Hillary Reinvented

Suzanne Fields gives her take on the Hillary "Extreme Makeover".

Hillary Clinton changes images with the quickness of Madonna. Like the Queen of Pop, she provokes and reacts, rethinks and reforms, pushes at hot buttons and then cools off with a dip in the mainstream.
[...]
Madonna continues to surprise us, but Hillary's reinventions shouldn't surprise us at all. She's on a trip, guided by the road map first used by her husband. She's working at looking "moderate," and learning to feel the pain of others.
When she spoke to the Family Planning Advocates of New York last week, she actually expressed empathy -- if not necessarily sympathy -- with the fiercest opponents of abortion. "I, for one, respect those who believe with all their heart and conscience that there are no circumstances under which abortion should be available," she said. This from one of the fiercest defenders of uncompromising feminist voices in the cause of abortion rights; she voted against the ban of partial-birth abortion.

Read the entire column here.

Iraq Election from Around the World

French President Jacques Chirac spoke with President Bush by telephone, saying he was satisfied by the "participation rate and the good technical organization."
"These elections mark an important step in the political reconstruction of Iraq. The strategy of terrorist groups has partly failed," Chirac said, according to a French presidential spokesman.
[...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin also praised the elections, calling them "a step in the right direction and a positive event," according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.
"The conditions for holding the elections were quite difficult, to put it mildly," Putin said after meeting in the Kremlin with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. "At the same time, I must say that the very fact of it is an important event, maybe a historic event, for the Iraqi people because it is undoubtedly a step toward democratization of the country."
[...]
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the successful election was a psychological blow to insurgents because it demonstrated that Iraqis were committed to democracy. Britain has been Washington's chief ally in the Iraq war.
"Yesterday's elections represent a real blow to this disgusting campaign of violence and intimidation," said Straw, who also recognized Iraqi security forces for helping police the election.
[...]
In Brussels, the European Union's foreign policy chief said Iraq's move toward democracy would pay off in the provision of more aid.
"They are going to find the support of the European Union, no doubt about that, in order to see this process move on in the right direction," Javier Solana told The Associated Press.
[...]
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer praised Iraqis "for the will they have shown to shape the future of their country peacefully and democratically, despite massive intimidation."
But, he added, "it is of decisive importance in this to integrate all political, ethnic and religious groups in Iraq ... no part of the population must be excluded from shaping the common fate of all Iraqis."

Read about these and other comments here.

Notice the comments from Russia, Germany, and France - amazingly these there major opponents to US actions in Iraq show optimism about the election, maybe Kennedy, Kerry, and other democrats will come around some day... Oh yeh, I forgot, Kerry is "in touch with the feelings of foreign governments" - maybe he should have called them before going on Meet the Press and saying, "No one in the United States should try to overhype this election", and don't get me started tonight on Ted Kennedy.

Granddaddy Knew Best

Smoking Harms Women More Than Men, my Granddaddy always said, "Women should smoke"

Hillary Collapses - Video

Senator Hillary Clinton collapses - video here. Disagreements aside, I do wish her well!

UPDATE: Appears to have been a stomach virus all is OK - story here. Quote of the Day: "Probably dizzy from the 180 degree turn she took on abortion last week" - Rush Limbaugh

Is North Korea Dissolving?

Michael Sheridan of Times On Line, has an interesting report from Rajin, North Korea. The article is long, about five pages, but has very interesting information. Mr. Sheridan, discusses how Christians are involved in helping North Koreans escape, about assassination attempts, how the Bush re-election dealt a blow to Kim, Jong-il, and other things. I would suggest reading this article if simply for the information it provides. Some highlights:

“It’s just like the Berlin Wall,” Pastor Douglas Shin, a Christian activist, said by telephone from Seoul. “The slow-motion exodus is the beginning of the end.”

In interviews for this article over many months, western policymakers, Chinese experts, North Korean exiles and human rights activists built up a picture of a tightly knit clan leadership in Pyongyang that is on the verge of collapse.
[...]
The Japanese intelligence agency, in an unclassified report issued on December 24, referred to “signs of instability” inside the political establishment and predicted a feud among the elite as they strive to seize power from Kim.
[...]
Yet North Koreans confirmed that they knew that escapers to China should look for buildings displaying a Christian cross and should ask among Korean speakers for people who knew the word of Jesus.

“The information blockade is like a dam and when it bursts there will be a great wave,” said Shin, the crusading pastor.
[...]
Bush’s re-election dealt a blow to Kim, 62, who had gambled on a win by John Kerry, the Democratic candidate. Kim used a strategy of divide and delay to drag out nuclear talks with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea through 2004.

Kim lost his bet and now faces four more years of Bush, who says that he “loathes” the North Korean leader and has vowed to strip him of atomic weapons.
[...]
Paranoia and brainwashing remain the regime’s most effective tools. Yet even as it tries to fight off God it has made its peace with Mammon.

You can read the entire article here.

And for the Insurgents Today

(Hat tip: InstaPundit)

Woman "V" for Freedom

How can anyone say this is not big? This is big for the Iraqi people, big for the country of Iraq, big for the region, big for our military, and yes big our the United States too! However, we have already heard John Kerry say "No one in the United States should try to overhype this election". Give me a break! Play it down Mr. Kerry but freedom will ring loud and clear! Tell the woman below she is "overhyping" her ability to vote.

The new or on going media attack is that this is "forced democracy" - come on, what idiot would believe that? These people, Iraqi people, free people, when of their own free will and cast their vote while facing the real threat of loss of life, forced, forced, you have to be kidding!

Picture of Freedom

For those who of you who maybe living in a vacuum; each person that votes, in Iraq, must dip their finger in ink… Could you imagine what the turn out in America would if possible death came with your right to vote? Now as the numbers come in, I have heard 60% voter turnout, I want to see how the naysayers will spin this into bad news, and I am sure they will!


(Hat tip: GOP Bloggers)

Black & White

This Story just hit me the wrong way - Social Security Racial Equity Debate.

Does Social Security (news - web sites) cheat black Americans? Yes, President Bush (news - web sites) insisted last week. But some Social Security experts say the answer is clearly "no."

No wonder racism is and issue everywhere you turn and will continue to be an issue - if it isn't Denny's or Wal-Mart, it is Social Security. The bad thing, there are things that are actually more important for the President and these economist to be doing then worrying about when the average black male dies or who has the "lower" average income therefore dictating who gets a larger return on their FICA; give me a break. Does anyone else believe, as I do, that this junk perpetuates racism?

There can't be a tragedy without the News telling us how many blacks or whites are involved in the death toll. Apply for a job online and your asked to voluntarily answer questions, one question is race; now why would that be? Although it is suppose to be illegal, some companies that need to keep their government contracts, have to hire based on race or sex - isn't that a hoot - require companies to break your own law all in the name of "fair". I understand there are some true racist of all colors in the world - they are simply ignorant and in most cases cannot be helped, but should we feed their hate with junk like this?

By the way; who, besides communist and maybe far left liberals, actually believes life is fair or will ever be fair? Fair is a relative term and what constitutes fair is defined by the user of the word "fair". If we devise a plan to make sure everything is "fair", "fair" will be defined by a select few not you or me, would that be "fair"? Hence, the world is not and will not be fair, believe it, know it, love it, and get on with life. This country was based on equality, which is vastly different then fair - we all are allowed equal opportunity to seek, not guaranteed, the American dream.

Read the Social Security's Racial Equity Debated here.

Working Together

Mark Goldblatt attempts to find examples of Congressional Democrats willingness to "work together" - as you might imagine "you can look but you want find"... I have provided some examples of Democrats unwillingness to unite the country here and here, but I did hope Mr. Galdblatt could prove me wrong - but unfortunately, he could not! Some highlights:

Now let me see if I've got this straight. Congressional Democrats insist they're ready to work with President Bush as long as he meets them half way. "I hope that in this term, President Bush will fulfill his promise to be a uniter not a divider," House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi says. "A new term is, indeed, a new opportunity to bring America together."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid concurs: "There are bipartisan opportunities for us; I speak on behalf of 45 Democrats. We are here with our arms open to work with the administration … to accomplish things for this country."

