Krauthammer: Palin Pick "Near Suicidal"

Not everyone is impressed with the pick of Sarah Palin. Charles Krauthammer, who I very often agree with, said that the pick undercuts the one argument that has worked best for McCain: that Obama is not ready to lead. He says it is "near suicidal."

I generally agree, but also think that there are plenty of other lines of attack against Obama, including his associations and radicalism. But true, it will be hard to argue that Palin is more experienced than Obama, even if she has held more executive experience and even if she's only the backup.

Key Democrat Laughs About Hurricane Hitting

Don Fowler, National Chairman of the Democrat National Committee, was caught on tape laughing about the hurricane about to hit New Orleans. Apparently, he things "God is on our [Democrats'] side" because of the timing during the GOP convention. Classy.

Arnold Out; Fred In

The Governator will not be speaking at the GOP convention. He has been replaced with Fred Thompson.

I like Schwarzenegger, but he has been a complete and total disappointment. He no longer espouses conservative views (if he ever did). I think he's more motivated by being liked than by sticking to principles, which is why he should stick to Hollywood.

Obama Campaign: Zero Experience

If there was ever a situation of a cat calling a kettle black...

That Sound...

The sound you hear is the wind going out of the sails of the Democrats. The Republicans have taken a reformer, a conservative, pro-gun, pro-life advocate and a reasonable part of the undecided woman vote in one fell swoop.

Wow - it just keeps getting better. The Palins' oldest son enlisted in the U.S. Army last September 11th. And her husband is a union member. Think Obama used to have a problem with Reagan Democrats...?

Not to mention the hottest VP in history.

*Update*
An awesome speech - very authentic. She even gave props to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. See ya Obama.

Romney, Pawlenty OUT

According to FoxNews, Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty are out of the running for VP. There was a charter flight from Anchorage to Dayton last night, which leads people to think it's Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Apparently a woman and two teenagers (presumably her sons) got off the plane.

While I'm disappointed because Romney is the best choice, the good news is that Romney won't be tainted in 2012 by being linked with McCain. If true, it's a bit of a Harriet Myers pick in my opinion. An acceptable woman, probably not a heavyweight, but acceptable. And does it put ANWR drilling in play?

*Update*
Larry Kudlow, a well-respected promoter of supply-side economics, really likes her. That's a good start.

*Update 2*
The Club For Growth also likes the pick.

Hey, I'm still a Romney fan, but frankly, Palin seems pretty good. And if anyone calls her inexperienced, being a first term governor, well...there's someone on the other side who's a first term Senator. And the media is already bashing her for her lack of her experience...

Is Putin a Democrat?

Big D Democrat, that is? Putin claims that the U.S. started the war in Georgia to give a lift to John McCain's presidential campaign. That is something that would come from the Democrat party.

Reporter Arrested for Trespassing on Public Property

The police admitted that Asa Eslocker, arrested in Denver for trying to film bigwig Obama donors, was standing on the sidewalk, which is not private property as the police claimed, but public property.

It doesn't matter - Obama's campaign got what they wanted - there were no photos of the lobbyists or rich donors, which they tried to keep silent. Now Denver will issue an apology and that will be it.

Carter: McCain "Milking" Time as POW

Jimmy Carter continues his disgrace as ex-President by saying that McCain is milking his time as a POW for "every drop" of political advantage. Classy.

Theresa Heinz Kerry: We Won in '04

You have to give the Dems credit. They simply will not accept a loss, regardless of the results. Theresa Heinz Kerry still thinks her husband won in 2004, as well as 2000:

This convention, Ms. Heinz Kerry said, is “full of meaning and full of opportunity, and if you, as I, believe, and I know a lot of you do, we did not lose the last election, nor did Al Gore lose his last election. We won it.

It's over guys - you lost. Get over it. And get used to it. Keep putting up these Left-wing nuts as candidates, and you'll keep losing.

Biden Deosn't Follow Mom's Advice

The quote of the night from Joe Biden's speech last night:

"When I was knocked down by kids who were bigger than me, she'd send me back out and say 'Bloody their nose so you can walk down the street the next day'."

