Francis H. Powers Staten Island G.O.P. Candidate Dies

This via the Corner:

This comes via the NYT:

The candidate endorsed by Republican leaders to run for a Congressional seat being vacated by Representative Vito J. Fossella died on Sunday morning at his home in Staten Island, party leaders said.

The candidate, Francis H. Powers, a board member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, was a retired Wall Street executive and an active contributor to Republican candidates. Mr. Powers, 67, died in his sleep of natural causes, family members said.

“As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for our family,” Mr. Powers’s son, Brian, said in a statement. “We would appreciate privacy at this time as we make the necessary arrangements.”

Mr. Powers had been selected to run in the November election to succeed Mr. Fossella, who has held the seat since 1997 but who decided not to run for re-election after a personal scandal emerged. Mr. Fossella is the only Republican representing New York City in Congress.

And of course…:

National Democratic leaders have made it clear that they view winning the seat, which has been in Republican hands for 28 years, as a priority. Earlier this month, Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, visited New York to say his party would do “whatever is necessary to win this campaign.”

I wonder what that would be? Maybe like make up lies and smear people and publish pamphlets with false info on them?

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Some Sad News from Ron Paul’s Campaign For Liberty

This is truly some very sad news.

Quote:

The Ron Paul family received some truly sad news yesterday. Eric Davenport, one of the Presidential Campaign’s most important volunteers, was tragically killed in a traffic accident over the weekend. Eric and his young wife, Danielle, spent countless hours working in the South Florida RP ‘08 headquarters. Together, they made hundreds of calls, stuffed thousands of envelopes and walked neighborhoods tirelessly supporting liberty. They even took an extended leave of absence from their jobs so they could support Dr. Paul full time.

The Davenport’s committment to the campaign was hard on the families pocketbook, and Eric’s untimely death leaves Danielle and their two small boys facing tremendous financial hardship. We can’t bring Eric back, but we can help these good people in their time of need.

Dr. Paul and Carol today sent Danielle a personal check. This money is a nice start, but your help is also needed. Any contribution, large or small, would be tremendously appreciated.

For privacies sake, I am not posting the families address on our website. Please either mail contributions to 837 West Plantation Drive, Clute, TX 77531 and we will forward them, or call our office at 979-265-3034 to get the address from our staff. Checks should be made out to Danielle Davenport.

Thank you for reading, I hope you can help – Freedom lovers in need -  (Via Ron Paul’s Campaign For Liberty)

Thoughts and Prayers to the Davenport Family and to those in the Ron Paul campaign that knew them.

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Obama says G.O.P. will play race card, and this is news?

Barry had better get off this crap or The Democrats will look like idiots, just like they did in 2000 and 2004.

As far as the race card goes, you ain’t heard none of McCain’s surrogates saying crap like, “God Damn America” or “America’s chickens are coming home, to roost.” not even a week after 9/11.

You see, this is why we screwed up in 1964. When we gave the Black Race the special law that we gave them, which my favorite senator and Hero, Barry Goldwater Sr. refused to sign, saying that one could not legislate morality. Not satisfied with that, we gave them their own Holiday, to honor a Communist sympathizer, and immoral degenerate. Now they, being the Black Race, want to rule the damn country, and will ride into the White House, and if ANY conservative tries to bring up his liberal record or any of his polices. They will be painted as a racist bigot. Yeah, I said it, I’m proud of it. We gave them freedom, and they now they want the White Race to shrink in fear. A classic example of “Give ’em an inch, they’ll take a damn mile….”

Sometimes I truly believe, that Trent Lott was absolutely correct.

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David Brooks informs the World that Obama is not a Liberal goo-goo….

Whew! That’s a relief…

So, says David Brooks.

But he does say this:

God, Republicans are saps. They think that they’re running against some academic liberal who wouldn’t wear flag pins on his lapel, whose wife isn’t proud of America and who went to some liberationist church where the pastor damned his own country. They think they’re running against some naïve university-town dreamer, the second coming of Adlai Stevenson.

But as recent weeks have made clear, Barack Obama is the most split-personality politician in the country today. On the one hand, there is Dr. Barack, the high-minded, Niebuhr-quoting speechifier who spent this past winter thrilling the Scarlett Johansson set and feeling the fierce urgency of now. But then on the other side, there’s Fast Eddie Obama, the promise-breaking, tough-minded Chicago pol who’d throw you under the truck for votes.

This guy is the whole Chicago package: an idealistic, lakefront liberal fronting a sharp-elbowed machine operator. He’s the only politician of our lifetime who is underestimated because he’s too intelligent. He speaks so calmly and polysyllabically that people fail to appreciate the Machiavellian ambition inside.

[….]

All I know for sure is that this guy is no liberal goo-goo. Republicans keep calling him naïve. But naïve is the last word I’d use to describe Barack Obama. He’s the most effectively political creature we’ve seen in decades. Even Bill Clinton wasn’t smart enough to succeed in politics by pretending to renounce politics.

I can’t say I disagree with this. He proved this when he op-ed out of the campaign finance. So, in short, he’s just another slick Liberal. Oh sure, he’ll get elected, go to the White House and not do a damn thing that he promised. Just that simple.

Others: The Moderate Voice, Matthew Yglesias, The New Republic, The Daily Dish, Fact Checker, The Corner, Gateway Pundit, The Carpetbagger Report, Ben Smith’s Blogs, The American Scene, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hot Air, Talking Points Memo, Weekly Standard Blog, Patterico’s Pontifications, The American Mind, No Left Turns, PoliGazette, Althouse, Macsmind, Connecting.the.Dots, American Spectator, Balloon Juice, Shakesville, neo-neocon, Firedoglake, Marc Ambinder and Wonkette

A Damning Article….

I want to bring an article to your attention. This article is found over at the McClatchy Washington Bureau, and it’s about an Taliban Ambassador, who welded power at Gitmo.

I am not going to quote it over here, at all. Because it requires the reader to look at the whole story. Now, I’ll let it be known, I have zero sympathy for this guy, he was and still is a member of the Taliban. Who was giving asylum to Osama Bin Ladin. However, the part that strikes me as very disturbing is how we abused their Religion, How we beat them, how we simply treated those people like dirt. Yes, I know we stopped, eventually. But it is the very fact, that we did abuse our prisoners of war.

This is a stain, that will never be removed from the consciousness of America. It is now our stain, our mistake, and we will pay for that mistake, for generations to come. We as Americans will forever be known, as the people who tortured our enemies and are just as bad as the empires of Vietnam, Japan, and other countries who partook in this awful practice. There was a time, when it was known that America did not allow this sort of thing, but that too, like many things in this great Country, are gone forever. Because of this, we are a worse Country for it.

It would be foolish and overly optimistic to think that we could overcome this sort of a blemish, but the fact remains that we brought this stain upon ourselves and it will take decades to even get this out of the active memory of those who wish to bring harm to this country.

I believe this Cartoon here, sums up my feelings:

(click on picture to make it bigger)

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Keith Olbermann’s Worst Person in the World

Bronze: Rupert Murdoch for Firing Staff Members and then lying about it.

Silver: Tabloid Paper “The Sun” (Owned by Murdoch) for printing a lie about a soccer star and getting sued.

Gold: New York Post’s Page Six Crew consisting of Richard Johnson, Paula Froelich, Bill Hoffman, Corynne Steindler, Marianne Garvey, for printing a baldfaced lie about Keith Olbermann  and Chris Matthews fighting over replacing Tim Russert, ONE DAY after his funeral.