Which explains why House Democrats three weeks ago contested the Ohio electoral vote count -- even though, as they themselves conceded, they had no chance whatsoever to affect the outcome of the election.

Which explains why Senate Democrats two weeks ago forced a delay in the confirmation vote of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General -- even though, as they themselves conceded, Gonzales was certain to be confirmed.

Read more here. (Hat tip: Betsy's Page)

Embassy Hit in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A rocket or mortar hit the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad late Saturday on the eve of Iraq's landmark elections, killing two people and wounding four, a U.S. Embassy official said.

UPDATE: Reuters

Censure Kennedy

I have had my say, Teddy Removes all Doubt , but GOPbloggers has more on this subject, and there is great information.. Some highlights:

I'd like to point out the immense dishonesty and hypocrisy of Senator Kennedy - traits he shares with all of the opponents of the liberation of Iraq. Back in 2002, while he did still urge caution in launching a military campaign against Saddam's regime, he was on the same page as the President as regarded the Saddamite danger:
"There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein's regime is a serious danger, that he is a tyrant, and that his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed. - Senator Kennedy, September 27, 2002"

Read the entire post here

To Bad Mickey!

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Two days after being snubbed when the Oscar nominations were announced, Michael Moore was left off the list Thursday when the Writers Guild of America unveiled nominees for its first documentary writing award for a feature film.

Hey Mickey, since the international community obviously likes you more then "your friends in Hollywood" and you hate America so much, maybe you should take the hint and move!

Teddy Removes all Doubt

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt" - Ted Kennedy's handlers should share these words of wisdom with their boss...

Ted Kennedy calls for "US withdrawal from Iraq" along with many other ridiculous claims he compares Iraq with Vietnam. This is inaccurate on so many levels the least of which is the fact that unlike the communist we fought in Vietnam the Iraqi Insurgents have no military, no political goals, and not ideology, just to name a few differences. We could compare casualty percentages from both sides of the wars and demonstrate further differences. Further, we can point to the fact that there will be elections held this week in Iraq, free elections, this alone should demonstrate how ludicrous such comparisons are, but within the ranks of the "old liberal" wing of the democratic party statements like these are gospel - and this should prove to anyone these Democrats will not change!

Kennedy went on to say "the US Military presence has become part of the problem" - how must parents of those injured or killed must fell to hear this. The impact this statement may have on military moral makes it borderline treasonous. To be against the war is one thing, but to say that our military has accomplished nothing or is "part of the problem" diminishes their sacrifice and is an attempt to undermine moral in an effort to gain political advantage. Americans both for and against the war should be sickened by what this "leader?" of one of our political parties has said.

Kennedy's statements further demonstrate leftwing loonies' unwillingness to work together to unite the country and in fact shows their determinations to divide the country. These comments demonstrate how the "leftwing loonies" want Iraq to be like Vietnam, ushering more division so they can gain political power while totally disregarding the negative impact this will have on our country, our military, and our people in general. I am repulsed!

You can read about some of Kennedy's comments here and here!

John Kerry Still Campaigning

Does John Kerry know he lost or is he campaigning for 2008? MSNBC has a story about "Kerry blast Bush's healthcare.....". Some highlights:

The plan, Kerry said, fulfills one of his campaign commitments because "it's a promise we not only can afford to keep, but one we cannot afford to break."

Mr. Kerry you lost - meaning most of the Americans did not support your ideas or that your commitments did not address their primary concerns.

The speech is the latest in a series of moves Kerry has made against the White House. Last week, Kerry issued a public call for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's ouster, and he was one of two senators on the Foreign Relations Committee to vote against the nomination of Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state.

How many of us remember this statement, "and the need — the desperate need — for unity, for finding the common ground, coming together. Today, I hope that we can begin the healing" - from his concession speech. "Moves..against the White House" is this how Kerry defines words like unity, find common ground, coming together, and the all important healing - Right!

15,000 Insurgents Killed or Captured

I have had this story from Reuters for two days and must have missed the coverage on all the other media outlets... This, in my opinion, is significant! Over the past year we have stopped 15,000 or more insurgents - compare this with our casualties over the same year, it shows our military superiority. Since we all want victory, don't we, this should give us a since of pride in our military...I am in no way diminishing any man or women that has died or been hurt for their country only stating these numbers demonstrates how well these men and women of our military do their jobs! Some snippets:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces have killed or captured 15,000 people over the past year in their fight against an insurgency ravaging Iraq, the commander of U.S. forces in the country said Wednesday.
In the past month alone, they had seized around 60 leaders of the various Islamist and Baathist groups trying to drive the Americans from the war-torn country, General George Casey said.
[...]
"If you look back over the last year we estimate we have killed or captured about 15,000 people as part of this counter-insurgency," Casey, the only four-star American general in Iraq, told reporters.
"Just in this month we have picked up around 60 key members of the Zarqawi network and key members of the former regime," he said, referring to the group led by al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
"The level of violence in 14 of the 18 provinces in Iraq is four incidents or arrests a day," said Casey, who commands 150,000 U.S. troops. "It is primarily confined to four provinces. It has not spread to 80 percent of the population."
He said the level of violence had subsided since its peak in November last year -- the deadliest month for U.S. troops since the campaign to oust Saddam Hussein began.

Read the article here.

Good News - Zarqawi Associates Arrested

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Authorities in Iraq have arrested two close associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, including the chief of the terror mastermind's Baghdad operation, the government said Friday, two days ahead of historic elections that extremists have vowed to subvert.

The media is reporting this - but, maybe it is just me, they don't seem as enthusiastic as I believe they should. I mean we all want success in Iraq, so our men and women can come home, and if that is the case this is great news.

Safe Online?

USA Today has a story reporting, "most ID theft takes place offline". The story interested me because several family members and friends express concerns about making online transactions... Seems you maybe safer online then one might be lead to believe, of course, you must use common sense.

The survey found:
• Computer crimes accounted for 11.6% of identity theft in 2004, vs. 68% from paper sources
• The average loss for online identity theft was $551, vs. $4,543 from paper.
• Family members, friends and neighbors make up half of all known identity thieves.

"Computer theft is way down the list," says James Van Dyke of Javelin Strategy in Pleasanton, Calif. Doing financial transactions via computer worries Americans, he says, because "It's the great unknown. But it's not where your primary risk from fraud is."

Boxer Defended

Margaret Carlson defends Barbara Boxer, and does not use the "race card" no she uses the "gender card" - I know it is shocking isn't it.

Women don't have a lot of leeway in how they comport themselves. Could any woman behave on TV like Bob Novak or Bill O'Reilly and get her own show? Female pundits are rarely called "sharp and incisive," only "shrill and strident." Women in politics have less margin for error. During his 30 years as a columnist, I can remember William Safire calling only one person a "congenital liar," and it just happened to be Hillary (D-Whitewater).

Carlson claims, "In her grilling of Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice, Boxer finally named the elephant in the hearing room, which is more than the war itself. It's the lies that got us there". I believe I have heard the "lies" accusation for over a year - and in my opinion, those whose raise make the accusation are lying themselves... I am amazed every time the "they lied" claim is brought up; actually lying without any doubt was not an issue only a few years ago. Liberals did not even attempt to deny the lying was real - it just was not a problem. Now all you must do is make the accusation that there are lies and not only does it become fact, as far as liberals are concerned, it is a major issue, amazing.

I have other issues about Carlson's remarks and assertions, but David Limbuah is much more eloquent in pointing out Carlson's inaccuracies. Read his comments here.

