A Fireman's Prayer

Read at the memorial service for Worcester's fallen firefighters

When I am called to duty, God
Where ever flames may rage,
Give me the strength to save some life
Whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is to late
Or save an older person from
The horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out
I want to fill my calling and
To give the best in me,
To guard my every neighbor and
Protect his property.
And if according to my fate
I am to lose my life
Please bless with your protecting hand
My children and my wife.

- - "Author Unknown"

RIP Firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne

Senator Kerry released the following statement on the death of Paul Cahill and Warren Payne:

"Today Massachusetts mourns the loss of two heroes who gave their lives so others could live," Senator Kerry said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of Paul Cahill and Warren Payne. Their deaths are a painful reminder that the firefighters who do their duty day in and day out are always one alarm away from the fire that could be their last. No one should ever take for granted the service of these incredible public servants. They define courage in our country. Words cannot express our deep gratitude to them and our sadness for their loss.

"Teresa and I extend our prayers to the families and friends of Paul Cahill and Warren Payne and also to those firefighters injured in last night's blaze. We are here for the entire West Roxbury community, we pray for some comfort and peace to come to those affected by this tragedy, and we must all recommit ourselves to doing right by our first responders, not just today, but after the bagpipes stop wailing."

UPDATE

We'd like to recognize and thank the researchers at WPI and Senators Kerry and Kennedy and Rep. McGovern for their efforts in working to protect those who protect us. It's heartening to see researchers and the legislators who pushed for funding respond to a disaster by doing something constructive in response to the tragedy. What better way to honor the memory of fallen firefighters than to help ensure the same tragic fate does not befall those who continue to risk their lives for our safety?

The WPI Precision Personnel Locator Project was initiated in response to the Worcester fire of 1999:

February 14, 2003 - U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and John Kerry (D-MA) today announced that they have secured $1 million for Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) for a Firefighter Locator System. This system will be used to develop a system to locate, track and monitor the physiological status of firefighters, police, EMTs and other public safety personnel during an emergency.

"I cannot think of a better way to honor the memory of the six Worcester firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty in December 1999 than funding research to find new ways to guide searchers in locating firefighters in trouble," Senator Kerry said. "This funding will help discover new ways to help our firefighters do their jobs more effectively and safely."

In 2000, Kerry successfully included an amendment in the Fire Administration Authorization Act of 2000 which authorized a $1 million fire research project at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in honor of the Worcester firefighters. This legislation was signed into law by President Clinton in
November 2000.

The grant was again renewed, just a couple weeks ago, allowing the WPI to continue this important research and development.

Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have been working on a firefighter locator since six firefighters died in the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. building fire in December 1999. This week, the team of faculty and student researchers working on the Precision Personnel Locator Project learned they will be awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security to try to integrate the locator with a system that will monitor the firefighters’ (or other responders’) health. ...

The grant drew praise from U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, and U.S. Sens. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

On the second anniversary Hurricane Katrina, we at KV remember the victims of the Gulf, both living and dead, not only in New Orleans, but throughout the region.

Ivan Neville performs "Fortunate Son" in memory of all those who have suffered in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

As I watched Anderson Cooper last night (whose reporting has been unparalleled on the topic) tell of the successes and failures of the rebuilding of the Gulf, I was stunned by the still desperate state of the region. Although the people of this country have rushed to the aid of the Gulf residents, mostly through donations and volunteer efforts, our government has failed its citizens in the most obvious and appalling way.

I remember watching the Senate in the wake of the storm, when Sen. Trent Lott thanked Sen. Kerry and Teresa for being the first to offer their help. It was a time to put partisan differences aside and focus on restoring the devastated region. Except, it seems, for the Bush administration, asleep at the wheel once again, as over 1,800 people lost their lives and one of America's greatest cities was nearly destroyed.

Here, Senator Kerry responds to a reporter's question on the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina:

Yesterday, people from all over the country gathered to urge Congress and all of us to help end the war in Iraq. On Pittsburgh's North Side, we gathered at the Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, to urge Representative Tim Murphy to listen to his constituents and help bring an end to the conflict. From the speakers' experience, he doesn't seem very receptive.

The speakers included a Vietnam vet, a Gold Star Mom, some Raging Grannies. a Catholic priest and representatives from both Rep. Mike Doyle's and Senator Bob Casey's offices. Watch the video and let your Congress people know that if they want to support the troops, they'll end this war.