Breaking News: FISA Deal Reached

Many of the Blogging Media outlets are reporting that a deal on FISA has been reached.

Most of the left is pissed, saying that it’s the same law that was rejected before. The Right seems to be pleased.

Should be interesting, to say the least.

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Obama Passes on Campaign Financing, Republican’s heads explode.

Click here to read all about it.

My reaction?

It can be summed up in 3 words….

Big Honking Deal!

John McCain is going to get his Anus handed to him on a silver platter come November, so, this, is not going to matter, to the General Public at all.

So, while principles are very important, being separated from George W. Bush and a new Direction in Iraq, A New direction for our Nations economy is much, much, more important than this.

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400-Billion Barrel Bakken Oil Field a ‘Myth’, says USGS

As rule, I do not publish much from Cybercast News Service, because they are a Conservative Propaganda outfit, and not a hard news organization.  But I thought this one was quite interesting.

Because I blog about Conservative-related issues, I am signed up with NewsMax, which is owned by Conservative tycoon, Rupert Murdoch. I was constantly getting these advertisements for some big oil in Montana and North Dakota that was worth investing into.

Well, turns out, that little pipedream, is just that, A pipedream

The Cybercast News Service Reports:

Reports circulating on the Internet tell of an oil field spanning parts of western North Dakota and eastern Montana where 400 billion barrels of oil supposedly are just waiting to be tapped. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) tells Cybercast News Service that those huge estimates are "a myth."

A USGS report issued in April estimates that there are between 3 billion to 4.3 billion barrels of oil in what is referred to as "the Bakken Formation" — well below the 400 billion barrels discussed on the Web, but up from the previous estimate of 151 million barrels made in 1995.

Richard Pollastro, Bakken Formation task leader at the USGS, said the myth stems from a 1999 draft report — never published — by a now-deceased USGS employee, Leigh Price. Price estimated that the Bakken Formation holds up to 400 billion barrels of oil. To put that in perspective, Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, has about 260 billion barrels of known oil reserves.

Price, however, died in 2000, before his study could be peer-reviewed and published, and the Bakken Formation became the fool’s gold of the oil industry.

"Unfortunately, in many instances, we are still trying to explain and defend our assessment versus the inappropriate and irresponsible posting of Dr. Price’s ‘draft report,’" Pollastro told Cybercast News Service.

According to Jonathon Kolak, a USGS scientist and information specialist, the discrepancy between Price’s 1999 estimates and the agency’s 2008 findings arises from the fact that Price was trying to assess the "oil generation potential" of the oil found in the pores of rocks and shale in the Bakken field, as well as the total content of how much oil might be pooling up – or "oil in place."

"What Dr. Price was looking at was ‘oil generation potential,’ and then, from that, trying to make an estimate of ‘oil in place,’" said Kolak. "Those terms are very distinct from ‘undiscovered technically recoverable resources.’"

The latest study, which was commissioned by U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), is an estimate of how much "technically recoverable" oil and gas is available — i.e, how much oil can actually be recovered using today’s technology.

Kolak also explained that the 25-fold increase between the 1995 estimates and the 2008 assessment is due to two factors: an improved understanding of the geology and advances in drilling technology.

"Our understanding of the geology improved significantly because of the time difference between the studies," he said. "There has been some drilling since then, there has been a lot more information that has come out, other people have conducted studies, and also USGS researchers have conducted studies."

Moreover, drillers are utilizing directional drilling in the Bakken fields, a way of drilling at an angle to tap previously unrecoverable reservoirs.

"If you’ve been out to western North Dakota, you don’t need a USGS report to know that there’s oil there because you can see from all the drilling activity that there’s a lot of energy development going on in western North Dakota," Dorgan spokesman Justin Kitch told Cybercast News Service .

Kitch admits that comparing Price’s 1999 study to the April USGS study is like comparing "apples and oranges."

"But certainly it’s nice to have an up-to-date assessment of the amount of oil that’s technically recoverable in the Bakken," he said.

In 2006, Marathon Oil bought 200,000 acres in the Bakken to drill over 300 wells. This past May, after the report was released, Texas-based XTO Energy bought 352,000 net acres in the Bakken Shale for $1.9 billion.

The federal government, meanwhile, said only a small proportion of the oil available with today’s technology is economically viable for recovery.

"If you’re drilling the Bakken, it’s pretty easy to drill somewhere in there and at least see some oil, but the question is: Is there enough there to get out and actually be economically recoverable?" Kolak asked.

At the end of 2007, about 105 million barrels of oil had been produced from the Bakken Formation.

The USGS, meanwhile, considers any release or dissemination of Price’s unpublished report to be "inappropriate and irresponsible."

Glad I did not invest it that little pipedream, and I’d bet there are some pretty ticked off investors right now.

Bush, McCain, Republicans, do the ultimate flip flop….

In the ultimate flip flop, Juan McSame and the Republicans, have done a complete 360 on an Issue. Offshore Oil Drilling.

This is from the same party, who highlighted John Kerry on a wind sail, which was flipping back and forth, and they used that, as one of the biggest examples of his leadership.

This is the same party which claims that “staying the course” and not giving up, in Iraq, is the only solution to the supposed, “War on terror”.

Now, Who’s the flip flopper?

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Summary of the various Obama/McCain Polls

All over the damned Place.

Some have Obama on top, some have McCain on top… it’s crazy… go read it and figure it up. Chuck Todd, I’m not.

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Racist Button being sold at the Texas G.O.P Convention

ObamaPresident_WhiteHouse_TXGOPConvention

John over at AmericaBlog News has more:

Expect the Republican party to do absolutely nothing about the racists in its own midst. The national Republican party in Washington has contacts all the time with its state parties. I’m sure there’s money involved, and you’d better believe that when John McCain visits the states, he meets with local party officials. At what point do we hold John McCain responsible for fraternizing with racists? You don’t see John McCain ever saying that he’s no longer going to meet with, fundraise with, any state parties that promote or tolerate racism (like the folks in NC and TN). All McCain and that national party does is say "gosh, that’s so bad, stop that now." McCain and the GOP have the power to punish the racists in their midst. So when will they? Oh, and for all of you in the media who will of course say that this has nothing to do with the GOP: What would you say if racist pins were being handed out at the Democratic National Convention?

Centrist Justin over at Donklephant, weighs in on this:

Many things have been labelled as “racist” in this campaign season, and most of them don’t come anywhere close to qualifying.

However, this button is absolutely, 100% out of line, and I hope that once the state GOPers find out about it, they’ll demand this vendor leaves. I mean, this is a convention where Mike Huckabee was speaking. I wouldn’t imagine he’d be pleased to find out that he could be associated with something this vile.

Count me in as someone that thinks that this is totally out of line. I mean, you don’t like Obama, nail him on his positions and his Politics, not on his skin color.

More via memeornadum 

Hypocrisy thy name is NewsBusters

Dana Milbank at the Washington Post wrote a rather humorous column about Juan McSame. Well, it seems that the self righteous Kool-Aid drinking Right Wingers at NewsBusters took issue with a line in Dana’s Column.

The line in question:

If John McCain keeps dancing like this, he’s liable to break a hip.

Well, that was not acceptable to the supporters of the former womanizing, coke headed, alcoholic, known to the rest of the world, as President of the United States of America.

They sniffed profusely:

While it is fair to note McCain’s delicate balancing act in reaching out to liberal-leaning independents while working to secure and retain the base conservative Republican vote, the "break a hip" snark is rather uncalled for.

