Sing it sister!

Oh yeah.

I Have The Power

I have my power back on that is....That sound you hear is me singing and rejoicing (actually, you should be glad that you can't really hear me).

This is the point where I would start lamenting over my week without power and also post a picture of my shrine to Thomas Edison, but instead I'll look on the bright side and say that I had a wonderful time with my neighbors cooking out and watching movies in the driveway. I also went and stayed a few nights with my daughter at college for some quality time.

Ok, now where were we? Oh yes, the financial markets took a hit and the govt came riding in on it's white horse. The left blames the right and the right blames the left. That is what is what we are left with now. Each one blaming the other and claiming the other is lying. The problem? We can't trust the media to tell us the truth. It's politics at it's worse. Obama brought nothing new to this table, that is for sure.

Let's catch up on politics, shall we?

Remember when the left made the false claim that Sarah Palin had tried to ban books at a library in Alaska? (I think they are still trying to run with that one even though they know it's false) Well, Michelle Malkin has an excellent article here on how the leftists are the ones who openly try to ban books that don't espouse what they believe. It's always interesting to me that the left justifies for themselves what they claim to abhor in those on the right. Sarah Palin's personal e-mail being hacked by the son of a Democratic politician is a perfect example of this. I haven't heard one peep from those who see us tapping the phones of suspected terrorists as the greatest invasion of privacy know to man. Not a peep about this invasion of privacy. Imagine if Joe Biden's or Nancy Pelosi's personal e-mail had been hacked by the son of a Republican. Oh my sweet Lord, we wouldn't have heard the end of it. Such is the hypocrisy of the left.

Next, I can't believe we have come to the point where what could be the first black First Lady actually participates in pure sexism:

"People shouldn’t make a decision this time based on 'I like that guy' or you know, 'she's cute' you know, this isn't…"

The crowd laughed and applauded.

"And I'm talking about me," Michelle Obama continued. "But that shouldn't be anyone's reason for making a judgment this time around."

We all know who she was talking about. How clever of her to try and hide her sexism that way. Imagine if Cindy McCain has said, "People shouldn't make a decision based on 'I like that guy' or you know, 'he's black.'

For women like Michelle, women's rights and respect for women's accomplishments only matters if that women is liberal. It's a sad state of affairs for the feminists.

Oh, we would never hear the end of that one either. Such is the double standard the media allows.

Is it any wonder that none of us really trust the media? It has gotten to the point where you watch all you can, listen all you can, and then decide what's true or not. It's a sad commentary on journalists in general and the mainstream media specifically.

Also, Obama promised a new "kind of politics," but he has delivered not just more of the same, but some of the most egregious lies that I have ever seem in political ads. He was hoping to get away with it because it was Spanish language TV, but even ABC news calls Obama on the carpet for the lies.

First, Obama takes Rush Limbaugh out of context (which I find the left does constantly) and then ties him to John McCain. What a joke! Anyone who listens to Rush even in passing knows that Rush has never had a good thing to say about McCain and did not want him to be the nominee. McCain has never had any time for Rush either. And this issue of immigration has been one of the most contested points on which they have disagreed. So it's beyond ridiculous to try to relate the two together. But Obama was hoping that those who speak only Spanish would be fooled, because it is my opinion that he must not think much of of Mexican Americans or immigrants, and figure that they don't know enough about Rush or McCain to know the difference. I hope all Mexican Americans are insulted by this.

It's one thing to "spin" things a certain way, but it's another to lie and try to fool people into believing that two people who have never agreed with each other, are now representing each other. I mean, if ABC news is commenting on the complete dishonesty of this, then you know how bad it is.

I had to add this. It seems the left is now threatening groups with their tax exempt status. Call it leftwing McCarthyism. Because that is what it is and it's nothing new.

I always say that feminists have become the men they hated, and now the left has become the censors that they imagined the right to be.

That is it for now. I am still catching up with my life. Still praying for all those still hurting from the devastation that Hurrincan Ike brought to us.

Guns, Taxes, and Lies

Obama is at the point where he is saying what he needs to say to get elected. Here he is at a recent campaign stop:

"And if they tell you that, 'Well, we're not sure where he stands on guns.' I want you to say, 'He believes in the Second Amendment.' If they tell you, 'Well, he's going to raise your taxes,' you say, 'No, he's not, he's going lower them.' You are my ambassadors. You guys are the ones who can make the case."

