Blogswarm - Online Political News Magazine

Unprecedented times call for unprecedented actions. In this case, we, the undersigned bloggers, have decided to speak as one and collectively author a document of opposition. We oppose the nomination of Alberto Gonzales to the position of Attorney General of the United States, and we urge every United States Senator to vote against him.

As the prime legal architect for the policy of torture adopted by the Bush Administration, Gonzales's advice led directly to the abandonment of longstanding federal laws, the Geneva Conventions, and the United States Constitution itself. Our country, in following Gonzales's legal opinions, has forsaken its commitment to human rights and the rule of law and shamed itself before the world with our conduct at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. The United States, a nation founded on respect for law and human rights, should not have as its Attorney General the architect of the law's undoing.

In January 2002, Gonzales advised the President that the United States Constitution does not apply to his actions as Commander in Chief, and thus the President could declare the Geneva Conventions inoperative. Gonzales's endorsement of the August 2002 Bybee/Yoo Memorandum approved a definition of torture so vague and evasive as to declare it nonexistent. Most shockingly, he has embraced the unacceptable view that the President has the power to ignore the Constitution, laws duly enacted by Congress and International treaties duly ratified by the United States. He has called the Geneva Conventions "quaint."

Legal opinions at the highest level have grave consequences. What were the consequences of Gonzales's actions? The policies for which Gonzales provided a cover of legality - views which he expressly reasserted in his Senate confirmation hearings - inexorably led to abuses that have undermined military discipline and the moral authority our nation once carried. His actions led directly to documented violations at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo and widespread abusive conduct in locales around the world.

Michael Posner of Human Rights First observed: "After the horrific images from Abu Ghraib became public last year, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld insisted that the world should 'judge us by our actions [and] watch how a democracy deals with the wrongdoing and with scandal and the pain of acknowledging and correcting our own mistakes.'" We agree. It is because of this that we believe the only proper course of action is for the Senate to reject Alberto Gonzales's nomination for Attorney General. As Posner notes, "[t]he world is indeed watching." Will the Senate condone torture? Will the Senate condone the rejection of the rule of law?

With this nomination, we have arrived at a crossroads as a nation. Now is the time for all citizens of conscience to stand up and take responsibility for what the world saw, and, truly, much that we have not seen, at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere. We oppose the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General of the United States, and we urge the Senate to reject him.

Signed, Daily Kos Management (past and present):

kos Steve Gilliard Steve Soto Meteor Blades Theoria

DHinMi Trapper John DemfromCt DavidNYC

A Gilas Girl Hunter kid oakland Armando

Update by kos: If you blog, and agree with these sentiments (and blog about them), please send me the link to the corresponding post and I will add it to this list.

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-Democrat Blog Swarm

 Frameshop

For The Record, Here's What They Said.
by Maccabee
Wed Jan 12th, 2005 at 21:26:58 PST

Yes, we've all heard the search for WMDs is over. What really amazes me is how little our lazy ass media or "pundits"  and the willfully ignorant American public remembers about the full court press leading up to the war selling a bill of goods that we are under imminent threat. Thanks to this old post from Billmon, and for the record here's a fairly complete record of what they said

Since US-Asia Network scrubbed it's website following the scandal, here is what was scrubbed, from Google's Cache:

From our inception we have recognized the importance of creating an organization dedicated to open and frank discussions on critical issues. We believe we have brought together the characteristics of a leadership team that allows us to do just that. We are encouraged by our progress thus far and look forward to continued growth and expansion enlisting the strong support of industry, academe and key political leaders.

http://www.usasianetwork.org/about.html

About Us

The US-Asia Network seeks to facilitate a more cordial US-Asian relationship beyond political and national boundaries to insure the long-term health of that relationship in all its dimensions. The Network consists of individuals and organizations that will employ the knowledge and resources of US and Asian policymakers and business leaders to promote non-partisan discussion on Pacific Rim issues and to foster investment, trade and commerce between the US and Asian countries.

The Network hosts events and forums for policymakers, the press and the public to discuss important US–Asia policy issues.

Membership in the Network is open to anyone who pledges support for the following goals:

• Promoting the growth and advancement of non-partisan discussions related to
US–Asian issues

• Providing a non-partisan forum for concerns to be raised

http://www.usasianetwork.org/mission.html

Mission Statement

The US-Asia Network consists of individuals and organizations that will employ the knowledge and resources of US and Asian policymakers and business leaders to promote non-partisan discussion on Pacific Rim issues and to foster investment, trade and commerce between the US and Asian countries.

While there is no shortage of business groups, think tanks or seminars seeking to profit from the emerging importance of US-Asia policy, the Network is distinct because it intends to operate in a balanced nature, creating a unique dialogue between both the public and private sectors.

Through its emphasis on proactive involvement, the US–Asia Network can offer a forum for a wide array of political, policy and business views.
• Promoting the education of Members of Congress, the ROK National Assembly
and other legislatures about US–Asia issues

• Promoting commerce and free flow of information between the continents

• Maximizing the openness of and participation in government by the people

http://www.usasianetwork.org/ourlead.html

Our Leadership

The Network recognizes that in order to flourish and be successful it is necessary to employ the talents of a diverse range of leadership.

Those public sector officials lending their name to this effort and serving as the honorary chairmen recognize the importance of the Network’s activities from both an economic and political perspective. We have engaged officials with extremely impressive credentials to serve in this capacity and they will be relied upon enormously to formulate the Network’s vision.

The board of directors will manage the activities and affairs of the Network and will be composed of the chairman, president and secretary/treasurer. The individuals selected represent a broad cross section of government, industry, academe and not-for-profit institutions which will serve to implement the Network’s objectives.

In addition, the Network desires to seek the advice and involvement of prominent individuals and organizations to accomplish its mission. Members of the board of advisors will be appointed at the discretion of the board of directors and will be made up of a broad cross section of the public interest community and industry.

http://www.usasianetwork.org/honor.html

Honarary Chairmen

Senator Conrad Burns
United States Senator
Chairman, US-Asia Network

Conrad Burns became only the second Republican senator in Montana’s history, defeating incumbent John Melcher in 1989. Now in his third term, Senator Burns is the longest-serving Republican Senator in Montana history.

With a seat on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Burns has been able to bring more than $1 billion in federal funds to the state since he took office. He has been a champion of a fiscally conservative government and a strong voice for lower taxes to create new businesses and more jobs. He has expanded Montana’s job base by establishing more balanced trade with Canada and brought better education and health care to Montanans by encouraging high-tech investment in the state. He has pursued new markets for agricultural producers while securing millions of dollars in grants for research and marketing improvements.

Serving as chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee for the 108th Congress, Senator Burns has jurisdiction over all the country’s federal lands and the National Park Service. His love of the outdoors brings him back to Montana several times each month and is a guardian of the state’s vast natural resources. As a result of his work in the Senate, more than 70 rural Montana communities have adopted enforceable drinking water protection programs and funding has become available to safeguard acres of Montana through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

On the national level, Senator Burns has criticized America’s dependency upon foreign oil supplies, calling on Congress to ban imports from Iraq and increase domestic production and research in fuel cell technology. He also has cosponsored a Senate bill to voluntarily arm airline pilots to protect against future terrorist attacks.

In 1997, Senator Burns became Chairman of the Communications Subcommittee, one of the major regulatory posts in Congress. Since then he has been praised as one of the fathers of the modern Internet, standing for deregulation and the roll out of broadband in rural areas, and pushing for new Internet and mobile phone technologies. He authored section 706 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act and in 1999 unveiled the Digital Dozen proposal of telecom legislation. During the 107th Congress, Senator Burns pushed his Tech 7 agenda, which aimed to bring greater security to the Internet. At the open of the 108th Congress, Senator Burns unveiled his NexGenTen Tech Agenda, ten top priority items to strengthen security and usher reform for 21st century communication.

