the things you believe you're seeing...

It seems that Dick Gephardt's private comments don't match up with his public ones; During a private meeting in San Francisco last week, former Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) expressed doubt that Democrats will win control of the House this fall, according to knowledgeable sources. Gephardt’s remarks about the upcoming election, delivered to a group of investment analysts last Tuesday in the district of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), run counter to the predictions of some of his former colleagues who now occupy powerful positions in the Democratic leadership.

Only they would have you believe it was Bush's worst hour ; And yet, an ubiquitous media chorus claims simultaneously that Katrina was Bush’s worst hour and the press’s best. That faultless paragon of media scrupulousness Dan Rather proclaimed it one of the “quintessential great moments in television news.” Christiane Amanpour explained, “I think what’s interesting is that it took a Katrina, you know, to bring us back to where we belong. In other words, real journalists, real journalism, and I think that’s a good thing.” But in the race to prove the federal response incompetent, the “real journalists” missed some important details. As Lou Dolinar exhaustively documents , the National Guard did amazing work in New Orleans. From the Superdome, the Guard managed some 2,500 troops, a dozen emergency shelters, more than 200 boats, 150 helicopters (which flew more than 10,000 sorties moving 88,181 passengers, 18,834 tons of cargo, and saved 17,411 survivors), and an enormous M*A*S*H oper...

Hah! I guess they were ! Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), the target of a 14-month public corruption probe, was videotaped accepting $100,000 in $100 bills from a Northern Virginia investor who was wearing an FBI wire, according to a search warrant affidavit released yesterday. A few days later, on Aug. 3, 2005, FBI agents raided Jefferson's home in Northeast Washington and found $90,000 of the cash in the freezer, in $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed inside frozen-food containers, the document said.

Thank goodness the NY Times didn't get a hold of this information or they would have printed the story with the "need to know" excuse; Plot to down El Al jet in Geneva foiled By JPOST.COM STAFF A terrorist plot to blow up an El Al jet at Geneva airport with an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) in December was uncovered by the Swiss and French intelligence agencies, details released for publication on Friday revealed. The Yedioth Aharonot newspaper reported that a secret agent working undercover amongst an Islamic terror cell in the city discovered the plan after three immigrants of Arabic origin boasted of their attempts to smuggle weapons from Russia with the ultimate goal of shooting down an Israeli plane at the airport.

And who knows, if true, it could have saved 3000 lives! Judith Miller says; “But I did manage to have a conversation with a source that [July Fourth 2001] weekend. The person told me that there was some concern about an intercept that had been picked up. The incident that had gotten everyone’s attention was a conversation between two members of Al Qaeda. And they had been talking to one another, supposedly expressing disappointment that the United States had not chosen to retaliate more seriously against what had happened to the Cole. And one Al Qaeda operative was overheard saying to the other, ‘Don’t worry; we’re planning something so big now that the US will have to respond.’ “And I was obviously floored by that information. I thought it was a very good story: (1) the source was impeccable; (2) the information was specific, tying Al Qaeda operatives to, at least, knowledge of the attack of the Cole; and (3) they were warning that something big was coming, to which the United States...

So now not only will illegal immigrants be rewarded for breaking the law with citizenship now they will be entitled to Social Security with the illegally obtained Social Security cards Brilliant! The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment -- even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents.

MR. REID: { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT } DISTINGUISHED FRIEND, THE SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA, KNOWS THAT. HE'S FLOWN AROUND THE WORLD HIMSELF AS A PILOT. I HAVE AFFECTION FOR MY FRIEND FROM OKLAHOMA, BUT I HAVE THE GREATEST DISAGREEMENT WITH HIM ON THIS AMENDMENT. WHILE THE INTENT MAY NOT BE THERE, I REALLY BELIEVE THIS AMENDMENT IS RACIST. MR. REID: { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT } I THINK IT'S DIRECTED BASICALLY TO PEOPLE WHO SPEAK SPANISH. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE THREE SONS THAT SPEAK SPANISH, FLUENT SPANISH. ONE OF THEM LIVED IN ARGENTINA A COUPLE YEARS. ONE LIVED IN ECUADOR, ONE LIVED IN SPAIN. THEY SPEAK FLUENT SPANISH. I'M VERY PROUD OF THESE YOUNG MEN. THEY HAVE ACTED AS INTERPRETERS FOR ME WHEN I DO RADIO PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN The amendment passed 63-34.

