Questions for the Day:

Regarding Sarah Palin’s current popularity and standing in the GOP:

What does it say about the nature of modern American politics that a public official who often seems proud of what she does not know is not only accepted but applauded?

What does her prominence say about the importance of having (or lacking) a record of achievement in public life?

Why did so many skilled veterans of the Republican Party—long regarded as the more adroit team in presidential politics—keep loyally working for her election even after they privately realized she was casual about the truth and totally unfit for the vice-presidency?

Perhaps most painful, how could John McCain, one of the cagiest survivors in contemporary politics—with a fine appreciation of life’s injustices and absurdities, a love for the sweep of history, and an overdeveloped sense of his own integrity and honor—ever have picked a person whose utter shortage of qualification for her proposed job all but disqualified him for his?

Good Questions. I guess it is not about country first but rather power.

Quote of the day:

EPA suffered a lot of across-the-board cuts that really affected its ability to hire outside experts, keep the science strong, to keep a focus on climate. So we're also investing in climate change. There are investments in research and development. The only places that we won't be able to invest a whole bunch of new resources is in bodies. The budget anticipates about 130 more FTEs [full-time equivalents], and that probably is OK because EPA did its best not to cut staff during the lean years. So now we get to take those staff and make them more productive. But we don't necessarily have to add a lot of staff.

~ Lisa Jackson, EPA Director, describing efforts to recover from the “lean years,” a dark period that coincidentally coincided with the tenure of the Bush Administration. EPA is looking at 30% increase in its budget which comes in the wake of a 27% cut to the budget that occurred during the “lean years.”

Blue Helmet Demand to Soar! Buy Stock NOW!

Breaking news just in.

Radical Transnationalist, Harold Hongju Koh has been confirmed by the Senate and by a filibuster proof Margin to boot. As everyone is well aware, once Koh starts work at the State Department he will set about to replace good ol’ US Law with weak effeminate European and/or International Law and our Sovereignty will be under assault.

The First Step will be to replace the Dollar with some sort of Euro-script. The next step probably will be to replace Presidents Day with a holiday in honor of Karl Marx or some other dead commie.

I am predicting that sales of Blue Helmets will start to rise dramatically overseas.

You have been forewarned.

Now this is a mean, Mean, MEAN thing to say about Mitt Romney

I think Romney's a hologram of pure cynicism and borderline nuts. Remember that convention speech? One pandering vacuity after another. And he must know he will never be his party's pick, because the very people he panders to are the very bigots who would never vote for him. ~ Sullivan.

And it is also funny. One thing about Mittens, you can count on him to say anything.

Headline of the Day:

Ahmadinejad Demands Apology From Obama

TEHRAN, June 25 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at President Obama on Thursday, warning him against "interfering" in Iranian affairs and demanding an apology for criticism of a government crackdown on demonstrators protesting alleged electoral fraud…..

Now this is really rich. Poor Ol'Ahamadinejad, the George Bush of Iran according to some Iranians, is demanding an appology?

What are the odds that this demand makes it on to Obama's to do list? Nil, I'd say. Here is a question for Ahmadinejad - why whine about criticism? I mean if you have just won a landslide election beating your rival by 30%, you should be on the top of the world. Think about the Mandate that the real George Bush would have claimed if he had won an election by 30 points.

Quote of the Day:

"So many prominent Republicans have been caught in these types of situations lately: Mark Sanford; Larry Craig; David Vitter; John Ensign from Nevada. And you want to know why this is happening? The gays. That's right. They've destroyed the institution of marriage and now this is what we get." ~ Jimmy Kimmel

Mittmentum?

It appears that Governor Sanford's 2012 presidential ambitions are on due today's announcement of martial infidelity. One man despairs:

This is a crying shame. Governor Sanford had much to offer to his country, especially at a time when the federal government seems to have lost its wits in regards to fiscal sanity. It is also a shame because it means we may have to endure yet another Mitt Romney candidacy as fiscal conservatives look for a home on 2012.