This is strange. Biden and the Democrats' foreign policy is not to fight, but to negotiate and be diplomatic. When the U.S. gets bloodied, we are not supposed to fight but to talk. I guess Joe has not taken his mother's advice to heart yet.

Obama Thuggery

Bill Clinton was right - Obama is using Chicago thug tactics to silence critics. ABC reporter Asa Eslocker was grabbed by the neck and arrested yesterday as he attempted to take photos of big donors and other bigwigs at a Democrat get-together at the Brown Palace Hotel.

In another news story, the Obama campaign, along with Obama supporters, are trashing National Review reporter Stanley Kurtz and threatening radio station WGN for having Kurtz on the air. Of course, Obama couldn't refute a single fact that Kurtz has reported.

Silencing all your critics by any means necessary. Isn't that the definition of fascism?

Still Waiting on That Media-Promoted Recession

Today's revised GDP data for Q2 came in at 3.3%, which begs the question: "What happened to that recession the media has been promoting for the last year?"

Granted, there are trouble spots in the economy, but it's still funny that everyone is so quick to use the R word when in fact, there has been no such thing.

Uproar Over Milton Friedman Center for U of C?

I guess this is not what universities intend when they proclaim to "celebrate diversity."

The announcement of a privately-funded Milton Friedman Center at the University of Chicago has apparently caused an uproar with 100 faculty members at the school, because the center might actually profess beliefs that Friedman believed in, ie. free markets and capitalism. And as everyone knows, universities much prefer the dynamics of a socialist or Marxist system.

Milton Friedman is by far the best thing that ever happened to the University of Chicago (although the Obamas might think otherwise, given their relationship with the school). Frankly, the school doesn't deserve his name to be associated with it.

Cardinal Egan Smacks Down Pelosi

Pelosi suffered another embarrassing smackdown for her idiotic comments, this time from NY's Cardinal Egan:

Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.

We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith. Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name.

Edward Cardinal Egan

Archbishop of New York

August 26, 2008

Ouch. And Amen.

Russia Threatening to Search U.S. Warships?

The U.S. is sending the U.S.S. Whitney to the Black Sea, along with the Dallas and McFaul. The effort is a response to Russia's non-compliance with its ceasefire as well as its controlling of the port of Poti.

The U.S. ships are expected to enter the port on Wednesday in what could be a confrontation.

Washington Archbishop Rebukes Pelosi

Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl corrected the lies that Pelosi spewed to a national audience when she said on Meet the Press that the Catholic Church didn't even know when life began.

Wuerl pointed out that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear, and has been clear for 2,000 years. He cited Catechism language that reads, "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception … Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”

Now someone needs to correct Pelosi that natural gas is actually a fossil fuel, contrary to her statements.

Buffett: 1% Growth is Enough

Warren Buffett, a trusted advisor to Obama, seems to believe that 1% growth would be just fine for the U.S. economy. At a recent symposium, Buffett said:

"Even if we grow at 1 percent per year, we double the GDP per capita in 75 years. The pie will grow enough that everyone will get more of the pie."

I suppose if that's the bogey, then taxing everyone into oblivion should be ok. Way to shoot for the stars, Warren.

Pelosi: Catholic Church Doesn't Know When Life Begins

On Meet the Press, Nancy Pelosi said that even the Catholic Church doesn't really know when life begins and the Church's new position has only been in place for about 50 years.

This is really unbelievable. I'm not sure where she gets her facts, but she should share them if she's going to throw out these crazy thoughts. I'm convinced that the GOP strategy should be to put out the Democrats in public and let them talk - the more they say, the crazier they are shown to be.

Dobbs: Media Absolutely Biased

Check the time and day. Lou Dobbs at CNN, as well as two other journalists and even a Democratic strategist, appear to be in agreement that the news is anything but objective these days. From Newsbusters.

Oxymoronic Photo of the Day

From Denver, the scene of the Democrat Convention, we have this photo. I don't think Che's execution victims would have agreed with that sentiment.

Virginia Borders Delaware?

According to VA's Democrat Gov. Tim Kaine, Biden's state of Delaware borders Virginia and is very similar in its makeup. I'm not sure what map Kaine uses, but I haven't seen that map. I also highly doubt most Virginians think of themselves as similar in makeup to Delawareans. From Hot Air.

