Richardson Withdraws Update: Team Obama Says Richardson Misled them

Seems Richardson is withdrawing his bid to be secretary of Commerce.

Via MSNBC:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

“Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact,” he said Sunday in a report by NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell. “But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process.”

Yeah, you withdrew, because your fat ass was guilty.

A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson’s political activities won a New Mexico state contract worth more than $1 billion. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.

Richardson said he plans to continue in his role as governor. “I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country.”

The announcement came ahead of Obama’s Monday meetings with congressional leaders on a massive economic recovery bill he wants lawmakers to pass quickly.

Obama said Sunday he accepted Richardson’s decision to withdraw with ‘deep regret.’

“Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office,” Obama said.

Obama gave no indication whom he might name to replace Richardson as the nominee but said “we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson’s decision.”

A person familiar with the proceedings has told The Associated Press that the grand jury is looking into possible “pay-to-play” dealings between CDR Financial Products and someone in a position to push the contract through with the state of New Mexico.

State documents show CDR was paid a total of $1.48 million in 2004 and 2005 for its work on a transportation program.

Richardson ran against Obama in the Democratic presidential primary, but withdrew after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. He later endorsed Obama in his primary campaign against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama’s nominee for secretary of state.

He is one of the most prominent Hispanics in the Democratic Party, having served in Congress and as President Bill Clinton’s ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary. As governor, he has kept up an international profile with a specialty in dealing with rogue nations. Obama also considered him to be secretary of state.

CDR and its CEO, David Rubin, have contributed at least $110,000 to three political committees formed by Richardson, according to an AP review of campaign finance records.

The largest donation, $75,000, was made by CDR in June 2004 — a couple of months after the transportation financing arrangement won state approval — to a political committee that Richardson established before the Democratic National Convention that year.

Here’s hope that they nail that taco-headed mother fuckers balls to the damn wall. Of course, they won’t, he’s most likely well fed funded by George Soros and his group of Communist Liberal idiots. So, he won’t see any jail time. But on a positive note, there won’t be as many Liberal moonbats in the White House or the Government for that matter. Score one of justice, I suppose.

Seems every person that Obambi has contact with, is some crooked made politician.  Which is so fucking typical of the Democrats anymore. FDR would be rolling over in a his grave.

Update: According to Jack Tapper team Bambi said they were mislead:

Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming with them about the federal investigation that is looking into whether the governor steered a state contract towards a major financial contributor.

Once the investigation became more widely known through national media reports last month, sources tell ABC News, the Obama Transition Team realized the FBI would not be able to give Richardson a clean political bill of health before the new administration is ready to send his nomination up to the Senate for confirmation.

The Richardson camp says the governor was forthcoming, with sources close to the governor noting that there had been reports about the controversy in local media such as the Albuquerque Journal as far back as August 2008. The governor discussed the investigation with the Obama team, they say, and believes that he and his administration have done nothing wrong.

From 2004 to 2005, CDR Financial Products, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company founded and run by David Rubin, received nearly $1.5 million through the New Mexico Finance Authority for advising the state in a complex highway funding project pushed by Richardson. In roughly that same time period, CDR and Rubin gave approximately $100,000 to political organizations run by Richardson, including one that paid for his and his staff’s expenses at the 2004 Democratic convention. Neither the grand jury nor the FBI has interviewed Richardson.

President-elect Obama did not ask Richardson to withdraw his name from consideration, sources from both camps say, but the fact that the confirmation seemed untenable in the short term was apparent to everyone involved.

There were some discussions about whether the confirmation process could be delayed a few months until the investigation concluded, sources say, but it became clear that wouldn’t happen any time soon, and no one wanted to be seen as pressuring law enforcement officials to wrap up their investigation.

The governor spoke with the president-elect several times over the weekend, their last conversation being Saturday, when Richardson told Obama he was withdrawing his name from consideration.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Democrats. Hope and Change, Deceit and Corruption! What a joke! 🙄

Oh and in case anyone has forgotten, this joker also tried to run for President. Wouldn’t that have been a nice little present to the Republicans. If he had won? I could see the headlines now! 😀

Others: The Fix, BitsBlog, Hot AirDon Surber, , Wizbang, JOSHUAPUNDITTigerHawk, Michelle Malkin, , Outside The Beltway,   Scared Monkeys, Riehl World View, NewsBusters.org, , The Economic Populist, QandO, Fox News,, Top of the Ticket, Weekly Standard, CommentaryMacsmind and Stop The ACLU


Rep. Ron Paul on the Israeli Gaza Conflict

I must admit, the man speaks the truth. I don’t agree with one point however. To me, it does not matter how many missiles Hamas fired into Israel, one missile is one too many. But the rest, I pretty much agree with.

You get what you pay for!

More Liberal Moonbat ungratefulness.

Via Times of London:

RESIDENTS of a model housing estate bankrolled by Hollywood celebrities and hand-built by Jimmy Carter, the former US president, are complaining that it is falling apart.

Fairway Oaks was built on northern Florida wasteland by 10,000 volunteers, including Carter, in a record 17-day “blitz” organised by the charity Habitat for Humanity.

Eight years later it is better known for cockroaches, mildew and mysterious skin rashes.

A forthcoming legal battle over Fairway Oaks threatens the reputation of a charity envied for the calibre of its celebrity supporters, who range from Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to Colin Firth, Christian Bale and Helena Bonham Carter.

The case could challenge the bedrock philosophy behind Habitat for Humanity, claiming that using volunteers, rather than professional builders, is causing as many problems as it solves.

April Charney, a lawyer representing many of the 85 homeowners in Fairway Oaks, said she had no problems taking on Habitat for Humanity, despite its status as a “darling of liberal social activists”. She said the charity should have told people that part of the estate had been built on a rubbish dump.

One man pulled up his floorboards to find rubbish 5ft deep under his kitchen. Other complaints include cracking walls and rotting door frames that let in rats and ants. Many residents have complained of mildew and mysterious skin rashes.

