Action Point with Cynthia Black 11-11-2007: The Reference Shelf

Today's article and item links:

• From the Mukasey File: The religious right hated him but he was Giuliani's BFF. Senators clashed with him on torture, but still he was confirmed. I tried to spread the truth. Oh well.

• MUST READ: In Iowa Speech, Edwards Demands Answers From Clinton On NAFTA Expansion and Taking On the Right's Local Machine & Fighting Against the Class War: another excellent piece from David Sirota:

This week, I participated in a televised debate against the ColoradoHouse Republican Whip, moderated by the president of the Independence Institute (Colorado's local version of the ultraconservative Heritage Foundation). The debate was aired statewide on PBS here, and it shows how our states and local communities - not just Washington, D.C. - are often the most important frontlines in both the Great American Class War and the battle against the extreme right.

• Framing the Debate: Media Derelict On Damning Giuliani Scoop: from Jeffrey Feldman, considers how to get past Giuliani's 'Strong on Terrorism' frame.

• Update to The Andrew Meyers File: Police over-reactions supported in a post 911 World: ACCIDENTAL HANGING: Medical Examiner Ann Bucholtz's autopsy of Carol Anne Gotbaum finally released.

• Speaking of Torture: This NY Times piece was forwarded to me via email (note the date): Liberties; President Frat Boy? By MAUREEN DOWD

We've all been exhausted by the faux culture wars of the Clinton era.

--SNIP

The leader of the frat pack is Mr. Bush, who made his debut in The New York Times in 1967 in a story about ''frat-branding'' at Delta Kappa Epsilon, the Yale fraternity of which he was once president.

SNIP--

Frat prankster George told Mr. Weisman that he was amazed that anyone was making a fuss about the branding, that at colleges in Texas they used cattle prods on pledges. There's something that doesn't compute about branding irons and Yale. If there did have to be branding, shouldn't it have been less Animal House and something more discreetly WASPy, like the logos for J. Press or Topsiders?

Later, in a newspaper interview, W. explained away the incident, saying, ''There's no scarring mark physically or mentally.''

SNIP--

At the 30th reunion of the Yale class of '68 last year, there was disappointment that Mr. Bush did not show up and excitement about his plans to run for President. But his buddies were quick to assure everyone, ''George has really changed a lot since Yale.''

Presumably, if frat-branding becomes an issue in his campaign, Mr. Bush will be able to spin the incident by saying that it proves, even better than pork rinds, that he is a true Texan.

Oh, had we known then what we know now...