Jack Kingston

The Media Research Center has released its hilarious report,

THE BEST NOTABLE QUOTABLES OF 2005, The Eighteenth Annual Awards for the Year’s Worst Reporting

You can download the report as a pdf file HERE.

One of our favorites:

Captain Dan the Forgery Man Award

Dan Rather: “My principal problem was that I stuck by the [Memogate] story, I stuck by our people for too long. I�m guilty of that. I believed in the story, and the facts of the story were correct. One supporting pillar of the story, albeit an important one, one supporting pillar was brought into question. To this day no one has proven whether it was what it purported to be or not….You know, I didn�t give up on my people, our people. I didn�t and I won�t.” [Applause] Marvin Kalb: “Dan, thank you. You said, I believe you just said, that you think the story is accurate.” Rather: “The story is accurate.” � From The Kalb Report, an interview series produced by the George Washington University and Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard University, and shown live on C-SPAN September 26. [80]

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Runners-up:

FYI, the Congressman posted an entry on his RedState.org regarding the Dept. of Defense Appropriations bill which you can read and comment on HERE.

Congressman Kingston delivered an emotional speech on the floor of the House yesterday during debate of the Victory In Iraq Resolution (H.Res 612) which passed by a wide bipartisan margin last night.

You can download a copy of the original letter in a .pdf format by clicking HERE.

Late last night, a commanding officer who is currently in Baghdad sent me the following email regarding the successful elections in Iraq. Here is the email in its unedited form:

Jack, the polls are closed and it was a very peaceful day, relatively speaking.

We have been careful to help the Iraqi Security Forces get set for a successful day, and to stay away from the polling places so as not to be accused of tampering. We believe record numbers voted in Baghdad, above the referendum numbers.

We only had 12 attempted attacks by insurgents, and only one US WIA-very slight. Only one polling place was actually attacked and that was a rocket from about 18 miles away. It wounded 4 Iraqis and the polling place closed for less than 15 minutes. The voters stayed in place and continued to vote.

Only one Iraqi soldier died in Baghdad today, and he died from an accident.

Sunnis were out in large numbers thanking us and showing off their purple fingers. We congratulated the Iraqi police and Army forces for their success and for guaranteeing the citizens’ right to vote. They are very proud. Our mission is still on the way to success.

There will still be bloody days, but another major milestone to our victory has been reached.

The results won’t be known for a while, possibly many days. We are now shifted to protecting the ballots themselves with Iraqi forces backed up by us. Gotta keep the election legit. We will then continue to look for the cell leaders, the foreign fighters and terrorists, and to train the Iraqi forces to take over the nation’s security.

Our men and women have a lot to be proud of.

We now want to keep the political parties from killing each other to prevent the shifts of power to other parties. We expect al Qaeda insurgents to start a new round of violence against us. We will be ready.

Very successful day, and we continue the mission. Thanks for your continued support.

Yesterday’s successful election begins the end of the military phase of our involvement with Iraq and begins the political stage, permanently. I am very proud of what is going on in Iraq and the elections are another great accomplishment for the people of Iraq, the United States, and all of the Coalition Forces.

-Jack

UPDATE: I have posted this note on my diary over at RedState.org where you can post comments on this topic.

This afternoon I joined about 20 of my Republican colleagues to help show our support for the Iraqi people and our troops abroad.

I represent the first district of Georgia which has five military bases including the Army’s 3^rd Infantry Division. I have over 20,000 constituents in Iraq right now. And the 3^rd ID was the original group that went up the Euphrates River in 2003. Indeed they have led our troops in many amazing military victories, but tomorrow is probably the most significant victory and chapter in the liberation of Iraq because tomorrow will be a huge political victory for the people of Iraq.

Tomorrow the people of Iraq will democratically elect the four-year, permanent government of Iraq. And when I was in Iraq just two weeks ago with a bipartisan delegation consisting of three Democrats and three Republicans, we were told that 228 different political parties were offering candidates for the 275-seats of parliament, but today the number of political parties is well over 300! The bottom line is that candidates are participating in the process and that’s good news.

