Yes, Democrats, please keep this up.

So, by now you've probably seen the following smart-ass web ad naming all the things that Sen. John McCain is older than:



Classy, isn't it?

The Lone Star Times and Jim Geraghty have found some other things that John McCain is older than. My favorites:

John McCain is older than Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

John McCain is older than betraying national security secrets on the front page of the New York Times.

When John McCain was born, it was legal to own a gun in the District of Columbia.

John McCain is so old that when he was born, Obama's neighbor and donor William Ayers hadn't tried to kill anyone with a bomb yet.

When John McCain was born, Americans in small towns had only been clinging to religion and guns for about a century and a half.

When John McCain was born, no one feared that former president Herbert Hoover would embrace a leader of a terrorist organization.

My views on all children, in 4 seconds.

(From the Joe Don Baker movie Mitchell, one of my favorite episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000, ever. You can watch the MST3K version here.)

Shhhh...

It's Karol's birthday today!

Hope. Change. Unity. Whining.

I suppose it's to be expected of a man who has never faced a serious elector challenge - either in a Democratic primary or a general election - but Sen. Obama and his team are at their fight-fight-fightenist today. Sayeth the Obamessiah (change be upon him):

Deadpanning, the Illinois senator said, "It does not get much more fun than these debates. They are inspiring events."

In criticism of his rival, he called the debate "the rollout of the Republican campaign against me in November" and said it represented textbook Washington politics that Clinton was very comfortable playing.

"They like stirring up controversy and they like playing gotcha games, getting us to attack each other," he said. "Senator Clinton looked in her element. She was taking every opportunity to get a dig in there. That's her right to kind of twist the knife a little bit ... that's the lesson she learned when Republicans did it to her in the 1990s."

Emphasis mine.

Call me insane, but isn't that what you want if you are a Democrat? Shouldn't Democratic voters know how well their presumptive nominee will stand up to Republican attacks in the fall before they christen him the nominee? This statement is (or rather, should be) seen by the Democrats as an admission that this man isn't ready for prime time yet.

If I were a Democrat today, I would be mad at the media for not questioning Sen. Obama harder on William Ayers, Louis Farrakhan, Hate-monger Jeremiah Wright, etc. before he stacked up an insurmountable delegate lead and most of the popular vote.

Sen. Domestic Terrorist Tom Coburn (R-OK)

I had to work last night (of course) so I'm kind of at a disadvantage talking about last night's Democratic debate. So naturally, when I heard that Sen. Obama compared his years-long political relationship/friendship with domestic terrorist William Ayers, I thought it was too good to be true. I was wrong:

[Ayers] is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago, who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.

And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values, doesn't make much sense, George.

The fact is, is that I'm also friendly with Tom Coburn, one of the most conservative Republicans in the United States Senate, who during his campaign once said that it might be appropriate to apply the death penalty to those who carried out abortions.

Do I need to apologize for Mr. Coburn's statements? Because I certainly don't agree with those either.

I eagerly await a statement from Sen. Coburn to see what he thinks about all this. Let's hope it's feisty!

Equating real domestic terrorism to having a simple policy difference is a variation on a theme for the left. To them, policy differences and conservative politics are indistinguishable from criminal offenses. From Scooter Libby's prosecution to Henry Waxman's constant Congressional investigations to calls in the lefty blogosphere to pull ABC's broadcasting license, the left never has any ideas to combat policies they dislike, only threats.

Smart. Tough. Tolerant.

More thoughts on Obama's slander of Sen. Coburn can be found here and here.

He'll fit right in...

An inmate at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution in Texas has gotten on the May 25 Democratic primary ballot in Idaho:

[Keith Russell] Judd, 49, qualified for the ballot by submitting a notarized form and paying the required $1,000 fee, state Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said. As a result, Democratic voters will be able to choose among Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Judd.

"We got conned," Ysursa told The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash.

It's Judd's second presidential bid in Idaho, the newspaper said Wednesday. In 2004 he declared as a write-in candidate for president, which requires only the submission of a declaration, and didn't get any votes.

Considering the his opponents on the ballot, I can't see any reason why Idaho Democrats shouldn't vote for him. The best part: Judd isn't scheduled for release until 2013, so even if his long-shot bid for the presidency succeeds, he can't do us that much damage.

2012 (or 2016) seems much too far away

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's approval rating is at 77%. Let's hope it stays that way.

McCain: No Pro-choice VP

Who does this rule out? According to Nachama Soloveichik at the Club for Growth, this would mean that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (who McCain may not need to carry Florida anyway), Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, and Sen. Joe Lieberman shouldn't count on being at the bottom of McCain's ticket this fall. (NYC Mayor Nanny Michael Bloomberg would fall into this category as well.)

What is mildly surprising about this statement from McCain is that this throws four of the most maverick-y choices he could make for vice president out the window, even a couple from swing states that he needs in his column this fall.

UPDATE: In other veepstakes news, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford: Are he and McCain on the outs, or are they just fine?

The right's best grievance-monger

We all know that Sen. McCain has angered us in the past. It's old news. It's out there. Everyone is aware of it. But there is one thing you can expect, like clockwork, every time McCain starts cozying up to conservatives (like, say, by giving an economic speech heavy on conservative themes). So, when I saw in the HotAir.com headlines that Michelle Malkin had written another ham-fisted, obnoxious, faux populist column rehashing McCain's past sins, I wasn't surprised:

The New York Times–endorsed media darling got a standing ovation from the nation’s newspaper editors at a big journalism powwow in Washington this week. Some maverick. While McCain eagerly criticized Obama as an “elitist” for his derisive comments about small-town Pennsylvanians, Obama’s got nothing on McCain when it comes to insulting average Americans who oppose illegal immigration.

Pandering to the open-borders lobby as cozily as Obama panders to San Francisco billionaires, McCain has attacked grassroots enforcement activists as bitter racists and xenophobes, cursed his Senate opponents and mocked the “goddamned fence” in front of his deep-pocketed business supporters. And who can forget his disdainful admonition to conservatives, whom he berated to “calm down.”

Yawn.

It's like there is some block in her that will not allow any good information pass about McCain without stammering out something like, "But...but...but...he, uh, was angry at me once. Yeah! That's it!" One of the reasons I became a conservative is because the liberals I knew seemed to constantly act like nothing was ever good enough for them. There was always something wrong with everything. I can't handle that kind of constant negativity, but apparently Michelle can.

UPDATE: I re-read this later, and thought it sounded a bit too harsh. Michelle has a lot of good work, and her political insights (along with those of Ace, Jeff Goldstein, etc.) helped get me into grad school, believe it or not. So, while I won't pull a classic lefty blogger trick and send this post down a memory hole, please note that this article could probably use a few rough edges sanded off of it.

Call Obama elitist? Well, you're probably a racist

Well, being one of those, psychologically imbalanced, uneducated crackers from small town America that Sen. Obama studies with such confusion, I did not know this. But here it is, anyway:

The individual who asked about the comments suggested the charges of elitism had racial overtones.

“As a white person, this term, the way it is being used against you, it isn’t far from ‘uppity,’ OK?” the man told Obama angrily. “And I think the Clintons are getting away with something that they must be called on. They will continue to do it until somebody states, ‘Mrs Clinton, you’re really close to prejudice here. This is wrong.’”

The moment that all criticism of Sen. Obama leads to charges of racism is the moment that his candidacy is over. People don't like being told - event by surrogates and supporters - that they are racist because they have policy differences or question an opponents associations and judgment.

