Fox News White House Press Corp Reporter Major Garrett to go to National Journal

This one was a shocker; I really liked this guy.

Via Mediate:

Mediaite has learned that Fox News White House correspondent Major Garrett is leaving the network effective September 3rd to return to his roots in print journalism. White House correspondents Wendell Goler and Mike Emanuel will assume joint coverage of the WH beat for Fox News.

The highly respected White House reporter weathered numerous battles between FNC and the White House and maintained the highest standard of journalism during his tenure

The Official Statement:

MAJOR GARRETT RETURNS TO PRINT JOURNALISM

Leaves FOX News September 3rd

FOX News’ Chief White House correspondent Major Garrett announced today that he will leave the network effective September 3rd to return to his roots in print journalism. White House correspondents Wendell Goler and Mike Emanuel will assume joint coverage of the beat.

In making the announcement, Garrett said, “Slightly more than eight years ago, [FOX News Chairman & CEO] Roger Ailes, [former FOX News Executive Vice President] John Moody and [former FOX News Washington Managing Editor and current Senior Political Analyst] Brit Hume created a full-time reporting position for me in the Washington bureau. Our new Senior Vice President of News, Michael Clemente, has continued that support. Since August of 2002, the network and its top executives have given me every opportunity a journalist could hope for. I thank the network for giving me the chance to grow as a reporter and broadcaster.”

He continued, “Throughout my television career, I’ve known with certainty I would someday return to my roots in print journalism. That day has come. I will soon announce an exciting new phase of my career — one made possible in no small part by FOX News’ consistent support. It would take a lot – something near perfection – to lure me away from the best job I’ve ever had. Details to come.”

Garrett further remarked, “I will miss many dear FOX News journalists, colleagues and friends. I wish all of them success. I look forward to discussing my future work on FOX News – keeping in touch with an audience I’ve come to know and cherish. Before I leave FOX News, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every viewer who extended to me their generous good wishes, support and encouragement.”

Michael Clemente, Senior Vice President of News Editorial for FOX News added, “There are reporters and then there are truly tenacious reporters who come along every so often. Major Garrett is a fact-finding machine, and wherever he goes he will continue to serve an audience that is thirsting for genuine reporting and balance. We wish him the best as he turns this page.”

Joining FOX News from CNN in 2002, Garrett served as the network’s chief White House correspondent since January 2009. Prior to that, he held the position of congressional correspondent reporting on House and Senate races and providing extensive coverage of the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections. Before embarking on a television career, Garrett spent seven years at the Washington Times as its congressional reporter and later a deputy national editor.

The Internal Memo:

To all,

After eight years of solid work at Fox News, Major Garrett is moving to the next phase of his career and returning to his roots in print journalism.

As you well know, Major is as sharp and determined as any journalist in the business. He’s been at Fox since 2002, having already worked at CNN and a number of print organizations including The Washington Times and U.S. News and World Report. He’s covered everything, from wars to elections, Congress, the White House, impeachment and terror attacks. He was with President Bush on September 11th in Florida and he’s been with President Obama, across the globe.

We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and we want to give a heads up to those who may find themselves on the receiving end of his questions…get ready.

A press release is attached as we send this news out beyond Fox, so please join me in wishing Major the best of luck, as he bids farewell here.

Michael

I’ll miss this guy and there’s a reason. As it is widely known. Fox News does play the opinion game, quite a bit. Even during daytime hours. Major Garrett would not play that game, at all. He did ask the tough questions; and I respected the guy for that. But he would not try to opine and be a Bill O’Reilly or Sean Hannity. He kept it straight down the middle and reported the facts as they happened. Fox News could use a few more like that over there.

My best wishes to Mr. Garrett with his future endeavors.

Memeorandum Thread Here.

UPDATED: The Obligatory Cab Driver Stabbed because he is a Muslim Posting New York Post shows its stupidity

I really did not want to touch this, until ALL of the facts are out. There are many on the right, who are distorting this story badly. Further more, there are some on the left who are as well.

Here is the truth. A Cab Driver picks up a man; the cab driver is a Muslim. The man asks driver if he is a Muslim, the driver says yes, and the man proceeds to stab him rather badly. The Cab Driver locks his car and calls 911.

The man who did it, worked for a production company as a volunteer and went to Pakistan. He also did work for the Park51 group as well, as did the company he worked for.

The problem with these stories is this; both sides, left and right, rush to make it one of their own —- instead of waiting for the facts to come out.

The facts are, my friends, that a Muslim man was stabbed and is in the hospital; and there is a lone nut in a jail cell somewhere. I think that both sides of this debate need to take a step back and relax a little. Because this is going to keep on, until someone ends up dead; and that my friends, is the last thing we need right now.

I believe that both sides, left and right, both need to cool it. Before the unthinkable happens.

Memorandum Thread here.

Update: The New York Post shows it’s damned inane stupidity, their headline:

Driver claims his throat was slashed after telling passenger he was Muslim

Claims? CLAIMS??!?!? Wow. 😯

Pardon my sarcasm here, but, “Yeah we put claims, because you cannot ever trust those stupid sand nigger towel heads, they never tell truth….”

Oh.My.God I cannot believe Murdock would stoop that low. 🙁

I am ashamed of being even a moderate-minded Conservative at this moment. 😡

Update: Fixer Grammar error in title of posting. Thanks to commenter Blog Responder. 😀

Unreal: Mosque Supporter says Holocaust Survivor “Didn’t learn his lesson”

You know, I have expressed my dismay at those on the far right, that are using that Mosque in New York as a political issue; and are fanning the flames of extremism  — not to mention are just grandstanding this issue to death.

Well, I regret to report, that it is happening on the left or at least among the Mosque supporters too:

The Video via JammieWearingFool: (CONTENT WARNING – LANGUAGE)

Obviously a Michael Bloomberg and Barack Obama supporter. Classy guy. He calls the old man an unpatriotic, treasonous piece of garbage. A shame how the lamestream media ignored this.

