3rd Party Threat from the Christian Right

Hillary Clinton has to be loving this.

The likelihood of Rudy Giuliani winning the Republican nomination has some Christian conservatives threatening to back a third party candidate.

Just as Ross Perot swooped in to open the doors of the White House to Bill Clinton in 1992, Hillary might get a similar gift from the disgruntled Christian Right.

WASHINGTON -- Barely three months before the voting for a new president begins, the religious right has yet to unite behind a Republican candidate, heightening concerns among evangelical leaders that social liberal Rudolph W. Giuliani will capture the party's nomination.

The splintering of religious conservatives, if it endures, could ease the way for New York's former mayor to emerge as the party's first nominee to explicitly support abortion rights since the Supreme Court legalized the procedure in 1973.

...In the presidential race, several of the lower-tier candidates have cast themselves as staunch supporters of the Christian right's priorities -- most obviously Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. But few observers see those candidates' prospects as realistic. And many social conservatives have doubts about the higher-profile contenders vying with Giuliani.

"There's just no enthusiasm for this crop of first-tier candidates," said Richard Viguerie, a veteran conservative activist and author. "Not one of them is a principled conservative, so why support them?"

Leaders of Christian conservative groups are threatening to back a third-party candidate in an attempt to stop Giuliani from winning the nomination, the New York Times reported Sunday.

...James C. Dobson, one of the country's most influential evangelicals, told allies in a recent e-mail that [Fred] Thompson could not "speak his way out of a paper bag."

"He has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent 'want to,' " the founder and chairman of Focus on the Family wrote. "And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians? Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!"

..."Perhaps more than ever, electability is part of the thing that social conservatives are weighing, because the prospect of Hillary Clinton is so disturbing to them," said Gary Bauer, a conservative activist who ran for president in 2000. "They're looking for both the candidate who is closest to their views but also the candidate that they credibly think can win."

Giuliani argues that he fits that bill, even as Bauer and others continue scouting for someone else.

For now, some key evangelical leaders say religious conservatives must soon join forces to back Romney, Thompson or another candidate -- whatever his flaws -- to stop Giuliani.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said the early caucuses and primaries in January would show whether conservative evangelicals understood "that politics is the art of the possible, and you don't make the perfect the enemy of the good."

"Sometimes," he said, "three-quarters of a loaf is better than none."

It appears that some Christian conservatives can't see the forest for the trees.

Any of the Republican candidates, with the exception of Ron Paul, is far superior to any of the Democrat candidates.

Christian conservatives aren't entirely comfortable with any of the top tier Republican candidates.

That's too bad.

Giuliani and, to a lesser extent, Thompson aren't socially conservative enough, especially when it comes to abortion. Romney, too, is questionable on abortion and other social issues.

So what?

While they may not be perfect, backing a third party candidate would be suicidal.

It would guarantee that a liberal Dem, most likely Hillary Clinton, would control the White House.

That's particularly troubling given that the next president can expect to fill at least two Supreme Court vacancies and potentially impact the direction of the country on social issues for a generation, not just the span of a presidential term.

Giuliani has explicitly stated that he would appoint strict constructionist judges like John Roberts and Samuel Alito. Thompson has said the same.

If Giuliani or Thompson wins the Republican nomination, the Christian Right can take solace in that.

When it comes to social issues, having the power to select judicial nominees is critical.


The Christian Right needs to understand that there's nothing noble in stubbornness and threats that would land a Democrat in the White House.

Evangelicals aren't selling out by supporting Giuliani or Thompson or Romney.

Supporting a third party candidate would be selling out their principles.

They need to get a grip and cut the hissy fits.

60 Minutes: Steve Kroft and Clarence Thomas with an Asterisk

During nearly four decades on the air, 60 Minutes has had its share of bizarre moments, many coming courtesy of idiotic statements from its correspondents.

In his interview with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Steve Kroft was the latest 60 Minutes correspondent to sound like a complete doofus. His questioning was racially offensive.

What Kroft had to say is far more racist than what Bill O'Reilly came under fire for saying last week.

He is the court's only African American, and it's most conservative member. He is arguably the most influential black man in the country, yet he is reviled by many in his own race for his opposition to government programs intended to help minorities.

Kroft fails to note that Thomas is reviled by liberals across the board, not just "many in his own race."

Kroft should be embarrassed for the way he handled the subject of Thomas' race.

It was cringe-inducing. I think it's fair to say that Kroft's statements are racist.

"It's fascinating that people, there's so many people now who will make judgments based on what you look like," Thomas says. "I'm black. So I'm supposed to think a certain way. I'm supposed to have certain opinions. I don't do that. You don't create a box and put people in and then make a lot of generalizations about them."

The justice agrees that there are some misconceptions about him, but says, "I think there are misconceptions about all of us."

"There's been an effort over the last 15, 20 years to create this perception of me. And you can't argue that that's been, in large part, successful," Thomas says.

He is often dismissed as a man of little accomplishment, an opportunistic black conservative who sold out his race, joined the Republican Party and was ultimately rewarded with an affirmative action appointment to the nation's highest court, a sullen, intellectual lightweight so insecure he rarely opens his mouth in oral arguments. The problem with the characterization is that it's unfair and untrue.

"These conceptions or misperceptions, you call them, have accumulated because you haven't really addressed them. You haven't talked about them," Kroft remarks.

"My job is to write opinions. I decide cases and write opinions. It is not to respond to idiocy and critics who make statements that are unfounded," Thomas says. "That doesn't mean that people shouldn't have constructive criticisms, but it should be constructive. Whether or not I'm black or not, that's just silliness. That is not worth responding to."

How much of his life is determined by his race?

"Oh, goodness. I don't know. I’m black. How much of your life is determined by being male? I have no idea. I'm black. That's a fact of life. I'm 5'8 1/2" tall. I don't know how much of my life is determined by being 5'8 1/2" tall. It's just a part of who I am," Thomas tells Kroft.

"But you think of yourself as a black man," Kroft says.

"I'm a man. I'm a man, first and foremost. I'm a citizen of this country. And I happen to be black. I am a human being," Thomas replies.

Thomas believes the Constitution is "color blind" and he is part of an emerging majority on the court that believes that laws granting preferential treatment based on race should be struck down.

But it is Thomas who has been vilified by the civil rights establishment in part because he is black, and because he is viewed as having benefited from some of very programs he now opposes. At best they consider him a hypocrite, at worst a traitor to his own people.

"You've been successful. You moved on. You don't care about people and your race," Kroft says.

"Oh, that's silliness," the justice replies.

"You do care," Kroft remarks.

"Oh, obviously I do," Thomas says. "Come on, you know? But it's none of their business. How much does Justice Scalia care about Italians? Did you ask him that? Did anyone ever ask him? Give me a break. Do I help people? Absolutely. Do I help, love helping black people? Absolutely. And I do. But do I like helping all people? Yes. In particular I like helping people who are disadvantaged, people who don’t come from the best circumstances. Do white people live in homeless shelters? Do Hispanics live in homeless shelters? Is disadvantaged exclusive province of blacks? No."

Good grief.

When Kroft says, "But you think of yourself as a black man," it's positively embarrassing.

Kroft is absolutely clueless. He's insulting. He's stupid.

I give credit to Thomas for not ending the interview at that point, then and there.

Kroft is the embodiement of the Left's despicable treatment of Thomas.

He just can't seem to believe that Thomas actually considers himself to be black or that he cares about people of his race. It's bizarre.

Kroft's "silliness" reminds me of that disgraceful episode involving Ricardo Pimentel, editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's editorial page.

In fall of 2005, Pimentel ran that infamous editorial about the nomination of Samuel Alito.

Whining about the Supreme Court's diversity, Pimentel dismissed Thomas as not being black.

