"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
President Ronald Reagan
Gen. Wes Clark is one fellow full of crap. I would say something else but this is a family blog.
If Clark is concerned about executive experience, why in the world is he supporting Obama? Beyond that, McCain has been in the middle of every domestic and foreign policy decision in 20 years. McCain has been a Senate giant, who enjoys respect on both sides.
If Clark is concerned about judgement, why is he supporting a candidate who was dead wrong about the surge? It turns out that McCain was right when he supported Pres. Bush's surge in early 2007. (The Bush Paradox By DAVID BROOKS)
Wes Clark owes McCain a big apology. Also, I think that the former general just deleted his name from any consideration as Obama's VP.
In “the matter of national security policy making.” Barack Obama hasn’t ever done anything.
In the matter of gauging your “opponents”, Obama wants to meet with them without preconditions despite having no national-security, military, or diplomatic experience.
Barack Obama hasn’t been on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Barack Obama hasn’t had any executive experience.
Barack Obama hasn’t commanded anything, in wartime or not.
Barack Obama hasn’t dealt with diplomats in any capacity at all.
Barack Obama hasn’t ordered the bombs to fall, although to be fair, he has associated himself with someone who has — William Ayers."
It's true that military service does not make you a good president or candidate. However, the McCain story goes beyond wearing the uniform. Here is a great video about McCain:
How enthusiastically is the media in the Obama tank? Just watch how BO responded to the 2nd amendment decision. Just watch how the media has covered BO's responses. BO agrees with the majority and the minority!
BO is good with words. The media is horrible with follow up questions:
"Name your issue -- on trade, taxes, guns, the death penalty, campaign finance reform, FISA -- Obama may well be taking the politically smart position for a Democrat in these early days of the general election.
But the point is that he's taking positions that are at least shaded differently than those he's taken in the past, if not outright flip-flops.
These are political calculations that make a dangerous assumption for Obama: that he's willing to risk being called a "politician" at all." (ABC)
To be fair, politicians will change their minds. No one is expecting a person to be inflexible.
However, we do expect politicians to hold a position for 90 days.
We've gone from "Obama is different" to "Obama will say whatever it takes to avoid the liberal label".
P.S. Speaking of the media, let me paraphrase Rick Moran. McCain faces the most biased and one sided news media in memory. The media will carry BO's water no matter what.
Spain beat Germany today. It was a 1-0 victory and a very good game.
Normally, I don't follow soccer because I grew up playing and following baseball and US football. However, I do appreciate the players' athleticism and the fans' passion.
Also, I have a special place in my heart for Spain, the land of my ancestors!
It's party time in Spain. I'm sure that there will be wonderful celebrations across the country.
BO spoke before a group of Hispanic officeholders. He did the NAFTA dance again.
BO is all "hope and change" but no specifics!
BO has a PhD in telling people what they want to hear.
Once again, BO is for free trade but against free trade agreements.
BO wants free trade agreements to impose US labor and environmental standards on our economic partners.
In other words, Obama is going to tell Mexico how to run its country!
Good luck Obama!
Mexicans don't like to hear US politicians telling them how to run their country.
Beyond Dem primary politics, Obama, as well as Clinton, are showing an incredible ignorance of Mexico.
Mexico's problem is that it has too many labor standards. You can't fire people in Mexico. Mexico is burdened with horrible labor legislation that makes it difficult to compete with more flexible economies like Chile, Taiwan, South Korea and China.
Mexico does not need to buy Obama's socialism. It needs to buy Pres. Calderon's reforms, from PEMEX to labor laws.
In Mexico, hiring, maintaining and firing a worker is so costly that employers go to great lengths to avoid taking on new employees.
Again, Mexico has plenty of labor laws. This is why it can't compete in a global economy. Mexico looks like France, which is a very bad thing if you want to create jobs or attract foreign investment!
Calderon is desperately trying to reform Mexico. BO doesn't have a clue about Mexico.
My suggestion to BO is simple: Leave the Mexicans alone and concentrate on our problems.
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and New York look more and more like states in need of tax cuts and deregulation. They are exhibits of what happens when you don't pay attention to economic reality. Again, can you say France?
Taxes are high.
The unions are out of control.
Unemployment is high.
And, last but not least, the young people want to get the heck out.
"Ohio already has the fifth-heaviest state and local tax burden in the country (up from 30th in 1990) and finds itself stagnating.
Its unemployment rate, 6.3%, is above the national rate of 5.5%, even as the state's work force shrinks as people emigrate.
Ohio's median household income is also falling – in 2006 it was $44,500, down 0.5% from the previous year – while the national figure ($48,500) was up 1.6%.
During the closing decades of the 20th century, incomes rose twice as fast across the country as in Ohio."
Do you understand why so many of these companies are moving to Texas and the south?
"Let's start with the fact that Texas's growth puts the lie to the myth that free trade costs American jobs.
Anti-Nafta rhetoric doesn't play well in El Paso, San Antonio and Houston, which have become gateway cities for commerce with Latin America and have flourished since the North American Free Trade Agreement passed Congress in 1993.
Mr. Obama's claim of one million lost jobs due to trade deals is laughable in Texas, the state most affected by Nafta.
Texas has gained 36,000 manufacturing jobs since 2004 and has ranked as the nation's top exporting state for six years in a row.
Its $168 billion of exports in 2007 translate into tens of thousands of jobs. Ohio, Indiana and Michigan are losing auto jobs, but many of these "runaway plants" are not fleeing to China, Mexico or India.
They've moved to more business-friendly U.S. states, including Texas."
Here is my message to BO and Hillary Clinton: Stop telling Mexico how to run its country. Stop preaching to the world about environmental standards.
Start telling the people of Ohio, and PA, and NJ, and NY, and Michigan, the truth.
Tell them that high taxes and irresponsible unions are the real culprit behind their collapse.
Also, be honest enough to remind them that the irresponsible unions are supporting Obama!
"While conducting an experiment in time travel, scientists Dr. Tony Newman and Dr. Douglas Phillips find themselves whisked from time period to time period, while their colleagues back in the present desperately struggle to retrieve the two men."
What about a baseball time tunnel? What if we could go back and watch a great moment in baseball history?
Let me start with Babe Ruth. In 1927, Ruth set the single season home run record. He hit 60 home runs. The Babe's record stood until Maris hit 61 in 1961. Babe Ruth saved the business of baseball after the 1919 World Series scandal. The Babe put fans in the seats! Again, he saved the game:
Lou Gehrig was Babe Ruth's teammate in the 1927 Yankees. Lou was one of the greatest players of all time. Unfortunately, he played in the Babe's shadow.
In 1939, Lou was forced out of baseball by an illness. He died soon after. Before his death, he gave a short but inspirational speech in Yankee Stadium:
Satchel Paige dominated the old Negro Leagues. He was a great pitcher. Who knows what Paige would have done in the majors? My guess is that he would have been one of the greatest pitchers of the 20th century:
Take me back to the 1941 season. From May to mid-July, Joe DiMaggio hit in 56 consecutive games, a streak that has not been matched since. Pete Rose had a 44-game streak in 1978. No one has come close. The streak finally ended in Cleveland.
Question: How can any human being hit in 56 straight games? The answer is that Joe was something special:
Ted Williams closed the 1941 season by hitting .406, the last major leaguer to reach that mark. George Brett hit .390 in 1980. No one has come close. Williams lost some of his prime years to World War II and Korea.
The Dodgers-Giants rivalry is one of the greatest in sports. In 1951, the Dodgers and Giants had a special playoff to settle the NL pennant. It came down to the bottom of the 9th. It was Ralph Branca vs Bobby Thompson:
In 1954, Willie Mays made the most famous catch in baseball history. How in the world did Mays catch up with this missile from Vic Wertz' bat? The answer is quick instincts and amazing ability:
The Braves left Milwaukee after the 1965 season. Therefore, I never had a chance to fall in love with the home team. Years later, my friend Jerome had me listen to the audio version of key moments in the team's history. The big moment was Henry Aaron clinching the 1957 pennant with a walk off home run. It must have been wonderful to be there:
A baseball time tunnel? Wouldn't that be nice?
P.S. Here is an extra item. I wish that I had seen Bart Starr play football for Lombardi's Packers:
Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was in the middle of a players' strike, free agency and he approved giving the fans the last word on choosing the All Star teams.