The left loves to call anyone who disagree with them bigots and haters. Just get a look at the vein-popping rage of this man and tell me he’s not consumed with hatred.

While Mr. JWF’s opinion may be slightly over the top; telling or saying that Holocaust survivor “Didn’t learn his lesson,” is just beyond the pale. I may support this Mosque’s LEGAL right to build this building, (Moral right is another story…) I do not support that sort of hatred.

My message to the Mosque supporters; if you think that spewing this sort of garbage and allowing yourself to be taped is going to help your cause, you are very highly mistaken. Bashing anyone, especially Jews; that are opposed to this Mosque only hurts your cause. I will not rush to judgment and call this man a leftist, because I do not know this, neither does JWF; but I digress. Therefore, I will just file this under general stupidity.

Great Read: Liberal talk radio hate

This is a great piece put together by the Media Research Center. It details the hate that is spewed almost on a daily basis on the left. Most of it, under the deceptive tactic of, “Oh! I was just kidding!” or “I have the right to say this, First amendment!”

Highlights Include:

  • Conservatives Want to Kill Barack Obama: “I really think there are conservative broadcasters in this country who would love to see Obama taken out.” (Ed Schultz)
  • Conservatives Are Terrorists: “Do you not understand that the people you hold up as heroes bombed your goddamn country? Do you not understand that Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly are as complicit of the September 11, 2001 terror attack as any one of the dumbass 15 who came from Sauda Arabia?” (Mike Malloy)
  • Conservatives Want You to Die: “If, in fact, the GOP doesn’t like any form of health care reform, what do we do with those 40 to 60 million uninsured?…When they show up in the emergency room, just shoot ‘em! Kill them!…Do we have enough body bags? I don’t know.” (Montel Williams)
  • Conservative Congresswoman Would Have Liked the Holocaust: “[Representative Michele Bachmann is] a hatemonger. She’s the type of person that would have gladly rounded up the Jews in Germany and shipped them off to death camps….This is an evil bitch from Hell.” (Mike Malloy)
  • Dick Cheney Eats Babies: “Cheney, by the way, looks very ruddy. I couldn’t get over that. Like, he must have feasted on a Jewish baby, or a Muslim baby. He must have sent his people out to get one and bring it back so he could drink its blood.” (Mike Malloy)
  • Dick Cheney Should Die: “He is an enemy of the country, in my opinion. Dick Cheney is an enemy of the country….Lord, take him to the Promised Land, will you? See, I don’t even wish the guy goes to Hell, I just want to get him the hell out of here.” (Ed Schultz)
  • Rush Limbaugh Should Die: “I’m waiting for the day when I pick up the newspaper or click on the Internet and find that he’s choked to death on his own throat fat, or a great big wad of saliva or something, whatever. Go away, Limbaugh, you make me sick.” (Mike Malloy)
  • Michele Bachmann Should Die: “So, Michele, slit your wrist! Go ahead! I mean, you know, why not? I mean, if you want to — or, you know, do us all a better thing. Move that knife up about two feet. I mean, start right at the collarbone.” (Montel Williams)

A PDF Version is available here. I highly recommend this one, as the MRC has really done their homework here. I think it is time that we held accountable the liberal left with their vicious hate.

There is another more personal reason why I am posting this; and I will explain it. Back when I was still on the “Left of Center” position, which dates back to my pre-blogging days. I remember how much I hated the arrogance of the right, especially the far right. Yes, this did include Fox News and I am sure every other form of Conservative media as well. One of the main reasons why I even began blogging, was because the arrogance of the Bush Administration pissed me off.  Anyhow, The left watch dog groups and Bloggers, including myself, at the time; were very busy pointing out this arrogance and other stuff.

Now, it seems that the left has been caught up in the same arrogance since the election of Barack Obama. However, when you begin to point that out; the best the left can do, is spin and deny that they have done anything wrong. Some of them, will even try to claim a moral excuse, something along the lines of, “Well, we’re right politically, so we can say all this stuff!” That idiotic excuse does not fly with this writer and former “Left of Center” Democratic Party voter. Because I feel that if you were going to point someone else’s dirty laundry, you should be prepared to deal with your own.  Further more, the moral equivalency excuse of, “Well, they do it!” does not fly with me. Two wrongs, do not make a right; it just makes two very wrong people.

This report, I believe is a living example of what happens when the media goes into the tank for a Democratic Candidate for President of the United States.

Video: Words of the so-called “moderate Muslim” Imam of Ground Zero Mosque

As AllahPundit would say, Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf: “We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands than al Qaida has on its hands of innocent non Muslims. You may remember that the US-led sanctions against Iraq led to the death of over half a million Iraqi children. This has been documented by the United Nations. And when Madeleine Albright, who has become a friend of mine over the last couple of years, when she was Secretary of State and was asked whether this was worth it, said it was worth it.

Pamela Geller has more, and I highly recommend that you read this one. Even I, as a Moderate Conservative, find this most interesting.

Quite bluntly, this guy has ZERO business being at, near or whatever, Ground Zero, New York or anywhere else in the United States.

But, as we know, the liberal media, will not touch this, because it really does not fit the narrative. Nor do I expect President Obama to intervene here either. Because we all know that Muslims don’t cut one another. (I mean, after all, he did have a Muslim daddy AND step-daddy…)

Update: Memeornadum Thread.

Iraq gets first unmanned bomber

Any other time, I would not give two flips about something like this; but seeing the news that I saw last night. Um, I am a bit inclined to be a bit worried.

Last Night the New York Times reported the following:

TEHRAN — Thirty-six years after construction began under the shah, Iran finally opened its first nuclear power plant at a ceremony on Saturday.

Attended by senior officials from Iran and Russia, which helped build the plant, the ceremony marked the beginning of the transfer of low-enriched uranium fuel rods from a storage site into the plant. Officials of both countries said that Saturday’s events signified the opening, not the startup, of the plant near Bushehr, in southern Iran.

