Easy Rider Gets Bumped

Actor Dennis Hopper (and Republican donor) on his last-minute blackballing from the inaugural festivities today:

"We were dismayed this week when my invitation to participate in the 'Celebration of Freedom' event . . . was withdrawn by the Presidential Inaugural Committee...However, I would still like to express my support for President George Bush and our next four years."

For those as surprised as CNB was at this statment (he was Frank freakin' Booth, for crying out loud!!), it appears that Mr. Hopper has been voting for conservatives since Ronald Reagan. This is the same guy who John Wayne evidently called a "pinko".

If this appears to be a wee bit inconsistent, in light of his counterculture hero status, just remember that the guy who produces "Desperate Housewives" is also a Republican.

Moral values, indeed.

Babylon: See it Soon, or Miss it Forever

In disheartening news, the British Museum reports that US-led forces (yes, Mr. President, I recall Poland) have caused irreparable damage to the ancient city of Babylon. Sandbags have been filled with precious archaeological fragments and 2,600 year-old paving stones have been crushed by tanks, a museum report claims. Ironically, American troops occupied the site in April 2003, initially to protect it from looters and vandals.

Thus, we have one of the most significant archeological sites in the history of the world, and the US (and its pals -- don't forget Poland) is ruining it. This is one more reason that maybe Pres. Bush ought to reconsider his "stay the course" idea.

Bush Adopts Cheney Doctrine: I Won, So Go F*** Yourself

Over the weekend, Pres. Bush stated that, based upon the fact that he won the election in November, there was no reason to hold any Bush administration officials accountable for mistakes or misjudgments in prewar planning or managing the aftermath: "We had an accountability moment, and that's called the 2004 elections." (To those who voted for Bush, here is a site documenting the financial cost of the Iraq war, and here is one documenting the loss of American lives -- and, thanks to your vote, now no one is accountable.)

One logical flaw: even if the election did serve as a vote of approval for the war in Iraq (which it certainly was not -- 3 percent margin STILL does not equal a mandate, pal) and all things related to Iraq (this would be the implicit inclusion of Abu Ghraib), it was not a vote for things occurring beyond that (or things about which the electorate was kept in the dark): Rumsfeld insulting soldiers, possible invasion of Iran, ignoring the suggestions of (soon-to-be former?) suppporters concerning the Iraqi course of action, declining to pledge to significantly reduce U.S. troop levels at any time (even before the end of his second term in January 2009), etc.

In other words, under Bush's logic, this can, at best, only serve as a tabula rasa. Once the slate is cleaned, anything new he writes is considered fair game.