Katrina Vanden Heuvel of The Nation Magazine, Laura Flanders, Barbara Ehrenreich, Anthony Arnove, and many more.

We look forward to seeing you at the Inaugural Peace Ball and thank you for your participation and support of this most memorable evening as we embark on a new era of peace, hope and possibilities.

Copyright © 2009 Inaugural Peace Ball. All Rights Reserved. Site Credits

Thank You to Our Sponsors

ETAN: Blair Poor Choice for NI Director

From ETAN:





Adm. Blair Poor Choice as Director of National Intelligence, Says Rights Group

Blair's History with Indonesia and East Timor Raises Questions about Likely Nominee

Contact: John M. Miller, +1-718-596-7668, +1-917-690-4391

Ed McWilliams, +1-703-899-5285



January 7 - The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) called Adm. Dennis Blair "a poor choice for intelligence director." The group urged President-elect Obama to reconsider the nomination, and make a break from past policies that have undermined human rights worldwide.

"During his years as Pacific Commander, Blair downplayed human rights concerns. He actively worked to reinstate military assistance and deepen ties with Indonesia's military despite its ongoing rights violations in East Timor and consistent record of impunity," said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of ETAN.

"Admiral Blair undermined U.S. policy in the months preceding the U.S.-supported and UN-sponsored referendum in East Timor in 1999," said Ed McWilliams, a senior U.S. embassy official in Jakarta at the time. "While senior State Department officials were pressing the Indonesian military to end the escalating violence and its support for militia intimidation of voters, Blair took a distinctly different line with his military counterparts. As Pacific Commander, his influence could have caused the military to rein in its militias. Instead, his virtual silence on the issue in meetings with the Indonesian generals led them and their militias to escalate their attacks on the Timorese."

"Blair's actions in 1999 demonstrated the failure of engagement to temper the Indonesian military's behavior; his actions helped to reinforce impunity for senior Indonesian officials that continues to this day," added Miller.

"The extraordinarily brutal Indonesian retaliation against the East Timorese and the UN teams in East Timor following the Timorese vote for independence from Indonesia transpired in part because of Blair's failure to press U.S. Government concerns in meetings with the Indonesian general," said McWilliams.

In April 1999, just days after Indonesian security forces and their militia proxies carried out a brutal churchyard massacre, Adm. Blair delivered a message of 'business-as-usual' to Indonesian General Wiranto, then Commander of the Indonesian armed forces. Following East Timor's pro-independence vote, Blair sought the quickest possible restoration of military assistance, despite Indonesia's highly destructive exit from the territory. Background

As Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Command from February 1999 to May 2002, Blair was the highest ranking U.S. military official in the region during the final period of Indonesia's violent occupation of East Timor. During that time he undermined the Clinton administration's belated efforts to support human rights and self-determination in the Indonesian-occupied territory and opposed congressional efforts to limit military assistance.

In April 1999, Blair met in Jakarta with General Wiranto, then the Defense Minister and the commander of Indonesian forces, just two day after dozens of refugees in a Catholic church in the town of Liquica, East Timor were hacked to death with machetes by militia members backed by the military (including Kopassus) and Brimob troops.

Instead of pressuring Wiranto to shut down the militias, Blair promised new military assistance, which the Indonesian military "took as a green light to proceed with the militia operation," according to Allan Nairn, writing in the Nation magazine. In fact just weeks later, refugees from the attack in Liquicia were again attacked and killed in the capital in Dili.

Nairn reported that a classified cable summarizing the meeting said that Admiral Blair "told the armed forces chief that he looks forward to the time when [the army will] resume its proper role as a leader in the region. He invited General Wiranto to come to Hawaii as his guest... [Blair] expects that approval will be granted to send a small team to provide technical assistance to... selected TNI [Indonesian military] personnel on crowd control measures." Nairn writes that the last offer was "quite significant, because it would be the first new U.S. training program for the Indonesian military since 1992."

Princeton University's Bradley Simpson writes "According to top secret CIA intelligence summary issued after the [Liquica] massacre, however (and recently declassified by the author through a Freedom of Information Act request), 'Indonesian military had colluded with pro-Jakarta militia forces in events preceding the attack and were present in some numbers at the time of the killings.'"

In the bloody aftermath of East Timor's independence vote, "Blair and other U.S. military officials took a forgiving view of the violence surrounding the referendum in East Timor. Given the country's history, they argued, it could have been worse," reported the Washington Post's Dana Priest.