Senator Burns was born on a farm near Gallatin, Missouri, on January 25, 1935, to Russell and Mary Frances (Knight) Burns. Graduating from Gallatin High School in 1952, He enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the University of Missouri. Two years later Senator Burns enlisted in the Marine Corps and was posted in East Asia.

Following his military service Senator Burns began working for TWA and Ozark airlines until 1962, when he became a field representative for Polled Hereford World magazine in Billings, Montana. Named the first manager of the Northern International Livestock Expo in 1968, Senator Burns began his career in radio and television broadcasting, reporting on agricultural market news and establishing his reputation as the voice of Montana agriculture.

In 1975, Senator Burns founded four radio stations known as the Northern Ag Network, which grew to serve 31 radio and TV stations across Montana and Wyoming by the time he sold it in 1986.

Senator Burns began his career in politics when he was elected to the Yellowstone County Commission, serving for two years before deciding to run for the U.S. Senate.

Hahn, Hwa-Kap
Member of the National Assembly and MDP party
Founding Chairman, US-Asia Network Korea Chapter

Hahn Hwa-Kap was elected in 2002 as the president of the Millennium Democratic Party, receiving the highest vote tally of any candidate. Mr. Hahn has had an honorable and respectable career as a public servant, an educator and an eminent member of Korean politics for over three decades. He has gained a widely recognized reputation for his unyielding and courageous leadership and for his forceful vision in matters of both politics and education. He serves as the chairman of the US-Asia Network Korea Chapter.

Mr. Hahn was born in Uido, Jeollanam-do Province, Korea, on February 1, 1939 and was raised in Mokpo City in the same province. He earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Seoul National University, the leading university in Korea, and a master’s degree from Hankuk Aviation University.

His political career began in 1967 when he served as Kim Dae-jung’s campaign manager and continued with his roles as press secretary and policy commissioner. Mr. Hahn has also been an inspiration for aspiring young students as a man of unyielding principles and responsible leadership, as evidenced by his position as an honorary professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in China. His desire to strengthen the future of Korea through education has earned him many honorary doctorate degrees. He also has published two books.

Mr. Hahn’s lifetime mission to pursue Korean political dreams with President Kim Dae-jung had to endure many turbulent years and hardships, including three separate imprisonments.

Mr. Hahn is presently a member of the National Assembly of Korea, where he has served three consecutive terms. His dreams to participate in crucial changes, working directly with the president, led him to many other key positions such as floor leader and a secretary general of the National Congress for New Politics (NCNP).

Mr. Hahn is married to Chung Soon Ae, a former teacher, and they have two sons, Woo Jin and Woo Young.

Kim, Hyuk Kyu
Member of the National Assembly and URI party
Co-Chair, US-Asia Network Korea Chapter

Born on August 1, 1939, Mr. Kim is currently serving as special advisor to the president for economic policy and is a member of the Central Standing Committee of the URI Party. He serves as one of the non-partisan co-chairs of the US-Asia Network Korea Chapter.

Education
Feb. 1958:	Graduated from Dongseong High School
Feb. 1965:	Bachelor of Political Science (Administration); Busan National Univesrity
Aug. 1999:	Changwon National University, MA
Feb. 1999:	Taken an Honorary Doctor of Economics from Gyeongsang National University
Feb. 2000:	Taken an Honorary Doctor of Political Science (Administration) from Dong-A University
Aug. 2002:	Taken an Honorary Doctor of Political Science from Changwon National University
Career
1979 — 1980:	President, Korean Businessmen Association of New York, USA
1982 — 1983:	Chief Director, Korean Association of New York, USA
March 1993 — Dec. 1993:	Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs
Dec. 1993 — March 1995:	Appointed the 27th governor of Gyeongnam Province
July 1995 — Dec. 2003:	Served his third terms as governor of Gyeongnam Province
1995:	Vice Chairman of Busan Asian Games Organization Committee
Jan. 2004 — Present:	Special Advisor to the President for Economic Policy, A Member of Central Standing Committee of URI Party
May 2004 — Present:	A Member of the 17th National Assembly

Dr. Chung, Ui-Hwa
Member of the National Assembly and GNP party
Co-Chair, US-Asia Network Korea Chapter

Dr. Chung was born on December 18, 1948, and is a member of the GNP Party as well as the vice-chairman of the Finance and Economy Committee in the National Assembly. He serves as one of the non-partisan co-chairs of the US-Asia Network Korea Chapter.

Education
Feb. 1961:	Graduated from ChungAng Elementary School
Feb. 1964:	Graduated from Busan Middle School
Feb. 1967:	Graduated from Busan High School
Feb. 1973:	Graduated from Busan National University, Medical School
1978:	Master's degree from Bonsai University, Medical School
1995:	Doctor's degree from InJe University, Medical School
Career
1973:	Acquired the American Medical Licence (ECFMG)
1974:	Completion of Internship course in Yonsei University Sebeurance Hospital
1978:	Completion of the course of Neurosurgeon in Jeon- Ju Jesus Hospital
1978 — 1979:	Clinical fellowship of Neurosurgery in GaJu Univ. San Francisco, California
1979 — 80:	Clinical fellowship of Neurosurgery in New York University
1981:	Study fellowship of Cerebral Hemorrhage, Neurosurgery Lorna Linda Univ., USA
May 1981:	Installed as the director in Bong Seng Neurosurgeon Hospital
1984:	Full Membership of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (Present)
1985:	Installed as the director in Bong Seng Memorial Hospital
1989:	Publisher of On-the Spot, monthly magazine (1994) President of Bong Seng Cultural Organization (Present)
1990:	Director of Financial Management Committee, City Development Institute, Corporation (Present)
1990:	Director of Dong Rae Bong Seng Hospital
1992:	First Director of Bong Seng Cerebral Spine Institute (Present)
1992:	Busan YMCA director (Present)
1993:	Chief Director of ChungHwa Medical Foundation, Medical Juridical Foundation
1994:	President of Management Committee, Forum NewThinking
1994:	Supervisor of Korean Brain Tumor Society (Present)
1995:	Director of Korean Hospital Society and Vice President of Busan Hospital Society
1996:	The 15th Congressman (Busan Chung Dong-Gu Branch Party, Hannara the Grand National Party)
1996:	Member of Congress Health and Welfare Standing Committee
1996:	Congress Management Committee Member
1997:	Member of Congress Children Population Environment Union
1997:	President of Busan Boy Scouts Union (Present)
1997:	President of Busan Social Welfare Conference (Present)
1998:	Deputy floor leader of HanNaRa the Grand National Party
1998:	Chief Director of Bong Seng Social Welfare Association (Present)
2000:	The 16th Congressman (Busan Chung Dong-Gu Branch Party, Hannara the Grand National Party)
2000:	Member of Congress Finance & Economy Committee
2002:	Member of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts
2003:	Chief Whip, Grand National Party
2004:	The 17th Congressman (Busan Chung Dong-Gu Branch Party, Hannara the Grand National Party) Citation of Merit
1994:	Service Prize of the Boondocks given by International Rotary Club
Writings
"Sharing Love and Flowing Affection," "Where is the Healthful Society?" Medical Treatise, "Study on Cerebral Hemorrhage"

http://www.usasianetwork.org/bod.html

Board of Directors

Chairman of the Board
Leo Giacometto
Chairman and CEO
GAGE

Leo A Giacometto is the founding partner of GAGE. The firm focuses on providing strategic advice, analysis of current legislative and regulatory trends and creative yet practical business-focused solutions for emerging companies, non-profits and Fortune 500 corporations. Mr. Giacometto’s experience in various government and private entities is vast.

In 2000, during the height of the West Coast energy crisis, Mr. Giacometto accepted an appointment from Montana Governor Judy Martz and was confirmed by the state senate to serve as Montana council member on the Northwest Power Planning Council. The federally mandated state compact, which includes two members each from Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon, was charged with advising the Bonneville Power Administration on how to provide affordable, reliable electricity while protecting, mitigating and enhancing the fish and wildlife in the Federal Columbia River Power System.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Giacometto served as vice president of government affairs for Morrison Knudsen Corporation, one of the largest international-engineering and construction companies operating in more than 60 countries. In that capacity, he was responsible for directing the company’s government relations operations both domestically and internationally at the legislative, regulatory and executive branches.

