When an Ohio woman looked at an ultrasound she expected to see a developing fetus.If that's Christ on the cross, she better plan on having a C-section.
Instead, she saw what she believes to be an image of Jesus Christ, MyFox Cleveland reported on its Web site.
Monet Sledge, from Lorain, Ohio, got an ultrasound in preparation for her first baby and was shocked when she saw what appeared to be an image of Christ on the Cross, the Web site reported.
She showed the image to her sister, a mother of four, to get her opinion. "I was expecting to see little body parts," Sledge's sister Tequoia Smith told MyFox Cleveland. "Like a face, arms and legs."
But she too believes saw Jesus on the cross.
"As soon as I saw it I was like oh my gosh."
"People say maybe my baby is gonna be blessed and maybe it is a good sign," said mother-to-be Sledge. "I don't know, I've done wrong in my life, maybe he's forgiven me early."
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Second Coming??
One of my goals here at HolyCoast.com is to keep you fully up-to-date on the latest Virgin Mary or Jesus sightings as they are known to show up in the darnedest places. Here's the latest:
Democrats Having Their Doubts About Obama
Here are some more numbers to make the superdelegates nervous:
I personally agree with the Dems that were polled. I used to think that Obama was unbeatable against McCain, but not anymore. I think Hillary would be a far more dangerous candidate. She'll do anything to win and there's not that much more baggage about her that can be released.
Nearly half of Democrats (48 percent) think Hillary Clinton has a better chance of beating John McCain in November — 10 percentage points higher than the 38 percent who think Barack Obama can win, according to a FOX News poll released Wednesday. This represents a significant shift from March, when Democrats said Obama was the candidate more likely to beat McCain....Obama has clearly lost the glow he had earlier in his campaign when voters were literally fainting at his feet. You'll notice that nothing like that has happened for quite awhile now.
The ongoing controversy over Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, appears to have damaged how Americans view Obama. His favorable rating is now 47 percent, down 7 percentage points since February when 54 percent had a positive view of him. As may be expected, his unfavorable rating went up from 33 percent to 42 percent today.
I personally agree with the Dems that were polled. I used to think that Obama was unbeatable against McCain, but not anymore. I think Hillary would be a far more dangerous candidate. She'll do anything to win and there's not that much more baggage about her that can be released.
The Ethanol Mistake
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas writes a brave piece in today's Investor's Business Daily which will strike at the heart of some of America's farmers. Hutchinson writes about "Undoing America's Ethanol Mistake", and the effect that mistake is having on both prices and food supplies around the world. It's good enough to reprint in full:
We are starting to see what could be a global disaster if we don't shift our focus away from good intentions and return them to sound policy.
The Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman once said, "One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results."We cannot pull huge amounts of land out of food production and put it into energy production and then expect pricing and supply to remain constant. Ethanol is not the answer to our nation's energy problems - more oil is, and we have the ability to go get it, but not the will. Instead, from the land of good intentions (otherwise known as the Dem party) we are told that drilling in ANWR will destroy the environment and inconvenience the caribou, when neither is true. We're told we can't drill offshore because we might foul the beaches, when we know the real reason is that beachfront residents who contribute lots of money to liberal causes will stop doing that if they can see an oil rig from their patio.
When Congress passed legislation to greatly expand America's commitment to biofuels, it intended to create energy independence and protect the environment.
But the results have been quite different. America remains equally dependent on foreign sources of energy, and new evidence suggests that ethanol is causing great harm to the environment.
In recent weeks, the correlation between government biofuel mandates and rapidly rising food prices has become undeniable. At a time when the U.S. economy is facing recession, Congress needs to reform its "food-to-fuel" policies and look at alternatives to strengthen energy security.
On Dec. 19, 2007, President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act. This legislation had several positive features, including higher fuel standards for cars and greater investment in renewable energies such as solar power.
However, the bill required a huge spike in the biofuel production requirement, from 7.5 billion gallons in 2012 to 36 billion in 2022.
This was a well-intentioned measure, but it was also impractical. Nearly all our domestic corn and grain supply is needed to meet this mandate, robbing the world of one of its most important sources of food.
We are already seeing the ill effects of this measure. Last year, 25% of America's corn crop was diverted to produce ethanol. In 2008, that number will grow to 30%-35%, and it will soar even higher in the years to come.
Furthermore, the trend of farmers supplanting other grains with corn is decreasing the supply of numerous agricultural products. When the supply of those products goes down, the price inevitably goes up.
Subsequently, the cost of feeding farm and ranch animals increases and the cost is passed to consumers of beef, poultry and pork products.
Since February 2006, the price of corn, wheat and soybeans has increased by more than 240%. Rising food prices are hitting the pockets of lower-income Americans and people who live on fixed incomes.
While the blame for higher costs shouldn't rest exclusively with biofuels — drought and rising oil costs are contributing factors — the expansion of biofuels has been a major source of the problem.
The International Food Policy Research Institute estimates that biofuel production accounts for between one-quarter and one-third of the recent spike in global commodity prices.
For the first time in 30 years, food riots are breaking out in many parts of the globe, including major countries such as Mexico, Pakistan and Indonesia.
The fact that America's energy policies are creating global instability should concern the leaders of both political parties.
Restraining the dangerous effects of artificially inflated demand for ethanol should be an issue that unites both conservatives and progressives.
As a recent Time cover story pointed out, biofuel mandates increase greenhouse gasses and create incentives for global deforestation.
In the Amazon basin, huge swaths of forest are being cleared to meet the growing hunger for biofuels.
In addition, relief organizations are facing gaping shortfalls as the cost of food outpaces their ability to provide aid for the 800 million people who lack food security.
The recent food crisis does not mean we should entirely abandon biofuels.
The best way to lower energy prices, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, is to accelerate production of all forms of domestic energy.
Expanding biofuels while refusing to take other measures, such as lifting the ban on oil and natural gas production in Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf, is counterproductive. We should be tapping into a broad portfolio of energy options, including clean coal, nuclear power and wave energy.
The key is increasing energy supply. By taking these measures, we can enable biofuels to be part of the energy solution, instead of contributing to the energy problem.
Congress must take action. I am introducing legislation that will freeze the biofuel mandate at current levels, instead of steadily increasing it through 2022.
This is a common-sense measure that will reduce pressure on global food prices and restore balance to America's energy policy.
As the Senate debates this issue, we must remain focused on the facts.
At one point, expanding biofuels made sense for America's energy security. But the recent surge in food prices has forced us to adapt. The global demand for energy and food is expected to rise about 50% in the next 20 years, and the U.S. is well-positioned to be a leader in both areas.
That will require a careful, finely tuned approach to America's farm products.
By freezing the biofuel mandate at current levels, we will go a long way to achieving that goal.
We are starting to see what could be a global disaster if we don't shift our focus away from good intentions and return them to sound policy.
Today's Fun Spam Email
The IRS hoaxsters are out there trying to get your personal information by waving the president's economic stimulus payments at you through their scam email. This is the one I just got:
When you look at the actual link, it goes off to who knows where (http://e1t.us/catalog/images/.,./.refund/refunds.php) and certainly has nothing to do with the IRS. The date angle is kind of cute, too. The spammer obviously knows that people are already getting their payments and if he doesn't act fast, he'll miss out on the government gravy train.
Be careful out there.
Since when does the Internal Revenue Service copyright their emails? The spammer clearly though that would add some credibility to the message, but it's pretty much a dead giveaway that this is a scam.Over 130 million Americans will receive refunds aspart of President Bush program to jumpstart the economy.
Our records indicate that you are qualified to receive the2008 Economic Stimulus Refund.
The fastest and easiest way to receive your refund is bydirect deposit to your checking/savings account.
Please click on the link and fill out the form and submit before May 02th, 2008 to ensure that your refund will be processed as soon as possible.
Submitting your form on May 02th, 2008 or later means that your refund will be delayed due to the volume of requests we anticipate for the Economic Stimulus Refund.
To access Economic Stimulus Refund, please click here.
© Copyright 2008, Internal Revenue Service U.S.A. All rights reserved.
When you look at the actual link, it goes off to who knows where (http://e1t.us/catalog/images/.,./.refund/refunds.php) and certainly has nothing to do with the IRS. The date angle is kind of cute, too. The spammer obviously knows that people are already getting their payments and if he doesn't act fast, he'll miss out on the government gravy train.
Be careful out there.
A Story About John McCain That I Hadn't Heard
Karl Rove relates as story about John McCain that I hadn't heard before:
I'm not a fan of McCain, but you have to give credit where due.
[Ret. Col. Bud] Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, "I told you I would make you a cripple."
The break was designed to shatter Mr. Day's will. He had survived in prison on the hope that one day he would return to the United States and be able to fly again. To kill that hope, the Vietnamese left part of a bone sticking out of his arm, and put him in a misshapen cast. This was done so that the arm would heal at "a goofy angle," as Mr. Day explained. Had it done so, he never would have flown again.
But it didn't heal that way because of John McCain. Risking severe punishment, Messrs. McCain and Day collected pieces of bamboo in the prison courtyard to use as a splint. Mr. McCain put Mr. Day on the floor of their cell and, using his foot, jerked the broken bone into place. Then, using strips from the bandage on his own wounded leg and the bamboo, he put Mr. Day's splint in place.