First of all, anyone who doesn't think that Obama will raise all of our taxes, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. Raising taxes on capital gains and dividends is a nightmare. The last thing this economy needs. And does anyone who knows Democrats really think that Obama will only let Bush's tax cuts expire on those making over $250,000? Please.

But the "I believe in the Second Amendment" lie is the worst. Obama has had little legislative experience compared to Biden or McCain, but he still has had enough time to do plenty on gun rights.

FACT: Barack Obama voted for an Illinois State Senate bill to ban and confiscate “assault weapons,” but the bill was so poorly crafted, it would have also banned most semi-auto and single and double barrel shotguns commonly used by sportsmen.
FACT: Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.
FACT: Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.
FACT: Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.
FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a 500% increase in the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition.
FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.
FACT: Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities.
FACT: Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.
FACT: Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.
FACT: Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.
FACT: Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.
FACT: Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and “research.”
FACT: Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.
FACT: Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.
FACT: Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.
FACT: Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.
FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.
FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.
FACT: Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.
FACT: Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month handgun purchase restrictions.
FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.

Obama's delusion that he somehow supports the 2nd Amendment is dishonest at best. His insistence that he won't raise taxes is simply a lie in my opinion. Obama truly is Jimmy Carter all over again.

h/t Mike

Economic Stuff

As I slowly lose my mind without electricity or access to a blow dryer or the ability to make a good pasta dish, I thought I would just share some good points here and I'm hearing on my battery operated radio. (Stocking up on wine for the hurricane was my best idea by far)

From NRO:

Both Joe Biden and Sarah Palin were asked whether or not they were in favor of the AIG bailout today. Now as Ramesh noted, Biden's decision to blame tax cuts for the wealthy for the AIG bailout is frankly idiotic. But also profoundly troubling is that nowhere in the statement does Biden evince any knowledge of what AIG does or why it was important to be bailed out — and his ignorance goes a long way toward explaining why he's against a bailout that is pretty obviously necessary to prevent a potential worldwide financial crises. (Meanwhile, Obama issued a statement that makes it impossible to discern whether he's for or against the bailout, and said statement even gets AIG's name wrong.)

Now here's Palin's statement today on AIG:

“Dissapointed that taxpayers are called upon to bailout another one,” she said. “Certainly AIG though with the construction bonds that they’re holding and with the insurance that they are holding very, very impactful to Americans so you know the shot that has been called by the Feds its understandable but very, very disappointing that taxpayers are called upon for another one.”

That is exactly right. It's terrible that the bailout is occurring but Palin indicates that she understands why letting the world's largest insurer go down would be a very bad shock to the financial system. AIG underwrites a massive amount of credit default swaps — which are very similar to insurance contracts for debt instruments. While I wouldn't say AIG couldn't have done anything to avoid their predicament, in some important respects, AIG's financial burdens were not created through their own mismanagement so much as being left holding the bag on these contracts after the failings of its customers. Thus the AIG bailout is more about maintaining liquidity — refusing to bailout AIG would not be about addressing moral hazard in the way it would be if the Fed were dealing with an investment bank insolvency.

The bottom line is that Gov. Palin gets it, and veteran Senator Biden is embarrassingly clueless.

That's my girl.

And...McCain was right on fannie and freddie:

McCain Did Anticipate Problems with Fannie and Freddie [Mark Hemingway]
ABC's Jake Tapper:

"Two years ago, I warned that the oversight of Fannie and Freddie was terrible, that we were facing a crisis because of it, or certainly serious problems," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told CBS this morning. "The influence that Fannie and Freddie had in the inside the Beltway, old boy network, which led to this kind of corruption is unacceptable and I warned about it a couple of years ago.”How does this claim of foresight square with this interview that McCain gave to the Keene (NH) Sentinel, discussing the subprime mortgage crisis, in December 2007?
Tapper goes on to quote McCain saying of the broader subprime/liquidity crises that occurred at in the last few months of 2007, "So, I’d like to tell you that I did anticipate it, but I have to give you straight talk, I did not."

A couple points — in the quote above McCain is clearly referring to Fannie and Freddie explicitly. While they're arguably the lynchpin of the current financial crises, anticipating problems with Fannie and Freddie is hardly the same as foreseeing the overall extent subprime crises.