But this same Blog/Website/whatever you want to call it, it’s lame anyhow, by Web 2.0 standards, praises Ann Coulter for her columns and remarks.

Here is a good sampling of Ann Coulter’s Quotes:

Sourced

    * I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East and sending liberals to Guantanamo.
          o Her column; December 21, 2005
          o Governmental responsibility

    * We were terrified that Jones would settle. It was contrary to our purpose of bringing down the president.
          o Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter’s Story (1998), pg. 183

    * If Americans support abortion, let’s vote. . . Just this past term, in Stenberg vs. Carhart, the court expanded the apocryphal abortion right to an all-new right to stick a fork in the head of a half-born baby.
          o Her syndicated column, 12/28/2000

    * Taxes are like abortion, and not just because both are grotesque procedures supported by Democrats. You’re for them or against them. Taxes go up or down; government raises taxes or lowers them. But Democrats will not let the words abortion or tax hikes pass their lips.
          o Her syndicated column, February 2, 2002

    * Not all Muslims may be terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims.
          o Her syndicated column, September 28, 2001

Jersey Girls (A group of 9/11 Widows)

    * These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis… These self-obsessed women seemed genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them… I’ve never seen people enjoying their husbands’ deaths so much.
          o Excerpt which caused media controversy Godless: The Church of Liberalism June 2006[1][2]

Al Gore

    * If Gore had been elected president, right now he would just be finding that last lesbian quadriplegic for the Special Forces team.
          o Fall Fashion Preview: Cowboy Boots In, Flip-Flops Out; October 14, 2004
    * I don’t know if [former U.S. President Bill Clinton is] gay. But [former U.S. Vice President] Al Gore – total fag.
          o Media Matters; July 26, 2006

    * The only place Al Gore conserves energy these days is on the treadmill. I don’t want to suggest that Al’s getting big, but the last time I saw him on TV I thought, "That reminds me — we have to do something about saving the polar bears."

    * Never mind his carbon footprint — have you seen the size of Al Gore’s regular footprint lately? It’s almost as deep as Janet Reno’s

Al Sharpton

When referring to Al Sharpton is a, "fat, race-baiting black man with clownish hairstyles"[1]

Airport security

    * Airports scrupulously apply the same laughably ineffective airport harassment to Suzy Chapstick as to Muslim hijackers. It is preposterous to assume every passenger is a potential crazed homicidal maniac. We know who the homicidal maniacs are. They are the ones cheering and dancing right now.
          o This Is War; September 12, 2001

    * Six imams removed from a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix are calling on Muslims to boycott the airline. If only we could get Muslims to boycott all airlines, we could dispense with airport security altogether.
          o AnnCoulter.com; November 22, 2006

    * We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren’t punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That’s war. And this is war.
          o This Is War; September 12, 2001

Bill Clinton

    * Bill Clinton "was a very good rapist"; "I’m getting a little fed up with hearing about, oh, civilian casualties"; "I think we ought to nuke North Korea right now just to give the rest of the world a warning.
          o New York Observer, January 10, 2005
Canada

    * [Canadians] better hope the United States does not roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent.
          o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes, November 30, 2004

Christianity

    * The Episcopals don’t demand much in the way of actual religious belief. They have girl priests, gay priests, gay bishops, gay marriages — it’s much like The New York Times editorial board. They acknowledge the Ten Commandments — or "Moses’ talking points" — but hasten to add that they’re not exactly "carved in stone."
          o The Jesus Thing; January 7, 2004

    * Being nice to people is, in fact, one of the incidental tenets of Christianity (as opposed to other religions whose tenets are more along the lines of ‘kill everyone who doesn’t smell bad and doesn’t answer to the name Mohammed’).
          o From her column; March 4, 2004

    * "Democrats cannot conceive of "hate speech" towards Christians because, in their eyes, Christians always deserve it."
          o Godless: The Church of Liberalism, p. 21

Court-ordered desegregation of schools

    * Few failures have been more spectacular. Illiterate students knifing one another between acts of sodomy in the stairwell is just one of the many eggs that had to be broken to make the left’s omelette of transferring power from states to the federal government.
          o Ashcroft And The Blowhard Discuss Desegregation

Dan Rather

    * What are the odds that Dan Rather would have accepted such blatantly phony documents from, say, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?
          o C-BS; September 16, 2004

Darfur conflict

    * These people can’t even wrap up genocide. We’ve been hearing about this slaughter in Darfur forever — and they still haven’t finished. The aggressors are moving like termites across that country. It’s like genocide by committee. Who’s running this holocaust in Darfur, FEMA? This is truly a war in which we have absolutely no interest.
          o [3]; April 4, 2007

Democrats

    * a question on reparations has got to be confusing when you’re half-white and half-black. What do you do? Demand an apology for slavery and money from yourself? I guess biracial reparations would involve sending yourself money, then sending back a portion of that money to yourself, minus 50 percent in processing fees — which is the same way federal aid works.

(regarding Barack Obama)

    * There are a lot of bad Republicans; there are no good Democrats.
          o Interview with Brian Lamb; August 11, 2002

    * Here at the Spawn of Satan convention in Boston, conservatives are deploying a series of covert signals to identify one another, much like gay men do. My allies are the ones wearing crosses or American flags. The people sporting shirts emblazened with the "F-word" are my opponents. Also, as always, the pretty girls and cops are on my side, most of them barely able to conceal their eye-rolling.
          o On the 2004 Democratic Convention; July 26, 2004

    * The Democrats are giving aid and comfort to the enemy for no purpose other than giving aid and comfort to the enemy. There is no plausible explanation for the Democrats’ behavior other than that they long to see U.S. troops shot, humiliated, and driven from the field of battle. They fill the airwaves with treason, but when called to vote on withdrawing troops, disavow their own public statements. These people are not only traitors, they are gutless traitors.
          o New Idea for Abortion Party: Aid the Enemy; November 23, 2005

    * In the history of the nation, there has never been a political party so ridiculous as today’s Democrats. It’s as if all the brain-damaged people in America got together and formed a voting bloc.
          o Fork replaces donkey as Democratic party symbol; January 12, 2006

    * I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word "faggot", so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.
          o Speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington, DC, March 2, 2007
          o Coulter’s Slur Against Edwards Stirs Outrage. WNBC.com (March 4, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-05.

    * In fairness to Edwards, asking a trial lawyer to name his favorite moral leader is like asking the president of Iran to name his favorite Jew. (Answer: George Soros.)
          o May, 3, 2007;

    * For six years, the Bush administration has kept America safe from another terrorist attack, allowing the Democrats to claim that the war on terrorism is a fraud, a "bumper sticker," a sneaky ploy by a power-mad president to create an apocryphal enemy so he could spy on innocent librarians in Wisconsin. And that’s the view of the moderate Democrats. The rest of them think Bush was behind the 9/11 attacks.
          o The ‘Bumper Sticker’ That Blows Up; July 18, 2007

    * In anticipation of their surrender strategy becoming substantially less popular in the wake of another terrorist attack, the Democrats are all claiming that the threat of terrorism was nonexistent — notwithstanding 9/11, the Cole bombing, the bombing of our embassies, the bombing of the World Trade Center, the Achille Lauro, etc. etc. — until George Bush invaded Iraq.
          o The ‘Bumper Sticker’ That Blows Up; July 18, 2007

    * Now our forces are killing lots of al-Qaida jihadists, preventing another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, and giving democracy in Iraq a chance — and Democrats say we are "losing" this war. I think that’s a direct quote from their leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, but it may have been the Osama bin Laden tape released this week. I always get those two confused.