U.S.-trained Indonesian military officers were among those allegedly involved in crimes against humanity in East Timor. "But at no point, Blair acknowledges, did he or his subordinates reach out to the Indonesian contacts trained through IMET or JCET [U.S.-funded programs] to try to stop the brewing crisis," wrote Priest. "It is fairly rare that the personal relations made through an IMET course can come into play in resolving a future crisis," he told her.

Despite Blair's repeated overtures and forgiving attitude to Indonesia's military elite, they were of no help in his post-military role as chair of the Indonesia Commission at the influential Council on Foreign Relations. In 2002, Blair headed a delegation of observers who intended to visit West Papua. The government refused to let them in, with the Foreign Minister declaring that "there is no need for them to come to Papua."

The reason was clear: West Papua has become the new focus of Indonesian military and militia brutality and outside observers are not welcome. Though Blair's dream of renewed military engagement with Indonesia has been realized under the Bush administration, the Indonesian military's human rights violations continue, as does impunity for its senior officers.

General Wiranto was indicted in February 2003 by a UN-backed court in East Timor for his command role in the 1999 violence. The attack on the Liquica church is among the crimes against humanity cited in the indictment. He is currently a leading candidate for President of Indonesia in elections to take place next year.



ETAN was formed in 1991. The U.S.-based organization advocates for democracy, justice and human rights for Timor-Leste and Indonesia. ETAN was a major participant in the International Federation for East Timor's (IFET) observer mission for the 1999 referendum. For more information see ETAN's web site.

Highlights

This piece is written by Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix, Kat of Kat's Korner, Betty of Thomas Friedman is a Great Man, Mike of Mikey Likes It!, Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz, Ruth of Ruth's Report, Marcia of SICKOFITRADLZ, Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends and Wally of The Daily Jot. Unless otherwise noted, we picked all highlights.





"I Hate The War" -- C.I.'s post is the most requested highlight by readers e-mailing Ty. A number are saying C.I.'s been on fire non-stop for three weeks now. Wally says, "C.I. was dead tired when this was written. We'd just finished the roundtable for the gina & krista round-robin. We were all in a hotel, around a TV and Kat and Ava said that was it for them and they were going to sleep. Cedric and I hadn't done our joint-post so I stayed up. This was written after C.I. wrote the column for the gina & krista round-robin. So my point would be, I agree C.I.'s been writing these powerful pieces non-stop but I think they're fueled by what's going on in the world. It's not like she's getting any additional rest or sleep." Kat adds, "With so many shirking their responsibilities on Iraq, I think it's also true C.I. feels the pressure to up her committment."



"Egg Drop Soup in the Kitchen" -- Trina and the economy and Barack's tiny measures.





"Senator Burris and moving" -- Yes, Betty's moving. Everyone's moving out to California! For those trying to keep track, that's Ty, Dona, Jim, Ava, Jess, Wally and now Betty who will all be living at C.I.'s. Add in that Kat has her own place in the Bay Area and the whole gang's off California Dreamin'! Kat is with Betty this weekend, helping her with some packing and flying out with her (and Betty's kids) on Monday.



"Marilyn Monroe," "gaza, bette davis," "Gary Cooper," "Charlie Chaplin," "Clark Gable, Roland Burris," "Ingrid Bergman," "John Wayne" and "Audrey Hepburn"-- the Wednesday community theme posts. Last week's theme was films.





"gaza," "u.n. votes for cease-fire," "today the israeli military attacked the u.n." and "the assault continues" -- Rebecca's Gaza coverage. Marcia suggested we note that because she had one e-mailer a while back (three or four weeks ago) whining that Marcia didn't give a damn about the Palestinians because of who she voted for. Marcia's response, "I didn't vote for Barack. Don't blame me. I voted for Ralph Nader." And she pointed out that Rebecca covers this topic.



"The Pentagon further stigmatizes PTSD" -- This is a highlight because Wally just mentioned it. You need to read this to be ready for Monday at TCI. How come? Wally explained a big cry baby quoted in The New York Times whined and whined about distortions by the paper. C.I.'s response, "What the f**k am I supposed to do?" (C.I. put it kinder.) So the whiner has a response about how he's not anti-PTSD and C.I.'s posting it on Monday. (If you read this, you'll be able to tell which whiner. And no, the paper didn't misquote him, nor did C.I.)



