Al Franken: Cokehead Senator?

Delusional: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"



The 2008 campaign lineup is taking shape.

It looks like past pothead and cokehead candidates will figure prominently.

One high profile former drug-using/abusing lib is that storybook character Barack Obama, the "first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," according to Joe Biden anyway.

Another candidate has thrown his paraphernalia in the ring -- the far Leftist, former Air America host Al Franken.

WASHINGTON -- Comedian Al Franken has decided to run for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota in 2008, a senior Democratic official from Minnesota said Wednesday.

Franken told the official, who did not want to be identified because Franken has not made an announcement, that he had decided to run in a recent conversation.

...The news was not unexpected. Franken has been calling members of the Minnesota congressional delegation to get their input on a run, and he announced this week that he would be leaving his show on Air America Radio on Feb. 14. He told listeners he would be making a decision on a race soon.

...Franken, 55, was born in New York City, like Coleman, but grew up in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis. He was a performer and writer on television's "Saturday Night Live" before writing best-selling books combining humor and politics.

What a nice write up from the Associated Press!

Very kind.

In addition to his Air America stint, he's a best-selling author.

Impressive.

Franken was a performer and writer on Saturday Night Live.

Also impressive.

Yes, Franken worked on the show in its infancy, during its especially creative but devastatingly destructive drug-crazed years.

He reminisces fondly:

NBC brass were consumed with nervousness about the content of the show - about giving ninety minutes of network time a week to Lorne Michaels and his left-wing loonies.

So, who is this Al Franken, besides being a left-wing loon as he calls himself?

He's a man with a plan.

It seems that his decision to run for the Senate has been well thought out. He's been laying the groundwork for some time.

For instance, Franken may be anti-war and anti-Bush, but he can claim to support the troops.

Few celebrities have made the trip to the war zone with the USO. However, Franken has gone on a few tours to entertain our military personnel.

Certainly, that's a plus. Franken has shown that he's not just talk when it comes to supporting the troops. But it's not that simple.

Sure, Franken has done more than other celebrities. But he also has no qualms about bashing the Commander-in-Chief day in and day out on Air America. He doesn't have a problem with undermining the troops' mission and coddling the enemy. Basically, Franken is a Bush-hater.

It's hard to make the case that Franken is for the troops when he doesn't at all support what they're doing, as if they're mindless robots and victims of the evil, oil-loving, imperialist, terrorist Bush. Kind of condescending.

Franken also has a closet packed with skeletons. Actually, they're not in the closet. His less than honorable past is well-documented.

Some excerpts from Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller reveal that wannabe Senator Franken has a history of illicit drug use.

DICK EBERSOL: My office was on the fourth floor. The writers basically never got there before one o'clock in the afternoon - ever. We had so little space. Herb Sargent was back in a corner. In the hallway to Herb's office were like Franken and Davis and Alan Zweibel, the three apprentice writers. Al and Tom had bought their first-ever cocaine, and they had it all out on the desk. First time they were ever able to buy any. As apprentice writers, their pay was, I think, $325 a week. So they have the cocaine on the desk, they're like literally staring at it. I'm off in the distance. I'm in a tough place because I'm supposedly the executive, but I decided it wasn't my job to play the policeman. Suddenly this figure comes roaring through the room. Unbeknownst to us at the time, he had a straw in his hand. He gets to the table, and he has half of that stuff up his nose by the time they knew who it was: Belushi. They didn't know whether to be thrilled that Belushi had just done this to their coke or be absolutely decimated, because that represented about half the money they had in the world at that time. The drugs didn't bother me, yet I knew they could be the end of the world for the show.

NEIL LEVY: Franken and Davis I think shared an apartment, and they threw a party so we could get together to watch Howard Cosell's Saturday Night Live. It came on before us, which is why we weren't allowed to call our show Saturday Night Live at first. We wanted to see this other Saturday Night. All the writers showed up, Michael O'Donoghue, Dan Aykroyd. They were passing around these joints. I had never smoked before, or not really gotten stoned, and I didn't want to seem like "the kid," so I started smoking. This pot was from Africa or something. You didn't even have to smoke it; you just looked at the joint and you were unconscious.

The book is 566 pages.

There's A LOT more.

I assume that Franken will have to address his drug use/abuse.

Frankly, I doubt that his base will care. They probably find Franken's past endearing. I don't think it will be a factor in the race.

If Franken was going to run as a Republican, it would be a completely different matter. The standards are so different. Character counts with conservatives.

The Dems, on the other hand, will welcome Franken with open arms.

Al Franken a U.S. senator?

Pathetic.



"I'm not good enough, I'm not smart enough, and doggone it, people don't like me!"


DON'T DO THIS TO AMERICA, MINNESOTA!

Joe Biden's Foot-in-Mouth Disease

Joe Biden will never be president.

We all know that, right?

On a superficial level, I don't think that Americans can get past the failed hair plugs.

On a more substantial level, the guy is not ready for prime time and he never will be. It's all that baggage.

Some of Biden's racial insensitivities:

"You don't know my state. My state was a slave state. My state is a border state. My state is the eighth largest black population in the country. My state is anything from a northeast liberal state."


"You cannot go into a Dunkin Donuts or a 7-Eleven unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking."

And today's addition, referring to Barack Obama:

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Can you imagine what the reaction would be if a Republican said that?

A Republican would be crucified.

Really. Doesn't it sound like something that Pat Robertson might say?

Why is Biden given a pass on his remarks?

Will The Washington Post go on a front page rampage akin to its George Allen "macaca" campaign to discredit Biden?

Of course not.

The bottom line:

Biden is a disgrace.

The lib media are shameless in their bias.

The Post's attack on Allen was unconscionable.

Feingold's Crusade

Now I know why Russ Feingold dropped out of the 2008 presidential race.

Why spend all that money, time, and energy on campaigning to be president when you can be commander-in-chief without leaving your senate seat?

Feingold has decided it's time to the end the war, so he's introducing legislation today to achieve that end.

From The Chicago Tribune:

In an intensifying debate on the war in Iraq, Democratic senators began probing Tuesday how Congress could halt President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq or even use its powers to halt the war altogether.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) introduced legislation that would immediately place a cap on the number of troops in Iraq--now at about 132,000--and remove all combat brigades in the war zone by March 31, 2008.