Sorry. I don't want Yankees and Red Sox to fill up the All Star team.
Let the players, and a selected group of sports reporters, select the starting team and the reserves. I'm OK with letting the manager pick the pitchers.
Look at the current "popularity contest" in the AL squad.
Manny Ramirez is # 1 and Ichiro is # 3. They are great players indeed. Should they be starting in the 2008 AL outfield? The answer is no!
Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley are having great years. Hamilton should make it. Bradley may not.
Ian Kinsler is hitting .313 but trails in the voting!
Tradition matters. I'm OK with adding a veteran, such as Henry Aaron in the 1975 Milwaukee All Star game. I'm OK with playing a veteran who is retiring, such as Cal Ripken in 2001.
However, the All Star game is no longer an exhibition. It decides home field advantage in the World Series.
It's common today to hear Hispanic performers on the radio. We have several Spanish radio stations in Dallas. Some artists sing in both languages.
What was it like years ago? What was it like before they called us "Hispanics"?
Let's start with Richie Valens. His story was popularized in "La Bamba", a great movie from the late 1980s.
Richie Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela in LA. He was only 18 when he was killed in 1959 along with the legendary Buddy Holly. His career was very short but significant. His hits included "La Bamba", "Donna" and "We belong together":
Trini Lopez was born Trinidad López III in Dallas. He hit the top of the charts with "Lemon tree", "Michael" and "If I had a hammer":
It took me a while to learn about Vikki Carr. She was born Florencia Bisenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona in El Paso, TX. I heard a lot of her songs before learning of her Hispanic roots. She was a bilingual singer before Gloria Estefan made it cool to do so. One of her biggest English hits was "It must be him":
? and the Mysterians had a few hits. The group's name promoted mystery, almost like a cult around lead singer (?) a.k.a Question Mark.
They were Mexican American kids from Flint, Michigan. They were Larry Borjas on guitar, Robert Balderrama, and Robert Martinez on guitars and bongos. The lead singer was the mysterious ?.
Their biggest hit was "96 tears":
Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs was headed by Sam, who was born Domingo “Sam” Samudio in Dallas. They recorded "Wooly Bully", one of the greatest party songs of the rock era:
They did not make as much money as today's performers. In fact, some of these artists are out of music today. Yet, we should remember their unique contributions to the Hispanic experience.
It must be a parents' nightmare. In Massachusetts, a bunch of teen girls made a deal to get pregnant. I'm sure that you've heard about it because it's all over the news.
What's happening in our society that a bunch of teen girls decide to get pregnant? What's so cool about a bunch of teen girls doing this?
The answer is simple: We have accepted illegitimacy. It is no longer wrong to have a baby out of a wedlock.
My question is this: How long before the "yes we can" screamers call time out and walk to the mound for a chat with the pitcher! The guy on the mound is now shaking off all of the catcher's signals!
"Barack Obama has crafted an image as an unconventional candidate, a change agent and a post-partisan politician who represents a dramatic break from the status quo.
But since securing the Democratic presidential nomination, when confronted with a series of thorny issues the Illinois senator has pursued a conspicuously conventional path, one that falls far short of his soaring rhetoric.
Faced with tough choices on fronts ranging from public financing and town hall meetings to warrantless surveillance and the Second Amendment, Obama passed up opportunities to take bold stands and make striking departures from customary politics.
Instead, he has followed a familiar tack, straddling controversial issues and choosing politically advantageous routes that will ensure his campaign a cash edge and minimize damaging blowback on several highly sensitive issues."
This is not the Obama that we used to know!
This is the Obama who knows that you can't win a general election by courting left wing voters.
Sooner or later, the "yes we can" screamers will start listening to BO's new "move me to the center" rhetoric. Eventually, they will notice that Obama is not the same guy that they cheered for back in the good old days of "hope and change"!
It seems like decades since BO said "vote for me because I'm a proud liberal"!
For too long, liberals in this country have used the courts to get what they can not get from voters. From abortion to same sex marriage, the liberals have used the courts to push their agenda on the rest of us.
The Founding Fathers had a simple idea.
If you don't like the 2nd amendment then you need to organize and get voters to agree with you. Amend the constitution! It has been done 27 times!
If you think that same sex marriage is OK, then you need to organize and get voters to agree with you. Normally, voters overwhelmingly reject same sex marriage, which is why the liberals rely on judges!
Don't use judges to get abortion, same sex marriage or to invent rights not written in the Constitution.
It was a good for the Constitution. Let's keep it up!
Our southern neighbors don't get to vote in US elections. However, they are impacted by what happens up here.
Mexico and Latin America need McCain. Let me tell you why:
1) McCain understands free trade. He understands that Mexico and Latin America need to come out of the hole created by statism and socialist policies. (By the way, Calderon understands the same thing. This is why he is trying to reform monopolies like PEMEX)
Mexico and Lat America are big economic underachievers. You can blame misguided nationalism and protectionist policies.
Free trade will force Mexico and Latin America to join the world economy and reverse those policies. In the short run, it will be tough. In the long run, it will modernize Lat American economies.
Again, look at South Korea, Ireland and even Chile.
Obama can't go the distance on free trade. Why? Because the US labor unions will not allow a Dem president to promote free trade.
During the Clinton years, the unions were furious over NAFTA. The net result was the Nader campaign of 2000, or 4 million liberals who walked away because of free trade. Just read Michael Moore's letter to VP Gore in 2000!
2) McCain understands the national security implications of the cartel war in Mexico and Chavez vs Uribe. On the other hand, Pres. Bush's Mexico plan is stuck in the Dem Congress. Also, the Colombian Free Trade Agreement is stuck because Speaker Pelosi won't bring it to a vote. (Is she afraid that the bill will pass?)
McCain wants to put the reputation of the US behind responsible leaders like Calderon and Uribe. Obama wants unconditional conversations with Chavez and Raul Castro.
3) McCain is credible on immigration. He understands that we need reform and border security. Again, we don't know where BO stands because it changes depending on what audience he is addressing.
On immigration, the Dems have talked a big game but done nothing since taking over the Congress in 2006. Why? Because immigration reform is a huge problem for Dem constituencies, such as the unions.
The Dems loved "immigration reform" as long as they were sitting in the minority blaming a Republican president and Congress.
It's a lot more complicated now that they have to decide. Again, what has the Pelosi/Reid Congress done about immigration? Can you say "nada" or nothing!
In conclusion, the Lat Am left is in love with Obama. However, the Lat Am middle class should fall in love with McCain.
By the way, BO is already playing games with his NAFTA position. What will Obama say about NAFTA today? It depends were he is! Like Hillary Clinton, Obama is playing games with NAFTA. (Obama fumbles NAFTA)
Can Mexico and Latin American trust a Dem who tells people what they want to hear?
"Spain's parliament voiced its support on Wednesday for the rights of great apes to life and freedom in what will apparently be the first time any national legislature has called for such rights for non-humans.
Parliament's environmental committee approved resolutions urging Spain to comply with the Great Apes Project, devised by scientists and philosophers who say our closest genetic relatives deserve rights hitherto limited to humans.
"This is a historic day in the struggle for animal rights and in defense of our evolutionary comrades, which will doubtless go down in the history of humanity," said Pedro Pozas, Spanish director of the Great Apes Project."
A historic struggle for animal rights? Our evolutionary comrades? Are these people crazy or what?
In the meantime, Spain has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. (1.32 per woman)
What does that mean? It means that Spain's population will shrink dramatically. In other words, there won't be any Spaniards in the future.
So let the apes take over. Spain will now be the land of apes.
This is insane. This is crazy.
This is Spain today under the able leadership of left wing socialists!
He also criticizes John McCain for trying to drill our way to energy independence to add to the profits of Big Oil.
But it's Obama who's playing politics by trying to plant our way to energy independence, buying votes with alternative fuel subsidies that benefit ethanol producers such as Archer Daniels Midland.
ADM is based in Illinois, the second-largest corn-producing state.
Not long after arriving in the U.S. Senate, Obama flew twice on corporate jets owned by the nation's largest ethanol producer.
Imagine if McCain flew on the corporate jets of Exxon Mobil."
"Move America Forward is a non-partisan, not-for-profit charitable organization committed to supporting America’s efforts to defeat terrorism and supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces."
Between now and June 26th we're asking Americans to sponsor care packages as part of a mass shipment to our troops - just in time for the 4th of July holiday!"