Thomas Friedman on the end game in Iraq ;

Well, that isn't really what they voted for but thats what the affect is.  The House voted yesterday to continue the ban on off-shore oil drilling that has been in effect for the last 25 years.  If we ever want to become energy independent we need to start looking for oil domestically, offshore and in ANWR and I am sure that is the next target. So when any pol gets up whining about high gas prices just remember votes like this.

The Senate showed its true colors yesterday by defeating an amendment to the Immigration bill that would have required border enforcement first and deferred debate on how to handle the 12-20 million illegal immigrants currently in the country by a vote of 55-40 with 18 idiot Republicans voting to kill the amendment. Simply mind-boggling! Here is a list of the 18 Republicans senators who betrayed there conservative base; Robert Bennett of Utah; Sam Brownback of Kansas; Lincoln Chafee , Rhode Island; Norm Coleman , Minnesota; Susan Collins , Maine; Larry Craig , Idaho; Mike DeWine , Ohio; Lindsey Graham , South Carolina; Chuck Hagel , Nebraska; Dick Lugar , Indiana; Mel Martinez , Florida; Lisa Murkowski , Alaska; Senator Shelby , Alabama; Olympia Snowe , Maine; Senator Specter , Pennsylvania; Ted Stevens , Alaska; Voinovich , Ohio; and John Warner from Virginia. Be sure to show them some love. Of course when it came time to vote on the Sen. Sessions amendment to include a 3...

Kris's Story

I would like to apologize to the dozens of readers that I have for not posting more often. I have been concentrating on posting my opinions over on my political forum called "Heart In The Right Place" at The Crazy Water Community and have been neglecting my blog. However the result is that I end up debating with the same 3-4 people. And since they are of the mind that Bush is to blame for a rainy day its become pointless. So I have decided to relaunch thethingsyoubelieveyoureseeing. I am sure the tens of thousands of you, well maybe tens, will be thrilled.

On "Meet The Press" this past Sunday Tim Russert asked; "Oil demand is up. Supply is down. So why are prices rising?" Yes he really did ask that. MR. RUSSERT: Mr. Secretary, if, if demand is up but supply is down, why are the profits so high? MR. BODMAN: For that reason. MR. RUSSERT: No, think about that. MR. BODMAN: You know? MR. RUSSERT: Play it out. MR. BODMAN: Demand is up. MR. RUSSERT: Correct. MR. BODMAN: Right? MR. RUSSERT: Right. MR. BODMAN: So you’ve got more demand, you’re going to force price up. You’ve got, you’ve got limited supply, and you’re going to have... MR. RUSSERT: But that’s a decision by the oil companies. MR. BODMAN: No, it is not. That is a decision—those are—oil is traded every minute of every day, and it’s traded basically 24-by-seven. And it’s, it is determined in marketplaces in New York and London and Tokyo, all over the world. That’s the, the—the oil companies do not determine the price of oil; the producers determine the price of oil....

So Tony Snow takes over as White House Press Secretary and they decide that they don't like the AP headline which is White House Hires Fox Pundit as Press Secretary , instead they felt that this was more appropriate; He's Called Bush "An Embarrassment" Go to www.aol.com to see it...

From National Review Online; So Newsweek is reporting that Mary McCarthy denies being the leaker. This despite stories in the press saying that she failed a polygraph and admitted to it. McCarthy's not the the one who told Newsweek. Do you know who did? Her "close friend" Rand Beers. Who's Rand Beers? The National Security Council staffer who quit in 2003 and went to work as John Kerry's senior national security campaign adviser. You know who else is Rand Beers's old friend from the National Security Council staff? Joseph C. Wilson IV. Just saying.

