Linux Bleg

Been toying with UBUNTU for a bit now. Currently on 710 with Gnome.  Finding that it won’t recognize the Intel 801e vid card. Anyone else have this problem, and solve it?

Jeanne Cummings over at The Politico:

With John McCain poised to win the Republican nomination, Democrats are already gathering ammunition to use against him in the general election.In more than a few instances, the best fodder has been provided by the candidate himself.

A case in point: As the economy was rising late last year as a major issue for voters, McCain in New Hampshire delivered this grenade, with its pin still in it: “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” he said. “I’ve got Greenspan’s book.”

Those are not the only words that will come back to haunt him in November.

This is news? I mean, we’ve been saying for months that this was going to occur… Did anyone really think that the buttock licking McCain’s been doing with Democrats was really going to advantage him in any way? He now stands between the Democrats and power, and like any other blockage in their path to power, he’s about to find out that respect they’ve been showing him was all an act. So much for the dream of ‘bipartisanship’.

Coalition forces capture Special Groups leader, detain four total suspects

Posted: 08 Feb 2008 04:11 AM CST

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Feb. 7, 2008) â?? Coalition forces captured a suspected Special Groups leader and detained three other suspects late Thursday during operations to disrupt criminal networks in the Mashru area, south of Baghdad.

Modern liberalism is so rooted in identity politics – approved tribes and unapproved tribes – that even its ideas  (“tolerance”, “diversity”) extend only to favored groups.         

Mark Steyn, National Review.

Look, gang… in the end, David Shuster called it like it is.. he told the truth of the matter.

That, in fact is what has the Clinton camp so riled.  Well, of course that and if they act angry enough, they’ll get votes out of it.

Think, now; If this were a Republican being talked about, Hillary and her camp would be among the first to applaud the statement. Proof?

• I don’t recall her complaining loudly about “Trailer Park Trash”… do you?
• Just wait until the primary is over, and watch the quality of the jibes she sends at McCain.
• And watch now, as to the campaign’s comments about not doing debates on MSNBC. Given that Hillary is complaining she’s broke and is doing everything she can to get free airtime, that’s gonna be a hard promise fo her to keep… as if she ever keeps promises.

Sorry, no sale, Hillary. Take your gasps of fake anger and your calculated anger, and get ’em out of the sunshine.

Addendum: ( David L)

I disagree a bit.  With Mrs. Clinton, while the tears are always fake, her anger is real.  It riles Mrs. Clinton is that she was treated with the same misogynic disrespect that she shows towards women.  I mean it is pefectly alright to call Paula Jones “Trailer Park Trash” but how dare it be done to her royal thighness.

?

Bad news, Bit,another year, another CPAC and another year without  the CPAC Blogger of of the Year award.  Well I’ll let  Gabriel Malor et al, Ace of Spades HQ, break the news:

Well, the Moron-in-Chief won the Blogger of the Year award at CPAC. Hopefully he will be along in a while to tell us all about it. For now, here is John Hawkin’s experience of meeting Ace:

Congratulations!  Well deserved.

More:  John Hawkins, Right Wing News, Newsbusters.

Hat tip photo:  Wikipedia.

• I note with interest, Mark Levin saying
  

  “I think one important focus of Reagan conservatives should be to do all they can to protect as many Republican seats in the House as possible. There needs to be at least one elected part of our government that might be in a position to stem what could be a very unpleasant four years.”

  Funny you should say that, Mark, given that’s exactly what the Swamp Stompers are all about.