Michelle Obama's Axelrod Conflict

Michelle Obama, a vice president at the University of Chicago Medical Center, hired her husband's top political strategist David Axelrod and his firm ASK Public Strategies for work related with a hospital program called the Urban Health Initiative. As another coincidence, Obama adviser and friend Eric Whitaker is now in charge of the program. From the Sun-Times:

Obama's top political strategist, David Axelrod, co-owns the firm, ASK Public Strategies, that was hired by the hospital last year to sell the program -- called the Urban Health Initiative -- to the community as a better alternative for poor patients. Obama's wife and Valerie Jarrett, an Obama friend and adviser who chairs the medical center's board, backed the Axelrod firm's hiring, hospital officials said.

Another Obama adviser and close friend, Dr. Eric Whitaker, took over the Urban Health Initiative when he was hired at U. of C. in October 2007. Whitaker previously had been director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Obama has said he recommended Whitaker for the state job, giving his name to Tony Rezko, who helped Gov. Blagojevich assemble his Cabinet.

If these folks were Republicans, this is a huge scandal. But as it is, it's just business as usual.

It's Biden - McCain Continues his Lucky Streak

John McCain continues to be the luckiest presidential candidate in history. Joe Biden is not an inspiring choice, adds no new toss-up states, has had plenty of gaffes in his career (saying that all convenient store owners should learn English, etc). He ran for President in '88 and had some ads about what qualities he thought a President should have (Obama doesn't fit). Finally, in many interviews he praised John McCain as a great man.

A truly uninspired choice - and good for McCain. Now McCain can pick Romney, who will destroy Biden in any debate.

*Update*
McCain's campaign is very quick to respond with this ad, which I think is quite effective.

4-Day Work Week for Federal Bureaucrats

The Democrats in Congress are pushing for a 4-day work week for federal workers in an effort to "save gas." From The Corner.

Something tells me that the Democrats' lack of desire to take up the drilling issue before their month-long recess, combined with this effort to help out federal employees, will not resonate well with 99% of the American public.

Obama: China's Insfrastructure "Vastly Superior" to Ours

I kid you not, Obama said that China's infrastructure is now "vastly superior" to that of the U.S.

How's that for a combination of American non-exceptionalism and idiocy in the same breath? Does he not know that more than half of the country live in poverty without running water? Or does he know why so many people died in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake? (Hint: the city collapsed due to its poor infrastructure.)

The Least of Obama's Brothers

In invoking St. Matthew, what one does to "the least of my brothers" is extremely important - unless it pertains to his brother George Hussein Onyango, who lives in Kenya on $1/month - or infants who had the audacity to live through an abortion. From Andrew McCarthy at NRO:

The shocking extremism of that position — giving infanticide the nod over compassion and life — is profoundly embarrassing to him now. So he has lied about what he did. He has offered various conflicting explanations, ranging from the assertion that he didn’t oppose the anti-infanticide legislation (he did), to the assertion that he opposed it because it didn’t contain a superfluous clause reaffirming abortion rights (it did), to the assertion that it was unnecessary because Illinois law already protected the children of botched abortions (it didn’t — and even if it arguably did, why oppose a clarification?).

What Obama hasn’t offered, however, is the rationalization he vigorously posited during the 2002 Illinois senate debate. When it got down to brass tacks, Barack Obama argued that protecting abortion doctors from legal liability was more important than protecting living infants from death.

Another Example of Strong Alliances

Michael Totten, an independent American journalist currently in Georgia, writes in the City Journal about the situation in Georgia. In an interview with refugees from Gori, just outside the capital Tbilisi, a family notes that the Russians were about to take the capital before the U.S. intervened.

Senator John McCain may have overstated things a bit when, shortly after the war started, he said, “We are all Georgians now.” But apparently even rank-and-file Russian soldiers view the Georgians and Americans as allies. Likewise, these simple Georgian country women seem to understand who their friends and enemies are. “I am very thankful to the West,” Maya said as her eyes welled up with tears. “They support us so much. We thought we were alone. I am so thankful for the support we have from the United States and from the West. The support is very important for us.”