Another minus is that the nomination lessens the court's diversity. O'Connor herself had expressed the desire that her successor be a woman. O'Connor seems to have grown wiser about diversity as a result of her Supreme Court experience. She came to see the virtues of having a court that looks like America - doubtless a big reason she softened her opposition to affirmative action in recent years.

In losing a woman, the court with Alito would feature seven white men, one white woman and a black man, who deserves an asterisk because he arguably does not represent the views of mainstream black America.

Thomas is so NOT black he "deserves an asterisk."

In 2005, Pimentel was interviewed by Editor and Publisher.

Pimentel said he had no regrets about running the editorial, and had no plans for a column or other explanatory note about it. "I let it in as a statement of fact," he said of the editorial. "That Clarence Thomas did not represent mainstream black thought. I think that is demonstrably true if you look at his rulings. A reasonable person could surmise that, saying he would weaken the voting rights act, outlaw affirmative action, dilute black voting power, make it difficult to prove various kinds of discrimination, and approve cruel and unusual punishment."

Like Kroft, Pimentel is skeptical of Thomas' blackness.

He goes so far as to include the asterisk comment as "a statement of fact."

Pimentel thinks it's a FACT that Thomas should not be considered truly black since he has a conservative philosophy. Because of his conservative mindset, he requires qualification. He needs an asterisk.

In other words, a conservative black man is not as black as a liberal black man.

The Journal Sentinel editorial claims:

Black = Liberal

Anyway you look at it, that's a racist position.

All blacks do not think alike. It should not be assumed that if one is to be recognized as black, one may not hold conservative views.

Thomas' race is not debatable. He's black, regardless of his conservatism. No asterisks need apply.

421, 422, and Counting...

Brett Favre carries Greg Jennings on his shoulders after the record-setting touchdown pass. (Photo/AP)

It was another glorious football Sunday.

Brett Favre now holds the NFL record for career touchdowns.

421 and 422

PACKERS WIN!

AGAIN!!

4-0!!!

Packers 23
Vikings 16

IRAN SO FAR

Thomas Friedman, Stop the Stupidity!

In case you didn't know, "9/11 is over."

Thomas Friedman says so. He has officially declared it to be dead and buried.

Why does he think that we need to get over it?

He says, "9/11 has made us stupid."

Really?

Stupid, huh?

He thinks that the next president should have nothing to do with 9/11 and all that ensuing stupidity.

So, Friedman will not be voting for Rudy Giuliani.

He vows to vote for a "9/12 candidate" instead.

He writes:

I honor, and weep for, all those murdered on that day. But our reaction to 9/11 — mine included — has knocked America completely out of balance, and it is time to get things right again.

It is not that I thought we had new enemies that day and now I don’t. Yes, in the wake of 9/11, we need new precautions, new barriers. But we also need our old habits and sense of openness. For me, the candidate of 9/12 is the one who will not only understand who our enemies are, but who we are.

Before 9/11, the world thought America’s slogan was: “Where anything is possible for anybody.” But that is not our global brand anymore. Our government has been exporting fear, not hope: “Give me your tired, your poor and your fingerprints.”

...We can’t afford to keep being this stupid! We have got to get our groove back. We need a president who will unite us around a common purpose, not a common enemy. Al Qaeda is about 9/11. We are about 9/12, we are about the Fourth of July — which is why I hope that anyone who runs on the 9/11 platform gets trounced.

Friedman isn't really calling for a 9/12 candidate with a 9/12 mindset and a 9/12 agenda.

It seems that he doesn't want a 9/12 candidate at all, because Rudy Giuliani is a 9/12 candidate. He promises to fight the terrorists and protect the country, as do other tough on terror candidates.

What Friedman is really looking for is a 9/10 candidate.

He doesn't get that, like it or not, 9/11 is part of "who we are." We can't wish it away and it's most definitely not over.

That 9/11 was such a headache for Friedman; and if that wasn't bad enough, he's upset that it made us stupid.

Stop the Stupidity!

Friedman cheerleads for getting "our groove back."

He believes that won't happen unless we quit letting 9/11 define us.

There's a problem with that. 9/11 does define us because it isn't over.

It's not over anymore than Pearl Harbor was over until Japan surrendered after years of war, including two atomic bombs, to end the fight that the Japanese started.

Friedman says that we are about the Fourth of July. That's true. We are.

The Fourth of July is about declaring our independence. A hard-fought war followed that declaration. Other wars were fought to maintain that independence and those inalienable rights that we cherish. In that respect, the War on Terror is no different.

Friedman may think that 9/11 is over, but the Islamic extremists don't. If they have it their way, there's more 9/11 in store for us.

Friedman is wrong. 9/11 didn't make us stupid.

Friedman, and those of his ilk, are stupid about 9/11.

The Inevitability of Hillary

In today's New York Times, Gail Collins writes an op-ed piece, "Never Trust Anybody Over 49." She expresses her dissatisfaction with the likelihood of Hillary Clinton becoming the Democrats' nominee for president.

As Democrats begin to sense the inevitability of Hillary getting the nod, they're getting restless.

Collins' assessment is that Hillary is not really what the voters want, nor can she ever be what they really need -- change.

Collins writes:

Obama’s campaign is the revenge of Gen XYZ — an inconvenient reminder to the 50- and 60-somethings that they’ve become part of the system they used to decry. His big rally this week in Greenwich Village was an event that Hillary could never have pulled off — politics as a dating scene. Thousands and thousands and thousands of mostly young people swarmed into Washington Square Park where they were warmed up by a 25-year-old Asian-American rapper named Jin, who announced that Obama was going to be getting “my first vote ever.”

To this crowd, Clinton is what you hope you won’t have to settle for at the end. Better than Bush, of course, but not a real agent for change. “There are competent people who will manage the system the way it is,” said Obama about you-know-who, and, of course, the crowd cheered that no, they wanted someone braver and better and maybe even ... younger.

Hillary is too old.

She isn't about change.

She's status quo.

I guess the thought of Hillary as the first ever woman to be nominated by the Democrat Party for president isn't earth-shattering enough.

Calling Hillary's campaign "historic" doesn't refer to breaking barriers and boldly going where no woman has gone before. Apparently, she's "historic," as in same old, same old, boring.

The Democratic Party seems to be gradually acclimating itself to the idea that Hillary Clinton is going to be the nominee. It’s a little like that frog in a beaker of water that Al Gore talks about in his global warming speech — the one who won’t notice he’s being boiled to death if you turn up the heat ever so gradually. Day by day, debate by debate, poll by poll, the sense of Hillary’s inevitability seems to be seeping in.

That's not exactly a ringing endorsement for Hillary.

Comparing the inevitability of Hillary as the nominee to the proverbial frog unaware of being boiled to death is not pretty.

She thinks she’s got it nailed as long as she doesn’t make any mistakes, and that can be a trap. It is possible to be so careful that you drive everybody crazy, make them so itchy for adventure, for a noble mission instead of a winnable hand of poker, that they’ll be willing to undo all your hard work just to juice things up.

During the latest Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton was exactly that kind of candidate.

If Collins is correct about the Dems' sentiment for Hillary, then Hillary is in trouble.

She has to succeed at a difficult balancing act. Hillary has to appear experienced and trustworthy. For voters to put the country in her hands, she needs to give off the gravitas vibe.

That's a problem. If she's viewed as the gravitas candidate, then she also is likely to be viewed as a stodgy old coot.

Barack Obama may be naive and inexperienced and an empty suit, but he certainly has the age advantage over Hillary.

Obama's face doesn't need to be freakishly puffed out with collagen or paralyzed with Botox.

