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Saturday, January 27, 2007
Approximately 299.99 million people did not protest today. But what the hey, let's look at some of those who did:  This charming couple went incognito; unfortunately for them, they gave their names to the photographer: Ali Leeds, left, and Dan Stillinger, center, march during an Iraq war protest.... Here's a catchy slogan:  How about US out of San Francisco?  What would a protest be without Hanoi Jane and Baghdad Susan?  Or Cindy Sheehan and Ron Kovic? The usual retarded suggestion:  It just wouldn't be a protest without Uncle Sam on stilts:  Frodo was there:  Sorry, but it looks like the giant puppets sat out the protest this time around. Labels: Cindy Sheehan, Jane Fonda, Protests
A Valid Iraq/Vietnam ComparisonMark Steyn points out: Senator Ted Kennedy trotted out the old Vietnam "quagmire" analogies but added a new charge, bizarrely formulated: "In Vietnam," he recalled, "the White House grew increasingly obsessed with victory, and increasingly divorced from the will of the people and any rational policy."
"Obsessed with victory"? In the history of warfare, most parties have been "obsessed with victory" to one degree or another, ever since Caveman Ug first clubbed Caveman Glug. If you're not "obsessed with victory," you probably shouldn't have got into the war in the first place. It would be more accurate to say that Kennedy and his multiplying ilk are obsessed with defeat, and they're prepared to do what's necessary to help inflict it. The famous photographs of the departing choppers lifting off from the U.S. Embassy in Saigon with pleading locals clinging to the undercarriage are images not just of defeat but also of the betrayals necessary to accomplish it.In fact, to the Left, those images are considered victory (as Steyn points out later). To be sure, not everyone was abandoned. The U.S. ambassador sportingly offered asylum to a former Cambodian prime minister, Sirik Matak. "I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion," he replied. "I never believed for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people which has chosen liberty." As O'Sullivan adds: "It was worse than that. In the final hours, America switched sides." Sirik Matak stayed in Phnom Penh and was murdered by the Khmer Rouge, but so were another 1.7 million people, and in a pile of skulls that high it's hard to remember this or that individual. Still, it's startling, given the appalling slaughter that arose in the wake of "peace," to find vulgar braggarts like John Kerry and Pinch Sulzberger (the New York Times publisher) still preening and congratulating themselves for their stance three decades later.James Webb, who was a hero in Vietnam but seems determined to emulate Kerry and Sulzberger this time around, rejects the comparisons. No one knows the tragic story of America in Vietnam better than Jim Webb, first as a Marine, then as a writer. So the newly elected Democratic senator from Virginia--a fierce opponent of the war in Iraq--wants to keep Vietnam out of the debate over Iraq. "As much as possible, we need to keep this debate away from Vietnam," Webb said last week. Iraq "is not a parallel situation." But Webb feared that many who supported the Vietnam war, and watched America abandon South Vietnam as it grew close to victory over the Communist forces of North Vietnam, might see similarities.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Center-Right Bloggers Pick Their Most and Least Desired CandidatesJohn Hawkins polled a batch of conservative bloggers (including yours truly on their favored and unfavored candidates for the Republican Nomination in 2008. My lists are as follows: Most Desired:
1. John McCain
2. Rudy Giuliani
3. Mitt Romney
4. Duncan Hunter
5. Mike Huckabee
Least Desired:
1. Chuck Hagel
2. Ron Paul (have you seen he's dipping his toes into 9-11 "Truth"?)
3. Tom Tancredo
4. George Pataki
5. Newt Gingrich I don't have anything particular against Newt, just think he's too polarizing a figure to be electable. I really think the race is already down to McCain, Giuliani and Romney. Newt's showing seems to me to be the biggest surprise in this poll. Labels: 2008 Candidates, Republicans
Thursday, January 25, 2007
The Joker In the NewsI couldn't resist this goofy story: A Dutchman dressed as the unpredictable master criminal The Joker from Batman managed to get himself a national ID card, despite supposedly stringent new rules which outlaw grins, funny faces, and head coverings from passport pics. 
