ThatPoliticalBlogThatPoliticalBlogA Politically Incorrect View on the News Articles
THE BHUTTO ASSASSINATION: NOT WHAT SHE SEEMED TO BE
2007-12-28 20:58:00 When someone, in this case a political figure, is assassinated they will often become larger in death than they were in life. Our own John F. Kennedy is a good example. From what I have read if he had not been killed he would have been judged as a very average 20th century president. But in death he has almost become a patron saint of democracy and freedom. Many is the time I have heard people wax poetic about 'the might have beens' if Kennedy had not been killed. But the thing is that we will really never know. And in the case of Benazir Bhutto we are seeing much the same. She is being lionized as if she could have brought democracy to Pakistan all by herself. But by many accounts she was quite corrupt and this is the reason she was driven first from office then from the country. Over the next few weeks we are sure to hear a number of different views on this issue and unfortunately truth often has little to do with the judgments of history. New York Post article link THE BHUTTO A... More About: Assassination , Hutto
The Résumé Factor: Those 8 Years as First Lady
2007-12-28 18:04:00 I was more than a bit surprised to read such a highly critical piece on Hillary Clinton at the New York Times. It is an honest look at her 'experience' she touts constantly on the campaign trail and has made the centerpiece of differentiating herself form the other Democrat candidates, especially Barack Obama. To me, it looks more like a bone, or maybe a life raft, she is tossing to her supporters as something, anything, to cling to and use as justification for voting for her. Her numbers are the highest negatives of any candidate for at least a generation. And while Bill's barnstorming across the country, at first anyway, looked like it would give a big bump to Hillary's campaign, people forgot to take into account Bill Clintons narcissistic tendencies. It is always all about Bill. And this only further points of the fallacy of Hillarys self espoused 'experience'. New York Times article link The Résumé Factor : Those 8 Years as First Lady By PATRICK HEALYAs first lady, Hill... More About: First Lady
Dick Morris: The 'Two-Fer' Problem
2007-12-28 17:26:00 Received via email. THE 'TWO-FER' PROBLEMBy DICK MORRIS Published in the New York Post on December 27, 2007.As Bill Clinton crisscrosses America defending his wife's candidacy, he's fuel ing speculation about who'd be in charge should Hillary be elected. Sen. Clinton - the incredible shrinking candidate - seems at times almost a bystander at her husband's campaign, merely playing a somewhat more active role than she did in '92.In our modern era of dynastic politics, the elder members of the dynasties have a duty to step aside to let their less experienced heirs shine. Former President George H.W. Bush, for example, has stayed well out of the limelight to let his son have center stage. Yet Bill Clinton is playing an ever-larger role in his wife's campaign.At first, his appearances were novel and politically helpful. But then they came to underscore her weakness. It was as if Dennis Thatcher had stood up for Maggie as she faced down the Argentine junta in the Falklands war. No... More About: Dick , Problem , Morris , Dick Morris
Clinton's "don't ask" policy: Hillary refuses to take questions
2007-12-28 16:53:00 After the fiasco about drivers licenses for illegal's Hillary and her handlers are a bit shell shocked. She is taking no questions after speaking at rallies, she just walks off stage ignoring any questions thrown her way. Her staff says she is concentrating on meeting as many voters as possible. Yeah, right. Hillary and her handlers are doing everything they can to prevent her from stepping on another land mine. But unfortunately, too much evasion of the issues can be worse than playing it safe. Top of the Ticket article link Clinton's "don't ask" policy As she races through Iowa in the days before next week's caucuses, Hillary Clinton is taking few chances. She tells crowds that its their turn to pick a president, but over the last two days she has not invited them to ask her any questions.Before the brief Christmas break, the New York senator had been setting aside time after campaign speeches to hear from the audience. Now when shes done speaking, her them... More About: Questions , Policy , Linton
Hillary Clinton Reacts to Assassination of Benazir Bhutto (video)
2007-12-28 05:31:00 . More About: Video , Hillary Clinton , Clinton , Hillary , Assassination
Obama Camp Slaps at Hillary Over Bhutto Killing (video)
2007-12-28 05:20:00 . More About: Video , Obama , Camp , Hillary , Bhutto
U.S. Troops to Head to Pakistan
2007-12-28 04:37:00 I won't even say what this reminds me of... Washington Post article link U.S. Troops to Head to Pakistan Beginning early next year, U.S. Special Forces are expected to vastly expand their presence in Pakistan, as part of an effort to train and support indigenous counter-insurgency forces and clandestine counterterrorism units, according to defense officials involved with the planning.These Pakistan-centric operations will mark a shift for the U.S. military and for U.S. Pakistan relations. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, the U.S. used Pakistani bases to stage movements into Afghanistan. Yet once the U.S. deposed the Taliban government and established its main operating base at Bagram, north of Kabul, U.S. forces left Pakistan almost entirely. Since then, Pakistan has restricted U.S. involvement in cross-border military operations as well as paramilitary operations on its soil.But the Pentagon has been frustrated by the inability of Pakistani national forces to control the borders or t...
