Quick Notes

I'm still out of town, but I wanted to check in. I hate not being able to opine about the Democratic debate, but I will say that I was surprised by Obama's fumbling. It only makes me more sure that he would be easier to beat than Hillary. But I still believe Hillary is going to take the nomination come hell or high water.

If you missed Hillary and Obama on Stephen Colbert, HotAir has the videos.

Ok, enough already with the Presidential candidates (including McCain) mixing entertainment and comedy with their candidacy. ENOUGH. We get it. You are all so witty and self effacing. We get it. So stop it. It's now embarrassing to me. Show some class for God's sake.

The political season is enough theatre for all of us.

Last thing. I am loving the Pope's visit. As President Bush might say, "It's awesome."

I can't go into what emergency I had to attend to, but please keep my family in your prayers. I would appreciate it.

Gotta go again

I've got a family emergency and I have to fly home. I may check back later in the week if I get a chance.

You would think Obama might want to avoid the word "bitter" about now

But no, he's even using a "bitter" person who donated money to his campaign in his most recent e-mail request for donations. It says in part:

We asked some of the 1.3 million people who have already donated to this movement for change to share their story and promise to match your first donation to the campaign.

Here are some of the people waiting to match your donation:

Rick from Florida matched a donation of $25, writing:

"I am a typical American just like you. I've served in the military, I work hard for a living and I want what's best for my country, not just me. I've seen what's happened over the last years and I am deeply saddened, worried and, yes, even bitter."

Here's an idea. Let's let all the bitter people vote for Obama. Maybe it will make them feel better.

The rest of us, who are proud of our country, proud of our military, proud that we are the most generous and prosperous nation on earth, can vote for McCain when the times comes.

Reluctant or undecided McCain supporters...listen up.

Even if you are one of those conservatives mad at McCain for a variety of things (and we all know what they are), I will give you one very very good reason to not sit out this election.

Do you want the country to go through the ridiculous process, politics, money, and hand wringing rhetoric of the left and a new Attorney General prosecuting officials of a former Bush administration on issues of torture and other potential crimes (illegal war!)??????

Because that, my friends, is exactly what you will get with President Obama (and maybe even President Hillary)

Oh, I'm not speculating here. Here is what Obama said:

What I would want to do is to have my Justice Department and my Attorney General immediately review the information that's already there and to find out are there inquiries that need to be pursued. I can't prejudge that because we don't have access to all the material right now. I think that you are right, if crimes have been committed, they should be investigated.

He went on to say he wouldn't want his first term consumed by the investigations, but who are we kidding here? It would be a long and drawn out partisan witch hunt and we all know that.

So, you reluctant ones can sit home, but I don't think you will enjoy the show that follows.

They have pickup trucks in America

I was sent this earlier this month and missed it. I'm so glad I found it.

From his website:
Stefan Koehler is a recent immigrant from Germany, Stefan was an eyewitness to the horrors of life under a dictatorship. He is now thankful and proud to live in America, the country of his dreams, the land of freedom and opportunity. His goal is to encourage Americans to appreciate and honor their great nation. His authentic enthusiasm is highly upbeat, touching, contagious.

Tony Snow

I just wanted to share Tony Snow's speech at the MRC awards dinner. It's inspiring and I just so admire him. Enjoy.

Crazy times in politics

From Rush24/7 talking about Senator Lieberman at the the annual Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation annual dinner and ball where the Senator and Rush were receiving awards:

Senator Lieberman was the last speaker of the night, receiving the Johnny Mike Spann Award, and he was funny as he could be. He said one really nice thing. He said perhaps the greatest thing that the United States Senate had done all last year was take action that generated $4.2 million for the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. He was only Democrat who did not sign it. He's an independent now, but he was the only non-Republican who did not sign the Harry Reid smear letter.

I mentioned that in my brief remarks, and he thanked me for pointing out to the crowd he had not signed it. And he said -- I got a little embarrassed by this -- he said, "With that act, Mr. Limbaugh proved that his heart is even larger than his voice, which is already massively powerful." And then he said, "Can you believe what an odd political season we are in? Here I am, Joe Lieberman, now an Independent, receiving an award from the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation and trying to convince Rush Limbaugh to support the Republican candidate for president.

h/t Cormac

Heh

via ibeditorials and Beth C.

Obama's bitter babble

Gotta love that image. via publiuspundit.

Victor Davis Hanson is just so good at this.

Here is a taste:

Here is what Sen. Obama said:

"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them...And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Here is what Sen. Obama now says he said:

"So I said, 'Well, you know, when you're bitter you turn to what you can count on,' " he continued. "So people they vote about guns, or they take comfort from their faith and their family and their community. And they get mad about illegal immigrants who are coming over to this country or they get frustrated about, you know, how things are changing. That's a natural response."

1. Note how version #1's "cling" becomes version #2's "vote about" and "take comfort from"—as the condescending dismissal becomes empathetic understanding.

2. Note how version #1's "religion" and "antipathy to people who aren't like them" becomes version #2's "faith" and "their family and community" —as fundamentalist xenophobes now become beleaguered folks who band together against the unfairness.