The plant itself is not controversial, because the Russians plan to provide fuel for it and to remove spent fuel that could be used to make weapons. But the opening was sure to upset United States diplomats, who had encouraged Russia to delay it as a way to add to economic sanctions imposed on Iran because of its refusal to cease enrichment of uranium at its other nuclear facilities. Although Iran denies that it is using its civilian nuclear program to mask a plan to build a bomb, many Western countries are dubious.

Which is not exactly true. If this news source can be trusted; Haartz is reporting the following:

Iran will continue to enrich its own uranium, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told the country’s semi-official Fars news agency on Saturday, hours after Russian nuclear fuel began to be inserted into Iran’s first nuclear reactor.

Iranian and Russian engineers began the weeklong operation to load uranium fuel into the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a major milestone as Tehran forges ahead with its atomic program despite U.N. sanctions.

Last week, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters the United States felt that the fact that the Bushehr reactor would operate solely on Russian fuel proved that “underscores that Iran does not need its own enrichment capability if its intentions, as it states, are for a peaceful nuclear program.”

Gibbs added that the Bushehr plant proved “to the world that, if the Iranians are sincere in a peaceful program, their needs can be met without undertaking its own enrichment program, which call into question its motives.

Having made that point; I want to direct your attention to this little gem, which popped into my RSS this morning.

This comes via AP, which comes to me via the Daily Caller:

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday inaugurated the country’s first domestically-built, long-range, unmanned bomber aircraft, calling it an “ambassador of death” to Iran’s enemies.

Speaking to a group of officials Ahmadinejad said, “The jet, as well as being an ambassador of death for the enemies of humanity, has a main message of peace and friendship.”

The goal of the aircraft is to “keep the enemy paralyzed in its bases,” he said, adding that the jet is for deterrence and defensive purposes.

The president championed the country’s military self-sufficiency program, and said it will continue “until the enemies of humanity lose hope of ever attacking the Iranian nation.”

The 4-meter-long unmanned plane, dubbed the Karrar or striker in Farsi, was inaugurated on the national day for the country’s defense industry in a ceremony aired live on state TV.

No details were provided on the craft’s capabilities.

Iran has been producing its own light, unmanned surveillance aircraft since the late 1980s.

The ceremony came a day after Iran began to fuel its first nuclear power reactor, with the help of Russia, amid international concerns over the possibility of a military dimension to its nuclear program.

Iran insists it is only interested in generating electricity.

Call me overly paranoid, But I don’t quite believe that Iran is just using that plant for generating electricity. I mean, a plant opens one day; and nobody is quite sure what fuel that they will be using. The next very next day, Iran debuts a unmanned drone, which can drop a bomb? Sorry, but I find that just a bit unnerving. Hopefully, someone at the State Department will see the story and go, “um, Barry?” and let the President know about this. However, I do not expect that the President will be inclined to do anything about it. I mean, after all, we did just get out of Iraq; and we are still very busy with Afghanistan as well.

It could very well be, that this drone is to basically taunt and a feeble attempt to put fear into Israel. However, I am inclined to believe that it will have just the opposite effect. Either way, this should be an interesting story to follow.

I just hope that the President, his Administration and our State Department are taking this as seriously, as they should be.

Further more, I do not expect the liberal media to get into any sort of huff about this either; as they do not see the threat of Iran, like those of us, who know what idiot leader of that Country is capable of; plainly, the man is crazy and is a Jew hater and there is no telling what he might use that drone for. If I were Israel, I would be preparing for war. Because it is quite obvious that this is what Iran wants.

Update: Now a Memeorandum Thread.

The Classless Left: Exhibit M for Military Disrespect

This here, is one of the biggest reasons why I never, ever, vote for a Democrat, ever again.

The Story via Big Peace:

I still clearly remember the day that I was summoned home by my oldest son Kristofer to find the Navy officers and chaplain waiting inside my home to tell me the most painful and agonizing words I would ever hear, “We are sorry to inform you that your son Marc Alan Lee was killed in action.”

Marc Alan Lee

I have always been a patriot and understood that our men and women serving have paid for my freedoms but since the day Marc willingly sacrificed his life, I understand in a much deeper way the cost and sacrifice that our brave warriors and their families make. “Freedom isn’t free” is a reality not just a patriotic slogan.

[….]

Numerous times over the past four years I have confronted the antics of Jodie Evans and her anti-war Code Pink cronies. We’ve all seen the nightly news with them being arrested time and time again throwing their leftist temper tantrums with their pink boa feathers wrapped around their necks as they kick and scream like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum to get attention. They have sent over $600,000.00 to the terrorists in Fallujah, or as they called them, “freedom fighting” heroes. You would think treasonous acts like this would have them locked in jail. Over and over they have attacked our military recruiting offices causing thousands of dollars of damage to the offices and threatening the recruiters.

In 2008 they barricaded the recruiting office in Berkeley with the blessing of the Berkeley City Council. We at Move America Forward had all we could stomach when we heard them tell the Marines they were unwelcome, unwanted intruders, not in Iraq or Afghanistan but on American soil in Berkeley, California. Americans from across the nation joined us in Berkeley to counter-protest these anti-war hippies. Numerous times they told me they support the troops but not the war, yet over and over when I asked if they had sent care packages, phone cards, written letters, or helped the families left behind in anyway, they conveniently couldn’t remember anything they had done. Yet they had a successful fundraiser to send $600,000.00 to our enemies in Iraq?  Yet Jodie Evans and her Code Pink degenerates taunted me and made light of my son’s sacrifice telling me, “Your son deserved to die in Iraq if he was stupid enough to go over there.”  It took every ounce of reserve in my body to not level these idiots to the ground. These same people who call terrorists “freedom fighters” says that my son, who gave up his life for their freedoms, deserved death.

Go read the rest of that. What a disgrace! ….and yet the Democrats claim to be the part “of the people.” More like the party of the degenerate bastards.

