This blog is mainly about the spectacular train wreck at The Sacramento Bee and its parent company, the McClatchy Company. But I also post about current events, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, politics, anything else that grabs my attention. Take a look around this blog, hope you enjoy it.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Friday October 2 -- Got news or an update?
If you have news or an update, leave it in comments. . . .
87 comments:
Anonymous
said...
The Wizard of Beck
By DAVID BROOKS
Let us take a trip back into history. Not ancient history. Recent history. It is the winter of 2007. The presidential primaries are approaching. The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson. They’re weak at the knees at the thought of Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, they are hurling torrents of abuse at the unreliable deviationists: John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
Yet somehow, despite the fervor of the great microphone giants, the Thompson campaign flops like a fish. Despite the schoolgirl delight from the radio studios, the Romney campaign underperforms.
Meanwhile, Huckabee surges. Limbaugh attacks him, but social conservatives flock.
Along comes New Hampshire and McCain wins! Republican voters have not heeded their masters in the media. Before long, South Carolina looms as the crucial point of the race. The contest is effectively between Romney and McCain. The talk jocks are now in spittle-flecked furor. Day after day, whole programs are dedicated to hurling abuse at McCain and everybody ever associated with him. The jocks are threatening to unleash their angry millions.
Yet the imaginary armies do not materialize. McCain wins the South Carolina primary and goes on to win the nomination. The talk jocks can’t even deliver the conservative voters who show up at Republican primaries. They can’t even deliver South Carolina!
So what is the theme of our history lesson? It is a story of remarkable volume and utter weakness. It is the story of media mavens who claim to represent a hidden majority but who in fact represent a mere niche — even in the Republican Party. It is a story as old as “The Wizard of Oz,” of grand illusions and small men behind the curtain.
But, of course, we shouldn’t be surprised by this story. Over the past few years the talk jocks have demonstrated their real-world weakness time and again. Back in 2006, they threatened to build a new majority on anti-immigration fervor. House Republicans like J.D. Hayworth and Randy Graf, both of Arizona, built their re-election campaigns under that banner. But these two didn’t march to glory. Both lost their seats.
In 2008, after McCain had won his nomination, Limbaugh turned his attention to the Democratic race. He commanded his followers to vote in the Democratic primaries for Hillary Clinton because “we need Barack Obama bloodied up politically.” Todd Donovan of Western Washington University has looked at data from 38 states and could find no strong evidence that significant numbers of people actually did what Limbaugh commanded. Rush blared the trumpets, but few of his Dittoheads advanced.
Over the years, I have asked many politicians what happens when Limbaugh and his colleagues attack. The story is always the same. Hundreds of calls come in. The receptionists are miserable. But the numbers back home do not move. There is no effect on the favorability rating or the re-election prospects. In the media world, he is a giant. In the real world, he’s not.
... The Republican Party is unpopular because it’s more interested in pleasing Rush’s ghosts than actual people. The party is leaderless right now because nobody has the guts to step outside the rigid parameters enforced by the radio jocks and create a new party identity. The party is losing because it has adopted a radio entertainer’s niche-building strategy, while abandoning the politician’s coalition-building strategy.
The rise of Beck, Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and the rest has correlated almost perfectly with the decline of the G.O.P. But it’s not because the talk jocks have real power. It’s because they have illusory power, because Republicans hear the media mythology and fall for it every time.
David Brooks: GOP Senator Had Hand On My Thigh During Dinner
In today's "That's WAY Too Much Information" segment, New York Times columnist David Brooks claims that while he was dining with a Republican senator, the guy had his hand on Brooks's inner thigh the whole time.
If you want to become a house "conservative" for the New York Times, the prime rule is that you must treat Rush Limbaugh as well as other talk radio conservatives with utter disdain.
In fact it is pretty much a job requirement at the Times as the other house "conservative" there, the conspicuously inconspicuous Ross (Whothat?) Douthat, knows full well when he slammed Limbaugh at the Atlantic magazine a few months before enduring obscurity at the Gray Whale.
The main house "conservative" at the Times, David Brooks, took time from from his "bromantic" stares at Barack Obama's finely creased pant leg, to slam Limbaugh today:
Let us take a trip back into history. Not ancient history. Recent history. It is the winter of 2007. The presidential primaries are approaching. The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson.
They’re weak at the knees at the thought of Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, they are hurling torrents of abuse at the unreliable deviationists: John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
How about libs who fake being conservatives to get prestigious jobs at elite lib rags to tell other libs how bad conservatives are.
Isn’t that a nice wacky conspiracy?
But it’s not as wacky as David Brooks conjecturing about conservative talk radio. Someone should tell Brooks, David Frum, and Ross Douthat that their cachet as liberal house “conservatives” makes them pariahs in the real conservative world.
Vice President Joe Biden didn't escape Bush's candid assessment, either. "If bullshit were currency, Joe Biden would be a billionaire," Latimer remembers Bush quipping to his staff.
U.S. Sept. Payroll Losses Accelerate To 263,000 (unemployement 9.8%) FOX
The U.S. labor market weakened in September as 263,000 payroll jobs were lost and the unemployment rate rose a tenth to a 26-year high of 9.8%, the Labor Department reported. It was the 21st consecutive month of job losses.
1982, 2009: Networks Find Identical Jobless Numbers Good News for Obama, But 'All' Bad for Reagan (Newsbusters)
Unemployment is currently at a 26-year-high of 9.7 percent and expected to continue rising. The last president to govern with such high unemployment was President Ronald Reagan.
But in 1982, when unemployment was rising similarly to the way it has in 2009 the network news media were merciless quoting attacks from Democrats, union leaders and the unemployed to attack Reagan's "sadistic" fiscal policies.
2009 was a different story, for a different president. Even though unemployment has shot up from 8.1 percent since February, network reporters looked for "hopeful signs" of an economic turnaround in their jobs report.
The Business & Media Institute just released a Special Report: Networks Flip Flop on Jobs that exposes that double-standard of unemployment coverage from 1982 and 2009 (See video below).
The full report is available here, but here are some of our major findings:
Network Reports 13 Times More Negative Under Reagan than Under Obama: An overwhelming majority of stories mentioning the Reagan administration were negative 91 percent (20 out of 22) while only 7percent (1 out of 15) of Obama administration mentions were negative.