Yesterday's gathering was part of Americans Against Escalation in Iraq's Town Halls and MoveOn.org's End It in September Vigils, a grassroots effort modeled on the “Freedom Summer” civil rights campaign and the more recent initiative against privatizing Social Security. More information is available at the AAEI and MoveOn.org websites.

Apologies to all of you who were dying for some Larry Craig lewd conduct news. If it wasn't for his voting record,

Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)

Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)

Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)

Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)

Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)

I might actually feel sorry for the man. I mean, if you've got to get some in the Minneapolis airport men's room, well, it's really not for me to judge. But the hypocrisy is pretty stunning, isn't it? I mean, this is a guy who led the impeachment effort against President Clinton for his indiscretion, and now Sen. Craig's bathroom antics have been added to the ever growing list of Republican sex scandals.

So, Sen. Craig gets a (partial) pass because there's much, much bigger news to report (and there was no video).

Even though CNN is giving more time this evening to the Craig 'scandal', the real news is that as of September 17, 2007, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will RESIGN.

September 17, we are reminded by our good friend ProSense at DU, is ...

CONSTITUTION DAY!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. How did he know that's EXACTLY what I wanted for my Constitution Day gift?

And I thought he wouldn't recall.

Of course, George was the first to defend his pal Alberto

Got a quick email from JK today reminding us of 2 deadlines for action...

Hello KerryVision readers,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to remind you of two events:

First, tomorrow is the date for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq's Town Halls and MoveOn.org's End It in September Vigils. Those organizations are working hard to make these events as large and important as humanly possible, so if you can attend an event in your area, please do. The Republicans in the Senate have stood in the way of getting a new direction in Iraq policy long enough. Show them that we won't stand for it anymore.

Click here to find the event in your area.

Second, today is the last day to vote in the Roadblock Republicans Radio Contest. We've had many thousands of votes, and the voting has been extremely close. Only a few hundred votes separate the top 4 candidates, so vote for the ad you think is the best. Voting closes tonight at midnight.

So go here to vote.

You'll receive an email after the votes have been tabulated to let you know which script will be aired in the Roadblock Republican states.

We're going to have a busy month in September. I'll keep you up to date as everything unfolds.

Thank you,
John Kerry

John Kerry For U.S. Senate
129 Portland Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114-2014
info@johnkerry.com

Did you know that there are only 8 days until the Senate is back in session? Damn, I miss those guys. I'm not sure how I'll celebrate just yet, but I did make sure my C-SPAN jersey was clean for opening day.

Still, even with the recess and all my favorite DC characters scattered across the country, it was pretty easy to dig up stuff for the KV News. No Senate action, but JK's been keeping himself busy tending to Mass issues and correcting W's crazy recollection of history.

Oh, and I have to add that the NIE was released this week, which I neglected to include in the newsreel. Sorry about that. In my defense, it's certainly not news to anyone who's been paying attention that the political process in Iraq is not working. The Senator has been warning of that for some time now. As much as we'd all like to see a stable Iraq, what this administration is doing to help ensure that outcome has been as much a failure as the rest of their management of this ill-conceived conflict.

Here's Sen. Kerry's statement on the NIE

KERRY SAYS NIE SHOWS ESCALATION ISN'T WORKING

"It's no surprise that today's NIE says political progress in Iraq is 'elusive', and guesses that 'the Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next six to 12 months'. The latest NIE on Iraq reinforces what we've known for a long time: despite our troops' sacrifice, Iraqi politicians are not taking the necessary steps to achieve national reconciliation, and only political progress can build a sustainable security in Iraq."

I watched the Dixie Chicks movie, "Shut up and Sing" yesterday, which chronicles the difficulties the band encountered after making the following rather benign comment about George Bush.

"We're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."

I know. The horror.

I would NEVER say anything like that because, well, I'm from Pennsylvania. But I do understand and share the general sentiment.

The Chicks were all but banned from country music radio stations, protested, threatened and ostracized because lead singer Natalie Maines dared to state her opinion in a manner which was actually far more benevolent than what many of us have said. But despite death threats and a negative media frenzy, these brave and talented women were undeterred. They kept on keepin' on, and fought their way back to the top of the charts.

I gotta say, I just love 'em. So here's a couple clips from their film. Rent or buy or watch the entire thing on cable (I found it on one of the Starz channels). There's a lot of good stuff; I just picked out a few bits to illustrate my point. I have their CD Taking the Long Way, too. It's my favorite 'driving down the highway with the top down' music.

But this post isn't about them.

While we're waiting for YouTube to get back to normal, I have a question. What are you doing Tuesday evening?