Disgusting. 😡

Others: Power Line, Weasel Zippers, BLACKFIVE, Sister Toldjah, American Power, Gateway Pundit, Big Hollywood and National Review

BREAKING NEWS: Looks like the guy behind the Park 51 project is not so ‘Moderate’ after all

This comes via Ace, who has the flaming skull out on this one. (H/T The Other McCain and via Weasel Zippers)

To set this up, Ace says:

Remember: You — Obama and the MFM — went out a limb to vouch for this guy, putting the whole of your credibility and judgment behind the proposition that he is a well-meaning, peaceful moderate and you’d have to be crazy to think otherwise.

[….]

We know the first, second, and last defense that will be screamed by the left: B-b-but Bush said he was moderate….!

Yeah? And? Bush didn’t stake his political future on the man’s purported “moderation,” either.

Thanks to LauraW., who was out looking for actual news while I was jagging off in the comments.

Let Me Repeat: Obama and the MFM staked the entirety of their credibility and judgment on the assertion that this was a moderate man interested only in peace, and of course in no way a supporter of terrorism, and anyone who suspected otherwise was an ignorant bigot with a heart full of hatred.

So let’s see. Let’s see.

Let’s see whose judgment was sound and whose judgment was really full of ignorance and hatred — hatred for the concerns of their fellow Americans.

Headline Credit: Dr. Varno proposed “Unmosqued” and I agree.

The news comes via Pamela Geller, whom I admire for he relentless pursuit of radical Jihad and Radical Islam:

Steve Emerson has unearthed 13 hours of audio tape of Imam Rauf. Emerson and his team of investigators has spent the past four weeks going through the newly found material. Rauf is a “radical extremist cleric who cloaks himself in sheep’s clothing.”

Among the shocking revelations Emerson’s team will reveal next week — they found Rauf:

Defending wahhabism – a puritanical version of Islam that governs Saudi Arabia

Calling for the elimination of Israel by claiming a one-nation state, meaning no more Jewish State.

Defending Bin Laden’s violence

Demonstrating that there is a lot more to this man than merely a cleric.

Here is the audio link to the show: Click Here

Steve Emerson’s  website is here.

I am going to be perfectly honest with you. I have been trying to keep an open mind on this subject and trying not demagogue this issue; but try to present all sides, as I am a more moderate classic liberal/Conservative person. But if these allegations are true, then my position will change. Because I do not want a Mosque or whatever the hell this thing is; being ran by someone like this, at all.

I, like many others I’m sure, await to hear these recordings. I cannot wait for them to come out.   I should point out, that there is video of this man saying that American basically created Osama Bin Laden. I have seen that; but this is entirely different. Again, I await these recordings.

Update: Now a thread at Memeornadum

The Classless Left: Exhibit AG for Alan Grayson

This video comes via HotAir.com:

Ah, Yes, let’s blame the same guy, who we want to weigh in on an issue such as that, “Whatever you want to call it” that is two blocks away from ground zero.

I hate to be the one to bring this up….But… I will; for years and years and years, White Nationalists and Paleo-Conservative types have been arguing that Jewish people are morally and intellectually inferior people. I have never bought into that sort of hate, but in this idiot’s case —- I think that they might actually have a point.

I’m not sure who is running against Allan Greyson; but I sure hope like hell that he wins!

Video: “Welcome Home”

If you loved the iconic photo….. you will love this video: (H/T HotAir)

The Extremely Sadly Obligatory “People think President Obama is a Muslim more and more everyday” Posting

Sigh….

Why must I write about insanely stupid things such as this?

I mean, is being a moderate Conservative automatically a mandate to sign on with the stupid now? If it is, I must have not have gotten the memo on this at all.  Because this bunch of blatant stupidity, I find to be most distressing — almost to the point of shutting my blog and disappearing from Politics altogether.

What I am griping about, is this incredibly stupid poll out, which says that more and more people believe that President Obama is a Muslim.  I mean the man’s Father gives to his kid an Arab middle name, because the man was a Muslim at one time, and everyone freaks and says, “He’s a Muslim!” or in some quarters, “He’s a nigger Muslim!”  —- Depending on where you are, north or south of the Mason-Dixon Line.  Yes, I went there, you are very welcome.  Figure if Dr. Laura can go there, so can I.

Seriously, folks, I am honestly beginning to wonder if some members of the Anglo-Saxon race are not inflicted with some sort of incurable disorder.  I like to call it “Negro-Phobia,” White people are honestly frightened by anyone that looks, talks, acts, and even sounds different than they do.  This is 2010, I thought we were over such nonsense; after all, we did elect the Nation’s first black President.  Nevertheless, this nonsense is still being polled about, talked about and blogged about.

My question to my fellow Conservative is this; do you people honestly believe that this sort of idiotic nonsense is going to get the Republicans elected back into office in November?  I mean, seriously!

What is fueling this sort of nonsense?  Fear —– You know damned well the Republicans are playing that little card for all it is worth.

Look, I know the President is a socialist I get that.  However, to accuse a man of lying about what his Religious leanings are,  is just plain underhanded tripe.  I mean, has all of the damned intellectualism disappeared out of the Conservative side of the Political fence for God’s sake?  Have all of the men of wisdom within the ranks of Conservationism been replaced with Hillbilly Mouth breathing idiots, who have no concept of any sort intellectual thought?

I will not try to mislead my readers — at this point, I am seriously beginning to believe that Conservatives have officially jumped the damned shark on this little subject.  I am not ready to official change to another political stripe or anything; because I have learned too much about the left, and much of it, I cannot stand.  Nevertheless, this nonsense of accusing the first black President of the United States about lying to America, as to what God his subscribes to, is just very ridiculous.

Is this what the Republican Party has become?  The President of the United States, who happens to be black and have Arab middle name has a dinner with a group of Muslims.  The President tells a group of Arabs that are visiting the White House, that this Park 51 site — has the legal, not the moral, but the legal right to build in New York City and that the United States Government will not interfere with this process — and alone, that makes him a Muslim?

Another example: The economy is not recovering as fast or a well as the Democrats had hoped and that somehow means that President Obama is some sort cryptic-Muslim socialist that wants to overthrow the capitalistic system in America, and introduce us to Sharia law and Communism.