UPDATE: Shocka! Looks like the LA Times' op-ed page is in agreement:

"Elitist" is another word for "arrogant," which is another word for "uppity," that old calumny applied to blacks who stood up for themselves.

At the bottom of the American psyche, race is still about power, and blacks who move up risk triggering discomfort among some whites. I've met black men who, when stopped by white cops at night, think the best protection is to act dumb and deferential.

Emphasis mine.

Calling small-town folks racist, gun-humping Neanderthals who are only religious because the economy is bad is now "standing up for oneself." Gotcha.

Orange and Maroon

The Virginia Tech Massacre was one year ago today. Jeff Emanuel remembers the shootings and the events that followed here.

Apart from having one friend on campus that day locked up in his room, and knowing several friends who lost people they cared about, I don't have any personal connection with this story. That makes me feel a little insincere writing about it on any profound level.

Movie of the Day

Juno came out on DVD today, in case you're interested. I already picked up my copy.



The soundtrack is pretty good, too.

It's ideas like this that will help him win in November...

Sen. McCain is proposing a "gas tax holiday" for this summer, meaning no federal gas taxes from Memorial Day to Labor Day:

To help people weather the downturn immediately, McCain urged Congress to institute a "gas-tax holiday" by suspending the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. He also renewed his call for the United States to stop adding to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and thus lessen to some extent the worldwide demand for oil.

Combined, he said, the two proposals would reduce gas prices, which would have a trickle-down effect, and "help to spread relief across the American economy."

If this long-shot proposal gets accepted, I think the greatest benefit is that people would finally, tangibly see how much the federal government costs them every time they fill up their tank. Also, I would predict that, come Labor Day, there would be a lot of people angry that the taxes are being re-installed. Hopefully that anger would lead them to choose the most tax-friendly candidate in November, rather than someone who would surely vote against any tax relief. A press release on McCain's full economic plan can be found here.

Quote of the Day

From James Taranto's column today (errr....yesterday):

Unlike Ayn Rand, [Sen. Russ] Feingold and [Sen. Barack] Obama see selfishness as a virtue only for bitter-off cultural conservatives. The well-heeled San Francisco Democrats Obama addressed on Friday stand to pay much higher taxes if he is elected. Many of them no doubt back Obama because they like his liberal positions on subjects like guns, abortion and same-sex marriage. If you think Obama criticized their priorities, we've got some change you can believe in. In Barack Obama's America, rich people who vote on cultural issues rather than economic self-interest are principled and self-sacrificing. People of more modest means who do so are credulous and bitter.

Shouldn't the Second Coming know things like this?

At CNN's "compassion forum" (whatever that is) the other night, Sen. Obama was asked when life begins, to predictable results:



So basically, "Ugh.....I dunno?". That won't cut it in my estimation. Why? Because if you don't have a clear answer, the only ethical standard is to err on the side of life.

This is a test that Sen. Obama's voting record just doesn't pass, especially when it includes this Illinois State Senate vote:

State senator Obama voted in 2002 against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. The legislation was part of a package that defined a “born alive” infant, including those born after a botched abortion, and required doctors to evaluate and provide medical care to them.

The need for this protection was underscored by a nurse at a Chicago area hospital who had seen a baby born alive and then set aside to die. Infanticide is the accurate word for that, but it might offend an important Democratic special interest group.

Barack Obama didn’t cravenly opt to be merely “present” when it came to infant protection. He went for the Democratic gold and straightforwardly voted no.

So Sen. Obama isn't interested in protected what he concedes might be life or infants that are actually born during botched abortions. You stay classy, Barack.

It would get more people to vote, that's for sure.

Yes, it's old. But it's tax day, so why not try to cheer ourselves up with a 17-month-old pipe dream:

The passage of time between when we dutifully vote and when we curse the IRS actually serves as a comfortable buffer zone for politicians against an onslaught of public discontent. It’s the ultimate “buy now, pay later” scheme.

As a result, taxpayers often end up with elected officials who give lip service to the idea of lower (or at least simpler) taxes, but who rarely have to deal with the immediate consequences of failing to back up words with deeds.

As a response to the disconnect, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R., Md.) has sponsored a bill that would move the deadline for federal income-tax returns from April 15 to the first Monday in November — conveniently, the day before Election Day. The cause is simple: strengthen the link between the politicians we elect and the taxes we pay for their services (or disservices).

More information on Rep. Bartlett's bill can be found here.

UPDATE:via HotAir, here is the Young America's Foundation's Jason Mattera asking Sen. Ted Kennedy about his funneling the Kennedy money into trusts and foundations, given his continued support for the death tax:



FYI, a good source of information about the death tax is the American Family Business Institute.

Note that Adlai lost...twice.

In George Will's column today, he points out that Obama is everything his supporters claim, but for the wrong reasons...and that won't help him in the general election:

When a supporter told Adlai Stevenson, the losing Democratic presidential nominee in 1952 and 1956, that thinking people supported him, Stevenson said, "Yes, but I need to win a majority." When another supporter told Stevenson, "You educated the people through your campaign," Stevenson replied, "But a lot of people flunked the course." Michael Barone, in "Our Country: The Shaping of America From Roosevelt to Reagan," wrote: "It is unthinkable that Roosevelt would ever have said those things or that such thoughts ever would have crossed his mind." Barone added: "Stevenson was the first leading Democratic politician to become a critic rather than a celebrator of middle-class American culture -- the prototype of the liberal Democrat who would judge ordinary Americans by an abstract standard and find them wanting."

Stevenson, like Obama, energized young, educated professionals for whom, Barone wrote, "what was attractive was not his platform but his attitude." They sought from Stevenson "not so much changes in public policy as validation of their own cultural stance." They especially rejected "American exceptionalism, the notion that the United States was specially good and decent," rather than -- in Michelle Obama's words -- "just downright mean."

While in undergrad, I took a 20th century history course, and I remember that when we covered the 1952 and 1956 elections the professor would say: "Well, Stevenson was an incredible intellect, and a lot of his ideas went over the heads of the American public." I remember raising my hand and saying, "Umm...isn't it possible that they understood his ideas, but just didn't like them?"

That seems to be the line whenever a Democrat loses: "They were just too smart for those rubes out there in flyover country". Both Al Gore and John Kerry lost their elections because "they couldn't speak in sound bites" or "their ideas were too nuanced and sophisticated to be understood by Middle America." I tended to think it was because they came off as aloof, arrogant, preening jackasses. But hey, what do I know. I'm just bitter young man who clings to guns and religion because I'm not getting paid enough.

Let's hope that Sen. Obama's documented arrogance catches up with him, just like Adlai's did.

Plan on dancing on the steps of Jefferson's Memorial to celebrate his birth?

Well don't. You'll get arrested.

"Green is green"

Hit & Run has a good post up about free market-based environmentalism. This is an issue that has been dominated by the left, but has potential to be used by the right (and libertarians). The video at the post features TJ Rodgers, who is in charge of a company that manufactures solar energy:

[H]e tells a story about the time he caught the president of SunPower "blathering about ice caps or something like that" and went to great lengths to publicly mock him for being, essentially, a Birkenstocks-wearing dirty hippie.

Rodgers' position these days seems to be something like this: Give the people a product they want, make a profit doing it, and don't feel too high and mighty if you happen to do something "socially responsible." Green is good? Who cares? The important thing, as he puts it, is that "green is green." Like money, get it?

There is a market out there for people who don't really mind being green, as long as it doesn't hinder capitalism. For example, driving a Toyota Prius doesn't hurt the free market or the environment. Just ask Rep. Tom Tancredo.