And if Tapper googled a little harder he would see that McCain's not making a "claim" — he really did anticpate the problems with GSEs and see them as a systemic financial problem. He even sponsored legislation to deal with it:

I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.

McCain deserves credit for being on the right side of this. Meanwhile, Obama in just four years in the Senate raked more contributions from Fannie and Freddie than any other Senator in the last 19 years — save Dodd. McCain should pummel Obama with this. He's right on Fannie/Freddie where Obama has done nothing but take their money look the other way.

Wow

I heard Gianna Jesson speak many many years ago. I always wondered if her incredible story would ever make it past Churches and pro-life groups. Well, it finally has. And just in time to show Obama how wrong he has been on the issue of life.

Where the left went wrong and took Obama with them

The polls are swinging McCain's way. I know the Obama people are asking themselves how this could be happening?

This is how it happened. It was the perfect storm of public relations.

Just as the right went crazy over Sarah Palin and McCain surprised everyone in a political world where there was thought to be no surprises, the left started attacking her. And it wasn't on policy. It was personal. They attacked her family and her motherhood. Many Hillary supporters still angry from the primaries, gritted their teeth once again and their animosity grew. The rest of us shook our heads in dismay.

Obama immediately came out with a statement pleading with his supporters to leave Sarah's family alone. But his supporters didn't listen and then Obama made the mistake of trying to diminish her accomplishments by calling her a "small town mayor," ignoring that she was a sitting Governor. Although disingenuous, it wasn't a personal attack. But it was caught up in all the ugliness. Obama was suppose to be above this kind of politics. That was his hook. But it didn't look like he was above it after all. Obama quickly backtracked and stopped mentioning Sarah at all, but it was too late. He had thrown himself in the middle of it and seemed to become part of the feeding frenzy on Sarah. To be clear, Obama wasn't a part of it, but that was the perception.

Amid all this Sarah Palin presented herself to the nation beautifully. She was strong, confident, and poised. She didn't let the attacks get to her. Her teleprompter failed during the most important speech of her life at the RNC and she didn't miss a beat. This lady was tough. We all saw that and most of us loved it.

Even as Charlie Gibson looked down his nose at Sarah with obvious disdain in her first national interview, Sarah was proving to the nation that she could take it with the best of them.

Then came the celebrity put downs. Pamela Anderson said the Sarah Palin could "suck it." Matt Damon said that her candidacy was like a "bad Disney movie." Who do you think represents women better in this country, Sarah Palin or Pamela Anderson? Who do you think represents men better in this country, Todd Palin or Matt Damon? Did the Hollywood types not think that those of us who share Sarah's values would be insulted? There are quite a number of us. Enough to turn an election. Maybe they should think about what they say before blurting out things that insult millions of us.

It all came together for the perfect political storm.

Politics is crazy even in a normal election and this is far from a normal election. A lot can change and McCain is far from winning this thing no matter what the polls say now. I believe this thing will be neck and neck until the end. But if Obama loses, we will all look back at this point and acknowledge this was where it all went wrong.

Day Three

We are still without power (and yes we have a generator) but we are having to use it to keep the refrigerators cold and the air conditioning unit we bought for the bedroom. We have a limited amount of gas and I haven't wanted to go wait in line in the few places that have gas around here.

There are a lot of silver linings. Both nights we have bonded with our neighbors and grilled out front while the kids played. The only time it felt "Red Dawnish" was listening to the radio where people called in with information on which grocery stores were open and which gas stations had gas and who was selling generators, ice, and water. I haven't had to do hunt for those things, thank goodness, since I'm a planner and had everything early.

Another silver lining was I got TONS done that I've been meaning to do forever. I got all the closets cleaned out in the house (six!) All women reading this knows what a wonderful feeling that is!

Also, a cool front came through and it feels great outside. Beautiful blue Sky's. It's suppose to get down to 59 tonight so mother nature is giving us a bit of an apology I think.

We got the tree off our trampoline and cut up and out front for the city to take away. Neighbors really helped each other and that was nice to see.

I am getting some cabin fever. We rode around just a bit yesterday and all the red lights are out so it's all four way stops at intersections, so it's hardly worth driving around.

I hope and pray that the electricity comes on today. I know Galveston needs some help. People who can help in Houston should be doing what we can. I know the Salvation Army is asking for donations (money only) so if you can, help out there.