• Of COURSE it’s drastic, Billy, and for reasons I’ve already raised here, when I originally raised Coulter’s comments on the matter. Desperate times, requiring desperate measures. Postulate a machine that must be kept running 24 hours per day, that is failing. As a computer support professional I can tell you that often as not the best way to get it out of the failure mode it’s in is to cold start the thing… take it offline for a brief period. I would regard what Perry’s talking about here as a control-alt-delete, in the DOS mode. I would certainly view a Democat Presidency to be a shutdown, and the next election to be the startup. Of course the question then becomes our ability to survive such a restart.
• A second place finish at the OTB Caption contest. Fromhere we go on to New Mexico, and Ohio and WHHOOOOHOOO!! Ahem. Sorry.
• Glenn remarks today:
  

  MEN WITHOUT CHESTS. “Nowhere was this more clear than at the recent menâ??s wear shows in Milan and Paris, where even those inured to the new look were flabbergasted at the sheer quantity of guys who looked chicken-chested, hollow-cheeked and undernourished. Not altogether surprisingly, the trend has followed the fashion pack back to New York.” And there’s this diagnosis: “??People are afraid to look over 21 or make any statement of what it means to be adult.”

  Well, here’s the thing about that; This trend is reflective, as most fashion is… it’s not a leader. What I mean by that is that it would seem to be reflective of what else is going on in society. Has the ‘youth movement’ gone full circle? Look at our politics. What is the big deal in this cycle? A woman running for President with the effective campaign slogan of “I want my MOMMY”. Even in the case of Obama, we’re talking about someone saying how the government ought to ‘protect us’ from LIFE, rather like Children.  So why wouldn’t that extend to a desire to LOOK like 12 year olds?

• I managed to catch the Shuttle lifting off yesterday in high-definition. I was actually a little surprised they got the thing up, given the weather forecasts had it a 70% chance they weren’t going to go.  Very impressive in high def. Of course watching such lift-offs since JFK was alive, has left me with an understanding of what to expect, but still…  You know, I’d like to run down there and see a liftoff someday.  Particularly, one at night; I gather that’s most impressive of all.
• We’re still toying with the idea of a Swamp Stomper podcast. There’s logistics to be worked out, but I’m now convinced it can be something special.
• If there is anyone more disconnected from reality than the Archbishop of Canterbury, it would have to be Ron Paul supporters.  Brown has just earned his pay for the month. The C of E, meanwhile, is dropping in stature daily, thanks to the efforts of the Archbishop. But why do we not recognize that what we’re dealing with is a culture war of the first order…. and that one of the first duties of any government, particularly one under an attack of this sort, is to protect the native culture? And as for the Anglican Church,  when they stopped insisting that Christ was the Son of God, they lost all direction. How can one call themselves ‘Christian” without that basic? And without that identity, you’re going to attach yourself to ‘open mindedness’ instead of Christ, well, this move of pushing Sharia is only one ghastly earthly consequence. Far as I’m concerned, there is a special level of hell for those who mislead worshipers.
• And by the way, what is the Archbishop proposing? Better read this.

It is a basic fact of biology, sex is immutable.   If you are born a male, you will die a male.   There is absolutely nothing any mortal can do about that.   Yet for some strange reason, we seem to think that are sex is like a pair of socks, which can be changed on a whim.   From KUSA-TV:

HIGHLANDS RANCH – The issue of being transgender usually pops up with students in high school. However, a 2nd grade boy wants to dress as a girl and be addressed with a girl’s name.
“As a public school system, our calling is to educate all kids no matter where they come from, what their background is, beliefs, values, it doesn’t matter,” said Whei Wong, Douglas County Schools spokesperson.

Putting a dress on a boy, having him the girl’s room and calling him a female name,  can not and will not make this John Doe into Jane Doe.   It has can’t be done and it has never been done.   School systems should be in the businss of teaching life and not pandering to delusions.   Putting a dress on a young man and calling him by a girl’s name will not make him into a female.  It will only make him into a boy with a dress.

We are what we are, and we can not change what we are by wearing or not wearing a dress.   Stop pandering to utter foolishness.

Commentary;  Clayton Cramer.

Hat tip:  Memeorandum.

Someone at Fox posted these yesterday, so I’ll pass them along.

[wp_youtube]4Ryh7NVK7Yo[/wp_youtube]

[wp_youtube]rM96OOXyOVo[/wp_youtube]

[wp_youtube]VyWIfzuyT68[/wp_youtube]

And here’s the text.