I'll be here.

Take a Stand

And this is why.

Take a Stand

Please check out today's other post when YouTube comes back.

There are certain things that are fundamental to all Americans. Regardless of political party, the left and the right and everyone in between should be able to agree that our Constitution is sacrosanct. In it are the guiding principles of our country, the rules we live by, and the guarantees of our civil liberty.

Republicans believe it, just like the rest of us. Even Republican politicians. Or they did, once upon a time. Until the Bush administration frightened the hell out of them, they believed, and many still do, that there are certain things that Americans just don't condone. Like torture. Like wiretapping American citizens without a warrant. Like placing one branch of government above the other two.

In this first video, Reagan administration officials stand up for the Constitution, and against George Bush.

It's been almost a year since the Republican congress passed the Torture Bill, one of the most egregious pieces of legislation we've seen in the awful history of the Bush administration. Senator Kerry spoke against the bill and in defense of the Constitution and America's moral authority with this floor speech.

The latest meme that is being pushed by the right wing and the mainstream media is that the surge is working, and they point to Al-Anbar as their success story.

Well, here's al-Anbar.

Maybe someone can point out the progress part of that. I couldn't find it.

Well, as much as I hate to say it, Bush is right. There are clear parallels between Iraq and Vietnam. Not, of course, the ones he's attempting to draw, but there are some very obvious similarities between the conflicts that 'the decider' just doesn't get. As a matter of fact, he got it exactly wrong.

I was at Take Back America in 2006, when Sen Kerry gave an incredible speech about the importance of dissent and the truth, about being wrong and about making things right. Parts of that speech keep coming back to me as the war in Iraq slogs on with no end in sight. I was fascinated by the honesty and the emotion of this speech, and from the reaction of the crowd, I wasn't alone. Here, the Senator describes the real tragic similarities between Vietnam and Iraq.

I'll take the word of the one who was actually there.

For a long time, we've been told that Iraq and Vietnam were different. But in telling and very tragic ways now, they are converging.

They are, first and foremost, together the two most failed foreign policy choices in the annals of American foreign policies.

And as in Vietnam...

(APPLAUSE)

And as in Vietnam, we intervened militarily based on official deception.

As in Vietnam, we went into Iraq ostensibly to fight a larger global war under the misperception that the particular theater was just the latest battleground. And we soon learned that the particular aspects of the place where we were fighting mattered more than anything else.

And as in Vietnam, we have stayed and fought and died even though it is time for us to go.
(APPLAUSE)

Half of those -- let me remind you, and while you're here in Washington, take a moment to walk down to the Vietnam War Memorial, if you haven't done it.

As you walk down that path into the center of the V and you stand in the V, you can look up one end and you'll see 1960 -- earlier, 1959 -- all the way through parts of 1968, and then the other side of the wall brings us toward the end.

And half the names on that wall, half the names -- stand in the center of it and look up at tens of thousands of young Americans -- half the names on that wall were lost after America's leaders knew and later acknowledged our strategy would not succeed.

It was immoral then and it is immoral now to be quiet or equivocal in the face of that kind of delusion.

(APPLAUSE)

Check your inbox.

Senator Kerry has sent an urgent appeal to all of us to support MoveOn.org's Stand Up in September campaign.

Dear KerryVision Team,

Here's the reality this week: Karl Rove is gone but a broken Iraq policy remains.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen a party cling so disastrously to a policy that is as wrong as it is unsuccessful.

The pressure for change has been building day by day since I offered legislation last year to set a deadline to redeploy American troops, and still they insist on more of the same.

So, we need to push even harder.

This September we'll be attempting again to break the Republican roadblock on Iraq policy to get a new course.

All summer, our friends at Americans Against Escalation in Iraq have been organizing in swing districts and states across the country to put even more pressure on Republicans to do what is right and break with the President.

Now, next Tuesday August 28th, they and MoveOn.org will be holding events all around the United States to try to set the stage for the fights in September. These "End it in September" town halls and vigils will put even more pressure on Republicans, giving them lots to think about as they end their August recess in their home districts.

You can go here to sign up to host an event, or find out about events in your area.

It will be a big month ahead, and the chances of us getting a new direction are better than ever. A large event with lots of participation next week can set up our efforts for next month. We're getting closer; I can feel the mounting desperation in my Republican colleagues. But we have to make sure that any talk from them is backed up by real action. We won't stand for anything less than a firm deadline that will force this President to change policy.

Do what you can to turn August 28th into the largest series of events yet in the fight for a new Iraq policy.