Set aside the desire to engage in Neo-Hooverism during the current Economic Calamity, the real winner in the Sanford - Ensign- Soap Opera Sarah Derby may well be Willard "Mitt" Romney.

Another Prominent Republican has Fallen to Vice

The NRO is reporting that another Prominent Republican has issues with the protecting the sanctity of the institution of Marriage.

Last week it was a family values touting Republican Senator from Nevada who announced a break from the values he’d like to impose on all of us. It seems he had a problem with the sanctity of the institution of marriage.

This week it is another Family Values Governor and head of the Republican Governors’ Association who has fallen.

Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC), a family values Republican has come out of the closet and has admitted he too has trouble with the sanctity of the institution of marriage.

It turns out that many of these family values characters are no better than you or I. They talk a good game about family values and small government. But in the end, regardless of what many preach, they are subject to the same human failings as the rest of us.

I guess it is no longer news when this occurs. Maybe there should be a pool on which high talking fellow falls next. The only thing that bothers me about these events is the hypocrisy. It gets really old hearing the family values talk as solutions for real world problems when it is painfully obvious that it is only window dressing for the base. Real people make mistakes. Having better values won't change this fact.

Quote of the Day:

If the protestors eventually prevail in Iran, we'll have a very welcome debate on whether Bush or Obama gets credit. Certainly, it will be a major vindication of Bush's sweeping vision of democracy in the Middle East.....” ~ Rich Lowry, NRO

The answer would seem to be obvious. If the protestors win, credit should go to actual Iranians. Rich Lowry seems to concur.

But on the other hand, I read at the NRO that Iranians call Mousavi the Obama of Iran and Ahmadinejad the George Bush of Iran, so maybe the answer is along those lines.

The more things change the more they stay the same

“Whilst in Congress, he distinguished himself by his opposition to the Mexican War, taking the side of the common enemy against his own country; and when he returned home he found that the indignation of the people followed him everywhere, and he was again submerged or obliged to retire into private life, forgotten by his former friends.”

~ Stephen Douglas addressing Abraham Lincoln’s opposition to the Mexican War at the first Lincoln Douglass debate at Ottawa Illinois on August 21, 1858.

Where have you heard this type of rhetoric before?

Out of the Office

I've been out of the office and on the Appalachian Trail looking for Governor Sanford the few days. I did not find him.

As a result posts have been light.

A whole lotta Crazy - Great Quotes from the Face of the GOP

Congressman Eric Cantor, (R-VA) comparing President Obama to Putin:

"They said, 'Set aside the rule of law, let's strip secured creditors, bondholders, of their rights. Take them away outside of the bankruptcy process and give them to the political cronies and the auto workers' unions’. It's almost like looking at Putin's Russia,"

Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) warning that the Media is America biggest threat:

"Let me just say — this is going to sound radical, I don’t mean for it to be radical — but to me, the greatest threat to America is not necessarily a recession or even another terrorist attack. The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias"

Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) turning to the Taliban as a role model:

"Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban ….. And that is that they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person's entire processes. And these Taliban -- I'm not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban. No, that's not what we're saying. I'm saying an example of how you go about [sic] is to change a person from their messaging to their operations to their frontline message. And we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with."

Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) labeling President Obama a Socialist for trying to saving Capitalism:

Mr. Obama's agenda was "intended to inflict damage and hardship on the free enterprise system, if not to kill it."

Congressman Paul Broun (R-GA) stating his belief that Pres. Obama will "establish a Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist or fascist dictatorship."

"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force… I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may -- may not, I hope not -- but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism." [...] "That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did. When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist." [...] "We can't be lulled into complacency. You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I'm saying is there is the potential of going down that road."

Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) warning the Good Lord of pending CO2 regulation:

“And something that the Democrat sponsors do not point out, a lot of the CO2 that is created in the United States is naturally created. You can’t regulate God. Not even the Democratic majority in the US Congress can regulate God."

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R -MN) describing Barack Obama as anti-American:

"I'm very concerned that he may have anti-American views. That's what the American people are concerned about."

More Craziness from Bachman:

"The news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look -- I wish they would -- I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro America or anti America? I think people would love to see an expose like that."

