[Ninja Duck]

Calls for Blair to quit
By Paul Eastham
Saturday, June 12, 2004

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair was last night facing calls to quit after disastrous election results.

Labour finished a dismal third in local council elections after voters delivered a stinging rebuke over Mr Blair's backing for the war in Iraq.
It was the worst local election defeat suffered by any British government in history.

After losing hundreds of seats in a pincer movement by the Tories and Liberal Democrats, Mr Blair urged his party not to panic.

Admitting lessons had to be learned, he added: "I think it is a question of holding our nerve and realising, yes, Iraq has been an immensely difficult decision."

With almost all the results in last night, Labour had lost more than 460 council seats. The Tories had gained 260, while the Liberal Democrats were up 130.

If these results were repeated at a general election, Mr Blair would be out of office.

Dissident Labour MPs seized on the results to portray their leader as a liability.

Former Agriculture Minister Nick Brown blamed Mr Blair for the debacle and hinted it was time for him to go.

"I will be discussing what has happened with colleagues," he said.

"The issues . . . for voters were Iraq, asylum dispersal and senior figures in the Government."

No one at Westminster doubted the "senior figures" he was referring to included Mr Blair and the discussions would centre on replacing him with the Chancellor, Gordon Brown.

MP Clare Short joined the attack, saying: "I think that the electorate is sending a message to Tony Blair. What we did in Iraq has brought disgrace and dishonour on Britain.

"As Tony Blair won't change the policy, the only way to make a correction is for him to step aside."

Labour backbencher Christine McCafferty said Mr Blair must apologise for the war or quit.

One of the few crumbs of comfort for Mr Blair was the victory of Labour candidate Ken Livingstone, who was re-elected Mayor of London.

http://www.heraldsun...255E663,00.html

Now I'm wondering, why don't people call Bush and tell him to quit? Or does it happen and we just don't talk about it?

[Heccubus]

Because the general notion right now in North America is that Bush probably won't win the next election. At least it was last time I checked.

[J m HofMarN]

Ladies and gents it's official: The biggest fool is not the fool, it's the fool who follows him!

[Chefelf]

Because the general notion right now in North America is that Bush probably won't win the next election. At least it was last time I checked.

Really? I see no indication that GWB has any chance of losing.

[Heccubus]

Really? I see no indication that GWB has any chance of losing.

Let me put it this way, there were reasons for The Daily Show writers naming their Republican campaign segments "Race From The Whitehouse".

[J m HofMarN]

I have to say that I almost agree with Nate. I think if Dean or Gephardt were running and acting like democrats then we (I mean the entire country) would have a chance... of survival. However with Bush lite running against full bodied regular bush there's really no chance. A real competitor could take down Bush in policy, in advertising or in a debate, I mean the man has so many liabilitys. But look at what Kerry is doing. He's refused to comment on like everything Bush has done wrong. When the other senators were horking from looking at the pictures of torture at Abu Ghraib Kerry just said he had no comment.

I hate to say it but it has to be said. Kerry is Al Gore mixed with a penis. There's no other way to put it. He's wooden and cold but he's also a huge dick. He's like a piece of wood with a little bit of prick mixed in for character. Gore may not have had character but he had democratic ideas like health care, minority rights, not invading other countries at random and speaking against the PATRIOT act. Kerry was for the Iraq war and the patriot act and he's against gay rights and for bushs tax cuts. He may as well be bush for all I care.

And if he were capable of out-bushing the president he might even have a chance yet. But whereas Bush makes moronic vows about how he will crush the rebellion and turn Luke Skywalker to the dark side Kerry just kind of mumbles about the same thing Bush is talking about. And what's more, he's a prick. Look at him. I think I could spend some time with Bush and not do any violence to him, I mean he may be stupid but that just makes him comical so you basically have a horribly misguided but still a human being who you could probably become friends with. But look at Kerry, he just dosnt have that human quality to him, like when Mister Burns wanted to get a water cooler elected mayor or something. I think if I were to meet him I'd poke him with a stick. In fact there's something very compelling about that. I know other world leaders might agree with his ssomewhat toned down reign of terror but when he goes to visit the dalai llama you'd better believe he's getting poked with a stick.