OK, they knew what Petraeus was going to say. But we knew what the Democrats were going to say. If liberals are not traitors, their only fallback argument at this point is that they’re really stupid.

    *
          o From the halls of Malibu to the Shores of Kennedy; September 12, 2007

Enviromentalism

    * The ethic of conservation is the explicit abnegation of man’s dominion over the Earth. The lower species are here for our use. God said so: Go forth, be fruitful, multiply, and rape the planet — it’s yours. That’s our job: drilling, mining and stripping. Sweaters are the anti-Biblical view. Big gas-guzzling cars with phones and CD players and wet bars — that’s the Biblical view.
          o Oil Good; Democrats bad; October 12, 2000

    * God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, ‘Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.’
          o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes; June 20, 2001
          o (References to Genesis 1:28. See also Dominionism)

European Union

    * The "European Union" happens to be composed of people who hate our guts. It is the continent where Moveon.org-style lunatics are the friendly, pro-American types and the rest are crazy Muslims.
          o May, 2, 2007 [4]

Evolution

    * I would like evolution to join the roster of other discredited religions, like the Cargo Cult of the South Pacific. Practitioners of Cargo Cult believed that manufactured products were created by ancestral spirits, and if they imitated what they had seen the white man do, they could cause airplanes to appear out of the sky, bringing valuable cargo like radios and TVs. So they
constructed “airport towers” out of bamboo and “headphones” out of coconuts and waited for the airplanes to come with the cargo. It may sound silly, but in defense of the Cargo Cult, they did not wait as long for evidence supporting their theory as the Darwinists have waited for evidence supporting theirs.
          o Exclusive Interview: Coulter Says Book Examines ‘Mental Disorder’ of Liberalism; June 6, 2006

Freedom of speech

    * They’re [Democrats] always accusing us of repressing their speech. I say let’s do it. Let’s repress them. Frankly, I’m not a big fan of the First Amendment.
          o University of Florida speech; October 20, 2005

George W. Bush

    * The man responsible for keeping Americans safe from another terrorist attack on American soil for nearly seven years now will go down in history as one of America’s greatest presidents.
          o June 11, 2008 [5]

Gun Control

    * Apparently, even crazy people prefer targets that can’t shoot back. The reason schools are consistently popular targets for mass murderers is precisely because of all the idiotic "Gun-Free School Zone" laws.

    * From the people who brought you "zero tolerance," I present the Gun-Free Zone! Yippee! Problem solved! Bam! Bam! Everybody down! Hey, how did that deranged loner get a gun into this Gun-Free Zone?
          o Let’s Make America a ‘Sad-Free Zone’!; April 18, 2007

Homosexuals

    * And why is it "homophobic" for Senate Republicans to look askance at sex in public bathrooms? Is the Times claiming that sodomy in public bathrooms is the essence of being gay? I thought gays just wanted to get married to one another and settle down in the suburbs so they could visit each other in the hospital.
          o [6]; September 5, 2007

Immigration

    * I’d build a wall. In fact, I’d hire illegal immigrants to build the wall. And throw out the illegals who are here. […] It’s cheap labor.
          o Fox News; The O’Reilly Factor; Transcript via Media Matters; April 14, 2006
          o On illegal immigration

Iraq War

    * I was not enthusiastic about the last Gulf war. Of course, it goes without saying, I rooted for our team once the shooting started. But I wasn’t for that war. I was also against sending Americans to the Balkans. My point is, I’m genuinely against America deploying troops without a really, really good reason. I just can’t imagine anyone not seeing 9/11 as a really good reason for wiping out Islamic totalitarians.
          o [7]; May 17, 2003

    * When we were fighting communism, OK, they had mass murderers and gulags, but they were white men and they were sane. Now we’re up against absolutely insane savages.
          o [8]; August 16, 2004
          o War on Terror v. Cold War
                + It was this idea (Be nice!) that fueled liberals’ rage at Reagan when he vanquished the Soviet Union with his macho "cowboy diplomacy" that was going to get us all blown up. As the Times editorial page hysterically described Reagan’s first year in office: "Mr. Reagan looked at the world through gun sights." Yes, he did! And now the Evil Empire is no more.
                      # [9] Are videotaped beheadings covered by Geneva? September 20, 2006

    * … as for catching Osama, it’s irrelevant. Things are going swimmingly in Afghanistan.
          o Responding to assertions about problems with Osama bin Laden and Afghanistan
          o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes, August 24, 2006. video

Islam

    * We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.
          o [10]" September 12, 2001

    * Point one and point two by the end of the week had become official government policy. As for converting them to Christianity, I think it might be a good idea to get them on some sort of hobby other than slaughtering infidels. I mean perhaps that’s the Peace Corps, perhaps it’s working for Planned Parenthood, but I’ve never seen the transforming effect of anything like that Christianity.
          o The Drudge Report; June 26, 2002
          o From an interview with Katie Couric

    * Bumper sticker idea for liberals: News magazines don’t kill people, Muslims do.
          o [11]; May 18, 2005

    * One [cartoon] showed Muhammad turning away suicide bombers from the gates of heaven, saying "Stop, stop — we ran out of virgins!" — which I believe was a commentary on Muslims’ predilection for violence. Another was a cartoon of Muhammad with horns, which I believe was a commentary on Muslims’ predilection for violence. The third showed Muhammad with a turban in the shape of a bomb, which I believe was an expression of post-industrial ennui in a secular — oops, no, wait: It was more of a commentary on Muslims’ predilection for violence … Muslims are the only people who make feminists seem laid-back.
          o Calvin and Hobbes – and Muhammad; February 8, 2006
          o Regarding the cartoon controversy

    * I think our motto should be, post-9-11, ‘raghead talks tough, raghead faces consequences.’
          o At CPAC Conference; February 10, 2006

    * You know, ok. I made a few jokes — and they killed 3000 Americans. Fair trade.
          o At CPAC Conference Q&A; February 10, 2006
          o In response to using the term "raghead"

    * The amazing part of the great Danish cartoon caper isn’t that Muslims immediately engage in acts of mob violence when things don’t go their way. That is de rigueur for the Religion of Peace. Their immediate response to all bad news is mass violence. That’s a "dog bites man" story and belongs on page B-34, next to the grade school hot lunch menu and the birth notices. After an Egyptian ferry capsized recently, killing hundreds of passengers, a whole braying mob of passengers’ relatives staged an organized attack on the company, throwing furniture out the window and burning the building to the ground. Witnesses say it was the most violent ocean liner-related incident since Carnival Cruise Lines fired

Kathie Lee Gifford. The ‘offense to Islam’ ruse is merely an excuse for Muslims to revert to their default mode: rioting and setting things on fire.
          o Muslim Bites Dog; February 15, 2006
          o Regarding the cartoon controversy

    * Perhaps we could put aside our national, ongoing, post-9/11 Muslim butt-kissing contest and get on with the business at hand: Bombing Syria back to the stone age and then permanently disarming Iran.
          o Muslim Bites Dog; February 15, 2006

    * Six imams removed from a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix are calling on Muslims to boycott the airline. If only we could get Muslims to boycott all airlines, we could dispense with airport security altogether.
          o What Can I Do to Make Your Flight More Uncomfortable?; November 22, 2006

John McCain

    * If he’s our candidate, then Hillary’s gonna be our girl, Sean, because she’s more conservative than he is…I will campaign for her if it’s McCain.