One resident said her children were suffering from skin complaints. “The intentions are good, but when the politicians and big-shot stars have left we’re stuck with the consequences. This house looks pretty but inside it either stinks or sweats,” she said.

Judy Hall, the charity’s local development director, said recently that it had been dealing with about 30 complaints. She added that skilled work was carried out by professionals.

Yeah, I bet they were professionals. Professional moonbats maybe. 🙄

The lawyers are out in force now, I bet. Of course, someone has the right idea:

Some residents dismiss their neighbours’ worries. Diennal Fields, 51, said people did not know how to look after their homes: “It’s simple stuff: if there is mildew, don’t get a lawyer, get a bottle of bleach.”

That and a real professional carpenter. Michelle Malkin weights in:

In the end, I can’t say I feel too much sympathy for Jimmy Carter and his Hollywood partners. The Left has stoked both eco-zealotry and the entitlement culture with impunity. Perhaps they’ll feel a little less inclined to feed those beasts after getting bitten squarely in the ass.

Amen, and Amen. I feel zero pity for any of them. These people cried for a handout and when they got it, they were not happy. A simple case of give them an inch and they take a damn mile. Pure and simple. Let them rot in their damned filth. Better yet call ol’ Peanut boy Carter and let HIM fix the damned houses. That Liberal piece of white trash has the money, he can fix them.

As someone who took advantage of a local “Social program” around here, thinking it would make my life easier, when in reality, it did absoutely nothing to help, but instead cause me more problems. I can honestly say, that socialism sucks, it does nothing help, and in the end, it only serves to hurt. I took advantage of a social program called Michigan Rehab Services, they took me, because I had A.D.H.D. I went, and they paid for me to go to CDL training school. I went for class A; So, I went, did real good, got a A average. Took the CDL test, passed it, and you think I could find a damn job? Yeah Right. That was 2003, I am still not driving a truck. I am still not making the money that the socialists lie to you, and tell you that you will make.  I mean, I was told I was going to make $60,0000 a year driving truck. Of course, I knew better myself. But here I am, still writing and making squat. I haven’t been under the wheel over a truck since 2003. I wouldn’t dream of attempting to drive one now. Straight Truck Maybe, but a semi, no way. I wouldn’t feel comfortable.

So, there you have it folks, living proof that socialism, does NOT work.

Others: The Strata-Sphere, Right Wing NewsAlthouse, RedState, Macsmind and Don Surber

WTF?: Starting to really wonder about Lew Rockwell’s Blog

I am not posting this to start a fight or anything. But when I see crap like this right here. I start to wonder just what the hell is becoming of Lew Rockwell’s Blog and more importantly, The Libertarian Party as a damned whole.

Not to overdramatize anything, but when I see stuff like this:

As usual, US-appoved fighters are called soldiers, and US-demonized fighters are called gunmen. Let’s have some equality: call them all gunmen. It hints at the real nature of the state, as “a gang of thieves writ large,” in Rothbard’s phrase.

I start wonder where Lew’s priorities are. I mean, allowing stuff like that, is just totally unacceptable to me.

But wait there’s more…

There’s This:

Or are we afraid that the doo-dads we will see pictured flying through space won’t be ours, won’t have “USA! USA!” stenciled on them, but rather Chinese characters few of us can read?

How Novel. Anti-American rhetoric, from a Libertarian no less.

But there’s even more too….

There’s this little nugget here:

Piatak is a supporter of the Detroit bailout bill. His “cool logic” explains why it is a good idea to tax the shirts off the backs of working class Americans outside of Detroit and give the money to automobile industry plutocrats, union bosses, and their terminally inefficient, inept, lazy, and uncompetitive, unionized work force. Rewarding failure and massively subsidizing losing businesses is apparently Takimag’s idea of “cool logic.”

You know, I have to agree with Tom Piatak here; I honestly wonder what the real motives of the Libertarians are anymore. I mean, can you get anymore Anti-American than this?  A while back, Republican Representative Michelle Bachmann got into a little trouble for saying that Democrats should be investigated for Anti-American beliefs.  Well, I sort of agree with Michelle, except I don’t think it is just Democrats anymore. I think that it is Liberals and Libertarians, I think that we should haul Lew Rockwell and everyone of his contributing writers and Bloggers up to the Senate and have an Anti-American activies investigation.

Do not misunderstand me. I am for the avoidance of military conflict, if at all possible. But when I read on a well-known Libertarian Blog things of this nature, I have to honestly ask myself; why are these people even living in this country, if they dislike it so much?  Whatever happened to civic pride? Whatever happened to the respect of the flag, the Nation and the values it represents?

While I realize that our Nation is not a perfect one, I do not believe that gives one to a license to trash it to the point of sounding like a communist apologist.

As I said in the title and in the beginning, I am really starting to wonder about Libertarians.

It’s on: Israel begins ground operations in Gaza

I have to trying to avoid writing about this, because quite frankly, I have quite mixed feelings about this. Also because, it really does not have anything to do with America and American politics.

But just as well, I will give my opinions about what is happening in Gaza.

It seems that sometime today, Israel moved ground troops and tanks into the Gaza strip. So says the Israeli Paper Haaretz:

“Israel entered the second week of its offensive against rockets from Hamas-ruled Gaza on Saturday evening by launching a much-expected ground operation into the coastal strip.

Initial reports from both Israel and Gaza indicated that Israel Defense Forces troops had killed dozens of Hamas gunmen as they traded heavy fire upon entering the Strip.

“The objective is to destroy the Hamas terror infrastructure in the area of operations,” said Israel Defense Forces Major Avital Leibovitch, a military spokeswoman, confirming that incursions were under way. “We are going to take some of the launch areas used by Hamas.”