I'll try to keep you updated when the legislation starts to move in September. It will be a busy month for the effort to get a new course in Iraq, so let's keep the pressure up on Republicans and get some movement on that.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

Americans Against Escalation in Iraq has also launched a series of ads highlighting the urgency of ending Bush's war. Here's a sample.

Take a stand. Join the Senator, MoveOn and AAEI, and End it in September.

Actually, what they did was to take to the Hill to get Congress to raise some hell over the plight of the children of Northern Uganda, who are caught in the middle of a civil war between the Ugandan government and Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.

These children are frequently captured and forced to become child soldiers, and many are displaced in an attempt to avoid capture by the LRA. Invisible Children Inc. has brought attention to the crisis through various means, including the film Invisible Children: Rough Cut and events, including the Global Night Commute in 2006 and Displace Me in 2007.

From their website:

Invisible Children is not offering a handout, but instead, a life-long investment in vulnerable youth. We provide them with quality education and valuable life skills that enable them to take responsibility for their future and the future of their country.

To achieve this goal we emphasize community involvement and Ugandan leadership. As a part of a global community, we also promote cross-cultural education, and continuously look for ways we can better work together in defending the oppressed and promoting peace.

I hate August. It's hot, the kids are bored, and there's nothing on C-SPAN.

Truthfully, I was not looking forward to doing this week's newsreel. I haven't seen the Senator on TV, and I was afraid I'd be scrounging up old stuff and trying to relate it somehow to today's news. Well, I was wrong. Imagine that.

It may be the August Senate recess, but JK's done plenty this week, more than enough for a hefty dose of KV News.

I still hate August, though.

"... nothing so graces the White House in six years as Karl Rove leaving it."

McClatchy nails it once again with a spot-on commentary on the excision of Bush's Brain.

I hardly know what to say. Since the big goodbye, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what 'ol Turdblossom has up his stubby sleeve. Oh, he's not gone, and I'd be comfortable placing a bet on that. But what is the Architect building, now that his latest project's gone bust?

Remains to be seen, I suppose. I'll keep a weather eye on him, that's for sure. He's spent the last 35 years or so skirting the law with innovative ways to undermine Dems. I sincerely doubt he's going to "spend more time with the family". For now, though, I'll just allow myself time to revel in his leaving and just a bit recalling his past, lest we forget.

To draw once again from McClatchy, "Adios, Karl Rove. We shall know you by the rotten fruits of your labors." or as Will said to Captain Jack, "it'll linger."

There have been many who have commented on Rove's departure. As it's Sunday morning, here are some thoughts from Bill Moyers, an ordained minister, on how Rove used the religious right to put George Bush in office, all the while abandoning the principle that is the basis of Christianity and every major religion.

Man, this was tough. There are twenty absolutely fabulous finalists at johnkerry.com for the Roadblock Republican Radio contest, and to tell the truth, we couldn't decide.

But the team here at KV gave it a shot, and our fave is number six. Or twenty. Or eleven. Heck, we really couldn't come up with one that we all liked best, so it'll have to be up to you all. Listen to all the great finalists at johnkerry.com and pick your favorite radio ad that will be used to help dump the Roadblock Republicans who are obstructing progress in the Senate.

I'm going with six.
Or 20.
Damn.

Here's a little ad of our own we put together to promote the Roadblock Republican radio contest.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite and make a contribution to help clear the roadblock!

Finally, a candidate I'm excited to support! As reported in The Democratic Daily, David Wade, Senator Kerry's Deputy Chief of Staff, has thrown his hat into the ring for the office of President of the Red Sox Nation.

Of course, I voted for David. After all, his boss did save baseball, and since JK's decided not to run, I'm throwing my support behind the next logical choice.

Wade, in an extraordinary diplay of compassion and executive decision making, revealed his goal for his first days in office:

"As president, what would be your first act?" -- Wade answered: "I never thought I'd say this, but it's time to give a full, complete and unconditional pardon to Bill Buckner. The man has suffered long enough."

True enough, President Wade. And, for those unfamiliar, this rare footage of game six provides a look back at the 1986 heartbreaker.

OK. It's been 20 years. This excellent tribute by youtuber ccma2000 should take away some of the sting.

Whenever I hear about something Sen. Kerry has done that I know was driven by true compassion, I think about the late Dr. Hunter Thompson's quote, describing JK as "a good man with a brave heart". Some people are just that way. They do the things they do, work the jobs they work, live the lives they live, out of a sense of duty and just because they know they have no choice but to do the right thing.