Additionally, Obama mentions were favorable 87 percent of the time, but there were zero positive mentions of Reagan.
Networks Connect Reagan White House to Negative Jobs Numbers Almost Twice as Often as Obama: Unemployment stories in 1982 mentioned the Reagan administration 71 percent of the time (22 out of 31), but 2009 stories mentioned the Obama administration only 40 percent of the time (14 out of 35).
Charles Gibson: 9.4% Unemployment ‘Good News' (Obama) and also ‘All' Bad (Reagan): The unemployment rate reached 9.4 percent under Reagan and Obama.
But ABC's Charles Gibson covered the identical rate very differently in 1982 than in 2009.
Gibson told viewers May 7, 1982, "[T]here really isn't any good news in the statistics. All the numbers are bad."
But by 2009, Gibson had turned into an optimist citing "good news" June 5 and "hope the economy may be finally turning the corner" Aug. 7.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- President Obama has been steadfast in his pledge that he won't raise taxes on those making less than $250,000.
But that doesn't mean only high-income households will be subject to higher taxes.
An increasing number of influential Democrats and fiscal policy experts have signaled publicly that lawmakers will have to get a handle on the deficit sooner rather than later.
And they recommend policymakers seriously consider the creation of adding a value-added tax (VAT) on top of the federal income tax.
That could mean more money out of everyone's pockets when buying virtually anything - sweaters, school books, furniture, pottery classes, dinners out.
David Letterman (Hearts Polanski)reveals $2M sex affair extortion plot; CBS News producer Robert Halderman busted (New York Daily News)
A top CBS News producer was busted Thursday for trying to shake down David Letterman - threatening to expose the late-night funnyman's affairs with several female staffers in a movie and book.
The "Late Show" host revealed the stunning plot on last night's show in an extraordinary confession to viewers - and admitted he had indeed slept with several women who work at the show.
"I'm glad you folks are here tonight, and I'm glad you folks are in such a pleasant mood, because I have a story I'd like to tell you and the home viewers as well," he said, appearing to set up a comedy bit.
He went on to explain that a man identified by police as Robert Halderman, a 51-year-old Emmy Award-winning producer, found out that he was sleeping with several staff members.
Halderman allegedly threatened to expose the 62-year-old Letterman, who married his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, of 23 years in March, unless he forked over a staggering $2 million.
Halderman, who was being held on attempted grand larceny charges, has directed dozens of "48 Hours" documentaries, from the Winter Olympics to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Behind Comcast Chief's Moves Are Fears About Internet Shift (WSJ)
Brian Roberts built Comcast Corp. into the world's largest cable company by being a visionary who has kept the company on the vanguard of phone, broadband and television technology.
But his strategies indicate he's still worried that the Internet could one day become one of the leading forms of television distribution.
That is one reason why he is determined to buy more cable channels and other content --a strategy that has moved him from his failed effort to take over Walt Disney Co. in 2004 to his current interest in buying a piece of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal.
NBC COMCAST, NOTHING WILL CHANGE (REPOST)Comcast launches all-Obama channel Ploitico
Do you need Obama coverage 24 hours a day?
In several markets, Comcast cable is launching an all-Obama, On Demand channel. (In D.C., it's channel 963).
Leading up to Inauguration, the channel will offer a number of Obama-related programs, according to a release: "Barack Obama’s most famous speeches to date, from his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 through his election night victory speech in Grant Park; Barack Obama biography; Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic National Convention speech; a tour of the White House; and the history of Air Force One." Dish Network launched an all-Obama channel during the campaign.
Of Course... Dems to Reward GE & MSNBC In Climate Bill (GatewayPundit)
This will give you a thrill up your leg...
GE, the parent company of MSNBC, will be rewarded by democrats in the climate bill.
Green Hell Blog reported, via The Corner: Sen. Barbara Boxer’s climate bill set to be released today contains a provision that will compensate General Electric quite nicely for its lobbying and media efforts promoting climate legislation.
Section 821(c) requires that, by December 12, 2012, the EPA set standards for greenhouse gas emissions from “new aircraft and new engines used in new aircraft.”
General Electric is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial and military jet engines, a business worth about $12 billion in annual revenues.
So the Boxer bill would compel airlines and the military, when purchasing new aircraft and new aircraft engines, to purchase more expensive “green” engines made by GE, according to standards set by the current and GE-lobbied Obama administration.
Keep in mind that GE CEO Jeff Immelt is member of President Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Council.
More... Killing the Eastern European Missile Shield helped General Electric-Putin ties.
Obama Administration Gives ACORN $1Million to Fight Fires (GatewayPundit)
Your tax dollars at work... Promoting teen prostitution.
Despite the uproar over the pimp-friendly organization promoting teen prostitution, the Obama Administration gifted the pro-Obama community organization with $1 million grant earlier this month to fight fires(?)
Senator David Vitter (R-LA) reported this at Big Government: Earlier this month and despite the public scrutiny over the voter fraud and felony criminal activity associated with ACORN, the Department of Homeland Security went ahead and granted $997,402 to ACORN under the FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Program.
To most people, the timing and the amount of the grant would seem off base, but when you take into account the fact that DHS awarded ACORN–an organization with no clear expertise in fire safety and prevention–a fire prevention and safety grant, it’s just plain offensive.
With fire departments all over Louisiana – and the rest of the country – struggling to make ends meet and get the equipment and training they need to protect their local communities, the idea of a million dollar grant going to ACORN is unsettling, to say the least.
ACORN Legal Memo Confirms Depths of Troubles (American Spectator via Big Government.com)
“But whether you try to implement some or all of these recommendations, there must be someone committed to follow-up.
There must be a review mechanism, and a means of holding people accountable after any final decisions are made.
If you do not make some hard choices now and ensure they are carried out, they almost certainly will be made for you.”
–Elizabeth Kingsley of Harmon, Curran, Spielberg Eisenberg LLP, in a prophetic legal memo to ACORN dated June 19, 2008, the day before ACORN’s national board ousted ACORN founder organizer Wade Rathke
ACORN’s lawyer warned ACORN 15 months ago to begin fixing its massive internal problems or face certain catastrophe. It chose to do nothing.