Guess I Won't be Reading NYT

If this story becomes reality and the New York Times does begins charging for web access I miss my daily liberal rhetoric. Since "not going to pay" seems to be the theme across cyberspace, maybe this is not such a bad idea.

Trouble in Paradise

Donald Lambro reports that Howard Dean is the "front runner" to head the DNC; however, it is reported that one of the Democratic "idols", Bill Clinton, is actively working to "keep Mr. Dean from being elected". Sounds like trouble in paradise.

Howard Dean is emerging as the front-runner to head the Democratic National Committee, but the former Vermont governor and failed presidential candidate has some DNC members saying he is too liberal to broaden the party's base.
[...]
It is no secret within party circles that former President Bill Clinton and his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, do not want Mr. Dean to be party chairman, and that they saw his presidential candidacy as an effort to pull the party away from the more centrist policies of Mr. Clinton's presidency.
Mrs. Clinton, who may be considering a 2008 presidential run of her own, has stayed out of the DNC fight, but her husband is said to be working behind the scenes to keep Mr. Dean from being elected. (Read the article here)

The Spin Never Stops

After blogging this I see Power Line has more information about the spin coming from the Washington Post. Amazingly they are claiming those opposed to Condi's confirmation are centrist, you heard me correctly, centrist!

Some of the Democrats who opposed Rice were centrists from states in which President Bush won or ran strongly in November, including Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).

Power Line has more details and several updates, read it here.

Good Idea!

Evangelical Underground has a great idea - Evangelical Blog Awards! Go here and vote for your favorites.

Can you Believe This

Michelle Malkin has details on a Siberian immigrant being mailed a letter from the Department of Homeland Security deeming him a lawful permanent resident. Great news, right? Wrong, Mr. Eugueni Kniazev was one of the 9/11 murder victims! Michelle also details the story in her column in the New York Post. Appalling!

Social Security Choice

A good resource for Social Security.
Social Security Choice

Boxer Rebellion - Failure

Barbara Boxer, Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and others; leaders of the current Democratic party failed in their mission - further the vote simply shows how futile their attack on Condi Rice was. In fact, even those on the far left, if honest, would have to admit it was a demonstration of political "soar grapes".

The Senate voted 85 to 13 to confirm Rice
[...]
The Senate vote showed some of the partisanship that delayed Rice's confirmation vote by several days. Twelve Democrats and independent James Jeffords of Vermont voted against Rice. The Democrats included some of the Senate's best-known members such as Massachusetts Democratic Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry, who was the party's presidential candidate in last year's election. Thirty Democrats voted for her.
[...]
On the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., suggested Democrats are sore losers. Rice had enough votes to win confirmation, as even her Democratic critics acknowledge, McCain said.
"So I wonder why we are starting this new Congress with a protracted debate about a foregone conclusion," McCain said. Since Rice is qualified for the job, he said, "I can only conclude that we are doing this for no other reason than because of lingering bitterness over the outcome of the election." (Read more here)

I don't agree with Senator McCain much, but he and I agree wholeheartedly on this issue.

MSM - Critical of a Real Election but Not a Fraud?

Is the Main Stream Media (MSM) less enthusiastic about a real election, even from accounts of their demigod the UN, then they were about the Fraud of 2002 when Saddam Hussein was elected? The Media Research Center has some puzzling things to think about, and it is worth a read.

Need to Fact Check FactCheck.org

Donald Luskin details a disturbing fact - the organization that many use to check facts is itself guilty of not providing accurate information. Highlights:

In a posting last week, FactCheck.org asked, “Does Social Security Really Face an $11 Trillion Deficit?” The answer, in the feature’s headline, was: “Bush and Cheney say yes. But actuaries say the figure is ‘likely to mislead’ the public on the system’s true financial state.”

It’s that headline that is “likely to mislead.” And you can be sure that the opponents of reform will seize on it to do just that — mislead. That headline gives the impression that the $11 trillion deficit is a number created by Bush and Cheney in defiance of expert advice to the contrary. In reality, Bush and Cheney are simply quoting an official deficit estimate of the Trustees of the Social Security Trust Fund in their 2003 and 2004 annual reports.

The trustees relied on the work of actuaries to come up with that deficit estimate. So, to be fair, the headline should have read, “Actuaries say yes. But other actuaries say the figure is ‘likely to mislead’ the public ... ” But that wouldn’t be an exciting headline, would it? Battling actuaries is about as dull as, well — it’s just about the dullest thing in the world.
[...]
According to Gebhardtsbauer, while the American Academy committee had concerns about public perceptions, the new infinite-horizon analysis has distinct advantages:
"Policy wonks can use this to prepare different proposals. Any solution that has effects beyond the 75th year doesn’t see those effects included. I totally understand why they developed this. With private accounts, the system bears all the costs up front, but the benefits often don’t come until after the 75th year."
[...]
FactCheck.org also cited concerns about public perceptions of the $11 trillion deficit number in the 2003 report of the Technical Panel on Assumptions and Methods — a group of actuaries, economists, and demographers appointed by the Social Security Advisory Board. The report recommended that the infinite-horizon deficit figure should be presented as a percent of payroll, and next to the value of payrolls to the same infinite horizon. This was done in the Social Security trustees’ 2004 report. The deficit amount of $10.4 trillion was given as 3.5 percent of payroll and compared with $295.5 trillion of total payroll.

If you want context — so that the public is sure not to be misled — then how about this? That $10.4 trillion number represents the value of economic assets today that would have to be contributed to the Social Security system to assure its perpetual sustainability based on the best estimates we can make at this time. To set things right, then, we would have to contribute today virtually the entire market value of the S&P 500. We would have to throw down the gaping maw of Social Security almost every share of every major company in America today in order to satisfy the hungry beast. (Read more here)

Turner Proves America is Great

Here is a story about Ted Turner comparing FoxNews to Hitler, along with many other less then factual claims. The fact that anyone with so many views just left of lunacy can be as successful as Ted Turner proves America is the "Land of Opportunity" where anyone can succeed. As far as what Ted had to say - once again someone who disagrees with the President states their opinion as fact and I simply "consider the source" the if you will.

Wife and I Night

Not blogging much today or tonight - spending time with my best half... Here are some stories I might have to say something about later.
Boxer's rebellion and Democrats' new tone
Turner Compares Fox's Popularity to Hitler
As a Matter of FactCheck.org

Willing to Die for a Cause - NOT!

We hear how so many are willing to die for their cause, although some are many are not. The USA Today has a story of a young terrorist that is angry because his terrorist handlers blew a truck up while he was still inside, go figure, guess you can't trust them.

The young Saudi man told investigators this month that he wants revenge against the Iraqi terrorist network that sent him on the deadly mission that he survived.
[...]
But on Dec. 24, he was given a preliminary job of driving a butane-gas delivery truck that was rigged with bombs. It wasn't supposed to be a suicide mission.

"They asked me to take the truck near a concrete block barrier before turning to the right and leaving it there. There, somebody will pick up the truck from you," they told him. "But they blew me up in the truck," he says.

During the young terrorist's interrogation he did make an alarming revelation, if proven true. Unlike many I will reserve judgment on the following claim until more information is discovered - I guess if you just want to criticize you can take the world of the oh so trustworthy terrorist.

While he was awaiting his mission, he says, he was told that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of a terrorist network responsible for numerous bombings and beheadings, had been captured by Iraqi police only to be let go after seven hours because they didn't recognize him. Iraqi officials have declined to comment on previous reports that Zarqawi had been captured and let go.

Read the story here.

What Happened Mike?

Looks like Michael Moore has been shunned by Academy - his film of half-truths and lies was not nominated for any award. See the nominations here. Unfortunately, they also passed over The Passion of the Christ for best picture but it does have three other nominations.

Hillary's Numbers False - Surprised/NOT

Michelle Malkin has the scoop on Hillary's rant blaming President Bush for possibly causing abortion rates to go up. Needless to say Hillary's claims are based on bogus numbers. Read it here.