"THIS JUST IN! SON OF A NEWT GINGRICH!" & "Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon's love child" -- Wally and Cedric cover Barack and his desire to privatize Social Security.







"Gaza" -- Ruth had been speaking Friday with C.I., Ava, Kat, Wally and Rebecca. And she brought along her grandson and Rebecca brought along her daughter. Ruth was tired Friday night and she honestly is surprised that this got requested in e-mails as a highlight. Just goes to show you, you never know what will reach out to someone. (That's not an insult to Ruth's post. We all agree it's a strong one. But she doesn't think it is.)



Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Debutante Barack" -- Isaiah's comic is hilarious and we're hoping to use it in some way this edition; however, we're almost done (and all tired) so that might not happen. :(





"Elvis and Princess Brat Caroline" -- On Elvis' birthday, Kat reminds the world what a piece of trash Caroline Kennedy is.





"Homophobe Tim Kaine" & "Tim Kaine, World Ultimate Homophobe" -- Marcia and Stan on the homophobe. Did they both plan to write about it? They really hadn't talked about it. The thing they both linked to was e-mailed to them by Stan's mother. Marcia, "So, if I'd known we were both planning to link, I would've said, 'Hey, she's just my aunt, so you link'." They did however work things out before blogging "I see a pattern of racism" and "They refused to seat Roland Burris."







"Pez and Flinstone's vitamins" -- This was popular, no surprise. It's Mike's and he also got some griping e-mails about how this isn't really a topic worth exploring. It's not? You try blogging then and do it for several years. You'll find that you sometimes blog about whatever's in your head at that time. And you'll also grasp, as all of us do, that a topic like Pez can attract outsiders who will drop by and see the Iraq snapshot for that day.



"7 singers (6 songwriters)" -- Elaine's post on songwriters and singers was also popular and she says, "No one better expect an apology from me. I'm sick of doing a site. I enjoyed writing that and will write about music anytime I feel like it." Seriously, Elaine, C.I. and Ava are ready to pack it in. (Rebecca says, "They'll feel differently in the spring.")



"Barack, like Bully Boy, fakes press conferences" -- Barack's faking press conferences. When does the press intend to call that out?



"Harry Reid flashes his true colors" & "THIS JUST IN! HARRY REID AND HIS WHITE SHEET!" -- Cedric & Wally's joint-post on racist Harry Reid.





"Death of the alleged peace queen" -- Kat wraps up a topic begun in last week's "Roundtable."

Truest statement of the week

In the Democratic Party primary, I supported Senator Clinton. When the nomination was stolen from her, I supported Ralph Nader. Throughout it all, I had admiration for Cynthia McKinney and Rosa McKinney running on the Green Party presidential ticket and for G.O.P. vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. What a significant moment -- even though public radio was never interested in it or anything to do with women. Of all the photos during the election, this one made me happiest.





I did not vote for Governor Palin's ticket. But I could still smile with pride at the excitement of young women as they gather around the first woman to ever be on the Republican presidential ticket, only the second woman to be on a presidential ticket of one of the country's two major parties. Again, not a topic anyone wanted to explore. No program devoted a segment to Senator Clinton, the Honorable Cynthia McKinney, Ms. Clemente and Governor Palin. No program wanted to ponder the historic nature of those four women in 2008. Doing so would have required leadership. For all the talk of 'independence' and 'leadership,' public radio was nothing but a follower. A more high-brow version of the MSNBC cesspool in NPR's case. (There was nothing "high-brow" about Pacifica, it was pure cesspool.)



-- Ruth, "Ruth's 2008 Public Radio Report" (The Common Ills).

Truest statement of the week II

It really is amazing how little Iraq mattered to the alleged left after they had used the 2002 vote to tar and feather Hillary Clinton. They stayed silent as Barack immediately began backing off his 'pledge' in June. They stay silent today as Barack and Joe Biden -- two who grandstanded against the so-called SOFA throughout 2008 -- did nothing to halt the White House from ramming that treaty through or, in fact, even publicly offered a word of objection after the election.



-- Martha and Shirley, "2008 in books (Martha & Shirley)" (The Common Ills).