Years later, Air Force surgeons examined Mr. Day and complemented the treatment he'd gotten from his captors. Mr. Day corrected them. It was Dr. McCain who deserved the credit. Mr. Day went on to fly again.
I'm not a fan of McCain, but you have to give credit where due.
Bad News for Dems - No Recession
Although Democrats and the media are freely throwing around the "R" word, and something like 80% of Americans believe we're in a recession (thanks again to Dems and media), the numbers don' lie. We're not in a recession. Slow growth to be sure, but a recession requires two consecutive quarters of negative growth.
This will probably be the greatest story never told since any reporting will include something like "we're probably in a recession now even if not in the first quarter". They'll keep hammering that theme until it finally becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.Economy limps ahead at a 0.6 percent pace in first quarter, better pace than expected
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The bruised economy limped through the first quarter, growing at just a 0.6 percent pace as housing and credit problems forced people and businesses alike to hunker down.The country's economic growth during January through March was the same as in the final three months of last year, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The statistic did not meet what economists consider a definition of a recession, which is a contraction of the economy. This means that although the economy is stuck in a rut, it is still managing to grow, even if slightly.
Many analysts were predicting that the gross domestic product (GDP) would weaken a bit more -- to a pace of just 0.5 percent -- in the first quarter. Earlier this year, some thought the economy would actually lurch into reverse during the opening quarter. Now, they say they believe that will likely happen during the current April-to-June period.
"The economy is weak but not collapsing," said Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Bank of America's Investment Strategies Group. "A recession can't be ruled out, although the stars are not lined up at this point to definitively say one way or the other."
On Wall Street, investors found comfort that the GDP figure was a bit better than expected. The Dow Jones industrials were up more than 100 points in morning trading.
Big Fire at Hollywood & Vine
I've been watching a nightclub at the corner of Hollywood & Vine going up in smoke. It's been quite a battle for the LAFD - big flames, major smoke, and a tough fire to knock down. The helicopter shots of the firefighters working on the roof were pretty spectacular.
When we made our trip up to Hollywood in February I remember standing on the corner in front of the now burned nightclub being bothered by some local who was trying to sell tours. I moved up Vine about half a block to take this picture of the Capital Records building:
It's a very historic part of Hollywood, right near the Pantages theater and in the middle of the heavy tourist areas. This will be a mess for awhile.
A large commercial building is in flames at the famous intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.
Los Angeles City Fire spokeswoman d'Lisa Davies says the blaze broke out around 5:30 a.m.
A half hour later, 40-foot flames could be seen shooting through the roof the building, which houses the Basque nightclub and other businesses.
Crews using ladders poured water onto the fire from above and had knocked it down considerably about 45 minutes later. Smoke poured into the early morning sky and could be seen fire miles.
When we made our trip up to Hollywood in February I remember standing on the corner in front of the now burned nightclub being bothered by some local who was trying to sell tours. I moved up Vine about half a block to take this picture of the Capital Records building:
It's a very historic part of Hollywood, right near the Pantages theater and in the middle of the heavy tourist areas. This will be a mess for awhile.
So, What Happens with Obama Now?
I'm not sure anybody knows. Just look at these headlines from RealClearPolitics:
This headline, however, should give Obama a little boost of confidence:What Took So Long for Obama to React? - Peter Canellos, Boston Globe
Breaking with Wright is an Opportunity for Obama - Dick Morris, The Hill
The Danger for Obama Isn't Over - Byron York, National Review Online
The Problem is Not Jeremiah Wright - John Nichols, The Nation
Obama's Chickens Come Home to Roost - Robert Tracinski, TIA Daily
Race Divide Means Supers Can't Pick Clinton - Gabor Steingart, Der SpiegelRace may well be the deciding factor, even over electibility. The Dem superdelegates may be petrified about what will happen should they reject Obama, and may have to choose him even though he's less likely to win. I'm sure many of them will look at Hillary as the frontrunner for 2012 if Obama loses, so they figure it's better to take the chance on Obama now and now risk losing all the special interest groups that might abandon the party should they make Hillary the nominee.
Dems May Challenge Voters in Indiana
Indiana Dems are clearly worried about the effect of Operation Chaos on their primary election, and are considering invoking a clearly unconstitutional loyalty test for voters they suspect are crossing party lines to mess with their election:
There's no way on God's green earth that challenges like that could withstand a constitutional challenge. Voters have the right to vote for whomever they wish and for any reason they wish, and a requirement that they commit to vote for a majority from one party in order to participate
With Republicans and independents likely to be the deciding factor in next week's Democratic primary in Indiana, Rick Hasen points to a "quirky state law" which "gives voters the right to challenge other voters at the polls for not being sufficiently loyal to the political party in whose primary they are voting."
While the primary is technically open, the law requires that voters in a Democratic primary "voted for more Democrats than Republicans in the last general election" or "did not vote the last time around but intend to vote for a majority of Democrats in the next general election."
Furthermore, the law "specifically provides that a voter can challenge another voter at the polling place for not meeting these requirements. The challenger gets to demand that the voter sign an affidavit stating that she meets one of the two requirements above. If the voter signs the affidavit under penalty of perjury, she can vote."
There's no way on God's green earth that challenges like that could withstand a constitutional challenge. Voters have the right to vote for whomever they wish and for any reason they wish, and a requirement that they commit to vote for a majority from one party in order to participate
Kos Kids: "Uncle Tom" Obama
The lefty nutjob site DailyKos has been a daily hater of Clinton and lover of Obama, but today one of the Kos Kids has finally opened his eyes and recognized Obama for what he is (h/t LGF):
What's even more amazing than a DailyKos post blasting Obama is a DailyKos post that's not riddled with "F" words or other profanity. That is rare indeed.
I have been a huge supporter of Barack. He is the guy I’ve been behind for quite awhile now. Check my older diaries if you wonder about that. And while I’ve been steeling myself for a Barack loss in November, because I think the Repug machine is too good for him to beat, I had resigned myself to still working hard for him and for the Progressive cause!
But today something changed for me...
Today, the scales fell from my eyes and I saw Barack Obama for what he truly is: a weak man and a standard politician. I really never thought I would say this...
But I am disgusted with him!
What's even more amazing than a DailyKos post blasting Obama is a DailyKos post that's not riddled with "F" words or other profanity. That is rare indeed.
Clinton Proposes Raising Gas Prices to Reduce Gas Prices
Confusing, huh? Well, what else do you expect from Hillary Clinton?
By "paying" for this gas tax holiday with a windfall profits tax, Clinton ensures that gas prices will not go down. The oil companies will simply adjust prices to compensate for the tax and the consumers will get nothing.
Another well thought out plan.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind — Hillary Clinton’s bashed Barack Obama again today for opposing a federal gas tax holiday over the summer — and hit her potential Republican rival John McCain for proposing one but failing to pay for it.
Clinton outlined her plan to cut the price at the pump at the Miller Veneer factory in Indianapolis — where customers have started refusing shipments because of the surcharge the company has to charge to make up for the higher cost of gas. First up in her plan: “I would immediately lower gas prices by temporarily suspending the gas tax for consumers and businesses.
“We will pay for it by imposing a windfall profits tax on the big oil companies. They sure can afford it,” she said. “This is a big difference in this race. My opponent opposes giving consumers a break from the gas tax, but I believe American people are being squeezed pretty hard.”
By "paying" for this gas tax holiday with a windfall profits tax, Clinton ensures that gas prices will not go down. The oil companies will simply adjust prices to compensate for the tax and the consumers will get nothing.
Another well thought out plan.
The $7 Dollar Lemonade That Disrupted a Family
I can't help but feel sorry for this guy:
Paying $7 for a drink at a major league baseball game wouldn't have tipped him off either.
Child protection laws were written for noble purposes, but at some point there needs to be some common sense applied.
DETROIT — A University of Michigan professor says he had no idea he'd given his 7-year-old son alcoholic lemonade at a ball game, and is furious at child-protection officials for removing his son from the home.I read in another account that the guy had never heard of "Mike's Hard Lemonade" since he didn't watch much TV and wasn't even aware that there was such a thing as alcoholic lemonade.
Christopher Ratte of Ann Arbor and his wife have filed a complaint against Child Protective Services.
Their son Leo spent two days in state custody. The father spent nearly a week outside his home before he was allowed to return.
He tells the Detroit Free Press that he'd taken his son to a Detroit Tigers game a few weeks ago. He didn't notice the $7 lemonade he bought contained alcohol.
A security guard noticed the boy drinking the spiked lemonade and called authorities. Leo was checked at a hospital. No trace of alcohol was found in his blood.
No charges were filed against the father, who says it was a case of "massive overreaction."
Paying $7 for a drink at a major league baseball game wouldn't have tipped him off either.
Child protection laws were written for noble purposes, but at some point there needs to be some common sense applied.
How Bad is It for Obama? Operation Chaos May Switch Sides
Operation Chaos is Rush Limbaugh's operation designed to keep the battle going in the Dem party for as long as possible. Up until today that involved getting Republicans to register and Dems and vote for Hillary Clinton in the primaries. So far it's been pretty effective.
With the damage done to Obama by Rev. Wright, Rush is calling an operational pause to review the situation and see if it may be necessary to vote for Obama to save his campaign from complete collapse. I think most Republicans would rather face Obama in November than Clinton:
There is still the problems within her own party. Many of the most prominent lefty blogs absolutely hate her, she'd probably lose a big chunk of the black vote, and all those young people who were inspired by Mr. Hope and Change will do what young people do in every election - stay home. Hillary is by no means a shoe-in, but polls seem to indicate that she has a better chance of winning some key states than does Obama.