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), blaming Obama for doing something started by Bush to hype the socialism claim.

"Well, obviously. So, they intervene last fall in the bank crisis. No one has ever done it on that scale before. Now the automobile crisis."

Fmr Congressman Tom Delay (R-TX) labeling the President as a Marxist:

I tagged him as a Marxist months ago, particularly when you look at his relationship with Jeremiah Wright, his relationship with William Ayers. Its not that Wright makes outrageous sermons, its that Jeremiah Wright is a black, liberation theology preacher. And twenty years of association means that he must agree with the Marxist theology of black liberation theology. Same with William Ayers, its not that hes a terrorist, its that this guys so anti-American he wants to completely destroy America and build a new America.

Wingnut of the Week:

Carter's foreign policy was achingly idealistic; Obama's foreign policy is cold-bloodedly "realist." Ultimately, though, both presidents share a deep naiveté, even if it has slightly different iterations. For all the talk of Obama's realism, he is pursuing a policy driven by a fantasy about international affairs--that all disputes can be resolved through negotiations and governments can be talked out of their interests. He is giving the Iranian demonstrators the cold shoulder partly because he believes he can deal with Khamenei and persuade him to give up Iran's nuclear weapons program. The chances of this happening are quite remote. Fundamentally, then, Obama isn't turning his back on the protestors out of hard-headedness but on account of a gauzy illusion, although one with a realpolitick veneer. ~ Rich Lowry

Why not go with old Rich this week. I think this is what happens to someone living inside a cocoon.

David Letterman is mean, Mean MEAN!!!!

"This guy, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I mean, he claims victory and he is very unpopular. ... And the danger politically of this, he could ruin the political career of his brother, Jeb Ahmadinejad."

~ David Letterman

Cold man. Just plain Cold. When are people going to stop picking on poor ol'George?

Random Acts of Wingnuttery

Bush (and "Bush did it") has become the proverbial enemy at large, sort of playing the role of Trotsky in the Soviet 1930s, or the face on the big screen we are supposed to hate -- alternately demonized and airbrushed (when Obama adopts his policies like military tribunals, Iraq, or renditions). Newspeak has even proclaimed our president a "god," and a journalist has adopted proskynesis in his presence.

~ Victor Davis Hanson On the Obama Administration and a "Creeping Orwellianism."

He is right about one thing here, however. The Bush Administration was an unmitigated disaster that I believe folks will remember for some time. Only has himself and other Bush Cheerleaders to thank for that.

The thing about VDH is that I think he's trying to be serious in his commentary and not comedic. This fact in and of itself is what makes reading VDH rants a riot.

Quote of the Day:

“Marriage is an extremely important institution in this country and protecting it is, in my mind, worth the extraordinary step of amending our constitution.”

~ Senator John Ensign (R-NV) speaking on the need to protect the institution of Marriage from the Gays.

Sarah Palin’s Letterman Strategy….. It’s a Goldmine Baby!

Now I may be wrong but it sure seems that anything Sarah Palin does to reinforce her Tina Fey-esque stereotype would be counterproductive for future electoral prospects. Admittedly, this is just a hunch on my part.

So when David Letterman made a one line joke about an abstinence-only spokes mom and single parent getting knocked up while at Yankee Stadium, one would think it would be a bad decision to cry moral outrage. This would be especially so since the girl in question happened to be Palin’s daughter who got knocked up while her boyfriend was living with her at the Palin Home, according to the participant in the dirty deed that is. The joke highlights known Palin foibles so you might want to laugh it off or ignore the joke.

So much for that advice, because Sarah kept the story burning for several days reminding the public that she also has a 14 year-old daughter named Willow and that in her opinion it was this other daughter that was being maligned in the joke. Thanks a lot Mom, the other daughter may be thinking as Sarah pushed the long forgotten name of Willow in context with the joke on to the front page of the gossip rags. Over and Over.