Expressing Free Speech

Five are charged with felony damage of property for slashing the tires of GOP rented vehicles post election... Two of the five are sons of Wisconsin politicians.

MILWAUKEE — The sons of a first-term congresswoman and Milwaukee's former acting mayor were among five Democratic activists charged Monday with slashing the tires of vans rented by Republicans to drive voters and monitors to the polls on Election Day.

Sowande Omokunde, son of Rep. Gwen Moore (search), D-Wis., and Michael Pratt, the son of former Milwaukee acting mayor Marvin Pratt (search), were among those charged with criminal damage to property, a felony that carries a maximum punishment of 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

What possible defense will they use, either they didn't do it (typical Democrats), or maybe the ACLU will help them with a free speech defense.

Hillary Finance Dir. Pleads Not Guilty

In Campaign Reform - Hillary I advised that the Hillary's former Campaign Finance Director had been indicted on multiple counts of fraud, and asked did Hillary know. Well Matt Margolis, of GopBlogger has a follow-up..

Note to Readers

I have gotten several comments today and the writer has accused me of not allowing opposite views - this is false as there are several comments that disagree with me throughout the blog… However, to place vulgar comments and asinine one-liners while refusing to identify one's self (i.e. real name, homepage, e-mail, etc.) is not debating it is harassing, these types of comments will be deleted, and the writer will be banned.

Good News - Zarqawi Aide Captured

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq announced the capture of a senior aide to leading militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on Monday, hours after Zarqawi claimed responsibility for a suicide car bomb near the offices of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

The seizure of Abu Omar al-Kurdi, accused of masterminding some of the worst car bombings in Iraq, appeared to be a major breakthrough for the authorities ahead of next Sunday's historic election, which Zarqawi and his followers have vowed to disrupt. [Read whole story here.]

Talking to an Atheist

Mike S. Adams has a great column that not only is a testimonial but also advise how one should treat atheist... I found it well written and full of sound advice. Mr. Adams advises that "true" Christians do not become angry and combative when address atheist.. Some excerpts:

I don’t have the same reaction towards atheists, even when I see them attacking my basic religious freedoms. When I look into their eyes I see an emptiness that evokes pity. Maybe that’s because I was once one of them.
[...]
After I explained that my former girlfriend was too much of a fundamentalist while I was an atheist, his jaw nearly hit the ground. “Are you really an atheist?” he asked. He assured me he didn’t mean to pry and that he was merely concerned. He didn’t have to tell me that. His reaction gave him away. It was a reaction he could not have possibly faked.

That law student, whose name I have forgotten, made no effort to convert me on the spot. But he did plead with me to pick up a copy of Mere Christianity. “I’ve heard it all before,” I said. He told me I was wrong. He said that C.S. Lewis was the best apologist of the 20th century, but he didn’t push the matter. The conversation ended abruptly. I never saw him again.

Years later, I read Mere Christianity and it did have a great effect upon me. But, recently, I was thinking about what really drove me to read the book. How could I have remembered the title of a book I heard only once? After all, it was many years before at the end of a long night of drinking in a bar in Mississippi.

The answer is simple. The advice was given to me by someone who sincerely considered the matter to be urgent. And that sense of urgency was conveyed without a trace of anger. It was just a matter of one human being communicating his concern for another without being pushy and holier-than-thou.

Please read this column here.

Is "Boxer" Serious?

Here is a story by Audrey Hudson, Sen. Boxer takes victim role after hearing for Rice, Senator Boxer takes victim role? Is she serious, how can Senator Barbra Boxer actual be the victim during the confirmation hearings? Let's take a question that applies to "sexual discrimination" cases. Who has the power; Condi Rice or Senator Boxer? I would suggest that Senator Boxer has the power, is the questioner, and in no way could be a victim in this type setting - I believe her attempt to even claim she is a victim indicates that she believe Condi Rice a strong person, strong than herself, and is evidence of Condi Rice's qualifications. Some snippets:

Sen. Barbara Boxer says she is the real victim of last week's confirmation hearing for Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice, yet continued yesterday to question the national security adviser's honesty.
[…]
"And I would hope that we can have this conversation and discuss what happened before and what went on before and what I said without impugning my credibility or my integrity," Miss Rice said.
Mrs. Boxer yesterday called that response a "good debating technique."
"When you really don't know what to say about a specific, you just attack the person who is asking the questions," Mrs. Boxer told CNN.
[…]
On CNN, Mrs. Boxer accused Miss Rice of intentionally "frightening every American, and that was the point."
"She didn't hesitate to go out and sell this war to the American people," Mrs. Boxer said. "She said things that were flat-out not true." [Now in Boxer-ese or Boxer-ism this statement does not constitute an attack - You buy that?]

Read the whole article here.

Rest Well "Tonight" Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson, who entertained so many for so long has passed away today - Good night and Rest in Peace!

SS Reform Defined

Thomas Sowell has a informative article, Social Insecurity, that may educate some that are not familiar with the current Social Security system or with the "Personal Accounts" the President is advocating. Further, he explains real issues liberals have with Social Security reform.

The biggest difference seems to get the least attention: With private accounts, money is invested in the economy, creating additional wealth, from which pensions can be paid. With Social Security, the money is spent as soon as it gets to Washington.
[...]
Government bonds are not an investment that adds to the country's wealth. They are a claim on future taxpayers. Without those bonds, future taxpayers would still be on the hook to provide the money to cover future Social Security pensions that are not covered by future Social Security taxes. The bonds change nothing.
[...]
But no matter how much money you have paid into Social Security over the years, and no matter what you were promised when you paid it, the government always has the option to pay you back only what future politicians decide they can afford, given all the other things they might prefer to spend the money on.
[...]
Liberals are desperate to keep Social Security the way it is, because that means they can keep spending your money as they see fit and keep you dependent on them. That's what the welfare state is all about. (Read the here)

It is a War

Hugh Hewitt has a great article in the LA Times, Cover the Terror War as a War, where he explains how The Times needs to cover the war. Some excerpts:

The Times does do the occasional big-picture story. For instance, on Sept. 26, a Page 1 article, "Al Qaeda Seen as Wider Threat," described the Iraq war as "a new front in the battle against terrorism and a rallying point for a seemingly endless supply of young extremists willing to die in a jihad, or holy war." But it relied too heavily on experts who seem most concerned that the invasion of Iraq has triggered an expansion in the ranks of jihadists. Imagine a newspaper during World War II giving so much space to people fretting that the Army's victory over the Japanese at Guadalcanal would only make the combined enemy forces more eager to fight on Iwo Jima and Normandy — though indeed the first major victory in the Pacific might very well have had exactly that effect.
[...]
Do more to identify and inform the readers on the organization, leadership and capabilities of the Islamist terrorist network, paying more attention to experts who support the war in Iraq and believe, along with President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and many others, that the battles there will ultimately slow the spread of terrorism elsewhere.
[...]
In short, The Times needs to reorganize to actually cover the war as a war. The last global war was not covered as though the Pacific Theater was independent of the battles in North Africa, or the Russian front disconnected from the D-day invasion.

The story is good read. Read the whole article here.

More Election Ad(s) - Iraq

More election ads that are being broadcast in Iraq - everyone should see these commercials.

Standing Firm

I wrote Christians Not Taking it Anymore last month in reference to the "removing of Christmas". The Washington Times has a story, Faithful standing more firm, poll says, that says Christains "grew less patient in the past four years with politicians making compromises on such issues as abortion and homosexual rights". Some excerpts:

"There do not seem to be very many voices arguing for compromise today," she said. "It could be that more religious voices feel under siege, pinned against the wall by cultural developments. They may feel more emboldened as a result."
On the question of whether elected officials should set their convictions aside to get results in government, 84 percent of those surveyed agreed in a similar Public Agenda survey in 2000. However, that number dropped to 74 percent in the new poll.
Researchers found a sharper decline on the same question among weekly churchgoers, from 82 percent in the first survey to 63 percent in the second. (Read more here)

I my opinion this is wonderful news; however, "standing firm" is necessary as there will be assaults on faith from many sides as I touched on when I wrote Groups go After Faith. Therefore, in closing I would simply say stand firm and God bless.