I believe Republicans and Libertarians have a chance to take this issue and run with it. There are plenty of conservative people out there who wouldn't mind being more environmentally friendly if the stigma of being a "dirty hippie" weren't attached to the issue.

Sen. John McCain has embraced the issue, but unfortunately (and not surprisingly) he tends to align with the left instead of with the free market. An interview with Sen. McCain on environmental policy can be found here.

Song of the Day/Light Blogging

The song of the day is "Jesus, Etc." by Wilco. I have things to do today before work, so I might not blog as much as I would like.

Ace's Day Job Revealed!

BREAKING! Must Credit IVD!

No wonder he needed a day off.

He should know, he is the Messiah after all.

At Messiah College in Pennsylvania (a more left-wing Christian school), Sen. Obama defends his earlier remarks:

First question for Obama is about his small-town clingy diss.

Obama’s new spin: “Cling” is in the Bible! Oh, and it’s the government’s fault.

And this is a distraction.

Classic. You see, Christianity not only calls one to point out that the US created AIDS to kill black people and that 9/11 was America's chickens coming home to roost, but it also requires one to point out that people only believe in religion because the economy gets bad. Because Sen. Obama used a word that was once used in an English translation of the Bible, it must be true!

The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy Freak Show

While reading what I hoped would be an informative article on Sen. Clinton's behind-the-scene worries and calculations, I ran across something troubling. Being relatively new to the vast right-wing conspiracy, I've sometimes worried that my masters/handlers/thinkers would leave me out of the loop. You know...forget to send me the days talking points, fail to tell me which minority group to beat up on this week, etc.

Today it happened. There's been a name change, and apparently I didn't get the memo. It seems that we are no longer the vast right-wing conspiracy:

Both men lost control of their public images to the right-wing freak show — that network of operatives and commentators working mostly outside of the mainstream media — and ultimately lost their elections as many voters came to see them as elitist, out-of-touch, phony, and even unpatriotic.

Obama is a much less familiar figure than Kerry or Gore, with a life story that is far more exotic, who is coming out of a political milieu in Chicago politics that is far more liberal.

The freak show has already signaled its early lines of attack on Obama. Polls show a significant percentage of Americans believe — falsely — that he is a Muslim. Voter interviews reveal widespread unease with minor and seemingly irrelevant questions like why he does not favor American flag pins on his lapel. Nor have we heard the last about Wright and his fulminations.

Here will be the real kitchen sink: every damaging comment or association from Obama’s past, mixed together with innuendo and downright fiction, to portray him as an an exotic character of uncertain values and weak patriotism.

Obama’s advisers say they are not naive about freak show attacks. Their response is that Obama’s appeal to a new brand of politics, and his personal poise and self-confidence, will allow him to transcend attacks and stereotypes in ways that Gore and Kerry could not.

Emphasis mine.

Yes, we are now the right-wing freak show. Concerns about a potential Commander in Chief supporting a Kenyan politician who sought to institute sharia law in Kenya is just a fear-mongering, anti-Muslim attack from the right-wing freak show. Skittishness over the fact that the potential leader of the free world has long-term and close associations with domestic terrorists, people who call Judaism a "gutter religion", and think America invented HIV to kill African-Americans is nothing more than a freak show smear.

Good to know.

Glaciers Gone Wild!

Hillary knocks back a shot.



Watch out tonight, Bill! (shudder)

(h/t HotAir.com)

Something fishy in Red China

It seems there is now documentary evidence that China is staging events to make the Tibetan people look like extremists:

However, the young man attacking the wheelchair-bound torch carrier had his picture taken before this assault, only he wasn’t marching with Tibetan supporters. Dafydd has the photograph that clearly shows him as a supporter of the Beijing contingent in Paris, arriving at the parade under the Communist China flag — wearing his Tibet bandana.

More information and links at that post.

Any other advice you want to give them?

The Politico has a great article up on their site that compiled the top 12 reasons that Obama's elitist comments will hurt him. Tucked away on the second page of the article is #12:

12. It undermines Democratic congressional candidates who had thought that Obama would make a stronger top for the ticket than Clinton. Already, Republican House candidates are challenging their Democratic opponents to renounce or embrace Obama’s remarks. Ken Spain, press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said: “There is a myth being perpetuated by Democrats and even some in the media that an Obama candidacy would somehow be better for their chances down ballot. But we don’t believe that is the case.”

Emphasis mine.

If the NRCC actually believes this, why are they telling anyone? The GOP is already facing an uphill battle just to keep their slim minority in the Congress and revealing our hand won't help alleviate the situation. I think that Obama, irrespective of this latest Kinsleyian gaffe, will be the Democrat Party's nominee. Even if the NRCC shares this view, it is unwise and reckless to so openly show ones hand in politics.

If the NRCC is trying the ol' reverse psychology and think that Sen. Clinton would be better for our down the ticket chances, I must respectfully and strongly disagree. In this vintage posting at HotAir.com, Allahpundit reminds us why:

Hillary has more skeletons in her closet than any other candidate on either side of the aisle. But unlike the scary unknown skeletons in the other candidates’ closets, Hillary’s skeletons are familiar, like old friends.

Hillary’s skeletons are so well-known, they should have their own nicknames. Hey look, it’s “Whitey,” the Whitewater skeleton! Over there is “Pink Slip,” the Travel Office Firings skeleton — right next to the collection of bones labeled “Hillarycare.” That grinning skull on the shelf? His official name is “Cattle Futures Skeleton,” but he goes by “Hundred Thousand” — the eye-popping sum of money she made off those trades. It just sounds more “street.” And that bag of bones in the corner is the one formally known as “Magic Reappearing Rose Law Firm Billing Records Skeleton.” Yeah, it’s kind of an awkward name; just call him “Rosie.” Everyone else does.

Repeating itself

Who said this:

"The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dishwatery utterances of the man who has to be pointed out to intelligent foreigners as the President of the United States."

The answer is here.

Obama Issues Non-Apology Apology

Pretty standard fare amongst political elites of all stripes:

[O]bviously, if I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that. The underlying truth of what I said remains, which is simply that people who have seen their way of life upended because of economic distress are frustrated and rightfully so.

I agree with the Weekly Standard, in that I find the "underlying truth" he was trying to convey just as insulting as the words he chose.

Whosaidit: Jesus Christ vs. Obamessiah edition

I dunno, I had always thought they were the same person. But anyway, here you go. I got 7/10 correct.

(h/t the Moron-in-Chief)

Why Michael Steele won't be Vice President

The former Lt. Gov. of Maryland is more moderate than you think:

In 2006, Steele was very much seen as a rising star in the conservative movement, but he has since joined up with Christine Todd Whittman's liberal Republican group, the Republican Leadership Council (RLC)--a reincarnation of It's My Party Too. RLC claims to support "fiscally conservative, socially inclusive Republican candidates," but a quick look at the kind of candidates it supports demonstrates their candidates of choice are often liberal to moderate on both fiscal and social issues.

That's the last thing Sen. McCain needs at the bottom of the ticket, as the RLC's partner organizations are just as bad as the candidates they support.