As it already seems, every time Sarah Palin makes the news, it is as a victim or is related to some scandal over shoes or some other soap opera drama. And thanks to Sarah, it seems even more so now. Now as I have said it would be prudent for Palin to avoid reinforcing her Soap Opera Stereotype, you can count on others to disagree. Bring on the Soap Opera!

I suspect Saunders [noting it is bad politics to play a victim instead of a Winner] is actually wrong on the politics of this. Remember, some six decades ago, a politician won the vice presidency by talking emotionally about how his children loved their dog, Checkers, and how his wife looked good in a Republican cloth coat. Less than two decades ago, another politician won the presidency by going on 60 Minutes with his wife to talk emotionally about how they worked through the problems in their marriage. We Americans — and especially American pundits — like to think of ourselves as favoring a hyper-rational politics, based on a combination of philosophical principle and utilitarian calculation. But in fact, emotional identification can be just as important, if not more so, in our political life. A respected friend was talking to me about the most recent Palin controversy the other day and told me, You just don’t get it; you’re not a parent. If parents identify with Sarah Palin, that may indeed do her more good in 2012 than any number of intelligent energy-policy proposals (or even being a better governor than Arnold).

I suspect that Soap Opera Sarah is probably not a winning image for 2012. I also suspect that the reason we don’t see Sarah making the news for giving a thoughtful policy address or compelling performance on the Sunday Talk Shows is because it ain’t in her repertoire to do such. As it is, to make the news you go with what you got. And for the good governor, that’s the soap opera.

So count on Sarah to keep the Soap Opera burning.

The Coast Guard Goes Green?

I found this interesting: A Coast Guard Facily converting to an alternate energy source.

As energy efficiency projects go, the renewable energy center at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, is about as green as it gets. The center, actually a power plant, runs entirely on methane gas pumped in from a nearby city landfill.

Paying no upfront costs, the Coast Guard in 2007 signed a $41 million energy performance savings contract with the energy company Ameresco, based in Knoxville, Tenn. Under the 15-year contract, Ameresco built the power plant at the Coast Guard Yard; 34 wells and a methane collection system at the landfill; and the pipeline that runs beneath the city road, railroad tracks and highway separating the landfill from the plant.

The plant began generating electricity in April. The only thing missing is a permit to sell excess electricity back to the power grid, and the Coast Guard expects to have that by next year, said Cmdr. John Slaughter, chief of the facilities management division at the Coast Guard Yard.

I suppose the next thing we'll hear from the Coast Guard is that tamborine training will become mandatory for all crewmen.

Another one down

Another Detainee released from Guantanamo Bay:

On Thursday his last Guantanamo client, Jawad Jabbar Sadkhan Al-Sahlani, was transferred to the custody of the Iraqi government.

According to the account of the case Colman gave to us, Al-Sahlani and his family fled Iraq in 1996 and sought refuge in Pakistan. In 1998 they applied for asylum with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, but it was not granted. Al-Sahlani and his family then sought to go to Iran but were left stranded by guides in Afghanistan. In January 2002 Al-Sahlani was turned over (for a ransom) to U.S. forces, allegedly by guards to whom he could not pay a bribe. He was subsequently imprisoned in Guantanamo.

In 2003 senior U.S. military leaders and the head of the Department of Defense's criminal investigation task force recommended he be released. That was six years ago.

Why he had to wait 6 years to be release is unanswered.

From back of the napkin calculations almost 800 detainees have been held at Guantanamo. The current count has declined down toward 200.

Tales from the AM Radio

Limbaugh was prattling on about a firing of an inspector general on Friday. Anything he says should be deemed highly suspect. We were assured by El Dimbo that this firing is far worse than when Alberto Gonzales fired “Two” US attorneys back during that dark period of out history known as the Bush Administration and even much worse than the 93 dismissals of US Attorneys at the beginning of the Clinton Administration.

Undoubtedly this will not prove to be the case, El Dimbo suffering from bouts of hyperbole and all. But it goes without saying, that when the confirmation of a pending dismissal hits the series of tubes that form the internets, we have to check it out. So far there is not much there, but there are appearances of conflict here.