Do not laugh; I have heard such stuff out of the mouth of Glenn Beck himself and from other well-known Conservative Bloggers.

If this all somehow sounds familiar to some of my older readers, it should, the same very thing was said about President John F. Kennedy.  There were actually Conservatives and yes, some Democrats who were going around shrieking that Kennedy would be taking orders from Rome.  You see, Kennedy was Catholic and back in those days, a Catholic had never served as President of the United States.  In fact, the issue got so bad, that Kennedy had to address the Southern Baptist Convention in 1960 to convince them and the rest of America that he would not be taking orders from Rome.

Fortunately, back then, it worked.

What you did not have in 1960 were Conservative Bloggers who were “hell bent” on destroying a President, for the simple fact that he is a Black Democrat.  However, today, you do have them and there are many of them.

Look, I am going to make an admission to you all.  I did not create this blog to attempt to destroy President Obama.  I started this blog to criticize the President of the United States on his policies, when I thought that they were wrong, dumb, and misguided, and I will continue to do so.  However, what I will not partake in is the silly idiotic partisan rumormongering that is not based on facts.

Having said all of that let me give an open message to the Conservative and Republican Blogging community:

I will not partake in this stupidity and if this is, what is required to be in with the “Cool Kids” in Conservative blogger, then by all means, count me is an outsider — Because I want nothing to do with this sort of stupidity.

Weekly Jobless Claims hit 500,000 “unexpectedly”

Seriously, what is it with the stupid media and that word?

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly climbed to a nine-month high last week, yet another setback to the frail economic recovery.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 500,000 in the week ended August 14, the highest since mid-November, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast claims slipping to 476,000 from the previously reported 484,000 the prior week, which was revised up to 488,000 in Thursday’s report.

A Labor Department official said there was nothing unusual in the state level data. The data covered the survey week for the government’s closely watched employment report for August, scheduled for release early next month.

“There are some technical factors out there and the seasonal factors seem to be pushing it up a little bit. But given the trend of claims it looks like the economy ran into a wall in August,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-MitsubishI UFJ in New York.

via Weekly Jobless Claims Post Surprise Jump, Hit 500,000 – CNBC.

Unexpectedly? Oh Please, like these idiots did not expect the jobless claims to rise, seeing that we are in the worst recession, since the great Depression.  Just more of that Presidential butt kissing since the election of that idiotic Democrat in the White House —– by the liberal owned and financed main stream media.  I will say this; when I saw Ed Morrissey making a fuss about the use of the word, at first, I thought Ed was being a bit silly and quite melodramatic about it. However now, it is getting even ridiculous for even me to bear now. So, seriously guys. Knock off the use of that idiotic word, please.

Ed Morrissey adds:

CNBC’s headline writer also got gobsmacked, writing this header for the Reuters story: “Weekly Jobless Claims Post Surprise Jump, Hit 500,000.”  Maybe Reuters should seriously look at hiring better analysts.

Ed is so nice — Allow me to take that a bit further. Perhaps Reuters ought to actually try reporting news; instead of being the liberal Democratic Party supporting, terrorist apologists, that they actually are — Maybe then we could actually trust them again, as a legitimate news source; instead of having to employ the “Idiot Liberal” filter every time someone has to actually read their propaganda stories that they attempt to pawn off on actual thinking Americans.

I know, it sounds quite harsh; but when you strip off the gloss, and the shiny paint —- that is what you have.

Others: Ezra Klein, Michelle Malkin, Firedoglake, Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys, The Powers That Be, TalkLeft and Conservatives4Palin.com and more Via Memeorandum

Operation Iraqi Freedom has ended

The Videos via NBC Nightly News:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

50,000 advisers remain. But, the worse….. Hopefully, is over.

If you served; thank you. 😀  I could never, ever express that in any fashion that is remotely worth a darn. At least not without sounding like some sort of an idiot.

What happens now? This, via NYT:

To protect the civilians in a country that is still home to insurgents with Al Qaeda and Iranian-backed militias, the State Department is planning to more than double its private security guards, up to about 7,000, according to administration officials who disclosed new details of the plan. Defending five fortified compounds across the country, the security contractors would operate radars to warn of enemy rocket attacks, search for roadside bombs, fly reconnaissance drones and even staff quick reaction forces to come to the aid of civilians in distress, the officials said…

The department’s plans to rely on 6,000 to 7,000 security contractors, who are also expected to form “quick reaction forces” to rescue civilians in trouble, is a sensitive issue, given Iraqi fury about shootings of civilians by American private guards in recent years. Administration officials said that security contractors would have no special immunity and would be required to register with the Iraqi government. In addition, one of the State Department’s regional security officers, agents who oversee security at diplomatic outposts, will be required to approve and accompany every civilian convoy, providing additional oversight.

MSNBC and WaPo both have some seriously excellent articles on soldiers reflections on coming out.

Keith Olbermann obviously, is overjoyed:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Blackfive which is a very excellent Milblogger has much to say about this. I will be honest; I am very disappointed that more of the Conservative Bloggers are not covering this. It seems that they are more interested in the Mosque story. Which is highly disappointing. My high kudos to AllahPundit over at HotAir, for at least giving the Military the dignity that they deserve.

And now, for a special comment from me, your humble host, about the ending of this long seven year war.

I think I can speak for the great majority of America — I am just damned glad it is finally done, over, finished.  For seven long years, our Nation sat, rent asunder, divided over what could possibly be called the biggest blunder that a Presidential Administration, not to mention a Nation, a Congress, and Country could ever have pulled off — A decision to go to war with a Country based upon now what is now known as horrifically flawed intelligence.  Without over simplifying it and at the risk of sounding like a far-leftist Liberal —- Oops, we blew it and blew it bad —– Because of this very idiotic blunder, 4415 of our Nation’s finest young men and woman, ended up going to a damned meat grinder and losing their lives.  For a war, that had absolutely nothing, zero, nada to do with the attacks on the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and on Flight 93 that the Government claims was on the way to the White House on September 11, 2001.  In short and quite bluntly, we screwed the pooch on that one, and whole bunch of Military people were killed.