U.S. Checking al Qaeda Claim of Killing Bhutto
2007-12-28 02:11:00 The Blotter (ABC News blog) article link U.S. Checking al Qaeda Claim of Killing Bhutto December 27, 2007 11:47 AMBrian Ross, Richard Esposito & R. Schwartz Report: While al Qaeda is considered by the U.S. to be a likely suspect in the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Banazir Bhutto, U.S. intelligence officials say they cannot confirm an initial claim of responsibility for the attack, supposedly from an al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan. An obscure Italian Web site said Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, al Qaeda's commander in Afghanistan, told its reporter in a phone call, "We terminated the most precious American asset which vowed to defeat [the] mujahedeen."It said the decision to assassinate Bhutto was made by al Qaeda's No. 2 leader, Ayman al Zawahri in October. Before joining Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, Zawahri was imprisoned in Egypt for his role in the assassination of then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDSBlotter Musharraf Riva... More About: Al Qaeda , Al-Qaeda
Ron Paul on track to be biggest fundraiser
2007-12-27 22:16:00 What an upset candidate Ron Paul would be for the Republican Party. Every day we see something new from the Ron Paul camp that is catching people by surprise. One thing I have to say though is that some of his online supporters need to learn some manners. Excitement is one thing but some of his supporters are alienating a lot of people. Not good for an acknowledged dark horse candidate. I have even received a small dose of pretty nasty posts here myself. Some of his supporters are assuming I am waging a hate campaign because I try to post a balanced look at their candidate rather than all lollipops and rainbows. I like a lot of what I see in Ron Paul. I might even vote for him.I sure ain't all excited about any of the oter candidates. But I will probably get some nasty posts for this one too. The Politico article link Ron Paul on track to be biggest fundraiser By: Jeanne Cummings Ron Paul may not win his partys primary, but he is on track to capture another big title: top ... More About: Track , Fundraiser
Islamic Fascism the Focus of Evil in the Modern World
2007-12-27 19:13:00 Islamic Fascism the Focus of Evil in the Modern World Steve Beren, December 27, 2007www.steveberen.comwww.berenforcongres s.com The assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a sharp reminder of the danger posed by Islamic fascist terrorism. America is already a nation at war, and it is indeed a world war. The war being waged by Islamic fascist terrorism is fought not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but on a global scale - we have seen the slaughter of innocents from Madrid and London to New York City and Bali, and now we see the terrorist assassination of a pro-democracy leader in Pakistan. Those who minimize the threat of Islamic terrorism are dangerously wrong. We must achieve greater unity as a nation, with a clear understanding of the aims and goals of the enemy. This war is military and ideological a war of freedom, liberty, and democracy against the spread of fascism, terrorism, and tyranny. We must reject the voices of denial and defeatism. A quarter of a century ag... More About: Islamic
Bhutto Assassinated at Rally
2007-12-27 15:06:00 Washington Post article link Bhutto Assassinated at Rally By Griff Witte and Debbi WilgorenWashington Post Foreign ServiceThursday, December 27, 2007; 9:50 AMRAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Dec. 27 -- Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday at a political rally, two months after returning from exile to attempt a political comeback.Bhutto, 54, was shot at close range as she waved to supporters from the rooftop opening of a bulletproof car, witnesses said. Seconds later, a suicide bomber detonated explosives just behind Bhutto's car. The explosion killed at least 15 people, and injured many others.Also Thursday, at a different pre-election rally in this garrison city, a rooftop sniper opened fire on supporters of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif leaving four dead and at least five injured.Bhutto's death comes 12 days before Pakistanis are set to vote in national parliamentary elections already been marked by enormous political turmoil. President Pervez Musha... More About: Hutto
