Today’s “WTF?” moment
My buddy, Bev Perlson, sent this video this morning. Fox News’ Judge Napolitano interviews Adam Kokesh as if Kokesh is just another guy off the street running for office without mentioning that Kokesh was/is a member of IVAW;
If Napolitano had done his research, he’d know that his endorsement of Kokesh’s candidacy is fairly misplaced. Kokesh was busted by the Marine Corps for smuggling an Iraqi pistol back to the States – does that sound like someone we need in Congress? He misrepresented his character of service and continued to call himself something he’s not – and oh, he bullied bloggers.
He has admitted to drug abuse on his blog (which has since been altered since he started his congressional campaign but not before TAH captured it). Remember Kokesh when he teamed up with Jon DeWald to disparage veterans? Remember when Kokesh tried to start some violence on GWU’s campus by tacking up handbills around campus that were obviously racist, but were blamed on a conservative student group?
Remember when Kokesh was arrested for posting anti-war handbills in Lafayette Park after the police told him to stop? Remember what Kokesh told the officer when the character of Kokesh’s discharge was being determined? And, oh, at that same link is Kokesh’s recounting of an incident in Germany when he tried to organize active duty soldiers against the war on base.
You can see Kokesh’s DD214 here because TAH will always be there when Kokesh shows up in public.
Is that who Napolitano is endorsing? A chameleon who changes his politics with the direction of the political wind? While the anti-war movement was deteriorating, Kokesh changed horses in midstream to become Paulian and now he’s a Republican candidate in New Mexico. Last March, Kokesh was marching with communists, anarchists and socialists in the ANSWER march on the Pentagon. Today he’s instructing us on his commitment to the Constitution on FOX NEWS as a REPUBLICAN candidate. In just ten months.
I don’t know how Napolitano can call Kokesh a “Constitutional candidate” when IVAW encourages servicemembers to violate their oath to the Constitution.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Usual Suspects
Thanks for posting this! His reputation precedes himself! You can run Adam, but you can’t hide! He did fail to mention his associations with the SDS, World Can’t Wait, Answer, and encouraging abuse of recruiters and recruiting stations, didn’t he?! Adam Kokesh is an ex-Marine in the same category as John Murtha!
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
I’ve passed this on to everybody I’m still in touch with in northern New Mexico. Farmington is still very conservative, and they will NOT be pleased with this asshat.
His tale is a bit like Kerrys, it seems.
But running as a REPUBLICAN?
The thing is, as soon as his opponent finds out he is still a member of IVAW, he’s pretty much done. If I were running against him, I’d be using Carl Webb’s and Matthis Chiroux’s statements against him. Who is he running against anyways?
I like the Judge, normally. But, he fucked up this time…and I feel sorry for the ignorant NM voters.
Tom Mullins is the only other declared candidate so far, and he’s crushing Kokesh. Unfortunately, the Tea Party hasn’t yet figured out the deal with Kokesh, as they’re still letting him show up at their events:
http://newmexicoindependent.com/44598/kokesh-accuses-speaker-lujan-of-corruption-while-father-faces-sec-charges
And further on in the story, it looks like Daddy Kokesh has some problems of his own.
But in any event, it’s all whistling past the graveyard. 3rd CD is solidly Democrat.
http://www.mullinsforcongress.com/
Good morning, boys and girls.
What is it about the interview of Kokesh that leads you to the conclusion that he is changing horses in midstream? Do you not understand that there are, and always have been, Republicans who are libertarians and libertarians who are Republicans, and that there have been Republicans and libertarians involved in the antiwar movement from the start? I have always known this and while I don’t know Adam Kokesh, nobody else I know of who is either Libertarian and/or Republican ever changed to the left all the while speaking out against the war right along with the left.
Or did you all think that every single person in this country who is a member of the Republican Party or registered as a Republican, agreed with the war on Iraq?
I am not defending any of Kokesh’s questionable actvities with regard to smuggling weapons or drug use, but, come on, folks, wake up to reality.
There is nothing remotely new or unusual about a libertarian moving in between the Libertarian Party and the Republican Party; that kind of thing has been going on since the very inception of the Libertarian Party. And Kokesh did not change horses; he is simply riding the same horse he always has.
Seriously, I like you all here, but the only surprising thing revealed in this post is how blind you all apparently are to the reality of the American political landscape.
Thank you for your interest in this matter and have a good day.