"Please, Alex's mom, don't homeschool your child. Your social studies lessons might leave something to be desired.
It should be clear by now that Sen. McCain's "100 years" comment referred to peaceful base operations such as those we have in other parts of the world, not to a century-long war.
So Alex's mom either doesn't pay attention to the news, has a problem with the military in general or with a President McCain in particular--or all of the above."
Alex's mom is really anti-McCain, which is not surprising since this ad is paid for by Moveon.org and the unions!
Alex's mom is a mouthpiece for Moveon.org, the same organization that tried to destroy Gen. Petraeus in 2007.
She is also a mouthpiece for the unions, the same unions that want to promote protectionism and do not allow any reforms in public educations.
The unions are supporting Obama because they want to protect their monopoly over public schools. The unions love children as long as they attend their schools.
Obama, Kerry, Gore and the Clintons send their children to private schools. They love public education for everybody except their children!
The good news is that the "baby Alex" ad backfired, which is why you are not seeing it on TV anymore.
You will see more of another video.
This is mother who loves her sons, too.
She is also smart enough to know that freedom is not cheap.
She understands that US soldiers, not the UN, protect our country.
Her name is Ania Egland, who was born in a communist country and understand repression better than any stupid liberal who talks about the Bush "police state".
Thank you Ania. Thank you for doing this video. Congratulations to Eric and Ania for having such a wonderful family! Thank you for your service and sacrifice!
William J. Bennett is the host of Morning in America and Seth Leibsohn is the show’s producer. I try to listen to them as often as possible. It is very good and the best of the daily talk shows!
Today, they published an article on why BO is the wrong man to lead the US. It is very specific.
It deals with specific policies. The media should take this article and challenge BO's policies. So far, the national media is just in the tank for BO!
"1. Barack Obama’s foreign policy is dangerous, naïve, and betrays a profound misreading of history.
2. Barack Obama’s Iraq policy will hand al-Qaeda a victory and undercut our entire position in the Middle East, while at the same time put a huge source of oil in the hands of terrorists.
3. Barack Obama has sent mixed, confusing, and inconsistent messages on his policy toward Israel.
4. While his Mideast policy may have been the quickest turnaround or flip-flop on a major issue, it is not the only one. In the primary campaign, Barack Obama consistently campaigned against NAFTA, but has now changed his tune, as he has with other issues.
5. Barack Obama’s judgment about personal and professional affiliations is more than troubling.
6. Obama is simply out of step with how terrorists should be handled; he would turn back the clock on how we fight terrorism, using the failed strategy of the 1990s as opposed to the post-9/11 strategy that has kept us safe.
7. Barack Obama’s economic policies would hurt the economy.
8. Barack Obama opposes drilling on and offshore to reduce gas and oil prices.
9. Barack Obama is to the left of Hillary Clinton and NARAL on the issue of life.
10. Barack Obama is actually to the left of every member of the U.S. Senate."
This is a very good article. It clearly shows that BO is on the wrong side of history.
In fact, BO is everything that has gone wrong with the Dems since 1968!
P.S. Over the weekend, BO introduced a seal. The guys over at Power Line did their own little research into Latin:
"The Latin motto that springs to mind -- to my mind anyway -- is the familiar maxim "Caveat emptor" ("Let the buyer beware"). "
Yes, "let the buyer beware" is what you should learn from BO's campaign of unspecific hope and change!
Adryana Boyne joined us to talk about why she is supporting John McCain. She will be attending the Republican convention as a Texas delegate. Check out the Texas delegation because they are the ones with the cowboy hats and western outfits!
We spoke about family values, such as abortion and children. Adryana is also active with Concerned Women for America, a very successful ladies' conservative group.
Enjoy the show. You can click here for the show or go to the icon to the left.
Thank you Adryana, the Latina Republicana!
P.S. Speaking of abortion, let me recommend that you click Rachel's Vineyard, one of our favorite places!
Matt has a couple of good ideas, such as letting Obama pick first. Frankly, McCain does not have to make his choice until the convention, and ours comes second this year!
There is also talk about putting a woman on the ticket. Ed Morissey writes about our Senator Hutchinson, Carly Fiorina, the very successful businesswoman, and Sarah Palinthe, the governor of Alaska.
I agree that they are very successful and attractive candidates.
My money is still on Romney. He is well known and there are no surprises in his closet. He has very strong ties in the business community. Better than that, he may deliver Michigan, where his father was governor 35 years ago!
Romney's economic message is exactly what McCain needs. It helps that Romney is a good speaker and can debate anybody.
"But before long, the more honest among the surge opponents will concede that Bush, that supposed dolt, actually got one right.
Some brave souls might even concede that if the U.S. had withdrawn in the depths of the chaos, the world would be in worse shape today."
Translation: McCain was right in early 2007. On the other hand, Obama was telling supporters what they wanted to hear.
Yes, let's talk about judgement! Who made the right call in early 2007? It wasn't Obama, who seemed too eager to go along with the defeatist crowd and repeat the popular wisdom.
If we had followed the Obama approach, Iraq would be a disaster today. Furthermore, we would be involved in an bigger fight with an emboldened Iran.
So let's give Bush some credit. Let's be honest.
P.S. Have you noticed how Iraq has faded from the front pages? Iraq is going well and the media is no longer interested in the story. (War Coverage Fades Away)
In a couple of decisions, BO has shown his devoted followers that no one is exempt from getting thrown under the bus.
His grandmother got thrown under the bus.
The church was vital to his life until it wasn't.
FISA was great before liberals until it wasn't before a more conservative general election audience.
And, of course, public financing was great until he was flooded with cash.
Again, I'm not naive. I expect politicians to be focused on winning. I understood all along that "lefty" BO would eventually have to move to the center or face a massive defeat in November.
What concerns me about BO is that he has raised expectations to an unreasonable level.
In fact, there are people out there who actually think that he will bring the troops home, make peace with Iran by talking with them and bring down the price of gasoline by taxing those evil and terrible oil companies!
Memo to the "yes we can" screamers:
You are in for the biggest disappointment since your favorite lost The American Idol contest.
"The prestigious British weekly The Economist recently ran an editorial commentary speculating on the direction of a potential Obama administration.
After pointing out that the Democratic candidate relied more and more on centrist, Clintonite advisers, The Economist still warned about the inflated expectations of “change” surrounding Obama’s campaign.
“The ambition of Obama’s team is exciting,” the editorial declared, “but in office it could be dangerous…. The lynchpin of his campaign has been a faith, almost messianic, in his personal excellence. If that fades, the whole operation could collapse in frustration and disillusionment.”
The Obama candidacy, in other words, highlights the risks in building a cause around a charismatic individual, rather than issues or principles.
The longer the candidate avoids concrete commitments on issues or declarations of principle, the greater those risks become."
BO's support is based on two factors:
First, a lot of spoiled young people who don't appreciate how good life is in the US. These young people want BO to provide them with college loans and to fill their empty souls.
Frankly, these young people should try to find happiness in their church rather than at the BO rally.
Better than that, McCain should tell these youngsters to get a job and stop whining. Half of the world doesn't have drinking water and US young people are complaining about interest rates on college loans.
Second, this is a lot more of Bush Derangement Syndrome. They hate Bush. They hate Bush. And they hate Bush.
Get ready for Obama Disappointment Syndrome.
It will start next spring when BO tells the anti-war movement that he can't withdraw troops because Iran will read it as a sign of US weakness.
In other words, Bush was right but Obama doesn't have the courage to admit it.
It will continue when BO tells the left that he can't "tax the rich" because it will drive investors out of the market, or to other world markets.
Every liberal should pray for a McCain victory. Why? Because they will be happier blaming McCain for everything rather than having to deal with the reality that Barrack Obama is a fraud.
The Obama presidential seal was put back in the box. My guess is that we won't see it again, other than on some future Saturday Night Live show.
Am I the only one who thought that the seal was a bit too big? The real seal is about the size of a dinner plate. BO's seal was like a big pizza platter!
Also, who thought of the Latin?
Nevertheless, why the seal?
A little arrogance? Of course!
Too much money? Perhaps.
We should remember that Obama has tons of cash sitting in the bank and lots of consultants writing invoices.
Tone deaf about symbols? Absolutely. The left is tone deaf about US symbols. They don't get the idea that these symbols mean something more than some "title to the presidency".