She tried hard to maintain her dignity and not cry in front of me, a foreign reporter in fresh clothes and carrying an expensive camera. “The West saved the capital. They were moving to Tbilisi. There was one night that was very dangerous. The Russian tanks were very close to the capital. I don’t know what happened, but they moved the tanks back.” And my translator, whose husband works for Georgia’s ministry of foreign affairs, made a similar guess that the West helped save the capital. “The night they came close to Tbilisi,” she said, “Bush and McCain made their strongest speeches yet. The Russians seemed to back down. Bush and McCain have been very good for us.”

Hmm...I'm still wondering which alliances are supposedly in need of repair. But I am surprised...no mention of their thanks to Obama??

Obama Opens Can of Worms with Housing

I understand it must be tempting to make an issue out of McCain not knowing how many houses he has, but I just don't think it was smart politically.

After all, as this McCain ad points out, Obama has an even worse housing problem and it includes indicted criminal Tony Rezko.

Obama: U.S. = Russia

Obama is finally letting us know his real beliefs. He creates a moral equivalence between Russia's invasion of Georgia and the U.S.'s liberation of Iraq.

Apart from having very different objectives, there are too many differences to even take this thought seriously. Plus, I don't seem to recall Russia spending 9 months trying to convince the U.N. to pass a resolution allowing them to do so or having a democratic debate discussing the pros and cons of such a move. (Nor for that matter did I see any Russian demonstrators in Red Square screaming "No blood for oil.") Perhaps Obama doesn't realize all this.

Beach Volleyball Duo Thanks Pres. Bush

From Hot Air. In an interview with NBC, Misty May and Kerri Walsh thanked President Bush for his inspiration. For some reason, I didn't see the interview on NBC.

Obama and Infanticide

This is a very big issue that will not go away for Obama because it is so extreme. Red State has an audio clip of Obama defending his position on a bill that would prohibit doctors from trying to save the life of a newborn who survived an abortion. According to Obama, having a second doctor to come in to save the newborn is simply "too burdensome."

Even for a pro-abortion Democrat, this is very extreme and very cruel.

McCain Really Angling for Romney as VP?

The leak to the MSM is that McCain is considering a pro-abortion candidate such as Tom Ridge or Joe Lieberman to be VP. Erik Erickson at Red State expresses his disgust over the thought.

I actually think this is a strategic leak by McCain so that when he selects Romney as VP, the evangelical Christians who might otherwise be skeptical of a Mormon might just say, "Well, at least he's a pro-lifer." I just don't think McCain would throw away his chances of losing all evangelicals. If this is his strategy, I have to admit it's pretty smart.

Meet John Edwards' New Baby

I don't have much interest in gossip stories, but it does appear that this John Edwards story is getting pretty juicy. An illegitimate child in the midst of running for President is pretty slimy even for a politician. From the Enquirer via Gateway Pundit.

Pew: Media Credibility Plummets

Pew Research found that media credibility has been crumbling like a house of cards, with just 30% of people believing what they see on CNN and a mere 18% believing the NYTimes. From Newsbusters.

What's Worse than Wal-Mart?

This story is simply too funny. Residents of Wind Gap, PA turned away Wal-Mart's efforts to build a store there. Instead, the town got a metal scrap recycling plant. The neighbors are complaining of the noise created by the recycler.

I thought the anti-Wal-Mart folks loved recycling plants? Not in their backyard, apparently.

Venezuela's Communist March Continues

Venezuela continued its communist march yesterday by nationalizing Mexico's Cemex, the largest cement company operating in the country. Sad to see the Cubanization of another country in slow motion and nobody seems to care enough to try to stop it.

Interview with Chinese Gymnast Sad

In a brief interview, Chinese gymnast Yang Yilin illustrates to the world once again that China is still a repressive Communist regime. From ESPN:

The answers were brief, spoken without heart. What emerged was a picture of a young girl who has been kept largely cut off from family and the outside world for more than a year, so she could be intensely trained to win medals for China at its own Olympics.

Were your parents here to see you compete, among the cheering crowds?

"I don't know."

When was the last time you went home?

"Ummm ... before I joined the national team," Yang said, her small voice hard to hear.

When was that?

"More than a year ago."

Will you go on holiday after the games?

"I don't know."

How many holidays do you get a year?

"I have not had a holiday since I joined the national team."

