Sunday Papers

The LA Times breaks the story of "Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change" which will call for the defeat of Bush on Wednesday. "[Phyllis] Oakley said the statement would argue that, "Unfortunately the tough stands [Bush] has taken have made us less secure. He has neglected the war on terrorism for the war in Iraq. And while we agree that we are in unprecedented times and we face challenges we didn't even know about before, these challenges require the cooperation of other countries. We cannot do it by ourselves.""

But the most revealing sentence in the story: "One senior Republican strategist familiar with White House thinking said he did not think the group was sufficiently well-known to create significant political problems for the president." Surprise, surprise. The administration's first reflex when hit is not to respond to the criticism, but to look at who said it and how they can be undermined.

The New York Times' has their own exclusive on failed airstrikes killing vast numbers of civilians. Bush's bloodlust to assassinate high-value targets was doomed by "poor intelligence" that resulted in significant civilian casualties while not killing a single member of the deck of cards. I can't find my calculator otherwise I'd figure out what kind of batting average you have when you're zero for fifty.

The Post gave more ink to Kerry's endorsement of Nancy Reagan's stem cell research push. Bush is still hoping for the best of both worlds, but I'm in favor of researching brain disease anytime I read quotes like this one from Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel, "Under President Bush's thoughtful leadership..." I wonder if Stanzel will soon issue a quote apologizing for poor intelligence.

Speaking of mistakes, the story on the big lie continues to break, "Powell Says Terror Report Was a 'Big Mistake". Michael Moore says he may have regrets of his own about not breaking the prisoner abuse story, "I had it months before the story broke on '60 Minutes,' and I really struggled with what to do with it,'' Moore said in a telephone interview with The Chronicle. "I wanted to come out with it sooner, but I thought I'd be accused of just putting this out for publicity for my movie. That prevented me from making maybe the right decision."

Maybe the GOP geeks are too busy with their google bomb on the Democratic Convention because the Post, in a story on Florida's senate race, says, "Meantime, Martinez perhaps should spend a minute on Web site maintenance. The first Google hit on "Mel Martinez" brings up a government site saying he is still secretary of Housing and Urban Development, a job Alphonso Jackson took months ago." Speaking of Florida and google, this might be a good time for: "the single most treacherous and dishonest person anywhere in America."

The city that knows how - Philly Philadelphia
Effort stems tide of homelessness -- can S.F. learn from it?
"Philadelphia simply figured out how to truly help its chronically homeless people -- how to give them more than just a blanket and a sandwich and an emergency cot. It got them into permanent housing with counseling services to help them handle their personal demons, particularly mental illness; it got them into drug rehabilitation; it got them into decent, clean shelters that are open 24 hours a day and have teams of doctors and social workers in offices a few feet away."

Marion Barry is starting another reinvention tour and a former president is dropping like a fly. San Francisco unveils a Same-sex marriage photo exhibit and a lot of people are reading my rumors on who Newsom might appoint as the next Treasurer for San Francisco.

AND FINALLY, not from Sunday but so fucking funny I saved it for last:

Wrong e-mail draws guffaw from Brown
HELENA - Oops.

After being declared the winner of the Republican primary race for governor earlier in the evening, Bob Brown's campaign mistakenly e-mailed a concession statement to reporters at 11:44 p.m. Tuesday.

Brown's statement thanked his and running mate Dave Lewis' families, friends, staff and supporters for their hard work in the primary campaign.

"It did not go as we had hoped tonight, but tomorrow is a new day, and we endorse our party's choice for governor at this time," Brown said in the statement.

When asked about the error Wednesday, a surprised Brown laughed heartily. He said he and his campaign had written both an acceptance speech and a concession speech on Tuesday afternoon with plans to send out the appropriate one Tuesday night.

"They pulled the wrong trigger," Brown said.

- Bob Brigham
BAY TO THE BELTWAY
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