The advice from Elizabeth Kingsley of Harmon, Curran, Spielberg Eisenberg LLP came in the form of an eerily prophetic legal memo to ACORN dated June 19, 2008, the day before ACORN’s national board fired disgraced founder Wade Rathke.
Why hasn't Charlie Rangel stepped down? (The most corrupt tax-cheat Charlie hasn't budged) The Week
Why hasn't Charlie Rangel stepped down?
After documented reports of his sweetheart deals, influence peddling, unreported assets, and untaxed income, Charlie Rangel is still chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Liberal cesspool Detroit: Not even the dead can escape the effects of 50 years of Democrat control The Collins Report
Detroit’s heartbreaking condition now means frozen slowly rotting corpses.
After fifty unbroken years of liberal Democrat rule Detroit has sunken so low it has no money to bury its poor who die without other means to be interned.
As the raging flames of Obama’s recession consume one city after another across the country without a doubt the worse off cities are those most controlled by Democrats and their masters in Big Labor.
Liberal controlled cities like Detroit Chicago New York Los Angeles and Atlanta all average higher unemployment then the rest of America.
The Labor Department says ALL 372 cities it surveys experienced notable increases in unemployment since last August. L.A. Chicago and Detroit lost the most jobs.
Detroit’s unemployment rose a stunning 7.8% to 17% meaning the present effective rate is probably close to 28%!
Something wildly unexpected happened the other day: Film director Roman Polanski was taken into custody in Switzerland for his rape of a 13-year-old girl at Jack Nicholson's house in 1977.
The grand jury transcript is stomach-turning. His victim, Samantha Gailey, said the director plied her with champagne and drugs and asked her to remove her clothes for pictures in a hot tub.
Polanski then had sex with her despite her resistance and requests to be taken home.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of sex with a minor, but fearing a prison term, he fled the country.
Now something utterly expected is happening: Morally bankrupt libertines in Hollywood and other artistic banana republics are rushing to Polanski's defense.
...Someone should tell Brooks, David Frum, and Ross Douthat that their cachet as liberal house “conservatives” makes them pariahs in the real conservative world...
And that attitude is exactly why the "real conservative" (far right) world is increasingly looked on with horror by actual conservatives, not to mention Republican moderates.
Contemporaneous Pictures of Polanski’s Victim, Or, Another Applebaum Lie PATTERICO
Unless she spreads even more falsehoods about Roman Polanski, I have said all I want to say about Anne Applebaum. Many of you have copied me on your e-mails to her editor, and I encourage you to share any response with me, which I will publish in this space.
Other than that, I’m done with her. . . . OK, I lied. I have one more thing to say. In her latest e-mail to me, Ms. Applebaum said:
Yes, there is “evidence” that Polanski did not know the girls age – or that he was told but did not believe it: He has told people since that, anyway. Pictures of her from the time show a girl who could be anywhere from 12-25.
You don’t say. Courtesy of reader Kate C. comes a link to a site that has a gallery of pictures of the victim from the relevant time period. All are, of course, non-nude — or I wouldn’t be linking them. I do not know whether any were taken by Polanski; the victim appears to be in a jacuzzi in two of them (you see only her head). Here is a typical set:
Anne Applebaum: Telling the Whole Truth Now Would Be Too Confusing PATTERICO
Anne Applebaum has become the Big Media equivalent of Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men,” sending me an e-mail whose message is fairly summarized as: My readers can’t handle the truth!
Many thanks. Okay, you win:
- I used the word “trial” in the layman’s sense – trial meaning a judicial investigation, court proceedings etc – and see no need to correct, as it would confuse the matter further.
snip
In any case, none of these particular issues has much to do with my main point, which were that this was a confusing story and that it’s very peculiar that the Swiss suddenly decided to arrest him now.
I do not condone his original action in any way, and didn’t write that I did, either:
However, I dislike the reduction of complicated stories to simple facts.
And please don’t write back that “he drugged and raped a child” because that is not an accurate description of what happened.
September Unemployment: ACTUAL LOSS 995k (The Market Ticker)
Headlines: 263,000 "jobs lost" and unemployment rate up to 9.8%.
That's not good - there goes the "second derivative" argument.
Weekly earnings are also down by $1.54, which is bad news too.
But the Household Data is VASTLY worse than reported. Here are the month-over-month changes, and they're in the realm of frightening. (all numbers in thousands)
Civilian Labor Force: 154,879 to 153,617 this month.
Employed: 140,074 down to 139,079 this month.
That's a loss of 995,000 jobs, not 263,000, and the labor force contracted by 1,262,000 people!
Joe Kernen: "How Can Fox News Double MSNBC and CNN Combined? Air America Can't Sell An Ad"
This morning on Squawk Box, Joe Kernen played contrarian to the New York Times' David Brooks.
Brooks' column today, titled "The Wizard of Beck," is "the story of media mavens who claim to represent a hidden majority but who in fact represent a mere niche - even in the Republican Party." Brooks writes:
Just months after the election and the humiliation, everyone is again convinced that Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and the rest possess real power. And the saddest thing is that even Republican politicians come to believe it. They mistake media for reality. They pre-emptively surrender to armies that don't exist.
CNBC's Kernen doesn't see it that way: "David Brooks is a conservative? You tell Rush that his $100M a year, or whatever he makes, isn't real."
What a dumbass. Obama sticks his nose into an Olympic bid. He could have just sent the suckup Oprah and his wife and avoided the embarrassment of yet another beat-down. But noooo. Our Prez has nobody who gives him good advice.
The rock star's thuggery didn't work this time? Gee, the Bam is on a roll. The poll that showed the majority of Illinois residents did not want the Olympics because of costs was deadly, IMO.
If Obama could push The Reset Button on his presidency, he would in a nano-second. He is a child among men when it comes to leadership. American confidence is at an all-time low.
I'm sure the Iranians are having a good laugh at Obama's complete failure on the Olympic stage. More ammunition for the bad guys. We need some wins and now!
The snake oil salesman fails in his attempt to bailout Chicago slumlords. Daley is in a bind now to hide the squalor that houses the gangs that kill innocent bystanders. What, use taxpayers money earmarked to help the poor on the poor? Good grief, what next?
The people that gathered in Daley Plaza to party after hearing they won the Olympic bid, are now silently crying. They seem to be in shock, after all, the Obama’s are so special, so Barry, Barry special.