Huge news! J.J. Abrams, writer/director/creator of the hit show Lost has been named to direct the next Star Trek movie which will feature a young versions of James T. Kirk and Spock at Starfleet Academy. J.J. Abrams is becoming the next Gene Roddenberry. Paramount is breathing life into its "Star Trek" franchise by setting "Mission: Impossible III" helmer J.J. Abrams to produce and direct the 11th "Trek" feature, aiming for a 2008 release. Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk, Abrams' producing team from "Lost," also will produce the yet-to-be-titled feature. Project, to be penned by Abrams and "MI3" scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, will center on the early days of seminal "Trek" characters James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, including their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and first outer space mission. I like it! Now the big question, who will they get to fill these very big shoes of Kirk and Spock. Should be damn interest...

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has handed in his resignation, its about time! I have always felt that he was one of the most ineffectual press secretaries EVER. The White House needs a stronge personality that will be able to battle with the unhinged media each and everyday. Someone that is not afraid to get back in the face of the likes of David Gregory, John Roberts and Helen Thomas. WASHINGTON Apr 19, 2006 (AP)— White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Wednesday he is resigning, continuing a shakeup in President Bush's administration that has already yielded a new chief of staff and could lead to a change in the Cabinet. Appearing with Bush on the White House South Lawn just before the president boarded a helicopter at the start a trip to Alabama, McClellan, who has parried especially fiercefully with reporters on Iraq and on intelligence issues, told Bush: "I have given it my all sir and I have given you my all sir, and I will continue to do so as we t...

In what could be another major blow to the Durham prosecuter the alibi presented by one of the two Duke players indicted yesterday has checked out, according to ABC News; Seligmann's argument is simple: He is innocent and he has an alibi. He attended the party that night, but documents, photos and witness testimony show that he wasn't there long enough or at the right time to attack the alleged victim. Around midnight the night of March 13, Seligmann was already at the party when two women hired from a local escort agency arrived to dance for the boys — $400 each for a two-hour performance. A series of time-stamped photographs viewed by ABC News show the girls dancing at midnight and at 12:02 a.m. By 12:24 a.m., a receipt reviewed by ABC indicates that Seligmann's ATM card was used at a nearby Wachovia bank. In a written statement to the defense also reviewed by ABC, a cabdriver confirms picking up Seligmann and a friend a block and a half from the party, and driving them t...

Some sanity prevails ... If you're planning to vote in the May 2 primary, you'll have to show a state or federally issued photo ID. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker upheld Indiana's stringent voter-identification law. Barker said plaintiffs, including the Indiana Democratic Party, failed to back up their contention that the ID law is unduly burdensome and would keep many people from casting ballots. Barker wrote in her 126-page opinion that the opponents' arguments would require "the invalidation" not only of the photo ID statute, "but of significant portions of Indiana's election code which have previously passed Constitutional muster." A number of states require photo identification for voters, but Indiana's law is considered among the most stringent because it offers few exceptions to the requirement. The Democratic Party and the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, a co-plaintiff, had argued that the law -- passed b...

RUMSFELD ASKED TO DENY FUNDS TO CALIFORNIA COLLEGE April 12, 2006 - For Immediate Release Contact: William Perry Pendley DENVER, CO. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should withhold federal funds from a California college given the failure of the college to ensure the safe presence of military recruiters on campus, the Secretary was advised by a public interest law firm in a letter released today. According to news reports, military recruiters were forced to flee yesterday from a University of California Santa Cruz job fair because of a raucous mob. Mountain States Legal Foundation advised Rumsfeld that the college’s actions violate the Solomon Amendment, which requires that colleges permit military recruiters on campus or lose all federal funds. UC Santa Cruz received $80 million in federal funds during 2005. A unanimous Supreme Court ruled the Solomon Amendment constitutional early last month. “It is outrageous that members of the Armed Forces, who are asked to serve in harm’s wa...