Right now the ideal outcome would seem to be a fight that goes all the way to the convention with the superdelegates going with Obama out of fear that they'd lose too many of their key constituencies if they overrode the primary voters and chose Hillary. Obama would be easy prey for the GOP.
With the damage done to Obama by Rev. Wright, Rush is calling an operational pause to review the situation and see if it may be necessary to vote for Obama to save his campaign from complete collapse. I think most Republicans would rather face Obama in November than Clinton:
RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, I am calling an operational pause in Operation Chaos. We have a week to figure out now what's best to do. If your state still allows voter registration, keep that up, continue to register as a Democrat in upcoming Operation Chaos primaries. I think it's too late in Indiana and North Carolina. Oregon, last day is today. There are other states coming down the pike, and Puerto Rico. But I'm calling an operational pause, and I will tell you why. My first gut reaction, my instinct, in listening to the audio sound bites of Obama today throwing Jeremiah Wright off the planet, he didn't throw him under the bus, he put him in the space shuttle and he sent him to the space station so he can pal around with the Russians that are up there. Then I watched during the bottom-of-the-hour break here, I decided to watch the Drive-By Media coverage of this, because it became obvious to me — see, I read the stitches on the fastball; I can read between the lines, and I know that most of the Drive-Bys are in the tank for Obama...My wife and I were talking about a Hillary candidacy and the fears that after saving her bacon in the primaries, should could have earned a lot of respect from Dems and Republicans alike for hanging in there despite the calls for her to quit. If she applies the same effort to the general election that she has in the primaries, she could be a formidable foe for McCain.
...My gut reaction, after the audio sound bites, was to issue new orders, because I saw, you know, AP/Ipsos poll has Hillary up over McCain by nine points, 50-41. My gut reaction here, after hearing Obama, was to issue orders changing directives, i.e., vote Obama in remaining primaries. But I'm holding back. That's why I'm calling an operational pause. Because I want to see what the Drive-Bys are going to do and I want to see how the superdelegates are affected by this. You can't vote in North Carolina and Indiana 'til Tuesday anyway, so there's really no pause. It's not as though the election is tomorrow. I just wanted you to know your commanding officers are eagerly, diligently, and effectively planning the next strategy here, based on this speech and the reaction to it.
There is still the problems within her own party. Many of the most prominent lefty blogs absolutely hate her, she'd probably lose a big chunk of the black vote, and all those young people who were inspired by Mr. Hope and Change will do what young people do in every election - stay home. Hillary is by no means a shoe-in, but polls seem to indicate that she has a better chance of winning some key states than does Obama.
Right now the ideal outcome would seem to be a fight that goes all the way to the convention with the superdelegates going with Obama out of fear that they'd lose too many of their key constituencies if they overrode the primary voters and chose Hillary. Obama would be easy prey for the GOP.
Obama's Bad Day
Barack Obama thought he knocked the whole race issue down when he gave his speech in Philadelphia a few weeks ago. He looks pretty silly now, and the media is trying to figure out how to handle their favorite Dem. They're going to have a hard time spinning this one:
Who would have thought that a preacher would take down the Messiah?
April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama denounced ``ridiculous'' statements made by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, using his strongest language to date to distance himself from his former pastor.
Obama cited Wright's contentions, repeated yesterday, that the government may have had a role in spreading AIDS in the black community, that U.S. actions overseas were partly to blame for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and about the importance of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Wright's statements ``offend me, they rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced and that's what I'm doing very clearly and unequivocally today,'' Obama said in a news conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Wright's statements and past sermons have presented an obstacle for Obama as he tries to win over working-class white voters in the remaining Democratic primaries. Recorded snippets from some of Wright's sermons already have been used by Republicans in North Carolina against local Democrats. Obama and his rival, New York Senator Hillary Clinton, face their next test May 6 in contests in Indiana and North Carolina.
New Obstacle
Political analysts said the timing and content of Wright's remarks complicates Obama's efforts to broaden his base of support among white voters and may hurt him if he emerges as the Democratic nominee.
Obama's ``crucial goal'' is trying to connect with working- class voters and the Wright controversy is making that harder, said Glenn Totten, a Democratic political consultant who isn't affiliated with either presidential campaign.
``Every day he has to confront the issue of Wright's rhetoric, he inflames exactly that portion of the electorate he needs to draw to him,'' Totten said.
``It's a fiasco,'' said Michael A. Genovese, chairman of the Institute for Leadership Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. ``With friends like these, who needs enemies?''
Genovese said that while the Wright controversy by itself isn't likely to kill Obama's chances for the nomination, it will resurface in the general election.
Republicans ``are going to pound on this ad nauseam,'' Genovese said.
Who would have thought that a preacher would take down the Messiah?
Brinner and a Show
My wife and I decided to run out for brinner (breakfast at dinner), and you can't really beat Denny's for a good but cheap 24 hour breakfast menu. What I didn't realize was it was bring your bratty kid night, and there we were without bratty kids of our own. Let's take a tour of the dining room where we sat:
- Behind us was a couple with at least four kids. They weren't bouncing off the ceiling, but their idea of dinner conversation involved incontinence, various bodily fluids, ear wax, eye crud, and who knows what else. At one point the dad said "we're a family that can talk about anything". I agree, but do you have to do it in a roomful of people trying to eat?
- Moving over a couple of tables we have the amazing giant enormous woman, her half-sized husband, and two kids who clearly got their genes from the giant enormous side of the family. Now I'm sure the lady will claim some sort of glandular problem, except that I saw what they ate. After downing huge portions of whatever "slam" they had chosen, it was milkshakes and chocolate cake for all. It's not just biofuels that are causing food shortages around the globe. Glands, my rear end (or her rear end).
- The main act was over in the corner where a woman was dining with two kids, a girl about 6 and a boy about 4. Neither kid had any use for the bench seats except to stand on them while they were eating. The girl tried to swing the overhead lamp while the boy shrieked about whatever came to mind and jumped up and down. The mother was oblivious. She's getting what she deserves.
Since my kids are now older you might think that I'm glad those days are over, except we never had those days. My kids knew what seats were for and how to converse with one another at sub-jet engine decibel levels. They wouldn't dare do otherwise. Our dinner were peaceful, pleasant experiences, filled with talk of the day that was appropriate to the situation. Call me old fashioned, but it worked pretty darn well .
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Rev. Wright Finally Pushes Obama Over the Edge
The damage to Barack Obama's campaign by remarks from his former pastor and spiritual mentor Rev. Jeremiah Wright has finally gotten so bad that Obama has been forced to come out with a full-throated denunciation of the arrogant preacher:
It's probably too late. I think the damage that's been done is pretty much permanent by now.
Barack Obama appeared to disown his former pastor Tuesday, saying he was “outraged” and “angered” by Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.’s appearance the day before at The National Press Club.
In a press conference in North Carolina, the Illinois senator used his strongest language to date to denounce Wright’s controversial sermons and his public remarks since those sermons became national news a month ago.
“Yesterday we saw a very different vision of America,” Obama said. “I am outraged by the comments that were made, and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday.”
“The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive but I believe they ended up giving comfort to those who prey on hate,” he said.
It's probably too late. I think the damage that's been done is pretty much permanent by now.
Today's Quick Headlines
Some quick hits on today's headlines:
Newlyweds jailed after brawl at Pa. hotel
Don't start planning the 25th wedding anniversary.
Nutter names liaison to LGBT communities
I'm glad the LGBT folks will get their own Nutter.
Bear Kills Possibly Drunk Woman Who Walked Into Cage
Friends don't let friends walk drunk into bear cages.
Teacher Arrested a Third Time for Sex With Students
Shouldn't this be one strike and you're out?
Truth Is Out There? Late-Night Flashes Rattle Town
There might be a teacher on the loose.
NY Cardinal Hits Giuliani for Taking Communion
Does that hurt worse than getting hit by an Arizona Cardinal?
Wright Says Criticism Is Attack on Black Church
Nope, just you, Reverend.
Happy solstice! Atheists push own holidays
They've already got April 1st. What more do they need?
Chris Matthews, Senator?
I'd hate to see this:
If you think he's a blowhard now, just imagine what he'd be like as a senator.
The possibility of the host of MSNBC's "Hardball" Christopher Matthews, running against Senator Specter of Pennsylvania, a Republican, for Mr. Specter's senate seat in Pennsylvania is intensifying.
Although Mr. Matthews said to Bill Maher of HBO that he's "not getting involved in it" when asked about whether he would seek the position in 2010, it is odd to employ his television program in a way that would make him a favorable candidate to run for senator of Pennsylvania as a Democrat.
If you think he's a blowhard now, just imagine what he'd be like as a senator.
Sharpton Blasts Obama for "Grandstanding to White People"
Al Sharpton has his claws in the Sean Bell shooting case in New York, and all good black people are supposed to be outraged by the verdict and be ready to "shut down New York City". Barack Obama didn't play to the script and Al Sharpton is mad:
This case reminds me of the Rodney King beating case from Los Angeles. The police officers were acquitted by a jury of their peers, and a several day riot ensued.