Michelle is not a rock star, a falling star is more like it. The corrupt media is gushing about Mizhell’s speech, but a fighting-back-tears farce speech about her father’s illness was a stretch, was out of line for a sports begfest, and was in poor taste. In my opinion, she ruined Chicago’s chance. Enough of this victim stuff is enough!!!! I guess she will be ashamed of her country again.
Obama’s Olympic failure will only add to doubts about his presidency Charles Dharapak/AP
Barack Obama fails to make the case for Chicago to the IOC in Copenhagen
There has been a growing narrative taking hold about Barack Obama’s presidency in recent weeks: that he is loved by many, but feared by none; that he is full of lofty vision, but is actually achieving nothing with his grandiloquence.
Chicago’s dismal showing today, after Mr Obama’s personal, impassioned last-minute pitch, is a stunning humiliation for this President. It cannot be emphasised enough how this will feed the perception that on the world stage he looks good — but carries no heft.
BREAKING: Court Orders Recount of Olympic Bid – Polls to Remain Open
Copenhagen – An International Criminal Court judge has ordered that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) resume counting in the selection process for the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Judge Enrique Castro, appointed to the court last year by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and nephew of the Cuban President Raul Castro, ordered a stunned IOC to resume vote counting late Friday.
Judge Castro issued an emergency injunction after receiving multiple complaints of voter disenfranchisement by community activist groups Community Organizers International (COI), the Organization of American States (OAS) and Hezbollah.
COI chairwoman Valerie Jarrett voiced her organization’s approval of the judge’s decision. “As anyone who watched this charade being played out on television can plainly see the underprivileged were not well represented in this voting process.
We have asked the court only for what is fair – that we be allowed to chose a diverse, multicultural pool of voters to balance the ‘white out’ that apparently dominates IOC voting.”
Hezbollah spokesman Islamic Rage Boy added that “There appears to have been a deliberate attempt by some cities not directly associated with Islam to exclude us from this process.
We are very surprised by Madrid’s refusal to withdraw. I thought they learned their lesson in 2004. Oh, and death to all who oppose us. Peace be with you. The Jooos are to blame.”
The NYT online, just put the news of Barry’s failure in its sport’s section. Where do you think the story would have been if Chicago had won the Olympics?
Obama says, These inferior people snub my greatness, it must be racism. Where is my race card? What do you mean it self destructs after one trillion uses?
“The members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) delivered a clear message to the American President and his wife that their 8,000-mile journey to court their vote in person had been a waste of time...
It is the biggest international setback yet for President Obama’s administration and the IOC dragged him halfway across the world to deliver it at a crucial time for his domestic agenda.
He and the First Lady, who both put themselves personally on the line to address the IOC, had not even landed back in Washington when the fate of the Chicago bid was sealed. “
Look at the bright side - in the middle of all this important stuff 0bama found nearly half an hour to give to Whatsisname, you know, that general from Afghanistan or somewhere?
I am tired of the Olympics in general. They have become too political and corrupt. I don’t think they remotely resemble the sports events created to see world champions. Frankly, I don’t give a damn who wins what.
I kinda feel sorry for Chicago's pimps, hookers, hustlers and real estate speculators in Chicago...especially Valerie Jarrett...they were REALLY gonna clean up...oh well...
“Thereare times that America has shown arrogance.”
Maybe flying 4 jumb-jets full of arrogant Obamanuts into Copenhagen with the intent to steal the show, browbeat the IOC, and roll over other candidates is one of those times.
87 comments:
The Wizard of Beck
By DAVID BROOKS
Let us take a trip back into history. Not ancient history. Recent history. It is the winter of 2007. The presidential primaries are approaching. The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson. They’re weak at the knees at the thought of Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, they are hurling torrents of abuse at the unreliable deviationists: John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
Yet somehow, despite the fervor of the great microphone giants, the Thompson campaign flops like a fish. Despite the schoolgirl delight from the radio studios, the Romney campaign underperforms.
Meanwhile, Huckabee surges. Limbaugh attacks him, but social conservatives flock.
Along comes New Hampshire and McCain wins! Republican voters have not heeded their masters in the media. Before long, South Carolina looms as the crucial point of the race. The contest is effectively between Romney and McCain. The talk jocks are now in spittle-flecked furor. Day after day, whole programs are dedicated to hurling abuse at McCain and everybody ever associated with him. The jocks are threatening to unleash their angry millions.
Yet the imaginary armies do not materialize. McCain wins the South Carolina primary and goes on to win the nomination. The talk jocks can’t even deliver the conservative voters who show up at Republican primaries. They can’t even deliver South Carolina!
So what is the theme of our history lesson? It is a story of remarkable volume and utter weakness. It is the story of media mavens who claim to represent a hidden majority but who in fact represent a mere niche — even in the Republican Party. It is a story as old as “The Wizard of Oz,” of grand illusions and small men behind the curtain.
But, of course, we shouldn’t be surprised by this story. Over the past few years the talk jocks have demonstrated their real-world weakness time and again. Back in 2006, they threatened to build a new majority on anti-immigration fervor. House Republicans like J.D. Hayworth and Randy Graf, both of Arizona, built their re-election campaigns under that banner. But these two didn’t march to glory. Both lost their seats.
In 2008, after McCain had won his nomination, Limbaugh turned his attention to the Democratic race. He commanded his followers to vote in the Democratic primaries for Hillary Clinton because “we need Barack Obama bloodied up politically.” Todd Donovan of Western Washington University has looked at data from 38 states and could find no strong evidence that significant numbers of people actually did what Limbaugh commanded. Rush blared the trumpets, but few of his Dittoheads advanced.
Over the years, I have asked many politicians what happens when Limbaugh and his colleagues attack. The story is always the same. Hundreds of calls come in. The receptionists are miserable. But the numbers back home do not move. There is no effect on the favorability rating or the re-election prospects. In the media world, he is a giant. In the real world, he’s not.
...
The Republican Party is unpopular because it’s more interested in pleasing Rush’s ghosts than actual people. The party is leaderless right now because nobody has the guts to step outside the rigid parameters enforced by the radio jocks and create a new party identity. The party is losing because it has adopted a radio entertainer’s niche-building strategy, while abandoning the politician’s coalition-building strategy.