Perhaps the boldest--and most quixotic--challenge to the president's authority came from Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), who said he would introduce legislation Wednesday that would end all funding for the deployment of troops within six months after it is implemented, forcing an end to the war.

Even a leading Republican senator expressed doubts about Bush moving forward on Iraq without sharing decision-making with Congress.

...Feingold said the non-binding resolutions are worthwhile attempts to denounce the president's policy but that Congress is obligated to voters to take action that has more teeth.

"Since the president is adamant about pursuing his failed policy in Iraq, Congress has a duty to stand up and prevent him," Feingold said.

Why doesn't Feingold just change his name to Jane Fonda?

Doyle's State of the State 2007

I didn't watch Doyle's State of the State last night.

Instead, I chose to watch paint dry. Literally.

I was waiting to put on the second coat of paint in the kitchen.

It was much more exciting than Doyle's drivel.

Besides, there's something very honest and sincere about paint drying on my kitchen's walls.

Such honesty and sincerity was missing from Doyle's State of the State.

Bradley Tech-Bay View Brawl

Picture this:

An overtime victory by Bradley Tech over the visiting Bay View High School basketball team Tuesday night sent hundreds of fans onto the court, sparking a disturbance that injured four police officers and two students and led to at least 10 arrests, officials said.

A female spectator suffered a seizure at the height of the disturbance and required medical attention at the scene, Milwaukee Public Schools spokeswoman Roseann St. Aubin said.

Dozens of Milwaukee police officers from all parts of the city were dispatched to the school, 700 S. 4th St., about 9:30 p.m. after the end of the game, in which the Tech Trojans defeated the Bay View Redcats, 82-81.

Lt. Alfonso Morales of the Milwaukee Police Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau said four police officers and two female students, one of whom had the seizure, suffered minor injuries.

The disturbance "was the result of fans rushing the court to celebrate and students from Bay View not being too happy about that," Morales said.

"Tech won the game, and then some kids from Bay View jumped a Tech kid," said Myisha Milton, a Bradley Tech ninth-grader.

The Police Department issued an all-city call upon hearing reports of the disturbance, resulting in a widespread police response, Morales said.

"There were 1,100 tickets sold for this game . . . that's a lot of people in one area to contain," Morales said.

The citywide call for police support was issued in response to the report that a student was having a seizure, making emergency medical response difficult in the midst of the large game crowd, said police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz.

An all-city call?

Does that seem a bit extreme?

I suppose given the recent history at Bradley Tech it might seem reasonable.

This January, the school has seen instances of violence, police calls, and arrests. Fights have included parents. Yes, kids call their parents and they join in.

Bradley Tech is in a state of meltdown.

But a city-wide call that sends Fifty squads to the school?

Whenever there's a medical emergency in the midst of a large crowd, is there an all-city call?

All those police sent to tend to the unruly high school basketball game crowd were taken off the crime-ridden streets of Milwaukee.

The violent outburst at this Milwaukee Public School was given the priority of...of what?

A terrorist attack?

The fact that these MPS students are utterly out of control is putting all Milwaukee residents, and anyone visiting the city, at risk.

Milwaukee's police force is stretched so thin to begin with. At least that's what the incompetent Mayor Tom Barrett and November retiree Police Chief Nan Hegerty say; yet this fight was deemed to be so explosive that a city-wide call was considered necessary.

Two police suffered broken bones at the brawl.

That's two more cops off the streets for a while.

MPS, violence, crime.

The city is in CRISIS.

What's being done about it?

For one, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has relegated its account of the event to page B7.

I guess such a major story isn't worthy of front page status in the main section.

If an incident like that doesn't rate such prominence, what would?

As far as a strategy to crack down on the violence in Milwaukee public schools, students can no longer carry cell phones.

Yeah, that'll get things under control.

I think the most frightening thing about this mess is that these violent students will soon be out of school to take their place among Milwaukee's violent residents.

Wonderful. What a bright future is on the horizon for Milwaukee!

It's a crisis.

The city is dying.
__________________

Watch video of the brawl here.
__________________

UPDATE:

MPS has a solution!

The Milwaukee Public School System says it's planning to severely limit the amount of fans who can attend Bradley Tech and Bay View High School basketball games. The move follows a brawl that broke out after a game between the schools at Bradley Tech High School.

MPS Spokeswoman Roseanne St. Aubin says for the foreseeable future, MPS will only give two tickets to each player on the two school's teams. The players are only allowed to give those tickets to their parents or guardians. That would mean there can only be a maximum of 24 fans in the stands for each team when they play. St. Aubin says the restriction won't affect the opposing team for the schools.

That should help take care of the violence at Bradley Tech and Bay View basketball games.

Of course, you never know about the 24 fans. They could band together and start a disturbance; but it wouldn't take a call for ALL the city's police resources to respond. (If you can't tell, I'm being facetious.)

I do think that more will need to be done than just restricting who gets into the gym for games.

Most likely, there will be a lot of Tech and Bay View students going to the games. They'll just be hanging around OUTSIDE.

The potential for problems still exists because the thugs still exist.

What this policy does is move the problem to a different location. It doesn't solve it.

It's not really a solution at all.

Still a crisis.

Gateway

Would you think that the hard drive on a laptop only three months old would crash?

Me either.

What a piece of crap!

I hadn't done a backup since December so I lost a number of files, documents, photos, etc.

Don't buy Gateway.

Revenge of The Simpsons

Sunday's episode of The Simpsons got a little preachy.

I don't mean preachy in the Rev. Lovejoy sense. I mean it had an anti-war message.

A watershed moment of the Vietnam era was when Walter Cronkite traded in his journalistic objectivity to editorialize against the war, reporting that it was unwinnable. (Cronkite said this after the Tet Offensive. Did you know that was a military victory for the U.S.?)

Supposedly, President Lyndon Johnson said, "If I've lost Walter Cronkite, I've lost the country."

He was right; not necessarily about Cronkite, but Johnson had lost the country. And without the support of the country, defeat was inevitable.

Could President Bush say something similar today, "If I've lost The Simpsons, I've lost the country"?