The Feds, panicked by the violence, got involved and filed civil rights charges. The burden of proof for civil rights actions is much less than for a criminal case, so the officers ended up convicted on federal charges. The whole thing smacked of double jeopardy to me, but obviously the authorities disagreed. I foresee the same outcome in New York.
Sharpton has also threatened violence in Denver if Obama doesn't get the nomination. I wonder if he's rethinking that now.
April 29, 2008 -- Barack Obama made a call for nonviolence in the aftermath of the Sean Bell verdict - infuriating the Rev. Al Sharpton, who accused the presidential candidate of trying to "grandstand in front of white people," sources told The Post.
During what a source described as a "heated" phone call yesterday, Sharpton told Obama he was disappointed with the Illinois senator's words on Friday, when Obama said "resorting to violence to express displeasure" was "completely unacceptable and counterproductive."
"[Obama] issues this statement and not a single rock had been thrown," said a source. "How does the candidate of change ask people to accept a verdict that is unjust?"
The source said Sharpton had hoped Obama would "side with the Bell family" and not use it as an "opportunity to grandstand in front of white people."
An Obama spokesman described the conversation as a chance to "hear [Sharpton's] views and to get his perspective."
This case reminds me of the Rodney King beating case from Los Angeles. The police officers were acquitted by a jury of their peers, and a several day riot ensued.
The Feds, panicked by the violence, got involved and filed civil rights charges. The burden of proof for civil rights actions is much less than for a criminal case, so the officers ended up convicted on federal charges. The whole thing smacked of double jeopardy to me, but obviously the authorities disagreed. I foresee the same outcome in New York.
Sharpton has also threatened violence in Denver if Obama doesn't get the nomination. I wonder if he's rethinking that now.
Hurricane Scientist May Be Silenced by Global Warming Proponents
Dr. William Gray of the Colorado State University is the nation's foremost hurricane expert, and is also an unabashed critic of global warming theories. He's been quite outspoken in his opinion that global warming is basically a hoax and is not caused by human activity. Given that the high priests of global warming are not happy with his opposition, it appears that they will attempt to silence him rather than debate him:
It looks like the authorities at Colorado State are going to join the global warming inquisition, though they'll have trouble stomping out all of the critics who have graduated from Dr. Gray's program and gone on to other positions of importance in the climate forecasting world.
By pioneering the science of seasonal hurricane forecasting and teaching 70 graduate students who now populate the National Hurricane Center and other research outposts, William Gray turned a city far from the stormy seas into a hurricane research mecca.
But now the institution in Fort Collins, Colo., where he has worked for nearly half a century, has told Gray it may end its support of his seasonal forecasting.
As he enters his 25th year of predicting hurricane season activity, Colorado State University officials say handling media inquiries related to Gray's forecasting requires too much time and detracts from efforts to promote other professors' work.
But Gray, a highly visible and sometimes acerbic skeptic of climate change, says that's a "flimsy excuse" for the real motivation — a desire to push him aside because of his global warming criticism.
Among other comments, Gray has said global warming scientists are "brainwashing our children."
Now an emeritus professor, Gray declined to comment on the university's possible termination of promotional support.
But a memo he wrote last year, after CSU officials informed him that media relations would no longer promote his forecasts after 2008, reveals his views:
"This is obviously a flimsy excuse and seems to me to be a cover for the Department's capitulation to the desires of some (in their own interest) who want to reign (sic) in my global warming and global warming-hurricane criticisms," Gray wrote to Dick Johnson, head of CSU's Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and others.
The university may have moderated its stance since last year. Officials said late last week that they intend to support the release of Gray's forecasts as long as they continue to be co-authored by Phil Klotzbach, a former student of Gray's who earned his doctorate last summer, and as long as Klotzbach remains at CSU.
When Klotzbach leaves, he will either produce the seasonal forecasts at his new position, or end them altogether.
Not only does this internal dispute reveal a bit of acrimony at the end of Gray's long career at CSU; it highlights the politically charged atmosphere that surrounds global warming in the United States.
"Bill Gray has come under a lot of fire for his views," said Channel 11 meteorologist Neil Frank, a former director of the National Hurricane Center and a friend of Gray's. "If, indeed, this is happening, it would be really sad that Colorado State is trying to rein in Bill Gray."
It looks like the authorities at Colorado State are going to join the global warming inquisition, though they'll have trouble stomping out all of the critics who have graduated from Dr. Gray's program and gone on to other positions of importance in the climate forecasting world.
Clinton Supporter Booked Rev. Wright's National Press Club Gig
The other day I jokingly asked if James Carville, an ardent Clinton supporter, was booking the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's speaking tour since he seemed to be on a crusade to destroy Barack Obama. It turns out I wasn't far off. Wright's appearance at the National Press Club was organized by a black journalist who is a dedicated Hillary Clinton supporter:
It looks like the arrogant Pastor Wright was nothing more than a tool of the Clinton campaign. Or, as Newt Gingrich suggests, he's out to get Obama:
It's possible that Wright was deeply insulted that Obama didn't make a full-throated defense of him when the inflamatory statements were revealed, and he's decided to make Obama pay for his lack of loyalty.
UPDATE: Clinton campaign says they had nothing to do with booking Wright. Probably true, but I'm sure they enjoyed it just the same.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted.
Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling, angry, sarcastic remarks at the National Press Club Monday, Wright sat next to, and chatted with, Barbara Reynolds.
A former editorial board member at USA Today, she runs something called Reynolds News Services and teaches ministry at the Howard University School of Divinity. (She is an ordained minister).
It also turns out that Reynolds - introduced Monday as a member of the National Press Club "who organized" the event - is an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter.
On a blog linked to her Web site- www.reynoldsnews.com- Reynolds said in a February post: "My vote for Hillary in the Maryland primary was my way of saying thank you" to Clinton and her husband for the successes of Bill Clinton's presidency.
The same post criticized Obama's "Audacity of Hope" theme: "Hope by definition is not based on facts," wrote Reynolds. It is an emotional expectation. Things hoped for may or may not come. But help based on experience trumps hope every time."
In another blog entry, Reynolds gives an ever-sharper critique of Obama: "It is a sad testimony that to protect his credentials as a unifier above the fray, the senator is fueling the media characterization that Rev. Dr. Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement."
I don't know if Reynolds' eagerness to help Wright stage a disastrous news conference with the national media was a way of trying to help Clinton - my queries to Reynolds by phone and e-mail weren't returned yesterday - but it's safe to say she didn't see any conflict between promoting Wright and supporting Clinton.
It's hard to exaggerate how bad the actual news conference was. Wright, steeped in an honorable, fiery tradition of Bible-based social criticism, cheapened his arguments and his movement by mugging for the cameras, rolling his eyes, heaping scorn on his critics and acting as if nobody in the room was learned enough to ask him a question.
It looks like the arrogant Pastor Wright was nothing more than a tool of the Clinton campaign. Or, as Newt Gingrich suggests, he's out to get Obama:
ABC News' Nitya Venkataraman Reports: In a Tuesday appearance on Good Morning America, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., suggested that controversial pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright is angry with parishioner Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and may be deliberately trying to hurt his presidential bid.
Saying that Wright "went out of his way to weaken Obama" during Monday's address at the National Press Club, Gingrich told Barbara Walters "I think Reverend Wright has a greater interest in his self-importance."
It's possible that Wright was deeply insulted that Obama didn't make a full-throated defense of him when the inflamatory statements were revealed, and he's decided to make Obama pay for his lack of loyalty.
UPDATE: Clinton campaign says they had nothing to do with booking Wright. Probably true, but I'm sure they enjoyed it just the same.
American Airlines Joins the $25 Bag Parade
It's pretty much a sure bet that any flight you take will be a complete zoo now that most airlines are charging $25 to check a second bag:
Overhead space on airliners will be crammed with roller bags and other personal items. Getting on and off the plane will take much longer and there will be increased frustration when people can't find a place for their bags. If they have to gate check them, will they charge you $25?
In 1999 my quartet flew to Texas and checked 12 items among the four of us, and some of them weighed close to the 70 pound limit. We didn't pay one dime extra. If we were to try that after May 12th we've have more than $200 in extra bag charges plus overweight charges on some of the items.
Air travel is really starting to stink.
FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines on Monday became the latest carrier to announce that it would require passengers to pack light, or pay up.
The nation's biggest airline said it must charge passengers $25 for checking a second bag to help offset rising fuel costs.
The fee will apply to travelers who buy domestic economy-class tickets on or after May 12, American said. It will also affect passengers on the American Eagle commuter line.
This year, American, the nation's No. 2 carrier, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways have all announced charges for something that has been free since commercial airlines began flying.
Overhead space on airliners will be crammed with roller bags and other personal items. Getting on and off the plane will take much longer and there will be increased frustration when people can't find a place for their bags. If they have to gate check them, will they charge you $25?
In 1999 my quartet flew to Texas and checked 12 items among the four of us, and some of them weighed close to the 70 pound limit. We didn't pay one dime extra. If we were to try that after May 12th we've have more than $200 in extra bag charges plus overweight charges on some of the items.
Air travel is really starting to stink.
South Dakota Voters Will Try Again for an Abortion Ban
After 56% of voters defeated a ban on abortion in South Dakota in 2006, a revised version will be on the ballot this year:
I wouldn't mind seeing Roe revisited again and hopefully overturned, not because it would end abortion (because it wouldn't), but because it's very bad law. Abortion should never have been federalized in the first place and overturning Roe would return the abortion decision to each state where it belongs.