The rise of Beck, Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and the rest has correlated almost perfectly with the decline of the G.O.P. But it’s not because the talk jocks have real power. It’s because they have illusory power, because Republicans hear the media mythology and fall for it every time.
www.nytimes.com
David Brooks: GOP Senator Had Hand On My Thigh During Dinner
In today's "That's WAY Too Much Information" segment, New York Times columnist David Brooks claims that while he was dining with a Republican senator, the guy had his hand on Brooks's inner thigh the whole time.
David Brooks Attacks Conservative 'Talk Jocks'
If you want to become a house "conservative" for the New York Times, the prime rule is that you must treat Rush Limbaugh as well as other talk radio conservatives with utter disdain.
In fact it is pretty much a job requirement at the Times as the other house "conservative" there, the conspicuously inconspicuous Ross (Whothat?) Douthat, knows full well when he slammed Limbaugh at the Atlantic magazine a few months before enduring obscurity at the Gray Whale.
The main house "conservative" at the Times, David Brooks, took time from from his "bromantic" stares at Barack Obama's finely creased pant leg, to slam Limbaugh today:
Let us take a trip back into history. Not ancient history. Recent history. It is the winter of 2007. The presidential primaries are approaching. The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson.
They’re weak at the knees at the thought of Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, they are hurling torrents of abuse at the unreliable deviationists: John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
David Brooks is a pantywaist light-loafered Manhattan RINO who enjoys being groped by men under the table at dinners.
Time for another hare-brained conspiracy?
How about libs who fake being conservatives to get prestigious jobs at elite lib rags to tell other libs how bad conservatives are.
Isn’t that a nice wacky conspiracy?
But it’s not as wacky as David Brooks conjecturing about conservative talk radio. Someone should tell Brooks, David Frum, and Ross Douthat that their cachet as liberal house “conservatives” makes them pariahs in the real conservative world.
Bill Bennett/CNN: Bill Bennett on Obama Trip: "For Once He’ll Have to Praise America"
"He is gonna have to say some really, very positive things about the United States while abroad which is not something he has been doing."
Bush: Obama wasn't 'remotely qualified' (Washington Examiner)
Vice President Joe Biden didn't escape Bush's candid assessment, either. "If bullshit were currency, Joe Biden would be a billionaire," Latimer remembers Bush quipping to his staff.
U.S. Sept. Payroll Losses Accelerate To 263,000 (unemployement 9.8%) FOX
The U.S. labor market weakened in September as 263,000 payroll jobs were lost and the unemployment rate rose a tenth to a 26-year high of 9.8%, the Labor Department reported. It was the 21st consecutive month of job losses.
1982, 2009: Networks Find Identical Jobless Numbers Good News for Obama, But 'All' Bad for Reagan (Newsbusters)
Unemployment is currently at a 26-year-high of 9.7 percent and expected to continue rising. The last president to govern with such high unemployment was President Ronald Reagan.
But in 1982, when unemployment was rising similarly to the way it has in 2009 the network news media were merciless quoting attacks from Democrats, union leaders and the unemployed to attack Reagan's "sadistic" fiscal policies.
2009 was a different story, for a different president. Even though unemployment has shot up from 8.1 percent since February, network reporters looked for "hopeful signs" of an economic turnaround in their jobs report.
The Business & Media Institute just released a Special Report: Networks Flip Flop on Jobs that exposes that double-standard of unemployment coverage from 1982 and 2009 (See video below).
The full report is available here, but here are some of our major findings:
Network Reports 13 Times More Negative Under Reagan than Under Obama: An overwhelming majority of stories mentioning the Reagan administration were negative 91 percent (20 out of 22) while only 7percent (1 out of 15) of Obama administration mentions were negative.
Additionally, Obama mentions were favorable 87 percent of the time, but there were zero positive mentions of Reagan.
Networks Connect Reagan White House to Negative Jobs Numbers Almost Twice as Often as Obama: Unemployment stories in 1982 mentioned the Reagan administration 71 percent of the time (22 out of 31), but 2009 stories mentioned the Obama administration only 40 percent of the time (14 out of 35).
Charles Gibson: 9.4% Unemployment ‘Good News' (Obama) and also ‘All' Bad (Reagan): The unemployment rate reached 9.4 percent under Reagan and Obama.
But ABC's Charles Gibson covered the identical rate very differently in 1982 than in 2009.
Gibson told viewers May 7, 1982, "[T]here really isn't any good news in the statistics. All the numbers are bad."
But by 2009, Gibson had turned into an optimist citing "good news" June 5 and "hope the economy may be finally turning the corner" Aug. 7.
We're broke ... time for a new tax
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- President Obama has been steadfast in his pledge that he won't raise taxes on those making less than $250,000.
But that doesn't mean only high-income households will be subject to higher taxes.
An increasing number of influential Democrats and fiscal policy experts have signaled publicly that lawmakers will have to get a handle on the deficit sooner rather than later.
And they recommend policymakers seriously consider the creation of adding a value-added tax (VAT) on top of the federal income tax.
That could mean more money out of everyone's pockets when buying virtually anything - sweaters, school books, furniture, pottery classes, dinners out.
David Letterman (Hearts Polanski)reveals $2M sex affair extortion plot; CBS News producer Robert Halderman busted (New York Daily News)
A top CBS News producer was busted Thursday for trying to shake down David Letterman - threatening to expose the late-night funnyman's affairs with several female staffers in a movie and book.
The "Late Show" host revealed the stunning plot on last night's show in an extraordinary confession to viewers - and admitted he had indeed slept with several women who work at the show.
"I'm glad you folks are here tonight, and I'm glad you folks are in such a pleasant mood, because I have a story I'd like to tell you and the home viewers as well," he said, appearing to set up a comedy bit.
He went on to explain that a man identified by police as Robert Halderman, a 51-year-old Emmy Award-winning producer, found out that he was sleeping with several staff members.
Halderman allegedly threatened to expose the 62-year-old Letterman, who married his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, of 23 years in March, unless he forked over a staggering $2 million.
Halderman, who was being held on attempted grand larceny charges, has directed dozens of "48 Hours" documentaries, from the Winter Olympics to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Behind Comcast Chief's Moves Are Fears About Internet Shift (WSJ)
Brian Roberts built Comcast Corp. into the world's largest cable company by being a visionary who has kept the company on the vanguard of phone, broadband and television technology.