I think a case could be made for that.

Sunday's Simpsons installment was about revenge, "Revenge is a Dish Best Served Three Times."

After Homer was cut off in traffic, he had a fit of road rage. With Marge beside him in the front seat and the kids in the back, Homer went on a rampage, vowing to get revenge.

The family tried to illustrate the impact that revenge has on the one seeking it. Marge, Lisa, and Bart attempted to reach Homer by telling him stories of revenge and its consequences.

The episode was divided into three segments, three vignettes as told by Marge, Lisa, and Bart.

Marge: "The Count of Monte Fatso" - in pre-revolutionary France, Homer plots his revenge on Moe after he frames Homer for treason

Lisa: "Revenge of the Geeks" - the geeks develop a glove to inflict punishment on the bullies, but Milhouse has his own enemies list

Bart: "Bartman Begins" - when young Bart Simpson's parents are murdered in Gotham City, he becomes Bartman in an attempt to find the killer

To make sure that viewers didn't miss the message that the episode was a statement on war and particularly Iraq, there was a tip-off as subtle as a slap in the face.

When Homer set out on his mission of revenge, hanging out the car window and trying to hit the offending driver's car with a baseball bat, Marge cautioned, "Revenge never solves anything."

Homer responded, "Then what's America doing in Iraq?"

The three vignettes followed. It sort of had the feeling of one of the Halloween episodes with cast members taking on different roles in unusual settings.

Marge told her story to no avail. Homer was still bent on revenge.

Lisa then gave it a shot.

Her tale included a power mad Milhouse, making the bullies pay for their abuses.

Again, the Iraq parallels were in your face.

No one was safe from the wrath of Milhouse. He showed no mercy.

Milhouse was challenged, "This is my first day at this school. I haven't done anything to you."

He replied, "You will. This is PRE-venge." I took that to be a nod of disapproval to the Bush Doctrine.

After concluding her parable, Lisa charged Homer with being addicted to revenge.

When Homer confused the moral of her story, Lisa clarified, "The lesson is when you take revenge you become just as bad as the person you harm."

Sound like the "blame America" types to you?

Bart wanted his chance to tell a story as well. Homer wasn't interested in hearing what stupid Bart had to say, until Marge indicated to Homer that he needed to be a good father and listen to Bart, too.

The Superhero Bart segment was just more fantasy. I had lost interest by that point.

The episode concluded with Homer and the other driver lying back on the hood of his car, staring up at the stars. Homer said that they had talked things over and discovered that they had a lot in common.

The two briefly argued about how many stars were in the sky. Homer insisted that there were just two. There weren't. It was more heavy-handed preaching. We have to learn to live and let live and accept each other in spite of our differences.

In sum, viewers were treated to a choppy show, connected only by the underlying message -- revenge is senseless. More specifically, U.S. foreign policy and war is senseless.

The finale was a dedication stating that the episode was in honor of the dead from the Star Wars movies, a black screen with scrolling names.

That made me cringe.

I agree that revenge for its own sake is a misguided reaction benefiting no one. That's a nice lesson.

What I didn't like was the political bent. Interesting that the episode just happened to air to coincide with the weekend's anti-war protests, isn't it?

I like The Simpsons best when humor and wit rule, when it's a respite from the nightmarish news of the day.

Please, no partisan preaching.

The episode simplified the realities of our world. Current U.S. military operations aren't rooted in revenge per se. There's a difference between seeking revenge and seeking justice to protect Americans in the long term.

And we've learned that pre-emptive action in the post-9/11 era has become an unfortunate necessity. What's the other option? Do we wait to be hit again? Do we allow extremists to slaughter thousands of innocents with impunity, thereby inviting them to do it again?

Homer flying into a rage over being cut off on the road is not analogous to fighting our self-proclaimed enemies.

For all its inconsistencies and flaws, I do see Sunday's Simpsons episode as significant.

Surely, Homer and the Simpson family carry as much weight in 2007 as Walter Cronkite did in 1968.

Hillary: Oh Say, You CAN'T Sing

I love YouTube!

Protester Chic

What to wear... what to wear!

What does one wear when attending a rally/street party to protest the war in Iraq?

Apparently, some protesters opt for a look that offers a little mystery, as well as cowardly anonymity. They cover their faces.

In short, they adopt a look preferred by the best dressed terrorists.


Alice, an anarchist from North Carolina, tries to shake hands with Capitol Police officers as they guard the Capitol during a protest against the war in Iraq Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. Alice did not give her last name. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)


AntiWar groups march in US capital to protest escalation of Iraq War and calling for impeachment of President George W. Bush. (Reuters)


In this photo taken with a video camera, protesters opposed to the war in Iraq, stand in front of the Washington Monument Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

AntiWar groups march in US capital to protest escalation of Iraq War and calling for impeachment of President George W. Bush. (Reuters)


(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)



Ali Leeds, left, and Dan Stillinger, center, march during an Iraq war protest from Powell and Market Streets to Pier 31 to join with another rally on the Embarcadero that includes a labor protest, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Dino Vournas)

Note: The photo directly above displays West Coast protester chic, a little different from that seen in D.C.

Do you like the look?

Hoods and bandanas.

The bandana color of choice was black. Had the protesters gone with a green, they'd look like Hamas members.

I wonder if Jimmy Carter donned a bandana while watching the fun on C-SPAN. I wouldn't be surprised.

Celebrities on the protester red carpet, fashion slaves, rejected the terrorist look.

Unlike the little people, the rich and famous (and clueless) wanted the cameras to capture their mugs.

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."



THE CELEBRITY GALLERY


Jesse Jackson, Susan Sarandon, with sunglasses, Tim Robbins and other event speakers march with a banner past the Capitol during a march to protest the war in Iraq on the National Mall on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)


Singer and songwriter Jackson Browne (C) takes part in an anti-war rally in Los Angeles January 27, 2007. The march was one of several held around the United States, with protesters demanding that the government bring home U.S. troops in Iraq. REUTERS/Gus Ruelas (UNITED STATES)


Actor and anti-war demonstrator Sean Penn marches past the Supreme Court as thousands of protesters gathered to rally and march against the war in Iraq in Washington, January 27, 2007. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES)


Actors and anti-war demonstrators Susan Sarandon (L) and Sean Penn stand together to listen to speeches as thousands of protesters gathered on the National Mall to rally against the war in Iraq, in Washington January 27, 2007. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES)



Actresses and anti-war demonstrators Susan Sarandon (R) and Jane Fonda (C) take part in a march to the U.S. Capitol protesting the war in Iraq, in Washington January 27, 2007. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES)

Happy Anti-War Protest Day!