        * On John McCain’s then-possibility of being the 2008 Republican Party nominee for President [12]

Judaism

    * No, we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say. … That’s what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more like Federal Express. You have to obey laws. …That is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews. We believe the Old Testament. As you know from the Old Testament, God was constantly getting fed up with humans for not being able to live up to all the laws. What Christians believe — this is just a statement of what the New Testament is — is that that’s why Christ came and died for our sins. Christians believe the Old Testament. You don’t believe our testament.
          o From "Jewish Groups Condemn, Boycott Ann Coulter", said on Donny Deutsch’s CNBC show "The Big Idea"; October 8, 2007
          o Interview transcript; October 8, 2007

Law

    * The presumption of innocence only means you don’t go right to jail.
          o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes; August 24, 2001

Liberals

    * Vester: You say you’d rather not talk to liberals at all?
      Coulter: I think a baseball bat is the most effective way these days.
          o (FOX News Channel, DaySide with Linda Vester, 10/6)

    * When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty. We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors.
          o Conservative Political Action Conference; February 26, 2002

    * A couple [of] alleged males attempted to sucker punch a 100-pound woman and missed. And they ended up with their faces smashed in and spending the night in the Pima County Jail, where I’m sure — being good liberals — their views on gay marriage will serve them well.
          o The Sean Hannity Show; October 22, 2004
          o Her feelings on having 2 protestors throw pies at her during a speech

    * The tolerant liberal suddenly becomes very intolerant when their official religion is challenged.
          o Online promotional material; June 6, 2006; accessed June 17, 2006

    * So for those of you who haven’t read any of my five best-selling books: Liberals are driven by Satan and lie constantly.
          o [13]; June 28, 2007; accessed June 29, 2007

    * Ironically, for all of [liberals’] love of conspiracy theories — the rigging of the 2000 election, vote suppression in Ohio in 2004, 9/11 being an inside job, oil companies covering up miracle technology that would allow cars to run on dirt, Britney Spears’ career, etc., etc. — when presented with an actual conspiracy of Soviet spies infiltrating the U.S. government, they laughed it off like world-weary skeptics and dedicated themselves to slandering Joe McCarthy.
          o [14], November 8, 2007

Media

    * Would that it were so! … That the American military were targeting journalists.
          o CNBC; Kudlow & Cramer; February 7, 2005

    * "Press passes can’t be that hard to come by if the White House allows that old Arab Helen Thomas to sit within yards of the president"
          o (Version of her February 23, 2005 article, "REPUBLICANS, BLOGGERS AND GAYS, OH MY!" at her website
          o Universal Press Syndicate edited this line for distribution, changing the phrase "that old Arab Helen Thomas" to "that dyspeptic, old Helen Thomas."

    * I have to say I’m all for public flogging. One type of criminal that a public humiliation might work particularly well with are the juvenile delinquents, a lot of whom consider it a badge of honor to be sent to juvenile detention. And it might not be such a cool thing in the ‘hood to be flogged publicly.
          o MSNBC, 22 March 1997
          o Quoted in "The Wisdom of Ann Coulter", The Washington Monthly, October 2001. URL accessed on 2007-04-09.

Miers, Harriet

    * Harriet Miers isn’t qualified to play a Supreme Court justice on The West Wing, let alone to be a real one.
          o "This is what ‘Advice and Consent’ means"; October 5, 2005

Military

    * Southerners are truly our warrior class.
          o ["McCain and the Flag"; February 15, 2000

Liberals are hopping mad because Rush Limbaugh referred to phony soldiers as "phony soldiers." They claim he was accusing all Democrats in the military of being "phony." True, all Democrats in the military are not phony soldiers, but all phony soldiers seem to be Democrats.

    * [15]’Pretend to be all you can be’ October 3, 2007

New York Times

    * My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building.
          o New York Observer article; August 26, 2002

    * Of course I regret it. I should have added ‘after everyone had left the building except the editors and the reporters.’

          o rightwingnews.com; June 26, 2003
          o On her (above) statement concerning Timothy McVeigh

    * [Learning difficulties are a cover for] rich parents with dumb kids…That’s why ‘Pinch’ Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, is alleged to have dyslexia – because he’s retarded.
          o The Independent; August 16, 2004
          o Arthur O. Sulzberger, Jr., publisher of New York Times

Princess Diana

"Her children knew she’s sleeping with all these men. That just seems to me, it’s the definition of ‘not a good mother.’ … Is everyone just saying here that it’s okay to ostentatiously have premarital sex in front of your children?"…"[Diana is] an ordinary and pathetic and confessional – I’ve never had bulimia! I’ve never had an affair! I’ve never had a divorce! So I don’t think she’s better than I am."—MSNBC 9/12/97 [16]

Republicans

    * You don’t want the Republicans in power, does that mean you want a dictatorship, gay boy?
          o In response to a student’s question: "You don’t want the Democrats in power, so does that mean you want a dictatorship?"
          o Liberals Are Wrong About Everything; Indiana University, February 23, 2006

Social security

    * Then there are the 22 million Americans on food stamps. And of course there are the 39 million greedy geezers collecting Social Security. The greatest generation rewarded itself with a pretty big meal.
          o WorldNetDaily; December 10, 2003, "Vegan computer geeks for Dean"

Spying

    * Which brings me to this week’s scandal about No Such Agency spying on ‘Americans.’ I have difficulty ginning up much interest in this story inasmuch as I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East, and sending liberals to Guantanamo.
          o Live and Let Spy; December 21, 2005

Stevens, Justice John Paul

    * We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens’s creme brulee. That’s just a joke, for you in the media.
          o Philander Smith College January 26, 2006 [17]

Terrorism

    * If Chicago had been hit, I assure you New Yorkers would not have cared. What was stunning when New York was hit was how the rest of America rushed to New York’s defense. New Yorkers would have been like, ‘It’s tough for them; now let’s go back to our Calvin Klein fashion shows.’
          o [18]; May 17, 2003

Women

    * I think [women] should be armed but should not vote…women have no capacity to understand how money is earned. They have a lot of ideas on how to spend it…it’s always more money on education, more money on child care, more money on day care.
          o Comedy Central; Politically Incorrect; February 26, 2001

    * It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact. In fact, in every presidential election since 1950 – except Goldwater in ’64 – the Republican would have won, if only the men had voted.
          o [19]; May 17, 2003

    * I think the other point that no one is making about the [Abu Ghraib] abuse photos is just the disproportionate number of women involved, including a girl general running the entire operation. I mean, this is lesson, you know, number 1,000,047 on why women shouldn’t be in the military. In addition to not being able to carry even a medium-sized backpack, women are too vicious.
          o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes; May 5, 2004

    * Girl-power feminists who got where they are by marrying men with money or power — Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Arianna Huffington and John Kerry — love to complain about how hard it is for a woman to be taken seriously. It has nothing to do with their being women. It has to do with their cheap paths to power. Kevin Federline isn’t taken seriously either.
          o I am woman, hear me bore; January 24, 2007

Voting

    * I think there should be a literacy test and a poll tax for people to vote.
          o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes; August 17, 1997

Quotes from books

    * Liberals’ only remaining big issue is abortion because of their beloved sexual revolution. That’s their cause: Spreading anarchy and polymorphous perversity. Abortion permits that.
          o Slander (2002); ISBN 1400046610