Collins discusses the '08 presidential field:

The Republican debates have become an ongoing suspense drama in which viewers try to guess which of these unlikely suspects will actually become a presidential nominee. The Democratic ones, meanwhile, are becoming less about the competition and more and more focused on how Hillary performs. That’s bad for the Clinton camp, since her strategy is all about not losing. She never gets caught in a disaster, but if you’re waiting for her to say something unexpected or pointed or forthcoming, you may have a long night.

In short, Hillary is a disappointment.

Although there may be an inevitability about Hillary's candidacy, not all Dems are enthusiastically prepared to accept it.

Miller Brewing Company's Community Support

I came across a page on Miller's website that is jaw-droppingly hypocritical.

Miller professes to be a company interested in building strong communities here.

"Ultimately, there can be no choice between doing the right thing for the company and the right thing for society."

WHAT A LOAD!

Then again, maybe Miller isn't being hypocritical. Perhaps the company believes bigotry is the right thing for society.

Great beer and strong communities — Miller Brewing Company has been a leader in both for more than 150 years. We continue that legacy today as a key employer with six breweries providing economic and community benefits to our hometowns around the country: Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Irwindale, California; Albany, Georgia; Trenton, Ohio, Eden, North Carolina and Fort Worth, Texas.

From the millions we invest in community initiatives to the taxes we pay and local goods and services we purchase, Miller is connected to the people and economies that make our communities strong.

At the heart of our community spirit is Miller REACH®, the program that establishes the focus and standards for our corporate social investments. Miller REACH® aligns our community support with five focus areas of shared importance to the community and to Miller: Responsibility, Employment, AIDS/HIV, Cultural Diversity and Heritage Initiatives.

Responsibility: Miller REACH® investments support community-based initiatives to help prevent underage drinking and youth access to alcohol, promote responsible decision-making and prevent drunk driving.

Employment: To support employment priorities, Miller REACH® investments are devoted to initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, job creation and job training.

AIDS/HIV: Miller REACH® supports life-saving efforts by investing in community-based organizations that provide services from AIDS/HIV awareness and counseling to treatment.

Cultural Diversity: Miller REACH® supports and partners with organizations that celebrate our country's cultural differences and work on issues important to advancing diversity.

Heritage Initiatives: Miller REACH® supports long-standing cultural, ethnic and festive experiences that enrich our communities and positively impact our business.

Does the Folsom Street Fair fall under Miller's commitment to cultural diversity?

Does Tom Long, President and Chief Executive Officer of Miller Brewing Company, think an event that uses disparaging images of Christianity in its promotions conveys a commitment to diversity?

I think it's unconscionable.

We live and work in a diverse nation, where a wide range of ethnic, cultural and other differences enrich our communities, businesses and experiences. Cultural diversity can be one of this country's greatest strengths, reflecting democracy and fueling the entrepreneurial spirit.

Miller REACH® supports and partners with organizations that celebrate our country's cultural differences and work on issues important to advancing diversity. Miller is a founding corporate sponsor of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and ¡Adelante! U.S. Education Leadership Fund, which each honor deserving students with college scholarships. For more information on these two programs, click on the links below.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Adelante

That's nice. Miller promotes diversity. Way to go!

So why does Miller slap Christians in the face by sponsoring an event that openly mocks the faith with a disgusting poster that depicts a leather version of The Last Supper?

Why the tolerance for bigotry aimed at Christians?

In my opinion, this news release doesn't go nearly far enough to redeem Miller.

Statement Regarding Folsom Street Fair

While Miller has supported the Folsom Street Fair for several years, we take exception to the poster the organizing committee developed this year. We understand some individuals may find the imagery offensive and we have asked the organizers to remove our logo from the poster effective immediately.

What's particularly disturbing is that the leaders at Miller are willing to bend over backwards to support bigoted extremists within the LGBT community, but they have no problem with offending Christians.

I'm waiting for Miller to issue an apology to its loyal consumers. That includes Christians within the LGBT community. At this point, an apology doesn't seem to be in the works.

OK. Miller can sponsor an openly bigoted event.

And I, a consumer of Miller products, will no longer support Miller.

I will not buy Miller anymore.

I am going to BOYCOTT MILLER.

Will that make a difference? I'm just one person.

That's beside the point. It matters to me. I, in good conscience, cannot support a company that knowingly supports such bigotry.
_______________________

Tell Miller what you think.

1-800-MILLER 6


________________________

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_____________________

Michelle Malkin links to Jessica McBride's discovery that the Folsom Street Fair welcomes underage guests to join in the fetish festivities.
_____________________

UPDATE: A Day at the Fair

New Details: The Adventures of Mohamed and Megahed

October 1, NEW: TSA to scrutinize remote-controlled toys

Airport screeners will be taking a closer look at remote control toys in carry-on luggage due to concerns they could be used to detonate bombs, U.S. officials said Monday.

The new practice is not a result of a specific threat, according to the Transportation Security Administration. But authorities recently arrested two Florida college students and accused one of them of posting a video online with instructions on how to use a remote-controlled toy to set off a bomb.

Passengers — including children — carrying these toys may have to go through secondary screening.

"While not associated with a specific threat at this time, TSA is aware that remote control toys can be used to initiate devices used in terrorist attacks," according to Monday's press release. "Transportation security officers have trained on this possibility and travelers may encounter additional screening when bringing remote control devices in carry-on luggage."

I can hear it already, people whining about the TSA. The additional screening is a good idea.

Mohamed's laptop also contained a 12-minute video on transforming a toy remote-controlled car into a detonator.

_________________


Mohamed and Megahed

Remember Ahmed Abda Sherf Mohamed and Yousef Samir Megahed?

They're students from the University of South Florida in Tampa. They were picked up in South Carolina after a routine traffic stop. They were driving around the U.S. Naval Weapons Station with pipe bombs in their car.

Mohamed and Megahed claimed the explosives were harmless fireworks. They also claimed to be victims of racial profiling.

Defense attorney Dennis Rhoad said the men have a reason for having the devices and it would become clear in later court hearings.

"The defendants deny the allegations the state and the sheriff have made against them," Rhoad said.

Rhoad was right. Things have become clearer since the men were arrested.

TAMPA -- A suspended University of South Florida student facing explosives charges regarded American troops and U.S. allies as invaders of Arab countries, an FBI agent says in federal court documents filed this week.

The agent's affidavit gives more details about a secretly taped conversation between Ahmed Mohamed, 26, and fellow student Youssef Megahed, 21, and also about the contents of Mohamed's laptop.

In a sworn affidavit, FBI Special Agent Daniel J. McTavish said that when agents searched Mohamed's hard drive they found a folder named "Bomb Shock." It contained files of information on explosives, explosive ingredients and downloads from Web sites about explosives.

Investigators also found another folder labeled "High-Order Explosives," which included information on the composition and use of explosives, including TNT and C-4.

...Mohamed's laptop also contained a 12-minute video on transforming a toy remote-controlled car into a detonator. The face of the man narrating the video wasn't seen, but FBI investigators said Mohamed admitted it was him.

"He explained that he made the tape to assist those persons in Arabic countries to defend themselves against the infidels invading their countries," McTavish said in his statement.

And Mohamed "added that the technology which he demonstrated in the tape was to be used against those who fought for the United States," he said.

When the men were stopped and their car searched, investigators also found pieces of PVC pipe cut into various sizes and filled with potassium nitrate, a box of .22-caliber bullets, an electric drill and gasoline.

The men were secretly recorded as they spoke in Arabic while being taken to the Sheriff's Office. According to the FBI report, Megahed said to Mohamed that he told investigators the gasoline was for the car.

Well, well, well.

Mohamed and Megahed weren't the innocent amateur firework makers that they claimed to be.

These "students" were actively engaged in an effort to do harm to the U.S. military.

These poor abused victims of Islamophobia!

As defense attorney Dennis Rhoad said, Mohamed and Megahed did have a reason for having the devices, but it wasn't an innocuous one.