In this photo taken with a video camera, a protester opposing the war in Iraq poses as President Bush in front of the U.S. Capital Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A variety of signs are held during a protest against the war in Iraq on the National Mall on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, in Washington. Protesters demanded a withdrawal of U.S. troops in a demonstration that drew tens of thousands and brought Jane Fonda back to the streets. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Woo Hoo!

It's "Protest the War" Day in Washington and around the country.


Actress Jane Fonda speaks at an anti-Iraq war protest on the National Mall Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)


According to the Associated Press, "tens of thousands" are participating.

The massive crowd deserves a lot of attention, right?

It's getting attention because the protest is an anti-war, anti-Bush fest.

Did the "tens of thousands" at the abortion protests earlier this week get the same sloppy wet kisses from the lib media?

Of course not.

WASHINGTON -- Protesters energized by fresh congressional skepticism about the Iraq war demanded a withdrawal of U.S. troops in a demonstration Saturday that drew tens of thousands and brought Jane Fonda back to the streets.

Wow.

This is serious protesting.

Jane Fonda.

What year is this?

I wonder if Jane has any plans to go to Iraq and cavort with the insurgents, giggling as she perches atop a car bomb, or as she mounts a suicide bomber.

See Jane giggle.

See Sean smirk.


Actress Jane Fonda, right, smiles with Eve Ensler, author of 'The Vagina Monologues,' center, at the U.S. Navy Memorial as they participate in a protest against the war in Iraq, Saturday Jan. 27, 2007, in Washington. Actor Sean Penn can be seen at left. (AP Photo/Chris Greenberg)

A sampling of celebrities, a half dozen members of Congress and busloads of demonstrators from distant states joined in a spirited rally under a sunny sky, seeing opportunity to press their cause in a country that has turned against the war.

Standing on her toes to reach the microphone, 12-year-old Moriah Arnold told the crowd: "Now we know our leaders either lied to us or hid the truth. Because of our actions, the rest of the world sees us as a bully and a liar."

The sixth-grader from Harvard, Mass., the youngest speaker on the National Mall stage, organized a petition drive at her school against the war.

A 12-year-old girl calls her country and her president a bully and a liar.

Very nice.

How did she come up with that?

No doubt she arrived at those conclusions by watching cartoons.

Right.

I hope when she refers to "our leaders" she includes Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, John Kerry, and the rest of the Dems that called for the removal of Saddam Hussein as official U.S. policy in 1998.

I hope this bright, little wonder counts all the Dems that voted for H.J.Res. 114, in October of 2002 as among the leaders that either lied or hid the truth about Iraq.

The House Judiciary Committee chairman, Rep. John Conyers threatened to use congressional spending power to try to stop the war. "George Bush has a habit of firing military leaders who tell him the Iraq war is failing," he said, looking out at the masses. "He can't fire you." Referring to Congress, the Michigan Democrat added: "He can't fire us.

"The founders of our country gave our Congress the power of the purse because they envisioned a scenario exactly like we find ourselves in today. Now only is it in our power, it is our obligation to stop Bush."

Conyers was very reserved.

He didn't call for the impeachment of President Bush.

Maybe he did, but AP chose to omit that.

Wouldn't want Dem leaders to look too wacky I suppose. (That battle was lost long ago, in my opinion.)

On the stage rested a coffin covered with a U.S. flag and a pair of military boots, symbolizing American war dead. On the Mall stood a large bin filled with tags bearing the names of Iraqis who have died.

That's rather exploitative, using symbols of the war dead to advance their political agenda.

I guess the protesters don't see it that way. Every American military death is a plus in their column and fair game.

Rep. Maxine Waters D-Calif., said Bush "tricked" the country into an immoral war. "He did not tell the truth," she said. "I will not vote one dime for this war."

Waters, the voice of reason, is joining ranks with another voice of reason, Russ Feingold.

"Hell no! We won't pay!"

...Showcased speakers in addition to Fonda included actors Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and Danny Glover.

Danny Glover?

This Danny Glover?


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, right, and actor Danny Glover wave to a crowd gathered at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006. (AP Photo/Shiho Fukada)


Yup, that's the one.

Fonda was a lightning rod in the Vietnam era for her outspoken opposition to that war, earning the derisive nickname "Hanoi Jane" from conservatives for traveling to North Vietnam during the height of that conflict 35 years ago. She had avoided anti-Iraq war appearances until now.

Oh, those conservatives are so mean-spirited!

How dare they hold Fonda accountable for giving aid and comfort to the enemy!

About 40 people staged a counter-protest, including military family members and Army Cpl. Joshua Sparling, 25, who lost his leg to a bomb in Iraq in November 2005.

He said the anti-war protesters, especially those who are veterans or who are on active duty, "need to remember the sacrifice we have made and what our fallen comrades would say if they are alive."

I suppose the protesters are too caught up in what they perceive to be their own importance to reflect on how this impacts our troops and their loved ones or the families of the fallen.

...Bush was in Washington for the weekend. He is often is out of town during big protest days. On Monday, for instance, he called anti-abortion marchers on the telephone from Camp David.

Awww.

Do the protesters feel slighted that President Bush didn't telephone them?

United for Peace and Justice, a coalition group sponsoring the protest, said there has been intense interest in the rally since Bush announced he was sending 21,500 additional troops to supplement the 130,000 in Iraq.

United for Peace and Justice is a wacko, far-left Leftist group.

This is not MIDDLE America.
_________________________________


Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, center, who is running for the Democratic presidential for a second time, speaks at protest against the war in Iraq on the National Mall on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Look at this. Dennis Kucinich has assembled ALL of his 2008 presidential supporters. It's a groundswell!

Perhaps freak show would be more fitting.