Chances are it would remain legal in most states, but there might be a few that could get a ban enacted that would stick. Even Justice Scalia doesn't see anything in the Constitution that would allow a federal ban, so it's unlikely any type of nationwide ban could ever be instituted.
Voters in the midwestern US state of South Dakota will vote in a November referendum on abortion, reviving the country's already polarized debate on the issue, state officials said Monday.
Voters in the conservative state narrowly rejected a total ban on pregnancy termination in 2006, with 56 percent voting no, but exit polls showed a majority would have backed a ban if it had been less strict.
The 2006 text allowed for exceptions only if the life of the mother were in immediate danger. The 2008 version takes into account cases of rape, incest, or risk of grave health effects for the mother.
"All induced abortions, whether surgically or chemically induced, terminate an entire, unique, living human being, a human being separated from his or her mother, as a matter of scientific and biological fact," says the text to be voted upon on November 4.
About 11,000 babies are born each year in South Dakota, while just 800 abortions are performed in one clinic by a doctor who comes in once per week from another state.
The referendum aims to press the US Supreme Court to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that allowed the abortion on the basis of the right to privacy, a legal standing that has been chipped away at by subsequent cases and the nomination in 2005 of two conservative judges to the high court.
I wouldn't mind seeing Roe revisited again and hopefully overturned, not because it would end abortion (because it wouldn't), but because it's very bad law. Abortion should never have been federalized in the first place and overturning Roe would return the abortion decision to each state where it belongs.
Chances are it would remain legal in most states, but there might be a few that could get a ban enacted that would stick. Even Justice Scalia doesn't see anything in the Constitution that would allow a federal ban, so it's unlikely any type of nationwide ban could ever be instituted.
Hillary 2012
Dick Morris, who knows a thing or two about the Clintons, expounds on something I wrote about the other day - Hillary's future plans:
I envisioned election night 2008 this way:
Could be.
So why is Hillary still running so hard? Why is she especially focused on pushing up Obama’s negatives?
Until the last vote is counted on June 3rd, we can chalk up her persistence to determination, courage and sheer obstinacy. But if she persists in her candidacy after the last primary, we must begin to consider whether she has an ulterior motive.
Does Hillary want to beat up Obama so that he can’t win the general election in November, assuring McCain of the presidency so that she can have a clear field to run again in 2012? Obviously, if Obama beats McCain, Hillary is out of the picture until 2016, by which time, at 69 years old, she might be too old to run. But if McCain wins, she would have to be considered the presumptive front runner for the nomination, a status which she might parlay into a nomination more successfully than she has been able to do this year.
RelatedColumn Archive
Is Hillary Preparing to Run in 2012?Hillary's Terrorist TiesHillary's NAFTA PretensionsRemember John McCain?Hillary's Soccer FantasyFull-page Dick Morris & Eileen McGann Archive
Every day that she stays in the race and punches Barack Obama, she must realize that she is decreasing his chances of getting elected in November. Each time that she waves the bloody shirt and says that only she is strong enough to fight the war on terror, she obviously raises doubts about Obama’s strength and leadership. Every time she criticizes him for not switching pastors or for saying downscale white voters are bitter, she raises issues that are very destructive to Obama should he win the nomination.
When does fighting for the nomination in 2008 end and seeking to sabotoge Obama’s chances in November to keep her options alive for 2012 begin? Doubts about Hillary’s motivation are going to keep on growing with each inconclusive primary. After she loses North Carolina and fails to carry Indiana by any significant margin (North Carolina has twice as many delegates as Indiana), people will begin to wonder out loud about why she is staying in the race. And if she remains obdurate after the last votes are cast on June 3rd, it will become an increasingly accepted presumption that she is running a campaign of sabotage against Obama.
I envisioned election night 2008 this way:
And in New York, Hillary Clinton sits in her New York mansion watching the returns, planning her 2012 campaign, and filling out the divorce paperwork. It's not her first dream, but it'll do.
Could be.
Memo to the RNC: Stop Whining and Run Your Campaigns
I don't know about you but I'm getting a little tired of each side in the campaign demanding apologies, condemnations, you name it, from the other side. The latest battles are over campaign ads, this time with the RNC complaining about a DNC anti-McCain ad:
McCain is the victim of his own sarcastic sense of humor. He made the "100 years" comment as a smart-aleck aside to a question, but in this day and age, you can't afford to say anything that you don't want to hear in an opposition ad some day.
To the RNC: Quit whining, you bunch of sissies, and get back to trying to figure out how to win elections around the country.
MIAMI - The Republican National Committee demanded Monday that television networks stop running a television ad by the Democratic Party that falsely suggests John McCain wants a 100-year war in Iraq.
The ad says President Bush has talked about staying in Iraq for 50 years, then plays a clip of McCain saying, "Maybe 100. That'd be fine with me."
The announcer then says: "If all he offers is more of the same, is John McCain the right choice for America's future?"
Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan said the ad deliberately distorts what McCain, the likely GOP presidential nominee, said.
The committee's chief counsel, Sean Cairncross, said he sent letters Monday to NBC, CNN and MSNBC insisting that they stop airing the commercial.
At issue is McCain's answer, in January, to a question about Bush's theory that troops could be in Iraq for 50 years.
McCain said: "Maybe 100. As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, that'd be fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day."
Democratic Party chief Howard Dean said "there's nothing false" about the ad.
"We deliberately used John McCain's words. This isn't some ominous consultant's voice from Washington. This is John McCain's own words. And we've been very upfront about everything that he's said."
McCain is the victim of his own sarcastic sense of humor. He made the "100 years" comment as a smart-aleck aside to a question, but in this day and age, you can't afford to say anything that you don't want to hear in an opposition ad some day.
To the RNC: Quit whining, you bunch of sissies, and get back to trying to figure out how to win elections around the country.
McCain Is Learning From the North Carolina GOP Mess
John McCain condemned the North Carolina GOP when they ran an ad featuring Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and in the last few days has paid a price for it. He's been roundly criticized for spending more time hammering his allies than his enemies, and he may be starting to learn. Another Rev. Wright ad turned up in Mississippi, but this time McCain is not going to comment:
Miami, FL — Sen. McCain said Monday that he refuses to play “referee” as state and local Republicans continue to use the Jeremiah Wright issue in their races across the country.By challenging the NCGOP ad he put himself in the uncomfortable position of being challenged by the press and the Dems on every new ad that comes out. He'll still get the questions for awhile, but if he'll just shut up and let the local GOP committees run their campaigns, he'll have more time to beat on the Dems instead of his fellow Republicans.
“I am not going to be a referee. I have made my position very clear on this issue. And that I do not believe that Senator Obama shares Reverend Wright’s extremist statements or views,” McCain said a media availability after a health care round table. “I’ll make my position very clear and then I’ll run my campaign on health care challenges, on all of the great challenges we face, including the economic difficulties we are facing today, the challenges of a recession and providing available and affordable health care to all Americans.”
The latest controversy comes out of a local Mississippi congressional runoff race, where Republican Greg Davis is hitting his Democratic opponent Travis Childers with a new ad invoking Wright. (video above)
“When Obama’s pastor cursed America, blaming us for 9/11, Childers said nothing,” the ad blares. “He took Obama’s endorsement over our conservative values. Conservatives just can’t trust Travis Childers.”
The newest ad comes less than a week after the North Carolina Republican Party announced that it intends to release a spot using controversial Wright statements in order to attack Democratic candidates in the state. McCain repeatedly repudiated the ad last week, but the state party still intends to air the ad this week.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Today's Fun Spam Email
I've posted a couple of times on email spam I've received and surprisingly got feedback from people who almost were suckered by the spam but found my post in a Google search and saved themselves a lot of trouble. As a good public servant, I may just make this a periodic feature on the site.
Today's entry is a phishing scheme which purportedly comes from the Kauai Federal Credit Union (which is a legitimate institution):
Wow - $90 just for my time, and of course, my personal information which will be used to make the bad guys a lot of money (and of course, I'll never get the $90). And you'll notice the URL - it doesn't look like anything you'd see from a legitimate bank.
I visited Kauai a couple of years ago, but that's the only connection I've ever had to the garden isle. I always get a kick out of these phishing emails which appear to come from financial institutions. They probably send out millions of these, and yet the chances of actually hitting a person who banks at this institution is probably pretty slim. I get them all the time from all kinds of banks and investment firms.
My own bank (which will remain unnamed) recently underwent a name change and some creative spammer sent out a phishing email which hit many customers of this bank and apparently caused some problems. Timing is everything.
Today's entry is a phishing scheme which purportedly comes from the Kauai Federal Credit Union (which is a legitimate institution):
Congratulations!
Dear Customer,
You've been selected to take part in our quick and easy survey. In return we will credit $90.00 to your account - Just for your time!
Please spare two minutes of your time and take part in our online survey so we can improve our services.
Don't miss this chance to change something.
To continue click on the link below:
http://63.138.220.190:84/kcfcusurv/kcfcusurv/© Copyright © Kauai Community FCU 2008
N.A. Member FDIC
Wow - $90 just for my time, and of course, my personal information which will be used to make the bad guys a lot of money (and of course, I'll never get the $90). And you'll notice the URL - it doesn't look like anything you'd see from a legitimate bank.