Cynics may try to rationalize these acts of human kindness, but if you're lucky enough to know someone, perhaps even be someone, whose heart won't allow you to witness suffering without acting to try to ease it, you know that the cynics just don't get it.

But we do, and so do the brothers and the families of those who gave their lives for our security. In this 2004 video, they tell the story of loss and sacrifice and compassion.

Whale.

OK. I know very little about whales. I do know that they're cool, though, and that Sen. Kerry is interested in making sure North Atlantic Right Whale sightings like the one in this video are something that future generations can witness.

Today, there are only 350 of these animals in existence, and protections to keep their numbers from dwindling further are stalled by the Bush administration. In a bi-partisan effort by Senators Kerry, Snowe and Kennedy, the following letter was sent to President Bush.

Hi, my name is FedupinBushcountry, I would like to introduce myself to the viewers and readers here at KerryVision. Three years and 5 months ago I became a Kerry supporter. I was just a Mom looking for a good leader for our country and who would look to the future for our children. Well, I didn't know it at the time but I not only found a terrific leader but also an inspirational one at that. Not since Bobby Kennedy have I been so inspired, active and voicing my opinion on such a wide scale (even wider in these tech times). There is something very exceptional in a politician like John Kerry, he brings hopes and dreams alive to the point for me where two words "No Surrender", keeps my activism strong. I hope you enjoy the video (another new voice for me) and just another way to show what John Kerry means to me.

"The incredible incompetence of this president and this administration has put our troops at risk and put this country at greater risk than we ought to be...The unbelievable blindness, stubbornness, arrogance of this administration to do the basics has now allowed this president to once again fail the test of being the commander in chief."

So said John Kerry at a rally in late October, 2004, after the nation learned that some 380 tons of powerful explosives and artillery were missing from an Iraqi military facility under American control. And now, new revelations make it shockingly apparent that John Kerry's warnings were even more dead-on than we thought.

JK went on to say: "The military has been doing its job courageously and honorably, the problem is, the commander in chief has not been doing his. If President Bush can't recognize his failures in Iraq -- which he doesn't admit, won't acknowledge -- you can't fix them. And then he's doomed to repeat the same mistakes elsewhere, whether it's North Korea or Iran or in any other of the risks that we face ahead of us."

Bush's response to Kerry's campaign ad laying it on the line was the usual accusation that the only basis for an opponent's insistence on reality and truth was a desire for political gain.

Though the Senate is on recess, there is still plenty of news to report, and we here at KerryVision are pleased to bring you this week's highlights: from local Massachusetts events to late-breaking updates on legislation passed or introduced just before the recess, along with "flaming Fords" and the latest on the contest going on over at JohnKerry.com. Enjoy!

(Please note that the clips in this post contain appropriately strong language and may offend some viewers)

Have you ever seen the movie, "Network"?

You should.

In the 1976 Sidney Lumet film, Howard Beale (Peter Finch) does something rare on television. He tells the truth. Not just bits and pieces and what will sell advertising, but the whole truth, as he sees it, about what the media is shoving down our throats. And if there was ever a time we needed a Howard Beale, it's now. Too bad his audience doesn't quite get it. Rather than recognizing his angry rant as an indictment of the ratings-driven media, he becomes entertainment for the masses.

So, what to do? We know what we're being fed. And not just by Fox News, which is fast morphing into a live-action version of the Cartoon Network, but by the rest of the compliant media as well. The've become so damned predictable, you can almost tell when the next fear-mongering news story about an unsubstantiated threat is coming up to hide one of Bush's policy misadventures, or when they'll fill in for a couple days with some missing person story, car crash or convenience store robbery that should be left to the local newscast. Hour after endless hour of "Breaking News" about some sensational story or other, with bits and pieces of other news interspersed, but mostly that, too, is for effect. How many stories have you seen on FISA, the Energy Bill, the S-CHIP bill? How about a story on who really supports the troops? (hint, it's Democrats). Or the WAR for that matter, or the fact that Cheney wants to start another war, or the possibility of a draft, or the newly signed Iran/Iraq oil pipeline agreeent? Go ahead. Google 'iran iraq oil pipeline' and you'll see news articles from India, Malaysia, Iran, UAE, Czech Republic and Oman. Add CNN or NBC to your search, and you get zip.

THIS isn't news?

Of course it isn't, when Bush has a wedding to attend this weekend, Chris Noth is returning for the Sex and the City movie (yay), and the big question, "Obama - black enough?" is still on the table.