The IDF Spokesperson’s office issued a statement, emphasizing that this stage of the operation will further the goals of the eight-day offensive as voiced by the IDF until now: To strike a direct and hard blow against the Hamas while increasing the deterrent strength of the IDF, in order to bring about an improved and more stable security situation for residents of Southern Israel over the long term. ”

I feel that; if the news accounts are to be believed, Hamas taunted Israel with the rocket attacks. These were started because Israel set up a blockade on the border, because Hamas was smuggling weapons into Gaza. These actions caused Israel to defend itself against these attacks. I believe any Nation has the right to defend itself from terrorism, Hamas has proven itself to be a terrorist organization more than once.  What seriously needs to happen at this point is, that the Palestine Government needs to unite itself and move against Hamas and root them out.

Let there be no doubt, I feel that Hamas firing rockets into Israel is an act of terrorism, and I feel any and all actions by Israel at this point is totally justified.

While, as a Paleo-Conservative with Libertarian leanings, the news of war saddens me, but there are times, when it is totally justified. 

My prayers are with the IDF, The Palestinian people, and the people of Israel. My God bring peace to the region again. Praying

(Via Memeorandum)

Shocker: Scary Harry Reid Says, “We don’t want no Darkies in our Senate!”

That is according to the Chicago Sun Times:

“Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones.

Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Sources say Senate majority leader Harry Reid (left) pushed against Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (center), and suggested Gov. Rod Blagojevich appoint state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth (right) to President-elect Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

Sources say the Senate majority leader pushed against Jackson and Davis — both democratic congressmen from Illinois — and against Jones — the Illinois Senate president who is the political godfather of President-elect Barack Obama — because he did not believe the three men were electable. He feared losing the seat to a Republican in a future election.

Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero confirmed that Reid (D-Nev.) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) — the new chief of the Senate Democratic political operation — each called Blagojevich’s campaign office separately Dec. 3. Sources believe that at least portions of the phone conversations are on tape.

Before their contacts, Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel called Blagojevich to tell him to expect to hear from Senate leadership because they were pushing against Jackson and others, according to statements the governor made to others.

The Reid-Menendez calls came a day before a Dec. 4 conversation overheard on government wiretaps where Blagojevich says he “was getting ‘a lot of pressure’ not to appoint Candidate 5.” Candidate 5 is Jackson.

The calls reveal the varying forces directed at Blagojevich as he weighed the appointment.”

“Not Electable” my behind. The mask slips from the old school democrats. For the record:

He didn’t want these:

Jjjr_2DannydavisEmiljonesRolandburriss

But he wanted these:

LisamadiganTammyduckworth

Man, unreal. Harry Reid, a racist. Who knew? I dont know Of course, for a Religious stand point I can report that Mormons, Especially old school morons from the old days, are very highly racist. They would not admit blacks into their churches until like the 1970’s, I believe.  I know this from reading up on them. They also believed that Adam and Eve, when they sinned were turned black, as was Cain. (To be fair, many old school Baptists believed the same thing…)

Should be a very interesting news week. Something to really blog about! yay! Dancing

Others:JammieWearingFoolHot Air, NewsBusters.org, Don Surber, BLACKFIVE, RedState, Macsmind, Stop The ACLU, Sister Toldjah, Gateway Pundit

For Once I agree with Robert Stacy McCain

Mark your calendar folks cause this does not happen often at all.

Robert Stacy McCain on Bristol Palin’s Baby:

I dislike the idea of Bristol Palin offering generic advice — “Teenagers need to prevent pregnancy to begin with” — rather than acknowledging any personal responsibility for her own situation. Is the problem that teenagers in general are getting pregnant, or that you got pregnant? In point of fact, teen pregnancy is at an all-time low. Is it too much to expect something like a mea culpa?

It is finally nice to see a Neo-Conservative admit that Bristol Palin’s baby thing is about the most hypocritcal thing on the face of the planet. This is supposed to be the party of morals. But it seems that the party of morals has kinda left the morals behind, in favor of social liberalism.

Having a woman on the V.P. proved that, in my eyes at least.

Obama says, “Don’t ask no questions”

As a rule, I don’t send no traffic to the Neo-Con owned “weakly standard”.

But Mary Katharine Ham is a very pretty exception. 😉

Here’s the video:

Hubba Hubba! Woo Hoo! ;-P

Hubba Hubba! Woo Hoo! ;-P

Yes, I am fan and quite distant admirer. 😀

Others: Fausta’s Blog, The Sundries Shack, Sister Toldjah, The Other McCain and Ed Driscoll.com

The latest from BlogoGate

The Dems say they will keep Burris from the floor, so says CNN:

Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans.

They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.

Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.

The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.

“They (police) probably won’t arrest him” but they would call the sergeant-at-arms,” the aide said.

When asked about what would happen if he shows up and tries to be seated, Burris told the Chicago Tribune that he’s, “not going to create a scene in Washington.” He added, “We hope it’s negotiated out prior to my going to Washington.”

Burris told CNN that, “We’re certainly going to make contacts with the leadership to let them know that the governor of Illinois has made a legal appointment. And that I am currently the junior senator for the State of Illinois. And we’re hoping and praying that, you know, they will see the reason in appointing me as a very qualified, capable, able and ready-to-serve individual.”

Yeah, Right. They don’t want to make a scene. You believe that and I got land to sell you in Texas, cheap! That’s what race-baiting Democrats do, make a scene. Because we all know, it’s all about “struggle” for them. (whatever that is….)

Way I see it, the so-called “struggle” ended when America elected that…. THING for President. So, Al Sharpton and his ilk should be out of a job.

So, this should be quite interesting to watch.

Update: Video (via Breit Bart)

Update 2: Even Pat Buchanan is thinking along the same lines: (H/T WND)

Here we have an African-American elder statesman of the Democratic Party, an honorable and distinguished man, appointed by the governor according to law and the Constitution, to fill a Senate seat. There has been no hint of illegal consideration asked or given by either the governor or Burris.

Yet Harry Reid, who presides over a Democratic caucus of some 60 senators, with not a single black member, is going to refuse this black man a seat to which the law entitles him?

One hopes Burris will stay firm and march up to that Senate, and, if nothing else, expose the hypocrisy.

Our president-elect is from a party that champions busing to integrate public schools but bypasses D.C. public schools to send his girls to exclusive private schools in far northwest Washington.

