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The Lunch Counter
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
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Failing to even consider that the Capitol policeman just didn't recognize her,  and she was not wearing her special lapel pin that would have identified her as a member of Congress, Rep. McKinney does what comes natural, she goes to fisticuffs. You can take the woman out of the ghetto, but . . .
update 3/31/06: And after a couple days to think things over. She feels there is no apology due for her assault and battery on a policeman. Only she knows if the officer's race has any bearing on her obstinate, immature behavior. Yup, can't get the ghetto out of the woman.
update update 3/31/06: Sometimes if you wait long enough, your questions will be answered. Today it took about 2 hours. You can forget an apology, Cynthia McKinney is playing the race card, it's perfect, against a white cop. She is playing the victim of racial discrimination. 'In Congress while Black.' What a loon. This is the last update on this woman with a big chip on her shoulder.
Ga. Congresswoman in Scuffle With Police (AP). AP - Rep. Cynthia McKinney and a police officer scuffled Wednesday after the Georgia Democrat entered a House office building unrecognized and refused to stop when asked, according to U.S. Capitol Police.
[Yahoo! News: Politics News]
11:37:17 PM 
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The dance begins. The United Nations Security Council today agreed on a statement Wednesday demanding that Iran suspend uranium enrichment, setting the stage for the first action by the U.N. to stop Tehran from enriching uranium, something that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made his country's mission. Remember Ahmadinejad had also threatened war if the U.N. would impose any kind of sanctions.
4:06:25 PM
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Responding to the Democrats so-called security agenda, which they unveiled today, House Majority Leader John Boehner issued the following statement.
The Democrats' years of negligence in addressing the real safety and security needs of the American people provide a very clear choice between Republicans and Democrats on security issues.
"While Democrats have openly advocated cutting and running from our efforts to support democracy in Iraq, Republicans continue to build upon our strong record on national security by funding our troops fighting terror around the world and supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
"While Democrats seem more interested in protecting the rights of terrorists than the American people, Republicans passed the PATRIOT Act to give law enforcement the tools necessary to combat terrorism, protect our citizens, and secure our communities.
While Democrats focus more on protecting the rights of illegal immigrants than enforcing our immigration laws, Republicans have voted to secure our borders, give law enforcement new tools to enforce our immigration laws, and help prevent terrorist and criminal aliens from moving freely throughout our society.
The Democrats, led by Nancy Pelosi, opposed the Patriot Act, opposed REAL ID legislation, and opposed efforts to strengthen and secure our borders. And they remain unable and unwilling to articulate a cohesive strategy for supporting our troops and winning the War on Terror.
When it comes to national security, their answer is the same as it is for everything else: no. A media stunt will not eclipse their record of obfuscation and neglect on national and border security."
PREVIOUS:
John Cornyn: Real Insecurity
Democrats' Meaningless Promises
A Clear Choice On Security Issues [GOP Bloggers]
3:38:07 PM
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Rep. Jim (Baghdad Jim) McDermott D-Wash loses appeal in a case of warrantless wiretapping, when he handed an illegally obtained tape of a private phone conversation to a reporter at the New York Times. Is ordered to pay Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio over $700,000 in damages.
What, no call to censure Sen. McDermott, who was actually convicted? A double standard even trumps a conviction when a Democrat is involved.
7:16:13 AM
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Tuesday, March 28, 2006
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Democrats choosing to run on OBL while Justice Breyer says there is no war. WTF
Breyer said
I take [your] argument as saying you want to try a war crime. You want to say this is a war crimes tribunal. One, this is not a war — at least not an ordinary war.
Let's see, the enemy wants to kill us. Sounds like an ordinary war to me. They said as much already. It is the enemy that is different this time. The New York Times version did not include this in their reporting.
 Democrats Pledge to 'Eliminate' Osama (AP).
AP - Congressional Democrats promise to "eliminate" Osama bin Laden and ensure a "responsible redeployment of U.S. forces" from Iraq in 2006 in an election-year national security policy statement.
[Yahoo! News: Politics News]
11:37:19 PM
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Wouldn't be my choice either.  But he did the right thing by letting them know. That is, if what the NYT is reporting on is actually a true story. Disclaimer noted.
Seems al-Jaafari and al-Sadr are buds, and as the most powerful and organized militia, al-Sadr is a big supporter of al-Jaafari.
Tomorrow's news will be sure to include a bombing or terrorist attack by one of al-Sadr's militia. One thing is for sure, the wart in Iraq is beginning to show. The Iraqi people need to remove it.
