Reuters’ Cynthia Littleton reports that:
” Fox served up a reality one-two punch that propelled the network to the top spot Monday evening with the third season opener of ‘American Idol’ and the 9 p.m. bow of ‘My Big, Fat Obnoxious Fiance.’
‘Idol’ stormed back into primetime at 8 p.m. with an average of 24.8 million viewers and 12.5 rating/30 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.”
For a while, couldn’t figure this one out. But I think I have.
Cold temps, along with the ungodly boring events in Iowa.
Who said the Democrats weren’t responsible for dumbing down a nation?
“COLUMBUS, Ohio – After seven years of debate, lawmakers moved closer Wednesday to passing a law that would bar Ohio from recognizing same-sex marriages and keep some state employees from getting benefits for their domestic partners”
Silandara’s Blog is a nice respite from the political world, at least for today. Some wonderful writing. Her grandmother has died, and she’s going through a hard time just now. Hasn’t posted in a few days. But what she has up is quite good. A small modification of the tortured artist effect, I suppose.
“Nany has been viewed, funeraled, sung to, cremated, scattered, cried over and said good bye to. And that leaves me too sad to blog. I know she’s not gone, that her spirit remains. But the separation still hurts — I’m not sure how emotional pain can cause a physical aching in the heart region, but it does.”
Stop by and drop her a line. She could use a friend, I think.
Or, just read. Which I suppose is the highest compliment a writer, even a blogger, can get.
The Washington Times and damned few other places, are reporting that:
” Shi’ite Muslims marched through Baghdad for a second day yesterday, this time demanding the execution of Saddam Hussein whose Sunni-dominated regime repressed the Shi’ite majority for decades. “
Democrats for Bush/Cheney 2004
A great story this, and a worthwhile site.
Me at Drezner’s place this morning. Italics are the person I’m responding to, and below it, my response. I’d like to say I’m shocked by his suggestions, here, but I’m really not, as you’ll see.
Don’t be surprised by volitility among the candidates. The number one criteria of a sizable number of Democrats (myself included) is who can win in November. All other considerations are secondary. Who has the best health care plan? Who has the best economic stimulus plan? Who has the best whatever? Who Cares! The important thing is to win.
Astonishing.
This strikes me as remarkably similar to the attitude displayed by Mario Cuomo some years ago, between the November election of Bill Clinton, and the inauguration. Cuomo was quoted as saying at that stage, ‘What I wanted is what (Clinton) has done’. Since he was not in office, yet, one can only assume Cuomo was speaking of Clinton’s winning the election.
But what exactly does that get, if the policies espoused by each candidate, don’t matter? It gets the only thing that matters to a Democrat; power. Power, one logically asks, to do what?
I mean, here we have it in black and white…(OK, two shades of gray) which policies are better for America don’t matter to these people. All they care about is their political party.
Is this what Washington warned us about in his farewell address?
Am I the only one who roiled a bit at Pelosi?
“But event the most powerful nation in the history of the world must bring other nations to our side to meet common dangers.”
Perhaps she wasn’t listening to the same speech I was, where President Bush rattled off a rather impressive list of other nations who are involved in Iraq. It annoys me this lieeps being spread by the leftist media.
Perhaps what bothers her is our lack of full butt-kissing of the UN.
Matter of fact, you KNOW that’s what her complaint is.
And did she really misquote Kennedy, using the line ‘citizens of the world’?
Telling, that.
Boortz apparently shares my thoights as regards the reaction of the Democrats last night during the SOTU address:
“My most vivid memory of last night’s speech was the Democrats clear hatred of the mention of anything relating to tax cuts. It’s clear that Democrats hate the idea of tax cuts for anyone but their core constituency with a blinding passion. There was applause from the Democratic side of the aisle when Bush pointed out that if the Congress didn’t act to make his tax cuts permanent there would be a massive tax increase. Amazing. There seems to be no greater crime to a Democrat than to allow a successful person to keep one more dollar than necessary of the money they have earned from their hard work and good decision making.”
The George W. Bush Conspiracy Generator
This Java app spits out conspiracy theories that are more plauseable than what one finds in one of Dean’s Speeches.
Examples:
George W. Bush caused the Cubs to lose to the Marlins in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series so that white men, gun owners, oil companies, and big corporations could conquer Muslims.
George W. Bush allowed 9/11 to happen so that big corporations, Ann Coulter, and Rush Limbaugh could offend Michael Moore.
Mort Kondrake has an interesting take on the election:
“Here’s a harrowing pair of facts for Democrats: In 60 years, no Democrat has ever won the presidency without carrying the youth vote. And right now President Bush’s approval rating among 18- to 29-year-olds is 62 percent, higher than his nationwide rating. “
Which means, of course that the little barn dance out in Iowa last night is all but meaningless.
New York Gov. George Pataki (R) is reportedly taking in campaign money at a fast pace, even that fund raising is being outdone by Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D). Spitzer is pretty much a lock for the nomination for Govenor in 2006, or so says the Albany Times-Union.
Trouble for the Democrats is that frees up Pataki to run for Hillary Clinton’s US Senate seat, where he’s favored by 2 to 1 at the moment, to win. The other interesting point is Rudy Gulianni stands an equal chance to Pataki’s, if he decides to run for Schumer’s seat.
Ananova is reporting today that:
“J.R.R. Tolkien’s great-grandson has backed Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson to make a film version of The Hobbit. Jackson has already said he’d be interested if a deal on the film rights can be agreed”
Hmmm. Might be worth while. If a film was ever going to be made, I’d guess now would be the time, before the sets and props developed for LOTR get too messed up by time and so on.
Rich Lowry: Ted Kennedy’s Iraq lunacy
Another worthy read.