First off, even absent any other source material, it sounds to me like the place is packed with McCain supporters. But add some of the reports I have heard from last night… Steyn for example…

I’d say McCain definitely papered the house. I arrived at CPAC just before Mitt began to speak and was struck by the number of young student-ish types milling about in McCain T-shirts. While my minder went off to check her coat, I was loafing around the lobby, heard a conversation in Spanish, and noticed it was three of the McCain T-shirted students. Which struck me as odd: you don’t hear a lot of Spanish at CPAC.Almost all of the visible McCainiacs had left the hotel by about 20 minutes after he finished speaking.

… and it seems clear that the reactions of support from the crowd were mostly from people placed there by the McCain campaign to create the appearence that McCain was being well received. Quips Steyn: Think of it as McCain’s second surge. He increased troop strength to the levels he needed, and he got away with it – at least as far as TV coverage was concerned. Things would have gone differently without them. For my own speech, in an unpapered room, the despondency over the way this primary season has gone was palpable.

Yeah, no kidding. OK, that McCain stacked the deck and the fact that he felt he NEEDED to stack the deck… both those facts aside, let’s get into the text, and my comments:

Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. It’s been a little while since I’ve had the honor of addressing you, and I appreciate very much your courtesy to me today. We should do this more often. I hope you will pardon my absence last year, and understand that I intended no personal insult to any of you.

Sure you didn’t. You obviously felt your showing up there wouldn’t help your path to power. How else are we supposed to take it, John?

I was merely pre-occupied with the business of trying to escape the distinction of pre-season frontrunner for the Republican nomination, which, I’m sure some of you observed, I managed to do in fairly short order. But, now, I again have the privilege of that distinction, and this time I would prefer to hold on to it for a while.

Funny thing; That’s a distinction most of the people who were there and are actually conservatives didn’t think you deserve, and likley still don’t.  Better, that’s also why you didn’t show last time.

I know I have a responsibility, if I am, as I hope to be, the Republican nominee for President, to unite the party and prepare for the great contest in November. And I am acutely aware that I cannot succeed in that endeavor, nor can our party prevail over the challenge we will face from either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama, without the support of dedicated conservatives, whose convictions, creativity and energy have been indispensible to the success our party has had over the last quarter century.

Lick, Lick, Lick.

Many of you have disagreed strongly with some positions I have taken in recent years. I understand that. I might not agree with it, but I respect it for the principled position it is.

“Respect” is a funny thing, John. It’s generally not marked by insults and a few rounds of the four letter serenade. It’s a little odd how you mark ‘Respect”.

And it is my sincere hope that even if you believe I have occasionally erred in my reasoning as a fellow conservative, you will still allow that I have, in many ways important to all of us, maintained the record of a conservative. Further, I hope you will grant that I have defended many positions we share just as ardently as I have made my case for positions that have provoked your opposition. If not, thank you for this opportunity to make my case today.

No, John, you see, that’s just it. You’ve been more often wrong… often enough that you ahve not maintained the record of a conservative.  Hence your current tounge action trying to be forgiven.

I am proud to be a conservative, and I make that claim because I share with you that most basic of conservative principles: that liberty is a right conferred by our Creator, not by governments, and that the proper object of justice and the rule of law in our country is not to aggregate power to the state but to protect the liberty and property of its citizens. And like you, I understand, as Edmund Burke observed, that “whenever a separation is made between liberty and justice, neither . . . is safe.”

Now, that is rich. The author of McCain -Feingold, likley the biggest limit on free speech since this country was founded, quoting Burke, and talking about liberty. It’s breathtaking in it’s cheek, I’ll give it that.

While I have long worked to help grow a public majority of support for Republican candidates and principles, I have also always believed, like you, in the wisdom of Ronald Reagan, who warned in an address to this conference in 1975, that “a political party cannot be all things to all people.