In 1989, President George Bush nominated Mr. Giacometto to be Montana’s U.S. marshal and in 1990 the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination. At the age of 27, he was the youngest U.S. marshal ever confirmed by the U.S. Senate. During his tenure, he served on the Directors Marshal Service Advisory Board and was honored as one of the Nation’s Outstanding Marshals.

Other notable achievements include an appointment as secretary of Montana’s Agricultural Department for then Governor Marc Racicot. (Racicot recently served as Chairman of President Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign) Mr. Giacometto then served as chief of staff to United States Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), helping him to a successful re-election effort in 2000 as Burns became the first Republican elected to a third term in the history of Montana. Giacometto was also elected to two terms as a state legislator, served as a county magistrate and owns and operates several businesses.

Mr. Giacometto serves as the executive director of the US-Asia Network chaired by Senator Burns.

President
George Bailey
Director
Inland Northwest Space Alliance

George Bailey is the executive director of the Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA), a not-for-profit organization created to promote space interests within the geographical region of the inland northwest. Through public outreach and education, INSA seeks to inspire future generations.

Mr. Bailey has committed his career to the youth and communities of Montana. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Montana. After serving consecutive offices as superintendent for Plevna, Broadus and Target Range Schools, he moved to higher education and served as adjunct assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of Montana and assistant to the vice president of research and development at the University of Montana.

Throughout his career Mr. Bailey has received numerous Educational Announcements and various awards and honors. In 1999, Bailey was appointed by the majority leader of the United States Senate to the Web-based Education Commission to study and assess educational software. The Commission’s findings will be reported to the president and Congress. Mr. Bailey is the co-founder of NetDay Montana, a grassroots effort to provide Internet access to every classroom in the nation. He is also the co-founder of Montana GLOBE/Alliance Program, a K-12 globally offered Web-based educational program located in 7,000 schools in 75 countries. In 1994, Bailey was awarded Educator of the Year by the Montana Association of the Supervision and Curriculum Development and served as president of the Montana Association of School Superintendents.

Secretary/Treasurer
Robert Arensberg
President and COO
GAGE

Robert K. Arensberg is a partner of GAGE. The firm focuses on providing strategic advice, analysis of current legislative and regulatory trends and creative yet practical business-focused solutions for emerging companies, non-profits and Fortune 500 corporations. Prior to joining the firm, Arensberg worked for telecommunications provider SBC Communications, where he served as director of external affairs and lobbied US Senate and US House members on telecom issues for the regional bell phone company. Arensberg helped author and lead SBC’s US Senate lobbying strategy related to telecommunications policy. In 2002, Arensberg secured the support of three out of the five elected Republican leaders in the US Senate, who were Senator Don Nickels (R-OK), Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). This was done while facing the long distance phone industry giants such as AT&T and MCI and their vast lobbying war chests.

Arensberg’s experience also includes tenure with the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) where he served as director of political affairs. In that role, he dramatically increased the size of ACLI’s political action committee (PAC) during a time of industry consolidation. Arensberg had oversight responsibilities for the PAC board working directly with member-company chief executive officers.

Prior to joining ACLI, he served as a legislative assistant handling appropriations, banking, insurance and telecom issues. He worked also on issues specific to US Territories, having led various efforts regarding potential statehood for the territory of Puerto Rico. In addition, he spearheaded Senator Burn’s efforts to eliminate government funding for certain consumer organizations.

As the political fund designee for Senator Burns in 1994, Arensberg set fundraising records in both total dollars raised and total money spent per capita in the state of Montana (Arensberg ranked third nationally in this category). Senator Burns easily won re-election with more than 60 percent of the vote; much of this is due to a veritable campaign war chest raised and managed by Arensberg.

Arensberg’s career also includes a stint as vice president of political affairs for the financial service giant Citigroup. He planned all political contribution strategy and lobbied members of US Senate and US House Banking, Financial Service, and Tax committees, respectively.

http://www.usasianetwork.org/other.html

Other Chapters

The Network has its origins in the United States and South Korea. However, from its inception the leadership has always understood the importance of calling upon other countries in the regions to participate in the Network’s mission. It is critical that key leaders in industry, government and academe from other countries in the regions become involved in an organization playing an active role in an increasingly complex and interconnected international community.

In the United States, Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) serves as the honorary Chairman and works closely with his Asian counterpart Founding Chairman Hahn, Hwa-Kap, Member of the National Assembly and MDP party. Kim, Hyuk-Kyu, Member of the National Assembly and URI party and Dr. Chung, Ui-Hwa, Member of the National Assembly and GNP party serve as bi-partisan co-chairs. Their positions as leaders of their nation’s legislatures give them the breadth of knowledge necessary to ensure the success of the US-Asia Network.

As a result of our success in South Korea and the United States, we are moving forward in our efforts to expand the nation’s under the Network’s umbrella.

http://www.usasianetwork.org/sponsor.html

Sponsorship Eligibility

Sponsorship is available to both American and Asian corporations, trade associations, professional service firms and non-profit organizations. They must be incorporated in the United States and Asia and currently conduct business on either continent.

Sponsors of the Network immediately become eligible to participate in a number of activities including:

• Opportunities to interact with senior government officials, business leaders,
policy makers and academics

• The opportunity to provide input into policies that impact the US-Asian relationship in
Network-sponsored events

• Receiving advisory services on a wide range of interests and concerns

There are a variety of activities available for sponsorship. To find out more please contact the Network directly at (202) 393-4262.

http://www.usasianetwork.org/contact.html

Contact Us

Leo Giacometto
Executive Director
122 C Street, N.W.
Suite 380
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-4262
(202) 393-4265

Robert Arensberg
Chief of Staff
122 C Street, N.W.
Suite 380
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-4262
(202) 393-4265

Ye-Won Cho
Director of Operations
122 C Street, N.W.
Suite 380
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-4262
(202) 393-4265
yewoncho@usasianetwork.org

Do Sun Chae
Executive Director, Korea Chapter
Suite 1807, A-Dong
Samho-Moolsan Building
275-I Yangjae-Dong, Seocho-Ku
Seoul, 275-I, Korea
011 82 2 589 1263
011 82 2 589 1980

http://www.usasianetwork.org/events.html

Events

US-Asia Network Korea Chapter 2003 Event

On April 17, 2003, the US-Asia Network Korea Chapter hosted a reception in honor of the Delegation of United States Senators led by Majority Leader Bill Frist with officials from South Korean President Roh‘s administration, Korean legislators, government officials, civic leaders and top-level executives of Korean corporations in Seoul, Korea. MORE...



US-Asia Network 2005 Kick-Off Event

On January 19, 2005, the US-Asia Network, chaired by US Senator Conrad Burns, hosted a reception in honor of a non-partisan Korean delegation including the Network’s Founding Chairman Hahn, Hwa-Kap and Co-Chair Chung, Ui-Wha. MORE...



US-Asia Network High Tech Trade Reception April 2005

On April 21, 2005, the US-Asia Network, chaired by US Senator Conrad Burns, hosted a High Tech Trade Reception sponsored by GAGE and Qualcomm. The reception was joined by representatives from high tech companies, Congressional members and staff as well as representatives from Asian Embassies. MORE...

http://www.usasianetwork.org/events-2003-1.html

US-Asia Network Korea Chapter 2003 Event

On April 17, 2003, the US-Asia Network Korea Chapter hosted a reception in honor of the Delegation of United States Senators led by Majority Leader Bill Frist with officials from South Korean President Roh‘s administration, Korean legislators, government officials, civic leaders and top-level executives of Korean corporations in Seoul, Korea. The guest speakers were Scott Partridge, senior partner of Baker Botts LLP, and Yoon-Woo Lee, president and CEO of Device Solutions Network of Samsung Electronics.