I visited Kauai a couple of years ago, but that's the only connection I've ever had to the garden isle. I always get a kick out of these phishing emails which appear to come from financial institutions. They probably send out millions of these, and yet the chances of actually hitting a person who banks at this institution is probably pretty slim. I get them all the time from all kinds of banks and investment firms.
My own bank (which will remain unnamed) recently underwent a name change and some creative spammer sent out a phishing email which hit many customers of this bank and apparently caused some problems. Timing is everything.
Somewhere Hillary Clinton is Smiling
Hillary Clinton has had a very good weekend...and she didn't have to do anything. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright took care of Hillary's campaign needs for her, with appearances on PBS Friday night, in Detroit on Sunday morning, and this morning at the National Press Club which gave as fawning a welcome as has ever been seen from those Washington journalists. The analysis is coming in on today's speech and it ain't pretty for Obama.
I've already posted one item on this here, and others seem to agree that this latest publicity push by Wright is a potential disaster for Obama. Here are some others (from Campaign Spot):
It's not working.
And, from Politico:
How comfortable should the American people be that if Obama gets elected he won't have the Rev. Wright making national policy?
I've already posted one item on this here, and others seem to agree that this latest publicity push by Wright is a potential disaster for Obama. Here are some others (from Campaign Spot):
Bill Kristol, writing in the NY Times, suggested the press has long been in the tank for Obama, and today's response by the Washington media to Rev. Wright certainly sems to confirm the idea that the press will do whatever they can to sanitize Wright and protect Obama.The Obama campaign is off the rails.
The entire tone of the race changed the moment we saw the first fiery Wright sermon. The sight of those sermons triggered a question in a lot of voters' minds: How do you get the moderate-sounding, pleasant, agreeable student Barack Obama from an angry, divisive, radical, way-out-of-the-mainstream teacher like Jeremiah Wright? The sermons weren't quite a deal-breaker, but many Obama supporters, leaners, and undecideds were asking... how did Obama choose this man as a mentor? How could he possibly not know that his mentor had these attitudes? And does Obama agree with any of Wright's inflammatory statements?
In response, Obama gave a very eloquent speech about race relations in America. But it never quite answered the question, and in fact tried to blur the distinction between family we are born into and those we choose to turn to for guidance. Hillary jabbed at this in the debate, and Obama never quite had an appropriate response. He even said he disowned Wright, then backtracked and said he disowned his controversial statements.
And since then, it's gotten worse, even with a Bill Moyers interview that wasn't softball so much as it was Nerf Tee-Ball. We've heard Wright compare the Roman Legions who punished Jesus to the U.S. Marines, we've heard him argue that the U.S. and al-Qaeda are doing the same acts under different flags, etc.
Now we hear Wright analyzing the differences between white and black brains (!) and that the criticism of him for his comments was "an attack on the black church." He didn't retract his assertion that the U.S. government created the AIDS virus. He didn't retract his accusation that the United States had committed terrorism. He raved about Louis Farrakhan.
And again, we're left with that question... presuming Obama strongly disagrees with all of Wright's statements in these areas... how did he end up selecting this pastor? This church? (I know we get the story in Obama's autobiography. But did Obama once agree with all of the crazy conspiracy theories? Does he still agree, late at night, when the microphones and television cameras are far away?)
Obama is saying he should be president, instead of two much more experienced rivals, because of his superior judgment. But what kind of judgment is needed to select Wright as a surrogate father figure?
More reaction:
Jake Tapper: "He clearly was not doing Obama any favors, not only by reappearing before a ravenous media thus distracting from Obama's attempt to relate better to white working class voters in Indiana and North Carolina, but by implying Obama's condemnation of some of his sermons was not sincere."David Brody: "Jeremiah Wright did Barack Obama no favors. Pastor Wright’s appearance at the National Press Club today started out as a great opportunity to explain the importance of the black Church experience. Instead it turned into a circus atmosphere and ensured that the Wright controversy is not going away and has the potential to single-handily take down Obama’s campaign."
It's not working.
And, from Politico:
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright said Monday that he will try to change national policy by “coming after” Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) if he is elected president.When John F. Kennedy ran for president, he had to give a speech reassuring people that the Pope wouldn't dictate American policy. When Mitt Romney was in the race, he had to give a similar speech to assure America that the old men in Salt Lake City wouldn't have Mitt dancing to their tune.
The pastor also insisted Obama “didn’t denounce” him and “didn’t distance himself” from Wright’s controversial remarks, but “did what politicians do.”
Wright implied Obama still agrees with him by saying: “He had to distance himself, because he's a politician, from what the media was saying I had said, which was [portrayed as] anti-American.”
Wright, who was Obama’s pastor for 20 years and performed his wedding, made the explosive comment during a chaotic question-and-answer session at the National Press Club in Washington, following the pastor’s remarks about the black church in America.
“I said to Barack Obama last year, ‘If you get elected, November the 5th I'm coming after you, because you'll be representing a government whose policies grind under people,’ Wright said.
How comfortable should the American people be that if Obama gets elected he won't have the Rev. Wright making national policy?
Fatal Dolphin Midair Collision
There's a post title I never thought I'd write:
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A SeaWorld dolphin died after it collided with another dolphin during an aerial show trick performed in front of a crowd.Try the Mahi Mahi - it's fresh!
Officials said the dolphin, called Sharky, hit the other dolphin during a Sunday show at SeaWorld's Discovery Cove. The accident was apparently a freak accident.
Sharky was a 30-year-old female dolphin that had performed the trick dozens of times, officials said.
The dolphin will be used for research at the park, Local 6 reported.
Supremes Uphold Voter ID Laws
The Supremes had another good day with this decision about voter ID laws in Indiana:
Breyer probably found something in 14th century French law that bothered him. That's the way he works - looking for precendents outside of American law.
This is an important development. There is so much fraud in our elections, and it's so easy to vote under another person's name here in California, laws like these are important to maintaining some degree of honesty in our election process.
I wish we had a voter ID law here, but with the Hispanic caucus running the state, it'll never happen. They need those illegal alien votes.
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states can require voters to produce photo identification without violating their constitutional rights, validating Republican-inspired voter ID laws.
In a splintered 6-3 ruling, the court upheld Indiana's strict photo ID requirement, which Democrats and civil rights groups said would deter poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots. Its backers said it was needed to deter fraud.
It was the most important voting rights case since the Bush v. Gore dispute that sealed the 2000 election for George W. Bush.
The law "is amply justified by the valid interest in protecting 'the integrity and reliability of the electoral process,'" Justice John Paul Stevens said in an opinion that was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy.
Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas also agreed with the outcome, but wrote separately.
Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter dissented.
Breyer probably found something in 14th century French law that bothered him. That's the way he works - looking for precendents outside of American law.
This is an important development. There is so much fraud in our elections, and it's so easy to vote under another person's name here in California, laws like these are important to maintaining some degree of honesty in our election process.
I wish we had a voter ID law here, but with the Hispanic caucus running the state, it'll never happen. They need those illegal alien votes.
Rev. Wright Doesn't Want Obama to Win
That's the only conclusion I can come to based on the Reverend's media blitz the past few days. It has been suggested that if Obama wins the entire premise underlying Wright's sermons - racist white America - goes out the window and he becomes an anachronism.
His appearance today at the National Press Club might finally give Obama the push he needs to finally repudiate the nutty pastor.
I'm guessing that Wright is now looking at book offers or maybe even a movie deal. If he disappears now, which would certainly benefit Obama, he loses out on the fame and notoriety that he apparently craves. And, he can continue to be an issue in the campaign and ensure that his view of racist America comes true when voters reject Obama because of his relationships with crazy people.
Related Post- Michelle Malkin liveblogs the speech.
UPDATE: More analysis on the speech here.
His appearance today at the National Press Club might finally give Obama the push he needs to finally repudiate the nutty pastor.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright took dead aim at the U.S. government Monday — saying American soldiers in Iraq have died “over a lie” and called the war “unjust” — as he called for reconciliation and understanding between blacks and whites.Note: Barack Obama didn't serve in the military, either. That sort of defeats Wright's attempted slam at Cheney.
Wright, the controversial former pastor of Barack Obama’s church, was speaking Monday to members of the national media at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. as he continues a series of nationwide appearances following an uproar over remarks he made in some of his sermons delivered from the pulpit.
In a question and answer session following his remarks, Wright faced a question about his patriotism.
“I served six years in the military. Does that make me patriotic?” he asked. “How many years did (Vice President Dick) Cheney serve?”
Wright also said fought off criticisms that he used “bombastic language” and fended off questions about Obama’s level of religious participation, even while painting Obama as a regular church-goer.
When Wright said Obama distanced himself from speeches he had not heard in their entirety, Wright faced a follow up question on whether Obama was a regular attendee, or if he dozed during services.
He told the questioner: “He goes to church about as much as you do. What did your pastor preach in the last week? You don’t know?”
Obama’s association with Wright came into question after media reports this spring examined speeches over the years by Wright. At one point he bellowed, “God damn America, and he has referred to the United States as the “U.S. of KKK-A.” Wright recently retired as senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Obama has attended for the past 20 years.
The pastor has set out to set the record straight, last week appearing in his first interview since the controversy erupted, and over the weekend giving two sermons and making an appearance at an NAACP event Sunday night in Detroit.