I say the word “Claims,” because the United States Government has not exactly been very forthcoming about all of the evidence that they have, which supports the claims made by the Government about what really happened on 9/11.  Now, before anyone begins to think it; no, I am not a 9/11 “truther.”  No more, than I am a far leftist or even a damned Republican.  However, I will say to you that I do not trust my Government.  Because to blindly trust the Government is to never question what they say to you; and to never question or challenge is to be a slave or a servant; and the last time I checked, I am not, nor have I ever been, a slave to anyone or a servant of anyone, save the Lord Jesus Christ. That even that I readily admit to being quite lousy at doing, at times.

Having said all that let me say this:

We won.

No thanks, of course, to the Democratic Party, The libertarian leftists, The Ron Paul people, The Pat Buchanan types, The Paleo-Conservatives in General, the far-leftists, and the liberal, owned, controlled, and financed media in this God-forsaken Country of ours.

However, all praise, honor and any sort of decree is to be given to the United States Armed Forces.  They simply kicked Al-Qaeda’s ass in Iraq.  The US Military smoked them damned towel heads from one end of Iraq to the other.  Most of their dead bodies are in Iraqi Cemeteries; which is a good place for them, if you ask me.

Personally, I am glad this conflict is over.  I am also glad, that we actually won.  There was no Vietnam-like ending, we left victorious.

We won.

In the future, we should be much more careful.

We also should remember those who did not make it out alive.

However, today, we dance, we rejoice.

Because tomorrow, we go back to work and we finish the damned job on the war on terror.

Video: “We Remember”

Constitutional issues aside, this mosque is just morally wrong. Considering the fact that this developers of Park 51 have refused to meet with Governor Patterson, they just do not care about morals at all. Hell, even Howard Dean is saying move the darn thing! Howard Dean people! Is that not any indication to the Democrats that this just might not be a good idea?!?!?!

Anyhow, Watch this and tell me you support that damn towel-head mall; which is what it really is.

The Round-Up: Gateway Pundit, TPMDC, Weasel Zippers, Moonbattery, Townhall.com, Sweetness & Light, The Mahablog and Nice Deb

Mosque supporters cry “HALP! BOOOSH!”

You know that you are living in bizarro world, when people who, at one point, hated Bush with a passion are now wanting his help.

Via the Washington Examiner:

There’s a new argument emerging among supporters of the Ground Zero mosque. Distressed by President Obama’s waffling on the issue, they’re calling on former President George W. Bush to announce his support for the project, because in this case Bush understands better than Obama the connection between the war on terror and the larger question of America’s relationship with Islam. It’s an extraordinary change of position for commentators who long argued that Bush had done grievous harm to America’s image in the Muslim world and that Obama represented a fresh start for the United States. Nevertheless, they are now seeing a different side of the former president.

“It’s time for W. to weigh in,” writes the New York Times’ Maureen Dowd. Bush, Dowd explains, understands that “you can’t have an effective war against the terrorists if it is a war on Islam.” Dowd finds it “odd” that Obama seems less sure on that matter. But to set things back on the right course, she says, “W. needs to get his bullhorn back out” — a reference to Bush’s famous “the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!” speech at Ground Zero on September 14, 2001.

I have in front of me, the official George W. Bush response to this situation and here it is:

You assholes did not want me in office the whole entire time that I was there; and now you want me to come bail you out, because your wonderful "Magic Negro" President cannot articulate a damn simple thought correctly? You morons are out of your damned minds!

Actually, President Bush’s office had no comment on the matter. But YOU KNOW darned well that is what President Bush is thinking right about now.

Others: live.washingtonpost.com, Michelle Malkin, TPMDC, Big Journalism, Weasel Zippers, IMAO, protein wisdom, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, iOwnTheWorld.com, Tim Blair, Sister Toldjah, Gateway Pundit and NewsBusters.org

Dr Laura quits radio show, plays victim card

You know that someone has royally screwed up and is now spinning, when people on the right are going “HUH?”

First the Video:

and now the story from the NYT’s Media Decoder Blog:

Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the conservative talk radio commentator under fire for repeatedly using a racial epithet, announced on Tuesday that she was ending her long-running radio show.

Dr. Schlessinger made the announcement on Tuesday night on “Larry King Live,” saying she made a decision not to renew her contract when it expires at the end of the year and suggesting that she did not want her opinions and language, however provocative, to be muzzled.

But she stressed that she was not retiring, only ending her show, and would continue to write books and appear at speaking engagements.“I want to regain my First Amendment rights,” she said. “I want to be able to say what’s on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry, some special interest group deciding this is the time to silence a voice of dissent and attack affiliates, attack sponsors. I’m sort of done with that.”

“I’m not quitting,” she told Larry King. “I feel energized actually — stronger and freer to say the things that I believe need to be said for people in this country.”

Sounds like a “I’m a victim” speech to me….

Z on TV from the Baltimore Sun Agrees:

The end of her radio career (in January when her contract concludes) is the result of her own ugliness on-air with a caller last week who asked “Dr. Laura” about the use of racially charged language. Schlessinger used the N-word 11 repeatedly in her answer, and listening to the tape,  I was shocked by the aggression that I could hear building in Schlessinger’s voice. She was using the word as a weapon.

Some of my colleagues have used the glib phrase “she lost it” to describe Schlessinger’s comments in that exchange, but I think it was almost the opposite: I think perhaps she was letting her speech connect to some deep seated feelings she had, and that is what made her words all the more troubling to me.

Ed Morrissey, while not so personally critical, does point out the obvious:

If Schlessinger feels that getting paid to talk puts too much restriction on her broadcast content, that may well be a legitimate point, but as noted above, broadcasting is only one of several means available to her in commercializing her speech.  Besides, the First Amendment doesn’t confer the right to profit from speech, only the right to speak.  It isn’t an entitlement to publication.  It also means that people can speak out and disagree with what Schlessinger says, even if she sees that speech as an “attack” on her, her sponsors, and her affiliates.  It’s a little late in the game to suddenly get sensitive about criticism, and just a little hypocritical to cast it as an “attack” while demanding the supposed return of her First Amendment rights.