The Unbearable Bitterness of Whitey

As I stated last night, Sen. Obama stepped in it royally by showing his elitism and condescension toward, well, basically anyone not from NYC, Chicago, or LA. It seems that the spin has landed on focusing on, and apologizing for, the least objectionable part of his statement: that voters are "bitter". Captain Ed shows how that just doesn't fly:

* “[T]hey cling to guns…” Cling to guns? Americans have “clung” to guns since the founding of the Republic. It’s such a core value to this nation that its founders placed it second on the Bill of Rights, right after freedom of speech and religion. Speaking of which …
* “or [they cling to] religion …” People don’t become religious because the economy hits a few bumps in the road. Obama may have chosen his religion based on politics, but most people follow a religion out of a deeper sense of spirituality. I can’t think of a more condescending and contemptuous analysis of religious dedication than this statement.
* “or [they cling to] antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment…” Small-town voters are bigots and xenophobes; there’s no other way to read the first part of this statement. The second part, about them being “anti-immigrant”, is a non-sequitur. They may be anti-illegal immigrant, but that’s a far different issue. Obama offers no proof that small-town voters are xenophobes, but the Frisco audience didn’t demand any, either. It’s part of their own bigotry that makes them see middle America in those terms.
* “or [they cling to] anti-trade sentiment …” And this is just jaw-droppingly hypocritical. This comes from the same candidate who opposes the Colombian free-trade agreement and wants to throw NAFTA out the window. Who’s clinging to anti-trade sentiment? Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Big Labor.

And conservatives thought the Rev. Wright kerfuffle was the nail in the Obamessiah's coffin. I think it will be much harder for Obama to pull a Jedi mind trick on voters with something he actually said. Especially something he probably thought would never get back to the rubes in flyover country (which, to me, is one of the more arrogant aspects of this whole statement: that he thought he'd get away with it.)

So, what do we do now? We make sure that Obama doesn't get away with limiting this to his calling people "bitter". If you have Facebook, link some blog post using the "posted items" link. Send out a MySpace bulletin. Blog about it yourself. Start the e-mails going. If you have any friends who are independents, fair-minded liberals, or conservatives who are considering voting for Obama because "he's such a nice man", make sure they have this quote:

And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

And, depending on who you are talking to, make sure that they know the original reporting came from the Huffington Post, not exactly a right-wing outfit.

P.S. Matt Drudge is certainly not going to any great lengths to let people know the real context of the quote. No real surprise here, since the story was broken by bloggers, whom Drudge seems to detest. As of right now, he has no banner headline, and only links to 3 different articles, two of them merely hyping the Sen. Obama's spin of the remarks:

Obama Says Some Voters Are Angry, Bitter...

'I'M IN TOUCH'...

Concedes Remarks Were Ill Chosen...

UPDATE: Nice Deb has a good post up detailing Sen. Obama's history of condescension. My favorite:

“But understand, Tim, part of what I hope to offer as president is the ability to reach to people that I don’t agree with, and the evangelical community is one where the Democratic Party, I think, we have generally seen as hostile. We haven’t been reaching out to them, and I think that if we’re going to makes significant progress on critical issues that we face, whether it’s education or healthcare or energy or our foreign policy in this country, we’ve got to be able to get beyond our comfort zones and just talk to people we don’t like”.

(h/t S.Weasel)

It's almost amazing that he go re-elected so many times...

Sen. Trent Lott has finally got a taste of what the average folk do in DC. After spending 35 years in Washington, DC, he finally got around to taking a ride on the Metro:

"I took the Metro for the first time," Lott told the Sleuth Thursday afternoon in the makeup room of MSNBC, where he and his new lobbying partner, former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.), were fixin (as Lott says) to do a TV segment.

"He's been standing in front of his house waiting for his car and driver," laughed Breaux from the makeup chair, adding with a tinge of a low-country twang, "He's learning how to hail a cab." (Read: HAY-ul a cab.)

I am struggling over whether to fault him too much on this or not. Having lived in DC, I have to say that if I were given a free car and driver to cart me around the city, I wouldn't have rode Metro that much either. But I think that is the key. I wouldn't have ridden it that much, but I think in 32 years*, I probably would have found the time to ride it at least once. And, even if I didn't, I would have had the good sense not to tell anyone (especially a reporter!!!) that I hadn't ever ridden it.

I don't think the problem here is that Lott didn't take advantage of the Metro, but rather that he has such a political tin ear about the whole thing.

*Sen. Lott has been in DC for 35 years, but the Metro has only been around for 32.

Dumbruralcrackergate Links/Blogroll Update

I was working tonight, so I missed blogging about St. Sen. Barack Obama royally stepping in it. Here is the quote everyone's talking about, delivered at an exclusive fundraiser on billionaire's row in San Francisco:

So it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

For the time being, I'll just direct you to some bloggers more on the ball than I am. Ed Morrissey and Allahpundit are all over it, as usual. Pennsylvania native Michelle Malkin adds her thoughts. The boys over at PowerLine catch Obama spinning like a whirling dervish, and think that this might be the death knell of Obama's general election chances. Gateway Pundit points out the hypocrisy of Obama's statement. Zombie was on hand outside the event to for some citizen photojournalism.

I'm sure we'll hear more on this story over the weekend, and it should be interesting to hear Sens. Obama and Clinton spin this statement at their debate on April 16th. I'll probably blog my thoughts on it this weekend.

Also, the Club for Growth just started a new blog, VP Watch, that could prove helpful as summer nears. I'll have it in my blogroll as long as it remains relevant.

On a related side note, why do people keep putting Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) on lists of potential running mates for Sen. McCain? He was born in Cuba, and thus ineligible for that office.

Quote of the Day

From...errrr...yesterday:

I want to free Tibet as much as the next person (in fact, my parents can confirm that I had a "Free Tibet" sticker hanging in my room in their house since about 1992) but I'm not sure what scaling the Golden Gate bridge or messing with the Olympic torch is going to do about it. I believe it was Mark Steyn who said that all the Free Tibet people would have a fit if we made a move to do anything to actually free Tibet.

- Karol at AlarmingNews.com

Song of the Day

"Where is My Mind?" by the Pixies



There's no official "video" for it, so this is one set up to scenes of Fight Club (a film I seriously need to rewatch).

Tancredo issues support to McCain, stocks up on Val-U-Rite Vodka for a "long weekend"

Immigration hawk and former GOP presidential hopeful Rep. Tom Tancredo has issued support for Sen. John McCain's presidential bid...but not an endorsement:

Tancredo, who once told a national television audience he was "sick and tired" of having to choose between the lesser of two evils, said Thursday he'll go ahead and back his longtime immigration-reform foe, McCain, because he thinks either of the Democratic alternatives would be worse.

"Sometimes I say to myself, 'Can I really do this?' " Tancredo said of supporting McCain. "And then you listen to Obama or Hillary and say, 'Yeah, I have to.' "

[...]

Tancredo said he's not endorsing McCain, just "supporting" his general election candidacy.

And what's the difference? "The distinction is that one implies a little more enthusiasm," Tancredo said.

You have to wonder how many Democrats could have done even this if Sen. Joe Lieberman had somehow managed to be at the top of their ticket this November.

The Westboro Baptist Cult gets pwned at UW

The sub-humans of Westboro Baptist "Church" descended on the University of Wisconsin to protest the deaths of three students who died in a house fire there. The UW students surrounded the protestors, and treated them better than they deserved. (content warning)

Good for them. And it gives me an excuse to post one of my favorite pictures of all time...

Even though it's probably photoshopped or something, it still makes me laugh.

All those clothes have been weighing her down.

Lindsay Lohan is going to appear nude in a low-budget indie flick to prove that she's a serious actress:

The actress is said to have agreed to strip down for just £40,000 for the indie film Florence to prove herself as a "mature actress".

The 21-year-old, who previously played a pole dancer in the box-office flop I Know Who Killed Me, has reportedly agreed to "full frontal" nudity in her role as a nymphomaniac waitress in the drama.

