oklog

Sunday, April 1, 2007

On 60 Minutes tonight...

Under The Influence
Steve Kroft reports on how the pharmaceutical industry lobby influenced Congress to pass the Medicare prescription drug law, a night on the Hill one representative calls the "ugliest" he’s ever seen. Ira Rosen is the producer.|

A Not So Perfect Match
When crime scene DNA is matched so closely to a suspect that the odds are overwhelming that the real perpetrator must be in the suspect’s family, should authorities be allowed to investigate family members? Lesley Stahl reports. Shari Finkelstein is the producer. |

The Age of Warming
Scott Pelley’s report on global warming brings him to the bottom of the world to see the glacier in Antarctica that is the world’s fastest warming place. Solly Granatstein and Catherine Herrick are the producers. |

These stories and more, this Sunday night, 7 p.m. ET/PT.

A Close Look At Bush's Main Niggers, 2000 - 2007



1. Tony Blair (U.K.)







Arguably, the president's #1 realest nigger of all
time, Tony Blair needs no introduction: Spotlighted Bush's foreign policy vision as the centerpiece of his own administration at the cost of further jeopardizing Britain's dubious relationship with the E.U. and nurturing widespread dissent at home. Withstood criticism for building up an image of a modern-day Margaret Thatcher to match Bush's own Reaganesque airs. Consistently defended decisions made by the Coalition of the Willing before the U.N., the Parliament and his own Labour Party.

Committed nearly 45,000 troops to the initial invasion of Iraq. Currently over 7,000 British soldiers are supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.



2. Ariel Sharon (Israel)

Referred to as "the human bulldozer" by supporters and opponents alike, Ariel Sharon and Bush discovered each other at a time of mutual need. And though their friendship might have been spoiled by Sharon's untimely coma, many are convinced that the strong bond between the two nations will soon manifest itself in a cooperative military effort against the mullahs of Iran. Sharon supported the liberation of Iraq throughout its course.















3. Junichiro Koizumi (Japan)


When Koizumi wants to visit Grac
eland, he takes Bush as his tour guide. The fiscal reformer broke through to Bush during their first meeting when he abandoned traditional Japanese diplomatic doublespeak for candid recognition of both powers' joint interest in a democratic Middle East. A charismatic and popular leader in his own right, Koizumi stood by Bush's side despite outcries of protest from Japan's main trading partners in Mainland Asia. Some of those outcries may be attributed to his insistence on visiting the graves of convicted WWII war-criminals buried at the Yasukuni Shrine.

Deployed 600 troops, which were eventually called back.


4. John Howard (Australia)

There is no denying that this cowboy from The Down Under shares a genuine affinity for George W. Bush's policies. Howard went on record to say, "None of our global challenges can be secured without American power and American purpose." More importantly, Howard remained an outspoken friend of the President even during turbulent times. In fact, Howard's fondness for George has stretched into domestic U.S. politics. In February of 2007, the rugged Australian lashed out against Democratic party presidential hopeful Barak Obama, who made the public claim that the U.S. "has no business being in Iraq."

Committed 1,300 troops to Iraq.



5. Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Denmark)

This lesser known advocate of U.S. hegemony hails from Scandinavia. Rasmussen established himself as Prime Minister of Denmark after successfully salvaging the country's failing welfare state through massive deregulation and structured tax cuts.

One of few Europeans (outside of Blair) to be repeatedly invited to Bush's private retreat at the Crawford ranch.

Contributed 550 troops to stabilize Iraq, of which 4
70 remain.









LESSER KNOWN FIGURES

* Angela Merkel (Germany)



* José María Aznar (Spain)




* Václav Klaus (Czech Republic)



Hospodárské noviny: How do you explain that conservative media are skeptical while the left-wing media view the global warming as a done deal?

Klaus: It is not quite exactly divided to the left-wingers and right-wingers. Nevertheless it's obvious that environmentalism is a new incarnation of modern leftism.

Hospodárské noviny: If you look at all these things, even if you were right ...

Klaus : ...I am right...

Hospodárské noviny: Isn't there enough empirical evidence and facts we can see with our eyes that imply that Man is demolishing the planet and himself?

Klaus : It's such a nonsense that I have probably not heard a bigger nonsense yet.

Hospodárské noviny: Don't you believe that we're ruining our planet?

Klaus : I will pretend that I haven't heard you.


* Stephen Harper (Canada)



* Ehud Olmert (Israel)



* Silvio Berlusconi (Italy)