Bush Opposes Iraq's Premier, Shiites Report. The Bush administration does not want Ibrahim al-Jaafari to remain the leader of Iraq, Shiite leaders said today. By EDWARD WONG. [NYT > Home Page]
11:25:51 PM
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More From Saddam's Archives.
A reader calls our attention to another of the audio tape recordings from Saddam Hussein's office. This one is ISGQ-2003-M0004667, and appears to have been recorded around 1996. Like most of the audiotapes, it is rambling, confusing and often incoherent. The ambiguity of most of what Saddam and his henchmen say is maddening. However, there are some interesting nuggets. This one suggests that the Russians have been paid off:
We have succeeded in a few of the U.N. paragraphs, we have won Russia, ahhh ... we have convinced Russia by way of generous accounts [payoffs], in which, you remember how and why it happened...
Iraq's lies to the U.N. inspectors are again acknowledged, although the actual state of Iraq's weapons programs at the time can't be deduced from the tape:
They have a bigger problem with the Chemical progam than the Biological program, a lot bigger... It is not the weapons, the size of the imported material, the size of [UNINTELLIGIBLE] that we presented to them or the size of the stockpile. They knew that not all of this was true. We have not told them about the size or kind of Chemical weapons that we produced, and we have not told them the truth about the imported material. Therefore, sir, if they want to raise an issue, I mean, they will see that our argument is the issue of the Biological program.
It is clearly stated that nuclear materials were moved out of Iraq, and it seems, although less clearly, that Iraqi "teams" were still working on nuclear weapons:
Sir, where was the Nuclear material transported to? A number of them were transported outside of Iraq. *** Sir, about the Nuclear program, we say that we have uncovered everything. In addition, we have an unannounced problem with the Nuclear program, and I think they know about it. I mean, there is working teams that are working and some of these teams are not known to anyone.
As we've said before, each of these documents is a very small piece of a very large mosaic, and it would be a mistake to try to draw conclusions prematurely. But some of these comments are certainly suggestive. [Power Line]
11:09:04 PM
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OK, who is surprised that we're not winning the war in the media? Rumsfeld wanted a  department to deal with media perception. Pointing out that the enemy uses the media to its advantage in a way that we need to deal with. It was killed in and by the U.S. media before it even got started, and by politicians that didn't have the stomach for it.
"If I were grading I would say we probably deserve a `D' or a `D-plus' as a country as to how well we're doing in the battle of ideas that's taking place in the world today," Rumsfeld told a questioner from his audience at the Army War College in Carlisle, PA today. "I'm not going to suggest that it's easy, but we have not found the formula as a country" for countering the extremists' message.
Speaking before the Council on Foreign Relations last month, Rumsfeld said "We meet today in the sixth year in which our nation has been engaged in what promises to be a long struggle against an enemy that in many ways is unlike any our country has ever faced. And in this war, some of the most critical battles may not be in the mountains of Afghanistan or the streets of Iraq, but in newsrooms -- in places like New York, London, Cairo, and elsewhere."
Consider this statement:
"More than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media. . . we are in a media battle in a race for the hearts and minds of [Muslims]."
The speaker was not some modern-day image consultant in a public relations firm in New York City. It was Osama bin Laden’s chief lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Rumsfeld has been right on this aspect of the war from the beginning. And who hasn't? Just about everyone.
Rumsfeld Grades U.S. Poor in Global Debate (AP).
12:28:06 AM
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Monday, March 27, 2006
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Sharon Stone stuck on stupid in antique feminism. Out of touch? You decide. She said men "are still afraid” of a woman leading the U.S., adding: "And I don't think women are too comfortable with the idea of a female in charge. I find that really amazing."
 What's amazing is how little she thinks of women in general and women in politics today. But then, her credentials are limited.
Sharon Stone: Hillary Has 'Sexual Power' [NewsMax.com]
3:58:44 PM
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Tuesday, March 21, 2006
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Al Gore brings the disappointing news today.  He won't be re-running for president in 2008. I think he wants to beat Bill out of UN Secretary General after Kofi Annan goes home.
"I'm not planning to be a candidate again. I haven't reached a stage in my life where I'm willing to say I will never consider something like this,'' he said. "But I'm not saying that to be coy; I'm just saying that to be honest that I haven't reached that point.''
Al Gore: I Have No Plans to Run in 2008. Former vice president says he isn't likely to make second bid to be commander-in-chief. By foxnewsonline@foxnews.com. [FOXNews.com - Politics]
12:54:23 AM
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Known as The Black Fives, here's a little bit of history I bet you didn't know. The Rens is the tip of the iceberg. A great story and a not insignificant part of Black American history. If you're like me, this short article by Martin Johnson will leave you wanting to know more.