    * "Liberals hate religion because politics is a religion substitute for liberals and they can’t stand the competition."
          o Slander (2002) ISBN 1400046610, p. 194

    * Liberals hate America, they hate flag-wavers, they hate abortion opponents, they hate all religions except Islam, post 9/11. Even Islamic terrorists don’t hate America like liberals do. They don’t have the energy. If they had that much energy, they’d have indoor plumbing by now.
          o Slander (2002) ISBN 1400046610, p. 5-6

    * Ozzy Osbourne has his bats, and I have that darn "convert them to Christianity" quote. Some may not like what I said, but I’m still waiting to hear a better suggestion.
          o Treason (2003); ISBN 1400050308

    * "We’ll drive off the side of that bridge when we come to it, Senator Kennedy."
          o How to Talk to a Liberal (2004); ISBN 1400054184 p. 147

    * "Finally, all the candidates are willing to sell out any of these other issues in service of the one burning desire of all Democrats: abortion on demand. If they could just figure out a way to abort babies using solar power, that’s all we’d ever hear about."
          o How to Talk to a Liberal (2004); ISBN 1400054184 p. 49

    * The only standard journalists respect is: Will this story promote the left-wing agenda?
          o How to Talk to a Liberal (2004); ISBN 1400054184

    * The Times was rushing to assure its readers that ‘prominent Islamic scholars and theologians in the West say unequivocally that nothing in Islam countenances the Sept. 11 actions.’ (That’s if you set aside Muhammad’s many specific instructions to kill nonbelievers whenever possible)
     &

#160;    o How to Talk to a Liberal (2004); ISBN 1400054184

    * Like the Democrats, Playboy just wants to liberate women to behave like pigs, have sex without consequences, prance about naked, and abort children.
          o How to Talk to a Liberal (2004); ISBN 1400054184

    * Our book is Genesis. Their book is Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, the original environmental hoax.
          o Godless: The Church of Liberalism (2006); ISBN 0978602412

    * We are simultaneously supposed to gasp in awe at teachers’ raw dedication and be forced to listen to their incessant caterwauling about how they don’t make enough money. Well, which is it? Are they dedicated to teaching tomorrow’s future or are they in it for the money? After all the carpiing about how little teachers are paid, if someone enters the teaching procession for the big bucks, aren’t they too stupid to be teaching our kids?
          o Godless: The Church of Liberalism (2006); ISBN 0978602412

    * I’m here, I’m not queer, and I’m not going away.
          o Lou Dobbs Tonight
          o On Godless: The Church of Liberalism (2006); ISBN 0978602412

Quotes about Ann Coulter

    * She’s a fascist party doll!
          o Objecting to Bill Maher’s imminent tele-interview with Coulter
          o Richard Belzer, Real Time with Bill Maher [2.22] (episode 42), October 29, 2004; panel discussion with Maher, Kevin Costner, and Wesley Clark

Unsourced

    * Conservatives believe man was created in God’s image, while liberals believe they are gods. All of the behavioral tics of the liberals proceed from their godless belief that they can murder the unborn because they, the liberals, are themselves gods. They try to forcibly create ‘equality’ through affirmative action and wealth redistribution because they are gods. They flat-out lie, with no higher power to constrain them, because they are gods. They adore pornography and the mechanization of sex because man is just an animal, and they are gods. They revere the UN and not the U.S. because they aren’t Americans — they are gods.

    * Liberals refuse to condemn what societies have condemned for thousands of years – e.g., promiscuity, divorce, illegitimacy, homosexuality.

    * This is the way addled liberals really think. Even as they champion sucking the brains out of little babies, they think of themselves as indelibly compassionate because they favor an overweening, behemoth federal government.

    * Conservatives have a problem with women. For that matter, all men do.
          o Cornell Review, 1984, reported in Time, April 2005, unspecified article

    * Canada has become trouble recently. It’s always the worst Americans who go there. We could have taken them over so easy. But I only want the western part, with the ski areas, the cowboys, and the right wingers. They’re the only good parts of Canada.

    * Because they speak French.

    * No wonder you guys lost.
          o MSNBC, 1996, unspecified date, , unspecified program/segment
          o To disabled Vietnam veteran Bobby Muller who made the incorrect statement that 90% of American soldiers "blown up" by landmines in Vietnam had hit American landmines. Coulter claimed that Muller was appearing by satellite and that she did not know he was disabled

    * My libertarian friends are probably getting a little upset now but I think that’s because they never appreciate the benefits of local fascism.
          o MSNBC; February 8, 1997, unspecified program/segment

    * If those kids had been carrying guns they would have gunned down this one [teenage] gunman. … Don’t pray. Learn to use guns.
          o Politically Incorrect; December 18, 1997
          o Heath High School shooting (where a gunman killed 3 students at a prayer meeting at the school). When she said "Don’t pray," Coulter may have been asked whether she approved of praying in school

    * [A] cruise missile is more important than Head Start.
          o From a speech, November 2001, rebroadcast by C-SPAN in January 2002, unspecific date, unspecified program/segment
          o Education spending vs. defense spending

    * In a war on terrorism, I could care less about regulating who sleeps with who.
          o On homosexuality

    * We’ve been waiting 30 years to end the lunacy of nine demigods on the Supreme Court deciding every burning social issue of the day for us, loyal subjects in a judicial theocracy…We’ve gone from a representative democracy to a monarchy, and the most appalling thing is – even conservatives just hope like the dickens the next king is a good one.

I just wonder, how many of these quotes has NewsBusters taken issue with? It is to truly wonder.

My Thoughts on Obama’s supposed smearing of Rush Limbaugh

I happened to notice The Chicago Sun Times’s Ballyhooing of Obama’s Supposed smear of Rush Limbaugh.

Let me just say publicly, that seeing Rush is someone who built a career on bashing and smearing of Liberals, I think any and all smearing of Rush Limbaugh is totally appropriate and acceptable. 

For the record, Obama did not smear Rush, at all.

Sunday Short Takes

Me and my Dad are going to Car Race today. So, here are the Sunday stories that are gathering attention and should be big stories today.

—-

Obama mentions the word “Gun” at a private fundraiser and the media and blogging world, especially on the right, flips their proverbial cork.  

Iowa is flooded and people are starting to call it another Katrina. I just know the left is going to have a field day with this one.

Moqtada al-Sadr is recalibrating to stage more attacks, so says the Liberal Media. This I got to see. Of course, the Left will use this to say we need to leave Iraq now.

John McCain writers a thesis in 1974, about war and the New York Times discovers it and flips their cork and is now trying to paint John McCain as a warmonger. Grasp at straw much guys?

Black Conservatives are conflicted about Obama. Go Figure.

The Saudi’s are planning to increase oil production. Well, it’s about freakin’ time!

Does Google hate America?

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Blogs 4 Borders Video Blogburst for June 09, 2008

In this weeks edition

Jobs Americans Won’t Do? Are American kids being screwed out of summer jobs by greedy and unethical employers? We investigate.

100% Preventable! Americans continue to pay the bloody price for open borders. When will the madness end?

Why We Do What We Do.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0XO81iccKw&hl=en]

Download for your iPod here.

This weeks show proudly brought to you NO ILLEGAL ALIENS

Bringing you the reality of the illegal immigration invasion from the frontlines of Southeastern Florida. Make sure to check them out, they are doing great work!

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If you’d like to sponsor a show contact us here.