I loved reading all of your comments. They all made me smile. It's like a sweet little cyber community of my very own. So many of you offering help and even offering to come evacuate to Dallas or Louisiana. So sweet.

I hope I can get back to blogging regularly soon. I did see the SNL sketch with Palin and Hillary. It was hilarious. Google it if you haven't seen it.

Thanks for everyone's concern! I really appreciate it.

Notes from the wilderness

Well, it feels like the wilderness anyway to a spoiled chick such as myself.

I am connected to the internet by way of a battery pack. But I did want everyone to know that we are just fine, but with no power. But it's been kind of cool because we had a big block party last night and all the neighbors shared food and drink. The kids played with their boogie boards on all the water.

School is cancelled here through Wednesday. I've been listening to the radio and it just sounds awful in Galveston and surrounding areas. Let's keep them in our prayers. I heard that north of where I live in Conroe and Montgomery county that their energy company had a catastrophic event and they will not have power for 2 to 4 weeks! Luckily it isn't our power company.

The kids have been doing things that we did as kids when we only had 3 channels on TV. Playing board games and staying outside. I am more convinced than ever that cable TV is the root of all evil.....;-) I say that even as I go through withdrawals from not watching Fox News.

Friday night was something. I have never seen wind like that in my life. A tree in our back yard broke and fell on our trampoline. We have so many large trees I was worried all night that one would fall on our house. But we lucked out. No glass breakage either.

Since I can't watch Tv, I would appreciate you guys telling me what you have seen. I've talked to my Mom and she told me a little. It really sounds bad. But from what I've heard there hasn't been loss of life. Have you guys heard of any?

I'll try to get on later.

Live blogging Ike

9:50pm Central:

I'm north of the city of Houston so we are only getting winds now. Every family member I have has called tonight (I guess they love me...;-). We are under a tornado watch and that is my main concern.

Tornado's scare the heck out of me.

I am keeping myself amused by watching Geraldo on Fox News slipping down in water and trying to speak with rain spattering in his face.

The flooding is already bad and the storm has even really started yet.

I keep changing to the local stations to watch them interview the people who stayed in Galveston even though an official announced on TV that if they stayed to please write their social security number on their arm in permanent ink so they can identify the body.

But....they stayed. 40% of the residents last I heard.

I have a bad feeling about the whole thing.

9:54pm

CenterPoint Energy is reporting about 300,000 customers are now without electricity this evening. Wow. And the weather isn't even that bad yet as much as I can see on local T.V.

I suppose that means I'll have power only until the storm reaches us.

10:11pm

Local stations reporting that downtown Galveston is under five feet of water and the storm hasn't even hit yet.

10:56pm

I decided I better take a shower since I might not get another chance for a while if things get crazy. Local news reporting several fires in Galveston.

11:00pm

The front of the neighborhood has lost electricity and the wind is hardly blowing! It's only a matter of time for me then. So I might not be blogging for much longer.

I'm guessing I won't getting any sleep tonight.

I will be texting my friend Beth at Yeah, Right, Whatever (she isn't in Houston) when things get bad, so you might check over there if you want an update.

In the news of the wierd there is this from The Houston Chronicle:

The Black Panther Party says it deployed 17 of its members to area gasoline station convenience stores to protect them from theft in the hours before and after Hurricane Ike makes landfall.

Owners asked the group to provide private security for their property, said Major Kenyha Shabazz, chairman of Peoples Party No. 3, the Houston affiliate of the Black Panther Party.

"These are the places that service our communities with food, water and fuel,'' Shabazz said. "We don't want these places torn up.''

During the daylight hours, Panthers were standing guard at boarded-up convenience stores in the East End, North Houston and Third, Fourth and Fifth wards. They planned to spend the night in the stores and be back out front at dawn.

Interesting.

11:40pm

Wow. 600,000 without power now. Still just windy here.

When attacks go bad

These things happen when you are so determined to denigrate your opponent you don't do the most easy of research (like using google) before you stick your foot in your mouth.

From NRO

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund has a new ad attacking Gov. Palin's wildlife management policies in Alaska. In particular, the ad focuses on her support of aerial hunting of wolves and bounties on wolf kills. The ad puts the aerial hu What the ad doesn't mention is that the wolf hunting program is an effort aimed at keeping the wolf population down in order to protect Alaska's caribou and moose populations (in particular the former). A large and healthy caribou population is important both for the state's hunters and subsistence populations that rely on caribou for food.

Then there is this:

Yep. The day after 9/11, as part of its "get tough" makeover, the Obama campaign is mocking John McCain for not using a computer, without caring why he doesn't use a computer. From the AP story about the computer illiterate ad:

"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "extraordinary." The reason he doesn't send email is that he can't use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong in service to our country.

From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):

McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.

Good grief.

Babe vs Dork

Heh.

via UrbanGrounds

Big Bad Hurricane

This is Galveston and the Hurricane hasn't even hit yet! Forecast says Ike will hit the coast with 115 mph force. Galveston neighborhoods are already flooded.

This is going to be bad folks, real bad. My heart goes out to all those who live on the coast. I saw on the news this afternoon these beautiful beach homes already halfway under water. They will be history. I'm wondering if Galveston will be history.

I just drove around here (and I live north of Houston) to run a few errands and it's really eerie. There are just a few clouds and the wind isn't even bad, but all businesses and restaurants are closed, even the grocery stores. This is the first time I have seen homes and businesses boarded up since I moved here 8 yrs ago. It was almost ghost like.

Everyone just seems to have a sense of dread about them. We are just waiting for the fury of nature to descend.

Last I heard the weather will start around midnight. We are far enough north that we will not be affected by the worst of it (I hope), but I'm a bit nervous about tornado's. But I am prepared.

There won't be any sleep tonight for all us in Houston.

Keep us in your prayers.

McCain Marches On

Here is an interesting look at Virginia by a Republican resident there.

The purpling of Virginia is something to behold and has turned it into a vital swing state in the election. On Wednesday, September 10th, the McCain campaign made its way to Fairfax, Virginia to rally their troops and take advantage of the momentum built from VP pick Sarah Palin.

Here's the delicious part:

23,000 people showed up to the event which was originally scheduled to take place at Fairfax High School. The liberal school board called an emergency meeting to stop the rally which turned out to be a boon considering the school property holds 6,500 people max. An adjacent park was adequate space to make a quick showing for the Presidential aspirant and his running mate.

I love it when liberals try to squash free speech and it backfires on them, don't you? Check out the video (Fred Thompson spoke!) and pics!

via NRO

New ad "Disrespectful"

These instant rebuttals from both sides are interesting, aren't they. I suppose they are playing in battleground states? Because I never see any of them from either side on TV here.

I Think I Get It Now

Everyone will have their opinion of how Sarah Palin did with Charlie Gibson on ABC. I thought she did a great job, but the left will dissect it, of course. So let me just move beyond that and share with you what occurred to me while watching the interview.

This is part of the interview and the portion where Gibson tries a "gotcha" question about the "Bush Doctrine."

I want you to just observe Gibson's demeanor and attitude. Then I want you to compare that with his demeanor and attitude in an interview with Obama.

Gibson's bias against Palin is so overt and so over the top that ABC should be embarrassed.

With Obama he is smiling and friendly. Jovial even.

While watching the Palin interview it occurred to me what it really means when someone speaks about the "media elite."

Gibson sees people like Palin (and people like me), all conservatives really, as beneath him. That much is clear in the interview. He is condescending and aloof in his questions with her, as if he can't really be bothered. He asked her questions the way my college professors used to ask his class questions, with a bit of disdain at what he knows will be an immature answer.

People like Gibson see themselves as so intelligent and so aware of how truly superior the liberal view is, that they can barely disguise their disgust for those who believe differently. Gibson sees someone like myself, who graduated from a state university in the south or southwest, as one of the "common people." He would never admit that of course, but he simply oozes, if I may use his word, hubris.

To Gibson, Palin is simply one of those gun toting, bitter faith filled peasants that cling to those things in order to make sense of life. Is it no wonder that he relates to Obama? Is it no wonder that he questions Obama with the familiarity of a close friend? Their world view is the same. He sees Palin's worldview as ignorant and beneath him.

Palin held her own and Gibson never laid a glove on her, but he revealed himself as the personification of what we cannot stand about the mainstream media. The arrogance and the bias are clear. It is also why newspapers are dying and cable news is flourishing and the new media will eventually be the way all Americans get their news and opinions.