Growing up in the 50's & 60's, all I knew about basketball was that it was something you do in high school. As a freshman, I found that I wasn't cut out for basketball and left it at that. This article opened my eyes to something I had never heard of. Go back and catch up.
The Days of the Rens. Everyone remembers baseball's Negro Leagues. Here's the story of the basketball counterpart. [OpinionJournal.com]
12:40:09 AM
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Monday, March 20, 2006
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The Democrats: Still Shameless.
This afternoon the Democrats sent an email attacking President Bush's eloquent speech on the Iraq war. The Democrats' email featured this contemptible charge:
The distortions continued this afternoon, as President Bush took the stage and again misled people. Here's what he said:
BUSH: "First, just if I might correct a misperception, I don't think we ever said -- at least I know I didn't say that there was a direct connection between September the 11th and Saddam Hussein."
That is false. In fact, almost exactly three years ago he did just that:
"The use of armed forces against Iraq is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or person who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001." [President George W. Bush, Letter to Congress, 3/21/03]
The full text of Bush's letter is here. It advises the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate that, pursuant to Congress's Authorization for the Use of Military Force in Iraq, he has made the determination that "further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq, nor lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq." Therefore, he has ordered military action against Iraq.
The Democrats apparently believe that the members of their party can't read, and have very short memories. The excerpt from the letter quoted by the Democrats does not say that Iraq was involved in the September 11 attacks. It says that attacking Iraq is "consistent with" the policy of taking action against international terrorists, including--but not limited to--those who committed the September 11 attacks. In fact, by March 2003 many of those who "planned, authorized, committed or aided" the September 11 attacks had fled from Afghanistan to Iraq. Zarqawi, the most famous such refugee, was only one of many.
What the Democrats fail to mention could fill volumes: Congress passed a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. The resolution itemized many grounds for the action, but participation in the September 11 attacks was not among them. President Bush delivered a series of speeches to the American people in which he outlined the case for deposing Saddam, including, among others, the 2003 State of the Union address and the speech he gave on the eve of the war. In none of these speeches did Bush say that Iraq had been involved in the September 11 attacks. Likewise, Vice-President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and other administration spokesmen have given any number of speeches on the Iraq war; not once has any of them said that Iraq was involved in the September 11 attacks. President Bush and Vice-President Cheney have given many interviews on the subject of Iraq. They have often been asked about possible connections between Iraq and September 11. On every occasion, they have said that we do not know of any such connection.
The leaders of the Democratic Party write to the members of their party exactly as they would if they believed those members to be ignorant of current events, unable to read plain English text with any discrimination, and consumed by hatred of President Bush. Are they right? I don't know. They know their members better than I do. [Power Line]
9:47:32 PM
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Convert To Christianity and Die
SAVE ABDUL RAHMAN. Over the weekend, I noted the trial of Muslim-born Abdul Rahman, who faces execution in Afghanistan for converting to Christianity. The NYSun headlined the story on the front page today and blogs are all over it, but most of the... [Michelle Malkin]
UPDATE: freed
9:44:42 PM
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Saturday, March 18, 2006
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In a different time, like the WWII era for example, news of the Saddam tapes and only recently translated documents that were seized at the fall of Baghdad would be front page news and on every television network and cable news. The whole country would know. Unfortunately for the 'truth,' these tapes confirm what Bush has said from the get-go on Iraq, before the Iraq Theater of war began. Oh, and this news also proves his detractors absolutely and definitively wrong in their assertions in the Bush lied people died mantra.
Fact is this news won't be anywhere near front page and not on the major broadcast networks, including ABC who is in possession of these tapes and documents. It has been resigned to an Internet story with apparently little credibility outside of conservative websites.
They don't want you to know.
- In the last month we have heard first-hand testimony from Saddam's man in charge of his nuclear program.
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We have heard Saddam himself talking of moving banned nuclear and biological weapons and any other banned (by the cease-fire agreement) weapons out of reach of the UN inspectors.
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We have heard from Saddam's #2 man in his Air Force, General George Sada, describe how and where banned weapons and WMD's were moved.
The pudding gets thicker when one ponders where Democrats are going now? They can't come up with a platform other than Bush is bad, backed up by their constant carping about how Bush had lied. Now that the Democrats' position, which they've held since January 2002, has been proven to be totally wrong, they are going to have to have more than a platform to run on. They are going to have to come to grips with the truth, ahem, admit mistakes, like their big 'mistake', apologize to the public, and to the administration, and move on. I hear that Crow is not bad this time of year. OK so they won't take my advice, which puts them between a rock and a hard place when election time rolls around.