This has been the Blogs For Borders Video Blogburst. The Blogs For Borders Blogroll is dedicated to American sovereignty, border security and a sane immigration policy. If you’d like to join find out how right here.

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Special Comment by Keith Olbermann: McCain should know better

Transcript: (H/T K.O’s NewsHole)

Finally tonight, as promised, a Special Comment on Senator John McCain’s conclusion that it’s "not too important" when American forces come home from Iraq.

Thoughts, offered more in sorrow, than in anger.

For two full days now, the Senator and his supporters have been outraged at what they see as the subtraction of context from this extraordinary remark.

This is, sadly, the excuse of our time, for everything.

Still. If the Senator claims truncation, we will correct that, first.

"A lot of people," Matt Lauer began, "now say the surge is working."

"Anybody who knows the facts on the ground say that," the Senator interjected.

"If it’s now working, Senator," Matt continued, "do you now have a better estimate of when American forces can come home from Iraq?"

"No," answered McCain. "But that’s not too important. What’s important is the casualties in Iraq. Americans are in South Korea. Americans are in Japan. American troops are in Germany.

"That’s all fine. American casualties and the ability to withdraw. We will be able to withdraw.

"General Petraeus is going to tell us in July when he thinks we are. But the key to it is we don’t want any more Americans in harm’s way. And that way they will be safe, and serve our country, and come home with honor and victory – not in defeat,  which is what Senator Obama’s proposal would have done. And I’m proud of them, and they’re doing a great job. And we are succeeding. And it’s fascinating that Senator Obama still doesn’t realize it."

And there is the context of what Senator McCain said.

Well… not quite, Senator.

The full context, is that the Iraq you see, is a figment of your imagination.

This is not a war about "honor and victory," Sir.

This is a war you, and the President you support and seek to succeed, conned this nation into.

Yes, sir.

You.

Of the prospect of war in Iraq, you said, quote, "I believe that success will be fairly easy."

John McCain… September 24th… 2002.

"I believe that we can win an overwhelming victory in a very short period of time."

John McCain… September 29th… 2002.

Of the ouster of Saddam and the Baathists:

"There’s no doubt in my mind that once these people are gone, that we will be welcomed as liberators."

John McCain… March 24th… 2003.

Asked, about a long-term commitment in Iraq, quote, "are you talking about something in terms of South Korea, for instance, where you would expect U.S. troops to be in Iraq for decades?"

"No," you answered. "I don’t think decades, but I think years. A little straight talk, I think years. And I hope that we can gradually reduce that presence."

John McCain… March 18th… 2004.

You were asked about the troops, and the future.

"I would hope that we could bring them all home. I would hope that we would probably leave some military advisers, as we have in other countries, to help them with

their training and equipment and that kind of stuff."…I think one of our big problems has been the fact that many Iraqis resent American military presence.

And I don’t pretend to know exactly Iraqi public opinion. But as soon as we can reduce our visibility as much as possible, the better I think it is going to be."

John McCain… January 31st… 2005

When a speaker at your town hall, five months ago, referenced the President’s forecast that we might stay in Iraq for 50 years, you cut him off.

"Make it a hundred! We’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea 50 years or so. That would be fine with me. As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That’s fine by me…"

John McCain… January 3rd… 2008.

And your forecast of your hypothetical first term.

"By January, 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq war has been won."

John McCain… May 15th… 2008.

That, Senator McCain, is context.

You have attested to: a fairly easy success; an overwhelming victory in a very short period of time; in which we would be welcomed as liberators; which you assured us would not require our troops stay for decades but merely for years; from which we could bring them all home, since you noted many Iraqis resent American military presence; in which all those troops coming home will also stay there, not being injured, for a hundred years; but most will be back by 2013; and the timing of their return, is… not… that… important.

That, Senator McCain, is context.

And that, Senator McCain, is madness.

The Government Accountability Office just released a study Tuesday that concludes that one out of every ten soldiers sent to Iraq, takes with them medical problems "severe enough to significantly limit their ability to fight."

In five years, we have now sent 43-thousand of them to war even though… they were already wounded.

And when they come home, is… not… that… important.

Jalal al Din al Sagir, a member of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, and Ali al Adeeb, of the rival Dawa Political Party, gave a series of interviews last week about the particulars of this country’s demand for a "Status of Forces" agreement with Iraq — a treaty …which Mr. Bush does not intend to show Congress before he signs it.

The Iraqi politicians say the treaty demands Iraq’s consent to the establishment of nearly double the number of U-S military bases in Iraq — from about 30, to 58, and from temporary, to permanent.

Those will be American men and women who must, of necessity, staff these bases – staff them, in Mr. McCain’s M-C Escher dream world in which our people can all come home while they stay there for a hundred years but they’ll be back by 2013.

And when they come home, is not… that… important.

Last year, a 20-year old soldier from the Bronx, on the day of his re-deployment to a second tour in Iraq, said he just couldn’t face the smell of burning flesh again. So, Jonathan Aponte paid a hit man 500 dollars… to shoot him in the knee.

Mount Sinai Hospital in New York reported treating a patient identifying himself as another Iraq-bound soldier, who claimed he had accidentally swallowed a pen at the bus station. No one doubted his story until examinations proved there was a second pen in his stomach bearing the logo of Greyhound Bus Lines.

In 2006, says his sister, a 24-year old Army Specialist from Washington State, on the eve of his second deployment, strapped a pack full of tools to his back, and then jumped off the roof of his house, injuring his spine.

And when they come home — or more correctly all those like them who did not risk death or disability to avoid going back — when they come home, is not… that… important.

You’ve sold them all out, Senator.

You.

You, whose sacrifice for this country was as all-encompassing and as horrible as the rest of us can only imagine in our darkest moments.

You, who survived, so that you could make America a better place where young men did not have to go and die in pointless wars… or be maimed… or be held prisoner… or have to hire hit-men to shoot them in the knee because that couldn’t be worse.

You… who should know better.

Where, Senator, is the man who once said "veterans hate war more than anyone else, because veterans know, because veterans know these brave Americans, and others, know, that there is nothing more painful than the loss of a comrade."

Where is he, Sir?

Where is the man who described that ineffable truth?

Oh, so long ago you touched the essence of the reality of Iraq. Your comments about your lost comrades — yesterday.

The men and women in Iraq, today, Senator — they are your comrades, too.

And you are condemning them to die.

To die, for your misdirection, for Mr. Bush’s lies — for whoever makes the money off building 58 permanent American bases and all the weapons and all the bullets and all the wiring so costly and so slip-shod that it electrocutes our comrades as they step, not to fight freedom’s enemies, but into the shower at the base.

That, Senator, that is context.

It is an easy thing to dismiss Senator McCain as a sad and befuddled figure, already challenging for some kind of campaign record for malaprops.

Just yesterday in Philadelphia he answered Senator Obama, not by defending or explaining his own "not that important" remark, but by seizing upon Obama’s "bitter" remark – or trying to.

Obama had foolishly said that some, in despair, in small towns, cling to their religion and their guns.

Senator McCain vowed he’d go to those towns and tell them, "I don’t agree with Senator Obama that they cling to their religion and the Constitution because they’re bitter."

It was hard not to dismiss with a laugh, Senator McCain, or any Republican, for even accidentally implying that he’s clung to the Constitution — not after the last seven years.

It was hard, the day before, not to become almost bemused when the Senator tried to say he would veto every single bill with ear-marks, but wound up, instead, vowing "I will veto every single beer."