An insider told The Sun: “Lindsay doesn't care she's getting paid peanuts. She wants to remind people she can act and that she is worth hiring.”

With the possible exception of Mean Girls, (which I haven't seen, but am told I would love) she has never been a good actress.

If she wants to be taken seriously as an actress, maybe she should try having a personal life that doesn't land her on the cover of the National Enquirer ever other week. Or perhaps she could start by actually behaving like a professional during production, instead of being so consistently late and "irresponsible" that the producers have to chastise her via letter.

I've got nothing against actors appearing nude for roles, but doing so doesn't make one a talented or serious actor. That comes from a love of, and devotion to, one's profession that requires one to think about the task at hand, rather than how much fun she's going to have at Les Deux that night.

All is not well in the Land of Hopetm and Changetm

Polling indicates that a majority of Americans still enjoy choosing their own doctors, deciding when to get medical care, and having the best quality of health care in the world:

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of American adults favor a national health insurance program overseen by the Federal Government. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 39% oppose such a government-led initiative while 31% are not sure.

The survey also found that 46% believe the quality of care would decrease under a national health insurance program while 16% believe that quality would increase. Twenty percent (20%) say the quality of care would remain about the same while 18% are not sure.

Also, internal polling from the Republican National Committee and the McCain camp show that Americans apparently prefer "despair and constancy" to "hope^tm and change^tm":

Internal polling data [...] shows John McCain with a solid lead over both his potential general election rivals. Powered by the same appeal to Democrats and independents that fueled his primary election success, McCain is leading Barack Obama 48 percent to 42 percent and Hillary Clinton 51 percent to 40 percent according to RNC polling done late last month.

He’s moved ahead of the two Democrats by consolidating support among Republicans, but also by retaining his backing among a wide swath of independents and picking up a small chunk of cross-party support.

Of course, there are still about 7 months left in the campaign, and Sen. McCain still has to shoot his chances in the foot by picking an unacceptable candidate for vice president.

"I doubt Sarah's met a government intervention she didn't like..."

Mike Flynn, the Director of Government Affairs at the Reason Foundation, discusses the housing bailout on CNBC.



Details of Sen. John McCain's plan for homeowners can be found in this San Francisco Gate article, which I admit I haven't had time to read very thoroughly.

You give me the best most burning, painful presents!

Now, I know it is hard for singles out there in America. Maybe you're in a large city, and it is hard meeting people who share your...ummm...interests? But as tempting as it may be, there are some dating sites that you should probably avoid. Tucked away in Cracked.com's list of the 5 most ill-advised dating sites on the internet, we find a gem: STDmatch.net.

Listen folks, there are better ways. Just go out to the park with your best case of Val-U-Rite vodka, a large net, and just play the waiting game. (I keed, I keed.) On the other hand, It would be a good way to find out if someone you're dating is feeling not-so-fresh, without having to ask.

Iraqi Speaks Truth to Power

You know, in the way that (who knows?) might get him killed. Not in the self-congratulatory way most American journalists mean.
Iraqi Politicial Tells the Truth


(h/t the Moron-in-Chief)

Sen. Jim Bunning, acting non-crazy for once

He's actually talking sense about the massive government bailout of house buyers and housing loan lenders. About time someone did:

"This is an unusually bad bill, and I have opposed it from the start. The course it has followed almost guarantees that it will be filled with the worst kind of gimmickry. And it is. The Senate may be the world’s greatest deliberative body, but this bill is anything but the product of deliberation. It is a jumble of disjointed ideas, unlikely to solve the crisis at hand, and it’s unpopular.

"It turns out that the American people don’t like the idea of bailing out banks and their neighbors who gambled on home prices.

Video of his statement on the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2009 is at the link.

Who knew Herbert Hoover was president in 1996?

David Freddoso passes along a helpful chart from a Hill staffer on the disingenuous spin Democrats are putting on the economy.

Please, dear Lord, no...

Via the HotAir headlines, Mike Huckabee is restarting his website on April 15, 2008. In the comments to that headline, readers are noticing some interesting similarities to this site that make me think I will be voting for a third party for president for the first time ever.

This is absolutely the worst mistake Sen. McCain could possibly make. Let's hope that MSNBC's reporting is accurate:

Huckabee’s daughter, Sarah, reiterated that the former Arkansas governor is not running for anything this year -- the filing deadline to run for Senate in his home state has passed -- and said the countdown is for the launch of Huckabee’s new Web site.

Let's all just sit back and hope that he is forming a PAC or something. It will probably be something about the FairTax, given the April 15 launch date.

Support Canadian Bloggers

The draconian body to our north, known as the Canadian Human Rights Commission, is going on a witch hunt against conservative Canadian bloggers:

The human rights commission attacks on Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn have made a lot of people aware of the danger of allowing these government bodies to regulate the speech of Canadians, and the internet has been abuzz with stories of bureaucratic abuse. The fight for free speech has begun.

As you might expect, these commissions and those who support them are not prepared to go down without a fight. In recent days, defamation notices have begun to arrive at the doors of the bloggers and website owners who have dared to comment on former human rights investigator and EGALE member, Richard Warman, or his staunchest defender, former Liberal war room strategist, Warren Kinsella. (Yes, he’s the same Warren Kinsella who ridiculed Stockwell Day’s Creationist views with a Barney doll on national television.)

Kathy at Five Feet of Fury has now reported that the lawsuits have been served. You can help these bloggers by donating to their legal defense funds (links to each of the bloggers' sites at the bottom of this post).

Warman is, of course, the same sharia-promoting imbecile that filed a complaint against Ezra Levant's magazine, the Western Standard for publishing the Danish Muhammed cartoons. Levant's videotaped inquiry before an employee of the Alberta Human Rights Commission can be found on his YouTube page. (There are about 9 clips in total, so I don't want to post them all on this post.) Here is his opening statement:

I find it interesting that people always threaten to "move to Canada" when someone they don't like gets the presidency, as if it is somehow "better" or "more free". What a joke.

CORRECTION: I was contacted by the site administration of NoApologies.ca tonight, and I would like to issue a correction. From his email:

Just a quick correction to your post. You wrote that "Warman is, of course, the same sharia-promoting imbecile that filed a complaint against Ezra Levant's magazine, the Western Standard for publishing the Danish Muhammed cartoons."

Actually, that's not quite correct. OK, it's not even close.

Warman is Jewish (as is Exra). While the guys who are going after Ezra are Muslims - one complaint, since withdrawn, was from an imam in Calgary named Syed Soharwardy. The other is from the Muslim Council of Edmonton. Nobody has been able to prove any connection between Richard Warman and these guys. Largely because they don't exist.
(The Muslims, in their darker and more honest moments, would probably be as glad to persecute Warman as they would Ezra.)

Just to be clear, like you, I have no use for Warman. I'm the site admin for noapologies.ca, (you linked to an article on our site - that's how I found you) and we fully expect to be "next" on Dickie's War-baby's list of lawsuit targets. But disdaining the man, his tactics, or his politics doesn't mean we need to sacrifice accuracy.
Just thought you'd like to know.

When I wrote this post today, I took the following passage in this post at Michelle Malkin's site to mean that Warman was the one bringing charges against both the Western Standard and the Canadian bloggers:

You need to know about this. The same tool who went after Canadian publisher Ezra Levant over the Mohammed cartoons is also targeting other Canadian conservative bloggers with “defamation” legal threats. He is trying to shut up and shut down the right-leaning blogosphere up north one blog at a time–and then is suing people who call him a censor.