MLK Party, Racism, and Selective Outrage

Students at Tarleton State University celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by throwing a party.

It didn't highlight King's contributions to American society and human rights.

No, this gathering wasn't the sort of observance that we've come to associate with the holiday. This party in Stephenville, Texas focused on mocking African American stereotypes.

Last week, while the nation paused to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a group of students at a Texas college outside Fort Worth marked the day by throwing a party that featured black stereotype costumes — including a student dressed as Aunt Jemima — a main course of fried chicken and cases of malt liquor.

The insensitivity didn't end there. The students then brazenly posted their party photos on the popular Web site Facebook.com for all the world to see.

School administrators at Tarleton State University in Stephenville told FOXNews.com they are investigating an off-campus Martin Luther King Jr. Day student party held on Jan. 15 that the school's president called "reprehensible."

"I am personally insulted by these photographs and am disappointed that Tarleton students have demonstrated such insensitivity," university President Dennis P. McCabe wrote in a letter to students and faculty posted on the school's Web site Wednesday.

"I regret that any of our students have been hurt by the display of these photographs. The students involved have removed them and have expressed regret over offending their fellow students."

"I feel like there is no excuse for this type of ignorance," Donald Ray Elder, president of the school's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, told the Associated Press.

Photographs posted on students' personal Facebook pages showed party attendees donning Afro-style wigs, fake gold jewelry, 40-ounce bottles of alcohol in brown paper bags and mock silver teeth. The photos have now made their way around the Web via TheSmokingGun.com.

In one picture, a student dressed as the character Aunt Jemima holds a bottle of maple syrup in one hand and a bottle in a brown paper bag that appeared to contain malt liquor.

These students are dunces.

Their insensitivity is shocking. It's also shocking that they slapped the photos up on Facebook.

The partygoers obviously had no shame about how they behaved, none whatsoever.

The faces are so clear and readily identifiable.

Their parents must be horrified, or not. Who knows?

The students should be humiliated.

Can you imagine one of the students pictured going to a job interview?

"You look familiar. Oh, now I remember. You dressed up like Aunt Jemima on MLK Day. I don't think you're right for our company."

These students aren't going to have the opportunity to do public apologies, like Michael Richards did after his outburst.

Will they go to therapy, like Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington after his use of an anti-gay slur to another cast member?

I doubt it.

I think expressions of racism and the use of stereotypical slurs are inexcusable. It's not a matter of being politically correct or overly sensitive.

It's just inappropriate. Case closed.

I don't think it's amusing to degrade other human beings. I condemn all such behavior.

Whether its spouted by college students or celebrities, there's no place for it in a civilized society, ANYWHERE.

But that's not the case. Racism is accepted by some in certain instances. In fact, it's condoned and encouraged.

Some examples:


Wolf Blitzer
Artist: Billmon
(Image from NewsBusters and Hot Air )



Michael Steele -- "I's Simple Sambo and I's running for the Big House"
Artist and caption author: Steve Gilliard


"Joe Lieberman"
Artist: Jane Hamsher, posted on The Huffington Post

Why does the Left get a pass when it comes to these despicable depictions?

There are so many examples of the Left's glaring racism.

Here are a few more:

--USA Today doctors a photo of Condoleezza Rice.

--Condoleezza Rice is belittled on a math final at Bellevue Community College.

--Michael Steele is labeled an Uncle Tom and pelted with oreos.

--Former Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee spews anti-Semitic remarks on the radio.

--Clarence Thomas is deemed "a black man who deserves an asterisk" by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

--Trey Ellis plays shrink in a racist attack on Claude Allen.

--MoveOn.org hosts anti-Semitic remarks about Joe Lieberman.

--Chris Matthews repeatedly employs ethnic stereotypes to refer to Joe Lieberman.

The fact is a thinly-veiled bigotry routinely runs through the Left's commentary.

Leftists fail to condemn anti-Semites like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Louis Farrakhan.

They fail to condemn Howard Dean, Joe Biden, Robert Byrd, Hillary Clinton, etc., for their racial and ethnic slurs. Catholic-bashing is a favorite pastime for them.

This is unacceptable.

It's unacceptable from college students, from Kramer, from politicians and African American leaders.

I think the same outrage and disgust that people are directing at the Tarleton students should be applied to the libs, and anyone else, who feel free to engage in similar overt racism.

No excuses.

The students at that MLK Day party disgraced themselves, their parents, and their university.

Their "fun" is a sad reflection of the racism that exists in many corners of America, among the uneducated as well as the supposedly sophisticated and enlightened elite.

The time is long overdue to overcome.

___________________________

Read the letter from the university's president, Dennis P. McCabe.

Feingold's Hearing, Not Listening

Russ Feingold isn't content to let Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama suck up the media's attention.

Although he's out of the running as a presidential candidate, he doesn't want to step out of the spotlight.

Feingold has made a name for himself by being ahead of the pack when it comes to extremist lib proposals.

First, he called for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq by December 31, 2006.

Oops! Never mind.

Then, he joined with the emotional John Kerry and set July 1, 2007 as the new deadline for the troops to leave.

That didn't work out either, but Feingold is still plugging away and sucking up to the fringe Left.

The Maverick Man isn't satisfied with the symbolic, nonbinding resolutions that the Dems and the spineless Hagel and Warner-type alleged Republicans are introducing. Feingold claims to want action.

Actually, Feingold wants a hearing on cutting off funding for the war. He desperately wants to be heard.

I think he's becoming addicted to these hearings. They give him an opportunity to huff and puff before C-SPAN cameras. If he's really lucky, he might get a quick sound bite on the news, saying something outrageous. You can see the thrill he gets from performing.

Feingold will have another chance to shine next week.

He will be chair of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to force the issue of cutting funds out from under our troops as a strategy to end the war in Iraq.

Feingold's press release:

On Tuesday, January 30th, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will chair a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War.” Earlier this month, Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, became the first Senator to call on Congress to use its power of the purse to redeploy our troops safely from Iraq so that we can refocus on the global terrorist networks that threaten our national security. Feingold proposed this action after President George Bush announced plans to escalate our military involvement in Iraq despite the objections of members of both parties, military and foreign policy experts, and the American people.