Distinguished guests included:

• Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), US Senate Majority Leader

• Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota)

• Sen. Don Nickles (R-Oklahoma)

• Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska)

• Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida)

• Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island)

• Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)

• Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana), Chairman of the US-Asia Network

• Thomas Hubbard, US Ambassador to Korea

• Moon, Hee Sang, Presidential Chief of Staff

• Yoon, Young-Kwan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

• Han, Hwa-Kap, National Assemblyman, MDP Party, Co-Chair of the US-Asia Network

• Mong-Koo Chung, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company

• Bipartisan delegation of 40 members of the Korean National Assembly and Roh administration officials

The participants exchanged their views on US-Korea relations as well as economic and political issues. Guest speakers discussed Korea’s advanced information technology and various issues, such as intellectual property and privacy, created as telecommunication technology developed.

http://www.usasianetwork.org/events-2005-1.html

US-Asia Network 2005 Kick-Off Event

On January 19, 2005, the US-Asia Network, chaired by US Senator Conrad Burns, hosted a reception in honor of a non-partisan Korean delegation including the Network’s Founding Chairman Hahn, Hwa-Kap and Co-Chair Chung, Ui-Wha. The special guests included former Secretary of State James Baker and Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove. The event was further highlighted by the attendance of members and staffers of the US Congress as well as business leaders. Senator Conrad Burns spoke about the US-Asia Network’s importance in supporting initiatives designed to encourage and facilitate discussion between US and Asian countries. He praised the Network’s Founding Chairman Hahn and Co-Chairmen Chung for ensuring the continued growth of the Network’s Asian chapter.

Distinguished guests included:

• James Baker, Former Secretary of State

• Karl Rove, Assistant to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor

• Sen. Conrad Burns, Chairman of the US-Asia Network

• Hahn, Hwa-Kap, President of MDP, Founding Chairman of the U.S.-Asia Network

• Chung, Ui-Wha, National Assemblyman, Network Co-Chair, GNP

• Kim, Min-Seok, Former National Assemblyman, MDP

• Choi, Sung, National Assemblyman, Vice Floor Leader of the URI party

• Shin, Jung-Sik, National Assemblyman, First Minister of Government Information under President Roh, URI Party

• Byong-Yoon Park, Economic Advisor, Junnam Province

• Chae, Do Sun, Executive Director, U.S.-Asia Network

http://www.usasianetwork.org/events-2005-2.html

US-Asia Network High Tech Trade Reception April 2005

On April 21, 2005, the US-Asia Network, chaired by US Senator Conrad Burns, hosted a High Tech Trade Reception sponsored by GAGE and Qualcomm. The reception was joined by representatives from high tech companies, Congressional members and staff as well as representatives from Asian Embassies. As the Executive Director of the US-Asia Network, Leo Giacometto of GAGE commented on the effectiveness of the Network to bring international political and business communities together to encourage information exchange and associations: “This is one in a series of events we plan to do through the end of the year and are pleased with the results here tonight.” Qingbao Niu, a counselor from the Chinese Embassy added “These events provide me with valuable insights and opportunities to converse with key officials.” Ye-Won Cho, Director of Operations emphasized that the Network strived to initiate such receptions for members of the diplomatic communities and the US Congress to actively communicate with major industry leaders. The Network is planning additional events later in the year.

Distinguished guests included:

• Jonas Neihardt, Qualcomm

• Adam M. Golodner, Cisco Systems

• Joel P. Hinzman, Oracle

• David Jeppsen, NTT DoCoMo

• Masay Yamashita, NTT

• Jason Leuck, Telecommunications Industry Association

• Jeffrey Stonerock, Baker Botts

• Congressional staff from the Congressional Caucus on Korea

• Representatives from Asian Embassies

Two new candidates, a new website, and more, more, more. Yet another unofficial DNC Chair Cattle Call:

Diaries :: blogswarm's diary ::

Update [2005-1-7 15:33:59 by blogswarm]: JekyllnHyde points out in comments that there is now a third new candidate today (via hotline):

David Leland is rumored to have entered the race yesterday, but a quick search of google news and technorati suggests that if he is running he chose to follow Webb and Frost by employing the stealth technique of announcement. Brutus Buckeye seems to care enough to have started an account on MyDD just to say, "Former Ohio Democratic Party Chair (and current Project Vote director) David Leland announced his DNC candidacy yesterday. I cannot think of a worse person to lead the DNC. Most people blame Leland for the sorry state the Ohio Democratic Party is in and his "hands-off" approach led to complete chaos within the party. We're still trying to recover from his leadership in Ohio."

Marshall Wittman is now the rumored DLC choice for DNC chair. In keeping with Demcratic Leadership Council tradition, Wittman is a Republican. I believe STFU is the appropriate response to this and anything else that comes for the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

Tim Roemer's website, Tim RAemer is still as disappointing as his stances on the issues. Dave Johnson has an in-depth expose on Roemer's connection to the Mercatus Center which is an extreme-right think tank funded by Richard Mellon Scaife and other benefactors of the vast right wing conspiracy. Chris Bowers and Kos have now piled on and this scandal is getting legs. This has been a bad week for Roemer with Talking Points Memo reporting that Roemer is anti social security, pro-abortion criminalization, anti-balanced budget, and pro-deficit spending. Chris Bowers has said Roemer should not be chair. Read more here and then here. Pandagon labels supporting Roemer to be an "exercise in self-destruction" -- hear that Reid and Pelosi?

Terry McAliffe's Noalition bid imploded within 48 hours. Chris Bowers called this a "terrible idea" and that is one of the nicest things the blogosphere has said. Through the cigar smoke says he is a, "blight on the Democratic Party. To put it in sports terms, McAuliffe can't carry Karl Rove's jock." Pejmanesque: "He regularly displays strategic and tactical genius the likes of which we haven't seen since 1991 when the Iraqi Republican Guard was facing the wrong way as the Americans made their pincer encirclement move into Iraq. Or when Custer encountered the opposition at Little Bighorn and said "Hey, this should come out as a clear win!"" Suburban Guerrilla: "I have to wonder if the beltway Democrats are COMPLETELY FUCKING CRAZY" The only thing T-Mc has won as Chair is an award for the dumbest quotes of 2004: "This is the best election night in history." Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Martin Frost is still trying to take his losing streak nationwide with his Noalition bid that is supported by the General Custer wing of the Democratic Party. To recap, Frost ran an ad praising Bush. and another ad that, "casts fellow Democrat Ted Kennedy in the same liberal boogeyman role as some Republicans do." Frost is still a Loser and appears to be gaining no traction in bringing his pro-GOP, anti-Democrat approach to the DNC.

Wellington Webb still has yet to address WeatherDem's point that he, "helped make sure the state of the art baggage system would be built for the airport. Remember that baggage system? It still doesn't work. Originally estimated to cost $12 million, it ended up costing $250 million and delayed the opening of the airport one and a half years. Oh, and it's now being turned into scrap metal." Western Democrat has been following Webb but today pointed out, "It isn't necessary for us to have a DNC from the West for the DNC to help us in the West."

Donnie "king of the burning dog poop" Fowler went "poot" before he had a chance to announce his impressive campaign staff. The flaming bag of dog poop scandle has convinced Chris Bowers that Fowler doesn't understand the problems. Fowler has his scheduler running Internet Communications which may help explain why he campaign went down in "flames" online. There's more on how the wingers would exploit his nickname. Fowler has now become an also-ran.

Howard Dean still has an aggressive online organizing effort by Draft Howard, Mainstreet Moms, Driving Votes and the Dean4DNC yahoo group. Dean is gaining enough momentum for the Noalition to have floated the McAuliffe trial balloon. Still no word on whether he will run or hold the Party accountable by keeping his options open for 2008.