Many Americans may very well cling to their faith and their guns, but not because of their "frustrations," but because we understand that our country was founded on such principles as the 2nd amendment and freedom of religion. We get that. We don't see ourselves as better than others. We see ourselves as in this together. And we don't need a leader who thinks that we are stupid and out of touch. We don't a leader who fits in so easily with those in the media who share a disdain for so many in America who don't share their liberal beliefs.

We don't need Obama and we don't need Charles Gibson. Let us not be fooled by "just words."

As Palin says in her stump speech, there is really only one man in this race who has ever fought for you. That man is John McCain. And you can say or disagree with many things about McCain, but he has never shown the disdain for the American people who believe differently than he does, the way that Obama and the media elite do almost every day.

Obama will not fight for you, he will only fight for his belief in the way he wants the world to be, with people like Gibson, hollywood and himself allowing us to learn from them.

Excerpts from Palin interview

From TV Newser:

First on TVNewser: Insiders tell us the first Charlie Gibson/Sarah Palin interview is complete. The first sit-down lasted 30 minutes and included questions about energy independence, foreign affairs and whether Gov. Palin is ready to be Vice President. "Absolutely," is her response. When asked if she is ready to step in and be president of the United States. Palin answers, "You bet."

We're told Gibson asked for two extra minutes and used it to ask Palin whether she agrees with the "Bush Doctrine." Among Palin's responses:

• "The top priority is to defend the United States of America. I know that John McCain would do that."

• "With new leadership comes opportunity to do things better."

• "War has got to be a last option."

• "If a strike is imminent we have every right to defend our country...and that's what a McCain/Palin administration would do."

• "In order to stop Islamic extremists we must do whatever it takes. We must not blink, Charlie."

Update: More from USAToday:

When asked by Gibson if under the NATO treaty, the U.S. would have to go to war if Russia again invaded Georgia, Palin responded: "Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help."And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable."

Also:

Palin defended a previous statement in which she reportedly characterized the war in Iraq as "task from God".Gibson quoted her as saying: "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God."But Palin said she was referencing a famous quote by Abraham Lincoln."I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's words. But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that's a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God's side."

More:

Gibson: "Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you, and it is really the central question. Can you look the country in the eye and say 'I have the experience and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?' "Palin: "I do, Charlie, and on January 20, when John McCain and I are sworn in, if we are so privileged to be elected to serve this country, we'll be ready. I'm ready."Gibson: "And you didn't say to yourself, "Am I experienced enough? Am I ready? Do I know enough about international affairs? Do I -- will I feel comfortable enough on the national stage to do this?"Palin: "I didn't hesitate, no."Gibson: "Didn't that take some hubris?"Palin: "I -- I answered him yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink. So I didn't blink then even when asked to run as his running mate."

I would hope that her explaining her remark about God's task would shut up those who insist she was speaking for God, but it probably won't because nothing will stop them.

What irks me is that Obama always goes on about God when he is speaking in Churches, but he never gets drilled like this. Why do you think that is?

GIBSON: I take your point about Lincoln's words, but you went on and said, "There is a plan and it is God's plan."

PALIN: I believe that there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good. I believe that there is great hope and great potential for every country to be able to live and be protected with inalienable rights that I believe are God-given, Charlie, and I believe that those are the rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That, in my world view, is a grand -- the grand plan.

GIBSON: But then are you sending your son on a task that is from God?
PALIN: I don't know if the task is from God, Charlie. What I know is that my son has made a decision. I am so proud of his independent and strong decision he has made, what he decided to do and serving for the right reasons and serving something greater than himself and not choosing a real easy path where he could be more comfortable and certainly safer.

Too. Perfect.

I've got to have one and you do too.

via The Anchoress

McCain's release

Previously unseen footage by Swedish TV

via Politico

Never Forget

There was a moment when we Americans were one. We were not Republicans. We were not Democrats. We were not Protestant or Catholic. We were not left and we were not right. We were one.

.......

There was a moment.

.......

For all the horror of 9-11, we proved as a nation that we could stand together despite our differences. It is the one good thing that I will also never forget.

I want to link two statements about 9-11 that I think are important reminders of this day. One is from Joe Lieberman. The next is from Debra Brulingame, a sister of a victim of 9-11.

Hurricane's a'coming

It's not looking good.

I've got my generator, batteries, candles, food, water, and most importantly wine and beer.

No evacuation for me. Rita proved to me that one is better off standing knee deep in water in their living room than to get on a Houston highway during an evacuation.

I'll keep posting as long as we have electricity.