We have a Democratic Senate that champions affirmative action. Yet not one white Democratic senator, in a caucus that has not a single black member, has ever volunteered to step down and let the governor of their state replace him or her with an African-American.

Not one. That would be liberals leading by example, not exhortation.

If Democrats believe our institutions of power should look like America, why don’t they make their Senate caucus look like America? Why do not a dozen Democrat senators resign, to be replaced by 12 appointed black Democrats, giving one-fifth of all Democratic Senate seats to a minority that gave Barack 97 percent of its vote and Barack and Joe Biden one-fourth of all the votes they received?

Why does not Gov. Paterson follow Gov. Blagojevich’s lead and name an African-American of Burris’ stature to the U.S. Senate?

Fellas, let’s start practicing what we preach here.

There are times when I totally disagree with Pat, but he’s dead right here. If the Democrats have any sense, they will approve this guy. Pat says in this article that this Governor has not been convicted, and yet the Democrats are acting like the Governor is in Prison! Something stinks, and it’s not my body. 😀

Update 3: To expand this even further; what you are seeing here is two wings of the Democratic Party clashing. The Honorable Part of the Party that seeks to be above any sort of scandal, bumping up against the Identity Politics wing of the Democratic Party.  It’s more than just “Racism” or whites vs blacks, it’s two independent Political ideologies under the same tent. It’s quite the thing to watch.

Others: Hot Air, Sister Toldjah, Chicago Boyz, Althouse, PoliPundit.com and Viking Pundit (Via Memeornadum)

The Obligatory Muslims removed from Plane Posting

Yes, I know about it.

I have very mixed feelings. Part of me says, if they weren’t in this country, they would not have this problem. Seems that some of the Arabs have forgotten about September 11 and what some of their fellow Muslims did to this country on that horrible day.

On the other hand, I believe it is totally wrong to single out a particular minority, and treat them like second class citizens. I believe that when the FBI cleared them, they should have been allowed on the plane.

It is just one of them very complicated issues. I will not act like my fellow conservatives and pull out the “Identity Politics” line or do the pile on here.

There is no easy answer here, and knee jerk reactions and stupidity will not solve anything at all.

Update: Of course, the Liberal media does not report the whole Story…. (H/T Cold Fury)

Later in the day, six of the nine detained passengers approached the customer service counter and asked to be rebooked to Orlando. At the time, the airline had not been notified by the authorities that the passengers were cleared to fly and would not rebook them until receiving said clearance. One passenger in the party became irate and made inappropriate comments. The local law enforcement officials came over and escorted the passengers away from the gate podium

Update: (H/T Reason)

Terrorists or No? How would one tell?

Terrorists or No? How would one tell?

Seriously. If someone looking like this came onto a plane, making comments that sounded suspect. How would one know? Racial Profiling? Damn Straight. Some of us have not forgotten this:

Some of us, haven't forgotten who did this. It wasn't Americans

Some of us, haven't forgotten who did this. It wasn't Americans

‘Nuff Said. 😡

Others:  Jihad Watch, bastard.logic, Little Green Footballs, At-Largely, Preemptive Karma, Donklephant, Macsmind, JammieWearingFool, The Impolitic, Kevin Drum, Feministing, theheretik.us, PoliBlog, That Minority Thing, NO QUARTER and Connecting.the.Dots

Expect to see more of this as the next four years drag on…

Seems either a fascist lefty or a hate mongering old right type left a nice note in Malkin’s Mailbox:

from Texx Smith texx@texxsmith.com
reply-to texx@texxsmith.com
to writemalkin@gmail.com
date Thu, Jan 1, 2009 at 8:26 AM
subject I couldn’t not write you…

Someone told me about your blog today (michellemalkin.com). I find it hard to believe that someone other than a rich white dude or an old gullible white dude would write the crap that you are. What’s wrong with you?

It’s an old guy who told me about your site. He said ” There’s this stupid niXXXr biXXh going around saying we treat niXXers and women the way we used to, like niXXers and women!” He got a huge kick out of it! He thinks your man is making you serve him by writing this. He wonders aloud about the other things he may make you do. He also wonders aloud about the things he would make his “half-nigger half-chink whore” do.

Do you really think racism and sexism is ok? Look at you!

It’s like watching that skit that David Chappel did about the blind man in the KKK who didn’t realize he was black.

You know the audience you are pandering to wants to take away womens rights and non-whites right, just like it was “in the good old days” right? It’s called conservative, look up the definition, it means resistant to change or wanting to rollback change, like women being allowed to vote or wear pants. Do you really want things rolled back? Are you really a conservative? Do you really want to be “owned” by a white man?

You may actually be a” . . . a Philly-born, South Jersey-raised alumna of Holy Spirit HS and Oberlin College. . . . “ But to your audience you’re a stupid niXXer biXXh. Are you ok with that?

If not I can help you escape whomever is enslaving you. America is cool like that still. We’ve almost lost everything and slavery is making a comeback here, thanks to the people making you write this crap. But we can still easily rescue a slave on American soil. We have courts here, they can even punish your Masters.

Texx Smith
YIM: texxsmith
http://blog.texxsmith.com

All I can truly say Michelle is, welcome to being in the minority. We are going to have to deal with crap like this for the next 4 years. While I have my own reservations about the Neo-Conservatives and their foreign policy; there is no place for this sort of nonsense.

The wild and quite stupid thing is, this idiot had the brass balls to put his real name and e-mail and website address in the e-mail. How stupid. 🙄

Although, I will say, and I am sure that Michelle will agree, there are hatemongers on both sides of the aisle. The best thing to do is ignore them or expose them on the blogs.

I also get that sort of stuff, every once and a while, I will get an angry e-mail accusing me of being a racist, because I didn’t vote for Obama or accusing me of being traitor for basically giving up on the Democratic Party. It is usually because I say that the Democratic Party became, basically, the Socialist Party. Which is, by default; Communism Lite. That usually get ’em all worked up.

Anyhow Michelle, welcome to the world of the oppressed minority.

Others: The Sundries Shack

A Religion of Peace?