Schlessinger offered a full apology for her remarks, calling them “wrong.”  She didn’t evade responsibility for them, nor did she offer the “I’m sorry if anyone was offended” non-apology apology.  Schlessinger should have stopped there, instead of making herself into a First Amendment martyr when she has never had an issue of being “silenced” or having those rights taken from her.  Even those of us who work daily in the First Amendment space seem to need reminders that the Constitution does not give people the right to be free from criticism after their own exercise of free speech.

I have to agree with all of the above. I am going to be quite blunt and honest with you. I do not like this woman at all. Why? Well, I have to say, that I have problem with people who try an articulate family values, who come from basically broken families; further more, I have a problem with people who are not exactly honest about their personal history. The truth is, Dr. Laura has repeatedly lied about her family, her previous marriages and a host of other things. That is, until people, who were concerned that she was not telling the truth, did some investigative work on her and found out the truth. This forced her to admit that she had not been exactly telling the truth. This to me, ruins any credibility that you might have; I’m sorry, but if I am going to take advice from anyone, it  is going to be from someone, who’s actually coming from a background of ideal family values.

Lastly, there is the issue of religion. I am sorry, but Religion, to me, is not like trying on pair of socks. How any person, can sit on a radio show and give Conservative Traditional and yes, even Christian values; all the while not even being a practicing Christian or any other religion for that matter, is quite beyond me. First, Dr. Laura was a Jew, then she was not; the lady needs to pick a Religion and stick with it.

I am sorry if this sounds like I am being overly critical of Dr. Laura; I know she most likely means to do well. But I believe the she could do and be much better; if she would just be more honest and open about who she is. Plus, find a religion that she can handle and stick with it.

Video: “Those voices don’t speak for us”

One word…. Awesome. 😀 (H/T HotAir)

The Classless Left: Exhibit P for Pie

Now this is different:

Ahlam Mohsen - Unhinged Pie Thug

Washington — Sen. Carl Levin was hit in the face with a pie this morning at a question-and-answer session on what should’ve been friendly ground in Big Rapids.

The Democrat from Detroit was speaking to members of the Mecosta County Democratic Party when a young man — who described himself as a student — began chastising Levin for his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which helps direct military and war policy.

After a few minutes of speaking at Pepper’s Café and Deli, a woman who accompanied the student to the event walked up to Levin and hit him in the face with a pie, a source with Levin’s office confirmed.

Big Rapids Police arrested the woman on assault and battery charges.

via Levin hit in face with pie in Big Rapids — The Detroit News.

Interesting. I thought it was the Tea Party folks who were supposed to be the violent ones? Do you expect to see wall to wall coverage of this event on CNN and MSDNC MSNBC? Me either. 🙄 It just does not fit the narrative.

Because according to MSNBC and CNN, only the Teabagging white racist bigots can be violent pie throwers. 🙄

War Porn Video: Second Battalion Seventh Marines Fox Company in Zad, Afghanistan

Awesome show Gents! 😀 (H/T to the Jawa Report on Facebook)

I post stuff like this, to make liberals and libertarians like Lew Rockwell heads explode. 😉

A very big “tip of the hat” to our men and women in uniform in the “Dust bowls” of Iraq and Afghanistan!

Uh-Oh: House Oversight Committee says Obama Administration did Propaganda Campaigns for Agenda

Ouch, this one is blistering… 😯 (H/T HotAir)

The said document here

Excepts:

Since the beginning of the Obama Administration on January 20, 2009, ordinary Americans have financed and been exposed to an unprecedented number of public relations and propaganda efforts. Federal spending for public relations contracts rose to historically-high levels during the Bush Administration. Under one-party rule in 2009, the White House used the machinery of the Obama campaign to tout the President’s agenda through inappropriate and sometimes unlawful public relations and propaganda initiatives. Congress buoyed the Administration’s propaganda efforts by increasing federal spending on public relations for the first time since 2005.

The Obama Administration frequently used federal resources to promote the President’s agenda. In many cases, the Administration relied on the reach and resources of federal agencies and their personnel to promote certain of the President’s favorite programs. The White House also leveraged ties to the arts and entertainment community to embed propaganda in the content of television programming and artwork. These propaganda efforts violated appropriations riders and federal law prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes.

The White House also used its inherent visibility advantages to multiply the effectiveness of websites containing misleading and controversial information. The White House used its resources to push visitors to websites that urge grassroots activism based on false and misleading information. The President’s right to sell his policy recommendations to Congress and the public is not disputed; however, using the resources of the federal government to activate a sophisticated propaganda and lobbying campaign is an abuse of office and a betrayal of the President’s pledge to create “an unprecedented level of openness in Government.”

Instead of facilitating openness, the public relations and propaganda activities of the White House have had precisely the opposite effect. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has historically deemed activities involving “covert propaganda” to be unlawful. In those cases, the source of the public relations or propaganda materials did not disclose his or her identity as a federal employee or contractor. Many of the Obama Administration’s propaganda activities are unlawful because they are covert. Furthermore, several programs closely resemble those decried by Democrats and ruled unlawful by GAO during the Bush Administration.

This report examines several of the most visible public relations and propaganda efforts during the first year of the Obama Administration. Viewed collectively, these activities reveal an Administration better suited to campaign-style self-promotion than to providing transparent and honest leadership.