Finally, the BO staff is desperately trying to make this guy presidential.
".....voters also express doubts about the Illinois senator's experience and ability to handle the job of commander in chief. A 54% majority of those surveyed are concerned Obama lacks the experience to be an effective president.
A similar number say he "may be too closely aligned with people who hold radical political views."
Do you understand the move to the center now?
The BO staff knows that they have a problem. BO isn't closing the sale. He didn't close it in the Dem primaries. He limped to the finish line!
The seal will be gone. However, you can expect a lot more "Kansas values" commercials.
Will people buy it? I don't think so. I don't think that anyone in Kansas would have stayed in Rev. Wight's church for 20 years!
In exactly 7 months, Pres. Bush and Mrs. Bush will fly back to Crawford to start their post-presidential lives. My guess is that we will see Pres. & Mrs. Bush at Rangers' games and working on the presidential library at SMU.
It's always hard to predict how historians will look back at a president. GW Bush is putting the final touches on the most consequential presidency since Truman. Like Truman, he made very hard decisions.
After all, I can still remember how most liberals thought that Reagan was a moron, a cowboy, an idiot and someone who did not get along with our allies. Today, Reagan ranks at the most successful president since FDR.
How will history recall Pres. GW Bush? It will be very kind to Bush.
I agree with Ed Koch, a liberal who supported Bush in 2004:
"The reason I believe history will redeem President George W. Bush is that he is one of the few leaders on the planet today who understands the larger picture.
He has not lost his courage and vision of the future.
He knows what calamities await the world if it engages in appeasement and deserts an ally in order to buy an illusory peace.
We will recognize his worth long after he is gone."
Bush's presidency started on a controversial note, i.e. VP Gore decided to challenge the Florida results.
The recount was terribly divisive. It did not change anything, except that it started an irrational hatred toward Bush that continues today.
On the positive side, Pres. Bush has met challenges head on, such as the fight against terrorists and the removal of Saddam Hussein.
On the economy, the Bush tax cuts were critical in turning around an economy stung by the March 2000 stock market crash and the tragic events of 9-11. Let's repeat it: Bush inherited a Clinton recession that began in mid-2000!
"As for national security, Obama keeps saying the war in Iraq and the rest of the administration's foreign and defense policy have, as he put it last week in South Dakota, "prevented us from making this country safe."
But the country is safer than anyone expected after 9/11."
So save this post. I am confident that time will prove me right.
In the meantime. the war seems to be going rather well. (Win the War?)
By the way, this is my favorite moment of the Bush presidency. He goes to Yankee Stadium and throws a perfect strike!
In this blog, we have never discussed Obama's race. We did congratulate him on the historical significance of being the first black man to win a major party's nomination.
Beyond that, we have simply concentrated on his positions. We oppose his candidacy because he is the most liberal senator in Washington. (Obama: Most Liberal Senator In 2007)
We oppose him because he is all style and little substance. Obama's "hope and change" is nothing but old liberal ideas repackaged for a young and naive audience.
BO went over the top this weekend:
"“The choice is clear.
Most of all we can choose between hope and fear.
It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy.
We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run.
They’re going to try to make you afraid.
They’re going to try to make you afraid of me.
He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?"" (Hewitt)
Obama is dead wrong.
First of all, we didn't say that he was inexperienced. The Dems said that:
We didn't bring up the "black" issue. It was Bill and Hillary Clinton who did that:
We didn't make up anything about Obama's reckless foreign policy. We just repeated what he said about meeting unconditionally with rogue states:
Obama should apologize for his reckless remarks. No one is talking about Obama's race. What we are talking about is that he is a liberal who does not understand national security or economics.
P.S. I should add that it was a Hillary Clinton staffer who sent the photo of Obama in African garb to the Drudge Report.
The Rangers went to Washington for the first time. They played the Expos in '03 but the games were in Puerto Rico. Of course, the Expos are now the Nationals!
Between 1961 and 1971, these Rangers were the old Washington Senators. (The first Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Twins in 1961)
The guys visited Water Reed Hospital to say hello to the injured troops. Also, they got to visit the White House and meet the old team owner. (Rangers visit Bush at White House)
Overall, it was more than baseball at the nation's capital.
By the way, the Nationals' stadium looks great. I love that race between those presidential mascots. It's funny. Washington has # 1 on the back of his jersey. Jefferson had # 3. It took me a few seconds to figure it out!
Texas took 2 of 3 and Padilla won his 10th game on Sunday afternoon. Frankly, Padilla always scares me after he gives up a home run. He always get mad and starts hitting batters. Padilla loses his concentration easily.
Nevertheless, he should be a strong candidate for the All Star Game.
Last week, Scott Hamilton made a great catch and then threw out a runner going to third. He is still going strong and should be a starting outfielder for the AL at the All Star Game.
Ian Kinsler is also making a strong case for the All Star Game!
Milton Bradley is having a great year but is injury prone. I hope that he can play 120 games because he is going to put up some great numbers!
Texas is 39-38 and playing very well since the 7-16 start. They need to bring their "A" game when they play the Angels in a few weeks.
P.S. At the Atlanta-Seattle game, Mark Texeira (now with the Braves) had a great day with 3 home runs.
We love Tex.
Last summer, the Rangers trade him to Atlanta for young players. So far, the trade looks good for both sides. However, it still hurts to see Tex wearing another uniform, specially that ugly red Braves' jersey:
Where in the world did the Braves get those jerseys? The Braves have great home and road uniforms. The white home jersey reminds me of an old Milwaukee Braves' uniform that my parents bought me back then!
Everybody loves Laura Bush and her wonderful West Texas accent.
Why? Because she understands the role of The First Lady. For more about these ladies, see this gallery! Read about them, from Martha Washington to Laura Bush. Read about Mary Todd Lincoln and her tragic story. Read about Rachel Donelson Jackson, the First Lady who inspired a movie called The President's Lady.
Laura Bush is charming because she is not trying to change the world. Yet, Laura Bush has worked on many programs to help children. Her pet project is reading and we are better off because of her efforts. She has also taken an interest in women's rights in Afghanistan. She has supported AIDS programs in Africa.
She is a wife and mother who is married to the president of the US.
She avoids controversy. She didn't attack Gore or Kerry.
Laura Bush understands that she was not elected. Her husband was!
Why was Hillary Clinton so controversial? Because she injected herself in the partisan crossfire.
Why were Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, Rosalyn Carter, Betty Ford, Pat Nixon, Ladybird Johnson, Jackie Kennedy, Mamie Eisenhower, et al so loved?
Because they didn't pretend to be the prime minister like Hillary Clinton!
I am on record as saying that Michelle Obama is out of bounds. Same for Cindy McCain.
Last week, the Obama campaign decided to re-brand Michelle as the gal next door. Apparently, she is not going to give any more speeches about the country. This is good! With all due respect, I don't want to hear what Michelle Obama thinks!
Cindy McCain does not have the same problem. She has always been in the background. She has avoided the limelight in Washington. Feminists probably think that Cindy is too traditional.
My message to Michelle and Cindy is very simple, perhaps very traditional: Take care of your husbands and family. They need you now more than ever!
I think that either lady would make a nice First Lady.
This is an election between their husbands!
P.S. Speaking of Laura Bush, she was great at the 2005 press dinner:
Is this actually true? Frankly, I thought that someone from the right wing conspiracy was doing a joke on an Obama picture. After all, you can do a lot of strange things on your computer these days!
I guess not! It's true! BO has a seal. Do we call this the "I'm going to be the next" president seal?
First, he has not been officially nominated. Better than that, he has not been elected. I agree with Rick Moran: OBAMA STARTING TO CREEP ME OUT!
Nevertheless, he has a presidential seal.
Guess what? “Vero Possumus” roughly translates to “Yes we can”, according to TIME.
Here is the funny part: It may be illegal! Look it up in your law books: 18 USC Sec. 713!
Frankly, I think that this is a bit arrogant on BO's part. I have been active in every presidential election since 1976. I have never seen anything like this!
P.S. On a more serious note, the guys at Power Line review BO's campaign ad. What they did find? BO exaggerated a couple of laws that he took credit for! See it for yourself!
The brother/sister act is one of my favorite parts of popular music. It must be fun to sing with your brother or sister. Wouldn't that be fun?
In this post, I will tell you about my favorite "family" groups.
