Keith Olbermann To Bill O'Reilly: I'm 'Still Here' - Oh Wait, Maybe I'm Not

NBC has suspended Bathtub Boy indefinitely without pay for contributing the maximum amount to democrat candidates for the house and senate. Or maybe Comcast was sickened by listening to Matthews and Olbermann giggle like schoolgirls as they insulted Republican candidates.

"Honor Killing" Dad Secretly Taped Daughters

From Fox News

On New Year’s Day 2008, two Texas teenagers Amina and Sarah Said were shot dead, their bloodied bodies left in a taxi cab. The alleged shooter: their father Yaser Said.

In fact, Sarah appears to identify her Dad as the murderer in a 9-11 call – her dying words.

For more than two years the Fox News Reporting team has been following this story and the search for Yaser Said, who vanished the night of the murders.

Although perpetrated by Islamic fundamentalists on nearly every continent and for myriad absurd reasons, ironically, all "Honor Killings" seem to be comprised of two key elements: The part where they brutally murder innocent women or children, and then the part where they run away. Am I alone in thinking that it's a curious sense of "honor" these guys seem to possess?

Rachel Maddow Exposes Her Desperate Pro Abortion Agenda

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Whether it's attacking John Boehner for his "nuking an ant" referece regarding Dodd's bailout bill masquerading as finance reform, or now Sharon Angle's lemonade from lemons analogy, Rachel Maddow illustrates exactly how desperate the left has become. Unable to discredit the message, they turn to attacking the metaphors their opponents use to get their message through to an electorate long conditioned by the mainstream media. Here's the full quote from Angle, which I give credit to Maddow for showing (even though she must not have read it), which you won't see on most left wing blogs.

ANGLE: I think that two wrongs don’t make a right. And I have been in the situation of counseling young girls, not 13 but 15, who have had very at risk, difficult pregnancies. And my counsel was to look for some alternatives, which they did. And they found that they had made what was really a lemon situation into lemonade. Well one girl in particular moved in with the adoptive parents of her child, and they both were adopted. Both of them grew up, one graduated from high school, the other had parents that loved her and she also graduated from high school. And I’ll tell you the little girl who was born from that very poor situation came to me when she was 13 and said ‘I know what you did thank you for saving my life.’ So it is meaningful to me to err on the side of life.

First of all, it's pathetic how the left keeps bringing up the rape and incest factor every time abortion is discussed. Only a fraction of one percent of rape and incest victims become pregnant. That means that for every abortion for rape or incest, there are 25,000 for convenience. It's like a football coach losing sleep over which play he'll have to call in case his fourth string left tackle ever has to play quarterback.

Most importantly, Angle counseled young girls to look for alternatives. Alternative is defined by Merriam-Webster as "offering or expressing a choice; different from the usual or conventional." Offering a choice. Hmm...choice...where have we heard that word before? Oh yea, pro-choice. Looking for alternatives, isn't that what being pro-choice is all about? Evidently not. Just as Bart Stupak almost single-handedly disproved the myth of the pro-life democrat (while at the same time proving himself a fool), Rachel Maddow proves once again what we've known for years; that pro-choice is pro-abortion. But it's easier to attack a metaphor when the political position you've defended so long for becomes exposed for the deception it truly is.

Debbie Halvorson - Will County Unemployment has Increased 24% on Your Watch

Unemployment in Will County has increased 24% since Debbie Halvorson was sworn in. She talks about bringing jobs back to Illinois and empowering small businesses, but her votes on Obamacare, cap and trade, the Dodd-Frank taxpayer funded bailout, and her support for card check, will do nothing but put even more Illinois families out of work.

The Gravel Trap KO's Keith Olbermann

Here's a little exchange that I had with Keith Olbermann via Twitter. It started when redbloodedgirl called him out the hypocrisy of blaming Andrew Breitbart for Shirley Sherrod's firing, when the Obama Administration is the one that fired her, and ended when I asked for proof of his claim the Breitbart edited the video.

redbloodedgirl - @KeithOlbermann You're a joke. Breitbart airs the story so bears the blame, even though it is THIS ADMIN that FIRED HER based on story?

KeithOlbermann - @redbloodedgirl Breitbart reedited the tape, slandered this good woman, you and WH fell for it. But Breitbart has the original sin.

mtjamesium - RT @Keitholbermann Breitbart reedited the tape / So I'm assuming you have proof of this, right? #tcot #gop #teaparty #Sherrod

Keitholbermann - @mtjamesium If he didn't, he simply disseminated tapes dishonestly edited by others, without checking. So he's either a miscreant or a fool.

mtjamesium - @KeithOlbermann Don't backpedal. You said @andrewbreitbart edited the tapes. Do you have proof or not? #tcot #gop #teaparty #sherrod

At which point bathtub boy decided to take his toys and go home and blocked me. Evidently nothing at Cornell ever prepared Olbermann for the eventuality that someone might actually ask him to provide proof for his ridiculous claims. Olbermann's whole existence is about making unfounded attacks and habitually engaging in the exact type of behavior that he falsely accuses others of doing. Is anyone surprised that he rarely has any guests on who disagree with him? His entire show can be summed up as "Hi, I'm Keith Olbermann. I really hate Sarah Palin. And now, here's someone who agrees with me." The only practice he gets debating people are when Chris Matthews or Joe Scarborough prove him wrong, which, as I discovered, is almost disappointingly easy to do. He's turned into a sad, pathetic, bitter parody of himself so much that even Bill O'Reilly has stopped picking on him. But it doesn't stop his fellow libtards trashing him though. Daily Caller just released some more Journolist leaks with members calling Olbermann “sexist” and “misogynist,” mainly over his treatment of Carrie Prejean and Hillary Clinton. Some highlights:

The Nation’s Katha Pollitt began the group’s rant. “He and Michael Musto did this whole long riff about beauty contestant Carrie “opposite marriage” Prejean’s breast implants, stupidity, breast implants, tacky clothes, earrings, breast implants. They went on and on about how she was “part plastic” and pathetic. You’d think they were celibate vegans who spent their lives zen meditating. It was just a whole TV humiliation of her, and it made me feel sorry for her, which wasn’t easy,” Pollitt said.

…Julian Zelizer, a Princeton professor and CNN contributor, said Olbermann’s root problem is his misogyny. “I can’t take him anytime. I think to write off his mysogyny as limited to Musto is just not accurate. That very much defined much of how he talked about Clinton as well as others.”

Not the Face!! Not the Face!! Cleric Offers Common Sense Advice on Wife Beating

"America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles -- principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."

"My job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries. My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect."

"Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world."

-Barack Hussein Obama

Muslim Cleric Puts Cartoonist Molly Norris on Execution Hit List

From The New York Daily News

A CHARISMATIC terror leader linked to the botched Times Square car bomb has placed the Seattle cartoonist who launched "Everybody Draw Muhammed Day" on an execution hit list.

Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki - the radical who has also been cited as inspiring the Fort Hood, Tex., massacre and the plot by two New Jersey men to kill U.S. soldiers - singled out artist Molly Norris as a "prime target," saying her "proper abode is hellfire."

FBI officials have notified Norris and warned her they consider it a "very serious threat."

In an English-language Al Qaeda magazine that calls itself "Inspire," Awlaki damns Norris and eight others for "blasphemous caricatures" of the Prophet Muhammed. The other cartoonists, authors and journalists in Awlaki's cross hairs are Swedish, Dutch and British citizens.

The 67-page terror rag is seen by terrorism experts as a bald new attempt to reach and recruit Muslim youth in the West.

Read the rest.

Debbie Halvorson Tries to Attack Adam Kinzinger's Military Service Record

From the Southtown Star
Dirt won't stick to clean captain

July 20, 2010

In war, truth is the first casualty. - Aeschylus. It's full-on warfare. Adam Kinzinger should know that. The young Air Force pilot is battling for a seat in the U.S. Congress, and U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-11th) isn't going down without a fight.

But yes, we do believe there must be rules of engagement.

And because these particular attacks are specious, we think that Kinzinger, a 32-year-old captain in the Air Force Reserve, deserves a little defense after his opponent tried to explode him with a Mark Kirk hand grenade.

The issue of military credentials, you'll remember, first blew up earlier this summer when U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-10th) was found to be overstating his military honors.

So Halvorson's campaign took out its own magnifying glass in search of cracks in this captain's clean veneer.

Here's the e-mail from Halvorson campaign manager Travis Worl looking for some dirty stuff:

To: Campbell, John E CIV USAF AFSOC AFSOC/A1

Subject: Captain Adam Kinzinger

Sir - Thank you for speaking with me.

I am researching Cap. Adam Kinzinger who on his public bio claims to serve with the Air Force Special Operations Command as a pilot. There seems to have been some contradictory statements so I am just looking for clarification.

In January of this year, he publicly stated that in a questionnaire:

"I now serve as a captain in the United States Air Force Special Operations Command flying reconnaissance aircraft." Is that correct? If so, did he fly reconnaissance aircraft? If not, was he ever attached to AFSOC to fly other kinds of aircraft? If so, what kind?

And the answer:

From: AFSOC/PA Public Affairs

Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 2:11 PM

Mr Worl,

This is in reference to your request to verify information on Capt Kinzinger. ...

Although the statement as it's written below is incorrect, Capt Kinzinger supported AFSOC assigned to the 745th Special Operations Squadron from March-June 2008 and March-May 2009 in Iraq in which he did fly reconnaissance aircraft.

So here's the "incorrect" part:

After flying more than 100 special ops missions the past two years, he came home again, likely temporarily.

Like a union painter on a furlough - can she call herself a painter? Like a teacher in the summer - can he call himself a teacher? Like a freelance rhino writer in between trips to Africa - can he call himself a National Geographic contributor?

And as so often happens in contemporary work and warfare, eventually the "is" turned to "was" in the course of this campaign. And Kinzinger says he has nothing to defend.

He said the biography listed on his campaign Web site was accurate when it was written. And if he were to be called back up again it's likely that same work would resume.

"Going from an honorable military servant to a fraud ... they're trying to place that seed in people's minds, and there's no reason to do it. It's absolutely wrong," Kinzinger said.

We agree. Kinzinger's military record is impressive, it's solid, and it deserves respect, not denigration.

Halvorson should battle for the issues she believes in, not drag a worthy opponent through the muck and mire.

Anyone who has followed Debbie Halvorson for any length of time is familiar with her contradictions. She boasts how she will stand up to Obama, then caves on cap and trade. She proclaims constituent service to be her main focus, yet refuses to meet with her constituents. She said she wouldn't vote for a health care bill that added to the deficit, yet she relied on budget gimmickry and ignored the CBO confirmation that the “doctor fix” will add billions to the deficit. She agreed to debates and is now back in hiding. Given that she is always boasting how she's the only Representative from Illinois to sit on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, should we be surprised at her attempt to discredit Adam Kinzinger's impressive service record? The answer, sadly, is no. Debbie Halvorson is simply doing what Debbie Halvorson does best; saying one thing in her district, and doing something entirely different when she returns to Washington.

Edit - Hey Travis, the correct abbreviation for Captain is Capt. not Cap. It's an officer in the United States Military, not the first name in a sugary breakfast cereal. But I'm sure Debbie Halvorson's reelection bid is still safe in your hands. As long as you can pronounce corpsman correctly.

Reuters; Race Issues Beset Obama's "Post-Racial" Presidency

The sad, predictable facts are that everyone involved with this ordeal that ended with the firing of Shirley Sherrod acted completely in character and exactly how you would expect. Breitbart released an edited video with out of context quotes. Fox News, deeming the story to be newsworthy, ran with it. The NAACP showed weak leadership. The Obama Administration acted impulsively and without taking the time to gather the facts, unjustly fired Shirley Sherrod. In a CNN interview, Sherrod said USDA deputy undersecretary Cheryl Cook called her and told her to pull over and submit her resignation on her Blackberry because the White House wanted her out. Her anger (rightfully so) is focused on the administration which acted rashly and "Cambridge police-like", a knee jerk reaction from a White House afraid of being caught on the wrong side of the racial payback atmosphere we find ourselves in. For a man praised for having a cool and collected temperament, Obama seems to be able to do only one of two things when faced with a crisis; ignore it and hope it goes away, or impulsively overreact. Let's hope we're not soon faced with a situation where our success or survival is dependent on his leadership and ability to make a decision under real pressure.

From Reuters

Many supporters of Barack Obama hoped his election as America's first black president might herald an era of post-racial politics, but race has been an issue his administration just can't seem to avoid.

Division and tension between black and white Americans has cropped up repeatedly over Obama's 18 months in office, hurting his popularity and distracting from his political agenda.

The issue surfaced this week when the Agriculture Department pushed a black official to resign after allegations she discriminated against a white farmer, only to apologize a day later for acting too quickly and without the facts.

Here's a sobering thought; If Obama can be fooled so easily by Andrew Breitbart, what chance does he have against Putin, Chavez, or Ahmadinejad?

Obama Replaces McChrystal, Affirms Committment to Afghan War

In making what is probably the best speech of his presidency, Obama lavished praise on McChrystal, restated the mission and made a compelling case for why we're in Afghanistan, and picked the best man for the job in naming General Petraeus as McChrystal's replacement.

I’ve just told my national security team that now is the time for all of us to come together. Doing so is not an option, but an obligation. I welcome debate among my team, but I won’t tolerate division. All of us have personal interests; all of us have opinions. Our politics often fuels conflict, but we have to renew our sense of common purpose and meet our responsibilities to one another, and to our troops who are in harm’s way, and to our country.

We need to remember what this is all about. Our nation is at war. We face a very tough fight in Afghanistan. But Americans don’t flinch in the face of difficult truths or difficult tasks. We persist and we persevere. We will not tolerate a safe haven for terrorists who want to destroy Afghan security from within, and launch attacks against innocent men, women, and children in our country and around the world.