Simon Rosenberg officially announced yesterday and now has a www.SimonForChair.org campaign site complete with blog. BlogPAC has Rosenberg's plan for the blogosphere:

As DNC Chair, I'd like to take the DNC and make it a full part of the blogosphere.  The principle behind what I offer here is to foment a continual and robust online discussion that the DNC actually is part of and that reinforces an overall Democratic political strategy.  To that end, I submit that the DNC needs:

1. Regular conference calls, conferences, and a blog committee of 'netroots' representatives to advise various DNC departments on strategy, research, messaging and outreach.

2. A consistent non-election year blogad budget dedicated to framing and testing messaging, as well as potential seed money for specialty blogs.

3. An internal champion in the DNC to break news on blogs and connect elected Democrats and high level staffers with blogs, bloggers, and effective use of the internet with the goal of having the blogosphere surpass cable news networks in reach and influence.

4. To use the DNC's 3.7 million person email list to create community and promote interesting spinoff projects like and grassroots created quality video and audio content.

5. Regular guest-posting from DNC representatives on willing blogs to talk through organizational, operational, and policy issues.

6. To work with blogs to figure out how to use Meetup effectively as a political tool for state and local parties.

7. To promote a dialogue in which the blogs continue their discussion of the Democratic Party so that we can create the social networks critical to a vibrant progressive movement.

8. To integrate blogs fully into the progressive messaging machine that targets and unseats Republicans and Republican initiatives.

9. A New Politics Think Tank inside the DNC that fosters the sharing of best practices among those involved in netroots politics so as to allow for a supported network of savvy operatives to permeate progressive organizing.  This organ would also investigate new technologies like RSS, wikis, podcasting, and their applicability to organizing at every level.

Blogs represent a increasingly democratizing media, and I want to make sure that this trend is encouraged in the years ahead.  These ideas are not final, and will evolve in accordance with yours and others' feedback.

Donnie Fowler as King of Flaming Dog Poop
Wed Jan 5th, 2005 at 21:18:39 PST

The Flaming Bag of Dog Poop is the name of the Donnie Fowler scandal. Check out this Donnie Fowler Q & A for more information.

Now that Fowler has referred to himself as the "king of the burning dog poop" let us take a moment to consider what would happen if Ken Mehlman made the same mistake:

Kos would have a diary within hours saying that the GOP was finally being honest and it would get 400 comments.

Atrios would write how, economically speaking, dog dung has less value than cow dung (because cow dung makes good fertilizer).

Chris Bowers would post excel spreadsheats showing how the geographic transportation of dog dung moving from city parks to exurb landfills has mimicked the evolving dynamic of GOP votes.

Josh Marshall would write how Mehlman is actually the king of dog shit, but the media censored the language.

Dozens of Kos Diarys would be posted on how this proves they stole the election.

John Aravosis would remind everyone that dog-dung is a slang term for closetted gay men.

This would all happen within hours. After that, it would begin to gather some serios mo' and Ken Mehlman would forever be linked to dog-dung. But the right would never do something like that to our leader.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/6/01839/33903 

http://www.changeforamerica.com/community/node/view/2387

With apologies to Jerome, I decided to do my own Cattle Call. While the official MyDD Cattle Calls are unbiased analysis of what is going on in the races, I'm going to leave that to Jerome. In the spirit of Gonzo-Blogging I'm going to insert myself into the conversation while covering the race.

There are only a few candidates remaining, so I think now is the time for other users to also post their views on the field.

Tim Roemer now has a website, www.TimRAemer.com, where patriotic symbolism appears more important than spelling. Roemer is the candidate that Reid and Pelosi convinced to run to ensure that the money flows through their campaign committees instead of helping state parties. Targeting is important, but considering 75% of state parties don't even have a blog and many don't even have an organizer, I believe this approach has failed to meet primia facia burdens for Democrats having a national party. As Talking Points Memo reports, Roemer is anti social security, pro-abortion criminalization, anti-balanced budget, and pro-deficit spending. Chris Bowers said Roemer should not be chair and started a firestorm of netroots declarations that a Roemer DNC would be abandoned by the base. Read more here and then here. Make no mistake, Roemer is not running because he wants to lead our party, he is running because powerful people have asked him to help safeguard their turf. He's wrong on the issues and would splinter the party.

Terry McAliffe is the latest to be discussed by the ABD crowd -- henceforth referred to as the Noalition. This trial balloon was launched by the General Custer wing of the Democratic Party. When Jerome blogged it the reaction went from shock to angst quicker than T-Mac's primary season. People who mistakenly believe that McAliffe could succeed where he has failed before are wise to also understand the fact that, "Bloggers like the Daily Kos have made ridding the party of McAuliffe a central political crusade." McAliffe bet the wrong way on the length of the primary season, on corporate funding instead of grassroots support, on the early convention, and on how to deploy resources during the 2002 midterm. All of his bets were placed from his experience as a bagman and all proved he is not a strategist.

Martin Frost has the unique distinction of being amenable to both the Noalition and the General Custer wing. Annatopia was represented by the guy and seems to have the best grasp of what he's about. She thinks he's a "dime a dozen" and was kind enough to bring to light the scandal that will doom his campaign. During his re-election bid, Frost ran ads praising Bush. If that wasn't bad enough, he also ran an ad that, "casts fellow Democrat Ted Kennedy in the same liberal boogeyman role as some Republicans do" (in the words of the Dallas Morning News). Not only did his selfishness fail to get him re-elected, but Annatopia notes this strategy of hating our party also cost down-ticket Democrats in tight races -- meaning Dallas County ended up a half a percentage point from turning blue. To recap, Frost is a loser who ran ads praising Republicans while also running ads attacking Democrats -- hurting all of the Democrats around him. Now he wants to take this approach nation-wide?

Wellington Webb decided to announce in secret so that not even Kos found out. Webb has some baggage, or should we say expensive lost baggage. WeatherDem explains that he, "helped make sure the state of the art baggage system would be built for the airport. Remember that baggage system? It still doesn't work. Originally estimated to cost $12 million, it ended up costing $250 million and delayed the opening of the airport one and a half years. Oh, and it's now being turned into scrap metal." The word on the street is that Webb will endorse Dean if he continues to fail at achieving traction.

Donnie Fowler is now Donnie "king of the burning dog poop" Fowler. While Don's kid has been telling anyone who will listen that he is a netroots genius, he proved himself wrong this week in with the flaming dog poop scandal that destroyed his credibility as an online campaigner while earning him his new nickname. To respond and prove he could interact online, he came out of hiding between 3 and 4 AM with requests for people to read his 14 page manifesto. Not surprisingly, there weren't many people there for him to interact with. It just keeps coming. Voting for the King of Dog Poop is a crappy vote (if he is elected chair, then what does that make us). Of course, if Don can get his son the job, then the GOP will have a  field day with his nickname.

Reform Candidates are all that remain and I would be proud to follow either Howard Dean or Simon Rosenberg. I actually think that the Democratic Party is screwed up enough to need both of them. Governor Dean's candidacy is being supported online by Draft Howard, Mainstreet Moms, Driving Votes and there is also Dean4DNC yahoo group. Rosenberg announces tomorrow at the National Press Club. Directly after his announcement he'll be talking with BlogPAC to answer blogger questions.

DNC CHAIR DONNIE FOWLER
More than twenty-four hours ago, DNC Chair candidate Donnie Fowler posted a diary on MyDD and then fled without answering any of the dozens of questions that people asked.

Over on Kos, ttagaris referred to this as A Flaming Bag of Dog Poop, noting:

Remember when you were teenager and you used to play ding-dong-ditch with your friends?  Maybe some of us took it to the next level and would leave a flaming bag of poop on a doorstep?
[...]
Would a candidate, when going door to door, ring the doorbell, drop a piece of literature on the front step, and then run away to the next house? The same should be asked about on-line outreach.

He continues:

You see, the Internet is the ONLY medium of two-way mass communication available.  One of the things I dread is that the Democratic Party will see this wonderful blogosphere and think in terms of pre-modern campaign communications.