Election Ad - Iraq

Everyone should see this commercial.

Outlook on Life

After reading many opinions on President Bush's inaugural speech I feel I know the writers outlook on life; how they feel about their life.

William Safire: Content

I rate it among the top 5 of the 20 second-inaugurals in our history. Lincoln's profound sermon "with malice toward none" is incomparable, but Bush's second was better than Jefferson's mean-spirited pouting at "the artillery of the press."
[…]
It takes guts to take on that peace-freedom priority so starkly. Bush, by retaliatory and pre-emptive decisions in his first term - and by his choice of words and his tall stance in this speech, and despite his unmodulated delivery - now drives his critics batty by exuding a buoyant confidence reminiscent of F.D.R. and Truman.

Richard Reeves: Miserable

Listening to Bush this time, I realized I'll never be as big a man as Herb Block. What I heard was my president declaring war on the world, concluding: "America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world and to all the inhabitants thereof ..."
[…]
"I ask our youngest citizens to believe the evidence of your eyes. You have seen duty and allegiance in the determined faces of our soldiers. You have seen that life is fragile and evil is real and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself ..." Is that not exactly what fundamentalist mullahs are asking of their children? Is this not our jihad?

David Brooks: Happy

Bush's inaugural ideals will also be real in the way they motivate our troops in Iraq. Military Times magazine asked its readers if they think the war in Iraq is worth it. Over 60 percent - and two-thirds of Iraq combat vets - said it was. While many back home have lost faith, our troops fight because their efforts are aligned with the core ideals of this country, articulated by Jefferson, Walt Whitman, Lincoln, F.D.R., Truman, J.F.K., Reagan and now Bush.
[…]
And we're reminded once again that this country has grown rich, powerful and effective not because its citizens are smarter or better, but because the ideals bequeathed by the founders are practical and true.

Just some observation; I have always associated the "Bush hating" and the "red state hating" with much more than a pessimistic outlook, I believe these individuals are simply miserable looking for a "cause" to left their spirits and soul. These individuals happiness seems to depend on who is in the oval office - an individual that in our governmental structure occupies the least powerful of the government branches… I choose to put my faith, my happiness, my future in the hands of someone much more powerful then a single human being and I believe this scares the far-left faction of the Democratic party, but why should it.

Academic Future

Just an observation, but the seventeen year old in this story might have a future as a liberal professor.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A student whose vacation plans were spoiled has sued to end summer homework in Wisconsin, claiming it creates an unfair workload and unnecessary stress.

Later in the story, we find that the class is an "honors class" - you know one of those meant for "gifted" and/or "hard-working" students; guess he and his father missed the "hard-working" part. I have a solution; don't take the class since it is and "honor" and voluntary. Nevertheless, I see a liberal educator in the making.

Terrorist Terrorize Their Own

Again, Islamic terrorist behead fellow Muslims in and effort to stop freedom from becoming the norm in Iraq - freedom from fear - freedom to say what you think - freedom….

A group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi beheaded two Iraqis who said they worked at a U.S. base in Iraq group posted an Internet video of the killings on Friday.

I have written quite a bit about these "animals" not caring about anything or anybody only wanting to instill terror and defeat freedom, and in so doing solidifying the need for freedom among the Iraqi people - here, here, here, here, and here. These "animals" went on to say:

this would be the fate of those who "sold their religion and honor for the pleasures of life"

"Pleasures of life" - could this actual be an admission that such freedom will lead to a better life or "pleasurable" way to live.

Should Have Been Me

John Kerry has a long face - "but Teddy said I would win"


"It should have been me after all I am smarter then him, just ask the media"

"War in Iraq Not on Iraq"

Diana West's Op-Ed piece in The Washington Times is a must read. Some snippets:

We are at war in Iraq, not on Iraq, which we have liberated. We fight on to endow Iraqi Muslims, some Iraqi Christians and even a couple of Iraqi Jews with a little liberty and running water against ... terror? There's no war on "terror" any more than there's a war on car bombs. Neither term describes what animates the terrorists — drivers of car bombs, wearers of explosive vests, or wielders of butcher-blades. Invariably, it is Islam and the murderous, expansionist ideology of jihad that drives that extreme fringe you read about to the point of unspeakable violence. And by the way, that's some fringe; according to Daniel Pipes' famous estimate, it includes 10 percent of the Muslim world — 100 million-plus people.

Which takes me back to the original idea of what there is to achieve by writing about those central, retrograde aspects of Islam that clash with Western society — namely, the precepts of jihad and dhimmitude, and the dictates of sharia law. Clarity is the goal. We are unlikely to witness a security-lite inauguration four years — or eight or 12 years — hence if we remain confused about the ideology that animates our foes. And we are unlikely to ward off the spread of jihad, dhimmitude and sharia law the world over — including the U.S.A. — if we know nothing about it, or, worse, know only apologetics about it. Infinitely more pleasant, they are also misleading. (Read here)

Iraq - By the Numbers

Chrenkoff has the media negativism towards Iraq by the numbers.

But it's one thing to have a gut feeling about media negativity and another to know exactly how negative the coverage is. So today I decided to do a little tally.

Friday, 21 January (Australian time) is an average day as far as Iraq is concerned. Google news indexes the following negative stories concerning Iraq:

2,642 stories about Condi Rice's confirmation hearings, in the context of grilling she has received over the Administration's Iraq policy

1,992 stories about suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks

887 stories about prisoner abuse by British soldiers

2,345 stories about President Bush's inauguration, in the context of the President failing to mention the word "Iraq" in his speech, or indeed discuss the war

(Read more)

This is nothing new and I have written about Good News Please in the past like here, but to see the negativism put into this kind of perspective is eye opening.

Social Security the "Real" Reason

Larry Elder exposes the real reason Democrat's are resisting President Bush's "personal accounts", "you're too stupid to manage your own money".

Former Democratic vice-presidential contender Geraldine Ferraro inadvertently revealed the real reason behind Democrats' resistance to the president's proposal of Social Security partial privatization. " . . . [I]f you don't have the knowledge [emphasis added] and the wherewithal [emphasis added] to manage your own private funds," said Ferraro, "well, you know, you're gonna be out of luck."

Now, Americans possess the ability to make the money. Ferraro's comments parallel the Americans-are-too-stupid theme embraced by former President Bill Clinton. Speaking in 1999 about the $70 billion budget surplus, Clinton said, "We could give it all back to you and hope you spend it right. . . . Do you really want to run the risk of squandering this surplus?"

I don't find this surprising, this is a constant theme among Democratic leaders - "we are simply smarter and know what is best", and exemplifies their arrogant elitist mentality... Read more of Mr. Elder's column here.

Hillary Talks about God

Wonder if the "far-left" will attack Hillary Clinton for her comments on God and "faith-based initiatives" or if they simply believe she is lying and saying what she needs to redefine her self. The Extreme Makeover has begun.

"There is no contradiction between support for faith-based initiatives and upholding our constitutional principles," said Clinton,
[...]
"I've always been a praying person."
[...]
She said there must be room for religious people to "live out their faith in the public square."

Let's just see how this plays on the left, but if they are true to form they will be outraged - oh that's right, this is one of their demigods. Read the story here.

Heal our Nation - Defined by the Left

Please someone tell me how this demonstration of "free speech" is good for our country… At first glimpse would assume, hope, and pray these people were in some third foreign, America hating, country not in our nation's capital; however, to my dismay they are indeed in our nation's capital.

Whining Brats!

Like two whining brats - Soar losers attempt to divide the country, oops continue attempting to divide the country.


