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Scalise Wins
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 2:20PM
In a race between two very good congressmen, U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana has defeated Rep. Tom Graves of Georgia to become the new chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the caucus of House conservatives. As a longtime observer of Scalise's career, I wrote a column on the race about a month ago. Frankly, the RSC would have been in good hands either way -- but in this case, I think its effectiveness legislatively will be even better. Scalise knows how to get things done.
This was a race in which there would not have been bad news no matter what. But Scalise's election is very good news for the conservative movement.
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Media Lambs
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 1:36PM
Yesterday's press conference was pathetic. Here's why.
A sample:
Faced with the first chance, after more than two months, to grill Barack Obama about the tragedy in Benghazi, Libya, and related setbacks throughout North Africa and the Middle East, the assembled journalist wannabes barely scratched the surface of what should be treated as a major scandal..... [A]fter a vague assertion by Obama that he had generally ordered his “national security team [to] do whatever we need to do to make sure they’re safe,” nobody asked a word about specifics.Nada.
This “let him off easy” approach contrasts starkly with the repeated and specific questions the media asked President G.W. Bush, at every opportunity, about supposed “torture” of terrorist detainees.
Herewith, then, the basic and obvious questions that should have been asked, but weren’t:
Mr. President, you said generically that you ordered your team to keep the Americans safe. But did you A) entertain any specific proposals to send in a rescue mission; B) remain in direct operational contact during the conflagration with your national security team in order to assess rescue possibilities; C) have any knowledge during those seven hours about any orders for American military or intelligence officers to “stand down”?......
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Press Room Footwork
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 12:42PM
The headline to the story in this morning's "Tampa Daily Megaphone" about Barack Obama's recent bob and weave press conference was, "President cautious on scandal, FBI." I'm glad to see the noun scandal used, as l'affaire Benghazi certainly is one.
But cautious is hardly the adjective I would have chosen for yesterday's exercise in covering the presidential six. Others much closer to the mark include but are not limited to: evasive, vague, deceptive, equivocal, duplicitous, disingenuous, and misleading. Alert TAS readers can certainly add to this list.
But our rookie, soon to be sophomore, president is endlessly glib, and most of the press corps housebroken. So our Barry once again is able to hide the pea with the use of footwork that would have made Sugar Ray Robinson proud.
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I, Pencil -- Simply Perfect
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 11:38AM
"This is the modern world. It's miraculous, it's intricate, and it gets better every day so long as people are free to interact with each other. If we can leave the creative energy of humankind uninhibited, there's no limit to what we can accomplish."
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute launches the first in a series of videos inspired by Leonard Read’s classic work I, Pencil. In it we attempt to illustrate the classical liberal concepts of connectivity and spontaneous order, and how they come about, in the absence of a controlling mastermind, to deliver the wonders of the modern world. We have also released two follow-up videos with academics that explore these concepts further. We are delighted that St Lawrence University professor Steve Horwitz commented, "I do not have words for how beautiful and inspiring and perfect this is."
Here are the videos:
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Romney: Obama's 'Gifts' won him Votes
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 11:20AM
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The Day Ahead: Thursday, Nov. 15
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 10:55AM
Obama to visit Storm-Ravaged Areas in New York (NY Times)
Source: BP to pay Record Fine in Gulf Oil Spill; 2 to face Manslaughter Charges (CBS News)
Three Israelis killed by Gaza Rocket as Violence escalates (BBC News)
ANALYSIS: Republicans return Romney's Parting Gift (ABC News)
Kyra Phillips speaks to David Petraeus about Affair (Huffington Post)
China's Communists pick Country's new Leader (MSNBC)
Why Nancy Pelosi stayed (Politico)
Clouds on Horizon for Tobacco Farmers (CNN News)
Panetta orders Pentagon Investigation of legal, ethical Issues among Military Leaders (Washington Post)
Europe Workers clash with Cops in Anti-Austerity protests (Washington Times)
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"Go After" Obama
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 3:37PM
Obama at his press conference invited John McCain, Lindsay Graham and others to "go after me" if they have questions about the Libya debacle.
Oh, yes, please do. Go after him and after him and after him until he cries uncle. He's responsible for a failure to see threats, for a refusal to provide security, for a refusal to attempt a rescue effort, and for lies, lies, lies in an attempt to cover up his incompetence (or worse than incompetence). Go after him, please, please, please. His behavior has been scandalous.
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Put Invasive Paparrazzi in Jail
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 11:35AM
I'm serious. No matter what the scandal is, it should be flat-out illegal to take photos of somebody through the windows of private property. If an ordinary person stood outside private property peering through windows, it would be illegal Peeping Tomism. The same rule should apply to the media. Throw their butts in jail.
I write this because of this piece on the Petraeus/Broadwell scandal, featuring numerous pictures of Paula Broadwell through the windows of her brother's house. Broadwell may merit all sorts of criticism. But private property is just that: private. Keelhaul the photographer. If I ran for office, laws against invasive paparrazzi would be part of my platform. They are scum.
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All In for All In
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 10:17AM
Take a look at the Amazon.com page for Paula Broadwell's book on General Petraeus. It reveals her to be amazingly connected -- scroll down to the "Editorial Reviews" and the plugs from the likes of Tom Brokaw, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and David Gergen. But the icing on the cake comes from big-foot military writer Thomas E. Ricks, who concludes with this: "All In feels at times like we are sitting at his side in Afghanistan, reading his e-mails over his shoulder."
I'm not making this up.
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The Day Ahead: Wed, Nov 14th
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 10:00AM
Europe Strikes Against Austerity! (Reuters)
USC Can't March their Band if they Stab Bruins Logo, says UCLA (LA Times)
5 Gmail Security Lessons from the Petraeus Scandal (Politico)
…U.S. Govt. Demands for Google User Data Grow by 25% Every Six Months (Technology Review)
McDonald's CEO says Tough Economy is New Normal (WSJ)
Swedish School Replaces 'Him' and 'Her' with 'Friend' (NYT)
Victims of Taliban fight for Free Afghanistan (NBC)
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Should Obama Appoint Kerry Secretary of Defense
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 10:15PM
Should President Obama appoint John Kerry as Secretary of Defense he would be anointing a man who first came to national prominence by accusing his fellow soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam.
He would also be appointing the man who said back in 2006, "You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."
Kerry, of course, said his remark was "a botched joke."
If Obama names Kerry Secretary of Defense that would surely be a botched joke.
Next thing you know Obama will consider appointing Susan "Spontaneous Protest" Rice as Secretary of State. Oh wait, he is.
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Blue Jays & Marlins Make Blockbuster Deal
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 9:41PM
Reports indicate a blockbuster deal between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Miami Marlins.
The Marlins have traded shortstop Jose Reyes, pitchers Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck to the Blue Jays for shortstops Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavaria, pitcher Henderson Alvarez, catcher Jeff Mathis and minor league pitchers Justin Nicolino, Anthony DeScalfani and minor league outfielder Jacob Marisnick.
The deal is not official but the reaction of the Marlins fans can be best summed up by its star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton who tweeted, "Alright, I'm pissed off!!! Plain & Simple."
This development comes less than a year after the Marlins signed both Reyes and Buehrle to long term contracts. In one fell swoop, the Marlins have taken $150 million off their payroll while the Jays are putting the AL East on notice.
My take on it is if this cast of characters couldn't get it done in Miaim then why will they be any better in Toronto?
Well, for one thing, Ozzie Guillen won't be in charge.
The only question that remains is who will manage the newly revamped Jays. Well, we know it won't be a rabbi.
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