Tomorrow’s elections will begin the end of the military phase of our involvement with Iraq and will begin the political stage, permanently. We are very proud of what’s going on in Iraq and this will be a great accomplishment for the people of Iraq, the United States, and all of the Coalition Forces.

Hat-tip to the guys over at NewsBusters.org for THIS post:

Congressman notes bias of NYT, Cites MRC Study on Iraq War

Posted by Michael Chapman on December 13, 2005 - 14:13.

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) noted the bias of the New York Times on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal.” The show’s host quoted from a pessemistic NYT story about the military situation in Mosul, Iraq. Kingston, who recently returned from an extensive trip to Mosul and first-hand talks with GI’s and officers questioned the story thus: “Now, would that be on the New York Times editorial page or their regular page?” The host said the regular page. Kingston replied with a smile: “And there is a difference? I would only have to say that when you cite the New York Times, it is not exactly objective.”

Rep. Kingston also blasted the major networks as “overwhelmingly pessimistic” and increasingly negative.” He further cited the MRC study, TV’s Bad News Brigade, to buttress his arguments.

Great news this morning for Georgia’s first district where we have nearly 100,000 heads of cattle: Japan has opened its borders to allow U.S. beef.

Congressman Kingston has long supported the expansion of the beef market in Japan and has worked closely with the Georgia Cattleman’s Association. He has signed letters in the past to the administration to do just that.

US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns just released the following statement:

“I’m very pleased to announce that the Japanese market is now open to U.S. beef products. Resuming beef trade with Japan is great news for American producers and Japanese consumers, as well as an important step toward normalized trade based on scientifically sound, internationally recognized standards.

“Japan’s action today sets an excellent example for other countries in Asia whose markets remain closed. Now is the time for Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and others to open their markets to U.S. beef. I urge all countries to take a science-based approach and adopt OIE standards for allowing beef trade from 30-month animals. Building bridges of understanding and collaboration between nations is an important part of ensuring food safety. American producers are proud of our safe, high-quality beef products and we greatly value the opportunity to promote the safety of our products to consumers in Japan and around the world. As I have said many times throughout this process, our goal is the resumption of normal beef trade throughout the world and we will continue to aggressively work toward that objective.”

Under the agreement announced today, the United States is able to export beef from cattle 20 months of age and younger to Japan. More than 94 percent of total U.S. ruminant and ruminant products, with a total export value of $1.7 billion in 2003, are now eligible for export to Japan. In 2003, the United States exported $1.4 billion worth of beef and beef products to Japan. Prior to the December 2003 discovery of the first BSE-infected cow in the United States, the U.S. exported beef and beef products to 119 countries. With the opening of Japan, 70 countries have now established trade to at least selected U.S. beef and beef products.

According to the University of Georgia’s 2004 beef head count, here are Georgia’s first district counties which will benefit from expanding the market:

Colquitt 13,150
Irwin 11,000
Coffee 10,000
Berrien 9,896
Jeff_Davis 6,000
Cook 5,900
Appling 4,700
Wayne 4,600
Atkinson 4,400
Wilcox 4,400
Lanier 3,800
Brantley 3,200
Lowndes 3,000
Pierce 2,800
Ben_Hill 2,600
Charlton 1,600
Long 1,600
Bryan 1,100
Pulaski 1,000
Liberty 950
Clinch 900
Echols 900
Ware 650
Glynn 580
Chatham 300
Camden 250
Mcintosh 150
Total 99,426

The editorial board at the Macon Telegraph penned an editorial today strongly endorsing Rep. Kingston’s fuel independence legislation.

In a world with finite supplies already stretched to shortage, the increasing demand of the giant populations of China and India for fuel make it almost certain that prices will rise. And while Kingston says our need for foreign oil supplies would not disappear if his program is adopted, it would not be as acute - giving the U.S. more control and more political leverage with suppliers. It would be good to say to the Saudis, “You want our business? Let’s talk human rights.”