In a so-called Religion of Peace, I would not expect to see this: (Thanks Debbie)

or This: (thanks to “Silent Majority No More!“)

Some peace eh? 🙄
For more info, See my Book Store on Islam.
However, I do kind see Megan’s point. This is why I tend to not try and monday morning quarterback that Situation over there.
I just hope the US stays out of it. We’ve got enough on our plate, let Israel deal with thier own, Please.

Harpy White Bitch Sues New York Times

Wonderful. As if the gray lady did not have enough trouble. Some Ann Coulter wanna-be is filing a lawsuit for getting smeared by the New York Times:

Washington lobbyist Vicki L. Iseman has filed a $27 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times for a February article about Iseman and her relationship with Sen. John McCain.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Richmond on Tuesday, alleges the article falsely communicated that Iseman and McCain had an illicit “romantic” relationship in 1999 when he was chair of the Senate Commerce Committee and she was a lobbyist representing clients before Congress.

The suit also names the executive editor of the Times, its Washington bureau chief and four reporters who wrote the story as defendants.

William Keller, the paper’s executive editor, did not respond to an e-mail requesting comment on the suit.

The New York Times has responded:

“We fully stand behind the article.  We continue to believe it to be true and accurate, and that we will prevail. As we said at the time, it was an important piece that raised questions about a presidential contender and the perception that he had been engaged in conflicts of interest.”

Roger L. Simon says this could spell trouble:

I have no direct knowledge of the case or of Iseman, but if I were the Times, I would be afraid. I would be very afraid. They have a lot more to lose than the 27 million bucks in the suit. Their reputation is already tarnished and their bottom line diminishing. If Iseman can prove her case to the public’s satisfaction, it will constitute yet more bruising and a serious humiliation for the sometime “newspaper of record”.  Those who have been accusing them of being nothing more than a scandal sheet – and a biased one at that, unlike the National Enquirer –  will be vindicated.  Indeed, if Ms. Iseman wins her case, the Times’ editors and publisher will be revealed to have been simultaneously boneheaded and despicable – an ugly combination indeed.

I just wonder, if she happens to win and takes over ownership of the paper, whom will she make the Editor? Ann Coulter? 🙄

Way I see it, if she wasn’t bobbing the knob. Then honestly, what is the problem?

Can you say, cashing in? I knew you could! 😀

(Via Memeornadum)

The reluctantly Obligatory Blagojevich press conference posting

I say reluctantly, because quite frankly, I find all this quite stupid, if you want to know the truth about it.  AllahPundit has the videos, if you care to watch it.

Originally, I had planned on coming on here and really laying it to the Democrats; But I just stopped and thought, “Why Bother?” I mean, this is what the American people wanted, when they elected Barack Obama and the Democrat Congress in 2006. So, why should I sit here and write a disparaging blog posting about it? I mean, Indentity Politics is what the Democrats do.  They’ve done it for years, not like it is going to change anytime soon.

Anyhow, according to what I’ve seen, even they did go to court, they would win the right for Burris to keep his seat.

Adding to the Stupidity, Blago’s General Council is gone. I assume to help the feds.

So, stay tuned, it could get quite interesting here over the next few weeks. I’m sure ol’ Barry is just farking thrilled shitless over this one. I know I would be. Because really, Obama can basically do zero about it. Blago knows this too. He might be a crazy man on the take, but he ain’t stupid, that’s for sure. I mean, he had enough sense to do the black man political cover thing and knows what he do legally, he ain’t dumb. Ain’t no legally insane guy that damned brilliant. If that’s the case, Charles Manson belongs at farkin’ Harvard. 😀

Anyhow, there it is, my opinion on that. If you ain’t noticed; I have not been feeling my normal self. My body clock is seriously foobarbed at this point. Sleeping when I should be awake, Awake when I should be asleep. It’s just farking beautiful. So, yesterday was not a good day. I ended up not going with the old man shopping, I just did not feel like it. I did help him bring the stuff (Food) in the house though. So, I should avoid the abyss; this time. 😉

Breaking News: Gov. Rod Blagojevich picks Roland Burris to replace Obama in Senate

Hold on to your hats, because this one is huge.

Via Chicago Breaking News:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

The action comes despite warnings by Democratic Senate leaders that they would not seat anyone appointed by the disgraced governor who faces criminal charges of trying to sell the post, sources familiar with the decision said.

Shortly after Obama’s Nov. 4 victory, Burris made known his interest in an appointment to the Senate but was never seriously considered, according to Blagojevich insiders. But in the days following Blagojevich’s arrest, and despite questions over the taint of a Senate appointment, Burris stepped up his efforts to win the governor’s support.

Though he is 71, Burris has said that Obama’s replacement should be able to win re-election and he has noted that despite a string of primary losses in races ranging from Chicago mayor to governor and U.S. senator, he’s never lost to a Republican.

Blagojevich, who has sole authority to name a replacement senator, scheduled a 2 p.m. news conference at his downtown Chicago office.

Of course, Harry Reid is having none of it, at all

The Senate will not seat Roland Burris if Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich attempts to appoint him, a Democratic leadership aide said.

Majority Leader Harry Reid views Burris as "unacceptable," the aide said.

Oy. I bet that presser is going to be, um, Interesting. Allah Pundit calls it a "Total Clusterfark." Indeed. Hee hee However, one could argue that this election cycle was a "cluster fark" from the word go. Especially the stuff with Hillary. She was like the child that just would not take no for an answer, funny thing is, she going to be the Secretary of State. Retreads Change you can appoint?

The neat part about all this, that it puts Reid in a spot. If he does not accept the appointment it could be, but most likely won’t be; viewed as racist by some. Which I think was quite the slick move by the Governor.

However, I most likely will not be around to see the whole thing go down. My Dad and I are supposed to go shopping. So, my blogging for the remainder of the day will be scattered. Lovely. 🙄

Have I ever mentioned how much I despise shopping? Especially with my dad? Oy. I’d rather be water boarded. (Well, Sorta…)

Others: The Campaign Spot, Don Surber (Via Memeornadum)

Quote of the Day

In 1975, when liberalism was on the march around the world, Reagan called for the rebirth of the GOP as a party “raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people.” A few months later, he declared that “I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism” — that is, the belief in small government.