So make no mistake: We have a clear goal. We are going to break the Taliban’s momentum. We are going to build Afghan capacity. We are going to relentlessly apply pressure on al Qaeda and its leadership, strengthening the ability of both Afghanistan and Pakistan to do the same.

That’s the strategy that we agreed to last fall; that is the policy that we are carrying out, in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“We have just witnessed a historically significant moment in the Obama presidency,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.). “It’s a decisive show of leadership.”

From Politco

And his replacement, Gen. David Petraeus, is virtually guaranteed a quick and easy Senate confirmation to take over the Afghan war. As Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), put it, Petraeus’s confirmation “may be the fastest in the history of the Armed Services Committee.” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), added: “I believe he is the right person to take over this command.”

Now about that withdrawl date...

O'Reilly Continues to Trounce MSNBC; Olbermann Renders Desperate, Nonsensical Response

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What Olbermann fails to mention is that the 11 pm rerun of the O'Reilly Factor had 1.1 million viewers, compared to 800,000 for Olbermann's 8 PM Countdown. As to Olbermann's Lady Gaga quip, evidently Olbermann is just jealous after getting shot down by has been porn stars.

Debbie Halvorson Exploits Gulf Spill Disaster for Campaign Money

From the Morris Daily Herald

In her June 16 news release, Halvorson said that, although communities around the Gulf of Mexico have come together to begin cleaning up the massive disaster, Washington Republicans are “plotting to hand you the bill and let BP off the hook.”

“Join me in standing up to Washington insiders who want to let their friends in big oil get off without paying the price,” she noted in asking in the release for campaign contributions.

“Donate $5, $10, or even $25 to help me keep the pressure on BP to finish the cleanup and put our fellow Americans back on their feet.”

She's taken the familiar and misguided liberal strategy of "rather than fixing the problem, lets throw money at it" to a new level. Not content simply telling us where to throw the cash, she's telling us to give the money to her, so she can throw it. Correction, misguided and arrogant. If you're really interested in helping, instead of giving your money to Halvorson to light on fire, try one of these guys first: Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, or the United Way.

Being too lazy to serve her district is one thing, but using the largest environmental disaster our country has ever seen to shamelessly raise campaign funds is another thing entirely. Whether it stems from desperation, ignorance, or plain greed, she should apologize to residents of the 11th district and gulf coast inhabitants affected by the disaster for her callous plea for your hard earned cash.

Liberal Media Turns on Obama After Oval Office Address

From RealClearPolitics

Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Howard Fineman react to President Obama's Oval Office Address on the oil spill. Here are the highlights of what the trio said:

Olbermann: "It was a great speech if you were on another planet for the last 57 days."

Matthews compared Obama to Carter.

Olbermann: "Nothing specific at all was said."

Matthews: "No direction."

Howard Fineman: "He wasn't specific enough."

Olbermann: "I don't think he aimed low, I don't think he aimed at all. It's startling."

Howard Fineman: Obama should be acting like a "commander-in-chief."

Matthews: Ludicrous that he keeps saying [Secretary of Energy] Chu has a Nobel prize. "I'll barf if he does it one more time."

Matthews: "A lot of meritocracy, a lot of blue ribbon talk."

Matthews: "I don't sense executive command."

Here are some more reviews of this train wreck...

Huffington Post; JUNK SHOT Obama's National Address Panned: Short On Details, Failed To 'Go Big'
Jason Linkins: What Was The Point Of That Terrible Speech?
Obama's Speech: An Enormous Wasted Opportunity
Dan Froomkin: What Obama Is Overlooking...
TIME 'It May Be Time To Bury Cap-And-Trade'
The Atlantic; Obama's Disappointing Speech Michael Crowley; Obama's Spill Speech: Calling for Courage, But Showing Little
Gulf of Mexico oil spill: 'The Committee is ready for you....' Obama's uncertain 'battle plan'
Obama's speech falls short of the mark Lynn Sweet; Obama makes nice Oval Office speech, but is the BP well capped? President Obama's BP speech was almost lousy enough to make you miss George W ... CBS News; President Obama Treads Water and Oil in the Oval Office Obama Offers Strong Words But No Magic Formula Reuters; Analysis: Obama speech short on energy San Francisco Chronicle; Carter: "The malaise speech", Obama: "The oil spill Hail Mary prayer speech" Baltimore Sun; Obama's Oval Office message: Let's have a debate

Obama Goes Street - Looking To Kick Ass

"I was down there a month ago, before most of these talking heads were even paying attention to the Gulf. A month ago I was meeting with fishermen down there, standing in the rain talking about what a potential crisis this could be. And I don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick."

Everyone from Frank Rich to Spike Lee has been calling on Obama to show some emotion and "go off" and get angry over the oil spill. And he responds with this vulgarity. First we had Rahm Emanuel's "f---ing retards" gem then Joe Biden's F-bomb slip, and now Obama's looking to find out "who's ass to kick", something that seems strangely difficult to do while reading a teleprompter. Evidently liberal parents don't get tired of having their children learn vulgar words from their highest officials. Kind of makes you long for a good old fashioned Bill Clinton joke.

Which bring's me to the story below...

Ann Coulter - Did You Plug the Hole With a Blue Dress Yet, Daddy?

The president finally went down to take a look at the oil disaster last week –- which is weird because I didn't even know there were golf courses near the Gulf. To show his concern, Obama is thinking about returning some of the nearly $1 million the oil industry donated to his campaign.

Ha, ha -- just kidding. He's not returning any oil money. But the situation has gotten so urgent that Obama did take time off from his golf game to praise the Phoenix Suns for protesting Arizona’s new immigration law.

He really did endorse the Phoenix Suns, which -- like most of his endorsements -- has resulted in their being eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend. (Did I dream this, or was it just yesterday that President Obama was congratulating Al and Tipper Gore on their long and happy marriage?)

Read the rest (and more) at Human Events

Palestinian Alarm Clock

Brad Sherman (D-CA): Prosecute Flotilla Americans for Aiding Terrorists

From The American Conservative

On a press call hosted by a pro-Israel organization, Rep. Brad Sherman, Democrat of California, told reporters that he intends to seek the prosecution of any U.S. citizens who were aboard or involved with the Freedom Flotilla.

“The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 makes it absolutely illegal for any American to give food, money, school supplies, paper clips, concrete or weapons to Hamas or any of its officials,” Sherman said on the Israel Project call. “And so I will be asking the Attorney General to prosecute any American involved in what was clearly an effort to give items of value to a terrorist organization.”

Sherman also said that he plans on working with the Department of Homeland Security to make sure that any non-U.S. citizen involved with or aboard the Flotilla are excluded from entering the U.S ….