F-15 grounding strains U.S. air defenses
2007-12-27 07:22:00 Right about now a lot of people are rethinking their decisions to cut back so drastically on the production of F-22 Raptors. Our countrys security is severely downgraded due to Congressmen that wanted to steal military hardware funds to buy votes with social programs. And those same congress critters are wanting NASA to extend the lifespan of the aged and broken shuttle fleet another10-20 years (!!!) rather than investing in the new Orion spacecraft. This is absolutely criminal neglect. Yahoo News article link F-15 grounding strains U.S. air defenses By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press WriterWed Dec 26, 4:00 PM ETThe grounding of hundreds of F-15s because of dangerous structural defects is straining the nation's air defense network, forcing some states to rely on their neighbors' fighter jets for protection, and Alaska to depend on the Canadian military.The F-15 is the sole fighter at many of the 16 or so "alert" sites around the country, where planes and pilots stand r... More About: Defenses
How Clinton Lost Her Invincibility
2007-12-27 06:54:00 What all the fancy words below come down to is that the Clinton campaign fell prey to the spin that it was feeding the media. You should always be careful what you wish for as you just might get it. Thats especially apropos when dealing with the media. Time article link How Clinton Lost Her Invincibility By Jay Newton-Small/Grundy CenterWhen Hillary Clinton launched her campaign nearly a year ago, the media buzz deemed it near impossible for the likes of Barack Obama and John Edwards to overcome her daunting campaign machine. The endorsements, the money, and the cream-of-the-crop strategists combined with the former First Ladys incumbent image to make her the clear-cut choice of the Democratic Party establishment.But the onset of the Iowa caucuses finds Clinton aides racing to lower expectations, bracing for a possible loss there and contemplating a dwindling lead in the polls in New Hampshire and South Carolina. So, what has stripped the mighty Clinton campaign juggernaut of it... More About: Linton
Would Reagan Vote for Ron Paul?
2007-12-27 05:27:00 Would Ronald Reagan vote for Ron Paul ? I am not sure of that but one thing I am sure of is that he would not vote for the people in the White House now. I think that Reagan would be furious at the way George H. W. Bush squandered the immense goodwill and political capitol left him. I am certain that Reagan would hate the unchecked growth of government. Moreover, I think he would be baffled and likely saddened at what Bush 43 has done with our country. But as to the original point he just might vote for Ron Paul. As for the other Republican candidates I suspect that Ronnie would be as unenthusiastic about them as I am. The National Ledger article link Would Reagan Vote for Ron Paul? By Matt ToweryDec 26, 2007 On Christmas Day, I glanced at the memorabilia from my years in politics. The photos and notes from Newt Gingrich. Candid shots of me with the likes of Jimmy Carter and of the brilliant mastermind of his presidential victory, Hamilton Jordan. Next were shots of me posing ...
Hillary Most admired woman and Geroge Bush most admired man
2007-12-27 03:46:00 I guess I can...maybe...sort of understand people picking Hillary Clinton and George bush as most admired man and woman. It is still pretty scary on both counts though. Gallup article link Hillary Edges Out Oprah as Most Admire d Woman in 07 George W. Bush most admired man by Jeffrey M. JonesPRINCETON, NJ -- For the sixth year in a row, President George W. Bush is the most admired man and Sen. Hillary Clinton the most admired woman in Gallup's annual survey. But neither winner had a very decisive win this year, with former President Bill Clinton nearly tying Bush and Hillary Clinton barely topping talk-show host Oprah Winfrey. This is the seventh time Bush has been most admired man and the 12th time Clinton has been most admired woman. These results are based on the Dec. 14-16 USA Today/Gallup poll, which asked Americans, without prompting, to say what man and woman "living today in any part of the world, do [they] admire most?" Gallup has asked the most admired man and ...