I don't want to see them stuck in the mindset of television, radio, and print advertising.  Just talking at you in a 30 second spot, or a full-page advertisment.  NO! NO! NO!  If that is the way you want to use the net in 2005/2006 -- then you will get left behind in the netroots.  For many, that will be just fine.  To you, I wish the best of luck -- but I am uninterested in your campaign.

To the candidates who recongize the value of this two-way dialogue, the spoils shall go.  And I am not just talking about fundraising.  Cause if fundraising dollars are the only reason your are willing to "put up" with us, then you are not welcome in the netroots vision for the future of the Democratic Party.

In the comments, wanderindiana notes, "I salute you for your connection of two-way communication with reform."

Which I think is a very important concept. Reform requires responsiveness and accountability, not flaming bags of dog poop. We don't need leaders who use the internet like an ad, we need leaders who use the internet to interact.

Absent interaction, Fowler's post is nothing more than an ad "talking at" us by another politician who doesn't get it. To paraphrase Plato, Fowler has come out of the cave and realized there is more to see than the shadows on the wall. But he hasn't realized that he can interact with this new world.

An entire 24 hour media-cycle later, the questions people posted appear to have been in vain. This was a major missed opportunity. I don't want our Chair to miss opportunities...we've done enough of that.

I figure it is time to forget about Fowler and talk amongst ourselves. Thus, I have attempted to answer some of the questions about Fowler from comments that have ended up in the blogosphere.

QUESTION: MySteve:

What about minority outreach?"

ANSWER: Maxwell:

I have a little trouble fully committing to someone like Fowler who make such gross errors of fact as this:

Whether marching under the banner of the Tories (Revolutionary War), the Democrats (Civil War), or the Republicans (civil rights movement), conservatives have consistently resisted progress that we now consider obvious and natural:

The Republicans were the natural allies of the Civil Rights Act, and voted 27-6 to pass it through the Senate. It was Southern Democrats who resisted it...22 in the Senate and 96 in the House. This was the seminal event that restructured political affiliations along demographic lines among Democrats, and resulted in the exodous of many party members over the next decades.

If Fowler misunderstands one of the most fundamental events in modern Democratic Party history, I'm worried about him becoming the operational and very public voice of the party.

***

QUESTION: Josh Koenig:

I'm curious how you'd see the National party working (if at all) to revitalize state-level organizations.

ANSWER: Emptywheel:

In short, if the MI campaign is an example of what Donnie Fowler's DNC would be like, I want out. Here are some gripes:

I was the precinct/ward organizer for one of the medium-large counties in MI. You'd think, as a grassroots organizer for one of the must-win areas in MI, I'd have heard from you, or at least known that you valued my work and that you were listening to my good ideas.

But you see, the volunteers who ran our grassroots never attended one of the state meetings. Nor did we see you locally (suffice it to say we're accessible to both Lansing and Detroit). The people who attended meetings were the paid people--some might call them consultants, part of that aristocracy you claim to want to get rid of.

I don't really care that I wasn't invited to meetings--I was spending 10-60 hours a week volunteering, I didn't need more meetings (although I think it belies your claim for inclusion at every level).

But I do care that every time we tried to do something at a local level because IT MADE SENSE, we either had to lie, subject our paid staffers to berating in those weekly meetings, or just try to fudge the numbers. That is, not only did the MI coordinated campaign NOT listen to local leaders, it forced local leaders to manipulate the system in order to do what we knew to be right.

Now I'm willing to see you provide proof that you can change--that your leadership of the DNC would be different from what I saw in MI. But barring that I really can't see throwing you a lot of support. You talk a good talk. But your proven record doesn't match that talk, at least not from the perspective of this local grassroots leader.

***

QUESTION: desmoulins:

I'm all for reforming the party nationally and at state level but I wonder what the new reformed party will look like that is different from how it functions today.

ANSWER: BigDog04:

Fowler is trouble not for any obvious policy or reform reasons, in my judgment, but because he's incompetent in my opinion. All he succeeded in the Clark Campaign was to insure chaos and an unprepared candidate with astoundingly weak staffing...which just compounded the errors.
Imagine a nascent, last minute Presidential Campaign with an inexperienced political candidate, (who has the ENTIRE Media Spotlight, a compelling history with substantive viewpoints, significant strategic strengths against the Republican Machince) yet the first non-pro Press Secretary and Campaign Manager Fowler don't prepare the candidate for the most obvious of questions about Iraq?

I'm not a highly paid professional political operative...but I guarantee that conversation and role-play would have taken place where I or any other of hundreds of experienced politcal types in charge.

Why do you think he was on the Clark Campaign such a short period of time? Let's see....Wes Clark madee his decision late in the afternoon on September 15, 2003, announced on Sept 17, 2003 and Fowler resigned October 8, 2003. Why is his presidential campaign chairmanship even mentioned?

Leaving while publicly claiming to have been championing the 'rights' of the Draft Movement participants, the reality is that he was asked to take a secondary role...and he petulantly picked up his toys...went home AND TALKED TO THE PRESS ABOUT IT!

That wasn't loyal professional political technique then or now.

****

QUESTION: Norm:

You were the National Field Director for Gore 2000. You state you worked in both Iowa and New Hampshire that year. In Donna Brazile's recent book she has a story about election day for the New Hampshire primary. Basically, she writes that after the Gore campaign discovered that Senator Bill Bradley was leading in the exit polls, the Gore campaign helped cause a traffic jam during rush hour in areas of New Hampshire that were trending heavily for Bradley. Essentially, she wrote this off as something like "alls fair in love and war." Michael Whouley I think has also told similar stories. Vice President Gore ended up barely defeating Senator Bradlay in NH. My question to you, Mr. Fowler, is this: what role did you play in any discussions about causing a traffic jam to block Bardley voters from getting to the polls? Were you involved in any such discussions, and if so, how do you explain this attempt to block voters getting to the polls with all of the Democratic rhetoric is 2000 about voting in Florida and 2004 in Ohio?

ANSWER: wmtriallawyer:

He was national field director for Gore/Liberman. In other words, he was the guy in charge of ensuring all D voters in the U.S. were targeted, called, cajoled, and brought to the polls.

If he did his job in Tennessee (Gore's home state), Arkansas (Big Dog's home state), West Virginia (traditional D state before Rove got to it), Ohio, Florida, etc., etc., we wouldn't be here moaning over W.

Some field director. And now he wants to run the party? Mmmm, no thanks...

****

QUESTION: Rayne:

I'll be real blunt here: I saw more organization in my county here in Michigan from MoveOn and from the Sierra Club than I did the Democratic Party.

Frankly, I can't see what the impediments were towards making any of the so-called "innovative programs" work in Michigan during this last campaign. If MoveOn could do them, why weren't they already implemented?

If this didn't get done at state level, what's to say they'll get done at national?

ANSWER: BigDog04:

This is vintage Donnie F. He makes a great sales job to GET the job..then blows it because of a lack of real skill.

This interchange says a lot more about a lack of ability to work with people than it does anything else.

Whatever else the new DNC Chair does...he/she must be able to work with people who really disagree with them...and still make progress towards a greater goal. Fowler has NEVER shown a bit of success at a high level in his work.

*****

QUESTION: Andrew C White:

I also wonder about your statement here...

"raise money through traditional means and recognize value of new donors"

What do you mean by that? "traditional means"? Is this a poorly worded statement or are you sending an anti-internet and small-donor message? That's the way it sounds but I doubt you really meant it that way. Care to take a moment to clarify?

ANSWER: BigDog04:

And I have, after hearing a participant in a DFA training tell me how Fowler said "he" knew the secrets of the online campaign revolution, even less respect. Bah. Lots of Dean people should have stood up and stoned him in that meeting...much less the Draft Movement folks that took the online campaign to a new place too and worked it as hard as they could.

As one activist has already told me:
"If Fowler become DNC Chair...I'm gone. The Party is hopeless."