After criticism from a high-ranking Republican senator over President Obama's dismissal of the inspector general overseeing AmeriCorps Thursday, the White House has provided assurances that the decision was "carefully considered" and conducted in full compliance with the Inspector General Reform Act.

Gerald Walpin, inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service, recently spearheaded an investigation into the alleged misuse of AmeriCorps grants by a nonprofit agency run by recently elected Sacramento, Calif., Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former National Basketball Association star and a friend of Obama's.

Walpin's conduct of the investigation has been questioned by the acting U.S. attorney for Sacramento, who referred the case to an ethics panel that oversees IGs.

Obama was hired to clean up after the Bush Administration so any headlines implying an US attorney or an IG has been fired for political reasons, albeit even a Bush Appointed IG, are going to be scrutinized.

I’m sure we can count on Darrel Issa (R-CA) to check it out. He is servant of the people firmly dedicated to stamping corruption. Unfortunately for Issa, his dedication to corruption only occurs every eight years coinciding coincidentally when the other party is in control of the White House.

Quote of the Day:

"This is crazy. You probably saw this. Former President George Bush Sr. celebrated his 85th birthday today by skydiving with CNN anchor Robin Meade. ... Fox News reported the story as 'liberal media pushes old man out of airplane.'" ~ Conan O'Brien

Ahmadinejad wins in a LANDSLIDE?

News is on the streets that the Conservatives have won big in Iran.

While this is not good news for many of us, I guess is that Neocons are smiling. I was reading yesterday that one of the second or third tier Neocons actually issued what may have been an endorsement for Ahmadine-jihad. I believe it was Daniel Pipes.

I am not a Neocon, so I do not know everything and I know jack about Iran, but something seems a little fishy here with Ahmadinejad winning by nearly 30 points.

The Whack job of the Week is..............

Erick Erickson for this Screed:

You only thought leftists got excited when American soldiers got killed. As I’ve written before, leftists celebrate each and every death of each and every American solider because they view the loss of life as a vindication of their belief that they are right.

Well, I didn’t think it was possible, but the gunning down of guards outside the Holocaust Museum in Washington has Markos Moulitsas and his band of leftist brothers positively demanding a ticker tape parade for the deranged shooter.

With so much to choose from, I thought it best just to go with the old school wingnuttery and keep the award with Red State for another week. Heckuva Job Erickson!

You know sometimes the deranged lone-wolf extremist is just a deranged lone-wolf extremist. His act of violence was not about you or your RedState Blog. It was about his paranoia.

On Fringe Group Terrorism and the Whack Job of the Week

It is time to award the Whack Job of the Week Award again. There is really a lot of worthy candidates to chose from this week after the shooting at Holocaust Museum. The Wingnuttery is hot and heavy with protestations over the increasing incidences of fringe group domestic terrorism.

I really don't understand the response to the fringe group terrorism from the Wingnut-O-sphere. Every time one of these events occur, the wingers can't resist lashing out at the possibility that conditions for domestic right wing fringe group violence are indeed high. We have a screwed up economy, a black president and a growing sense of powerlessness from the fringe. It is not rocket science to acknowledge this state of affairs. But not on the Wingnut-O-sphere, because when the shit hits the fan there is a gazillion lines of loony text up immediately disclaiming any connection between the violence and right wing fringe ideology.

If some one wayout on the Left fringe burned down a ski resort in defense of Mother Earth or blew up a laboratory where animal research was done, I'd be all for locking up the perpetrators and wouldn't feel an ounce of association or guilt. Lock 'em up. Apparently, this is not the case in the Wingnut-O-sphere. When something like the Holocaust Museum shooting occurs, the wingers get quite defensive. It's like many of them think if the police crack down on the kooks, there will be cops in parents' basements everywhere rounding up wingnut bloggers.

In a sense, if discussions turn to the fringe extremists, your run of the mill wingnut thinks you are talking about them. What can you do?

I'll have a whack job of the week up shortly. So many choices.

Boehnerism of the Day ~ Part 2

“We’re digging ourselves out of a deep hole. We took it in the shorts with Bush-Cheney, the Iraq War, and by sacrificing fiscal responsibility to hold power.”