Let's start with The Beach Boys. They were the Wilson brothers: Brian, Carl and Dennis. You can add cousin Al Jardine and good friend Mike Love. The result was wonderful harmonies and great songs like "Barbara Ann":
Richard and Karen Carpenter were very successful in the 1970s. Karen died in 1983. They left us some wonderful songs, such as "Goodbye to love":
Donny and Marie Osmond were cute and part of The Osmond family. They were also very talented. I liked their version of 'Morning Side of the Mountain":
Before Michael Jackson, there was The Jackson 5. Why did Michael ever grow up? I loved their songs back then. They still sound great:
The Cowsills were the whole family. They were mom, little sister and brothers. They eventually inspired "The Partridge Family", a popular TV series about a singing family. The Cowsills recorded some very nice songs. Their harmonies were great. I still love "The rain, the park and other things":
We saved The Bee Gees for last. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb wrote some of the greatest songs of the pop era. Maurice died in 2003 and The Bee Gees were retired. It's hard to pick one song. I love "Country Lanes" from the "Main Course" LP released in 1975. This video has a lot of Gibb family pictures. The Brothers Gibb were great:
P.S. I forgot to include The Everly Brothers. They were a bit before my time but their harmonies were great! In fact, their harmonies were very influential on the Beatles' sound. I love "Devoted to you":
Where are we on the road to the big Dem year of 2008? According to Gallup, the race is a dead heat! (Obama 46-McCain 44) Rasmussen has Obama up by 4.
What happened to the Obama bounce? it didn't bounce!
To be fair, June polls are a bit unreliable.
At this point in 2004, Kerry led Bush.
In 1984, Mondale was competitive with Reagan.
In 1992, Clinton was way down behind Bush and Perot.
In 1976, Carter a 30 point lead on Ford as late as August and won a 50-49 election.
In 1988, Dukakis had a big lead on the first Bush.
Why will the Dem year fizzle? Again, let's read Barone, who is a pretty good barometer of US elections.
First, let's talk about Iraq:
"In January 2007, when George W. Bush ordered the surge strategy, which John McCain had advocated since the summer of 2003, Barack Obama informed us that the surge couldn't work. The only thing to do was to get out as soon as possible.
That stance proved to be a good move toward winning the presidential nomination -- but it was poor prophecy.
It is beyond doubt now that the surge has been hugely successful, beyond even the hopes of its strongest advocates, like Frederick and Kimberly Kagan.
Violence is down enormously, Anbar and Basra and Sadr City have been pacified, Prime Minister Maliki has led successful attempts to pacify Shiites as well as Sunnis, and the Iraqi parliament has passed almost all of the "benchmark" legislation demanded by the Democratic Congress -- all of which Barack Obama seems to have barely noticed or noticed not at all.
He has not visited Iraq since January 2006 and did not seek a meeting with Gen. David Petraeus when he was in Washington."
Iraq is a problem for Obama not McCain. In fact, McCain was willing to make the tough calls that we expect from a president. Obama just told people what they wanted to hear.
The second, and probably hottest issue of 2008, is $4 gasoline:
"Public opinion has switched sharply and now favors drilling offshore and, by inference, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Democrats are scrambling to argue that drilling wouldn't make any difference -- and that anyway the oil companies aren't drilling enough on federal land they currently lease."
On drilling, the Dems' hands are tied by fanatical environmentalists. They've been a hindrance to any responsible drilling.
Why are Americans in favor of drilling? Because it makes sense to find your own oil rather than buy it from other countries.
It's great to be for alternative energy. It's great to fantasize about a car that runs on solar energy.
Unfortunately, there is no such car today. Gasoline is the only thing that will run our cars for the foreseeable future.
Let me issue this friendly warning to my Dem friends:
Make sure that your airline ticket to the Dem party has a "refund clause". Check with your travel agent to see if you can get a refund as late as 9pm on election night! Don't let the travel agency put a hold on your debit card!
Beware of a presidential candidate who releases a presidential seal. He's probably full of crap! (The Obama seal?)
Beware of a candidate who supports free trade but does not support free trade. He is probably telling people what they want to hear:
Beware of a candidate who was against a timetable in 2004 and now supports one. Again, he may be telling you what you want to hear:
Last, but not least, beware of a candidate who is not ready to be president:
Why did he do it? Why did BO decide to change his mind on public financing. A few months ago, the late Tim Russert tried to pin down BO:
Why did he do it? Because BO is about telling people what they want to hear!
A year ago, he told the left wing primary voters what they wanted to hear on public financing. Today, he is running for president and he is singing a different tune.
What about free trade?
I guess that BO is for free trade but opposed to free trade agreements. Is Obama seriously saying that he will tell Mexico to change its labor laws? Isn't that a bit unilateral and imperialistic?
Watch out for Obama! He enjoys telling people what they want to hear.
On Iraq, he's been all over the map, too. In 2004, he said this:
Let me say it again. There are lots of people out there investing their hopes and dreams in an opportunist. I hope that they are ready for a major disappointment.
Obama is not real. I know it. When will the "yes we can" screamers face reality?
Rev. Wright said a lot of stupid things. Calling BO "just a politician" was not one of them!
How about a little trip back to the 1990s? Let's start in 1992 and candidate Al Gore blasting the first Bush for leaving Saddam in power:
Can we call this one the inconvenient truth?
Let's move on. In 1993, Pres. Clinton goes on TV to announce air strikes against Iraq. Why? Saddam tried to assassinate the first Pres. Bush during a personal trip to Kuwait.
Did Pres. Clinton go to the Congress or to the UN? Not at all. It was unilateral:
To be honest, I think that Clinton's response was wimpy. How in the world do you allow another government to try to assassinate a former president?
Regrettably, Clinton's soft response probably sent Saddam the wrong message.
Let's go to 1996. Once again, Pres. Clinton orders another attack against Iraq:
Now, let's move to 1998. Iraq got really hot in 1998 because Saddam kicked out the inspectors.
In early 1998, Pres. Clinton said this about the Iraq threat:
Now, let me ask you: Does Clinton sound like Bush or does Bush sound like Clinton?
Later in '98, Pres. Clinton announces The Iraq Liberation Act. It means that removing Saddam is now the official policy of the US. It is endorsed by Democrats and Republicans:
In December '98, Pres. Clinton announces a major military operation in Iraq. He orders a massive air campaign that lasts 4 days.
Why does Pres. Clinton say that UK planes are involved too? Because no one else at the UN wanted to get involved.
The UN treated Clinton in '98 with the same lack of seriousness that it treated Bush in '03.
PM Blair of the UK was the only world leader interested in enforcing UN resolutions. Everybody else was either not concerned or counting on the US to deal with serious problems.
Our presidents change. The UN does not:
We saved the best for last.
This is Senator Hillary Clinton speaking to the anti-war Code Pink Ladies in March 2003. Clinton was explaining her war vote. However, listen to Sen. Clinton talk about our allies. Listen to Hillary Clinton say that our allies are not serious about dealing with tough problems. She reminds the Code Pink Ladies that her husband had to act alone in Bosnia because no one else was serious.
This is good. This is really good for those who think that our allies refused to work with the US because Bush won the 2000 election:
Go ahead BO! Go ahead and spend $500 million. It won't get you elected!
Let me say a word about public financing. It stinks.
I don't care about private contributions as long as there is full disclosure. Just publish the contributors' name and let us decide.
Between now and election day, we are going to watch the biggest farse in US electoral history. BO is a phony and the public will catch up with him no matter how many millions they spend! (The Two Obamas by David Brooks)
Obama is re-branding himself as some centrist Democrat who shares Kansas values. Michelle is now going to be the sweet "wife next door" who is standing by her man. The "media in the tank for Obama" will go along with it. Yet, BO is the most leftist candidate ever nominated:
"Listen closely to all those cheers for newly crowned nominee Barack Obama, and in the background you'll catch the notes of a funeral march.
Resting, if not in peace, are the New Democrats.
The Illinois senator's primary victory marked the end of many things, and one looks to be his party's 20-year experiment with ideological centrism.
The New Dems are still out there, still urging their party to fight its natural liberal instincts.
But who's listening?
Buoyed by the Republican implosion, wild for their retro nominee, the intellectual soul of the Democratic Party is now firmly left." (Farewell, New Democrats)
Allan Wall joined us today to review the situation in Mexico. You can click here for the show or the icon to the left. We will leave the show available over the weekend for additional listening.