I should have been more thorough, and I apologize for the error.

The European Union on the Zimbabwe elections

The normally toothless European Union has finally commented on the Zimbabwe elections:

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters the votes of Zimbabweans must count, and should not be "stolen" from them.

"One thing should be clear for Mr. Mugabe and his entourage," he said.

...

The EU has repeatedly called for an end in the delay in publishing the results of the presidential poll - but this is the first time it has made it clear that it assumes Zimbabweans have voted for a change in rule.

I am unclear as to whether this statement was released before or after one of Robert Mugabe's aides released this statement:

George Chikumbirike, a lawyer for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, told judge Tendai Uchena: “It would be dangerous in my view to give an order because it might not be complied with … because of outside exigencies which the party (ZEC) will be unable to control.”

"Dangerous", of course, meaning that Mugabe has lost by wide margin. Luckily, the Movement for Democratic Change took pictures of the election results as they came in, to have recorded proof against any tampering by Mugabe and his Zanu-PF Party.

So, what is going to happen in Zimbabwe? My guess is: Mugabe claims he had enough support to warrant a runoff election. The MDC produces the photos of the actual vote tally, and the photos are immediately discarded as photoshopped frauds by Mugabe's regime. Poll workers, who have been intimidated by Mugabe's thugs since the election, side with Mugabe for a runoff election, that Mugabe "wins". Of course, I am saying this with hopes that it will not become true. I've been wrong before, hopefully I am wrong again this time.

Giant Failure to meet with Giant A**hole

The 20th Century's worst president, Jimmy Carter, is headed to the Middle East to meet with Hamas. What a surprise. I am glad I was born just late enough not to have lived under a Carter regime administration.

In which I admit to being wrong...

Earlier I stated that I didn't think Secretary of State Condi Rice would be attending the ATR Wednesday meeting in search of becoming vice president. It turns out that I'm not to be trusted as an analyst:

No speaker goes to conservative activist Grover Norquist's Wednesday breakfast meeting without a purpose. And so it was with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice two weeks ago when she convinced a rapt audience -- without even raising the possibility -- that she should be the next vice president.

"If her goal was to convince everyone she would be a good president and, therefore, a good vice president -- she hit it out of the ballpark," Norquist tells The Sleuth.

...

But this time, Rice wanted to address the group of activists and writers personally. And Norquist, who hosts the meetings, says many attendees "left the room saying, 'This is a woman who could be president.'"

Someone has snatched up Sean Wilentz's brains

Admittedly, the Democrat primary rules are archaic and undemocratic, but the proportional distribution of delegates is one of the basics. Even I know that, and I don't do this for a living. He should know that.

New York City: Not like London.

For now, at least. The New York legislature has killed NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attempt at creating a London-style congestion pricing fee for cars entering Manhattan during the day. What is interesting is that Democrat-controlled State Assembly stopped the bill. The Republican State Senate leader had a, shall we say, nuanced position on the measure:

"Bloomberg personally donated $500,000 to Republican state senators, who narrowly run that body... shortly thereafter, the State Senate's leader endorsed the plan."

It's Springtime for Hitler and Tom Cruise...

It seems that the evil lord Xenu is once again conspiring against Tom Cruise. His Nazi movie, Valkyrie has been pushed back from an Oscar-friendly opening date of October 2008 to February 2009, just in time for Valentine's Day. The movie is also plagued with post-production troubles:

As of last week, director Bryan Singer still expected to shoot four more scenes with a disbanded cast including a big war/action sequence that sets up the film but still doesn’t exist. "Valkyrie" already has cost $90 million and should hit $100 million before it’s done. That doesn’t include the marketing costs, which will add on a good $50 million.

The money is another issue. United Artists’ deal with MGM and Merrill Lynch called for making four to five films a year. So far they’ve made and released one, Robert Redford’s "Lions for Lambs."

By many industry estimates, that gallant effort probably will lose a total of $50 million when all is said and done. It cost $43 million to make, grossed $57 million worldwide, and that doesn’t count marketing and prints. And it’s not like today’s DVD release will help much: Amazon.com lists it around No. 50.

In case you missed the very laughable trailer a few months ago, here it is again.


And speaking of Nazis, they are alive and well in modern Israel, according to a UN Human Rights Council investigator charged with monitoring Israel. Your tax dollars at work.

Donald Carcieri for Vice President?

Leon Wolf seems to think that the Rhode Island governor would be a good fit at the bottom of McCain's ticket:

It turns out that, among other things, Don Carcieri is pro-life. The comments attributed to the Governor and his wife in that article were positively shocking to me for their strength. He has also taken strong stances in favor of traditional families. Carcieri is also a much stronger opponent of illegal immigration than is McCain, which might help to offset McCain's biggest weakness with the Republican base.

Carcieri has grown somewhat less popular within Rhode Island over the last two years, and one of the primary reasons appears to be that he has supply-sider instincts. The State of Rhode Island ran into a $200 million budget shortfall, and instead of addressing the problem by raising taxes or fees, Carcieri responded by revamping the entire government, including the layoffs of over 1,000 government employees.

I think I could get behind that idea.

St. Obama, Sr.: Hey, how about a 100% tax rate?

I'll not steal Greg Ransom's whole post, there's plenty of good stuff to look at.

So we know that his father's ideals were a driving force in his life, but the one thing that Obama does not give us are the contents of those ideals. The closest he comes is when he tells us that his father lost his position in the government when he came into conflict with Jomo Kenyatte, the President of Kenya sometime in the mid 1960s; when he tells us that his father was imprisoned for his political views by the government just prior to the end of colonial rule; and when he tells us that the attributes of W. E. B. DuBois, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela were the ones he associated with his father and also the ones that he sought to instill in himself. (p. 220) This last group is a hodge podge, perhaps concealing as much as it reveals, in that it contains a socialist black nationalist, a Muslim black nationalist, a civil rights leader, and (at the time indicated in the memoir) an imprisoned armed revolutionary.

A bit of research at the library reveals the answers about Barack Obama's father and his father's convictions which Obama withholds from his readers."

What are some of the positions St. Obama, Sr. advocated? Here are my favorites, and there are more at the link:

2. Obama advocated the nationalization of "European" and "Asian" owned enterprises, including hotels, with the control of these operations handed over to the "indigenous" black population. (pp. 32 -33)

3. Obama advocated dramatically increasing taxation on "the rich" even up to the 100% level, arguing that, "there is no limit to taxation if the benefits derived from public services by society measure up to the cost in taxation which they have to pay" (p. 30) and that, "Theoretically, there is nothing that can stop the government from taxing 100% of income so long as the people get benefits from the government commensurate with their income which is taxed." (p. 31)

7. Obama advocates government owned and operated "model farms" as a means of teaching modern farming techniques to farmers. (p. 33)

So basically, everything Robert Mugabe has done, but on steroids.

What say you, Barack?

Vice President Rice? Not Likely.

Yesterday, there were reports from Republican strategist Dan Senor that Secretary of State Condi Rice has been courting high-profile Republicans in Washington, DC, in hopes of winning a spot at the bottom of the ticket. His basis?

According to Senor, Rice has been cozying up to the Republican elite.

“There's this ritual in Washington: The Americans for Tax Reform, which is headed by Grover Norquist, he holds a weekly meeting of conservative leaders -- about 100, 150 people, sort of inside, chattering, class types,” Senor said. “They all typically get briefings from political conservative leaders. Ten days ago, they had an interesting visit -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- the first time a secretary of state has visited the Wednesday meeting.”