The Congressman, known as a pro-Israel stalwart who has, in the past, joined as the sole Democrat on Republican criticisms of Obama’s foreign policy toward Israel, denied that there was a “hunger crisis” or “humanitarian crisis” in the Gaza Strip. “The health circumstances in Gaza are better than they are in many American cities,” he added later.

Questions about the legality of the Israeli blockade and its enforcement in international waters were quickly dismissed by Sherman, who said that the U.S. had itself blockaded Germany in both World Wars, Japan in the Second, and Cuba during the missile crisis.

Israeli Navy Should Torpedo the Next Flotilla

From New York Jewish Week

The beauty of the almost unanimous international condemnation of Israel for attempting to stop the terrorist flotilla like gentlemen -- using paint guns? -- instead of using serious military force, should send a message to Jews: You can't win by being polite to terrorists who have a schoolyard bully mentality. Weakness brings out even more outrageous behavior in bullies.

Next flotilla that violently resists a search -- just sink it. Torpedo it. See how many more flotillas follow. The condemnation won't be any different. Better that than even one more Jew being injured while boarding these floating Jenins.

Common Sense on Israeli Flotilla Incident from Joe Biden

From Politco

“I think Israel has an absolute right to deal with its security interest,” he told Charlie Rose on his interview show. “I mean, again, look, you can argue whether Israel should have dropped people onto that ship or not and the — but the truth of the matter is, Israel has a right to know — they're at war with Hamas — has a right to know whether or not arms are being smuggled in.”

“So what's the big deal here? What's the big deal of insisting [aid] go straight to Gaza?” Biden asked.

AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group, rushed out a statement enthusiastically endorsing his position. “He’s clearly a friend of Israel and what he did was a very courageous thing to do in the face of worldwide criticism,” said Jack Rosen, a Biden friend who chairs the American Council for World Jewry.

In a week that included Obama's there is no drilling, yes there is, no there's not confusion and Hillary getting the Queen's birthday wrong, the grown up in the room of the Obama regime would appear to be Joe Biden, at least until he reccommends dividing Arizona into three parts.

Egypt To Strip Citizenship From Men Married to Israelis

CAIRO (AFP)

A Cairo court on Saturday upheld a ruling to strip Egyptian men married to Israeli women of their citizenship in a case that has highlighted national sentiment towards Israel.

Judge Mohammed al-Husseini, sitting on the Supreme Administrative Court, said the interior ministry must ask the cabinet to take the necessary steps to strip Egyptian men married to Israeli women, and their children, of their citizenship.

The court said that each case should be considered separately, in a ruling that cannot be appealed.

The ruling reflects Egyptian sentiment towards Israel, more than 30 years after Egypt signed an unpopular peace deal with the Jewish state.

So, six Muslim nations attacked Israel and informed all Israeli Muslims to leave beforehand. They fled to Jordan. Israel wins in six days. The Jordanian King started killing the refugee Muslims due to his anger over losing. Tens of thousands were murdered before they could flee back to Israel. Now, they are stuck in the West Bank due to their own traitorous actions. Remind me again why I should feel sorry for them?

Rachel Corrie Intercepted Off Gaza Coast ‎

Well not the Rachel Corrie, aka St. Pancake. She's still dead. This is just an Irish ship named after the terrorist sympthizer who got in a head butting contest with an IDF D9R Armored Bulldozer.

From the Jerusalem Post

Three Navy ships were tailing the boat Rachel Corrie a few dozen kilometers from the blockaded Gaza Strip Saturday morning and were calling on it to divert to Ashdod, the military and activists on board the boat said. There were no reports of violence.

Earlier reports had suggested that the Rachel Corrie had been boarded, but the army and the boat’s passenger’s later said this was not true.

The ship was trying to breach the three-year-old blockade to deliver a load of aid to the coastal territory.

"There were two warships in the back of them ... and a smaller boat was approaching," said activist Greta Berlin of the Free Gaza movement, which sent the ship. She was speaking from the movement's headquarters in Cyprus and was citing a passenger on board.

By about 7 a.m., troops still had not boarded the Rachel Corrie, when it was 40 kilometers from Gaza, said Free Gaza's lawyer, Audrey Bomse. Shortly after, the Free Gaza office in Cyprus lost contact with the ship, Berlin said.

All of this interest in the Free Gaza movement has sparked a renewed curiosity in Rachel Corrie and her life. A new biography Rage 0, Machine 1; The Rachel Corrie Story, is shooting up the Amazon charts as we speak.

Chicago Attorney Fatima Mohammadi Among Activists Detained In Israeli Raid

How about an alternate headline? Oh, maybe something like "Local idiot who joined global jihadists with links to al Qaeda terrorist network in ill-advised attempt to run Israeli blockade in bogus "humanitarian" mission while smuggling contraband and attacking Israeli commandos, is lucky as hell not to be dead or in jail for the rest of her life." That seems a little more accurate.

Read the rest at the Chicago Tribune

Edit and now a US congressman says she should be prosecuted for aiding a terrorist organization.

Sarah Silverman Calls Fox News 24-Hour-A-Day Racism Engine

Sarah Silverman (seen above in one of her less vulgar displays of hypocrisy).

From Huffington Post

Sarah Silverman has lashed out against Fox News — and the network has responded.

The comedienne, whose Comedy Central show was recently canceled, says the network propagates racism in her book, "The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee."

"The entire Fox News Channel is a 24-hour-a-day racism engine, but it's all coded, all implied," she wrote (via NewsBusters). "Lou Dobbs used to scream on CNN about 'immigration,' not 'filthy Mexicans.'"

Silverman didn't just target Fox News — she said the entire right wing is marked by a subtle form of racism.

"Right-wing Americans who appear in mainstream media are not out there calling black people 'n*ggers,' or saying, 'The Klan has good ideas,'" she wrote. "Instead, they're questioning the legitimacy of Obama's presidency by accusing him of being born in Africa or of being a Muslim. Or they're having tea parties and calling Obama a 'communist' and a 'Nazi.'"

Fox News' response?

"Sarah's anger is understandable having recently lost her television show," a Fox News spokesperson said in response. "We sympathize with her need for attention considering her book is languishing near 300 on Amazon.com."

Remember the last has-been to pick a fight with Fox News, LL Cool J? I just feel sorry for her downstairs neighbors in case her recent difficulties trigger a relapse of her nocturnal misadventures.

Turkish Grand Prix 2010 - Webber vs Vettel

Red Bull Formula One Drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, in happier times.


By now we've all seen the lap 41 incident. And were it just two rival drivers colliding, we wouldn't be half as interested. But it involved teammates. And not just teammates (I mean would anyone really care if Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovaleinen put each other in the fence?) but teammates who just happen to be leading both the Driver's and Constructor's championships.

