Battle Lines by Jon Stewart

Apparently there is a weekly column now by Jon Stewart. I did not know that (think Dana Carvey doing his Johnny Carson impersonation). I found it in one of our local newsweeklies, Columbus Alive, which I read while I was on break. You can find the column here.

The first part is about the nonbinding Iraq war resolution, which I think most of us heard about--saying that we are going to win the war on terrorism. I remember hearing that part on the Daily Show a week or so ago. What I don't remember is this part:

Look Who's Talking Points

It turns out the Republicans had some help in last month's game of rhetorical one-upmanship. Before the debate, the supposedly nonpartisan Pentagon sent Republican lawmakers something called the Iraq Floor Debate Prep Book.

Hmmm. Wasn't it just a few months ago that several former U.S. generals were chastised for criticizing the war effort in Iraq? The role of the military is to provide military advice unfettered by political concerns, they were told. You stick to your military stuff. Stay out of politics...

Unless, apparently, you can do it through the proper secret back channels.

The briefing book consisted of 74 pages of "rapid response" talking points defending administration policy and countering arguments that the war had been based on flawed intelligence or had been badly executed.

It was sent via e-mail, since, at 74 pages, it was much thicker than the Pentagon's actual Iraq war-prep manual.

Democrats blasted the Pentagon, saying the document's preparation and "limited distribution" was inappropriate and perhaps even illegal.

Uh, Oops

The briefing book became public after it was accidentally sent to some Democrats, prompting Defense Department officials to send out another e-mail a few hours later. It read: "Hey, my Pentagon roommate was totally drunk and I think he logged into my e-mail, so if you got anything from me, just delete it, OK?"

Another clue came from Representative Dan Lungren, a Republican from California, who, unlike other Republicans, didn't rewrite the talking points in his own words but read them—verbatim—to his colleagues.

Click here for the rest. I know nothing is beyond the pale for this administration, but isn't this, um, really, really inappropriate?

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