the things you believe you're seeing...

Byron Pitts of CBS was questioning Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans, that the post Katrina cleanup was taking too long. After pointing out specific storm damage Nagin shot back; “That’s alright. You guys in New York can’t get a hole in the ground fixed and it’s five years later. So let’s be fair.“ Idiot!

From The Corner; ARE REPUBLICANS CATCHING UP? [Byron York] Republicans appear to be narrowing the Democratic lead in Congressional preference. In new Gallup poll, Democrats hold a two percentage-point lead — the smallest in a year. In answer to the question, "If the elections for Congress were being held today, which party's candidate would you vote for in your Congressional district?" 47 percent of said the Democratic candidate, while 45 percent said the Republican candidate. That two-point gap is far smaller than 51-40 Democratic advantage just three weeks ago. In June, the Democratic advantage was 54-38; in April, it was 54-39; in March, it was 55-39; in February, it was 50-43; in January, it was 49-43; in October 2005, it was 50-43; and in August 2005, it was 53-41. All those numbers are drawn from registered voters. Among people described as "regular voters" — according to Gallup, "registered voters who say they 'always vote' and who say they ...

Bush on the rise again...See John Podhoretz's column in the NY Post. The drumbeat is constant: We haven't seen numbers like this since 1994, when the GOP swept into power. Or even: We haven't seen numbers like this since the slaughter of Republicans in 1974, in the wake of Watergate. After all, everybody is certain that, after Election Day, Democrats will hold a majority of governorships for the first time in six years. Surely the Republican reckoning in Washington is at hand. Surely . . . surely . . . Don't be so sure. The chief evidence Washington wise men are using to adduce an upcoming earthquake derives from some very unfavorable polling. President Bush's approval rating is only 37 percent, according to the Real Clear Politics average of all major polls. That's about the same number recorded for the GOP in the "generic ballot" question - where pollsters ask whether people intend to vote for a Republican or a Democrat, without offering a candidate...

Fox New's Steve Centanni and his cameraman Olaf Wiig are still missing in Gaza after being kidnapped by unknown terrorists over a week ago. The MSM has been mostly silent on the story. Perhaps because there is nothing to report . However I agree with Michelle Malkin, no news is news . We were given constant updates on Bob Woodruff and his cameraman Doug Vogt 's condition. When CBS reporter Kimberly Dozier was seriously injured and her colleagues killed we were kept informed, as well we should be. I don't think its much to ask for the MSM to let us know what is happening with the Fox News people. For more see TV Newser , Johnny Dollar and Inside Cable News .

Oh brother! Superman eschews longtime patriot act By Tatiana Siegel Nevermind Superman's sexual orientation. Here's another identity-related question that is likely to spark controversy as the Man of Steel soars into theaters nationwide this Fourth of July weekend in Warner Bros. Pictures' "Superman Returns": Is Superman still American? Ever since artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel created the granddaddy of all comic book icons in 1932, Superman has fought valiantly to preserve "truth, justice and the American way." Whether kicking Nazi ass on the radio in the '40s or wrapping himself in the Stars and Stripes on TV during the Cold War or even rescuing the White House's flag as his final feat in "Superman II," the Krypton-born, Smallville-raised Ubermensch always has been steeped in unmistakable U.S. symbolism. But in the latest film incarnation, scribes Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris sought to downplay Superman's long-stan...

From AFP Hundreds of chemical weapons found in Iraq: US intelligence Jun 22 1:56 AM US US-led coalition forces in Iraq have found some 500 chemical weapons since the March 2003 invasion , Republican lawmakers said, citing an intelligence report. "Since 2003, Coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent," said an overview of the report unveiled by Senator Rick Santorum and Peter Hoekstra, head of the intelligence committee of the House of Representatives. "Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq's pre-Gulf war chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf war chemical munitions are assessed to still exist," it says. The lawmakers cited the report as validation of the US rationale for the war, and stressed the ongoing danger they pose. "This is an incredibly -- in my mind -- significant finding. The idea that, as my colleagues have repeatedly said in this debate on the other...

Since there was no one charged in the Fitzgerald/Plame investigation with leaking the name of a covert agent shouldn't the media stop referring to it as "the CIA leak investigation" ??? Ya think?

Chuck Schumer just can't seem to accept the fact that there was no CIA leak concerning Valerie Plame. If there was then Patrick Fitzgerald would have charged someone for it. Schumer also said that Fitzgerald should issue a report on his findings and any decisions to seek the indictment of others. "I have every confidence in this decision because it was made by an independent and fair minded prosecutor," the senator told reporters at the Capitol. Oh Chuck, Fitzgerald cannot issue a report. Its against the law according to Victoria Toensing the author of the Identies Protection Act. "It is not good enough to simply have a case for perjury. We still need to know who did the leak," Schumer added. "We still need to make sure that anyone who did that is given the appropriate punishment." Again, oh Chuckie...there was no leak because no one was charged.