Congressman John Boehner (R-OH) Ranking Republican in the House.

He’s got a point there. Everything was about holding on to Power with those guys. They could not even discipline former Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) to keep him away from the teenage boys in the page program. That was swept under the rug in favor of risking a scandal and losing a seat.

A recent poll asking "who speaks for the GOP" found that Less than 0.5% of Self Described Republicans named John Boehner as the Leader of the GOP. Maybe John's decision to sacrifice Principle for the sake of Power has something to do with this low ranking.

Boehnerism of the Day ~ Part 1

“I think most Americans will be appalled that we’re providing Miranda rights to terrorists. This thing is going to bubble up big.”

~ Congressman John Boehner (R-OH), Ranking Republican in the House of Representatives.

This is a practice initiated by George Bush during the Bush Administration. If this is such a big deal, why didn’t Boehner object to it then?

If these guys are this offended over things like the Bailout and Guantanamo Bay, why don’t they burn an effigy of George Bush at the next Tea Bagging Party? If they are intellectually honest they’ll go after Ol’ George with a vengeance. Until then, this tact does not really work.

A recent poll asking "who speaks for the GOP" found that Less than 0.5% of Self Described Republicans named John Boehner as the Leader of the GOP. Maybe stunts like this is one of the reasons.

Extinction Watch --- The Pending Demise of the North American Mammoth?

A former McCain Advisor, and by definition a RINO, is predicting no easy way out of the current Republican Slump.

People define the GOP by their failures and the excess of their rule. Wooing the voters back with a more competent version of Bush-style governance just won’t cut it. A new Republican Ice Age is a coming if there is not a quick course correction:

Rather than face up to all this, too many in the GOP are stuck in a swoon of nostalgia. Most of our party leaders come from bloodred GOP states or safe districts, so they are far more at home in the tribal politics of Republican primaries than in those of the country as a whole. You could say their radio dials are stuck on AM. The result is we hear a lot about going back to "the winning ways of Ronald Reagan." Well, I love Reagan too. But demographics no longer do. In 1980, Reagan beat Jimmy Carter by 10 points. If that contest were held again today, under the current demographics of the electorate per exit polls, the election would be much closer, with Reagan probably winning by about 3 points.

It is true that attitudes change. A magnificent Republican renewal may still be possible. Conservatism is traditionally energized by a reaction to liberal excess, and the unabashedly leftish tilt of the Obama Administration's domestic agenda does give hope. But demography is a powerful force. Waiting and hoping didn't do much for the Whigs. I prefer a Republican reformation right now.

Young voters need to see a GOP that is more socially libertarian, particularly toward gay rights. With changing demographics come changing attitudes, and aping the grim town elders from Footloose is not the path back to a Republican White House.

I think the inmates running the NRO and the Talk Radio Ranters realize that demographics will paint the party into a corner without change. This is why they want Obama to fail. It is the only way to retake power without change.

Because Mike Murphy is not a team player and won't tear down the country to benefit the fringe, I am going to take this opportunity to label him as treacherous RINO for inclusion in the Rino hall of Shame.

A Legacy of Error Still Haunts the EPA?

Headline of the Day:

Dems Slam Bush Administration for stalling EPA Health-Risk Database.

Democrats on a House subcommittee on Thursday alleged that a database the Environmental Protection Agency designed to provide science on health risks that particular chemicals pose was stalled -- and could continue to be impeded -- because of improper Bush administration interference.

At a hearing on fixing EPA's Integrated Risk Information System, Democrats on the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight released a staff report that concluded the project collapsed amid interagency bickering fueled by the Bush administration's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Hard to believe, huh? It certainly fits the pattern we saw arise from the Tragic Reign of Error that was the Bush Administration.

Passage of the Day:

Many argue that Israeli military action will cause Iranians to rally in support of the mullahs' regime and plunge the region into political chaos. To the contrary, a strike accompanied by effective public diplomacy could well turn Iran's diverse population against an oppressive regime. Most of the Arab world's leaders would welcome Israel solving the Iran nuclear problem, although they certainly won't say so publicly and will rhetorically embrace Iran if Israel strikes. But rhetoric from its Arab neighbors is the only quantum of solace Iran will get.

