Ladies and Gentlemen: This is our Attorney General?

[Diemen]

All politics aside, this seriously creeps me out:

Ashcroft Sings

[Lilly]

I'm not really too informed about John Ashcroft...someone wanna fill me in a bit?

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*Proud owner, maker, and baker of THE U2 cookies*

[Gina Marie]

OMG-that was too much.

Actually, his voice isn't half bad , but why the heck was he singing after a speech?

Isn't there a singing group comprised of Senators?

*dreams of the day Bush croons*

[FizzingWhizzbees]

(I'm openly stating that I disagree with Ashcroft's politics so this post is not going to be overhwelmingly positive about the man. However, I'll give some of my thoughts anyway.)

He's a very right-wing, conservative Republican. He's anti-choice, opposes gun control, opposes affirmative action, opposes gay rights, is in favour of the death penalty. Basically everything you would expect from a very conservative politician.

He's strongly anti-choice on abortion - he even opposes abortion in the case of rape or incest and he also believes that 'life begins at conception' which implies he disagrees with the use of birth control pills and emergency contraception.

During his confirmation hearings there were allegations of racism against him. While he was governor of Missouri he blocked the appointment of a black judge, and he's made some comments in praise of those who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He also fought against a voter registration campaign in St Louis which coincidentally has a large black and traditionally Democrat-voting population.

While he was governor of Missouri, 7 people were executed in his state. He voted in favour of restricting people's access to appeal against a death sentence. Also he's in favour of extending the "war against drugs" and he wants stronger sentencing for those convicted of drug-related offences.

On the environment, he's in favour of allowing oil companies to drill for oil in Alaska. On defence, foreign policy, he's in favour of high military spending, and opposed to high foreign aid budgets.

Gun control, he's in favour of allowing people to carry concealed weapons, he's against any kind of background check including at gun shows.

And I'll be quiet now because there is a lot more I would like to say about Ashcroft, but I'm sure there are people who support him and would like to have their say too.

[joyfulgirl]

OMG Diemen, that made my day, in a perverse kind of way. And that is the only thing I find funny about him. I certainly can't say "he should stick to his day job" either.

Right on, Fizzing.

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by FizzingWhizzbees:
(I'm openly stating that I disagree with Ashcroft's politics so this post is not going to be overhwelmingly positive about the man. However, I'll give some of my thoughts anyway.)

During his confirmation hearings there were allegations of racism against him. While he was governor of Missouri he blocked the appointment of a black judge, and he's made some comments in praise of those who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He also fought against a voter registration campaign in St Louis which coincidentally has a large black and traditionally Democrat-voting population.

And I'll be quiet now because there is a lot more I would like to say about Ashcroft, but I'm sure there are people who support him and would like to have their say too.

Hahahahhaha.. Dieman was just making a joke about him singing, which wasn't all that bad.. better than I could do..

Anyways, Yah, I love this charge of racism against him... That was all big and bad, the Liberals were having there way, until It was revealed that AshCroft had a large number of Blacks working under him in his cabinet, or office... Hahaha.. Some Racist.

That's about as disgusting an allegation as the shit swirling about Judge Pickering.

Anyways, Now that we're talking about his policies/character.. Wasn't he the man who was beaten by a Dead Official in his election race.. And He didn't say a word... Did not complain one bit.. Hmmm.. I say he's got quite a bit more character and class than many people we know... I will refrain from making an inflammatory 'had he been a liberal' statement here, because it won't get us anywheres.

Anyways, Dieman.. Yah.. I saw the tape on D. Letterman, It was funny.

L.Unplugged

[U2live]

Asscroft is from another planet, and should never be in government, he has way overstepped the boundaries, and he is just plain a weirdo. He stopped Oregon from having what they voted on, assisted suicide for terminally ill, he'd rather people suffer. He had the statues in the Justice Dept. covered up because they were "nude."

[TylerDurden]

I read an article about him the other day. He does seem to have a few screws loose. Can't believe he really covered those statues up.

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by U2live:
He stopped Oregon from having what they voted on, assisted suicide for terminally ill, he'd rather people suffer

And how many states have 'assisted murder' legalized in this country...

Ohh.. allow me to rephrase.. How many Countries in this Universe have 'assisted murder' legalized?

L.Unplugged

[Achtung Bubba]

Originally posted by FizzingWhizzbees:
(I'm openly stating that I disagree with Ashcroft's politics so this post is not going to be overhwelmingly positive about the man. However, I'll give some of my thoughts anyway.)