...he will not be charged in the Plame investigations. Oh. My. Goodness. Leak Counsel Won't Charge Rove, Lawyer Announces By DAVID JOHNSTON WASHINGTON, June 13 — The prosecutor in the C.I.A. leak case on Monday advised Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, that he would not be charged with any wrongdoing, effectively ending the nearly three-year criminal investigation that had at times focused intensely on Mr. Rove. The decision by the prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, announced in a letter to Mr. Rove's lawyer, Robert D. Luskin, lifted a pall that had hung over Mr. Rove who testified on five occasions to a federal grand jury about his involvement in the disclosure of an intelligence officer's identity. In a statement, Mr. Luskin said, "On June 12, 2006, Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald formally advised us that he does not anticipate seeking charges against Karl Rove." Mr. Fitzgerald's spokesman, Randall Samborn, said he would not comment on Mr. Rov...

When will the media wake up and stop being played for the fools that they are? This is right of the the terrorist playbook, literally. Tiny solitary cells under constant illumination, a mere 20 minutes of fresh air daily, and beatings at the hands of guards are indicative of the "torture" endured by some of the 17 people accused of plotting terrorist attacks in Canada, lawyers for the group said Monday.

The American Thinker has raised the possibility, read Clarice Feldman's article based on information obtained by the blog Sweetness and Light. If this turns out to be true what will the MSM and John Murtha do? See here and follow the related articles links at the bottom. Also see here for inconsistencies in the stories told by the 12 year old "survivor" of the "massacre". Why has the MSM ignored these differing accounts by this 12 year old girl. What is especially interesting is this; Now look at these two different accounts below, both from the same eyewitness, the young girl who survived and was filmed by ABC calling for the execution of the Marines. She's told at least two versions of her story and possibly as many as four. AP June 3rd - In an off-camera conversation with the cameraman, Iman, the 9-year-old survivor, told of hiding under a bed for hours after the shootings. She said Marines finally found her and initially took her for dead when they p...

Some democrats just can't seem to contain themselves, even when its best that they do; Some Democrats, breaking ranks from their leadership, today said the death of terrorist leader Abu Musab Zarqawi in Iraq was a stunt to divert attention from an unpopular and hopeless war. "This is just to cover Bush's [rear] so he doesn't have to answer" for Iraqi civilians being killed by the U.S. military and his own sagging poll numbers, said Rep. Pete Stark, California Democrat. "Iraq is still a mess -- get out." Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio Democrat, said Zarqawi was a small part of "a growing anti-American insurgency" and that it's time to get out. "We're there for all the wrong reasons," Mr. Kucinich said.

Rejoice! Michelle Malkin is on top of it with links ...

Well, so much for the "bellweather" race in California , you know, the one the dems said was going to show how they were going to win by a landslide in November. Republican Wins Bellwether California Election By Debbi Wilgoren and Jonathan Weisman Washington Post Staff Writers Wednesday, June 7, 2006; 7:24 AM The California Congressional seat vacated by jailed former representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham will remain in Republican hands after a special election Tuesday in which a lobbyist narrowly defeated a Democratic school board member. Republican Brian Bilbray beat Democrat Francine Busby after an combative and expensive race that centered on issues of government corruption and illegal immigration. With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Bilbray had 56,016 votes or 49.5 percent, the Associated Press reported, and Busby trailed with 51,202 votes or 45 percent. Maybe it had something to do with Busby telling illegals they didn't need any papers to vote? Nah.....

John Kerry, appearing to be gearing up for another presidential election loss in 2008, decided it was time to attack the administration on its unilateral approach to dealing with the Iran nuke controversy. Immediately following his speech came this news; Emphasizing that a nuclear-armed Iran would be "a very serious threat to the U.S. and our allies," Kerry contended that the most conservative estimates are that Tehran is at least five years away from developing atomic weapons. "There is time for diplomacy to work here," he said, but added that negotiating with Iran is "an uncertain proposition at best." Kerry spoke before news broke of the agreement between six major powers, including the U.S., to offer an incentive package for Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. He hailed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent offer of direct negotiations with Iran, but said any talks "must be more than an effort to check the box on diplomacy as they m...

It seems the AP cannot write an article about the US job market without including the "B" word. Unemployment Dips, But Hiring Slows I wish I had this job, it rewards you for being consistently wrong every month. The payrolls performance was much weaker than the 170,000 jobs that economists were forecasting would be added in May. They also were predicting the unemployment rate to hold steady at 4.7 percent. 0 for 2. Batting .000% for the month of May. And still working.

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.