ThatPoliticalBlog @ The Raw Story
2007-12-27 02:12:00 Muriel Kane of The Raw Story , a rather well known propaganda organ for the Democratic Party, took conservative bloggers, including yours truly, to task for interpreting in a negative light Hillary Clintons remarks about the price of gas dropping is she is elected. One would have to wonder if The Raw Story is getting paid for their semi professional spin on the story. Here is what they have to say: When Hillary Clinton predicted on Saturday that if she is elected "the oil-producing countries will drop the price of oil," she meant it as a warning, not as a campaign promise. Uhh yeah. Whatever. And then this:Clinton pointed to what happened in the 1980's, when Ronald Reagan "dismantled" the steps towards energy independence taken by President Jimmy Carter after oil prices soared in the 1970's. "Because costs were low, people didn't care," Clinton said, but she cautioned that we can't afford to be fooled the same way again. "We've got to figur...
Iraqis Crowd Churches for Christmas Mass
2007-12-26 06:19:00 I am not a Christian myself but I can only see this as a good sign for Iraq and especially for Iraqi Christians. Merry Christmas to all of them. Breitbart News article link Iraqis Crowd Churches for Christmas Mass Dec 25 02:36 PM US/EasternBy ELENA BECATOROSAssociated Press Writer BAGHDAD (AP) - Thousands of Iraqi Christians made their way to church through checkpoints and streets lined with blast walls, many drawing hope from a lull in violence to celebrate Christmas Mass in numbers unthinkable a year ago. Death is never far in Iraqtwo separate suicide bombings north of Baghdad killed at least 35 people and wounded scores more. But the number of attacks has fallen dramatically in the past few monthsthe U.S. military says by 60 percent since June. "We did not celebrate last year, but this year we have security and we feel better," said Rasha Ghaban, one of many women at the small Church of the Holy Family in Karradah, a mainly Shiite district in downtown Baghdad ...
'Hags for Hillary?' Will Aging Attacks Rally Women to Propel Her to Victory
2007-12-26 02:25:00 It is inevitable that looks and appearance will play a part in the first presidential campaign with a woman running; to expect otherwise is silly. The trick is to not let it monopolize the debate or to let it be spun too much by the candidates. And I do mean the female candidate in question every bit as much as her opponents do. I am certainly not innocent of casting sexist dispersions from time to time. Hey, I am only human. I have always respected Susan Estrich, even when I disagree with her, which is often. Her opinions are well thought out and spoken intelligently. Besides that, she still looks pretty hot too. Sorry, I just could not resist. Fox News article link 'Hags for Hillary ?' Will Aging Attacks Rally Women to Propel Her to Victory ?By Susan Estrich LOS ANGELES So now shes an old hag. I cant tell you how many emails/articles/postings I noted this week aimed at taking Hillary apart, not because of her positions on the issues, not because of her integrity or electa...
Popular Mechanics Aptera Test Drive (new electric vehicle)
2007-12-26 01:31:00 . More About: Drive , Test Drive , Vehicle , Popular , Mechanics
Here Comes the Ron Paul Social Network
2007-12-26 00:08:00 A Ron Paul Social Network ing site? Why am I not surprised. Mashable article link Here Comes the Ron Paul Social Network by Sean P. Aune Do you ever feel like you are alone in your Ron Paul love? Wish you had some place you could meet up with all of the other Ron Paul supporters? The RonsPeople.com is for you!No, hes not the first political candidate to get one, I believe that was Rudy Giuliani, but considering all the Ron Paul love on the Internet, theres no harm in having yet another place to meet up. Part of the Moli network of niche social sites, the aim is to give Ron Paul supporters all the tools they need to organize events and projects with others. You can also, as with any social network, post music, videos, pictures and more to provide the world with more assurances of your Ron Paul love. (Note how the EVOL in revolution is highlighted)One nice bonus is you can create multiple user profiles so you can get a handle on your privacy. Though one has to wonder what...