Link to the Foreign Military Studies Office Joint Reserve Intelligence Center
12:53:39 AM
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Friday, March 17, 2006
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ABC News Investigates Iraq Documents.
ABC News is probably the most serious of the three major networks. They've begun analyzing recently released documents captured in Iraq, and there are some interesting findings.
An Iraqi intelligence service document saying that their Afghani informant, who's only identified by a number, told them that the Afghani Consul Ahmed Dahastani claimed the following in front of him:
That OBL and the Taliban are in contact with Iraq and that a group of Taliban and bin Laden group members visited Iraq.
That the U.S. has proof the Iraqi government and "bin Laden's group" agreed to cooperate to attack targets inside America.
That in case the Taliban and bin Laden's group turn out to be involved in "these destructive operations," the U.S. may strike Iraq and Afghanistan.
That the Afghani consul heard about the issue of Iraq's relationship with "bin Laden's group" while he was in Iran. Any proof of collaboration between Iraq and al Qaeda would blow apart all conventional wisdom. Correctly, the ABC Editor's Note states that "the sourcing is questionable" and that "without further corroboration, this document is of limited evidentiary value." Perhaps CBS (if they even acknowledge existence of these documents) will conclude that it should be taken at face value since it has not been proven to be a forgery.
Correspondence regarding election campaigns in France. This includes a document from the Iraqi intelligence service classified as "secret," ordering the translation of important parts of a 1997 report about campaign financing laws in France. It also includes a document from the foreign minister's office indicating the report was attached. The attached translated report included very detailed information about all the regulations regarding financing of election campaigns in France. Can you say "Oil-for-Food bribery?"
A letter from the Iraqi intelligence service to directors and managers advising them to follow certain procedures in case of a search by the U.N. team, including:
Removing correspondence with the atomic energy and military industry departments concerning the prohibited weapons (proposals, research, studies, catalogs, etc.).
Removing prohibited materials and equipment, including documents and catalogs and making sure to clear labs and storages of any traces of chemical or biological materials that were previously used or stored . Again, the only liar on WMD was Saddam.
A number of correspondences to check rumors that some members of al Qaeda organization have entered Iraq. Three letters say this information cannot be confirmed. The letter on page seven, however, says that information coming from "a trustworthy source" indicates that subjects who are interested in dealing with al Qaeda are in Iraq and have several passports. This does not prove a collaborative relationship, but it would seem to disprove the myth that al Qaeda was not present in Iraq until the war.
The documents released are a drop in the ocean of what's been captured. But it is good to see that at least one MSM outlet is spending time on the story. Let's see if the NY Times or others follow suit on what should be a major investigative opportunity. They expended lots of resources on the "story" of Augusta National's men-only policy. This story is slightly more significant. [GOP Bloggers]
4:02:38 PM
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Oooh, Kofi Annan, president of the world if you ask Jimmy Carter, has spoken with all the authority vested in the UN Secretary-General.  He is urging the terrorist states around Israel, and Israel itself, to 'ease tensions.' I'm sorry Kofi, did I miss your definitive action in Sudan or have you solved that one already?
UN alerts Israel, Lebanon, Syria to border fears (Reuters).
Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the leaders of Israel, Syria and Lebanon to take steps to ease tensions along Israel's northern border following reports a possible confrontation may be in the works, the United Nations said on Thursday.
[Yahoo! News: Politics News]
3:58:28 PM
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 Standing on an oil rig, Mexico's President Vicente Fox says Mexico is expected to strike a 10 billion barrel oil find in a deep well in the Gulf of Mexico.
Where are all the environmentalist wackos on this? Nobody seems to have a problem with Mexico using natural resources. Apparently, it's only the US that can't use it.
8:07:23 AM
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Where's the Outrage?.
All the ethics moralists suddenly disappeared.
Federal prosecutors have decided to bring charges against a Democratic researcher accused of fraudulently obtaining a credit report on Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, now a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.
Lauren B. Weiner, who has since resigned from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington, will be charged with obtaining the report without authorization, according to a letter sent to Steele by the U.S. attorney's office in the District.
[GOP Bloggers]
7:57:44 AM
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Wednesday, March 15, 2006
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Yeah. That's about right. She is, and, she's not alone. This picture is worth a thousand words. After taxes.
12:56:33 AM
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On the Shiite Shrine Mosque that was bombed last month, Two Babes and a Brain adds more to the picture, like Iran.