But his strategies indicate he's still worried that the Internet could one day become one of the leading forms of television distribution.
That is one reason why he is determined to buy more cable channels and other content --a strategy that has moved him from his failed effort to take over Walt Disney Co. in 2004 to his current interest in buying a piece of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal.
NBC COMCAST, NOTHING WILL CHANGE
(REPOST)Comcast launches all-Obama channel Ploitico
Do you need Obama coverage 24 hours a day?
In several markets, Comcast cable is launching an all-Obama, On Demand channel. (In D.C., it's channel 963).
Leading up to Inauguration, the channel will offer a number of Obama-related programs, according to a release: "Barack Obama’s most famous speeches to date, from his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 through his election night victory speech in Grant Park; Barack Obama biography; Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic National Convention speech; a tour of the White House; and the history of Air Force One."
Dish Network launched an all-Obama channel during the campaign.
Of Course... Dems to Reward GE & MSNBC In Climate Bill (GatewayPundit)
This will give you a thrill up your leg...
GE, the parent company of MSNBC, will be rewarded by democrats in the climate bill.
Green Hell Blog reported, via The Corner: Sen. Barbara Boxer’s climate bill set to be released today contains a provision that will compensate General Electric quite nicely for its lobbying and media efforts promoting climate legislation.
Section 821(c) requires that, by December 12, 2012, the EPA set standards for greenhouse gas emissions from “new aircraft and new engines used in new aircraft.”
General Electric is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial and military jet engines, a business worth about $12 billion in annual revenues.
So the Boxer bill would compel airlines and the military, when purchasing new aircraft and new aircraft engines, to purchase more expensive “green” engines made by GE, according to standards set by the current and GE-lobbied Obama administration.
Keep in mind that GE CEO Jeff Immelt is member of President Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Council.
More... Killing the Eastern European Missile Shield helped General Electric-Putin ties.
Obama Administration Gives ACORN $1Million to Fight Fires (GatewayPundit)
Your tax dollars at work... Promoting teen prostitution.
Despite the uproar over the pimp-friendly organization promoting teen prostitution, the Obama Administration gifted the pro-Obama community organization with $1 million grant earlier this month to fight fires(?)
Senator David Vitter (R-LA) reported this at Big Government:
Earlier this month and despite the public scrutiny over the voter fraud and felony criminal activity associated with ACORN, the Department of Homeland Security went ahead and granted $997,402 to ACORN under the FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Program.
To most people, the timing and the amount of the grant would seem off base, but when you take into account the fact that DHS awarded ACORN–an organization with no clear expertise in fire safety and prevention–a fire prevention and safety grant, it’s just plain offensive.
With fire departments all over Louisiana – and the rest of the country – struggling to make ends meet and get the equipment and training they need to protect their local communities, the idea of a million dollar grant going to ACORN is unsettling, to say the least.
ACORN Legal Memo Confirms Depths of Troubles (American Spectator via Big Government.com)
“But whether you try to implement some or all of these recommendations, there must be someone committed to follow-up.
There must be a review mechanism, and a means of holding people accountable after any final decisions are made.
If you do not make some hard choices now and ensure they are carried out, they almost certainly will be made for you.”
–Elizabeth Kingsley of Harmon, Curran, Spielberg Eisenberg LLP, in a prophetic legal memo to ACORN dated June 19, 2008, the day before ACORN’s national board ousted ACORN founder organizer Wade Rathke
ACORN’s lawyer warned ACORN 15 months ago to begin fixing its massive internal problems or face certain catastrophe. It chose to do nothing.
The advice from Elizabeth Kingsley of Harmon, Curran, Spielberg Eisenberg LLP came in the form of an eerily prophetic legal memo to ACORN dated June 19, 2008, the day before ACORN’s national board fired disgraced founder Wade Rathke.
Why hasn't Charlie Rangel stepped down? (The most corrupt tax-cheat Charlie hasn't budged) The Week
Why hasn't Charlie Rangel stepped down?
After documented reports of his sweetheart deals, influence peddling, unreported assets, and untaxed income, Charlie Rangel is still chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Can't anyone tell him to move aside?
Liberal cesspool Detroit: Not even the dead can escape the effects of 50 years of Democrat control
The Collins Report
Detroit’s heartbreaking condition now means frozen slowly rotting corpses.
After fifty unbroken years of liberal Democrat rule Detroit has sunken so low it has no money to bury its poor who die without other means to be interned.
As the raging flames of Obama’s recession consume one city after another across the country without a doubt the worse off cities are those most controlled by Democrats and their masters in Big Labor.
Liberal controlled cities like Detroit Chicago New York Los Angeles and Atlanta all average higher unemployment then the rest of America.
The Labor Department says ALL 372 cities it surveys experienced notable increases in unemployment since last August. L.A. Chicago and Detroit lost the most jobs.
Detroit’s unemployment rose a stunning 7.8% to 17% meaning the present effective rate is probably close to 28%!
Hollywood's Favorite Rapist
Townhall.com
Something wildly unexpected happened the other day: Film director Roman Polanski was taken into custody in Switzerland for his rape of a 13-year-old girl at Jack Nicholson's house in 1977.
The grand jury transcript is stomach-turning. His victim, Samantha Gailey, said the director plied her with champagne and drugs and asked her to remove her clothes for pictures in a hot tub.
Polanski then had sex with her despite her resistance and requests to be taken home.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of sex with a minor, but fearing a prison term, he fled the country.
Now something utterly expected is happening: Morally bankrupt libertines in Hollywood and other artistic banana republics are rushing to Polanski's defense.
...Someone should tell Brooks, David Frum, and Ross Douthat that their cachet as liberal house “conservatives” makes them pariahs in the real conservative world...
And that attitude is exactly why the "real conservative" (far right) world is increasingly looked on with horror by actual conservatives, not to mention Republican moderates.
Contemporaneous Pictures of Polanski’s Victim, Or, Another Applebaum Lie PATTERICO
Unless she spreads even more falsehoods about Roman Polanski, I have said all I want to say about Anne Applebaum. Many of you have copied me on your e-mails to her editor, and I encourage you to share any response with me, which I will publish in this space.
Other than that, I’m done with her.