We KNOW that a mine collapse, a bridge collapse and the collapse of a starlet's career is a tragedy (the latter to a much lesser degree). We know that on day one of the nonstop coverage. We don't need a week of it, so give us the story and give us an update, but quit circling like a bunch of vultures waiting for something to happen. And here's an idea to fill in the gaps: PUT SOME NEWS IN THE NEWS.

Do they think we're stupid? Do they think we don't notice that they spend a day or two, tops, on a story about real Republican corruption like Abramoff or Foley or Cunningham or Cheney or Ney, or the incompetence of Romney or Giuliani or McCain or Bush or hell, the list is endless, and weeks on end when a Democrat omits a pronoun? Have you seen a Democratic speech covered by the media lately? Isn't it more relevant to our lives to hear about healthcare or the environment or the war according to someone other than Bush, than about Lindsay Lohan's driving woes? Newflash for ya. Dems give LOTS of speeches. I've seen them, and they're pretty damn good, some of them. And they actually contain THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU. They make laws, too, about things that affect your life. Laws that Bush will veto, of course, thanks to the Roadblock Republicans in Congress, but they are out there trying.

Do they think we don't notice that Bush gets endless positive coverage when he manages to stumble through a speech without screwing up royally or offending some royalty royally, and yet NOTHING our Dems do is reported in a positive light?

The economy sucks, the Republicans in Congress are still bending over for Bush, the immoral war in Iraq is killing our kids, and the ones too young to go have no healthcare. The planet is being poisoned, the Vice President is shooting people, our phones are being tapped and our Constitution is being trampled on.

When will the rest of America wake up to the fact that we're losing our country? When their mortgages are forclosed? When their kids are drafted? When the climate crisis can't be stopped? Is that when people will finally realize that GEORGE BUSH IS NOT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?

So, what do we do?

In Leonardo DiCaprio's new film, The 11th Hour, he continues the discussion of Global Climate Change, and in a recent interview, DiCaprio looked back at his work on JK's 2004 campaign, and forward to what he and we should expect from the '08 Dems.

So far, they're not measuring up.

Leonardo DiCaprio traveled to 14 states in 2004 to stump for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry – but the actor and environmentalist isn't planning to campaign for any of the 2008 candidates just yet.

"I thought he [Sen. Kerry] had an amazing environmental policy. But I have yet to hear a candidate that has compared in that regard."

The Blood Diamond star says he's looking for specifics from the 2008 candidates. "I'm waiting for the right questions to be asked, and for these candidates to give really clear responses to what they're going to do in a tangible way – not a lot of rhetoric," he said. "I want to hear hardcore facts."

Watch the trailer from DiCaprio's new film, The 11th Hour.

And be sure to visit the website, sign the pledge, and see the film.

Because the hope really is YOU.

What do they need with a planet?

Will someone please hide Bush's veto pen? There has got to be someone in the White House who cares about kids. A staffer perhaps. Maybe Laura? Not only is President Bush threatening to veto S-CHIP, the CHILDREN'S healthcare plan recently passed by the Senate with bipartisan support, but he's going after the planet next with a veto threat to the Energy Bill.

JK wrote the book on the environment, and Bush is determined to burn it.

OK, VP Gore wrote a little something as well. As you may know, both men (and JK's co-author) have been leading on environmental issues for a very long time now. And Congress, with some notable exceptions *cough* Inhofe *cough*, is starting to listen and act on climate change.

You may recall that the Senate passed a little piece of legislation in June called the Energy Bill. The House passed similar legislation last week.

Neither perfect, but both a damn sight better than anything we've seen in, oh, decades. So, the bills go to conference committee sometime after the Congress returns in September and a final bill is drafted for President Bush to very likely veto.

JK spoke to the National Press Club in June, prior to the Energy Bill vote in the Senate.

Finally, we get some decent legislation to address the dangers of climate change. The House bill has a Renewable Energy Standard and the Senate bill a significant increase in CAFE standards, and combined, if they do it right, we'll get a pretty comprehensive Energy bill.

Or we would. Except George Bush has threatened a veto. He's going to veto an ENERGY BILL that would do something significant to help save the planet so his oil buddies can make a few extra bucks at the expense of the future of America's children.

Yep. Despite the fact that Bush says he recognizes the science of global warming, and even though he and Sec. Rice are hosting a conference in September that purports to address the issue (but is more likely an attempt to derail efforts to actually DO SOMETHING), he will likely veto the Energy Bill at the same time he tries to pull the wool over the eyes of the world with his bogus conference where he's expected to call for voluntary restrictions, not mandatory caps.

