Is TNR Making Changes?

While The New Republic's (TNR) "Scott Thomas" issue continues to play out, rating three stories in one day from the New York Times, an e-mailer I am nearly certain works for TNR sent the screencap below as an example of one re-branding option currently under consideration should things not pan out in favor of The New Republic and the Plank.

Comments

[narciso]

Wait a minute, this is the same NY Times whose magazine section ran a story some monthes back of an female American soldier raped in Iraq; although they knew a week before the story hit the press; that she hadn't been raped and she hadn't been in Iraq, other than that the story was true. Mr. Thomas is running offly close to Steven Glass territory. The boys and gals at the Plank; along with Yglesias and the American scene; seem certain that it's true because. . .

[Bill Adkins]

You know, I'm not following this Thomas story. I do note, however, lying offends you. The contradiction here, however, is you're only offended by someone like Thomas yet you defend the proven liar, George W. Bush. And how about that Alberto Gonzales? If you've posted your outrage with these liars and I missed it, I apologize. If you've not posted such outrage, why not?

[Rich Casebolt]

Bill ... where is the proof that the President lied?

Lying requires a proven intent to deceive ... which is far more than a divergent interpretation of intelligence findings, much less a divergent prediction of what we will find on the ground.

By your standards, all who say that War is Never the Answer are liars.

[Rich Casebolt]

And ... there is far more evidence right now that "Thomas" and TNR meet my standards of lying, than evidence of actual lying on the part of the President.

That would be expected, of course, since Leftism embraces relativism ... and GWB's refusal to embrace that is one reason people like you, Bill, keep trying to fling your gnat-strainings at the Prez.

[Purple Avenger]

"You know, I'm not following this Thomas story."

Having your head tightly up your posterior would make it kinda hard to follow the story.

[Fred Beloit]

Rich, Willy isn't interested in proof. She/he is plainly and simply a propagandist. You can offer him/her this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnceSIxxOYg. He/she will ignore or try dodge out of it in some lame way. Why? It doesn't help in professional propaganda generation.

[Fred Beloit]

This is from 10/11/2002: "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions.

Hours earlier, the House approved an identical resolution, 296-133.

The president praised the congressional action, declaring "America speaks with one voice."

"The Congress has spoken clearly to the international community and the United Nations Security Council," Bush said in a statement. "Saddam Hussein and his outlaw regime pose a grave threat to the region, the world and the United States. Inaction is not an option, disarmament is a must."------------------------------------------------------- The bigger lie folks like Willy are trying to cover up with the lie that Bush "lied" is the above. They NEED people to believe Bush lied, otherwise it is clear that a vast majority of the representatives of the American people own this war just as much as Bush does. When it is won, the Congress will be able to say we supported this war from the beginning. They will be correct.

[Cindi]

Thank you Fred.

[Fred Beloit]

You are most welcome Cindi. Note also that if the war is lost or we surrender without really losing, it will be said of Congress that they were responsible for our defeat.

[Phoenix]

Fred,

Darn. Those logical facts are tough on people who can only speak Bumperstickerese.

You're mean. :)

[Bill Adkins]

Oh, get real - Bush lied to congress and congress voted based upon Bush's lies. We had and have Joe Isuzu as president. This moron makes Carter look competent and Nixon look honest. No, I'm not following the Thomas story - because I don't give a damn. As for it being difficult because one's head is planted in one's posterior, purple, I'd say you learned that from your personal experience.

[Phoenix]

Oh, get real - Is there a law that says congress members cannot seek verification of information on their own? Does congress not have the right to second-guess the president and form committees to seek out verification of information the president presents? Is there a law stating the President of the United States must announce every last detail of intelligence to congress - hence, the world? You seriously need to get real.

[Kelly]

Back to TNR and away from the tired “Bush Lied” Big Lie: "Truth Not Required" seems a little harsh. After all, Foer has established to his own satisfaction that the alleged Thomas guy really is almost certainly a soldier. Just as certain fruit juice products are proudly labeled "Contains at least 10% Real Juice", maybe the TNR masthead could read "With at least 10% Real Truth!"

[Bill Adkins]

Alberto Gonzales Lied To Congress. "FBI Director Robert S. Mueller said Thursday the government's terrorist surveillance program was the topic of a 2004 hospital room dispute between top Bush administration officials, contradicting Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' sworn Senate testimony." More lies to Congress by the Bush Administration. The Bush Administration has never shown any hesitancy to lie to Congress, the most egregious such event being the lies about WMD so as to manipulate Congress into voting to authorize invasion of Iraq.

[Rich Casebolt]

More straining at gnats, Bill ... another tempest in the teapot of investigate/investigate/investigate until confusion looks like a lie, and even then is only peripheral to the supposed wrongdoing being investigated ... just like Scooter Libby (who will, like Ollie North, see his conviction overturned).

Why don't y'all come up with some policy recommendations that don't reek of that unique mix of patronage, licentiousness, and myopic Kumbiyah that the Left has delivered since they founded Woodstock Nation?

Maybe we'd listen, then ... but if you want constructive conversation on the GWOT, don't start with stuff like "Impeach Bush" or "Fire Rumsfeld".

And y'all had better start something (besides the Whirling Investigation Machines) soon ... or your Congress will be put to shame by the Iraqi leadership, who at least have hit SOME of their benchmarks.

[Bill Adkins]

"Straining at gnats," Rich? Why don't you try to respond to the yet again proven lies to congress by a member of the Bush Administration? What we have here is a pattern of behavior - no, it's Bush Administration policy, in lying to congress. and then, you don't want to address that issue, you want answers abd proposals to resolve problems created and/or exacerbated by the Bush Administration. You and people like you, Rich, are enablers. If your family members are addicted to drugs or alcohol you enable their behavior - the Bush Administration is addicted to lying to Congress and the American people and you enable their behavior. If the GOP run congress had done its job 2001-2006 then what you describe as the 'Whirling Investigation Machines' wouldn't be operating at near the flaming pace they are now. Republicans - they can't be trusted, they can't lead, they're incompetent and criminal.

[Rich Casebolt]

Bill ... please stop spitting your BDS all over the place. You make the moonbats I serenaded on the front lawn of Halliburton back in 2004 look downright reasonable.

Face it ... the allegation about Gonzales is the same kind of thing that will be overturned eventually for Scooter Libby (just as Ollie North had his conviction overturned).

It is the product of continued, repetitive interrogation, until someone finds some minor meeting the defendant forgot about ... or until they make a mistaken statement, often unrelated to the matter driving the investigation.

This is a political witch-hunt, driven by the need of people like you to gain revenge for the Clinton impeachement and November 2000 ... fact, reason and the challenges our nation faces be damned, for now you MUST have your pound of flesh to sacrifice on the altar of Woodstock Nation.

You told us to MoveOn back then.

Take your own advice, now ... unless you wish to open a new investigation into the contributions from foreign agents that allegedly were made to the Clinton/Gore campaign.

Now that is an investigation with serious national-security concerns, even to this day. I am looking forward to your demands to pursue it ...

(... cue sound of crickets chirping ...)