On lap 48 of the Turkish Grand Prix, Red Bull teammates Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are running first and second respectively. As they approach turn 12, (see above circuit layout) a sharp left hand turn, Webber, who's in the lead, holds a line center left, and in fact goes even further left as Vettel passes. Vettel, from second place, pulls out from behind Webber and jinks right before overtaking him on the left. As Vettel completes his pass from the extreme left of the circuit his right rear wheel makes contact with Webber's left front wheel, causing Vettel to spin and retire with a punctured right rear tire, and causing Webber to overshoot the corner. He would rejoin and finish in third place. Now, there's all types of speculation regarding strategical details of the incident regarding fuel loads, engine settings, team orders, etc. However, we're concerned with the crime scene, not what happened in the pits. First, the video. The incident is seen from two viewpoints: first a wide angle shot of both cars, then on board with Sebastian Vettel.



What do you see from the above video? After watching it, whom would you say is at fault? Popular opinion has placed the blame on Sebastian Vettel, (not just because he's German and aggressive) with most journalists and fans basing their opinion on the video evidence of Webber holding his line and Vettel turning right and making contact when he is only about 80% past Webber. A popular SpeedChannel commentator even said that Webber protected the racing line and that Vettel should have known what to expect when passing an aggressive driver like Mark Webber, evidently attempting some type of blame the victim defense.

Mark Webber is wrong. And here's why. Mark Webber apologists maintain that Webber held the racing line and Vettel turned into him. That's not correct. Mark Webber held his line, not the racing line. The "racing line" (An imaginary line around a circuit that has been proven to be the most efficient and quickest route around the circuit) for the entry to the approaching sharp left hander is to the far right. As an example (and to show off my excellent MS Paint skills) look at the picture below. Click to enlarge.

The picture on the right is taken from Mark Webber's qualifying lap. The picture on the left is from lap 41, at the moment Vettel and Webber made contact. Notice where Webber's car is on the right picture. As a reference I've circled the 150 meter board. In the right picture, taken from his qualifying lap, you can see that Webber is to the right side of the track, on the racing line, setting up his car for the correct entry to turn 12. That's the racing line. Now look at the left picture, and the video if necessary, and see where Webber's car is on the track when Vettel made contact. Definitely not on the racing line, as so many Webber supporters have claimed.

Therein lies the crucial difference. Mark Webber did not maintain the racing line. Actually what Webber did is very carefully and intentionally hold his steering wheel straight and he admitted as much after the race, as though this somehow made everything OK. Holding the steering wheel straight ahead at that moment is definitely not the same thing as holding the racing line. Now who had a right to the racing line? I would argue that Vettel was clearly ahead at the point of contact. He wasn't past Webber, otherwise there would have been no contact, but he was definitely ahead, and if on approach to the corner had Webber turned into him, there would be no debate as to who was at fault. So the corner clearly belongs to Vettel, but contact was made before reaching the turn-in point, so we're left with who had a right to the racing line. Webber has said repeatedly in post race interviews, that the contact happened, "well before the braking zone" and I think he's right, I seem to remember him braking somewhere shortly after the 100 meter board. By virtue of the fact that Vettel had not passed him completely, the racing line, the far right portion of the track, belongs to Webber. The best that Vettel can hope for, without having passed Webber completely before the corner, is an out braking attempt off line before turn-in. Vettel did what racing drivers in any formula do every day, expect that the driver they are overtaking will, at the very least, make an attempt to return to the racing line before the corner entry. The fact that Webber made no attempt to return to racing line indicates that he was happy forcing the issue which, at best, would result in both drivers either missing the corner or slowing so greatly that the pursuing McLarens would have gone past.

If Webber had been on the racing line on the approach to the corner, and Vettel, being mostly past, had attempted to push over into Webber, then it would be a grey zone, two into one, "racing incident" type scenario, with probably 75% of the blame going to Vettel. In this case though, Mark Webber saw that he had no chance to defend the position and stubbornly held his wheel straight, well off the racing line, and Vettel and Red Bull paid the price.

Calderon Lectures Congress On Immigration

Calderon is a hypocrite and Obama and the Democrats that cheered him are despicable cowards. To allow him to come here and not only address congress, but stand and applaud as he condemns the state of Arizona for daring to pass a law that is not only far less draconian than the Mexican laws, but much less severe than even the Federal policies. And if Holder and Big Sis are too busy to read the law before opening their big mouths, I can guarantee none of the Democrat congressman read it either. Fortunately here's a common sense comparison between the Mexican, Arizona, and U.S. Federal laws.

Obama In Complete Control Of Spill - Doesn't Know If Birnbaum Was Fired

Giving his first press conference in 308 days, Obama used the timing of BP's most ambitious effort yet to plug the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico to attempt to convince the American people that he's in control and is taking responsibility for the spill, like a third string quarterback coming in when his team is up by 4 touchdowns and taking credit for the win. But all that aside, his claim that he didn't know whether Birnbaum had been fired or not creates exactly the opposite message he was trying to convey. So let's get his story straight. He claims that he's in supreme and complete control of one of the worst environmental disasters in our history, yet says he's unaware of the removal of a key division head who's agency just so happens to be at the center of the controversy regarding the very same disaster? Of course the idiots at Daily Kos are praising Obama for "taking action" and firing Birnbaum. Which raises the question to the Obama regime, were you lying before, or are you lying now? Or is he really just that incompetant?

Vancouver Canucks Reaction To Blackhawks Goal Song

It's great how Kevin Bieksa actually starts singing along with the song before he recognizes it. Unfortunately for Ryan Kesler, it seems to trigger traumatic flashbacks.

First a Wall -- Then Amnesty

By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, April 7, 2006

Every sensible immigration policy has two objectives: (1) to regain control of our borders so that it is we who decide who enters and (2) to find a way to normalize and legalize the situation of the 11 million illegals among us.

Start with the second. No one of good will wants to see these 11 million suffer. But the obvious problem is that legalization creates an enormous incentive for new illegals to come.

We say, of course, that this will be the very last, very final, never-again, we're-not-kidding-this-time amnesty. The problem is that we say exactly the same thing with every new reform. And everyone knows it's phony.

What do you think was said in 1986 when we passed the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration reform? It turned into the largest legalization program in American history -- nearly 3 million people got permanent residency. And we are now back at it again with 11 million more illegals in our midst.

How can it be otherwise? We already have a river of people coming every day knowing they're going to be illegal and perhaps even exploited. They come nonetheless. The newest amnesty -- the "earned legalization" being dangled in front of them by proposed Senate legislation -- can only increase the flow.

Those who think employer sanctions will control immigration are dreaming. Employer sanctions were the heart of Simpson-Mazzoli. They are not only useless; they are pernicious. They turn employers into enforcers of border control. That is the job of government, not landscapers.

The irony of this whole debate, which is bitterly splitting the country along partisan, geographic and ethnic lines, is that there is a silver bullet that would not just solve the problem but also create a national consensus behind it.

My proposition is this: A vast number of Americans who oppose legalization and fear new waves of immigration would change their minds if we could radically reduce new -- i.e., future -- illegal immigration.

Forget employer sanctions. Build a barrier. It is simply ridiculous to say it cannot be done. If one fence won't do it, then build a second 100 yards behind it. And then build a road for patrols in between. Put in cameras. Put in sensors. Put out lots of patrols.