Umm...I used to be an intern at ATR, and I attended those meetings every week during my tenure there. Since I wasn't there for Secretary Rice's visit, I can't say for certain that she didn't talk about the veepstakes, but I highly doubt it. It is much more likely that she came to this meeting to talk about how free trade can help ensure democracy in states like Columbia, as ATR is a forum more suited for that discussion than the veepstakes discussion. It is true that, if she fielded questions, this could have been brought up, but, like I said, highly unlikely.

And, while we're on the subject, it's also highly unlikely that Sen. McCain would choose her. The last thing he needs is more "McCain = Bush's Third Term" ammunition for the left. On top of that, the conservative base isn't exactly enamored with her treatment of the Palestinian Authority, and she is rumored to be pro-choice (although this might make it more likely that McCain would choose her). This leaves out the fact that she has never campaigned actively for any office.

McCain was asked today about Secretary Rice:

"I did not hear that. I missed those signals," McCain said. "I think she's a great American, I think there's very little that I can say that isn't anything but the utmost praise for a great American citizen, who served as a role model to so many millions of people in this country and around the world. But as I mentioned to you, we're not talking about the process because it just then gets into things that could easily to spill over into an invasion of privacy."

Asked whether Secretary Rice's role in the Iraq War should be taken into account, McCain said that all those who were involved in the failed strategy in Iraq "bear some responsibility".

First of all, if Rice was actively seeking the slot, I would think that McCain would have heard about it by now. Secondly, as highlighted, it would take away his talking point about how he spoke out against how the Iraq war was managed. How can you both put someone at the bottom of the ticket and say that they are partly responsible for a years-long mismanagement of a war?

So, while I may have been pushing for a President Rice just a few scant years ago, I now think that having her anywhere on the ticket might be a mistake. I like her, but I just don't think its a feasible choice.

UPDATE: Jim Geraghty adds his skepticism.

And her name wasn't Pocahontas, it was Musheera

How could I have possibly missed, in 19 years of education, the fact that Native Americans actually spoke Arabic?

BDS or legitimate?

I think they are good ads, if used as a lesson in history. But, seeing as how they have been made by an organization as vacuous as MTV, I highly doubt that. Even The Huffington Post sees some BDS politics in the ads (not that they'd disagree with any of it):

Using the Holocaust as the backdrop for what could befall America if we are "not careful," the 30-second spots questions the integrity of the network for using an example that remains fresh in the memories and minds of a culture. Which seems to be exactly their point, if they have one.

Personally, I just love that people would accept any "hard" news or political commentary from the people that brought the world such hard-hitting, informed shows as "Laguna Beach" and "Real World/Road Rules Challenge". As Allah says:

Honestly? If my belly wasn’t so full of the left’s nonsense in this vein over the past six years, if it was produced not by MTV but as some sort of video greeting for the Holocaust Museum in D.C., I’d think it was effective.

Here are the ads:

Movie of the Day

Wristcutters: A Love Story.



It's actually a comedy, and not as emo as it sounds. I promise.

St. Obama like, TOTALLY, loves gun rights!

He'll have to use all his magic Messiah powers to get people to believe this, methinks:

A two-page white paper on Obama’s website doesn’t mention his voting record.

Instead, he introduces himself as a former constitutional law professor who “believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he greatly respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms.”

“He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns for the purposes of hunting and target shooting,” the paper states. “He also believes that the right is subject to reasonable and common sense regulation.”

Emphasis mine. According to Obama the nation's strictest gun control laws, found in Washington, DC, fall into this category.

I wonder if he has told Pennsylvanians that he is against concealed carry and thinks you should be guilty of a felony if someone steals your gun and uses it in a crime.

Link Round-up: RIP, Charlton Heston edition

Ed Morrissey eulogizes the great actor and gun rights advocate over at HotAir.com.

"We won't let them grab the guns, Mr. Heston, not even from your cold, dead hands."

Some of the man's greatest hits, and some predictable lefty hatred...already.

Gateway Pundit has some links of his own, and more predictable nutroots reaction...

Michelle Malkin has some good youtube of Heston, as well as a statement by the Heston family.

The editors of PowerLine share their thoughts. Best passage:

In the last chapter of his autobiography Heston tells a story deriving from his appearance in Minnesota on behalf of Grams. In the course of his remarks on behalf of Grams, Heston said: "We have to get back to the values and perceptions of those wise old dead white guys who invented this country." Grams's hapless opponent and her friends in the media tried to create a brouhaha out of the remarks, as Heston recalls, branding him with what he calls "the familiar P.C epithets." Heston had moved on to appear on behalf of another Republican candidate outside Minnesota after the controversy erupted, but he took the time to tape a response:

"Let's see now," I said, "they were wise, they were old, they're dead, they were white guys, and they invented this country. Which word in that sentence don't you understand?"

I think it's fair to say that we shall not look upon his like again.

Karl notes that the AP can't keep it's bias out of it's obituary.

Victoria's Secret's New Bra: Definitely Less Sexy

Remember the new CEO of Victoria's Secret saying last month that the line had become "too sexy"? Well, it appears they have achieved their goal:

A woman has filed a lawsuit claiming that she was injured by a bra. The suit names Victoria's Secret as the defendant.

Jessica Lang, of Greenville, said she bought the bra at the Haywood Mall store in January 2005. The suit claims that early one morning while wearing the bra, she felt discomfort in her breast. She says when she removed the bra to alleviate the discomfort it "malfunctioned," leaving a 3-inch long, ¼-inch deep laceration on her left breast.

Linking Linkers, and the Links that Link them, 4/4 edition

You keep using these words, "dialog on race", I think you do not know what they mean.

All this new found HOPE^TM and Change^TM hasn't stopped Barack Obama from voting "present" on any issue that is remotely controversial.

SCANDAL! Some of John McCain's economic advisors are guilty of the most grievous crime of all: believing in free markets.

Sen. Tom Coburn for vice president? Jeremy Lott thinks that's a good idea. I'm not so sure. Sen. Coburn is one of the few good senators in that body, and I think that is where his voice is most needed. Also, while some of his recent comments on the Iraq war may pull in the votes of more dovish conservatives and independents, I think it will cost him more votes.

Also, neither he nor McCain have executive experience. He needs to balance the ticket by choosing a fiscally conservative and ethical governor who can reassure those of us who believe in smaller government. Ahem.

The U.S.S.I. is alive and well, which begs the question: How much more livable would Illinois be if they could just get rid of Chicago?

Remember that threatening letter that some prominent Glacier-backers sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi? Yeah, it didn't work.

Zombietime has a new blog! (h/t Nice Deb)

Democrat Minnesota State Senator: Hey, you know what's anti-democratic? People thinking that they can spend their money better than the government can.

Protecting bloggers from McCain

Or rather, McCain-Feingold. Rep. Jeb Hensarling has introduced a bill designed to protect bloggers from campaign finance regulations. Here (pdf file) is the text of the bill.

If St. Barack Obama rejects Louis Farrakhan...

...why was he working closely with him to help Farrakhan lead the Million Man March?

Obama has based his candidacy on judgment, saying that voters should choose him because, while he may not have the most experience, he has the best judgment of all the candidates*. Being closely associated with domestic terrorists and people who openly hate the country he's trying to lead belies this argument.

*I agree with this line of thought. After all, Abraham Lincoln had only served one term in the House of Representatives before becoming President (and this term was over 10 years before that, to boot).

But then again, I'm not to be trusted as an analyst...