On Friday, John McCain will give a pro-NAFTA speech. He is calling for more trade with Mexico. He wants the Dems to approve the Colombia free trade deal. McCain understands that free trade has been good for the US. He wants more of it.
Down in Mexico, Pres. Calderon is desperately trying to reform PEMEX. He wants reform, which is a code word for some type of privatization.
PEMEX is the biggest problem in Mexico. It is corrupt and inefficient. Worse than that, Mexico can't drill for more oil despite record prices.
"I would ask my lefty friends the following; name one – just one – government enterprise that was ever run so efficiently that it could compete with market driven companies?
And what makes you think the government will suddenly acquire the wisdom found in the markets and be able to adequately supply 300 million people with enough refined petroleum products so that the economy doesn’t collapse in a heap at your feet?"
Enjoy this video. How did Mexico's Lopez-Obrador get so influential in the party of Obama.
How can any serious Dem believe that we will be better off by creating an American PEMEX?
Again, this is what the left does. It believes that "taking over"private industries will fix the problems.
Perhaps, Obama should sit down with Calderon for a little "cafe". Maybe Calderon can give Obama some private thoughts on how well PEMEX has served the Mexican economy.
The Dems are now the party of the left. We can now declare that Lopez-Obrador is an honorary member of what they used to call the party of Truman and JFK!
The party is over for the Dems. They have stopped every effort to increase our energy supplies. Thankfully, they can't anymore!
The Dems should read the new one by Dick Morris. Energy will be the issue of 2008 and the Republicans are on the right side, which also happens to be the popular side!
The Dems have made it impossible for energy companies to operate in the US.
We can't drill for oil, despite new technology that protects the environment.
So here we are. China and India are buying lots of oil. We are paying $4 a gallon and everyone is furious.
There are no quick answers. However, we can start by drilling for our own.
Our goal should be simple: We should not buy a barrel from anyone, except for Canada and Mexico.
P.S. In the meantime, someone needs to sit down with BO and review our current agreement with Canada. He may think twice about re-negotiations once he understands how good we have it with Canada because of NAFTA!
Get ready. BO's journey through the left wing primary is over. It's time to go right and go after those middle class voters who don't get excited with populism!
"The general campaign is on, independent voters up for grabs, and Barack Obama is toning down his populist rhetoric - at least when it comes to free trade.
In an interview with Fortune to be featured in the magazine's upcoming issue, the presumptive Democratic nominee suggests he doesn't want to unilaterally blow up NAFTA after all.
"Sometimes during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified," he conceded, after I reminded him that he had called NAFTA "devastating" and "a big mistake," despite nonpartisan studies concluding that the trade zone has had a mild, positive effect on the U.S. economy.
Does that mean his rhetoric was overheated and amplified?
"Politicians are always guilty of that, and I don't exempt myself," he answered."
So Rev Wright was right! BO is a politician after all! BO misled the Ohio and PA voters about NAFTA. Wonder how all of those Dem voters in PA and Ohio feel about that?
According to the Washington Post, BO met with Iraq's foreign minister. What did they talk about:
"The foreign minister said "my message" to Mr. Obama "was very clear. . . . Really, we are making progress. I hope any actions you will take will not endanger this progress."
He said he was reassured by the candidate's response, which caused him to think that Mr. Obama might not differ all that much from Mr. McCain.
Mr. Zebari said that in addition to promising a visit, Mr. Obama said that "if there would be a Democratic administration, it will not take any irresponsible, reckless, sudden decisions or action to endanger your gains, your achievements, your stability or security.
Whatever decision he will reach will be made through close consultation with the Iraqi government and U.S. military commanders in the field."
Certainly, it makes sense to consult with those who, like Mr. Zebari, have put their lives on the line for an Iraq that would be a democratic U.S. ally.
Mr. Obama ought to listen carefully to what they are saying."
BO's problem is that he went too far to satisfy the anti-war left. Now, BO has to balance his rhetoric with the reality in Iraq. Add NAFTA to that! (A NAFTA Dance on Iraq?)
Who will BO throw under the bus next? My bet is on the anti-war movement!
Can it be any clearer than this? Let's check this from the guys at Power Line:
"Yesterday, in an interview with ABC's Jake Tapper, Barack Obama reinforced the perception that as President he would return to the Clinton administration's policy of fighting terrorism only with law enforcement tools."
The 9-10 approach was so effective.....wasn't it? We were hit often between the first attempt to blow up the WTC towers in '93 and 9-11 itself.
How in the world can a serious party nominee make such a reference?
BO's remarks say a lot about him and the Dems. Unfortunately, this is where we are in the modern Dem party is. They are living in denial about terrorism and success in Iraq.
McCain has a different approach. He is living in a 9-12 world. Like most of us, McCain woke up the morning after and signed up to fight this war aggressively.
"As a national-security strategy, however, and as a means of carrying our government’s first responsibility to protect the American people, heavy reliance on criminal justice is an abysmal failure.
A successful counterterrorism strategy makes criminal prosecution a subordinate part of a much broader governmental response.
Most of what is needed never happens in a courtroom.
It happens in military operations against terrorist strongholds; intelligence operations in which jihadists get assassinated — without trial; intelligence collections in which we cozy up to despicable informants since only they can tell us what we need to know; and aggressive treasury actions to trace terror funds.
That is how you stop the homeland from being attacked, which is what we have done for the last seven years.
And it is that from which Obama wants to move away.Obama would bring us back to September 10th America.
And September 10th is sure to be followed by September 11th ."
How do you stop a repeat of 9-11? You vote for John McCain, a man who is living in the present not some fantasy past!
Between gas prices and Iraq, we have not had any recent posts on immigration. The latest Rasmussen Reports offers a good barometer of public attitudes.
This is what I like:
"Eighty-three percent (83%) of those angry about immigration direct their anger at the federal government while only 12% point towards the immigrants."
That's right. The public is angry at illegal immigration not the people who come over to enjoy a better life. We would rather have them come over legally, under some type of guest worker program.
At the same time, we would like them to learn English.
The "you are a racista if you disagree with me" crowd will read the above as another example of American negativism.
Not at all, it is another example that Americans believe in the rule of law. In other words, laws are supposed to be respected not selectively violated because the home country can't create jobs!
Our favorite Beatle is 66 today! Can you believe that Paul McCartney is 66? We wrote a post a couple of years ago when he turned 64. (Remember "When I'm 64" from Sgt. Pepper's?)
What more can I say about Paul? Just thank you for the music.
Let's look back at Paul and his music. We start with "Hello Goodbye", a video before MTV:
Paul's greatest song was probably "Yesterday":
Let's remember Linda McCartney. They were married for 29 years until her untimely death in 1998. It's hard to recall Paul without Linda:
"A Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD principal received top honors recently and was named Principal of the Year April 2 by the Association of Texas Profession Educators in Austin.
Newman Smith High School principal Joe Pouncy was honored by more than 1,000 educators at an Austin banquet for the organization. More than 100,000 educators statewide are members of the professional organization, and those receiving honors, such as the one Pouncy received, are selected by their peers.
"It's not as data-driven as some of these other awards," Pouncy said.
"This award deals with the effective operation of a campus and all the things that go with that…
It's more the administrative end of operating a school, student relationships, the nuts and bolts that go into operating the campus."
Pouncy was nominated for the award by Miriam Gage, a special education English teacher who has worked with Pouncy at Newman Smith for about 13 years."
Since 2001, I've had the pleasure of getting to know Mr. Pouncy. He is great with the kids. He is always at the Friday night football or the baseball playoffs.
The kids love him because he supports them. The parents love him because he is demanding and a disciplinarian.
"Barack Obama's foreign policy advisers said Tuesday that Osama bin Laden, if captured, should be allowed to appeal his case to U.S. civilian courts, a privilege opposed by John McCain."
Last night, Al Gore endorsed BO in Detroit. I am still trying to figure out what BO and Gore meant by some of their remarks.
BO said: "Obama stoked lasting Democratic anger over the 2000 outcome when he recognized Gore as “the winner of the popular vote for president.” “You remember that,” Obama said as the crowd of 20,000 erupted in raucous applause."
Remember what? Remember that Gore and Clinton couldn't deliver their home states in 2000?
Gore hit it out of the park: "“After eight years when our Constitution has been dishonored and disrespected, we need changes.”