Kerry is no idiot. He just wants to be like Bush so he'll get elected. And he dosnt care if he has to screw over his support base to do it. I think the simple fact of the matter is that Bush is a real (yet stupid and evil) person and Kerry is just a politician. Sure he may have done some stuff that was decent during the anti-war movement but I think even that was just a political move. I will vote for Nader. If Nader stops running I'm voting for Bush. If Bush stops running I'm going to throw myself off a building.

This post has been edited by J m HofMarN: 14 June 2004 - 03:42 AM

[Amber-Nicole]

Bush is a real (yet stupid and evil) person

I don't think Bush is necessarily evil. Isn't he doing what he thinks is best for the country? Well I do know there are all of those arguments, finishing what his father started, blood for oil, blah blah blah. I do think he's gone about alot of things the wrong way. But I wouldn't define him as evil.

[Rory]

But voting for Bush just seems so... wrong. Im all for voting for Nader, but dont you think it would be better not to vote at all than to vote for Bush?

[Chefelf]

But voting for Bush just seems so... wrong. Im all for voting for Nader, but dont you think it would be better not to vote at all than to vote for Bush?

You live in Rhode Island. It doesn't matter who you vote for. Your vote doesn't count.

[Ninja Duck]

I will vote for Nader. If Nader stops running I'm voting for Bush. If Bush stops running I'm going to throw myself off a building.

Nader's running independently, right? Without the backing of a party? So, what's the point? It seems to me like a vote for Nader is nothing more than an ego stroke for Nader.

Funny post, though.

[J m HofMarN]

Amber Nicole- Good point, he's clearly very devoted to what he thinks is right. Misguided would be a better term. I think if the world was like what Bush thinks it is his plans would work out for the best. His only handicap is reality.

Everyone else: Now I was hoping I'd generate some discussion with this. I think letting Bush win or voting for Nader is the best thing we can do for this country. What happens if we win in Iraq? I hate to say it but I'm rooting for the resistance. If we win in Iraq that's a green light to go anywhere else in the world and provoke further acts of terrorism on the US. If Nader stops running I'll vote for Bush because Bush is the guy who will lose the war. Hell, he might even instate the draft.

Kerry is smart enough that he might be able to win in Iraq somehow and that is bad. If there's a loss in Iraq and a muslim fundamentalist state emerges it might finally teach the US not to engage in preemptive combat or invade more-or-less innocent nations. We still havn't learned the lessons of Vietnam so now we need another one. And besides, if the democratic party suffers a major defeat in this election they're going to have to change and go back to being liberals again or, god forbid, allow a third party into the race.

A vote for an inept neoconservative is better than a vote for a smart neoconservative.

[Heccubus]

I thought that Nader had decided not to run several months ago.

[barend]

what a fucking mess...

I'm really sick of this whole thing... I'm sick of hearing about a problem that can't be resolved...

this will annoy everyone but, both sides are wrong with this whole "WAR" thing... and the only happy ending would be if both sides somehow lost...

but the way this has completely distorted pollitics really quite a mess...
If bush and side kicks, and blair are outed during this whole thing, it's going to make an even bigger mess of things.

I think something really bad is going to happen to western pollitics after this is "over"

[J m HofMarN]

Heccubus: Nader is running because he figures he can pick up conservatives pissed at Bush. Kerry is trying to tell him not to but I give Nader all my respect for defying the will of the democratic party.

Barend: I kind of agree, I support hte resistance in principal because they're fighting for their country (unlike what Bush would have us believe that they're all terrorists from some mysterious country that certainly isnt saudi arabia) but realistically a UN government might be better for the country. I think the best case scenario is stating that we understand that the rebels are not terrorists or former regime elements and bring them into the government before running away. That won't happen though...

[Chyld]

I'm so glad I don't have to worry about how similar our British political parties are...

*realises they are all identical*

Well bugger it then. I'll make my own...