I'm hoping that Ramesh Ponnuru is wrong on this point. The last person we want in the VP slot is someone with little enthusiasm, who can't deliver any states, and only got the backing of conservatives after he was seen as the anti-McCain. Mark my words: bad idea.

Exactly how much time does St. Obama think he will have in a crisis?

From Jim Geraghty comes a new nugget of gold form the Obamessiah. In response to Chris Matthews asking St. Obama a hypothetical question about what he would do if he gets "a 3 a.m. call that hijacked jets are on the way to the capitol". His answer?

"Here's the important thing about that 3:00 a.m. phone call," he said. "What you want is somebody who is, first of all, going to get all the facts and gather up good intelligence. The second thing you want is somebody who is able to analyze the situation, the costs and benefits of action."

So in a time in which decisive action is needed, the answer is for everyone just to chill out and wait for the CIA, etc. to get the intelligence to Obama, so he can then take time for a lengthy analysis. Smart. Tough.

It is not know whether or not this response gave Matthews' a thrill up his leg. But it will likely elicit fawning praise from the same people who criticize President Bush for not rushing madly from a Florida classroom upon hearing that a second plane hit the World Trade Center. So, just so we have this covered: A calm demeanor when little concrete information about future attacks is know is bad, and a calm demeanor when one possesses concrete information about a future attack is good. Nuance.

UPDATE: Here is a repost of Obama's disarmament video. Hey, why not. I don't think it has gone viral enough for my tastes yet.

Michelle, Heinz-Kerry, and the "Underdog"

Teresa Heinz-Kerry is joining Michelle Obama on the stump in Pennsylvania:

Teresa Heinz Kerry joined Michelle Obama at a rally at Carnegie Mellon University today, saying she hoped the state would support Obama the way it had voted for both of her husbands.

“Pennsylvania voted for both of these good men,” she said, referring to the late John Heinz, a former Republican senator in the state, and Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 presidential candidate. “And this election, I hope Pennsylvania will join me in casting a ballot for another great and good man, Sen. Barack Obama.”

They're both human gaffe machines, so you might as well keep them together. What really stuck out to me in that article, though, was this passage:

“We are gonna need Pennsylvania,” [Michelle Obama] said. “Because in this ever-shifting, moving bar, Barack Obama will always be the underdog. No matter how much money he raises, no matter how many wins he pulls together, no matter how many delegates he accumulates; he is still the underdog. It’s the way it works.”

Huh? So what disadvantage does she think that he has, that after winning more states, more delegates, and raising more money, he is still the underdog? We already know that Mrs. Obama sees the United States as being a "downright mean country" and violent toward to people of color. Is she claiming here that Obama is (and, presumably, always will be) the underdog because he is black?

Why do people think McCain is a non-interventionalist?

Reason's Matt Welch is dubious about the claims of some of McCain's followers that the Senator will be any less interventionalist than President Bush. As Welch says:

[McCain] wrapped up the Republican nomination largely through by winning with 2-1 ratios among voters who hate the war and hate George W. Bush. Eventually, the majority of Americans who are weary of the Global Cop act are going to realize that McCain is a more enthusiastic interventionist and committed benevolent-imperialist than his predecessor, whose miserable unpopularity is due in no small part to his activist foreign policy. Thus it becomes crucial for McCain to distance himself from Bush on foreign affairs, preferably in a way that changes the subject from his own interventionism.

I remember seeing those figures after (if I remember correctly) the New Hampshire primary. Why would dovish voters flock to McCain, especially when Rep. Ron Paul and all the Democrats were advocating full withdrawal? If you were a Republican leaner who wanted a searching for someone with more peace-oriented views who "could win", there was still Gov. Mike Huckabee. If a few unnamed generals could convince him after one meeting that there was a need to close Guantanamo, in a short 3-4 meetings, surely you could convince him to bring the troops home.

Strange.

Song of the Day

"Oh My Sweet Carolina" by Ryan Adams (with Emmylou Harris)

Only in Metro DC would they even consider pressing charges...

...but that's Prince George's County, MD for you.

Take your fakey British accent and go home.

Madonna wants to remake Casablanca, setting it in Iraq instead of Morocco. For someone often touted as a marketing genius, she sure is stupid.

(h/t Betsy Newmark)

Loving the candidates

Jim Geraghty explains why it isn't a good idea to hold your candidate up as America's only choice, using the 2008 Democrat primary as an example:

I think one of the truly complicating factors for the Democrats is that their party is not just split, but that each half of the base has more or less fallen in love with its ideal candidate. They don't just think of their candidate as a good leader and potential good president, they see their preferred choice as a historical destiny, on course to radically improve America, opposed only by the shortsighted and the sinister. We've talked about the "O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma" chanting cultlike atmosphere of the Illinois Senator's rallies, but Hillary's supporters are pretty much as dedicated and uncompromising, and every bit as uncharitable to their Democratic competition.

Each candidate's base is personally identifying with the candidate, often along the lines of race, age, or gender. Each side is taking criticism of the candidate from the other side personally. One of these two sides is destined to feel like a spurned lover when the opposing nominee takes the stage in Denver and says, "I accept your nomination." Each one may or may not stifle the urge to boo, jeer, walk out or turn off the television.

Emphasis mine. (I'll reference that at the end of the post.)

John McCain wasn't my first choice. In fact, he was my next-to-last choice (Gov. Huckabee occupies that slot). But I can't reject the "good" because it isn't the "perfect". I don't think that's helpful. If your candidate doesn't get the nomination, you should find a way to assert your influence on the person who does get the nomination. Try to encourage them to hire certain advisers, lobby for a vice president on the ticket who will stand up for your views, etc.

Anyway, on to the passage I emphasized. I predict that, depending on the nominee, nearly every media publication and news show in America will be running stories under the headline: "Is America Ready for an African-American President?" or "Is America Ready for a Female President?" Any opposition will be painted as an objection to the Democrat nominees race or gender rather than as a rejection of the far-left policies they would enact. So predictable.

Kentucky: Glacier Zone

SurveyUSA has released polling for the Democrat primary in Kentucky. It appears Kentucky Democrats value compulsive lying over bad judgment by a 2:1 margin.

Hey, who hasn't?

In all fairness, things like this happened in Ocean View all the time when I lived there. I keed, I keed.

Zimbabwe's Election Results

While there are still no "official" results from Zimbabwe's recent presidential elections, Sokwanele passes on these numbers from a parallel vote tabulation:

Robert Mugabe loses by 8 points, and the MDC parties combined will keep Mugabe's party in the minority in the legislature.

Electricity from nuclear waste?

It could be true. The secret to the process would be nanotechnology:

US researchers say they have developed highly efficient materials that can convert the radiation, not heat, from nuclear materials and reactions into electricity.

Liviu Popa-Simil, former Los Alamos National Laboratory nuclear engineer and founder of private research and development company LAVM and Claudiu Muntele, of Alabama A&M University, US, say transforming the energy of radioactive particles into electricity is more effective.

The materials they are testing would extract up to 20 times more power from radioactive decay than thermoelectric materials, they calculate.

Since it would help solve environmental problems without destroying the free market, don't expect environmentalists to cheer this information. It's a nice start, though.

(h/t Instapundit)

VIDEO: Wright and St. Obama together at a book signing

It happened after on of Wright's racially inclusive, non-controversial sermons I take it, as St. Obama was there.




But he likes HOPE and CHANGE, so who cares? Right? Am I right, people?

Video found at NewsBusters.

We've made it, we've finally made it!

Someone has posted a definition of the moronosphere on Urban Dictionary. Granted, they did it last May, but still...