. . . OK, I lied. I have one more thing to say. In her latest e-mail to me, Ms. Applebaum said:
Yes, there is “evidence” that Polanski did not know the girls age – or that he was told but did not believe it: He has told people since that, anyway. Pictures of her from the time show a girl who could be anywhere from 12-25.
You don’t say. Courtesy of reader Kate C. comes a link to a site that has a gallery of pictures of the victim from the relevant time period. All are, of course, non-nude — or I wouldn’t be linking them. I do not know whether any were taken by Polanski; the victim appears to be in a jacuzzi in two of them (you see only her head). Here is a typical set:
Anne Applebaum: Telling the Whole Truth Now Would Be Too Confusing
PATTERICO
Anne Applebaum has become the Big Media equivalent of Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men,” sending me an e-mail whose message is fairly summarized as: My readers can’t handle the truth!
Many thanks. Okay, you win:
- I used the word “trial” in the layman’s sense – trial meaning a judicial investigation, court proceedings etc – and see no need to correct, as it would confuse the matter further.
snip
In any case, none of these particular issues has much to do with my main point, which were that this was a confusing story and that it’s very peculiar that the Swiss suddenly decided to arrest him now.
I do not condone his original action in any way, and didn’t write that I did, either:
However, I dislike the reduction of complicated stories to simple facts.
And please don’t write back that “he drugged and raped a child” because that is not an accurate description of what happened.
September Unemployment: ACTUAL LOSS 995k (The Market Ticker)
Headlines: 263,000 "jobs lost" and unemployment rate up to 9.8%.
That's not good - there goes the "second derivative" argument.
Weekly earnings are also down by $1.54, which is bad news too.
But the Household Data is VASTLY worse than reported. Here are the month-over-month changes, and they're in the realm of frightening. (all numbers in thousands)
Civilian Labor Force: 154,879 to 153,617 this month.
Employed: 140,074 down to 139,079 this month.
That's a loss of 995,000 jobs, not 263,000, and the labor force contracted by 1,262,000 people!
Joe Kernen: "How Can Fox News Double MSNBC and CNN Combined? Air America Can't Sell An Ad"
This morning on Squawk Box, Joe Kernen played contrarian to the New York Times' David Brooks.
Brooks' column today, titled "The Wizard of Beck," is "the story of media mavens who claim to represent a hidden majority but who in fact represent a mere niche - even in the Republican Party." Brooks writes:
Just months after the election and the humiliation, everyone is again convinced that Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and the rest possess real power. And the saddest thing is that even Republican politicians come to believe it. They mistake media for reality. They pre-emptively surrender to armies that don't exist.
CNBC's Kernen doesn't see it that way: "David Brooks is a conservative? You tell Rush that his $100M a year, or whatever he makes, isn't real."
Breaking News!! Chicago eliminated as Olympic host in first round! Another defeat for Obama and Oprah!!
NEWS FLASH! - NEW MOGADISHU (chicago) OUT IN FIRST ROUND OLYMPICS BID
World says, "FU Obama!"
How much did the Chicago ObamaBust cost taxpayers?
WORLD REJECTS OBAMA : CHICAGO OUT IN FIRST ROUND (Drudge Headline)
The City of Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting, before any host city was selected.
An expert called it the "biggest shock in IOC history."
Supporters gathered in Chicago were equally shocked. Many left the rally in tears.
What a dumbass. Obama sticks his nose into an Olympic bid. He could have just sent the suckup Oprah and his wife and avoided the embarrassment of yet another beat-down. But noooo. Our Prez has nobody who gives him good advice.
I love the smell of schadenfreude in the morning.
The rock star's thuggery didn't work this time? Gee, the Bam is on a roll. The poll that showed the majority of Illinois residents did not want the Olympics because of costs was deadly, IMO.
Next Drudge headline,
McChrystal said to be working on invasion plans of Denmark. Takeover of IOC is probable.
Obama is a complete amateur on the world stage. He's an embarrassment to Americans. Never have we felt so vulnerable as a country.
NY Times David Brooks on IOC snub: "GOP Senator Had Hand On My Thigh During Dinner"
This guy is so out of touch with reality. God, save us all.
One small loss for Chicago - one GIANT victory for Illinois taxpayers!
If only ACORN could have been in Copenhagen to stuff the ballot box, Chitcago would have received 85 of the 15 IOC votes cast.
Must have been some capitalistic conspiracy that denied the Obaminator's charm and powers of persuasion. How else could they say no?
9:10: That's classic!
So then, where exactly would the Obamas be without corruption, media spins and left wing billionaires working the system?
Yes, obviously ACORN didn't do its job on the IOC vote.
Wonder what Beck's take will be on the Chicago Slapdown?
Has the White House and Gibbles figured out a way to blame this on Bush?
No Olympics in Chicago? What?
Street fighting is NOT an Olympic sport?
Remember.....Dear Leader said he is NOT interested in VICTORY!
So much for Michelle’s sacrifice
I’m breathlessly awaiting Jimmuh Carter to weigh in on the racism of the IOC
The Ego Has Landed
Too funny!
The Drudge Report
World chanting:
Barack Hussein Obama
noo, noo, noo
If Obama could push The Reset Button on his presidency, he would in a nano-second. He is a child among men when it comes to leadership. American confidence is at an all-time low.
I'm sure the Iranians are having a good laugh at Obama's complete failure on the Olympic stage. More ammunition for the bad guys. We need some wins and now!
Good headline on Drudge Report:
Obama + Michelle x Oprah = Zero
Yeah, even with Oprah's golden touch, Obama couldn't get a win. What the hell?
The snake oil salesman fails in his attempt to bailout Chicago slumlords. Daley is in a bind now to hide the squalor that houses the gangs that kill innocent bystanders. What, use taxpayers money earmarked to help the poor on the poor? Good grief, what next?
Mr. Obama is asking himself right now: "What would Hugo Chavez do in this same predicament?"
Man there's some funny shi# on this Obama-Olympics thread!
The people that gathered in Daley Plaza to party after hearing they won the Olympic bid, are now silently crying. They seem to be in shock, after all, the Obama’s are so special, so Barry, Barry special.
Daley is complaining about the IOC not allowing dead people to vote.
Michelle is not a rock star, a falling star is more like it.