Can't be done? Israel's border fence has been extraordinarily successful in keeping out potential infiltrators who are far more determined than mere immigrants. Nor have very many North Koreans crossed into South Korea in the past 50 years.

Of course it will be ugly. So are the concrete barriers to keep truck bombs from driving into the White House. But sometimes necessity trumps aesthetics. And don't tell me that this is our Berlin Wall. When you build a wall to keep people in, that's a prison. When you build a wall to keep people out, that's an expression of sovereignty. The fence around your house is a perfectly legitimate expression of your desire to control who comes into your house to eat, sleep and use the facilities. It imprisons no one.

Of course, no barrier will be foolproof. But it doesn't have to be. It simply has to reduce the river of illegals to a manageable trickle. Once we can do that, everything becomes possible -- most especially, humanizing the situation of our 11 million illegals.

If the government can demonstrate that it can control future immigration, there will be infinitely less resistance to dealing generously with the residual population of past immigration. And, as Mickey Kaus and others have suggested, that may require that the two provisions be sequenced. First, radical border control by physical means. Then, shortly thereafter, radical legalization of those already here. To achieve national consensus on legalization, we will need a short lag time between the two provisions, perhaps a year or two, to demonstrate to the skeptics that the current wave of illegals is indeed the last.

This is no time for mushy compromise. A solution requires two acts of national will: the ugly act of putting up a fence and the supremely generous act of absorbing as ultimately full citizens those who broke our laws to come to America.

This is not a compromise meant to appease both sides without achieving anything. It is not some piece of hybrid legislation that arbitrarily divides illegals into those with five-year-old "roots" in America and those without, or some such mischief-making nonsense.

This is full amnesty (earned with back taxes and learning English and the like) with full border control. If we do it right, not only will we solve the problem, we will get it done as one nation.

Building Trust; Pakistan and U.S. Pledge to Work (it)Together

Read the rest at the New York Times

Bill O'Reilly Lets Anthony Weiner Off The Hook

Anthony Weiner thinks he's as intimidating as Rahm Emanuel (at least to Democrats) and as smart as Paul Ryan. He's neither. All he can do is repeat his Pelosi talking points. And with good reason; Dems know that the IRS expanded role in enforcing the insurance mandate is toxic. The mere mention strikes fear in nearly all segments of society. Weiner cries about Republicans using scare tactics to spread misinformation and lies, and yet when he's asked five times to clarify one of the most controversial aspects of the health care bill, he retreats to the typical democrat ploy of avoidance.

Ask What Your Country Can Do For You - Obama Care 'Just Like Christmas'

From WRAL North Carolina

Durham, N.C. — Uninsured Triangle residents said Monday that they eagerly await the overhaul of the nation's health care system.

"It's just going to be like Christmas," said DeCarlo Flythe, who lost health coverage for his family when he was laid off almost three years ago. "It's going to be great. You know, no worries (about) the bills. We are going to go ahead and pay our co-pay and be alright."

Flythe, a diabetic, said he checked into buying a policy for his family, but he couldn't afford it. He recently landed another job, but the new benefits haven't kicked in yet.

"I worry day to day, honestly," he said. "I pray to make sure my child or my wife don't' get sick because, if they go to the hospital, we are looking at a couple of thousand (dollars in bills)."

Flythe was among the patients Monday at the Walltown Clinic, a joint program of Duke University and Lincoln Community Health Center that serves the low-income neighborhoods near Duke's campus. The clinic serves 3,000 to 4,000 patients a year – 80 percent don't have health insurance – and charges co-pays based on what patients can afford.

"People will come in and say, 'I suddenly don't have a job. I've lost my insurance. Can you help me?'" said Kaity Granda, a physician's assistant at the clinic.

Norman Rucker said he hasn't had health insurance in almost 10 years because his employers haven't offered it.

"I'm not a person who gets sick a lot, so I didn't think I'd need any medicine," said Rucker, who racked up about $100,000 in hospital bills over that period by going to the emergency room whenever he needed care. "I'm trying to pay them off. Collection agencies call me all the time."

Rucker's wife has insurance, but the couple couldn't afford to put him on the policy. Now, he's excited he may also have coverage because of health care reform.

"It'll make the world better. It'll make us all better, actually," he said.

Remember these people?



Glen Beck,

"They've had progressive leadership in Detroit for almost half a century. What has that leadership brought to Detroit? 17% unemployment, the highest homicide rate in the nation, one third of it's residents live in poverty, fewer than 6 in 10 graduated from high school last year, the median price for a home in Detroit is $7100. Progressive policies are keeping these people in slavery. Slavery to government, welfare, affirmative action, regulation, control."

Our fellow citizens indeed.

The New Deal, The Fair Deal, The New Frontier, The Great Society, The Big Fucking Deal...Biden Drops F-Bomb at Historic Signing

From the Guardian

The vice-president's loose lips fail him again as a microphone picks up an Anglo-Saxon aside meant for Obama's ears
Joe Biden is famous for having a mouth that out-runs his brain from time to time, and so it proved again, as the vice-president was caught exclaiming in no uncertain terms live on national television.

After introducing the president at the signing ceremony for healthcare reform legislation at the White House today, Biden turned and embraced his boss while excitedly whispering into Obama's ear: "This is a big fucking deal!" Loudly enough to be picked up by the cameras and microphones in the East Room. Fox News was the first to pick up on Biden's blooper, and repeatedly ran the clip (above). Biden can clearly be heard saying the phrase around the nine-second mark.

Headline taken from Andy Levy

Debbie Halvorson, Are You Listening? - Adam Kinzinger Plans 'Repeal & Restart' Health Care Town Hall Tour

From the Ottawa Daily Times

Republican Congressional candidate Adam Kinzinger has announced a "Repeal & Restart" health care town hall tour for area residents to discuss what they want repealed from recent legislation and areas of reform they would like from Congress to restart the discussions "in a more bipartisan manner."

The three-day tour will include a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 23 at Pitstick Pavilion in Ottawa. Other stops include New Lenox on Monday, March 22 and Bourbonnais on Wednesday, March 24.

"Just a few days ago, (U.S. Rep.) Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete) announced she was reading the bill before deciding how to vote," said Kinzinger in a press release. "Her vote (Sunday night) is proof that she either loved what she read or caved to political pressure from party leaders.

"No matter the reason," said the candidate from Manteno, "Debbie Halvorson now owns this bill – Medicare cuts, tax increases, the whole thing. This is just bad public policy and the people of her district will remember come November how she turned her back on them yet again."

"This is the latest in a series of votes made by Debbie Halvorson that went against the wishes of her constituents. Last November, Halvorson voted for the House version of the health care bill that was overwhelmingly rejected by the American people."

"(Sunday night), she had an opportunity to correct her mistake by voting against this bill but being the consistent liberal she has proven herself to be, Halvorson chose party loyalty, massive spending, higher taxes and substantial cuts to Medicare – just as she did last November."