Doesn't sound like the same experiences that U.S. Olympians have.

Obama Insults Clarence Thomas

Once again, Democrats feel free to insult prominent black thinkers, as long as they are conservative. When asked which of the Supreme Court justices the candidates would not have approved, Obama mentioned Thomas due to his "inexperience" (no irony there). From the WSJ:

Pastor Rick Warren asked each Presidential candidate which Justices he would not have nominated. Mr. McCain said, "with all due respect" the four most liberal sitting Justices because of his different judicial philosophy.

Mr. Obama took a lower road, replying first that "that's a good one," and then adding that "I would not have nominated Clarence Thomas. I don't think that he, I don't think that he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time for that elevation. Setting aside the fact that I profoundly disagree with his interpretation of a lot of the Constitution." The Democrat added that he also wouldn't have appointed Antonin Scalia, and perhaps not John Roberts, though he assured the audience that at least they were smart enough for the job.

Perhaps this is why Obama absolutely hates these unscripted townhall meetings: he shows his true colors and that's a problem. I'm not sure which bothers me more - Obama's Marxist views or his continaul condescending remarks that he finds cute.

Ukraine Wants U.S. Missles Installed

Just a couple days after a top Russian general threatened Poland with a nuclear weapon after Poland allowed the U.S. to build its missile defense shield in the country, Ukraine offers up its country to the U.S. for the system as well.

Bravo - it's nice to see that parts of Europe are still not afraid to stand up to dictatorships.

Chinese Gov't Preventing Sellouts at Olympics?

According to the London Times, it is becoming less of a mystery why certain Olympic events are only partly filled. The Times says that the Chinese government has withheld thousands of tickets to prevent large Chinese crowds from gathering.

The biggest fear of a communist government has always been large gatherings of citizens (remember Tiananman Square?) and I think this is a very plausible explanation.

Obama: US Often "Perpetrates Evil"

Obama gives us (once again) his view of America. While we might have good intentions, the U.S. is often the perpetrator of evil in the world.

That's about right, based upon his associations with his wife, Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, etc.

Congratulations to Polish Courage

Poland, unlike many in Europe and even in the U.S., agreed to allow the U.S. to build a missile defense system in Poland, over Russia's objections. Poland remembers quite well what Russian tyranny looks like.

NY Gov't Screws Their Own Homeowners

The NY legislature and governor passed and signed a law that makes mortgage investors liable for fraud related to the origination of mortgages that they might own.

The response? Freddie Mac says they will no longer own any NY-based mortgages. The next step? Mortgage rates in NY start going up. Thanks Gov!

Cool Summer

Chicago has recorded the fewest 90-degree days since 1930. We need to act to stop this global cooling!

The Georgia-Russia Ceasefire

Rich Lowry runs down the terms of the ceasefire - essentially Georgia has to give in to every Russian demand in order to avoid further Russian fighting.

What's More Important?

Democrats like saying that we need to "improve our image around the world." Of course, the notion that we are supposed to get every dictatorship to like us is silly. Nevertheless, Gateway Pundit posts a more important image that we need to improve - that of being scared to stand and fight for freedom. I don't think it's much of a question which is more important.

Plame Case Against Cheney Thrown Out

Valerie Plame's non-scandal lawsuit against Dick Cheney was thrown out today, but you probably won't hear that too many places.

7 Year-Old Gives Michelle Obama a Lesson

Upon Michelle Obama asking a classroom whether they had any messages to pass along to her husband, a 7-year old raised his hand and said: "I think we should finish what we started in Iraq." From HotAir.

Russian Tanks Roll Into Georgia

Russian tanks have been rolling into Georgia in what could lead to war between the two countries.

Republicans Screw Up Energy Issue

Both the Democrats and Republicans knew that the GOP had the public behind them fully on the energy issue. So, as the WSJ points out this morning (and reprinted here in GOPachy), it is puzzling why the "Gang of 10" (5 Republican and 5 Democrat Senators) gave it up and gave the Dems almost exactly what they want.

That's because the plan is a Democratic giveaway. New production on offshore federal lands is left to state legislatures, and then in only four coastal states. The regulatory hurdles are huge. And the bill bars drilling within 50 miles of the coast -- putting off limits some of the most productive areas. Alaska's oil-rich Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is still a no-go.