Debra, if you’ll read what I actually wrote, you’ll notice I said he changed horses in midstream when he jumped from IVAW/VFP/ANSWER/MFSO, etc… to Ron Paul. That’s a leap, isn’t it? From Communists, Anarchists, Socialists to the Far Right.
Hey, Deb, maybe Kokesh is running as a R/Libertarian because either the dem has a lock on the seat, and he wasn’t welcome, or maybe the dem party in NM has more on the ball than the republican party does? Just askin?
And, I think you missed the whole point, Kokesh is neither a libertarian or a republican. He has, however, managed to fool a number of people as to what he is, Ron Paul among them. But, anyone who hangs out with ANSWER doesn’t belong in either the Libertarian, or Republican parties.
Well, UpNorth, I think you missed the point of what I was saying. I have marched the streets with ANSWER
(continuing from accidentally posted response):
…many times all the while registered as a Republican holding libertarian views.
I have no reason to believe that Kokesh is not sincere about his political beliefs.
I just don’t see it as leap at all. Many libertarians have anarcho-capitalist or individualist anarchist philosophical views, and many of them (not all) have been against the Iraq war. If you’re against the Iraq war and want to protest, who are you going to protest with?
Again, hello. AS a registered Republican who is actually a libertarian, I not only joined VFP and began demonstrating with leftists, I also am the founder of the Atlanta VFP chapter (though I’ve since moved away).
All of this I did, beginning and ending as a libertarian. None of my political views ever changed, even remotely (except that I now have the street smarts and insider knowledge that can only be gained from having actually been there and done it).
Kokesh and his IVAW cohorts amount to nothing but a huge pile of dogshit.
Debra Clark….you admit to standing with ANSWER? Nuff said.
Thank you Beverly for bringing this to light…the Judge, who i agree with most of the time, dropped the ball on this one.
Mike Blankenship, no it’s not “enough said.” I’ve marched in the same protest marches with ANSWER as a separate individual and have never stood with them in their political goals and agenda. I would like to strongly request that you not malign my character and values.
I would also like to strongly request that you open your eyes and love your own country enough to realize and understand there is a difference between an American who loves her country, loves freedom, but doesn’t believe in the Iraq war, as opposed to those who those who hate America and would support a revolution that would destroy freedom all the while using the war as their front to peddle their socialist/communist political agenda.
Are you so ignorant of what the problems are in this country that you believe that opposition to the war is the identifying feature of the forces opposed to freedom? If so, then enough said.
If not, then please apologize for insulting my character on a public blog.
Thank you.
Ron Paul’s anti military, anti Israel, anti corporation/globalization pretty much lands him in the communist camp in my book anyway. So Kokesh’s jump from communist to Paulian is not that big of a shift as far as Im concerned.
#15 should read corporation/globalization stance,
Debra Clark
Mike Blankenship has nothing to apologize for … you are the one who ‘maligned your character’ by marching with ANSWER. ‘Nuff said.
Marine 83
Roger that!!!
Marine 83, based on your comment, then I would say that you don’t understand what communism is and why it is a threat to freedom, which also means you don’t possess the tools to counter it.
Deb, wasn’t talking to you, but I see I touched a nerve by insulting St. Polly.
Marine 83…Well, yes, you did touch a nerve – not so much because you insulted Ron Paul, who can defend himself, but because it came on the heels of Mike Blankenship’s insult about my character.
Debra….March, Stand, About Face, Backflip,or Leapfrog with ANSWER….it’s one in the same. You can’t walk shoulder to shoulder with a group such as ANSWER and in the same breath say you don’t subscribe to their ideology. That’s no different than marching with the KKK and saying you’re not a racist. You aaaare who you associate with.
You are a registered Republican, but a libertarian?
You marched with leftists against the war in Iraq, but yet you come here and say you really like everyone here? Just who do you think is here? It’s not the IVAW, that’s for damn sure.
You’re having a really hard time figuring out just who you are and where you fit in….
Debra Clark DOES have a point.
People and organizations gleefully use terms loosely when convenient, that’s simply a fact.
I’ll note that our founding fathers were libertarians (note the lower case).
But, also that she’s quite right when she points out that the current crop of Libertarians is a conglomeration of ideologies.
If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck… er, uh, I guess it’s a Libertarian. Suits me!
As far as Ms. Clark marching with ANSWER, but not actually marching with ANSWER that’s one of those magical experiences that defy rational explanation, I guess.
Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
Okay, Mikey…that’s wonderful…You just called Jesus Christ a prostitute.
