"I no longer read the papers"

Former Member

Yesterday Donald Rumsfeld said he had stopped reading the papers....!

Surely a politician should be reading a cross section of the words press, that way he might develop a broader view of the world, public opinion and current affairs.

On the other hand - he could take control of the press, make it say what he wants it to say and keep his party in power for ever....

just a thought!

Former Member

Politicians often read papers to gain a greater spectrum of views and opinions about world and domestic events.

I heard that Blair reads many papers every day and 'Bush' only gets his news from his advisers.

Former Member

J you make me laugh..

just thinking also


First the BBC - Now the Mirror...will it be The Guardian next?

then what - a state controlled media.

Former Member

Re: "I no longer read the papers"

Originally posted by byny
Yesterday Donald Rumsfeld said he had stopped reading the papers....!


On the other hand - he could take control of the press, make it say what he wants it to say and keep his party in power for ever....

they have near as damn done that byny. see the micky mouse thread ...and some more.
they are truly frightening people.
i think rumsfeld is saying this ...to get people to stop reading news papers ...you know it's going to be bad ...you know it's going to be awful ...why bother.
dangerous message from dangerous people.

Former Member

I was heartened to see the response from the father of the beheaded civilian....a real suspicion of the motives of the Bush administration - possibly not what was expected.

Former Member

Originally posted by byny
I was heartened to see the response from the father of the beheaded civilian....a real suspicion of the motives of the Bush administration - possibly not what was expected.

how anyone on the planet cannot be scared of these people ...how any of you can have any respect for this ultra right wing 21st century america plan any longer is beyond my comprehension. we'd be safer if the maffia had taken over america instead of this double family affair of bushh/laden.

pray tell ...what the fuck do you hope and pray for in these people ...this chief of the world who talks to god and god answers back?

i'm that fucking outraged that all this has been allowed to happen in my world for the sake of so few that i'm tempted to grow a fucking big beard ...a religous looking beard ...in protest and disgust.
maybe it could become a mass protest. maybe it could become a movement.
grow a beard in defence of mother earth and all her children.
grow a beard in defiance of those who don't fucking care.
women ...start wearing a scarf ...

Former Member

Do you have a source, byny?

Without seeing the source or his remarks (and without seeing exactly what context his remarks were put in), I'd guess that he was probably making the point that he perhaps knows better than what may well be just idle speculation and rumour in the press

Maybe better to give a link, so we can see what context the remarks were actually said in.

Former Member

Originally posted by Bri-namite
Do you have a source, byny?

Without seeing the source or his remarks (and without seeing exactly what context his remarks were put in), I'd guess that he was probably making the point that he perhaps knows better than what may well be just idle speculation and rumour in the press

Maybe better to give a link, so we can see what context the remarks were actually said in.

the context matters little when you are at such a high level in this world. one sentence ...one word can send shock waves through the worlds economy.
i agree about the context thingy ...another point he has very subtly goteen across.
'of course the news is going to be about everything being fucked that we touch ...but don't believe everything you hear from the media ...the world love us realy'.

Former Member

This might sound naive, as I've not got an in depth political knowledge, but a lot of the time it does seem like people nit pick so much when it comes to the US Government.

I totally understand the anti-US Administration feelings, and I can see why people are so cynical when they even say anything, the tiniest thing can be twisted, when there isn't anything behind it. Just as all governments can (and invariably do) put spin on things, well it sometimes seems like every little thing that eminates from Washington, is another cyncial ploy, or it's seen as another attempt to lie and cover up the truth.

In all probability, Rumsfeld was simply making the point that he didn't care much for idle speculation, and I think after the likes of the Daily Mirror fiasco, the point he might have been making would have been quite valid.

But no, it's seen as "a cynical ploy", and it's seen as "the first step to controlling the press". Again, I'm not saying that is or isn't the case, it's just always seen in the most cyncial view possible, and that makes me wonder.

I suppose part of it is to do with the old thing about all politicians being bent, which I suppose has always been there.

Like I say, I'm not an expert. I've not got the same in-depth knowledge as you lot, and I wasn't exactly in favour of some of the things that Bush has done.

Would be good to get an education on things like this though, so don't bite me

Former Member

Originally posted by Bri-namite
This might sound naive, as I've not got an in depth political knowledge, but a lot of the time it does seem like people nit pick so much when it comes to the US Government.

but we didn't used to.
it is with good reason more and more people are becoming untrusting of anything this administration does or says.
they have lied decieved killed tortured maimed and burned all the law books ...since before day one ...they realy have ...simple as.

Former Member

Originally posted by morrocan roll
but we didn't used to.
it is with good reason more and more people are becoming untrusting of anything this administration does or says.
they have lied decieved killed tortured maimed and burned all the law books ...since before day one ...they realy have ...simple as.

I don't disagree with that.

And thinking about it, if Bush woke up one morning and decided that he'd start a clean slate, from this day foward, no-one would even believe him. Rightly or wrongly, he just seems to be fucked, and it seems to me that there's fuck all he could do about it in any case?

Another question that I sometimes wonder about - Irrespective of whether people think the war was right, wrong or whatever, is the general consensus that he actually thought he was doing what he believed to be right at the time, or that he actually realised the true severity and the consequences of what he was doing at the time and went ahead regardless?

Probably showing my naiveity again.

Former Member

when this lot decieved there way into power a number of speeches were made in which bush mentioned his ...their ...plans for the american century ...the 21st century was going to be americas.
he went on to say america wouldn't hesitate to use all the force it had at its disposal should the chineese or the russians or anyone else get in the way.
at the time i remember thinking ...what the fuck is this guy doing ...you can't go round threatening to nuke china!
and then the show got under way big time.
bri ...theres tons and tons of stuff on here about bush and his cronies and plans. everything that was said against the war with iraq ...cme to pass ...no wmd ...no this that and the other ...chaos etc. secret prisons outside the rule of law. the yanks refusing to sign up to international laws regarding the treatment of pow's ...it goes on and on.
anyone who isn't a little scared by these evil fucking people is missing something.

Former Member

Originally posted by Bri-namite
Another question that I sometimes wonder about - Irrespective of whether people think the war was right, wrong or whatever, is the general consensus that he actually thought he was doing what he believed to be right at the time, or that he actually realised the true severity and the consequences of what he was doing at the time and went ahead regardless?

Probably showing my naiveity again.

No, fair question, and one which many people here should be asking themselves.