On Monday, his address in Washington is part of a tw0-day symposium on the African-American religious experience.
Yet the controversy isn’t appearing to go away. Even as Republican presidential candidate John McCain condemns the North Carolina GOP for focusing on Obama and Wright’s relationship in a new advertisement, yet another ad — this time in Mississippi congressional district race — has surfaced.
The ad comes from Republican candidate Greg Davis, who is running against Democrat Travis Childers.
The ad says: “Obama says Childers will put progress before politics, but when Obama’s pastor cursed America, blaming us for 9/11, Childers said nothing. When Obama ridiculed rural folks for clinging to guns and religion, Childers said nothing. Travis Childers: He took Obama’s endorsement over our conservative values. Conservatives just can’t trust Travis Childers.”
I'm guessing that Wright is now looking at book offers or maybe even a movie deal. If he disappears now, which would certainly benefit Obama, he loses out on the fame and notoriety that he apparently craves. And, he can continue to be an issue in the campaign and ensure that his view of racist America comes true when voters reject Obama because of his relationships with crazy people.
Related Post- Michelle Malkin liveblogs the speech.
UPDATE: More analysis on the speech here.
Bill Kristol Does the Job the Liberal Media Just Won't Do
And what is that job? Praising Hillary. Yes, the scribe from the darkside is doing his part for Operation Chaos:
I think he's having as much fun with this as is Rush Limbaugh.
I normally don’t claim to speak for other members of the vast right-wing conspiracy. After all, we’re each nefarious in our own, individual way. Indeed, we often disagree with one another.Kristol appears on Fox News Sunday each week and has been praising Hillary for her doggedness in pursuing the nomination, and is openly rooting for her campaign to continue in order to further the battle in the Dem party. Kristol offers his praise with a wink and a nod, though I think he does admire the way Clinton has driven on despite the calls for her to leave the race.
But I do think I can speak for most of my fellow right-wingers when I say this: We once looked forward with unambivalent glee to the fall of the house of Clinton. Many of us still do. But we also see the liberal media failing to give Hillary Clinton the respect she deserves. So, since we conservatives believe in giving credit where credit is due, it falls to us to praise Hillary.
The fact is Hillary Clinton has turned out to be an impressive candidate. She has consistently defeated Barack Obama when her back was to the wall — first in New Hampshire, then in several big primaries on Super Tuesday, on March 4 in Ohio and Texas, and then last week in Pennsylvania, where she was outspent by almost 3 to 1, yet won handily.
She is, of course, still behind in the race, and Obama will most likely be the nominee. His team has run the better campaign. In particular, it realized how important the caucus states could be: Obama’s delegate lead depends on his caucus victories.
But Hillary may well be the better candidate. After all, for all the talk of Obama’s extraordinary ability to draw voters to the polls, Clinton has defeated him in the big states, including California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Obama won his home state of Illinois, but she won Florida, where both were on the ballot but didn’t campaign.
Furthermore, if you add up the votes in all the primaries and caucuses — excluding Michigan (where only Hillary was on the ballot), and imputing the likely actual totals in the four caucus states, where only percentages were reported — Clinton now trails in overall votes by only about 300,000, or about 1 percent of the total. By the end of the nominating contest, she may well be ahead on this benchmark — one not entirely to be scorned in a democracy.
Hillary has achieved this despite much disparagement of her candidacy by liberal commentators, and in the face of the media’s crush on Obama. Even those who started out being well disposed to Clinton have moved toward Obama, if only out of concern that the prolonged race is damaging Democratic prospects in the fall.
Obama understands his advantage with the media, as he perhaps inadvertently demonstrated over the weekend on “Fox News Sunday.” In the course of dismissing much pundit commentary for typically overreacting to events, good or bad, Obama explained, “Well, look, after you lose, then everybody writes these anguished columns about, why did you lose?”
Obama chose a nice word: “anguished.” You’re only anguished by an Obama defeat if you’re rooting for an Obama victory. Obama was tacitly acknowledging that much of the liberal media has been hoping he’d win. Now, they’re rooting for him to close the deal.
I think he's having as much fun with this as is Rush Limbaugh.
Al Sharpton Has a New Bully Pulpit
I was kind of kidding when I titled a piece on the NY police shooting of an unarmed man on his wedding day "Al Sharpton Finally Has Something to Do". I knew the case was tailor-made for Sharpton, and he's now in full outraged cry:
A man of peace he is not.
NEW YORK (AP) - Hundreds of angry people marched through Harlem on Saturday after the Rev. Al Sharpton promised to "close this city down" to protest the acquittals of three police detectives in the 50-shot barrage that killed a groom on his wedding day and wounded two friends.
"We strategically know how to stop the city so people stand still and realize that you do not have the right to shoot down unarmed, innocent civilians," Sharpton told an overflow crowd of several hundred people at his National Action Network office in the historically black Manhattan neighborhood. "This city is going to deal with the blood of Sean Bell."
Sharpton was joined by the family of 23-year-old Sean Bell - a black man - and a friend of Bell who was wounded in the 2006 shooting outside a Queens strip club. Two of the three officers charged were also black.
The rally at Sharpton's office was followed by a 20-block march down Malcolm X Boulevard and then across 125th Street, Harlem's main business thoroughfare, where some bystanders yelled out "Kill the police!"
A man of peace he is not.
Obama Opens the Door for McCain on the Rev. Wright Issue
That evil Fox News finally got an interview with Barack Obama yesterday, and there wasn't much news to come out of it except that Obama acknowledge that Obama's pastor and spiritual mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright's preaching is a legitimate issue in the campaign. John McCain, who rebuked the North Carolina GOP for running an ad featuring the Rev. Wright, pounced on the opening:
McCain should immediately apologize to the North Carolina GOP for blasting them earlier in the week for what now is clearly a legitimate campaign issue.
Here's a new angle from McCain, at an avail today, at which he said, more or less, that he didn't plan to attack Obama on Wright, but that Obama — by calling the question "legitimate" — had legitimized it.The Obama camp was clearly taken aback by McCain's new tactic, and responded as you'd expect:
It's a move either clever, or too cute, depending on how you see it — but it'll serve to keep the story in the news, and to signal surrogates that it's more than fair game.
He's also showed a detailed knowledge of the story.
I've stated my position very clearly that I don't like the ad. I was interested that this morning Senator Obama said that it was a legitimate political issue. If he believes that, then it will probably be a political issue. I saw yesterday some additional comments that have been revealed by Pastor Wright, one of them comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our Savior. I mean being involved in that —it's beyond belief. And then of course saying that Al Qaeda and the American flag were the same flags.
So I can understand — I can understand why the American people are upset about this. I can understand that Americans viewing these kinds of comments are angry and upset, just like they viewed Senator Obama's statements about why people turn to their faith and their values. He believes that it's out of economic concerns, when we all know that it's out of fundamental belief, fundamental faith in this country and its values and its principles. Again, Senator Obama is out of touch. I can't control and will not in the future control. I will voice my opinion and I will continue to think and to say that I think that ad should not be run. But I won't continue to try to be the referee here.
He was asked whether he'd shifted to viewing the question as legitimate:
I have said that I will not have any comment on it and that because I thought and I believe that Senator Obama does not share those views. But Sen. Obama himself says it's a legitimate political issue, so I would imagine that many other people will share that view, and it will be in the arena. But my position that Senator Obama doesn't share those views remains the same.
By sinking to a level that he specifically said he'd avoid, John McCain has broken his word to the American people and rendered hollow his promise of a respectful campaign. With each passing day, John McCain acts more and more like someone who's spent twenty-six years learning the divisive, distracting tactics of Washington. That's not the change that the American people are looking for.
McCain should immediately apologize to the North Carolina GOP for blasting them earlier in the week for what now is clearly a legitimate campaign issue.
Miley Not So Smiley
Disney has a bit of a public relations problem on their hand as their 15-year old teen pop star Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) has been photographed for Vanity Fair in a pose that's not appropriate for a Disney star, or for that matter, a 15-year old girl:
Unfortunately, she got some bad advice from her handlers and from the photographer. Best advice I can think of: Don't pose for anything "artistic" or in less clothing than you'd be comfortable wearing in front of your most ardent fans...or your father.
Miley Cyrus, the 15-year-old star of "Hannah Montana," said she is "embarrassed" by a provocative photo spread shot by famed photographer Annie Liebovitz that is appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair.
"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," she said in a statement released today. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."
Cyrus, the daughter of country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, is the singing and acting sensation known to her legions of teenage fans from the Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana."
In one of the photos, Cyrus is shown from the side, with most of her back bare, clutching what appears to be a satin sheet loosely around herself.
The Disney Channel, after learning of the Vanity Fair photo spread and article also issued a statement critical of the magazine.
Unfortunately, she got some bad advice from her handlers and from the photographer. Best advice I can think of: Don't pose for anything "artistic" or in less clothing than you'd be comfortable wearing in front of your most ardent fans...or your father.
Concert Wrap-up
UPDATE: All 17 Crimson River Quartet songs from the concert are now on YouTube.