David Bellavia on CPR TodayAndrea and Mark interviewed David a couple weeks ago. He is an extraordinary man, as this account of his exploits in Iraq reveals: So Staff Sergeant David Bellavia returned for his third tour of duty - this time in Iraq. Last November - on his 29th birthday - his brigade was searching homes for insurgents in Fallujah. Fierce gunfire broke out, his superior officers were killed, and David found himself in charge. He killed six Iraqis - keeping his unit's casualties to three wounded. His bravery was chronicled in Time Magazine. He has also been nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor. A more detailed discussion of Bellavia's heroism can be read here. He is the vice-chairman of Vets for Freedom, a group of Iraq and Afghanistan campaign veterans who support our mission in those countries. He will be discussing the Democrats' response to the State of the Union address. CPR airs from 3:00-5:00 Eastern time. You can listen in live here. If you do, I also suggest that you check out CPR's chatroom as well (just enter your name, city and state and click "submit query"). Update: Wow! What a killer interview. David's passionate and a great speaker. I was absolutely spellbound. The interview will be rebroadcast tonight at 10:00 and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Quinnipiac: NJ Loves Rudy Over HillaryI'm not sure how much credence to give to polls this far out but it's certainly worth noting because the Garden State is one that the Democrats have to hold in order to win the White House. The Quinnipiac University poll found New Jersey voters prefer Giuliani over Clinton, and like Arizona Sen. John McCain just as much.
Giuliani leads Clinton 48 percent to 41 percent, while McCain and Clinton are about even, at 44 percent to 43 percent respectively, according to the poll.More on Hillary's problems: New Jersey hasn't supported a Republican for president since 1988, but Richards said "a big chunk of New Jersey voters have negative feelings about the senator next door — enough to show two Republicans giving her a run for her money in this traditionally Democratic state."
"It's easy to explain why she trails 9/11 hero Rudolph Giuliani, less clear why Sen. John McCain from faraway Arizona is so close," Richards said.
Richards said the numbers show Clinton is not only trailing among independent voters, but losing Democratic votes to her Republican rivals.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Where's Jerry?Dr Jerome Corsi, that is:  Why, he's appearing on Nutbar radio shows that feature kooks like Dylan Avery and include ads for 9-11 "Truther" conferences.
Kerry: Include Me Out Well, looks like Nuancy Boy has finally decided to listen to reason: A source close to Kerry and a Democratic operative who worked for him in 2004 said the four-term senator has decided to sit out the 2008 race, which already has drawn more than a dozen contenders from both parties.
Kerry made that decision within the past day and was expected to announce it later Wednesday, the source said.
A Democratic operative who worked for Kerry in the presidential race said that the senator "came to the realization a lot of people want something new." Update: Check out Doug Power's tribute to the great love affair to come out of that 2004 campaign!
Moron Global WarmingWith his usual impeccable timing, Al Gore is pushing his global warming theory harder these days. Indeed, according to some accounts, Gore is planning on skipping the 2008 elections, in which he would have to be considered one of the frontrunners, in order to concentrate on climate change. Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, picked up a couple of Oscar nominations. Gore's giving the film away to Australian high school students. After viewing it last year, Prime Minister John Howard said it showed "a degree of a peeved politician".
The new federal Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said the film was a "very compelling dramatisation of the climate change issue", saying he had no problems with it being distributed in schools.
Education Minister Julie Bishop said it was up to each school to decide whether it used the film, but it should be made clear to students that the film did not represent the only opinion on the issue of climate change.
When the film was released last September, Industry and Resource Minister Ian Macfarlane said "it's just entertainment, and really that's all it is". The environuts panned President Bush's State of the Union speech last night on the basis that it didn't mention climate change more prominently. "While the expectations were high for this speech as speculation swirled of a change in policy in the White House, the rumors were inaccurate," Greenpeace USA Executive Director John Passacantando said. "The international community should abandon all hope, once and for all, that President Bush will ever really change course on climate change."