Again, we never hear specifics of how our Constitution has been dishonored or disrespected!
Unfortunately, Gore has been reduced to playing the role of a "martyr" and Bush's poor little victim.
How can any self-respecting person continue to live in such denial?
The Dems have become a sad collection of victims and martyrs! I guess that's what happens when you lose 7 of the last 10 presidential elections!
Like Kerry, Gore, the Clintons, Kennedys, et al, the Dems love public education for everyone except their own kids. At least, Pres. Carter sent little Amy to the public school down the street from the White House.
BO is no different. BO and Michelle love to take money from the teachers' unions. However,they don't think that Chicago's public schools are good for their daughters.
BO faces an interesting challenge: Will he support the children of DC or will he cave in to the unions, like he did in Ohio and PA over NAFTA?
The Washington Post, not a Republican newspaper, calls on BO and the Dems to show a little realism:
"Members of a House Appropriations subcommittee today will take up President Bush's request for $18 million to continue the voucher program, along with new money for public and charter schools.
Before they adopt language dismantling the program, they might want to take a good, hard look at who these children are: mostly African Americans from mainly single-parent households with incomes averaging around $22,700.
"The program is offering these students an opportunity that would probably otherwise be closed to them, but open to the children of more affluent families."
Children, say, like the sons and daughters of those who get to vote on whether this program will continue."
So where will BO come down? The unions or the children?
In this ad, a young mother misrepresents what McCain said. Worse than that, she uses her little baby to lie about McCain.
As has been reported everywhere, McCain did not say that we would be in Iraq for 100 years.
He was referring to a military arrangement similar to the ones that Democrat Pres. Truman and Republican Pres. Eisenhower created in Germany, Japan or the 40,000 troops in South Korea.
As McCain said: it's about casualties!
No one objects to US troops keeping the peace all over the world. From Truman to the current Bush, we've benefited from US troops deployed in different places.
What would the world look like today without US troops strategically deployed or the US Navy keeping the oceans free?
The anti-war left can't win the Iraq War debate. They've been reduced to this kind of dirty tactics!
Here is the irony: Baby Alex has a higher chance of returning to Iraq (or the Middle East) if we fail in Iraq.
Here is what McCain actually said:
P.S. Ironically, MoveOn.org, and the American left, has no trouble aborting babies. They have no objection to a million babies aborted every year in the US.
BO said the right things yesterday about the lack of fathers, specially in the black community.
We are happy that a black leader is talking about responsibility rather than more victim-hood.
BO needs to go further. The collapse of fatherhood is due to the welfare state, the decline in morality and overall disrespect for women.
Our society has tolerated illegitimacy, hip hop lyrics offensive to women and fathers who are not raising their kids.
How can we get fathers to care for their children? Do we need another round of government mandates and laws?
Not really. We just need to return to the days when we wanted babies raised by a mother and a father!
We need to return to a time when a man was expected to care of his family or face criticism from society. No more excuses! It's time for a man to act like a man!
What else helps to promote responsible fatherhood?
"The report also reveals that religious fathers are more likely to devote time, attention and affection to their children than their secular peers.
For example, compared with dads who indicate no religious affiliation, fathers who attend religious services regularly devote at least two more hours per week to youth-related activities, such as coaching soccer or leading a Boy Scout troop.
Churchgoing fathers are also significantly more likely to keep tabs on their children, monitoring their activities and friends."
So let's hope that BO goes the distance here. We need more than a speech! Let's see if BO is willing to tackle some of the liberal interest groups invested in dependency and the welfare state.
We have been hearing a great deal about Hillary's "women", i.e. the ladies who are angry with Obama over the primary fight.
Yet, we never hear about the other ladies, or the ones that Obama is going to have to persuade in order to win the general election.
Before we go on, let's remember a couple of interesting facts:
1) According to Zogby: "28 percent of Democratic voters are white men. Women account for 55 percent of Democratic voters."
Where are the white men? Where are the men? They are not voting in Dem primaries. The modern Dem party is disproportionately "left of center" female and non-white.
This is not the same party that nominated JFK or LBJ. Nostalgia for JFK overlooks the reality that he ran to the right of VP Nixon in 1960 on foreign policy. My guess is that JFK would be appalled at how far to the left the Dems have moved. Michael Knox Beran wrote No Jack Kennedy (The torch Obama hasn’t taken up).
2) How do women vote? It depends on three things. Where do they live? Are they married? And, do they go to church regularly?
In 2004 (and 2000), Bush won women who lived in suburbs, small towns or rural areas. Bush won the married women vote. And Bush overwhelming won the vote of those women who go to church regularly.
3) In 2008, Obama will eventually get the Hillary ladies. Why? They are generally left of center and won't feel comfortable voting for McCain. Also, these left of center ladies understand that the next president will appoint justices to the Supreme Court. In other words, they want to protect abortion, or Roe v Wade!
Who is this "McCain" lady? I call her a traditionalist:
She is a mother (or grandmother) living in suburbs, small towns or rural areas. She is married. She may be single but very marriage oriented.
She has young children and appalled at Hollywood's anti-family programming. She is angry that "Hollywoodies" overwhelmingly support Democrats! In other words, why do these "merchants of filth" contribute 99-1 to the Democrats?
She does not believe in abortion. She does not think that "same sex marriage" is a civil right. On the contrary, she believes that marriage is between a man and a woman.
She is very proud of the military. Her husband may be a veteran. Her father served in Vietnam. Her grandfather liberated Europe from the Nazis.
She understands that US soldiers, not corrupt UN diplomats, protect our national security.
She does not understand why the teachers' unions oppose school choice for her children. At the same time, she is angry that the Democrats are always carrying the water for the teachers' unions.
She does not understand why the Democrats have opposed every effort to drill for oil in the US. The Dems are very concerned about protecting the future of the caribou but not the unborn in a woman's womb.
She is tired of hearing that we should "tax the rich". She is smart enough to know that "taxing the rich" usually ends up taxing the middle class.
She does not subscribe to the Dems' class warfare. She does not understand why the modern Dem party sounds like European socialists!
She is a church-goer. She does not "cling to her religion" because she is angry. On the contrary, she is very happy with being a woman of faith. (Religious Americans Prefer McCain Over Obama)
She does not blame free trade for the fact that Ohio, PA, NJ, NY and Michigan are struggling economically. She correctly blames high taxes and the pro-Dem unions who have bankrupted the auto and other manufacturing industries.
She is a small businesswoman who loves free trade. Exports are a big part of her business plan. She wants to export to Colombia but the unions don't allow the Dems to approve the free trade deal.
She is businesswoman who does not appreciate having so many government mandates. She is afraid that Obama mandates will do to the US economy what socialism has done to France, Germany and Italy. Would you like to see what happens when you implement high taxes? Check out France's 10% unemployment!
Last, but not least, she is still waiting for Obama to say something other than "hope and change"!
There you have it. This is the "other woman" that we have not heard about.
This is the "other woman" who will elect John McCain!
Texas is 35-36 but 7 games behind the Angels. The good news is that they are 28-20 since the awful 7-16 start. The bad news is that they are in the same division as the Angels.
It was the first Mets-Rangers series at Shea since inter-league play started in 1997. I'm not a big fan of inter-league play. I would prefer to keep it down to regional match ups, such as Rangers-Astros, Angels-Dodgers, A's-Giants, ChiSox-Cubs or Mets-Yankees.
During the rain delay, several Rangers came out and had a good time on the tarp. It was fun to watch. I wish that I could do something like that!
Josh Hamilton said hello to Shea Stadium with a monster homerun to left center. Hamilton is having a dream year: .317, 17 HRs and 73 RBIs after 71 games! He may have 90 RBIs by the All Star game in mid-July. Based on the current vote, Hamilton will be starting for the AL:
"The report also reveals that religious fathers are more likely to devote time, attention and affection to their children than their secular peers.
For example, compared with dads who indicate no religious affiliation, fathers who attend religious services regularly devote at least two more hours per week to youth-related activities, such as coaching soccer or leading a Boy Scout troop.
Churchgoing fathers are also significantly more likely to keep tabs on their children, monitoring their activities and friends.
Finally, religious fathers are about 65% more likely than unaffiliated fathers to report praising and hugging their school-age children "very often."
Again, we don't need government programs or more federal money to make us better fathers or happier people. Happiness is found in the same old building, the church!