Yes, but we’ll give you solid points for your attempts, John. You’ve been leaning left for years, while trying to pass yourself off as a conservative.  If that’s not playing both sides of the street and being all things to all people… or trying to… I don’t know what is.

It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers.”

Aha. So…. you DO understand our objection to you.

I attended my first CPAC conference as the invited guest of Ronald Reagan, not long after I had returned from overseas, when I heard him deliver his “shining city upon a hill” speech. I was still a naval officer then, but his words inspired and helped form my own political views, just as Ronald Reagan’s defense of America’s cause in Vietnam and his evident concern for American prisoners of war in that conflict inspired and were a great comfort to those of us who, in my friend Jerry Denton’s words, had the honor of serving “our country under difficult circumstances.” I am proud, very proud, to have come to public office as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution.

Full marks for cheek, JOhn, but I have to tell you… Given what you’ve done since, that attachment that affectation, is an affront to me, and to anyone who values what Reagan did for this country.

And if a few of my positions have raised your concern that I have forgotten my political heritage…

Actually, most of them have, John. Most of them.

…. I want to assure you that I have not, and I am as proud of that association today as I was then. My record in public office taken as a whole is the record of a mainstream conservative.

No, it decidedly is not. It is the record of someone who attaches himself to conservatives as a matter of expediency, not of principle.

I believe today, as I believed twenty-five years ago, in small government; fiscal discipline; low taxes; a strong defense, judges who enforce, and not make, our laws; the social values that are the true source of our strength; and, generally, the steadfast defense of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which I have defended my entire career as God-given to the born and unborn.

Those are my beliefs, and you need not examine only my past votes and speeches to assure yourselves that they are my genuine convictions. You can take added confidence from the positions I have defended during this campaign. I campaigned in Iowa in opposition to agriculture subsidies. I campaigned in New Hampshire against big government mandated health care and for a free market solution to the problem of unavailable and unaffordable health care. I campaigned in Michigan for the tax incentives and trade policies that will create new and better jobs in that economically troubled state. I campaigned in Florida against the national catastrophic insurance fund bill that passed the House of Representatives and defended my opposition to the prescription drug benefit bill that saddled Americans with yet another hugely expensive entitlement program.

That’s just it, John… we HAVE looked over your record and found it wanting. Admittedly, you’ve gotten a few things right, but only because of the political pressure being brought by conservative groups… you know… real conservatives, which you are not. Absent such pressure, your wind-finger would have had you supporting the socialist programs you now take credit for opposing.

I have argued to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, to reduce the corporate tax rate and abolish the AMT. I have defended my position on protecting our Second Amendment rights, including my votes against waiting periods, bans on the so-called “assault weapons,” and illegitimate lawsuits targeting gun manufacturers. I have proudly defended my twenty-four year pro-life record. Throughout this campaign, I have defended the President’s brave decision to increase troop levels in Iraq to execute a long overdue counterinsurgency that has spared us the terrible calamity of losing that war. I held these positions because I believed they were in the best interests of my party and country.”

Again, because of huge pressure from conservatives, not because of any bedrock conservative values that you now claim to hold.

Surely, I have held other positions that have not met with widespread agreement from conservatives. I won’t pretend otherwise nor would you permit me to forget it.

You’re damned right, we won’t.

And, stop calling me Shirley.

. On the issue of illegal immigration, a position which provoked the outspoken opposition of many conservatives, I stood my ground aware that my position would imperil my campaign. I respect your opposition for I know that the vast majority of critics to the bill based their opposition in a principled defense of the rule of law. And while I and other Republican supporters of the bill were genuine in our intention to restore control of our borders, we failed, for various and understandable reasons, to convince Americans that we were.  I accept that, and have pledged that it would be among my highest priorities to secure our borders first, and only after we achieved widespread consensus that our borders are secure, would we address other aspects of the problem in a way that defends the rule of law and does not encourage another wave of illegal immigration.