He's a very right-wing, conservative Republican. He's anti-choice, opposes gun control, opposes affirmative action, opposes gay rights, is in favour of the death penalty. Basically everything you would expect from a very conservative politician.

He's strongly anti-choice on abortion - he even opposes abortion in the case of rape or incest and he also believes that 'life begins at conception' which implies he disagrees with the use of birth control pills and emergency contraception.

During his confirmation hearings there were allegations of racism against him. While he was governor of Missouri he blocked the appointment of a black judge, and he's made some comments in praise of those who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He also fought against a voter registration campaign in St Louis which coincidentally has a large black and traditionally Democrat-voting population.

While he was governor of Missouri, 7 people were executed in his state. He voted in favour of restricting people's access to appeal against a death sentence. Also he's in favour of extending the "war against drugs" and he wants stronger sentencing for those convicted of drug-related offences.

On the environment, he's in favour of allowing oil companies to drill for oil in Alaska. On defence, foreign policy, he's in favour of high military spending, and opposed to high foreign aid budgets.

Gun control, he's in favour of allowing people to carry concealed weapons, he's against any kind of background check including at gun shows.

And I'll be quiet now because there is a lot more I would like to say about Ashcroft, but I'm sure there are people who support him and would like to have their say too.

A few things of interest:

* Note that Ashcroft is "anti-choice, opposes gun control, opposes affirmative action," instead of "pro-life, defends the second amendment, and doesn't believe that once race should be favored over another."

* Apparently "he also believes that 'life begins at conception' which implies he disagrees with the use of birth control pills and emergency contraception." First, birth control pills prevent conception from the beginning, so believing that life begins at conception DOESN'T imply opposition to birth control pills. Second, "emergency contraception" is a euphamism for abortion - preventing pregnancy after the fact.

* He's a conservative Republican; I'd be surprised if allegations of racism WEREN'T levelled at him. By the way, opposing a black judge doesn't make you a racist, since you can have GENUINE reasons to oppose him. Acknowledging that Confederate troops weren't the scum of the earth also isn't racism. And resisting a voter registration campaign in a heavily Democratic area doesn't make you a racist - it makes you a politically savvy Republican.

* In terms of gun control, I haven't heard he's against all background checks; if he genuinely is, then I have reason to disagree with him on that point.

* Finally, you gave a list of reasons to hate the guy:

While he was governor of Missouri, 7 people were executed in his state. He voted in favour of restricting people's access to appeal against a death sentence. Also he's in favour of extending the "war against drugs" and he wants stronger sentencing for those convicted of drug-related offences.

On the environment, he's in favour of allowing oil companies to drill for oil in Alaska. On defence, foreign policy, he's in favour of high military spending, and opposed to high foreign aid budgets.

Well, I have my reasons to like the guy:

When he was governor of Missouri, seven convicted killers were made incapable of killing again. He's in favor of limiting the amount of times a killer can appeal his sentence, limiting it to something more reasonable, allowing the victim's family the chance to move on. He's in favor of severely punishing those who traffic large amounts of illegal and dangerous drugs to America's children and teenagers.

On the issue of energy, he believes that America is entirely too dependent on ambivalent states for our supply of oil. And on foreign policy, he supports that bit in the Constitution that says the government should "ensure domestic tranquilty, provide for the common defense."

[Achtung Bubba]

Originally posted by TylerDurden:
I read an article about him the other day. He does seem to have a few screws loose. Can't believe he really covered those statues up.

And I can't believe the press keeps taking pictures of the attorney general with that statue in the background.

I mean, they didn't take any pictures like that from 1993 to 2000. Why would they start back now?

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Originally posted by Achtung Bubba:
A few things of interest:

* Note that Ashcroft is "anti-choice, opposes gun control, opposes affirmative action," instead of "pro-life, defends the second amendment, and doesn't believe that once race should be favored over another."

I know - and I did acknowledge that I don't agree with Ashcroft's politics so if you're looking for someone to give a positive description of him then it's not going to be me. However - I say anti-choice because I believe that to describe those who oppose abortion as 'pro-life' implies that those who support a women's right to choose are pro-abortion. That's simply not the case - to be pro-choice does not mean you believe abortion is a solution to every unplanned pregnancy, it just means you believe that women should be trusted to make their own decisions about abortion - all options should be available to them and they should be free to make their own choices about what happens to their bodies.

you gave a list of reasons to hate the guy

I don't hate him. I strongly disagree with his politics but that's not a personal dislike of him.

I'll finish writing this later because I have a lot more to say but I'm busy right now.