Reagan’s stated beliefs made him the object of ridicule among those who considered themselves intellectuals, but he stuck to his guns. And then, in 1980, when the failures of Big Government were evident to all Americans, the people turned for leadership to the presidential candidate who had been right all along.

Over the last eight years, President Bush sought to tame Big Government and turn it to conservative ends. The administration experimented with the belief — as expressed by Huckabee, Gerson and Kristol — that Republicans and conservatives would do better by rejecting small-government conservatism and accepting Big Government. For generations, Democrats had bribed people to vote for them with one Big Government program after another, so Republicans did the same (No Child Left Behind, the Medicare prescription drug benefit, endless deficits and, finally, the bailouts). The results of the experiment are now in: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Harry Reid, President-elect Barack Obama.

The Faces of an era that cannot end too soon.

bush-oral-history-0902-01

The Gang of Idiots

bush-oral-history-0902-02

The Clueless Leader

bush-oral-history-0902-03

The Executive turned behinds the scenes power broker

bush-oral-history-0902-04

The insolent and grossly incompetent old man

bush-oral-history-0902-05

The token negro

bush-oral-history-0902-06

The Resident Tool

Vanity Fair gives these group of idiots the proper send off that they deserve. Unlike some of the morons of the Neo-Conservative Right, I will not sit here and act like the last 8 years did not happen. If this past President did anything at all. It was the fact that because his, and his administration’s gross incompetence, that I am writing today. 8 years ago, I could have given two flips about Politics and the Washington D.C. crowd. The only time that I even remotely cared about politics was either on or near election day.

Bush and his idiotic nonsense cured that, I’m more political aware and active than anyone even remotely near me. I follow it like a rabid dog. I will continue to do so, until I feel that I can safely leave it to the experts. I am hoping that somehow, by some sort of magical fate, that I am able to work myself into a syndicated column or something to that effect.

Admittedly, at first, I made some serious missteps, thinking I was a hardcore liberal; Which I am not, nor could I ever be, considering my background. I did finally figure out my place in the political world, and it sure as hell is not in the same realm as the Neo-Conservative idiots like Bush and Co.

Thankfully, I am comfortable with the title of Paleo-Conservative or the old right. Which suits me fine. I am not an Ron Paul bot. I did read his latest book. I am a agreement with much that is within that Book. I think some of his ideas could be implemented in moderation.  However, for America to implement it too fast would cause other problems, like rapid deflation, which could make things only worse.

I think I can speak for those who have suffered, and believe me, I’ve done my share of suffering; through the last eight years of gross incompetence… that George W. Bush and his group of Neo-Conservative thug goons cannot leave the damned White House fast enough.

Thank God it is just about over!

Others: danieldrezner.com, No More Mister Nice Blog

The question is; What is Racist?

I cannot believe it, but it is here again. Another stink over the Rush Limbaugh inspired “Barack Magic Negro” parody song. Seems the washed up hippy, who wrote the song is having a fit over the fact that it was even made. He calls it “racist.”

Well, I have a problem with that. As someone who knows what racism really is, and not this “knee jerk” politically correct nonsense, created by the fascist, free speech hating far left.

I am showing this videos and the respective songs with Lyrics to show you something, the absurdity of this so called controversy.

First up, the “Magic” video”:

Lyrics:

Barack the Magic Negro lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s not authentic like me.
Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper
Said he makes guilty whites feel good
They’ll vote for him, and not for me
‘Cause he’s not from the hood.

See, real black men, like Snoop Dog,
Or me, or Farrakhan
Have talked the talk, and walked the walk.
Not come in late and won!

Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s black, but not authentically.
Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s black, but not authentically.

Some say Barack’s “articulate”
And bright and new and “clean.”
The media sure loves this guy,
A white interloper’s dream!
But, when you vote for president,
Watch out, and don’t be fooled!
Don’t vote the Magic Negro in –
‘Cause —

’Cause I won’t have nothing after all these years of sacrifice
And I won’t get justice. This is about justice. This isn’t about me, it’s about justice.
It’s about buffet. I don’t have no buffet and there won’t be any church contributions,
And there’ll be no cash in the collection plate.
There ain’t gonna be no cash money, no walkin’ around money, no phoning money.
Now, Barack going to come in here and ……..

…and now a real racist song and video:

Music By: Johnny Rebel

Lyrics:

L.B.J. was a-flyin’ one morn’
Over south Louisiana…feeling forlorn
When he looks down below, and what does he see?
Two cajuns pullin’ a nigger on ski’s!

So he lands, and says, “Thanks for helping your black brother!”
And them two cajuns just looked at each other
And said, “He might be smart, but I’ll tell you something…”
“He don’t know a thing about alligator huntin’!”

O-wop-bop-bam-bam
Who likes a nigger?
o-wop-bop-bam-bam (CHORUS)
Who likes a nigger?
o-wop-bop-bam-bam
Who likes a nigger?
And the hatin’, everybody, is a-gettin’ much bigger

Rich man travelin’ down thru the South
Stopped in Mississippi to get a tooth pulled out
When he paid the doctor the charges due
He said “My nigger chauffer’s got a bad tooth, too”

“Well, I’ll pull it…”, said the doc, “but you’d better not holler!
Cause I’ll have to charge you $200.00
Cause here in Mississippi he can’t open his mouth
We’ll have to go thru his bottom, to get the thing out!”

Chorus

There ain’t much difference ‘tween a nigger and a donkey
‘Bout as much between an ape and a monkey
Ones a little bigger, but you gotta agree
There’s not very much more that you can see.

But a mule earns his livin’ by the sweat of his neck
While a nigger sits down and draws a gov’t check
The nigger should be smarter, as a general rule
But in a spelling contest, I’d pick the mule!