Mostly, you weren’t interested in securing the border… somehting even the people in your home state see quite clearly….  And that issue and your shift of stated position is a prime example of how the only way you go into your ‘strong conservative beliefs’ is when pressured by real conservatives and threatened with a loss of your current position of power.

All I ask of any American, conservative, moderate, independent, or enlightened Democrat, is to judge my record as a whole

We have. Your record stinks, John.. The issue before us now is if someone like you will do less damage than Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama to the conservative cause and thereby, the country. That question in my view and the view of many, is still and open one.

and accept that I am not in the habit of making promises to my country that I do not intend to keep. I hope I have proven that in my life even to my critics. Then vote for or against me based on that record, my qualifications for the office, and the direction where I plainly state I intend to lead our country. If I am so fortunate as to be the Republican nominee for President, I will offer Americans, in what will be a very challenging and spirited contest, a clearly conservative approach to governing. I will make my case to voters, no matter what state they reside in, in the same way. I will not obscure my positions from voters who I fear might not share them. I will stand on my convictions, my conservative convictions, and trust in the good sense of the voters, and in my confidence that conservative pr inciples still appeal to a majority of Americans, Republicans, Independents and Reagan Democrats.

John, don’t make the mistake of saying that the support of leftists today equals a vote for you from those same liberals in November. The fact remains they support you now because they see you as the easy one to beat in November.

Often elections in this country are fought within the margins of small differences. This one will not be.

Oh, yes, it will.  The domestic policy differences between you and either Democrat… absent serious pressure on you from conservative groups like CPAC, and conservative blogs and talkradio, are small enough not to matter. Your only strongpoint, in the view of most conservatives is the war on terror.

We are arguing about hugely consequential things. Whomever the Democrats nominate, they would govern this country in a way that will, in my opinion, take this country backward to the days when government felt empowered to take from us our freedom to decide for ourselves the course and quality of our lives; to substitute the muddled judgment of large and expanding federal bureaucracies for the common sense and values of the American people; to the timidity and wishful thinking of a time when we averted our eyes from terrible threats to our security that were so plainly gathering strength abroad. It is shameful and dangerous that Senate Democrats are blocking an extension of surveillance powers that enable our intelligence and law enforcement to defend our country against radical Islamic extremists. This election is going to be about big things, not small things. And I intend to fight as hard as I can to ensure that our principles prevail over theirs.

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama want to increase the size of the federal government.

I intend to reduce it. I will not sign a bill with earmarks in it, any earmarks in it. I will fight for the line item veto, and I will not permit any expansion whatsoever of the entitlement programs that are bankrupting us. On the contrary, I intend to reform those programs so that government is no longer in that habit of making promises to Americans it does not have the means to keep.

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will raise your taxes.

I intend to cut them. I will start by making the Bush tax cuts permanent. I will cut corporate tax rates from 35 to 25% to keep industries and jobs in this country. I will end the Alternate Minimum Tax. And I won’t let a Democratic Congress raise your taxes and choke the growth of our economy.

Deja-Pooh, Senator. I’ve heard this crap before. For example when Bubba promised stuff like this, the promise was broken before the door closed from Bubba entering the oval office. If you keep these promises, particularly with a Democrat Congress, I will be amazed.

They will offer a big government solution to health care insurance coverage.

I intend to address the problem with free market solutions and with respect for the freedom of individuals to make important choices for themselves.

Free market? You mean like eliminating Medicare? See what I mean about not being driven by principle, Senator?

They will appoint to the federal bench judges who are intent on achieving political changes that the American people cannot be convinced to accept through the election of their representatives.

I intend to nominate judges who have proven themselves worthy of our trust that they take as their sole responsibility the enforcement of laws made by the people’s elected representatives, judges of the character and quality of Justices Roberts and Alito, judges who can be relied upon to respect the values of the people whose rights, laws and property they are sworn to defend.

Funny, that wasn’t your attitude a few months ago.

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will withdraw our forces from Iraq based on an arbitrary timetable designed for the sake of political expediency, and which recklessly ignores the profound human calamity and dire threats to our security that would ensue.

