For China, a Criminally Funny Poem

Staff / Truthdig Jan 9, 2007 When Qin Zhongfei took 10 minutes to scribble down a satirical poem about local bureaucrats, he had no idea it would land him a month in jail -- a sign that free expression still languishes in China, despite hopes that President Hu Jintao's economic reforms would translate to a more open society. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Joe Conason: Destroying Freedom to Save America

Joe Conason / Truthdig Dec 21, 2006 Newt Gingrich wants to trim off a little fat -- from the Bill of Rights. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Arianna on Election Fear Factor

Staff / Truthdig Oct 25, 2006 Arianna Huffington issues an appeal for calm in the face of election season fear-mongering: "Remember FDR. 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' And, of course, those who use it for their own political purposes." (Video & Transcript) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Limbaugh Brings His Claptrap to CBS

Staff / Truthdig Sep 8, 2006 Rush Limbaugh said something stupid again, only this time on CBS? nightly ?Free Speech? segment, where the radio show host railed against those evil people who are ?more interested in punishing this country over a few incidents of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay than they are in defeating those who want to kill us.? (Video & Transcript) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Mayor’s Home Run for Truth: Antiwar Rally in Salt Lake City

Staff / Truthdig Aug 31, 2006 In recognition of Bush's visit to the Utah capital, Mayor Rocky Anderson gave a speech to a crowd of thousands calling Bush a "dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights-violating president" whose time in office would "rank as the worst presidency our nation has ever had to endure." Thank you, Salt Lake City! Watch it here. Full transcript here (pdf). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Rumsfeld Goes Off the Deep End

Staff / Truthdig Aug 30, 2006 The Secretary of Defense compared critics of the war in Iraq to Nazi appeasers, saying the critics have failed to heed the lessons of history. (story and video) History, huh? Well, based on current policy, one imagines that Rumsfeld would have recommended invading China in response to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush Breaks Bread With NAACP

Staff / Truthdig Jul 21, 2006 Bush spoke to the NAACP?s annual convention for the first time during his presidency. His speech drew both applause and silence as he addressed the group he has avoided for five years. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Jon Stewart Lampoons Sen. Stevens’ Net Nonsense

Staff / Truthdig Jul 13, 2006 "The Daily Shows" host tees off on Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens' instantly infamous speech about Net Neutrality--which Stewart likened to "something you'd hear from a crazy old man in an airport bar at 3 a.m." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Fox News Host Shouts Down Hate Speech

Staff / Truthdig Jun 12, 2006 Watch as Fox host Julie Banderas drowns out a vile anti-gay hatemonger. (Sort of a straw-man target, to be sure, but it's nice to see Fox News on the correct side of the cultural divide for a change. (Video hoster: Johnny Dollar's Place.) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Colbert to Grads: English Is God’s Language

Staff / Truthdig Jun 5, 2006 As the commencement speaker for a small Illinois college, satirist Stephen Colbert told the graduates, ?God wrote [the Bible] in English for a reason: So it could be taught in our public schools.? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Jean Rohe Tells Olbermann About Her McCain K.O.

Staff / Truthdig May 23, 2006 Our Truthdigger of the Week goes on MSNBC to share her story of standing up to Sen. John McCain. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Truthdigger of the Week: Jean Rohe

Staff / Truthdig May 22, 2006 Truthdig salutes New School University graduating senior Jean Rohe, whose commencement speech at Madison Square Garden on Friday preemptively struck against the address that Sen. John McCain was due to deliver directly after her.Click here for links to the speech, biographical information on Rohe, and the instantly infamous response by one of McCain's staffers in which he insulted Rohe's graduating class and called her an "idiot" in print.UPDATE: Rohe responds to the McCain staffer: "Please don't try to bully me anymore." UPDATE #2: Rohe goes on MSNBC. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )