the things you believe you're seeing...

Or so the battling stories proport to indicate. First the Washington Post and Bob Woodward's carefully worded column; Ford Disagreed With Bush About Invading Iraq By Bob Woodward Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, December 28, 2006; A01 Former president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. "I don't think I would have gone to war," he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration. In a four-hour conversation at his house in Beaver Creek, Colo., Ford "very strongly" disagreed with the current president's justifications for invading Iraq and said he would have pushed alternatives, such as sanctions, much more vigorously. In the tape-recorded interview, Ford was critical not only of Bush but also of Vice President Cheney -- Ford's White House chief of staff -- and then-Defense Secre...

Boy those dems are good! Sales of New Homes Post Gain in November Dec 27 10:14 AM US/Eastern By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON Sales of new homes rose in November while the backlog of unsold homes fell for a fourth straight month, providing hope that the serious slump in housing could be ending. Sales of new single-family homes rose by 3.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.047 million units, reflecting solid sales increases in every region of the country except the South. The increase was better than had been expected and offered hope that the steep slide in housing may be starting to bottom out as builders, using a wide array of incentives, begin to make a dent in the record level of unsold homes. The 3.4 percent rebound in sales last month was the third increase in the past four months. It helped to lift the median price for a new home to $251,700, an increase of 3.2 percent from a year ago. The median price is the point where half the hom...

...and a safe and Happy New Year!

Remember when the Dems were so outraged by the cost of the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies? This is from January 20, 2005; No expense spared at inauguration By Kevin Anderson BBC News website, Washington With an estimated price tag of $40m, the three-day celebration that is President Bush's second inauguration will be the most expensive ever. The lavish dinners, parties and fireworks began on Tuesday and will continue through his swearing-in on Thursday, followed by a parade and nine official inaugural balls. The band Fuel perform at a pre-inauguration concert hosted by the president's daughters Concerts and balls began on Tuesday The cost will be paid by individual and corporate donations, while the city of Washington is being asked to pay for an estimated $17m in security costs. Some have criticised the expense, questioning the propriety of a flashy celebration as US troops are dying in Iraq and South Asia still recovers from last month's deadly tsunami. The overt c...

City of Detroit has decided the hell with the voters, we won't do it! Detroit: Race ban won't change its rules Marisa Schultz / The Detroit News DETROIT -- The state's largest city has no immediate plans to stop giving favor to businesses owned by minorities and women, despite the state ban on racial and gender preferences that begins Saturday. Detroit gives extra points to minority- and female-owned companies when assessing bids for city contracts. Those efforts to encourage diversity will continue beyond Saturday, said Matt Allen, a spokesman for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. The city will not be violating the state law, Allen said Thursday, because city officials believe affirmative action is a federal issue, not a state one. "The mayor believes this will eventually be settled in federal court, where it belongs and where it will be clarified," Allen said. "He believes the states cannot just opt out." On the eve of Proposal 2's implementation, Detroit jo...

Now the once supportive Raleigh Nuisance & Disturber wants Nifong off the Duke Lacrosse case; Why the D.A. should be off the case By Joseph Kennedy CHAPEL HILL - Whether the defendants in the Duke lacrosse case are guilty or innocent, Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong should disqualify himself, or be disqualified, from the case. On Friday, Nifong's own witness essentially accused him of breaking the law. An actual conflict of interest now exists between Nifong's need to defend himself against possible charges of misconduct and his obligation to prosecute the case fairly and effectively. In court Friday, the head of a lab that Nifong retained to analyze DNA samples testified that he and Nifong intentionally decided to exclude from the expert's report the fact that DNA analyzed from the clothes and body of the accuser did not belong to any of the defendants but came instead from unidentified males. N.C. General Statute 15A-903 requires that a prosecution expert provid...

So now Joe Wilson doesn't want to testify as a defense witness in the Scooter Libby trial. He said that Libby is trying to harrass him. Oh my goodness, what a wimp! Wilson Challenges Subpoena in CIA Case The Associated Press Wednesday, December 20, 2006; 10:18 PM WASHINGTON -- Former ambassador Joseph Wilson asked a federal judge Wednesday not to force him to testify in the CIA leak case and accused former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby of trying to harass him on the witness stand. Libby, who faces perjury and obstruction charges, subpoenaed Wilson as a defense witness this month. Libby's attorney, William Jeffress, said in court Tuesday that was a precautionary move and he did not expect to put Wilson on the stand. Libby is accused of lying to investigators about his conversations with reporters regarding Wilson's wife, outed CIA operative Valerie Plame. Plame and Wilson have sued Libby and other Bush administration officials, accusing them of plott...

See how skillfully Hillary avoids answering the only intelligent and challenging question asked of her during her appearance on the Rosie O'Donnell Show, I mean "The View"; Behar: "Last time you were here, I asked you if you were sorry that you didn't vote against the Iraq war. Do you remember that?" Clinton: "I do remember that." Behar: "How do you feel about it now?" Clinton: "Well, I, you know, I have said repeatedly that, you know, if we had known then, there wouldn't have been a vote, what we know now. The problem is we’ve got to figure out what to do going forward. It, it really, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s such a serious challenge to us and part of the problem is that I think the comprehensiveness of the need for a strategy is something that I don't get a feel that the President and his advisors are really looking at. So I'm hoping that they will, you know, really follow the lead of what the Democrats have been say...

I thought these were jobs that Americans didn't want to do? Calling John McCain. Loss for one is another's gain Applicants line up to fill jobs left empty by Swift plant raid By Fernando Quintero, Rocky Mountain News December 15, 2006 GREELEY - The line of applicants hoping to fill jobs vacated by undocumented workers taken away by immigration agents at the Swift & Co. meat-processing plant earlier this week was out the door Thursday. Among them was Derrick Stegall, who carefully filled out paperwork he hoped would get him an interview and eventually land him a job as a slaughterer. Two of his friends had been taken away by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and he felt compelled to fill their rubber boots. "Luckily, they had no wives or family they left behind. But it was still sad. They left their apartments filled with all their stuff. I took two dogs one of them had. The other guy had a cat I gave to my sister," he said. Greg Bonifacio heard about the...

From NRO: He was for a surge, before he was against it: FOR : Reid backs temporary rise in troops in Iraq ( Reuters , December 17, 2006) AGAINST : “Frankly, I don't believe that more troops is the answer for Iraq.” ((Blog post , December 19, 2006)  

However after closer inspection its not all that clear that the President actually said it, he was just quoting what Gen Peter Pace said, here'e the exact quote from the Washington Post; Bush told The Washington Post in Wednesday’s editions that “you know, I think an interesting construct that Gen. Pace uses is, ‘We’re not winning, we’re not losing.’ ” So does that mean Bush thinks that? Maybe, but maybe not. However some context would be appreciated and also how about including the "we're not losing" comment as well. I know that doesn't jive with the media agenda.

Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News; "Laura Bush has been treated for skin cancer, and today she and others in the administration were defending her decision to try to keep that story out of the press.” Unbelievable! So because Laura Bush decided that she did not want to publicize the fact that she had a cancerous tumor removed, Katie feels dissed. Too damn bad! It's called privacy! Ever hear of that? No of course not, you in the press feel that it is the obligation of everyone to inform you first and foremost of every single event in one's life. So Katie, what ailements have you been treated for lately? Feel free to lead off your newcast with a list. Here's an example of the female brigade of the WH press corp going nutty over the news that they were not informed of this personal and private issue immediately.

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette! You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do. Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Maybe they should rename the show "The Apology." First Rosie insults the Chinese and apologizes, then she calls Kelly Ripa homophobic which prompted Ripa to call in and smack Rosie down, she apologized again. Now Joy Behar calls Rumsfeld "Hilter-like" and does not get the audience reaction she expected. Of course she equated their reaction with putting Rumsfeld on the cover of Time when what they were really reacting to was her idiotic comparison. Isn't this getting a little ridicules? I mean, when Hitler is constantly used as a comparison to current political figures it diminishes just how evil Hitler actually was. It also highlights how tremendously stupid, arrogant and ignorant today's Hollywood elites are.

Hillary Clinton Says She Wouldn't Have Voted For Iraq War December 18, 2006 4:02 PM ABC News' David Chalian Reports: As Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to assess a possible presidential candidacy and the contours of a Democratic nomination fight, she has taken another step away from her 2002 vote authorizing President Bush to attack Iraq by saying that she "wouldn't have voted that way" if she knew everything she knows now.

The question is shouldn't he have known better? Democrats leave Bono disappointed Anti-poverty activist gets no promise of funds By STEVE TETREAULT and MOLLY BALL REVIEW-JOURNAL Meetings in Washington last Thursday between rock star Bono and Democrats, including Senate leader Harry Reid of Nevada, yielded a nice photo-op but not much else, according to Bono. Bono, the U2 frontman and anti-poverty activist, was on Capitol Hill to seek assurances that $1 billion in planned U.S. spending to fight AIDS and malaria in Africa would not be lost if Congress freezes agency budgets in the coming year. Bono said he also was seeking to close a "commitment gap" between what President Bush has requested for anti-poverty efforts and what Congress has agreed to spend in the past. After meetings with incoming Senate Majority Leader Reid, House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, Bono said he came away empty-handed. " I'm alar...

The AP, doing its usual thorough job of reporting, fails to even mention in passing the current controversy surrounding Jimmy Carter and his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. In case you get your news from the AP, Carter has been accused of stealing maps created by forme Amb. Dennis Ross, using them in his book and then relabeling them in a misleading fashion. Behold; Carter Nixes Debate With Outspoken Prof Dec 15 2:42 PM US/Eastern Former President Carter turned down a request to debate Alan Dershowitz about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the outspoken Harvard law professor "knows nothing about the situation." Carter, author of a new book advocating "peace not apartheid" in the region, said he will not visit Brandeis University to discuss the book because the university requested he debate Dershowitz. "I don't want to have a conversation even indirectly with Dershowitz," Carter said in Friday's Boston Globe. "There is no need ....

Oh my, brain surgery. Lets hope and pray that Sen Johnson pulls through. If anyone has heard the conference call when the Senator became disoriented and then later collapsed in his office, it is a very scary thing. Brings it all back home. Thoughts and prayers. Sen. Johnson Undergoes Surgery for Stroke-Like Symptoms Thursday, December 14, 2006 AP Sen. Tim Johnson was admitted to a D.C. hospital Thursday for a possible stroke. WASHINGTON — South Dakota Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson is in critical condition Thursday after undergoing brain surgery for stroke-like symptoms at George Washington University Hospital. Details of the surgery were not distributed by the hospital, except that it began Wednesday night and lasted past midnight.

Dubai-Based Company Sells U.S. Port Businesses By HEATHER TIMMONS Published: December 11, 2006 LONDON, Dec. 11 — Terminal operations at six American seaports were sold today by the Middle Eastern company that briefly controlled them, closing a controversial chapter in American security and foreign policy. The company, DP World — based in Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates — said today that it had agreed to sell all its United States holdings, including the 6 terminal operations, cargo-handling businesses at 16 American ports and the passenger-ship terminal in New York City, to a subsidiary of the American International Group, the giant American insurance company. The six terminal operations include the ports of New York, Newark, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Tampa and New Orleans. DP World, which is owned by the Dubai government, acquired the leases and operating contracts for the six ports in February when it bought a British port and shipping company, Peninsular and Oriental Holding...

Democrats Knew No Prosecution Of Foley Likely And he is still a creep and its a good thing he is out of Congress! However the media can congratulate themselves for successfully hiding the fact that the Democrats knew just as much (maybe more) about Foley as the Republican leadership and they allowed the Democrates to exploit it to their political advantage. After all, its all about protecting the children. Isn't it?

I like it, thats what it is! From the Washington Times ; The 'Iraq Surrender Group' FRANK J. GAFFNEY JR. By Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. December 5, 2006 Tomorrow, an unelected, unaccountable and substantially unqualified commission will formally report what hasn't already been leaked about its recommendations with respect to the conflict in Iraq. The title of the commission is the Iraq Study Group (ISG). Given the nature of its contribution, a better name would be the "Iraq Surrender Group." Led by former Republican Secretary of State James Baker and former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, the ISG's members have reportedly decided that the United States must withdraw its forces from Iraq, that we must start doing so in substantial numbers by 2008 and that we have to open negotiations with Iran and its wholly owned subsidiary, Syria. An early indication of the way in which this bipartisan diktat will be received in official Washington can be seen in the vacuous r...

Just days before the Iraq Study Group releases its top-secret report, President George Bush today ordered the Pentagon to preemptively redeploy U.S. troops from Iraq to “neutral neighboring countries including Iran and Syria.” “I’ve said that I won’t order our troops to make a graceful exit from Iraq,” said Mr. Bush, “But I never ruled out making a graceful entrance into Iran and Syria where I expect our partners in peace to welcome us with open and raised arms.” The order surprised many, coming as it does on the heels of news that the Pentagon has discovered “smoking gun” evidence that terrorists in Iraq use weapons shipped from Iranian factories to kill U.S. troops and others. But Mr. Bush said the Iraq Study Group, Kofi Annan and other Democrats have convinced him that engagement with Iran and Syria is crucial to finding a “holistic solution” to the Iraq situation. Nancy, Harry and Murtha should be very happy!

Students attending Columbia University's journalism school were caughting cheating on an exam. An ethics exam. A take home ethics exam. A take home, pass/fail, ethics exam that consisted of two questions. Columbia University officials are lowering the boom on some graduate journalism students suspected of cheating on, of all things, an ethics exam. The J-schoolers' alleged lapse on the final was reported yesterday by Radar Online. The exam in question consisted of two essay questions to be completed in 90 minutes any time during a 36-hour period. Students who took the test early were instructed to avoid discussing the questions with those planning to take it later, but the warning was ignored. One honorable young scholar got wind of what happened and blew the whistle, sources said. Vice Dean David Klatell told students in an e-mail that there had been a "serious problem" with the final and ordered them to attend a special session of the class "Critical Issues in ...

Ethics reform, yeah thats the ticket... Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) is under investigation by the FBI. And he’s set to assume a top post which would put him in control of the FBI’s budget. Neat trick, eh? The FBI’s probing Mollohan for possible violations of the law arising from his sprawling network of favors and money which connects him to good friends via questionable charities, alarmingly successful real estate ventures, and hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarked funds. The investigation appears to be active and ongoing. We’re told that the Feds continue to gather information on the guy. Yet the Democrats look poised to make Mollohan the chairman of the panel which controls the purse strings for the entire Justice Department – including the FBI. Harry Reid said yesterday that the Dems top 3 priorities are raising the minimum wage, stem cell research and ethics reform. Oh brother!

Idea of Rapid Withdrawal From Iraq Seems to Fade By DAVID E. SANGER Published: December 1, 2006 WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 — In the cacophony of competing plans about how to deal with Iraq, one reality now appears clear: despite the Democrats’ victory this month in an election viewed as a referendum on the war, the idea of a rapid American troop withdrawal is fast receding as a viable option. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are signaling that too rapid an American pullout would open the way to all-out civil war. The bipartisan Iraq Study Group has shied away from recommending explicit timelines in favor of a vaguely timed pullback. The report that the panel will deliver to President Bush next week would, at a minimum, leave a force of 70,000 or more troops in the country for a long time to come, to train the Iraqis and to insure against collapse of a desperately weak central government. Even the Democrats, with an eye toward 2008, have dropped talk of a race for the exits, in favor of a brisk strol...

From PoliPundit about who gives more, conservatives or the compassionate all-caring liberals; To test what types of people give more, “20/20″ went to two very different parts of the country, with contrasting populations: Sioux Falls, S.D. and San Francisco, Calif. The Salvation Army set up buckets at the busiest locations in each city — Macy’s in San Francisco and Wal-Mart in Sioux Falls. Which bucket collected more money? Sioux Falls is rural and religious; half of the population goes to church every week. People in San Francisco make much more money, are predominantly liberal, and just 14 percent of people in San Francisco attend church every week. Liberals are said to care more about helping the poor; so did people in San Francisco give more? It turns out that this idea that liberals give more… is a myth . Of the top 25 states where people give an above average percent of their income, 24 were red states in the last presidential election. The people in S.D. outside of Wal-Mart gave...

Ya think maybe this guy is a racist? Hmmmm....

So after months of breathless reporting by the media the Iraq Study Group headed up by James Baker is ready to drop their big report on December 6. The NY Times, doing what it does best, leaks some of the major points; WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 — The bipartisan Iraq Study Group reached a consensus on Wednesday on a final report that will call for a gradual pullback of the 15 American combat brigades now in Iraq but stop short of setting a firm timetable for their withdrawal, according to people familiar with the panel’s deliberations. The report, unanimously approved by the 10-member panel, led by James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton, is to be delivered to President Bush next week. It is a compromise between distinct paths that the group has debated since March, avoiding a specific timetable, which has been opposed by Mr. Bush, but making it clear that the American troop commitment should not be open-ended. The recommendations of the group, formed at the request of members of Congress, ar...

You get what you voted for! Democrats Reject Key 9/11 Panel Suggestion Neither Party Has an Appetite for Overhauling Congressional Oversight of Intelligence By Jonathan WeismanWashington Post Staff WriterThursday, November 30, 2006; A07 It was a solemn pledge, repeated by Democratic leaders and candidates over and over: If elected to the majority in Congress, Democrats would implement all of the recommendations of the bipartisan commission that examined the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 . But with control of Congress now secured, Democratic leaders have decided for now against implementing the one measure that would affect them most directly: a wholesale reorganization of Congress to improve oversight and funding of the nation's intelligence agencies. Instead, Democratic leaders may create a panel to look at the issue and produce recommendations, according to congressional aides and lawmakers.

Wonder if the NY Times will splash this bit of news all over the front pages of its circulation-dwindling newspaper? I think not... Oversight board told of privacy protections By John Solomon, Associated Press November 28, 2006 WASHINGTON -- After a delay of more than a year, a government board appointed to guard Americans' privacy and civil liberties during the war on terror has been told the inner workings of the government's electronic eavesdropping program. Members say they were impressed by the protections. The briefing for the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board had been delayed because President Bush was concerned -- after several media leaks -- about widening the circle of people who knew exact details of the secret eavesdropping program. The board, created by Congress and appointed by Bush, focused on other classified work since it was named in spring 2005, but continued to press for a formal briefing by the National Security Agency. A breakthrough was reached ...

So Michael Richards goes on a racist tirade and now is all over the place apologizing. Alright already, I accept your apology. Now go away. But I bet you haven't heard about this, I wonder why? Race has no place in Irvin's analysis By Peter Kerasotis, FloridaToday.com Why is Michael Irvin still employed? And why am I typing that sentence? If you haven't heard, you're not alone. Many in my business, people who pride themselves on knowing all and being, you know, know-it-alls, still haven't heard. So let me bring you up to speed. Eight days ago -- yes, eight days -- Michael Irvin joined fellow ESPN employee Dan Patrick on Patrick's national radio show. Irvin is supposed to be ESPN's version of a football analyst, but he is really a lit match they hold in their hand, waiting to see how low he can go before singeing their fingers. On Patrick's radio show, the topic turned to Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, and Irvin, a former Cowboy star, offered the type ...

It seems they were not merely praying as they claim, from the Washington Times ; Muslim religious leaders removed from a Minneapolis flight last week exhibited behavior associated with a security probe by terrorists and were not merely engaged in prayers, according to witnesses, police reports and aviation security officials. Witnesses said three of the imams were praying loudly in the concourse and repeatedly shouted “Allah” when passengers were called for boarding US Airways Flight 300 to Phoenix. Passengers and flight attendants told law-enforcement officials the imams switched from their assigned seats to a pattern associated with the September 11 terrorist attacks and also found in probes of U.S. security since the attacks — two in the front row first-class, two in the middle of the plane on the exit aisle and two in the rear of the cabin. “That would alarm me,” said a federal air marshal who asked to remain anonymous. “They now control all of the entry and exit routes to the plan...

John "PS3" Edwards is refusing to have his book siging at Walmart because he says they don't pay their employees enough. He instead will be at the Barnes & Noble signing his book. Walmart pays $7.50/hr. B&N pays $7.00/hr. John? Any comment? John Edwards' folly: A book signing gone wrong Monday, Nov. 27, 2006 Former Sen. John Edwards is to spend an hour at the Manchester Barnes & Noble tonight promoting his new book. We find his choice of venue very interesting. In Manchester, the local Wal-Mart store sits right behind the Barnes & Noble. It has more floor space, a parking lot several times the size of Barnes & Noble's, and is easier to access by car or public transportation. But Edwards would not be caught dead inside a Wal-Mart. Saying that the company pays its employees too little, Edwards has embarked on an anti-Wal-Mart crusade. He instructs his staff members and all Americans not to shop at Wal-Mart. "Wal-Mart makes plenty of money. T...

The NY Times, trying to run out the clock on this case, got the answer they did not want yesterday; The Supreme Court, without noted dissent, refused on Monday to block the forced disclosure to federal investigators of telephone records of two New York Times reporters . Those records are being sought by a federal grand jury in an investigation of a suspected leak about freezing of the assets of two Islamic charities soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. What a shame!

Charlie Rangel continues to lie and ignore the facts about those who join the military, and the media continues to let him get away with it. Rangel said on Fox News Sunday; “[N]o young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits. And most all of them come from communities of very high unemployment. If a young fellow has an option of having a decent career or joining the Army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life he would not be in Iraq.” But here is a sample of what the Heritage Foundation found; Indeed, in many criteria, each year shows advancement, not decline, in measurable qualities of new enlistees. For example, it is commonly claimed that the military relies on recruits from poorer neighborhoods because the wealthy will not risk death in war. This claim has been advanced without any rigorous evidence. Our review of Pen­tagon enlistee data shows that the only group that is lowering its participation in the military is the...

Remember this prediction? STATE COLLEGE, PA, May 15, 2006-The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center, led by Chief Forecaster Joe Bastardi, today released its 2006 hurricane season forecast. An active hurricane season appears imminent, which could have major repercussions for the U.S. economy and the one in six Americans who live on the Eastern Seaboard or along the western Gulf of Mexico. For the 2006 Hurricane Season-which traditionally runs from June 1 through November 30-Bastardi and his team are forecasting that six tropical cyclones will make landfall in the U.S. Five of these landfalling storms are likely to be hurricanes, with three being major hurricanes of Category 3 or greater. "The 2006 season will be a creeping threat," said Bastardi. "Early in the season-June and July-the Texas Gulf Coast faces the highest likelihood of a hurricane strike, possibly putting Gulf energy production in the line of fire. As early as July, and through much of the rest of the season, th...

This picture would do for Bush... ...what this picture did for Kerry.

Those dems are so good, they don't even have to be in power and things get better ... A brisk rise in American wages Pay rose faster than the cost of living for the first time in years. By Mark Trumbull | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor American paychecks are rising again at a pace not seen since the 1990s. The pay increase amounts to 4 percent on average over the past 12 months, and it comes at a very helpful time for millions of households. For three years, pay increases haven't kept pace with the rising cost of living. Then came this year's housing slowdown, which has further squeezed family finances. Those setbacks, however, are now being offset by rising income. Four percent may not sound like much, but you have to look back to 1997 to find a calendar year with a gain that big. Equally significant, tamer energy prices mean that the "real" wage gains, after inflation, are above 3 percent for the past 12 months. That, too, hasn't happened sinc...

I am at a loss to follow this logic but Rep. Charlie Rangel has again brought the idea of reinstituting a draft as a way to deter future wars. Huh? He says that if there were a draft which would put congressmen's sons and daughters (I am sure he means Republican congressmen) at risk of being sent to war that this would some how prevent the president from initiating wars such as the Iraq War. Huh? I am not sure how this would affect enemies of the US but it can't be anything positive. In fact it might embolden them to attack sooner if they think we would have an unwilling military. Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer don't seem to enthused by the idea; Top House Democrats to bar military draft plan Mon Nov 20, 2006 12:46pm ET By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A reinstatement of the military draft, being pushed by a senior Democrat, will not be slated for consideration in the House of Representatives, the chamber's newly elected top leaders said on Monday. "We did n...

I can't stop laughing! CBS/AP) SAN FRANCISCO Two peace activists have planned a massive anti-war demonstration for the first day of winter. But they don’t want you marching in the streets. They’d much rather you just stay home. The Global Orgasm for Peace was conceived by Donna Sheehan, 76, and Paul Reffell, 55, whose immodest goal is for everyone in the world to have an orgasm Dec. 22 while focusing on world peace. “The orgasm gives out an incredible feeling of peace during it and after it,” Reffell said Sunday. “Your mind is like a blank. It’s like a meditative state. And mass meditations have been shown to make a change.” His mind is like a blank? I think we knew that already!

