Fears of Blame for Defeat Shadow Afghan War Meetings

'Empire Killers' that we should name the Afghans. No one has been able to subject gate those people. Certainly not for bringing Western democracy. They do not want our values. They want to be left alone. Notwithstanding the Al Quieda attack from their soil and under another government we should have responded by pursuing the attackers, not the local government. Instead concentrating on getting bin Laden we went after the Taliban. Instead of defeating them we attacked Iraq a far juicier target. All based on lies. Mismanagement of our military affairs by political neocons trying to remake the world in our image. Now we are in a situation which mark my words will require adding Pakistan to the equation. So you have an entire region Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan in the hands of corrupt governments supported by our politicians. All for the honor of wining, bringing democracy and keeping the MICC in business. Yes we probably will continue so the politicians can say they tried. All the while the most amateur students of geopolitics are aware that we will never win unless we keep half a million soldiers over there and spend trillions we do not have. Get out now, Mr. President, it is still the mess you inherited. Not the one you created. We can only lose if we stay in. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Monday, September 28, 2009

“Mouseland” [Video}

I keep hoping with hope that we will have a third party. Do humor me and go along with my dream. "Mouseland" is a lesson for all of us. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Sunday, September 27, 2009

The New Illiteracy in American Life: Democracy and Politics in the Age of the Spectacle

You can be a Democrat, Republican, Liberal, Green, Independent, NeoCon, RadicalRight, Fundamentalist, etc., etc. it will make no difference. All types will suffer from the morass of our current politics. It is truly frightening to see the damage done by killer-politics. There is a lack of comprehension that for our political system to work consensus and compromise must be the rule of the day. We do not want fascism nor socialism. Democracy is the objective of this Republic. If we cannot have civil discourse we are going to loose our freedom and the pursuit of happiness. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Friday, September 18, 2009