It was hard, this week, not to laugh at how Senator McCain could offer any serious defense against the accusation that he is running for President Bush’s third term, when a 2006 interview suddenly surfaced in which McCain said he would consider Dick Cheney for a position in a McCain administration.

"I don’t know if I would want him as Vice President. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah."

These are all very funny, in a macabre yet unthreatening way.

And then one remembers Senator McCain’s inability to separate Sunni and Shia, or his insistence that Iran is training Al-Qaeda for service in Iraq, and then being corrected about it, and then saying the same thing again anyway.

And then one is, inevitably, drawn back again to the overlooked substance of yesterday’s remark…

"If (the surge) is now working, Senator, do you now have a better estimate of when American forces can come home from Iraq?"

"No."

No?

The surge is working and even that still tells Senator McCain nothing about when we can ransom our soldiers?

Wasn’t that the ultimate purpose of the surge? To get them out?

If we cannot tell — if McCain cannot even guess — doesn’t that, by definition, mean… the surge isn’t working?

And ultimately we are drawn back to the "not… too… important" remark, in its full context:

The context of the kaleidoscope of confused rhetoric, and endless non sequitur, and mutually exclusive conclusions — and what they add up to: a veritable tragedy, a microcosm of the American tragedy that is Iraq, a tragedy of a man who himself will never understand… "the context."

Your tragedy, Senator McCain?

No. I’m sorry.

This tragedy… is of Justin Mixon of Bogalusa, Louisiana.

And it’s of Christopher McCarthy of Virginia Beach.

It’s of Quincy Green of El Paso, and Joshua Waltenbaugh of Ford City, P.A.

The tragedy is of Shane Duffy of Taunton Mass, and Jonathan Emard of Mesquite, Texas.

It’s of Cody Legg of Escondido in California, and David Hurst of Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

The tragedy is of Thomas Duncan the 3rd of Rowlett, Texas, and Tyler Pickett of Saratoga, Wyoming.

And who are they, Senator?

They are ten Americans…. who have died in Iraq… since the first of this month. There are four more. The Defense Department has not yet identified the others.

And while you, Senator, may ask for all the context you can get, those ten men… will never know any of it.

Because the true context here, is that if you could ask those American war heroes, or the family and the friends that loved them, if they have a better estimate of when American forces can come home from Iraq…

They could rightly say, "No. But that’s… not… too… important."

Good night, and good luck.

SCOTUS says that Guantanamo Bay detainees have habeas corpus rights….

Yes I do know about the big story.

The right is howling about the this ruling being the end of America as we know it. The left is hailing it as a major victory. Bush said he disagreed on the ruling.

I have mixed feelings on it, I seriously doubt that this rule will affect much with the terrorists, which the United States has a watertight case against.

It will affect one’s that the United States does not have a watertight case against.  The United States will not be able to hold anyone, who is merely suspected of terrorism any longer.

Either way, I believe this debate will be raging long after the little man, who started this whole mess, is out of office.

So much for the idea of McCain getting Clinton’s votes!

So much for that idea! Check it out…:

Quote:

Since Hillary Clinton decided to concede the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama last week, Obama has established a lead over Republican John McCain in general-election polling. Obama’s gains have come more from women than men, though he has picked up among both groups in recent days.

Obama’s lead among women has now expanded from five percentage points to 13, while his deficit among men has shrunk from six points to two.

These figures are based on aggregated Gallup Poll Daily tracking interviews with national registered voters conducted May 27-June 2 (the week immediately before Obama clinched the nomination on June 3), which showed Obama and McCain tied at 46%, and June 5-9 (the five days since it was reported that Clinton would suspend her campaign), which show Obama ahead, 48% to 42%. Obama clinched the nomination on the evening of June 3, and the news media reported Clinton would suspend her campaign on the evening of June 4. Thus, the data give a clear picture of voter support before and after Clinton’s exit.

While campaigning for president, Clinton demonstrated an especially strong appeal to women. She led McCain by 52% to 40% in her final full week as a candidate, exactly equal to the average since mid-March. By comparison, Obama held only an average 47% to 42% lead over McCain among women during the same time span. At least for now, he seems to be matching Clinton’s performance among women versus McCain, given his current 13-point lead among female voters.

One of Clinton’s core groups of supporters during the nomination phase of the campaign was older women. During the last few days of her active candidacy, Clinton led McCain by 51% to 41% among women aged 50 and older, while Obama trailed McCain among this group, 46% to 43%.

Since Clinton suspended her campaign, older women’s vote preferences have shifted toward Obama, so that he now enjoys a six-point advantage over McCain. Obama Gains Among Women After Clinton Exit (via Gallup)

I think at this point, the best John McCain can do go after the older White Conservatives who distrust Obama and the Military crowd. The startling thing about this poll, is it was taken not long after Hillary said she was dropping out.

Call it a hunch, but I tend to believe, that Juan McSame is going to get his ass handed to him on a platter in November.

Another Case of G.O.P. Morality at work

Anymore,  it is like shooting fish in a barrel with these guys…

You know that unidentified estranged wife of a Reno doctor that the governor of Nevada is not having an affair with?

Well, during one month last year he exchanged 850 text messages with her phone from his official state phone, at 15 cents per.

It’s all part of an increasingly messy divorce after 22 years between the 63-year-old Gov. Jim Gibbons, a former military and commercial pilot, and his wife, Dawn, 54, who formerly ran two Las Vegas wedding chapels. She’s also served in the state legislature. Hey, it’s Nevada remember. Nev gov Gibbons sends 100s txt msgs 2 other womans cell, not wifes (via Top of the Ticket at The Los Angeles Times)

Next time someone tries to tell you that the G.O.P is the party of morals, show ‘em this…

Andrew Malcom continues in this rather hilarious report:

On another day, or night, they exchanged 91 messages between midnight and 2 a.m., which is something like one text message every 79 seconds. Talk about teenagers. Bet the governor’s fingers were really sore.

And their arms too from holding the phones to their ears during 42 lengthy conversations, mostly at night and on weekends. The calls to Karrasch’s phone abruptly ended 14 days into April last year, the Gazette-Journal reported.

The newspaper said the messages’ contents were not available, which may be just as well. Although it would be kinda neat to…No, they’re private communbications and we have no business even imagining the abbrvtions used.

The paper noted the governor had reimbursed the state for the calls’ costs.

The governor does not face pretty tolerant Nevada voters again until 2010. In the meantime Jim and Dawn have agreed to stop fighting over custody of the governor’s mansion and negotiate.

Now, call me an idiot, but judging from this Picture:

jimdawngibbonsofficialphoto1stladyo

I highly doubt that she married this old buzzard for the size of his……..Ahem, you know! or his dashing good looks.

Just a feeling a have….

I wonder if he took any lessons from Kwame Kilpatrick? Just sayin’!

Others: Washington Wire, Reno Gazette-Journal and AMERICAblog

Gallup Daily Poll: Obama 48% McCain 42%

Go read

I’m still working on this old beast. I’m at the defragging stage. (the computer I mentioned earlier)

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I guess that Hate speech stuff goes both ways…

Click to read

The point is, there are hatemongers on both sides of the political fence.

…..and the hate is wrong.

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Harshly critical video of John McCain

Seen over at the Jed Report:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlX9l1g1ZE0&rel=0&hl=en]

It was made by a Ron Paul supporter. But it still shows that McCain does have some glaring weaknesses.

Others: DownWithTyranny!, The Mahablog and Comments from Left Field (via Memeorandum)