University of South Florida students Mohamed and Megahed wanted to teach others how to kill Americans.



(h/t Michelle Malkin)

Springsteen on "Today"

Bruce Springsteen looked like he had just rolled out of bed, but his performance on Today was anything but groggy.

It was early for Springsteen and the E Street Band, but they brought it for the large crowd in Rockefeller Plaza and the viewers at home.

First, "Promised Land."

Then, Matt Lauer talked to Bruce for a bit.

He asked about the theme of the new album, Magic.

Springsteen said, "It's pretty much what's happening now... comments on the events of the day."

I think Lauer was baiting Springsteen to be more specific, to go off and rip the current administration. He didn't take the bait which was wise if he hopes to convince some of his alienated conservative fans to rejoin the fold.

Then, "Radio Nowhere," followed by "Livin' in the Future."

When Springsteen introduced that song, he said, "I must really want to sell some records bad to be up here this early singing, singing these songs. It's a little desperate, but it's alright."

No kidding.

It was at this point that Springsteen delivered his NBC-sponsored political rant, going on national TV to give an "in your face" attack on life in George Bush's America.

SPRINGSTEEN: This is a song called "Livin' in the Future" but it's really about what's happening now, right now. It's kind of about how... the things that we love about America - cheeseburgers, french fries, the Yankees battlin' Boston, the Bill of Rights, V-twin motorcyles, Tim Russert's haircut, transfat, and the Jersey shore. We love all those things, and that the way the women folk love on Matt Lauer. That's right.

But over the past 6 years we've had to add to the American picture rendition, illegal wiretapping, voter suppression, no habeas corpus, to the neglect of our great city of New Orleans and her people, an attack on the Constitution, and the loss of our best young men and women in a tragic war. This is a song about things that shouldn't happen here happening here. And so right now we plan to do something about it. We plan to sing about it. I know it's early, but it's late. So come and join us.

What's a conservative Springsteen fan to do?

Tune that stuff out?

I try to do that. I can easily do it while listening to Springsteen's early music. But with the newer material, it doesn't always work for me.

I understand Springsteen's need to express himself on things he feels passionately about.

Here's the problem: In his desire to make a difference in terms of the direction of the country, he's bent on being divisive.

Rather than finding common ground, he seems to be going out of his way to exclude.

I don't think that's an effective way to go about addressing the issues we face in America today.

Conservatives care about the ILLEGAL wiretapping of law-abiding Americans, voter suppression and fraud, the Bill of Rights, protecting the Constitution, the horrible response to Hurricane Katrina on the LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL levels, and the deaths of young Americans in war. I care deeply.

Those aren't just concerns of Democrats or the liberal elite or the pampered glitterati. They're concerns that bridge the political spectrum.

It's one thing to promote one's political views. It's another thing to demonize those with different opinions, to depict them as the enemy and evil.

I think it's sad that Springsteen chooses to play an active role in the polarization of the country. It doesn't have to be that way. He could use his performances to bring people together. He could emphasize what we share and reconciliation.

His music could be part of the healing.
______________

Magic

Leading GOP Contenders Pass on the Debate

Presidential Forums program Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007 at Morgan State University in Baltimore. Four lecterns stand empty on stage, as four candidates; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.,Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Mitt Romney declined their invitations to the debate. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Clearly, the intention was to humiliate the Republican candidates who declined to participate in last night's debate.

The empty podiums were meant to be a constant reminder that the four top tier candidates were no-shows.

It was a stunt, political theater staged to give the illusion that the Republican Party neglects minorities.

BALTIMORE -- Republican presidential candidates discussed the importance of reaching out to people of color during a minority issues debate Thursday night and criticized the leading four GOP contenders for skipping it.

"I think this is a disgrace that they are not here," said Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback. "I think it's a disgrace to our country. I think it's bad for our party, and I don't think it's good for our future."

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he was "embarrassed for our party, and I'm embarrassed for those who didn't come."

The four no-shows — former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Sen. Fred Thompson, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — cited scheduling conflicts in saying they could not attend the debate at historically black Morgan State University.

"Fortunately, there are those in the Republican Party who do understand the importance of reaching out to people of color," said talk show host Tavis Smiley, the debate moderator, thanking the six other candidates for participating.

Besides Brownback and Huckabee, the other candidates who participated in the debate were: Reps. Duncan Hunter of California, Ron Paul of Texas and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, and conservative activist Alan L. Keyes.

The forum, which had black and Hispanic journalists questioning the candidates, was broadcast live on PBS.

Tavis Smiley is ticked off.

The debate moderator decided not to be moderate. Smiley slammed Giuliani, McCain, Romney, and Thompson for not showing up at the PBS party.

It's Smiley's debate and he can cry if he wants to.

The six candidates who did participate should be thankful that they had the opportunity to get out of the shadow of the top contenders for once. They didn't have to compete with them.

In addition to taking jabs at the Big Four, they had more time to discuss their positions.

For example:

Huckabee said he would want his legacy in helping minorities to be more equal treatment for them in the criminal justice system. Brownback said he would continue to push for the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington. Keyes spoke of bringing more religious values into schools.

Paul received loud applause when he told the audience that minorities are unfairly punished in the criminal justice system. He also called for ending the war on drugs. "It isn't working," Paul said.

There Paul goes again, playing to his fanatical base.

Paul is anti-war when it comes to drugs and Iraq.

Does he really think easing up on penalties for drug use and dealing will have a positive impact on minority communities?

I suppose he does.

Tancredo said two things have mostly hurt blacks economically and more than race: the welfare state and "the importation of millions upon millions of low-income workers that depress the wage rates."

"Those two things are responsible," he said.

Hunter said the key to securing Iraq and bringing home U.S. troops is to get Iraq's army battle-hardened and capable of defending the country from insurgents.

Brownback and Hunter both had harsh words for the no-shows. Brownback called their absence a disgrace to the country. Huckabee claimed to be embarrassed for the Republican Party as well as the missing candidates.

That's posturing.

Did Brownback and Huckabee consider it to be an embarrassment when the Spanish-language TV network Univision-sponsored debate was cancelled because John McCain was the only one willing to participate?

Was that a disgrace?

Was it embarrassing when the Republican candidates rejected the opportunity to take part in the LOGO Debate on LGBT issues -- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender?

There's an inconsistency to the embarrassment exhibited by Brownback and Huckabee.

The only people more interested in scoring political points off of the absence of the Big Four than the second and third tier Republican candidates are the Democrats and their mouthpieces in the lib media.

No doubt, the images of the empty podiums will be exploited by the Dems. PBS literally staged a campaign ad for them.

Scott Walker's Budget and Taxes

Read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board's lips: MORE NEW TAXES.

What a surprise!

The Board suggests that Walker should toss out his promise to Milwaukee County voters that he would hold the line on tax increases.

Walker should simply act more like tax-hiker Mayor Tom Barrett and burden residents with higher taxes.

Editorial: Public need and taxes

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker submitted his 2008 budget to the County Board Thursday and, like his counterpart just down the street at City Hall, Walker finds himself hamstrung by the uncertainty of the still-in-flux state budget, coupled with the harsh reality of unfunded state mandates.

"The reality is that the state is sticking it to Milwaukee County," Walker told supervisors, expressing some of the same frustration Mayor Tom Barrett did earlier this week when he submitted his 2008 city budget.

Given that reality, Walker, to his credit, has managed to craft a budget that boldly addresses some pressing community needs, including providing an additional $1.7 million for services for those with mental illness and $1 million for housing for people with mental illness.

But unlike Barrett, who reluctantly realized he had no choice but to propose a 3.3% hike in city property taxes to provide the services taxpayers want and need, Walker is proposing once again to hold the line on county property taxes. His proposed levy of $241 million is identical to the 2007 levy in keeping with Walker's pledge when he first took office to constantly keep taxes in check.