“Congress holds the power of the purse and if the President continues to advance his failed Iraq policy, we have the responsibility to use that power to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq,” Feingold said. “This hearing will help inform my colleagues and the public about Congress’s power to end a war and how that power has been used in the past. I will soon be introducing legislation to use the power of the purse to end what is clearly one of the greatest mistakes in the history of our nation’s foreign policy.”

Witnesses at the hearing will include:

--Louis Fisher, Library of Congress:

--Prof. Walter Dellinger, Duke University School of Law, former Solicitor General of the United States

--Prof. David Barron, Harvard Law School

--Prof. Robert Turner, University of Virginia Law School

Who: U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution

What: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing -- “Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War.” Feingold will chair the full committee hearing.

Where: SD - 226

When: Tuesday, January 30th – 10:00 am ET

I have to give Feingold credit for this stunt.

At least he's not afraid to take a stand.

He's not dancing around the issue with silly, nonbinding resolutions that express no confidence for the President.

At least he's got the chutzpah to address Congress' role, and therefore responsibility, in the funding of the war. He's horribly misguided as Dems tend to be, but his grandstanding is over a meaningful approach.

John Kerry lover Harry Reid and the amazing blinking woman Nancy Pelosi, as well as Chuck Hagel and John Warner, are just posturing over nothing.

If they want to manage the course of the war in Iraq, all they have to do is what Feingold wants to do -- cut off the money. If Congress is so against the presence of our troops in Iraq, then they can bring them home by taking away the money to keep them there.

The media keep yapping about Bush's Iraq policy having no support from Dems and little support from Republicans. They repeat that Americans are "war weary." They want out.

So why screw around with symbolic motions?

On January 24 at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting on Iraq, Feingold spelled out his intentions.

This is not a time for legislative nuancing. This is not a time for trying to forge a compromise that everybody can be a part of.

This is a time to stop the needless deaths of American troops in Iraq. This is a time to refocus our country in the fight against those who attacked us on 9/11.

And we have a moral responsibility, as well as a responsibility to the lives of the American people, to start doing it now.

And I believe in good faith that this chairman means it when he says that's what we're going to be doing. And so I'm going to support what we're doing here today.

Next week, I'll be holding, as chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, a hearing to make it very clear that we have the constitutional power to use the power of the purse, to remind our colleagues and the public of that power.

And I will introduce legislation that will combine a timeline with the ability to use the power of the purse so that we can finally redeploy these troops.

Feingold's turning into quite a blowhard.

Redeploying the troops, of course, means cutting and running, admitting defeat.

Still, I like what Feingold is doing. There should be a binding resolution, one that's not just a slap at Bush.

Let's see how many legislators are like Feingold. How many are willing to vote to end America's military involvement in Iraq by drying up the money?

I think it's ridiculous that Warner and other Republicans are wasting their time trying to come up with compromise resolutions.

Weakening the President is what our enemies want. They want us to lose our resolve. They want exactly what Feingold is proposing.

Pledge YOUR Allegiance to Victory in Iraq

Are you disgusted by the pointless, nonbinding resolutions in Congress, serving no other purpose than to undercut President Bush, slapping him with a vote of no confidence?

Do you find their campaign for defeat sickening?


Read more here.


Sign the pledge.

Discount-Mats Sends a Message

Discount-Mats is in a battle to win the hearts and minds of Americans.

Some Americans were upset by the way an employee responded to an e-mail from a U.S. soldier in Iraq, Sgt. Jason Hess of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division.

Other Americans supported the employee for exercising his right to speak his mind, insulting the soldier.

(These people not only lack common decency, but they're clueless as to what it takes to run a successful business.)

In an attempt to save itself, Discount-Mats has posted a message for you:

Dear Visitor,

Due to the recent actions of a member within our company, we have been experiencing many difficulties. We have been bombarded by emails and phone calls literally within 12 hours of the event occurring, which sent us in a state of complete shock.

Our technical difficulties were experienced due to severe e-mail and phone call overload.

As a company, we would like to say that it is against company policy to treat anyone disrespectfully, and we condemn any such behavior. The member who was responsible for stating their personal opinion in a disrespectful manner is no longer associated and no longer working with Discount-Mats.com

The members within our company strongly disagreed with the views and actions of this member, and once again, his personal opinion does not reflect the opinions of the company.

We, as a company, are sorry for the events that took place and we do not condone un-professional, rude behavior from any members within our company.

We are trying to get our website back up as soon as possible.

If you are a potential or current customer, or if you would like to leave your comments, please contact us via phone or e-mail below:

New E-mail Address: support @ discount-mats.com

Phone Number: 414-736-8394

We are getting a lot of phone calls and we expect many emails, so please don't be surprised if the mailbox is full. Please try again later as we are constantly trying to clear our phone and e-mail boxes.

Do you feel Discount-Mats' pain?

"A complete state of shock" -- Poor Discount-Mats. Poor Faisal Khetani.

The message is very clear about condemning the actions of the rude worker, and more importantly, condemning that individual's views.

The members within our company strongly disagreed with the views and actions of this member, and once again, his personal opinion does not reflect the opinions of the company.

Is this sincere?

I think it's a sincere effort to salvage the business. I think it's an effort to get back to selling mats and move past the incident.

In a way, the message to visitors says that Discount-Mats supports the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. The worker called for the troops to withdraw and that "does not reflect the opinions of the company."

SGT Hess,
We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com

I still think that the business should ship a LOAD of mats to Iraq and be sure to alert the media for maximum coverage of the good deed.

The bottom line: Politics and mats are a dangerous mix.

Sponge-Worthy

Get wet!

Today's Public Service Announcement:


How to rid bacteria from household sponges has been a hot topic.

TV, radio, and print news outlets have all offered the tip that your sponge can be germ-free after a quick zap in the microwave.

Beware the quick fix!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Two minutes in a microwave oven can sterilize most household sponges, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

A team of engineering researchers at the University of Florida found that two minutes of microwaving on full power killed or inactivated more than 99 percent of bacteria, viruses or parasites, as well as spores, on a kitchen sponge.

"People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave," said Gabriel Bitton, a professor of environmental engineering who led the study.