Almost without fail at every campaign stop, Kinzinger stresses that Halvorson has "yet to hold open town hall meetings with her constituents on health care."

Debbie Halvorson; elected by the people, for the people, yet she refuses to meet with the people. It's nice to finally see a candidate who's not afraid to talk with and listen to the voters.

Debbie Halvorson - Smart Enough To Vote Her Conscience?

The first time I listened to this, I was convinced it was some type of comedy routine, with someone impersonating the Congresswoman.

"I wish more elected officials felt like me. I do what I do because of what I am doing now."

I used to have this idea that our elected officials, at least members of congress, were our best and brightest. Attorneys, doctors, mayors, governors, etc. Listening to her cackle when Don Wade tells her she's gonna be out of a job, is anyone surprised to find out that Debbie Halvorson used to sell cosmetics for 14 years?

I challenge anyone to listen to the interview above and say that they would be proud and happy to be represented by this person.

Obama Kiss Of Death? Presidential Bracket Busted!

Northern Iowa upsets No.1 Kansas, 69-67, moves on to Sweet 16
To an ever growing list that includes Coakley in Massachusettts, Corzine in New Jersey, Deeds in Virginia, and Mayor Daley in Copenhagen, we can now add the University of Kansas basketball team. Earlier in the week Obama said he will not campaign for any Democrat congressmen who didn't vote for health care reform. I wonder if any of them asked to get his promise in writing.

Russians Helping Iranians Build Nuke Plant

No, Hillary. Tell em they have to push it again, sometimes those things get stuck.

From Breitbart

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and her Russian counterpart clashed openly Thursday over the planned launch this summer of Iran's first, Russian-built nuclear power plant, highlighting a split in views over how to steer Iran away from nuclear weapons.

Clinton did not criticize the long-delayed project directly but said the Obama administration is opposed to the timing of the nuclear plant's startup. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced the summer startup plans on Thursday, shortly after Clinton arrived for a two-day visit.

The nuclear plant is an example of Russian-Iranian economic ties and technical cooperation, on terms that have long made the United States uncomfortable. It was a background issue during a difficult period in U.S.-Russian relations last year and in the ongoing U.S.-led effort to bring new United Nations economic penalties against Iran over suspicions that part of its nuclear program is aimed at building a bomb.

Putin's announcement adds another complication to the already long list of issues on which Clinton and her Russian hosts don't agree.

Double standard? Consider the contrasts. Last week the Israelis announce they want to build some houses and the White House issues condemnations and a barrage of threats. Now the Russians tell us they're completing work on a nuclear power plant on behalf of the largest state sponsor of terrorism and Hillary rolls over.

Debbie Halvorson, Are You Listening? - Caterpillar Says Health Care Bill Would Cost It $100M Per Year

Caterpillar Inc. said the health-care overhaul legislation being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives would increase the company's health-care costs by more than $100 million in the first year alone.

In a letter Thursday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio, Caterpillar urged lawmakers to vote against the plan "because of the substantial cost burdens it would place on our shareholders, employees and retirees."

The Peoria-based company said these provisions would increase its insurance costs by at least 20 percent, or more than $100 million, just in the first year of the health-care overhaul program.

"We can ill-afford cost increases that place us at a disadvantage versus our global competitors," said the letter signed by Gregory Folley, vice president and chief human resources officer of Caterpillar. "We are disappointed that efforts at reform have not addressed the cost concerns we've raised throughout the year."

Business executives have long complained that the options offered for covering 32 million uninsured Americans would result in higher insurance costs for those employers that already provide coverage. Opponents have stepped up their attacks in recent days as the House moves closer toward a vote on the Senate version of the health-care legislation.

A letter Thursday to President Barack Obama and members of Congress signed by more than 130 economists predicted the legislation would discourage companies from hiring more workers and would cause reduced hours and wages for those already employed.

Caterpillar noted that the company supports efforts to increase the quality and the value of health care for patients as well as lower costs for employer-sponsored insurance coverage.

"Unfortunately, neither the current legislation in the House and Senate, nor the president's proposal, meets these goals," the letter said.

I'm waiting to hear what Debbie Halvorson has to say about this, given how she's always saying her focus is on families. How many Illinois jobs will be lost over this? How many families will be forced out of work? Debbie Halvorson has said, "Families in this district are working harder and harder for less and less. They don’t need empty promises; they need real solutions right now." If Pelosi, Halvorson, and Obama get their way, people won't be working at all. And this is her "real" solution? This bill (along with her flip on cap and trade) will have devastating and long term effects not just on manufacturing, but small business and consumers as well. In other words, families. Illinois families. The unemployment, foreclosures, raised taxes and higher premiums soon to be suffered by Illinois families will be on your hands Congresswoman. And your conscience.

Tom Coburn; A Senator With A Spine

Senator Tom Coburn warned members of the House of Representatives that Republican senators will watch carefully for any deals the White House or Democratic leaders make with members in exchange for their votes.

Israeli's Hang Posters Declaring Obama 'Agent Of PLO'

From Haaretz.com (think Israeli MSNBC)

A group of far-right activists on Tuesday announced their plan to hang hundreds of posters across the country depicting U.S. President Barack Obama under the headline "agent of the PLO." The banner is already on display in the office of National Union MK Michael Ben Ari.

"The poster is within the limits of the country's freedom of speech act," said Ben Ari's aide, Itamar Ben Gvir.

"I pity those who clapped during [U.S. Vice President] Joe Biden's speech," said Ben Gvir, referring to Biden's address to the Israeli people at Tel Aviv University last week.

"By the end of Ben Arie's term we will teach those Leftists what democracy is," he added. "Obama is anti-Semitic, pro-Arab, an agent of the PLO and we stand behind what the poster says."

It's funny to see that even in other countries, anyone who disagrees with Obama are labled "far right activists".

Remember when Obama went to Cairo and apologized to the Muslim world for "dictating" solutions to other countries and promised to "forge partnerships" instead? A policy that applies to everyone except Israel. Remembe his stunning and obscene comparison of the holocaust with Palestinian dislocation?

Remember his U.N. General Assembly speech when he said, "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements,” putting Israel on the chopping block and reinforcing the myth that Israeli settlements are are solely responsible for Palestinian suffering and displacement.

Charles Krauthammer writes

Obama declared that the Palestinian people's "situation" is "intolerable." Indeed it is, the result of 60 years of Palestinian leadership that gave its people corruption, tyranny, religious intolerance and forced militarization; leadership that for three generations rejected every offer of independence and dignity, choosing destitution and despair rather than accept any settlement not accompanied by the extinction of Israel.

That's why Haj Amin al-Husseini chose war rather than a two-state solution in 1947. Why Yasser Arafat turned down a Palestinian state in 2000. And why Abbas rejected Olmert's even more generous December 2008 offer.