The highlight is instead $84 billion in tax credits, subsidies and federal handouts for alternative fuels and renewables. The Gang of 10 intends to pay for all this in part by raising taxes on . . . oil companies! The Sierra Club couldn't have penned it better. And so the Republican Five has potentially given antidrilling Democrats the political cover they need to neutralize energy through November.

Sen. Obama was thrilled.

To say that the GOP are bad politicians is an understatement. They gave the Democrats pretty much every single demand they had. Truly unbelievable. The result will be that new drilling will be virtually impossible because of regulation, oil companies will be taxed more - and prices will go up more.

As usual "bipartisanship" means: "Republicans cave in to Democrats."

Pelosi's Bomb - Blowing Up!

Nancy Pelosi's book, Know Your Power must be pretty bad. Just check out some of the different reviews on Amazon.com:

It just rang hollow to me. I was really hoping for a more compelling read from someone who holds such an important position in our government.

If you are thinking about buying this book, you'd get more enjoyment in tossing the money out the window of a car at 60 mph and watching it flutter in the wind rather than be tortured by the vacuous content of this work. Worst of the worst books I have ever read.

This book was extremely helpful. I am serious it makes a good door stop.

She looks pretty convincing in the photo.. Then I read it and decided it was how I wish my daughter NOT behave.. I hid it so she cant read it.

I just finished reading this book. It was very hard to get through. I found it poorly written as well. With respect to what she wrote, I find none of it believable.

This is painful to read and belongs in a campfire near you.

This book sounds pretty bad and is given only 1.5 stars from amazon.com reviewers. Just to compare, both of Obama's books got 4.5 stars. Sounds like Pelosi's power may have gone to her head (btw, not saying that Obama's hasn't). Advice to all people in office including both of these authors who seem not to get it: it's not about you! At least it shouldn't be.

Also, advice to democrats: people aren't only disenchanted with Bush. Maybe this is saying congress is also in trouble.

Bin Laden Driver Sentenced to Only 5 1/2 Years

Salim Hamdan, Osama Bin Laden's driver being held at Gitmo, received a sentence of only 5 1/2 years from a military tribunal today.

This result shows us a few things:
1) Military tribunals are not the kangaroo courts that liberals claim they are;
2) These trials might well let terrorists free to kill us again after they serve a very short sentence because of the difficulty of "proving" that one is a terrorist (our soldiers aren't supposed to collect evidence when they capture them on the battlefield).
3) The most bothersome of all is that the defense lawyers are absolutely giddy that their terrorist clients might be freed to go out and kill again. This is precisely why lawyers have a terrible name.

Obama: America Not "What it Once Was"

Barack Obama is taking after his wife of talking down America:

“America is no longer what it could be, what it once was," Obama told her. "And I say to myself, I don’t want that future for my children.”

What American is he referring to - the pro-slavery America of the 1800s, the America pre-Civil Rights? I would love to hear his specifics about why he thinks America is no longer great. Or when it was actually great for that matter. (Apart from the typical Leftist view that "America is evil because of George Bush, etc,...)

Cheney Not Invited to Convention?

It appears that the McCain campaign does not want Dick Cheney to come to this year's Republican convention. As the WSJ editorial page pointed out this morning, McCain is doing himself more harm than good by keeping Cheney away. Let's face it - Republicans (and I believe the majority of the American public) do not hate Bush and Cheney. The media certainly does, but then again, can you name the last conservative President that the media praised while still alive? (Reagan was the dunce performer who was willing to destroy the world and infect everyone with AIDS - until he died).

Not inviting a sitting Vice President to his own party's convention is unprecedented and will only fuel the Bush-Cheney haters' claims that the men are disliked and their policies despised. If McCain is afraid to invite someone with whom he might occasionally disagree, then why not exclude Republicans altogether from their own convention? But more importantly, most Conservatives believe that Dick Cheney's views are much closer to their own than are President Bush's. (What is the biggest complaint about Bush - that he spent way too much money. This is the opposite of Cheney's philosophy.) Caricatures aside, most Americans have no clue why they dislike the man other than because the media and Democrats say he is a warmongering, evil, uncompassionate profiteer (sounds like the Reagan description as well).

