Just POlitics

The Bush tapes

"I didn't do it for money. I could sell the tapes even now for tremendous amounts of money,"[author Doug] Wead said in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America," adding, "I didn't do it to sell books." Wead said his publisher wanted him to release his book during the 2004 presidential campaign so it could benefit from sales to Bush supporters, but he refused. "My publicist told me at the time, 'That cost you a million dollars,'" Wead said. –ABC News.

Wead is the author of “Raising a President” and says that he is not trying to hurt President Bush. He taped the President in interviews because he says that he saw President Bush as a pivotal person in history.

"He's a figure of history, like a Churchill," said Wead. "I see him as a pivotal figure. I love him."

Wead feels that he is involved in circumstances that have spun out of control. He argues that his newly published book is about the parents of presidents, not just Bush. He said that he never intended the tapes to become public, but that his publisher, Simon & Schuster, asked to hear them for libel reasons. He said after he played them for his editors, he was contacted by the Times and agreed to play portions for a reporter. Portions of the tapes have since been published by the NY Times.

One of the revealing aspects of the tapes references high-profile Texas preacher by the name of James Robison and the issue of gays.

The tapes reveal future President Bush saying "Look, James, I got to tell you two things right off the bat. One, I'm not going to kick gays, because I'm a sinner. How can I differentiate sin? "

Wead also appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America and revealed some aspects about President Bush and drug usage.

"Do you want your little kid, to say, 'Hey daddy, President Bush tried marijuana; I think I will?'" said Bush on the tapes. "That's the message we've been sending out. I wouldn't answer the marijuana question."

Concerning cocaine usage the future President said, "The cocaine thing, let me tell you my strategy on that," Bush said on the tape. "Rather than saying no … I think it's time for someone to draw the line and look people in the eye and say, you know, 'I'm not going to participate in ugly rumors about me and blame my opponent,' and hold the line. Stand up for a system that will not allow this kind of crap to go on."

Man overboard

"Now, in the middle of a series of problems and with ongoing media pressure, you apparently view this differently,"Ruud Lubbers said in his letter of resignation to Kofi Annan.

"Despite all my loyalty, insult has now been added to injury and therefore I resign as High Commissioner."

U.N. refugee chief Ruud Lubbers resigned in the face of sexual harassment charges. The complaints, by a 51-year-old female employee of the refugee agency, were investigated by the United Nations over the summer. Annan decided at the time that there was insufficient proof for action against the former Dutch prime minister. Now, as Annan is in trouble, it seems that he has decided to offer up his loyal underling Lubbers.

Israel nervous about Iran Nukes

The Washington Times reports that Israel has been pressuring America to come up with a solution concerning Iran’s continued progress in reaching the nuclear bomb with the help of Russia:

Israel has been privately pressing Washington to solve the Iran nuclear problem in a hint that Tel Aviv may be left with no choice but to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, defense officials say.

Military analysts say the United States "would have no problem" taking out Iran's major nuclear facilities should it decide to launch a pre-emptive strike.

Social Security Wars

The Democrats have started a website, http://gopcaughtontape.com/, that features: Rep. Rob Simmons, R-CT; Rep. Chris Chocola, R-IN; and Rep. John Kline, R-MN; all caught on tape saying that they would preserve Social Security from changes.

However, Democrats are not immune to the failure and convictions of beliefs. They may be even more so due to former President Bill Clinton’s attempt to fix the "Social Security crisis."

The Washington Times reports on one such instance:

The Republican National Committee recently said that in 1999, when Mr. Clinton was pushing for reform, Sen. Byron L. Dorgan, North Dakota Democrat, told Roll Call that "fixing Social Security is an urgent priority. It ought to be at the top of both parties' agendas."

But Mr. Dorgan was quoted in the New York Times last month as criticizing Mr. Bush for trying to "convince people there's a crisis in Social Security, when in fact there is no crisis at all."

Sweetness and light

President Bush has been receiving nothing but sweetness and light from French president Jacques Chirac.

"I'm looking for a good cowboy," Bush said Monday when a French reporter asked him whether relations had improved to the point where the U.S. president would be inviting Chirac to his ranch in Texas.

Chirac had equally kind words to say about Bush, stating he and President Bush "always had very warm relations."

Talon News reporter death threat

Talon News reports:

A radical Islamic web site containing a death threat against a New Mexico-based Talon News writer remains online at its Chicago-based Internet service provider -- at least for now.