3. Note how version #1's "anti-immigrant" becomes version #2's "mad about illegal immigrants" —as the nativist who opposes all immigrants, legal and illegal, now becomes understandably angry only about those coming here illegally.

Read the whole thing.

What fun we are having!

With Hillary it's practically a hoedown! She's shooting shots at the bar and talking about shooting guns. What's next for Hillary? Riding a horse and pitching hay perhaps? Too funny. Obama shoots back (so to speak) by calling her "Annie Oakley." If only I knew how to photoshop! Someone put Hillary's face here and send it to me! Just for laughs. (Done. Thanks to dave bones!)

Hillary says Obama is elitist and out of touch, which is quite the pot calling the kettle black, (I can say that, can't I??) while also calling Gore and Kerry the biggest snotty preppies ever (I'm paraphrasing of course..;-) and Obama is all "Shame on you, but I did mean what I said, I just should have said it to sound better."

And Bill is taking the "bitter" comment of Obama's and running with it. He says to the little people, "you don't seem bitter to me at all." Expect the word "bitter" to now be a daily talking point.

In Central Pennsylvania yesterday Bill had this to say:

"One more time, the campaign opposite Hillary said, 'Well there really wasn't any difference in the Clinton years and the Bush years. Rural Pennsylvania really didn't do very well.' Do you agree with that?” he asked the crowd, which responded with jeers. Smiling broadly, Clinton continued: "I just thought I'd get a few witnesses here. You know I'm a Baptist. On Sunday, we look for witnesses."

Can I get a witness? Because I think I'm going to puke.

But I gotta laugh first. SNL will be having fun this weekend.

The Media Research Center

The Media Research Center, which I visited while in Washington D.C., is a drop of gold in the dirty sand of mass media. The divisions of MRC are NewsBusters, CNS News, The Business and Media Institute, The Culture and Media Institute, Times Watch, and Eyeblast TV.

The people that work there are a comparatively small band of soldiers fighting the good fight. Mostly young and determined.

MRC records news program and other shows with some people assigned to certain ones each day that are known to have outrageous bias (such as The View). Every day people call in for something in MRC's enormous archives. People like the Jon Daily Show and the RNC.

But the heart of MRC is clearly one thing...The truth. It is a watchdog of what we value the most. One of their newest additions, The Culture Media Institute purpose is dedicated to shining light on misconceptions about social conservatives and people of faith displayed in the media and to help restore the character and traditional values in the media.

Talk about David and Goliath!

So the next time you see something on TV that is so biased and unfair it makes you want to scream, remember that a small group of cultural warriors are looking at it and exposing it for what it is.

Why Hillary will win the nomination

Politico titles this "What Clinton Wishes She Could Say," but actually it IS what she will say to the superdelegates. And if they are listening with their heads instead of their emotions, they will vote for Clinton when the time comes.

Alrighty then...

Rev.Wright speaks his eternal wisdom again:

Speaking of the seven lessons Pincham taught him, Wright said the judge’s faith “was not the jingoistic, chauvinistic ‘you’re either with us or against us’ demonizing kind of faith.”

“FOX News can’t understand that,” Wright said to rousing cheers and applause. “[Bill] O’Reilly will never get that. Sean Hannity’s stupid fantasy will keep him forever stuck on stupid when it comes to comprehending how you can love a brother who does not believe what you believe. [Pincham’s] faith was a faith in a God who loved the whole world not just one country or one creed.”

Translation:

"I HATE STUPID PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN LOVE A PERSON WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE! I MEAN I HATE THEM!!! STUCK ON STUPID IDIOTS THAT DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE. I HATE THEM."

You have to love the irony. I think we get the whole "bitter" thing from Obama now.

This Pope just rocks

I can't wait for the reaction from the left on this.

The Pope will pray for the redemption of Islamic terrorists when he visits the site of the September 11 attacks in New York next week.

Aircraft will be banned from flying under 3,000 feet while the Pope is at Ground Zero

The pontiff will call for terrorists to convert to Christianity, saying: "Turn to Your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred. "God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance".

via Instapundit

Newsbuster Bloggers!

Here are my fellow bloggers who also made the trip for the gala courtesy of The Media Research Center. Left to right sitting. Me, Noel Shepard, an economist who is associate editor at Newsbusters.org, Warner Todd Huston of Publius' Forum, Terry Trippany of Webloggin. The gentleman standing is Ken Shepard who is managing editor of Newsbusters.org. Tom Blumer isn't shown, but he runs BizzyBlog and he was my official "photographer" at the gala (bless his heart!)

A nicer group of gentlemen you could not find anywhere. My next post will be more about what I did there. Stay tuned!

UPDATE: I almost forgot to add that I was also invited to a bloggers luncheon at McCain's headquarters with some of the people in the campaign. Alot of interesing things were discussed, but it was off the record so I can't discuss that. But bloggers from WSJ, The Weekly Standard, National Review, and many others were there including MaryKatharine Ham from Townhall.com who I finally got to meet in person and she is even prettier than her pictures.

I will say that everyone there seemed to be convinced that Obama will be the nominee, but I still think Hillary will get the nomination. In fact I have a $50 bet with Matthew Sheffield, the editor at Newsbusters.org.