Now obviously, the second song is quite racist. Do you see the point that I am trying to make here? The first song is a light-hearted attempt at Humor and nothing more. Anyone who tries to paint it as anything other than this, is basically being a race baiter and someone who’s business is identity politics.

Update: Michelle Malkin makes a very good point: (H/T Macsmind)

All of sudden — after eight years of “F**k Bush” bumper stickers and “Kill Bush” assassination chic and Bush-or-Chimp parodies — the left is concerned about insulting the office of the Presidency?

Now, they are concerned with protecting the dignity of the office and with forging “commong ground and mutual respect?

Not to mention, when someone like me, tries to makes a point of all the race baiting and identity politics and the hypocrisy, when it comes to racism and intolerance on the left, I get death threats.  So, I ask again, what is racism? Whatever happened to free speech? Who are the real haters? The answer, I think, is quite obvious. 🙄

Others: Hot Air, Political Punch, Riehl World View, The Strata-Sphere, Jezebel, JammieWearingFool, Michelle Malkin, Blogs and Stories, BrothersJudd Blog, Commentary, The Hill, Wake up America and Real Clear Politics

MSM Continues Their Assault on Bloggers

The Forth Estate continues it’s assault on citizen media, or as it is commonly known as; The Blogosphere.

It seems that Paul Mulshine of the Newark Star Ledger is coming out swinging against us.  However, instead of sounding like a legit reporter, he comes off sounding more like grumpy old man, full of sour grapes.

Of course, Glenn Reynolds, the Conservative Blogosphere’s God Father is having none of it. Glenn Says something that I totally agree with here:

That, of course — as Mulshine should have known then, and now — is exactly what J.D. Johannes does — along with Michael Yon, Michael Totten, Bill Roggio, and others in the blogosphere. Mulshine, meanwhile, brags about having once covered the Toms River Regional Board of Education in New Jersey. That’s worthy work, of course, but if his reportage there was as poor as his work in the Wall Street Journal, then — oh, who am I kidding? “If”?

Anyway, it’s certainly true that bloggers as a class are more competition for careless pundits like Mulshine than for go-getter reporters who find out things that people don’t know, and report them truthfully. It’s also true that those go-getter reporters who put the truth first are pretty scarce in the world of Big Media reporting, and that management shows no sign of wanting more of them, and many signs of wanting attitude-mongers like, well, Mulshine. This is, as I’ve noted before, a dumb business strategy, which explains in part why newspapers are doing so badly.

The awesome thing about the Blogosphere is this. We Bloggers; Yes, I do mean Conservative and Liberal, keep the press and Washington D.C. and dare I even say it? The White House honest. Gone are the days of the Nixon era, when you could pull the preverbal wool over the eyes of the American people. Bloggers are there, pointing out the half truths, lies and outright distortions.

Need I remind anyone, that it was the Liberal Blogosphere and the Libertarian and Paleo-Conservative Blogosphere, that basically pointed out the fact that George W. Bush was, quite frankly, full of crap, when he tried to say that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Something that the Republican Blogging world is still to acknowledge to this very day. Even after the White House is fully conceded that fact. This was well before the time that the Main Stream Media even tried to start questioning the tactics of the Bush Administration.

So, basically, either the Forth Estate can learn to work with us or die. But the way things are looking, they’d rather die first. This might just be a good thing.

Others: Jules Crittenden, Wake up America, The Other McCain, Ed Driscoll.com and Fausta’s Blog

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Will MoveOn really MoveOn?

For some reason or another, I just don’t believe it at all.

The full report is over at Politico, if you care to read such stuff.  Patterico also has a good take on it as well.

Quotable Quotes:

“Parties become much more pragmatic when they’ve won,” says Joe Trippi, who heads the media firm Trippi Multimedia, and who managed Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign and advised John Edwards in 2008.

“At least in the initial stages, they’re going to try to work together [with Obama] to see what parts of their agenda they can get through,” he says. And they recognize, he adds, that they will get more of their agenda passed if they don’t start trouble when they don’t need to.

[….]

For his part, Pariser says he will do what his members want, no matter which way it takes the organization or what the implications are for its future. “I believe the fact that we hear something from all over the place at the same time means it probably is what we should do with the country,” he says. “I maybe drank the Kool Aid in civics class a little too much, but I think if you put your faith in that, you really don’t go wrong. People gravitate very quickly to the big things that are at the core of their problems.”

“It also makes our jobs easier,” he adds, “because we just do what we’re told.”

Okay, here’s why I don’t buy this line of bunk for one minute. Because I know how Liberals think. President-Elect Obama is not in office yet, nobody, not even me; knows how he is going to Govern. The so-called experts say he will run from the Middle; and based upon his cabinet picks, this might be true. To me, however, it looks more like a Clinton retread White House. So much for the “Hope & Change” mantra throughout the campaign.

Anyhow, however; you let Barack Obama let one of his big campaign promises slip, like Nationalized Health care. The very minute that Barack Obama begins to make noises like he is not going to be able to pass Nationalized Health Care, and MoveOn and DailyKos will turn on Obama on a fucking dime. I know how Liberals are, They lack something that is pretty much a norm in the Conservative circles; and that’s Loyalty. Loyalty to Party, Loyalty to principles; this past election being a perfect example of that, and loyalty to a leader. Oh, they’ll be loyal to him, as long as Obama performs for them, and carries out their agenda. But the very minute he strays; it’s over man. The far left will turn on a dime and it will be Bush Derangement on the other foot in full force. Sorry Trippi, I don’t buy the B.S. line of Liberals being Pragmatic. If 1968 was proof of anything, it was proof that the far left or the rank and file within the Democratic Party is nowhere near Pragmatic.

So, to sum it up; while this might sound nice and pretty and all. It is nothing more than some sort of a “Dog and Pony Show” to appease those within the Democratic Leadership that might worried that groups like this may try an turn popular opinion against Obama. While the mindless sheep might buy it, I do not; because I know the mindset, I know how they act. Loyal, until you slip up and then BAM! It’s over.