Actually, they’;ve been playing a game you know pretty well… they’ve been playing both sides of that sisue for some months now… and in no case have they ever stated they were working on a timetable basis…. neither one of them.  That’s not a defense of them…. (I suppose and expect they’d not have the gut to admit it if they did want to impose such a timeline… but let’s be honest enough to say that nobody, even Democrats… wants to be tagged with having lost a war. ) Where is your evidence for this statement, John?

I intend to win the war, and trust in the proven judgment of our commanders there and the courage and selflessness of the Americans they have the honor to command. I share the grief over the terrible losses we have suffered in its prosecution. There is no other candidate for this office who appreciates more than I do just how awful war is. But I know that the costs in lives and treasure we would incur should we fail in Iraq will be far greater than the heartbreaking losses we have suffered to date. And I will not allow that to happen.

As I recall it was President Bush’s intent to win the war… and that of his commanders, including Rumsfled, whom you were quite willing to attack when it was fashionable to do so, and thus gave comfort to our enemy.

They won’t recognize and seriously address the threat posed by an Iran with nuclear ambitions to our ally, Israel, and the region.

I intend to make unmistakably clear to Iran we will not permit a government that espouses the destruction of the State of Israel as its fondest wish and pledges undying enmity to the United States to possess the weapons to advance their malevolent ambitions.

One of the few positives.

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will concede to our critics that our own actions to defend against its threats are responsible for fomenting the terrible evil of radical Islamic extremism, and their resolve to combat it will be as flawed as their judgment.

Yes, well, so were you, Senator… as I recall, you called it ‘torture’ and were loudly critical about it, thus giving aid and comfort to our enemy.

I intend to defeat that threat by staying on offense and by marshaling every relevant agency of our government, and our allies, in the urgent necessity of defending the values, virtues and security of free people against those who despise all that is good about us.

This would be a nice change, if we can get you to stick to your word on the subject, and not go marching off down ‘Maverick Lane’ as you have so often in the past.

These are but a few of the differences that will define this election. They are very significant differences, and I promise you, I intend to contest these issues on conservative grounds and fight as hard as I can to defend the principles and positions we share, and to keep this country safe, proud, prosperous and free.

We have had a few disagreements, and none of us will pretend that we won’t continue to have a few.

Oh, gee… there’s a reason to vote you into office. You’re going to have power and will be working against us.

But even in disagreement, especially in disagreement, I will seek the counsel of my fellow conservatives. If I am convinced my judgment is in error, I will correct it.

First off, that’s not been your record, John, with the notable exception of illegal immigration.. an issue that came up only after you’d already decided to run for POTUS. Your ‘consulting’ ended up being beat about the head and shoulders with a nailed baseball bat by conservative groups. Gonna be a fun four years f we have to do that, all the time.  And what assurances can we get from you that you would even respond to such pressure, once in office, when you have no further worries about gaining votes from conservatives?

Secondly, that there end up being such disagreements tells me all I need to know about your dedication to conservative principle.  If you were driven, in your choices by actual conservative principle, such disagreements wouldn’t exist. Your choices wouldn’t be causing such disagreements.

And if I stand by my position, even after benefit of your counsel, I hope you will not lose sight of the far more numerous occasions when we are in complete accord.

Nice try, John. No sale.

I began by assuring you that we share a conception of liberty that is the bedrock of our beliefs as conservatives. As you know, I was deprived of liberty for a time in my life, and while my love of liberty is no greater than yours, you can be confident that mine is the equal of any American’s. It is a deep and unwavering love. My life experiences in service to our country inform my political judgments.They are at the core of my convictions.

And they make your attitudes about the treatment of terrorists, suspect at least.

And by the way, John… You been talking to Kerry about the political value of having ‘served in Vietnam’? Don’t go changing your name, like he did, OK?