Senators Slow to Endorse Colleagues in Presidential Race
2007-12-25 21:07:00 It is interesting that Democrat senators are so slow to endorse any of their candidates yet. The author below says they are holding their fingers into the political wind to see who will end up on top before endorsing. That has never been the case in the past though so one has to wonder what is different this time. My theory? Vindictiveness. I think they are afraid of Hillary and Bill Clinton. Since Bill retired I dont think he was treated with the same sort of respect as past presidents. His impeachment while in office cost the Democrats dearly and I think he has been somewhat shunned since. And the possibility of Hillary being in the White House could catapult Bill back into a position of real power in the party once again. Are people afraid of that possibility? Are they afraid of the possible vindictiveness of Hillary if elected and they had supported another candidate? Very possibly. The Clintons have shown themselves to be not just highly politically partisan but they make it ... More About: Presidential , Race , Slow
Partisan Fissures Over Voter ID
2007-12-25 19:43:00 The Democrats complain constantly that attempts to require a picture ID for voting is an attempt to suppress Democratic voters, which often are minorities that lack picture IDs. One judge, a Clinton appointee says this:"Let's not beat around the bush: The Indiana voter photo ID law is a not-too-thinly veiled attempt to discourage election-day turnout by certain folks believed to skew Democratic,"But an excellent point is made here by another Judge, a Reagan appointee: "It is exceedingly difficult to maneuver in today's America without a photo ID (try flying, or even entering a tall building such as the courthouse in which we sit, without one)," And the Democrats tend to skip over the issue of ease of voter fraud when no ID is required. And lets be honest, it does happen. I think a picture ID should be required to vote every bit as much as it is to drive a car or buy cigarettes and alcohol. But then I would also be in favor of a national ID card, which is a...
Court curbs insurers' ability to rescind medical policies
2007-12-25 18:38:00 This story coming right on the heels of the Cigna case where they stalled authorizing a liver transplant for a young girl until she died might be the cause célèbre the socialized medicine crowd has been looking for. And I am not minimizing the horror of that girl dying by any means. If Cigna is guilty as charged they will deserve the beating they are likely to get in court. But my point is that we should all expect a drumbeat, such as this very story from the incredibly liberal Los Angeles Times, as to the need for some sort of socialized medicine here in California. Do excesses occur in the case of insurance companies disallowing claims? Of course. Should they be held responsible for it? Also, yes. However, should we allow the socialized medicine crowd to completely nationalize California medical care with their knee jerk response? Absolutely NOT. Los Angeles Times article link Court curbs insurers' ability to rescind medical policies A ruling restricts the ability of California... More About: Medical , Policies
Fear of subpoenas crippling the White House?