(Via Cox & Fox)

Democratic KLAN

Let's see Senator Byrd has stepped up as one of the point men for the democrat's assault on Condi Rice - a prominent, intelligent, and successful African-American women. Let us review Senator Byrd's qualifications (via NewsMax.com).

1. Former Ku Klux Klansman


2. In the early 1970s, Byrd pushed to have the Senate's main office building named after Sen. Richard Russell, a leading opponent of anti-lynching legislation who the West Virginia Democrat called "my mentor."


3. Byrd filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act for 14 straight hours. And three years after he said he'd left his white-sheeted brethren behind, he wrote to Georgia's Grand Imperial Wizard, urging, "The Klan is needed today as never before."


4. Sen. Byrd was also a fierce opponent of desegregating the military, complaining in one letter: "I should rather die a thousand times and see old glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again than see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen of the wilds."

Well I guess I cannot argue with those qualifications. Can you believe the blatant disregard for everything decent in this example of the "diversified" democratic leaders? I am dumbfounded that democrats would allow, no want, Robert Byrd to be point man on this issue. I do notice the lack of outrage from minority leaders or the MSM.

More Boxer Revealed

Cheat Seeking Missiles has even more on barbarian Boxer's lying and politicizing our honorable military men and women of the military who have died in Iraq. Some snippets:

The trouble is, she's dishonoring the war dead by using them for her political purposes. She's taking brave young men and women from Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maine, Arkansas, Montana and virtually every other state, ripping them out of their hometowns, and calling them Californians so she can grandstand in front of a national audience.

No one to my knowledge has asked her to even justify the number, and the only justification she can offer dishonors the sons, daughters, moms and dads who gave their lives in the War on Terror. Yes, she is stupid and arrogant ... and yes, once again the MSM aren't going to ask any tough questions of an anti-war liberal. (Read more here)

Follow the Inauguration

Want updates on Inauguration day check out La Shawn Barber's Corner. She will be updating this post throughout the day.... Ain't it a great day, at least for the majority of Americans.

CIA - EU Grim Outlook

CIA gives grim warning on European prospects reported this week.

THE CIA has predicted that the European Union will break-up within 15 years unless it radically reforms its ailing welfare systems.

The report by the intelligence agency, which forecasts how the world will look in 2020, warns that Europe could be dragged into economic decline by its ageing population. It also predicts the end of Nato and post-1945 military alliances.

In a devastating indictment of EU economic prospects, the report warns: "The current EU welfare state is unsustainable and the lack of any economic revitalisation could lead to the splintering or, at worst, disintegration of the EU, undermining its ambitions to play a heavyweight international role."

It adds that the EU’s economic growth rate is dragged down by Germany and its restrictive labour laws. Reforms there - and in France and Italy to lesser extents - remain key to whether the EU as a whole can break out of its "slow-growth pattern".
[...]
The report says: "Either European countries adapt their workforces, reform their social welfare, education and tax systems, and accommodate growing immigrant populations [chiefly from Muslim countries] or they face a period of protracted economic stasis."

(Hat tip: Instapundit.com) (Read more here)

GOPbloggers UP and Running

A new conservative blog GOPbloggers is up and running - looks great - good luck!

Oh, Europe Stingy Too!

Hey Jan Egeland, what do you think of the story "Thailand has been told by the European Commission that it must buy six A380 Airbus aircraft if it wants to escape the tariffs against its fishing industry". Some snippets:

TSUNAMI-struck Thailand has been told by the European Commission that it must buy six A380 Airbus aircraft if it wants to escape the tariffs against its fishing industry.

While millions of Europeans are sending aid to Thailand to help its recovery, trade authorities in Brussels are demanding that Thai Airlines, its national carrier, pays £1.3 billion to buy its double-decker aircraft. (The rest of the story here)

Where is the worldwide outrage - could it possibly be that because this does not involve Bush or America it is no big deal - and we as Americans are suppose to worry what Jan Egeland and the UN think, Right!

UPDATE: 7:19PM - Instapundit has further information on this indicating that the US also hit Thailand with tariffs...

Diversity - EO - Good Points?

LaShawn Barber's Corner has excellent points! I know anyone reading this blog listens to me all the time, ok dreaming, but since you listened you actual read LaShawn Barber's Corner religiously. However, if you have not read it this evening you need to, she has some interesting information on diversity.

Exit Polls - Bush Won!

No kidding - a new report indicates that the "exit polls say Bush won fair and square", this must really depress the democrats in Ohio fighting the election results not to mention Barbara Boxer who made her grandstand play back on 6 January.

But Edison and Mitofsky said a thorough examination of the survey data demonstrated that Bush won the election fair and square.

“Exit polls do not support the allegations of fraud due to rigging of voting equipment,” the report concluded. “Our analysis of the difference between the vote count and the exit poll at each polling location in our sample has found no systematic differences for precincts using touch screen and optical scan voting equipment.”
[...]
The main impetus for the report was the perception that the NEP exit polls were flawed because they consistently found more support for Kerry than was reflected in the final voting tallies.

Not true, said the report, which found that no “systematic problem in how the exit poll data were collected and processed” explained the inaccuracies.
[...]
Most significantly, “it appears that Democrats are just more likely to take the exit polls than Republicans,” Gawiser said. “ Why does that happen? What can we do to reduce that?”

Well I could have told you not many Republicans would stand around and discuss a vote that they had already cast - I mean what would be the point - I would have told you free of charge. Read the story here.

Imaginary "Horrors of War"

Lance Corpral Raya - the new martyrdom for liberals against the war has never fired a shot in combat, was not due to ship off to Iraq, and could not be suffering from "post traumatic war syndrome" (story here). Of course, there are already lies circulating around the internet about this "hero" that was damaged by the "horrors he saw in Iraq" - read the fiction here.

Michelle Malkin has the real story on her blog (here) and in her column (here).

NewsHawk Daily has the quote of the day "Ever notice that the only soldiers we hear about in the news are the ones fleeing to Canada, suing the military, abusing detainees, or killing police officers?"

Boxer Revealed - CrushKerry

CrushKerry has an educating piece on Barbara Boxer's condescending remarks to Condi Rice....as they put it they "Bust Buffoon Babs Boxer on Her Blatant Iraq Lie" and you need to read it here.

GOPbloggers Launch

GOPBloggers to launch January 20, 2005!

Hey John You Lost

David Limbaugh has the low down about John Kerry still campaigning.

Will someone please tell this narcissist the presidential campaign is over? Oh yes, and please also remind him that he lost. Today I saw him lecturing Condi Rice about nuclear proliferation. Kerry secretly revealed to her (on national TV) that he had a plan. It was actually painful to watch if you have a low tolerance for buffoonery.

Then, after the hearings, I'm sitting at my computer minding my own business and my mail box is assaulted with another e-mail from John Kerry. (You have to read more here)

Boxer vs. Rice

Condoleezza Rice clashed with Senator Boxer among others during her confirmation process.

"You sent them in there because of weapons of mass destruction. Later the mission changed when there were none," Boxer told Rice. "Let's not rewrite history, it's too soon to do that."

Isn't it neat how Senator Boxer casually throws out the us and them card - I don't care how you voted on the resolution, the United States of America sent troops to Iraq and you mama are part of it - if not be my guest, please leave!

"It wasn't just weapons of mass destruction," Rice told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saying former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein supported terrorism, attacked Kuwait and Israel and needed to be removed given the new U.S. threat perception after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

Well finally, we get this out in public again - that there were more reasons then WMD(s), or a better way to put it WMD(s) were not the only reason given to Congress for their consideration. I really believe the Democrats have forgotten it and the Media sure hasn't help anyone to remember.

You can read a report here.

Heroes Act

Michelle Malkin has information about a bill to "greatly expand death benefits for our military"... I would suggest you read it since she has some great links.

