A prominent U.S.-based human rights group Friday released what it said was a recording of Pakistan's attorney general acknowledging that next week's national elections would be "massively" rigged.
Human Rights Watch said a journalist made the recording during a telephone interview with Attorney General Malik Qayyum when Qayyum took a second call without disconnecting the first, allowing his end of the second conversation to be overheard and recorded.
In the recording, Qayyum, Pakistan's top legal officer, can be heard advising the caller to accept a ticket he is being offered by an unidentified political party for a seat, Human Rights Watch said.
"They will massively rig to get their own people to win," Qayyum said, according to a transcript released by Human Rights Watch. "If you get a ticket from these guys, take it."
That's so awesome. I've often thought that we need a constitutional amendment requiring all elected or confirmed officials in this country to wear a wire at all times. It would make things so much more entertaining.
That would get every politician in the country divorced within six months, because they would try to make every family conversation sound like a stump speech.
Michelle Obama: How was your day, honey?
Barack Obama: It was a rising tide of hope, cresting on a wave of opportunity to bring people together for a common goal and honey...honey? (sound of door slamming)
And without a safe place to deliver obscenity laced tirades about his opponents/fellow Senators, John McCain would suffer a fatal aneurysm within three weeks.
Posted by: Gib | February 15, 2008 at 10:56 AM
A feature, not a bug.
Posted by: Mithras | February 15, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Gordon Bell, founder of Digital Equipment (DEC) has been recording his life for a few years now, with an automatic video camera around his neck. Minor technical improvements could capture sound as well and upload in real time to a web site. Sounds like a wonderful requirement for all those occupying federal office; essentially "The Truman Show" for everybody in government.
Posted by: Bob Munck | February 15, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Bob-
The only downside I see: Arlen Specter naked.
Posted by: Mithras | February 16, 2008 at 06:52 AM
Democracy isn't pretty.
Posted by: Bob Munck | February 16, 2008 at 10:32 AM
No, democracy is beautiful. Arlen Specter isn't pretty.
Posted by: Gib | February 16, 2008 at 01:11 PM