We say Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers, grandfathers, uncles, etc.
I'm very lucky because I had a father who understood the job.
He did not try to be my buddy, although he did take my brother and I to a lot of ball games when were kids. He bought us hot dogs and ice cream. He taught us about baseball and a few other things.
A father's job description is simple: Tell your kids what they don't want to hear!
I'm grateful that my dad taught me that lesson! My father certainly understood the job description!
Obama told the "yes we can" screamers what they wanted to hear.
They want to believe that the Supreme Court saved the nation from Bush's police state.
In fact, the Supreme Court rejected a bi-partisan law passed by Congress and signed by Pres. Bush.
Of course, it's too complicated to tell the "yes we can" screamers the truth. It's better to fill their minds with more nonsense.
Let's remember what happened last year:
"The Military Commissions Act passed the Senate on a 65-34 vote, with Democratic Senators Carper, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Lieberman, Menendez, Nelson (Neb.), Nelson (Fla.), Pryor, Rockefeller, Salazar and Stabenow voting with the Republicans.
If Bush wanted to create a police state then we can say that he had a lot of Dems willing to go along with the sinister plan.
Of course, Obama did not support this bill. Wonder why he is considered the most liberal member of the US Senate? On this bill, he was to the left of most Dems in the US Senate.
Among white children, 28% are now born to a single mother; among Hispanic children it is 50% and reaches a chilling, disorienting peak of 71% for black children.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly a quarter of America's white children (22%) do not have any male in their homes; nearly a third (31%) of Hispanic children and over half of black children (56%) are fatherless.
This represents a dramatic shift in American life.
In the early 1960s, only 2.3% of white children and 24% of black children were born to a single mom.
Having a dad, in short, is now a privilege, a ticket to middle-class status on par with getting into a good college."
As we approach Fathers' Day, let's remember a simple truth: We need men to be responsible fathers!
They keep finding Al Qaeda cells in Spain. They keep finding them 4 years after PM Rod-Zapatero removed Spanish troops from Iraq. (Spain busts AQ cell) Congratulations to the Spanish authorities for good police work. At the same time, I'm totally confused because I thought that Al Qaeda had forgotten about Spain after PM Rod-Zapatero fulfilled his campaign promise to remove troops from Iraq. So what's going on? I think that the Spanish voters deserve an explanation. Someone misled the Spanish public and it was not the US!
As of Friday afternoon, the "Drill here" petition is up to 700,000 names. The objective is simple: Drill in the US! The Dems need a kick in the butt to disengage them from the environmentalists who've tied up our domestic sources of oil and energy in general.
Chuck Norris added his unique contribution to the cause:
In that article, Baker warned the Europeans about getting their hopes up with the Dems:
"When President Bush goes into the Texas sunset, and especially if he is replaced by an enlightened, world-embracing Democrat, their one excuse, their sole explanation for all human suffering in the world will disappear too.
And they may just find that the world is not as simple as they thought it was."
Let's start with France and Germany. Does any serious human being really think that a Pres. Obama is going to convince the French to allow their troops to fight in Afghanistan?
If the French won't fight in Afghanistan, or the war that everybody supports, what are they willing to fight for?
Why aren't French troops in Afghanistan? Because the French don't want everyone of their cars burned up.
This time, Baker is warning Obama's fan club in Europe that there won't be much change in US foreign policy:
"But I still harbour a conviction that for all their expectation of a brave new dawn, the Europeans are going to miss Mr Bush in ways that they are only beginning to understand.
They'll miss, first, having a villain in the White House.
It's a really convenient excuse to avoid doing anything yourself on pressing global concerns.
And if Senator Obama wins, while the tone and nuances will sound more mellifluous to Europeans ears, most of those issues won't change, and some might actually become a lot worse."
Yes, can you say "free trade"?
"And when it comes to free trade he, like the Democratic Party, is decidedly not keen on being nice to foreigners."
Our Canadian friends should really be careful. After all, wasn't it Pres. Clinton who signed The Byrd Amendment that they hate so much! Clinton did it to take care of the unions!
As Baker indicates, bashing Bush was a convenient distraction from dealing with real problems. I guess that it's easier to bash "cowboy Bush" than to admit that Europe can't defend itself.
My guess is that the Europeans won't get their wish. They won't get their Obama fix. The US voters will take care of Obama!
Nevertheless, Europe, and its aging population, is living in another planet. They can't create jobs. They are not having babies. They face a future that most of them don't want to face.
I guess that bashing Bush is the ultimate form of denial!
P.S. It's not all that bad in Europe, at least according to MATTHEW KAMINSKI, editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe. He wrote Bush Leaves a Robust Atlantic Alliance, After All! At least, he leaves a bunch of pro-US leaders in Germany, France and Italy. This is in sharp contrast to Chirac, Schroeder and the others.
It started with Roe v. Wade. In that decision, the courts found a right to an abortion in the US Constitution. Wonder what Thomas Jefferson and James Madison say about that? Abortion is a state matter. It has no business in federal courts. Let the citizens of Texas, or any other state, select or reject abortion through the ballot box.
More recently, the judges in California redefined marriage. How in the world do 4 judges in California know what marriage is? We have a society built on a Judeo-Christian tradition that marriage is a special relationship between a man and a woman. How dare four individuals challenge that?
Worse than that, the California court reversed the will of the voters. Several years ago, an overwhelming majority of citizens said that marriage is between a man and a woman. Who cares about voters?
Yesterday, the insanity reached GITMO. The court, in another 5-4, decision granted rights to the terrorists down there.
"Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy isn't known for his judicial modesty.
But for sheer willfulness, yesterday's 5-4 majority opinion in Boumediene v. Bush may earn him a historic place among the likes of Harry Blackmun.
In a stroke, he and four other unelected Justices have declared their war-making supremacy over both Congress and the White House."
Insane, insane, insane. Why not do away with the presidency and the legislature and let judges decide everything?
We elect a president and Congress to enforce and make laws. We have courts to interpret the law. See A Supreme Error By Fred Thompson!
If Justice Kennedy does not like the law, then he should resign from the court and get into the political arena. Let him run for president and make his point with the electorate.
Of course, the anti-Bush crowd (the Bush created a police state idiots) will cheer this as some great victory for civil liberties.
In fact, this is a defeat for the US and the people who are risking their lives everyday to defeat the enemy.
Here is the bottom line: Sen. McCain is right that this election is about national security, judges and fighting entitlements. Yesterday's decision makes his point! Also, this decision will make it more difficult to fight this war and opens up our "taxpayer paid" courts to these terrorists. Watch McCain:
First, it was Houston. Now, it's somewhere else. The guys at Power Line have another one from the Obama front! (Another Obama "Smear")
At some point, we have to ask a simple question: What in the world has happened to the Dem party? How do you explain that Che posters are now next to Obama? Who is teaching history at the Dem party these days? We should require some of these Dems to read: Exposing the Real Che Guevara: And the Useful Idiots Who Idolize Him by Humberto Fontova.
I understand that BO can't control every one of his supporters. However, why would any Obama supporter hang a Che and BO picture on the wall?
What about BO attracts people who admire Che? Maybe we should ask the candidate?
Who is Obama? On the subject of Che, he is no JFK, as Jeff Jacoby wrote after the Houston pictures came out! (What would JFK do?) My guess is that JFK would personally go over and tear down these posters!
Why is so much of the left, here and everywhere else, so fascinated with BO? Here is a better question: Do Democrats know anything about the guy they have nominated?
"I generally don't write columns about the manifestly obvious, but, yes, the man responsible for keeping Americans safe from another terrorist attack on American soil for nearly seven years now will go down in history as one of America's greatest presidents.
Produce one person who believed, on Sept. 12, 2001, that there would not be another attack for seven years, and I'll consider downgrading Bush from "Great" to "Really Good."
Ann is right. No one on 9-12 would have believed that the US would be free of another attack.
Why haven't we been attacked?
Maybe we've been lucky. I guess that the Yankees were lucky when they won 4 World Series in 5 years.
The real reason is that Pres. Bush committed the US to destroy Al Qaeda. Based on Iraq, we are doing one heck of a good job!
Pres. Bush's real legacy is that we have not been attacked. We've been free of Al Qaeda since 2001! That's no small achievement, unless you are still angry that Al Gore could not win his home state in 2000!