The corrupt media is gushing about Mizhell’s speech, but a fighting-back-tears farce speech about her father’s illness was a stretch, was out of line for a sports begfest, and was in poor taste. In my opinion, she ruined Chicago’s chance. Enough of this victim stuff is enough!!!! I guess she will be ashamed of her country again.
It's RIO, not the ZERO!
Obama’s Olympic failure will only add to doubts about his presidency
Charles Dharapak/AP
Barack Obama fails to make the case for Chicago to the IOC in Copenhagen
There has been a growing narrative taking hold about Barack Obama’s presidency in recent weeks: that he is loved by many, but feared by none; that he is full of lofty vision, but is actually achieving nothing with his grandiloquence.
Chicago’s dismal showing today, after Mr Obama’s personal, impassioned last-minute pitch, is a stunning humiliation for this President. It cannot be emphasised enough how this will feed the perception that on the world stage he looks good — but carries no heft.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6859031.ece
Obama is a loser, let the spin begin. How will the liberal media slant this dismal failure?
But, but, but, the world swoons for Obama, they love the USA since the election! The ‘One’ failed, how the hell did that happen?
Obama told the world that the USA is no longer an exceptional naltion, and that we are just like all other nations.
So tehn why SHOULD they pick Chicago?
Losing Faith in the Commander in Chief
Obama has already achieved what it took Jimmy Carter an entire term to attain.
Bwhahahaha
@Lucianne.com
He couldn't sell the snake oil because you can’t sell a product (in this case America) that you don’t believe in.
But had the Olympic bids been for say Kenya, Indonesia, or Mecca, he could have sold it to the IOC in a Chicago minute!
BREAKING: Court Orders Recount of Olympic Bid – Polls to Remain Open
Copenhagen – An International Criminal Court judge has ordered that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) resume counting in the selection process for the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Judge Enrique Castro, appointed to the court last year by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and nephew of the Cuban President Raul Castro, ordered a stunned IOC to resume vote counting late Friday.
Judge Castro issued an emergency injunction after receiving multiple complaints of voter disenfranchisement by community activist groups Community Organizers International (COI), the Organization of American States (OAS) and Hezbollah.
COI chairwoman Valerie Jarrett voiced her organization’s approval of the judge’s decision. “As anyone who watched this charade being played out on television can plainly see the underprivileged were not well represented in this voting process.
We have asked the court only for what is fair – that we be allowed to chose a diverse, multicultural pool of voters to balance the ‘white out’ that apparently dominates IOC voting.”
Hezbollah spokesman Islamic Rage Boy added that “There appears to have been a deliberate attempt by some cities not directly associated with Islam to exclude us from this process.
We are very surprised by Madrid’s refusal to withdraw. I thought they learned their lesson in 2004. Oh, and death to all who oppose us. Peace be with you. The Jooos are to blame.”
NY Times David Brooks, when asked about the Court Ordered Recount of Olympic Bid and having the Polls to Remain Open, said:
"A GOP Senator Had Hand On My Thigh During Dinner"
Obama should have taken the New Black Panther Party with in and had them stand behind him when he gave his speech to the IOC.
The NYT online, just put the news of Barry’s failure in its sport’s section. Where do you think the story would have been if Chicago had won the Olympics?
First round:
Madrid 28 votes;
Rio de Janeiro 26;
Tokyo 22;
Chicago 18 (Chicago eliminated).
Second round:
Rio 46;
Madrid 29;
Tokyo 20 (Tokyo eliminated)
Final round:
Rio 66;
Madrid 32 (Rio to host 2016 Games)
Anon 11:15 Spot ON!!
Obama says, These inferior people snub my greatness, it must be racism. Where is my race card? What do you mean it self destructs after one trillion uses?
London Times
“The members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) delivered a clear message to the American President and his wife that their 8,000-mile journey to court their vote in person had been a waste of time...
It is the biggest international setback yet for President Obama’s administration and the IOC dragged him halfway across the world to deliver it at a crucial time for his domestic agenda.
He and the First Lady, who both put themselves personally on the line to address the IOC, had not even landed back in Washington when the fate of the Chicago bid was sealed. “
Look at the bright side - in the middle of all this important stuff 0bama found nearly half an hour to give to Whatsisname, you know, that general from Afghanistan or somewhere?
Blame it on Axelrod! His former PR firm did all the work and was paid millions for the project of presenting Chicago’s bid.
Follow the money trail!
11:04 AM-Comedy Club snifter clink,
too funny, you write for a living, or ought to.
Barack Hussein Obama
Heh, heh, heh
Failure was not an option,
#@!*^(!@#$%^&*(!)@*#&$^%@#
Someone is going under the bus for this, mark my symbolism!
I am tired of the Olympics in general. They have become too political and corrupt. I don’t think they remotely resemble the sports events created to see world champions. Frankly, I don’t give a damn who wins what.
Obooba gave a bad speech to the IOC.
TOTUS suffered jet lag, it is as simple as that.
There is one person in America that is happy at this moment, Jimmah Carter, because he has real completion as the worst president in American history.
Top 10 Reasons Chicago Didn't Get the Olympics (National Review)
10. Dead people can't vote at IOC meetings
9. Obama distracted by 25 min meeting with Gen. McChrystal
8. Who cares if Obama couldn't talk the IOC into Chicago? He'll be able to talk Iran out of nukes.
7. The impediment is Israel still building settlements.
6. Obviously no president would have been able to acomplish it.
5. We've been quite clear and said all along that we didn't want the Olympics.
4. This isn't about the number of Olympics "lost", it's about the number of Olympics "saved" or "created".
3. Clearly not enough wise Latina judges on the committee
2. Because the IOC is racist.
1. It's George Bush's fault.
11:46 Sweetie the troll (David Brooks fluffer) votes Reason #5
I kinda feel sorry for Chicago's pimps, hookers, hustlers and real estate speculators in Chicago...especially Valerie Jarrett...they were REALLY gonna clean up...oh well...
Obama quote:
“Thereare times that America has shown arrogance.”
Maybe flying 4 jumb-jets full of arrogant Obamanuts into Copenhagen with the intent to steal the show, browbeat the IOC, and roll over other candidates is one of those times.
What was that Queeny Michelle looking like Big Bird all about?
Geez, the jolly yellow giant was in the house.
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