We had a great time Saturday night at the 15th Anniversary Celebration for The Crimson River Quartet. A good crowd showed up at Lake Hills Community Church in Laguna Hills, CA to celebrate with us, and the early arrivers stopped by the product table to check out the new CD. My son was taking care of business:
The evening was emceed by Dick Hilleary, one of the finest in the gospel music business and a long time friend of ours. I kid Dick about it, but I can remember going to concerts at the old Long Beach Auditorium when I was only 18 and he was the emcee on those great programs. Those concerts featured the best in the Southern Gospel business, and it wasn't unusual to have 5,000 people there until 1am.
The first group to perform was the Morningstar Christian Chapel Worship Band from Whittier, CA. Our lead singer, Tom Moore, is also their piano player, so Tom had a long night singing for both groups.
Next up was our buddies The Cross Road Quartet from Diamond Bar, CA. Our two groups used to travel together a lot and did a number of joint concert programs all over California.
It was finally our turn, and we opened with the song that started the group, Crimson River. That song inspired the name, and was also the first song we ever sang in concert back in 1992 (yes, we're a little late with the anniversary celebration).
It's not all serious. We have a lot of fun in our concerts and have even been known to stop mid-song and mug for the camera a bit.
The work never ends. While another group is performing, Dick and I are swapping war stories and talking through the rest of the program.
The big ending
I'll be looking at the video and audio from the concert and hope to have several new YouTube videos posted soon (our videos have been viewed over 32,000 times by people in 81 countries). If the audio turns out as I hope, I may run our entire portion of the concert as a special internet broadcast. I'll let you know more about that later.
We had a great time Saturday night at the 15th Anniversary Celebration for The Crimson River Quartet. A good crowd showed up at Lake Hills Community Church in Laguna Hills, CA to celebrate with us, and the early arrivers stopped by the product table to check out the new CD. My son was taking care of business:
The evening was emceed by Dick Hilleary, one of the finest in the gospel music business and a long time friend of ours. I kid Dick about it, but I can remember going to concerts at the old Long Beach Auditorium when I was only 18 and he was the emcee on those great programs. Those concerts featured the best in the Southern Gospel business, and it wasn't unusual to have 5,000 people there until 1am.
The first group to perform was the Morningstar Christian Chapel Worship Band from Whittier, CA. Our lead singer, Tom Moore, is also their piano player, so Tom had a long night singing for both groups.
Next up was our buddies The Cross Road Quartet from Diamond Bar, CA. Our two groups used to travel together a lot and did a number of joint concert programs all over California.
It was finally our turn, and we opened with the song that started the group, Crimson River. That song inspired the name, and was also the first song we ever sang in concert back in 1992 (yes, we're a little late with the anniversary celebration).
It's not all serious. We have a lot of fun in our concerts and have even been known to stop mid-song and mug for the camera a bit.
The work never ends. While another group is performing, Dick and I are swapping war stories and talking through the rest of the program.
The big ending 
I'll be looking at the video and audio from the concert and hope to have several new YouTube videos posted soon (our videos have been viewed over 32,000 times by people in 81 countries). If the audio turns out as I hope, I may run our entire portion of the concert as a special internet broadcast. I'll let you know more about that later.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Weekend Notes
A very busy weekend is complete with lots of different events. A few thoughts on very divergent subjects:
I grabbed one more flower shot:
Those are George Burns roses, and I didn't take that shot at the flower show. They're growing in my front yard.
- Celebrity Sighting
The wife and I decided to get a little exercise Friday night, so after a good BBQ dinner
we headed up to Disneyland to walk around both parks, something we often do even when the parks are busy. On our way through Downtown Disney as we were leaving I saw a Disney escort followed by the guy in the photo at left - Guy Fieri, host of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins & Dives, and also current starring in commercials for TGI Friday's restaurants. He's a great host and has a really fun show (on Monday nights). We stumbled on the show by accident one night and enjoyed it so much we started TiVOing it every week.
He had the Disney escort and a couple of other guys with him, and I'm not the type to bother celebrities, but I would have enjoyed saying hello, given how much we enjoy his show. We've seen a number of celebs at Disneyland, including Brad Garret a couple of times (at 6'8" he sort of stands out) , and Ricky Schroeder and his family enjoying a day at the park.
- Offering Origami
The big event of the weekend was the concert Saturday night featuring moi and The Crimson River Quartet. I'll have more on the show later, but here's a shot of the boys in action:
We didn't sell tickets to this event, but did it on a "love-offering" basis, meaning that during the evening we took an offering to defray expenses. Frankly, it's not the best way to go, but the trade-off is having far fewer people in attendance, and since part of the group's income is dependent on product sales, you hope having more people will pay off in the end.
One interesting thing about love-offerings is the way people handle their paper money. The offering was just dumped into a briefcase for me to sort out later, and it usually takes me upwards of an hour just to straighten up and unwrap all the bills. I've noticed something interesting.
People who give $20s might fold the bill in half, but usually nothing more than that. They've got nothing to be ashamed of and they don't mind if the person sitting next to them sees what they put in the plate. As the denomination of the bills decreases, the level of origami increases until you get down to $1s where amazing pieces of artwork are created. People who give ones know they're cheaping out on the deal and do their best to hide the value of the bills they're dropping in the plate. I must have unwound twenty different paper sculptures that consisted of just 2 $1 bills.
It never ceases to amaze me that someone can come to a concert, listen to 2 1/2 hours of pretty good music from three artists, and then put $2 in the offering. If they get to heaven and find an unfinished mansion, the angels will probably tell them they're sorry it's not done, but they did the best they could with the money they sent.
- The heat, my gosh, the heat!
Here's a somewhat out-of-focus shot of the outside air temperature guage on my car taken about 2pm this afternoon:
104 degrees. And on Wednesday it's supposed to be 67. This is a weird time of year.
To beat the heat we went over to South Coast Plaza Crystal Court where they were having a flower and garden show. Lots of cool stuff, including an elaborate floral display that looked like something you'd see at the Bellagio in Las Vegas:
I grabbed one more flower shot:Those are George Burns roses, and I didn't take that shot at the flower show. They're growing in my front yard.
Taking the Day Off
The big concert was very successful, but I'm whipped. We didn't get home until after midnight and I have a lot of follow-up work to do on Sunday, so I think I'm going to take most of today off. I'll start catching up tonight.
Memo to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton: Please don't say anything stupid today. You can start up again tomorrow.
Memo to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton: Please don't say anything stupid today. You can start up again tomorrow.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Carrier
If you're a military aviation buff as I am, you'll want to set your TiVO to record "Carrier", a 10 hour PBS miniseries which starts Sunday night and runs through Thursday with 2-hour episodes each night. According to the LA Times this is not a glossed-over glorified version of life aboard an aircraft carrier, but the Navy and its personnel will be shown warts and all. Some in the military are questioning whether this program was a good idea, since there are things in it that the Navy certainly won't like, but they're hoping that the overall impression will be good.
We'll see.
We'll see.
Today's Quick Headlines
Some quick hits on today's headlines:
Atheist's Lawsuit Cites His Treatment in the Army
He must not have had enough treatment if he's still an atheist.
Fla. Official to Parents: Buy School Clothes, Not Booze
Probably good advice in the other 49 states too.
Airlines Lure Fliers With Gourmet Menus, Star Chefs
That's gotta be a satire piece.
Going to the movies is still a bargain
$11 apiece for the crap that Hollywood turns out? That's no bargain.
Obama says he will fine-tune his campaign
For the 80th time.
Anti-war Cindy Sheehan files to take on Pelosi
The blogging gods have answered our prayers.Conn. Complex Fire Leaves 150 Homeless
Heat + Fuel + Oxygen. Fire's not that complex.
Idiotic Dem Senate History Repeats Itself
They never learn. Sometime back Harry Reid tried to censure Rush Limbaugh, a private citizen, for remarks made on his radio show that were taken wildly out of context (the "phony soldier" comments). Forty-one Dem Senators signed a letter to Clear Channel demanding that Rush be punished for his remarks, and that letter backfired on Reid big time. Clear Channel gave the letter to Rush who then put it on eBay and raised over $4 million dollars for a Marine Corps charity. Clear Channel and Rush just laughed at Reid and the Dems.
History is about to repeat itself. Rush has been talking about groups like Re-create 68 that want to stage protests and riots in Denver, and Rush has been talking about the wake-up call for America that those riots would cause. He's even sung "I'm dreaming of riots in Denver" to the tune of the famous Christmas song.
Once again the media is taking his remarks wildly out of context and claiming now that Rush is calling for riots in Denver. Dem Colorado Senator Ken Salazar has sent a letter to Clear Channel demanding that Rush be reprimanded for his comments. Did Salazar learn nothing from the Harry Reid letter fiasco? Apparently.
Salazar's letter will probably end up in Rush's hands again, though I doubt it will be worth anything on eBay. It will, however, be worth a good laugh on Monday's show.
History is about to repeat itself. Rush has been talking about groups like Re-create 68 that want to stage protests and riots in Denver, and Rush has been talking about the wake-up call for America that those riots would cause. He's even sung "I'm dreaming of riots in Denver" to the tune of the famous Christmas song.
Once again the media is taking his remarks wildly out of context and claiming now that Rush is calling for riots in Denver. Dem Colorado Senator Ken Salazar has sent a letter to Clear Channel demanding that Rush be reprimanded for his comments. Did Salazar learn nothing from the Harry Reid letter fiasco? Apparently.
Salazar's letter will probably end up in Rush's hands again, though I doubt it will be worth anything on eBay. It will, however, be worth a good laugh on Monday's show.
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