And what's sad is that he thinks he can get away with it. The media will do a couple stories on how great it is that the President is having this big conference on climate change and maybe some stuff on what Condi was wearing and isn't it just great how the administration is addressing environmental issues

except ...

Here's another interesting Kerry interview, this one with Bill Maher from October 2006. The conversation ranges from what JK buys Teresa Heinz Kerry for her birthday to how Democrats can compete with the Republican messaging machine. JK talks about the Republican use of "the fear card" -- remember the orange terror alerts that mysteriously stopped right after the 2004 election? -- and why there's a limit to how much incompetence they can get away with before the fear card stops working. "Katrina has torn away the curtain, and all of America has seen that there clearly isn't any wizard behind the curtain. ...How are these guys going to protect the United States of America against terrorists when they can't even protect us against Congressman Mark Foley?"

Music

washes away from the soul

the dust of everyday life.

~Berthold Auerbach

[Note: Guest blogger KarynNJ went far beyond the call of duty by FedExing us a good-quality recording of this fiery, memorable speech, which John Kerry gave on July 26th. Due to technical difficulties at our end, we were delayed in preparing the video, so we published her post with a lower-resolution copy from another source. We would like everyone to be able to enjoy seeing the Senator at his best, and so we are now reposting with the video which she so kindly provided.]

[Editor's note: Today's post is by guest blogger KarynNJ.]

Today, Senator Kerry took to the floor of the Senate and told the truth about which party has been trying to prevent the Congress from accomplishing any of its goals. The Republican echo chamber has been claiming that the current Congress, where Democrats lead both houses, has accomplished little. They seem to have the 110th Congress confused with the Republican Congress, which shut down the government in a fight with President Clinton.

Senator Kerry spoke of the historic nature of the Democratic victories in 2006 and how they demonstrated what the country wanted done. He listed some of the legislation that has been passed in the last six months on these issues -- things like increasing the minimum wage, raising the fuel efficiency standards for the first time in 20 years, correcting the failed policy in Iraq, improving ethics and lobbying reform, improving care and pay for the troops, and funding stem cell research. This sure sounds like a productive Congress to me.

[UPDATE: Updated to fix a broken link; the video plays now.]

While the Senate is on recess, we have time to catch up with some interesting videos that everyone may not have seen. This interview on the Tavis Smiley show, from November 2005, is interesting for a few reasons, perhaps most of all for the discussion of JK's determination to change US policy in Iraq and enable us to begin bringing home troops. In these times, when the media's short memory encourages the creation of myths -- such as that JK only began criticizing the war recently (the reality is that he warned President Bush against rushing to war even before the invasion, and has continually spoken out against the Administration's colossal failures of judgment in Iraq) --, it's interesting to see what was actually said "back then." JK talks candidly about what he thinks when he looks at how things are going in the US and Iraq -- knowing how different it would've been if he had been president --, how he feels about the fact that public opinion has largely come around to agreeing with him on the war (recall that the majority of Americans supported Bush on the war back in 2004), and the evidence that was then coming out (and continues to come out) that the Bush Administration misled Congress and the American people. But even with such serious topics, JK's energy and the fact that he was obviously enjoying the conversation with Tavis Smiley make for an engaging interview to watch. Enjoy!

What did you do last week?

Mine was pretty typical. I managed to get to work every day and do the 9-5 thing, with a quick business trip mid-week, laundry, housework, grocery shopping. Same kind of thing most of you probably did. Didn't get the grass cut, but I was able to blame that on a bit of rain. And I spent some time here, gathering the news for you nice people. A busy week, but not any more or less or different than what most folks do in a week's time.

What I didn't do, and don't hold your breath waiting for this to ever happen, is top off my work week with an 111 mile bike ride.

But JK did, in pretty impressive time, and managed to raise $25,000 for the Jimmy Fund.

Let's see what else the Senator did last week.

Today we bring you something light to go with your Sunday morning coffee: a small feature originally shown on the Boston television station NECN on June 30, 2006, entitled "A Day with John Kerry." A reporter followed JK around Worcester, MA, filming as he spoke with constituents and local politicians. For those of us who still feel some sadness about his decision on 2008, the segment with speculation about a future run for president may poke a painful spot, but most of the piece is highly relevant to his run for re-election to the Senate, as we see here a portrait of a hard-working politician going out in the community to connect with constituents and local leaders, doing the one-on-one work of making connections with people, clearly loving every minute of it. It's an interesting, if brief, portrait of one day in the Senator's life in Massachusetts.