Barrett, the reluctant tax hiker.

That's a joke!

To be fair, the Board does praise Walker for making "great progress" in the county.

But according to the Board, so much more could be done if he would just jack up taxes.

Under normal circumstances, [keeping taxes in check] would be admirable. But these aren't normal circumstances and, as Walker himself correctly noted at several points in his budget speech, the playing field is far from level. While the county has made great progress, in large part because of Walker, to get leaner, the state, as Walker said, "has taken little or no action to reduce the overhead costs" of state institutions for juvenile offenders. So while the average daily population at these institutions has declined by 644 in the past seven years, the rates the state will charge the county to house those offenders is about 22% higher. Excellent point.

The county can legally increase its 2008 levy by $13.7 million. But raising it, by say, only $3 million, would have given Walker the financial breathing room he admits he would like to have. And considering the size of the county budget, it would hardly constitute a financial hardship for taxpayers. It would have provided more than enough money to keep county bus fares at $1.75 rather than raising them to $2 as Walker proposes to do. Admittedly, Walker's decision to raise fares 25 cents rather than cut routes is the much better alternative.

The Board fails to see that putting a greater burden on taxpayers is a hardship.

The Board fails to acknowledge that Walker chastises the state for taking " 'little or no action to reduce the overhead costs' of state institutions for juvenile offenders."

Walker is criticizing the state government's lack of responsibility when it comes to spending the people's money wisely, not being a cheerleader to place a greater tax burden on the people.

He's not advocating straining Milwaukee County's residents with higher taxes.

The Board concludes:

But by easing up on his self-imposed pledge, Walker could have achieved much more.

What's with this "self-imposed pledge" crap?

Is that the JS Board's Clintonian-inspired word game to redefine a promise?

Of course, Walker could have "achieved" more by picking the pockets of Milwaukee County taxpayers instead of demanding more accountability from the state government to be fiscally responsible.

The Board fails to see that Walker reneging on his "self-imposed pledge," AKA the promise he made to the people who elected him, would be a breach of trust. He would be going against the will of the people.

He would be crowning himself King Scott.

He would be a dictator rather than the servant of the people.

Bottom line: The JS Editorial Board doesn't have faith in the people's capacity to determine what's in their best interests and what they want from their leaders.

Tony Snow and Jay Leno and "Childrens"

Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow joined Jay Leno on the Tonight Show on Thursday.

Snow was so well-suited to his job as spokesman for the Bush administration. As a member of the press for so many years, he knew how to handle them. He never seemed flustered during the briefings. He's a sharp, intelligent man, as well as patient.

He would be firm when he had to be, like with the doddering Helen Thomas; but he's so likable that he never came off as combative or cruel.

I didn't see the beginning of the Tonight Show. I missed Leno's monologue and his first guest, Ben Stiller.

However, I got the feeling that Leno had told a joke about a grammatical slip made by President Bush earlier on Thursday. When Leno asked Snow about it, he didn't do much of a set up and the audience seemed to be aware of what Leno was talking about.

Bush's mistake was perfect, albeit terribly predictable, late night fodder.

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Offering a grammar lesson guaranteed to make any English teacher cringe, President George W. Bush told a group of New York school kids on Wednesday: "Childrens do learn."

Bush made his latest grammatical slip-up at a made-for-TV event where he urged Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, the centrepiece of his education policy, as he touted a new national report card on improved test scores.

...During his first presidential campaign, Bush -- who promised to be the "education president" -- once asked: "Is our children learning?"

On Wednesday, Bush seemed to answer his own question with the same kind of grammatical twist.

"As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured," he said.

Leave it to Reuters to publish such ridiculous "news."

Naturally, the crack Reuters research staff was able to whip out a quote from the 2000 election to further mock Bush.He said "childrens" instead of "children."

STOP THE PRESSES!

The White House opted to clean up Bush's diction in the official transcript.

Oooh! A cover-up!

The Bush presidency is based on lies. Lies! All lies!!

"Cleaning up" a transcript isn't the same as altering the Congressional Record like Russ Feingold did when he made his comments in support of infanticide magically disappear.

The chilling exchange between Sen. Rick Santorum and Feingold took place during debate on partial birth abortion, September 26, 1996.

Transcript

Sen. Santorum: Will the Senator from Wisconsin yield for a question?

Sen. Feingold: I will.

Sen. Santorum: The Senator from Wisconsin says that this decision should be left up to the mother and the doctor, as if there is absolutely no limit that could be placed on what decision that they make with respect to that. And the Senator from California [Sen. Barbara Boxer] is going up to advise you of what my question is going to be, and I will ask it anyway. And my question is this: that if that baby were delivered breech style and everything was delivered except for the head, and for some reason that that baby's head would slip out -- that the baby was completely delivered -- would it then still be up to the doctor and the mother to decide whether to kill that baby?

Sen. Feingold: I would simply answer your question by saying under the Boxer amendment, the standard of saying it has to be a determination, by a doctor, of health of the mother, is a sufficient standard that would apply to that situation. And that would be an adequate standard.

Sen. Santorum: That doesn't answer the question. Let's assume that this procedure is being performed for the reason that you've stated, and the head is accidentally delivered. Would you allow the doctor to kill the baby?

Sen. Feingold: I am not the person to be answering that question. That is a question that should be answered by a doctor, and by the woman who receives advice from the doctor. And neither I, nor is the Senator from Pennsylvania, truly competent to answer those questions. That is why we should not be making those decisions here on the floor of the Senate.

Why is it that President Bush saying "childrens do learn" is such a newsworthy event?

It's silly. It's rather petty on the part of Reuters.

I'd rather have some mangled words from the President than have the sort of mangling and murdering of babies that Feingold and his comrades support. Every Democrat presidential candidate is pro-abortion.

Moreover, the President making some verbal mistakes is nothing compared to a president making a mockery of his marriage vows in the Oval Office.

Bush is no stranger to verbal gaffes. He often acknowledges he was no more than an average student in school and jokes about his habit of mangling the English language.

Of course, the President jokes about his screw-ups. For all his supposed swagger, he does exhibit humility. And let's remember that average student Bush was a better student at Yale than John Kerry.

Just a day earlier, the White House inadvertently showed how it tries to prevent Bush from making even more slips of the tongue than he already does.

As Bush addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, a marked-up draft of his speech briefly popped up on the U.N. Web site, complete with a phonetic pronunciation guide to get him past troublesome names of countries and world leaders.

Phonetic pronunciations?

Really?

What a revelation!

Are there ever phonetic pronunciations on those teleprompters that the geniuses in the media can't live without? Do they ever rely on such methods to prevent mistakes? Of course they do.

This whole story is so idiotic that naturally Leno found it irresistible. He asked Snow how he as the Press Secretary would react when he'd learn of a verbal slip by the President.

Snow said it was like "biting on foil."

He was very funny, admitting to the various difficulties and headaches he faced as Press Secretary. Nonetheless, still loyal to the President, class act Snow spoke glowingly of Bush and his intelligence, that his verbal missteps are simply verbal missteps.

From the end of the couch, Ben Stiller felt the need to butt in.

When Snow said that there were times when acting as the President's spokeman was like "biting on foil," Stiller snipped that Snow had to do that more often than most Press Secretaries.

Lame.

He should have kept his mouth shut rather than interrupting Snow. Given the tone of the interview, it seemed inappropriate. Although Snow held a position in the Bush administration, the focus of the segment really wasn't very partisan at all.

Snow responded with a simple comment about the Clinton years also having plenty of foil-biting moments.

Stiller took a cheap shot at the President, but Snow didn't let him get away with it. With a quick, good-natured remark, Snow effectively shut Stiller up.