2007-12-25 17:58:00 Reposting an article from Carpetbagger Report and it NOT being meant as a sneer at the left is something new for me. But I think it illustrates a couple of good points I would like to comment on. The author is putting the entire blame for the current deluge of subpoenas on the Republicans and their impeachment efforts aimed at Bill Clinton during the 90s. Yes, the Republican led Congress did go to some serious extremes in their persecution of Bill Clinton. Was that persecution completely warranted? Well, that is not the focus of today's rant. I will say that the Democrats losing majority control of both House for the first time in over 40 years was part of the reason. They had a sense of invulnerability from two generations of control. And yes, that would be pretty much the same charges being leveled by the Democrats at the Bush administration today. Therefore, my conclusion would be that both sides have their own excesses to deal with. Both sides have skeletons in their close... More About: White House , White , Fear , Subpoenas
Democrats Follow Republicans Lead in Fiscal Strategy for Their Campaigns
2007-12-25 15:46:00 This is a good inside look at the incredible amounts of money paid to media consultants for their efforts on Democratic campaigns. The story would seem to indicate that the Republicans are a bit ahead of the Democrats on reining in costs. But the amounts paid by both sides are still staggering. Having to balance their advertising budgets between old line media such as the television networks with newer markets such as talk radio, cable and especially the internet probably accounts for some of the costs. A number of candidates have had a much stronger focus on their online efforts compared to even recent past campaigns. Howard Dean was the first to harness the power of the internet for a presidential campaign and it caught everyone by surprise. It would be easy to make the point that Democrats are inherently less knowledgeable when it comes to being fiscally responsible as compared to Republicans. Nevertheless, with the stark change in fiscal focus of the current administration that ... More About: Strategy , Campaigns , Fiscal
Hillary's cackle (videos)
2007-12-25 06:56:00 I have seen the Clinton Cackle and frankly it just creeps me out. Here is an example. ~RJH New York Times article link The Clinton Conundrum: Whats Behind the Laugh? By PATRICK HEALYIt was January 2005, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton had just finished a solemn speech about abortion rights urging all sides to find common ground on the issue and referring to abortion as a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women.Stepping offstage, she took questions from reporters, and found herself being grilled about whether she was moderating her own pro-choice position. And suddenly it happened: Mrs. Clinton let loose a hearty belly laugh that lasted a few seconds. Reporters glanced at one another as if they had missed the joke.But nothing particularly funny had occurred; it was, instead, a deployment of the Clinton Cackle.At that moment, the laugh seemed like the equivalent of an eye-roll she felt she was being nitpicked, so she shamed her inquisitors by chuckling at... More About: Videos
Merry Christmas from the Ron Paul Family (video)
2007-12-25 06:31:00 . More About: Video , Christmas , Family , Ron Paul , Paul
Jeff Foxworthy and a ditzy blonde (video)
2007-12-24 19:23:00 I am not sure what this is from. It looks like some redneck gamse show. But the blonde (Kellie Pickler?) that thinks europe is a country and has never heard of Hungary is an obvious product of our liberal school system. She is woefully ignorant or world geography but nevertheless feels good about herself. Good job Democrats! ~RJH More About: Video , Blonde , Jeff , Wort
Elect me and oil prices instantly drop, says Hillary Clinton in Iowa
2007-12-24 18:18:00 On the surface it looks like standard electioneering BS promises to the voters. Offer them anything that will win their votes is typical Democrat strategy. Nevertheless, what if this is some real insight into something much more menacing? What is the standard way a socialist will lower the price of anything? It sure will not be by anything even remotely connected to capitalism or free market tactics. How did Hugo Chavez lower energy prices in Venezuela? Now think back to Hillary saying she would steal oil company profits if elected. Is it really that much of a stretch to imagine Hillary attempting to nationalize American oil? The only reason she would not do such a thing would be the potential loss of huge campaign contributions from those same oil companies. Hopefully this is just typical election promises and the voters are sophisticated enough to realize it. ~RJH New York Daily News article link Elect me and oil prices instantly drop, says Hillary Clinton in Iowa Hillary ... More About: Drop
Time Magazine Still Licks The Boots of Dictators
More articles from this author:2007-12-24 17:32:00 Time magazine is once again showing itself to be the perpetual sycophant of dictators and thugs worldwide. Granted, being chosen as Times Man of The Year is not a carte blanche endorsement of ones beneficent nature. Nevertheless, Time waxes poetic in their perennial boot licking of leftist dictators such as Vladimir Putin. It is true that Russia has been in turmoil adjusting to a post Soviet world but nevertheless Putin has reversed most of what we would normally consider positive trends in Russian society, politics and their economy. There is a Russian blog I read regularly and the sense of oppression by Putin is a palpable presence there. Everyone there knows the elections are a sham. Putin has hand picked his successor and will still be the power not so behind the scenes. I will give him credit that he was not as stupid and arrogant as Hugo Chavez in trying to rewrite the countries constitution to allow him to be president forever. But nevertheless he is still going to be t... More About: Magazine , Time Magazine , Time , Boots , Dictators 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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