An Open Letter to Alberto R. Gonzales

January 4, 2005

Hon. Alberto R. Gonzales

Counsel to the President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC   20500

Dear Judge Gonzales:

We, the undersigned religious leaders, greet your nomination to be Attorney General of the United States with grave concern.

As a self-professed evangelical Christian, you surely know that all people are created in the image of God. You see it as a moral imperative to treat each human being with reverence and dignity. We invite you to affirm with us that we are all are made in the image of God – every human being. We invite you to acknowledge that no legal category created by mere mortals can revoke that status. You understand that torture – the deliberate effort to undermine human dignity – is a grave sin and affront to God. You would not deny that the systemic use of torture on prisoners at Abu Ghraib was fundamentally immoral, as is the deliberate rendering of any detainee to authorities likely to commit torture.

We urge you to declare that any attempt to undermine international standards on torture, renditions, or habeas corpus is not only wrong but sinful. We are concerned that as White House counsel you have shown a troubling disregard for international laws against torture, for the legal rights of suspected "enemy combatants," and for the adverse consequences your decisions have had at home and abroad.

How could you have written a series of legal memos that disrespected international law and invited these abuses? How could you have justified the use of torture and disavowed protections for prisoners of war? How could you have referred to the Geneva Conventions as “quaint” and “obsolete.” We fear that your legal judgments have paved the way to torture and abuse.

We therefore call upon you

•  To denounce the use of torture under any circumstances;

•  To affirm, with the Supreme Court, that it is unconstitutional to imprison anyone designated as an "enemy combatant" for months without access to lawyers or the right to challenge their detentions in court;

•  To affirm the binding legality of the Geneva Conventions and the laws of war;

•  And to reject the practice of "extraordinary rendition," at home and abroad, by which terrorist suspects are sent to countries that practice torture for interrogation.

We believe, as you do, that the United States must be an example of moral leadership in the world community. However, the events at Abu Ghraib have gravely compromised America's moral authority. We ask that you commit yourself as Attorney General to repairing that damage by articulating and enforcing legal policies that reject the use of torture, embrace and advance standards of international law, and honor the dignity of all of God's creation.

With prayers for wisdom and grace,

   Over 225 Religious Leaders

  (Affiliations listed for identification only)

Initial Endorsers:

Rev. Dr. George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary 

       Coordinator: Church Folks for a Better America

Dr. C. René Padilla, General Secretary for Latin America, IFES

Sr. Dianna Ortiz, director, Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center

Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB

Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, President, Chicago Theological Seminary

Mr. Jim Wallis, Editor, Sojourners

Dr. Ron Sider,   President,   Evangelicals for Social Action

Dr. Anthony Campolo, Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education

Dr. Rubén Rosario Rodríguez, St. Louis University

Dr. Juanita Jartu Jolly, Agape Christian Tabernacle

Rev. Victor Aloyo, Jr., Director of Vocations, Princeton Theological Seminary

Rev. Alexia Salvatierra, Executive Director, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice

Pastor Amaury Tañón-Santos, American Baptist Churches

The Rev. John E. Denaro, Episcopal Migration Ministries

Rabbi Michael Lerner, The TIKKUN Community

Dr. Stanley Hauerwas, The Divinity School of Duke University

Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, Aux. Bishop, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit

Bishop James H. Burch, Catholic Diocese of One Spirit

Rev. Dr. Joseph C. Hough, Jr., President, Union Theological Seminary

Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, The Shefa Fund

Rev. Dr. James H. Cone, Union Theological Seminary

Dr. Teresa Whitehurst, Jesus on the Family Institute

Dr. Glen Stassen, Fuller Theological Seminary

Rabbi Brian Walt, Rabbis for Human Rights North America

Rev. Romal Tune, African American Ministers Council

Rev. Dr. Therese M. Becker, Department of Spiritual Care, University of Chicago Hospitals

Rabbi Shirley Idelson, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion

Rev. Theophlus Caviness, Greater Abyssinia, Cleveland, OH

Rev. Violete Dease, Abyssinian Baptist, Harlem, NY

Dr. Paul H. Sherry, National Council of Churches of Christ
Iftekhar Hussain, Secretary General, American Muslim Society of the Tristate Area

Rev. Victoria J. Furio

The Rev. Julio Torres

Rev. Timothy McDonald, African Amer. Ministers Council & First Iconium Baptist

Dr. Tarunjit Singh, Secretary General World Sikh Council - America Region

Dr. William Werpehowski, Center for Peace and Justice Education, Villanova University

Mr. Dave Robinson, Executive Director, Pax Christi USA

Mahdi Bray, Executive Director Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation

Sheila Musaji, Editor, The American Muslim Magazine

Mohammed Kaiseruddin, President, Muslim Community Center, Chicago

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Dr. A.S. Mahdi Ibn-Ziyad, Africana Islamic Institute

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, Sound Vision Foundation

Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs

Rev. Meg Riley, Unitarian Universalist Association

The Rev. Frank Morales, St. Marks Church

Rabbi Gerry Serotta, Temple Shalom

Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Assoc. (Past President)

Dr. E. Glenn Hinson, Professor Emeritus, Baptist Theological Seminary

The Rev. Robert Moore, Coalition for Peace Action & Peace Action Education Fund

Rev. Dr. Donald W. Shriver, President Emeritus, Union Theological Seminary, NYC

Sr. Betty Obal, SL, UN NGO Representative, Loretto Community

Rev. Dr.  Frederick R. Trost, Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ

Bishop Charles Wesley Jordan

Mr. Jason Byassee, Assistant Editor, Christian Century

David W. Reid, Publisher, Vital Theology

Richard V. Pierard, Stephen Phillips Professor of History, Gordon College

Dr. Barbara DeConcini, Executive Director, American Academy of Religion

Rev. Steven C. Baines, People For the American Way Foundation

Dr. Tarunjit Singh, Secretary General World Sikh Council - America Region

Bishop Marshall L. Meadors, Jr. Bishop in Residence Candler School of Theology Emory

The Very Rev. Tracey Lind, Dean Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

The Very Rev. Dr. Ann J. Broomell, Dean Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

Rev. Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker, Chair/CEO, Clergy and Laity Network

Rev. Vicky A. Fleming

The Reverend K. Dennis Winslow, St. Peter's Episcopal Church

Rev. Dr. James E. Fitzgerald, Minister for Mission and Social Justice, The Riverside Church

Dr. Sondra Wheeler, Martha Ashby Carr Professor of Christian Ethics, Wesley Theological Seminary

Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson

Dr. George F. Regas, The Regas Institute

Dr. Charles Hunter, Presbyterian Minister, Parish Associate at the Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas

Rev. Dr. Charles Raynal, Director of Advanced Studies, Columbia Theological Seminary

Mark A. Chancey, Religious Studies, Southern Methodist University

The Rev. Gary R. Weaver

Julie M. Hill

Scott R. Gansl, president, World Congress of GLBT Jewish Organisations: Keshet Ga'ava

Dr. S.M. Ghazanfar, Professor of Economics University of Idaho

Dana Regan, First Unitarian Church of Portland, OR

Rev. Dr. William G. Brockman

Bob Morris

Helga Scow Stern

Chuck Currie, United Church of Christ Seminarian, Central Pacific Conference UCC

Rev. Jay R. Newlin, OSL, Pastor Jenkintown United Methodist Church

Rev. Melody C. Porter, First United Methodist Church of Germantown

Ruth Messinger

Anne Ewing

The Rev. Meg A. Riley, Unitarian Universalist Association

Rabbi Nancy Flam, Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Rabbi Alana Suskin, Congregation Adas Israel

Rabbi Dr. Andrew Vogel Ettin, Wake Forest University and Temple Israel

Rev. David Wesley Brown

Dr. S. Huw Anwyl, Senior Minister & CEO Shepherd of the Hills Church

Rev. Dexter Lanctot

Rabbi Suzanne Griffel

Rabbi Laura Geller, Los Angeles

Rabbi Douglas E. Krantz

Rabbi Neil Kominsky, Temple Emanuel of the Merrimack Valley

The Rev. James F. McIntire, MDiv, JD, The United Methodist Church of Bala Cynwyd

Eric Mount, Centre College (Rodes Professor Religion Emeritus)