Writing in the Journal of Environmental Health, Bitton and colleagues said they soaked sponges and scrubbing pads in raw wastewater containing fecal bacteria such as E. coli, viruses, protozoan parasites and bacterial spores.

Then they used a common household microwave oven to heat up the sponges. It took four to 10 minutes to kill all the spores but everything else was killed after two, they said.

"The microwave is a very powerful and an inexpensive tool for sterilization," Bitton said.

What a breakthrough!

Something as simple as microwaving sponges can help people avoid illnesses caused by food borne microbes.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that millions become ill from these germs every year, and thousands die.

If microwaving a sponge can cut down on such illness and death, it sounds like a practice that should become routine.

It seems easy enough. Just toss the sponge in the microwave and voilà -- a sterile sponge that would satisfy even Martha Stewart.

However, a disturbing trend has emerged since the sponge microwave method made the rounds starting about two days ago.

Reports of sponge mishaps are coming into newsrooms.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Reports about a study that found microwave ovens can be used to sterilize kitchen sponges sent people hurrying to test the idea this week -- with sometimes disastrous results.

A team at the University of Florida found that two minutes in the microwave at full power could kill a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites on kitchen sponges.

..."Just wanted you to know that your article on microwaving sponges and scrubbers aroused my interest. However, when I put my sponge/scrubber into the microwave, it caught fire, smoked up the house, ruined my microwave, and pissed me off," one correspondent wrote in an e-mail to Reuters.

"First, the sponge is worthless afterwards so you have to throw it out instead of using it. And second your entire house stinks like a burning tire for several hours, even with windows/doors open," complained another.

Aaron Hoover, a press officer at the University of Florida, said several other news organizations received similar complaints, although no one had complained directly to the university.

"We figured, 'wow, we better let people know right away that the sponge should be wet,'" Hoover said in a telephone interview.

Wow, that would be a good idea to fully explain how to properly use the sponge method.

THE SPONGE MUST BE WET.

That's a little detail that many of the microwaved sponge articles that I pulled up on the Internet failed to specify.

The university issued the following advisory: "To guard against the risk of fire, people who wish to sterilize their sponges at home must ensure the sponge is completely wet. Two minutes of microwaving is sufficient for most sterilization. Sponges should also have no metallic content. Last, people should be careful when removing the sponge from the microwave as it will be hot."

In addition to the advisory, I'm surprised the university didn't issue a disclaimer:

"Not responsible for flaming sponges, destroyed microwaves, and noxious odors in homes. Microwave sponges at your own risk."

John "The Botcher" Kerry Backs Out

Dems to Kerry: "Thanks, but no thanks."

It's official. The distinguished John Kerry has dropped out of the 2008 presidential race.

He has abandoned his dream.

He's been relegated to the dustbin of history as a presidential wannabe, a loser, like his colleague Teddy Kennedy.

From The Boston Globe:

Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, plans to say he will remain in the Senate to recommit himself to efforts to extricate the United States from the war in Iraq. His decision to stay out of the presidential race reflects a realization that he would have had an uphill climb in capturing the Democratic nomination, given the other party heavyweights who are already in the race, according to the officials, who spoke to the Globe on condition of anonymity.

Kerry plans to make his plans known with a speech on the Senate floor this afternoon, and is taping a message to e-mail his supporters to explain his decision.

Kerry, the party's 2004 presidential nominee, has been acting like a 2008 candidate virtually since he lost to President Bush -- traveling the country, spreading money to other Democratic candidates, and keeping in place a campaign infrastructure that was ready for another presidential bid.

But according to Kerry associates, the senator's plans changed dramatically in the fallout of his election-eve ``botched joke" about the education levels of US troops. The harsh reaction to that incident -- from many Democrats as well as Republicans -- displayed to Kerry the extreme skepticism within his own party about whether he should mount another run.

So it's the "botched joke" that came back to bite Kerry.



Yeah, right.

Kerry's trying to paint himself as a victim of a misunderstanding. The poor man was mocked because he screwed up a joke. Now, his dreams are dashed.

What a load!

The reality is Kerry is a loser and the Dems would be crazy to look to him as their presidential savior.




_____________________________

On the Senate floor this afternoon, Harry Reid told John Kerry how he really feels about him.

"So I say to John Kerry: I love you, John Kerry. And I'm so sorry that things didn't work out for our country, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I will always care about you greatly and remember the times we've spent together."

How sweet!

Clearly, Reid was deeply moved by John Kerry's announcement that he would not be seeking the presidency again, at least not in 2008.

"We came close ... certainly close enough to be tempted to try again," the Massachusetts senator said, recalling his defeat.

"There are powerful reasons to want to continue that fight now. But I have concluded this isn't the time for me to mount a presidential campaign."

So there will be no presidential mounting for John Kerry. Tsk, tsk.

Don't fret, Mr. Kerry. Harry Reid loves you!

Here's a pic of Kerry overcome with emotion as he cuts and runs from the 2008 presidential race.

(Note: In spite of how it may look, the pic is not a pick. "But there--but there was no piick!! I--I did not pick!! There was no piick!!")



This image from video provided by Senate TV shows Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., becoming emotional while speaking about the U.S. policy in Iraq, which he said threathens everything he's been fighting for since his return from Vietnam, on the floor of the U.S. Senate in Washington Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007. In his closing remarks Kerry, the Democrats' losing presidential candidate in 2004, said he will not run for the White House again in 2008. (AP Photo/Senate TV)



Yes, just think of all that Kerry's been fighting for since his return from Vietnam. We know, Mr. Kerry, "courageous" Winter Soldier.

Mats, Lies, and UWM

Sergeant Jason Hess believes he deserves an apology after being insulted by an employee of West Allis, WI based Discount-Mats.com.

He's still waiting.

According to Milwaukee's NBC affiliate, no direct apology has been given to Hess.

The owners of Discount Mats are so worried about the possible backlash from the controversy over the employee's actions. They consider themselves to be in danger; yet the company doesn't bother to personally apologize for the employee's behavior.

It seems like owner Faisal Khetani doesn't really understand the depth of the insult.