McCain needs to invite Bush and Cheney to the convention and stop making this a bigger story than it should be. He should be a man, say they are great servants to their country, and then if he wishes, talk about the few points where his views might differ from Bush or Cheney. Otherwise he should just quit the Republican party and become a Democrat or Independent. And kneel down to President Obama.

Bush in South Korea

Bush is on a world tour leading up to his China visit for the Olympics. He is currently in South Korea and was confronted by massive demonstrations. Is this what the anti-Bush folks mean when they say he alienated our allies?

Let's see - the only places Bush was not treated like a rock star were in Western Europe (and only a few countries at that)...

Debate Moderators Named

The moderators for the three presidential debates were named and not surprisingly, they are all liberals.

Jim Lehrer - PBS
Tom Brokaw - NBC (he will be by far the worst, as he and NBC openly cheer for Obama)
Bob Schieffer - CBS

Obama would not agree to Fox News, as it doesn't swing to the Far Left like the others.

And of course, Obama turned down all offers for town hall meetings. Without a script, he tells the truth too much and the public doesn't like his truth.

Colorado Talks of Inexperience and Obama

From Michelle Malkin. Colorado Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter put his foot in his month this week when asked in an interview about the possibility of him being chosen to run as Obama's VP. Ritter said that it was unlikely because he was inexperienced, having been a governor for only 18 months. Upon which a caller asked:

“Governor, you said 18 months’ experience wasn’t enough experience as governor to be the vice president. Would you want to contrast that with the 143 days’ experience Obama as senator before he decided he had enough experience to be president.”

Hello...Governor...you still there?

Exxon Mobil: Profits and Taxes

Obama might try to use the example of Exxon Mobil's profits to support his Jeremiah Wright-inspired thesis of "white folks' greed runs a world in need," as Exxon generated $11 billion in net income last quarter.

What Obama (or anyone else) doesn't mention, however, is that Exxon generated over $32 billion in taxes for the government. John Hawkins has the breakdown.

WaPo: Stop Blaiming Everything on Global Warming

Even the Washington Post has had enough. In the Sunday edition, the Post explains that weather patterns have existed for a long time, but only now are we blaming everything on global warming. From Newsbusters.

Obama's Mentor in Hawaii a Communist

According to Obama, Frank Marshall Davis was a very influential mentor during his days as a young adult in Hawaii. Gateway Pundit notes that the media doesn't want to touch this story either. Obama doesn't have a good history of mentors.

Obama: NOW We Can Seat MI, FL Delegates

Now that Hillary has dropped out and Obama is virtually guaranteed the party nomination, he is happy to reverse course and insist that the full delegations from Michigan and Florida are seated.

Very convenient considering if he backed this view a couple months ago, Hillary would likely have beat him.

Brain Williams: Iran Not Really a Threat

On the Daily Show with John Stewart, Brian Williams asserted that Iran is not really a threat. Rather, Ahmedinejahd is simply playing to his base without really meaning anything he says. He's just like a politician from Cleveland, according to Williams.

In the previous exchange, Stewart actually said that Saddam also was simply another politician as well, without any rebuttal from Williams. (I wonder if he thinks gassing the Kurda, killing thousands of Shia and invading Kuwait were nothing more than the average politician does as well.) From Newsbusters.

When the news anchor of NBC says things like this, it's no wonder that the network media has become nothing more than a joke in this country.

Claims of Discrimination in Lending Continue

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition claims that lenders are discriminating against minorities, particularly blacks, because blacks on average pay a higher rate than whites on loans, despite similar incomes.

The only problem is that the study didn't take into account credit scores, which are the most important factor in determining loan rates. Haven't we just been through this process whereby the government had been pressuring lenders to increase mortgages to minorities who had no business getting them?

Dems Leave House; GOP Stays to Debate Energy

Classic. Pelosi turned off the microphones, the CSPAN cameras and the lights on the House floor in an effort to stifle any discussion on oil drilling, but several Republicans decided to stay and debate the issue in the dark. From Red State.

If this actually gets covered by the media, it will be a major coup for the GOP, which will show the country exactly who wants to keep gas prices high.

*Update*
Politico has the updates here - it appears to be a very unusual and raucus show.