My Kennedy Memories

During the halcyon 50’s in Palm Beach one evening CeCe Guest asked me to take her to a party. Winston was out of town. The party was at the Kennedy’s. I had never been there before. When I returned to my Grandmother’s it was early in the morning. I was going up the loggia steps when my stepmother Jeanne was coming down for an early tennis. She asked, “Where have you been?’ “I have been to the Kennedy’s.” From my Granny’s dressing room window (it overlooked the loggia stairs) came her voice, “My boy, you have been socially ruined!” My Grandparents, whom I adored, were part of the old PB Wasp FDR haters. That was my first contact with those ‘lace curtain Irish.’ It all really started in Greta Garbo’s kitchen overlooking NYC’s East River across from The River Club. There I was being mentored by Edmund Goulding, the fabled film director. He had directed Garbo in “Grand Hotel’ and Tyrone Power in “The Razor’s Edge.” Ty turned me over to Eddie. What a character, large, strong he had been amongst other things a Brit Navy boxing champion. We used to sit by the hour at the window as he would tell stories. I was mesmerized. One day Eddie said, “My boy, I want to take you for a weekend with some great friends of mine. So off we went Hyannisport and I met Ambassador Kennedy and Serge Semenenko, the great banker. It rapidly became apparent that I was to be a bird-dog for these three famous roués. Well, I passed muster. Joe Kennedy was wonderful to me then and thereafter. Serge became a lifelong friend there, Acapulco, NYC, Europe wherever we might meet. His daughter and grandson remain family. I met Jack and I was blown away. I had never met anyone like him. Not only was he handsome but what a character. Witty, sarcastic with a great sense of humor. I became a great fan. We spent many times prowling around New York City. Many evenings were spent particularly in Greenwich Village. I was not considered by Jackie to be a good influence. During the period when Jack was on crutches recuperating from back surgery at Cap d’Antibes I was sailing my boat out of nearby Cannes. I recall one time when we were sailing so late that we missed a meal with the Shah of Iran. After that we decided to go on and sailed with my friend Genvieve to Capri. When Jack became a Senator I was running Intrafi and Butler Overseas. We were doing increasing business in the Middle East. A major project was the rebuilding of the Hejaz Railroad which had been destroyed by the Arabs under the guidance of Lawrence of Arabia. This was a very sensitive political endeavor. Jack asked me to report to him after my trips to the region. This assignment put a more serious side to our relationship. It also increased my respect for him. Later I was stateside. I had the Coradina at anchor in Oyster Bay. Jack and I sailed to Newport and got fogged in down there for a couple of days. So fun was still possible. Jack asked me what I would like to do in government? Go back to the Middle East? Where I was a friend of King Hussein and the Shah of Iran or Mexico my favorite country. I said neither, I would want to be the head of the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs). Jack said, “Why would you want to be in that snake pit?” My reply, “To disband it.” Such was not possible, Dad wanted me to stay home. There was a family fight brewing. He said if Jack becomes President and wants you I will pay your salary and you can work for a dollar during his second term. Then came that day in November. I was in Oak Brook, walking across the hotel lobby to attend the board meeting of the utility company. A disturbance and one of the servants came, “Mr Michael, the President has just been shot.” He was crying as were most around. I felt a light with hope had gone out. The world would never be the same. The end of a real chance to do something inspired by the young. I do not recall when I met Teddy. I do recall an evening at the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz when the noise next to our room was so loud I had to get up and wander in the hall to ask Teddy to pipe it down. He was a rowdy in those days. I had no respect for Teddy. Then when I was running for the Illinois State Senate Bobby sent Teddy to help with the campaign. I was running as a Democrat in the most Republican County which had never elected a Democrat. We campaigned with US Senator Douglas. I was surprised by Teddy’s persistence and dedication even though he knew I was not a fan. I began to have much more respect for him. We parted friends. The last time I saw Teddy was in Boston. The local DA had ordered that some changes be made in HAIR. He was running for reelection. The authors capitulated. I would not as the message was the reason I was producing the show. I drove Teddy to the Logan airport so we could talk privately. I said I had never asked a thing of the Kennedy’s; would he intervene. I did not want to get into a political election fight. He said he would do what he could. I have never known what he did. We mounted a legal battle, kept the tribe on pay while we fought it out and won. Bobby I met much later than Jack. We met while skiing in Sugarbush, VT during the earliest days of Jack’s Presidential campaign. He came off as a brusque terrier who was overheard asking what has Butler been doing for the campaign. He was reminded that we were supplying planes. Then I was not too fond of Bobby. We continued our support of the campaign. When Jack won I was delighted. As so many I was quite surprised when he appointed Bobby his AG. The campaign head usually got the Post Office. As the term began to unfold the attacks against Hoffa became center stage. The campaign on the Mafia was surprising to many. Publicly the two subjects were often linked. However it was not a state secret that Joe Kennedy had sought the electoral assistance of questionable Chicagoans. That Bobby would start this crusade was really strange. My word, J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI, had been easy on the Mafia for a long time. While many felt that Jack was assassinated by the Texans (oil buddies of Nixon) I felt all along, and still do that the Mafia was involved. Vengeance if nothing else we could add Cubans, CIA, Texans, MICC. The stakes were too large for many not to want JFK out of the way. So many warnings for him not to go to Texas. ”What’s another body when so many were being killed daily.” Hope for the world was killed that day. Jack’s death had a major affect on Bobby. He sure changed. We had been in preliminary talks about bidding for RSVP, a French resource service. So we had some contacts. He was different and I responded in kind. Then he asked me to help him in Illinois. Governor Otto Kerner was running for reelection. He was opposed by Charles Percy (the Bell & Howell whiz CEO). Kerner was in trouble. I was made Chairman of OED. Another story but we got Otto reelected. I decided to produce HAIR and not to run for the US Senate. I was up to my ears with the show when Bobby was killed. It just pulled the rug out from all of us. I feel there was no question that he would have been elected. There was no question to me who was behind that horrible act. Those who got to Jack could not have let Bobby go. He was far more dangerous to the Evil Empire. In ’78 Aisha Jaipur asked me to come to her book party with Jackie Kennedy who was her editor. Jackie was so nice to me I was surprised. Later Aisha came to the Roxy (my roller rink) and told me that Jackie had said that she knew that Jack had a very strong influence over me. So I was now exonerated. A couple years later Jackie brought Caroline and John to see my musical REGGAE which they loved. They came backstage. Said we must keep the show going. The subway strike killed it. In 1990 Christian Beltermann and I spent New Years in Jamaica at the Jobson’s with John and Daryl Hannah. What a wonderful time. John had the charm of both his parents. What a mixture. Daryl is super, granddaughter of my Father’s best friend. Last contact, when in mid 90’s I was cruising an outdoor charity benefit for Special Olympics when from behind was a voice, “Why, Michael what are you doing here in California?” I know that accent without turning. To see Eunice again was great. Jack gave us hope. The world responded and loved him for that. He did not have a chance to complete what he intended. Bobby was the cipher. Without doubt he would have had a profound effect on this country and the world. In some ways he would have surpassed Jack. Teddy accomplished more than either of his brothers. He had the fortune not be be cut down at an early stage. He however overcame more personal problems than the others. The three of them were larger than life with wild spurts of energy and disregard for the so-called norm of politically correct behavior. Because of that it is doubtful that any one of them could be elected today. In comparison we are surrounded by plebeians. The Kennedy’s are an extraordinary family who have given more to this country than any other in our history. Just Jack, Bobby and Teddy would deserve such an accolade. However many others of that family have made and continue to make considerable contributions.
Posted by Michael Butler, Wednesday, September 2, 2009