The company's owner, 23-year-old Faisal Khetani, fired the employee who sent the e-mail. He told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Mick Trevey the e-mail does not represent the views of the company. Ramzan Khetani, the owner's dad, said, "I am ready to apologize you know - on their behalf. Because that is not the right way to talk to anybody."

If the owner's dad is ready to apologize, then he should urge his son to send Sgt. Hess an e-mail doing exactly that.

But the soldier who received the controversial e-mail wrote reporter Trevey Tuesday to say he has not received any apology directly from the company. He indicated, "They should have emailed me for one, my email (address) is posted everywhere so they cannot say we don't have it."

A message left on Faisal Khetani's cell phone Tuesday was not returned.

Frankly, I'm surprised that Khetani didn't already apologize to Hess.

As Ramzan Khetani said, what the employee wrote "is not the right way to talk to anybody."

So isn't it time to try and right the wrongs?
______________________________

Texas Hold ‘Em Blogger notes that the offensive e-mail sent to Sgt. Hess had a UW-Milwaukee address.

He writes that the account used by the individual belonged to a student who hadn't been at UWM since 2004.

The university doesn’t require former students to relinquish an e-mail address once they are not enrolled as students.

It appears to be a former UW-Milwaukee student living at home operating a website as an e-tailer who fired off the attack e-mail using the business name.

Texas Hold ‘Em Blogger suggests that there is no employee that's been fired. Instead, he thinks "Faisal Khetani is the individual who took the cheap shot at the military and is now hiding under his bed like the sniveling little coward he is."

I think that's a reasonable conclusion. Taking Faisal Khetani's age into account, it seems to fit.

Honorary Dem Ahmadinejad Mocks Bush

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to be feeling as good as Nancy Pelosi these days. He shares in the Dems' giddiness.

The problem is that state of euphoria is based on a weakened President Bush and, subsequently, a weakened America.

TEHRAN, Iran -- The United States is incapable of inflicting "serious damage" on Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday, as a second U.S. aircraft carrier group steamed toward the Gulf as a warning from Washington for Iran to back down in its attempts to dominate the region.

In an interview with Iranian state television, Ahmadinejad said Washington had not stepped up its campaign against Tehran, despite the standoff with the West over Iran's defiance of U.N. demands to halt uranium enrichment. The U.N. Security Council imposed limited sanctions on Iran last month.

"U.S. rhetoric against Iran has not increased," Ahmadinejad said. "In 2003, they openly threatened to attack Iran. Now they have indirectly made such threats."

He spoke with confidence over Iran's ability to withstand a strike. "The United States is unable to inflict serious damage on Iran," the president said. He also noted, "They (U.S.) are not really in a position to carry out this action (of attacking Iran). I believe there are many wise people in the United States who would not let it happen."

Listen to Ahmadinejad.

What "wise people"?

He's talking about the Dems.

Pelosi and Reid announced last week that they were against taking a tough military stand against Iran. Instead, they called for chit chat with the regime that has repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel, ignored UN resolutions, and defied the international community.

No wonder Ahmadinejad is so cocky.

A defeat in Iraq, something that Dems are firmly committed to assuring, is a victory for madman Ahmadinejad.

He knows that the American people apparently don't have the will to fight.

He sees no obstacles blocking Iran's path to becoming a nuclear power now that the U.S. is being overrun with appeasers.

Is this in the best interest of the nation?

When President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress and the American people on September 20, 2001, just days after the 9/11 attacks, he said:

After all that has just passed -- all the lives taken, and all the possibilities and hopes that died with them -- it is natural to wonder if America's future is one of fear. Some speak of an age of terror. I know there are struggles ahead, and dangers to face. But this country will define our times, not be defined by them. As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world.

Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. And in our grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom -- the great achievement of our time, and the great hope of every time -- now depends on us. Our nation -- this generation -- will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.

It is my hope that in the months and years ahead, life will return almost to normal. We'll go back to our lives and routines, and that is good. Even grief recedes with time and grace. But our resolve must not pass.

"Our resolve must not pass."

You can think the surge is worth trying. You can think that it's already doomed.

You can think that we are better off with Saddam Hussein being history. You can think that it would be better if he were still around to terrorize and torture his people, threaten stability in the region, and plot against America.

Whatever your opinions may be, there's no question that the relentless taunting and hacking away at the President's credibility and character is detrimental to the country.

For example, I heard ABC's Martha Raddatz say that Bush is delusional because he's still talking about victory in Iraq.

If Ahmadinejad heard her, I'm sure he was thrilled. Pundit after pundit after the State of the Union wallowed in what they consider to be Bush's certain defeat in Iraq.

They don't seem to get that Bush's defeat is America's defeat.

And the new direction for the country that the Dems want is the same one that Ahmadinejad wants.

Why not just bring out the white flags right now?

"Our resolve must not pass."

Too late.

HASTERT OR PELOSI?

I thought this was funny.

I went to the White House website to get its State of the Union transcript.

I thought I had clicked on the wrong page and was at the 2006 State of the Union speech.

It wasn't the wrong page. It was the 2007 State of the Union. However, the photo posted above the partial transcript was one from the 2006 address.

I took this screen shot because I doubt it will stay up for long.


Click on the image to enlarge.


Is the White House trying to keep Nancy Pelosi out of the spotlight?

Fondly remembering the glory days of Republican control of both houses?

Here is the full transcript from the White House of Bush's speech.
_____________________________

Update:

Hastert is out of the picture on the White House website.


Click on the image to get a better view of Excitable Girl Pelosi.

Reuters Editorializes -- AGAIN

U.S. President George W. Bush delivers his State of the Union speech as U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney (top) applauds on Capitol Hill in Washington January 23, 2007. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)


When I saw this picture of a grimacing President Bush on the photo wire, I didn't have to look at its source.

Reuters, of course.


Look at this one.


REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)

Not too flattering. Take a closer look.



You can always depend on the photo editors at Reuters to run with whatever the anti-Bush lens captures.

Here's another photo from tonight's speech:


Actor Michael J. Fox (top C) listens as U.S. President George W. Bush delivers his State of the Union speech on Capitol Hill in Washington January 23, 2007. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)

It's a nice shot of Michael J. Fox, isn't it?