Kingston’s legislation would use tax credits and other devices to promote the manufacture and sales of electric hybrid vehicles and those using alternative fuels, and push the use of ethanol, biodiesel and other petroleum alternatives to replace up to 30 percent of the nation’s fuel demand. The legislation would accelerate the development of technology to exploit renewable fuel resources. Kingston is seeking support from auto manufacturers for the legislation.

Other plans to reduce demand, such as getting people out of their cars and into mass transit, subsidizing car pools or penalizing SUVs, have had little effect. Kingston’s plan, while its goals would be reached only at the end of a 20-year process, might just work where more radical ideas have foundered.

You can read the full piece HERE.

On Thursday in Washington, Congressman Kingston met with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace in his House office.

The Hill reported on the trip which you can read HERE.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with a handful of House members Thursday morning as part of an ongoing effort to improve communications with Capitol Hill.

Those House members, in turn, asked Rumsfeld and his associates at the Pentagon to do a better job of communicating success on the ground in Iraq as both parties fight for political advantage over the issue of American troop involvement in the war-torn nation.

Kingston, Rehberg and Shuster recently returned from a quick trip to Iraq during which they met with ground forces in Baghdad, Balad and Mosul. During one of the briefings, they were surprised to learn that American-trained Iraqi forces were patrolling about half of Baghdad, Rehberg and Shuster said. Both members said those details are exactly what
Americans need to hear as support for the war has wavered.

The U.S. Department of State has issued a press release which you can view HERE.

Excerpt from the release:

Congressional Report, December 9: Consultations on Iraq

Rumsfeld, senior general meet with members of Congress on Iraq strategy

A congressional delegation that recently returned from Iraq met with senior U.S. military and civilian leaders December 8 in Washington to say that they think Iraq is moving in the right direction toward democracy.

Representative Jack Kingston said he and his traveling companions were excited to see that 50 percent of Iraq�s capital city, Baghdad, now is controlled exclusively by Iraqi security forces and in Mosul they are responsible for security in a quarter of the city.

Townhall.com has started a website for “Thank A Soldier Week” which is Dec. 19-25.

A friend and colleage of mine, Georgia Congressman Tom Price wrote a nice letter to the troops which you can read HERE.

Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Pitts also wrote a nice piece. Read it HERE.

Today, Congressman Kingston and Congressman John Kline (MN) participated in a conference call with some of the webs top bloggers regarding Iraq.

Here is a round-up of the links to each post:

Right Wing News

Kennedy Vs. The Machine

Blogs For Bush

Blogs of War

Decision ‘08

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to participate.

If we missed your blog - please email us at J.Kingston@mail.house.gov and let us know.

I will be appearing on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal program on Thursday, December 8 from 8-8:30 AM (tomorrow).

I will be discussing my recent trip to Iraq and will be fielding calls from Democrats and Republicans. I hope you’ll tune in and feel free to email me at J.Kingston@mail.house.gov and let me know how you think I am doing.

Check your local listings for times/channel.

Thanks.

-Jack

Today I sent a letter to my GOP colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives highlighting the results of a recent study by the Media Research Center which found that over the past year, the media coverage in Iraq has been:

• Overwhelmingly pessimistic;
• Increasingly negatvie over time;
• Highlighting terrorist attacks as centerpieces of the nightly news;
• Downbeat on the Iraqi political process; and
• Included only eight stories fo heroism or valor by U.S. troops — out of 1,388 news reports!

You can read the the letter HERE.

You can download the Media Research Center’s report HERE.

UPDATE: Hat-tip to the guys at Power Line for linking to this important report. Read their post HERE.

Congressman Kingston posted an entry at RedState.org regarding recent comments from Sen. Kerry and Democratic Chairman Howard Dean.

You can read and comment on the post HERE.