[Spiral_Staircase]

Originally posted by Diemen:
All politics aside, this seriously creeps me out:
[/URL]

Agreed. This is amazingly funny. I can't believe it's even real. But do take into account that this was not a state speech. It's not like he broke into song at the end of a White House press conference. He was speaking at a seminary. I gotta give the guy some credit too. All politics aside, it's a pretty ballzy move for someone in his position to stand up and do that. His voice isn't that bad, and he wrote the song himself. Sounds like he's a couple steps ahead of some our friends on the teeny-pop circuit.

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by FizzingWhizzbees:
[B
During his confirmation hearings there were allegations of racism against him. While he was governor of Missouri he blocked the appointment of a black judge, and he's made some comments in praise of those who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War
Also he's in favour of extending the "war against drugs" and he wants stronger sentencing for those convicted of drug-related offences.

On defence, foreign policy, he's in favour of high military spending

And I'll be quiet now because there is a lot more I would like to say about Ashcroft, but I'm sure there are people who support him and would like to have their say too. [/B]

I certainly would like to have my say. First, I think he's got a good singing voice. And it's funny that some liberals question the appropriateness of him singing a patriotic song he wrote, when the very same liberals were saying "way cool!" when Clinton blew his horn on Leno's show.

Secondly, he blocked the appointment of a black judge - so freaking what. The judge has to be of some ethnicity; white, black, Asian, Hispanic, etc. It just so happened that the guy's skin happened to be black. That was not the reason he was blocked. If the man was Italian, would you be screaming racism?

And as far as you disliking the guy because he made some comments "in praise of those who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War", that maybe one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever read on this forum. There were many good men who fought on the Confederate side. Did you know, for instance, that General Robert E. Lee had no slaves in the Civil War, and only fought for the North because of his loyalty to his state of Virginia? Of course you didn't know; you were too busy assuming that just because he thinks highly of some of the Confederates that that meant he must be a racist.
And since when is wanting stronger punishment for drug related offenses a bad thing?
Ditto for higher military spending. Believe me, I know 3 people very closely that served in the military when Clinton was reigning. Morale was low, not only because the troops didn't want to fight for a man who had once protested the Vietnam War while on Russian soil, but also because he refused to spend the money to give them what they needed to do their jobs to their best level.

[CannibalisticArtist]

hahaha, he sounds so fruity. "let the eagle soooooooaarrrrrrr" LOL goood entertainment.

[hotasahandbag]

back to the topic at hand, thanks diemen. that was hilarious, and confirms what i've alway suspected; washington really is the retirement community for cheesy lounge singers.

[melon]

Originally posted by Lemonite:
And how many states have 'assisted murder' legalized in this country...

The number of states that have legalized the death penalty.

Melon

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"He had lived through an age when men and women with energy and ruthlessness but without much ability or persistence excelled. And even though most of them had gone under, their ignorance had confused Roy, making him wonder whether the things he had striven to learn, and thought of as 'culture,' were irrelevant. Everything was supposed to be the same: commercials, Beethoven's late quartets, pop records, shopfronts, Freud, multi-coloured hair. Greatness, comparison, value, depth: gone, gone, gone. Anything could give some pleasure; he saw that. But not everything provided the sustenance of a deeper understanding." - Hanif Kureishi, Love in a Blue Time

[Diemen]

Originally posted by 80sU2isBest:
I certainly would like to have my say. First, I think he's got a good singing voice. And it's funny that some liberals question the appropriateness of him singing a patriotic song he wrote, when the very same liberals were saying "way cool!" when Clinton blew his horn on Leno's show.

You know, I am really getting sick of every damn thing in this forum being turned into a liberal vs. conservative thing. It's pathetic that the only points can be made here is by pinning it to one side or the other and then bashing the opposite side.

If you paid attention to my first three words in the first post, you would notice that my reason for posting this has absolutely nothing to do with what political party Ashcroft is affiliated with. If Bill Clinton or Janet Reno or Al Gore or Newt Gingrich sang a song that cheesy after a speech, it'd creep me out just as much as Ashcroft singing it.

All politics aside, the song and it's performance is cheesy. Patriotic, yes, but cheesy.

Once again:

All

Politics

Aside

[joyfulgirl]

If someone I admired politically did something this cheesy, I could both admire them politically AND say, "Geesh, that was so cheesy it's embarrassing." Some of you just have no sense of humor about the politicians you admire.

[joyfulgirl]

Diemen, we posted at the same time, but that is exactly what I was getting at.

And why is "liberals" so often spit out on these pages with the kind of revulsion I reserve for bestiality or mud wrestling.