Tradition says the Askariya shrine, which draws Shiite pilgrims from throughout the Islamic world, is near the place where the last of the 12 Shiite imams, Mohammed al-Mahdi, disappeared. Al-Mahdi, known as the "hidden imam," was the son and grandson of the two imams buried in the Askariya shrine.
Shiites believe he is still alive and will return to restore justice to humanity. An attack at such an important religious shrine would constitute a grave assault on Shiite Islam at a time of rising sectarian tensions in Iraq
Hidden imam? Disappeared? 12th? Coming back? Wait...where have I heard all of this before?
Oh yeah...here.
12:11:31 AM
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Tuesday, March 14, 2006
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Now everyone can see the fun photos of Abu Ghraib. Didn't see any torture going on. A lot of humiliation going on  though. They all deserve every bit of the misery they went through, but that still isn't torture. The prison guards did, however, show some creativity in different ways to stack a pile of human excrement.
This is what torture looks like, at the hands of terrorists. 
Salon.com must be feeling proud to be the first to re-publish 3-year old photos of a situation that was pretty much handled months before the first pics appeared. But hey, if you have nothing new, rewind the old. Whatever it takes, right?
Online Magazine Publishes Abu Ghraib Photos (AP).
AP - The online news magazine Salon.com published on Tuesday what it called the complete archive of the Army's photographic evidence in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse investigations.
[Yahoo! News: Politics News]
10:18:33 PM
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Monday, March 13, 2006
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Every time like this, when democrats come up with the wildest of ideas that they claim needs to happen, they get called on it. Senate majority leader Bill Frist today took Russ Feingold up on his brilliant idea to censure Bush, and called for a vote on the idea tonight. But, but, now they don't want a vote on it. Not yet anyway. They got a black eye the last time they tried this by calling for the immediate withdrawal of our troops. It was something like 98-2 against the idea. Vice President Cheney had this to say about it today:
"The outrageous proposition that we ought to protect our enemies' ability to communicate as it plots against America poses a key test of our Democratic leaders. Do they support the extreme and counterproductive antics of a few or do they support a lawful program vital to the security of this nation? The American people already made their decision, they agree with the president."
It is amusing to see how they attempt to paint the NSA's terrorist surveillance program as domestic spying. Make that illegal domestic spying. And it is shameful that they characterize it that way They'll be defending our enemy every step of the way on this, which is why they don't need to be anywhere near the White House, and even fewer of them in Congress. More on this and Harry Reid's hypocrisy / idiocy over this on Michelle Malkin's site below.
CENSURE? UM, NEVER MIND.... The Democrats are pulling an Emily Latella. Tim Chapman at Capitol Report has the scoop: ...Democratic Senator Russ Feingold has introduced a resolution that would censor the President of the United States for "eavesdropping" in the wake of 9/11. Senate... [Michelle Malkin]
4:28:26 PM
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This is how democrats are playing it, the next page in 'attack Bush.' They want to impeach Bush for conducting the war on terror upon terrorists and suspected terrorists here at home. I get it, people like Russ Feingold would rather  be 'free' and dead, then alive and use all tools available to fight the enemy. That may not be correct, what is correct is that he would rather see you free and dead if he thinks the NSA surveillance system should be stopped. They are hell bent on politicising the way the war is being conducted. To our peril of course.
No time to waste coming up with policy initiatives, too busy initiating investigations, so they can then say how this administration is the subject of so many investigations, as if that is a bad thing and the administration shouldn't be trusted. The Nancy Pelosi 'pattern' speech comes to mind. The pattern here is the Dem's haven't a clue what to do or say other than attack Bush and everything he does and everything he doesn't do. Give me a break.
The NSA tool in the war is legal, always has been legal. Feingold and his buds are living in that parallel universe where he and the mainstream media reside.
Feingold: Censure or Impeach Bush [NewsMax.com]
Free, But Not Free To Kill
1:09:31 AM
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Friday, March 10, 2006
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Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room today was checking into the presidential line-up for '08. They started out on the republican side, showing pictures of some old and some new faces. The republicans have a big bench. Then they went to the democrat side and, no new faces. I don't consider Hillary as a new face. There was Al Gore, Howard Dean, Hillary, John Kerry, John Edwards. Judging by the last two presidential elections, the democrats have no bench. That little slide show should make all conservatives feel confident about '08.
GOP Faithful Get a Preview of 2008 Contenders . MEMPHIS, March 10 -- Almost 1,000 days before the elections of 2008, nearly 2,000 Republicans from the South and Midwest have come to Memphis looking for a new presi | |
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