Rev. Robert G. Coombe Pastor:   Union United Methodist Church

Elizabeth Memel, Ojai, CA

Haim Dov Beliak

Rev. Susan Cole

Rev. Michael Kinnamon The Allen and Dottie Miller Professor of Mission and Peace, Eden Theological Seminary

Rev. Charlene F. Gaspar, Gladwyne United Methodist Church

Rev. Al Krass, Philadelphia Area Interfaith Peace Network

Rev. Kaye Edwards Director of Family and Children's Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Rev. Patricia Pearce Tabernacle United Church, Philadelphia, PA

Rev. Linda M. Maloney, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enosburg Falls, VT

Dr. Alicia Ostriker, Professor of English, Rutgers University

Rev. Dr. F. Mark Mealing, Kaslo, B.C., Canada

Wil Gafney, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Scripture and Homiletics, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia

Phyllis T. Albritton, Blacksburg VA

Sidney Callahan, Ph.D

Gaile M. Pohlhaus, Ph.D., Villanova University

Dr. Malcolm Nazareth and Ms. Mariani Nazareth, St. Cloud, MN

Rabbi Avi Winokur, Society Hill Synagogue

Dr. Nan Gefen, President, Chochmat HaLev

Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man, Berkeley, CA

Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives

Dorothea Dorenz

Rev. Peter Laarman, Progressive Christians Uniting

Dr. Mary E. Hunt, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual

Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Director, Faith Voices Institute and Lift Every Voice!

Charles Rooney, Catholics for the Common Good

Rev. Dr. Elsie McKee, Ph.D., Archibald Alexander Professor of Reformation Studies and the History of Worship, Princeton Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Daniel Meeter, Pastor, Old First Reformed Church, Brooklyn, NY

Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, Westmont College

Reb ZalmanSchachter-Shalomi Rabbinic Chair, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal;

Rabbi Hillel Cohn

Rabbi Zev-Hayyim Feyer, Claremont, California

Rabbi Howard A. Cohen, Congregation Beth El

Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman Past President, OHALAH:Association of Rabbis for

Jewish Renewal

Dr. M. Douglas Meeks, The Divinity School, Vanderbilt University

The Rev. Dr. Christian T. Iosso, Scarborough Presbyterian Church

Rev. Kenneth Samual, Victory Church, Atlanta, GA

Rev. A.W. Howard, Baltimore, MD

Rabbi Roberto D. Graetz Temple Isaiah Lafayette, Ca

Rabbi Laurence L. Edwards Congregation Or Chadash

Rabbi Phyllis Berman, Riverside Language Center

Rabbi David Greenstein, The Academy for Jewish Religion, NY

Rev. Robert Shine, Baracha Baptist, Philadelphia, PA

Rev. Clarence Pemberton, New Hope Baptist, Philadelphia, PA

Rev. James Sampson, First Mount Zion, Jacksonville, FL

Rev. Michael Harrison, Union Baptist, Youngstown, OH

Rev. Michael Pfleger, St. Sabina, Chicago, IL

Rev. Olen Arrington, Second Baptist, Kenosha, WI

J. Ross Wagner, Princeton Theological Seminary

Mark Lewis Taylor, Princeton Theological Seminary

The Rev. Dr. John McEntyre, PCUSA

The Rev. C. Clifton Black, Dept. of Biblical Studies, Princeton Theological Seminary

Barbara Levatich

Dr. Geffrey B. Kelly, La Salle University

Dr. Robert DeFina, Villanova University

Prof. Ellen Charry Princeton Theological Seminary

Rev. Bryan Langlands, St. Luke UMC, Sanford, NC

Rev. Muriel Burrows, Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church

Anne Gibbons, Associate Chaplain and Director of SERVE, Lynchburg College

The Rev. Robert L. Livingston. United Church of Christ

Rev. Patricia Daley

William Stacy Johnson, Princeton Theological Seminary

Rev. Douglas King

Dr. Alexander J. McKelway

Rev. James M. Collie, Presbytery of Santa Fe

Rev. Theresa F. Latini

The Rev. Fleming Rutledge

Rev. Todd Cioffi, Princeton Seminary

Dr. Jacqueline Lapsley, Princeton Seminary

Dr. Brian K. Blount, Princeton Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary

The Rev. Dr. Laura Delaplain (UMC)

Dr. Catherine Keller, Theological School of Drew University

The Rev. Dr. Gary Wehrwein

Ftr. Lawrence H. Kaiser

Rev. Gloria H. Albrecht, Ph.D. (Presbyterian Church, USA)

Rev. Sally Osmer, Director at The Crisis Ministry of Princeton and Trenton

Dr. Cherith Fee Nordling, Director of Christian Formation, Calvin College

Rev. Richard Broderick

Rev. Ann Marie Coleman, Co-Senior Minister of University Church

Rev. Don Coleman, Co-Senior Minister of University Church

The Rev. Lisa Keppeler

The Rev. Geo. Anthony Hoeltzel

The Rev. Dr. Frank J. Alagna

The Rev. Dr. Peregrine L. Murphy

The Rev. Elizabeth G. Maxwell, Church of the Holy Apostles

The Rev. Ralph E Fogg

The Rev. Carol R. Fox

Rabbi Chaim Leib Schneider, Santa Cruz, CA

Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs, Temple Kol Tikvah, Woodland Hills, CA

Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann, Stanford University

Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels, Beth Shir Sholom, Santa Monica, CA

The Rev. Chloe Breyer, St. Mary's Manhattanville

Rev. Dr. Lois Malcolm, Luther Seminary

The Reverend Canon Brady J. Vardemann, Episcopal Diocese of Montana

Dr. Mark S. Burrows, Andover Newton Theological School

Rev. Dr. Betty Jane Bailey

Rev. Dr. J. Martin Bailey

Dr. Kathryn L. Johnson, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Rev. Joan LaLiberté, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Barbara J. Haddon, Pastor First Presbyterian Church

Rev. Donald F. Hanchon

Rev. Paul Feuerstein

The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, Starr King School for the Ministry

Dr. John Cobb, Claremont School of Theology (Emeritus)

Rev. Matthew Freeman, Assistant Minister, Asbury United Methodist Church

Rev. Jophn Soderberg

Rev. Dave Weissbard, Senior Minister, The Unitarian Universalist Church

Dr. Walter Lowe, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

Rev. Sarah Craig Freeman, Assistant Minister at Asbury United Methodist Church

Bonnie Jones Shinneman

The Rev. Prof. Harold R. Bronk, Jr., Grace Episcopal Church

The Rev. Chuck Kramer

Rev. Dawson Tunnell

Frank Kromkowski

Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director, Greater New York Labor-Religion

Coalition

Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg, Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann, Graduate Theological Urban Studies, Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education

Rev. Dr. Daniel L. Migliore, Princeton Theological Seminary

Suzie Armstrong, Vice President, The Interfaith Alliance

Rev. Dr. Amy Laura Hall, Professor, Duke University Divinity School

Dr. Creston Davis, Fellow of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia

Dr. Scott Bader-Saye, Dept. of Theology/Religious Studies, University of Scranton

Dr. Brigid Curtin Frein, Department of Theology, University of Scranton

Dr. Joel James Shuman, Department of Theology, King's College

Dr. R. David Kaylor, Davidson College (emeritus)

Dr. Deanna A. Thompson, Ph.D., Chair & Associate Professor of Religion, Hamline University

Re. Dr. Richard Fenn, Princeton Theological Seminary

The Rev. Joicy Becker-Richards, Director of Educational Media, Princeton Theological Seminary

I just noticed the new Montana Democrat Blog now has a pagerank of 5! Go Left in the West.