Also, FYI, the IVAW IS HERE. Now I’m wondering if you ever actually read anything here and have any idea of what’s going on, or am I just special to have somehow warranted your personal attention.
I don’t know why on earth it comes as any revelation to you that there are libertarians who are registered Republicans. What do you think Ron Paul is? I was registered as a Republican in my previous state because I couldn’t bring myself to register as a Democrat and I wasn’t all that interested in being registered as an Independent either. Currently I’m registered as a Libertarian in my current state; at least that’s what I filled out and what it says on my voter registration card.
In a continuing effort to broaden your horizons here on This Ain’t Hell, here is an article written by Lew Rockwell about his speech that he gave at an antiwar rally several years ago: http://mises.org/story/1923
Sadly, I doubt that Lew Rockwell’s article will be of any effect in trying to educate you folks here, and I have a lot more that I’d like to say about your collectivist ideas in the way you categorize people, Mikey, but I am very busy right now…I am working on a winging banner for my son-in-law’s winging ceremony, plus my grandson wants me to come over. So I will leave you to your own perplexity as I have more important people to…uh…associate with right now…
Thank you for your support, Ponsdorf. Very touching. And it was very astute of you to notice that lying down with dogs does not turn you into a dog. Mikey, I hope you’re taking notes.
As columnist Calvin Trillin explained in a 1991 article, “The itch of a chigger bite is equal to approximately seven milomoses…” which you can read more about here: http://tinyurl.com/ykqjmds
Now if you’ll excuse me please…
We’re in your TAH, crushing your isolationist dreams?
I have to say that from what I’ve seen, anarchists and socialists usually hate each other. Which is the one thing I can say speaks well for anarchists..I will also say that not everyone who’s in a march with ANSWER is “in a march with ANSWER”. I once was in the same march as an ANSWER contingent before I had a clue who they were. Other vets said, “hey, we’re marching against the war” so I did. Doesn’t always mean what you think it does.
But in all reality, Kokesh has always been a Paulian.
Kokesh won’t be the last of the anti-war veterans to try and pull a John F’N Kerry. Jonn, glad you are keeping them accountable for their past actions; so Americans will know the truth before voting for these shitbirds.
AS said: I will also say that not everyone who’s in a march with ANSWER is “in a march with ANSWER”.
That’s a bit disingenuous I think.
While I suppose it would be possible to stumble across a group of people, somewhere, and be misled as to their purpose – I’d think the signs and tee shirts would be a clue? I’ve been to several ANSWER events and never had the slightest doubt about who they were and what they were doing. That’s only anecdotal evidence since I haven’t been to EVERY ANSWER event, but you might see why I’m skeptical.
That kinda loops back to your observation that anarchists and socialists usually hate each other.
It’s been said that politics makes for strange bedfellows. ANSWER might even be a good case on point, but there are also historical references aplenty.
kinda sounds like some of the Germans tried after WWII…I didn’t know…
Yeah…sure…
Army Sergeant, I like your argument that “not everyone who’s in a march with ANSWER is “in a march with ANSWER.” I would also say that not everyone who is seving in the US Army is “in the US Army”.
Well, this on ANSWER’s March 20 March on Washington:
“In addition to the ANSWER Coalition, the March 20th Planning Committee meeting was attended by representatives of the Alliance For Global Justice, Anti-War College, Dignity (co-founded and represented by Cynthia McKinney), Goucher Alumni for People’s Solidarity, Iraq Veterans Against the War, March Forward!, Muslim Alliance in North America, Muslim American Society Freedom, National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, National Council of Arab Americans, National Lawyers Guild, Peace of the Action and World Can’t Wait”.
So, AS, if you did it once, like Ponsdorf said, and you were misled, that’s understandable. Ever marched with ANSWER again? Gonna march with them on March 20th? IVAW endorses this gathering of millions(sarc/off), so I assume at least 60 or 70 of them will be there.
And, actually, I think that anyone who’s in a march with ANSWER is actually in a march with ANSWER. But, that’s just me. YMMV.
Bottom line–New Mexico isn’t Mars. Kokesh may get a few votes, but most of the people there see through his bullshit, and the more he speaks, the more see through it.