Nice try guys, but we’re just a bit more smarter than that.


Guest Voice: Social Issues Symbolism by Jack Hunter

When president-elect Barack Obama chose evangelical leader Rick Warren to lead a prayer at his inauguration the cultural Left threw the predictable fits. Said Kathryn Kolbert, president of People for the American Way, “this decision further elevates someone who has in recent weeks actively promoted legalized discrimination and denigrated the lives and relationships of millions of Americans,” referring to the recently passed anti-gay marriage referendum, Proposition 8 in California. Said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, “by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table.” Added Democratic political consultant Chad Griffith “Rick Warren needs to realize that he is further dividing us at a time when the country needs to come together.”

In light of the Rick Warren controversy, such “coming together” rhetoric, so often mouthed by champions of “diversity” has one again proven to be a farce. For a true “coming together” of any sort on social issues, one might expect political opponents to either agree-to-disagree, yet still join and work together where they can, or for both sides to at least concede some principles as a compromise. In this case, as in most cases, the champions of diversity simply do not want an evangelical of Warren’s stripe to even be allowed a seat at the table. And while Warren hasn’t budged from his stance on gay marriage, neither will the Left anytime soon. It seems that the oft-desired “coming together” means not any new, warm embrace, but unconditional surrender, where only conservatives are always expected to wave the white flag.

The rise of social issues in American politics has as much to do with campaign strategies as the issues themselves. Gay marriage has become for the Democrats what abortion has long been for Republicans – issues that are better left unresolved because they are too useful in controlling certain voters. Any liberal or moderate Republican worried about shoring up his evangelical base can do so by mouthing just the right amount of pro-life rhetoric during his campaign, knowing full-well he has no intention of seriously revisiting the subject after the election. Just ask John McCain. To woo the cultural Left, the tiniest illustration by Democrats that they are at least favorable to gay-marriage is enough to garner those votes, even if it’s practically invisible on their actual agenda. Just ask Barack Obama.

Social issues like gay marriage and abortion remain trivialities not because they aren’t important – but because neither are likely to be solved precisely because neither party benefits from doing so. Why do mainstream Republicans or Democrats not demand states’ rights solutions, where individual states would be free to legalize or outlaw gay marriage or abortion according to the popular will? Because neither party really wants any real solutions. The purpose of a Republican supporting something like the Defense of Marriage Act is not to protect marriage per se, but to protect your office by signaling to voters that you stand on the right side of an issue that you and your successors hope never goes away. Likewise, in standing against the Defense of Marriage Act, Democrats benefit for the exact opposite reason.

Rick Warren’s invocation at Obama’s inauguration will not be a brighter, sadder or even different new day in the culture wars – but a symbolic gesture by the president-elect whose very rise to power has been more symbolic than substantive. Leftists who believe Warren’s mere presence at the inauguration represents anything tragic are as naïve as those on the Right who might believe it represents promise. And in both satisfying and enraging both sides of the social issues fence by inviting Warren to his swearing-in, the president-elect may indeed be introducing a new symbolic style, if only to cover-up the same old lack of substance.

When president-elect Barack Obama chose evangelical leader Rick Warren to lead a prayer at his inauguration the cultural Left threw the predictable fits. Said Kathryn Kolbert, president of People for the American Way, “this decision further elevates someone who has in recent weeks actively promoted legalized discrimination and denigrated the lives and relationships of millions of Americans,” referring to the recently passed anti-gay marriage referendum, Proposition 8 in California. Said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, “by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table.” Added Democratic political consultant Chad Griffith “Rick Warren needs to realize that he is further dividing us at a time when the country needs to come together.”

In light of the Rick Warren controversy, such “coming together” rhetoric, so often mouthed by champions of “diversity” has one again proven to be a farce. For a true “coming together” of any sort on social issues, one might expect political opponents to either agree-to-disagree, yet still join and work together where they can, or for both sides to at least concede some principles as a compromise. In this case, as in most cases, the champions of diversity simply do not want an evangelical of Warren’s stripe to even be allowed a seat at the table. And while Warren hasn’t budged from his stance on gay marriage, neither will the Left anytime soon. It seems that the oft-desired “coming together” means not any new, warm embrace, but unconditional surrender, where only conservatives are always expected to wave the white flag.

The rise of social issues in American politics has as much to do with campaign strategies as the issues themselves. Gay marriage has become for the Democrats what abortion has long been for Republicans – issues that are better left unresolved because they are too useful in controlling certain voters. Any liberal or moderate Republican worried about shoring up his evangelical base can do so by mouthing just the right amount of pro-life rhetoric during his campaign, knowing full-well he has no intention of seriously revisiting the subject after the election. Just ask John McCain. To woo the cultural Left, the tiniest illustration by Democrats that they are at least favorable to gay-marriage is enough to garner those votes, even if it’s practically invisible on their actual agenda. Just ask Barack Obama.

Social issues like gay marriage and abortion remain trivialities not because they aren’t important – but because neither are likely to be solved precisely because neither party benefits from doing so. Why do mainstream Republicans or Democrats not demand states’ rights solutions, where individual states would be free to legalize or outlaw gay marriage or abortion according to the popular will? Because neither party really wants any real solutions. The purpose of a Republican supporting something like the Defense of Marriage Act is not to protect marriage per se, but to protect your office by signaling to voters that you stand on the right side of an issue that you and your successors hope never goes away. Likewise, in standing against the Defense of Marriage Act, Democrats benefit for the exact opposite reason.

Rick Warren’s invocation at Obama’s inauguration will not be a brighter, sadder or even different new day in the culture wars – but a symbolic gesture by the president-elect whose very rise to power has been more symbolic than substantive. Leftists who believe Warren’s mere presence at the inauguration represents anything tragic are as naïve as those on the Right who might believe it represents promise. And in both satisfying and enraging both sides of the social issues fence by inviting Warren to his swearing-in, the president-elect may indeed be introducing a new symbolic style, if only to cover-up the same old lack of substance.

Jack Hunter Blogs at The Southern Avenger and Taki’s Magazine