Bush did repeat his previous warnings against America's dependency on foreign oil and urged Congress to "reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars," but he painted the issue as one of protecting national security more than saving the environment.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Losertarian Refuses to Say Pledge of AllegianceIn my own backyard, no less. Mesa City Councilman Tom Rawles refused to join in saying the Pledge of Allegiance before Monday night's council meeting to protest American involvement in what he calls an Iraqi civil war.
"If you're not willing to stand up for what you believe, you don't belong in politics," Rawles said before the meeting.Except that he's not standing up: Rawles stood as a Mesa clergyman prayed before the meeting, then sat down in silence as fellow council members and the audience recited their loyalty to the flag.And yes, he's a Losertarian: Rawles, who represents southwest Mesa's District 3, took office in June 2004. He is a Libertarian, though council seats are nonpartisan. He served on the Maricopa Board of Supervisors from 1993-97, is a lawyer for Johnson Stewart Co. and was chief of staff for U.S. Rep. John Rhodes III from 1987-89.Look, this is really simple. By saluting the flag, by saying the pledge, you are not endorsing the actions of any particular administration. A lot of us Republicans despised many things that the Clintons did, but none of us (to my knowledge) were retarded enough to refuse to salute the flag as a consequence.
Maybe We Should Call Them Climate Truthers?Al Gore's global warming cult gains another acolyte: To help her presentation on global warming, Roberta Fernandez flashes a map of Florida.
It shows the southern half of the state underwater, including Tampa Bay. "If Greenland melts the sea will rise 20 feet," says Fernandez, who calls herself a Climate Messenger.
There are gasps in the audience of smart, but mostly uninformed staffers at a local mortgage and real estate firm who have given up their lunch hour to hear her message. And there is the requisite America-bashing aspect to this "truth" movement as well: "No wonder the rest of the world hates us!" added loan officer Matt Moskos, 28, referring to the United States' disproportionate 30 percent share of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Separated at Girth?Pam Meister has a pair of photos that look eerily similar.
Pajamas Media Straw Poll Now Up!Go vote for the candidate of your choice on both the Republican and Democratic sides of the ledger. After voting, be sure to check the results page; I think you will be surprised at some of the candidates who are leading.
The Perils of PredictionsYesterday I watched the conference championship games in the NFL. I had predicted New England to win the AFC Championship. Now, understand that I don't root for the Patriots. I'm a 49ers' supporter and a huge fan of Joe Montana. At this point anything New England and Tom Brady accomplish has to be considered as a challenge to the Niners and Montana as the pinnacle of football excellence. And yet, because I had predicted their victory, I found myself unable to root against the Patriots. I cheered as they moved out to the big lead early in the game and groaned as the Colts first drew even, then took the lead with only a minute to play. And it strikes me that this may be the problem with so many of us predicting Hillary to win the Democratic nomination. Do we really want Hillary to win her own conference championship? It may appear that she's the weakest opponent we can reasonably hope for, but what if the perfect storm that crashed on the Republicans in 2006 comes around for another battering?
Sunday, January 21, 2007
What Will Hillary Do to Look Normal?One of the most enjoyable things about running the Kerry Haters blog was looking for goofy photographs of John Kerry. They were not hard to find. Of course, Kerry was trying to sell an image of himself as a normal, sports-loving kind of guy. Good idea, lousy execution. The question is what Hillary will do? Obviously the notion of her tossing a ball around on the tarmac is out, and exchanging recipes with women she meets on the campaign trail doesn't offer a compelling visual. She's tried the food-eating bit:  I don't think they will try to repeat that. Hillary with a beer in front of her? You may think that doesn't pass the laugh test, but then neither did John Kerry tossing a football around.
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