Sounds like we should be supporting this guy who is running against Kokesh for the nomination.
http://www.mullinsforcongress.com/about.html
I don’t understand why you guys can’t find something useful to do to acually straighten this country out instead of continuing to spout off about things of which you have no firsthand knowledge and experience. For example, why are none of you showing any concern for things that have been posted on Blackfive.net, the Warrior Legacy Foundation, and on Jim Hanson’s blog about INTERPOL and what may potentially be looming on the horizon with the ICC, i.e., the legitimate concern that Obama might sign the US onto the ICC. Do you not understand what that could mean? If you do, why aren’t you discussing that instead? I’d like to discuss it as I’m very concerned about the future of our national sovereignty and security, but I don’t have anyone here to discuss it with because you all want to sit there and waste your words and energy on things you have no actual knowledge about and passing judgement on me instead of seeking solutions to the very serious problems that have been identified by those who do. (See my blog at http://seasonedgoddess.blogspot.com/ If you guys aren’t on top of this and don’t care, then who are you – people with NO firsthand, inside knowledge or experience – to sit there in judgement of my intentions and character based on my prior activities as an antiwar activist? Or for that matter, Adam Kokesh’s. As it happens, I actually happen to have a clue or two about they way things really are because I’ve actually been there, unlike yourselves. It didn’t bother me in the least to march side by side with people whose political views I abhor. I’m not a government agent (anymore), but I spent two of my eight years of active duty service working in a semi-covert status, so I pretty well got that way of life ingrained into me, whether I wanted to or not. It seemed pretty normal to me, actually. Yes, I’ve been against the war; no, I’m not a communist or socialist. In fact, I’m very concerned. Why aren’t you? (Jonn, this post is not… Read more »
Debra Clark said, in part:I don’t understand why you guys can’t find something useful to do to acually straighten this country out instead of continuing to spout off about things of which you have no firsthand knowledge and experience.
I don’t know you, and I might visit your blog, but just now your righteous indignation is trying. You presume to ‘know’ what this lot has first hand knowledge of and experience with?
You might want to consider examining your blogging TTP (at least) to see if a less pompous approach might be of benefit.
Speaking only for myself; I think Ron Paul is a loon, but even a stopped clock (analog) is right twice a day. I have met Matt, UJ and others from the WLF. I’m even a member.
Lastly, you tend to confuse your opinion with fact… about a number of things. That does make discussion difficult. A full-tilt evangelical preacher isn’t the best teacher of comparative religion.
That’s funny, because I feel that’s exactly the approach all of you take toward me, regardless of how reasonable and polite I try to be. I feel that many of those here are constantly in attack mode when I’m trying to communicate and after a while, I just get frustrated and pissed off and that’s what comes out.
I don’t think the national org has endorsed them, given we’re pulling a separate action at the same time.
But hey. I could be mistaken, especially given the current makeup of the board.
No, I’m not going to be there, I hate ANSWER and the PS+L that they associate with. I marched once at the front of their march, in Sep 2007, where any signs were IVAW and I was surrounded only by vets. I’m not going to do it again.
And when you join the US Army, you know what you’re joining and you even swear an oath to it. When you happen to be walking together with ANSWER, that’s not the case.
Debbie: I agree with you on the ICC and other avenues that would put our soldiers in real legal danger at the whims of world body morons that can think of nothing better than to put many of our troops on trial for alleged “war crimes”. I think it’s a travesty that our own C-I-C is more than willing to put our troops in that position.
However, I’m not a Kokesh fan, not because of his stances right now, but because of the absolute stupid crap that has flowed out of his piehole in the recent past. I don’t consider him good for congress, not do I consider him good for the country. But that’s just my opinion and only mine.
Adam is also squirming his way into the 912 group, a group started by Glenn Beck. I became aware of this after a couple of people sent me emails and I saw some ‘Tweets’ asking people to check him out that were also linked back to the 912 Movement.
Each time I saw one of them I tried to send people over here to read up on Mr Kokesh and also tried to squash their enthusiam.
It seems some people are merely grabbing on to any fresh face that appears on the political schene, and the Ron Paul supporters seem to be the most hard headed.
Anyway folks, be aware he does have his advocates out there. A lot of folks view Mr Kokesh as some sort of Ron Paul lite, and just because he is a veteran running on the Republican you still owe it to yourself to check them out.
I got into a little pissing match with one in GA last election cycle named Doug Heckman. He was running on the Democrat ticket, but he was definetly anti war to the point of being anti military. I did the background and let him know. He really went into the gutter at which time I just hit the ignore button, but kept an eye on him. If I thought he was going to get elected I would have been glad to scream from the rooftops and make people aware of his progressive views.