On the other hand, the Obama administration's increased pressure on Israel concerning the "two-state solution" and West Bank settlements demonstrates Israel's growing distance from Washington. Although there is no profit now in complaining that Israel should have struck during the Bush years, the missed opportunity is palpable. For the remainder of Mr. Obama's term, uncertainty about his administration's support for Israel will continue to dog Israeli governments and complicate their calculations. Iran will see that as well, and play it for all it's worth. This is yet another reason why Israel's risks and dilemmas, difficult as they are, only increase with time. [Emphasis in Bold-Mine]

~ Walrus McBolton

Read the whole thing. It is almost as if Bolton is saying there would be little downside for the US if Israel somehow pulls of an attack on Iraq. Matter of fact, it seems like he's saying it'd be a net winner if this happened. The Iranian people would like it, we'd get to stay in Iraq longer to stabilization after Iranian retaliation and we'd get to retaliate against Iran after they retaliate against us. Simply awesome so it would seems

I'm not so sure why anyone would be paying much attention to this cast of folks anymore. They've gotten us in enough trouble as is.

Devine Intervention......YES

Headline of the Day:

House Democrats Shut Out Fox News [UPDATED: No, it was God]

When the FoxNews goes off the Air in the Capital Building, wingers blame Pelosi at first.  However once a lightening strike is fingered as the Culprit, someone else is being blamed.

Losing FoxNews, apparently is due to intervention from the Almighty.  Probably some Old Testament Style Smiting is my guess.  Oh well, they undoubtedly deserved it.

Wingnut Welfare on the Skids?

It's been a while since I visited the NRO.  So I just noticed that the National Review is holding a fund raiser to raise cash.  Readers are urged to empty their pockets to keep their favorites producing pixels.  Got to get your fix, I guess.

It seems as if the Wingnut Welfare System has fallen on hard times.  Maybe we could attribute this the Bush League Economy.  

Number of the Day --- 3%

When a recent gallup poll asked who is “The Main Person” who speaks for the GOP,

 Former President George Bush roped in a whopping 3% of the vote.

This left George in 5^th place behind Newt Gingrich, John McCain, Dick Cheney and Rush

 Limbaugh.   Ouch.  How the mighty have fallen.  So much for that permanent republican

 majority.  

Update: A Chart indicating the Bush get 0% among Republicans.  Just a bad dream to be forgotten I guess. 

Quote of the Day --- Sad but True

"Yesterday, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor fell and broke her ankle, and she's expected to be on crutches for several weeks. ... In a related story, Republicans have announced that Sotomayor's confirmation hearing will consist of three questions and a timed obstacle course."

~ Conan O'Brien 

I see Conan O'Brien has been reading the NRO lately.  Props to K-lo and crew.

Palisms --- Magnetic Refrigerator Poetry or Prose?

"A lot of this is wrapped in good rhetoric but we're not seeing those actions. And this many months into the new administration, quite disappointed, quite frustrated with not seeing those actions to rein in spending, slow down the growth of government. Instead Sean, it is the complete opposite. It's expanding at such a large degree that if Americans aren't paying attention, unfortunately our country could evolve into something that we do not even recognize. Certainly that is so far from what the founders of our country had in mind for us." ~ Sarah Palin

Is it elitist to note that an individual who burned through 5 colleges in 6 years in order to obtain a journalism degree is probably not someone to get constitutionals cues from?  I’m not asking this question just because Palin earned a D in macroeconomics. For example, one could use the D grade to ridicule this Sarah Palin statement:  

"Some in Washington would approach our economic woes in ways that absolutely defy Economics 101, and they fly in the face of principles, providing opportunity for industrious Americans to succeed or to fail on their own accord. Those principles it makes you wonder what the heck some in Washington are trying to accomplish here."

Leaving aside the issue of Grade Inflation, this one is a slam dunk.