Truest statement of the week III

It was heart-ripping to watch the women like Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan repeatedly attempt to destroy Sarah Palin.
Now I understand why they did that: There was no way to make a case to vote for Barack.
When you have a candidate with nothing to brag about, you have to rip apart the competition to 'support' him.
I understand why they did it, it doesn't make it right.
And it's not something I will soon forget.
What Gloria, Robin and the gals of (Democratic) Women's Media Center didn't grasp was that what played with predominately male establishment that they were attempting to please appalled women.
It appalled and disgusted us.
And women in 'leadership' never looked so out of touch as they won praise from men for ripping apart a woman.

-- Betty, "Thinning out the herd (2008)" (Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man).

A note to our readers

Hey --

Sunday. And we finished really quickly for us. First weekend of the new year as well. Maybe a good sign? (No, we'll be back to finishing at noon or three p.m. in no time.)

Along with Dallas, the following helped on this edition:


The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ
and Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends.

We thank the above. And here's what we came up with.

Truest statement of the week -- Ruth. This is from her year-in-review and we even included the photo which, for the record, was popular with readers here and not just with Ruth.

Truest statement of the week II -- Martha and Shirley nailed it. Iraq never mattered after they stole the nomination from Hillary. And the whiners never really gave a damn about Iraq even before, they just pretended in order to have another tool to attack Hillary with.

Truest statement of the week III -- Betty's year in review where she notes her huge disappoint in the so-called sisterhood.

Editorial: The bum works for you -- Don't forget it. There has been such a screwed up view long before Barack but it's going to be even worse with Barack if people don't grow the hell up. Barack is an employee. You are the boss. He works for you. Never forget it. If there is ever anything 'special' about him, it is the people who employed him. We do not have a monarchy. We do not have a King or Queen. The bum needs to get to work. And for those of us who remember 2005 and the WHINING about the inuagural balls at a time of war, what the hell is happening today?

TV: Head Games -- Ava and C.I. wanted to do one pure entertainment TV piece because they're not sure that's going to be possible again any time soon. Due to the holidays, things were slow TV wise and news wise. Grabbing the opportunity, they focused on a new show airing on Saturdays and they don't just document what's wrong, they explain how to fix it.

The attacks on Senator Roland Burris -- This article explores the racism against Burris, the sense of entitlement of Caroline Kennedy and a host of other issues. Burris is the Senator. He needs to be seated.

Boy, Did He Get A Wrong Number -- Dona said she wished there was one more short feature . . . We were finishing the typing and editing and gearing up to post. Dallas heard her. He found this and Dona, C.I., Ava, Jess, Ty and I quickly wrote around the photo.

Roundtable -- This is a roundtable revolving solely around e-mails. Ty and I picked some of the questions that were popping up and did so to try to address the increasing volume of e-mails. If you're issue wasn't raised, hopefully one that you found interesting was.

This week's Bronze Boobies -- Is this going to be a weekly? We're not sure. We actually have the Bronze Boobies and the Katrinas. Katrinas are for idiots. Bronze Boobies are for those caught acting foolish. Reader Jordan e-mailed to bring Scott Horton's nonsense to our attention, by the way. Thank you, Jordan.

Complaint Dept. -- This was another effort to address the e-mails and also to work in a book feature. And the book truly is hilarious.

Ty's Corner -- Jess asked Ty if he was planning to write a Ty's Corner? Ava and C.I. were off doing their TV commentary and we weren't sure what we had that was useable. Jess mentioned that it had been some since Ty did a corner. There were enough e-mails asking topics on one aspect that Ty was able to pull together a theme.

Idiot of the week -- Barack really has to work overtime to appear American? Is that what's going on? If it's not that, we've got a more jingoistic White House occupant than the shrimp from Texas (by way of Maine).

Highlights -- Mike, Elaine, Rebecca, Betty, Kat, Ruth, Cedric, Wally, Marica and Stan wrote this and selected the highlights unless otherwise mentioned.

Third Estate 2008 archives by week -- 2008 archives disappeared as a weekly listing on the right side of our blog (not "left" -- Dona says we referred to the left in something, we'll try to find it and correct it, she thinks it was Ty's Corner which she typed up) as soon as the first week of 2009 items went up. Refer to this (and it's on the blogroll also) when you're wanting to go throough the 2008 archives.

Third Estate 2006 archives by week -- And, thanks to C.I., we finally have the same for 2006.

Third Estate 2005 achive by week -- And for 2005. Prior to today, we only had our 2007 archives (and our 2008 which were displaying on the right side of the site).

And that's what we got. Hopefully, something to make you laugh, make you angry or get active. See you next week.

And happy new year.


-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.