I am pro-life and an advocate for the Rights of Man everywhere in the world because of them, because I know that to be denied liberty is an offense to nature and nature’s Creator. I will never waver in that conviction, I promise you. I know in this country our liberty will not be seized in a political revolution or by a totalitarian government. But, rather, as Burke warned, it can be “nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts.” I am alert to that risk and will defend against it, and ta ke comfort from the knowledge that I will be encouraged in that defense by my fellow conservatives.

Again, an interesting statement coming from an author of what is likely the biggest affront to free speech ever devised in this country: McCain-Fiengold.. and invoking Burke no less in the doing. Inaccurate, but I’ll give you full marks for cheek, John.

You have heard me say before that for all my reputation as a maverick, I have only found true happiness in serving a cause greater than my self-interest. For me, that cause has always been our country, and the ideals that have made us great. I have been her imperfect servant for many years, and I have made many mistakes. You can attest to that, but need not. For I know them well myself. But I love her deeply and I will never, never tire of the honor of serving her. I cannot do that without your counsel and support. And I am grateful, very grateful, that you have given me this opportunity to ask for it.

Thank you and God bless you.

Lick, Lick, Lick.

I begged you …BEGGED you… to convince me, John, and you failed. Have you anything else to offer?

The debate, ladies before gentlemen;

Agan, Laure Ingraham, via Allah Pundit, Hot Air,.

Fer Tom Colburn, via Allah Pundit, Hot Air fer:

[wp_youtube]0ldmNnbYVqg[/wp_youtube]

My two cents:   

As to Laura, I love what she said.   Draft  Ingraham – 2012 

As for Colburn,  I note that Colburn speaks like the Vice President designate.   If  Colburn is to be the Veep, I like the apparent fact that McCain accepts dissent.   Colburn had the audacity to attack McCain’s signature bill, McCain-Feingold.    I like McCain setting up Congress as the villain.   If McCain wants to dead fish Congress with pork barrel spending, McCain has those credentials, and further there is nothing Dirty Harry Reid, Mrs. Pelosi, Barack Obama or Mrs. Clinton can do to about it.    Reid, Pelosi, Obama and Clinton are all part of the problem.

As for Mitt Romney, if he want get elected in four years, he needs to rid himself of the image as an up dated version of Jack Kemp, a candidate with good ideas who simply can inspire people to vote for him.

 Apparently unable to learn from past mistakes, or just too unhinged to know better, Air America Radio host Randi Rhodes has aired another psychotic “parody” skit. This time, the faux ad, supposedly for Mitt Romney, says his supporters will commit mass killings if John McCain becomes the nominee.Airing on Super Tuesday, the recorded bit marks the second time Rhodes has gone overboard in this way: in 2005, a similar clip depicted a Sopranos-style hit on President Bush.

That’s the Radio Equalizer, today. If there was any bigger indication of how much the left feared a Romney Presidency, I’d like to see it. Clearly, they consider a McCain Presidency freidnlier to their leftist causes.

I’ll be kind and assume the 17 “bloody mary” binge doesn’t have anything to do with this excess.

Addendum:  (David L)

Meanwhile in the leftosphere, no comment from Media Matters for America.   Evidently, Miedia Matters does not think Rhodes matters,  I agree.

The counters went over a million and a half, last night.  That’s a lot of visits. All I can say is “Wow”.

Thanks to all for stopping in, and particular thanks to all of you who are regulars here. You guys make it happen.

Two men, one woman killed in raid, child injured

Posted: 05 Feb 2008 02:51 PM CST

Two men and a woman were killed during an intelligence-driven raid on a suspected terrorist cell, which involved a small arms fire exchange between Coalition Forces and and two suspected cell members near Tikrit, Iraq, Feb. 5.