Steny Hoyer wins House Majority Leader over John "total crap" Murtha!

From today's hearings; Senator Rodham: “...hope is not a strategy...” General Abizaid: “I agree that hope is not a strategy but despair is not a strategy either ”

The NY Times on the front page today! Get Out of Iraq Now? Not So Fast, Experts Say By MICHAEL R. GORDON Published: November 15, 2006 WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 — One of the most resonant arguments in the debate over Iraq holds that the United States can move forward by pulling its troops back, as part of a phased withdrawal. If American troops begin to leave and the remaining forces assume a more limited role, the argument holds, it will galvanize the Iraqi government to assume more responsibility for securing and rebuilding Iraq. This is the case now being argued by many Democrats, most notably Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who asserts that the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq should begin within four to six months. But this argument is being challenged by a number of military officers, experts and former generals, including some who have been among the most vehement critics of the Bush administration’s Iraq policies. ...

Really...he did! What you don't believe me? See here .

If she can't work with her own party how will she work with the Republicans. Not very well I should think; Rep. Nancy Pelosi plans to sideline colleagues who are hawkish on national security in the Democratic leadership in the House. Democratic Party sources said as House Speaker, Ms. Pelosi plans to block moves that would place hawks into important chairmanships. The sources said a key casualty would be Rep. Jane Harman, a six-term member of Congress who has cooperated with Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee. So what will she do instead? Appoint Alcee Hastings as committee chairman, an impeached former federal judge. Just beautiful. “If Nancy Pelosi’s apparent determination to deny Jane Harman the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee to appease the Black Caucus is any indication, Democratic control is not going to be good news for those who believe in competent oversight of the national-security apparatus,” said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lex...

...sounds a lot like the old Democratic party; “It’s not just committees — our influence within the House Democratic caucus will grow enormously,” Mr. Rangel said in an interview. To that end, he sketched out an expansive federal agenda: Teaming up with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on gun control, passing new tax incentives for urban job programs, and redirecting federal money to New York in return for the outsize tax collections that the federal government makes here. “Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?” Mr. Rangel said .

Funny but all the howls that there was voter fraud, technology failures and voter intimidation, suppression and scare tactics to keep voters away from the polls are now GONE! Wonder why? I guess when Dems win its a perfectly legitmate election. No matter. There's always tomorrow. The dems had better get some things done in these next 2 years or they will be out just as fast as the blue wave broke yesterday. Mark my words.

Its always Dems that are being suppressed at the polls, intimidation at the polls. Not enough voting machines, the software doesn't work right. Votes being recorded for the other Republican candidate instead of the Democratic one. It's easy to make accusations, lets see some actual proof. I am guessing there will be none! Problems in PA Trouble in Indiana Denver too. Wrong Ballots in FL.

...but themselves. When you see stories like this, it can't be good for Dems... Dems will go to court this afternoon to ask for polls to stay open By ANITA WADHWANI Staff Writer Lawyers with the Tennessee Democratic Party will file suit early this afternoon asking that voting hours be extended due to reports of infrastructure problems, a party spokesman said. The party has received reports that some precincts lacked enough voting machines, voting machines that are not working, long lines and delays in the openings of polling paces, said the spokesman Mark Brown. Of course they need the polls open late, they must be losing in Tenn.

Last week a photograph of Amy Gutmann the president of University of Pennsylvania made its way across the internet. The photo was of the UPENN president at a Halloween party with a student dressed as a suicide bomber and she took a lot of heat for it. She posted an apology on the university website and has gone one step further; As many of you have heard or seen by now, there was a photograph from our annual Halloween party that has taken flight over the Internet. The photograph is embarrassing for the University and me alike. I posted a formal response on our website last week. However, I wanted to provide more context. Following a long standing Penn tradition, I host an annual Halloween party at the President’s House. Hundreds of students show up dressed in every imaginable costume — witches and warlocks, Jasons and Michael Myers, ax murderers and Frankensteins. In keeping with the spirit of the event, I appeared as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. In this context, it’s hard to i...