In the 16 years since the Oslo accords turned the West Bank and Gaza over to the Palestinians, their leaders built no roads, no courthouses, no hospitals, none of the fundamental state institutions that would relieve their people's suffering. Instead they poured everything into an infrastructure of war and terror, all the while depositing billions (from gullible Western donors) into their Swiss bank accounts

Blaming Israel and picking a fight over “natural growth” may curry favor with the Muslim “street.” But it will only induce the Arab states to do like Abbas: sit and wait for America to deliver Israel on a platter. Which makes the Obama strategy not just dishonorable but self-defeating.

Kucinich Caves After Ride In Air Force One

Dennis Kucinich - When it comes to pursuing trophy wives half his age, persevering, unrelenting, principled; When it comes to voting his conscience, not so much.

From the Cato Institute, Michael F. Cannon writes

Whether Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s (D-OH) “aye” vote will help pass ObamaCare depends on whether he asked for something in return.

Jane Hamsher of FireDogLake reports, “Kucinich told Obama that he wants a full ERISA waver [sic] and a public option in exchange for his vote.” If he gets either of those things in the reconciliation “fixer” bill, then that will trigger a backlash. His “support” could undermine the whole process.

It really depends on what kind of a negotiator Kucinich is. If he’s a good negotiator, it hurts ObamaCare. If he’s a lousy negotiator, it helps.

Here's the post on FireDogLake by Jane Hamsher (I wouldn't link to FDL even if you gave me Air Force One)

Kucinich told Obama that he wants a full ERISA waver and a public option in exchange for his vote. And if he actually gets an ERISA waver, it will be the biggest victory of the entire health care debate. As Jon Walker says, “ERISA is the 900 pound Gorilla that has fucked up America’s health care system something good.”

If on the other hand he settles for some worthless reassurances that “Obama will work toward it in the future” (which nobody but Lynn Woolsey is dumb enough to actually believe), or a meaningless symbolic vote that achieves little more than 15 minutes of futile grandstanding, good luck to him. A thousand people have donated over $16,000 to Dennis since yesterday to thank him for standing up for what he believes in. We’ll be asking him to return it.

Israeli Ambassador Says Crisis Between Israel And US 'Worst Since 1975'

From the Jerusalem Post

Israel’s ambassador to Washington Michael Oren convened Foreign Ministry consuls for an emergency briefing, and told them the crisis between Israel and the US is the worst since 1975, Army Radio reported.

Oren was referring to a crisis that evolved when Israel refused to sign a treaty to withdraw forces from Sinai in 1975.

In an unusual move, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) made a public call on the White House to tone down the rhetoric. The lobby said statements made by senior officials in US President Barack Obama’s administration were “very worrying.”

Wasn't this all over? Netanyahu apologized. He said the approval for the settlements wasn't timed to embarass Biden. He promised it wouldn't happen again. He promised construction wouldn't begin for years. And Biden was happy. If for no other reason than for once, he wasn't the one doing the apologizing.

And then Hillary called. And berated Neteyahu for 45 minutes. Netanyahu's response? "We will act according to the vital interests of the state of Israel," he said.

David Horowitz says

The United States...knows full well the impact its secretary of state’s words will have in these contexts – liberating Israel’s critics to drastically escalate their diplomatic, legal and economic assaults, and potentially emboldening military enemies. Words in this neck of the woods have consequences – real, life-and-death consequences.

and asks

How can one reconcile the bitter, accusatory, public dressing-down – which will be seized upon so delightedly and exploited so effectively not merely by those who oppose Netanyahu, but by those who seek to damage Israel – with the insistent assurances, from Obama on down, including Biden last week, that the US commitment to Israel is unbreakable, that the partnership is unshakable, that the relationship, as Biden put it, is “impervious to any shifts in either country and either country’s partisan politics. No matter what challenges we face, this bond will endure”?

Which makes you wonder how the US would respond if Hamas were in Mexico?

From The Razor

I don’t think Americans appreciate how physically small Israel is. When we hear that Hamas is firing missiles with ranges of 20 km (12 miles) into Israel, it’s difficult to relate it to anything we know. After all 12 miles from the border of Mexico is less than 1% of the distance between the Mexican border in the south and the Canadian border in the north. With the exception of border cities like El Paso and San Diego, Kassams launched by Mexico would fall into scrubland and desert.

America is a large country and our geography determines much of how we think and relate to the world. Americans perceive of space differently – speaking as one taking 2 years to navigate the narrow aisles of a Japanese grocery store without knocking food off the shelves. Our country is big, our homes are big, our roads are long and wide. Two oceans protect our eastern and western shores, and we have neutralized our only military threat in the entire hemisphere – Cuba an island 90 miles away.

But things are different in Israel. Israel is a small, fragmented country surrounded by enemies. When people urge Israel to trade land for peace they fail to consider that Israel doesn’t have very much land to trade. Worse, while Israel gives its precious land away – as it has in Gaza and in south Lebanon – it receives nothing in return. Instead of peace its enemies quickly use the land as a staging area for more attacks in a quest to get even more land from Israel. In essence “Land for Peace” becomes ”Land for More Land”, a method of conquest of Israel by its enemies.

The 20km (the effective range of the 122mm Grad rocket) distance ranges between 2/3 and 1/7 the width of Israel. For argument’s sake I will use an average of 1/4. For perspective imagine that a quarter of the width of the USA from Mexico – 500 km (300 miles) – was under bombardment from our southern neighbor. What would a similar map look like?

Israeli intelligence officials said last year that Hamas had acquired Iranian made Fajr-3 rockets, with an estimated range of 45km. From a comparitive standpoint on the analogy made above, that would put New Orleans, Denver, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco in reach.

The Razor continues

We can go further. Israel’s population of 7.2 million is roughly 1/40 that of the United States. Multiplying the number of rocket and mortar casualties by 40 and the American equivalent is 12,000 dead and wounded. How much “restraint” could an American government be expected to exercise in such a scenario?

The old adage that one should wait to judge a man until after walking a mile in his shoes can help us appreciate the conditions of “peace” that Israel has lived under for most of the decade. We can only hope that the Israelis have the wisdom and fortitude necessary to do what it takes to protect itself. Given the performance of its current government, it has shown that until now it lacks both.

A wise man once asked his 20 million daily listeners, "Why do you think Israel would attack Gaza? Is it for their national treasure? Is it because Israel wants all of the scientific discoveries that are being made by Hamas intellectuals? Is it because Israel wants that sand pit of territory? Israel was more than happy to give it away, so why the hell attack? What's there that you want? You want the oil deposits? There aren't any. Do you want the golf courses? There aren't any. Do you want the major economic infrastructure? There isn't any. Do you want the sanitation plants? There isn't any. Why attack? The Israelis left Gaza years ago. They gave Gaza to the Gazantas; they gave Gaza to the Hamas; they gave Gaza to the Palestinians. Why do you think Israel attacked Gaza? God gave you a mind. The fact is they didn't attack Gaza. Israel is finally defending itself."