UPDATE: Coalition forces kill two terrorists; woman killed

Posted: 06 Feb 2008 10:19 AM CST

UPDATE (Feb. 6, 2008): Numerous media reports have mischaracterized events in Tuesdayâ??s operation in Ad Dawr. While conducting an intelligence-driven operation in pursuit of an al-Qaeda terrorist, Coalition forces approached the target house and, upon attempting entry, were confronted by a man who fired at the soldiers. The ground force returned fire, and the individual continued to fire at Coalition forces through a window, slightly wounding one soldier. MND-B Soldiers recover large cache (6 FEB)

Posted: 06 Feb 2008 04:35 AM CST

BAGHDAD (Feb. 6, 2008) – Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers seized a large weapon and bomb making cache in Abu Ghraib, west of the Iraq Capital Feb. 4.

• You can call it what you want to, David, and I suppose Romney and his comments this afternoon there were worth some consideration, with regards to the questions I was asking this morning.  That said, I am immediately suspicious whenever somebody turns around 180° and supports the person that they were running against. Frankly, I can’t help but wonder if there wasn’t some back room deal going on, with regards Romney and a vice president slot. I say that, because I concur with your estimation that Huckabee will end up under the straight talk express very shortly.
• I decided to get WordPress updated this afternoon, when I caught word that the reason for the hurry up update.  Was that there was a security issue with 2.3.2.  Update went smoothly, no problems expected, all’s well, all flags are flying, and all that. If you’re running WordPress, you may want to look at the automatic update plug-in. I’ve used that for a couple of updates now, and it’s a little clunky, but it’s a heck of a lot easier than doing it any other way.
• I have given McCain’s speech at CPAC a once over, and frankly, in my first read it the text, I remain less than fully impressed. Perhaps I’ve just gotten in the habit, after dealing with the Clintons of parsing text. IN any event, I’ll be reviewing it overnight, and will attempt to post extended comments on it tomorrow.  Certainly, the emphasis of the speech has changed since Governor Romney has dropped out.  Or, not, maybe. Regardless of Romney being in the race yet, the bottom line is he still has to convince conservatives he’s one of them… and given the history that’s going to be like selling used condoms outside the Clinton White House.  I see Mary Catherine Ham thought the speech was OK, if not altogether accurate when McCain started talking about how he’d always respected the positions of the base. Hey, look, he hadda insert some humor there somewhere… it’s a fairly tense situation, you know?  I also see Rick Moran got a first draft of the speech, or something.
• Several inches os snow, today. Birds around here seem to think they’re in for a long stint, this time; they and the squirrels are going crazy at my feeders, today.
• I see Hillary Clinton is broke. Her people are working without pay ‘voluntarily”, and she’s started making noises about once per week, whereas Obama is sucking up money faster than coke up Roger Clinton’s nose. The upshot of that is, that HillBilly is now demading Obama ‘debate’ her once per week until November. IN short, she’s looking for all the free airplay she can get, now.
• Interesting comments about McCain in the WSJ today… (BBCT Conservative Reader)
• By the way, guys… you do know Valentine’s day is only a short hope from here, right?
• The Senate has finally gotten around to passing that Stimulus bill. Now to make it mesh with the version from the lower house.

Fox News:

Mitt Romney told a conservative group briefly stunned silent by the news that he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.During his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, Romney said if he prolonged his run, it would hurt the party and front-runner John McCain’s ability to defeat the Democratic nominee.

“If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator (Hillary) Clinton or (Barack) Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” he said.

Hmm.  I suspect he’s been struggling with the same questions I was wrestling with this morning. This effectively leaves via absentia, the nomination to McCain.  Thing is, he’s got to maintain the appearance of being true to the party. I don’t. His questions appear to have been answeed for him by party loyalty. Mine cannot be.

Public notice to John McCain: Go ahead… convince me. I’m begging you.

Addendum:  (David L)

Well with respect the raging debate who would be better John McCain or Barack Obama/Mrs. Clinton, Mitt has case his vote.   I will give it a lot of weight.  

On the bright side, McCain no longer has any use for Mike Huckabee.  Expect him to be thrown under the bus.    Speaking of the bus, how many minutes before the Straight Talk  Express makes a hard left turn?