According to the Pew Poll released yesterday the generic ballot, would you vote for a Democrat or a Republican, has decreased significantly. One month ago that number was a 11% lead for the dems and now it is only 4% in the Pew Poll. Other interesting tidbits as outlined by Ed Morrissey of Capt's Quarters; The last Pew Research poll was taken in early October. In a month, the Democrats have lost non-minorities altogether. The gap among all whites went from +5 Democrats to +5 GOP, a ten-point swing. White females had supported Democrats by a 15-point margin and a majority (55-40), but now give the GOP a 2-point lead. The Democrats have also lost the middle class, a big problem in this election. Households earning between $50K-$75K and $30K-$50K have both slipped to the GOP. The former switched from a 14-point margin for the Democrats to an eight-point Republican lead, while the latter has had an even more dramatic shift. Those earners had favored Democrats by 22 points, but now go R...

John Kerry's official website has linked to the Seattle Times editorial titled "Right Either Way" so he obviously is not sorry at all for what he said and believes what he said to be 100% accurate. John Kerry's Official Website

Judgment day looms for Saddam By Ibon Villelabeitia and Ahmed Rasheed Fri Nov 3, 7:59 AM ET BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three years after he gave himself up to American soldiers without firing a shot, Saddam Hussein may be condemned to hang on Sunday if an Iraqi court finds him guilty of crimes against humanity. The final act of Saddam's year-old first trial, the verdict is the high point of a historic, U.S.-sponsored experiment in international justice intended to unite Iraqis in exorcising three decades of rule by the former president, accused of mass killing and torture to keep power over Iraq's disparate peoples. Yet the country's descent toward civil war since Saddam was overthrown has blighted proceedings. Three defense lawyers were killed, the judge quit over political interference and Iraqis, who a year ago gasped in wonder to see the former strongman in court, have lapsed into distracted indifference to his fate. Saddam, 69, and seven co-accused have been charged with crim...

Yeah, they support the troops! E-Mail Ballots for Military Questioned WASHINGTON (AP) -- A New Jersey congressman raised questions Thursday about a new military voting program that lets service members request and submit their ballots by fax or e-mail. The Defense Department, however, said the program is as secure as possible, and any risks are detailed for the military members when they access the e-mail system. In a letter to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Democratic Rep. Rush Holt said the electronic registration and voting service is well-intentioned, but could expose troops to identity theft, or allow hackers or others to tamper with the ballots when they are in transit. "After the Defense Department was stopped from implementing a program like this two years ago because it was full of security holes, I'm angry and astonished that they're doing it again without review, scrutiny, and oversight," said Holt. He said that while U.S. military personnel should p...

From the Washington Times; Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin yesterday tried to rally support among black Democrats in Prince George's County, while Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele campaigned with county Democratic leaders who broke ranks this week to endorse him. Mr. Cardin appeared with Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson and about 30 other lawmakers in Hyattsville, aiming to keep a diminishing lead in the polls... ...But the rally turned sour later. State Sen. Nathaniel Exum, Prince George's Democrat, berated Mr. Cardin for excluding him and other local delegates from speaking or being mentioned. "You do the same [stuff] over and over again, just ignore us," Mr. Exum yelled at Mr. Cardin after the rally, which was held in Mr. Exum's district. Mr. Cardin shrugged off the incident.

Shame on Him John Kerry picked the wrong people to insult. BY RONALD R. GRIFFIN Friday, November 3, 2006 12:01 a.m. EST I missed the joke. You must forgive me, for there just is not a lot of room in my life for even good jokes--and there is absolutely no room for "botched jokes"--when the subject of the joke is my son who was killed in Iraq. I know exactly what came out of Sen. John Kerry's mouth, and in those words there is no interpretation required. His attempt to convince us--and, I believe, to convince himself that that there was really a botched joke buried deep within his insult is in fact a reaffirmation of his ever-present condescending nature. He actually believes that we are stupid enough to agree with him and start laughing simply because he said it was a joke. Mr. Kerry said exactly what he meant and meant exactly what he said. In those words Mr. Kerry did in fact wash completely away the facade of his support of our magnificent troops and revealed for all to...