I guess Stiller felt he had to at least needle Bush's man a little bit or he couldn't hold his head up when he would find himself in those Bush-hating Hollywood circles.

I really regret that Snow isn't still serving as the Press Secretary. He was so good at it. He's such a decent, good man. I wish him the best.

The Seething Bill Clinton

Is Bill Clinton really "first lady" material?

Can you imagine this guy in the role of spouse of the President of the United States?

Can you picture him gracefully waltzing through the White House with reporters as he takes them on a tour, showing off the Christmas (Oops! I meant to say "holiday.") decorations?

If Bill Clinton takes on that role, he will be the angriest "first spouse" since Hillary played the part.

In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Bill was seething when talking about the Republicans and MoveOn.org's "General Betray Us" ad. I expected Bill to become green, rip through his clothes, and transform into the Incredible Hulk.

NewsBusters has the transcript.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that there was something completely disingenuous about the feigned outrage of the Republicans in the White House and in the Congress about this. This was classic bait-and-switch.

ANDERSON COOPER: "Focused on that as opposed to focusing on what’s really happening?"

(CROSSTALK)

CLINTON: Oh yeah. That’s right. I don’t have to deal with Iraq. I don’t have to tell anybody what I’m going to do. Everything we do in Iraq is obviously right because they said this about Petraeus, as if it were the only issue in the wide world. Come on, these Republicans that are all upset about Petraeus - this is one newspaper ad. These are the people that ran a television ad in Georgia with Max Cleland, who lost half his body in Vietnam – in the same ad, with Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. That’s what the Republicans did. And the person that [sic] rode to the Senate on that ad was there voting to condemn the Democrats over the Petraeus ad. I mean, these are the people that funded the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth. And the President appointed one of the principal funders of the Swift Boat ads to be an ambassador. But they’re really upset about Petraeus. But it was ok to question John Kerry’s patriotism on the blatantly dishonest claims by people that [sic] didn’t what they were talking about. So, it was just bait-and-switch. It was just, ‘Oh, thank goodness! I can take this little word here, and ignore what we’ve done in Iraq, and what we’re going to do, and the outrageous way we gained political power by smearing John Kerry.'

The anger that fuels Bill, Hillary, and the Clinton machine is palpable. It's as ugly as ugly gets.

The thought of Hillary as president and Bill roaming around the White House again is the stuff of nightmares.

Heroes of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board has weighed on in the proposed statue of Fonzie, planned to stand proudly in downtown Milwaukee at Wisconsin and Water.

"Aaay, it's a good idea"

OK, time for a reality check.

Some of you think putting up a statue of "The Fonz" downtown is insulting and doesn't fit the hip new image Milwaukee wants to present to the rest of the world - like, say, North Korea.

What?

North Korea?

That's really lame.

Guess what? Back in the '50s and '60s, when Arthur Fonzarelli was holding court in "Happy Days," Milwaukee was about as hip as a six-pack of knockwurst. Many folks here equated being cool with frostbite. If you wanted to find a building then with 40 floors, you had to go to a linoleum store. Guys like the Fonz were as close to cool as we got.

Yeah, you ask, but won't putting the Fonz in bronze just further the "Happy Days" stereotype? Too late. It's already there. Be proud.

And if Fonzie is no longer cool, why did Samuel L. Jackson, portraying the ultimate cool hit man in the film "Pulp Fiction," tell another character, Yolanda, to be cool, like "Fonzie"?

People already think Milwaukee's too cold. Let 'em know we're cool, too.

This is very telling.

The Board looks to the wisdom of a fictional character, a hit man no less, to make its case for a statue of a fictional character.

More proof that the Board is disconnected with reality.

Miller Boycott

When I drink beer, I drink Miller.

What can I say? I'm loyal to Wisconsin.

My motto: Better Diet Coke than Bud.

However, my loyalty to Miller has its limits.

I back the boycott.

NATIONAL BOYCOTT OF MILLER BEGINS; OVER 200 RELIGIOUS GROUPS CONTACTED

Catholic League president Bill Donohue announced a national boycott of Miller Beer on this morning’s “Fox and Friends.” He explains why today:

“Never have we experienced greater corporate arrogance than in this dispute with the Miller Brewing Company. Miller is sponsoring an incredibly outrageous and palpably anti-Christian event in San Francisco: the Folsom Street Fair (see its website at folsomstreetfair.com and be prepared to see the shocking photos of what goes on). Be sure to access our website at catholicleague.org to see the pictures not only of the fair, but of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an anti-Catholic group that is holding a mock Last Supper dinner tonight in San Francisco. The Sisters is one of the organizations that is receiving funding from this Miller-sponsored event.

“This all started when we learned that Miller was sponsoring an event that featured an obscene ad thrashing the Last Supper. After being pressured, Miller offered a lame statement of regret and said it was pulling its logo from the ad. Not only has it not done so—it is still posted on the website of the street fair—Miller refuses to withdraw its sponsorship. To top it off, when we informed them that some of the money being raised at this festival was being funneled to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, they were unimpressed.

“Accordingly, Miller leaves us with no options: we are calling on more than 200 Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu organizations to join with us in a nationwide boycott of Miller beer. We feel confident that once our religious allies kick in, and once the public sees the photos of an event Miller is proudly supporting, the Milwaukee brewery will come to its senses and pull its sponsorship altogether. If it doesn’t, the only winners will be Anheuser Busch and Coors.”

Miller should not be sponsoring an event like the Folsom Street Fair.

In 2007 the world's largest leather event, the Folsom Street Fair, will take place on Sunday, September 30, 2007 from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. We hope to see the fairgrounds filled with people in their most outrageous leather/rubber/fetish attire enjoying the world's largest and best loved Leather fair.

View pictures of past fairs here.

I'm surprised that Miller would agree to slap its name on this fair.





Some of the profits will be going to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Read more on this "charity."

Here's an event by this "charity" that's scheduled for today:

Thursday 27 September 2007

The Last Supper With The Sisters

There is no better way to prepare your mortal flesh for the kinkiest weekend on Earth than to nourish your bones and boost your spirit with a divine feast: The Last Supper With The Sisters, at Eureka Restaurant. Savor each morsel from a very special menu designed by Chef Gaines. Indulge your senses and confess your indulgences with The Sisters as if it were your last meal. No gastric craving will go unsatisfied, no bag of silver will go unspent and no sin will go unforgiven. And, to make all this indulgence even better, Eureka Restaurant will donate 10% of your bill to the Sisters! In addition, each person at the Sisters' Last Supper table will be entered to win a gift certificate for a dinner for two at Eureka Restaurant and many other indulgences will be available to make your Last Supper with The Sisters indulgently delicious!

Don't be a Judas! Come, eat, drink and be Mary! Be sure to mention The Last Supper With The Sisters when you make your reservation through OpenTable.com or when you phone Matt Walker at (415) 431-6000. Hurry, limited seating is available for this event so make your reservation now!

Eureka Restaurant
4063 18th Street (map »)
6:30-10p

Nice.

Bottom line: Miller can be proud to have its name on Milwaukee's Miller Park and connected with baseball, the all-American pastime.

Being associated with an outrageous event that mocks Christ at the Last Supper is a marketing and public relations disaster.

Miller should withdraw its sponsorship and issue an apology to its consumers.

Boycott Miller.

1-800-MILLER 6
_______________________

UPDATE: A Day at the Fair

Baldwin and Moore Continue Streak

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives condemned MoveOn.org's "General Betray Us" ad by a vote of 341-79.

All 79 of the Nays came from Democrats.

WASHINGTON -- The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org for a recent advertisement attacking the top U.S. general in Iraq.

By a 341-79 vote, the House passed a resolution praising the patriotism Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and condemning a MoveOn.org ad that referred to Petraeus as "General Betray Us."

...Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, a veteran Democrat, recounted how he left the Republican Party during the era of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., and said that lawmakers have an obligation to criticize their allies as well as their enemies when they go too far.

"I've got an obligation to be equally upset when that kind of juvenile debate emanates from the left," Obey said.

Not every Wisconsin congressman showed Obey's good judgment.

Wow. I'm always taken aback a bit when I say Obey showed good judgment; but I digress.

Here's the roll call.

For the second time in two days, Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore reveal what lockstep radical fringe Democrat hacks they are.

On Tuesday, both voted against a measure aimed to signal disapproval for Iranian president Mahmoud "we don't have homosexuals" Ahmadinejad.

On Wednesday, once again, Baldwin and Moore aligned themselves with the fringe radical Left by refusing to commend General David Petraeus and condemn MoveOn.org.

___________________

Here's more on the despicable Dems.

11 Democrats Flip-Flop on Petraeus Resolution, Vote No in Committee, Yes on the House Floor

(h/t Mark Levin)

Blood and Dead Bodies in Springsteen's "Magic"

NEW 9/28: Springsteen on Today
_____________________

You can't judge a book by its cover.

You can't judge a song by its beat.

According to Springsteen fan Roger Friedman, the latest from Sony's $100 million man rocks, but darkly.

Friedman writes:

Bruce Springsteen has already made his political feelings clear in the last couple of years. Remember his Ted Koppel interview? The series of concerts — Vote for Change — he did to support John Kerry?

On his new album, "Magic," Springsteen jumps right into the fray again. In a dramatic new REM-ish anthem called "Last to Die," he sings: "Who'll be the last to die for a mistake/The last to die for a mistake/Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break/Who'll be the last to die for a mistake."

The mistake is clearly the Iraq war. "We don't measure the blood we've drawn anymore," he sings. "We just stack the bodies outside the door."

"Magic," which hits stores Tuesday but is already widely available on the Internet, seems like a party album at first. But it has a dark underside: blood and dead bodies wend their way through the songs.

Even when things are looking up at least musically — the songs are strong rockers — the lyrics suggest dire, dark things are happening.

In one song, “Seven drops of blood fall” as a woman smooths the front of her dress. In another, a kiss produces “the taste of blood on your tongue.” There’s a “bloody red horizon.”

...You can dance to “Radio Nowhere,” the lead single from “Magic,” and sing along, too. The whole album, made with the E Street Band, is designed for pleasure. There’s nothing here as poignant as “You’re Missing” from “The Rising.”

In concert, “Magic” is going to work like … magic. It doesn’t miss a beat; there are no good stadium bathroom breaks. The whole thing sounds like hit singles, if they still had hit singles.

Fans are going to love “Livin’ in the Future,” with its throwback arrangement to Springsteen’s real “Glory Days.” Clarence Clemons blows his horn, the band swings into action and it’s the Bruce everyone loves. There’s even a sing-along na-na-na chorus at the end.

But don’t be deceived. The lyrics show Bruce’s maturation and his love of stark images:

“Woke up election day/Skies gunpowder and shades of grey/Beneath a dirty sun, I whistle my time away … I opened up my heart to you/It got all damaged and undone.”

You gotta take the bitter with the sweet.

Yes. Bitter with the sweet.

Will “Magic” be a hit? Even with the downloads, I think so. Springsteen plays the "Today" show Friday morning for the first time ever. He undoubtedly knows things have changed dramatically in the music biz.

(Note: This is this first time Springsteen is playing on "Today" from Rockefeller Center. Springsteen did a live concert from Asbury Park, N.J. on "Today" in 2002 during his media blitz to launch "The Rising.")

...[T]he Boss has never sold multimillions of records. But he’s sold the right records to the right people. “Magic” can only bring him new fans to add to the old, and some more Grammys besides.

Blood and dead bodies.

Politics and love.

I miss the romanticism of early Springsteen songs.

Maturation blows.

Bill O'Reilly, Media Matters, and the Eternal Happy Negro

Radical Left-wing smear machine Media Matters is engaged in a pathetic attempt to "Imus" Bill O'Reilly.

I expect that from the slimy, unscrupulous Media Matters.

More disturbing, though not unexpected, is the way the lib media have followed Media Matters' lead.

The Associated Press reports the story this way:

Bill O'Reilly says he's being smeared

True enough. That's what he is saying.

Why is he saying he's being smeared? BECAUSE HE IS BEING SMEARED.

It would be more truthful of the AP to run the headline, "Bill O'Reilly is being smeared."

Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly said Wednesday his critics took remarks he made about a famed Harlem restaurant out of context and "fabricated a racial controversy where none exists." He criticized the liberal group Media Matters for America as "smear merchants" for publicizing statements he made on his radio show last week.

O'Reilly told his radio audience that he dined with civil rights activist Al Sharpton at Sylvia's recently and "couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference" between the black-run restaurant and others in New York City.

It was just like a suburban Italian restaurant, he said. "There wasn't any kind of craziness at all," he said.

O'Reilly told The Associated Press that Media Matters had "cherry-picked" remarks out of a broader conversation about racial attitudes. He had told listeners that his grandmother — and many other white Americans — feared blacks because they didn't know any and were swayed by violent images in black culture.

"If you listened to the full hour, it was a criticism of racism on the part of white Americans who are ignorant of the fact that there is no difference between white and black anymore," he told the AP. "Circumstances may be different in their lives but we're all Americans. Anyone who would be offended by that conversation would have to be looking to be offended."

His radio show was a conversation with Fox News contributor Juan Williams, author of a book about the coarseness of some black culture. Williams defended O'Reilly during a Tuesday appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor."

"It's so frustrating," Williams said. "They want to shut you up. They want to shut up anybody who has an honest discussion about race."

There is no controversy here.

All one has to do is listen to Bill O'Reilly's actual broadcast.

Listen here.

Taken in full context, O'Reilly's comments were not racially offensive.

What is offensive is the way some media outlets are distorting O'Reilly's words. It is clearly being done maliciously.

This story should have died at least by noon today, but some lib outlets are keeping it alive.

CNN won't let go of it.

Tonight on CNN's Out in the Open, the topic was "O'Reilly and Race."

How utterly lame!

While discussing the fabricated O'Reilly controversy Boyce Watkins called Juan Williams the "eternal happy negro."

Because Juan Williams stood up for O'Reilly, Watkins turned on Williams, lashing out with what I consider to be a racially offensive remark.

WATKINS: The fact of the matter is that when Bill O'Reilly gets Juan Williams, the eternal happy negro, on his show to congratulate him on his racism, that's like Hugh Hefner getting a stripper to come on the show and tell him that he's not a sexist.

The fact is that Bill O'Reilly has consistently degraded, demeaned and devalued every aspect of black culture and he can't get away from that.

Unbelievable.

In short, it's the creation of this controversy that's really disgusting, not what O'Reilly said.
________________________

Earlier in the day, Watkins was on CNN using his "happy negro" line about Juan Williams.

Transcript here.
________________________

Reading and Race: Wisconsin's Children Left Behind

In the 2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial race, Gov. Jim Doyle ran on his record of great successes in education.

Although it's been changed since then, Doyle's campaign website boasted:

Governor Jim Doyle: Fighting for Our Schools, Lifting Up Our Kids

Governor Jim Doyle’s mother was a teacher. First Lady Jessica Doyle has been an educator for over 25 years. Governor Doyle is a product of Wisconsin’s public schools.

He knows the value of education, and just how important good schools are.

As Governor he has fought for our public schools – and he’s gotten results.

Increasing Expectations, Standards, and Opportunities for All Wisconsin Students

Wisconsin has the best public schools in the country. Wisconsin students score at the top in national tests like the ACT. But Governor Doyle knows that we cannot sit back and rest on our laurels. He believes that high expectations of our students, and high standards in the classroom, are the keys to continued success.