In short, the act would increase the lump-sum "gratuity" paid to the survivors of military personnel killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and future conflicts, from $12,400 to $100,000, retroactive to October 2001. The benefit for deaths not resulting from combat would remain at $12,400. The Act would increase the maximum available SGLI (Servicemember's Group Life Insurance) coverage from $250,000 to $400,000, with the government paying the premiums for the first $150,000 for military personnel in a combat zone, retroactive to October 2001.

Bill Faith at Small Town Veteran has vowed to track the legislation. Bill is a great guy, tireless blogger, defender of veterans' rights, and you should visit his site often.

Healing the Country - Lib Definition

I hope this is not an example of Democratic movements to unify the country!



(Hat tip: Michelle Malkin)

Iran Operations

Seymour Hersh released and article over the weekend that implied that the US was conducting or planning to conduct "secret operations" in Iran. I did not comment on this because Hersh is a ..., and not worth commenting on. However, the Pentagon yesterday released a statement that does a wonderful job of taking Hersh to task. You can read the statement here.

"Rathergate" More Revelations

William Campenni brings to light other information which not only disputes Dan Rather's stubborn refusals to admit the obvious, ""[N]o one had provided persuasive evidence that the documents were not authentic" - but may bring into question the "independent panel" and it's investigation.

So, putting aside the typos, the superscripts, the signatures, the wrong header and address, and all the previously dissected items susceptible to subjective interpretations, how do I prove this memo is a fake? Easy — for the weekend that 1st Lt. Bush was supposedly ordered to report for his physical, May 13-14, 1972, the Ellington Air Guard Base was closed. It was Mother's Day. Except for emergencies, Air Guard units never drilled on Mother's Day; the divorce lawyers would be waiting at the gate.
[...]
While CBS, in its rush to judgment, might have missed this fatal flaw in the Burkett memo, its investigative law firm, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP, cannot be excused. Why? Because one of their investigating lawyers was informed of this fact on Nov. 15 and given a list of seven witnesses who worked in the same offices with Jerry Killian every day in 1972. (Disclosure statement: I was the source.) The panel report makes no mention of this, and a canvass of most of the witness list reveals no contact attempt by Kirkpatrick & Lockhart (Read here)

(Hat tip: Betsy's Page)

UPDATE: More questions

Insurgents Just don't Care

Iraqi insurgents simply don't care who they kill in their crusade to insight terror.. Here is a story of their taking a Roman Catholic archbishop in Mosul, Iraq. Don't they know Pope John Paul II and top Vatican officials opposed the war and US presence in Iraq (see story here).

This action along with many others should demonstrate their total lack of respect for life or their caring for any "cause" except terror - what exactly can they say they are for - "American troops leaving", no can't be that since they terrorize their own allies in that cause. No what they are for is terror and anything that goes against freedom for the people...

UPDATE: Vatican Demands Release

Letter to The Depressed Press

William Safire has an interesting take on the status of MSM, and is worth reading.

On resentment of media elitism by awakened cultural and religious voices: They're not crazies. Their opinions on stem cells and same-sex marriage are newsworthy and not an assault on church-state separation. Protests at "wardrobe malfunction" and campaigns against state-sponsored gambling are neither bluenosed nor repressive.

But there is no need for sensible seculars in mainstream media to feel an urgent call to get right with religion. It's O.K. to say "Merry Christmas" at the end of a newscast without worrying about equal greeting for Ramadan and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and all the rest.
[...]
Today that media bias is undeniably liberal. That's natural when conservatives are the Ins; five years ago, the bias often ran the other way. As future elections near, that tilt must disappear from news pages to let the voters do the tilting. Some mainstreamers flopped on necessary election evenhandedness in 2004 and should be grimly thankful for a corrective kick in the teeth from other media, bloggers and righteous right-wingers.

I of course, disagree that "five years ago, the bias often ran the other way" - but then again Mr. Safire probably knew many would disagree and choose the word "often" instead of a more definitive "always", "mostly", or "usually".

Groups go After Faith....

Many groups began an "emergency summit" on January 15th to strategies how to "fight President Bush's faith-based initiatives". Roy Speckhardt, deputy director of the American Humanist Association (AHA) stated "we convened the meeting because of the unprecedented challenges, such as the election results.....", and they accuse conservatives as being fascist!

Challenge the elections results - sounds like they are actually the ones opposing the election and the will of the majority like a fascist, communist, or any other totalitarian state would do.

"There has never been any less respect in Washington for church-state separation, even though church-state separation is on of the things that made our country possible in the first place", Anne Gaylor, founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation said. The issue with this statement is ones interpretation of the first amendment, which was only meant to establish:

1. There would be no "Church of the United States." The government is prohibited from setting up a state religion, such as Britain had.
   
   
2. Expressly that government would not hinder the practice of religion, which is the exact opposite from how "groups" are using it today.

Thomas Jefferson's famous "wall of separation" letter was to a group of clergymen in Danbury, Connecticut, who feared the Congregationalists Church would become the state-sponsored religion. Jefferson assured them that the First Amendment guaranteed that there would be no establishment of any one denomination over another. Jefferson never intended for our governing bodies to be "separated" from Christianity and its principles. The "wall" was to protect the church from the state and meant as "one directional".

The purpose of the first amendment was to protect the Church, not to disestablish it. Read The Washington Times article here.

Gay Lobby Going Strong

If any of you believe that the homosexual movement is reeling after the election, think again! This report from The Washington Post indicates the homosexual movement is just as determined or maybe even more so, to "normalize" or "desensitize us to" homosexuality.

To underscore their determination, 22 LGBT organizations, representing a spectrum of political goals and strategies, have, for the first time, released a joint list of priorities. They include pushing for equal employment opportunities; adding sexual orientation and gender identity to federal hate crimes law; fighting for protections for children of LGBT couples; overturning military restrictions on gay soldiers; opposing anti-gay state and federal legislation; and fighting for the freedom to marry.

"We plan on working in a coordinated fashion," said Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national gay advocacy organization. "The moment that we're in now in our civil rights movement is acknowledging that we play different instruments and have different strengths, but we want to hear from that orchestra together." (Read more here)

(Hat tip: David Limbaugh)

Newt for President - NO!

I have been thinking how to express my thoughts on this subject, but as usual, La Shawn Barber has proven how eloquent a dissension can be written - so I don't need to write anything and simply say DITTO La Shawn Barber.

Now a different kind of Revolution has taken place, one in which Gingrich would be a liability. Lately there’s been talk in the media about his running for the presidency in 2008. I can’t tell you how cringe-worthy that is. And when I heard about his “Walking Tour of God in Washington, D.C.,” I thought, “That’s just what we need. A Republican philanderer lecturing people about God.” (See a transcript from a recent appearance on FOX.)

Why do I react this way? Because I think Gingrich is a man of low character. He served his first wife divorce papers while she was in the hospital suffering from cancer. During Bill Clinton’s impeachment scandal, he’d been cheating on his second wife with one of his staff and told her over the phone while she was attending her mother’s birthday party that he wanted a divorce. I won’t even get into the ethics violations.

You really should read the entire entry here.

Pro-USA Essay - Update

In the interest of being fair - many other bloggers have taken a deeper look at the essay I posted about yesterday, and there is a nice recap at Michelle Malkin. Although most agree, the professor is at best an academia elitist and at worst a Marxist the essay on its merits certainly was not deserving of an "A+". Of course, not being a literary genius or to concerned about grammatical errors, I am not one to grade the young man - in fact I would assume that Michelle Malkin would "wince at (my) bad grammar" also, but such is live - we all try.