Jonn,
You should forward your post to Napolitano. He needs to do his homework before he treats an assclown like Kokesh with kid gloves.
AS, glad to hear you say that. I kinda thought you’d back away from ANSWER, and the rest of that crowd. Anything that Cynthia McKinney is involved with just has to be a sterling thing. Sarc/off
Deb, this post was about Kokesh and Napolitano, fwiw, I agree with you on the ICC and comrade 0. As to Interpol, that’s ambiguous at best. If Interpol is just an information clearing house, as the DoJ said, then why the secrecy over the executive order? But, that should be the subject of another post, it has nothing to do with Kokesh and Napolitano.
Debra Clark, I read TAH almost every day but I don’t go to the comments all the time, so I’m not really familiar with you. But when you charge in here telling people how blind they are, how you’re trying to educate them, I don’t necessarily find that “reasonable and polite”. And marching with ANSWER? I don’t care how you try to spin it, as Mike Blankenship said, “Nuff said”.
Debra Clark, I read TAH almost every day but I don’t go to the comments all the time, so I’m not really familiar with you. But when you charge in here telling people how blind they are, how you’re trying to educate them, I don’t necessarily find that “reasonable and polite”. And marching with ANSWER? I don’t care how you try to spin it, as Mike Blankenship said, “Nuff said”.
Sorry about the double post, computer operator glitch. Maybe I need an ‘education’?
Debra:
I believe most of those that post comments here, have been there, done that and got the t-shirt or have family that have. Kokesh is an ex-marine that the Republican party can do without as well as Ron Paul.
Well Debra…..Yat Yas took the words right out of my mouth….you don’t know anyone here and what they’ve done and are doing right now, plus nobody owes you an explanation…stop pushing so hard and you might start getting along….
Funny story… several years back the Navy was launching a new destroyer at Bath Iron Works. Everytime they do this, the local anti-war/military/Israel/whatever nut jobs show up. This time, they were being coordinated by ANSWER.
I and a couple friends decided to have some fun. The ANSWER folks showed up first, plain as day with them each wearing a red beret. Go figure, eh? One guy asked them if they were all ex-airborne guys, and the head female looked like she bit down on a turd.
Anyway, I introduced myself and asked if they were here to help “Stop Bush’s Jew-backed oil war?” Their eyes lit up and they said yes! The other two guys and I then got all excited and said “Great!” and allowed as we were there to help them. we said that “Our KKK Chapter had decided to show up and be in solidarity with them, since it was Jews funding the war”.. etc, etc, etc.
You should have seen the color drain from their faces. We said that several truckloads of our boys were due any minute, and those ANSWER folks picked up their signs, puppets and moved their entire operation about 100 yards up the street so as not to be seen with us.
My God, but it was funny as all get out. Since they had abandoned their designated spot from which to protest, the cops let us have their place and told them to keep walking. I’ve never been so pleased in all my life. WE held up “GO NAVY” signs, and flew the US Flag and the Navy Jack, and thoroughly enjoyed the day.
It’s funny how ANSWER, and the other idiot leftists complain about Jews and Israel, but refuse to associate with the KKK or Aryan Nation, etc. You’d think they would, since they all have more in common than differences.
Ah well… if you want more good ideas, visit Protest Warrior sometime. Learn to use the idiot leftist’s own tactics against them.
Respects,
AW1 Tim,
I really like that Navy Jack. I believe that is just about the coolest military flag I have ever seen.
V/R
Debra
AW1 Tim, that is one of the funniest stories I’ve read and a hell of a great trick.
How can anyone protest the launching of an American Warship. It “coughs” hurts to say that other than an amtrac in the water, the most beautiful vessels to watch underway are those of the Navy and Coast Guard. We have a used Carver at a marina on Harbor Island and on the weekends enjoy watching the Navy and Coast Guard operate in San Diego Harbor. Then again my father was retired Navy and my oldest brother was an airdale on the USS Connstellation.
Like I said, Protest Warrior has some good stuff. Though the site hasn’t been updated for a couple years. many of the signs and posters are still accessible.
http://www.protestwarrior.com/
Respects,
Well, AW1, it doesn’t personally appeal to me, but thank you anyway. I still like the Navy Jack though.
I’m curious what year and where you went through AW school.
V/R
if being in a march that answer is in means you are the same as them do all the teapartiers support larouche and think obama is hitler?
or do they just share the common goals of the march? hopefully nuff said.