If Wisconsin has the best public schools in the country, then the country is doomed.

Doyle was touting the accomplishments of the public schools even as national studies were pointing out the sorry state of education in Wisconsin.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee public high schools have one of the worst graduation rates in the country among large school districts, according to a new report that takes the unusual step of trying to make comparisons across large school districts as well as states.

Ninety-four of the 100 largest school districts in the country have higher graduation rates than Milwaukee, where the graduation rate is 45%, according to a study by the Manhattan Institute, a think tank in New York.

That's a horrible ranking, nearly rock bottom.

That was good news compared to the latest figures on reading and race.

The average reading ability for fourth- and eighth-grade black students in Wisconsin is the lowest of any state, and the reading achievement gap between black students and white students in Wisconsin continues to be the worst in the nation.

Those are among the facts found in a mass of testing results released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education, the latest results from a long-standing federal program called the National Assessment of Education Progress. It is the closest thing to a nationwide standardized testing program for reading and math ability.

The gap between blacks and whites was worse in Wisconsin than, say, Louisiana? Yes.

The average score for black fourth-graders in reading was lower than, say, Washington, D.C., or Alabama? Yes.

"I find it very distressing to look at this," said Elizabeth Burmaster, Wisconsin superintendent of public instruction. "There isn't anything more important (in education). This is the civil rights issue of our country."

"It's upsetting to me," said William Andrekopoulos, superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. "This is the very reason why I've been talking about improving instruction over and over again."

In the area of education alone, I don't understand why Wisconsin voters gave Doyle another term.

His claims that he made education a top priority in his first term are BS.

He has failed miserably.

Wisconsin has the worst racial gap in the nation, the WORST!

...Wendell Harris, chairman of the education committee of the Milwaukee chapter of the NAACP, said, "I know we've got to do better in school, there's no question about that."

But, he said, "really, from my standpoint, (it's) families. . . . We can't keep making excuses for parents."

Harris said many parents live amid difficult circumstances, but "we have to do our best to try to get our children educated whatever our own circumstances are."

He added, "We have to become more willing to hold everyone accountable and not just the teachers."

Burmaster said the high and rising level of poverty in Wisconsin was a big factor behind the gaps. She said she wanted to know whether other states had the same proportions of students from low-income homes as Wisconsin.

"It's not just an achievement gap," she said. "It's an economic gap. It's a gap in health. It's a quality of life gap. All of those things influence student achievement."

I give Harris credit for holding parents accountable and acknowledging their important role in their children's education.

I think the poor performance of students has a lot to do with a lack of parental involvement and support.

If parents aren't bothering to make sure that their children show up at school, it follows that the students from those homes would do poorly.

Burmaster seems eager to point out that Wisconsin's dead last ranking isn't about the quality of education in the public schools.

She may be the Wisconsin superintendent of public instruction, but she's declaring herself to be free of responsibility for the poor performance of Wisconsin's students. The problem is poverty, and not her fault.

Sure.

The frustrating thing about this is government officials will no doubt want to raise taxes to better education in the state. Raising taxes will negatively impact business, result in job loss, and increase poverty.

If as Burmaster suggests that poverty is the root cause of Wisconsin's dismal national ranking on race and reading, then the likely proposed solution, higher taxes, will only exacerbate the problem.

Granted, there are many factors that contribute to Wisconsin's disgraceful ranking; but Burmaster's shameless attempt to distance herself from the state's failing schools is pathetic.

Milwaukee's David: Fonzie

Let's be honest. Milwaukee has some really crappy outdoor sculpture.

The worst has to be "The Calling."

A short distance from the Art Museum, you’ll find a vibrant and bold piece, “The Calling” by Mark di Suvero. The sculpture sits on the bluff at the eastern end of East Wisconsin Avenue like a rising sun. The large iron sculpture resembles an orange sunburst....

The kindest thing I can say about the sculpture is that it's an eyesore.

Thankfully, the Blue Shirt meant to adorn a parking structure at the airport was killed.

That was one less embarrassment for the city.



Now, there's another art project in the works -- a statue of "the Fonz" of Happy Days fame.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"The Fonz" soon might be part of our downtown landscape, immortalized in a life-size bronze sculpture that city tourism leaders hope would be a stopping point for visitors.

The Fonz, of course, is Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, the character from the long-running TV show "Happy Days," set in a nostalgic version of Milwaukee, circa the late 1950s and early 1960s. Visit Milwaukee, a non-profit group that promotes the city as a tourism and convention destination, is leading an effort to raise $85,000 to commission the statue, which likely would be in the plaza south of E. Wisconsin Ave. and west of N. Water St., near the Chase Plaza office tower.

So far, Visit Milwaukee has raised $45,000, and the group is confident it will meet its timetable of unveiling a bronze Fonz in 2008, said Dave Fantle, the agency's vice president of public relations. The agency already has contacted four artists and hopes to choose a sculptor by the end of October, he said.

Oh my God!

I don't think this is a good idea.

Having Fonzie immortalized in bronze isn't the problem. It would be nice in a little green space at a custard stand.

But at Wisconsin and Water?

No. No. Not good.

The project carries the blessings of "Happy Days" co-creator Garry Marshall and Henry Winkler, the actor who played Fonzie during the show's 10-year run, which started in 1974.

Winkler confessed he was a bit taken aback when Fantle contacted him about the project.

"It's an honor," Winkler said. "But it is so bizarre to think there should be a statue. I wasn't sure it was something that could happen to me."

Or, more accurately, happen to a character brought to life by Winkler, a 61-year-old actor, producer, director and author. Still, Winkler likes the idea and says he would come to Milwaukee for the statue's dedication.

"If it helps the city, a city that has been so supportive and warm to me over the years," he said, "then I am so OK with it."

Winkler is so gracious.

He seems like a genuinely nice man, so willing to help the city.

I don't object to the statue itself. It's the prominent proposed downtown location that I question.

I probably wouldn't find "The Calling" so repulsive if it didn't have such a place of honor.

Location, location, location.

...The dedication ceremony for the statue, with appearances by Winkler and possibly other "Happy Days" cast members, would draw media attention to Milwaukee, Fantle said. He said the sculpture would provide another tourism draw for a city that anticipates an upswing in visitors when Harley-Davidson Inc. opens its museum.

But what about those umpteen attempts to depict Milwaukee to the outside world as some place other than the home of "Happy Days" and "Laverne and Shirley," a "Happy Days" spinoff that some complain has typecast Milwaukee as a stodgy, blue-collar town?

"This isn't a statue of 'Laverne and Shirley,' " Fantle said. "This is a statue of a TV icon who remains the epitome of cool."

The Fonz represents the old image of Milwaukee, which some visitors still would appreciate, Fantle said. He said the statue could serve as a bridge between that world and Milwaukee's new image, exemplified by the Milwaukee Art Museum and other developments.

Huh?

Tourists in Milwaukee for other events may check it out, but I really don't think that a statue of "the Fonz" would draw in tourists. Sure, there may be some Fonzie fanatics who would consider making a pilgrimage to Milwaukee to bask in the glory of the statue, but I think those numbers would be few.

Fonzie isn't Elvis.

Is a downtown Milwaukee statue of a fictional TV character "the epitome of cool"?

I don't think so. I don't think it would have been "cool" when Happy Days was at the height of its popularity 30 YEARS AGO.

How would a Fonzie statue be a bridge between old Milwaukee and the newer developments, like the Calatrava?

Relatively speaking, the 1970s aren't "old" Milwaukee. To me "old Milwaukee" is the Pabst Mansion, Old World Third Street, the beer barons.

Anyway, does there need to be a bridge?

I don't think so.

However, if the Fonzie statue would replace "The Calling," I might support the idea.