Hillary is Liberal - Always Remember

This story reminds us that Hillary Clinton is liberal and we should remember this even though she and your handlers will attempt to change our opinion.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and her supporters will no doubt accelerate their efforts to portray the former first lady as a moderate. While it is easy to understand why most left-wing Democrats run from the liberal label as though it were the plague, Mrs. Clinton's pursuit of this strategy will likely run into the same problem that helped to bury Mr. Kerry in November. She can hardly claim to be a responsible moderate if she reflexively votes like a Teddy Kennedy Democrat.
"In the spirit of the New Deal," Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) rightly styles itself as "America's oldest independent liberal lobbying organization." As early as this week, ADA will be reporting that Mrs. Clinton achieved a score of 95 percent for embracing the ADA position on 19 of the organization's 20 most important votes in 2004. (Mr. Kennedy scored 100 percent.) It will be the fourth consecutive time that Mrs. Clinton has received a score of 95 percent since she entered the Senate in 2001. Mrs. Clinton's four-year ADA average score of 95 percent is not much different from Mr. Kennedy's 98.75 percent
In 2004, both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Kennedy received 100 percent scores from the League of Conservation Voters, an unambiguously liberal environmental organization. (Read here)

Kuwaiti Flunked for Pro-USA Essay

The Washington Times, has a story by George Archibald about a seventeen year old Kuwaiti student be flunked after writing a pro-USA essay...

A 17-year-old Kuwaiti student whose uncles were kidnapped and tortured by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's invaders more than a decade ago said his California college political science professor failed him for praising the United States in a final-exam essay last month.
Ahmad Al-Qloushi, a foreign student at Foothill College near San Jose, Calif., said he was told by professor Joseph A. Woolcock to get psychological treatment because of the pro-American views expressed in his essay.
[...]
The topic chosen by Mr. Al-Qloushi stated that some scholars "contend that the Constitution of the United States was not 'ordained and established' by 'the people' as we have often been led to believe. They contend instead that it was written by a small educated and wealthy elite in America who were representative of powerful economic and political interests. Analyze the U.S. Constitution (original document), and show how its formulation excluded the majority of people living in America at that time, and how it was dominated by America's elite interests."
In his essay, Mr. Al-Qloushi said, "I completely disagree. ... The American Constitution worried monarchs in Europe. The right for men to choose their own representatives was unheard-of in the rest of the world. ... The United States Constitution might have excluded the majority of people at the time. But it progressed, and America, like every nation in the world, progressed ...
"Because of America, the world is free. ... America freed Kuwait and is now currently in a fight to free Iraq and its 25 million residents and vanquish the tyranny and monstrosity of Saddam Hussein."

Now could someone explain what they would call this - academia attempting to prove they are elitist and flexing their musles in a "last stand" for the only remaining liberal stronghold. Read the rest of the story here.

Campaign Reform - Hillary?

The federal government revealed last week that the finance director of Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate race has been indicted on multiple counts of fraud related to an August 2000 Hollywood fund-raiser, which reportedly raised at least $1 million in hard-money contributions and untold amounts of soft-money donations. It appears that the direct beneficiary of the alleged fraud was Mrs. Clinton's campaign, which at the time was desperate for as much federally restricted, extremely valuable hard money that it could gather.

Do you think Hillary had knowledge of this? I am just curious what she is saying, because had this been a republican the democrats would be calling for the politician's head!

As many as 1,200 people attended the event, which featured Cher, Diana Ross, Michael Bolton, Stevie Wonder, Melissa Etheridge and Patti LaBelle, among others. Attendees paid between $1,000 and $25,000. The first $2,000 of any contribution would have qualified as hard money in 2000.

How do you think these celebrities feel? Read the story here.

North Korea - Not Ready

I warned in North Korea - Ready? they could change their mind tomorrow, and in fact they did "change their story". This USA Today story indicates just that.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A day after indicating a willingness to rejoin nuclear disarmament talks, North Korea returned to its usual anti-American rhetoric Saturday, accusing the United States of being a "nuclear criminal" with double standards.

Is anyone really surprised, we are talking about North Korea.

Michael Moore no Role Model

DAVISON, Mich - Oscar on the shelf or not, Michael Moore is not getting much respect at his old high school. Despite his fame and many honors, the filmmaker has been rejected all four times that he has been nominated for Davison High School's Hall of Fame.

"Would you want him as a role model? Would you want your son or daughter to be like him?" asked Don Hammond, a member of the Hall of Fame selection committee. "I haven't talked to anybody yet who's for him. The word to describe Michael Moore is embarrassing. He embarrasses everybody."

I have newfound respect for Davison High School and would have to surmise Michael Moore was raised better than he demonstrates.

There are some who disagree with the selection committee and are campaigning on Moore's behalf - the outcome could be interesting. How Moore's hometown respond?

Un-American Braclets

Americans are now "branding their bodies" as un-American - folks it is not me drawing this conclusion - read on! Individuals are selling bracelets identifying themselves and those that purchase these bracelets as anti-Bush. On of the young entrepreneur stated "I sort of felt ashamed, and didn't really want to be associated with being an American" - doesn't that sound as if she want to be "branded" un-American or maybe non-American... Just another indication of the lefts willingness to work towards unifications, right! Read the stroy here.

Just in To Pray!

Early today I posted To Pray or Not, referring to the inauguration ceremony. U.S. District Judge John Bates issued his ruling today and as expected rejected Mr. Newdow's challenge.

But one day later, Bates ruled that Newdow wouldn't get far in his legal challenge and noted the absence of a "clearly established violation of the Establishment Clause."

"Moreover," the judge said in the ruling, "the balance of harms here, and particularly the public interest, does not weigh strongly in favor of the injunctive relief Newdow requests, which would require the unprecedented step of an injunction against the president." (Read here)

Half Iraqis to Vote

BAGHDAD, Iraq: A senior election official estimates that half of Iraq’s 15 million eligible voters will take part in this month’s national election and says that to encourage a high turnout, those living in insurgency-racked areas will be allowed to vote in safer communities.
[...]
One election poster features one of Saddam Hussein’s tanks in front of the heavily damaged gate of one of Shiite Islam’s holiest shrines. The written message: “So this doesn’t happen again, participate in the elections.”

Considering every other democracy's meek start I will do not subscribe to the liberals theory that this spells doom - an estimated fifty percent of Iraqis will vote on January 30th, who would have thought this possible? How can this be anything but wonderful news and a tremendous step forward for the Iraqi people!

Social Security #1 Attack

One of the democrat's newest attacks on President Bush is to accuse a "phony social security crisis". Byron York makes some interesting points:

In 1998, the major policy question in Washington was what to do with enormous anticipated federal budget surpluses. Republicans, arguing that a surplus meant the government was taking in too much money, wanted to cut taxes. Clinton wanted to kill any tax-cut proposal before it had a chance to gather support. So in his 1998 State of the Union speech, he came up with a famous slogan.

"What should we do with this projected surplus?" Clinton said. "I have a simple four-word answer: Save Social Security first."

Soon Clinton was going around the country, touting a coming Social Security "crisis." All of his administration's economic achievements, he said in February 1998, "are threatened by the looming fiscal crisis in Social Security." There should be no new spending — or, more importantly, no tax cuts — "before we take care of the crisis in Social Security that is looming when the baby boomers retire."
[...]
Clinton's Social Security-crisis campaign, while a response to Republican plans for the surplus, was also a way for him to go on the political offensive during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. As the scandal grew, he became more interested in fighting off impeachment than forestalling tax cuts. But Social Security remained a potent rhetorical weapon. In September, Vice President Al Gore went to the Capitol for a Social Security pep rally with congressional Democrats, including House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, Sen. Edward Kennedy, Sen. Barbara Boxer, and others. Gore said that in coming years — by 2032 — "Social Security faces a serious fiscal crisis." Everyone in the group stayed remarkably on-message as they warned that the future was dire.

"Save Social Security first," said Gore.

"Save Social Security first," said Gephardt.

"Save Social Security first," said Kennedy.

"Save Social Security first," said Boxer.

Notice Ted Kennedy was on message with Clinton and his message of 1998 directly contradicts his message yesterday. These guys must think we are stupid and that really irritates me! Read Mr. York's entire article here.