The passage Thursday night of S.1, the "Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007" , otherwise known as the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act" or the Ethics Bill, included Senator Kerry's "Duke Cunningham Act".

Who knew that we taxpayers were paying the pensions of convicted Congress folk? Well, thanks to JK's legislation, we soon won't be.

From our friends at johnkerry.com, we learn that under Senator Kerry’s amendment, the following offenses would cause a Member of Congress to forfeit the Congressional pension:

Bribery of public officials and witnesses (Section 201 of Title 18)

Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud the United States (Section 371 of Title 18)

Perjury committed under the statues of the United States or the District of Columbia in falsely denying the commission of bribery or conspiracy

Subordination of perjury committed in connection with the false denial or false testimony of another individual.

Senator Kerry praised passage of the bill:

"Ethics reform is a giant step towards fixing what’s broken in Washington, and removing the taint of Jack Abramoff and Duke Cunningham, which has damaged Americans’ faith in their own government," said Kerry. "This vote was a test of who just talks about openness and transparency, and who is committed to making it a reality. This new Democratic Majority was elected to reform Washington, and today we've delivered the first of many big changes to the way business gets done in this city. These are the promises we were elected to keep."

Voting NO on ethics in the U.S. Congress:

Bennett (R-UT)
Burr (R-NC)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Graham (R-SC)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
McCain (R-AZ)

A look back at a few members of the Republican Hall of Shame ...

OK, was it really fair to include Senator Vitter? Perhaps I should check with the Clintons and get back to you.

On Wednesday, Senator Kerry urged his colleagues to vote for $50 billion dollars for the S-CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program -- $15 billion more than had been agreed to in a bipartisan compromise that had been engineered to ensure that the bill would pass with a veto-proof majority. While people such as Senator Grassley spoke about senatorial process and the necessity of compromise and the importance of reaching bipartisan agreements, Senator Kerry spoke directly and simply about the heart of the matter: Children. Children who depend on us, the adults, to do the right thing. Children who may suffer lifelong impairments -- blindness, deafness, learning disabilities -- because they are denied health care that would cost a tiny fraction of what is being squandered in Iraq.

This is a powerful, thoughtful and thought-provoking appeal to our basic sense of morality, as well as one of the more impassioned speeches Senator Kerry has given, at least in my recollection. Senator Kerry added a great deal that wasn't in the remarks-as-prepared, and all of it came from the heart.

If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all. ~Pearl S. Buck

Do you believe in an afterlife?

Personally, I'm in the traditional camp. White robes, pearly gates and all. Maybe it's my name, or maybe it was the nuns, but I'm convinced that when my time is up, someone, probably St. Peter, is going to pull out a long list of my past transgressions and read them off, one by one. Then, I'm gonna have to pay for them. No golden harps or angels wings or pina coladas on St. Thomas beach until I've done my penance.

Far be it from me to judge who goes up and who goes down, but I do have a suggestion for United States Senators who have the ability to provide healthcare for children, and DON'T.
They must choose. Like Sophie. Pick the ones who get healthcare, individually, and look in the eyes of the ones who don't and tell them no. There are 9 million kids to get through, but if they split them up between the 60 Senators who voted against children yesterday, they should finish up sometime before hell freezes over.

Just a suggestion.

Senator Kerry issued the following statement on the failure of the Senate to pass his amendment:

"Today 36 Senators made it clear that health care for kids is more important than more tax cuts for millionaires, and I'm proud of this fight," Senator Kerry said. "Though our amendment fell short, we must work together to deliver the $35 billion in SCHIP funding. President Bush has made his priorities clear. He’d rather veto kids' health care and try to spin outdated ideological arguments about government health care. He's wrong. The nine million children in our country living without health care deserve more from their President and his Republican allies in Congress than tired political games. It's past time for Senators do the right thing and vote to fund SCHIP."

Four years ago, a young Army Captain named Jon Soltz returned from a six month tour in Iraq with a new mission: To become a spokesperson and activist for veterans - and military issues. He has since then co-founded the Veterans Organization VoteVets.org, a group dedicated to

elect Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to public office; hold public officials accountable for their words and actions that impact America’s 21st century servicemembers; and fully support our men and women in uniform.

At the Take Back America conference in June Jon Soltz spoke out passionately against the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq War, and their mistreatment of returning soldiers and vets.