[…]
In October 2008, the Justice Department’s Office of Public Affairs (OPA) added Tracy Russo to direct the Department’s “new media efforts.” Russo, the Chief Blogger and Deputy Director of Online Communications for the John Edwards for President Campaign,58 was given the title “New Media Specialist.”59 Since October, Russo has served as the author of the Justice Department’s official blog.60

Shortly after Russo was hired, reports surfaced that indicated she was covertly attempting to shape public opinion by searching online for articles, blogs or other entries critical of the Administration and then anonymously, or through the use of a pseudonym, posting comments to those sites attacking the author or contents.61

The blogging and campaign communities refer to this propaganda tactic as “astroturfing.”62 Astroturfing is the action of using fake and anonymous postings on message boards and blogs to push a point of view or to create the appearance of grassroots support for a particular agenda.63

I’d go read the rest of that report. There is a ton more in that report that I did not quote for space reasons.  If the Republicans take back both houses of Congress; we could be looking at a HUGE investigation of this Administration.

You tell me the difference between these two quotes

There is something eerily familiar about this quote:


“This is not about freedom of religion,” Cornyn said. “I do think it’s unwise to build a mosque in the site where 3,000 Americans lost their lives as the result of a terrorist attack.”

Voters “sense that they’re being lectured to, not listened to” by Democrats, he said. “The American people will render their verdict.”

Is it just me, or does that that sound much like:

Today I have stood, where once Jefferson Davis stood, and took an oath to my people. It is very appropriate then that from this Cradle of the Confederacy, this very Heart of the Great Anglo-Saxon Southland, that today we sound the drum for freedom as have our generations of forebears before us done, time and time again through history. Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny . . . and I say . . . segregation today . . . segregation tomorrow . . . segregation forever.

I am just saying….

This issue will be the death the Republican Party, if they are not very careful. They are giving the Democrats the talking point that they need to defeat them in 2010…and 2012. At this point, as much as it pains me to say it —-They deserve it.

Update: Seeing that no one seems to get what I am trying to say. I will explain it. What is happening here is this; the Republican Party is pandering to the irrational fears of the general public towards Muslims. Just like George Wallace did with the southern Democrats, when they pandered to the White people in the South and their irrational fears of black people back in 1963. It is the same hate, the same pandering and the exact same bigotry. The only difference is, one was directed at blacks and this one is directed at Muslims and more broadly toward Arabs.

I have seen all of the rationalizations for all of this nonsense, and it is nothing more than vary nuanced bigotry. Only difference is that we did not use Arabs for slaves and did not lynch any of them. At least not yet. But I believe if the Republicans had their way; we would be lynching them, all of them, for what happened on 9/11.

Now this is not to say that I am not aware of the danger of Islamic terrorism or unaware or unwilling to accept the fact that there are Muslims who wish to impose Sharia Law in this Country. I am quite aware of that. But there is a big difference between awareness and bigotry; and this nonsense here is nothing more than nuanced bigotry. Period.

Media Attacks President Obama for actually making sense

I never thought that I would ever have to defend a President for actually making sense. But then again, I never thought I would be blogging about politics either! Much less, writing on a blog defending Conservative and sometimes even Conservative Christian values. My friends, strange days are upon us.

Anyhow, yesterday, the President made a speech, basically speaking to the Muslim people and to the bigoted Americans who believe that Muslim should be outlawed from building their houses of worship or basically even chased out of the Country. In this speech he said the following:

But let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are. The writ of our Founders must endure.

Which is a excellent statement regarding the Constitutional right of Muslims to building houses of Worship wherever they choose, as long as it is within the accordance of the law. It did not speak, however, to the wisdom or moral or any other sort of reasoning behind building a Mosque at or near ground zero. You would think that most people would know this. However, we do live in a “Dumbed Down” society. So, once again, The President is forced to clarify his remarks:

CNN reports:

Panama City, Florida (CNN) — President Barack Obama told CNN Saturday that in defending the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque near ground zero in a speech on Friday night, he was “not commenting on the wisdom” of the project.

Instead, Obama said he was trying to uphold the broader principle that the government should treat “everyone equal, regardless” of religion.

His comments were seen as step back from the support he appeared to give the controversial project during a White House dinner on Friday, though a spokesman for the administration quickly moved to clarify the president’s remarks.

“Just to be clear, the President is not backing off in any way from the comments he made last night,” White House spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement Saturday afternoon.

“It is not his role as President to pass judgment on every local project. But it is his responsibility to stand up for the Constitutional principle of religious freedom and equal treatment for all Americans,” Burton added.

Which is, of course, stupid; because the President is simply saying that they have the right to build the Mosque and Center by Constitutional Law. He was not addressing the moral or other implications. You would think that educated people within the media, especially CNN would know this. I can understand Fox News making a huge deal out of this; but CNN and even MSNBC? Come on.

The stupidity that I refer to, is the stupidity like this here, written by Ben Smith:

Obama’s latest comments are logically consistent with his words last night, if a bit less “clarion,” as Mike Bloomberg called the first remarks. And there are certainly two possible stances here: Bloomberg’s, that the Cordoba project itself represents the best of America; and Obama’s, that the freedom of religion is an important American value.

Obama’s new remarks, literally speaking, re-open the question of which side he’s on. Most of the mosque’s foes recognize the legal right to build, and have asked the builders to reconsider.

But the clarification is, in political terms, puzzling. The signal Obama sent with his rhetoric last night wasn’t that he had chosen to make a trivial, legal point about the First Amendment. He chose to make headlines in support of the mosque project, and he won’t be able to walk them back now with this sprinkling of doubt. All he’ll do is frustrate some of the people who so eagerly welcomed his words yesterday as a return to form.

Clarion? Seriously? Puzzling? Really? Maybe to some uneducated idiot that does not have any grasp of the English language perhaps. Look, I am a “Right of Center” Blogger, someone who is totally opposed to the socialism of the far-left —– and I understood his remarks perfectly. Perhaps this is a the new narrative of the liberal media, against the President, that he is some sort of a boob. I believe this is because Obama did not pander to the far-left and to get their revenge, the liberal media is now going to be after the President, in this sort of a manner. It is a cheap way to get ratings, but it does work. I suppose. Partisan hack types love this sort of a thing. But we non-partisan types find this type of reporting to be sickening. Because, mainly, it is totally dishonest and it exploits people’s ignorance.

The Blogger Round up is here.